Vintage Cafe — Restaurant in Schaumburg Township

Great atmosphere, terrible espresso. If you are coming for good coffee, stay away.

I was visiting and came here continuously on 3 days. The first day, the cappuccino I ordered was so so. The second day, the owner (presumably...could be manager) was training someone at the register and also the "barista". I got an Americano. Based on the espresso draw, I knew it would be nasty (9-10 second pull vs 25 - 30). I did not complain and left with my coffee. I figured it was bad luck and came back the third day and here is where everything became clear to me. Read on to find out what passes for espresso here and the horrible stuff that goes on behind the counter:

The place was busy and the owner/manager from the previous day was acting barista. The others were helping. I placed my order and stood to the side where I could see what was happening behind the espresso machine. Turned on my stop-watch and waited. Here is what I saw:

The puck is not packed tightly. Someone has taught them to not pack the puck, but the reality is that the puck should always be tightly packed and the flow should be controlled by the grind size and the total weight of the grounds. The result: Fast flowing coffee...not really espresso. They have failed to set up volumetric dosing on their expensive WEGA espresso machine. The cups where they pull the espresso are 2 oz each (at least) and the lady allowed fast flowing coffee to over-run these cups before hastily shutting the machine off manually. Since these cups were overflowing, the lady then poured out some of the (almost non-existent) crema from top and poured both of these (I am talking at least 4x to 5x yield). The latte cup she was pouring this into for another customer was literally 1/2 full. Then came some additional horror. She removed the wet soppy puck directly against the garbage can below. As if that was not bad enough, she took the portafilter which had almost a third of the wet grinds remaining in it and started filling it with fresh coffee grounds. Then she changed her mind and instead of tossing everything and cleaning the portafilter, she opened the top of the grind receptacle where fresh coffee gets deposited while grinding and put the dry (and presumably some of the wet used) ground coffee back in with the fresh coffee grounds. I cannot begin to describe how bad this is on so many levels). They do not know how to foam milk with the steamer. I saw the lady pour out hot milk into a cup leaving a ton of space to pour foam, then look around to the counter behind her and realize that her foaming machine was empty, then clean it and then put it to the side.

I went to the cashier and asked for my money back and cancelled my order. I am not a fan of Starbucks but I went there. At least they train their baristas even if their coffee beans are not the best.

To the owner/manager, PLEASE read on: Get some professional training. Watch James Hoffman or a number of other YouTubers. Do experiments and allow yourself the freedom to waste some coffee...but please fix the grind, the weight of the puck, the tamping, the yield volume (by weight around 2 times the weight of the coffee...so an 18 gm puck for a double shot should give you 26 to maybe 40 grams of espresso liquid) and the time for the draw (25 to 30 seconds). Hopefully your super expensive WEGA has a PID and you can set the water temp. 92 C is enough for a dark roast. Anything higher is for lighter roasts. Set up the dosing so your machine stops on its own. Learn how to foam milk with the steamer. It is not that hard. You charge good money for coffee. You owe your customers the courtesy of decent coffee and some basic hygiene. Also, smile and be nice to your employees. You were super busy and I can understand getting a bit frazzled but you actually looked like you were not enjoying yourself. That is a bad vibe.

For all the 5 * reviews here, this is all skewed due to the ambience of this place which I must admit is outstanding but I will settle for good coffee anytime over...

Me and my boyfriend stopped by last weekend, about an hour prior to closing the café. We were informed that coffee is to-go only. It felt like the owner just wanted to go home... but it's what we wanted anyways.

We ordered 2x cappuchino w/ almond milk (my boyfriend modified it to 1 shot of espresso and a vanilla flavor), and the owner has sarcastically said that almondmilk doesn't foam and she can make us the latte or change the milk type. We stuck with the almondmilk - we have been drinking that coffee for the past few years now, and yet we have never had someone tell us that it cannot be made. Contrary to that, a night before, we went to a place in Algonquin, IL, and we got a beautifully foamed almondmilk cappuccinos.

Anyways, the owner said she will do it, but it will be almondmilk latte anyways (she will try).. a bit rude as for someone running a coffee shop. Poor customer service.

We got our coffees, which indeed were way too heavy for cappuchinos and tasted very milky. My boyfriend's coffee had no vanilla in it, but we already left and did not want to deal with the owner again.

Those nice reviews the café has are pretty deceiving. I did not have a good experience with this coffee shop, and the owner can hire someone to serve the customers if she is unhappy doing her job or cannot be pleasant or at least perform in a kind and professional manner.

Do not recommend.

PS. I was very excited to come in here, so was my boyfriend. We both walked out disappointed and...

This place is great! As soon as I walked in, I loved the vibe. It’s super quaint and cozy inside, with lots of different seating options — couches, armchairs, little tables by the window — so whether you're there to read, work, or just hang out, there’s a spot that feels just right. It’s one of those places where you immediately feel relaxed.

The whole setup is exactly what you'd want in a chill coffee shop. It’s quiet enough to get things done but still has a warm and friendly atmosphere. The lighting is soft, the music is mellow, and there’s no rush — just a great space to unwind.

They don’t have a huge food menu, but there are a few solid choices if you want a snack or a light bite. I didn’t come for a full meal anyway, so that wasn’t a big deal.

Now the best part — the coffee! Every drink I’ve tried has been spot on. Nothing overly sweet or overdone, just really well-balanced flavors. And I love that both the small and large sizes come with two shots of espresso — it really makes a difference. You actually taste the coffee in every sip.

It’s quickly become one of my new favorite spots. Whether I need a quiet place to work or just want to relax with a latte, this place totally hits the mark. Highly recommend it if you're into good coffee and a...