This place is very cool...very cool indeed…read more A rating of five stars, based on atmosphere alone, would be appropriate! Obviously the theme is richly macabre. The spirit of Edgar Allan Poe, and Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega version) would find themselves very much at home in Nocturnal! Fortunately, the appeal of this place goes well beyond its cool vibe. The coffee is great. It's potent. It more than satisfied my incessant desire for STRONG FLAVORS! The other drinks that I tried were excellent as well. I didn't try any pastries or other snacks, but I have to admit that they looked very tempting. At first I would have thought that this place seems a little out of place in downtown Monroe. But after coming here a few times, and checking out the very interesting crowd, I realize that I was mistaken. I'll definitely be back, and I'll bring the wife. She'll love it too. Five stars!!

What a fun place for spooky lovers! I felt like I was back in Salem, MA super fun place to grab a…read morefun coffee drink, or sit and work. Love the atmosphere and the staff were so friendly. Goths and ghouls this is the place for you! And honestly regular folk too (:

First visit to the Lotus Cafe, met a friend for coffee...we wanted to go local rather than…read moreStarbucks. Everyone was very welcoming. We had iced Lotus Lattes and later, samosas which were just the right spicy and very tasty! When the owner told us everyone loves her butter chicken, I had to get an order to go. It was very flavorful! Will definitely meet there again and plan on a meal instead of just coffee.

Was greeted by warm smiles and friendly faces when we walked in the door. After looking at the…read moremenu, which I admit, was much more than I expected, in the best way, I ordered the pumpkin chai cloud. THE BEST CHAI. I mean this, this was the best Chai I have ever tested. Spices were great but not overwhelming. The cloud cold foam OMG it deserves awards from far and near. The Samosas were large and filled with vegetables and flavor! We shared the chicken tikki masala panini and would order again.

Was greeted and everyone working was super friendly and willing to help! Great food options,…read morehealthy and tasty-- I got a panini sandwich. An amazing outdoor space to enjoy some sunny days by the River. An awesome selection of beer and wine and pastries. Came to do some work and there's plenty of room for patrons and places to get work done. Come back in evenings for ice cream at some cheaper prices than most places and live music at times on the patio. Highly recommend!

I loved the setting, old style pub. The bar and the coffee bar are beautiful. My friend and I had…read moreseasonal lattes and vegan tarts, all delicious. Service was friendly and helpful when we were deciding what to try.

I come here to work on homework quite often, perfect atmosphere to study. This is the first coffee…read moreshop that I have been to that welcomes my explorative questioning for the perfect coffee drink for me. Audra, Violet, Oliver are incredible, but Kiah is the reason i come here. There is nothing like a hardworking and down-to-earth staff. This staff is incredibly warming, welcoming, and informative.

This store is FAN-TAB-U-LOUS! I used to be a Starbucks fan, but never again. The bitterness of the…read morecoffee, their HIGH prices, the snotty staff and the high cost just wasn't worth it. They think they are untouchable. I stopped at Biggby on Telegraph and HOLY COW. I will never, ever, buy coffee anyplace else. They have a HUGE selection of lattes; the staff is so sweet, funny and always nice. Even when they are super busy, they never make you feel rushed. I like Violet and Kiah especially. I was shocked that after only my 3rd visit, Violet not only remembered my brother's name but what kind of latte he drinks (because it's the same boring one every time). Violet and Kiah have talked me into trying a few different lattes off the HUGE menu and now I am hooked. I've read some of the "poor" reviews....and I think these were more isolated incidents. Also remember that people feed off the emotions given them. So go in with a smile. I have gone early morning, and early afternoon and have NEVER, EVER had a bad experience. Going on 3 years (and counting) as a loyal customer. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this place. Watch your back starbucks, there is a BETTER coffee place in town.

Pretty good Tim Horton's. You get your food fast and accurate…read more I like to get the BELT on an English muffin. Then it's an EMELT, but don't call it that because they might get confused. The unsweetened ice tea is the best in the area! Burger King's is good as well but it doesn't come in the pretty crystal plastic cup! The one on Telegraph has a Cold Stone Creamery and that one can be hit-or-miss. The Cold Stone's okay, but they certainly charge a lot for a little cup! Wow! Two reviews in one!

The employees were listening to rap music that could be clearly heard in the lobby. The music…read morecontained a lot of obscene language and is completely inappropriate for a business setting. The service was great, but it's difficult to enjoy your drink when there is inappropriate music playing in the background. Do better please.

Fresh Start Coffee House is... perfect. From the aesthetic charm to the mission, this quaint…read morelittle coffee house is a must! On a foggy Saturday morning, heading South (I-75), we decided we should stop for some coffee. Unfamiliar with Monroe and wanting something other than gas station coffee, I found Fresh Start Coffee House. It's less than a mile off of the highway and worth the deviation. This unique little shop offers artisan coffee, inspired food and conversation. Paula and Vic, who own the shop engaged us as soon as we walked in. They offered recommendations and were genuinely polite. They told us that they employ people who are in recovery, re-entry and with special needs. Their space is available for church groups, community organizations and other community meetings. They also feature live bands on occasion. The coffee was amazing. We both got "Paula's Perfect", although we'll be back to try others we wanted. We got the carrot/berry (Morning Glory) muffin and it was delicious. The ambiance was fun, clean and well designed. The prices were fair and well worth the support of their mission. They also sell merchandise, art and other trinkets. If you are passing through, do yourself a favor and check Fresh Start Coffee House out. It's a hidden gem in Monroe, and a new regular stop for us.

This place was located across from our campground and I read about it online and really wanted to…read morecheck it out. We went later in the afternoon. and we were the only customers in there. We were quickly greeted and pointed to the menu to review our drink options. I chose a hot pistachio latte with almond milk and it was perfect. I'm so glad I got to check this place out and I would definitely stop again if I was in the area.

Excellent business, great healthy food & drinks and service as good as it gets. Try the Black…read moreSesame Latte while you're there.

Got back to visit my hometown and this place I've been meaning to check out. A healthy alternative…read moreto alot of easy and fast options but this place lived up to the bill. I just stopped in for a meeting and only got a smoothie but the decor was amazing. Very clean and I loved all the natural light coming in. I think it's cool to have an open concept kitchen and see the work they do! The only thing to consider would be it gets a little loud for meetings with the blenders going, but still a great hang for studying and lounging in my opinion. Our cashier was super friendly and helpful with menu options; she painted a good picture of ingredients and what the taste might be. I went with the golden smoothie and boy was it amazing! So flavorful. I'd definitely recommend anyone give it a try.

This was a nice place to stop in for a late lunch. It was very nice and clean (except the gnats n…read moreflies annoying us). We started with Mac n cheese bites (interesting but not a fan really) and bbq sauce. I used the bbq sauce with my chips that came with the BLT | ordered. I also ordered the French onion soup that was decent enough. My bf ordered the French onion grilled cheese. He liked it. Our server, Carissa, was fantastic and friendly offering her recommendations upon my asking. I'd go back again if I was nearby.

We did a carry out. Half pound patty decent cook, but tasted no seasoning. Spring lettuce…read more Ciabatta bun, not toasted got soggy before I finish the burger. Not a good experience.

I have been coming to the Starbucks since it opened several years ago! Every time I visit, I have a…read moregreat experience even when they're short staffed. Thank you to everybody that always puts an extra effort especially the consistent leadership team. Today was especially a great day there. Everybody was in a great mood and laughing. I appreciate the yummy drinks and chill atmosphere. My only recommendation is that they need some updating. I've been to other stores that are newer and they have better furniture. Hopefully this store gets a facelift soon.

Love this place!! They are always kind, fast and clean! Yummy drinks, friendly people, chill…read moreatmosphere most days. :-)

5/5 Independent…read moreDairy is an awesome old-school Monroe gem that has been around since 1934! You can feel the history as soon as you walk in, with the vintage look, old photos and classic ice cream counter. We stopped in with a party of six and the service was excellent. Everyone was friendly, helpful and incredibly quick. The ice cream was delicious with tons of flavors, huge portions and very reasonable prices. They have cones, sundaes, shakes, malts, floats, soft serve and more. They also have a drive-through and a small old-school supermarket selling milk, drinks, snacks and groceries. Such a cool and unique local place. Great service, great prices and great ice cream. We would absolutely come back!

5 stars since the scoops are scrumptious. They have been…read moredoing this for decades and doing it deliciously with extra nice staff that moves folks through the line and they even have a drive-thru. They will do your banana split in the traditional way or let you mix it up your way. Great prices. Love the old store venue vibe.