Build Coffee

Actually affordable delicious lattes/espresso drinks. The zines and books were so fun to look through. I love my south side ❤️

Good food, OK coffee, gross vibes. I've been here 4 times. Only once was a normal experience. The other times, the fridge was broken (no food), the cashier oozed hostility (my greeting was returned with a silent eye roll). Service is always painfully slow.

But today was epic. I entered at 1:45. I let 2 distracted students cut me in line, who then ordered food. As usual, everything ran very slow. At 1:52, I finally stepped up. The cook had just yelled at the cashier that last call was at 1:45 (when I was there, waiting). But their sign says that food is available until 2. So, of course, I tried to order food. Oops!

Sorry, I was told, food is over.

I protested, politely but firmly: 1:52 PM is not 2 PM. You should be more clear about last call. Besides, I've been here since last call, and let these two people order ahead of me -- now they're eating and I'm not??

Instead of a polite apology and a sandwich, I was treated to a rare opportunity to play amateur psychologist for the cook, who ran up to share with me how hard his day had been (a.k.a., he had been working), and concluded that I must have never worked in the service industry before (false) because I thought this was all ridiculous (true).

Meanwhile, he very aggressively insisted on making me a sandwich, multiple times, while I politely declined and tried to be empathic as he unloaded a truckload of personal stuff that had absolutely nothing to do with what I'd been complaining about.

End of story. You be the judge.

Great coffee, need to be masked when ordering 😷. Couldn't find their wifi network, so you have to rely on the University of Chicago network. Quite a few school kids from nearby school. Ventilation could use an improvement.

I really love this place. The drinks and community vibes are great. Playlist is cool too, but I do wish the music was played at a little bit lower volume. Thank you!

yo... 2020 called, they want their masks back. 😷

Now, I was actually a very strong proponent of EVERYONE masking up for the pandemic, but that pandemic is way over. There's a great vaccine for covid now.

At this point, if folks still want to wear them even when driving with no else else in the car, hey that's cool.

But I'm not masking up just to be in there for 5 minutes to buy a to-go coffee, and making everyone mask up in your shop is just nuts at this point. 🙃

How about strongly encouraging it, but not forcing it on everyone especially if they can prove vaccination.

So stupid.

Build Coffee is a wonderful space to relax, read, study, etc. I recently held an event there to celebrate my family and it was fantastic. From the staff to the communication and overall comfort, I would highly recommend working with them. Or, if you'd just like to experience the cafe it's worth the trip.

Everything I've had here has been great, from their cold brew to their breakfast sandwiches. They are a friendly group of people also. My only wish is that their space were bigger. On Farmer's Market days, it can get pretty crowded in the winter (when outdoor seating isn't reasonable).

Great coffee, chill vibe, very community style cafe. Sandwiches are delicious if you get there in time. Reviews may very but it is a very strong attitude feel cafe but they know coffee.

In a world of underwhelming sandwiches, the ones here deserve a Michelin star! Truly spectacular. You can’t go wrong with any, but I’m partial to both vegan options. A sweet place to grab a drink and work, too.

I always have a good experience here. Really friendly staff. The coffee is high quality, the food is good, and the house made specialty drinks are solid. It’s a small place - seats 15-20 - but every time I’ve been there, I’ve been able to find a seat. They also sell books, poetry, and zines. Worth the visit. Also check out all the other amazing stuff going on in the building (Experimental Station, Farmers market, etc.)