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Starbucks

3.1 (41 reviews)
InexpensiveCoffee & Tea
Closed 5:00 am - 8:00 pm

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STARBUCKS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Outdoor seating
Good for working

Recommended Reviews - Starbucks

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Reviews With Photos

iced latte

Fifteen minute wait after I ordered and I got a free hair on my latte, massive L. Normally a good location but I had to say something this time. I guess don't go in when they are too busy. Can't believe I left a tip for this.

Limited edition "Sakura matcha frapp"
Tai D.

I visit this Starbucks only to purchase Matcha Lattes which I am grateful that they have. They recently had a limited edition "Sakura Matcha Frappucino" which was "strawberry puree, cream, white chocolate sauce, whipped cream and matcha (green tea powder)." It was tasty but was more like a creamy strawberry frapp. There's are a couple of new tea lattes that look promising: Citrus Green Tea Latte and London Fog The one downside to this location is that it is often very crowded. I would love to stay and study here but there are often no seats.

The clover!
Brandon L.

Pros: 1. The atmosphere is excellent in the old brick building on the edge of downtown iowa city. Modern yet homey in my opinion. 2. They have a clover which makes awesome coffee. It is more expensive, but worth it compared to their normal drip coffee. 3. Their flavored and expresso drinks are good not great. The caramel macchiato is probably my favorite. 4. Decent food selection, particular shout out to their breakfast sandwiches. Cons: 1. Can be very busy and difficult to find a spot to sit during the school year, particularly in the morning. 2. They are more expensive and a bit tamer than other coffee places in Iowa city in my opinion. They are a great place to grab something relatively quick that doesn't change much drink to drink.

Beagles appreciate the cool, shady patio on this miserably hot day
Kat S.

Lovely patio, friendly service and so fast! The beagle really, really enjoyed the patio. I did too. Thank you!

Quiet Saturday
Yuk L.

New to town and discovering the various coffee joints. Starbucks remains quick go-to for the ease of mobile ordering with relatively quick in and out. I'm used to my mobile order waiting for my pick up. But at this location, the drinks are kept behind the counter and the baristas are slowly recognizing my orders and when I come in for my americano. Staff is otherwise friendly and knows their regular customers very well.

Perfect strawberry coconut açaí drink for spring. My coffee alternative for late afternoon.
Amanda M.

This Starbucks is always super busy and on the smaller side so you probably won't find a spot to sit. However, the free parking in the lot next to is amazing. They have quite a few 2 person tables along the wall, but not a place to come in a large study group because the communal table is typically full. The employees provide great service and the WiFi is always reliable. They accept the app here and have the full menu of drinks and food.

One last look at the empty lot across from the patio before the new hotel goes up!
Rachel L.

Despite Starbucks being known for how standardized they've made their drinks, we all know that sometimes a drink just doesn't hit the spot from one location to the next. This Starbucks though has been pretty spot-on every time. The staff here are friendly (somewhat rare considering how fast Starbucks employees have to be working) and the location is handy, just off the Ped Mall, across the street from the University's Old Capitol Mall, and across the street from the Old Capitol parking ramp. The outdoor patio is very small and sits among a cramped parking lot, but the building itself is cute This location gets a lot of students passing through (if you ever work from here, you'll know when the class changes occur), and there aren't very many seating options there are. But, it has a fun urban-buzz vibe to it and if you can snag a seat, it's a nice place to hunker down with your computer and a holiday latte while watching the snow fly past their big window for a few hours.

Blueberry-Lemon Scone - Warmed!
Michele S.

If your wishing to get your morning coffee quickly, reconsider. There is always a wait no matter what time of the day your going because of it being near a college campus. Sunday mornings before 8:30 is the best time to go if your looking for a peaceful coffee shop vibe. If you plan to mobile order, make sure you place it well ahead of your scheduled pick up time. They usually are backed up on orders, so your going to be waiting in the store for it anyway. The store itself is very tiny for the the amount of people they get which makes it not the greatest study spot. Offering only a few small tables, and one communal table, its usually very hard to find a seat. Employees are always friendly, and have never messed up my order. They offer the full Starbucks drink and food menu. This is my go to coffee shop to enjoy my grande blonde roast and great conversation.

The correct sticker for my chai but tastes like a shaken espresso.

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8 years ago

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7 months ago

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17 days ago

They tried to make me change genders. I said no and they banned me from the store. All I wanted was an iced americano.

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22 days ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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10 years ago

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11 years ago

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11 years ago

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9 years ago

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7 years ago

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3 years ago

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8 years ago

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7 years ago

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13 years ago

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5 years ago

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6 years ago

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8 years ago

Great Starbucks location. There is a cool little nook perfect for two people with stools and bar. Staff are friendly.

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9 years ago

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9 years ago

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11 years ago

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13 years ago

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14 years ago

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11 years ago

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10 years ago

Adorable shop with lots of private feeling tables. Employees were exceptional. Great customer service.

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Ask the Community - Starbucks

Review Highlights - Starbucks

I frequently visit all of the coffee shops in downtown Iowa City and find that Starbucks (as with the others) is exceptional.

Mentioned in 3 reviews

Read more highlights

The Encounter Cafe - Iced vanilla latte. Biscuits & gravy + eggs.

The Encounter Cafe

4.5(205 reviews)
0.1 mi
$$

Stopped in to grab a couple of coffees, a scone and a cinnamon roll. The Encounter Cafe is…read moreliterally across the street from our hotel, so this was a no-brainer if you're looking for an upgrade to the complimentary powdered eggs and overused waffle machine offered by the hotel that your staying at. The space itself is large and looks to be separated into two halves. I entered on the one side, ordered at the counter, just like you would at any coffee shop and waited. This place serves a full-service breakfast as well if you're looking for something more substantial (eggs, panini's, pancakes, etc..). I was just here picking up and bringing it back to our room. The coffees were fine, but there was only one gentleman working the counter, and he was a bit overwhelmed. He forewarned me that he had 4-5 drinks ahead of mine, so I ended up sitting there waiting for about 15 minutes for our two drinks. I wasn't pressed for time today, but if I was, this would've been an issue. I ordered a raspberry chocolate scone and a cinnamon roll. The scone was delicious. Not too sweet and was definitely made this morning. The cinnamon roll was delicious as well, but it was extremely sweet. To the point where it hurt your teeth. It would also have been better if it were warmed up. Lastly, they gave me this big cinnamon roll in a bag without any napkins or utensils?!? I had to stop at the free breakfast at our hotel to get a fork, knife and some napkins. So kind of a mixed-bag at the Encounter Cafe. I would give it another shot and try some other things, but it didn't blow me away.

I stopped here twice on a recent work trip as it was close by to the hotel I was staying in. It…read morereally lives up to the other reviews that describe it as a cozy atmosphere with fresh food. The first day I had baked oatmeal with yogurt and it was a huge portion size that was very similar to coffee cake. The next day, I ordered the avocado toast and was surprised to see it come out, layered with egg and bacon and fresh tomato. Their lattes were delicious without being overly sweet. So glad I found this place during my trip. It is worth the stop.

Photos
The Encounter Cafe
The Encounter Cafe - Chocolate croissant and a lavender-honey iced latte w almond milk

Chocolate croissant and a lavender-honey iced latte w almond milk

The Encounter Cafe - Front counter and menu boards

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Front counter and menu boards

DAYDRINK - DAYDRINK's interior is light and airy with mid-century modern touches, plus Millennial features like 90s-era movies, toys and TVs.

DAYDRINK

4.8(12 reviews)
0.4 mi

A haiku doe this great cafe, serving up kindness, and respite from the busy world:…read more Daydrink is great, A place to escape and rest, Great coffee to boot. Make sure to look for your favorite vintage VHS tapes! Great retro ambience.

My wife and I visited DAYDRINK on a chilly Saturday morning, and we were delighted with all aspects…read moreof our experience. Food/Drink: Pastry -- Cream Cheese Coffee Cake (Perfection, this sweet treat was soft, moist, and full of flavor. Rating = 9.3/10.) Drink #1 -- Hot Vanilla Latte (Delish, not a big hot drink fan but this was an exception to the rule! Rating = 8.4/10.) Drink #2 -- Iced Vanilla Latte (Wonderful, really all I could ask for out of my favorite coffee order, not to sweet and excellent espresso taste. Rating = 8.4/10.) Service: No complaints on the service. The shop wasn't too busy so our order came out as expected with little wait! Ambiance: The location is unique - located in a neighborhood amongst what appears to be primarily college housing units. The building itself is really cool - albeit, quite small - and is decorated/themed with a lot of intention. The shop has a retro vibe with a VCR tape collection, nostalgic children games, and other late '90s / early '00s antiques lining the walls. Overall, this spot is one of our favorites in the Iowa City area, and we will definitely be return customers!

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DAYDRINK
DAYDRINK
DAYDRINK - DAYDRINK is housed in a historic 19th century era building formerly home to one of Iowa City's first grocery stores.

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DAYDRINK is housed in a historic 19th century era building formerly home to one of Iowa City's first grocery stores.

Poindexter Coffee - Avocado toast

Poindexter Coffee

3.7(33 reviews)
0.1 mi

Our Alumni Board group had our team dinner here last Thursday. The Coffee Shop closed anyway at…read morearound 5 PM, so we had the whole place to ourselves starting around 6 PM. This was a nice private setting, with great laid back service, and some really good pre-ordered burgers (among other choices). A couple appetizers and dessert helped bookend a fine evening out among friends.

Coffee shop in the heart of downtown Iowa City and easily one of my favorite study spots! I love…read morehow big the space is. It can accommodate a lot of students without ever feeling cramped, and there are tons of outlets which is always a huge win when you're studying. It's the perfect place to get work done alone or catch up with friends over lunch. I haven't tried a ton from the food menu yet, but the Caesar wrap is so good. They also have one of the best iced matcha lattes in Iowa City. The staff is amazing too. Everyone is so nice, cheerful, and genuinely helpful, which makes the whole place feel really welcoming. The music is always great, the space is decorated so nicely, and I love the pencil wall. The bathrooms are clean and well kept, and they really have everything you could possibly need. They even offer a student discount, which makes it an even better spot for college students. Definitely one of my favorite places to go in Iowa City!

Photos
Poindexter Coffee
Poindexter Coffee - The person taking and making order looked like she didn't want to be at work talked and acted the same.

The person taking and making order looked like she didn't want to be at work talked and acted the same.

Poindexter Coffee

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Starbucks - coffee - Updated May 2026

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