YELP
"Stopped in for the first time yesterday, had a pour over and some food- was very impressed with the barista's technique and customer service skills.
These are the things that are important to me:
Great coffee, good prices, and knowledgeable, friendly staff. And comfortable seating, too. Istria exceeded my expectations. Definitely worth a visit."
MAUREEN S. 2/25/2011
"I took a road trip from Atlanta to Chicago-- ate at countless Man vs. Food / Top Chef places, a couple Mich. stars restaurants, and saw the main attractions the Midwest had to offer. But the first place I want to review now that I'm finally on Yelp is Istria Cafe.
The things I look for in a coffee shop are (in order): good coffee, enough places to sit, lighting, and service. I don't really care about service normally because in Houston, it seems like the snobbier you are, the better the coffee is... But this really isn't the case with Istria. Even though I quickly profiled the guy working the register to be a hipster / coffee snob, he, and the other baristas, turned out to be genuinely friendly. In fact, I found Istria to be one of those rare places where you feel leaving a dollar for tip would cheapen your human interaction with the barista.
Anyway, as others have said, the space is really nice. I think there will always be a place to sit, even if you have to be bumping elbows with a stranger. The coffee - mocha latte - is amazing. Really love the texture and the flavor. But the small size is quite large, the medium size is huge, and I didn't even bother to try with the large size. Prices are really reasonable.
This place is awesome. Five stars, for sure."
DAVID C. 1/9/2011
"This place is a Hyde Park gem. There's a neighborhood feel about this coffee shop that I adore. So, let me explain what I love about it. First, the drinks are tasty. The lattes are AMAZING; I highly suggest that you try one. Second, the paninis are delicious, and the gelato is unique and equally good (if not better). Third, I get some satisfaction in not supporting huge, impersonal, burnt-coffee shops like Starbucks. I know that my business matters... especially given that the 57th street location is closing / closed. Fourth, related to third, is the atmosphere. The music is perfect (Adele-like, most of the time), the staff is incredibly friendly, and it's usually pretty quiet. If you come here more than once you'll notice that there are tons of regulars that frequent the shop... people come back for a reason.
Now, there are a few caveats to the perfection. Don't go during University of Chicago finals week; the place is packed. The entrance door closest to the gelato takes forever to close sometimes when it's windy, so I usually avoid sitting near there. They have internet codes such that when you buy something you get a code; after you enter the code, you have an hour and a half of wifi. This doesn't bother me at all - this is the place I go when I need to get away from distractions (online) and get to work. Plus, when I do need the internet, after an hour and a half I'm usually in need of another drink anyway :)
For me, the wonderful parts of this place far outweigh the limitations. My only regret is that I didn't discover Istria sooner! Seriously, try this place. You will love it."
CHRISTINE M. 12/19/2010
"Coming from a student who spent time in Firenze, this place is definitely legit in terms of the authenticity of food/coffee/gelato. It's difficult to really nail gelato but Istria has it down pat. "
MICHAEL D. 7/11/2009
