Carrie at the Café: Time Free

Location: Wu Da Dao area in Tianjin, China

Hours: MTWRFSaSu 10:00-19:00

First Impression: Time Free cafe is on the edge of Wu Da Dao and easy to find. It’s on the second floor and has lots of seating. You’ll first notice all the decorations in the cafe—pictures, knick knacks, old cases and classic furniture. It’s very cozy.

Environment ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The environment is a little crowded. There are too many tables and chairs in such a small space. It’s hard to navigate and you feel far too close to the person next to you. It does have a small terrace for outside relaxation, but it seems like only one group of friends can sit out there at a time. It’s dark, but each table has its own lamp for work or study, and the decorations are really pretty.

Food & Drink ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The coffee is fine—it wasn’t brewed hot enough for me. I had a "blue velvet" coconut latte and the flavor was nice. The options are plenty, though, and the prices are about the same as other cafes in the area. There are options for snacks, but I didn’t try any of them.

Service ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Service is fine—nothing bad to say, but nothing particularly great either. There is one barista working, but not a lot of customers coming and going. At other cafes, I'm usually offered water while staying for a long time, but I wasn't.

Netizen Friendly ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The tables are great for online work or study, fitting a laptop and/or books. There are plenty of outlets and free wifi. There is a bathroom, too, so it’s not too inconvenient to stay for a long time.

Overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Time Free cafe is just fine. It’s worth checking out if you’re exploring the city or need a place to study or work for a few hours. But even on the weekday, it felt crowded because of how close tables are together. It’s cozy, but stuffy. There are other cafes in the area that I prefer.
 

( Photos from Time Free )