Four Letter Word

This visit wasn't completely my speed, but I still enjoyed my morning here. I've heard of four letter word from restaurants that serve their coffee and word-of-mouth otherwise, so I had to try it. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, though indoor spaces are limited in their smaller establishment. Couple of tables with standing room. In the garage-turned-bookstore nextdoor, there's some outdoor season with literature for purchase. Come for some light reading or with a couple friends, because four letter word is not built for people looking to study.Americano - wasn't actually on the menu, but not difficult for the barista to pull a shot and add water. This was pleasant, with fruity espresso that didn't leave your mouth with an acrid aftertaste. Blueberry pancake donut - aside from the powdered sugar on top, this was surprisingly not too sweet. Jam inside was very nice, though can get easily messy eating this. Would've preferred less powdered sugar or one deep breath and you'll end up inhaling most of itUbe latte - this was a lot more subtle than most ube lattes I've had. Wouldn't be surprised if they actually used ube in this instead of a flavor syrup. Pretty good!Scallion roll - I made up the name for this because I know we got a green onion roll but I don't remember what it was actually called. It was scallion in the French way, not in the Chinese way (you'll get it if you've had anything scallion the Chinese way). A bit heavier than I was expecting.I'd come back to try their different rotation of beans, and it also seems like their pastries vary too.

My good friend lives nearby so I have been here with her about 15 times over the past 4-5 years. I wanted to try it several times before I reviewed it. I'm ready. My first comment is not about the coffee or the food -- but about an even more important sensation... The ambience is unfriendly. The baristas seem like they can hardly bear the insult of having to talk to us. If we ask a question, the answer is mumbled. Definitely no "hello" or "thank you" or even any acknowledgment that a customer has entered. We aren't looking for chit chat, just basic humanity. Worse yet, this attitude seems contagious to the customers.I can drop by for a coffee to go--and leave--but it still makes my day less pleasant to go there. If it were downtown, that would be one thing, but the place has such a self-conscious vibe as if it's a local neighborhood gem. Ugh. If this is part of the new cool detached hip "Logan Square culture" sweeping the area, this place is ground zero.I'll say that this review is not based on the pastries or food, which all look good.The espresso and lattes are excellent, expertly made, and have a range of accents. I would not recommend the mochas, which both times has been "off" -- the oat milk and espresso and chocolate balance was unbalanced both times, but in different ways. So in short: good coffee, bad vibes.

Good place to come and try some locally made coffee. If you like pretty small intimate spaces this is another reason to come here. Four Letter Word makes me want to say one, and that word is "good." Maybe there's many better places for better prices, but it's a nice place to chill in the morning. The prices still aren't that bad for quality. Came here after a rough night to unwind and then perk myself up a bit. It's pretty small and there's not much to it. There's seating at the counter and a few tables. It's about $5 for the cheapest coffee. Really that's not bad for an independent coffee shop like this. I got the Espresso And Milk. Obviously this comes with milk, but you can choose which kind, and I got it with oat. Full of flavor. There's also plenty of syrups. For sure the coffee is the main thing to get here. If looking for anything to munch on there's pastries. There's none that appear okay for vegans though unfortunately.

Great coffee. $4.43 for a shot of espresso is pretty steep. Baristas are never friendly. They carry great donuts. I like this place and they have great coffee but some times it smells funny in here (like B.O.). This is a tough review. Need to stay at 3 stars now that they are open.

Cute little neighborhood gem. Menu is limited which I like - they do just a few drink items but seem to do them quite well. Would appreciate if they had more milk substitutes ( they have oak milk but no almond milk as an example) and would appreciate a sugar free syrup option ( I settled for Splenda in my latte and was quite satisfied with my drink ). The vibe in there is relaxing and interesting. Love the Mexican house music playing in the background. Not a ton of seating but they have a great round table in the back with maybe 6 leather chairs so if you can snag one of those it's a great place to go with a friend to catch up for an hour.

The best espresso in Chicago. Period. The beans are outstanding, unique, and ever-changing, and they have the fewest defects out of every roaster in Chicago. They are also the only espresso shop with a lever machine, which pulls a better shot. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and the pastries are excellent.

We stopped by after eating nearby at Cellar Door Provisions. Great ambiance and service when we had went. Enjoyed their Turkish coffee and picked up a bag of beans to brew at home. Would like to try their pastries next time.5 stars because of their quality selection of single-origin beans, including from Asia (currently they have intriguing varieties from the Philippines). New Math Coffee is another roaster in Chicago that offers beans sourced from Asia.They both belong among my favorite Chicago-located coffee joints to get beans for home brewing:- Reprise- Metric- Dark Matter- Groundswell- Blue Bottle- Intelligentsia

Wandered over to 4L Word cafe after spending the afternoon plant shopping a few doors down. I loved my chai latte and the barista was incredibly friendly and went over a few of the specialty lattes. The music was on the louder side so it would be difficult for me to come in and work, but they have excellent pastries so overall well worth a visit.

The service was friendly/upbeat when I got there and placed my order, but was decidedly chilly when I left. It was weird that I got a little mini cup of chai, which is fine (if a little too much was made, why waste it) but I got this really kind of condescending and cold attitude when I asked what it was.I also don't love this trend of being asked if I want espresso added when I order chai. If I wanted coffee, I'd order it, but coffee is gross so no thanks. Let non-coffee drinkers have something without folks assuming we want to spoil it with coffee, please and thank you! There's already only like two things for us to order from the drink menu.They had orange raspberry beignets but they were out by the time I was there around 10:45. Get there early if you want to try them! Unfortunately the chai was forgettable. No depth of flavor. I was bummed that I wasted the calories on it but it was warm (which is one of the reasons I got it) so at least that was something.Parking is street only. The barista wore a mask which I appreciate. I'm not sure if it was walk up only or not; there was someone inside, but maybe just visiting the employee because I the door didn't seem openable (it looked blocked from inside).

I just moved to the area and popped in here for a morning pick me up. This little coffee shop is cute! Standing tables and some seating. You can order through a to go window or walk in and order at the counter. The staff were friendly and the iced ube latte I ordered might be the best latte I've had!