Starbucks

Two stars.
Great location on Valley Road in Montclair-​with parking.
I ordered a grande caramel frap & my boyfriend ordered a venti iced chai with a shot of espresso. Both drinks were made as ordered so I will give two stars for that.
The store was a mess. Tables weren’t wiped down, condiment area needed serious attention, beverage station was a war zone and all the counters needed a wipe down.
Wasn’t greeted by anyone nor had any welcoming or warm interactions. The barista was overwelmed, red and annoyed and the drinks took a long time. Presentation of the beverages weren’t up to Starbucks standards but the beverage had the proper taste!
Don’t mind my review, I am a former Starbucks barista .
We will return!

This is a pretty decent Starbucks location. I stop in here frequently because I’m always in the area. There is a small parking lot in the back and also a larger lot behind that, but you have to pay to park in the larger lot. This location has plenty of seating available and it seems like a lot of people frequent this Starbucks location to get work done and have meetings. I have always noted this Starbucks location to be clean and well-​organized. They always have plenty of baked goods available and offer to warm them up for you when you order. The Baristas are always friendly here and there are always a few working at one time, so you won’t have to wait a long time to get your drink. I have always been pleased with the quality of the beverages made here and also discovered a new strawberry lemonade drink here (made by Evolution Fresh) that you can pick up where the bottled, refrigerated drinks are kept. It is a little bit on the pricey side at around $ 3.95 a bottle, but it tastes like you are drinking fresh strawberries with a hint of lemon.

Four stars for this location, but only because it carries the exotic reserve blends and the Clover machine. Here, you can order those blends by the cup and pay way more than you otherwise would for a single serve.
Other than that, the place could use some tidying up.
A few tables/​seats outside.
Street parking only.

I love this place. One of my favorite locations. Every time I’m in Montclair, I’m here for my drinks. The line is long, but moves fast unlike some other locations I’ve been to. It’s a popular place, so the line is long!

i live in the area and go all the time which is why i didn’t give it 1 star. Usually fairly clean and was recently remodeled. It is definitely one of the busier locations around but the last two times i walked in the place has been filthy… To the point I’m ready to walk out. The drinks have not been neat, meaning they are spilled before you even grab them.

You have to love reading Starbucks reviews. Input annoying voice here:
«OMG. I ordered my double half caf, skim latte with caramel, nonfat double cap, ¾ foam but substitute coconut milk for half the skim and I can’t believe that the barista got it wrong. There was a line of 11 people and you won’t believe this, it took 4 minutes to get my drink. Ugh.»
Seriously, why are you reading this? Do you not know that Starbucks has 803,111 locations and they all run pretty much the same. I will go to a Starbucks anywhere (and I haven’t had a cup of coffee in my life) because I am likely to get exactly what I want and overpay for it while I am at it.
Let’s be more serious about this. We all go to Starbucks because we are basically too lazy or incapable of making what they make, which is why we pay $ 5 for it. If you think the baristas enjoy dealing with that top quote 87 times a day, you are one of the people making those requests.
I go to this location every day and the employees are all very nice and absolutely know what they are doing. They don’t always nail my order, but when they don’t, they just make another one. It’s part of the process. If I had to pick a gripe with this Starbucks it would be that I feel like much of the off-​peak time they are underemployed. 8 pm in the Summer you still need three people — one on the register and making the drinks while one is emptying the trash or getting lids doesn’t work.
If you go to a Starbucks once, have a bad experience and go on Unilocal to lambaste them, that’s a you problem.* Try dealing with those crazy orders 171 times a day and you will say sorry.
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* This excludes those who had someone treat them poorly or when the environment was really uncomfortable because of the management. Those one time complaints are probably warranted.

I’ve heard and read a lot of negative reviews about this Starbucks. I guess I got lucky because I had no trouble. However it was only 1015AM and empty. I despise their coffee but love their Chai latte. I only went because I was waiting for someone so I sat outside. It was pleasant enough and I enjoyed, «people watching.» But for some reason all I smelled outside was garbage. I’ll still choose Dunkin’ Donuts over Starbucks every time.

I’ve never tasted better coffee, fruit refreshers, or hot chocolate in my life! This definitely tops Java Love or Dunkin Donuts! Starbucks wins true prize.
On another note, the service is the slowest you will ever get! I one had to wait overall 29 minutes for a peppermint latte!
You have to really want coffee to wait in that libe

This is right on Valley Road and you can park easily get out and get your brew. The service is great. There are also regulars their so you know that it is a great place.

Staff is great. The only reason for a 1 star is the decision to remove comfortable seating and replace it with retail space. Perhaps best business decision but might be driving customers away. Don’t like coming here because there’s hardly anywhere comfortable to sit. For a high-​end area like Montclair, kinda pathetic you guys don’t have a better establishment.
Okay they just blew my order — wrote the wrong thing on cup after confirming order — the barista was super nice and fixed it though.

Slowest SB in history. You really need to be desperate for a caffeine fix to wait in that line. I’d walk to Java House on Bellevue Ave for better coffee and customer service.

Let me start by saying I am a Starbucks addict! I literally cannot pass one without stopping by. BUT there is only one Starbucks on the way to my job in Montclair and this is it. For the first time in my life I wanted to punch the cashier in the face. I couldn’t get his name because he always conceals his name while he talks so much shit. He’s a white guy with glasses that look like they’re too small for his face. Excuse my language but he was a pure asshole.
I have 15 minutes to get to work so I wait in line and finally when its my turn I ask him if they had any blueberry oatmeal left, he repeats the words «blueberry oatmeal» rolls his eyes and goes to check STRIKE 1 he comes back and tells me he has to go check in the back so I tell him thats ok. he then tells me that I have to pay for my chocolate croissant and iced mocha latte and the wait out of line! I was furious STRIKE 2 but thank GOD for the girl Ashley who was working the next register. She immediately tells him to go to the back and get the oatmeal (btw she should be managing the place) anyways he gives her a dirty look but she is focused on her customer to even notice. He walks somewhere and comes back and gives me the same total again so my response was «soooo im guessing there was not oatmeal left and hes snaps saying «I sent someone to check!» Striiiiiiiike 3. If I wasnt late to work already, I would have slapped him for being so rude. I pay my total and I walk to the other end to pick up my stuff.
Same asshole yells out my name and throws my chocolate croissant on the counter and slides it to me –_​_​– … (just taking deep breaths to remain calm)
Now as im waiting for my drink to arrive this young man (Brandon) comes out from some side doors with a box so immediately my eyes follow him as im hoping that he found it. He takes the box to the asshole in glasses and the asshole says «she doesnt even want it anymore!» Brandon reacts with a «What the fuck?» Comment OOOOOMMMMMGGGGG Thats when I finally spoke up. Loudly I said «No thats not true if you found it I want it!» For Gods sake I just didn’t want to hold the line up Brandon turns around embarrassed and says She does want it to the asshole. I wasnt mad at him bc he was given false information I would have reacted the same way but as for the asshole it gets better…
I walk to the register this time with my card to make the transaction quicker he totally ignores me like im not even there and thats when Ashley says «Ill take your payment over here» again saves the day and this mother##### is like «youre gonna take her payment?» Ughhhhh an angel saved that man that day! Ashley ignored him and took my payment I went back to wait for my stuff and he brings the bag with the oatmeal garnish, the oatmeal and again slides it across the counter with an attitude without even giving me a bag to put my stuff in. The cherry on top. as I was ordering the first time I told him I want whipped cream on my drink and hes like u dont need whipped cream on your drink. I laughed it off and confirmed that indeed I do want whipped cream. I got my drink with no whipped cream. I was so late and so pissed trying to carry a bowl of oatmeal a bag with blueberries, nuts, raisens, a spoon, a bag with a chocolate croissant and a mocha latte to my car.
After work im talking to someone about my day and they describe the same guy saying he always messes up her order too and hes such an asshole with his comments. Now I dont know what to do. Where can I get starbucks in Montclair with better service? If it wasnt for Ashley I would have given it zero stars but she gets 5 stars.
Management needs to re-​train their employees before they destroy the Starbucks legacy!

I am not a Starbucks regular. But one of my friends in Montclair is, so I have been here often over the years. I get my DD down the street first and we come here. Largely because the lines here are always long. I don’t know if all Starbucks take so long, but maybe they do. Of course, people don’t order a coffee here, they get a Half Caf Latte double twist with a shot of vanilla, but no sugar etc. drink which takes 5 min to make.
Parking here is a disaster. Next to the Post Office, they often have people double parked or waiting on someone in the fire lane. I’m stunned there is not an accident here every day. And that the firehouse (just down the street) allows it.
Even though I don’t buy anything here, I have been to better Starbucks for sure. Ones with better parking, more seating and some semblance of «crowd management».

Very polite and friendly baristas. Most look like local college students.
My orders are always done right.
I gave a lower score because of: lack of sufficient parking, not enough seating, and kind of dirty.
This place is definitely a high volume café and it appears that housekeeping can’t keep up.
Way too crowded after school. It looks like many children walk there and hang out until their parents pick them up. Like middle school after care!

I frequent this particular starbucks daily. I love that despite it being a chain, I still has a small shop feel. Almost all of the baristas know my name and order when I come. It makes me truly feel special. The store is always clean and even when they are busy the coffee and lattes still tastes great. Stop by the next time you’re in the area.

I come here whenever i’m in the area. It’s a nice starbucks and i’ve always seen it clean. The only issue I have is that the place to stand and wait for your drink is rather small which leads to confusion.

When I worked in Montclair I used to hit this place up a lot, it was a standard Starbucks, a little cramped, but just fine. I recently stopped in again (after 6 – 7 years) only to find that not much has changed. I’ve never had a bad cup of coffee here (plain java or fru-​fru drinks) so their consistency and quality control are excellent.
Here’s the only thing I’ve always hated about this particular Starbucks… they are slow. Whether there are two people in line or ten people in line they are slow. There is no emphasis on speed, no enthusiasm, no motivation. I do like Starbucks coffee, but I just don’t like standing around while employees talk about their plans for the weekend… it’s called multi-​tasking. If you can walk and chew gum, you can talk and make a latte.

This is one of the smaller Starbucks. It can get a little hectic in there, and in the mornings, the regulars kinda grab their seats and stay put.
Coffee is as good as any other Starbucks, and the staff here is very nice, although very busy, even compared to other Starbucks. They do seem to know some of their regulars.
Other than that, it’s clean, the parking is easy, which isn’t always the case in Montclair, and it’s on my way. So, yeah, they’re an easy 3 stars.
Now that I think about it. Last time I went in I was asking some questions about some beans I was gonna bring home and brew myself. the woman I spoke with was very nice, helped me pick out the beans I would like, offered to grind them up for me, and even offered a complementary cup of the type I was buying for me to drink on the way home. I gotta bump them up to 4 stars.

I’m a huge coffee drinker, particularly Starbucks. This location is your typical Starbucks spot, makes great drinks, HOWEVER, I have never waited so long for a coffee. Each time I am here, whether its busy or not, the wait is insane.
Many of times, I’ve almost left before even putting in my order because it was taking so long. I’ve actually changed Starbucks, and will only visit the Valley Rd location if I have to for the only reason that I do not have 25 minutes to stop in for a quick coffee run.

Yay!
This is a typical narrow Starbucks with seating along the walls. The service was friendly enough and not too crowded. There is parking in the back, which is convenient.