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Bitter End Coffee House
Category: Food Coffee & Tea Coffee & Tea [Edit]
752 W Fulton StGrand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 451-6061
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
13 reviews for Bitter End Coffee House
13 reviews in English
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Review from Jessie D.
St Paul, MN
9/1/2011
One of the only places I have found in Grand Rapids that I'm able to study in. The volume level has been extremely low, usually so silent you could hear a pin drop every time I'm in here in the morning or during the day. If you were familiar with Noshville before it shut down, this is almost a replica of it, except classier and with more space. It's a nice place to do homework, but I would choose somewhere else when meeting with friends because I feel like I'm disrupting everyone else's peace and quiet if I make too much noise. In terms of the drinks and food-they have exactly what you'd expect a cafe to have. A few sandwiches and bagels on their menu, a few snacks on platters, and slightly overpriced specialty drinks. My large tea (a cup of hot water with a tea bag on the side) was about $3. I'm sure it didn't cost them too much to heat up some water and pour it into a styrofoam cup, but I get it. It obviously is overpriced, so just understand that, like anywhere else, you'll be dropping a pretty penny if you want anything large/specialty. Overall a nice place to hang out in a tranquil environment with free wifi and 24 hour service.
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Review from Jessica B.
Grass Lake, MI
10/16/2011
The coffee was not something I would write home about. I went in with a friend, and immediately felt like everyone knew each other.
Okay, that's cool and all, but they gave me that hipster look. I cannot stand coffee shops that I feel like I'm interrupting a big hipster convention. Ugh. Maybe it was just the time I went in? It was 10pm, and apparently that's when the hipster crawls out of its cave to explore the world.
I give them props on being independent and offering free-trade coffee - that's enough to get me back if i needed wi-fi, but it's not my personal favorite. -
Review from Douglas E.
Grand Rapids, MI
6/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
In a city that is filled with unique coffee houses, this one is is plain and simple mediocre when it comes to the items on the menu. It is kind of old-school and fun to actually see the person make your coffee before you pay. The blended drinks are sweet, and when I say sweet I mean liquid sugar sweet. My friend swears by the coffee but I don't think it's anything special. It's a little over priced and not for the penny pincher. The fourth star is for the atmosphere. I love the inside of this place. The pictures on the wall and the music (Nat King Cole) are great, but the tin roof sells me. It's nice to see an old building being appreciated and maintained so well. The staff was great too.
Plus it's open 24 hours and they serve free-trade coffee exclusively. Bottom line? I can't say it is my first pick in the city but it's a nice little hang-out-and-talk-with-an-old-friend kind of place. -
Review from Adrienne J.
Grand Rapids, MI
6/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
My favorite place to get my Macchiato.
They make it perfect. Open 24/7 and free wifi. Starbucks prices but worth it. -
Review from Jennifer R.
East Greenbush, NY
1/15/2011
Cool place to hang out and ok if you want one of those fu-fu "coffee" drinks.
For a coffee purest, you will realize as soon as you see the insulated carafes of flavored coffee that this isn't going to end well. When I asked the "barista" if they had a french press, she asked "a what?". When I asked if they did their own roasting, I got a "we have a supplier that brings us our coffee. But I can grind the beans for you."
I guess it's still better than a Mc Cafe or Starbucks, but it's no Stumptown. -
Review from Alicia G.
Grand Rapids, MI
10/4/2010
Okay. Point blank, the coffee at this place is terrible. The worst in the city, IMO. I mean, their regular coffee is cold, and the specialty drinks are so sweet you may need a shot of insulin after consuming one. I would rather have the food service coffee from work and that is BAAAD. I'm giving this place two stars because it's pretty inside, the atmosphere is chill, and their internet came through for me in a pinch when I needed to do my online homework,and my WiFi completely crapped out on me for a semester, thank you kindly for that. Otherwise, avoid this place. You can do better.
P.S. Re: The Friendly Barista. Yes, he is a nice guy, don't get me wrong. But when you are about an hour away from your 12am submission deadline he seriously needs to take a hint (like, when you have earbuds in and you *tell* the man you're busy) that you do. not. want. to. talk. I'm all for kicking back and relaxing and having fun but when there's a deadline, there's a deadline. -
Review from Jeremy E.
Laguna Beach, CA
11/24/2008
It's an understatement to say that Grand Rapids has a real dearth of cool, unique coffee hang outs, especially for the college crowd or just to spend some time with friends. I *love* this place - very unique, good coffee and free internet. The atmosphere is great with wood-paneled walls and a tin ceiling and it's just plain cool. You should definitely go here.
There *is* outdoor seating, but you won't want to use it in the winter time! -
Review from Apoorva J.
Northborough, MA
3/6/2008
I will agree with Leang below. One of the most amazing coffee places I have been to. Their signature lattes are amazing, so are the creme sodas. A huge variety and a very laid back environment. Love this place.
They have different board games lying around and the crowd is a good mixture. On a given Friday night you can find a guy playing his guitar, a couple playing scrabble, a group of friends playing cards and an elderly person solving a crossword. And they have free wi-fi, so I can spend hours there.
Make sure you look at the various portraits they have throughout the shop and in the restroom (yeah, trust me). They have different sizes for the lattes (like starbucks) and the cheapest signature latte starts at @ 3.50 (small size), but sure is worth it. The regular mocha etc (starbucks type drinks) are roughly the same price.
This place is open 24 hours.
There is this one guy who works there and will refuse to give you a glass of tap water - you have to buy the bottled water (even if you are ordering coffee) - but rest of the staff have been more than willing to hand a glass of water. Come on dude, you only charge for water in NYC! (ok, call me cheap, but I hate paying for water).
They have a parking lot just across the street, or you could park on the street as well.
All in all, an awesome place to hang out! -
Review from Jessica B.
Chicago, IL
1/23/2009
I spend my life here. It will be missed.
When you go, look at the giant list of Torani flavors and make your own drink. I promise you it is worth it, and you will feel more creative and will have exactly what you want. I also like making my own Italian sodas, and adding fruit flavors to iced tea.
They don't have much tea, just bagged Numi tea. But they do have Yerba Mate and Chai. Put those two together, and yum, though I rarely hear anyone order that or Yerba Mate.
Don't go around 7pm-midnight during the school year and expect to get a place for a ton of people. There are tons of college kids, especially since Dillenbeck's down the street closed. During the day, like 1am-5pm it's normally pretty empty/there's tables open. This doesn't phase me, as the main reason I like this place is that I can go at 3am.
I have absolutely no knowledge of anyone who works there refusing to give tap water. In fact, the two people I know the best who work there fill a cup with ice and use the hot distilled water which is normally used to make tea (obviously the ice cools it.)
And for vegans --- they have soy milk. However, the Ghiradelli chocolate (dark and white) and the normal Torani chocolate syrup (white & normal) are not vegan. If you want a vegan mocha ask for the Torani Creme de Cacao or Chocolate Bianca. If you question any of the syrups, ask to look at the bottle because they all say if there is dairy.
The owners of this place are really awesome. It's a great place to support, and the coffee is a million times better than Starbucks or Biggby. -
Review from Chris B.
St Joseph, MI
10/23/2010
Great location and atmosphere. Could use more comfortable seating.
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Review from David W.
Rochester, MN
2/27/2010 3 photos
Ahhh, the Bitter End.
Since this place is open 24 hours, it feels almost morally wrong for me to go here anytime that is not absurdly late at night. Bitter End is your textbook definition of "coffeeshop". From the eclectic mix of art on the walls, to the stained-wood walls and the friendly barista that quizzes customers with brainteasers at one in the morning, the Bitter End is everything you would expect from a good coffee shop. WiFi is free here, and at least half of the night crowd (mostly college students) brings a laptop. Nonsmoking is a huge plus.
When you get here, you can either park on the street or in the free lot right across Fulton Street. One problem you'll run into when you come at peak times (i.e., nights) is that it's often hard to find a seat inside. In the summer they have a couple of tables outside on the sidewalk, but even then it still gets packed pretty quickly. This is the only downside to this place. Power plugs line the perimeter of the place, so snag one of those tables if you're looking to plug your computer in. If you're stuck with a table closer to the center of the room, people on the perimeter are usually cool about letting you plug in by them.
They usually have a decent selection (~8) of brews available. They also have fair-trade coffee beans that you can buy to take home ($8.50/half pound, I believe). If you're hungry, they have muffins, bagels, chips. They make all the standard espresso drinks and also do frozen drinks (including non-coffee based ones). I've never had their espresso drinks, so I can't comment on them.
Whether you want to sit and chat with friends (they have boardgames available) or to get some serious work done on your laptop, the Bitter End is a solid choice for a coffeeshop. -
Review from Leang E.
8/22/2007
This place is fabulous! Coffee lovers beware! It has to be the best coffee place I've been to. They have the most delicious flavors and names of coffees. I had a Creme Brulee, but was debating over this and the Butterfinger. The coffees here could probably entice those that don't like the bitter taste of coffee. The cost of one is the equivalent to the price of a small cup at Starbucks. They only have one size, which makes me feel bad about wasting. I guess better that you get more than not enough for the price. They also have a frequent purchaser card, and they leave your card in a box according to your last name so you have one less card to carry in your purse. Plus, you don't have to worry about forgetting to even use it! The place reminds me of an old school library. I'm definitely going to have to make it a point to grab coffee here every time I visit my sister. Places like this make it hard to cut down on coffee...
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Review from Mike S.
Los Angeles, CA
6/20/2008
i have attempted to visit this cafe approximately five times, and each time it's been so crowded that i/my party hasn't been able to sit down -- we just leave instead; usually seems to be a line to get coffee too. i guess that's all somewhat understandable, since it's the only non-smoking 24-hour wireless cafe in the grand rapids area, but i'm giving this place two stars until i actually get the chance to be a customer there. there's some outdoor seating, maybe two patio tables and four chairs, but not enough. it's located in a pretty sketchy neighborhood as well. not really an area i'd be wanting to hang out in after dark.
