The coffee is... what’s another word for “life bearing elixir?” Smooth, yet bold. Assertive, yet delicate. A beautiful roast... unsure of the beans origin or roast but wow. Had one of the better Americanos in recent memory.Lovely location, hidden down a slip alley just a block off Broadway. Quiet, yet busy enough to know this is a place worth returning.Recommended by a professor at Mizzou, good people.

Okay. A quick note. If you come here thinking you’re ordering a pour over well, you’re not exactly. I was told the pour overs are kind of made in bulk somehow and then poured into a dispenser. And check out the grounds in the cup.But. And a big but. The coffee was pretty damn good. And there was blue sky and sunshine in early March. Hence 5 stars.

Their cold brew (with a splash of oat milk) it transfix your mind (and your heart rate) as you aimlessly stroll the neighboring bus depot

Fretboard is my favorite coffee place in town! They make great coffee drinks, I typically order a mocha and they always taste amazing! As someone who always orders iced drinks, I really like that they often have the option to have coffee ice cubes in your drink so that it gets stronger as it melts instead of watering it down.The atmosphere is really cozy and perfect for a small coffee shop. The staff are always relaxed and friendly. I can see how some people might have a hard time finding it, but I feel like that adds to the experience of this place. One of their entrances is in the alleyway facing the bus station and the other follows a little pathway through a garden between two other shops (they usually have a sign on the sidewalk that directs you where to go).I also really appreciate that they started having customers put a lid and straw on their own drinks since I really care about sustainability and being less wasteful and giving me that choice makes it easier for me to waste less plastic. Edit: Since I wrote this review theyve started using some certified Biodegradable plastic cups from World Centric. These need a commercial composting facility to biodegrade which I dont think we have in Columbia but its really cool to see them actively making changes with the planet in mind!

Great tasting coffee! Not much for flavor add-ons; but if you like coffee this should be your first stop! Its tucked behind and below some other businesses so you have to really look for this hidden gem.

Nice little niche coffee shop. The staff was friendly and helpful. They make every brewing method for coffee, cream and sugar available to use. Tried the cold brew today and it was fantastic. Definitely worth the trip.

This place was difficult to find! You have to drive around the block, find a parking place (metered) and then walk to find the entrance. At the entrance, it was hard to know if you could enter or not. Weird. The batista answered through a tiny window. I asked if he had a menu, since we had not been there before. He said, yes...if we had to put a mask on, we could come in. Not so welcoming. Then, the area to sit in outside was very dirty. Not a place I would return to. Coffee was good though.

Rewriting a mask to step under the awning of an open-air coffeeshop is hilariously unscientific virtue-signaling.Completely unrelated, the coffee was burnt and the milk scalded.

Beautiful coffee little store, I love the place, very original and the girl working there was very nice and took the time to answer all our questions. I recommend to all the coffee lovers, they had a very good variety of coffee from different countries.

This is for certain the best place to grab coffee in and around Columbia. Its possibly the best coffee shop/roaster in the entire state. When I lived in Columbia, I came here on almost a daily basis and it always exceeded expectations. Great staff, great coffee and amazing espresso. This shop is a treasure.

This place had a great atmosphere but the coffee wasn’t the best. They don’t have many options. They did have coffee ice though which was really cool.

Love the atmosphere! Wonderful coffee and service. I had a Cinnamon Honey Latte.

Small, hidden location but great product and friendly staff. Nice, quiet environment indoors, and good outdoor seating as well.

My experience at Fretboard left a lot to be desired. I visited family in May in Columbia for the first time in 18 months and went to Fretboard on a Saturday morning. The outdoor seating was in abundance but the only table in the shade was occupied. All other seats were dirty with bird droppings, so we cleaned them ourselves with paper towels from the restroom. It seemed there was only one employee but it was sufficient coverage given there was only one other group besides the three of us. We ordered at the window from a barista with grotesquely long finger nails. From my experience in the food service industry, I know this is a hygiene issue, and was unappealing as a customer knowing the employee was preparing food and drinks. We stepped away from the window and stood near a bench that was quite dirty to wait for our coffee and food. As we cleaned the bench to sit down, the barista rushed over with two of our drinks and demanded we come to the window to collect our order. This interrupted our conversation, and we had a lot to talk about as we hadnt seen one another in nearly two years, and we stood in shock of their rude behavior. The barista rushed back a second time and hurriedly placed the rest of the order on a dirty table near us. Without saying anything, they rushed back to the window to serve the two customers who had formed a line. I understand being the only employee at the time is difficult, but there were very few customers and nobody seemed to be in a hurry. The staff member was rude and hygiene practices need to be evaluated. Next time I travel 1000+ miles across the country to visit my family, I wont return to Fretboard.

Best lavender oat milk latte ever.

Great coffee, with great service.

This place is a hidden gem! The coffee was delicious and the ambiance impressive. I will be visiting again.

Pleasant staff.

Legit best coffee in town, and if youre driving down I-70 this is TOTALLY worth the 1.5mile jaunt and theres a parking lot right behind it. Talented & friendly staff, top notch roasts and bacon maple donuts!!!

Lavender honey latte and iced mocha are nomz. If you like your lattes less sweet tell them to go light on lavender honey syrup.

Very good! Smooth tasting coffee - London fog

Really great place. Amazing coffee at a great price and a great selection, also an awesome place to hangout and work on stuff or just get together with friends. I give them a 32/36 on the vibe in the shop. I would highly recommend this place to any coffee lover.

This is my favorite local coffee shop. Their mochas are the best Ive ever had! Always made just the way I like it (not too strong or sweet). I also love their homemade chocolate donuts and the fact that they dont toss them the next day, but instead sell them for just $1. Who doesnt love cheap, delicious donuts? 😆Due to the small space, the atmospheres very mellow and not overwhelmingly crowded like other coffee shops. Its very cozy and the staff are always so friendly and welcoming.In conclusion, if you havent been then I highly recommend this place! Whether it be for a coffee, or even checking out one of their shows that they have in their little venue area. #SupportLocalBusiness ❣

Good drinks, nice people! Fair prices 👌

Traveling all over the US and regardless of what city Im in, I always try to find cool coffee spots. Fretboard so far has been one of my favorites. I could just smell it walking up 100 yards away. They were roasting beans and it was delicious. The cold/iced coffee was amazing. Coffee ice cubes are a definite plus and rare to find. The vibe and decor is unique and cozy. By far one of my most favorite coffee shops yet!

This place was awesome. Great services. Staff were nice. Interior was beautiful. I enjoyed the live performance. Great coffee cafe.

Really like the atmosphere. Cozy and comfy chairs in the back room. My lavender latte was not super hot but good tasting. Would return!

Good simple coffee without all the fluff and sugary additions. They make coffee for people who genuinely like coffee. We love their space, especially for doing group work on weekends. And we appreciate their inclusive environment.

Excellent coffee and quiet atmosphere. Especially like the cold brew with coffee ice cubes. Good pastries and Harolds doughnuts.

Very responsive when I had a problem (my mistake) with an online purchase. I was impressed and cant wait to visit the next time Im in Columbia.

I love love love this place. The employees behind the counter always seem to be having a good time and are happy to chat when I strike up conversation. The owner, Dave, is also a great guy and I buy coffee grounds from him for my work. And needless to say the coffee, espresso, etc is DELICIOUS.

Quality cold brew, includes coffee ice! Fun environment with outside seating.

Beautiful hole-in-the-wall type coffee shop that roasts up some of the best coffee in town. They offer a wide variety of brewing methods. A light, medium and dark roast are available as drip. I always make sure to pick up a pound of their Ethiopian beans.

Quirky coffee shop tucked away in the arts district. Great chai latte!

They prove you with a high class cup of coffee and the rebel within muffin is amazing if you like soft boiled eggs!! It was so good. It is a small inside but they do have some outside seating as well.

Some of the best coffee in town, friendly staff and great owners. I love their varieties of tea as well as their freshly roasted beans. Its Columbias hidden gem.

I like my coffee simple and my baristas friendly. And I get that from Fretboard on a consistent basis. No reason to go anywhere else.

Nice coffee. Love the hole in the wall atmosphere. Nice place to hang for a bit. Parking around back may not be obvious.

Just visited for the first time a couple weeks ago and had a great experience.My 4 year old daughter goes to dance class nearby and I have always though about stopping by due to the great smells I picked up between my car and the dance studio, but by the time dance is over fretboard is closed.Finally had a moment, before dance started, to stop by and loved the atmosphere and the coffee!

Get the cubano latte! Sugar in the puck when they pull the shots.

Great place and eclectic atmosphere. I am not a coffee drinker but the berry tea was piping hot & delicious.

Best coffee in Columbia! Cool vibe and more ways of brewing coffee than you can count on one hand. Legendary cold brew and they also make this amazing blend called High Fidelity

The Siphon pot coffee is to die for!

Fantastic, cool little coffee spot

The best coffee made by amazing humans in a gorgeous downtown location! They make it so easy to fall in love with them and youll keep returning again and again!

This coffee is amazing and so is the service!! Also in the summer they have an amazing lavender lemonade. They even had a cute Christmas sweater for sale.

Very rude staff.

Great place to study and solid coffee. I really like how they freeze coffee into cubes so that the ice doesnt water down your iced coffee.My only complaint is that their freshly made coffee isnt freshly ground, but comes pre ground in a big tub. Ground coffee loses a significant amount of flavor after just 1 hour.

Great little coffee shop with amazing coffee and many different methods of making the coffee. Probably my new favorite coffee shop

The ambience is a little on the...root cellar-ish side. Or perhaps a hobbit hole is more flattering. There are not many tables, and if there are students camped down for the rest of the day, you wont have a place to sit.

Fretboard has great tasting coffee and a variety of ways to brew the coffee from pour over and French press to syphon and cold brew.

This is a nice little tucked away treasure of a coffee shop, was great coffee and I will definitely return.

The most original idea for a coffee shop I have ever seen. Very cool vibes. It almost feels like its in its own secret club.

Best cup of coffee in Columbia. Its really not even close.

My husband and I buy whole beans regularly and I love the free cup with each bag! Theres lots of outdoor seating for when the weathers nice. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, which is something you want from coffee sellers. Parking can be troublesome, especially in the late afternoon, but its worth it because of the coffee. Try the siphon pot!

First visit. Enjoyed the Mocha; nice, open space. Will go again!

Good coffee, taste is good

Very cool place... thanks for making me feel welcome.

This is a great place to get a cold brew on a Saturday morning after a run. Go next door and get a blackberry roll at Good Foods and enjoy the patio

Funky and hip, rustic. Several types of coffee, plus espresso. Good for hanging out with friends. Sometimes quiet enough to work. Small.

Ive been to fretboard a fair amount, and every time (I swear) the taste, quality of the brew, and friendly yet quick service only improves with each new visit!I highly recommend trying EVERYTHING on the menu (one per visit of course) until youve tried all the various methods of brewing; and had adequate the time to determine exactly what your favorite is

This very eclectic store has wonderful coffee and an warm atmosphere. If your looking for a place to hide away to get some work done or just to read this is a great place to go.

Awesome little coffee shop, connected to some really amazing art galleries and local art/craft vendors. Live music in the backyard area. I checked it out for First Friday and for a performance event

Great cold brew in a super cool location. Its a little hidden so you might have to look for it. Its down the alley. Well worth the search.

Wonderful coffee served by friendly people in a roomy, comfy space

A hip coffee joint with a great selection of brewing options. They are almost hidden in a little nook on the backside of the building. Staff was very friendly, outdoor seating area was lovely, and theyre attached to a local store you can peruse while they make your coffee. Speaking of the coffee, it was great! This is the only place in town that Im aware of that carries siphon (vacuum brew) and a Kyoto drip cold brew system. They havent mastered the siphon brew yet but they still know how to make great coffee.

Neat little tucked away hipsterized coffee bar. Pretty hard to find but the staff seem pretty enthused about the beans. Id make another trip.

Good service. Beautiful patio. Almost always ethiopian or kenyan on dark roast.

Great open mic on the 3rd friday of the month. Wish it was more often.

Very nice stop on drive from Louisville to Albany, CA. Super relaxing. Wonderful conversation with several great people. Makes me want to drive across country again.

The counter folks are helpful and chill -- the owner is oftèn there doing a roast. The space is magically eclectic -- it totally works.

Hands down our favorite coffee shop in town. The coffee is always delicious, the staff and the regulars are welcoming, and the internet is more reliable than at some other places I could mention. Outdoor seating in the summer is plentiful as well.

Quality drinks and service. The seating is very limited and the atmosphere is very quiet. Great if youre looking for a place to read, horrible if youre wanting to go for a coffee date to chat.

Nice place to be some work done. Good coffee for sure. This place is a real coffee shop for sure. Just what Columbia needs.

The roasters here know their craft as do the baristas. Theyll brew with your preferred method and the cold brew is second to none.

Great coffee. Superb and thoughtful design. Fun place!

A hidden gem!

People claim that their coffee place is the best this one actually is the best place in Columbia for coffee. This is coming from someone who grew up in Guatemala with friends who own coffee plantations, I know my coffee. Beware, after trying this place you will be spoiled :-)

Amazing service with a laid back vibe. Definitely returning.

The best coffee in Columbia. Great baristas. Wonderful atmosphere. A true gem.

Hole-in-the-wall coffee joint with unique brewing styles, great atmosphere, and beer available before 10 AM

Excellent coffee and excellent atmosphere. Great place to catch up with a friend or two.

Quirky space with interesting staff. Outdoor seating when the weather is nice. Fancy brewing methods.

Fantastic coffee. Fantastic environment. Friendly people. Only downside is there is a limited number of tables available for people to work at.

Great coffee, great service. Super chill and down to earth baristas. You can order a chemex or syphon brewed coffee without any of the pretension that usually comes along with it. They do a great cubano and serve yummy locally made donuts. Bonus! They have a super sex-positive bathroom with condoms and tampons and info packs and local health center info. And theyre attached to a really unique art shop! Love it here, would be there every day if I lived in the area.

Good coffee, but the place is very hard to find.

They have the most delicious bacon cheddar scones right now! Pairs perfectly with my dirty chai :)

Super good Cubano coffee, and super friendly coffee experts...tasty & beautiful Late.

Coffee was good. No frills shop

Wonderful

One of our favorite little spots in Columbia. Great coffee, tea and chill space to do work or meet up with friends.

Fretboard is my favorite coffee shop in town. Freshly roasted coffee with an amazing ambiance provides a relaxing place is do work or simply grab a cup to go.

Great coffee! Love the siphon pot.

I love how fretboard has a more unique flair than the other coffee shops in town. The mocha is made from local chocolate milk and is delicious!

Excellent coffee! Great atmosphere!

Amazing coffee shop I enjoyed my coffee over there

Awesome under the radar coffee shop. Coffee was great!

Delicious cold brewed mocha, right next to Artlandish. Great place!

A very unique coffee experience. Super laid back.

Great space, great staff, amazing coffee