Stopped in for a mellow dinner after yoga down the street. It had a lovely, relaxed vibe, and even though it looked hipster it was unpretentious with country music playing. The salad was decent but the cake was worth writing about. Awesome neighborhood spot. read more

Let me start by saying how much of a coffee snob I am. When most people say "oh this/that place has the best coffee," it normally ends up tasting like every other coffee I have had (in the U.S. at least). This place however, is a MAJOR exception. IT IS THE BEST COFFEE I have EVER had. I love going here and I wish all Starbuck's were replaced with this cafe' because honestly, nothing compares. The omelets are also amazing and I always love the specials. The only negative thing I would have to say is I wish the iced drinks came in a larger size. Also, sometimes I do feel slightly out of place because it is veryyyy hipster/artsy... I wish it was a little more diverse. but again, BEST coffee ever. read more

I have changed my entire opinion about Big Bear Cafe and thus changing my entire review. I live in the Bloomingdale area and in my opinion, there are only two good places that are within a short walk from my house. I would love to have more and at the same time, I would really like the ones there now to stay in business. For that reason, my significant other and I try to spend as much money in our neighborhood as we can. My initial concerns with Big Bear included the dingy, dirty backroom where all the food comes out (some of the staff often looks like they could use a good scrub too), the worthless umbrellas in the patio, the unfriendliness of the owners, and lastly their overall defiance of standard business conformity. I can give you two examples of this defiance. One, is their reluctance to set hours of operation. I think they feel this makes them hip. Then, is there is the slight arrogance or defiance against what ordinary people demand or expect to find in a coffee shop . The owners consider themselves coffee purists and only offer half and half, whole milk and raw sugar to dress the coffee and espresso they serve. At the same time, coffee drinkers expect to find different milk options as well as a variety of sweeteners and spices for flavor. Don't dare ask for these things at Big Bear. Here, you must only consume coffee at its purist. Anything less and you might face judgment from these cool coffee hipsters. Well, I think the taste of unsweetened coffee is bitter and using regular sugar has clothes tightening consequences. So, why can't they serve splenda for me? Being that they are the only coffee shop serving our tiny community, they have little incentive to deviate from their standards. I am still a regular customer. I just know to provide my own splenda. I would like to see if Big Bear kept its pure coffee expectations if a coffee shop of equal quality opened a block away and provided impure coffee dressings. My assumption is that we might suddenly see low fat milk and splenda at Big Bear. While the staff seems pretty laid back, they are really friendly and seem to be having a good time. This is a rarity in DC and should certainly be acknowledged. Also, since I mad my initial complaints, my other has fallen in love with their breakfast sandwich and has had one prepared from that lovely backroom almost daily. Supposedly, they are big food purists too and attempt to get everything local and/or the best. So while the food is expensive, its well thought and one should feel good about the quality but not the room it is prepared in. Big Bear's biggest asset is their coffee. It is absolutely the best in DC. The drip coffee is french press and they swirl little hearts into their espresso and milk drinks. My previous review also accused the owners of being less than friendly. Well, maybe they are just shy. They seem to have warmed up to me a bit. In return, have warmed up to Big Bear. read more

I have since recieved a PM from the manager so I eagerly anticiapte checking the place out in the future now that I have come to understand a few of the cafes way of doing things.. Cool to see they reach out to folks! like the enviroment. It is promising (sans employees). But I was a little confused upon trying to order and here is why: I asked if I could sit down at the bar with my gf and was told we could and we did. But no one came to take our order. One tall hipster looking employee with a scarf seemed to be just aimlessly wandering around behind the counter not doing much. So finally I went to the register to order for my gf and I. Now if this is how things are done, it should be more clearly stated. So I went back down to sit after ordering. The music is loud enough that I did not hear my name shouted and then my stuff just sat on the counter before I finally just guessed that it must be mine and took it. Someone else also missed their order while I was there which makes me think that this is perhaps an issue and not unique to just me. They likely did not hear their name called either - SPEAK UP! ***Major con***: ****No weekend wifi****? Seriously? Is this 1998 and there is a 40 hour/week limit or something? What gives? we came here and paid so we could use the wifi to find a doctor nearby for my gf who was feeling sick. I had come here maybe two years ago a few times but this was the first time in a while. Prices that were already high back then seemed to have gone up quite a bit - I do not think you get much for your money and they should consider lowering prices. read more

First of all, they looked at me like I was crazy when I asked for Apple Juice or a Coke. I ordered their french toast and my girlfriend got their Breakfast burrito. I've had cardboard that tasted better than the french toast. The "breakfast burrito" was nothing more than a tortilla, a dash of cheese and some arugula. Yuck. I love to try new places and I will eat almost anything but after 2 bites, we walked out. No need to complain to the staff because we knew it wouldn't get better. read more

Even if I didn't live close by, I'd still say that this was the best coffee shop in the city. Others seem to agree because practically everytime I fall in to conversation with someone there it turns out that they've travelled across town for the great coffee, free wi-fi and, above all, the atmosphere and ambiance. For me there are two negatives - 1) the often limited selection of vegetarian food and 2) the price of some of the pastries (too high). That said, Big Bear hit the ground running when they opened last year with consistently great food and drinks. A true community gem that brings benefits much further than the Bloomingdale neighborhood in which it is well grounded. One warning -- expect long lines on Sundays during the farmers' market. read more

I used to live at 2nd & S right near Big Bear Cafe and never made it over. It took me moving to Maryland to finally stop in. The vibe is very low key, and a bit hipster, but nice. They have a lovely selection of teas to choose from and all of their coffees are great. Will definitely stop back in next time I'm in the neighborhood. read more

One of the best burgers I've ever had--juicy and tender on a nice roll. And a delicious local wheat beer to boot!

Stopped in to this cafe after passing it on my commute every day for years and hearing good things. I arrived right when they opened and they took my order right away. I got a cafe au lait with soy milk and a bacon egg and cheese bagel. The coffee was great and I would definitely return for a cup. The bagel left much to be desired. It was not toasted which made the sandwich greasy, the bacon was chewy ( I am really a crispy bacon girl) and it took 20 minutes- no exaggeration and no line- to even get the sandwich. Bottom line- coffee is great, grab breakfast elsewhere or try something different! read more

If I could have gave Big Bear half a star I would of. I don't see how this establishment is still open. The food is not good period. There is a very limited selection in the menu as a whole. As for people buying into the whole "the french pressed coffee is amazing" wake up, its not. They brew several batches at a time then pour you cold stale coffee. The service is bearable. My sandwich was bland and I didn't even finish one half. In regards to this, I rather go to Starbucks and I'm not even a Starbucks fan. read more

coffee beans - 5 stars (Counter Culture) espresso machine skills - 4 stars other drinks - not sure yet pastries - not sure yet customer service - 5 stars seating - 5 stars internet connection - yup, but not after 6pm.... kinda lame Pros - A perfect old school coffee house feel. Great baristas with good attitudes. Plenty of seating inside and out. Seems like the kind of place to meet cool people, not like other espresso bars where all eyes are on their phones or laptops in total silence. Cons - no internet after 6pm read more

I want to like this place. But no food on weekends. No chai tea (they are working on a recipe for more than a year). Service is ok at best a little too laid back we will get around to you. No clarity on delivery to table to wait at cashier for it. Asked for butter for a beagle and it was mostly melted which made me wonder what their food safety was in the kitchen. Didn't see anyone w hair nets or gloves who touched food. Has free wifi, gets truly packed and then harder to access cashier, condiments, napkins,and people seem to camp there for the day. Get there early if you want to be one of those. Not really an inspired menu of food even when they have it. And I don't drink coffee so lemonade or water were my options. read more

"The kitchen is normally open until 10, but tonight it closed at 9:30" This was what my wife and I were informed recently when trying to get dinner at Big Bear at 9:40pm on a Saturday night. This place used to be great (a couple years ago), but recently has become a disappointment. I'm not sure what the problem is, possibly that they've become popular enough they don't care? The coffee is good, though there are plenty of other options in the area with equally good coffee and food, but with much better customer service. read more

The food at this fine dining establishment is superb. I ordered the burger with cheddar cheese, and I was amazed. The taste simply blew my mind. The burger was juicy and just plain delicious. The vanilla latte was made to perfection, and it even came with a heart in the foam! The fries are perfectly salted and delicious in every way. This restaurant home makes their ketchup and other condiments/sauces which is a bonus. I highly recommend this restaurant. This earns the rare Tommy Silknitter 5 star. read more

This is the perfect place to come if you need a quiet place to work during the day. They have free wi-fi, and excellent coffee and food to keep you satiated. But once the clock turns 6 or so, they turn off the wifi, and you'll be happy for it. The quieter cafe reveals a great ambiance with wine and beer. Can get crowded but I've never had a bad experience here. read more

Obsessed with this place! It's so great. Hipsters abound, crazy amazing coffees from all over the globe, fantastic music variety and selection. The outdoor patio hosting string lighting, the organic garden, happy hour specials, early morning hours with delightful sun streams, and the weekly farmers market across the street only increase my interest in spending time down there. I've had some amazing revelations in that venue and gotten a ridiculous amount of writing done there too. #loveit read more

Cutest place, worst service. Walked in around 12 for brunch and I actually thought the cashier was messing with me.. Never met such a rude person that works in customer service. Witnessed some pretty inexcusable service issues from multiple employees. Chicken sammy was pretty good. Breakfast burritos were sad, over cooked potatoes and minimal sausage. read more

Finding this place made my day! It's a groovy but unpretentious spot with incredibly tasty, toasty sandwiches, San Pellegrino drinks, good music and a perfect macchiato. The staff is totally real and friendly, and I could have killed an afternoon here. I can't wait until I'm in the neighborhood again, maybe I'll move over here. Try the turkey, plum, and brie sandwich, I swear. read more

I really, really want to love this place- the owners of Big Bear are engaged with the neighborhood, support a Sunday farmers market, and offer food/drinks that are locally and/or sustainably sourced. *However* there are some major flaws keeping me from a four or five star rating. When you visit, expect super loud music that prevents you from getting work (and sometimes simple conversation) accomplished, spotty wifi, and stiff competition for table space. The line is often long, which wouldn't be such a problem if Big Bear had better inventory control, staff efficiency, and pricing- everything bagels are often gone before 10am, and the staff absolutely refuses to serve them after noon (my sister, visiting from out of town, clearly made the mistake of asking for one at 12:30). Also, be prepared to pay a high price for your purchases...a tea + bagel with cream cheese will run you about $6. read more

I really wanted to like this place. The aesthetic is beautiful though the food is only mediocre and the service is horrible. May be better as a cafe during the day. Avoid dinner. read more

Went to Big Bear this Sunday morning, looking for wifi and a bagel breakfast sandwich, both of which I've had there before on a weekday. Apparently, you cannot get either on the weekend. I was told: "we don't make the bagel sandwiches on the weekends...but you can get a breakfast sandwich on ciabatta ($8) and order a bagel on the side." I appreciate that the woman behind the counter was trying to be helpful, but seriously? Then, the kicker - they turn their wifi off on the weekends. Sorry Big Bear, I'll be taking my weekend business elsewhere. read more

Big Bear is decidedly pricey, but you would expect as much considering the vibe and location. The macaroni cheese side was pretty amazing. Also like their bagels from Bullfrog, delicious in their own rite. I do take issue with the pricing, which is high for the small portions and lackadaisical service. The patio area is nice though, with space designated for puppy friends. read more

Big Bear has really fantastic atmosphere, particularly on a day with good weather when the huge windows are open. If you go during the week when it's pretty quiet, you can definitely get some work done too. The music is hit or miss, depending on who's in charge, but for the most part has been good. The coffee is good quality, all made by french press (though they did forget about my order at least once). The sandwiches are average and a bit overpriced for what you get. But all in all, I think it's one of the best coffee shops in DC. read more

Actually no stars, never got to eat here. 1 star for trying to make a reservation for a large group. Nobody every picked up the phone and my e-mail to them bounced. I tried 3 or 4 times to reach them. Guess they don't want the business? No worries there are plenty of options around and based on my experience trying to eat here it wouldn't have been all that great anyway. read more

The coffee is way too expensive for something that isn't roasted right there on the premises, and the baristas act like if you didn't get your cardigan at Buffalo Exchange, you might as well walk right out, you Consumerist-Penn Quarter-Lackey. Those two characteristics make for an interesting paradox. I love how it's your casual neighborhood bar and that they host various neighborhood events like the Bike Exchange, but to me that vibe doesn't correlate with charging $20 for a bag of coffee. read more

The. Worst. Service. Ever. The staff is rude and incompetent. This is one of the worst coffee shops I've been to. I've been trying to give this place a shot for years and they always mess something up. read more

It is fun to watch Big Bear evolve from a neighborhood coffee shop into a great restaurant. By night: A thoughtful menu for food and cocktails. Friendly staff. Expertly prepared food with a pedigree. The front and back are really in flow. By day: Excellent coffee. Friendly staff. Large windows bathe the place in natural light. Wonderful spot. read more

On a Sunday afternoon; followed by a strong recommendation of a good friend of mine Julian, We hopped on the G2 bus in route to Big Bear Cafe. This place reminded me of Tryst. I believe that this store used to be a grocery store or something back in the days. Store is in front of the weekly farmers Market (nice spill over effect). I don't think there is a starbucks close by in the Bloomingdale Neighborhood. So I guess they took an 'if you build it they will come' approach which is very well paying off. That gives me inspiration as an entrepreneur. Traffic inflow of people did not stop. A lot of yuppies, the new age 'Hipsters' there. They even had a band in front of the store playing the Guitar. Reminds me of Tryst somewhat. While standing in line, Hope was able to grab a seat for us. It was cool, but when two of my friends, Kalu and Ace stopped by; it became a problem. Two of us had to stand for a good 30 mins. Luckily I was able to snatch two chairs from their outside seating area. In My opinion: I don't think 8 bucks for the pesto sandwich was worth it. Personally for the sandwich and French Pressed Coffee; I would've been happy paying 5.50 to 6.50 tops. But they must be doing something right and if someone is willing to pay for kudos to management. I walked away feeling like I could've made that sandwich myself. It was the size of a sandwich that reminds me of school lunches back in the day. A good hour passed by, and one thing that did not stop was the constant turnaround of people coming in and out. Big Bear Café is doing something right. My thought was the crowd there was college educated, cares about the environment...possibly looking for jobs ....or doesn't need the money. While there I inquired about how they are powered by Wind Energy. They said that they are connected to a wind power grid. Living in Washington, DC with all of these buildings and a lack of trees (depends on what part of DC you are) I don't know of any wind power grids in the area and that might be something for me to research. One last thing, When Hope ordered her Grilled Portobello sandwich they didn't give her the option to pick the type of bread. She had to substitute the bread. Other thing was she didn't like the fact that they didn't have juice for you to pick as well. From a business standpoint, I can not knock Big Bear Cafe or their concept they get 5 stars from me. I like the simplicity of their website and how they are integrating aspects of social media. There is a wealth of information on their blog...no I don't work there and I'm not a disgruntled employee. But in this case my review...its nothing business....just personal. Check them out: http://www.bigbearcafe-dc.com read more

Great place to work at. Coffee is actually not that great-kind of sour. The food is yummy but over priced. But you're paying for internet, friendly neighbors and work space. It's also next to an organic food market and yoga district studio. read more

The coffee is good, the food is actually GREAT, and I love the atmosphere. I've had great service every time I've been there and never felt shunned or out of place for not being hipster. I can't wait to hang out on their patio when it gets warmer. read more

The good while it lasted: The brussel sprout, fish cakes, and soup appetizers were right tasty. The underwhelming: The red wine was awful. Water smelled like toilet water. To continue downhill-Main courses were undercooked and just not flavorful; courses being the seared scallop n pasta and housemade ravioli. We all tasted each's dish and agreed Scallops AND the pasta were undercooked and the ravioli edges were near raw..I had to cut all four ravioli edges off -yes like a white bread sandwich, turning my rav into pasta sliders. There was not an uncleaned plate on the table and not because the portions were huge. Inflated prices for mediocracy. read more

Waited 45 minutes for a bagel. The cashier was extremely rude and ignored me several times before I had to get rude with him to even get him to acknowledge my existence. The Lox sucked more than the dude at the register. Take it as you will. read more

I was in Washington DC to attend my niece graduation from Howard University. Our lovely Airbnb was located down the street from the Café. I had the French toast with eggs and bacon. Everything on my plate was delicious especially the bacon. My mom had the eggs, toast and ham. They do not have jelly. Her food was ok. The ham was sliced extremely thin. She described it as paper thin. Their coffee was also delicious. The only flaw, you bus your own table. The two meals with coffee and OJ totaled $31.00. You shouldn't be asked to bus your own table. read more

Coffee shop is wonderful. The do the one big, bright, shining important thing exceptionally well, which is brewing excellent coffee with the French press, and the food is great as well. Slight gripe is the early closing time. read more

Aesthetically this place is adorable. And for us bloomingdale residents, its really the only cafe around. I wish, oh how I wish, they would just occasionally turn down the f-ing music. While I do think they could also turn down the "sceney-ness" of the place, I get what they are trying to do. I just would like to occasionally go there and read and its so hard when they refuse to relax the tempo a bit. sigh.... read more

Here's the thing. You have to know what you're getting into and why you're going and as long as you have that in mind, it'll be great. This place has amazing coffee and maybe one of the best outdoor patio spaces in all of the District. It's a great place to stroll through on a late morning if you have the day off or a relatively early weekend brunch. On a side note, I really appreciate their rotating gallery displays on the walls and all the small ways they try to preserve or give a nod to the Big Bear corner store that was there before. But if you're trying to get a quick coffee or any food where the price matches the quality, you're in for a unpleasant surprise. The lines are typically (quite literally) out the door and the kitchen seems a bit too small for the number of seats the place has, so the food always take awhile to come out. Also, $6.50 for a standard breakfast bagel sandwich? Come on, I'm all for paying a little extra for decent wages and locally sourced products, but there's a difference between paying a little extra and straight up overpriced. Ironicaly, their breakfast specials (like pancakes or omelets) are incredibly reasonable or even cheap by comparison. I tried eating there for dinner once and again, I found the gap between price and quality to be a little too wide for me to go back, especially with the other great options up the street. And as a place to work, I'm a grad student and I find it way too noisy of a place to get any reading or work done. Others have complained of the wifi getting turned off on nights/weekends, but given that this place pretty much always has a crowd on the weekends, I think it makes plenty of business sense to do that so a person who paid $3 for a coffee doesn't unnecessarily crowd a table for 5 hours. There are plenty of other places to do that in DC to knock this one in particular. That said, you go to Big Bear to lounge with some friends and/or your partner when you want to drink good coffee, have a quick bite, and sit outside and it's PERFECT for that - day or night. Otherwise, try one of the other places up the street or some of the other great coffee shops closer to Shaw and U-Street. read more

Went on a Saturday morning with my sisters and found it to be super cosy, the breakfast and coffee delicious, and the customers and staff very welcoming and fun. Will definitely return when we're in the neighborhood! read more

I like Big Bear and have been here many times. Wonderful pastries and very relaxed atmosphere. My old favorites were the Jessie's Salad and the peach tea... so yeah.. I 've been there a lot over the years. The one thing I wish they would do is upgrade the hygiene standards at the counter. The cashier/baristas handle money, credit cards, etc and then put their hands directly on the tea bags, grab the cups with their fingers inside the cups or stick their hands down into bags to open them to put pastries inside. This happened to me today, but it is definitely not new; it is the norm. Just making this important change would move them to a 4 or 5 star. read more

You would never even know this tiny cafe/restaurant was there, tucked behind a wall of vines. It has a really rustic/hipster feel, but I didn't find it aggressively U CANT SIT HERE hipster. The outside is nice and shady from multiple umbrellas; there are dogs everywhere (!!); and the inside is cool, dark, and straight chill. We came by for a quick breakfast/coffee on a Saturday morning and easily found an outdoor table. We ordered at the register and had our food pretty quickly. I had a bacon egg and cheese which, while on the pricier side, was DELISH. We split some cookies that were so tasty, and had some iced coffees. The atmosphere was very nice and the location was too freakin' cute. I'm sad to see that some of the reviews aren't super great, but I think if you have managed expectations, you'll be pleased with your experience. read more

I had originally heard of this place when they had the bike sale in conjunction with Phoenix Bikes. It was the perfect place to split a (kinda small) french press pot of coffee with a friend and catch up. you'll both only get one cup out of that pot. The staff were nice enough to bring out an extra table when all the ones on the patio were full. There's good people watching, and the feeling outside the shop on a sunny day is remarkably different from only a few hundred yards away. lotsa laptops too, but a few people reading books as well. I'll definitely go back on a lazy weekend in DC. read more