So my initial review on this place was in 2011 with five stars. Now, I just don't feel like it warrants that. I love love love their coffee but it takes FOREVER!! Ten minutes for two coffeest that cost over 10 bucks is toooo much. I don't make the point to go here but I will if I am feeling really rich and in the neighborhood. I feel like things should be improving two years in and they just aren't. Mostly, I just got a crappier attitude the last time I went in. I think they need to get more organized and get some training in. When the place is full and people are waiting, having the guy making your coffee lean on his arm on the counter while he does your coffee is offensive. Why on earth if you have timers and scales can't one barista be making at least three cups of pour-over coffee at the same time? Time to tighten ship, JPH! read more

Very disappointed we went there to eat and there was no were to seat... Every table had a computer on it and no one was eating! Is this a library or a cafe? Food is very good but they should limit how many tables are for people to seat there using free wifi! You are losing money and customers. read more

If you like overpriced hipster food served by surly staff, this is the place for you. The food wasn't bad, but it's twice as expensive as what it should be. A place with no atmosphere shouldn't be allowed to charge this much. read more

I had heard a lot of good things about JPH so I checked out. I was disappointed. It was dirty and dreary, the food was sub-par and overpriced. Sorry friends, I won't bother to return! read more

This place is a hipster's paradise. They're pretty snooty about their specialty coffees and the way they prepare them. You don't order "coffee." You order either a "pour-over" or a "french press." Already rolling your eyes? I thought so. I could handle the coffee snobbery if you could also choose to just order a regular coffee. But they don't have a drip coffee option. It's totally ridiculous. You can't just pop in for a quick cup to go. Or get a cheap hot cup with refills. You *have* to pay $4 for coffee, and wait 10 minutes while they make it their special way. And if you finish it and want more? Well, you have to pay $4 all over again. Come on! This isn't New York, people. It's a quiet neighborhood full of students and young professionals, most of whom are on a budget and looking for nice places to hang out and do work. What's sad is that the Public House doesn't really serve this neighborhood anymore. It serves the hipster community from all over town. That being said, the coffee *is* good. The food is quite tasty, and I love that they serve beer. And the space is very nice--bright and inviting. I go there about twice a week to work on my research, and I like being there. I just really wish they offered drip coffee for those of us on a budget, and who don't care about gourmet beans. I mostly visit the Public House because it's next door to my house. The convenience is at least 50% of my reason. Would I travel across town to come here? Only if I were a hipster with a trust fund. Oh, and get a &%$@ space heater for your bathrooms. It's like peeing in a frozen outhouse. read more

Since my last review was over six months ago, and I've probably been averaging 4x/week here up until my departure from Madison a month ago, I thought it would be prudent of me to write an updated review of JPH. Yes, my opinion of JPH has changed a bit. It's even more awesome than I thought it was back in February. Why the change? I've had the privilege of finally trying some of their sandwiches. Like their brews, the sandwiches never disappointed. The green eggs and ham breakfast sandwich is probably my favorite. While most places would used a fried egg, JPH incorporates a hard-boiled egg in its breakfast sandwich, and it works all too well. With the egg, ham, pesto, grilled onions stuffed in between Batch Bakehouse bread and grilled in a panini press, what's not to like? But what I still appreciate JPH for the most is their preparation of their coffee. Intelligentsia Venice used to be my second home. I've had some great cups of coffee there, but I can honestly say that Kyle and company do Intelligentsia better than Intelligentsia does itself! The same can be said about Handsome, another guest roaster that often makes appearances on JPH's guest roaster lineup. For myself, a guy who's had caffeine intoxication every day since I arrived in Seattle a month ago (too many good roasters here), I still can say that I have a preference for Kyle and JPH's drinks over just about everything I've had in Seattle and Vancouver. Also can't say this enough. Kyle and his crew are some of the coolest people around! read more

Was in the Madison area for business. On the way to the airport, I stopped in at Johnson Public House. Okay, now they were impressive, even though they didn't roast. They had coffee that day from Intelligentsia (only thing they had on sale and since that's close, didn't buy), Madcap and Kickapoo. I prefer African to South American so had the one from Madcap (My apologies for not taking a picture so that I remembered what I had, I was tired and so ready to go home.) Anywho, they knew what they sold and how to make it and if I had had time, I would have tried more. read more

I've been here twice. Wonderful service and amazing coffee.

Impressive coffee house in this smallish city. Just trendy enough to feel fancy, yet still comfortable to stay the whole afternoon. Attention to detail--- this place could go toe-to-toe with most places in Portland or Seattle. If you're into coffee and find yourself in Madison, make a trip to this place. read more

Hands down my favorite coffee in Wisconsin. I've been coming to Johnson Public House just about since it opened up, and it was a game changer for my idea of what coffee can be. They have consistently served the best roasters in the country, often long before they become the next hot thing, and now themselves roast some of the best beans you can buy. The staff is all well trained, extremely kind and caring, and will go out of their way to serve you the best possible shot of espresso/pourever etc. What really throws it all over the top are the owners. They have become anchors in the community and have totally invested in making Madison a better city. They take care of me like family, and have always given the coffee shop a warm, cozy, welcoming feel which is rare in the third wave coffee culture that is often cold/ultra-modern, and at time snobby and alienating. The owners and crew are top tier, just as is their coffee. Stellar, stellar coffee. Added bonus, they have some FANTASTIC food options too! Try them out. Also, you might see their cute mobile setup at Madison area events, and they are in the process of opening a second location! read more

Everyone working here knows what they are doing and actually cares about it. This is evident in the product that they produce. I've never had anything less than excellent coffee from here. They also have beer and wine for the evening (or afternoon, they won't judge) crowd, which is great because there aren't many options for beer joints in this neighborhood, even if they're only open until 8:00. As at least one other yelper has said: don't be in a hurry. Enjoy the place. Ask questions, get to know someone. The regular crowd here is awesome. If you must be in a hurry, ask for a cup from the air pot, it's usually ready right now and costs a little less if that's a concern. read more

I am so thankful someone has taken over what was already a great coffee house and improved upon it! They serve quality coffee; sure, you have to wait a couple extra minutes for it, but it is worth it as every cup is brewed to order. The atmosphere is casual/hip, with unique art on all the walls. And if great coffee isn't enough, they recently began offering a great selection of craft beer in bottles. And don't skip the grilled cheese sandwich, one of the best I've had in Madison, served with fresh berries. JPH is exactly what my neighborhood needed!! A big Thank you to the Johnson's! read more

Incredibly friendly group of baristas and roasters. The food is delicious. The coffee - best around. Never have had a disappointing experience. read more

Johnson Public House - Lattes at JPH - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

My husband and I like to try new places for breakfast. We are fifty somethings looking for good food, good experience and positive vibes. We apparently just don't fit in here. We ordered the breakfast bowl 2 eggs sunny side up(I should have asked for scrambled),on potatoes with one piece of toast. This was a delicious meal for my hubby-he ate all 4 eggs and potatoes with toast. I did enjoy the toast and potatoes. They were well made and hot. I would like to have had jam-could not find any. So I give the food a 5 star-just because I ordered wrong doesn't mean it was bad. However, the atmosphere, the waiting, the tenseness was just too much for me. I ordered an iced tea, small glass-no sweetener to be found except sugar. Meh-not great. You can tell that I am used to delicious food, served with a smile and in a reasonable amount of time. If that is what you are looking for-stay away. If you want an awesome coffee experience done with seriousness, preciseness and have time to wait-this is the place for you. Good luck Johnson Public House, I am just not in your demographics. read more

Should have some fast coffee options on hand for those who don't care much about the quality and/or brewing of their coffee. Excellent ambiance, staff and food though! My two experiences there have been wonderful! read more

Stopped by to fill my thermos on the road. A nice surprise: they serve Intelligentsia coffee and seem enthusiastic and knowledgeable. They seem to be able to deal with your choice of trendy gadgets: Chemex, vacuum, or pour-over, and they apparently have some bulk brewing method which they feed with a locally-roasted variety that I didn't recognize. I'm sure it's good, based on their attitudes, though. It looked like a great place to spend a few hours reading and drinking coffee. Hope I'll get back sometime. read more

I love coming here to work. Great atmosphere and artwork. They have amazing tea and do a great job with the steeping process and bring a mug and a refill out to you at your table. Their snacks are also delicious. read more

Love this place, a very welcome addition to the neighborhood. A very new business so they're probably still working things out but I have a few suggestions: would love to see some house-made ice cold LEMONADE (especially during the summer when patrons are in search of a reprieve from their suffocating apts). The bottled stuff in the fridge is fine, but I sort of expect more from a coffee/tea house. Also, not sure if the owners have ever had/made COLD-BREWED iced coffee...it's amazing and would def compliment their otherwise excellent coffee selection. Finally, the sandwiches are quite good, but would nice to see a bit more creativity (esp. on the vegetarian front). Otherwise, a very awesome establishment! read more

I came here FOUR times during a 3-day stay in Madison. The first two was while I was working-from-home. This place is awesome to plug in, work away at a table, and enjoy a great variety of coffee. The other two times, I brought people who wanted good coffee, and this place delivered. Awesome atmosphere. Awesome awesome awesome. read more

Went here on a Sunday morning with my boyfriend and there was no wait and plenty of seating. We each got breakfast sandwiches and both were delicious. They also came with a side of either salad or chips-- I would definitely recommend the salad! read more

They make the 4-hour trip from Champaign always end happily. Amazing coffee, food, and people!

I really appreciate good coffee and I don't mind paying for a superior cup. The coffee at JPH is good, but I'm always surprised at how expensive it is for what you get. It's one of the few coffee shops where no matter what you get, you're paying more than you should. read more

Best coffee in Madison! All of the French presses I've gotten have been beautiful. The Ethiopian with citrus notes is my fav. Besides that, I really REALLY dig the vibe. The art, the music. The food is minimal but very good. read more

I like the atmosphere at Johnson Public House a lot. It's open, airy, humble, and filled with morning light. I had my first breakfast at JPH today, and a few notes: - There isn't much in the way of a vegan breakfast, but there are vegetarian options including eggs with salad and toast or yogurt and housemade granola. The granola comes with dairy yogurt, but I've seen other Yelp reviews indicating it can be served with soy milk instead. - The breakfast service was a little lacking. My companion and I ordered breakfast bowls and they came with forks but no knives. There was one salt and pepper shaker set in the shop, and their contents weren't of very high quality or flavor. - Soy milk costs extra, but on the plus side, when I asked for a splash of soy milk in my coffee, the barista gave me a little pitcher to accompany my little carafe of coffee. I appreciated that. I like Madison Sourdough much better for the same sort of breakfast (higher quality bread, better flavor in the eggs and seasonings, and more thorough service at a lower price for the same meal), but I'll continue to frequent JPH for coffee dates. And I'll see if I can get that granola served with soy milk if I'm in the need for a sweet, crunchy breakfast. read more

Coffee is some of the best you'll get in Madison hands down. Now with the beer in the fridge, this place is even better. Definitely recommend it! read more

This is a wonderful place! The Intelligentcia coffee is great, the Richi teas are great, and the portobello mushroom sandwich is delicious! Sandwiches come with a lovely salad and fruit. The atmosphere is really friendly, with wi-fi available for laptop users and a mini table and chairs and kids toys for young ones. The service is excellent; the server always asks how my sandwich is midway through the meal, and the one time they were out of soymilk when I requested it, she ran over to the corner store to get more and still made the coffee in good time! They now serve craft beers as well. I am thrilled that this spot has opened up in the neighborhood! read more

If you want to get the worlds best coffee and customer service come here. Each cup of coffee is made just for you with the care and dedication of a coffee lover. The staff is very friendly and inviting. They have games if you want to sit down and play, a section for the kiddies, and even dog biscuits outside for your dog. If you don't want coffee they have other drinks as well including the alcohol variety. I will be bring friends here for breakfast or lunch or hang out at night. read more

This is a great coffee shop with a relaxing but not sleepy atmosphere. I enjoy the art on the walls and the music selection. I recommend the yogurt and granola and especially the chai latte. Of course any coffee drink will be great as well. The price is well worth it because all drinks and menu items are made with precision and with premium ingredients. The baristas are friendly too! This is a great place to bring your laptop and get some creative work done. read more

I've tried this place out a few times since moving around the corner and honestly it's always just vaguely disappointing. The coffee is great, the food is usually great (though one time i got an absolutely tiny order of Brady pudding, which is ridiculous because it's 7 dollars) but the service is terribly slow. I've never gone in and been able to get food in less than 20 minutes. They've forgotten twice, and each time they kinda laugh it off. The staff is a little /too/ chill for me, they seem like they're more used to chatting than doing work. read more

This place is in my neighborhood. They produce amazing vanilla lattes. They are a bit too pricey for me to go all the time, but it is a treat when I can go. Only 4 stars because the service can be slow. read more

Terrible. Avocado toast is a slice of grocery store bread with a cold sliced avocado on top. They do not poach eggs. Dirty. Over-priced.

Great place to have lavender lemonade, almond lattes, and celebrate the fact that coffee shops are now places for epic skipbo battles and not hours of homework. read more

JPH is the best coffee shop in Madison, with only 5th Element making good competition for the title. They have a diverse and rotating selection of fantastic coffees from a variety of roasters. The atmosphere just feels quintessentially Madison in its casual and comfortable vibe. They take espresso drinks and pour-overs very seriously, and the food they serve is great in a pinch. It's a perfect place to study or talk about coffee. read more

Breakfast sandwich No. 2 is to die for & the coffee is great. Just know that the egg on the sandwich is not hard & it can get a bit messy!

The Coffee here is good but they don't serve a dark roast which is what I normally like to order. Also they make some good sandwiches, I've tried the roast beef and the tuna, both were excellent. I like the set up of the cafe, its a nice atmosphere to hang out in. I would give this place 5 stars but their service is incredibly slow. I've ordered a sandwich when the place was almost empty and it still took them over 20 minutes to make it. In addition, I once waited in line with literally one family ahead of me and it took them 10 minutes just to take our order. So all in all, it's a nice place to drink a cup of coffee and study/work or hang out with friends, and the food tastes good but not a good place to go if you're in a hurry. read more

This place is cool! A little expensive, but worth going!!! Had a latte, hot chocolate, beers and lamb chocolate in our group! The hot coco looked boss!!! read more

This is a truly authentic hipster coffee place. Great vibe and wonderful outdoor picnic tables. A great place to read, write, and relax! read more

Great place, lots of character! I even bought a bag of coffee that I ended up needing to return (long story) but they were awesome and very understanding. Their chai is also amazing. They truly know their stuff about java! read more

This place has great chai, coffee and lattes. The food is fine, but it takes a half a year to be made. Stick with drinks

Got a sandwich the a week ago on my way out of town. It was pretty darn good, good ingredients, and came with a pretty good leafy-greens salad thing on the side. Would go again definitely. read more