Intelligentsia Coffee Silver Lake Coffeebar

Category:	Coffee Shop
Address:	3922 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029, USA
Phone:	+1 323-663-6173
Site:	intelligentsiacoffee.com
Rating:	4.3
Working:	6AM–8PM 6AM–8PM 6AM–8PM 6AM–10PM 6AM–10PM 6AM–10PM 6AM–8PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 8

Zachariah Acquaviva

I was in town for the National Brewers Cup in Long Beach for the weekend, and I was told this is one of the best shops in LA. I had my reservations because it is a gigantic coffee roaster that has truly over extended itself to the point of losing touch with great coffee, but because I was here, at one of their best shops in the country, I figured Id try it out. Needless to say, I should have gone with my gut. First the line was incredibly long, which I really dont mind if the product is worth it, but after I stood there for 35 minutes, I was ready for something delicious. I tried to talk with the barista about the coffee, got a couple of grumbles and sideways glances, then I asked the other barista about the espresso machine, a very basic question, and he could not even tell me what kind of espresso machine it was. Classic baristatude that makes all baristas look bad. Then the espresso, I ordered their $3.75 single origin espresso, and they served me a terrible shot. It was sour and bitter, the clear sign of a side channel or defect in the shot, which most experienced baristas should know what to look for. And since they were less than approachable, I didnt ask them to prepare another. Terrible service, terrible espresso, good thing they have the hype. I would have rather traveled 25 minutes to GoGetEmTiger to get a good shot that have to deal with that again.

Juvi Guevara

Yes, I burned my taste buds off to bring you this review, but thats okay! Theres nothing I wouldnt do for my readers. Or my coffee. "High-quality" barely begins to cover the superb quality of this java. Full, rich, robust, powerful... I could go on forever. It really helps that the baristas really know what theyre doing, too. They have a pretty good set of offerings where the coffee is concerned, and being a latte-lover myself, I was so happy that these guys carry a little something called Oat Milk. I hadnt seen it since coming back from London, and let me tell you, nothing adds richness and flavor to your coffee like some deliciously-nutty oat milk. Their pastries are also of exceptional quality, and with things like Peanut Butter-filled doughnuts, Corn Flakes Cookies, and Churro Croissants with a Dulce de Leche filling, youd be crazy to walk out of here with just a coffee cup in your hand. You have two hands for a reason! The lines are always out the door, but theres plenty of seating- great for people-watching in this part of town, and the line usually moves decently fast. And as with any self-respecting coffeeshop nowadays, they have plenty of their own branded merch and take-home packaged coffee from some of the highest-rated coffee roasters out there. So, find that parking and stay a while!

A Private User

LOVE the coffee and really respect the owners, who will literally go to the ends of the earth to find the perfect bean. This also means that if you love a particular bean, dont get too attached - its seasonal and may or may not come back within the year. The owners also deal directly with the growers, so theyre cutting out the old model of the colonial sitting in the swanky hotel and setting prices ... and keeping the farmers out of the profits. I even met some of the kids of growers from Colombia, who were thrilled to visit L.A. and see where their families coffee was being consumed. But - and this is significant - the consumer experience at Intelligentsia isnt great. Its just too popular and too small. If you go on off-hours, you can still maybe grab a table and not wait for 20 minutes just for a cup of joe. I prefer to go around opening and grab a freshly roasted bag of beans and have them grind it for me - so that I can enjoy it at home. Ahhh ...

Aaron Culich

This place was somewhat crowded, but I didnt have to wait to find a good table at all (and there is a "laptop" bar that I could have easily sat at). The line was fairly long, so I thought I wouldnt get a seat, but I think a lot of people get their coffee to go (which is a shame because it does NOT taste the same out of a paper cup). The staff is efficient and they have enough people so the line moved quickly and it was certainly worth what little wait there was. Both the machiatto and capuccino I had were solid (though as awesome as some of the reviews seem to say). What was truly outstanding, though, were the pastries. I had a cranberry/rosemary muffin and a lemony something-er-other bar that were both stellar examples of what good pastries ought to be.

Ronni A.

Expensive, but, oh, the coffee! This is probably one of the best lattes Ive had in America: good and strong but not bitter. They have a nice selection of excellent pastries. Again, you do pay more here than at other coffee shops, but at least youre getting your moneys worth. As for the atmosphere--its chill with plenty of seating inside and outside. The counter people are usually very nice, though sometimes they can be a little short, especially if theres a long line, but I dont let that bother me. The crowd is eclectic (students, parents with kids in tow, retirees, professionals, tourists, hipsters, people who work in the area, etc.) so there are plenty of regular-folk vibes to counterbalance the inevitable pretentious vibes.

Parker Green

I really liked Intelligentsia Coffee! I honestly didnt think I would, I thought itd be overpriced coffee in a minimalist setting. And while it does have a bit of a premium price and the interior does have some of that minimalist vibe, I found myself surprisingly warm and comfortable inside. I was in the area waiting for a seat at Sawyer and stopped in here for a coffee. The staff were all very friendly and welcoming, and got my hot chocolate done fast! It came in a big white mug and was very rich and creamy! The lighting inside was very warm and it made it very relaxing to sit on the counter sipping the hot chocolate! Id say that Intelligentsia is well worth it for the quality service, warm interior, and rich drinks!

Alex Phi

People watching 101 I call it "eye stalking". Perfect place for eye stalking people. Get hyped up on caffeine and watch people live their lives while you play with their dogs. Is it a requirement to have a dog in Silver Lake? Kind of like when you move to Texas they automatically give you a gun, Silver Lake they give you a dog. Clean Coffee Not sure what that really means but if youre a coffee drinker youll get it. Cold brew was crisp and no need for additives. Had a second coffee in one sitting (because Im a caffeine addict) which was on their rotating brew list from Guatemala and it was fairly light in taste for my blood, I like it dank. Drink coffee, do stupid things faster with more energy!

John Ho

I went here couple days ago. I was expecting like "wow!" But nah. I got a latte and almond croissant. The latte was good and the almond croissant did not have a lot taste. I think the only reason why they called it almond croissant is because its coated with almonds and thats it. I was expecting it has a almond paste inside but no. The place is okay. The service is okay. The people who was working there made me feel like I dont belong there and they made feel stupid instead of helping me deciding for my drink that is why I only got a reg.latte. Im giving fours stars just because its my first time and I dont wanna be mean. I dont know if I should go back to this place.