I find Sam James coffee very much overrated. The coffee simply is not very good. Plus the location on Harbord street is grimy.

The drip coffee is overpriced and tastes very bad, but the cashier is willing to give a refund.

Clean and edgy vibe, nice artsy wall. Not much space but a good place for work or catching up with friends when you get one of their seats. Not the best neighbourhood though. read more

Sam James Coffee Bar - a man sitting on a bench - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

SJ is very much a neighborhood coffee bar. Great service, no Wi-Fi or power outlets. Limited seating. There is an outdoor bench, where they also leave water for the dogs. Great place for the locals to meet up and chat, which I see a lot of them doing. Myself I grabbed an espresso and a cookie both pretty good. If you're in the neighborhood looking for some good coffee, Sam James coffee bar is a good choice. read more

Sam James Coffee Bar - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Sam James Coffee Bar is awesome! A great first stop to start off our Koffee Krawl! Since most of our RSVPed Yelpers decided to slept in.. only 5 of us travelling all the way from uptown made it to this first stop. SJCB though small and have limited seatings, we able to park ourselves in the corner and enjoy our first cup of coffee! Love the big windows overlooking Harbord Street... feels like that time just stop at this moment.. sipping great coffee with my fellow yelpers! SJCB limited seatings does give it a different vibe compares to Linuxcaffe just more like a neighbourhood in and out coffee stop, instead of a place where people study... (should they be doing that in a library?) My cappuccino was A-OK!! I have to say one of the best of the day... strong, nutter and have a nice after taste.... size is smaller but it is cheaper too! Thanks Karl R for getting me my first cappuccino of the day! read more

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Always pass this place dropping the kids off at school, but always in a rush. Finally got a chance to go in today. I felt like I walked into an interrogation room with one bad cop and one good cop. Friendly cop happily got my order while stone face cop poured my coffee and snipped at good cop for nearly grabbing the wrong pastry. Got set loose, went across the road to sit in the sun outside the laundromat and took a sip....smushed berries coffee. Not my thing. Hohum. Pastry was alright. read more

Sam James Coffee Bar - Toronto. Average coffee shop. The almond croissant was good but too bad it wasn't fresh. Coffee was ok read more

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When Zack S. was like "Hey Kate let's check out Sam James Coffee Bar!" I was like "I think I've heard of it..." and then in my head I was like "I hope it's not to far... I hope it's not trendy stupid" Then I went. It was a bit of a walk. But it was so worth it! Not stupid at all! More info? OKAYS! a) Tasty tasty drinks! I ordered the chai latte and the (attractive) barista was all "I think I can offer you something better..." Guess was the something better was! Did you guess? Okay now I'm just going to assume that you guessed incorrectly. Wanna know? Am I dragging this out for too long? Yes? Answer? I ended up with an "Apple Chaider"! Wow sorry for that. I just wanted to hype up this fantastic drink THAT I HAD TWO OF! Damn. So great. Apple cider AND chai? My wildest dreams have come true. b) Yeah there's nowhere to sit. Deal with it. c) Order the almond croissant! It's not too almondy! Just right! d) Cash only. e) Just as I was talking about my love of Owen Pallett/Final Fantasy's music, his music began playing! I'll be back! Good walking destination! For sure check it out! Just don't expect to sit there for a long time. read more

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Sam James name cropped up consistently when I was searching for good cappuccino in TO. A few folks even went as far as saying its the top spot for this hard to master drink. So with high expectation I trekked all the way up here. The location is somewhat accessible as its a 5-10 min from Bathurst station (apparently there is another express location right on Bloor street). The setup is nice and cozy with a few seating spots and a small preparation area. The Menu interestingly consists of old school and new iteration of drinks (cappuccino is under old style so one doesn't have option there to try it the "new" way ) there is not much to play here as they have standard sizes for espresso drinks. Prices are vey reasonable for espresso drinks (cash only though) The serving size is small by modern standards for cappuccino. Interesting thing is that even though cappuccino is labeled as old style it is served the modern way (wet cappuccino) with latte art and all. The latte art was decent on the drink with crema nicely spread under the nicely frothed milk so good marks for presentation here. Now for the main drink first sip didn't go down well as milked didn't have the sweet finish one desires and the espresso had a rough finish. After a couple of sip it mellowed out a bit but overall not much of an improvement. Drink was 2 star IMO with a half star added for value. read more

Sam James Coffee Bar - Cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

- ~ Koffee Krawl ~ - # 1 As I step foot within SJCB, I met 2 of my Fav Yelpers HOARDing the corner territory in what others have noted as a TINY space. The word Teeny would refer to Sam James Coffee Pocket instead. Not as Plain-Jame as the Pocket since there's unique antique-ish items thru-out but that's only if you have the pleasure to obtain one of the handful of seats. It's like SJCB is a catwalk for Hipsters to show off. One after another came in posing for the Non-hip me-ster. Cappuccino($2.62) - The Milk/Espresso ratio made it Latte-like. # Location ------l------------------------------------------------ ? I Sam James Coffee Pocket 1 I SAM JAMES COFFEE BAR 2 I Cafe Pamenar 3 I Dark Horse (Queen W) 4 I Thor Espresso Bar 5 I Jimmy's Coffee( I Timed Out @@) read more

Sam James Coffee Bar - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I ordered a soy latte and it was PERFECT. Just a perfect cup, the flavour was so smooth and delicious. I walked in mid barista banter, which was pretty entertaining, and while the space is really small, I managed to come in when it wasn't too busy and got a seat. I really want to try the siphon coffee sometime. read more

Sam James Coffee Bar - a soy latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

4.5 stars for me. This small space houses one giant coffee punch! It`s one of those rare times where I can say all the buzz about a place is true. i admit, i came in with an air of reluctance. My favourite way to test a place is, how good the old cup of joe was. I started walking to my next destination, really wishing I had ordered a large or bought a bag of their roast. i was so happy!!! I can easily say that cup of joe is the best by far in the city. I haven`t tried the siphon coffee but if the roast is as good then I can only imagine the flavour enhanced in their remaining offerings. The problem with this place is the size. It`s a grab and go establishment but I really wish it wasn`t. read more

at last, I finally get to visit a much hyped coffee shop and the barista who's part of that hype is actually present and running the show. In this case sam james. definitely 5 stars for me. Trying to think how else my espresso could have been improved but I drew a blank. everything was spot on. I got to witness a little showmanship, very reasonable prices, perfect quantity, and above all, just great coffee prepared as best it could. Bisogno alone used to be my fav place for coffee, and now I have two. read more

Sam James Coffee Bar - sam james latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Sam James Coffee Bar undoubtedly serves some of the best coffee in the city. Highlights:: - reviewed as the best cappuccino in the city - expertly trained baristas - "drip" coffee made by French press - excellent croissants from La Bambouche - donuts from Beast on Thursdays + weekends - Circles and Squares muffins + cookies Things to expect:: - cash only - do not park in the bike lane, you will not be served - baristas will take their time to make sure you get a perfect shot, this make take time - music is a mixed bag, sometimes you get screamo, sometimes Mariah Carey so be prepared - there is limited seating, so it is not a hangout all day kind of cafe, but the open space means that people chat and connect which adds to a friendly neighborly vibe The original of a now three-location establishment, SJCB serves Toi et Moi coffee and creates espresso based beverages with skill and precision. Baristas are invested in making sure that you consistently get a great shot of espresso and/or beverage. This means that at times you can/will experience longer wait times, but the quality is worth it. read more

Quaint space along Harbord. Have been to several locations but this was my first time here. My friend ordered an Americano, I ordered an espresso and was truly underwhelmed. Didn't pack the punch I was looking for. It almost tasted like they ran out of espresso beans and used anything else they could find. I'm willing to give them another shot here because the staff was friendly and prompt! read more

Sam James Coffee Bar - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Having recently settled in the lower Annex neighbourhood, the coffee snob in me decided to venture forth in search of some tasty local brew. A short trip down Harbord St. W and what should I find but Sam James Coffee Bar. Who is Sam James? A bit of a celebrity espresso shot puller who's won the Canadian Central Regional Barista Championship and has worked in some of Toronto's favored cafes, namely Manic Coffee and Cherry Bomb. Now in his very own cafe' that bears his name Sam James and his well trained staff are treating the locals (and those willing to travel) to some first rate espresso based drinks. The coffee beans used at Sam James Coffee Bar are imported from Quebec and though I have tasted superior (in my opinion) beans I feel the beans they use produce quite a tasty brew notches above many other popular Toronto cafes. Each barista I've met there seem quite competent in delivery an espresso based drink as it's properly meant to be. I've enjoyed Americanos, espressos and lattes and can vouch for the quality. Aside from the coffee the cafe also offers croissants for those who want something to munch on as they sip their caffeinated brew. Aside from being competent baristas the staff at Sam James Coffee Bar are super friendly, heck they're downright neighborly! How many cafe' staff actually bother to get to know their customer's names? Well they do here and it makes return visits all the more tempting. Decor-wise the establishment has a retro feel without being cliche. Think of it as some tiny mom 'n pop shop from the 50's or 60's. Note that seating is severely limited here as the place is too small to house tables and chairs. Staying in you have a side bench and a short window counter. Better to step outside and enjoy your brew as you gaze upon the neighborhood surroundings. Though I still have many more local cafe joints to explore I know I will definitely be a regular at Sam James Coffee Bar for the brew and excellent customer service. TIP: Bring your own mug and save .25c! read more

You can't doubt the original SJCB, but if you're looking for a cafe vibe, this is not the place. Sam James serves Toi et Moi coffee roasted in Montreal. It's one of the few places in Toronto that serves their coffee, and for good reason. Since SJ is mostly in the King street location these days, most of the baristas are new, but he's trained them well. Come for a ristretto or lungo, or stay longer for a latte or cortado. Whatever it is, they still make some of the best coffees in town. read more

I live right near a 3 Second Cups and 2 Starbuckses, but I make the trek to Sam James whenever I want a cappuccino. Yeah, the wait can be a while, especially on the weekend, but that's because the coffee is ground in front of you before each shot, the shots themselves are lovingly crafted, and the final product is the perfect temperature. No more burning my mouth on inferior Starbucks cappuccinos! The drinks are fairly small ($2.75 including tax for what would be a "short" at Starbucks) but the baristas are friendly and knowledgeable, and you can't beat the taste. read more

Everybody settle down. This place ain't that good. First let's talk about the coffee. I went to this place expecting espresso bliss and, while competent, it's not genius. To be fair, part of the issue for me is a taste preference. I'm a cappuccino drinker and I prefer velvety chocolate caramel notes in my espresso. The espresso was extracted fine but was too bright and acidic for my preference. The milk was frothed decent but not perfect. I might give these guys three stars if it wasn't for the following secondary things. The croissant was overly doughy and dense and didn't have a wonderful flavour. My wife ordered a hot chocolate and they dumped some chocolate milk from a carton into the pitcher and steamed it up. Now, if this were to produce the tastiest chocolate milk known to humanity then I'm all for it. But it didn't. It was lacking in flavour and overly sweet. I know this place is supposed to be about the coffee, but cocoa is a close cousin. Put some friggin' love into it! I didn't get the friendly or neighbourly service that others are going on about. I'm all for small specialized places. But if you are going to have no comfort or ambiance you better make up for it with tremendous quality and service. read more

The last stop on the Natey/Gory West End Espresso Crawl ! Sam James Coffee Bar. Literally a tiny storefront without a bathroom. I guess it's cute but there are so many people here you don't notice. Nathan and I previously enjoyed this dude's work at Hank's Café. But this is some next-level shit. The beans are from some microbrewery in Montreal that specializes in supplying restaurants or whatever. I'm trying to stall because I was too lazy and wired to ask for the name again. Best beans! Sam himself wasn't pulling the shot but the guy who did knew his stuff. The shot looked smoother and not as deep as the previous cups. The coffee hits in waves. Literally flavour waves. Dips and peaks of bold and mellow. We leave and the shot is still on the palette. The best I've had in Toronto. We both comment on how the shot gave us a moment of clarity. But I think the customers at Soundscapes Music who overheard my top albums and singles of the year in a 2 minute synopsis might disagree. Lovely stop to a wonderful run. Stay tuned for the East End crawl. read more

There are no decorations here. There is nowhere to sit. It's really far from my house. So, I walk in and I see Emma, the only person I ever liked at Te Aro. She was all, "Heeeeyyy!" and I was all... "I'll have..." and she interrupted me and said "a cappuccino!" And I was like... you remembered! The pros: - coffee is good - they have a really elaborate cash register even though they only sell ten things - Emma now works here and she is +1 - lots of street parking in and around the area The bad: - there is nowhere to sit - it's really far from my house - it's basically an empty room with 2 grinders, an espresso machine and a cash register - it's really weird-feeling and has no identifiable personality Would I go here again? If I was in the area. I don't think this place is as 5-star amazing as everyone else does, and if Emma hasn't been there making my coffee and talking about Deep River Ontario, I would probably rate this a 3. Let the Sarah hating begin. read more

Love SJCB! I'm a regular as it's on my route to work, but I would actually go out of my way for the vanilla latte here. I've heard rumours that they make their own vanilla... to be confirmed. At times I've had service that leaves much to be desired, but I suppose I'd be a little frazzled too if I had to contend with the lineups that often happen here. I would agree with Rafi on the croissant front - they just don't compare to Nadege or Clafouti. However, one taste of the oatmeal cookies and they will forever the effect on you that a bell has on one of Pavlov's dogs. If you're looking to take home beans so you don't have to make the trip each morning, I highly recommend the Guatemalan or the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. Tip: Cash Only read more

A hidden gem along Harbord street. I've had a lot of lacklustre espresso coffees about town, and was genuinely surprised by the quality and price that SJCB offers. Not to mention the consistency -- never been disappointed. The location is more suited to getting a quick fix or take away drink, so this isn't the place you want to go to hang out all afternoon. read more

Stayed nearby and it quickly became our coffee spot for a few mornings. Good coffee. Hipster vibe but friendly and not pretentious. Good dog watching too. read more

Sam James Coffee Bar Sam James located at 297 Harbord Street offers in my opinion the best coffee in town. Situated on of my favourite streets in the annex, Sam James brews a delightful array of coffee based beverages including but not limited to: espresso, lattes, drip coffee, and cappuccinos. Several non-caffeinated products are available as well. The vanilla extract is apparently made in house and is totally delicious-I strongly suggest the vanilla latte, which is prepared with such beautiful care by the lovely baristas. A half pound of take home beans runs you $9 bones. Bring cold hard cash, no debit services available. Street parking available on Harbord right across the street. Sam is a super cool cat. His strong knowledge of fine quality coffee is abundant. His subtle charisma is even more abundant. Sam James offers some delicious baked goods as well. I recommend the oatmeal cookie. The decor is very kitsch and authentic. Seating is limited in the coffee bar; however, in finer weather you will often find people chilling on stools in front of SJ. Prices are reasonably within market value and totally worth every penny. " Sam James coffee, mornings just suck without it!" But make um understand its Westside foe life! Thanks so much for you time! read more

Just had a latte low foam. Wow! Not bitter! Not diluted either. I didn't even have to put any sugar in it. No fancy condiments like honey or sugar syrup. Simple cafe. Few seating along the walls. No bathroom. Pretty busy. Bench outside to enjoy the day. I'm still impressed w the non bitter latte. read more

Came here on a recommendation based on the owner's reputation. The shop had a good local vibe and the kids behind the counter were cheerful and friendly. But if you admit you can't pour me a ristretto "because the machine is not calibrated for it", then homes, in the words of Aphex Twin, "you need to take your momma car home". A good spot for the layman, but this is not Toronto's answer to SF's Bluebottle or Seattle's Vivace. read more

drinks: amazing. on par with intelligentsia. prices: below average. lattes, mochas, soy, vanilla are all the same price. space: tiny. only seats 3. read more

Sam James Coffee Bar - new school: mocha and soy lattes - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Stop # 4 on the Gory n' Pantz Espresso Run - West End. This is the stop we have most been looking forward too. Gory and I have very pleasant memories of some great shot's Sam served up to us at Hank's last year. Or was it possibly earlier this year? In any case, we were doing a similar espresso run in the east end and it was the highlight. The talk about the new shop has been overwhelmingly positive, it promised to once again be a highlight for this run. While I had been twice, Gory had not, being firmly ensconced in Leslieville's breeder zone. Out now on his day pass; buzzing happily, we entered to a milling throng reminiscent of the Cherry Bomb crowd we had encountered earlier in the day. Apparently, lots of people actually do live around Harbord and Clinton and the shops location is not as crazy as it seems. Gory orders up some short shots. I don't believe the term ristretto is used. Look - Cup is not wide, more small and thin, and I can't get a really good look for variation in colour, I'm just seeing the top. From what I see, the crema looks good. Smell - at this point, after three doubles I'm having trouble picking up much beyond 'coffee'. That said, no off notes Taste - A brief berry tangy note, developing some toasted bread with butter flavours and then finally a rounded, nutty milk chocolate finish. Five minutes later walking down Clinton to College, we still tasted it. No other shot we had on our run had multiple layers of flavour like this one did. Rating - Tori Amos, Regina Spektor and Kate Bush back up Leonard Cohen on "Life On Mars" As expected, the highlight of the run. Extra bonus points go to the fact that Sam was in the shop but not pulling shots. I don't know the name of his staff, but the guy is good. I also believe it's the beans currently in use. A roaster out of Quebec, I think the fact they weren't a dark roast really allowed them to be fully expressed without the common bitterness issues that happen around town. Final confession - as much as I love a good espresso, I'm probably more excited by the siphon coffee on offer. Must try next. read more

A local hangout Attracts lineups like Timmies This 'hood loves Sam James Popular it is Rep of big name barista Faze me not at all The odd mix of tunes Keeping the hip coffee warm Fun yummy bites, yeah! It's not so tiny But so few places to sit Hey you, cash only! {TTC (this original location): Wellesley bus to Manning Ave.} read more

Great americanos, friendly service. Very few seats and no washrooms. I understand no-wifi - but not when the atmosphere is non-conducive to conversations. 4 as take-away, 3 as sit-in. Average 3.5 - knock it down to three. read more

The coffee can be great, but it usually is not. I use to think I knew who could pull a good shot..now it seems more of the yahoos that work there just can't pull it off. Sorry for the bad review sam, but between the poor customer service, over the top antics (ie. read tweets regarding parking in the bike lanes and blog post on credit cards) I now avoid this place. I am an espresso snob, but would rather drink a tim hortons coffee then have to put up with the terrible service. read more

Not many seats here but the service was quick and the barista didn't look flustered one bit when we asked for six cappuccinos all at once. Like Sam G stated, there are no washrooms (which posed quite a problem when doing an espresso crawl). I should note that they are part of the Disloyalty Card coffee joints in Toronto: http://www.yelp.ca/topic/toronto-indie-coffee-disloyalty-card read more

*3.5 stars* My latte was good - milk was velvety but thought it tasted a bit too milky so it overwhelmed the espresso. The rosetta leaf the barista made was probably the best I've seen here and in Vancouver. It's a shame when I have to cover it with a lid. Limited seating so I wouldn't come here expecting to find one. They have about 3 bar stools facing the front window and an indoor park bench. Service was sufficient. read more

sam james is better than crack. I TTC, (that's right..I said TTC) ALL the way from st. lawrence to get an espresso here. it's THAT good. Who cares that the place is as big as my arm span? The beans here are so good I understand why they would want to have just a take and go place. If there were tables/chairs here I might LIVE here. Best part is, I dont' mind giving it RAVE reviews because it's not like YOUR ass in my cafe is gonna crowd me out since its a strictly take-out place. = ) Best kept secret, no more. try the crack. it's good. read more

Reviewed this café for my blog - I felt welcomed and engaged during the time in his shop learning things about the espresso that I drank while Sam was open to my tastes and thoughts. A true ambassador to the coffee amateur. The espresso blend that he uses is Espressone from Toi et Moi. The excecution of the shot is carfully looked at as it is coming out while also being carefully timed by a timer (not something I have seen often). The nose on it is earthy and woody. The first sip awakens my senses unexpectantly with a lot of fruity brightness which is short lived. Then is followed by a long smooth finish of many layered flavours including dark chocolate with sweetness and overall balanced earthiness. The taste seems to linger for a long time and leaves a very pleasant feeling in my mouth. Not something I expected, but definitely something that I would like to repeat. read more

Stopped by today and had a latte made by Sam James himself. It was artfully done and perfectly smooth. 1 size only (honestly, the large/extra large sizes at other places are alarming! who can drink that much coffee?!?). I had read all the praise/buzz, but was glad to find that the place and namesake owner were down to earth and warm. Since it was nice out, my friend and I sat outside on the stools. I didn't realize it closes at 7pm on weekdays. As James was closing up, he gave us each some croissants to take home with us (gratis!). They were divine. That seals the deal. Count me among Sam James' loyal following. I will definitely be back. read more

I'm loving the Coffee Pocket! I stop by when out walking our black Lab puppy. It's small enough that one early morning I was able to open the door- ask for my Americano and then tie the pup up - leaving him only for a short time while paying and oohing and ahhhing at their muffins and treats (if only there was something gluten-free). I've just read that the Pocket opens at 6:30am weekdays, fantastic! the coffee- sweet and dreamy. read more

Amazing coffee. The espresso is so delicious and the service was very friendly. Great spot to meet for a coffee (if there's space to sit) read more

Sam James Coffee Bar - Latte. So delicious - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great service and one of the best lattes I have ever had in the city. I only wish they were closer to me. read more