If you ever wanted to turn your kitchen table into a bustling café without the need to mop up real espresso spills, then you might be eyeing Coffee. This review spills the beans on whether this board game will perk up your game nights or just leave a bitter aftertaste. I brewed up a few rounds with my friends—some of whom take their games (and caffeine) way too seriously—so I could give you the real scoop. Grab your favorite mug and let’s see if this one deserves a spot on your shelf or if it’s more of a decaf experience.
How It Plays
Setting up
First, place the main board in the middle of the table. Shuffle the coffee bean, customer and barista cards. Deal each player a starting hand, plus coffee tokens and a score tracker. It only takes about five minutes. Less if you bribe a friend with an actual coffee.
Gameplay
On your turn, you pick cards to brew drinks, fulfill customer orders, or mess with other players’ plans. You’ll draft beans, manage a tiny hand of cards, and try not to spill coffee everywhere—trust me, sometimes real coffee gets involved. The game is fast and there’s a lot of player blocking. So, expect grudges to form as often as lattes get made.
Winning the game
The game ends when the order deck runs out or someone completes a set number of orders. Whoever has the most satisfied customers (points) wins. If the winner rubs it in, make them clean up the coffee stains on the table!
Want to know more? Read our extensive strategy guide for Coffee.
Game Mechanics and Strategy Depth in Coffee
Alright, let’s talk game guts — the mechanics. “Coffee” brews up a combo of card drafting, resource management, and set collection. Sounds fancy? Maybe. But here’s the thing: the rules are simple enough that even my friend Dave (who never reads rulebooks, ever) picked it up before his second cup.
Each turn, you grab beans, roast them, and serve up orders. There’s this tight balance between racing for the best beans and prepping your café for speedy service. At first, I thought it would just be a race to grab the top cards. Nope. If you ignore long-term planning, your café ends up like a sad vending machine: all beans, no style. You’ll need to time your actions to block rivals or snag those bonus point combos. My friend Megan, who usually destroys us at anything strategic, tried to rush orders. She got trounced by Pete who built up his coffee empire slowly and cashed in late. Ouch. That’s what you get for caffeine greed, Megan!
But let’s address the grounds in the cup—luck. There are some random draws, and a weird run of beans can ruin your plans, which bugs me. If you like perfect planning, this might grind your gears a bit. For me, the mechanics are strong, but the luck can get in the way. I still had a blast though, and you can outplay luck if you pay attention.
Next up, I’ll spill the beans on the theme and artwork—get ready for some eye-candy and coffee shop drama!
Theme & Artwork: A Caffeinated Feast For Your Eyes
Coffee is not just a game. It’s an experience for anyone who’s ever accidentally dropped a biscotti in their morning brew. The theme wraps you up like a warm cup on a cold day—right from the first look at the box. Coffee beans spill, steamy mugs rise, and there’s even a cat who looks like he’s had one too many espresso shots. Everything screams, “Let’s brew!”
The artwork is as smooth as a well-poured latte. Each card bursts with rich browns and cozy café vibes, which makes you want to hang tiny shelves and call the box your living room. My friend Julie actually tried to lick one card. (Don’t do this.) The illustrations are playful but detailed. You can almost smell the roasted beans when you line up your cards. We all agreed the designers must drink a LOT of coffee, because the little details—like foam art in the cups and cheeky barista aprons—make the world feel real and welcoming.
I wish the color scheme was a bit brighter. We played in bad lighting once, and my pal Dave mistook a cappuccino for a macchiato card, then blamed it on his “night blindness.” Seriously, some more contrast wouldn’t hurt. But overall, the visual vibe pulls you in and keeps the mood light, perfect for playing with friends who get cranky before their morning cup. Next up: I’ll spill the beans (pun intended) on how Coffee gets folks talking—and maybe a little too competitive—during play!
How Players Mix It Up in Coffee: Stirring Up Interaction and Fun
If you like games where people constantly talk, trade, and sometimes glare at each other, Coffee gives you plenty of sips of that action. From the start, the game makes you feel like a sneaky barista, watching everyone’s moves, hoping nobody snatches that perfect bean blend card before you do. I played Coffee with five friends, one of whom gets way too competitive if caffeine is even mentioned. I’m still apologizing for the ‘accidental’ swap that cost her her precious espresso set.
The player interaction comes mostly from the card drafting and blocking. You don’t just focus on your own coffee empire, you need to watch what other players are brewing up. Sometimes, I had to pick a less-than-scintillating card just to stop someone from snagging a combo. In one round, I watched two friends silently eye each other’s hands for three turns straight, daring each other to steal the last Colombian blend. It was tense, ridiculous, and made the whole table giggle nervously.
There’s also plenty of friendly (and not-so-friendly) competition over who gets the best bonuses in each round. Coffee never lets you hide in a corner and quietly hoard beans. The game’s design wants you to meddle in other people’s brews. I will say, though, if you’re a player who hates being blocked by others, Coffee might add a touch too much bitterness to your cup. For the rest of us, it’s a fun way to roast your friends—sometimes literally, if you mess up the roasting mini-game!
If you’re already thirsty for more, don’t worry—next up I’ll spill the beans on Coffee’s replay value and how long it’ll take you to finish your cup.
Replay Value and Game Length in Coffee: Is It a Quick Sip or a Bottomless Mug?
All right, let’s talk about something that matters almost as much as the taste of actual coffee: how many times you’ll want to play Coffee before it gathers dust next to your half-used French press. After about a dozen games with my usual group of caffeine addicts, I can say this game offers a pretty solid amount of replay value—but it isn’t endless like a bottomless diner mug.
The first few plays, we found ourselves discovering new combos and trying to outsmart each other with clever bean hoarding or sneaky sabotage. That kept things interesting! The setup changes a bit each time, so you won’t play identical games back-to-back. Plus, there’s the bragging rights of being crowned the King or Queen of Caffeine at your table. (My friend Jenna takes it very seriously. She showed up with a barista apron for game night. No, I’m not kidding.)
But after about ten plays, we found the shine started to wear off. There are only so many ways to brew and bluff your way to victory with the same ingredients. If your group loves to master games and then move on, Coffee won’t stick around quite as long as some heavier roast board games. The good news? Rounds are quick. Even with a full table, you’ll wrap up a session in 30-40 minutes. It’s easy to play two or three games in a row, and perfect for that after-dinner slot where everyone pretends they don’t want dessert but eats half the cookies anyway.
Overall, if you want a light, flavorful, and fast game, I recommend picking up Coffee—just expect to refill your fun with something new after a dozen sessions.
Conclusion
Well, that’s my review of Coffee, and I didn’t even spill my mug once. This game is a nice choice if you love fast games and don’t mind a bit of luck shaking things up. The art is cozy and fun, the player interaction keeps everyone awake, and it doesn’t wear out its welcome. But hey, if you’re searching for a brain-burning strategy game, you might find Coffee a little light or a little too random after a while. I’ve spilled more beans than I’ve won, and that’s saying something. If you want a game to perk up game night, Coffee is worth a shot—but maybe not your daily brew. Review over. Time for an actual coffee!
