The Good Beans Cafe

Good music makes good coffee even better. Just grab a mug and a seat and chill. Staff is very serious about the coffee and main
taining the good vibes.

Probably my favorite all-​time coffee house/​café.
Ken, the owner, is awesome. He’s super friendly and he always remembers my favorite drink orders. The teas and coffees are high-​quality, you can tell. They brew their coffee with Lavazza products, which I happen to like. Prices are inexpensive, too, especially for an independent business like this one– they are definitely cheaper than Biggby, no offense to Biggby fans! I just had the best chai tea latte ever, paired with a yummy bagel, while my husband had an amazing caramel latte for himself.
If you want a great place to unwind with a nice beverage and chill for awhile, this is the place. Plus, I love the old-​school bar that was rescued from, I believe, the old Capitol Bar and Grille, while the building, itself, used to be home to a motorcycle shop. It gives the place a nice, vintage feel using reclaimed materials like that. Vanilla lattes, cocoa and French sodas (strawberry and vanilla) rank among the crème of the crop, in my opinion. Pastries and other goodies are also available if the munchies happen to strike.
The vibe in here is definitely chill. Oh, and the walls are painted purple and the space behind the bar is decorated with funky, vintage kitchen gadgets and bar accessories. Ken has a huge collection of vintage cocktail shakers lining the shelves! Don’t forget to look up their calendar of events and check out some of the happenings in the Anteroom, located in the back of the café. And they have free Wi-​Fi as well.

I stopped in recently on my way home to Lansing for an expertly-​pulled (and reasonably priced) double shot and a large cup of Flint’s best lemonade (strong and sweet enough to sip slowly as the ice melts); I was pleasantly treated to good conversation as well. Standing at the bar, I learned of the building’s history as a grocery store, and the goings on of the neighborhood. I am by no means a regular, but I have visited the Good Beans café off-​and-​on for nearly ten years and I hold GBC in high regard as a member of the Flint community. I have fond memories of attending shows in the Anteroom and appreciate the forum they provide for young artists. Love this place!

Get the real Flint coffee bar experience. This place has soul. I recommend this place to anyone who likes cool people, great coffee and good music.

This place has quite a variety of drinks, from teas, coffee, cream soda, and many more. Very quaint.

Good coffee, great atmosphere, and even better prices.
If you want to stop in on Saturday, check in advance to make sure they are open.
There is a calender on their website that indicates when they are open, but it never hurts to call ahead and make sure they are open.
They have all sorts of events in the Anteroom, a small theater that seats about 50 people. They have bands, DJ’s, plays, poetry readings, and even weddings.

There are coffee shops. There are hang-​outs. And then there are institutions. The Good Beans Café is a Flint institution.
Go to this café. Go there again. Go there everyday. Because I don’t live in Flint anymore, and I can’t.
The drinks are good, the service is great, the ambience is lovely. And Ken might be the best person you’ll ever meet, so you don’t want to miss that.

What does one look for in a coffee shop?
Atmosphere; quick, friendly service; quality; care?
They all add up for the Good Beans Café.
Don’t be frightened by the location. Good Beans is the hub for art, music and theater in the area. There are always events going on during the weekends; an almost-​cult following brings in many good people. The place is always hoppin; good music is always abound.
Go try it. It’s 10x better than anything else in the area — including Starbucks.

I’ve been going to GoodBeans for years. It’s one of the few non-​bar LGBT friendly places in Flint. (as in, entrepreneurs, we need more!)
Anyway, their coffee is the best. My boyfriend at the time and I went to every coffee shop we could find, using a Vanilla Latte as our litmus. Each time Goodbeans was better!
The atmosphere is great, too. Every time I go back there, there’s new art on the walls. Someone might be playing the piano. Check out the schedule of events, there’s always things happening! Groups meet there multiple times a week (we’ve even had work meetings there with my job), Ken helps support local bands, poetry groups, theatre, everything. He’s a big part of getting Flint back on its feet (wheels?).
Wireless is available for $ 1 a visit if I remember right (but I don’t have a laptop, so I’m going on rumor for this).
Oh, and every year they have an anniversary mug available for free while they last! I’m drinking from one right now.

Good Beans has been my favorite café in Genesee County for years. When I was a student, I stopped in to relax between classes. Now, I head there before work for my daily americano.
The interior is charming (and the staff is too). Prices are reasonable (my americano costs less there than at other coffee places). Bonus, if you bring your own vessel they will knock $ 0.15 off your drink!
The brand of beans they use (Lavazza), is wonderful. The staff is knowledgeable about coffee and coffee preparation; they can make just about any drink you’re looking for.
If you’re into caffeine, I recommend the cold brew (in the summer months). It’s rich and flavorful like no cold brew coffee I’ve had anywhere else.

The owner for 10 years this March (’10) is so very nice. They have great soup (lentil recently) and an array of coffees, lattes and light pastries.
But their location, close to the U-​M Flint campus, is super. Just over the bridge on Saginaw and then a quick left and another left on Grand Traverse and you’re there.
They have music and art nights in the late afternoon and a couple evenings and really try to stimulate the resurgence of the area. Their long bar is a real winner, an historic piece from the ‘20s. Lots of folks using their laptops to work in this comfy space for hours. I highly recommend as a place to hang out and just enjoy the step back to the time of ma and pa spots with a unique feel and friendly owners. It’s a lot nicer and cozier than the one picture can show.

This is a really friendly place to go and get a refreshing beverage. The staff have always been very nice to me and the drinks have always been excellent. If you’re looking for activities in Flint, this place is a good resource.