The Daily Press, Coffee House and Bar — Restaurant in New York

Update: My original review is a bit verbose, but a few months in, a lot of the kinks have been worked out. I come up here a lot for coffee and a place to work. Good wifi, friendly barristas, and supposedly beer coming soon (liquor license request posted at the door). What keeps this a four-star is simply a limited food selection--I'm supposed to watch carbs so the pastries, delightful though they are, are a rare treat, and I'm just not a big fan of breakfast tacos. Some kind of sandwich option would be fantastic.

Also, the owner responded to me very kindly after my initial lukewarm review, and that was unexpected and encouraging. I'm glad I've given the place a chance and that's it's doing well.

Original Review: I want this place to succeed, I really do. It's five minutes from my apartment, has tons of space, nice and bright...but they have been open for about two months now and they just have not hit their stride. As others have noted, the staff is friendly. The coffee is ok...I've stopped ordering cappuccinos because they come out lukewarm, and I paid $5 for a Vietnamese iced coffee that tasted like regular $3 iced coffee with milk (which I could add for myself for free).

And lunch. I was so excited last week when I saw a sign up that they were offering a $10 lunch from Monday through Friday comprising one of four sandwiches, housemade potato chips, and some waffles (I presume small desertish ones). This was great because a) until then they'd only offered pastries, baked savory pies, and breakfast tacos, and b) if you live in this neighborhood, you know there's a great dearth of places to get lunch outside of a bodega or a Crown Chicken. (And by the way, usually by lunchtime the pastries have been picked over and there wasn't much left.) So last Friday I invited a friend to meet me here to work and have lunch...only when I got there at 1230, they told me their sandwich guy didn't come in TILL 2 PM. The sign that had been out on the counter all last week said "Have lunch at Daily Press!" Lunch doesn't begin TILL 2 PM???

So, just to see, I went in today at 1 p.m. and asked about the sandwiches. "He's not in today," they said. When will he be in? "I think he's here Tuesday through Sunday," was the reply. What time? "He's here at two." They said "I think we still have some burritos left from breakfast (yes...breakfast leftovers at 1 pm)," which I declined.

I don't know if someone is on West Coast time or what, but lunch doesn't start at 2, even in hipster BedStuy/Bushwick. Plus, there's another great cafe that actually serves sandwiches AT LUNCHTIME not that far away near Saratoga Park. So unless I'm going in for a basic cup of coffee, this place needs to improve an awful lot to get me to come back.

On the plus side, if you don't care that the coffee is so-so and you want a quiet place to work, it's always pretty dead during the lunch hours...for...

Just had the absolute worst service at Daily Press. I’ve been coming here for months to buy my beans, and it’s always a quick experience. It’s been so quick and convenient that I pop by while walking my dog, because it takes so little time I feel safe tying her up while I pop in to pay.

Until today, 12/20 at 4:30 pm. It’s a colder day (42 degrees), but I can see there’s no line inside so I figure it’s fine leaving my dog on the sidewalk for what historically takes about 45 seconds.

I walk inside, grab the beans, and stand by the register. There are two employees behind the bar, and man and a woman. They are at the far end of the bar, nowhere near the register, gossiping with each other. I nod at the woman and she makes eyes with me. She then proceeds to turn her back on her and start to make a cocktail, while continuing to gossip with her male coworker. Eventually she finishes making the cocktail, so I assume she will finally let me pay. Instead, she throws the drink out and starts making it again.

Finally, after 5 minutes, the man deigns to acknowledge me and slumps over to the cash register asking me in an annoyed voice what I want. I point to the beans that I’ve been trying to pay for for the last 5 minutes, and he charges me.

Unlike every single other time I have bought beans here, I was not offered a free drip coffee with my purchase.

I’m not sure if they chose to completely ignore me because I’m queer or for another reason, but the entire experience was completely unacceptable. My poor dog was shivering by the time I was able to get back to her.

Time to find a new...

The Daily Press has a very cozy atmosphere and host many events throughout the week. The staff are nothing short but fantastic and as a frequent goer, it's a nice spot to meet people, have focused study/work and have good conversations. I usually have tea there and Jay who man's the Tacos and Burritos has a variety of choices for your pallette in case you're hungry.

Now, I'm very biased to one event in particular (because it's chess night! ) It all started because the question was asked. Can there be a chess night here? And Gabe who is a bartender there and has a very recognizable laugh was very open to the venue becoming a spot for chess. Shout out to Josh for also giving the green light!

It started earlier this year and had been growing since. Newcomers learning the game for the first time, people who've played it once and coming back to it, as well as intermediate and advanced players. It's quite the event, and there have been clock games as well as bughouse and hand and brain chess happening.

With that being said they have a social media page and keep up to date for other events happening. If I recall, Monday is chess night, are Board game nights, Thuesdays Jazz and Fridays are Karaoke nights!

Check out @daily_press @dailypresschess and photos are by @k_dmphotos...