My new favorite coffee shop... ever?? It was so good I managed to fit it in TWICE in a short trip…read more And have NOT shut up about it since I came back!! Military latte ($7.25)-- matcha and espresso mixed together with milk I don't know what sorcery they put in this but it's SO GOOD!! like matcha and espresso had a baby idk but they kept all the good parts of each other and balance each other out. For example, the matchy isn't earthy or chalky like some places or fake like the Starbucks one. The espresso isn't sour or burnt. And somehow when you combine both of them it's this perfect mellow blend but has the slight bitterness of both matcha/espresso where you're like "ah yes it's not just milk" that flavor really pulls through. But again it's mellow and blends together sooooo well like perfect mesh my goodness. Doesn't overpower doesn't feel like you're drinking matcha and coffee at the same time. It just becomes like a new thing altogether and that thing is glorious. The first time I got it iced (and the black camo latte hot) and all I could think about was how much better it would be hot.... So I had to come back for it !! And it ISSSS better hot. I enjoy hot lattes the hot milk and lack of ice is smoother and blends it together better or something. Obviously the iced version wasn't bad because I still had a great time... but when I came back for the second time and got it hot like YESSS THIS IS IT !!! Black camo latte ($7.25)-- same as Military but instead of matcha it's hojicha mixed with espresso! I took sips of this (as opposed to it being my own drink) and thought it was good! Really depends on if you like the taste of matcha or hojicha more. This one is deeper and richer, more earthy. Maybe even caramelized roast kinda flavor? Buuuut I know hojicha isn't for everyone so take it with a grain of salt. The combo with espresso is magical though like whatever ratio they're using is so perfect. It really blends together so well. ANDDDD here the coffee:milk ratio is so good!! No milky watered down lattes! I'm so used to having to add espresso shots or asking for less milk because coffee shops really be wildin in this economy but this place has a good ratio! Like yes wow we still have good things I love this for us. Matcha lemonade ($7)-- So absurdly sour I took one sip and that was enough for me!!! You really have to be a lemonade person like if that's your drink of choice to quench your thirst on a hot day then this is for you!! If you don't drink lemonade on the regular then I really wouldn't bother. I think this is a collab with a charity or something? Up your vitamin C for a good cause I guess. Cortado ($4.50)-- Espresso and milk, small cup, good test of their espresso and yesssss it passes with flying colors. And again, this place has their milk ratio down to a science. Perfectly balanced, not too much milk and you still taste all the coffee. Love love loveeeeee this place and would absolutely love an LA location. Until then, guess I'll have to plan another Chicago trip to get this goodness again !!!

I think Sawada is a little more overhyped than I would've liked…read more The Military Latte was pretty good, and I really appreciated that they offered macadamia milk! That said, the matcha itself wasn't necessarily the best matcha I've ever had. I think there was just too much milk in the drink, so I couldn't really enjoy the matcha and hojicha notes. It was enjoyable, but not memorable enough to justify all the hype - or the price. I really liked the ambiance, and the baristas were genuinely kind. They were also very willing to adjust or remake a drink when needed, which I appreciated. Overall, it's a cute spot with great service, but I genuinely cannot accept the price-to-drink ratio. I'm glad I tried it, but I don't think it lived up to the hype.

Definitely one of the most beautiful cafes in Chicago! I always bring my out of town guests here…read moreand they love it. The art deco decor is stunning! Excellent food and beverages. High quality ingredients. The breakfast and lunch sandwiches are great! Delicious pastries too. I love all their coffee and espresso drinks. Their cafe au lait is one of my favorites. They have refreshing iced teas and iced coffees, and delicious smoothies too. Everyone who works here is very kind. Excellent service. On weekends they don't allow laptops and I appreciate that. They encourage social connection. They have a small outdoor patio too and it's really cute. This place is very lively and busy. Very popular and rightly so. Great vibes all around!

Beautiful space! Really good coffee and quick service…read more We enjoyed the drinks we got and the interior heightened the experience. Also appreciate the sign that it's a no laptop zone on weekends. Person taking the order was grumpy and rude. We figured she's having a bad day and still tipped her. Nonetheless, we'd visit again for the menu items!

Loved the food here so good . The coffee is way better than…read morein fam coffee shops . Try matcha too

We met with one of our friends at TARY, which was highly recommended to her. I wasn't aware of…read moreKazakh cafe culture, so I was excited to try something new. The cafe was very pretty with its ornate rugs and textured materials, and their menu was unique. I got the coconut shaken espresso and cottage cheese pancakes. Both items were delightful. The coconut shaken espresso used coconut water instead of milk, which was different but surprisingly smooth. It also wasn't thin or watered down as I would've expected by mixing with coconut water. The cottage cheese pancakes were pretty good. Fluffy, light, and not too sweet. It came with a sweet sauce with the slightest tang to it. Maybe also created by cottage cheese? Worth trying. Lastly, service was a bit slow. It took about 20 minutes for us to get our food.

As someone who makes their own matcha everyday, it's always a hit or miss when I buy matcha…read moreoutside. After trying two other disappointing matcha shops in Chicago, I definitely think Gathers Tea Bar is a HIT. Their plain matcha latte is not bad, but I would recommend their mango or strawberry matcha latte!

Yum!! I tried this place out for the first time yesterday (I ordered the mango matcha) and found it…read moreto be a bit sweeter than the matcha I tend to go for. I did do it at 100% sweetness (go big or go home, right?), so I'm not holding that against them. Sometimes you just have to make the wrong choice in order to make a better one. I think the sweetness would have been just right for me if I had chosen the 75% option. Loved that the tablets allowed for fast ordering. I'm not always into that (bring back the lost art of cashier conversation!), but the tablets make sense with the fast-paced nature of the shop. Don't know when I'll be back in that area, but when I am, I'll definitely pay them another visit!

We went to the bar here expecting a one off experience. Ricky and Zachary on the 4th floor made all…read morethe difference. From friends visiting from out of state, you could not have picked a friendlier or more attentive staff. Thank you for making our visit memorable and fantastic! promote these two!!

Mood: Chicago must With a fun Chicago trip landing super…read moreearly going to the reserve was a must! I am not much of a Starbucks girl but this place was 4 floors of coffee, delicious bites, & a full bar! Started my morning with an espresso martini flight and omg- just what you need to start the day! 10/10 bold, fresh pressed, & right amount of sweetness. Pistachio croissant 9/10 the right amount of pistachio but not as sweet as I'd like Chocolate croissant 10/10 it was perfectly fluffy and filled with chocolate. This will be my forever Chicago staple.

This was right across the street from out hotel on our recent trip, so we ate here 3 times! I tried…read moresomething different every day and loved it all. My husband had oatmeal and a cinnamon roll every time and loved it too! Very quick and kind service in a fun setting. So glad we found it...made all our vacation mornings even better.

A popping spot for a reason! The first day we walked by, the line was literally looped out the…read moredoor. We were there during a busy weekend, so I'm not sure if that was busier than usual, but it definitely looks like this place can get crowded, and I see why! The coffee was amazing and they had so many options that it was honestly hard to choose. Since it was raining, I went with the warm cinnamon date latte and was very happy with my choice. It even came with a little date on the side! I also got the avocado toast, which was a good size and really good. And of course, I had to get the Chicago dog croissant to-go because why not while in Chicago?! The pastries all looked amazing too. Overall, a great spot that I'm glad we came back to!

Came here twice during my trip to Chicago! Both times got the Avena latte which was delicious…read more Staff was nice and got my order fairly quickly both times. I can see that the decor was minimal but imo drink quality over ambiance. I didn't get a chance to visit other intelligentsia locations so as an outsider I think it was pretty great for my drinks!

Didn't love this location. It felt fairly bare bones compared to other Intelligentsia locations…read moreI've been. Almost like it was part of a hotel lobby/ office building. The coffee was okay, but again not nice as other Intelligentsia locations.

I had a really good experience at 3 Arts. I wasn't able to get a reservation for Sunday brunch, so…read morewe made sure to arrive before opening. There was already a small line of guests with the same idea, but we were able to get on the waitlist. While waiting, we checked out the small coffee shop inside the gallery and browsed the furniture, which helped pass the time. Our wait was about an hour before being escorted to our table in the courtyard. Initially, we were placed at a low coffee table with couch seating. It's a cool lounge style setup, especially for drinks, but not ideal for a meal. It would have been pretty awkward trying to eat comfortably. We asked to be moved and were told that table preferences should be requested when joining the waitlist. Since it was my first time visiting, I wasn't aware of that, and it also wasn't asked by the hostess. Thankfully, they were able to accommodate us and moved us to a table in the wine cellar. The wine cellar had a completely different vibe, dark and moody, compared to the bright, airy courtyard with its beautiful glass ceiling and natural light. We ordered the lobster roll and the RH Burger, both with fries. The food came out fairly quickly and was well-presented. The lobster roll was served on a buttery brioche with just the right amount of seasoning, and the burger was juicy and flavorful. Overall, I had a great experience and would definitely visit again.

Went with friends for an evening dinner in a cool atmosphere. We were not to disappointed there…read more Was a beautiful rainy Chicago night. Unfortunately for us we were a table for 3 and despite having mad that reservation weeks in advance were placed in what was obviously just 2 two tops pushed together. And not in the main atrium area. Look it was still a beautiful atmosphere and our company made it a lovely evening. Why don't they have a liquor license here? Ok the food. The burrata salad, so nice and summer fresh. We also had the crispy artichokes meh. What saved my night was the chicken salad. The crispy bits...amazing all through the salad. So good. Let's talk dessert, the butterscotch crème brûlée so good. Coffee and a port wine.... Good, but where is the cheese board. This place would benefit from real liquor and a desert cheese board. I mean I must believe that RH has a cheese board on offer somewhere. Anyway, nice evening and decent food in a mostly lovely place.