Intelligentsia is one of the most respected names in third wave/specialty coffee, and a pioneer in the movement. They began as a small business in Chicago in 1995, and now have a presence in NYC, LA, Austin, Boston, and of course their hometown. They roast beans with traceable origins, pay their farmers fairly, and serve only the best coffee. I expected this shop in downtown Chicago to feel a bit corporate due to its location, but the space managed to be cozy and welcoming. The baristas were genuinely friendly, and there was plenty of seating and charging outlets. I ended up sitting down and working for a few hours. Their Avena Latte nearly brought tears to my eyes, it was so good. Black cat espresso spiced with orange peel, ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, and a touch of cayenne; this latte had the perfect level of sweetness with bright hints of heat. I ordered it with oat milk before realizing that the default in this drink is oat! 10/10. I dock one star because my Canele was burnt.
Zehra Abasiyanik
I opted for a single origin coffee, yet upon its arrival, I found it to be disappointingly lacking in depth, resulting in a diluted flavor profile devoid of its anticipated complexities. Unfortunately, the steep price point did not align with the quality received, leaving me disillusioned with the overall experience. Consequently, I am inclined to forego future visits to this establishment and would advise others against patronizing it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 3
Ahmet Hatip
Coffee was extremely watery. I ordered a single origin and I could barely taste the different flavors. Will not recommend anyone to come here or will not come here again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 2
Janna Mazur
Not many places to sit, but the coffee is great and so are the employees.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Guizar
Unfortunately, the service was horrible.Female (OLI R) barista was extremely rude and demonstrated bad customer skills throughout my experience during my and coworkers visit on 4/2/2024.Male barista did not help much.Started over female (OLI R) not taking my order correctly and not being happy about me asking for clarity on my order.I have never had an experience like this at any coffee place. I visit many and invest daily in my appreciation for good coffee. The service does not merit even 1 star.WC 6060106290BC#233
Cayla Dobbertin
Really great coffee, but they have a very "take your coffee to go" atmosphere. If the space was expanded and had a more welcoming vibe, I'd find myself here more often.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 4
Teddy (“Doc”)
Kind and fast service, a nice simple and clean interior and lots of cool options to try that are slightly more sophisticated than the average coffee shop. I had the oat matcha latte and it was very well done, especially if you are a fan of the less sweet coffees.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Leslie S.
My first and only visit to Intelligentsia was good! The employee was nice. We ordered right away and coffees were made quickly. We ordered a hot mocha and the iced Angeleno. The mocha is made with a house-made ganache. I enjoyed the chocolate flavor but it wasn't the best mocha I've ever had. The iced Angeleno was great. It had the right amount of sweetness without overpowering the coffee flavor. It was $7.35, which is overpriced in my opinion. Both coffees were expensive and although they tasted good, it's not a place I need to go to again.
Michelle M.
Quaint little coffee place. My husband and I stopped in after a long day of site seeing and shopping. I ordered a cappuccino and it hit the spot. Not everyone can make a good cappuccino but they didn't disappoint.
Zoltan Debre
Super friendly service, perfect flat whites, cozy environment. Love it ❤️
The instant coffee bags can be a good selection for souvenirs.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
도잇
Horrible experience EVER in my life. Customer service is terrible. The person who took my order was extremely rude and ridicule me I was so mad. And I ask for a cup of hot water and this is what I got on the receipt. There are tons of good coffee shops in Chicago DON’T waste your time and money here.The bomb-haired boy who took my order's actions were all crazy lol.They didn't ask me if I needed anything more, if I wanted to eat it or if I wanted to take it with me, so I just decided on my own and received it in the donation cup.Just because I asked for hot water, they wrote this lol on the receipt.No matter how much I didn't understand the requirements, I felt bad for writing them down in a mocking manner.Although it is a famous coffee house in the US, it does not suit Korean tastes well.If you like acidic coffee, this is the place to go.If you want to experience terrible and unpleasant service in the US, I recommend this store.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Nicholas Rowland
Positive opinions of this place. Friendly and bright staff. Coffee — on brew that day — was a blend of Ethiopian and Colombian beans (nice mix). The vibe is chill. High ceilings. Nice place to post up for a bit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anneliese Fuchshuber
Overrated and overpriced! $14 for an average ham and cheese croissant and a cappuccino? Not worth it!
Intelligentsia is one of the most respected names in third wave/specialty coffee, and a pioneer in the movement. They began as a small business in Chicago in 1995, and now have a presence in NYC, LA, Austin, Boston, and of course their hometown. They roast beans with traceable origins, pay their farmers fairly, and serve only the best coffee. I expected this shop in downtown Chicago to feel a bit corporate due to its location, but the space managed to be cozy and welcoming. The baristas were genuinely friendly, and there was plenty of seating and charging outlets. I ended up sitting down and working for a few hours. Their Avena Latte nearly brought tears to my eyes, it was so good. Black cat espresso spiced with orange peel, ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, and a touch of cayenne; this latte had the perfect level of sweetness with bright hints of heat. I ordered it with oat milk before realizing that the default in this drink is oat! 10/10. I dock one star because my Canele was burnt.
I opted for a single origin coffee, yet upon its arrival, I found it to be disappointingly lacking in depth, resulting in a diluted flavor profile devoid of its anticipated complexities. Unfortunately, the steep price point did not align with the quality received, leaving me disillusioned with the overall experience. Consequently, I am inclined to forego future visits to this establishment and would advise others against patronizing it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 3
Coffee was extremely watery. I ordered a single origin and I could barely taste the different flavors. Will not recommend anyone to come here or will not come here again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 2
Not many places to sit, but the coffee is great and so are the employees.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Unfortunately, the service was horrible.Female (OLI R) barista was extremely rude and demonstrated bad customer skills throughout my experience during my and coworkers visit on 4/2/2024.Male barista did not help much.Started over female (OLI R) not taking my order correctly and not being happy about me asking for clarity on my order.I have never had an experience like this at any coffee place. I visit many and invest daily in my appreciation for good coffee. The service does not merit even 1 star.WC 6060106290BC#233
Really great coffee, but they have a very "take your coffee to go" atmosphere. If the space was expanded and had a more welcoming vibe, I'd find myself here more often.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 4
Kind and fast service, a nice simple and clean interior and lots of cool options to try that are slightly more sophisticated than the average coffee shop. I had the oat matcha latte and it was very well done, especially if you are a fan of the less sweet coffees.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
My first and only visit to Intelligentsia was good! The employee was nice. We ordered right away and coffees were made quickly. We ordered a hot mocha and the iced Angeleno. The mocha is made with a house-made ganache. I enjoyed the chocolate flavor but it wasn't the best mocha I've ever had. The iced Angeleno was great. It had the right amount of sweetness without overpowering the coffee flavor. It was $7.35, which is overpriced in my opinion. Both coffees were expensive and although they tasted good, it's not a place I need to go to again.
Quaint little coffee place. My husband and I stopped in after a long day of site seeing and shopping. I ordered a cappuccino and it hit the spot. Not everyone can make a good cappuccino but they didn't disappoint.
Super friendly service, perfect flat whites, cozy environment. Love it ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
The instant coffee bags can be a good selection for souvenirs.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Horrible experience EVER in my life. Customer service is terrible. The person who took my order was extremely rude and ridicule me I was so mad. And I ask for a cup of hot water and this is what I got on the receipt. There are tons of good coffee shops in Chicago DON’T waste your time and money here.The bomb-haired boy who took my order's actions were all crazy lol.They didn't ask me if I needed anything more, if I wanted to eat it or if I wanted to take it with me, so I just decided on my own and received it in the donation cup.Just because I asked for hot water, they wrote this lol on the receipt.No matter how much I didn't understand the requirements, I felt bad for writing them down in a mocking manner.Although it is a famous coffee house in the US, it does not suit Korean tastes well.If you like acidic coffee, this is the place to go.If you want to experience terrible and unpleasant service in the US, I recommend this store.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Positive opinions of this place. Friendly and bright staff. Coffee — on brew that day — was a blend of Ethiopian and Colombian beans (nice mix). The vibe is chill. High ceilings. Nice place to post up for a bit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Overrated and overpriced! $14 for an average ham and cheese croissant and a cappuccino? Not worth it!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Great little coffee shop.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5