CLUTCH Coffee Bar — Restaurant in Winston-Salem

UPDATE 6 months later: We have continued to be regular customers (3-5x/week) at this location but cannot anymore. Last Wednesday the 6th we had this experience (this is the second time this has happened): We ordered an energy drink with sugar free energy drink as we literally do 3 or 5 times a week, observed through the window that the girl was using the regular/sugared energy drink, and very kindly asked them to stop and use the sugar free that we asked for. The girl making our drink took one can of sugar free out of the fridge and added it to the drink she had already made with 2/3's of the sugar drink and gave it to us. We didn't have time to wait and argue, we were running late for our plans for the night... and frankly, this being the second time this has happened (the first time we spoke to the manager the next day), will be our last time. It was VERY obvious what she did and that she didn't care at all. The two cans are not at all similar. I can't express enough how DANGEROUS of a practice this is should you have a diabetic customer or a customer with allergies and your staff does not respect basic requests like that. We were not negatively affected except disliking the taste and getting a little sugar rush, but the potential consequences here are terrible.

----- original review below ----

We live about 10 miles away and after discovering Clutch a few weeks ago, both my wife and I will go out of our way multiple times a week to stop here and nowhere else. Their drinks are amazing and their service is even better! Thanks Clutch ladies!

I highly recommend an iced...

In the world of coffee shops, there is one Goliath that towers above all the rest, and I know I don’t have to tell you that it is Starbucks. No one else is really even close, with the possible exception of Dunkin (if you want to count them), with only 1/3 the number of stores as Starbucks.

Nevertheless, every now and then you will see a David pop up, probably not in any attempt to slay mighty Goliath as David perhaps did some 3,000 years ago, but rather to carve their own little niche in the coffee landscape.

You will see little boutique coffee shops in downtown areas that find their way, but Clutch is different. The two I am familiar with have plunked themselves down within a stone’s throw of a Starbucks. This is dangerous.

Clutch is counting on their different approach to ensure their success. They have rejected the muted, sophisticated air adopted my most Starbucks in exchange for an atmosphere clearly directed at younger millennials and Gen Z, decorating with bright colors and loudly playing energetic, modern pop music.

Interestingly, the energy was nowhere to be found in the barista. I don’t think she could have been more disinterested.

But how’s the coffee?

I ordered the Aloha Latte, a macadamia-chocolate mix. It was very drinkable, but I found it a bit cloying, somewhat timid, and I did not detect much macadamia. The flavorings tasted cheap and left an unpleasant aftertaste. It wasn’t bad. It was, as I said, drinkable.

But this David will not...

I've never been to Clutch Coffee before but decided to check them out. I visited the Winston-Salem location since it was closest to me.

I was looking to try one of their newer sandwiches, but the cashier told me that she highly recommended the Waffle Sandwich and that I should give it a try so I went with her recommendation. I also decided to complement the sandwich with a mango smoothie to treat myself after a long work week.

When I received the sandwich, I was slightly disappointed to see it prepackaged and heated up in a plastic bag. The waffles that were used for the bread were a bit too moist for my liking but were sweetened at an appropriate level. Overall, the sandwich was not overbearingly sweet. At 500 calories, it is definitely a hefty breakfast for a quick meal. The mango smoothie was a nice treat for a warm, summer day. The mango flavor profile was present. The only downside about this smoothie is the price for the amount of smoothie you get.

WORTH IT? Maybe, if you're looking to venture out and try all the different coffee shops in Winston-Salem....