Handsome Coffee Roasters

4/21/2014

You gotta be kidding me. I'm not a big fan of, nor an I an advocate for sugar, but they provide NO sweeteners here. Not even upon request. They suggested that most people who come here don't mind. Ha, right. Other customers probably just carry around their own sweeteners, which is what I usually do (thanks Starbucks for all the raw sugar packets).  And to think I left home today without the liquid Stevia.  

Handsome wants to tell ME how I should be enjoying my coffee?!

Blue Bottle just bought 'em. Blue Bottle never tried to push an anti sugar agenda on me.

6/11/2014

Expected a madhouse from all the buzz I seem to hear about it. So pleased it was completely chill in a great quiet corner of downtown even during a weekend afternoon.

Americano was perfect black. No unnecessary extra anything.

Kindest baristas ever amidst all the pricey cafes around.

Looking forward to making it a regular spot.

12/28/2013

Welcome to hipster central.

Good coffee, kinda boug. Ideal for coffee snobs. Menu is simple. Ordered an iced coffee for $4 and I was satisfied. The modern, industrial-esque feel of this place gives it a chill ambiance. There's a few tables and seats inside and out.

12/26/2013

3.5 stars.

Parking--easy on a Sunday afternoon.
Location--super cool! Love the graffiti outside. Walter White even showed up there on the mural.

Cool building, even cooler people inside. That fashion is nothing I could ever touch. 25 year olds dressed like 85 year olds....so cool, I guess?

The service is not exactly cold, but has the air of "you are lucky I am giving you coffee right now," or that they would rather you not be there. I got over it because they're supposed to pull some mean shots.

Prices are a litttlee steep, particularly for their apparel. You could easily get anything else anywhere else for considerably cheaper. Example: Aeropress in leather bag $325. Aeropresses are maybe $30, and that bag....i doubt it is $295. But maybe I am way wrong. Maybe.

The inside is decorated nicely, and I would enjoy spending time here admiring their beautiful Probat and their cool tables and whatnot, but the seating is more bar-style and a communal long table so it isn't really a place that I would feel welcomed to hang out in.

But when it comes down to it---they pull a mean shot of espresso. Good crema, even extraction, good color on a medium roast with a good profile.

I would come back like an addict trying to quit, because the place is not as friendly as I am used to, but their espresso is a rare find!

7/23/2014

I have had their beans and coffee. Good stuff! BluBottle takes over and them Verve steps in the area. WTFroth?!

I don't know why Stumptown gets mentioned with the reviews here. They don't come close to even the top 10 roaster/pullers of goldenjava.Its Ok, but Redbird can even top Stump! If I don't get to DT for Verve, I know Cielo is dishing 49 Parallel. Good stuff!
If you haven't surfed the grind, you don't know the bean potential.

6/9/2014

I stopped by Handsome Coffee Roasters to pick up an iced cold brew. I thought the coffee was just okay, especially for $4. Cool, open space located in Arts District. I think they are getting replaced by Blue Bottle though so won't be around for much longer!

7/8/2014

The New Orleans cold brew is D-LISH-US. No sugar needed. A little bit of milk made it the smoothest latte I've had yet. Great aesthetic and the staff was pleasant. Across from Zinc and some good competition. Loved it. Only 2 downfalls, no WIFI and 1 outlet that the baristas use. I guess it cool to not be all about using your laptop but it's a good location for writers.

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  New Orleans cold brew latte

  New Orleans cold brew latte

6/28/2014

Great coffee spot!  Got here early, 7:30a, and ended up staying until about 9a.  Just sitting at the bar, chatting with the baristas and other folks who came wandering in.  I'm NYC-based, not LA, but I was impressed with the laid-back attitude everyone coming in seemed to have.  There was never any rush, the whole place felt very chill.  The whole neighborhood, in fact.  Maybe because it was a Monday morning.

Anyways, the coffee's the point.  And I really enjoyed it.  The two roasts they have were distinct and both delicious in their own ways.  I stuck with the darker roast but was given a taste of the lighter from Mike.

Tasty pastries, they looked very similar to the fare available at La Colombe here in NY.

Overall, a great place to stay a while, though fair warning: no comfy chairs...

5/13/2014 Updated review

Having moved my working life into the neighborhood, I decided to give them another try.
Still hate the cow milk only policy, but current staff have been nothing but lovely, sweet and genuinely human, interesting and funny.
This place has won me over.
Now if only I could see soy milk on the agenda.

2/16/2014

Made the trek out to East Downtown to visit HCR for the first time.  Heard glowing things about it from all over various social media, and the praise was unanimous.  As a pretty regular espresso drinker AND maker (Currently using a Pasquini Livia 90 + a Baratza Vario). I'm really happy with the way the quality coffee movement has hit LA in recent years.   I started to drink espresso when I lived in europe (2007), and since then have "graduated" through 4 different espresso machines, each better than the last, with some improvements in my palate + technique over this time.  It's a beautiful hobby, and it's such a challenge to get that impossibly perfect shot.  All one can really do is get close, and doing so with regularity is where coffee shops with this type of hype and prices MUST get to.

Handsome Coffee did not.

I walked in, scanned the menu.  Cute. "Espresso and Milk".  Some are intrigued by this, but this is basically the recipe for all milk drinks throughout the land.  However, when I asked for a Macchiato, the server said "our Macchiato is different, we serve it in two cups, because there isn't enough room on top of the espresso."  On NO planet is a Macchiato ever anything more than a tiny bit of milk/foam on top of the espresso.  But hey, i'm totally fine with them doing things different, IF the product, the SOUL of the drink, is good.

The sharply dressed guy wearing an expertly embroidered apron makes my espresso...I knew how it would taste the second I looked at it.    For one, the yield was well over 2 ounces, and it reached the brim of the cup.  I didn't (couldn't) watch the extraction, but my guess is that these guys timed the shot as you should, with no regard for what the yield would be.  What happens is, if the grind is not set right (in this case too coarse) and you run the shot for a preset amount of time, the coffee will under-extract, and you're left with a watery $3 bland-as-can-be over-hyped super disappointing fallacy of a cup.  A better espresso bar would have seen that "hey, we charged $3 for that, we can't serve it like this" thrown it out, adjusted the grind, and made a new shot.  I've seen it done at several places.

"But it was just one shot, Aram!" you say.  NO.  The beautiful facade of the shop.  The pretentiously simple menu.  The lack of dairy alternatives. The expertly fitted and tied aprons.  No sugar.  The location.  The decor.  The hype.  The name.  All these things loudly SCREAM:  "We make the best damn espresso you've ever had in your life."

But they don't, it's a scam, a front.  Open your eyes and palates!  Espresso can be a beautiful thing, but this place is a sad, sad example of style WAY before substance.

3/28/2014

Yes, no sugar!
No caramel, no vanilla, no whip...
Because it doesn't need any.  

Instead you get handcrafted coffee with Clover organic milk that is perfectly warm (not extra-scalding your mouth and scorching the milk to a sour mess-hot).

Pure. Good. Coffee.

5/29/2014

One of the top roasters out there. Consistently bringing the highest quality sourced beans and roasting techniques to the table.

The place itself is very cool. It is somewhat pretentious and you might feel uncomfortable if you're not a hipster. The people have always seemed nice to me though.

They don't have sugar which is lame. I don't use sugar but I don't care if someone else does. Compared to a more relaxed place I feel like I'm "going out" when I go here. Like prepare to be judged/looked at/part of scene. Sometimes I'm not into that.

The coffee itself can hands down go toe to toe with any of the highest quality roasters out there so it gets 5 stars.

Blue bottle has acquired them so things might change. We will see.

11/4/2013

And handsome they are!

Being on #teamcaffeine, I was recommended by numerous of my social network buds to give this place a go. I finally found an excuse to come out to this part of town  to experience the experience.

Verdict?

I love this place. Everything from the simplistic menu, the interior decor of an industrial chic space, to the baristas that run the joint. They were quite friendly and informative since I had mentioned that it was my first time there.

I love the menu. Simple and straight to the point. It's espresso or espresso and milk. You can choose whether you want it hot or cold and they have cold brew that's ready to go. It doesn't get anymore straight forward than that. The aroma and taste of their coffee is beautiful and a tough contender to Stumptown and Intelligentsia.

The only down side that some people complain about is the nondairy option. Listen, I'm lactose intolerant myself... but I'll still take the high road and have my espresso with milk. It even says so on the sign that hangs over the counter... "We do things differently here". That should be a clear sign that there's a possibility that they may not cater to your needs. Get over it and make your way to the nearest Starbucks because let's keep it real, the only reason why you're here isn't because you love coffee, it's because it's "hipster" and you wish to feel a sense of belonging to an elite level of exclusiveness.

WORD OF ADVICE: They don't have nondairy options here -___- ....... like I really needed to mention that again.

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  iced latte

  iced latte
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  interior space

  interior space
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  handsome institute

  handsome institute
• See all photos from Mike D. for Handsome Coffee Roasters

4/13/2014

The building and the atmosphere is awesome! Very chill and relax, hip spot to just hang out for a bit  but the coffee is pricey and not the best , also there is no sugar in the coffee and none is available and the parking zone is limited

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  Front view , nice coffee shop

  Front view , nice coffee shop

1/14/2013

Worth the hype? Eh, I have mixed reviews.
//  If you're into acidy/fruity drip coffee or espresso this might be your place. Being into neither, I opted for an espresso with milk (10oz - $5!) And I must say it was pretty damn tasty and I can agree with everyone when I say it doesn't need sugar.
// No this place doesn't carry sugar, so don't ask - don't worry - ya don't need it.

The decor kicks ass, and I want one of these fancy denim aprons they wear. The quality is on point and they roast their own coffee which you can see in the back (glass windows everywhere!) The staff is like most LA "hip" coffee shops, not interested in you unless you're a regular or their bffs.

Would I suggest this place? Yes. Would I come back? In the chance I was around maybe. I honestly prefere french press bold coffee from Urth... but thats just me.

Yes the Eggslut truck was outside too. Did I try it? Oh I wish, that shit looked amazing. And most people get something from the truck and bring it inside HCR and have their LA hipster breakfast.

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  Espresso with milk - $5

  Espresso with milk - $5

12/23/2012

A five star roaster, but a three star coffee shop.

Austerity of no sugar for espresso is out of touch.

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  Latte Art District

  Latte Art District

12/17/2012

Because we live in the Yelp era, because we all have cameras, because we all write online,  Handsome Coffee Roasters will be known and seen by everyone who visits here or not.

We came here yesterday as a cliche. We had our cameras. We were a group of online photographers. We met here. We saw the mustaches and the beards, the skinny and the young, the brewers and the drinkers, the texting and the posting.

And yet, the barrista greeted us with a friendly and genuine hello. The staff was well mannered.  

Yes, it's expensive. The coffee is three, four or five dollars a cup. A bag of beans is twenty dollars.

But they let us in the roasting room and we watched a worker operate a refurbished German machine which stirred and ground and roasted the beans.

We had a good talk with a clerk who told us about his job and his passion for good coffee. We learned about the no sugar, no milk rule.

Handsome is handsome. There are copper counters, tile walls, concrete floors, steel casement windows. The guys who work here, they seem to all be under 25, under 160 lbs, under fed. They all have beards.

But what does it matter? They turn a fine product and do it in style. I will return.

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  Roasting.

  Roasting.

4/18/2014

I love EVERYTHING ABOUT HANDSOME!

I wish I could say I was a regular like I used to but I haven't been going as much as before.

Their staff is by far the chillest. The level of knowledge is refreshing and comforting, I have never once needed sugar on any of my coffee beverages.

They've done it right and its my favorite!

7/28/2013

Arguably the most well-known small batch roaster in SoCal, I was excited to come to the source after having some of their roasts on pour over at other coffee bars.  The interior is spacious and very industrial with cement floors, large communal tables and a nice selection of gear and beans by the bag along the back wall.

That said, I was shocked when I found out that no single serve coffee is done here.  Two coffee by the batch are available and they charge an outrageous $4 a cup.  Highway robbery for a cup of drip coffee...really?  Thank goodness the particular roast I chose was damn good.  Glad that I was able to try it, though I'll be putting that money towards a bag from here on out.

Overall, not worth a return visit considering that I can find Handsome's beans at several other places.

7/28/2013

Handsome Coffee seems to have satisfied and disappointed me simultaneously. I've had pour-overs using their beans at various coffeeshops in Los Angeles, but it hasn't been until now that I make my way through the warehouses of the Arts District to the source of where all of it happens!

It's a very open, hipster coffee-bar. The baristas hold the fort in their square coffee counter in the center, with long tables and seats around the perimeter. They have a pretty decent sized wall of their coffee beans, coffee gadgets, and some Handsome t-shirts and other merchandise.

What I was a little disappointed about was their menu and "lack of invigoration and imagination." Don't get me wrong, the baristas are nice, but in terms of what they offer on their menu, things are straight forward...with not much on the board. They serve espresso with or without milk...and (as the board states) they polite decline variants of what's on the board. Yea...so I can't use more or less milk? Guess I'm forced to stick with those three options...

Another thing I was greatly surprised (and disappointed) about was the fact that they had no pour-overs!! Really? My just paid $4 (same price for a quality pour-over) for batch coffee? Probably should have gotten the espresso instead...

But overall, my espresso and my friend's coffee were pretty good. Coffee brewing mechanisms aside, the coffee itself was very tasty, had wonderful notes, and provided adequate reason for the price.

Personally, it was a good try, but I probably wouldn't be back. Considering you find their beans everywhere...just head to your favorite cafe/coffeeshop/coffee-bar that uses Handsome roasts, and enjoy it there. I have mine...do you? :)

10/18/2013

After briefly meeting two of the roasters last night, and craving a proper (ie espresso) coffee, we decided to trek to Handsome. We saw some colourful characters on the way and it felt like an oasis when we finally arrived.
We had both a shot and a piccolo, followed by an iced brew; mine with milk, Jack's without.
The good: Great pour, beautiful layout, ultra cool, but friendly staff, lots of knowledge, simplicity.
The bad: it felt like a bit of a cliche. As much as I embraced it, I did feel like I'd walked into a themed restaurant.
Regardless, I would definitely recommend this place for a coffee and a good sit.

3/3/2014

Hip little coffee spot in the Arts District.
The interior is so nice and the vibe is awesome. Everything is really modern and industrial-looking. They really embraced the whole minimalism thing.
The coffee here was nice. I'm not really coffee connoisseur, but I liked the drip. There wasn't any of your regular cream and sugar, but I actually appreciated that detail because I like my coffee black and cringe when people load their coffee with these extras. My friend got one of their espressos with milk and she really enjoyed that too. The barista was super friendly and helpful. You can really tell the guys here are passionate about their coffee/work.
Also, my inner engineer nerd comes out when I come here because of they roast everything in house and I end up staring at the machinery.

11/3/2013

Great coffee as far as coffee goes. The most superb Omfg coffee as far as Los Angeles coffee goes.

In a city of oversized, over burnt,  over caffeinenated slop, Handsome is excellent and on par with Intelligentsia, as far as I'm concerned.

Very hipster (their barista denim overalls and custom made by and labeled Nudie Jeans for Christ's sake) but the crowd is nice demographic range, the space is beautifully spartan and the service is efficient and pleasant.

Wes Avila's Guerrilla Tacos food truck has just started a residency outside on weekends plus weekdays, so get tucked into a couple of amazing Tacos then get your coffee fix.

Enjoy, yo.

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  Hipsters taking photos of hip wall art outside. L. O. L.

  Hipsters taking photos of hip wall art outside. L. O. L.
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4/5/2014

Great simple coffee! Cool spot. A little hard on the parking :( don't be discouraged by the line. It goes super quick!!

7/14/2013

If you want a good quality coffee, come to Handsome.

They have limited menu and don't have an area where you can flavor your drink. Trust your barrista and ask them to make a recommendation.

They don't do pour overs here, so don't ask.  What they did tell me is that have a machine that makes consistently good drip coffee as good as a pour over. They replace the coffee often to ensure freshness of our drip coffee.

Street parking might be difficult in this area, so try parking in their parking lot in the back.

12/29/2013

I regularly buy handsome coffee beans  from a cafe on my block and was excited to try their brick and mortar shop in the arts district, especially after reading an article about the owner's commitment to improving and diversifying businesses in the neighborhood.  I waited in line, only to discover that if I wanted my capuccino, I'd some how have to take it black/not at all.  

I'm not sure what kind of bizarre statement they're trying to make as elitist foodies (beanies?) by offering only organic whole milk, but their stance seems to be out of touch with not only the neighborhood they claim to be proud to support, but the world in general.  I personally am a vegan and realize that not every restaurant and cafe is there to personally cater to me.  However, handsome roasters supposedly takes pride in the diverse neighborhood in which they are located - a diverse neighborhood that happens to attract a whole lot of vegans.  Even if they wanted to alienate those potential customers, how about the fact that 65% of the human population is lactose intolerant?  Would it really drag down your vibe to offer some almond, coconut, soy milk - anything?   Thankfully, good ol' Stumptown is right around the corner waiting with a steaming cappuccino with almond milk.

Handsome, please consider changing this absurdist policy and I would be happy to return, as well as update this review.

1/5/2014

No sugar, no cream. It's like the soup nazi from Seinfeld.  Long lines to pay $4 for a mug of strong coffee and the requirement that you adhere to a strict ordering protocol.
The baristas are fashionably dressed if that helps you. Was there on a Saturday morning lots of hung over 20 year olds.

7/17/2014

This place was neat, you could see the machinery in the back room through a glass wall that they use to roast their coffee apparently. My fiancé wanted to go since he saw this place on the "getting coffee in cars with comedians" show or whatever it's called. As far as the coffee, I didn't see what all the fuss was about. It was average in my book. But, we got a pastry that was filled with a raspberry filling and that was fantastic, best ever so grab your coffee elsewhere then grab your pastry here!

12/14/2013

So I've been curious about Handsome Coffee Roasters for quite some time. Don't get down to the Arts District often but I had a meeting about a mile away, so I stopped over to check it out.

Basically, it may be the simplest, brief menu I've ever seen. Here it is.

You have coffee. You have espresso. You can add milk.

That's basically it.

There's a couple of sweets in the case, but nothing amazing.

I asked for a coffee with milk but I wanted soy milk. Like I usually order.

All they had is Organic Whole Milk.

Huh? No Soy, Coconut, Almond or Rice? Nothing?

Oh, and there's no WiFi either?

What kind of a coffee bar is this?

Talk about minimalist.

Maybe that's the idea, but I want choices.

I'm heading to Stumptown.

10/6/2013

Great place to take a moment, kick back, and have a cup of coffee.

Highly Recommended!

1/9/2014

Handsome Coffee is a good name for this place because all of the men who work at and patronize the café are exceptionally handsome. Damn.

That was my favorite thing about it. Second favorite was the bathroom, not only because it's big and clean but because it's THERE. In the week I've been in LA I've been to a few coffeehouses  and I was very disturbed by their lack of restrooms for customers. Even the Starbucks that I popped into didn't have one, and I only ever pop into Starbucks for the toilet.  Is it not known here that coffee makes people poop and pee? Handsome knows this, and that puts them in Los Angeles' coffee toilet avant-garde.

In other areas, though, Handsome is backwards. There is no wifi. It's 2014, people!! A coffee shop without wifi is like an outhouse without a seat.

Then there's the coffee. It's fine, but they charge $4 for a rather small mug. And there is no discount on refills! That would be justifiable if each cup was individually brewed (as is the case at most places where a cup costs $4), but at Handsome they charge four bucks for a refill dispensed from AN URN. wtf?!

Five stars for people-watching and going to the bathroom. Two stars for the rest.

12/31/2013 Updated review

On my coffee taste map, at least for now in LA, there are 3 distinct clusters: Intelligentsia's Black Cat espresso [venice location], Caffe Vita's Del Sol [silverlake] and Handsome's Dandy Espresso [dtla].

During most of my visits, Handsome's Dandy Espresso are being served. On a good day though, Dandy Espresso has a lingering smokiness which I absolutely love. Please note, Deus Ex Machina in Venice also serves the same beans but for some reason this place pulls better and more complex shots. Dandy Espresso is perfect for t

How does Dandy Espresso compares to Stumptown's Hair Bender ? The latter is sharper. While Dandy is good with just 5oz cappucino, Hair Bender, IMO, tastes better with a little more milk, ie latte.

If you want something a little less acidic, go with Intelligentsia's Black Cat. And go for Caffe Vita's Del Sol for even milder acidity.

My favorite for house espresso blend remains to be Caffe Vita's Del Sol. The caramel and chocolate notes are just surreal. The only downside to Caffe Vita  is that they are still shipping beans from Seattle to LA

2/2/2014

this place is soooo hip! haha! i felt like i was walking on to movie set. the fact that i've lived in LA, just outside of downtown, probably has a lot to do with this.

because im not the biggest coffee drinker, i asked for a vanilla latte. well, it turns out that they dont have any sort of sweetener there! ha! how hip is THAT?!?!
i got some sort of coffee anyway and it turned out tasting really good!

so, to the handsome roasters crew- tone down the hipsterific-ness and keep making that yummy coffee!

8/22/2013 Updated review

I stopped by hear today and they were doing a film or photography shoot and were serving free coffee and free pastries for the inconvenience.

You can hate them for not serving sugar (honestly, this is the only coffee joint I've ever been to that you really don't need it) they treat their customers very well and the free coffee and pastries for their patrons for this temporary inconvenience while the main store is occupied is a really nice gesture instead of just closing the whole place down.

Their ice coffee is awesome by the way. It's so smooth there's not a lick of overheated coffee beans or impurities whatsoever. I'm sure if Jesus drank coffee he'd be sipping on Handsome Coffee. This stuff is seriously made with some holy beans.

3/9/2014

Best coffee. Made the way it was intended to be. clean location.
We don't mind our short commute from the valley just to get a cup of handsome weekly

10/4/2012

I don't know why, but my girlfriends and I heard good things about this place and wanted to go ever since!

...and because we wanted to check this place out for so long but not making it before they closed, I actually had my first black coffee of theirs at Baco Mercat before making it out to Handome Coffee itself.

When we got there (after getting lost few times), we were suprised that there was no customization/options available here at all. Their menu was very simple & you get what you get. We got 2 lattes & 2 iced but do keep in mind that you can't even choose milk (no nonfat, no reduced fat, not even soy milk) as they only have whole milk (ouch, calories!) Getting through the foam and trying the coffee for the first time, we though the latte tasted very smooth & mild! But after-taste was stronger and more acidic. I am not a coffee snob and don't know too much about coffee, but I know when coffee is good and I liked Handsome coffee ;)

Overall, the inside was very simple + industrial. I liked the open space, glass window overlooking outside, and of course the roaster in the back (how cool is that!)
They didn't have too many places to sit and they are all communal, but we were pretty comfortable, even on a Saturday afternoon.

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• See all photos from Christine A. for Handsome Coffee Roasters

8/14/2013

You're here a specific kind of coffee. They have it a certain way and it's the best I've had.

I love their beans and what they make at this location is just perfect.

Came here on a weekend afternoon and it was a great place to chill and hang out.

7/14/2013

Handsome is VERY good if you're a coffee snob.. the taste of their espresso is perfect, and I've never had better.. and I love to test out coffee shops. The price is a little bit more than we expected to spend, but worth it for the coffee every now and then.

The atmosphere is nice.. open and clean with mainly silver metals, light wood, and big glass windows. The baristas are very nice and super helpful.. reminds me a lot like a more simplistic Portola Coffee Lab (look it up!).

If you're ever in the area, it's worth a stop on wherever you're headed.

Hope you like black coffee ;) I do!

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  Yummy yummy..

  Yummy yummy..

4/1/2014

Their cappuccino was wonderful, and their male coffeedudes were very handsome. And nice too. I didn't like the one girl who didn't want to take 2 seconds to give me a business card. They need to teach her about customer service. I didn't think I was being a bitch either. She just threw attitude at me.

So that being said, they shouldn't hire most college students to work here if they don't care about coffee.

2/28/2014

This is my favorite coffehouse in LA by far. Coffee is the highest quality in town, the baristas are incredibly professional, and the site is bright and well designed. The crowd is cool and the bathrooms are clean.

If you like good espresso and you prefer your coffee without sugar (as I do) you will probably enjoy the place as well. They also sell cold Topo Chico sparking water. The best complement to your espresso on a warm LA afternoon.