Terrible coffee. Grumpy service. Bad messaging. Poor signage. What happened to serving the customer? Unfortunately Portland, Maine seems preoccupied with navel gazing. read more

Vibe was good, little pricey for the size of the drink. Cashier was helpful and knowledgeable.

Super cute little coffee shop in Maine. Plus, they have FRUITY PEBBLES milk that you can put in your coffee to make it extra snazzy. There were plenty of seats when I went, but they don't really have pastries or food, so just be aware. Anyway, really good coffee so try it out! read more

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

Very nice coffee. Complimentary soda water. We ordered caramel latte and it was quite tasty. Definitely a go to coffee place. read more

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

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Food was great. We had breakfast sandwich and a bagel. Both were very good. Would definitely reorder both. They are extremely busy at because food was Delicious. The flow ordering is awkwardly set-up, making of payment, customers waiting to order is not conducive for optimum efficiency. If they reposition payment and pickup using retractable lines. Would improve service and experience increase their profits. Give it a try read more

For those who appreciate connoisseur coffee. Not for the Dunkin hit-and-run crowd. If you can sip slowly, feel the warmth, and smell the fragrance without activating your iPhone, this place is for you. If you think those little plastic Kurig containers makes consumable coffee, this place is going to be your eye-opener. read more

One of the few shops open early on a Sunday morning. Simple design and menu with a few coffee drinks plus pastries to the side. They didn't have it on the menu, but went ahead and asked if they could make a cappuccino. Lady behind the counter obliged as we paid for that ($3) and a medium drip ($3). Not too bad price-wise since these drinks will run you a dollar or so more back in NYC. Cappuccino itself is a balanced bitter that didn't need any extra sugar. The regular coffee comes in a chemistry-styled beaker - with addons available at the station. Pretty good overall; kept us awake until the evening. Atmosphere is nice as there's artwork displayed along the walls and no loud music. Could see it being busy on a normal workday. read more

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

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It was the strangest thing I asked for a mocha and then I asked to used the restroom this girl named Courtney was very rude said that they had no bathroom which I knew they did and THEN she spit in my coffee! It was the craziest thing?!? I guess she must have been having a bad day but jeez lol. I would say if you don't want spit in your coffee steer clear.. read more

I had a pretty good, but not great latte at the Speckled Ax. There was a slight bitterness so the beans were almost extracted perfectly. In addition, it was a little more watery than I would like. The water to milk ratio was definitely off. In my opinion, it was mainly caused by the cups being too big for the size I ordered. It might have been better if I asked for a larger size that has more milk. If you are visiting and planning a trip to Portland and looking for recommendations, feel free to message me for my itinerary. You can also find the electronic copy through the link my profile. read more

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

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Amazing coffee - literally the place that convinced me to try black coffee again after years of sweetened lattes, and then fully converted me. Their light roasts are phenomenal, and I love being able to choose how it's brewed. I had my first siphon coffee a few weeks ago, and it was great watching the physics of coffee happen before my eyes. I love stopping by whenever I'm in the area, and BirdDog is a staple in my house (and not just because I have a bird dog of my own ;) ) read more

We stop for a cup coffee, the place was quiet, the service was good. The prices were a little higher for coffee although they do have specialty coffee doing drip. It was a good spot to take a quick break and get out of the heat. It's always fun to try different coffee shops that are not chains in the area. read more

Came here to study and I really like the enviroment here. It's a modern, nice and cozy coffee shop. It's very different from all the other coffee shop that I have been to in Portland. However, they didn't have a lot of outlets available here for you to charge your phone or laptops, which was a bummer for me because my laptop always runs out of battery very quickly. I was recommended the Colombia Villa Del Rio coffee and I liked it because it had a unique and light chocolate flavor to it. I also got a chocolate chip cookie to enjoy with my coffee. You only see 1/2 of my cookie in the picture because I was too excited to try it out so I got forgot to take a picture of it before I ate it :P hehe. read more

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Fantastic iced coffee. Perfect amount of flavor and acidity for this hot weather. My wife and I were about to share one and changed our minds about sharing after one sip. Walked out with two and extremely happy! read more

Sick place my friend told me to go to while I was in town. Glad I came and checked it out. Only four stars because while my oat milk latte was amazing, my boyfriends chai was very underwhelming. The ambience was great though, and the barista very nice. Would still come by again for the espresso! read more

Speckled Ax - Small oat milk latte. On point. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

Charming little place. Really friendly help. We love to search towns we visit for the best chai and so far this is it. Very spicy. Could be a tad sweeter but adding a few packets of sugar made it really come alive. read more

I got fooled by all the good reviews on Yelp. We walked in during lunch time. Place looked nice inside with plenty of tables available. We ordered a latte and a mocha. My latte was bad and mocha was worse. Everything was off about it. The taste, the look and the foam was off. Mocha had salted chocolate and tasted bad. We threw both drinks out after a couple of sips. read more

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Nice local coffee place in Portland. They roast their own beans over wood and make a great cappuccino. Nice people also read more

Speckled Ax - Nice mugs for cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

Excellent spot!! We tried a few other spots that were closed prior and I am so thankful they were!!! we instantly felt at ease when we walked in, as if we could sit down and start doing yoga with a cup of fantastic coffee in hand. The staff was incredibly friendly and patient for my loud group of 4 girls and we all left wishing we ordered larger coffees. I got the maple latte, which is made with real maple syrup and now I can't have a maple latte any other way. One friend got the cold brew which was fantastic. Another friend tried a latte with the fruity pebbles milk, which was delicious and unique! read more

This place is small but offers very good coffee. It is pricey tho. I got a shot of espresso for $3. It's a great place to study but the ambience isn't great because of the layout and how small it is, it's not well decorated and the seating placement is kind of weird. read more

Speckled Ax - How they "plate" their coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

My goal on our last trip was to venture beyond the normal coffee joints and try all the local flavors. This brings me to Speckled Ax. We had enjoyed breakfast at Marcy's and walked over the this place. The interior left a lot to be desired. I didn't want to just sit and hang out, like I want to feel in spaces such as these. My coffee was great and is why I am giving a 4 star review. The service was helpful. I'm not sure I would return due to other spots I prefer, but I did like it! read more

Good cortado and sweet swag, very tempted to get myself a hoodie or trucker cap. The 'spro was strong and on the acidic side, so I'm glad I got it with the cortado. Service was fast and friendly, and very socially distanced. They take card! read more

This is a serious coffee place, but the brew here is not like sipping the cappuccino you would in Sicily. You have to be a fan of boldly roasted coffee here, or you will not like this place. (TIP: You might be best equipped with some mints before you head-off to meet up with friends.) The wood roasting has a serious effect on the beans. I prefer a smoother espresso, so it wasn't so much for me or my confidant. The setting is very relaxed, the music a bit harried at times but you'll recognize some tunes here and there. Contrary to other commentators, I found SA to be very affordable. Bonus points for carrying fair-trade/gluten free chili chocolate - it's to die for! read more

Speckled Ax - A sticker and chili chocolate for the road. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

I happened on this little nook of a place while driving somewhat haphazardly along Portland's main drags, looking for an inviting spot to grab a hot drink and something sweet for the road. The Speckled Axe was just the place. The place was fairly empty at the end of a Saturday night, but the woodsy modern atmosphere drew us in. The Tall Man got a coffee, which he rated highly (a big compliment from one who drinks himself through many a brew) while I got a soy hot chocolate (lovely, warm, and not too sweet). We also got a sticky sweet donut as a late night treat and grabbed a bag of beans to grind and brew at home, savoring the calm before a long drive. Being cafe and coffee "addicts," the Tall Man and I make it a goal to find a nice coffee place in cities we visit (big plus for having multiple brewing gadgets), and SA was a satisfying find for the night. If I were a Portland local, I'd make this part of my daily routine somehow. read more

Been here twice and I really enjoy it. I order a lot of pour-overs, and this one was very good and a good size/value. Second visit was a cold brew and I have to dock them a star, because it was probably one of the worst cold brews I've ever had. I have found cold brews are pretty tough to screw up and this one was worse than several that I've had from Dunkin Donuts believe it or not. My girlfriend enjoyed her tea, but it took 8-10 minutes to get it and no-one else was being served at the time..? Service was great the first time and mediocre the second. Never the less I will still probably be back again. read more

This is my absolute favorite coffee shop in Portland. They don't have a fussy menu and are good at what they do. The employees are friendly and knowledgeable about what they are serving. Stop in for a cup soon! read more

Guatamala El Pilar, absolutely delicious. This small and trendy coffee cafe is so clean looking and modern and with such excellent coffee. I can see it as a geat place to read a paper, chat with some friends, use the wifi, etc. If i'm ever in Portland in the near future I will make it an effort to stop by and grab another cup of their coffee, it was just so good and well crafted. read more

Speckled Ax - My friends' tasty looking beverage! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

Easy to find and parking is accessible off the street. Once in inside you'll find an open space and plenty of tables. Cool ass vibes. Friendly service. Strong ass Americano! read more

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

Interesting coffes to choose from. They have tons of coffee devices to bring that flavor out! I don't drink real coffee but my boo's espresso was too dark, and the vibe here is pretty uptight. I wouldn't want to just hang out/do work here. There was a cute dog sleeping here, though! Free wifi too. read more

If it weren't for all the pretention this would be a fabulous place. Just looking for a simple place to relax but you can feel the hoitiness of the place. Also....so many fruit flies! I cant type a complete sentance without swtting them..ugh... Dont expect it to be easy to plug in anything...oits are few and you jave to get on your knees to get under the benches to plug in. The outlwts on the wall are broken. Hope they figure things out... read more

This place is cute and quaint, and a great place to check out for espresso, at least once. The service was friendly and the place was clean. I was very disappointed with their beverage menu as well as that there is only on size for espresso drinks, I believe an 8oz cup. As always, I ordered an Americano. It came in the Super small cup which was left half full for milk... By the time I was half way down for the store, my drink was cold :/ read more

Speckled Ax - Beans for sale - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

Great coffee, awesome chai and a cool vibe. The barista's aren't too friendly, rather chilly, in fact but who cares, it's all about the coffee. read more

Speckled Ax's automatic/machine drip (they call it "fast coffee") is among the best I've ever had--it's very rare for me to be impressed by machine-brewed coffee and theirs did! I returned to Speckled Ax in the afternoon the day I had it to get a pour over and baristas know what they're doing. They are very friendly and like to discuss the coffees with you. Never felt rushed or like I was asking too many questions. I bought some beans to bring home because their coffee was so good. Everyone has different coffee preferences but I highly recommend trying the Costa Rica Cascara -- very unique flavor and so delicious. read more

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

I usually like to give a place a few tries before I really decide how I like it. However, I can't necessarily say that I will be going back to the Speckled Ax anytime soon. I recently visited when my wife and were nearby for something and I offered to run out to grab coffee. I heard and read good things about the coffee here and it was around the corner so I thought I'd give it a shot. The interior of the Speckled Ax is understated with warm earth tone colors. It's narrow and long with tables lining the walls when you first walk in. The menu is limited, so you're not going to find all the crazy drinks you'd find at a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. On one, hand I really appreciate that as I enjoy a place that does coffee well, on the other, I also think this narrows the customer base. Let's get to the drinks themselves. For my wife, I got an iced coffee with chocolate and I got myself the chai latte. The chocolate they use in the coffee has actual bits of chocolate in it, which I thought was an interesting concept, however, my wife didn't enjoy that aspect. My drink was ok, but nothing that wowed me. Overall, I don't think that the Speckled Ax is a bad place to get coffee, just not the place to get coffee for us. I support the idea of their mission and I wish them the best of luck, but I don't think I'll be back. read more

Got fooled by all the high reviews for this little coffee shop. I ordered a maple latte and mocha (listed as "chocolate" on the menu). The mocha tasted grungy and bitter, like stale baking chocolate, with absolutely no room for the espresso to come through. No sweetness in the mocha, which isn't necessarily bad, but it wasn't expected. The maple latte was overly sweet and super acidic, leaving an acrid taste in my mouth. The lattes are one size and $5 for a tiny cup of something awful. In hindsight, I probably should have just tried the drip coffee or the caramel latte since those specifically have been mentioned as crowd favorites. I have no idea if the staff or ownership have tasted what they're serving at this place. read more

If you're looking for a coffee shop that makes you feel uncool and also welcome at the same time, come here. Cute boys with chunky sweaters, baristas that are nice, but also too cool to be your friend, and a limited cute menu. You may not like the music, that's ok, you just don't get it. read more

Of the 3 coffee places (Tandemn and Bard were the other 2) I tried while in town, this was my favorite. Also, it happened to be the closest one to our hotel! I got a soy mocha one time and the other time I got a pour over. Both were good! Service was friendly and the place is cute like all places in Portland. read more

Visited here two times over this past weekend: We ordered an almond milk latte and a cold brew coffee. We found the baristas very friendly and the coffee was amazing. My latte was smooth and the cold brew was satisfying as well. The following morning, a Sunday, I already had a mediocre coffee from another shop down the street. My girlfriend ordered the largest latte. The service that morning wasn't efficient. It took literally 15 minutes for barista to make three espresso drinks before us and my girlfriend's drink. As many people leave reviews, I not only come from a food service background, but also managed a coffee shop. When the barista finished the order for the woman before us in line, it took three minutes for the barista to froth the milk and brew two shots of espresso. In the meantime, she kept on a conversation with someone, probably a friend, sitting near the espresso bar about personal issues (maybe she was looking at housing in the area). My experience from coffee industry is that this espresso should have been made in under 2 minutes. What was even worse, was by the time my girlfriend got her latte, the milk had cooled. This coffee shop has such great potential. That if it has no line, it's amazing, but if there is a line of 3 or 4 they're overwhelmed. It seemed like the girl working the register was also overwhelmed with preparing pour over drip coffee. She kept on getting hot water to top off the coffee grounds, instead of preparing hot water for each cup of coffee. 5 star experience the first time, 1 star experience the second time = 3 stars. My recommendation is no line or one person in line, grab a coffee. More than a person in line, go somewhere else. This seems like a new place. Management and ownership needs to get on top of their employees and the processes in place. It seemed like only having pour over drip coffee on a busy Sunday morning froze that one employee. Having the barista stop after each drink and walk the coffees over to seated customers added to the molasses like coffee production. read more

A great addition to the neighborhood. Stopped in and had an espresso with steamed milk...incredibly delicious 11/10. One star detracted for a really sub-par dirty chai latte. Very bitter and thin, made only marginally better by sweetening. read more

Speckled Ax - Espresso & steamed milk, $3.75 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Maine

My hot mocha latte with almond milk was $8.... really overpriced, considering I wasn't even able to finish it (only drank about half the cup) because it seemed like there were huge salt chunks sprinkled on top of the drink for some reason. I also wanted something to snack on, but they only offered 2 or 3 different kinds of baked goods. I ordered a scone and didn't like it, it was also very salty. The seating is cramped, so considering I like to grab coffee at a place where I can sit down and read or do some work, this place is not for me. read more

Fantastic coffee with a definite caffeine kick. Very clean aftertaste. Would 100% come back.