I really don't know why but every time I've gotten an espresso-based drink here, (e.g. latte, cortado, etc.) I've had coffee grounds in my drink. My biggest pet peeve is grounds in my mouth. It's a great space here and I really want to love this cafe but when it comes to drink quality, I've been burned too many times. Maybe their regular drip and iced coffee are better? read more

I love the traditional chai.. today the barista suggested a shot of half light espresso.. and it was amazing! I def. needed it and it tasted amazing. Great twist to an already amazing drink. read more

Ground Up - Traditional chai tea latte on ice with almond milk and a shot of half light espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best coffee shop around! Their coffee and pastries are delicious and the staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. Their coffee beans, merch, and gift cards make for great gifts too. read more

Ground Up - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I haven't been to ground up in a while, but I'm glad I went! The staff is so kind and helpful. The fall in love latte with almond milk was suggested by my barista and I'm so glad they did! The lavender isn't too overpowering and it's so good iced. read more

Ground Up - Fall in Love latte with almond milk and vanilla latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing coffee flavor, texture of my oat milk latte was perfect and great atmosphere. Ground Up is my first stop when I get back to Chicago wish they were in STL! read more

Nice spot in the west loop, especially if you're a UIC student! Chill space, nice staff, can't really complain. Had their cold brew and I thought it was pretty good. Defiantly coming back here more for future study sessions. UPDATE: Love this spot! Alex is the man (one of the baristas) and perhaps the best new coffee in the city. read more

What is not to love about this place !!! The pastries are seriously AMAZING ! They will not stay on your plate for more than 5 minutes . The coffee is excellent! The workers are friendly and helpful. The pricing is pretty reasonable as well . There are a lot of tables to get work done and they have the perfect focus mood music playing . 10/10 would recommend this place . read more

Ground Up - Almond croissant and vanilla iced coffee with half and half - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Super cute cafe! A great place with free WiFi to get some work done. I highly recommend the 12oz americano (comes with 1.5 shots) and almond croissant. I think this was one of the best 12oz americanos I've ever had, and the almond croissant was deliciously crispy, buttery, chewy, and slightly sweet & warm. Amazing texture. The staff is very nice and friendly as well. read more

Ground Up - 12oz americano, warm almond croissant - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went to Ground Up at the recommendation of my dentist, who works just around the corner and was pleasantly surprised! It's a really cozy environment, with a lot of natural light and wood which I love. The fancier coffees are a little on the pricier side, but delicious. There are great tables to do work around the ring of the cafe, and nice long tables in the middle to meet with friends (or kind, talented artist strangers). read more

Really enjoyed their ginger turmeric latte and my friend got a masala chai, which were both on the sweeter ends. If you don't want much sugar, just ask ahead of time! Excellent service & flavorful drinks. Would recommend stopping by! read more

Very cute coffee shop with ample amount of space to grab a table and work in. Not too loud of an atmosphere. Get the raspberry cheesecake muffin, just do it (NOM). Close to UIC, if wanting to switch up your study atmosphere. read more

Ground Up - Raspberry cheesecake muffin - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a pretty great coffee shop all around. I think it's somewhat obvious today that coffee shops are hungry for attention and a committed fan base, and so that, unfortunately, means too many of them try too hard and miss the mark in a number of categories. Ground Up, on the other hand, gets the job done without appearing basic or extra. The staff are really friendly and the vibes are all on point. In addition to a respectable music selection (think Ta-Ku, Nujabes, or Frank Ocean) their coffee was good enough to make me a repeat customer. They also created a great and ideal space that allows customers to study and get work done without feeling pressured to leave after you finish your coffee. Not to mention, after visiting about 10 or so times, I can say that their wifi is super dependable and never slow. My only gripe with this place is that the staff isn't very diverse (in both ethnicity and gender) and doesn't seem to represent the makeup of people living in the area or those that go to UIC. I hope that can change soon. Overall, though, this is a solid place to post up, enjoy more-than-decent coffee, and be productive. read more

Coffee with a side of goodness please!! I love small coffee shops. My fiancé does contractual work for a building nearby so when we mentioned that he needs to stop by to measure something, I decided to stop by for a pick me up. It's called Ground up on Yelp but if you've ever driven by here, you know this place is called Kingsbaker. Anyways, upon walking in I noticed that this place has no couches!! Say what!! Some may look at this as a bad thing but I honestly loved it because sometimes people get so comfortable seating on couches that they forget when it's time to get the fudge up and leave! This place has amazing chairs that are comfortable enough to inspire you to stay for a longer period of time but stern enough for you to focus to study or whatever. I also love the European vibe here and how they had many European products here for purchase as well. I ordered a cappuccino 12 oz with a croissant. The croissant was ok but the cappuccino was among the best I've had in a long time. So good that I didn't even need sugar because it would have ruined the perfection! The only reason I'm saying the croissant is ok is because I love chocolate and there wasn't enough chocolate in the croissant! I loved this place because it gave me the peace and quiet I needed for my wedding planning. read more

Love this place. Great vibe, coffee and pastries. Many UIC students getting their work done. One my the my favorite coffee shops in Chicago. read more

Ground Up - Late afternoon at GroundUp - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am so excited that this place exists as it's a really expansive study space with sweet baristas and solid, affordable coffee and food options. Coffee Alley was not doing it for me with its sparse seating and lack of accessible outlets but Ground Up really solves those problems with the free wifi and the abundance of outlets. I was also worried that the coffee here would be bitter or need a ton of sugar but my medium latte went down easy without it. The baristas are pretty quick about getting your order to you and they are open to questions, requests, and actually smile at you which is surprisingly rare at some of the coffee spots I've visited. I haven't tried any of their food items but will be sure to do that next time. read more

Ground Up - 16 oz. latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

friendly staff, who went out of their way to wish us well and check in to make sure we were happy. I had a 16oz dark roast and my wife had the Rainy Day latte with a ham and cheese breakfast sandwich. All were delicious! Cant wait to go back :) Nathan read more

Honestly, the service was phenomenal the staff was super helpful. The place looked clean, and organized. As for the coffee, I tried their April Showers coffee it has some lavender, it was something very different and I'm glad I tried it. Check it out if you're looking for a new cafe read more

Great place and environment. Stopped in here for a few coffees for my colleagues and myself on a work day. The coffee was good: not the best in Chicago, but the bar is obviously super high. The service was so friendly and so quick that it made up for it. Lots of space to work and it's a cute place as well. read more

Always have unbeatable service, especially Zoe. The British Breakfast tea (which I admit to putting crazy amounts of honey in) was delicious and unlike other coffee shops in the neighborhood was fairly priced. I'm also a huge fan of high tables and stools with the support bar for you fee to maximize comfort. If you're looking for a spot for solid coffee, tea, and snacks, or a comfy spot to work, look no further. read more

This place has a great atmosphere. It's a traditional chill coffee house that is Great for doing homework, before Or after that workout, and they have a great variety of food and drink and well as retail. Friendly workers too. read more

Some may laugh, but I gave up caffeine a couple years ago but I still enjoy an occasional decaf as a treat. I have to say, most coffee shops don't really care what their decaf tastes like. I got a decaf americano from this place and it was perhaps the most delicious I have ever had. Thank you for going the extra mile. read more

I love this little local coffee shop. Just off of Greektown (Halsted), this coffee shop pays homage to the neighborhood and has some delicious specialty options. I've especially come to love them, though, during this pandemic - as a place that relies quite a bit on foot traffic, they've created some really great ways to safely keep Chicago caffeinated. You can order ahead of time through Ritual and pick up for "contactless coffee". They also have some of their specialty drinks on the ritual menu so you won't miss out on those fun flavors. Anddd they even launched an "essentials" bodega with goods like TP, milk and bread, so you don't have to hit up the grocery store quite as often. Finally, they even have their own grounds (and a new Quarantine Coffee blend!) so you can also stay sane without leaving the house. Thanks for keeping up the positivity GroundUp!! read more

Different to the other well established but overcrowded coffeehouses in the west loop, there's plenty of space to sit and lounge here. Pastry was good. I haven't decided on the coffee quality yet. Come check it out for yourselves. Yes, I like taking photographs. read more

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I liked the Turmeric Ginger Chai Latte I got. It was so tasty and reasonably priced too. I went here to do some work and only left because it was a bit cold - plenty of seating available. read more

Super good quality coffee and food. I had the egg ham and cheese and you can taste the quality it was really rich and great. I had the seasonal vanilla sky coffee and it was amazing. The prices were the one thing that caught me off guard but it was deserving. The staff and ambiance was also very nice. read more

Great environment and great cup of coffee. The service is just as good as their coffee

I was excited to see a coffee shop open near my apt! I have been looking for one around here to get some work done, but many of the coffee shops nearby didn't have wifi or was more of a coffee/bar fusion. I tried their americano which was fairly priced. $2 for espresso $3 for an Americano. They also have cold brew and nitro options, which I am excited to try. They have free wifi and a printing machine. The ambience is quiet and relaxing. It is a good place to get some studying done. Street parking is available around. It is very close to UIC/Halsted blue line station. read more

Ground Up - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The owner is extremely rude to employees, made me uncomfortable when ordering at one time. The employees deserve a kind owner that respects them. Coffee is good, pastries depend on the day and whether the employees actually warm them up. I think after watching the owner interact with his employees, I'll be taking my business elsewhere, where respect is more prominent. read more

Absolutely love this place! Great local coffee shop with incredible service, food, and drinks. Will absolutely come in every time I'm in the area. read more

Awesome addition in the West Loop area. Nicest service and ownership. Family owned. Frappe's are to die for. I had two already and may get a third one. Fresh croissants and baked goods. Open early and stay open late. Come in and say hello to Alex. He'll tell you everything you want to know about their special coffee blends. Did i mention they sell chocolate truffles! I'm hooked. Will be coming here for caffeine needs. May have had too much caffeine already ...whoops. FRAPEeeeeeee! read more

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Excellent Frappe and great pastries. I was really excited to see this place move into the neighborhood: the West Loop needs more great coffee! I had the croissant and the cheese pastry: both were great. There's a special place in my heart for authentic Greek frappes: and this place makes them spectacularly. If your curious on what these are: stop in and say hi to Alex! read more

Ground Up - Excellent coffee :-) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So happy about this spot. Finally a coffee shop with great coffee and great food. Ground up has been a godsend for us. It is a local coffee house with a customer first approach. The biggest surprise for me and my family was the food. Literally, the best turkey sandwich I've had in a long time by far. I would recommend Ground up to any coffee lover. If you are in the west loop stop in and enjoy yourself. read more

Ground Up - The menu is simple and fantastic. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I stopped by ground up this morning for a Mocha Latte and a Turkey and Swiss Sandwhich. It was the only thing I have eaten all day because since noon I have been throwing up and can confirm that the food I got from here is the reason for me having a stomach virus. read more

Nothing to complain about! Only thing I would have liked to see is more vegan milk and food items. Good WiFi, good outlets, lots of seating. read more

Ground Up - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped in for a quick caffeine fix and bathroom break. Very quaint coffee shop. They make excellent chai tea.

This is my go-to coffee joint. Service is top notch and their coffee is . Also, they have seasonal drinks that also haven't disappointed (e.g. Immuni-tea) read more

Very cute coffee shop in the west loop- might become a go to for me. I got a vanilla latte which I loved. Per the recommendation of one of the employees, I tried a cheese pie which was delicious (very savory) but I'm hoping to find something sweet on the menu. The crowd seems to be a combo of young business professionals (saw more than one person working on architecture blue prints) and college students from UIC. The music is very chill which creates a good environment to work in. Just wish they had an outdoor area to sit when the weather is nice. read more

Randomly walked by here and decided to stop in for a cold brew. Worst cold brew I've ever had. Tasted like they burnt the coffee which doesn't make sense since it was cold brew. For $4.46 I had horrible, expensive coffee. Never again. They get two stars because employees were nice and location was clean and inviting. read more

Ordered a iced latte and a spinach and cheese pie. It was my first time here so didn't really know what to get. The coffee was good and not too sweet. Walked to work in a hurry and when I opened my pie it had a blonde hair laying right on top ),: Really grossed me out.. pretty disappointed. read more

It is the best cafe near UIC. Delicious coffee is basically provided, and side menu is also varied. You can use free wi-fi in a large space. read more

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