Brian H

comfy coffee shop right on Bleeker. tasty coffee drinks and nice, quiet outdoor area. imgaine it would be great for drinks at night.

Shri

Beautiful spot to sit down and talk with friends or chill alone. Great coffee, lovely service. I really like the vibe and interior. As you know the location is great. There’s a bathroom.

+1

Great coffee and seating area. Staff is super nice! Wasn’t as impressed with the coffee- the neighborhood and even next block have better. I’ll come back and try again in a pinch but not an instant favorite especially for the neighborhood.

Karly Fuentes-Paredes

This shop is tucked away in the West Village but definitely a must-visit! The ambiance is unique, and unlike the other coffee shops in the city. But still a very social working environment. I ordered a simply honey oat latte, and it was so warm and frothy and perfect for a cold winter afternoon.

rated by maryam • food critic

Do Not Feed The Alligators is one of those spots that is fun to say you’ve tried, and I’d call it a solid 4 stars. The vibe is quirky and playful, with decor that makes you smile and a space that feels relaxed enough to camp out with a book. My drink was good, not mind blowing, but definitely enjoyable. You can tell they care about presentation and the staff is friendly and patient, even when it gets a bit busy. That said, it falls just short of being a true four star for me. The coffee could use a bit more depth and consistency, and the pastries and food feel more “does the job” than memorable. If you are nearby and want a cute, low key place to grab a drink and hang out, it is worth a stop. It is just not a destination coffee shop I would go out of my way for, which is why it lands at a comfortable 4.

+5

Omri Cohen

Renovated chic meets elevated earthy casual at this down to earth specialty coffee spot. Great natural light as you enter from the expansive glass storefront. Grab a seat by the window if you’re lucky (prime for people watching). Or if it’s a nice day peep a place in the hidden back patio. Vibes inside are approachable for West Village: casual clientele with some trendy types trickling in. Mosaic tiles line the interior alongside mixed material from stone seats to modern concrete counter to plastic bodega seats. The plastic seats could be swapped for a more cohesive earthy experience. Groovy Kendrick Lamar beats bop the background. Drip coffee: unique, floral, grapefruit on the nose. Light roast. Thin body, which surprises a bit, but is delicate with a short finish. Not as robust as a medium roast tends to be, which may be surprising for day-to-day coffee drinkers. Ownership could consider grinding finer for the drip to extract more flavor from the bean. Espresso: Same bean used as drip. Grapefruity. Not super long finish, but you definitely get more complex tasting notes vs. the drip. Ownership should consider a red eye offering to be add the espresso thickness and add some richness to a drip. Pourover: solid! I got the Geisha. Smells of lavender, rose, and strawberry coconut. Tasting notes of cantaloupe and kiwi. Medium body. Baristas were friendly and professional. Drink rec: grab a pourover! And if you see an alligator, just admire and do not engage. Drip coffee score: 3.5/5. Everything else score: 4.5/5. Overall score: 4/5.

+3

Jenny

Went on a Monday morning, not crowded, which was nice. Service was friendly and quick. I ordered a matcha latte and a croissant, both were good! I wanted to try the raspberry cheesecake but it wasn’t available when I arrived (it came out later). One thing to note: laptops and tablets aren’t allowed. But overall, it’s was a pleasant visit.

Poorva Bhatnagar

It is a normal coffee shop nothing extraordinary, still they charged $7.50 for a cup of latte, which was not hot also. Also when I asked server about seats she did not help me, would never visit again. Would recommend other coffee places in same vicinity with better vibe and prices.

+4

John Gibb

*Night Experience Review* TLDR; doesn’t serve coffee at night, yet doesn’t make for a good bar either — identity problems. No coffee shop drinks allowed at night (not even espresso shot) even though they have the machines going and sell an $18 Espresso Martini and a $16 espresso mocktail. They’re rude about it and indignant when you ask, and I watched several ppl walk in, ask, and walk out frustrated. Furthermore, they have a no laptops or tablets policy. Now, I’d totally get it if it actually had a good bar scene at night! It’s got a DJ (she seemed great! no offense to her!) but they just give her a small spot for a laptop at the coffee counter. And it’s still a coffee shop layout with few tables, nowhere to dance, and no one even standing. It’s really the worst of both worlds. Either become an awesome bar at night (and then why not stop selling espresso at least, even if you kill the slower drinks?) or keep it a novel concept of a hybrid. But instead it’s neither a good bar (again, sorry great DJ!) nor a good coffee shop. Pics from Sat at 9pm.

Sophia Guzman

nice ambiance does not equal to great coffee or great customer service. was excited to try this place after seeing its reviews, but unfortunately was not satisfied with what i was served. the worker at the front was extremely rude, i asked her if she had any form of simple syrup to make the coffee on the sweeter side, and instead of saying yes or no she rolls her eyes and says "it’s mocha it’s already sweet". to make it worse the coffee tasted like burnt dark chocolate and did not even taste like it had a granule of sugar in it. safe to say it left much to be desired.

After almost a year I came again today but my experience this time is very disappointing. This place used to be one of my favorites but unfortunately everything had gone really downhill. Idk if the management changed or what happened. The place was messy and the service felt careless. I honestly don’t understand why I paid $20.69 for one matcha latte in a small paper cup and one tart without tips. On top of that, the matcha was so small. When the barista was putting the matcha on the counter, he spilled some of it and then he just filled the rest of the cup with milk, so the matcha flavor was barely there. I requested it extra hot but it was just warm. Not professional at all. With so many other options around, it’s just not worth it. Also a dessert that contains milk or cream sitting out on the counter all day (I’m not even sure how many hours) can be dangerous. It’s supposed to be kept refrigerated. I really hope I don’t end up getting food poisoning on top of already being disappointed.

I visited on the afternoon of 2/24 and unfortunately the barista was one of the rudest I’ve encountered in my life. Genuinely ruined the experience. I know it was probably a tough weekend given the blizzard, but that’s no excuse to treat customers so poorly.

Zhenlin Jin

So this was the 2nd time coming in ordering the paradise drop coffee. The first time I ordered it was no problem I really enjoyed the coffee taste and was made aware by the barista that it’s best not to add milk/cream to it which will mess up the taste. But today, the same barista who has a Slavic accent left the coffee there after it was done. I stood there waiting for about 10 minutes. The customers who came in 5 minutes after my order were able to get their espresso drinks. Note that the coffee shop was NOT busy at the time, I was left hanging by the counter for a good 10 minutes anxiously waiting, while the coffee was already complete. I don’t like to rush service workers and I had to ask the barista, “excuse me, just wanted to check up on my order of paradise coffee”. But it was met with annoyance and very snarky tone asking if I ordered it for here or to go. Like really? There was no apology. She just said “thanks for being patient. “ This experience was awful, even though I enjoyed the coffee and at least the cashier was friendly. But i wouldn’t recommend this to any of my friends, given that there are abundance of other coffee shops in the west village.

Iris

I had a very disappointing experience at this café despite its beautiful and atmospheric interior. While I was using the restroom due to feeling unwell, someone whether a staff member or another customer—repeatedly knocked on the door and urged me to hurry, even after I clearly responded “Sorry, occupied” each time. What shocked me most was that, despite the door being securely locked, they forced the door open while I was still inside. This was extremely disrespectful and invasive. It’s unacceptable behavior in any setting, especially in a place that presents itself as welcoming and cozy. To make matters worse, no staff member approached me afterward to acknowledge or resolve this incident, which made the experience even more upsetting. Atmosphere alone cannot make up for such a breach of basic courtesy and privacy. I hope management takes this seriously and ensures that customers’ dignity is respected in the future.