Tracey’s Corner Cafe

Just discovered this place today. Great coffee and very artsy atmosphere. Open mic every Sunday and Tuesday with many musicians and very supportive atmosphere. Great to see a business supporting the arts. The host has a great sense of humor and I highly recommend this place to anyone that’s looking for some coffee and entertainment too.

Tracey’s Corner Café has apparently changed owners. Or maybe it simply changed names, because it’s «Tracey’s Corner Café» on the outside, and «The Dovetail» on the inside. Anyway, if the place is no longer Tracey’s, I officially apologize to Tracey.
I ordered a simple coffee, and they were out of my chosen variety. No problem. I’ll wait around a few more minutes while more is made. So the chick grinds the beans, sets up the coffee maker, and starts doing other tasks. It took her a few minutes to realize she hadn’t actually started the coffee brewing. WTF? I’m the only person standing there waiting. It’s not that frickin’ hard.
So now I have my hot coffee in hand. Time to add sweetener and cream. Except there is no sweetener. «Hey, can I get some more splenda?» After several minutes of unsuccessfully poking around cupboards, I’m left splenda-​less. Good thing I keep a stash in my purse. It’s not as if one should expect a coffee house to have sweetener on hand. Oh, wait…
I will write this off to a bad day. But based on my one visit, I’m not impressed.

Update on the History. This is no longer Tracey’s Café.

I moved here from out of state and find it hard to believe there aren’t many small businesses in the Midwest, but it is what it is. I do my best to support local businesses whenever I find them.
Came here on a break during the motorcycle safety course at Macomb based on Unilocal!The food is not bad, it’s not good but it’s not bad. About what you could make for lunch in your kitchen except grilled on a panini press instead of cold. The coffee isn’t terrible either, I had a Café Caramel and it was pretty good. However they serve you your coffee in styrofoam cups which to me is not a good practice for a coffee shop.
The atmosphere was different. There’s a bar you can sit at, plenty of reading material, open area with small tables to relax at in the middle, and a few comfy chairs in back next to a fireplace (which wasn’t on). I came on a cold day and it didn’t seem like the heat was on, but I’m always cold.
The staff was extremely friendly, I have nothing bad to say. The biggest thing that I disliked was there was a large group of older people (10 – 15 people) that almost seemed like they were a club here and were extremely loud. I’m all for being loud and social at a café this just was a bit excessive in my opinion.
Overall I would recommend at least coming to give it a shot and see how you feel. It wasn’t bad, wasn’t great, and I feel like this comes down to personal opinion.

This is a really chill spot in Warren. The coffee is good, atmosphere is relaxed and open, and the staff is friendly. I’ve only come here around lunchtime, but it appears that they have a pretty active evening scene as well. Keep up the good work!

Whoa how did I not review Tracey’s yet. Awesome place, good coffee and baked treats. Always a good crowd and pleasant service.

Oh, hi. I didn’t see you there. I was a little preoccupied penning a review for Tracey’s Corner Café. Why don’t you grab a seat, get comfortable, and have a listen?
About a year ago, I met a man — a dashing scientist and boyfriend extraordinaire. We’ll call him Dan. Dan introduced me to a new world. Literally. He whisked me away to Iowa and Michigan for Christmas where I met some of the coolest people you really could ever meet (check my profile for the URL to their site)… So when the opportunity presented itself to go back and visit them again, of course I took it. Turns out, my dear dearest deary readers, that visiting them meant attending a 4 day event that took place, largely, at this café.
Haha, dear me, I bet you thought I’d forgotten I was writing a review. Well, you were wrong. This café? There’s a lot of it. It’s huge, labyrinthian underbelly was fun to traverse, as I walked from room to room engaging in all sorts of nerdy fun. I’m also told that various other organizations hold events here, which would make a lot of sense because there really is an exceptional amount of space. The café itself is also very nicely sized, filled with seats and nice little nooks if you’re looking for a place to sit and read a book for a little while… which I did a couple of times.
I also spent a lot of time eating and drinking here. I can’t remember all of the different things I tried over the course of 4 days, but I know I never had anything I didn’t like. I really appreciate the fact that they use loose leaves for their tea, as it’s more expensive and generally a bigger pain to prepare; it’s just a better quality product than tea bags. That’s not to say I won’t or don’t drink tea bagged tea, but it’s still a big big plus for me. They also took the time to prepare me a weird sandwich concoction that catered to my extremely unfortunate vegetarianism, and that was not on the menu. They didn’t give me any grief about it either, which I have to say is pretty great.
They also have root beer floats. Guys? Root. beer. floats.
Now, as to the staff… they were quite pleasant. I could see how having 60 people under your roof for the amount of time that we were there could get rather overwhelming, but it never showed. Tracey herself was really sweet and accommodating, and she even managed to remember me by name; an extraordinary feat considering the sheer volume of people she was dealing with. There were two other staff members, a man and a woman, whom… well, ironically, I can’t recall the names of, but they were pretty wonderful, too. If I lived nearby, frequenting this place would be a no brainer.
Well, that’s it; that’s my review. What are you still doing here? Go. Go on, get out of here.

Tracey’s is an awesome place. Love the atmosphere, food, and coffee.

I really like to support local businesses, especially Cafes, but I just don’t get how could a cool Café be in a strip mall in the suburbs and still be cool. Being in a mall is not cool at all, is totally the opposite.
The coffee here is probably the worst coffee that I had ever in my life. It’s too bad that it dosen’t even taste like coffee, it dosent get close to a regular bad coffee. It’s tasteless, like a dark hot water.
They served me the coffee in a styrofoam cub! I’m not sure if this is a suburban thing or not, but coffee should not be served in a styrofoam cub. It’s like serving champagne in a shot class.
Big ugly circle tables with uncomfortable chairs are the only choices here for relaxing. I don’t think driving to this coffee shop will be worth it by any means.

Five years ago, there seemed to be an abundance of independently-​owned coffee shops in Metro Detroit. You couldn’t go one night without there being an open mic somewhere in the city.
Nowadays, a good independent coffee shop is so hard to come by — that’s what makes this place great! The coffee bar is really unique, with a wide spread and lots of options. The staff have an appreciation for good drinks, whether it’s coffee or tea (my new obsession).
Other notable points: great windows, fireplace, easy WiFi, and NO annoying, loud music (Starbucks.). My only issue: get new chairs! Seriously. I study for hours at a time, and the current furniture is not up to the challenge.
Even though this place has been around for years as Deebee’s, it really seems like it’s come into its own. It’s probably the next great indie coffee shop on the Eastside.
As to the open mic: I haven’t gone yet, but I hear it’s Tuesday nights, and it’s definitely now at the top of my to-​do list!

Tracey is a friendly and warm presence at the Corner Café and her new take on this amazing venue is exciting! I’ve worked with all of the last 3 owners at this great coffee shop– and with Tracey now at the helm, look for an even more creative and welcoming environment! Music, poetry and a great place to network with other interesting, creative folks!
Wired and Wireless!
I always get a great wireless signal– and great coffee too! It’s a perfect place to hang out and hold morning meetings. If you need to hold meetings with folks from all over Metro Detroit, Tracey’s is a great place, since it’s perfectly centrally located– it’s where East meets West and downtown meets the suburbs!
Creative Vortex
I’ve held many events at this location, and working with Tracey, I’m looking forward to holding lots of interesting, creative events and activities at the Corner Café! The stage, Wide-​screen, lighting, large main room and separate areas are perfect for anything you need!
See you at Tracey’s Corner Café

A history lesson:
This place started in 1994 as Deebe’s Coffee, and remained Deebe’s until 2004 or so. The original owners sold it to pursue mission work. For a brief time it was Motor City Joe’s. The owners remodeled it a bit, but lost interest quickly. They sold it and it became The Beat Café. The owner of The Beat Café grew the shop into a solid business but then wanted to pursue a more natural lifestyle.
Throughout all of this, Tracey (the new owner) was either a regular customer or an employee. She had been there through the whole thing, thick and thin, and always had her heart set on owning the place one day.
That day came a few months ago. She had been managing the place for a year or so and finally the owner said he wanted to move into the country and sold it to her.
This is one of those stories of a lifetime dream fulfilled, and blah blah blah sap sap sap… But how is the coffee?
Tracey knows coffee. She also knows food.
The coffee is excellent, the prices are better than most, and the food (mostly sandwiches, but she also makes home-​made baked goods) is awesome. Read the reviews from The Beat Café; that’s mostly her work.
At any rate, this is the best coffee shop on the East side, and a true gem in Warren. You should check it out. The space is huge, but cozy, and they have room for events as well as space for private study and quiet solitude. There’s always an eclectic crew of regulars to entertain you as well. Definitely a «everybody knows your name» Cheers-​type-​of-​place.
Free Wi-​Fi, cheap and delicious coffee, great food, tons of space, great scenery. What more do you need?

This is the place to go if you want to support your local businesses. The coffee here is always fresh and delicious. I love that they have only about 3 different varieties of coffee made. It makes it much easier to make a choice, and not stare at the menu all day. I usually enjoy a dark robust roast, and every time they have something that seems to enlighten my taste buds.
The coffee shop offers tons of seating. On any given day you can find people sitting down enjoying each others company, playing games, doing business, or maybe some school work. The atmosphere is relaxed and low-​key.
If this place had a drive-​up I am sure it would be hustling with business, because the coffee is that good. I haven’t tried much of anything on the menu, you can get all those fancy drinks the other companies make, and I think there is even some food items to purchase.
This is a must stop chill spot next time you are in Warren.

Ok, so I have never actually been into the Beat Café, but I have sat in my car in their parking lot to mooch free WIFI! And it’s fast! Yea!
I promise on my next trip out to Warren I will stop to buy a drink. Hopefully this review gets me one step closer to redemption for having used their free internet services on more than a few occasions.

This location has been a number of coffee shops since I first started coming here in the late 90’s. I am quite impressed with the latest reincarnation — they have taken it back to a quiet place to study or socialize — getting rid of the TVs and video games that once tainted the environment. The menu has a smattering of different drinks, both coffee and not. There are also sandwiches and sweet treats if you’re feeling a little hungry.
The coffees met my expectations and service was phenomenal as well. I’ll admit that I am a Starbucks junkie (usually out of convenice, hello drive-​thrus!), but I definitely feel better about myself when I visit a local coffee shop. I hope The Beat Café outlasts its predecessors, and I’ll keep coming back to help that happen. :)

I truly enjoy this establishment. Peerless coffee selection. Comfortable environment.
When I need to get out of the house for some quiet time I can sit down here and not feel like I am overstaying my welcome or contributing to the global domination of bad corporate coffee.
I have been accused of having less than perfect balance. During a particularly embarrassing episode of floor tackling I managed to fling a fresh to-​go cup. I was offered a brand new beverage on the house (well, i did fling the other one all over the house). Gracias!

The Beat Café has become my favorite coffee shop in the metro Detroit area. One of the hardest things to find in a coffee shop, chain or independently-​owned, is consistancy. Even the mighty Starbucks with its minimum wage «baristas» seems to have this problem. But the Beat Café does not. In fact, more often than not it is the owner who serves my beverage. And even more incredible is the level to which they care about crafting a customer’s drink. On several occasions, after serving me my latte, the staffer examines my drink and requests it back to add more froth or make some other cosmetic correction. I’ve never had that much attention or care paid attention to my drink at a coffeeshop! Wow!
I could name a laundry list of things I like about the Beat Café, but since I don’t want to be typing all day I’ll limit my review to some of the highlights that earn this café my coveted five-​star rating (the first in the Coffeehouse Category! haha).
First and foremost is the coffee. The owner has a great knowledge of coffee and has truly developed a great blend for his espresso. Its strong, but not too strong. The blend is complex, where the flavor of each different bean comes through and blends together beautifully. There’s even a roaster in-​store and they will roast a bag of coffee beans to order.
Secondly, the service and atmosphere is great and comfortable. This is the only coffeeshop where I feel like everyone knows my name.

This place has a fantastic array of tunes as well as a very cozy atmosphere. Although it only has the standard list of café beverages they are tasty and the barista serves them with a smile.

I have been recently going to this venue for tea chats with Brian A. and other members of the social media community in Metro Detroit for #tweetea. I must say that I really dig the place.
The things that stand out the most are the sandwiches that they make there, which can be made hot to order. I enjoy the Moscow, but I have tried two other sandwiches and haven’t had one that I didn’t like.
I don’t know much about this region of Warren, but I know it would be a hotbed place if it were located in Oakland County. If you are ever around 12 Mile and Hoover, stop by for a coffee and a sandwich. You will not be disappointed.

I like coffee. It’s my most recent addiction. I’ve never felt «grown up» enough to enjoy it until about 4 months ago. Apparently 25 was the magic age for me when it stopped tasting nasty and bitter (thus resulting in many orders of more expensive hot chocolate) and actually tasted like something I could enjoy.
Now I find myself seeking out different kinds of coffee. It doesn’t have to be good… I’m happy with my Folger’s in the morning, but if it’s good that always helps. The Beat Café has GOOD coffee. They have VERY GOOD coffee. No need for a flavor shot, you probably will have to add sugar if you’re usually in need of it, but other than that… this is some deadly good coffee. How many times can I say it?
The guy behind the counter was very friendly and engaged my friend and I in interesting (!) small talk while he made our coffee. He wasn’t snobby about the coffee or didn’t act like he really wanted to be somewhere else, which can be the case with a lot of these independent coffee places. It’s also a reason I usually will just be found at Tim Horton’s instead.
Inside is very spacious and it’s painted with warming earth tones. No packing everyone in so you’re bumping elbows with the people next to you and you can actually enjoy your conversation with who you came with. This place has a lot of regulars (I think my buddy and I were the only ones who weren’t on a first-​name basis with the dude behind the counter), but it doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable like some places can. Nobody gave us dirty looks for invading their favorite spot.
Going late at night can be an interesting experience. Lots of high-​school kids seem to enjoy hanging out just outside the door. They will try to engage you in those random conversations high-​schoolers often find hilarious and normal people just find… stupid. We were all there before though, right? They don’t mean any harm so just ignore ‘em if that bugs you.
The Beat Café also has a (small… nay, TINY) stage for what would appear to be an open mic night. There also sits a lone guitar just waiting for someone to strum its strings. Poor guy. I may return for an open mic night, if I knew when it was.
I noticed that on the menu they list sandwiches and other things. I didn’t notice any muffins or bagels anywhere but they may have them. If they do, I’ll almost guarantee you they aren’t fresh made there — so I’d pass anyway. The sandwiches listed didn’t seem like anything special. Like most coffeeshops they were, of course, overpriced. It’s a coffeeshop — what do you want?
The Beat Café has great coffee, decent service, and an overall decent ambiance. I’d say the prices are moderate as well (about $ 1.75 for a large). Was there really anything to consistently make me seek it out and return time and time again? Nah, not really. But if I’m down that way and in need of a cup… I wouldn’t hesitate to stop in.