Intelligentsia Coffee

BLUF:. Really really good coffee. A bit expensive but worth the money and the wait if you want a good cup

Great ambiance, and delicious coffee. The mocha was smooth and rich with just the perfect balance of coffee and chocolate. Will be back to try other drinks and the chocolate croissant (which they were sold out of the last time I came).

Love the coffee! I’ve gotten a latte before, and it was great :)
Came here on my trip to Chicago and got it a few times while I was there. I also got a couple bags of coffee. I got the black cat espresso bag of coffee and its one of my favorites.
Sad that it closes early though

Wearing comfortable tourist-​y clothes (and a bit sweaty from doing a lot of walking around) I felt pretty out of place, but no one mentioned it out loud. It was probably the most upscale coffee shop I’ve been to in my life, catering to the fancy business men and business women of downtown Chicago. The baristas were even wearing classy business attire! Not a downside, of course, just not what I’m used to.
I usually judge a place based on what is recommended to me and how it’s recommended to me. I asked the cashier what he recommended in terms of caffeine and food. He went into great detail about the «perfect blend of espresso and steamed milk» in the cappuccino, which was pleasing to hear. He clearly understood how to sell that kind of product to a new customer. Then, he said «The fruit scone is our most popular food item». He did answer my question, but if he had been able to sound so passionate about the baked goods as he did about the cappuccino, I’d have definitely rated it a 5-​Stars.
The scone and cappuccino were delicious and a good way to start my day of exploring Chicago.

Not sure why this place is a big deal. Wasn’t that good. Trendy environment wasn’t all that was exciting. Coffee was ok, pastries tasted old.

Quieter than the «big Intelligensia» nearby, it’s easier to have a conversation here. Old school, Instagram-​friendly look with black and white tiling, and as always, the coffee/​lattes are solid, and caps have just the right amount of foam.

This Intelligentsia location is by the entrance of Manadnock building on the corner of Jackson and Dearborn. For those who work at the downtown Loop area, this shouldn’t be too difficult to find. However, if you’re new or visiting Chicago, «Dearborn» is a north-​south running road, roughly speaking in between «State» and «Michigan,» the commercial, touristy street names that most of us are familiar with.
I happened to be in the area this afternoon and wanted to grab a cup of latte to-​go before hopping on the Blue Line Train for work. This place seemed to have enough baristas on duty since people working in the office buildings should be tempting enough to load up some coffee in their useable cups or thermals.
I should bring mine as well to reduce the amount of paper cups we humans use daily.
Obviously the prices on the menu already had tax included. It doesn’t necessarily make it easy for me since the «numbers» is really Rosa J.‘s middle name. Surely some of us like to see some integers and view any zero to nine on the right side of decimal as enemies!
I’m not sure if this is a good sit-​down coffeeshop, for the business primarily caters to the downtown working professionals. Leaving the place with a quality cup of coffee to-​go then heading to your final destination is always a choice!

I really wish I liked this place better. Intelligentsia is Chicago’s foremost coffee roaster, and their beans always smell amazing. I don’t think there’s anywhere else in town that takes coffee brewing more seriously.
GOOD: Always imaginative and sophisticated coffee to choose from. Nice to have the option to get pour-​over. I don’t think I know anywhere else that does that. Good service. Nice café atmosphere. Great place to meet co-​workers or clients. I’m in here every now and then for that reason alone.
MEH: I may be alone on this, but I don’t find the beans to be sufficiently roasted, and this impacts the quality of the eventual pour. Could just be a matter of taste.
Also, the price — my goodness. $ 22 for a bag of coffee (and $ 5 for a cup, with tip) is just too danged much, thank you. I make a comfortable living, and this still feels like an indulgence. I am left feeling like I don’t get enough for my money, in spite of everything.

This was a great shop to stop by and grab a coffee. I was in Chicago for the weekend and my party wanted to experience a coffee shop in the area. The atmosphere was relaxed and beautiful. The baristas on the job seemed professional and well-​informed about their brews and menu.
I ordered a macchiato slightly sweetened with vanilla. The macchiato cups are a standard small size, while my friends drinks were larger at 6oz and 8oz depending on what they ordered. My drink came with latte art of a heart and a glass of seltzer water. The macchiato was good yet sour. My friend ordered a chai tea latte which was made well, frothy on the top and subtle sweetness.
The drinks themselves were priced alright, 6oz for $ 3 when I could get 12oz for $ 3 at other shops. This place is very chill and I would come back again if I had one near me!

I LOVE Intelligentsia coffee, so I was very excited to visit their cafes on my recent Chicago trip. This location is a real looker, with marbled counters and tiled floors, and its street side location in the historic Monadnock Building. The baristas are as dapper as can be with their bowties and Newsie’s caps. Necessary? No, but it’s an aesthetically pleasing touch to this already classy place.
We lingered a bit to get charged up for a long visit to the Art Institute, and enjoyed the buzz of the place. The Paris bombings had happened a day or two before, and there was a community feeling with people getting together, discussing current events in French and English, and surprisingly not a lot of people tippy tapping on their computers or tablets.
Can’t go wrong with any of their drinks. I had a classic chai, which was a warm treat on a windy day. I almost filled my suitcase with bags of beans, but bought just one, their Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, whose light and floral notes make me happy.
Would I have to choose just one Intelligentsia location to patronize, this would be it. So much to enjoy just steps away, but a caffeinated oasis and shelter from the wind inside.

It’s the little things that count at Intelligentsia. The décor at the Financial District «Loop» location is indicative of the bustling businesses downtown: marble bar, baristas in bow ties/​suspenders, brass on wood accents, and a classy feel overall.
I ordered a simple shot of espresso, which was done just right. They serve mineral water with your coffee, which is an excellent palate cleanser and refreshment. I appreciate that, and definitely don’t mind paying a few extra cents for it!
Friendly service, classy environment. Well done.

I’m a West-​coast coffee snob and NEED great espresso when I’m on the road. My day is rough until I get great coffee. Thanks to this Café Intelligentsia, all my Chicago days are wonderful.
The staff is professional, chipper, great-​looking, and fun.
The coffee is real, delicious, and effective.
The atmosphere is fabulous. Clean and upscale, the patrons are mostly hip, high-​performing looking people that range from business to artist to student.
I love it here!

Intelligentsia is indeed as hipster as it gets. I can’t fault them for being that way, though. On the plus side of Intelligentsia is that if you have a hankering for coffee that is reasonably faithful to Italian espresso, this can be a good option. Exactly faithful? No, but close.
Also of mention is that they do have free wifi here for people who want to sip coffee and do some work/​training, as I did a few times. All in all, pretty good!

Here’s what you need to know: the most consistently satisfying, albeit pricey, cappuccino in Chicago.
Despite the heartbreaking sale of this Chicago landmark coffee roaster to big box coffee co. Peet’s, Intelligentsia still churns out the smoothest, richest, most flavorful espresso drinks in the city.
This location in the financial district is preppy, elegant, and has seating for about 15. The prices are up there for coffee, but you get what you pay for.
The standard cappuccino is a double shot making up a 6 oz coffee. I wanted a little more coffee, so I ordered an 8 oz with an extra 2 shots of especially. It cost me an extra buck for the upgrade ($ 4.50). The good thing is that tax is built into the price so you pay nice even amounts (like overseas).

Is it a prerequisite that at least one barista has to wear suspenders and the rest have to be rocking a stylish set of glasses?
Who knows? All I know is that I appreciate the attention they take to serving good coffee. Yes, they are springing up all over the place but they are a few steps above the fast-​food like setting of starbucks.
Whenever I am in Chicago, I am bound to make at least a daily appearance at Intelligentsia.

This Intelligentsia is like the cool, successful older brother of the sweet Dollop down a block or two on Dearborn. Good-​looking, pretty busy most of the time, but highly competent at his craft, which is making excellent coffee and espresso drinks. This is the closest high-​end coffee shop to my office, and a great spot for a high-​octane pick-​me-​up, but sometimes you gotta wait your turn behind the other office drones and the occasional traveler coming off the Orange/​Brown line from Midway.

This place is basically a mecca for all that is hip and delicious coffee. The location is absolutely stunning – the surrounding Chicago architecture is such a dream.
The cleanser post espresso is delicious. The pour over is to die for. The barista’s are all friendly and cute as hell.
The décor inside of the shop is perfection. No complaints.

Had a cappuccino and it was pretty perfect and very bold. This location was very busy, but it was a nice environment.

Came here for the last stop of my Chicago trip. The concierge at the hotel I was staying at recommended this place as an early morning pick-​me-​up before I had to go catch my flights. Plus, it’s tucked INSIDE the Monadnock Building, one of the first skyscrapers in Chicago.
The shop is located right across from the giant USPS office on Jackson. The décor has a very vintage-​y feel to it that made me feel like I was in a café car on a train. I also simultaneously felt like I time traveled to the past. All the baristas wore suspenders, which I thought was super cute! The walls are creamy, lit with warm-​colored lights, and the fresh flowers in glass jars on the tables definitely added a homey touch, too!
I had an iced soy latte and my brother had an iced mocha. Drinks here aren’t too strong. The iced mocha was on the chocolate-​y side and the soy latte was refreshing without being provoking to say the least.
I think I loved the decoration more than the coffee itself. If I could do it all over again, I would get there even earlier so I could just sit and enjoy my coffee for a little longer.

Their icon reminds me of a flight attendant’s badge.
Their drip coffee is as smooth as you can get! Ordered up their Kenya coffee and it was surely swell. Their Oolong tea was aye okay. Didn’t care for it.
It’s a pleasant coffee and tea shop, but more for their coffee!