Coconut Oolong tea is the thing to get. So good. Seating is very difficult to find, but it really is a cool atmosphere and fun place to meet someone. BUT, it is pretty expensive. read more

Had a good quick visit to Lab. Well-assembled coffee shop. Nice, natural lighting.Simple décor and good coffee. Had a shot of their espresso - it was from Madcap, a Michigan gem. Wife had a cappuccino and loved it. We'll be back. read more

Lab's vibe is literally perfect. They have great treats, great coffee, great music, and the lighting is wonderful. Only issue with lab is that it can get crowded at times, but if you make it here early in the morning or later in the day when it's not as busy, you can get a lot of work done here or just relax with some friends here. Definitely recommend the pour-over coffee or the brown sugar sea salt latte. read more

Atmosphere is just okay but has improved greatly since I moved to Ann Arbor in 2011. What I really love about Lab is the changing menu, the wide selection of both drinks and snacks, reasonable prices for fancy lattes or pour overs, and the inclusion of high-quality roasters like Madcap (local!!) and Intelligentsia. Some drinks can be very experimental and are either genius or flops. But I always appreciate mixing things up and trying new flavors, especially floral notes. Grab a lavender latte or a pour over next time you're on Liberty! read more

Gorgeous space. It's bright and airy in here and there were lots of people packed in during the afternoon with meetings and working on their computers. It wasn't too loud, even with all the people. There was one barista, but the wait wasn't tremendously long for a drink. I got an oat milk latte and also one of their chocolates they had by the register (get the horchata + churro bar if they have it!). Overall, a solid place. read more

I was excited to go there and order a decaf latte. I had verified on another day that they could make a decaf vegan latte. Well, no such luck. Cashier told me they were completely out of decaf at 10 a.m. and offered me a regular coffee option instead. Obviously I would have ordered that in the first place if I could drink it. I don't appreciate going to venues that can't keep necessary menu items in stock. To me that's a reflection of bad planning. Cashier made an excuse of not enough delivery drivers (to deliver their decaf beans, I presume). Not going back, since I can count on them having in stock what's on the menu. read more

Food, drinks, and atmosphere are all so hip! This place is usually almost always packed so if you're planning to get some work done here, be prepared to fight over seats and outlets! It is also connected to the tomokun noodle bar so it can get quite loud during busy lunch/dinner hours. The place is great for coffee dates or to stop by quick for a drink/baked good to go. I would highly recommend this cute cafe to anyone exploring Ann Arbor! Their iced matcha latte or honey lavender latte are my two favorites there, make sure to check it out! read more

Lab - Vanilla rose latte and fruity pebble rice Krispy. Follow @michiganomz for more yummy pictures! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

What great place to be productive Great environment, friendly staff, great service adorable interior and attracts a great crowd! pastries were cute and delicious and the coffee was awesome had a really great first experience. definitely will be back here in the near future to do work, read a book, and/or relax read more

Wow. Two more dispirited baristas cannot be found in all of Ann Arbor. Even all the excellent-looking pastries could not lure me back here.

I am kind of freaking out. It appears as though someone was reading my mind without me knowing! I mean how else could anyone know that my 3 favorite things in life are GOOD coffee, french macarons and tart frozen yogurt??? Well whoever taped into my brain I thank you for creating Lab. Lab is my happy place. They have amazing fresh pour over drip coffee, fabulous cold brewed iced coffee and delicous Intelligentsia espresso. That not good enough for you? Ok...they also have self serve tart frozen yogurt available in rotating flavors. Still not happy? fine. To top everything else off they serve a ton of local pastries including the marvelous macarons from Cecilia's Pastries*. I have yet to have a good macaron in Michigan until I took a bite of one of these. The buttercream was perfection and the cookie portion had that small crunch that a macaron should have while still being chewy. ahhhhhh. finally a good macaron in Michigan! Lab does coffee very well. I just had an iced coffee when I went. I get an iced coffee basically every day. I am going to be honest with you. This was probably the best iced coffee I have EVER had. I am pretty sure a HUGE smile sprung acorss my face the second I took a sip. I mean...I had the coffee 3 days ago and I still can't stop thinking about it!! So why not 5 stars? First of all its kind of a sterile unwelcoming environment. I get that is what they are going for...but it is still not very welcoming or comfy. I wouldn't want to hang out there for any long stretch of time. Secondly...I really wish the milk was sourced locally and was organic. I mean they have SOOOOO many local things there. Even their sweetener for the coffee was labeled as being bought locally. Why not take it one step further and serve local/organic milk. Even with those 2 small "problems" that does not deter from the fact that Lab is sheer bliss to me. Bottom line...I live 45 minutes away from Lab and I am currently trying to formulate a reason why I have to drive back up there. I need some more Lab in my life and I need it now. Oh happy place. I am so glad I found you. I shall see you again soon. --------------------------------- *Cecilia's Pastries: http://www.yelp.com/biz/cecilias-pastries-ann-arbor read more

You know, I'm really glad I don't live in Ann Arbor because Lab would have drained my entire bank balance. I liked it so much on my whirlwind tour of Ann Arbor that I returned every day. This is the best coffee shop that I have visited in a long, long time. When I set eyes on Lab from across the street, I ran in so quickly that my friend was breathless and laughing after chasing me inside. It's honestly more beautiful than any coffee shop than I can recall visiting. The decor is very trendy but is not at all pretentious or effortful. Skylights, white decor and an entire front wall of windows make it feel ethereal. I appreciate how they care about aesthetics to the extent that you can see it in their products as well. Forget the cool-looking stores with sad displays of stale baked goods in some refrigerated case. The baked goods were enticingly arranged on trays of different heights. They all looked fresh and gorgeous but I had a habit of visiting after meals. Alas. I coaxed (well, coerced) the girl at the counter into letting me try a sample of the original fro-yo. What can I say? I keep it classy. It was good but the Crayola-colored mochi was more exciting. Lab is a store that is geared towards the coffee connoisseur. It's such a pleasure because of the seemingly scientific level of care with which they select and prepare coffees from the most interesting and storied coffee purveyors in the country. There are rotating hot and cold selections from Intelligentsia, Blue Bottle, Ritual Coffee and Anthology, amongst others. It was like getting to be a judge of the Miss Universe Pageant of coffee there. After consulting with the amazingly cool and knowledgeable Charles behind the counter, I settled on a cup of Ethiopia blend from Anthology, a newer Detroit coffee company that I had never tried. I sipped it very, very slowly to draw out the experience. It was just that good. The Anthology selection that I had the next day was equally good. I loved the strong iced coffee as well. I had a sip of my friend's Thai Limeade and grabbed an iced Brown Sugar and Sea Salt Latte before heading back to Texas today. Both were too sophisticated for me, I think. The flavors were very interesting but I didn't really enjoy either that much. Honestly, if there were "haute" iced drinks, those would qualify. I think the latte would have been better hot, so my bad. Seriously though, there are so, so few places in America that have hot black coffee that is so good that I'd endorse trying those over anything else in the store. That is the mark of the best coffee shops to me. Lab more than excels in that regard. I'd come here whether you're interested in learning about coffee or wanting an exceedingly beautiful store with which to impress your friends. Lab is way too cool for me. For once, I completely mean that. read more

Well here I am putting my foot in my mouth. Do you know how many times I've walked by this place and cringed, winced, rolled my eyes? I mean. The sterile architect-designed space, the American Apparel'y kids with something to prove, the coffee-snob name, the chalkboard announcing the lavender honey latte (I admit this is actually the first thing that actually made me want to go in, though. sigh.). I was RESISTANT to this place, body and soul. But there I was, thanks to a coupla friends, on separate occasions, sitting inside and enjoying myself. The interior is actually a lot more inhabitable with a nice textured wall paper, some plants, and some thrift store arm chairs. The barristas aren't near as cold and aloof as they look. And though I've not had any coffee there yet, the tea is phenomenal, both in selection, brew, and flavor. I still don't think this is a place I will go to study, read, or call home. But for grabbing a drink with someone on the go? Or needing a good pick me up tea mid-afternoon? Dammit. Lab. You win. read more

Deciding to stock your coffee shop with hard, unforgiving, low-to-the-ground wooden chairs and benches is certainly an experiment, but It doesn't really work for me. I can't help but think if they had a little more of an inviting interior I'd go here more often, but clearly the place is popular. I walk by often and there's usually two or three hipsters wearing skinny jeans and oversized glasses sitting at the uncomfortable tables tapping away on their mac books and sipping coffee out of tiny mugs. Oh yeah, the coffee. The coffee here is very good, whether you go the pour over route or get an espresso beverage. They have some really solid single origins and blends and the flavor of their coffee is usually pretty punchy and strong and complex. My complaint in this area is that it's pretty impossible to get hot, hot coffee here, which is how I like my brew. The coffee is just warm, and some of that is because of the pour over method but a lot of it is because they are always understaffed at lab, so nearly every time I go there my coffee sits in the glass container as the barista tries to do ten thousand different things. That leads to my last complaint, which is that ordering at lab takes way too long. If I want a to-go coffee from here, I expect it to take a solid ten minutes, and there have been times when I've waited 15 minutes- for coffee! That said, the baristas are usually very nice and the place is trying to do its own thing, which I give it credit for. They also have DJs some weekend nights, I hear. read more

One of the best cafes in Ann Arbor. Amazing lattes, I'd recommend the snowflower latte any day. Not too much space for studying, but a good spot! read more

So, after my first review I received a message from the folks at Lab as follows: "Hi Sylvonna, Thanks for coming by lab and trying out our food and drinks - we really appreciate it! The staff and I thought it'd be useful to reply to your review and address any issues you've had here at lab in hopes that we can start a discussion and provide a much better experience for you in the future!" ... I totally appreciate them reaching out and taking my concerns to heart. I have to say I was very surprised they wrote me about my review and actually addressed each issue I had discussed. I have to give them brownie points for their dedication! However...I did go back to Lab recently, partly because I wanted to give them another chance and partly because they sell these much talked about and very hard to get your hands on Macarons! My experience this second time was very much the same as the first...if not even more disappointing. The seating was still totally uncomfortable and quite unpleasing to the eye...this time though it looked more worn down and scratched up. The modern design doesn't lend itself to hiding any flaws or wear and tear on the furniture. The staff seemed unhappy to be there and wasn't too enthusiastic about serving me. I felt like a bit of an outsider in this "trendy" little cafe, like I didn't belong and I wasn't welcome. Finally, I got an iced green tea latte (perhaps my favorite beverage on the planet) and it just wasn't that good. :( In my last review I said: "I am basically saying is this: if this place didn't have frozen yogurt and Macarons, I wouldn't ever think about visiting again (that is, unless for some odd reason I find myself once again walking around in the sweltering heat with no other options for a cool beverage and some air conditioning). " Well....now that I've had the Macarons, sadly I just don't see any reason to go back. read more

I have such a love for Zingerman's Coffee Company that I have decided not to review Ann Arbor Coffee shops without having given them a few visits (lucky for you Comet Coffee...cause it ain't looking so good for you right now...) So...here we are with my review of Lab: Strangely, I really like Lab. I say strangely, because, like Anya's review below, I really don't like their espresso. It has almost no top note. I kinda get what it is trying to lay down as its finish...but this is just not good espresso. But I really, really, like everything else. -The frozen yogurt is Awesome. -I had a pour-over cup of Rwandan that was EXCEPTIONAL. -The baristas are friendly. -The decor is interesting and somewhat endearing. All that to say this: this is not Zingerman's Coffee Company. It does not meet that level of excellence. But these folks care. And this coffee place is so good that it meets my primary measuring stick: If I woke up tomorrow and Lab was located in my living room, I'd be a very happy Bob. read more

I'll try anything once...and if it blows, never again. Not that Lab will miss me since the place was pretty busy. So, a couple of things: If serving iced coffee, let's have it actually be cold. Once I put my dodgy mitt on it and feel that it's lukewarm toward the bottom, it's not gonna make it any colder for the barista to do the same and then deny the reality that it's actually rather tepid. Here's a customer service tip: try something like, "Oh, is it not cold enough for you? Would you like more ice in a larger glass?" I can make better iced coffee at home and that isn't saying much. The decor looks like Ted Bundy's dream cafe. Too bright for Dexter. Empirical observation: if you're not "cool enough" to be there, your change gets put on the counter. Noted of one woman with grey hair and one nerdly but not hipster guy. Just moved here and this is the first business I didn't like, so that's pretty good odds. Onwards and upwards. read more

Since this place is so very new, I'm going to go back and re-review them in a few weeks, but the experience I had was alright, however not the best. I ordered a double espresso and my beau had a macchiatto. The first shot was short with no creama and the macchiatto was more steamed milk than foam or espresso. However, the owner(?) saw our immediate distaste and made us new ones, which were much better. Yet, even made correctly, I really have no use for Intelligentsia's Black Cat Espresso. Aside from the coffee, the yogurt was pretty good. Though I don't know anything about yogurt, so I'm not a great judge. The original flavor was the best. The decor is pretty sweet and I would love to go in there and chill out. They've got short movies projected on the wall, which is brilliant in my opinion. read more

I don't normally write yelp reviews, but I couldn't resist helping a local business that really deserves the attention. Lab is great and I look forward to going back! My latte was really excellent (intelligentsia really makes a difference) and reasonably priced. I haven't ventured to try the "pour-over" coffee yet, but they claim it's better than normal drip coffee. the yogurt was delicious - lots of toppings and the fruit was all really fresh. I saw the baristas chopping up a fresh mango to refill the bowl while I grabbed my toppings. And the atmosphere was just right. I love the sort of "apple store" white/wood-grain offset by the lime green. Lots of natural light by the windows and a very spacious feel. read more

I really liked this cute, hipster coffee shop in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor! They serve intelligentsia coffee, and have a lot of unique lattes that I haven't seen at other coffee shops. I tried their brown sugar and sea salt latte - mmm delicious! The sweet and salty was perfectly balanced, and I could taste the sea salt in every sip - it really elevated the drink to another level. I also got their gluten free chocolate chip cookie, and it was delicious. You would never be able to tell that it wasn't a "normal" chocolate chip cookie. Lab has definitely gained a fan in me! read more

Yes, it's hipster coffee snob heaven. Yes, it's overpriced. Yes, seating is limited so it's hard to comfortably camp out and study. But really, you'll still come here. Because it's awesome. I had the Brown Sugar and Sea Salt Latte based on some reviews and I quite enjoyed it. The place is tiny but if you can stake out one of the few individual tables, you're golden for a few hours with a great ambiance and some tasty beverages. Oh, and randomly, some frozen yogurt as well. read more

Whenever I go to Lab, I feel like a fucking yuppie. It's got that urban chic, bare-boned, industrial look going on. And somehow I always get suckered into getting a white tea, the yuppiest of all drinks. Their coffee is good though, and their baristas are friendly without being fake. One major complaint about the tea: most tea leaves are good for at least two brews. I find it wasteful, both of the tea leaves and my money, that they simply give you a cup and throw the leaves away. Overall, I find the prices a bit expensive. Lab loves Helvetica Neue Ultra Light like David Brooks loves pop psychology. Look, I like the typeface too, but I think they're rocking it just a bit hard. read more

Lab is a lovely coffee shop in the heart of Ann Arbor's downtown - ideal for studying, or just enjoying a nice cup of joe. Things are a little pricy here ($4 for a small cold brew, for instance), but the quality of the coffee, and the calm, relaxed vibe make up for it. Lab offers a variety of pastries and treats to accompany your coffee, and for a cafe of its size, it provides a decent amount of seating for chatting, studying, or both. I have really enjoyed reading for classes here, and the fancy schmancy glass my cold brew came in was a nice touch. This will soon be one of my top study spots for sure. read more

This is a review of their fro yo only as I've never actually had their coffee. Strangely I consider them one of the best in the area. The flavors come through well and it certainly seems a lot more natural than some of the nearby alternatives. The salted caramel is out of this world, and I recently tried some of their spiced chocolate much to my belly's enjoyment. Could probably benefit from a few more topping options, but they generally have the basics I'm looking for anyway. The coffee looks good too, and one day I'll get to it, but I need me the sweets. Some good hipster people watching as well if you're into that sort of thing. read more

I'm starting to really love Lab. The fact that they're open until 11 on a Saturday night (10:30 in the summer) just cements that fact because let's face it: there aren't that many places to go and just hang out on a Saturday night in Ann Arbor unless you want to go to a bar or pay a pretty penny for dinner. There's a time and place for each of those things - but also for a good book, a cup of coffee, and a treat from a local bakery. And you know what? Lab was there for me when I needed those things. Lab was also there for me when I ran out of gas on my moped when I coincidentally was craving frozen yogurt. I would've been stuck there either way, but having a cup of coconut froyo while I waited for my husband made everything a little sunnier. In all seriousness, I think Lab might have the best froyo in town, especially since their flavors change regularly (tonight's options included almond and passionfruit). In addition to all of this good stuff, however, they serve Intelligentsia coffee prepared using one of those fancy Hario V60 pour over kettles. My coffee has never been anything less than excellent, whether it was an 8am pick-me-up before a job interview, a mid-afternoon iced coffee, or a 9pm cup of decaf. Good coffee, good treats, and a nice clean interior. I'm a fan. A big fan. read more

PROS: Intelligentsia coffee, pour over drip menu, kind staff, small capp is 8 oz so a good microfoam to coffee ratio; website lists useful information, such as pour over, macaron, and froyo daily offerings. Did I mention Intelli beans? CONS: not-too-cozy environment; too close to Comet so I have to choose I really appreciate them stocking gluten free noshes from Tasty Bakery, and so do my kids. I don't often make it to the farmer's market early enough to get them from the source. The jasmine macaron sounded really intriguing but they sold out. That and the lychee and taro frozen yogurt are on my "to try" list, and the cappuccino con miel (capp with local honey). read more

To my knowledge, this is downtown Ann Arbor's newest cafe addition! The first attractive quality to Lab Cafe is their decor. Contemporary all white, high ceilings, modern furniture with a light-wood colored geometric design, and the projector displaying images of artistic movies and photos behind the baristas. A very clean, polished look. Another is that they brew each order individually. Up-side to this is that the coffee tastes fresh, down-side is the wait time. I ordered an iced Papa New Guinea coffee which was to my satisfaction, especially since I'm not a huge coffee fan. The barista was very nice and attentive to my coffee wants, and suggested it to me. He also offered if it was not to my liking they would make me something else. Lab Cafe also offers at least 4 rotating yogurt flavors, with an assortment of tops all to be bought by weight. I have yet to try, but hopefully this will not be another disappointment to yogurt joints in Ann Arbor to my opinion have not been as successful in taste and quality. Teas, lattes, cappuccinos, and light food options like bagels and such are available as well. As far as I could tell they make all their drinks fresh. Other things I noticed: -The large attraction to Asian Cliental: So I refused to go in on the grand opening day because I saw a hot mess of Asian people in there. Now then again I'm Asian, but I rather not be categorized following the Asian trend. I guess the appeal in similarity in looks in cute trendy atmosphere (and yogurt offerings) as some places on the west coast give this an appeal...but today there is a vast diversity of people in here. -Hours: Open from 6/7am till 11pm. -Free wifi -Seating: could be more...especially since good cafe seating a relaxing or productive afternoon can be difficult to come by in Ann Arbor - especially around finals time like now. I may update my review on the Lab Cafe later since they just opened and still seem to be working out some stuff. There is so far nothing that stands out to me beside the decor - thus, A-OK :) read more

I've been wanting to try Lab for quite some time... the coffees and desserts look and sound so good. I wandered over there this afternoon. Walking in, the atmosphere was clean and minimalist and quite inviting in a calm manner. There were two baristas working and neither one smiled or greeted me when I ordered. They looked through me, even though I was smiling and when I asked a question, one answered in monotone short answer. Then a cool young hipster man walked in and one of the baristas broke into a big genuine smile and greeted him warmly. Okay, so what do I expect from a hipster place? I'm not exactly their target audience. I still was holding out hope for magical coffee and macarons. Then my order arrives. No acknowledgement from the barista who handed me my brown sugar sea salt latte, but a small smile from the barista who handed me my macarons. Okay, I'll take the smile. First, the coffee. Well balanced flavors (if a bit sweet for my palate, but I did order something with the term "brown sugar" in its name), but it wasn't hot hot. It was warm. Okay temperature if you're going to down the whole thing in one shot, but not hot enough if you want to sip and savor over a few minutes or more. Well... we still have macarons, right? I ordered pistachio, Curacao, and raspberry. The pistachio was quite good. The other two had little to no flavor and were overly sweet. The Curaco macaron tasted only of powdered sugar. The coup de grace was when I went to the bathroom... or more accurately, tried to go to the bathroom. There was a hand-written sign on the door that said, "Absolutely no public bathroom. We are a small business. Save our resources." After what I just paid for coffee and macarons? I think you can afford some toilet paper... or a kinder sign. I won't be back. read more

Knowledgeable and friendly, from ownership to the Baristarists (I made that word up) There's pour over coffee under $2 on up to almost $4 for the fancier single origins and limited runs. Just read the tasting notes and go from there, or ask the staff. They never steer me wrong. Lab has a super clean environment (both aesthetically and literally- their recent health department review was pretty stellar) with excellent wi-fi and both indoor and outdoor seating. I always find it very inviting. A few words for the cheapskates out there- you need to tip. The amount of cash in that jar is ridiculously low for the service you're getting, and the pricing of the quality product you are drinking. Artisan coffee from kind people deserves no less. Lab is top shelf and one of the two best coffeehouses in the downtown Ann Arbor area in my opinion, if you haven't visited, you most definitely should. I was really happy to discover lab's fantastic coffee and delicious fresh frozen yogurt. Niche filled. read more

The place is beautiful! Lab was opened up by a friend of a friend, and I'm happy for her success. I was happy with my slow drip intelligentsia coffee. I love the very modern and urban interior with its hipsters and macbooks as decor (jk). I just though this place was super trendy for a college town. Everything works well together. I definitely appreciate this coffeeshop a lot. The only odd thing is that they also serve froyo along with coffee, which I find to be two very different things. HOWEVER, the froyo sample that I had was very tart, not too sugary with just the right amount of creaminess. The original was great and the honeydew was amazing! When I come back to Ann Arbor, I'm going to try and spend a day here. read more

Definitely the best coffee shop in Ann Arbor. It is lesser known than many of the other coffee places, but it is definitely the best. A little pricey, but the aesthetic of the space and taste of the coffee and pastries is totally worth it. Try their specialties like the brown sugar and sea salt latte (my personal favorite). A great place to meet up with friends or get some work done, the natural light and openness of the space invites you to stay for hours and not feel claustrophobic. read more

Lab - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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This coffee shop is a really great place to get some work done. It is a really calm place to get coffee with friends, or focus on work. The coffee is really delicious, and they offer a bunch of fun flavors and different types of teas and lattes. read more

Loved the place the minute I walked in. Has a warm Scandinavian feel with a lot of white and wood furnishings. Ordered the lavender honey latte (less sugar) and it was perfect! Good quality coffee makes all the difference. Best lavender latte I've had so far. Also tasted the original and raspberry frozen yogurt, and it was mind-blowing! Mainly because it isn't as sweet as other places, making it a perfect light dessert. Will definitely be back when I visit! read more

I'm new to the area and was in need of a place to study. I stumbled into this gem. It has plenty of space to study or work. Love the simple and refreshing decor of the space. Of course the selection of coffee and teas are great as well. Will make this a regular spot to study and enjoy coffee by myself or with friends. read more

Portlandia, have I accidentally stumbled into you? The baristas definitely had a Fred/Carrie dynamic going for them, and I kinda liked it. My transaction with them was both smile-inducing and a tiny bit uncomfortable. The Brown Sugar & Sea Salt Latte was tasty (not too sweet at all, good hint of sea salt). It could have been a bit stronger, but I guess that's what I get for ordering a latte. It did seem tiny for the price, though. (I think it was an 8 oz. to-go cup for $3.50? 10 oz.?). My niece loved her Hot Cocoa with Vanilla (great flavor, not too sweet as well). I personally like the way the shop was set up: bright, airy, minimalist, with great wallpaper in that back area. Yeah, there aren't too many seats, but this ain't church. Get in where you fit in. (The bar stools area near the counter seemed like a good working spot with great people-watching views.) Some unsolicited decor advice: can we do something about that depressing window that looks out to the FedEx store? It's a great underutilized place to hang some wires and clip on some prints...or at least some marker art on the glass. read more

Great place for a quick stop on Liberty. It's a nice addition to the growing number of restaurants on that street. The coffee is good most of the time and they are very fussy about how it is prepared. This can lead to a lengthy wait if you are just getting yogurt. And the frozen yogurt is really exceptional. It's clearly better than the all the other xxxBERRYxxx shops around. They have unique and tasty flavors. The counter person said that each one has been worked on by the owner - they are not just out of a bag. The cafe itself is ultra modern. Very bright and clean with lots of places to jack in. Seating is pretty close together. Great place to work and watch. read more

Not a bad shop. I've only been by twice at this point (and they've only been open for two days), but they're good and getting better in terms of product. The baristas are all relatively new, but are receptive to feedback and want to improve, which counts for a lot (especially in contrast to the surly barista stereotype, which is earned more often than not) My biggest issue is with decor. The store is gorgeous and thoughtfully laid out, but in sticking with their name, it has a feeling that is almost antiseptic. It really doesn't make me want to stick around and chat with friends, sit and do work, or really anything I go to a coffee shop to do. The best option seemed to be to grab my coffee and scurry back out into the world. So, go, but don't expect to hang and check back. maybe they'll find a dimmer for the lights and some use will manage to break the space in. read more

So this place is right down the street from my apartment (as is their competition for "serious" coffee, Comet) so I've been able to frequent since its opening. They brew Intelligentsia, which is a pretty decent brand, and they brew it fresh, which always makes any coffee (even at home) that much better. The baristas I met were soo helpful! They left a little too much room in my americano, but when I asked if they could add a little more hot water to my cup, they did so without a second guess *and* a smile. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Comet and all of the employees that work there. But lately the place has become so popular (many congratulations!) that I sometimes have to wait up to 15 minutes to place my order. Another pro is that there is much more seating in Lab... if they are smart, they'll invest in outdoor seating ASAP to take advantage of the great weather. The idea of both Comet and Lab aren't new to me, but the novelty of "artisan coffee" and espresso seems to be taking root in Ann Arbor :). I love that Comet has rotating beans from around the world and their pastries are excellent. However, Lab seems to really have their eye on diversifying what they do; they have tea (although selection is small) and it looks like they'll soon be offering frozen yogurt (great for the kids who'll come in with their parents). So, this review has been hijacked by my uncanny ability to compare and contrast. Final note: Lab is just as good as Comet. The environment differs, but in the end, the coffee is just the same. read more

Great little coffee shop. Always consistent with how they make their drinks. I always get the Rose Vanilla or Lavender lattes. Never needed to adjust anything like either add more sugar or milk, it just tastes perfect as is. Their teas are also delicious and worth trying. read more

My fiance and I go here often after having dinner in Ann Arbor. My fiance is a coffee snob and I'm a yogurt snob. The lab has the best coffee and yogurt in ann arbor -- snob approved. :) They serve INTELLIGENTSIA COFFEE, which according to my fiance is the best coffee. I'm not much of a coffee drinker so I can't tell between an instant folgers and a starbucks coffee. I trust my fiance when he says this is the only place he'll go to for coffee. The yogurt has the perfect tartiness to the yogurt. You can't get that anywhere else. The only reason I gave them 4 stars was because the selection of yogurt flavors is limited to 4. My favorite place in cali has over 10 different flavors to choose from. The toppings is very limited too. Environment: I actually love the decor of the place. It's very unique from all of the other stores. I've studied here before and I think it's comfortable. The baristas have also always been super duper nice. read more