Such an amazing experience! My fiancé is a coffee fanatic and I surprised him with this for his birthday. Our waiter was attentive and was very cautious with our allergies. Definitely recommend, just be ready to be caffeinated like crazy read more

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This was my first visit to Gute Leute, and I got the Gute Leute espresso and Pine Cone espresso. Delicious! I'm not usually in Arlington but, when I am, I'll definitely be back to try more items in their menu. Highly recommend! read more

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When I heard about a cafe that offered a coffee omakase experience, I was super intrigued. What an interesting concept! It was nearly impossible to get a reservation early this year when the place first opened. Finally had a chance to try recently and it was quite the experience. We opted for the "special course" menu, which has one more course than the signature menu. You start with a shot of espresso, and then the fun starts. I love how they incorporate various flavors and preparations to give you the most theoretical experience. Love the use of smoke and fire to bring out different notes, such has pinecone, lemons etc. My personal favorite was Blonde Claire, it was a bright, citrusy drink, I've never described a coffee drink in that way before. The lemon sorbet was the perfect way to finish the experience. Service was great, my only complaint was the fact that they never bothered to clear the cups and just left them until the end. It was quite a cluster of empty cups/trash by the end. Overall, a very fun experience and highly recommend if you are a coffee lover. It is a lot of caffeine, so I would recommend you do this in the morning rather than late at night (if you plan to sleep that is lol). read more

Came here to try the omakase menu. We decided to do one special menu and one signature menu because the menus were different and we wanted to try everything. First, it starts off with a welcome espresso, which was a bit too bitter and sour for our taste. Every other drink on the menus were delicious though. You get to experience a variety of taste profiles, which are unique. I liked how you got a bit of sour taste profiles with sweet ones sprinkled in between. It made for a pleasant experience. It was a great experience that I recommend everyone to at least try once. I will say it's a lot of espresso, and you will definitely be full off of liquids at the end but worth it! read more

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*Omakase experience review* I've done the Signature and Special Omakase, and it is such a fun and different coffee experience than anything you've ever done before! If you like coffee and are adventurous with flavors, then this experience is for you. You choose between two options, the Signature has 4 shots of espresso and the Special has 5. Note that they bring out a shot of espresso to start that is not written on the menu. The Special changes based on the season and was more floral. They also said this is the more instagram friendly option if you are into that. Personally, I liked the Special more with the floral flavors, but both were great and end in a tea. Each time I went, they didn't have the tea options that were on the menu, so they gave us other flavors. Staff is super friendly. Coffee is good. Space is clean. They also serve cakes and croissants. Reservation - available on Open Table and easier to get now that they have been open longer. read more

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I prefer the hipster coffee shops of Itaewon and Hongdae over the more corporate chains in Seoul, which I believe would encompass Gute Leute. But for a quick reminder of the high bar for Korean caffeine aesthetics, the coffee omakase at this otherwise unassuming outpost in bland Ballston does the trick. Not everything on the menu is perfect - in particular I didn't love the pineapple sorbet and some drinks were oddly lukewarm - but there are a few "bangers," including a cherry espresso concoction and the signature "Gute Leute," adorned with lotus biscuits. read more

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An explosion of flavors ! Omasake experience: be sure to book online because you do not want to miss this! The flavor combination of lemon, lavender, tea, espresso, everything! Loved it. I'm not a huge coffee drinker so I was quite buzzed afterward lol. Will be back to grab a drink on the go! Nice and chill atmosphere to hang out and do a little work! read more

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Known for their omakase coffee bar. Regular coffee is delicious. The place gets packed easily so either go late or really early. The Heavy Lavander Latre was amazing! read more

What a cool experience. It was really hard to get a reservation and we had to opt for a weekday. It was a lot of coffee so I'm glad we did it at 1 PM. That being said, with the amount of coffee, I wish there was an earlier reservation but it was great nonetheless. In downtown Arlington, there are some garages nearby (Ballston is the cheapest) or you can find some street parking with the park mobile app. I chose the special course. You have an option between the special and the signature. They seat you at the counter, there's only 6 or 8 seats. You're greeted and brought out each coffee with an explanation of what it is and how best to drink it. Some of the espressos were a little strong and bitter for myself but they were overall really good. My favorite was definitely the Oh-A. I absolutely loved the Peach puree and the squeeze of lemon really just enhanced the flavor. It was a great experience and the attendant was very friendly. Would recommend! read more

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Wow, the drive was worth the treat. Cappuccino was delicious as was the pastry! Customer service was wonderful too, very friendly vibe. Love the options on seating, counter, cozy corner and small tables. Love this place! read more

Gute Leute - Cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

omakase: So glad I got to try the coffee omakase experience! We upgraded to the elevated experience that had 5 courses. Thought it was a great deal for $45. The different flavor profiles were amazing and really takes your taste buds on a journey. There is an "appetizer" of an espresso shot that isn't even a part of the 5 courses! My favorite was the Oh-A (make sure you squeeze the lemon in there, it makes all the difference!) The last course was a hot tea that was fruity and had cinnamon, also super yummy. Service was great, our barista was super knowledgeable and friendly. I tried the pine cone and gute leute: they were both amazing! Different from your typical coffees but I love the flavor profiles. The whip cream they use is thick and not too sweet, I love how they make it. Highly recommend coming by and trying this place for the twist they put on coffee! read more

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I loved my experience here. I did however, had a shaky hands, nausea and pumping fast heart after the omakase experience. No fault to them, I don't normally drink coffee and definitely not as the first thing in the morning. Just beware that if you are not a habitual coffee drinker and have weaker body, don't attempt the omakase. 1. Reservation: necessary and need to make weeks in advance for the omakase. You can just stop by for the normal coffee shop. 2. Service: was really good! 3. Drinks: excellent and the display of it was top notch, as if they were made for instagram. See my pictures. The creativity they have in making their drinks is truly applaud-worthy. 4. You have 1 hour time frame. I had the best time mostly because I was with fellow foodies who genuinely enjoy culinary experience and have past experience to draw comparisons and have an intelligent conversation about. One of our group was a top-notch chef, so this omakase was truly great due to that. I would highly recommend to people who are trying to have a new experience and see how coffee can be approached from a different angle than the usual starbucks. read more

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A Korean coffee bar with a German name that offers coffee omakase with a Mandarin-speaking barista? I'm still a little confused by the branding, but the drinks and desserts are on point regardless of the name. My husband and I stopped by to do the omakase but were told that the omakase is reservation only. It actually worked out because after trying one of their drinks, I realized one can easily get over-caffeinated here. Normally, I would sign up in a heartbeat, but I'm currently 7-months pregnant so I've been limiting my caffeine intake. So far, I've tried their chocolate mousse and tiramisu, and both are very nicely done. I'm looking forward to returning to try more drinks and desserts! read more

Gute Leute - Menu with cute plastic models - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Decent coffee. The pine cone was unique, but a little bitter. The matcha latte was good, but a bit too sweet. I would love to go back to try the rest of the menu though, in case I didn't get the right ones the first time around. Very cute atmosphere though! read more

Gute Leute - Matcha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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TIP: Do not drink; taste. Make reservations for "the experience". We did the experience and tried specialty espressos that are not available on the menu. Each espresso was unique in its own way. The barista brought the espressos in phases and explained what to expect to taste in each cup. I recommend the experience to a true espresso lover. If you're not an espresso lover, you may not enjoy it as much, however it wouldn't hurt to give it a try. Outside of the experience, the cafe has a variety of coffee drinks to choose from. Hot, cold, simple or jazzed up. There are also pastries to pair with your drink. The cafe is cute and hip. The staff is friendly and the restaurant is clean. The environment is casual yet moderate in terms of noise. Overall it was enjoyable and I'd visit again. read more

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One of my gfs recommended this place when she found out I was heading to DC. It did not disappoint! Definitely one of the best coffee spots I've ever been to. Service was very friendly and line to order moves pretty fast. I would make a special drive down from Philly just to go here. I would love to check out their flights one day. Although I took my drink to go, space is large and there are plenty of seats. read more

Take some time out of your day and have some coffee in this great place. We were there for the coffee omakase experience! They have a original and speciality omakase menu. I would recommend sharing one experience with someone else- I have no idea how u can finish all the coffee with just yourself! Please try to experience this at least once, the drinks are all worth and were so delicious. The presentation and barista we had were both beautiful and amazing! Love watching the creation of the drinks and descriptions of all of them. So so interesting. We got another drink to go after the experience. I hope they do well! It's an amazing concept they have brought over from Seoul. read more

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Came here in a weekday afternoon to try the coffee omakase. My wife made the reservation online the night before. There are two menu options and we opted for the $20 signature course. There is a special course that costs $35 per person. My favorite would have to be the Granita. So good! I'll definitely be back to try the special course! read more

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I found this disappointing given all the positive reviews. First time I came here to get coffee to go my order was taken wrong. The second time, sitting in, the cafe was freezing cold and seating was uncomfortable. My latte was fine, but nothing special to warrant the price. Drinks were also served in to-go cups even for people sitting in, which seemed kind of cheap and cheesy to me; most decent coffee shops have have ceramic or glass mugs for customers drinking their beverages in the cafe. Seems like they're leaning on the omakase gimmick and and not that concerned about providing a quality experience. read more

Really fun experience with different kinds of drinks. $25 per person for four drinks is a really good deal, especially in this area! Just know all the drinks are cold or lukewarm... read more

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SOFT OPENING REVIEW TL;DR: super cute interior with unique options for coffee, tea, lattes, etc. Came here for their soft opening on a late Friday afternoon. Thankfully, it wasn't too busy and we were able to snag a seat and grab some drinks. During their soft opening, they had their full drink menu available, but I'm hoping they'll eventually offer some food options (love me some coffee and pastries). DRINKS: ~Gute Leute Signature (5/5): Very strong espresso flavor. The little cookie crumbles were nice ~Oh-A (3.5/5): This was really unique. Lemon sorbet and a honey syrup. I liked it, but when it gets all mixed up, it gets to be very very sweet and has a butterscotch flavor and felt syrup-like. ~Hot Cafe Mocha (5/5): One of the best mocha's I have had. It was not too sweet. Could taste the coffee and the chocolate without either one being overpowering. So good ~Rooibos Mango Punch (5/5): Loved this drink! Very tasty but on the sweeter side, but not icky sweet. ~Iced Americano (4/5): Solid Americano. It was a little on the lighter side for me, but great flavor Overall, this place is a great addition and has lots of options for drinks! Price point is also pretty standard for the area. read more

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The coffee omakase was such a cool experience. I ordered the signature menu which has 4 courses plus an introductory shot of espresso. The server also did presentations of each course explaining all the flavors. I think my favorite course was the sorbet. The flavors sounded very experimental on the menu, but the drinks ended up being really good. You do have to like espresso to try this as the espresso is pretty strong and of good quality. I would definitely go back for the specialty menu which had 5 courses. read more

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Amazing cafe conveniently located in Ballston. They offer a unique selection of coffee and desserts, including a mango bingsoo that is as aesthetic as it is delicious. The coffee was smooth and not overly acidic. Seating inside was a bit crowded and noisy, however, there were plenty of outdoor seating that I found more relaxing. Some pastries were available. The croissant was flaky, buttery, and warm. Overall, a nice cafe where you can grab your favorite espresso drink or try a more whimsical variety. read more

Gute Leute - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Gute Leute has finally come to Arlington - this Korean coffee bar chain is a popular and a favorite in Korea, and they had recently opened up in the Ballston area. They are currently in their soft opening stage. 'Gute Leute' means 'good people', and their mission is to provide a sapce in which good people can enjoy good company, while drinking their unique signature coffee creations. We were driving by, and I saw a 'soft opening' sign, so we had to stop by - note that they have a coffee omakase experience, which consists of a tasting of 3 different Gute Leute's espresso drinks. Staff were friendly! Limited metered and garage parking is available. +coffee omakase +friendly service read more

If you're a fan of espresso, this is a MUST try! I myself am not a huge espresso person but this experience gave me a deeper appreciation for it - the staff here know what they're doing and we could tell our barista had a passion for coffee. My friend and I arrived on a Saturday night at around 6, so it wasn't very crowded until about half an hour after. I'm glad we were able to slip onto the reservation list! Parking was in an underground garage and it was free that night. Pretty easy to find your way to the cafe! Some of the espresso drinks were definitely super strong, but others were so nicely balanced and some were even very sweet! Overall it was delicious, and I would definitely go back to try other seasonal omakase drinks. Staff is so friendly and helpful, and even if you're just there to chill, it's a nice space to take it easy and relax with friends. There's no snacks or food though, so expect drinks only. Highly recommend for coffee lovers! read more

Gute Leute - Two omakase's worth of drinks! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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If you want to try the coffee omakase experience (for 20.00), make a reservation in advance. After talking to the staff (who were very patient when answering my questions), I realized the omakase experience isn't for me since most, if not all, the coffee drinks are sweet. I prefer my coffee black and can enjoy a specialty sweet coffee drink here and there, but one at a time, haha. I ended up trying a couple drinks here since they're on the smaller side. PINE CONE - 5 So unique!! This drink comes in an espresso-sized cup and plate with lots of cocoa powder dusted everywhere for an aesthetic presentation. The rim is coated with sugar that gives a tart aftertaste. The espresso was smooth and creamy (also lightly sweetened?) that went well with the sour sugar. While it's on the smaller side, it's one of the more unique drinks I've seen in the area and not just another specialty latte made with mostly syrups and milk (these drinks are wonderful, of course, but it's not unique is all I'm saying). You can really taste the espresso in this drink if that's your thing. CORTADO - 4 Compared to the drink above, the cortado was on the boring side. I felt like it was more milk than espresso, but overall, it was still enjoyable. Lots of people here this past weekend, so espresso drinks took awhile to come out.. The tables were all filled and my friends and I had to stand around for 15-20 minutes before we were able to snag a table from a group who had just gotten up, lol. I will be back to try other drinks since I had a good experience with the ones I got. It's so close to where I live. Gute Leute is a great and unique addition to Ballston, and it will be one of my go-to meetup spot in the area. A huge perk about this cafe is that they are open during evening hours! read more

Gute Leute - Pine Cone - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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We passed this new coffee shop in Arlington several times and finally decided to stop by for some coffee. To our delight, the coffee was excellent - it had a rich, subtle sweetness that we both enjoyed. We also tried some of their pastries and were impressed. The Fresh Cream Bread was light and fluffy, and the icing sugar, cream, and fruits made it even better. As for the Green Tea Bun was covered with a sweet, streusel-like topping called Matcha Soboro, which is popular in Korea. It reminded us of the delicious pastries we used to get at a Korean bakery. Overall, it was a delightful experience, and we would recommend it to others. It was a crowded space, but the soft ambient music playing in the background helped to subdue the loud sound. The place has an excellent minimalist design featuring trendy wood tones and high exposed ceilings, creating a cozy and comfortable atmosphere. We were impressed by the attentive service provided by the staff. read more

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I visited the flagship store in Korea a month before being convinced to try this US location in NOVA. I am glad I did! It was an overall pleasant summer experience for coffee lovers. The service was excellent, and they explained everything to us. We got the first experience on the left (sorry, I do not remember the name). The shop also had a nice ambiance. Although I left a little jittery and with a headache from the caffeine, it was a great experience. read more

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Service was phenomenal! We did the coffee omakase. For the omakase, you have to reserve a spot. Reserving a spot was tough because it was high demand, so evening times (like 5-7pm) were only available. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. They seem very passionate about the drinks they make. What made our experience more enjoyable is we got two drinks on the house! For the omakase, we drank the Pine Cone, Granita, Gute Leute, OH-A, and the Rooibos Mango Punch. all drinks were very unique! the sour sugar-rimmed glass, a coffee drink with a lemon-y taste, adding cookie crumbs in your espresso, and adding peach in your coffee?! GENIUS ideas. adding one small unique ingredient to your coffee goes a longggg way. My most favorite is the OH-A. Gute Leute comes in second, reminds me of eating graham crackers with your coffee. I highly highly recommend for people to try these extraordinary drinks you cannot get elsewhere! read more

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A very nice area and ambiance for Virgina area. The coffee was quaint and had a variety of options. Never had a Korean coffee before but I'm going do it again. read more

I've been here a few times! I was impressed by the extensive menu wide variety of flavors. Both times I took my drink to go, but I'm interested in trying their tasting experience in the future. Staff was friendly and the service was quick. They even give you an extra cup to help insulate the cold drinks and prevent sweating. Very popular place and the atmosphere was booming. read more

Gute Leute - Honeycomb latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

This is a beautiful coffee shop with high quality food and drink. I got the caramel latte which was delicious, but honestly nothing special (though the design on top was quite pretty!)I also got the chocolate custard twist and that was to die for. I think it's important to note that I popped in on the way to work- this is clearly a coffee shop where you're meant to stay to consume your food and drink. Many of the coffees didn't even have to go options! I'd definitely pop in if I had a few minutes to actually enjoy my coffee in person. read more

Gute Leute - Caramel latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The ambiance is okay. Music is a little too loud... when she calls your name for your order-- you can barely hear it. They offer omikase but lil do we know -- you need reservations for it. Service is mediocre. Good thing is you can order from a kiosk. Coffee-- well, what can I say. It offered a variety compared to same ol' Starbucks. I like different... so in my opinion-- good enough to come back to so we can try their omikase. I have to say-- pretty pricey. But what is cheap nowadays read more

Gute Leute - Mango Matcha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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We went to try the omakase coffee menus. The cafe is well lit and very clean, with nice seating. The service was amazing. Our barista was very passionate and knowledgeable, and she took great care of us. The coffees were amazing, and as we went on Valentine's Day, she gave us a great strawberry coffee dessert. Truth be told, it was a LOT of coffee. We shared our menus, which meant we tried over ten coffees and teas. I hit an intake wall. We wouldn't do the omakase again, but we will certainly come again for a good cup of coffee. A definite spot to check out if you like coffee. read more

Gute Leute - Omakase coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Cozy vibe, beautiful presentation for each coffee with a delicious, smooth and strong coffee for every sip. read more

Gute Leute - Oh-a - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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After finding out a chain for gute leute opened in Virginia, I had to check it out. We got 2 drinks-- the oh-a and gute leute. Both were great in different respects. I really liked the oh-a, because it was a nice blend of a fruity peach flavor and bitter espresso flavor. It reminded me of 아샷추 (iced tea with a shot of espresso), which is a popular drink in South Korea. As for the gute leute, I really liked how it was sweet, but not overly sweet-- the espresso really balanced out the sweetness of the cream. Gute leute reminded me of an affogato. Overall, service was great (everyone was super nice and the drinks came out quickly). The ambiance was casual but nice-- definitely nice to come with friends, family, or for a casual date. I'll be back next time to check out their omakase menu!! read more

Gute Leute - Gute leute - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Came to do some work which didn't work out since there were no available seats with outlets, but it was 100% worth the trip for the excellent chai latte and almond croissant. I'll definitely be back and next time will come with my laptop already fully charged! read more

Gute Leute - Croissants, Americano iced, chai latte iced - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Such an incredible new find right in the heart of Arlington The store is modern and bright and clean, with delicious aroma of coffee. Quite what you'd expect of a Korean coffee shop. We walked into Gute Leute on a busy Saturday morning. Even though it was pouring rain outside, the enthusiasm of folks coming in to have coffee hadn't dampened. The store was packed and we were lucky to get a seat at the bar. The signature tasting experience needs to be pre-booked, however, that didn't stop us from ordering all the drinks on their signature menu. My favorite (although the others were incredibly more photogenic) was the ohh-aa. Id definitely recommend coming by with a friend, getting all the drinks, and spending time chit chatting with the friendly staff while you dunk soft cream buns in decadent coffee. Don't miss! read more

Gute Leute - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Amazing coffees here! I've recently gotten more into coffee and this place is worth coming to if you love creative coffee drinks. Great vibe and plenty of seating. read more

We went a few days ago for the omakase experience and it was just okay. The presentation is nice, and we had a great server/barista, but the drinks are underwhelming. And there are some pastries but they seem to run out pretty quick. We were seated at the bar although there are tables and it's well-lit/open space. We did the regular and special omakase to try both sets of drinks, and overall we preferred the non-coffee drinks at the end that tasted like Dunkin or Starbucks tea refreshers. The signature drinks tasted better than the special course ones. I really wanted to go because of what I'd seen online with the bubble drink, which looks super cool in person but was my least favorite with flavor. Most of the drinks had too much lemon in them so it ended up having a sour aftertaste. The lavender float was pretty looking with the dry flower petals and was my favorite overall, fairly sweet and soothing. The sprinkle white was just okay and the oh-a was odd. In the signature course, the pine cone was fantastic, and gute leute was pretty good too. Signature course is definitely better than the special course (sweeter, tastier drinks and cheaper). You have to book a reservation in advance and it puts a hold on your credit card (so you pay at the coffee shop when you're done with the experience). Once you get to the coffee shop, you start to get each round of drinks, which took us about an hour total to get through them all. read more

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