Coffee shops in the U.S are typically small, intimate cafes serving coffee and variants thereof. They first became popular in the Pacific Northwest, particularly Seattle. In addition, many serve light desserts that complement their caffeine-centric fare.
Coffee shops are credited with the explosion in popularity of espresso, a highly-caffeinated extract which can be taken in shots, much like liquor. They are also often connected with indie, jazz and acoustic music, and will often have them playing either live or recorded in their shops.
Some coffee shops in the Netherlands are places where sales of soft drugs (pot, hash, etc.) for personal consumption by the public are tolerated by the local authorities. Any establishment advertising itself as a "coffeeshop" is likely primarily in the business of selling marijuana and possibly other substances which are tolerated under the drugs policy of the Netherlands. Here, outlets called cafes are more similar to what is called a coffee shop in the U.S.
