I ordered the “little one&two” sandwich and a small vanilla latte. That sandwich was divine. Seasoned to perfection and assembled beautifully. It was my first visit. The crowd was definitely U of C based so it has a university cafe vibe. Only had seating for 15-20 people so most took items to go. The service seemed standard to me. Real chill. Overall, good experience. I’d comeback to try another sandwich! They also had books for purchase.

The specialty latte selection and bread here are amazing! I particularly enjoyed the Cardamom Rose and Pecan Pie lattes. The grab & go sandwiches, including the Jambon Beurre and Under Pressure, were very delicious too. Note the coffee will take be a bit of wait during busy times.

Enjoyed my Cardamom Rose Latte with Oat Milk made extra sweet like I asked for. Went nicely with the Gluten free Vanilla Cupcake with Cardamom Frosting. The star of this pairing was the Candied Kumquat on top!

Masks required! Thank you for still doing that! Amazing coffee and beverages, and great customer service! The breakfast sandwiches are incredible and quite big, Highly recommended 🤤

A great little place that is invested in the community and the neighborhood. Great drinks that go one step beyond the standard lattes and americanos by adding in some spices and surprising flavors. Lots of books available for purchase that make you feel like you’re supporting an important small business. Heads up: the hours are a bit limited, so check that it’s open before going there.

FYI: They still have mandatory masking for ordering with masks available inside, tho the sign is not on the outside of the door that you actually go through to get inside (it’s on the other door though). The sandwiches are HUGE, would probably fill you up for a whole day, and the egg one is pretty juicy and has lao gan ma chili crisp in it. Solid coffee.

Actually affordable delicious lattes/espresso drinks. The zines and books were so fun to look through. I love my south side ❤️

Good food, OK coffee, gross vibes. I've been here 4 times. Only once was a normal experience. The other times, the fridge was broken (no food), the cashier oozed hostility (my greeting was returned with a silent eye roll). Service is always painfully slow. But today was epic. I entered at 1:45. I let 2 distracted students cut me in line, who then ordered food. As usual, everything ran very slow. At 1:52, I finally stepped up. The cook had just yelled at the cashier that last call was at 1:45 (when I was there, waiting). But their sign says that food is available until 2. So, of course, I tried to order food. Oops! Sorry, I was told, food is over. I protested, politely but firmly: 1:52 PM is not 2 PM. You should be more clear about last call. Besides, I've been here since last call, and let these two people order ahead of me -- now they're eating and I'm not?? Instead of a polite apology and a sandwich, I was treated to a rare opportunity to play amateur psychologist for the cook, who ran up to share with me how hard his day had been (a.k.a., he had been working), and concluded that I must have never worked in the service industry before (false) because I thought this was all ridiculous (true). Meanwhile, he very aggressively insisted on making me a sandwich, multiple times, while I politely declined and tried to be empathic as he unloaded a truckload of personal stuff that had absolutely nothing to do with what I'd been complaining about. End of story. You be the judge.

This is a wonderful coffeeshop with great atmosphere and lovely people. The kind of lounge/workspace that helps neighborhood communities flourish. A great place to work, chill, meet friends, and make new friends. Great coffee options - they do all the standards excellently, and offer a few originals that really stand out from other cafe fare. The food is fresh, thoughtfully prepared, and delicious.

Great atmosphere, friendly faces, and amazing coffee.

Not a bad coffee shop by any means but a bit expensive and my jambon-beurre was weirdly cold. They get it premade from Publican but don’t heat it up apparently. The space is cramped, the poetry books are ok, and the coffee is fine. Not my vibe.

Espresso shot for the iced Americano was under-extracted. Ordered a chocolate croissant, was surprised by a whole-grain affair with very little lamination. Maybe some of their other stuff is good?

Very cool coffee shop just north of Hyde Park. Lots of cool material for inspiring cultural contemplation. Sweet spot near the old steam plant.

Stopped by with some friends while exploring the farmers market on Saturday. They had a long line trailing up to the ordering window, but it moved quite quickly. The service was very friendly and pleasant and my coffee came out quickly after I ordered it, so no complaints there. Their menu of breakfast sandwiches and pastries looked enticing. My friend who ordered a sandwich enjoyed it. I tried an iced cafe de olla, which had brown sugar, orange peel, and some other spices. It was a beautiful looking drink, but I suspect just not really for me. I prefer sweeter drinks and this one just wasn't sweet at all. It seemed like it would be the sweetest one on the menu based on the ingredients, but I only drank a couple of sips because it was super super bitter. I'm guessing this place is for more serious coffee drinkers than yours truly, so try it out as my more-bitter-coffee preferring friends all loved the cardamom rose latte!

Well it was my first time trying them out. I'm new to the neighborhood and I love coffee but only to be disappointed with a small cup the size of a simple cup. That was over priced $3.33 is ridiculous. And they force you to still wear mask which is over rated. It should be by choice not by force. I'll just go to McDonald's where I know I can get more for my buck 😫🤣 Weird energy in there anyways.

Good coffee, drinks, foods. Also loaves of bread and books. Gets very busy sometimes

Nice place to drink something expensive but tasty. Nice warm area to enjoy with friends. Nice work place area to sit and chill.

Good place to go if you still want to wear masks

In a world of underwhelming sandwiches, the ones here deserve a Michelin star! Truly spectacular. You can’t go wrong with any, but I’m partial to both vegan options. A sweet place to grab a drink and work, too.

Went here after the farmer's market in the 61st. Was quite busy around 11am, and is often a popular place for UChicago students. I ordered an early bird sandwich which was quite heavy and filling making it a brunch. The bread was too hard though. Would recommend every once in a while. Also, the space to dine was all packed so do not quote on the atmosphere.

Great coffee, need to be masked when ordering 😷. Couldn't find their wifi network, so you have to rely on the University of Chicago network. Quite a few school kids from nearby school. Ventilation could use an improvement.

Build Coffee is a wonderful space to relax, read, study, etc. I recently held an event there to celebrate my family and it was fantastic. From the staff to the communication and overall comfort, I would highly recommend working with them. Or, if you'd just like to experience the cafe it's worth the trip.

Great little coffee shop that’s a hidden gem. The coffee and food items are all delicious. It’s a genuine coffee shop experience with nice ambiance.

Great place to pick up a Southside Weekly or bring a book and hang out. The space is warm and bright and the location is very quiet. They have an outdoor seating patio when the weather is nice. On Saturday mornings, it may be busy during the farmers market season. You can usually buy Publican bread from here as well.

Fantastic cafe tucked away near Blackstone. Recommend the cafe de olla but every drink and pastry is tasty. They’re packed during the farmers market on Saturdays.

Delicious breakfast sandwich. Espresso beverage tasted a bit watery, but still good. Atmosphere one or no stars, too loud for 9:00-9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Baristas should have fun, but when entire stories and conversations can be heard as well as loud laughter, its hard to read, be on the laptop or do things people usually do in cafes.

Build Coffee is hands down my favorite coffee shop in Woodlawn. The staff is so kind, they always have some good music, and I can vouch for almost everything on the menu. It’s the perfect place for a quick coffee / snack to go OR to cozy in a corner w a book. If I could give them 100 stars I would.

Very good location good product very friendly people

Best place to come if you want to escape from crowded coffee/tea shops! The mood is quiet, homey, and super comfortable. The outdoor patio and indoor seating areas are perfect for work meetings, catch ups with friends, and quality time to yourself. The food choices and teas are great too! Definitely coming back!

Great local coffee shop located in Chicago. I recommend trying the “Light and Sweet” or house coffee blend with oat milk. Atmosphere is studious, vibes is great and selections are plentiful.......Also great playlist!

A warm and cozy coffee shop perfect for getting some work done in the morning/afternoon. They have outlets here and there for laptop users.

Great latte. Unique book selection. Nice atmosphere.

I always have a good experience here. Really friendly staff. The coffee is high quality, the food is good, and the house made specialty drinks are solid. It’s a small place - seats 15-20 - but every time I’ve been there, I’ve been able to find a seat. They also sell books, poetry, and zines. Worth the visit. Also check out all the other amazing stuff going on in the building (Experimental Station, Farmers market, etc.)

Lots of kale in salads, lots of sourdough for sandwiches. Had coffee and browsed book and zine collections for sale but not comics. Small/snug. May be too small if you carry a large bag or if you're large, but all will help it work out.

Coffee and zines. What could be better? The outdoor seating looked inviting but not so good on a rainy morning,

The best place for coffee lovers! This coffee shop really has the best and affordable coffee that I needed. Also, the atmosphere here is very relaxing, and the staffs are amazing too. My overall experience was really satisfactory and delightful, and I would like to thank these guys for that. Good job, everyone! Thank you so much!

Wonderful, quaint, lovely, small space...hidden gem. Try out the oatmilk in your coffee. Love the vibe. Enter from the south door. It's easy to pass up.

First time at Build. I'll be back for sure to try some of their special drinks and sample their espresso concoctions. They have Rishi teas, which is a bonus, and the prices are more than fair. For made to order drinks, they need more than one person behind the counter -- at least one to take orders while another fills them.

Amazing! Beautiful outdoor space and good vibes:)