Short version: This is an A-OK cafe. Long version: We stopped by Lavazza for a quick afternoon pick-me-up during a busy wedding weekend at The Drake Hotel. On Yelp, this place is called "Lavazza Espression" and on Google, it's "Espression by Lavazza." Lavazza is located on street level inside the hotel. It has both an exterior entrance on the street and an interior entrance inside the hotel. We stayed at The Drake and were able to apply our hotel credit at this cafe by writing our room number on the check. We picked up a large Orange Mocha Mio with almond milk ($7) and a bottle of VOSS water ($5). These both hit the spot. The Orange Mocha Mio is one of Lavazza's signature recipes. Lavazza is one of the few places in Chicago that still does specific Italian-style flavored mochas, which makes it stand out from a standard Starbucks. Our barista was Pouwedeo. She was polite and efficient. This cafe has both indoor and outdoor seating, though outdoor seating is limited to a couple tables. There's a decent amount of seating inside. Lavazza is located on the far north end of Chicago's Magnificent Mile, making it a good stop for caffeine and snacks (e.g., pastries). They also sell breakfast food. read more

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Lavazza Expressions - Downtown Chicago My wife and I had a wonderful experience at Lavazza Expressions in downtown Chicago. We ordered the Chicken Panini and the Hazelnut Croissant, and both were absolutely delicious--fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. The croissant in particular had a great balance of sweetness and texture. The staff was friendly, efficient, and welcoming, which made the visit even more enjoyable. The café has a great vibe and is an excellent spot to grab quality food and coffee while in the city. Highly recommend Lavazza Expressions for anyone looking for a tasty bite and great service in downtown Chicago! read more

Lavazza Espression - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Coffee shop in the Drake hotel. Mornings til 3. Limited choice of pastries. Service was meh. Coffee was good. Didn't feel well kept up. Seats available but felt better to grab and go. read more

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Excellent service by Latarsha. Just a warm and welcoming experience. We had croissants and paninis and drinks and snacks, and everything was enjoyable. Toasted and warmed well. Great atmosphere and especially service. read more

Lavazza Espression - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here after the Rise Pilates and it was crowded. The wait was a little long than usual because it's under a hotel. The coffee I got was an expresso crema shakerato and it was really good. Usually I don't like my coffee too creamy or think but this was just right. The milk is froth and the coffee is shaken up. It was small cute place that had some seating like high tops and tables. read more

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Service is everything!!! Friendly service doesn't seem to be important to this place of business. I was staying at the Drake Hotel and this was the most convenient place to grab morning coffee and a small bite. I went there on two of the days while staying at the hotel. Unfortunately, I found both visits to be disappointing. The girls working there don't smile or greet you. The lady that took my order assumed I was paying with a credit or debit card. I asked her if they took cash, in a bothersome way, replied yes. It appears they don't have a system for their pick up orders. They just call out when an order is ready but you don't know if it's yours or someone else's. They should get names or have numbers on the receipts to let the customer know it's their order. I took what I thought was my order only to be told, abruptly, "that's not yours!!" I than asked if my order was almost ready I let the girl know, I had been waiting for awhile. I was asked what it was I had ordered and explained I had two food items. The young lady who finally gave me my order, told me it was all there...Wrong!! I was missing an item. They are in need of a better system and some customer service training, as well. After two disappointing visits, I chose to go try the hotel restaurant, much better. Price of coffee was a little more but service was great. read more

If you are at Chicago Airport, Lavazza Cafe is a great place to rest, take calls, or wait for your flight. The coffee is good, and they offer pizza and a variety of other food options. I really enjoy spending time there!! read more

Lavazza Espression - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Honestly I was not at all expecting the experience I had. Service was super quick and the staff member was super patient with me for being my first time. Their latte macchiato was honestly the best coffee drink I've had in a while and was the perfect blend for those that prefer a less sweet latte. They had a lot of great pastries and were very reasonably priced, this is the perfect Starbucks alternative that perfectly showcases Italian coffee. read more

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Service was absolutely terrible, not just from one person but everyone, I was met with so much rudeness. All the employees I came in contact with acted like they were completely bothered by doing their job. Not only did they mess up my order they seemed angry at me for correcting them and considering it was two drinks, it was EXTREMELY overpriced. The food/drink itself was awful. They split one shot of espresso between two drinks, filled it completely with ice then filled it more than halfway with just milk leaving no space for the actual coffee! It was also so packed and cramped the ambiance was terrible. After bad service and a bad drinks I would never recommend this place. read more

Small place, so very little seating. But the menu was typical for a coffee shop for breakfast. I had a rainbow bagel that was good. I did like that they gave you cream cheese packets rather than putting it on. That way I could decide how much I wanted. I had an orange mocha--I could not taste the orange though which is the reason for the lost star. Also got a chocolate italiano--think dark chocolate cocoa only richer. It was very good. read more

I love lavazza coffee and when I saw that there was a cafe in chicago I had to come. On a busy day in the Windy City, lavazza expressions offers a nice escape from the hustle of the big city and transports you to Italy. The espresso macchiato was phenomenal, it was a double shot of espresso with a little bit of foam on top. The cappuccino was huge and tasted of the highest quality. definitely come here over any Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts that may be around in the city because trust me, it's worth it read more

Lavazza Espression - Espresso Macchiato - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I stayed at the Drake and was happy to see a Lavazza inside so I stopped in for a quick bite around 9:00. I ordered a vanilla cappuccino and a ham and cheese croissant . I received my coffee after a few minutes but waited twenty minutes for them to warm up a harm and cheese croissant. When I finally got my order, the lady gave me a ham egg and cheese croissant. I politely put the sandwich on the counter and told her that I ordered a ham and cheese and she immediately looked irritated and responded with " we have ham, egg and cheese. So that's what I make unless they specify otherwise." Then she pushed the sandwich back towards me and turned away. I was really taken back with her treatment. The food and coffee were good, but if this is the service, I will never return. read more

My wife and I were staying at the Drake and wanted to grab a quick breakfast on a Sunday morning before leaving. To say we made a huge mistake is an understatement. For $40, we had two breakfast sandwiches and two mochas. When my wife asked for it on a bagel, the staff person let us know they only had croissants and ran out of bagels. She also said it would be a while. I at least appreciated her telling us. After 10 minutes, the only other customer ahead of me got his sandwich. He said he asked for a bagel, but the person making the sandwiches snapped at him, "that's the way you're getting your sandwich! I ain't making it another way." After another five minutes, two drinks were put up but she only called one of them as a mocha. I nicely asked if they were the two drinks and she then snapped at me, "I don't know what they are". After a total of 30 minutes, we finally got our sandwiches. The sandwich was bad, definitely not the time and hassle. The mocha was also bad, it tasted metallic. Here's the kicker. While we are finishing eating, they called out an order ready... for a bagel. If it's on the menu for sandwiches, why restrict it? If you are looking for breakfast and coffee, my recommendation is that you are better off finding a bum on the street and seeing if they have leftovers to share. Probably treat you nicer too. read more

I love to come here and relax with my thoughts and a good cup of Italian hot drinking chocolate with a chocolate croissant. The quiche here is absolutely delicious and all the croissants and pastries are baked fresh every morning by the pastry chef at the Drake hotel. The vibes are always positive and Galdina always greets the guests here with a huge smile and excellent service. Such friendly vibes from start to finish read more

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The coffee was good but overly sweet. Milk choices were only skim or whole. We ordered a bagel with plain cream cheese and they substituted it with chive cream cheese without asking us. When we asked about it they did offer to get us a plain one from the hotel restaurant. The location however was very clean and had plenty of seating. read more

Lavazza Espression - Iced Carmel latte. No whip cream offered. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Delicious espresso Friendly service Classic decor What more do I need? Very consistent too read more

This coffee shop is next to/attached to the Drake Hotel. It's pretty straight forward. It was clean, everyone wore masks, and our drinks were prepared correctly. It is pricey, due to the location. $3.25 plus tax and tip for a small hot tea, which was very welcome on this chilly spring day in Chicago. The barista LaShaundra was very nice. read more

What a great coffee shop in the Drake hotel. Excellent pastries and espresso. I felt like I was in Rome. Definitely try this place read more

Lavazza Espression - Almond croissant and my Triple Espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delicious coffee and coffee drinks. Lite menu if muffins and baked goods. Located in Drake Hotel. Morning staff are warm and professional. Service with a bright smile. Thank you. Stop over on your morning walk. read more

Nice coffee shop and cafe attached to The Drake Hotel. Good breakfast paninis for $6-8, depending which one you order, one with bacon is more expensive than the cheese & egg. Several assortments of muffins and pastries. Fruit is overpriced as well as juice, so recommend going down the street to Trader Joe's or Walgreens for more reasonable fruit and juice options. Staff is extremely friendly and accommodating! read more

Lavazza Espression - Egg & cheese breakfast panini - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A quaint little spot within the Drake hotel. I have a ham and cheese croissant with Orange slices on the side. I was very disappointed in my meal. Sandwich croissant was small. The ham portion was good but for the price I expected more! I paid almost $12 for a croissant and a bottle pop! The hostess Latarsha was the best part of the visit! She was very nice to all of the patrons with a smile and greeting. read more

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Sorry to say that it has slid down to this one star. When they first opened in the Drake Hotel it was " the" local coffee spot. They carried authentic Italian coffee products and quality food items. I have spent tons of money there and visited at times more than 3 times a week myself, bringing guests and visitors. Fast-forward to the decay. No more gelatos or paninnis with a side salad for the longest time. They disappeared long before the Pandemic. On a regular basis instead you can see flies, yes flies on the tables, Not sure where they come from? These days, the " oven " they use to " heat" sandwiches, ( which are soggy if not heated) emits a chemical smell which before closing time is cleaned with some chemical that the odor permeates throughout the cafe. Not sure how safe it could be for workers or customers? I know inflation now exists, but today I paid over $5 for a plain toasted bagel. They pulled it out of some industrial plastic package. A fruit cup now is $10, it used to be a bit over $6. Fruit freshness is hit or miss. I purposely checked prices, other hotel cafes charging around $3.50 for a fresh bakery quality bagel as well as pastries. Better deal and quality at coffee/ bakery place on sane street on otherside of Michigan Ave. They close at 3pm. They used to be open until later in the afternoon. I feel sorry for the nice dedicated people who work there. They have to sell inferior quality, stale products. They might be able to fool the tourists, but not the locals, who by the way have brought them many guests. Unless there are changes. I and my neighbors will bring our business to the other neighborhood hotel cafes. It doesn't seem like managers at this cafe cares. Oh you see them walking around, especially the one manager who seems to always be in a sour mood and never smiles. It will be interesting to see if any positive changes will be made? .. read more

I had a latte and some pastry-a blueberry scone and my husband had a croissant. The service was friendly and fast, the latte was delicious as were the pastries. read more

The quiche Lorraine is a favorite, also the Lavazza espresso with cream. The best service!

Super long line and barely any staff to service the customers. Store was unprepared to take orders and had to leave after waiting 20 minutes. Never again. read more

Update (October): We found flies in our drink and asked for a refund. It was really disappointing, because we really love their coffee. We were hopeful that the flies were previously a one time occasion due to construction.. hot summer weather. We hadn't seen any until today. We won't be returning as we're a bit scarred. I love Lavazza coffee. The employees here are always friendly, service is and the drinks are consistently delicious. Why I give this location 3 stars is that the hours are limited (they close early) and on more than one occasion there have been numerous flies circling the pastry case and in the pastry case :( read more

It's a coffee shop. It's adjacent to the Drake hotel. And it's usually easy to grab a seat and a cup of tea and wile away some time in a colorful environment with pretty comfortable chairs. The challenge to me is always the help. It seems that every time I go and order a large tea for "here", there begins a debate as to what kind of cup I should get. Usually I get a huge cup that is only filled half way by the time I pour my tiny pot of water and tea in the cup. The positive? They do have a pretty wide selection of tea. And trust me . . . .it's the best $2.05 you can spend if you are looking for a warm drink in the area! read more

I am a big fan of Lavazza, glad to have this place near work. Cute and convenient.

weak overly sweet coffee when asked for 1 pump of syrup. go to ralph's a few blocks over

While visiting Chicago, my sister and I became fast fans of Lavazza. Luckily for us, this particular Espression by Lavazza was located in our hotel, so we got to go there daily. The banana bread with chocolate chips is to die for, perfectly moist and sweet, as is their gelato (I personally enjoy a mix of chocolate and hazelnut). My sister is partial to their croissants and mocha Blendissimo. On top of the great coffee and delightful snacks, the atmosphere is quirky and fun. Overall, it's a perfect place to chat or jump on your laptop. read more

Lavazza Espression - Various flavors of gelato - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

************* REVIEW 141 **************** Staying at the Drake so I came down for some coffee & quick snack before my adventure in the city. Modern, chic & cool cafe shop with awesome photograph of beautiful women drinking their LavAzza cafe through out the wall, very slick, I must say. Beside coffee, they offer pastries, sandwiches, & gelato as well. The mini macaroons are so yummy & the latte was good. Service - not a Drake Hotel level = fail! read more

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This coffee house was at the ground level of The Drake Hotel. AWESOME spread of danishes and muffins including fresh fruit and yogurt as options. The staff is highly professional and courteous. Free Wi-Fi. Cozy environment with interesting pics and art on the wall. Careful with the revolving door as the areas right by the door don't feel the wind you feel the WIND with the Chicago air coming in.... Happy we got to try this place. Plus, it's also located at the top of the John Hancock Observatory. :) read more

My experience here was great!! A funky spot in a gorgeous area. Good vibes and great coffee - couldn't get much better than that! I stayed at the Knickerbocker across the street during my visit to Chicago and met a friend there one morning after checking out. Loved it so much I brought my family back a couple hours later for a second helping! Vanilla latte & black coffee were both tasty. The young man helping us was very friendly and attentive. We had a couple slices of their banana mocha bread which was to die for!! Eat it!! The shop is CLEAN - I don't understand the reviews stating otherwise lol. Sexy modern photographs on the walls are a plus too!! read more

Lavazza Espression - Luscious latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Excellent 6 shot Americano and honey now. Is attached and part of The Drake Hotel where we camped last night. All just right here and handy for our group. Ya..I'll be back. read more

A reliable quick bite with good coffee when working at The Drake Hotel. Excellent COFFEE selections. A treat especially the ORANGE MOCHA MIO as I worry about extra calories, yet I don't taste like the orange add-in is a syrup. What are they using? I shall ask next time. The FOOD quality is rotational that is hit and miss. Excellent portion of the BACON AND BRIE PLADINA, but it was too dry for my taste. Where did the mayo go? When you turn to the other corner of the food display, you will find the typical and much affordable BAGELS AND MUFFINS selections. SERVICE is friendly, informative, and S-L-O-W. VENUE have always been clean, quiet, comfy and organized. read more

Got coffee to go , very weak , tastes like hot water Wonder who's taking the coffee home or selling on the side ... crazy read more

Actually not the best espressos, but I welcome this place with open arms just because it's not another Starbucks. Interior is very sexy with some eye popping art. Espression breaks that hippie, let's play board games for hours on end, poetry readin', guitar playin', pretending to study mold. They have some interesting flavors like the orange mocha mio and meringato (don't worry there's no essence of cat in it). And of course the Ferran Adria's espesso creation. Lavazza branches have been one of my faves since opening on Jackson, and now I'm quite happy there's one on the Gold Coast. read more

Lavazza Espression - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great interior and good drinks, but all of that is null and void to me because of the horrible service I've now experienced twice. The first time in February/March-ish and again yesterday. Yesterday afternoon, I wandered in around 3:30, continuing my quest for the city's best readily available chai. I was shocked by how empty the place was--one guy sitting near the front at a table, and a couple of teenage girls sitting at the bar in the back. When I walked in, one of the employees sheepishly looked my way but said nothing. I approached the counter, giving the menu a once over just in case something sounded better than chai. The associate behind the counter stared at me blankly. No hello, no what can I get for you...nothing. I ordered, and he finally spoke: "Do you want a receipt?" I waited at the end of the bar for my drink. It was placed on the counter without a word. I walked out, confused. The chai was good, but I've had better. If I do ever come here again, I will focus on the coffee and not the service, but with Illy coffee available a block closer to home (at L'Appetito) the odds of my giving this place another shot are slim. read more

I will say this - the food and bakery items here looked amazing and the IDis beautiful. also, i witnessed a touching scene involving a very well-dressed, elegant woman and her grand-daughter eating ice cream together at the counter. i ordered a grandissimo iced mocha: decaf, no-fat, no whip. it was my birthday and i wanted a special treat. i got my drink and went outside to wait for the valet from the drake to pull up our car. i took one sip of my drink and BLECH!!! SLUDGE! it tasted almost like a powdered diet breakfast drink that wasn't very well mixed and sludge. it was DISGUSTING! i tried to mix it up and it didn't work. sad face. i LOVE specialty coffee drinks and have ordered the same thing everywhere from borders to starbuck's to caribou to local coffee shops around the nation. what are you doing to coffee lavazza? shame on you! read more

Definitely over priced, but not unexpected seeing as it is located in The Drake. Nice set up with plenty to choose from, decent coffee and what i THOUGHT was nice customer service. Apparently they are accustomed to getting tipped or something because i didn't leave one and then checked my bank statement the next day to find they added their own as i had the receipt in my hand which certainly did not match the paid amount on my statement. Normally i would say to try it yourself and yelp it, but i hope you all stay far away from these... SCAM ARTISTS!! read more