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Waves Coffee House
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
10 reviews for Waves Coffee House
10 reviews in English
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Review from Catherine C.
Calgary, AB
4/23/2012
Great cappuccino...fruity strong beans ... Just the way it should be. Fantastic open space with lots of room to stretch out. And they have a $2 matcha latte special on right now. Great neighborhood haunt.
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Review from Elle C.
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place makes a pretty good mocha latte, but for a lactose intolerant, it sucks not being able to get it in soy. Good selection of pastries and other baked goods at this location compared to the waves on 5th Street. And this location has ample free parking. Much bigger seating space and selection. On the last several visits it looks like a lot of people call this their work nest. (free wifi is always good). Waves is not as crowded as other coffee places, and the music is not blaring so it's the perfect place to catch up with friends or get to know a new friend over coffee.
This location also features a cool glass board room in the back for office meetings but I also spotted a karaoke contraption and mics. Yunno, cause I'm Asian and I always have my karaoke radar on. -
Review from Erin D.
9/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
I don't really know what to say about Waves except that I will never be back. I can see the appeal for the types of people that seemed to frequent it, it's clean, bright, has a lot of mirrors in it and it's staff are efficient. I had a nice cup of tea there and a delicious dessert that will serve, in this review as the perfect segway into what I did not like about Waves.
I was originally served by a gentleman who was clearly the owner (something I confirmed with one of the staff later on in the evening). He appeared flustered and more concerned with ensuring his staff, who were working like they were under a communist regime, were falling in line. We placed our order and I wasn't even sure if he understood it, I then asked him what one of the desserts in the case were and he replied "I don't know". I was so surprised I replied "I'm sorry did you say I don't know?", he barely acknowledged my followup question which prompted one of his poor staff members to interject and attempt to explain what the dessert was. He had no idea either but at least he made the attempt.
Also there was music there which was lovely, unfortunately it's a really bad venue for music coupled with the fact that I heard the owners sitting behind us, openly criticizing the musicians. There was also a big screen tv playing a soccer game literally right night to the music, it was ridiculous. The whole evening had such a terrible vibe to it.
Thanks but no thanks. -
Review from Reginald T.
Calgary, AB
9/2/2011 21 Check-ins Here
This is one of my go-to places when I need a place to crash and work on the laptop, or have a quick get-together with teammates to discuss stuff.
I love the fact that this place is open early and closes late. It's so hard to find a place that's open past 10 p.m. where you can just lounge around (or even grab a quick bite to eat, outside of a fast food joint), so I find this location very convenient.
Another favourite part for me is that they have ample wall outlets so if you need to plug something in (like a cell phone or a laptop), the likelihood of finding a place to do so is high.
They have free wi-fi here, although you'll need to ask the barista for the password. The bathrooms are protected by a passcode, so you'll also have to ask for the key if you need to use the facilities.
Water and glasses are available outside the counter for those who are really thirsty, which is convenient.
When the weather's nice, there's plenty of outdoor seating, and they even have a couple of outdoor heaters that can be fired up if needed.
I have to say that I'm a fan of their breakfast wrap as it's reasonably priced and somewhat filling. My favourite drink is the Rooibos Shaken Ice Tea with a splash of Peach or Mango flavouring. The pastries are kind of on the high side though, in my opinion.
I like that I can spend 2-3 hours here and *not* feel like I'm loitering. While I'm sure the staff keep an eye on the place, I don't normally feel feel like I'm being stalked. The managers are very friendly as well. I've seen acts of kindness by staff members to customers that I'm sure would get them in trouble at other establishments where they're more strict about those sorts of things, when makes me feel like they really care about their customers here.
All in all, this is one place you'll probably find me on a semi-regular basis if I need a place to get some work done outside of work or home as the atmosphere is friendly and laptop friendly. -
Review from Zain K.
4/3/2011
Coffee: I pretty much exclusively drink decaf Americanos, and here they are decent and typically priced. Comparing to other local chain establishments, I'll say Waves is better than Starbucks, though I still slightly prefer the coffee at Good Earth and Second Cup (though all four are totally fine).
Food: Haven't tried anything yet. It all seems slightly overpriced, and none of it really appeals (plus, there are numerous eating options within a block or two). Most curious to me is a dish that is nothing more than a dozen blueberries and raspberries tucked into a crumpet, selling for $6! By my estimate that's a markup of like 1000%.
Space: Spacious with plenty of seating. Very comfortable, and definitely higher-end in terms of finishing and furnishing. Good attention to detail and cleanliness.
Vibe: Almost always busy, with a mix of laptop/study types and social types. Generally your basic young, urban 17th Ave scene.
Productivity Potential: In spite of being busy, it's not too loud. The music is kept at a reasonable level. The Wifi is free and decent, seating is comfortable, and I feel like I tend to get a lot done here when I come to work.
Misc: This place has a private meeting room in the back that can be reserved for group use. I'm not quite sure how that works, and I've never seen it used, but the room does look nice and functional (like a small boardroom), and I'm adding a half star to my rating just for this.
Bottom line: Not the best for food and coffee, but certainly adequate, and other factors make up for any shortcomings here. Overall, probably my favorite cafe on 17th. -
Review from Crystal E.
Calgary, AB
4/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've walked by Waves so many times on 17th Ave that I thought it was finally time to stop in and check it out. Inside has plenty of comfortable seating and tables, there even seems to be a conference room type area in the back and some space outside for tables (for whenever spring starts, I guess!).
The gal who served me was pleasant enough, but I sort of felt like I was bothering her with my questions. While I was sitting there, another gal came on shift after her who appeared to be much more pleasant and helpful to the customers, greeting them as they entered and such. I ended up ordering a dark roast coffee with a slice of banana bread, which was quite tasty. The coffee was pretty standard, I'll probably try a latte or something more exciting on a future visit. The display case was filled with many different food options (sandwiches, treats, etc.), but as someone else had mentioned they are a little on the pricier side.
There is free wi-fi available, which is always a draw for me to coffee shops. I enjoy being able to get some work done in relaxing environments, such as this place. The music isn't overwhelming and it didn't get too busy the afternoon I was there, so the distractions were minimal. I believe right now the hours are 6am - 12am, which is handy for the late night coffee crowd. They also have a frequently updated Facebook page, which is great for keeping up to date with events going on inside the cafe.
So, Waves is a nice little stop by on 17th Ave and if summer ever arrives, will be popular with patio seating for the cruising crowd.Listed in: Coffee Time!
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Review from Nyssa R.
4/19/2011
If you're on 17th Ave and craving a coffee, stop in here. Amazing. As a coffee house you expect to go up, order, and sit down and do your own thing. Though I didn't feel overly watched, the managers were obviously present and milling around. That made me feel like they cared that I was there and appreciated my business.
The coffee is great. The green tea is better than any other coffee shop I've tried so far. The location is great, and the seating is comfortable - there are chairs for doing work, being on your computer; and there are chairs to lounge in with a couple friends and talk. It's a place for everyone, and it can accommodate any group of people. Their motto definitely suits the layout of the shop. I've tried most of the food there, I will say the soup is always amazing but always really expensive, which is the only reason I don't give it 5 stars. It's definitely worth a try if you haven't been there, and it will keep you coming back. At both locations I've been to (this one and the downtown location), I've never met a rude employee - in fact I find them to be much more friendly than your average coffee shop employee, and I do go at least twice a week. -
Review from Arc P.
Waves has an outstanding atmosphere. From the moment you walk in the light blue color of the interior reminds me of water, which reminds me of sun and beaches and this makes me smile! I like the fact that the shop is littered with music concert posters, hooray for Duran Duran and Aretha Franklin, respect!
I ordered a medium dark roast coffee and a toffee pudding square. The coffee was good, but the square was just too sweet for me. It was also a hefty $4.99, which seems high for a square. Next time I think I will try one of the delicious-to-the-eyes-sponge-type cakes displayed in the window as well as a latte or another specialty coffee to see how it compares.
Found the place really clean and the staff very friendly. They even said "see ya" as I was leaving.
Waves also has a meeting room at the back of the shop that is encased in glass with a boardroom style table inside. Very nice touch!
Though Waves has WiFi, I had trouble connecting to the network. Kind of disappointed about that.
Giving my experience a 3.5 stars rating with possibility to upgrade to a 4 or 5 based on my next visit. Will be back soon! -
Review from RONDA R.
Calgary, AB
3/26/2011
I can't handle going to another 'Bucky's! Waves is the answer. The coffee and tea is very aromatic, and tastes almost 'spicy'. I absolutely love it, but it is a takeout/sit down so don't expect to find a drive thru window :)
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Review from Kenzie H.
Calgary, AB
1/12/2011 2 photos
Very helpful and friendly staff, free WI-Fi and the White Chocolate Rooibos Symphony was amazing!
