Java John’s Coffee House

Decorah, United States

4.6

Closed now

18 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 563-382-5690
Website:
www.javajohnscoffeehouse.com
Address:
400 W Water St, Decorah, IA, 52101
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Good for Working
Yes

Today

Today 6:30 am – 9:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (Decorah) 21:30 Thursday, 29 May 2025

Business hours

Monday 6:30 am – 9:00 pm
Tuesday 6:30 am – 9:00 pm
Wednesday 6:30 am – 9:00 pm
Thursday 6:30 am – 9:00 pm
Friday 6:30 am – 11:00 pm
Saturday 6:30 am – 11:00 pm
Sunday 6:30 am – 3:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Latte, Mocha, Cappuccino made to order

Chai Latte (Oregon/​Tazo/​Big Train)

Iced Coffee (with coffee ice cubes)

Homemade Pastries — Muffin Tops, Cakes, Breads

Daily Soup Special

Homemade Quiche & Breakfast Sandwiches

100% Fruit Smoothies

Fresh-​roasted organic coffee beans by the bag (whole/​ground)

Free Internet Access

Comfortable seating indoors & outdoors

History

Established in 2009.

Java John’s opened its doors in downtown Decorah in 2009. The building was built in 1893 as a furniture store. For many years it was «The Family Store,» one of the last family-​owned corner grocery stores. The original floors and remnants of the walk-​in cooler from the store’s meat department still remain.

From Day #1 we have been dedicated to providing a superior coffee product with superior customer service. Our organic coffee beans are fresh roasted in Waconia, Minnesota. Java John’s Baristas know how to prepare an excellent espresso-​based drink and brew tasty coffee.

Java John’s offers a light menu of created fresh daily pastries, breads, pretzels, quiches, and soups. Recently Java John’s has added «to-​go» salads, sandwiches and flat breads after 5pm. In 2015 Java John’s began serving incredible wines and artisanal beer in the evenings.

Meet the Business Owner

Mary B.

Business Owner

After a career of over 30 years at Luther College, Mary (along with her husband, John) decided to open a coffeehouse as a gathering place for people in the community. What could be better than good coffee, good food and good conversation? We all need a place to gather with friends, a place to meet new people, or a place to go for some private time. These are the things that are important to Mary, the co-​owner of Java John’s Coffee House. In 2015, Doug & Andrew joined with Mary as partners to help continue the growth of Java Johns.

Nearby

Near this location:
40
ft
Paradise Sun
402 W Water St
100
ft
Beyond the Bar Bakery, LLC
404 W Water St
100
ft
Tacos Fiesta
404 W Water St
100
ft
Butter Cream Dreams Cupcakery
404 W Water St
130
ft
Sugar Bowl Ice Cream Company
410 W Water St
140
ft
Nordic Clipper
412 W Water St

18 reviews of Java John’s Coffee House

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Santa Fe, NM
Stopped off in Decorah during a cross-​country roadtrip, and was very pleasantly surprised at the low-​key, fun and packed coffee house. The customer service was nice and friendly. Their coffee and other pastries were delicious, but this is where I had the very best granola bar I ever had. I even came back to buy the rest of the granola bars because I enjoyed it so much!
Place rating: 5
Decorah, IA
This is my go to study hideaway! I can grab a something to drink and eat, and study my heart out without worry! My time to study is usually later in the day, they are open until 9!
Place rating: 5
Decorah, IA
Very friendly staff. Knowledgeable baristas. Often have entertainment. This is usually the busiest coffee shop in town and for good reason. And unlike Magpie, the do not charge you a penalty for using a credit card.
Place rating: 3
De Forest, WI
Java John’s coffee drinks are as generic as their name. Warm sweet milk with burnt coffee-‘Char’bucks style! They do have plenty of room, so if you need to work or study, it’s a good choice. Just don’t expect quality specialty coffees that are brewed properly. Go to Impact Coffee across town for that.
Place rating: 4
Des Moines, IA
Nice place. Could use some BIG comfy chairs or a couch. A mix of college students & locals. Good coffee.
Place rating: 5
Decorah, IA
I discovered Java John’s while needing a cozy place to read and sip coffee on a chilly October day last fall. Coffee was fabulous and the conversations with local Luther College professors was even better. Before our summer trip to Decorah, I’d read on Unilocal about the delicious chocolate cake. I had to try it, and so glad I did. Chocolate-​y without being overly sweet and topped with a yummy cream cheese frosting. Let’s. Let all eat cake!
Place rating: 5
Rochester, MN
One of a handful of gems in Decorah. Groovy (even after the recent renovations) almost library-​like space to enjoy great coffee and pastries. Welcoming staff and locals to greet you. Love this place.
Place rating: 5
Iowa City, IA
A calm, lovely place to rest and a have a cuppa and treat. The staff is very helpful. Liked their spicy chai. And no music when we where there, so could actually renew and think after a long walk on the Trout Run Trail. The art work of Elaine Plamondon provides spots of color and whimsy here and there.
Place rating: 5
Bloomington, IN
What a great way to start a day. The staff were genuinely warm and attentive, rather than showing the scripted friendliness one often encounters in food service. The coffee was good, with 4 varieties from which to choose. The lemonade smoothie and hot chocolate were popular with the younger set too. All of our food – cinnamon roll, cappuccino chocolate chip muffin top, breakfast croissant, and breakfast muffin – were delicious and tasted fresh and as genuine as the service. How good? After we finished our initial order, we ordered twice more. As another reviewer notes, this place is «awesomely affordable.» I’d have happily (and normally) paid half again as much for what we got. As we were finally and reluctantly getting ready to leave, I sought out the owner, Mary, just to tell her thanks. I can’t think of anything that could have been better, save for my having had more time to spend there.
Place rating: 4
Lowell, MA
Excellent service and atmosphere. I’m so glad Decorah finally decided to add a coffee shop that decided to act as a coffee shop.
Place rating: 5
Reno, NV
Wonderful place with quality, fresh brewed coffee, tea and eateries variety at reasonable prices. Great location. In heart of downtown. Cozy atmosphere with a friendly staff. We are from out of town and were so pleased to have discovered this place. Also free wi-​fi!
Place rating: 5
Highlandville, IA
Great coffees and treats, all made fresh in house. Bread Pudding made from cinnamon rolls is my favorite. Homemade muffin tops and breads. Nice atmosphere and very pleasant staff. Free Wi-​Fi and outdoor deck seating in addition to comfy indoor seating.
Place rating: 5
Cedar Rapids, IA
This is now a favorite. Their homemade desserts are wonderful. The price is right, too. A dessert and an Earl Grey cost me $ 3.25 or so… That’s awesomely affordable,.
The locals seem to support this place in large numbers. The staff is friendly, too. All around, this place :“rings the bell” and then some.
I like the large number of electrical outlets. There is practically one for each booth. You can tell they cater to the college crowd. What a cool coffee house!
I cannot wait to return. Java John’s is just one more thing I love about Decorah!
Place rating: 5
Minneapolis, MN
I am a recently returned native to this very lovely Iowa town; I come here everyday. So call me a homer if you must. But I am something of a snob as well, especially when it comes to food and drink. So If you, like me, depend on Unilocal when traveling, you can be confident in these words…
The net/​net of Java John’s is the highest quality coffee and/​or tea in friendly, comfortable confines with homemade baked goods made fresh every morning.
Do you require anything more to start your day? Quiche? Breakfast Croissant? Scones? Their near-​famous Muffin Tops? Cinnamon Rolls? Bread Pudding? Homemade toast with Peanut Butter or Strawberry Jam? All made fresh every morning…
JJ’s nearby coffee roaster roasts selected arabica beans to order so the beans are always fresh; their teas are Tazo and Native American Herbal. Their baristas are well trained and small town friendly.
As hard as this is to believe, even for me, I can’t think of a negative. Honest.
I do have a concern though… they should raise their prices. I want them to go on for at least as long as I do…
Place rating: 4
Saint Paul, MN
Nice, comfortable coffee shop. Friendly baristas. Local flavor. The coffee is good and cheap. Free Internet access. It is housed in a historic building, formerly a grocery store that has character. I recommend it.
Place rating: 4
Brooklyn, NY
Cute, bright, comfortable. Great iced coffee — love the coffee cubes! — and the chocolate chip muffin tops (ala Seinfeld) are the perfect size for a sweet treat. Always head here with my mom when I’m in town for some good coffee and long conversations.
Place rating: 4
Hyde Park, Chicago, IL
Nice, quiet. Fit in with the town, while also doing the coffee shop thing. Nice blend of «coffee culture» and small-​town Iowa.
Place rating: 5
Minneapolis, MN
This is by far the cutest coffee shop I’ve ever been in. We stopped in for coffee and bakery on our way back to St. Paul and the ladies behind the counter were as sweet as pie. We had a SF Blackcherry Latte, Large light roast coffee, 2 muffin tops and cinnamon roll, all for $ 7. At Starbucks it would have been $ 12+ and it was all delicious.
The shop was clean, people friendly, and coffee good. It deserves to be on a postcard.