Gimme! Coffee
Categories: Coffee & Tea, Art Galleries [Edit]
Neighborhood: Brooklyn/Williamsburg - South Side495 Lorimer St
(between Grand St & Powers St)
Brooklyn, NY 11211 (718) 388-7771
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Good for Kids: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Wi-Fi: Free
36 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/East Village
"Recommended for: Tea connoisseurs, relaxing in EV. Food 5, Service 5, Ambiance 5. You all know I'm horrible with names, and one of the…" read more »
60 Reviews for Gimme! Coffee
At first try I wasn't impressed. I used to be addicted to coffee (quad shots of espresso) but GC's Iced Crazy Fiona had me slipping off the wagon. The service could be friendlier but if you live in the area, it's the best cup of joe. Their recent closing due to "paperwork" has made me experience withdrawal. Maybe it's time I went back to Earl Grey.
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Really? THIS is the famous Gimme Coffee? The coffee mecca off Williamsburg? This cold, sterile, weirdly red little sliver of a coffee shop with like 5 tables? Maybe it was all the hype that left me disappointed here, but I was really expecting something special in this place. Or maybe I was just expecting dancing espresso beans or choirs of foamy angels hovering above it - what can I say, I have a flair for the dramatic.
I guess there's something to be said for it being just about the coffee - and don't get me wrong, this was a fantastic latte: sweet and creamy and pulled very very well - but I guess I just wanted more of a vibe or a hang out. It was practically empty on a Saturday afternoon, and mostly the place just left me cold. No outlets, no bathroom, no feeling at all. Big disappointment.
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Gimme coffee.
Don't gimme 15 minutes of wasted time in line while some noodle-armed hipster tries to chat up the new girl behind the counter. Don't gimme attitude. And please don't gimme a terse correction about sizing of the beverages. If you know espresso, you know a tall=medium.
I spent three years pulling espresso in Seattle so I know awesome coffee. Gimme has good coffee with awesomely bad service, which is why I very rarely go there, even though I can hang my head out my bedroom window and kinda see right there, over yonder.
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I walk by this place every day and the smell is always so tempting. They have the best coffee in the area by far. $1.75 for a medium cup of coffee. They get Baltazar's pastries. Yum! And their lattes are so good - they make cute little leaf shapes in the foam. That bring the 4 stars to a 5.
But apparently this is where you go if you want to be seen working on your MacBook. Thus, it is back at 4 stars.
At first I was a little baffled when someone told me that Gimme Coffee's coffee, espresso, etc, was nationally ranked. It just seemed impossible that this sketchy looking little bodega sized nook could crank out product acknowledged on a national scale. Then I ordered a cappuccino and it was bliss. I mean they could have had me at the cute little latte art heart they fashioned with the perfectly creamy foam, but everything else beyond that was also a taste sensation. The only downside is the cramped quarters, which make me less than inclined to stick around to enjoy my cappuccino on the premises. I, too, am also somewhat irked by the too-cool-for-school and way-too-cool-for-me attitude of the kids in there, who are usually decked out in the wayfarers that I wore twenty years ago with my dolphin shorts and culture club t-shirt (it's true! I have a picture), but what can I do? Move to Boerum Hill? No thanks. And what was I doing at that age? Probably chatting it up with some cute boy ordering coffee from me when I worked in a cafe. Oh, and I've also bought their coffee beans to brew at home and they are well worth it!
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If you're not drinking the espresso here you are missing out. It may be the best espresso in the region. I don't know how well it mixes with milk or soy because I drink it like an angry man - straight and unadorned. Holy mackerel it's delicious, and so chocolaty I cannot imagine ruining it by adding milk.
Many have pointed out the lack of a bathroom, a potential problem. The owner recently raised prices slightly, and while they are still within reason, it would be nice to get a bathroom out of the deal. Aside from the occasional insane guy feverishly vibrating his leg, it's still a nice place to enjoy a caffeine high.
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Better places to get a cup in the neighborhood.
And just shut down for health violations too, fyi.
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Gimme gimme more. . .gimme more!
Sorry for the brit-brit song but it definitely hits the nail on the head.
Coffee is off the chain here! The moment I walk through the doors, I feel like I'm floating and being led by nose with the sweet scent of roasted ambrosia.
*sigh*
My go to drink is the Americano. So much goodness in that 12 oz. Life is divine and much more brighter after drinking it. Perhaps it is because my eyes have finally opened.
Update**thanks mike from Gimme! for your polite contact. He told me that the expresso had a bad quality chocolate that was from a company they are experimenting with before conducting official business. Basically, Mike believes that this company doesn't live up to standard and he is sorry that I had a bad experience.
In one of the biggest busts of the offseason....gimme coffee takes the cake.
Sorry people, but counting on most of your reviews, I assume this place was like coffee heaven. Honestly i just wanted good coffee. ***Okay, i had the expresso
However.....i ordered a mocha expresso medium size for $3.60 and guess what.....the coffee felt like it came from the market. For crying out loud, I have made better expresso at home!!!!!
The expresso which according to Mike composed of a brand of 'Fair Trade Equal Exchange chocolate' which is very subpar and will be terminating relations with that company soon. Basically, the expresso tasted like ultra bland poor quality coffee
Now, that was the only one I tried(expresso, not coffee) - but after paying 3.60 for such poor quality I felt discouraged.*edited
Sorry, but the expresso sucked.....
I'll be back for the coffee, thanks Mike for your customer service
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I am sitting here sipping the best (not to mention prettiest) soy cappuccino I have had in this city (Manhattan and Brooklyn combined). I guess this is called meta-yelping by those in the know? I'm not in the know really, so I could be wrong.
Excellent espresso, friendly staff, immediate internet connectivity (!!!), and seemingly cool people (also alone with their computers/books).
Sweetness.
NB: There are no power outlets to plug into. And there is no bathroom.
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That's what I'm taking about...gimme coffee...all of your coffee....
I'm one that pays attention to detail so seeing "gimme coffee" on the side of the cup was just plain brilliance. No need to add extra clutter to represent your coffee shop.
I love this place, it's just so quaint and nice and lovely. First time going and maybe not the last time.
PS. The latte is really really delicious - I felt loved as the staff adds a little heart for a nice visual touch.
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$10,000 may seem like a lot for an espresso machine. But I'm certainly glad someone invented it. From what I have seen so far, Ninth Street, Everyman (?), and Grumpy all have these same machines, and the results are obvious.
Well crafted latte created by well liked barista. The edge of this place is definitely more Williamsburg than anything. And it's also in a decent spot - a few blocks from the Lorimer stop off the L-train (I am a subway guy). If one were so inclined, you could grab your drink before you hit up Barcade for an evening of video games and beers.
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I don't drink coffee. Nope.
But this place is like two blocks from my place and my roommate cannot start his day until he has had his Gimme Coffee and gone through all of his emails, so I've been there a bunch and I love it.
The hot chocolates are delicious (I'm probably the only one that gets that), there is free wifi and there are lots of gorgeous women.
And they don't mind it when I bring in orange juice.
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Awesome place. Great coffee in generous portions. Pretty cool people working there. Although it always seems to be crowded, I've never had a huge problem getting a seat.
It would get five stars if they had a bathroom, but you can (as the barista suggested) go a few blocks down to Sal's pizza, where they are pretty cool about letting randoms use their facilities.
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Date of visit: June 2007
In Short: Decent neighborhood coffee. Not exceptional. Not worth a trip.
About me: I have a very good palette, and I KNOW my coffee.
Detailed:
While surveying the state of affairs of quality coffee in NYC, I came across a review of Gimme! Coffee at nymag.com. Since the review was positive and having had a very good latte in Montreal made with Gimme! espresso, I had an "I gots ta know" moment, much like the bank robber in the opening scene of the first Dirty Harry movie.
My New York "fancy" coffee visits include a few to the St. Helen Cafe where the lattes, service and food is consistently very good+, a few encounters with a MUD-mobile, and approximately 40 lattes from Gorilla from both the current Synesso and the replaced Faema E-61 machine. Saying nothing of my home skills and prosumer setup but fully implying their existence, my bar for street coffee is high.
Let me say folks, I was underwhelmed.
Bleak, somewhat bare, somewhat uninviting was my first impression of the space that is Gimme!. But this review is about the coffee.
It's not about coffee jockeys that play up the stereotype of too-cool-for-you barista.
The latte was decent to pretty good. However, it was much inferior to Art Java of Montreal who use the same beans but on different machinery (La Marzocco there). The service was acceptable.
It was prompt, efficient and *without* any fakery.
Sidebar: I'll take gruff or surly over bubble-gum glee any day of the week.
What you need to know:
No bathroom = Unforgivable!
The issue is compounded by the fact that there are few nearby establishments where you could go should the need arise.
I mean come on - isn't coffee a diuretic!?!
A friend and I discussed this fatal flaw, and we discerned
Gimme! as no different than a Mud Truck i.e. Essentially, it is on par with a coffee stand as there are some snacks, coffee and limited seating, and that's where it ends.
To Sum Up:
If you are nearby, try it out. Worth a trip? No way.
The beans are pricier than at Gorilla, and yield an inferior brew.
For what it aims to be -and my understanding of that aim is a
semi-dingy, hip, of-the-moment neighborhood cafe - it works.
Instead try: Gorilla (Much better, fresher, cheaper beans)
Mud Truck (Astor, Bleecker, and ??)
St. Helen Cafe (Warm & Cozy, easy to get to)
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Does anyone else start jisming stars and rainbows when they take the first sip of an Americano at Gimme Coffee?
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It's a small, small world.
I was visiting my Italian friend (as in, from Italy. None of this hyphenated -American stuff applies), who lives a few blocks from the Lorimer stop. She took me here on a hungover Sunday morning, raving about the place, and when an Italian raves about coffee in America, you really believe her. She didn't, however, tell me what the name of the shop was. All she said was: I'm taking you to the best coffee in New York City.
So of course we show up at Gimme. Now, having been a long-time barista up at Cornell, I know Gimme. People swore by it up there. It moved to Brooklyn after enjoying years of success in Ithaca, and my friend's brother worked at the NY store when it first opened (he was imported directly from Ithaca). Imagine my happy surprise when the Italian stopped me in front of the red Gimme sign. :) Oh so familiar. It was like I was back at school.
And the coffee! I don't think I need to add much more to what people have said already, but Gimme knows its stuff. From espresso to regular coffee, they've got the cup o' joe that no one else can beat.
Yum. Minus a star for the extremely B-burgy crowd. That's not terribly objective, but the Billies do make me feel awkward, and not in that awkward-on-purpose-cuz-i'm-actually-too-cool hipster way.
Full disclosure: having also baristaed for a tough crowd for a few years, I have to say people can be stressful, esp. in high volume. Kudos to staff for staying sane.
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Place should be called Gimme a Smile!
It's a little off the beaten path for me and with all the good choices right in my nabe I didn't make it over here until yesterday.
But I've read all the reviews and I wanted to see what all the hoopla was about. I wasn't about to get scared off by the hipster scene.
I don't care if they look at me funny because I'm not wearing the uniform. I'm a cool cat, I'm not seeking approval just my daily dose of caffeine.
Well. I go inside...places to sit, people working on their laptops (or maybe f-ing around on Myspace), quiet, no one staring at me like I'm a freak...so far so good.
I walk up to the counter and wait for the people working there to finish their conversation with their friends. And I wait.
Finally someone asks me what I want (because I haven't gone away yet), makes it...very nice...latte, very foamy with a leaf on top...very pretty.
I pay, tip... (ummm...we gotta talk about this, what is going on with coffee shops and sandwich shops and deli's with the tips...I'm saying this as someone who works as a bartender...it's going too far. As a bartender or a server you do not make an hourly wage and you usually have a lot more experience in the service industry and have earned the right to tips...so anyways, I'm guilted into tipping my change at least at a coffee shop...but I digress)...
I say thank you.
And that's it.
I may as well have been a ghost. Not a nod, or a "you're welcome", or God forbid a smile. Just went back to her conversation that I rudely interrupted by ordering a coffee.
You know what, the coffee is good. If I'm in the area, like right in the area, I'll stop by, get my coffee and be on my way. But for friendly service I'll take Supercore (and they make the MOST delicious lattes), or Oslo or even The Verb.
Plus, I don't even normally drink fancy bourgeois coffee anyway. Except at Supercore. Oh, my! Supercore's caramel lattes are like sweet sweet love.
At Gimme coffee I felt like a red headed step-child.
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The best coffee I've had in New York. It's torture having to cycle past this place every day without time to stop.
They've just redone the seating, they've removed the booths and now have a row of two-seater tables.
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The best.
I am willing to walk many blocks out of the way to come here. Regardless of having many other decent options closer, gimme is without question, simply superior.
I give gimme coffee my highest recommendation, without qualification.
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I love this place so much it hurts. I'd never ever want to actually hang out there, but the coffee to me is some of the best I've ever had. I've been going for over two years now and I will admit the employees that used to work there were very unfriendly but now they've hired all these really nice people who are talkative (if you are) and smile and just all around cool. Only one surly dude from the first era is still there--I can't recommend this place enough!!!!!! Lines can be long but it's always worth the wait.
To the girl all stressed about being around hipsters and being judged. I think it's all in your head, really.
pros - strong, deep espresso.
cons - no bathroom, smell of coffee permeating clothes/skin.
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Deee-licious coffee. The espresso is literally liquid cocaine. Literally. I walk 10 minutes out of my way in the morning to pick up a cup here... And it's so worth it. Some people claim Oslo has better espresso. But my vote's for Gimme.
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Wonderful whole bean coffee with witty names. Their prices are high but not when you consider where their products are made (read, fairly and with love!). Their brew packs a punch and the food is just so delish.
Also let's quit the "hipster" snark attacks here. For one, without "them" there wouldn't be a variety of fair trade/small business-run coffee around and there wouldn't be so many places to chill in that area.
Support your Local Flavor by supporting Gimme! Coffee.
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When I am away from Brooklyn, I dream of gimme! coffee--their creamy lattes, which are made with such care that I don't need sugar for them, ever, and their sweet, sweet mochas.
More than their mixed coffees, I am drawn over and over again to the well-formed flavors of their drip coffee. I just came back from a trip to San Francisco, where I found LOTS of great lattes but not a single cup of (regular) coffee that satisfied. Gimme! does it right--their drip coffees each have a unique flavor and never taste burnt or flat.
The staff is friendly and quick, and the sometimes long lines are always worth the extra time they add to my morning.
Gimme! = heart heart.
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Gimme Coffee....NOW!!!
Love their coffee, so robust.
I don't live in Williamsburg but I make it a point to frequent Gimme Coffee at least twice a week...I am so addicted to their coffee...I bought a pound of the Mocha Java (Subtle chocolate undertones in the brew) and I've had their Kenya blend which really kicks and I also had their Mexico Dark, which was also good.
Message to Gimme owners to please open a Gimme Coffee in Astoria, preferably near the N/W line?
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Great coffee and friendly staff. I used to live 2 blocks from Gimme and wish it was closer to me now (except I'm so glad to be away from Williamsburg!).
Message to Gimme owners: open a coffee bar in Fort Greene -- you'd clean up. Oh, and bring back the Bahiazul roast!
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I realize I'm adding what everyone already knows, but I'm going for it anyway:
So it's small and filled with hipsters. They make wonderful lattes with near perfect microfoam. The staff is friendly which says a lot for a hipster joint. The place is really small, but there are about six two-person tables. Other than that, just get it to go because there's not too much standing room. It's also really close to a G stop which is quite convenient if you're coming from somewhere else in Brooklyn. I just wish I had tried one of their macchiatos!
If you can get past the fact that this is Hipster Heaven, you're likely to love Gimme!
Coffee lovers know Gimme to be one of the best cups of coffee in New York, for good reason. Excellent beans, meticulous roasting process, artisanal barista work - Gimme has the elements together.
So, ignore all the bitchy griping from baristas in other espresso bars who call it "Gimmick Coffee". After many, many cups of coffee, I've realized that baristas are, almost, as kind to each other as people are in the modeling business. It is as competitive a profession as any!
Gimme has recently added new retail shelves and a standing bar as part of their renovation program. The bar was much needed as people stay here for hours and hours, and there are only three booths for seating (+4 stools).
I really love that their coffee bags educate newbies (or inform afficionados) on the coffee experience on the dimensions of Aroma, Taste, Body, and After-Taste. This is far more comprehensive than simply saying mild, medium or strong. That said, I could care less for some of the names (Deep Disco, Platinum Blonde).
The latte art is fantastic, the shots are all Tripple Ristretto (reduced fluid volume leading to a more intense shot, but not necessarily three times the coffee in a "regular" shot as noted in an earlier review), if only the Baristas could pay more attention to the customers than their chatter. I've been here twice in the last week, and on either occasion I wasn't asked "To stay or go". Now, that's pretty basic stuff.
Also, their baked goods (from Balthazar) have run out on both occasions.
I would dock them a star, if it weren't for their exceptional coffee.
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This place has good coffee, but to get it you have to deal with the most annoying people ever.
P.S. When I say 'on ice' i don't care if it 'breaks down the rich espresso taste' Go back to Ithaca!
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this is absolutely the best americano i've ever had
Mocha Choka...be still my heart.
No seriously. Stop beating so fast.
That is A LOT of caffiene.
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There was a long line, but it moved with surprising alacrity. I was impressed that they roasted their own coffee too. I went for the iced coffee, which was up in a matter of seconds. My girlfriend, a long-time barrista, got an iced vanilla soy latte. And it was very tasty.
Too bad the iced coffee TASTED LIKE ASS. I thought maybe they spilled used grounds into it. but , no I checked. it was just sour and bad. And there was barely enough ice in it for it to get cold. At least they had sugar syrup. God I hate it when places have iced coffee but no syrup.
For my iced coffee fix, I'm sticking with potion.
The best coffee in NYC. I'm a cofeegeek. I love espresso, and I have a semi-commercial machine at home. I can make a wonderful shot of espresso at home. Better than 99% of the establishments that I've been to. But not even close to Gimme! quality.
Every shot of espresso at Gimme! is a triple ristretto. That means 3 times the amount of coffee goes into making 1 shot of espresso at Gimme!, than it does at your local Starbucks. The creme and natural sweetness of the espresso is amazing. No bitterness here, and no sugar needed.
Simply the best coffee that New York city has to offer.
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Why the missing star, you ask me, in disapproval, wearing skinny jeans, and with an intimidating look? Because I'm tired of hipsters.
No, I had no formal words or fisticuffs with said hipsters, but I could feel their look. And I don't like having to endure looks or bad attitudes while I'm trying to chill and drink my coffee. I don't like to feel banished when I just spent good money for the same coffee as you.
Go for:
...Coffee.
Don't go for:
The fucking hipsters (unless you are a hipster, in which case, do whatever your little heart tells you).
A place to sit.
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Amazing coffee.amazing! Since Gorilla Coffee isn't in my hood...this is runner up. The coffee is just as strong. My main complaint - the pounds of coffee for sale are a bit pricey. Other than that, this place has my heart. Seriously.
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This is where I go for my special coffee--the good, reliable kind. The kind you can't find in your office, or Starbucks, or at home for that matter. If I want to treat myself to a truly tasty cup, I head here. I always get mine to go, as the actual cafe is a bit short on seating and usually quite crowded. I agree with another reviewer that the staff has gotten friendlier and smilier, which makes the experience that much more pleasant. I have blissed out to many a cup from this place and I hope their quality stays top-notch.
Best coffee in Williamsburg by far! Perfect price range and of course the "10 stamps and free beverage of choice" card is offered. The ice coffee is never over iced and has just the right balance of bitterness and jolt to it. The Parisian is amazing as well. On colder days I prefer just to have a large cup of whatever they're brewing that day. The Balthazar pastries do not come stale (even if they are outsourced from New Jersey) and the biscotti is worth mentioning. The line even moved fast with the annoying Williamsburg crowd it caters too so you do not have to stand next to that shaggy haired asshole in Marc Jacobs sandals for more than 2 minutes. Limited seating that is taken over by free wireless users and college students with nothing better to do than gossip about their own myspace.com pages, but honestly it all isn't that bad for wonderful brew.
sooooooo goood.
perfect rosettes.
don't pass up.
please trust me.
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I love the coffee here. I love the staff. I love sitting here for hours on end, crocheting with my B.F.F. while nursing the same latte or mocha for hours.
Mochas are delicious, their cold drinks are great in the summer, and you can get skim or soy milk alternatives.
They manage to somehow make a little design in the foam on the top of the coffee (a tree or a heart... or both). These baristas are top-notch!
Actual delicious coffee-drinks for reasonable prices. They will also stamp a card for you if you come frequently, and when you get 10 stamps, you get your next coffee free!
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