Muddy Waters Coffee Company

I don’t know why there are bad reviews, this coffee stand has one of the best DRIPS EVER! I usually only drink drip and hands down… it reminds me of a double espresso from Italy! I’m not a huge fan of specialty drinks, starbucks, tullys etc… I like my coffee hot and dark =) and this coffee stand definitely provides!
If you are one of those specialty drinkers… I suggest you go to starbucks where drinks are overly packed with sugar o_​O
It all depends on how you like your cup, need a cup of Joe… come to this coffee stand. It’s life, totes.

Coffee is okay. They have a $ 10 card limit and its kinda silly. Most places will have at least an option to pay an extra .25 $ or something, but they flat won’t take a card here unless you spend the $ 10.

RUDE! And don’t take cards for under $ 10. I’ll be shocked if this place stays in business. I stopped by this morning for an Americano for the sticker price of $ 2.75 which is extremely high to begin with (two shots of espresso and water), then when I realized I don’t have cash and went to pay with a card I had to pay at least $ 10. Like how, or how, would I rack up a $ 10 bill for a morning coffee?! She suggested a gift card but given that with a tip my morning coffee (usually around $ 2) just went from 3.75 to $ 10 I said no thanks, for which I got an eye roll and an «Ooooo… kaaaaay…». Will never be back, cannot unrecommend enough. Coffee is a penny a dozen in Seattle, you have to do WAY better than that.

Not the same place it used to be several years ago.

Hate to say it, but this is probably the worst latte stand I’ve ever been to. Only been once, so it’s possible that my experience was a one-​off bad time, but after reading other reviews it doesn’t seem like that’s the case.
Let me first start off by saying that I’ve never even thought of reviewing a latte stand before. I mean, it’s a latte stand. A little hut you go to for coffee simply out of convenience, not because you’re looking for a great experience or the best espresso in town. That said, I feel compelled to let others know that this is one little hut you should just drive by.
First, there’s the card limit. Most food-​related small businesses have a minimum you must spend in order to use your card. Either that or they charge you an extra 50 cents. I get that — I own a small business and between the 2−3% in fees charged by the processing companies and the 25 – 50 cent transaction fees per purchase, at anything less than $ 5 there’s too much lost. However, Muddy Waters’ minimum purchase to use a card is $ 10. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? $ 10 at a latte stand? Give me a break — even with a latte and an overpriced, awful pastry (more on that in a second), you still have to buy either another pastry or two, or some other random item you don’t really want (I ended up with a cup of processed, just-​add-​water oatmeal that is still sitting in my glovebox two weeks later). Of course there’s no mention or warning about this ridiculously high minimum before you order your drink.
Secondly, about that pastry. No lie — WORST SCONE I’VE EVER HAD. It was obviously made somewhere else and cellophane wrapped for sale at the latte stand (normal) but after getting about 5 blocks away I flipped it over to find a hand-​written «Made On» date of no less than three days prior. I was sold a 3-​day old scone for $ 3+. It goes without saying that it was so stale I couldn’t even chew the first bite. The lack of management and oversight here is almost insulting. Look, latte stands aren’t exactly the most complex businesses in the world; if your business is coffee and pastries, and you can’t even get half of it right, you shouldn’t be in business. Period.
Don’t waste your time or money here.

I hate to harsh on this longstanding Ravenna establishment, but I have to say that Muddy Waters has been something of a letdown recently. Some years back, I spent a lot of time in the neighborhood and used to get coffee regularly from this place. I was never blown away by the quality, but it was always solid, in line with what you’d expect from a neighborhood coffee shop. However, my most recent visits have been increasingly disappointing, culminating in a recent latte that was little more than a weak shot of espresso in a cup of warm milk. Yikes. The server was sweet, though.

I wouldn’t come here again. I am fairly particular about the taste of my coffee and don’t really care for the flavor here. The baristas are friendly and service is good, but the coffee just isn’t up to par, in my opinion. I ordered a white chocolate mocha, which I rarely do, and even that left me disappointed. It’s surprising for this drink not to be good, since the taste is based mostly off of a sugary white chocolate syrup… but it just isn’t.

Methinks I was too quick to praise this coffee stand before. I’ve been back a couple times for a double espresso with whipped cream, and I find it harder and harder to return.
I think the whipped ‘cream’ they use is more of a whipped ‘topping’. In the two-​minute walk back to my BF’s apartment, I took the lid off and watched as the topping was slowly but utterly subsumed into the espresso. Real whipped cream doesn’t melt that quickly; it stays put until you stir it in. Even with the whipped topping mixed in, the espresso tastes bitter and acidic. Add milk, and the flavor mellows out, but then the mixture becomes lukewarm. Nuke it, and you wonder why you didn’t just reach for a can of Starbucks Doubleshot instead.

Ewe! This coffee is really really undrinkable. I gave it a few shots and the Americano is made with way too hot of water (probably pulled from the espresso machine itself) and I can’t drink my beverage for ten minutes because it’s too hot. At which point it’s cool enough but it tastes burnt! Ewe!

I love this place. It is owned by a young woman and all the other people who work there are very nice and cheerful. Like when they ask you «How is your day going?» they actually want to know, not just asking because they have to. And most importantly, the COFFEE is GREAT. I tend to avoid drive-​thrus because the coffee isn’t that good, but this place is consistently excellent every time. And they seem to have two people working during the busy times so even if there is a line of 5 or 6 cars you get your coffee in no time.
I am super happy to have this in my neighborhood.
Thanks,

Umm… WAY better than Starbucks or any other coffee around town. And the girls are super fun!

I so wanted this place to be great so I’ve given it 5 chances and they all sucked. Coffee tastes burnt and ALL the baristas personalities are burnt too! My old neighborhood place was so sweet but now inconvenient. This is my new neighborhood and I walk my dogs in the morning and would love to get a great tasting mocha with a friendly smile but it hasn’t happened yet. The baristas act like they are doing me a favor and when they hand out dog treats I tell them I have two dogs and they seem put out to give me a treat for both. These young girls have no idea how hard it is to get a job right now and seem totally ungrateful, well no tip for you and now I have to drive up to Starbucks to get my yummy chocolate non burnt mocha. Boo on you guys!

Friendly baristas, delicious espresso — especially the white mocha, they don’t skimp on the chocolate!
I think it would be nice if they offered straws and beans, although I haven’t asked… yet. I have a favorite coffee drive-​up on Aurora that does that… it’s the best morning treat. And straws just make the coffee easier to sip while driving (and safer since you don’t have to bring the coffee up in front of your face).

Muddy waters is as good as it gets.
Great coffee, service and location.
My coffee fix is a special order (I am one of those people) not even I can seem to pronounce my order let alone remember all the details. The gals at Muddy Waters always get it right. Many times before I have the car fully stopped at the window. They are on the ball and I appreciate that.
I also love the punch card system, double punch in the afternoons, 10 drink and you have yourself a free cup. Awesome!
LOVE IT!

I live in a neighborhood where it can be difficult to find early morning (6 AM) coffee places. I love Muddy Waters. I’ve never ordered drip coffee, so I can’t attest to the quality, but their espresso tastes just fine. I like the average prices (same drinks at Starbucks are about $ 1.00 more) and not having to go to Starbucks to get a drink.
I do wish they had more food choices. I ordered a bagel to eat on the way to work, but they didn’t put the cream chesse on it,(it came with a little packet and in a styrofoam container) so I couldn’t eat it in the car. The rest of the choices are typical-​muffins, etc.

I love Muddy Waters! Firstly, who wouldn’t love getting served coffee IN the car? No hassle finding parking, no standing in a long line – awesome.
Secondly, out of most of the coffee establishments I’ve tried in Seattle, Muddy Waters offers some of the largest drink sizes AND for a comparable price. They have a punch card as well, so you get the 10^th drink free! Lots of fancy flavors and types of drinks are also a bonus.
The service is really friendly too – the girls even remembered our drinks (chai and 24 oz white breve mocha) the third time we stopped.
I haven’t tried any food, but they do have some by the window.

I think they use cheap beans, because the coffee tastes burnt, which happens with cheap beans.
I do like how the 2^nd barista comes out to your car to get your order (when there is a long line) — so that when you pull up, your drink is ready. That is pretty fab.
So if you need a bit o coffee, stop by, but it’s not the best.

This stand fed me my caffeine habit throughout high school, and they will forever be in my memories for that. I was in a nearby Safeway and ran into one of the gals who worked there, and we ended up talking about life, the universe, and if cherry garca was better than caramel sutra. Long wait in the morning commute hours, but that is to be expected from both drive and walk up traffic– I do like their driveway in the parking lot setup. I havent been here in a few months because I moved out of the neighborhood, but I want to venture back.

They make yummy drinks and tend to be pretty friendly. My boyfriend goes there a lot (make sure to get a stamp card if you expect to return!) so they remember his order (always nice).
I like stopping by here when heading towards the bus stop or just walking to campus. Usually for coffee, but sometimes for something like an Italian Soda.
I love double-​stamp Sundays.
I hear some baristas are much better than others.

It’s just a little kiosk in a parking lot, but the people there are so nice and helpful! This is a neighborhood spot; they know all the people and their usual orders. My sister goes there regularly. They have stamp cards, with double stamps in the afternoons, and it doesn’t take long to get a free coffee. They make great vanilla milk steamers with whipped cream for the kids. I’ve always liked everything they have made for me. The only downside is the wait in the parking lot, especially when people are both driving and walking up for service. If you are in the area stop by for a cup of coffee, you wont be disappointed.