"Depending on your perspective, Maru in Los Feliz is either a beige-toned temple of discerning taste and aesthetics, or just a place where studio assistants from Mount Washington silently debate between Ethiopian and Honduran light roasts while in line. But no one debates whether or not this quiet-but-never-slow coffee shop on Hillhurst serves incredible coffee, particularly drip coffee, pour-overs, and slow-drip cold brew. Admire the gorgeous wooden shelving at the bar while you wait for a cream-topped iced long black, but don’t plan to linger: despite being in a neighborhood filled with sidewalk cafes, Maru (which has a larger second location in the Arts District) is pretty much standing room only." - sylvio martins, garrett snyder