66 Hope Cafe

I was born in Brooklyn and lived in this neighborhood for 6 years and on Hope St half a block from the café for 5 years. I’m glad Karma caught up and closed this place, these shitty owners do not reflect the nice people and businesses of the neighborhood. I understand you have to conduct business, but remember business is about people. You can enforce your policies without being rude. My gf and I came here once and ordered a large latte to share as I usually just get a small. The asian lady asked my gf if she was going to order, to which I explained we ordered a large to share. She said she couldn’t stay as it was busy in a very rude way. We scanned the very large space and there was one other person there at 8:30am. Anyway, to the business owners who were both from another country judging from their accents, do not conduct business in Williamsburg, go back to where you came from so you can be rude to your respective rude countries.

The lady who works here is mean as hell. With so much competition you’d think they might be a little nicer. Wow, just so so mean. Yelled at me twice within five minutes. Such a waste of a good space to be put in the hands of such a mean lady.
Also, there’s literally no one else here and I think the lady just turned the wifi off to get me to leave. HAHAHA jokes on you, I have my hotspot.
Anyway, it’s closing soon and turning into a shared workspace. My advice? Avoid at all costs.

Aptly named, the 66 Hope Café is a delightfully improbable anachronism, a nostalgic study on what New York may have looked like if its 1970s-​era population and lifestyle remained over the last 40 years: a cavernous, airy loft, piles of books, a stereo with big chrome knobs, streaked white brick walls, lots of seating in low-​rise oak couches and benches, cherry-​wood floors, brown area rugs, ceiling fans, simple delicious fare. I can almost see Nora Ephron sipping cappuccino with Camille Paglia, Heidi Holland and Hannah and her sisters.

I wanted to like this place. It’s beautiful and the coffee is pretty good. The service, however, was rude and unfriendly. I frequent cafes often and have worked in the service industry.
I came to work on my computer, ordered a coffee, and was denied a larger cup of water when I asked for one. The man in his 30s behind the counter smugly told me I’d have to come up again and again to refill my teeny cup of water — when there were stacks of larger cups sitting out in plain sight! The café was practically empty except for one table conversing.
This café has a rule that doesn’t let its customers talk on the phone, and I understand if they want to promote a social culture where people come to chat in person. But when there’s almost NOBODY here except for one table talking and I’m asked to leave in order that I make a short business phone call and then a call to my mother on her birthday… COME ON. What a terrible business. I won’t come back.
It only gets 2 stars because of the décor.

LOVE this place. Easily one of my favorite cafes in Brooklyn. A total hidden gem… If I could give it more stars, I would!
Beautiful space, good coffee, good internet connection, and good pastries & sandwiches. Best of all, the couple that run the café are so kind, and it makes the experience so much more pleasant than other coffee shops I’ve frequented in the neighborhood.
Well worth a visit!

It takes a lot for me to write a bad review, but I can’t help but echo all the poor reviews here. I got in, purchased my food and drink and sat down waiting for my friend to arrive. She came in, and was only there for less than 3 minutes before she left. She came from work and needed to put her bags downs and take her jacket off (from the winter) before she went ahead to make a purchase. Like all the other reviews, they quickly and abruptly told her she needed to purchase something rudely, as if she wasn’t. It makes sense. I get it. I’m not saying it doesn’t. But respect us like you want us to respect you. Never coming back.

Great little coffee shop that was hiding in an industrial building. The fruit and granola salad is a must! Great portions too.

Beautiful space with lofted ceilings, wifi, spacious communal table, and plenty of natural light.
Above-​average drinks and bakery items (cash only).
The owners have certain expectations of their customers (no phone calls, everyone in your party is expected to purchase something). They aren’t unreasonable requests but they are enforced. Just be aware/​respectful of them and you’ll have a lovely experience.

I’ve been here about 4 – 5 times and I haven’t had any issues with either of the owners. They always smile and are quite nice. It’s also an absolutely beautiful space. Their coffee drinks are good. I recommend stopping by here for a quiet place to work, though, from the looks of the other comments, I would also suggest bringing a cash and buying a drink right away, as I have done!

I hate to write a bad review, but unfortnautely I feel compelled, and it’s the first time I have ever done so. I’m not sure how you could go wrong at a coffee shop, especially with customer service, but this place is the worst and just the most bizarre, I have ever seen.
On many instances (yes I stupidly gave them 2^nd and 3^rd chances), they are super rude.
Instance 1: Asking to get off my phone in an abrupt manner without asking politely, kicking me out to finish my conversation. Note — I am a daily, kind customer.
Instance 2: I said goodbye to my call and entered the coffee shop, they scolded me again for talking on my phone even though I had already hung up.
Instance 3: Ordred a coffee with almond milk, was charged the extra $.50 for Almond milk, fine, that’s usual. Then asked her (the female owner) to make it a little lighter since there was basically no almond milk in there, and she charged me another $.50. Never ever seen such a thing.
Instance 4: Scolded my colleagues for sitting to chat one only one person ordered coffee and there was one person who was with them and didn’t order coffee yet.
So many people at the workspace across the street has boycotted them and they don’t even know. I had been warned, but gave them a fair chance. By gaining $.50 they lost a customer, I’d rather walk 10 minutes to Oslo or go to the Bodega on the corner than getting treated like a Soup Nazi Seinfel episode.

Popped in with some friends just to get a coffee and were told everyone had to buy a drink. My friends were literally just waiting for me. Ridiculous.
Update: The latte was nice, thanks, but your policies felt a little rude. We were 5 total, 3 friends were waiting for me and my fiancée to buy a drink, just sitting. They were actually only asked if they were with us, not if they planned to stay, and then the whole group was made to feel awkward by insisting that they buy a drink. It’s a shame, the place wasn’t full, and we were all very polite. Ultimately we were made to feel like we were taking advantage of you, which we definitely weren’t. I hope you reconsider this policy, or at least give people time to wait for a friend before insisting that they buy something. It’s a shame as I would have liked to come back another time, as it seems like an interesting place.

Sweet space, awesome coffee, and nice staff! (Good musical selection too.) :)
Not the place to go to have a conversation though. Everyone is very intently working or reading. Still a cool spot nevertheless.

I tried 66 Hope Café based on its ‘negative’ reviews.
I used to do my work at Black Brick, but its newfound popularity attracted a lot of characters I found obnoxious – couples making out, long phone calls, friends loudly chatting, etc.
I wanted a coffee shop that was less intrusive.
I came to 66 Hope to get some work done. I noticed a few people sit/​charge their phones before ordering and they were not reprimanded as so many of the previous reviewers stated… I am not doubting them, I just didn’t witness this. I did feel a «weird vibe» which many reviewers mentioned – as I received many glances from the woman at the counter. I came alone and was silent throughout my time there, but I’m sure my laptop and stack of papers were obnoxious to her – which is an understandable stance for their business/​against coffee shops as work spaces.
While I respect their policies, I’m giving this spot three stars because it was an «A-​OK» experience. I probably will not come back based on my own needs, as I am still searching for a coffee shop that accommodates my laptop/​work preference.

I came in here the other day to be a super cool Williamsburger and sit at a café with my friends working. so cool, I know. Actually a really fun day except the part at Hope Café.
The space is beautiful, nice and open, great light and cool plants hanging around. What isn’t cool are the owners/​people working here. I barely even sat down at the table with my friends when the she started giving me a dirty look like OMG you didn’t order anything yet. Okay — like other Unilocalers have commented I understand, you need to make money, BUT at least let me put my bag down before shaking your head at my friends like we did something wrong. JEBUS!
I ordered my overpriced iced coffee ($ 5), it was tasty but I didn’t appreciate the attitude. I agree that they should put a sign up or little notes on the table saying something cute about needing to buy something. Better yet… don’t post the wifi password anywhere so when people come up to ask you can mention you need to order something to use it.
Either way, there are much cooler places to work in Williamsburg. Go to one of them, like The West.
** I would also like to point out my iced coffee was $ 5 not $ 3 as listed below in the reply… I’m not that cheap cmon. **

You’ve walked into a three-​dimensional Instagram feed — there’s an impressive #succulent wall planter to the right of the #coffee counter, and a couple of statement benches and couches on the right and left that evoke #rustic #farmhouse #rawwood #industriallighting #simple.
I will concur with the reviewers here — despite the picturesque setting and seating, there’s something unfriendly about it — maybe it’s the way I saw the manager disrupt patrons by loudly shushing a cell phone user who wasn’t disturbing anyone, or the idiotically long conversation that occurred between the manager and the ordered and paid customer in front of me, or the rules and regulations that caution you on your way in (NO CELL PHONES read the beautiful #signs) — more museum-​like than cool or cozy or adorable — everyone seemed a little on edge and even I became really worried that I was going to get on the manager’s bad side by checking my phone.
Good for a photo op or a cuppa (if you happen to really randomly stroll onto the second floor at the end of Hope Street), but I’d prefer to cozy up elsewhere.

I wanted to like this place more than I did. The female owner/​server (?) was quite rude and direct. But the banana bread (with the gluten free option) was delish, so it gets stars for that. I feel that it needs to decide if it is a «work café» or a «social café», as it doesn’t have the balance for either at the moment.

The place has high ceilings, beautiful brick walls, and a lovely plant trellis. Really nice atmosphere, aesthetically.
I will definitely second many of the other reviewers comments about the «weird vibe». It’s not a friendly place! I ordered a coffee, but my girlfriend said she didn’t want anything. The woman serving us said that if she wants to stay, she has to buy something. I don’t actually have a problem with that — they’re a business and they have to make money — but there must have been a friendlier way to say it.
A little while later, while we were on one of the couches, the woman ran over to us and told my girlfriend to «please take your feet off the couch. This is a *couch*». The thing is, her feet weren’t actually on the couch — they were hanging off the side. And even if they were on the couch, there must have been a nicer way to say it. That last «this is a *couch*» line was totally gratuitous.
To get an idea of the staff’s attitudes towards its customers, just take a look at Franklin’s responses to the other reviews on the Unilocal page. Totally sarcastic, snarky, and mean! I’m really interested to see if he’ll respond to this one.
It’s a cold day in November and there doesn’t seem to be any heat in the café. It’s really cold in here.
Also, the wifi is totally useless. Not just slow, but non-​functional. Part of what I pay for in a coffee shop that advertises wifi is working wifi. No such luck here.
I totally understand that this is a small business, they have to make a living, it’s not a co-​working space, they don’t want free-​loaders, etc, etc. But I’ve been to plenty of very successful coffee shops in NYC, and none of them have had such antagonistic attitudes towards their customers. The staff at the café I frequent in my neighborhood (Harlem) are incredibly friendly, and they don’t reprimand their customers. Even without a rule-​enforcing staff, they still do amazingly well! And their customers aren’t free-​loading, cellphone-​gabbing slobs.
Bottom line: a positive, upbeat attitude goes a long way. It works at plenty of other shops in the city; I don’t see why it wouldn’t work here.

The space is open and beautiful and the coffee I had was good.
I needed to make a quick phone call, and did so quietly and respectfully. According to other reviews there is a no phone call policy. I must’ve missed the signs announcing it, and was thrown out about a minute and a half into my call. I understand the policy, but as it was a Sunday morning and there were very few people, her reaction/​behavior seemed a little overzealous.
Upon being asked to leave I took my coffee outside and looked up the business on Unilocal.I wish I had done this beforehand, as I never would have chosen to spend money at a place where the owner responds to reviews in the manner that he does. Needless to say, I won’t be returning.

A weird experience. My gf and I came in here because of the high Unilocal reviews. It’s a quiet street with a large co-​working space right across (we also happened to check out the co-​working space before we came into this café).
The first few moments were nice, the café has tall ceilings, nice wooden floors, some plants. The guy behind the counter was okay too — greeted us warmly. We got a couple of iced coffees and decided to sit on the couch. This is where my story begins:
Scene 1: I walk towards the couch and seeing that it was a little too close to the other couches (where other people were sitting) I pushed it back just about a foot back. Immediately this random Asian lady sitting on the wooden bench behind got up and began saying ‘no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no’ (yes, I counted) in an annoying voice. I apologized because I thought that maybe there was something behind the couch that I hadn’t seen. She proceeded to push it back to the crooked way the couch was setup without saying anything else. I realized then that she might be the owner.
Anyway, we were mildly amused and continued to enjoy our coffee.
Scene 2: About 20 minutes later, a guy came to join his friends at the couch in front of us. He was there only about 5 minutes when the same Asian lady came up to him and abruptly asked him ‘are you staying here? Get something from the café’. He mentioned that he would but he doesn’t have any cash (and the place is cash-​only). The lady then proceeded to say something to the guy behind the counter in French. Another 5 minutes later, the guy took out his laptop and the Asian lady came back to him and said (abruptly again). ‘This is a café, if you are going to stay, you get something, this is a café (yes lady, we know) — there’s a coworking space across if you want. There’s an ATM across the corner if u need cash’ She then walked over to the counter and gave him a card of the coworking space. Finally his friends gave him a couple of dollars to get a coffee.
I’m sorry that this was a long review. I’m writing this in the café so that means they have free wifi (slow). I would have been happily reading my book that I brought along, but seeing the owners treat their customers so awkwardly took the entire fun out of such a good café and ruined my mood. My advice to the crazy Asian lady — stop bein anal and let people enjoy your beautiful café — money will come! (Ps if you want people to buy something, say it in a fun way — like with a fun poster on the wall, or a small note on the tables)
And my advice to anyone reading — avoid the crazy Asian lady.

Adore this place.
The decór is right up my alley; modern, clean, exposed-​brick, tall ceilings, high-​fidelity audio system humming along.
Great sofa seating area with magazines and books to peruse as you sip or eat.
I had a large drip coffee, which was good, and a bulgogi-​sandwich from the lovely Korean lady working the cashier.
66Hope gives off a neighborly vibe; very nice hostess, delicious sandwich made on sweet swiss butter bread, and a great selection of freshly baked pastries, sandwiches, and salads to choose from.
Based on my overall experience, I will be sure to return. This is my favorite café in Williamsburg!