Hidden Grounds Chai & Coffee House — Restaurant in Jersey City

Came in an early morning mid-week for an Iced Decaf Latte, and Iced Cold Brew. We knew of this place from the Hoboken location and had a great experience there (I even own a bloody hoodie from this coffee shop.)

Upon arrival, I noticed a kiosk iPad situation and decided to order through that as there was two individuals in line before us. We ordered the above referenced drinks, but unfortunately completely forgot the select decaf for the iced latte. The decaf selection on the Kiosk is 50 cents (I later found this out.) Please keep that in mind. They upcharge for decaf when literally every other café / coffee shop in Hoboken / Jersey City does not... to the best of our knowledge as we have been to many.

Only remembering to request decaf comes after we pay, and I apologize and request for the decaf espresso shot instead of the regular. The response is, "You have to pay for that." Followed by, "It is 75 cents or something, so like 1 Dollar with tax." I of course question this, as one its poor customer service, and two - who upcharges for decaf?

The cashier then proceeds to put exactly one dollar on the register screen, when in actuality if the up-charge is 75 Cents, then the total is only 0.8025 which equates to only 80 Cents with NJ State Tax. Not a whole 25 Cents for tax.

Just a very very weird experience from a multi-location coffee shop this morning, and needless to say, they have lost a customer for the next 2 years over $1.00. Kind of bummed since the latte tasted quite good. Hence the three stars.

PS - Helpful tip for future customers of Hidden Grounds - use the kiosk as the prices are cheaper than at the register for some odd reason. The upcharge for decaf on the mini kiosk is only 50 Cents instead of the proposed 75 Cents at the...

2nd update: I'm dropping this all the way to 1 star now and never visiting again. This place has gone to the dumps. I ordered a mocha and it was SOUR; who orders a mocha to satisfy a sour craving? That makes 4 bad coffees in a row. Also the counter area was swarming with flies, so disgusting, I was worried flies might land in my coffee as it was being made. Still can't believe my favorite cafe in the area has degraded to such a state, a clear case of neglect after tasting success.

Update: I'm knocking my review down to 3 stars from 5. The quality of service has clearly degraded. A week ago the barista charged me for oat milk when I said whole milk. Today the same barista attempted the same thing but I caught him, yet he proceeded to make a hot chocolate instead of a mocha, then implicitly blamed me for ordering a cocoa instead of a mocha and not knowing the difference. English is my first language and I have no accent at all, so it can't be my problem. Cocoa and mocha don't even sound remotely similar. The quality of the mochas has also degraded in general; they don't give me the same satisfaction as it once did. I feel like the technique has not been passed down properly to the newer employees. Anyways, I hope they fix things up or I'm switching back to Maggie's.

A year ago: Best coffee in the Exchange Place/Grove St area! I can't say I've explored that much, but it's far superior to the lacking Lackawanna, Maggie's Farm Espresso and, obviously, Starbucks. Would recommend to anyone that appreciates...

BOMBAY SANDWICH, that is the dish I want to start the review with. It is a must have and for those who have been to Mumbai, India you will find this sandwich having a flavor of Mumbai in the green chutney with a twist of honey.

Pros: Amazing food, good fusion of American and Indian food style in toasts and sandwiches. Variety of coffee and you can get a stove made Masala Chai. Humble staff, the girl made us a Bombay Sandwich post kitchen cleaning. Indoor and outdoor seating. Avacado toast is an area best.

Cons: Indoor seating arrangement can improved. A dedicated coat hanger will avoid people using chairs as one. Using actual spices than ready mix for Masala Chai will provide it the missing flavor.

TIP: Ask the server to cook chai on low flame for 3-4 minutes post pouring milk...