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    Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea

    4.1 (227 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

    Order Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea Takeout or Delivery

    Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea Photos

    FAIRGROUNDS COFFEE AND TEA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Classy
    Casual
    Moderate noise

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    Cafe Miel
    Megh L.

    Hit up Fairgrounds after a class in the Chicago Athletic Association. Had a delicious coffee, and baristas were very nice. It's a very small space - perfect for pick up and go. There are a few seats, but it's pretty tight. They were a little slow BUT my drink did end up coming out well. I've enjoyed their other locations where there's a bunch more space to sit and chill.

    Inside June 2025
    Nathan P.

    Connected to the hotel, also next to the elevators that lead up to Cindy's. Conveniently located across from Cloud Gate. Ordered: Vietnamese cold brew 2.5/5 - was expecting more of a Vietnamese coffee taste with condensed milk. It's just a cold brew with no elements or resemblance of Vietnamese coffee. Iced Honey lavender latte 5/5 - on par, delicious. Pickup 2/5 Order came out separately. 1st they called my name and gave me 1 drink. I had to ask them which drink it was, the barista had to look it up on the system although he just handed it to me 5 seconds ago. Confirmed it was the honey lavender latte. I took the drink and left the counter to give my wife her drink. As I was giving it to her I heard the other barista call out "Vietnamese cold brew" and not a name, then another patron went up to take the drink. I then went back to the counter and waited for my Vietnamese cold brew. 30 secs later barista calls out "I have another Vietnamese cold brew" and she hands it to me, I ask is this for Nathan ( my name) and she says I don't know. I looked at it and it's a small. I ordered a large. So they called the other patron back and ask if he ordered a large, he didn't and ordered a small. He brings the drink back to the counter and gives it to me while the small goes to him. I just think they should keep the orders together and call them out by name to avoid the confusion.

    Alexis M.

    This is a solid coffee spot to stop in and stroll before wandering over to Millennium park across the street. This location is in the Chicago Athletic Club Hotel and has its own entrance from Michigan Ave. It has a limited amount of seating available but it is worth walking around to check out the marble staircases and mosaic-tiled interiors. The coffee is solid and they have a rotating selection of beans! I would even grab some beans to roast myself at home.

    Vietnamese cold brew and the Grilled Cheese & tomato soup combo
    Dorothy P.

    I love the proximity of Fairgrounds to my office; is very convenient to grab lunch or a quick coffee from there. The ambiance is fun - a little industrial with a good soundtrack. Today, I ordered the Vietnamese cold brew & a grilled cheese and tomato soup. If you're looking for a rich, punchy Vietnamese coffee, this isn't it. While I do appreciate the mint and cinnamon in the drink, it bears very little resemblance to Vietnamese coffee. The grilled cheese & tomato soup are on point, however. At $11, it's easily one of their menu's tastiest combos.

    My finger after getting smashed by their door

    Please be cautious if you attend this location of Fairgrounds. I love Fairgrounds and have patronized several of their locations. This was my first time attending this location. The door slams violently, which I was unaware of. I was unable to get my hand out of the door fast enough and it smashed my right middle finger. The staff said, "I'm sorry" and eventually got me a grocery bag with some ice in it. I didn't even get a coffee and nothing further was done to make the situation better. Please if you go to this location be extremely cautious of the slamming door. Below is a picture of my finger after the fact.

    Iced strawberry matcha w soy milk
    Sharon J.

    Wandered into Fairgrounds craving a light iced tea or coffee on this hot summer Sunday. Loved the vibes and stayed to do some work. The drink came out so quick and tasted great! The floral matcha balanced well with the strawberry. Happy I came in!

    Iced Chocolate Truffle Mocha
    Charissa H.

    Terrible. The place looks cool and fancy, but my drink was underwhelming. Iced Chocolate Truffle Mocha - Horrible. It was so bland, and the mocha was just powder that wasn't even mixed into my drink. Once I mixed it, still no flavor. With the name "Chocolate Truffle Mocha", I expect to taste chocolate or even a hint of any flavor. Nothing. Absolute disappointment. I was so thirsty from all the walking I did, that even a half decent drink would have satisfied me. For around $7.50 ish after tax for a 16oz drink, I might as well have gone to Starbucks. At least Starbucks has flavor.

    Juice
    Iris P.

    What a beautiful weekend to visit Fairgrounds Coffee in the loop! You can sit out in their patio and enjoy the city while sipping on your drinks! The loop location is a little smaller than the other locations but the outside is really nice and the service is also kind and quick!

    Caramel Latte & Vanilla Latte

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    7 days ago

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    23 days ago

    No issues with my order. Coffee was good and strong. The service was fast and the inside was clean!

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    9 months ago

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    1 month ago

    Really easy in and out and yummy beverages and breakfast sandwiches. I loved the tahini latte.

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    1 year ago

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    4 years ago

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    Meagan W.

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    1 year ago

    The coffee was great. The workers work really fast, great atmosphere around the coffee shop and great part of town

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    1 year ago

    Decorations super cute! The chocolate exlir was really good and the service was really good

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    3 years ago

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    10 months ago

    Frequented here when staying at Chicago Athletic Association. Great coffee and quick service. Not much sitting room, but there is some.

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    3 years ago

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea

    What brand of oat milk?

    Hi Eileen - At Fairgrounds we use both Oatly and Pacific Farms. Thank you for reaching out and please let us know if you have any additional questions.

    What brand of coconut water do they use in their elixirs?

    Hi Michele - we use Coco Libre, organic and no sugar added.

    View All 3 Questions

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    A quick trip to Chicago isn't complete without a visit to the 5 story massive Starbucks reserve…read moreroastery right in the middle of downtown. I've been mourning the loss of Seattles reserve roastery, and was ecstatic to see that the merch still say Seattle on it (for now). I got some exclusive cask espresso cups to commemorate all of the global locations as well as tried many of their specialty drinks and snacks. We enjoyed the seasonal paradise duo, the seasonal matcha + ube + espresso martinis, the matcha butterfly pea tea roll cake, the pistachio cookie, the coconut mousse. We found seating, had easily accessible water, elevators, escalators, and wifi. The worst part were the lines; I waited over 40 minutes for my espresso martini sampler, most of which was spent in line to order, since no kiosks or online ordering was available.

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    Great coffee!! Stopped by here on my trip to Chicago and was pleasantly surprised! Of all the…read morecoffee we tried in Chicago...this was my favorite. I got the honey foam iced cold brew and WOW! It was so yummy. The honey brought out the sweetness of the coffee, and who doesn't love a foam with their cold brew?! While getting the actual coffee once we ordered didn't take long, it did take a while to actually order. In total, it took us 30 min (getting in line to receiving our coffees). But we were there on a Sunday so there will be a weekend crowd, and I think the brand will draw a crowd too. The shop itself is really cute and actually connected to the Ralph lauren shop. So after having your coffee you can go and walk around and check out the clothes. The trinkets in the shop were EXPENSIVE. $120 tote bag?! So we did not get any trinkets but it was fun to look around, and it's a really cute shop. Surprisingly the coffee was not insanely expensive. I'm so excited for the boston location to open- loved Ralph's coffee!

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    Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea - coffee - Updated June 2026

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