Well for starters, when parking you have a few options. You can find a place on the street and do some meter parking, there are a few spots right in front of the shop (but on the weekend you can forget about it),or you can park in the public parking. I think during the week it's free, but if you're there on the weekend it's $5. You can also chance it by parking in Dave's Market parking lot. I'd advise against that though, there are tow trucks patrolling most of the time and 'tow away zone' signs everywhere. You might end up paying more to get your car out of impound if you choose to park there. We decided to just pay the $5 and go to public parking.
Apparently the background of this place is it used to be called 'Talkies'. I guess Talkies was a film and coffee bar, and while the owners have changed, the workers there have remained the same. When I googled this place, I read nothing but good things about it. From it being "pet friendly" (a guy came in with a beagle and sat down with his coffee while we were there) to the "friendly" staff (I wonder if the friendly people quit.)So I was surprised I had the experience I had there. Maybe I came on a bad day? Maybe the workers have changed since the last review...or maybe people are just too nice.
The place is really small, about 25 chairs including a few bar stools if you choose to sit at the bar. No comfy chairs or couches at all, as there usually is at most coffee shops. But maybe space was an issue so the comfy chair idea was impossible. The usual chalkboard menu boards, one for espresso drinks and one for food. They have a small sandwich menu with the usual paninis and soups for sale.
I ordered a soy vanilla latte (I had my fill of coffee this morning so I wasn't up for more) and Chad got his usual Americano. The barista was unfriendly to say the least. She bluntly asked "what do you want?" when we got there, and I immediately regretted my decision to tip. After she watched me put the dollar in the jar she couldn't bother to utter so much as a "thanks". I have to say as a barista, if I see someone put a tip in I ALWAYS say "thank you" or if I am busy at least catch their eye and smile a thanks. Because you want the customers to feel appreciated, and baristas don't get paid a lot so tips are big factor on income. Anyway so as we waited for our drinks we got the pleasure of hearing the latest gossip as the 2 baristas working there talked about their man problems and their friend's man problems. Fascinating. I know if I owned a coffee shop I would love for my workers to not only bring their personal lives into work but to talk about it in a not so hushed tone. For the 2 drinks it was $8.05. Chad ordered a cookie but she didn't hear him or care because she never rang it up and we never got it (ironically it was a smiley sugar cookie). She was barely listening to us anyway as I ordered. She just stared at me blankly, even almost pissy, then wordlessly made our drinks. When we got our drinks, she did walk them out to us (which was nice). But since we made a point to say "for here" we thought we'd get ceramic mugs (you know...trying to be as green as possible) instead we received the to-go stirofoam cups.
Ok, now we get down to it. How were the drinks you ask? Not good. In fact with all the crap beforehand, the gossiping baristas, the unfriendly service, the outrageous bill...if our drinks had been made well and tasted delicious I would have completely forgiven everything. But they weren't. They were bad, and weak. So weak in fact Chad could see through his Americano. I am thinking for a 20oz they probably put only 2 shots. For my 20oz latte I am thinking they only put 1 and a half or maybe 1. I couldn't even taste a hint of the espresso. When I went up there to ask for some ice for Chad's *burn your taste buds into oblivion* drink, I had to wait until they had a pause in their conversation before I was even noticed. Never mind the fact I was the only one standing at the bar, it's not like I was lost in the crowd.
At one point the 2 workers walked out of the shop for a smoke break. They both walked out, leaving the establishment to self service I suppose. When 2 customers walked in, one of them was kind enough to butt out her cigarette to come in and make a sandwich for them. Never mind the fact she reeked of smoke OR that she didn't wash her hands before making the food. Chad wasn't even able to finish his drink, and I took mine to go. I figured I could just warm it up later, it's not like it was going to taste any worse.
As we walked out, I threw my Koffie Cafe frequent customer card in a nearby trash can. I will not be coming back.
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