Little River Coffee Bar

COFFEE LOVERS REVIEW OF COMPANY READ BECAUSE THEY’RE GREAT Ethical, Kind, Heartwarming Workplace Culture On September 24th, 2025, I enjoyed a graceful, whimsical, and lovely cup of coffee inside Little River Coffee Bar. At 3:50pm, the baristas Andrew Kongkeo and Sara Martin, had me, a customer, walk up to them with need in my eyes: a need for coffee. I said to them, “Please please please could I pretty please have a cup of your drip coffee please,” both Andrew and Sara quickly proceeding to laugh and giggle because I was being a silly goose. “Would you like that in your mug?” Sara Martin asked. “There’s no way…” I replied, followed by evil smirks and laughter from myself and Andrew Kongkeo. What Sara didn’t know is that I’d taken my mug home the day before so that I could bring a different one in. I would gladly give Little River Coffee Co. / Bar all of my mugs if they had the shelf space. Alas… To clarify, the coffee is exceptional. It is delicious, good, and humane. “Humane” because my human life would be a punchline if not for this coffee. Anyone who thinks I am kidding has literally never met me. And all of the workers – not just at this location – are great too. Little River Coffee Bar / Co., you hire great people and serve delectable coffee. Your company’s bold blends FEEL delicious to my palette. In fact, they don’t just “feel” delicious, they ARE delicious. They are WONDERFUL. They are EXQUISITE. If your coffee ever changes, hell, I bet it’ll be good then too. It’s like y’all vet the beans or something. What makes the coffee even better is the sincere kindness, the warm smiles that each barista greets each customer with. I am not embarrassed to say that I speak with each barista I see and try to build a jovial rapport with them all. I can only assume that the kindness of the baristas mirrors the company itself: polished words like “open debate,” “empathy,” and “diversity” seething through each pourover. I hope these things are never swept under the rug, that Little River Coffee Co. / Bar's Google ratings go higher and higher. I hope that every coffee-drinking Spartanburger comes to a Little River location. I want to be clear that businesses and people like this contribute so much to our community, a community that I know Little River actively advocates for. I have felt no internal struggle writing this review. What else could I do but be supportive of this great local business? I am not a praying man, but if I ever decided to pray, I would pray that Little River and its many locations and employees keep up the good work. Businesses like this keep my heart adrift in a world that’s constantly trying to drown it. Here’s to coffee stains on my teeth, my tongue, and my soul. I do not expect a reply, but hey that’d be pretty cool, right?

Best spot in Spartanburg. I've never had a problem here until recently with one of the new hires with the black and blonde hair. She always has an attitude with something out of pocket, negative, and/or rude to say when coming up to the counter. It's like her idea of conversation is to insult and complain. I've watched her do this to multiple others as well. It's a shame, honestly. I've started reconsidering whether I want to come in on the chance she's working that day.

This is the cutest little coffee shop nestled right in the center of downtown Spartanburg. It’s a perfect combination of great coffee, baked goods, and atmosphere(this includes the sweet staff of baristas). They have the most creative and delicious seasonal drinks. It’s nice to sit inside as they have lots of comfortable seating, but it’s a treat to sit outside when the weather is nice. This is one of our favorite spots in Spartanburg when we visit our son at Wofford. Almost forgot to mention the amazing cinnamon rolls they offer only on Saturdays. They’re amazing!

Great coffee baristas here are solid at coffee art and they use pretty good espresso as well. Came here and was not disappointed. Does get fairly busy at times as it is a local hub but definitely a good place to come by.

I can't believe I haven't left a review until now! This place is a gem. Great drinks, even better service, and there's a cat in the bookshop next door. I definitely recommend Little River, whether it be for studying, a quick break from work, or a nice time with friends or a date. The atmosphere is cozy but full of life, especially with the paintings featured from local artists. Stop by for a sip!

Great coffee shop and there are other great beverages I got the Aqua Haze very good.

This coffee place is so adorable, and it gets packed! The coffee is delicious. They have bagels, baked goods, granola pafait, and specialty toast. A selection of flavors for your coffee. I did not try any food, I will next time.

Only stopped in a for a coffee but was great! Had an iced mocha but the real secret is next time let my wife order first. She got a pumpkin pie iced latte which was out of this world. Rule of the day: follow the wife's lead on ordering at the coffee shot

Don't get me wrong, the coffee is excellent...when they get it right. I love getting a bag of Yirgacheffe when I visit. I love the Odeko app. I do not love finding about the half the time my order is wrong. It's cold when I ordered hot. Got a peppermint mocha and they fail to put mocha or espresso in it, so kind of peppermint milk? Considering I'm not calling it in, where the possibility of a misunderstanding is more likely, I've just avoided the place. The kiosk location does not have this issue. I will also add the one time I decided to step out of my comfort zone and tried a cold blended pear chai...divine!

Good food, good service and excellent coffee!. I have been a longtime customer of their coffees, and I think the expansion to Fretwell and The Pharmacy were good moves.

Decent coffee shop- this was the only place we could find around Inman, SC that didn't have burnt coffee! I had an oat milk cappuccino and it wasn't spectacular tasting but it was adequate enough for a caffeine fix :-) I also got a cookie with white chocolate and Baileys and espresso- couldn't taste the Baileys or espresso but it was good.

This is this cutest quaint coffee shop in Spartanburg! Not only the atmosphere is inviting but the menu is wide enough to please all caffeine lovers! I got the dirty chai (my first time having) and was pleasantly surprised how the espresso paired nicely with the chai tea! They also sell their coffee grounds which I think would make a wonderful gift. As for an environment for studying? I give it a two thumbs up if you need a place that's not too quiet and not too loud. Also a great place to catch up with family and friends. I want to say this is my favorite coffee shop yet!

I love this place! It's right in downtown Spartanburg and next to the coolest bookstore! I got a vanilla latte with oat milk and it was delicious. It wasn't too sweet (their vanilla syrup is homemade) or too bitter...I would say that means it was a shwae cup of joe:) They've got great outdoor and indoor seating. And it wasn't too loud inside!

Love the vibe of this place! What I love the most is that it hasn't been overly crowded so I can actually get some decent studying time in. The staff is very friendly, fast and patient. Parking is super easy, awesome shaded outdoor seating area and plenty of outlets for devices throughout the space.

Amazing drinks and food! The service is amazing and the ambiance is cozy and comfortable!

Stopped by for a coffee before work while on a biz trip. Wanted something local... super cute spot! Great coffee, muffins and environment.

Very friendly...comfortable yet hip environment...great coffee and iced tea. They even have a mobile ordering option. Enjoy!

Amazing staff and service! The espresso is delicious and the pastries are the freshest in town. Very cozy and homey vibes and they also offer outside seating which is fabulous in the spring and fall!

Fantastic service and coffee came back every day. Great atmosphere will return every time I come to Spartanburg

What a cute little coffee shop! We were in town looking at houses. Checked the Yelp reviews to see where we should stop for some breakfast and coffee. This is where we ended up. Right in their cute little downtown area. I had the avocado toast. Yummy! The lime juice was great on top. The bread was amazing as well! I had a chai and it was very tasty. Great flavor. I did have extra vanilla added, but I shouldn't have asked for extra. It was a little too sweet. That's my fault. You never really know how sweet it is until you try it. I just went with my default from my normal coffee shop. Loved the shop. The people were all so friendly and helpful.

My daughter and I stopped by in the way through town. This was a cute busy little coffee shop. My coffee was good and so was the avocado toast. I like that when the weather is nice, people are sitting outside. It makes it a great place to hang out with friends and I like that community feel.

One of the best lattes I have had!! So smooth with the oatmilk - it was super creamy and refreshing. Didn't taste too strong or burnt. Will def be back when I visit Spartanburg.

I'm fairly new to Spartanburg and this has been my immediate impression of LRCB. Bear in mind that this is just an opinion and that you should go and check it out for yourself and form your own opinion. It's sad I have to place a disclaimer. I sure hope that this place puts an emphasis on realizing that there are customers in the building other than the clique that seems to exist. I can say as an outlier that my most recent visit I've had a good experience only because I knew the two people working behind the counter at the time. Outside of that, the customer service was abysmal to say the least. It felt very much the same as walking into a place where only a few cliques of people know each other which included the staff. The coffee seems as tasty as every other coffee location I have ever been to. Which isn't saying much. Coffee can only get "so good" until you have to start adding things to it. Coffeeshops are known for their attention to detail and customer service. When this fails then it's not worth trekking downtown to grab a coffee or specially designed beverage. The decorum seems a bit outdated even if it may be trying to relate to a rustic kind of feel. There are better ways to pull this off. Update it for crying out loud, at least to the standard of the Pharmacy.

What I think about this little river cafe is exactly the way I love life to be. It was "eazy peazy lemon squeazy". Customer service was engaging and conversational where it was a chill experience. They had a few papers out that I could read while I unwind from the hectic morning and just fine my place by the window to watch the goers of the other local businesses with my headphones in and my smooth jazz sounds to take the stress away. I love this spot because it's not over the top but it's just right and it rocks. Oan yeah got my smooth black with a hint of caramel and nutmeg

The place was cool looking and spacious when I found it, but wasn't a fan at all of the breakfast sandwich I got, nor the chai tea latte.

Best in the Upstate and locally owned. (not some giant conglomerate from the other side of the continent) Locally roasted beans (less than two miles away), fresh baked goodies (on-site bakery, previously 'Cake Head Bake Shop'). Located on street level (lots of outdoor seating) of the old Masonic bldg on Main St, Spartanburg. Clientele runs the ages, hell I just passed a couple pushing a baby in a stroller. Maybe the 2 Aarons should get together at Starbucks with all the other pretentious puss__s ‼

We visited while passing through on vacation and stopped in. It's in a convenient location, had quick service, and made a delicious dirty chai!

I came in for an iced coffee on a hot summer day. I grew up in Spartanburg and this seems like an awesome coffee shop. It has a great decor, good energy, and coffee had a smooth taste. I love cool independent coffee shops!

Afternoon stop! Polite, quick and done right. They even knew how to properly make a London Fog for my Bride. Cool location and a decent seating area out front that is under cover. Will be back for the start of the day tomorrow.

It smelled a bit like dog in here as they allow dogs in. The coffee wasn't the best. I usually get an iced latte (no syrups, sweetener, flavoring etc) at every coffee shop I go to, and theirs just had an odd taste to the beans. Wouldn't come back.

Great coffee shop, awesome decoration, cozy, retro, very good coffee beans, rich flavor, good service, clean, free Wifi, park behind the building.

Passing through and stumbled upon this gem. Great Mocha and the Avocado toast is a can't miss. I want to figure out the bread and seasoning for the Avocado toast so I can make it home, since the 6 hour commute would be a bit long for breakfast.

I stopped by this quaint little spot to do some work while I was in town. I really enjoyed the coffee and they have so many brewing choices. The staff was really helpful and accommodating. However I didn't give 5 stars for two reasons, in which they have no control over. First, there are not many electrical outlets to plug your laptop into. The other downside is the noise inside. The place is small a echoy, so it was rather loud for my conference calls.

I go here a lot. The coffee is good and people working there are nice. I prefer supporting these small coffee shops over Starbucks which is right up the street. I'll keep going here, it's my standard.

I've been to this location and the drive up, as well as ordered ground coffee online from the roaster. The coffee is always extremely fresh and delicious. The ground coffee is a great price for such quality coffee. I also had a post office delivery issue once with my coffee order and an employee at the roaster, Daniel, went out of his way to personally deliver my coffee to my house when he left work. What more can you ask for?

The Blueberry muffin tastes freshly made, nice juicy blueberries. The snicker doodle scone is also delicious and huge! My latte is nice and smooth, while still strong. Service was quick and friendly. Most people were here working or conducting meetings first thing on a Monday morning. We were visiting from out of town and enjoying the view of passerby outside the giant front windows. They have tables and seating outside too, which would be great when it's a little warmer out.

A really lovely spot for a cup of coffee and good conversation with friends. They are happy to accommodate non-dairy milk requests but unfortunately none of their baked goods are vegan. The bakery in the back is precious but I've never seen any vegan items there as well. Since that affects a very small portion of eaters I certainly cannot dock a star for that. Overall, I love this place and frequent it at least a few times a month.

Good cup of Joe. I did not avail myself of the full experience with breakfast waiting for me back at the hotel. Coffee options plentiful. I was boring with my usual black going with the Little River Blend. Nice balance, big fan. Food options but not sure if it exceeds basic pastry options. Really not so basic as the scone I looked at included kale and onion. Not a kale fan but love creativity. Definitely give it a try if in Spartanburg. Highly recommend a stay at the AC Hotel which is just a few steps from Little River.

Best avocado toast I've ever had! Definitely worth trying. I also got a caramel latte which was yummy as well.

In town for a meeting, needed a place to connect laptop, grab a cup of coffee. First things first, cool people. Ordered a pour over , there were a few different options in both the preparation and the coffee. Picked one, sat down, got lost in my work and one of the staff took notice and grabbed the coffee for me, brought it over and said "didn't want your coffee to get cold on you"... really appreciated that! Left for my meeting, came back to upload notes etc, went for another cup of coffee and was told to put my wallet away, that it was a refill. THAT'S HOW YOU GET GREAT REVIEWS. SIMPLE LITTLE ACTS OF COURTESY AND KINDNESS! Support this really cool group of people and their tasty coffee!!

Stopped in for a coffee and wifi and found both! Cozy atmosphere with some great coffee-shop-music (think.. 1975, Florence + The Machine). Was greeted with a smile and served immediately. Will definitely come back again!

Good location with a bookstore next door. The interior is bright and colorful. The pastries we purchased were a day old (the employee said so and there may have been a little sign posted), but should have been thrown out completely. The carrot cake muffin was too dry and regrettable. The coffee was average, but good enough to make for a pleasant evening out. They offer plenty of magazines and space for conversations or studying.

This place is super cute inside, and way bigger than it looks. It's connected to a bookstore and has a little cake shop in the back. Me and my friend got the avocado toast and it's was sooo good! Already wanting more. Our coffees were great too. Very legit little coffee bar, has free WiFi, nice view of the street, and a great place to study at. Overall I love this place.

The BEST COFFEE BAR AROUND!!!! I love the environment, the staff, the coffee, and the price. It's everything that you can ask for in a coffee bar.

I've been coming to Little River regularly for the last 4 years (barring a global pandemic hiatus) and I can honestly say it's been another home for me. The coffee is incredible, as well as the patisserie, but it's the ambiance that has me coming back time and time again. I cannot name a time I've visited the Coffee Bar in recent history where I haven't been smiled at by some familiar stranger, if not someone I know from the Spartanburg community outright. I absolutely could not recommend this place enough, especially if you're indigenizing yourself to Spartanburg's community.

This is the coolest place for coffee in S'burg. Looks like it might not be a coffee shop from the outside but go in and check it out. $1 for self-serve.

A fantastic, locally owned coffee shop. It's location in a refurbished Masonic temple is unique--although this is more apparent with the exterior design. Serves the gambit of freshly prepared coffee drinks--their house blend is strong but perfectly balanced. It's also conveniently sandwiched between Cakehead Bakery and HubCity Books. Also provides free wifi. I great space for group meetings and private study. Looking forward to making this place my new haunt.

Beet Matcha latte ever ! Oh and best muffin ever too! They were really friendly and the place is cute and relaxing.

This is the cutest little coffee shop! It's delicious (much better than Starbucks in my opinion) and easy on the wallet. The blended white mocha espresso is perfectly sweet and smooth with just enough of that bitter espresso kick! The inside is cozy and perfect for sitting back and enjoying a book while sipping on your drink.

The mocha blended espresso is the best, especially for a hot summer day. Nothing else anywhere compares to their quality.

Great location - a hub of activity for downtown - and the coffee is good too! Check out Cakehead Bakeshop and the book store while you are there. It's a must visit when you visit downtown.

Such a great place here in Spartanburg, SC. It's local and I love that! Beans are roasted right down the street about a mile. The building is an old Masonic Temple. One side is a book store. The other is LRCB and located in the back is Cakehead bake shop. Nice combo of places all in one spot and all locally owned. No need to tell you what I've had. It's all good! Only negative is that it might be a little slow. I'm fine with that since SparkleVegas is a sleepy kinda town!

Love the place! Always go there to do homework. I always end up running into someone I know which shows how much the coffee bar is a staple of the community. Definitely should take a look. I will say, as a Colombian-American, wasn't a fan of the old Colombian whole bean coffee I bought (they have a lot of choices of roasts). Looks like they changed regions. Like the newest Colombian coffee and will be buying more!

This place is so fun & has a great vibe. I have been once before but I was especially inspired by the artist of June. Beautiful Blues & green--I wanted to buy all of her paintings & I loved her "free encouragement" wall. Adorable. I recommend the dirty chai latte! Very relaxing, a good spot for a drink & a chat or an informal meeting too.

The best coffee I've had so far in South Carolina! Recently moved here from Seattle and would honestly say it beats most of the coffee shops there. This cafe is very nice and clean. Love the atmosphere and the good quality products. Also if you're planning to come here get the avocado toast!! It's so delicious! Definitely coming here again.

LOVE! I love the staff and the coffee. I never realized what good coffee was until The Coffee Bar. They play great music and they have a great atmosphere, not to mention it's in an awesome historic building. The bakeshop (run independently) provides baked goods daily (unfortunately none are vegan) so its a perfect stop any time of day. They offer cold and hot drinks, as well as smoothies and Izze sodas.

Little River is a fantastic little coffeehouse with terrific, friendly service and great drinks. As a New Yorker in the upstate for work, I can't live without a solid coffeehouse for my daily coffee run. Given the dearth of coffee joints in the area, I was pleasantly surprised that downtown Spartanburg not only has a coffeehouse, but a great one at that, on par with those found in bigger cities. The atmosphere and staff are warm, friendly and very knowledgeable. All of the baristas are quite efficient and friendly, and they enjoy getting to know their customers. There's definitely a vibe that Little River is connected to the community, and it's refreshing to find someplace in Spartanburg where there's a younger, more socially attuned crowd that you don't seem to find anywhere else in this area. The drinks are well made and very good, and while the advertised menu is limited, I have found that the baristas can accommodate most non-advertised orders pretty well. There is a limited amount of food sold too, but with Cakehead Bakery sharing the same space as a Little River, people should not have an issue finding food if they are peckish. I wish Little River would expand their tea selection a little more, but that's a little concern given the solid selection already available. This is definitely the go-to place for great coffee in Spartanburg! I love coming here!