Many coffee shops in Los Angeles are, like so much else in the city, a potential scene. It’s in the nature of the people who live there, especially in Santa Monica, to seek attention, and since nature abhors a vacuum, these coffee shops descend into a familiar tableau.
You know what I’m referencing even if you’ve never seen it. Hip people drinking $12 lattes, chatting about their latest movie deal as writers sit lounging with open laptops and some woman shares bites of her burrito with her dog.
You think it’s a confection of romcoms and Nora Ephron movies, and then you’re in it. And all you can wonder is, “How do you people afford this? Actually, how do I afford it?”
Start with inflation, add in the Santa Monica premium, and everything is double what you would expect.
But I can’t be that upset about it. I was, after all, one of the lounging writers at Goodboybob Coffee Roasters recently. Typing, sipping an aforementioned expensive coffee, wondering to myself what any of us were really doing there. Then a guy and his friend sat next to me and wondered the same thing out loud, and I realized we were all confused together.
I don’t have an answer for our bizarre economy, at least not one I can put here. But I do have one concerning why Goodboy should be frequented.
The food is good, the coffee is great, and while it can’t escape its milieu, there’s no reason why it should.
The people-watching is fantastic.
It’s Like Your Rich Uncle’s Living Room
Goodboybob Coffee Roasters is a coffee shop tucked away in the middle of an empty office park, near a range of entertainment company offices in Santa Monica.
It has outdoor seating, including chairs along the wall facing the tables (perfect people-watching position), and the inside features couches and tables. It’s a great place to work, which is what I was doing, but also to drink, since they also have wine and beer available.
Ok, But What About the Bathroom?
I work at coffee shops all the time. Since I spend long hours at them, the bathroom quality is of premier concern.
Coffee has a way of naturally “purging,” so in a six-hour stint it’s likely I’ll have to use the facilities.
However, I also have to be cognizant of my laptop. So size and availability are important factors for a coffee shop bathroom, along with general cleanliness and other standard concerns.
I’m happy to report that the bathroom at Goodboybob is as good as any coffee shop bathroom I’ve been in, and better in many key ways.
It’s big enough to place a laptop bag somewhere that isn’t awkward and clean enough that I didn’t worry about it. It’s also well-stocked toilet paper, and there’s a fragrance dispenser that keeps the place pleasant. Not only that but despite a lot of foot traffic, I never had to wait in line.
The only downside is the proximity to the shop. It’s right there, and it’s not like there’s a fan that can obscure the sounds of battle if you need to spend some extra time in there.
This is a double-edged sword since it’s great that the bathroom is so close. Yet it could be awkward to those sitting and working nearby.
Is Goodboybob Poopable?
Yes. Very. Like a German Sex Worker, it’s clean, available, and pleasant.
The one downside is its proximity to the larger coffee shop, but this is a small concern.
All in all, the staff at Poopable recommend the coffee shop and their commode. If you’re in town, swing by for roasted brew and enjoy the bathroom.
Jeff G