Swim Cafe

Swim is one of the best cafes I've found in Chicago. More than just spectacular fair-trade coffee and thoughtful food, Swim is fast becoming a real community asset. The owners expertly pull off the tricky balance between place of business and community venue. The cafe has everything you'd expect from a good coffee shop (environment, products, etc), but also supports local arts, sustainable foods and community interaction. Positives: fair-trade coffee free wireless internet friendly staff well-priced and homemade pastries and food Negatives: wobbly tables I can't recommend this place enough. more

I have tried Swim café time and time again, but I just can't get a good coffee drink there. Their drink, the High Dive, is ok, but just ok. The drip coffee is the same, unremarkable, and leaves me wanting something I can't put my finger on. However, the place is pretty and calming inside, with a water motif and some interesting art on the walls. The staff is nice, but I can't decide if I should the staff or the coffee. The woman who owns the place is friendly, and she makes good drinks, but the male staff has yet to make me a good coffee. But the cookies that the owner makes are really, really good. They have wifi and sandwiches. I can't recommend this place, only because another coffee shop (Mercury Cafe) two blocks away is so much better. I hope Swim can improve, but I really never go there anymore. more