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Categories: Banks & Credit Unions, Coffee & Tea, Investing [Edit]
Neighborhood: Near North SideChicago (Red)
Mon-Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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Your $1 cannolis are going to make me so fat.
Also, orange and navy blue just happen to be the colours of my old school (University of Virginia), to which I am excessively attached, so this makes the ING cafe a very attractive place for me to coffee. Yes, coffee is a verb... it's 2009.
Solid place to check your e-mail, people-watch, and consume coffee and a cannoli. Don't eat them all, though.
I found it amusing and interesting that a bank would market itself via cafes. The curiosity finally led me to go into this cafe today and it was a weird experience.
The guy behind the counter was quite the evangelist for ING and I get it. But he had his facts all wrong. My savings account does not give me .01% and he wouldn't stop arguing. He even came up to me while I was trying to study with his laptop to try and make me transfer my funds over to ING right there and then!!
The coffee was very average, watery and too strong. The food was mediocre. But the service was just rude and terrible even from the other people there!
Free wi-fi, yes, but it was spotty, and they said Macs especially have issues with their Internet. Hmmm...
Finally, music was too loud and of the rock genre, making it hard to utilize this cafe for studying/reading/talking.
Its probably kind of weird for me to review this place as I do not, nor have I ever banked with ING.
The reason I am writing this and giving it 4 stars is because of my daily positive experiences with this place. I work very close to ING and I stop here almost everyday for coffee. Basically this is a steal because for only ONE dollar ( 50 cents if you buy the mug!!!!) you can get premium (Peets) coffee. This blew me away. Where else in the city can you get a great, quality cup of coffee for this price? They also have a decent variety of breakfast items and sandwiches that are typically only 3 dollars. sweet!
Finally, I have to give it up for the crew. Theres roughly 5 people that I see working there and they are ALWAYS friendly and helpful as well as providing quick service. Considering all the creeps coming in here and harassing them all day long for coffee after coffee upon coffee, they always remain friendly.
This place rocks.
The world is split into two kinds of people. Those who know about the awesomeness of ING and those who don't (yet). I've been banking with them since '03 and let me tell ya, this is the bank of the future.
You see, ING realizes that physical bank branches are useless remnants of days gone by. Retail space cost tons of money to rent, not to mention all the salary costs traditional banks waste on bank tellers and branch managers. At Chase and BofA, you are paying for these costs in fees. That's why ING doesn't have any branches, well except for this cafe.
No high fees or dumb services, just a place to hang out and do some online banking with a cup of coffee. I like that.
They lose a star for raising their prices by 50%. I know, I know, $1.50 is hardly a lot to pay for an americano or what have you, but 50%!
I used to buy their breakfast sandwiches all the time, but at $3 instead of $2, not so much a steal anymore.
$1 Coffee, espresso chips, cookies, muffins, etc
$2 Frou-frou espresso drinks, soups
$3 Extra…
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What a great concept, have your coffee or tea while you do your banking. They have banking reps to setup your banking accounts or to do your banking. Drinks at this place are very reasonably priced. Free wifi access as well.
I feel I shouldn't be writing this, as the less people know about it the better. I love this place! I had a medium cup of PEET'S coffee for $1.
Unreal ! There are like only 3 places in Illinois that serve Peet's. So,
I hope I don't see you there - stay away.
I love their egg/cheese/ham croissant and scones.
Coffee is alright, but you really can't complain with ING being probably the best value cafe in downtown.
My only complaint is that it's too far from me!
Seriously, if my apartment were any closer I would live here. Until they kick me out at 7pm, of course. I would also be hyper-caffeinated by their awesomely cheap yet tasty coffee! My gosh, way above Starbucks quality at half the price--feels like a buy-1-get-1 free deal so of course I drink twice the amount I would otherwise and end up shaking for the rest of the day..
Kind of bummed by the time limit on free internet (each "code" is only good for 2 hours) and okay, it does get too noisy at times for studying. But at $2 a latte I can't really complain :)
p.s. The muffins aren't too tasty. But they're huge and only $1 so I guess you win some and lose some!
This place RULES. Are you the type who refuses to have the internet on their phone, but yet are out and about and need to check something? Swing on in here. Free computers to use and coffee is a dollar... with free refills. I could move in with terms like these.
This might not look like much from the street, but inside it is very cool. Make sure to try this wowzer thing out:
On the inside to the left is a room that is a sphere that represents the ING round ball. Sit in one of the chairs along the wall, and have someone stand near the doorway and whisper something. You'll hear whatever they're muttering down to your soul and your bones will shatter into a million pieces.
n a recent trip to the city I discovered this cafe/bank. I have had an ING Direct bank customer for a few years and it was nice to enjoy a beverage and bagel while checking my bank statement. They serve Peet's Coffee & Tea as well as light snacks. The bagel and cream cheese was only about $1. I will be back.
Todor Krecu
http://hotfortea.yelp.com/
My favorite spot! I miss it now that I'm not in that area for classes anymore. Good drinks- extremely cheap. Never crowded. Good magazines and computer usage for 45 min with drink purchase. Very modern- cool hang out.
Why have I never been here before considering Im next door every day!! $ 1 coffee,tea, soft drinks, hot chocolate , $1 pastries, free wi-fi and friendly staff.
Cheap coffee and food, sickeningly friendly employees, free internet, lovely bright orange walls and a $25 credit if you open your ING account here. All conveniently located two blocks from my place? Yes please!
Seriously though--even if you have no interest in their accounts, make this your new Starbucks. Every time I walk in, there isn't even the slightest mention of banking products. So much so that I wasn't even sure if I could open an account here, because there isn't a single sign indicating so. The one time I went in actually wanting to open an account, they first made sure that I had a $1 cup of coffee in my hand.
Yet another reason to say 'f*ck you' to Chase.
I have been banking with a previous internet bank for years, so I knew of ingdirect, being there competitor. Now they own that bank, but I was already a customer of ingdirect and am a satisified customer.
I enjoy the comfy chairs, the free internet and now that coffee is a buck as well as a pastry, if you have an ingdirect orange beverage cup, I am there 2-3 times a week.
I read the daily rags, do some computer work and use the place as a 2nd office. It is also a place to see people from all over the city and the world.
Sometimes there are way too many students that leave crumbs, newspaper and attitude, but what can you expect from brains that are still growing?
If you are tired of paying $5.00 for burnt coffee from that other coffee shop that seems to be everywhere, try the ingdirect cafe; but don't bring your suitcases, leave after 5 hours so others can get a piece of the action!
I would come here more often if I lived closer...
Drinks and snacks are SO cheap here...I usually end up spending a fortune on overpriced drinks and pastries when I study in cafes. Not so at ING Direct Cafe!
Very clean, well lit, friendly staff, free internet. Last time I was here, the restroom smelled pretty awful...but I think that's my only complaint. That and the fact that it closes so early!
I walked by this place everyday for weeks on my way to work without going inside. I just assumed it was a high-pressure sales pitch waiting to happen. I had to read the reviews here on Yelp to find out just how wrong I was.
I started stopping in to the ING Cafe, and it is indeed an excellent coffee shop. The employees are friendly, the drinks are very reasonably priced ($1 for basic coffee drinks, $2 for latte drinks), the place is almost never crowded, and the atmosphere is hip and clean (if maybe a little too "orange"). And no, you will not be offered a savings account unless you ask for one.
Best of all, however, is the sheer amount of free stuff the Cafe offers. This includes:
* Free first-time drink (http://home.ingdirect....)
* Free refills of coffee in-store
* Free wireless Internet
* Free Internet terminals
* Free drink with the purchase of an ING thermos (which gets you half off on all the drinks you fill it with)
* Free coffee if the cafe is booked by a private group when you stop by
* Free personal finance seminars (http://home.ingdirect....) with a free drink and other possible freebies like books, t-shirts, or lunch for attendees
The only downside to the Cafe is that its selection is somewhat limited. There is only one size for the drinks and they don't carry some of the more exotic inventions you'll find at Starbucks -- namely Frappachinos.
Other than that, it's absolutely amazing that a Dutch multi-national Internet bank can run a coffee shop so well. Ironically, even though this place is a blatant marketing vehicle, it comes off as more "genuine" of a coffee shop than Starbucks (and I'm no Starbucks hater).
This place is fantastic. Skip the Starbucks down the street, and the Argo Tea, and the Dunkin Donuts, and the Seattle's Best... wow, this neighborhood has a lot of caffeinated options.
Yes, it's a concept cafe, yes, they can set you up with a savings account, but they can also serve you Peet's Coffee for an extremely reasonable price with a smile on their face.
And, it's orange. Yes, the whole place. Almost everything they sell (ING gym duffels, ING soccer balls, ING beach chairs) is the bright orange of the happy bouncy ball of ING.
But you know what? There's no other color I'd rather see in the morning to wake me up and make me feel better about going to work. Caffeinated.
Free coffee on Fridays if you wear orange, free internet and WiFi all the time, and Monopoly tournaments.
I feel like I'm being brainwashed when I go to the ING Direct Cafe. Yet I keep going back. If you're a skeptic like myself, you would think that a bright orange, advertisement-plastered place with unimaginably good deals on coffee and food in such a corporate-heavy area would be some kind of gimmick, that you'd be obligated to open a savings account with your latte, but it turns out you're not! And they really only talk it up if you ask about it first.
Once I got over that hurdle, I figured that the food and drink, as obvious marketing tools, couldn't possibly be of supreme quality. But that's not the case. They have a great pesto brie, grape and arugula sandwich, an apple pie pastry with an entire WHOLE apple inside, and gigantic cups of coffee, ALL of which will set you back a mere $7.
They also have free computer/internet stations and bins for separating garbage and recyclables. I want to complain, but I can't!!!
Ok.. well I started going when it first opened and things have changed a tad, but its a great place to hang out for cheap drinks and enjoy the scenery.
They serve Petes coffee and Teas and Little Miss Muffett baked goods. They usually have some good sandwiches and salads also. If you would like to buy some ING gear this is the place.. and while you are at it.. open an account.. you get even more bonuses.
Great staff there also.. very friendly and always helpful
I love this place. Free internet service, good cheap coffee and food, and a friendly staff is the right combination for a coffee cafe. When you are in a rush in the morning, last thing you want to do is dig into your wallet for a 4 dollar cup of sweltering coffee that tastes like brown crayon dipped in water. THis place serves good coffee and food in the morning, no taxes and everything they have is under 5 bucks. I would never bank there but I will always get some hot cocoa when its cold on my way back home.
The only thing that would make this place better is if it allowed you to deposit checks and cash into your account.
This is hands down the best bank in America, and the cafe is seriously a nice study place to keep up with economy and get free stuff.
I came in one day to fill out a direct deposit form, the person helping me knew I worked for a gym and gave me two free bottles of water to go and a pastry..... I was very very shocked.
They don't attempt to see you anything or purchase anything that you do not need. They seem to only be interested in helping you save and invest. In fact, I only found out about the savings and checking account only after pilfering around the website.
I highly recommend this for college students since there are absolutely no fees! You are given a 25-40 overdraft credit limit that allows you to spend more than is in your account. They charge only a percentage of what you over drafted, but if you replenish the account quickly the charges don't apply.
It is in a nice area, the staff is awesome, the bathroom is always clean and neat, and the information (newspapers, magazines, and TV, and FREE WIFI) is very useful.
Please check it out if you are skeptical.
Note: I have not dealt with ING as a bank and am only commenting on the coffee shop itself.
It is a very, very orange and pretty spacious joint. Had they opened this place up when I was at Loyola (back when), this would have definitely been one of my study/coffee break places to go when I would go downtown (how I miss Wolf & Kettle and it's hot chocolate). I saw a ton a students studying and taking advantage of the free wi-fi. They have plenty of magazines and newspapers to read, as well as a tv. Coffee and food is decently priced, I guess..maybe a little less than you would find at the three/four neighboring Starbucks. Noise level is pretty much the same as you would hear there too. For example, one guy at one end of the store talking on his cell phone was heard no matter where my mom and I sat. Ssshh!
Honestly, I do not understand how anyone could rate ING Cafe with less than 5 stars.
As something of a coffee shop snob, I adore this place. Not only are the workers friendly as hell, but the prices absolutely can't be beat, and they offer a free drink of choice to anyone wearing orange on Fridays. I won't lie - I purposely bought an orange hoodie from Brown Elephant JUST to wear on Fridays. People in my Friday class must think I'm such a scumbag.
Free wi-fi and for those of us who do not own laptops, there are several computers with internet access available for anyone's use. I have double checked my schedule and sent out quick emails quite often before class at ING.
I enjoy Argo Tea, but it is always PACKED beyond belief and it is SO expensive...I just do not understand charging over 2 bucks for hot tea. It's a damn tea bag!
The bottom line? It is cheap, friendly, and not starbucks.
Nice environment, reasonable prices, but flaky Wi-fi.
My review is going to discuss the cafe side of this business, not the banking services offered.
The ING DIRECT Cafe is a great cafe. Prices are exceptionally reasonable (i.e. $1.50 for 16 and 20 oz coffees) and there are plenty of daily specials which will save you lots of money. The coffee I had was very good too, and the lattes are excellent. I will go as far as saying that the coffee is significantly better than the coffee sold at the local Argo Tea.
The staff is very friendly. Yes, your friendly barrista is also a bank employee, however, they will not push banking services on you unless you specifically ask about banking services. In other words, they are polite and will happily make your coffee drink without trying to sell you stuff.
As stated, this place has many specials. At the time of writing, the ING Cafe has a frequent drink buyer card which will give you a free drink after purchasing 4 drinks. They also have a special where you can get one free drink on Friday if you are wearing something orange, and the staff is pretty liberal when it comes to wearing orange (I got a free drink because the stitching in my Utilikilt was orange!).
This location has free Wifi (requires a login code, which is free and can be obtained from the staff), free internet terminals, a decent place to work with laptops (complete with accessible outlets) , and a very nice presentation area (featuring great acoustics) which can be reserved for free.
EDIT (8/2/2007): I had lunch at ING DIRECT Cafe today... A very nice steak salad, coffee, and a brownie all for $7 (tax included). Their food is actually pretty good. I found the salad to be very fresh. The steak slices on the salad were very lean and tender. The brownie was very good too, I would dare say close to homemade. I was very impressed with their food offerings, and will dare say that they are significantly better than the food offerings at the nearby Argo Tea.
EDIT (8/7/2007): Today, a few of the employees thanked me for writing this review. :-) Also, their sandwiches are very good.
I had been interested in the online "direct" banks, but had problems with a competitor online (FNBO Direct), so I decided to open up an Orange Savings account at this Cafe location.
After arriving, we found an employee who was quite helpful. You can open accounts either on one of their public computers, or fill out paperwork there. We chose the online method (as it was faster), and the ING employee was helpful through the process. What I also appreciated was that he showed us his account when we had questions about the ING Electric Orange account, which, though unorthodox, was really helpful.
The entire process was simple and easy, plus, for opening the account in the Cafe, we got a $25 bonus, as well as free drink coupons.
Overall, if you're interested in ING and the banking services they offer, this is a great place to check those out. Employees are helpful and it is very easy to open an account. Also, once open, this location has many bank-ish features. They have an ATM for ING customers (though not 24 hours), and you can deposit into your account at the location (faster than the usual ACH transfers, I assume). About the only thing you cannot do is withdraw from an account and get cash from an employee (only cash withdrawals through ATM).
This place is definitely unique and a welcome addition to Chicago.
Banking and coffee... confused?
Whatever, this place is an addiction. Maybe its the retina-burning orange walls, maybe its the drink specials and discount mugs of coffee, maybe its the better-than-starbucks food selection, who knows.
What is certain though is that there's always a place to sit, and if you can block out the business channel banter in the background, its a good place to hole up and study. The coffee is decent, refills are free, and so is the internet. And the staff has always been more than friendly (and, apparently, can help you with your banking needs.)
Having recently returned from Switzerland, the thought of a cafe operated by an e-banking corporation seemed surreal and alien - and had me questioning why they hadn't thought of it first. In fact, when I walked past the bright orange ensconced setting I didn't realize that the spot was not simply a bank... until I noticed a smoothie menu. I was convinced that I had to try the ING Cafe when I read the reviews of George, Mark, and Jared - lured by the promise of free wireless.
While there is a strange atmosphere lingering among the scent of coffee and quiche - certainly self-imposed by my inability to forget that my barista is a banker - the layout is outstanding. Fresh, open, and stimulating. The most attractive aspect is the price point, though. As already mentioned, the lattes top-off for under $3.00 regardless of the size. When I asked if they had a tip jar, the friendly barista/banker replied - "No, we don't accept tips because we're all about saving you money!" Though slightly creepy, the response reinforced the conclusion that I wouldn't be finding a better value in the gold coast anytime soon.
One note regarding the free wireless - you receive a code good for 45 minutes. They are happy to replace the card after the 45 minutes, it's at worst a minor annoyance. Thanks for the tip, guys!
This place is right around the corner from work so I eat there a lot for lunch. Nowhere else in that area can you get a good sandwich, a soda, and a HUGE cookie for $7. Plus, their staff is super nice, the internet connections free and easy, and they always have plenty of tables free to sit and enjoy your meal.
I really don't grasp the concept.
Banking? Coffee shop? The two just don't mesh. I'll take a small Latte, muffin, and toss in a savings account?
If you're taking a marketing class at Loyola, and are having trouble grasping the concept of branding, go here. The moment you enter, you'll understand. Granted, the prices aren't bad for coffee and such in the area, but I'd rather not sit in a place that burns my eyes. EVERYTHING is orange; it makes my eyes hurt.
ING Cafe is never packed full like Starbucks or Argo Tea, and is much quieter as well. And the coffee is just as good, if not better. (Whoo for Peets coffee and tea) AND it's cheaper. And this is why I prefer this place versus any other cafe in the area when I want a calmer atmosphere where I can concentrate.
The servers here are really friendly. One of them even remembered my name. Can they really help me with my banking needs too? I don't do any business with ING, but it is intriguing... Free wi-fi is a nice perk, and if you didn't bring your laptop, you can use one of the internet-ready computers at the cafe. I wish the walls weren't painted bright orange, but yeah I get the need to keep up with the corporate colors and image.
I love my bank!!! They give me lots of dough each month in the form of interest, well less these days, but they also are an amazing supplier of food and drink. The soups are AMAZING and only $2!! I go to school down the street from ING and this winter I have bought soup from there at least twice a week. You may notice that I love all things unsweetened iced-tea and they have a great one and it is $1. Their sandwich/drink/chip special is fantastic. Love love love everything about this place. The people who work there are also amazing. Very very friendly.
It's okay, the coffee is cheap and is nothing special, not too bad yet not too good either. It the type of cafe where one gets a cup of coffee to get the caffeine fix and not a place to sit back and relax, read a book or to chat with a friend. It's like the fast food place for coffee without the heart inducing french fries. Good cheap coffee.
Gotta love cheap java drinks in a colorful environment.
This place is great! as an update they have just lowered their prices to $1 for a large cup of coffee!!! You cant go wrong with that!
I am actually sitting in the ING Direct Cafe typing this review. I like it here b/c it doesn't get uber crowded, the Wifi is free, the lighting is great and the coffee is decent. It's no frills and I like that part b/c I think that is probably what keeps the crowds away. (That and the overt and shameless branding that is all over the cafe.)
I have even picked up a book on investing here and have actually considered one of their savings accounts.
Slathering a brand name and product descriptions all over a cafe is definitely one way to get your message across, and it does seem a little obnoxious. But I don't mind it b/c the brand is offering something in return.
what a sad excuse for a cafe. maybe the coffee's cheap but that's about the only plus this place has. imagine a cafe full of people where nobody talks to each other! and complete strangers sharing small tables facing each other, but why aren't they saying anything? oh right, they can't even see each other because they are staring at the internet. i guess if you like sports on huge tvs constantly distracting you this place would be cool.. but even then, whatever you are watching is broadcast through an ING window advertisement. come to think of it, there's a huge ING logo just sitting in the middle of the place. wow, this whole place feels like a walk-in commercial. but hey, the internets free.
Seriously, I was VERY iffy about going into this place. You see ING, you think bank. You think bank, you think pushy people trying to get you to open an account. Especially since I have a high-yield savings account with another bank that offers a higher APY. NOPE, didn't even attempt to be pushy. Loved it.
Monday's are free coffee day....I'm not sure if it's only for people with those mugs, but I bought one. It's worth it IMO....considering they will refill it with anything your heart desires anytime during the week...for a discount!
Layout is different, but nice. Not really a bank, more like a coffee shop....but with high-tech stuff. Wi-fi, terminals, tables, couches. I like, I like! It's what sets this place apart from every other coffee shop.
The coffee isn't as good as Starbucks, but maybe it's just the taste that I'm used to.
The staff is awesome. Friendly, willing to help, and actually has a sense of humor.
Went in, ordered my coffee and then asked about how I talk to a person about opening an investment account. The person who served me asked me what questions I had....and then I think I was the jerk that said, "oh, you are a REAL bank person?" Hahahaha. They deserve 4 stars for laughing and not making me feel like an even bigger ahole.
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: Banks & Credit Unions
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: Banks & Credit Unions
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Coffee & Tea
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