Bar Nine is one of those places where if you know, you know. It exists to serve a certain crowd. And that crowd is loyal. I probably first stumbled upon it during college, on one of my endless searches for coffee shops to study at (anything to get me out of a stuffy library and away from stressed students on campus). Their signature tall glass jars were a draw, sure, but it’s what’s inside that counts. Spoiler alert: their coffee is up to snuff. Fast forward a few years and I moved to Culver City and Bar Nine became my go-to local coffee shop, the perfect detour on the way to work, or after a weekend workout.
Bar Nine was in the cool part of Culver before it became cool. I remember the first time I came to this part of town, on assignment during college, thinking, where the hell am I? The area is much more trafficked nowadays (esp thanks to all the media companies posting up in weird, un-labeled industrial buildings nearby), but it still gives you the feeling of being a safe distance away from the PLATFORM. Then again, it does cater to the same crowd. Namely, millennial hipsters. Guilty as charged.
PS: They’re opening Ten Cafe in Marina del Rey this year!
the details
| Address | 3515 Helms Ave, Culver City, CA |
| Website | https://barnine.us/ |
| Yelp | https://www.yelp.com/biz/bar-nine-culver-city-2 |
| https://www.instagram.com/barninela/ | |
| Hours | 7:30am – 4pm every day |
| Price | $$ – your usual hipster coffee shop prices, with drinks at $5-6 and food at $7-10. |
| Aesthetic | minimal, industrial, very spacious and airy with the high ceilings |
rather nondescript entrance
house made baked goods
perfect to-go jars
good to know
Go here for: the most aesthetically sustainable to-go coffee in LA.
Order this: coffee snobs should check out their pourover menu. carb snobs should check out their rosemary shortbread. Also, grab a bottle of their Espresso Nectar to-go for lazy espresso drinks at home.
Amount of time to spend: a lot of people like to hang out and work here, but the seating is minimal, and not the most comfortable, so I prefer doing a quick 5-10 minute drive by coffee run.
When to come: whenever! Like most coffee shops, mornings are a bit busier, as are weekends, but it’s never too bad, especially if you’re grabbing something to go.
Parking: is usually not too bad, you can generally find street parking on that block, but watch out for the street parking signs once it becomes residential. Most parking in the area has a 2 hour limit during the day.
Other things to note:
- Both the hot and cold drinks are served in tall glass jars if you order to go (the hot drinks come with a napkin expertly wrapped around it so it’s safe to hold). Future drinks are discounted (25% as of 2019), if you bring back the jar for re-use.
- Their alternative nut milk option is hazelnut milk, made in-house.
Last visited: December 2020
Last updated: January 2021
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