Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea

Stopped here for a kombucha. They have some in the coolers as well as two on tap, and they immediately offered tasters so I could see which one I might like better. I didn't try the food, but they look like they have a nice selection of sandwiches. I also want to go back to try the coffee, especially since they seem to have a drip-control system for pour overs. Overall, this is a great place to keep bookmarked for bevvys in oak park!

The atmosphere & food are fantastic! I get the cheese & egg sandwich. Very good service as well

Came in on a Saturday and ordered the power flower milk tea, which I get often at their Fulton Market location. What I received in Oak Park however was simply blue milk and water. I patiently asked the barista if they may have forgotten the matcha (excuse me, the primary ingredient??) and she interrupted me saying “There’s matcha in there, but it’s light. It’s all we have”. Ok…if that’s the case maybe I could have gotten some warning when I placed the order? I asked if I could exchange the matcha-less drink for an iced chai, and she said sure. She proceeded to make me the most watered-down, flavorless chai I’ve ever had in my life. I’m convinced it was actually dirty dishwater. Wont be returning and will stick with the West Loop location where the staff knows how to make a drink, are friendly, and actually seem to show some hustle.

Update 10/18 regarding the reply below: I wrote in to you with my complaints via the contact page on your website a month ago, and never heard back. That’s why I made my review public.

I really enjoyed this coffee shop. Friendly staff, tasty breakfast sandwiches, and good vibes all around!

The Vietnamese Cold Brew is the best I’ve had. Great first experience with a place I’ve been looking forward to opening in Oak Park. Great service as staff kept a long line moving. Will be back for more!

Great coffee, terrible service. Three times I went up to remind them of my order. Each time they said, "ooh that's right you ordered..." I am not sure if they were trying to punish me, or if they have executive function disorder. Not mean people, just not good at service.
Love the space and location. Good place for a casual or business conversation. Do not go on weekend mornings- no seating.

I like the tranquility they provide to enjoy a coffee with friends, partners or family.

This Cafe was clean and well kept, the workers were very nice and welcoming

Updated edit:

Looks like they turned things around after all. Have come back to this place 2 times now after having a terrible experience few years ago. The coffee and the sandwich I had were good - and while the price stayed the same ($15-20) as before, at least now it's good quality and feels like you are getting a good value for the money. The interior is still as nice as before, nice chill ambiance. Staff is friendly. I am keeping the original review below.

Old review:

This place is located on the same block as three other coffee shops, and I was hopeful that it would be a great addition to the area. However, the coffee and food quality was abysmal. The coffee was flavorless and watered down, and the sandwich no better than 7-11 fair, all for the low price of $20. It is a shame too, because I was looking forward to it opening.

I will likely give this place another shot in a few months once they figure things out. But as it stands right now I would not be coming back or recommending it to anyone.

Great breakfast sandwich. No place to sit down and enjoy it. Several tables-for-4 occupied by only 1 person working on laptop and not eating or drinking. Then there is the 8-person table for laptop people with only 2 people seated. The window counter seating is very uncomfortable - seats too close to the counter. This place would do well to replace the 4-person tables with 2-person tables so that more people would be able to sit indoors in the cold weather. Bottom line: very unwelcoming.