Tillie's of Brooklyn

I stopped going to Tillie's a couple of years ago, when there were suddenly other options. Perhaps Tillie's has changed their ways, which included unbelievable rude service, stale cakes and pastries, and foul tasting coffee. I would be interested in hearing other thoughts. Perhaps I'll give it a go again.

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I wish their coffee was better, but other than that, I love this place. It's about the only cafe in the area large enough to accommodate a stroller or two, there's a ton of things to read, and although I've heard complaints about the service, I've never experienced any issues. Yes, yes, bittersweet has better coffee -- so do Provisions and Silver Spoons (the yogurt place on Fulton now has coffee, btw, and it is great) -- but none of those places offer enough space to actually hang out comfortably. Tille's does, and for that it's terrific.

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The coffee is absolutely disgusting. And what's a coffee shop without decent coffee?

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I stopped going to Tillie's years ago because the service there was just plain horrible. The last straw was standing alone at the counter in the morning waiting to be served while on the way to work, totally ignored by the two people behind the counter giggling with each other and fumbling with an ipod for five minutes while a line built up behind me. I mean, maybe I do look kind of square in my work clothes, and those tunes WERE sweet, but you get paid to serve drinks and food to customers, not figure out what Malkmus album goes best with your red eye (and for the record, my vote is Face the Truth). Seriously, after that I would even go to Java Dave's when it was still around just to avoid miserable experiences like that at Tillie's, and Java Dave served distilled motor oil in to-go cups. But on the bright side, there's plenty of room for improvement!

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Odd to list Tillie's as the Restaurant of the day. It's just a coffee shop, with not so great coffee in my experience. Good place to hang out, looks nice etc.

The coffee is gross, and the service is achingly slow. But the layout is great, and if you get tea instead...

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Yeah they should really train their folks to make better coffees. I love this place in concept but every time I get a coffee there I am disappointed. You can't just turn a machine on and hope for good coffee. It takes care and training.

Tillies is a terrific place. It's not always about the coffee - for me it's about a place to waste a half hour with my friends, to tie the dog up outside or to meet somebody. The coffee I like is terrific (I usually like cafe au lait) and their iced tea is great. Tillie's was a trailblazer.

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Unless things have dramatically improved since the summer.....there are much better places in the hood.

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Wow, I didn't realize so many people felt the same way that I do about Tillie's! Someone should send the owner this thread. I really wish Tillie's was better. The coffee is consistently terrible and the food is really uninspiring. It is such a great place for the community, I really want to support it. I love the newspapers, art, outdoor tables, mural, characters and neighborhoody feel. Yeah, the counter-people could be nicer (kinda snotty college kids who really don't want to be there), but I can put up with even them. But the coffee and the food make me frequent the place a lot less than I'd like to. And it isn't even cheap! Thanks for posting Tillie's, Brownstoner. Maybe it will help. And it feels good to vent :)

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Counting on coffee baristas to be friendly is a waste of energy. However they should be able to make good coffee. Totally agree with everyone who says Tillies is a good hang and a great community spot. But again, learn to produce the thing that is your calling card.

I was in there today and the barrista heard me complain about the coffee. He agreed with me. I suspect it's something to do with the machines, or the method of brewing.

I stopped going to Tillie's years ago. I had a problem with the cleanliness. You shouldn't have visible flies circling around in the pastry bin or homeless ladies taking up full seating to sleep.

These things may have been corrected, but even someone I knew who worked there recently got a job at another coffeehouse because he couldn't stand it!

Well, it's not the beans, because Better Half and I used to pick some up there when he lived over on that hill. I really did not think the coffee was bad, but I like really dark/strong "chewy" coffee. I like the sort of arty/scruffy atmosphere, it reminds me of places I used to go to in SF 20 years ago. I can't comment on food, I'm not sure I ever ate anything there.

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What about Prospect Heights??? Will any of the following great restaurants be highlighted: Cheryl's Global Soul, Amorina, Geido, Prospect Park Cafe, James? Apologies if I have missed their postings. Thanks B-stoner.

Mr B we are also surprised Tilie's is here as restaurant of the day. This place is an average coffee shop that is great for reading the paper or studying even ( with headphones) but the service needs improvement. We don't drink coffee so can't comment on it but the owner is a great guy.

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I never was much of a coffee house person but I went with my frend...she stopped going after twice seeing large water bugs on the counter.
Also it was one of the first "new wave " of places BUT dont forget that way before Tillies was an idea, there was Cellars, Chinos, Joes on Waverly as well as the Pizza places & diners. So I also wouldnt exactly call Tillies a pioneer. One of the old new places is Ruthies Southern cooking near Ashland Place...Great food. And there always was Juniors.
So in all fairness, I havn't been to Tillies in years. It looks like a nice, relaxing place to hang.

I used to go to Tillie's in 1999 when I lived in the Navy Yard. It was the closest cafe where I lived and I wish their business well. It's still an ok place to land in the hood, but since I've gotten older and more boring, I agree that the coffee is not so good and it's kind of dirty. Maybe they could try a better coffee (I personally like Gorilla Coffee) and investing in some new machines to keep up with the competition, and improving their food options - ?

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If you people haven't been to Tillie's in years why do you bother posting?

Get over yourself will you.