Best Cafes in Chicago | Dark Matter Coffee The Star Lounge

Coffee shop meets funky lounge at Dark Matter - The Star Lounge

There I was, stuck in traffic, just over one hour to go 21 miles. Eventually, I made my way to The Mothership. I circled the block twice to capture a parking spot that I held some confidence in - getting towed in Chicago is the worst. I get myself and my belongings out of the car and head towards the door. I opened the door and realized my mistake. I went to the wrong Dark Matter.

You see, I did so much research to find the right spot that I overlooked the fact that not all Dark Matter coffee shops have seating. In order to not make it awkward I ordered the drink that I had made the trek for. The Agave Latte.

Then, I left.

I sat in the car to figure out what I was going to do. It was late afternoon by the time I arrived. I recalled during my search that there were many Dark Matter spots around the city, and I remembered some were close together. Could I get lucky?

Yes. I could! Four blocks away, in fact. I headed that way.

After another couple of trips around the block, I was able to lock in another parking spot. My luck was starting to turn around. Let’s go inside.

Process

If you’re headed to the Mothership, you are likely going to be just swinging through to grab a quick cup and heading out. Walk straight ahead and order at the register. The lids, creamers, and sweetener options are at the coffee bar table near the front door. I did really like that they had a simple syrup as a sweetener option as well as the normal ones.

The Star Lounge process is also simple. Walk in and head to the middle of the incredibly long counter. Their menus are arranged on the counter in front of the POS itself.

Coffee and Treats

During my brief stop at the Mothership, I grabbed an Agave Latte. It was great. I think it’s the only coffee that I have seen on a menu that includes agave. It features chocolate and cinnamon as well, and the flavors blend so well together that you must simply try one to experience it. It also won’t blow out your taste buds like a super sweet mocha, for example. The Agave Latte was so subtle and so smooth that I nearly ordered another one when I made my way to the Star Lounge.

Once at the Star Lounge, I decided to go with the Cortado. The Unicorn Blood espresso shines here as it blends beautifully with the steamed milk. A very clean cup of coffee. The apple fritter was awesome too. I was a little bit skeptical as it was later in the afternoon, sometimes these pastries don’t hold up. I was pleasantly surprised. The flavor was great, and it was still soft with a nice bit of chew.

Seating

If you are headed in by yourself or maybe one other person, then the tables you will likely prefer are at the front of the shop and next to the windows. These two small tables flank the front door, neatly tucked into the corners. There are eight more tables in the back half of the coffee shop. There is also a courtyard out the back door with seating in the warmer months.

Where’s the lounge in Star Lounge, you may ask? Follow the stairs next to the front door. You will find yourself in between a couple of different rooms. Each of these rooms has a couple of different options for comfy chairs. Feel free to grab a couple of cue sticks and set up a friendly game of billiards while you’re up there - the leopard print felt is absolutely awesome!

Atmosphere

Walking in the front door you can’t help but know that you are in a Dark Matter operation. The artwork is consistent throughout their cafes, Dark Matter merch lines the shelves, along with their beautifully designed bags of coffee.

There is no mistaking you’re in Humboldt Park here, it’s inscribed on the bar, the letters stretching 20 feet across. A very cool touch. The disco balls above the front two tables near the door tie in with the mirrors behind the counter.

Blue, red, and yellow neon signs are hung throughout and the music pulls everything together. Who was playing when I was in? Moontype. How fitting?! Although I opted for the more laptop-friendly tables on the lower level, I could see the major appeal of the lounge itself upstairs.

If you’ve got friends, it would be a super cool place to hang out after work.

Service

The service at The Mothership is exactly as you would expect as the place is designed for you to get in and get out. That being said, I was impressed with the gentleman at The Star Lounge.

I’ve always believed the experience starts when the customer walks in the door. I believe customers should be greeted immediately always so they feel seen. The dude at The Star Lounge did a great job with not only that but was super helpful every step of the way.

He could tell I hadn’t been in before, he pointed me towards the menus on the counter. He gave me time to look them over and ultimately decide.

Once again those pastries caught my eye, I asked about a specific one and he was happy to cover the options.

Awesome.

Summary

Upon entering the Star Lounge extension of Dark Matter, it was obvious this was where I was supposed to be. The design speaks to me: a small, funky shop with no frills. I love a good industrial modern vibe many days, but sometimes you just feel something a little more exciting, you know?

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