Archive of comments on Starry Nites Cafe prior to 2010.
2005-05-09 05:59:55 I find live music at coffee shops distracting. Also, their breakfast options are subpar: the oatmeal is, like, $2.50 and you only get a little bit. Nice facility though. —RyahDahl
2005-05-11 13:49:20 Is there any relation to the establishment that was previously there, Moonbeams? I was sad to see it go, and haven't been back since Starry Nites opened in its place. —AdamLynch
2006-07-07 21:28:52 The "barista" is snooty and rude. He acts all put out if you order something other than coffee, and makes snide, sarcastic remarks to customers. —JohnBeyer
2006-07-20 17:28:45 I've never had JohnBeyer's experience at Starry Nites—the service can be pretty slow, but the staff are always friendly and helpful. I love this place. —AllisonFescue
2006-07-20 18:39:57 Nice little shop with not much room to move around in, however, for some reason I really like this place in the winter nighttime. Reminds me of something out of an old book. The interior is devout Van Gogh and the mural is nice but overall a bit over done. —RickUrwin
2006-08-27 17:52:14 Good food and drinks, slow to very slow service. The biggest problem I have is they are wildly inconsistent. You'll go there and really enjoy the food you got there one day, then go the next, order the same thing, and it's completely different. Oh, and if you do want your order to go, make sure you tell them at least ten times. —JohnPassaniti
2006-09-07 18:50:45 I spent a lot of time at Starry Nites this past week. Loved the coffee! Had oatmeal a few times for breakfast and it was a huge portion. Pastries were good too. Never had a problem with the barista or service. —EllenMartin
2006-09-18 06:16:30 I used to go fairly regularly when it first opened because I lived a few blocks away but slowed down my visits considerably after moving to the upper Monroe neighborhood. The service has always been very slow but I got used to it. My most recent visit was yesterday (Sunday) around 9:30AM and I bought a latte. The steamed milk was hot enough to scald my tongue so badly that a day later it’s still sore and swollen. And as I always do, because I don’t like super hot coffee, I waited a good 4-5 minutes before I even took a sip. I’ve never been served any coffee drink that hot in my entire life. Luckily there are plenty of other local independent coffee shops to choose from. —ZedOmega
2006-12-03 20:54:28 Super friendly baristas, and the WiFi is much, much better than Spot! —AdamFuller
2007-01-29 22:32:10 Menu items everyone should try: Carmel Nut Coffee, the Peanut Butter Frappe, and the Passion Fruit Cremosa. (Please note that if the Barista appears to be a new hire, don't order the cremosa because you'll just confuse them.) —FattyFatFat
2007-01-30 09:15:16 In a visit a few weeks ago, we found some of the pastries to be stale-tasting. —JasonOlshefsky
2007-02-11 21:09:03 I usually like Starry Nites, but on a recent Sunday visit the help seemed a little too eager to shoo people out. Customers were being turned away and the espresso machines shut off at 8:30, a bit excessive considering closing is at 9:00. Great German Chocolate Cake. —AlixHamilton
2007-04-11 13:15:50 This is a great space, and having been a big fan of the former occupant, I've always wanted to like Starry Nites. Nostalgia for Moonbeans' dark, cozy interior aside, it is hard to feel comfortable here. Winter visits are marred by inconsistent drafts and cold marble tabletops. Prices, while not outrageous, are just high enough to make you question whether you are really getting your money's worth. The smattering of passive-aggressive "notes" are just civil enough to cover up the fact that they're not really friendly. It's a place that has a lot of potential, but it's had a lot of potential for a long time. —EternalStudent
2007-07-30 23:25:13 I thought it was rude for the barista to come up to me the one time I did not immediately purchase anything right away. She told me the wifi was for customers which is understandable but we were there for maybe an hour and the place was not even half full. I have never been approached about this ever and I felt like I should not come back after this experience. Gonna stick to Boulder's. And what also irked me was that we weren't even using the WiFi. —EmilyYang
2007-10-08 15:17:09 Service is very slow, so can't go there if in a hurry. Great if you're looking to relax and time is not an issue. Live music outside on a warm night is refreshing. —FirstLast
2007-10-09 11:45:29 Fun for all ages. I liked the hot apple cider the other night, and the band, "Almost Irish" was good too. —BenMargolis
2007-11-28 08:56:11 I've never had a bad experience with the food or drink, and have enjoyed the music and WiFi service.
However, the last time I was there they were having one of their spiritualist meetings, and I was told that I had to leave when I was only half done with my coffee!
I had finished dinner and was enjoying my coffee when someone came up and informed me that they were having a holistic discussion, and I would have to leave. When I advised her that I had half a cup of coffee and wanted to finish, she said I could finish it at a table outside!
I ask to speak to the manager, and this woman informed me that she was the manager, and that I would have to leave.
Well, of course I will not be going back again. —JackPorcello
2008-04-18 13:48:19 I really enjoy the atmosphere here, and the Squeeky Chair Combo that played was excellent, but the coffee isn't anything to write home about. Still, the environment is pleasant enough I enjoyed the experience. —RoryGordon
2008-11-25 13:42:20 The place is kind of cozy. It's one of the rare places, though, where the staff charges me 50 cents to tip a little bit of soy milk into my brewed coffee. It's not a lot of money, but hey, it's hardly any soy milk, and just the principle of it frustrates me so much that I want to cut my ear off. —AdamDurand
2008-12-12 23:12:23 I love Starry Nites. Used to be there all the time back in the day. This was when Pamela Kramer owned it. They always had nice baristas working there. When I visited in March '08 I will admit, the girl wasn't very nice. —MWLasota
2009-01-21 21:00:10 I am an avid coffee drinker, and a big fan of chilling in coffeehouses. I've been to nearly every place in the Rochester, and Starry Nites is by far my favorite. Great atmosphere, nice baristas, good coffee. It can't be beat. —jlankheet
2009-02-14 16:21:55 I really want to like this place because it is so close to my house but the food is not good. The pastries are often stale and the coffee is so-so. —JulieBeige
2009-05-20 15:50:01 of all places in rochester i've had coffee, i would say that starry nites is up there with boulder as my favorite. consistent brews that i don't experience with javas, spin, spot...all of which seem to have good and bad coffee making days. the specialty espresso drinks & chai's are so delicious. i've never tried the food, but some of the wines are also quite good. an overall nice place to unwind with a mellow & friendly vibe. —Leisel
2009-11-14 13:46:26 Let me first say that the atmosphere of Starry Nights was wonderful! The food was good, but not fantastic. The only major complaint was the price which may keep us away from having lunch there again. 1 Soup, 2 Sandwiches, and 2 Iced Chai were $30! That was a lot. May go back just for the coffee/dessert, but too expensive for lunch. —JJohnson
