Urban Pantry

Just bought a few beers from there… All expired. Gross! They taste awful and spoiled. Rude staff and not friendly all. One time I went in there and didn’t buy anything he literally asked me, «What, you’re not buying anything?» Unbelievable horrible customer service. Avoid this place like the plague. I can’t take this place anymore. I’ve tried several times and every time I’m disappointed.

Been here twice now. Selection is pretty good but pricey, but the staff is just too rude for it to be worth it. Rather just walk to 7 – 11 or CVS.

If you are staying in the Financial District and looking for groceries this store is listed on Unilocal as a grocery store which is incorrect. It is a convenience store. Grocery stores will have foods such as produce, milk, eggs etc. stopped by earlier to learn of this mistake on the Unilocal category.
That being said it does have a nice selection of snack items at reasonable prices. Craft and local brew selection is good, wine section was surprisingly nice and the service was friendly. Useful convenience store indeed.

It’s clean…
It’s convenient…
It’s slightly over priced, but it is a convenience store, so it’s expected. Honestly, their prices are cheaper than all of the other convenience stores in the area. *Shrugs* It’s either Urban Pantry or a grocery store.

It’s great for this area full of condos to have a quick stop pantry shop. It’s not so great how friggin expensive everything is. A pack of Starburst for $ 1 and the cheapest gum I could find was $ 1.69, ugh.
If you need something quick, it’s great. You can run in & run out if you live right there. Or if you’re passing by, you can easily park on the street with blinkers & run in. If you go to Target a block away, you have to deal with parking in their massive parking lot.
No issues with service the few times I’ve been in. Guys aren’t overly friendly but they definitely aren’t rude in any way. The whole shop was well organized and clean every time I’ve gone in.

Fortunately, I’ve not experienced what the first two reviewers have noted. I have some of my own notes:
Location: 5 out of 5 (South Loop)
If you happen to live in the south loop, it’s actually quite convenient since it’s in the ground floor of the Burnham Pointe apartments. Parking is usually available on the street, though most of my «errands» here have all been on foot due to the super close proximity from my place. As others have noted, it competes with Target and 7-​Eleven from a geographical perspective.
Service: 2.5 out of 5
I wouldn’t say the guys that work here are «rude» or «mean.» The guys that I presume are the proprietors are «nice enough» and they probably work stupid long hours so that their second generation Indian-​subcontinent kids can have their own kids born into middle class like it ain’t no thang. The part time help guys are a little nicer, but still not what I would consider to be «happy.» I mean, they ask me if I want a bag for my beer, and they say, «thanks» as I walk out. Good enough.
Selection of Beer: 3 out of 5
I’ve not perused the aisles (in the real meaning of the word, not the mistaken definition of ‘browse’) for foodstuffs or convenience items, but their beer selection will do in a pinch. I’m actually pretty impressed by the amount of craft brewers they carry: 3 Floyds, 2 Bros, Bells, Flying Dog, Chimay, etc. They’ve also got your typical run of the mill American style light lagers and well-​established imports like Corona, Guiness, and Heineken. I mean — could I walk another block to Printers Row Wine and find tons more beer? Yes. But if what I drink on a regular basis can be found here if I’m rushed for time, is there a need to do that? No.
Price of Beer: 2.5 out of 5
Eh…noticeably more than other places where you might find craft beers. Craft six packs are 1 — 2 dollars more expensive than anywhere else, and craft 12 packs are 2 — 3 dollars more. I think once there was some mixup with the bar code, and I got a 6 pack of beer for 4.99 plus tax, which was awesome. The next time I went, it was properly tagged at 8.99 or 9.99. Boo. Like I said — I come here if I’m pinched for time, and with that in mind, maybe the prices are worth it.
Cleanliness/​Organization: 3 out of 5
I don’t recall seeing anything that was «dirty» or unorganized. Things seemed to be running ok after they initially opened up in Q3 of 2011.
Overall: 3 out of 5 (beer centric)
Close enough that I don’t dismiss them if I’m in need of craft beer and I’ve forgotten to grab it on my weekly errands. Expensive enough that it prevents me from coming here regularly. I think for awhile they were trying to reach out to the college students by doing wine tastings and nominal discounts –maybe that will pick back up as more students get back after the summer is over.

Forget quick convenience, this place always just leaves me annoyed and frustrated wishing I had walked the extra block to Target, 711 or any of the other convenient stores in the area. The staff is extremely rude and always trying to get you to spend more money, I have been told there is a $ 3, $ 5 and $ 7 minimum to use credit, as well as no minimum at all… varies depending on the amount of my purchase. One would think with the lack of business that they would take whatever customers they can get.

I went to this store expecting to be blown away. The idea and concept is great but it’s just poorly executed. It seems underfunded, disorganized and not real clean. Maybe they’ll get their act together soon and I’ll go back and give it a try.

Wow! Another great addition to the South Loop. This is right on Clark in Printer’s Row Burnham Pointe Building. Super modern place that allows you to order groceries by text — if you wish.
They have super friendly owners and you can find bread and pastries, vegetables and fruits. They have coffee and wine. Option of online ordering with home delivery and curbside pick-​up.