Jibe Espresso Bar

Grabbed a quick iced americano before my kayak trip and it really hit the spot. They were about to close, but service was still very friendly!

Location is good if you are at the marina. Breakfast sandwiches are great but super slow… Coffe is fine.
But what is with the $ 0.50 credit card fee on all charges. Its a little much to be asked to pay to use a credit card on a $ 7.50 breakfast sandwich.

It pains me to give anyone two stars, but…
Aside from location, being The Only public WiFi at Shilshole Marina, this place doesn’t have enough going for it to keep me happily coming back. Tea selections are limited, the food offerings pricey and small portions, the baked goods not much better than I can find at a grocery store. The coffee is okay, that’s about it.
Atmosphere can be okay too, though a couple of the employees are routinely uppity and rude. I asked if they had gluten-​free and the kid looked at me like I was stupid for asking such a thing.
The décor is fun.
Talked to the owner a couple times… super nice, I feel terrible writing this up but owe the public the truth.
If they change up the culinary offerings, change out a few of the employees, turn down the AC… I might consider enjoying coming here.

Free Wi-​Fi and plenty of outlets! The barista was wonderful! The Penny Floor adds an aesthetic bonus.

Stopped in here while in town for a coffee convention… was treated to the most delicious shot of Guatemala SOE pulled off of a La Marzocco Strada EP…, they carry a Portland based roaster called «red e café»
Beautiful floor covered in embedded pennies toooo…

Jibe is a decent spot to grab caffeine or food before a sail. The inside is very cool and their penny floor is awesome. The staff is a bit aloof to what is going on, but friendly nonetheless. Their food operation has some room for improvement, though. They ran out of bread for their sandwiches but could still make a panini. The sandwich took forever to make, and it was no bigger than my hand which was disappointing considering the price. Jibe could use some work, but without many other beverage options near Shilshole this place should do the trick.

Disappointed with the service! My husband and I walked in to grab a quick drink and maybe a bite before going sailing but the two people working there were to busy to even acknowledge that we were standing at the counter. More people started to come in and still nothing. One person was just taking muffins out of a tin and the other was making drinks, but still it looked like every other patron in the coffee shop had a drink and something to eat. The man behind me asked if they had taken our order yet. «Nope» the girl behind the espresso machine responded «Sorry we are short staffed and are really busy!» They still didn’t want to take our order!!! So we left. What a waste of time

Different employees are working this time, which may be the big difference. I ordered a bacon grilled cheese sandwich again (even burnt, that bacon and cheese calls to me…). They had the grill on the wrong setting and burnt my sandwich, but instead of serving it to me that way (like last time), they promptly started cooking a new one. They also gave me two cookies as an apology (still warm and gooey, I might add). Overall MUCH better customer service and attitudes. Bravo!

Great place for a coffee down by the beach! I went in here yesterday for the first time with my friend. I ordered a Freddo latte and it was delicious! I also got a dollar off any pastry item for ordering a drink and decided to try the cookies. They were delicious! It’s obvious they are new and working out some kinks, but overall I really enjoyed my experience with them! The only reason I didn’t give them 5 stars was because of the price. They are on the expensive side for a coffee shop. I will be back for another Freddo!

For an early morning sail from Shilshole, or winter walk to Golden Gardens consider Jibe Espresso Café a compliment to the experience. Yesterday my family took the opportunity for a winter walk from the Ballard locks to Golden Gardens Park on a rare sunny but dry and cold Friday afternoon after Christmas. After a brisk stroll we began to feel the chill of the afternoon air once we stopped moving and decided something hot to drink and a small bite would be a great way to finish before heading home. We decided to try this cheery café looking establishment and we’re rewarded to find they offered fine tea selections, sandwiches, hot soup, fresh baked (on site) muffins and cookies, in addition to espresso, and assorted frozen espresso treats (espresso served in a variety of forms with ice cream, etc.). We tried the Mélange, and Everything in the Fridge teas, apple strudel and blueberry muffins, their chocolate chip cookies, and their espresso.
Unlike other reviewers here, at 4pm on a slow Friday we found the new espresso barrista attentive, caring, professional, and friendly, treating all guests and the shop as with the care of an owner, but graciously deferring praise to those who had conceived it. Even after somewhat of an afternoon rush that followed, he seemed unflappable and responsive, with multiple couples arriving after walking their dogs, and even a group of children who seem to have ridden their skateboards together solely to treat themselves to a hot chocolate.
The tea is kept in sealed opaque containers to protect from aging and UV rays. The tea is prepared using filtered water brought to a boil in lovely long spout pots which is then poured over cloth mesh steeping bags filled individually to order with your loose tea of choice. The teas were marvellous.
The fresh baked goods were delicious and tasty, and if these and the ingredients of the sandwiches are any indication we will return to try them at a time not so close to dinner. With the care put in to the taste of the beverages and other items we ate I would be surprised if they were to make a foray in to more elaborate sandwich options if it were not a worthy replacement for a landmark pink sandwich shop recently closed down the street, though perhaps more ovens, grills, or staff would be needed.
Now a word on espresso. Having had a chance to taste proper espresso in Italy, I can most assuredly tell you that those looking for the burnt bean flavor passed off as a roasted delicacy by a now global Seattle based company using a mermaid as its logo would likely be surprised to taste real espresso; their expectations might change once they are exposed to real espresso flavor and aroma. Unlike the review provided by another contributor, I found this coffee to be some of the smoothest and most balanced I have found in Seattle. When the acrid acidity of improperly «roasted» «Charbucks» is not present ones pallette is suddenly opened to the subtlety and nuances of the numerous and various flavors and aromas that caress you when you don’t have to fight the urge to spit out what you are tasting. This is not that detestable espresso. I am certain it is primarily due to the coffee roasters (Red e café, Portland), possibly due to filtered water (though Seattle water is top notch purity per national standards, it is still chlorinated and passed through old Seattle piping which all impart flavors), but also due in part to top of the line Italian espresso machines (La Marzocco, Strata) that don’t overcook the espreso, preserve more of the natural oils, and provide second to none aeration rather than steam dilution.
Don’t expect blow your hair back bitter, this is a cup to enjoy, worth savoring, and which won’t set your teeth on edge, or your bowels on fire. In other words, this is the good kind of espresso, the kind Seattle should have been known for, a treat worth waiting for as these machines do not sacrifice speed for quality as most others do. And really, why shouldn’t something so enjoyable be given some time to do exactly that?

I tried this place out a few days after opening. I knew there was a lot going on, so the customer service wasn’t really up to par. I also winced a bit at $ 4 for an iced Americano, but I like going to small businesses, so that was ok, too. I recently took a friend there for coffee and a visit, but I have to say that my impression is still a bit lacking. Most coffee shops feel bustling, but with ²⁄₃ of the staff looking bored and not really engaged left me wishing I had stopped at Café Fiore instead. Like others, I loved the penny floor and that dogs are welcome there, but I have to give a meh to the customer service. Oh well.

Super friendly staff … penny floor is really cool
Just came in for their coffee and it was pretry cool vibe
Coffee is good and ppl are nice
Discounts if you pay in cash …

My family thinks this is absolutely one of the best places for breakfast sandwiches, muffins, and pretty much anything from the menu. They make everything in-​house from scratch, and the quality is consistently very high. They even make their own syrups and almond milk from scratch.
I paid about $ 5 for an egg, cheese and bacon brioche breakfast sandwich that was probably the best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever had. The same sandwich would fetch $ 12+ in a fancier shop or hotel.
My daughter was treated to table-​side tea service at our breakfast this morning. The staff is always friendly and efficient.
Oh yeah — their iced latte (my drink of choice) easily bests Starbucks and many of the nearby alternatives, and approaches the best in town. With that said, I know iced-​lattes are probably not the best way to judge a coffee house’s espresso.

Their floor is made of pennies and they gave me a free delicious muffin because we had to wait a little bit for the coffee.

Friendly staff, tasty lemon raspberry muffins, good coffee, an oasis in the Shilshole desert. Me likey!

In all fairness, I only sampled their espresso (double tall nonfat), but IMO a coffee shop is only as good as their coffee. I inquired about the source of their beans, and was told it was a boutique roaster from Portlandia, and they were the only guys outside of OR selling it. Bleh. Unremarkable and insipid roast. My wife complained that it lacked complexity. If I were to devise a coffee for people who hate the taste of dark-​roasted (AKA espresso) coffee this would be my product. Makes Kona seem smokey by comparison.
I will note that they have a cool space, with cool décor and details, and for that alone, they garner one star. They’re situated in a relative coffee frontier for Seattle, with, I imagine, a captive market of liveaboards at Shilshole, and local yacht brokerage types. The food might be out of this world. Alas, I may never know; the possibility is not enough to coax me to make the minor detour to Jibe to drink their coffee.
I’m going to fire up my ‘spresso machine right now to get the sour taste out of my mouth.
TLDR: unless your caffeine headache demands it, seek better.

I love this little place, but I am going to talk about the cold brew because it’s the best. They start with a cold brew concentrate, which they make themselves, then add water or milk to your choosing. What sets it apart, though, is that instead of regular ice, they use ice made of coffee, so your drink actually gets stronger as it melts. You really get your money’s worth here, especially since all their food is made in house, including the sandwich bread. And I’ve always had great service every time I’ve been here. Anyway, if you are in Ballard or around Golden Gardens or the Marina, give Jibe a try!

Barely 3 stars and only for the $ 4.00 feta/​spinach scone. Coffee was 0 stars, probably because they don’t have soy and use homemade almond milk. Not too my taste or needs to grow on you, I don’t know. The coffee taste still should have pushed through. The only explanation I can think off is a second pull from the grounds.
Too bad, I had high hopes for this desolate location.

Feels like a great spot. Nice food options, espresso is well made, the proprietor is nice, it is open early… So far I’m a fan.
The syrups and ice-​creams are a nice touch, quite nicely done and not out of a catalog.