NYC Starbucks: 50th & 2nd

I’m sticking to the east side of Manhattan for the moment. And today I discovered a new neighborhood: Turtle Bay.

Turtle Bay spans Midtown-East from 43rd to 53rd street. It encompasses the UN Headquarters, and from what I observed, a lot of nail salons, obscure restaurants and grocers. I look up and I see much more apartment complexes than office buildings. And there’s a good amount more greenery here as well.

The Starbucks on 50th & 2nd has a cute (and clean) exterior. In fact, the whole location is much cleaner than most Manhattan Starbucks. The crimson red sofa looks like new and the wooden bars shine (how exactly is wood shining?). Unfortunately, cleanliness doesn’t help the fact that it’s a teeny-tiny location. There’s maybe 15 seats in the whole place. And a lot of them are directly across from the bar where the line builds up.

I’ve come to expect Midtown locations to be pint-sized. But usually when they are pushed so far east into the residential areas (as this one is) I tend to expect a little more room.

The Good:

The Cleanliness… Very clean and polished.

The Power Outlets… Although seating is limited, most areas have an open power outlet.

The Bad:

The Seating… A little on the window, a little in the corner, and a little right near the line.

The Size… Small and narrow.

The Crowd… A lot of coming and going on this Saturday morning.

The Restroom… One in the back.

Barista Friendliness:

Drink of Choice: 

Venti Vanilla Iced Coffee… Something sweet on a Saturday morning.

Overall Starbucks Rating:

A cute and tiny Starbucks. Just a little too tiny.