Clever Blend

Clever Blend is such a gem! Brian the barista is always so kind and clearly passionate about what he does, he makes every drink with real care. I got the pumpkin latte with oat milk, and it was amazing, smooth, rich, and perfectly balanced. You can really taste the quality of the coffee here. I also ordered a matcha for my friend, and she said it’s hands down the best she’s ever had, super creamy and not too sweet. The vibe of the place is relaxed and welcoming. Definitely one of the best coffee spots around!

Wow i just love the taste of the house blend drip with steamed milk! It always hits the stop thanks to the barista Aracely she always makes my drink enjoyable 🙏

The people working there were nice and the pastries looked fine. But the coffee is really bad… as if the latte was made with the cheapest ground coffee (think nespresso machine level) mixed with warm milk. Edit (for the owner): I live in the area. I'm not an expert so I can't explain what's wrong, but it tasted like a standard generic drip coffee with milk, again the place is very nice but it would benefit having a real, solid, good coffee. Also I don't choose Google's Local Guide label, that appears after leaving only a few reviews.

Cute café, I thought it was nice they have a section with books and for some reason VHS. Ordered a latte and it wasn't great, I could taste the milk more than the coffee. We wanted to sit down and drink it there on a regular mug but they only provide to-go cups, which I see as wasteful. Ambience was nice and quiet, good for conversation. Anyway, it was just an ok experience.

As someone who lives in Park Slope, I can’t believe I’ve never stopped by Clever Blend before! Well-made coffee, great atmosphere and friendly staff. I will absolutely be coming back with a book📖! There are few things I love more than a local coffee shop with plenty of seating. P.s. Add maple syrup to your hot coffee! ☕️

The drip coffee is good, dark roast, but I keep coming back because the staff is kind, friendly and welcoming. Owners Nadia and Luca are wonderful, and they have a treasure in their barista Ariceli. She asks and remembers customer names! The newer barista Ariana is wonderful as well. Just the most welcoming, friendly place you can imagine.

A lovely local coffee spot. Friendly servers. A treasure trove of old books to read.Fun artisanal drinks made with organic tasty ingredients. I've had their hot chocolate (awesome), a maple latte (perfectly sweet), and your basic coffee (which tasted like coffee is supposed to). I especially like that some tables are specifically labelled 'no laptops please', so it's designed to be social establishment to enjoy coffee and conversation, and not just a den for frustrated screenwriters. They need more places like this one.

This neighborhood place has good energy vibes, cute wooden design with nice seating options and of course great beverages. I had matcha latte and it was made fast and well without unbroken lumps of powder - which often happens in other places. Their pastries looked good too, so may be i will try next time.

Very cute coffee shop in Brooklyn. Not too crowded at all when I went. Cute interior. I ordered an iced Maple latte. When I got it I was excited to try it. It sadly was too sweet for me. I told them and asked if I could have a regular Iced latte instead. It was ok nothing special. No real taste to it. But the people working here were very nice and friendly and wanted me to be happy with my coffee. When I walked out I saw their sign that they are known for their cappuccino. Guess I should have had that instead. Oh well if I am in the area again I will try it and see what the hype is about.

This shop is very nicely decorated and has a decent amount of space for working, reading, etc. The staff were also very friendly and helpful in deciding what to get. However, unfortunately, the coffee was not very good. We ordered a cup of the house blend and a chai. The house blend tasted burnt and the chai tasted like a cup of milk. I'd come back here if I needed a place to sit and work indoors

Was in need of coffee for a drive upstate so first time visiting. It's expensive coffee that isn't strong very strong. Won't return.

Decent coffee and workspace to get some work done. Their pain au chocolat was ok but given how quiet the place was, I'd be back to work here!

Stopped by this place real quick while hanging out in Park Slope. It's a pretty small joint with the usual offerings of coffee. I like the overall vibe! The decorations are really nice. The staff were pretty friendly and really quick. I had the coconut cold brew, which I highly recommend if you're a cold brew fan! It's got that hint of sweetness that really is nice. The regular coffee, on the other hand, is simply not good. I don't know what happened, but I had a sip of my wife's coffee and was immediately turned off. Definitely go for the cold brew or something with espresso. So that being said, I will give this place credit in that it has some seating but not a ton, which is nice, and is good for a quick stop. I'm just not the biggest fan of their coffee especially when there are so many great options here in NYC. Maybe even on that block in particular.

Stopped by here to kill time before a nail appointment and the ambiance is great. Music is really nice and it's decorated in an eclectic yet organized/cute manner. I came in because their sign said they had the best cappuccino in New York. It was pretty good. No complaints here except for that they only have paper cups, even if you're sitting in. It's not completely a complaint - with one person working I'm sure cleaning is a challenge. Would definitely stop by for a coffee if I'm in the area.

I was a little skeptical reading reviews, but decided to try it anyways. I usually get iced drinks over hot, and today was feeling an iced americano with the change in weather! They have a few iced coffee options (iced coffee, iced single origin, cold brew, coconut cold brew). I love espresso flavor over regular cold brew method, but man this was soo burnt and bitter!! especially for $4.75?? I also don't like that they charge for a "splash" of alternative milk, but at least they have a sign for it. With other options in the area, I'd pass on Clever Blend unless you like burnt coffee flavor. ew

If you like gas station coffee at yuppy prices this is the place for you. I went here after an Islanders game with my girlfriend needing a pick-me-up for the drive home. When my girlfriend got her small cappuccino, she couldn't help but wonder where the coffee itself was. I took the cup it barely weighed anything. When I went back into the store, they told me that cappuccinos only have espresso and foam. And the cup is supposedly to be mostly foam. If I wanted more coffee, I would have had to order a double cappuccino. I'm sorry, I know these hipster coffee shops like to be unique, but never in my life was I asked if I wanted my cappuccino to be a single or a double - in any coffee shop. Also, my cortado just plain tasted bad. I gave the shop two stars, because the customer service itself was fine, and I do like that they have designated laptop free seats for people who actually want to drink coffee

Great coffee for a great value! Recommended by a friend to come here and happy I did for my afternoon coffee. I got a cafe au lait and it really hit the spot for me.

Excellent ambience run by a lovely Italian couple Amazing service--if you a dog, your dog will love it Good selection of tea and coffee served iced or ton

Very lovely interior with friendly staff and nice decor, and they have some outdoor tables as well. The latte with oat milk was okay - it tasted a little burned and wasn't that good.

Inside is closed but the coffee is good and on a nice day they have small tables to sit outside. The coffee is good and the staff friendly. During the Summer they also sell gelato. Is a great location to grab a coffee and then walk to the park or walk around park slope

Most of the people behind the counter are friendly. The coffee is terrible. It often tastes like someone left some dishwasher fluid in it. Gelato is good though.

Coconut cold brew was good, nice spot and outdoor seating too. No bathroom available and no WiFi if you want to use a laptop

Good place for a peace and quiet afternoon. Chill vibes, great music, awesome staff and the friendliest owners I've ever had the chance on meeting. Their coffee selections are quite unique like the Hangover espresso, tough day and coconut cold brew. These coffees are definitely a must try. Also, they have this "No laptop on weekends" policy which I believe is kinda cool because nowadays people are always on their tablets or laptops or always working in coffee shops but if you just wanna have a peace and quiet afternoon while sipping tea or coffee. You definitely need to go, visit and try some of their coffees.

Nice people and a chill spot but I didn't like their coffee. It was too bland for me but maybe I'll try again

The toasted coconut cold brew is everything. Love the decor, and there's tons of space. Dude at the counter was nice, and they played some great music. Lots of books on the shelf, and home coffee accessories for sale as well.

Terrible place. Coffee and teas are overpriced. This is the type of pretentious place that pretends to be cool but is instead full of ridiculous rules that the staff seems eager to enforce with unaware first-time customers. If you dare to open a laptop on a table that has not been labeled for laptop use (I did not even know such thing existed before walking into that pace), they ask you to move with your overpriced cappuccino even if the place is half empty and you tell them that you will leave in the next 10 minutes. They give you that look that says "How dared you brake the rules?" and send you to the lone table by the bathroom and the closet. Claver (Really?) Blend saw me once. This place won't see me twice

I had a hot chocolate with whipped cream. It was pretty good for 3.50. They had a wide variety of coffee blends as well as coffee packets. The ambience is cozy and relaxing. They have free books and VHS tapes on display.

Honey, there are a couple things going on here. First off, they do have some delish coffee. Gotta shout that out. Theyre trying to compete with the neighborhood and offer all these unique drinks, like the toasted coconut coffee which I gotta say, that's interesting. But it would be so much better if their staff were friendly. I saw them getting angry at people for taking out laptops on tables that say no laptops. Ladies, it is part of the job to tell people what to do - that doesn't mean treat them like animals. Also I am a bit surprised with all the dogs that walk into this place. Jumping on counters and eating right off the table. That's inconsiderate to the workers, they gotta wipe up after your mutts and that is not necessary if you accept that cafes and dogs do not mix. You can try flushing paper towels, but just cuz there's a hole doesn't mean everything fits inside. A bit graphic but ya get the picture. Just fix these things up and I'd come back more often.

I come here every Sunday with my friends after running. It's probably the only coffee shop in Park Slope that was able to keep operations safe and never close during the pandemic. I really enjoy their Coconut Cold Brew.

I really wanted to like this place but they're making it really difficult. From the outside it looks great -- well lit, inviting, lots of table space, interesting seasonal drinks featured in the window. Unfortunately, none of my experiences here have been particularly positive. The coffee is just ok, and the service is definitely lacking. It took me several tries just to get in the door -- the first two times I went by they were closed despite it being within the operating hours posted on their window. First time I got inside I got a standard latte. It was mediocre but I decided to give this place a second try. Most recently, I stopped by to grab a coffee at 6:50pm, when their posted closing is 7pm. I walked in and asked if they still had the pumpkin latte they advertised, and the cashier responded shortly "We close at 7pm." Ok, sure, I told her that I was taking my coffee to go, but she still didn't answer my question. She just stared at me until I followed up with "...soooooo can you still make me a latte?" She sighed dramatically and told me that she'd made a thousand of those today. I have sympathy for baristas who have to make a million seasonal drinks, but also it's not a reason to be rude and it's certainly not a reason to not to your job. TL;DR -- Mediocre coffee, irregular hours, don't expect service with a smile.

I love this place. Great, strong coffee. Love the fact that they enforce a no lap top rule at certain tables. It makes it a great place for a business meeting or to see a friend. They try to offer both a place to work and a place to hang out. I totally get why they don't want people hanging out at all their tables doing computer work for hours at a time. I don't fault them for keeping the rules strict. That's cool! Owners are Italian so they have high coffee standards. I love how they employ a diverse and international staff.

This coffee is amazing. The staff is very pleasant. Relaxing and wonderful bright space to enjoy a pastry and drink. I really love this place. They love dogs and always come out to pet our shepherd. Very pleasant, neighborhood spot. Definitely my favorite in park slope.

I love a good hot chocolate during the winter, and this cute little coffee shop did not disappoint with theirs. What I assumed would turn into a to-go situation was a hot chocolate piled so high with homemade whip cream overflowing the cup, There was no way I was walking and drinking this! The shop has notes of "no laptops" on all the tables, so it's not full of people casually working, but was nice for a quick seat.

Worst latte I've ever had. Milk tasted sour. It wasn't smooth. Also, very scorched, it was so hot that it was not drinkable for over 10 minutes.

For the record, I didn't get coffee here so you can take these two stars with a grain of salt if that's what you're here for. The two stars are because I asked for a hot chocolate to stay and they served it to me in a paper cup (two, actually) which is the opposite reason for me ordering it "to stay". The other reason is because I ordered a hot chocolate which had so little chocolate it tasted almost just like warm milk. Finally, the decor is generic and boring.

Cool place to have some good coffee without having to deal with rude baristas. On the weekends they have a pretty amazing Ham and Cheese croissants.

When I'm in Park Slope this is my favorite spot for caffeine. They hit the spot every time with their Espresso and the Baristas are always welcoming.

I saw the coconut brew sign on my walk from Crunch and decided to stop. The "kind" cashier offered me a sample of the brew in their lovely espresso cup. It was small, ceramic, heavy, and a beautiful orange. I complemented the cup (knowing that it was an espresso cup), and my kind cashier thought she'd enlighten me by sharing in a matter-of-fact type of way that it's an espresso cup - duh.....I know that! Then I shared that I would like more creamer in my cold brew as I handed her the rest of the sample back. She then responds, "it's all yours, there's no one to give it to....", WTH! Uhh, I'm not giving it back so you can give it to someone but instead I'm giving it back for you to trash. Yea, the cold brew - just aight. The service - not so sure. So......just went back in to take a pic of this very interesting map. She and I had a brief conversation, she shared she wasn't from this country and told me about a Ted talk she'd seen. Actually, she's not so bad.........but, I'll keep it moving next time anyway.

Headed over to this spot after seeing that gorilla and hungry ghost were packed and had no room for me to get some studying done. Lights were incredibly bright making the ambiance uncomfortable. The layout of the tables/milk and sugar stations make absolutely no sense and are not space efficient. Spent farrr too much for something simple [which is fine, the whole point of a coffee shop is that you are really paying to occupy space for a period of time], as I went to sit down I noticed there were only 3 oddly spaced tables that you were permitted to use laptops at [again, fine, I suppose although the two larger of these tables happened to be occupied], only to find out laptops are not allowed on weekends. Not at the specified tables, no where. really wish I had been told BEFORE purchasing the overpriced drink. Suddenly I realized why this place with prime real estate on 5th avenue was so empty. The place was 70% empty and seems to aim only to get people in and out as quickly as possible. While I understand the concern of having people camp out, thus loosing customers, you still should want people in there to begin with. Gorilla coffee was in the space for years and seemed to deal with this "issue" fine without having to ban the activities that define a coffee shop.

Nice cute quintessential place to have a cup of coffee on a nice cold day! I was actually parked on the street -just getting back from taking the subway from somewhere and I noticed this place here. It's pretty cool; very quaint and laidback. Its somewhat small inside however the hot chocolate was cool and the atmosphere was calm. If I am ever in the area during the fall/winter seasons (lol) I would definitely come back!

TL; DR: No Laptops Allowed I tried coming here on a weekday afternoon to get out of the house to get some work done. I saw some tables outside (they're not allowing indoor seating as of 4/21) that were labeled "No Laptops." I actually appreciate the No Laptop rule in general, but on a weekday? On weekends, I agree 100%, but this was 12:30 on a Wednesday afternoon and there was no one there. I ended up going to a bustling cafe down the block that was more than welcoming to me getting an hours worth of work done. I wouldn't mind if they had a time limit, but a complete blockage of people trying to patronize a business and get work done on a weekday is a little much.

There is a noticeable joyful vibe about this place. Is it the bright color scheme? The low key music, pop, synth, jazz, or classical (seriously, why don't more places have classical music on?)? Is it the owner, a smiling Italian? Is it the joke paraphrenalia decor on the shelves, all about love of coffee? Is it the service? This place just agrees with me. I am a regular at every cafe in North Slope, and I think this place is solid. Would recommend.

This place gave me anxiety. Upon entering it seemed pretty nice, I was compelled by the fact that they had a bathroom and a table with an outlet. I had previously traveled from another coffee shop nearby with no outlets, so my laptop was dead. I only planned on staying an hour, just until my laptop was recharged, so I bought a $5.75 iced tea (for that price, you'd think I could hang out for a moment.) But, I was informed you can only stay at the communal tables with laptops. Despite the fact that it was not overcrowded and I was clearly plugged in, the lady abruptly told me to move. Fine, that you have rules, but perhaps allow for some leeway to be a welcoming environment? Of course it's not okay to camp for 6 hours buying the cheapest thing on the list, but there are plenty of coffeeshops that are totally fine with that behavior because they know that that will mean their customer returns to their coffee shop time and time again, show their friends the place, and come back when they need something to-go, simply out of loyalty. Considering others have had a similar experience, I really think they need to chill out a bit. I discover half of my favorite places through word-of-mouth. Or, get outlets for the laptop section. It seems pretty darned counter-intuitive to make the laptop section the area WITHOUT outlets. "This is a coffee shop, not an office." NEWSFLASH half the writers in NYC do their best work in the coffee shops of BK and Manhattan, maybe welcome them? So they'll write good reviews and check in on facebook when you're supportive of their work? P.S a busy coffee shop only makes the place look "popping" so maybe just let it happen. People will be compelled by the friendly environment and snag a seat. The man behind me witnessed me being kicked out and took his coffee elsewhere, he came with a laptop case and was clearly disappointed in the weird behavior towards people with laptops. "We welcome students" Yeah... no you don't.

OMG I agree with all those who wrote that its a gas station style coffee!!!! Was so disgusting I threw the cup away. I really dont mind paying high for good coffee but this coffee was not drinkable. How do people still come there??? And one person wrote in the review that the manager was rude and unpleasant.... I guess I got the same nasty person. He seems Italian and was soo rude to us. Not sure who he think he is but I doubt he will stay in business long

Cute coffee shop near Barclay's Center, stopped here for warm drinks on a cold day of shopping on Fifth Ave. The hot chocolate is so satisfying, it had a dark cocoa flavor and comes with a sumptuous whipped cream topping. Coffee rejuvenated me and staved off an afternoon nap, so the brews here definitely pass the test. Not many people working here, but there is a lot of space so it's a nice place to meet up with friends.

Not much has changed from my original review-I still think the coffee is great and worth the money...just get it to go. Honestly it's a shame that the staff is so rude in such an unwelcoming environment. To to anyone trying to study, read, or have any type of conversation don't waste your time because the atmosphere inside easily makes this potential "5 star review" a 1 star location.

Finally got a moment to stop in a try Clever Blends Coconut Cold Brew. It's great! The coconut they add gives a lovely creamy mouthfeel and light coconut flavor so no creamer required. The baristas were super friendly too. I completely forgot to ask if they had any vegan options but I'll be visiting again

The coffee is good, but the way the manager treated me was unacceptable. Or atleast I think he was the manager because all of the coworkers seemed to keep silent as he was talking. Everybody else there were very nice to me as I ordered my coffee but the manager said to me "I'm not in the mood today buddy" I understand we all have our days but I also work in customer service and I deal with 100 people per day and I know that's not the way you treat somebody. I'm not one to do yelp reviews but he pushed me past my limit

Most reviews speak about the ambiance, laptop policy etc. I want to speak about the coffee. It is excellent, not bitter with robust flavor. It is not extreme or too strong and is more of a medium roast. With such a delightful taste I never add milk or cream whereas in Starbucks, or Hungary Ghost I must have cream or half and half. Yes, the environment is delightful and friendly and a nice neighborhood spot. Given I go there to take a break from using my laptop, given I work from home, I appreciate the no laptop policy. Hats off to good coffee, being friendly and a good environment to enjoy a delicious cup of joe.

Had an iced coffee from here. It was good, but pretty small for the price. I get that rent is expensive but I just can't justify spending that much on iced coffee when the size is so small. Sadly won't be back.

16 oz cold brew on tap was $4.50 which is $0.75-$1.00 more than other area places for the most part (maybe the same as Konditori). It's really good but Atlas Coffee in LIC, which is apparently run by the same people, is only $3.50 for a 16 oz cold brew on tap. I used to love coming into the former Gorilla location here to read (not be on my laptop, just read a book) but the music here is very loud. I'm guessing they want to discourage people from camping out for too long, which I totally get, but you'd think the no-laptop tables would be enough. I haven't read the rash of other recent negative reviews yet, but this one is more about pricing and atmosphere than anything else. Good thing the other Gorilla location is not that much further.

This was starting to become my go-to weekend coffee place. As a part time grad student, studying on weekends with my laptop is very important. This cafe enforces no laptop on weekend rules in very odd ways, even when there are no customers. I could understand strict enforcement if someone with a laptop was stopping someone else from getting a table, but when there is literally no one else present, this is just enforcing rules for the sake of enforcing rules. Sadly, I will need to find another go-to weekend coffee shop.

Great coffee shop! Coffee is awesome and the space is great whether you'd like to work or just hang out!

This place sucks. Coffee is totally burnt and Undrinkable and they charge "75 cents for a splash of almond or oat milk" their words. Absolutely ridiculous. Many other great places in park slope with friendlier staff.

Ehhhh. Was looking for a spot to do some work on a Friday evening. Glad i came on a Friday since they have a no laptop rule on the weekend..... Great coffee. Okay staff. Eh set up. Rules are obnoxious and they're on the wall and in the bathroom. Tables are also labeled with apples to designate work areas which is a total of 3 tables and the others say "nope no laptops on this table"...

This place is overpriced and the coffee is mediocre. Evidently there is a no-laptop rule on the weekends. Would have been nice to know that *before* I ordered, planning to spend some time there. There are no signs stating this from where I'm sitting. Also, they sell used VHS tapes for $20 each! So if you're looking to spend 20 bucks for Highlander 2 or Twister, this is the place for you.

This place is just a great little Park Slope gem. Really welcoming Italian Barrista, great coffee and a relaxed, local vibe. Plus, they have terrific background tunes that everyone mouths along to... Right on popular 5th Ave, the shop gets good foot traffic in the afternoon and attracts parents with little kids. So, you may not want to park to do work for too long. No laptops on weekends.