This is our favorite spot to stop on our trips to Iowa city. It's the perfect distance from Dubuque…read moreand we love the farmhouse aesthetic.

Their espresso isn't the best I've had but it wasn't horrible by any means. They do have a lot of…read moreflavor options which I love to see in a coffee shop. We sat down to eat, service was quick and food reminded me of home. Their chicken salad is so good!

This was such a cute little coffee shop I stopped by on my way drive home for the weekend! I loved…read morethe ambiance of the shop - it was connected to a store so there was a ton of little things you could look at or buy, definitely gave me very comfy cozy vibes. Bathroom was clean and looked well managed. Staff was very friendly and I didn't have to wait too long for my drink. I tried one of the specials I think the hoppy bunny which the barista described as white chocolate and peanut butter - to me it tasted more like almond, not really either of the flavors she mentioned but it was decent, just didn't blow me away :)

Jams is a great place to meet up with family or friends. Their coffees and other drinks are great…read more My favorites: iced latte with lavender, iced tea and Italian sodas. You must try the blueberry scones and muffins - loaded with huge berries. The homemade Chex mix is great. They also have other food choices on Wednesday and Thursday evenings too. Lots of seating indoor and pretty seating outside too. The Cedar Valley nature Trail goes right by the building. So if you're writing your bike, this is a fantastic place to stop for a treat. They also have ice cream. There is a great yarn shop on one side of the building. People are nice. I often meet my sister there - have snacks and coffee while we work on jewelry projects. It's just off the interstate. Great staff. They do a great job of decorating for the holidays. And in the spring and summer, it's gorgeous outside with their beautiful huge pots of flowers.

I liked the atmosphere and food. However I'm giving it one star because I didn't like the service…read more It was a normal breakfast rush and there was one lady working the cash register and coffee and one guy in the kitchen, but she seemed overwhelmed by the crowd which wasn't even a long line. I asked for an iced coffee and a muffin with peanut butter on the side. I then simply asked "can I please get my muffin toasted?" And she looked at me like I had ten heads. She looked so confused like I had just asked her to solve a math equation. At first she said huh I've never heard of that before, I don't think I can do that and I explained to her that I just would like it cut in half and toasted in that toaster. She then said she could do that (yeah it's not that hard...) and ten minutes later (yes it took forever to get our order) she came over and brought it to me and announced out loud to everyone "what a weird request" with such a judgemental look on her face. AND she didn't even cut it and toast it! It was still whole and barely luke warm which means she probably just stuck it in the microwave for ten seconds... Is toasting a muffin that outrageous of a request?? Maybe it is in Iowa. I just thought it was very rude and she made me feel dumb for even asking for a warm muffin. Not the end of the world but it really rubbed me the wrong way. Anyway, a word of advice to the lady: be nice to your customers who are paying YOU for great service and food!

One of the best lattes I've had and I live in Seattle! Sandwich was fantastic as well. Do yourself…read morea favor and go yourself a coffee from this little place

Real coffee. Real food. Real people…read more So grateful for this place! This is a great place to stop and stretch your feet. Also real clean bathroom! Nicest team, great recommendations and super efficient service. All the food was delicious and coffee hit the spot. This is a permanent add to when we travel by! Don't sleep on this or you will be wasting your money and tastebuds elsewhere on icky fast food and bad coffee. No one needs that in their life. :)

Enjoy trying different coffee shops & comparing. Stopped in and was not disappointed. Had a…read morewonderful mocha with lavender, husband had a fabulous smoothie with an amazing raspberry scones. Environment nice & clean. Friendly staff.

Took my 95 year old Mother here. Very accessible and good coffee. The staff was friendly and…read moreservice oriented Curt, Atlanta, Georgia

Trading Grounds is such a cozy, welcoming, and comfortable space to sit and relax, study, or visit…read morewith friends while enjoying the delicious beverage of your choice! It's my new favorite coffee shop. They even have a community room that you can reserve. It would be a perfect place to hold your book club. O! Their service is always friendly and efficient. I Trading Grounds!!

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.

Love the community spirit and the cortado! I also recommend the dark roast and Monster cookies.read more

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

After a long day on the road, a great cup of coffee is non-negotiable--even if it means venturing a…read morelittle farther from the exit. Brickhouse was absolutely worth the detour. Tucked away in a charming small town off I-80 in Iowa, this coffee shop is a gem. The beautifully renovated historic building adds to its warm and inviting atmosphere, making it the perfect place to recharge, whether you're grabbing a quick cup or settling in for a break. The staff was friendly and welcoming, and they made me a fantastic Americano--my go-to order since it delivers a consistently bold espresso experience without the variability of drip coffee. If you find yourself in the area, do yourself a favor and make the stop. It's well worth it!

From New York to San Francisco, my wife and I have traveled to coffee shops across America…read more Brickhouse has now made it into our Top 5 best coffee shops we've been to. Expect to be greeted with a smile and warm vibes in this small town gem. This is a can't miss coffee shop if you're passing by!!

This is a very fancy coffee shop in a rural part of Wisconsin: what a surprise!…read more The decor is bright and twee. There are all the usual coffee drinks you would expect. What you wouldn't expect are the breakfast burritos. They are good. They are damn good! Most coffee places have A-OK/serviceable breakfast burritos. Not here. I'd even argue that the breakfast burritos are the main attraction.

Good food good coffee good service Piano bar is great!…read more Live piano music every Sunday 12:00-2:00 pm

Frequently in Marion/ CR to visit family. And this is always my go to to get a nice specialty…read morecoffee when I'm wanting something more than just a drip coffee. Great coffee, friendly service as always! I also got a piece of their coffee cake and a breakfast burrito and they were both so good. Easily a top 5 breakfast burrito for me in recent memory and it's not 5. The crispy hash brown and the ratio of bacon (added it on) and eggs carry this and the aioli is amazing. Looking forward to trying this again next time I'm in town!

In my quest for having a favorite local coffee spot in every city I visit, Uptown Coffee was my…read morelatest adventure in Cedar Rapids. Uptown has a very eclectic, hipster vibe to it. The seating area is behind where you order coffee--looks like it's a bar in the evenings. They also have a great breakfast selection. I was hoping to try one of the breakfast sandwiches, but had to opt for a pastry because service was so slow. I ordered my go-to basic drip coffee with cream. It was perfect! Definitely the morning pick me up I needed. Since I wasn't able to get a hardier breakfast, I opted for a donut. The cake donut was definitely yummy! While there were three people working behind the counter, I had to wait about 10 minutes to even order. One staff member was making drinks, another making food, and the third was making signs. I'm sure the signs were important, but so are customers who are standing in front of you. Bottom line, I will give Uptown another shot when I'm back in the area because the coffee was that good and the sandwiches being made looked and smelled delicious.