“I hope this place never closes,” my brother says with a wistful glance around the cafe. He fell, stomach first, in love with this spot and trying to convince him to stop anywhere else for any meal or snack, is a losing battle. To be fair, the food never disappoints, but this blog is meant for the coffee obsessed, not those seeking the tastiest burgers (YES, THEY ARE HERE. GO NEXT DOOR TO THE RESTAURANT).

On a most recent visit, my brother and I stopped in for breakfast on my walk to the office one morning. His concern for its business seems not totally unfounded as, indeed, no other customers stopped in during the half hour that we sat enjoying breakfast. The bar and concerts always draw an evening crowd, but Songbyrd seems largely overlooked as a coffee destination. Firstly, its location at the top of Adams Morgan is already saturated in the coffee market. Within just a few blocks of Songbyrd Café are a Starbucks, Philz Coffee, and Potter House. Secondly, the café portion is far less visible than the restaurant and concert space that are attached. The right side of the establishment focuses on coffee, breakfast, and lighter meals, providing small tables to sit at, as well as records for sale. The cafe serves breakfast sandwiches, huevos rancheros, and quiche in the morning, in addition to their pastries. The coffee is a self-serve station, a not so subtle reminder that at this café, the food is the star of the show.

If you feel like buying some vinyl, you can easily do so here, though I don’t understand how many people are buying vinyl these days, even amongst the most hip of hipsters. (Are CDs going to be making a come-back in a few years too, once there are virtually no MacBooks left on the market to play them?) The decorations continue the namesake’s theme with records suspended from the hanging lights. The walls and furniture are all painted in bright colors, yellow and reds against the painted black flooring. A bit garish for my taste; however, their food is amazing, so they can get funky with their decorations if that’s their aesthetic.

To be sure, I’m always a sucker for any spot where I can drink at night and then stroll in the next morning for a coffee, the memories of the prior evening’s extended happy hour lingering like a dream/nightmare, but one that actually happened and may have also involved your coworkers.

For $20, my brother and I each got a cup of coffee and huevos rancheros (crispy house tortillas with two fried eggs per order, scallions, and salsa). I also asked for some avocado on mine, because I have needs.

Of note: Neither the bar nor the café accepts Amex.  Be warned, lest you place drink orders for all your co-workers before realizing they won’t accept your boss’s card.

Stats

Price of a 12oz coffee: $2.50

Adult beverages: Yes (next door in the restaurant/bar)

Vibe: High Fidelity.

Music: It’s a record cafe so music is always playing.

Work/Study Spot?: Okay (very small tables) and music

Wifi: Yes

Food: Full Menu (serving breakfast, sandwiches, and other light fare, e.g. quiche)

Coffee Sourcing: Swing’s

Milk Options: Soy, Coconut, “Local” Almond Milk 

Website

Hours: Mon-Thurs (8AM-10PM)

             Fri – Sat (8AM-11PM)

             Sun (8AM-10PM)

Location:

2477 18^th Street NW

Washington, DC 20009