such a nice spot to escape the heat on a busy freret !! park in the side lot or the next street over also, we love to see the women's national team read more

The Rook Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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Stopped in on a Friday morning and there were only a couple of people here, so pretty peaceful atmosphere with fun music. The decor is quirky and comfortable. The drinks and service are great. The coffee ice is fun and delicious. Ordered a King which comes with a king shaped ice cube. The barista was friendly and quick. We will be back! read more

The Rook Cafe - The King coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

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The Rook is a cool, eclectic coffee shop. Lots of local art displayed for sale. A large spacious coffee shop with plenty of tables to chill or work. Plenty outlets throughout. I love how knowledgeable the baristas are and am always open to trusting their recommendations. If you just don't know what you want you can also roll the dice that correspond with drinks and let the dice decide. read more

The Rook Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Loved the ambience, drink was really good! I got the lavender cold brew w lemonade ice cubes

After searching Yelp for a place with good coffee and a solid workspace, I found Rook Cafe, and it was perfect. The coffee was rich and just what I needed to focus while I worked through my modules. The cozy atmosphere and friendly staff made my visit enjoyable. Just a tip: bring your headphones, as the tables are very close and being such a small space the conversations can get distracting, but the Wi-Fi is decent. read more

Local cafe with a cute interior and lots of special drinks. Inside was spacious, dim, and perfect for conversation or a productive study session. We were merely dropping by to grab something to sip on before brunch, and found a nice corner table to chat at while others studied on. While I didn't enjoy my Matcha (wasn't expecting much, but I was fiending for a matcha latte after a few days away from home), I still have to give credit where it's due. The Pawn (coconut almond mocha) was absolutely delicious when I tried my friend's - Just couldn't handle caffeine that morning, so I didn't order one myself. This with the coffee ice cubes and you'd probably be wired for the day. I like how they have special ice cube options (lemonade/coffee) - Our barista recommended one for each drink we ordered depending on what was best, which I appreciated. read more

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Good place to sit and work, but it is a little dinky and the coffee is kinda overpriced and not special. When I come here, it's only for a short time. I like the theme, but it's not inviting. read more

People at this coffee shop know how to stfu. If you want somewhere with good coffee , grunge vibe, and great, quiet study spot potential, the rook is your joint. read more

The owner of the café attended me with the utmost courtesy and overall kindness. I spent the duration of my time in the café shooting the breeze about art and local alt music gigs. Jen you the best miss. read more

The barista was so welcoming from the moment we walked in. She presented us with the "decision dice" for our drinks. You get a classic D20 and a customized D20 that have all the drink options! Such a cute and fun way to discover new coffee. We enjoyed the Queen and the Princess Leia. We also had one of their ham and cheese croissants that was delicious (they partner with gracious bakery). A great place to spend the morning. Laid back with a community feel. read more

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Great coffee and couches. Friendly barista. We come here every time we're near Freret. read more

Very energetic staff, friendly vibes, and the only Cafe Latte to have in NOLA, Promises kept.... read more

The Rook Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

The rook is great. All of the drinks are fun and really good. The barista recommended the Princess Leia for me. It was what dreams are made of ~ Also the barista are always cool. Great place to study read more

Open EARLY!!! Super nice barista. Red to pink hair and some unique piercings, Naddy. She opened up early for us. There's local art on every surface. Plus, being named after a chess piece... I mean, how could u go wrong? It's just a wholesome, nerdy, art atmosphere. What's not to like? Cortada was perfect. read more

The Rook Cafe - Main counter - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

This place is the BOMB...great employees & THE ART...OMG Its my study place...sooo peaceful read more

The Rook Cafe - Lots of artwork - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

I have been coming to this cafe for 7 years and loving their drinks/environment to chill and work. I set up with my laptop a lot but I've also taken naps on their front couch. The specialty drinks are creative and delicious. My favorite is the Mr. Spock which involves jasmine tea, lavender and steamed milk. They have chess themed things throughout the shop and local art for sale too! read more

The Rook Cafe - The Mr Spock is great! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

The Coffee here is awesome and Phoenix is awesome too! I highly recommend stopping by!

Such a great little coffee shop, the artwork is cool, the staff is inviting, and the coffee selections are very well done! Whenever I'm home, no stop is complete without The Rook! read more

Cool spot on freret. I'm not a coffee house monkey or a coffee queen but it was nice to get out of the house, meet a friend and kick the day off on the right foot. When I walked in there was a note indicating the barista was "away at the moment" which gave me ample time to read all the drinks and their special ingredients as well as scope out the available pastries. There was a plate of day old pastries for a discount that I obliged, and paid in cash which, I believe lowered my tab even further. The spot was quiet, clean, cozy, funky, and on my way out--the chess board next to the coffee station said "blacks turn". So I moved a piece and flipped the sign over to "whites turn". Love a low key coffee shop vibe. read more

Quite literally the worst. The coffee and I use that term with caution because what I was served wasn't actually coffee) was hot water with coffee coloring. Zero actual coffee was detected. How bad was it? I left 16 of the 20 ounces in the cup. The service was indifferent. I was the only customer and yet the barista (again, as baristas are supposed to make coffee and what I was served wasn't actually coffee I use that term loosely) talked to her friend for literally 2-3 minutes while I stood awkwardly in front of the cash register waiting to be asked for my order. And when the drink arrived it was too full to add milk (I ordered coffee with room for milk and she put the gallon of milk in the counter so she knew) and too hot to drink. Did she offer to pour some out? Nope. Just asked if I had scalded my hand when it spilled. So, I will never return to this place. I hope your experience is better than mine read more

I love the offerings here Somehow no one else in town has figured out the ice cube trick- but coffee cubes in your iced coffee makes a world of difference (They do it with lemonade too) Definitely the most unique and interesting drink menu and the vibe is cool too- Note that if you're in a hurry, this isn't your place- if no one's around, no problem but even a few ppl in line on a saturday morning can be a half hour wait as there's usually only one person working read more

Love this place so cute so homey. Nice staff excellent coffee. Hoped in while doing some work and loved every minute.

So happy to stumble upon this nerd-haven with AMAZING coffee. They have yummy vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free options. They also have discounted day-old pastry options, a ton of fun wall art, and friendly staff. read more

Very cool ambiance! I love the theme that carries over from the art into the drink names, and the way the whole cafe is set up. The art on the walls is unique, engaging, and altogether pretty spectacular. I didn't stay to drink my coffee, however. It's really rad that they offer coffee ice cubes for any cold drink. I think I just had a bad experience for reasons unknown. My drink was really bitter and unpleasant, and I didn't stick around to order a replacement. I'd give them another try for sure - chances are good my time there was a one-off. read more

A pleasant, Bohemian coffee house. Fresh pastries and a wide selection of coffees and tea preparations. Not gourmet, just good quality. Staff is courteous, unharried and helpful. Wenesday evenings are open Mike Night with local musicians of some talent. Indecently owned and operated. Check it out! read more

Gotta love it when your local coffee shop create a new menu! The rook added some more comfy couches in the front. read more

The Rook Cafe - New menu 7/21/24 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Recommended coffee shop! They have great atmosphere, layout, and decorations. There are ample menu options to choose from with great combo suggestions (see picture). We ordered the king and a chocolate ginger cookie. The coffee was good, the coffee ice cubes were an excellent addition. The chocolate ginger cookie was amazing. It was cooked perfectly and tasted like a rich chocolate gingerbread cookie. Masks are required. They do have extra masks if you forgot one. They do not check vaccination cards. read more

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I love the rook. It's always delicious and the service is great!!! i suggest the serenity!

Best cafe ever!!! Come here every time me and my siblings plan a sibling day!!! Totally worth a visit and so much fun!! Great drinks and so much fun! read more

Neat little art-y cafe. Good atmosphere imo with artwork covering every wall. I got a gruyere and onion pastry, and while it could have used more gruyere, it was still pretty good. Decent tea selection (compared to many other places ive tried in new orleans at least) read more

I would come to this cafe at least twice a week to get work done and I truly enjoyed the vibe/atmosphere. Usually when I come into the cafe I order a black iced coffee with the ice coffee cubes. On May 8th at 9:30AM I went into the cafe and I sat down before ordering anything. The reason I sat down first is because I needed to submit something before I missed the deadline. My intentions were to sit down submit my assignment and then order my black coffee. I was seated for maybe 2 minutes and this white lady with pink, blue, and black hair (the owner) came to me and said, "Let me know when you're ready to order. Seats are only for paying customers." I responded with, "Okay, I will." Maybe 2 more minutes went by and she decided to shut off the WiFi while I was working. My intentions were to buy something but in a few minutes. I literally buy something every time I step foot into the cafe. I asked her if she cut off the WiFi and she proceeded to call me a free loader. I explained to her I come into the coffee shop multiple times a week and purchase something every time. This time wasn't going to be any different. She had a nasty attitude and was extremely rude. I felt racially profiled by her actions and the names she called me. The things she was saying were very aggressive and extremely racist. I will never go back to this establishment after that experience. I literally come to the cafe all the time and I do not bother anyone. She went out her way to single me out and cause an issue. And honestly the coffee isn't that great. read more

Fun vibe, great coffee and pastries too. Always love looking at the art and just hanging with friends.

The ambiance and space was quiet when we went but the drinks were not what we expected. We ordered The Spock and The Holy Grail, and there was little to no flavor in either drink as described. Perhaps our standard was too high or the barista was not keen to our manners. The drink's were not the $16 price tag we paid. I hope that if you do visit your manners are better than ours and the barista is more generous. read more

The Pawn coffee here (coconut almond mocha) is fantastic. Its flavorful and its scent gives you a proper morning jolt.

Dig the place and the coffee is good and they make their own chocolate. Cool spots to sit and play games. Artwork all over. Not the fastest service so play a game to kill some time. Wish they'd make a Thai tea with condensed coconut milk instead for us dairy free ppl. read more

The Rook Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana

Great vibes here! Huge menu, lots of community events advertised at the front, there's a community chess game going on, lots of community art. I wish we knew about it earlier in our trip! read more

Fantastic coffee, amazing and unique menu (including coffee ice cubes!), super friendly staff! Love it! - Coffee snob from Seattle read more

Love this shop! Great study spot , great coffee super nice staff. Pets are welcome and there is a sweet security kitty on patrol. Sometimes they'll even surprise you with a DnD tournament or an open mic night! (Note: it's only a surprise if, like myself, you forgot to read the sign outside stating that it was open mic night but you were so focused on exams that you missed it, grabbed your favorite people watching nook by the door and ultimately got trapped in said nook by the band ). The acts are usually talented and fun though. Enjoy and don't forget your punch card, it's likely you'll be back ) read more

The Rook Cafe is amazing! The bee's knees, the sweet cheese, the cat's pajamas and/or meow - if you will! This place had been on my list of coffee shops to try in the Uptown area of New Orleans, and I'm so glad I decided to visit. The location, atmosphere, staff and coffee all made The Rook a lovely experience. The interior of the cafe contains an assortment of tables for four and two where you can comfortably work on your laptop, read, take a meeting, or play one of the many board games they have strewn about the space. Keeping in theme, there are also a few chess boards. The walls are decorated with paintings, prints and photographs by local artists - most of which are for sale across a range of prices - as well as flyers for community events, or more recently, guides a to abortion and healthcare resources. The inclusivity and diversity of the space is very evident from the moment you walk in, which I really appreciated. I also liked how different portions of the cafe were kind of spaced out from one another - and that people naturally migrated to areas more suited for talking and/or having a meeting, or spaces more appropriate for quiet reading and working. I picked out a book from their community shelf, found a cozy spot in the back of the cafe, did some reading and podcast listening, sent a few emails, and enjoyed the space over the course of a couple hours. As someone who sometimes gets irked by overly-busy or cramped spaces, I felt very comfortable despite there being a total of twenty-something people in the cafe while I was there. I started out with one of their specialty drinks - the Knight - which was an espresso over ice with vanilla, chocolate and oat milk. They do have alternative milks available, but they're an extra dollar - slight pet peeve but not the end of the world. The coffee was excellent, and was very refreshing after walking to the cafe a hot day. I also liked how they served their iced coffees in glass mugs. I had a gingersnap cookie with my coffee too, and loved it - absolutely perfect balance of molasses-y and spice-y. I really enjoyed sipping my coffee and eating my cookie as I read and worked, and altogether it came out to about $12. I'll include their list of specials, which were written on the left side of the menu board, which I think have a good selection of $10 deals - for example the Batman and Robin would have gotten me a double espresso and two cookies for ten bucks, which is great compared to most places. After about an hour, I came back up to the bar for an espresso shot. The barista was incredibly friendly and offered me a small glass of sparkling water to go with it - I really do think that smaller, kind gestures like this go a long way when it comes to how a coffee shop feels. Even though I'm no expert on espresso, I thought the shot was good - it didn't taste burnt, tannic, or anything and was super refreshing with the sparkling water. Even though I liked the Knight, next time I come in I'd recommend getting one of these and something to follow it - be it water, milk, what have you. They have plenty of options for drinks and treats. Altogether, this place gets a solid stamp of approval from me - whatever that's worth - and I'll definitely be coming back again, and soon. I just enjoyed the space so much. I'd also recommend this place to friends, family, strangers, etcetera - especially to those looking for an inclusive, space in the Uptown area. Try the gingersnaps! I wasn't kidding when I said they were perfect. read more

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I'm going to say, I think I'm going to like this place. Very cozy, not that crowded (came on a Tuesday morning), and has a variety of coffee and teas. Also, friendly staff who were helpful in helping me choose my coffee. read more

The Rook Cafe - Outside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New Orleans, Louisiana