Tea Lounge Coffee - not what it used to be?

As a wise man once said "don't buy coffee from a tea lounge". That being said. Cafe Regular on 11th below 5th, and Red Horse on 12th and 6th both have excellent coffee.

and tea lounge recently bumped up their prices as well. Better and cheaper coffee at cafe eleven. The people who own/run it are nice but I wish they would do more to make the inside more inviting to hang out in. They could also stay open later and offer beer/wine. It doesn't seem as though they have hired any employees which I think they would have to do to keep extended hours. Right now it is truly a mom and pop shop.

Tea Lounge lost my business when I saw a cockaroach crawling up the table. :x Ugh! How do they pass health inspections when the burger bar and other, much cleaner joints were fined?!

Subject: It Ain't Called Coffee Lounge

Not what it used to be...ah, yes, back in the good ol' days when customer service was SO GOOD and place was SO CLEAN and the beverages and food were SO TASTY.

Subject: Still Good

I just got back from the tea lounge (10th and 7th) and the coffee is still good, though I would have to say they are still brewing some strong yet strange coffee ,,,

The one thing missing is consistency of purpose,
And here's what I mean ...

As a former manager for three independant coffee houses on the Eastern coast, (2 in NYC 1997-2000), it is a very difficult task to maintain quality at coffee houses, let alone any restaurant business. After a method is put in place, there usually needs to be the manager around to enforce the standards. I rarely see a manager at the tea lounge.

Brewing and serving coffee is an art as much as a technical endeavor. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen milk improperly heated by steam wand and burned by baristas. (You have to put your hand on the bottom, and when your hand has to come off, the milk is hot enough). I don't see a scale, and somehow each time the coffee is passed over the counter, you wonder ... what is this gonna be? Usually, its pretty good.

Also, a coffee house must have good pastries and deserts ... and unfortunately, there are none anymore at the Tea Lounge, which is disappointing. I've got dollars to spend, I'm frequently up early, hungry, and there's nothing to buy.

And finally to be said, the Tea Lounge on 10th/7th is the truest and best coffee house in Park Slope, offering a traditional coffee house experience; coffee and conversation. The music selection can be particularly good, the setup is dope, and free internet, of course. It is probably the best real coffee house in Brooklyn.

All they need is to get all their baristas on the same page, and have a manager to make sure its done right, every time.

Charlesbklyn

Tea Lounge sucks ass. It's filthy and so are their attitudes. How anyone can "support" them is beyond my comprehension.

I'm a fan of Red Horse myself. I only gave TL a few shots, and then realized Red Horse is a way better cup with really nice people working. Can get a bit crowded, however. But such is life.

Another vote for Red Horse. When I first moved here I used to go to Tea Lounge, but it always felt a little disingenuous, like it really wanted to be a cool coffee hangout really, really bad. The coffee was crap, and their accommodations are dirty, tables not wiped down, etc. Red Horse is small, but it feels like the real deal, and the foam on my soy latte is artisan-quality.

For the record. the coffee at the Tea Louge has always been bad. The rule for coffee is that no matter how bad it is, it is much better when HOT. The Tea Lounge serves cold, crap coffee and always has. NYC is a disgrace when it comes to coffee. I have had better coffee at a gas station in Oregon than anywhere in NYC.

The best cup of coffee in the city is at Dojos on West 4th, and I don't know why.

I walked out of the 7th/10th store on Sunday. There were 3 people behind the counter, one making someone's order and the second looking at the board and going over the menu with the third. Stood about 3 feet from them for at least a minute without being acknowledged and walked out. Got a coffee and a donut at the diner/donut place between 8th and 9th. Good choice.

germfree! wrote: That place is revolting and the people who work there are jumped-up little twats. Bed bugs and Grateful Dead, anyone?

That's a bit harsh, but I can't argue you...yes, spray yourself with Raid ® before you sit down.

cheflady wrote: Really? The Tea Lounge used to be good? I've always thought the coffee hideous - and the atmosphere disgustingly dirty and stinky.

Here, here! :x

Cabaki wrote: Critics of the tea lounge rejoice—the original location at 10th and 7th avenue will be closing July 31st—another victim of the ever increasing rents.

I just hope too many people don't realize how great red horse is!

Ouch! 7th Ave is turning into a ghostland.

WHAT?! Damnit, I hated the coffee but it was my standby when my wifi goes out at the house.