I always make a point to come here when I am in the area. Their coffee is awesome and the place has a great vibe. On nice days there are always people hanging out right out front and enjoying their coffee. It's pretty small but they make great use of the space. There is a decent amount of seating upstairs and I find it is mostly full of people quietly studying or reading. I also really like the baked good including sweet potato bread and yogurt with granola. Note that this place does not accept cash. I don't feel like they advertise this well as they could (maybe somewhere on the door). Also parking is tight so you might have to walk a little if you are driving here. read more

I come to this store or their other store on 14th nearly every day. I'm a huge fan of their cold brew coffee, so today I wanted to change things up a bit. Instead of rushing to come here everyday, I figured it could be more efficient if I just purchase the cold medium roast cold brew coffee box which has 12 servings. It costs roughly $30 which is a definite savings compared with purchasing individual servings of their cold brew coffee at the cafe. This is a great concept and I'm going to give it a try. I think the Keynes to shake up the carton before each use and keep it cold in the fridge. I'll keep you posted if thre is any difference in the taste. One thing that I didn't consider is that I may actually miss walking to the Cafe in the morning. read more

Compass Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Quick and easy visit here, they have a decent selection of baked goods and prices are reflective of the area.

Service was relatively quick to grab two drinks for my coffee meeting here. There is limited seating, mostly on the second level. About 4 two-person tables on that level and three spots at the window bar on the main level. I would not come here with more than one other person to stay and chat. Coffee, per usual at Compass Coffees, was decent. read more

Compass Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The service and ambiance was wonderful- it is a great place to do work or study, both comfortable and open. I did order a Cherry Bloss Sakura Cold Brew along with the Matcha Latte. The Cold Brew was one of the best and better than Starbucks; however the matcha latte was watered down and tasted like 2% milk. read more

Compass Coffee - A cherry blossom Sakura Cold Brew and a Matcha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

a tasty iced matcha latte with oatmilk from compass coffee in shaw! A little pricey - but where isn't these days? Overall, a solid matcha don't sleep on compass coffee read more

Compass Coffee - Matcha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

update - the coffee itself is not good unless you get syrups (both espresso and drip). and the flavored stuff is on the sweet side by default. nice location with some seating inside and out, but there are so many other, better coffee shops with less crappy ownership. baked goods are ok in a pinch and breakfast sandwiches are better. read more

Ordered a flat white and got something that is decidedly not a flat white... and it was hardly drinkable.

Very quaint coffee shop! The server was very kind. They had samples of banana not bread and gingerbread out to sample. It was great!

The baristas here are always grumpy. The flavored shots are awful (the pumpkin is this bright orange chemical looking mess), the coffee is outrageously priced even for dc standards (around $8 for a latte). Finally, they served spoiled milk at this location. read more

Compass coffee never disappoints. They have great coffee cold or hot. However, if you're looking for food the selection is pretty limited. read more

Compass Coffee - Maple cold brew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Coffee wasn't bad and the coffee shop is nice, but the staff this morning was rude. Especially the cashier! There was no hi, good morning, how are you? I was kind from the moment I started speaking to the cashier and I just get this "what do you want!" Kinda look. No thank you, nothing. I was a barista myself and you girls shouldn't be expecting tips if you have no motivation to be there or motivated enough to create a welcoming and pleasant environment. I really felt like I wasn't wanted there. If you don't like your job, you can still be kind to people. Just rude! read more

Compass Coffee - Inside of coffee shop and cashier - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Very nice coffee-shop, and the coffee did not disappoint! I had the maple latte, which is seasonal I believe, and it was very good. The people working here seemed nice and I liked the interior of the building with its modern industrial look, plus the interior was nice and small, but not too small. It has ground-level seating and an upstairs. read more

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This is a must visit whenever my partner and I are in town. Not sure if we've overhyped it but we literally only order the same thing - almond butter latte. They don't charge for different milk which is how every coffee shop should be. Their other drinks sound so good but since I don't live in town, I always just order the same drink! They also have nespresso and kcups samples which is awesome! Once they have the espresso nespresso pods, my partner and I will be ordering them! read more

Worst experience ever, I wish there was an option for zero stars. Don't come here, it never opens on time and they have zero respect for customers. Saw roaches in there the last time. I had ordered online for pickup right at open multiple times and every time had to wait obscenely long for their employees to arrive. One time I went and a burglar had literally broken the glass and it was 20 minutes past open when I ordered online and there was still no one there, even the police showed up sooner than their employees. this was the last time I ever patronized this "establishment" due to blatant disrespect for their customers. I emailed them explaining the situation and they didn't give me the courtesy of a response. Even went there in person to cancel my order after the fact and they were extremely rude towards me. Coffee is good but they are just too unreliable and the sanitation is highly questionable to justify going there read more

Solid little coffee spot in the Shaw/U Street intersection. This whole area is poppin off in recent years and this coffee place its the vibe well. A little expensive to fit with the trends, but overall a chill spot with lots of seating upstairs. Free WIFI. Only thing I wished for would be more power plugs. Iced coffee that I had was nothing extraordinary but got the job done. Would definitely come back and try their espresso or large tea collection. Pros: Iced drinks Ambiance WiFi Cons: Not enough power plugs read more

Compass Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I come into this coffee spot all the time for my morning coffee! The baristas are always so welcoming and give the best service. I love the new decorations they put up for the fall time, keep up the great work! read more

This is my regular stop to go to where everyone is pretty cool Today was a different story ... The person (with braids) taking my order was just "not nice" ... Everyone else seem to get a pleasantry on a cold day except me. Clearly they had a whole new crop of people working. But clearly this lone star black man wasn't welcome by this person today. Ill save my $$$ until someone nicer is at the register. read more

Popped by for an afternoon pick me up. Compass had just started their spring collection. I asked the barista her opinion on the lavender honey latte as it sounded intriguing but I was a little hesitant. She said it was great and people order it all the time. I was nervous about it being too sweet, but the honey and lavender perfectly balance out the coffee. Definitely recommend to any lavender fans! read more

As a HUGE DC fanatic, I am so proud of DC born Compass Coffee expanding. This location is the second location of it's mothership just a few blocks away and located in The Shay in Shaw. It's a beautiful space with a very different feel from the original. This new location has a trendy, urban feel to it with upstairs seating and exposed pipes. It's very urban. Like the original location, the coffee and food is amazing and the staff friendly. There's free wifi. This location also offers grab and go food like salads (kale salad, etc). They also have still and sparkling water on tap for free. Next time you're in the area, stop by one of DC's finest coffee shops! If you like a tad swete drink, try their nutella mocha. It's amazing and perfectly chocolate-y. read more

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Terrible customer service and they don't know how to serve the coffee. No hello or greeting when coming in. I ordered a nitro and it was filed with ice. I told the young people that nitro is never served with ice. The young woman "working" said, "Well next time just order it without ice." I told her it wasn't suppose to be served with ice in the beginning. At this point you would think that she would say,"Let me get you another one." No, not at all. So I went to the register to get a refill and they charged me THE SAME PRICE after I once again said the drink was incorrectly loaded with ice. I guess they are trying to make up for lost business after the pandemic by ripping customers off by dumping ice in a drink that isn't suppose to have ice. And the place was filthy. Just filthy. See pictures. Another case of lazy employees that don't know their jobs. And this is why I will continue to go to Starbucks. At least their employees are trained properly. read more

Compass Coffee - Circles from the plants. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Looking for a quick cup before heading to Passion City Church and hopped in here. Coffee was good and they were quick with the order!

Lovely coffee shop. Hip, wooden decor, lovely welcoming baristas and lots of merch from which to choose. Nutella mocha is delicious, a nice spin on a classic mocha. Will return when in the area. Nice place to study or send some emails, etc. read more

Compass Coffee - Nutella mocha!!!! Yessss - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Ive been going to compass coffee for over 5 years. This location, and apparently management is terrible. They are serving bad nitro and charging full price. They even admit to it! The general manager literally reached out and told me not to email her. She says my email response is harassment. This is truly offensive. I will attach emails. They failed a DOH health and safety inspection after I told them that I would report them if nothing was fixed. I called DCRA because they do not sell what is advertised. This 8th st location is blatantly fraudulent and I will attach the first picture which is correct nitro from their 7th st location, and then what they serve at 8th st. This is straight fraud and they know it. Don't go here. Oh also their pastries suck and have flies on them always. The pictures posted out of order sorry read more

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Compass is a little coffee shop with some seating inside, not too much though. The space was very clean and organized, they even had almond milk to put in your coffee (I appreciate). Loved their cold brews!! I tried their Nitro cold brew and it had a smooth, bold taste, perfectly blended that I didn't need sweetener or milk!! I had a sip of their mint cold brew which also was delicious, flavored with what tasted like authentic mint! Really enjoyed the experience and the baristas were quick and friendly! read more

Compass Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The large iced latte is my favorite, and it usually comes with three shots, but they will do the fourth without an up-charge. Already a huge win over competitors. Always good service and a quick way through the line. I've noticed it's always well staffed by friendly and knowledgeable staff that are happy to give recommendations on the different brews. Another added touch is still an sparkling water on tap. My family stocks up on cans of Waypoint dark roast coffee beans. We find it to be much better than sbux or Peet's espresso/french/dark roast we used to buy from the grocery store. Kudos to the brand, location and team. Update: I've switched my go-to drink to the nitro brew! Don't miss out on the maple nitro as well. Really. read more

Compass Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Stopped in this morning for a coffee and asked the staff if they offered a military discount when I presented my ID. They responded they did not, which was a surprise to me. When did Compass stop providing a military discount? read more

Love supporting local coffee shops, and Compass Coffee is a must in DC! I'm guilty of hitting up transplant shops like La Colombe and Philz more often in the district. I enjoy Compass' variety of specialty drinks, cold brew coffee, and the occasional pastry or cookie. I tend to go for specialty drinks and like Compass' iced mint mocha at this particular location. I've only visited the Penn Quarter cafe, and like how the Shaw location has two stories and but still felt cozier. It's a short walk from the Shaw Howard metro station and located in The Shay apartments on Florida Ave and 8th. The perfect spot to grab some coffee, chill, or study before shopping, brunching, or exploring the neighborhood. read more

Compass Coffee - Real good coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The Drinks: I am a big fan of the coffee at compass. I've had the matcha latte and cold brew from this location and both are very solid choices. I haven't had any of the pastries here, but I have had them at other locations and my go-to is the raspberry coffee cake or the sweet potato pound cake. The kolache isn't bad but a bit overpriced. Compass Coffee is a great place to stop by to grab a snack. The Location: This Compass Coffee is conveniently located off U Street. It is a little tucked away but is across the street form Duke's Groceries. There are not many great choices for coffee off U Street, which is why I enjoy stopping by this one when I am in the area. The Space: Out of all of the compass coffees across the city, I feel like this one has the worst layout. There isn't a lot of seating or plugs for you to sit and do work. It has two levels, the bottom floor only has bar type seating while the top floor has tables. It is definitely made for people in the neighborhood to grab and go. read more

I love this Compass location. It's tucked away on 8th street across from Union Kitchen, had great background music (I.e. The Internet), and I love that you can either snag a street facing window seat, or go upstairs to a small loft area if you want to stay a while and get some work done. I will definitely keep this location in mind for future work sessions or meetups. read more

Compass Coffee - Caramel Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great new coffeeshop in a great location sorely in need of more coffeeshops. First, like most coffeeshops they have an assortment of prepackaged foodstuffs out front, but Compass' choices are among the best I've ever seen. Many premade sandwiches, and the turkey/cheese I tried was simple but good and filling. Lots of incredible prepackaged sweets, too. Obviously, fresh choices would be preferable (thank you Baked Joint and Bakers and Baristas for going this route). Plus, Thunder Beast rootbeer was for sale, a delightful treat that is not in enough stores. I keep it simple with my coffee and got a double espresso. It is one of the best in town. I wish they could bring compass quality to my neighborhood shop. I especially love that almond milk is among the options off to the side. And a pour your own water tap! They have lots of seating, some counterspace, and a nice large loft. They did an amazing job with the outlets, too. So many places skimp on outlets in a passive aggressive attempt to stop people from lingering. I hate that. It's a beautiful clean space, with free wifi (but have to ask for the password, currently "realgood"). Well done, this place is worth your time if you're looking for a cafe. read more

mint cold brew = wow! Every visit to compass coffee in DC is a win win. Open in NY please! Tempted to buy some cherry blossom beans to bring home read more

Excellent coffee, baked goods, and service. Also an awesome coffee shop! Used to live nearby and this location was always a favorite. Just went again today. Just as great as usual. read more

Compass Coffee lacks integrity and quality.

I love y'all , but the straws are TERRIBLE . All love tho people are always friendly and kind

Just paid $6 for a latte. Half the cup was foam. That seems to be a trend for small coffee shops and frankly it's absurd

The best cold brew in DC - hands down! A large is $3.85 & can't be beat for the price/quality. Love that the cold brew is nitro and the gorgeous swirls in the cup as it's filled. My coffee happy place & the reason that I refuse to let cold brew season die. Snow on the ground? Still ordering my cold brew! I usually just go for the coffee, but I'm also in love with the Ham & Cheese Croissant with everything seasoning on top. It's a bit pricey, but also a little bit too much for breakfast, so I usually end up eating half and saving the other half for later. I also enjoy Compass' collab with local Poppy's bagels. They have several flavors, but my go to is the everything bagel with chive cream cheese. They are $1.25 each and 2 makes a perfect breakfast snack on the go. They are also not as messy or heavy as a regular bagel, which I love as I grab my coffee to go in the car. There is NOT a lot of seating at all at this small location. There are a few window seats with stools downstairs, but otherwise it is mostly taken up by the products, bathrooms, service counter and cream/sugar station in the middle. Head upstairs where there are a few more seating options - some small tables with bench seats and stools. It is not a very calm space to get work done and the tables are small and pretty crowded together. Recommend this location more as a grab a coffee and go stop rather than a place to stay awhile. read more

I went in the other day for an 8 oz double shot latte and was very disappointed. I cant say whether the beans are good or bad at this point because the barista was the larger problem here and their errors would overshadow even the best of beans. The coffee bar was a mess and this translated to everything about my drink. The barista did not wipe the old grounds out of the portafilter between shots, they did not purge the grouphead between any of the shots, the steam wand was filthy, and to call the milk microfoam would be a stretch at best. So, unsurprisingly, the coffee tasted bitter and overextracted. So, everything the barista was responsible for was done poorly. It was almost as if the barista acted as a superuatomatic espresso machine. A shop can have the best beans, equipment, and mission but it all falls apart if the barista is not trained correctly or does not take care with the drinks. Having been a barista my standards are high, but very achievable. It just takes some care in what you are doing, and at almost $5 per drink thats the least that can be done. read more

Great vibes and place to study. Spring menu is great and refreshing! Favorite drink is the Lavender Lattee! Cheers read more

Compass Coffee - Vanilla Cold Brew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

LOVED this place. We got Nitro cold brew, the maple latte, and the almond butter latte. All were so good but the almond butter latte was easily my favorite. So creamy and so good with oat milk! We also got a croissant, because we cannot pass up a dang croissant and the morning glory muffin WAS TO DIE FOR. read more