Sadly, mediocre at best. I would skip this place entirely. Tried coffee and food, both were poor…read morequality, not homemade....meh....nothing special. We ended up throwing both drink and the cookie we bought away as both of my kids said the cookie was "bad"...tasted like a box mix that was overcooked.

Very nice atmosphere and staff with good coffee and excellent cookies. The coffee shop is…read moredecorated with local art and some jewelry. In addition there is a local deli in the back of the building. Overall a very good experience.

The decor was really nice and so comfortable, the staff were friendly and the service was good and…read morequick. I'm only docking a couple points because their choice of coffee beans aren't my favourite but your mileage may vary and the quality of each drink varies a lot depending on who's making it

Made the drive up here because it was the only DMV appointment for my daughter in the next 30 days…read more Took advantage of the trip to try out a new coffee spot. This was a cute little spot that reminds me of many other in term of the trendy style expected from A cozy coffee shop. The espresso and latte were excellent as was the service. When you are ready to expand, come to Ankeny.

Seriously the cutest coffee shop/book store EVER located in downtown Iowa Falls. They have seating…read moreoutside and inside. You walk in and there is a coat rack and community board. You can feel the DMs town vibes and coziness as soon as you walk in. The front seating area has a piano and seating and tables. The coffee bar is in the middle and they offer seasonal items such as Apple Crisp Latte (which was delicious) & S'mores mocha. There were pastries and scones and cookies as well. There is beautiful art all around for sale. Different nick naks and magnets and key chains and bags and soap etc for sale. And some adorable crocheted animals too. A fire place greets you after the coffee bar with 4 very comfy chairs. And behind that you can do downstairs where all the books are kept with tables and chairs and couches. And upstairs is a Longe area with more chairs and tables and couches. A perfect place to meet and catch up with family and friends or to study and enjoy a nice place to hangout. I wish this was in my town, I would be there every day! Def a must!

Just a great little coffee shop! Warm, friendly, comfortable! Hot mocha was great - not so sweet…read morelike some places, which I appreciated. The barista and I talked about how many pumps of mocha was used so I No could adjust the sweetness. I love the little book store area,'used puzzles and other gift items n for sale. Lots of no options for seating- something for everyone; chairs, couches, etc. Get comfy, get cozy and enjoy your joe!

If you are near the Independence area, Em's is a MUST. It is an awesome small business. The service…read moreis quick, and the employees are the sweetest and very personable. I've been to hundreds of coffee shops around the U.S, but this one is by far THE best. My go to is an iced salted honey latte. Their menu is huge. They also offer monthly drink specials. They have unique and delicious flavor combinations. And how could I forget their baked goods?!?! They always have a stacked bakery case. They've got the biggest cinnamon rolls with the best frosting. Em offers a newsroom which has a couch and several chairs for meetings, or just to hangout! Overall a must-try. I promise you'll be going back

The coffee was great. Had gelato and a couple smoothies. Went there twice while I was visiting in…read moreIndependence

My wife and I stopped by the First Street Sidecar location in Cedar Falls this past weekend…read more Unfortunately, this location does not appear on Yelp, so I am leaving a review for the College Hill location (which I have visited in the past). Here are our thoughts below! Food/Drink: Monster Cookie (Yum! This cookie was HUGE, soft, and delicious. Rating = 8/10). Hot Cinnamon Roll Latte (This tasted nearly identical to a warm, gooey, cinnamon roll! Be warned - it is a very sweet beverage. Rating = 7.7/10). Iced Hazelnut Latte (YES! This is basically almost as good as it gets when it comes to a latte. Absolutely scrumdidilyumptious. Rating = 9/10). Service: The service here could not have been better! Our barista's name was Brianna, and she had a phenomenal attitude. She looked excited to help us out and appears to love her job. Her passion for her job truly shined through during our time in the shop. Ambiance: As mentioned above, this review is based on our visit to the First Street location in Cedar Falls. It has a much different vibe than the College Hill location. The First Street location is not quite as "homey" as the College Hill cafe and has more of a coffee chain feel (not as much unique character that I typically enjoy with local coffee brands). The College Hill location, on the other hand, has much more personality. It is an excellent place to get some work done, read a book, or meet up with friends! All in all - we undoubtedly had a 5-star experience at Sidecar this past weekend. Excellent food and drink and some of the best service we've received in a while!

White chocolate latte was delicious, smooth not too strong or sweet. Cinnamon roll was the gooey…read morekind in the middle, loved it. Cute shop, staff were very friendly and service was fast. I'll be back probably go through the drive through tomorrow!

Nice vintage store that sells plants too. Behind they have a really cute hang out area to get…read morecoffee/tea and alcohol-the coffee business here is called Steeped & Stirred fyi. I recommend getting their Cream Soda latte! This location is close to a bicycle path so would be an ideal spot to take a break. Family friendly spot, they had a chalkboard for kids to draw on and a seating area.

It is a nice setting, pleasant people, and very relaxing. Could have a better beer selection for…read morethose of us that like dark beer!

Visiting our son who works at Wartburg College and stopped here for breakfast. Cute shop.! Loved…read morethe jars of zinnias on each of the beautiful tables!! Great coffee and chai tea (made less sweet per my request). We split a yummy house made breakfast burrito and 2 of the house made scones - blueberry and blackberry - both were good - the blueberry had more fruit. Totally recommend stop here!!

Parking was easy even with construction on the bridge. Relaxing and well decorated inside. Friendly…read morestaff! I tried the stronger coffee with their home made vanilla coffee creamer, along with the homemade blueberry scone. Obviously a hit within the community. I'll make another trip back.

This super cute coffee bar was just the perfect treat. Probably the best cappuccino in a 45 mile…read moreradius. The coffee was strong and hot! The young lady at that served us was kind and accommodating. Also a huge plus, the Christian music playing softly creating just a lovely atmosphere. 5 starts from this seasoned barista

From the owner: West Side Java is a locally owned shop specializing in coffee drinks, hot, iced or blended. We also…read morehave a wide variety of other drink options for the non coffee drinker, such as smoothies, shakes, teas, Lotus and boba.

Excellent frittata! Loads of spinach, just the right amount of goat cheese, and they offered to…read moreheat it up. The wheat-free options are not labeled gluten-free because they are made in the same kitchen, but the staff reassured me that they take steps to avoid contamination. With both cozy chairs and vintage shake shop style dining tables, this place is part coffee shop, part diner.

The team was very helpful in helping me choose a latte as it was my first time. They were very…read morepolite and kind. I ended up ordering the Frittata and a Reese's latte and overall both items were amazing. If you are looking for a nice breakfast spot, I can't recommend this place enough.