Mercury Espresso Bar

Service here is so rude. Went in politely ordered a flat white then one of the bearded cliché hipster too-​cool-​for-​school baristas said to the cashier «I told you.» Which makes me wonder what they were saying behind my back before I ordered. Then when I got my drink I looked the same dude in the eye said thank you, and he completely ignored me. Not a good way to start your day.

As I walked know, I asked the person at the cash if their espresso was old school nutty tasting or fruity and the person didn’t really seem to know. After consulting with the barista, I’ve been told old school. I was quite excited until I took a sip of the cappuccino… definitely on the fruity side.
Although not bas coffee, just not what I personally like. The shop actually looks pretty nice but a bug hot inside. I like the fact that they have a terrace on the side of the building.

This place has quality caffeine drinks. For a coffee lover like myself, I will say the flavour is optimal. Seating is pretty limited so I prefer it for a grab and go coffee. Service is fast and friendly. Always have nice conversation with the baristas and the crowd who comes here are very chill and I always end up gabbing with my neighbour and enjoy my time! It’s very cozy here I love coming and lounging for a nice Americano!

The service here is horrible. The staff is rude, and condescending (we were served by two 20 somethings). The food and coffee is nothing special, so I’m not sure where the attitude emerges from, but I cannot support this business. I will not return.

this place is so quaint and the food and drinks are amazing. i never get a bad vibe from the staff either! i try to make it here as much as i can (especially if im craving an americano and one of their delicious biscuits)

Stumbled upon Mercury while looking for an early Sunday morning coffee. Typical small indie café type industrial vibe. Small patio and benches out front and small pastry selection. Most importantly, solid coffee! Don’t think they WiFi. I will come back if I’m in the neighborhood. Recommended

As I meandered around Leslieville, I realized that there was absolutely no shortage of espresso bars. I’m not exactly sure what it was that enticed me about this shop, but my friend and I decided to go on in and give it a shot.
With absolutely no preconceived notions about the quality of this café, I was immediately quite disappointed with the level of customer service. It wasn’t necessarily that they were rude, but they just weren’t that personable. Perhaps the service would be different if I were a local and/​or a regular.
Given that it was a rather hot day in the city, I asked the barista if any of the espresso-​based beverages could be iced. The response was anything but clear, and a tad bit condescending. Anyways, I went along with an iced latte, and the quality and richness of it definitely made up for what was lacking in customer service.
I think this café has a LOT of potential, especially given its awesome location and great selection on its menu. It’s incredible how far empathy, emotional intelligence, and conversational capital can go in a café setting. So long as this café makes a concerted attempt to improve these aforementioned elements of service, I would definitely come back and try some other beverages.

This is my non-​connoisseur review of their caffe latte.
(check my Te Aro review explanation on my coffee experience)
The latte I had was good. It did have a kick to it or that bite — not as smooth as Te Aro but strong coffee flavor. That bite (slight bitterness) was mellowed by adding a lot of honey to it.
But thats just my preference. Not a fan of the bitterness.
I havent gone here often enough to make any comments on their staff (from all the reviews I read on this place).

3.5 Stars
I came to Mercury a number of years ago and was completely turned off by the atmosphere of the place; it just didn’t fit my vibe. By the advice of my friend (and best barista in Toronto, in my opinion) I came back to give it another go.
The atmosphere is still the same I find. There is nothing wrong with it, but I just don’t like the vibe personally. The coffee is good. They have at least one good roaster they sell in Phil and Sebastian and do it well.
I just find this place is just a little behind the curve in terms of developing and trying out new things with coffee. For example, cold brew. There are different styles of it, but these guys are just getting it going here. Other places have had it for years.
There is nothing wrong with this place at all. It just seems like they are not the innovators that other shops are.
It’s not bad, but I will not be back.
I do wish Mercury all the best!
That’s it.

I admit I avoided coming here for a long time, as the negative reviews about the service put me off.
I tried it this morning though and wasn’t disappointed. In fact, while the service wasn’t exactly chirpy, my Americano was just perfect. One of the best I’ve had in Toronto — up there with Tango Palace and Merchants of Green Coffee. MUCH nicer than Te Aro, in my opinion.
I just wish they’d remove that «no cell phones» sign at the counter. It just screams hostility to me.

I can’t even handle how bad the service is at this place. I never go in because I know I’m going to leave feeling bad about myself — but today I was in a hurry and it was right there. When I ordered my drink there were 2 guys ahead of me in line, 3 behind me, and 2 working. I got my drink dead last, and when I said thank you I got a «yup» in return.
Maybe if the two staff hadn’t been reminiscing about the various albums they had listened to throughout the course of the morning (seriously?) they could have focused on serving customers. Oh no wait, they served all the dudes, they just ignored me.
If my Americano wasn’t so good I would have given this sorry joint 1 star.

Once again another recommendation from my brother Canadian Friend. Mercury Espresso Bar to him is what I am exactly looking for in an independent café. It is gritty, no frills or gimics, all coffee. It was funny because the guy in front of me ordered a dry cappuccino and was denied (I love it). People sometimes don’t fully understand that when you market a product a certain way changing it can be detrimental to your business. So good on them for sticking to their guns.
However it is my turn and first thing I noticed how unhappy the Barista looks and how un inviting that can be. One would assume with the quality espresso bars Te Aro, Dark Horse) and cafes around that you would at least loose the bad mood or snobbery. I decided on a shot of espresso and to my delight it was roasted by none other than George Howell Coffee Roasters (Terroir). A legend in the coffee business and proponent of all things good about coffee. I asked for the shot short and was expecting a heavy duty amount of sweetness in the cup with tonnes of body. I did get a shot but a little over extracted as the sweetness (hints of vanilla) was lost to a more burnt carmel finish. I didn’t get a chance to tap into their baked goods but I was a little disappointment in the treatment of such a great espresso. Seemed the Moody Barista was not paying attention to calibration this morning.
I gave it a 3 stars because the shop was great, they have a great selection of top notch coffee beans, but the skill was lacking or care for that matter. won’t be back on this trip.

Buyer beware… if you are not a coffee hipster you likely will have a pretty ugly experience.
So if you are not a COFFEE Snob and one of the «DUDES» like behind the «BAR» expect unexceptional, surly, better than thou service.
If you don’t want an ESPRESSO beware of anything else they might serve… Today a plunger with a bit of cream in it totally curdled not the cream but the coffee… the «BARISTA’S» explanation… the coffee is too citrus and I the paying customer should never have put cream in their exceptional product. My question why did you make the plunger in the first place???
The whole experience simply left a gross feeling… and to boot the server «DUDE» didn’t even offer me my money back.
OH WELL There are many many more places along the street. I will enjoy the sunshine in the park with a take out from 7 or 8 other places…
This version of a coffee shop would do far better on the west side of Queen…

The folks behind the counter here pack a punch when they fill the espresso tray, and I dig it. They are among the most jovial baristas in the city, so they must be shooting the dark goodness all day long. Lucky bastards.
Neighborhood mommies flock here for a laugh and a coffee and enjoy the large patio in the summer, plenty of room for strollers. Inside is tighter with free wifi, so that’s where us non-​baby east enders hang, a true cornucopia of kids on mac laptops sipping high-​end caffeinated beverages.*
PEPPER POINTS: For a solid scone collection.
*Am I a yuppy? What did I just say?
¹²⁄₃₀

I stumbled onto this place while meeting a new friend in the neighbourhood.
I was very excited to see Salvadorean coffee featured as their main brew. This excitement translated to chattiness which was met by a rather unimpressed, poker face from the barista. Not even the explanation that I am from ES and was surprised and delighted to see Salvadorean coffee made him change his facial expression or demeanor. I keep thinking I am in a friendly, sociable city,…when will I learn?
The coffee was actually pretty good (medium roast with a nice rich flavour) esp since I dislike coffee. The place itself has a the rebellious streak of a teenager wanting to starkly differentiate itself from a coffee chain, esp in its choice of loud guitar music. I was surprised my friend was ok with the music considering she brought her infant daughter.
That’s not to say this coffee shop is finding its legs. It’s fully developed with a unique identity. Despite the initial coldness at the counter (the female barista was friendlier than the guy who served me), I enjoyed my stay and if I lived in the area, I would frequent it since I would know I would enjoy the occasional cup of coffee I would order.

I have been here numerous times. Last time I had an iced coffee and it was good. Today I tried the chai latte and have to say it was quite honestly one of the worst ones I have ever had. It was completely watery and I wasn’t even remotely tempted to finish it. But I acknowledge that could be a fluke. I also had the cheddar and bacon scone which was okay… maybe a little on the dry side, but otherwise respectable.
The actual place itself is cute. I wish people couldn’t smoke on the patio, but I know that’s not gonna happen and it’s not their fault.

Mercury Espresso Bar to me is like Te Aro’s ruffian little brother.
Let me set it up for you. They too do amazing things with beans for Leslieville, but have an added gruffness that gives the place quite a personality. The day I was there it was loud and in your face, but not in an obtrusive way. It reminded me of a fair where there is SO much to see, SO much to do, you wonder how long you’ll be able to tolerate it, but you also can’t imagine yourself anywhere else. Both gents working that day were delightful! Hilarious, accommodating and good for some chit-​chat. And can we chat about the facial hair sich here. Everyone is so coiffed, so trimmed, so beard-​y.
They have free WIFI, a decent selection of tea and play some pretty mean jams. I wouldn’t suggest you have your next work meeting, interview of Skype sesh here, but if you’re looking for something with a lot of character and charm, and by charm I mean put ‘em in a headlock and give them a nuggie charm, this is your place!

This is a neighbourhood gem!
The folks at Mercury know their coffee. Love love love love love their americanos. They recently changed the size though…“it’s the same amount of espresso. now with less water”. Either way it’s definitely delish and worth visiting.
It’s a little cold now to use their patio — but it’s definitely a crowd favourite!
PS. their ginger cookies are amazing

I really feel for the friendly guys that work inside Mercury Espresso Bar! It was so hot and stuffy inside. I was sweating while sipping my Cappuccino ($ 3.50) with no air conditioning or fans…
I ended up taking refuge on their outdoor patio. Luckily their wifi signal was strong enough, so I have no problem uploading my photos using my Unilocal App.
I wish there are more electronic outlets, as my phone was almost dead and in great need of charging…
Cappuccino was A-​OK! But the things that impressed me the most are the friendly staffs… I will be back!

Second spot on the «Kat F — Miss U Crawl» is a place that Kat F. even put her mark on the door. They have a «People LOVE Us on Unilocal» sticker on the right door. Look up at the ceiling and notice that they have lights that are probably designed so it’s representative of some Solar System. The lights at the counter are made of Kitchen Sinks and like most other Cafes, they have paintings by someone hanging from the wall.
Cappuccino ($ 3.25) was the beverage of choice, however at this time I have to say it’s not one of my favourite. It was still nicely Crema’ed but you’ll notice the larger bubbles all around the top. Another thing is that it had more bitter/​sour taste than what I wanted, but I won’t take points off from this as I had a Sweet Pie just seconds before this drink. They do have a smallish outdoor seating area.