Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters

The pour over is to die for but very strong. Nice comfortable interior. Right off of route 31 and US 14 very convenient.

OMG this place is amazing! They make all their syrups from scratch and all their coffees taste AMAZING! Seriously, everything I’ve ever ordered tastes soooo good! Every time I drive up to the drive thru, the cashier/​baristas are so nice and friendly. The entire atmosphere is amazing, and I feel good knowing I’m not putting chemicals in my body, since everything is all natural! I personally love the Caramel Vanilla Latte :)

I understand that many people are fans of this coffee shop. After trying the coffee on five different occasions I have to say it’s not for me. The service was pleasant and the environment is spacious. My problem is I just don’t like the coffee. Coffee is a matter of personal opinion, personal taste. I love the coffee at Peets and I can enjoy the occasional Starbucks. What I taste here is tart and harsh to me. If you like it, that’s a good thing. It’s a nice place.

Boom shaka-​laka boom!
This is indeed what you will be shouting after taking the first dynamic sip of your perfectly brewed and expertly sweetened coffee.
This place is «too-​legit-​to-​quit». They roast their own beans, make their own syrups (insert record scratching noise here) yes, you read that right, MAKE THEIR OWN SYRUPS. Starbucks, you can EAT IT (or DRINK IT!!) Just kidding, I still love the ‘bucks. But I’d rather see independent chains make it. I’m an underdog kinda girl.
I ordered their very own Chai tea. They have their own tea blend to make it, which is pretty fan-​freaking-​tastic. My hubbay ordered one of their signature drinks, the 7^th Heaven. It is supposed to resemble a Snickers. Yummay!!!
There are plenty of places to sit and study or if you’re lucky there is a comfy couch to do some reading. The ambience is fun and inviting. Sizes of coffee come in Awake, Alert and Wired. Clever girl.
I will «consciously» make an effort to come back here.

4.75÷5
I ate nearby and saw on Google Maps that they roast their beans in-​house and that was enough to get me through their doors this past Saturday afternoon. The café was very open and bright upon walking in and you could see the roasting machine and GIANT bags of unroasted beans on the right. I thought that was very cool to showcase their product. I picked out a couple bags and was told they could make a pourover before I buy the bags. Awesome! There is an art form to a pourover and you could see that they really understood it. (Side note: as a courtesy, please only do this if they’re not swamped, pourovers take time, but well worth the wait).
As I was waiting for the pourover, the barista and I shared in detail about our types and styles of coffee. Some people (friends included) may call me a coffee snob, but that’s kind of rude to say about a person’s passion: p. The only reason I knocked off a quarter point is because they ran out of Vulcan de Fuego and only had it available in retail bags: I say that’s a pretty good sign of how good it is. The pourover on the Holiday Hangover was very bold and they weren’t kidding on the high octane. After I finished the cup of Holiday Hangover, I could feel my heart beating. I drink coffee on daily basis and this was too strong for me. I’m glad I took the baristas advice and picked the Mexico coffee.
I was thoroughly impressed with my experience and never imagined such an artisanal shop so far from the city. Their service is TOP NOTCH and coffee is fantastic. I’ll be stopping by every time I visit my parents up north.
Do they have Michelin standards for coffee shops? I’d give them a Michelin Cup if I could hahaha.

Been coming here for years never a bad cup. I often get my drink and drive past Starbucks and feel sorry for the people in the long line. They don’t know what they are missing!

I have never been so impressed with a coffee shop before. My boyfriend and I were eating over at Around the Clock, and I spotted this place while sitting down. I’m not a frequent flyer in Crystal Lake so I had never heard or seen Conscious Cup before. After our lunch, we decided to stroll over there and try it out. I got a caramel vanilla latte with an extra shot of espresso. The cashier and barista was kind enough to tell me that they already put 3 shots of espresso in the large, to which I replied, the more shots the better. It did take a little time for us to receive our coffee, but I believe they were busy in the drive thru, which is understandable. When they were preparing my cup, the barista jokingly sings, «shots shots shots shots!» It made me giggle — At least they’re having a good time! The coffee was simply fantastic, even with the 4 shots of espresso. It was smooth and it tasted so earthy; I absolutely loved it. It wasn’t scorching hot so I was able to dive right in; The temperature was literally perfect. I cannot wait until the next time I’m in Crystal Lake to stop by here again — I am SO impressed!

This place blows Starbucks away. Organic Milk options even the syrups for lattes are organic. So much healthier than chemical Starbucks. Prices similar

Absolutely love supporting small business and especially this coffee shop! They make their own syrups and the coffee is delicious. They add seasonal drinks that are far better than the competition. The seating is great — lots of space for small and big groups to get together. Also, love that they support other small businesses and artisans by showcasing their products in store.

I have had the chance to go here a few times. This place has a extremely welcoming staff, great coffee which is roasted in house, and a nice seating area. Not sure what more I could ask for from a coffee shop!

Been back about 7 times since this first visit and each time the coffee and service was worse too bad I really want this place to be my spot and support their vision.

In the last 6 months or so, they’ve started making their own flavoring syrups and expanded their selection of non-​beverages. SO FREAKING GOOD. Adding a star.

This is my home away from home. Mike Shipley, the owner, is a genius at staffing. They have had the most amazing compliment of baristas you could imagine. I love all those kids.
The coffee is great, the atmosphere remarkable. There is just something about this place that draws people together. It is the most eclectic mix of customers and staff you could put together and everyone gets to know everyone else and the most amazing conversations ensue.

Good coffee, great baked goods, cute inside but, I think, a very inconvinient and terrible location. I woulnt go out of my way to come here but if I lived near by I would definately becoem a regural.

Typically I look for the known thing when I’m in an unfamiliar locale, but with no Starbucks in close proximity, I tried Conscious. And I was not disappointed. Ordered my normal skim latte and it was excellent. Also had a blueberry lemon scone which tasted like it came straight from the oven. Yum! Good sized seating area with great music.

A few years ago, my friend brought me here and got the 7^th Heaven. I tried it and was like «I’d rather have starbucks!»
That was before I appreciated small business and fair trade coffee. Now, I only go here!
To be fair, I’ve only had the 7^th Heaven and the chai latte to drink. I am a creature of habit and always notice changes with flavor, but the drinks are consistently good.
Compared to the chai latte at Starbucks, this is not sickeningly sweet and more «real» tasting as far as chai goes. I love it. The 7^th heaven is an interestingly yummy blend of flavors, also not too sweet. I typically get soy milk, but I love that I can get organic milk here, something starbucks (at least not the one by me) does not offer.
Even though Conscious Cup does not make the GoBread, it’s great that they offer it because it’s delicious. I’ve also had their Bright Spot sandwich and it was good!
If you’re in a hurry, this might not be the best place, only because they take the time to actually make the drinks carefully. The wait time doesn’t bother me though. Any place that places an emphasis on health and is environmentally conscious (pun intended) is a great place in my book. I will always come here!

I was back home visiting my parents in Cary and wanted to get a decent cup of coffee as whatever my mom had was atrocious.
I typed ‘coffee’ into Unilocal and this place popped up. I hadn’t heard of it so I drove up there.
I got their bold/​dark roast. I’m not too much a coffee snob so I don’t drink crazy good/​flavorful coffee all the time, but this blew me away. The sign said some thing to the effect of «notes of cherry and toffee» and wouldn’t you believe it, it tasted exactly like coffee flavored cherry and toffee. It was quite possibly one of the most unique and best cups of coffee I’ve ever had. I can’t wait to go back next time I’m in town.
As I was on vacation (as we all know– vacation calories don’t count), I opted for the double or triple chocolate muffin as well. It was delicious and moist and pretty much everything you’d want out of a muffin consisting almost entirely of chocolate.
Go here. Spend $ 5. Be happy.

I am done with Starbucks. After experiencing the relaxed, friendly environment created by the staff — -Conscious Cup IS my go to for coffee in Crystal Lake.
Usually I get a black coffee, iced coffee or latte. CC introduced me to their Salted Caramel Latte made with organic milk. It is deliciously memorable. The flavors are much more vibrant and refined than competitors. During the course of the week, I have had 3 Salted Caramel Lattes and CC is the clear winner!
Give Conscious Cup a try!

Since my first review, I have been to Conscious Cup three more times. I’ve had a delicious macchiato, more great pourover, and a pretty good cappuccino.
Additionally, the owner read my original review here on Unilocal and acknowledged it with a message. He seemed to really appreciate my what I had to say. In fact, he invited me to a cupping at his shop! He showed me how much care really goes into making their coffee, and how much he really cares about the products that they serve.
I now see the reasoning behind some of the decisions he has made for his business. For example, I acknowledge that a true «artisan coffee shop» may not survive out here in the suburbs. More people want chocolate and whipped cream in their coffee than a simple pourover. So I have to say that this is a great coffee shop for the situation.
He specified that he didn’t want me to necessarily even update my review. He just wanted to show me some good customer service and get some more important feedback. The owner is a great guy on a mission to serve great coffee. I’ll keep coming back here every time I’m home! (And I’m going to check out Cook Street, his other coffee shop, as well.)

This.
Place.
Is.
The.
Business.
For realz.
Fair Trade Certified.
Environmentally Sustainable Coffees.
Ten Thousand Villages Handmade + Fair Trade Gifts.
Super Friendly Service.
The MOST Comfortable Space Ever.
The Coolest Local Artwork.
7^th Heaven — Iced Chocolate, Caramel, Macadamia Coffee
16, 20, and 24-​oz sizes.
Kushy Couches.
ALL THE (amazing) THINGS!
Can.Not.Get.Enough.Of.This.Place.
Crystal Lake… Conscious Cup… Imma be seeing a lot more of you.