Nice set-up, but pretty commercial. I ordered an iced soy chai latte. I was disappointed when I saw the barista open the refrigerator exposing the liquid chai mix from Trader Joe's!! Next time, I'll just go there instead and buy a box. I will try a café au lait and if that isn't good this place is toast. read more

0 for 2. I give up. Go for coffee, not food. So the breakfast croissant was bad. How about lunch? - Not quite so bad, but not worth crossing the street. I arrived at 12:30pm, and was the only person ordering food until 1:15. Not much turnover. Not much volume. And, reflecting the lack of business, not much selection. Other than sweets, the offering was two quiches and a dozen sandwiches. All had interesting ingredients, and I settled on a goat cheese and sun dried tomato quiche. Looked good. Arrived cold. After a second round in the cooker, where they sliced the quiche horizontally in half to heat it, they reassembled it and served it. Mmmm, doesn't that make it sound and look yummy!! It tasted like I would expect a Pillsbury frozen quiche to taste (if there is such a thing). Very cheesy, but not goat cheesy. Not worth ever ordering again. The cappuccino was again great, and I'd go back for coffee. But not for food. Even the scoop of gelato I had for dessert was ordinary. A comfortable but empty place, fulfilling a need for the Drake Hotel I guess. But not for me. read more

One star for acceptable coffee and another for free wifi ... but that's it. Food I didn't try as it's the usual pre-cooked stuff that gets warmed for serving. Staff, all four, were rude and dismissive to me and other customers. Would not come back here and would not recommend. read more

The coffee is ok, food is terrible - Quiche was just disgusting. Staff was ok. Hours on Yelp are wrong - they close at 4pm. read more

Rude staff. No decaf, insisted on making a decaf Americano and charged for it instead of a decaf price. If they don't want to bother making a decaf then don't charge Americano price for the substitution. Expensive drinks. Did I mention rude staff. Very disappointing experience, long waits, no smiles. read more

This place exists only because it's on the way from Michigan Avenue to the Drake Hotel and the Lavazza brand is popular with Europeans. Other than that, this place may seem a mess. Understaffed, pricey and the ready-brew was a horribly bitter dark roast. The pastries, which you'd expect to be beautiful and eye catching at a boutique coffee shop like this were outright paltry in offering and my scone tasted bland. Blueberry scones and little poppyseed muffins were all they had. It's a pity this is the only coffee shop near this area of Michigan Avenue. And while I'm lamenting my $8 coffee and stale scone, what's with closing at 4pm--on a busy Saturday afternoon? read more

This place is just fine. Nothing special but certainly adequate if you are looking for a coffee drink. They also have some fancy sodas, sparkling waters, tea and gelato. Service here was super friendly. I didn't see a specific drink I wanted so I just told the barrista that "a coffee drink with a hint of chocolate but keep it light" and he got it right. I did notice that there were multiple tables in here that weren't bussed so that was kind of unappealing. I just wasn't in the mood to look at someone's half eaten muffin and sloshed coffee on a table. read more

It breaks my heart to only give 3 stars. This is/was my neighborhood - I often get work right in this area so sometimes hang out in between or just take my morning espresso here, sometimes have the occasional date here. I've made several friends with the regulars. I'm also rather fond of some of the staff! I've read through a couple of the reviews (I'm writing to management) and it is true. The place can use a cleaning, more staff designated just for that. I try not to look in the corners but I do - and they are not clean. The expectations are higher for the reasons listed. I believe Hilton bought this place, and the Drake? Not clear how they are connected. But when I've stayed in the Drake I definitely hung out here. I would describe the Drake itself in a similar way. It needs a cleaning. They are great about turning down the music. I like the coffee and free wifi. read more

Negozio di caffè bello collegato al Drake. Una punta costosa. Ha sempre ospiti dal Drake che macina circa. Pasticcerie grandi. read more

Its a cafeteria with good coffee and great sandwiches... The attention is very good. I would recommend this restaurant for breakfast. The sandwiches are creative and delicious. Also, there's the usual assortment of high-calorie pastries. Nice, unpretentious place to hide out for a while. The interior seating is not abundant, but this is otherwise a good option for a quick bite on the go. read more

This place could be great, but it consistently falls short. Every couple of months, after enough time has passed since my last visit, I get lured back by the funky midcentury-mod decor, the great photos on the wall, and the high-quality coffee. Then I sit down for a few minutes, and I remember why I don't come here all the time. The place is dingy all around the edges, with wobbly tables, spills left uncleaned for a bit too long, a few flies hovering near the overfull trash cans, etc. It breaks my heart, because the concept is so cool and the place is right in my neighborhood. If they could combine the look and taste of this place with the simple attention to detail found in every friggin' Starbucks, they'd have a real winner. read more

After hearing great things about their espresso I gave it a try. Drinks are unreasonably priced and skimpily made. Chia Latte came as half foam for $4.61 (w/ soy, after tax)... bummer. Espresso is good, but nothing to call home about. Employees seem distant and a bit cold... consistent with the Voguey-decor. Come for the aesthetic, but don't bother staying for a drink- save your money for Intelligentsia. read more

I will say this. I expected that this brand of coffee and the chain itself would be sub par to other chains like starbucks. Im happy to say that i was virulently proven wrong as i received my paninni and latte. The coffee was incredible, far beyond the dry repetition of Starbucks and the paninni although large in size and quantity, was superb. All the other whiners and poo poo ers need to cram something else in thier mouths because the coffee was excellent. read more

If you love lavazza brand coffee, this is THE place to go. The decor is pretty cool and the service is great. The coffee is magical, but I'm biased because it's my favorite brand of coffee. I have tried some of the pastries and it's the coffee that truly stands out. They only accept cash tips so make sure to bring cash with you, because you will want to tip generously! read more

Have to say the hotel needs to up it's efforts to make this place come back up tot he standards it had when Lavazza owned and operated. The people, like Sam, and Lia, are great but management has made blunders - getting rid of salami sandwhich, not extending outdoors, being out of cups and napkins!? C'monDrake we neighborhood folks want to see the hotel shine! read more

It is in a same building with drake hotel. Sort of a hidden location in the Magnificent mile next to channel. Easy location but capuccino was so so...like other reviews nothing special. I will still go for coffee once in a while. They have smoothies, panini, good breakfast menu as casual take out or sit down. read more

The coffee here is really good, like at all the Lavazzas, and the decor is cool. It's very modern with mismatched chairs, low tables and interesting artwork on the walls. The service was good too. There aren't a lot of windows for watching people, but there are enough interesting characters inside (European tourists, crazy rich people from the Drake, business men meeting much younger women). It's worth the stop if you are near by and craving a good cup o' joe. read more

The food is not very good, but the space to have a giant-sized latte is wonderful. Great staff - very generous.

cafe lavazza morning latte's at the beach sei molto bella Slick. The Italian designer version of Starbucks. I grab a latte every morning and head to the lakefront trail for the human drama. Decent gelato, good sandwiches. Lavazza... They get it right every time. Carry on. read more

The design of Expression by Lavazza is awesome and I love the pictures a lot. It feels really comfortable sitting there and enjoy my coffee and my breakfast. I order the almond croissant and it tastes really good. :-) We stay at THE DRAKE and we went to Expression to have breakfast the first day we were in Chicago and the last day before we fly back home. ACtually i do miss this place because i love the white wall and it reminds me of the space theme. read more

Warning if you have some place to go DO NOT go here. I stood in line for 20 minutes with the line not moving. And there was only 4 people ahead of me. There were two workers behind the counter. One stood there doing nothing and the other had no clue what to do. I've been to this location many times it is slower than most coffee places but they do have good coffee and breakfast. Only reason I gave it two stars. If there is a line when you walk in you should just walk out. read more

Nothing extraordinary but it works. A very modern interior with plenty of seating. Food and drinks galore but they do close a bit early. My hot chocolate was pretty good and was a decent size. It's a good alternative if you don't want to get stuck in a Starbucks on the Mag Mile. read more

This should be a stop for everyone, not just folks staying at the Drake. Friendly staff, great coffee drinks, and delicious pastries. Some breakfast options too. read more

Espression by Lavazza is a nice place to get some coffee and relax. Located next to the Drake Hotel, it is also a good place to jump on the free wi-fi. It has a very chic, contemporary look and feel to it and there are some comfortable places to sit and enjoy your time. Delicious drinks and friendly service, with fair prices as well. read more

I feel like I've walked into Europe every time I come here (if only that was possible). The coffee and espresso drinks are great but what I really love is the space itself. I read some reviews that slammed Lavazza for being dirty but I've never noticed that. Maybe I was too caught up in hearing an elegant, beautiful young couple speaking in Italian to each other just as I was thinking, "I feel like I'm in Italy." Definitely a chic place to stop for a coffee if you're in the neighborhood. read more

Hit the spot. High quality espresso. Clean and modern shop. Lots of yummy food options. I'd definitely go back.

Fun furniture. Great coffee. Love the location. We had a meetup here. Perfect setting. Yep, I'll be back.

Let me start by saying I dislike Starbucks and love Illy; this is definitely closer to Illy, and I like it! The staff is friendly and baristas are fast. I did not try the bakery or the gelato but it looked good. A very close second to Illy! read more

The espresso is fantastic but the service is ridiculous. The service is horribly slow and the majority of the staff are completely aloof. It also doesn't help it is overpriced for the area. read more

Free wifi. Tables almost always available. Better food and coffee than starbucks, although thats not saying much. Pleasant staff. Better ambience than most coffeeshops. Hours suck, and patrons can be stuffy but thats easy to work around. read more

Disappointed in my experience at this Lavazza. Two primary causes: 1. Staff was poor. When ordering the cash register person was snotty and didn't care at all about providing good service. This was exacerbated when I walked outside after ordering my espresso... A homeless lady asked me for food so I said I'd take her inside to get a sandwich. We went inside and I had her pick a few things out of the display - the employee tells me that they've already turned everything off at 10 minutes prior to closing so the only thing I can get her is a fruit cup (which wasn't extremely filling). I'll never go back to the place due to this first issue. It was rude and frankly you have to be an unpleasant person to not heat up a sandwich for a homeless person because you are trying that hard to close your shop down before its closing time. 2. The furniture had stuff on it... If they would wipe it occasionally it wouldn't build up a ton of food spatter, etc. this issue wasn't a big deal, but it is easily solved so I wanted to mention it. There are too many good coffee places in town here to have to stoop to the service at this location. I highly recommend elsewhere. On a last note - the young african american man that was barista'ing that day was actually quite good and he was pleasant to speak with and made a decent espresso. This review was intended for the individual that was at the cash register that didn't have time to make a homeless person a sandwhich that I should have been able to purchae for them because I was buying it within store hours. read more

Good coffee, convenient location, nice staff. They made my vanilla latte perfectly. Didn't have any food, wasn't hungry.

Being lactose and gluten intolerant is so difficult at any coffee bar. I can't even go to Starbucks for a cafe latte. But I found this little gem while staying at The Drake Hotel. They have almond milk and made me the most delicious latte! This morning while I enjoyed another large latte my husband had a super delicious almond croissant. Made my day! read more

The reviews are correct, my fruit cup had mold and service was very slow. They did take the cup off my bill. Coffee was hot and tasty however! read more

Stark, contemporary, European decor is contrived & clashes w/historic nature of The Drake. Music is annoying and out of character. Poor acoustics create echo effect; not a cafe in which to linger. Service is slow and unprofessional and also loaded w/mistakes, though service staff is very friendly. Getting a cup of coffee is a career, though worth the wait as it's the best in town. Don't even bother ordering the food unless you have all day to wait for it and don't mind incomplete/incorrect orders. Outdoor seating on windiest corner of the city. Smokers also indulge though breaking 15 foot city imposed limit. read more

This NJ guy never misses stopping at the Drake in Chicago to visit Lavazza. This is a can't miss stop for all coffee bean lovers, even those who prefer flavored coffee. Summertime adds the option of outdoor café seating and my personal fav is a 4 shot cappuccino...sometimes a second cup and I walk out of there feeling like a million bucks. Lounge chairs for indoor seating at it's best and always a nice clientele attending. Immaculate, comfy and cozy at it's best! read more

Not only did they not have half of the food on the menu I felt as if we were inconveniencing the staff by ordering food. It also took almost 25 min to reheat a sandwich because one of the staff members had to run out to get gloves (you would think the other employee could have made our order) We asked that they throw in a cup of soup for all of the trouble and they said NO. Poor service for a coffee shop in the DRAKE hotel. read more

Being in the neighborhood, I decided to try Expressions by Lavazza in the Drake. I enjoy the Lavazza coffee shops in the loop every day and wanted to see how the new Expressions line compared. I was sadly disappointed. It was only 9:30 in the morning and I expected the place to be hopping. There were two patrons sitting with their breakfast and a women at the counter spending an ungodly amount of time ordering and being totally neurotic, rechecking her stamp three times and asking the same question over and over again and discussing her life ad nauseum. The cashier had no clue how to deal with the woman and rather kept her engaged, prolonging my dismay at having to wait so long. When it was my turn at the register, I was treated without any passion, and I must say rather rudely, and without a hello or welcoming smile. I had asked for the manager, but he was not in, it was his day off. I then when to the counter to wait for my drink. The two staff members there could not stop talking, which in itself is not bad, but I had to wait 8 minutes for my simple hot beverage to be made when I was the only customer in there. I was not impressed. Perhaps this store should be closed and the space put to better use. I don't think I would ever return. For "Expressions by Lavazza," my expression is yuk! I will stick to my favorite Lavazza coffee houses in the loop where the staff get to know you and get you your purchase with a smile and, right away. After all, drinking coffee or eating breakfast should be a relaxing and enjoyable time, not rushed because you could not get someone to take care of your order. read more

This was the worst coffee house I've ever been to. I've had better experiences at a McDonalds for coffee. First I went in, no one in line, three people behind the register & it took them a couple minutes to "assist" me. Told them I would like some Tea and the first guy says "oh I dunno I don't drink tea, talk to this guy, then just walks away and asks someone else to come talk to me. That next person knew even less. They had no tea menu posted or available for me to browse, so the guy rattled off 10 very basic teas so fast I couldn't even catch them all. I asked how the green tea is (strong, mild etc) and he said "i dunno I don't drink tea either." Ordered the green tea (what the heck) when the man handed it to me he spilled SCAULDING hot water all down my hand burning me, with out offering me a napkin or some ice, and then proceeds to tell me I should have let him set it down on the counter first (no sorry, no mention that he held the glass out to me to take from him. It's not like I was blocking the counter. After this I will never return to a Lavazza and I will tell EVERYONE I know what a crappy experience I had. By the way, the green tea was terrible. I've had better lipton and that's pathetic. read more

Since being acquired by The Drake the service and quality of the food has gone down hill. The food is terrible. Most of their sandwiches are toasted to cover up how poor their ingredients are. Anybody who ever cared about customer service has since left and what's left is a lazy bunch of people who never clean the tables and use take out cups whenever they can so they don't have to do the washing up. Lavazza the brand should take a hard look at their association with this store. read more