Shot In The Dark Cafe

I really like shot in the dark, it’s a good place to come to at all hours of the night. Once we came here with a friend though and they forgot his order and we were sitting in the smoke room and the lady working kept turning up the music to drive us out which we were confused about because it’s open ²⁴⁄₇. It took like three hours until we brought it up to them and then they made it, we weren’t mad though because we were probably gonna be there anyway. It was annoying how she tried to drive us out, but I think that was just her personality or something, other than that the service has always been pretty good. We still always come here, one of the only places open this late that we’re able to hang out, and the atmosphere is unique, I also enjoy the food and coffee, never have had any problems with the taste or anything. Anyway, I recommend it.

Food wasn’t good, no flavor no seasoning and found hair in my food. coffee was just as horrible.

How this place has 4 stars is beyond me. I’d be giving a .5 star if it was possible.
I walked in at 8am looking for some good coffee and eggs for breakfast. The first thing I noticed was their nearly empty glass display counter which had a fully stocked supply of cigarettes (I’ve never seen that before– kinda funny but kinda sad) next to the packets of smokes were about 10 seran wrapped cookies and two brownies followed by a single t-​shirt that was sloppily folded. At least the lonesome shirt and the sad supply of cookies were kept company by a dirt pile and a wad of human hair!
A mostly empty and dirty glass case is always worrisome — ‘why is it empty? Are their cookies really that good– they are just flying off the shelf? Doubtful. Maybe they made these other ones last week– naw. they definitely don’t look fresh. Why just one crumpled shirt? They don’t wanna take the time to refold and look more neat? Why are the shelves so filthy? Hair? Gross! How that get there and for how long has it been there? If their display case looks like this, what does their kitchen look like?‘
After observing what I saw, I should have just left and went to plenty of other nearby options, but I had a small window of time to eat and I was famished. I figured a veggie pattie with two over easy eggs would be the safe bet.
Nope.
One yolk was completely over cooked. (I love the runny yolks and specified this. At least one was still runny) They tried to decorate the plate with cucumber and tomatoes. But they were both cut probably 2 days ago and were not fresh. The veggie pattie was rubbery tasting and had a slight mold taste? I left most of it even tho I was still hungry. I did however, enjoy the freshly cut basil. SOMETHING FRESH!
I had heard they had pretty good coffee so I was excited to try it. Alas, they ran out of almond milk the previous evening so I had to opt for their drip. To no surprise, it had a burnt taste. Coming from Seattle, I suppose I am a bit of a coffee snob– but I do know good coffee and not so great and this tasted like the office leftover coffee from yesterday.
My advice?– steer clear. Steer clear for the lack of cleanliness alone. Or steer clear of the underwhelming food and sludge coffee. Unless you like the taste of burnt coffee that is.

Needless to say, the most attractive thing about this joint is that it is one of the few ²⁴⁄₇ spots in this area of Tucson. Beyond this, we were literally taking a shot in the dark.
It was reminiscent of some of those places I used to visit in Berkeley about 15 – 20 years ago, with the requisite number of college students coming in. The food was fairly good, but my wife’s sandwich contained a hidden toothpick fragment that ended up stabbing her in the lip. Not cool. The food preparer apparently stuck a fancy toothpick in the sandwich, broke it, and stuck in another without taking the time to look for the broken piece he just left in. That, I guess, was too much trouble.
It’s one of those things that don’t necessarily ruin a restaurant, but you will always remember it. While we will certainly go to the Big Blue House on our next visit to Tucson, this isn’t such a certainty with Shot in the Dark.

Want coffee without pretentiousness or overcharging? Best coffee shop downtown. Open 24 hours, unlike everyplace else.

This is the $H!T for college students. FREE WIFI and they open late. AWESOME!

Wouldn’t recommend, especially because there are a sizable handful of great local coffee shops within walking distance of this place (Sparkroot, Cartel, Exo, just to name a few). I remember ordering pancakes here about 10 years ago when I was downtown to see a concert. The syrup was crawling with ants. But hey, things change, and downtown has certainly seen a sort of revitalization over the last decade. So I gave this place another shot — no pun intended.
It was a Sunday morning and the shop was mostly empty. A couple customers eating breakfast. I walked up to the counter and nobody was there. I waited for a few beats. A guy wanders out from the back room and nonchalantly takes my order and pours me a cup of bland coffee that was on par with Denny’s or maybe Circle K. I went to use the bathroom and was greeted by vulgar graffiti and a dirty toilet.
I don’t know, maybe this place is charming to certain people. It certainly has a kind of grungy, «eff-​the-​world» flare that undoubtedly resonates with some. I mean, they have been around for a long time. At the risk of sounding pretentious… as someone who really enjoys quality coffee and a clean, comfortable environment, it wasn’t my cup of tea. Or, uh, coffee… as the case may be.

I would give this a 5 star if it wasn’t for the wait time. I got a Cesar salad which was amazing, a large salad also got the decaf earl gray which was really good. Nice seating area, came on a Sunday close to midnight. Its open 24hrs

This place is appropriately named. When driving from Phoenix to Bisbee or vice versa, I’m often looking to Tucson for a meal spot. I need somewhere that’s accessible from the freeway so that I don’t spend an hour in traffic. Ok, this is a bit further off the highway than I would like but easy to find.
The ambience is well, sort of grunge. If you like that, you’ll love it. I had my 70+ year old parents with me who were likely pretty skeptical. It was also fairly empty which seemed like a warning sign.
We chatted with the friendly guy working there and asked about some of his favorites. He told us the food was really good and fresh and while we were skeptical, the prices were very reasonable. We took a shot in the dark.
Amazing! The wraps, sandwiches, salads were all 5 star worthy — fresh and flavorful. I wish I could remember everything we ordered but the vegetarian wraps were amazing.
I will stop here again.

Shot in the Dark has a very old school feel while still having espresso and coffee beverage options that are up to current standards for those who frequent trendy coffee shops.
First of all… major points for being open ²⁴⁄₇. Super rare, and I’m sure this place is appreciated by U of A students who need a place to study into the night. It’s also a café with a full food menu, so I would imagine after the bars a few blocks away close, it could be quite the popular late night spot.
I ordered an iced almond milk (yay for them having it!) latte, and it was delicious. The barista was fantastic.
Solid coffee spot.

Being from Seattle, I am a bit picky about coffee and enjoy a cup of brew at any time of day. This café serves up some awesome americano!

I capped off an evening of drinking with friends here and would give it a thumbs up! I didn’t actually order anything myself, but my kind companions let me nibble off their plates. One guy ordered a gigantic breakfast burrito loaded with eggs, cheese and potatoes. I had a large bite and would go back to order it for myself. Another friend ordered the bagel with lox; the portion of smoked salmon was very generous and he was pleased with the overall deliciousness. They offered free water for patrons and the bathroom walls are humorously decorated with Tumblr-​esque graffiti.

It has recently come to my attention that Shot in the Dark has been going through a slight change in regards to its clientele. Some one had stated that new developments in the area are changing the demographic and complaints on food quality and service are becoming the norm. I have never had a problem with service or questioned the quality of food at this establishment. They are a respectful bunch that contribute their free time to ensure you are receiving the best possible service. Does it have a bit of a disheveled appearance? Yes, but that is the way we like it! So fly a kite you yuppies! Without places like Shot in the Dark, you have places like Starbucks. Is that a world you want to live in? Not I says me.

First time going to Shot in the dark. Walked in– lots of people on computers, homeless people on the floor. Lots of smoke in the air. Stand in line for 7 minutes behind a couple that looks high as fuh. Get to the counter and the man/​woman behind the counter is loopy as a frikin tucan.
He/​she takes no less than 10 minutes to prepare a vanilla iced latte.
When I finally got the drink I could feel it’s subpar values oozing from the plastic cup. It was warm. The espresso and milk were not mixed before the ice was added and the little ice I had left was melting.
I’m thinking «Great, watered down latte.»
But no. Somehow this barista/​o had managed to craft the strongest medium vanilla iced latte Tucson has ever seen. It tastes like a was punched in the throat. Shot in the dark? More like shotgun to the throat.
Upon getting home I diluted the strange mixture into 7 cups of milk an ice. These tasted great.
Thanks Shot in the dark for a weeks supply of espresso in one medium iced latte.
This drink was so bad I made this Unilocal account whilst driving back home. Maybe this place is good in the daytime? The barista was nice to me at least. Sorry. Just an awful waste of money tonight.

Great location next to a brewery that does not serve food. Coffee is wonderful and we had the treehugger. Enjoyed it all.

I’ve had mostly iced coffee, lattes, and hot coffee here and really started to dig the place. I came here for breakfast and lunch a few times and it was good but took too long and really wasn’t anything special.
Their menu is kind of weird actually. I find it hard to pick anything. It’s just not that appealing. Their iced coffee is great, and I was coming in for hot coffee in the mornings pretty regularly, but it seems like every time I came in the coffee was less hot until one day it was straight up lukewarm, at which point I was like yeah, not acceptable, and stopped coming.
It’s great that they’re open ²⁴⁄₇ and the servers are reasonably polite. I also heard that it’s employee owned which is great. All in all it’s not bad place. I like it, but it definitely needs improvement. If your menu and food isn’t going to stand out, there’s no point in having a food menu. There’s lots of places to get lunch around here. Step it up.

Best breakfast burritos I’ve ever sunken my teeth into. The salsa is also really bomb. My best friend loves their Chai tea variations, and a hot latte on a cold night is a simple pleasure at Shot.
For the amount of drunk slobs the staff has to deal with I’m always pleasantly surprised by how unfazed they are. Bullet proof composure is something I envy.

It’s depressing. The cook seems bothered to be here. Very grunge like environment.
Food could be better.
Coffee is okay.
I do like that you can purchase two eggs, two bacon, and a slice of Texas toast for $ 3.70 + tax

This place is great… if you want to be motivated to study. It is so dirty and for some reason it suddenly becomes loud and obnoxious past 10pm. It’s a great way to get your work done fast so you can leave the germ filled place that’s rarely cleaned.

I give it four stars mainly in lack of comparison of other places open 24 hours in the area. Barista made an honest effort on my machiato, my friend s frapp tasted wonderful. We had breakfast. Breakfast burrito was delicious and huge! My friend wasn’t thrilled with her oatmeal but came with a friendly deliverance and eye pleasing presentation. Place has a decent culture history encased in the décor of the place. Unisex bathroom, — you just have to see it. Smoking and coffee go hand and hand in my book. Nice option.
The Luis S. Review below definitely deserves to be read. I bet employment there changes with the seasons but somebody there is accountable for hiring that Taylor dude.