The lady behind the counter was very courteous and their ice coffee was delicious. Wicked nice place

Like lots of things in Portland, this is a place for hipsters and seem a little pretentious. But, if you can overlook that - the coffee is really awesome. They have a small selection of wood roasted coffee that you can choose from that they will brew for you. The flavors are very rich and distinct and can be brewed as pour over coffees or those chemistry looking glass siphons. If you don't want to wait for the individual brews, you can also order a cup of their pre-brewed coffee. Even the iced coffee is strong and made using an aeropress - a really cool gadget that brews a nice strong cup. read more

This modern coffee shop is a gem, the coffee is delicious I drank it black. Keep in mind I am definitely a creamer person. I had the cold brew but they have many options. Small inside but still eclectic seating. Me and my boyfriend sat outside and enjoyed people watching right downtown. read more

This was probably the spiciest chai tea latte I've ever had!!! I stan chai lattes, this one was just.... unique. Very spicy with tons of cinnamon. wouldn't recommend if you can't handle strong flavor. read more

Speckled Ax is one of my favorite coffee shops in Portland. I'm not usually over on this part of Congress St. but have been known to go out of my way to grab a coffee or specialty drink at Speckled Ax. Recently, they partnered with Allagash White to bring an Allagash white infused coffee to the people of Portland. I mistakenly didn't make it over there soon enough to grab a cup of this but next time they have it in house someone needs to notify me (I'll buy you a cup too ;) ). With great atmosphere and an ancient Japanese method of coffee brewing, Speckled Ax is definitely a to do on coffee lovers list's, when visiting Portland. I did wish they had more seats as it's almost always full whenever I stop by. It's a small space so I'm not sure how they would manage that (maybe bar seating on the left wall?) but I thought I'd mention it. Once you go Speckled Ax you'll never go back. read more

I've tried a few different coffee places in Portland and this is my favorite one. I like the minimalist decor and the simple set up. It made for a good place to meet up with a friend or get some work done in peace. I just got an espresso with steamed milk and it was really well made - nothing bitter or sour, just a great little cup of espresso. They serve Holy Donuts too, which is kind of fun! read more

Speckled Ax - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

You always know your coffee will be perfectly made here. The baristas are friendly and knowledgeable about whatever is being poured that day (expect 3-4 options for pour over on top of their exquisite espresso drinks). Milk and sugar would only take away from the intelligently (light) roasted coffees. Hands down, my favorite coffee shop in Portland. read more

Speckled Ax - Tower shots are back! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

Yes! This place was a breath of fresh air! Dude at the counter was very friendly and helpful, (which can be hard to find in a coffee shop) and added to our experience. We tried the espresso (very chocolatey and also fruity) and an iced Maple Latte. Both were outstanding and exactly what we needed after a long journey from Iowa to Portland that morning. Would recommend and return if in the area. read more

Speckled Ax - My husband with his espresso and his swag. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

Very serious about their coffee, and it may be the best in Portland. What i really LOVE about this coffee shop, in addition to the coffee, is that they play music but it is not intrusive - It's not too loud to hear yourself think, talk across a table, or just enjoy your coffee, as it is in most coffee shops. I stay far away from all but this one and CBD exactly because of the loud music issue. Speckled Ax feels like a coffee shop for adults. (And all ages do hang out here!) read more

The land of hipsters. This place looks like a torture chamber for coffee. They have multiple ways you can get your caffeine fix. I have to say the lovingly prepared cappuccino was totally delicious. Small place and every table taken on a Saturday afternoon. read more

Solid yelp recommendation!!!! Loved their pour-over options, the coffee was delicious, staff so friendly, vibe really chill. And coming from Boston where pour-over is rather pricey, I liked how much these ones cost :) Definitely worth a jaunt if you want to get away from boring ol' Starbucks and into a fabulous local place. Thanks yelp! read more

Speckled Ax offers really good coffee in a low-key, hip setting. I really liked that is was a small, intimate place. It was nice to see people just chillin' out, relaxed. It was fairly quiet in there, not boisterous with like, teenagers hanging out. We haven't tried any food there, but love their cappuccino! read more

Speckled Ax has great coffee. It is also one of my favorite roasters here in Maine. The birddog and sock saunders are fantastic!

It's good coffee? I feel bad writing a review about this place not knowing much about coffee. The space itself is nice and open. Give it a shot and compare to the other shops around town. LMK if it holds up quality-wise. read more

This place has horrible customer service. They forgot half of my order and when I came to check on it, they claimed I had never ordered the second item and refused to fix it. They told me I had to buy another one. nothing but thieves. read more

I need to give them a second try. We went in, because duh: lumberjack coffee shop. But I was confused by what was going on. Our coffee was good, but then against most coffee tastes good to me. Dan didn't like it, but it's not really his thing, so I can't fault the coffee. I just didn't get enough of a unique or extraordinary vibe off it. Maybe if I read reviews beforehand and new what to do/get. I will try it again though. read more

This is a cute little spot to grab an iced coffee and relax for a bit. Some of the other reviews mention that the iced coffee isn't the way to go in terms of menu items and I'll agree that it wasn't the best iced coffee I've ever had. But it got the caffeine into my blood stream and that's all that really matters. Plus, it's a cozy little spot. read more

Speckled Ax undoubtedly serves some of the best coffee I've ever had. I am a fan of black hot coffee, and that is all that I have ever had from Speckled Ax, so I can't comment on their iced or espresso drinks. The first thing to mention is that this place is very different than most coffee shops. Most coffee shops serve both coffee and a menu of other things like pastries, non-coffee drinks, and possibly even sandwiches. Speckled Ax serves coffee - if you are lucky, they might have some donuts from Holy Donut there as well, but the reason to go is for their coffee. How is their coffee? Well, to make a comparison to a less hip place, the coffee at Speckled Ax is similar to the Starbucks Reserve Coffees made on a Starbucks clover machine. Speckled Ax has different coffees available and not always the same coffees. They do taste noticeably different. I have never had a bad cup from Speckled Ax, but some I do like better than others. Right now they are selling a dry-processed coffee, which has almost a subtle fruitiness to it that I think is definitely worth trying. As for the atmosphere? I always get the coffee to go, but it looks like a place that I would have enjoyed hanging out if I were still in college. And finally, the service? Yes, the baristas are the target market of Urban Outfitters, but my own experience is that when I step up to the counter and ask questions about the menu or place an order, they are friendly and helpful. The only negative to this place is that they close early, so you can't go there for a late cup of coffee after dinner. read more

Yes! This coffee is excellent. I had a macchiato that was perfect. My girlfriend's latte was great as well. I even bought some whole bean coffee to grind at home that was excellent. If you're in Portland, you need to try this place. read more

Great coffee and service. Answered questions and perfect service. If you are willing to pay Starbucks prices....might as well have a good cup of coffee. And they have good coffee! read more

Speckled Ax - Ethiopian and Kenyan blends. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

I went here once on a Sunday, sign said open at eight. It was twenty past. They were closed. I walked a few feet away and other peeps were tugging on the door handle to get in. I never went back, too many choices. read more

I'm visiting from Chicago and frequent coffee shops out there in Wicker Park. This one I felt had an older crowd vibe to it. I'm in my mid 20s, but no complaints! I'm pretty straight forward with my coffee because I like it strong, so I ordered the Americano. Wow, it was strong. It was my second one of the day around 6pm, but this one definitely had me feeling wired for a little. It will also get your system to clean its slate if you catch my drift. :p read more

Coffee was good - no complaints there. My low review is based on the service. The very first thing spoken to me when ordering my coffee by the gentleman w/ glasses in a too tight fitting 'Lana Del Rey' t-shirt and feather earring was "you must be a racist." I was taken' back by this as I am definitely not a racist and on top of that was minding my own business silently. He assumed this based on my tank top that had a picture of an Indian chief on it. He began to demean myself and my friends stating "white people do not get to decide what is racist and what isn't. You should think next time you decide to support racism." After we sat down, he then approached the table w/ his name and number on a piece of paper and said if we wanted to 'debate this issue' to call him. Not only was this EXTREMELY unprofessional in a place of business, but it was incredibly demeaning and uncalled for. I would not visit this shop again if this is the service offered. read more

Over priced and the chia tea wasn't that great. Staff also wasn't overly friendly. Wouldn't go again.

Good little local coffee shop on Portland. I'd recommend this over the SBUX across the street or the DD down the street. Friendly staff and tasty brews. read more

With a name like Speckled Ax, we had to stop in as we were walking around Portland. Great decor - loved the fish art on the walls. They sell their own brand of bagged coffee too and it's delicious. Went with a simple iced maple coffee. Very strong which I loved. Somewhat crowded on a Saturday afternoon with limited seating but we were able to sit and wait for the coffee and enjoy the ambiance of the place. I need to stop in again to get another bag of coffee as that was really strong and delicious and will not last more than another day here! read more

Really good coffee and expresso. Not too expensive either! My husband and I drove through Portland on our way up to Bar Harbor and stumbled upon this cute coffee shop with a last minute recommendation from a friend of a friend. My husband loved the coffee here so much he bought three bags and now regretting he didn't get more. read more

Speckled Ax - Really good coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

Love the decor here. Great organic coffee options and local pastries. Everything looked so good. I got the caramel latte the first time I went and it was the bomb diggity. Second day I got the Costa Rican coffee blend- I think I'm more of a latte person, but it was good coffee. Quick service and friendly staff and helpful, patient to answer questions. Oh, latte art! I love me some latte art. read more

Speckled Ax - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Tough to understand why this place isn't getting more attention. My new favorite place for espressos and cortados - makes you wonder why people have been doing espresso drinks in the same narrow flavor profile for so long. Their espressos are bright and insanely flavorful. Highly recommend! read more

Excellent coffee ! Good customer service . She had me my coffee instead of calling my name . I was impressed.

Really great coffee. I didn't get a chance to try the wood roasted coffee, it didn't appear you could order it at the bar, you have to buy a bag... bummer. Anyhow the baristas are legit. The drinks are well made. The place is nice, and comfortable. If I lived in Portland I'd go to this place frequently. Since posting this review I've had a couple people politely inform me all coffee at Speckled Ax is wood fired. I left out initially that I asked specifically about this and was told the coffee I was served, espresso and siphon, were not roasted with wood. Maybe there was some mix up? However, the real thing to concentrate on here is the quality of the coffee here. If the coffee i was drinking had a too smokey or woody taint to it, if the wood had detracted from the coffee, i would have panned this place as a gimmick. But the truth is the coffee was great. I will say my espresso was rich, velvety, sweet, and had just the right amount of citrus tang to it. The siphon was an Ethiopian i believe, and it was nice and fruity. I will say the siphon was under extracted. I don't know if the the grounds to water ratio was off, or what, but it was a lot weaker than i was hoping for. I could taste all the notes you want but i had to really swish and concentrate. Yes, i did rinse my palette and wait for the coffee to come down in temp to let the flavors establish. It wasn't the best coffee i had in Portland, which in my opinion has an embarrassment of good coffee spots for such a small city. read more

Good, locally-roasted espresso. Not the best I've ever had but certainly better than average. They roast their beans over wood fire and maybe it was my imagination (or at least the placebo effect) but I think I could taste the corresponding smokiness from said roasting. About on par for pricing relative to joints of this ilk. A little pricey, but justified for the quality. Excellent marks for service and friendliness. I was offered complimentary soda water for a palate-cleanser. Wifi is fast; Music is good---indie/house tracks; not esoteric deep cuts, but definitely not anything close to Top 40 crap, either. Decor is pretty nice---a little more contemporary/traditional than most shops of this type. Not big time industrial chic or the like, but some cool touches in that vein. Seating is limited, simply due to square footage; ~7 tables & a tiny bar. Solid coffee & espresso joint---check it out.... read more

Went in to taste the coffee and check out the slayer machine. Turns out the slayer bought it over a year ago - bummer - but the cap was good. My developing palette would have guessed a darker roast but in fact they were using a light/medium that day. In taste /character this cap is 5/5 When my barista was prepping the portafilter I just saw loading, swiping the top, tamper, followed by extraction. Although common when a shop is busy (it wasn't ) I prefer to see better grind distribution technique - hence 4 stars. Almost bought some beans read more

What can I say, I sat and sipped in a fruity pebble latte while people watching in what was a delightful 30 minutes. I can't say much other than the fact that the latte legit tasted like I was eating a bowl of fruity pebbles. It was surprisingly fabulous. The best part was watching the barista look like she was falling in love, she had a good snuggle session with a handsome man that came in while her co worker ran around like a chicken with her head cut off. It was team work at the finest. I am happy when I go somewhere and find that it is clean, bright and delightful and that's what I found this morning at the Speckled Ax. read more

Coffee is extremely bitter - tasted like a cross between chocolate, pine-sap and bile. Awesome atmosphere and people but the coffee is terrible. And it literally took 8 minutes to drip brew. Stupid. Starbucks is a block away. read more

My favorite coffee shop. The atmosphere is quiet, almost to the point of being delicate. The folks working there are familiar and warm. Not cheap coffee, by any standard, but worth it in the eyes of a teenager just looking for some peace and quiet and free wifi. Mochas are my favorite. Beautifully crafted and wonderfully rich and airy. read more

Great third wave coffee shop. In house roast and focus on single origin pour overs l. "Fast coffee" (drip) is only available until 11 AM, so it's best for a slow,cozy afternoon. Quiet, relaxed vibe allows you to focus on their precisely brewed drinks. read more

Speckled Ax - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

The staff at Speckled Axe was great! They talked to us about the entire menu, helped us decide what to get based on if we were having it for here or to go, then walked us through the process as they were making our siphoned coffee. It was refreshing to interact with staff that genuinely enjoy their job. We got our coffee and sat at the corner table. The atmosphere is relaxing with people working on their laptop & chatting. We loved our coffee so much we got a cold brew iced coffee to go! read more

Bitter tasting cold brew. I was slightly disappointed. I even tried adding milk and sweetener, but it wasn't the right taste provide for me or my friend. Oh well. read more

First time visitors to Portland and this was our first stop. So glad we did! Mike was great! We tried his recommendation and it did not disappoint! Will definitely be back on our trip! Delicious coffee and great chill spot to hang. read more

Speckled Ax - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine