Javapalooza

I use to love Javapalooza until one birthday morning when my husband and I decided to treat ourselves to breakfast sandwiches & coffee. We got up early at walked down to the coffee shop about 7:30. I ordered the California breakfast sandwich and he ordered a plain sausage one. We waited about 30 minutes, and within that 30 minutes — I now understand why Jpalooza changed owners. Andie (whom I love), the owner, was out of town and the previous owner was there helping out in the kitchen. All the employees were stressed out and scared of him, and at one point a customer came in (who by the situation seemed like she came in every day and ordered the same thing, and it was ready for her when she came in). She waited with us for her food, and after about 10 minutes she started screaming at the person behind the counter that she couldn’t wait anymore and that she had already paid for her breakfast and she had to leave because it wasn’t ready. Talk about strange. Then we went up and reminded the employee we also were waiting for our breakfast. It came out a while later, and one bite of my sandwich and I had to spit it out — the avocado had been sliced on, but still had the rind on! WHAT?
We got a refund for the food and went to Brew Bakers… it was 8:15 by that point after the refund and all. We haven’t been back since. I see now that Sweet Harmony Café has moved in — and I’m looking forward to revisiting this space. I’m sure they’ll have some competition with the new Dunkin down the way — but hopefully something will stick long enough in the space to become a «must go to» in Middletown!

This is my first time back to the shop since it’s changed ownership. Of course, I live in Boston but am originally from Middletown, and Java was a pretty frequent stop for me when I used to live here. I’m working on my computer and running some errands, just grabbed a cup of coffee from java and I was surprised to learn that it’s been sold and is reopening under the name «sweet harmony» beginning june first. So, I can only rate the coffee and the service thus far. both of which were quite nice.

Came here to have a double espresso after dinner. Looks like an extensive food menu. We were looking for coffee and dessert.
There were no cookies, pastries or munchies really. All regular lunch type foods that all sounded good.
They had a band setting up too for the night for back ground music. I was here once before and the band that night was nice to listen to.
I ordered from this woman that was very soft spoken and polite. Nice atmosphere here also.

I heard Javapalooza is going out of business, and to be honest I’m not surprised. Their coffee can be good, or it can be really, really bad. It all depends on who is making it behind the counter and if they care. The inconsistency can be frustrating, which is sad because when the coffee is good, it is *very* good.
The food is terrible and overpriced. I can tell that the quality standards just aren’t there with the kitchen staff. Before the new owner came in, I came for breakfast and got a California omelette and it was great, perfectly cooked and fresh. When the place changed hands they must have changed staff, because I got the omelette again and it had super brown avocado in it and was cold to the point where my cheese wasn’t melted. Needless to say, that killed my appetite. So I tried again and got a philly cheese steak crêpe. Pretty terrible. I tried a couple of the sandwiches, and they were okay, but just for the sandwich I paid almost $ 10…that’s not worth it when down the street I can get a freshly made sandwich (Javapalooza pre-​makes them and puts them in a case) and chips for less money.
This place didn’t need to go out of business. They have a great location and a customer base they could’ve easily cultivated with a little bit of proper management and an overhaul of the kitchen and menu.

I write this review in between sips of a wonderful tiramisu iced coffee, as the last tastes of the soft chocolate chip cookie I just consumed begins to slowly fade from my tastebuds.
This is my first time in this coffee shop and I wonder why it has taken me so long to come here. It’s awesome. The first thing I noticed was the big chalkboard menu behind the register describing the various espresso beverages this place offers. Names like Bananas Foster, Cherry Garcia, Whole Latte Love (with a heart as the «o») and Devil’s Advocate entice me as do their descriptions. However, I simply wanted an iced coffee and ordered one with just a small pump of tiramisu syrup as I don’t like things too sweet. It’s perfect. The food menu boasts different kinds of crepes — sweet and savory, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, and other stuff. The display case by the register holds various large muffins, bars, tasty looking sandwich and salad options. Everything looks great.
The staff are very friendly and the atmosphere is cozy, comfortable, and very pleasant. There’s free wifi with a very good connection. Also, unlike other places, there’s no minimum charge for credit cards. If I lived closer to Middletown, I’d probably be a regular. I will definitely be back next time I am in the area.

I was looking at the stalled traffic going the other direction while driving Nobbi to work his first day and decided that I needed to stop for coffee and wait for it to thin out before driving back home. I found Javapalooza on Main Street and decided to check it out.
I was greeted by a warm and cozy atmosphere, gentle music and very friendly service. There are about a dozen tables in the front section, two of them in the window. Local papers were available and now there are copies of the Hartford Courant available to peruse, as well.
I haven’t had any food here, but they advertise breakfast sandwiches are available all day long. Home made salads are also available.
I’m here five times each week, and I’d recommend that you stop by when you can!

Good coffe with a great atmosphere! Love the people and the food that they provide.

I really like Javapalooza. In high school, it was a hot spot for dates and hanging out at night. Fast forward a few* years, and I’m interning just around the corner. It’s a great spot for a quality coffee and caffeine boost in the middle of the day, but it’s also a nice spot to relax with a delicious latte concoction of sorts. Coffee prices are reasonable, latte prices get a little higher. The food gets a little pricey, but it’s not bad. The staff is really friendly, and there’s a good amount of seating both inside and outside.

They could fix some of the furniture in the store (a lot of the couches had rips in them). I had an iced coffee, which was just okay. It wasn’t as strong as I would have liked. The espresso brownie was amazing though.

Fantastical coffee lattes smoothies and food. The coffee shines. Little place tucked away on Main Street. If you’re in the area, go. It’s necessary and the prices are so low! Way better than any DD or Starbucks!

Now I’ve heard many negative things about Java. Many of them from reliable people who are my friends. That being said, I have to say that I’ve never experienced anything like that! Maybe it’s just luck of the draw? Who knows. Here’s what I do know:
Pro’s:
–Great lattes. I always get exactly what I ask for and it tastes great!
–Great crepes. Now it’s not a crêpe place. It’s a coffee place. If you want really great crepes, go to New England Emporium. If you want great coffee and a snack, go to Java. The crepes are sweeter (which I tend to like) and more dessert-​orientated. I haven’t really had their luncheon crepes yet to comment on that.
–The owner always says hello to me and any other frequent customer he knows.
–Great little sandwiches (tho a little on the expensive side)
–Decent music. I am not really into the «hipster» scene (nor do I get it). When I was in college it was emo kids. So I guess it’s just the same thing but snobier? I don’t know. But it’s my understanding that it’s good scene for that culture.
–Great décor. I love the posters on the wall of various musicians on tour. I’m a big fan of music from the 70’s and 80’s. Good ol’ rock and roll. And that’s generally what you hear when you come in when someone isn’t performing.
–Really cool art on display/​for sale. It changes every month or so.
Con’s:
–Bad publicity. Google it if you want to know more.
–There was this advertising television screen last time I was there (I hope he got rid of it since I was last there.). It’s a good way to make a quick buck, but it really takes away from the mood of the place.
–There’s always a wait. So don’t show up if you’re in a hurry.
Bottom line it’s the best place in Middletown for a sit down coffee. I’ve heard that Kaleko is «better» but I’m always seeing shady people outside that place. So I’ll take what I know is delicious and won’t harm me.

Java!!! AKA Wesleyan Getaway AKA Haven for Hipsters
Drinks here are great and come in the cutest little mugs. Service is great and orders are taken and given very quickly. The best part of this store has to be the seats. Even though it can get a bit crowded at times, the seats are comfortable and great for just relaxing and people watching through the window or to study or read. There are concerts here every so often and the music selection is usually alternative rock or jazz. The ambience is very much like a café in the village in NYC, and there are seats outside during the warmer seasons as well. Their seasonal drinks, especially in the winter time are very good!

Loved the crepes. The lattes and mochas were all very off from west coast quality. Soup was very tasty. Friendly, odd service.

I have been here twice. Once I dropped in to grab a latte. I got a choco-​latte gingerbread. It was pretty good. The older guy that made it was nice, but not in a hurry, which for that morning I didn’t really care. If you do though, perhaps a quick coffee the better choice.
The second time I went in there, I went with my boyfriend to have breakfast. I ordered the berries and nutella crêpe and he ordered a sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich on a hard roll. The crêpe wasn’t bad, but the ones I have had at New England Emporium (also reviewed) are better. It definitely could have used more nutella. There was only a little drizzle across the top. The breakfast sandwich wasn’t that great. I don’t know if the egg was microwaved or overcooked, but it was rubbery and not that good. We both had medium coffees. The only choices for coffee were French or medium roast. For a place with «java» in the name I expected there to be a little more selection.
The older guy was there behind the counter, but helping someone else. The person helping us at the counter, was not overly nice or friendly. We were not picky with our order or giving them a hard time, but we usually wave goodbye or thank our waitress, barista, or whatever when we leave. The person gave us a weird look (no smile or wave).

A nice atmosphere, but the girl behind the counter was so unfriendly, and I was really disappointed by the crêpe I ordered. It was nutella and strawberries, but severely lacked both. Definitely not worth $ 8. I’ve had much better crepes from street vendors.
The sandwich menu looked very good… I should have ordered from there.

Another favorite (getting tired of writing favorites! Is all I do eat when I come home to the parents!!!) of mine when I come to see the bio-​rents. AWESOME Crepes, decent micro-​brews. Come in, talk with the staff, never know what you might learn…

Nice little coffee shop with an additional outside area to sit. Large selection of hot and cold drinks, some food and I noticed they serve wine too. Also noticed a chalk board that mentioned they have live entertainment.
Staff was friendly and polite, but on the Sunday we went they had only 1 person making the drinks (and 1 at the order counter) so it was a good 10 – 12 minutes waiting for drinks to be made as it was fairly busy.
Had tiramisu flavored coffee which was excellent, and had a M&M mocha smoothie which tasted good, but after a few sips all the flavor was gone and the cup was just a cup full of slushy ice (Not sure if that’s their fault or they way I drank it). Also had a biscotti which was delicious.
A bit pricey but perfectly average for small coffee shops and Starbucks type places.
Would probably stop by again when walking through the area if I was craving a coffee.

Good vibe, still a franchise
Nice alternative to starbucks
Sandwich wasn’t impressive, got tired of chewing the bread. Could a be few bucks cheaper.

I love Javapalooza, and if I’m not in the mood for run of the mill Starbucks, I’ll often make the slightly longer drive to go here, especially if I want food. They have excellent food and I recommend the Popeye’s Pesto crêpe or Edgy Veggie breakfast sandwich… really anything with pesto from Javapalooza is going to be great. I’ve never been disappointed by the food, but their drinks are another story.
It all depends on the barista, but about 75% of the time my drink is sub-​par. By sub-​par I mean flavorless, lacking any sort of kick, and just generally «blah.» When they manage to make a good drink, however, it’s DAMN GOOD. I’ve ordered the same drink on different days and had vastly different experiences, which is unfortunate. If you’re not feeling lucky, just go with a cup of their Italian roast coffee. It’s always delicious – bold, flavorful, and rich. If you want an espresso drink, however, I would highly recommend you look elsewhere (Brew Baker’s across the street or Klekolo).

I truly love Javapalooza. I try to go every weekend to sit and enjoy the sights and sounds of Main Street (come on… it’s so entertaining!) as well as a large sugar-​free almond coffee.
The atmosphere is really cool. While I’ve never been any time that they have had live music, it seems like the perfect place to go, chill out and enjoy some obscure local band.
This weekend I visited and the line was really ridiculously long. I waited patiently though, and the woman at the cash register ended up giving me and my boyfriend two coffees on the house. Now that’s customer appreciation!
They also seem to have really delicious looking baked goods… I have yet to try it, but the seasonal pumpkin raisin biscotti is calling me! :9