New owner removed comfy chairs, talking harshly to the women working for him, won't honor gift cards or loyalty cards - not good anymore

This is the fourth BATW I have visited and it is remarkable how consistent the vibe is between all of them. They always have that warm, lived-in atmosphere and feel like a community centre as much as a coffee shop. Each location has a unique menu but the style of food is similar and meets the same standard. As with the other locations I've visited, the food and drinks here are awesome. The muffins feel very wholesome. It's cool that this location has protein smoothies - I tried the peach pear variety and it was delicious! Another notable thing about the Main St location is that in addition to the usual desserts like cookies and carrot cake, they have a ton of French-style tarts and cakes. Prices are reasonable. Once again I have fallen in love with a Bean Around the World. read more

Bean Around the World Coffees - Apple Cinnamon Muffin & Peach Pear Protein Smoothie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Delicious breakfast sandwich (veggie) and EXCELLENT coffee. The service was friendly and fast. This was a great find. Highly recommend!

Found this place walking on the way to a Canucks game. Atmosphere is really nice. Really comfortable and relaxing. Only issue I had was the latte. Not sure why the milk wasn't frothed right. I was pretty disappointed, and thought there would be some nice latte art too. The place looked like it would have great coffee...but I was disappointed. The reason I gave them an extra star because the atmosphere and interior is comfortable. read more

Bean Around the World Coffees - Should've opened the lid...the froth was bad and there wasn't any latte art. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

One of several coffee options around Main Street. Parking is available along Main at night, as well as the side streets. The interior is quite plain, but the furniture is of decent quality. There are some armchairs as well as the usual tables and chairs. Staff are quite quick, and friendly. My coffee was of decent quality. No complaints there. read more

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It all exists at this coffee shop. The setting, interior decor, great cuisine, strong wifi, and nice coffee. Costs are fair. Simply said,  one of the greatest coffee shops in town. It's a fantastic place all around to study and unwind. Strongly advised! read more

Cool name. Food is great. Butterfly pea lemonade and smaller tarts are delicious. However the servers seemed distracted and uninterested creating an abnormally long wait time for our items. Unfortunately not a repeat. read more

There are tons of outlets!!! If you work with your laptop, I do recommend here. People are so nice and smiley. They seem happy to work, which makes me also happy! I ordered coffee and apple pecan muffin. The best muffin I've ever had!!! I love it!!! XD I will definitely come back here someday!!! read more

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we are in love with all the servers here. One time we came and I was really craving a drink from New York. It wasn't on the menu, but they still made it for us!! The baristas are so helpful and wholesome. Atmosphere is great with lots of outlets and free wifi! read more

Internet Nazis! If you are going to chat with friends, read a book, study or do anything without the need of the internet it's not a bad place. But ever since they implemented their $4 minimum purchase before you can get the internet password the baristas have become way less friendly and open to customers. It used to be a common sight to see people chatting it up with the baristas, but now because of the internet lock-down they tend to get in more arguments with people over the stupid policy than friendly conversations. I went again today to see if their policy had changed... but sure enough when you get to the till next to the cashier there's a little sign saying "$4 Minimum for Internet". At first I thought the policy had changed since I hadn't been there for about 8 months (because of the $4 min fee) and didn't notice it until I was punching in my debit card pin for my $3 purchase... I asked the barista if they were serious about that policy and she looked rather sheepish and didn't respond. I'm no business wiz but based on the habits of a local coffee drinker around around Main St (me), then if I go out for coffee say on average 4 times per week over 8 months and if I were to frequent the same coffee shop because I like the baristas, coffee, comfortable chairs or the atmosphere that adds up to decent amount of business even if I only buy a $2 coffee each visit. Let's break it down shall we? 8 months x 4 weeks (avg. per month) = 32 weeks 32 weeks x 4 visits per week = 128 visits 128 visits x $2 = $256 So Bean Around the World... from this you can see that even from ONE customer over 8 months you have already lost $256 due to your poor customer service. Multiply that by the number of customers that have decided to go to Waves + Kafka's on the same block instead of to your cafe because of this new policy and atmosphere and it becomes much more substantial. If you don't keep your customers happy and create a good environment in your establishment then both your staff and the customers lose because it's no fun to be there!! If you insist on keeping the $4 minimum to keep students out and to make it a more high-brow cafe then at the very least put a sign on the window being clear about your restrictions, ie. "$4 Minimum for Internet Use" rather than surprising people once they are about to pay. read more

Bean Around the World Coffees - Nov. 14, 2010 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I really enjoyed the British Fog! With soy, it is so delicious :) The Blueberry Apple Pecan muffin is SO good, I would get it any time. Berry Bran is okay too, it is more grainy and healthy-tasting. You can get wi-fi access 3 hours at a time with a purchase, which I think is just fine. read more

Bean Around the World Coffees - interior ^^ plenty of space - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Finally going to right my first review where too begin ?? Ive been going there for the passed 9 months or so i enjoy going there still til this day . yes the first few times i went i was pushed to spend 4$ , to use the WiFi but then once they saw me there on a regular basis they stopped enforcing it upon me. Batista's most very friendly and chatty as well as the 2 owners Shoba & Bobby Food well some of it is pricey but well i do understand it's not made in house so someone has to pay for the packaging and driver to deliver it. and to be honest there has not been one thing i bought that i didn't enjoy eating. BTW as of April 20th 2012 there is no longer a 4$ min to use the WiFi read more

Bean Around the World Coffees - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Scrumptious and strong soy lattes with cute foam art. My first time receiving foam art on my latte. What a sweet surprise! I didn't even ask for it. Staff are warm, welcoming, and quick to assist you. Ambiance inside is cute, chill, and perfect for studying or catching up with friends. Awesome place to be at! read more

Bean Around the World Coffees - Soy latte made with love - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Now with the 1 star , you must be thinking , "ah some cynical lunatic who only sees the bad in people and probably had a bad experience and will now take it out on the whole restaurant". For the most part, you might be right. But I thought it'd only be fair to let others know what my expereince was -- your mileage may vary. I rarely ever write reviews, but I've never had such interesting customer service. I thought I'd let others know. I saw this place a few times, but never got a chance to stay. I walk in, it's packed - pretty good atmosphere. Everyone's on their computers. I move two tables together because I'm going to have a friend come over. I then walk up and buy a $3.25 water that comes out to $3.92. When i go back up to ask about the wifi password, the guy doesn't look up and points to the wifi policy It says $4 minimum. I bought $3.92 i told him. him: "it doesn't matter, it's the policy" I wasn't sure if he was joking or serious. He then says, in rude/condescening (slightly pompous) way, "also, if you're going to have two tables, you're taking away another customer, so you'll actually ahavehve to pay $8 minimum to use Wifi." I was like.... are you serious? Turns out he was. He wasn't even nice about it. He wasn't understanding. He wasn't even sympathetic. He then goes on to say. "because you're taking away a potential customer. You want to leave? go ahead. You don't have to stay here, I'm not forcing you, you can go anywhere you want. Go to waves if you want free internet Do you want me to refund your water?!?" I then asked him If it would be okay to just let me use internet this once, since I didn't know - he said no, it's the policy. I then asked him for his name, and he wouldn't give it to me unless i gave him mine & my number (fair enough i guess). CONCLUSION: great vibe, but I don't agree with their stance on treating customers who fell $0.08 short of their minimum purchase with contempt, and telling them they can leave instead. Also found it surprising that he said i would need to pay $8 because I was saving an extra seat for my friend who was coming in 15 minutes... Also, I totally understand that costs are an issue, that you see cheap students a lot (i'm not, i'm a young working professional now), and that you have policies. But maybe explaining it to your customers in a less condescending , more friendly manner would also help to boost sales. Learning from starbucks in this regard might help - if a customer comes back and complains about a drink baristas are trained to give them a free drink ticket, and make it over for them. They argue that the cost they will loose in giving the free ticket + drink will win them back in the long run because they'll keep coming back. Anyways, just my 2 cents. read more

*to the tune of 'All Around the World Statues Crumble for Me'* All around the world, beans are ground down for me... Atmosphere: Varies. You either find it as busy as two drunkards at a frat party, or as quiet as McLovin's bedroom back when he was formerly known as 'Fogel'- which isn't necessarily 'dead quiet,' if you catch my drift. Bonus: Wireless is uber fast and the cafe, including the bathrooms, are fairly clean. Wish: They told me about the stamp-card. Seriously, if your company committed to offering a free 10th coffee, might as well help a fellow starving student out and take the initiative to let me know about it next time, mmkay? Recommended Bevvie: Chai Tea; though, despite waiting the mandatory, 'I'm sure my tea's too hot to drink right this moment' time, my tongue still suffered severe burnage. Score!: I actually found a big enough table that fits my beast of a laptop. read more

With the overflow of coffee shops along Main, it's hard to decide where to go. This location is one of my favourites. Especially on those crisp chilly nights. There's a coziness that the newer trendier shops don't seem to offer. The coconut tea is yummy and tastes like dessert in a warm mug. There's also quite a nice selection of sweet treats. I like the chokolate lavender (I'm pretty sure they spell it with a k). Silky.. decadent.. with a smattering of nuts.. They have couches, tables and chairs but, I enjoy sitting at the window for the people watching. Also nice to just plug in and read for a couple of hours. Now that the colder weather is approaching, I'm sure I'll be spending more evenings here. Bonus.. it's 24 hours and... free wifi!! read more

I had the honey ginger citron tea and it was sublime. Very gingery with a delicious swirl of sweetness.... Delightful to my palette good ambience very chill read more

A sign out the front suggested people come in and have a latte with coconut milk. My latte radar went off the scale at this idea, so in I went (though not a huge fan of this chain usually). What a nice place! All wooden, exactly how I see coffee shops in my head, with a mix of soft and hard furniture, small and high tables. The lady serving was very friendly and greeted people like old friends (...unless they were all old friends? :P). Sadly I wasn't a fan of the coconut milk latte. I love coconut milk on its own, but noooo, not in a latte, just doesn't work :/ Mixed with this chain's extremely bitter beans that give me a headache without fail, I wasn't impressed. A shame, as I really like the setting here - great to sit by the window and people watch! read more

Bean Around the World is my consistent second choice for a cafe at which to do schoolwork or any other work. Outlets are plentiful, there's wifi (available for a $4 minimum expenditure at the coffee bar), and there are loads of vegan choices. It's also open 24 hours - which I have yet to take advantage of but which is good to know. The reason why Bean is my second choice, rather than my first, is atmosphere. The place is just a little too polished to be comfortable. A little more wear and tear would make it feel like a neighbourhood cafe, I think, but as it is, it feels like just one store in a corporate chain. With Waves just a few storefronts away, Bean really needs to differentiate itself. They have done so with their food choices. There are gluten-free, vegan, and other specialty snacks and wraps to choose from, which is really, really nice. The staff is consistently pleasant, which means they are probably paid better than Waves' slave labour staff - I appreciate that. The piece of real estate that Bean occupies is a really good one - but I don't think they're making the best of it. I will still go to Our Town whenever possible, but when I can't find an outlet there, I go to Bean. It wouldn't take much for this place to become a first choice. 3.5 stars. read more

To be completely honest, I only go here because it's the only place I can count on finding a table and a seat. Most of the nearby coffee shops are packed on a Saturday. It's a family-run coffee shop, so I feel good about supporting them. It's also relatively quiet compared to other coffee shops - the majority of patrons seem to be students or old people on dates. Classify under HIPSTER REFUGE. read more

I have realized that I am in fact really tough on cafes. So, Bean Around the World, I apologize for your three stars, in some weird way. Its not just you, its me too. I very rarely find a cafe that I would specifically go back to, or go out of my way to frequent. There is usually just a lack of the "X" factor. I need something, super-amazing coffee, consistently great music, staff with personality, something quirky or different for me to walk/cycle/bus that extra time to get to a favorite hang out.....am I asking too much? I want to be a regular, I do. I want to commit to a mutually loving coffee relationship, but it seems I am destined to be an espresso whore. The coffee was fine, the baked goods were ok (the peanut butter and chocolate cookie was huge), the service was nothing to complain about (friendly enough, the wait time was fine), but yet I am underwhelmed. I do like that they use biodegradable bags and compost all of their coffee grinds, and also that they give people a discount for bringing their own reusable cups, but even your appeal to my half-assed-urban-save the world mentality ain't gettin' you a second date. I guess I am just not that into you. read more

Just a quick update: I actually ate something other then the cranberry cinamon bun yesterday and I have to say WOW!!! that was yummy! I got a BLT, yeah big deal your thinking... not so much this was an awesome BLT. The girl offered to grill it for me and I was "Hell yeah give me some goodness!" well i didn't say that out loud but I smiled alot... It took some time to grill but I was thrilled when I got my sammy that it was heated throughout and not blackened at all... unlike other places that grill your perfectly good sandwich and give you a lump of coal with a cold center in return. There was cheese on this BLT too and that made it just that much better.... YUM! read more

The service, vibe, and coffee at this particular Bean Around the World is great. I love that all of the staff have their own personalities and style, and are friendly. The coffee is wonderful, and the Quick Start Muffins are my favourite! Plus, there's a patio with direct sunlight that's perfect for reading, or just lounging while enjoying your coffee. read more

I love their muffins. It's the best of any place I've tried even high end bakeries. Love the warm cozy atmosphere and consistent friendly staff. I cannot have coffee but having a little taste of mocha and latte proves to be delicious. I've tried most of their baked goods and sandwiches and all have surpassed my expectation. I use to bake as a profession and their bakery is fresh and has the right sweetness. I've paid more at Butter Baked Goods and other frou frou places and they were terribly sweet. It can get busy and I've always have a disdain for people who use the tables for laptop work/play/waiting to be picked up. But thank goodness I usually do a take out. I didn't realize they open late until I read other reviews. Kewl! read more

Decent free wifi. Coffee doesn't make you gag. The scene, slightly loud. Clean bathrooms are nice. Light streams in from the windows. Barrista eye-candy! read more

It's kind of the perfect not-awesome coffee shop. The coffee is pretty decent, actually, and the shop is pretty standard...a few couches and some hi-chairs looking out the window on to Main. I come here quite a bit, because it's a nice place to hole up and work on the laptop. Wifi is a bit inconsistent and it gets worse I won't feel horrible about not coming back. Food is pretty mediocre, so I don't feel as if it'd be my first choice on the block if I was coming here for a reason other than working. There are, in face, about 8 coffee shops on this corner. read more

Extremely rude counter person who freaked out at me when I referred to the barista wearing winter wear (and coat) while brewing coffee. I wasn't taking a picture of your precious product and cannot believe your reaction. Too many better experiences at other shops await. read more

Bean Around the World Coffees - With a FERCIOUS counter person sharing this photo here, I don't recommend this acidic attitude place. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Much more comfortable, cozy atmosphere compared to a Starbucks/Timmys. There's a fireplace lounge seating area and liked their wall bench seating in the back, in a L shape. Lots of ppl watching here for sure. Patio seating. free wifi. and a good creme caramel too ;) read more

I come here often for study dates. The coffee is good and reasonably priced, treats are tasty, wraps and sandwiches always fresh and the staff are friendly. What else do you want in a coffee shop? Oh, yes! They are open late! read more

Bean Around the World Coffees - Still early. This place is packed in the evenings - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Great little place to study or just chat with friends. Staff is friendly and the atmosphere is pretty laid back. Coffee is good and pastries are scrumptious. There's usually always seating available and power plugs all over the place, so naturally it's a hotspot for students. I've always preferred Bean over the Waves coffee next door mostly because of their 24 Hour service, but as of this past week they now close at 1AM. Although this isn't a problem for most people, I'm a night owl so I wasn't too thrilled about the change. Understandable though, because after about 2AM it's almost empty. read more

Such lovely and attentive staff! Awesome arrangement of GF goodies, and baked items are made in house! Place is always pretty clean. Great spot to grab a latte and study - open late too! Some more GF food options would be nice though, like wraps or sandwiches. Did I already mention that the staff are awesome? read more

My friend and I were looking for a place just to have a nice cup of coffee - most places are closed at 10pm (actually 9pm). After yelping around, it was either these guys or Breka. A few people in the store, one lady behind the counter. It was near the end of the night so the bakery was slim pickings. It was really quiet in there too... no music. The lady was nice, asked us how our evening is. My friend ordered a cappuccino and I ordered a decaf white mocha. Needless to say, it's now 3:34am, and my drink was not decaf. 5/5 stars for convenience (late hours). 3/5 stars for customer service. 2/5 stars for atmosphere. but 1/5 stars for order accuracy. read more

Excellent coffee, bakery goods. The tables/seating area are clean, spacious, and tidy. A place you could come to either relax, meet up with friends, or get some work and light reading done. read more

Great coffee (great beans to go too!) and fine baked goods. Some surly staff, others great. read more

Bean Around the World Coffees - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I normally don't write reviews on major chain coffee shops, however, there is a reason why I continue to go to this one on a weekly basis. 1. Free Wifi so that I can work on my zine articles while waiting for my best friend to finish his shift at the record store across the street. 2. They have a punch card deal which is incentive enough for me to come back since I buy a lot of tea. 3. They have gluten free pastries. 4. Their other baked goods for the price are well proportioned. 5. Awesome staff with a wide variety of characters. 6. The other patrons are easy going and relaxed and sometimes while I am working if I need a break chatting up with a stranger is easy. 7. They don't care if I over stay my welcome to finish writing some articles. read more

Why I am not going back, by Me. I am a big frap drinker when it becomes warmer outside. I have been to this location a number of times to get fraps. First time, I got a great frap. Thought "Wow! this is the place to go." Second time, I got a meh frap. Thought "Wow! Must be an off day." Third time, I got another meh frap. Thought "Please, Please. I just want an experience like the first frap I ever got from them. boohoo" Fourth time, I got a... I can't even call it a frap. It was cold coffee with bits of ice floating around. Though "I'd rather have Starbucks. It may not be the best, but it's consistent". I think proper training is the key here. Every time I went in, it seemed like a different person was working. Didn't seemed like they were trained to do all the task in preparation correctly. I am a creature of habit. I want consistency . That goes for my drinks as well. So, Instead of rolling the dice at Bean Around the World again, I would rather go across the street to Timmy's for an Ice Cap. At least it has an consistency. read more

This is one of my fave places to work or just chill in that neighbourhood. The food is good, service is excellent and the atmosphere is friendly. Great place to work a bit too, since they have lots of comfortable spaces. read more

I have a love/hate relationship with the Bean Around the Worlds on Main Street. (both of them..) Pro's: -fantabulous coffee beans and great coffee. -coffee stamp card! woot! cause we all need a free one after ten!! -yummy treats that are baked fresh. -one on Main & 20th always has a fresh bouquet of flowers from The Flower Factory -they are enviro friendly -they carry the demerera (i might have spelled that wrong) sugar :) Con's: -been there a billion times and can't remember ever having good service -feel like an intruding on conversation between barristas when i'm ordering/paying for my coffee cause the -service so crappy at times that i'd rather drink crappier coffee than be treated like the enemy so. if i keep wanting good coffee/good beans and yummy treats I might just have to hold my breath dive in for it all and swim out right away. but that makes me sad. read more

I have coffee here everyday. The coffee is good the staff are friendly and the breakfast sandwiches are great. They provide drinking water that is ice cold. read more

The only coffee shop open early enough to grab a coffee before work. Good wifi for a couple of hours, which everybody seems to know about. Coffee - yuk. Cookies and other goodies OK - good. read more