Coffee Times Coffee House — Restaurant in Lexington

I am a huge coffee nerd and new to the area in from Seattle and having formerly been an SCAA cupping judge and buying my own personal coffee from all over the world, I consider myself a bit of a coffee aficionado. So I'm having a blast visiting all the new coffee shops in Lexington and nearby towns, and letting my friends know everything I find. This place has some decent ratings and a lot of them, so of course I've been here now a few times to try different offerings. Here's what I've found:

Coffee: Freshly roasted and some very nice blends. So far I've only had a really great cup of their brew. I don't think they roast their own, though I could be wrong. Unfortunately, I wasn't as impressed with what I bought to take home. There are a LOT of options here, which is very impressive. Perhaps it was just bad luck, but the ones I got tasted old and got tossed. I'd rather have fewer selections and fresher product. I'd like to be able to give this place 3.5 stars because it's more deserving than a 3, but coffee is supposed to be their thing, and therefore it should be right every time.

Tea: Again, a huge selection of tea. I'm not a huge tea drinker, but enjoy it about every other day or so. I got a bit of a mixed bag on this. The ceylon and darjeeling were great. A couple of others tasted like they had outlived their shelf life and were just dull.

Eats: Overall a very good selection. Twice I've had something I would come back for, twice I got something a little stale.

Service: Very good and very friendly. Nice people and very knowledgeable about their products [except the tea].

Other: Lots of gift stuff. I mean a LOT! Some nice gift ideas, but I'm not sure what this has to do with coffee and tea. I mean, why not mattresses?

Bottom line: I'll be back, but will probably only stick with a fresh cup and a pastry if it is early enough in the day. The do a good job on their basics, but perhaps the "less is more" concept...

I’m not really a coffee drinker, so I was ecstatic to be able to enjoy a coffee shop atmosphere where I could get a beverage I actually wanted. At most coffee places the non-coffee menu is quite limited and can be a bit expensive. I love tea, which is usually only offered in basic varieties in other places. However, coffee times has an entire WALL OF TEA! The space itself is very cozy and has a variety of different seating suitable for almost anything from studying to socializing. Right next door is a vintage store which is a fun place to take a gander on a study break! Lastly, the staff are awesome. Very friendly, quirky and interesting people. They really pay attention to their customers, I was surprised when the barista knew my order even when I felt like I wasn’t too much of a regular (at the time). They have baked goods (quiches, cakes, etc) from local bakeries in a case as well. And for the half committed coffee drinker: they do have some “frilly” coffee drinks which I do enjoy when I want to switch it up, they change every now and again but are always good. The hot chocolate is also really good. And for the coffee fanatic: I don’t know much about coffee, but I do know they roast their own beans in the back (which you can see through a small window). It’s the perfect place for me: cozy, friendly, and a great stop for coffee lovers and tea lovers (finally a place where we can all...

Had a poor experience trying to get coffee here, got up to the front of the line and saw there’s no tap to pay, go to grab my wallet then had to wait behind another three to four groups. Once I was up the cashier/barista left to go make drinks, no acknowledgment, no sorry for the wait, didn’t even say anything just left and had me stand around for like 5 minutes on top of what I waited after getting back in line. Very poor customer service. I get my iced coffee, it wasn’t good, watered down, sour, etc. I put cream in it and found out they have no liquid cane sugar. I asked the barista making drinks and she looked at me all confused because I don’t want to put standard sugar in my coffee and crunch on it since it wouldn’t dissolve. The cashier then tells her they have simple syrup. She hands me a tiny shot glass of it and was waiting to take it back. Didn’t ask how much I needed or if it was enough. Left the store and just immediately threw the drink in the trash, along with my family members who also just tossed everything they got. I won’t be back but I don’t live in KY anyways so it...