Uptowner Cafe

I gave this place a pretty good check-​in yesterday, but that was short-​lived. I thought I overheard the lady behind the counter saying to another customer that they closed at 7, so I asked again a few moments later and she told me 8. I repeated «You close at 8?» and she said again «Yes, 8». 7 o’clock rolls around and yep… closing time. (hours are not posted)
Seems kind of bitchy and petty to get peeved about an hour but when you’re in the middle of an assignment it sucks to just pick up and leave when you’re settled in.

I really wanted this place to be better, but after 3 visits I’ve given up.
The look of the place was promising with outdoor seating, wifi, comfy couches inside, a bench facing the window perfect for people-​watching, and quite a few tables, but the service, food and cleanliness of this place are all pretty poor.
The boyfriend and I have had 3 sandwiches from the menu and to be fair, they were all decent, but nothing too special. The drinks lean toward the sweet side and they don’t have any of the special Korean drinks listed on the menu. The food box never seems to be very full and the things that are in there never seem very fresh. The sushi is usually put in there at the end of the day after having sit on some ice in the open air all day.
The place is run by a mom-​and-​son dual. The son’s friendly enough but the mom never smiles and always comes across as curt.
The place opened in the middle of one of the hottest summers we’ve had and you’d think they would crank up the AC to pull in as many people as they could. But no, the doors are wide open half of the time with the AC turned down, which makes it quite warm to sit in there.
Open doors also bring another problem — rats. The boyfriend was in there one day last week and a huge rat run in. The sad thing was that the owners didn’t do anything about it. They clearly saw the rat run in, mumbled something between themselves but took no action. Finally when the boyfriend and another patron that was in there decided to pack up and leave after seeing no actions from the owners did they call someone for help.
After that episode, it is safe to say that I am done with this place.

Unlike several others who have reviewed this establishment, the evaluation you’re reading now shall not state, in summary, «They smiled at me, I enjoyed the coffee, five stars!» I am not of the opinion that the quality of DC’s cafés and restaurants may be fairly appraised only by lowering one’s standards to their regrettable level. A good eatery is a good eatery is a good eatery, I say, so screw the sliding scale, all the more so if price doesn’t go down the tubes along with the comestibles. Add poor management, ambiance, and functionality to the mix, and it’s an insult.
Uptowner, indeed. Would an uptown venue charge for tap water in a plastic cup, serve a bagel on a giant throwaway Styrofoam plate, fail to offer that ubiquitous spread, peanut butter, to put on that bagel, deliver a cinnamon bun unworthy of even the name of some generic CVS equivalent (nevermind the homemade treat one should expect to receive in exchange for dining-​out prices), and that, again, in yet more plastic, keep half the items on the menu out of stock («We don’t have those things. Maybe later, depending on how busy.» How will you possibly get busy if you don’t offer what’s on the menu?!), not bother displaying the prices for another half of the items, pipe in the kind of musical claptrap to which the radio in one’s doctor’s waiting room is constantly tuned, surround the diner with an equally corporate interior design devoid of any personality, and when one is on its aggravated way out, send it crashing into a door that won’t open — in or out — despite the absence of any sign indicating, «Please use the other door, sucker?»
Uptowner, you are not Uptowner, and you are not Adams Morgan, and you don’t belong here. You are the blandest of the insipidest suburban landscape America has bestowed upon the world. You are further evidence that DC’s going-​out options comprise little more than Food Lions with the canned goods kept out of sight. Reheaters. Ripoffs. I will never recoup the money I left you, but I will never give you any more.

I was so happy to see that this space has finally been put to good use. I never understood why the Caribou closed here. They seemed to do such good business. It is a great location and I don’t understand how it could have been vacant for so long.
But at last, this more than two year void in prime retail space in Adams Morgan has been filled! The Uptowner seems like a perfect match for this location. I had a great cappuccino here the other day served by friendly staff. There is a good vibe going on here. I look forward to having a freshly made decent priced sandwich at one of their outside tables some mild summer afternoon soon! Welcome to the neighborhood!

Adam’s Morgan area needed a spot like this!
I stopped by this morning for some breakfast (I got an omelet and coffee) and enjoyed the sitting area & free Wi-​Fi! The food is fresh. and the little Asian lady is so sweet!
Would recommend to anybody.

Excellent replacement for the long-​defunct Caribou Coffee store in the middle of Adams Morgan on the PN Hoffman building. This one is run by a Korean family with their usual efficiency and friendliness.
I stopped by on the way back home from Brunch and had to get my soy cappuccino fix. While only a scant block and a half from Starbucks, their selection is much larger in a store about the same footprint. A stand with sweets, muffins and cakes. A stand for sandwiches and salads. A stand for coffee. And uniquely for a coffee house, sushi. Yummmmm…
And their coffee is outstanding and unlike their competition, devoid of the burnt taste for which that competition is famous…
As well, a large sitting area where I already saw a large collection of diverse people studying, reading and busily surfing the net. I am going to like this new addition to the neighborhood.