Café Grumpy

Honestly, hyped.
The coffee was just… coffee. Maybe I need to try the espresso as recommended by the Unilocal ravers? I didn’t feel the love-​at-​first-​sip magic that I’m supposed to…
The pastry that I had wasn’t memorable either, to the point where I now forgot what I had.
The ambiance is cutesy and although they are no-​laptop, I wouldn’t say «no» to this place if a friend wanted to drop by to chat and catch up — especially in the outdoor seating area as inside gets a little cramped. Just remind me to get the espresso, though. :)

Best cappuccino so far in NYC (yes, I admit it’s pricey) I simply love the no laptop policy. It just feels like home — I’m from Florence, Italy — where not many people use their laptop while sipping a coffee. In case you are wondering, no there’s no Starbucks in Italy yet, even though we have something similar… I just feel comfortable over there to have a chat with some friends.
Can’t wait for the warm season to show up, so to enjoy the little garden at the back!

wow, wow, wow.
I simply only recommend their dark roast cuz it’s superior
Location: Café Grumpy markets its public share to be close to neighborhood bond. Very low-​key profile with very mysterious decoration, I was at first unsure if I was in the right position. Luckily, I was right. The place does not have any wifi since they encourage customers to live their lives without the internet. Pretty cool idea !
They have many seats available both inside and outside.
They also offer varieties of bakeries
I had dark roast coffee. Like I said, it is the best coffee in NYC. Smooth, not too sour and densely caffeinated.
I would come back. This is one of the best spot in Chelsea to spend time w/​your friends.

Great espresso and coffee! One of the better coffee shops in Chelsea. My favorite seat is by the window and love the selection of newspapers to choose from including the weekend NYTimes.
Wasn’t able to give it 5 stars for a few reasons. Do wish it wasn’t a «no laptop policy» kind of place. Don’t even try, you will be asked to put away your laptop almost immediately, so not an ideal place for working, but could be a good place for a meeting instead. Would say its a little pricey for a latte at $ 5.00 and the ambiance in the back could use a little help. Also, does take a while for the lattes to make it through the line though. Not a place to stop by if you are in a rush, even when it is not crowded.

Have had plenty of good midday office coffees here. The place is so cute to drop in during the workday. And the no laptop policy makes it a nice little escape to sit and chat for a bit.

Love the atmosphere of this café. My favorite time to go is weekend mornings, when it’s not as busy. Super cozy vibe, yummy hot chocolate/​coffee, and friendly staff :)

Stumbled upon this cute café while exploring the neighborhood. It is quite spacious to hang out and do some afternoon work. We had the regular coffee — it was strong and delicious. Look forward to returning and trying their flat white.

I walked by this on passing because I wanted a latte– I asked the girl at the counter if the coconut milk had added sugar and she said there were 8 grams. I said that I meant if there was added cane sugar and she got an attitude and replied I don’t know, it has 8 grams of sugar. When I asked if she could just check the ingredients for me she made it seem like I asked her for a ridiculous favor, very rude. Sad because I heard the coffee was decent.

Very nice little place to hang out if you’re looking for a laptop free coffee shop, to meet with friends and drink coffee. Pick the right coffee shop for you’re looking for. On that day, it was just to have a nice coffee and catch up with a friend. Very nice flat white, made with a fancy synesso coffee machine. The staff was friendly and knew what they were doing. I think they use milk from local farms, I noticed the milk container was made of glass. Fancy!

Excellent coffee shop in NYC! I really love their dark roast and went back to buy some beans for home. Can’t wait to try it again!
Café was very clean and efficient too.

This is a very good coffee shop and it was my first time in particular at this location. The coffee shop was very nice. I have gotten coffee and almond milk lattes from Café Grumpy before. I went for an iced almond milk latte and a «whole wheat» banana bread. The banana bread was just alright and I probably wouldn’t get it next time. I will def be back for the coffee tho!

I am a coffee/​café snob, and have completely owned up to that fact. My friends all tease/​harass me for my excessive time spent exploring Northern California in search of random cafes and coffee shops and posting hipster IG photos.
I heard about Café Grumpy at a hipster spot near here that sells beans from all across the country. I tried a cup of Café Grumpy and knew that when I visited NYC I wanted to check out one of their locations. Looking over Unilocal I saw the photos of this place, and it just looked like a place I wanted to spend a couple hours at.
Warning: once you come here, you will not want to leave, ever, especially if you sit on the window sills at the front of the café. I came here with a paper and a good amount of time to kill, grabbed an almond croissant and a pour over, and I entered into my own little heaven sitting up by the window all morning looking out over the plants, brownstones, and people walking around the small residential side street. The idea of getting up to leave made me want to cry a little.
Honestly one of the best cafes I’ve ever visited considering coffee quality, food quality, service, ambiance, etc.

Pretty good coffee, maybe the second best we’ve had here. But the server did seem a little grumpy. I dunno. We’ll probably go back while we’re still waiting to buy an espresso machine…

What IS it about the Café Grumpy chain? Why do I walk into each location and feel more comfortable than other NYC cafes?
IMHO, their espresso roast is beyond measure and reasonably priced. I buy my beans from them & their constantly evolving blend keeps my interest while keeping the quality top-​notch. Their in-​house espresso machinery is also quality; their baristas are good, and actually friendly.
I dig their understated shabby chic décor, and their no laptop policy means there’s free seating. I always wind up staying a while and enjoying my perfect cortado.
Keep it up, Grumpy!

I guess this place is good for what it is. But if I knew that they had no wi-​fi I wouldn’t have wasted my time coming here. I think they are going for the anti-​tech vibe. If I had time for that it would be fine, but I really needed to use my computer. I couldn’t even use my hotspot because they have a no laptop policy.
Beautiful little shop, yummy iced vanilla latte and cool neighborhood.

I love this place. What do I love… I love that:
They have Pour Over Coffee
They give you descriptions of each coffee
They have homemade pastries/​cookies
They are not a huge chain (ie, Starbucks)
They have a cool spot and outdoor patio
And most importantly, they don’t allow laptops!
Why do I love that… Cause that way you don’t have some person taking up a chair and table being anti-​social for hours. Coffee shops used to be places of social interaction, meeting new people and enjoying the moment. Unfortunately they’ve turned into mobile office spaces for people who apparently can’t sit at home and use their own real estate and electricity.
Here’s to Grumpy making old school cool again!

What a lovely spot!
The coffee is great here and the pastries are nice, but the real gem is the fantastic little garden they have in the back. If the weather is nice, be sure to head back there to sit outside away from all the noise of the city.
The flat whites are very good, made with a talented hand, and they’re served in these beautiful orange cups that I absolutely love! Love their orange theme in general. The staff was rather friendly, ironic considering the name but in a good way. The décor is honey and rustic.
A fair warning: they have a no laptop policy so come armed with a book instead!

Solid coffee, sweet location. Oasis in an area devoid of decent coffee.
Espresso drinks are made to perfection.

How could you possibly be grumpy here?
They have amazing iced coffee, and shockingly good apple turnovers. I mean, who expects an apple turnover to be that good?
My friends also claim that grumpy has the best cappuccinos on this or any other inhabited planet. Unconfirmed at the moment.
Despite the strict no-​laptop policy, there’s a great vibe inside, and I’d probably walk out with beans every visit if they weren’t like $ 18/​bag. That’s silly pants.

I was a little afraid to try out Café Grumpy because of the mixed reviews and clear display of angst against the baristas but I liked Café Grumpy! I ordered a hazelnut almond milk latte to stay and sipped my way through it while taking a call. If I found Café Grumpy outside of NYC or Boston I’d be overjoyed because it’s the quintessential big city indie coffee shop (and might even rate it 5 stars). It’s expensive, the baristas are practiced, it’s has wooden floors, tiny tables and chairs, and accepts orders like «hazelnut almond milk latte». However, as much as I enjoyed my latte and would return if I am in the area, there was nothing extraordinary about Café Grumpy.
P. S. I almost gave it 4 stars because the name is really cute.

Always on multiple «best coffee shops» in NYC lists, Café Grumpy is almost 10 years in serving up a great cup of coffee. So, I paid a visit to their Chelsea location for some Joe.
Cozy, yet spacious, with a railroad style store, there are plenty of tables and even a backyard garden to sit and enjoy your coffee or café snack. They have a seasonal coffee menu, focusing on quality and sustainable beans.
I ordered a Cappuccino, complete with a lovely floret. It was a little cup of delight, smooth, rich flavor, and again, I feel like the foam art just always makes everything taste better.

The staff is so friendly, and the place is actually huge, with a back room and outdoor courtyard! The coffee is great. My almond croissant was really dry, and the barista swapped me another one no problem. Plus, they were open on Labor Day, which is a godsend.
I will say that it’s a little pricey — $ 4 for a croissant and $ 3.75 for an iced coffee — but it’s worth it for personable service and local flavor.