Gorilla Coffee
Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Brooklyn/Park Slope97 5th Avenue
(between Park Pl & Warren St)
Brooklyn, NY 11217 (718) 230-3244
- Nearest Transit:
Bergen St (2, 3)
7th Ave (Q, B)
Atlantic Ave-Pacific St (2, 3, 4, 5, M, N, Q, W, R, B, D)
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Free
92 Reviews for Gorilla Coffee
It makes me chuckle a little to myself when I walk in here and see people in rows, facing the same direction, illuminated by their laptop screens. I get an instant feel like i'm on the starship enterprise, in the midst of a cult, but more likely it's because I haven't had any coffee yet...
Having said that, most all drinks here are strong and the beans are tasty enough for me to smuggle back West. This place would earn another star if they expanded, or added some seating. Once I combined a cup here with something from the chocolate room across the street and spent a few hours legally high =*,*=
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Having lived in Seattle, I know good coffee...and were this place in Seattle, it wouldn't be on the top of the list at all. But in NY, where it seems for some reason no one can make a good espresso-based coffee drink, this place is a shining star. I've definately traveled long distances within Brooklyn to go here. Its very professional (the staff may be snotty but at least they are very attentive, unlike some places) and clean. And there's free Wi-Fi if you're into that sort of thing.
I'm docking Gorilla Coffee a star after my last experience with them. Up until now, everything was fine and dandy because I was paying with cash. I tried to use my credit card for my purchase and was told that I could only use it if I bought at least $10 worth of merchandise. This may not bother most people, but unlike the common consumer, I am informed.
Minimum purchase requirements are a direct violation of Mastercard and Visa merchant agreements. For a shop so big on promoting their "fair trade", they sure seem to suck at living up to it.
After pointing out that this was a clear violation of their agreement with my card issuer, they said they "had no idea" what I was talking about and waved it off. I won't be going back to Gorilla until this is fixed.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
07/04/2008
Dear Gorilla,
I'll admit, things started off rough between us. The ridiculous line going all the way… Read more »
Reading the reviews and then going there, it looks like the performance (coffee-wise) heavily depends on the barista. My coffee was a 6 or 7 out of 10. Wasn't bad, but tasted slightly burned.
Since I live so close, I guess I go back and check again.
Updated:
OK, so I have been there again, twice. I revised my rating from 3/5 to 4/5. The coffee was pretty good the last two times, it's still a tad to bitter if someone asked me, but it's getting better, or I am growing used to it. The best coffee within a 5 minute walk for sure.
A thing I noticed is, that the place is always cramped with road-warriors. Not so easy to stay around, but since the weather is always nice, who am I to complain.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
Daaaaaaamn good cup of coffee. These guys know what they're doing and they do it well. Don't get put off by the line, their baristas are experts and are both competent and quick.
Word to the owner(s): PLEASE come to Smith & Court streets. If you do, we'll try and talk Stinky Bklyn into opening a Park Slope spot. Now that's what I call a Fair Trade.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I need to start by saying that I take my coffee VERY seriously.
Having said that, I LOVE buying Gorilla's coffee beans - dark roasts, nutty, with good depth. Delicious even black. I have friends that have moved away from the city and still order their coffee beans from here, which is how I found out about this place.
HOWEVER, I will say for people who say coffee is their business, they do a piss poor job with their plain ol' cup of joe. (I suspect that many of the other review's "over-roasted" quality comes from their regular brewed coffee.) They don't do a good job of paying attention to their brew - letting it sit too long, or just not giving a shit.
But I will say their espresso drinks are solid (of course, depending on the barista). I do enjoy the maple syrup lattes.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I am not sure about this place...I think the location and branding make it a bit of 'emperor's new clothes'. Nothing in here is worth waiting on a long ass line for.
However...I do like their espresso drinks. The drip coffee tastes..burnt. Not in the starbucks way, but I do not like it. The staff is nice enough, and I like the logo/design stuff they have going on....but I also am just fine to keep walking to the next place if the line is too long.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
The coffee wreaks havoc on my system. I can handle a small coffee with half and half. The music is often too loud to have a discussion without yelling. But I like this place for its location (away from the mainstream Park Slope that I try to get away from these days). The service is as good as most coffee shops in the area -- and exceptionally better than Tea Lounge on Union Street.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I went here a couple of times this weekend and I found it to be an above satisfactory experience. There was a line out the door, but the two guys behind the counter kept it moving pretty quickly. Nothing I had here blew my mind, but all my drinks were solid. My only annoyance is the decor of weird elementary school classroom pulldown-style maps on the wall. They just look odd and out of place. They need some frames. Or some context.
Dear Gorilla Coffee,
I love you. A lot. Please, don't change.
Kisses,
Jacqui
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I drink a lot of coffee, everyday. Gorilla coffee gives me a BUZZ like I've never had. People had often spoke of caffeine having this effect and I had never experienced it before Gorilla. I bounced around the neighborhood for the next hour or so.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
I can't help but love the idea of this place: local cafe serving fair-trade in-house roasted coffee. Their stuff is strong enough to turn an average person into a buzzing high-voltage power-plant. And of course the gorilla imagery is unbeatable.
Unfortunately, try as I might, I cannot get used to how over-roasted their coffee is: the not-so-subtle burnt aftertaste is always there and, dare I say, the caffeine content of a small latte is too high for everyday consumption.
Still, in times of caffeine need, I always turn to Gorilla. Good or bad, it a place of its own class and you go there whether you like their coffee 100% or not.
P.S. It has free wireless, but the noise tends to be an issue.
I know I'm entering the lion's den when I say this, but I think the coffee here is terrible. It is so over-roasted and reminds me of Starbuck's. I have read a lot about the process of coffee-roasting and making, and I truly get the feeling that everyone just wants to like Gorilla and think that roasting longer is better. It isn't! Don't even get me started on the holier-than-thou attitude...
Maybe I have only been there on off-days, coffee-wise? Points for being fair-trade though!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
The short:
-Easily the best latte in the 5 Burroughs. It is world class. A destination.
-Easy to get to via subway
-Good neighborhood for tourists/out of towners ex: Chocolate Room,
Beacon's closet...so there is more to see & do than just get a brew
-FRESHLY ROASTED BEANS
- Fair trade coffee at FAIR pricing: $9.50/LB.
(If you haven't had fresh roasted coffee, you have no clue. Really)
The long:
About the Coffee
To the informed eye, the Faema E-61 espresso machine which is on display in the back, with it's art-deco inspired motif suggets one of two things: Gorilla upgraded to a better machine (a Synesso) or,
that they retired it from over use. Either scenario is good news
for latte lovers.
Ok, lame literary efforts aside, here's the real scoop:
The lattes are very, very good.
The coffee, and deservedly advertised is *NOT* wimpy. The robust and rich flavours do NOT come at the expense of anything else! The ppl behind Gorilla do their own roasting, and in small batches which ensures a consistent and FRESH product. I have not seen beans for sale that have been on the shelf over three days (usually roasted 1 or 2 days prior). You(I) can taste the difference in the cup.
The best parallel would be a Peter Luger steak vs steak n eggs at a diner. NO comparison.
But I drink "black" coffee?
I normally only drink black coffee when travelling, or when I make it for guests. All of the people who've experienced the Nicaraguan Segovia
at my hands loved it. Like a doting grandma, I forced ppl to try it.
One friend said of it, and I quote "Oh my GOD, this is soooo good, I can drink it without sugar!!! And I don't even drink coffee!".
A friend who recently went to Gorilla on my recommendation stated it was the BEST drip coffee of his life.
About Gorilla, the Shop, my PSA to non-objective whiners
For all the people who complain about the decor, the music, the staff, the lack of seating, etc., all I have to say is, "Grow up".
Gorilla is an authentic, independent neighborhood coffee shop that provides exceptional coffee. As such it excels.
^^Re-read the above two times, then continue.
Here's a shocker: maybe the size/decor/etc. is designed to maximize profits per square foot? Remember, It's not a cafe. It's a coffee shop.
As for the amount of staff on hand, consider that a cashier can easily outstrip the pace of production.
The result would be a lot of people - who have paid - standing around waiting angrily for their beverage.
So that is a non-option, especially given the size of the store.
Some, like myself, appreciate the personal service: The person who takes my cash *crafts* my beverage. And then gives it to me.
They have one great idea in place though: All prices are rounded to the nearest quarter to speed up transactions, so, give credit where is due.
SUMMARY
-The long (quick moving) lines are a testament to the great coffee.
-Excellent product in the cup.
-FRESHLY roasted beans for $9.50/lb cannot be beat. Anywhere
-Prices are very reasonable, and rounded to the 0.25.
-Located in a hip `hood, so it's not a 1-stop trip if you aren't a local
-The staff are not fake. Deal with it.
-Remember, take it for what it is: A pick-up shop for coffee, not a cafe.
- 10/10, the place is a gem.
For a park Slope treat, the Chocolate Room (a block away) has amazing cupcakes that will make you *understand* what a joke Billy & Magnolia are. And Oprah endorsed one of their cakes, therefore it MUST be good.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Gorilla coffee is good (not great), but it is fair trade, they have a nice space to hang out with friends and their graphic design kicks ass, so I'll give 'em the extra star. Our barista last night was skilled & efficient and we had our drinks in record time.
If you go there on a weekday evening, there's plenty of room to sit down inside.
The cons? If there's plenty of room to sit inside, the neighborhood crackheads come to sit next to you. That happened to the guy at the table behind us when Stinky McTalksToHimself took the chair across from him. I've never seen anyone with a Macbook disengage and pack it up so fast.
We toughed it out halfway through my Americano, until Stinky started playing with his pants.
Maybe the "Gorilla" name came from some zoolike neighborhood behavior. I didn't stick around and wait for poo-throwing to commence to verify my theory, though.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Average coffee. 7 of 7 people with laptops used Apple. You can tell you're definitely not in Manhattan anymore.
Pros: Good packaging, Nice benches outside
Cons: Mediocre coffee, Very hot/stuffy inside
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Anyone who lives in Park Slope who complains about the crowd here, well, can we talk about the pot calling the kettle black? Granted, we don't all have strollers and mac laptops, but aren't we all a bit hip-intellectual-alternative? You (the royal you, not singling anyone out) can point fingers at the clientele seated at the teeny tiny tables, but you would be one of those people if they hadn't beaten you there! IMHO, it's nice to finally live in a neighborhood where people have interests and lifestyles like mine!
That being said, Gorilla is a great stop for a lovely-go-out-walking day, or a pre-Target fueling. I wouldn't make a special trip there either (living across the street from Red Horse Cafe), but in that section of the Slope, I'm all about the Gorilla.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
The coffee is strong. That is all that can be said about it. It was bitter, unnuanced, and not at all flavorful. And the barista-hipsters act as if they are doing you a favor by waiting on you while chatting with their cool friends. They could use the time learning how to work the espresso machine and how to steam milk. Go here for the atmosphere, which beats Starbucks, not the java -- which sadly, it doesn't..
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
This is one of those places that I shouldn't really give 5 stars but I'm going to anyway, because of one outstanding feature - the coffee. While a bit on the large side (I like my espresso drinks small & strong, European style), and with foam that could have been just a wee bit denser, my small cappuccino ($3) was damn good. The barista crafted it in record time, proportioning espresso (triple ristretto), milk, and copious foam carefully, and served it piping hot with a beautiful leaf design. It was all smooth, rich, caffeinated bliss.
If I didn't value taste so highly, I might have been put off by the sparse, pedestrian atmosphere, the poor variety of mediocre looking pastries, and the line that went out the door. Fortunately, fantastic coffee makes up for all of these ( and good company helps too!).
People thought this was:
Useful (7)
Funny (4)
Cool (7)
This is good coffee by Brooklyn standards but I'm a well-heeled former Seattleite and I think Gorilla is more about post-punk, DIY attitiude than about coffee quality. They do the fair trade thing, which is cool but in reality fair trade beans are usually mediocre.
Gorilla should probably be spelled Guerilla, since their packaging and general vibe points to socialist commie-hippie-hipster-protopunk-counter culture...bla bla bla.
I think they're a little too popular for their own good. There aren't many alternatives so if you want coffeehouse coffee, they're it in this area. There's usually a line out the door and nowhere to sit. I'd love to see them:
A. expand or move to larger space
B. focus more on coffee quality than fair trade
C. see B
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (6)
Cool (6)
In my never ending quest for the orgasm delivering latte, Gorilla had to be checked out of course.
Great graphics. Great design. Coffee is definitely good, though for my personal tastes it's a bit too earthy and heavily roasted. The milk doesn't deliver as creamy a goodness as others, but it is still a good latte.
This place is super popular, as you can see by the amount of reviews. I wouldn't suggest you making a special trip (unless you are on the quest like I am), but if you are on the Park Slope area and are around, go for it.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Frankly, I'm tired of hearing about how others are so quick to label a place as a Yuppie-Hipster joint simply because it has an alternative vibe. It makes people sound very pretentious, as though they're something above-and-beyond what they encounter. Please, people, get over the "Hipster" phenomenon and do a little research on the original meaning of the word, which goes back many decades. If you want mainstream and are too insecure as to label everything as "Hipster" then stick with mediocre Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts.
In any event, my first visit to Gorilla Coffee was nice, despite the fact that it was crowded and I had to wait in line awhile for the cappaccino (for me) and latte (for my girlfriend). It was really no big deal, considering we weren't in any rush. She grabbed us a seat, and we had fun text messaging silly things to each other while I waited the near 10 minutes in line. The coffee beans in which our hot beverages were made from were finely roasted and had really nice flavor, and I enjoyed every sip.
With the cold weather upon us, we'll most assuredly be back to enjoy.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
One freezing winter evening, I randomly found myself in Park Slope, fighting my poor California-born butt through icy winds to a subway station far, far away. In the midst of my misery, I stopped, because I saw the word "Gorilla". Something about that piqued my interest, and once I realized it was a cafe, visions of cocoa danced in my head.
The decor was sparse and the seating was reminiscent of a college cafeteria. The steamed milk job on my hot chocolate was gorgeous, but the drink itself tasted like it was made with hershey's chocolate syrup.
BUT! It was warmth. And the staff are sweet, and so was all the gorilla merch. After reading the reviews just now, I'm curious about the coffee. But other than that, I probably wouldn't go back, unless I found myself in the area.
One of the best eff'n cups of coffee I have ever had. I did feel a bit like I was in an episode of The Uber Twilight Zone, though.... what with the tables packed with patrons all facing the same way focused and glowing from the monitors of their 13" white MAC iBooks. All 10 or 11 of them.
The coffee was superb, though, and the neighborhood one of my favorites in NYC.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (3)
Cool (4)
greatest coffee shop huh? the coffee is whatever - typically super over-roasted - not unlike that nasty starbucks coffee. what's worse is the crappy attitude you get from the angry lesbian barrista behind the counter.. or dealing with the unwashed masses of park slope wannabe literati on their macbooks.. seriously, instead of writing a 10 page discourse of how this is the best coffee shop on earth, why dont you focus on your resume instead?? i think a lot of park slopers tend to get so hung up on the convienent and mediocre - this is a prime example of it. that said it is a million light years ahead of the other park slope coffee mainstay, ozzie's.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (2)
Cool (3)
i know, i know, the coffee's great
but really, i like it for the design, the use of space, the efficient service, and the pretty people
yip, that's all
i haven't even tried the coffee yet
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Excellent coffee, grody atmosphere. The tables and chairs are uncomfortable and strangely configured. I felt a little like I was in a school cafeteria, which, isn't comfy. God they make great coffee though. Take it to go?
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
I've seen the lineups at this place go out the door and dangerously into the street. For *coffee*. Isn't that weird? That was on a nice, go-out-walking Sunday afternoon, granted... so it isn't usually that bad. But recently you've had to line up for awhile to get to the counter anytime on weekends, so give yourself 15 min. If you stay, you'll be squeezing in between two hipsters typing on Mac laptops. In fact, you may or may not be allowed to be seated without a (Mac) laptop. Looking over the seated crowd is pretty funny. It's like a well-dressed, bearded office.
Or you could just get your coffee and leave. I get ground coffee here when I can. All their beans are fair trade. I've tried the Ethiopian, Guatemalan and their blend one (Blendimitosis?) and they're all good -- the only other bagged coffee i've found in the city that's as good as Gorilla's is the the bag sold by the Mud coffee truck people in the east village. At Gorilla they give you a free cup when you buy your bag (at $11, that isn't so much a deal, but hey). Their brewing equipment is obviously a lot better than mine, because this is the only coffee i've had in the city that's SO GOOD your brain just expands. Try it.
I've never tried any of their barrista drinks, lattes or whatever. I mean, what would be the point?
They have some good, coarse, occasionally attractive folks behind the counter, too.
Vegan note: soymilk is at the end of the bar, you don't have to ask for it.
One more thing: they have one of those little, on-the-counter chalkboards up with "Today's Special Is..." written on it, in front of the people waiting in line. The only time I recall ever seeing anything written on it, it said "Directions". Ha ha ha
I just moved to Brooklyn from Berkeley. Berkeley has great coffee, and it has taken this move to realize what a crippled coffee snob I am.
In my quest for something comparable here, bags of unpalatable beans sit unused in my kitchen (I, you know, paid for them, so I can't throw them out...). In addition, I've been over and across this city looking for something equivalent to Blue Bottle's Sunday morning Farmer's Market cappuccino.
So far, this is as close as I've come. It's not the genuine article. But, to quote the lady at the bar quickly getting drunker, "As my memory fades and my desperation grows, it's looking better and better." Amen, lady.
I don't care what anyone thinks about this place, i REFUSE to ever step foot into it again.
All i have to say is that the owners are two awful women that don't deserve to have a successful business.
If I could give it no stars, i would.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Another haiku:
Was cool before the
babies, dogs and laptops made
gorilla go ape
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Stopped in here to get some after dinner desserts/coffee on a Monday night and was rather disappointed with their selection. They had only cookies and 1 rice krispie treat left. We didn't try their coffee so I can't rate that.
I did like the ambiance in general- different tunes and not your everyday decor which is refreshing.
The one downer was the odor. It smelt of burnt coffee beans and it was rather overpowering when we first walked in the door. STANK BAD would be a more accurate description. Our noses adapted quickly though and by the time we left we didn't notice it.
I think a return trip is in order, with a few hours to kill and a good book in hand.
This is THE joint for coffee in Brooklyn! I'm not a local, but anytime in Brooklyn deserves a swing by this place.
They of course roast their own, but the quality of the roast is remarkable. This ain't no weak sauce! They, from what I've seen/tasted, do a very dark roast which brings a lot more of the bolder essences of the coffee out to the for front. Truly a coffee for those that are connesiours of the bean.
The tables are tightly packed by their wifi surfers on weekends so get it to go. How they concentrate over the loud punk & rawk (\ii/) that blast over the speakers (which I like) is beyond me.
The packaging and branding are also pluses. Just go there already!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
Great coffee, reasonable price, free wi-fi!
It's kind of fun playing stroller dodge with all the Park Slope moms, especially when weekend lines make the place really scene-y.
Terrific pastries.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
i'm not a huge fan of their decor, and the fact that there's only 2 people working while there's a line practically out the door...really irks me.....HOWEVER, their coffees are amazing. lattes have little foam art, which is a nice touch. it makes it worth the $3.50. will definitely go back!!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
If you can get in the door, the coffee is strong like Godzilla, and just as tasty!
(Assuming that Godzilla tastes like delicious coffee.)
But the lines! Oh, the lines! I haven't been able to get a cup in weeks, caught standing on the sidewalk behind Baby Bjorn-saddled tattoo dad, or whatever surly, psuedo-punks happen to be in front of me.
It's a scene, man.
But if you can get inside, it's the best coffee in the Slope.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (3)
Cool (2)
Yaaaaawn...it's 6 AM my time...back on the West coast, that is. It's my first morning back in NY...must we endure this ridiculously long line, just for a latte? My friend gives me a look that I know is an emphatic "YES!....if you want to live to see tomorrow"....sigh...I shut up and wait in line.
This better be one hell of a latte I think to myself...to endure such a line...in Brooklyn nonetheless...where do they think they are?...Manhattan!? Let's just say this place rocks, and for the next 9 days...including Thanksgiving day...I spent my mornings in that same ridiculously long line, just to get my Earl Grey tea...which was the best I've ever had...Oh!...and my friend's daily latte...someone has to stay outside with the cutest Corgi in Park Slope, lest someone dog-nap him...there is a dog napper loose, haven't you heard!?
Don't ask me what is so good about Gorilla coffee...just go...get in that ridiculously long line...order whatever it is that you love, and go home happy...then repeat tomorrow morning. It's worth the wait!
Oh, and the clientele...uber hip Brooklynites...you too can become one! Bring your laptop and grab a spot inside, or sit on the benches outside with Fido...it's a doggie social spot~
Every time I visit Manhattan I take the long ride to Gorilla for one reason: the coffee. OK 3 reasons: the coffee, the wireless, and their branding. I love the red and black surrounding me on the freshly roasted bags of coffee. I even had to get a sticker for my laptop. The people are nice and you're somewhere with good pastries and even better coffee. Haven't found anything like it in Manhattan!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (2)
Amazing coffee. Reminds me of the awesome coffee houses in my hometown Melbourne, Australia.
If it's too strong, you're too old!
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
Consistently excellent coffee, and freshly roasted beans to boot. See my other coffee reviews also, this is one of the few 5-star reviews I have given. Park Slope's got it for coffee! If only the line weren't out the door and strollers blocking my way...
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
ABS - Anything But…
Coffee shops around the city, independent or… -
Grad Student Heaven in…
As a recent SF transplant writing my dissertation,… -
