I'm a big fan of Slow Train; it's a wonderful place to sit alone or with friends, drink coffee, work or play on the computer, read, etc. The coffee is good and the service is friendly. I wish the food were a little better. My husband, who's French, really liked his pain au chocolat but I was disappointed in my croissant, and other pastries I've tried have been no better. Ditto for the afternoon/evening food. A better bet is to get a muffin at Black River Cafe or a doughnut at Gibson's and have it with your coffee. Wine nights are fun, music nights are fun but of varying quality, and trivia nights are way fun but more so in the summer when the students are gone. Sorry, students - we love you but it's crazy crowded and noisy during the school year. read more

Great atmosphere , great coffee and service... def will come back and try there happy hour. The lavender scones are to die for

The Slow Train gets five big stars because a) they serve coffee, b) they open at 8:00am on Saturdays, and c) they're conveniently located across the street form The Oberlin Inn, where the in-room coffee maker is rumored to produce a murky swill fit only for extreme senior citizens and babies. On this snowy Saturday morning, as a cluster of impatient refugees huddled by the entrance, the bartenders busied themselves shaking out mats and refiling the muffin trays. Screw the muffins, I thought. Once I get inside, how long will I have to wait for them to brew the coffee? There were two brews available, the house organic and the Nicaraguan, but the latter required a monumental wait of five minutes, so I chose the organic. Behind me was a fixins bar stocked with the kind of stuff you'd expect to find at an Oberlin coffee house: half & half, 2% milk and soy milk (Note: Soy milk isn't really milk. And if you need to lighten your coffee but you can't do dairy and soy is an acceptable option, you have some serious problems. Do yourself a favor and drink it black); a variety of sweeteners ranging from Sweet N Low at the provincial end to agave nectar at the pretentious. The ambiance of the Slow Train, with its not-quite-hipster-because-this-ins't-Brooklyn vibe, appealed to me more than the confines of my bedroom and "Americas Unsolved Murder Mysteries" on the flat screen. And then there's the music. Television, the Pixies, the Talking Heads, a 50-something's dream play list. When I stepped up for my free refill (not free, but you do get a fifteen cent savings, which I more than negated with a dollar tip), I asked if the place served drinks. "You can have a drink right now," replied the chipper barista. Yippee! Someplace for lonely moms to go at night after they've been dumped by their Oberlin students, whom they drove 8 hours to see. The Nicaraguan, my refill choice, did not taste remarkably different or less organic than the Organic, but I would not suspect the staff of pulling a fast one on their customers. More likely, my palate just isn't as refined as I thought it was. And now to return to the Beautiful Oberlin Inn (oh, yes. Review to follow--better scramble and replace the worn out bedding while I'm out of the room. You've been warned), where, with any luck, the people attending the conference down the hall from my room won't notice if I help myself to their breakfast buffet. read more

Fantastic atmosphere and delicious treats make slow train the place to be if you're a coffee lover. Whether you're on the run or bunkering down to knock out the overdue paper, slow train will fulfill you're every need. They will keep you fed and caffeinated with muffins and mocha while the music mellows your mood. read more

This is a GREAT cafe, the kind a college town deserves! Soooo much better than the nasty place that used to be where Aladdin's is now. They do a mean latte! Also, everyone ignores the fact that they have a full bar, but they actually have a great list of seasonal special drinks. read more

Such a great little coffee place. Staff is super friendly and helpful. My cappuccino was to die for! I love that they were able to do a half caff for me. A real gem in the community I will be back! read more

Wow, has this place lived up to its hype. Sure it is not the best coffee in the world but this place makes Oberlin so much better. Service has dramatically improved since my last visit in May. Now, if we only get another restaurant option in Oberlin that is not a pizza joint. read more

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The place is so hip my coffee came with a beanie and a keffiyeh, completely underwhelming coffee though.

Slow Train Coffee not only makes one cup of coffee (which my good friend who now resides in Columbia approves of) but they are also extremely affordable and easy to interact with. I booked two air pots worth of coffee for my pre-wedding breakfast and Slow Train delivered in wonderful fashion. Also, I wrote my vows while sitting in their tremendously comfortable dining room. All of the staff members were gracious and helpful ... and $6.67 for a cup of coffee and shot of Jamison is a revelation for a New Yorker like me who could easily pay more for either. I can say with total confidence that Slow Train is my coffee shop of choice when visiting family in Oberlin. read more

I go to Slow Train almost every day and have never received anything other than warm, friendly service. It's such a great place to sit and work and you always run into someone you know. I'm a big fan of the ham and cheese croissant and the orange chocolate chip scone. I also like the updates they made during winter break--everything looks super fresh and clean. read more

Great place for a delicious pastry, alc beverage. Awesome coffee. However, don't come during the morning rush (8:30-9), they'll get swamped and you'll be waiting forever while the barista makes his/her way through the list. read more

Every time I come to Oberlin in the morning Slow Train is a must. They always have great customer service and the employees are very courteous. Justin L did a great job on my latte I will definitely be back. read more

i like it but it is flooded with college students during the school year.

Excellent espresso drinks, equally superlative drip brewed coffee. Great coffee cake and muffins. Plus a very friendly atmosphere. What's not to like? read more

Best coffee ever had best customer service I ever had and I will be back I like going there a lot the people are nice and nice environment

I love coffee & they have Really good cold brew. Nice size, quiet & comfortable place for college students.

Great fresh croissants (chocolate, spinach & cheese) first thing on a Sunday. Plus all kinds of coffee, of course.

Nice college atmosphere...bakery case frequently very low, especially in the afternoon when people still want just a little snack with their coffee. Bathrooms cleanliness truly is a sign of how clean the rest of the cafe is...beware of how the dishes are washed, or not... loosely wiped down and rinsed by the same sponge which has been gawd-knows-where...no mini dishwasher? I'll be back, but seriously, college town or not, how about following the health codes a little more frequently. read more

Price of my coffee more than what's on the menu board? Oh. Turns out price depends on which coffee bean. Server shrugs no big deal. I pay more than what's listed. Ummm, there's a big difference between relaxed and indifferent service. read more

I live in San Diego, and was visiting my son at Oberlin on my way to Italy. (You can imagine how many cappuccinos I had in Italy.) The cappuccino I had at Slow Train was the best I've ever had. I can't wait to go back--it'll be a while. read more

I have written many a thesis in Slow Train, so I owe them one. Plus their coffee is the bee's knees.

Slow Train is great, I go almost everyday when school is in session for their Chai Latte. I can't speak so much for the coffee selection but every drink I have gotten (I drink tea) has been amazing. Along with their drinks are their delectable pastries. I think I have tried almost everything from their sweet and savory croissants to their coffee cake and nothing has disappointed me. Slow train has a great little seating area outside and a lot of difference places to sit inside as well. The atmosphere is perfect for meeting a friend, seeing a band, or even studying for a couple of hours! I definitely recommend stopping by Slow Train to get a drink and a treat. read more

Slow Train has a lot of things going for it. 1. It serves liquor as well as coffee. 2. It only charges $1.35 for a small coffee instead of the typical $1.75-$2.00. 3. It has a monopoly in downtown Oberlin as the only other coffee shop of the same style-- The Local-- is owned and run by the same people as Slow Train. Slow Train also has a lot of things not going for it. 1. The coffee is not good. Lattes or Albino Squirrels can be fine, but a cup of simple black coffee often tastes sour, burnt, or both. I'm all for having a hispter vibe, but I would much rather have fast, tasty coffee than an atmosphere of laid-back intellectualism. 2. It's slow. When it gets backed up, a latte or cafe americano can take 15 minutes. I understand Slow Train is popular and gets very busy, but 15 minutes for a hot chocolate? I know, I know. We don't want Starbucks in Oberlin and I shouldn't make the comparison-- but there would be never a 15 minutes wait on a hot chocolate in Starbucks. (And the coffee wouldn't be sour either, but hey.) 3. As other reviewers mentioned, Slow Train does get very crowded at rush times and, along with a long wait time on a drink, it can be impossible to find a seat and so can be a difficult study location. read more