Handsome Coffee Roasters

3/6/2012

Very hipster-y, but if you're willing to go along with the industrial decor, the DMZ neighborhood, the four-item menu, and the barista's handlebar mustache, they do make good espresso.

I had a double shot of the "Mpito" (the only beans that day) in 5 ounces of whole milk (no skim here, or sugar or anything else for that matter) and it was amazing, coming from Starbucks it's sortof a revelation.  $5 was a fair price for the total gestalt of the thing and I will get it again, but it does make it feel like a once-in-a-while luxury as opposed to a chill come-when-you-want-to-hangout sort of experience.

The place is austere and a little authoritarian, in the sense that they're confident they know exactly what they want to give you and you should have it, come only for the coffee and get out.  It felt a lot like a trendy wine bar that didn't sell wine.  The interior lacks any upholstered furniture or anything like cozy seating -- a couple long bars and a long table on the side is it.  There were about seven other people in the place when I was there at 10AM and four of them had their eyes planted in their laptops at the bar facing the machines, one sat alone at the bar at the window, and a man and woman, dressed professionally, sat at the long table discussing the ad revenues on the Hudsucker account or some such godforsaken thing.  Warm, this place was not. I stayed for 20 minutes to sip my amazing latte, and without a laptop I felt out of place; I counted my blessings that I hadn't accidentally shaved my sideburns off that morning, otherwise I doubt they would've even let me in the door (kidding, only a little).

The service was actually courteous and excellent, I walked in the door and the girl at the head of the counter asked if it was my first time there and guided me through the options.

I was disappointed because I live around here and I'm looking for an everyday cup of joe place, like the Conservatory in Culver City.  However, Handsome is, like the Urth up the street, at best a once- or twice- a week sorta gig.

3/18/2012

$4 for a cup of bland, under-dosed, batch brewed drip?  No thanks...I'll take my money and my coffee-loving taste buds elsewhere.

5/3/2012

These guys are SUGAR Nazi's !!!!! Who charges 4$ for a cup of coffee and gives you no SUGAR?????  That's like going to a deli and being told there is no mustard or mayonnaise for your sandwich or to an Italian restaurant and being told there is no meatballs for your Spaghetti.  I've never felt so ripped off and scammed in my life, your hipster coffee sucks without sugar!!!!!  Do not go here if you enjoy putting sugar in your coffee.

8/30/2012

really good, but no sugar or sweeteners of any kind.

3/8/2012

Quick trip to LA and I was very excited to try Handsome. Before they opened I had ordered 3 bags of their 12oz beans which I found hit or miss, but I was chalking that up to my bad home preparation. I was unfortunately very disappointed in the store experience. Maybe part of it is that there was soooooooooo much build up to the opening that it was inevitable there would be a slight letdown? I found the ordering process confusing. The staff was very friendly which saved them from a one star review. I was extremely turned off by the price. In fact I found it insulting, especially given my espresso + milk was luke warm. The espresso had a sourness to it that showed through in the milk badly. I usually never put sugar in my drink but I would have this time, but they don't carry sugar. I feel like I just wasted nearly $7 for drink and tip and didnt enjoy the experience in the slightest. Its their business and they can run how they see fit, but when you start taking away so many choices from customers you are giving people a reason to not come back. I vaguely remember reading about the limited milk choices and sweetener choices but it feels like a slap in the face when you are actually there. To me thats the opposite of hospitality. With the hassle of getting to this location I don't honestly know if I would make the trek again. They are at least not giving me much reason to! They have to be careful because it looks like they spent A LOT of money on this place and if they continue to underwhelm it could be costly. Good luck.

4/14/2012

I am all about supporting local merchants, so I was quite excited to try Handsome Coffee. Although I had already received mixed reviews from my downtown friends (they all said very rude service) I wanted to try it for myself.  The coffee is so/so, the employees are beyond rude and it's very over priced. The employees think they are coffee snobs, but they're more like jerks.  For the same prices you can get better quality coffee at LAMILL or  Intelligentsia...And there is always the very friendly Urth café walking distance away.

3/26/2012

I may be a bit bias since I prefer pretentious coffee shops over commercial chains.  As long as my espresso is strong and the milk perfectly frothed, I can tolerate a colder atmosphere and aloof baristas. The coffee is pricey ($3-5 depending on size and milk), but Handsome Coffee Roasters does provide deliciously smooth coffee and espresso.  I ordered a 10oz cap on Saturday around 4:30pm which was delicious and satisfying.  There were only two other customers ahead of me but the wait was longer than anticipated (total time was about 15 mins) which can feel like an eternity if you already feel self-conscious that you're not hip enough to be there.  The decor inside is very cool-- minimal and industrial -- but when the sun starts coming down, the shop gets very hot since there are no window shades (or AC from what I can tell).  But the place has plenty of seating which is great for readers and laptop users.  I'd definitely come back if I'm in the area.

4/26/2012

I respect a business that stands behind their product and "recommends" the ideal manner of consumption, but I do not respect a business that mandates it.  What happened to the customer knows best?  No sugar or creamer alternatives?  Come on!  I hope they are still around in a year and not quite so arrogant such that when I come back, I can add some sugar to my coffee!

2/27/2012

amazing coffee and friendly, good looking people everywhere.