Blue Bottle Coffee — Restaurant in Washington

Blue Bottle, Stumptown, La Colombe, Intelligentsia, Counter Culture. I adore third-wave coffee roasters who take the time to study and treat coffee as art rather than a rushed morning necessity. In the last five years, there have been quite a number of these independent roasters gaining much-deserved recognition in the District and even some of the big third-wave roasters flocking to D.C. to open up shop(s). Now, we welcome Blue Bottle Coffee.

A beloved and popular roaster from the Bay Area, Blue Bottle has spread its coffee arms all across Northern California, Los Angeles, New York, and even Tokyo. And now Washington, D.C. Blue Bottle has opened shop right next to Dean and Deluca, just off busy M Street and on the edge of the C&O Canal. Their grand opening was on Sunday and as someone who's been waiting for Blue Bottle to make an appearance here, I was there less than 30 min after their doors officially opened.

The space, while not enormous, is bright, airy, and clean. There are a couple of seats against the wall and near the floor-to-ceiling open window and a long communal table. We were one of the first people there on opening day, so we were able to grab a table. However by the time we were leaving, the line was out the door and folks were hovering to find seating. Despite the busy day, the baristas and staff were all super friendly with everyone and even made the time and effort to chat with many of their customers.

For drip coffee, their most popular blend is the Bella Donovan which has tones of milk chocolate, caramel, and red berries. Espresso-wise, the Hayes Valley is the standard with dark chocolate and brown sugar notes and a syrupy consistency. However without fail, I think the most popular item on the menu is their New Orleans iced coffee. I'm a big fan of this iced coffee too. Their New Orleans iced coffee is coffee infused with stout and cold-brewed with roasted chicory. It's creamy, slightly sweet, and indulgent. Perfect for hot summer days like what we're experiencing right now.

I had a latte here as well as a green tea. My BF had their Peru drip coffee and a cascara fizz. We also shared a Belgian waffle with a chocolate drizzle. Their tea is sourced from Samovar Tea, a tea lounge in San Francisco. I actually visited both Samovar Tea Lounge and Blue Bottle in the Bay Area a couple of months ago, so it's nice to be able to get such quality coffee and tea on both coasts! The sencha green tea was fantastic. I love that they take just as much care and time as making the teas as they do with their coffees.

The cascara fizz is a very interesting drink. Cascara is the dried skin of the coffee cherry (the actual coffee bean is the pit inside the cherry). Usually it's discarded as a byproduct of making coffee but it actually has a very unique tasted when brewed like tea. And that's what Blue Bottle does. A tea made from dried coffee cherries and infused with simple syrup and lemon juice, topped with sparkling water, Blue Bottle serves this refreshing beverage as an alternative to patrons who may not like coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

I'm so thrilled that Blue Bottle is here. If you've never had Blue Bottle before, come...

Let me just start by saying I LOVE coming to this Blue Bottle, I have indeed been coming here since 2018. I am not a local here so every time I am in town I always make sure to visit. However, yesterday that I went, I had a not so pleasant experience with one of the staff members. I was taking a picture to post on my instagram like I ALWAYS do when I come by and my flash accidentally went off, which when I realized I immediately moved the camera so it would NOT flash on the staff’s face because I know that it is rude and could make people uncomfortable. However, one of of the staff members asked me if I was filming, which I WASN'T and she, with a SUPER RUDE tone told me “you cannot film in here”. First of all, I completely respect if people DO NOT want to be film but she had such a nasty attitude when addressing me about it, that it made me feel like I had committed the biggest crime of my life. Secondly, never in ALL the years coming here has someone EVER said something about NOT filming in there. Blue Bottle is one of those cool places people want to put on their instagram, so I have seen NUMEROUS people film and take pictures when they are in there. If staff does not want to be film, I think there should put a sign that says it, so people could be mindful of that and not be SCOLDED in front of everyone that is waiting for their coffee. Lastly, I understand people have bad days and I have worked on customer service myself before and I understand sometimes you are not in the mood to deal with people but this girl was having attitude with EVERYONE. Unfortunately, after this experience and reading some of the other reviews, I do not feel like...

The short of it: While Blue Bottle serves pour over coffee unparalleled in Georgetown, the quality and prices of their regular espresso and food can be easily beat by the many other nearby establishments. What this place has going for it most is the location.

Beverages: Their pour over can offer a delightful exploration of single origin coffees with complex and surprising flavor profiles. The latest was distinctly dried strawberry, which I found quite pleasant after a long morning walk to see the cherry blossoms. Conversely, the espresso drinks I've tried - Americano, cappuccinos, and lattes - are very lackluster. It seems a waste of good beans to consistently produce cups of coffee over the years that taste of muddy water.

Food: The only items I've tried are the sous vide eggs. Be sure to confirm what's in them - what I was told was ham ended up being sausage. And the meager dish of salsa costs extra.

Atmosphere: A pleasantly designed room with warm wood tones, the lack of absorptive surfaces means it gets loud quite quickly. The large windows open on nice days to create a bar seat with a view to Georgetown's great brick buildings. The patio seating along a pleasantly sunbaked stone wall overlooks the canal.

Getting Here: Take public transit or walk - it is Georgetown, afterall. But if you must drive, some take their chances illegally parking on Potomac St directly in front of the coffee shop. Otherwise look around the neighborhoods for parking or down on Water St. if you wish to avoid the many...