Herkimer Coffee

Nothing could come between me and a cup of Herkimer Coffee, nothing. This joint is sublime. From the classic PNW coffee shop feel to the masterful coffee being roasted on site, Herkimer is coffee Nirvana. Pastries are on point and staff is helpful and qualified to shoot a mean shot. Nice convo with the roasters led to a deeper understanding of the huge contraption on the roof!

TLDR; great coffee, average pastries We came in for a small bit and ordered a cappuccino, iced mocha, a savory pastry and a spinach and cheese pastry. The coffees were really quite good - the roast and brew is very smooth and not acidic at all. However the savory swirl was just so-so - the flavors were really nice but the texture made it taste a bit old and dry.

I remember walking into Herkimer for the first time, when it was the new kid on the block, and being so impressed with their straightforward offerings ( no foo-foo drinks here) and the quality of the espresso... No bitterness. Great coffee combined with their clean, modern interior made me an instant fan. Two decades later and I'm still a fan, though I live far away now, I visit whenever I'm in the neighborhood. They continue to make great espresso in a beautiful coffee shop... One thing that has changed is the decline in the number of coffee houses... Once a Seattle trademark, sit down shops are harder to find. Don't hesitate to give this shop a visit... It's a true Seattle gem.

I come here very often—a few times a week. Undoubtedly some of the nicest staff of cafes in Seattle. Unfortunately in recent months they’ve had a fair amount of staff turnover and the quality of the espresso drinks they provide has noticeably deteriorated. I often will no longer order a cortado depending on who is behind the bar. Pictured is a cortado from today. Not terrible but also lacking when compared the craft of other cafes nearby like Santo, Vita, Cardoon, etc Edit: @ business owners, yes this review is for the correct location.

A little coffee shop right outside of the busy Udistrict area—was surprised how the shop was still pretty busy throughout the morning—lots of people were studying or working or just chatting. The iced mocha was surprisingly delicious—not too sweet and a subtle chocolate twist. The cappuccino was also lovely and just a good cup of coffee. The everything pastry we had was so light and airy—definitely something to split if you have the chance!

The OG! This is their original location for 20 some years strong. Love the coffee and they have so many options. It’s fun because it’s a partially open design and you can see into the roasters and behind the scenes. Otherwise it’s a kind a diner feel mixed with traditional coffee shop vibe. There’s a bunch of different indoor sitting options and some outdoor. Staff is super nice and down to earth and easy going. There were a lot of other friendly patrons there enjoying drinks, working and hanging out. Wonderful shop I highly recommend. Fast service and comfortable atmosphere. Thanks!

Cute little shop in Greenwood with a sense of community around it. There were outdoor and indoor options for tables in the fall and still items in the window. Coffee was solid and got a latte and some bacon/cheese biscuit/scone thing. Pretty good. Area is hard to park but if you're in the neighborhood, a cute stop before walking around the area.

A great coffee shop in Phinney Ridge. A good amount of seating & a great place to work. Also, their coffee is delicious & great pastry options.

Herkimer -1. Options. As this is a roaster satellite, it would make sense to offer an experience above the usual "drip" or "espresso". Also, and I didn't ask, but the presumption is that bagged beans (ground or whole) are not refundable once they leave the cafe. +1. Customer Service. The staff is friendly, answers all questions, and demonstrate a positive attitude as they serve you. +1. Knowledge. Upon entering, a barista gave me a breakdown of drip coffee blends. The baristas sounded very knowledgeable. +1. Ambience. Music is at a volume some might dislike, but they have sound proofing installed in the ceiling. The space is well lit and they have various parody signs of local art on the walls. +1. Accessibility. Parking is available off-street as this is a location in the Greenwood neighborhood. The entryway is open. Background. In the ongoing saga of finding a roaster space or affiliated cafe with brew options beyond drip or espresso, I paid Herkimer a visit. With hours for early-risers, the location we chose was in the Greenwood neighborhood. Parking nearby was hectic, but I managed. Afterward, I arrived at a well-lit entry way. Entering, a large brewing station completely greeted me with a display case. However, the design was odd, given the line forms near the doorway, instead of near the bathroom hallway. Approaching the barista, we requested a breakdown of drip options, which was informative and helpful. Afterward, we chose a brewed cup for here. Unfortunately, they only offer brew sizes up to 12 ounces, for in-cafe consumption. After double-checking refill prices, I paid and sat down. Looking around, the primary space has plenty of table seating, while the adjacent space has only diner-style countertop seating on the opposite side of the space. Writing this review, the sound of a barista playlist is playing, but the volume isn't so loud as to make it uncomfortable, probably because of the sound proofing installed on the ceiling. Overall, if I was in the mood for a drip cup of coffee either as a takeaway or for in-house consumption, I'd still come here. But, given this is a satellite location for the roaster, it's unusual to not offer brew options beyond "drip" or espresso.

Amazing Coffee!! Came to visit our friends in Seattle for the weekend and needed to try a new coffee shop everyday. Herkimer came at the highest recommendation from our friends and now I see why. Probably the best coffee we had over the weekend (also tried Olympia, Story, Storyville, Victrola). Very affordable beans as well, which we got as gifts for our friends back home. Loved the vibe of the cafe with the super friendly baristas. There was a nice mix of people there for breakfast, doing work on their computers, meeting with friends, and even sitting outside with their pets which our kids loved. Can't wait to come get a cup of Herkimer coffee next time I'm in town.

Most places use a powdered mix or a concentrate for their chai, but this cafe uses actual chai tea to make their latte. They use a chai tea with a really good spice blend that isn't sugary, which is hard to find. Love that they roast their own beans and would come back to try and espresso some morning. I wish there were more tables, but the vibe was good, the baristas were fast and friendly, and I was there working until close.

Great coffee, love this little neighborhood spot. Beans are good and fresh too. Great spot to get some work done.

Thankfully I found street parking in the area (30min load/unload) and was able to get in and out easily. Customer service was great! I was greeted with a smile and kindness. The menu is pretty straightforward and there were a few pastries to choose from (pesto croissant; cookie), but I could tell most goodies were sold out for the day at around 2:30pm. I had a gift card and purchased a hazelnut oat milk latte which was oh so smooth and creamy. Also purchased a bag of espresso beans which is more of a medium roast according to the barista. I'm looking forward to trying it. Space is very limited at this location, so you'll likely want to get something to go. Saved $5 for the next visit!

I can't believe i haven't reviewed this place yet! Whenever we're in the area- i tries to hit up Herkimer's. This location has such a welcoming neighborhood vibe. The lattes are smooth and flavorful. No need to add flavor or sweeten. Their lattes are smooth, creamy, flavorful and a delight.

Great coffee, a bit on the stronger/bitter side so I'd recommend adjusting it if you like your coffee sweeter like I do :) Love chatting with the baristas. The space itself is lovely, but I wish their music wasn't too loud.

Took me 8 minutes to find a parking spot, then settled for 2 hour parking. Waited in line for 10 minutes, getting sprayed with dirty water by the barista halfway through. Made my drink iced when I asked for hot. Forgot to give me the pastry I ordered. Told me "thanks Jack" (my name is Mike). But I love this place.

Yes to Herkimer Coffee! I love this place. Love that the room where they roast and grind is open to viewers. I also love the quality of their beans. I buy them to use with my at-home machine frequently. This is one of the best Seattle coffee shops in my honest opinion. Give it a try!

All I want to do is buy a bag of coffee... but I have to wait in line behind all the drink orders. And the barista wants to chat about his weekend... and how he's feeling. It takes AGES. This happens every time... and I'm done. Never going back.

This is one of my favorite neighborhood coffee spots, mainly because I love a coffee shop with counter stools along a bar, looking out onto the street. Sometimes it can get fairly busy, but the line moves along. Great baristas who know their stuff.

Herkimer coffee has been on my favorite coffee shops list in Seattle. Although coffeeholic, Aroom, Diva espresso opened up in Greenwood/ Fremont area near my work, Herkimer ranked #1 in my mind. Always! However, I noticed their pastries have changed quite a bit. I heard It's sourced from Besalu in Ballrd for years. It was great. Today I had 2 pastries and they lack flavor. It tastes like No butter was used and only baking soda was used as leavening agent. It's because of an effort to cut the cost of making pastries? It was awful. Coyle's bake shops scone has rich butter flavor although it's smaller.

Seattle essential! Great coffee (more on the bitterstrong dark side). Love the minimal acidity! The vibe is cool and hipster. Not too much people. People are respectful.

Excellent customer service. Food is amazing. There was a long line and only few staff members working at front, but it was all worth it.

Seemed to be a popular study spot. The cafe is nice and cozy with good amount of seating. I ordered a caffe latte which was nothing too special but solid coffee. My friend on the other hand was on the hunt for some coffee beans and after trying different places, she seemed to really like Herkimer's.

I think my friend got in my head when he told me that no GOOD coffee place should ever ask you what size cappuccino you want. Capps are always 8 oz. and anything else is a latte. (He's a funny coffee snob, clearly :). ) So anyway, I go to this place while visiting Seattle, only to find they have 2 sizes listed for their cappuccinos. I order the 8 oz. It's not the size that turned me off (only gave me pause). It was the taste of the coffee... I really wanted to like it because the baristas were super nice, and the place was packed with people studying (clearly a crowd favorite), but I truly didn't like it very much. I thought it was kind of bitter or something, I don't really know. Just didn't love. Won't be back, but that's okay! To each their own. :)

I'm always on the lookup for my next great cup of coffee. Herkimer is a solid choice. Good selection of coffees and pastries for a light snack. The bonus came from the barista letting me do a coffee flight. Short pours of a couple of different roasts. I sample three coffees for the price of a larger single coffee. I like to buy my coffee in bulk for home so this was a good opportunity. Herkimer sells traditional 12 oz packages as well as 2 lb ones. I bought the 2 lb regular drip in case you're wondering :) Friendly staff, good vibe, and worth the trip.

Stopped here to get coffee. Got a cappuccino and it was pretty good. Very relaxing to sit here, people watch and pet other customers dogs lol The pastries looked good. Friend got a molasses cookie! Service was quick as well!

Great prices .You are my only coffee shop since the neighborhood kicked out Cafe Vita.

What a cute spot to walk to for morning coffee. It smells amazing inside and my cousin who lives nearby said it smells better when they roast beans. We both ordered lattes. I got mine with oat milk and we ordered the blueberry cornmeal muffin and morning glory muffin. My nephew got a steamed milk with vanilla. It was to be able to sit and enjoy the coffee while taking in the views of the sweet neighborhood. I'll be stopping by to get my coffee here while I'm out here.

A lovely spot where I first came for a cupping experience, and continue to return for their deliciously roasted coffee and friendly service. The space indoors is relatively cozy, and most of the customers are staring blank-faced at laptops, donning earbuds, a mug of something caffeinated at their side. Often, passerby must step over the two big dogs tied up to the couple of outdoor seats available for those wishing to brave the weather or enjoy a little chill with their hot beverages.

The service was great and quick. This cafe was being COVID- safe. They rearranged the tables so that there was a one-way customer flow. They also provided hand sanitizer which was really nice. We were able to get our coffee pretty quickly even with 3-4 people ahead of us. I had never been to this coffee shop before so to set the bar, I go with my standard drink which is a vanilla latte. We ordered two vanilla lattes and they were pretty good. I personally like having a sweet vanilla latte and this one wasn't up to my sweetness level so if you like sweet lattes I would suggest getting an extra pump of the syrup. But overall the coffee flavor was pretty good. It wasn't too bitter in my drink even with their amount of vanilla added. My friend got a spinach & feta brioche. The brioche was light in texture and was very sweet. She was expecting it to be savory but actually got sweet bread. Also, she said that she would recommend this pastry if you are a big fan of feta because it is very feta forward. Overall, the taste of the coffee was good and the service was also pretty good. For more reviews and photos, follow my ig: @nvc.eats

Favorite phinney wood coffee shop! Best bang for the buck drinks in the neighborhood and a great vibe. They're always busy! They also have a good selection of pastries and cookies in their case.

Great coffee shop with plenty of seating and even more character. From the interior to their signage! If you are nearby it is a must stop for a treat :)

My favorite local coffee shop!! Most of the time I make coffee at home, but when I'm out and about, or want to treat myself, this is my spot! Pastries are just OK, but coffee is top knotch!

Everyone here is so nice! This is my sisters favorite coffee shop so we came here today, it was my first time. The prices seem very reasonable and everyone is very friendly. It's a great place to study, it's not huge but lots of tables. Would come back for sure.

I asked for 2 shots of espresso in a 12oz cup and the barista proceeds to ask me various questions - why I need a 12oz cup, if it's just for a lid, so on, so forth, and finally if an 8oz cup is better blah blah blah. Instead of telling her why I (the customer) wants/needs a 12 oz cup, I nicely tell her to do whatever works for her - the barista. I just drove 1.5 hours and all the other coffee shops along the way had lines and now I understand why this one doesn't. It's none of you business why I prefer a 12oz cup. I am a paying customer. Either way a cup must be used and I recycle so the waste impact is minor (if that was her angle). I was a barista and I currently work have worked in customer service for years. Not sure why the young kids feel so entitled when I'm literally paying you to do what I ask for and the cost of the cup is baked into what I'm paying. What I'm not paying for is for the barista to treat me to a game of 20 questions at 8am - BEFORE I've had my coffee! Yes, I was still pleasant after the cup interrogation and I still tipped because the cashier was a sweetheart and she is the only reason I gave this place the 2nd star. UPDATE: I got home and she only gave me ONE shot of espresso. Maybe worry less about the freakin cup and give customers what they ask for! Changed to one star as I can't drive back to get it fixed!

Best coffee in seattle. This is place is for people that truly likes espresso and coffee flavor not the sugary joke of coffee drinks. This is the real stuff. The beans they use are from different countries and they roast them there, flavor is wonderful. Place is simple and small with very nice baristas that make bomb coffee but also plays freaking awesome music...also not the typical pop bs music you hear in other places. The lower rate reviews are from ass*** that should go to Starbucks instead. We love to try new coffee places but Herkimer coffee is simply the best coffee flavor. Thank you for making great coffee.

My "go to" coffee shop right now. Great coffee, great service, I understand a lot of places are minimizing chat due to COVID (it does really make it less safe to chat), but these guys have been friendly in less chatty ways. I appreciate they are keeping the place as COVID safe as possible, and that's really important to me right now. They've done a great job in setting up their coffee shop for that and I'm glad they're not having sit-down inside, which is less safe for even take-out customers. I buy my beans here, for my daily home coffee. It is great coffee, and I love I can always get it fresh roasted within a couple of days of my purchase. I can't drink old coffee anymore. Highly recommended.

I'd never been in before and the staff was super friendly and helpful. Great coffee, yummy baked goods (the almond pinwheel was amazing!), and cozy ambiance.

Friendly comfortable neighborhood hangout with really great coffee. Fairly easy street parking. Close to park and playground. I look forward to going back.

What a great coffee shop! The prices here are cheap. $2.28 for an espresso shot and $2.97 for an 8 ounce latte (Dec 2016). Stopped by on the way to Whistler for an espresso and a latte for the road. The beans were a dark roast, so the espresso was a little darker than my preference. But the shot was pulled perfectly, a little shorter, which is how I like it. The dark roast also actually made the latte taste better. The espresso had a nutty and chocolate taste to it when added to milk. Team up and win! The space inside is large and relaxing, a great place to get some work done. I recommend stopping by for a latte.

I have only been to Herkimer's Greenwood and University District locations and revisited the Greenwood site today with a college friend earlier this afternoon. The Greenwood-Phinney Ridge neighborhoods are very lucky to have a large selection of indie cafes/coffee shops, like Herkimer. Nice to see that the customer service from the baristas has remained friendly, pastry case well stocked, and treated to a nice and strong 16 ounce mocha. I've always liked their nice sunny corner location, background music, pile of newspapers to peruse, cool views of the coffee bean production area and both outdoor pedestrian and canine traffic, good mix of the laptop crowd and folks like us there to have conversation over coffees. Good to note that they've opened another location in South Lake Union and now take debit/credit cards. I will have to remember to start bringing my own cup or commuter cup from my car though. This is the third indie café I've been to within a week that used a paper cup. Seems there's a shortage of crockery for 16 ounce volumes!

Coffee shop is one of the best in the Seattle region I tried about a dozen coffee houses This is really a good one.

Some of the best coffee you'll find in Seattle. I don't know how or what they do, but their vanilla lattes are the best I've ever had! Very low key coffee shop and always quiet enough to study or catch up with a friend!

Me: I'd like a tall drip please Blonde barista/cashier: Here's your iced brew... Me: I'm sorry, I thought I ordered a tall drip? Blonde barista: maybe you said brew.. It happens all the time....whatever. That'll be $9.80 WTF? This coffee shop makes Starbucks taste good...at least they're nice... Oh wait, they weren't nice either. Gawd I miss Philz coffee in the Bay Area.

One of my to gotos for working in the area. The ambiance is great. The staff is also great. Herkimer's beans are usually roasted closer to medium and I prefer light, but they are still good. They also have Mighty-O doughnuts - delicious if that's your thing. WiFi is generally good and about half the seats have power.

This coffee shop was just what I was looking for! Friendly staff, good coffee, a nice environment to sit down to read/get the laptop out, and had plenty of seating! The have free WiFi and a few good seats to look out the window and observe the world go by. Will definitely be back!

I've decided to review this location. I go a lot and I'm considering trying to find a new place near me (I live near here). For the sole reason being... customer service. The staff are NOT interested in the fact that you're there. They barely make eye contact, barely say thank you and make you feel like you're an inconvenience. I go many early mornings and there is one woman (I wish I knew her name) that is friendly and the rest are not. Today I went in, ordered two americanos and got one. I mentioned I ordered two and the lady (not the nice one I referred to earlier) said "well, I didn't hear that." She said it with attitude. This is just one overt example, but it's the feeling in general for the most part. I like the coffee but won't keep going if I keep feeling unwelcomed.

-Morning coffee talks and coffee to go -$4.50 -Hemp milk latte, 12 oz. -Light roasts single origin beans sold. Use espresso blend for drinks which is a solid light roast, favorite latte in Seattle. Second bean blend is drip, what I buy to take home for pour overs. It's medium roast that can be best described as "that is what coffee is suppose to taste like". -Line is always quick and after a few visits baristas will know what drink you usually get. -Favorite coffee is Seattle due to convenience, consistency, and great coffee. The definition of what a Seattle coffee shop is and should strive to be.

Reasons to love this coffee shop: 1. Fast WiFi - I remote into my work computer and hasn't drop once 2. Very well priced coffee -16oz americano for 2.5 I have no problem leaving a good tip 3. Awesome music selections 4. So much better than the Starbucks nearby which doesn't have WiFi but has false advertising saying it has WiFi

Cool location and I love their coffee, but the barista wasn't as friendly or helpful as the ones in their other locations. I love their beans so I usually appreciate the baristas recommendations on which origins they're enjoying from that particular batch, but the one here just dismissively said "they're all good it's personal preference"... big draw to these places is the passion of the people, so would be good to see a more engaged staff :)

Tl;dr: Coffee was good, but the experience was not. This location has the roastery too and you can watch the beans being roasted. Barista seemed to be having an off day :( Tried the blended drip coffee and it was ok. Spot to tie dogs outside and you can sit out side and have your coffee when it's not raining. ***The long read*** I have been going back and forth on how to go about reviewing this place. My friends who live in the area got me here for a morning cup of coffee on a Saturday. I was also looking to buy single origin beans (even get a subscription if they turned out to be good) so I was excited to go here. The place has a roastery in this location and as you stand in the line to place your order, you can watch the coffee beans being roaster on the other side of the glass. As I was looking to buy some single origin beans, I wanted to try them out. I asked if they had any single origin beans on drip and the barista said they only had blend (Drip blend as it's called) I told them I was looking to buy some beans and asked if I could get a pour over. To which they said no. I am ok with them saying no, but it felt like the barista was being irritated by my question. I went to pay for my coffee and the lady behind the counter asked me if I wanted anything else. As I was looking at the pastry / breads cabinet, she gave me a very irritated expression and sighed. By this point I got a distinct feeling of not being welcome. I went ahead without getting anything else. I got my coffee which was given to me in 2 cups (assuming it was hot) I said I didn't need a second cup and by then physics had started to act up and the inside cup was sitting snugly and could not be taken out. Their cups are actually pretty nice with their custom design on them. I was just sad that they're throwing away a perfectly good extra cup instead of just getting a sleeve (or not! I was ok without it) We came outside and sat on the chairs outside as we sipped the coffee. The coffee was pretty nice. I tasted my friend's Americano and that was good. I only wish I'd have gotten to taste some of their single origins to take some beans back home. There's a spot outside with water bowl where you can see doggos sitting patiently as their hoomans are getting coffee. Both the inside and outside seating was nice. Just the overall interaction with the barista and cashier dampened my experience of the place :(

UPDATE: Reed and Janelle(forgive my spelling mistakes) reached out and clarified everything. They offered a free replacement bag and have been nothing but professional and courteous. I just got back in the area and dropped by. Coffee is awesome, the team is phenomenal. I'm still a fan and supporting their growth. --- I've been coming to this coffee shop quite frequently and really enjoy it. Yesterday morning I purchased a bag of Ethiopian Kochere (usually do about 1 bag every 2 weeks - will swap it from time to time for a new flavor). This morning I brewed it with my v60, and the flavor just tasted moldy and not like coffee at all. I've had bad coffee before, so I just decided to bring it back in hopes for an exchange on what was the majority of the bag minus a cup's worth of beans. I spoke with the barista at the time, and asked if they would allow for me to exchange a bag of beans, or offer any type of refund. The barista insisted that they can't do anything since the bag left the coffee shop. How are you supposed to make sure a full bag of coffee is ok without taking it home to brew? I left the shop paying for a second bag of coffee this week and learning that they will no attempt to correct a situation. This is not the level of customer service I was expecting, there wasn't even an attempt. It was really disappointing. I'll be taking my business elsewhere and wish the coffee shop all the best, but this experience was quite terribl

I wanted to like and support this local establishment. The coffee is delicious, but I left feeling unwelcome. Not looking for chit chat, but don't want to feel like a burden.

When my job interviewer didn't show up, I went to Herkimer Coffee to wait. The staff are amazing and were genuinely concerned when I told them I was giving my missing interviewer an hour and a half to call or email me back. I got two cups of the dragon green tea (I think it's called that...it was the nutty one) and on my second order they remembered and asked me how it was going. Plus, the tea is great quality (former coffee shop manager, here) and the prices are insanely reasonable.

Today was my first time in to Herkimer. The coffee is tasty, the atmosphere is casual, welcoming and comfortable and my go-to drink (a grande mocha) was just a wee bit cheaper than nearby shops at $4.25, with tax. It was early afternoon, so I didn't get a chance to see what their selection of pastries was like (their case had been worked through and they'd consolidated what little they had left) but what I did see looked good. I'll definitely be back again, next time probably with my laptop to stay a while.

I (would) love this place. Nice staff. Great location. Good coffee. Two things to note: Cash only. No rice milk.

Cool spot, great location and friendly baristas. Funky atmosphere, in a really great neighborhood. The coffee was better than average, I'd give it about a 7.5 out of 10. Also had a pastry which was also about a 7.5. Overall a good experience, friendly people and would gladly return!