Emerald City Coffee

The coffee, the food and the staff all kick ass quite honestly.

Good coffeeshop. Low key. Just next to train station so easy meeting point.
Nice artwork. Like to come here often. Friendly staff.

One of my favorite spots. Right next to the rail station. Red line.
Nice atmosphere. Simple place. Comfortable. Home.

–Seating: 2 larger tables that seat four and have plenty of outlets. 7 two tops, about half have easy access to outlets. 2 lounge areas with comfy couches and armchairs. Bar area by window that seats 3.
–Foodie recs: Amazing Le Cordon Bleu sandwich on homemade sourdough. Café con leche was smooth, blueberry scone yummy but nothing special. Eclectic menu at a really reasonable price.
–Connected to the Sheridan red line stop
–Books and board games available for your leisure
–Genuinely friendly staff
Really loved the vibe of Emerald City! Great for hanging out, pretty good for getting work done.

Cozy and friendly coffeehouse with a trendy, eclectic, artsy atmosphere and lots of great specialty coffees and sweets /​sandwiches. Excellent place to meet someone before going anywhere via Red line, or to sit and work on (reading or writing!) a novel.

Great location, cozy interior, good coffee! Ordered a sandwich, great food for the price, no complaint.

Who would have thought of pouring espresso over an orange peel and chocolate sauce and dolloping a little whipped cream on the top? Not these guys, but I was ecstatic to see it on their menu, and even MORE ecstatic to taste it. I thought, «Damn, I’ve had this wonderful, tasteful smackering before… But where?»
Then it hit me. I spent about a month hanging out in Seattle in my twenties. I was doing a self-​funding tour of the West Coast during which, when I liked a city, I would stay & work there for a while. One of my favorite cafes was near UW (you-​dub): The Last Exit on Brooklyn. This was pre-​grunge & pre-​billionaires, and Seattle was still a bit hippie. «Crunchy» might be a better term for Unilocalers. I don’t remember what people were listening to, but a lot were writing in notebooks and reading Tom Robbins novels, a la «Still Life with a Woodpecker.»
It was there that I learned to appreciate ordering my cappuccinos «dry.» And I frequently imbibed on their original creation of the drink described above: The Caffè Medici.
Oh yes, with that memory, the eclectic, comfy furniture and the proximity to the El (zero steps), I occasionally make a pilgrimage here from the South Loop just to hang out & write. I’m three for three on ordering the Medici; I really need to branch out again.
They call it the nickname for Seattle, The Emerald City; though in my heart, Seattle will always be The Espresso City. Come to think of it, it was the first city where I remember being able to get espresso in a movie theater. Ah, the casual, civilized (humid) air of that town…

I was so disappointed in this place. I walked up to the counter and felt very rushed. I had never been here before, so I was trying to browse over the menu, but the baristas just kind of stared at me and looked impatient. So I quickly ordered a latte with almond milk. The latte really didn’t do it for me. I can’t even put my finger on WHY, but I didn’t enjoy it. Not only was it just not my cup of tea, but it wasn’t hot… and it was almost $ 5… Don’t waste your money…

So convenient being located right under the Sheridan red line stop! Everyone who works there is really nice :)

I came on here on a Saturday looking for some coffee and breakfast while I started the inevitable studying for the next week. The line was much longer than I had anticipated. I ordered a Café Medici, which I was not impressed with. I am not a fan of fruity flavors — but that’s on me. Although don’t expect a big drink, it was only slightly larger than an espresso shot. I enjoyed the pecan cinnamon bread I ordered much better. However, the outlets were not easily accessible, and the high-​ish prices were a bit much for what I got. I may come back to give it another try because the atmosphere was great, but I’m not sold.

Amazing coffee, rockstar baristas who care about customer satisfaction, reasonable prices, and the perfect location. This place has become my new favorite coffee shop.

One of my favorite coffee shops in Chicago! Lots of comfortable seating, good drinks, cool baristas, unique and fun atmosphere

Love this place! Great for study if you don’t mind the train above! Chai latte was really tasty and I fell in love with the decoration!

This Seattle themed coffee place definitely feels like a hip Seattle coffeehouse. Indie music on the stereo, bookshelves covered in books and games, different blends of coffee, an odd mix of seating and clientele, and a weird mix of pastries and hot food items.
Of particular note are their ‘breakfast tacos’, self served out of a heated glass cabinet. These are $ 2.09 each and are merely thick grated cheddar cheese, scrambled eggs and either beans, potatoes or bacon in a warm tortilla. It takes about 2 – 3 of them to satisfy most, as they’re small and resemble the sort of thing you’d make yourself at home with those ingredients. It’s neat to have a quick warm breakfast item ready to grab with your coffee.
Their menu is odd to the point where much of it isn’t ordered often. Their grilled cheese uses American and while prepared well tastes rather plasticine. The soups however are popular and pretty decent.
However, the coffee is pretty good and, with the opportunity to hang out underneath the occasional roar of the Red Line (the Sheridan station is directly above the café) is the main draw of this place. It’s very much the kind of place you’d expect to find in Seattle, hence the name.

Loved this coffee! I had a dark coffee with a pump of dark chocolate syrup, a little sugar, and cream. It was so tasty! Not «watery» coffee at all. The place is definitely eclectic. I wish I had more time to lounge around and enjoy, but I was on the run! I can’t wait to be back in the wrigleyville area and visit again! Highly recommend!

My go to neighborhood coffee spot. Everything from the inside of the coffee house, to the staff, to the excellent coffee and prices keep me coming back.
Stopped in one morning after I recently moved to the area and I needed a cup of coffee before getting on the Sheridan redline. Walking in, the smell of roasted coffee grounds flooded over me. Something about the smell of coffee grounds on a cold day is so comforting.
Ordered an americano black which I watched them freshly grind and brew. Velvety, strong, and only 2 $. They know how to brew their coffee and they have more than reasonable prices. Got a breakfast taco for only 2 $, great pick me up. They also have assorted pastries and muffins. Struck up a convo with the guy behind the counter about Nirvana.
Left to go to work and wish I could have stayed to hang out and read the paper on one of their comfy couches. This is a great spot to grab a cup of coffee and hangout or do work. I come here regularly.

Super cozy. Outlets. Wi-​Fi. Coffee is pretty good. Just wish they were open later.
They have a lot of espresso-​based drinks. My parents are from Cuba so I definitely prefer that by far.
There’s a good mix of younger and older people. Readers and studiers.
Their coffee hasn’t blown my mind but it’s totally worth the price. There really isn’t a reason not to come here other than the fact that it isn’t huge. People leave pretty often so snagging a seat a little while after arriving is always an option.
I would recommend this place to anyone looking to work or chill.

Convenient quick place for coffee right by the sheridan red line stop, was able to get a good cup of regular coffee for only $ 2. Decent bakery selection, though i went late in the day so they probably weren’t as fresh as in the morning. Very relaxed vibe with comfy chairs and board games. Nothing too crazy in terms of their coffee drinks, but all the essentials-​cappucino, americano etc id stop by again if i was in that area

I was on the L last week, and I saw a man drinking an iced coffee with a sleeve that said «Emerald City Coffee.» As a Seattle Native, I knew I had to go to Emerald City for coffee, especially if I was feeling homesick, like today.
I arrived at ECC and made my way past the coffeehouse classic array of mismatched furniture and local artwork on the wall. I would have gone for a classic drip coffee, but here I could have French or Vienna. I decided to look at the menu closer, and saw the drink that may have started the coffee culture we know so well in the Coffee Capitol: Caffe Medici. ECC calls is a Café de medici, I think, but since I was at a coffeehouse with the same name as the Coffee Capitol, I knew I was going to get this drink. The Medici drink is what the Last Exit on Brooklyn coffeehouse in Seattle was known for: a doppio poured over chocolate syrup and orange peel with whipped cream on top. Although the original coffeehouse closed before I moved to Seattle’s University District, and before I even started drinking coffee, I figured this would by my way to pay a tribute to a great coffeehouse that even the Starbucks empire would sink in comparison to.
I was not disappointed by my drink at all: I don’t usually order straight up espresso, but the addition of chocolate syrup and candied orange peel complemented it well. When I got home, I added whole milk and warmed the drink again. I could still taste the chocolate and the orange. If you’re looking for a Terri’s chocolate orange in a drink, this is it!

I could sit here for hours, and I did. I adore their music selection, I love the old coffeehouse feel with comfortable furrniture and very down to earth, friendly staff. I had the mocha and brownie and both were ok, but the atmosphere has made me a fangirl. The best part? Emerald is connected to the El, directly underneath the tracks. I could hear the train rumble overhead as I edited my resume and searched for jobs.
I have a thing for Emerald.

Two thumbs up. I only stopped by for about 10 minutes but what I saw I liked. The staff is friendly and the place has a really good vibe. I was a little skeptical because it was under the El, but it’s definitely a great little spot. I didn’t notice the trains going by but I was also engrossed in conversation, still I think that’s a good sign. My latte was great, it was actually the perfect temperature. It didn’t scald me on the first sip, nor did I feel like it needed to be warmed up. The pastries are also delish. I had the banana bread and it was great. I’ll be coming back in the near future.