Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea

    3.6 (152 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea Takeout or Delivery

    Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea Photos

    Business Info

    SWEETWATERS COFFEE & TEA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for working
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    More like Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea

    Recommended Reviews - Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Marielle M.

    I got one of the matcha teas, bagel sandwich, and hashbrowns. I don't think I would order the matcha or hashbrowns again, but the bagel sandwich was decent. Inside there was plenty of seating and everything came out quickly.

    Matcha Ice Dragon and Creme Caramel
    Jira W.

    The drinks were alright. They are at the perfect sweetness but nothing stood out. I like the shop's style - the study look. It was crowded with many people working on their labtops.

    A view of the charming café.
    Ann W.

    I've popped into this café multiple times but this is the first time in while school's out so the vibe was low key and relaxed. Music played quietly in the background. The only sounds emanated from the burr of the coffee grinder, the swishing of milk being frothed, and the clank of a spoon. The small tables towards the front of this large cafe were half full; people were absorbed in the screens and the occasion book and sadly, not each other. I perched at the large communal table at the back as I people watched. I like the amount of daylight streaming from the wall of windows along one side of this spacious café. There is a large refrigerated case in the middle of the space filled with sandwiches and eye-catching, mouthwatering treats. I saw a multi-layer chocolate cake, cupcakes with mounds of cream, lemon bars, chocolate chip studded bars, colorful macarons, scones, and an appetizing apple pie. Service was lovely. When I ordered the lemon bar, the counterperson even asked whether I wanted a piece from the side or one from the center. That is catering to preferences! The lemon bar itself had a thin shortbread crust and a creamy lemon curd. It was both tart and sweet, exactly as I had wanted.

    Angela A.

    I visit Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea occasionally and I get the French Vietnamese coffee and a bacon egg and cheese on an Asiago bagel, every time. The restaurant servers breakfast sandwiches, coffee, and other drinks. I have never been inside, but the location and the drive thru are perfect for me. The coffee is delicious and the breakfast sandwiches are good and hot. They also have a rewards program.

    Jesus E.

    I honestly forget how much I love a Sweetwaters latte! Their triple shot ice lattes are also my go to when I need that caffeine hit! They give the best caffeine highs . I'm also a fan of their jasmine tea and their matcha lattes! I like this location because of all the space and the atmosphere! I love how each location kind of has its own vibe in terms of the space and it's customers. My friend pointed out that this location skews more towards a grad student and professor-y vibe and I cannot unsee it! Anyway, it's a nice atmosphere yo get work done but also lively enough for a conversation or group work. The last few times I've ordered on their app and it's so seamless and convenient so I definitely appreciate that!

    Patricia J.

    Staff is amazing! Very friendly and make you feel right at home. There are three fairy doors! In case you didn't know, it's a thing here in Down Town Ann Arbor! So if you look close enough, you will find cute fairy doors all around town! The lattes are hot and creamy, silky and frothy! Just the way we like it! Seating is large and they also have an extra room that expands around the bar area. They have lots of good pastries and parking is Free all Sunday all day so you don't have to worry about meter parking.

    Beth H.

    Relaxing place to visit for a bite and a sip. It's generally quiet with people working and reading. Occasionally chatting but nothing too much. It can be busy but there is plenty of space. I would appreciate foot stools that go with the comfy chairs, to read and relax. The people behind the counters are fast and friendly. There are plenty of outlets dotted around the seating areas, where I found most were in use. My visit was last week. I ordered a cold brew from the case. If you don't want it opened and over ice, tell them. It was a surprise but they said it was same 16oz bottle, with 4 oz of ice, in a 20oz cup. I didn't see them pull it from the case or open it, so I am not sure if it was the same thing, but oh well. I typically get the 16 oz bottle but ration it out over the day. Nice initiative but they should have asked me beforehand. The brew is good. I would recommend it. I would recommend the tea, more. Sweetwaters carries baked goods from Avalon and Sweet Street. There is better coffee elsewhere, but the tea is best at Sweetwaters. There is a small selection of cold lunch options. Convenient location on Washington and Ashley.

    Charles C.

    Stopped by for a little double shot of cappuccino, better than Starbucks, not hard but not as smooth or rich as the best coffee / espresso places but reasonable place to hang out and free WiFi and simple breakfast pastries

    Case of 12 for $36 gift!
    Jadranka H.

    Like the personal feel of this place, versus Starbucks commercial feel. They've extended their lounge area behind the barista stand, but it's primarily used for computer users. It's more of a modern artsy area, but all counter tops. It's a great vibe on either side. The only downfall I have was when ordering a soy base latte, there was a $.80 up charge, to me that's a little extreme. Wish they have that noted somewhere on the price board.

    Matcha green tea latte and lemon scone.
    Paul S.

    I never thought the day would come when the café I held as a measure to all others when I traveled and later moved fell so far below the grade. It pains me to say that the espresso drinks here have sunk deeply in a mire of infinitely better local options, namely The Espresso Café. I was looking forward to a nostalgic blast when I got a matcha green tea latte, and suffice it to say it looked nothing like the picture on the menu behind the bar. It didn't taste especially good either. I gave them another chance because there was a time, probably before they expanded too much, where Wei and Joan supervised closely. I cannot see how that is possible now with at least five stores I know of scattered about town. 3 stars for the drinks, and 4.5 stars for the study and chill friendly atmosphere that thankfully still remains. Unfortunately, my past loyalty no longer remains. Hopefully they'll step up the game again because a New York Times article from 1997 proclaiming their greatness is no longer valid.

    Waffle Bar
    Christina C.

    I've never had a particularly stellar visit to Sweetwaters. I do like it a bit more than Starbucks, but only because of the food choices. The coffee quality is about the same. I've liked the coffee drinks with condensed milk. I like that they offer this as something different from other coffee places. I came here for a fundraiser. Apparently the waffle bar is a new addition. It's $6.95 for two waffles and $0.95 for each topping. Honestly, I don't think it's fair to charge $0.95 for whipped cream. The other toppings to choose from were nutella, banana, and jams. These were very expensive waffles but I did enjoy it. Sweetwaters has a great seating area, perfect for studying or meeting up with people. It definitely can get busy over the weekends or during finals.

    Sweetwaters has a location in Kerrytown shops. Photo from Kerrytown.com
    Clarence C.

    I've walked past this place more times than I can remember, and never gave a second thought. It looks way too small from outside on Ashley Street, and I expected the drinks to be as bland as the name. Happened in here, because I was on that side of town this week, and it was the closest place to get a cup. The Midnight blend is my new coffee of choice. It's difficult to get a dark roast that is dark enough and not bitter. By comparison, the other two coffee shops I've been going to taste a little too bitter and a little too watery by comparison. The Midnight is definitely the darkest blend in town, but it doesn't suffer from bitterness at all. Sweetwater isn't as crowded as it looks through the windows. There's another room on the other side of the bar. The decor is a bit to corporate and buttoned-down--it's like they wanted to imitate Starbucks--but you can always get your coffee to go, like I did.

    See all

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 69
    Thanks 26
    Love this 71
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rohan D.
    381
    3657
    10792

    9 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Pretty ambiance ! Grabbed a quick drip coffee and a chai tea latte here . Very yummy morning pick me up!

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Angela A.
    22
    47
    132

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Patricia J.
    1636
    1187
    10581

    8 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 11
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mark F.
    16
    970
    1144

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Beth H.
    544
    1538
    3157

    8 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 0
    Love this 10
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 0
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ken P.
    0
    120
    3

    4 years ago

    Try the monster matcha. It's scary delicious. Tried one and it was chillingly yummy

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Clarence C.
    26
    192
    108

    18 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mihae L.
    9
    136
    440

    15 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    They have decent coffee but they are too expensive. Love the chai and matcha tea lattes tho.

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Drea M.
    22
    80
    9

    17 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    They've started playing distracting and irritating thump-thump disco "music"

    Business owner information

    Photo of General M.

    General M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    17 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea

    You might also consider

    Moka & Co - Specialty Coffee with pistachios

    Moka & Co

    4.2(23 reviews)
    0.1 miDowntown Ann Arbor

    If you're looking for finely crafted and very unique coffee downtown you have to try Moka. Their…read morelattes are very good and the Turkish coffee is excellent. The pastry selection is also very strong and it's a really nice place to get away from the cold. Seriously I can't recommend the Turkish coffee enough! All their roasts are fantastic so it's really worth it to try something you haven't had before.

    This is a great coffee shop & I'm so glad to see it in downtown Ann Arbor. The coffee and the…read moredessert were great. The space is nice and well put together. I might actually buy coffee and tea as holiday gifts for my coworkers. The reason for the 4 star instead of 5 is because the women's bathroom was not clean, customer service can be improved, and some music can really make the cafe more inviting. I made coupe of orders, one included dessert. I was handed the cake with no fork, had to ask for one. Wasn't given napkins and didn't bother asking. I might sound petty, but honestly the product can be great. However, customer service is what brings customers back. There needs to be proper training. If I'm going to spend money and do everything myself and ask for everything that should be the basic/ standard, then I might as well make my coffee at home. It terms of music, I think it would amplify the space. When I stopped by the cafe, I was the only one in the main space and it was dead silent and all I can hear is the buzzing of the cooler that had the water and pop/ drinks. Some light music in the background would've blocked that noise. I only share this because I would love to see this business thrive.

    Photos
    Moka & Co - Croissant and tomato danish

    Croissant and tomato danish

    Moka & Co - Matcha Latte

    Matcha Latte

    Moka & Co - Comfort Coffee and Pastries

    See all

    Comfort Coffee and Pastries

    Cahoots Cafe - Seating

    Cahoots Cafe

    4.3(34 reviews)
    0.1 miDowntown Ann Arbor

    Nate and I have been exploring various coffee shops throughout Ann Arbor. Sometimes it's tough to…read moreget an idea of the vibe just by looking at Yelp, but we got lucky with Cahoots Cafe. We found nearby street parking and we were able to get a spot on a comfy couch that was near a power strip. There isn't a ton of seating so I imagine it can get busy throughout the day. The building is historic and also houses a coworking space which has a lot of really great amenities. The vibe inside the coffee shop is cozy but modern, and I loved the decor. They also had some really great merch - the tote bags were calling my name! I ordered the cardamom fig latte and Nate got a golden milk latte. They do that thing where they just yell out the name of the drink rather than taking your name, but I loved everything else about this place. The cardamom fig latte was unique and definitely tasted of both cardamom and fig. They have bagels and some pastries. I really liked the varied seating (comfy couches/chairs, tables, and bar seating) and plentiful outlets for getting work done. The wifi was fast and consistent. If I lived in the area this would be my go-to coffee shop. It's not the biggest space but it's definitely worth a visit!

    Cute coffee shop adjacent to a co-working spot in town with really good coffee but kind of…read moreunderwhelming food options. Most recently I came here for a meeting, ordering a vanilla latte and a sweet potato hand pie to nibble on since I hadn't eaten yet. The description of the latter sounded so good, sweet potatoes with black beans and a few other veggies, wrapped up in flaky pie dough. The filling, however, was mostly pureed, giving it more of a baby food consistency which I didn't love. The flavor was good though but I couldn't get over the mushy texture. The black beans weren't pureed in but were few and far between (I think I maybe counted 2 or 3?). In addition to my hand pie I also ordered a piece of the billionaire's shortbread but they didn't ring it up/prepare it. By the time I realized it (I had to wait for my hand pie to be heated up) it was only a few minutes before close so I didn't bother going back up to the counter to reorder. IDK if they were just in a hurry to close or genuinely didn't hear my order but it was a bummer since it did look great. The vanilla latte, however, was quite good. And for a coffee shop that's most important. And what they lacked in substantial food options they did make up for in fun, seasonal drink specials and a few sweet treats like cookies and the aforementioned shortbread. The space is very cute, as well, and made for a really comfortable meeting location. So overall I did like my visit here. I just won't be rushing back here if I'm feeling peckish. But for a caffeinated pick me up and a nice place to meet or chill, this definitely fits the bill.

    Photos
    Cahoots Cafe - Coffee

    Coffee

    Cahoots Cafe - Merch

    Merch

    Cahoots Cafe - Front entrance with a couple outdoor tables

    See all

    Front entrance with a couple outdoor tables

    RoosRoast Coffee - Dirty chai and egg bite

    RoosRoast Coffee

    4.6(346 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    "RooRoast!"…read more Waiting for the light to change at Main and Stadium, I look down at the clock. Seven minutes to five. "What the heck. I'll call." "Hey Siri, call Roos Roast." My heart races a little. I'd been trying to get over for a coffee all day and now they are about to close. I blurt out my ask. "...any way you could just leave a coffee outside on the picnic table. I could slip the money under the door?" "Don't worry about it." Kyra says. "Just knock. I'll make it right now." "Thank you so much." 5:02 pm: I zoom into the parking lot, jump out of the car, run up to the door and knock. The door swings open and there she is...my coffee angel; coffee in hand with a smile. I know she is trying to get out of there. I grab the coffee, shove some money with a good tip into her hand. "Thank you so much. I'll write about it." I yell back. It's taken me a couple of weeks but herein lies my humble expression of gratitude to Kyra, the one who had the where with all to stop and ask herself: Who's in charge here, the clock or my heart? I love everything about RoosRoast; the music, the art, the bulletin board, the garden, and especially the relaxed atmosphere that makes you want to stop and have a chat with someone in line or the lovely people who make you really good coffee. Did I mention the really good coffee? All of this run by the renewable energy of the sun. I learned from a young person (I'm 70) in line one day that the buzz word in commerce right now, is "frictionless"; luring us to fly even faster through our precious moments without obstruction. No time to chat or stop and connect. Oh my gosh! If we don't have each other, what else is there? As Ann Arbor drifts away from the townie town it once was, RoosRoast stands defiant; determined to hold space for the slow down, the slow talk, the long pull. I always leave RR happier and more at peace than when I arrived. Thank you Kyra and RoosRoast

    Cannot speak highly enough of Roos. A great community space and very friendly service, as well as…read morefantastic coffee. I recommend to everyone visiting.

    Photos
    RoosRoast Coffee
    RoosRoast Coffee
    RoosRoast Coffee

    See all

    Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea - coffee - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...