Bada Bean Bada Booze: Delightful

Curated for the young adult crowd, Bada Bean Bada Booze still lands for a day trip with kiddos. Lighthearted, delicious, and with plenty of fun spaces. Read why we give it the go-ahead.

Saturday Morning + Oaxacan Banana Smoothie + Oreo Donut

Overall Rating: 9/15

Food & Beverage: 2.2/3 (pro: non-caffeine beverages, con: no lunch)

Service: 2.9/3 (pro: so nice!, con: coffee is fresh so takes a minute to brew)

Ambiance: 2.8/3 (pro: comfy chairs, con: none really)

Bathrooms: 2.4/3 (pro: glen ave soap, con: no aunt flow)

Other: 1.3/3 (pro: nice crowd, con: paid parking)

EZ's Review: When I was at Bada Bean Bada Booze I got a drink that was only good with seltzer water 'cause it had gritty chocolate bits in it as a aftertaste so when the seltzer was in my mouth it washed away the gritty making it actually taste good.

Another thing I had at Bada Bean Bada Booze was a Oreo doughnut which is a small chocolate doughnut with Oreo on top.

The bathroom was a mansion bathroom!! [Not literally but YKWIM] Beautiful as heaven!! There was plenty of TP. Only problem was that the TP was VERY thin. Just the way it is.

Overall the coffee shop is nice and all but needs thicker TP.

Mom's Review: It's the details that made it for me: beverage plugs with smiley faces; seltzer tap for espresso pairing; art that paid homage to the neighborhood's history. It's a hipster aesthetic that fits well into this growing part of the Italian Village community, a post-industrial space that caters (almost exclusively) to the young and tireless. Surrounded by twenty-somethings who oscillated between the pool and the co-work space, the kiddo and I still felt welcomed, if not unnoticed, in this thoroughly Gen Z-ified space.

The vibes are thoughtful assembled. Just-right music that sets a chill tone without interrupting conversation. Artful accents to ponder when conversation lulls. Warm and gentle lighting made for moody selfies. Slate gold motif and thin-line design snake throughout, making the ample space feel closer and friendly. All in all, it's a great space to sit for an unrushed latte and people-watching, or productive work-from-afar session.

The specialty drinks were good, but probably trying a little too hard. The Saturday Morning (a summer special with blended espresso with fruity cereal milk) was surprisingly fresh and didn't wack you over the head with sugar, but the Fruity Pebble topping got mushy almost immediately and became distracting. The kiddo's Oaxacan Banana Smoothie had good and relatively complex favors, obviously not a pre-made mix, but the grittiness felt like it was trying to prove how healthy it was. These are just small dings on an otherwise strong beverage line-up. We also enjoyed the snack choices, like the world's moistest Oreo doughnut dripping with fudge, which more than made up for the lack of full-fledged meals.

I would def. call this kid-friendly, as long as the kid is chill. There's no play space and no game room, but the tables are big enough that I'd feel comfortable bringing Scrabble. Even without activities, the customers seem outgoing and the steady flow of fluffy dogs kept it playful. There were enough nooks that you could have louder conversations without distracting, but they aren't isolated enough to hide a full-blown tantrum. The off-street parking is convenient for a quick exit, but you'll have to pay for it.

Overall, great spot for elevated one-on-one time with the kiddo... but probably not playdate material.