"Pros: Good coffee and great customer service. Cons: the front and back door blow open with the wind making the front bar a bad spot to sit and realistically unusable in winter. The chairs by the back door are only good if you are bundled up in winter bc of the draft. Grab a seat at the middle 3 tables if you want to stay and work. Completely fine in warm weather."

"As someone with barista training who appreciated the nuanced craft of coffee making, I’m disappointed to share that Rowster’s has fallen far from its original standards. This used to be my go-to spot when they first opened, back when they were roasting beans in-house and clearly took pride in their craft. The drip coffee I ordered tasted distinctly burnt, suggesting their brewing equipment is overdue for maintenance or calibration. When you’ve worked behind an espresso machine, you recognize these telltale signs of neglected equipment - it’s not just about the beans, but how they’re being extracted. Speaking of extraction, the espresso I observed being served lacked the rich, golden crema that indicates proper brewing pressure and fresh beans. Good crema should be thick enough to support sugar for a few seconds and have that beautiful tiger-stripe pattern when milk is poured. Instead, what I saw was thin and dissipated quickly - a clear indicator of either stale beans or improper brewing parameters. The consistency has become frustratingly unreliable. Whatever changes occurred since their early days - whether new ownership, different suppliers, or staff turnover - have fundamentally altered what made this place special. For a coffee shop that once understood the craft, this decline is particularly disheartening. I hope they can return to their roots and restore the quality that originally made them a neighborhood favorite.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​"

"Rowster Coffee is one of my favorite cafes in Grand Rapids. They have a pour over manual brew which is a sign of a great coffee spot! Their lattes are not overly sweetened and very well executed. They have a great atmosphere with a friendly helpful staff. I would highly recommend Rowster Coffee and will definitely be back."

"My favorite cafe. Worth noting I quit coffee in early 2025 so this review is in retrospect. Cute little seating area with bar seats and some tables. A couple tables out front and on a back patio, weather permitting. Artwork on the walls is always interesting. Rowster roasts their own beans and tend to favor richer varietals, lots of caramel and coca and bourbon flavor in their beans, which is why I prefer them to Madcap, who tend toward brighter, fruitier varietals. Espresso or drip coffee was my usual order with the ocassional latte. Batch brew was sometimes cold but that is the risk of batch brew in my opinion. Pour-over is also available. The house espresso is rich and nutty. Baristas always seemed to have their system dialled in pretty well compared, again, to Madcap, who has served me many an overdrawn, salty shot of espresso. I might be done with coffee forever but this place will always hold a dear spot in my heart and be highly reccomended to any coffee enthusiasts willing to be subjected to my opinion."

"One of the best Americanos I’ve had in a while, smooth, not too acidic or bitter, with just a touch of cream to round it out. The space itself is serene and filled with natural light (I sat at the bar by the window), making it a great spot for solo work or deep focus. The vibe was super quiet, with soft music playing and everyone on laptops, no distracting chatter, which I loved. That said, it’s not ideal if you need to take calls or chat, you’d definitely stand out as the only person talking. Location in Eastown is super convenient, and I’d come back anytime I need a calm space to get through a backlog of busy work."