June Bug Cafe

Update: as of today, Junebug has apparently been evicted.
While I’m sad for my beloved Hyde Sq that yet another business is gone, I can’t say that I’m surprised or saddened to see JB go.

Everything about this place is just bad!
The owner, «June» (a.k.a. Thuong Nguyen) routinely screws people over who work there or do business with her. Not paying people, sexual harassment, etc. Ask around and I’m sure you will find someone. Super sketchy. She also will talk behind everyone’s back, including the customers when they’re only a few feet away. To some people she is super friendly, to others she is cold and shockingly rude.
Most of the food on the menu doesn’t actually exist. Probably about ¹⁄₃ to ½ of the ingredients you find in the menu items’ descriptions are non-​existent here. But June won’t tell you that until you order, if you’re lucky! Much of the time she will just leave it out or substitute it with something else, and not tell you about it. So expect to bite into a sandwich that’s filled with stuff you didn’t actually order!
Also don’t expect the place to even be open when you go. The owner seems to open and close whenever she feels like it, and I’ve seen it be closed right in the middle of the day for hours on end, for no apparent reason.
There is another coffee shop right down the street next to the video store, and many other local businesses to get coffee and snacks, so go someplace else!

3.5 stars
I’m sad to see that this place has been getting bad reviews…
I have been many times and am always pleased. I will say that the customer service is not great, but every time i go in it is only ONE woman working there and so I can service can be slow.
One other thing I was disappointed with was the aesthetics. It just seemed a little dreary in there, which was too bad, because that space has SO SO much potential. I love the bare brick wall on the side of the sitting area and I love the uncovered wooden beams below the ceiling. It really could create a great atmosphere for customers, but instead they choose to use cheesy pictures of cartoon bugs and plastic chairs… tragedy.
BUT, the customer service and aesthetics aside, i frequent this place often because everything I have ordered from Junebug has been delicious. The Yuppie Hippie smoothie was a sensational hangover cure and very tasty for having wheatgrass in it. Their coffee is FANTASTIC and best of all (a crucial element for me), the chai tea latte was perfect. Not too spicy, not too sweet.
I am always completely satisfied with my order, whatever it may be. And even though their baked goods are not homemade, their above average as well.
One more thing to note: THEY ONLY ACCEPT CASH (but there is an ATM around the corner if you don’t have any).
It’s definitely not the place I’d go to if I want a nice atmosphere, but it’s the perfect coffee shop to grab a delicious and cheap breakfast (and I can’t wait to try their lunch menu one day — it looks great and has a lot of vegetarian options).

This place could be so much better, maybe under a different owner.
I feel like it means well, but everything is poorly executed.
The café is always out of things, which makes customers angry (and why wouldn’t it) and they don’t do much about it. I can understand the ‘economy’ having an effect, but take some things off the menu if you can’t handle the full load!
Never ever work here, either. Because of the poor business, you won’t be paid on time, if at all… Which is why any good people who have worked there have left. Also, expect to be yelled at or gossiped about by the owner. Really a ridiculous place, sad to say.
I can say, i do like the sandwiches when all of the ingredients are available.

I’ve been here dozens of times over the last 5 years and every single time without fail they are out of many things. Today they are out of croissants and all iced drinks and many sandwich items. Once I came and they were out of bread. Bread. They offered wraps instead.
Unfortunately for me they are the only place near me that offers bubble tea. And has a good amount of seating so you can linger. But the food and drinks are overpriced and the bathroom needs some major renovation.
Most of the sandwiches are tasty (though take forever to make apparently) and the teas are of good quality which saved it from a 1 star review. I just think that you really can’t run a business if you’re always out of most of your menu.
And as far as friendliness, the employees are young, and accommodating but the owner is brash and while she’s polite she’s not very warm or friendly.
If you like waiting for a half hour for your sandwich and don’t mind having to change your order a couple times till they have what you want then come here. Otherwise go to City Feed.

Yet another coffee shop in JP that has not hit the above average mark. For some reason we just have NOT figured out hipness in the coffee shop department.
The red couches are pretty awesome.
The coffee is drinkable.
The food is way expensive and way tiny.
If I need coffee on my way to the Behan, I can go here.
If I need coffee on my way to Tacos el Charro, I can go here.
If I need coffee on my way to Video Underground, I can go here.
If I need coffee, because I want coffee, not going to go here.

3.5 stars
Good for hanging out w/​friends or informal meetings. Also a good place to get work done during the day (free wifi).
Good to have a bubble tea place in the neighborhood. The drinks I’ve tried (bubble tea, iced mocha) were fine. They were out of non-​milk bubble tea the couple of times I asked. Some sandwiches are better than others. I like their chicken salad ‘wich w/​apples.

It has potential, but just seems… unstructured. On the sunday that I went in there were only two employees. We came in just after the brunch rush and I can’t imagine how insane it must’ve been when that place was flooded with patrons. The staff wasn’t super friendly, but I blame that on how hard the two of them were working.
We only ordered coffee which was great. They offer a variety of different sandwiches divided up into categories (including cheese!!). There are tables (which didnt seem to have enough chairs), couches, and board games. We spent the majority of our visit playing Candy Land and Fact or Crap. Awesome.
The ambiance is really cool. I was a big fan of the tissue paper flowers adorning the talbes. They have a great idea, it’s just a bit of a poor execution. It would thrive as a bigger place with better staffing.

I could write a full review, but there would be no point.
The worst things about this place are the wait times and the prices. And that when I went they were all out of non-​milk bubble tea (½ of their bubble tea selection).
It took them 15 minutes to make my drink, and normally I don’t complain about wait times. However, as she was making my bubble tea, she stopped to make THREE iced coffees. I understand bubble tea takes a little bit longer (I worked at SBux for a year — I get multitasking), you don’t make three drinks before you finish the first, ever.
Oh, and $ 5.05 for a bubble tea? Rude service.
Redeeming features? Looked comfy, like a place you could hang out for an hour or two. Tea & food list (if available?) looked extensive.

My review sucks.
Pretty much an accurate reflection of June Bug.

Is it that hard to smile? Seriously. I was treated as though I insulted her mother. I asked how much the egg sandwiches were and she said, «Look on the board.» I told her the prices weren’t on the board. Then the phone rang. She answered it and began having a conversation. When I tried to make my presence known, she put a finger up in my face. In my mind I entertained turning over all the tables and calling her every awful name in the book… even the c word. My stomach talked me out of it.
The food is great. The music and the owner need a make-​over.
So…
If you enjoy being treated like the unwanted step child of a 22 year-​old and enjoy all the crappy music Boston radio has to offer, then this is the place for you! I won’t be back.

I’m sorry to have to say this, but it needs to be said: If you can help it, don’t go here.
It’s just not worth it. Go to JP Licks, go to Velouria, even, if necessary, go to Dunkin or Starbucks. But don’t go here.
I was always of the opinion that this place generally sucks, but that it’s the only option, so why not go. But after one too many bad experiences, I just can’t justify it.
Do you like paying $ 6 for a freakin ‘egg-​and-​cheese’ sandwich? I don’t!
Do you like waiting 45 minutes for the aforementioned sandwich? I don’t!
Do you like having to remind the employee that you also ordered a coffee, after waiting 45 minutes for your sandwich? I don’t!
Do you like getting treated all the while like you are the scum of the earth? I don’t!
I want to support this place, but I just can’t. The atmosphere, frankly, is terrible (uncomfortable chairs, bad décor, blaring music, and an obnoxious television). And the owner, and all the employees I’ve encountered act like they don’t care at all about whether a customer ever returns. I think it’s time for all of their customers to take notice, and to go somewhere else.

They make some great sandwiches here, as well as drinks, but I just don’t love it here. Let’s think about it…
1) Lighting: very dim. who can study with dim light?
2) temperature regulation: poor. the warehouse type feel inside and winter months just don’t mix.
3) Electricity: I’m a student, so I study (supposedly). Junebug offers free wi-​fi, but that’s not very helpful if I can’t plug my computer in.
Service can be hit or miss.
However, they do have good parking availability AND they’re in JP.
ETA: This place looks like it would be refreshing, with smoothies and frozen boba tea available. But w/​o a way to circulate the air in this place, it’s stuffy and hot. In the winter it’s freezing in this place, and in the summer, it’s like a sauna.
A great place in the Fall and Spring though.

I used to come here a lot despite the owner’s crappy attitude, inflated prices and crappy fucking attitude because I wanted to support my queer sisters. Long story short: I’d been going nearly every day for a year to get morning coffee and sometimes lunch — despite the bullshit. I drink my coffee black. I asked for a small coffee in a large cup because I was on my bike, she said no and when I tried to explain why — and reassure her it wasn’t for a «ghetto latte,» she told me not to argue with her. I left and haven’t been back since.
I agree with nearly everything everyone has written here: The owner clearly doesn’t want ANYTHING to do with customers and treats them as if they’re bothering her, the place is dirty (eg: they don’t wipe down the tables, nor do they EVER clean the furniture), the prices are inflated, and it takes about a century to get anything. Forget about asking her to describe what’s in anything or for a substitution, you might as well just kick her in the shins because you’ll get a better response.
This place should be a homerun, but instead, it’s a horror show.

I read some scathing reviews of Junebug before becoming the semi-​regular that I am now, began ordering with great caution because of what other Unilocalers have said.
Still, I can’t see how some of the very negative reviews can be justified.
On average, I’ve gotten great service, good food, and some of the best coffee in the area. I’m starting with the positive however, because there are bad things to say, too.
I like the atmosphere; It’s a as if somebody carved out a hole in a warehouse building and set up shop.
It can actually be intimidating when walking in; there may be an eerie silence, little action, and most often an array of sparsely sat patrons will lazily look up, leering, to see who’s intruding on their reading, wi-​fi mooching, Dig-​reading, or what have you. Its easy to feel like an intruder, until you find a seat for yourself, realize how comfortable it is, and find equal disdain for others who venture in.
Some people are put off by the seating arrangement; You’ll be presented with your choice of a loungey, comfy chair section with a TV or a cafeteria-​like section with cement floor. I don’t find problem with either. When free wi-​fi is available, people will set up shop for hours and I’d rather they do so on a desk-​sized table of their own than a seating-​banquette right next to me. This is how the large café is a great benefit. Cozy doesn’t exsist when people bring laptops, cell phones and other annoying gadgets into public places. Bonus points for the café being somewhat partitioned.
As said, the coffee is fantastic.
The food comes in slightly generous portions, depending on what you get.
Its one of a few places that won’t rob you when you pay for extra bacon. You’ll get plenty.
Produce seems to be quite fresh.
Bagles always good, croissants could be better.
Explain your tea selection, Junebug. Explain.
You offer an interesting array of herbals, but no standards. I have never asked where they get their tea, or why they don’t carry anything that anybody would ever want. I imagine (and hate to speculate in a review) that they make bubble teas out of their loose tea selection. It’d be nice to have a breakfast tea available, though.
And so we slink further into my disappointments.
Yes, it can take a while to get your food or drink from behind the counter. I don’t blame a slow or sluggish staff, but the size and scope of the business. A large challenge of an independently owned operation is balancing payroll /​available help against random rushes of people. No complaints there, but a good reason why I don’t stop in more often when I’m in a rush.
I’ve gone into lengthy detail and explanations to justify my one major complaint. No operation can be judged on a one-​time incident, but fact is fact: When I brought home a bacon, egg & cheese to find that the bacon was about 10% cooked, even after waiting for the sandwich for 10 minutes, I was infuriated. Wouldn’t you be?

Today was the last straw. I feel obligated to write June Bug the review it deserves. I end up eating here more often than I’d like, because it’s the only to-​go sandwich shop near the VA Jamaica Plain where I work. If you know of another one, please let me know!
Reasons why Junebug sucks:
1. The sandwiches are overpriced.
2. The serving size is very small.
3. The service is consistently cold if not rude.
4. It takes forever for them to make sandwiches! I mean, how long can it take you to put a sandwich together? Certainly not the 10 – 15 I routinely wait, nor the 30 – 45 I’ve waited a few times.
5. The boba/​bubble teas are poor quality and premixed. Sickeningly saccharine.
6. They have mixed up my orders a few times. (I keep forgetting to check, and then discover this when I get back to my office at the VA.)
The only things that almost garners a second star in this review are the comfortable atmosphere and slightly above average quality of the food. The atmosphere is a bit empty, barren, and dark compared to other cafes, and the TV is annoying. Now that I think about it, even the atmosphere is mediocre.

My main issue with June Bug – service that runs from slow to downright rude (don’t make the mistake of standing anywhere near the counter while waiting for your to-​go order, as perfectly sensible a choice as it may seem when all the café seating is full) – has already been covered thoroughly by other reviewers. Like so many, I’m tempted to go with a one-​star review, but for The Tasty.
But even The Tasty can’t save you if a sandwich involves rancid avocado or enough hummus to drown a horse, and, sadly, my experiences with June Bug have involved both of these.
I keep going back because every fourth visit or so a miracle happens and I get a tasty sandwich from a cordial June Bugger in under half an hour. The other

Ok, I’ve sat in here quite a bit because they have free wireless (with purchase) and it’s really convenient to my house and there are bike racks near by ~ who hoo! They also have decent sandwiches. But I’m so fed up with the service (seems I’m not the only one). It’s either a hipster who won’t smile and gives attitude if you’re not also wearing tight jeans and covered in tats or it’s the bitch owner yelling at the only guy I’ve seen consistently here (a manager?) or it’s just INSANELY SLOW (and sometimes all of the above).
Today was the last straw.
I ordered a sandwich and an iced coffee. Thankfully, no one was ahead of me – don’t even bother trying to get an egg and cheese on a Saturday morning because you will wait an hour since they only have one tiny, dinky toaster – so my sandwich came out pretty quickly. But then I said, «I also had an iced coffee». And the girl challenges me – you didn’t get it? No. I didn’t get it, which is why I’m now asking for it. So she goes to make it but then I see her asking the other girl – who rang me up – if she gave it to me. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I’m gonna lie about a freakin’ iced coffee? Or do you think I just chugged it down in the 3 minutes that I’ve been standing here waiting for my sandwich and I’m now claiming that I want another?
That’s it. No one needs that shit. So I say to both of them because I couldn’t hear the 2^nd girl’s response, but I thought she was saying that she DID give it to me, «NO, you did not give it to me». And the girl says, «I was just ASKING.» With a huge ‘tude. In my book, that’s rude and uncalled for. Give me the iced coffee and then dispute amongst yourselves whether or not I was lying about it. Don’t do it in front of me. Don’t you know, «the customer is always right»?
Clearly this place can’t keep employees. I’ve seen so many people in and out of here and there are always «help wanted» signs up. So it must have something to do with the management.
Hint kids: DON’T WORK HERE.
The sad thing is is that this location is hot. I mean it would be so easy to turn this into a really great place. Go green. Use good, local ingredients as much as possible. Nice people. Put in a better kitchen space. But I guess mediocre (and barely that) is preferred.

The one star is for my last experience, the bonus star is from the first time I went and got a bubble tea only without a horrible experience.
I went into June Bug to get a sandwich and bubble tea — ordered and paid. I was told after waiting a few minutes that they couldn’t make the sandwich because they were out of one of the ingredients. OK, fine. Not great but I understand it happens sometimes.
I chose another sandwich. I was asked to pay the difference in price (!) WHAT? It seems a bit crazy to me that after paying and waiting for a sandwich that they now couldn’t make me I would be asked to pay the few cents difference in price because I was forced to order a different sandwich.
But, yet again, I decided to go with it. Hey, I’m nice, and I was hungry! So I hand the guy a buck and get suspiciously less change than I expected. I mention this to him and he tells me that the price (posted on the HUGE menu boards above the counter) is not correct and that the real price (written on a tiny sign behind the register and facing away from the customer) is 50 cents more.
At this I was so shocked, angry, and frankly appalled I asked for my money back and walked out. The bubble tea was ok, though.

I’ve been going here off and on since i moved to JP about 3 years ago. I really want to like this place, but the service always manages to disappoint me.
There are some definite positives to the place. It has free wi-​fi and it’s rather comfortable to sit and do some work. Their sandwiches are pretty decent and there’s a lot to pick from. Their coffee is ok and they have a good tea selection too.
Unfortunately, what ruins the experience is the service. I attribute this to a training problem, since I’ve seen probably about 20 different employees come and go from here. They all seem very disorganized and painfully slow. There have been times i’ve waited for 15 or 20 minutes just to place an order (and it really wasn’t that crowded). A few employees have been very apathetic and some downright rude when i’ve ordered. The general feeling is that they just don’t want to be there. It really destroys the ambiance of a place that you want to hang out at.
Also, the price for what you get is rather expensive. I really wouldn’t mind this as much if the service was better.

I missed my 5:30 yoga class at Mindful Dog (courtesy Rt. 9 congestion and my genius JP «shortcuts» that always land me on Centre St.), so what’s a girl to do? I couldn’t just go home and be lame. I thought, «oooh, a beer would be nice» but the Milky Way was closed for a private function. Luckily, Junebug Café was brightly calling to me a few doors down.
No where near edgy and a brief distance from hip, yet Junebug avoids that wierd «I’m here at this scene to be seen» vibe that I get from the Davis Dyke Fiesta that is Diesel. This place is cute like a ladybug (or maybe a junebug?). And usually I’m not into cute. But it works for me.
It’s theme and décor isn’t very consistant, which may a theme unto itself in these postmodern days, but don’t write it off. There’s some nice touches that could get overlooked, such as the astroturf, the buddha shrine deal with the coffee and lilys, the borrow/​trade bookshelf, and amatuer art on the walls that knows it’s amatuer art (rather than masquerading as bad professional work). It had this oddly calibrated combination of the old/​run down and the shiny/​new.
As for the food, I like that they can serve up a hot sandwich and a reasonable breakfast. I was a bit uncertain about paying 5 bucks for something mcdonald’s charges 2 for (a ham, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich), but I was served up a large, toasty, melt-​in-​my-​cheddar-​cheesy mouth b’fast sammy. Healthy portion of ham too. I appreciate getting my extra dollar’s worth for the meat. I didn’t try the coffee, which I’ve heard is ok, or the desserts, which look way too tasty.
What I really appreciated was that it felt like a space that people in the community frequent. I saw some folks of various ages meeting around a laptop to dicuss something that seemed very «community action.» I noticed some groovy couples, and what looked like a young woman counseling a troubled high school teen. It felt heartwarming. Oohey-​gooey, like my cheddar cheese.
And unlike other posters, I didn’t think the establishment was loud at all – in fact is was mellow and quiet, which enabled me to read a whole 10 pages of Lady Chatterly’s Lover before falling asleep in my chair.
Only troubled thoughts:
1. Junebug, do you EVER wash those slip covers? They seems gray and greasy from months of use, especially on the arms.
2. The bathroom was frightening – not because it was dirty, but because its walls displayed a wrap-​around scene of colorfully painted bugs stealing food at a picnic.