Every now and again I recall when I used to frequent this cafe. Words cannot describe the strange experiences I had here. Every time I walked in the staff gave me the strangest of looks, which always made me uncomfortable. I suspect they don't take kindly to a certain kind of minority in this establishment. But hey, free wi-fi and it was next door to my apartment so I continued to go. "Don't Ever Look At Me" by The Minute Hour on ytube describes my experiences perfectly. read more

Uhhh well I don't know, just get a bad vibe from the staff. Like a completely sarcastic vibe- like, you know, garfield. Whoah, harsh! Sorry, I mean to say that the coffee here is sometimes good, but a lot of the times it is bitter. The hot cider makes it worth it in the winter, though. read more

At Variety I play a little game where I try to spot someone using a Windows based PC. This game has no bearing on this review, just sharing the fun. You can never go wrong with Stumptown coffee, and they do it right both hot and cold. There's also a good tea selection, and a decent amount of seating. read more

Variety Coffee has welcomed my coffee addiction with open arms. All summer long, they have been there, ready to hand me a $2.50 iced coffee nearly every morning. I've tried almost all the coffee spots in the area and I have to say, Variety absolutely does it the best. (that being said if there were a Blue Bottle on my way to the train, I'd probably cheat on Variety). The staff isn't overly approachable, but don't be intimidated because they are incredibly kind. One time I even dropped a quarter in my coffee and they gave me a new one after watching me attempt to fish it out using a series of items. They also have this banana chocolate chip bread that blows my mind. I have to physically resist it each time I'm in there. By the way, my ratings are higher because I always get my coffee to go and the only times i've ever sat inside I've had a seat readily available (getting the large window table provides excellent people/dog watching). If you're looking for a place to sit and surf the web or do whatever artsy freelance job that you have, you're not going to find a seat between the hours of 9 and 5. read more

I liked the coffee here and would come back more often it it were closer to me. I come by every time I am nearby

So this is an adequate coffee shop. Their coffee is good. The baristas are skilled and friendly. They have other options. It's just too small. If you want to go there and work, there will inevitability be a couple talking next to you. There will be no way to get away from their conversation. But if you want to stop in for a coffee it's great. read more

I am seriously in here every day. And when I'm not it's usually because I either rode my bike to work or that I'm out of town. Their coffee is amazing, I come here not only for the Stumptown, but also because their iced coffee is made with the coffee toddy. The service is very friendly and fast, and occasionally they buy me a free cup. Sometimes I walk in and I don't even need to use words (very important in the morning pre-caffeine ingestion for an addict like myself...) they are totally on top of my order, even replacing the soy milk quickly before I again have to actually make words come out of my mouth. The quality of my life has definitely been improved by Variety. Thank you! read more

I recently moved into the neighborhood and this is one of the first coffee shops I tried. The staff is always super friendly and never have to wait very long even though the place is always packed. J wouldn't recommend trying to do work there since there aren't seats very often but if you're just refueling it's great. And if you do happen to find a place to sit, it's a nice atmosphere. read more

Their ice coffee latte was perfectly made and not watered down. Definitely a great place to get your caffeine fix. Service was quick and friendly. Space was clean with plenty of seating. read more

Another quality coffee joint that serves up some solid beans and water. And wow this is affordable coffee - paid $1.50..geez good price expected more. And refills are 1 dollar. Not too shabby. Plan to work from here often - very cool music too, when I was there lots of Supertramp, random and I like it! The one complaint I have is the seating - very hard wood benches. Can be a bit uncomfortable. That said everything else makes up for it. Good WIFI connection and power outlets - yay! I'll be baaack. read more

Wi-Fi, ample seating, a laid-back vibe and friendly staff make this spot a winner. The coffee is pretty decent. My soy lattes come at the perfect temperature, are tasty and have a cute little "design" in the foam. I found out they only take cash when I tried to order on a recent day. Dejected, I started to leave, but the nice lady behind the counter made the drink and told me to pay next time. You just don't hear that much these days. In fact, I was so stunned that I almost misunderstood her offer. You rock, Variety Cafe! read more

Very hipster coffee shop in Williamsburg. Good vibe and decent number of seats though many people have laptops and was hard to actually find a seat. Coffee was good and refreshing. Fairly strong brews. read more

I had a great cappuccino. they pull (what looked like) double shots of stumptown, which i like. a lot of places pull stumptown tripple ristretto, and i always feel like its too dark. so i was delighted to taste a little fruitiness in my shot. also, the baristas were very nice. read more

Variety's coffee is to DIE for. I went to college in the Pacific Northwest... I know what good coffee is, and they have it. Their espresso is like candy. I HEART stumptown coffee, which they use. Despite the fact that there is a pretty big hipster contingency inside, the staff always offers excellent service sans attitude, I heart them too. Plus they do the whole artsy/cupping thing, which is nice. My only complaint is that they don't seem to know how to make a cappuccino. Maybe you have to order it dry to get foam? I'm not sure, but don't waste your time... just get a latte b/c a cappuccino will be a latte too. But honestly, I don't even care. That's how good their coffee is. For the neighborhood it's spendy, but again, who cares... it's the same price as a Sbux would be, except way better. Every day they have a sandwich board with cute sayings on it, brightening up the hood and the inside is cutely decorated. Their large wooden table in front is the perfect place to hang out, watch people, and enjoy your amazing coffee. There's no "outdoor seating" per se, but they do have a bench outside. Cash only. read more

I love this place!!! Best place to work ever The coffee is so good and its so cozy.. with great lighting. read more

Coffee is great, A/C is cold if you wanna sit inside, but there is really something about the air in this place that's sickening. From the customers to the staff. If you're not dressed in all black with the appropriate tattoos, go get your coffee at a deli read more

This is one my regular go to coffee spots and they never disappoint. Cold brew is delicious in the summer months and the French Press is great when it's cold outside. Cool atmosphere with lots of seating and WiFi with your typical hipster crowd in the area. Usually busy but the baristas are typically fast and friendly. Really good pastries too! Love the almond croissants and the ham and cheese croissants. I actually go to both locations. The one in Bushwick is on my way to work and this location is practically across the street from my work. Been going here for years!! Usually cool music playing too so that's always a bonus for me if I'm staying inside for a bit. read more

It's all about the wifi and AC! This is one of very few places in W'burg with both, so I use it when I can't stand working from home anymore. I order the cheapest cold drink on the menu (iced coffee) which I only recommend because it's the cheapest way to score "free" wifi. To be fair, the staff are friendly and smiley. I'd rather give them the money for my iced coffee and drink tap water instead. read more

Ordered the ice coffee - Price $2.50 and strong. Go for it! Definitely better than it's neighbor, Dunkin Donuts - which is watered down and filled with ice rather than coffee!! read more

Wide array of alternative milks, baristas who comprehend texture and pouring techniques, and a lovely atmosphere. Good for light work on laptop, as well. Oat, soy, almond milks available. read more

They have oat milk! I can't find oat milk anywhere! Very quaint. The radio plays old-school 60's music. Cute artsy spot! Peanut butter cookie is amazinggg read more

Pros: Beautiful space with lots of seating. Tasty drinks Cool chalkboard Cons: Pricy Service is hit or miss I wouldn't consider myself a regular but I do enjoy an occasional visit. When you're feeling spendy, get the mocha. Yum. read more

Went looking for a place to relax and work on my resume. They didn't have meals, but I just went across the street, picked up a fresh salad, came back, sat down & ate. Enjoyed a delicious hot chocolate!! And an "American"-? espresso in water. The perfect pick-me-up. Free wifi. Plenty of power outlets. And most importantly, the two girls working behind the counter were super nice (and being extremely cute didn't hurt either). Bathroom was amply sized. Even a neat place to put your dishware after you're done. I'll take this over Starbucks any day!! read more

Variety - Delicious hot chocolate!! (And mouse.) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I live two blocks down the street from this place and was really excited to see it sprout up one summer day. Their iced coffee was strong, french pressed, and $2.50 which isn't a bad combo. Their lattes are a bit overpriced and service can be slow esp. during morning rush hour of students and corporate hipsters. The place itself is cozy and can be a good place to study and people watch :) read more

There is no shortage of coffee on Graham Avenue, so its gotta be hard to separate yourself from the rest of the hip, non-commercial, decidedly alternative beaneries on the strip. they do just dandy. The coffee seems to be an issue of contention for some people, but its one of the best i've ever had. I wish there were more muffins and stuff, but that's all extra. read more

I still remember the sense of wonder the first time I set foot in East Williamsburg. I thought, "this must be the fabled edge of gentrification, as yet undiscovered by the masses west of the BQE!" And here was Variety Cafe, just a block over from the Graham Ave station. But appearances can be deceiving, and reliability matters: * no phone or anything signal in the back; no power chargers in the front. also stuffy in the back. * wifi didn't work even with signal - like the person next to me, had to connect to a random public network. (apologies to the network owner for stealing your bandwidth - I think a lot of cafe customers are doing the same... just saying) * people on here love to hate on the barista, and while they are accurate, I really didn't mind the efficient service. it just didn't help soften any of my frustration. * several people loudly doing job interviews/HR stuff around me rendering me unable to concentrate. where are the soulful hipster beats to drown it out? Plus one star for the coffee. Stumptown is tasty. But I'll probably stick to Black Brick et al. for now. read more

I'm one of the often hated upon "laptop posse". I'm not working on my newest novel, though - I'm merely trying to find a spot with AC to sip my coffee and work in peace (for like, an actual company). Variety is pretty much full by 10am, guaranteed. They have free wifi with a decent amount of speed, the music isn't obnoxious (though it's hit or miss) and the baristas have all been friendly here and totally willing to joke around/exchange morning pleasantries. I'm a big fan of their iced coffee but do wish that they had a better selection of food - perhaps some basic fruit like bananas and apples instead of just pastries? I'm giving it 4 stars as it's not a plce I can stay all day due to the lack of food and the sometimes too-loud music, but overall it's a place I really like. I come here on the regular and it's usually my first stop on my way to search out a coffee shop to park it at for a few hours. read more

Great french press coffee, great baristas. I'm struck by the bad attitude of some of the reviewers like Abraham S. It seems so sad and lonely to write scathing reviews of a nice coffee shop and the young people that go there. Strange times. read more

I'm only writing this right now because I'm dreaming of trying a pastry and I had to look up pictures for motivation to get out of bed on a Sunday. Coffee is good. The amount of hipsters in here constantly makes me uncomfortable. Minus one star. But that's not really variety a fault. The decor is makes me happy. read more

Love this place! Great coffee and friendly baristas, close to the Graham Ave subway. I also like the location on Driggs near the park.

Hip Coffee shop that offers only coffee..well pastries look pretty bad honestly so I didn't try.

The coffee at Variety is very strong, which can be a positive or a negative depending on your mood. I have car service drivers stop there in the wee hours before they haul me out to NJ to meet with my "morning-people" clients. It's a nice open, old school feeling place, service is kind of slow. Although I am partial to Oak across the street, the big draw at Variety are the Blue Sky Bakery muffins - decadent moist carb-o bombs filled with chunks of fresh fruit - they come in combos like strawberry plum and carrot apple walnut (aka carra-appa-woahnut - this is my 2 year old's favorite.) They also make a nice little croissant with ham and gruyere which is good. These delicacies are best consumed sparingly as I have no idea what the calorie counts might be, although the ingredients seem very fresh. I am glad to have Variety in the coffee/breakfast rotation. read more

I was skeptical about the amazingness of the Stumptown coffee. I thought to myself: "Self! What's the point of riding my bike 10 minutes when there's a slew of coffee shops within a 5 minute walk" (you know, besides the fact that I like to ride my bike and this is an excuse to do so)? Now after having tasted it I'm sold on it's deliciousness. I don't get what Abraham has to hate on this place so much about, it's cozy, the free wifi (thanks to which I'm typing this right now) is great, I've already had two pleasant conversations with strangers, the music's not to loud or distracting for me to stop reading my headhurtingly academic treatise on the poverty of American radical's political economy, the sunlight coming into the front window is very pleasant. Plus! Hell yes! A/C is a winner on these 90+ degree days! There's also a variety of good art on the walls (par but still good stuff). and there's games! Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Battleship, etc. When I got here the line was about 6 deep, but it moved b and though there was an element of frazzled to the staff, they still smiled pleasantly and got me my drink with the speed and efficiency of zee Germans. read more

Good point: very friendly staff every time I've every single been in there, which is something that goes a long way when it's early and you need coffee. Bad points: consistently the worst music I've ever heard in a coffee shop; very different music every day, all of it very bad, usually much too loud (especially when it's early and you need coffee). Place used to be full of annoying hipsters (hey, it's Williamsburg), now it's getting taken over by even more annoying people-with-babies (oh god, this is the new Williamsburg). read more

9 years and counting, this has been my go to place for a fine cup of coffee (macchiato). Always strong and flavorful, but never burned. There is also the fact that it is the graham ave social hub. If you sit on the bench for long enough you will witness the entire neighborhood pass or stop by. If you want to be the mayor, just sit out front everyday and talk to everyone you can. read more

I love this cafe. They have many vegan baked goods options and delicious coffee. I love the oat milk lattes and spiced cider. I come here everyday! read more

Great coffee , not matter what you get . From your regular cup of joe to a fancy coffee drink . Love coming here for my favorite iced americano it is very flavorful and a nice bold flavor for a warm spring day or a hot summer day . Staff are always nice . Never an issue here read more

to be honest i dont know what constitutes a 5 star for coffee shops in my ratings anymore but i think variety deserves it! for reasons in addition to their coffee. finally, after maybe a year or two, i managed to stop by variety for a sort of unnecessary but strongly desired 345pm cortado the cortado was great! curt, sweet, to the point. can never go wrong with a cortado imo and, yes, free wifi and a w.c. i think the best thing about this visit is how amiable the barista is. from traces of conversation i'm overhearing over my music, it seems he hasnt been here for very long, but he's incredibly welcoming and makes every bit of effort to have a conversation with the customers as they file in and out, whether for a quick pastry bite or a sip of their many selections of tea. a very warm corner amidst the tail-end of wint'ry chill. thanks for the hospitality! read more

Delicious espresso in a pretty shop. That's what's up. Came here a few months ago after a recommendation and now I indulge whenever I'm in the hood. The cappuccinos could be a bit more foamy (mine was more of a latte) but I pretty much orgasm at the first sip. Pain au chocolat? To die for. The decor? It shares many aspects of my dream crib (sweet chandeliers! wood wood wood). 5 stars for Variety! read more

Since this place is close to where I live, I have been here a few times and have always had bad experiences. As others have noted, the staff has that current hipster trend of diffidence towards their customers mixed with anger at having to do their job when they could be chatting to their group of loud friends (who always seem to be gathered around a counter in the back, stomping on the ground and turning the already loud music up to deafening levels). However, this is something I have come to accept among 20-something cafe workers in the neighborhood. What really irks me about this place is their bitter, stale coffee. I have ordered regular black coffee from them several times and it is always stale and bitter beyond enjoyment. It is barely drinkable. I usually go in the afternoon, so maybe they have just not made a fresh batch since morning, but considering how crowded this place is during that time you would think they would be making better coffee. The tables could use an occasional wipe down every now and then as well, and the back of the cafe is often littered with trash. Good points: the interior design is very nice, their pastries are good (although they have a limited amount), the tea is decent and they have an abundance of tables, plugs and wifi for the laptop set. However, I would rather go to any of the many cafe's in the neighborhood over this place. Still, I am willing to give them a chance. Oh yeah: no credit cards. read more