Jesus that's a strong drink. Like anything with life, you explore enough and you will experience some wild things. Coffee Connection happens to be one of the more unique coffeehouses I've ever visited. After breakfast at Busy Corner, it was time for coffee. We walked up and as soon as we walked in, I knew that we were in for a treat. There was Jesus stuff everywhere and a bookshelf near the entrance that was crammed full of Jesus books, movies, audiobooks, and etc. Not that this place being a Christian-themed is a bad thing. Just my first religious coffee place. No, what made this place unique were the random stuff you'd probably find unsold (or sold ASAP based on trends) at Goodwills or Thrift Stores. You should be able to see some of the oddities in the photos below. To note, there was also a lot of St. Louis Cardinals craft items around so if you are a Cards or Cubs fan, just take note. I was standing there, looking at the menu on the counter and things in the display case when out of the corner of my eye I see someone standing there. This spooked me as we were the only customers at the front of the store. Turns out... it was Jake from State Farm. As a life-size cutout. I knew I had to get a photo with it. Emily saw a Strawberry-type drink on their FB page and ordered that. I got a plain ol cold brew for my sipping pleasure. We stood there while the barista made our drinks and took in the unusualness of Coffee Connection. Once we got our drinks, we wandered to the back and to check out the giant artwork painted on the wall. You can see that below. We headed up to the front and say by the big window, playing Speed with a deck of cards on the aforementioned shelf. I took a sip of my cold brew and instantly knew it would be a slow sipping drink. I've had some strong and bitter cold brews and this one is in the Top 3, easily. Not that that is a bad thing but something to keep in mind if you try one here. Emily enjoyed her drink and said it tasted like a mix of beer, coffee and strawberry. I took a sip and would have to agree. We both agreed that it didn't taste bad... Emily said she enjoyed it, actually. Just an interesting drink. They did have baked goods and refrigerated items for sale but seeing as we just ate breakfast, we weren't in the mood for anything besides caffeine. Some of them did look appealing despite full bellies. Sadly, you can kind of assume this place doesn't do gangbusters in sales as a lot of the fixtures and odds and ends were just not in fantastic condition or shape. Some of their decorations were covered in some dust or showed signs of not being touched since opening. We ended up leaving with half our drinks left. Normally I finish mine while I'm at the place but with how bitter it was, it was a slow sipping drink. Once it was watered down a bit, it really hit the spot after some yard work. I can't say that would return here or would suggest people go out of the way for but if you are in the area and need a caffeine hit, Coffee Connection can connect you with what you need! read more

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they use expired milk and won't let their employees throw it away. not a place I would ever consider going to. something needs to be done. it's not safe. read more

Went here a couple times and had a really good cappuccino. I was excited to show this place to my dad, but unfortunately the espresso tasted weird :( We went back to give it a second try a few weeks later to see if they had a new batch of beans. The coffee had great temp and froth, just a gross tang bitter coffee flavor and aftertaste which made it unenjoyable. read more

Coffee Connection - a view of the outside of a coffee shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

When ever we come to Decatur this place is a must stop. Their coffee is consistently good. I have never had an issue with my order being incorrect. The reason they didn't get 5 stars is because their customer service is lacking. There is no engagement, no feeling they appreciate you are giving them your business. The service is pretty dry. The 4 stars which is based on their coffee should tell you how good it is. The coffee is smooth, rich and creamy with no after taste. The flavoring they put in is a compliment to the coffee and does not overpower it nor is it all coffee and lack of flavoring. They have really mastered the art of balancing the flavors. read more

Today I bought a lemon blueberry scone. There's no lemon or blueberries. It's tough and tasteless. Their food used to be so good. Sad. read more

Coffee Connection - Supposed lemon blueberry scone. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

Try the white on white mocha, it's freaking awesome!!!! And if you feel like trying it a different way get it with oat milk and strawberry.

Amazing coffee delivered quickly. My partner also got a muffin and an apple juice. Free yourself from the burnt coffee of Starbucks!!!

Finally got to stop here and I'm sorry I didn't do so sooner. It's an extremely hot June day and we thought an iced coffee or iced tea drink would cool us down. All of the specialty coffees are available iced but we spotted the Chai. The service is fast and friendly. Prices are reasonable and the iced Chai is fantastic. Well spice with a spicy finish. The sandwich menu looks interesting but that will have to wait for another visit. read more

Friendly staff, convenient location, and good coffee. I love the different monthly specialty drinks.

The best coffee in town. Love the monthly specials. Very good service. So much better than chain coffee shops. The white on white latte is my favorite. read more

Great local find. Fast service and loved that the man taking my order had me try my drink before leaving to ensure it was to my liking. Great customer service. read more

In the area for a family funeral, so tired of hotel coffee (warm brown water disguised as coffee) and jones-ing for good, rich espresso drinks, we yelped our way to this darling establishment. They happened to be open on Labor Day (thank you!) and we stood at the walk up window for just a few minutes while the nice folks prepared a latte and mocha of excellent quality for us. We sat at their little patio under umbrellas while the heat and humidity gathered around us, thankful that we had very good caffeine and a slight breeze and a moment of rest before getting back together with our family members. One should always have good caffeine prepared by pleasant, hip baristas to steel ones self before being with ones extended family. read more

Coffee Connection - Patio and drive up window - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Decatur, Illinois

Super kind staff and delicious teas, coffee, and food. Employees helped with recommending vegetarian options and how to customize. Lovely people, excellent food. read more

The coffee is great here and the service was pretty quick. I didn't love the price for one coffee- mine was with soy milk and add ins- $9.00 for it but it was better quality than Starbucks read more

Yay, Decatur, for having a locally-owned coffee drive-thru! I made it a point to stop here while back in town. I considered an iced chai, but I am usually not a fan of the pre-made chai mixes. I asked the barista what they use, and it's a mix from Big Train. I had never heard of it so I decided I would give it a try, and YUM!! The spices were reminiscent of pumpkin pie. It was sooo good! My mom ordered an italian soda (without the cream). At most places I avoid these because they are too darn sweet. This was just right - not too sweet at all, but still enough raspberry flavor to make it feel like you were drinking something special. The barista was very friendly and had us try our drinks before leaving to make sure they were "to our liking". I would definitely recommend making a trip to this place over Starbucks - you will be glad you did! read more

First visit here love it! They have almond, coconut and soy mills available. Had a creme brûlée latte with coconut milk and it's just right. It is mainly drive thru with a walk up window. She asked me to try it before we left. Love it! read more

I'd have to say my favorite thing about Coffee Connection is its unique concoctions. When you're serving coffee, something that arguably anyone can make, it's great when a business makes it their own. This place is a lovely alternative to the chain places in town, such as Starbucks and Dunkin, because it goes against the grain, but it's also an elevated taste from places that just serve coffee as an afterthought. It's also been comforting to see a place that started out as a simple drive-through business begin to expand. I'm happy to see Coffee Connection opening new locations as they really are great at what they do. Their coffee is very tailor made, and you can tell. As someone who worked in a cafe through most of my college years, this place knows how to treat its coffee beans. I truly feel a punch of caffeine from any of their drinks. I especially love the fact that they always seem to making a new type of flavor or drink. You can tell the baristas enjoy experimenting and expanding their craft. One of my favorite drinks I've there thus far was a Snickerdoodle latte. The flavors were great but did not overpower the espresso. Another great thing about Coffee Connection is their sandwiches wraps and other food creations. When you specialize in coffee, it's so easy for these type of dishes to become an afterthought, but they are equally as delicious as their drink counterparts. I've overheard people complaining these can take a while to make, but they need to keep in mind that this is not a fast food establishment. Good things take a little bit of time. Overall, if you're not buying from Coffee Connection, you are definitely missing out. read more

Great coffees and teas and super fast and attentive service!

My mom and I got two wraps - the chipotle BLT and the breakfast wrap. In total the wraps. In total the two wraps cost us a whopping $12. The $12 dollars for the two wraps would be justified if the wraps were more than 5 inches in length. The wraps were sub-par at that. The spicey-ness of the chipotle BLT wrap overpowered the wrap itself. However, we did order two coffees that were rich and robust. If your looking for a good coffee, check it out, otherwise ... go somewhere else for a wrap or quick breakfast. read more

I really love this place. The people that work here are such a pleasure to interact with. I highly recommend stopping for an iced green tea. (Great flavor and no sweetener needed) The wraps are good also. You can go through the drive-thru or park your car and enjoy it on their awesome patio. read more

The last few times I went there the people who works here were pretty rude. The coffee is good but it's not worth it if the workers are rude. read more

INTELLEGENTSIA COFFEE in Decatur, IL! Awesome!! When we go to visit my folks in Forsyth, we find ourselves in a coffee desert...not anymore. The Coffee Connection is run by wonderful people who serve great coffee...thank you, thank you, thank you! read more

Pretty good coffee the times I've been there though like most Coffee places the pricing seems a little high.

Quick service. Reasonable price. Locally owned

Local coffee shoppe. Always friendly. Always fresh. They even took a picture of my dog for their facebook page. That's pretty cool.

Coffee was spectacular. Turkey provolone pesto wrap was fresh and tasty and just the right size. Service was fast and friendly. If I lived in Springfield, this would be the only coffee place I would go to. And I like coffee. A lot. read more

The best coffee shop in Decatur. Delicious coffee and the friendliest staff you will find anywhere. I wish there were more stars to give, this place it perfect. read more

Espresso was the worst I have ever had likewise the chicken wrap not so good either. Avoid this place.