Cafe Reese

It would be nice if I could give separate star ratings to each of the elements of Café Reese. I’ve been here several times, always in the evening for the live music. We usually eat and always get some sort of beverage. Here is what is consistent…
The music is always great. We’ve seen a jazz/​blues duo play here that was terrific! It was almost like being back in New Orleans. We saw a piano player recently that was very good, even though every song had the same syncopated ¾ rhythm, he sang and played very well. We are always drawn back to this place for the music.
The food is not what brings us in. Granted, we always get the same ravioli dish, and it’s pretty yummy. But there’s just not a lot of variety on the menu. It’s good, not great, but filling and only moderately overpriced.
The décor is lovely. I appreciate that they work to maintain a quiet atmosphere, there’s not enough of that in the world.
What is really surprisingly consistent is the service, or lack of service. It’s very slow. Almost deliberately slow. Slow to the point of asking, «Did you get my order?» The answer was a flustered «yes» followed by another 20 minute wait for the food. We have money, we like expensive wine, so WHY IS MY BOTTLE STILL EMPTY? Water is not refilled promptly, and empty dishes linger on the table for far too long. It’s puzzling because they never seem too crowded or busy, I can’t understand what they’re doing when they’re not at my table.
I’m sure I’ll be back. I’m sure I’ll enjoy the music. I’m sure to be annoyed by the service. It’s a nice place, but they could step up a little bit. If you’re looking for a quiet evening, good wine, and time to literally stand still, this is your place.

This place LOOKED charming and I wanted to love it because of that. Unfortunately, our server (thin, dark haired young girl with a permanent scowl) really does this place a disservice!
A group of us stopped into this place at about 7:45 last night. We were the only people in the place and were barely greeted. We ordered a bottle of wine and when while we still all had wine in our glasses, the server came by and asked if we were doing okay. At exactly 9:00 the server dropped our check on the table. We asked if they close at nine and she said that they close at 10 but since it was dead, they were going to close early.
I mentioned that we were considering getting another bottle. She then said «Well, I asked you if you were okay earlier and you all said yes so I assumed you were done.»
I don’t mind a place closing early if there are no customers but there were 5 of us ready to order anothere bottle and one glass and the server had NO interest in serving us. Yes, they would not have made a lot of money on us that night but if the server had been friendly and allowed us to stay, we would have returned another night.
All 5 of us agreed that we would not return. There are far too many establishments that appreciate their customers, especially in this economy!

+: Free wifi, big open windows and awesome customer service made this a perfect chill spot on a rainy day.
-: Homeless guy kept staring at me through the window which made it hard for me completely comfortable, I felt bad…
!: If you’re a single guy, hang out here! In the few hours I was sitting there, I witnessed at least three cute young ladies come through by themselves just asking for it!
?: My hot chocolate tasted packaged and my french toast was nothing special. Hopefully their wine and other meals are more satisfying!

Service was fantastic. My girlfriend and I stopped by here for a cocktail after our pedicures while on vacation. Since it was mid-​afternoon on a Wednesday, we were lucky to pretty much have the place to ourselves. We chose a table for two on the sidewalk (for optimum people-​watching) and ordered Bloody Marys. FABULOUS. Spicy enough, which is usually not the case. Our waitress was all smiles and perfectly attentive, I will be sure to stop by again on our next adventure.

Sadly, awful service as a diner. Great service for just coffee. I met some out of town friends there for late breakfast/​early lunch. We sat, and sat, and sat, and sat, and sat, until I finally turned around and stared at someone so they’d come and take our order. Ok. When our coffee came, the waitress spilled it all over the saucers and it appeared our table had a wobbly leg. When our meals arrived (mediocre at best) every time we attempted to cut them the whole table would shake and the coffee spilled even more. Bad service. Ok food. Pricey for what it was.
Yeah. Probably not ever, ever again. Life is too short to wait for someone to notice you.

This is not a bad place by any means. I just didn’t love it. I came in here for a late lunch on a weekday. At that time the place was pretty dead. I went to the counter and was asked by the friendly lady working there if I wanted to join them for lunch. Why, yes I did! Thanks! I was seated by one of the many large windows and given a menu.
To keep this short, I had the chicken pesto sandwich with a side salad. The sandwich was good, but – and I can’t believe I’m about to write this – almost too cheesy. Wow. For the record, I was born and raised in Wisconsin and I friggin love cheese. But in this case I thought the cheese kind of drowned out the taste of the chicken.
The service was OK. I kind of expected to be offered dessert or coffee when I finished my meal, but that didn’t happen. The most confusing part was that I wasn’t given a check. Even though I got table service, I had to go pay at the counter when I was done.
The environment is nice. I enjoyed watching the people getting on and off the street car. Free wi-​fi was also a nice bonus.

PLAN AHEAD: The wireless will now shut OFF at 4:30 pm every day.
I’m freelancing right now, so my day comprises running around from networked spot to networked spot, eating and drinking and working.
I’ve gone to Café Reese 1 — 3 times per week, every week for several months, and almost always in the evenings because they were one of the few places in this neighborhood with free wireless.
I’ve recommended it to many other freelancers for this specific purpose. In general, it’s a fine place, nothing amazing but totally comfortable and ok food. Yet I’ve been a one-​woman word-​of-​mouth-​campaign for them over the late hours + internet.
However, I was in the other day and was told (after opening my laptop and then ordering ‘for here’) that THE WIRELESS WILL NOW TURN OFF AT 4:30 PM EVERY DAY.
The (cute!) barista kindly offered to make me another latte to go after seeing me pack up my stuff (and presumably to make up for the rather curt way his female colleague had delivered the news).
He explained they just got their liquor license and so are «going for a different vibe» in the evenings, adding cocktails, live music and whatnot.
Times are tough and liquor makes money. I get it. But how many little cocktail spots are in the 23^rd/​21^st neighborhood? Tons (and with a way more desirable atmosphere for drinks). And how many (independent/​non-​Starbucks) late evening coffee shops with wireless are there? I’m still new to town, but can’t name one.
I appreciated their niche offering and it was in fact the only reason I made it a point to patronize regularly and spread the word. Sad to see it go.

I stopped by while shopping around 23^rd street. The first thing that struck me was only 2 people were running the show, but the place was packed with happy faces.
I sat at the bar and ended up a caesar salad, and a grilled cheese, along with coffee. All the items were delicious and the service was great. The owner came in a few minutes after we got there and started doing dishes. When I asked him about the coffee he explained that it was his own blend, with the help of Cafeto Roasters down in Eugene.
Overall it was a wonderful experience. I went back the next morning for breakfast and was again quite impressed.

If it weren’t for the enormous potential, I would give Café Reese 2 stars.
First, the good news. Café Reese is much like a great all-​things-​to-​all-​people European café. The interior is charming and uncluttered. It offers hot and cold meals all day, as well as coffee shop fare like scones and muffins. You can sit for a few minutes, have a tea, and read a magazine. Or you can bring a long novel, occupy a table for hours, and snack all the while. And if you’re up for it, there’s beer and wine too.
BUT, there’s bad news. The service is atrocious. There is absolutely no indication that you should order at the counter or at a table. And if you make the mistake of sitting at a table and waiting for a server, you’re in for a long wait. Sandwiches are overpriced; the music (usually indie rock) is too loud and in total contradiction to the vibe and interior; and if you can figure out where to pay and tip at the end, you’re a lot smarter than me. Outlets along the walls are numerous, but they’re all for four-​seater tables, which are usually occupied by couples, trios and quartets that are there to eat, not to Google. The ideal places for students and webheads are the two-​seater tables, the bar, and the leather easy chairs; but there isn’t an outlet to be found near those.
It’s sad when poor management and bad service try their damnedest to ruin an otherwise lovely concept in such a deserving neighborhood.

This is a lovely spot on NW 23^rd @ Marshall, convenient to the hospital and the streetcar. I had a glass of Ironstone Zin suggested by Glenn, one of the owners, and it was so perfect, I had to buy a bottle to take home (which you can do right there on the spot). I love the cozy décor, which on speaking with co-​owner Delenee, was all done by her, based on her knowledge of home staging and interior design. It looks great. You can tell they put a lot of thought into this place. It would be a great place for a casual business lunch. The menu is more far-​ranging than your typical coffee spot – they have skewers, paninis, salads, soups and a variety of small plates that go well with wine, as well as pastries.
I had a little plate of the goat cheese crostinis. Because of my work, I eat a lot of party food, but these crostinis were really great and definitely a step above. Yummy. Can’t wait to come back and try more things, especially the coffee.

Cute café in my neighborhood with good local coffee (from Eugene), comfy couches and chairs to lounge, wifi, and good happy hour deals on their wine.
They always have some type of yummy pastry to sample by the register. The atmosphere is a step up from many coffee places in the area. They offer a few panini’s and salads, and soup, but not really full service meals.
Conveniently enough, it’s just a few doors down from Bluet frozen yogurt, another of my faves. There is a cute shop adjoining the café that has cards, soaps, and other assorted goodies to browse. It’s also right on the trolley line across from Good Samaritan Hospital. They display letting you know when the next trolley is arriving.
In short, perfect place to drop in before a day of shopping for coffee, or for an excellent glass of wine after. Friendly staff too!

Free wifi, outlets above every table, sit as long as you like, super cheap happy hour menu & wine, full menu all day, really nice staff. Perfect work spot!
Seems like a sister café to Coffee Bar in SF.

I’m sitting here now, enjoying a $ 5 glass of pinot gris, drinking lemon-​water, watching people swelter in the 100 degree weather and thanking god that I just happened to stroll by, get over my fear of dining alone, and come in and take a seat.
Sigh of relief.
This is my second trip from Seattle to Portland in the last five days, and, to put it mildly, I am crankkkkkkkky. I was dropped off in the Alphabet District with one hour to kill by myself before I begin an intensive Board & Staff retreat through Sunday. I popped in the cute bookstore down the street, and was going to continue my stroll down NW 23^rd, when this place caught my eye.
«Free WiFi /​100% Organic Coffee… Wine Bar Happy Hour 4:30−630… Come in and Relax.»
And so I did.
Cushy velvety/​corduroy couches and chairs sit in the center of the room, with small two-​person tables surround the perimeter. Bill Withers «Use Me» is coming through the speakers, which means that the folks of Café Reese have excellent taste and that I had made the right choice.
I was instantly greeted by a server, who instructed me to sit wherever I wanted. It’s pretty empty right now, so I scored a seat by the window. Nearly every single person who has walked by the window has grinned a knowing grin– like they already knew the secret of this place.
I ordered a glass of happy hour wine, ordered a small plate of dill & chive goat cheese crostini (drizzled in balsamic vinegar) and it’s perfect. Priced at an extremely reasonable FOUR DOLLARS for happy hour, I am thrilled. The crostini is perfectly bite-​able. Not too crunchy, not too messy, and the perfect amount of goat cheese piled on top.
The lighting is perfect, the staff is perfectly attentive, and I do believe it is time for my second glass of wine.
After a long drive and the anxious anticipation that accompanies every Board meeting, I now feel much more relaxed, and ready to face the weekend.
Thank you, Café Reese.

It’s the little things that make a big difference. Like how an accessory can make or break an outfit, how receiving even a single flower can change your entire day, or how a swift kick to the baby maker can instantly end a relationship that was dragging on… and on…
I’m speaking of the fine points. The small details. I appreciate them.
Café Reese obviously does too, proven by the seemingly miniscule details that really made this coffee+wine bar stand out.
Take for example the street car clock above the door, or the local art by Chris Haberman (although not displayed here, his «Mass Age The Rapist» is a personal favorite…) just little things that show they are a part of the neighborhood.
An abundance of power outlets and lamps on tables that aren’t near the windows make a huge difference in assuring that their guests feel welcome to stay and «camp» for a while with a laptop.
It shouldn’t have to be said… but clean bathrooms. Always a plus! Other high point touches: Food. Forest Gump soundtrack. Happy Hour. Wi-​Fi. Friendly service. Food. Wine+Jazz nights.
As I left, a man was outside painting the trim with a 2 inch brush. Talk about detail! (And I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the owner!)

This place makes me happy for many reasons. Here are just a few:
1. It’s two blocks from my house.
2. Super nice service staff.
3. You can get pretty much anything food-​wise: breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, smoothies, beer, wine… who could ask for more?
4. Plush, comfy couches inside, and wooden patio furniture outside.
5. A great looking happy hour menu!
6. They make a mean hazelnut latte!
7. They put cucumber AND lemon in the water pitchers!
Actually, now that I think about it, after trying and failing miserably to make my Tofurky bratwurst taste like anything but dog food (even bbq sauce didn’t work!!!), I think I’m gonna head on down to Café Reese now. I will sip on a glass of yummy wine to cleanse the palate and contemplate vegetarianism.

I was visiting Portland and had a few hours to kill and was lucky enough to stumble on this little gem. Cozy little place to laptop it (with reliable wifi) or have an intimate conversation with a friend over coffee or wine. The staff was super friendly and non-​pretentious, gotta love that.
Being an out-​of-​towner, I wasn’t sure if it was a laptop-​friendly kind of joint, but it was just no big deal. Note that if you laptop it, don’t count on having an outlet available to plug into unless they are really slow. As for the coffee — as a Seattlelite, I’ve sipped more than my share of nonfat lattes and the latte here was top notch. The panini: the Burnside was pretty kickass — generously sized, interesting meeting of flavors, and it came with a small side salad.
Oh yeah, and you have to check out their Streetcar clock — it’s awesome! It tells you how many more minutes until the next waterfront streetcar (and the one after that) comes along! The stop is just on the next block. I’m not sure if this is a new system that Portland is implementing but Seattle could sure use something like that so we don’t have to wait out in the rain or the cold for the bus!

Stopped in here. Coffee was good and it comes from a local source which is always good.
The service was excellent and everyone was really friendly. Add to that atmosphere and the wifi and this place is great. I’ll definitely be back.

If I am lucky enough to have a weekend morning off, my boyfriend and I are faced with a conundrum. Black Rooster is closed— where do we go for our ritual coffeeshop morning, with him working and me Unilocaling/​browsing magazines??? We have tried to substitute in World Cup, Urban Grind… nothing just FITS us like Black Rooster does. Well, this past Sunday morning, we trekked up to Café Reese after I had read Stanley’s excellent review. Although the vibe here is much less homey and much more polished than the Rooster, I loved Café Reese for a few reasons–
*** «The best mocha I’ve ever had” — from the BF, who has a serious aversion to sweet coffee drinks, yet always tries to find that right balance of chocolate and espresso.
*** Deathcab for Cutie playing!!! All morning!!! That pretty much sealed the deal for me.
*** Really clean, lovely space— rich chocolate chairs and sofas, huge windows for people watching on 23^rd, yet not the type of place where I would feel weird curling up, feet and all, in the aforementioned comfy chairs.
But, my heart does not belong to Reese yet, because the baristas were honestly kind of annoying. It was quiet and empty on Sunday morning, and they sang along with the music and talked unflatteringly about some coworkers. They were nice and pleasant in their interactions, answering all my questions required to adjust the mocha recipe for my «particular» (aka fussy) boyfriend’s drink, and bringing our for-​here coffees out to our table, which I think is a sign of good service in a coffeehouse. Just a little annoying to listen to all morning.
Ok, maybe I am the «particular» one. Overall, Reese was great, and I will be back on the weekends!
++++ Update: I still stand by all of my previous comments, but after a few more visits, I think Café Reese is a little conflicted and time will help sort out its «wine bar or coffeeshop?» crisis. My boyfriend ordered an espresso con panna one evening and the baristas didn’t know what that was. Seriously? Just a note. If you come here in the evening, expect bartenders or servers, not baristas. ++++++

Wow. And ummm, wow.
I happened to meet Steve, a guy who works for Café Reese at another coffee shop. So while I was working today and contemplating my lunch options on 23^rd, I remembered Steve, and so I arrived.
My latte was excellent, and while I’m not sure what espresso they use, it is definitely a good one. Normally I’m not a panini fan. Yes, I know it’s strange. But there is something about being charged 6 plus dollars for grilled gross bread that doesn’t do it for me. But that being said, I just had the most amazing sandwich, much less panini, that I have ever had, ever. It was turkey and mango chutney with ginger. What is with that combination? I don’t know. But it came from heaven.
They have an extensive alcoholic drink list as well, not just coffee.

This coffee, beer and wine café is in the space vacated by Fruition, NW 23^rd @ Marshall. I used to frequent Fruition only occasionally, though there was much I liked about it. After seeing what Glenn Brugman has done with this space, I realize that Fruition just didn’t have the warm, welcoming, comfortable feel that Café Reese has been transformed into. Comfy overstuffed furniture has been well placed to support social interaction, along with traditional table seating and a wine bar. It’s light and friendly and just has a good feel.
Mornings center on coffee and espresso drinks (organic) and pastries. For lunch time there are a variety of panini, salads and soups. the evening brings 30 wines available by the glass and various appetizer plates.
My visit last night was just for wine and appetizers (and a bunch of socializing). I had a Tempranillo that was an off-​list special at $ 6 a glass and was excellent. They were highlighting Spanish wines as specials last night — it will be fun to watch what comes next. Others in our party had a Chardonnay/​Viognier blend that got great reviews as well. Glenn was a warm host and his staff made our group feel at home.
I plan to return to sample their coffee and food offerings and will report further.
Update: I’ve been back a couple of times and had panini: one chicken pesto and one with roast beef, roasted peppers and horseradish. Both were great. I’m all the more impressed.