Handles Coffee — Restaurant in Los Angeles

The Coffee Wow, wow! My friend and I really lucked out with the whole experience. We arrived around 1:15-1:30 p.m. on a Saturday, and we didn't even wait long--there were only ~6 or 7 people in front of us. My friend mentioned that the line usually stretches out the door, which it definitely did shortly after we finished ordering. I tried the camel coffee, and it was amazing!! The portion was small but rich in quality, and I loved how it came in this tiny cup. The camel cup itself reminded me of those dental cups you see at the dentist--it's funny how I can't unsee that! But the coffee was so good, I didn't mind. The staff recommended not stirring the cream into the coffee, but instead taking sips of both. That was a nice touch, and I really appreciated their attention to detail.

The Vibe The atmosphere of the place is simple, yet inviting. In comparison to similar spots like Community Goods, it felt much more down-to-earth, whereas Community Goods can feel a bit pretentious. I was pleasantly surprised by the vibe here, and I'd definitely come back. We lucked out with seating because they have an upstairs area, and a table happened to be free. We spent almost 2 hours there, enjoying the relaxed and artsy feel. Downstairs, there's a cozy setup with counter space, and also outdoor options.

The Bathrooms A nice bonus was the bathrooms--there are 2 for customers only, which is always appreciated. Each bathroom has a code on the back of your receipt, so it's secure and for paying customers

Customer Experience The staff was so friendly! When I went to pick up our coffee, the barista asked if I'd ever had the camel coffee before. When I said no, she suggested I try not stirring the cream into the drink but instead take sips of it. That little tip really stood out to me and made the whole experience feel even more personal. It's those small touches that made the service and coffee feel extra special!

Parking As for parking, my friend and I walked there, but if you're driving, be prepared for typical LA meter parking. Finding street parking can be tough, so it's something to consider when planning your visit!

Final Thoughts Overall, I had a fantastic experience and am already craving that camel coffee as I write this haha. I'll definitely be coming back! While the line can get long, it's definitely worth the wait. I hope the staff continues to be as friendly as they were during my visit, and that barista's little gesture really stood out to me. Highly...

I have to say social media has been terrible at hyping up places that are mid. I’m all for celebrating and welcoming something new in the neighborhood, but just because it’s from a foreign franchise doesn’t necessarily make it the be all end all of good coffee.

In fact this coffee is quite pricey for what it is. And while I’ll say that they do have some interesting cream top options, their “exceptional” coffee is just OK.

First of all the design of this place has been gutted compared to how chill and relaxed Caravan used to have it. Gone is the narrow window plush seating and replaced with a counter top space that I’m assuming is meant for the quick sipping grab n goers. Their branding doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be with illegible menu texts on the walls and in some cases incorrect grammar they just failed to redo so they just marked it like your teacher does when you made a typo. It’s an intentional vibe that comes off both lazy and conceited. Writing “remember this coffee is exceptional” might seem like a good psychological tactic but to me it comes off as forced bragging. The upstairs still has some seating but replaced with small coffee tables. There’s very little normal table space to lay things or plates on. The seating area that used to be outside is no longer there. Something Caravan made good use of and is definitely missed considering how busy this place can get. I had two pastries. The croissant was very mid, but their Korean pastry wasn’t. Though since I am unfamiliar with it I have no frame of reference.

I will continue to stick with my tried and true Dinosaur Coffee down the street. They don’t need to claim how good they are. They just are. Good places tend to...

Delicious meticulously crafted coffee - be prepared to wait in line. We went here at 10am on a Friday and the line was out the door, but moves at a decent pace. The camel latte is an orange mocha with house made orange syrup and zest on the top. Iced comes with a hand-pumped cold foam.

Shout out to their baristas. They are a well oiled machine and they take great care for crafting every drink from raking their espresso to pouring their cold foam over a spoon to keep the texture intact. They all move at a quick pace to get drinks cranked out and keep the line moving. I ordered 2 lattes and it took less than 5-minutes to get my drinks.

They also have a basic selection of pastries available. I did not get one but they seemed popular and looked very good.

There is WiFi, but this is more of a place to socialize than work. There is some seating in a small area upstairs, and a few picnic tables outside under and awning. The low mid century furniture is very esthetically pleasing and lends better to relaxed conversation over trying to crank out a new script. Also it’s pretty packed on the weekend so getting anything done would be difficult.

Also, seating is fairly limited given the popularity of this shop. Most folks seem to come in for the latte and maybe stand around to chat for a bit outside after, but don’t hang around too long. I am a bit surprised that they don’t take more advantage of the outdoor space as they could definitely add more tables, but it is what it is.

Overall, I will say the latte was one of the best I’ve had in LA in recent memory and so it is work the 2O-minute wait IMO, just know they you’re truly there for the coffee and the vibes while you...