Westons Coffee & Tap Co.

UPDATED 2/15/2019
i decided to increase the stars from 2 to 4. this is a high quality place now. still room for improvement but the place is good!

i used to come here only when i didn't have other options. now it's one of my top choices in the area for caffeine or a quick bit to eat.

for those keeping score at home this place still has the following pros/pluses: location, vibe, very good drip coffee, fast.

good changes i've notice in the past couple months:

- more consistent quality on the barista-made drinks! not amazing but good. i still think the espresso drinks are a bit overpriced ... but with quality more consistent the prices are in the reasonable range now.

- better food options including toasts. it used to be a big deli sandwich or nothing (basically).

- music/vibe. they ditched the louder more aggressive music. now it's indie (mumford & sons etc) or chill dance music.

- beer. i didn't give them enough credit for carrying a small selection of really good local beers on tap. still a little expensive but they get plus points here.

OLD 2-STAR REVIEW BELOW

i take the jeff park blue line so i stop here fairly often just based on location. have been here maybe a dozen times since it opened.

i have held off on writing this negative review b/c i really want this place to do well... otoh i really want the place to make better coffee (or charge less!). so here goes.

Pros:
- location. great if you like to stop for coffee on your way to the train or are looking for a spot near CTA.
- clean space, warm, good vibe, though the music is often a little more aggressive than I like for a cafe (heavy 90s alt-rock, some metal). to each his own on the music.
- usually not a long line in the morning! so you can grab a quick drip coffee.
- the drip coffee is high quality. better than starbucks, but not as good as truly high-end places in hipper Chicago neighborhoods like Logan Square or Wicker Park

Cons:
- prices!! drinks are priced as if this place staffed with only highly trained baristas serving only high-end coffees. it isn't. prices average $1 more per drink than other far nw side places that do coffee well (Perkolator, Portage Grounds, Cafe Urbano...)
- quality control on espresso drinks. drink quality is very hit or miss. i've had some top notch espresso here, and other times some really bottom-of-the barrell stuff. i've ordered up and down the menu--americano, latte, cap, macchiato. it's really luck of the draw. but trends toward poorly done--i've been satisfied maybe 20% of the time? and when you're charging $5 for a small drink (as Weston does after tax + a fifty cent tip), that is not ok.

Not enough data:
- ordered sandwich once. was nothing to write home about. just a basic deli sandwich.
- small but interesting selection of beers. again kind of overpriced (like $6 for a 12 oz pour. in jeff park? seriously?) but the two times i grabbed a beer it was poured well.

honestly if the location for this place wasn''t so damn convenient i wouldn't come here because of the high prices, combined with truly spotty quality on the espresso drinks.

i REALLY hope they improve... do some training for the baristas, create a culture where quality matters... or lower the prices.

A really cute little place. I haven't had a chance to try their food yet even though they have a pretty full menu and also alcoholic beverages. I love their seasonal coffee drinks, they are festive and the staff is nice.

I was served hot coffee that was delicious and up to my expectations. They have some fun flavors like lavender which seem amazing. This location is close to the Jefferson Park blue line so a nice grab and go joint

Amazing gem in the heart of Jeff Park! I had their iced vegan horchata latte- not too sweet, but sweetly refreshing with just the right amount of get-up-and-go. Great atmosphere & friendly service, too.

I’ve been taking the Metra more to go to Harvard. I live in Edgewater so I take the bus to get here. I was hoping there would be a place better than Dunkin Doughnuts to stop at and there was. It is a great little place to have a Lavender Almond Milk Latte and take a minute before I go on the next part of my journey. They have a tasty cafe menu, alcoholic beverages (if you want) and access to free WiFi. Thank you being here and being friendly.

Really like this spot: super cute and its not too deep in the city.
I have tried the Lavender Latte which is delicious and the Masala Chai latte and an Americano.
They also have plenty of outlets for laptops making it a great spot for studying.
My ONLY recommendation is to add coconutmilk as another non-dairy alternative (tastes really good with lattes, doesnt add the nuttiness that almondmilk does).
Either way though I still enjoyed their lattes with the almondmilk and will continue coming here and trying all of their drinks
Highly recommend :)
And staff is great!!

Coffee and ambiance are ok, but expect to be charged about a dollar more for drip coffee than the price listed on the menu.

Tasty beverages, delicious sandwiches and very friendly staff that treats you like family. Feels like a real community/neighborhood coffee shop.

Nice spot across from the Jeff Park CTA terminal. Excellent coffee and friendly staff. Good selection of sandwiches and pastries. Good spot to chill between trains.

Super friendly baristas, that actually know what they’re doing! Had one of the best cappuccinos I’ve ever had, definitely a great change from Starbucks. This place rocks!