4 ms·

Ask HN: Entrepreneur/Startups-friendly cafes in NYC

7 points by pghimire 15y ago

I am not sure if this has been asked before. As many of you can relate to, I tend to get bored working at home and try to go out and about in the city hoping to find a good spot to get some work done. Startbucks does not do it for me - WIFI is too slow and I lose my patience waiting for the bar to go 100% when I FTP a file. Very frustrating. Aren't there places that can relate to this and are catering to startups? I might just not be aware of them - can you guys share some spots? My schedule is not consistent - I can be very productive at home - so I do not necessarily want to rent a cube or workspace. Just looking for a change of scenary where I can be productive as well. Thanks!

nateberkopec 15y ago
Not exactly a coffee shop, but maybe you're looking for something along the lines of the Wix Lounge on 18th street? I can't think of any startup-specific coffee places but this is close.
- pghimire 15y ago
  How is Wix Lounge? I have never been there before, but will definintely check it out. Yelp seems to have pretty good reviews. http://www.yelp.com/biz/wix-lounge-new-york http://www.yelp.com/biz/wix-lounge-new-york
lsemel 15y ago
I answered this on Quora: http://www.quora.com/WiFi/What-are-the-best-wifi-enabled-workplaces-(coffee-shops-cafes-libraries-etc.)-in-New-York-City http://www.quora.com/WiFi/What-are-the-best-wifi-enabled-wor...
evanlh 15y ago
None of these are explicitly startup-friendly, but they're all good for doing work at: http://newyork.timeout.com/restaurants-bars/restaurants/632849/best-coffeeshops-for-doing-work http://newyork.timeout.com/restaurants-bars/restaurants/6328...
namank 15y ago
Small business idea - a walk in startup incubator type deal that has internet, books, coffee, cool furniture, possibly whiteboards, no mentors!
- achompas 15y ago
  General Assembly is one step ahead of you: http://www.generalassemb.ly/ http://www.generalassemb.ly/
  - namank 15y ago
    Doesn't sound like a drop in 'cafe'...although its pretty cool what they are doing
- beagle3 15y ago
  There are actually quite a few of those - New Work City, Sunshine Suites, and a few more. It's on the order of ~$30/day for walk-ins, last I checked (a year ago) and you can get much cheaper if you are more regular (around $100/month for 2 days/week, $250 for full time). Internet connection is valued too highly, though - Clear 4G gives you ""unlimited"" ""nationwide"" mobile internet for $45/month (and occasionally you can get the wifi hotspot in exchange for a contract). I put unlimited and nationwide in quotes because I don't know how true that really is, but if you are in NYC it works reasonably well. You are likely to spend more than $2 extra per day (==$45/month) extra in coffee/food working at Starbucks or Argo Tea or Think Coffee. Personally, I find I can't do work at a starbucks because of all the auditory and visual noise - YMMV. (Also, if you actually have any sort of income, you can expense the mobile internet connection, whereas you usually can't expense the coffee).
  - namank 15y ago
    Interesting - I'll definitely have to check these out And...upon evaluating, they found that Starbucks has chairs ergonomically adjusted to discourage long use
  - pghimire 15y ago
    Thanks, I will have to check them out.
frankdenbow 15y ago
Here is a map that may be helpful: http://hotspotr.com/wifi/map/115-new-york-ny http://hotspotr.com/wifi/map/115-new-york-ny
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
pghimire 15y ago
Thanks everyone! I'll definitely check them out.

7 points by pghimire 15y ago

nateberkopec 15y ago

Not exactly a coffee shop, but maybe you're looking for something along the lines of the Wix Lounge on 18th street? I can't think of any startup-specific coffee places but this is close.

pghimire 15y ago
How is Wix Lounge? I have never been there before, but will definintely check it out. Yelp seems to have pretty good reviews. http://www.yelp.com/biz/wix-lounge-new-york http://www.yelp.com/biz/wix-lounge-new-york

lsemel 15y ago

I answered this on Quora: http://www.quora.com/WiFi/What-are-the-best-wifi-enabled-workplaces-(coffee-shops-cafes-libraries-etc.)-in-New-York-City http://www.quora.com/WiFi/What-are-the-best-wifi-enabled-wor...

evanlh 15y ago

None of these are explicitly startup-friendly, but they're all good for doing work at: http://newyork.timeout.com/restaurants-bars/restaurants/632849/best-coffeeshops-for-doing-work http://newyork.timeout.com/restaurants-bars/restaurants/6328...

namank 15y ago

Small business idea - a walk in startup incubator type deal that has internet, books, coffee, cool furniture, possibly whiteboards, no mentors!

achompas 15y ago
General Assembly is one step ahead of you: http://www.generalassemb.ly/ http://www.generalassemb.ly/
- namank 15y ago
  Doesn't sound like a drop in 'cafe'...although its pretty cool what they are doing
beagle3 15y ago
There are actually quite a few of those - New Work City, Sunshine Suites, and a few more. It's on the order of ~$30/day for walk-ins, last I checked (a year ago) and you can get much cheaper if you are more regular (around $100/month for 2 days/week, $250 for full time). Internet connection is valued too highly, though - Clear 4G gives you ""unlimited"" ""nationwide"" mobile internet for $45/month (and occasionally you can get the wifi hotspot in exchange for a contract). I put unlimited and nationwide in quotes because I don't know how true that really is, but if you are in NYC it works reasonably well. You are likely to spend more than $2 extra per day (==$45/month) extra in coffee/food working at Starbucks or Argo Tea or Think Coffee. Personally, I find I can't do work at a starbucks because of all the auditory and visual noise - YMMV. (Also, if you actually have any sort of income, you can expense the mobile internet connection, whereas you usually can't expense the coffee).
- namank 15y ago
  Interesting - I'll definitely have to check these out And...upon evaluating, they found that Starbucks has chairs ergonomically adjusted to discourage long use
- pghimire 15y ago
  Thanks, I will have to check them out.

frankdenbow 15y ago

Here is a map that may be helpful: http://hotspotr.com/wifi/map/115-new-york-ny http://hotspotr.com/wifi/map/115-new-york-ny

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

pghimire 15y ago

Thanks everyone! I'll definitely check them out.