I've been to Java Nation a few times now and as much as I love their beverages and easy-parking, there's quite a few things they need to work on. I last went about 2 weeks ago in hopes of grabbing a drink, some food and studying for an upcoming exam. As I walked in, I was greeted by the manager. It was a bit strange as I was asked whether or not I was dining in or taking out. I always thought of their business more so as a cafe where you can just self-order and not a restaurant so it felt a bit too formal having been seated and given a menu. Just a side note: There's only 2 seats in the restaurant with outlets, so I wouldn't really recommend this as a great place to study for long hours. I ordered a hot green tea latte with a light avocado salad with added chicken. Instead, I was given an iced latte, but it wasn't a big deal to me since I do enjoy a cold beverage as well. I just wish they would work on these small details as this wasn't the first time they've made a mistake with my orders. The salad however was delicious! I wish they would add just a bit more chicken, but otherwise everything was fresh and their lemon dressing was delicious (great portion size too!) One incident I do want to point out is that there was a man that apparently continued to enter the restaurant to harass women. The manager handled the situation very well and I appreciate the fact that the staff is very proactive about not tolerating this type of behavior. I'm unsure as to whether or not I will be returning since it does feel more like a restaurant vibe rather than a cafe now, but I definitely can't turn down a good drink to-go! read more

Java Nation - Kensington - Police ‍ handling the unruly man that was harassing customers. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kensington, Maryland

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Awesome coffee shop and café. I stumbled across the place while waiting for some work to be done on my car at a shop down the street. Best Dirty Chai Latte and Huevos Rancheros that I've had in recent memory. Even though I live in DC I plan to make an excursion back with my spouse so she can experience the same yumminess that I did! read more

Java Nation - Kensington - Dirty chai latte and Huevos rancheros with pork - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kensington, Maryland

I thought that Java Nation was just okay. It's in a strip mall in Kensington. Parking lot is a crowded nightmare on weekends, and it just felt depressing, no charm at all. Iced lattes were fine. Pastries looked tired, so we skipped. read more

Great place to grab a quick, casual breakfast. Their coffee is wonderful and their breakfast options feel fresh and healthy.

Food was excellent. Last time I was here was years ago and I don't remember exactly what I ate haha but I remember it was delicious! Simple, cozy and yummy. read more

We put in a carryout order for Sunday brunch items 3-4 hours in advance. When we arrived at the scheduled time to pick up the order, nothing was ready except that the pastries were put in a bag. They then started preparing the rest of order (lattes, salads, arepas, quiche, empanadas), which for some reason took 30 minutes. By the time they got the last item ready, the first item was stone cold. We were late arriving at our friends' house, with food and drinks that were not even warm. I haven't had a bad experience at Java Nation till this, they didn't seem to have the slightest idea how to manage a pre-arranged takeout order. read more

Always a great place to get coffee and have a meeting. Love that we have this locally owned place in our neighborhood.

My husband and I love coming to all the Java locations but the Kensington location has to take the cake in being the least friendly of all. Everytime we've stopped by we have had one barista that constantly seems upset to be there. Taking our order almost seems like an inconvenience to her if it's not fast enough. this catty like environment makes the whole experience pretty distasteful. I hope this gets fixed asap so I can walk in and say this coffee shop has a friendly and positive atmosphere. read more

Java Nation is a cute little Cafe with excellent pastries, savoring, and a very friendly staff. It seems a little pricey to me until I investigated other bakeries and saw that their prices are far from the highest for croissants and pastries. I still haven't tried their sandwiches and "real food " menu items but I bet they will be delicious too! read more

Tacos are now 1/3 the size on a baby plate. Add an extra $2 if you want 3 teeny slices of avacado. My buddy said he had to take out a loan for a BLT.... read more

Java Nation - Kensington - Worlds teeniest taco? - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kensington, Maryland

I'll just jump to it and say this was the most expensive avocado toast I've ever purchased. Granted, I added smoked salmon as an extra but it still totaled to around $13. So with the pumpkin chai my small drink and toast was $20. Usually I tip well when the price is right but this was the first time I was conflicted by how much to tip because the bill racked up to be more than I imagined. I wish I could say it was worth the price but unfortunately it wasn't. However, the iced golden pumpkin chai was phenomenal! When I saw that drink on the menu my eyes lit up. You can really taste the real pumpkin flavor and it's a pretty decent size too! I would come back to try their drinks again but not their food. I'll take my business elsewhere with breakfast. read more

Java Nation - Kensington - Iced Golden Pumpkin Chai - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kensington, Maryland

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Service was incredibly slow and not very friendly. Things were advertised on the menu that they didn't have and I had to ask for the coffee I ordered because it never came. The salad I had was really good but I will likely not go back. read more

Soooooo slow. Took me 15 min to even order coffee and while I was waiting witnessed 3 orders returned because they were wrong. Should have skipped this for a more reliable option. read more

Food was pretty decent except for the "Clam Chowder". I've never had such a sorry clam chowder before in my life. I'm pretty sure there was not a single piece of clam in my soup. With the watery consistency, they chose to put an excessive amount of oil. I was looking for a good hangover cure and now I'm feeling 10x worse. Update: I have now thrown up multiple times and have visited the restroom too many times to count. Do yourself a favor and get simple foods from here they can't possibly mess up like a bagel read more

Java Nation - Kensington - "New England Clam Chowder" - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kensington, Maryland

My experiences here have been very hit or miss. Seems like when I come here on the weekends, the quality of drinks and overall customer service is better. I have visited this location during the week on multiple occasions and have been disappointed with every drink I have ordered. I keep coming back because the location is more convenient for me than the Rockville location but I have been tapering down the number of visits since the quality and service during the week have been disappointing. However, the weekends are great here. When I do stop by, everything is fine, good food, drinks, and service. The atmosphere is great too, the interior is not large compared to Rockville, but big enough for me to be able to stop by, grab a bite or drink, and do my thing. From now on I will probably stick to showing up here on the weekends only unless I am over near their Rockville location - that one, in my opinion, is the better one to attend if I have a choice. read more

We are weekend regulars here, I love the coffee and the pastries esp the guava croissant and the lemon crunch pastry. They aren't that big but we usually can get a table or seats at the high top. This location is smaller than the Rockville store but there are at least some cushioned chairs so we prefer this location. read more

I came across this location when I was looking for a local coffee shop in Kensington. I wanted to try somewhere new and different than the neighboring Starbucks, but would still be able to get some work done on my laptop. They have a good amount of tables and seats, and the wifi password is displayed near the cashier! While I enjoyed the caramel latte, I thought the Egg Avocado Egg Tomato sandwich was sub-par that I didn't even finish it ($13 for both). They have a large selection of coffee and diverse sandwiches choices; they even have empanadas and pupusas! The prices are a little overpriced, so I wouldn't go out of my way for this place. read more

Java Nation - Kensington - Regular Caramel Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kensington, Maryland

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I was stunned when this skimpy salad arrived. The salad alone was $11.50 and the chicken was an additional $5.00. Not a lot of food for that price. Its size makes it much more of a side salad, not a full meal. Highly not recommended. read more

Java Nation - Kensington - Mediterranean Panzanella salad with chicken - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kensington, Maryland

Solid coffee shop in Kensington. They have excellent espresso drinks though they have paper straws that get limp really quickly. They also have a decent selection of pastries. The lemon crossaint crunch muffin thing is excellent. They're definitely not the friendliest but it's bearable given this is the best coffee shop nearby read more

Very cute little shop in the Kensington area. They make exceptional coffee and delicious pastries. I had an earl grey tea and a steak, egg and cheese (no cheese) sandwich. Quite tasty! Very clean location and staff is very friendly! read more

Java Nation - Kensington - Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kensington, Maryland

Good pastries; terrible service. Ambience is nice but it is always far too busy for their staff to handle.

I love this local coffee shop near me. First they have Breakfast sandwiches all day woot woot, the coffee or latte are really good but a bit pricey. I also like the Empanadas they're freshly cooked. I would come here everyday if the prices of the latte are less expensive read more

Java Nation - Kensington - Empanadas, it taste good but a bit pricey - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kensington, Maryland

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Wonderful place! I had their quiche and latte. Yum! It is quite a popular place. I recommend Java Nation.

The chicken empanadas are amazing. Make sure to dip it in the sauce, try it, live a little.

They are working on their service and I've seen some improvements lately, however, the way they take and deliver orders is messed up. No one (customer) knows which order is theirs and when they are busy things are confused. If someone orders a cup of coffee why not just give it to them directly? Making them go to the end of the counter is stupid, especially when others are also waiting on the same thing. How does anyone know who is first? I got a BLT today... so did someone else... who was first? I can't tell you and neither can the kitchen person. No hot water in the bathroom--and I let it run awhile. That means your employees are not cleaning their hands properly after using the bathroom. Forcing people to signup or use their Facebook accounts to use the WiFi is absurd. read more

The options are great and the flavors are unique. I stopped in for breakfast and was very happy with the food. read more

Java Nation - Kensington - Turkey and cheese omelette with onions and peppers - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kensington, Maryland

The Latte arts they make is perfect. It also tastes very good. The only problem is their space is limited. If it could be more spacious it would be nicer. But even that it is fine, we like this cafe very much. read more

I wanted try another coffee shop that was close to the office. I was happy at first to see they sold Hispanic food and crepes! Like others have mentioned the girls behind the counter aren't friendly!! I ordered Nutella crepes, Pupusas and a chicken Empanada. Nutella crepes an epic fail. Idk where to begin but I'll definitely never order it from here. Pupusas were good and plentiful. Chicken empanadas were good and definitely worth the hike. Employees if they lose the RBF and quit being so gossipy with each other maybe service would be better and maybe I could give this place an additional star. read more

I was in the area and in need of free WiFi juice. I did a quick Yelp search and Java Nation quickly popped out as the must go place in a sea of Dunkin' Doughnuts, Starbucks and Panera Bread. I programmed the address to my GPS and off I went! Here are the deets: + Hello local superstar coffee brand, Vigilante! + Breakfast sandwiches all day son! + Their bacon is cut extra thick, extra crispy and tons of porky flavor. + Free WiFi - - I actually had trouble logging in but luckily my Verizon WiFi stick cured me instantly. + Lots of tables to camp out at + Room temps are unseasonably cold + Almond milk, FTW! Kensington is lucky to have such a quaint, friendly neighborhood coffee shop! read more

Java Nation - Kensington - EAT with bacon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kensington, Maryland

I stopped in with a friend on a Sunday afternoon. They weren't very busy, so we had no problem finding a seat. My friend had a Nutella and strawberry crepe. I had a hot tea and chocolate chip muffin. The muffin was tasty, but it was a tad overcooked because I had trouble peeling the paper wrapper of it without it crumbling on the plate. It was severely stuck to the wrapper, so much so that I ate it with a fork. Also, our beverages were served in paper cups. When I saw others around us with ceramic mugs, we asked for them. The two girls behind the counter were very indifferent to our business with them. I didn't find the environment very inviting. There are much better places nearby to relax with a tea or cappuccino. read more

I love Java Nation in Ktown- have been coming since it opened! Great coffee, food, and service. Small shop offers seating at tables, high tops, and the outdoor patio and tent. Friendly neighborhood shop that is always full of people with their dogs (outside) and laptops (inside)! Located in a little strip mall behind Ace Hardware (formerly Hardware City) and Chipotle, and next to Five Guys, with easy parking. I pick Java Nation over Starbucks every time! read more

Love this little whole in the wall, very unpretentious but serves delicious food, that is very nicely presented They have a variety of Latin American food and pastries Coffee is very good and so is the service The space is small but they have enough tables outside This particular one is just for breakfast and lunch, their other place in Rockville is more pretentious and it serves dinner read more

I live right down the street so I was excited to learn Java Nation had matcha lattes, which by the way are pretty good. I've been in there a few times without issues, but yesterday was a different story. I ordered a matcha latte and asked the boy at the register about the vegan empanadas - my boyfriend got them for us once before, but I wasn't sure if it was a staple on the menu. He said, yes they did have them, then asked if I wanted mushroom or veggie. I said mushroom, then made sure to ask that they didn't have cheese or meat in them. He said they did not. I tipped him then waited for them to call out my order. The girl preparing the drinks called out my name and mocha latte. I explained to her that I ordered a matcha latte and she quickly went about making the correct order. Easy mistake, no problem. When I got home with the empanadas I took a bite of one and quickly realized it had chicken in it. Then, my boyfriend cracked the other one open and it was chicken as well. I called the store to ask for a refund and the boy who had taken my order apologized for the error and said I would hear from their manager. I didn't hear from the manager so I called again today and was told that she had called me, clearly not leaving a message, and would have her call me again. When I finally did hear from the manager she told me she watched the video tape and yes, they did mess up my matcha latte order, but that I ordered chicken empanadas. I respectfully said, please rewatch the tape because not once did I say give me chicken empanadas and in fact I asked no less than 4x if they were vegan and that they did not contain meat or cheese. She then told me that I was confused, which I didn't appreciate. I haven't eaten meat in 20 years and know for certain that I did not order chicken empanadas. I would've been satisfied with a refund for the food that I didn't order, but the conversation I received from the manager was rude and uncalled for. I am a very reasonable person and a business owner myself, but have a low threshold for poor customer service and especially someone calling me confused when I know full well what I did and did not order. Just take responsibility for the mistake and we can move on, but here we are. I am vegan for spiritual and health reasons so an error like this does affect me, but not on the level that it could affect someone who may have a critical allergy to an ingredient in the food. I hope that they take better care of their customers going forward and that management takes some leadership & customer service training. I will not be back to this establishment and I hope that anyone who reads this takes into consideration how carelessly they treat their customers. *I wrote this 10 days ago hoping the situation would be rectified by now and I would just let it go as a 'one off', but I still haven't received the refund so will now have to dispute this with my bank or take the loss. I also haven't received an email or phone call back - reached out to them again 2 days ago. I prefer to leave positive feedback, but there hasn't been anything positive about this experience. Very disappointing. read more

If I lived near this place, I'd never make my own coffee. This is one of the best lattes I've ever had. Like the kind where you finish it and it's kinda sad. I often don't even finish my lattes because they're often too sweet, too milky, too just not right. And the icing on the cake is they make the foam pretty. Also had an egg sandwich with bacon - it was a lot of food and I had to finish it the next day. Have you seen their breakfast menu though? I want to go back and try some other items. I was really eyeing the huervos rancheros - next time! The cafe is so quaint and the decor and all is very comfortable. It's the kind of place you want to stop in just because it's so pleasant and the food is good and the coffee is amazing. read more

Java Nation - Kensington - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kensington, Maryland

In the area as we were visiting friends. Got to the area way to early and needed to kill time. Saw them in the park lot. Should have went to Five Guys instead. First, we got there and ordered one coffee, one tea and Avocado Toast. Coffee and tea came out in 10 minutes. The tea was good, the coffee was bad. I chalked the coffee up to listen learned. So, the Avocado Toast...took 30 minutes before we had to ask where it was. Then took another 10 minutes for it to come out. FYI, there were on 3 customers in the there and we were two of them. The bathroom was clean. That's why I'm giving it two stars and not one. read more

Staying at a friends nearby I came here for coffee and breakfast every morning. Great coffee and breakfast sandwiches and the greek yogurt and granola parfait was excellent. Worth the stop and miles above your standard chains. read more

Java Nation - Kensington - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kensington, Maryland

Great latte and one of the best almost croissants I have ever had--fresh and perfect texture.

I love our local coffee bistro and the atmosphere. Most of the time I order two morning sandwiches and large lattes, I had given Java Nation a break to see if my last experience was me, unfortunately it was nit when I tried it gain today with my daughter. We fell so ill that our virtual doctor diagnosed us with food poising. We ordered two tomato pesto chicken sandwiches and after 30 mins we were is no much pain. Please be careful and test try the food first. read more

Stellar lattes after hours of antiquing with my wife. My wife and I visited Java Nation after hours of antiquing in Kensington. Our goal was to find both good coffee and a nice place to sit down after having been on our feet for quite a while. We lucked out on both accounts. There were plenty of seats and our drinks were delicious. The barista behind the counter was patient and attentive taking our order and making our coffees. My wife ordered a regular latte and I went with the chai tea latte with a shot of espresso. The coffees looked great and tasted even better. My chai wasn't overly sweet or too earthy. My wife also enjoyed her latte. We ended up sitting for about 45 mins enjoying our drinks. We will come back again the next time we head to Kensington to go antiquing. read more

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Way too much cream cheese on my lox bagel, but overall pretty good! A nice casual breakfast spot. Coffee was delicious too. Will come back soon! read more

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