Bar Francis

I would call myself a coffee fanatic, I personally have an espresso machine and a grinder because we were spending so much on buying coffee out. That said I have done a few coffee “crawls” Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, and Olympia..also other small town coffee shops on my hiking adventures, but this coffee spot has been mine and my husbands favorite hands down. The only thing I wish it had was a few more seats, but we usually grab it and walk downtown enjoying our cup. Coffee though it’s the best, I love that there are a few house made flavors, to me shows a bit more effort and I know what’s in it. Thank you for a great latte!

We stopped in purposely and were not disappointed. The Oat latte was an amazing smooth and flavourful coffee! Added bonus, the barista drew us a map to help us with our walking tour of the murals!

Bar Francis is the ACTUAL best coffee in Olympia. Similar to the quality of cafe vita in Seattle (my personal favorite there)

Delicious coffee everytime. Good pricing and quality beans are used in making great coffee beverages. Fast and friendly service. This low-key local spot is my go to for a good coffee when in downtown Olympia. You won't be disappointed.

Two minutes in line gave me time to look around and realize how dirty and poorly maintained the place is. I walked out. Why is there a PVC pipe adapter acting as a funnel on top of the coffee grinder? Odd.

So glad this place isn't a mystery to me, I looked at the photos and imagined only having the reviews to go off of and I cannot tell you how eerily amazing this place is. The coffee is the best in town and if you haven't noticed this town has a lot of coffee in it!

Awesome service and great tasting coffee. Pretty cool place with great coffee cups

Absolutely loved this place and their coffee. This is very very simple bar - just espresso and espresso with milk, nothing more. There are a couple of small table to sit by, but bring your sides with you. Nonetheless - they made perfect 6oz cappuccino. And bonus for kids - hot chocolate that’s not too hot and not too cold. I’ll be coming back next time I’m in Olympia.

Although I make my own espresso at home, I strive to attain the flavor and flair that Bar Francis ALWAYS delivers! Unfortunately, I cannot mimic the robust aromas and nutty flavors that overtake my contentious palate. This is the best espresso or cappuccino I have ever had in my life. When I go out and I want to treat myself, I saunter over to my favorite espresso bar and indulge like a kid the day after Halloween. Thank you for making me smile. The local art livens the atmosphere and brings the community into the cafe.

This stop to Bar Francis was part of a rainy, spontaneous early morning drive from Shoreline to Olympia (5/23/21, posted 8/22/21). I was randomly driving through the downtown core. I saw this line from this indie cafe, confirmed the business from Yelp, so decided to check it out. First impressions: indie cafe, gallery space for artists and craftspersons, and a barista (perhaps cafe owner?) who knew most people in masked, socially distanced line. I ordered my standard 16 oz mocha, had a pleasant chat with that gentleman. He was surprised I drove from Shoreline. Heck, I'm surprised too, lol. Spot on mocha! Notable indie spot and worthy detour off I-5 in the Olympia downtown retail area.

Awesome spot to grab an espresso! Friendly service and nice atmosphere. Espresso seems like it leans toward a light roast if you're interested in that! Overall a great stop in Oly

I needed a coffee that wasn't bitter. I wanted a latte plain and simple. No bells or whistles, just good coffee. That's what I got at Francis Bar. Lovely conversation with the barista was thrown in! They had run out of pastries or treats so recommended us down the road to Schwartz's. That was tasty too! Recommend!

I really like this place -- a lot. Almost love it. A small, delightfully decorated single room (with a quirky storage loft), they have really knowledgeable staff who make great drinks. There's a single outside table, usually, which I enjoy sitting at with my dog. I don't live in the area, but I try to come here every time I drive through town.

It's hard not to like this place. It's designed to be a place for people to talk over coffee, read, and write. Theres no wifi and there's only one power outlet. It's secluded at a wobbly, 1-person table. Not designed for doing any computer work.

Best espresso in Olympia - balanced, smooth & full of flavor. We're out of towners and were there a couple of weeks ago. Have to give them kudos! Their espresso is our new standard. And nice people, too.

Super good almond milk latte with house-made vanilla. The foam was absolutely perfect and everything was proportional. The atmosphere was very relaxed and it's a great place to do work. If you want a home-like surrounding, this is the place to be. In a great location, helpful staff, everyone seems to be friends who come in, I'm very satisfied! (:

This tiny place saves on the space and puts all the love, time, and money into the coffee craft and has the taste to prove it if I am ever in town again I will be back!

Sweet little spot with a hipster feel. Tasteful art, unique drinks and minimalist decor. The owner, Michael, is very friendly.

Super friendly barista and delicious drink. Prices are a bit on the high end and the seating area is limited. Ambiance is not the best so just grab and go. I would stop in again.

Epic Coffee. Epic. Scientifically measured out to the gram. A LOT of coffee in my little Olytown...best precision cup of cold brew epic ness I've tasted in years. Cream with six sugars... Your newest favorite place to go....and they type your gift certificates with an old school typewriter. Exuding class from every pour!

This place is a gem. Tired of the pretentious, squeaky-clean, coffee shops with long lines of State workers complaining that their mocha lattes don't have enough whipped cream on top? The ones streaming coffee shop tailored playlists that make you want to sit in your car and listen to 'cum on feel the noize'? Try Bar Francis. It's downtown real and their coffee is better than the rest. Sometimes the turntable is spinning some cool, forgotten record and the walls display funky, local art. Constant flow of customers but never any line.

Superb shots poured into handmade pottery... this is how we drank a thousand lives ago.

This is the coffee shop that you go to if you really want to people watch and eavesdrop on some interesting conversation. Right next to the reef and old school pizzeria, interesting people are bound to flock here. I was instantly greeted by a smiley barista who was quick and efficient in the preparation of my beverage. I got a 12 oz americano; overall it was good but the water was not hot, almost lukewarm. The espresso was good! Bonus points for a nice selection of mis-match mugs.

Best coffee in Washington state + super friendly baristas. Wish it was closer to where I lived!

I ordered a mocha, made sure it had two shots (I needed at least that) and waited for a very short time in the clean small space with cool character. I didn't ask what the loft was for but it was interesting. The barista frothed the milk and built the mocha with care. If the milk is done right I don't use a lid for 'to go' drinks because it ruins the texture. This milk didn't disappoint. The flavor was lightly sweet with a faint flavor of chocolate. It was very delicious and would get five stars had the chocolate flavor been a little bolder. Great texture, smooth flavor and the barista was very nice. I definitely recommend this place.

We absolutely loved our experience at Bar Francis! The service was incredibly warm and friendly, and my latte (brown sugar coconut oil, with hemp milk) was probably the best latte I have ever had. Will be coming back every time we are in Olympia, for sure!

Worth the price for the best-flavored coffee in downtown Olympia. My go-to place when I need a cup of whatever. They always interesting art exhibited on their walls, an added bonus.

Seriously delicious coffee, friendly barista and cool, funky space. Bar Francis keeps it simple. Very Oly, very good.

Hidden between Oldschool Pizza and Dumpster Values, this coffee shop is probably the best place to get a good cup of coffee. The owner is there passionately serving up Four Barrel coffee, which is roasted and shipped from San Francisco. They do espresso, pour overs, and make their own somewhat seasonal shrubs. There's also a decent selection of teas to choose from. The space itself is modest and small. Which is pretty comforting for me. It's nice to not step into a coffee shop filled with people isolated on their laptops who all simultaneously look up to see who walks in. Far from the hip coffee joints around the area, Bar Francis has, in my opinion, remained one of Olympias better kept secrets.

Nice friendly espresso bar. I always get a consistently good soy latte when I drop by. Their new location next to Old School Pizza is conveniently downtown Olympia.

I am a downtown resident and I have seen this place a lot walking to and from my home. I regret not coming in sooner. This is a quaint locally owned coffee shopped tucked by old school pizza. I really enjoy a good cup of coffee and this is the spot. Only complaint is I wish there were bigger sized iced drinks. Maybe I'll bring my own cup in and I'm sure the owner would hook it up.

I have never had a bad cup of coffee here. Correction... I have never had mediocre or good coffee here. Only incredible. They have several types of roasts and their espresso pulls deliver an amazing taste profile with depth and richness. The atmosphere is laid back and friendly and it's our stop in place for lazy Sundays as we start our walk downtown.

Love the coffee. Love the Olympia vibe. Simple ingredients. Artisan approach that isn't too high brow.

Being new to town and working remotely, I'd searched google for places to grab coffee and work in downtown Olympia and had checked out the more popular ones. I found this little gem just from walking around downtown. It has a quaint feel and unlike the other coffee shops around town was not filled with people. I ordered a pour over coffee. The barista brought over a complementary shrub drink which was super awesome with apologies for it taking so long - which I didn't feel was too long for a pour over. The coffee was the best cup I've had in Olympia so far! Simple decor, cool art and great coffee! Good place to get some work done as well.

The kind of coffee place you wish all others could be like. Care with the coffee and a barista who obviously is dedicated to a great product. You know when the pull is done just right so the espresso tastes naturally sweet and has low acidity? That's what you get here. 5 tables with uncomfortable seats and a few additional chairs and a lack of food makes it more a place to grab and go then sit and relax. But that's ok since the coffee is well worth it.

No frills, just great coffee at a cute little space in downtown Olympia. It's not a place to be seen, like Oly Coffee or B&B so it's a perfect spot to get away from the crowds.

This is by far my favorite coffee shop in Oly. Why? It's small and cool in a minimalist warehouse kind of way and it feels very local. The staff which is he owner and a few others make you want to stay and chat. But my favorite thing about it is that I feel welcome there with my toddler! She even has her own cool retro table and chair complete with crayons. There is also a box of toys in the corner. Just enough distraction to actually allow me time to enjoy a cappuccino! That is worth it's weight in gold and I'm impressed that the owner would think to add this kind of feature in a hip and understated cafe. Love it.

I love this coffee shop. I went there back when it was in back of the Northern. Michael the owner chooses the very best coffee and it is consistently delicious every time and in every form. They have a good mix of gf pastries generally. There is a familiarity and fun laid back feeling inside. They have a turntable to play records! I miss the space by the Northern but this is the only coffee shop I feel like going to when I am downtown or not making it myself.

Dropped in here on a weekend morning. Had walked by the place dozens of times, but always after business hours, it seems. Decided to give it a chance as a change of pace from my usual coffee spot down on 5th. Sadly, they were out of chai when we were there, but the earl grey latte was still excellent. The space is very unique; narrow, but welcoming. Would visit again to try different drinks.

A new Olympia treasure. Great tasting coffee! Calm and comfortable atmosphere. Great space for local artists to show their work.