Every time I am in here the atmosphere is perfect. Everything I could want from a coffee shop: calm, slow and swanky. The decor and music choices are perfect, they lend to a good start on any day. The coffee itself is actually fantastic. So much so that everywhere I go in the city I can't quite find anything to match. So I'm really thankful for that. The baristas are skilled and kind. The service is excellent. read more

Bitter End Coffee House - Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Stopped in the other day for a quick visit with family. Coming from Metro Detroit, this is one of the best coffee shops I've ever tried! Great service, friendly staff. The inside of the building is spruced up nicely, enjoyed the artwork. Will be back again. :) read more

While this is a cool spot with great ambiance, the coffee is not good. Drip, latte, etc I have yet to find something I enjoy on their menu.

My first love. Open 24 hours! Awesome drinks guaranteed, no matter what you choose. Artwork and atmosphere are top tier. Once spent an entire 8 hours studying here. 10/10 would recommend. It's a classic. read more

This place perfectly expresses and represents Grand Rapids culture. On any random night you can come here close to midnight and it will be filled with people having a great time playing games, having interesting conversations, and enjoying great coffee. This place is so welcoming. You feel so safe when you are here. Like if Cheers was a coffee shop and not a bar. This place holds a special place in my heart. Also I used to study all night here when I was a student, so yes their red eye is very good!! read more

Seems like a great place, but I can't tell you what I think about it because they ARE NOT open 24hrs. Looking for an early morning spot to study and was excited to encounter this one. I showed up at 5:15 am on a Friday to what seemed like the only 24/7 local coffee shop and the doors were locked and the lights were off. read more

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Bitter End used to be a bit of a "college hangout" place for me, and I hadn't been in years, but I needed a place to work for a while- it still seems like a college student hangout (not in a bad way ) but was a nice, semi-quiet place to work. The barista was very kind and friendly- I think the struck up a conversation with pretty much every person who walked in the shop, which I love. (I think their name was Moss?) I tried the creme brulee late, and it was pretty good! Not my favorite drink in the world, but that had nothing to do with quality and everything to do with personal preference. I'm sure if I would've stuck to my standard, it would've been great. read more

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This neighborhood coffee joint is perfect. I love their coffee; iced black, so the flavor of the coffee itself is great, IMO. The last two times I've gone, years apart so this must be a long-time employee, the barista was a younger girl with dark hair who is just as sweet as can be (I hope you had a great trip for your first time in Detroit!) read more

One of my FAVORITE drink place. Probably the best strawberry smoothie I have ever had, and every other drink people I've gone with have tried is really good. Totally recommend it! read more

Unique atmosphere for study, socializing, and good coffee. Open 24/7. Service is friendly.

Super friendly service. Super busy and full dining area when we went. Chai is delicious. For a strong coffee lover, theirs was good but a bit weak. Recommend. read more

Coffee was delicious and I had no wait Service was friendly we even joked back and forth. I will go back- also if I hadn't went off track to this coffee house I never would've seen a Santa parade. So bonus read more

Oh my goodness this place is a gem. The location has the coffee shop vibe you're looking for in a big city like Philly or Chicago. The snacks and coffee are good quality and affordable. You'll definitely see a lot of college students studying and that makes sense since they are open 24hrs. Bathroom is clean and safe. Definitely wish I could multiply this place. read more

Ever since I first moved to GR years ago, I was in search of a chill, hipster, and moody coffee shop. Bitter End has been and will always, be that place for me. The feeling you get when you walk in is that of a movie. And can we talk about the fun names of the drinks?! Milky Way, Irish Nut, French Kiss, Spotted Owl..they're ALL good! You can even get them "lite" is SF syrups and FF milk. Rocket fuel is one of the bests "serve yourself" brewed coffees if you want a quicker "pick me up" without the shots of espresso! So despite the name, they have more than just coffee, I know, strange right?! But they range from your classic chai teas to your loose leaf teas. They also have snacks like chocolate covered espresso beans, bagels, muffins, and of course, biscottis! 10/10 recommend! read more

Bitter End Coffee House - Entrance - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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I used to go here many times in the wintertime when I would look for a change in atmosphere. It's a little father left to the downtown area and there is usually ample parking. Most nights I've been to this place, it's pretty packed full. There are people chatting, studying, working, playing cards, but I like the dense, home-like feeling the cafe has. The cafe is a twenty four hour cafe, but during one time of my visit the owner just chased all of us out, because the people who were supposed to work the night shifts hadn't been coming for days. They have a good variety of smoothies, coffee, and other bakeries! Recommend! read more

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Worked here over the holidays. Great vibes of different folks studying, playing chess, catching up with friends, and being merry. Staff was welcoming and polite read more

Latte tasted very watered down. Not good at all. The flavoring was overpowering in mine, no coffee taste. My friends latte tasted like a cup of water with a little bit of espresso in it. Cool building and vibe but the coffee is not good. read more

By far my favorite spot in GR to cozy up and do homework. The space is small and is often pretty busy, but it is always quiet and easy for me to focus here. Their music selection is always very chill and doesn't ever take away from my focus. I love the big windows in front that bring in lots of natural light. Depending on when you come there is usually a small line and it does take a bit of time to wait as they typically have one barista working at a time, but the coffee is good and worth the wait. I also love that they are open 24/7. As a grad student this makes it easy to get work done. Outside of working here I do regularly come in to buy a bag of coffee to take home. It is pretty well priced and they grind it right here for you! My favorite is the Guatemalan blend. read more

I loved the atmosphere here. Perfect place to sit down with your computer and get some work done. I have the dirty chai latte with soy and it was really good. They even offer vegan muffins, which had really amazing flavor (lemon blueberry). I would recommend charging devices before going there because there isn't many plugs and the ones you find don't hold things in well. I'll definitely come back again though! read more

Idk this place is so nice an one time I ordered a drink and there was no ice so they just ran to go get some. Like that's amazing lol. The people are nice and there's this group of old guys that's always playing chess is the corner. It's also open 24hr which is great for people like me who love to stay up all night. The atmosphere is great and so is the overall experience it's dim and cozy with lots of nice artwork. But to rap it up this place is cozy and warm the service is great an so are the drinks. read more

I was looking for a place to get some coffee late at night and stumbled across this place. I loved the vibe this place has, great customer service, great dinning area, great coffee! They will be opening back up for 24H this week but had been closing down at 11 pm due to Covid restrictions. When I'm back in town, I'll be sure to stop by again and pay them a visit. I would highly recommend! read more

Just not good. They serve their drinks in foam cups that aren't recyclable, something you would get at a gas station. Why are you serving, supposedly, such high end nice coffee in absolutely horrible packaging? That's an indication that they don't take care. Further, my iced miel was one of the worst, if not the worst, coffee drinks I've ever had. I had two sips and had to dump it - a total waste of my money, the ingredients, and the cup and lid which was sooo frustrating. If I would have known the materials were non-recyclable I would not have given them my business. The drink was sickly sweet and tasted artificial. I order this drink all the time at Madcap and experience delicious consistency and quality every time I order. This was complete garbage. The barista did not seem highly trained, and I don't believe they have high standards the way most shops around GR do. On a COVID note: The regular black coffee is still in a self-pump container...so everyone who comes in and orders that touches the pump. Why oh why is this not stationed in the back for the time being, so that employees who are hopefully washing their hands often, are serving the drinks? This is unsanitary and GROSS. Especially since the small bottle of hand sanitizer was on a separate table next to the lids and sugars. Just no thought or care has been put into this. The shop itself is dark, sort of humid and hot, and has a strange old kind of smell to it. Not a place I want to spend working/studying. If you like that dark sort of atmosphere, go to The Green Well. I will not be back, which truly sucks because it's the closest coffee shop to where I live but I'd rather go the extra distance to Ferris or Squibb/Rise or Madcap. Never again. read more

Best coffeehouse experience ever. John, the barista, asked questions and genuinely seemed interested in what I had going on. As I worked there for a few hours, I listened as he asked and engaged with every. Single. Customer. That walked in. He remembered names and activities and was actively listening. Karissa (did I get that right?) the owner, happened to be walking through and she was incredibly considerate and nice to me as well. As a new Englander, this degree of service and kindness from all was top-notch. If I lived here, I would be coming back again. And again. In addition to the service, the chai tea latte was the best that I have ever had. All their coffee is roasted in house. Very impressed with this place! read more

This place was horrible, they offered dry cold bagels. And when I asked if they had toasted bagels with cream cheese, the lady pointed to a corner in their establishment that had a toaster oven. I ordered a omelet with cheese and asked if it came with steak or ham or something and the lady at the counter said just a cold sandwich basically. read more

Bitter End Coffee House - All cold - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I checked out the Bitter End last night for the first time! It was a nice place to study for several hours late at night, as it is the only 24/7 coffee shop in town. That being said, there's definitely some things that could use improvements... Pros: - 24/7 study place - decent coffee drinks - a variety of seating (bar, large table, small desk, etc.) - affordable pricing Cons: - smells like an old humidor due to being a previously smoking-friendly atmosphere - service was lacking due to unfriendly baristas - no reusable cups or materials - parking lot felt very unsafe due to the activities occurring and the people present - significantly louder than most coffee shops in town With all of this being said, I would potentially return but would not go back alone again due to my safety concerns. For now, I will stick to my usual coffee shops across town that are open late enough for my needs. read more

I'd like to refute the idea that the staff is rude or mean. I showed up at 6:30 am on a Saturday with two wide awake small children (I desperately needed coffee, they needed to be out of the house) and the staff happily split their drink into small cups - and made sure it wasn't too hot. Wonderful cozy atmosphere, too. So glad to have this spot when we visit family! My oasis. read more

I love seeking out local coffee houses when on the road - even better if they are located in the old town parts of towns/cities. Such is the case with Bitter End Coffee House! Lots of old stained wood, what appears to be some sort of copper ceiling, comfortable chairs and tables, and good coffee and espresso! I stopped in and ordered my usual iced triple shot latte with whole milk. They don't carry whole milk, so I had to opt for the next viscosity down - which as I recall was 2%. Good strong drink - got my neurons firing and ready for a long day of work! Would love to stay here and hang out next time! Check out Bitter End if you are in the area! read more

Bitter End Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Very nice friendly environment. Great coffee and friendly staff. They also have a great playing quietly in the background.

I loved this cozy spot and had a spotted owl with soy milk. Great atmosphere! I will definitely be back. The only 'gripe' I have is that barista is all alone. No one seemed upset to have to wait and she handled it all with quiet professionalism and grace. read more

Very nice coffee place. I think it's awesome they are open all day to accommodate all people and not to pricey. Barista was very nice. read more

Bitter End Coffee House - French Toast Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

DELICIOUS! My first time visiting and I got the frozen mocha mint. My first time trying a mint coffee too AND SO YUMMY! Very good barista, excellent attitude, and did a phenomenal job engaging with the customer. The shop itself was cute. Neat things to look at. They have food too that looked freshly baked. They had muffins, bagels, brownies, chocolate covered pomegranate and coffee beans. Get away from Starbucks for a minute and try something new! This is a wonderful place and I will visit again. read more

Definitely the least pretentious of the hipster coffee shops in town, but maybe that's not the best thing. Their baristas are characteristically slow, aloof, and at times, rude. Too be expected at a café called The Bitter End, i guess, but their coffee isn't even that good. If their drinks were super good, it would make up for their odd service model, but I'm just not a huge fan. On the plus side, it's got a really great vibe, the wood panel walls and old-fashioned lamps are cozy and they're wide array of framed art prints and images are quite fun/enjoyable. Most importantly, they're open 24 hours and the crowd is often very eclectic and interesting, especially during the late hours of the night. I've overheard many interesting conversations from the times Ive hung around this place. I would recommend coming here more for the vibe than for the coffee, just be sure to know what you're in for, or you will probably not enjoy this place. I happen to be one that likes it for what it is. Definitely not the best coffee in town, but this place has got spunk and lord knows we need more edgy hangout spots like this in GR. Oh and their prices are mostly reasonable too... read more

Bitter End Coffee House - Description in the picture. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

It was ok. There is definitely a true hipster dive feel to it. We ordered the bulletproof, americano and strawberry truffle smoothie. Expensive $14.00 and it was all just ok read more

Bitter End Coffee House - Strawberry truffle Smoothie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

This is the best coffee shop around. You just can't beat their coffee! The service is always wonderful. My roomate and I go 2-3 times a week and it's always the best place to get lots of homework and reading done. The only downside is that it's typically always packed, so sometimes it's hard to find a seat. Other than that, I have no complaints! read more

1. This place is open 24/7 and who doesn't like that for a coffee shop 2. The things on the wall give you a little break from monotonous studying 3. There is a wide variety of drinks and snacks. Downsides: it is always packed and hard to get a table at peak times (6-10pm) and it is a little more dim so if you don't get a table with a lamp on it, studying can be a bit of a challenge. All in all I love this place because very few places are open 24/7 in Gr! read more

Appreciate the fact there is a coffee option outside of McDonalds on the south west side. but each time I come here the coffee or espresso tastes slightly burnt. I do however like that it's usually quick and I'm not waiting around for 10 minutes. read more

Looking for a place other then Denny's which is open 24 hours? Come here. They have good coffee, decent food and treats. The atmosphere is fun, with its dark wood-paneling and cool artwork on the walls. Over the years, the staff continues to be friendly. The only downsides are that there's a weird humidity issue, which makes it a bit humid inside and steams up the windows. With this comes a slightly weird smell. Th wi-fi can be touch and go. Don't let the humidity and wi-fi issues keep you away. This coffeehouse is worth hanging out at. read more

Noticed the girl who made my coffee today seemed very antsy and hyper alert and kept pacing. definitely feel like this worker is on drugs and from the other reviews I wouldn't be surprised. read more

I frequent this cafe regularly, as I live down the street and they have free WiFi. But those are basically the only perks of this place. More often than not, I end up with a less-than-pleasant barista, and I'm lucky if my drink is even edible. The Bitter End is a great place for studying, but if you actually know and enjoy coffee, AVOID THIS CAFE AT ALL COSTS. I just got back from my visit there with my boyfriend - both of us have been baristas for years. The barista was pretty much aloof, and she made some pretty major barista errors. She set up the espresso machine, pulled our shots, and then let the shots sit there for two whole minutes while she rang us up at the register, and THEN steamed our milk, all while the shots were sitting untouched. Keep in mind, espresso shots expire after ten seconds. This barista, as most of the Bitter End baristas do, took her sweet time doing everything. After a grand total of five minutes standing at the counter waiting for our drinks, we left with two burnt lattes that cost a sum of $13. In conclusion: Good spot for studying - if you can get a table. It's a very crowded student hangout, but usually quiet, and the WiFi is free. Bad choice if you're looking for quality coffee. Over priced. Inexperienced and undertrained baristas. read more

I was in the area, looked up local coffee shop/roasters online, and thought I would stop in. The interior is really nice, decor wise. It's a fairly tiny shop, long and narrow, so if it's busy, I can see it being a bit of an awkward squeeze. This is exacerbated by the fact that there are a lot of tables crammed in, three deep, on the one side. Opposite the seating, they have a nice selection of roasted coffees, in 1/2 bags available, with several single origin, some blends, and some flavored coffees. The bulk of the regular coffee served is via a dual row of gleaming air pots along the wall, but after a bit of light quizzing to the barista working, they offered up a poor over option. I don't know what the bean was, it was described as "Java Estate", and roasted at Full City +. The poor over, while smooth enough, was bitter and over roasted, and probably would have benifited from a better poor over technique. I drink my coffee black in order to catch the various subtleties, but anything roasted at Full City or more is more suitable for loading it up with cream/sugar/flavorings/etc... in order to mask the burnt taste that comes from that high a roast level. Since I was there, I got a bag of the Costa Rican Tarrazu Estate. Looking at it, it seems to be roasted at least to Full City, if not to second crack. This is too bad as the Costa Rican Tarrazu is supposed to be a good bean, from a good estate, and benifits from a lighter and more nuanced roast profile. read more

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