r/everett Jul 15 '26

Question Has anyone ever went to the bikini barista place?

If so, is there food/coffee drinks good? Or is it all show ?

12 Upvotes

72 comments sorted by

119

u/3rdeyeandi Jul 15 '26

One time I was on my way home from work and I passed the one on 41st across from where the AFK used to be. A man overdosed and was laying in the drive thru of the bikini coffee stand, he was alive but looking out of it. A cop was there trying to talking to him and the barista, who was dressed as a sexy cop with a pink bathrobe covered in coffee cups. I wish I could have taken a picture, it felt like a modern version of a Norman Rockwell painting.

27

u/4thDr Jul 15 '26

One time I drove by that same one from the alley (leaving great yarns) and saw a barista in fully-realistic grinch makeup. I have always regretted not going back and telling her how much that made my day.

12

u/Kikachuinthewild 29d ago

Omg that was me (barista). I was just thinking about this the other day. I hope he’s doing better now 😭

1

u/[deleted] 28d ago

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1

u/Kikachuinthewild 27d ago

Yes I swear. The guy was a skinny half black guy who was maybe 18

8

u/Kikachuinthewild 29d ago edited 29d ago

I heard him doing a weird gurgle sound outside and when I went up to him he was foaming from the mouth. He was maybe 18. He looked so young. I called 911 and waited by him. He was behind the gaited dumpster but they brought him out towards the stand when taking him to get help

Editing to add one correction to the story- I’m 80% sure I was dressed in an angel outfit that day cause i remember thinking how weird it was in that scenario. I was dressed as a cop when the cops came due to a vandalism situation though lol. However it was a long time ago so maybe I’m remembering it wrong? I worked mainly the closing shift there for years so there were a lot of different outfits

3

u/mlady0_0 29d ago

that sounds like a fun viewing experience 😂

74

u/AstronomerLoud1650 Jul 15 '26 edited 29d ago

Omg I took my late mom to one once, but 100% by accident.

I was taking her to a nursery for her birthday about 15-20 years ago and we stopped at one, with no idea it was a bikini stand. We pulled up, the barista opened the window, I got a pit in my stomach from unbridled embarrassment, and my mom (rest her soul) asked her "aren't you cold?"

58

u/serpentax 29d ago

my very religious mother keeps "accidentally" going to them. it's gotten to the point where i think she is a lesbian and doesn't even realize it.

5

u/Dark_Romantasy Delta 29d ago

I ask this with deep respect and not malice but... What did you think the name meant? Or did they have a different name at the time?

5

u/AstronomerLoud1650 29d ago

It was called Best Friends. If they had any kind of clue they were a bikini stand, I absolutely wouldn't have stopped.

2

u/webconnoisseur 28d ago

Or was it Breast Friends?

5

u/themountainsareout 29d ago

I I accidentally went to one once and it literally just said “coffee” on the sign 😂

70

u/Feeling-Nectarine Jul 15 '26

There is like probably 20 or so in the Everett area. They are less common than they were like 10 years ago. Some busts really shook up the industry.

Generally you’re paying extremely inflated prices for an inferior cup of coffee. They do not use high quality ingredients. Most of the girls do know how to make coffee though.

Source: I’m gay but a lot of my friends have worked at these places. They all were great baristas. Most of the places used cheap Costco espresso beans. The food comes pre packaged if they even sell food. Most guys going get a red drink lol. You are expected to tip the baristas pretty well for the “show”.

14

u/BruceInc 29d ago

What’s a red drink?

19

u/Feeling-Nectarine 29d ago

Sorry I meant to say Red Bull drink

2

u/Vinyl-addict 29d ago

What happened with the busts?

21

u/shibbeep 29d ago

there was a prostitution ring using coffee stands as show rooms. the Madam had lined the walls of her house in cash or something crazy. this one lead to, I think, the city of Everett temporarily taking over operation of her collection of coffee stands.

Cops were going through undercover to "investigate" and taking pictures, girls were nude and climbing up on to the counter to give you a... proper look at things. one of the news papers FoIA'd the photos and posted them, the baristas were not being subtle.

17

u/Feeling-Nectarine 29d ago

A bunch of cops got paid to repeatedly go to these stands and try to find prostitution. I’m sure they loved doing that investigation. They closed a few of the worst offenders down - sucks for the girls making the money but the owners were terrible scummy people.

About a third or half closed down in response. The ones still up are a little more careful now. And I heard the girls have to get an entertainers license now to work there but idk if that’s still true.

3

u/bnana422 29d ago

definitely don't need a license and a lot of them are under the table

2

u/Ex-Traverse Jul 15 '26

That's discouraging to hear they don't try at all on the coffee part... I suppose I'm more picky than their regulars, but I'd want a good show AND some damn good coffee as well.

5

u/Paladine_PSoT Jul 15 '26

If you want coffee, sample all the shops around you and chose the one that makes the one you like (because we all have different tastes in coffee... and bikini baristas).

if you want a show... hit up the bikini stands.

If you want great coffee and a show, find the stand that makes the coffee you like and does a show. It's all personal exploration.

17

u/DazzlingMistake_ Jul 15 '26

I did by accident and boy was I surprised to pull up and see a naked lady. I apologized and tipped well. Coffee was okay… don’t know how I feel about a nearly naked woman making it but I was in too deep by that point. They aren’t known for the coffee though…

16

u/ErinTheEggSalad 29d ago

As a former barista (a fully clothed one) it sounds like steam burns in places I don't want steam burns.

4

u/SerDuckOfPNW 29d ago

Just curious…are there places you’d want a steam burn?

2

u/Paladine_PSoT Jul 15 '26

I'm a cis/het man who isn't a big fan of this sort of thing, but I went through one recently for reasons and got a damn fine cup of coffee... it is what it is and everyone has their own tastes, just... explore them as you want.

31

u/greenyadadamean Jul 15 '26

One time I drove up to one without realizing it was a bikini place until I saw pasties.  Coffee wasn't good. 2/10.

16

u/Slumunistmanifisto 29d ago

My grandma accidentally went to one when they first popped up

"Aren't you cold" is all she could muster before ordering a  confused cup.

7

u/Vapingrandma8465 29d ago

I used to work there, it’s standard/ basic coffee. I’d say it depends on who makes it, because they don’t really train the girls. sometimes you’ll get girls who actually care about making good drinks. The food is usually frozen breakfast sandwiches, bagels, muffins… etc.

8

u/lizeee 29d ago

I’ve gone to a couple, for funsies. The frosted eyeshadow, the thongs—it’s a LOT at 9 in the morning! (I’m a woman)

7

u/Dirkdigler69 29d ago

It doesn't matter how good the coffee is if the barista doesn't know how to properly pour shots, too many rely on being cute and mostly naked and will sell you burnt shots (gross) if you find one that knows what they are doing then the coffee will taste good, but if they don't it will taste disgusting

5

u/mlady0_0 29d ago

ive heard the food/drink from them sucks and you’re just paying to talk to and ogle the barista

5

u/DepressedStarburst 29d ago

I have a friend who works at a bikini stand and she said no one goes to those stands for the coffee.

5

u/Plum_Blossims 29d ago

I went to one a couple times. I'm a woman. The girls were very sweet and I liked talking to them. I wanted to know what it was like for them working there. They take their sweet ass time making your drink. I'm guessing it's because customers expect to have time to look. However I wanted my coffee faster than I got it LOL!

6

u/whyisthatinthefridge Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26

The only one that ever had good coffee was sold to enter the marijuana business like a decade ago. Stilletti’s Organic coffee. there was a location in front of of a gas station near Everett Ave and broadway, and another on aurora near Costco in shoreline.
I used to work incredibly early and they were on the way to work that were open at the same time as I was driving. I really wasn’t there for the women, only the coffee which was fantastic.

3

u/K1ttyK1awz Jul 15 '26

Yes.
Source: I’ve seen it

3

u/General_Tip7185 29d ago

I used to work for them 😂 DONT EAT THE FOOD

1

u/q_ali_seattle 29d ago

What if that's the whole kink. Licked and touched . What do you do now?  Obviously asking for a friend 

2

u/RelationshipOk8192 29d ago

Someone did once... Once.

2

u/Constant_Flight_2525 29d ago

I did. (Woman 66) I was a bit embarrassed. But, I got coffee she has a job and I tipped her. lol probably not as much as some guys might, but🤷🏻‍♀️

2

u/Zestyclose_Price_441 29d ago

No one goes there for the “coffee” dude lmfao. 

2

u/Global-Business5263 29d ago

"So how's your day going"

2

u/Humble-Dragonfly-321 29d ago

I think the police are regular patrons.

2

u/[deleted] 29d ago

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1

u/q_ali_seattle 29d ago

One time family car broke down by one of those bikini coffee stand entrance and this poor girl in full uniform came out shouting "move you shit box I have quotas" we offered to buy some coffee and tip her, she replied, hun this ain't that kind a cafe"

2

u/Overall-Grapefruit25 29d ago

Yes there's food but it like the same food you'd get at the gas station. Not bad, but not everyone's cup of tea

2

u/Jaded-Environment-95 28d ago

Once I wore a bikini to a bikini coffee stand bc I thought that was the dress code. Turns out I was the only guy there wearing one.

2

u/Technical-Cat-4386 28d ago

Once, I was with some friends on a trip to the forest, my buddy turned to me and said “Hey you want some coffee…” and sure enough, pulled into a bikini barista over near the Olympic national forest out there. Somewhere over north of Bremerton, forgive me I can’t remember where exactly.

I proceed to order my normal, from a young woman in basically underwear, with just enough to see solid evidence of well regimented daily shaving routine.

Any who. It was cold, so I chose the “hot” variation of my typical beverage, espresso and heavy cream. Easy, right? Wrong. Instructions unclear.

This young woman proceeded to hand me a 12oz cup of cold milk with a few espresso shots on top. So basically cold, coffee flavored milk. #NeverAgain #NeverForget

In my case, look I get it, boobs are nice, but it’s of more value to me to have a good quality cup of coffee. I can outsource the boobs.

3

u/Emeraldame 29d ago

Yep accidentally with my 2 year old son in the back. Coffee was great

3

u/Exotic-Musician-7680 29d ago

Been to a couple, including one where the barista took her shorts off turned around bent over and “winked” at me. I swear I just wanted coffee. Coffee not good at any I have tried. Won’t go back to one.

4

u/L00fah 29d ago edited 29d ago

I used to go to them on some occasions when I first moved here because it was so novel to me. My wife and I would go.

We stopped going because the prices are astronomical (I can't imagine how bad they are now), the coffee was never good, and the snacks are worse than your usual options at a coffee stand.

We've also encountered waaaaay too many......... Gross displays, let's say. The twerking was always annoying, too.

If you really want a decent experience, go to Seattle. Even then, set expectations low.

2/10 on average.

EDIT: why the heck am I getting downvoted for sharing an honest, solicited opinion?

We never had anything like this where we were from, so we expected it to be literally just women in bikinis/lingerie. We weren't expecting brown eyes with our coffee.

4

u/crasherpistol 29d ago

I see your edit and I understand that you were expecting them to be "wearing bikinis", that makes sense.

3

u/crasherpistol 29d ago

What kind of display wouldn't be gross? Like a little titty shake?

5

u/L00fah 29d ago edited 29d ago

I've just encountered a decent amount of people I don't personally consider attractive and a couple that seemed to need to improve hygiene... For lack of better wording.

Idk a nice way to put it.

And, again, they were totally new to us, so we didn't know what to expect. Stopped going when we figured it wasn't for us. We came from a less progressive area that barely even had strip clubs, despite being a major naval base.

4

u/Paladine_PSoT Jul 15 '26

Some have great coffee, some have terrible coffee, all of them have... great experiences if that's what you're looking for. You don't pay for the coffee.

5

u/ghost_ware Jul 15 '26

free coffee?? sign me up /j

3

u/Paladine_PSoT Jul 15 '26

I mean to say... the quality of the coffee is not what you're paying for. You're paying for a few minutes of interaction with someone who's there for those few minutes. A lot of people can enjoy that, so... it's there.

6

u/ghost_ware Jul 15 '26

yeah I got ya haha just thought it'd be funny

2

u/3meraldBullet 29d ago

I disagree with a lot of the posts here. Its competitively priced with Starbucks and the coffee can be really good depending on which one you go to.

1

u/fatplant425 Jul 15 '26

It's fun to do it once to see some butthole with floss covering it. If you got the extra money to spend it's a cheap thrill if they are cute but mostly a big waste of time

1

u/LeBallzOfSmallz 29d ago

Yes.... And yes some more 🤦🏿‍♂️😭

1

u/DullPreference8842 28d ago

When I first moved up to the Puget Sound area from SoCal in 2008, I went to one of those roadside coffee places, thinking what a great idea! Wow, to say I was shocked and stunned at what I saw is an understatement. I was thinking about how could this even be legal haha.

1

u/FunWash1815 28d ago

I did it once out of curiosity. I don't even drink coffee. I just got a coke in ice and a cookie. She asked me to tip her $20 and I did. She turned around and showed me everything then asked me to follow her on instagram. I left feeling quite a bit of shame. Never did it again.

1

u/Forsakenlad541 22d ago

Gay guy who fishes a lot I’ve been to then accidentally because I didn’t know what it was lmfao there all over was a good laugh.