First time here! Met a friend for coffee this am. Got a latte and a pistachio muffin. Delish!!! (Not sure why the pistachio muffin needs to be neon green, but it was very flavorful!) great atmosphere inside, people chatting, people working, etc. I was able to sit outside with my friend and enjoy the fresh air. Would love even more chairs outside not that it's getting nice out. Will DEF be back!! read more

my boyfriend and i have been regulars here for a little over a year now and even though we have a thing for finding and trying different coffee shops we keep coming back to this one. it's just that good! you won't find a better matcha for miles and miles and miles. the staff are always really friendly and personable, the store itself is bright and adorable with plenty of things to do to keep yourself busy, and the food is fantastic too. love the peanut butter power balls especially also looove that they're anti-food waste and have such high quality ingredients in everything they offer. easy five stars!!!! read more

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Cute shop, I like the homey feeling here. I got a pistachio honey latte. It was good, but didn't have much to it or depth like I was hoping. Service was pretty quick. I appreciate a local coffee shop over all the chains for-sure. Overall I'd say check it out for a classic cup of joe/ latte. read more

Mud and Char - Pistachio honey - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Gone here quite a few times, coffee is pretty decent so is the food.. but the service and staff just don't hit the mark. You feel like a giant inconvenience when you walk in for them to help and serve. read more

Love love love this place. It's a small café, but the service is personal and nice. There's some bar height seating and some tables inside and outside if you choose to sip and eat here. WiFi is good. There's different coffees and foods and all of it is good. They even have power bowls (e.g., acai), wraps, bagels, and affogato! I've been enjoying the blueberry lavender latte (iced) this summer and it seems others are too every time I come. Mud and Char offer teas and smoothies as well so this is a place that won't get boring. The staff is friendly and there's a welcome vibe here. Wish there were more local spots like this! read more

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First off, the inside is cool, and the staff seemed nice, so I wanted to like their coffee. I ordered a drip coffee with oat milk and it was decent but not the best I've ever had. Plus I felt charging $.75 for a splash of oat milk was a little excessive. My wife ordered a vanilla latte, but they forgot to add the vanilla syrup at first, so we had to drive back and get that added. Inconvenient but once she had that she liked it. A pretty average first experience, but everyone can have an off day, so we'd still be open to trying it again. read more

Got honey cinnamon latte. Simple. Nothing special. But nothing special is good because it uses real ingredients like e.g. honey and cinnamon and no syrup. Whole milk = kirkland brand. Ambiance is nice and clean. Service was fast and polite. $5.xx for large iced latte. Not bad, but not outstanding. read more

Updated: I used the To Good To Go (TGTG) app to try some new items and was not disappointed. Both the Tiramisu Overnight Oats and the South Sea Mate Tea were delicious. I will probably get them again in the near future. read more

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This is a nice, tucked away coffee shop in Downers Grove. I've heard good things so my wife and I stopped in one Saturday morning for coffee & breakfast. The bagel sandwich was pretty good and our drinks were tasty. It was pretty packed as it's a small place but it's worth the stop! read more

I want to like this place, but I've tried it maybe 10 times because it's so close. The staff is not very friendly, the food and coffee takes forever if you don't order ahead. Once they made my breakfast sandwich with the wrong sauce and tried to convince me I should just take it the way they made it because it would be really good - even though that wasn't what I wanted. read more

A cute coffee shop that is definitely worth the visit. They are in a strip mall so plenty of parking available. The store is a little small, but they definitely have enough seating with outlets. On one of the shelves is a "secret menu" with some fun drinks. I went with the Banana Bread Latte iced and Cinnamon Roll which seems to be a weekend special. You will definitely want to warm it up at home. read more

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This is a cute coffee shop, but on a weekend morning, it is PACKED and hard to get a seat. The breakfast sandwiches were awesome. I wasn't thrilled that when I asked for an iced coffee with a splash of milk, the only milk offered was cream, but otherwise, this is a solid coffee shop and I'll try getting a latte or something instead of milk in my coffee to see if that uses actual milk. read more

I live nearby so I've gone here several times but lately question if going out of my way would be better and faster. Got the gen z treatment once again today. Person on register barely making eye contact, looking around confused, and standing there instead of grabbing my brewed coffee. Ten minutes went by, and finally I had to ask if someone can grab my brewed coffee. It felt crummy and was not a good experience. I wish I could say this is an isolated incident. I think their upcharge for milk substitute for a splash in coffee or iced coffee are absurd, the wait time is always a toss up, nobody is truly friendly except that one guy who I am not sure works there anymore, scones are bad, and honestly the premium prices are not worth it. Most expensive coffee shop in town, worst experience every time. I've had it, won't be coming back, and am to the point of actively telling others to stop going there. read more

Love this place. I've been coming since it first opened and it's only getting better over time. Great coffee, breakfast sandwiches are delish, and the vibe inside has improved over time. Love to see a "locally owned" thrive. My only gripe is that as a celiac it's frustrating when they're "out of GF bagels" (50% of the time.) Come on guys, they're frozen...probably not hard to stay stocked. Keep up the good work. read more

Mud and Char - Large Bianco and GF Everything bagel (that I sourced because they were out) w egg sausage and pepper jack. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

lol still giving them one. The UNFRIENDLINESS of the staff is a huge turn off. I have to laugh at the family friend who leaves the same review every month to update with a positive. Insane. So returning the favor just not the business. They are uninterested and unfriendly. read more

We went in to this cafe expecting typical mediocre coffee shop food and we were very pleasantly surprised. Their specialty sandwiches are really very good! Their acai bowls are also amazing. Also good coffee. Just know that seating is limited - 1 table, 1 couch and two bar areas. read more

Mud and Char - The Kicker - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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I wanted to try this place out again to update my review. This time with pictures. Service wasn't that terrible. They acknowledged me when I came in and welcomed me. I ordered an avocado toast and classic breakfast sandwich. They about several places to sit but it is limited when it gets busy. They have a good amount of selection when it comes to coffee and tea. They have breakfast sandwiches, bagels, power bowls, etc. Prices are okay. My rating still stands at 3. -avocado toast 2 - multi grain bread, avocado sliced beautifully, and one egg I added on. It was tasty but not for $6.50. For the price, they could have added some onions and sauce. -classic breakfast sandwich - the bread was a little tough. I would have liked it to be softer. Ingredients were fine. Price was fair for this one. read more

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Adorable little coffee shop located in a strip mall so the parking is plentiful. I loved the aesthetic of the shop, but they have minimal seating so it is not the best place for studying or working. They have great prices and are very affordable. The coffee was also flavorful and strong. read more

Mud and Char - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

The Sunday morning crew here is consistently poor unfortunately. Unfriendly and extremely low energy. They don't greet customers and if you inquire about anything/menu recs they just stare at you owlishly, don't seem to know how to speak (a trait that's kind of mandatory in a service industry role like this smh). I've received incorrect orders w/o apology and they're too without energy to call out orders that're ready. You'll be left wondering if drink on counter is yours or not and have difficulty catching the eye of one of the 3 (!) barristas as they all studiously avoid eye contact w/ customers (so unprofessional). Appropriate training in how to appropriately do ones job and interact with other humans in a not-weird/not-awkward way direly needed. Would NOT recommend- if you have any other options available to you would go there instead sigh. read more

I'm always looking for a Saturday morning spot to chill and try some new coffee. I've driven by numerous times off 55th. This place is easily accessible with plenty of parking (strip mall). It's extremely cramped inside. There was no open seating (~5 small tables). I ordered a 16-oz cappuccino and a cold chocolate scone. The chocolate scone was okay, but my cappuccino was 80% milk foam! I took 5 drinks and finished it. 2 stars from me. read more

Mud and Char - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Disgusting. Used to come here often a year back, now I don't know what happened to this place. Quality has become embarrassing. I could get a better breakfast sandwich at Rustic Knead for way less. Thank god I got a refund but I don't want anyone else to waste their money here. When I brought the food back to the place the person working told me, "you know the quality has been going down a lot of places right?" Dude maybe don't run a cafe if you're going to admit to not caring about the quality??? Bagel was hard as a rock, lettuce was rotten in spots, tomato was soggy and smelly, avocado was brown as hell and got a sliver when you pay extra for avocado and all for $23 (2 bagels) read more

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Mud and Char is family owned! They have a gorgeous selection of teas- and they have little vials with a cork top that you can smell! The double chocolate smells like a bakery! They also have their own coffee from a local company - I had to grab a bag! Their scones and homemade pop tarts are divine! There's plenty of parking but not too much space inside. In the summer, they always have tables outside too! read more

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This place is quite the gem! I stopped in for a quick bite and coffee and it really hit the spot. Excellent vanilla latte (not too sweet) and a perfectly toasted bagel with generous cream cheese. The barista was super nice. Ample parking but not a ton of tables (three inside, a few outside, and a bar with a few stools). The menu actually looks great! Would love to come back and try some of their other fare. read more

Mud and Char - Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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What a cute little coffee shop tucked away; a hidden gem! I wouldn't have noticed it if I didn't search for coffee while driving. I'm glad I went here, I was greeted immediately and ordered an iced caramel coffee and a breakfast sandwich (it was a "make-your-own" type item). It was so yummy! The place is so welcoming with a small pride flag, letting people know that all are welcome! read more

Mud and Char - 16oz iced coffee with caramel flavor and a breakfast sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

This has become one of my favorite places for coffee and breakfast. It has amazing vibes inside. I drive almost 45 minutes just to get there and let me tell you it's worth every minute. Their bagels sandwiches are phenomenal. I think about the food all the time. For coffee, I usually get an iced latte with vanilla, so delicious. The service is very great and very fast. The food is always so fresh and melts in your mouth. They always have a good smile on their face and very welcoming. I can't wait to go back again (: read more

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Great name. Deserves a Black Coffee drinker although I am sweet and creamy. My family used to have a coffee shop in Homewood Il. So I graduate to coffee shops where I feel home., Back .where I worked my job as A barista and open mic night host. "Xtreme Bean" there was something special there. A kind of magic you could palpably feel.. Mud and Char feels like that.In a different sort filter and light. read more

Disappointed on my recent visit. After seeing cute pictures on Yelp, I wanted to give this local shop a try. 1. There is plenty of parking as it is located in a strip mall. 2. Coffee board was out front and easy to read. I went with an iced coffee, and it was pretty tasty. 3. The food menu was a little difficult to read as it's on the side. I did not end up ordering food on my visit. 4. There was no available seating as all tables and chairs were in use. The old pictures with tables on the side, those tables are not there anymore. 5. Service was ok. read more

Apparently closing at 4pm means closing at 3:30pm but not really, just being rude to anyone who comes in. Instead of "hello" they say "we aren't making food but you can order a drink". She charged us for our drinks but forgot the cookie. Then when she asked what we were waiting for, we said the cookie and told me I said I didn't want it... I had a two year old who CLEARLY was the cookie recipient. It was just ridiculous and rude. I would never bring someone here. read more

So cute! Great breakfast sandwich and some of the better chai I have ever had. I highly recommend this spot!

Located inside a small strip mall with ample parking. The espresso was smooth and not bitter. The menu is very limited and didn't offer many unique drinks besides a seasonal drink. They use monin syrups. Staff was very nice. read more

Mud and Char - a display case with a variety of food items - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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The drink preparation was on point. Same for the breakfast sandwich. Wish they had a bit bigger space for seating.

Visited on a Tuesday for a quick bite to eat and a coffee. Ambiance felt quite clustered, yet cozy. BLT was originally made in error without bacon. Also was charged twice for the meal. Experience felt unorganized. Coffee itself lacked strength, yet got the job done. read more

Stopped in for my morning coffee then got him smoothie as well. Very cute local coffee shop. Want to come back with my friend to chat. read more

Mud and Char - Blueberry Banana smoothie made my son happy - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

I got a TooGoodToGo order from here and they were so nice, they labeled all the food and pick up was really quick. They chocolate chip cookie and PB&J overnight oats were amazing and I noramaly hate overnight oats. This has totally changed my mind and I will definitely be going back. read more

Mud and Char - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

I wish they had a better location! It is hidden in a little old mall close to the highway, so sitting outside is not a relaxing experience. I've tried their loaded avocado toast which was very tasty and had an interesting combinations of flavors. I will have it again for sure. I can see coming back to try some other treats they have, wish the food selection was a bit bigger. Overall it is nice to another local coffee place pop up. I'm surprised by some comments about the service, we were welcomed and treated with smiles :) read more

Paid $14 for a lox bagel with that had that a very small amount of salmon on it and nothing else.

Cute little coffee shop with some seating. I ordered a medium latte and the coffee was just okay. I would have loved to pair it with a baked good sadly their pastry case was completely empty! I will try to stop by another time to try out some breakfast items. read more

Mud and Char - a table and chairs in a restaurant - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Little coffee shop with a small menu (coffee, tea, kombucha, lemonade, plus some food items like slices of sweet breads, scones and bowls). There are a couple of outdoor tables and they seemed to be doing a brisk curbside business. Overall, our meal was okay. My blackberry lemonade was good; the lemon blackberry bread was tasty but the icing was unnecessary and made it very messy. My friend liked her chocolate nut protein power bowl (something like that) but to go they gave it to her in a cup which she said was awkward to eat, "like a Wendy's Frosty." She did not care for her oat milk latte and gave up on it after a few sips. I'm not sure I would rush back here; it was just a place I found between my friend's house and mine. read more

Mud and Char - Lemon blackberry bread and blackberry lemonade - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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A hidden gem with great options for coffee and fare. I tried the avocado toast as well as the Greek Feta Loaf. I will be back again soon. If you haven't try it you won't be disappointed. Great service and ambiance. read more

Mud and Char - Greek Feta Loaf - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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Ok. I get that inflation is insane, some products are hard to come by and some produce is in short supply but I just spent $14 on a 16 ounce cold brew and a scone! It was $9 for the cold brew with a flavor shot, and it was NOT the best I've had for lots less. I REALLY want to support small businesses, especially at this time and am willing to spend a little more but that seems a bit much. If you have no problem with those prices, you may like this place. It is cute and the people are nice but...ouch! Too much $ read more