Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Oren's Coffee Kips Bay

Upscale coffee place looks very nice ( and expensive) --gets overall very good reviews. This is a place for coffee conoisseurs, it looks to me...though not to everyone's taste, of course

Oren's Daily Roast

3.5 star rating
36 reviews Rating Details
Category: Coffee & Tea  [Edit]
434 3rd Ave
(between 30th St & 31st St)
New York, NY 10016
Neighborhoods: Midtown East, Kips Bay
(212) 779-1241
Nearest Transit Station:
33 St.
28 St.
23 St.
Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 7 pm
Sat 8 am - 6 pm
Sun 8 am - 5 pm
Price Range:
$
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Outdoor Seating:
No
Wi-Fi:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
No

Review Highlights   What's this?

  • "Organic and fair trade coffees are also available." In 5 reviews
  • "Skip the starbucks and grab your cup of joe here." In 10 reviews
  • "Baristas are friendly, shop is clean, and there is never much of a..." In 4 reviews
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36 reviews in English

  • Review from

    Brooklyn, NY
    1/17/2013 1 check-in here
    I stopped in to Oren's today for the first time ever.  I was meeting a friend for a quick coffee and chose this place in the area as an alternative to Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, or elsewhere.  Glad I did.

    This particular location is very small, with basically just a counter and shelves of coffee-related products on offer, with a tiny area by the window next to the coffee condiments where two people can sit.  Literally...unless you want to sit on someone's lap, which is cool if you're into that.

    It's got a chill vibe and seems to take on the role of "alternative" coffee shop.  They play cool music, staff are laid back and operate with an independent sensibility.  Definitely does not feel like a chain, which I dig.  The coffee was tasty and my espresso drink was prepared well.  If it were a little more convenient on my commute to work, I'd be hitting this place up on the regular.
  • Review from

    • 3 friends
    • 1 review
    Charlottesville, VA
    9/23/2013
    Where do I begin...The guy who took our order:  forgot what we ordered three time in the span of 3 minutes, had to ask the other guy how to make a chai latte (really?!), and took forever walking around in circles looking for things.  As for the regular drip coffee:  after two sips I dumped it in trashcan on the corner.  Weird flavor like it wasn't roasted correctly.  My wife's hot chai latte wasn't any better.  Lukewarm/cold, tasted like a mix...not like something you'd expect from a decent shop.  Too many other good coffee shops in the area to find any reason to come back here.  Look elsewhere!
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 3 reviews
    New York, NY
    7/30/2013
    Occasionally I  grab a latte here when I need a break from work. Overall, the service is decent and the coffee is really good. I do however wish they had a better selection of pastries. But I'm Grateful for this store... In this neighborhood its either DD's Or Bucks. I'd rather go to Oren's. Just wish they had WIFI.
  • Review from

    • 31 friends
    • 32 reviews
    New York, NY
    1/21/2013 1 check-in here
    This place is a little tough to review. In terms of their coffee beans, 5 stars!!! I was browsing one day and wanted to pick out some awesome beans for my boyfriend who is a coffee nut and after discussing what I liked about coffee, I was steered towards their Costa Rican. It smells and tastes amazing! I haven't tried all their beans but depending on what you like, I'm sure they can find you your perfect coffee match.

    The drip coffee there is usually sub-par. I don't know why because their coffee beans smell so fresh and delicious but I'm usually disappointed by the brewed coffee here. I hate when coffee tastes too syrupy and I think that's what I usually end up with when I get the drip. But if that's your thing, youll probably like it.

    They also sell coffee supplies and cute coffee mugs so this place still gets a solid 3 starts from me. But definitely a great place to buy beans!
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 23 reviews
    Staten Island, NY
    2/21/2013
    I really needed to get some coffee beans and was going to head over to Whole Foods but this place was closer. The prices are fair. I got 3/4 lb of Columbia medium roast coffee and 1/4 Hazelnut for a total of 16 dollars. The person 'helping' me behind the counter was pretty clueless in terms of suggestions. That bothered me because I'm just sort of starting to get into home brewing and really wanted to know about the acidity, altitude etc. The kids ringing me up said some rude things but I'm sure they were just bored or something.

    I tried out the Columbia at home and while its more astringent and bitter with more aftertaste than my previous blend, it does have quality to it.

    Next time though, I'm gonna get something smoother. But perhaps not at Oren's.
  • Review from

    • 121 friends
    • 199 reviews
    New York, NY
    7/27/2012 1 check-in here
    Compared to other locations, I do not like this Oren's.  I've been here an handfull of times,and I never really had a good latte.  Infact, each time, I end up throwing it away half full,

    I am also not too impressed with their bake goods. I believe the use, Balthazar's, and I am a fan of Balthazar's, but I did not taste the freshness.

    I do like Oren's, it not my favorite place to get coffee in Manhatthan, but I am def a fan, I just do not like this location.
  • Review from

    • 28 friends
    • 273 reviews
    New York, NY
    3/4/2013 1 check-in here
    This Oren's is a nice neighborhood alternative to the DDs and Bucks. It's a tiny spot, no seating, so it's just a quick coffee to-go spot. Pretty tasty coffee, yummy rugelach and a good assortment of beans to choose from for those home coffeemakers.
  • Review from

    • 1 friend
    • 5 reviews
    Staten Island, NY
    1/3/2013
    Location was clean and neat and the staff was friendly and helpful. They offer a nice selection of single bean coffees and a variety of teas. However, our coffee was weak and almost tasteless, unfortunately. Maybe it was an off day.
  • Review from

    • 6 friends
    • 104 reviews
    New York, NY
    2/5/2013 23 check-ins here
    Listen: The staff is singing to TINA freakin' TURNER and I am falling in love with everyone of their friendly faces! Good coffee beans to french press at home, check!  Buying your own beans beating the drip by a long short for sure. Also: Tasty Tate's chocolate chip cookies, check! And decent prices considering the locale, not bad all around. Small digs, not too busy. Get ready for a few self important people staring at imported coffees like brain surgeons while they try to determine if they're going Botswana or Columbian for their dinner party, but hey, does it matter when the staff is strutting to cool tunes and pouring decent coffee? Nah, not really!
  • Review from

    San Francisco, CA
    10/21/2011
    You know what I love about Oren's? Everything.

    -Pastries from Balthazar
    -Fresh (and many different assortments) of coffee beans
    -Very VERY yummy teas (I opt for the iced peach tea...so delish and refreshing, especially when hung over)
    -Somewhat-friendly staff (this is why I doc'd a star)
    -Cool mugs and coffee accessories to purchase

    Love you Oren's.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 287 reviews
    Ellicott City, MD
    5/29/2012
    Best iced coffee on the east coast. The staff is nice too.

    Everyone I think of iced coffee, I think of Oren's. Every time I drink Iced coffee at home, I think it's sucks compared to Oren's.
  • Review from

    San Diego, CA
    4/6/2012 1 check-in here
    I was told that they make their own chai, and that it's not sweet. So when I ordered my iced soy chai, I had them put in a shot of vanilla and my drink was still only $3.85. That's pretty awesome. It's nice to discover a coffee shop that won't ask you for your life savings for soy milk and a shot of syrup. Oh, and what's with coffee places charging you 50 cents to get your drink ICED? Luckily, I didn't have that problem here at Oren's.

    I think the only issue here is that they only have three stools. So if you are looking to sip your drink and sit at a table, this isn't the place for it.
  • Review from

    • 15 friends
    • 84 reviews
    Brooklyn, NY
    4/25/2009
    Oren's coffee is in fact THE BEST IN NYC!  Smooth, rich and flavorful without the bitter, acidic aftertaste. We are talking quality here people. You may not get a donut with pink frosting and sprinkles, but you will get an excellent cup of coffee which is not merely meant to be endured, because it's the closet cup of coffee to the subway stop. You will, in fact, get a warm cup of satisfaction meant to be savored and enjoyed. I drink Oren's coffee every morning and it is well worth waking up for. I can feel the last vestiges of sleep slipping away with each sip. (Although this amount of caffeinated enjoyment does make getting out of my chair and preparing for work more difficult.)

    The service at Oren's is always friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. They make great recommendations. My favorite is the Ethopian Yrgacheffe. Organic and fair trade coffees are also available. The beans are ground specific to your favorite brewing method, and they will even grind cracked cinnamon with the beans! I highly recommend this.

    For those of you, like me, who don't normally care for flavored coffees, Oren's has some great choices when you have to make that compromise with the less sophisticated coffee drinker. Chocolate Raspberry is usually a safe bet and of course there is always Hazelnut.

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