Surge Coffee Bar & Billiards
3241 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL
Crema's Take
“This billiards-centric coffee bar masterfully blends late-night gaming culture with craft coffee, staying open until 1 am as a rare gathering spot for both serious pool players and casual hangout seekers. The team genuinely goes the extra mile—they've been known to accommodate last-minute event pivots and host large celebrations with thoughtful service and reasonable pricing that keeps people coming back. Whether you're after a creative specialty drink while chalking cues or settling in for hours with friends, Surge nails that sweet spot between serious third space and playful neighborhood anchor.”
What to expect
Google Reviews
We went there on Wednesday, 02/04, at 11:15 pm, well within their stated business hours (4 pm–1 am), and they tried to turn us away saying they were “closed.” No explanation, no courtesy just casually suggested another place. If we wanted to go somewhere else, we wouldn’t have come all the way here, right? The attitude was half sarcastic, half “best friend energy,” but mostly just confusing and a bit ridiculous. Thanks for the recommendation we never asked for—great comedy show, wrong venue though. lol
Great place to hangout with friends and the customer service is always spot on. The drinks are delicious and they have a wide variety for your taste buds.
Hosted 25 people here for my husband’s birthday and genuinely could not have asked for a better experience. The reservation process was simple, and the cost was extremely reasonable, and the staff was all lovely. We had four pool tables, darts, and a little nook where we could cut cake and mingle. People loved the drinks and the vibes. I didn’t have to work too hard to host. Thank you to everyone at Surge, especially Eleysi and the man who was working the phones on October 9 and answered all my frazzled questions. We are already planning our next get together here!
I didn’t realize the area had such an affinity for billiards! There are many tables here but they fill up quickly! They have everything you need to play, just bring your friends or team! The rates are a little bit high for the hour ($20 outside of happy hour) but it’s a great atmosphere of people who are there to compete and there to have fun. Very accessible by the bus!
Surge is awesome!!! Our house flooded during the last big rainstorm and we had to relocate my birthday party last minute. After calling a few places and getting turned down… I reached out to Surge a week before the party and asked if they would be able to host. They said yes!! They were super flexible. They had party packages, but we decided to just reserve a couple pool tables and do the cash bar. It worked perfectly!!!! The service, food, and drinks were all great!! Many of our guests said they wanted to come back! Thanks Surge for hosting us last minute! Also S/O to SJ for coordinating the plans with us!!!
Crema Reviews
You might also like
Slightly Toasted
★ 4.4 (374)
Slightly Toasted is a whiskey-focused bar that doubles as a thoughtful coffee…
Cafe El Meson
★ 4.8 (686)
This welcoming Christian café in Chicago masterfully blends specialty coffee…
Oliang
★ 4.8 (599)
Oliang is a Thai restaurant that doubles as a specialty drinks destination,…
Wake-n-Bakery
★ 4.7 (1,112)
Wake-n-Bakery is a beloved Chicago spot where lavender lattes and creative…