They did not greet my large group in a welcoming way. It may be because we had children. The paper straws broke before I even started drinking my overpriced coffee. read more

Good coffee and kick-ass ginger snaps cookies. Hipster chick/barista was actually friendly.

Got an Iced green that cost $5 and tasted like liquified garbage. Only go here if all other coffee shops in Darien have shut down because this place is worse than all others and costs much more. I know of at least three other places within walking distance with better drinks which also have unique food and available seating. The only good thing about this place is the location, but as it is continuously full of people, that isn't really very helpful. read more

I got the vanilla iced coffee with milk and I'm not sure how it is on its own, but mine looked like butternut squash purée and it tasted like rotting flesh was thrown up by a bull shark and then re-swallowed and regurgitated once again into my cup. I genuinely wanted to throw up once it entered my mouth. If the shark description wasn't vivid enough for you, here's another comparison that's pretty fitting: it tasted like the coffee beans were swished around in a dead fat man's asshole and then, somehow, despite being dead for a week with his corpse roasting in the sun in a Big Lots parking lot in Vegas, he shat them out into the grinder. I would give this coffee a zero but you aren't allowed to on here. It's repulsive, expensive and made me regret all of the decisions that led me to buying this drink. Don't get it. read more

They just couldn't be bothered. while I get we had to order at the register they wouldn't even turn around and place our drinks on the counter at our seat after we ordered and payed. We had to get up and walk around when it would have been 2 steps or a quick pivot around for them.the guy stood at the counter calling out my drink order for me to come get it, he knew where I was sitting also supposed to be a comfy have a cup and a chat and they made a group at a table who had pulled up an extra chair put it back to the other table. Here on a Saturday afternoon, very little baked goods left and no other food choices. Won't be back,too many other places for coffee and a chat read more

I regularly have coffee in NYC at Cafe Grumpy, Joe's, and the Coffee Bean on Broadway. My daughter and I both believe that Espresso Neat is superior to each of those outstanding NYC coffee specialists. Plus the ambience and professionalism of the staff is very impressive. read more

Overpriced but lovely. A hot spot for commuters and people who network. I enjoyed my $5 mocha and $4 muffin but the best part is the location. read more

It's about time I update my rating as their latte is the real deal--They are definitely worthy of 5 stars! It's hard to find latte perfection and that is what they brew. They are also consistent which tells me that not only do they use high-quality espresso beans, but they also have very skilled baristas! read more

Great little coffee shop in Darien! I love the atmosphere - I could spend hours there! I have had a cappuccino as well as a decaf latte and both were just delightful. It is definitely worth a stop by! read more

Was back at NEAT twice today. Delicious brewed tea this morning and a comfortable meeting spot to discuss getting a new client started.

Went for the first time today. Was shocked that my bill came to $20 but otherwise, no complaints. My iced coffee was so good. The beans are so delish and fresh. Definitely a great addition to Darien. Also got a grilled chicken sandwich on whole grain bread with caramelized onions-- so great! read more

I have a hard time finding coffee shops that have almondmilk as an option. This place not only has it, but it is an adorable gem tucked in the center of Darien. Will be a regular at this place! Great menu items and prices are reasonable! Very clean shop with great outdoor space! read more

Delicious. Somewhat snooty atmosphere. Be prepared to wait for your coffee to be carefully made - worth the wait. A touch on the pricey side. For me, not a spot for everyday coffee, but good for the occasional splurge. read more

Perfect coffee. Delish tea. Items for kids and stuff for them to play with, yet a nice coffee shop atmosphere. I love the tap of sparkling water. read more

The best coffee this side of Ninth Street Espresso in New York or Late for the Train in Flagstaff, AZ.

The coffee and espresso are pretty great. Especially the espresso. It's way beyond Starbucks. But with more and more places in the 'burbs offering top-notch roasters like Intelligentsia & smaller excellent roasters like New Harvest and Coffee Labs, and doing pour-overs (and executing them as well as or better than NEAT), this place just seems kind of fancy and overpriced by comparison. So it's not my favorite, but whoever said this is the worst coffee in CT really doesn't know coffee. That comment is ridiculous. They serve very good, sometimes excellent coffee & espresso. read more

Was driving from nyc to Vermont and came here as a pit stop. Location is neat, nice walk thru street lined with boutiques. Fresh baguette sandwhiches, latte is up there a the best of em, and favorite part is that there is free unlimited sparkling water on tap read more

The coffee used to be much better than it is now. The staff and service are what you would expect but this went from the best coffee place in the area to hard pass. read more

Terrific place. The coffee is superior to Starbucks and the atmosphere is more pleasant. The difference in their prices and Starbucks' is negligible. I've looked at some of the other reviews posted here. I haven't found any of the baristas rude or nasty. As to some of the patrons being "snotty", they're everywhere. Grow up. read more

The person who was rude no longer works here. And the coffee is still consistently excellent - including orders other places can't comprehend- cortados, flat whites, etc. With new food offerings from local places, it doesn't get better than this. read more

Coffee is pricey, but that coffee be jammin good! I've only tried the regular coffee hot and iced so don't have too much to share besides it is delicious. read more

What a great coffee shop! Try the espressos! I had the mocha one - it was life changing! The name lives up to the sleek,neat look.

Best coffee shop I've found in all of Connecticut. High prices but the overall value is even higher. The coffee, service, and selection of baked goods is unmatched. Most baked goods come from SoNo Baking Company. Donuts on Saturday from Lakeside Diner and a selection of baguette sandwiches almost every day. I suggest checking out the Not-So-Neat iced coffee in the summer months, and hot cider in the fall. read more

Without a doubt the service at this espresso shop is the worst in Fairfield county. Everyone including the owner could use a course in Customer Service. The attitude of the employees is that they are superior to their customers. And, if it is not on the menu exactly, they will not make it for you. They should really take some lessons from Starbucks on making coffee the customers way and meeting the customers needs. And, a smile would certainly help. To add insult to injury the coffee is lousy. You can definitely get a better cup at Dunkin Doughnuts. No need to stop in here. Go down the road to Starbucks or Whole Foods if you are in Darien! read more

Went for the first time today. This coffee shop has the right ingredients (location, atmosphere) but in my opinion didn't pull it off. The staff weren't especially friendly and my coffee was only 'okay'. I didn't watch them make the coffee, and honestly I wouldn't have noticed if they had done anything special during the prep. This place misses the mark. read more

always takes foreverrrrr! rude employees not worth the price, starbucks has better coffee. read more

I used to come here everyday for tea with almond milk. They recently changed their tea selection and now it costs $4.75 for a small cup of tea -around 8 oz (they don't have medium or large cups). I thought $3.75 was steep before. Coming from NYC, I can't believe it is more expensive in CT! They also take about 10-15 minutes to make the tea for a to-go order so it was cold by the time I actually got it ! What happened to tea bags and letting the customer steep it to how they like it. Sadly they lost me as a really, regular customer. Not to mention the taste was nothing like a black tea, it tasted like potpourri. read more

This is a great new spot. They individually make every cup of drip coffee, which makes it very tasty and a great deal. They also have free wifi, accessible outlets, and comfortable seating. The staff is very friendly and greet many customers by name. Overall, Espresso NEAT is a great experience. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a place to read, catch up with friends, or just grab a great cup of coffee. read more

Order consisted of a cortado, 2 Americano's and a pour over. Cortado and pour over were above average. Americano's were well BELOW average and we discarded them. read more

They are a bit expensive, but they have great roasts and a variety of types of coffee. I'm not a huge coffee drinker but even I can tell they brew a great cup. You need to be willing to wait, as the beans are fresh ground and the coffee is French drip. Plus there is often a good sized line, at least when I tend to be there around 10 - 11 on Saturday mornings. read more

Excellent coffee - actually fabulous coffee!, environment, and location. Great breakfast stuff, too (from SONO Bakery!)

Try the espresso drinks. It's a different level of quality. Versus Starbucks it has a great taste that doesn't make you want to rip out your tongue (sorry Paul from NYC...you're way off on that element). Also try the chocolate. Worth a visit and worth the affordable indulgence. read more

Best coffee with in the area. Many people don't know how to properly pull a shot of espresso. For those that say Starbucks is better, I hope to god they are kidding. Starbucks hasn't made real coffee for a few years now. Only pumpkin spice chai soy bull crap. Neat takes the time to craft one cup at a time. I always recommend this place to friends looking for serious coffees. read more

As noted the coffee us expensive, but high quality - I thought the espresso here was good but it's definitely on the sour side so I think it depends on personal preference in terms of whether you like it or not. Great outdoor seating area in the courtyard outside, where there is also a fountain. read more

Quite possibly the best espresso and coffee in Connecticut. The store seems really focused on highlighting the highest quality coffee in the world, and it shows in both the presentation and taste. I live in NYC and commute to Darien for work, and I've been to the store probably 100+ times. And I'm not remembering any 'bad' experiences. Of course, I've also had Starbucks and Dunkin and all of the local shops in NYC and San Fran (Gimme, Third Rail, Ost, Everyman, Sight Glass, Blue Bottle, Ritual, Think, Grumpy, Philz, Intelli, and more). I also lived in Chicago for 4 years where every shop is serving Intelli or Stumptown. In my estimation, NEAT is at the very top, certainly a better experience and quality of coffee than SBUX or Dunkin. The atmosphere is very relaxed, and it's often filled with customers. It's also a newer spaces, so it's super clean. The inside seems somewhat like a Restoration Hardware catalog? Or something similar. All in all--good place to relax after long day, week, etc. Only wish they were open later at night! From a coffee perspective, they specialize in espresso drinks made to exacting standards. They also brew single cups of coffee on the spot so you can literally see the freshness of the beans and coffee. Ask for an off-menu 'Gibraltar' if you want something between a macchiato and a cappuccino. It's a great, small way to get a little caffeine without drinking too much. They also have many food options for bfast and lunch. They use some sort of local pastry shop(s) for some great pastries, and I believe it's the same for the sandwiches and salads. So really you can come here for breakfast and lunch, not just for coffee. And if you're not a coffee drinker, they have a pretty big tea program, gourmet soft drinks and seltzers, and lots of options for kids as well. While they certainly focus on the coffee, I quickly realized that they actually cater to a wide variety of interests and clientele. The shop is also sits in a beautiful courtyard where you can sit outside and enjoy yourself. If I had a dog this would be my spot! And really, you don't have many great options in Darien. You have the SBUX that's farther away from the train station, and as you know, you can only get dark/burnt roasted coffee there (an acquired taste?). If you tried NEAT you'd see how great coffee can taste and the flavors it can express when not burnt for sake of consistency. And of course Dunkin--not a bad value--but it's dirty and smells a bit off. Not sure if that's the cheese and smoked sausage razorback wrap or my Turbo Hot coffee thing. Let's just hope that NEAT continues down this path. read more

I come here often and am always impressed. The bar drink are top notch and the staff is always friendly. I highly recommend the place!

Forget the decore and the trappings. Focus on the coffee. These people have the best espresso within 50 miles. They know their stuff and make authentic cappuccino and related drinks. Ten times better than Starbucks. Paul read more

Agree with a lot of things others have said - it is expensive but it is excellent coffee. Maybe the baristas aren't on par with the best cafes in Manhattan, Brooklyn or certain other cities, but this quality is very rare in the CT burbs. (Where else can you try stumptown, intelligentsia etc. around here?) There's no way I'd go to starbucks or whole foods over Espresso Neat on taste alone (cost is another issue - pour-over ain't cheap - except at home). read more

Went here with my family and had a great experience! My wife had a latte that she loved and my cappuccino was delicious. They serve homemade donuts on Saturday that are very good. We we're able to sit in the courtyard because of the nice weather. I found the staff friendly and helpful. In short look forward to going back. read more

Best espresso hands down in the area. I've tried them all and Espresso NEAT is unparalleled.