Somehow on the long road between being an underage, grunge kid with a bad attitude and turning into a 30 year old having a mid-life crisis, abandoning her career and starting a circus, Sitwell's has managed to reinvent itself into something very close to what it was in another one of my lifetimes. Maybe they just needed time to break in the new location, kind of like your favorite t-shirt from high school. I've received prompt service once and the scenesters are prominent, obvious and numerous. The people who actually are able to study in this atmosphere amaze me, it never seems to be quiet. As some of my older friend's children come of age, it's awesome seeing them gravitate to this hot little spot in Clifton's gaslight district. For tons of fun, visit during Esquire Theater's Rocky Horror Picture night.
(4)
Andrew R.
This just might be my new happy place
(5)
Cullen B.
Always great! Awesome atmosphere, great service, amazing drinks.
(5)
Jen A.
Sitwell's is crazy and eclectic, but in all the best ways. There's poetry painted on the walls, a map of Korea in the bathroom, and boozy coffee treats right alongside gourmet and organic entrees on the menu. The menu boasts a decent selection of exotic and fair-trade coffees, and the bar (yes, there's a bar, even though it's difficult to spot) has some surprises - there aren't many places that serve Kronenbourg! Don't expect stellar service; part of Sitwell's charm is that the waitstaff will virtually ignore you unless you hunt them down. Once you get used to this, it's really not even annoying. This is the kind of place you can lose several hours in without realizing it. There's free wireless, so bring your laptop, grab an Erotica Latte (just as sinful as the name suggests) and plant yourself in a chair. Or just ditch the technology and people-watch for a few hours.
(4)
Yan K.
Won me over with its personality. Artsy, quirky, and doesn't seem to take itself too seriously, with a really nice, friendly staff. On the other hand, slow service and not very notable food and coffee, so go for the pleasant atmosphere, not for the comestibles.
(4)
Aviva C.
I live in the neighborhood and I love going to Sitwell's! The food is innovative and of excellent quality. The service can sometimes be slow, but it's all worth it for the great food and eclectic atmosphere! I also love that they are open late.
(5)
Joe N.
Sitwell's Coffee House is a pretty cool place. It had a chill atmosphere and was cozy and relaxed inside. The coffee is pretty good and service is efficient. They have some board games, chess, and books towards the back that you can use. It's a nice place to read a book, go online, or just talk with friends on a cold day. I was a little disappointed because there was no place for live music and i was expecting it to be a coffee house like this. Also there is no outdoor seating which sucks because its nice to sit outside when the weather is nice. If it had these two things I can see myself making this a hangout place but for now I can only see staying here an hour or so. Nice place though.
(3)
Serena S.
I heart Sitwells because they have good drinks and a cool atmosphere. I feel they are the epitome of what a true coffeeshop is. I feel Starbucks is more of a corporate glorified version of a coffeehouse but I still go to Starbucks because I love my cinnamon dolce time. But for a chill spot I would go with Sitwells anyday.
(4)
Allison H.
I can't get as excited about Sitwell's as I used to. After living in Clifton for so long, and frequenting the place for years, its easy to find yourself "bored" with the same menu options and slow staff. If you're just looking for a cup of coffee to go, I would point you elsewhere, but if you want a place to sit all day and read a book, go for it.
(3)
PH E.
I have been going to Sitwell's for almost six years now, & there is no place like it in the city. It's a real, European style coffeehouse like you will find on any cute little Rue de Whatever in Paris. You can get coffee drinks, beer, wine, booze, & order food off the small, eclectic menu. The food I've had is good--I like the Briemato Sandwich on croissant, the NY egg sandwich, the Sunday-only Belgian waffle w/toppings, & the gouda-avocado melt. If you order a cognac, often Lisa (the owner) will warm it for you to release its other flavors. They offer vegan baked goods & also breads made by local bakers. The music on the stereo is conducive to conversation & working, & many evenings the cafe features local & touring bands & singer/songwriters for your listening pleasure. I don't always love the music, but I like that there is almost always something going on at Sitwell's. Clearly, locals appreciate what Sitwell's has to offer, too. It's often busy, but I can either find an empty table or share one because someone invites me to sit down. I've spent afternoons there watching people move through, chatting, laughing, and sometimes shouting across tables to others. The library it aint, but then neither is that cafe in Paris that we all find so charming. I find some of the vitriolic reviewers here to be inappropriate, dwelling far too much on their opinion of the owner & too little on the place & its menu & service. Not once in 6 years have I seen a cockroach at Sitwell's, & while it doesn't have the kind of antiseptic/streamlined ambiances of corporatized coffee places to be found everywhere, I would not say Sitwell's is dirty or unsanitary or anything else. Cluttered, maybe, but that's the aesthetic at Sitwell's. I think of it as "Art Decoco". Being a 6-year patron of Sitwell's, here's what I think to be its biggest weakness: the plain old coffee. The lattes? Love them, every bit as good as Coffee Emporium's (my favorite latte in town). The decaf is top drawer. But every time I order a house coffee I can barely drink it. I don't know why it tastes so bad to me, but it does. Since I love the lattes, I just order those, or a decaf. The staff have always seemed friendly to me, whether or not the service is on the spot. No, the service is not always stellar. But, since it's a neighborhood kind of place, if I need something & no one comes to wait on me at my table, I just go up to the counter, ask for whatever I need, and I always get it. I did that at Paris cafes, too. The hateful comments directed at the owner seem rather suspect to me, I have to say. Some of the "reviewers" seem to know a bit much about her business & relationships, enough that I wonder if at least some of them are not disgruntled former employees. I did notice for a couple of years or so that the owner seemed to be hiring people who perhaps did not have any service industry experience, and some of them never seemed to get the hang of it. From a few things I heard here & there, it seemed that Lisa hired some people that needed a job and that she felt sorry for. If that is the case, her good deeds did not go unpunished! And as far as good deeds go, I know that for years Lisa ran a free neighborhood Thanksgiving potluck dinner at the old Sitwells, & that she also ran an ad hoc women's shelter out of her very own home. She has "walked the walk" in a way none of the below self-appointed judges would ever think of. Lisa is colorful & she is a voluble extrovert. Sometimes she is loud. Sometimes other people are loud, not to mention inappropriate, and they are ejected from Sitwells (as they should be). Sitwell's is a true neighborhood cultural treasure, run by people with real lives that are entwined pretty deeply with the diversity (& funkiness, with emphasis on _funk_) of the Cincinnati community. This is why this place is still going so strong after so many years. I say long live Sitwell's, plain & simple.
(4)
Michael G.
As a former Gaslight resident, I frequented Sitwell quite a bit. It is a great coffee shop for people-watching, just not for coffee. Their regular joe is often watered down and tepid. The employees are usually friendly, just not very quick. If you have patience and some time on your hands, I do recommend trying one of their sandwiches, especially the Briemato.
(3)
Jennifer H.
Ugh. The wall sign here says "Friends don't let friends drink Starbucks." Well, I hope my friends won't keep making me drink Sitwell's. The coffee's fine, if not spectular, but the interior is so dingy and dirty looking, I don't even like to put my feet on the floor. The service is rarely unfriendly but usually bored and lax. Clearly, everybody here would rather be somewhere else, myself included.
(2)
Kara K.
I love coffee, I love local flavor. I thought I'd love Sitwell's, wrong. First off, I very much liked the eclectic decorations. Everything appears to have been thrifted or kept around for 30+ years. All the chairs and tables are different. I ordered a pumpkin spice latte (my fall drink of choice) and my mom ordered a vanilla cappuccino. My latte arrived at our table with about half the drink spilled all over the mug. This was definitely a problem. Why didnt our waitress wipe it off before serving it to me? Or at least give me a different mug? Then my mom tasted her cappuccino. It was completely devoid of sugar. When my mom told the waitress, the waitress proceeded to explain to my mom what was in a cappuccino, as if she'd never had one before. Maybe Sitwell's makes their capps a bit stronger & that's fine, but don't get an attitude when a customer expresses distaste for her drink. At least we weren't charged for the drink, but wow, bad service.
(2)
Grant A.
bottomless cups of coffee. beer is an option. free wi-fi. an occasional comfortable chair. excellent restroom grafitti. relaxed atmosphere.
(4)
Josh B.
Ordered a regular and non-fat lattes, both were poor. We tossed them shortly after exiting. Espresso was over-extracted and the milk was steamed directly in the to-go cups. Amazing, but not in a good way. I would not recommend this place.
(1)
Ruby D.
Not just a coffee shop and not just a cafe, Sitwell's is a place where the pace slows, music plays, friends hangout, veggie food is available and careful and efficient staff take good care of you. Nine of us descended upon Sitwells, hungry and in need of some good "karma". They did there job. Everything that was ordered exceeding our expectations.
(3)
Kevin S.
Head loves it, ass hates it, stomach is indifferent. I love the atmosphere and the nice staff. The chairs are all ungodly uncomfortable, though, so the ample space and great "take a book" atmosphere is ruined. Top it off with really inconsistent coffee, and you've got a quandary. I wish Peet's would move out to the Old Country and take over Sitwell's. Then you'd have the great space, better seating hopefully, and GREAT coffee.
(3)
Claire M.
Sometimes hard to get service, and they seem understaffed. But they have ambiance - hipster bohemian - down to the T. I love their fair trade, it's so yummy. And try one of their banana peanut butter muffins. So good.
(4)
Crystal M.
I frequented this coffee many times to grab a bite to eat. The store is very eclectic, so it makes waiting for your food more enjoyable. I'm not a huge coffee drinker, so I can't say anything about the drinks here. As for food: I really like the briemato sandwich.its served on a warm, flaky croissant, topped with gooey cheese, and a nice helping of greenery. I've had a couple other things on their menus, but my favorite is the briemato. Service: I usually get my food to go, and they're usually pretty fast with that. The times that I have dined in, I've noticed they are significantly slower. Overall, I really like this place for a quick bite to eat. The atmosphere is interesting and the food is great!
(4)
Patrick G.
I've been to Sitwell's once before, but this is my first time reviewing it. This place is hella cool. It's an old school type coffee house with so many goodies that you simply wouldn't be able to take it all in at once.. ..in fact, for a coffee house, I'm thinking there might be a bit too much going on with the menu, and that might contribute to what some other reviews consider a ding against the service. If they feel they can handle it with their staff, then more power to them, but their menu reminds me of the one at Panera sans the coffee and liquor. The atmosphere is nice. Tables spread out pretty well and good comfortable seating. It wasn't that crowded when we were there. Our server was nice enough, but she was hella serious about the whole thing and didn't smile once, and she was a cute girl. I don't expect women to smile and be nice just because a guy says so, but I expect my hostess at a restaurant or coffee house to at least fake the funk and not be a humorless troll. And me and my friend did our best to engage with humor and smiles. Sucka. She had "The Best BLT Ever", and when we asked the server "is this really the best BLT ever...?" Crickets. *sigh* Well I must say that BLT looked good and have TONS of bacon on it, of which she make quick work. No thanks to smiley the server's sterling recommendation. Anyhow, I had the Hungarian Meatloaf Sandwich. That sucka wasn't even warm or hot. I mean, it was tasty. My friend asked, "maybe it wasn't supposed to be hot..." What? "..ask the server if that was the way it was supposed to be prepared". No thanks. I ain't asking her jack, as I'm sure she probably didn't know. Anyhow, it was lukewarm, albeit tasty meatloaf on wheat toast. I asked for Worcestershire sauce on the side. They spread it on the sandwich anyhow. Sheesh. Both of our entrees had a tasty mix of dark greens, which was impressive. Even the tomatoes were good, and I'm not usually down with tomatoes on any sandwich. I did dig the "Splasher" beverage though. Very unique and tasty. Check out Sitwell's if you're in Clifton. It's a good bet.
(4)
Kristen E.
I have a soft spot for Sitwell's because I grew up in Cincinnati and this was THE spot for my friends and I throughout high school and college, and the vegetarian taco salad is incredible. The service is SUPER slow because they're consistently understaffed, but with the free wi-fi and bottomless coffee that's never bothered me. The art on the walls is always changing and usually awesome, sometimes there's live music, and the handcrafted coffee specials are excellent. Unfortunately after observing the owner/manager abuse her staff on several occasions I had to stop coming here. The first time I heard her screaming at a waitress that she was "stupid and useless." After the waitress walked away she spent a good 15 minutes bashing her to another employee, complete with profanities. The second time she was sitting with some friends at a table and all of them were being VERY loud. Every time a server approached them (keep in mind these are HER employees), she was rude and would make condescending comments to her friends (e.g., "They never do anything right") after they left. I can't support an establishment run by this woman. Shame, because it's kind of an institution.
(2)
Julie C.
This is a nice location and a fun place to sit. The service is really slow, but I expect that when I go there. The food is okay. The coffee is better than Starbuck's. There is tea. I'd say I would go here more for the atmosphere than anything else.
(3)
Liv S.
If you enjoy a good sandwich, coffee, fun atmosphere and listening to a boss be condescending towards and berate her employees in front of customers this is the place for you! But for this woman with a horrible attitude, we would be back. to the poor server girls: there are plenty of other jobs out there for you. You don't need that shit!
(3)
Courtney P.
I've come to Sitwell's sporadically but I am definitely not a regular. I've only gotten coffee which is pretty good but never ventured towards the food. I hate to say it but something about that place makes me nervous to actually eat anything. It's pretty casual and laid back. Last time I went on a weekday afternoon and there were only a few people sitting around. It was my friend's first time there and our server was pretty cool about telling us about the place, the artwork on the walls, trivial pursuit cards on the table, etc. It was a pretty quiet atmosphere but I will agree with others that the staff got to be pretty noisy. There was a lady who kept yelling across the place which could be an issue if you were there trying to work. Again, not a regular and do not plan to be. But if you need to kill time while on Ludlow this is a great spot to do it.
(3)
Darcie R.
The people that work here are horrid. Rude and talk so loud, blatantly about the customers. Would never go back here. No one wants to be mocked and ridiculed.
(1)
Cindy G.
This place looks like it's straight out of the 70's. The decor, the atmosphere, the vibe. Everyone is friendly and the clientele are mostly locals. I haven't tried the food. I just stopped in for a quick latte to go. Wasn't the greatest I've ever had and was a bit more expensive. But overall this is a great resource for the community, and part of the gaslight districts charm.
(3)
William K.
Way back in the 80s before there was a coffee house on every other street corner there were two places to go in Clifton, here and HIghland. That was in the old location but this place has been around in one incarnation or another forever. First coffee house I ever visited and still the best at what they do. Don't just walk by, stop in and taste what coffee is supposed to taste like. Here it isn't corporate cookie cutter fare. Every drink is hand crafted as it was intended to be. The drink and food menus are by far much better than that big chain that is everywhere. The atmosphere here is what coffee houses are supposed to be about. Original pieces of art on the wall. Best people watching ever. Great place to study, take a date, read the paper, post to your blog or just enjoy a good, honest cup of joe.
(5)
Alicia B.
I don't know what to day about this Corky place. It's nice, but not that nice. It's quiet, but not that quiet. Is a reasonable study place as well as place to sit and share thoughts and life with a friend. All in all, it's a cool place.
(3)
Kathleen Marie J.
I had a smoked Gouda and guacamole sub which was really satisfying. The bread was really fresh and yummy. They are very generous with their guacamole and smoked Gouda.. Stacked with tomatoes and romaine lettuce. It came with chips and a pickle. Only paid 6.50 for this meal. The atmosphere was interesting! :)
(4)
Jamie P.
The spiked coffee drinks are great and the service sucks. This place, if the hipsters would surrender their Macs, could fit into a dystopian beat writer's dreamland. Everyone is rude, smells of smoke, and is teetering on passing out drunk. And somehow, it is slightly endearing. I don't know why I occasionally revisit, but I'll probably continue to.
(3)
Beth H.
A great place to sit and hang out before or after a movie. Lovely tea and coffee selection. They sell vegan desserts made by a local company that are delicious. Interesting art on the walls. Free wifi. Nights there are interesting.
(4)
Leighton P.
This strip of the Gaslight in Clifton really, really needs an honest-to-goodness cafe/coffee house with some nosh. This place, alas, is not it. But it is a solid "hippie diner". I have only had, on two occasions, the veggie burger. Decent. And tea. Decent. But the vibe wasn't for me to linger with a coffee while working. And yes, the staff can be nonchalant, but they are very nice. Young, hips**r-ish, and nice. Don't diss the staff unless you've got a good reason. They don't know.
(3)
julesmary p.
Used to go to this place back in the late 90's and it was pretty cool. Now, it's just weird. I've been in there three times this past week and it's been odd every time: employees ignoring customers to talk to their friends who are hanging out in the cafe, the owner yelling (it's really true. Didn't necessarily believe the hype around that but it's for real), and really bad coffee. C'mon. There are so many great roasters out there. Why does your coffee have to be so gross? It's too bad. This place used to be really awesome...
The coffee. The burrito. The beer list. The atmosphere. The everybody has a Mac environment. I miss Cincy and I miss Sitwell's
(5)
Karthik R.
Nothing memorable here apart from them being open till late. I like rustic look and old library style cafes but this please needs a serious serious scrub from some cleaners. Let's not talk about the restroom ! And ordering stuff is kinda tough. However I like their chess board tables ! Fun
(3)
Lyndsay S.
Good coffee, really good milkshakes, and nice quesadillas. The environment is really cool; they have a few journals where people can write in them.
(5)
Joel L.
I ate here on a (cold) weeknight and it was full of customers. The service was fine and the food (sandwich and tea) tasted fine. The menu was great; it had dishes with a variety of ingredients. The interior and bohemian vibe makes the place worth visiting.
(3)
Calliope O.
Love this place. Coffee is really good and the food is too. I always run into someone I know. They have local Art on the walls. Place is vibrant at night.
(5)
Eira T.
It had been years since I'd been to Sitwell's, but I stopped in recently for a meetup. i got the Milky Way malt, which was pretty much like an amazing candy bar malted milkshake. Yum yum. I think Sitwell's has a lot of potential, and it's a good place to hang out, but I tend to agree with a lot of the other reviews concerning the management. I lived away from Cincinnati for a long time, and I never felt nostalgic for Sitwell's the way I felt about many other Clifton businesses. You know what Sitwell's does make me nostalgic for? Kaldi's in OTR on Main Street. Now THAT was a helluva coffee house.
(3)
Erin K.
I feel like sitwell's is an integral part of Clifton. It's very, well, Clifton-y. If I had stuck around at UC for longer than a year, I likely would have spent a lot of time here faux studying. It pains me to say this, but I must be getting old. I say this because while my first thought was "This place is so cozy!" my immediate thought to follow was "O-M-G-O-S-H check out the seats, god please don't let them have bed bugs." But maybe this is more representative of my field of work, and less representative of my age (fingers crossed). Anyway, the drinks are good and reasonably priced, but the service is slow and again, Clifton-y. The server we had didn't seem to really understand my man-friend when he said we had a time limit as we were going to see a movie next door, and she took her sweet a$$ time getting our drinks and then not putting them into to-go cups like we had asked. So that was kind of annoying. That being said, it's definitely a Clifton staple, if you will. So you let the stuff slide that you normally wouldn't because it's all part of the experience. Just don't try this experience if you have plans that are time sensitive!
(3)
McCarley L.
Congrats! worst service in Cincinnati! The mediocre food almost makes up for it. Go here if you have an hour to wait for a Carry out order and if you want to be looked at by the servers but never actually talked to. They are a really oblivious staff. They also messed up my drink order and when mentioning it to them made me pay for both drinks.. my messed up order- a latte and the replacement I wanted- a chai latte!! Who does that?
(1)
Dawn B.
I like Sitwell's don't get me wrong... I can only give it three stars because every time I come here the service is just so dang slow, even when they're not busy. The coffee is good and you can sit and chill forever without being bothered. I have never had anything but the coffee, so I can't say how any of their food is.
(3)
Richele S.
So, I decided to give this spot another chance. Its super convenient, I love the atmosphere, and this time the coffee actually tasted like coffee. One huge flaw. As I was sitting there with friends, one of the employees decided that 8pm (a long long time before closing) was the perfect time to mop with WAY TOO MUCH bleach. I got nauseas, dizzy, etc. I'm seriously not picky and usually enjoy dive type and super eclectic places. However, this was just careless and I hope its not typical, as that employees lungs will be damaged in no time.
(2)
E. K.
There's this crazy lady who yells across the room and antagonizes the customers...maybe the owner should throw her out... oh wait. that is the owner. Seriously, it is impossible to get work done here when the owner and staff are being obnoxious. They are very unprofessional. Just because you're behind the counter doesn't mean we can't hear you being loud and at times mocking customers... There are a lot of great things about this place. I like that it's open late for studying. There's alcohol. It's local and eclectic. The food is pretty decent. Prices are reasonable. But I often find myself waiting 30 minutes for a simple cup of coffee. One time, when it wasn't busy, the server kept blowing me off and instead cleaned every table before taking my order. Hello?! and then there's the crazy owner... I'll be taking my business elsewhere.
(2)
Jill C.
A local staple of the eccentricities, daily grind, and the people that are Clifton. I think the trick to enjoying Sitwells is setting appropriate expectations-they are going to be short staffed, and you are going to need more than an hour for lunch. I rarely stop for lunch during the work day because I've found the service to be slow more than once. Don't get me wrong, I've always been happy with the sandwiches and fare, it just seems to take longer than it should. They have a decent menu of caffeine and alcohol so it can be a good place for evening drinks went you can't decide. They also have a decent breakfast/brunch. Also a place where you can sit and get work done and no one will think twice. They have live music at least once a week, and if you're visiting the neighborhood, there's parking in the business lot on Howell, come up the steps and you'll be right across the street.
(3)
Jessica S.
It really saddens me to re-review Sitwells at a lower star rating, but it has to be done. (1) Understaffed. I swear out of the 10 or so times I've been to Sitwells, I've only ever seen and been served by one waitress, and every single time she looks stressed and overwhelmed. She doesn't say any "welcome to Sitwells!" or check up with a "how is everything?". They honestly could've gotten another iced coffee order from me if she had just checked on my table, but after waiting 10 minutes for her to notice my empty glass I just took my check to the counter to pay and leave. Sunday brunch I can understand, but Wednesday evening coffee is just the same. I feel bad for her, honestly. (2) Consistency of dishes. I really do love the flavors and creativity of their food. The consistency of quality? Not at all. I've ordered the same sandwich 3 times at Sitwells and each of the 3 times it is at a different level of quality - sometimes the slices of bread are of different sizes from one day to the next, sometimes there is more of the spread than the meat (or vice versa), sometimes half my plate has chips while other times there will be but a few... it's just not consistent! (3) Quality control. I ordered a burrito last week and the thing could not stay together. I took one bite and the thing started to unravel. I put it down and tried to cut it but it kept falling apart. I barely at half of it before giving up with frustration. But, man... the food is good. I enjoy how it tastes. The menu has great variety and creativity. The coffee and drink menu is spectacular. Those things will bring me back, but we'll see how much longer I can stand the poor service and quality...
(3)
Elizabeth L.
Sitwell's is just what I imagined a slow paced city like Cincinnati to host a diner-like coffee/food bar. Quirky, but nothing too out of the ordinary. A fairly large space with plenty of tables. We sat in the very back on a "bench" table and I loved it, as it was equipped with both a table lamp and an outlet. I assume that if you're looking for a quick meal or fast coffee to-go, this isn't your place, but I liked the diner-style pay and peacefulness. I suppose if you want attentive service, you wouldn't come to a place like this expecting it. For the occasion that we went (work on a laptop, reading), it was perfect. Sitwell's has an extensive drink list: espresso lists, drank-drinks, shakes, and teas (which, from reading the reviews, I thought would not be plentiful, but it was decent!) Also, I thought they were decently priced. Something I wouldn't mind paying if I'm going to stay there hours on end. Our teas (iced) were 1.50 each. Would love to try the food and coffee one day, and thus, I expect to come back.
(4)
George M.
I know the general concencus on Sitwells is that they are understaffed, have OK coffee, pretty much no process for taking orders or ringing anything up, and the food is hit-or-miss. Still, folks keep coming back because "gosh darn, it's Clifton's local eclectic coffee shop, and it's better than a starbucks." Well... I felt the same way for a long time, until my latest visit. All I wanted to do was hang out, drink some coffee, eat a bite and do my work. However, a lady there who I assume was the manager or owner was talking very loudly (on the phone with the police) about how La Poste's valet service was illegally parking cars on the street and how the "rich owner" was letting them do it, and that was taking away her business. It just sounded like she was having a bad day where it feels like everything is happening TO her and she had no control over things... I get it. But it was totally bringing down the vibe of the place, for what few customers were there. And SUPER unprofessional. I didn't go to Sitwell's to listen to what amounted to a one-person neighborhood-watch group basically whining to the police about the new restaurant on the block. Usually, I would just put my headphones on but she was so loud and negative about the whole thing she actually made her only waitress cry, and the poor girl had to leave. Myself and other patrons looked nervously around the room at each other as if to silently say to each other "Is this really happening??" I ended up leaving after eating my food and without a "sorry" or explanation or anything. It was like our coffee came with a ticket to crazy theatre and this was just the show that was on today. So yeah, do I want a starbucks in Clifton? No. I just want to drink coffee, eat a few bites, do some work and give you my money in exchange for coffee, food and pleasant service. It's really not that complicated.
(1)
Amy T.
The owner is a lunatic and made me feel REALLY uncomfortable. someone should commit her soon. very soon. SAVE SITWELL'S, DITCH THE OWNER!! This used to be one of my very favorite spots. veg big ass burrito (love), cucumber/cream-cheese sandwich (love) but I can no longer bring myself to ingest these favorited and missed items on the account of the energy being put into the establishment on a whole. She was always crazy then but now, she is a ball of negative energy flying around that place making all of her guest uncomfortable and her sub-par, under-trained employees cry and leave. You can't act like a lunatic because you are located in an amazing neighborhood and your customers have been loyal for years. That isn't how this industry works. Feeling entitled to our business because of what your customers have made it. This is not YOUR block. Please stop trying to ruin Clifton business. Those who want to eat dinner at La Poste and then have coffee at Sitwell's before a movie can not because the owner of Sitwell's has created a gap between these businesses for her own selfish controlling reasons. This is the OPPOSITE of what Clifton should be and what the residents here want. It's time to be an adult Sitwell's, grow up, play nice. If I am sure there is no Drama going in, I'll try Sitwell's again. But I almost feel like we all deserve a Public Statement from the Sitwell's owner promising our safety and well-being when trying to enjoy what a coffee house should be.
(1)
Jay L.
I admit I have passed by this place probably a thousand times, with zero interest of going inside. This is a eclectic spot to say the least. I ventured inside today and to my surprise it was freaking amazing. I am a huge foodie I have eaten in almost every restaurant in Cincinnati, and have eaten all over the world. This is one of my favorite BLT's I've had. The only thing that would make it better would have been a sunny side up egg. The best part of the whole meal was the cost, $6 bucks for a relatively large sandwich, pickle, and chips! I can't even get a full meal at panera for that price. The tomatoes were perfectly ripe and I'm assuming home grown. This isn't the ritz Carlton, but for the fun funky atmosphere and the good cheap wholesome food its second to none. Also in response to people mad about the owner yelling, she did yell a few times but really not in a bad way. She was just saying hi and making small talk with the regulars (which to me is a plus not a negative). They also have a fantastic selection of beers with very cheap pricing.
(5)
Sam T.
I love, love, love that you go in for a cup of coffee, food or just a glass of wine. It doesn't matter. They serve you whatever you want and don't hassel you for sitting there for 2 hours reading a book even though you only spent $4.50 on your one glass of wine. Very relaxed, quirky ambience and nice service. A little understaffed which makes it just a teeny bit slow but they seem to try hard and they are friendly about it. Music on Wednesday nights which is fun.
(4)
Zack F.
I've been here a number of times since my initial review. I have to say I've enjoyed each time. They have such a wide array of food and drinks, it's like several different places in one. Today I had the guacamole melt and it was absolutely overloaded with fresh avocado, on an impressively tasty Shadeau baguette. It would be an understatement to say that it was very filling. The Astral Buddha (chai mixed with espresso) drink is addictingly good. I have to say the quirky atmosphere makes the place endearing along with the ever friendly and welcoming staff. They have free wifi, but if for some reason it isn't responding, just let them know and they will reset the router. The tables are also a nice size to spread out and get some serious work done. The bathrooms on first glance may appear a bit unnerving, but let me assure you they are quite clean. The "eclectic" decorations are simply deceiving. You might also wonder why there is a tall stack of giant, weathered books filled with collages made from scraps of old magazines. It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when George's book gets flagged for being in the bathroom. It's close enough to campus that I can see myself justifying the walk over for good food, good music, a chill atmosphere, and a coffee, or perhaps a gentleman's drink. ;)
(5)
Alex S.
What to say about Sitwells. On one hand, it's one of my favorite cafes in Clifton - maybe even Cincinnati. The atmosphere is light and pleasant and the walls are covered in fantastic graffiti and local works of art. It's constantly changing, so that makes each trip a little unique. The food is solid - nothing overwhelming, but perfect for a mid-day snack. The cucumber, pastrami and cream cheese sandwich is one of my favorite light lunches ever created. I try to make it at home, but it never comes out like theirs. However, Sitwell's is infamous for its terrible service. They usually have one waitress working, even when the place is packed. If you order, you will be there a while. They also like to promote their television for sports and big televisied events, only it's not actually hooked up to their sound system, so you can only watch and not hear. That's kind of dissapoitning. You will also get no cell phone service whatsoever. Be warned. They do have free WiFi though, so that's a plus. If you're looking for a nice, afternoon spot to sit for a while and get some work done, there is no better place than Sitwell's. Otherwise...eh.
(3)
Chris A.
Weird place, clutter everywhere, doesn't really feel like a place to eat. Feels like a mueseum showcasing worthless crap nobody wants to see. I look up from the table I'm sitting at and there's a light ballast hanging on the wall. Why is there a light ballast? There was a very nutty woman in there as well. I'm guessing the owner, but I can't imagine that hot mess being able to run a business. She was busy pestering a couple that was obviously annoyed and wanted her gone. I was hoping she wouldn't come my way. This place is weird and funny. I think it would be a good time to go with friends and just people watch. The food and coffee was quite tasty so i'll be back.
(3)
Nessa B.
It's okay. I've gone here on several occasions to listen to bands and just for a cup of coffee/tea. It's nice but not amazing. I've never had a bad experience with staff but I've had a couple bad cups of coffee and chai. The food is alright. The atmosphere is alright. I'd come back but I wouldn't go out of my way.
(3)
Alana S.
Epitome of what a coffee shop should be. Really eclectic, with a HUGE selection of anything you could want from a coffee shop. They make the best Chai tea and the staff are on the ball with service, too.
(5)
Kim Y.
Decor is super cool , and it was neat to hang out. We had an egg croissant, and it was kinda boring. i don't think the food and beverage are stellar.
(2)
Ryan C.
Sitwells has an amazing drink and food selection! Reliable wi-fi. It is bohemian and eclectic and in that sense, it may not be for everyone. I prefer places with a bit of character. It has a great community vibe and the pace is very relaxed. I often work here for a couple hours at a time. That said, if you are in a hurry or want world class service, there are plenty of options in the area. I've been coming here for years and I'm sure I will continue for years to come!
(4)
Pamela F.
Great place to write unbothered. Tea selection meh.
(3)
Carrie W.
I used to really enjoy going to this little coffee shop. I really enjoy the decor and the live music is great. however, they are always short staffed. One waitress will be bussing all the tables, which means I long wait to even put in your order. And depending on the day you go, and who is working, you may just end up with really rude service. One time I had spilt a little sugar while putting it in my tea. I was making swirls with my fingers through the spilt sugar while pushing it onto a napkin. The waitress walks up and rudely states, "If my boss saw you do that he'd chew me out because that stuff is really expensive". What difference would it make if the sugar while was going to be used? She then continued to be rude all night to me as well as my friends.
(2)
Dillon R.
Sitwells, I have a love-hate relationship with. Mostly love, though. The coffee itself is varied, but not that special. The other hot drinks are worth mention, as a Mexicocoa or a hot mulled apple cider are some of my favorites. The food never ceases to amaze me, as nowhere else around the UC campus is there a vegan/vegetarian option that's as tasty as this one. The vegan chili is amazing. The service can get to be quite slow, even when the place isn't that busy, but when the food comes out it's always good. They have live shows frequently that are varied as well, and some are better than others.
(4)
Joey O.
Coffee is supposed to be steaming hot, not the uncontrolled temper of the owner of this eclectic little coffee house. I truly fee sorry for the staff, every employee deserves to be treated with respect and from my observations over the course of a two hour visit last night, these employees deserve medals for tolerating this treatment. I am certain that not only are the employees of Sittwells coffee house deserve a raise, they ALL deserve a apology from the owner and a nice Holiday bonus to boot. I was sitting within earshot of the kitchen entrance and overheard the most disgusting conversation between the owner and a server that you could possibly imagine. Constructive criticism is one thing, but to berate a employee in front of others to belittle, curse at, scream at the top of your lungs, call names, for over 15 minutes is completely uncalled for. Take your meds, consult a self help book, a therapist or priest to work out your demons, but there is absolutely no reason to take it out on your staff. The young man being subjected to this behavior had apparently made the mistake of not "Keeping up with the god damn dishes, and had allowed them to pile up to _ucking high, because he was a idiot, and worthless piece of _hit, and needed to learn how to do his god damn job and stop being a lazy sack of shit and pull his own weight before she fired his sorry ass. Then she begged him to just _ucking quit, cause it would make her _ucking day to see him quit. She went on about her business of spreading holiday cheer along to other employees by screaming at the cashier in front of customers, running off a gentleman there to collect signatures for the streetcar project...(Which by the way brought in over a dozen customers who ordered coffee and food) and awkwardly staring at guests clearly waiting to be waited on. Heaven forbid she would take a moment to be a responsible business owner and attempt to chip in and help. I was absolutely disgusted by this behavior, she finally left and I couldn't help but ask a young cute girl working there who this deranged woman was. she smiled and said "My Boss, the owner... its always crazy when she's here. but now that she is gone things should be back to normal, sorry you had to see all that" I shook my head in disbelief and told her I was sorry to see that anyone would be subjected to this type of treatment in this day in age. She smiled again and asked if I needed any coffee,,, thanks but no thanks, I wouldn't give a dime to this establishment, until I am certain that it is a business worthy of my business.
(1)
Megan G.
I really like Sitwell's. It's a staple for me when I'm at school. I haven't had much of the food on the menu, but what I've had has been pretty good and I like that they have plenty of vegetarian options. I usually come here with a friend or two when we're doing school work and don't want to be stuck at studio or at someone's apartment. I usually get the bottomless cup of coffee (which is pretty decent if you ask me) and a cookie or some sort of treat. I'll admit, the service is a bit slow at times, but the environment is relaxed and I like working there. The nights when they have music can be hit or miss. Sometimes it's too loud and they aren't always the best musicians ;]
(4)
Greer G.
Save your sanity. Don't go. There are much better local businesses to support in Clifton. Every time I have visited (whether for a drink or a meal) the server has always been stressed to the point of being short and it always goes back to the way they are treated by management. Servers don't last long here and today I learned why. On Sundays (between Labor Day and Memorial Day) they serve Belgian waffles. After hearing so much about them my friends and I decided to try them. After waiting a very long time for service our server took our order, lost half of it, forgot our coffee and left the restaurant. It appeared that the owner was in the kitchen. She screamed and screamed at the server who came it to take the first girl's place. Everyone could hear every word. Our orders were lost. Our food was plain. The owner continued to yell about her employee from the kitchen. She then got on the phone to complain about HEALTH CODE VIOLATIONS. She talked in front of all of her customers about how her walk in was out of date and no longer met code and then she said "you know one day they tell you to wash your hands in one place and the next they have you washing your hands somewhere else." That's right. That's what I listened to while eating my breakfast (which wasn't even very good). Oh, and by the time we got to the counter to pay WE were in trouble because we didn't have our tickets. Our orders got lost and WE are the ones to blame. See ya! Now to drink the coffee I made at home, because I wasn't offered a refill at a coffee shop! Oh, and why didn't I say anything to the owner? Because I was afraid she would scream at me just like she screams at her staff. TL/DR: Unprofessional owner. Health code violations (overheard the owner say this.) Terrible service. Unapologetic. The food and drinks are only okay.
(1)
Kiarash Z.
Sitwell's may get crowded and overstaffed, but I wouldn't know. I've only visited late at night, and it was wonderful. Ludlow's residents don't know how lucky they are to have a late-night coffee house with tasty, low-price foods and milkshakes. And if you want alcohol, Sitwell's can accommodate. It's pretty much a perfect meeting spot or after-show eatery. I recommend the three-cheese melt and milkshakes.
(4)
Lauren B.
The environment is wonderful. Very relaxing and a great place to bring a laptop to do some work. The Latte Calda was PHENOMENAL and made my entire day. A definite must try!
(4)
Kait B.
Awesome food, great tasting coffee and cocktails, and the coolest vibe. This should earn Sitwell's five stars, but unfortunately I can only give it three because of the consistently terrible service. When I go to Sitwell's, I always order at the counter. Why? If I sit at a table, I will never get service. Occasionally I am told by an annoyed server or barista that I don't need to order at the counter because they have servers. This is annoying, because why can't I order my coffee at the counter, especially if I'm on the go? I have NEVER had a server approach me at a table, and when I first moved to Clifton, I lived at Sitwell's, so I've been there plenty of times. The service is also slow. The other day I waited 1 hour for iced coffee and an appetizer. The week before, I ordered a DELICIOUS guac and gouda sandwich and it took 15 minutes! I believe the quality of servers and cooks really differs, so I can't say the service is terrible as a blanket statement. I have even witnessed rude servers, who I will only give $1. I must give a shout out to the cook/server with earrings though-- he is always cheerful and happy and even apologizes for how slow they are. Major props, earring guy! I served for MANY years and I usually try to cut them a break, but at Sitwell's, it's just awful (besides earring guy). There is NO excuse for how terrible it is. Anyway, after last time, after waiting 1 hour for an iced coffee and hummus plate, I have decided to take a break from Sitwell's. It was my intro to Clifton life, but it is no longer worth it to wait so long for coffee. I will go to Sitwell's for the guac & gouda melt (seriously, it's delicious-- TRY IT, IF YOU ARE WILLING TO WAIT) if I am having phantom pregnancy cravings for it, but otherwise, I'm done. I think I'll take my business to Sidewinders or Rohs Cafe, neither of which have a brie plate, but do have pleasant, nominally fast service.
(3)
Jeremy B.
I had heard some wonderful things about this place and frankly, I don't think it lives up to the hype. I found the atmosphere very unique and appropriate the Ludlow area(hipster-ish) and I enjoyed it, but I am a foodie(self proclaimed) and this did not blow me away. I met a friend there for breakfast and by how he talked, I was expecting more. (A side note, when I give few details, it's because my mind blocks out the less memorable experiences in exchange for the good ones, a la Dreamcatcher.) I got a breakfast sandwich, and while it was very good, I remember it being overpriced. The coffee was good, but nothing special. Overall, I enjoyed it, I'm happy I went, but as a new-experience junkie, I doubt a return. I may have been going for the wrong experience with the wrong expectations, but it did not stand out, as evidence of my lack of details ;).
(3)
Eric B.
I was very excited to stumble upon this place while walking through Cinci, but was very disappointed with the experience. They have a decent coffee menu, complete with all the usual suspects, but overcharge for mediocre drinks. My 12oz latte (a "tall" for you Starbucks fans) cost $5.00, and wasn't even made very well. They have breakfast food available, but I was again disappointed with my egg sandwich on a soggy croissant. They also advertised that it came with a side of "fresh fruit," which turned out to be three very tiny cubes of cantaloupe. As a redeeming quality, it has some character, and would be an okay place if you were just looking to meet up with a friend for a cup of joe. However, if you're looking for really good coffee, this isn't your ideal spot.
(2)
Mary S.
I loved this place from the moment I walked in the door. The walls are coated with displays are various art pieces for sale. and the live music is great when they have performers. it can be pretty loud with all the drinks being made and its always full. hard to find a table at times. theres all sorts of trivia games as well. great place for a date with the theater just an 1/8 down the road
(5)
Howard M.
I find this little college coffee house charming. It's got all the characters that it should have. It's decorated like it should be decorated. Almost too on the nose but I'm still charmed. Sitwells is a great place for someone in their 40s to pretend that there's no mortgage, no daughters looking for their own college funding, no frustrated job prospects to sit back and pretend like they're back in carefree college days. Since the place looks right they could get away with serving crap. College kids aren't the smartest bunch and they definitely put style over all else. So Sitwell's gets credit for always having decent and original food. On my last visit the meatloaf of my meatloaf sandwich was a bit dry but my daughter always enjoys the Gouda Avocado melt. On Saturday the soup was some kind of Spinach and Cocoanut combo. Never thought of that but it was unique and good flavor.
(4)
Brittany K.
This place has ambiance but other than that not much. I go in with my fella on Wednesdays because they have this awesome group, The Faux Frenchmen, play and these guys seriously rock. These four men play standards and orchestral arrangements (upright bass, violin, guitar, and clarinet). Come to see them, its free! I feel bad for waitstaff, I really do. They are always rushed and understaffed. We usually interact with two ladies who are both very nice and try hard (though sometimes it does take some time for them to get back to you). I've never had the food but it looks really good. I drink mostly tea and from what the other reviews say, the dishwater/moldy taste isn't just me. I'm going to have to find a new thing to buy when seeing The Faux Frenchmen.
(2)
Sanjeet G.
Nice little place in the gas light district Pros: 1. The ambiance, you can get work done or have a chat with friends without feeling out of place 2. They have great hot chocolate 3. Good coffee Cons: 1. The service is always slow, the servers are nice but I still hate waiting forever for a cup of coffee 2. The food is mediocre Overall its a nice place to hang out and grab a cup of coffee
(3)
Katherine B.
While I do not want to comment on the coffee, they have a small selection of tea. I have tried a couple different breakfast items, while they are nothing to write home about. The food is ok while sitting and studying at sitwells.
(3)
Leah A.
My boyfriend and I learned our lesson about Sitwell's a few months ago, and usually pass by in favor of Om Cafe across the street, but we had some friends visiting from out of town, and they didn't know any better, so we decided to give it another shot. Should have stuck with our instincts, as this was sadly our worst Sitwell's experience yet. How hard is it to pay a second waitress an additional $2.77 an hour, and have a fully staffed bar/ dining room? It's no surprise it took us 15 minutes to place an order when there is only one girl taking orders, running food, and bussing tables. When we finally did get our order, my boyfriend's iced coffee tasted like it had been brewed with dishwater. We sent it back, and as we were sitting next to the kitchen, could hear the owner in the back loudly mocking our compliant to the waitress. Second coffee tasted just as bad as the first. The waitress made some weak excuse about "Maybe the pot wasn't rinsed out," and brought a third cup from a different batch. It tasted fine, but by that point we had finished our lunch and just wanted to get on with our day. As we got the final cup of coffee, we clearly heard the owner in the kitchen say loudly, "Well at least they know we clean out our pots!" Yeah, I would like to be able to assume that you use clean equipment when serving food and beverages, and not have to taste chlorinated bleach-water in my coffee to prove it.
(1)
Juliane S.
I hate to give Sitwells a bad review - they've been a staple on Ludlow and an anchor for UC students for years. But....after attending this cafe for 10 years I've seen a decline. They place is PACKED nearly every night. Getting a table is next to impossible. The food and drinks are just ok - they have raised their prices significantly honestly to the point where I won't go any longer. The service has steadily decreased - while their attendance has skyrocketed their personnel has not - and they are often overworked. It can take a long time to get served and even longer to be cashed out. For the non-working, on the 'rents' money college student - this would be the place to go. For regular folks - seek your cafe experience elsewhere - I would suggest across the street at Ohm's.
(2)
Allie C.
Sitwell's is great if you just want to chat and have time on your hands. Service here is what you would expect from a coffee shop - brisk but not rude, definitely not in the realm of friendly - but this is understandable. Every time I've been in, it has been busy and with only one waitress, a barista and sometimes another person floating around. Tea and coffee here is great. Other than the hummus, I haven't tried any of the food, but a friend once ordered a sandwich that she said she enjoyed. I'd definitely recommend coming here after a movie at the Esquire or after events in Clifton and the Ludlow neighborhood.
(3)
Tara S.
I love the late nights, the smoked gouda and avocado salad, the awesome staff, the crazy owner, the stiff drinks, the awesome coffee, the good shakes, the ability to study for ages with no one caring, and vegan cookies at the cash wrap. Plus the Holy Diet Coke available.
(5)
Alycia B.
I went to Sitwell's to see a friend of mine play a set and I was pleasantly surprised. It had a really cozy feeling with the random decorations and the soft yellow lighting. What I didn't like was that I had to get up, walk over to the counter, wait, and then someone appeared so that I could order some hummus. Maybe I was confused and they don't have servers come to the tables. Idk. While ordering the hummus, I asked if they had any vegetables to get on the side of the hummus, instead of the pita bread and after (too) much deliberation he suggested cucumbers. I agreed. The hummus was very good, but when paying out my tab I noticed there was a $2 charge for my hummus...not that big of a deal, but I assumed the cucumbers would have taken the place of the pita. So again, not a big deal since it was only $2, but being my first time there, that it what I will always remember when thinking of Sitwell's. Bring your own veggies if you like your hummus with vegetables.
(3)
Mike J.
Objectively mediocre but still one of my favorite hangout spots when I was at UC and still one of my favorite spots in Clifton. Good coffee, decent food but limited selection and they serve alcohol if you find that enticing. Most importantly they're open pretty late (3 am I believe)
(4)
Paul K.
I never had bad experience at sitwell. The service is somewhat slow as everyone says, but I didn't have any problem. They have big selection of drinks, tea/coffee, salads, and alcohols. I liked their salads but never tried any other food. It's great place to hang out with good friends. If I have one problem about this place is that it can be loud at times..
(4)
Monica W.
Sitwell's is very cute and cozy. I spent one morning reading here and I really enjoyed the ambiance here. I ordered the dirty chai which was very tasty. Sitwell's has a lot of seating and the place is pretty big. Prices are pretty reasonable.
(3)
Sarah A.
I used to live in Clifton and frequented Sitwells quite a few times. The salami, cream cheese and cucumber melt is divine! One of my favorite sandwiches of all time and their espresso milk shake is amazing. The Brie snack and Brie-Mato are also great choices. I have had good service and rude service. I'd recommend paying cash. My husband (fiance at the time) paid with a credit card and the receipt did not match with what was taken from his bank. This happened on two separate occasions :(
(3)
Angela C.
I believe I discovered Gouda cheese through Sitwell's, and for that I will always be thankful. I'm pretty sure if I lived in the Ludlow neighborhood, I would be at Sitwells a lot more, but with the street parking and everything, I don't get there as much as I want. Either way, it's a cozy coffee shop with free wi-fi, some creative menu options that are good, and a wide array of drinks (hurray coffee + liquor!). It's hard not to find the crazy collection of furniture (like seats that look like they used to be in a high school auditorium) endearing. I only go to Sitwell's when I'm not in a rush, so I can't say I've noticed anything awful about the service, and everyone is always nice. All in all, pretty solid. Great place to read, chat, or do some work on the computer.
(4)
Lily D.
Hey sitwells, you are dece. ambiance is really eclectic and artsy. well lit. philosophical- hipster-coffeehouse. Free wi-fi, and even one computer for public use. A big plus is this place is open real late, like 2am late. was really nice during school when i was starving in the night and didnt want to eat garbage. moving on... all their coffee is fair trade, a lot of it is organic, which is worth mentioning. had some really good tea here. i imagine that all their brewed drinks are quite tasty. (see guest review at bottom.) Onto the food! sitwells buys a good portion of their food ingredients locally, from findlay market and such, this is appreciated. I always get the 'big ass pocket pita burrito'... on a hoagie roll. because their bread rules. it has a bunch of vegs on it.. but the delish part is the housemade guacamole, hummus and melted cheese. yum. it isn't made to be a sandwich, really, so the extra guacamole and hummus squishes out and then you can scoop it up with chips... this sandwich is just the gift that keeps on giving, really. i've had all the vegetarian sandwich option is this is the best. I have seen the brie plate, looked pretty awesome, was said to be pretty awesome. but at 8 dollars or something it is hard to get, because that is how much all the meals are... and though delicious, can brie and apples really constitute a meal? my conclusion is always no, sigh. maybe someday for a decadent snack (i am cheap.) sometimes service is slow and you will get pissed. fine for going by yourself, with a few others or a giant group. all different seating available. Here is aTHE BONUS GUEST REVIEW on the Mulled Cider by Sorcha S: If I had to drink one thing for the rest of my life, this is it. Its like Christmas in a cup! If Christmas didn't involve annoying uncles and false merriment. In fact, this year, if you want all of the good and none of the bad, skip the family dinner and stop into Sitwells for a large one of these guys. Don't forget the orange slice! There you have it. Sitwells. bring your computer and surf the web or whatever while drinking a hot-chai.. have some philosophical debate with some guy with a beard..... also don't be like me... get the brie snack.
(4)
Adam B.
Crap service. Crap food. Crap decore. Crappy smell. For me its a no go. ... Hit up sidewinder in northside instead.
(1)
Mr. S.
This place is sweet merely by the environment. The guac sandwich is da bomb. A great place for hanging with friends, not a good place to do homework. The only reason why I am giving them a "4" instead of a "5" is because their coffee sucks. And they are defined as a "coffee" place. Other than that, it's a sweet place.
(4)
Sheila M.
I don't know what happened to the cleanliness of this place, not that it was particularly spotless to begin with. But on my last visit here, I spent most of my time waving away the 5+ fat fruit flies that circled my sandwich and coffee. As if that wasn't annoying and gross enough, after a few minutes I saw a fly flailing around and eventually drowning in my half-finished cup of espresso. EW. I didn't even know these bastards liked coffee! At least the server was kind enough to replace my drink, but if they kept the kitchen area sanitized this probably would have never happened.
(2)
Devin C.
Sitwell's Coffee House is an eclectic place - and I mean eclectic in both a positive and negative way. You'll love the atmosphere of the coffee house, especially if you're into more earthy places. Sitwell's prides themselves on their locale and a few signs inside the restaurant take a few jabs at the establishment (Starbucks). Be careful though, eclectic also means their furniture is eclectic too - and some of those chairs and tables need to be pitched because they're on the verge of falling apart. Their food is good. The portions are perfect for a small lunch. All of their sandwiches I've had have been really tasty and the price is right (especially considering the quality of the ingredients they use.) They have a happy hour from 4-8(?) where beers are .50 cents off and liquor is 1 dollar off. I'm not sure about their liquor choices, but from a glance, it looks pretty good. Their beer selection isn't anything to create much excitement, but it's decently priced. Soda - on the other hand - is a ripoff. The prices look reasonable, but they only serve soda in the 12 oz cans - and when you think about it, you realize how large the markup is for that. There is free wifi at Sitwells but it's sometimes not available or since there are so many people, they have bandwidth problems. Service is a mixed bag. Since it's sit on your own, if it's a busy day, it's possible you won't be approached for at least half an hour, which is what happened to me in one case. We ended up just walking out. However, during the slower times, service is almost instant. The waitstaff is very nice and sociable - the problem is just getting the service at times. I haven't had any of their breakfasts, but from what I've heard, they're good. Lastly, Sitwells is open until 1AM, which is very nice as they're one of the few places still open on Ludlow at that time (the other being Skyline). It's a nice place to relax - the problem simply comes down to the waitstaff having a tough time realizing who's there to relax and slowly order coffee or beer versus the customer who wants a meal. Until that improves, Sitwells will be a 3 star place.
(3)
Mike B.
Okay, I was a little harsh in my last review - and it had everything to do with ambiance. With that said Sitwell's does play a nice variety of music - from eclectic to jazz to indie/pop. In a week (and honestly the past couple years) the food and coffee quality hasn't changed - the coffee is better than average [In terms of quality and flavor, it's superior to Starbucks - which consistently has that bitter, ashy, harsh and burnt flavor - you're tasting carbons versus coffee in their roasts]. The food varies and is pretty decent though nothing to jump up and down about - but do stay away from the eggs. Finally it's a nice place to grab a liquor coffee or enjoy a slightly better than average bottled beer selection.
(3)
Annie B.
Looking for spectacular service? Try a restaurant with white table cloths. It's a coffee shop, and it's great. Laid back, good food, beers when you want one, vegan baked goods. For a veggie sandwich, try the Briemato. You won't go back. The owner is nuts and hilarious - and is the 'management' other reviews complain about. They're dog-friendly - if your dog is well-behaved, there's free wi-fi, and they get their veggies fresh from Findlay Market. If you need precise and predictable, try Starbucks. For everyone else, this place is tops.
(5)
Alexandra K.
Sitwell's is the place to be seen if you are a Cincinnatian hanging in Clifton's gaslight district. Sitwell's serves the caffeine works. You can get coffee, mocha, espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, teas, and other hot drinks. They also have a decent brunch style cafe menu with sandwiches, salads, soups, shakes, and smoothies. All of it pretty good! You can also get just about any liqueur in your coffee as well. When this place was still smoking it was unbearable. I actually began going regularly after they cut the smoking out. Now they have free wireless as well and it's a very relaxing and comfortable place to hang out and get some work done.
(4)
Drew C.
You might ask yourself, "Where should I go today to study?" Sitwells...? You might want to rethink that... Pros: -If you're going to meet someone or a group, this is a great place. -They have live music on a regular basis. -They have coffee and snacks. -WiFi is fairly reliable. Cons: -It is often very loud. -It is often extremely loud with music. -The coffee is marginal (they don't roast in house like several of the other places around town). -The snacks are very expensive on a poor (student) person's budget. -The lighting is low and electricity isn't always the easiest to find to plug in your computer. -Contrary to the shop name, the seating is VERY uncomfortable. You'll be lucky if you get a chair that doesn't feel like it will collapse underneath you. -The owner keeps her staff very light... like, one to two people for the entire ~3500 square foot shop. -Speaking of the owner... --She is very loud; several times she has been sitting with a group of friends and she is, by far, the loudest person in the entire place. --She treats her staff poorly. A waitress that I became friendly with was overworked and quit (turnover is VERY high) and the owner refused to pay her for the time she put in from the last pay check to when she quit (in the hundreds of $). To sum up. This is not a very good place to study. Please stop rating this place with 4 stars! Demand BETTER from your service, people! My credentials: -I have lived in Cincinnati for a little over 4 years. -Been to a lot of coffee shops here: (Starbucks (CCM/Steger Center/McMillan/4th downtown), Iris, Coffee Emporium (Central Ave and in Hyde Park), Roxx (when it was there), Lookout Joe's, Sidewinder, Highland and probably some others that I can't think of right now). -I have 10+ years in architecture school and several offices. Not that this matters as much as actually being to these places, but I mention this because all I think about is designing space.
(2)
George M.
Some really like this place; maybe it is because they have not had much experience with other coffee houses. I find it to be over priced and dingy. Could use a thorough cleaning. Friendly staff tho. Very mediocre coffee drinks and poor food. If it was not on the same block as the Esquire theater, I doubt that it would have much business.
(2)
Rob K.
I've been here a couple times and have experienced the lagging service. But here's a spin on the odd service here: I went with a friend and to throw him off of his day I asked him to order a drink for me. It was around noon, so we were in for coffee (or tea). Caught off guard he wasn't sure, so he got our waitress involved. She turned to me and asked what I liked. Fair enough. I provided that I was open to whatever she might suggest, leaning towards coffee, not very strong but not very sweet. Somewhere in between. She suggested the Turtle-something-or-other, and it sounded like a fair enough suggestion. (I'm a once-a-month at best fluffy, flavored, and fancy drink drinker. "Just black" is my thing. So I hope and rely on "experts"...) WHAM! Like a double-chocolate brownie soaked in hot fudge, I was completely caught off guard by the richness of that drink. Is there anything richer in the store? Waaaaay off.
(2)
Ben S.
I think its time to realize, based on the reviews, Sitwells was not designed to be a high speed coffeehouse where your drink is done in 30 seconds. At sitwells, life slows down for you- to let you take it all in, to relax, to chat. We've come to expect a world where everything is done with grace and done in the snap of a finger. If you can't just breath a little bit and understand that Sitwells slow service is a gift in itself, see your way to the door and hit up Starbucks. The walls are covered in stuff for a reason. Sitwells wants you to dawdle and spend a lazy morning or afternoon or late night here. I love Sitwells because it is so slow, it just adds to the atmosphere of lazy, easy, weird, beautiful. The waiters and staff don't seem especially annoyed or rushed either, which I like as well. If it wasn't so far away, I'd be here everyday.
(5)
Sam N.
Honestly the WORST service ever! It can be a great place to chill out and study but it can take 20 minutes just for someone to acknowledge you're there and take your order. Then more waiting for the coffee which often isn't hot. Fortunately they have good coffee and espresso drinks or they wouldn't be in business. Try the homemade hummus if you're willing to wait. PRO: Good hours...open til 1am
(2)
Jon A.
In the age old battle: Indianapolis Vs. Cincinnati. Score points for Cincinnati due to Sitwell's. You may be unaware... but Indy does not have one -- yes not one -- coffee shop like this, let alone one that serves booze. I'd imagine that many locals can overlook Sitwell's and call it "eclectic," or, "Bohemian." Yes, it is just that. The other point to dare not overlook: it's vital.
(4)
Ross M.
I went here with a couple of friends to see the band that was playing. The band was great but the rest of the experience wasn't. The hummus was bland. Really bland. I don't know if it is made in house or purchased, but either way it needs changing. Perhaps a bit more tahini paste or any spice that wasn't just chickpea flavor. Garlic would have worked. Or roasted red pepper. Something though. Also, when I got my espresso it was lukewarm to tepid. So that wasn't good either. In summary, I'd probably only go back for another musical ensemble and make sure to get my caffeine and food elsewhere beforehand.
(2)
Lesley C.
I was just there today with my son, getting a smoothie for him on our way to run some errands. I've lived in Clifton for 19 years and know Sitwells well, but I rarely go in because of these issues: 1. Nobody even noticed our presence for at least 5 minutes. We were right there, in the front, at the bar. The place was not crowded at all. The waitress was beyond stressed though, you could tell. Owner was ranting and raving to a customer, didn't notice us. Poor management. 2. Finally the stressed waitress asks if she can help us and I ask what kind of smoothies they had. She was kind enough but it was as though I asked her the question that was going to send her right over the edge for that day. She was stressed and frazzled. Again,t he place wasn't crowded, but it wasn't a friendly atmosphere at all. 3. Ordered the smoothies. In the meantime, I get the pleasure of listening to the owner complain about the people who go to La Poste (I'm one of them) being from Hyde Park, coming into her place and looking around. "They're scared" she said. I think the real issue is that her place is kind of dirty and they are looking at that. And there is an odor about it, can't put my finger on it but there's an unappealing odor. 4. Owner goes on to tell the same La Poste story to multiple customers, some issue about parking, and she's loud, using the "F" word over and over, co-mingled with other 4 letter words, loud, obnoxious, terribly un-welcoming. 5. FIFTEEN minutes later the woman working behind the bar realizes she hasn't made our smoothie. She finally makes it in less than 2 minutes. But really, it took 15 minutes to get one smoothie. She also seemed cranky and unhappy. The owner was worried about her lease and about the landlord wanting to put something else in her space. After the experience I had today, I would welcome a clean, uplifting, enjoyable coffee house in that space. Eclectic doesn't have to mean ugly, unfriendly and a trifle dirty.
(1)
Bob G.
I moved to Clifton a little over a year ago, and was excited to be in walking distance to a place like Sitwell's. The food is good--especially some of the eclectic sandwiches. But I'm done with the place after the continued, horrible service. I have now discovered that the bad service at Sitwell's is a running joke in Clifton. The same waitperson is there every time, and is the slowest even on a slow day. Today she told my table that they could "get their own water from the cooler against the wall." I hope others join my boycott of Sitwell's so that we can get more businesses on Ludlow that actually work hard for the business.
(1)
Jonathan E.
interesting place. i came to try a new coffee shop this afternoon, and had two goals in mind: (1) coffee; and (2) wifi. the coffee is delightfully good. the wifi, well, didn't work for the first hour that i was here. decor is eclectic, but in a good way. atmosphere isn't as quiet as i was hoping for. good menu selection, though i haven't (yet) tried any food. i'll probably come back at some point...
(3)
Mahesh K.
Im visiting cincinnati after a while for the holidays and I felt like going to sitwell's.. but the experience that I had tonight was terrible. I never expected such a poor and insulting service from the staff. Inspite of noticing us sitting in the corner the waitress didnt even come to our side of the table and ask us wanted we wanted. We saw several people coming in, who sat next to our table and were taken care of promptly. The female waitress didnt show up and didnt have even the basic courtesy to come and ask what we wanted. It wasnt crowded too. I have been to this place when I used to live in cincinnati and have also loved it but have never seen such a horrible, disrespectful, insulting, shitty service. We walked out immediately after feeling terribly frustrated about the experience. Im extremely dissatisfied and personally hurt because of this incident.
(2)
Nick F.
Great ambience, unique decor, good service, delicious espresso & nice tea selection. I have been going here for years and I'm about to head here now. I figured I should go ahead and give them the credit they're due.
(5)
Jessica L.
can't get over there often enough. i absolutely LOVE the big banana blowout. it messes with my weight loss, but i really don't care. LOL
(5)
Casey Y.
I've never been to Sitwell's and had good service. For whatever reason, they only staff one waitress for the entire restaurant. Who knows what that's about. But it's still worth going for the Milky Way Malt. And I'm lactose intolerant. Like I said. Worth it.
(3)
Dylan T.
I came to Sitwells in the afternoon and it was pretty busy with every table taken. I was expecting the worse in terms of service, but I was VERY PLEASANTLY SUPRIRSED. I had my order taken within a minute, I just had coffee and a muffin. The price was fair, the coffee was decent. Nothing too fancy, keep it up sitwells!
(4)
david h.
Quite possibly the worst service you may ever receive but they get three stars because they're open when every other douchebag coffee house is closed.
(3)
Ashley H.
TERRIBLE, rude, pushy service. We were there with a few friends, waitress acted annoyed when we ordered our drinks, had only sat there for about ten minutes after our items arrived when she asked us if we would mind to go ahead and check out because she was about to leave. The drinks were way overpriced, too! I don't think I'll be coming back.
(1)
Owen C.
If I could have a hometown coffee house, it would be Sitwell's. What an eclectic mix of art, furniture, lighting and people! The music is great, too. And the literature. And the conversation. I could go on. Oh yeah, it's a coffee house. I usually don't buy any of that starstruck frappy-latte-chino stuff so all I can review is the real bean. It was excellent. My couple trips were worth just the simple drip brew. I'll stop in again just for that but there's more! Sitwell's serves food. I've stopped in for breakfast a couple times. Each time, I've ordered the Sitwell Breakfast Burrito. It was recommended to me by a very friendly waitress. The burrito is a very delicious combination of eggs, cheese, avocados and garden greens folded into a seasoned wrap. She also recommended a nice side of salsa to go with it. I loved it! So did my kid! Imagine a 10 year old American kid enjoying salsa-laced eggs and greens in a seasoned wrap? How great to order from an unhurried, customer-friendly staff member who clearly enjoys the food she serves. On one of the trips, I was with my ten year old son who is a young gourmet aficionado. He'll always ask to substitute this and add a couple of these or maybe a little of that. No problem. Total service. She made him feel welcome and comfortable. I see that Sitwell's has a pretty jumpy night life on top of the day business. I'll have to stop in to try that out as soon as I can put in on my calendar. No doubt, Sitwell's is a hometown coffee house for the regulars I saw while there. I'd have no problem making it mine.
(4)
Dan J.
In the traditional vein of local coffee shops, Sitwell's excels. They stay open late (til 2 AM on weekends), offer free wireless for ease of studying, and even host art shows and events in an effort to promote Cincinnati culture. The ambience is unique with a nice combination of coffeehouse kitsch and table tops that double as artwork. We actually stopped into Sitwell's because we had heard they had vegan dessert offerings. Though they have soy milk to sub in basic coffee drinks and some menu items that just happen to be vegan, nothing is so noted, and, when asked about vegan desserts, our waiter could only offer pre-packaged cookies. Still, our misinformation isn't the coffee shop's fault, and they do have several clearly marked vegetarian options.
(4)
Natalie B.
By universal coffee house standards, I would probably give Sitwell's a 3 or 4, but since Cincinnati is so criminally lacking in coffee shops that are not Starbucks, I amped it up a bit. Sitwell's has good coffee, and also a variety of snacks and milkshakes. They also serve beer and liquor and stay open relatively late. I would probably recommend it more for coffee, there were ample tables on a Tuesday afternoon. I would imagine around drinking time it fills up.
(5)
Allison J.
Living a few blocks down Ludlow, I've developed a love/hate relationship with Sitwell's. I love it for its kitchy neighborhood charm, good sandwiches, and big list of boozy coffee drinks. On the other hand, I've found it to be pretty inconsistent as far as service. There's usually just one server taking care of the whole place, so when it's crowded, expect to wait a long time. However, it's a good place to take a book or laptop and stay for a few hours. The crowd is wonderfully eclectic, kind of like Sitwell's itself. Love it or hate it, it's one of those places that makes Clifton Clifton.
(3)
Tim B.
The first thing you'll notice at Sitwell's is that nothing matches. At all. The seats and tables are all of different sorts of styles, colors, and types. There are even two connected chairs from a movie theatre auditorium in the back. The food caters from carnivore to vegan, and the drinks are nothing if not original, varied, and at times alcoholic. Stop by sometime.
(5)
Elina K.
Not that this place needs another good review, it's already famous but I had to chime in. The assortment of shakes and yummy sandwiches made my night. I'm always a tad cynical when someone recommends a coffeeshop for shakes and smoothies only to order and come to find out it's nothing more than overpriced coffee blended with soy milk. Not so at Sitwell's. My chai shake: amazing. The cucumber and salami sandwich on baguette bread: deeelish. You can't help but dig on the booths and cozy tables all over mixed with kitschy decor and old school flavor. It's the type of place you can spend the night doing work, people watching or catching up with a friend, or perhaps if you're so inclined chatting with a complete stranger about whatever strikes your fancy.
(4)
Anthony M.
Do you enjoy bad customer service and even worse management? Have you ever said to yourself "Man, I could really go for paying way to much for an egg sandwich and coffee and waiting over an hour for it?" Then Sitwells is for you! They are to cheap to pay for both a kitchen staff and servers, so you get to experience servers who are more stressed out and surly then methed out tigers. Seriously, just go to Sidewinder if you want to do the whole independent coffee shop thing.
(1)
Christoffer M.
In the good old days, you could come to Sitwell's never having touched a cigarette and leave with emphysema. Where some clubs have a drink minimum, Sitwell's seemed to have a smoke minimum. This was incredibly endearing as a unique quality, but made it a little miserable to hang out. To their credit, they cleaned out the carcinogens even before Smoke Free Ohio passed. And so it's a brand new, clean coffeehouse. It changed the crowd a little bit; more yuppies and generally reputable citizens have replaced some of the hippies and punks, but the quantity of people always smoking outside of it show that some have loyalty to this Clifton haven. As for what you can actually get there, it's great. All kinds of specialty coffee drinks - uniquely invented there, but similar enough to Starbucks if that's what you want - a beer list, various liquors, and pretty good light food. If you want an alternative setting for an afternoon of writing or an evening of conversation, this is the place. I miss killing my lungs in Sitwell's, but it's nice not to have to launder everything I wear there after a visit. Sitwell's is so great I even wrote a poem about it that helped me gain admission to MFA creative writing programs.
(4)
Angela B.
You can forget about getting work done, Sitwell's is a popular place to meet people and bump into aquantences. The female owner respectably carries fair-trade coffee but on the downside her food offerings are over priced. If you're hungry, the Greek hero sandwich is delicious and salty. Sunday is the day to go for breakfast because you can order a Belgium waffle with nutella or strawberries. Or if alls you need is a small snack, I recommend the chocolate chip, peanut butter, banana, muffin. Sitwells is usually understaffed but as long as you're not in any hurry, a night capper is always worth the wait. The best coffee drink for a jolt is the Astral Buddha, I've discovered that it's a common crutch when in a pinch during finals week at school.
(4)
Margee B.
As a San Franciscan coffee snob, driving through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, etc. was exasperating. I wanted good coffee, and I constantly paid for dark water. Arriving in Cincinnati I was hopeful - A CITY! - but every time I went to a fancy cafe, I was disappointed. Finally, a friend suggested Sitwells. GREAT coffee and friendly service. Okay, the cream cheese didn't come ON the bagel, but that has its perks. It means that those of us on a diet don't have to wipe off excess cream cheese. It was yummy diner food, but what I love there is the great coffee and free wi-fi. And eccentric atmosphere.
(5)
Mallory T.
GREAT atmosphere. I only had coffee, but there were several things on the menu that I was interested in trying. Fun selection of Non-Alcoholic and Alcoholic coffee drinks. Vegetarian Friendly. A great place to sit and read, or meet up with a friend to catch up.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Late Night Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Hipster Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No Good for Working : Yes
Lauren F.
Somehow on the long road between being an underage, grunge kid with a bad attitude and turning into a 30 year old having a mid-life crisis, abandoning her career and starting a circus, Sitwell's has managed to reinvent itself into something very close to what it was in another one of my lifetimes. Maybe they just needed time to break in the new location, kind of like your favorite t-shirt from high school. I've received prompt service once and the scenesters are prominent, obvious and numerous. The people who actually are able to study in this atmosphere amaze me, it never seems to be quiet. As some of my older friend's children come of age, it's awesome seeing them gravitate to this hot little spot in Clifton's gaslight district. For tons of fun, visit during Esquire Theater's Rocky Horror Picture night.
(4)Andrew R.
This just might be my new happy place
(5)Cullen B.
Always great! Awesome atmosphere, great service, amazing drinks.
(5)Jen A.
Sitwell's is crazy and eclectic, but in all the best ways. There's poetry painted on the walls, a map of Korea in the bathroom, and boozy coffee treats right alongside gourmet and organic entrees on the menu. The menu boasts a decent selection of exotic and fair-trade coffees, and the bar (yes, there's a bar, even though it's difficult to spot) has some surprises - there aren't many places that serve Kronenbourg! Don't expect stellar service; part of Sitwell's charm is that the waitstaff will virtually ignore you unless you hunt them down. Once you get used to this, it's really not even annoying. This is the kind of place you can lose several hours in without realizing it. There's free wireless, so bring your laptop, grab an Erotica Latte (just as sinful as the name suggests) and plant yourself in a chair. Or just ditch the technology and people-watch for a few hours.
(4)Yan K.
Won me over with its personality. Artsy, quirky, and doesn't seem to take itself too seriously, with a really nice, friendly staff. On the other hand, slow service and not very notable food and coffee, so go for the pleasant atmosphere, not for the comestibles.
(4)Aviva C.
I live in the neighborhood and I love going to Sitwell's! The food is innovative and of excellent quality. The service can sometimes be slow, but it's all worth it for the great food and eclectic atmosphere! I also love that they are open late.
(5)Joe N.
Sitwell's Coffee House is a pretty cool place. It had a chill atmosphere and was cozy and relaxed inside. The coffee is pretty good and service is efficient. They have some board games, chess, and books towards the back that you can use. It's a nice place to read a book, go online, or just talk with friends on a cold day. I was a little disappointed because there was no place for live music and i was expecting it to be a coffee house like this. Also there is no outdoor seating which sucks because its nice to sit outside when the weather is nice. If it had these two things I can see myself making this a hangout place but for now I can only see staying here an hour or so. Nice place though.
(3)Serena S.
I heart Sitwells because they have good drinks and a cool atmosphere. I feel they are the epitome of what a true coffeeshop is. I feel Starbucks is more of a corporate glorified version of a coffeehouse but I still go to Starbucks because I love my cinnamon dolce time. But for a chill spot I would go with Sitwells anyday.
(4)Allison H.
I can't get as excited about Sitwell's as I used to. After living in Clifton for so long, and frequenting the place for years, its easy to find yourself "bored" with the same menu options and slow staff. If you're just looking for a cup of coffee to go, I would point you elsewhere, but if you want a place to sit all day and read a book, go for it.
(3)PH E.
I have been going to Sitwell's for almost six years now, & there is no place like it in the city. It's a real, European style coffeehouse like you will find on any cute little Rue de Whatever in Paris. You can get coffee drinks, beer, wine, booze, & order food off the small, eclectic menu. The food I've had is good--I like the Briemato Sandwich on croissant, the NY egg sandwich, the Sunday-only Belgian waffle w/toppings, & the gouda-avocado melt. If you order a cognac, often Lisa (the owner) will warm it for you to release its other flavors. They offer vegan baked goods & also breads made by local bakers. The music on the stereo is conducive to conversation & working, & many evenings the cafe features local & touring bands & singer/songwriters for your listening pleasure. I don't always love the music, but I like that there is almost always something going on at Sitwell's. Clearly, locals appreciate what Sitwell's has to offer, too. It's often busy, but I can either find an empty table or share one because someone invites me to sit down. I've spent afternoons there watching people move through, chatting, laughing, and sometimes shouting across tables to others. The library it aint, but then neither is that cafe in Paris that we all find so charming. I find some of the vitriolic reviewers here to be inappropriate, dwelling far too much on their opinion of the owner & too little on the place & its menu & service. Not once in 6 years have I seen a cockroach at Sitwell's, & while it doesn't have the kind of antiseptic/streamlined ambiances of corporatized coffee places to be found everywhere, I would not say Sitwell's is dirty or unsanitary or anything else. Cluttered, maybe, but that's the aesthetic at Sitwell's. I think of it as "Art Decoco". Being a 6-year patron of Sitwell's, here's what I think to be its biggest weakness: the plain old coffee. The lattes? Love them, every bit as good as Coffee Emporium's (my favorite latte in town). The decaf is top drawer. But every time I order a house coffee I can barely drink it. I don't know why it tastes so bad to me, but it does. Since I love the lattes, I just order those, or a decaf. The staff have always seemed friendly to me, whether or not the service is on the spot. No, the service is not always stellar. But, since it's a neighborhood kind of place, if I need something & no one comes to wait on me at my table, I just go up to the counter, ask for whatever I need, and I always get it. I did that at Paris cafes, too. The hateful comments directed at the owner seem rather suspect to me, I have to say. Some of the "reviewers" seem to know a bit much about her business & relationships, enough that I wonder if at least some of them are not disgruntled former employees. I did notice for a couple of years or so that the owner seemed to be hiring people who perhaps did not have any service industry experience, and some of them never seemed to get the hang of it. From a few things I heard here & there, it seemed that Lisa hired some people that needed a job and that she felt sorry for. If that is the case, her good deeds did not go unpunished! And as far as good deeds go, I know that for years Lisa ran a free neighborhood Thanksgiving potluck dinner at the old Sitwells, & that she also ran an ad hoc women's shelter out of her very own home. She has "walked the walk" in a way none of the below self-appointed judges would ever think of. Lisa is colorful & she is a voluble extrovert. Sometimes she is loud. Sometimes other people are loud, not to mention inappropriate, and they are ejected from Sitwells (as they should be). Sitwell's is a true neighborhood cultural treasure, run by people with real lives that are entwined pretty deeply with the diversity (& funkiness, with emphasis on _funk_) of the Cincinnati community. This is why this place is still going so strong after so many years. I say long live Sitwell's, plain & simple.
(4)Michael G.
As a former Gaslight resident, I frequented Sitwell quite a bit. It is a great coffee shop for people-watching, just not for coffee. Their regular joe is often watered down and tepid. The employees are usually friendly, just not very quick. If you have patience and some time on your hands, I do recommend trying one of their sandwiches, especially the Briemato.
(3)Jennifer H.
Ugh. The wall sign here says "Friends don't let friends drink Starbucks." Well, I hope my friends won't keep making me drink Sitwell's. The coffee's fine, if not spectular, but the interior is so dingy and dirty looking, I don't even like to put my feet on the floor. The service is rarely unfriendly but usually bored and lax. Clearly, everybody here would rather be somewhere else, myself included.
(2)Kara K.
I love coffee, I love local flavor. I thought I'd love Sitwell's, wrong. First off, I very much liked the eclectic decorations. Everything appears to have been thrifted or kept around for 30+ years. All the chairs and tables are different. I ordered a pumpkin spice latte (my fall drink of choice) and my mom ordered a vanilla cappuccino. My latte arrived at our table with about half the drink spilled all over the mug. This was definitely a problem. Why didnt our waitress wipe it off before serving it to me? Or at least give me a different mug? Then my mom tasted her cappuccino. It was completely devoid of sugar. When my mom told the waitress, the waitress proceeded to explain to my mom what was in a cappuccino, as if she'd never had one before. Maybe Sitwell's makes their capps a bit stronger & that's fine, but don't get an attitude when a customer expresses distaste for her drink. At least we weren't charged for the drink, but wow, bad service.
(2)Grant A.
bottomless cups of coffee. beer is an option. free wi-fi. an occasional comfortable chair. excellent restroom grafitti. relaxed atmosphere.
(4)Josh B.
Ordered a regular and non-fat lattes, both were poor. We tossed them shortly after exiting. Espresso was over-extracted and the milk was steamed directly in the to-go cups. Amazing, but not in a good way. I would not recommend this place.
(1)Ruby D.
Not just a coffee shop and not just a cafe, Sitwell's is a place where the pace slows, music plays, friends hangout, veggie food is available and careful and efficient staff take good care of you. Nine of us descended upon Sitwells, hungry and in need of some good "karma". They did there job. Everything that was ordered exceeding our expectations.
(3)Kevin S.
Head loves it, ass hates it, stomach is indifferent. I love the atmosphere and the nice staff. The chairs are all ungodly uncomfortable, though, so the ample space and great "take a book" atmosphere is ruined. Top it off with really inconsistent coffee, and you've got a quandary. I wish Peet's would move out to the Old Country and take over Sitwell's. Then you'd have the great space, better seating hopefully, and GREAT coffee.
(3)Claire M.
Sometimes hard to get service, and they seem understaffed. But they have ambiance - hipster bohemian - down to the T. I love their fair trade, it's so yummy. And try one of their banana peanut butter muffins. So good.
(4)Crystal M.
I frequented this coffee many times to grab a bite to eat. The store is very eclectic, so it makes waiting for your food more enjoyable. I'm not a huge coffee drinker, so I can't say anything about the drinks here. As for food: I really like the briemato sandwich.its served on a warm, flaky croissant, topped with gooey cheese, and a nice helping of greenery. I've had a couple other things on their menus, but my favorite is the briemato. Service: I usually get my food to go, and they're usually pretty fast with that. The times that I have dined in, I've noticed they are significantly slower. Overall, I really like this place for a quick bite to eat. The atmosphere is interesting and the food is great!
(4)Patrick G.
I've been to Sitwell's once before, but this is my first time reviewing it. This place is hella cool. It's an old school type coffee house with so many goodies that you simply wouldn't be able to take it all in at once.. ..in fact, for a coffee house, I'm thinking there might be a bit too much going on with the menu, and that might contribute to what some other reviews consider a ding against the service. If they feel they can handle it with their staff, then more power to them, but their menu reminds me of the one at Panera sans the coffee and liquor. The atmosphere is nice. Tables spread out pretty well and good comfortable seating. It wasn't that crowded when we were there. Our server was nice enough, but she was hella serious about the whole thing and didn't smile once, and she was a cute girl. I don't expect women to smile and be nice just because a guy says so, but I expect my hostess at a restaurant or coffee house to at least fake the funk and not be a humorless troll. And me and my friend did our best to engage with humor and smiles. Sucka. She had "The Best BLT Ever", and when we asked the server "is this really the best BLT ever...?" Crickets. *sigh* Well I must say that BLT looked good and have TONS of bacon on it, of which she make quick work. No thanks to smiley the server's sterling recommendation. Anyhow, I had the Hungarian Meatloaf Sandwich. That sucka wasn't even warm or hot. I mean, it was tasty. My friend asked, "maybe it wasn't supposed to be hot..." What? "..ask the server if that was the way it was supposed to be prepared". No thanks. I ain't asking her jack, as I'm sure she probably didn't know. Anyhow, it was lukewarm, albeit tasty meatloaf on wheat toast. I asked for Worcestershire sauce on the side. They spread it on the sandwich anyhow. Sheesh. Both of our entrees had a tasty mix of dark greens, which was impressive. Even the tomatoes were good, and I'm not usually down with tomatoes on any sandwich. I did dig the "Splasher" beverage though. Very unique and tasty. Check out Sitwell's if you're in Clifton. It's a good bet.
(4)Kristen E.
I have a soft spot for Sitwell's because I grew up in Cincinnati and this was THE spot for my friends and I throughout high school and college, and the vegetarian taco salad is incredible. The service is SUPER slow because they're consistently understaffed, but with the free wi-fi and bottomless coffee that's never bothered me. The art on the walls is always changing and usually awesome, sometimes there's live music, and the handcrafted coffee specials are excellent. Unfortunately after observing the owner/manager abuse her staff on several occasions I had to stop coming here. The first time I heard her screaming at a waitress that she was "stupid and useless." After the waitress walked away she spent a good 15 minutes bashing her to another employee, complete with profanities. The second time she was sitting with some friends at a table and all of them were being VERY loud. Every time a server approached them (keep in mind these are HER employees), she was rude and would make condescending comments to her friends (e.g., "They never do anything right") after they left. I can't support an establishment run by this woman. Shame, because it's kind of an institution.
(2)Julie C.
This is a nice location and a fun place to sit. The service is really slow, but I expect that when I go there. The food is okay. The coffee is better than Starbuck's. There is tea. I'd say I would go here more for the atmosphere than anything else.
(3)Liv S.
If you enjoy a good sandwich, coffee, fun atmosphere and listening to a boss be condescending towards and berate her employees in front of customers this is the place for you! But for this woman with a horrible attitude, we would be back. to the poor server girls: there are plenty of other jobs out there for you. You don't need that shit!
(3)Courtney P.
I've come to Sitwell's sporadically but I am definitely not a regular. I've only gotten coffee which is pretty good but never ventured towards the food. I hate to say it but something about that place makes me nervous to actually eat anything. It's pretty casual and laid back. Last time I went on a weekday afternoon and there were only a few people sitting around. It was my friend's first time there and our server was pretty cool about telling us about the place, the artwork on the walls, trivial pursuit cards on the table, etc. It was a pretty quiet atmosphere but I will agree with others that the staff got to be pretty noisy. There was a lady who kept yelling across the place which could be an issue if you were there trying to work. Again, not a regular and do not plan to be. But if you need to kill time while on Ludlow this is a great spot to do it.
(3)Darcie R.
The people that work here are horrid. Rude and talk so loud, blatantly about the customers. Would never go back here. No one wants to be mocked and ridiculed.
(1)Cindy G.
This place looks like it's straight out of the 70's. The decor, the atmosphere, the vibe. Everyone is friendly and the clientele are mostly locals. I haven't tried the food. I just stopped in for a quick latte to go. Wasn't the greatest I've ever had and was a bit more expensive. But overall this is a great resource for the community, and part of the gaslight districts charm.
(3)William K.
Way back in the 80s before there was a coffee house on every other street corner there were two places to go in Clifton, here and HIghland. That was in the old location but this place has been around in one incarnation or another forever. First coffee house I ever visited and still the best at what they do. Don't just walk by, stop in and taste what coffee is supposed to taste like. Here it isn't corporate cookie cutter fare. Every drink is hand crafted as it was intended to be. The drink and food menus are by far much better than that big chain that is everywhere. The atmosphere here is what coffee houses are supposed to be about. Original pieces of art on the wall. Best people watching ever. Great place to study, take a date, read the paper, post to your blog or just enjoy a good, honest cup of joe.
(5)Alicia B.
I don't know what to day about this Corky place. It's nice, but not that nice. It's quiet, but not that quiet. Is a reasonable study place as well as place to sit and share thoughts and life with a friend. All in all, it's a cool place.
(3)Kathleen Marie J.
I had a smoked Gouda and guacamole sub which was really satisfying. The bread was really fresh and yummy. They are very generous with their guacamole and smoked Gouda.. Stacked with tomatoes and romaine lettuce. It came with chips and a pickle. Only paid 6.50 for this meal. The atmosphere was interesting! :)
(4)Jamie P.
The spiked coffee drinks are great and the service sucks. This place, if the hipsters would surrender their Macs, could fit into a dystopian beat writer's dreamland. Everyone is rude, smells of smoke, and is teetering on passing out drunk. And somehow, it is slightly endearing. I don't know why I occasionally revisit, but I'll probably continue to.
(3)Beth H.
A great place to sit and hang out before or after a movie. Lovely tea and coffee selection. They sell vegan desserts made by a local company that are delicious. Interesting art on the walls. Free wifi. Nights there are interesting.
(4)Leighton P.
This strip of the Gaslight in Clifton really, really needs an honest-to-goodness cafe/coffee house with some nosh. This place, alas, is not it. But it is a solid "hippie diner". I have only had, on two occasions, the veggie burger. Decent. And tea. Decent. But the vibe wasn't for me to linger with a coffee while working. And yes, the staff can be nonchalant, but they are very nice. Young, hips**r-ish, and nice. Don't diss the staff unless you've got a good reason. They don't know.
(3)julesmary p.
Used to go to this place back in the late 90's and it was pretty cool. Now, it's just weird. I've been in there three times this past week and it's been odd every time: employees ignoring customers to talk to their friends who are hanging out in the cafe, the owner yelling (it's really true. Didn't necessarily believe the hype around that but it's for real), and really bad coffee. C'mon. There are so many great roasters out there. Why does your coffee have to be so gross? It's too bad. This place used to be really awesome...
(1)Emily L.
I visited Sitwell's with a friend because we heard some very good things. I also wanted to try something different, so I ordered the herbal tea classified under the "Ayur-Vedic Teas." There are 3 choices under this section: "Kapha" (stimulating), "Pitta" (cooling) , or "Vata" (cooling). Our server was very friendly and we chatted about the options; I decided on the "Kapha" and chose to have it steamed with milk. My friend ordered a vegetarian burger and a regular coffee. Our drinks and food came out several minutes later. The herbal tea (which came in a glass mug) was an unique experience; it tasted like a spicy cinnamon black tea, but it was not mild or strong in flavor, so I can see why it's described as a stimulating tea. It was somewhat memorable. Essentially, they offer 3 menus. The overall place is like a renaissance person; it's a little bit of everything in terms of café food (like wraps and salads splashed with some vegetarian options) and unique caffeinated drinks, but they also serve some signature cocktails and specialty sodas. We enjoyed our stay there by the window and noticed how the place resembles an attic, a lovely old one with antique tables. We left feeling fulfilled from our chat and our experience, but also felt that the crowded parking and location wasn't very convenient for us . Maybe if we're in the neighborhood, we'll come again just for the unique drinks.
(4)Wenyu Z.
The coffee. The burrito. The beer list. The atmosphere. The everybody has a Mac environment. I miss Cincy and I miss Sitwell's
(5)Karthik R.
Nothing memorable here apart from them being open till late. I like rustic look and old library style cafes but this please needs a serious serious scrub from some cleaners. Let's not talk about the restroom ! And ordering stuff is kinda tough. However I like their chess board tables ! Fun
(3)Lyndsay S.
Good coffee, really good milkshakes, and nice quesadillas. The environment is really cool; they have a few journals where people can write in them.
(5)Joel L.
I ate here on a (cold) weeknight and it was full of customers. The service was fine and the food (sandwich and tea) tasted fine. The menu was great; it had dishes with a variety of ingredients. The interior and bohemian vibe makes the place worth visiting.
(3)Calliope O.
Love this place. Coffee is really good and the food is too. I always run into someone I know. They have local Art on the walls. Place is vibrant at night.
(5)Eira T.
It had been years since I'd been to Sitwell's, but I stopped in recently for a meetup. i got the Milky Way malt, which was pretty much like an amazing candy bar malted milkshake. Yum yum. I think Sitwell's has a lot of potential, and it's a good place to hang out, but I tend to agree with a lot of the other reviews concerning the management. I lived away from Cincinnati for a long time, and I never felt nostalgic for Sitwell's the way I felt about many other Clifton businesses. You know what Sitwell's does make me nostalgic for? Kaldi's in OTR on Main Street. Now THAT was a helluva coffee house.
(3)Erin K.
I feel like sitwell's is an integral part of Clifton. It's very, well, Clifton-y. If I had stuck around at UC for longer than a year, I likely would have spent a lot of time here faux studying. It pains me to say this, but I must be getting old. I say this because while my first thought was "This place is so cozy!" my immediate thought to follow was "O-M-G-O-S-H check out the seats, god please don't let them have bed bugs." But maybe this is more representative of my field of work, and less representative of my age (fingers crossed). Anyway, the drinks are good and reasonably priced, but the service is slow and again, Clifton-y. The server we had didn't seem to really understand my man-friend when he said we had a time limit as we were going to see a movie next door, and she took her sweet a$$ time getting our drinks and then not putting them into to-go cups like we had asked. So that was kind of annoying. That being said, it's definitely a Clifton staple, if you will. So you let the stuff slide that you normally wouldn't because it's all part of the experience. Just don't try this experience if you have plans that are time sensitive!
(3)McCarley L.
Congrats! worst service in Cincinnati! The mediocre food almost makes up for it. Go here if you have an hour to wait for a Carry out order and if you want to be looked at by the servers but never actually talked to. They are a really oblivious staff. They also messed up my drink order and when mentioning it to them made me pay for both drinks.. my messed up order- a latte and the replacement I wanted- a chai latte!! Who does that?
(1)Dawn B.
I like Sitwell's don't get me wrong... I can only give it three stars because every time I come here the service is just so dang slow, even when they're not busy. The coffee is good and you can sit and chill forever without being bothered. I have never had anything but the coffee, so I can't say how any of their food is.
(3)Richele S.
So, I decided to give this spot another chance. Its super convenient, I love the atmosphere, and this time the coffee actually tasted like coffee. One huge flaw. As I was sitting there with friends, one of the employees decided that 8pm (a long long time before closing) was the perfect time to mop with WAY TOO MUCH bleach. I got nauseas, dizzy, etc. I'm seriously not picky and usually enjoy dive type and super eclectic places. However, this was just careless and I hope its not typical, as that employees lungs will be damaged in no time.
(2)E. K.
There's this crazy lady who yells across the room and antagonizes the customers...maybe the owner should throw her out... oh wait. that is the owner. Seriously, it is impossible to get work done here when the owner and staff are being obnoxious. They are very unprofessional. Just because you're behind the counter doesn't mean we can't hear you being loud and at times mocking customers... There are a lot of great things about this place. I like that it's open late for studying. There's alcohol. It's local and eclectic. The food is pretty decent. Prices are reasonable. But I often find myself waiting 30 minutes for a simple cup of coffee. One time, when it wasn't busy, the server kept blowing me off and instead cleaned every table before taking my order. Hello?! and then there's the crazy owner... I'll be taking my business elsewhere.
(2)Jill C.
A local staple of the eccentricities, daily grind, and the people that are Clifton. I think the trick to enjoying Sitwells is setting appropriate expectations-they are going to be short staffed, and you are going to need more than an hour for lunch. I rarely stop for lunch during the work day because I've found the service to be slow more than once. Don't get me wrong, I've always been happy with the sandwiches and fare, it just seems to take longer than it should. They have a decent menu of caffeine and alcohol so it can be a good place for evening drinks went you can't decide. They also have a decent breakfast/brunch. Also a place where you can sit and get work done and no one will think twice. They have live music at least once a week, and if you're visiting the neighborhood, there's parking in the business lot on Howell, come up the steps and you'll be right across the street.
(3)Jessica S.
It really saddens me to re-review Sitwells at a lower star rating, but it has to be done. (1) Understaffed. I swear out of the 10 or so times I've been to Sitwells, I've only ever seen and been served by one waitress, and every single time she looks stressed and overwhelmed. She doesn't say any "welcome to Sitwells!" or check up with a "how is everything?". They honestly could've gotten another iced coffee order from me if she had just checked on my table, but after waiting 10 minutes for her to notice my empty glass I just took my check to the counter to pay and leave. Sunday brunch I can understand, but Wednesday evening coffee is just the same. I feel bad for her, honestly. (2) Consistency of dishes. I really do love the flavors and creativity of their food. The consistency of quality? Not at all. I've ordered the same sandwich 3 times at Sitwells and each of the 3 times it is at a different level of quality - sometimes the slices of bread are of different sizes from one day to the next, sometimes there is more of the spread than the meat (or vice versa), sometimes half my plate has chips while other times there will be but a few... it's just not consistent! (3) Quality control. I ordered a burrito last week and the thing could not stay together. I took one bite and the thing started to unravel. I put it down and tried to cut it but it kept falling apart. I barely at half of it before giving up with frustration. But, man... the food is good. I enjoy how it tastes. The menu has great variety and creativity. The coffee and drink menu is spectacular. Those things will bring me back, but we'll see how much longer I can stand the poor service and quality...
(3)Elizabeth L.
Sitwell's is just what I imagined a slow paced city like Cincinnati to host a diner-like coffee/food bar. Quirky, but nothing too out of the ordinary. A fairly large space with plenty of tables. We sat in the very back on a "bench" table and I loved it, as it was equipped with both a table lamp and an outlet. I assume that if you're looking for a quick meal or fast coffee to-go, this isn't your place, but I liked the diner-style pay and peacefulness. I suppose if you want attentive service, you wouldn't come to a place like this expecting it. For the occasion that we went (work on a laptop, reading), it was perfect. Sitwell's has an extensive drink list: espresso lists, drank-drinks, shakes, and teas (which, from reading the reviews, I thought would not be plentiful, but it was decent!) Also, I thought they were decently priced. Something I wouldn't mind paying if I'm going to stay there hours on end. Our teas (iced) were 1.50 each. Would love to try the food and coffee one day, and thus, I expect to come back.
(4)George M.
I know the general concencus on Sitwells is that they are understaffed, have OK coffee, pretty much no process for taking orders or ringing anything up, and the food is hit-or-miss. Still, folks keep coming back because "gosh darn, it's Clifton's local eclectic coffee shop, and it's better than a starbucks." Well... I felt the same way for a long time, until my latest visit. All I wanted to do was hang out, drink some coffee, eat a bite and do my work. However, a lady there who I assume was the manager or owner was talking very loudly (on the phone with the police) about how La Poste's valet service was illegally parking cars on the street and how the "rich owner" was letting them do it, and that was taking away her business. It just sounded like she was having a bad day where it feels like everything is happening TO her and she had no control over things... I get it. But it was totally bringing down the vibe of the place, for what few customers were there. And SUPER unprofessional. I didn't go to Sitwell's to listen to what amounted to a one-person neighborhood-watch group basically whining to the police about the new restaurant on the block. Usually, I would just put my headphones on but she was so loud and negative about the whole thing she actually made her only waitress cry, and the poor girl had to leave. Myself and other patrons looked nervously around the room at each other as if to silently say to each other "Is this really happening??" I ended up leaving after eating my food and without a "sorry" or explanation or anything. It was like our coffee came with a ticket to crazy theatre and this was just the show that was on today. So yeah, do I want a starbucks in Clifton? No. I just want to drink coffee, eat a few bites, do some work and give you my money in exchange for coffee, food and pleasant service. It's really not that complicated.
(1)Amy T.
The owner is a lunatic and made me feel REALLY uncomfortable. someone should commit her soon. very soon. SAVE SITWELL'S, DITCH THE OWNER!! This used to be one of my very favorite spots. veg big ass burrito (love), cucumber/cream-cheese sandwich (love) but I can no longer bring myself to ingest these favorited and missed items on the account of the energy being put into the establishment on a whole. She was always crazy then but now, she is a ball of negative energy flying around that place making all of her guest uncomfortable and her sub-par, under-trained employees cry and leave. You can't act like a lunatic because you are located in an amazing neighborhood and your customers have been loyal for years. That isn't how this industry works. Feeling entitled to our business because of what your customers have made it. This is not YOUR block. Please stop trying to ruin Clifton business. Those who want to eat dinner at La Poste and then have coffee at Sitwell's before a movie can not because the owner of Sitwell's has created a gap between these businesses for her own selfish controlling reasons. This is the OPPOSITE of what Clifton should be and what the residents here want. It's time to be an adult Sitwell's, grow up, play nice. If I am sure there is no Drama going in, I'll try Sitwell's again. But I almost feel like we all deserve a Public Statement from the Sitwell's owner promising our safety and well-being when trying to enjoy what a coffee house should be.
(1)Jay L.
I admit I have passed by this place probably a thousand times, with zero interest of going inside. This is a eclectic spot to say the least. I ventured inside today and to my surprise it was freaking amazing. I am a huge foodie I have eaten in almost every restaurant in Cincinnati, and have eaten all over the world. This is one of my favorite BLT's I've had. The only thing that would make it better would have been a sunny side up egg. The best part of the whole meal was the cost, $6 bucks for a relatively large sandwich, pickle, and chips! I can't even get a full meal at panera for that price. The tomatoes were perfectly ripe and I'm assuming home grown. This isn't the ritz Carlton, but for the fun funky atmosphere and the good cheap wholesome food its second to none. Also in response to people mad about the owner yelling, she did yell a few times but really not in a bad way. She was just saying hi and making small talk with the regulars (which to me is a plus not a negative). They also have a fantastic selection of beers with very cheap pricing.
(5)Sam T.
I love, love, love that you go in for a cup of coffee, food or just a glass of wine. It doesn't matter. They serve you whatever you want and don't hassel you for sitting there for 2 hours reading a book even though you only spent $4.50 on your one glass of wine. Very relaxed, quirky ambience and nice service. A little understaffed which makes it just a teeny bit slow but they seem to try hard and they are friendly about it. Music on Wednesday nights which is fun.
(4)Zack F.
I've been here a number of times since my initial review. I have to say I've enjoyed each time. They have such a wide array of food and drinks, it's like several different places in one. Today I had the guacamole melt and it was absolutely overloaded with fresh avocado, on an impressively tasty Shadeau baguette. It would be an understatement to say that it was very filling. The Astral Buddha (chai mixed with espresso) drink is addictingly good. I have to say the quirky atmosphere makes the place endearing along with the ever friendly and welcoming staff. They have free wifi, but if for some reason it isn't responding, just let them know and they will reset the router. The tables are also a nice size to spread out and get some serious work done. The bathrooms on first glance may appear a bit unnerving, but let me assure you they are quite clean. The "eclectic" decorations are simply deceiving. You might also wonder why there is a tall stack of giant, weathered books filled with collages made from scraps of old magazines. It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when George's book gets flagged for being in the bathroom. It's close enough to campus that I can see myself justifying the walk over for good food, good music, a chill atmosphere, and a coffee, or perhaps a gentleman's drink. ;)
(5)Alex S.
What to say about Sitwells. On one hand, it's one of my favorite cafes in Clifton - maybe even Cincinnati. The atmosphere is light and pleasant and the walls are covered in fantastic graffiti and local works of art. It's constantly changing, so that makes each trip a little unique. The food is solid - nothing overwhelming, but perfect for a mid-day snack. The cucumber, pastrami and cream cheese sandwich is one of my favorite light lunches ever created. I try to make it at home, but it never comes out like theirs. However, Sitwell's is infamous for its terrible service. They usually have one waitress working, even when the place is packed. If you order, you will be there a while. They also like to promote their television for sports and big televisied events, only it's not actually hooked up to their sound system, so you can only watch and not hear. That's kind of dissapoitning. You will also get no cell phone service whatsoever. Be warned. They do have free WiFi though, so that's a plus. If you're looking for a nice, afternoon spot to sit for a while and get some work done, there is no better place than Sitwell's. Otherwise...eh.
(3)Chris A.
Weird place, clutter everywhere, doesn't really feel like a place to eat. Feels like a mueseum showcasing worthless crap nobody wants to see. I look up from the table I'm sitting at and there's a light ballast hanging on the wall. Why is there a light ballast? There was a very nutty woman in there as well. I'm guessing the owner, but I can't imagine that hot mess being able to run a business. She was busy pestering a couple that was obviously annoyed and wanted her gone. I was hoping she wouldn't come my way. This place is weird and funny. I think it would be a good time to go with friends and just people watch. The food and coffee was quite tasty so i'll be back.
(3)Nessa B.
It's okay. I've gone here on several occasions to listen to bands and just for a cup of coffee/tea. It's nice but not amazing. I've never had a bad experience with staff but I've had a couple bad cups of coffee and chai. The food is alright. The atmosphere is alright. I'd come back but I wouldn't go out of my way.
(3)Alana S.
Epitome of what a coffee shop should be. Really eclectic, with a HUGE selection of anything you could want from a coffee shop. They make the best Chai tea and the staff are on the ball with service, too.
(5)Kim Y.
Decor is super cool , and it was neat to hang out. We had an egg croissant, and it was kinda boring. i don't think the food and beverage are stellar.
(2)Ryan C.
Sitwells has an amazing drink and food selection! Reliable wi-fi. It is bohemian and eclectic and in that sense, it may not be for everyone. I prefer places with a bit of character. It has a great community vibe and the pace is very relaxed. I often work here for a couple hours at a time. That said, if you are in a hurry or want world class service, there are plenty of options in the area. I've been coming here for years and I'm sure I will continue for years to come!
(4)Pamela F.
Great place to write unbothered. Tea selection meh.
(3)Carrie W.
I used to really enjoy going to this little coffee shop. I really enjoy the decor and the live music is great. however, they are always short staffed. One waitress will be bussing all the tables, which means I long wait to even put in your order. And depending on the day you go, and who is working, you may just end up with really rude service. One time I had spilt a little sugar while putting it in my tea. I was making swirls with my fingers through the spilt sugar while pushing it onto a napkin. The waitress walks up and rudely states, "If my boss saw you do that he'd chew me out because that stuff is really expensive". What difference would it make if the sugar while was going to be used? She then continued to be rude all night to me as well as my friends.
(2)Dillon R.
Sitwells, I have a love-hate relationship with. Mostly love, though. The coffee itself is varied, but not that special. The other hot drinks are worth mention, as a Mexicocoa or a hot mulled apple cider are some of my favorites. The food never ceases to amaze me, as nowhere else around the UC campus is there a vegan/vegetarian option that's as tasty as this one. The vegan chili is amazing. The service can get to be quite slow, even when the place isn't that busy, but when the food comes out it's always good. They have live shows frequently that are varied as well, and some are better than others.
(4)Joey O.
Coffee is supposed to be steaming hot, not the uncontrolled temper of the owner of this eclectic little coffee house. I truly fee sorry for the staff, every employee deserves to be treated with respect and from my observations over the course of a two hour visit last night, these employees deserve medals for tolerating this treatment. I am certain that not only are the employees of Sittwells coffee house deserve a raise, they ALL deserve a apology from the owner and a nice Holiday bonus to boot. I was sitting within earshot of the kitchen entrance and overheard the most disgusting conversation between the owner and a server that you could possibly imagine. Constructive criticism is one thing, but to berate a employee in front of others to belittle, curse at, scream at the top of your lungs, call names, for over 15 minutes is completely uncalled for. Take your meds, consult a self help book, a therapist or priest to work out your demons, but there is absolutely no reason to take it out on your staff. The young man being subjected to this behavior had apparently made the mistake of not "Keeping up with the god damn dishes, and had allowed them to pile up to _ucking high, because he was a idiot, and worthless piece of _hit, and needed to learn how to do his god damn job and stop being a lazy sack of shit and pull his own weight before she fired his sorry ass. Then she begged him to just _ucking quit, cause it would make her _ucking day to see him quit. She went on about her business of spreading holiday cheer along to other employees by screaming at the cashier in front of customers, running off a gentleman there to collect signatures for the streetcar project...(Which by the way brought in over a dozen customers who ordered coffee and food) and awkwardly staring at guests clearly waiting to be waited on. Heaven forbid she would take a moment to be a responsible business owner and attempt to chip in and help. I was absolutely disgusted by this behavior, she finally left and I couldn't help but ask a young cute girl working there who this deranged woman was. she smiled and said "My Boss, the owner... its always crazy when she's here. but now that she is gone things should be back to normal, sorry you had to see all that" I shook my head in disbelief and told her I was sorry to see that anyone would be subjected to this type of treatment in this day in age. She smiled again and asked if I needed any coffee,,, thanks but no thanks, I wouldn't give a dime to this establishment, until I am certain that it is a business worthy of my business.
(1)Megan G.
I really like Sitwell's. It's a staple for me when I'm at school. I haven't had much of the food on the menu, but what I've had has been pretty good and I like that they have plenty of vegetarian options. I usually come here with a friend or two when we're doing school work and don't want to be stuck at studio or at someone's apartment. I usually get the bottomless cup of coffee (which is pretty decent if you ask me) and a cookie or some sort of treat. I'll admit, the service is a bit slow at times, but the environment is relaxed and I like working there. The nights when they have music can be hit or miss. Sometimes it's too loud and they aren't always the best musicians ;]
(4)Greer G.
Save your sanity. Don't go. There are much better local businesses to support in Clifton. Every time I have visited (whether for a drink or a meal) the server has always been stressed to the point of being short and it always goes back to the way they are treated by management. Servers don't last long here and today I learned why. On Sundays (between Labor Day and Memorial Day) they serve Belgian waffles. After hearing so much about them my friends and I decided to try them. After waiting a very long time for service our server took our order, lost half of it, forgot our coffee and left the restaurant. It appeared that the owner was in the kitchen. She screamed and screamed at the server who came it to take the first girl's place. Everyone could hear every word. Our orders were lost. Our food was plain. The owner continued to yell about her employee from the kitchen. She then got on the phone to complain about HEALTH CODE VIOLATIONS. She talked in front of all of her customers about how her walk in was out of date and no longer met code and then she said "you know one day they tell you to wash your hands in one place and the next they have you washing your hands somewhere else." That's right. That's what I listened to while eating my breakfast (which wasn't even very good). Oh, and by the time we got to the counter to pay WE were in trouble because we didn't have our tickets. Our orders got lost and WE are the ones to blame. See ya! Now to drink the coffee I made at home, because I wasn't offered a refill at a coffee shop! Oh, and why didn't I say anything to the owner? Because I was afraid she would scream at me just like she screams at her staff. TL/DR: Unprofessional owner. Health code violations (overheard the owner say this.) Terrible service. Unapologetic. The food and drinks are only okay.
(1)Kiarash Z.
Sitwell's may get crowded and overstaffed, but I wouldn't know. I've only visited late at night, and it was wonderful. Ludlow's residents don't know how lucky they are to have a late-night coffee house with tasty, low-price foods and milkshakes. And if you want alcohol, Sitwell's can accommodate. It's pretty much a perfect meeting spot or after-show eatery. I recommend the three-cheese melt and milkshakes.
(4)Lauren B.
The environment is wonderful. Very relaxing and a great place to bring a laptop to do some work. The Latte Calda was PHENOMENAL and made my entire day. A definite must try!
(4)Kait B.
Awesome food, great tasting coffee and cocktails, and the coolest vibe. This should earn Sitwell's five stars, but unfortunately I can only give it three because of the consistently terrible service. When I go to Sitwell's, I always order at the counter. Why? If I sit at a table, I will never get service. Occasionally I am told by an annoyed server or barista that I don't need to order at the counter because they have servers. This is annoying, because why can't I order my coffee at the counter, especially if I'm on the go? I have NEVER had a server approach me at a table, and when I first moved to Clifton, I lived at Sitwell's, so I've been there plenty of times. The service is also slow. The other day I waited 1 hour for iced coffee and an appetizer. The week before, I ordered a DELICIOUS guac and gouda sandwich and it took 15 minutes! I believe the quality of servers and cooks really differs, so I can't say the service is terrible as a blanket statement. I have even witnessed rude servers, who I will only give $1. I must give a shout out to the cook/server with earrings though-- he is always cheerful and happy and even apologizes for how slow they are. Major props, earring guy! I served for MANY years and I usually try to cut them a break, but at Sitwell's, it's just awful (besides earring guy). There is NO excuse for how terrible it is. Anyway, after last time, after waiting 1 hour for an iced coffee and hummus plate, I have decided to take a break from Sitwell's. It was my intro to Clifton life, but it is no longer worth it to wait so long for coffee. I will go to Sitwell's for the guac & gouda melt (seriously, it's delicious-- TRY IT, IF YOU ARE WILLING TO WAIT) if I am having phantom pregnancy cravings for it, but otherwise, I'm done. I think I'll take my business to Sidewinders or Rohs Cafe, neither of which have a brie plate, but do have pleasant, nominally fast service.
(3)Jeremy B.
I had heard some wonderful things about this place and frankly, I don't think it lives up to the hype. I found the atmosphere very unique and appropriate the Ludlow area(hipster-ish) and I enjoyed it, but I am a foodie(self proclaimed) and this did not blow me away. I met a friend there for breakfast and by how he talked, I was expecting more. (A side note, when I give few details, it's because my mind blocks out the less memorable experiences in exchange for the good ones, a la Dreamcatcher.) I got a breakfast sandwich, and while it was very good, I remember it being overpriced. The coffee was good, but nothing special. Overall, I enjoyed it, I'm happy I went, but as a new-experience junkie, I doubt a return. I may have been going for the wrong experience with the wrong expectations, but it did not stand out, as evidence of my lack of details ;).
(3)Eric B.
I was very excited to stumble upon this place while walking through Cinci, but was very disappointed with the experience. They have a decent coffee menu, complete with all the usual suspects, but overcharge for mediocre drinks. My 12oz latte (a "tall" for you Starbucks fans) cost $5.00, and wasn't even made very well. They have breakfast food available, but I was again disappointed with my egg sandwich on a soggy croissant. They also advertised that it came with a side of "fresh fruit," which turned out to be three very tiny cubes of cantaloupe. As a redeeming quality, it has some character, and would be an okay place if you were just looking to meet up with a friend for a cup of joe. However, if you're looking for really good coffee, this isn't your ideal spot.
(2)Mary S.
I loved this place from the moment I walked in the door. The walls are coated with displays are various art pieces for sale. and the live music is great when they have performers. it can be pretty loud with all the drinks being made and its always full. hard to find a table at times. theres all sorts of trivia games as well. great place for a date with the theater just an 1/8 down the road
(5)Howard M.
I find this little college coffee house charming. It's got all the characters that it should have. It's decorated like it should be decorated. Almost too on the nose but I'm still charmed. Sitwells is a great place for someone in their 40s to pretend that there's no mortgage, no daughters looking for their own college funding, no frustrated job prospects to sit back and pretend like they're back in carefree college days. Since the place looks right they could get away with serving crap. College kids aren't the smartest bunch and they definitely put style over all else. So Sitwell's gets credit for always having decent and original food. On my last visit the meatloaf of my meatloaf sandwich was a bit dry but my daughter always enjoys the Gouda Avocado melt. On Saturday the soup was some kind of Spinach and Cocoanut combo. Never thought of that but it was unique and good flavor.
(4)Brittany K.
This place has ambiance but other than that not much. I go in with my fella on Wednesdays because they have this awesome group, The Faux Frenchmen, play and these guys seriously rock. These four men play standards and orchestral arrangements (upright bass, violin, guitar, and clarinet). Come to see them, its free! I feel bad for waitstaff, I really do. They are always rushed and understaffed. We usually interact with two ladies who are both very nice and try hard (though sometimes it does take some time for them to get back to you). I've never had the food but it looks really good. I drink mostly tea and from what the other reviews say, the dishwater/moldy taste isn't just me. I'm going to have to find a new thing to buy when seeing The Faux Frenchmen.
(2)Sanjeet G.
Nice little place in the gas light district Pros: 1. The ambiance, you can get work done or have a chat with friends without feeling out of place 2. They have great hot chocolate 3. Good coffee Cons: 1. The service is always slow, the servers are nice but I still hate waiting forever for a cup of coffee 2. The food is mediocre Overall its a nice place to hang out and grab a cup of coffee
(3)Katherine B.
While I do not want to comment on the coffee, they have a small selection of tea. I have tried a couple different breakfast items, while they are nothing to write home about. The food is ok while sitting and studying at sitwells.
(3)Leah A.
My boyfriend and I learned our lesson about Sitwell's a few months ago, and usually pass by in favor of Om Cafe across the street, but we had some friends visiting from out of town, and they didn't know any better, so we decided to give it another shot. Should have stuck with our instincts, as this was sadly our worst Sitwell's experience yet. How hard is it to pay a second waitress an additional $2.77 an hour, and have a fully staffed bar/ dining room? It's no surprise it took us 15 minutes to place an order when there is only one girl taking orders, running food, and bussing tables. When we finally did get our order, my boyfriend's iced coffee tasted like it had been brewed with dishwater. We sent it back, and as we were sitting next to the kitchen, could hear the owner in the back loudly mocking our compliant to the waitress. Second coffee tasted just as bad as the first. The waitress made some weak excuse about "Maybe the pot wasn't rinsed out," and brought a third cup from a different batch. It tasted fine, but by that point we had finished our lunch and just wanted to get on with our day. As we got the final cup of coffee, we clearly heard the owner in the kitchen say loudly, "Well at least they know we clean out our pots!" Yeah, I would like to be able to assume that you use clean equipment when serving food and beverages, and not have to taste chlorinated bleach-water in my coffee to prove it.
(1)Juliane S.
I hate to give Sitwells a bad review - they've been a staple on Ludlow and an anchor for UC students for years. But....after attending this cafe for 10 years I've seen a decline. They place is PACKED nearly every night. Getting a table is next to impossible. The food and drinks are just ok - they have raised their prices significantly honestly to the point where I won't go any longer. The service has steadily decreased - while their attendance has skyrocketed their personnel has not - and they are often overworked. It can take a long time to get served and even longer to be cashed out. For the non-working, on the 'rents' money college student - this would be the place to go. For regular folks - seek your cafe experience elsewhere - I would suggest across the street at Ohm's.
(2)Allie C.
Sitwell's is great if you just want to chat and have time on your hands. Service here is what you would expect from a coffee shop - brisk but not rude, definitely not in the realm of friendly - but this is understandable. Every time I've been in, it has been busy and with only one waitress, a barista and sometimes another person floating around. Tea and coffee here is great. Other than the hummus, I haven't tried any of the food, but a friend once ordered a sandwich that she said she enjoyed. I'd definitely recommend coming here after a movie at the Esquire or after events in Clifton and the Ludlow neighborhood.
(3)Tara S.
I love the late nights, the smoked gouda and avocado salad, the awesome staff, the crazy owner, the stiff drinks, the awesome coffee, the good shakes, the ability to study for ages with no one caring, and vegan cookies at the cash wrap. Plus the Holy Diet Coke available.
(5)Alycia B.
I went to Sitwell's to see a friend of mine play a set and I was pleasantly surprised. It had a really cozy feeling with the random decorations and the soft yellow lighting. What I didn't like was that I had to get up, walk over to the counter, wait, and then someone appeared so that I could order some hummus. Maybe I was confused and they don't have servers come to the tables. Idk. While ordering the hummus, I asked if they had any vegetables to get on the side of the hummus, instead of the pita bread and after (too) much deliberation he suggested cucumbers. I agreed. The hummus was very good, but when paying out my tab I noticed there was a $2 charge for my hummus...not that big of a deal, but I assumed the cucumbers would have taken the place of the pita. So again, not a big deal since it was only $2, but being my first time there, that it what I will always remember when thinking of Sitwell's. Bring your own veggies if you like your hummus with vegetables.
(3)Mike J.
Objectively mediocre but still one of my favorite hangout spots when I was at UC and still one of my favorite spots in Clifton. Good coffee, decent food but limited selection and they serve alcohol if you find that enticing. Most importantly they're open pretty late (3 am I believe)
(4)Paul K.
I never had bad experience at sitwell. The service is somewhat slow as everyone says, but I didn't have any problem. They have big selection of drinks, tea/coffee, salads, and alcohols. I liked their salads but never tried any other food. It's great place to hang out with good friends. If I have one problem about this place is that it can be loud at times..
(4)Monica W.
Sitwell's is very cute and cozy. I spent one morning reading here and I really enjoyed the ambiance here. I ordered the dirty chai which was very tasty. Sitwell's has a lot of seating and the place is pretty big. Prices are pretty reasonable.
(3)Sarah A.
I used to live in Clifton and frequented Sitwells quite a few times. The salami, cream cheese and cucumber melt is divine! One of my favorite sandwiches of all time and their espresso milk shake is amazing. The Brie snack and Brie-Mato are also great choices. I have had good service and rude service. I'd recommend paying cash. My husband (fiance at the time) paid with a credit card and the receipt did not match with what was taken from his bank. This happened on two separate occasions :(
(3)Angela C.
I believe I discovered Gouda cheese through Sitwell's, and for that I will always be thankful. I'm pretty sure if I lived in the Ludlow neighborhood, I would be at Sitwells a lot more, but with the street parking and everything, I don't get there as much as I want. Either way, it's a cozy coffee shop with free wi-fi, some creative menu options that are good, and a wide array of drinks (hurray coffee + liquor!). It's hard not to find the crazy collection of furniture (like seats that look like they used to be in a high school auditorium) endearing. I only go to Sitwell's when I'm not in a rush, so I can't say I've noticed anything awful about the service, and everyone is always nice. All in all, pretty solid. Great place to read, chat, or do some work on the computer.
(4)Lily D.
Hey sitwells, you are dece. ambiance is really eclectic and artsy. well lit. philosophical- hipster-coffeehouse. Free wi-fi, and even one computer for public use. A big plus is this place is open real late, like 2am late. was really nice during school when i was starving in the night and didnt want to eat garbage. moving on... all their coffee is fair trade, a lot of it is organic, which is worth mentioning. had some really good tea here. i imagine that all their brewed drinks are quite tasty. (see guest review at bottom.) Onto the food! sitwells buys a good portion of their food ingredients locally, from findlay market and such, this is appreciated. I always get the 'big ass pocket pita burrito'... on a hoagie roll. because their bread rules. it has a bunch of vegs on it.. but the delish part is the housemade guacamole, hummus and melted cheese. yum. it isn't made to be a sandwich, really, so the extra guacamole and hummus squishes out and then you can scoop it up with chips... this sandwich is just the gift that keeps on giving, really. i've had all the vegetarian sandwich option is this is the best. I have seen the brie plate, looked pretty awesome, was said to be pretty awesome. but at 8 dollars or something it is hard to get, because that is how much all the meals are... and though delicious, can brie and apples really constitute a meal? my conclusion is always no, sigh. maybe someday for a decadent snack (i am cheap.) sometimes service is slow and you will get pissed. fine for going by yourself, with a few others or a giant group. all different seating available. Here is aTHE BONUS GUEST REVIEW on the Mulled Cider by Sorcha S: If I had to drink one thing for the rest of my life, this is it. Its like Christmas in a cup! If Christmas didn't involve annoying uncles and false merriment. In fact, this year, if you want all of the good and none of the bad, skip the family dinner and stop into Sitwells for a large one of these guys. Don't forget the orange slice! There you have it. Sitwells. bring your computer and surf the web or whatever while drinking a hot-chai.. have some philosophical debate with some guy with a beard..... also don't be like me... get the brie snack.
(4)Adam B.
Crap service. Crap food. Crap decore. Crappy smell. For me its a no go. ... Hit up sidewinder in northside instead.
(1)Mr. S.
This place is sweet merely by the environment. The guac sandwich is da bomb. A great place for hanging with friends, not a good place to do homework. The only reason why I am giving them a "4" instead of a "5" is because their coffee sucks. And they are defined as a "coffee" place. Other than that, it's a sweet place.
(4)Sheila M.
I don't know what happened to the cleanliness of this place, not that it was particularly spotless to begin with. But on my last visit here, I spent most of my time waving away the 5+ fat fruit flies that circled my sandwich and coffee. As if that wasn't annoying and gross enough, after a few minutes I saw a fly flailing around and eventually drowning in my half-finished cup of espresso. EW. I didn't even know these bastards liked coffee! At least the server was kind enough to replace my drink, but if they kept the kitchen area sanitized this probably would have never happened.
(2)Devin C.
Sitwell's Coffee House is an eclectic place - and I mean eclectic in both a positive and negative way. You'll love the atmosphere of the coffee house, especially if you're into more earthy places. Sitwell's prides themselves on their locale and a few signs inside the restaurant take a few jabs at the establishment (Starbucks). Be careful though, eclectic also means their furniture is eclectic too - and some of those chairs and tables need to be pitched because they're on the verge of falling apart. Their food is good. The portions are perfect for a small lunch. All of their sandwiches I've had have been really tasty and the price is right (especially considering the quality of the ingredients they use.) They have a happy hour from 4-8(?) where beers are .50 cents off and liquor is 1 dollar off. I'm not sure about their liquor choices, but from a glance, it looks pretty good. Their beer selection isn't anything to create much excitement, but it's decently priced. Soda - on the other hand - is a ripoff. The prices look reasonable, but they only serve soda in the 12 oz cans - and when you think about it, you realize how large the markup is for that. There is free wifi at Sitwells but it's sometimes not available or since there are so many people, they have bandwidth problems. Service is a mixed bag. Since it's sit on your own, if it's a busy day, it's possible you won't be approached for at least half an hour, which is what happened to me in one case. We ended up just walking out. However, during the slower times, service is almost instant. The waitstaff is very nice and sociable - the problem is just getting the service at times. I haven't had any of their breakfasts, but from what I've heard, they're good. Lastly, Sitwells is open until 1AM, which is very nice as they're one of the few places still open on Ludlow at that time (the other being Skyline). It's a nice place to relax - the problem simply comes down to the waitstaff having a tough time realizing who's there to relax and slowly order coffee or beer versus the customer who wants a meal. Until that improves, Sitwells will be a 3 star place.
(3)Mike B.
Okay, I was a little harsh in my last review - and it had everything to do with ambiance. With that said Sitwell's does play a nice variety of music - from eclectic to jazz to indie/pop. In a week (and honestly the past couple years) the food and coffee quality hasn't changed - the coffee is better than average [In terms of quality and flavor, it's superior to Starbucks - which consistently has that bitter, ashy, harsh and burnt flavor - you're tasting carbons versus coffee in their roasts]. The food varies and is pretty decent though nothing to jump up and down about - but do stay away from the eggs. Finally it's a nice place to grab a liquor coffee or enjoy a slightly better than average bottled beer selection.
(3)Annie B.
Looking for spectacular service? Try a restaurant with white table cloths. It's a coffee shop, and it's great. Laid back, good food, beers when you want one, vegan baked goods. For a veggie sandwich, try the Briemato. You won't go back. The owner is nuts and hilarious - and is the 'management' other reviews complain about. They're dog-friendly - if your dog is well-behaved, there's free wi-fi, and they get their veggies fresh from Findlay Market. If you need precise and predictable, try Starbucks. For everyone else, this place is tops.
(5)Alexandra K.
Sitwell's is the place to be seen if you are a Cincinnatian hanging in Clifton's gaslight district. Sitwell's serves the caffeine works. You can get coffee, mocha, espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, teas, and other hot drinks. They also have a decent brunch style cafe menu with sandwiches, salads, soups, shakes, and smoothies. All of it pretty good! You can also get just about any liqueur in your coffee as well. When this place was still smoking it was unbearable. I actually began going regularly after they cut the smoking out. Now they have free wireless as well and it's a very relaxing and comfortable place to hang out and get some work done.
(4)Drew C.
You might ask yourself, "Where should I go today to study?" Sitwells...? You might want to rethink that... Pros: -If you're going to meet someone or a group, this is a great place. -They have live music on a regular basis. -They have coffee and snacks. -WiFi is fairly reliable. Cons: -It is often very loud. -It is often extremely loud with music. -The coffee is marginal (they don't roast in house like several of the other places around town). -The snacks are very expensive on a poor (student) person's budget. -The lighting is low and electricity isn't always the easiest to find to plug in your computer. -Contrary to the shop name, the seating is VERY uncomfortable. You'll be lucky if you get a chair that doesn't feel like it will collapse underneath you. -The owner keeps her staff very light... like, one to two people for the entire ~3500 square foot shop. -Speaking of the owner... --She is very loud; several times she has been sitting with a group of friends and she is, by far, the loudest person in the entire place. --She treats her staff poorly. A waitress that I became friendly with was overworked and quit (turnover is VERY high) and the owner refused to pay her for the time she put in from the last pay check to when she quit (in the hundreds of $). To sum up. This is not a very good place to study. Please stop rating this place with 4 stars! Demand BETTER from your service, people! My credentials: -I have lived in Cincinnati for a little over 4 years. -Been to a lot of coffee shops here: (Starbucks (CCM/Steger Center/McMillan/4th downtown), Iris, Coffee Emporium (Central Ave and in Hyde Park), Roxx (when it was there), Lookout Joe's, Sidewinder, Highland and probably some others that I can't think of right now). -I have 10+ years in architecture school and several offices. Not that this matters as much as actually being to these places, but I mention this because all I think about is designing space.
(2)George M.
Some really like this place; maybe it is because they have not had much experience with other coffee houses. I find it to be over priced and dingy. Could use a thorough cleaning. Friendly staff tho. Very mediocre coffee drinks and poor food. If it was not on the same block as the Esquire theater, I doubt that it would have much business.
(2)Rob K.
I've been here a couple times and have experienced the lagging service. But here's a spin on the odd service here: I went with a friend and to throw him off of his day I asked him to order a drink for me. It was around noon, so we were in for coffee (or tea). Caught off guard he wasn't sure, so he got our waitress involved. She turned to me and asked what I liked. Fair enough. I provided that I was open to whatever she might suggest, leaning towards coffee, not very strong but not very sweet. Somewhere in between. She suggested the Turtle-something-or-other, and it sounded like a fair enough suggestion. (I'm a once-a-month at best fluffy, flavored, and fancy drink drinker. "Just black" is my thing. So I hope and rely on "experts"...) WHAM! Like a double-chocolate brownie soaked in hot fudge, I was completely caught off guard by the richness of that drink. Is there anything richer in the store? Waaaaay off.
(2)Ben S.
I think its time to realize, based on the reviews, Sitwells was not designed to be a high speed coffeehouse where your drink is done in 30 seconds. At sitwells, life slows down for you- to let you take it all in, to relax, to chat. We've come to expect a world where everything is done with grace and done in the snap of a finger. If you can't just breath a little bit and understand that Sitwells slow service is a gift in itself, see your way to the door and hit up Starbucks. The walls are covered in stuff for a reason. Sitwells wants you to dawdle and spend a lazy morning or afternoon or late night here. I love Sitwells because it is so slow, it just adds to the atmosphere of lazy, easy, weird, beautiful. The waiters and staff don't seem especially annoyed or rushed either, which I like as well. If it wasn't so far away, I'd be here everyday.
(5)Sam N.
Honestly the WORST service ever! It can be a great place to chill out and study but it can take 20 minutes just for someone to acknowledge you're there and take your order. Then more waiting for the coffee which often isn't hot. Fortunately they have good coffee and espresso drinks or they wouldn't be in business. Try the homemade hummus if you're willing to wait. PRO: Good hours...open til 1am
(2)Jon A.
In the age old battle: Indianapolis Vs. Cincinnati. Score points for Cincinnati due to Sitwell's. You may be unaware... but Indy does not have one -- yes not one -- coffee shop like this, let alone one that serves booze. I'd imagine that many locals can overlook Sitwell's and call it "eclectic," or, "Bohemian." Yes, it is just that. The other point to dare not overlook: it's vital.
(4)Ross M.
I went here with a couple of friends to see the band that was playing. The band was great but the rest of the experience wasn't. The hummus was bland. Really bland. I don't know if it is made in house or purchased, but either way it needs changing. Perhaps a bit more tahini paste or any spice that wasn't just chickpea flavor. Garlic would have worked. Or roasted red pepper. Something though. Also, when I got my espresso it was lukewarm to tepid. So that wasn't good either. In summary, I'd probably only go back for another musical ensemble and make sure to get my caffeine and food elsewhere beforehand.
(2)Lesley C.
I was just there today with my son, getting a smoothie for him on our way to run some errands. I've lived in Clifton for 19 years and know Sitwells well, but I rarely go in because of these issues: 1. Nobody even noticed our presence for at least 5 minutes. We were right there, in the front, at the bar. The place was not crowded at all. The waitress was beyond stressed though, you could tell. Owner was ranting and raving to a customer, didn't notice us. Poor management. 2. Finally the stressed waitress asks if she can help us and I ask what kind of smoothies they had. She was kind enough but it was as though I asked her the question that was going to send her right over the edge for that day. She was stressed and frazzled. Again,t he place wasn't crowded, but it wasn't a friendly atmosphere at all. 3. Ordered the smoothies. In the meantime, I get the pleasure of listening to the owner complain about the people who go to La Poste (I'm one of them) being from Hyde Park, coming into her place and looking around. "They're scared" she said. I think the real issue is that her place is kind of dirty and they are looking at that. And there is an odor about it, can't put my finger on it but there's an unappealing odor. 4. Owner goes on to tell the same La Poste story to multiple customers, some issue about parking, and she's loud, using the "F" word over and over, co-mingled with other 4 letter words, loud, obnoxious, terribly un-welcoming. 5. FIFTEEN minutes later the woman working behind the bar realizes she hasn't made our smoothie. She finally makes it in less than 2 minutes. But really, it took 15 minutes to get one smoothie. She also seemed cranky and unhappy. The owner was worried about her lease and about the landlord wanting to put something else in her space. After the experience I had today, I would welcome a clean, uplifting, enjoyable coffee house in that space. Eclectic doesn't have to mean ugly, unfriendly and a trifle dirty.
(1)Bob G.
I moved to Clifton a little over a year ago, and was excited to be in walking distance to a place like Sitwell's. The food is good--especially some of the eclectic sandwiches. But I'm done with the place after the continued, horrible service. I have now discovered that the bad service at Sitwell's is a running joke in Clifton. The same waitperson is there every time, and is the slowest even on a slow day. Today she told my table that they could "get their own water from the cooler against the wall." I hope others join my boycott of Sitwell's so that we can get more businesses on Ludlow that actually work hard for the business.
(1)Jonathan E.
interesting place. i came to try a new coffee shop this afternoon, and had two goals in mind: (1) coffee; and (2) wifi. the coffee is delightfully good. the wifi, well, didn't work for the first hour that i was here. decor is eclectic, but in a good way. atmosphere isn't as quiet as i was hoping for. good menu selection, though i haven't (yet) tried any food. i'll probably come back at some point...
(3)Mahesh K.
Im visiting cincinnati after a while for the holidays and I felt like going to sitwell's.. but the experience that I had tonight was terrible. I never expected such a poor and insulting service from the staff. Inspite of noticing us sitting in the corner the waitress didnt even come to our side of the table and ask us wanted we wanted. We saw several people coming in, who sat next to our table and were taken care of promptly. The female waitress didnt show up and didnt have even the basic courtesy to come and ask what we wanted. It wasnt crowded too. I have been to this place when I used to live in cincinnati and have also loved it but have never seen such a horrible, disrespectful, insulting, shitty service. We walked out immediately after feeling terribly frustrated about the experience. Im extremely dissatisfied and personally hurt because of this incident.
(2)Nick F.
Great ambience, unique decor, good service, delicious espresso & nice tea selection. I have been going here for years and I'm about to head here now. I figured I should go ahead and give them the credit they're due.
(5)Jessica L.
can't get over there often enough. i absolutely LOVE the big banana blowout. it messes with my weight loss, but i really don't care. LOL
(5)Casey Y.
I've never been to Sitwell's and had good service. For whatever reason, they only staff one waitress for the entire restaurant. Who knows what that's about. But it's still worth going for the Milky Way Malt. And I'm lactose intolerant. Like I said. Worth it.
(3)Dylan T.
I came to Sitwells in the afternoon and it was pretty busy with every table taken. I was expecting the worse in terms of service, but I was VERY PLEASANTLY SUPRIRSED. I had my order taken within a minute, I just had coffee and a muffin. The price was fair, the coffee was decent. Nothing too fancy, keep it up sitwells!
(4)david h.
Quite possibly the worst service you may ever receive but they get three stars because they're open when every other douchebag coffee house is closed.
(3)Ashley H.
TERRIBLE, rude, pushy service. We were there with a few friends, waitress acted annoyed when we ordered our drinks, had only sat there for about ten minutes after our items arrived when she asked us if we would mind to go ahead and check out because she was about to leave. The drinks were way overpriced, too! I don't think I'll be coming back.
(1)Owen C.
If I could have a hometown coffee house, it would be Sitwell's. What an eclectic mix of art, furniture, lighting and people! The music is great, too. And the literature. And the conversation. I could go on. Oh yeah, it's a coffee house. I usually don't buy any of that starstruck frappy-latte-chino stuff so all I can review is the real bean. It was excellent. My couple trips were worth just the simple drip brew. I'll stop in again just for that but there's more! Sitwell's serves food. I've stopped in for breakfast a couple times. Each time, I've ordered the Sitwell Breakfast Burrito. It was recommended to me by a very friendly waitress. The burrito is a very delicious combination of eggs, cheese, avocados and garden greens folded into a seasoned wrap. She also recommended a nice side of salsa to go with it. I loved it! So did my kid! Imagine a 10 year old American kid enjoying salsa-laced eggs and greens in a seasoned wrap? How great to order from an unhurried, customer-friendly staff member who clearly enjoys the food she serves. On one of the trips, I was with my ten year old son who is a young gourmet aficionado. He'll always ask to substitute this and add a couple of these or maybe a little of that. No problem. Total service. She made him feel welcome and comfortable. I see that Sitwell's has a pretty jumpy night life on top of the day business. I'll have to stop in to try that out as soon as I can put in on my calendar. No doubt, Sitwell's is a hometown coffee house for the regulars I saw while there. I'd have no problem making it mine.
(4)Dan J.
In the traditional vein of local coffee shops, Sitwell's excels. They stay open late (til 2 AM on weekends), offer free wireless for ease of studying, and even host art shows and events in an effort to promote Cincinnati culture. The ambience is unique with a nice combination of coffeehouse kitsch and table tops that double as artwork. We actually stopped into Sitwell's because we had heard they had vegan dessert offerings. Though they have soy milk to sub in basic coffee drinks and some menu items that just happen to be vegan, nothing is so noted, and, when asked about vegan desserts, our waiter could only offer pre-packaged cookies. Still, our misinformation isn't the coffee shop's fault, and they do have several clearly marked vegetarian options.
(4)Natalie B.
By universal coffee house standards, I would probably give Sitwell's a 3 or 4, but since Cincinnati is so criminally lacking in coffee shops that are not Starbucks, I amped it up a bit. Sitwell's has good coffee, and also a variety of snacks and milkshakes. They also serve beer and liquor and stay open relatively late. I would probably recommend it more for coffee, there were ample tables on a Tuesday afternoon. I would imagine around drinking time it fills up.
(5)Allison J.
Living a few blocks down Ludlow, I've developed a love/hate relationship with Sitwell's. I love it for its kitchy neighborhood charm, good sandwiches, and big list of boozy coffee drinks. On the other hand, I've found it to be pretty inconsistent as far as service. There's usually just one server taking care of the whole place, so when it's crowded, expect to wait a long time. However, it's a good place to take a book or laptop and stay for a few hours. The crowd is wonderfully eclectic, kind of like Sitwell's itself. Love it or hate it, it's one of those places that makes Clifton Clifton.
(3)Tim B.
The first thing you'll notice at Sitwell's is that nothing matches. At all. The seats and tables are all of different sorts of styles, colors, and types. There are even two connected chairs from a movie theatre auditorium in the back. The food caters from carnivore to vegan, and the drinks are nothing if not original, varied, and at times alcoholic. Stop by sometime.
(5)Elina K.
Not that this place needs another good review, it's already famous but I had to chime in. The assortment of shakes and yummy sandwiches made my night. I'm always a tad cynical when someone recommends a coffeeshop for shakes and smoothies only to order and come to find out it's nothing more than overpriced coffee blended with soy milk. Not so at Sitwell's. My chai shake: amazing. The cucumber and salami sandwich on baguette bread: deeelish. You can't help but dig on the booths and cozy tables all over mixed with kitschy decor and old school flavor. It's the type of place you can spend the night doing work, people watching or catching up with a friend, or perhaps if you're so inclined chatting with a complete stranger about whatever strikes your fancy.
(4)Anthony M.
Do you enjoy bad customer service and even worse management? Have you ever said to yourself "Man, I could really go for paying way to much for an egg sandwich and coffee and waiting over an hour for it?" Then Sitwells is for you! They are to cheap to pay for both a kitchen staff and servers, so you get to experience servers who are more stressed out and surly then methed out tigers. Seriously, just go to Sidewinder if you want to do the whole independent coffee shop thing.
(1)Christoffer M.
In the good old days, you could come to Sitwell's never having touched a cigarette and leave with emphysema. Where some clubs have a drink minimum, Sitwell's seemed to have a smoke minimum. This was incredibly endearing as a unique quality, but made it a little miserable to hang out. To their credit, they cleaned out the carcinogens even before Smoke Free Ohio passed. And so it's a brand new, clean coffeehouse. It changed the crowd a little bit; more yuppies and generally reputable citizens have replaced some of the hippies and punks, but the quantity of people always smoking outside of it show that some have loyalty to this Clifton haven. As for what you can actually get there, it's great. All kinds of specialty coffee drinks - uniquely invented there, but similar enough to Starbucks if that's what you want - a beer list, various liquors, and pretty good light food. If you want an alternative setting for an afternoon of writing or an evening of conversation, this is the place. I miss killing my lungs in Sitwell's, but it's nice not to have to launder everything I wear there after a visit. Sitwell's is so great I even wrote a poem about it that helped me gain admission to MFA creative writing programs.
(4)Angela B.
You can forget about getting work done, Sitwell's is a popular place to meet people and bump into aquantences. The female owner respectably carries fair-trade coffee but on the downside her food offerings are over priced. If you're hungry, the Greek hero sandwich is delicious and salty. Sunday is the day to go for breakfast because you can order a Belgium waffle with nutella or strawberries. Or if alls you need is a small snack, I recommend the chocolate chip, peanut butter, banana, muffin. Sitwells is usually understaffed but as long as you're not in any hurry, a night capper is always worth the wait. The best coffee drink for a jolt is the Astral Buddha, I've discovered that it's a common crutch when in a pinch during finals week at school.
(4)Margee B.
As a San Franciscan coffee snob, driving through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, etc. was exasperating. I wanted good coffee, and I constantly paid for dark water. Arriving in Cincinnati I was hopeful - A CITY! - but every time I went to a fancy cafe, I was disappointed. Finally, a friend suggested Sitwells. GREAT coffee and friendly service. Okay, the cream cheese didn't come ON the bagel, but that has its perks. It means that those of us on a diet don't have to wipe off excess cream cheese. It was yummy diner food, but what I love there is the great coffee and free wi-fi. And eccentric atmosphere.
(5)Mallory T.
GREAT atmosphere. I only had coffee, but there were several things on the menu that I was interested in trying. Fun selection of Non-Alcoholic and Alcoholic coffee drinks. Vegetarian Friendly. A great place to sit and read, or meet up with a friend to catch up.
(5)