Urban Grind — Restaurant in Atlanta

I came here to a spoken word open mic night (THURSDAYs) to share my autobiographical poetry for the first time in my life. It was scary and a big step of courage for me. I had been writing poetry for two years already and never shared it at an open mic. It was mysterious for me, which caused much fear.

WHAT OPEN MIC NIGHT IS LIKE

You walk in. Everyone is friendly and welcoming. You pay $5 and get a cozy couch seat. You go buy some tea or coffee and a salmon panini (the most famous dish there, it’s really good!). You relax and wait for the hostess. The hostess arrives with a smile. You sign up for the performance list. You’re called. You perform. Everyone applauds and cheers you up. Congratulations! You did it!!!! Your poem has been shared with the world!!! Yaaay!

WHERE TO PARK

There’s free parking behind the building facing an apartment complex. It’s safe and there place available always.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU COME IN

Relax. Get your seat. Order food. Ask for the sign up list or wait for the hostess to offer it to you. Film your performance for your YouTube channel - they allow filming.

WHAT TO EAT

All food is good here. Cassandra, the owner, has a full-time job as a senior marketer and URBAN GRIND is her passion. So, the food is good because this is like her home. It’s a family atmosphere. Very safe, welcoming, and chill. The most famous food is a salmon panini. They have a large selection of delicious teas. I had tea there. They serve it in a large pot with honey. I recommend a pot of hot tea for the night!

HOW MUCH IS OPEN MIC NIGHT

$5 is admission. Plus your food and drinks. Typically, poets sell stuff there too, so bring some cash in case you’d like to buy something you like. I bought a book by Willis Writer there called The Hard Copy.

SUMMARY

After my Furst time, I came back week after week after week. I am still freaking out to share my poetry, but it’s a good chance to practice courage to conquer fear.

Urban Grind Atl is an awesome place to share your spoken word poetry at an open mic night on Thursdays and to hear others share.

Great food, delicious tea, friendly people, and excellent service.

Comfy couches. Great DJ.

What else can I ask for?

They are the best place to go in Atlanta!

I hope this was helpful. Have a wonderful time there if you decide to visit. Thanks...

When I first walked into Urban Grind, I was reminded of those coffee houses you see in movies, where our hero is sitting with his significant other, a live band or poet recital in the background. It's a place where you can go to grab a quick cup of coffee, go to read a book, or listen to local artists and poets. That being said, I'd probably never go back.

Atmosphere - The best way to describe Urban Grind is urban decay mixed with a bit of antique hipster. The shop feels clean, but at the same time there's a definite grungy aspect. It almost feels like someone's grandmother decided to up and move into a new urban environment. Concrete floors mixed with old furniture gives Urban Grind one of the most unique feels of any coffee shop I've been to, but in all honesty it's not my cup of tea.

Coffee - Urban grind brews a Colombian style coffee, and offers up the general selection of coffee drinks. I sampled their standard cup as well as a cappuccino, and both tasted good. There's nothing special about the coffee they brew (unlike Dancing Goats or Parish), but then again there's nothing wrong either. It's definitely a step up from Starbucks.

Service - The service at Urban Grind reminded me a lot of Octane, and that's not a good thing. There's a definite vibe of "we know our coffee, so we're better than you." But more than that there was a feel of lack of professionalism here. However, they do a good job of keeping the shop clean and serving up drinks.

Location - Good location on the west-side, convenient for Georgia Tech students and commuters in the area.

Legitimacy - Urban Grind hasn't been around as long as other independent coffee houses in Atlanta, but it does have a pretty consistent following. Weekly music shows and poetry readings give this place a steady clientele.

All-in-all, Urban Grind is worth a try, and definitely has a target audience. But I have to admit, that...

Poor customer service, notably from the newer, younger guy with all of the bracelets on his wrists and a flag hanging from his pocket - is that a thing? Is that sanitary at a coffee shop?

I had hoped that this coffeeshop would do well since its been there so long - 10 years I believe. But when you walk in and the young guy, for example, at the counter doesn't speak to you and you are the only customer - then something is seriously wrong with their customer service. And yes that has happened to me, with this same barista, on more than one occasion. So much so that during my last visit, I asked him if he was a morning person. He said no and mentioned that he had worked at the shop the previous night and so he was tired. I get that, but my thought is that you probably don't want to work the morning shift at a coffee shop if you don't like to say "hello, may I help you" - in the morning.

I have watched him have issues with customers in the morning, and then when the owner walks in, he presents the issue to the owner as if the customer was at fault. Crazy.

As a foodie and a coffee snob, I would recommend that you try Revelator or Drip. I like Revelator for their minimalist vibe. I also love Drip and the people there are at lot nicer than the Urban Grind. :)

By the way, I have frequented the Urban Grind for 10 years. And some of the reviews listed here are correct. The Urban Grind can be cozy. Depending in the barista, you may be able to get a good drink. It was my favorite coffee shop at one point. But customer service and cleanliness are issues if you really look behind that counter when certain baristas are working. The OGs are nice for the most part.

This shop is past its prime and has become more of an event space than a place where you go and...