Fair Grounds Coffee Cafe

Me and my fiance really liked this coffee shop. The coffee was tasty and the atmosphere was welcoming. However, when we left, some man with short-man syndrome harassed me about my service animal that clearly had a service animal leash and bandana. My animal was friendly and sitting quietly by us the whole time and not bothering anyone. He claimed that the health department would have problems with him being in the upstairs area. Im not sure how this guy is associated with the shop, but he should've been a little more friendly and not so negative towards us.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I enjoyed visiting here only thing for me it was upstairs which is not good for people with mobility issues

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 5

I adore this place already, having only been here 1 time! It will most certainly not be my last time! The barista was so friendly and sweet and made a delicious latte! It was quiet without being austere and cozy and cute! Perfect place to read or vibe!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Tasty beverages and cozy place if you want to spend nice time by yourself or with friends

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 5

Immaculate vibes. Feels like you’re in an old house but with plenty of sunlight and nice decor! There are a lot of little nooks to chill at and get some work done, and a parking lot which is convenient. The caprese sandwich was super mid and expensive but coffee was good and vibes were high so gotta leave 5 stars.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Great coffee. Super kind staff. Definitely a great spot.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This is my favorite place for coffee. The service is always freindly, patient, and respectful. The coffee is delicious. I get a latte with Almond Roca and Dark chocolate. The cozy atmosphere is perfect for relaxing, reading, and just chilling.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The vibe was so cute and cozy. The perfect place to study, chit chat or people watch. The coffee was really good and they had a wide variety of fun flavors to chose from. Will definitely be returning.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

My husband and I love taking our toddler here for breakfast! My husband gets the Frozen Nutella, I get an iced Heath, and my son gets a ‘coffee’ chocolate milk! They are so kind and wonderful. I am so grateful we are close!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Always great coffee
Frozen godfather is the best.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This is my favorite place to go so far for getting work done in Hampton roads. Their iced chai is the best! And everyone who’s been working when I’m there is very kind.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We are writing to express our profound disappointment regarding the service my team and I received today at your coffee shop. As first-time visitors, we chose your establishment for a work meeting, hoping for a comfortable and productive environment. Unfortunately, our experience was far from satisfactory.

From the moment we arrived, we felt pressured to constantly order food and drinks. It was evident that our server was pushing us to make continuous purchases, creating an uncomfortable and rushed atmosphere. This was particularly unsettling as we observed that other patrons were not subjected to the same persistent solicitations. Our server even mentioned that this directive came directly from the manager, citing strict policies.

While we did purchase a drink, three pastries, and a bag of coffee beans, the continuous interruptions from the server, who repeatedly asked if we wanted anything else, were highly disruptive and frankly, annoying. There was no prior indication or agreement that we would be required to make purchases at regular intervals to utilize a table.

This kind of treatment is unacceptable for any business, especially a coffee shop that should ideally foster a welcoming and relaxed ambiance. We had clients with us, which prevented us from addressing this issue directly with the server at the time.

Given this negative experience, we will unfortunately not be returning to your coffee shop, nor will we be able to recommend it to others. I sincerely hope that the owner will see this complaint and address these concerning practices.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 5

Service: 1

I used to get taken here as a teenager and young adult, so it was a very special place to visit and I couldn’t wait to introduce my child to it.
I really wanted brewed coffee, and asked if it was fresh. I was told it was brewed at 9 AM. This was at about almost dinner time. Old coffee is old coffee, but I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt as long as it was hot.
So I asked if they had any sample cups so I could try the dark roast. I was told proudly “No, we don’t give out samples.”
It seemed like a nice enough pair of employees, so I have no idea why it was worth working against me to try to give them money for just black coffee.
It was humiliating to be treated as an inconvenience in front of my family, and more so to literally be actively worked against to try to get a cup of coffee. If you can’t offer to brew ground coffee during a non-peak period with no one else in line, at least let me taste it to see if it’s still hot rather than tell me you don’t do free samples like I’m trying to get free product.

The latte was terrific and the French Toast muffin was fantastic 😋

Best coffee shop in Norfolk, staff is awesome and the vibe is always friendly. It’s my go to