Chez Lily
425 I St NW, Washington, DC
Crema's Take
“Chez Lily is a welcoming DC spot that strikes an impressive balance between serious espresso craft and laid-back neighborhood vibes, making it equally suited for solo work sessions with your dog or group coffee orders for your whole organization. The baristas excel at both traditional and specialty drinks, though consistency can vary, and they pair their coffee with thoughtfully composed pastries and light bites like zaatar toast that feel a notch above typical café fare. It's the kind of place where you can settle in for hours, catch up with friends, or grab a smooth pickup experience—all while the dog-friendly policy means you're never leaving your best friend behind.”
What to expect
Google Reviews
My organization ordered four 96 oz coffee travelers and one 96 oz hot water traveler, and we were very happy with our order! The pickup process was very smooth, and everything was ready for us when we arrived, packaged for easy transport to our event. The staff was also very professional, and the space was very cute! If we decide to do a similar event in the future, we will definitely come back!
wandered here from VA because I was looking for a café where I could work and bring my dog. We came in with high hopes and were pretty pleased overall. The drinks and sandwiches were great—and very reasonably priced. The environment itself is nice, though I will say the tables are really low with a high bench, which made it a bit awkward to work, write, or do anything that requires a proper desk setup. The one area that fell flat for me was the service. The baristas were very mediocre—no smiles, no engagement. They mostly just stared out the window the entire time, and my dog and I were the only ones in the shop for a good 20–30 minutes. It just didn’t feel very welcoming. That said, I’d give it another shot. The food is great, and I’m super happy they allow dogs. I just hope the service can be a bit friendlier next time.
Update : Thank you for reaching out, I appreciate your response :) Watery flat white coffee, very average / poor customer skills. The coffee was also too milky for a flat white. The barista looked confused the whole time and and ended up holding on to my coffee which she had already made to wait for another staff member to charge me on the register. I can tell the coffee beans are good but probably the way she made it is poo
I can’t speak for all of their food options but I ordered the zaatar and olive oil toast with smoke salmon added and got more bread than anything and was a little confused. They did have coffee beans for purchase. The people behind the counter did try their best to help me.
Trying out a new coffee shop to get out of the office on a beautiful work day. And I literally put this place on the map (I had to add it to check-in spots on Facebook 😁). I highly recommend it. Great coffee with sugar and fat free flavor options for a very reasonable price and friendly, quick service. And the location is very convenient and the decor is beautiful.
Crema Reviews
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