Starbucks

beat the human crowds to get your bean juice! sometimes they can nuke a frozen wrap for you if you have the time but i suggest a package of salted nuts!!!

FREEZING COLD. that’s my primary thought about this place. Don’t plan on staying long unless you’ve brought a thick sweater.
It is a convenient location, the baristas are usually very nice, and they stay open 24 hours during finals week. But PLEASE just keep it at a regular temperature some time.

I’ve actually put off writing a review for this Starbucks for a while just because I don’t know if I can accurately convey how much I love love LOVE this place… but I’ll try. The location is perfect, there is SO MUCH study room both downstairs and upstairs (even more thanks to the remodel last summer) and I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone mess up my order (& I go here almost every day). The best part of this Starbucks, though, is the wonderful baristas – they are so amazingly friendly, helpful, and always remembered my name. I’ve been to a LOT of Starbucks but the people that work at this one are what make it my favorite. Recommend x1000000000.
One thing – PLEASE turn the AC down upstairs, especially in the summer! It’s freezing! (and if you’re planning to study upstairs for a while, bring a jacket!)

I went to the Starbucks location on a Friday morning around 7:10am. Everything seemed the same in typical Starbucks fashion, but it took much longer than expected. Leave yourself some extra time if you head into this location. Also, I wanted a breakfast sandwich that is offered on their menu, the Vegetable & Fontina, but the guy behind the counter acted like he had never heard of it. They were out of it, and it seemed they don’t even carry it at this location.

Love this location. Right smack on the corner. Close to Rotunda. Nice seating on the ground floor, and first floor. Good place to revive grad school days.

The upstairs study area is an arctic tundra.

Stopped by this Starbucks after a campus tour thinking I’d grab a Frap for the long return drive. Wow, that was a mistake because at 15:00 on a Sunday afternoon, this place is mobbed and crawling with students. Given the crowds, it seemed severely understaffed as I counted 3 people working behind the counter including the frantic cashier who seemed totally unfamiliar with the register. It took nearly 30 minutes to order and get my beverage which turned out was completely 100% wrong. I ended up with basically an ice slushy instead of a coffee frap. By that time the other people in my party were tapping their toes and I was trying to make amends for holding them hostage by not going back thru another waiting line to have them remake the beverage. Overall a very disappointing execution which is not often the case with Starbucks. I’ll also mention that the downstairs bathrooms were out of order and the upstairs bathrooms seemed barely operable. Maybe it was due to the street work being done not far away. I’m sure with proper staffing and a different time, my experience may have been far better. Cheers.

This location is pretty nice, across from UVA’s Rotunda, next to the rest of the corner, in a historic building they couldn’t entirely homogenize with the usual Starbucks shellac. The baristas are also friendly and generally competent. The study area upstairs is nice, although mostly overrun with loud, chattery undergrads (except during some weekends and when school is out of session).
One general complaint though: why is the Internet here SO SLOW??? Are you telling me the Starbucks corporation can’t afford to pay for decent speed Internet at a busy location? It took me almost 5 minutes just to load the Unilocal landing page. So I switched to my phone, turned off the wifi and used 3G instead, and it went infinitely faster. … The wifi is here for the people who come to use it. Please make it useable.
Also, it is freezing upstairs in the winter. Can we turn up the heat or turn on that charming but useless fireplace?
On the whole, this is an okay Starbucks experience if you’re looking for your usual Starbucks drink and if you can tolerate the loud chattering of the students. If you don’t need your regular Starbucks concoction, there are plenty of other coffee shops in town with better coffee and quieter, warmer spaces.

I try to be careful of a 5 star review visit on a first visit. But I am going to do it and no turning back. The visit was flawless and it is one the most unique Starbucks in the chain I assume. The location is basically on campus, but technically across the street I suppose in the restaurant/​store row. The manager said this store is the third largest in the whole chain. They have a location of gold on the main drag and I can easily see this place getting mobbed at high peak times and service possibly being compromised. Before even entering you realize it’s special, the Starbucks sign is help up by chains. Just many creative touches that are very cool.
I took lots of pics to show off there two fireplaces and upstairs study area for students to study. Several little nooks to grab a concoction and hide away with a text book and study for that next exam. Or maybe not! The study area was packed and very little conversation was taking place. Are these UVA students really studying on a Saturday night? Bravo!
On this Saturday evening just after 8 PM it was very slow. My order was a Grande White Chocolate Mocha stirred with whip «for here». I snapped a pic of it as it looked appealing and tasted even better. The right temp too. The service was spot on and friendly. I rarely tip at Starbucks, but I felt like it tonight with a very nice experience.
I would sneak away to this coffee house as much as I could and study., wink, wink The smell of fresh brewed coffee is scientifically proven to help you concentrate much better than a sterile library any day (-:

I love Starbucks. I will admit that my drink order is a bit complicated, but no more than the average Starbucks goer. I normally get my drink order filled at the barracks location or on 29, and have never had a problem. However, the first time ordering at this location the barista literally rolled his eyes at me when I finished placing my order — they definitely weren’t busy as I was the only one in the store. I decided to give them another try and go back a second time, the same barista then tells me his manager said they can’t make my drink. Say what? Not only did he say they can’t make a drink but he said if my drink was supposed to be made, it would be on the menu. Rude. When I asked him who his manager was and when they were working, he got more of an attitude and rambled. I would avoid this location if you want friendly service and the normal Starbucks experience.

The baristas at this particular location are extremely friendly and outgoing. It’s almost magical. The girl at the register told me and my friend that we looked like we belong in the Legally Blonde movie. That’s fantastic.
–1 star for not having bananas. Shouldn’t it be a requirement that all Starbucks has a bowl of bananas by the register? How else would you make the Vivanno smoothies?

Finally made it to the last SBUX on my list in Charlottesville!
Stopped in last weekend after my long run to grab a latte — very friendly service and very unique feel to the place. Sure, all SBUX are essentially the same, but this one reminded me of the ones in Japan with dual levels.
The baristas that took my order and made my drinks were friendly without being fake and smiled like they actually meant it. You can’t ask for more!

The coolest Starbuck’s I’ve ever visited. The upstairs study/​reading area is awesome, and there’s a private room with doors that you can go into for extra quiet. Plenty of power jacks for laptops. On the campus of the University of Virginia.

I agree with the first review, though I will add that there is great people watching, though some of them just exude painful personality and privilege.

Great yummy coffee fast. And I usually grab a parfait while I’m there.
Great study/​lounge area upstairs.
Great service (baristas are very nice and fast with orders)
And did I mention how much I love their coffee? Some Starbucks locations and most other coffee shops give me overly sweet coffee, but this place is coffee heaven for me. My favorite? The seasonal Pumpkin Spice Latte… or the Iced Caramel Macchiato when it’s not pumpkin season!
And for you Starbucks cynics out there: Sure, Starbucks is a corporate giant taking over the world, but maybe it’s because it’s coffee is actually good (not overhyped)?

this may just be the nicest study area i have ever seen at a starbucks. the down stairs is your average, long-​lined starbucks with mocha-coca-choca’s being called out to be picked up.
but UPstairs is beautiful and sunny with large windows, and even a private closed-​in study room for larger groups. there is tons of variety in seating options and you can pretty much always be close to a window and people watch below. i would definitely study here if i attended UVA.