The original Naked Lounge sign (prior to August 8, 2008)

For many years after the opening in 2001, The Naked Lounge was one of the very few cafes in Chico that was open until midnight — making it a prime candidate for night-owls needing a dose of Nub Chai and social interaction. The cafe is lined with plush couches and benches making for a very comfortable place to read, chat or play a game of scrabble with old friends. Tuesday and Thursday evenings see the arrival of quite a few local chess players who while away the hours playing against one another. A few of the overhead lamps have plugs just above the bulb which, in addition to a plethora of secret, camouflaged outlets in the trim along the floor, are great for dying laptops. The coffee house also has a few tables outdoors for casually watching people go by to the rhythm of often eclectic music. In the rear of the lounge is a rotating local art gallery.

The Naked Lounge roasts its own coffee and many regulars say that it is the best black cup in Chico. Those that are sensitive to caffeine or would prefer to have a good night's sleep can have them brew a fresh cup of decaf — crema included. In addition, it was voted by Chico News & Review as the best place to have chai in 2005. They offer three varieties: Chico Chai, Oregon Chai, and Nub Chai. Depending on what drink is ordered, such as a Mexican Hot Chocolate without Whipped Cream, you may find yourself looking down upon delicate and pretty artwork in the froth. All espresso shots are pulled double ristretto.

In compliment to regular cafe fare, The Naked Lounge has a dozen or so loose leaf teas and herbs to choose from. They steep the leaves directly into the pot without any barriers so they can agonize in all their glory. But worry not, the barista will provide a strainer and press to get every last ounce of tea. For those who need cool, refreshing drinks, the lounge offers iced variants of most items on the menu and they also have unsweetened herbal iced tea. The lounge also offers a few small cold and hot snacks.

If you don't care for unsweetened anything, then you can help yourself at the condiments island — you can't miss it. Surprisingly, raw sugar, honey and sugar water are available!

Comments

2008-02-23 19:06:24   What happened to their menu? It used to be huge, but became tiny in mid-2007. Prices also went up a bit during that time, which is disappointing but then again, with the economy the way it is, not surprising. They pull great coffee though! Friday nights tend to be slower than most, so that's a good time to go if you're not wanting too many distractions. The dim lighting makes spending time there during the evening very pleasant. Have they changed their name yet? —RyanMikulovsky

2008-07-08 09:44:41   the wifi doesn't work under Linux, as far as I could tell. I still haven't seen the new name, and their site looks like "Naked Coffee," the owning company, is the one with the brand conflict with the beans of the same name. The cafe might not need to change the name, just the parent company. —RoySteves

2008-08-08 14:53:24   They're redoing their exterior paint scheme with blues and light yellow trim as of today (August 8, 2008) — they probably started on the 6th or 7th. Will this paint job reveal a new name? —RyanMikulovsky

2008-10-12 17:41:21   Apparently not Ryan, though this remains my favorite coffeeshop in Chico. Nothing better than a cappuccino and Radiohead. —JanTrepin

2009-01-03 20:00:50   Open late and good coffee, but they seem to only have a handful of CDs that they cycle through, as though an iPod were unavailable. I liked it more before they started charging exorbitant internet prices. In a competition between this and Empire Coffee, Empire wins easily. —GeoffJohnson

2010-06-22 16:49:13   Apparently they use pandora radio now, which has really improved the atmosphere of the cafe. The staff they've had lately is really cool, too. Probably the friendliest bunch yet. They still don't have very many power outlets available, but they did make internet free! (as long as you purchased something) Still hands down the best baristas in town, no contest. —76.231.253.78

2011-04-28 23:16:34   The coffee is very good, but frankly everything else is very, very poor. Internet is a joke, the staff is unfriendly at best. Most of the people that come through look like homeless kids and hipsters who think they are just "too cool" For such great coffee it is an incredible disappointment. —108.82.201.165

2011-06-19 10:45:13   It has a pretty cool room in the back. Check it out. It is private and it is not. I always, and still do, think of that feel as a "HB's Casablanca, the movie". It has that feel. I don't know, maybe is the medication talking, but the Naked is pretty special. And it never, ever closes. —200.108.109.135

2011-06-19 11:01:10   I meant in opens 365 days a year. The meds are kicking by butt. LOL —200.108.109.135

2011-08-04 18:39:59   A wonderful little coffee house in the middle of downtown! The coffee is good, the atmosphere a pleasant mixture of busy and yet relaxing. Good fast friendly service, no worry if you just sit a while with your coffee and enjoy the world going on outside. Staff are friendly and efficient, but not intrusive. Great opening hours! —76.236.29.189