Cafe Unido — Restaurant in Washington

I visited this cafe specifically for their Ninety Plus Geisha coffee, which I had previously and found to be exceptional, it was truly a memorable experience. As a DC local who’s willing to travel for a worthwhile cup, I made the trip again with high expectations. Unfortunately, this visit was disappointing. When I arrived, there was only one staff member on duty, unlike my last visit when two baristas were present. She appeared to be engaged in a personal conversation, and I had to interrupt to ask if I could place an order, which made me feel like an inconvenience rather than a welcomed guest. I ordered the Ninety Plus Geisha again and was told it would take 10 to 15 minutes to prepare, which I was happy to wait for. I used the time to step out and pick up a pastry from a nearby bakery. When I returned, the cafe had become quite busy, so I waited patiently for my drink. After a few other guests were served, I was called over only to be informed that the coffee I ordered was not available. I explained that I had made a special trip just for this coffee, but the response I received was indifferent at best. I was simply told I'd receive a refund and could order something else. Frustrated and short on time, I opted for a cortado instead, which unfortunately was overly bitter and not enjoyable. Before leaving, I was told the issue stemmed from the previous team failing to restock the coffee or notify the morning shift of its unavailability. While I understand that mistakes happen, the lack of accountability and customer care was disappointing. In short, the pour over I had on my previous visit was excellent, but the espresso drinks leave much to be desired. It’s also concerning that there’s no way to call ahead to confirm product availability at the Union Market location. I hope this feedback is helpful and encourages more consistent service and communication...

We entered the cafe space between 1- 1:20pm on a Friday afternoon (February 2, 2024) It was not busy at all. I was the only person at the counter. While the barista did something over by the espresso machine and didn’t even acknowledge me, I waited a good 2 minutes. Then she looked up, made eye contact and apparently uninterested in taking my order continued to “do” whatever she was doing, without verbally acknowledging or signing any indication that she would attend to me at any point. I found that incredibly rude and unwelcoming.

For whoever the manager or owner of this place is, you should realize that in this small space of Union Market, there are MANY choices for quality coffee offerings.

I happen to be a coffee aficionado, as I have worked several years for a boutique coffee roaster out west and attended several weekly cuppings. I have my favorite shops, but am always interested in finding the one place that might turn out to be the diamond in the rough, who actually focuses on the coffee roasting process AND exquisite preparation in a continual quest for the perfect cup. I am at UM at least once a week- I guess I will never know if that happens to be your establishment because, based on your lack of customer service, I won’t return. Please accept this feedback; it is after all called the hospitality industry...

I went in on 4th of July for the first time and tried an iced la banda (lavender) cappuccino at the awesome Robin's suggestion. It was creamy and perfect for the summer day, and Robin was so kind! I took my friend back the next day and we got an iced cortado, an iced orange despadura, and an iced.. vanilla latte! Yeah. Another customer suggested adding mocha to the orange, and it was HEAVENLY. I was skeptical of orange in coffee, but no, I was wrong! There's a reason why the despadura is the most popular drink! The other baristas are equally nice, and I just like the vibe there in general. We found a nice place to sit outside. I think the only suggestion I'd give is to make the coffee display in the center of the shop a bit smaller so people can get around it more easily. Unido is...