Hava Java

Good customer service. Lack of comfortable seating (i.e.: all wooden chairs and table or highboys). Chai was very mediocreNd slightly overpriced. ($ 4.50 for a medium AFTER the 10% check-​in offer) I did enjoy the vibe, however, and think it would be a nice place to hang out and sip an iced coffee in warmer weather when the front of the shop is open. I might come back. They obviously have regular clientele. But there are many other coffee shops within a 2 – 3 mile radius, so for now I will keep looking.

The hot chocolate is sub-​par. The service is friendly but slow. Not very much room in the lobby. Next time, I’ll probably just save time and money and get a drink from the Safeway coffee shop.

In general, great coffee and mediocre food. (Though I hear the pumpkin bread is fabulous.) Friendly and engaging staff. Quality of coffee drinks varies based on barista; I ask Amir to make my drinks whenever possible. There’s not much seating indoors, and finding parking can be tricky (even though it’s in the Safeway shopping center).

I’m a chai tea addict, and Hava Java is by far the BEST chai tea latte I’ve EVER had. Even substituting soy still keeps it delicious. Love.

Thanks for the loose lid on a hot tea, and a scorched hand. No need to make excuses Mr.Owner.

UPDATE:
11÷3÷15 this is what the owner, «Justin S», wrote in response to my review:
««
11÷2÷2015 To set the record straight our staff is made up of adults. Nearly half have been with us for over a decade. We currently don’t employ a single high schooler but you’re welcome to apply.
««
RESPONSE FROM YOURS TRULY:
1) Justin S., don’t try to outwit me: you will lose.
2) if you’re a business owner, it’s bad form to constantly upbraid your customers, as you seem to do to every 3-​star and below review for «The Jav» on Unilocal: grow up.
3) i’d imagine your offer of employment at your $ 10/​hr strip mall coffee shop was in jest… but if it was sincere, i regret to inform you that i am already employed, handsome. but thanks anyway. god bless.
REVIEW:
decent enough coffee and tea spot. over the years the service here has improved DRAMATICALLY. couple years back, the service here was slow as sh*t. but these days, i have to say, the people behind the counter greet you with a smile and are on top of it. good training.
be warned however, that on weekdays this is THE spot for Biltmore area playas. a who’s who of handshakes, back pats and air kisses. well maybe not air kisses, this is Phoenix, not L. A…but if it **were** L.A., there would be that. obviously they’re doing something right if the C Phx «in crowd» converges every morning. i’d say anytime after about 10 a.m. and this place will have plenty of seating — been here in a.m./lunch and dinner times.
what’s lacking… well to start when the weather is less-​than-​ideal, too hot or too cold, there is not enough seating inside (they do have overflow seating in the adjacent gelato shop… but if i meet someone at a café i don’t wanna sit in a damn ice cream bazaar). the kitchen is also small and they have a small selection of baked goods and pastries that often sell out. no menu items here. not sure if they make anything in-​house, but what they do serve is pretty good. not enough selection and not enough product.
coffee/tea…i’m pretty happy with their selection of teas. they usually have a few ice brewed ready to go and can hot or cold brew quite a few.
—the espresso drinks is where Hava Java falls into the category of «Most Other Arizona Coffee Places» where their beans are good enough but the barista execution is just meh. i’ve been here enough times and interacted with most of the employees; they are mostly very friendly and cool and i always tip at least something, but i’m sorry to say these are not exactly Portland or Seattle All Stars when it comes to latte skillz. everyone can make coffee but a barista is a skilled technician that takes practice, training, and knowledge of beans. Hava Java employees are mainly high school and college kids — usually the best have been at it for years. (i kinda sound like a barista writing this, but i am not, in fact i have never worked any food job. i do have chefs in my family though and just understand food/​drink.)
look, for a strip mall hangout for pros in the a.m. and students mid-​day, Hava Java is cool and pleasant enough. three stars.

I work at different offices all over the valley can’t believe I never found this place. Great chai latte. Wonderful friendly service!

This coffee shop is not necessarily a letdown; it’s just not anything particularly outstanding considering the (many) other options available in the Valley. If you’re into gelato, you’ll be pleased to learn that it’s connected to The Gelato Spot, which is pretty good gelato. I like that you can grab a coffee here, then enjoy a gelato immediately next door. But the coffee itself is nothing to get excited about. And neither is the chai tea latte, unfortunately.
I’m sure that I’d visit Hava Java more often if I lived closer, but I definitely wouldn’t go out of my way to grab a coffee here again.
Service was fast, which was nice; but again — nothing to write home about.
There’s a decent amount of seating, both inside and out, which I appreciate, as well as decent Wi-​Fi, making Hava Java a good choice for those remote work days. Prices are about what you’d expect — neither expensive nor cheap. Pastries looked delicious except that they had flies crawling all over them, which turned me off immediately even if it couldn’t be helped. :-/​
All in all, just a very blah experience, unfortunately. I’d like to see a little more pride taken on the part of the staffing in providing quality drinks. I’d have loved the option to order a pour-​over. I don’t know whether I’ll bother visiting again. Maybe if I’m paying through and craving a mediocre coffee… :(
*NOTE: if you Check In here on Unilocal,you get a 10% code. Not bad. Appreciate that.

Such a cute place! The tea selection is amazing and the staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Not at all surprising that it’s been in business for 24 years.

Beyond the best green tea I have ever had. I normally never drink tea and this is the best I have ever tasted. I believe his name was Devon or Derek. But her was the most helpful and most caring customer service I have ever had. I am sick and his tea warmed my heard and made me feal better. You could taste the love I their tea! I am beyond amazed and beyond satisfied with this place. Deffenetly go there!!!
P.s thanks from Amanda from Smash burger

This place is really great. It is run by locals and the coffee and tea are excellent. They have free Wi-​Fi and you can sit there and work as long as you like. It can get a little noisy, especially in the mornings when a lot of people in the neighborhood like to hang out. They also have frequent user cards and you get your 10^th drink free!

Definitely the friendliest coffee shop I’ve ever visited and the coffee was pretty good too. You’ll love the vibe here and it seems like a great place to chill or conduct a little business meeting.

5:30 am ok. Open time but If the Starbucks up at Lincoln that opens at 5am is too slammed I’m here. Its good. Its no Starbucks or LUX but it’s better than Dutch bros or drunk-​in grownups. Parking is just terrible but if you luck out and your driving a compact like a 3 series or smaller you might find a spot. Its about atmosphere these days. Needs some updating inside. Needs some HGTV love padding seating and led lighting and some usb charging ports .it’s 2015… ok they try. But parking blows and needs a redo. Staff is better than Starbucks up at Lincoln (as far as honest concern and a smile) but parking ruins it.

Yet another «perk» of living in this area is this awesome coffee house. It’s always a challenge finding nice beans but not here. You can tell by the wonderfully rich aroma that wafts outward as soon as you open the door. Ive had them grind for me as well as parked my bike on the patio and enjoyed a frozen concoction. Can it get better? Yes because the place is also a local establishment! Coffee enthusiast? Don’t miss!

My iced tea was spot on, service was courteous, wifi was free, patio was pretty relaxed. All in all my Hava Java experience was pleasant but nothing to go crazy over.
I will say, my hibiscus green tea was delicious! Perfect level of sweetness with a finished that makes you pucker just enough. And at $ 3 it was definitely reasonably priced for a 32oz tea!
The inside of the shop was nice. It’s attached to the Gelato Spot so you can roam freely between the two which is unique. But it’s lacking something. The atmosphere was pretty forgettable. I wasn’t dying to stay and hangout by any means. The patio is very pleasant but right next to a bustling parking lot. Aside from sucking down the fumes of BMWs, Mercedes, and Range Rovers for the duration of your time on the patio, it’s really nice. They have decorated it with some trees and stuff and it’s well shaded.
Hava Java is good. It’s slightly overrun rich moms and private school kids, but for a good iced tea, it’s a good choice.

Decided that we needed to try as many coffee houses as we could in our short trip to Phoenix. This was close to where we were staying so it was on our list of places to try.
Parking is available but is in short supply most of the time.
There is enough outside seating for a whole bunch of people.
There are two patios, one in the front and one around the back. The one around the back is for smokers (yucch!).
The inside is small but the baristas have enough room to make you a wonderful cup of coffee.
There are outlets for your computer of smartphone inside.
The baristas are very helpful and will serve you exactly what you ask for.
Great local coffee house.

I coffee tour everywhere I go. No matter the city, state, or country, I will find you. VALET? In a grocery store open parking lot. EPIC FAIL. The service at the bar, phenomenal. The owner, TOTAL D BAG. Lattes soooooooooooo hot, the espresso asked for an ice water. Every table and seat is packed here. Old dudes with pony tails. Super expensive mid life crisis cars. Ladies with binders planning events. Insane. But the drinks are almost perfect. MAKE YOUR OWN CHAI… it is so freaking easy. This is what makes local coffee shops awesome. The pride is the do it yourself. Do not order chai, what the crackers are you starbucks?
The owner… this guy is ridiculous. So arrogant and cocky and my poor girlfriend went in here every day for years. I said to him in passing, «Hey this is a cute spot. We were told to pay a visit by a friend.» «Oh yeah who is your friend.» I say her name. His response, «oh she must be a stripper.» Seriously dude? Um no she teaches art to special needs children. We need more people like her in the world. Go F yourself.

One of my goals while in town was to try several locally owned coffee shops. This one was on the radar based on all the Unilocal reviews with interesting comments and its location.
I ordered an almond milk latte and was impressed to see the option of not only that but coconut milk as well. Not being a fan of coconut water, I decided to play it safe but might give it a try in the future. There is an additional charge for almond or coconut milk, but the barista pointed that out when I ordered, which was very nice of her. It also clearly stated it on the menu.
There are both indoor seating and outdoor seating on both sides of the place. We tried both only because the side with the parking lot was a bit cold in the shade that morning. Warning: the street side outdoor seating appears to be the smoking side but was in the beautiful sunshine.
No ceramic cups for the coffee, however, only to-​go paper. Having this option creates a need to have a machine that cleans those cups to health standards, so maybe that isn’t an option. Perhaps, there is a bring your own cup option that I don’t know about.
Overall, a pleasant experience.

Not sure if it’s pronounced Haaava Jaaaava with a long A or Have a Jav a with short American As. Regardless, it’s a cool spot with great coffee, plenty of seating and from what I saw on a Monday afternoon, a large fan base of locals. I ordered a vanilla latte, which is a perfect litmus test for a new coffee joint. It was good. Very good, in fact. Not blow my mind great, but very solid.
Plus a bunch of stars for good coffee, a friendly staff and lots of outdoor seating. The only thing it would be nice are more tables with outlets. This place would be in contention as a study spot if it had enough tables with outlets. As it is it’s a great place to hang, have a conversation and relax.

Maybe I’m just picky but when I have to pump my own coffee from a large container that has been sitting there for who knows how long, I’m thinking it’s not the best cup or the best service. I’m sure it saves them money to be able to just hand you a cup and point to the containers but it’s a coffee shop. They have one job. Would it be that much of an inconvenience to pour me a fresh cup?