This place used to allow smoking and used to be quite smoky--I would have rated it 3 stars but now I can give it 4.
The atmosphere is cozy and not at all sterile. The people who work the counter are always friendly. This place is intermediate in terms of being a "happening place". In Lakewood I prefer the Phoenix, which is more active and tends to be busier (to the point of being crowded). This Arabica is a better place to go if you still want a less sterile atmosphere but want a table to yourself. It could function equally well as a place for a business meeting or a place to just hang out.
I think as a whole, Arabica stores tend to not make the best drinks, but I could get past that; drinks are only a small part of what makes a coffee shop good. The baked goods here are quite good.