Cafe Lulu

Came here with a friend this morning. She got the white mocha and I got the Mexican mocha. The barista recommended the almond milk with it, so that’s what I got. The result: mediocre. I wasn’t impressed or disappointed, just somewhere in between. I will point out that they have a huge variety of travel magazines that customers can leaf through, cool touch. The vintagey tables are awesome too.

Delicious Harvest Squash bread and cinnamon rolls. Great coffee. Nice, quiet. Beautiful local art work on the walls.

Cute café with great coffee. We did wait a while in line but shortly after we paid we received our drinks but it was worth the wait.

Very cute little nook. I stopped in and had an apple cider and a scramble in a mug. It was perfect on a rainy day. The staff were really friendly and fun, if I lived near here I would be in every weekend!

I own a bakery and espresso bar in another city, so I am particular about my coffee and pastries. The ladies at Café Lulu put out an extremely lovely latte and a very tasty muffin with a side of personal warmth. The café has a great, laid back vibe as well. Highly recommended.

Absolutely love this place, mostly because it’s obvious the owner loves it, too. The décor is charming, original, and warm, with not a single hint of the chilly corporate vibe a lot of coffee shops have nowadays. Everything in it, from the travel books to the cute panda garbage can in the bathroom, seems to have been picked because the owner liked it, not because it matched some kind of vision or vibe, which is something I really appreciate.
The coffee is consistently delicious, with the chai occupying a throne of amazingness all on its own. And all the baked goods are wonderful, especially the gluten free banana bread.
The service is what really makes this place shine, though. The lady with the chin-​length dark hair (I think it’s the owner) is crazy nice. She knows almost every person who walks in, but more than that, she (and the other staff members) are just as welcoming to the people they don’t know. That’s very unusual and appreciated.
Hanging out at this café makes me nostalgic for all the afternoons I spent doing homework and helping out at my mom’s bakery when I was a kid. It has that same feel :) I do wish it was open later so I could do a bit of reading there after class; as it is, I usually can’t make it by before closing.
Thank you for providing such a welcoming place to get a cup of coffee!

The Quick Bite: friendly, popular neighborhood café. Decent but unremarkable coffee (Vita, Torriani flavors), limited but mostly tasty food offerings.
The Deets: After scanning the mostly stellar reviews, I do as I always do and find the bad ones, and see if they offer insight into what to expect, and these certainly did. This is something I encourage all my fellow Unilocalers to do, and here’s why: you can tell a lot about a place by how they respond to criticism.
In this case, every complaint was answered proactively by the owner! Responsive, responsible ownership means that even if you have a bad experience, attention will be paid and you’ll probably be able to go back and have a better experience next time. That’s Unilocal functioning as it should, used properly; improving the consumer experience and helping businesses keep customers and make money.
Friday morning, this little café is hoppin’! Locals and regulars, greeted by name. Kids begging for their favorite treats, local retirees talking politics. I get a Mexican mocha and a house-​made bagel with egg, tomato, and capers.
The counter service, historically this place’s Achilles’ heel, is soft-​spoken, efficient and friendly. At the bar, the barista is smiling, chatty and upbeat. Excellent! That’s the extra star.
Product-​wise, it’s just ok. Their bagels, although fresh, taste of the city water they were boiled in too keenly. A bit of malt in the water might help (I used to be a baker). The texture is wonderful, though!
The microwaved eggs are fluffy (scrambled eggs are one of the few things a microwave does arguably better than stovetop). The tomato was pithy and flavorless, but the capers, tangy and generously applied, saved the day. Lox and arugula, and maybe an herb aoli, would be welcome additions to the menu!
The barista, (I was one of those too, for years) although a customer service gem, might need a refresher on technique. Vita is a decent product, pretty forgiving and consistent, but you have to treat it right. The barista was pre-​grinding instead of grinding to order, which is a no-​no. At manufacture my shots were under-​extracted, meaning the grind was too coarse and/​or tamp was too light, causing the shots to be watery and exit the portafilters too quickly. The pour was like 10 seconds (it should be 18 to 22, for most machines). The flavoring in my Mexican mocha was good, but the non-​fat milk, which I did not order, made it even more watery-​tasting. There was little foam and no art, and no offer of whipped cream.
Great neighborhood gathering spot! Just needs some thoughtful additions and training to really shine!

I have found my new favorite barista in Seattle, or should I say mo’rista. I love me some Lulu!

I finally checked out Café Lulu this afternoon and find out that it’s been open for about 18 years (since 1997). Walked or drove past it a gazillion times — guess good things truly happen to those who wait!
I indulged in a delicious 16 ounce dark chocolate mocha and resisted not nibbling on any of the trio of Cowboy Cookies I got to go. Yes, truly a well crafted mocha. Good balance, not cloying, perfect temperature! Even the 20 ounce Mexican mocha prepaid for the hubby was deemed ‘sweet, subtle, and nice balance of cinnamon’.
This itty-​bitty neighborhood café is very well established with a stream of regulars that popped in to say hello and chat briefly with Karen (presumably the owner) while I sat a table for about an hour. I even found a $ 5 bill on the floor, handed it to her and she knew exactly who it belonged to (a preschool teacher who stopped in for a chat and a snack) Impressive!
There’s also a sizable collection of travel books to thumb through (and even check out — see the clipboard by the entrance), even one amusing photo album documenting a Café Lulu coffee mug’s travels with its owner. Rotating art with the current installment of watercolors. Food & bev-​wise, there’s coffee, tea, juices, assorted baked goods, and looks like tasty breakfast items like bagel sandwiches, oatmeal, granola, and toast of the day.
Okay 3 ½ hours later, the Cowboy Cookies were devoured by a trio of cookie monsters. Substantial with chocolate chips, oatmeal, walnuts, and a hint of cinnamon. Yum — washed down with a cold glass of milk at home!
Excellent early morning to mid-​afternoon neighborhood café — worthwhile stop!

Love this place — great atmosphere and tasty food!

This little Café is one of my favorites. Lovely staff, great coffee, awesome bagels! And although small one of the most inviting places in town.

Two friends from out of town and I stumbled upon this little spot unexpectedly.
The bagel egg sandwiches were yummy with pesto, cheese and bacon. The only complaint about the food is that they prepare all the eggs in the microwave. The drip coffee was lovely along with the ambiance of the place.
Unfortunately, the woman who serves us was feeling rather passive aggressive. We all ordered separately and she had something snippy and backhanded to say each time. Nothing horrific, just markedly unpleasant.
There were several regular that came through and received great service and warm greetings.
Overall, ok. Would have gone to The Dish across the street if they had been open.

Amazing place ;-)

Stopped in to Café Lulu as it was recommended by a friend. It was a great little local place with a warm, friendly ambiance. Had a café latte which was delicious! Hubby had a cappuccino, daughters had chai latte and hot chocolate. Got rave reviews from each of them. They have a few breakfast items which we all enjoyed.

I love this place so much that I am writing my review sitting here at the café window with my delicious for-​here iced chai and current read.
The location of Café Lulu is right off the corner of Latona and 65^th. So, if you’re needing some pick me up caffeine without the hustle and bustle of Greenlake, this is your perfect oasis. There is soft music playing in the background (right now it’s Joni Mitchell) and the vague sound of a neighbor’s lawn mower.
The drink options diverse, as all Seattle cafes are… but it was the snack choices that make this place a little more special. What drew me in was the sandwich board at the corner of the street advertising Lucky Charms. It was not a lie. They have breakfast burritos and oats and berry — filled croissants. But, let’s be honest… who doesn’t like Lucky Charms.

I went to Café Lulu on a work day morning. They weren’t busy, however the person at the counter did not even look at me as I stood there waiting to order… for at least 1 min. They didn’t seem to be doing anything besides looking at their phone. Not even an acknowledgement, yet she was standing just on the other side of the counter… I really will never go back just because of this.
The other thing is that their self-​stamped cups stained my hand blue when it got wet from the rain. Hello? This IS Seattle… Could you be a little less cheap & not risk ruining someone clothes?

The espresso wasn’t as good as expected, but the food and service were amazing! Love the atmosphere, art and music on a Sunday morning.
And thank you for this delicious bagel!

I just live around the corner from Café Lulu, and I visit this café on a semi-​regular basis. The service is great (and efficient), they have a fantastic selection of baked goods (their croissants and breakfast burritos are amazing!), and Lulu’s has quite possibly the best Chai in Seattle (yes, even over Trabant). I’m also a big fan of their espresso drinks as well.
The place has a nice ambience, it’s warm and cozy, and as a bonus, they have a good selection of travel guide books to flip through while you wait for your coffee. Only downside is that they close early, around 3pm on weekdays. However, I imagine it gets to be pretty slow in the late afternoon, so from a cost standpoint, it makes sense that they close early, even though I’d like them to stay open later!

I’m a little mad at café Lulu. I work for corporate event firm who caters to executives travelling for business.
The first time I came here a week ago, there was a black hair spread with the cream cheese on my client’s bagel. He pulled it out from within the cream cheese right in the middle of our morning meeting.
This morning I came to grab fresh coffees. Four 16oz cups at $ 2.15 each. No big deal except when I brought them to the morming meeting. Barely filled ¾ of the way… I paid for 16oz of coffee… I didn’t even get 12oz (Yeah, we measured it.) So now i’ve spent my morning getting grief for being robbed by a local shop TWICE. Thanks for cheating me LULU. I look like an ass now for giving you another shot.

Pros:
–Small enough that it feels cozy and its easy to ask the barista to watch your stuff while you go to the bathroom.
–It’s near Greenlake, though not as close as some of the other coffee shops.
–Good latte
–Friendly, nice owner
Cons:
–Small enough that if its crowded it feels claustrophobic
–Closes at 2 or 3pm everyday
–The stools at the bar up front are wayyyy too high. I’m short so I don’t know how anyone taller than me could sit comfortable. It wasn’t comfortable. There’s probably only about 2 seats in there I would be happy sitting in.