Starbucks

The service received at this store in the morning is consistently poor, and I’m astonished that Starbucks tolerates it.
There are often two people in the front who are very slow about getting orders prepared. There are other workers in the store who are in the back room, and even when there are long lines, the workers are still very slow.
In fact, while there were 5 people in line today, one worker was organizing frozen sandwiches in front of customers in a tray and even labeling them with a very loud sticker machine. I was shocked.
Today I came in for pike place, but only dark roast was available, and they said it would take 5 minutes to brew another batch. I’ve never had this happen to me before.
I really hate going to this store, but the one at Lenox/​125^th is usually a little busier (because it has a bit better service, I’m guessing). This store needs to get it together.

This is «The Office» in Harlem for those who are in the know! Because of the location on West 125^th Street, they do the best they can. I’ve been coming here since September 2008 and I used to do a lot of writing here as well. You can find singers, actors, dancers, models, and politicians here any given week. There are several regular customers who come weekly to work on-​line and network for business opportunities.
I highly recommend keeping you keep business cards ready because you would be surprised to see your next opportunity walking right in here for a drink of coffee or tea.
Other reviews about slow service are not warranted because you have to keep in mind that 125^th Street in Harlem USA is a world-​famous street with lots of people coming and going.

I was amazed by the customer service here, all the employees are super friendly super nice! It’s the first time I was actually treated like a customer in Starbucks.

Really slow Starbucks. It’s is busy but they should be used to it by now as it is a busy location. They over charged for our drinks we buy every single day. Wouldn’t come back, there’s a million other Starbucks around !

This place is terrible — I come in the morning — the workers are slow and miserable — my order takes forever… Skip it if you can. The woman in the morning is so unpleasant despite multiple attempts she never makes eye contact and never smiles back. They leave your order in random places and will take a break in the middle of a long morning line.

Why? Why is the place so loud? Why are the baristas so slow? Why do they let a couple people take up the few seats all day long and not the paying customers?
Better than other SBUX in the area but thats not saying much.

Baristas are great and friendly. There are not enough of them. This place is ridiculously understaffed so be prepared to wait. And wait and wait and wait.

Always a line here. Service is slow. I try to avoid it unless I’m desperate. Also, don’t go there during the day if you want to sit down as the tables are always filled up by people who sit there all day.

I went to this Starbucks yesterday to grab a latte and a cookie with my friend. There are 3 or 4 seats in the place, so we knew early on that we’d be standing or leaving. The bathroom also doesn’t require a key so it was disgusting in there.
The cookie was good, but my latte cup was extremely light weight. I picked it up and put it back down again… and picked it back up and looked at it sideways and put it back down again… and picked it back up and looked in it. There was SO MUCH FOAM, and so very little latte! I told the African American barista with the weave ponytail that my latte needed to be remade because it was all foam.
She said «do you want me to add more milk?» First of all, I ordered a breve latte so… there shouldn’t have been any milk in the thing to begin with. I said, «No, you can make it over.» She said «what’s wrong with it?» I opened it up and showed her that the foam was making up over half of the cup, then I said «this latte has way too much foam.» She said «yeah that’s because it’s a latte.»
I asked for my money back to prevent making a scene. The barista at the register gave me no problems and refunded me right away, so I’ll give the place 2 stars off of the strength of that.
Lucky for all of us, this Starbucks happens to be in one of those areas that is overpopulated with Starbucks stores. Therefore, we can keep on walking to the next one.

Slowest location ever! They need some good training and plus they are not friendly :(

Lines are not that long. The baristas are always friendly. The seating is limited but I always find a seat. I like this place because they never mess up my complicated order :) at least for now. There’s another starbucks 2 blocks fei this place which is always so crowded. Never again.

Staff is friendly but incredibly slow. Be prepared to wait. This place really needs a new manager.

Glow: some of the baristas are friendly. Well the ones there in the mornings. They are great at remembering orders of regular customers. Sometimes that help with the wait process.
Grows: If you’re an early morning chick like me. Don’t expect them to be open at 6am. Try getting there around 6:30am. It’s never open on-​time.
Like most Harlem businesses loiters get comfy there.

Awful wait times at this location. Be prepared to wait to get your Starbucks fix.
Hopefully the manager will realize the need for more employees at this location.

This starbucks is horrible. I work not too far from it, and rarely come here because there’s always a long line and only two people working. The few times that I’ve been here I’ve never seen more than teo people working. If you enjoy making long lines and waiting a long time just to get coffee then this is the place for you.

I feel like Harlem gets the worst Starbucks branches ever so shoutouts to Harlem residents going through the struggle because corporate America doesn’t think you need ample seating, outlets for charging, or space to form a decent line.
Service was so slow, that I saw a little boy grow up before my eyes on 125^th. Shit’s crazy. Why is there like 1 person working here? Also, why are folks allowed to loiter? I’m all for quality of life spaces, but Starbucks isn’t one of them.
Avoid this Starbucks if you can and go to the Dunkin nearby.

Ive worked for Starbucks 5 long years, so I’m a pretty well-​seasoned former barista. That said, this place could use some work. There’s entirely too much loitering from non-​paying customers. I go to the gym right across the street so I frequent this place almost everyday. It’s often crowded by skateboarders, cyclist, and homeless people. It’s almost always super noisy and messy compared to other Starbucks’.
Suggestion!!!
**Reinforce Starbucks policy’s; stop turning away loyal paying customers for loiterers who take up space!

I really don’t like coming here. I usually go to the one on Frederick Douglass which is much better. However, this location is more convenient after I’ve finished a long run and need coffee so I come here pretty much once weekly.
It’s always packed and there’s never enough people working and it’s SO slow. Every single time I come I have to wait at least 15 minutes to get my drink (which is nothing but an iced coffee… nothing special. Today, for example, there was a line of 5 – 6 people long. There were 3 people working: one register, one making drinks and one mostly making food. In my experience, when you order something simple (regular coffee, an ice water, etc) the register person takes care of it for you, especially if it’s busy. Today I got an iced coffee and an ice water. Keep in mind that I was a sweaty mess since I just finished a 12 mile run and I’m sure I looked like I could really use the water. NO. The register woman just took a cup and wrote H20 on it to be fulfilled by the person making drinks. Seriously???
The register woman could have helped the barista making drinks with the easy ones. But she didn’t. She wasn’t smiling or friendly either. No concern whatsoever for getting people their drinks. I witnessed a woman who started to get really angry because all she asked for was a cup of ice and NO ONE would get it for her. Then the barista making drinks rolled her eyes when the girl making food ended up getting it for her.
There is no customer service skills nor concern for time in this Starbucks. Stay away if you can and go to one of the others (Frederick Douglass or Lenox and 125).
I’m giving 2 stars because it’s still a Starbucks, I still like the drinks and it’s clean and spacious (although most of the time it’s busy and tables are full).

PROS:
1. Outlet to charge my phone.
2. Bathroom (I guess not all Sbux have bathrooms).
3. The barista who made my drink thanked me and told me to have a great day ;)
CONS:
1. SLOW service-​there was only 1 barista at the cashier and another barista at the bar making the drinks. They should have had at least another barista on the floor.
2. Not enough tables to accommodate the number of people that hang out here. I stood around for a good 20 minutes before a seat opened up.

Not one of the better Starbucks I have been in. Service is slow, some of the staff could not care less and they have messed up my order more than once. I work in the area from time to time and avoid going there as I don’t have time or patience for the aggravation. Also, the whole, «Harlem Renaissance,» thing is a vulgar farce. There are shady people in there constantly and if you want to buy crack there is an open air market 100 feet up the block in front of the BOA.