Penn Street Perk

Penn Street Perk closed in the late summer of 2012.

Update: I used to love this place and came here weekly… Now place is under new ownership– prices have gone up with poorer quality coffee/​food. I’ve tried going back several times to see if it is getting better, and sadly it hasn’t. Orders come screwed up (served hot drinks when I order iced) and bagels are hardly toasted, even though I love my bagels so dark they’re almost burnt… Sorry Perk, but I wish it was like it used to be.

Great Location!
Good sized medium iced latte!

This is not the place to go if your in a rush. But I don’t say that as a bad thing. Few (when I say few I’m thinking two at the most) people work at a time and if there are more than a few orders things take a little more time.
Nonetheless, they are friendly and welcoming and I love getting a breakfast bagel from there and if there’s a table open it’s nice to sit and relax.
All I can say is that this place needs some work! You walk in and it is shabby and if you aren’t willing to brave a place that doesn’t pass for five star dinning then you will miss out and pass this place up. (however, it’s been a while since my last trip here, so that might have changed)
It is a great place to feel like a part of the neighborhood and enjoy some food and a cup of coffee

First and last time going to Penn St Perk.
The soy latte was the worst I have ever had. After taking about ten minutes to make (I’m not kidding, and I was the only one being served), it tasted like it was made using the dregs of an ashtray. When I told the barista I couldn’t drink it, he cheerfully made me another, equally as bad, but in a fraction of the time it took to make the first one.
There were several outlets available to plug in your laptop, but none of them were working – management must have tripped the fuse intentionally.
And most annoying was the 650 AM talk radio playing loudly throughout the place.
This place SUCKS!

Wonderful place — visited during Christmas season — and very festive and inviting. A small but comfortable place just a couple blocks away from Colfax.
The person behind the counter was very friendly, and I was fortunate enough to find the rare table with an outlet for my laptop. Only downside was that I showed up as others did, and waited a while to get some coffee.
Still, I’ll be back!

I have almost always had extremely positive experiences with this local coffee house. Their mocha is almost always excellent, their baristas hospitable and their establishment is very cute. I did, however, just before writing this review, received an unmixed, unsweetened mocha, which tasted very different then the mocha I normally order. I was not terribly pleased with it, when normally delighted. Four stars nonetheless…
*update*
Since I wrote this review I have returned a second time and gotten a very bland mocha. Was not pleased and will not be returning. Still 3 stars for excellent location, staff and quirky cuteness…

I would rather scoop my eye out than remain here for even another second listening to the «²⁴⁄₇ Comedy Radio Station» they’re blaring. Nothing like drinking mediocre tea while listening to an ever-​rotating set of jackasses screaming angrily about politics or listening to third-​rate bores make easy jokes about people from the South or New Jersey.
Maybe you think the radio station shouldn’t be the major influence on a review of this godawful tiny spot with cardboard boxes strewn about and a bathroom you can only access by asking the barista for a key on an enormous spoon, gas station style. Maybe if you think that, you should listen to 30-​second clips of disjointed Tim Allen/​Margaret Cho bits for half an hour and see if you can keep from committing self-​harm.

Geez I wish I liked this place better! It’s the closest non-​corporate/​chain-​type place to my house.
I was excited to try the breakfast burrito. Not the best ever but pretty decent. The coffee is pretty tasty.
The barista must’ve had a case of The Mondays, not too friendly. My biggest turn-​off: I requested my coffee in a mug and he refused saying, it’s easier for him to keep up if he gives me a paper cup. Well great, I’m glad I made his day easier by contributing to unnecessary waste. I should have just offered to wash my mug for him, it takes like 2.5 seconds! Horrible customer service in my opinion.
Still better than Panera minus the customer service. But don’t go out of your way to come here.

There has definitely been some quality lost at Penn Street Perk in the last few months.
While the coffee-​shop has expanded to include things like shakes and smoothies, it has simultaneously not had available many basic components for its own menu items.
It seems almost every-​time I come in here I have an experience like this: «I’ll have the Italian sandwich on your menu please.» «Oh sorry, we’re out of salami. We have ham if you want.» «Oh okay then.»
It’s the salami for the Italian sandwich, or the spinach for the salad or the vanilla syrup for a latte. I don’t think it’s an unreasonable expectation for a customer to expect that the items on the menu will be available in the way they are described. I do get that maybe every once in a while something will be out unexpectedly, but when that is the norm, the problem is with the management.
I still think this is a great place to study and would much rather support an independent business over someplace like Panera, but I also want to be able to order the things that I want on the menu. Even especially as I’ve noticed the price of many things on that very menu have increased over the last several months.
It’s just not worth it after a while.

This is my neighborhood coffee joint. Do I wish I had a different one to call my own? Yes. Do I absolutely dislike this place? No.
Penn Street Perk has its positives such as a really friendly, totally unpretentious staff and breakfast burritos that I crave on a weekly basis. But their coffee just isn’t very good. I don’t like whatever roaster they use and their chai or espresso drinks are never consistent. A drink I like one day might taste completely different the next day.
I go because it’s one block away from my place and they have a nice patio and free wifi, should i so desire it. I’ll be honest, sometimes that’s all it takes for me to be a regular.

This is so sad. As the closest coffee shop to my homestead, I really want to like this place.
Pros: Nice outdoor seating
Cons: ***Internet speed that compares to AOL Dial Up in 1996*** I have been here three times now, each at least a month apart, and each time I have been unable to accomplish anything than raise my blood pressure. Fortunately I have an Android phone (far superior to iPhone) and was able to teather my own WiFi. Unfortunately, this doesn’t cut it!
If you’re not looking for a place with WiFI I suppose this place is fine. I wouldn’t even try to rate or compare their coffee. Not my specialty.

Recently stopped by to see Naomi Haverland’s (
) paintings that were on display. Neat little place in a hip area. The coffee was nothing special, similar to Starbucks. Décor was modern and comfortable. Looks like they serve a wide variety of other edibles but I didn’t give them a try. Art was great, coffee was okay.

I first started going here in the beginning of Nov when I moved to Denver. I LOVE it. My favorites are the Mocha, Zebra Macchiato, and the breakfast burritos. The service is always friendly, polite, and fast. They also have a punchcard program which honestly was the reason I came back the first time. Needless to say, in a month, I have filled up a card and a half. It’s just ten hot drinks and the 11^th is free!
The atmosphere is awesome, very chill with free wifi and a variety of drinks and food. Not pretentious or intimidating at all. Also, I have to point out that the older gentleman (I believe the owner actually) took the time to explain some of the menu items to me, while at most places they just want to get you in and out. Ala Starbucks. I’m a total fan and hope they stick around for the long run!!!
Pros: Cheap prices, different sizes, variety, wifi, good service.
Cons: Espresso is a bit bitter in some drinks.

Easily four stars with potential for five stars when I come back and they have the stuff to make the sandwich I wanted. Good coffee, good food, space to work & plug in, interesting customers and music, and several outdoor tables.
Continuing in my quest for a great neighborhood coffee shop, I had passed by Penn Street Perk serveral times thinking it looked very «chain-​ish» from the outside. I was wrong. It definitely has the independent coffee shop feel I like, and it’s the first one I’ve come across near me that has a pretty robust selection of food (for a coffee shop).
There are several tables (and outlets) inside for people that need some space to work, and also some leather chairs for those of us that need some thrift store furniture to make us feel at home. Not a huge place, but by no means as tiny as some folks had me believing. The music started off good, and while they inexplicably switched to a pop radio station, at least the internet worked the entire time I was there.
The paninis are a step above the usual choices. They were out of the egglplant and artichokes for the Andrea Doria (the veggie option), so I got the Titanic (salmon, capers, feta) and was pleased. The sandwiches come with chips or a side salad and the greens were fresh.
They’ve managed a much more relaxed feel than I would have guessed from the exterior, and it was a pretty ecclectic group of customers that came in and out while I worked. My favorite people watching moment was when one girl was sincerely confused when they called out «Andrea Doria» and her friend went up to the counter to pick up her sandwich (I guess some people don’t care if half of the ingredients are missing). Her friend, who’s name was apparently not Andrea, explained that it was the name of her sandwich and not some code name she used for the coffee shop.
I’ll definitely be back.

Urban atmosphere — very rough around the edges — with Southern hospitality. I’m definitely a fan.
More than coffee is what you’ll find on the menu: tea, smoothies, breakfast tacos, sammies, etc. Free Wi-​Fi, multiple electro outlets (just look right under your seat!), outdoor seating, sunshine during the winter frost right above you at high noon, neighborhood vibe … this place has it all.
Only thing missing is the coffee house lounge feel with couches and stuff to make this «your spot.» Regardless, if Denver were my home, Penn Street Perk would be my prime bitch amongst my coffee-​shop whoring.

A nice little coffee shop in an area that is screaming for a Starbucks. It’s so much nicer to support a local business, don’t you think?
Staff is friendly and the inside is cozy. I think a couple more comfy couches and chairs would be nice or maybe an expansion into the empty space next door to open this place up. That’s mainly the only reason I don’t stay with my drink. However, the hot chai with caramel was great and the prices are decent.
Once someone figures out a Starbucks should be put across the street in the old 7 – 11, watch out because we may be saying goodbye to a great local coffee house.

I just needed to update this, because I’ve been back a few times. I’ve had two more paninis, made some new friends, and updated to five stars. I try to avoid the five-​star as much as possible, but I couldn’t help myself on this one. I’ve loved everything, I’ve hung out with friends here, I’ve had some great coffee, I’ve chilled, and I’ve made this an ‘Official Hangout’ spot. ‘Official Hangouts’ get five stars. that’s the rule.
I even had the really weird-​sounding panini. The all veggie one, with artichoke hearts and other such craziness. I absolutely loved it. Everything is affordable, the people who work there are great, and chances are you’ll see me there with my nose in a book.

As I walked through Capitol Hill on my way to the library on a hot day, I needed some sustenance. I stopped in here to see what they had to offer food-​wise. I was not impressed. They only had four sandwiches that didn’t seem to impress me.
Instead of ordering a cold coffee drink, I decided to try a smoothie. Good prices, but it was horrible. For a small, it was only $ 3.50, cheaper than Jamba Juice, but not up to JJ’s standard. I tried the pomagranate. Yuck. It tasted like a 7 – 11 slurpee without the ice. It also tasted a bit like blueberries, and was a purpley blue. Perhaps the woman making my drink got the flavors mixed up. Either way, nasty, and I was stuck drinking this atrocity because I was burning up in the heat of the sun.
The place has some outside seating, but not a lot inside. It’s small, which makes it feel like a sweat shop. I started sweating even more.
Friendly service though, which picked it up a little bit. I liked the décor. Some people say it’s drab and weird, but I liked its originality. Free wi-​fi for the hipster crowd, which is nice. Who knows if it works well though.
Perhaps I’ll return on a cold day to sample the coffee, but I’ve heard that the coffee is decent, at best. I would find another Cap Hill place tfor your caffeine needs.

Penn Street Perk is a great little coffee shop to sit and read a book or get some work done on your laptop. They offer free wi-​fi, plenty of comfy seating (especially considering it isn’t that large), a nice breakfast/​lunch menu and better than average coffee.
As for what some of the other reviews have said I’ve never had a problem with either the speed of the Internet or the friendliness of the staff. Then again, maybe I’m just a more patient and charming person? :)