Reviews of Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea (Coffee Shop)

Kaylee Crow

still love Fairgrounds but the only drawback is the disorganization. I was there on sat morning when it was fairly mobbed, but it was unclear where to get in line to place an order, or even if there was a line. Once I got my order, I then had to wait in line with about a dozen other people to pay, during which time it would have been possible to completely consume my drink while waiting for my turn with the single cashier, who was also busy making bagel sandwiches and performing other tasks. Not the most efficient system!

Joya P

My favorite downtown coffee shop! They have fast and friendly service as well as the best matcha options that you can find in the city. They also offer great perks through their rewards program. 4 stars because parking is impossible at this location. Also because they won't update their menu on the ritual app to reflect the availability of their specialty drinks.

Juliet Scott

After just flying in, this place is the best welcome I could ask for. The staff was wonderful, helpful and friendly. My fellow patrons were awesome as well. A little bit of a drive from where I'm staying at but we'll worth. DOPENESS.

Sanyuja Desai

Cute little place. Not too many pastry options.

Ariel Shalev

Good coffee and fun service. The poppy seed lavender scone is great!

Nicholas Braden

Ceremonial Matcha is on point!

Serena Uible

Great little place. I told barista I wanted cold coffee. She offered me four samples. I picked one. I looked at the breakfast carb choices. Most were sugar bombs. The cinnamon rolls looked great, but bathed in sugar icing. I picked the blueberry scone which was good. The coffee was good too. The service was GREAT and cheerful.

Michael kinkoph

Love Fairgrounds! I had the metropolis cold brew! They have all sorts of varieties on tap, with a nice patio and views too!

Ashe Odinson

Instantly cheerful and enthusiastic greeting. I asked what types of green tea were available and the server just smiled wider, allowing me to smell their varieties before ordering. I knew which I wanted immediately and do not regret my decision in the slightest. I will be returning in the future.

Stewart Green

Great cold brew draft selection from local spots

Steve Burrows

Their kumbucha tap selection is awesome, really liked the CBD/Pineapple/ginger

Mark C

Best staff, excellent selection.

Wendy Easton

I had a really great cup of coffee here yesterday. I recently started taking my coffee without cream (health reasons) and I find that now for a cup to taste good to me requires that it is a really great cup of coffee.

Eli Levy

Authentic place to grab coffee, great coffee selection! Special

Varun Joshi

Amazing customer service! Plus great selection of coffee and teas.

Dylan Bunch

Great spot, but limited seating and they rarely have all of the advertised taps available.

Ellie Meyer

Cinnamon roll w/creamy cream cheese frosting = amazing. Great espresso horchata, matcha latte (w/oat milk) and patio seating for people-watching. Wifi outside can be spotty; read or use data instead.

Randall Moderhack

Excellent coffee in a very tiny space.

Andrea Foley

Freaking amazing. The chick that waited on me had super short hair had gauges was super nice and helpful. Will definitely be back

James Borkman

Small little spot inside the lobby of the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel with a separate entrance on Michigan Ave. Great coffee selection, with a number of Cold Brews and Nitros on tap. They source their beans from a number of different places, and they expertly handle brewing a perfect cup. Great pastries, too!

Noe Rodriguez

Awesome!

Janet Hatton

This is the place to go for a nice quick breakfast, reminds me so much of NYC . Clean and great ambience. I ordered the toast with poached eggs and the cashier recommended to add avocado and bacon paired with a nice cup of hot cappuccino. Since I lost La Boulange ... I'm in a mission to look for that one perfect breakfast place. This may or may not be the one ... but it can do for now .

Marina Malone

Pretty small. A bit hard to spot. Nice outside sitting area with a view of milennium park. Sort of expensive drinks

Jenny Calderon

First time here but will definitely be back! Barista that made our coffee (Eric) has only been here for 4 days but he is already a great addition! Super knowledgeable, sweet and attentive! Can't wait to come back!!!

Graham Carie

A bit pricey but they had the best coffee I've ever tasted. Worth a visit for morning coffee.

Sherry Mullen

Their coffee was the best among the rest because it has a perfect aroma and tasted good. unique. The price was very reasonable! As for the service, it was fine.

Peter Matuszak

Dog friendly with an amazing selection of the best coffees from roasters around the country. The patio view of Michigan Avenue and the park makes for an excellent start to the day. It's a little pricier than the Goddess and Baker around the corner or the Intelligentsia on Randolph but well worth it.

Mark Callan

Great coffee selection. Coming from Seattle, I'm always on the hunt for good coffee when I travel. This place hit the spot.

Tiff Van Barn

Fantastic coffee options and friendly staff.

Rochelle Morris

The drinks we had were terrible. I made sure to mention it was my first time when ordering. I ordered a chocolate truffle mocha with almond milk. It had no trace of chocolate in it and a truffle for decoration. My daughter didn't like it when I offered a taste either. Not sure if it was because they don't adapt substitutions well. First trip to Chicago and worst coffee ever.

LightOfTheWorld Jesus!

I have had coffee from prolly every place in Chicago and his place has the best. There is no burnt like flavor like from Starbucks. They do all kinds of specialty drink as long as regular black. Service is spotty but a good product says it all.

Sylvie Janecek

Should have gone to Panera. Overpriced coffee and meh food, and the vanilla latte was too sweet. The staff was fine, no complaints there. This place was more expensive than Starbucks. Not even as good of food. You’re paying for the decor, not the coffee. This place obviously caters to the business people staying at the attached hotel.

Tammara Saloum

Absolute terrible service. I came to this shop while visiting Chicago on Sept 22 around 7:30pm. First, I was NOT greeted at all. Instead, we were looked at like animals. I was excited thinking what to get when the women working rolled her eyes and went to the other women who she was training and said "they don't know what they want". I was with my sister and her husband and felt utter disrespected. She came back 20 second later and continued her petty attitude and said "okay what else" in the most disrespectful tone. Of course, I left without giving this coffee shop my business and plan to tell ALL my business partners who often visit Chicago (MI Ave) area to not support such a shop. I felt completely discriminated against!!! Also to note, if this women who I left a picture of had the audacity to treat us in such a discriminatory and just absolutely rude way while training someone... that's smart let all your employees be disrespectful! Considering your located at a very busy street with a lot of tourist / business people I would consider some ethical training!

Wendy Meyer

Excellent coffee in this small, cozy spot. The baristas are skilled at making espresso drinks, and you'll get a well crafted beverage every time. The cafe is very small, only a few bar stools by the window, so not the type of coffee shop to post up and study. I used to work in the area, and miss coming here frequently!

Zack Yuen

The baristas here a very personable and friendly they made me feel welcome and comfortable. This coffee shop spotlights independent coffee roasters, which is really cool and also a good way to get unique and interesting brews. If you are looking for a fancy cup of coffee and some good pastries, this is a surefire place to get them.

Debra Farmer

Very cool that I was able to visit the first Blue Bottle location! Love the sign on the front, Love the coffee and the passion that goes into what Blue Bottle does! Will definitely be back!

Logan Schrader

Great turmeric latte. Super clean and nice.

George Corfias

I've gone to fairgrounds twice. I had 2 of their specialty hand pours, their power flower milk tea, vosges cocoa, military latte and imperial matcha. Of all the drinks i had, the power flower and vosges stood out the most. The milk tea was a change for me, because it felt like I was drinking a healthy milk tea. I make milk tea myself and this was similar to what I make. Not great, but refreshing even though it's hot. Overall an interesting flavor. The vosges cocoa was very good. I don't know how they made it, but this was the best hot cocoa I've had. Their hand pours are also excellent and prepared on demand, so the grind is fresh and brewed correctly. The lattes were average for a good coffee shop. The military is not as good as sawada coffee, but better than other attempts. What I like is that none of their drinks are sweet! The only one that I didn't like was the imperial matcha. I believe it wasn't a fresh powder, but I can't say for sure. The best matcha I had so far was unfortunately at a whole foods when some lady was doing samples of a matcha they were carrying. That was back in 2010. It's hard to explain what I am tasting in the rishi that fairdgrounds offers.. almost dirty? Based on the color of matcha, I am expecting more of a fresh flavor similar to a good gyokuro tea. Matcha aside, fairgrounds is definitely better than Starbucks and most other coffee shops. The staff has also been friendly and answered questions that I had. It's almost a 5* coffee shop, just their drinks didnt wow me like say Ipsento. I will definitely visit there again, to try more of their specialty drinks.

Molly Urban

Such a unique, local, eclectic feeling place. The special order elixir was fantastic!

Lincoln Gallegos

Delicious coffee, espresso, lattes and mochas! Love that they roast their own craft coffee and sell coffees from other craft roasters around the world!

Alex de los Reyes

Cute little coffee shop in the lobby of a beautiful building. Wonderful coffee options and carefully made. A few different types of espressos, pour over coffees, teas, cold coffees, nitro pours and other beverages. Some other light snacks and pastries to go with your drink. Nice selection of beans to take home too. Friendly barista and made some great recommendations for out of town travelers. Would definitely come back!

Nino Arobelidze

Fairgrounds is my jam! If you have the chance to go in, do it! My favorite are the iced coffee and matcha drinks but That's only because they are normally my go to brews of choice.

Jamie Olson

Great cold brew bar, lots of single serve coffee options, looked like they use Melitta pourover.

Erica Bee

Amazingly delicious cold brew coffee! They pickled pepper egg sandwich was just okay though. My breakfast mates said the pastries were delicious.

Richard Schwartz

I love going here. I've had nothing but great experiences here and will keep coming back. Prices were good for how much you get.

David Shih

Yes it's not Starbucks. It's a wait for the pour over coffee. And there's not a ton of seating. But the coffee's really good if you want to splurge and treat yourself. And the folks are friendly. It's not my daily cuppa joe fix but worth a try if you're in the mood for a fancy pour over.

Pan Fayang

I went to grab a cup of late night coffee. The barista is very knowledgeable and friendly, and we had a nice chat while waiting for my pour over. He offered a sample elixir, their mixed drink that has charcoal in it. The pour over station is fancy, and the coffee I got was great. Pretty good first impression.

Constance Coleman

Great place for quick bites and coffee tea! Reasonably priced and lots of gourmet teas for the tea lovers! Their kolache roast beef is really good try the one with the jalapenos. I had the blue moon tea with honey, so good! Taste line the ones from teavana Parking is very little though so beware.

Michael Huynh

Pretty good coffee and price point. But, sometimes.more order was left sitting under the pour over after it was done. Wound up waiting for more time than I should have.

erik sung

Good coffee and even better people

Michael Schultz

Excellent bevearage and food options. Design and service is excellent. Very ccool spot, not as large as their Bucktown location

Jimmy Merritello

Great spot right on Michigan. Great roasters -- choose from several of the top crafts.

Mark Randall

Went in after having a bite at the shake shack wanted a cup of black ICED coffee, it’s as if the cashier wasn’t listening to what I ordered. SELECTIVE HEARING, I’m guessing. this is what I get dark roast coffee drip hot coffee, ummm ok. Um this isn’t iced coffee black. Let me get you ice. I get ice and have to walk to the trash can to pour my coffee into a ice cup. After I did it the barista said I would have done it over the sink. Um why didn’t you say something til I already did it. Let me just say that this dark roast was one of the worst roasts I have ever tasted. I drink 15 cups or more a day from many coffee shops and it saddens me to say the word WORST. Definitely wasn’t worth my money for visiting as a FIRST TIME customer. Definitely won’t be back

Oleksiy Lysenko

Good coffees

Tania V.

Just love it. So many selections and excellent services.

Pete Speicher

Good teas, coffees and service

Van Ly

Solid.

Justis James

Friendly staff, and a neat bathroom that’s all the way up the staircase!

Nydia Cabrera

Female barista took 10 min taking a simple coffee order for the couple in front of us. She’s chatting away completely ignoring our presence. I‘m so confused by the nonchalant attitude of the barista that I even check whether I’m standing in a spot that indicates I’m a customer waiting to place an order. Because the wait is getting ridiculous, I ask the male barista in charge of making drinks if it’s at all possible to start preparing my coffee while I wait to order. He agrees. When the couple in front walk away along with the barista at the register, I advance to the now empty register. The iPad order screen is facing me like self service machines typically do, and so I select my drink (with the number of options appearing on the screen) and prepare to pay. Dismayed barista screams: “what are you doing? What are you doing?” as she turns the screen towards her. I answer that I’m ordering my drink as I come to the realization based on her body language that it’s not self-service, but a regular iPad register (no wonder it didn’t look user-friendly). When barista realizes the transaction has been placed accurately and speedily in the amount of time it took her to walk back over (15 seconds), surprised says: “uh... you did it correctly...” There was no “I’m sorry for the wait” or any sort of explanation. She ignored me, screamed at me for doing something that appeared common sense (after all, when she walked away she didn’t say “I’ll be right back to take your order”) and didn’t even apologize? Terrible service! Also coffee was meh, especially for its price. I visit the CAA often but I’m never going back there.

Santosh Achari

Pretty good coffee!

Meagan Baker

I wanted to post a food pic but it looked so good I couldn't stop. I'll return friends next time. Prices are appropriate for the quality. Menu is like a place in Miami I enjoyed

Amy Shen

Really chill environment to get great coffee and tea

Frances Angell

Got here at morning rush. Didn't have to wait too long though, it was shorter than the ferry building Blue Bottle line! I ordered the SG-120, which came in a beautiful Hario glass. It worked so well, and I would come again and order the same thing!

Angelica Wright

Loved the atmosphere & the service was awesome. Coffee was great as well! Not a place to spend much time in, but perfect for a quick meeting or drink.

Moksh Budhia

Decent coffee

christopher jay

Knowledgeable baristas and good coffee selection

Ezekiel Wettstein

Pretty good service, quite good coffee, little pricey.

BEN H

Somewhat expensive, but pretty average for a coffee shop in the loop. They have a rewards program that's definitely worth joining if you go there often enough. It's also right below the second floor of the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, which is open to the public and a great place to sit down for a while and get some work done.

Chris Rose

Consistently good pour-overs, great selection,

matthew gilboy

Staff was friendly and helpful. I got the dandelion detox puerh; it was very tasty. They have a broad assortment of not only coffees and teas, but also 'elixirs'- which were different kinds of drinks with various ingredients (like coffee with butter). Comfortable, minimal seating.

Charlie Schafer

Nice little hole in the wall coffee shop.

Liti Kitiyakara

Tiny place, but pleasant place when you want something different than the nearby Starbucks. A bit more pricey than indicated in other reviews.

David Schwartz

One of the best coffee shops in Chicago. An excellent choice of various coffees and style

Saad AlQahtani

I like their latte but bad ice Americano

Todd Phenneger

Great selection of local and distant coffee roasters. When traveling sometimes I have trouble finding great coffee but I will be back here for the next couple days of my stay.

d'Andre Willis

Espresso drink was a 5, but ham & cheese croissants were stale and staff were not very pleasant. Didn’t seem like a busy morning, so perhaps they were just having a bad day.

Kyle Eggleston

Pretty good alternative to the big chains.

Nisah Cheatham

Superb coffee. The only issues: figuring out how to get in and seating ... but not enough of an issue to even take a star off.

Sean Freund

The first couple of times I went to Fairgrounds I did not care for what I had to drink. In time, however, I learned to talk to the baristas there about what I like. That is when I discovered a type of coffee drink called the Verve which is a light roast pourover. As far as coffees go the Verve is very smooth, not very bitter, but is very caffeinated. I've also had lattes and mochas there as well and they are quite good. Don't be afraid to ask for help ordering! The staff there are friendly and knowledgeable. They have a reward points program and it's always nice getting free coffee. (The beverage in the picture I took is not the drink I described in my review, but actually a latte).

Minoo Tgh

No idea why people likes this place. Terrible coffee I’ve ever had !!!!

GG DD

Superb coffee, friendly and knowledgeable baristas, and great atmosphere.

Peter Manderino

Fantastic coffee severed with a smile. This place is in my top 10 for a latte. Bonus points for being in such an awesome building, the Chicago Athletic Association.

Alexis Jieun Bae

There are plenty of outdoor seatings but just few highchairs inside. It has good options of drinks but I don't know why this place is so highly rated.

Simon Goh

Great location, beautiful interior, wonderful character and options of coffee beans, but unfortunately the service was slow and the execution of the making of the latte was lacking. The frothy, velvety exterior and taste of the coffee was missing and the enjoyment of the coffee was average. Decent but average coffee.

M Aponte

Good coffee and friendly staff.

Victor Manuel

I like the big F that they had behind the cash register. I think that the drinks here were a little over price but honestly It was good. I will be back soon.

Iman Elgammal

First came here in May, and was happy to see that it's still consistently good with lattes. It's right across the street from the park, so it's perfect to stop and get your drink before walking thru millennium park. They don't have much indoor seating but there's an outdoor patio.

Von Taylor

The food was excellent and the service was very good.

Kyle Kutter

Loved that through this local coffee shop we were able to try coffee from roasters all over the country.

Julieta Campos

Supports local coffee roasters

Agnieszka McCarthy

Had the croissant and a matcha drink; was very good; great & pleasant service

BOB SAGGET

For the tiny space and busy location, they manage to somehow still make you feel calm and at peace while you enjoy very good coffee. You're mostly going to find people who are working on something and needed a space to relax while working but didnt want to buy into a certain other major coffee brand that millions of people bow down to. All in all fairgrounds still feels like how you would hope a small coffee shop to feel with the ability to also provide a connection to the professional world, in that right out the door and in the same building there are other more formal dining options.

Alik Kasman

Great coffee, which is not too common in US :-(

Larry Wolf

A non-aligned coffee shop with a couple of a variety of local options. What a delightful discovery!

Andrew Plock

Great location. Not huge for hanging out at inside, but big patio. Had a few things during this visit: a cortado and a Vietnamese cold brew. Both were pretty great, staff behind the counter worked well to handle the line.

S D

It was refreshing finding a coffee place with some creative ingredients and drinks! I thought their vosges truffle mocha and the charcoal smoothie were really tasty. I liked the design of the store and the packaging. Not a lot of sitting room, and all their cups were disposable—it's pretty much expected you're just grabbing your coffee to go. However, the staff was awesome! They swapped a drink out for me at no charge when we misunderstood what we were ordering, which I was really appreciative of, and the server was really friendly and helpful.

Nicholas Leeman

A cortado mixed perfectly and an above-average doughnut is just what I needed for walking around nearby Millennium Park. Skip the close by chains and stop in.

Vibhu Rathee

This place does well. It is no wonder that its coffee is just as good.

Eduardo Navarro

I️ always go to fairgrounds coffee it is so delicious! Patty and Moi and most friendliest and fun baristas! I’m always happy to see them and they make the best lattes!!

James Allen Tan

This cafe have great coffee selections, all local US coffee beans. The baristas were all amazing and very welcoming which added to the great experience. The interior and design was very pleasant. Though, small, it gave a very welcoming and comfortable ambiance. I recommend you try their pour-over black coffee. To experience the full flavor of the coffee beans. One more thing, Chicago, when I visited was insanely cold. It might be a good idea to drop by here and grab a hot cup before you set off to Millennium Park.

John Elias

Awesome coffee and service

Bilal Khan

One of the best latte's I have had in a while Staff was exceptional and friendly The carrot muffin was great too Will definitely come back!

Carol Passowic

Good lattes and service

Olivia Metz

below average coffee in my option

Viktoria

Lovely place great Macha with Almond milk , friendly service.

Mo Stych

A wider range of options than your typical coffee local shop. Their exclusive list of “elixir” drinks are relatively expensive but unique and delish. The staff is wonderful and knows a lot about the Chicago region if you want to do something off the “tourist” path in the city. Try the matcha...and the doughnuts!

Kelli Finkenbinder

Really enjoyed my coffee! I'll be back, so much better than a generic cup of coffee from a chain.

So Jo

Very nice people. Gave samples but....Ordered an ice Mocha. Kinda gross bc they used a chocolate powder instead of syrup and it took forever to dissolve. Had to toss the drink.

Isaac Poore

Great coffee options and wonderful iced drinks. The employees are always so friendly. Especially the kiwi barista.

Ryan

Nice spot right by the park. Limited selection, but it's not huge so it's expected

kara bellissimo

Coffee is a bit pricy (6$+) for a latte. I got a croissant and it wasn’t anything special. The seating is also very limited inside which is a bummer if it’s raining outside.