Counter Coffee

Love this place. Most of the staff are super sweet, very welcoming, and have even on an occasion or two really brightened up my day.
I usually come in and get a chai latte or London Fog as tea is really more my thing than coffee, but I have tried a couple of their decaf lattes. I’ve never had a disappointing drink. Their London Fog is actually pretty well done and better even than some I’ve had at strictly tea shops, which is surprising considering there have been one or two times when the barista was unfamiliar with the drink so I had to tell them what’s in it. Their chai latte is absolutely to die for, though. I brought a group of friends here a while back and they were raving about it afterwards :)
Their pastries are really good, and I like that they have a selection of savory breakfast foods, which is something a lot of indie coffee shops are lacking. The only problem is none of the savories really appeal to me, but definitely A for effort. Also they no longer have Glazed and Infused donuts on Saturdays. I really don’t know why… I get that the Wicker Park location closed but G&I does still exist.
This is one of my favorite coffee shops in the area, though, and I highly recommend it!

I want to love this place, I really do. We used to live a few blocks away and I went there more frequently. It was always ok, never real complaints, nothing too special. We moved to the other side of town and decided to try it again today. Banana chocolate chip muffin was pretty good, but my Irish cream latte was bland and tasted like they forgot to add the espresso. Guy behind the counter was fine but barista was quite unfriendly and rude (I believe it was the same woman that other Unilocalers have mentioned). Not sure that I will make the effort to come back again.

Best place in the area, it’s my go-​to for my usual 4 shot espresso. The staff are always friendly, and several take the time to get to know you on a personal level, which you don’t get anywhere else. They also take the time to talk to my kids, who are 9 and 7, and make them feel welcome and «grown up».
Not sure what’s up with the negative review, rudeness takes many forms and I haven’t experienced it at this coffee shop.

pastries and coffee were good.
Customer Service was terrible.
this afternoon an older woman with salt and pepper hair was rude and unprofessional. she heard the door open looked me and my wife in the eye as we smiled and looked away to say nothing. she was NOT busy and there were three other people who were already taken care of. her overall demeanor was unwelcoming and unhappy. I can’t recommend this place based on my experience. I’m new here to Illinois and was not pleased with that interaction. that’s not how you do it in SF… she is the first and only deliberately rude person I’ve met here in a year!
please work on your customer service mam.

I frequent coffee shops, and the one thing I normally love about locally owned shops are the friendly staff. This afternoon, the barista was very rude and unprofessional. She was an older lady with short salt-​and-​pepper gray hair. She did not greet me or seem interested in taking my order. When my order was ready, she did not call me or deliver it to my table like most coffee shop baristas do. Her overall demeanor was so unwelcoming that I felt very uncomfortable ordering anything or interacting with her. I cannot recommend this place to others if the staff is so unfriendly. Please Counter Coffee, work on your customer service, at least with this one barista.

The Village of Forest Park is charming in its own, unique way. Counter Coffee is located in downtown Forest Park on Madison street, next to Piggyback BBQ.
They serve Intelligentia coffee and have free wifi. The ambiance is typically on a quieter side, but conversations with reasonable volume are definitely allowed and encouraged. The girls who work there are very nice and welcoming every time I come in by myself or with Daddy J.
By the way, Daddy J. likes to tag along with me to Counter Coffee so that he can sneak out to the nearby Army/​Navy Surplus shop with his allowance money Mama J. gave to him (or not).
They sometimes have open mic nights. Although the coffee and drinks are on a pricier side in my opinion, I don’t think this would keep me from patronizing this cozy neighborhood coffee.
It’s a walkable distance to CTA Harlem (Forest Park Branch) station and Forest Park Terminal Blue Line station.

This has become my go to café for studying & work. Staff is friendly, Dana is very personable and it’s a quiet cozy place. Menu is small but sufficient.

Great coffee, friendly staff. Haven’t had any of their food but menu has great options.

I love the staff here and normally the coffee is super good! but the last few times I’ve been in I was a little underwhelmed, I ordered a cortado which is much less milky than a latte and basically got a latte. it was a pretty solid latte but just not entirely what I was looking for. the pastries are always very good though and I’m neither gluten free or vegan so that’s a plus! I’ll definitely still be stopping in

Okay so the coffee was which is a big plus but what i liked about this place were the staff they were super friendly and helpful and i would 100% go back there the atmosphere is wonderful

Great coffee and baked goods. I had a cinnamon hazelnut latte and some kind of brownie cake slice. Both delicious. The woman at the counter was very warm and welcoming, upbeat and friendly. Great customer service. Great atmosphere, very inviting. Great place for coffee meet ups or to escape during the workday with your laptop. Plus, parking is a quarter for a whole hour.

The best independent coffee shop in the Forest Park, Oak Park and River Forest !!!
Great selection of coffee’s, and pastries and the quality of the Barrista is excellent.

I’m a big fan of Starbucks Coffee. There is one across the street and down the block. This, however, is my «go to» local shop because it’s local and the coffee (Intelligentsia) is even better. Great vibe here. I also appreciate that I can sit outside and vape while enjoying my coffee, weather permitting.

Wow, my experience was totally different than my fellow Unilocalers. I had to check the address & drive pass the establishment to make sure I am writing about the correct business. I’m disappointed and wonder why I am one of the few people who had a less than pleasant experience.
Maybe I caught an employee on a bad day, but the cashier was unfriendly and I thought they were overpriced (especially for the lack of good customer service) or maybe she overcharged me for the doughnut I trashed after one bite. I’m sorry, I hate to say it, but I will stick with Starbucks or Blue Max where the staff is always friendly and willing to answer questions. I know neither are cheap, but I’ll pay more for good service and engaging staff. I cannot recommend Counter Coffee, just my opinion.

what’s there to say? this is a nice place to grab a coffee, sit and study or have a nice conversation when meeting a new beau. decent coffee, free wifi, nice folks, clean toilets and a few outdoor seats if you don’t care for comfortable café style atmosphere. b\
I’ve been here quite a few times and I shall continue cause I like the donuts that are carried on the weekends and the coffee when I don’t feel like making my own or when I just want to chill.

Stopped in with my son and father for a «Donuts with Daddy» on Saturday. The donuts were good but a little over-​the-​top. Mine was a maple frosted with a slice of bacon on top. Very tasty but could have gone for something more simple/​conventional.
The coffee was good. I had a half-​and-​half of their house and dark roast drip coffees. Nothing special but hit the spot.
Local art on the walls but otherwise low key. Would recommend but probably best for the locals who pass by on foot or otherwise.

Definitely needed another GOOD, locally owned coffee place in town that was NOT Starbucks and they delivered! Can’t go wrong with Intelligentsia coffee, and I love that they have gluten free pastries AND that they are really tasty pastries too. All of them come from local bakeries. They also have plenty of non GF treats, including glazed and infused donuts on the weekends.
Seating is plentiful and comfortable. Lately it’s been really busy, but there is always a place to sit. The downstairs area is amazing too, lots more seating and potential localtion for meetups or small parties.
Jane and Heidi are just amazing women to begin with. They now own two local businesses, they are very customer centric, and they have an eye for style. This coffee shop is gorgeous! Ask about the coffee bar and where a lot of the materials came from :) And if you haven’t been to the other store that these wonderful women own, Team Blonde, you need to go. It is a fantastic boutique with locally made jewelry and gifts, great clothing made from organic cotton and bamboo, and an eco friendly spa with amazing services.

One of the last café’s that I feel comfortable going to for café like things: reading, writing, and potentially eating in minor to heavy silence.
I drink alot of coffee. I lived in Chicago and now live in Maywood (and will be living in Chicago again very shortly). It seems very difficult for a café to remain great and stay spacious, people either filling it to the gills or great bc they are tiny (in space) but pack a huge punch.
Counter somehow got the algorithm down of having a cool location (lots of parking around, among cool folks and shops), solid coffee, Glazed and Infused on the weekends, space, and smiles (guy sang Eve 6 while making some coffee, was fantastic).
Cool merch, their downstairs is clutch, breakfast burrito was surprisingly good (And I hate them mostly.), a clean and well lit space.
Some people aren’t trying to create a partnership with a village in paraguay, just trying to make some good folks have better days. Seems to be working too.

I like this place pretty well. I’m not a huge coffee drinker (my digestive system really cannot handle it) but every now and then, I like a good latte or some other fancy caffeinated creation. And I DO NOT like Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts.
So when the weather started getting obnoxiously cold, I decided I would finally venture in and get a hot beverage.
I’ve been a handful of times, only getting stuff to go. Parking in the morning on the way to work was easy, I was able to get a meter spot right out front (though I really had to search my car to find a nickel or dime to put in the meter). I’ve gone later in the afternoon and it was harder to find a convenient parking space. So when I’m in somewhat of a hurry, that’s kind of a bummer.
So I haven’t actually spent any time hanging out in there but it’s cute on the inside I guess.
I’ve had their latte and also their mocha. I got vanilla flavoring on one occasion I think, maybe with the mocha? Both drinks were good, but I preferred the latte and I think that’s what I’ll stick with. I always forget to order the vanilla flavor though which I always feel sad about after the fact.
I totally foresee myself frequenting this place more and more often during the winter months. If I allowed myself to eat sweets, I’d consider trying the donuts they have on the weekend.

Locovore indy coffee shop? YES! And Counter Coffee is 10x better than similarly themed spots I found in SF where wifi-​leeching, solipsistic folks glued themselves to Mac Books, saturnine employees, and uninteresting drinks. Counter Coffee was the Starbucks/​Caribou/​Locovore-​Indy magic fusion hot spot that totally warmed me up.
Jaime affably chatted while I indecisively lingered over the menu. He spoke with such pride that I mistakenly took HIM to be the owner! Jaime told me about how Counter Coffee was opened by the same people who own Team Blonde (a salon/​spa/​boutique whose name is inspired by the camaraderie of the blonde owners) and that they lured him from Starbucks to run their newest venture.
The other patrons at Counter Coffee interacted with one another, looked up from their tablets and smiled at me, and seemed friendly but not intrusive. It was a great vibe that could easily have been facilitated by Jaime’s rident disposition. The space was nicely designed with a counter and stools, several tables and chairs. I admired the glass tile back splash and the industrial metal wrapped around the counter. Sunlight beamed through large windows facing north and west.
I decided on two drinks: small chai and pumpkin lattes. They cost me $ 9.75. I nearly added a baked good (that seemed to be acquired from a local baker) but then decided that two drinks was surfeit enough. My drinks were made with almond milk and the pumpkin latte sported Intelligentsia coffee. I shared the pumpkin latte with my buddy Scott who was surprised that his standard taste-​buds liked such a fancy drink.
I will grab one of their frequent drink cards that were neatly piled by the friendly register if I find myself around Counter Coffee again. The register was friendly because it had a large sign with the wifi password. Bonus!