Five stars for food, service and ambiance…read more First time visitors Great brunch spot with an eclectic feel and warm and friendly staff and patrons. My girlfriend and I enjoyed the experience so much that we purchased T-shirts Drinks were so good!

I went to Mix and Mingle: Coffee and Lounge on a Friday night for my cousin's birthday, and overall…read morethe vibe was really nice. First Fridays are clearly a big deal there because the place was packed, the Gogo band was good, and the atmosphere was fun. I ended up sitting at the bar instead of getting a table and ordered a drink for myself, a drink for my cousin, and some shrimp. The food and drinks were actually good, so I can definitely see why people like coming here. What frustrated me was the pricing and gratuity situation. After looking at the menu, I saw it mentioned a 20% gratuity for parties of four or more, so I didn't think that applied to me since I was sitting at the bar with no table. I even asked the waitress if I could order food at the bar and she said yes, but nobody explained there would still be an automatic gratuity added. The drinks were $12 each and the bang bang shrimp were $13, so I was confused when my total came out to almost $50 and not realizing I added additional to the tip. I had to ask for the receipt multiple times before I finally saw the gratuity charge unbeknownst to me. I think the restaurant/menu needs to be a lot more upfront and clear about when gratuity is automatically added... and that's whether it's for First Fridays, live bands, bar service, or anything else. Being surprised by service fees, automatic gratuity or any hidden fee not clearly mentioned, for me, can leave a bad impression even when the food and atmosphere are good. As a small business, there are already stereotypes and complaints people make about hidden fees and pricing, and situations like this unfortunately don't help that narrative. With that said, I still plan to come back because I genuinely enjoyed the music, food, and overall vibe. I just wish the pricing and gratuity policies were communicated more clearly from the beginning... especially in this economy!

I would have loved it if they offered a pour over and different single origin selections from…read morearound the world... But, that's very preferential to my palate... the roast they serve from small planes is beautiful. The espresso beans are single origin and they serve a blend for their drip coffee. But the gem of this coffee shop is the baked goods! It is absolutely the most delicious and well made bread I've ever had in a coffee shop. I feel like they should be a bakery that serves coffee on the side. Their mushroom toast is out of this world! Like the best thing I've had in a long time. Their sourdough and multigrain bread is the foundation and the most beautiful one at that. The sauce is magnificent. Their croissant is as close to magic as you can get... I just wish I had come in time to have it warm. Their avocado toast is served with fresh piles of beautiful avocado. But again, the multigrain bread is the star! Their Pain Suisse... magic in a pastry... chocolate and pistachio wrapped in flaky croissant! beautiful and delicate... it's a must get!

One of the best bakeries in Washington, D.C. is here. Their original location is near Union Market…read morewith this location at The Wharf being their second. Here's what's going for them. 1) Food & Drink: Every pastry they make is worth the money and calories, especially their pain suisse. (It's the best I've ever had.) You can go savory with their quiche or ham and cheese croissant or go sweet with monkey bread, basque cheesecake, and more. To drink, they have a full coffee menu and free water in a jug at the condiment counter. 2) Service: Despite busyness, their staff often are patient, calm, and efficient. 3) Space: It's much larger than their original location with several long tables, small tables, window seats, and more. There's a unisex restroom in the back and a door that connects to their neighbor Politics & Prose. 4) Area: There are many restaurants and shops nearby along the water. Parking can be expensive or hard to find so take the Metro (Southwest Waterfront) or ride Capital Bikeshare.

Friend and I went here for brunch and really enjoyed it…read more Between the two of us, we ordered: - a pumpkin pie latte - a veggie lover omelet - eggs florentine - coffee cake Everything we got was quite good, and the service/atmosphere was wonderful too. Not to mention, it felt so fairly-priced compared to most places in Old Town! We spent about $50 between the two of us, which included a 20% tip on our bill. Hard to beat in this area honestly, especially given the quality of the food and service. I look forward to coming back and am so glad to finally have an answer to "where do you recommend going for brunch in Old Town?" -- a question that I've historically struggled with when people asked!

We stopped into HomeGrown on King Street for breakfast while visiting Alexandria. First impressions…read morewere very positive--the restaurant is clean, modern, and has a welcoming atmosphere. The staff was friendly, and the menu had several items that sounded interesting. Unfortunately, the experience didn't quite live up to the setting. I ordered the biscuits and gravy, which came with eggs and breakfast potatoes. The meal itself was good, and I liked that the eggs were included since that's not always the case with biscuits and gravy. I also ordered a Bloody Mary that was advertised on the menu as being garnished with bacon. When it arrived, there was no bacon, and I was told they were out. Not a huge deal, but it would have been nice to know before ordering. The biggest issue was service timing. There were four of us dining together, and three meals arrived while the fourth entrée didn't show up for about ten more minutes. Since nobody wanted to eat while one person sat without food, our meals cooled off while we waited. Ironically, the delayed meal was a BLT--which did have bacon on it. I finished my first Bloody Mary and ordered a second. After waiting 15-20 minutes with no drink arriving, our check was brought to the table and I ended up canceling it. My wife's meal was the biggest disappointment. It was served with corn chips that were extremely stale, which really hurt the overall dish. HomeGrown has a lot of potential. The atmosphere is great, the staff was pleasant, and parts of the meal were enjoyable. However, between the service delays, missing menu items, stale chips, and drink issues, there is definitely room for improvement.

Stopped by on my way home for a coffee while I did some end of day paperwork. Coffee is good…read more Staff (Tyler) friendly and super helpful!

I like the rebranding/renaming, I can't say that I was a frequent visitor prior, but I adore the…read morelocation and the small cozy feel to it. Stopped by for coffee on a rainy Sunday, early risers and just wanted somewhere walkable, low vibe to ease into the day. Coffee was fresh, conversations at neighboring tables were great, and local focused, maybe I've been missing out. My only gripe is that they use disposable cups for every order, and even though we dined in, I still had a paper cup to throw away which doesn't seem like the best impact environmentally, or even for their bottom line!

It is quite enjoyable to sit and spend time at the Capital One Cafe. A peaceful atmosphere,…read morebeautiful interior, and good coffee all in all, it makes for a wonderful experience. There is also ample space here for working. The service is highly professional and friendly.

The photos of the space are rather misleading. It's not a large lounge with all the furniture shown…read morein the images. There's no couches or any sort of comfier furniture, mostly wood chairs and tables. There's a separate private space to work in with others but you need to book the room in advance. If you are a Capital One member, you get drinks for free, so that's wonderful. Overall, it's a calm atmosphere to work in, but has misleading photos of the lounge.

Great staff. Friendly and willing to go the extra mile always. I'm not a fan of the new nighttime…read morebar. This is more for me a daytime coffee shop, and meeting place.

The client is very friendly there. I had the best conversations the breakfast potatoes were super…read moresavory and had just the right element of seasoning. The dill cream cheese at the base of the avocado toast with the seeded bread was elevated this dish. And the dirty chai is a must. Also, I don't know what dressing was on that salad, but I want some more .

I LOVE KILLER ESP! This has been a go to place since I started working in Old Town Alexandria back…read more2017! I cant believe I'm just doing my first review. To begin, this place is super cute; everyone is beyond friendly; from drinks to food, I haven't had anything that I dont like there; a great place to come in to do some work and enjoy your crafted beverage. If you haven't ate, their beef paddy's are my goto! Before becoming pescatarian I used to get their beef patty with my nutella latte. (I need to try the veggie now) Today, I got an Iced Pistachio Matcha drink off their Spring Menu. It was amazing! If you are in the Old Town Alexandria area, make sure you stop by x grab a drink x grab a snack baked freshly everyday!

I came the Friday before Valentine's Day and stopped by for coffee. Loved the vibes here; I got a…read moretable with markers that people draw with. I got a Cupid's bow latte that was special for Valentine's - the drink was so good with white chocolate and raspberry! I enjoyed my drink while relaxing there for a bit. The staff were fast and nice with my drink too. I'd like to stop by this place more often.

Walking into Turkish Coffee Lady feels like stepping into another world entirely. Gizem White…read morepoured her love into every single detail of the Golden Horn High Tea -- gold-plated cups, homemade pistachio baklava, rose Turkish delight, and a hand-painted copper kettle that anchors the whole experience. This isn't just high tea. It's a cultural journey that unfolds in courses -- tea first, then Turkish delights, then sandwiches, and finally Turkish coffee to close it all out. The sweets are made with intention, the presentation is stunning, and the warmth Gizem brings to everything she does makes you feel like you're sitting at a friend's table rather than a coffee shop. Old Town Alexandria is lucky to have her. If you haven't been to Turkish Coffee Lady yet, that needs to change -- and the Golden Horn High Tea is exactly where you start.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 10/10

Stopped by for an afternoon coffee…read more The store is small inside, but decorated well and has smaller tables for seating. Warm, bright, welcoming. Server was friendly. We each ordered a traditional Turkish coffee and an assortment of baklava to share. Grabbed a table near the windows and our coffee was brought to us quickly. I ordered the Mandin and was a bit nervous to see how small the coffee cup was. I expected a strong bitter taste, but was surprised at how smooth and flavorful the coffee was. The coffee is presented on a beautiful platter and with complimentary Turkish delights. They were soft, chewy, and a bit perfume-y. Felt like a tea party but in Turkey! The baklava was flavorful and sweet, perfectly paired with the coffee. We took some cute photos inside. Was a great time! Would definitely come again to try out the rest of their menu. Great place to bring coffee-lovers and people visiting from out of town.

Used Yelp to find a nearby coffee shop after a race. Glad we found Commonwealth Joe! The decoration…read morefrom exterior to interior was so cute/chic! Love the cherry blossoms! Long line to order. Also bought some coffee beans. Employees tried to work as fast as they could. Breakfast taco came out before the coffee. Food was delicious and super filling! My cookie butter latte was AMAZING! Just the right sweetness! Also got to try some of the earl grey matcha and it was good. Highly recommend this coffee shop!

Super cute coffee shop but WOW does it get busy here!…read more They do themed drinks for cherry blossom season which certainly contributes to how busy it was, but the drink quality and food is genuinely quite good. The line went out the door and it took a while to find a free table. Service is very friendly despite how busy they were. It took a long time to get our drinks and food (at least 10+ minutes) but that came at no surprise: we were there during rush hour right as the Cherry Blossom 5K ended with a bunch of hungry runners arriving at the same time, us included. The Strawberries & Cream Matcha Latte was a popular pick. I enjoyed mine but it didn't stand out too much from other strawberry matcha lattes I've had in my life. My friend ordered the Earl Grey Matcha Latte and topped it with lavender foam and this was definitely the way to go. Also tried the sundried tomato and feta sandwich which was a perfect light snack. The hash brown and egg burrito was also delicious but really dense. Ambiance is a 10/10- they hung faux cherry blossoms from the ceiling and also have a positive affirmation wall in the back for people to contribute to. I would definitely be a regular here if I was a local. - Ambiance: 5/5 - Food: 4/5 - Service: 4/5

They have an outdoor patio with lots of seating! We got a coffee and apple cider, both were good…read more The apple pie was not the best, so maybe skip the pastries.

I went in off a recommendation off a coworker. I got a flavored latte w oat milk (pumpkin and…read morecaramel syrup) and a donut as pictured. All the food looked good but landed on a pastry and something about the icing was good and not commercial. The space was a cute coffee shop vibe and has a mural. Looked clean as well. The staff was friendly and quick I didn't wait for long. For a weekend definitely expect a line. I think consistency is different depending on who makes it. The first time I went I didn't taste my syrups and I got two but when I went the second time I thought it tasted really good. It was a guy with a bunch of silver ear piercings and he was very kind and nice.