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Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
Neighborhoods: West Loop, Near West SideMon-Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
This place takes me back to the cool indie coffee shops I spent way too much time at in high school and college (this is a good thing -- they seem to be a rare breed in Chicago!)
The coffee was good, but I wish they had more than one roast brewed; their house blend is a medium/dark roast and it was about as dark as I'd be happy drinking.
The food was solid -- I had a custom made panini and it was cooked perfectly and fairly filling. Price-wise, it was ok -- a large coffee and the sandwich set me back around $8; not great but not terrible.
My one real gripe is that everything is sold in to-go cups/wrappers. The coffee was in a paper cup, the sandwich was wrapped in a foil/paper thing. I'm not an over-zealous eco-nut, but it just seems wasteful to not use washable/reusable plates and cups at a place that has so much indoor seating.
Cool vibe. Little chilly. Sweet turtle.
This is a good spot for me to get some mega-work done while I'm waiting for my oil to be changed down the road.
I can't really comment on the food cause I just got a large coffee. And not being a regular coffee drinker, I guess I can say that their cream and slpenda are right on par for upping coffee's drink-ability for me.
However the folks who work here are cool and they have a good mix of indie-rock tunes, so I don't feel bad that I forgot my headphones.
HUGE lunch rush here, I noticed. Place was packed and perhaps 5 people deep from about noon-thirty to 1:30. Just sayin...
The coffee is good, the sandwich was surprisingly high quality deli-style, not your usual coffee shop wilted lettuce sandwich. Inexpensive and free wifi to boot.
Did I mention the staff was really friendly and there was good music.
This place is great for so many reasons. First of all, the space is HUGE! It has a great indie feel, almost as if you've stumbled upon this incredible secret world. Coffee is good. They use Umbria and Crop to Cup, although you usually have to specify if you want the Crop to Cup, and they don't use it for their espresso drinks. The sandwiches are so good that when it comes time to order one I stress myself out because I want them all. They should probably think about getting a sandwich platter.
Staff is crazy awesome!
Picked up a Banh Mi tofu sandwich for $4.25. It was not a snack, like the menu says, but a full meal! Really good. Well worth it.
I LOVE this place. No where else can you get a latte THIS HOT. Literally even with that cardboard sleeve, it's really hot.
Also, their egg and bacon and cheese croissant sandwich is probably in my top 25 things I ever ate list. It's not gourmet by any means but it is greasy and good and great hangover food.
Everyone there has been really nice both times I've been and it's totally a place you could go hang out on your laptop all day. Last time I was there I told my friend I wanted to go back to school just so I would have a legitimate reason to come back and study here.
Also the artwork for sale on the walls is pretty awesome too.
I love this place, we just spent an hour walking through 4 cafes in lincoln square, but there was no place to sit! But I knew that jupiter's outpost would have food, coffee, seats, and wifi. great place, comfortable, convenient.
their sandwiches are not bad, I've had the cuban, and some other panini.
The banh mi is just wrong. that is not at all what banh mi tastes like. maybe this is there own version, in which case i just think it's bad.
so, if it weren't for the banh mi, 5 stars, otherwise, 4 stars.
Great place to hang out, I wish most coffee houses were like this. The staff was uber-friendly (without being annoying) and the coffee was pretty good. I LOVED that the warehouse style allowed them to totally open up to the patio outside. This was such a space, I loved being there and didn't really notice it when nearly four hours went by.
I agree with another poster, I wish the tables weren't so high. I wouldn't normally care about such things, but when you're using your laptop for multiple hours at a time, you develop some cramps because of the height-awkwardness.
I also agree with another Yelper - get the Jupiter sandwich - SO TASTY!
SO glad I found out about this place and plan on putting it on my rotation for coffeehouses.
Great coffee shop. Free wi-fi. Lots of space, outlets, large tables, good street parking. Tables are a bit high standing or chairs are a bit low seating...
Sandwiches are a bit below average but coffee is good.
Overall great indie coffee shop. Nice change from Starbucks. Will come back again!
I've been a regular at this place only because of the few options near my work. I've been disappointed again and again. If I'm ordering a sandwich, I don't want my only side option to be a tablespoon of fruit because you ran out of potato, and pasta salad. They'll forget the lettuce and tomato here and there. etc, etc.
it's also slightly pricey for what it is, a sandwich shack with two lunch ladies in the back. But they have a couple tasty things. Just don't go for the salmon sandwich.
Great little place to go get online (free), while drinking some really nice coffee. They also have a great chipotle & ranch gemelii pasta salad...when you can get it. Which is something I don't understand: If you find you're constantly selling out of a dish, make more of it! Put it on your daily menu. Seems it's only available twice a week. Lately, though, it's not tasting the same. Think they may have fired the girl who used to make it. They always seem to have plenty of creamy dill pasta on hand. My recommendation: stay away from it. Quite foul.
If you opt for one of their panini sandwiches, make sure you get it around lunch time (11-2). Somebody needs to train the afternoon girl how to use the panini press: I always get mine burnt :( Another thing about the sandwiches: they're completely inconsistent from day to day. One day there's a good amount of turkey in the Jupiter (the name of one of their better panini), the next day there's a single slice. They sometimes forget the cheese, or the pesto. This is why successful companies have SOP manuals. Not that I'm advocating fast food, but you know your Big Mac is going to taste the same everytime you get it.
Why do I keep coming back? Because there's nothing else in the area. And management seems to think that their customer base will always be around. Hence, they don't try harder. Still, would be sad to see this place shut down because it is a really cute space.
Damnnnnnn, the paninis are STELLAR.
It's quickly become my favorite place to work. I will drive out of my way to come here and settle in for a few hours. I snag one of the big old booths near the wall, plug into a provided power cord, leach off their uncannily accessible wifi, eat lunch, drink slingshots (extra high--powered coffee) and get a metric ton of crap done.
Dig the vibe. Staff is awesome, and the food is absolutely a hit. I just tried one of their new sandwiches yesterday, the Adobe, and it was by far one of the best lunches I've had in quite some time. mmmmm, melty cheese makes me so happy.
So does Jupiter. :)
Ah, I forget what it's like to try to drive in the "meat packing" district during prime meat packing… Read more »
Well i took old Colleen's advise and checked out the outpost.
Word of the wise i spent 50 minutes looking for parking in and around Fulton Market. Lake st was jam packed at 10am, i was able to squeeze into a spot on carroll just north of the cafe. But your best bet is to just park on Hubbard near the tracks and walk south, will save you time and frustration. Or just ride a bike! Plenty of bike rack space.
Staff was extremely down to earth and friendly. Excellent food had a grilled artichoke and sundried tomato sandwich for $4 with a side of fresh fruit. I came for the coffee and the atmosphere. Free wifi. Was interesting to arrive early, sit back sketch the scene, read the paper and watch the flow of lunch patrons. Great mixture of characters, construction workers, butchers and processors, gallery attendants, nurses and suits.
Quiet except for the racket on the fulton st, they were ripping up the asphalt with jack hammers... hopefully that's temporary.
Soy cafe latte
Chocolate cookie gone soon
Thank you very much
I have been wanting to visit this isolated cafe for quite some time and FINALLY had the opportunity. Unfortunately it's located in the Fulton Market Meat Factory District that seems like Old World Chicago and brings flashbacks of Upton Sinclair's passages from "The Jungle" to mind. [I've accepted this bare fact and have taken pride in it since Chicago wouldn't be what it is today without it's blue-collar past.] However, I must admit that I'm glad I took the opportunity to visit on a frigid cold winter day when warm meat wasn't sweeping through the air and a hot drink can be enjoyed.
Now about the name...
I would have named it 'Uranus Outpost' due to it's vast space (any perverted/"punny" connotation), but the neutral earthy colors, slow spinning ball decorations hanging from the high ceiling and random dimming/brightening of the lights above that remind me "UH NO, IT'S JUPITER AFTERALL." I did notice that on the second floor of the building sits Mar's Art Gallery. They're just "name friends" and possess no real nexus according to the barista I was urged to ask.
The outpost has a little trademark...other than one of the most beautiful expose brick walls I've ever seen and which stretches the entire east wall's length. A TURTLE! Yes, Bebe who jumps off her tank's plastic basket, further fitting into the factory neighborhood ambiance. I either get the hint that Bebe wants to escape and walk freely around on the wood panel floors, or perhaps she's jealous my Chai Tea Latte. I'm impartial but it is definitely one of the best Chai Latte's I've tasted city wide. Be sure to wave at Bebe on your way out--She deserves it.
I love a good cafe like Jupiter Outpost that is spacious (neither crowded or requires fighting for an electrical outlet), has pleasant music playing in the background, possesses free/fast Wi-Fi, offers a nice selection of sandwiches and pastries, sells local art (in matted prints), and, OF COURSE A CAFE MUST, friendly baristas who you can chit-chat with.
Pros: good coffee, very nice people and free wifi. Also, great chocolate chip cookies.
Cons: has dashed my Asian hopes for an outstanding Vietnamese sandwich in the West Loop again and again. Every time I get a banh mi I'm wishing and hoping for a great sandwich with nicely marinated meat and that great flavor that the Vietnamese do so well.
But twice I've been disappointed by the lack of flavor in my sandwiches - so much so I had to trek home, defrost one of the Uptown banh mis in my fridge and eat it right away to make up for things. Still, great for coffee.
Great little coffee place in the heart of the Fulton Market area.
I don't even drink coffee, but I've had some yummy tea and the best carrot cake I've ever had !
I am going to have to try some of their sandwiches as well, as they are looking delicious!!!!
Cute outdoor area in the summer!
Stop by when you're biking by or out at the galleries.
When a place I was freelancing at moved to the meat packing district, for a while I thought that this was the only walking-distance option around. Once you get past the pig-heads and smell of fish getting in the neighborhood, this place is actually pretty neat.
First, let me say that it is for whatever reason decorated with "art" from a studio next door. This studio does some sort of "digital art", which is beyond me. It seems like they just take crappy photos and play with them in photoshop and then try to sell them at this shop.
But aside from that, there's a pet turtle in there that I love, and guitar hero on a big screen and its always filled with nice smiley people-- both the girls that work there and the patrons.
Some of the first things I ate here were their Vietnamese-style sandwiches. We used to have these all the time back home in Orange County (Big up! Lee's Sandwiches, Fullerton, CA!). These are cold, served on a french roll, with chicken or tofu or fish cakes, garnished with RAW jalepenos, radish, carrots, and other stuff. If you are looking for something out-of-the-ordinary, it'd suggest giving these are try. They are spicy-sweet and the bread is chewy. I love them here and they are like $4 or something.
I would also recommend the soups they have here in the wintertime, as well as the grilled paninis. The salads are a little bland. The coffee here is awesome, as are all their home-baked cakes and pastries. Breakfast sandwiches here are also phenomenal. I've also had co-workers compliment the Vietnamese coffee there, but it sounds like a sugary-heart attack to me personally. If you're having trouble deciding, I would give the special a try. They usually have something written up on the board near the register and its always been delicious.
I moved to the area a year ago and can't believe I haven't found out about this place until last week. It's everything I like about coffeeshops: free wifi, bohemian feel, indepently- owned. One thing though-- I noticed that many people bring their dogs here which is fine if they're on a leash. I unfortunately have a phobia of dogs, so too bad for me. Once someone brought 2 dogs and they weren't on a leash and they ran around the place. Everyone thought they were cute but the dog phobia in me made me nervous :/
Nice people!!!
Cute Place!!!
A must do again!!!
This is one of my favorite places int the world. The vibe and the staff are reason enough to go daily. I also recommend the Yird or the Neptune.
Best independent coffee shop I've found in the area west of the Loop. Friendly staff, varied and interesting music, tasty coffee and food, superior wifi, clean, spacious, don't close too early - a winner in all the major categories.
The space does warm in the summer, even with the ceiling fans going strong, so if you're wearing standard business attire you may find it a tad sweaty.
Colleen urged me to go back to Jupiter and try it again, so I managed to turn up this time when it was open. But I've gotta say, my loyalties still lie with Sip and Swim -- I found Jupiter to be kinda chilly inside, and the lighting wasn't good enough to comfortably read... and no ceramic mug action. Their baked goods do look fantastic though, they get a star for that. I guess I just wasn't that comfortable at Jupiter, the vibe didn't make me want to stay there for very long. It was a fun venue for the Yelp event though, that's for sure. I feel like this place needs some warmer lighting, ceramic mugs, and a resident cat. You can't cuddle turtles.
I had this fantasy that I was going to spend a rainy sunday at Jupiter, drinking coffee, using their… Read more »
2nd impressions are sometimes just as important as you get a chance to see things in new light.
the winter sun shines bright this season and so brightly illuminates the room.
the chicken bahn mi sandwich, the jupiter bar and the pumpkin chocolate chip cookie were soul satisfying.( i just wish I asked for the pumpkin cookie to be toasted as the chocolate carmelizes and is further sublime)
the vietnamese coffee was BOING! good.
it was a lazy saturday, the music was chill, and unfortunately so was the air as my nose grew colder by the minute each time the front door was opened.
the brunette barista busy with saturday tasks still looking quite hawt in that barista librarian wearing black frame glasses way;p
still a nice spot, just must remember to bring along the snuggie until summer is once upon us...if only it were sooner than not.
first impressions are everything sometimes.
mine of jupiter outpost cafe are of a smile and hello…
Read more »
I'm currently @ a Starbucks, although Jupiter is about 3 minutes from my apartment. Why might you ask? Is it because Starbucks has better coffee and friendlier baristas? Is it because Starbucks has vietnamese coffee and is right below and art gallery? Is it because Starbucks is named after my second favorite planet?
NO.
It's because the other day it took me 1 hour to check my BofA account [unsuccessfully]. The wifi connection reminds me of the pre-2000 days....on a jerry rigged Tandy.
Jupiter, please please PLEASE get some better wifi. This corporate coffee place is a-killin me.
I was kind of shocked to see them open since I thought they were closed on Sundays but I guess they have different summer hours. Perfect! I had been wanting to give Jupiter Outpost another try since I was first introduced to them about three years ago while working around the corner. Personally I think a lot of people end up skipping Jupiter Outpost or forgetting about them. Most people who are looking to get their coffee fix end up going to Sip down the the block; which is too bad because Jupiter Outpost is an excellent stop for any coffee fan. I believe they use coffee from Caffe Umbria in Seattle for most of the drinks. Caffe Umbria is served at a lot of places and I have had it many times so I decided to go for something a little different. Jupiter Outpost servers Vietnamese Coffee for just under $3.00, and I couldn't pass up an iced version of one. Sure that condensed milk is really sweet especially for a black coffee drinker like myself but this is something you just don't see at many coffee places. The staff and atmosphere are both great. I just wish I was hungry because Jupiter Outpost serves banh mi sandwiches and I'm a huge fan of those. I'll have to remember that for next time.
If you work or live near by this is a great place to get a cup of coffee. They are only open till… Read more »
You have to discover Jupiter. It is off the beaten path and in a very gritty location. If you were looking to slip away into urban anonymity and read a book, this joint would be a great selection.
The lunch food is good - try the Egg Salad Sandwich.
After trying the sandwiches, I'm hooked. I like coming here for lunch. Just a note though, go order your sandwich at the window in the back and then go to the counter and pay. They don't make that clear and I felt kind of dumb for doing it wrong. Anyway, the sandwiches are good. Try the Yird (grilled cheese with tomato), The Brie and Sun-dried tomato, and the roasted veggies and hummus (this one I have grilled and add pepperjack cheese). The sandwiches are SOOOO good!
Yey for finding this place! I work nearby and recently had been going to suck-bucks until I found… Read more »
Very cool spot. I guess they just opened up the back half of it so it is much bigger than it used to be. Would make a great bar too if they got their license, especially because they have that really wide patio. It's on the area of Fulton Market where the curbs are 3 feet high and there is pretty much NO foot traffic. I like secret places like that.
I wish they were open on Sundays but I will definitely be back to drink a coffee and read the paper when I have free time.
The menu looked good and was VERY vegetarian friendly.
I really like this place. It is exactly what I envisioned a coffee shop to look like when I was 11 and wanted badly to be friends with people like the characters from "Singles." Shitty local artwork on the wall, mismatched and "zany" thrift store decor, hot indie girls working the register. In all seriousness, the coffee is good, I had a fucking awesome breakfast sandwich there this morning, and I love the meatpacking district.
I want to love this cafe. I like the atmosphere. But I can't love this place.
I was excited to see Vietnamese Iced Coffee on their menu, so I ordered.
But it was farrrr from what I expecetd.
It was served in a plastic cup with a straw.....she mixed up the coffee and milk and make it brown color!!! It just looks like coffee milk, and tasted like coffee milk. HORRIBLE!! (Of course, I ordered it for here).
Another time, I ordered cappuccino, and it was served in a paper cup again.
Don't they try to prepare ceramic cups??? Those don't have to be fancy cups and saucers. I just want to drink my coffee from a real mug.
Who can enjoy the smell of cappuccino and steamed milk through a plastic lid?
I won't go back to this place until they improve this part.
A pretty cool little spot. We happended upon it when we wanted a place nearby for a sitdown and a cup of coffee. Decent service, nice and smooth coffee and the best muffins in town.
Edited: They've got a cool outdoor seating area on their loading dock. It doesn't have direct sun exposure in these summer months - I highly recommend this for a chill afternoon of reading a book outside.
I like the atmosphere in this joint. And, the peppermint tea. And, they have some cool artwork. And...ok, ok, I will put a lid on it. I think what I like more than the coffee at this place is the location. It's nestled in between warehouses and an antique warehouse and it sits below one of the many galleries in Fulton Market, Mars Gallery.
I like strolling over to Jupiter on a Saturday afternoon for a hot tea and poking my head in to the many galleries in this neck of the woods. I am not sure I would make the trek in from the 'burbs to have a coffee here, but because I live in this neighborhood, this place is my own private Idaho.
Word on the streets was that they were going to try and get a liquor license to serve beers and have some music. I would totally dig sitting out front with a bucket of beers in the summer listening to some up and coming indie musician strum his/her guitar.
Coffee or cerveza? I like 'em both and will visit again.
Eat here for lunch at least once a week, since it is close to work. Food is decent. Enjoy the Cuban and Jupiter sandwiches.
I love this place and go here several times a week. Best breakfast sandwiches ever! The espresso is delicious too, and everyone is very friendly. Plus, you can set up a tab, which makes it a true neighborhood joint.
simple secluded cafe, in a growing-hip place of the fulton market/river west area. currently, it is slightly out of the way from everything in the chicago social scene. nonetheless, it is a great place to stop before attending to the local art shows. the fulton market area is a beautiful, urban, rustic warehouse environment - very kitsch.
Happy Tea Hour 2 - 4 pm
Neighborhood: Bucktown
Daily specials
Neighborhood: The Loop
Neighborhood: West Loop
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Fulton Market
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: West Loop
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: West Loop
Category: Art Galleries
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