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Allegro Espresso Bar
Category: Food Coffee & Tea Coffee & Tea [Edit]
4214 University Way NE(between 42nd St & 43rd St)
Seattle, WA 98105
Neighborhood: University District
(206) 633-3030
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 6:30 am - 10 pm
Sat 7:30 am - 10 pm
Sun 8 am - 10 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
90 reviews for Allegro Espresso Bar
Review Highlights
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"plus last I was here, there was free wi-fi." In 5 reviews -
"Mexican mocha is out of this world." In 8 reviews -
"...my opinion that Allegro is the best cafe in the U-District." In 26 reviews
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90 reviews in English
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Review from Maylee L.
4/8/2012
I did my math homework with one of my study buddies! This place even has a second floor!! I have not tried the food here but it looks delicious!
Great hideout, when you need to wash your thoughts someplace new!
I did not even know this cafe existed! Now I know now!! And I am definitely coming here often to do homework if I just want to escape from annoying Koreans at UW! -
Review from Harley P.
Santa Barbara, CA
Updated - 5/13/2012
I cannot give you 5 stars after today's argument. A Sunday shift guy tried to lecture me in front of everyone about my 10-cents-short incident. I know this is my bad, but you cannot have this kind of attitude when you deal with customer. I feel you had a bad morning and you tried to vent it on me.
Your company should be careful when you are hiring. You hired an aggressive guy.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/1/2012
loyal customer. absolutely the best cafe in town.
don't go to those chain cafes that exist… Read more »
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Review from Alice C.
3/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Allegro is legitimately the first cafe in Seattle. I know from my Mom that the guy who bought beans for this place went on to become a bean buyer for SBUX when they finally rolled around (SEE?? This place was around before the 'BUX, maaan!). This place has some sentimental value because my parents met here, my mom was a dishwasher and my Dad met her here... And low and behold, a few years later, I was born. The barista people are the usually soft spoken passive aggressive disliking authority PNW stereotypes.
There's seriously ONE toilet/bathroom for the entire cafe- when Ive been here the stream of people trying to use it has been pretty consistent. It's kind of a pain. -
Review from Jonnie B.
Seattle, WA
4/25/2012
Who cares about free wifi, let's get a sane cashier who doesn't tell paying customers that "time is money." I don't need the attitude and it's obvious that they don't want my business or money. Thumbs down, time to re-staff.
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Review from Melissa N.
Seattle, WA
3/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
One of the oldest cafes around the U district! It's in an alley way so it's a little difficult to find. Just turn down the alley by Mod Pizza and you'll find it. There's also an upstairs area because the downstairs frequently fills up. They give you pretty big cups for the amount of coffee you get. This is definitely a quaint/hipster place to chill if you don't want something maintream on the ave. They have outlet plugs every so often if you're looking for something. Not too bad. Check it out if you get a chance. It has a unique ambiance
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Review from Jane D.
1/7/2012
You should make the Allegro one of your "must go" places in Seattle if, for nothing else, the history of the place.
Don't let the attitude of the barista du jour dissuade you....they come and go.
It was supposedly the first place in Seattle you could get an espresso---back when it was cafe au lait and not latte. The actual building it is housed in (rumor has it) was a mortuary.
I think it opened in '74, I got a job as a dishwasher there in '76.
The guy who owned it became a coffee buyer for Starbuck's. Or maybe THE coffee buyer for Starbucks. He was pretty instrumental in the coffee revolution.
It was always a place where you could go and get fresh squeezed OJ, scones, or tea in a beat-up aluminum pot. There was always an amazing assortment of posters and notices on the bulletin boards. There was usually some decent art on the walls that changed out pretty often. People would read Proust or Wittgenstein. The only music was classical. The side room opened a little later and the upstairs after that. It used to have 2 bathrooms. It's been through many iterations. Customers would spill out in the alley and sit on the curb. There was an open space across from the large windows that let in lots of light.
If you are the kind of person who can tell a high acid coffee from a mellower blend, you really have the former owner of this cafe to thank for that. He really made it possible for all of us to be coffee aficionados. -
Review from Jessie C.
3/9/2012
This place is great to crank out a good study session or paper. There are two rooms (and another extra upstairs) but it's all about the front room (if you can grab a spot!). The giant windows provide great lighting (sometimes I have an issue with dim lighting in coffee shops) and the tables and walls are always nicely decorated. It just feels so cozy inside. The pastries are pretty decent and the coffee is alright. I usually go for an Irish cream latte. The baristas have always been nice with me, although they can come across as a little haggard. I don't blame them for the amount of customers they have! It gets pretty busy during lunch time, obviously.
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Review from Jack E.
Seattle, WA
2/28/2012
I remember the days when my Yelping was more positive. It used to be a way to tell others, "Go here!" But sadly, in Seattle, it has become more bitching than not. Maybe because of an unconscious assimilation at work into the droll, pretentious ways of this city, but whatever the case . . . I really have little to complain about I suppose. It was more one of the baristas that just put me off. I noticed him giving me weird looks from the back room while I was waiting in line. Then when I went outside to go to the upstairs room, he was in the alley and giving me looks again. I realize that this is somewhat standard for Seattle, but as it's creepy as fuck, I refuse to get totally used to this, or accept it. Seattlites - it's okay to check someone out if you find them attractive. This is normal. But prolonged staring may put someone off. In addition, giving odd looks to someone you don't know and is just passing by is seriously creepy. Learn to a) mind your own business, which you do so well most of the time by turning your nose up in the air at everyone, not that I recommend that technique, OR b) stop worrying so fucking much about what everyone else is doing, especially people that are walking, going up stairs, waiting patiently in line, or otherwise doing something that is incredibly mundane and necessary as part of their movement or day.
Thank you.
P.S. Your upstairs room is cold and the heat fan is broken, apparently. It's cool, I got me a jacket. It'll take a little more than 40 degree weather to scare this guy away. -
Review from Nicholas H.
Seattle, WA
1/3/2012
Where the Batistas turn a knob rather than press a button, and where musak is discarded for real Seattle music, you'll find a delightful shift from the long lines and expensive espressos a block away at the nearest Starbucks. Cafe Allegro doesn't have the billions of dollars that the Starbucks corporation has poured into it's brand (and may not have total profits in excess of a billion dollars since it opened in 1975), nor does it have the word of mouth recognition carefully built up by being panned for its excessive saturation (I'm reminded of Lewis Black's joke about a Starbucks situations across the hall from another Starbucks catering to Alzheimer who've already forgotten that they just left a Starbucks).
What cafe Allegro does have is something that Starbucks lost a long time ago, and which this little shop never will: It's a truly local shop, dedicated to quality and the people who surround it. -
Review from Alison P.
Tacoma, WA
2/15/2012
Starting with the positives:
This place has more outlets than you could ever dream of. Plenty of space to plug in and get some work done. Awesome
Tons of SPACE. Lots of tables in the front, a nice quiet room in the back. Even when it's busy, you'll always be able to find a table.
The problem? Probably the worst coffee I've had outside of a gas station latte machine. Actually I might have preferred a gas station latte machine. I did like the nice glass mug my latte came in. But it was filled with hot milk with a hint of espresso flavor. No foam on top. It just tasted like milk. I recognize that a latte doesn't have as much foam as a cappuccino. But a medium latte should have two shots of espresso and a bit of foam on top. This "latte" just tasted (and looked) like a big glass of milk. It was the first time I can ever remember not finishing a coffee.
I'll try Allegro again (who can resist all those outlets?!), but I'll do an espresso instead next time. -
Review from Katy H.
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
What a lovely hidden spot! I came here for a meeting and found the alley location to be rather quaint.
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Review from Marin J.
7/15/2011
Might be the oldest but who cares?
me and my friend were traveling hard and road warrior weary. We both were wearing Keen hiking sandals cause you all know traveling with laced shoes thru airports is a biach right? Having just arrived, we were really tired but wanted to get a feel for the area around the university instead of high tailing it to the hotel. My traveling companion had to get to a conference at the university the next day.
We walk in and immediately the sarky barista says "matching shoes". like it's a bad thing....like he's trying to make fun of the "matching tourists". Was he being friendly? Well, maybe, but the smirk he was carrying beneath his upper lip told me otherwise. I was too damned tired to turn around and find another cafe, and besides, maybe he was just, well being... another kind of friendly. After all, this could be a kind of passive aggressive welcome to Seattle.
Undaunted, I start telling him how fantastic the shoes are for hiking, throw em in the wash like running shoes....like how cool they are...funny, he doesn't want to "play" insult the patrons anymore..
My friend orders an espresso, you know, for the price of an insult you oughta get good coffee. Yo! Suck azzz barista your espresso bites. Tastes like licking an ash tray and your sarcasm saved me money and the awful experience of drinking one cause I shared with my companion with similar shoes.
Next time think twice before making fun of your clients. From the numbers I saw all during my stay there you could sure use the business and a lesson on how to attract customers, not drive them away. -
Review from Tom C.
Seattle, WA
2/11/2012
An absolute classic. Coffee and ambiance are fantastic in this quirky cafe weirdly located on an alley near UW and the Ave. I have been going here regularly for almost eight years. Same career baristas - clever and nice people. I like to go here early in the morning to prep for class. It's fun to see the profs, philosopher hobbyists, artists, poets, cyclists, UW students, and eccentric retirees. Life in the U district wouldn't be the same without it.
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Review from cathy g.
Seattle, WA
4/21/2011
Many days,happy days.
A latte and a newspaper. Crowded, hunched in places to sit. Lookign at the baked goods..wondering.why? Not I? Still on a diet. Others happy, reading, studying.
Cinnamon for my latte
I will return another day
for more happy
hipppy
hard thinking
cafe slinging! -
Review from Rich S.
6/18/2011
I noticed there was an interesting meeting about food justice going on upstairs.
I was pleased that Cafe Allegro was big enough to accommodate semi-private meetings of 7-10 people while still having an atmosphere conducive to sipping coffee, nibbling on scones and typing away at your lap top. My latte was good and my scone was fine... but the space, and the other people who congregate at this cafe, is what makes Cafe Allegro memorable.
Just make sure you remember that the entrance is along the alley. I think they sell a bumper sticker: 'where the hell is cafe allegro?' -
Review from Robyn B.
Seattle, WA
7/26/2011
Mexican mocha is out of this world! As are the thumbprint cookies...
Basically, I love love love this funky little cafe. Such a great vibe, fantastic coffee, awesome baristas. One of the only cafes open on Christmas Day, and my family and I always go here on December 25th to get our caffeine fix before opening presents :) Cafe Allegro will always hold a special place in my heart! -
Review from Joanne D.
11/26/2011
Great casual place to meet up. Although they're hidden in the alley, they were packed the first time I visited. They have seating downstairs AND upstairs which makes it a pretty unique place. I tried their sweet chai latte, 3-cheese quiche, and croissant, all of which were delicious! Can get a bit noisy, so not a recommended place for hardcore studying/work.
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Review from Jay T.
Los Angeles, CA
6/22/2011
Quest: to find a tasty mocha on the Ave. (The quest isn't going very well because I tend to repeat places.)
I don't know what a tasty mocha tastes like. I just know that mochas are tasty. My mocha is served in a glass mug. It keeps me warm while I study. I don't know about this snobby baristas I've been reading about. They might not be Starbucks-friendly. I'm not really looking to make my barista my BFFL (best friend for life). My mocha satisfies me.
What I love about Cafe Allegro is this: three separate spaces. Four, if you want to count the outdoors. I walk in, and 3 eager faces look up from laptops as if I were the prophet. I don't know why people are always staring when I walk in. I'm just the run-of-the-mill, small Asian girl. This room is loud. I order my mocha. And take it somewhere else.
Across the hallway is nice. Globes...stools...etc. But upstairs, if you brave the cold, is even better. And there's a balcony! How to get upstairs, you ask? Simple, find a portal. Step into it. Not really.
Here's how (though I might come after you within the next seven days if you ruin my peaceful, secret room): exit Allegro. Find the door between the two parts of the downstairs cafe. Or, start at the main entrance and proceed to next door (North?). Walk up the stairs. It isn't rocket science.
Cafe Allegro is hidden because the building next to it is new (around 2008 or 2009?). So people shouldn't be complaining about Cafe Allegro...they should be complaining about the new building. Cafe Allegro used to have a prime view of a parking lot across from UW!
5 stars for a study space, a mocha that keeps me satisfied, and a readily available pitcher of water. -
Review from Rachel C.
Seattle, WA
12/25/2011
Such a fun, funky, tucked away cafe in the U district! Great coffee, delicious pastries, and a comfy atmosphere to while away the hours reading or studying!
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Review from Eric N.
Seattle, WA
5/9/2011
The Allegro is the epitome of the Seattle coffee shop. The coffee is excellent, and despite being half a block away from the UW campus, there is a surprisingly consistent group of baristas and customers. As a result, it feels more homey than anyone would expect. Also, even though it's now in an alley, the new building across the street has enough windows reflecting sunlight in that the inside of the cafe still feels about as bright as it used to.
The back room is also the best secret study room in town. As opposed to the normal coffee shop vibe in the main area, the back room has no music and is a great place to go to get some work done. -
Review from Sarah L.
Seattle, WA
1/7/2011
I could safely say I have never been that scared to walk into a business as I had been when I walked into Cafe Allegro. The reviews claiming bad service had me kept away from spending my coffee money here, even though I had wanted to for a while. Well, that and I had no idea where it was. It is literally hidden.
I wasn't in the coffee mood so wanted to try their hot cider. They were out and they only had some kind of ginger cider that I wasn't in the mood for either. So I just chose safe and got a tea. The guy at the counter was super friendly and even showed me how to use the tea when I was surprised that he brought out a drainer looking thing so that I could pour out my tea at my own pace. Good idea, but the small tea leaves that the drainer couldn't catch went into my tea so I'm not a big fan.
The upstair seating is nice and spacious, but freezing. I was bundled up with my coat while trying to study.
Definitely coming back to try their coffee, and hopefully bump my stars to a couple more. -
Review from Lilly A.
3/7/2011
I love allegro's location, the hidden-ness... In an alley way. Sounds creepy right? Its actually pretty spacious and has 3 areas where you can sit in. Theres only one bathroom which is aggravating when theres a line of three people and you are dieing. I know space is limited, but c'mon... get another stall?
Staff are nice, sometimes a bit snobby... but one of my biggest problems is that the coffee consistently tastes burnt. Now I have never been a barista, but man do I love my coffee... its a little less drinkable when it has that overly burnt taste that you just can't ignore. -
Review from T. W.
Seattle, WA
12/5/2011
In my opinion, best place to get hot chocolate on the Ave. And really, of the numerous coffee shops around Seattle that I've tried, this is my favorite place to get hot chocolate. Its not nearly chocolaty-enough in most places! And they stir it into the milk really well. My friends have said the coffee isn't the best. But they DO have this awesome upstairs seating area with a porch, which is great when every other coffee shop is packed, and when its really nice out.
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Review from Sarah m. G.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 5/16/2011
OK...well
I actually haven't gone there since the Cappuccino incident. WHICH TURNS OUT is totally my fault (?I guess). The owner who's nice and someone else who's mean both sent me a message explaining that the majority (or at least half?) of an Cappuccino IS actually froth. Well...I'm not usually a coffee drinker so I don't know anything about coffee. Sorry about bad rating that I gave, I'll give a more informed review the next time I go there.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/20/2011
I've been eyeing to go their for a few weeks and today I finally went in. I ordered a 16oz(Grande)… Read more »
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Review from Evan J.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 3/27/2011
I had my first -bad- coffee experience here today. Not ten minutes ago, in fact. I think today is just not a good day for coffee. Overextraction and bitterness abound.
Must have been the girl (friend? new employee?) standing in the back my barista was focused on pulling shots for and talking to. I'm sure my coffee would have been better otherwise.
What ever happened to customer service?
Also, I have yet to find their upstairs.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/7/2010
The coffee was alright, but nothing impressive. Slightly over-extracted espresso, but clearly made… Read more »
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Review from Kaya W.
New York, NY
8/18/2010
Cafe Allegro is a cafe which has the potential to be super cute and mysterious. It is tucked away in an alley off of the Ave, near the University Bookstore. As I said it could be super cute. But it's super "ehhhhh".
I stumbled upon Cafe Allegro while looking for a new yoga place (Universe City Yoga, super awesome, super great, take a class with Richelle, it will change your life). I thought to myself, "Oooh! A cafe in an alley, how mysterious" and I didn't let the smell of the nearby dumpsters deter me on my quest for adorable Seattle Cafes. Only then I went in and got an americano and got some serious snubbery (and snobbery) from the barista. But I was on my way to do yoga! Nothing would make me sad! NOTHING! My americano (my new drink of choice since I am now both soy and lactose intolerant) was okay. It was frothy and beautiful and it smelled good and it tasted...fine. I did my yoga and I forgot the snobby barista man.
But today, I went back before my (life changing) yoga class. I had forgotten my water bottle and so I went to the counter and I asked
"Do you sell bottles of water?"
"We have mineral water"
"Oh. Okay. You don't have plain water?"
"We have a water fountain over there"
"Oh, that's okay. Thanks for your help!"
And I went back to my friends, ignoring the water fountain and cups because I have worked food service and while it is important to quench people's thirst, it is also important to buy something if you are going to take something and create more work for others.
BUT on my way out he yells (yes, yells) "We would appreciate it if you bought something if you are going to take our water".
To which I say (very quietly) "I didn't... That would be rude" and say in my head (very loudly): "I didn't take your water you snobby barista man!"
So say no to Cafe Allegro, where the coffee is okay and the service smells as much as the dumpsters outside.
(want to know about some great Seattle Coffee shops? Visit my coffee blog: http://cupofseattle.bl...) -
Review from Ian S.
4/2/2007
I was taking someone to a medical appointment at the hospital (nothing to worry about. All is 5x5.) and needed to kill some time, so I thought that I would wander around for some caffeination.
After driving around a bit, I thought that I would stop in at Allegro, where I had been once before, have a coffee and read until I got a call telling me all was complete.
Allow me to set the stage here.
Most of my things are still in boxes. I didn't really sleep much, so unshaven and messy-haired but I was needed to chauffeur around in the car. I brought a hat to cover my messy head.
So about the hat. When I was working in NYC, I bought a fitted Yankees hat. Do I like the Yankees? Not really. I liked NYC and enjoy it as a souvenir of a good time. I do keep forgetting that people from NYC are prejudged by the nonjudgmental crowd quite a bit, so if I look like one.. well. It is the only hat I have around, so I've been wearing it. It solicits comments like "We charge 20% more for Yankees fans" and things like that. I keep forgetting.
I enter.
I look at the baked goods, nod at the staff, and stand behind the person who is currently ordering.
The staff at this time is a guy at the cash register who is eyeballing me and an older polite guy speaking to the young woman ordering some drink.
"The line starts over there," said the cash register man with a gesture.
I looked "over there" to my right and no one was there. There wasn't a line.
"I think I'm good," I said.
He looked at me and didn't say anything for a moment.
Some other people appeared as the guy actually working was finishing up her drink and started looking over the menu.
He asks the newcomers what they would like to order. While he's doing that, I tell the guy working the bar "I'd like a tall cappuccino, please".
He starts making it and asks "For here?"
"No. To-go, thanks."
Cash register man isn't happy. He tells me something like "Next time, you need to go and *do as you're told*." He looks like he wants a fight.
"Right," I chuckle.
"Do you want anything else?" he asks.
I started saying "Yeah I was thinking about--" and was interrupted.
"Well think faster!" he demanded.
"Uh huh. I guess I won't then. So is this your place?" I asked.
"No."
"You're just like this then?"
"I don't like you," he tells me.
"I see." I very likely smirked.
My coffee was ready.
The thought of actually giving this place any money after this performance seemed wrong. This wasn't something I wanted to encourage.
"You know, I think you can keep the coffee. I'll just go."
"Good!" said angry cash manchild.
I left. Never to return.
April 2, 9am. -
Review from Michelle B.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 7/21/2008 1 Check-in Here
I'll give Allegro another shot. Why not?
After I wait in line (behind one person) for a long time a booming voice comes from behind the tall espresso machine, "What do you want?"
Me: A vanilla soy latte, please.
Barista: *Peeks out behind espresso machine* A what???
Me: A vanilla soy latte.
Barista: What size? For here or to go??? Grumble.
Me: 12 ounces to go. Thanks.
Cashier: That will be $4.75
Seriously? That is significantly more expensive than anywhere else in town. Which might have been fine if it was significantly more delicious than anywhere else in town, but it was downright nasty. Rancid tasting.
Let's recap Allegro:
Ruder Baristas
Higher Priced
Terrible Coffee
That's a lot to deal with simply to enjoy their beautiful exposed brick walls and peruse their truly interesting bulletin boards. There will be no more shots for me and Allegro.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/6/2008
Sure, it's the oldest coffee shop in Seattle, and it definitely has a coffee shop vibe going on -… Read more »
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Review from Meghan G.
Olympia, WA
10/12/2007
It is my opinion that Allegro is the best cafe in the U-District. Whenever I go there I always pass the people sitting at the Starbucks a block away and wonder why they choose crappy corporate cafe chain over a place that is uniquely Seattle (Sorry, Starbucks is no longer unique or Seattle).
The people working behind the counter are always very friendly and helpful. They always volunteer to heat up my pastries and seem genuinely interested when they ask you how your day is going.
The atmosphere is good for studying, reading, drawing or a casual conversation and there isn't too much noise, but it isn't eerily quiet either. I usually order tea, chai or hot chocolate, because I'm not big on lots of caffeine. They have two different kinds of chai and offer to put Mexican chocolate in your hot chocolate for an extra .35 cents (I recommend it. Really tasty stuff). I like how it is hidden away - off the street and down the alley.
They also have a good selection of pastries, vegan doughnuts and bagels. -
Review from Oliver S.
It's like you're part of a secret society when you go to Allegro.
The entrance to Allegro is in a back alley that's blocked by a recently built building. To indicate their location, Allegro advertises using a sandwich board they position on 42nd street right next to Magus books.
Allegro is partitioned into three parts: the main cafe, the back cafe, and the upstairs. The main cafe is the loudest/busiest, with the baristas getting their coffee on and customers coming in and out. The back cafe has several booths and is quite conducive to a mixture of people watching and studying. The upstairs is the most isolated, and should be left for those who are super serious about their studying.
The coffee and baked goods are okay, nothing spectacular. I'm a fan of this place more for the combination of their adequate food/beverage offerings in addition to the good use of space. Also, since it's in such a poorly positioned location, the place maintains only a steady flow of people. I think much of their clientèle comes from word of mouth advertisement.
For University students, this is a great place to study. The coffee shop caters to many different types of studiers from those who need that coffee shop bustle to those who only study in silence.
Overall, a great experience. -
Review from Alan F.
Mission District, CA
3/8/2009 2 Check-ins Here
Great place to grab Americano on the go...
It's cheap (just over 2 bucks), fast (it was ready as soon as I paid), and rich (not bitter in the least).
Unfortunately they're dwarfed by construction that's completely hidden the shop entrance. I have a vested interest in the following advice: make sure you stop in since they probably get far less business now that condos on the rise completely block the way in. I really need this shop for a quick fix before reaching UW campus... -
Review from Gwen C.
8/8/2009
It's hard to get much more Old Seattle than down an alleyway and through a poorly marked door. As hard as Greg "Dino Rossi" Nickels worked to destroy the Ave in '02, Allegro survived and these days it really keeps it coming. They make excellent mochas, hot chocolate, and good baked goods. The rooms don't echo badly and it's easy to converse. They have outlets.
I dislike that given that they close at 10:30, there's one night guy who starts the bumrush at about 9:30. Other than that one dude, who's there maybe two nights a week, everyone's awesome. The lattes are not their strong point, often too wet or too dry. Just get a cappucino or a mocha. -
Review from Adam B.
Seattle, WA
10/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Won't ever return. The espresso was was unbelievably awful. The foam on my cappuccino looked like the soap bubbles from my dirty dishes, except my cappuccino tasted worse.
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Review from Misty M.
Tacoma, WA
8/3/2009
I like this place! Mexican hot chocolate YESSS! Any place that sells this is automatically my friend.
I've had a latte here and it was delicious as well, and they had this wonderful vegan donut that was really awesome too, but I have indeed tasted a better latte in my days. I love sitting in the back on my computer doing homework, way better than being holed up in OUGL. They don't complain that I'm there or kick me out or treat me like crap when I order, they just leave me be to get my work done. Also, having it hidden down the alleyway is kind of hardcore in my opinion. -
Review from Marianne G.
6/6/2008
This place is great - I've been coming here since high school. On the coffee price index (using Americano as an indicator) they hover around a high median, but it is worth it.
Three rooms of seating - the upstairs especially good for studying or loafing - the front room good for being seen (all windows onto the alley/parking lot). Great alley space - when its nice, folks hang out here and drink their coffee on the sidewalk and benches outside the cafe.
Sure hope the alley development plans don't wipe out this environment. Its one of the quickly disappearing "weird Winchester mansion" -esque Seattle places with multiple entries/exits and tiny bathrooms and weird upstairs rooms and Public Access TV stars (see: Shifterland) pulling your coffee.This means go there!
They have open mic upstairs too, though rumor is you can't smoke up there anymore.
Also, they always seem to have interesting printed materials, zines, posters etc around. More so than other places on the Ave.
Oh another thing - if you're older than 21 you won't feel like you stick out like a sore thumb here (unlike some other Ave cafes). Which is a huge A+ -
Review from Mary H.
Seattle, WA
5/1/2007
This coffeehouse has the perfect ambiance for having some quintessential coffeehouse discussions -- about art, philosophy, science. Whereas in many other coffeehouses, you might feel like a dork talking about that (or someone would roll eyes), not here. So this is where I almost always come when I'm meeting a friend for a long conversation over coffee. Somehow the ambiance improves the conversation -- don't know how but it does. Allegra is also a popular place to work or study. If you are coming here for that, take time to look around. Allegra has lots of little back rooms and there are more quieter out of the way nooks than in the front room. Well, I guess any review of Allegra has to say something about the baristas....what can I say.. you don't come here for warm, cuddly, smiley baristas.
Coffeehouse Culture: is this a place for a
long heart-to-heart with a friend: YES
a business meeting or interview: NO
hang-out and work: Good in back areas -
Review from Anna D.
Austin, TX
9/21/2011
Best cappuccino on the Ave. Period.
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Review from Misty S.
WA
1/30/2007
I used to hate the ideas of cafes and the coffee culture. I pictured pretentious people sitting around having deep discussions and reveling in their genius. And the Cafe Allegro was the type of place I pictured. It's in an old, rundown building. Art is for sale on the walls. Funky music of some kind or the other is playing. I often hear people talking about their music project or their art or theater projects. The service is rude, and there is a "No cellphones please" sign near the cash register. And the acoustics in the back room are such that once I couldn't help overhearing a REALLY BORING conversation between students about the state of the Comparative Literature program at the UW. There's a bench out in front always filled with smokers and people hanging outside, looking at their laptops and their new graphic arts programs.
But hey, sometimes it's too early to get a beer. And there's free Wi-Fi here. And I guess I kinda like being around people who are creative and write music and stuff anyway, since I am doomed to be a fan or art, never a creator of it. After the intial discomfort of wondering "I'm not hip enough to sit here," it's a pretty chill place. The coffee is good enough, they have a fine strawberry lemonade, and they have an assortment of pastries. There is one barista here who looks like the 8th member of The Strokes (or the 4th or whatever... not a Strokes fan), and he is often playing British music I like, such as The Kinks or Pulp. There's another barista who ain't so nice, but it's gotta be tough working in this joint while your band is on hold, waiting for their "big break," gotta be tough...
The Allegro has been my favorite cafe for a couple of years now, and I find it endlessly amusing that I always see the same regulars there. There's fuzzy haired guy. There's Asian hipster guy. There's beret guy. This leaves me with both a very comforting feeling -- a feeling that this must be a good place to have such loyal customers -- but it also makes me feel slightly depressed to think how things don't change. Reliability is good, but stagnation is not. -
Review from Jennifer Y.
San Francisco, CA
11/7/2009
Came here several times a week for 3.5 years--
Must haves:
-mochas (iced or hot)
-chai tea (hot, oregon chai, less milk)
-almond croissants
This is a great place to study or meet up with friends. There's parking around the cafe and the staff is awesome (they remember you!). The upstairs balcony area is very nice in the summer and equally refreshing in the fall. The coffee here is strong and the noise level is just right... plus last I was here, there was free wi-fi.
If I head 'home' I'll definitely pay a visit ... or two. :D -
Review from Jesse L.
Austin, TX
2/23/2009
I am a barista, and I must say that the worst coffee experience I ever had was at this place.
I ordered just a latte. With a splenda. Okay, I know that splenda isn't all natural or healthy, but hey, I like splenda in my coffee sometimes. I also like diet coke. Shoot me. The barista gave me the world's dirtiest look and proceeded to make me a shitty drink.
And I'm never going back again. Ever.
I just would like to say that if you are a person who hates customer service and working with the public, then don't get a fucking customer service job. It's just that simple.
