Joe the Art of Coffee

Recommends

michael0803

Joined 5 years ago

The Best of the Indie's. I have had the pleasure of watching John's modest coffee shop dream grow into the bustling enterprise it now is. Some of the friendliest people I have ever encountered work here... many have become friends. This is a neighborhood coffee shop with a neighborhood feel... one of the few places that makes resident New Yorkers feel like "residents" and forget about the maddening tourism that surrounds us. When a coffee shop is a major factor in why you can't bring yourself to move to another neighborhood, you know it's excellent. Good coffee for lovers of well-balanced brews. EXCELLENT and unsurpassed espresso (I remember when John bought the machine). Most of all, however, this is a place for ritual coffee drinkers who love the balance such routine provides in their lives. It is a pleasant place where smiles and consistent product keep the patron returning. I will be a Joe customer for life.

Doesn't Recommend

Adrienne5

Joined 3 years ago

Free Trade coffee is NOT HERE! Bad coffee IS HERE!. This is my first ever complaint of anything, I usually like to rave if I like something. ATTENTION! No star here... everyone else has ranted about the bad service so I'll concur and move on. Where do I start? Went in to buy a pound of coffee, they sell it by the 12 ounce bag, you need to get a special order for a pound. I asked if I got a coffee with it. First they said yes. When I paid 12 dollars (YES 12 bucks for 12 ounces) they said I misunderstood, no free cup of coffee. I noticed it was not free trade, but I thought the line-up a Starbucks and the fact that this was an independent, I should support them and TRY the coffee... Was not worth grinding fresh at home... fit for the garbage, dry to the point of stale... a complete scam, third rate bean... my friend went back to try a cup of brewed... we just about died... it was just as bitter as the 12 ounce bag I bought..... This is the upper west side store... so the fish stinks from the head... I'm back to Starbucks where a pound is a pound all free trade and comes with a nice free cup of gorgeous coffee

Doesn't Recommend

Solo500

Joined 5 years ago

Joe the art of @#$%!! service. Who knows if their coffee is any good? I stood and waited to be acknowledged while the hipster barristas refused to make eye contact with me. Oh, sorry, your friends (who already have their coffee in hand) take precedence. Fabulous.

After 5 min of this inane activity I went around the corner to Starbucks. Where, yes, the corporate employees acted completely normal--and simply exchanged a brief pleasantry while taking my espresso order. Which is better, supporting the indie or throwing my cash to the faceless corporation? Ah, in this case, forget the indie. Big fat bummer.

I had read about Joe & really was curious to try their coffee. The attitude of the staff has already been written up by others. Alas.

Recommends

marzoccomadness

Joined 6 years ago

Almost great - worth it if you're in the neighborhood. Joe and Ninth Street were the leaders of the NY coffeehouse renaissance and set the bar high for other more recent comers (Grumpy, Collage, et. al.). While those newcomers might have an edge on technology and raw materials, Joe is still up there for quality. People wait in line at Starbucks yet complain about a line in an indie shop as if that's never supposed to happen (ever been to Ritual in SF?).

There is a reason for the lines. The espresso drinks are good. The only thing worth complaining about is that none of these guys can afford to move uptown - where there's really a lack of decent espresso and coffee.

Recommends

guillame

Joined 7 years ago

Actually, it IS good!. Warm "coffee-flavoured" milk wasn't the best start to our relationship, but Joe and I have really h it it off and now we're going strong. I've had several coffees from several different barristas there, and all of them have been great - strong, hot (but not boiling) and served quickly - just the way coffee should be. A little on the pricey side though.

Recommends

kiwihobbit

Joined 7 years ago

Great coffee, staff attitude ... watch out. Moving to NYC from a country in love with its espresso coffee was going to be a mission. Joe's however promised to be the solution to the many terrible experiences of drip-coffee around New York.

The coffee is first rate, good crema, milk not burnt, lovely mellow flavors, even a little 'coffee-art'. All in all very good coffee. Nice selection of cakes and cabinet snacks to finish things off.

Unfortunately thats where the happy story ends. Now there is nothing wrong with waiting in a long line, you plan for that. Yet the attitude of the staff boarders on appauling. Those taking the orders do smile, every now and then, but the attitude of the barista de jour is simply rude. In morning "rush hour" the barista also spends time on his phone chatting, walks away from the espresso machine, and when you thank him when handed your coffee, you receive a scowl in return. I will admit that the male barista's are worse, at least the female barista works quickly.

Seriously it is disappointing to have such staffing attitude when otherwise the coffee and location are all very nice. Despite having returned a number of times the poor attitude shines through, with no attempt to even acknowledge consistently returning customers. It is quite clear that if you know the staff then you get treated with a level of respect and far quicker than the rest.

It's just not a nice reception for your first coffee of the morning. Besides the 20 minute-plus wait time just doesn't work - try it on the weekends maybe.

Recommends

dazzaranda

Joined 7 years ago

Good coffee, horrific service. This place has very good coffee, bagels and cakes. Unfortunately the service is terrible especially on weekends. Longs lines are one thing and could be bearable if the staff were more hospitable, got the order right occasionally and didn't spend most of their time chatting with their buddies in front or behind of the counter. The staff aren't very professional e.g. they tend to serve their friends and let them cut in line, further contributing to long waits for paying customers. Despite the good coffee after so many maddening visits we've sworn to never go back.

Recommends

dave920

Joined 9 years ago

Amazing coffee, perfect cafe. You know it's hard to find a non-Starbucks cafe these days. Luckily, there's Joe's. I found it on Citysearch and couldn't be happier. Not only is the coffee amazing (perhaps second only to MUD, and that's hard to beat) but Joe's has that perfect mix of cafe ambiance: writers, readers, gossiping friends. Perhaps you can even enjoy it if you can get a seat (the only time I've been able to get a table w/o waiting is around 11am), though the benches outside are more quickly vacated. Haven't had the food, so can't attest to the baked goods, but the cookies in particular look delicious. Prices are very reasonable: Not bargain basement (and nor should they be) but certainly not outrageous. Very friendly and prompt service.

Recommends

nycgeoff

Joined 11 years ago

Amazing cappucino. The coffee is very good, and the pastries are much better than Starbucks (not hard to do), but the real star of this place is the cappucino. They get the milk just right, and it's delicious. Staff is usually friendly, and it has a nice ambience.

Recommends

acc100

Joined 8 years ago

Best coffee in the West Village. Joe is the only place in the West Village where you can find a decently prepared espresso/cappuccino.