I love spending the day working at Overflow when I am in the area. Their Nutella latte is amazing and I really like their quiche. There’s good wifi and many people camp out there with their laptops. The only strange thing is the layout, but you get over that really fast once you experience the great vibe.
Jonathan T.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chicago, IL
Overflow Coffee Bar is an excellent place to grab great direct trade coffee and relax in their warm environment. Brandon and the team are very hospitable. I highly recommend checking this place out!
Niraj G.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Chicago, IL
The agave nectar latte and grilled cheese were excellent. We were expecting this to be a chill coffee shop but it was connected to a church and school so there was a lot of traffic coming in and out. Also, although there was a large central space, it was used well as there wasn’t much seating. Would definitely go there again for the coffee but not a place to hang out.
Diva B.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chicago, IL
I’m in the area at least once a week, and I almost always stop at Overflow. I get the same thing every time because it’s soooo good. I order The Overflow, which is a latte made with coconut milk, hazelnut, and chocolate. It’s seriously delicious. One of the employees recommended and I try it with a dash of cayenne pepper. I did, and it’s my new fave. The façade doesn’t scream ‘coffee shop,’ so you might miss it. Friends who live in the area had never heard of it until I started raving about it. It’s usually quiet, but don’t be surprised if you hear music blasting from the Zumba class that goes on in the next room. One morning I enjoyed the smooth sounds of «Doo Doo Brown» while I waited for my latte. It didn’t bother me because, first of all, it’s a classic, also I took my order to go.
Hanna O.
Rating des Ortes: 5 South Elgin, IL
I stumbled upon this gem while I was in the area. It’s a cozy place with a chill atmosphere. There were plenty of outlets and a comfortable amount of seating. And the coffee was absolutely delicious. I think I just found my new go-to coffee shop!
Annemarie S.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chicago, IL
Overflow Coffee Bar is great. The place isn’t overcrowded with seats, so you don’t feel like you’re getting pushed into a corner from the sheer amount of customers. The baristas are super friendly. They made helpful suggestions about what to order and the manner in which I might like it. Upon their suggestion, my regular hot chocolate was transformed into a hot pumpkin chocolate and my peanut butter and jelly sandwich was toasted. The addition of the pumpkin flavoring gave my drink a little kick and put me in the holiday spirit. Toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are better than their untoasted counterparts; I will definitely be toasting my PB&Js from now on. It’s a short commute from Columbia’s campus. I definitely recommend this place.
Jessica S.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chicago, IL
Not only does overflow have one of the best espressos I’ve had, they really are here to make a difference in the community and in the world. The first time I came I had their signature«overflow» drink and OMG it was heaven. Love this place, love their coffee, love love LOVE their mission!!!
Micha N.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Chicago, IL
I passed through here on my way to a meeting so I can’t really say much about the atmosphere. The baristas did seem a little stoned, maybe it was the heat, who knows. I’m surprised to hear they use Ipsento coffee because my café au lait was just way too bitter. Maybe it was the preparation, maybe I already had too much coffee, or maybe I just don’t like coffee when it isn’t a Nutella latte. Perhaps I need to conduct a little experiment to sort that out. :P
Kevin J.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chicago, IL
A quiet space to meet, study, work and get a nice bite to eat. I’ve been frequenting this low-key spot for over a year. The service is friendly and the menu is always evolving.
Rosa J.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chicago, IL
State St. in the city of Chicago is known for the«commercial, touristy» loop shopping strip. Nevertheless, rarely do non-Chicagoans go pass the south loop since«near south side» is mostly residential. «Overflow Coffee Bar» isn’t awfully far from the CTA Roosevelt Red/Green/Orange Line station, but this place is chill, serves good Ipsento coffee, and well-liked by the community. Did I mention that they use Ipsento coffee? Then you should know that Nutella Mocha is on the menu indeed. I also took care Daddy J.‘s order and asked for a large cup of Americano. We then spent our late afternoon here. This place was chill and conversations-friendly. The entire coffee shop was the atrium for different offices on the sides. The Department of Media Production in Columbia College Chicago is literally feet away, so I imagine some students would be hanging out here when school resumes. I like this community-focus coffee joint. Free wifi, power outlets, ambiance, spaciousness, and the taste of coffee are successfully«checked-off» on my mental coffee-shop worksheet!
Rhonda G.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chicago, IL
Love the idea of a community coffee bar. This place is very inviting and I often find people in here quite early relaxing and enjoying their coffee or tea. The coffee is really good coffee and I find that I don’t need to add a lot of extra stuff(which is great). Staff is a mixed bag, sometimes I get someone outgoing and talkative and other times I get the robot who simply takes my order and delivers the goods, nothing wrong with that, but just not common in this place so odd when it happens. I use to get my dog a treat from their dog«cookie» jar until I noticed that they were just Walmart or Sam’s Club treats. Again, nothing wrong with that but if i’m supporting a small business then I want them to do so as well. Perhaps they can buy their treats from a local pet shop. That being said, this is a coffee shop so I’m not going to dwell on the dog bones :) Go grab a cup of joe and enjoy.
Nicole H.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Chicago, IL
This place has pretty much everything needed to be a go-to spot. They serve salads, pastries, sandwiches and other beverages. I had the Overflow which is a latte made with coconut milk, chocolate and hazelnut. It was a very delicious drink. I’m more of a regular coffee drinker and I was quite pleased. I like the layout. There’s seating and they seem to support a lot of local and sustainable businesses which is awesome. They also had jewelry and soap for sale. If I were rating the drink and support alone, I would give 5 stars but alas something was, I don’t know, amiss here. There were only a few people when I went and they were lounging but the atmosphere did not feel very welcoming. I can’t put my finger on it. However, if you decide to stop in, do try the Overflow.
Dzeinara P.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chicago, IL
Everything about this cozy spot is ideal. The people that come here aren’t loud, the employees are friendly and always ready to strike up a conversation if you’re up for it. I’ve had their lattes, teas and food. Almond croissants are my favorite as well as the south loop salad. I’d definitely recommend getting some food here and not just drinks. It’s all fresh and delicious.
Sally Y.
Rating des Ortes: 4 New York, NY
I came here to meet up with a friend who lives in Blue Island, and was pleasantly surprised. While the area and décor isn’t the most swanky or put together, the people are friendly and the atmosphere is eclectic. I also happened to sit next to the owner who was working away on his computer and chatted with him for a short while. Definitely a friendly person and happy to chat about the business, coffee, and the things he’s experienced over the years — an interesting conversation. Coffee was good, and the jalepeno bagel with cream cheese also hit the spot. Overall, a great place to sit down and get some work done if you’re in the area.
Jenna I.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chicago, IL
When I want to enjoy a good caffinated beverage and get some letter writing done this is my go to place. The staff is plesant, they use actual mugs instead of paper cups and they put cayenne pepper in their house special mocha. I am also a fan of the espresso. Overflow also has a tiny section of fair trade items like stationary and jewelry. So if you need a small and ethical gift this is a good place to stop by.
Beth A.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Chicago, IL
This place is a lovely café/work space/community center. It’s a great place to sit and work, a lot of large windows, and a good selection of drinks and food. It’s great for people watching, but doesn’t get too loud, and there seem to be a lot of after school activities(lots of kids after 3, but no one was too rowdy, mostly really adorable families). Overflow is one of the few cafes in this area that is one of my go to study places. And as a medical student, I study a lot. They’re open from 7am to 8pm nearly all week, provide good coffee and food, have comfy chairs, tables near outlets, and free wifi, essentially a student’s dream. Plus, everyone there is super friendly and eco friendly. I almost didn’t want to write a review because I didn’t want this place to «Overflow» with too many people(haha sorry for the bad joke) but it’s too nice of a place to keep secret.
Kat A.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Chicago, IL
I wished I had known about this place earlier. I drove right past it the first time because the awning was not what I expected a coffee bar’s awning to look like. I was excited to see they brewed Ipsento beans… Ipsento is my fave! The first time I tried the Nutella mocha… good but could use a bit more flavor. My friend recommended I try the Overflow. It’s a coconut latte with hazelnut syrup and chocolate… basically a coconut/hazelnut mocha. I always order soy lattes since I am lactose intolerant :(Idk how the guy made it but it still had the coconut, chocolate and hazelnut flavors and was so good! The second time I went back to order it, the guy told me he couldn’t make it for me with the coconut milk since the coconut milk and regular milk came premixed. I gave him a weird look but didn’t question him. So when I did try my latte, it tasted like a regular soy latte… no chocolate or hazelnut flavor. SUCHDISAPPOINTMENT!!! I still went back twice more to give them a couple more chances. They still couldn’t get it as good as the first time. Since there really aren’t many good specialty coffee spots in the South Loop, I still go here. I’m hoping one of these days someone will make the soy Overflow correct for me!
Kendrick W.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Chicago, IL
So I went here for the first time after Dim Sum the other day. If this review were based purely on the quality of the coffee then it would be at least 4 stars. I had a latte, it was great. Tried someone else’s coffee, also done well. However to me a coffeeshop not named Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks should be a holistic experience. The baristas were friendly, a little goofy even. So A+ there, but the vibe of the place just didn’t set well. It felt cold and uninviting. The chairs and tables weren’t configured in any particular way. The color scheme did nothing for the place. It felt industrial. Perhaps the vibe they were going for, but just wasn’t my cup of tea. See what I did there?
Shradha A.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Chicago, IL
Such an interesting concept of a Coffeeshop. You can sit here a while for conversation but hard to get much at the counter given the people working there are multitasking many roles, including running the soup kitchen in the prayer room inside. Definitely a local place to support for many reasons but not your typical Coffeeshop.
Robert S.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Providence, RI
The place is like a coffee use for the nearby college. The coffee was good, but the almond croissant was reheated in the MW. That made for an uneven warmth and chewiness that was not very good. The raisin bagel was toasted properly and it was good… Not great… though…