07/06/08

went down hill

by snogger

place used to be amazing. now the coffee's bad and the baristas are glacial. like three-toed sloth slow. oh, they'll drop what they're doing to chat regulars up, but for god's sake don't ask them to do their job. that's not why they were hired. this is just their day gig, what they really wanna do is rock. and then talk about it endlessly while you wait for your bagel. how many people does it take to toast a bagel, anyway? why pay a 3 person staff when only 1/2 a person is working? get with it.

• Pros: good peanut butter cookies
• Cons: overpriced, horrible service, listening to baristas talk about their band

06/05/07

I Love This Place!

by arutek

What you probably don't kow about the Downbeat Cafe, and I didn't really realize myself until a few days ago, is that they have amazing sandwiches and a tasty, healthy side salad. I always get the brie and avocado melt. It's sooooo good. I could eat it every day. Yes, their peanut butter sandwiches are yummy, BUT their bread pudding is top notch. Of all the east-side offerers of bread pudding (Alegria, Masa, and the now defunct Netty's), I'd say Downbeat has the best. The staff is casual and friendly, and there's always gread mood-creating jazz music. The downside of this place is that during the weekdays it gets overrun by people taking advantage of the free wireless Internet, and it gets all quiet, and there's like one person to every table for four. This is unfortunate when you want to, say, host a book club or chat with a friend there, as the vibe seems more geared toweard silent personal time. If you need to get away from all the aspiring screen-writers, you can grab a table outside and watch the interesting goings-on at the corner of Alvarado and Sunset (or you can take your food to go).

• Pros: Sandwiches, Bread Pudding, Classic Jazz
• Cons: Wireless Internet Culture

04/25/07

Cozy Echo Park Cafe

by lwmango

Easily one of the best neighborhood cafes in Los Angeles. Tucked into a row of storefronts it can be easy to miss. The cozy interior is decorated entirely with furniture and decor from the 1950s and local art adorns the walls. Coffee and tea drinks here are delicious but it's the cookies that are truly outstanding. Baked fresh each morning, there's no real guarantee what type they'll have on a day to day basis. My favorite are the peanut butter and oat cookie sandwiches with fresh peanut butter in the middle. The chocolate croissants and quiche are also great breakfast items. This is definitely worth a stop if you're in the neighborhood and looking for fresh bakery goods!

• Pros: Fresh food, Friendly Staff
• Cons: Hard to find parking, Fills up Fast

Live jazz and '50s-diner decor make this Echo Park coffeehouse a hep-cat scene.

by Katie Heffernan

In Short
This low-key Eastside eatery doubles as an amateur jazz venue, its musical theme extending from Billie Holiday background ballads to violet-and-black walls covered with genre posters. Seated on vintage couches and diner-style vinyl chairs, locals lunch on sandwiches while reading books from the next door library, or stop in for pastries after visiting the psychic downstairs. Evenings, the cafe swaps its daytime downtime atmosphere for a more dynamic vibe with live jazz performances by local talent.

06/08/04

Great Times, Great Coffee

by cbabula

The Downbeat is that place where you can never be disappointed. The owner is apparently a coffee aficionado and buys great beans, and the tea is of the finest quality. The food is delicious and the portions are large. Sandwiches come with a nice mache salad and the desserts are made on premises and delicious. Does not hurt, either, that the place is spotless and adorably decorated! A great place to meet a friend for a quick bite or to come and read a book for an afternoon!

• Pros: food, beverage, music