Blank Street Coffee — Restaurant in Washington

First time trying this coffee shop that is attached to the Hyatt Place Hotel. I ordered a small Daytime Dream Latte with Almond Milk and the prepackaged Vanilla Oats grab and go parfait cup.The espresso base is not good. I wouldn’t order latte or coffee from here again. The Vanilla Oats is not made in house, I was told it is made of a coconut milk base topped with granola and blueberries. It was a typical overnight oats.The atmosphere itself is cold. Not the warmth of a coffee shop. It is extremely cold temperature in DC right now at 19 degrees and it felt just as cold inside. I was aware of the cold before hand as I noticed the customers the day before all sitting inside were wearing coats and hats. scarfs and earmuffs while drinking hot coffee. The baristas were wearing scarves. The same attire was seen today by both staff and customers. The landlord and owners need to do a better job of heating the place despite the weather conditions. Worker conditions are not favorable and it’s not inviting...

Super cute and very friendly cafe. While the staff and baristas are always very nice, twice this week I observed one staff member/barista who exemplified the calm of Buddha and the service of a Four Seasons. Two days this week I went to get my regular espresso and Zulema, the barista par excellence, was the only one behind the counter (there are usually two to three people there at all times) very calmly taking orders, preparing food, making coffee and other drinks all by herself (she had been there since 6:30 am by herself). She did not get the least bit flustered at the long line anxiously waiting for their morning fix and served everyone with a smile. Her "zen" flow and energy kept the entire line calm. Zulema, I take my hat off to you. I don't think if I meditated for even three hours a day for the rest of my life, I could have done what you did....

Great Staff, But This Place Has Turned Into a Day Shelter

The staff is excellent—attentive and professional—but that’s where the positives end. This place has essentially become a daytime homeless shelter, and management does nothing about it.

From 7 AM to 5 PM, the same individuals take over tables, sleep for hours, and talk loudly to themselves, creating an uncomfortable and disruptive environment. The smell is overwhelming, making it nearly impossible to focus or enjoy the space. Meanwhile, membership prices have skyrocketed by 25%—for what, exactly?

If you’re considering joining, think twice. As a paying member, I shouldn’t have to navigate through this every single day. Why does management allow this to happen? Absolutely...