Big Bear Cafe - Washington, D.C.

Can a place with subpar food and drinks exist if its setting is enticing enough? Apparently at Big Bear Cafe it can! So while the chocolate bear paw pastry I had was a 2/5... and the cafe au lait was a 1/5... and despite it being 11am on a Sunday 90% of the pastry offerings were gone... I guess I still enjoyed my time at Big Bear because they have some decent outdoor seating space? I ask this both sarcastically and seriously. In all seriousness, I really hope someone elsetakes over this space and tries to actually make quality food and drinks. I don't say that to be mean, it just is a waste of a really nice space otherwise and the other reviews back this up.

Tldr; good spot with ok food, which is over priced. Come for the coffee and environment. Don 't expect to be impressed.

Dang that was one of the best lattes I've had in a while. Their granola/yogurt menu item is perfectly lemony and bright. The staff are really kind and communicative. The space definitely leans more towards brunch spot than study-cafe, but that's not a bad thing. It's a great place to people-watch while getting some work done.

It’s a really busy spot, especially on the weekends and always on the patio. The neighborhood is quaint and there’s usually a farmer’s market right outside the cafe steps on the weekends. They have a ton of events for locals too!

Gorgeous cafe with food that doesn't quite live up to its surroundings. I'll keep coming back though for coffee! Update- More of the same. Average food, 40 min wait for a latte, in a gorgeous setting.