Reviews & Ratings for Cafe Grumpy

WORSR SERVICE IN CHELSEA!

by CSMobileUser4

Sadly standing in the cafe waiting for my espresso. Ordered a double and asked them to make one of the shots decaf. The bartista acted as if I asked for her to slit an atom and coped an caffenine agitated attitude. So it the coffee make. DUDE don't waste ur time. This place is so lame.

True to their name!

by Halcyon Design LLC

Exactly the kind of business that should not be welcome in Chelsea- a neighborhood that has worked so hard to hold on to the dying breed of cozy, neighborly businesses all the while being pummeled by Gap, Starbucks, etc.

This is a small quaint cafe with a really bad attitude.

There are signs up stating "no laptop use". After asking why, the lovely gentleman behind the counter said, "we don't like people to linger."

"Linger"???? really?

Am I allowed to read a book while I sip my coffee? Or just a magazine- how many pages of my magazine am I allowed to read before I have to leave?

Can I sit and talk to my friend? Or is that not allowed either... maybe just a quick chat- we won't get into anything too deep or heavy over coffee.

Unbelievable...

I suggest if customers annoy you after a certain amount of time and you want them to leave, don't open a little coffee shop in a residential neighborhood, fool. Or don't allow for any seating at all- why not just have take-out business? Better yet, have you thought about a desk job?

I hate bad attitude- and I hate this sort of stupidity in my neighborhood. It's just so counterproductive.

• Pros: location
• Cons: run by idiots

Amazing Cappucinos

by tyahma

The cappucinos are below the radar, but they are the most Italinate drinks you can get this side of an Alitalia flight.

• Pros: The cappucinos, espressos and the muffind
• Cons: Lack of Wifi, man.

Cutting-edge coffee perks up Chelsea at this bustling neighborhood spot.

by Corrina Laughlin

In Short
Don't let the name fool you--the staff at Cafe Grumpy is actually friendly and upbeat. The café has two rare Clover machines, computer-calibrated devices that produce one fresh-brewed cup of coffee at a time. Coffee lovers can choose from a monthly rotating selection of beans from around the world, plus baked goods. Mellow music wafts through the cozy, narrow café, filled with laptop-toting customers and chatting friends, while two outdoor benches allow for prime Chelsea people-watching.

Hits
The technology behind the counter really delivers great coffee and will impress even the most jaded java lover.

Misses
Don't come hungry! Even though the cafe is open until dinner time, it doesn't serve anything substantial, just pastries like danishes and cookies. 

Coffee heaven

by NativeNYer5296

THE place for anyone who cares about quality. Excellent coffee, made with care. Every cup made to order in the Clover, which is a huge leap forward in coffee brewing. Menu usually has a half dozen coffees from around the world. It changes monthly, so I go regularly to sample them all. I am constantly amazed and delighted by the flavors and aromas. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

• Pros: Outstanding coffee, made to order.
• Cons: Could use more seating.

Best Coffee in New York

by sydneycoffee

My two sisters and I visited Cafe Grumpy on a recommendation from a friend in Sydney. We were not disappointed. It was easily the best coffee we had on our trip to New York. We were four days into our New York holiday and hadn't found a true espresso anywhere (we had tried little cafes and big). We were pleased not only with the barista's skills but the cafe itself was reminisent of the local cafes in Sydney's hip suburbs. Added bonus: the muffins were delicious and we did a little star spotting around 20th street . Great stuff!!

• Pros: Coffee, muffins and ambience
• Cons: Didn't find any cons

Great little cafe; fabulous coffee

by simoncharris

Great little coffee shop (seem to be relatively few and far between in Chelsea) with fantastic coffee (go for their triple ristretto).

Reading the other reviewers' comments, I've run into the same rude barista on one occasion but the rest of them are very friendly and helpful particularly with recommending a particular bean from the ever changing list.

I only wish they had some more chairs outside...

• Pros: The Coffee selection, plenty of newspapers to read
• Cons: Can be a little hot inside

Nice idea, very poor execution. Starbucks, anyone?

by ochagirl

I was so excited to hear about this place that I spent my entire lunch break schlepping to Chelsea to get a special, fair trade, cup of coffee. I found the coffee to be fine but the service to be unprofessional and rude. And when I wrote about my experience on my blog (readership of 3), I received a really nasty email from either the owner or someone who works there about how I couldn't appreciate the cafe or the experience they tried to offer. Well, I would have been willing to go back and give them another $2.50 of my hard-earned money for a black cup of coffee before that email because I believe in what they're trying to do, but now I see how little they care about their business or their customers. Seems like a vanity establishment to me and I'll be staying far, far, away, "appreciating" coffee I bought somewhere else.

• Pros: Cute name, nice physical space, fair trade coffee, "allegedly" knowledgeable staff
• Cons: Rude service, nasty to customers, expensive

Heading down the Starbucks Road...

by manhattan25

Granted, I give Cafe Grumpy 5 stars with the best coffee in the entire city! They've done their research, they take their time with brewing and unbelievable. It was so refreshing to go to a cafe, full of caffeine, yet so serene. In addition to the amazing coffee, I found the service impeccable -- polite, informative, and just all around nice (RARE in NYC). Back when they opened, I traveled through the snow to get some coffee at this place even though it was completely out of the way! But in recent visits, I found the service to lack the neighborhood feel. In fact, I found the baristas (one in particular -- who's been there since the beginning) to be quite rude and snippy. This has been a MAJOR bummer and despite the great coffee, I haven't returned since due to the service. A real shame but it doesn't take much to be nice.

• Pros: Coffee
• Cons: Service, lack of desserts, NO BATHROOM, not enough seating.