I went to Starbucks' newest flagship store in the Empire State Building and had one of the best coffees I've ever tasted, but I probably won't be back

Brittany Chang/Insider

• I visited the newest Starbucks Reserve in New York City's Empire State Building.
• The three-floor location has a restaurant, rows of merchandise, and unique coffee beverages.

I visited Starbucks' newest Reserve location in New York City's Empire State Building and had one of the best coffees I've ever tasted in my life.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Besides that, the experience was mediocre at best.

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And as a former fan of Starbucks, this new Reserve location didn't sell me on the coffee brand again.

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The last time I stepped foot inside of a Reserve was when I was a high school student visiting the Seattle location.

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At that time, I was still a big fan of the brand's frappuccinos and caramel macchiato.

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And I remember feeling enthralled by the Seattle Reserve's moody industrial decor, merchandise, and unique coffee drinks.

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But after becoming a so-called "coffee snob," I stopped willingly seeking out chains like Starbucks.

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And for the most part, I now associate the brand with convenience and the airport.

A Starbucks barista prepares a drink at a Starbucks Coffee Shop location in New York.      Ramin Talaie/Corbis via Getty Images

As a result, I'm no longer fascinated by the idea of Starbucks' Reserve, which I now consider a Disneyland-like space for connoisseurs of the brand.

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Sadly, going to the new Reserve didn't change this opinion for me, although I now understand why fans of the brand flock to these global locations.

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When I visited the new Starbucks Reserve in the iconic Empire State Building on opening day, I expected to see the same moody interior as the Seattle location …

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… and a long line out the door reminiscent of the one I frequently see at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in the Meatpacking District about 1.5 miles away.

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But I was surprised to see neither of these.

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Instead, the first floor was bright and airy. And luckily for me, no line.

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The Empire State Building's latest retail addition is divided into three floors.

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The ground floor welcomes visitors with the equivalent of a large and bright Starbucks store.

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Here, there were rows of merchandise including some specific to the location …

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… an art installation next to some Starbucks swag designed by the same artist …

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… and a to-go counter serving food, classic drinks, and coffee beverages unique to the Starbucks Reserve chain.

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Like any typical Starbucks store, I saw plenty of people waiting for their drinks by the counter.

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And there was even a separate space for mobile orders, a convenient option for people who need a quick coffee without the Starbucks Reserve experience.

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But I didn't hang around the ground floor for too long — I wasn't interested in buying merchandise like coffee beans, cups, or french presses.

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And there was no need for me to get a to-go coffee and pizza when I knew the other two floors offered this and more.

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So I headed up the mural-lined staircase to the top floor, home Starbucks' only sit-down restaurant in operation at this time.

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The Starbucks Reserve Restaurant and Bar serves items like sandwiches, pizza, desserts …

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… and most importantly, coffee and cocktails like espresso martini flights and shareable large format cocktails without coffee.

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I stopped by before the restaurant was open.

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But as far as I could tell, the interior looked like any traditional restaurant with rows of tables, bar seating, and large windows with views of 5th avenue and 34th street.

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Despite the speciality branding, nothing on the menu seemed to be unique.

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According to the menu descriptions, the food doesn't seem to leverage Starbucks and its branding.

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Source: Starbucks

But I imagine tourists might enjoy snacking on lasagna and a salad while here for dinner.

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I will admit some of the cocktails and beverages sounded good. This was where the Starbucks branding truly shined.

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Who am I to pass up on an old fashioned made with cold brew or a cold brew and whiskey flight?

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But these weren't enough for me to want to go back to this Reserve restaurant.

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And there's no need to sit upstairs for food and beverages.

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Back down two flights of stairs and into the basement level, the Starbucks Reserve has a space more reminiscent of other Reserve locations.

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Here, gold accents accentuated the dark and moodier interior I was expecting.

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This floor had bookable meeting rooms, a long "Innovation Bar" with bar seating in front of the working baristas …

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… rows of tables and chairs filled with guests who were either lounging or working on their laptops …

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… and a smaller bar-like space designed for workshops.

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These workshops — an interactive opportunity for Starbucks fans — include an espresso martini demo and tasting, a "101" on whiskey barrel-aged coffee, and a non-alcoholic spritz class.

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Truthfully, I wasn't interested in any of these — I already know how to make my own beverages.

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But it would definitely be a great option for Starbucks fans who want an in-depth and immersive experience with their favorite coffee brand.

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When I finally snagged a table with Nick Sampogna, a public relations representative for Starbucks, we decided to mobile order some food and drinks to the table.

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Together, I finally had my full Reserve sampler.

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Some of the upstairs restaurant's menu items are available in this basement area, creating a convenient and informal dining space.

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The polenta fries with lemon aioli made for a good appetizer while the pizzas were fairly standard with a crispy bottom.

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These were satisfying but nothing I would go out of my way for.

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And the same could be said for the majority of the beverages we ordered.

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The affogato flight — available with oat milk gelato — included a banana crisp flavor with intensely sweet banana and caramel brulee toppings …

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… and a caramel mocha drizzle affogato that tasted identical to the brand's take on the caramel macchiatos, a former favorite of mine.

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I appreciate the unique takes on a standard affogato.

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But they were too sweet for my taste. I could only have a few bites of each flavor before I lost interest.

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If you enjoy sweet caffeinated treats, I suggest ordering this with a few friends during a warm summer day.

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Meanwhile, the iced americano with apple foam tasted too much like apple candy for my liking.

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I will admit the flight of brewed coffee was a fun and interactive way to test my coffee palate with three options.

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I definitely prefer these brews to the traditional black coffee at Starbucks.

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But I could get equally unique coffees at my local shop, albeit it wouldn't be branded by the world's largest coffee chain.

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Despite my criticism, there were two stand outs.

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The malted milkshake with black lemon was a shockingly delicious and addictive treat.

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The subtly bright notes from the black lemon bitters contrasted the thick vanilla gelato. It was one of the better milkshakes I've ever had.

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But that didn't compare to my cold brew flight's whiskey barrel-aged cold brew.

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This was my favorite beverage of the afternoon and the only one I repeatedly went back to throughout the tasting.

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The silky smooth cold brew tasted like a sweetened expensive whiskey without the "burn" of liquor.

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I've thought about it almost everyday since trying it. And I have since recommended it to plenty of my friends, including the Starbucks haters.

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I would probably order it a few times a month if my nearby Starbucks location sold it.

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These were the only two items I'd go back to the Starbucks Reserve at the Empire State Building for.

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But other than that, I'm not sure I'll revisit this location — or other Reserves — again.

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With that being said, it's easy to see why people around the world flock to these stores.

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Starbucks is a source of consistent comfort for many coffee drinkers.

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And visiting a Reserve is a great way to further immerse yourself into the brand.

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There are fans of Starbucks Reserves around the world. And at one point, the brand was opening these stores at a semi-frequent rate.

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In 2017, Starbucks opened a Reserve in Shanghai. A year later, it debuted a Milan, Italy location.

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Source: Starbucks, Starbucks

And in 2019, Starbucks opened Reserves in both Chicago and Tokyo.

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Source: Starbucks, Starbucks

Sampogna says Reserve locations are "popular" for tourists and locals …

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… and that this new New York City location allows visitors to "experience the immersive and interactive" beverages.

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And I do agree with this sentiment.

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The new Reserve's workshops, rows of merchandise, and restaurant are a great way for Starbucks fans to feel connected with the brand.

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At the end of the day, I didn't leave the experience as a convert who now loves Starbucks.

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But for people who are already fans of the brand, going to a Reserve is the equivalent of going to Disneyland. It's an immersion into a brand they love.

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I'm definitely a naysayer. But don't be surprised if you see me going back for the whiskey barrel-aged cold brew or malted milkshake with black lemons.

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