Stopped in for a coffee on a Saturday morning. The staff were very knowledgeable and helpful. My late was fresh, tasty, and didn't taste burnt like many of those chain places. Cute little place that I wish was closer to my residence. Then again, maybe it's good that it isn't! I'm sensitive to bad coffee - this one didn't give bad side effects at all. Really great coffees here. Took home some of their coffees which they custom ground for me. Great place to get a good cup of coffee! read more

The atmosphere is cozy, like a coffee shop straight out of the nineties. Huge selection of bagged beans to take home. Comfortable seating areas. The smoothies were delicious and the staff were friendly! read more

The coffee is good. But I came here this morning with my [medically necessary] service dog and, after I ordered, the cashier said I would have to wait outside because they did not allow dogs and then proceeded to take the next customer's order. I did not want to make a scene so I just went outside with my service dog and sat on a rock with my service dog while I waited for the cashier to bring my coffee outside when she apologized for the long wait. The whole thing was pretty insulting. Despite this coffee shop being locally owned and within walking distance of my home, unfortunately, I will be VERY hesitant to bring business there again...coffee barrel - you can do better to welcome community members and neighbors to your establishment in a legally compliant way. Boo on you. read more

First time here. Nice ambiance, tasty chai latte, surprised they don't offer pastries, pie or breakfast sandwiches. Would be nice to have with drink. read more

Amazing service, drinks and ambience! Love this little neighborhood find. They also support lots of animal foundations and have yummie pastries! read more

This place is fantastic! The Coffee Barrel is my favorite coffee in all of the Lansing area. I ordered a dirty chai latte and it was just perfect! Love the variety they have to choose from. It's such a warm atmosphere and the staff are very friendly. Would highly recommend! read more

Coffee Barrel - Their 10 top ten coffees - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Holt, Michigan

See all

I ordered a chai latte and it was delicious!!! What a great place to buy whole bean coffee!! They have so many flavors to choose from and so many varieties from around the globe. Their coffee is air roasted vs. drum roasted which makes it less bitter and less acidic. I've tried the butter pecan, mint, and the Kenyan , they were all delicious! Their coffee is reasonably priced which makes great gifts. It's great to support a local business instead of a big box store. The staff was very friendly and very knowledgeable about the selection of coffees ! You can also order their coffee online. I can't wait to come back. read more

I'm from Grand Rapids so I have very high standards for coffee shops: it's very competitive there and they have one on every corner of some parts of town. Considering the size of Holt, this place gets it done. Plenty of seating, an incredible assortment of coffee for purchase, including the biggest decaf section I have ever seen. The young lady who helped me was pleasant and seemed to enjoy her job. This will definitely be my go to remote spot when I am in town! read more

See all

Happy locals who love their brew. Positive people who have a good idea about getting a cup of coffee and setting up a stellar store display with good smelling ingredients. read more

We go through a fair amount of coffee a month. My husband likes strong coffee and I like it weaker. Fog cutter works the best for both of us. We get 4 lbs of Fogcutter whole beans every month for the two of us. We also get Caramel for my coffee. Service personnel are always friendly. Store is always clean. read more

I don't know what has happened since "Lisa V.'s" review in 2010. But this Cafe is NOTHING like a "coffee-to-go" place. First of all, this Cafe roasts their own coffee. The vast majority of the buildings space is used for the coffee roasting operation (in back). The Cafe itself has few seats but is not typically bustling... so I don't see the problem. The cafe has a very wide selection of roast options to choose between from overrated (and over priced) roasts, like Kona and Jamican, to truly quality roasts AA roasts from Kenya and Guatemala. My drinks are always adequately made and the prices are reasonable. Second, I just want to point out that whoever would base their review of a coffee roaster and cafe on an Americano (aka: an espresso drowned in hot water) and a smoothie (which is not a coffee product) and then concludes they'd rather go to a chain coffee corporation (i.e, Biggby) is clearly out of their f***ing mind. read more

Coffee Barrel - The exterior of the Coffee Barrel - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Holt, Michigan

such a cute coffee shop! good quality coffee which was very good and different then big chain coffee!! i'd definitely recommend stopping in if you're in the area! super kind and friendly staff also!! read more

Coffee Barrel - Iced Vanilla Latte w/ Oatmilk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Holt, Michigan

Cool vibe but Horribly Burnt Espresso Beans So strong I cant even handle to drink it down. Dont get the Espresso over Ice read more

TL;DR: espresso/flavored coffee? Yes. Black coffee? Not so much. But better than Bigby's. 2 stars if you're looking for single origin pourover like you might expect from a gourmet coffee roaster. Why? Most of their options are either flavored coffee or pre-brewed coffee and even when I asked for a pourover to be freshly brewed they used pre-ground coffee in a cheap off-brand plastic pourover device pouring the hot water from the tab on their commercial Bunn coffee maker. Their wasn't much to the black coffee they served, pretty bland, no complexity. Also, they closed at 6pm... Not ideal for grabbing a cup after work. All that being said, 5 stars for their staff and service, they were super nice people who seemed interested in getting to know their customers and remembering them. If you like sweet espresso drinks or flavored coffees this place seemed perfect for you. They had lots of interesting items on the menu and they had tons of flavored coffees for sale. read more

Coffee Barrel - Plenty of seating inside. Tons of interesting flavored coffees for sale. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Holt, Michigan

My wife and I live in Southern California where there's no shortage of great coffee. But, the whole beans from the Coffee Barrel are so good that we have a few pounds shipped to us every two months or so. We've been drinking CB coffee for years now, and the quality of the beans and flavor of the roast is so good and is so consistent that we don't have any plans to stop. It's great to support a small business near where my wife grew up in Lansing, and it's also great that the small business has the best coffee we can find. Buy a bag of Chocolate Raspberry, Highlander Grogg, or Jamaican Me Crazy. You won't be disappointed waking up to a cup of coffee from the Coffee Barrel. read more

Love this little coffee shop, very helpful and they have a wide selection of coffee beans! I'm not going to tell you my favorite beans because I don't want them to run out! Lol Recommend in visiting this place read more

Coffee is great. Gave it 4 starts because they aren't open Sundays and only open at 8 in the morning on other days. Would love to stop in to grab a cup before I head out to work at 7am. read more

Coffee Barrel - the interior of a coffee shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Holt, Michigan

My oh my, coffee beans! This is your one stop shop for flavored, whole artisanal coffee beans. I was impressed to see the Swiss Water decaffeinated whole beans. I went near closing time on a Saturday and there was no wait. The two ladies behind the counter helped my daughter decide what she wanted: hot or cold? Cold. Iced or frozen? Frozen. She chose the Mint Chocolate Frapp with a shot of espresso. I went the basic B route and ordered the Pumpkin Spice latte: the pumpkin flavor was a little more powerful than I've experienced before yet it was delightful! I'll be back for my coffee beans and to try a new flavored latte. read more

I love the local vibe and all of the workers I've interacted with have been so nice! And the coffee is tasty! They have a rewards program through the Clover app, which is super easy to use. Highly recommend! Support local! read more

Such a cool little place. They have tons of specialty beans you can take. But if you're looking for a place to study this is an excellent choice too. The coffee is delicious, the atmosphere is nice, and the owners are awesome. read more

Coffee Barrel - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Holt, Michigan

This is less of a coffee cafe' and more of a coffee-to-go (sans a drive thru). There are a couple tables, but the store is rather large and does not invite one to sip coffee with a book in a corner. The girl working was very nice and helped look up ingredients as I was trying to watch my sugar intake. The Americano I ordered was average. Not noteworthy. The smoothie I ordered was "strawberry" but used no real fruit. Although I'm not a fan of Bigby Coffee either, I will probably head there next time. read more

Really good coffee I love how quite it was so you can have a good talks then trying to talk over the coffee makers. Great coffee place!

I love this joint. Some of the drinks aren't the best, but for the most part it's the older lady (40's or 50's) in the mornings that can't make them right... the one that loves to TELL YOU how AWESOME she is at making drinks, yet is awful at her job. BUT the owner is EXCELLENT at his! TRY the HIGHLANDER GROG, it's legendary! I don't come in very often due to the AM woman, but I try to turn around when anyone else is brewing. read more

Finally stopped here today for the first time! I've been wanting to check it out but I am always scared to shy away from my usual. The environment was great the second you walk in. I told the cashier it was my first time and she instantly shot back with recommendations. They were able to accommodate my special requests, as well as the dairy-free customer behind me. While you wait for your coffee there is a fun little book with questions, today's being "what do you kike best about the holiday season?" Very cute atmosphere, friendly staff, and my iced French Kiss is delicious! Excited to see that checking in on yelp means you get a free specialty drink!!! read more

Personally, not a huge fan of this place. I've only been a handle of times but every time the customer service was not great at all. It's a little pricy for a hometown coffee shop, and the coffee isn't all that great. Wish it was better because it's an awesome location! read more

Really good coffee, friendly service, good price, and interesting little store. I would give them 5 stars if they have some more food choices. The coffee is probably one of the best around here without a doubt. read more

I finally experienced this cute cafe during a recent drive through Holt. Note that there is minimal seating and space inside if you are looking for a place to hang out. I think they need a couch or something, but the place is still pretty and charming. It's the kind of cafe that I would like to visit during the holidays because it smells so festive and feels so inviting. I grabbed a delicious caramel/white chocolate latte and was on my way. The service was really nice, knowledgeable, and answered my questions. Next time I'm going to purchase some of their coffee beans (soo many different kinds and flavors). The sweet potato coffee smelled especially yummy. read more

Their coffee is amazing. Its real coffee, i love how they have suspended coffees and i love how they care for community.

Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Funky Monkey drink was fun and delicious. Great coffee drinks to choose from. Clean place. We enjoyed the time spent at the Coffee Barrel! read more

The coffee isn't bad. I enjoyed my mocha. It's just this place is limited with the food served. They have oatmeal and one or two baked treats but don't serve sandwiches. read more

This is the place for fresh roasted coffee. They have many flavors and varieties. You can even get green beans to roast at home. They just started offering pour overs so you can try out the different types. read more

I tell everyone I come into contact with that this is, by far, the best coffee I have ever tasted. I do this as a hobby, I've brewed their coffees so many different ways, and tried so many of their menu items. It is ALL fantastic, no matter what. On top of that, they'll grind the coffee you purchase from them however you want, the people are super friendly, AND THEY SHIP, which means if and when I move out of state, I can still get my fix, and/or send to loved ones! read more

The Coffee Barrel has excellent top of the line coffee. My family from back home always asks me to pick up their coffee whenever I plan to visit. The coffee is so good I can not drink other coffees at home as the taste does not compare. The Coffee Barrel also provides a nice quiet atmosphere for studying. It has been my go to study place during medical school. The tables are larger than other in other coffee shops and it is quieter. read more

This is a great place with a warm and inviting atmosphere. Their wide selection of coffee is second to none. They also occasionally have a Friday night open mic music show which is very nice. read more

I visited the Coffee Barrel for the first time today and have to disagree with the earlier reviewer. The cafe is roomy; while the space includes a shop, there are several large tables and also nice soft chairs to relax in. It was great to study there, quiet, and I got two drinks - an Americano and a Mocha - both of which were quite good and very hot (lukewarm is my pet peeve). I love the fact that the shop doesn't seem to be on the radar of the billions of MSU grad students I normally have to contend with at coffee shops in Lansing or EL to study. The staff was friendly and prices were good. I will go back! read more

I am a coffee snob. There I admitted it. Buy coffee there to brew at home. Very good selection. I like their coffee and store.

Have patronized Coffee Barrel former owners & location on Jolly Rd for many years, as well as change of owners and location in Holt, always had good coffee, rich flavor and good service until the past several months. Ran into bitter, acidic tasting coffee beans, little flavor or aroma, took back and was offered replacements the following day, although skeptical short turn to next morning - turned out still lacked flavor and left bitter after taste. Usually in grinding coffee there is a strong and fragrant aroma, but in both cases this was lacking. Initially spoke with several employees, who knew me, history of purchases, smelled coffee and agreed didn't seem right, advised if I noticed problems, they took seriously, wondered if recent changes/issues with a supplier the issue. When I brought this batch back spoke directly with owner, who was short questioned "had I cleaned coffee pot, changed water, meds?", then advised "would do nothing, else; either use coffee to fertilize plants or give to enemies." I was amazed those works even came out of her mouth, but given several other rude experiences, just finalized my decision that this was the last with the rude owner, Shawn. I would highly recommend several other sources I pursued and found to offer good customer service and that stand behind their products with a guarantee, which currently are much better in quality: Paramount Coffee, Fresh Thyme and Seroogy's, additionally, their prices are better as well. read more

If you are in need of a great and I mean great cup of coffee in Holt skip over the chain and stop by Coffee Barrel. From the music to the staff to the really cozy décor this place is and absolute gem! I had been going to Biggby every day and decided to give Coffee Barrel a try..... night and day difference the coffee has an amazing flavor and I'm hooked! If you like iced coffee they have a cold brew that you must try. Ana is there most every day and she not only knows a lot about the coffee they provide but also goes above and beyond to greet you with a smile such wonderful customer service. You will not regret stopping in. As a few of the other reviews said it is a bit limited on space but I've never had a problem finding a spot to sit or sharing a table with others who are working remote. It's also much quieter and more relaxed. The only downside is the hours I just wish they were open a bit longer. read more