Ike’s Coffee and Tea

I’m going to miss the Speedway location. They are closing on Sunday, January 26^th 2014 no joke. I’m going to miss their awesome sandwiches… having my last American in Paris now. Thanks Ike’s for all the great lunches & coffee I had there — you will be missed. :-(

It’s a place to go and hang out at night, but I’m not really a fan of their coffee. I wish they had more options for pastries to go with my beverage, but I do appreciate that they have actual food options.

Ike’s has good coffee, pretty good tea, and good food. They have friendly staff, customers, are open decently late, and have a lot of seating. With that said, however, I go to coffee shops to get schoolwork done, so I look for specific things that Ike’s has some problems with. Their seats aren’t very comfortable (although some consider this a plus as it keeps you awake), and they don’t have many outlets, at least not enough near the tables where you can actually do work. Also, their wifi is unreliable. Price-​wise, drink-​wise, and based on their hours of operation, I think it’s a good place to go. But charge your computer beforehand, and be prepared for the possibility of no (or just slow) internet.

Stopped in for a cappuccino. I asked for a small, and maybe I’m used to smalls in DC, but this small was quite big! Also, I guess they’re not huge on coffee art here — my cappuccino came sans a leaf/​heart/​dog/​something else that’s supposed to be cute, and that was just fine with me! Unfortunately the cappuccino tasted mostly of milk and not enough coffee.

Ike’s is my neighborhood coffeehouse and I’m real glad they are here. They open early, offer free wifi, and make a great americano. For breakfast, I recommend the bagel sandwich which is a screaming deal, and also the omelets (5 ingredients of your choice!). Breakfast pastries are tasty and large, they beat SB on both counts. I don’t eat lunch there much but I did love the Spoke sandwich. The canned music is hit or miss, but I have my earphones. They have a big wooden tables where groups can sit and do business. The staff are generally friendly.

Gift Certificates
So I like Ikes – good coffee and nice service. I stopped at Ikes tonight to get a gift certificate for a client. I rolled in, told them what I wanted and in 5 minutes I was out the door and on the way. I love Ikes – their coffee is great and fresh roasted. But tonight again I was pleasantly surprised at how well they took care of service!

I walked in and 4 employees were talking at the counter and it took over a minute (that’s an eternity when you’re standing and awkwardly staring at them waiting). 2 other people were there and it took 20 minutes to get a sandwich to-​go. 2 stars only for the food. I don’t like feeling like I’m interrupting someone to give them my business. Especially when I am a very busy woman and my time is my money.

This place deserves 3.5 stars.
I like the building design and décor — very modern! Unfortunately, nothing else really lived up to my expectations.
Food was okay. Various sandwiches you could easily make at your own home — nothing special, but not bad. Drinks are okay (a bit overpriced really). Service is ok.
There are several tables for working, but they are all very close together so not a lot of privacy. Additionally, it gets crowded easily. I came on a weekday around lunchtime because other reviewers said lunch is less crowded than dinner/​evening time. I had to sit outside to even get a spot. No outlets (for computer) to be had anywhere. Dirty tables. That pretty much sums it up. I’m on a quest to find a good coffee shop for working and this place didn’t score too highly for me. Not sure that I’ll be back.

Had their House Coffee Roast and it was super delish, that is, if you like black coffee. So, I had their blueberry muffin and it was super gigantic and yummy; couldn’t finish it all but it was worth the investment. Anyway, I shall be back on late night studies and what-​not.

A) They have a painting of an old Mustang on the wall. [edit: nope, looks like they took it down. Jerks.]
B) Last time I was there they were playing what seemed to be a CCR marathon
C) Non-​exorbitant prices, functional décor, ample seating, good mix of café food, open late, relatively low population of hipsters, etc…
Food occasionally takes a while, not a fan of their green tea (maybe I just ordered a bad one) and wish there were more outlets, but overall, good place to crash. Love their pear tea. Also, that brownie thing with raspberry and cheesecake (I might be remembering incorrectly but it was some combination of those things) is gooey and nomz.

I’ve been studying here with a friend from class a couple of times lately, and we love it. We had been going to the X because they’re open 24 hours, mistakenly thinking that Ike’s closed early, but it does not. It’s open until midnight, which especially on work nights is plenty late enough for us! So we’ve been there twice recently, had some goodies, and will be goin’ again.
Pluses:
–The omelettes. They have a large variety of things you can have in them, and they’re good. If you’re gluten free, tell them because otherwise they come with bread.
–The adaptability of the menu. We overheard someone ordering an apple with peanut butter. This isn’t on the menu, but they’ll do it for you, and cheap. They told us that if we know they have ingredients they can put them together in different orders, and it won’t be pricey. Sweet.
–The atmosphere. It’s not as stark as Coffee XChange, but not as dark as some other places.
–Seating. There is a variety of styles of seating, to suit various personalities and purposes.
Minuses:
–I can’t walk there. (not their fault.)
–The bathroom is not in the building and you need a key to get in. Though it’s generally clean, it still seems slightly creepy.
–The internet is not extremely reliable.

Well FINALLY!!! I wish I had found Ike’s as soon as I moved to Tucson. Comfy chairs, tons of coffee and tea selections (ranging from $ 2 — $ 4) and a great food selection (salad, soup, all-​day breakfast, sandwiches — $ 3-​$ 7). And the best part?! They are open until 12am with free wi-​fi!!! I will DEFINITELY be back!

The coffee is ok. The espresso drinks are ok. The wi-​fi (password-​protected) is ok.
No strong feelings to be had about Ike’s. There is ample seating but gets hella busy on the evenings.
The outlets are scary though. I wouldn’t be surprised about a report of an electrocution at Ike’s. My experience with these only comprise of two things: they don’t work or sparks.
This place is close to where I live but with so many other awesome options nearby, this makes it hard to consistently return.

I’m basing this review on only one visit but I was sufficiently annoyed by the high jinks I experienced that I thought it warranted sharing. I had an hour before I had to be at work so I stopped by Ike’s for a quick coffee and a sandwich. It was early afternoon and the place was about ¼ full. I placed my order and sat down, expecting to be on my way in a half hour having satiated my caffeine craving and mid afternoon hunger.
Nope.
The latte came out promptly. It was, to be honest, not very warm. But no matter, I was excited for my Chicken, Bacon, and Avocado sandwich. 25 minutes later, there was no sign of the sandwich. I gently inquired as to the whereabouts of my food and was treated with what can only be described as disdain. I was made to feel as if it is perfectly normal to wait 25 minutes for a sandwich that has 3 ingredients (4 if you count the dressing). No apology, the staff member couldn’t even crack a smile. When my food did finally materialize, I politely asked for a to go box due to the tardiness of its arrival and was told that they «had a lot of food orders» that day. Wouldn’t that be expected for a business that sells food?
The saddest thing? The sandwich was average at best. They did include lots of avocado, which was very nice, but the bread was dry and the sandwich was generally unexciting.
The next time I have a hankering for luke warm coffee, 30 minute sandwiches, and surly waitstaff, I’ll swing by Ike’s. Until then, I think I’ll take my chances elsewhere.

Chopped salad add Chicken and avocado… for 7 bucks it’s the freshest thing I’ve had on Speedway. Not so fresh? The bathroom today, but they don’t manage that common area which retailers give you a key to when you want to use it. But yeah, that needs some help. But the salad… oh the salad :).

Ike’s has an open, spacious and somewhat modern feel. It is comfortable and cosy, with several couches and lounge chairs and even bamboo plants. North facing on Speedway, you get a gorgeous view of the Catalinas, albeit interrupted by Speedway traffic. Still, the tall windows here are wonderful.
The menus is pretty straightforward. The café sells breakfast all day, which is pretty awesome! Try the veggie scramble. Meateater or not, this is an awesome meal and a good deal. The Super BLT is meh. I was disappointed to find way too much turkey and not enough turkey bacon. But the hummus plate also is a good treat, and they also sell granola and oatmeal.
I have been spending time here studying, and have found that the password-​protected free WIFI can be spotty. The staff is working to fix it and, really, it was much improved this time. And I love a place that actually uses its air conditioner during the summer months. Nothing like a bead of sweat running down your back when you’re focusing on your theory.
But feminists and women’s studies majors be forewarned — Ike’s has a very strong firewall. So, if you are studying anything related to sexuality and fluid sexual identities, you may not be able to access the sites and resources you need.
I tried a couple of times and was barred access, receiving — instead — an intimidating black and red full-​screen banner indicating that I was barred from viewing such things. As if pointing a big, red finger saying, «You! Yes, you! No, you are not allowed to read ‘The structure of sexual orientation and its relation to masculinity, femininity, and gender diagnosticity: Different for Men and Women’ on these premises! Take that somewhere else.»

POSITIVES:
+ huge parking lot
+ serves food and drinks
+ friendly staff
+ plug outlets throughout shop
+ punch cards for frequent drinkers — free drink after 9 drinks?
+ free wifi but have to get password that’s taped to the register up front
NEGATIVES:
— tiny tables (not good for tons of school work)
TRIED:
ABSOLUTELY love their Tea Blends.
Mushroom bisque was awesome too.

I’ve always liked Ike’s. I’ve reviewed his downtown location on several occasions. I work downtown so that location is very convenient. But shhhhh, don’t tell anyone! I like this location much better! It’s more my speed. Mellow people just hanging out and enjoying life!
The menu is slightly different than the downtown location but all my favorites are still on the Speedway menu and boy-​oh-​boy are they awesome! I love the sandwiches and breakfast items on the menu. Some seriously awesome food. Some seriously great coffee and some seriously friendly service!
Tip: Free wi-​fi and the hangout for some pretty high profile Tucson authors!

I haven’t been to Ike’s in about 4 years, yeah that’s how I roll… It’s because it use to be so crowded.
Anyways I went during the lunch hour, and there weren’t that many people there which was really nice. I finally felt like I could get some reading done without the loud crowd.
The coffee was actually pretty good, and left me satisfied. I will have to go back and see if my new found A-​OK could change to where I can say Iam a fan.

I’d give Ike’s a better rating except wifi was down. Inquired with staff and got response, «I think it’s up.» That was it. This has happened before. Wifi not reliable and staff poorly trained on issue.
Didn’t explain that I work in IT and knew exactly the problem. Simply took my iced tea and went home.
Not sure if I’ll ever go back.