Cafe Solstice

I enjoyed it! Definitely some of the better coffee I have had, and both the location and atmosphere are pretty great. I saw a few reviews of people disliking the older furniture, but I thought it made the place seem warmer and more welcoming. A personal preference, but i much prefer this to the more modern style coffee shops. The staff were nice and service was quick. in my opinion, the mug that a drink comes in makes a real difference and i liked this heavy mug. Can’t speak to the food though, as i haven’t tried it. Worth a visit if you ask me.

Great tasting pastries and coffee with friendly service at this coffee shop in Seattle. Only suggestion for improvement: Add a tap to pay. Slightly inconvenient to insert a card and sign.

although reasonably priced, the burritos are particularly bite size. the staff seems more concerned with entertaining each other and have no sensitivity to how much noise the make. and with no explanation, like today they could close an entire hour early

🥘: 7/10. I ordered a mocha and it was good! I think it is a bit more on a sweeter side, and all the pastries look really good, I kinda regret not getting any! I would give it a higher rating if it was more nicely presentable! * 🧑🏻‍🍳7/10. Staff is quite friendly! The two girls are all very nice! * 📍7/10. I enjoyed the decorations in the cafe! They have beautiful artworks and I love that they have plenty of seats and tables! It also feels very cozy in the place! It would not be a bad idea to have some jazz or lofi beats musics going on tho! I also think the cafe is very bright and a good place to get work done!

This place is really fun — the outside doesn’t seem like it, but the vibe inside is super chill. Looks like it was an old bar, turned coffee shop, with an old bar to sit at, a sofa, and lots of spots for laptop work. My fave is the 30 year old cash register! Been here since it opened and has every transaction ever made on it. (But yes, you can still pay with your phone.) the only down side is the internet connection is not great.

Wowowow writing this at Cafe Solstice as we speak. Got an iced vanilla latte like I do at any other cafe but you knowwww they have that in house syrup. Could tell the second that delectable drop of drink touched my tongue. Plus good oldies music and cozy atmosphere ☕️🪑🍞🕰️

Went here to work. Theres plenty of charging outlets, moderate amount of light, and it’s pretty clean although the furnitures might looks old. The espresso they made has good aroma. The amount of fat is great in the espresso and the latte has good flavor and viscosity. The music is a little loud but tolerable.

The coffee is really tasty, and I recommend trying the banana bread, super good. The atmosphere is really nice, though it gets busy pretty quick and the music might be too loud for some people (good music choices though).

Coffee: B Service: A Overall: D Why a 'D'? They charge you to use your debit card. A new wrinkle. (Please see my previous review.) I won't be back. The server was nice and the coffee was above-average, but I'll continue to vote with my wallet and champion reputable small businesses.

Low key coffee cafe with beer and baked goods. Dark quiet decor with a small outdoor patio. Just had coffee and sat outside for this visit. Service was quick and friendly. The coffee was solid, balanced, and smooth.

I stopped here on a Monday afternoon to work. It was busy with students working, which I think led to the Wi-Fi being slow. The coffee was okay, but not great. Also, they encouraged me to pay with cash because my transaction was under $5. I get it, there are fees to taking credit cards. But cash is actually less safe for a business to have on hand, so let's stop incentivizing customers to pay in cash.

I am a huge fan of big menus and Cafe Solstice has a pretty expansive menu from what I would expect of a coffee shop. I have tried the white mocha and caramel latte + vanilla latte and they all lacked the sweetness I was looking for but were well made drinks. The service was incredibly nice when taking my order and giving me my drinks. This place prefers cash (which I did not have) and I felt a bit bad but they do take card and stuff so it was ok in the end. A ton of seating is available and the inside is warm and super cafe like.

I loved the vibe here! Great for catching up with a friend or even for studying! The guy taking my order was very nice and friendly. As for the actual hot chocolate, it was very smooth and creamy, and not too sweet. I would definitely recommend for a great place to sit down and enjoy a coffee!

This is a great cafe close to the University of Washington. It is a convenient place to stop by on the way to work, and service is quick (even if there is a line) and the workers are friendly. I love their white chocolate banana bread, and would recommend coming here for it. It's a great combination of flavors and the potion is usually big. Their coffee is decent as well. One thing to note is that they do prefer customers paying in cash, but take card if needed.

The cheddar jalapeño scone was good and the chai was ok. The barista was kind of grumpy with me though unfortunately. They told me before I could order "Just you know we're closing really soon" (in about 20 minutes). I replied I was aware and planned to get my order to go, but they were still fairly prickly when I asked about their chai. The ambiance seemed like a good atmosphere to study or work and most of the tables were full of people doing that still before close, but I was grabbing to go and probably wouldn't have felt welcome to stay or return after that interaction. Probably wouldn't come back given my order was just ok.

You already know what's up. No frills, super fast drink service. Wi-Fi is slow but serviceable. They offer food and some breakfast burritos, which are a bit worse than the cafe average (note the 8 oz Americano for scale). Also wish they had condiment packets because this baby was just begging for hot sauce. It was super busy when I came here on a Wednesday morning, so be prepared to hunt for a table or at least don't get your hopes up during UW's midterms season :)

First time here! Ordered a turkey panini to-go. Nothing "out of this world". Not sure if the lady at the front was having a bad day, but she was pretty rude while I was ordering - nasty glares and tone. Maybe work on having better customer service?

Great coffee and atmosphere. The jalapeño scone and southwest veggie breakfast burrito are delicious!

Conveniently located near campus making it easy to grab my personal favorite which chocolate banana bread! So so yummy, definitely try it out! It's a huge cafe with plenty of seating that can fill up quick!

Ordered a 8oz oat latte for $4.50. I'm no coffee connoisseur but I thought the drink tasted great and the latte art was a delight! Reasonably priced with a great taste, I recommend! Took off a star because the cafe was very noisy and a bit too dimly lit for my liking. The service was super fast, the barista basically made the drinks while the customers said their order! I'm so used to waiting at least 5 mins at Starbucks lol so this was a pleasant surprise :)

Good coffee for the price!! I got a decaf latte and my friend got a mocha. They finished our orders quickly and the latte art was pretty. We popped in here after seeing the cherry blossoms and it was super cozy, dimly lit with good music. I liked that each table was differently decorated, it contributed to the whole cafe's character.

The cashier, a girl wearing glasses, was incredibly rude. I understand it can be frustrating to work in food/customer service but if you feel that way, you should be looking for a job in a different field. The music was also way too loud. Overall, not a very welcoming environment. Food was serviceable.

I used to love this place quite a bit back in my student days. Great place to study or work, and indeed that's what most patrons were doing the busy afternoon I came by with a friend. Luckily there were a couple tables still open by the time we moved through the line. The guy on the register was super friendly and welcoming. 5 stars for him. The barista sadly didn't do it for me, though, as my split shot oat latte tasted simultaneously watery and a tad burnt. Not sure if that's the coffee itself or the oat milk they use (didn't note the brand). Not undrinkable but not very enjoyable. Also found it annoying that I was asked if my order was for here or to go, to which I replied "here," and listened to my dude state that to the barista, only to have my food and beverage handed to me in/on to-go cups/plates. I had my own mug with me and would have just given it to them when I placed my order if I hadn't been given the option of reusable dishes. I think the barista maybe was just having an off day? My friend received all her items for dining in, and I don't think it was personal in any way. Anyway, they have a few premade sandwich and burrito items as well as snacky pastries which is nice. Just wish my recent experience had lived up to my memory of Solstice.

This is my favorite University District cafe! Amazing and friendly staff that care about the quality of their coffee and always serve it with a smile. Highly recommend their grilled cheese, it's delicious. Great place for studying, plenty of outlets and ambience is perfected with the music.

Cute cafe near the University of Washington campus. I much prefer it to studying on campus because there's more ambient noise. Coffee was good! I was disappointed by gluten free food options, but most cafes near campus struggle to deliver solid options, and it's understandable given Covid restraints. Hours are less than ideal, closing early-mid afternoon before I'm even on campus most days.

I've been wanting to try this place for the past three years, but never got around to trying it. Cafe Solstice always looks packed from the outside because I always see people chilling and sipping coffee on their outside seating area. I walked in and was surprised by how dark and warm it was inside. I also didn't see their espresso menu right away, but it's on the post next to the register. The font is really small though, so you have to be literally right in front of the register to be able to read it. It would be nice if they had a big board menu for indecisive people like me who don't want to hold the line up behind them. Thankfully they weren't too busy this morning, so I didn't have to worry about that. Their menu includes all of the classic espresso drinks (drip coffee, lattes, breves, americanos, macchiatos, cafe au lait, etc.) as well as some tea drinks and sandwich options. I ordered a 16-oz soy iced latte to-go. My total ended up being $5.35 including tax. They have a small sign that says cash preferred, but I didn't see it before paying so I paid with card. The latte was smooth, but I can't say it tasted much different than any other soy latte I've had. I didn't find their coffee to be super strong, but maybe the caffeine rush just hasn't hit me yet. In the future, I'll probably ask for light ice- about a third to a half of my cup was filled with ice. As far as atmosphere goes, the inside is pretty dark and warm, kind of like Tea Republik. It's a lot more spacious than Tea Republik though. They have colorful guitar cases hanging on the walls as well as some hipster artwork. It honestly gave me Central Perk from Friends vibes. Service was excellent, but I also went at 8am on a summer day. I got my latte within 5-minutes. Both the cashier and barista were friendly. They also had complimentary peanut butter cookie samples at the register which was a plus! (They probably should have an allergy label on it though...) 4/5 for drink, 5/5 for service, 4/5 for atmosphere, 5/5 for the buffalo logo :)

Not enforcing social distancing? Not limiting capacity? Not washing hands before and after touching food? No, thank you. My fiancé and I liked coming here for mornin coffees and breakfast burritos, but we won't be coming back after our stop on February 27 around 3 pm. When we went inside, there were about 6 parties sitting around chatting and not social distancing. It's kind of strange that now, even while COVID is still going on, people blatantly don't care for and disregard other people's safety. We also had to wait 7 minutes to be served because the guy working was in the back cleaning or washing dishes. Whatever he was doing, when he came out to serve us, we ordered burritos, and he didn't wash his hands before touching our food and putting it in the oven. That was really gross and weird. The guy working was nonchalantly talking to another guy for a long time too. It's nice to see this business is not taking COVID seriously and putting their customers at risk and not following proper health guidelines and acting like everything is back to normal. Literally do not recommend this place. We left the food and drinks and that is the last $20 we will ever leave them.

Racist and sexist server. The women of color working 7/6/23 @ 3:45 pm told me she's closed. I just walked 18 min in the hot sun to just grab a quick cold beverage as I awaited my ride which would be arriving at 4pm. As I'm writing to my ride ride that I can't be picked up at Cafe Solstice a women of color walked up to the counter and was served by the women at cafe solstice who just refused me service. When I confronted the worker who demanded I was being rude because I want my coffee so bad that I just have to leave and go somewhere else. When I'm fact I never asked for a coffee nor was I going to order a coffee. I wanted a cold beverage from the counter. When I asked her why I can't buy a cold beverage and that women could she stated that I'm being rude and she can refuse service to anyone. I asked but why why am I being denied service

I've come here many times over the last decade. It has been very consistent. Consistent in that the service always leaves a lot to be desired. Often there is only 2 or 3 words exchanged (or none, like today). Never greeted coming in, even when the place is empty. They use Lighthouse coffee roaster beans- local and very dark roast. Really, there is only one reason I ever come back, and that's their pastries. Namely, their white chocolate banana bread. Also consistent- it is very good. I've had other things too: their cookies and their berry bar. I assume their pastries are made in house because I haven't found the banana bread elsewhere. I even brought my parents here a few years back and they still remember the blueberry scone they had. not thehey still ask "is this where we had that delicious blueberry scone" every time we pass a coffee shop . So- if you're looking for somewhere to not be bothered, or you don't like to have to talk to anyone, it might be worth checking out for their pastries. For good coffee, or a pleasant cafe experience, this probably isn't your place.

Very bad coffee and service. Casher was very rude. I will never go back there and no recomend for everybody. Coffee was so bad

Amazing coffee and pastries I've been coming here for over a year now on weekly bases. Also they have great breakfast and lunch sandwiches!

Coffee is decent. I've always liked this place. Stopped in today and neither barista were wearing masks. I literally watched a little bit of spit fly out of one barista mouth while he was making a drink and talking to the other barista. Which means spit is getting into drinks. This is just gross. Go somewhere else.

As much as I loved this spot and the convenience of its location, I can't say the coffee was anything to write home about. I ordered an iced latte today but sadly had to throw it out after a few sips. Truly heartbreaking. It was 16 ounces of straight milk with hardly any hint of espresso. Hoping this was a one off bad day because the cafe itself is a really cool study spot with lots of seating.

I am an infrequent regular. It's been two years and I order the same thing. Sans coffee for red wine blend. Friday afternoon vibe. Students studying. Me working remote. The music ambiance is groovy. They remembered my name, that's a star plus.

It was a really cool vibe in there! The employees were all super kind and the space felt safe and comfy!

they forgot to add my vanilla and is overall not very much a sweet drink , so if you don't like your coffee dumped in sugar like Starbucks this place will be good for you , I give three stars cause I found the girl working there a bit rude, but the guy was very nice

Not to be that person but no one who works here wears a mask now!!!! Like I understand with the vaccine out, regulations are a bit more lenient but this is food service you know? Also, I've been coming here for almost 5 years now since I started undergrad at UW and it's definitely gone to the dumps now. The people working here are more rude and no one seems to want to help you out at all.

Disappointing & over-rated. I used to LOVE this place, but their menu is a fraction of what it used to be (so long tomato basil soup), and the pastries (the cardamon cake & brownies) are dry. Their coffee was never my fave, too watery, not rich & luscious enough. Now that they have really reduced their hours, I cdn't really find the open time to support them even if I wanted. Not a huge loss.

This cafe is such a cute spot at the bottom of the Ave! It's a great study space as the music isn't too loud and the lighting isn't too harsh or dark. They also have an outdoor balcony space in the back and one in the front as well. I ordered an 8 oz caramel macchiato ($4.00) and my friend ordered a chai latte, mocha, and White Chocolate Banana Bread. The drinks were all amazing. There was just the right amount of foam to drink. The latte art on the mocha and caramel macchiato were also supe pretty! The pumpkin bread was a little on the dry side, but the flavor was very strong and amazing.

Good Coffee, good people, somewhat slow service on a sunny, Thursday afternoon at 5pm, but it brings me back to when I was in college, and they kept me going, almost 15 years ago, and they are still going. Wood tables, weathered by laptops, spills, scratches, and dents, it all tells a story. I appreciate good coffee, and they serve tasty stuff. If you are a UW student, visiting, or just walking by, so worth it!

A little bit expensive but the drinks were REALLY good. Ordered a mocha and a london fog and both tasted awesome. I'd say it's worth it if you've never had it before, but I don't know if it's the type of place I'd go regularly. Also ordered a veggie southwest breakfast burrito and a veggie breakfast sandwich, both $6, and the burrito was really good! Definitely worth it, but I can't say the same about the breakfast sandwich. It was just egg and cheese, and it tasted good, but I was missing veggies. Spinach or peppers of some kind would have improved it, but without it it was pretty plain. I've made better at home. Also staff was super unenthusiastic and slow, don't go here if you're in a rush!

I had a London Fog and it was really tasty! The service was quick and friendly. I thought it was a bit pricey, but enjoyed it nonetheless. I will be back!

Talk about a place that still breathes the heart & soul of Seattle! The owners started out with a coffee cart in Capitol Hill, and then established this gem! They make their own baked goods insight, and serve lighthouse coffee. The tea selection is excellent as well. The baristas are top notch, far better than I, who is also a barista with 6 years experience. İ went here frequently when I was a student at UW and called this place my second home. İ was constantly doing homework here, hours of time spent weekly pouring over chemistry books. Anytime I'm in the neighborhood i stop by here, circling the block a few times just so i can get a great cup of coffee. Love you guys! Please donate to their go fund me during this COVİD situation. The less talkative barista guy makes the best cup of coffee! Anyone who doesn't care for his charm just needs to take a sip of their drink;)

I've been to cafe solstice so many times. The environment is loud, social, so I would highly recommend for meeting up with people in a casual setting. If you get lucky and come in on a quiet day (in terms of crowd), they have comfortable and cozy seating in the back couches. It tends to be less busy early in the morning and late at night. In terms of pastries and food, wow! My most recent dessert here was the espresso cream cheese brownie and it is delicious. It is rich and creamy, you can't taste the cream cheese but you get undertones of espresso - mixed with rich chocolate, w o w. I got it toasted so the chocolate was melted, though it would taste great cold too. For pastries, it's mainly look-and-you-can-tell if it's good and fresh, so trust your eyes; you can get amazing food, or mediocre. The drinks are not the best I've ever had, but they're decent. I've tried their teas, hot chocolate and coffees. The teas can be too strong, hot chocolate less sweet than expected, and if you have a specific way of drinking your coffee, this'll come across as mediocre and general; it's what you'd expect at any cafe. If you're like me and tend to work at cafes, this may not be the best place to get on that grind. It gets hard to focus with the music so loud - but if you come on a sunny day and grab a table outside, that is perfect for studying!

Unfortunately they gave me the most watered down flavorless chai latte I've ever had in my life. Step it up guys. The ambience is wonderful, love the vibe and music choice and everything but the poor drink quality brought down my experience.

My first time in Seattle, and I aim to do as many coffee spots as humanly possible. Why? Well, Seattle is the birthplace of the bean as I have been told. Having sampled the range from Stumptown to Starbucks, I am the hummingbird to the brown nectar and must feed. So Solstice was on my list. Late in the evening, my first visit after enduring the ubiquitous awful journey in a beer can with wings. Dragging luggage thru airports and up hills to my lodging. Needed some civility. Wandered down University Way after consulting the Oracle that is Yelp. Walked in to wooden warmth, a melange of tables and chairs and funky diverse music spilling from big-assed spakers perched off the wall. As soon as you enter, your eyes settle on the well placed bakery items. Two kinds of brownies, plethora of cookies and handsome cakes are waiting for you in the counter. Sitting atop are a variety of scones. A coffee bar with well buffed from many butts to the rear, drops down in steps to the barista station in the center. I had a scone, Cardamom cake,Chocolate chip cookie, Berry coffee cake (not all at once ok? An iced coffee, and a breve. Verdict: Who would eat the fake-o crap at McStarbucks when you can feast like a queen on great portions and fresh ingredients that taste like these? I mean really. The scones were done like somebody who knows scones, The cakes, not gooey sweet but each one I tried was a perfect compliment to the coffee beverage. The cardamom cake (a first for me) had a fabulous crust browned to perfection , a nice top with chopped nuts. Divine. The berry coffee cake had the berry swirls mixed in with a kind of sour creme I thnk. Not gooey, but a really rich, indulgent decadence that just puts places like starbucks to shame. The music is so diverse, stay long enough and you'll roll from country, to indie, to funk and probably back. The only drawback is the staff doesn't seem to smile at all. They've got the cool vibe going on and there seem to be no women here behind the counter pulling espresso (maybe they bake). I'll be back.

Great cafe! The coffee is phenomenal- i had a typical vanilla latte but it was really good, with a nice smoky vanilla flavor. Also a great place to study- music is definitely a solid volume but it does well to make other chatter fade away.

I don't come here very often but every time I do I remember why. The staff is pretty rude, not only to customers but to each other. I just watched the cashier very sarcastically repeat my order to the barista with an eye roll right in front of me. As a fellow barista, I get playing around with your coworkers but I see this kind of stuff every time I come in and it's pretty disheartening and unwelcoming to the customer. Especially when accompanied by very very loud music inside, it feels like they want you out as soon as possible. On the bright side, the coffee is consistent and well-made. Sandwiches are a bit overpriced but solid quality as well. But the best part about Solstice (and the main reason I return) is the outdoor seating. Not many places in the U District have this and if they do it's very limited. But this cafe has both a small front patio and a large back one! My sun-deprived soul rejoices! Overall, Solstice is a good spot to study if the blaring indoor music isn't for you or if you like to get some fresh air to match your equally fresh coffee. Just avoid the morning lines as they can get pretty long and hopefully harden your heart to the rude employees.

Good ol' Cafe Solstice. Nothing has changed in the past 10 years when I used to work across the street. They still have good coffee, good staff, and some tasty munchies. What Cafe Solstice provides is a cozy space that is open pretty late and caters to the college crowd that utilizes the free wifi. What I love here is that they have a small patio out front which is great for both sunny days and people watching. I also enjoy the fact that they have a few rotating taps so you can come in and enjoy a beer vs. coffee or even some kombucha. Now that's a win. They don't have a ton of food available...and it's OK...just some sandwiches, mac n' cheese, and such. Good if you need a quick bite I suppose. All in all it's one of my fave cafe's in the area!

There are a lot of coffee shops on the Ave, but Solstice was the first one I went to as a new UW student that didn't really know their way around. It quickly became a go-to. I went back a few days ago and it was eerie seeing it empty (thanks to Phase 1 COVID guidelines). We've got to support our local coffee shops in these times- especially the damn good ones, like Solstice. I can't think of a coffee shop more quintessentially Seattle. I love this place. Stop in for a cup of coffee or hot chocolate or breakfast burrito or SOMETHING- you won't regret it!

Loud! What he hell, how can anyone study in a loud place like this, it's only a decibel or two and a strobe light from being a nightclub. Oh and You Seattle students need to stop listening to Emo music, it makes you a wuss and causes brain cancer. One of these two sentences is a fact, the other is a strongly worded opinion.

Coffee was fine, but that older barista gentleman better learn to that's it's pretty rude to agressively point and grunt when the customer politely asks for the wifi. Gentleman pointed very vaguely in the direction of the wifi, customer couldn't find it, pointed again (on the very verge of rolling eyes), and finally said, "Isn't it on there?" *Scowls*** Whole ordeal could've taken less than 30 seconds if he had acted professionally instead of point, grunt, point. Pretty nice service, huh?

Got a iced chocolate. Milky and chocolatey. Crowded but good vibes. Plenty of food options and overflow seating outside, but it's cold.

Coffee was not the best but ... the Espresso Cheesecake Bar is to die for !!!! Inside looks unorganized, Male Baristas need more to be pleasant n nice, otherwise it's a good place to just meet friends n chill, but too loud to bring your laptop n do some work. Right in front of Bus stop so very convenient.

Cafe solstice is super dark and cozy if that's the vibe you're going for. The drinks are good (and they have coffee/tea and alcohol options). I can't say I'm a huge fan of their baked goods typically. The ones I've had and liked though are the apple popover type pastry and banana nut muffin. Their sandwiches are pretty good for lunch though and you can order in a half sandwich size which a small girl like me appreciates. The staff is quite friendly and the atmosphere is hipster and relaxed. It can be hard to find a seat at times though.

Horrible customer service. The man at the register was rude. Latte was not good. I waited a while for my grilled cheese and so when i went up to ask, he was rude about it. When he came to give me my sandwich i said "thank you", he tossed the plate onto the table, and walked away not saying anything or acknowledge. Wasnt friendly. Bad music. Not cafe music. But that ham grilled cheese was a good sandwich.

Cafe Solstice has a selection of coffee and pastries. I did not try the pastries but they do look generally good, for a quick snack. They don't look like what you'd get from a full service bakery though. I ordered my new favorite drink, an Americano. I like the simplicity of the Americano...which to me is like the espresso version of drip coffee. The Americano was good, though slightly watery for the 16 ounce. What I noticed here is that all sizes of the Americano are the same price. I'd assume based on that, all sizes use one shot of espresso. In contrast SB has 3 sizes, and its 1-3 shots of espresso. I'd assume if you wanted a stronger American here you'd just have to ask for additional shots of espresso. Service was friendly, and the ambience great to socialize or study. In the future I would come back if I were in the area.