Second Cup

For a café chain second cup is excellent. This particular branch offers an escape from hectic downtown to a quite and warm setting. This morning I came in for a hot chocolate. I asked for it in a mug, and this was probably miscommunicated to the barista. When I said «oh I wanted it in a mug» it was quickly changed, upgraded one size and served with a warm smile. That’s service!

My rating scale is based first and foremost on the quality of food & drinks, which is why no Second Cup can get more than 2 stars. This particular Second Cup has the particularity of having lots of seating areas. Outdoor, indoor next to the baristas, in the common area of the commercial building, and even a separate secluded area. I’ve never had trouble finding a seat at the desired noise level. It’s also open 24H. Courteousness of staff has improved quite a lot since I started my undergrad a few years ago. Wi-​Fi is ok for browsing.
But let’s not kid ourselves, a Second Cup is still what it is, even after the re-​branding and printing «there’s a little love in every cup» on your drink. Ofc I didn’t walk in expecting the quality of a 3^rd wave coffee joint. But the latte must be the worst I have ever been served. A bitter burnt shot with no hint of any aroma, paired with insufficient milk, that just made me feel angry and dehydrated. It’s reminiscent of Van Houtte. Even the lattes I used to make at home using preground espresso and a $ 80 machine were better. The chocolatine was quite a looker without substance as well. It had one shallow streak of chocolate inside about the size of a pinky and wasn’t buttery, sodium was a bit apparent. The almond croissant was better, in comparison. Stick with Starbucks or McCafé for tolerable consistency.

Another great spot due to space. The coffee shop spills out into a general foyer area where there is tons of seating. In addition to limited shop seating AND an ancillary room to the foyer. Same coffee as other Second Cups — not sure why reviews lower. Open 24HR

Good coffee and snacks, but it really suffers from a very narrow and cramped interior. The terrace is nice in the summer though.

The place is clean, with reliable wi-​fi. The seats are very cramped, and expect to be back to back against someone most of the time. The service is quick and the coffee is not bad. However this is not a place I would get a second cup!

Stopped in for coffee and muffins. Fine coffee shop. Nothing super specials.

This Second Cup always seems nearby when I’m really craving something to drink. It’s a 24-​hour location, right next to Paragraphe. And there’s lots of seating – in addition to some seating inside the café, there are two additional areas in the building lobby which are cleaned and maintained by the staff. And there’s outdoor seating on McGill College in warm weather.
The staff, while pleasant, sometimes seem quite frazzled here – even when the café is essentially empty. And both times I have been here of late, at least one of their blenders was apparently incapable of actually blending ice – resulting in fruit chillers (incidentally, the best summer drink ever) that were chunky, headache-​inducing, and hard to finish. You will get better service and better summer drinks at the Second Cup on Ste-​Catherine, but if you want space to hang out, or space to write, or just crave coffee at 3 AM, I imagine that this is the place to get it.

While the coffee is good, the place is too dirty (they need to clean more, remove plates and old cups, etc., much more quickly). It’s tiny inside, and hard to move around — strange set up. Also a rookie mistake: iced coffee filled to the top (no room for milk). Must be better options than this place, but the outside seating is nice (although the rock music was too loud and inappropriate in my view).

Delightful commercial coffee shop. Close to McGill, pleasantly staffed, good solid cup of coffee or mixed espresso drink. This second cup is my Go-​To place before hitting the campus to visit friends.