Rock House

I remember being surprised this place existed when I came in for the first time a few years ago. Not only did they put up with my horrible drunken karaōke renditions of Dixie Chicks and Rihanna after I drank one too many Dragon’s Milks (they also serve liquor), but they even let me go upstairs where people give music lessons and play their pianos and guitars for a while. What a nice night. But I digress…
As it’s in Wilmette, this place is family-​oriented, but there was also a woman drinking a glass of red wine and working on her computer the last time I was in, so it caters to everyone. I had one espresso which was good and served in a little cup with a saucer. They also have food, but I didn’t try any; they have jewelry and candy as well.
It’s too bad I don’t live in Wilmette anymore or commute by Metra or I’d stop here in the mornings.

Love these little shops with great tea coffee wine music in a great setting. Perfect fall spot

Totally bummed!!! I love going to original coffee houses that are not your typical Starbucks & DD. As I entered the coffee house, which was completely empty at 5:00 pm, the employee behind the counter did not greet me, but instead stared at me. But no big deal, really. When I asked her what she recommends or if the coffee house was «famous» for a particular drink, her answer was «We roast our own beans» and directed my attention to the roaster in the front window. Very cold. I saw the specials board had a Maple Latte in which the employee stated it tasted just like captain crunch. I have never had such a flavorless coffee in my life!!! :/​Total Bummer! The coffee house itself is pretty cool and even the bathroom décor is creative & fun. I’m sure their regular coffee are great & if I’m ever in the area I’ll be sure to give them a second chance. I hope it was just an off day for them!

Really good coffee drinks! My friend had the oatmeal and liked that. I will go back and try a sandwich at lunch and let you know about that on a future update.

Bought a bag of their whole bean Heavy Metal Espresso Blend. Seemed pretty burnt when I got home. I was assured that it was roasted in the last few days, but alas no roast date on the bag. I’ll be back to try out some of their lighter roasts, but at first blush doesn’t seem like their roasting is quite on par with some of the top tier Chicago roasters like Bow Truss and Dark Matter.
Dear Rock House,
If you want to be taken seriously by serious coffee drinkers, put Roast Dates on your bag and advertise where your green beans come from please. I want to love you.

An amazing local coffee shop option in Wilmette. Their coffee is wonderful along with their food (particularly their almond croissant!) I have also seen some fun, local young bands here in the evenings. Overall, they have a really great thing going on here! I’ll choose them over the North Shore’s 1 million Starbucks any day.

Rockhouse has become my regular joint. Take some of my guys with autism and down syndrome here on a regular basis when we do laundry, and staff is always warm and accommodating. Shoutout to Mark! Am in love the whoever sketches the tip jar pieces. Love the ham and swiss croissant. For a while I thought it was a little goofy they sold candy, but just today I really needed Cowtails and they had Cowtails! So I’m thankful they do. Love the vibes, love the people.

This place has a really cool vibe– a coffee house /​music lesson space/​small concert venue that also serves beer and wine? Random, but I like it! Downtown Wilmette definitely needed something to spice things up. My mom performed at this venue with a band, and they all said the staff was extremely accommodating and kind. Just to note, this place is VERY small so if you are anticipating a large crowd I would look elsewhere.
Also, they sell trinkets/​hair accessories/​possibly jewelry (?) at the front counter too, and have small food selection (sandwiches and pastries). I haven’t tried the coffee but its supposed to be good!

Reasons to love Rock House:
1. Great coffee, as in not some mass-​produced nonsense that is overroasted, bitter, and weak. This is the real thing.
2. Nice selection of yummy things to eat, all sourced from local purveyors.
3. Delightful setting, with funky chandeliers, awesome wallpaper, music posters, and guitars all over the place.
4. A stage for live music, which I have not heard, but have heard great things about.
5. Music lessons upstairs.
6. Not too big, not too small.
7. Great location.
8. Pretty easy parking situation.
9. Laid back vibe — relaxed and easy.
10. Jewelry and candy for sale, too.

Came in for coffee, which was nice and strong. Saw the display of jewelry and couldn’t help myself. I bought 2 bracelets for $ 30. Adorable! And the woman (owner?) was so friendly. Great atmosphere!

An amazing place from a place to hang with morning coffee to great for kids music lessons
By far the best place in Wilmette

Great coffee, good food and our kids love the music theme and events. Cant go wrong if your looking for the caffeine or just a little fun local spot.

Grilled cheese w/​bacon was very good, latte was just right… nice place, look and feel, will be good to come back for some live music.

I wandered into Rock House with a friend on our way home from the city on a Saturday night (via Unilocal recommendation, of course). They happened to be hosting a concert for their youth music school and, between video camera-​wielding parents and underfoot siblings, it was standing room only. We ordered a pizza and some drinks and found a table to throw them on. The music was just okay. It was cute because it was kids, but definitely not something worth exposing the general public to. I can’t be sure, but we may have been the only spectators there who weren’t supporting someone specific. We left in the middle of the concert and had to ask to use a staff only exit because the stage was right next to the front door. In the future, I would advise Rock House to close to the public when hosting student concerts (unless they want to get their more advanced students together for a show — awesome!)

Great coffee, great atmosphere the best people. Plan to stay a while. Check their site to plan a night out for live music, Karaōke, a fun kids night or just relax in the morning with a good cup of coffee.
Wine and beer are served at nights.

nice place to get some work done as the WiFi is free and fast. Don t expect the free coffee refills you get over at Starbucks across the street from the train but all the same you don t get the eclectic atmosphere at Starbucks as you get here at Rockhouse. Apparently this is a place for local aspiring performers to give their vocal chords and instrument of choice a whirl. Either way, I like the idea of it and am willing to pay a little more for a coffee and doughnut.

After dinner in Wilmette, we wandered around to peek at The Rock House. What a fabulous find. The place is a music school by day, but a music venue by night featuring various local talent. The owner Rob, invited us in and even got us a glass of wine. It was a great time. The band that happened to be playing was Soulkeeper and they are as good as any band you’d pay big bucks to see. In fact we caught the real band Chicago at Ravinia a few weeks back and these guys at the Rock House were BETTER. This is definitely a place to have a drink and listen to music after dinner in Wilmette. PS, we’re told they make fabulous coffee, we’ll have to try that out too.

If I’m cruising in the North Shore area, you can bet I’m making a beeline for Rock House to satisfy my caffeine addiction. Rock House is a musically influenced coffee shop located in the downtown Wilmette area, about a block off of Green Bay Road.
If you aren’t into overdosing your system with lattes the way I do then maybe French press, drip, espresso, aeropress, or pour over is more your thing. I recommend trying a Chai Tea Latte. You can substitute soy or almond milk if you like.
They have desserts, pastries, and food delivered daily from local businesses. I love the Spinach & Mushroom Quiche Rock House provides from Tag’s Bakery (
). They warm it up and the flavors from the egg, spinach, cheese, and mushroom melt into one another.
Now I’ve only visited Rock House during mornings and afternoons on weekdays, so I can’t speak for the night and weekend life, although I’d like to check it out. They have live music on the weekends. In addition to coffee, they also serve beer and wine. I might have to plan a Friday or Saturday night to come enjoy some Dragon’s Milk and some tunes. Who’s with me?!
I do enjoy the music they play while I sip my latte and snarf down my quiche or pastry in record time, although staring at an empty stage makes me wish they had someone rockin’ out from open to close everyday. Is it so much to ask to have someone play the guitar and sing to me at 10 AM??? ;)
If you decide to swing by Rock House, well then make sure you snag a frequent drink card because you’ll be back. After you buy 10 drinks, you receive one free. Hey, it’s better than nothing… I’ll take it! Rock out with your lattes out!

This place is a nice addition to the Wilmette scene. Kind of reminds me of something you might find on a side street in Downtown Milwaukee.
Small with only a few tables, the interior reflects the fact that there is a music school upstairs. Filled with guitars, recording equipment and a new stage for live music, I have to say my two favorite things (aside from the vanilla latte) in the space are the chandelier in the center of the room and the hanging guitar menu boards. Nice design contrast.
Wow, a much different and way fantastic vanilla latte – different in the sense that it was strong with full-​body flavor and very caffeinated. Buzzworthy indeed! Typically I have a vanilla latte and it’s just not enough of a pick-​me-​up. I would recommend the latte here if you need an extra kick.
A cornucopia of interesting tea flavors, it’s one of the largest collections I’ve seen at a small independent coffee and tea café. The baked goods are not made on site and not delivered daily, so if you are looking for a killer nosh I suggest sticking with the coffee or tea where you won’t be disappointed.
Excellent service, great vibe, and a memorable latte (a little pricey though), I’ll be back for sure!

I’ve been driving by this place since I moved here a couple years ago and can’t believe I didn’t stop in until today. Rock House Coffee Bar and Roaster rocks!
I saw the live music signs for Live music and then realized this was a coffee shop, I just had to drop in to check the place out and grab a drink to go.
I was impressed by the range of teas that they offered and that they roast their own coffee beans. The Chai Latte I ordered was not made with a premade mix — it was steeped while I waited and then frothing hot milk was added. One of the best Chai’s I’ve ever had!
Above the Coffee Bar is a music school. The Coffee bar definitely follows that theme with guitars, mandolins and ukuleles hanging throughout hte space for sale. They also have live music — typically on Friday and Saturday night.
Only complaint would be the tables/​chair setup didn’t look very accommodating or well arranged. But I shouldn’t complain since I haven’t sat down for table service yet.
Great place — I’ll be stopping in to hangout and have a coffee or chai!