Key Takeaways
- NYC food reviewer Sober Facts slammed a rare $38 coffee from Arcane Estate Coffee, saying the nearly $47 drink tasted like “more water than coffee.”
- He also called RYE’s $60 sourdough loaf “trash” and returned to the SoHo bakery seeking a refund because he felt it wasn’t worth the price.
- The videos went viral across TikTok and X, fueling jokes and a wider debate over whether NYC’s luxury food prices match the hype.
A New York City food reviewer is going viral for sampling some of the city’s most egregiously priced foods and trashing them afterward.
The reviewer, known as Sober Facts on social media, has been calling out expensive Manhattan establishments in a pair of videos that have sparked conversations about the city's outrageous food prices.
In his latest review, posted Wednesday (Oct. 21), Sober Facts visited Arcane Estate Coffee in the West Village, which is selling a specialty cup for $38.
"Yo, so nobody was gonna tell me there was a bitch ass fuck boy coffee shop in the West Village selling coffee for $38?" he said. "Let's see what this fuck shit is about."
Inside, an employee explained that the coffee, a rare variety from Panama, was expensive because of its limited availability and preparation process. After tipping, Sober Facts revealed that he spent $47 on the drink, including tip. Unfortunately, the taste didn't justify the price.
"This shit feels like more water than coffee, bro," he said after taking a sip. "That's the experience, I guess."
Despite complimenting the employee and the shop's atmosphere, he wasn't impressed.
"The shop look cool, look chill, and nice. The guy was dope. But I don't know if this shop is for the people, my boy," he added.
The coffee review follows another video Sober Facts posted on Sept. 30, when he visited RYE in SoHo, a shop going viral for selling a loaf of sourdough bread for $60.
"All the food I can get in the hood with this, rice and beans, avocado, shrimp," Sober Facts said, questioning the price.
After tasting the bread, his frustration only grew.
"It tastes like bread, bro," he said while struggling to break apart the loaf. "This shit is trash, bro."
Sober Facts eventually returned to the bakery to demand a refund, accusing the business of overcharging customers.
"I'm not satisfied. I don't like it, bro. I don't think it's worth it, bro," he told an employee.
The confrontation escalated, with an employee asking him to leave. Sober Facts claimed the bakery gave him a free item before he exited, but he remained unhappy.
"This shit is not worth $60, bro. Stop playing with the people," he said.
The reviews have since circulated on X, where users have been sharing their reactions to the expensive purchases.
"he didn't like it but he kept sipping it! Hell yeah if I paid $50 I'm gonna drink every drop, go pee, and drink it again for a $25 a cup value," one user joked.
Another added, "Pair it up with that expensive sourdough bread with butter for a fuckshit breakfast."
While Sober Facts wasn't satisfied with either purchase, his reviews have plenty of people questioning whether expensive food in NYC is worth the hype.
Check out more reactions below.
