Someone pointed out that after reading my first review, she was surprised that I hadn't given this place 2 stars. Well, I went back, and I think that the review is worth updating. 2 stars. Here's why: my boyfriend and I went back to this place, 2 years later. Everything was the same, except for the boyfriend (major upgrade). The place was crowded and the outdoor seating is entirely too uncomfortable. We decided to get a cup of coffee and a Cuban sandwich. Maybe I'm spoiled from Fast Gourmet, but serving that sandwich here could qualify as a crime against humanity. It was dry, lacked taste, lacked pulled pork (totally tiny serving in an entirely too big roll)...everything was bad. Just bad. Neither of us finished the sandwich...and it wasn't for lack of hunger. We were sitting next to a dill bush outside, and we resorted to picking some dill and placing it inside the sandwich to give it some sort of flavor. Eventually, we gave up. We figured we might as well try to enjoy the weather and some coffee. So we asked for a refill. The kicker? It's $1 for a coffee refill. The anger I felt at that exact moment hadn't been replicated since the day I found out that Dorothy was the one responsible for the breakup of the Golden Girls. The verdict is the same: this place is just not worth it. read more

The coffee is good, if that's all you're really looking for. Unfortunately, most people want more out of a non-Starbucks, neighborhood coffee joint. I can't explain what it is but something about this place just plain gives me the creeps. Every time I walk in I want to run out screaming. The "regulars" are rarely smiling and the people who work there are impatient, trying very hard to be "different" and well, just not friendly. Not to mention the line is usually huge (they should consider 2 registers) and you have to stand there in the doorway, waiting for your coffee and food to be announced by the sarcastic guy in the kitchen. I don't know about you, but I like smiling faces and good service when I'm paying 10 bucks for coffee and a bagel. And don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with hippies or eccentric people- It's the ones who can't smile that get to me. It's just coffee people! Lighten the hell up! read more

I'm going to be perfectly honest here, I was severely disappointed not only because I experienced the WORST treatment I've ever gotten at a restaurant, but also because so many of my Local DC friends love this place and recommended it. Lets just say after being sat down outside, I literally sat ignored for 20+ minutes, which I know because I posted an Instagram post when I first sat down (http://instagram.com/p/YEEDvfKr8g/) and then looked at said post for a time comparison (http://instagram.com/p/YEGeFEqrwl/) The case could be made that "well maybe you looked like you didn't want to order food but were just sitting there?" I literally had two menus OPEN in front of me on the table with my ipad and iphone while I was browsing random internet sites... so I wasn't on the phone or looking like i wasn't about to eat. in fact I told the person who sat me down (who happened to be the manager on duty) that I wanted to sit outside and "eat something delicious". And to add insult to injury the server cleaned the table behind me, the table next to me, and checked FOUR times on the table full of college girls next to me... as a matter of fact he made a big deal about the fact that they didn't get the drinks that they ordered and went inside to get them. and during said time I couldn't even drink the water I was given because the glass was filthy. like looked like it had never been washed EVER. My friends insist that it can't be racially motivated but... a) I was the only black person in the entire establishment, and coincidentally the only person who did not get ANY service. b) the table next to me that got great service was filled with 3 white women the big kicker was that after I calmly walked inside and explained to both the negligent server and the manager who sat me down, everyone looked COMPLETELY shocked that i had received such a treatment (even though they both were apart of it) and then offered me free food or a free beer. I think it should be said that I don't want you handouts. I don't want your freebies. I sat down at your establishment because I can a) afford to eat there b) want to eat there so after you've wasted almost a half an hour of my time my compliant isn't about the spending of money on said food. I got the feeling I was offered free stuff because i was trying to get over... but honestly 20 bucks for a meal is pretty attainable for a traveling professional photographer read more

Pretentious, Overpriced and Potentially dangerous... Our first clue should have been when we were interrupted WHILE ORDERING by another patron complaining about how their order was wrong. I have an onion allergy. I specifically asked for my sandwich without onions and pointed out that I have an allergy. When we got our food, I took a bite of my "fancy" grilled cheese only to discover I had a mouth full of grilled onions. We ordered grilled potatoes as well and asked if they had onions. The answer was a very confident "No!". We saw and order of potatoes come out and we saw onions in the order. When we pointed this out, the response was.... "Oh, I guess they do". The staff seemed more concerned with looking cool and maintaining their hipster cred than looking after the customers. Food allergies are no joke. Perhaps the roll of your skinny jeans and the irony of your T-shirts won't seem so hip when you have to dial 911 because you messed up a food order. 2 Sandwiches, Soup, Sparkling water and a San Pellegrino - $30. Never again. read more

I'm updating this because I feel like my previous review was unnecessarily snarky. I love Big Bear. I live in the neighborhood, I'm glad it's here. The coffee is as good as you'll get anywhere in DC and the espresso drinks are made deliciously and correctly. I am honestly not that crazy about any of the regular items on the menu but the vegetarian chili I had the other day was to DIE for, TO DIE! The bottom line is, this is a good neighborhood establishment, the coffee is rock solid and the food can be good. A note about all the "hipsters hurt my feelings reviews": This is a typical urban cafe environment. Go read the reviews about Ritual Roasters in San Francisco and you'll see the same type of thing. Look, no one is judging you based on your laptop and so called "hipsters" aren't paying attention to you, so stop being self conscious about it and either like the coffee or don't I'm sorry you can't get a table but you can hardly fault an establishment for being successful. read more

is it possible to love big bear cafe and NEVER have had a cup of their coffee? i'm here to tell you... it is. i love their worn wood farmhouse feel and completely relaxed attitude! i've only been for dinner and/or drinks, so i have nothing to offer in the way of a coffee review, but if you're looking for a chill place to get a meal, drink some hipster-y beers, and listen to some bluegrass, head over to BBC on a friday night. the food is fantastic and the atmosphere won't disappoint. read more

Big Bear Cafe - rockfish w/ polenta, corn, carrots, and kale - Cafes Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I'm here right now sipping a good cup of french press coffee, crunching up their free wi-fi, and trying to avoid all of the cute little babies and dogs that seem to both outnumber and be more important than paying customers. The coffee is good. They have a rustic look. They seem to have enough outlets. They have some tables and chairs outside. By the way, there's a farmer's market outside today. They seem to have nice cheeses, creams, fruits, vegs, breads, jams, jellies, etc. I was slightly embarrassed by these two older women at the group table who were the retro equivalent of loud black girls on the back of the bus. Ugh. to quote Fenny L. "They were so inappropriate." Big bear cafe is alright with me, though. I'll be back. read more

That morning when the young lady who is cashier/host calls you an asshole several times from the kitchen. I entered and saw her cough into her hands. As respectfully as is possible I asked her to wash her hands. She pushed back but eventually just did it. The nerve of me to expect a service professional who handles money and food to sanitize their hands... I know. Finally at work, I just threw away my yogurt because I couldn't trust that the rant in the kitchen didn't end with my food being contaminated. The first time I thought I heard her call me an asshole, I felt bad. I apologized and admitted there aren't a lot of ways to ask people to wash their hands without seeming like an ass hole. The gentleman she was training acknowledged the statement and she ignored it and me. She then went back in the kitchen area ranting louder and apparently also upset that I like my to-go yogurt with the granola on the bottom - the plastic spoon doesn't go through the granola to the yogurt on the bottom the way they typically serve it. Though, I shouldn't have to explain myself - I asked for a manager to discuss the issue and then she suddenly had loads of apologies, and had had a bad day, and when things happen that's how she needs to express herself, and she wanted to know what I thought she could do to right this. I accepted the apology and left but I couldn't not write this. I have two stars because when she is not on the register, I have great experiences there. When she is, especially when busy, she is viably flustered, short with people - just too easily frustrated to be on the front lines of a service job or to be the first person I see before starting my day. Alas - I have to give up on Big Bear and find another place with a great and beautiful latte. read more

Friendliest BEARistas in town! $4 Dale's Pale Ale is a plus. I LOVE their patio, and they make a mean cappuccino. They also do a decent Cortado. I've not tried the food, but coffeewise, it's decent. More than anything else, just a really cool neighborhood spot. Probably one of the better (but not best) places for coffee. Also, they are now open until 11:00 pm on certain nights. read more

Big Bear needs to get over itself. Like a lot of other people have mentioned on here, the place does get points for simply existing in the neighborhood. However, the service is slow, the employees are rude and the music is too loud (which gives the place negative two points for making me sound like my mother). What really pushed me over the edge was the day I asked for an iced coffee and they said they only have iced Americanos. Seriously?! I can't get an iced drip coffee? I can put up with a lot of the pretention this place exudes, but I can't deal with the decision that it's too good for iced coffee. C'mon. Regular people live in this neighborhood, too. read more

Really cute little café, but the negatives are they are super busy on the weekends and you can't find a seat. The only non-dairy option is oat milk, they do not have soy milk or almond milk, and they do not have any Splenda! Can you believe that? I thought that was a little odd. So I did not enjoy my experience because I couldn't have my coffee the way I enjoy it. read more

Yo check it: Dis joint came outta nowhere on my ride back on FL Ave. I like dem low spots with community vibe, u dig? When I walked up I saw some locals hittin tha patio with their dogs and lookin all groovy. Reminded me of some LES or San Fran cafe. Walked in and it looked cool. Brick walls, local art, high ceilings, the usual if you frequent these kinda joints. I was expecting some sloppy Indie service and some badass coffee. BUT, what I got was some bad tasting French Press coffee and some surprizing good service... I think the manager serviced me. She seem nice but was kinda scattered all over rushing around. Someone gotta give her a chill pill cuz she lookin like she doin way too much! I drink my coffee black, just like my _______. BUT, they poured me some trying-to-be-cool-and-fancy French Press coffee and it was terrible. COLD, not even warm, I didn't even bother getting the problem fixed. I was just like, WTF, sat down, and rolled out. I don't see myself going back unless you're in da hood. The vibe is nice, I don't care about free Wifi because my life doesn't revolve around it, and the coffee was just whack, jack. Sorry Bear. 1-star local vibe.1-star art and community. Datz it! read more

I have about 3 years of experiencing the "hip" Big Bear cafe. I lived in Eckington for years, now I have my business located two blocks away. If you enjoy self labeled Hipsters providing poor service in their endeavor to be non-corporate you are gonna love this spot. The food is good but expensive. My last visit the "Barrista" danced and sipped his expresso while the drink orders stacked up. Took just over 15 minutes to get my house coffee. The general lack of sandwich option in this neighborhood is the only reason I ever go there. It is always overflowing with wanna be hipsters and again, if that is your thing you are gonna love posing with all the others. read more

No decaf coffee. No jam or jelly of any sort. No sweetener other than organic brown sugar. No weekend wifi. Big Bear is my neighborhood coffee bar and I want to love it. It's gorgeous and hip. But, I feel like every time I come here, I discover a new "no." With tiny portions, limited space, a slow kitchen and high prices, Big Bear isn't quite a last resort but it's darn close.... read more

Not impressed. Coffee was cold and bitter. Tables were dirty. Staff was aloof. Food was very big, but bland. Skip this place. Go and get Starbucks instead. read more

One of my favorite things about Berkeley was the ability to go to any of a number of great cafes and order an iced Americano or a nice latte with a delicious sandwich. It was much harder to do that in Pasadena. Luckily, it seems DC has a few good spots to drink coffee and pick up a decent bite for lunch. I had come across mention of Big Bear Cafe in articles about artisanal coffee shops. I was attracted to the fact that they used Counter Culture beans (Durham, NC) and that the owners put a great deal of effort into properly training their baristas in the art of coffee. They also use Chemex coffeemakers, which look like large Erlenmeyer flasks (Chemex coffeemakers use special, heavy paper filters that make for an exceptionally clean cup of coffee--otherwise, they work just like other cone filter brew systems), and serve some good-sounding food items. HOWEVER: it's all the way out in the middle of "nowhere"--nowhere, of course, being a relative term. Big Bear Cafe is very far from Foggy Bottom, which prevented me from visiting. Until recently. My friend Bill was studying there for finals and I decided to check it out. I took the blue line, transferred at Metro Center to the red line, transferred at Chinatown to the green line, and got off at Shaw/Howard U. I then walked about six blocks to the cafe. It was worth the effort. They did a GREAT job of decorating the place--dark wood inside offset by a high ceiling and a lot of big windows. Hipsters, galore (see: Intelligentsia Coffee, Silver Lake, CA). They had a few different coffees available, so I decided on the Finca Mauritania from El Salvador, to be brewed via Chemex. I also ordered a chicken pesto sandwich. First, the sandwich: very well made and delicious. It came with a side salad that was good but scarcely more than a few gentle tufts of green. Delicious overall, but I was definitely feenin' some more salad. Second, the first Chemex the barista brewed was VERY, VERY light. So light, in fact, that it looked like oolong tea. I tasted it--front notes very pure, citrusy, but lacking any finish whatsover. I took it up to her and conferred with her--we determined it probably was misbrewed, and I got some Salvadorean "Los Luchadores" instead as a replacement. To tell you the truth, I liked the flavor of the Finca Mauritania better--the Los Luchadores was a bit bitter for my taste--but the Los Luchadores was brewed correctly! Overall, wonderful decoration and ambiance, good (albeit small portions of) food, and good coffee. I'm taking off one star because a gourmet coffee shop should not be making those mistakes in brewing--if I'm paying $3+ for a cup of coffee, I'd better be getting what I paid for! That being said, I'll have to come back another day and write an update. read more

This place tries so hard to be un-pretentious that it is overwhelmed by its own pretentiousness. The employees come across as having the attitude that they are doing you a favor by accepting your business. I could feel the dirty looks from everyone in the place when I booted up my non-Apple laptop. One of the employees was trying to sell me some fancy tea or absurd coffee drink and the look on his face when I said "I'll just have a cup of water, thanks" was priceless. The sandwiches were kinda tasty, but I can get a sandwich just as good for less money and that are more filling elsewhere, not to mention receiving my food in half the time. Since I'm not a coffee connoisseur I couldn't possibly care less about what brand they brew or machinery they use to make their baroque beverages. Big Bear Cafe has served its purpose for me in having WiFi to check my email and find someplace else to get food. I guess the whole "coffee shop scene" is another phenomena I just don't understand. read more

I definitely like Big Bear but some things rub me the wrong way. First off, the $5.00 minimum credit/debit charge, drives me dumb crazy. Card companies don't allow it and at its core, Big Bear is a coffee shop! If I just come for coffee, I ought to be able to order just coffee and pay! Then, there are times when the spot is full service, when its self service and when its something in between. Please, pick one. Lastly, I love the food but I wish that there were fresh pastries to accompany the coffee or at least dessert menu offerings during the day. With that being said, I'm glad its in the neighborhood. The coffee selection is unique and they are open late enough for some evening productivity (sans the WiFi -- which is only available before 6p). read more

I drove by it one day and couldn't tell what the place was, but I made sure to screenshot my location so I could come back. The lights and outside seatings were very inviting. The next day I decided to go and parking was easier than what I anticipated. They have a GREAT (I mean GREAT) falafel wrap and very good coffee. Better than the meal was the customer service. Staff takes the time to talk to you, and really cares if you are satisfied with everything (temperature, ingredients and so on). The place is charming and I'd highly recommend it for any kind of occasion. read more

I've been coming here off and on since it opened. It has gone from OK to bad. Service not great, they usually screw up my food order, quality & presentation of food has declined, it is overpriced, etc. But worst of all is the wait. Even if there isn't a line when you arrive, it still takes FOREVER to get your (often incorrect) food. The latest infraction involved waiting 25 minutes (yes, I timed it) to get a mediocre breakfast burrito (where they ran out of sausage so added bacon without asking). The breakfast hours thing has irritated me also - once I trekked down there on a hot day and got in line while they were still taking breakfast orders, only to be told no more breakfast when I finally got to the front - 15 min later. They used to have some great simple sandwiches too, but those have been replaced with fussier foods. read more

Came here for a late night snack with my sister after a long plane ride. The atmosphere was nice and cozy. It was pretty quiet around 7 pm. It started filling up a bit as we were leaving an hour later. Since I was there over Christmas, I got some of their seasonal offerings: a spaghetti squash appetizer and some mulled wine. The service was pretty slow considering there was no one there and our waiter mumbled the entire time. I could barely hear what he was saying. He looked like he couldn't be bothered to be there. All in all, I'd go back, but I wouldn't be invested in it. read more

This place is about two things - the atmosphere and the characters. First, what a great atmosphere. The inside is a simple, spacious and subtly warm. It instantaneously makes you want to get out your journal and write down whatever comes to mind. They also have a nice outdoor patio area when the weather is nice. Second, you get a wide variety of characters at Big Bear, from the DC stay-at-home moms to the grungy 19 year old hipster and even some young professionals writing grants or what have you. Word on the street is that the owner has applied for a liquor license. This would be a great little bar during the evenings in addition to being a cute coffee shop during the days. A brief anecdote...While I was there, the baristas were making fun of people who Yelp Big Bear saying stuff like "Oh man the hipster staff thinks they are way too cool," and "What type of music are they playing, it's too hipster." I definitely appreciated the I-don't-give-a-shit-about-what-people-say attitude. But I also waited to Yelp them until I was home! read more

We love Big Bear for coffee and a breakfast burrito/bagel/egg sandwich -- especially because it's only 2 blocks from our house. Since we loved it so much for breakfast, we decided to try it for dinner. The menu was good-looking and the atmosphere -- I mean. Where else can you sit on a quiet patio underneath white lights and grape vines? We made a reservation on open table for 9:45 and arrived right on time. We had our dog so we requested to sit outside. The hardworking girl that we see there all the time was hosting and sat us with water. The next time a Big Bear staff member talked to us was 15 minutes later when we flagged down the same girl and asked for wine and an app. A different person (manager?) brought over our wine. The girl who appeared to be the server on our side of the patio (the one with tattoos and not a care in the world) had walked by and looked at our table at least 7 times. We got our app and still NO SERVER or employee had said hi or spoken to us at all. We are now talking about 35 minutes. Tattoo girl even say down at the table next to us! After sitting for 45 minutes with no Big Bear staff interaction AT ALL (besides nice, hardworking girl) , tattoo girl ran our credit card and talked to OUR DOG. We gave hardworking girl a tip and went on our merry way to Boundry Stone where we had great food and service. read more

A friend and I are starting a blog, so we went to Big Bear to spend some time browsing similar sites, brainstorming what we wanted to do, and ultimately setting up our blog. First problem: I ordered tea. Iced tea. It was $4.15. That's a crime. Second problem: My tea was handed to me half full. And I watched the guy add extra ice so that it'd look less half full. So I handed it back and said I didn't need room for cream. (!?) Third problem: I asked for the WiFi password. The reply? "We don't do WiFi on weekends." ???!!! Seriously? This is a *flawed* business model. Absolutely adorable location. Cute inside and out. The tea was pretty good too, albeit $4.15. But if the customer service is this terrible I can't imagine why I'd go back. There are plenty of coffee shops in D.C. and I'll be meeting friends elsewhere. read more

Cons: - Not a huge selection (of food, plenty for coffee/tea) - Often crowded and the service tends to be reeeeaaaally slow - A little one the pricier end, for what you're receiving - Inconvenient location Pros: - Food is GREAT, very tasty - Options for vegetarians and carnivores alike - Apricot grilled sandwich = my new favorite thing Worth a visit! I mean, not, y'know, frequently - it really doesn't bring anything new to the bloated genre of "hipster coffeeshops with long wait times and people who buy one tea then use a six-top table to surf the web all day on the $2,000 Macbook." But it's a solid effort, and the food is really quite delicious. So come on a sunny day when you're taking a long lunch from work; you probably won't regret it. read more

Pretty hit or miss. Sometimes overcrowded and sometimes it's a chill place to work.It bugs me that they never cut through the breakfast sandwich all the way to the point where I've stopped ordering food here. read more

I never write reviews. I have lived in Bloomingdale for over 5 years and Big Bear was our friendly neighborhood cafe that I "loved to hate" for its performatively woke white hipsters, and mediocre, over priced Food that sat in the most beautiful cool and intimate community spaces (which is why i kept going). However, since the new chef Robbie has taken over the menu, I have been CONSISTENTLY DELIGHTED. If you havent ordered his foccacia bread it is an absolute must-I am almost shocked such gourmet loveliness comes from Big Bear! I would say it is one of the best i have eaten in the city. I ordered a falafel wrap and was in heaven the entire time-wholesome solid ingredients, healthily prepared, and no skimping on ingredients (the wrap was PACKED with fresh falafel and the most delicate of flavors). I feel the change in the menu and am so appreciative as a neighbor and long time patron. Big Bear-you FINALLY got everything right :) read more

I've been wanting to come here for awhile and finally had a reason when a friend suggested coffee here! I ordered the big bear breakfast sandwich and was pleasantly surprised! It was delicious and the size of an actual sandwich which I appreciated. I hate when breakfast sandwiches are abnormally small. I loved the cozy atmosphere. Unfortunately it was packed so we had to sit outside. It wasn't too bad even with the chill. The outside patio is huge and I look forward to coming back when it's warmer! read more

You have to be the right type of person to like this place. Indictators that you WON'T like Big Bear: - You are a Rihanna AND Chris Brown Fan - You appreciate the convenience of Wal-Mart's one-stop-shop experience - You shop at Aeropostale - You are looking foward to the next Transformers movie Indicators that you WILL like Big Bear: - You like some indie music, but feel that SXSW has become to commercialized - You plan to name your first child Kerouac - Before you buy a piece of clothing, you ask if it comes in tweed - You are not offended that in addition to a cookie and a french press coffee, you can order a shot of Bulleit Rye for $5 See where you sit among these two groups. This place isn't for everyone, but if you are the right type of person you might just have a very nice time. Just don't forget your moleskine notebook. read more

Place is mandatory for me on Sunday, and if I can swing working from 'home' I do that too. Their Iced Latte is super official. They play Outkast...and typically tracks from "Aquemini" and earlier, before "Hey Ya" blew up. They have a farmers market with pasta. They have a fig sandwich...and it is glorious. And yeah...they have the prettiest girls in the city (at least when the market is rocking...ladies dig farming I suppose). read more

We were really hungry, having just flown in from Cali. We saw this place had three stars, but it looked delightful. Well, looks aren't everything. Food was bland. I aid extra for bacon I didn't get. Small portions. It felt like a snack. You'd think it would've tasted great after starving all morning, but no. Cute place, but not impressed. Oh well. read more

It's a wonder why people continue to support this business. I came 9 months ago and thought that by now, things would be better. I went today an ordered a bagel w/ cream and a coffee, which came to about $7. I find that it's more expensive than other local cafés and has a more limited selection, unnecessary attitude from staff and an abundance of Mosquitos and flies inside the establishment. Furthermore, if you order something food related, you better have some free time 'cause the are the slowest I've ever seen; and a lot of times they have numerous people working in the kitchen. When I ordered my bagel with cream cheese, it was more like I ordered cream cheese with my bagel. It was so hard to eat due to the gobs and gobs of cream cheese. The best part of my experience is their good coffee. The sad part of this is the fact that I live 1 block away from this establishment yet I have to walk further to find a legitimate cafe. If you're considering this place, i recommend that you seek coffee elsewhere (Tynan, Azis cafe, or even Starbucks...I can't even believe I said that). This place is shit and I vow to never cross their doorstep again. Too bad i have to give it one star because its not even worth that.Don't say you haven't been warned. read more

We popped in here one hot and sunny afternoon to kill some time before dropping off a friend at Union Station. It was pretty perfect as some of us wanted iced caffeinated beverages while the other half of our group wanted beer. The patio was full so we had our beverages indoors. Iced lattes, tea and beers. While sipping away, I admired the high ceilings, exposed brick walls and local art. Totally the kind of spot I'd frequent to get work done if I lived closer by. Bonus: there is street parking available out front and we snagged one of the elusive spots pretty easily! read more

This is the quintessential spot if you are looking for a quality coffee shop with the neighborhood feel. The hot chocolate is excellent, and I also enjoyed the lox bagel. I don't drink coffee, but those people that do drink it tend to rave about how good it is. The only thing on the menu they seem to be lacking is a nice chai tea, although they do have some other types of tea available. The line to order isn't usually that long, and while it is crowded, it doesn't ever seem to be uncomfortably so (I usually go on Sunday late mornings). Unfortunately this lovely business is in jeopardy of being shut down by DC for zoning reasons... so hopefully the petition they are having customers sign will do some good! read more

I so wanted to love this place but my visit was sooo annoying. I don't think I have the patience. I just wanted two mochas! I had no idea it would take 20 minutes *after* I ordered. After paying $4.30 each for two tiny little mochas, I got to watch two hipster barristas (they'd probably do some serious eye rolls if they heard me calling them barristas) go in slow motion tag teaming one espresso drink at a time. And even with one girl giving her 100% attention to steaming milk, our mochas were still luke warm. I'm all for sustainable, local food and paying a premium but $4.30 for about 6 oz of liquid is a bit high. And I'm totally committed to getting away from the corporate machine that is Starbucks and enjoying a local neighborhood coffee shop, but spare me your too-cool lazy hipster attitude and pick up the pace. read more

Terribly slow service. Line out of the door and clear confusion in the kitchen. It's been 23 minutes and I'm still waiting for my 4bagels - correction - they just came out unwrapped for our Togo order. Coffee is bland and bitter. I don't support Starbucks, but it's a lot better than this neighborhood "gem". read more

Terrible service here. Wait forever and orders come out in no particular order. Staff is rude af

In theory, BB has everything I am looking for: compostable cups and utensils, all green-energy powered, cute ambiance, farmer's market outside on sunday, locally owned, the list continues. Here's the problem - the music is a little bipolar. Sometimes is uber-hipster (Hercules, Fleet Foxes), sometimes it's random (ACDC, Duran Duran, that weird 90's electronic dance song that goes "One more time...") but it is always LOUD!! So loud!! Why!!?? I ask them to turn it down and they do, but then it inevitably gets turned back up. You cannot even hear your own ipod over the loudness. Oh, I am not the kind of person who normally complains about music volume either. Also, the portabello sandwich costs $7.50 and a mocha costs $4.15. That is a little steep, in my opinion, even for DC. Also, they only have whole milk and I am getting fat, so this upsets me. Unfortunately, despite it's flaws, BB is the closest we have in this damn city to a nice little local coffee shop of the sort you find 4 to a block in San Francisco. *sigh* read more

I wish we had more of these in the DMV. Great cafe. The seating arrangements make it possible to work quietly, or have an intimate conversation, without intruding on others around you. I went for a drink so I can't comment on the food, but the Moroccan mint tea was delicious as was the accompanying honey. I was able to spend 2 hours in the cafe with another person and accrue only a bill of 8 dollars without getting mean mugged by our waitress. I'll definitely be back. read more

As a friend pointed out, this place isn't really staffed by "industry" people so the service can be pretty spotty--especially on a Saturday morning when they get extremely busy. Otherwise, in general, the food is good, but I think dinner items are a little too expensive. Though, I've met the chef a couple of times and she's great to talk to and pick her brain about stuff. The drinks are great and well priced. Wine selection is well chosen. Desserts are solid. Great place for a late night, solo meal (spoil yourself and go all courses), or a date. This place is all about the neighborhood and it's a great place to gather and sit with the dog outside, or with a couple friends inside. Also, to the reviewers below who are giving Big Bear 1 and 2 stars because there's no wifi on the weekends, that's just unfair and immature. No wifi on the weekend is to prevent people, probably like you, who would sit there for hours ordering nothing in what is a small restaurant with limited seats and enormous demand. Use your head, and be a good tourist when you're visiting Bloomingdale. read more