"I stopped here for matcha on the way back to STL. Not too bad, pretty decent. Hours are good as they were still open a bit later than most. The staff is really nice and accommodating considering it was near closing time when I stopped by. Plenty of seats inside and good place to study. I didn't get to try the coffee yet and probably will if I'm ever around the area again."

"* editing to add I finally got refunded, they did not respond any further or apologize but I appreciate that they finally made it right. definitely solidified that I am not coming back though. Shortwave has declined steadily over the past year or so. I used to like them as a decent option with pretty good espresso, not my fave but if you got a solid barista it was a pretty good experience overall. not the case any longer, as the last 3-4 times (spread out over a few months) I have gone it has been worse each time. the espresso is burnt, the steaming if you get a hot drink is usually subpar, and one time I got their beans and they quite honestly already tasted pretty flat and old (off-gassed for 24-48 hrs before use). now here's my biggest frustration, and why I'm done going for good. I had not complained the last few times, even though my lattes or cortados were consistently not great. this time, I got a latte with their autumn spice as last year I had liked it a lot. the espresso was so burnt it genuinely tasted like charcoal, the drink was terrible. I had already left, so I emailed their customer service email which they encourage at the bottom of their receipts if anything is unsatisfactory. they tried to insinuate it might be me not liking the autumn spice syrup, which is quite honestly felt quite undermining. then they essentially dropped off the grid with no offer of a refund. receipts of this email thread attached below. I genuinely should've stopped wasting money on them a while ago, but was overly hopeful that a barista was having a bad day/bar wasn't dialed in properly. this was a very sour end to my patronage at Shortwave."

"First time checking out this location. I like visiting Shortwave when I am in town. The coffee is still really good. They offer a variety of baked goods to eat, but not necessarily a hardy meal. Lots of space. Great place to people watch downtown too."

"I used to come here every day in the beginning of 2025, but the owner decided to ban me from sitting inside Even though I paid for my coffee every day and was respectful to everyone. The reason he told me I was banned is because of my Tourette’s syndrome. no, I’m not exaggerating. That’s exactly what he told me. So before you decide to bring your business here just know that’s the kind of person You’re giving your hard earned money to. Someone who is not compassionate and someone who disregards Someone with a disability."

"I’ve been to this cafe a bunch of times. Their lattes? Smooth and just right. Got a Cortado with a cute teddy bear design on top. The folks behind the counter are super nice. It’s a bright, airy place. They’ve got some good muffins, turnovers, and croissants – but that almond croissant is the best. Can’t help but keep coming back."