Ever wondered what it’s like to run your own cozy coffee shop—without spilling real coffee on your table? Buckle up, because this is my review of the game Coffee, where I’ve brewed up all the details, from gameplay to components and more. I’ve played this one with my friends (and yes, we argued about espresso vs drip), so you’re getting honest opinions and a few laughs. Grab your mug, and let’s check if this is a game worth grinding for or if it’ll leave a bitter aftertaste!
How It Plays
Setting up
First, give everyone a player board and a scoop of beans. Shuffle the café cards and deal three to each player. Leave the rest in a draw pile in the middle. Put the coffee tokens and sugar cubes within reach. Nobody gets real coffee, sorry—rules are rules.
Gameplay
On your turn, you can pick beans, brew, or serve. Everyone tries to make the fanciest drinks for their café. You play cards to get new recipes and steal some sweet upgrades. Sometimes you spill (literally—my friend Tom did), which means losing beans. Other times you mess up and have to start your order again. Everyone gets a turn until the café card deck runs out. Nobody yells “Latte!” but I do recommend it for drama.
Winning the game
When the café cards run out, count your points from served drinks and special upgrades. Whoever has the most points is crowned Coffee King or Queen. The loser buys real coffee (this is our house rule and is 100% binding).
Want to know more? Read our extensive strategy guide for Coffee.
Gameplay and Strategy Balance in Coffee: Brewing Up Fair Play?
I love strategy. I love coffee. So you’ll imagine my excitement when my friends plopped the board game ‘Coffee’ on the table, promising both. Now, after several plays—some fueled by real coffee, some by pure sugar—I think I’m qualified to spill the beans on how this game handles gameplay and strategy.
The premise is simple: you’re a coffee mogul, building cafes and roasting beans. Each turn you choose actions, collect beans, and try not to spill your entire cup. (Yes, that happened, and sorry again to Bethany’s cat.) The first thing I noticed? There’s a genuine mix of choices. You can focus on perfecting your roasts, expanding your empire, or sabotaging your friends (all in the name of good fun, of course). Every action feels meaningful. No one was ever completely out of the running, and that kept us all invested until the end—except for Greg, who fell asleep after round eight. That’s a separate problem.
Luck does play a small role, mostly with bean cards, but I never felt my fate was sealed by a bad draw. The best player, not the luckiest, usually won. That means you can actually plan and—here’s a shocker—your decisions matter. The main weakness? Sometimes, if players dawdle, things can drag out. I recommend a timer, and maybe a bit less caffeine.
Next up, I’ll talk about the components and art—because if you’re not swooning over tiny espresso cups, are you even playing ‘Coffee’ right?
Component and Art Quality: Does ‘Coffee’ Come with Cream and Sugar?
I’ve played enough board games to know the difference between a box full of cheap tokens and one with deluxe bits. When I opened up ‘Coffee,’ I could instantly smell that sweet, sweet cardboard aroma (no real coffee smell, which is a missed opportunity in my opinion). But let’s talk about the stuff you actually get in the box. The components, for the most part, are sturdy. The player boards are thick enough to survive the occasional coffee spill—trust me, it’s happened. The wooden coffee beans are satisfyingly chunky and look adorable on the table. I tried to eat one. Don’t do that. Not tasty.
The art style is a real treat. The cards show bustling cafes, happy baristas, and some truly hipster moustaches. It’s a warm and inviting vibe, like a cozy coffee shop on a rainy afternoon. The iconography on the cards is clear and easy to read. I only got confused once, but that was because I got distracted thinking about actual coffee and forgot what I was doing. The color palette is mostly browns and yellows, which fits the coffee theme perfectly. Although, if you’re color blind, some shades may look a bit samey—so be aware.
Overall, the component and art quality of ‘Coffee’ serves up a lovely experience that gets you in the mood for a day of brewing and bean-counting. Next up, I’ll tell you if this game will keep you coming back for seconds or if it’s a one-cup wonder!
Replay Value & Variety: Coffee Never Gets Old
Let me tell you, when it comes to repeat play, Coffee has enough caffeine to keep you coming back night after night. After my fifth game with my friend Laura (who now claims to be a certified barista thanks to this game), we still found new paths to victory and fresh schemes to ruin each other’s plans. This is not one of those games you play twice and then use as a coaster.
The variety in Coffee comes from its clever mix of unique customer cards, rotating objectives, and the sweet, sweet agony of sacrificing your beans for a riskier play. Every round, you’re faced with new combos and decisions. Do you go for the safe Americano, or try to whip up an espresso martini for double points and double the stress? My friend Mike tried the “Triple Mocha Surprise” strategy and—surprise—he spilled his coffee and lost, but he still had a blast.
Even after about ten plays, I haven’t seen every combo or mastered every “flavor” the game offers. I love that it keeps things spicy, just like adding a hint of cinnamon to your morning cup. The options and setups feel truly endless, so the game always feels fresh, like a new blend at your local café.
Next time you sit down for Coffee, trust me—you won’t just be replaying old strategies. There are always new beans to brew and schemes to stir up. Speaking of stirring things up, let’s see if Coffee’s blend has more luck or skill—get ready to spill the beans!
Luck vs Skill: Who Really Brews the Best Cup in Coffee?
Let’s spill the beans about what really matters in Coffee—the battle between luck and skill. I brought Coffee to my game group and you could practically see the competitive caffeine pulsing in the air. Everyone wanted to prove they were the true barista brainiac of the bunch. But does clever strategy win out, or do you just need to pray to the coffee gods and hope for a winning hand?
First off, there’s definitely skill at play. You get loads of chances to plan your moves, mess with your friends’ plans, and try those sneaky combos that make them swear off decaf forever. In my last game, I watched my buddy Kevin map out a chain of actions that made us all gasp. The amount of smug he poured out after was illegal in most countries. If you like games where you can actually outsmart people (and rub it in), Coffee’s your brew.
But—and this is a big but—there’s luck too. Some card draws can flip your plans upside down, and once in a while someone gets a lucky break that leaves the rest of us as bitter as over-roasted beans. If your group hates random swings, take note: luck can sometimes decide who savors victory.
Overall, skill beats luck most games, but that random twist is always lurking ready to spill your perfect cup. Is Coffee worth your shelf space? If you enjoy tactical thinking with just a hint of chaos, I say pour yourself a cup. I recommend it—but if you want zero luck, you’ll want a different blend!
Conclusion
So, after many spilled beans and a few heated debates over who makes the best fake latte art, I can honestly say Coffee is a blast. The game nails a nice balance between strategy and a sprinkling of luck—just like my actual mornings. Components look charming, the art gives me all the cozy vibes, and I never once wanted to flip the table (not even when Bob stole my last shot of espresso). Sure, some luck creeps in, but skill matters most. Replay value is strong, and the only thing missing is an actual whiff of coffee when you open the box. If you want something fresh, friendly, and endlessly replayable, Coffee is worth a pour. That wraps up my review—if you try it, just beware of caffeine jitters both on and off the table!
