The Coffee Shop

Great place, great people, great drinks, great food!
Really though, nice cozy little coffee shop in a convenient location. Plenty of space. Very friendly people behind the counter, you’ll likely leave with a smile on your face & a little pep in your step (provided you didn’t get decaf: p)

awesome place, super friendly staff makes you feel like you’re at a friends house. great coffee, awesome cupcakes, reasonable prices.

This place is rather shabby and eclectic with mismatched furniture, laid-​back staff, a surprisingly large selection of food and drinks, and a general atmosphere of college apartment. I liked that there were large tables and a lot of chairs. My amaretto latte was a bit too sweet, but the espresso was not bad. I was charmed by the large teapots given to customers. I also enjoyed a large slice of cherry cheesecake and the question cards from an incomplete board game called Geek Battle. My days of needing to spend lots of time in coffee shops are fortunately behind me, but I think Loyola students are lucky to have this option.

Had what was perhaps the worst smoothie I had ever had. The sandwiches were okay and certainly not worth the cost. Just go to the Starbucks down the road and you’ll be happier.

My boyfriend and I went here for a drink and a snack. The chamomile tea I ordered was nothing more than a pot full of slightly yellow-​tinged water. One measly tea bag for an entire pot of water isn’t going to cut it. Also, I’m not quite sure why I was given an entire pot of tea, when I requested a cup. My boyfriend’s cappuccino wasn’t good, and the muffin we ordered was stale.
The atmosphere was not inviting, which was perhaps why there were only three other people in there. I will not be back.

Free internet! Love the feeling of sitting here. Has books. Games. A piano and a guitar. Ample space cause no one comes. Not sure why, the metropolis down the street is always packed but this place is definitely way better. Food is relatively priced too and it’s pretty good.

When you think about the bohemian coffee house filled with eclectic brick-​a-​brack and varied personality to match, there are few places which are better tailored to this description than ‘The Coffee Shop’. Truly, it is a place which exudes charm and the warmth of home, while coincidentally warming your hands with a cup of coffee.
I went here on a whim because I was becoming complacent in my usual neighborhood coffee shops, and I can say that it was one of the best decisions of my stay-​cation.
Things you will love immediately:
1. There are way too many chairs.
2. The staff is conscientious and personable.
3. The kitchen prepares options for diet restrictive patrons. (Also, everything I had was made that day.)
Things you will like off the bat:
1. Proximity to public transit.
2. Hunched old man statuette outside the door.
3. How active the view is outside the café.
If you are near Loyola and are interested in getting a drink for early morning or late day, skip the sustainable Starbucks across the street and visit «The Real Coffee Shop» just a bit further down the road. You won’t regret it.

Great mother/​father/​daughter owned coffee shop. Super friendly staff and wonderful baked goods. They have many vegan food options, as well. It’s a pleasure to support this family owned coffee shop!

I went there because according to the hours here it’s open until midnight (what it isn’t) I had high expectations due to the previous reviews and I was disappointed. In the brightside: staff was really friendly. I think it has some potential but it’s more untidy than cozy and chai latte didn’t have any taste!

Had an excellent iced mocha. Very friendly staff who struck up a conversation with me as he prepared my drink, and was keeping up well with everything in the place, even though he was the only employee there. Eclectic atmosphere, very independent feeling, a variety of seating and reading material, games, etc. Free, easy wi-​fi. Good place to hang out, study, date. Right across from Loyola and near train station. Slightly pricier than some chains but really not unreasonable at all.

There’s a creepy statue thing in front of the café, but I made sure to keep an open mind as I walked inside. The décor is dusty-Great-Aunt’s-attic-meets-poor-hipster-wannabe…that is, sparse, mismatched, with random boxes on some of the tables. This is a place where you grab your coffee and leave, not somewhere to sip your drink slowly as you work.
My husband got the nutella latte, which was actually quite good. I got a regular coffee. I expected to find milk/​cream and sugar nearby for me to add to my drink, but instead I had to ask for the milk. The guy behind the counter rummaged through his minifridge and brought out a gallon jug of skim milk…2-days expired. The coffee was ok… my husband thought it tasted burnt.

Really good coffee! Good service as well. The only reason I have 3 stars is because I am a member of their loyalty program, but I always forget to pull out my loyalty card when I pay. So I never get my points. Pretty frustrating! I also don’t really get their points per dollar spent thing. Big Shoulders coffee has their loyalty program connected to my credit card which is nice.

Like! Like! Love!
Go here, try this place, the staff is very relaxed, the coffee is very tasty and hits the spot without hitting the wallet.

If you’re looking for fairly good pricing, solid coffee (and foods), and beyond excellent service… Look no more! It’s become a routine for me to sit here and enjoy the atmosphere provided and the wonderful personality provided herein. There are many «fan-​favorites» Like the Nutella latte, but even the regular drip coffee is done well. The specialities are expertly crafted but the basics are my go to. Oh and they never have a problem allowing people to sit and study in the area, and there’s even some instruments laying around that you are free to use. Hands down, one of my favorite places of business in town and near the Loyola campus. Would recommend to friends and family any day.

Great people and good place to get work done. The cheese panini and Nutella latte are my favorite there. The owners and staff are super nice and welcoming! But the place is kind of cluttered so as long as you aren’t bothered by that its great. Good hang out. Poetry and musicians preform a lot. Really good place!

I had a terrible experience with the lady at the cashier, extremely rude with no particular reason. It sucks that I’ve heard many good things about this place and experienced something like this my first minute I walked in.

The Coffee Shop is such a great space. I’m taking a class at Loyola this summer and it’s my go-​to for a cup of coffee or tea, a snack, and a place to get some work done. Free wifi for customers and plenty of outlets around the shop.
I love their service. There’s no feel of being hurried, and the staff is super friendly. They’ll bring your food/​drink to you at a table because everything is freshly made. I recently had their brisket and slaw sandwich special, and it was super delicious! I hope it becomes a regular item :)
They also brew their own chai, and it’s heavier on the spice flavor than many other places that water it down. I love it!

This place is quickly becoming my go-​to study spot.
The inside is super spacious (two huge rooms), so I never have to worry about not finding a seat. Free wi-​fi that is reliable and fast. Good lighting. Super-​friendly owner who really makes you feel welcome. Homey and comforting décor that is unpretentious and feels welcoming.
The best thing about this place is the wide variety of food and drink options. They have a great assortment of teas and syrups, so they make some wonderful lattes. The nutella latte is the best! I like that they offer some more substantial food options than other coffee shops in the area (e.g. great sandwiches, bagels, lox, etc). The baked goods are amazing, and I believe they are baked in-​house. They have a small freezer full of ice cream treats for the summer, and they also have a wide variety of Naked juices and sodas (they have both diet root beer and diet cream soda, which I’m never able to find anywhere). They also have an all-​you-​can-​eat pancake breakfast on Sunday mornings, and occasional, seasonal food specials.
They’re even open later than other options in the area (both Common Cup and Ellipsis close at 6, I believe, while The Coffee Shop stays open until 8). I don’t know what more you could ask for from a coffee shop.

Omg what’s this egg sandwich?! Cannot believe I was wasting my money at the school cafeteria, this place over here rocks!
I love the coffee and the egg sandwich! Oh my!
Owner was super friendly and I really like that cozy and «at home» feel.
I was on my way to Starbucks (they opened one close by my school) when I saw this place. I don’t come around this area very often, only 3 times a week because of one class I have at Loyola, so for me this place was a find. I appreciate the free wifi and spacious tables, as well as the couch in there. Willing to come back and take a nap before class for sure.
Now, I saw some people here complaining about cleanness… I really believe that someone should be always around tiding the place, keeping dirty mugs and plates out of customers view. I was sitting close to a counter where some dirty dishes were placed, and that wasn’t very appetizing. Other than that, tables were clean, floor was clean… Nothing really to complain here.
I could have moved away from those dirty dishes. What I mean by that, is that I really believe that this place has a whole «mood» set up that I wouldn’t really want to change. It’s like going to get coffee at Grandma’s house, I don’t know, somehow I felt very familiar with the place and stayed there for over 2 hours catching up on my e mails and homework.
Could it be «cleaner»??? sure. It could be more «professional looking», or «Starbucks looking»… but that’s not the mood of the place. The old furniture, the loud owner talking about something related to her family, and politics, and the government… the old couple with their dog, the kids coming around for a cup of coffee…
I liked it.

I ordered one sandwich here and was scared too eat more than one bite. Cleanliness needs to be improved. It just seems messy and a little nasty in the kitchen area.
Why four stars?
NO Loud music like the other places. I can relax and study.
Kid friendly! It’s hard to find places you don’t get dirty looks when your nephew runs around.
Friendly owners who don’t care what you do.
The desserts are way too sweet, but I’ll be back.

I love this coffee shop. It’s extremely refreshing to know that independent coffee shops are still opening up throughout the city. Plus, Edgewater was definitely in need of a coffee shop.
Now for the basics:
ATMOSPHERE: quiet, comfortable and lots of seating options. Everything you might want for studying, relaxing, reading and getting some work done. It’s definitely an artsy environment, in a large open space. It’s kind of like visiting home where mom that wants to make you happy and comfortable. How could that be bad?
Oh, and FREE Wi-​Fi !!!
FOOD: I can’t say much on this for I haven’t myself eaten there, but I did witness commentary from the other patrons and they’ve raved.
Oh, and GLUTEN FREE options!!!
COFFEE: They serve Metropolis and something else local I can’t seem to remember. The cool thing is that they will make you a drink to your preference. I realize that all coffee shops will do that, but these folks are genuinely interested in making you happy. Whereas most other coffee shop couldn’t give two-​shit about your happiness since they’re too busy looking down on you. Word.
DECOR: A definite work-​in-​progress, but love what they’ve done so far. Photography on the walls, stylish tables, comfy chairs, games to play, a piano (and, if you’re lucky, a little guitar music from a «famous» regular). Again, what more is there?
The Verdict? Get yourself there. They’re new and definitely worthy of patronage. Truly.