Reviews of Balzac's Kingston (Coffee Shop)

Michael Nexus

My favorite cafe in any city. Love their location to meet friends for coffee and staff are friendly

Nathan Baron

They coffee is amazing. Staff are very nice. I had a coconut milk latte with turmeric! And I bought some beans that I've been enjoying at home!

greg anderson

I loved Balzac's via my first experience in Toronto. The Atmosphere is great, however the coffee I had unfortunately tasted burnt. The barista was hesitant to make me a new one.

Gloria Li

Wonderful coffee and service is prompt

Simon Johnson

Friendly staff

Nancy McGarvie

Liked the Americano, place isn't cheap but coffee quality is outstanding. This is the 3rd Balzac cafe I've visited, they are very good so far.

Kyle Campbell

Good ambiance, food and drinks. Note that there are laptop/tablet limitations on most tables, so aim for a side/window seat. Cheers

Thomas Parker

Fantastic coffee and atmosphere, somewhat premium pricing, but you get what you pay for.

William Bryan

Great service, kind staff!

Penny Brown

Luv their coffee and cookie

Chasel J. Weng

can't get a seat. full of singles bent over their devices

Vernon Simkins

What a nice place to have a coffee. Great service and awesome coffee. So many choices of snacks and they are all very tempting. Very nice place!

Paolo BM

Quality goods , nice atmosphere

Babak Mohammadi

Dine in

Rhys Manning

(Translated) Great coffee! Cozy interior, friendly and tactful waiters. Great coffee! Cozy interior, friendly and tactful waiters. (Original) Great coffee! Cozy interior, friendly and tactful waiters. Великолепный кофе! Уютный интерьер, приветливые и тактичные официанты.

F Glaude

Best coffee this side of Cuba! The almond croissant is incredibly addicting, consider yourself warned.

Kristian

My favourite coffee shop in Kingston for studying or catching up with a friend!! The music isn't too loud. Staff are always friendly and I really appreciate that there are alternative dairy options - my favourite is the oat milk! The Parisian Mist is a must try! One of the staff described it as a 'London Fog on crack' and I must say I agree!! I also love how there is so much seating, I've never had any trouble finding a place to sit.

sophie watson

They don't have as big a baked goods selection as I'm used to, but there's a lot going right for this place. Comfortable environment, average to above average coffee, the specialty drinks are especially tasty. Can't go wrong by paying this place a visit.

Spire Beats

Balzac's Coffee Roasters is a Canadian coffee company with sixteen retail locations in the GTA, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Niagara, Kitchener, Stratford, Guelph, St. Catharines, and Kingston. The first Balzac’s café was opened in Stratford, Ontario, in 1996, by entrepreneur Diane Olson. The company's headquarters and roastery are now located in Ancaster, Ontario. Named after the famous French novelist and famed coffee drinker Honoré de Balzac, the cafes serve traditional and fair trade blends, as well as espressos, hot chocolate and a variety of cold beverages. Each of Balzac's Coffee Roasters locations has a café poster unique to its district.

Nikki Walker

Great coffee, and great place to get work done. Also the staff is really friendly.

Marie Sara Jasmine Kendall

Very good "cortado" coffee

CS CD

Nice atmosphere, friendly staff too. I love coming here to chill!

Jessica Dahanayake

Outside patio. Real cups. Healthy cookies. Accessible entrance with pushbutton and two Accessible trans friendly bathrooms with grab bars.

Jessica M

Coffee is good, not great. Wifi is pretty slow so avoid if you need decent speeds for working.

Jeff

It's pricey, I was not impressed with the coffee or the Bakery selection.

Bradley Leaver

Best coffee in town

William Miranda

More expensive than Starbucks, 10% the quality. I ordered a mocha that was half full, had no chocolate, and tasted burnt. First and last time to Balzac’s.

Oliver Bettney

This felt like a proper local coffee shop, loved it!

Michael Harris

Warm drink is with a cool vibe

Raines Heath

Visually delightful and trendy spot with great coffee, reasonable prices and open-minded policies (e.g., bring your own bagged lunch)

Amy Zurrer

Excellent coffee, muffins were very buttery and prices were pretty good. Will be returning for a medium Guatemalan roast in the future!

Tarif Halabi

Best coffee in town!

Delcourt olivier

Nice quiet atmosphere to grab a coffee and a snack. Friendly staff and great location. Everything is fairly new and renovated so I definitely would return again.

E A

Best coffee we've ever had. Way better then Starbucks.

Michael Williams

Great staff, great atmosphere 10/10 would recommend.

John Whittle

Coffee is ok.

Jordan Toohey Carignan

Good coffee and nice seating area. The only problem is service can sometimes be slow.

Penelope P.

I love this place. They have all kinds of baked goods, including some vegan options, and their coffee is really great. I like the Farmer's Roast, which is really light and flavourful. They also don't meter or restrict their wi-fi like SOME places in town, which is really nice. Staff is quite friendly too, and the café is light and airy, which I really love.

Dean Depenbrock

Delicious coffee and pastries, and the servers are very friendly and attentive. This place is very popular and it can be difficult to find an open table.

Ethan Green

Amazing Cafe. Love visiting here with friends here weekly. Great coffee and teas as well as a cozy feel.

Lisa Figge

Lovely little place... Is hard to get a seat. The Turkish delight is good as is their chai latte.

Shawn Emmons

Macadamia nut cappuccino option. Delicious

Ken Hook

I appreciate the fact this is a local cafe. The interior design is a refreshing take versus the classic "Starbucks" look. Their coffees are some of the best in the area, and the baristas are very friendly.

Danielle Van Alstine

Nice place. Just a pity it's turned into a library/study hall with one person per table with a laptop. ALL 12 tables today had one person and a laptop (most with empty cups). No seats for anyone wanting to eat and drink. One student had her stuff spread over one table and 4 chairs! Saw several people/groups leave as no seats.

Nikolas Jackson

Staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. The coffee is delicious and I'd highly recommend this place.

Devin Stewart

Other

Frank Howard

(Translated) Coffee is delicious. (Original) コーヒーが美味しい。

Taylor Leeder

Coffee is good, ambience is not as good as the one in Distillery district. The bearded gent behind the counter talks really loud non stop which is quite irritating.

Vito Apa

The staff working today were SUPER friendly and helpful. Big shoutout. Great coffee and snacks as always.

MikeyPaper

Great staff/Service a little pricy but always a good option for a study day or meetings. Cute neighbourhood spot and lovely in the summer with the front counter windows open.

David Luke

Really good coffee; even better service.

Brian Fournier

What a bright sunny spot to just relax and enjoy some of the best coffe e anywhere.

Tara Kachroo

Fantastic coffee. Delicious espresso. Coffee in a cone is a must!

Rebecca Moss

Excellent service, very relaxed atmosphère. I would definately recomemnd a drop in to try their coffee...

Doug Gray

Always a pleasure

Danny Gravel

Great teas, and neat cups.

Ruth Elisabeth

Balzac's is an absolute gem of a café! The coffee is amazing, the atmosphere is lovely, and most importantly the staff are all super warm and friendly???????? All in all, I would 110% recommend Balzac's to anyone looking for a great café! Keep up the great work and here is wishing you all a wonderfully equanimous day, filled with peace, health, happiness, and truly so very much more! With tons and tons of Metta, Noah

Courtney Enns

coffee was Fresh and HOT but washroom was dirty otherwise its ,Five Stars Best in Downtown ... i tried all coffee shpps ....Also staffs at Monday morning very polite and soft a low spealing ,,,, best place for me top it and stfuy Also Very good cisyomd

Noah Satim

nice space! bright and friendly, great ambiance.

Will Marinac

First my hot chacolate was in a glass not in a mug and lukewarm. The milk that was used had gone bad I could taste it, it was disgusting the service was mediocre. And extra dollar for whip cream! Will not be coming back.

Eric Beech

Best latte. Charming space.

Esosa Oliha

The nicest staff & best coffee!

Robert Switzer

Excellent in every respect. Always delicious coffee. Top notch service. And tasty treats.

Anthony Kaduck

Yummy Apple Cider, fancy presentation.

Meredith McDonnell

Great coffee shop! Super cute inside with exposed brick :) can be noisy but the additional seating room is perfect for quiet work!

Ryan Chow

great for a cuppa tea or coffee. Fully accessible bathroom and push button on front door. :)

Joe A

Iced Matcha latte very watered down. Iced Americano was okay

D. Bernevek

Great atmosphere, they encourage table sharing so you can always find a place to sit. Love that in the summer you can sit outside.

PJ Arnott

If I have the time, I will always pop in for an Americano (iced these days). Highly recommended.

T.D.E

Awesome spot and drinks.

Jennie Marshall

Place was clean and well spaced out. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable about coffee. Coffee was very tasty!

Emily Kirby

Another example of Kingston's amazing coffee shops. With a big menu and friendly staff you'll find something that meets your caffeine needs

Martin Charette

Nice little coffee shop. Some tables are reserved for no electronics, which is nice. Lots of tables, but most are quite small. Good place to get work done as it's quiet.

Nicholas Jean

Very welcoming and cool cafe where you want to take someone on a date or hang out. Great selection of coffee, tea, and baked goodies. The peppermint tea is especially good and different from what you would get elsewhere. There's the main area and recently I believe they opened up a second seating area which is a little more private.

Nathan McCready

Great coffee, nice dessert snacks, lots of seating, clean washrooms.

Philo Farnsworth

Great coffee and friendly staff. Lots of seating

Jenni Rebel

Their Affogato in the hot summer really hit the spot. Amazing coffee and atmosphere. Definitely what Kingston needs. The pastry selection is delicious but needs more variety

Megan Carter

Burnt tasting coffee, generic snacks, hideous decor and high prices.

Leslie Morey

Favourite coffee shop on Princess St! Big window, great coffee, and friendly staff!

Paola H

Love,love????♥️????

Michael Amesse

Good coffee. Comfortable space with great lighting.

Soroush A

Parisian mist is way better than your ordinary London fog!

Grace Laing

Better than Starbucks!

Major Keyvan Nourhaghighi

This has become my go to Kingston coffee house.

James M

Epic coffee shop. Nice staff and good bakery. Busy but not crowded. Highly recommended!

Isabelle Poirier

I'm pretty sure it's pronounced ballsacks.

leslie l

Good coffee, lots of organic options. Very busy during the school year but pleasantly quiet in the summer.

Justin Tessier

This was the first place I went with my new mobility scooter, and it was ideal. There was a button and ramp at the door, lots of space for me to steer through, and an accessible washroom with a big enough entrance. It's one of the more accessible coffeeshops I've been to. I love the black and yellow decor--the atmosphere is nice in every one of their locations I've been to, and this particular one is right downtown in a great place to relax and people-watch. The coffee's great, and the barista was friendly, helpful and speedy. I also liked how they had signs preventing people from plugging their computers in from the middles of the aisles, so that there weren't cables strung across my path while I was trying to get around. Good spot, would definitely stop in again!

Gino Alache

Great coffee! Awesome customer service and fun.

Felix K-R

Service

Dmitry Neiman

Very relaxing

Hayden Taylor

Lovely coffee shop, the coffee is awsome

Ashutosh Kumar

Had a wonderful evening with local live music & delicious beverages.

Tom Gates

Lattes and coffee are good. But disturbing that they don't have hand sanitizer at the door when you walk in.

Mike Lucas

Good coffee options

Katerina B

Never had Balzac's? Get there!

David Lepage-Fecteau

I saw the coffee in the cone on Facebook and was dying to try it. It was so good!

Elaine Marilyse

While I'm not usually a fan of chains, Balzac's may be an exception. Friendly staff that can make a strong Americano. Not the best place to do work, but great coffee nevertheless.

Yi Luo

Great Americanos. Like the ambiance, but sometimes hard to find a seat. Awesome patio looking over Sydenham St. Baby change table available. Haven't tried the food yet, but don't think there's too much available

Tharaneesan Nadarajah

Do not live near the shops, but have seen the ads on the tv. Not sure if I could drink a coffee that's called "ball sacks"

Malcolm MacPherson

Decent coffee shop, friendly staff

Rachael Quarcoo (afrorae)

Excellent quality drinks and deserts. Love the organic touch. Great location and atmosphere.

Zbojar

Great coffee!

Marzieh Eskandari-Shahraki

Don't come for study or work, the internet connection is horrible...

Tomás Baldassarre

Staff are very friendly and prices are good. Highly recommend the Nitro Cold Brew! :)

Louise Richards

Quick clean with helpful smiling staff

Alexander Molnar

(Translated) Nice coffee shop with young people studying here (good and quiet atmosphere). (Original) Leuke koffietent met ook hier studerende jongeren ( goede en rustige sfeer).

Jane Gordon

I have to say that the selection of baked goods and interesting juices was nice. The coffee was nothing spectacular and it was a bit too pricey.????‍♀️

Maria Charberet

Step 1. Order a double espresso Step 2. Keep it clean. No milk, no sugar, just pure espresso. Stsp 3. Enjoy one of the best, most balanced espresso you've ever had, let alone, in downtown kingston. Step 4. Rinse and repeat.

Thalia Gillott

Great cafe with a modern vibe as well as a great selection of coffees, beverages, and pastries.

Brian Farrugia

Less than mediocre coffee. Awful customer service

George Semple

Great spot for coffee and people watching. Friendly staff too! I appreciate that the music was not so loud that you could talk easily. They could use some comfortable stools or chairs but otherwise perfect!

oktay aydin

Good coffee, terribly miserable staff. I've been in multiple times, and only one person seems to be working. On a closing shift that hardly seems fair given the volume of customers and closing shift responsibilities in a cafe.

Mario Villano

The Americano is so good...

Bryan Forstner

The coffee is lovely and the ambiance even more so. I highly recommend it!

Daniel Pastrana H

Nice cozy place and good coffee

Shahram Sean Yousefi

Great service and coffees. And they have Yirgacheffe!!

Neil Douglas

Getting better. Dark Roast is starting to taste like strong Coffee.

FEBIN GEORGE

male staff talks or shout loudly

Ryan Klinck

The coffee is slightly overpriced but the atmosphere is really nice

Julian

The best mocha coffee in Kingston's downtown. 100% delicious.

Glenn Ethier

Great coffee but very expensive

Lam Lilian

Lots of seating, nice almond croissants

Ross Victor Hermiston

Great coffee, great staff and a great atmosphere.

timmy adam

Currently the best coffee available in downtown Kingston. Staff are friendly and efficient..

Dan Cioroianu

Best coffee on Princess Street

Scott McCarthy

Great local spot. The window seat made for a lovely morning suntrap. It felt a little expensive compared to more established chains, but it felt worth it.

HelloDolly

Probably the best latte I have ever had.

Dominic Richens

Nice coffee shop with a more formal arrangement. Offers a menu which explains the drinks they make, especially those like the Cafe Nordique. Enjoyable way to find a distraction for a bit on the weekend. Drink offerings, the specialties in particular, can be a bit pricey.

Ryan O'Connell

Balzac's is a delightful cafe. Lovely atmosphere and great expresso drinks.

Gabe Reyes

Having merely walked by and not actually going inside, I can definitely say that it's a coffee shop that probably has coffee. Couldn't say about tea though.

Pierre Gaucher

Washrooms are gross and the place looked a bit dirty.

MapleRed

Organic ingredients, casual atmosphere. Upscale artisanal coffee without the upscale price.

robert Cichocki

This coffee shop is great to meet and greet friends. Friendly staff and a host of beverages for everyone. In addition they have a good selection of pastries (muffins, cookies, and puff pastries). Wifi is also present. Clean and pleasant to sit and just kick back..

Colin Lewis

Cool place to chat over coffee

Armaan Krishnar

Great coffee and delicious brownies.

Michael Dickson

Very true to the Balzac’s name: good coffee, tasty treats, nice café atmosphere, and while I haven’t tried this yet, I heard Balzac’s is pet-friendly! I wish they were open later; pretty much every other option nearby closes late.

Jon Aikens

A really comfortable place to have a GREAT cup of coffee and enjoy a relaxing atmosphere.

Eric Williams

Nice atmosphere and good coffee, although expensive.

Corey Forster

Great service! Try a nitro cold brewed coffee (coffee on tap)

Brian Cruickshank

Love the coffee here.

Debbie Miller

I could not believe how cool it was inside here! The decor made my jaw drop. I had a Canadian inspired latte with maple syrup, and it was sweet and delicious.

Nimita Chandiramani

Great coffee shop with treats and space to work. Service is always friendly

Ferd Merqury

Staff was very polite and happy... service was great and coffee was great...

Colin Ennis

Love the coffee and excellent place to meet friends

Charles Filion

Great lattés and great atmosphere!

Rob Stefanelli

Products are delicious. Not a cheap coffee place, but one of the better Indy coffee places

Alex P.

Good coffee. I like that they let you bring your own lunch if you want. Great idea!

Ashley Quan

Excellent decision to explain to students that it's not a student library but a business. In order to limit the long use of each table and chair. This amazing place needs coat rack and hat rack... Cowboys wear hats...Ladies too. Cheers

Mike Patten

Excellent Coffee, laid back to facilitate uuse of Cell phone, laptops.

Jason Larocque

Such a lovely warm cafe. Ideal for idling for an hour or two or getting some work done. Awesome staff and yummy drinks and snacks.

Matthew Quinn

Great coffee and ambiance, friendly service and good food!

Ursula Stoker

Lots of space to sit and quieter than other cafes in Kingston. Great place to catch up with a friend or get a little work done.

Alvin Boota

Wonderful environment and treats

Christopher

Nice quiet place for work. Excellent cookies!

Lisa

Meal type

Agathe Fittipaldi

Balzac coffee is Balzac coffee in Niagara or Toronto or Kingston! Anytime, anywhere!

David Wills

Cool place

Natalie Hill

Friendly, spacious, wifi, and sunny patio from which to watch the world go by.

Paul Plante

Weally good cowwfee

T “Rico” S

Try the mint tea!

Keith Bilow

Dine in

Matthew Quintin

Taste of Europe in downtown kingston. Ton of variety. Great staff. A nice relaxing place to sit and have a beverage.

David Wright

Yum

Jason Berenstein

Honestly the best coffee and so happy to find one in Kingston! Winter blend is great and if they have any of the Muramba beans…buy them!

Jason S.

The chia latte was delicious! Free WiFi.

Wim Gallée

Ok

Rob Breault

I like this cafe because it is nice and bright and you can see onto the street. Nice crowd of people that come and visit. Staff are kind.

Jonathan Nix

Very delicate. Wide selection of teabags.

J

Not a bad atmosphere. Coffee is good. Not great. The WiFi is free and open and the staff are friendly.

Noël

Prettiest coffee shop in Kingston with lots of seating. Love the retail coffee options. Hot apple cider is amazing, as well as the sparkling lemonade drinks (to which I wish they had all year round). Espresso is most often really good and balanced. Sometimes I find it might be pulling a little too long or short but that happens everywhere. I want to say 5 stars but the missing star is for the service. There are maybe 2 baristas that have been consistently friendly and welcoming, and you can tell who the managers are because they are always very friendly and kind. But about half the time I come here, the service is unfriendly and even bordering on rude and miserable, which is unfortunate because that sometimes makes me want to go somewhere else.

Chris Bird

There is a wide variety of coffee/espresso options available. All of which I've tried, I've thoroughly enjoyed

Thaya Williams

Great coffee and drinks!

Breathe and Smile

Great Coffee, Nice Ambiance. Super Location on Princess Street, Downtown Kingston.

Elvira Robar

Great place to do work. Would be great if the hours were extended

Donna McQuillan

A little pricey but the atmosphere is nice and they make great coffee.

Dmitry Uchitel

Not a fair rating, looked decent, but there was a sign on the door saying "due to unforseen circumstances we are closed for the day". Totally disappointed. Can't come back. From out of town.

Gavin Doyle

Service

Jimmy Hoffa

Nice little local coffee bar. Nice variety of coffees and baked goods. Does in a pinch for a study place too. High top tables and stool by the street are a nice touch. Always busy though but staff are friendly

Anthony Natalino

Friendly staff, fast service, great coffee.

Alejandra Gomez

Friendly staff, clean atmosphere and some seriously good coffee options.

Patrick Johnson

Nice place peaceful for a coffee in the morning!

Jessica Lynn

Excellent coffee, especially their espresso based drinks. Great location. Service is friendly and welcoming with very knowledgeable staff when it comes to helping you pick just the right brew.

Shamik Sen

Nice place and good coffee.

Lilia Galchyshyn

Nice boutique coffee shop, good coffee (Starbucks priced), better than average snack foods, good view of Princess street for people watching. Summertime patio area is larger than most coffee shops. Worth a visit ????

Allen Chen

Great coffee, just like TO. Better, friendlier service.

SN

Excellent service and coffee!

Joel Thompson

Loved the coffee in a cone! I had no idea what to expect and it was amazing

Mariano M

Beautiful people ❤

Adriane M-S

Okay coffee - it's a chain, and it feels like one.

Sean Valisescu

Excellent flat whites and desserts ????

G Allen

I nice little cafe with a modest selection of coffee's and light snack foods. A good place for meeting up with 2 or 3 friends to chat

Matt M-D

Love the style of Balzac's cafes, good coffee and friendly service.

Angel Rouse

Best Iced Americano in Kingston. Freshest lemonade. Clear and polite social distancing signage. Staff extremely friendly and super fast.