Wayward Coffeehouse

Location on N 65^th Street in Roosevelt is well patronized by science fiction and board game fans. There seems to be strong community here.

BOOOOO… HISSSSS… My wife was told she had to buy something to stay which she had planned on but not right away as she was going to study for a few hours. She begrudgingly did earlier than she wanted to but was then pissed to the point that she couldn’t focus and left.
WE PROTEST THIS COFFEE SHOP, THEY’LL NEVER SEE OUR MONEY AGAIN.

I always like finding coffee houses that are not Starbucks!!!
I was introduced to this place by a fellow classmate when we met here to study chemistry, yup back in school…
Absolutely love the fact that they have large tables that we can spread out on. Along with comfy chairs to curl up in to read if you want.
They let us sit there for an hour and a half with no weird looks or asking us to leave.
They have free wi-​fi.
Amazing artwork on the walls.
Friendly staff.
Best of all…
They know how to make an iced latte with honey in it and not so it gums up at the bottom!!!
OH HEAVEN!!!

I moved to Greenwood 6 months ago and finally found a café that I truly enjoy. First of all, female baristas I’ve met so far (I don’t know how many people work there, yet, so) are very nice and make great Americano. The atmosphere there is very calming and I think this café is the best place for reading or studying.
They have a special latte menu that their regulars have created, which I really really really want to try, but I haven’t (oh shame!). One of the special lattes has wasabi in it… can’t you believe it? I don’t know if I want to try that one, but other special lattes sound so yummy, so I will definitely try them.
Overall, this is be one of my favorite cafes in Seattle.
Oh, one more thing. I think you can reserve a table there for a group meetings or activities.

Oh… my… gosh! I was so excited to come here because of all the rave reviews and, especially, because I heard there were many good spaces to work. However, the SMELL made me leave just as soon as I came. Not only did it not smell like coffee, it smelled very much like unclean. By that I mean it smelled like people and furniture that had not been bathed/​cleaned in a long time with a hint of coffee and a hint of incense, maybe. I thought maybe there was just someone near the door who hadn’t been able to bathe so I walked through the entire place and it was just awful.
That said, I did not order nor did I experience the customer service. There were some good spaces to work so they have that going for them.
Anyway, if you’re not picky about smells, it’s probably a great place.

Yum. Great atmosphere. Tasty coffee, friendly staff. Lots of different kinds of seating from comfy chairs to tables or outdoor. Plus it’s décor is based off of Firefly/​Serenity …how cool is that if you are a bit of a sci fi geek like me :)
It is a great chill local café and is quite large too.
They are veggie and vegan food… it is not outstanding but it is filling and tasty. I recommend the Kaylee ploughman sandwich.

This was part of our study group rotation for a little while. I like the variety of espresso drinks with fun names and creative flavors including some that are spicy. Coffee was pretty good. We also liked that there was a lot of space to maneuver, including a big table in the back that we could work together on, and we stayed all day (though we made purchases throughout the day) and no one freaked out about that.
There are several things that will keep me from coming back though. First, I know it’s part of the geeky charm or whatever but it looks like they furnished the place with torn up abandoned furniture from someone’s basement in the 70s (or found on the street next to a dumpster) and it smells that way too. Just not crazy about the dank musky basement smell and sitting in chairs with chunks of upholstery missing. Second, most people who work there are nice but don’t move chairs or furniture or they get irritated and will let you know. One woman is a little more uptight than the others who work there. Finally, the vegetarian sandwiches (all they have) are cheapish, but they are not substantial and a few times they gave me a bad stomachache. So avoid the food, I’d say.

Any place that lets me study my disgusting chem HMWK for 6 hours with my own table without pressuring me to buy more or get out is fine by me.
i don’t even LIKE coffee. I need it sometimes, but the taste matters not.
It was quiet enough on Labor Day Monday, and they STILL kept regular hours… so no pressure to leave till 11 pm!
They charge a .50 fee for less than $ 5 on a card, so i used cash. My twp iced coffees tasted fine. But i probably did not need a second.
*joy
p. s. right across from the Baranof. Very bad temptation!

Hemp milk is the only reason I periodically come here, and then, grudgingly.
The ambiance is the epitome of some Seattle phenomenon that, after a couple years of living here, I still haven’t found the words for — a random selection of unattractive, old, and grimy objects thrown together — possibly to disguise a lack of taste. Like claiming you’ve twisted your ankle so you don’t have to run a race you know you can’t win. Maybe it’s an unwillingness to invest any time or money beyond the minimum. I don’t know.
A Sunday night open mic that I was accidentally present for was one of the oddest I’ve experienced. A woman singing children’s songs (why DID that old woman swallow the fly?), bizarre poetry, etc. I don’t mean to critique amateurs trying to express themselves, but if you had been there, you’d know why I’m saying what I am.
The sandwiches are expensive and small. I’m not a big eater, I dig small plates, etc. It’s saying something that I think they’re too small. The whole place is kind of like they’re jealously making sure they’re not wasting too much money on their patrons. I find that uncomfortable.

I just moved two blocks away from this joint, and as someone who is too stubborn to call Comcast for internet set up, I’ve been a loyal paying ghost here. I may as well set up a cot in the corner. Which is to say I’m here enough to not be speaking from a one time experience and I’m about to pick some bones–
Hip? I’m thrown off as to why previous reviewers keep adding in snark about hipsters as if a place Serenity «themed» had any chance to be hip in the first place. I’m here right now (shut up), and I assure you there are no hipsters in sight. To my right are two salon-​blonde moms talking about real estate. There’s an incredibly nervous man in front of me that looks like a modern day Daniel Johnston jabbering about something with Bob Saggat’s doppleganger, and a middle aged couple that looks like they just rolled in from Suburbia to drop their first born off at the dorms for the first time. There is nothing hip about this place. Tommy Edwards– «Its Only the Good Times» is even playing on one of the most main stream classic hit stations. This is how it is all the time. The first time I was here a group of transvestites were playing dominos at one of the reserved tables. Really people, HIP?
The food is tasty, if they priced it any cheaper they wouldn’t make any money off of it. At least its prepared fresh and is healthy. The coffee is free trade, made with care and satisfying.
The space is huge, with high ceilings and exposed rafters and beams and the décor most definitely isn’t trying too hard.
There is ONE staff member I’ve met who is a little quiet and socially awkward but she’s not rude. I really don’t think she means to be off putting. The owner in my opinion is darling. She doesn’t kiss your ass, but she’s not here to kiss your ass, shes here to make you coffee.
And as far as being asked to take food outside that you’ve brought inside? Its not because they’re being rude, it is a health code violation, citing cross contamination with other food. These are not Wayward’s rules, these are the states health code laws and the health department strictly enforces this. People can get sick easily at restaurants, and bringing in ‘foreign’ food makes it hard to pinpoint which food made the patron sick.
And if some jerk walked into my business spewing ignorance all over the floor, I’d most definitely exercise the right to refuse service.
How can I not give at least 4 stars to a place that’s showing Ghostbusters for free in a couple weeks? I can’t pinpoint why I’m not throwing down the 5^th star. Maybe because its not hip enough for me.

Shiny!
My reaction to learning that there was a Firefly themed coffeehouse was utter astonishment. How did I not know this already? I was floored with absolute glee and wild geek love. Each time I’ve been in I’ve tried one of the specialty coffees that each have their own geek flare. My particular favorite is the Kobayashi Maru but my wife especially loves the Mudder’s Mocha. Now let me tell you. This coffee is really good. I’ve come to expect that independant coffee houses tend to produce coffee rather inconsistantly. NOT here. Usually we get the owner making our coffee and MAN, she slings a super silky smooth latte.
I haven’t stopped in for a show yet, but intend to do so soon. In addition to musicians, they also book author events/​readings and movie nights. So far, I love this place. I love the geeky vibe, I’ve received great service, good shows and great coffee are a total bonus!

It’s neo-​hippie coffee house, with mis-​matching furniture, & few vegetarian sandwiches (meaning no true vegan) stuff on the menu.
It’s street parking on Greenwood Avenue, so if you can find a place to park, or can just walk there, that’s cool.
It’s darkly lit, and progressives of different ages huddle over their laptops while sipping on their coffee drinks. Dog-​water-​dish outside the front door… you know the drill. The only thing missing are the beads hanging over the bathroom doorway.
I guess I like the trade-​friendly beans. I’ve only been there during the day, but I can see they have stuff set up for night there. Could be interesting… so I’ll have to pop in there sometime to see what that’s about.
It feels more like a closed-​neighbourhood place, since the owner-​operator spends time talking freely… and at length with some of the customers and not others. So, if you’re going there for the 1^st time, and feel out-​of-​place, it’s not you… it’s the place.

Seriously, how can you not love a place that let’s their geek flag fly? And fly high it does: drinks and sandwiches named after your favorite Whedon and Star Trek shows with Jayne hats and other Firefly paraphenalia available for purchase.
At the moment, they have some VERY creative beverages such as Mudder Mocha (wasabi & mocha) and Minbari Mocha (cayenne pepper, cinnamon, & mocha). The Minbari Mocha is delicious with the spices and chocolate mingling pleasantly together. I don’t know if I’ll I ever try the Mudder Mocha; I like mochas and I like wasabi, but I don’t know if I like it together. Maybe next time.

I am still uneasy about the staff here; very cold and somewhat offputting. I mean, I would like to set my stuff down before being grilled about what I would like to order. And then being oddly stared at while trying to peruse the menu, like I am wasting her time or something.
I want to like the place, but I felt very uncomfortable, again, like I was imposing on the space. However, I did LOVE my sandwich and coffee. Their veggie sandwiches are warm, gooey and delicious.

I love wayward. I looked over other reviews and there are all these people talking about how rude the staff are, and I don’t understand that at all.
When I first moved to Seattle, the folks at Wayward were very nice and welcoming. Perhaps I am a simple person who just wants coffee and doesn’t expect more from a coffee shop. Maybe all these other people want or need more… Anyway, I’ve spent several 8 hours stretches there working, and never once been harassed or bothered.

The? owner? is rude, unfriendly, and behaves as if she would much rather the customer was not there so she wouldn’t have to waste her time looking at them. The experience was that her attitude created an incredibly hostile energy and unwelcoming atmosphere.
I have had similar experiences with her — she seems to always be there — but I was willing to give the venue another shot. I feel as if I should have known better.
I have resumed my personal boycott of Wayward Coffee House, and am unlikely to give them another chance.

When I heard that the Wayward Coffeehouse was geek-​central for Firefly/​Serenity fans, they weren’t kidding. Half the menu is named for the Joss Whedon series! They flaunt their geek in other places, too, with a selection of specialties named after other geek places of note.
All that aside, it’s a wide-​open feeling place with very relaxed staff, coffee drinks, and vegan/​vegetarian food. I ordered an Iced Americano, a Dunedin sandwich with a side of Black Bean soup. I was disappointed that my sandwich was on ciabatta, my least favorite bread. All of the food seemed to have the promise of flavor, but fell flat. It could be that all it needed was a bit more salt, but the two mini salt and pepper packs weren’t enough to jazz it up. I asked for hot sauce, but again, no dice. The food was edible, but not stunning.
Vegetarian does NOT have to be boring, people!
However, I realize some people might like their food less salty or spicy, so it could just be me.
The Americano was perfectly drinkable. It was a tad over-​extracted, but not more than I expect from the average coffee shop that isn’t also a roaster (not including Tullys, Starbucks or Caffe Vita).
It’s worth a stop-​in, and the soup was OK. Next time, I’m just going to have to remember to ask for a few more salt packets.

The last time I went in here I was carrying a half-​empty cup of tea from the last place I stopped. I got this weird look from the barista and when I got close to the counter she said «my boss is going to be back soon and she hates it when she sees outside cups in here.» I looked at her for a few seconds waiting for some kind of explanation but she just stared at me until I turned around and waited by the door for my friend to get his coffee.
He said his americano was over-​priced and burned. I didn’t actually get to buy anything so you’ll have to take his word for it.

I’m pretty surprised that this place has so many negative reviews. I’d have to say that this place has likely the best coffee in the Greenwood/​Ballard area (What’s that you say? You disagree? Then it’s a fight to the DEATH!)
I had never been 100% satisfied with a nonfat vanilla latte until I went here. For some reason I continued to order them at other places, since they were one of the lower-​calorie options I liked to go with. But it wasn’t until I visited the Wayward that I was like, «Woah. That’s a great latte.» The experience has been repeated several times, so I know it wasn’t a one-​time fluke. Luckily this place is literally right across from where I live, so I can visit it often.
The interior is huge, and while I haven’t ever stayed there to drink my coffee, it looks like a great place to sit and read, surf the net, or write. The local art on the walls is for sale and some of the work is often rather nice.
The baristas aren’t the most friendly in the world, but I can deal with it because they consistently make me great coffee.

Any place that gives local artists and musicians a chance to show their talent is a place worth frequenting with the added incentive of shade-​grown, organic coffee served by quick, friendly and damn good baristas. I’ve gotten the best Americanos here and I continue to return on an almost daily basis.
This is a great location to have a RPG night or a knitting group or a writers’ gathering or anything else you could think of. Open and airy, the Wayward has an eclectic, comfortable feel to it that draws you in and persuades you to stay a bit to chat with the owner who is a world traveler and proud Browncoat (fan of Firefly — the Sci-​fi series)!
Free music on Fridays and Saturdays! Plan your next event here, soak up the ambience of Greenwood and support an Independent coffeehouse in a world of corporate cutouts.
UPDATE– ³⁄₀₇
Good tasting sandwiches made with Essential Bakery bread are a welcome addition to the neighborhood where there are no other quick sandwich places. This place only gets better and better!