Printers Row Coffee Co.

A very unique cafe in a unique part of town (not necessarily unique in a “good” way). While I’ve enjoyed my time here, it will likely not become a super-regular location for me. And I can’t help but wonder how much of its foot traffic success is due to the recent closing of the nearby Starbucks.

Coffee

Pretty presentation but I have yet to see a single other person order a pour-over while I’m there.

In one word: Variety. I’ve been to this cafe 3 times so far, and the relative frequency in which they rotate out their offerings is truly impressive! Especially since the quality of the brews hasn’t fallen as a result.

They offer the full gamut of coffee options: drip, pour-over, and espresso. I’ve been pretty impressed by all of them, with some middling pour-overs mixed amongst some otherwise solid ones.

I like their understated bag designs. Very sleek with simple charm.

They roast all of their own coffee, and while it’s pretty good most of the time, I’ve had enough *misses* to discount them from my potential home-brewing rotation.

Cafe

Somehow I feel like this photo doesn’t do the scale of this space justice.

A strong cafe that suffers greatly from success. This place rules, but unfortunately it doesn’t handle large crowds very well. It gets quite noisy, and unless you’re fully dialed in with work or a conversation, you’ll find yourself quickly overstimulated by how much talking and movement is happening around.

I don’t love the roaster sharing space, both for noise and quality reasons, but the setup overall is commendable.

However the space itself is well laid out and decorated tastefully. A great variety of tables and seating options, even some couches.
I would not call this cafe “cozy”; it still definitely feels like a warehouse turned cafe (because it is), but I think they’ve done a respectable job with it.

Price

Prices are on the better end of things for Chicago, but nothing to write home about. I’d judge that you’re getting fair quality for value here.

Drink Type (12oz)	Price (USD)
Drip	$3.25
Latte	$5.50
Cortado	$4.25
Americano	$3.50
Mocha	$5.50 (unsure about syrup add-on price)
Black Tea	$3.50
As of January 21, 2026

Productivity

Didn’t get great pics of the crowds, but trust me they’re always there

Few outlets, a precious few coveted “big work tables with outlet access”, and consistent noise and distraction make this a poor contender for the work from (not) home aspirant.

The tables themselves are solid, and the wifi seems consistent, but “vibes” wise it’s difficult to get things done, and you do NOT want to take any calls here.

Personally I struggle to do any drawing or reading here, but I’ve had success with web development.
I rank this cafe as a social-first space. Perfect for meeting a friend or more, especially in-between shopping if you’re in the area for that.

Vibes

When it’s emptier it feels genuinely warm in here. Still too large for “cozy” but definitely warm.

The vibes are first set by the location. This cafe is located just south of a major commercial area of the near north side. Notably a very car-oriented shopping area. I’m genuinely surprised by how many people visit this cafe because walking in this area is discouraged by the development, and this is at the southern fringe, just past a huge REI retailer.

Inside, it’s warm, not cozy, but ultimately welcoming. I don’t get a strong impression of how this cafe fits into the neighborhood or hyper-local community, but again it’s hard to judge when it’s surrounded by industrial and heavy-commercial development.

Additionally, the cafe is busy enough that I don’t foresee myself forming any lasting bonds with the staff–there is always someone to serve, something to do, etc. and the hectic feeling gives the coffee-bar side of the cafe a palpable (but reasonable!) tension.

I don’t want to judge too harshly though because I’ve still only visited maybe 3 times so far, and they rotate out enough unique drinks and unique events that I feel like they’re trying harder than I’ve been able to discern so far.