The Angry Waiter

Yes, The Grind is small and cramped. Yes, you have to sometimes share a table with a stranger and yes, it’s a bit pricey, but…it’s an independent coffee house located on one the best strips in all of Chicago - the Lincoln Avenue shopping strip between Wilson and Lawrence in the Lincoln Square neighborhood.

I don’t go to coffee houses just for the coffee and baked goods - The Grind serves Intelligentsia which is fine coffee and a Chicago product, excellent pastries and, as pointed out a tasty if not slightly over-priced quiche - I go to coffee houses for atmosphere and amenities.

It’s The Grind’s atmosphere and amenities that sometimes make me want to go there and other times keep me away.

When I go, I go to work. The place has a nice vibe that inspires me creatively. I take my laptop, pull a wooden chair to a square, wooden table and I start writing. I’m a writer, so I often bring a bunch of papers and notes with me to refer to when working on an article. This means I have to spread out a bit which isn’t usually a problem, though on occasion, I’ve had to pile everything up so another customer could join me at my table.

The Grind offers free WiFi, a nice feature which should be a staple of every coffee house. I have WiFi at home, so this isn’t the draw for me. It is nice, however, to have the option of surfing the web when I need a piece of information for an article.

My guess is many of the customers here don’t have internet access at home. OK, we’re all on a budget, but it I get a little annoyed watching customers with empty coffee cups spending hours IM’ing their web buddies while potential customers turn and leave, unable to find an open table. If you’re going to stay there a while, at least order a couple of things. If you don’t, then soon there won’t be any independent coffee houses with free WiFi left.

During the warm months, an outside table is fairly easy to get, especially mid-day. Not only is the WiFi accessible outside, but the Grind’s outdoor seating does an excellent job of providing one of my other favorite coffee house amenities, people watching. If you need to take a break from your work or from your studying, this is a great spot to watch the world go by - often with their dogs and children in tow.

There are two main things that sometimes cause me to choose other places over The Grind. First, is comfortable seating. When I just want to get out of the house and read or write by hand, I never choose The Grind. There are no comfortable chairs or couches here, which is another amenity every coffee house should offer. The seats are fine if you need to sit up straight and use your computer, but if you want to spend an hour kicking back and relaxing with the paper, don’t go here. Comfort is not an option.

The other factor which sends me elsewhere is the cramped space. I understand just how difficult it is, with high rental costs and taxes, for a business with a slim profit margin like a coffee house to be able to afford a roomy space, that’s why I give them more latitude with my critiques and support them when I can, but when I need to spread out a little, I make a different choice.

I gave The Grind three stars. If it offered comfortable seating, I’d give it four. It’s worth checking out. A good place to grab a snack before or after a movie at the Davis Theater across the street or to sit outside on a warm day.

The Grind Coffee House - 4613 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL - 773-271-4482