The Coffee Shop NE

People were not quite lined up out the door but almost. A popular neighborhood place and perhaps destination for the multitude of coffee aficionados in the Twin Cities. A hearty dark roast from locally roasted coffee. Freshly made food items, outdoor seating, not too spacious inside seating but cozy. An interesting restroom with artwork of I believe a local character actress that I’ve seen somewhere before. A great stop in as long I’m here place or even a planned destination. Johnson St NE could be crowded for parking but there are plenty of neighborhood streets to try.

Spacious coffee shop in NE off of Johnson Street. Bathrooms are funky and have some cool cat art in them. Typical coffee shop menu and a pretty large food menu (for a coffee joint). They have deli food options like sandwiches and pasta salads. Nothing great, but it’s nice to have options. I enjoy stopping here and plotting myself at a table with a laptop for a couple hours because it is so spacious and they are open later than most coffee shops in NE. I think they close at 9pm most days. Service is good but if they have quite a line, don’t expect it to move quick as some other coffee shops do. I’ve stopped some mornings and I just didn’t have the time to wait.

I love the coffee shop NE! I used to live in the neighborhood, but recently moved to s. mpls. I find myself craving the Hot Jodi and the Dirty Chai, and sometimes find myself driving across the city to put one of them in my mouth! The coffee shop is too cute (my favorite part is the cat photos in the bathroom) and the staff are always respectful. Also, thinking about the eggel is making my drool. Thanks Coffee Shop NE for being awesome.

This place is weird! Funky cashier takes my bank card for payment and asks how much she should put on it for a tip! You didn’t do anything for me! I have never been asked for a tip! I will tip if I feel that it is necessary, but DO NOT ASK! Your coffee is nothing to brag about! And, Tip Ping is a city in China… Just so you know funky girl!

There’s no denying the cute factor of this coffee shop… nice artwork, cozy booths, decorative lighting, and bright happy colors. I came here on a Saturday morning and a lot of people were eating quiche and salad so that’s a good sign that it must be good!
I appreciate the option for recycling, but this is Minneapolis and it’s required, but still. Good to see. On the other hand, for a coffee shop where a lot of people come to do work or study, I would have preferred not to hold up the line to ask for the wifi password since it isn’t posted anywhere.
They have a good selection of drip coffee, toasted almond was goooood. As I was looking around though at the crowded place, I was disappointed that we were the only ones drinking from ceramic mugs and that is only because we asked. When will it become the trend to get rid of the paper cups for people who are staying? Also, there were a ton of plastic cups and straws which drives me crazy. However, I should mention that you get significantly less coffee in their mugs, $ 2 and then $ 1 for refills? Call me stingy I guess, but I think especially for using the small mugs, maybe free refills or 50 cents? On another note, the morning that we went, I noticed that right when we walked in there was a little bit of a peculiar smell. Haha I think I’m sensitive to odors but I got used to it.
Anyway, this is undoubtedly a nice place but could perhaps be a bit improved here and there and then it’d be a treasure!

Great coffee served by lovely people. The lovey people serving the coffee do take their time, or the spot is super popular, or maybe a combination of both, so go prepared to wait a bit. That being said, drip coffee doesn’t take as long as some of the fancy-​pants drinks. If you’re just too dang busy to wait around for your double shot soy latte with two pumps of vanilla and extra foam, just go with the basics. I also give them extra points for the free dog treats by the door.

Kicking off a month of writing (see: NaNoWriMo, «crazy writer people’) tonight at this lovely little spot. Much more space than I realized, their back room is made for both big and small group meet ups. Lots of happy chatting going on as I approached the counter to order. The lady who rung up my order was very friendly and helpfully explained the four coffee pots on the counter.
I ordered the Florentine which is a hot cocoa made with drip coffee. It was very good and did not last long. Ended up getting a refill ($ 1 flat for a medium cup).
All in all a pleasant experience. Will definitely be returning here!

This is by far the best coffee shop in the area– the coffee’s great, the baked goods are delish, and the the space is amazing.
I love that they have a really big but basic coffee menu (though they do have seasonal specials), but you can customize your drink in almost any way without any up-​charges. But… if you’re not a coffee DIY-​er, they will also make great recommendations.
They have the biggest and most well-​maintained space of any coffee shop in the area. Cool artwork, comfortable seating, and some limited outdoor seating too.
If you are looking for a coffee shop that has great coffee, but is also friendly and comfortable without any pretentious air, this is the spot!

Such a great spot so convenient to the bus! They’re usually pretty busy, but drip coffee and cold brew come out right away! I’ve been here several times and have always been pleased with my orders.
They offer a variety of baked goods and have salads in a cooler case to see what you get before you order. Sandwiches here are great too!

Coffee is top notch and I enjoyed my steel cut oats. However my husband’s egg bowl took more than 20 minutes. As I had finished my meal, we simply left and got his breakfast elsewhere.

This place has good coffee. I’m glad to see they’ve expanded and that stupid sound and audit supply store is finally gone. It just didn’t go with the area. Back to the coffe shop. I stop in from time to time, pick up my gal a nice drink then hop across the street and get a donut or two.

This place is great. Super friendly staff and great food. We fad chicken pasta salad and caprese salad and both were out standing.

As I type these words, I find my fingers with immediate regret.
Pro:
I’m so damn happy there is a community-​focused coffee shop within blocks from my house. The quality of the to-​go lunches, coffee, desserts, pastry items, and cookies are great. The service is friendly and warm, and the bustling pace adds to a great vibe that you can tell the owners work hard to give in their business.
ugh con ugh i hate myself ugh:
There are a few folks that run the till that take OMG WAY TO FREAKING LONG. When you are dropping in for a coffee on your way to work, speed counts. So I find myself stopping at Caribou when I don’t have a lot of time to spare. I’d rather give Coffee Shop NE my $$‘s. But, again … this is so crummy, you take TOO LONG. Stop rambling on and on about mundane chatter when I am tapping my toe or offering any visual cue that I am rushed. Look at the long line, see the faces of those that wait, and gauge your level of chatter based upon these findings.
Also, you need to have more variety of scones and such. Quality is great, but more selection. What if you had a basket of Sarah Jane’s pastries? Or even some quick energy-​bar-​from-​scratch breakfast starters?
Otherwise, all is fine. Great, even. I’m thankful you are in the ‘hood. I’m thankful that you uphold your community-​focused vibe. I hope that a coffee shop neighbor doesn’t swoop in with more variety and MORE SPEED (OMG) that takes over your hold in our community.

The atmosphere is nice but the espresso is not the best. So it’s a great place to hang if you aren’t particular about quality of the pull. The front is more ‘shop’ cozy and the back is more ‘lounge’ cozy.

Mediocre food and subpar coffee. really don’t get what all the fuss is about. I’ve been here quite a few times and never been impressed.

This is nice little NE gem of a coffee shop. It’s busy but you want your coffee shop to be busy. Staff are super cool and friendly.

Great coffee. We usually arrive on Saturday mornings. First we grab a donut or three at Sarah Jane’s Bakery across the street and get a coffee here before heading to pickup ultimate.
Service is always friendly, even when it is super busy. We’ve only ever gotten coffee here but I’d love to stop in for a quick snack some other time. Coffee and teas are always decent and the price is right.

After finding the wait at hazels too long, went across the street to this place. No regrets. Lots of coffee choices, and non-​coffee. The maple soy coldpress was very sweet, but the coffee flavor was excellent. Plenty of street parking. A decent selection of breakfast and lunch stuff in the case. Friendly staff. It’s very spacious inside, with lots of seating. The back room is really cute, and perfect except for the lack of windows. A sign said they have a live music series, which is cool for a little coffee place.

If an award existed for most adorable coffee shop in the Twin Cities, I would think that The Coffee Shop NE would definitely be in the running.
The first time I ever visited, I saw a group of elementary school kids dash inside to order small boxes of apple juice. (I think they needed something to complement the grip of cookies they got from A Baker’s Wife across the street…) When it was a kid’s turn to order and pay, each one would rise up on his or her tippy-​toes and say «Can I pwease haaaavveee someeee juiceeeee ma’ammmm?» and then shakily hand the barista a sweaty and hand-​crumpled dollar bill. Students studying for their exams, elderly folks working on their daily crossword, and other patrons all collectively smiled at their ridiculous innocence. I did too, but then thought to myself, «Where are the parents?» Haha. This neighborhood gem is open to everybody and apparently those kids are regulars! #awwww
Aside from this shop’s cuteness, it’s also deceivingly spacious since it looks so small from the street front. It’s large enough where there’s plenty of seating and tables to accommodate groups of all sizes.
The times I’ve been there to do work, I’ve just grabbed a refreshing lemonade or strong coffee. Both are solid. Also, I’ve snacked on a plain bagel with veggie cream cheese. Yum! I think it’s slightly more affordable than other coffee shops, and I don’t think I’ve ever paid over $ 10 for a snack and drink.
If you plan on camping out for several hours, the music won’t make your ears bleed and those that love Dashboard Confessional-​like music will feel right at home. LOL! (I am not a fan, BTW. A bit too emotional for me.)
When you feel like ignoring your work, you can always examine the unique and vibrant local art hanging on the walls.
It’s a quaint place to grab a nice drink and snack to get some work done. I’ll return soon!

Do you agree that the «coffee shop» part of The Coffee Shop NE’s name is to some extent misleading — in a good way? You could find items on their menu that you don’t usually expect to see on a coffee shop’s menu. It’s still a coffee shop, of course. But it is a coffee shop where you could «build your own sandwich.» I like coffee shops whose non-​beverage menus are diverse and this business is an exemplar of such coffee shops. It’s what I like the most about here.
What I don’t like is that it is more noisy than most coffee shops. This place is not very big (they are expanding the seating area, though) and the amount of noise especially when it’s crowded is a little high for a place of this size which makes it a not-​very-​suitable place for studying/​working. It’s unfortunate! Because in addition to ample parking, there are literally tens of electrical outlets (the highest per-​capita outlets in the Twin Cities, I believe!) that could have made it an ideal place for studying/​working.
The diverse menu and more-​than-​enough outlets and parking spots aside, the highlight of this place is the restroom on whose walls half a dozen of the barista’s (or the owner’s?) framed pictures with different gestures are hung. How do you feel when the barista, the same person who took your order a while ago, looks at you when you’re doing your #2?! Doesn’t really matter. Because depending on at which picture you’re looking, you could see how she feels! Someone please remind me to create my «businesses with most interesting restrooms» list!