Fairgrounds Coffee and Tea

I had a deeply disturbing experience at Fairgrounds Coffee and will never be returning. A man who appeared homeless and mentally unwell was loitering inside the shop, loudly yelling offensive and aggressive comments, including repeated attacks on nurses saying they should all be fired. It was extremely disruptive and upsetting for paying customers, especially to myself as a nurse. I asked the staff if anything could be done. Instead of addressing the behavior or ensuring a safe environment, they brought him water and allowed him to continue on. This felt completely inappropriate and showed a total disregard for customer safety and comfort. I have never experienced anything like this at a coffee shop in Chicago, and with so many other great options in walking distance you’d think they’d treat their paying customers better.

Small spot along the brown line that's open early. Has a good many available all day with draft coffee pours and pour overs available. Staff were super friendly and service was quick.

As soon as I walked into Fairgrounds, I was excited. A lots of room to work, and I was eager to try something new. I ordered a mango smoothie, and while the person who took my order was friendly, the smoothie itself was underwhelming. For nearly $11, the quality just didn’t match the price and it tasted more like flavored water than a real fruit blend. After working for a bit, I decided to grab a sandwich and was looking forward to it, until I found out all the food is pre-made offsite and not customizable. As someone who doesn’t eat cheese, I was disappointed that there weren’t any sandwich options without it. When I asked if they could modify an existing sandwich, the answer was a flat no. For a place in such a competitive area with so many similar cafés, this felt like a major letdown. The space itself is great, but the food options was a disappointment. Great ambiance, but not enough substance to back it up.

Fairgrounds was underwhelming. Pricey for super mediocre drinks. There was vomit next to the table outside that was left unattended, the tables were dirty as well. My matcha lemonade tasted like water and the servers were weird because I didn’t leave a tip.

Cute coffee place with plenty of seating both inside and outside. The coffee was good, and the place is nicely decorated and clean. It's a great spot for working or studying.