Great place with a very cool and eclectic vibe. Nice selection of coffees without being too overwhelming. The Nutella and the Campfire are my favorites so far.This place is a definite must try if youre in the area.

Words cant cover how awesome of a first impression this place left on me.Id been looking for a cute, cozy shop to replace the one I frequented in my previous town. We walked up the stairs to a nostalgic indie rock tune that I hadnt heard in ages. Barista was friendly. :) Got a small cold brew coffee for a super reasonable price, and also a perfect, chewy brownie (pictured). The ice cubes were also so pretty?? Dont know what was up with that.If I lived closer, Id spend way too much time here. Cant wait to go back!

Great place! Studied everyday here to pass an important certificate that changed my life.The coffee taste amazing and priced well.The staff was always nice and tried to remember your drink if you are a regular.

Best coffee Ive ever had!I tried the Aussie bites too, and they were super good.This location is upstairs, and there is no elevator, so it unfortunately may not be accessible to everyone.I would suggest calling and asking if they could bring your order down for you, but this may be a deal breaker for some.They also had the AC on low. This is something that bothers some people, so I figured I should point that out. :)Other than that, there are plenty of seating options, making it easy to get comfortable with whoever you come here with!There are also board cames in the sun room. :)

Great coffee and some baked products. I didnt look but I assume they have some gluten free products and probably breakfast choices. Love the ambiance.

Nice and homey atmosphere, everything on the menu sounds sooo good! Unfortunately I was in a hurry, but I highly enjoyed my ice coffee. The barista was fast and very kind. I will definitely come back again soon!

My favorite coffee shop we went to while in town. They have fun latte flavors. I had an iced butter crunch (almond + caramel) and I would definitely order it again. The breakfast sandwich eggs are cooked omelette style with the toppings cooked in them. The actual coffee shop is upstairs in the building. It was a neat place

What a cool shop and intimate atmosphere. We loved it.Short brown haired dude who made my wife and mines 2 shot 12 ounce late breve with a bit of honey. I advised you to stir them. Oh well you could also get someone to go over your steaming half and half. Have a great day. No hard feelings. Baristas make the worst customers. Maybe Elliot will visit you in your dreams and handle that. :p

My fav coffee place for sure. The staff is really nice. They have a great view in the cutest little house, upstairs (not wheelchair accessible). Normally, not during COVID time, they have the best vegan/gluten-free muffins and cinnamon rolls. The only flaws is it does get REALLY hot up there during the summer but def worth it.

Quiet and comfortable place with good atmosphere, delicious coffee, and light fare style food items.

The Nutella coffee was awesome. Also got the breakfast bagel which was pretty good. Kind staff. Great place to meet with colleagues.

This is a coffee spot. Pastries choices are varied from day to day, lounge to read or study, Tech charging areas. Many students study there. Very quiet. Coffee brewed your way. My go to coffee spot when in Norfolk, VA.

Nice coffee house! Very homie feel and more importantly awesome coffee and food. Reasonably priced. Only thing that stinks is parking. Street parking seems to be the only option. Dont park in the parking lot right next to it, thats reserved for the restaurants next door.

Elliotts fair grounds. Wonderful building downtown,great coffee and atmosphere. Like a living room. Great coffee house fare. Cant go wrong. Its by the Naro

Been coming here intermittently for years. I try a lot of coffee shops and this is one that always draws me back. Godfather is my drink of choice. The staff have really great interactions with the locals and regulars. The book exchange is a highlight!Tried nearly every special latte on the board (campfire, nutella, etc) and have not been let down by any.

You might wait longer than in a chain, but the quality and customer service will ensure you dont feel the least bit bad about it.I strongly suggest getting the suggested drink, or one of their names lattes, rather than trying to recreate your chain drink. I love their Ninja Turtle iced. The cookies they get delivered are on POINT. Give yourself some time, and go.Im not sure how long ago they lost their parking lot to other businesses but be aware you will need to park on the street, either along Colley, or a side street.

Really nice place! Got there right when they opened and everyone was very friendly. I got the hot cinnamon roll coffee and it was delicious!

Beautiful spot, very uniquely designed coffee shop that I could spend hours hanging out in. The latte options were great, and there’s even a bookshelf that people donate books to. Will return.

A great local coffee shop in the ghent area of Norfolk. Their different coffee drinks are soo good. I personally like the God Father and Rootie Tootie. If your in the mood for a fresh sandwich or pastry they are on point with those too. They have nicely shaded outside seating. The vibe inside is perfect too especially if you need somewhere to get some studies in or simply read a good book.

I love this place, its a very nice and quiet place and they have a delicious coffee...

I want to start off by saying the employees here are all angels, I dont know how they do it.But the owner doesnt seem to value the people who keep his business running or even his customers for that matter.It has to be against labor laws to not provide AC for your workers, this is a second floor coffee shop in Virginia (in the summertime) so it gets upwards of 80-90 degrees on any given day.On top of this, there seems to be a new employee almost every day which says alot about the business.Lastly, the prices here are just ridiculous, be prepared to spend 10$ for a drink with cheap ingredients.Its almost 3 or 4 times more expensive than Stellas (which pays their employees fairly and uses great ingredients).The fact that they could start a whole new coffee shop across the street but cant pay for a window unit says everything.

Ive never had a bad experience here. Never had a bad item on the menu. Always greeted with a smile. Fantastic drinks.

Coffee for mom, smoothie and muffin for the little man. Great early morning outing!

My absolute favorite coffee shop to go to with my wife!! Coming from the south, it’s nice to be surrounded in an LGBTQ friendly environment (something that is not common in Arkansas!!) I’ve tried to order something new every time we come here but ever since I got the “campfire” flavored coffee with the pesto chicken sandwich I couldn’t try anything else after that because it’s just too dang good!!!!!! I highly recommend this place to anyone!!!! Whether you want to come alone, with your significant other, or with a friend, this place is welcoming to all ❤️

This has been a favorite place for 20 years! The coffee is smooth and delicious, but dont forget to grab something sweet. The coffee cake and muffins are mouth-watering!

Great place to network and chill try their frozen chai tea its amazing

The staff was kind. They have a large variety of coffee and tea. The Green Tea was excellent. I didnt eat anything. You have to climb stairs to order, so please be aware of that.

Dope, friendly and intimate Environment, felt like I was hanging out in one of my best friends house!

My go to spot for local coffee! Im here at least once a week. Wonderful parking lot on a busy strip of colley. Really great prices and calm atmosphere, easy to get work done while here or just relax.

Ive only visited Fairgrounds once, so I admittedly gave stars on what I felt in my gut as a first impression. I loved the outdoor and indoor seating and the friendly neighborhood feel, but thats mostly all I liked. My speciality coffee was overly sweet, but it could have just been what I ordered. I didnt especially love the aesthetics, as it felt a teeny bit dingy.

Not bad. Certainly worth visiting. Beware to not park in the abutting parking lot, in which coffee customers will be towed.

Vibrant atmosphere and quite good espresso ☕️ (we had dark roast Espresso Ghent). Looks like it’s been open since 2001 🙌 and seems to be very popular with locals.

Nice little coffee shop. Tasty special drinks.

Cute local coffee shop - friendly staff - open late -- great place to hang out ! It is now 2021 - before the big C they were open late -- now just until 8pm -- still a fantastic place to go -- hope they eventually return to staying open a little later -- maybe when the school semester starts ?!

Quiet Honestly, the best COFFEE on Earth! Perfect Establishment with a unique taste of ghent!

Absolutely delicious coffee and food highly recommend.

I love coming to this Cafe, its very comfy and they make amazing coffee, great place to grab a seat pre-COVID but they still have the patio!!

Many good flavors of coffee available to sip on a nice comfy chair. I greatly enjoyed the availability of choices and being able to sink in to something other than a wooden stool.However, it was a cozy 90 degrees in there and apparently they werent able to turn on the fan or open the windows...

One of me and my boyfriends favorite spots to go to and get coffee. The employees are friendly and very helpful when it comes to offering a choice drink that you would like best!

Good coffee and convenient hours

I was there technically but I really didnt get any thing today. I was actually there just having a pleasant conversation with someone named Mary that seemed to have similar world and political views as I do. However, in the past I have been there numerous times and it was always wonderful. The thing I like about this place is that its got this cool sort of vibe with its decor and college campus atmosphere. I will say however that there are very steep stairs going upstairs to order. That may pose a serious problem for individuals that have disabilities if they have a difficult time with stairs. To my knowledge there is no elevator. There is a outdoor seating which of course is great for those of you that like outdoors and individuals that are trying to stay away from enclosed areas due to Coronavirus.

Great coffee and ambience

The only coffee shop I go to in Norfolk area. The best place to study, socialize and drink tea. I always order a large pot of hot tea and it cant be beat. The customer service is good too. I bring all my study material here.

Love the coffee and atmosphere here. Great choices, free WiFi, cozy seating area. There is something here for everyone. Enjoy the outside seating area. A cornerstone of the neighborhood, this is where you should visit. Enjoy it like the locals.

Great service! Just a nice place to sit and relax or read a book. Very welcoming atmosphere.

Hasn’t been the same the same since the new ownership. The beans taste over roasted and burnt through over extraction. It generally feels like they’ve tried to cut cost at every opportunity recently. Perhaps attorney fees were more important than customer satisfaction and public safety.Sad because this place used to be my favorite, cure is now a much better option locally.

Great little coffee house.

Awesome place! Great coffee, great staff, very nice atmosphere :)

I love this place. It feels homey and the coffee is delicious!

I used to love this place but every time Ive been recently, the coffee tasted burnt and the service has been terrible. Disappointed!!

Very good coffee and such a nice staff.Highly recommend this as the best coffee in Norfolk.

Good prices, great atmosphere, helpful barista

Amazing service, amazing drinks, with amazing snacks. My fiance and I love fair grounds.

Staff is always wonderful and consistently good coffee. The Danishs are amazing too

Cozy indeed. Porch on ground level, rest upstairs. Living room flair. Excellent espresso. Preheated mugs. You dont find that often. Fair prices. I even got to split a double espresso with my daughter. aussi cakes are sumptuous. 75c.

BUY LOCAL, great coffee a wonderful atmosphere 👌🏽

Always good food and drink, and a great atmosphere.

This place is so cute and the staff are so nice! I love coming here and catching up with friends-a much better, calmer vibe than you’d find at a chain coffee shop. I was a barista for 5 years and the beans and drinks here are great quality! The only negative thing is parking-make sure you park at the church!

Fast friendly service. Ill definitely visit again during my next Ghent visit.

Fairgrounds is my favorite local coffee haunt. It is cozy, well decorated, friendly, and not to mention that everything on the menu is delicious! Most days I stop in for one of their tried and true lattes, some of which have been on the menu since the 70’s! When I feel like lingering or studying (yes, they have wifi) I’ll get a pot of tea or one of their many pastries. And they’re open pretty late too, so it’s a great hangout spot most times of day

An absolutely wonderful place for a cup of coffee and some breakfast. Coffee was very smooth and flavorful. The coffee cake muffin I had on one day was SO GOOD. Not only were the food and drink amazing, but so was the staff. Definitely will be coming back here next time I am in town.

What can I say this place is a landmark in Ghent. It is one of the best coffee shops around where you will feel right at home. Theres really nothing like it. Whenever Im having a bad day or if Im feeling eccentric that is a perfect place to uplift my spirits or feel right at home in my eccentric attitude... I love the staff I love the decor and most importantly I love the coffee. I would recommend this place to anyone and I will put it up against any coffee shop. I love Fairgrounds!

Urban, hip artsy local coffee shop that brings in the locals.

My raspberry white chocolate iced coffee was great. Unfortunately I couldnt sit in the restaurant because of the virus pandemic. But the service was really good

The coffee is usually very good at Fairgrounds, but theres never a place to sit and enjoy it. What limited seating they offer is usually taken up by people who are there for extended periods of time working on projects taking up all available space and seating. So, we got our coffee and left in search of some place to sit grab a bite to eat and drink

The coffee was good and the pastry tasty but I was a bit restless about the garbage picked chairs. I am sure its fine but I was kind of waiting for something to bite me.

They honestly dont need this review since it seems to be so popular and lovely but I just wanted to leave my two cents! After a week on the road, from CO to NC to VA, this place felt like coming home, even though it was my first time in Norfolk. Affordable, cozy, welcoming, people from all walks of life stop in at various parts of their days to catch up or slow down. Dont go to the chain coffee shop across the street, youll be doing yourself a severe disservice. Fair Grounds has character, charm, kooky little holiday decor, and super friendly staff.

Great coffee, cute place, and all around nice place to just kick back and relax.

Good coffee shop but its served with their politics. Is anyone else tired of being force fed?

This was my second time here. I love this little place! Everything is fantastic except how HOT it is inside. The other time I came was during the winter so I was shocked how hot it was. If I was a local I could definitely see a lot of my money going here on the coffee though.

I, amongst several other members of the community, have visited fairgrounds for good coffee, to make friends, and enjoy a nice atmosphere. Until recently, several regulars amongst myself began feeling uncomfortable visiting the coffee shop due to the owner choosing to hire his son, a convicted r*pist. Instead of listening to the community who has supported him over all these years, regulars are instead banned for bringing this issue to light. There’s plenty of other places to get coffee without supporting r*pists

Friendly service! Nice atmosphere.

Great people, great coffee, great food.

Great coffee and super nice folks behind the counter!

Fair grounds is delicious! You walk into the front door and you feel like you are at home. Their atmosphere is very cozy and inviting. If you havent stopped by you definitely should. I got a butter pecan cinnamon roll and a butter cream coffee, all was so enjoyable.

Fairgrounds will forever hold a special place in my life. Ive been enjoying their beverages ever since I was in middle school. The staff is like one big family that stands for one purpose: to provide their guest with delicious beverages and a warm friendly environment where all are welcomed.

Great Joe.

Ive never really been one to find small coffee shops. I always go to Starbucks if anywhere, but this place man... Its way better than starbucks. I tried their campfire coffee, and it really does taste like a smore. I cannot recommend this shop enough! I happened to come during open mic night too, and the guy performing was a joy to listen to! Kudos to my new favorite coffee spot

Every time I’ve been here the same dude is working the register and he is just impossibly rude. I don’t know if he thinks it’s a “quirk” but it’s not okay for me. I prefer to go elsewhere with friendlier service. Customer service is just abysmal.

Sure, theres a Starbucks on the opposite corner, but its not going to be as satisfying as this place. On the second floor, youll find yourself in a cozy cafe with not only some interesting coffee selections to choose from, but also books, board games, and many comfy seats to choose from.This has been a great first date location as well :)

I forget about this place and I wish I didn’t because every time I come here I love it. It’s such a cool coffee shop! Definitely check it out over the Starbucks across the street. This is a Ghent staple!

Fantastic coffee & wonderful ambience! Had a wonderful friend date just hanging out here for a few hours drinking coffee and chatting, and it was great. Staff was extremely friendly. Decor is shabby chic. Furniture is comfortable. Acoustics are perfect, you can have a conversation and the people 8 feet away can have a conversation and neither are disruptive to each other. Definitely recommend if youre looking for a cozy little place to hang out and/or for some great coffee!

Great place to relax on a Sunday morning. The coffee was great!

Awesome little coffee spot. Great place to just read a book or have a conversation with someone. I have yet to try their food, but it looks pretty tasty. The coffee in on point.

Coffee was ok. Lemonade was very fresh and yummy!Worst part of the experience was being asked to leave while not “actively sipping “ while 2 other people in the shop didn’t have drinks and where just hanging out.

I have been several times. The staff is friendly and accommodating for special requests when I bring my kids. Their coffee and iced chai are very good. Their muffins were also delicious.

Fair Grounds is a very cool place to grab some coffee or tea. They are nice people with quick and good service. It’s also a good place to just hang out for a bit and enjoy your drink or meet up with a friend and have some good discussions. A lot of their drinks are good but my favorite drinks are the frozen coffee drinks. Specifically the Campfire and the Fat Elvis. If you go, make sure to try one of those. You won’t be disappointed.

Neat spot, parking can be annoying, the outside could use some sprucing up. Good coffee and interesting food options

Great seating. Very vibe. And has open mic nights every other Thursday nights. I always get the ninja turtle drink

Very eclectic. Cozy feel. How an outside area when its warm out. Upstairs they have board and card games for customers to use. Street parking

Super cool place with great coffee

Great coffee and sweet environment

I order the godfather it was delicious!

Fair grounds have pretty good medium roast coffee. The roast isn’t burnt, and coffee has decent flavor. The interior is cute and is a nice place to read and work, but the wifi was unstable the last time I was there.

Went on a interview there . very cozy atmosphere. Crowd a little bit young for my taste of a coffee shop. But nice.

I love Fair Grounds! This is a wonderful place to meet up with people, study, or just enjoy a nice beverage. They offer food as well. The baristas are always friendly and personable, and do their jobs very well. The seating areas, condiment bar, and restroom are always clean. The atmosphere is homey and cozy. This business has its own unique personality.

Fair Grounds is has an amazing atmosphere thats hard to beat, and their coffee is great too. The only drawback is that their prices, in my experience, are a bit higher than their competitors and parking can sometimes be a pain to find. Its definitely worth visiting if youre looking for a place to relax and wind down.

Ive been loving this place since I went to college near here. If youre looking for a perfect spot to do your work in, a great date place, or somewhere you can enjoy a relaxed time with friends; this is the place to do it. Their drinks and pastrys are fantastic and they dont mind you bringing your own food if youre looking to eat a little heavier. Definitely the most unique coffee stop in Norfolk so thank you for all the good times Fai Grounds.

OutstandingFantastic

Very eclectic feel. Small but a good amount of seating spread around the place with a few cozy nooks for more intimate conversations.