A no frills walk-up window serving up amazing coffee? A perfect experience! Out of all of the coffee we tasted in Seattle, Monorail was one of our favorites. The service was quick and friendly. The Americano was smooth and rich. The Cherry Blossom latte was perfectly balanced and had great spring cherry flavors paired with rich and velvety coffee. They have several locations across the city and a great selection of classic and seasonal drinks. This location had just a few small tables out front for some casual outdoor seating- though I suspect this is primarily a to-go spot. While Monorail Espresso might be simple, it's all you really need. Quality coffee and quick, friendly service, located in a great part of town. Add Monorail Espresso to your Seattle Coffee list for sure! read more

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My friends from abroad were visiting Seattle and they asked me to take them to some of the best coffee spots in Seattle other than Starbucks. As I know for sure Monorail Espresso is known as one of the popular coffee spots in Seattle, I decided to bring them here. Unfortunately, the experience was very disappointing. The staff working when we visited was extremely rude. Since it was my friends' first time, they had a few questions and asked for recommendations, but the staff was not helpful at all. Honestly, I could NOT feel any sense of customer service. It was quite embarrassing because I was the one who recommended the place. I had visited before and remember the staff being friendly and the coffee tasting great, but this time the experience was completely different. The mood was already ruined before we even finished ordering. Even the coffee, which I used to enjoy, tasted just average this time. Also, it's a small take-out coffee stand with no seating, and the prices are not cheap, either. What made it even more ridiculous was the "tipping" situation. My friend is kind enough and selected a 15% tip on the payment machine (see attached receipt for details). But the tip was calculated on the total amount including sales tax, not on the purchase subtotal before the sales tax. That means they are effectively asking customers to tip on tax as well. Overall, it was a very disappointing visit. Unfortunately, I will never be recommending or coming back here again. Good Goodbye! read more

Monorail Espresso - Receipt - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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If you're in a rush but willing to make a quick pit stop for some caffeine, the Monorail Espresso lives up to its name. It's literally a window where you can order and step down to retrieve and prepare your own coffee. Absolutely love the concept, especially when trying to minimize distractions while on the road, better said, sidewalk. I can't say that the coffee itself was very special. read more

Monorail Espresso - Exterior - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Simple cafe. Minimal to no seating. You walk up to the window, order, pickup and leave. Service is great. Coffee is better.

Great spot for a coffee in SLU! We loved that you can sit outside and just enjoy the surroundings! Great service and the coffee is so good! read more

Monorail Espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This place is popular, and for good reason! I finally stopped by after a couple of years of hearing about it, and I'm glad I did! The service was excellent, and I really enjoyed the lemon lava loaf. read more

Such a cute and delicious coffee stop. They are strictly to go and have a small window to order. Next time I'm in seattle I will definitely go back. It was not far from our hotel. The ladies were friendly and accommodating for my half caff latte with oatmilk. The coffee was so delicious. read more

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Very friendly service! They also gave our dog a treat too. The cider was tasty and my partner liked his latte. This is a to go window only but there's a few outside tables and chairs if the weather is nice that you can sit at. It's a great spot for grab and go off a busy area. read more

Monorail Espresso - Cider and latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great little neighborhood coffee stop. Simple and quick service. You order at the window and they have some pastries as well. The coffee was delicious and great to continue on. There are about 4 small tables where you could sit and enjoy your coffee. Loved seeing people pop in and grab their coffee. Great overall. read more

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Stopped in on a Saturday afternoon. No line and friendly service. My drink came out in a flash. I got the iced burnt cream latte, half sweetness. Stupendous! Extremely smooth, with balanced flavor. Great job, Monorail. read more

Monorail Espresso - Iced burnt cream latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It's wildly good. The 1 Hotel recommended it- it was a solid rec. really delicious vanilla latte and a fast counter. The cinnamon roll was really good. read more

This is my new go-to coffee place when visiting Seattle. Conveniently located near the Amazon Spheres, I highly recommend you try anything with the burnt creme. I've had the latte and the cortado. Both of them are delicious. It's a walk-up counter with friendly staff and a fast moving line. Perfect for grab-and-go. The coffee tastes perfectly balanced, my favorite is the cortado with burnt creme. It has just the right amount of sweetness from the creme, though they have a large variety of strips and other things if you want to jazz it up. read more

Monorail Espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Monorail Espresso has some of the creamiest, most delicious lattes in Seattle. The texture is perfect. Definitely top 3 lattes in the city, if not #1 best! read more

Monorail Espresso - Best latte in Seattle - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It's okay, great for fast service and very friendly staff. The Caramel Latte isn't sweet, which I expected it to be since I ask for caramel flavor. The coffee is smooth, so it's a nice jump start of the day. read more

Monorail Espresso - Caramel latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Always very friendly and great service. Shots pulled are well done too. Thank you for suggesting great new flavors.

Monorail still does not disappoint. They are not only experts at espresso-based drinks, but also at matcha lattes! One of their special drinks as of July 2024 is an iced strawberry matcha latte. I can confidently say that this was one of the best strawberry matchas I have ever had (if not the best!)! I ordered it with soy milk, and it was so delicious. It wasn't too sweet, which is how I prefer my drinks. The strawberry syrup tasted fresh and not artificial. On a warm summer day, this drink is the perfect refresher. The baristas are always so efficient with the drinks as well. I also appreciated that there was the perfect amount of ice and I did not have to ask for less ice like I usually do. read more

Monorail Espresso - 20 oz iced strawberry matcha latte with soy milk (5/5) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It's a very cute coffee shop. The vibe is quite like pick and go. During my stay in Seattle, this was my go to coffee shop. Among the coffees I tried, white mocha has been my most favorite. Creamy, smooth and very rich coffee. They also have pretty good breakfast food options. During one of the visits, I forgot to mention the non dairy milk alternative for my coffee, and they very graciously got me another order with oat milk without charging me extra. Baristas here are the sweetest and kindest people. The coffee shop is too cute and inside there isn't seating but all the seating is on the sidewalk right by the cafe. Absolutely loved Monorail coffee. Do give it a shot! read more

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Such a wonderful coffee spot! The baristas were really friendly when I asked for recommendations and I ended up getting an iced maple, which was so delicious. The location is a walk-up window, so there's no seating, but it's super convenient to grab something to go. read more

Monorail Espresso - Iced maple latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The best coffee in Seattle! We happened to walk by and decided to stop, best decision. Window opening right on the sidewalk was quick & convenient. Next time I'm getting one of their sweatshirts, really cute colors and design. read more

I love all of the Monorail locations I've tried. Super convenient walk up window on Westlake Ave. Line moves quickly, drinks are ready quickly. Highly recommend if you need a caffeine boost and are in the area. My favorites are either the iced oat milk latte or their seasonal cold brew options. read more

Monorail Espresso - toasted marshmallow cold brew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Checked in at the other location by mistake... I just had their summer special drink matcha strawberry latte and it's pretty good!! I've had some matcha strawberry latte where the strawberry puree was too artifiical/sweet, but this wasn't the case with the one at Monorail. Actually, I wish there were a little more puree in my drink to make it tad bit sweeter. Service was friendly and awesome too. Way to go! read more

On Wed and Sat (I believe ) they have the best cinnamon rolls known to man! This is my favorite place to get coffee in all of Seattle and even waiting 5-10 minutes in line is worth it :D read more

Monorail Espresso - Caramel Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I've been coming to this coffee shop for five years, but after today, I won't be returning. I ordered a half-decaf latte and when I asked the barista to confirm, she said it was fully caffeinated. I explained that's not what I ordered, and instead of being understanding, she acted confused and condescending when I asked her to remake the drink. When I finally received the new latte, it was clear there was no care put into it -- no latte art like the first one. When I asked why, she brushed me off, saying she had already poured the milk. After years of loving this place, it's really disappointing to be treated like an inconvenience. Customer service matters, and unfortunately, this experience made it clear it's no longer a priority here. read more

Honestly, this place shocks me. First of all they work incredibly quickly. Even during morning rush there is very little wait. Second, the espresso is incredible. The best I have had. I have gone three times in the past 24 hours and it's been perfect every time. Seriously, how?? read more

Monorail Espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Pick up place with no inside seating. Ordered a flat white. It was decent and less expensive as compared to near by cafes read more

Best coffee spot in Seattle. My fave is their cold brew, it's smooth and full of flavor.

Cute and quick coffee place. Conveniently located and the baristas are speedy! I love that they have rotating seasonal flavors. Their spiced yam latte in the fall and their current eggnog latte are my favorites so far. They don't have a lot of food options besides scones, and some pastries. But considering how small of a shop this is, I can see why they wouldn't offer other food or options to heat up. Even if you see a line I'd still line up, they're seriously that efficient. read more

Usually a drip coffee guy but tried an Americano and wasn't badm come try it out everyone. read more

Monorail Espresso - Outside Sign - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Still dreaming of the special burnt cold foam ice coffee!! Literally tasted like a smores marshmallow on top of a great west coast coffee, it was oh so good! Love the little walk up window, I am sure it is great for people with dogs or busy people on the go. Baristas were friendly and make a mean coffee! read more

Monorail Espresso - Burnt cold foam iced coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

A cute little coffee window in downtown Seattle, Monorail has a surprisingly refreshing menu that they often circulate as per seasons. The coffee is great and the service is fast, they have limited food options for small cake slices, croissants and donuts to take to go. Their white chocolate mocha is the tastiest white chocolate mocha I have ever tried. Their seasonal frango mint mocha is also great. Would love it if they have more food options and the option to heat up the food. read more

Monorail Espresso - a coffee shop on a city street - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Incredible espresso, and does a mean latte too. Single-handedly restored my faith in Seattle coffee after enduring consistently terrible coffee elsewhere earlier in the week. Lines take a bit of time but the time zoning out here is worth the hours of productivity the next few hours... :) PS: In case you were wondering what infernal beverage I got in my photo - I ordered an iced latte, breve style on my second visit and loved every sip of it! read more

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Excellent coffee & pastries, & even better service!! Thank you girls! Really love the walk up to order style and small doggy window they have so they're able to give your pups a treat - super cute! read more

Monorail Espresso - Brûlée Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Really liked the coffee here! Lining up near the window is great - service was fast and they offer your standard menu + specials! I got a vanilla iced latte and it wasn't too bitter and pretty milky! I recommend. read more

We stopped at Monorail Espresso after having lunch next door because we were craving coffee/tea. I was super excited to try this spot out because it's a cute little stand/grab and go spot and a long line formed behind us so we thought it must be good. I ordered a chai tea latte and my boyfriend ordered a mocha. I was extremely disappointed in my chai tea latte. It honestly tasted like warm water with barely a hint of chai.... Worst chai I've ever had sadly. My boyfriend's mocha was delicious though. Will definitely have to get a coffee next time. I'd have to give this spot less than 1 star for the chai alone but bumped it up to 2 because the mocha was really good. Hoping if we stumble upon this place next time the chai is much much much better. read more

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Great hole in the wall with plenty of tables and chairs outside. There was a line on Friday morning which was a signal to the quality of coffee served here. Their inventive and homey flavors such as burnt cream are worth the try. read more

Monorail Espresso - SF toasted marshmallow latte, burnt cream latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

One of my favorite coffee shops in seattle. Their ube latte is definitely one of the better ones in the city. Always get friendly service here and the coffee always hit the spot, never too sweet which is great. read more

Monorail Espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I've tried about a dozen coffee shops in Seattle, Monorail espresso is near the top. The coffee is super strong and dark. There is no interior seating, a few tables outside. Definitely worth a try if walking by and need a pick-me-up. read more

Monorail has an excellent Mocha, but watch out for the Chai. We stopped here after lunch to get our drink craving, and we got one excellent Mocha and one Chai that was the worst I ever had. The Chai tasted like flavored water. The line at this place was long, so this is a busy coffee stand. This is a takeout coffee shop with no inside or sitting area. Overall, the Mocha at this place was perfect. I would go back to get a mocha, but I would never get the Chai, and I am afraid to try anything else. read more

Monorail Espresso - Mocha (left) & Chai (Right) both 12 ounces - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Sidewalk coffee shop that offers great brew, pastries, and service. Our baristas were extremely friendly. We ordered 2 lattes and a mocha. The froth on top was incredibly creamy. The brew was flavorful, but not too powerful or bitter. They offer a good variety of syrups if you want to elevate your coffee with additional flavors. Located downtown and you're able to walk here from Pike Place if you want a coffee spot that isn't overly crowded. They do have a couple of two-seater tables if you wish to sip your coffee while seated. If not, it's nice to grab and go to check out other places in Seattle. Also, as pictured, Frodo the husky approves read more

Monorail Espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Cute lil hole in the wall spot to grab your coffee. Love how friendly they were and seemed like they attend to they regular customers. Such a community space filled place. My sister got her espresso and liked the perfect temperature and flavor. I also felt the same way about the London fog I got too. Overall loved it. read more

Monorail Espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington