Fresh Bean Coffee House

This place is closed and has been for a while (I’m writing as of March 2012).
There is a not very good restaurant in the location now.

OK, with the former owners this used to be a terrific place to host our Meetup, then Ali bought it and brought with him a significant amount of disinterest as time went on.
We reserved the place and he was closed (during business hours). Now it looks like it’s gone out of business?!? Maybe?
Anyhow, I definitely will NOT be back. Although I don’t think anyone there cares.

Weird — I’ve been coming here for years with my friends as it’s the central meeting point for when we’re on foot — but had no idea it was called ‘Fresh Bean’. It was formerly a ‘Grind’ and we still call it that.
Overall, I prefer Laughing Bean (LB) further up the street for the better Americanos. It does offer free WiFi. The staff is generally friendly and pretty quick.
What I like about this café is that there is a large solarium which is airy and bright (unlike LB which is full of character but is pretty dim and cramped). Unfortunately, they have sealed off the sliding doors to the solarium but it’s still a good spot to drink coffee with friends if you’re in East Van.

February 2011. This place is FOR SALE!
Someone hip should buy it and make it into a nice gallery café!
And, I’ll manage the gallery :)
How can such a cute layout including a solarium, resonate with so little energy I wonder. Maybe it’s the inexperienced kids working there, the crappy music, the boring menu? I don’t know why but I feel like sleeping or crying in this place. I wish it could be a brighter, happier place and maybe one day it will. The potential is there.
The Laughing Bean is just one block up.

Y’know, even though this place is kind of blah as far coffee shops go, I actually kind of like it. It’s a good place if you need refuge from the usual hipster-​coffee hangouts. The art on the wall is from Ikea, the food is middling and the coffee is passable. I know that sounds pretty indifferent but it really is a nice place to hide-​away, read the paper and listen to some awful jazz music.
As for service, it’s okay but they are all girls in their early twenties and, for the most part, fairly self conscious. That’s my impression anyway. Conversation is a no go. But it works well with its function as urban hide-​away.
I hear they have a comedy night on Saturdays and have been tempted to get wasted and check-​out some no doubt very amateur comedic stylings — I’m pretty sure it has to do with one of those self-​esteem builder groups. That’s my kinda weirdness right there… can’t find that at Prado!