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Saxy's Cafe
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Parking:
- Street, Garage
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
15 reviews for Saxy's Cafe
My favorite cafe in Boulder. I got there preeetty much every morning and the peoples who work there are awesome.
Try the Zucchini Chocolate bread. Gluten-free, dairy-free and awesome-full; I know, it's complex.
I love the couches. Hate the Laptop Campers. Like the food options. Bathroom okay, its shared with other businesses. The coffee is Okay, I really haven't found great organic coffee in Boulder. One big plus for Saxy's is the lack of "asshole" eclectic coffee shop snobs. Its a nice laid back unpretentious place to get your fix and its clean.
Looks like I'm going to be the lone voice of dissent. Sorry, Saxy's. But I gave you two chances.
The first time I went I was there with a guy who was so annoying and full of himself that I almost wasn't sure if the 'award-winning' chai I was drinking really tasted watery and weird and lukewarm or my tastebuds were just warped from the onslaught of self-promotion that I was listening to.
But the second time I went, I went with my boyfriend, who I clearly do not hate, and it was a beautiful sunny summer day to boot, so I was in an excellent mood... but the experience was just as bad. I figured, okay, maybe I am a chai snob, I'll just grab an Izze and try out the food instead. We ordered two panini and two Izzes and snagged a coveted outdoor spot and waited for our food to show up.
Well, 25 minutes later, we were getting a little antsy, and a thought hit us at the same time. Hey, maybe we're supposed to go in and pick up our own food! So he got up and went inside to check the counter, and, no. It was just taking 25 minutes to make 2 panini.
2 panini that, and I'm not just being bitter because they took so long, were both cold and nasty. I got the Panino al Salmon Fume, which had a couple of specks of what could possibly have been salmon, with two giant, floppy, soggy tomatoes covered in some white stuff. The filling tasted like it had been dropped on the floor. But the overwhelming flavor was... bread. The sandwich was 95% bread.
His panino was the vegetarian one, which would possibly have been fine had the goat cheese not tasted like it had been left out on the counter and the portobello mushrooms not been microscopic. Okay. How can you make a portobello mushroom small?? The things are huge!
I couldn't finish half of mine, and my boyfriend, who can be a human garbage disposal when hungry, had to eat them both. Somehow.
P.S. The bathrooms smell like sushi. From Sushi Tora next door. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
I'm fairly certain that 99% of people aged 18-100 in Boulder do not hold full time jobs, and I would point to the round-the-clock business of Saxy's as irrefutable evidence to support my hypothesis. Not that I'm judging, but how do people afford their lives in this place if they don't work?!? And where do I sign up?
But I digress. I like Saxy's other than the glaring lack of outlets for laptops. The communal seating area has the only bank of outlets in the whole place, and my Mac is old and needs a lot of juice to keep it going. Also, while the windows are nice on warm days, on cold ones they don't have any way to keep the lovely Boulder wind at bay.
They have wine here, which is good. I get tea, and that's more affordable that the espresso drinks. I've never gotten the food here, but I haven't seen anyone terribly disappointed.
Definitely the best looking cafe in Boulder, but Saxy's has it's issues.
First, it's about impossible to ever find a seat in this place as laptoppers camp here all day long-and I mean all day- and work.
Second, the coffee is over the top pricey- around $4 dollars for a SINGLE shot small latte.
Third, I've been in this place when they're roasting chiles and WTF? It burns your eyes so bad and seriously causes difficulty breathing. They should warn their customers or do their chili roasting after work. Good thing is that is clears the place out which leaves some empty seats.
Other than that, Saxy's is great. Quietly located near Pearl but just off of it-a bit down from Pasta Jays. Some outdoor seating and a good view of the mountains.
I really like the atmosphere and the location of this place. It is hidden, sort of, on a side street just North of the West side of the pedestrian mall. The seating outside is limited, but nice. The seating inside is plentiful with soft couches and chairs in addition to some standard table and bar type seating. It's a nice place to get some work done.
The espresso drinks I've had here have been borderline with a few of them being dumpers (I dumped them out). The barista's here don't seem to be trained on anything but basic use of the machine. Anyone that knows espresso knows that there is an art to pulling a shot and to steaming milk. The art part of the process does not exist here. All is not lost though, they do have some good snacks, gelato, and a nice selection of tea.
If you want to sit for a while and perhaps hook up to the free Wi-Fi Saxy's may be a good place to land. If you are looking for a great espresso drink head down to Amanta. It's just a few blocks away.
If just for the espresso drinks I'd be giving Saxy's one star, but alas there is more to this place, so three it is.
Best coffee shop in Boulder. Hands down. I used to frequent the Trident, then this place opened up just around the corner. The coffee is top-notch, the chai is the best I've ever had, they have (wait for it) spicy hot cocoa (get half spicy, half regular unless you're really looking for a burning mouth), prime espresso. But that's not all. Some of the best panini I've had in town is served there with delicious salads. Get a salad by itself, if you're that sort. Follow it up with some gelato. Great gelato. The kids there play some great music, they have a flat-screen TV on the wall that generally plays Turner Classic Movies, and they have what any self-respecting coffee shop ought to have; couches. Oh, and good wireless.
So whether you're looking for some post-meal coffee (Sushi Tora is next door) or haven't eaten and would like some fine Americanized Italian sandwiches, or eating doesn't even factor in and you're looking for someplace quiet to get some work done while enjoying what really is possibly the best chai ever, or you just haven't had quality service in a while and would like a refresher course in what that's like, go to Saxy's. It won't let you down.
The chandeliers, big windows, unassuming ambience, background music, and the west side Pearl street location make Saxy's oh so sexy..
Which just might explain why my vanilla latte was the best tasting...and best looking.. vanilla latte I'd ever put to my lips.
Oh, and there's Gelato.. that's hot, too..
.
When I pretend to be a professional writer, which is pretty frequently these days, I do it at Saxy's. I am, in fact, there so often that my blog has developed a whole section devoted to 'Saxy Tales.' Example of a random overheard Saxy comment: "I've been having a little trouble with my psychic friends lately." And really, haven't we all.
Everyone's friendly and accommodating about shoving a laptop over to make room for one more, and the table is relaxed enough to share a communal joke now and then between key-taps. So many freelancers come here to work that it almost has an office feel to it . . . if your office had chandeliers. And excellent soy chai. And someone really intriguing working the sound system (Goldfrapp, baby). And black-and-white movies playing on mute on the big-screen TV. And an excellent Braesola panino with proscuitto and mozzarella and figs and pears. And a great wine-and-beer selection. And no boss.
It's only getting four stars because the gelato apparently doesn't get ordered often enough to turn the tubs frequently. I ordered some that was actually stale. And I am not sure how you make something frozen turn stale, so that is some talent, there. To their credit, they offered me a refund.
Saxy's Cafe is one of the few coffee shops left in Boulder which I haven't frequented, so I thought it high-time to check it out.
The location is pretty prime: a block off of Pearl Street makes this a nice stop when walking around. When we entered the coffee shop, its pretty hard not to notice immediately the decor: faux 16th century Versailles chandeliers and nice-ish furniture and couches.
The place is popular: it was at about 95% capacity. However, I didn't even make it to the counter before one of the barista dudes noticed my Smashing Pumpkins shirt and engaged me in conversation about the show at Red Rocks and their new cd. This distracted me from the menu, which was pricey: $4 drinks, $8 sandwiches, and $9 salads (although to their credit all were massive). The place also had gelato, which I've never tried, so I queued up chocolate hazelnut and cookies and cream.
So we finally got my iced coffee and her iced chai, my gelato and sat at one of the cool couches.
Also free wi-fi
....too bad the the chai was exceptionally weak. That's - 1 (best chai ever??! must have been an off day)...and the prices are minus -1...but the people behind the counter were nice,
so 3.5?
AHHH! I love this place. My friend works there but that's not why I love it! Amazing food, coffee, couches, interior! It's a straight up classy place to get some work done. Also good social waypoint if you frequently see friends downtown. Mmmmm, gelato. The employees are super friendly and amazing.
I think the thing I love about Boulder is the plethora of great coffee shops. Add Saxy's to the list. With free wi-fi, great food, and solid drinks - you can't really complain too much - it comes down to what your preferences are. While I may choose another coffee shop as my local haunt of choice, I find Saxy's to be a great alternative when I'm looking for a change of pace from my normal routine.
Looks a bit yuppified, starting with the glass doors; went in and there were college students studying on plush couches, with a swank-looking bar straight down the middle. Only one register, so service was slow for a Saturday afternoon. Nonetheless, certainly a comfy place to chat, relax, read, and enjoy the coffee, which I can't comment on since I didn't order it.
I still don't understand why a smoothie must cost $5 in Boulder ...
A nice quiet escape from the busy Pearl St. Mall - This fantastic cafe has a charming ambience - chandeliers hanging from a tiled ceiling, couches, little outside tables, and even free wifi. The staff are friendly and helpful - they happily gave me extra hot water for a second cup of tea. Prices may seem a little steep, but standard for the area, and a deal considering the quiet corner and pleasant, not-too-loud music. The food is good - mainly panini and salads. Ideal for lunch or a coffee. It also looks like they have gelato, but I haven't tried it yet...
I really like the eclectic and relaxing atmosphere here... although their tall stools could be more comfortable. They have nice homey couches and over all has a vintage look that makes you at ease right away. This place is a great place to work or relax because they have free Wi-fi. They play a lot of eclectic music too which gives it a nice ambiance. Since I work here a lot, I wish that they had more outlets but that doesn't make me like Saxy's any less. But, if you are like me and need an outlet, try to grab the island seats or the seats on the right, against the window. The seats on the left don't give you much of a choice if you need to plug in. I should donate some extension cords or surge protectors. In terms of what they offer, I've only had their teas (which are pretty good), but they also have gelato, paninis and salads. My friend had a salad and it looked pretty good... although not cheap. I love you Saxy's~!
