The quality of the drinks vary a lot by who makes them. Some baristas are great! Some make…read moremediocre drinks. If it's not one of two people, they're so bland. Also heard two baristas whispering and couldn't help eavesdropping that the owner doesn't always pay them on time?! The atmosphere is cool and quirky and it's always clean but I dunno if I'll keep coming when the drinks are inconsistent and the owner might not pay workers...

From the owner: A place to caffeinate and create. read more

Do not get beans here. Do not let them grind them. I like to support local shops when I am…read moretraveling and I have my own espresso maker. I asked for espresso grind. When I opened the bag I could tell right away it was too fine. I attempted to pull a shot, but got nothing. It was most definitely Turkish grind. Since I could do nothing with the bag, I went back to explain this was ground too fine. The same individual was there and reacted with condensation, saying this is indeed espresso grind, which is basically Turkish, and he doesn't know what kind of maker I have so he cannot dial it in. I said I have never had this problem in the years I have done this at other shops. He acted like he could do nothing for me, so when I pressed that I can do nothing with these beans I spent money on, he got on the phone. At one point I heard him say, "Yes, I tried to explain that to her." As if I didn't know what I was talking about. I was finally given the option to get a bag of beans without having them ground, which is all I really wanted. I can grind the beans in my own grinder at home. I went down the street and bought a bag of beans there. I asked for espresso grind and mentioned that the last place gave me Turkish. She had to look up the appropriate setting, but she got it perfect. When I got home and opened the bag of beans from Black Iron, the beans were oily and smelled burnt. My coffee tasted that way, too. I was rather shocked because the latter I had ordered with my purchase was not bad. I had to use them up slowly by masking the bad taste with my go-to beans.

Love this cafe! I haven't tried them in years since moving away, but had to stop in during a recent…read morevisit home. They have since changed owners since I last visited, and had the opportunity to meet the new owners daughter who was working on bar that day. She is so friendly and makes a great macchiato! I used to be a barista for a few years and have since become an at home espresso enthusiast. This cafe produces delicious, quality espresso made with care. Quiet, clean, and cozy. Great study spot or catch up with friends. Can't wait to return next time I'm in town!

I absolutely loved meeting one of the roasters at Water Street Roasters, Seth, and hearing about…read morehis trip this year to Costa Rica. It was so interesting to see the small coffee farms they visited, learn about the different ways to process the coffee, and discover more about this coffee region, as well as trying some just roasted coffee from the area. Our small group even learned how to do a coffee cupping for tasting different roasts/beans. If you ever have a chance to attend a class or presentation at the roaster, JUMP ON IT! This was one of the best things I've done in Kalamazoo. Thank you so much, Seth and Water Street Coffee Roasters, for bringing this process of bean to bag alive and personal. I fully support your efforts, coffee, and business even MORE SO now!

From the owner: Originally built sometime between 1885 and 1895 as a machine shop, the building at 610 West Willard…read moreStreet housed the Verdon Cigar Factory from 1900-1908 and then, until the mid-1970's, the Bowers Lighter Company. In 2006, Water Street Coffee Roaster moved in; the building now houses our entire roasting operation including our apple green Probat Roasting Machine, training facility, cupping lab, and the main business office. While open to the public, this is not a retail location.

Ron roasts his own beans. Gotta try it. I am confident you will enjoy the coffee. This spring he is…read moreadding a patio out front.

Love this small roastery and coffeeshop! Freshly roasted brand, super friendly staff and…read moreincredibly delicious coffee. Yahoo!!! Look for events!

My love affair with whole bean coffee continues unabated…read more I stumbled across this locally-based coffee roaster by happenstance. As luck would have it, I was hanging out at a local cafe and the owner had just gotten a new brand of whole bean coffee in- that from the Flint Coffee Company. Curious, I asked him what it was like and he seemed pretty enthusiastic about it. He said it was a new line that he was introducing for retail, likening to the rich Sumatra Starbucks blend, but with a twist. Well, I love the earthiness of Starbucks Sumatra, so my interest was piqued. What was the twist? What was that extra something that supposedly made it worth it? Apparently, it's organically-grown under special shade trees or something. These coffee beans are marketed as "direct trade, shade grown with no pesticides involved." Whatever it is, it does the trick. At any rate, I know I liked it a whole lot. Flint Coffee Company bills itself as a family owned business interested in producing sustainable coffee beans from their family-run farm (the family apparently owns a coffee plantation in Peru and owns the local company where it's roasted here in Flint). The beans are hand-harvested, washed and then dried in the sun on a drying bed. Later, the beans are depulped, with any pulp remnants used as a fertilizer for the soil while the beans ferment overnight and are rewashed. I guess it's more of a natural way to process coffee beans. All I know is that I was impressed with the smoothness of such a rich coffee flavor. There was very little to no acidity in it and no strange aftertaste that is the hallmark of cheap can coffee. In other words, if you like Folgers or Maxwell House, this probably isn't the coffee for you. However, I like my coffee rich and earthy, so it was a hit with me. It tasted just as good in its last drop as it did from the first sip from my coffee cup. They have a few different blends, from milder beans to the darker, more intense variety that I prefer. I picked up a 12 oz bag for $11. That wasn't a bad price. It wasn't the cheapest (it's true that I could have probably gotten a whole lot of average canned coffee at the grocery store for the same price or less), but for me, it's about quality, not quantity when it comes to coffee. I really can't stand that acidic aftertaste of cheap coffee, so I was down with the price.

We stumbled across this coffee shop on a list of Best Coffee in Metro Detroit. We live about 30…read moreminutes away but were willing to make the drive in our quest to find the best cup of coffee. There is a relatively small parking lot on site, and it did get a little hectic trying to get in and out. It does look like you can also park in the neighborhood which might be worth the small walk to avoid having to make a right turn in the lot. The outside of the building is very cute and I love that the sign is painted right on the wall directing us where to go. The inside is extremely small as they were originally only intending to roast the coffee at this location. They did add in a ledge adjacent to the counter that had multiple high top chairs available, but there is no other seating inside. This would be great for a solo person having coffee. They do have ample seating right outside on their beautiful patio. They have put time and effort into creating this space, which can be seen in the lovely wood furniture and the flowers they have planted. They also have a pergola over the patio that provides shade. Attached to the pergola is the sign which is also lovely. They have a sandwich board right outside the door letting you know that they are open. The baristas took their job very seriously and were taking the time to weigh out both the beans and the milk. They have a standard menu that is easy to navigate, and for flavored lattes they offered both vanilla and honey that sounds great. I chose to go with the honey iced latte, and then we also ordered an iced vanilla latte and a flat white.y brother in law is from Australia, and we are ALWAYS trying to find him a decent flat white. Every time it is on a menu we will order it. For the first time in YEARS a flat white finally got his seal of approval. You could tell that the care the baristas put into the preparation made all of the difference. After visiting I told my neighbors (who are also big coffee snobs) about Kazkara and they visited the very next morning and also gave their stamps.of approval! Kazkara will now have multiple people from West Bloomfield making the 30 minute drive for a good cup of coffee.

This is probably the best coffee within a 10 mile radius. They put so much care into each cup. The…read moreowner comes from a long line of coffee makers. You have to get the cortado. Great prices too!

I had the Maleki Coffee and absolutely LOVED it! I wish I lived closer to Moka & Co because I know…read moreI would be a regular. Very pleased with the price and quality of the coffee.

I didn't catch the workers name, but she has short curly hair and she made the best coffee I've…read moreever had

If you love coffee like me and enjoying trying different kinds from around the world this is your…read moreplace. By far the best coffee I've ever had and I've tried tons of different kinds from around the world! The owner is a great guy and his products are one of a kind. Check this place out! You won't regret it!

From the owner: Fresh Roasted Coffee in small batch, high quality coffee, Ethiopia Coffee, Honduras Coffee,…read moreGuatemala Coffee, best coffee, freshly roasted

Stopped in here on my way to an event and I had some time to kill. The aesthetic of the coffee shop…read morewas adorable, staff was super friendly, they were packed but the service was still amazing and the drink was delicious. I got a hot vanilla latte

First review, but been several times. It's a clean welcoming atmosphere with many excellent…read moreoptions. Good service, good drinks, will go back several more times.

This bakery/cafe is such a hidden gem!!!!! Everything is soo delicious. The drinks had a delicious…read moreflavor to them without overshadowing the tea. The mochi was amazing!! The cream was not too sweet, and the mochi was super soft and chewy without being too thick. I can't recommend this place enough. Service was incredibly quick. The only thing to note is that there's a $10 minimum for card.

It was not what I expected, but that aside, it had very unique offerings as far as treats. The tea…read morethey made was all from powder and that is not at all what I expected. The "cake" they had was more like a standing custard, and not very sweet. It's not that it was bad, just lacking in flavor and just wasn't what we were looking for . I was hoping to get some single serving cake to celebrate my mom's birthday. The bog thing was we are both tea connoisseurs and have absolutely never had powdered tea!