Walker MacMurdo of Willamette Week wrote in 2016, "With dignified, third-wave takes on Starbucks-style candy drinks—all flavored with housemade syrups and potions—alongside traditional drip and espresso coffee, Case Study is among Portland's most chill fancy coffee spots, an ideal place to get an hour or two of work done in between people watching.

"[1] Fodor's says the business "serves small-batch, house-roasted coffee in a variety of formats, from Chemex to Aeropress to crowds of regulars".

[2][3][4] In her Moon-published guide book for the Pacific Northwest, Allison Williams wrote, "Unlike the very hip Stumptown, Case Study Coffee is more about the café vibe."

The first store opened on Sandy Boulevard in northeast Portland's Rose City Park neighborhood.

[7][8] Teresa K. Traverse included Case Study in The Daily Meal's 2014 list of "7 Artisanal Coffee Roasters to Visit in Portland".