Etheria Cafe

We hosted our daughter’s 3rd birthday party here over the weekend and couldn’t recommend the experience more! We had nearly 40 adults and 24 kids and everyone had a great time. The food set up was quick & efficient, the play space was enjoyed by kids 18 months to 8 years old, the cafe was great for parents to enjoy coffee, and though we did decorate a bit to our theme we didn’t need to do much! Several guests inquired about availability to host their own kids birthdays here. One of the things we loved most is how sustainable everything was - cloth napkins, reusable plates, & reusable tumblers. We realized we had received less pizzas than we ordered and the staff quickly and graciously mobilized to rectify the issue. All in all, really pleased with the experience and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend or book again.

Perfect place for kids on a winter day. Good coffee and pasteries! The staff is so nice. Prices are reasonable and the kids have a blast! Make a play time reservation in advance.

This review is strictly about the service I received today. I've taken my child here many times and we've loved it previously. However today, there was a new employee who was incredibly rude. Medium height, dark hair in a bun, and was wearing a blue sweatshirt. When we walked in, this young woman rudely scolded me for not making an online reservation (we've been enough times to know it's typically slow on Thursday afternoons). As I tried to explain this, (and apologize for any inconvenience) she cut me off and would not let me speak as she continued to berate me in front of my child and another customer. I then ordered a drink, which she didn't make for about 15 minutes. When I finally got my coffee in the orange cups that *have always been* allowed within the play space, she walks in and says drinks aren't allowed. I kindly explained that in previous visits, I've asked and been told by staff that the cups they provide with lids are in fact allowed and have been allowed every other time I've been here. I then asked if there was a new rule, she wouldn't respond except to berate me about how it's not allowed. I should also add that there were 3 other empty cups just the same in the play space from other customers who had left prior to us arriving. This employee was incredibly rude, disrespectful, and just not a good fit for this usually wonderful establishment. Honestly I hope someone reaches out to me because I would hate to see this woman ruin others days with her horrid attitude and honestly I don't think she should be employed at an establishment with children present. Or at the very least be re-trained in service, and the rules of the establishment.

Really good food, friendly service, and novel indoor play space (with kids’ party room available to rent weekend afternoons.) The breakfast sandwiches were so delicious we devoured them before I could take a picture. Only one employee was handling everything the Sunday morning we visited, but she kept things moving with pleasant professionalism. Light-filled and tastefully decorated corner space complete with a little aquarium. You can bring drinks into the play space, which is otherwise walled off from the main cafe area. As a special bonus, one of our coffees came in an American Science & Surplus mug. That unique store is a longtime family favorite of ours, and earns Etheria extra nerd cred! 😄

Kids have a lot of fun in the play area and the coffee is nice. Giving it 3 stars because the hours suck and the people working there are always unhappy.

What a fantastic option to take kids to play. $5 for open play then they serve food and drinks as well! Great place for a rainy day and it wasn't even overly crowded!

Weekends are very busy early in the day, but everyone works so efficiently- I never had a long wait. We tend to make it just before closing during the week which is a bit less crowded and my son can really get that last bit of energy out- thank you for this! Cappuccinos are good 🤤.Very grateful this place was able to re-open their doors. All the employees and owners have been very friendly and consistently offer great customer service.

This is a great place to go with little kids. One word of warning for people with peanut allergies: they sell a lot of peanut products, including PB&J

I would say "Etheria Cafe" can potentially be a young toddler's wonderland. The only caveat is that your child may have a difficult time exiting the venue. I took my 3-year-old son with me to check this place out. I made a paid reservation on their company website prior to entering the cafe. The price, in my opinion, was reasonable ($5, for 2-hour worth of playtime). However, there were groupons circulating for those who wanted to save a few bucks. The barista was friendly and asked me if we were there for the first time and explained some house rules. They strictly prohibited outside food by any means. I totally understood that and there was a plenty of options for the entire family to eat. Anything that would be served in a typical coffeeshop was available. I loved the fact that they reduced lots of wastes using reusable mugs, ceramic plates, and stainless steel utensils. My iced Chai remained cool in the thermo cup the entire time while my son was venturing up and down the playground. Speaking of the indoor playground, it was well-constructed and most kids were able to find something he or she enjoyed. For the safety of kids during summer time, I would encourage the kids to wear either long pants or have extra bandaids handy in case they experienced minor scraped on the knees, elbows, joints, and etc. I noticed that parents or guardians were quite courteous and doing their due diligence supervising their kids for the most part. Cleaniness of the entire venue met the industry standard. Kids could be very fun yet a dirty bunch, depending on how you would interpret. I saw the staff spot cleaned the tables and floors periodically, and that was a good sign. Indeed, I had to lure my son to leave "Etheria" when it was time. By the way, this could just be a regular neighborhood coffeeshop for non-parents. There were some patrons were sat in the main cafe area that was separate from the playground. Nevertheless, the kids could eat the party room and and head back for more playtime after refueling. The only reason I didn't render the full score was a little selfish. I don't live in the Humboldt Park neighborhood and wish "Etheria Cafe" is a less a mile away. Anyways, I believe I will be back with my 2 very active boys, especially when the weather is less pleasant during the winter season.

I got an email about their First Friday event coming up this week, and thought maybe I'd take my little one to play for a bit. But they said no face masks. I'm not interested in visiting places that aren't going to allow me to wear a mask, so my time visiting this cafe is done.

Great for the whole family. The last time I visited here was pre-covid, and it was called something different. My husband and I brought our older child and toddler here to play while we got to enjoy our beverages in peace. The play space had fun things for kids of all ages and the wildest part - it was only $5 entry per child! I'm not sure if that's the same price for everyone for all day, but I thought it was a bargain. I ordered a matcha latte, which they provided in a closed mug, given that we were sitting in the play area. The kids can not wear shoes to play, but socks are required. It was a good time for all.

What an amazing place! And I say that as a neutral, non-biased party (aka I don't have any kids lol). Etheria Cafe is two businesses in one: a trendy coffee shop up front and a McDonald's playplace-transcending jungle gym in the back. I came here with my sister and two nieces and everyone had a ball. The little girls were more than happy to spend an hour running all around the two story structure-of-awesomeness in the back, and my sister and I were more than happy to watch while sipping our espresso drinks and nibbling on baked goods. It was neat that they allowed adults with children to play on the structure as well, I had fun (carefully) running around with my nieces and saw several parents enjoying spending time with their little ones as well. At $10 for unlimited play per person, the value was off the charts. Just remember to take off your shoes :) The café up front is what really sealed the 5 stars for me. It was bright and cheerful in a trendy way, a place I would not hesitate to come and work out of or relax in if I lived in the area. Definitely worthy of your time as a stand-alone coffee shop. Bravo Etheria!

Very cool concept and absolutely great for kids parties. Prices are reasonable and kids age 3-7 had an absolute blast. You can either get a food package with the space rental, or you can bring your own food in. We opted for the later and it worked out great for what we needed. Staff is super friendly and accommodating. Highly recommend!

Love this place!! Every time I bring my daughter here, she gets tuckered out. The prices are very agreeable.

We came here for the indoor play space. The cafe space is very inviting. Service was cordial. There were other customers getting some work or study done. The play space was awesome. The slides are sooo fast!!! Didn't expect it to be fun was adults too. We came in as a play date for out 3.5 yr olds. It is built to be fun and challenging enough for toddlers to early elementary. We spent an 1 hr which was just perfect before it got crowded in the morning. There is a small party space as well for kids. We didn't have a chance to try the cafe but looking forward to coming again.

We hosted our daughter's 3rd birthday party here over the weekend and couldn't recommend the experience more! We had nearly 40 adults and 24 kids and everyone had a great time. The food set up was quick & efficient, the play space was enjoyed by kids 18 months to 8 years old, the cafe was great for parents to enjoy coffee, and though we did decorate a bit to our theme we didn't need to do much! Several guests inquired about availability to host their own kids birthdays here. One of the things we loved most is how sustainable everything was - cloth napkins, reusable plates, & reusable tumblers. We realized we had received less pizzas than we ordered and the staff quickly and graciously mobilized to rectify the issue. All in all, really pleased with the experience and wouldn't hesitate to recommend or book again.

Etheria is a really cute coffee shop to work out of. I hadn't been here prior, but came today to use their printwithme printer. Printer worked well. Service was friendly. I got a coffee and a spinach/cheese croissant, both of which were good. They have plenty of tables and outlets to utilize around. WiFi available. It also wasn't hard to find free street parking. In the back they have a kids play area that would be great for working parents to utilize.

I wanted to love this place but I honestly did not like it at all. 1. I noticed the toys are overly used and there are a lot of stains on the playground floor, it felt kinda dirty. 2. The coffee you ordered is served in stained and overly used looking thermos (my husband even found a hair in his coffee). The only thing we liked was the customer service at the front, but other than that the place is just not for us.

Great indoor play space at a very affordable price. Great drinks and snacks available for purchase. Love this place.

We LOVE Etheria!! Great spot to take the kiddos when it's gross outside. Indoor play area for them, coffee in sealed thermos for the adults. Locally owned and super reasonably priced. Early hours tends to be littles (under 3) and the age skews a bit older (3-7ish) later in the morning/early afternoon. Know before you go: - Socks are required - You now need to book a time slot - Sometimes it's booked for bday parties in the afternoon

Giving Etheria Cafe 5 stars for the service, space, café offerings and especially, the birthday party offerings! We went on a weekend in the morning before and like others have said, it does get really busy. The coffee and food offerings are awesome though. This visit put it in our minds to book a birthday party! The prices are fair and the options are flexible. We chose the DIY option and brought our own food and cupcakes. Emily helped us day of and was awesome. Guests were raving about the space and the kids LOVED it. How often do you get to interact with adults at a 3 year old birthday with 20 kids under 6? The space is the perfect size where you can monitor from outside and catch up with friends. There are two bathrooms with stepstools and potty seats built in. I thought it was tidy enough for being a well used kids place.

I enrolled my free spirited, very energetic 6 year old in their Winter camp. I'm always a little hesitant to enroll her in new day programs because she can get restless... but this is one of her favorite spots to hang so we took the plunge. And I'm so glad I did!!!! Wow. She absolutely loves it, and the staff are fantastic. She loves going on their daily field trips, playing inside in their indoor playground, the books they read, the friends she's making . In fact, She was role playing a conversation to take place when she goes back to school in the car this morning on the way over to the cafe. It went like this... Phantom kid: "Where did you vacation over your winter holiday?" My kid: "Etheria Cafe. It was super fun. You should go!" And yes, mom scored a victory.

Cute new cafe opened up right on North Ave & California. This cafe had been closed during the Pandemic. New owners, new vibe and delicious coffee. I have been wanting to stop in since they opened in February of 2022 but had yet to make it in. This morning after leaving Humboldt Park, decided to go ahead and grab breakfast. My order was Iced Chai Latte with oatmilk ($1 upcharge) and almond crossiant. My pastry item was so delicious so soft and flavorful. They source them locally from nearby bakery. I enjoyed my breakfast. Plenty of items to chose from sweet, savory and even ice cream. Cafe has nice decor and colorful seating arrangements. There is also a playroom for children off to the side, called Playspace. I don't know all the details but kiddos can go hang out and expend some energy into that. All in all pretty good experience. I hope they will add bike rack outside so that I can tie up my dog to grab my drink. Place is a perfect stop on the way to the park. Tip: Parking for free off North Ave, also some parking down California.

Really good locally-sourced food, friendly service, and novel indoor play space (with kids' party room available to rent weekend afternoons.) The breakfast sandwiches (Adora and Catra) were so delicious we devoured them before I could take a picture. Only one employee was handling everything the Sunday morning we visited, but she kept things moving with pleasant professionalism. Light-filled and tastefully decorated corner space complete with a little aquarium. You can bring drinks into the play space, which is otherwise walled off from the main cafe area. As a special bonus, one of our coffees came in an American Science & Surplus mug. That unique store is a longtime family favorite of ours, and earns Etheria extra nerd cred!

Oook Im a coffee lover always trying new places for coffee So I was around this area and looked at this place and the review were great I like the fact that they do activities for children I went it to just to get coffee The lady that was there looked at me weird so I asked her could I still order coffee it's was 5:11 and they close at 5:30 She said we are getting ready for a party What's up with an attitude My thoughts were is this how you treat your costumers I was going to walk Away but she said what you need I told her just a hot coffee She served me the coffee I paid for it and left what a bad experience I had Her attitude was nasty and the coffee nastier

This place is great! I took my kids here on a rainy day and it kept their attention for well over 2 hours. I appreciated the fact that it was smaller and more contained than some of the other indoor playgrounds in the city. I didn't have to panic that I couldn't see my kids. The playground is in great shape and well suited for kids 2-8. Sometimes it gets a little wild depending on the age distribution, but I guess that's how it goes at indoor play places. They also have a variety of very inexpensive kids lunches and snacks, plus great coffee shop fare for adults. Take note of the happy hours when it's 1/2 off to play. I missed it by a half hour. What I paid was well worth the entertainment but to get it for 50% off would have been awesome!

This place is an amazing asset in the neighborhood, especially for families with young children! The coffee is very good, the cafe cute, and the prices comparable, but the attached two story play space takes this place to the next level! And for only $10/kid for a WHOLE DAY of play, it's a total bargain. For less than $20, we can get two caffeinated beverages and enough climbing time to wear my toddler out (and that is priceless). While there are early elementary aged kids there who seem to be having fun, we took our son before he was walking fully, and as long as you get there before it gets too crowded, it's fun for the crawling/toddling set, too (though certainly a little more nerve wracking for the parents). They also open at 8am on the weekends, and when you're a parent who is awake at 6:30am 7 days a week, that is another reason for five stars. Pro tip- don't open a tab if you're of the toddler parenting set. The lines can grow quite long as the day goes on, and when your toddler is melting down and it is time to go home, the last thing you want to do is have to wait in a 15 minute line to be able to get your credit card back so you can go home. Instead, just order all the things when you arrive, and more snacks for your little ones than you think you might need (climbing in their awesome space burns a LOT of calories). While that does mean we've sometimes brought fruit pouches or string cheese purchased there home because we didn't eat them, saving those crucial 15 minutes standing between your kid and nap time is crucial.

The older brunette lady who assisted me was extremely rude, and made me feel very uncomfortable. This cafe is located in my neighborhood yet the lady made me feel unwelcome and if i assume correctly it was based on the color of my skin. This will be my last time purchasing from Etheria, solely for the terrible arrogant service that was provided.

I had my grandkids for a few days and decided to visit with my sister, totally a great place for kids the place was clean and my grandkids had an awesome time. Definitely will return next time they are in town.

10/10 would recommend - Firstly, the coffee was absolutely amazing -Secondly, the price was fair and service was great! - They also compost which is awesome! I also loved the layout of the cafe, there are shared spaces to sit and chat but also really well placed single tables if you needed to go in and get some work done. not to mention there's a playground!!

The play space was fantastic for our toddler. Very well designed, clean, and we'll appointed-- we were the only ones there on a weekday afternoon. The fee was very reasonable considering the enjoyment he/we got out of it. The matcha latte, cold brew, and "mexican babka" were also on point, and the staff was very friendly and professional. You can bring covered drinks into play area if watching kids but must eat food in the cafe area.

Great space - looks like the playspace could be for very young kids but my 8 and 10 year olds both have a blast here. Beautiful cafe space - love the plants! - and the prices are much lower than we expected (based on years of play at the now-gone Little Beans).

I haven't been here since early spring because when I was here the man behind the counter (short, glasses, dark facial hair) was very obviously drunk. While in any business this would be unprofessional for a business that deals with children this was horrifying. I was upset and shaken up. I couldn't believe how irresponsible he could be but I also left certain the owner would come in and deal with it. I finally decided to come back and give you a second chance today and imagine my horror when I opened the door and saw the same man behind the counter. I immediately turned and left. How could a business that deals with children be so irresponsible with their safety to let someone who drinks on the job work there? What if something happened while he was on duty? It's shameful at any business but double for you.

We live in the area and have given this place many chances since we love to support local. However, they have very Slow service and drinks are rarely made correctly. Most recently came in to get a hot cappuccino and I waited for it, the barista handed it to me as soon as it was finished. I tried it and it was cold/room temp. Unfortunately, I think they are trying to do too much and certain aspects are lacking in quality.

Play space: Took my 3 year old here for the first time and he loved it. The climbing area didn't seem like much at first but it is actually very well designed and kept him entertained for 5 hours while I was able to mostly relax. Play area is socks only. Everything was clean. It's a bit easy to loose track of kids, especially when it was busy in the morning, so if they need to be watched extra closely it might not be the best place. Slides ARE really fast and be warned that the yellow one can leave some nasty rug burn so dress in long pants and tuck in your kids shirt! Cafe: Lots of interesting coffee and food options. Everything we ate was delicious. The seating area is stylish - so much so that I'd go here to meet up with a friend or to work even without visiting the play space. I like that the cafe area doesn't scream "little kids!" Prices seem reasonable for the area and they pay fair wage. Staff: So so so so so nice and welcoming! I feel good supporting a family-owned small business with an inclusive mission. We will certainly be back!

Had a wonderful afternoon with our 20 month old after stumbling upon this cafe. While we sipped on coffee, our daughter had a blast in their play area (and so did we). This will be our go-to play area during the winter! Wish there were more places like this in the city!

Horrible experience. I've heard stories from other moms about the crowd not being the best here but finally witnessed it first hand. Was yelled at and called a racist by another parent due to bringing up my concerns of an overly aggressive child who was repeatedly pinning children down, pushing them, and pulling their hair while they cried. Spoke with owner who basically didn't beleive my story. We sadly don't feel comfortable taking our children there anymore. Not a safe space.

The owner and employees are always welcoming, helpful, and chill. The environment is a relaxed coffee shop with a nice place space for kids.

I wish I would have found this place sooner. My son loves it and I get to have a nice cup of coffee while he runs off some energy.

We love Etheria Cafe! We go here often on the weekends. My daughter has such a blast, and I'm able to sip on some coffee while watching her. The service is great, and the staff is so friendly.

This is a great place to have a delicious cup a coffee while your toddler is running around in a safe environment. My only concern is that the coffee cups this place is using for their coffee aren't great. The lids aren't matching the cups and coffee spills all the time! Be careful with the cups. Okay

I had the most bizarre experience here today. Met up with my friend and her kids. We have 4 girls between us, ages: 7,5,3,2. Only kids in the place and they were running around yelling and screaming having fun. While my friend and I were ordering snacks, the woman at the counter stopped making our coffee and went to the play area to scold our children for screaming and yelling. In a play place that has doors you can close between the cafe and play area. She got down on her knees and was like, "Look at me". It was bizarre. Not coming back.