Big Shoulders Coffee

I just popped in here for a quick cup of coffee since I work in the area. Inside, it’s a nice little café. It has a very soothing atmosphere, it would be an ideal place to come get some work done during a less busy time (mid to late afternoon, for example).
The menu is small, which is nice for making a quick choice. I opted for a hot marshmallow latte with skim milk.
For $ 3.90, I got a small latte. Emphasis on the SMALL. This latte was about the size of a double shot of expresso at Starbucks. It was, maybe, five or six sips of coffee, which is kind of a joke for $ 3.90.
That being said, the coffee itself was ok. Not sure what all the hype is about. I found the flavor to be average. Not too sweet, which was nice (I hate overly sweet lattes).
The best part is that the latte came with a toasted marshmallow on top! This was a nice touch and tasted great.
Also, the barista was really nice and service was fast.
Overall, nothing to write home about. I’ll probably be back to try the horchata latte.

Experiencing many different independent coffee shops in Chicago, I have to say the «Colombian», a low acidic, medium roast with notes of praline from Big Shoulders was the most delightful cup of coffee I’ve had in a while. #bigshoulderscoffee

Yum. Great after-​Mass treat (I was at St. John Cantius just up the street). I strongly suggest the Marshmallow Latte and the Sonny B– they’re both DELICIOUS!

As silly as it feels ordering a marshmallow latte and having the workers fire up the torch just for you, it was damn delicious!

My friend and I decided to stop in Big Shoulders Coffee before dinner one night. This place is not your fancy coffee shop and doesn’t offer many options, but everyone is friendly and their options are truly unique.
My friend tried the marshmallow latte and I opted for the horchata latte. For my lactose intolerant friends, they do offer other choices of milk: soy or almond. The flavor of my latte was delicious. It truly embraced the flavors of a horchata while still having the rich aromas of coffee. It was a tad sweet for my liking, but nothing asking for less sugar (or even no sugar) won’t help with.
Overall, this is a great place to sit and enjoy your cup of coffee or on the go in a hurry. It’s conveniently located steps away from the blue line. Definitely go grab yourself a cup.

Coffee: Excellent
Location: Convenient
Décor: Attractive
The only problem is the attitude of the baristas. Both of them (a guy and a girl on Sat afternoon Nov 7) were rude and condescending. They seemed absolutely miserable.
You know the type. Ultra-​hipster clones from the outer suburbs trying way too hard to be cool and urban.
What caricatures!

Big windows, 1 big table, but also counter seating. Music chill, not too loud.
Staff wonderful.
Right by the Blue line entrance.

Lovely coffee and raspberry scone. Barista was super friendly and helpful in his recommendations.
It’s understood that, being situated in front of a Blue Line stop, parking is super limited, which sucks for drivers like myself. But that’s my only real gripe.
Great place, otherwise.

Amazing iced coffee; and I also highly recommend the Sonny D for a hangover or just a kick-​start to a busy day! The staff is ALWAYS friendly and I’m blown away by their knowledge of coffee and the care they take into making every order. A bit on the pricey side but the product and ambiance are well worth it.
Also a great place to do work, read or people watch… and the bus/​train countdown on the monitor over the cashier make it a great winter spot.

Pretty cool spot, free WiFi which is great and the staff is awesome!
I had a rhubarb scone (delicious) and a chai lattee. The lattee tasted pretty watered down, so I’ll be giving their other beverages a try next time.

Every once in a while the coffee truck parks in front of the Deloitte building on Monroe and Wacker. I look forward to this rare event. Simple, Fresh, hot, robust coffee. One of the best! looking forward to my next cup!

Ah, the independent coffee shop remains strong here in Chicago, and Big Shoulders fits the mold. Sitting right at Chicago, Milwaukee and Ogden, Big Shoulders is easy to find and easier to enjoy. Very simple no frills interior with amazing (and strong) brews. There’s really nothing not to like about this location. Internet can def be a little spotty, so leave the laptop and home and plan on reading a book. Generally a quiet spot, save for the occasional artist who thinks the world is interested in overhearing his/​her conversations about their writing style. Big Shoulders is worth the stop if you’re in the neighborhood and worth making a hike over to even if you’re not.

Again, just a food truck review, so I can’t say much about the physical location on the west side.
What can I say about my coffee? I like my coffee like I like my Death Stars. Big, dark, and strong enough to destroy a planet. And while this may be me on the cusp of coffee snobbery, I think weak coffee is the equivalent of pissing into a Keurig.
I was dragging myself across Wacker on my way to the office. I hadn’t had my morning cup yet, so homicidal thoughts were running pretty high. Just when I thought 20 years in Cook County correctional didn’t seem so bad, bam their coffee truck was right there. Literally, I wasn’t paying attention to where is was walking and I actually bumped into their coffee truck.
Some lady was in front of me taking her sweet ass time completely unaware that she was standing at scene of the July 17^th Chicago coffee massacre. (The date this review was written) And just when I had all I could stands and I can’t stands no more… she left, a nice young man within the truck provided coffee for $ 2 (not a bad price) and a disaster was averted. Seriously, I wash with powdered soap, I totally can’t go to prison! Thank you Big Shoulders Coffee!
Oh yeah, the actual coffee… Duh. It wasn’t the strongest cup of joe I’ve ever had, meaning I didn’t have to chew it. But it was a nice blend of fragrance and acidity. Overall a good choice. They also have some dessert items on their menu. I can never know if Jenny Craig is reading my reviews, so just to be safe I didn’t partake, but you should probably try them. When was the last time you and a brownie didn’t get along?

So I went to sleep at midnight and got up at 4:30 to join a friend for a bicycle ride to Chicago’s new «606» 2.7 mile jogging and bike path. I know… what was I thinking?!? This actually very enjoyable trip culminated in heading back to our respective homes, hers in River West and mine in Streeterville, but not before a stop at Big Shoulders Coffee so I’d have an extra hard time getting that second half of a proper 8 hour sleep.
While I like lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos, and other Italian named coffee fare that I don’t necessarily understand, I’m kind of a purist who just likes ol’ drip coffee. Big Shoulders’ «fast drip» was mighty nice. It really puts the V in smooth. No burnt taste here, just rich coffee flavor with no bitterness with a smooth taste that makes me wonder why Starbucks is so damn popular. Oh yeah, well McDonalds and Miller Lite are too.
They have a good selection of teas and coffee beans and a few pastries too. Apparently no hot breakfast-​y type food to the lament of another reviewer. My pal says their marshmallow latte is excellent while perhaps not appreciating the irony of drinking her coffee black to save calories for «something else.»
Friendly service and a funkdafied atmosphere. Oh, and free wifi!

Big Shoulders is another pit stop on my Indie Coffee Passport. If I lived along the blue line, I would make this place my go-​to for a cup of coffee.
BSC roasts the coffee beans in-​house, in-​your-​face. The roasting machine is located near the entrance, and it’s like heaven when you’re sitting at the café and the smell of freshly roasted beans are wafting to your corner of the café.
Just like BK, BS will brew your coffee «your way»: chemex, pour-​over, catila.
They have specialty lattes and will allow you to smell the syrup if you’re hesitant. Had to choose between cardamom spice and toasted marshmallow today, and as big of a chai tea snob as I am, I went with toasted marshmallow.
In-​house lattes come in glass cups like chai tea does in India. Thick foam that makes you think you’re sipping a melted marshmallow. Unimaginable and incomparable sensation unless you try it for yourself.
Service was par-​excellence. In-​house lattes are brought to you at your table.
On Twitter? Tweet about your experience and get any drink for $ 1. No need to hit up BK for «your way» on the dollar menu.
Only thing a-​miss? Didn’t get a toasted marshmallow on my latte. Kinda sorta came here just for that.

If I ever want to introduce the local places to my out-​of-​town friends, Big Shoulders Coffee is certainly on my bucket list.
That was my first time this late morning. The location is just as prime as it can be; take the «southbound Chicago ave.» exit of the CTA Chicago Blue Line station, you will see BSC and can’t possibly miss it!
It’s a small place, but they utilize windows and simple, clean-​looking decors to visually enlarge the entire venue.
Without any hesitation, I ordered the marshmallow latte, while hubby had the cappuccino. I’ve been browsing through pictures on Unilocal and curious about what and how the marshmallow latte tasted like. Let me be as descriptive as possible with this human ingenuity. The latte was pretty «honey-​strong» with a mild tone of marshmallow to draw a correlation between the «toasted-​marshmallow stick» on top of the latte. I anticipated that some might not like the sweetness, yet some would go bananas with it since it definitely added playfulness and innovation to a regular latte.
So what did I think about the marshmallow latte? I’m a fan of this, especially when I want to have a lazy day in the city.
They do have restrooms available; they share the facilities with the playwright theater next door. Please ask for a key at the service counter.
They have bus trackers on the big monitor (56 Milwaukee and 66 Chicago). If you’re catching a train, you can track the progress on the monitor attached to the entry/​exit of the Chicago Blue Line station.
In the meantime, you can enjoy people-​watching, the free show of the day.

It’s taken me awhile to write this review, partly because I hold it to such high esteem so I feel the need to make the review commensurate. But screw it, it’s time I write this review.
Big Shoulders is great. My go-​to coffeeshop for great espresso, roasted right inside the shop. The drip is barely too acidic for my taste, but nothing beats Big Shoulders’ espresso drinks. Nice baristas that are always approachable.
There’s about 20 spots to sit, which isn’t a lot, but there’s always an open space. Ample amount of plugs around the nifty, triangular table that conforms to the shape of the place. If you’re lucky, you’ll leave with aromatic white flakes on you, coming down from the ventilation once the roasting machine gets roastin’. It’s basically free caffeine sitting atop your big shoulders.

Big Shoulders Coffee is the epitome of coffee done right and it’s a place that makes me so glad (ecstatic, in fact) that coffee culture exists. They have high quality beans, a straightforward menu and the friendliest, most hard-​working baristas who care as much about preparing the coffee as ensuring that you’re enjoying it. Wonderful.
If you have the Indie Coffee Passport, they don’t have a separate drink menu to choose from; you can have any drink already listed on their menu. Even more wonderful. The moment I walked in, I was greeted with a «Hi, how are you?» For every person who leaves, the staff wishes them well with a «thanks for coming by» or «have a good one.» Even the call-​and-​answer way the baristas communicated with each other behind the counter displayed the fluidity of their teamwork.
When I was seated at the counter, I was kind of fascinated. They would constantly give each other tips or experiment making different kinds of coffee. I realize now that they’re relentlessly perfecting their trade. I ordered a Uganda dark roast in a press which is timed to 4:00 minutes. I absolutely love how they talk each other like scientists geeked out in a lab… along the lines of: «Is your timer set?» «You bet, it’s to 4 minutes.» I did have a front row seat to witness their craftsmanship.
Words from Carl Sandburg’s «Chicago» poem were painted on their walls:
«Hog Butcher for the World,
Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,
Player with Railroads and the Nation’s Freight Handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the Big Shoulders:»
Their space is open and inviting, and somehow they capture some of Chicago’s history and embody its hardworking spirit. There are bar stools at all the windows and their counters even have purse/​jacket hooks underneath! You will see shelves of pour over contraptions with names like kalita wave, stacked alongside beakers, kettles, scales and timers.
To go with my coffee, I also ordered a Basque pastry (like a petit madeleine in the shape of a tart, dusted with powdered sugar) and those run about $ 4.00. It was exceptionally good. If I hadn’t gotten a dark roast coffee, I would have ordered their Cardamom Latte. A friend (also with the Indie Coffee Passport) had raved about the Marshmallow Latte that comes with a toasted marshmallow.
It has been awhile since I’ve given five stars to a café, but both their coffee/​staff top the list in the coffee world and are nothing short of wonderful.

Simple! Good coffee and pastries in a well ventilated, clean comfortable setting with knowledgeable and informative staff. Now, I have a new list of lattes to taste in house made syrups/​infusions.

Served in a «one-​size fits all» cup, the coffee is simple in its delivery yet complex in flavor — the kind of cup that represents the nature of the city of Big Shoulders. Depending on what’s brewing, you might get a cup that’s fruity and bright or rich and chocolate-​y; either way, it will taste fresh. If you crave milk and sugar, you’ll find your yearning for coffee fused with your childhood love of hot chocolate in the form of a marshmallow latte. A giant marshmallow is roasted, skewered and set over the cup for a drink that is perfectly sweet, not cloying. It’s lighter than a traditional cup of marshmallow-​studded cocoa, but cozy enough for a Chicago winter’s day.