I have always been a fan of this business. The vibe is Bohemian rockstar and super welcoming to all. Go up the stairs to the second floor where you can purchase records. Continue up to the fourth floor, where there is an outdoor patio for those sunny days in Seattle. They make their own cashew milk which created one of the best lattes I have ever had--no syrup or sweetener needed due to dates they add. I'll definitely be back. read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

My best friend and I were practically falling asleep and needed some quick caffeine. Empire was right around the corner of our breakfast spot and intrigued us with their specialty drinks. We came on a quiet weekday morning. The coffee shop also operates as a record store, which is upstairs. There's seating on the first floor and outdoors as well. The cafe has a hipster vibe with the artwork and ambiance. We found the service to be curt and not too welcoming, but the drinks were made quickly! We had The Ivy. It's made of cashew and oat milk. It was our first time having cashew milk and the drink was nutty! It was soothing, warm, and cinnamony. Recommend this. Empire Roasters and Records offers a unique space for coffee and music lovers. A different vibe with cool drinks! It's located on S Edmunds St. in Columbia City. read more

Empire Roasters & Records - The Ivy - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Base floor was busy but they have more seating on third floor and it was an incredible vibe - wonderful music, well lit, cozy chairs. I had the cardamom latte and it was really delicious. They also have a record store (mostly new) on second floor. read more

This is one of the coziest place in Columbia City to come for coffee or to write. The two of us came here to write. My friend ordered an oat milk vegan hot chocolate and I had a jasmine iced tea. The waffles with bananas were appealing but there was a deadline to focus on so took an apple turnover instead. It was tasty. Walk up the stairs if the first floor is filled up and you'll find yourself in a Wonderland of records. The music is playing kind of loud but you still go up to the third floor because there's comfortable seating there. There's also an arcade game that you can play. $.25 the sign says. Just wish it opened longer than 5pm. read more

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Sunday trip to Empire Roasters and Records reminded me what a fun experience it is. Waffles,coffee,records all in one trip. There's also way more seating than it looks like! The third floor above the records and rooftop also have seating! There is sometimes a line but they work hard to keep it moving and get- check out the records while you wait. read more

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Lovely coffee shop! They have wifi and plenty of seating of 4 floors. I got a vanilla latte w/cashew milk which I personally didn't enjoy. This was my first time trying cashew milk though! I would come back here again though to try other drinks and because I loved the interior, music, and vibes. read more

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Empire has all the vibes. From the 1st to 3rd floor. I enjoyed my maple and sage latte. I know I know but trust me it's great. And I enjoyed having a meeting here in the heart of Columbia City. If you need great coffee and a vibey place to work, look no further than ER&R! read more

Glad that Empire is still here. Solid little spot with a unique set up. I typically get the cayenne mocha here because it's really good, just spicy enough. I opted for the new vampire mocha (oatmilk, homemade cherry syrup, mocha) and added cayenne to it. It was sweet, spicy and probably one of the best specialty coffees I've had this year. Thank you to the barista who recommended it, I know what my new go to will be here. read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Vampire mocha add cayenne - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Excellent coffee from really talented and friendly baristas. The waffles are incredible. They are so light yet buttery, perfectly crisp, and sweet that I keep ordering them, even though I get the sense they're a bit of a production. Worth it every time. I'm mostly teasing, but stop making such good waffles and I'll stop ordering them. Also do yourself a favor and check out their record selection too. It's always a challenge for me to not walk away with at least one new record. Okay and one last thing! If the weather is nice, sit on their rooftop patio!! read more

A very laid back coffee shop with interesting seating options from outdoor to the rooftop! It even has a record store in the upper floor. The special coffee drink The Affleck, hard to compare it with the actor though, was refreshing topped with whipped cream. And not too sweet. Waffles and bagels are also served for breakfast and a quick lunch. read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Seating options are available throughout the cafe from outside to the rooftop! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Grab a drink, find a lovely seat near the record player, and just chill for a bit. I like the vibes of the coffee shop. The downstairs is pretty intimate with the baristas, I feel like I'm always up close and personal to what they're doing behind the counter. I came in when they first put the homemade pumpkin spice latte on their menu and they asked for my honest opinion. Look at that customer satisfaction y'all! Anyways, I liked the pumpkin flavor but needed a bit more spice or ginger. So they added some spice to the top and it was lovely! You can even stop by the second floor on your way to the third floor (seating) to shop for some records. Overall a chill place to take a seat and do some work or read a book or listen to records. read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Pumpkin spice latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Let's talk about the cashew milk here ! That was the most creamy and delicious cashew milk cappuccino I have ever had ! I even thought about switching to cashew milk after I tasted the cashew milk here. It is sweetened with dates and it had a great flavor. The best part is the milk is made fresh at the store. I sat in the patio in the ground floor. But I missed that there were two more floors above which had ample of seating. The staff were friendly and super attentive. Overall a great place and I would definitely go back again for coffee. I was kind of disappointed with the vegan waffles as it tasted very bland but the coffee was too good that it didn't feel too bad about the waffle read more

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Very cool and authentic hipster-y feel with DELICIOUS house-made cashew milk used to make DELICIOUS and unique drinks (with flavours like cardamom, sage, rosemary, and thyme). read more

For coffee in Columbia City, most everyone will head over to Olympia Coffee, which is cool, but it's not the best. And trust me when I say, I am from Olympia and have nothin' but love for my hometown. But Empire Roasters & Records is sooo much better for coffee and more in Columbia City. I was in the area for a meeting, and wanted to find a place to work at for the remainder of the day. I headed over to Olympia Coffee after my meeting until I saw an A-frame sign that told me to head right on a residential street for what is called Empire Roasters & Records. I visited in the afternoon on a Tuesday and was warmly greeted by the barista, Alexis. She couldn't have been sweeter. I heard a rumor that Empire makes their own cashew milk, which Alexis confirmed. She let me try a sample of the cashew milk, which is sweetened with dates. And let me tell you, it's definitely worth trying! It is sweet from the dates and is creamy. I ordered an iced cashew milk latte and was told to head upstairs for additional seating and a records store. The second floor of this awesome shop is a records store. You can browse through the records here or head up another flight of stairs to the third floor where most everyone was. In addition to seating and tables for working and lounging, there's also an arcade machine here. However, the fun doesn't stop here. You can head to the rooftop for more seating and sun (when it's out, duh). I ended up finding a spot on the third floor to do some work. Empire has secured, free wifi, and I even saw multiple people taking video calls from here. This is great spot to work from in Columbia City. But even if I don't need a place to work, Empire Roasters & Records is now my go to spot for coffee and cool people whenever I'm in Columbia City. Plus, they have waffles, which I need to try soon! read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Records for sale - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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love the americano and gf banana bread the patio seating is so nice and the employees are the best! read more

Empire Roasters & Records - americano, mocha, waffle, banana bread - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

A great coffee shop in the neighborhood! It might get less foot traffic bc it's off the main road, but I always try to stop there when I can. I get a matcha oat milk latte, and ask for lavender syrup to be added when it's available. The next part is the upstairs! There's a record store on the second floor and then really cozy seating in the third floor! There's even access to the balcony/roof if you want to be outside. It took me a few visits before I realized this other upstairs seating existed. It's honestly the perfect spot to hang out with a warm drink on a drizzly Seattle day. read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Upstairs seating! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This place is adorable. Very small first floor but they have dining in the back if inside is full. Waffles were good and the drinks were fantastic. Didn't make it upstairs but it was a great stop. read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Berry compote waffle and real maple syrup waffle. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Super cute coffee shop!! I wanted to go to my all-time favourite shop but the line was bursting out the door so I asked Yelp for a second choice and ended up here. Mostly easy street parking (it's Seattle, you know what ya signed up for when ya drove!) and a very easy to find shop. Coffee downstairs and records upstairs. The employees were both super friendly and the place smelled like delicious waffles. The coffee I got was absolutely lovely and I'd be more than happy to come back here! I asked for oat milk since that's my default, but now that I'm writing this review that they have house made cashew milk. I feel cheated now, definitely going to have to try that out in the near future! read more

Record shop is a go-to when visiting, the food is good but it's so hard to get seated within a reasonable time and honestly seating layout could be a little bit better but overall it's worth a visit for sure when visiting seattle read more

This shop is pretty decent. Cool if you like records, but does feel more like a record shop, than a coffee shop. There isn't a kitchen that I can see it, so the coffee and waffles are made in the same small area at the entrance. There is not a lot of sitting on the second floor, and none on the first floor. If you go up one additional floor, there's a rooftop, to see the light of day, but it only has two tables so if you're not early, you might not get a seat. The coffee options are mostly hot and basic There wasn't anything that was made to be cold outside of a cold brew. Overall, the coffee is decent if you like a record store kind of vibe. I wouldn't say this is really a working coffee shop and it doesn't get any sunlight unless you're on the roof. Definitely not a go to for me but I've been there once. read more

Friendly and comfortable coffee shop with delicious waffles. It feels more comfortable than Olympia Coffee next door.b The only thing I would suggest is that they revise their website to be more accurate. The prices for waffles on the website don't exactly match the prices listed in the store. Also the seats look nice aesthetically but they are not very comfortable. read more

Really cute place with lots of option for seating and a homey vibe! Great chai latte from kind baristas :) Perfect place to study out catch up with some friends read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Third floor - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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No waffles. Website and help page show waffles on menu. Counter person said they don't serve waffles anymore. Wanted to try the great coffee drinks, but frankly I was hungry and didn't want to go 2 places. Someday I'll try it and update my review but in the meantime... Take waffles off the yelp page and your website. read more

Have walked by this place a handful of times while venturing around Columbia City, and finally was around when they were open! Cute and cozy multistory cafe and record shop in what I think is a townhome. First floor is the coffee shop with limited seating. Ordered a macchiato (not the one with caramel, lol) and it was great. Second floor is a record shop with a pretty good selection for my music tastes! Everything from the uber mainstream to some lesser known artists (see Karate). Third floor was more seating, looks like a good spot to get some light work done but nothing that requires too much concentration since there is an arcade game in the corner. Top floor is an outdoor roof, which is small and quaint. It was raining and windy when I went, but I bet it's lovely during the summer. Definitely going to come back and try their americano and get some light work done ;) read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Seating - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Great spot! Not only was the coffee great but the record store is so much fun. Not to mention the view at the top level is gorgeous!

Came here to get the first coffee of the day. I got the indie and it tasted good with the homemade cardamom syrup. Did not get to check out the record store but I would come back again if I am in the area. read more

I've been coming here for years and am never disappointed! Coffee is always delicious and staff are friendly. They have fun specialty drinks that actually taste like something (one of my common complaints is that a lot of specialty coffees don't taste as advertised) and I love that they offer waffles as well as standard baked goods. It's a small space so that can be an issue during busier times but I've never had a problem getting a spot even during rushes. Love that they also sell records, feels very Seattle to me. read more

Absolutely awesome coffee. I had The Andie, with house made brown sugar syrup. Downstairs can be crowded, but one level up is the record store, then third level is seating, and fourth is the deck. So the place is huge and the coffee is perfect. Bathroom sparkling clean. Totally recommend. read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Good coffee. Would definitely go back. Ordered a mocha with oat milk. Solid. Staff was friendly. Also ordered two drinks for friends. Price was reasonable. They didn't do the best job of washing hands before making drinks. But they did not touch the cap of the drink. I did that part so wasn't too bad. As I mentioned before I would go back and recommend as the drink was flavorful. read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Coffee is top notch and love the homemade cashew milk. Bakery items are decent, but would prefer the bakery over this.

This place has really yummy butter cake. The waffle was also good. It's quite a tight/claustrophobic space on the first floor but there are a couple of tables outside on the ground level as well as seating on the 3rd floor and limited tables on the roof top. There's a small record shop on the second floor. The staff were friendly. read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Waffle with berries - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The cayenne mocha was absolutely fantastic. Added delicious house-made cashew milk to it as well. The heat of the cayenne goes down like a luxurious whisky - a perfect rainy day/winter drink. Just the right amount of sweetness and dark chocolate. A nice way to start off the week. The waffles were addictive too - super buttery and had a deep, rich satisfying flavor. Popped in upstairs to check out the records too. Lovely collection, and a box with customers' orders too. I'm sad that I'm only discovering this place during covid, but I hope once times return to normal they will still be around. read more

The coffee is good. My biggest gripe was the service. I'm not sure what I did/said but their workers were very unfriendly to my wife and me. Other customers received friendly service but we were rushed to order and not thanked for our purchase so maybe we did something incorrect. read more

Empire has very cute levels to this coffee shop and the third floor vibes are a great place to chat and study. The coffee is always up to par, hot, and delicious. I also love the waffles perfect amount of crunchy and soft. The baristas are also so sweet and are willing to have lovely conversation with you. Highly recommend this cafe to anyone!!!! read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Andie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It's always a win for me when I find that nook-n-cranny type coffee shop tucked away from the main drag of a neighborhood. Delicious coffee without the uber-pretentiousness of many other shops in the Seattle metro. A small assortment of local pastries, as well as a few other small sandwiches and snacks. Free Wifi, cozy seating, and even an outdoor patio. Oh, and the weekend waffle bar? Divine. House-made waffles with a bar full of toppings, including nuts, fruits, syrups. Definitely worth a stop for weekend brunch! read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Delicious mochas on a cold day! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

As always, drinks and service is excellent! They've also opened up their seating on the 3rd floor and the rooftop, so i look forward to coming back and spending some more time here instead of grabbing my latte to go. read more

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Another coffee shop added to my Yelp reviews yay. This one was so cozy. I want to give a shout out to the employees. They seemed like such nice people.. the food looked awesome and I'm thinking they must update their menus regularly because it was all written on chalk. I want to come back, hopefully with someone to play some of the board games with upstairs. :) read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Cafe sign with hours. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Came here on a Sunday morning. Had the cappucino and the vegan panini. The cappucino was made with their housemade cashew milk. It was creamy and oh too easy to drink! Definitely could have ordered another one. The panini was made with their housemade pesto, tomato, vegan cheese, and vegan sausage. It was more than enough to be split between two people. In the best way possible, It was crispy and gooey all at the same time...the pesto did make it more oily than i enjoyed, but it was delicious nonetheless. The baristas were friendly and the environment was cozy. Plenty of seating and room to spread out. I would imagine it to be a good place to study/work. read more

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Cool place to check out. Downstairs is a coffee shop although limited food items are for purchase. Upstairs is a small record shop. Customer service was great. Coffee was a little expensive and I was disappointed they do not have sandwiches any longer. Waffles are still available. The record we purchased ended up being scratched so my daughter was super bummed about spending the $35. I don't think I will go back but it was a fun checking out some place new. read more

Empire Roasters & Records - Matcha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This cafe has a warm ambience and good seating for working or chatting. But the tables wrapping around the bar makes it feel crowded. Worse, the drip coffee was very dark and a bit (think subpar donut shop coffee). Maybe I just went on a bad day...I may give it another chance... read more