I really enjoyed this coffee shop. The ambiance is different and the decorations are fun. I was blown away by the vegan pop tart, its really hard to make good pastry dough without eggs and butter and they did a bang-up job. I ordered one of their specialty coffees, the iconic tonic, and was surprised by how well espresso, grapefruit juice, and tonic water go together.Basically the food and drinks here are incredibly creative and blew me away with their innovation.

Great breakfast burrito 🌯 and amazing coffee.

I’ve lived in Tucson for nearly 3 years and just discovered this coffee shop today. I’m so glad I decided to visit. I went on an early Thursday morning. Parking was easy. The atmosphere upon first walking in was very cozy and welcoming. The baristas were friendly. I ordered a drip coffee and two turnovers. Service was fast and efficient. Everything tasted great. I found a shop that I’ll be visiting anytime I want coffee. No more Starbucks for me.

I had a maple iced latte and their lemon bar. Everything was delicious! They have a very laid back atmosphere, cool industrial art, and lots of space/seating. The staff was kind and attentive. Would love to come again or check out their other locations!

I was driving through down and needed a coffee fix so looked up on the map for my options. Easy to find and park. The atmosphere in this place is amazing. Id love to have spent a few hours journaling, working or reading a book or even chatting with a friend over coffee. The interior is spot on coffee shop heaven. My drink was a standard iced coffee - nothing fancy and tasted good. Staff friendly.

This place always has good iced tea and coffee. I enjoy working here when I’m remote (although watch your time on the meter!).They now have food! I didn’t know that! The bean egg cheese burrito is delicious and a good first foray into their non-pastries menu!

Nice open atmosphere. Inside and outside options. Clean restroom. Excellent Covid protocols.

Best local coffee shop I have been to. Great service. Great coffee. Awesome interior. Lots of social distancing precautions. I would totally reccomend this coffee shop to anyone visiting Tucson.

I love this place. Great coffee, but it is painfully slow. I often wait 20 minutes to get a drip coffee

Oof. The barista was in a bad mood and it felt awkward asking her to correct our order. I ordered a 16 Oz Chai and she gave me an 8 Oz. She then poured the 8 Oz into a 16 Oz cup and it overflowed the larger cup. Which means the 16 Oz are misleading but more expensive. We also had pastries which were cold and she gave us the wrong pastry and then argued that we misremembered our order. The only good news is the chai was good.

Downtown Tucson isn’t the best of downtowns compared to other cities if its size but it still has lots to offer. Most of my time here I’ve ventured exclusively to establishments on Congress never thinking of changing it up and maybe trying out new places on Broadway. I finally decided to try it and chose Cartel Coffee Lab. I love coffee so it made sense to go here. I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in as I discovered the nice atmosphere of this coffee shop. I loved the layout and the decor. I’m sensitive more than the average person as to how I’m greeted at the counter so I always approach with caution. I was happy when the girl at the counter greeted me with a nice enthusiastic hello and smile 😊. I ordered the mocha and it was great. 👍 A couple of issues I had was I found the price was a little high for the size of the drink. I ordered a small for nearly $5 and I left a $1 tip so it was an expensive coffee for the size. The other gripe I had was the employee that made my coffee didn’t smile once the entire time I was there. I thanked her a couple of times with a smile but nothing in return. Again that’s just me being overly sensitive. I know she was focused on making the drinks but a little smile wouldn’t hurt. I will definitely return though just for the ambience alone. 👍☺️✌️

Ridiculously overpriced “hipster cafe”. At least the ambience and music is good

Go here! Outstanding service by Julie. Her lattes were so pro and beautiful. Hey Cartel, give Julie a raise!

Ive enjoyed Cartel for the past 4 years and location to location (Im currently at the downtown Tucson location), bean to bean, brew to brew, Ive never been disappointed. Most locations are also a great place to have a meeting. One important note - at most places, most coffee shops, youre tempted to get fancy and go for the more expensive brew - dont start there, the basic drip is fantastic even though today I did a poor over (dont judge me for being bougie).Yes the fancy beans are wonderful, you wont want to go back and try the basics - you should and if you try the Carmen Washed (my favorite) youll find a fruity and wonderfully light brew.

Staff is so nice that it almost makes up for how awful the coffee is. I keep trying new things, thinking its just what I ordered but each new item is worse. How is it possible to make cold brew so bad?

I want to like cartel so bad, but it’s just not my favorite (or even my 2nd or 3rd favorite) coffee shop in tucson! i’ve come here 3-4 times and ordered something different every time to try to give it a fair chance, but unfortunately i didn’t like or love anything i ordered here. the coffee is a bit too bitter, and sometimes altogether flavorless, and just doesn’t taste very good. i’ve gotten a cappuccino (super bitter, not great foam) iced coffee (very bland, and watered down tasting) and americano (also very bland! can’t hardly taste the coffee at all)the space is really beautiful, so it does make it a good place to go if you’re downtown and want to sit somewhere cute, but i can’t say i would recommend coming here for the coffee.

Interesting simple high end coffee. I love it!!! Being a roaster myself, I am always looking for the non mainstream shops. This is it! In Tucson. The roast is a little lighter for my fave espresso, but they give you 4 shots for 16oz. Initial bitterness subdued quickly. Lots of caffeine. Love the name!Good stuff

This place never disappoints, I LOVE the oat milk agave latte !

A cozy place to sit and has a nice environment, their cappuccino was good too.

Good coffee!

So excited to have Cartel when we visit Tucson. Huge location with tons of seating and as always excellent coffee.

Some of the best coffee Ive had, honestly. Love the rustic atmosphere and open layout. We conduct meetings here on a regular basis.A little pricey, but its downtown so right in line with everything else in downtown Tucson.

Friendly people, and the only place Ive been that has 16oz V60s. The space is nice, but it would be awesome to have some more comfortable seating to enjoy coffee and a book. Definitely a good place to stop, get coffee, and hang out for a bit.

Nice coffee shop that takes the time to make great drinks.

One of my favorite coffee shops in Tucson. The baristas are all friendly, knowledgeable, and take great pride in making an awesome cup of coffee.The ambiance is just gorgeous early in the morning with east facing windows and succulents greeting you at the entrance. Also, lots of great local beers on tap, typically 5 or 6 (and wine if you like that kind of thing).

For experienced coffee drinkers, this place is IT!!! Cool work space, lots of brew options. Highly recommend

From pour overs to iced lattes, it’s all good. The place is cosy and spacious, with good amount of natural light coming in. The staff are really nice as well. Until now it’s the best that I tried in Tucson.

Coffee is great as well as the food. Employees are talented and experienced.

Great little place to drop in. Good drinks, nice vibe. Appreciate the restroom is always clean too

Really enjoyed their selections! Very nostalgic feel.

Great coffee (not over-roasted), nice scones, and chill atmosphere! Ill be back!

Good coffee, some minor pastries for munchies but this is a legit coffee shop not a cafe. Many coffee brewing options, great atmosphere, and free Wi-Fi.

Great coffee. Relaxed, quiet, yet charming place. Banana bread awesome.

Great coffee and plenty of seating. Music is a little too loud, but aside from that, its a great place to get some work done!

I ordered vanilla latte and it was good and smooth. They have only pastry so I was looking for a quick breakfast such as grilled cheese but I got a muffin, which as okay.

The atmosphere was laid back and perfect. The coffee was even better. I had an Aguave Latte. It was so good!

Good coffee, but super pricey, and small in the quantity Dept. If money is no object, go for it.

Great place to hang. Wifi included and a good place to study during the daytime on weekends

Dont like the name! But vary nice 👍🙂😊💕 inside with meny internet tables with 🔌 plug its!!!

One of my favorite places. The service is always great.

Their mocha is pretty awful. It’s a latte with some chocolate on the bottom of the cup. The espresso itself is lackluster and the chocolate is nonexistent. 2 stars is because the place looked cute aesthetically. Would not recommend. Go around the corner to The Boxyard’s coffee shop - outstanding drinks there.

Excellent coffee, but $1 for non-dairy milk? That’s not fair.

Slow and inefficient, and my mocha was barely warm.

Decent coffee. Not as friendly service.

Oh man, the staff here are AWESOME! Great beer selection too. Best coffee in town in my book. Fast WiFi and sweet crowd.

Really nice stop today! Ive had a lot of coffee and I can say this ranks up there in flavor! The experience was pretty awesome too! Staff is friendly and the atmosphere is very... focused. Every patron besides myself had their laptop out working diligently.Id come back here again if I visit Tucson, definitely a good spot

Perfect place for a blistering hot Tucson day🌞😀 Cold brew black market hit the spot. Nice place to work on projects, brainstorm get creative 😀 👍🏾 excellent WiFi👍🏾

Good coffee, very expensive...$15 for a small burrito and coffee

A treat to watch a skilled barista making your coffee! Great flavor, too!

Great local spot for a mix of hot and cold brews and pastries!

Great selection of drinks. Staff very knowledgeable and helpful.

Barista told me that I had to be actively drinking coffee while I was inside without a mask. I told her that her mask was off while she was on her phone. She said, yeah because I was texting drink (orders).Rules for thee but not for me.- Mask Nazis with Awful Jazz

Perfect first experience. Went with my sister to get good coffee and to sit and journal. I got the Nazareth pour over (chemex) which contained beans from El Salvador. Was a delicious pour over. Sister got mocha which was served in a glass cup with beautiful latte art. The baristas were kind and helpful and the atmosphere was unique without being cluttered. Would definitely go again.

Great coffee and building

Pretty good coffee. Not strong by any means. Definitely a cool atmosphere

Was a fantastic cold brew!! Will definitely be going back sometime

Always.a greatly atmosphere.

Very nice place to sip a few cups of coffee and enjoy the atmosphere of the city! Spacious and bright place, friendly stuff!!

Hipster coffee shop with a great work atmosphere!

I sat down with and started to use the wifi without purchasing anything yet. I did have a brownie I brought with me. I had the intention of buying something from the business but later. However, only 10 or so minutes after I sat down, thw worker bluntly told me I had to buy something now or leave. Needless to say I left and am not returning.

Excellent service, good coffee / treats, great vibe

Great spot in downtown

Great coffee and atmosphere

DISCRIMINATORYThey will look for any reason to kick someone in a wheelchair out. If you have an aid, that was assigned to you by an agency, if Cartel doesnt like that persons behavior.. Theyll hold the disabled person responsible. Keep in mind, this aid was assigned to this person. They had no choice in the matter, and promptly complained to their employer for the aids behavior. But they are held responsible for someone elses behavior.You should be ashamed of yourself.

Excellent coffee and great service.

I’d recommend the dirty chai with oat milk. Clean environment with quality coffee.

Awesome coffee

Delicious coffee and great variety of coffee beans to choose from. One on One and the drip coffee we got was lovely. I love it when the bean packaging includes roast date and succinct flavor profile. Great service as well! Strong wifi, spacious, with plugs at multiple spots - great place to hang out and get work done!

The coffee was so good! I chose to let the Barista surprise me, and it was honestly the best choice. He made a (hot) agave latte with oat milk (my first time trying oat milk, did not disappoint). It was a great coffee. My sister got a iced mocha latte and she also enjoyed her drink. Super cozy looking too, but we didnt stay.

Great coffee. Great vibe!

Used to love this spot, but the last 2 times ive gone the espresso tasted really overextracted. For a $7 latte, I have to expect a bit more.

Great coffee, friendly service and I felt very covid safe.

Just move from California where coffee shops are everywhere . Im so happy to find MY new coffee shop ! Im older & I feel so comfortable mixing with the young folks. Just a good vibe. To top off a great experience the coffee is great & prices are not bad. Friendly staff.

Proper coffee made by skilled barista. Go here if you want real espresso.

Great coffee. A bit pricey for just a small amount. Ill go there when Im gonna splurge.

Little pricey, but super foamy, artistic industrial warm ambience in a thick mug of chai latte ($4.00, milk).

I cant believe it took me this long to try this place! Couldve definitely been useful in college! First of all, I loved their banana bread, Im always on the search for Tucsons best banana bread and this one is in my top 3. Also, the atmosphere is super cool! I went on a rainy day and it felt something from out of a movie! super chill, different and relaxed!

Great place to come and drink coffee and tea. The decor is nice and spacious. If you want to come here to work on stuff, study, or converse with some friends over a nice hot or cold brewed coffee or tea then this is the place for you. I got the prickly pear tea which was refreshing, especially on a hot summer day here in Tucson.

Best coffe in Tucson (?)

I loved the coffee!! I got the agave one and it was absolutely delicious!! The building was really neat, great atmosphere... I wish we had this available where I am from in NM. Highly recommend! Prices are good as well, very comparable to other premium coffee joints!!

Good espresso! I loved the roast. It was a quiet atmosphere and looked like a good place to to work. My only critique would be that the chairs are a little worn and needing an update.

Coffee selections were good. Price was high. For example...the same cup of coffee with free refill (which is what Cartel was) at Caribou in MN is $2 less and $1.50 less at Starbucks. Service was good. Decor and ambiance was interesting if funky. But the furnishings were substandard and even shabby in some cases... definitely not comfortable.

Ordered a mocha. It was nowhere near hot, wasnt very tasty. The cashier seemed irritated with me, and then when I didnt tip he said, seriously? Seriously? As I was walking to take a seat and wait for my drink.I got my drink and left. I didnt even finish it because I was so unimpressed with it.It was also expensive for what it was.Definitely will not be returning.

The best coffee Ive had in a long time. Nice jazz playing and bicycle wheels hanging as a curtain! Whats not to like!

Cartel coffee is the best coffee Ive ever experienced. Its strong which helps on a Monday and a bit bitter, but I prefer it that way; others might not find it as appealing. Either way its worth giving it a try! Service is always fast and friendly and the atmosphere is calm and relaxing.

Good coffee, wifi, nice layout/atmosphere.

Mask up 100% or get out!! You can only pull down you mask for a brief second to sip your coffee!! Incredibly unfriendly environment!!! Find another shop!!

Coffee is good because its fresh, but what makes a place special is the service. And here the service is professional and friendly. Really enjoyed spending time with the family and enjoying a great Americano

Id give a 5 star review, but no heavy whipping cream as an option... I mean for such a great place with so many custom coffee options, heavy whipping cream is really a must at this point... Even St**bucks has it! Great location on Broadway, furnishings and vibe inside are outstanding, pricing is nice, and plenty of options. Free WiFi.

Daughter loves the hot chocolate, good iced tea. Nice space and opens early. Doesnt get too crowded, seating is always available and not clustered.

Great variety of tasty caffeinated beverages and pastries. Stripped down, industrial decor, that feels like it should be in Restoration Hardware catalog. Love the application of upcycling! Its a shame that beautiful pizza oven that takes center stage of the space is only utilized once a month.

Im visiting Tucson for the first time and its the 3rd shop Ive been to and the best coffee Ive had! I had a pour over of their naturally processed El Salvador coffee and it was so sweet it tasted like an Ethiopian! The atmosphere was great too.

Absolutely love the place.

Very cool decor and environment drew me in. Coming from Seattle, I was skeptical about the coffee, but it was amazing. Absolutely on par with the best coffee I can get in the PNW. I normally pass on pastries, but some of the selections caught my eye and I couldnt resist. No regrets. Everything I ate and drank there was fantastic, and the people were friendly and welcoming. Definitely a Tuscon stop you dont want to miss.

Great atmosphere! Coffee is delicious! Only bummer is that there is no parking on the facility. Paid parking for 2 hrs only by metered parking.

Great coffee and beer at reasonably prices. I like the community style seating and private seating areas. Wifi is slow and parking is terrible.

Good service, worked half a day remote at this cafe, wifi was good good, great pastries and a quiet place to hang out.

First time traveling to Tucson. Great for good coffee and a quick bite for breakfast. They do not have a full menu for breakfast, more along the lines of pastries, muffins, etc. Friendly staff and nice coffee shop type atmosphere.

Good place to relax or study. Its well lit and the coffee and snack are delicious. Also if you just want to grab a beer and relax you can.

I enjoyed the vibe! Cartel Coffee Lab seems like a nice place to hang out and do homework or visit with friends. The coffee was good and didnt take very long which I appreciated!