Uptown Espresso - Seattle

The coffee and food here are fantastic. I used to visit this café regularly when I worked nearby, and I still stop by whenever I'm in the area because they serve the best espresso. However, today was the first time I used their restroom, and it was quite a disappointment. The toilet seat was barely attached, making it uncomfortable to sit on, and the trash was overflowing onto the floor. Additionally, the paper towels were simply stacked on the dispenser, so I had to touch a wet roll to grab more. At least there was soap available, I suppose? It's disappointing to see such conditions in an upscale area.

I had a client meeting at this restaurant, and the line was quite long, so I opted to forego coffee to prioritize our meeting. However, before I left, I decided to grab a coffee for the road, and I'm really glad I did. It was one of the best lattes I've had in a while—so smooth and delicious. The service was good, although the barista seemed a bit annoyed when I received a phone call just before placing my order. Since I'm in sales, taking calls is part of my job, and I did step away to handle it. Despite that, it was a pleasant experience overall, and the parking situation was decent too.

Exploring to the Uptown Espresso in Magnolia, I was happy to find the parking lot on the side of the building a little under half full when I arrived around 7:37 a.m. this morning, Wednesday 26 July 2023. The inside was quiet and had a few other patrons. Looking over the displayed food options and beverage menu I went with a mini coffee cake bundt, an espresso, and an oatmeal cookie. The total with a tip was under twenty dollars. The worker behind the counter was friendly and orderly in taking and filling my order.Both food items were tasty. The coffee cake bundt was a little on the denser side for a coffee cake and I enjoyed the frosting/icing. It had a flavor that complemented the coffee flavor and sweetness of the cake without overpowering it. For the oatmeal cookie, it contained raisins, white chocolate chips and a green item (chopped pumpkin seeds perhaps). It was sweet and neither too heavy nor rich. I got a good energy burst from the espresso without a crash later. The flavor was on-point.

We used to love this place. But in the last few months, our orders have been consistently incorrect. Forgetting a flavor, the extra shot we paid for, hot rather than iced, etc.I’m not sure what’s going on because we’re getting charged for the correct order… It’s really too bad. We started going to the coffee bar in the Metropolitan market grocery store instead, and they get the order right every time.

My coffee was lovely. We arrived on Saturday morning and found one gal working. She had a consistently replenishing line and she worked tirelessly to make sure we all had what we needed. She was a trooper and left a lasting impression!