Gold Bar Espresso — Restaurant in Tempe

Let Me just say "it's meh...". So it's nothing amazing, it's not great, it's not like even good, it's just OK. It's not bad coffee it's OK coffee they're not bad pastries they're almost OK pastries. I guess it's about atmosphere too! it's just not a good atmosphere that I'd want to just chill or do work or even hang out in, there's just not a lot of joy or possibly friendly in the space to be real. The baristas don't great you or really recommend stuff to willingly. They use store baught powder to make one of the most simple drinks ever, a chai. You can get the exact powder at any Costco for $10 for a three month supply of every day Chai and Gold Bar charges $6 ish for one cup! Its water and powder...ummm. Soooo I do try to like it but they make it super difficult to just enjoy the place.

It does have very interesting antique coffee store wooden decore chest taking up the front counter in an odd way, in the entry seating area hangs a rotating Art Gallery Wall with absolutely HORRIBLE ART every time I've been in so im not judging one showing. Amazing obscure photos of jazz musicians & pseudo antique paintings and images every where else on the walls.

I like the books! Super cool range of about 60 or so seemingly random books but then not random at all ... very clearly curated or just good and explorative tasteful books in a range of subjects, totally worth walking in and just grabbing one off the shelf and looking through it, paging through it, reading it, whatever. I can stand just about that much before I'm out of there if and when I do go there for a few when i have nothing else going and I'm looking for a quick stop over with Espresso.

I can get about halfway through my coffee before I'm done being in that space. It's just lacking something like ambiance that makes sense or comfortable chairs oh my GOSH!!! HUGE ISSUE CHAIRS SUCK... Not only is every chair in the place like the least comfortable chair EVER made, but every time you move a chair it makes the most horrendous screeching SUPER LOUD noise across the concrete floor and that's every single chair in the place does this so you figure out how fun that is NOT.

Other than the off set of chairs HORRIBLE DEAFENING screaching sounds on the floor each time someone scoots in or out.... the place is a bit strangely quiet, doesn't play music, and not really a place to go and have a good time or have a great long lively conversation or be smiling laughing or loud at all!! In fact I guess it's a little bit like a tiny library but with super bad Art, and the librarian is really grumpy when you ask for help, but she will make you coffee. Too bad it doesn't have as many wonderful books or smell as good as a library....

You see I'm the kind of person who will come and stay all day doing my work and giving a place my money if it's AT ALL enjoyable to hang out in, even if it's almost not enjoyable to hang out in, sometimes I will still hang out because I like the people, or the energy, or even just one single drink! Ughhhh but i just don't find Gold Bar Espresso generally enjoyable.

But this place definitely needs something or just I don't know it's a bummer it's just a bummer or a quaint quiet haunt.... you can decide.

Like I said the coffee's OK and if you're in the neighborhood it's better...

Just came here for the first time after hearing so much positive news about them, man I wish I had received the kindness that everyone mentions getting here.

I just walked in, the place is full of people but there is no line, everybody seems good. The two baristas, young blonde white women, at the counter see me walk in as they are working at the register on processing something. One of them literally just stares me down as I approach the counter and says nothing to me as the other one works. I say hello to this young woman and she just glares at me and in a depressed flat tone says "Hey."

I am not sure why she was so upset but I could not help but feel that she did not want me there and she did not want to talk to me or to ask me anything. I have never felt so repulsed from a coffee shop while just trying to get a single drink when there is no line.

I order a small coffee, she explains they can't ring me up at the moment because of a tip process on the register, I say that's fine I will wait and she slowly begins to grab a cup and make the drink.

I left feeling like I should have never gone in there at all. I cannot believe how painful and difficult it was for the barista to help me with my order or to even ask me what I would like or if I had been there or offer any recommendations. This does not seem like the typical experience at this restaurant, but the abundance of white people there almost made it seem like I was an unwelcome ethnic person walking in and disrupting her day.

This coffee is way too sweet, a small should not be made with 2 pumps of flavor, and not worth the $5 for the smallest size and...

The coffee is amazing here and, according to my wife, so is the iced tea. I've been going to this location since I was in high school (graduated '03) and the family that owns this place is nothing but fantastic. They have a small live jazz band on Fridays.

The atmosphere is great for just sitting and chatting, but if you need to get a little work done over the wifi you can do that too. It's a small coffee shop so it's cozy, but they have plenty of additional seating outdoors.

I may be bias, this place will hold a special place for me. As it was the place I had my first date with my wife. We sat for 7 hours and chatted on our first date and the staff didn't bother us. Three years later I proposed to her in front of the exact seats we sat in on our first date. The staff were absolutely great for accommodating me in popping the big question. They allowed my sister-in-law to come by early and spread rose petals on the seats. And didn't mind that a few close friends and family waiting, hiding inside to also help surprise my wife (we made sure they all got coffee, tea, or hot chocolate).

Great folks that run this place. Great coffee and the...