The Grind

Great coffee and carrot cake. The staff is great.
Really miss this place.

Terrible customer service. On the first visit one of the employees was very rude to my wife, so she never came back. But I decided to keep going back for a couple months since it was a good place to study. I bought something each time, AND tipped the baristas. Yesterday I went there to to some homework, but didn’t immediately buy a drink since I didn’t feel like one just yet. I figured I’d get some work done and buy something in a while. After only 10 minutes in the store, the owner came over and rudely told me I couldn’t use the internet unless I bought something. So I packed up my stuff and left. I won’t be returning. It’s a shame too, since I was a good customer (NOT a freeloader), and would have come back a lot over the the next 4 years through my graduate program.

Nice Place, and love all the photography and art hanging on the walls for sale.

I absolutely looove this place. From the atmosphere to the staff to the live music and selections of coffee to drink. I love it!
When you go make sure you grab one of the few coaches they have there. It is the best way to enjoy the Grind. Then just sit back and enjoy.
If you are lucky you might even meet someone famous like Dr. Who. Ha!

I have only been there once, but my friend decided to start going there on a regular basis to study.
When I was there, I ordered a cider… which was apparently instant. It wasn’t very good, and the price was quite expensive.
The real reason I am doing this review is mainly for the experience my friend had. She got a phone call while studying, and to be courteous to a man sitting next to her, she took her phone call to another location in the café. While on the phone, the person who was working asked her where she was sitting and told her to go back because there needs to be room for other costumers. According to my friend, the place was pretty much empty, and there was no reason for the conversation to even take place.
Service is a huge part of how I rate a place like this. Yes, I got a crappy cup of cider, but I probably would have gone back to try something else. After hearing how my friend was treated, I don’t think I’ll be visiting again.

Despite being a favorite of Wyandotte’s desperately burgeoning hipster scene, the Grind is pretty good.
The pros are the selection of coffee beans and some great drinks. The Jumpy Monkey is a favorite of mine, but be sure to ask that the barista make it with real bananas (some do automatically, some do not). Also, the Grind is an active part of the local community and hosts free events regularly. There just isn’t enough in Wyandotte for kids to do, and the Grind is helping to fix that.
The cons are that it doesn’t stay open late at all (I believe only until 9 or 10pm) and I don’t believe that they take credit cards, either. Additionally, kids can sometimes get a bit ridiculous with the horseplay and super loud, obnoxious shouting, laughing, joking. This may sound like a petty thing to complain about, but many of us have become accustomed to frequenting coffee houses in undergrad and graduate school (in my case) and would like to carry on with this tradition when we go home to visit family.
The Grind is hit or miss with the noise level. Sometimes it is an EXCELLENT place to sit down, have a drink and a bagel or a muffin and get some work done. But sometimes even my ipod can’t overcome the sounds of teenagers on parade.
The owner is amazing, though.

This place is a local favorite and is very hip inside. The only thing it lacks is good coffee beans. I have had the coffee here a few times and gotta say as a coffee lover, the quality is lacking. People will continue to migrate the Grind no matter what its a hot spot for sure.

Great coffee and great staff. Nice to see a place like this downriver. I was in over the Christmas break, taking a brief respite from the wi-​fi desert that is my parents’ house. On this particular Thursday, it was open-​mic night. As I sat and played with my new MacBook and Kindle Fire, I was treated to the sweet sounds of Radiohead via some of Wyandotte’s best teen-​age performers. I loved that they were covering songs from an album that was cut before, or very shortly after, they started their lives.
The coffee is good, but the wi-​fi signal seemed was very weak near the front of the store.

Very comfortable atmosphere with high quality coffee! First time I ever went here I knew I would at least like hanging out here because they have these great couches that your body just sinks into! But still I couldn’t like it without good coffee.
The Coffee isn’t mind boggling good but it still is pretty good. I would never go here for a coffee to go but for a place to hang out its very nice.

I really love this place and used to go here all the time, the only thing that turns me off is the christian bikers that like to hang out here, i’m sure they’re nice. but christians.

Am I currently sitting in the Grind right now? You know it! It’s just so cozy and comfortable I can’t tear myself away! Exposed brick, comfy plaid couches, tiffany lamps, paintings of nature scenes on the walls. Just a warm, cabin like atmosphere that makes for working or meeting friends a super awesome experience.
The coffee? It’s good. And I have to give major props for the wide array of sugar free syrups available. Counting calories means you’re often stuck with a SF vanilla latte but today I am sipping SF pumpkin pie in style. Yum! But if you’re looking to avoid the caffeine they’ve also got some smoothies on the menu for a yummy fruit fix. The owner, Rose, is in in the mornings and afternoons and is very friendly and chatty with all her guests. There’s a small sampling of food (carrot cake, yogurt, muffin, etc) available should you want a light snack while you sip your joe. Wifi? They’ve got it. Coffee beans to go? Yep.
One draw back? Cash only. So, if you’re like me and never carry cash, be sure to hit the ATM before you pop on by.

I’m rather partial to The Grind. It was where my now boyfriend and I met for the very first time — two and a half years ago. :-)
The reason I would give this place four out of five stars is solely based on the cash only option of the this place. It also only allows you access to it’s wi-​fi if you buy a drink. Although I find that pretty fair. It has nothing to do with the people who work there, or their drinks. In fact, I think I have tried just about everything on their menu and love it. I also don’t mind their prices because at least I know my cash isn’t going to Starbucks.
I’ve had nothing but great experiences. I remember one in particular during the summer I was there with my laptop just having an all around bad day, and it wasn’t even noon yet. I went there and while the really nice girl (don’t know her name but she had a crazy amount of piercings) was listening when I told her about my Gawd-​awful morning and I hoped the rest of the day got better. She told me to go ahead and sit down with my laptop and she’d bring the drink to me. When I sat down to do some job hunting with my computer I realized it wasn’t charging and the adapter had died leaving my 17″ power sucker of a laptop dead after 10 minutes. When she brought me my drink I went to go for my wallet only to realize I must have accidentally left it at home … an hour and a half away. When I started to tear up realizing I just shouldn’t have left home she gave me my drink for free telling me not to worry about it, and where I could go to get a new adapter for my laptop only a couple of blocks away. I almost considered giving her a huge hug.
Make sure that if you are craving a coffee you skip the nearby chain establishments to support The Grind. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did. And who knows — maybe you’ll meet your soul mate there like I did mine. ;-)

I’m on my 7^th day in a row of work. I still have one more to go. On my way in, I needed a real kick in the butt! I knew a stop in to the Grind would help me get through the long afternoon. Although I haven’t been to the Grind in a couple years, nothing has changed. It’s still the hot-​spot for tweens, teens, and college students (especially at night), the Harley bikers crowd the curb and they have live bands playing inside sporadically throughout the month. They need interior decorating help, some new rugs, and a revamped company sign. But the product at hand, is great!
A Jumpy Monkey has always been my drink. Coffee, Chocolate, and banana– blended with ice. The coffee outshines the accent flavors, which means I definitely get the caffeine instead of just a sugar rush. Cash only, but who doesn’t have $ 5 in their center console? =)
Grabbed a mint to curb the coffee breath, but somehow I still think I get the short end of the stick (hey, some of ‘em have fire crotch!)
Motivation in a cup =)

I’m not much a fan of coffee, although I do love their French vanilla cappuccino. Perfect location, too — like others have said, plenty of space to sit inside, but usually, I prefer to get coffee there and head for Bishop Park, just around the corner. Definitely one of my favorite «get out of the house» activities in Downriver.
I’m not much a coffee-​shop goer, so I’m guessing their prices are average-​ish, but don’t quote me on it.

(The Grind is CASH-​ONLY.)
I like the Grind more for its atmosphere than its drinks. I don’t drink coffee but I do like their smoothies! All the varieties I’ve tried are excellent but pricey ($ 3.75 for a medium, $ 4.25 for a large) but they’ll fill you up.
It’s fun to bring your laptop, listen to your headphones and people watch. The young teenagers and the annoying older ones are bothersome at times, but they come and go just like everyone else. All in all, it’s a nice hangout.

I used to be a regular at The Grind about 8 or 9 years ago — used to study there when I was in college. With finals approaching, and the fact that I live so close to Downriver again — I have been going back. I haven’t had their coffee in a very long time but it was pretty good when I was a regular coffee drinker. The past 2 times I went to the Grind, I had a smoothie (banana blueberry) which was very good — it is soy based, and I also had hot almond milk — a personal favorite of mine since high school.
It is a great place to people watch, as the other reviewers have mentioned. It is not quite as good of a place to study anymore — the barristas keep the music a little too loud for that — yet I still manage to get work done.
It is a comforable place to hang out. There are plaid couches and tables with chairs both inside and outside (when it is warm enough). The interior kind of reminds me of the 90s — which is totally cool because that is when coffeehouses became popular. The walls are brick and it is kind of dark inside — but there is enough lighting to read.
Last time I was there, I saw a couple of PC gamers on their laptops. Free WiFi available as well (as long as you buy something).

I agree with Michael C’s review. The Grind is probably the best place in Wyandotte to people watch. I met up with a fellow Unilocaler here, and it is a pretty good spot to meet up w/​somebody if you’re in the Downriver area.
I haven’t tried all of the drinks, I usually just get a house coffee, so I can’t really comment on the drinks. I really like the space though, there’s lots of couches and tables to just sit and read or use your laptop. I also noticed that there were alot of books and board games.
I have always liked Wyandotte, the downtown area has the potential to be like the downtown Royal Oak area… if only there weren’t so many «Oakey’s» Downriver!

On the Wyandotte strip, The Grind is the best place to people watch.
There’s a group of Christian Bikers that hang out there; grab a cup and have a chat. They’re awesome people (who can say no to «Bikers for Christ»!?) and have a lot of interesting stories.
If it’s not the time of year to sit outside, then the inside is just as good. They have plenty of space (and plenty of board games!) to keep anyone occupied.
I would also recommend trying some of their specialty drinks; they have some pretty tasty smoothies, as well as one specialty drink that’s a legacy from former goth employees: the Tinny Puppy, tasty and will keep you up until dawn.
Given the location, the Grind hosts all kinds of people (including but not only Christian Bikers). It’s a great place to people watch for this reason; though there’s a group of regulars I’m sure, they’re not the sort of snooty coffee-​house types you would expect.
In fact, I wouldn’t doubt that people come here because the coffee is great, and it’s centralized enough to watch everything happening up and down Biddle. Come here, watch and chat for an hour, and you may just want to write a novel about it.