Java Nation

We were really craving a delicious breakfast after a good workout this morning and decided to go to…read moreYelp for some new recommendations. I read the reviews about Nick's and decided we had to try this place. What a fantastic little neighborhood gem, brought me back in time to a real old school diner. We were greeted by multiple employees as we walked in, everyone was so friendly. We had immediate and excellent service by Andy, and we both had omelettes that were absolutely delicious! While paying our bill at the register I immediately sensed the young lady assisting us was part of the ownership and I was right, it was Nick's daughter Heather! It was a really pleasure to talk to her, the whole place has such a great vibe, and as I've already mentioned the food was excellent! We will 100% be returning to Nick's and hopefully not in the too distant future! Thank you Nick's!!!

Had the Big Breakfast for my birthday breakfast this morning and it did not disappoint!! Crispy but…read morefluffy pancakes, crispy bacon, home fries, and eggs fried hard just the way I like them. The service was wonderful and I ate right at the front and chatted with some regular patrons. I love when a meal feels homecooked and that's exactly what Nick's did for me! So good! I've been randomly coming here for years, cheers to many more!!

Ambiance

Pancakes and hash

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Counter

Ooh La La Bakery

4.5(128 reviews)

1.5 mi

This is another bakery n Wheaton Olaza I love in the Wheaton, Maryland arwa . Its Spanish owned…read morebut i think they hire outside cashiers. Tis is Ooh Lala Bakery nit far from Ledo Pizza and IHOP. Its outside the Wheaton Triangle . This is Called the Ooh Lala Bakery . This place has great staff there and behind their barita area lies their oe concept kitchen where they perform their magic to make your best pastries and deserts to cater to all occasions and holidays alike . This place has my lingente my people the Spanish . I maybe a Mixed Colombian Nationaln Born un the United States , But t diesnt mean I don't now who i am . I want ti work there ti build bridges between the Soanish and American worlds to better ourselves and make differences agajn in . Learn off each other . I do want the cashier position and food runner . I want ti help boost business agajn as it should and must be again . For too ling since the pandemic it was all of Us Americans faults for the bad unjustifiable, Inexcusable, Reprehensible, Unlawful and wrongful behaviors and i want to see to it , Its never tolerated agajn in Any place of business again . I want the ji. There without getting judged or used bad politics against without seeing what people like ke can doto be great assets to the team nd the store itself. This place has a dining area in it with refrigerator wirh assorted sodas and moee . This place has things fr. Cones cakes , values doughnuts to other great delicious pastries of yiyr choosing . They have an offering of take out orders too . But delivery service that is still bejnf researched. Yes the make catering pastry dishes fir amy occasions too . It a little of fun to be at this place here . If you come there please respect or Spanish traditions and culture there . It a place wgere you can come something much bigger than yourself , To be more than who you are . If you love this place as I do , This place is for you. We all look firwrd to see you all there very soon once again. Swing by and have some pastry fun .

Awful customer service. Placed an online order and they were out of several items. Would only…read morereplace items with other items of much less value. For example, I ordered two ham and cheese croissants and the best substitution they could offer for something savory was an egg sandwich. They wouldn't add ham or any other meat. They have a ham sandwich for $1 more and a ham crepe for the same price that I wasn't even offered. They were only willing to offer me something $3 less than what I paid as a substitute. Cheap and terrible service. Would not pick up the phone after calling to correct the substitution 4 times. They've lost a customer (who already placed a $45 order and was accommodating to other substations) because they were cheap and unreachable when they didn't have much of what I ordered many hours before they closed.

Avocado toast!

3.2.24

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Cappuccino and Strawberry Paris-Brest

The Dish & Dram

3.9(211 reviews)

0.4 mi

My wife ended up in MARC car that did not open in Silver Spring so I decided to meet her in…read moreKensington to try The Dish and Dram and return to BabyCat. I knew they The Daily Dish closer to us which we have not been but did not know they also own JJ Hollingers. I also knew they were on InKind which we prebought discounted Costco gift cards for. I walked into the bar and they already sat my wife in the dining room which is divided seating from the bar. The service was friendly and ambiance had the cute Kensington feel expected. To drink we tried the Green Eyed Girl, Brown Sugar Old Fashioned, and Blueberry Paloma cocktails. Our entrees which we truly loved was the Pan Seared Duck Breast and Pan Fried Branzino which was so fresh and gourmet. We also shared the Peach Crumble which we loved.

Food (roast beef sub) was pretty good. They advertise comfort food but I didn't get a comfort food…read morevibe from them. They do sell a lot of wine. Be alert at the register. My order initially rang up at over $25 because the cashier (who I had to wait to order from) said she thought I said steak instead of iced tea.

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Turkish eggs

The Kosher Pastry Oven Restaurant

4.3(101 reviews)

2.6 mi

Everything is fresh, delicious and reasonably priced. They also have great coffee, sandwiches and…read moresalads. It has a real neighborhood feel and is also great for business meetings.

Decent food. Haven't been in several years. I like Cafe K better now but it's been some time…read more First time I tried to go they closed early for Shabbat. Second time I went it was pretty good.

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A side dish that came w the sandwich. Nobody asked me if I wanted this or not.

La Gelatteria

4.5(269 reviews)

0.1 mi

Instant hit. I…read morevisited per recommendation from friends and local business owners and they were right. The coffee here was too darn good. I was undecided if I wanted a hot or cold coffee so I chose both. It worked out because they were very tasty and unique. The baristas knew what they were doing . This is a place to work remotely or a casual coffee and conversation. There are food options as well that I'll review on my next visit. First impression 5 out of 5. Pro tip parking is at the real of the building and not paved fully. There are steps you'll have to decent to enter. Otherwise you'll have to walk in the main entrance around the street side of the building which is ADA accessible.

I ordered half of a grilled cheese with avocado and tomato, along with a side of soup…read more Unfortunately, the soup arrived inconsistently heated. Part of it was warm while the rest was noticeably cold. For such a small portion, I was surprised that the total came to $16.17. I have a business within walking distance of this café, so I was really hoping this could become a convenient local spot I'd enjoy returning to. Unfortunately, the portion size, temperature of the food, and overall value left me disappointed. I rarely, if ever, write negative food reviews, but for the price, I expected a much better experience.

The inside seating.

Nutella Strawberry Croissant

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Cool tiles!

The Bagelry

4.3(258 reviews)

5.1 mi

I stopped here during my visit to my daughter in Silver Spring. I had been here before and knew…read morethe bagels were first rate. This time I decided to bring some home to Minneapolis. We have bagels here but the Bagelry makes authentic NY bagels and they are not easy to find here in the Twin Cities. Now I have a nice supply in my freezer! I also enjoyed my interaction with the lady that waited on me. I wish I knew her name. Excellent customer service!

The good news is that the bagels are made in-house and there's a nice variety available. I had a…read moretoasted everything bagel this morning with hummus. The bagel was crunchy on the outside, but soft (and not doughy) on the inside. The hummus was creamy and flavorful. Overall, an excellent bagel. Sadly, that's followed up by the bad news. The bad news is that the coffee was terrible. Weak, not much flavor. I did something I have not done with coffee - I threw it out. For $3.89 for a large cup at a bagel shop, I expected more. Just awful. I don't know if it was the brand of coffee or just a bad batch. There's half and half available, but no other milk/non-dairy options. There are 4 very small tables in the place for standing only. Based on pictures I've seen on Yelp, they used to have a few tables there for sitting. I came today hoping to sit for a few minutes and enjoy a bagel with coffee. Not here. Finally, I ordered and the person who prepared my bagel called out my number and put the bag on the counter. I checked my ticket, confirmed the number, went to take it and another worker (the guy who took my order) ran over, grabbed the bag, asked me for the number and told me it wasn't mine. Then he asked the other person what the number was, she said my number and then he dropped the bag on the counter and told me I could take it. Weird experience. There were only two people waiting for orders at the time - not a huge opportunity for a mixup. Just weird. So, I recommend the place for take-out but skip the cup of Joe. And don't expect smiling faces behind the counter. (Even if you tip the guy like I did.)

Marble bagel

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Karlee's Deli & Market

4.5(32 reviews)

0.2 mi

From the drinks, to the food, all of the things there are phenomenal…read more They have so many flavored coffee options and their sandwiches are delicious! I add pesto to just about anything every single one and it's so good. One of the few places I will always frequent cause everything is fresh and tastes so good. They use Ethiopian coffee and it's so smooth, making it even better. Need something refreshing? They have a delicious strawberry lemonade too! 10/10 recommend to everyone!

Karlee's Deli & Market is such a cute and cozy spot! I loved the outdoor seating with all the…read moreflowers and little pops of green. The staff were so nice and welcoming. I got a vanilla latte and a dulce de leche latte. The dulce one was my favorite, you can tell its made with good quality coffee! For food, I tried the curry chicken sandwich and the club sandwich. Both sandwiches were great, and i thought curry chicken was very unique (though I wish it had a bit more of that blueberry flavor). I was also surprised to find that the sandwich came with chips too, yay!

Cooking essentials from Spain

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The Limerick Pub

3.9(243 reviews)

1.7 mi

Monday is half price burger and is wonderful. Happy Hour service at the bar with Louie is fun and…read moreonly $5 for wine & beer. Remember: It's not a bar.. It's a pub. If you don't know the difference.. Just show up and learn. Always a five star time.

went there on a suggestion of a friend. food was ok. bartender nice. but when I asked a fellow…read morepatron to stop using the slur "motherfucker" constantly he became extremely agitated, threatened me (65 yo male) with bodily harm. granted I did not back down, but I don't take kindly to language or threats as a former member of our armed forces. I spent over 50 bucks on steak and drinks and management also threatened me. (tall black dude with missing teeth) the patron confronted me again at th front door as I left. I do not take well to intimidation. as I left I saw rats and big cockroaches scurring along the wall and saw dudes doing drugs (weed). I don't care about the weed but it says something about the establishment. my advice: stay away until the clean up the place.

3.2.24

Banofee Pie: Banana, Caramel, Whipped Cream, Graham Cracker crust (3.2.24)

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Irish Coffee with a shot of Baileys.

Brazilian Place

4.0(87 reviews)

1.6 mi

I had been here several years back with my sister but finally made it in again with my husband…read more Now that we live nearby hopefully we will come more often. You have a choice between AYCE or by the pound. I know last time I came I got AYCE but honestly I don't eat that much anymore, so by the pound is more cost effective for me. There also are two different prices based on whether you want BBQ + sushi with your buffet. (Sushi??? I'll stick to BBQ when going Brazilian.) I tried to sample small amounts of the dishes on the buffet and then got some picanha and another steak cut (maminha). Both BBQ cuts were very good - I liked the maminha more. (Fraldihna is my usual favorite, and it's kind of similar to the maminha.). They had a chicken with capers that was probably my favorite of the buffet dishes. The stroghanoff wasn't bad. Some of the other meat dishes on the buffet were a bit dry. I got a mystery empanada which turned out to be guava & cheese, if it had been warmed it would have been better. I love guava, but there was just a little small rectangle of guava paste in the very center; probably 80% of the empanada had no filling. Similarly, the cheese bread balls were cold and hard. Those need to be right out of the oven to be worth it. It's a shame, they probably were good when they were first made but they weren't by the time I got to them. The potato salad was ok but the balance of mayo to potato & other veg was off (too much mayo). I had some fresh fruit too. All in all, I'd definitely come back (I love the steak!) but I'd focus on the things I know are good rather than trying a lot of things.

Going to quickly finish 2010's of my scrapbook series representing December 2019 is Brazilian…read morePlace. I used to live walking distance to here and went once for lunch with my girlfriend of the time for the lunch buffet. It was solid especially the carne asada. It was a bit pricey but worth it if you eat your money worth.

Buffet lunch near me

Brunch Buffet near me

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Brazilian cocktails and beer

Donut King

3.3(159 reviews)

0.4 mi

A cozy place located in Kensington…read more Mom n pop store. Friendly employees. However the prices are insane!! Like $12 for bacon and egg on a croissant !! No fancy sauce!! Maybe it was made with golden eggs! Idk... donuts were decent and tasted like it came from Dunkin... 4 stars because employees were very nice but yall are way too expensive!

I stopped here for a quick breakfast sandwich and cappuccino yesterday and was happily satisfied…read more For the sandwich I went with the classic BEC(bacon,egg, and cheese). The service here is very quick and easy - and you can sit and enjoy your food or be on the go right away. It sits in a shopping strip off university blvd right before it connects to Connecticut.

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7 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Spike F.

4 years ago

Never ordering from here again. I try to be understanding. For the 10th time they have messed my order up and forgot something. They always try and brush it off like it's nothing and tell me to take it up with Uber or on my next order they will make sure to get it right. But again they get it wrong again and give me excuses on why they can't refund me. No one wants to pay 14 dollars for a French toast and not get a syrup they clearly asked for on the sides. This is very important it means that if someone notes that they have an allergy they don't honor that. I will be making sure to send some health inspectors there because it seems like it's a different cook everyday. Support your local business don't waste your time with a company that can't simply get their job right. Worst part is the employee Dianna really did not make me feel great and even made it seem like it was my fault my order came wrong. read more

Didierest P.

3 years ago

i witness something very weird happen at this establishment this morning , there was a young African American student sitting in the cafe when a group of hispanic men came in and attempted to make him feel uncomfortable. I was very thrown off on how they came into the resturant and sat right next to him so agressively. I then decided to film the situation. When the young man got up they proceeded to follow him push him and then threaten him saying he is no longer welcomed because of his skin color? they then called him racial slurs in Spanish. I will never eat here again and I will be posting the video on social media read more

Sean T.

9 years ago

My family comes here regularly for Sunday breakfast. Best coffee you can get in Kensington. The espresso here is one of a kind. Food is very good and with a lot to choose from. I found the staff here to be very friendly, yet professional and efficient. Java nation is my cup of coffee. read more

Arthur H.

6 years ago

They really have a wide variety of drinks, sandwiches, and pastries. I'd highly recommend this place to those who are looking for amazing snacks. Definitely would visit again! read more

Sally D.

11 years ago

Love the atmosphere. Good coffee. Very good breakfast sandwich. Service was pleasant.

Lucky S.

4 years ago

They have a very friendly staff, delicious food, great drink, and a great atmosphere.

Bruce W.

7 years ago

A busy but relaxing coffee bar with good sandwiches Also good music read more

Java Nation - coffee - Updated October 2026

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I honestly don't get it. I wanted to be fair and try again after my last visit, where I did not…read morefeel particularly welcome but the coffee was good. I arrived at 7:45 am. The place opens at 7:30 am. I walk over to the counter with a plan to order an everything bagel and coffee. The counter person (a guy in his 20's or 30's - not a teenager) walks toward the counter holding a remote control, turns and starts fiddling with the electronic menu boards (to turn them on). No hello, no I'll be with you soon, no nothing. But he did see me. A minute passes. He's having trouble with the board. No acknowledgement. No nothing. Another minute passes. Nothing. The other worker by the stovetop also - no acknowledgement. After about three minutes of just standing there waiting - I walk out. Good lord - I tried. I'm done with this place.

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Was driving by this cool location in Gaithersburg and had to stop. This place looks unchanged…read moresince it opened 100+ years ago, and still is a working MARC train stop. A great little coffee/lunch spot with loads of options for sandwiches, coffees, specialty drinks, and pastries. I got the Beef & Swiss (Locomotive) which was yummy, family tried the bulgogi sandwich and "the limited" which was honey ham and cheese. The prickly pear refresher was especially good on a hot day, as was the fresh fruit cup. Overall this was a great eating and entertainment spot that I would highly recommend.

If I'm going to be honest, this is the best coffee in Gaithersburg in my opinion. They have…read moresmoothies, sandwhiches, lattes, and even more options to chose from. Their variety is amazing!! They make the sandwiches in store, and all employees are super kind. The best part about the coffee is their ice cubes. They're made of coffee!! That way, if you're cubes melt, you still have more, not watery-coffee! The establishment itself is right on the tracks, connected to a small seating area that used to be an old train station. While the building is small, I recommend. You HAVE to try JAVA JUNCTION!!!!!

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A good brunch place that happens to be kosher. I recently went with a party of four and we were…read moreable to get seats immediately despite Cafe K having several families there already. The service was great and the owners were very engaged and attentive. Cafe K's prices are in-line with DC-area brunch spots. I got a coffee and the avocado and cheese-stuffed croissant. The coffee was flavorful and the croissant sandwich was rich and buttery, but could have used a bit more flavor. I would recommend Cafe K for your next brunch!

Great addition to the neighborhood. I went on a Sunday. They were packed inside and out. Bagels are…read moremuch cheaper here ($1.35) than at Einstein Bagel. I got bagels to go and a chocolate croissant for breakfast the next day. Bagels are great, and so was my croissant that I am not sure they make here. The counter girl was really sweet and inviting. I'll have to come earlier next time if I want a seat, so maybe in the fall when the weather is cooler. It's kosher which is great for the community hence the reason they are closed on Saturdays.

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This tiny little cafe is a gem! It's adorable and has a plethora of things to order - savory and…read moresweet crepes. It's cozy and they're quick to make your order fresh. Great service and I highly recommend!

Pretty tasty crepe that was prepared fast. I ordered the mixed berry with Nutella and it was sweet,…read morerefreshing, and chocolatey. The guy working was nice, fast, and efficient. There's some seating inside. Good spot to grab a quick bite.

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This place is terrific. Bright, light-filled, cheery staff, local art for sale on the walls. Very…read morelocal vibe--the opposite of a corporate coffee experience. The coffee/tea menu is comprehensive, they have Rishi chai (not that sweet Oregon hippie stuff), and the egg sandwiches and baked goods are awesome. The cinnamon scone was especially good and tasted homemade. I only wish they were open a little earlier and a little later. 7:30 to 2:00 every day. I could really use this sometimes at 6 am or later in the afternoon. It's a little out of the way off Connecticut Ave, the "other side of the tracks" from the Kensington train station. Maybe that's what keeps it so local. But worth seeking out--a real gem.

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