Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea

Fairgrounds is a great place for casual weekend breakfast. I love the lox plate. I wouldn't mind if they added chorizo to the breakfast tacos as an option, but they're pretty good too.

Staff is knowledgeable on their coffee. Chill ambiance, perfect place to study.

The coffee and the teas are always on point. I get cortado or lattes usually. Matcha is good too.

I’ve had some of the food and pastries. The croissant specifically has never tasted fresh to me, kind of a bummer after giving it a few tries.

The second time is definitely a charm!!! The menu has certainly been updated since the last time I visited. I tried the breakfast tacos without the radish pico and the peach blossom white tea and I looooved it. There’s so much to try and I’ll definitely be going back when the construction noise dies down abit.

Happy to see a GOOD independent coffee house on east Lake street! On this block there are four establishments that sell espresso drinks, and of the four, Fairgrounds has the best! One of the other four places that sells espresso drinks (across the street) is Starbucks. Starbucks is fine when it may be your only choice in a town, but we've got options here people! Support good local establishments so they stay please!

Fairgrounds sells beans (same as they brew) including decaf, along with brewing accessories, and they serve food & pastries also. The food is decent, but I come here for the cappuccinos. Very rich, and they offer non-dairy alternatives. The Pacific Barista coconut milk they use foams awesome. They also serve coffee alternatives should coffee not be your thing. They offer counter service only, so grab a menu (by the line entry) and find a table and view your options prior to getting in line.

Oh, and did I mention that the staff are all friendly? Big plus. The only downside is the lack parking. You can park in the lot at North Blvd & Oak Park Ave for free up to one hour. It may feel a little far in 30 degree weather, but Fairgrounds worth it!

Such a nice place to relax, hangout, or even work. I bring my laptop here and work and the vibe is so nice! My son loves the swings! Super cute and friendly atmosphere.

Delicious lattes and love all their bagged beans! Their baked goods are also worth the extra calories- highly recommend!

Great to be able to try before you buy. Loved the cold brew. So kind and beautiful atmosphere. 10 out of 10

This Acia bowl was $14+. Waited close to 20 minutes for it while it appeared there were zero other customers waiting for orders and maybe 2-3 other people in the place altogether.

NO CASH. Basically either they don’t trust their employees to handle cash, or they don’t accept legal federal currency. Both are which are unacceptable. This is exactly the bill Pritzker has been trying to pass thru which will require all businesses in IL to accept cash as it unfairly hurts poorer people who want to keep money out of the banks, or who are unable to open a bank account due to other financial hardships. Not to mention not wanting every financial transaction they have tracked by the government or subject to a data breach and stolen CC info like what happened with Starbucks, Target, and Home Depot recently.