Dark Matter Coffee - Osmium Coffee Bar — Restaurant in Lake View Township

I recognize Dark Matter Coffee from NPR Radio.

On my way to work today, I watched as I walked up the block ... a man was crouched in the street. A dozen people walked by him. Several cars carefully drove around him -- two almost hit him.

When I got to him, I checked to see if he was OK. He was having an episode and thought he was using his mind to amplify a magnet that he was using to destroy cars.

Good enough. I got him up out of the street and onto the sidewalk. An African-American guy walked over to check on the situation. All good. But I had to leave for work and as I walked away, the kid walked back into the street and sat down.

My phone didn't work so I stepped into Dark Matter Coffee, the kid's apparent neighbour.

Can I use your phone to call 311? My phone doesn't work and someone needs to take care of this before someone gets hurt.

Nope, the slowly moving, doped out barrister responded.

Can you call then?

Nope.

I looked at a couple of customers who I watched walk by the man.

Ok.

I went out and used the 911 feature on an old phone to call it in.

I don't know what eventually happened BUT this coffeeshop is this kid's neighbour .... Dark Matter likes to virtue signal all the time -- again, their close partnership with NPR. Furthermore, this is Chicago, so in a full shop, there had to be at least three Catholics, several people wore kippahs, and there were enough keffiyehs to supply a proper protest -- so plenty of people of "faith" also virtue signaling. No one called. No one offered a phone. Dark Matter Coffee has a policy against helping, er, I mean interfering -- even if that homeless kid happens to actually just live next door, I guess.

Hope no one ever has a heart attack, stroke, or goes into labour there. Unless there's a different policy for middle class, middle-aged white people wearing faith paraphernalia?

Dark Mater is often mentioned in contrast to Starbucks, but people who won't support Starbucks because of their anti-people-in-need policies. Well, they had better ask Dark Matter about their policies before they denounce Starbucks.

One also wonders if #npr #wbez checks out the social values of their sponsors or if they just take the money.

We will be sharing this experience with the local alderperson as well, after checking in to make sure the kid is ok.

The coffee shouldn't matter if the customer service itself is bitter and cold.

Dark Matter Coffee? No,...

HOSTILITY TOWARD IMMIGRANTS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Absolutely appalling experience at Dark Matter Coffee - Osmium. As someone who relies on a service dog, I expect to be treated with respect and to have my rights under the ADA recognized. Instead, from the moment I walked in with my clearly stated service dog, I was met with hostility.

Multiple staff members, not just one, repeatedly and rudely demanded that I 'leave my dog outside' or 'move my dog,' despite my explanations that she is a service animal. Their persistent questioning and unwelcoming attitude made it clear they either don't understand or simply don't care about disability access laws.

The coffee itself is irrelevant because the discriminatory and disrespectful service made the entire visit unbearable and I decided to leave without my coffee.

The cashier working this Friday morning (June 6, 2025) was incredibly condescending towards my accent, making it clear my immigrant background was an issue for him. This kind of behavior isn't just rude; it's discriminatory and creates an unwelcoming environment that can make customers feel devalued and embarrassed.

I strongly advise anyone with a service animal, or frankly, anyone who expects basic human decency, to avoid this...

Make sure that if you're visiting this place, that you will be happy with the time they close (6pm, but cafés can change hours, so check). I find this place cozy. I've been to their other locations, and the others are comfy too. I remember way back, I brought my laptop, a pen and a pad, and it felt conducive to productivity. I stopped bringing laptops to cafés. There is a garden in the back, with seating, and I've seen people relocate depending on the weather and their moods. I bought an endless cup, and a maple bacon donut. I went to Chicago Comics first, so I had reading material that interests me. I also took a picture of the gluten-free donut because I have a friend who does his best to avoid gluten. Maybe he'll want to join me another day. If you're very particular about gluten-free donuts, they can run out, maybe call first, check if they have...