We go here at least once a week, prices are comparable to Starbucks, but quality is far superior. Other than their coffee, their secret weapon though is definitely their breakfast burritos. Highly, highly recommend
Wanted to love this place since the service and atmosphere is great but unfortunately the coffee isn’t. We’ve tried this place multiple times but the shots taste burnt and the whole milk tastes like skim (nonfat) milk even though they’ve assured us it’s whole milk.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 4
S. H.
I really enjoy the coffee here—it's flavorful and well-crafted. I much prefer supporting a local small business like this over a big corporate chain like Starbucks. My only downside is that parking can be a bit challenging at times, but it's worth the effort for the quality and experience."
Nicole Harter
Obsessed with Grounds CB!!! They have the cutest and coziest interior, quaint outdoor patio in the heart of downtown Crystal Lake. The loaded breakfast burrito is actually out of this world good. Coffee is fabulous too (: also loved all the local all natural soaps and candles for purchase. Grounds is the real deal. Get out and support your local caffeine dealer today!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Sandwiches, Breakfast Sandwiches
mary schlenkert
My first visit and my sister and I will definitely be back! Very good coffee and the chai is delicious staff is extra pleasant and efficient ❤️?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Barry Conneely
Cafe looks the part, coffee bad, coffee undrinkable.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Christina Antonyuk
I really like this place, they have pretty good coffee and it’s nice inside! But it is so unbearably cold in here every time we go. Regardless of how hot it is outside, plan to wear fuzzy socks and a sweatshirt, maybe even a winter coat. It’s 85 today and I came in leggings and a sweatshirt and still couldn’t bear to sit inside.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 3
Nancy Solorio
My boyfriend and I both got a terrible headache after drinking a latte and cappuccino from here today.
Xitlaly
i really like grounds coffee bar, and i’ve been here a handful of times and it’s always been great! unfortunately this time, i got their matcha latte (which used to be really good) but this time the drink was bitter and the color was so swampy. matcha is supposed to be a bright green. i do not recommend the matcha :(
LOVE this place! Truly our favorite coffee spot in the area. We love that they have fun rotating/seasonal drinks and their breakfast burrito is pretty good too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chris Forrester
Always my go to for both coffee & a quick lunch
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nutella Latte, Avocado Toast
Chris Foley
Always my go to for both coffee & a quick lunch
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nutella Latte, Avocado Toast
Grace P. Foley
This is my FAVORITE cafe in the area. They make the BEST coffee around. I often drink black coffee and it never tastes burnt. The food is delicious and the staff is always so nice! I love this place.
Wheelchair accessibility: The cafe has a ramp to get in! A great feature that a lot of our downtown CL shops don’t have!
I want to like Grounds so, so, so much. I want it to be my coffee spot. I want to support local small business. But I'm always disappointed. I started going to Grounds in late 2021 and my drink was inconsistent. I'd order the same thing and it tasted different every time. Drinks were usually unbearably sweet. Pastries were good, though.I took a loooong break from Grounds and finally decided to give it another shot. I'm so sad to be wildly disappointed again. First, my breakfast sandwich was cold. Like, fridge cold. The barista apologized and made a warm one that was so hot that I couldn't eat it for 10 minutes.I ordered a regular coffee and the half and half was the consistency of skim milk. The barista said, "A lot of people say that, but it's half and half! I think it's a more natural half and half. It's what our supplier gives us. Just trust me! It's half and half!" I don't really care that it's "called" half and half, it was the consistency of skim milk and it was not good, lol. It hardly creamed up my coffee.This one is maybe me being nitpicky, but I was a barista for 10 years so I have a little higher standards. I had to make multiple trips from our table to the opposite end of the store to get our food and drinks, when the baristas were just standing around talking. As soon as I grabbed one thing, they'd call my name again and I had to go all the way across the store again to get it. We came in with 3 small kids and clearly had our hands full. I would NOT have expected this of them if they were busy, but they were literally just standing at the cash register engrossed in conversation.They also made my husband's caramel latte hot instead of iced, but they happily remade it for him. When it came, the caramel was sitting at the bottom so I had to mix it up. Despite him ordering it half sweet, it was SO mild. It tasted more like mildly flavored milk than a coffee drink. Barely any coffee taste.Again, the pastries were good. The breakfast was just OK. Coffee was not good. I'm so sad. It's cute inside and I WANT to love this coffeehouse, but I guess it's just not for me.
We go here at least once a week, prices are comparable to Starbucks, but quality is far superior. Other than their coffee, their secret weapon though is definitely their breakfast burritos. Highly, highly recommend
Wheelchair accessibility: Ramp at front door
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Blueberry Muffin, Seasonal Iced Latte, Pastries
Good coffee.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wanted to love this place since the service and atmosphere is great but unfortunately the coffee isn’t. We’ve tried this place multiple times but the shots taste burnt and the whole milk tastes like skim (nonfat) milk even though they’ve assured us it’s whole milk.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 4
I really enjoy the coffee here—it's flavorful and well-crafted. I much prefer supporting a local small business like this over a big corporate chain like Starbucks. My only downside is that parking can be a bit challenging at times, but it's worth the effort for the quality and experience."
Obsessed with Grounds CB!!! They have the cutest and coziest interior, quaint outdoor patio in the heart of downtown Crystal Lake. The loaded breakfast burrito is actually out of this world good. Coffee is fabulous too (: also loved all the local all natural soaps and candles for purchase. Grounds is the real deal. Get out and support your local caffeine dealer today!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Sandwiches, Breakfast Sandwiches
My first visit and my sister and I will definitely be back! Very good coffee and the chai is delicious staff is extra pleasant and efficient ❤️?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cafe looks the part, coffee bad, coffee undrinkable.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
I really like this place, they have pretty good coffee and it’s nice inside! But it is so unbearably cold in here every time we go. Regardless of how hot it is outside, plan to wear fuzzy socks and a sweatshirt, maybe even a winter coat. It’s 85 today and I came in leggings and a sweatshirt and still couldn’t bear to sit inside.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 5
Service: 3
My boyfriend and I both got a terrible headache after drinking a latte and cappuccino from here today.
i really like grounds coffee bar, and i’ve been here a handful of times and it’s always been great! unfortunately this time, i got their matcha latte (which used to be really good) but this time the drink was bitter and the color was so swampy. matcha is supposed to be a bright green. i do not recommend the matcha :(
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
LOVE this place! Truly our favorite coffee spot in the area. We love that they have fun rotating/seasonal drinks and their breakfast burrito is pretty good too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Always my go to for both coffee & a quick lunch
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nutella Latte, Avocado Toast
Always my go to for both coffee & a quick lunch
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nutella Latte, Avocado Toast
This is my FAVORITE cafe in the area. They make the BEST coffee around. I often drink black coffee and it never tastes burnt. The food is delicious and the staff is always so nice! I love this place.
Wheelchair accessibility: The cafe has a ramp to get in! A great feature that a lot of our downtown CL shops don’t have!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hot Sandwiches, Chocolate Croissant, Avocado Toast, Gluten Free Oatmeal
I want to like Grounds so, so, so much. I want it to be my coffee spot. I want to support local small business. But I'm always disappointed. I started going to Grounds in late 2021 and my drink was inconsistent. I'd order the same thing and it tasted different every time. Drinks were usually unbearably sweet. Pastries were good, though.I took a loooong break from Grounds and finally decided to give it another shot. I'm so sad to be wildly disappointed again. First, my breakfast sandwich was cold. Like, fridge cold. The barista apologized and made a warm one that was so hot that I couldn't eat it for 10 minutes.I ordered a regular coffee and the half and half was the consistency of skim milk. The barista said, "A lot of people say that, but it's half and half! I think it's a more natural half and half. It's what our supplier gives us. Just trust me! It's half and half!" I don't really care that it's "called" half and half, it was the consistency of skim milk and it was not good, lol. It hardly creamed up my coffee.This one is maybe me being nitpicky, but I was a barista for 10 years so I have a little higher standards. I had to make multiple trips from our table to the opposite end of the store to get our food and drinks, when the baristas were just standing around talking. As soon as I grabbed one thing, they'd call my name again and I had to go all the way across the store again to get it. We came in with 3 small kids and clearly had our hands full. I would NOT have expected this of them if they were busy, but they were literally just standing at the cash register engrossed in conversation.They also made my husband's caramel latte hot instead of iced, but they happily remade it for him. When it came, the caramel was sitting at the bottom so I had to mix it up. Despite him ordering it half sweet, it was SO mild. It tasted more like mildly flavored milk than a coffee drink. Barely any coffee taste.Again, the pastries were good. The breakfast was just OK. Coffee was not good. I'm so sad. It's cute inside and I WANT to love this coffeehouse, but I guess it's just not for me.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 2
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