Z'otz Cafe

Moody little coffee house with fun someone and dragons themed decorations and roasted coffee. They have a good list of coffee drinks and some baked goods. They have three rooms with several tables in each. There is paid and free street parking nearby.

This place is definitely unique. It has a dark rock sort of vibe...not my thing personally but it's cool. Lots of skeleton themes throughout and rock metal playing. I like that they are open late. They have 4 different bean roasts- medium, chicory, dark, and another blend- Highland something. Barista was nice and brewed another pot of coffee for us. The coffee was alright. It's got a lot of sitting space, and they have board games, as well as nights for movies or games. They've got half n half, soy milk, coconut milk, and regular milk for the coffee.

I usually love Z’otz! I love the atmosphere, and I love supporting the inclusive, alternative space they provide. However, for the past month I’ve had a severe double ear-infection which has rendered me practically deaf. I was already feeling so much isolation and frustration from not being able to hear for over a month. The man at the counter was incredibly rude to me when I asked him to repeat himself multiple times. I felt like crying. I am not an accurate representation of the deaf community. I am young and appear completely physically abled. I’m asking for sensitivity to disabilities, even if they are not visible, so anyone who steps in the doors of Z’otz feels respected.

Went in for a Green Pear tea, it was delicious. It has a quirky atmosphere and multiple levels hidden away to suit in quiet, work on your computer, or even play board games. There is a thriving board game community that frequents the café on Saturdays. You never know who will be in this little neighborhood. A duck watching a dog? Just another afternoon at Zotz.

First of all the hot latte is amazing. 2nd the hardcore music and scenery is pretty cool. 3rd cheapest hot latte I’ve ever had of my coffee shop journey. And lastly plenty room for laptop working!

An awesome place to grab hot or cold drinks. Specializing in coffee, I enjoyed a frozen mocha and my sidekick enjoyed some delicious sweet tea This place is very eclectic and has a lot of sitting areas and books to read plenty of artwork to see!

Whoever was working at Z’otz on Monday, June 30th around 9 p.m. completely turned me off to this place. I walked in, greeted the barista, and let them know I’d be right back to the counter after finding a good spot to set up. I’m in the service industry myself, so I had every intention of buying something in exchange for the Wi-Fi. I asked for water, assuming they’d grab a bottled one I could pay for. Instead, they pointed to the free water canteen. That’s on me for not making it clear I wanted to buy something. Since I wasn’t in the mood for coffee, I left to grab some cash with the plan to just tip instead. When I returned, I explained that and asked for the Wi-Fi code. The barista ignored the question and curtly asked, “Yeah, can I get you anything?” I replied, “No, I’m already a coffee and an energy drink in, but can I just tip you instead?” At that point, they looked irritated and said I had to buy something. They pointed to the $1 Emergen-C packs. I agreed and said I’d take one. During the transaction, they barely made eye contact. When they finally did, they said, “Yeah… it’s just a dollar,” in this flat, condescending tone, as if I should have known there wasn’t tax. I handed over the dollar, chose my receipt, and again, silence. I still had the cash I was planning to tip with in my hand. I asked, “And the Wi-Fi code?” They pointed down to the counter and said, “There. In bright red letters.” The snark was consistent throughout. I pocketed the tip. I fully understand if it’s store policy to require a purchase. I work in service, and I respect that. But talking to a customer like they’re dense, or like they’re trying to scam you, probably isn’t policy. It came off like they assumed I was just trying to freeload, and funny enough, the Wi-Fi didn’t even work. I ended up using my own hotspot because it kept buffering. What could have been a simple $10 tip turned into a $1 sale and a lost customer. Pushing someone to buy something wasteful instead of accepting a generous tip isn’t just bad customer service, it’s bad math. I’ll take my business to places with better attitudes and just as good, if not better, coffee: Rook Cafe, Baldwin and Co, Bean Gallery, and French Truck.

I last visited Z’otz about 2 nights ago, 6/8/2021, making the third or fourth time I’ve been there. Last visit was for a quick to-go order, but I love to sit and look at all the interesting artifacts. Great coffee and teas, also. This last visit I had chai.

Cool place. Good menu. Laid-back vibe. If I'm in this neighborhood again, I'd stop here.

Neighborhood, eclectic coffee spot on Oak Street with major hipster vibes. They've got a long list of tea options served iced or hot. Added bonus it's open late until 11 pm for those out late looking for a caffeine fix.

I fell in love with coffee coming to Z'otz. It's always been my first stop while working and shopping on Oak Street. This eclectic and nostalgic coffee shop is so charming, combining a unique blend of vintage decor, cozy indoor/outdoor seating, and a diverse menu of specialty coffees and pastries. Throughout the years the warm ambiance and service has not wavered. When on Oak Street stop in to indulge in an assortment of rich flavors and aromas of coffee.

Found this neat little place to grab a coffee. The atmosphere is cool total voodoo/New Orleans. The young lady behind the counter was very nice as well. The only reason I did not give it five stars was because of the loud music. But the coffee and the treats and the staff make it a very enjoyable morning stop. I even got a coffee to go. The drip coffee is delicious.

Love a good anarchist coffee house. Espresso was good and staff were about as friendly as baristas usually are lol.

What a weird little cafe; I loved it! It is the epitope of unique. The walls and decor are so random sort of like a mix of Halloween, death and maybe Voodoo. I walked in and there was a manquin, wrapped with lights wires and no arms with a mask on sitting on one of the chairs in the main cafe area. The tables have old newspaper articles about deaths and cults written in them gelled to the tables. There are random old books in the tony book case in the corner. And on the walls, it appeared to have bone colored paper mache texture that could almost be interpreted as skin. It was really neat and definitely not like any other place I have been to in New Orleans or at least maybe other than the French Quarter. We walked in and the very laid back, nice barista recommended a few items since the menu was being redone. She suggested the Zombie and I ordered that with white chocolate. The hubs ordered the white chocolate latte. Both were really good, but I preferred the latte. The coffee had a great, creamy taste and the coffee was thick. I really enjoyed that. As I walked around, the cafe was much larger than I thought because up the stairs was another little loungey area with couches and chairs. And then passed that was another little loungey area. This place is really laid back and you feel of sense of no judgement here. People are themselves here. I imagine this is a place where every time you go back, you see something new. That's hard to do and Zotz nailed it.

Came here for the first time today circa 10 am. Popular place with a line for almost the entire time I was there. The barista was great! He hustles. As a result, I tipped him! The medium roast drip coffee was good, but not quite as good as PJs. The almond croissant looked gorgeous but was underwhelming. Not a real French croissant, sorry. The Internet speed was approx 90/mbs - vastly better than Starbucks and PJ on Maple. Very alternative look and feel to the place. On-street parking. Recommended and I will be back.

Drinks are delicious, and they were quick to getting us our drinks. I get weird vibes from this place tho, definitely not your typical cafe

Z'otz is my go to for getting a lot of work done. Coffee is always good, love the blackberry hibiscus tea in the summertime. The baked goods are also great. Have never had a bad experience there.

The coffee is fine but nothing out of the ordinary. We've stopped here several times and biggest complaint its that is just not welcoming. The staff is borderline rude (and not in the usually quirky New Orleans way) and while there are places to sit, it's dimly lit and not inviting. There is street parking available but be sure to pay (every day except Sunday) because the city patrols regularly. If you are in the area and need a quick caffeine fix, this is an acceptable option but it's not the place to relax and enjoy a hot beverage with friends or a book.

Get the spicy chai tea latte. Pass on the Zombie iced coffee. Great ambiance and staff.

Great coffee, great service, witty banter, great space. What more could you ask for in a neighborhood coffee joint?

The wait staff was nice but Im allergic to this place?? Might be mildew or dust or something i'm not sure but other than that seems like it would be a cool spot for someone with no allergies

Z'otz can only be described as a spooky cafe and I dig it. Definitely my cup of tea... or should I say coffee? I'm new to the neighborhood, and I've already become a regular. It's dark and cool and pleasantly cave-like with what would appear to be a couple of real animal bones set into the walls. From the street, one would guess it was some kind of occult shop. They brew good coffee. This may be the only place I've been where the Americanos don't taste like water. They offer several different non-dairy milks, including the one I usually buy, and they will pour it in front of you so you can choose how much you get. Iced drinks usually come with a shit ton of ice, but they don't mind if you ask for less.

This seems to be a very popular coffee shop for the night time study crowd. They also have a nice board with upcoming music shows and other events posted. The coffee was not the best to me but it was not the worst either. The tables seem too small to me for comfortable studying but I guess I'm old and used to books and notebooks instead of all electronic all the time but I still need to write things down myself to really help my memory take them up but maybe that is my outdated brainwashing from my ancient schooling jading my opinion (except for the research that proves otherwise).

Nice little spot with a dark and creative ambiance. The drinks are delicious as well, I mostly go for the pomegranate tea. The staff are friendly, the location is great, and the prices aren't half bad either.

Very unique cafe with nice hours. I wasn't a big fan of the service as the lady in the front was rude and rushed us even though there was one other person in the store. Wifi is also kinda mid here.

Visiting our dad from out of town and my brother and I needed to get out of the house, so we walked down to the shop. The vibes here are fantastic; chill atmospheric music, lots of beautiful spooky art, lots of different seating options. I got an iced zombie black (basically a red eye with chocolate, I discovered) and it was refreshing and tasty, with some cherry notes in the roast. Lovely place to plan a morning out!

An electic cute place that you can sit and look around for awhile. Enjoyed the hibiscus tea and they have several tea and coffee options.

Recommended by the lovely bookstore down the street, so I'm already biased. Walked in and the vibe is amazing. Fantastic music, the barista practically bubbling with energy, and a warm comfy environment. The drinks are spot on (tried the Bad Wolf--delicious). Plus plenty of fresh pasteries to chose from. I'm in love and I will attempt to come back in the future!

They have a huge selection of drinks which I like but I wish they had a description of the drinks because I couldn't exactly tell from the name. I had the Bad wolf which is early grey tea with almond milk & it was so good! The atmosphere & the art around the place is so cool! The baristas are extremely friendly & upbeat & seem like they really enjoy their work. They have a very strict mask policy. The only thing I didn't like is that the place can be kind of loud & I was studying so that wasn't the best place.

The thing I like about this coffee shop is it stays open late and is a great place to do late night work you procrastinated.... but only if you are a Tulane student. I went there multiple times in my UNO gear and was definitely treated and looked at weirdly by the patrons. Overall, the coffee is gross. On top of that the baristas are mean and unfriendly and always seem to be impatient. I felt rushed when ordering because the menu does not have descriptions of what the coffee is, just the names. When I asked what two different coffees are, that's when the barista was giving me an attitude the most. So I settled on the first thing he said and it was not good. Can not remember the drink as this was last semester. They do give you a discount if you have library card which is something I thought was pretty cool. And the inside has really cool decor. I wish I could go here because of the vampire theme, but I have since then found better coffee shops.

My visit started based on a suggestion opportunity I gave two visitors sitting outside. I asked them who had the better of the two. (Competitor is smartly taking up a very busy visible corner which had my attention.) They both nodded with such confidence that Z'otz was so much better that they won me over. Word of mouth is so vital as you all know but I hadn't heard of this place before and thought this was such a shame. I love getting lost. Upon entering, I was feeling as though I took a trip to what I think was Transylvania. My senses were totally peaked with curiosity. If this place is as funky and weird as it appears, the coffee must be good. Please don't let me down Mr. Barista Man. I was happy he didn't assume I wanted it to go as most places do. They hand me a to go cup and the message is more of a goodbye than a welcome home. But when he picked out my mug for the morning I felt love was in the air. I had met my match in coffee heaven. That latte had just owned me and my relationship to Z'otz was about to get serious. Oh and amazing Mr. Barista Man... even whistles quite well. He enhances the jazzy music that plays like your favorite warm fuzzy blanket feels. By the way, he is so charismatic and witty and funny. So there Ya have it! Coffee: really good. Batista man: really friendly and the ambiance... Well, you will have to check it out for yourself. You won't be disappointed. Happy latte!

Can't Review Highly Enough I recently went to Z'otz for the first time. I was meeting a business associate who chose the meeting place. I surprised when I first walked in. With dark colored walls, stain-glass windows and eclectic art work, the coffee shop is a funky goth-glam, Aztec inspired mashup. SUPER COOL ATMOSPHERE. EXCELLENT SERVICE. I ordered a vanilla latte. It was the best vanilla latte I have ever had.

Great place to hang out and work. They have a drink with rose syrup and earl grey called the Bad Wolf. It's as good as it sounds. There's a hidden back area that's very cozy and charming and the baristas are super friendly. It's a great neighborhood place to hang out at and across from everything else on oak street like Made Well the grocery. My friend really likes their coffee brews, which I have yet to try. The pastries offered look super fresh and good.

Cool/creepy decor, good variety of iced teas, and super friendly service... but still an okay joint. Let me explain. Beverages: Good variety here, especially in the iced tea department. Nice strong flavor, too. I recommend the berry hibiscus. Not sure about the coffee, because I don't drink it. Pastries: They do have some pastries from a local bakery here that are pretty good. Not sure where they get them Ambience (my biggest complaint): This is the place for you if you like to sit and chill in a very very dark room. They have several rooms, all extremely dimly lit. Way too dark for me and far too dark to read or study unless you are in the main area, near the windows. I also found the shop kinda dingy and dirty. The couches are shady. The walls, corners, bathroom, and even pastry display case look like they are coated in a layer of dust. Overall, not really my scene. Service is friendly but slow. Food and drinks are okay but it's just too dark and dirty for my liking. It does seem like a cool place to chill, meet people, and strike up conversation with a stranger. Definitely not a good place to study.

Very cute place and the hours are great for a college student like me! The staff was nice, but slightly unprofessional at times, cursing in front of customers and the like. They also require a purchase for the WiFi passsword and a $4 minimum card payment, so I feel like I could find somewhere else to do the bulk of my studying. Not terrible, but not my favorite. But then again, this is just my opinion. Try it for yourself!

Man I love Zotz. Tea is good, probably famous for the go to blackberry hibiscus. Highlander grog is fun, maybe too spiced for some for a regular go to but I enjoy a cup every now and then. Always love the setting and ambience, just feels easy come easy go. Glad they're still in business all these years later.

I'm new-ish to the Oak Street vibe, been curious as long as I've lived in New Orleans (on and off for roughly nine years now) about the hustle and bustle of that neighborhood, and have promised myself to explore more. I began my journey in search of a yoga studio (which I found), a book shop (haven't visited yet), and a coffee shop. Not sure that Z'otz is my place, but it gets four stars for being exactly as described by everyone else. Barista did not thrill me, but I think that's the point. Enjoyed the weird atmostphere and definitely plan on going back to see what in the world is in the back of the house.

Other places, when the barista's a little curt, I take it personally. Here, I understand that I should have know that the line for ordering curves around the counter instead of extending back between the tables. Obviously. They take cards now, but they have a minimum (obviously). Lots of little tables, nooks and crannies for working. With strange lights that adjust for "study" or "relax." This place isn't for everybody (obviously) but I'll tell you what--their iced tea is pretty good and thus far I've always been able to find a late afternoon table.

Customers always wrong I wrote this message to the owner on FB messenger He said he'll read it after he has his coffee. So maybe you yelpers want to read while having your coffee. The owner replied to me as on Facebook. Saying it sound like I was threatening. Because I asked for a reply from FB messenger to get refund because I was scared to go back to the cafe because they threaten to call NOPD over me eating a Carrot. and I question them politely about their no outside food policies. So I replied back to the owner. Your worker threatened to call police, that was the only threat. If I went back to demanded a refund. I felt he would have called the cops on me. So I asked on FB not wanting to cause any trouble. Instead of helping other customers. He would have been dealing with a man demanding a refund or man getting arrested by NOPD. Sorry about the miss understanding. knew I couldn't bring outside food. I thought half carrot was ok. Like someone pulling candy out a purse. They probably would ask them to leave also. I started snacking on carrots after quitting smoking for some reason. And wanted one with my muffin and tea. Your employee nicely told me no outside food and I question the policy because it was a carrot. He then told me to leave or he'll call police. That hurts. like weeks before when they made you pay a minimum of $4 when using a card in 2018, so I bought a prepaid refill. Shifts changed and the did not honor my refill. Accusing me of trying to steal a free refill. But this day Leading up to him kicking me out. 1st he told me he couldn't find the hot tea binder and he lost it weeks ago. And all of those teas aren't available anyways. And take what we got. Rudely. But I used the binder the day before. So he's lying or just being too lazy to look. Now I'm trying to figure out what's available. But I don't see the tea bags anywhere..he then tells me the 3 teas available ..it wasn't the one I got last time and I enjoyed that one, but ok 2nd he told me customers aren't allowed to put feet on coffee table or chairs. I understood the chair part. But coffee table threw me off a little. So I left a simi rude message on Facebook messenger asking them to be nicer or I'm not tipping. because he was enforcing policies on me that I've seen other customers do. Like putting your feet on the coffee table in front the car seat they use as a lovechair. I guess now you can't. I got into my feeling and felt singled out. And that when I wrote the FB Messenger. Someone told him I left the message. Now he has a grudge. Instead of trying to treat me nicer, he decide to be even more petty. Because he felt out all of The other a-holes barista that work there, he is the nicest. And it's an insult to see his service as crap. He definitely felt some type of way. 3rd was the carrot. He ask me to leave because I was eating a carrot with my muffin and tea. And threatening to call police. Because I ask him was he really going make me go outside over a carrot. He didn't answer me. So I went outside finish my carrot then went back in to finish my muffin and tea. He came up to me and told me to get my stuff and leave or I'm calling police. Like I was the one with the problem. God forbid I question him about the no outside food policy. How dare me. The owner replied saying he'll read my FB message after he has his coffee. But he never did. But I'm all good. I got my refund. And you won't have to worry about this guy going back. Thanks to whoever read this review. It made me feel better. After them ruining my day off.

First things first, I love this place and it is my go-to study spot. However, there are some areas that need love and I will write objectively about them here. The coffee is good (especially cold brew), and they have an impressively long list of hot and cold teas that I have enjoyed trying over the years. The food however, is abysmal even for cafe food. The display shelf is filled with various pastries and some plastic-wrapped bagels. I have never had the fortune of landing a particularly fresh pastry, though I'm sure at some point during the early morning they are better. Bagels will sometimes run out by the end of the day. Then, your choices are very stale pastries or Nature Valley granola bars. All this would be completely insignificant if Z'otz didn't have a super strict no-outside-food policy. One time I witnessed a girl get openly reprimanded by the barista for quietly eating a salad she brought from home. Scary stuff! The other pretty annoying thing is the credit card minimum of $4. If you get a drink under $4 - which most simple ones are - and don't have cash, you will be cornered into adding on some small food item or else getting charged (however many cents difference) for literally nothing. But don't fret! There is conveniently a pile of items like granola bars and emergen-c directly in front of the register that should bring you right up to the total. If you're prepared to accept the above information, this is an amazing place to camp all day with ample space, unparalleled quirky decor, chill ambient music, etc. However, they really could stand to work out these issues because I'm sure others have been discouraged from returning.

Great syrup selection, I got the bad wolf and it was pretty good. I absolutely love the atmosphere, the only thing that I would like to point out is that we waited a little bit more than I would like to, other than that, great place!

Love love love this place. Staff are so friendly, there is free wifi, and it is quiet enough to read without headphones in the back room. Also you don't get glared at if you study for 5 hours in the same spot, so that's a win. The spicy chai here is seriously addicting! First authentic chai I've had at a cafe, well, ever. The sweet variety is good but the spicy has black pepper in it and it's delicious. Even my friend of Indian heritage agrees it would be Indian Auntie approved.

Incredibly friendly staff, strong coffee, and a very unique atmosphere. It's the perfect for late-night studying or just drinking coffee and catching up with friends. The decor may be my favorite part, I notice something new every time I'm in there (It took me a year to notice the butterflies in the wall)!

I was walking down the street about to go in and grab coffee. It was later at night and looked pretty empty. As I was walking up on the shop there was a young blonde girl eating a sandwich and on her phone in front of the shop. Suddenly, out of nowhere a thin white woman in her early thirties with brown, straight hair, that was pulled up, who was dressed like a hobo starts screaming at the blonde girl that she is a barista there and that the tables are for paying customers only (mind you the coffee places was basically completely empty and the girl was the only one at any of the tables). The lady keeps going on and on, being like how dare you eat food that isn't ours on our property. The blonde girl was really apologetic and moved her stuff away quickly and sat on the sidewalk. I felt terrible, she seemed really nice and introverted. The hobo lady continued to yell a bit more then walked down the street looking proud of herself. At 1st I thought the incident was so bizarre and the lady looked so disheveled that I thought maybe she was a crazy homeless person who didn't actually work here. I went on yelp though and decided this was not the case as many people mention a barista with an attitude problem. I left right away after this. I will not give my money to a company that thinks it is okay to treat people this way! People don't ever deserve to be screamed at in an unhinged, berating fashion. Anyhoo, at least I only wasted like a dollar on parking.

My introverted side's paradise. Art, locals and my favorite oak street nook to collapse with a book. Basically, the best place to get a little weird... Bats, barbies and coffee. Why not?

I had always loved going to to this coffee shop, until today. I have never been treated with such disrespect by a person in the service industry. The very "hard" looking barista barked at me and my friend upon entering, rolled her eyes at us when we asked for a second to look over the menu, and harassed my friend due to her milk allergy. Then, after spreading negativity to the entire shop, she slammed my change down on the counter while very obviously pointing at the tip jar. I have never encountered a barista with as much agression before going to this coffee place. I will never step inside of this business again after her extremely rude, unwarranted, and unnecessary attitude. On top of all of this, the drink she prepared tasted disguisting. She almost ruined my day with her negativity and agression

From out of town and a friend told me about this place. Uh. What a true refuge in covid times.... they leave the doors open so there's air flow and you can sit inside and there's lots of space between tables. The staff is just good people. you don't see that a lot these days

Guy behind the counter was super kind to us! We were a bit nervous about a couple that had come in without their masks, and he politely asked if they could put a mask on before coming in. Coffee and food was delicious and I really enjoyed the service. Thank you, Zotz!

Used to be a long time customer. Pre-covid I was a regular, going almost daily to get my studying in. Not sure what's happened but my experiences have not been great since. They are just flat out RUDE. I always spend a good amount on drinks/food and always tip 20% so the unwelcoming attitude is definitely uncalled for. The final straw was when I recently went in....after a long hard day of work at the hospital, I needed to get some studying in. Then the barista came up to me, in a condescending tone, that they were closing. I asked, oh you guys close at 11? I thought it was 1am. She responds, again in a condescending tone...we've been closing at 11 for more than a year. Well jeez girl, relax.... Both Yelp and your website says you close at 1am!!!! No need to be rude. Maybe update your website. As a paying customer, it's not worth it anymore. Too many good coffee spots around town to be treated rudely. Giving 2 stars instead of 1, for nostalgia purposes since I have a lot of memories as a med student here. But if you want better service, check out The Rook.... Similar vibes, free parking, great coffee and real nice baristas!!!

Yep, this place nails it. Charming, creepy, pretty, a tad weird, and caffeinated. Located in uptown New Orleans on a quiet street, this little coffee shop keeps late hours for those in need of a coffee fix. There are lots of students here with laptops working late. Inside the decor is like "Goth Halloween" with lots of fun photos, wall paintings (seriously, the bathroom is home to a gorgeous wall to wall mural), hanging mystery objects, and some generally voodoo inspired decor. There is a bit out outside seating, lots of seating across from the kitchen area, and a back room area that looks like a secret passageway. Z'otz has a nice selection of dessert snacks like cookies and brownies, some items are gluten free. When I visited late in the evening they were well stocked on sweets and cold brew coffee. I'm picky about iced coffee (hate when it's weak or diluted), but their coffee was smooth, bold, and strong without being bitter. I love that they use chipped ice, it made the iced coffee just perfect. Also they have a squeeze bottle of simple syrup nearby to make your iced coffee sweet, so much more useful than granulated sweetener. Also had a brownie with nuts to accompany the coffee. The brownie was very chocolatey and not too sweet, it paired nicely with the iced coffee. Found the prices super reasonable and was happy to buy from a locally owned (non-franchised) coffee shop. I liked everything about this little place. Lots of local charm and a mostly quiet atmosphere. The guy behind the counter was great and super fast.

A coffee house that makes a tasty simple coffee brew! So many times I find a coffeehouse will focus on the more elaborate drinks that they fail to produce a simple cup of joe. Z'otz has nailed this. A little cream and sugar and she's a good cup of joe to go. A small cup of coffee is $2 inclusive of taxes; refill $1.00 Ample seating, plenty of tables to sit alone or convive. Wifi available (ask the barrista for the password of the day). Will be back Z'otz,--I will be back for your tasty coffee and warm ambiance.

I have a rule of thumb: the more vague, irritating, and entitled the one-star reviews are for an establishment on Yelp, the better it probably is. This rule of thumb worked out just great for Z'otz. It's quirky. They don't do their customer service out of a three-ring binder, and I get that this confuses and scares some people. The baristas run the place like it belongs to them--how dare they! The coffee is good, the baked goods are more than decent, it's comfortable and dimly lit, there's plenty of seating, the wireless is good, and there's easy access to outlets. It's an ideal place to come work or study, if you don't expect to be treated like the Queen of Sheba or something. It sounds like there was one obnoxious unstable barista here years ago, but they seem to be long gone. If anything, the staff is a little too friendly, but I just smile and get my drink and am grateful they're aggressively wacky--if I wanted aggressively polite but indifferent, I could go to any random Starbucks.

I have been coming to Z'otz ever since I first moved to NOLA, about 7 years ago, when I used to work at a certain restaurant down the street that shall remain nameless. I love Z'otz, I really do. I suspect that is one of the reasons I moved to Oak street, and also stayed here. I just feel comfortable at Z'otz. The atmosphe is kind of Clockwork Orange meets Alice in Wonderland. There are mannequins with body parts missing and photos of Barbies doing very naughty things with other Barbies, in various stages of undress. When my kiddo gets a little older, I'm sure I'm going to have to come up with a really colorful explanation for what Barbie is up to. There are also comfy sofas and chairs and some sort of 1995esque cyber cafe. I've never used the computers so I'm really not sure how that works. Upstairs there are two rooms, with tables, chairs and more seating. Also you can find all kind of board games. There is a courtyard out back. One side is loaded with plants, vines and a little table in one corner. The other corner is covered and a cool spot when it's really hot outside. They have really rich, delicious, hot chocolate, for when it's cold out and I love their Iced teas. The green pear is my favorite. The iced coffee is really good to, albeit a little strong for me so I get lots of milk in mine. I don't usually "do" hot drinks when it's warm out (90% of the time in NO), so I can't really speak for the hot coffee. They do use fair trade coffee if you care about that sort of thing. I love all the baristas there. Especially Mattie. She is always super sweet to me and my kiddo. If you bring in your pup they usually have doggy treats behind the counter. So needless to say, it's a treat for all if my family to come here.

I've been a fan of Zotz since it was in its original location across from R Bar, what was it, 7 years ago. Punk rock coffee joint at its finest, tasty as hell, environment right up my alley, tasty baked goods, too (vegan choices, too!). The kind of place you can walk in at any hour and get what you need (in my case, a high voltage caffeine joit). Oh yeah!

Z'otz is a gem and an oasis of edgy, grubby cool. Their iced coffee is the best because they use extra crushed ice and have all the superior flavors you can add to it (not all coffee shops carry lavender). A bonus: the baristas have excellent taste in music. I was super embarrassed one day when I came in with my friend and she asked who was on the radio and had to get 'splained about who The Birthday Party are. But the uber-stylish barista was a total sweetheart about it and patient, no attitude. In general, I like coming here because it has so much personality yet is still completely low-key. As Oak Street becomes more yuppie and obnoxious, this remains a safe zone for people with taste. Please never change, Z'otz!

I will forever be a fan of Zotz. The goods: Cheaper than the nearby alternatives and higher in quality. Their coffee just tastes better, smoother, never burnt. They have a never-ending tea list. They have as much tea as Oak has wine. They also have de-lish snacks and study goodies. They always have turtles, bagels, croissants. More selections include sandwiches and creme brulee. I was also impressed with the vegan options. The staff: Knowledgeable, quirky, friendly, helpful - also eclectic dress and music tastes, but each barista is talented and quite unique in a strange neighborhood way... The atmosphere: This hole-in-the-wall makes you feel a bit like Alice exploring the rabbit hole (There is even a porcelain rabbit positioned above the toilet in one of the bathrooms.) The place is donned in junk-yard refuge pieces that have been decorated and is lined with art throughout. Ok, some of the art is creepy, but it's just part of the weird side of Oak Street, NOLA. The crowd: Students who just want to get work done and semi-weird people and some really weird people. Neighborhood folks. Occasional high-school group, giddy with independence and thus, rather annoying (but that's really once in a while). Courtyard in back with seating Comfy couches Funky atmosphere and crowd. Fun staff Free WiFi HUGE tea selection Cash Only (there is an ATM)

Ham and Cheese Croissant and iced mocha were delicious. Planned to work on the back patio for a few hours due to internet outage at home. Was fine for awhile but ultimately several smokers came and drunk up the place, made it too uncomfortable and gross to stay. Will have to come back when it's safe to be inside.