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Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Columbia HeightsColumbia Heights (Green, Yellow)
Mon-Fri. 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
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Hands down, best coffee in the city. Served by extremely nice people. When I moved away there was an expansion in the works..so the only downside of the space being too small is hopefully soon rectified.
If you can grab one of the outside tables it makes for an interesting and relaxing weekend morning in Columbia Heights.
Three and a half stars.
A nice (if tiny) neighborhood java joint. It's too bad their plans to expand into the neighboring storefront fell through. Good Coffee, free wi-fi with old photos of Columbia Heights gracing the walls.
Columbia Heights coffee was the first of a new wave of places to open on this stretch of 11th St, which is fast turning into a more indy counterbalance to the hustle and bustle of 14th Street. It has since been joined by the Wonderland, Red Rocks pizza, Room 11, Bloombars, and soon, Meridian Pint.
So, if you're in the neighborhood, stop in, get a drink, grab a seat out front and watch the world go by.
After visiting CH Coffee twice now, I've experience the same issues. But I'll begin by noting the "good" attributes:
-Free wifi. No password, just sit down and you're up!
-It's cute inside with a few comfy chairs, 2-3 smaller tables and a bar area lining the window. Music was good, but they played the same stuff over and over.
Areas to vastly improve upon:
-the baristas are slow and disorganized. Each time there's been 1-2 people ahead of me in line and it takes for-ever to order and get your coffee. They move really slowly, so the orders inevitably get backed up. This morning they forgot to make my order, then it was incorrect when I was handed a beverage. Really?
-the coffee is weak and diluted. I've ordered a latter each time. Once iced; once hot and the ice was all milk and ice and the hot, was all milk and depressingly weak coffee. I could hardly taste it nor did it have any power. The prices should be lower if that's what you're gonna serve.
-the bathroom was rather disgusting. That's all I care to mention.
-the beverages out on display were sparse to say the least. There's a Odwalla fridge; both times there was 1-2 Odwalla's inside of all 4-5 shelves.
-I left my own personal plastic mug here and when I returned the next day, they said they'd thrown it away. They have a lost & found, but tossed my cup because it was plastic. Awesome?
I'd maybe come back for the free wifi in a bind, but I'd stick to ordering a tea instead.
Finally, a coffee shop in DC that's not blasting music. After trying to work at Tryst and being blasted with shitty techno, this was a welcome change. Good coffee. It's small, so there's a chance there might not be a seat when you get there if it's the weekend.
I love the owners of this place. The coffee is of great quality, although I have heard the food is just average.
It does take a bit of time to properly make an espresso drink. If you are searching for a quick caffeine fix-- go to Starbuck's.
The Espresso Frappe is the bomb and literally makes my morning at least once a week. The frozen Chai drink is also fantastic. The couple who run the place are amazing people but the other employees I've seen just don't cut it in the service department. Luckily, these 2 are almost always there when I arrive!
The place is routinely packed and I've never had an opportunity to grab a seat anywhere but the stools by the window in front. The food isn't exactly stellar but they do usually have lots of scones and other baked delights (including an assortment of vegan ones!).
If you're going to the Starbucks on 14th St. instead of CH Coffee or the other local coffee shops, you should be ashamed!
I have too say I was disappointed with this place. After reading reviews, I was expecting a much different if not better place then what I experienced. Everything was just ok.
The one bright spot was the staff as they could not have been friendlier and the site itself was well designed and friendly.
What was really disappointing was the food and coffee. I was looking for some light lunch. Many things on the food menu board were not available so I settled for a turkey and swill sandwich. The bread was very dry/stale and the turkey and Swiss were food service.
The biggest disappointment was the coffee. I ordered a small latte hoping to see some nice latte art, not that latte art is a make or break for a latte, it sure does help. The milk was way to foamy and not creamy at all and was really really hot. The espresso was average to a bit bitter as it was probably over-extracted.
Great location but had hoped for better.
What more can I say? It's got everything you need in a coffee shop.
Coffee.
A place to sit (usually)
Free wifi
Things to snack on if you live on sustenance other than caffeine
Some good people watching (especially some walks of shame on the weekends)
Since leaving my hometown of DC for NYC, I've come to miss this place a lot. Amazing coffee, their chai is to die for. Every saturday I would go there and get the eggs florentine and read for hours. This place made studying pleasant. Enough said.
This is very low-key coffee shop. You would feel so comfortable with just putting simple T-shirt and baggy pants to get a cup of coffee and sit there for hours. I've been to many coffee shops in DC area and I wouldn't feel comfortable to hang out for hours if I look like I just got out of my bed.., but this cafe is different.
Many kinds of flavor-syrups, good coffee, friendly server (or owner?) and there is (not sure if he's there all the time or not) a man playing guitar..
It's not too big so sometimes you might not find a seat...
If I live nearby, I would do my yelping//emailing here all the time with my coffee drink.
Great coffee, with the option of light or dark roast, the latter of which is smooth and full-flavoured, not too acidic and, best of all, not Starburnt. The cafe also stocks a wide variety of Odwalla drinks and comically huge croissants, and has nowhere to sit.
Sunday mornings in yupster town can be a tough time to get coffee. Too many people out for brunch, strolling their babies around, trying to recover from the night before. Nary a place to sit, or winding up squashed next to an overly-excitable pair loudly recounting every sordid detail from the night before.
Not so at Columbia Heights Coffee! It's a small place (about 15 seats or so), but not crowded and quiet enough. Some generic bookstore jazz in the background, a stack of magazines for you to read while you wait for your other party. Lots of outlets, but watch out for the laptop carriers, who might invade your personal space to plug/unplug.
The plain, drip coffee itself is quite nice. Nothing too crazy, prices comparable to Starbucks, but we're all supposed to feel better about it because it's not corporate. Hooray!
CH Coffee is a good spot for tea or coffee; I stopped in with a friend on a week night near closing time. The server was pleasant and made my order exactly right. I enjoyed the vanilla tea au lait. She did not rush us out of there, so we sat down to chat and relax for a few minutes. I will go back again when I am in the neighborhood. Nice change from Starbucks!
I live a hop skip and a jump for here and am so happy about it! The coffee is good and they have about a million types of syrups you can choose from (if you like your random-flavored lattes). They have everything from bagels to pastries and even breakfast sandwiches. If you are eating in, they will bring it to you. Newspapers for sale at the counter as well. Plus, WIFI!
I even ordered a coffee and biscotti one morning and was short about 50 cents and they just paid for it out of the tip jar - I obviously have them a little extra the next time I came back - but that is customer service!
Have an event coming up? Want to sell your car? They have two bulletin boards - one by the bathroom and one outside the entrance. I had a flyer to put up and just asked the owner. He said as long as there was room and I didn't cover up anyone else's, it was fine.
Many people bring their dogs when they sit outside and there is a bowl of water for them or any passers by.
My only warning: space is limited and people love to set up shop there so get in early. Sometimes I want to go read a book/newspaper for a bit and even though it is 8:30am, there isn't much space.
Great alternative since I really don't like starbucks coffee (even though I still fork up the $ at times - who doesn't?)
Just great - real nice neighborhoody feel, nice and small. Great for some low-key weekday studying. The guy that works there is so sweet. Free wifi. Lots of plugs. Great coffee.
Holy crap, where did this place come from? Much like Wonderland, and only two blocks away, you basically stumble upon it without any expectations of finding a hip little coffee shop. I was completely unaware of it until last week, when I went there for lunch and coffee. Awesome ambience, fantastic coffee, and to top it off, their sandwiches are out-of-this-world good. Try the roast beef -- it's REALLY good -- and my girlfriend swears by the turkey.
Would give it more stars if possible.
If you live in Columbia Heights and you want a neighborhood coffee spot, this is your best bet. They have great coffee and the staff is incredibly friendly. It's small, but I haven't found it to be too crowded so far. There is always a spot to sit inside and if you are lucky, you can grab one of the two tables outside.
They also have a small menu with several sandwiches including a crab cake sandwich. You may call it a diamond in the rough, but I hope it continues to thrive with all of the development on 14th including Mayorga and Starbucks.
It's a really nice and quaint coffee house in the middle of the ghetto.
Unless you live in the part of Columbia Heights where you come and go by armored car this place isn't on the way to or from anywhere. That being said, it's not incredibly out of the way either. It's about 5 blocks from where I live and it's definitely a cool spot. They have some nice outdoor seating when it's not 30 below and some comfy chairs inside. It's pretty small which gives it that homey sort of, "I must be cool to have found this little hole in the wall" feeling.
Very Good double-dry cap AND it's the kind of place where you get an actual ceramic cup (though it wasn't as "dry" as I would have liked--my fault--I okayed the wrong cup size). Nice atmosphere--I counted 3 laptops hoggging the inside tables (not sure if wi-fi is free), outside tables were comfy and blissfully empty. They were sold out of pastries when I visited yesterday--but it was late afternoon.
I had never noticed Robb's Report--thanks for the tip Jon A! I perused an article on the 2007 BMW M3 that I will never own (super-rad!).
3.75 stars. This place is fine; as mentioned by numerous other reviewers, it is nothing to look at from the exterior, however, you will find tasty coffee, free wireless internet, and an eclectic clientele base within the tiny, moderately charming interior. It loses a few points for being a bit grungier than I would like (like that in a music venue, but not in a place where i am ingesting food), being too tiny, and having inconvenient hours. It gains points for friendly service and comfortable music conducive to completing work.
Good coffee and free wifi. The place is very laid back, but on the weekends it's hard to find a seat because it's very popular with the locals.
Great coffee, but I agree with the other reviewer about seating. It's often packed and hard to find a place to sit. If I can get a place to sit, it's a great spot to study, read, or just relax. Plus it's basically my back yard, so I think it's great.
This place does not look like much from the outside. Inside, however, you can sit for hours without being hassled, read a variety of magazines and enjoy reliable free wi-fi. Coffee was pretty good, not burned tasting like some of the major chains. Chair was comfortable enough. A few tables. The place was nearly empty, so I felt like there was tons of room, but perhaps if it ever gets crowded, I could understand the complaints. Still, a nice joint to get work done.
Good coffee, nice atmosphere, tasty bagels and lox, what more can you ask for?
I had high hopes for Columbia heights coffee looking for somewhere new to set up shop reading and writing, but was dissappointed. I really wanted to support the local business and it's only a block from my house, but I don't think I'll be going back.
Maybe I showed up at a bad time, but I waited for what seemed a long time (objectively 15 min) to get a cup of coffee and then felt forced into buying a muffin I didn't want and a larger coffee by the credit minimum though it still didn't add up. To the credit of the guy at the counter, he let me and my four dollar purchase off without a word. I sat in a cramped space on a noisy chair that was hard to get to and tried to get comfortable. I realized this was not going to be possible since the place was already too warm and I was about to drink a hot beverage.
The coffee was not very good and the muffin not remarkable, but neither were bad. After doing my duty polishing off the muffin I packed up and split. For my purposes it really doesn't do it, but I think it's worth it to check out and decide for yourself.
I often to go to Columbia Heights Coffee on Saturday mornings, to read the paper, study for the LSATs, just generally enjoy the morning. The coffee is delicious, and they ask whether you want light or dark, and room for coffee (for a black, dark, coffee drinker those are the right questions to ask). The pastries are good and the people are friendly. Definitely the quintessential neighborhood coffee shop!
i really like this place a lot. my friend lives around the corner so sometimes after a long (read 'very drunken') night we go here to attempt to revive ourselves.
I think the coffee is very good and the pastries are SO yummy. The chocolate covered biscotti is crunchy and delish and the muffins are some of the best around. My brother had a breakfast sandwich and it looked exactly like what you'd make at home.
You really can't beat the prices, I'm always surprised when I'm rung up because its never as much as I'm expecting.
I probably wouldn't go here if you're in a rush or as a before-work-coffee-on-the-run place, but for a lazy sunday where you don't mind waiting a while for food its great.
Great coffee shop walking distance from both the Columbia Heights and Georgia Ave./Petworth Metro stops on the green line. All the usual coffee drinks available both hot and cold plus pastries, bagels and Odwalla.
A diamond in the rough, Columbia Height Coffee shop looks like it was randomly put next to a long closed down grocery store (Bi-Rite Grocery). It's about half a block from Red Rocks Pizza, and it's well worth the visit. Very homey, very nice staff, and great hot chocolate. I had the regular hot chocolate, but they also have white and dark hot chocolate.
Based on the reviews here I decided to pop in to Columbia Heights Coffee and do a bit of reading. The location certainly isn't "about" convenience, but if you're looking for a proper neighborhood coffeeshop, this is certainly the place. In the next few months both a Caribou and a Starbucks will open at the intersection of Park and 14th. I can't imagine that will hurt Columbia Heights. With the influx of yuppies that is about to hit that neighborhood, there's bound to be a big-enough faction who will opt for the stroll down to this independent shop. Hopefully the friendly service and well-made drinks won't attract too much attention, as the table area barely holds a handful of tables and a couple of couches. I had a double espresso made relatively professionally, and the couple of locals who wondered through all (a) knew the person who was serving them, and (b) got some specialty drink.
If you're new to Columbia Heights or just exploring, this is a great place to rest your feet and enjoy a cup.
this place is friggin' adorable. not to mention two blocks from my doorstep. i had a vanilla chai this morning and it was DELICIOUS. they have a few comfortable chairs, reliable FREE wifi, and a really relaxed feel that tryst sometimes lacks due to crowdedness. the ONLY problem with this place is that it closes too early. other than that, it is everything that i look for in a coffee shop.
Cute, they get to know you and are friendly and nice, and all my coffee-obsessed friends say the coffee is wonderful. It's a great neighborhood establishment.
Dropped by this place for lunch today...I had heard good things, so I figured I should check it out since it's near where I live. I missed it on my first bike-by, but then I saw it's sign (some tree branches were blocking my view at first). It's a great little hole-in-the wall type place with a mixture of hipsters and yuppies primarily lounging about. It's small, so seating is limited, but that wasn't really a problem (though, at 1:30 pm on a Friday, it was basically full). I got a large iced coffee and their Virginia Ham sandwich melt. The coffee was superb - I'm not a huge coffee guy, but I generally can tell when coffee is pretty darn good and that was certainly the case here. I have to knock them one star for the wait on the melt (something like 20 minutes) but when it came it was pretty good too. Overall, a pretty chill experience and a great place for locals to hang out. Gotta love that their magazine selection consisted primarily of Robbs Reports, which is fairly ironic given the location and clientele.
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