Emerald City Coffee Shop is the perfect blend of warmth, community, and relaxation. The cozy atmosphere, quiet place to work or fun spot to hangout with friends! The ample seating ensures you'll almost always find a spot, whether you're flying solo with a book or meeting up with a group. Plus, the board game selection is a fantastic touch, adding to the shop's friendly and interactive feel. Beyond the ambiance, Emerald City Coffee Shop delivers on quality. The coffee is rich and flavorful, with a variety of options to suit different preferences. Whether you're in the mood for a classic espresso, a creamy latte, or a seasonal specialty, their menu has something to satisfy. I ordered caffe Medici which was a coffee version of an old fashioned! I loved it! There is paid street parking outside which makes it easier to park and enjoy your favorite beverage! read more

Emerald City Coffee - Medici Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A cozy coffee shop down the street from Harry S Truman college. The entrance isn't really marked by a sign, so you might walk past it if you aren't paying attention. The food smelled good, but I only stopped in for a coffee. It has plenty of tables and outlets if you want to study or stay for a bit. The Iced Latte was pretty good, so I plan on coming back. read more

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Absolutely wonderful place. Got a mocha to go on my way to work and it was done within five minutes and quite good; chocolatey but not overly so and perfectly complementing the bitterness from the espresso. Atmosphere is lovely, very warm and cozy, tons of plants. Will have to hang out there longer next time. Staff is super friendly too! Altogether loved it. Great coffee, very warm and cozy atmosphere, fantastic customer service. Really made my morning. 10/10 will definitely return! read more

Hey fellow Yelp users! I went to this coffee spot/cafe on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 for a remote work day. I stayed from around 10 am - 3 pm. The lady that took my order was very nice. Unfortunately, they don't have lemons so they were out of lemonade. I decided to give one of their teas a shot. I tried their apricot black tea. I'm a pretty picky person and didn't end up liking it. Maybe tea isn't for me. Overall, I had a good experience at this spot. It gave me cozy vibes. They even had board games and puzzles. The music was played at a very good volume, somewhat loud enough for you to hear it as background music, but not too loud. The cushioned bench I sat at wasn't the most comfortable and didn't seem to be the most sturdiest. I was able to successfully get my work done and meet 2 of my students in person. I definitely plan on coming back here if I meet with my students again in person. Extra things that I felt like were cherries on top to my experience being here. I saw the cutest wiener dog ever and the lady that took my order gave the doggie bacon. In the bathroom, the entire wall including the door was a chalkboard. I had to represent the non-profit I work at, College Possible. I hope this review helps Emerald City Coffee & its current and future customers. Have a nice day! read more

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This is a really cozy, homey coffee shop with some fun signature lattes. I got the medici latte, which was somewhere between a mocha and an old fashioned, flavor wise- it had an orange twist. Check out their board games, bookshelves, or even the piano in the back room. read more

My boyfriend and I went here this morning. I ordered an iced Americano and blueberry lemon loaf. My boyfriend ordered a cold brew, a cinnamon roll, and a breakfast taco. Both baristas were friendly and welcoming. Our order was correct and there was no problem. The last time we were there we had lousy service, this time the service was amazing. For sure we will come back. read more

Was this the best coffee I've ever had? No. But I would not hesitate to come here again if ever in the area. This coffee shop is super socially conscientious and open to all; visiting consumers, neighborhood regulars, local artists, and those down on their luck. Lots of seating space, clean gender neutral bathrooms, and efficient service. Breakfast menu consists of various bagel sandwiches. At 8.99 a poop, I was a little disappointed in the size of the bagel - it was good enough for a quick snack. The dirty chai with oat milk I ordered was prepared with care and has a good flavor. read more

Emerald City Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been in this neighborhood for a year now, and it took me until now to finally check this place out. I am very close so I'm surprised it took me this long, but I strolled in on a Sunday morning around 9:30am, and the staff here were very welcoming and the vibes were cozy. The like the ambiance here. It has interesting decor and feels almost like a woody grandma type space... maybe even a hipster coffee shop that you'd see in Capitol Hill, Seattle. I do feel like this is a great place to sit and read a book, and they have an extended room towards the back so it's a lot bigger than I realized! Definitely a neighborhood friendly cafe and I'll 100% be returning! read more

Great cold brew, delicious black bean egg and cheese breakfast taco and helpful staff! We love a medium to dark roast w a chocolate flavored cold brew, unlike the tart, light brew cold brew every coffee shop is doing now. And Emerald City hit the right mark! I'd probably ask for less ice next time! The tacos were small but filling! The potato was my favorite! read more

Cool little ramshackle spot with decent coffee. Social conscience vibe. Lots of board games and dark corners.

Great coffee, good service, chill vibe, ok space to get work done. I actually prefer their other location 7 minutes away, but to grab to-go Mocha or my favorite Caffe Medici this location gets the job done. Their breakfast tacos have a cult following despite being standard bacon, eggs and cheese on a flour tortilla. I've tried sandwiches and other food items, but will stick to the coffee. .. it's what they do best. read more

This coffee shop is my favorite for working from home. Lots of outlets, lots of tables of different sizes, games, and a very cozy dark chaotic aesthetic. Chai's are well spiced. read more

Loved this coffee shop! I've been trying to explore more coffee places near me this month and Emerald city is definitely one of the quieter ones I've been to which makes it great for working, studying, or reading a book. There's a back room with several shelves of board games and the decor is very cozy. Staff was friendly and the coffee is good! My favorite was the cinnamon roll. Not the gooey kind (which I also love) but made of a thicker dough and some of the best icing I've had in a while. Definitely try one if you're into pastries on the sweeter side. read more

Emerald City Coffee - Cinnamon roll - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A very cute place with good local atmosphere. Good hot cider and nice workers! Great place to hang out and chat with friends.

This is one of my favorite coffee spots in all of Chicago. It's located in the heart of one of Chicagos most diverse neighborhoods. ECC has several displays of local art work and often hosts community events, comedy shows, and other activities. There are two separate seating areas. The one in the back is a little quieter and more private. This is a great nook with lots of room to work in a creative space. The service is always top notch and the staff always meets customers with kindness. read more

this is such a Coffee Shop do y'all feel me? Like you move to chicago and want to have the city coffee shop experience, then come here omg. it's like the aesthetics of the musical RENT in a coffee shop. This is So Coffee Shop omg 10/10 didn't even need creamer in my cold brew read more

Seems like they care a lot about the people that live in this neighborhood and making their cafe more than just a place to drink coffee. Feels like community building at work read more

Emerald City Coffee - Flyers - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A favorite local hang of mine for coffee and getting some work done. Very delicious breakfast tacos. Order the hot sauce with them. Sometimes there will be a fun trivia question that you can answer for a % off. The coffee is better than average. read more

My favorite coffee spot in uptown. The staff is approachable and seems to enjoy working there! The coffee is always delicious and their vegan muffin is soooooo good! read more

Two words....breakfast tacos. It was sad when Magnolia Cafe closed down, but this coffee shop has been a neighborhood delight! Great food and coffee. Also have two options of rooms if you want to stay and work a bit, or enjoy cozy coffee day. They have bakery items for those in need, and have many events to create community. read more

New to the area & love to spend my WFH days here. comfy cozy vibe with lots of seating & eclectic decor. A great selection of speciality coffee drinks, my favorite being the Mayan Mocha! read more

Emerald City Coffee - a counter with a variety of items - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here after a run and ordered a chicken pesto sandwich to go for my son. Before I had a chance to take a picture, he scarfed down the while I was getting settled in. He said it was really good and then asked why I can't make food like this. Thanks Emerald City for raising the bar ;) Also, the coffee shop is setup to minimize exposure. People enter through Emerald City but exit through Red Rum next door to prevent patrons from piling up by the door. Sanitizer is by the register, and since I was waiting outside, they brought my order out to me. Nice artwork inside and they have board games inside. I imagine it's a nice hangout once the pandemic is over. read more

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Cozy and local vibes. Unfortunately the prices have significantly increased over the years seemingly in conjunction with gentrification of the neighborhood (and yeah inflation). All that is understandable but the real kicker is how inconsistent the quality of both coffee and house baked items tend to be. Can't be charging Big Coffee prices for hot brown water and underbaked, flavorless muffins. read more

Real old school coffee house they've nailed it! Good drinks selection could use more eats but good stuff.

Great vibe. I like the drink that I had. I don't remember what it was. It was a Mexican mocha. My roommate, Carter, also had decent review of the burritos breakfast they serve. Awesome. The people there are nice, I like them. Good date place, good friend place, and good place read more

An eclectic mix of modern and old fashioned coffeehouse values, Emerald City Coffeehouse introduced me to the Almond Simone Latte, a creation seemingly created by Emerald City with Hibiscus that tantalized the tastebuds. I loved it!!! Though it was my first time at this great hidden gem, I will be back soon. read more

Been last 100 times and finally gave it a try. I'm just mad I didn't stop in earlier! I'll start off with the blueberry chocolate chip muffin, I can say with 100% certainty it was the best muffin I've ever had! Also got the cold brew which was quite delicious as well, they should call it the "gold brew"! I'll defiantly be back read more

I love this place!! They have so many beverage options and my favorites so far are the Love Potion and the Emerald City Matcha!! I also pretty much live off of the breakfast tacos because they are so good hahaha I'm so grateful to get to eat them! The staff is really cool too. I do wish it was bigger and more spread out, but that's a good problem to have; a lot of people just like it there and for good reason. read more

Best little local spot with amazing homemade bagels. Every time I go I always get the Simone. Great vibes and friendly staff!

Emerald City Coffee is a pretty neat place to visit. Prior to visiting Emerald City, I'd been told by many people in the neighborhood that it's a place that is definitely worth checking out. I finally got around to checking out the cafe and it was everything that I heard it would be. It's the type of cafe that's suitable for so many situations (first date, studying, rocking out, etc.). I decided to check out Emerald City because I wanted to do a work remotely and this was the perfect time to check out the cafe. Emerald City was spacious and offered ample sitting. Unfortunately the plugs were limited so I ended up sharing a table with someone in order to get access to a plug. But it's the type of place where that's cool! During my visit I had the chance to try out the cinnamon roll and one of their sandwiches. They even warmed up the cinnamon roll so it made it ten times better and they allowed me to add an additional topping to my sandwich. The staff was so friendly and welcoming. I would highly recommend checking out Emerald City! read more

Emerald City Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If I could design the perfect coffee house, it would be Emerald City Coffee. And no, I'm not exaggerating, not hyperventilating, and not easily impressed. This, to me, is exactly what I want in a coffee house -- a soothing atmosphere, friendly baristas, good drinks, and an extremely comfortable place to study, visit with a friend, or just sit back and soak up the good vibes. There are games and crossword puzzles provided for quiet entertainment. There are books. There is interesting original art on the walls. There are two rooms with comfortable seating and pleasant but unobtrusive background music that enhances conversation rather than drowning it out. It's a place to practice the quiet art of conversation. It's a place for community. And, as a vegan, I appreciate that I can get a treat or a sandwich. I'm not asking for a complete menu, mind you -- that's unrealistic -- but I sure do appreciate having a selection. That, too, encourages me to sit for a while, and maybe spend a little more money than I'd planned. That's definitely good for the business. Emerald City Coffee is a place of comfort, maybe even a refuge from the craziness that we experience elsewhere. It's a place to return to, time and time again. My only complaint is, I wish it was closer to where I lived. I have to make a bit of an expedition to visit, but the trip is worth the effort. I love this place. read more

Hubby and I made an impromptu stop here at the "Emerald City Coffee." This is their second location (the first one is attached to the CTA Sheridan Red Line station). This one took over the old Magnolia Cafe, which experienced an disastrous burglary in September 2015. They seem to be doing quite alright. The clientele is consisted of students and Uptown residents. The seating is plenty, so are the outlets. Therefore, feel free to bring in your electronic gadgets and chill here for some time. "Emerald City Coffee" has an extensive menu on their espresso drinks. I reviewed "Cafe Medici" from their original location a year ago. I thought the contrast flavor profile between the chocolate syrup and orange peel was unique and interesting. However, I liked "The Simone" way better. This contained hibiscus and was a "longer" version of espresso. I wasn't sure if my illustration made any sense. I felt I was drinking a kiddy-size mocha, but it was a genuine espresso. I loved the fact they didn't try to over-sweeten the matcha tea latte. Some places in the city would make it cloying. The funny thing was the nice barista lady gave us a fair warning that the drink wouldn't be heavily "sugarized." No, we actually didn't need all that excessive sugar, yet thank you for being kind on providing such information. "Emerald City Coffee" is located approximately one (1) block west of the CTA Wilson Red Line station (the fare card-only entrance). It's also accessible via #78 (Montrose) bus. read more

Emerald City Coffee - The Simone - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A great addition to the Uptown ("Sheridan Park"? Psshhht, please.) Neighborhood! It's big and inviting, music loud enough to create an ambiance (so you're not just hearing yourself slurping) but not too loud to easily carry a conversation. Friendly staff, too. Plenty of room to hang out, board games, puzzles, or just order and take off with one of their homemade granola bars. Even with the other quality coffee shops in the area, Emerald City holds its own and is not to be missed. read more

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I have been a patron of this location for nearly two years and sadly I may need to find another coffee shop near by. The owner has really cheaped out on the cups and lids for their to go coffees. The last 4 times I have gone recently I keep getting leaking cups that have piping hot coffee oozing out the sides of the lids. I was hoping it was an isolated thing but it has occurred frequently and I am concerned so many others who may purchase to go coffee may have this happen to them as well. read more

Emerald City Coffee - a hand holding a cup of coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The inside of emerald city coffee is worth a visit in itself. It's very homey, with an electric fireplace and plenty of comfy seating. Board games are available and the wall art is so interesting! The downside is that the drink prices are a bit steep and they were out of bagels when we came - which seemed strange for a coffee shop on a Sunday morning! My fiancé had a blueberry muffin which he labeled the best he ever had, so we'll be returning again so I can try one! Cute place, decent coffee! read more

Emerald City is the one of the best coffee shops I've ever visited. The drinks are fantastic (Dirty Chai Latte!), and the quality of the espresso is great. The ambiance is perfect to settle in and get some work done, but it's also perfect to sit down with a friend and chat. One of the best coffee shops in the Chicago area! read more

Emerald City Coffee - Lounge Area in the back of the coffee shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am a big fan of this cute little coffee shop!! I love all things honey and cinnamon and the Miel Latte is a treat! I like it either iced or hot! Highly recommend!! read more

Emerald City Coffee - Miel Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Was in the Uptown area earlier, and found this gem of a place on Wilson. Never been before, and the barista recommended the Cafe Medici which is some combination of espresso, chocolate, and hint of orange peel served hot or cold. I got it iced and it was superb. The place had some awesome looking pastries that I would like to try sometime. They do have indoor seating as of today, and it looks like a nice place to get work done with individual lamps per table. Definitely give them a try sometime if you are in the area! read more

Emerald City Coffee - Cafe Medici - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is practically perfect. The staff are so nice, the food is delicious and the coffee is even better. I've been going here to do work for several weeks now and it doesn't get old. It just feels so cozy and I find that I can focus very easily. (they also have great reliable wifi) read more

I'm sorry to say that after almost three years of living within walking distance of this place, I just now stopped in for the first time. They are currently the only coffee shop near me offering indoor seating during this transitional post-covid time, and I'm glad they are because it gave me the motivation to finally come here. Walking in feels like time traveling to a cool cafe in the '90s, before gentrification took the edge off the urban coffee scene. (I was surprised to learn they've only been here since 2016, though their original location on Sheridan--now closed--was around earlier.) There's eccentric local art on the walls, funky decor (did I notice a skull motif?), fully stocked bookshelves, a piano, and two separate seating areas with plenty of space (I think they removed some tables for social distancing). When I was there they had painting supplies set out for anyone to use, apparently something they do every Friday. The staff seemed somewhat aloof and indifferent to my presence, but I'm 100% fine with that in a coffee shop and frankly it just made the place seem cooler. I had a cold brew (at $3, possibly the cheapest cold brew in town) and a chicken pesto sandwich that was a little too drippy but good quality, especially the bread. I'd definitely come back and try some other stuff on the menu and sit in one of the lounge-backed seats with a book again. read more