Despite having a one-time barista wife and being an avid coffee drinking, I'd never tried this place out after years of living in Brookline. It was quite nice! Espresso was strong and well-extracted and service was friendly; the barista was able to make some recommendations of what coffee would make for a good pourover. Coffees will run you ~$4, pretty standard for Brookline. Pastries looked alluring that "tiny-and-French" kind of way, but we didn't get any. Good place to stop for a pick-me-up! read more

I was slightly disappointed by the place, because I've heard that there are amazing coffee here. First of all, I did not see the small sign that indicates that there are surcharge for credit card. I ordered a cup of chai latte which is not bad, but not as exceptional as people have raved about. It's not a great place for laptop work either since the tables are tiny. Maybe I will give it another try and just order an espresso read more

See all

Elite coffee. Just discovered this place and it's the perfect place to read/chat and drink some quality coffee!! Love!

Good coffee .. Max is still the same arrogant owner...he's a parody at this point...NY Times paper edition, jazz music and no espresso to go ...come on, Max, be original, kid.. read more

Stopped by a Saturday around 4PM for a weekend pick-me-up. I was happy to see a couple customers inside, especially during these times. I was impressed with how clean they are. They provide disposable tissues at the entrance so that you can open the door with a clean tissue, and then toss it out upon entering. There was only one staff person there, and he was incredibly friendly, attentive, and appreciative. I could tell that he was very grateful for the customers that came to support the business. FYI, there's a charge on cards, so have cash handy here. Got a decaf cappuccino and a hello dolly bar (also known as seven-layer bars). Total was ~$8-9, which is a bit steep for me for a typical coffee stop, but I was more than happy that it was going towards a local business. Would come by again! I really hope this place and others are still around post-pandemic. read more

Several reviews have shared their rude and poor experience related to getting an unwanted lecture about paying with credit cards, however don't bother paying with cash either. There's a sign saying if you pay with cash, you'll get 4.5% off the purchase. Thought that would be the case when I paid with cash and expected several bucks back (it was a large purchase). The barista and most likely the owner took the several bucks he was suppose to give back to me and put it directly into his tip jar. No questions asked - directly into the tip jar. Never have I been to a place who treats their customers like that and doesn't even bother to give the change back. He was great at distracting us when he did it so it's probably not the first time so beware. read more

Definitely don't understand the mixed reviews, having been three times I feel solid in my love for Cafe Fixe! Granted I have gotten pretty much the same thing every time, but it's just perfect.. trust me!! Their iced latte is up there with my favorites from any cafe in Boston, don't know what it is but it is always perfectly chilled, balanced and just right. They also sell these toffee cookies that are extremely chewy, mottled with tons of toffee caramel-ish bits and is just heaven against a more bitter coffee drink. Not sure if they make the cookies in-house but every time I've gone they have been just as perfect. They do not sell the same baked goods every time but have noticed the cookies seem to be their repeat offering. Not complaining. They play lovely jazz and aren't trying to lure in those wanting to work on their laptop all day but more those looking to stop by and have some good chats over a good cup of joe! Highly recommend this place, it's a hidden gem in Brookline. Grab a cup to-go and walk over to Halls Pond for a nice stroll. read more

Café Fixe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

See all

Great coffee but too overpriced 8 got their decafe iced oat latte and it was over $7 which I think is a bit too much. It's good coffee but not a place you can go to everyday. More like a once in while thing. read more

Café Fixe - Decafe iced oat latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

I want to underscore what other reviewers have said about this place. The coffee is not bad, they pull a triple ristretto which is relatively smooth though the flavor is not particularly complex imo. So, maybe four stars for coffee? However, as others have mentioned, the owner and staff have a weirdly antagonistic relationship to the customers. Every time I have gone in, if someone doesn't know exactly how to order (and, for instance, asks for a double shot of espresso, gasp!) they are strangely disgruntled and don't offer much by way of explanation. Some times I've even heard them respond rudely or with sarcasm. Most people will have encountered espresso, not ristretto, so to be irritated that your customers who don't know the difference seems quite silly. The coffee isn't *so* amazing to justify dealing with the attitude. Despite being a major enthusiast of good coffee, I have decided I'm not going to be going again, since the whole experience can be unpleasant. read more

The owner kept looking at me. I know I was upsetting him somehow but I couldn't stop laughing. That seemed to irk him even more.

Surreal is the only thing I can say about my experience here. Went in to grab a coffee and sit to do some work on my laptop. I like my coffee strong, 2 shots of espresso with an equal or maybe slightly more amount of steamed milk. Flat White, Cortado. Called different things in different places. So I asked what size cups they had, and pointed to the takeout cups. He then proceeded to show me the in house mugs so I had to again point out I wanted to to. He then showed me 2 cups - a larger one that was possibly a medium and a smaller one. I told him I wanted a 2 shot flat white in the smaller cup. Which he responded 'You don't want that.' So I said 'Okay, I'm going somewhere else.' I never got to taste their coffee but my review is that you need to stop being such a friggin weirdo, listen to the customer and serve then what they effin ask for you loony tune. read more

coffee quality was excellent, definitely a great cafe to catch up with friends or read. they play jazz music which i loved.

I feel like I just stepped into this elaborate troll designed to just annoy the hell out of me. Holy smokes. I decided to give this place a chance, despite the reviews indicating that the staff were condescending and pretty obnoxious when it came to coffee. Anyway, lesson learned - next time I'll go to Caffe Nero. Here's what happened: I asked about ordering a "pour over" and if there were any non-light roast coffees available for that (the menu only showed light roasts). I was told, very dismissively, that the "roast" of the coffee didn't really matter and it was just a means to bring out the best flavor of the coffee. Yeah, that's true, but the roast profile is indeed a framework we all use to better understand the characteristics of coffees. If I prefer less acidic, less fruity coffees, I generally don't want a light roast. Listing the roast profile on the menu and then dismissing the use of roast profile as a mechanism to easily understand flavor profiles is just obnoxious. If you don't believe in them, don't list them. If you do list them, expect questions! Anyway, trying to salvage the situation, I politely asked the barista to make a recommendation for me based on my interests. He told me, very condescendingly, that if I wanted something less acidic and more full-bodied, I should just order an Americano. To his credit, after recommending an Americano, he recommended two specific coffees on their menu. I chose one of them. Then, I was over-charged by the cashier! She acknowledged the mistake, to her credit, but still that's pretty annoying. Finally, I see the barista get to work on my "pour-over". This is perhaps what is most annoying about this entire situation. The cafe doesn't actually DO pour over! They use a clever dripper, which is a full immersion brewing technique rather than a pour over. Those are fundamentally different things. If I wanted a clever dripper brew, I would've done it at home. The reason I order pour overs at cafes is because the cafe actually doesn't a hand-poured brew. This was not. It was poured all at once, steeped for 3 minutes, and then drawn down into a cup. I would think that a cafe that is so pretentious and discerning about their coffee would also be equally discerning about their brewing techniques. To conclude - this place really likes their coffee, and normally I'd be willing to put up with some attitude to get a good brew. However, the complete and utter condescension and pretentiousness, combined with the fact that they advertise a pour-over and don't actually do one, just makes this place a complete miss. Head across the street to Caffe Nero, you'll be way better off. read more

So I had an interesting experience here. I told the barista I generally like an earthy / chocolatey coffee and asked for a recommendation for a shot. He suggested I start with the house blend so I went with that (I'm guessing the brew on rotation was more challenging). I was really shocked by how acidic the shot was up front with a bitter finish. I guess I've never had an espresso like that and it was an interesting experience though maybe not for me... The barista didn't seem surprised by my description of the flavor profile. What surprises me though is that the house blend "Barrington Gold" is described on the Barrington web site as a medium roast with a flavor profile of "sweet caramel, dense chocolate, spice box and dried fruit with abundant crema and syrupy smooth body". Nothing like what I tasted - I'm wondering if maybe there was a problem with the barista's extraction. read more

Weather was surprisingly good and so I decided to take a walk through my neighborhood and swing by a local cafe and pick up an iced coffee to-go. I'd always passed by Cafe Fixe on my commute home so I decided to give it a shot on this relaxing Sunday. There were a few scattered customers sitting indoors on the window seats and a few were street-side on the tables enjoying the weather. There was no one in line when I went (approximately 3:45PM) and after a brief look-over, I ordered a large iced-coffee. The barista was nice enough and was pretty chill. When I was given my order, I realized the only things "large" about my order were the physical cup and the amount of ice. The ice was visible from the bottom to the top and the coffee was so diluted that it was a light brown color. For $4.50, you're better off going to Dunkin or Starbucks across the street. read more

Café Fixe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

See all

I ordered a cortado but it was really a latte. Meh. And I had to buy other stuff because there was a $10 minimum. read more

I am convinced that Northampton Coffee (in Northampton, MA) has the best coffee. So when I walked into this place I was creeped out by the similarities, aesthetically, to Noho coffee. The barista confirmed some affiliation with said coffee shop. The decor and music might not be to some peoples liking but I'm happy to see a place that has a set identity and isn't trying to look like an high school art class. The coffee is as good as Noho's...same roaster (Barrington Coffee Roasting). If you don't like this coffee it's cause you suck and probably the best thing that ever happened to you was Dunkin Donuts darkroast. Coffee is the priority here...5 mother fucking stars. read more

Café Fixe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

See all

Ordered espresso shots over ice. Tastes like they never cleaned the espresso machine. Took two sips to double check on the taste. Wated $7. Stars for friendly staff. read more

The coffee here is tremendous. I usually get the espresso. They provide a cup of water along with it, which is a nice touch. Last time, I got a small iced americano, which was extremely strong - I stayed extremely caffeinated throughout the entire day. Certainly not something I've ever experienced before with a coffee. If you're coming here to have some coffee and catch up with an old friend, 6 stars. However, I usually come here to get coffee and work. None of the outlets work, so I can't charge my laptop. There is no WiFi, which is a big downside. It's also not easy to find seating. Hence, 3 stars. read more

5 Stars - sublime coffee experience 2 Stars - incredibly pretentious, abrasive service This places poses a true personal dilemma. Can you handle the Coffee nazi? Can you handle HIM eschewing other customers, and very possibly YOU for your breaches against the experience of coffee in HIS store? I've returned, and will return again, so I guess for me it's worth it. Although I still shudder that the experience of coffee snobbery almost makes a call to adult protective services necessary. read more

Café Fixe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

decent but SLOW as $uck. Coffee was very good, i liked the hard boiled egg options. Lot of snobby lookin' white folks and horrible jazz playing too loud, jazz sucks. read more

Café Fixe - too busy (aka; HIRE A 3RD PERSON) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

10/10 service and friendly staff!!! Not often you come by people who are so friendly at 6:30am lol

Café Fixe is the bright, bright spot in my coffee life. There are tons of cafés in Boston I haven't been to, but I know good, well-prepared coffee when I have it, and Café Fixe beats all the places that are convenient for me to frequent . . . and really, I think, also any place I've been served coffee in the near-Boston area. So far as I can tell, this is on purpose. If I had to guess, I'd say that Café Fixe is specifically oriented on what it provides in terms of your experience of drinking the coffee you ordered. The usual accessories are helpfully provided, but not to a degree that would detract/distract from your or others' experience. Besides espresso and espresso-based drinks (my preference), I know they also do french presses and pour-overs. Also tea and tisanes / herbal teas -- this part of the menu has a lot of varied, specifically-chosen-looking entries, which, however, I've never sampled from. They also sell beans. I've seen Stumptown for sale there in the past, and I think they also sell the roasts they're currently brewing. As mentioned elsewhere, they offer pastries and cookies, whimsically priced. Also granola and (I think) yogurt. Also wifi, much-discussed. Seating: several tall tables fit for two, one ("normal height") round table fit for one or two more, and several more single-looking tall chairs right up by the "bar" and also by the window (where there is a shallow shelf to set your drink and anything book-sized thing you may have brought along). In warm weather, there are two tables-for-two out on the sidewalk. The music is audible but never obtrusive, often funky enough that I find myself groovin' to the beat. Last time I was there I heard several tracks from the too-well-known-to-not-be-cliché-but-come-on-it's-Miles-Davis "Kind of Blue." Re "attitudes": My interactions with the people behind the bar have been consistently good-natured, sometimes humorous, and that's what I've seen with other customers too. The only attitude I've ever noticed in Café Fixe -- and I'm a regular, so I've had plenty of chances to observe -- was brought in by a customer, and the barista was gracious and patient (alas, yes, these qualities were called for) in giving an informative answer to someone who in the end refused to accept that the person preparing the coffee might know something about it. Too bad! The very fact that Café Fixe focuses on its coffee to the point that it inspires coffee-themed conversations is a big plus in my book. You don't go to Dunkin, Panera, or even (usually) Starbucks and say: "my oh my, what DO you have in the grinder today?" Café Fixe offers a specialty product (kind of like its neighbors, running shoes on one side, nails on the other -- or like a barber shop, or a cigar shop?) rather than a one-stop amusement park experience. It's understandable that some people might be confused by this, since Café Fixe represents only one of the various kinds of café to be found in the world, but I think that the minimalistic ethos of the place -- reflected in what has been perceived by some other reviewers as too much restraint regarding: seating, laptop plugins and wifi, decor, chattiness at the counter, available selection of coffee snacks -- is actually meant to make room for the sublime moment when you bring the coffee to your face. read more

See all

Top-notch coffee, yummy pastries, cool atmosphere. I stopped by today and got the espresso tonic - delicious! Highly recommended.

Too small. Too pricey. They don't take debit cards. Snotty snotty little precious Brookline kind of place. But I'm just going to rate the coffee and the cortado was outstanding. MMMMMM. You know how I am about my espresso by now--5 stars for that excellent cortado and cappuccino. read more

Three days ago or so on a snow day, my wife and I were walking around. We got excited to see this place open. We are new to the neighborhood, so we were even more excited to walk and find a nice atmosphere. However, our excitement were faced by a stone-cold barista. I thought that's allright. Then I asked the barista what he has available for single cup pour over, he started listing the options but before he finished he looked at me and said "I really don't want to make one. I didn't make one all day and I don't want to dirt the equipment for one customer" I thought that was really poor customer service. We will never go back. read more

Alright, here's my take on Cafe Fixe. I feel like I have a unique perspective as I was one of their first customers the day they opened, before moving away for a while, and then coming back and trying them again Is it a tick pretentious? Sure. Have I ever thought some of the baristas can be a bit rude if you attempt to order anything differently than how they like to prepare it? Sure. Is it the best coffee I've ever had? Not quite, but please keep reading. This is the best *domestic* latte I've ever had. It was eight or nine years ago, it still is now. I think the only places I've had a better espresso drink are in Italy and Austria, and even then, the quality (given those countries' reputation as it relates to coffee) is closer than you'd think. Yes, the occasional rudeness from some employees at Cafe Fixe can be off-putting (if you experience it). With that said, I think it comes from a place where they genuinely want you to try their espresso drinks their way, as they know they have a really, really high-quality product and want you to experience it at its best. Unless times have changed significantly in the last half decade or so within the Boston coffee scene (and it very well may have), I'm pretty sure this is the best espresso drink in town, if not all of New England (though Providence has some nice places as well). Certainly in the Brookline/Allston area. Go in and just order a straight latte. Don't try to f*ck with it. Just order a regular, whole milk latte, then them do their thing. If you truly love bold (without tasting burnt), smooth, somewhat creamy espresso drinks, you won't be disappointed. read more

Cute European style cafe in the center of Washington Square! Great place to people watch and relax. The soy latte is delicious and comes with a fun design. Definitely coffee you'd find in Europe. It's strong and unsweetened. If you're used to Starbucks, make sure to grab sugar for your coffee. read more

Café Fixe - Soy Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

There is an art to making the perfect cup of coffee, or the perfect espresso. This art takes time, attentiveness, and patience. This art requires the mastery of balancing simplicity, and complexity. If there is a place in Boston where this art, if not wholly achieved, is certainly strived for to the fullest extend, then that place is Cafe Fixe. I have to address other reviews of this establishment. There are complaints of rude customer service; of an apparent lack of food; of "twangy and piercing" jazz. The focus of Cafe Fixe is not to create a feel-good, let's-chat-with-the-baristas-about-my-feelings-and-pretend-we're-best-friends atmosphere. Yeah, I agree: the owner isn't what one would describe as a social butterfly. Is that somehow his responsibility? Yes, the jazz is often more avant-garde than your average Starbucks; yet every time I've sat down, and enjoyed a conversation with a good friend (whilst loving the jazz, so I hope that never goes away), never once did the music intrude. And yes, the selection of foodstuffs is minimal. So is the menu. A cafe doesn't need an overload of food to make it good; in addition, the food that they do carry is quite satisfying. If you are disappointed by a lack of mocha-choca-latta-extra-pump coffee nonsense, then you shouldn't have come here in the first place. However, if you want to truly steep yourself in the glories of just really excellent coffee, definitely stop by. You won't be disappointed. read more

Café Fixe - "Guest espresso..." Literally perfection - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

The cortado I had was top notch. The space was tidy and chill. The music in the background was cool. This is a great spot!

As a coffee aficionado, this place has the best pull of espresso in the greater Boston area. If I could, I would go here every day! It's a no nonsense type of place that has a very clean and professional space. Most of the time, they play jazz standards in the background, completing the ambiance. As far as food goes, the pastries are absolutely solid. I recommend getting the almond croissant or the Burke's(my personal favorite)! If you buy a bag of coffee, as a bonus you can get a free drink with it. If you want to switch it up with your coffee beverage, see what the guest espresso beans are for the day and get it! Either with your usual milk combinations or straight up. One thing I want to add is that the owner can come across as condescending if you order a drink that is not on the menu. They might come across as a coffee snob, to which I say, they've freaking earned it! They're doing their part in giving people the best espresso from the finest local roasters in Boston. So get your delicious coffee and don't take yourself too seriously! read more

Well, I have never been treated like a pease if garbage until I walked in to the Cafe. It was the worst experiences my life. The guy behind the counter was the rudest person I have ever encountered. Omg. read more

I had heard about this place from a friend who lives in the area, and since I'm always up for discovering new coffee places / cafes, I decided to give this a shot. We went later in the evening on a snowy day. While it was quiet, there was a steady flow of people who came in and out, and some who stayed. I got a soy hot cocoa, while the Tall Man got a pourover. My cocoa was rich and smooth, chocolaty without being too sweet. The pourover was quite good as well. Later when we got a bit snacky, we picked up granola and a brioche roll -- both were tasty. Plus there was a gluten-free and vegan option for granola, which I appreciated. While I was told by the owner that credit cards could only be used for purchases $10 or more, I didn't get a dose of attitude like other reviewers had. (Maybe it was a good day?) Yes, he was austere, but not rude. I enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere of the modern interior and felt this was a place I could come back to if back in the area. No, it's not a cozy feel good place, but it's calm and serves up a good cuppa. read more

This cafe is okay. There needs to be more choices for non-dairy drinkers! Also, the pink haired barista makes a good coffee but I don't need to hear about her pancreas and life story of insulin. Her voice reverberated around the coffee shop, at least 10 people left because of it. read more

Strong iced coffee & friendly staff. Very Covid friendly & clean. Saw some reviews about cash minimum not sure if they are doing this right now. read more

I have been buying my coffee bean here for the last few years, and always want to support the local small business. But the last experience at the store was horrible. The guy works there was using very uncomfortable words to me. I will not going back there again. This is not how you treat your regular customers. Very disappointed! read more

I live in Washington sq and I have checked Athens, Starbucks and DD. I love Israeli/European coffee and this is the only place that actually brings me close to the taste I know. I'm giving you 3 stars because a business is not only its coffee but it's customer service. It takes you 10 min to make a coffee and if this place had better service it would have been my number one choice read more

Café Fixe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

Coffee is okay but the owner/staff has some sort of ego issues. First time I thought may be its not his day, but on my second visit, the same experience! Asked me to take my headphones off - I mean seriously??! There are plenty of other options around... nope, not going again! read more

Spent way too much on americanos and then got questioned by a condescending male staff member upon using the restroom. No apology after realizing his mistake. Do not recommend. read more

Based on the mixed reviews for this place, I really wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. The interior was warm and sunny, which was welcome for me since I visited on one of the coldest days of the year. There's a sign up front requesting that customers pay in cash, which I did. The baristas seemed nice as well. I ordered a latte, which was fantastic, and a coffee cake muffin, which I enjoyed as well (though I'm not sure I would've classified it as coffee cake). A few times I watched the barista make a drink, and she was very meticulous in every part of the process. It showed in the quality of the drinks. This is the kind of place I'll come when I need to write undisturbed, like I did today. There's no wifi, which was a plus for me since I didn't have the temptation to connect. It's definitely not a place to bring a large group, or to work for a long time, but it's perfect for what it is. read more