espressamente illy

Touring by Chicago's Riverwalk, we couldn't pass by illy without trying the espresso; which was great, as usual. What we loved the most: the two sweetest ladies taking care of guests, they're awesome. You must go, have your coffee, and say hi!

What's important is that the espresso is good. Dark, bitter, nutty but no harsh kick in the back of your mouth. It's a corner cafe with inside and outside seating. Typically plenty of seating.

This Espressamente Illy is at the ground floor corner of the NBC Tower at Cityfront Plaza. Stopped by this branch recently and enjoyed a nicely prepared macchiato with a good blend of milk, bit of foam and strong espresso. It was a good morning pick-me-up drink. Baristas were very friendly and welcoming as well.

Really quite a nice coffee shop as far as chain cafes go. It doesn't have that unique cozy home feel that I love in a coffee shop, but it is nevertheless comfortable, trendy, and in a great location. Above all, staff are friendly and welcoming and the coffee and treats are delicious.

Good coffee, but it looks like one needs to request having it served in a ceramic cup rather than paper one.. I was never asked if dining in or having it on the go (plus it was just an espresso) Disappointed because I thought I found a more European cafe, not for coffee traditionalists :(

Thought I'd check this place out, since I'd never been. I was disappointed. The decor is nice, so is the view. The fact that it's in the NBC building is also pretty cool. My coffee, however, was not. It was overpriced, for one. I got an iced cafe mocha. There was this grainy chocolate sand sludge at the bottom that made it utterly unpleasant. None for me thanks.

Great coffee... If you tied of the large lighter Americano or Starbucks coffees this is the place to come. Not so busy (when I came anyway) so you can chill or work. They also sell sandwiches and Italian sweets. Think it's the only one (that I found) in Chicago.

Friendly staff, average prices, excellent coffee, and fun views! In addition, you could definitely post up and work. It’s a bit off the beaten path (AKA Michigan Ave) so it is quieter. It would also be a fun place to meet with friends. They have pastries and abbreviated food menu. The photos are from the window facing south.

HOW sweet are the ladies at illy?! Well WAY sweeter than my Vanilla Oatmilk Latte ;) but that was okay because my drink was PERFECT!! This illy is located in the NBC tower, where my friend works, so she is a regular. And the staff was just the kindest. 5 star service. Super good location. Clean inside. Warm and out if that dang wind and welcoming. Thanks for a great coffee y'all!!!

This place knows Italian coffee! Excellent communication to ensure you get your perfect cup! Love the options and the mocha was on point as well as the cappuccino!

If you haven't tried Illy, you should start here. When I'm in the mood for ethiopian, I sometimes like Illy's Ethiopian beans. Very smooth and hard to beat for a daily grind. The coffee is packaged in metal tins which is useful. This cafe location is not as touristy as you might think. It's much less popular with tourists, suprisingly, so you can have a pretty good experience on average. It is 9/10 for suggestively plush spots to take your coffee date to, and cityscape walkability score is 10/10. The cafe is not huge, is modern, stylish, and well appointed, could still definitely could handle groups.

Needed a place to hang before my Apple appointment. Thought I'd check this place out, since I'd never been. I was disappointed. The decor is nice, so is the view. The fact that it's in the NBC building is also pretty cool. My coffee, however, was not. It was overpriced, for one. I got an iced cafe mocha. There was this grainy chocolate sand sludge at the bottom that made it utterly unpleasant. None for me thanks.

A great little coffee shop for a quick stop during conference. Wish the outdoor seating space is larger.

I'm not sure why the lower star reviews. The place is great. Excellent Italian coffee, oasis location with indoor outdoor seating with large windows . Fun cheerful staff. Decent and high quality selection of pastries / panini's. The fresh Amaretto paste and almond flake croissant was one of the best croissants I've had in recent memory!

I love that Espressamente can whip up a legit cafe latte (unlike Starbucks). They use the perfect amount of foam, along with excellent texture, and even do latte art which I can always appreciate :). The only reason I didn't give five stars is because I also had a regular croissant and it was relatively dry.

Today my husband and I decided to do something for a change. We normally go to Eataly/cupitol/Peet's/Starbucks for a latte. We have been here many other times and we always get the same poor customer service and vibe from both the barista and the cashier. But since it was a nice day out we decided to come in and enjoy the patio. We were so disappointed and dissatisfied with our experience. First of all the cashier was having a lengthy conversation with (what it seemed to be a regular) and refused to acknowledge us or even ask us to wait a minute nothing. Finally after a long while he just looked at us and I guess expected us to start placing our order. So that was a bad start, but again we already knew what type is customer service was to be expected. I ordered a double caffe latte with almond milk, they told me that THEY DO NOT OFFER THAT CHOISE only none dairy is SOY MILK. Ok,so I settled with soy. When I got my drink it was poorly made, the froth was thin and I was not happy at all. My assumption to this place is that unless you are an NBC employee or just a daily regular, you are not gonna get the same customer service. I can now understand why this place has very little reviews.

I always love an authentic Italian double espresso, which is my absolute go-to drink whenever I'm in Italy, and so I was super excited to find Espressamente Illy right by NBC Tower and the University of Chicago's Gleacher Center, as Illy is a well-known Italian espresso brand. As soon as I walked in the cafe, I was immediately reminded of the unique casual espresso bar atmosphere in Italy, where you can just walk in and immediately get a fresh espresso from the counter. The flavor of the espresso was dark and robust, with just the right amount of crema on top--exactly how it is in Italy. I also got an almond croissant to pair with my espresso, which had a decent amount of almond paste inside, but I would have liked a more buttery/flaky pastry instead -- the croissant layers were just a bit too dry for me. But regardless, I will be back to enjoy more espresso! The views of Cityfront Plaza are also an added bonus to the experience.

Set back in an unexpected alcove off Michigan Avenue, Espressamente is located in what I think is University or Chicago's pretty park-like satellite campus--just inside one of the neato original NBC buildings. Have it to go or, like me, order your cappuccino in one of the artist-designed ceramic cups to add a tad of a luxury and a moment of respite to your day. Every cappuccino I've had, save one, has been well drawn and accordingly so naturally sweet as to call for no sugar. Those freshly made sandwiches look damn good too. A sweet and quiet small surprise to begin or pause any weekday--imo, a special spot.

No complaints here other then this is a very expensive coffee shop but with that being said it's a very good coffee shop. They have great pastry's and great sandwiches that are very good. The coffee is wonderful. Very pure and rich There tiramisu tastes like it came from Italy. But for $7 a slice it definitely should.

I love the seating arrangement in here. They have a variety of desks and chairs so you can choose one for your liking. The lighting is also excellent - plenty bright from the large windows coupled with the natural yellow lights from the ceiling. On weekdays there are a lot of people coming in and out as the store is located at the bottom of NBC Tower right off of Michigan Ave. It was actually quite busy in the afternoon when I came, with almost all the seats taken. The almond croissant is pretty great here. It has lots of toasted almonds slivers on top and a generous amount of almond filling inside. Make sure to get it toasted because afterwards it's perfectly flaky on the outside and soft and warm on the inside such that it's easy to cut with a knife. The only weird thing is that I was served the croissant with no utensils and there were also none to be found next to the napkins. I had to ask for utensils myself only to get a weird look from one of the workers. Sorry but I don't eat hot croissants with my hands and have all the oil get across my fingers! Two things that I appreciated a lot and will always bump up my ratings for cafes: 1) it was warm and toasty inside on a windy/rainy day in the city and 2) wifi was fast and I didn't encounter any problems with it!

The coffee here is great. I love the illy espresso. When I was here I got a latte and it hit the spot. The atmosphere here is very cool. Fun place to grab a coffee with friends or to study. Will come back again!

When Rosa J. wants a cup of coffee, please don't even mention "S*arbucks" or "D*nkin D*nuts." She won't give you a slap on your face, but her anger will be pretty much up there. How about some Italian coffee in the afternoon? Away from the crowed Michigan Ave., this is located at the NBC Chicago building. The patrons are mostly professionals working in the building and I didn't see many tourists because they wouldn't know about this place. Haha, I'm in! I've had some authentic Italian coffee from Caffe Pronto in Norridge, so I knew what I was expecting. I had the caffe latte. It was done correctly like the Italian coffee would, but it was slightly pricy for the amount of coffee I've gotten. Hubby had the caffe macchiato. The concentrated kind of coffee, such as espresso, isn't really my cup of tea. I personally wouldn't order it unless you enjoy having a punch in your face early in the morning. I've never been desperate enough to want something that's that concentrated. I will still stick with the latte or mocha. I would still prefer Caffe Pronto (see my review on this establishment), for their portions, prices, and atmosphere, yet this is a great choice to have your coffee fix right in the smashing downtown Chicago.

Thought I would give them another chance, unfortunately nothing has changed. Service was unfriendly and very robotic. I did not feel welcomed at art. The macchiato I ordered had poor steamed milk quality very flat. Simply not anywhere near expectations and since they appeared to only be interested in their NBC crowd, I will spend my time with other coffee shops that do things correctly.

Simple and elegant appearance to the cafe, not intimidating yet very welcoming. Customer service was fantastic with great conversation. The cafe was filled with pleasant conversation throughout my stay but it was not too loud that I couldn't concentrate on my work. Strawberry croissant was very delicious and the latte was fantastic as well! Definitely stop by here!

Excellent coffee and location. Right off Michigan but you wouldn't know it by how quiet it is. Real close to the river so I can grab a coffee and sit there in peace and enjoy the views of the area without the people or noise. I've yet to see it be overcrowded in the spacious but quaint indoor seating area that is very well done with an arrangement of seating choices and pillows all ILLY themed. My favorite part however is the walk up coffee bar. Reminds me of my trip to Italy and might be the real reason this place struck a cord with me. They also always have a nice selection of Italian desserts and pastries that i can't ever seem to say NO too.

The product is good and the premise is good but don't be in a hurry here nor expect any professionalism from the people working here. After simply ordering a double espresso for here, a relatively simple order (or so I thought) I proceeded to see several people's orders before me forgotten or messed up...I got increasingly worried and frustrated as people who had arrived and ordered several minutes after me (at the time I ordered there was no one in line after me) have there lattes delivered and nary a sign of my basic order. I had to speak up and have the guy ask me "What did you order?" before I finally received my espresso. Geez!

Coffee and pastries are plenty tasty, but the two ladies behind the counter are fun and friendly with top notch service.

Cosy place, great to stop during a walk by the river. Great expresso! Service is fast and attentive! Great job!

It was refreshing to find the marocchino on the menu; a pretty uncommon find in coffee shops on the West Coast. Tip: if dining in, get it "for here" .. the drink is gorgeous in the clear serving glass. Fairly small store but decent amount of available seats. Restroom available for customer use. 2 stars off for the stand offish guys that work here. It's not that they were openly rude but just very unfriendly. Come on, a little customer service wouldn't hurt. Maybe a smile? A hello and how are you? If the store manager is reading this, time to retrain your staff.

This will be last review for the next 8-12 days or so but here it goes One sometimes has to suffer for their espresso...in this case you if you pay $3.25 to have 1 oz of milky substance. They make it good here. The coffee is damn good here. The small coffee is like $2.25 or so. I just had the iced latte Macchiato that comes in a bottle that is 9.5 fluid oz's which comes to nearly $4. This could be a good date place if opened late at night somewhere. it is on the expensive side. they have pastries but I don't even want to ask how much they are.

Great coffee and wonderful croissants. Excellent service and a warm atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Since I was spending a night at the Swissôtel, I felt that it was my duty as a responsible Yelper to check out the Illy installation across the street. A river separates the two establishments, but a strong Cubs outfielder could surely stand at one front door and throw a strike to the other. Espressamente illy is beautifully appointed and has a great atmosphere. I can think of no better place to meet a friend for a chat over coffee or to tweak a few spreadsheets. This being said, I found my espresso (a doppio @ $3.08) to lack the burst of flavor that I associate with the new independent roasters. To be more straightforward about things: my drink was bitter. The problem, surely, is that you can't win awards for freshness with beans that have traveled 4000 miles in a vacuum-sealed container. It's a good thing that there's an Intelligentsia Coffee in the neighborhood. And, just by the way, Intelligentsia is open seven days a week, whereas Illy is closed on weekends. To calibrate this review, I walked over to the neighborhood Intelligentsia the morning after my Illy espresso. I had an Intelligentsia macchiato ($3), and it was divine.

Worth the freezing 15 minute schlep from my hotel. It felt more like 30 minutes, given the bone cracking cold and crazy arctic winds on that morning in January when I left the safety of the conference room in search of better coffee than the "we proudly brew starbucks" stuff being served up to the zombie-like hordes of economists who descended upon the city in search of jobs, new hires, and yet another line on the cv. Illy is a nice respite and reminder of warmer, gentler climes where the frenzied desperation of the job search is far removed, and we can sip our espresso and gaze upon the placid waters of the Riviera and ponder the sculptures of the Italian Renaissance. Ok, I'm making all this up, since I've never actually been to the Italian Riviera. But a cup of Illy espresso makes me feel like I have, and any cup of coffee that can do that is worth 4 stars in my book.

Well done! What a coffee shop should be. Fantastically good coffee's with cute, sweet designs. Tasty treats! A clean, bright environment with gracious architecture and interesting art. Fun, cool, charming barista's that welcome you into their coffee parlor. Magnifique!

Coffee is fantastic, so much so that my co-worker and I came back later in the afternoon for more! The pastries were also really great looking. Staff were really friendly and remembered us from our first visit. They made the experience all tee better. We sent other co-workers their way.

I love Illy at home, and it's even better here (no surprise!). The cafe has a European feel and is a perfect place to get ready for the day with an expertly-prepared espresso.

Nice location with a clean and peaceful atmosphere. Tried a cappuccino, which didn't taste like anything out of the ordinary, but not bad. I might come back to check this place out as a study spot!

I love a good cup of coffee and this place is a great place to get coffee in Chicago - even if it's a chain. Design: Interior is clean, modern and chic while the outdoor patio is great when it's nice out. There's not too many electric plugs so bring your electronics charged. Plenty of seating indoors. Service: Friendly baristas that are willing to take special requests eg. designs in your froth for lattes. Food/Drink: The vanilla latte I had was smooth and at a good temperature - ready to drink right away, not too hot. The amount they give you is on the smaller end but don't let that deter you from drinking something here, it's well proportioned. Didn't try the food but those looked appetizing as well. Overall, I will definitely go here for more coffee and next time the food. If you like Starbucks and want to try something new and a little more refined, yet don't want to venture out into boutique coffee shops, try here.

I like coming here. It brings me back when I lived in Europe. The pastries and café mocha are very good.

I love Starbucks... but for real, authentic coffee, go to Illy. I didn't even know they had these in the US - but I was thrilled when I ran into it at my new office building. The cafe offers intense, rich lattes and fresh, perfectly flaky croissants. Beware, though, prices are comparable - or even higher - than that of Starbucks's. Service is always friendly and prompt. Aesthetics of the place are nice, with a bit of outdoor seating when the weather's nice. They have a honey-ginger latte that I've been meaning to try.

Great location! Nice pic windows! Nice European ambience in the store. My only gripe, of course, if it is pricey. But oh so good!

Great coffee shop right off of Michigan Avenue, but you'd have no idea you were so close to all the downtown action. They do a great job at keeping this coffee shop quiet and clean. Staff members are extremely friendly. The entire cafe has a very modern vibe. Wireless Internet works extremely well and I don't believe they have any sort of time-limit. I love the modern decor and feel of this coffee shop. It definitely feels upscale and would be a great place for a business meeting, or to do work for a few hours. Great find!

One of the nicest cups of cappuccinos I've ever had! After spending a day of consuming doughnuts nonstop, the smoothness and deliciousness of the espresso with hot and steamed milk was the perfect fix.

Quick, cute, pretty good tasting latte. No muss, no fuss. A step above a Starbucks in taste and appearance, and brownie points for the friendly staff, threw out a compliment on my scarf. :)

I was turned into their cappuccino while in a resort in Carlsbad California that had an Illy maker in the room... I was so happy to know they had one in Chicago. Wish they had more location since I love their coffee! Great price for something so good.

I am such a huge coffee fan and will go on a coffee tour if I could. Let's start off with decor - this place is SO cute. The accent pillows, the red table tops.. Everything! I was in Chicago for a few days and came here twice on my short stay. I would've rated this place a 5 but there's one person who works there that was rude...Not just once but both times. I'd come back for the coffee and the decor but as far as the attitude, some people just need to leave that at home. You really are a 5 but the rude service that was given to us by one person brought my rating to a 4. I will still likely come back here whenever I am in town.

Stayin at the Sheraton, I didn't have much choice if good coffee until I found this place. It's a great lil cafe with a good vibe. I ordered two lattes cus one couldn't cut it and I enjoyed them both! Will Be back tomorrow:)

Here on vacation. I love illy coffee, but of couple times I have gone here, the baristas give off a bad vibe. This after coming here twice that I am writing this. I have also watched them interact with other customers and they are like robots. You ask them a question and they answer. No greets or anything when you enter.. it's like they're annoyed to have to interact with you. The baristas will socialize and laugh amongst themselves but not with customers. Amazing coffee, but pretty bad customer service.

After trying two other local coffee shops I decided to go with Illy because I've had them a number of times at the Venetian|Palazzo in Vegas. Their cafe mochas were the most legit vs the two other local coffee shops I tried. Solid balance of chocolate, espresso, and milk.

I love Illy coffee and have used Illy for the past 5+ years at home. I really enjoy it. I really expected that by going to an actual Illy coffee shop would blow my socks off. Unfortunately it didn't. It was good but kinda the same as other good coffee shops. The shop itself seemed like a nice place. Maybe my expectations were just too high.

Cozy, clean and charming spot. Coffee is delicious and reminds me of Europe. Staff is friendly and helpful.

This place could easily receive five stars if it wasn't for the service. Since I work close by, I often will come here. In addition, I also have recommended to business guests to meet me here. However, yesterday's experience was subpar. The service was not even good. However, the coffee is fab!

This is my wife's favorite spot for cappuccino. Great drinks, great customer service. Very bright yet relaxing inside. That wine and cake combo looks intriguing.

I think Starbucks is okay and Peets is better. Espressamente is clearly better than both chains! I stopped by the CHI location, thanks to Yelp. Same as the one in financial district of SF. Top notch coffee. Coffee lover? Come here. It's that simple!

I have passed this coffee shops several dozen times walking between offices over the past year and finally got the chance to go in today and found it delightful. Brightly lit, unlike a lot of coffee shops, you can not go wrong with illy espresso beans and the baristas were very helpful. A big plus when they didn't mind or make any 'annoyed faces' at me altering my order after I already paid - something I have a bad habit of doing at coffee shops because I tend to want everything...hehe. Will definitely pick this place over the starbucks I walk by next time I want some good coffee.

Not the same as Illy Espressamente in Las Vegas. Small drink selection. No for-here cups for the traditional macchiato. No frozen chocolate espresso drinks.

I've been to other branches but this branch particularly LACKS GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE. Don't go to this branch or go elsewhere if you don't want to wreck your morning.