Handsome Coffee Roasters

7/26/2013

I ordered an ice coffee at the unique show and (like many people) was denied the use of sugar.  My request was explained away as not needing sugar because of the superior roasting technique they use.  I bought a bag and an ice coffee for my wife.  Upon sampling my wife's coffee began realizing the scope of my mistake.  It was very bitter and cost $6 for a small cup.  When I woke up the next morning and opened up my bag of beans. It was bitter and light just as my wife's iced coffee...and it was $20.

It deserves to be said that the girls that helped me out were very polite and accommodating.  They even offered me a free cup with my bag of beans. If it weren't for the polite service, this would be at best a one star review.

Hipster coffee is all the rage now in Los Angeles (especially downtown) but I've noticed that despite using words like "notes" and "a hint of" to describe their own coffee it's all somewhat bitter and light roasted.  It's The Emperor's New Clothes.  I'll most likely never be cool enough to appreciate Damn Handsome Coffee for what they claim it is but the good news is the small mom and pop cafes in my neighborhood are in no danger of losing my business nor is Starbucks or Coffee Bean for that matter.

3/29/2014

I must admit that I was a bit disappointed that they didn't have any sugar, but their coffee doesn't need any!! I instantly fell in love with their coffee. It gave me a good kick and the taste was amazing. Definitely a good place to meet up with friends and have coffee. Downside not really a place to do work, no outlets. I will definitely be back.

3/31/2014

My favorite spot. I'm here a lot. Here are the reasons.

The staff is great. Great very nice people work behind the counter.

The brewed coffee is dialed in and tastes great. Two brews are provided at all times. Adventure and comfort. I usually go with the Adventure, it usually is a more robust complex of the two. Comfort is easy coffee drinking. The 5 ounce is my to go to drink aka a cappuccino. Milk quality is always excellent. And if Mike is working the bar you're going to get an exceptional cappuccino. The cold brew is solid.

The pastries are always great in the morning. Made local.

Every Tuesday at 3 they host free public coffee cupping (think coffee tasting) which are really informative and I've have learned a lot about coffee this way. It really helps me make decisions about what coffee I'm going to buy. And if you attend they'll give you two dollars off a bag. It's great they're not afraid to put out samples from other roasters (even when they're really good).

Yeah they don't provide sugar and only provide whole milk, but it is their approach to coffee and I respect that. The quality and care they put in shows.

The interior design is great. The stools are decent.

The view to their roasting facility is cool.

11/9/2013

Great iced coffee, great latte.

Super friendly baristas.

I was there once on a day they were filming in the cafe, & they invited us around back for free cappuccinos for the inconvenience. I thought that was nice.

I guess it's a little pricey? I don't know, I'm kind of used to the price of good coffee in LA so it doesn't bother me, but if I went there every day it would maybe be a little unmanageable.

3/2/2014

We visited Handsome Coffee Roasters on a Sunday afternoon in early March. HCR is a modern, comfortable space centered around the barista stand. HCR is obviously all about coffee...and so am I so that's OK. Before I get to the coffee, I just want to mention that it does look like they feature a variety of baked snacks to accompany your coffee/espresso though everything had been consumed except for two chocolate chip cookies when we arrived. My wife and I ate them. They were good. As for the coffee...

It is very good. We are cappuccino/latte drinkers. However, the HCR is a bit different. They feature brewed coffee and then "espresso and milk" in portions of 3, 4 of 5 oz of milk. Wanting to try their approach to espresso I asked for the 3 oz. The barista then informed that they call it a "1 and 1." Thinking to myself: "If you call it a 1 and 1 then why does it say 3 oz of milk + espresso on your menu?" Further, he then informed me that it's called a "1 and 1" because I will be presented with a shot of espresso in one cup and a macchiato in another. OK I thought...I'm game. This all seemed a bit trite but I'm a coffee snob and I like to try new things. My wife ordered a latte.

The barista team promptly brewed up our espresso and steamed the milk. Our drinks were beautifully presented. Now, I love espresso in pretty much all forms and about half the time I do like to cut it with a little bit of sugar in the raw. My wife always likes adding sugar to her latte. Upon searching for sugar I was informed by the (truly) friendly barista that "we don't provide sugar. Please try your drinks and let us know if you don't like them and we'll provide you with something else to your liking." Again, I like to try new things so fine. Please note that all of my favorite coffee shops are local roasters also so it's not like I'm comparing MCR to Dunkin Donuts. The espresso, the macchiato, and the latte were all excellent. Among the best espresso we have sampled. However, I have a sweet tooth and I love cutting the bitter taste of espresso with a hint of sugar. Is that sacrilegious? Perhaps. But this is actually the first time I've ever met an espresso bar that did not offer sugar. Frankly, I would have preferred having a bit of sweetness in my espresso drinks. I have to admit I am a little annoyed by not having the choice to add sugar to my espresso drink. I could, I suppose, provide my own but that's not really the spirit.

In summary HCR is an excellent roaster. If you love your coffee/espresso black you'll be impressed. Even if you don't I encourage you to sample the goods at HCR. I do like a little sugar and I would appreciate having the final say as to whether my espresso is better with or without sugar. For that, I have to take a few stars off. I am still partial to Intelligentsia but HCR is helping make LA the center of the American coffee scene these days and that is a good thing for coffee and a good thing for LA.

9/10/2013

Suffering from some serious Blue Bottle Coffee withdrawals, I scouted downtown Los Angeles for high quality coffee to fulfill my heavily-caffeinated fantasies.

Enter Handsome Coffee Roasters.

Yes, they have a very limited menu. Their iced espresso with milk is my poison of choice. It is pricey at $5 a cup, but quality will always come at a cost. Parking is quite limited but it never takes me that long to find a spot. And more importantly, they really do have handsome roasters ;)

7/16/2013

I had their iced coffee at UniqueLA and it was bitter, sour, and expensive.  :(

3/18/2013

Very Basic Coffee Place. If you are looking for a quadruple shot frappucino with a gang of crap non fat whipped whatever it is you are ordering.. DONT go here. If you are a minimalis and love the taste and smell of just pure coffee then this is the place for you!

Espresso w/ whole milk - The coffee tastes great and does not disappoint in flavor. The richness and wholesomeness of the coffee brings you to a nostalgic feel of waking up in the morning and smelling it for the first time. =D

They also have a great variety of coffee brewing equipment including chemex and the aeropress.

Overall - very nice vibe & great coffee

11/11/2013

Seriously the best espresso I have ever had.

Went there a couple times this past September when I was visiting LA.  I was skeptical at first because I almost always want sweetener in my coffee (they have no sweeteners of any kind in this place, only coffee or espresso, and organic whole milk. That's it!), but I gave it a try and got a couple shots of espresso with steamed milk and it was simply delicious. The espresso itself had a slightly sweet taste to it (so yum!) and the whole milk also tasted naturally sweet, so it was actually perfect for me.  

Also, staff was very friendly staff and nice atmosphere.

I really wish there was a place like this in Seattle, where I live. I would gladly pay the slightly elevated prices for a perfect espresso like Handsome's!  If anyone reading this knows where I can get espresso this perfect in Seattle, please let me know!

4/1/2014

The coffee is alright. There is no sweetener of any kind at this place. I am sorry to say this but handsome is very boring and blah.
Handsome needs more caffeine.

9/10/2013

Handsome Coffee Roaster serves up a delicious cup of coffee that's well balanced and enjoyable.  If you "like" coffee, this might not be your kind of place.  If you "love" coffee, this still might not be your kind of place.  But if you've ever taken 5 minutes to ask a roaster how much work goes into roasting and brewing a cup of coffee, you'll understand why Handsome Coffee Roasters doesn't carry sugar.  

They menu is very simple, limited to cold brew, lattes, and espressos for the most part.  I got an espresso shot along with a latte and spent 20 minutes enjoying it while watching the roasters do their work.   The staff is very knowledgeable about coffee and roasting and were very polite in answering my questions.  I even tried their cold brew which was strong but smooth at the same time.      

The only downside to this location is that parking can be a problem since it's primarily street parking.  Try their coffee black before you ask for sugar, you might actually like it.

4/21/2013

They are located on a corner, but overall is not very hard to find. Lots of street parking.

I have read about their company awhile back but never had the chance to visit until this past weekend.

With the sun streaming in from the outside heat, it was quite warm on the inside. Since there is limited seating, some of us opted to stand a bit away from the windows. The menu is very simple, 3 different cup sizes: 3 oz, 5 oz, 10 oz. The prices are on the outside of the door before heading in as well.

Selections are:
(iced) espresso
(iced) espresso w/ milk
(iced) coffee
(iced) coffee w/ milk

As others mentioned, no sweetener anywhere, which my friends and I are all okay with since we all take our coffee black or either with milk. I ordered the iced coffee with milk, due to the 85+ degrees outside since we had been walking around for a good hour or so. Liked the cleanness and the taste of the coffee. I do wish that I had decided to get the espresso but next time. Service was friendly, and also loved the minimalist design on the interior and exterior. There were no food trucks parked out front when we were there but if there were, it would be most definitely an added bonus!

11/20/2012

I'm so impressed with the coffee from here. I came here because I was looking for coffee that's single-origin and wet-processed. Why does this matter? I'm starting to bulletproof my coffee.

When I asked about the beans, they were able to tell me where it came from and how the beans were treated before getting to their store. Awesome. Did I sound like a dickish coffee snob for asking? I bet.

I purchased a 12 oz bag of El Meridiano for $19. Yeah, that's steep. You can ask for them to grind the beans for you at the store. This is great as I don't have a grinder at home.

This morning I made my first cup. Amazing. This is the kind of coffee that you don't have to add anything to it to mask how gross it is. Alone, it's smooth and not bitter. I'll be coming back here for sure.

6/8/2014 Updated review

Now that I'm all moved in to my condo, I made a point of skating down to HCR for another visit.  I've upgraded them to 4 stars because the customer service continues to be excellent, and they now offer sugar in the raw!  

I don't consider myself a hipster, but really like this place.  Its offerings are simple, like European cafes.  Having just returned from across the pond, I better appreciate how much variety we have in America.  HCR keeps it simple - from its decor to its menu.

Why not 5 stars: not conducive to reading for long periods of time

1/12/2014

Coffee. That's what they have. And some milk - not necessarily above room temperature.  And some weird handbags.  No tea. No decaf. No wifi and minimalist decor, as in no where to sit.  Just small pricey cups of house roast espresso, and room temperature steamed milk - all foam.  And don't ask for sugar.  Everyone in the place gets silent and stares at you like you are the biggest jackass alive.  But everyone is really cool, especially the clientele. And don't let anyone see you parking, they will sneer that you don't live around the corner.

10/14/2013

coffee shops are all about ambience and the coffee itself of course.  clean, sleek, open.  check.  

as for the coffee, it was a tad pricey, but i appreciated the streamlined approach to ordering and paying.  and the simplicity of the menu.

4/7/2014

They take their coffee seriously, and it shows! If you're a real coffee lover, you'll love this place.

12/19/2012

Ambiance:
The neighborhood is up and coming. The people are bright & cheery. They bar type seating is open and clean. There are large windows and even a view of an Italian fabric place that makes me think, maybe we could be in Italy. But alas, we're not! We are, however in the arts district of LA, which is seriously getting cooler, every day. There are new options for housing, eating, and of course, imbibing. Not only alcohol, really I'd say the biggest influence on the area is the cafe and coffee house. Here, we have a roaster. And while it doesn't approach the warmth of roasters in the northwest, it does provide a definite coolness factor.

The staff:
Clear, focused, determined. Am I writing their résumé? Anyway, the woman who helped me with my choices was interested in explaining why they do the 1 & 1. Though I'd say it cools too quickly.

The coffee:
Espresso and espresso & milk: 1&1: good flavor 4.5*, unique roasts, definitely something uncommon in the area and they have trophies to prove that. However, the method is rather overbearing, and yet it leaves me wanting more. Price may be a detractor.
Coffee: Honduras: good, slight acid & fruit. You can tell that they have a tendency to showcase their complex flavors. I'm not disliking it in the least. I say go for it if you've got it. The showpiece of a roasting monster in the back is nice behind glass. And they definitely seem to work hard in production.
I'd say they need to remove pastries from the information of most artisanal coffee places, because it yields very little, unless they have a pop up like they did tonight with an itty bitty farmers market. Odd, not what I'd be attracted to, but I don't live in downtown. If I did, I might come. Wednesdays for it.

I would come back, though I think I'd want to try other espresso roasts. The cost of coffee, not the espresso, concerns me at $4 a cup. I'd not order that again, no matter how good it was. It is not the average Joe's cup of Joe. I definitely didn't feel rushed, but also did not feel that it would accommodate me if I'd like to study or work.

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  Pop up event

  Pop up event
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  External shot

  External shot
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  Espresso + milk 1

  Espresso + milk 1
• See all photos from Eli S. for Handsome Coffee Roasters

10/12/2013

Handsome "respectfully declines any modification requests". They want you to have your coffee the way they deem best. If you're a coffee lover, who wants to taste the product the way the product's creator intended, this is a great thing. If you've got dietary restrictions and/or preferences regarding milk, you're going to lose out. I enjoyed my latte. It doesn't beat our Intelligentsia for me, but it was a solid beverage.

2/23/2014

I like this place because they roast their coffee in house and not many places do that.  I asked them questions about their roasting because I've never seen a place that roasts and serves their coffee.  They gave a lot of great info and were really helpful.  Great experience and great coffee.  They tend to roast their coffee on the lighter side in order to bring out the natural flavor of the coffee.  They good a great job and have a great product.

6/16/2013

On my first and last visit there I was told " you have not been drinking your coffee correctly in the past... we make our coffee the way it is supposed to be done" by the smiling uptight barista with the aggressive mustache.

If I had had not been with friends who had already ordered I would have just left.

'With Pretension'  is apparently the way coffee should be served? No thank you

2/20/2014

This review would get three stars (nothing special but not bad) but gets two due to customer service. I ordered beans online that shipped stale and produced very little crema if any at all. When I reached out, there was no attempt to assist and problem solve. I was simply told they sell quality product, it's not possible that stale coffee would be shipped, and to come into the store to watch them make coffee and buy more. I'm not likely to order more as it doesn't appear they guarantee the quality of their beans.

9/25/2013

They have a very limited menu and a cup of coffee costs $4.
It costs you a kidney to get a cup of coffee.
But that said, I love the set up and I love the simplicity of this place.  
The baristas are really nice, the long communal tables are great for community and the bathrooms are really clean.

3/22/2014

If you enjoy dining with a bunch of too cool for school downtown hipsters, and unsweetened coffee, this is your place.

Also, there is a huge pile of $1.00 bills (no coins) in a jar next to the cashier, and of course the first option on the ipad paying system is "how much do you want to tip" - I didn't realize that standing in line and carrying my own coffee to a stool, and then clearing it was worthy of a 25 percent tip - silly me!

As for the quality of the coffee - it may well have been great, but I don't enjoy coffee without sugar.  Caveat Emptor!

3/12/2014

If you want to visit a coffee shop in the middle of a still transitioning downtown with limited seating, come here. The coffee isn't as great as Stumptown, but that's just me. The staff are super nice and the logo is cute. If you're around the Arts District, stop by here for a coffee.

6/27/2013

I am so being biased right now because the handsome men behind Handsome Coffee are so drool-worthy handsome.

Here's an unverifiable timeline of ridiculous (and may I add overpriced) food crazes:

2005: The Cupcake Conquistador - Sprinkles opens its doors and Americans, especially Angelenos become a little fatter and one step closer to diabetes

2007: The Intelligenstia-Intelligenstia Coffee opens in Silverlake and makes it okay for coffee "roasters" to charge $4 a cup

2009: The Macaroon Miracle-Bottega Louie opens and well, this ridiculous round shaped thing called a macaroon starts denting wallets everywhere.

2011-Present: Americans became lazy to chew on fruits and veggies so began the era of Juicing. Pressed Juicery takes over and now millions of tumblr bloggers are reblogging images of white girls holding a plastic bottle

June 2013-THE CRONUT™

Somewhere in this timeline there is also the craze of craft beers taking over (what's Budweiser?) and I dunno what else bullshit

But the lesson here is that everything has a market! People will pay $4 for a cupcake.  People will pay $2.50 for a macaroon. People will pay $10 for a pint of beer. People will pay $8 for juice. You best believe people will pay $4 for coffee even when there's no milk or sugar laying around.

Smh.

5/5/2014

This is my favorite cup of coffee period, the Espresso + milk is incredible. I've had a few of their pastries aswell and they always compliment the coffee perfectly. Super chill spot and the staff is great.

6/19/2013

I think it's the average coffee shop whose coffee itself is OK but not better than Urth or Starbucks. The staff was awesome; the coffee was good...but no wi-fi. Its industrial decor matches the district warehouses, but this should be much better for its own innovation.
Also, it gets really, really hot late afternoon.

8/7/2013

I like to sample out different coffee shops and Handsome definitely stands out. I don't have much knowledge of coffee so I can't speak much regarding the flavor but I have tried their iced coffee black, and I must say it's the first time I enjoyed an acidic coffee with fruity notes.

Handsome stands out, because as other reviewers said, they are "purists" (?). They're the coffee shop that doesn't cater to the consumer, but instead has what it has to offer and if you're willing you take it or you don't. They don't even have a menu. It's either an espresso shot, or an espresso+milk 3, 5, or 10oz. cup. I like that they seem to be passionate about the coffee itself and want to share what I'm guessing is their version of coffee to the world instead of having people just stay in their comfort zone and get the coffee they individually like at different coffee shops - no judgment whatsoever. But by having such a limited choice of drinks, I feel that they definitely challenge the average coffee consumer, and I must respect that.

Had I more knowledge of coffee I would probably be a fairer judge with regards to their taste & quality but I can only say that I did enjoy their black iced coffee and noticed that it was acidic (though neither overwhelmingly nor sour) and fruity with cherry notes(?). Definitely enjoyable, though at $4.00 a cup, it leaves me reassessing my spending judgments more than the actual taste of the coffee.

8/16/2013

I really just have to laugh at people complaining about no sugar and nothing fancy. This place is good, they know they're good, and you shouldn't come here if you don't like what's on their menu, not complainingg about it on Yelp. It's not going to change, and the people who are fans, coffee lovers, won't want it to change.

On to the actual review:

I work as a barista at a shitty chain (won't name names) and after making coffee and drinking coffee all day, my coworker dragged me to this place. I was a bit apprehensive about drinking coffee with no sugar, since I don't like milk in mine. I got their iced coffee. It was delicious. It didn't need anything.

Again, if you can't handle coffee, don't come to a coffee place like this. You're not going to get blended ice drinks to drown out the flavor of coffee, you're going to get COFFEE.

Some people~

7/27/2013

La Marzocco, friendly staff, inviting atmosphere, hint of pretentiousness, severely off-balance coffee.

A bit of the shame really, everything seemed so promising until you take a sip of the espresso.  If I must come agian, I'd opt for latte instead to offset the acidity of their roast.  

I hope they can focus on producing good coffee rather than just a place that looks hip on Instagram. Until then, this is a space for people who care more about looks than tastes.

1/23/2012

Very good beans!  Great roast!
I had their expresso pulled by the baristas at demitasse in little Tokyo  and thought "wow. This is very good". I'll be paying them a visit when they open in February. I can't wait to enjoy it from the source.

UPDATE!
FEBRUARY 2012 (2-26-2012)
I just had a few cups of their coffee! Wow very very nice!

Tyler and the boys really took care of me and made me feel right at home. You need to pay these guys a visit. Purest at heart but damn that is some nice HANDSOME coffee.

I will be coming back for more and more.

Thank you for opening up in LOST Angeles!

10/23/2013

Simply the best possible!
This is a total hipster joint fa-sho.
But you can not find better coffee anywhere in the world.
This place has a special magic to it. The kind of magic the only coffee could produce.

6/27/2013

It's pretty good coffee.

So if it's pretty close to where you live... and you like your pretty good coffee black... with a pretty good dose of attitude... then there is a pretty good chance you might think this place is pretty good.

4/20/2014

I stop by here every time I'm in LA and I love it. It's just the right atmosphere to enjoy your espresso and head out. I mean, espresso is supposed the enjoyed within 2-3 minutes so the bar style seating is perfect. The back room roasting just kills this place with amazing aromas, it's intoxicating! The actual coffee is amazing, totally worth it :)

12/31/2012

Not sure why there's so many negative feedback. Seems like most complaints are about the price of the coffee? Dude, we live in LA where everything is overpriced. Expect to pay $4 for a small cup of coffee, end of story. If you want shitty coffee, go to 7 Eleven and pay $2, you cheapass.

Anyway, I love the decor of this space. It's spacious, lot of communal table seating, and they might not have the best view outside, it's peaceful because it's tucked away in the industrial part of downtown LA.
I got the 5oz cup of espresso with milk. The 10oz was the same cost but I didn't want too much milk and everyone has preferences on the amount of milk. I loved the coffee. It was dark and not overpoweringly sweet. I really didn't need to anything to the espresso.

Find parking on the street because it's plentiful. Also, yes, you will find a ton of hipsters in the coffee shop. Don't be afraid and no one will judge you, lol.

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  5oz espresso with milk

  5oz espresso with milk

6/17/2013

Coffee is good, and I like their philosophy that coffee should be served in the most simple and original way. However, they had a fly issue in their pastry box. The fly has been trapped there for a while and kissed most of the pastries. I pointed that out for the barista, they let the fly out and continued to sell the pastries. Not cool.

10/20/2013

Absolutely amazing coffee, beautiful space in downtown la, only drawback I've found is their hours (not open past 6 any day of the week), besides that it's my fav coffee spot in Los Angeles.  Baristas are very friendly and will give their rec's of which coffees to take home

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  Cappuccino

  Cappuccino

3/7/2013

Want to see something good-lookin'? No, no. Don't look at me first. I know that's your first instinct. But let me first introduce you to Handsome Coffee Roasters, where you can sip yourself some Handsome in every cup! Delicious freshly roasted coffee ONLY served as shots, regular coffee, or with steamed WHOLE organic milk. Very simple menu, very well-roasted and aromatic coffee, very delicious. The baristas are also rather knowledgeable about their coffee. It reminds me of Portola Coffee Lab in Orange County but with their own twist.

The location is so random, it's almost hipster. I heard that they have local vendors come around on some weekends and have a little farmers market there. LOVE!

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  Coffee #2 of the day

  Coffee #2 of the day
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  Missed this!

  Missed this!
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  2 lattes in a day...and here I was trying to conserve water in my body.

  2 lattes in a day...and here I was trying to conserve water in my body.
• See all photos from Shirley H. for Handsome Coffee Roasters

5/8/2013

I should preface this by saying that I live for coffee-- to me, its an elixir of consciousness and one of the most profoundly beautiful flavors in the universe...

I recently found myself downtown with my brother and decided to try the infamous handsome coffee roasters because I had been hearing so many great things. Long story short-- the baristas were nice, the coffee was fine... but I found it to be really nothing special, even a bit too acidic... and over priced for what I tasted.

Their approach to simply not serve sugar or half and half because they didn't feel their espresso/coffee needed it-- was cheap and came across as arrogant and pretentious. Its true that one of the best ways to enjoy coffee is in its purest form-- but found their need to make the decision for customers really obnoxious.

My brother enjoys his coffee with a bit of sugar and I didn't like seeing him feel awkward about not being able to sweeten his $4 cup. After taking a sip of the coffee they sold him, he still deeply missed the sugar and if anything longed for it all the more. There was no gastronomic revelation.

I won't be returning because its out of the way and not memorable, and carries the traces of the usual annoying hipster hoop la.