"My favorites are the Summer Salad, Breakfast Bowl (add Pico de Gallo), Chicken pesto sandwich, Mediterranean Bowl, and the Strawberry Fields Smoothie. The coffee is fantastic too, and the place has an amazing atmosphere! Plus, there’s free 2-hour parking below in the garage."

"Retreat Coffee – Green Lake From the moment I walked into Retreat, I felt like I was stepping into a living mood-board of Seattle creativity and soul. The entire café is wrapped in the powerful, vibrant artwork of Seattle artist Bonnie Hopper, and her presence is unmistakable. Her portraits follow you from the front door to the far back wall like ancestors watching over the space. You feel them before you even notice them. It’s bold. It’s intentional. It’s show-stopping. Hats off to her — her work transformed this entire café. And the food… listen. I ordered the smashed potatoes with sour cream, feta, and cilantro, and WOW. Crispy edges, soft centers, bright flavors — comfort food with personality. A whole mood on a plate. Retreat is one of those places where you can breathe, think, create, and be held by the environment. Great music, warm energy, friendly staff — but the magic is the way the art, food, and atmosphere come together. It nourishes your spirit, mind, and body without you even realizing it. If you’re in Green Lake, RUN here. If you love supporting local Black artists, RUN here faster. And if you’re a creative, healer, or visionary — prepare to be inspired. Bonnie Hopper’s art + Retreat’s vibe = a whole experience. A must-visit. 🌿✨"

"Hey friends! This review is about sustainability only :) By 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. And over 95% of the plastic we use does not actually get recycled (but rather ends up in landfills, incinerators, and waterways). I was disheartened to see that nearly everyone in the shop was drinking their smoothie or coffee from a single-use, throwaway plastic cup. Especially because they were physically staying in the space to work or meet friends. While I’m glad you do indeed offer real glassware (I asked for a real glass for my smoothie!), it was frustrating to see that no one knows to do so, too. The plastic pollution crisis will need all hands on deck, and that includes customers explicitly asking for a real cup or mug when there, but it’ll also necessitate the business making the greener, more circular option known and available. Thank you for considering my feedback. Perhaps if you promote reusables on social, have the barista explicitly ask if for here/to go, sell aluminum canned water instead of plastic bottled, etc., you can start to shift the culture. We didn’t use to live this way! And we can’t afford to keep trying to."

"This was hands down the best grilled cheese / tomato basil soup I’ve ever had. I’m impressed with the smoothie I got too. I am not into sweets but I took a gamble with the strawberry smoothie one of the baristas recommended and I’m so grateful. The almond butter really compliments the strawberry in a wonderful way!"

"i think as a coffee shop the go up to counter to order makes perfect sense. but the bar area, cocktail, food situation feels like there should be a better check in for when people sit down. we sat ourselves at the bar and tried loudly speaking to the girls working and was ignored three times, once even with eye contact. two other costumers waiting for their attention commiserated with me about being completely ignored. great food, great atmosphere but rude staff as of today. hope it's a better experience in the future!"