Recently, the city of Detroit began to see more and more coffee shops pop up with fancy names and fancier menues. But unlike those places where lattes cost more than the hourly wage of the employees, Cafe 1923 has always been true to what a coffee shop ought to represent. A neighborhood hangout, without fuss and pretense. Good coffee, a jar to pay for your refills, a stage for local performers, a library and hang out place in the backroom, and an unmistakable sense of community and belonging. read more

Great place for coffee and chill. Found this place while traveling through town in Michigan. I ordered the Michigan cherry roast in a french press! It has a distinct cherry flavor and aroma. Would recommend this place to others!! Very cute and charming. read more

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I love their drinks here. I also love that the servers give it a friendly small town feel. I love the bookshelves and old timey feel the place has. I sure hope the place stays open. I love how quiet yet relaxed this place is. This is a great place for an introvert to go to. read more

Service was friendly. They were very busy, but very apologetic for any delay. Sandwiches and coffee were both outstanding.

This is my favorite favorite FAVORITE cafe!! Such homey and comfortable vibes. I love that there's three separate sections, which is great for long days because I definitely need a change of scenery. There's always friendly people (and sometimes dogs) here, and lots of great books to read! read more

First visit to this local Hamtramck coffee shop. I love to see how this house has been converted into a cafe. The coffee was very good. I also had a cheese danish. I don't think it was made on site, but it was very good. They had the normal assortment of cafe type foods. Great place to get some work done. Or, read a book. Multiple rooms with different seating. I loved the jazz playing in the background. The service was friendly. read more

Cafe 1923 - a car parked in front of a coffee shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

I love the patio here, it's so calming, a great place to relax. The coffee is great too and good service! Love the vanilla cappuccino

The last time I visited Cafe 1923 was in 2006. I was surprised to see that 16 years later, this coffee shop still looks pretty much the same, making me feel nostalgic. It's a great place to get some work done, and the decor is fabulous. Today, I ordered the Chai Latte, Caramel Coffee, and French Vanilla Latte. All three tasted great! read more

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What a gem! Loved this historical coffee shop inside this old general store. From the scale to the wood it is a beauty. The Barista was wonderful, did catch his name but he was so personable and informative ...just great place with service, ambiance and Chai tea was spot on! read more

Cafe 1923 - A group of Milford and Novi folks returning to our roots - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

I love working from this cafe! They have a decent amount of seating, never too busy or load, lots of outlets, and reallyyyy good coffee. It's definitely on the sweeter side though, so maybe ask for less pumps of flavor or something if you don't have a big sweet tooth. I get the snickers latte, highly recommend, but a little too sweet admittedly. The interior aesthetic in the second half of the cafe is really cool too, with a library. I only took a video so apologies for the blurry picture, but should give an idea of the space. read more

Cafe 1923 - Snickers Latte and coffee cake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

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We tried a latte and iced coffee. The iced coffee was weak and the latte was nothing great. I will say that it's a great spot if you are looking for somewhere to study, read, or meet up with a lot of people. Large space with plenty of seats and on a street that has plenty of parking. read more

Sip and savor. Read and relax. Cafe 1923 has all the coffeehouse feels. Located in a house converted into a peaceful haven on Holbrook in Hamtramck, this place is as close to coffee house perfection as it gets. The only drawback is the limited street parking out front which is pretty typical for this area. When you walk in you quickly notice the cozy atmosphere. There are tables and chairs to the right and the friendliest of baristas behind the counter on the left. A glass case displays muffins and pastries along with salads and freshly made wraps. A big white board menu overhead describes all of the many varieties of scrumptious coffee, tea and frappe options. My coworker and I decided to stop in for lunch one midday during the week. After taking our order, the barista told us to be sure to check out all of the rooms in the house to be sure that we found a cozy spot to enjoy our choices. We walked into the next room which featured floor to ceiling book cases and overstuffed arm chairs making up the obviously pet-friendly "library". Next was a small sitting room which led through the back door to a quaint patio space decked out with chairs and tables. After the walk through tour we settled for a space in the front room near the entrance. Our order of ham and pepperjack, and turkey and pesto wraps were ready along with the best part -- our snickers lattes (YUM!) flavored with chocolate, hazelnut and caramel and topped with mile high whipped cream. It is also customary at the cafe to clear your own table by placing your dishes in the dish room. The free wifi made this the perfect place to get some work done while we were taking a break away from the office. Now that we have discovered Cafe 1923, we will definitely be visiting often. read more

Dope place, lots of places to sit inside and outside. When I went there were people in the corner debating unionization and other lefty political views. It was amazing to hear people talking about what's going on in our world. I got a ham and cheese wrap ( 1/2) it was delicious, pretty simple but good. I also got a latte which was tasty. The line was long as there was only 1 employee making the drinks but it was a nice enough ambiance to forget about it. read more

This place is great because it's in a great location and has excellent vibes and seating. But their food and drinks could use some work. For some reason, the baristas don't let you pay until they've made your drink which means that you're waiting at the counter for a long time. The food is mostly repackaged Kroger or Costco stuff, which is nice because it's cheap, but doesn't really give you the hipster coffee shop experience you can enjoy elsewhere. Except for the Rocco's pasta salad, it's basically stuff people already have at home -- they food isn't a draw, more so a convenience like a vending machine. And maybe that's by design? The staff are very nice and it's a great neighborhood spot. Just the food and drink situation could use some work -- I think if they improved that they'd be able to siphon off more of Kitab's business. Also, it would be great if they had more vegetarian sandwich options that weren't self-serve bagels. read more

Rating this a 5/5 for the aesthetic. It was beautifully decorated and I would love to come back and actually try the coffee. Unfortunately, I went on the worst date of my life here. First off, the guy showed up with a mustache I had not been warned about. He seemed totally bored and would not engage at all, so I had to carry the whole conversation. His favorite movie was "American Psycho" and when asked what he watched on tv he said "hbo shows". Real descriptive. He bought me a strawberry pop tart which I anxiously ate bit by bit. read more

Lovely little place. I've been wanting to find a place that was a chill little coffee shop, and this place has that and a great amount of street parking. The drip coffee was hot and the pricing was extremely reasonable! Had a bag of Better Made chips with a Chicken Salad Wrap that was perfect for a little lunch, though I found myself wishing there were breakfast items on the menu other than plain bagels and baked goods. But that's just wishful thinking, they're a small business and sometimes that means you keep it simple. So no worries there. I can't wait to come back and chill in their walk in Little Free Library (aka the big back room with a wall of books). read more

Went here for lunch with a coworker. They have a nice selection of snacks and lunch food. I had the lentil stew made by the local Buddhist temple down the street and it was hearty and delicious! The cappuccino was pretty good too. read more

Cafe 1923 - Lentil stew and cappuccino with soy milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

Awesome little ol' fashion cafe. The coffee is great and the baristas have great service. There are a ton of seating options in 3 rooms and a patio out back. Each room feels like a different experience. read more

A nice coffee place to grab a cup of coffee and study. They close early on Sunday which is a downer. read more

Cafe 1923 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

Very nice little shop. Always quiet and the people are friendly. Love the old decor. I go there often now

Perfect place for coffee/tea plus working space and wifi. Walkable from anywhere in Hamtramck

A short stop to do some work. Based in a what appears to be an old store and/or home sits this little coffee shop. The front half of the cafe is the coffee shop with barista counter and plenty of more "business" oriented seating for you to do homework and like things. Plenty of seating for when the business sets in, though while I was there it was quite slow and maybe only five customers at the one moment sitting in. The back portion on the shop is more of a home feel. With softer more comfortable chairs, it is easier to sit back and relax while you enjoy your coffee or other caffeinated beverage. A closed off staircase leads up to what i can only guess to be living quarters. The nitty gritty: Though there wasn't any grounds left in the bottom thankfully, the latte lacked a sort of precise flavor and was completely generic in taste. The milk had good body to support that lack of espresso fullness, and completed the drink at just an okay level. It fits the theme of the whole building and business, as a good spot for a coffee that is more craft than your chain places, yet not trying to fight the higher quality locations with much greater espresso and coffee. Stop by and enjoy it for what it is, a reclaimed piece of history sitting in an older building/location maintaining a easy-going coffee shop providing caffeine to us and those who enjoy just the flavor of something different from time to time. Signed, Empty Cup Reviews. read more

This might be the best coffeeshop in Detroit proper* for people who want to actually do the coffeeshop thing, and feel (rightly) that they are too local, organic, and grassroots to spend their time in a Starbucks or Caribou. You can definitely get some good coffee here, plonk down, and read/study/debate Sartre/discuss Jersey Shore until your heart's content. There are a couple of caveats for people who might come from a more coffeeshop-centered culture, and so might have some slightly unrealistic expectations. The place is not huge. And by that, I mean that it's fairly small. The main space is comprised of a front and a back room, each of which probably comfortably seat maybe 10-15 folks, if those folks wanted to be packed together and chillin with strangers, which they probably don't. The second warning is that there is a premium of comfortable seating, which is all concentrated in the back. Now I, like the next man, struggle on an almost daily basis with the issue of whether to sit in a comfortable upholstered chair or a wooden chair, when I'm in a coffeeshop. The upholstered chair is inevitably filthy (even when you can't see it... just use your imagination), but oh so comfy. The wooden chair is marginally more clean, but oh so wooden. I usually break the tie based on how much skin is exposed on that day. And, in a close second consideration, how long it is until my next yoga class. Nonetheless, I like to have the choice. At 1923, sometimes that choice is taken out of my hands. But, overall, good spot. And awesome staff. * yes, yes, I know that it's in Hamtramck. Whatever. read more

The building, built in 1923 by polish immigrants Paul and Bernice Zukowski was originally a corner store. The front served as the grocery store while the back was a soda fountain. Now owned by the 4th generation of the Zukowski's it is BEAUTIFULLY restored with oak shelving, a wooden cooler, brass meat scale and an old ceiling. Their library is great--full of great books and so wonderfully cozy. They have some crazy drinks including Snicker's and Peppermint Lattes (ooooh I'll have to come back to try those) and a friendly staff. I opted for some green tea though which is in a thermos to the side along with their other coffees. Refills are based on the honor code! .25 cents! -Green Tea: brewed just strong enough! Finally--no one brews tea long enough for me. It's nice FINAL VERDICT: definitely grab a good book or something that will take you hours to do and head over here for a cozy afternoon. It's literally the only decent place around--old-school and homey. They got sandwiches to satisfy your hunger. see blog post + pictures: http://www.where2dowhat.com/eatdetroit/2014/2/15/cafe-1923 read more

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After a sleepless night at The Bell Tower I was in some dire need of coffee. Thank goodness my first meeting of the morning was scheduled at Cafe 1923. As soon as we walked in I ordered my usual non fat latte with sugar free vanilla syrup. It's worth noting that they had lots of other syrups to choose from, but when it comes to sugar free the only options were vanilla and hazelnut. While placing my order I realized my stomach was growling, which I didn't think would ever happen again after stuffing my belly to the max at Slow's BAR-BQ the night before. Cafe 1923 had a few food items to choose from. The sandwiches didn't look too appetizing, but the larger-than-my-head muffins were calling my name. I settled on the apple muffin and it tasted as good as dessert! It also did a good job of filling me up because I didn't eat again for 5 hours...may just be the longest I've ever gone! Unfortunately, our meeting ended up being canceled, but Cafe 1923 ended up being a good place to get some work done. Probably not the ideal spot for a conference call though because it got a wee bit noisy during my hour long call. But if you're looking to set up shop, grab a cup of coffee, and eat a GIANT muffin this is the place! read more

My favorite coffee shop in Detroit. Cafe 1923 isn't just some hipster cafe, it's an authentic coffee shop with a community feel and good vibes. I can't wait for it to open again once COVID has passed. read more

My experience here has been good until today when the lady took order was very rude to me and rolled her eyes at me because I was taken my time to order my food and drinks what the hell kind of treatment is this, I work for my pay check too and I don't treat my guest like this. I can't believe this woman who thinks she getting a tip from me and that makes feel uncomfortable. I'm like wow how horrible this is. I've learned manners really go along way when I was grow up we learn respect each other, I really love this place but people suck here really have bad attitudes, I am shocked how poorly missed treat I was! I am coming back but I want to talk with the owner. read more

I fell in love at first sip! Old school no frills great coffee awesome Atmosphere keep it up! I will be back, the paramedic out! :-)

Great place for a cup of Joe and to relax. Nice little hipster place with a small library in the back. Not that big so you can't make that much noise, so you should probably setup early if you are meeting a group. People can bring their dogs in there which I don't like. My biggest gripe with the place is their smoothies. Hamtramck has so many organic food spots that I didn't expect to get a smoothie full of ice and syrup with no actual fruit. Not only was it not a real smoothie, but it wasn't good. You should probably consider removing it from your menu. read more

Cafe 1923 - All yeah!!!! Honey Firecracker Shrimp - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

Turn-of-the-century charm takes a nosedive into contemporary working class Hamtramck at Cafe 1923, and oh, do I love this joint. One of the main reasons I love this place is that it offers indoor smoking, so you may not! Smoking is allowed in a inviting back room full of books and kitsch. I love smoking, books, and kitsch, so it's more comfortable than my own apartment. In the summers, the cafe offers an adorable outdoor courtyard. The front parlor of the cafe has beautiful hardwood floors, art from HATCH, a Hamtramck arts collective, and a gorgeous bar counter fashioned from a neighborhood bowling alley lane. The cafe's original freezer room, dry goods drawers, and classic ornate ceiling survived. This ain't no brand new Starbucks, the building's been around. The brewed coffee's a bit weak if you're a burn-your-tastebuds coffee drinker like me, so I go with Americanos here. Baristas are nice, owners quirky, regulars quirkier, and prices right. Only open until 9 pm M-F and 7 pm Saturday and Sunday, as long as you've got good evening plans, this cafe is perfect. Wifi, of course. Several reviews complained about 1923 not accepting credit cards. Look, folks, need I repeat: this is not Starbucks. Also, this is Detroit. Very few small local businesses are going to deal with credit card fees and hassle for your $3 latte. Prices are cheaper at local joints like 1923, so save a buck, and pony up at the ATM. read more

As you may have gathered from my other reviews, I'm not much of a coffee drinker. But hey, I love coffee shops. I love the smell of coffee, I love tea, and I love snacks. I also, in a more practical vein, also often need a place to camp out for a few hours and work. For this, Cafe 1923 was perfect. The barista was really friendly and the crowd was pretty much tied up in their work, quiet and satisfied. My coworker Andrea and I ended up here the other day because we had a meeting. Fate intervened, and the meeting was not to be (that day, a least), but we still had a great lil' place to do some work. While Andrea got her caffeine fix, I sipped some lovely tea and nibbled on a ginormous muffin. 'Member that part where I said that I love snacks? The muffin went almost beyond snack, to almost a meal! This was good, as it tided me over until dinnertime. I honestly just wish this place had been open a few years ago when I lived less than 2 blocks away! Cash only, so just make sure you've got some on ya. read more

This is the place to go if you are wanting to know what's happening in the city of Hamtramck. You have lifelong residency in the senior plaza down the street; they have great storytelling tales. Along with returning residents who have historically great tales to share with whom ever will listen. The best are the young very diverse new residents who will be lucky enough to continue the history of the wonderful city. The best part of of growing up in hamtramck is, you are allowed to be kids. I Love this place, + the .25 refill. read more

Fantastic coffee that they roast in-house (the Michigan Cherry is my favorite! Even just the aroma....mmmmmm..... Cafe 1923 seems to be the great denominating spot for all of the beautiful, diverse people that live in Hamtramck (and quite a few not from Hamtown, but go out of there way to come here anyway!). All ages, ethnicities, and styles are found here - from the young artistic crowd to the old man reading the newspaper. They have a nice selection of sandwiches, salads, and baked goods, and the prices are reasonable. It's a very laid back, home-like atmosphere...which can lead to the service being a little less than speedy. Still, 1923 is worth the wait. :) read more

Been meaning to check this place out for a while and I'm glad I did. Very chill, laidback atmosphere and affordable quality drinks as well as food. I particularly like the apple maple muffin I got. The building is beautiful and historic. I'll be back again soon. read more

Cafe 1923 - Apple maple muffin - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

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I sat here for approximately....9 hours. 9 blissful, independently brewed hours. Sipping Michigan Cherry coffee (delightful, though I think I OD'ed, and thus will never be able to drink it again), sinking into the weathered, comfortable couches. It smells of books. The front area has a line of small tables, most conducive to one person per table paired with a laptop. They are quite close together. This area houses the barristas (oh! the lovely barristas!), food, coffee and front door. The middle area is more spread out with lower tables, couches, scattered lounge chairs. More available for longer courses of coffee shopping. It also has a door. Lots of escape routes! The back patio area is sparse, but will do just fine for a quick breath of air. We outlasted the morning gentlemen, who was just as sociable and sweet as the afternoon lad who came to relieve him. Both were very friendly, very willing to provide me with over 10 cups of coffee (refills are a quarter, third cup is full price, and the cyle continues). They made me a salad. I had carrots and hummus and Greek yogurt (all fairly well priced). They ran me a tab. I tipped them well. They were really quintessential coffee men. I liked it. I'll likely never return, but you should. To work. To sip. To chat. To read. It's comfortable, and happy. *Cash only *Free wifi read more

This place is simply perfect in the morning. The sunlight comes in from the east and the coffee is great. I ordered a large Americano, and my friend a large coffee - the tab was less than $5. In the era of spending three dollars alone for an Americano from Starbucks, this is awesome. It is a converted dry goods store, complete with the monstrous weighing contraption to the right of the register. The service is friendly. There are moist baked goods and oatmeal. And there is a large sitting area in an adjoining room with very comfortable seating. I'll be back here when visiting my pal Froh. read more

Comfy chairs, $5 sandwiches, and tons of space for wifi'ing. There's a cafe area with tables and chairs, or a more loungey space with couches and pillows. And pierogies are only steps away. read more

Really nice cozy community space. Came here for a little discussion group on Nonviolent Communication. They've got beverages, vegan meal options via living zen organics, and some dessert bread that I don't think was vegan. My time was limited so I can't really go in depth as much, but I like that it has a like library space where you can organize and have discussion. read more

Hamtramck's signature coffee shop offers an extension of the shabby post-grunge vibe broadly characteristic of metro Detroit's most interesting and active enclave. With perfectly acceptable prices on a solid variety of brews, as well as smartly chosen imported baked goods (coupled with home-prepared lunch offerings I have yet to try), Cafe 1923 does well enough in comestibles and potables on its own. Beyond that, it's not quite clear which direction the coffee shop is trying to go...much like the uncertain future of Hamtramck itself. (Is The Ham going to become America's greatest hipster hideaway? An immigrant mecca? A preserved Polaroid of postwar Polonia? All of the above at the same time?) Cafe 1923's front room is a restored pharmacy or something like it, while the back room looks more like a tired old reading lounge. It's not quite sprightly enough to feel urban, and not cerebral enough to feel collegiate. It's tired, and the staff, while cordial enough, never show enough élan to be called "friendly". While music is always playing in the background, the place still feels sedate and quiet, as through it's inappropriate to carry on a real conversation...even though nothing would prohibit it. In the end, the place succeeds, thanks to adequate plug outlets and respectable wifi, at being a great place to get work done. And sip some pretty good coffee. A winter hideway. Cafe 1923 is just a comfy pair of threadbare winter woolen socks. read more

So I promised to upgrade this puppy to 4-stars once the smoking ban took effect, and I'm here to honor that promise. My more comprehensive review can be found in my early commentary - it all stands. But NOW, it's smoke-free entirely, and just got so much better. Amazing place to kill a few hours in a comfy chair in a very cool library reading room drinking excellent bevs. Super place! read more