green bean

hands-down one of the best coffee shops in gso. sure, others may be newer and trendier, but green bean is an institution, it has character, and it delivers consistently good coffee and service every time. love the red eye or a soy or oat latte. also can't go wrong with a bagel or vegan pastry. always great for live music and rotating selection of art.

they serve a great local roaster joe van gogh out of hillsboro. greensborothe americana was satiny and creamy (with no cream needed). staff was friendly and the hodge lodge decor made us feel like we were in san fran. loved!

beware: owner treats customers poorly!. i had a most terrible experience here today. i ordered a "reed's jamaican ginger beer" from their chalk board menu and i got a "reed's ginger ale," which is an entirely different drink. i reluctantly and humbly asserted that this is not the same thing that i ordered, and it was not the same thing that was on the menu. the cashier said she could not, not charge me and that they did not have ginger beer. suddenly a very rude woman (only later identifying herself as the owner) from the bar entered the conversation to inform me that the words "beer" and "ale" were synonymous. also, she added that she had been to jamaica, and was therefore an expert on ginger beer. she was very rude and disrespectful in her attempts to belittle me and my wife in regards to our comprehension of the words "ale" and "beer." i cannot remember being treated so poorly by someone who values repeat & loyal customers. i have driven from eden, nc to gso many saturday nights over the past few years to relax with a cup of coffee. i cannot believe how horrendously i was treated by the owner today at my beloved "the green bean." upon further research i found out reed's actually makes jamaican style ginger beer and ginger ale. ginger beer is cloudy and has a highly spiced taste and is a completely different drink from ginger ale. i was made to feel very uncomfortable and unwelcome by the owner of this very nice coffee house. customers should be treated at the very least with civility & respect even if she/he is wrong. however, in this case the owner was equally disrespectful, rude, arrogant and uninformed. the coffee is too strong also (and i like strong coffee). i feel like the owner did not want my business or me there either for that matter. 06.14.2013

coffee in greensboro for a day, looking for places to eat on downtown’s main drag, south elm st.? i’d suggest beginning your day, or popping in any time, at the green bean . as coffeehouses go, it’s not cozy, but there’s lots of seating, local artwork on the walls, and it’s a hub for studying or working wirelessly (free). you sense historic character the minute you walk in the door and step on the appropriately worn floor. the ceiling looks a little too nice to be the original (didn’t ask), but look up and enjoy anyway. it adds to the ambiance. green bean’s space is deep, so be sure to keep going if the tables you see from the counter are full. there’s also seating in the “front window” area which sports a nostalgic checkerboard floor. here’s a shot from the back, looking toward the front door: don’t miss the small deck and sweet patio out the back door. a nice place to hang whether you’re a smoker or not. green bean’s barista passed my latte test with flying colors! hot, delicious, no

tasty coffee and a delicious bagel! awesome atmosphere! i would totally hang out here if i lived in greensboro!

i need more than this.... don't get me wrong i like green bean. when i'm in town it is the only place that i'm getting coffee, but it leaves me wanting more. the coffee is good but it is always, always far too hot to drink right away. there is an easy fix for this that i would love to see put in place...french press and/or pour overs.

the food, bagels, muffins and the like, are good. espresso drinks are always made well. the red tea drinks are different from anything i've had, and i've never seen them anywhere else, so they are worth a try.

verdict: way better than starbucks or dunkin. if they add pour overs or french press to the menu they will be far and away the best in town.

not pretentious. in response to the comments that the green bean is arrogant...i say you are full of it. the employees have always been polite and accomodating. the serve a great selection of delicious beverages and food items from local sources. you couldn't ask for me if you enjoy an ecclectic atmosphere and yummy eats. i especially have to recommend the vanilla latte with almond milk (yum) as well as any treat from zen cat bakery.

looks great from the outside but..........the wireless didn't work and they still have a $3.00 minimum charge for using a debit/credit card, really????? who does that anymore and maybe it's just me but the place is full of kids = no $ to spare. good coffee but a bit pretentious i think, this is greensboro not charleston, savannah or we you know, a city where you would expect the attitude.

weird, funky place with interestingly quirky local art. popular hangout for the artsy & intellectual crowd. you can hang out here for hours--good place to meet friends & a nice selection of typical coffeehouse fare.