Quick Review
While their coffee isn't the most exciting in town, Uncle Beans claims its power in offering unique addictives for your health and wellness and curating an outside space where you can enjoy a cup of joe or neighborhood watch year around.
Full Review
Menu
Uncle Bean's Coffee wasn't a stand-out menu for my pallet, but they offer many coffee bar essentials, making it easy for any customer to find something they'd enjoy. Even though they upcharge, I appreciated the variety of plant-based milk and the use of local honey.
Sidenote: I'd recommend all coffee bars consider ditching the upcharge for alternative/plant-based options.
Uncle Beans also offers noncoffee essentials such as teas, smoothies, pastries, and light breakfast options. I loved their "Kiddos" menu, which has been a rare sight in my coffee shop experience but a concept I support.
While the menu is standard, Uncle Beans sets itself apart with its unique additives (collagen, MCT oil, Tumeric), which greatly benefit skin, body, and overall wellness. They also offer CBD as an additive which is growing in popularity in coffee culture and the Houston community.
The CBD additive is about $4.00. I added it to a vanilla and lavender latte with oat milk. I forgot to tell the barista my size preference, but they gave me a small. The total came to $11.91, which is a bit pricy for a small with one additive. Nonetheless, I encourage folks who visit Uncle Beans to try the additive for the experience and exposure to holistic pathways for wellness.
The vanilla and lavender latte was a typical latte. Nothing too special stood out in the flavor, and I did appreciate the CBD blended well, so there wasn't an odd taste or any unpleasant aftertaste.
Seating + Amenities
Uncle Bean's seating is on an outdoor patio that is well decorated and equipped with fans and top/side covering for hot Houston days or those odd winters where it's cold in the city. It's a place you can sit outside and have a coffee any time of year. Uncle Beans offers Free Wifi for customers; however, I wouldn't consider it "remote work-friendly" if you're a person who gets distracted easily by surrounding noise.
The patio sits along Houston Ave, which has moderate, consistent traffic flow, so you'll hear some of the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood. If the noise doesn't bother you and you're an admirer of victorian style homes, the views of the surrounding neighborhood would be an excellent window for you to work in front.
Uncle Beans doesn't offer a public bathroom, which may affect your ability to work remotely for an extended period.
An aesthetic highlight is the container mural nestled alongside the drive-thru. It's a dope recreation of the iconic Beatles Abby Road photo, but instead of the Beatles, it's a group of dogs. For sure Instagram-worthy.
Uncle Beans also offers a community board, which I appreciate of any business.
Sidenote: All coffee shops should have community boards. It shows that community folks are coming into local businesses and using them as hubs to spread awareness, connect with people, provide opportunities, etc.
Parking
Uncle Beans is clever in having a drive-thru attached. I haven't seen many local coffee shops with multiple "on the go" concepts outside of a walk-up window; however, Uncle Beans manages an efficient drive-thru while cultivating a space where patrons can sit and enjoy the feels of indulging at a locally owned shop. Also, a great way to stay in business in the event of another shutdown.
The trade-off for the drive-thru seems to be the limited parking available on site. Spaces are quite limited, and for those that do exist, they don't appear defined as actual parking, rather than "customer made," which can be confusing. There is a good amount of parking directly across the street along Houston Ave (moderately busy), which makes for a quick hop over and the opportunity to keep an eye on your vehicle while you sit. Parking along Alma street is also a choice; however, the road is tiny and requires you to park almost in the yards of the homes on the street. There is a bike rack available for my bikers.
The staff was friendly; however, the first time I came, I waited quite some time, even with an empty line. I'm not sure if the staff didn't see me through the glass divider or if the shop were short-staffed, but it took some time to be acknowledged to place an order. The second time I visited, the line was empty again, and the staff quickly got my order. read more