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Coffee Connection
Rating Details »
Categories: Coffee & Tea, Religious Organizations [Edit]
3838 S Centinela AveLos Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 391-1380
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sat. 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
9 reviews for Coffee Connection
I used to come to this place all the time since it was a good midpoint on my way home from work. If I had had a particularly stressful day, or traffic was frustrating me, I would stop here to relax.
The coffee is pretty good and I liked the atmosphere. If I recall, the price was a good deal too, and the staff was always friendly to me.
After reading some other reviews, however, I'm disappointed by their pro Prop 8 stance. I agree with Kristin B. that they are definitely allowed to voice their opinion, but should in no way try to force their views upon their customers. I know this place is attached to a church, so it made me feel good to support the community, but I cannot fully support an establishment if it cannot remain neutral. It should be a place for discussion rather than discrimination.
That being said, I do actually like this place (and have had no bad personal experiences) but I no longer go often since I have moved.
I don't really know how I feel about it being affiliated with a church since religion kinda freaks me out, however, it's a pretty good spot to get stuff done and I love the outdoors courtyard.
When I went it was decently busy but there was still seating both inside and outside. I got an americano to help me push through the pain of writing my last final paper ever, and it wasn't too shabby.
If it weren't for the courtyard I probably wouldn't come here again, but having the option of working outdoors is something that isn't really an possible at the other coffee shops in my hood, so cuz of that this place will stay in my rotation. Oh, and the free wi-fi rules!
Everyone's reviews thus far of Coffee Connection are spot on: I went there a few times to work and really liked it because of the decent working environment, proximity to my house and decent (but not spectacular) coffee. I was even willing to look past it's affiliation with a church. If you didn't know any better, you wouldn't know of this affiliation.
However, I saw a pro-Prop 8 sign one day. I figured if other businesses can have anti-Prop 8 signs that it's fine as long as they don't start shoving it down your throat.
Well, they did.
One of the employees saw me staring at the sign and without a single word from me said, "if you don't like our views you can leave."
Okie Dokie. I'm outta here.
Nirvana in the coffee shop universe.
Missing nothing, plenty of everything.
Kudos to the owner.
I echo the initial review by Oliver W. This is a sleepier alternative to the Venice Grind with great parking, good WiFi, some outdoor seating, and a generally-conducive-to-work environment. The food offerings are prettier scant and unappetizing and the tea/coffee is nothing to write home about, but if you're looking for a quiet place to plow through your day's freelancing, this is it.
Also, although this place is associated with a church, there is no upsell to Jesus with your Java at the Coffee Connection... Thank goodness.
This place looks intimidating from the outside, but once you cross the doorway it is chilled out. There are plenty of tables and an enclosed outdoor space, and the girl at the counter let us try the Mayan mocha.
I'll be back to test the wifi.
I'm a big fan of the Venice Grind, right around the corner, but as mentioned by Oliver W., it can get busy and as I mentioned in my VG review, people can get chatty. I love the Grind for these reasons, but sometimes you just need a more peaceful environment where you can savor a few hours of solitude. This is the place. The staff is friendly but not chatty, the patrons are usually at work more-or-less keeping to themselves and typing away on their computers. I've been here about ten times and experienced only two noisy encounters, both of which were put to a stop by other customers. There is an outside patio area that is cute, shady and underutilized. And there's a large parking lot on Centinela that always has space.
So far this place seems like a quiet oasis amid the chaos and in a way that's true. So why the three stars? I do like this place - the atmosphere on a mellow day when you need to focus is perfect and almost deserving of 4 stars alone ... but the little food available is no good, which I can overlook. I don't generally come to a coffee shop for the food. The major problem is that their coffee is no good either, and I believe that the mark of a good coffee shop is good coffee.
This is a sleeper free wi-fi cafe that's underutilized despite having a great location (including parking!) and a quiet space to work in. It's located at Centinela and Venice, around the corner from Venice Grind but in contrast to the busier and hipper VG, Coffee Connection is a lot more laid back and most of all: quiet. It's almost like working in a library that serves coffee and that's a marked improvement over other cafes where it can be too noisy to focus in.
It's become my new favorite cafe to work at on the Westside, especially given its proximity to Mitsuwa and a host of Mexican restaurants.
Did I mention free wi-fi? And the parking?
They have a nice outdoor courtyard if you'd rather be outside. Full, standard cafe drink menu including a decent Mayan mocha. Prices are also standard for the neighborhood (which is to say, a small coffee is $1.60; not cheap but about the same as VG).
The only drawback is that, for whatever reason, there's sometimes people who insist on having full volume cell phone conversations in the space and don't have the basic courtesy to take their chatter outside. I feel like they should put a sign asking people to keep cell phone convos to a minimum.
The Cafe is owned by the Vineyard Christian Fellowship and as someone who's agnostic, I was initially concerned but as it turns out, there's a minimum of anything resembling evangelical lit anywhere to be found and some of the staff who work here aren't even affiliated with the Fellowship.
I've been here at least twice a week for the last month or so and have not had the experience Beth B. wrote about. Could be those folks she was addressing have been shooed off but I've yet to meet any direct, harassing types outside of the obnoxious cell phone chatters.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/14/2008
UPDATE: A bummer but we just learned that the Vineyard Christian Fellowship that owns the cafe was… Read more »
(Since it's non-obvious from the outside: this is a coffeeshop that's part of a chain Charismatic Christian church.)
Pros: Free wireless, beautiful courtyard, very nice workers
Cons: Perhaps in an attempt at Christian charity, a few very obnoxious guys hang out there all day and harrass both the customers and workers. Also, their food and drinks are not great, and praise music is played ad nauseum. They also keep really short hours (close at 7?).
