Compass Coffee

Reviews 8

EL

ELIN MUSIC

As much as the coffee here is decent, I came specifically for the "novelty" item called Nutella (cappuccino or latte, however you prefer to look at it). That said, Ill never be back again. First of all, its hard forking over $5 for something so tiny (even if you get a medium!) but when you add it to the rudeness of the staff i encountered, Im done. Why would I ever go out of my way to give this company my hard earned cash again!? Im sure theres plenty of people who love going there (though Ive heard other accounts of rude staff) so I felt a very important need to share my experience and simultaneously "report" it to the owners/managers. The woman taking my order the day in question was very short with me (no friendly greeting or being personable etc) so I ordered as quickly as possible and proceeded to step aside to wait for my name to be called. It was not for almost five minutes -- which surprised me because usually its faster. Actually, after waiting for a while, I decided to approach the counter to "look" for my coffee and as I walked up, the barista said my name and the name of my drink. But I didnt see her place the cup down, which gave me the impression it might have been sitting there awhile. So I put my hand around the cup to see if it was still hot, which it was not. I asked if it could be heated up… At that time, the girl from the counter had come round as well and she replied to me, with the steeliest glare and tone, that it could not because they had no microwave so they would have to make it again. I said, "Okay, thank you," and stayed by the counter to wait for the new drink. As soon as the barista put it down I picked it up and said thank you again. She not only didnt respond, she wouldnt even glance up at me. Talk about being "iced." Well, needless to say I will never go back there again to fork over $5 for a tiny "Nutella" drink -- especially considering the service!

---

AU

Austin Graff

When I moved to DC in 2007, a good coffee shop was hard to come by. Now that its 2014, I am happy to say DC has more and more options and Compass adds to the choir of good DC coffee shops. Compass is the only coffee shop in a few block radius of its location so thank God its a good one. Its in between Mt Vernon-Convention Center + Shaw-Howard Metro stops across the street from a few new apartment buildings. Compass has a good range of seating options: 5 at two bar stool tables (One in the window and one in the back), three tables that sit four each, a separate large, bar stool table that sits 6-8, and four small circle tables with bench seating that sit two each. The coffee is good (They told me their sweetest drink is their nutella mocha. I ordered that and it wasnt that sweet according to my uber sweet tooth, but its still good!). They have breakfast biscuits and make the biscuits daily on location. The wifi is free, strong, and available 7 days a week (Unlike some other DC coffee shops like...cough...Tryst). Warning: Ive tried going on the weekends and couldnt find any open seating. If you go on a weekday to work, be sure to get there before 9AM to find a good seat.

---

NE

Nelson Cortes

We have heard about this place, and finally stopped by during a Sunday stroll around Shaw (and DC overall). This place was packed!!! We were fortunate enough to find two seats, and squeezing over close to the water fountain. The coffee/cappuccino was awesome; the foam was perfect and tasted deliciously. We relaxed for a bit. Everyone else seemed to be highly focused on their phones, tablets, laptops, and a few had books (awkward almost!). It was the prime of being on a social place without anyone socializing. The place itself has great ambiance, high ceilings, and perfect decor. The staff were super friendly, and given the quality of the coffee very proficient as well. Will definitely come back for more.

---

DA

David Lapidus

I love coffee, but I usually just drink drip/press coffee black (crazy right?). Unfortunately cafes often brew their drip coffee way too hot and its apparent in the taste. Not true at Compass Coffee. I got their dark drip coffee (I think it was called Autumn blend?) expecting what Id get at Starbucks or a gas station and to my surprise it was exceptionally great ! Also got a Cortado later that day (had to ask what that meant and learned it is espresso with steamed milk) which was delicious. Also, extremely friendly service. Nice, well-lit setup inside. One note: not a huge food selection, but thats not neccesarily a bad thing (and the yogurt they sell there is really good).

---

SL

Slav Gatchev

Its cute, friendly, cool etc. The nitro cold brew is great. The seasonal drinks made with house syrups -- lemongrass, maple, etc. -- are delicious. The dirty chai is great. But but but. There is a fundamental flaw which should cost them st least one if not two stars. Their espresso is just too darn bitter! It is over roasted perhaps to appeal to a generation raised on Starbucks. It is as bitter if not more than Colombes dark roast. This makes a Cortado nearly impossible to enjoy. You just need more milk to mask the bitterness and thats why caps are a safer bet. I shudder at the thought of ordering an espresso. But get their maple cold brew and life is good.

---

SC

Scotty ST

I loved my afternoon here. The staff was friendly, nice and made fantastic coffee. The staff are by far the nicest baristas, I have encountered. Normally at many coffee places in DC, I encounter rude baristas that are generally full of themselves. The cappuccino I had was nice and the foam was rich and thick. No need for sugar or anything extra. Dont be too concerned when you see it is crowded. I found 2 chairs and made room at the bar. One of the baristas gave me a free sample of a chia they were making. It was delicious. The bathroom was clean and is located in the back of the facility. Great atmosphere and is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon.

---

BR

Brian Spearman

Excellent coffee and friendly staff! Im docking a star for a few reasons though. I came for a late lunch (2pm on a Saturday), but the shop was so packed that I could not find a seat. The coffee was expensive--it was $2.50 for a medium-sized coffee, which is only 12 oz. And lastly, (and this is partly my fault for not reading closely enough) my mozzarella pesto sandwich did not have any chicken on it despite being priced at around $8.50. It was tasty, but I just kind of expected the protein on a sandwich like that. Tl;dr: Amazing coffee from their freshly roasted beans, but dont expect to find a seat to drink it.

---

CO

Corey Girman

Compass Coffee is one of those local coffee shops that actually does better with customer service and the product they serve than much larger coffee shops. Ive been buying my coffee from here since moving to DC 2 years ago. They have a nice selection of single origin coffee and custom blends. Single Origin favorites include Congo and Bali while my favorite blend is Shaw. All fairly medium-dark roast. Enjoy! Also, the people that work here are so friendly, and are always up for a short conversation about coffee or the Shaw neighborhood.

---

---