Philz Coffee — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

I’ve never left a Google review regarding a restaurant in my life. However, me experience today has prompted me to speak up. I ordered two large ice coffees and I handed the cashier a $20 bill. She then proceeded to inform me that she needed to get change and it wasn’t in the register. No issue at all. Five minutes later, she returned with a male employee. He was scrambled from the register to the back multiple times, returning with a large handful of coins. Not a problem, I can accept any type of change in return, money is green after all. I could tell that he was struggling so I informed him to simply round down to the nearest dollar, which would also tender a tip to the employees. At this statement, he huffed at me and loudly exclaimed, “I’m trying to give you change!” I explained that if there wasn’t enough change I’d be willing to use a credit card or debit card. I just wanted to make it as easy as possible for the employees. He then raised his voice and exclaimed, “I didn’t say we don’t accept cash, I’m trying to help you out here.” Coincidentally , I never stated anything about the acceptance of cash and I was actually trying to help out by being flexible with my payments. Oddly, he told me that they don’t have the exact change. Which I repeated once again that anything down to the nearest dollar is fine with me. He mumbled a few more inaudible things under his mask, clapped his hands together, and stated, “WE DON’T HAVE EXACT CHANGE!” At this point, I have no clue why this has been repeated. Oddly, my exact change appears after minutes and minutes of struggle. It was presented to me as “UGH, here you go already.” By the employee. Heaven forbid, the change gets counted out after such a dramatic debacle. But that action is the least of my worries at this point. He stormed off into the back room. The female employee apologized for his actions. I told her that she had been fantastic and there was absolutely no need for an apology on his behalf. I informed her that I have never used this phrase before, yet this described my experience: “atrocious customer service.” Why on earth would I ever return to an establishment where I am criticized and embarrassed for simply trying to ease the burden of a transaction? Not in...

This location is fabulous. It's huge, comparatively speaking, and provides plenty of seating options for patrons. There are couches, individual leather chairs, group tables, high-tops, bar options, and booths. Nearly every seat has an outlet, which makes Philz a fabulous choice for anyone looking to get work done. It is a bit loud in here, but that's easily remedied by bringing a pair of headphones.

As far as the coffee is concerned, I think it's good. Service is slow because each cup is made individually. The staff is incredibly kind and welcoming, I never felt like I was being eyed or pressured to leave. Plus, they come around with free drink and pastry samples every now and then.

Onto expense: I've started to reconcile expensive coffee shops like by understanding them more holistically. Yes, $3.50 for a small black coffee is heart-sinking, but we're paying for more than the coffee; we're paying to borrow the space. Seeing what a great environment this is makes it easier to justify the cost. If you want an exceptionally good cup, I recommend Cafe Streets, which is just a block or so down. I do, however, think the pastries are fabulous, albeit also pricy.

Anyone looking for a grab-and-go coffee will probably feel their dollar goes further at Starbucks, Dunkin,...

UPDATE: Still love Philz, but lately the orders haven't been up to the usual standard. My husband and I ordered coffee today over the app and we both customized them to be creamy and medium sweet. Barely any milk was added and the drinks were very bitter. The coffee is always good, but it wasn't how we ordered it. And it wasn't just slightly off, it was REALLY off. We went home and added more sugar and milk, I added a photo to show how dark the drink is. Again, it's good coffee, but this is hardly "creamy," as we had ordered.

EARLIER REVIEW: Best cup of coffee I've ever had. For real. They'll make it exactly how you want it, and there is no extra charge for oatmilk, soymilks, and almond milk. The barista was a gem!

They specialize in pour over coffee. Definitely more expensive than other coffee shops, but the sizes are reasonable and the flavors are so rich that it's worth it. Can't...