Second Best Coffee

This is truly a hidden gem of the neighborhood. It’s the place where you’ll experience a real espresso — trust me, there’s a lot of work and dedication behind it. For everyone who values coffee as a cultural phenomenon, I highly recommend it. Respect to Nathan for making it all come to life!

Absolutely a picturesque and cozy spot. The staff are kind and the drinks looked tasty, I wanted to try them all but got their vanilla strawberry latte which was fantastic! It’s hard to incorporate fruity flavors into lattes and they nailed it. I will be back when I find myself in the area again!

An excellent little coffee shop in the Waldo area. Clean and comfortable, this place has great coffee, amazing pastry, and a super nice and efficient staff. I'd highly recommend if you're in the area!

Second best coffee begs the question who is the best coffee roaster. Bears paul g attention to what they find first best. Frankly I find their coffee to be the best for miles around. The breakfast burrito to be amazingly good and the baristas to be smiling happy and alive.

Coffee and bakery items always hit the craving you desire. The staff is super kind and helpful. It's a great place to meet a friend or post up to get some work or reading down for a bit. This also is a safe place for all individuals, very inclusive and welcoming to all.

Love this coffee shop as my husband and I walk there all the time- great vibes and coffee and pastries. Also just had cookies made by Michaela make amazing cookies for our wedding. They were BEAUTIFUL, delicious, and fair price. She is the sweetest. Will add pictures later as of course I don’t have any of my own at the moment. :)

Unique ambiance. Very good bakery products. I heard the choriso burritos were the best. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was because my latte was served lukewarm. I didn't know I had to ask for it to be extra hot.

Great experience here and would highly recommend! I thought the coffee was delicious. The store was also very interesting and nicely decorated. I got a really good vibe from this place, wasn’t too sure since it was in a strip mall and not your usually third wave coffee tiny house or historical building but it didn’t disappoint. The staff were helpful and the service was fast. Also a big bonus was that the restrooms were clean and there is free parking! Would highly recommend this place (even though it is only “second best” lol)

Second Best Coffee in Waldo has such a great vibe. I got a dirty chai iced, about two dollars more than other places, maybe because of the oat milk but I always get oat. It was smooth, flavorful, and exactly what I needed. The atmosphere is fun, colorful, and welcoming. I will definitely be back.

Really great vibes, really awkward staff, really really bad coffee. :-( I've never had a latte that is mostly water but this was without a doubt the worst latte I've ever had from anywhere. Watery latte - make it make sense!? I wanted to love this spot but there's no way I could ever recommend anyone spend $9 on a latte this terrible. I feel like 3 stars is too generous, but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt that they do actually know how to make good coffee and I just had a shit barista.

Some things that I love about this place-they use glass plates and cups when you order to eat/drink there. The first couple times I came in, the coffee was decent, but I think the last 2-3 times it has been smooth and delicious. The last time in, I ordered the bacon burrito and it was delicious. The bakery items always look fresh and the employees have always been kind! Cool little spot in Waldo!

I stopped in here between clients to do some work and grabbed a hot chia. Since I was staying there it came in a huge cup. Flavors were good and temp was hot but not where I had to wait for hours to cool down. The coffee shop had a steady flow of people but there were plenty of places to sit and work. I ordered a burrito which was a good size and flavor.

New to the Waldo area so tried this spot out as my first new coffee spot in the neighborhood. The service is kind and prompt, the decoration and the overall space is really nice with lots of seating options as well for if you want to lounge with a book or change up your work set up for a couple of hours. The coffee itself was excellent. Both times I got an iced latte and it had the perfect balance of espresso to the flavors of the milk/ syrup that I wanted. I did one time get the honey badger and it was something I fell in love with. Was an awesome latte and one I hope to get again soon.

It's 7 am and hot Blueberry Lemon Scone with a glaze just came out of the oven and is resting on the counter next to the register. You pretty much have to try one. The scone is delicious. I tend to ignore scones because I feel like they are a bit dry. This was still warm so it was moist in the center with a nice crunch on the edges. The blueberry and lemon flavors are equal and compliment each other perfect! Pour over Mexico Cerro Azul. This one was recommended as being a bit funky. It's awesome. I feel like there is flavors of cherry and bourbon. It is smooth and lightly roasted. I highly recommend! Decaf- this is what I drink daily and it was only available as an Americano. This is a light roast coffee with smooth flavor and great taste. The staff is friendly and spent time talking with a local person who seemed to be down on their luck. Also plenty of room for working or gathering with friends. Overall great experience.

Visited this local spot for the first time in a long time! It was packed when we went on a Saturday morning. I ordered a nonfat latte and my husband ordered cold brew and a breakfast burrito. The burrito was delicious! We both enjoyed our coffee and the overall vibe of the place. I love how inclusive they are. We've definitely gone back a couple of times since to grab coffee or a burrito on the go.

I'm a fan of Second Best Coffee. No longer a newbie, Second Best has really carved out a space for itself amongst the creme de la creme of cafes in KC. What do I like about this spot? I love that it's not in an overly pretentious area, that it has ample seating, and that the drinks are reliably good. If anything it can be a bit hipster inside, but you know, it IS a coffee shop so that is somewhat to be expected. Overall I love this place for working and grabbing a really delicious craft coffee beverage.

I've always enjoyed this coffee shop, from their bike theme to their tasty pour-overs, and often friendly vibes in the shop. The past few times, it hasn't been quite what I remembered where the vibes are a bit more.. serious? But it's still a good place for getting work done and meetings, and I enjoy the natural light that pours in from the windows. The coffee can really hit and be incredible, or it can wobble down to being average. My latest pour-over didn't have a lot of taste and was just OK, as was a nitro cold brew that was flat. It's still a fun local coffee shop, and one to seek out even if it's tucked away a bit. In fact, that's maybe part of the charm of it -- so many coffee shops have a primo or super convenient location and this one earns it's large following based on the experience and coffee itself. In addition to black coffee, I've had some wonderful iced lattes that were seasonal specialties here. I hope to catch some energizing and fun vibes on my next trip in like I used to here, and overall would recommend it as a spot to check out if you're in Waldo.

This is a lovely coffee spot in Waldo! There's plenty of seating inside to enjoy your drink and food. They offer a wide range of coffee drinks and breakfast items. The service is always incredibly friendly. I would definitely recommend Second Best Coffee as a great coffee spot in KC!

It might be called second best coffee but it's #1 in my heart. Service was quick and friendly. Staff was honest and helpful about the drinks. I ordered the blackberry juniper special cause the syrup was unique compared to other coffee shops and it really hit the spot. Definitely got my caffeine in for the day! Wish I ordered the larger size cause it was all gone by the time I got to the office. I went early in the morning so it wasn't crowded but they have lots of seating area and it was very chill atmosphere. Could come here to study or work. I liked the coffee so much here I came back the next day and tried their coffee cake muffin and to my surprise it didn't taste sweet! Prices were reasonable - could easily become a dangerous place if I come every M-F.

OK absolutely five stars best coffee I've had in Kansas City. I love the homemade syrups. I'm a scone fanatic and this place actually knows how to make scones. They have the right crumble on the edge even though the frosting is a little over sweep I'm sure most people prefer it like that, but the texture of the scone itself is fantastic and it was warm out of the oven when I got here.. staff was not overly welcoming when I walked in. No one looked up and smiled, and the energy felt a bit heavy but once I got in and started talking to the girl at the counter, she warmed right up and I'm guessing the guy who is the manager also came out and started talking so reasonable customer customer service super awesome coffee and reasonably good scones definitely worth a check out if you're really into high-quality ingredients

This is hands down one of the best local coffee shops in the city. Every time I go, I am reminded how simply delicious the coffee is. I'm a latte girl, so I always get a latte with oat milk. But this time I added caramel and hazelnut syrups. It was so good. It was the right temperature, great price (even with the up charge for the milk alternative) and right balance of espresso and syrup. I sucked it down so fast that next time I'll have to get a large. They also have seasonal hot and cold coffee drinks. Regular drink menu includes chai, other teas and hot chocolate. Their baked goods are also yummy. They have burritos, vegetarian options as well as scones and other baked goods. They even sell swag and askinose chocolates! This is a popular spot for remote workers. I wish I lived closer because I'd go way more often. If you're near Waldo it's definitely worth a stop to try. Your only regret will be that you didn't try it sooner.

I'm always on the lookout for a good coffee shop. Stopped in with a friend after lunch. Cute place. Fast service. I ordered a decaf iced vanilla latte with oat milk. She ordered a caramel macchiato. My coffee was very good. I prefer rich, medium to dark roast, which it was. This is the second coffee place I've been to that does not have any sugar-free syrups. I'm diabetic so I prefer to not have full sugar so I just had half the syrup. That was fine. It was excellent coffee. They also have pastries and quite a few flavors of chocolate bars. I will definitely be back if I'm in the area.

My son's favorite coffee place when visiting KC. Tucked away in an older strip mall. Friendly service with comfortable seating displaying local art.

Second Best is a coffee shop that I have had bookmarked for quite some time but had never visited. It took me a bit of time to find it since where I thought it was and where it is actually located were not even close. After driving around Waldo for some time I actually had to use GPS to find the strip mall. The spot is wide open with lots of light and minimalist in decor with some flags and bike art. The menu is small but highly professional / experimental and the background soundtrack kept my Shazam working overtime to bookmark a wide variety of undiscovered cool music. The staff , although not overly friendly were professional and actually bring your order to your seat - no yelling of numbers or names. A service that should be implemented more often where possible. The World Star Latte was amazing; made with vanilla bean and star anise syrup. I truly wish Second Best wasn't on the other side of the metro cause i would love to give them more of my $ on a frequent basis. After just one visit; they are definitely in my top 10 for KC coffee shops and a new reason to explore south KC more frequently.

I was a bit disappointed to be honest. The inside is super cute but the coffee and breakfast burrito lacked taste and flavor. Burrito could use some seasoning and limited coffee options. One of my least fav I've tried in KC. Service was not super friendly or upbeat. Over all it was just, ok.

I don't care what the name says, the coffee and treats (so many yummy GF options too), sweetheart staff, and overall vibe is THE BEST. Great place to work and make new friends. All are welcome here.

I love this coffee shop. I have liked everything I've tried. They have a drink where you drop a shot of espresso into a coffee, which was fun. The atmosphere is chill and the employees are friendly.

I absolutely love the creamy smoothness of their lattes. I've tried the Autumn and blackberry juniper latte. The Autumn is their seasonal hot drink and it is so delicious with the perfect hint of cinnamon. The blackberry juniper was always very good with just a slight hint of sweetness. I also tried their chorizo breakfast burrito. I believe these are pre made and then popped on the panini toaster to give it the perfect crispy outter tortilla. It's a small hidden gem in Waldo, very clean and the baristas are friendly.

Went and got the banana bread muffin! It was really delicious. I also got a vanilla latte which was also good, albeit kind of small in terms of serving size for the price. It's a great cafe with lots of tables and chairs to sit at. If you are planning to work here for the afternoon or use this place as your reading nook, I do want to warn that the music they have in the background can get quite loud. Not necessarily a bad thing because I love listening to music at work, but could be a dealbreaker if you don't want to get distracted.

The service was very good and the ambiance was very nice. However, I was told that this coffee place was amazing but... the coffee flavor itself was unimpressive. Not the worst. If you are in the KC area, I would recommend trying Oddly Correct. I would consider this coffee if you can't spare extra time to go to another coffee shop.

Coffee/Tea is good. I usually get the iced chai latte. Milk options are whole milk, soy and oatmeal milk. Food is limited to scones and breakfast burritos. Seating is mostly inside with two chairs outside. Chairs are hard, there are no couches or soft chairs. Plenty of parking. It's located in a random strip mall. Hours are 7-5. I like that they have environmentally friendly cups for in person dining.

Coffee is consistent, baked goods are delicious. Service is great very nice employees. Clean and great use of their space with their seating set up. Their merch is good quality material along with different bean selections to choose from. Personally they are the top of the coffee game here in the Kansas City area in my opinion. 4 stars just to keep them modest.

Okay... I'm about to sound cheesy. Sorry in advance... There's nothing SECOND BEST about Second Best! In my opinion. Hah! :) Second Best is my favorite place to buy beans from. They have delicious light roasted coffee which is my jam. They have EXCELLENT breakfast burritos as well which they serve all day... what could be wrong with that!? And, lastly, they have excellent seasonal beverages. Fun, laid back atmosphere with friendly staff. I love this place!

Breakfast burritos are fire, we liked the chorizo more than the bacon one. Nice space and quick service.

Great cold brew, great vegan breakfast burritos, great music (that isn't too loud, big plus), and friendly/cool staff. This place is the best!

This coffee shop is tucked away in a unique part of town. The ambiance of the shop is very welcoming but has its own creative flair as opposed to other shops. They serve drink combinations that you won't see elsewhere. The baristas are very friendly and helpful! I got the dark sage nitro and it was the perfect combo of spicy and refreshing.

Feels strange writing this review, considering the other stellar reviews. However, this review is being left with the poor service in consideration. It was a short haired lady and a bearded man that were extremely rude and ignored us at the counter for about 8+ minutes. After the wait, the coffee was just ok. Cool looking spot though!

Favorite coffee shop in KC!!!! All homemade syrup and food and it shows. Nicest people ever and such amazing lattes

Second best is definitely honest.. most horrible espresso i've had in KC.. made me nauseated. EXTREMELY BITTER / no aroma / no fun. They close at noon btw

Huge fan of Second Best Coffee from its early days and still through the COVID-19 crisis. Though cleverly named Second Best, they continue to deliver THE best coffee and is a hidden gem in South KC (original one in Waldo). When I lived in KC, I loved their Askinosie Mocha Coffee, their Christmas '92 (peppermint), Winter Latté and their seasonal drinks. Do make sure to try their housemade Almond Milk and also nab a bag of their Prototype Espresso, the Hazelnutty Peanut Butter coffee is UH-MAZING! Seriously. I still drink it and request my friends to bring me a bag whenever they visit Chicago. Other than that, I love what the owners have done with the aesthetics of their coffee shops. Industrial yet Mid-Century Modern. Simply what you'd want from Midwestern Modesty!

This place is soooo cute. Checked it out visiting for business. Cool art. Great London fog. Good music. Really nice for morning meetings.

Very nice shop! Great decor, great drinks, nice staff. Cutest name and logo: Midwest humility!

went the morning after the phoebe bridgers concert and had A) one of the best beverages I have ever had! I love the peanut butter notes in the espresso :) and B) such a nice interaction with the two employees who were working!! it's a great local shop with even better beans! would 100% recommend to anyone living in or passing through KC.

Wow. If we're talking purely about coffee quality, Second Best takes best cup of coffee in KC. Single origin pour over was IMPECCABLE. The Tanzanian I ordered had complex fruity flavors but was very well balanced. Served in a small glass carafe with accompanying mug, you get the perfect amount of coffee -- slightly more than one mug :) atmosphere inside is cool, very modern with good music and bike-themed decor. Not a huge place, but enough space if you want to study. Location is a little weird as it's located in a run down looking strip mall, but the inside totally makes up for it. The shop definitely caters to the high end, high quality coffee market, so you'll pay a bit more, but it's well worth it. Also!! The slogan of "midwestern modesty" is amazing.

I heard that all the baristas quit because of the toxic work environment. I hate to hear that their workers suffered mentally and they had to make a decision to leave asap. I liked the coffee shop so it's so disappointing to hear that. The former baristas are trying to raise money to pay their bills. Here is their GFM page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/former-staff-of-second-best-coffee?utm_medium=email&utm_source=product&utm_campaign=p_email%2B2300-co-team-welcome

Always great music here, and terrific staff. Loved my blackberry juniper latte (seasonal special).

Very much a coffee shop that's about the coffee. Decor is comfortable. That profile picture of me was taken here! Bicycle guy, my friends call him. Back to the coffee. It is exquisite. Strong and bold taste and aroma. Knowledgeable baristas. They don't cut corners. Crazy quantity of choice.

What an awesome spot! 1. Coffee is amazing. 2. Great Local Pig burrito selection (get the Rojo). 3. Access to an outlet at every seat. 4. Table hooks!! (Always get me excited) 5. Awesome music to keep me from falling asleep as I attempt to study.

Tremendous coffee, fantastic environment to enjoy my coffee before work in the morning! I've enjoyed the service and attention to detail for a couple of years now!

Great coffee and food. I always get the chorizo burrito. Great music in afternoon. I have many meetings there.

Came here based on recommendations from friends. We ordered several items. I got a hot chocolate, a nitro, and Nutella latte, and a blueberry muffin. The nitro was not strong compared to every other nitro that I have had which disappointed me. Hot chocolate was fine, but recently tried black dog coffee and liked their hot chocolate better. Nutella latte was also fine. Nothing crazy special. I will not be getting their Blueberry muffin or pastries. They did not warm it and it was kind of stale... Service was nice. When I went to order, the worker casually spoke to us and even held a conversation. It was refreshing. Next time, I will try their cocktails. I saw some other people ordering them and it looked good.

I made a point of visiting recently to try one of the winter seasonals - the 511. I had seen a lot of hype about this drink all over their social media, so I had to find out what it was all about! Holy. Wow. Was this drink amazing! It's a mix of eggnog and espresso over crushed iced and topped with shaved white chocolate. It's creamy and noggy and words really don't do justice to how this drink tastes. I completely understand they hype, and am wondering how I waited so long to enjoy this drink! It's super limited due to the eggnog availability, so go when you can! As far as the space goes, it seemed very open and relaxing. Plenty of (socially distanced) seating and space for those carrying out to wait. Can't wait to come spend time here

Haven't had a chance to go inside of Second Best but did order from their window while the interior was closed. I'll be sure to come back and check out the atmosphere because the inside looked like a lot of fun. The nitro cold brew options here were second to none. Nitro with milk and vanilla (Fred - what I got), nitro with milk and cinnamon, red ribbon nitro, and nitro with espresso. I hadn't seen anything like these before, so I was thrilled as a big time nitro fan. I think this is the best coffee shop in the immediate area!

Delicious! We went to Second Best during "covid times" so I can't speak to the atmosphere/inside of the dining area, but MAN was the coffee good! I was super impressed with the menu options, we had never seen a cold nitro "latte" before and it was SO GOOD! The employees were friendly and service was fast. They had great flavor and milk options as well. Highly recommend!

Friendly staff, good pour over. Not sure yet if I'll hang out there often, but worth a visit when I'm in the area

Wow their coffee is some of the best I have had. I always get drip coffee at coffee shops and though theirs was expensive, it was spot on. It's a nice balance of smooth and not too bitter. Their food options are rather limited though they have several varieties of burritos including a vegan one. I got two scones--a rosemary walnut one which wasn't overpowered by rosemary and an almond one which was also subtle in flavor. The scones are harder and a bit drier than I would have liked but still good. Being a smaller coffee shop, seating is limited and more bar top style and then some other small tables. It worked though. Outdoor seating consists of two backless benches and no tables.

We live down the street and have started to make it a tradition to go here on Sunday on our walks with our dogs. We met Asia our first time, who was nice enough to bring our drinks outside where we waited with the old pups, and visited with her for awhile. Whatever ostmilk they use is delicious, so rich and creamy. Their Blueberry scones are warm and flaky, and their breakfast burritos, delicious as well. I think it can be a little pricey, but I believe they do a lot of stuff in house. Tucked away into a corner of other businesses, it's probably only known to locals. They feature local drinks and even do a monthly coffee club. Please stop by this little hidden gem!