Bean Town
Categories: Coffee & Tea, Music Venues [Edit]
45 N Baldwin AveSierra Madre, CA 91024 (626) 355-1596
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Free
- Music: Live
- Best Nights: Fri, Sat, Sun
- Happy Hour: No
- Alcohol: None
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
13 reviews
La Canada, CA
"After lunch, the boyfriend and I were in search of something to satisfy my sweet tooth. Well, we found that at Chocolate Box Cafe. There…" read more »
37 Reviews for Bean Town
Chocolate malt with a shot of espresso--damn good! Even better after an afternoon climbing at ARC with my son.
But just as good as this magical elixir is the atmosphere of this neighborhood establishment. Teens too young to drive to the octogenarians and everyone in between. All friendly and a great place to strike up a conversation of just about anything. Outside observed a young couple smoking and having a heated discussion on religion and the next table, guys playing chess and talking about their backpacking trip on the PCT. Reminds me of that TV show a few years back about that small town in Alaska.
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I sat in Bean Town for eight hours - that's a full work day - working on my laptop and felt like I was in my own office. The staff was groovy, the coffee was great and I didn't have to wade through a sea of self-promoting coffee products (seriously, who needs a Starbucks CD, mug and plush bear?) in order to get to the counter. They even have lunch items, so if you put in a day of work, you don't have to exist on mocha's and dried out coffee cake; I recommned trying the tuna salad, which is one of the best I have tasted in any restaurant.
You might want to sit far from the communal computer up front that offers free internet, and as a result, attracts on continious stream of of young kids. These whippersnappers kept the computer hopping as they checked their myspace pages and gabbed loudly, but sitting in the quiet back corner afforded me a private office right in the heart of Bean Town.
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IN a world flushed with corporate coffee companies, Bean Town is a wonderful example of a coffee house and its social purpose as a meeting spot for the community.
I cannot stop coming to this place! It's comfy and cozy decorated in a country cottage chic style with tons of distressed furniture and oversized couches.
Staff is friendly but not offering you a "muffin with your coffee?!"
They have decent coffee, tasty espresso drinks, a great selection of treats--the chocolate pecan cookie!--sandwiches and ice cream.
The reason I come to this place almost every single day is because it feels like an extension to my home-it's that comfortable. Almost everyone seems to know one another, you've got people who hang out outside strumming guitars, talking philosophy, trying to study for a test, checking their email on their laptops.
It's great here, a real portrait of what a coffeehouse can do, if it does it right.
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I've only been there once so I want to give it a few more tries before I up the rating. My friend and I just wanted a chill place to work on some reading/assignments. It was a really chill place and very reminiscent of Berkeley/Norcal. I used to work just a town over and never even heard of this place. I like how it's not a chain and people really do love going there. Families and young people alike. The employees are also characters but they really show they care about their customers. Great so far. I've only tried their chai tea so hopefully next time I can try their entrees/appetizers.
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The best cappuccino I have had outside of Italy.
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I am a fan! The coffee was good. The breakfast burrito (with bacon please!) was tasty. The only thing that could make this place better would be not charging for their drip coffee refills (Sometimes a girl just wants a little bit more!) and adding some more comfy seating outdoors.
This is by far my all time favorite Cafe. I have worked in cafes all through college and this was always the one i wished i worked at. Its so cozy, warm staff..... I went to High School in sierra madre and this was our hang out spot. Sipping on a White Hot Chocolate while playing scrabble....damn we were lame....but good times.
The interior is very cool. Road signs, posters....pretty much a bunch of country junk which gives it a unique feel to it. If you walk by on a Saturday night you will see this place packed with all types of people....especially my favorite...people with Dogs! They even have treats for the pets! I love this place. I hope one day I can open my own coffee shop just like this.
LOVE IT!
OMIGOSH. . . I almost forgot about dear Bean Town. Ahhh. . . Back in the day, you'd find me here w/friends every Sunday night. . . and a few other nights too. A great coffee shop. Wish there were more like it.
As a few other yelpers have mentioned, there is a Starbucks that is literally a stone's throw away. . . and I can't believe that it's still there. Sierra Madre does support its local businesses.
Bean Town has the best Chai - get it with whole milk and start your diet tomorrow. I'm still wondering why I don't go more often. . . it has the small town vibe, and the people working there and chillin' there are friendly.
Maybe I'll go tomorrow. . .
Bean town is NOT a baked bean shop nor are they supporters of the red sox...well they could be, I'm not sure.
This place has some GREAT white hot chocolate. They sell ice cream too. And they have other sweets. I wanted to combine all those things into a blender and feed homeless people with my super elixer of awesome. Not to be confused with my super elixer of bad assness, which is a combination of pizza, pepto bismol, and garlic.
Speaking of garlic, don't get me started on garlic. SHUT UP DAMNIT!
Whenever I'm in sierra madre I like to stop by bean town. Whenever I'm in disneyland, I like to stop by it's a small world. None of these things are related, but we are all better for knowing this.
If you're in sierra madre do yourself a favor and take a shower. Then go to bean town. Stupid f'ing hippies.
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There was a real fear that when the mega coffee chain Starbucks came to Sierra Madre that would cause Bean Town to close. We in Sierra Madre support local owned businesses. Remember support locally owned businesses.
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This is the first cool spot I've discovered locally. The decor and vibe are just absolutely awesome. Free wi-fi and great coffee. I highly recommend their Breve. The place is basically flawless, but I do heed thee to stay away on the weekdays in the afternoons. Namely the hours the kids get out of school. They get a little rowdy and the chatty mums kind of make me lose my train of thought (sorry :x).
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Yay for local independent coffee shops! I had a decadent, nice and foamy white mocha on a wet and gloomy saturday. No place to sit due to the hoard of stinky teenagers using the free WiFi on their laptops...son of a bi..hey they have soup here!
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Great coffee! And I didn't even get a fancy pants espresso drink,--just got the run of the mill drip...also got a breakfast burrito, they made if fresh just for me...it taste like home cookin'! Mmmm...potatoes, eggs, cheese and sausage...I can still taste it!
Downtown Sierra Madre is a pretty cool place to visit, its one of those great main streets, full of boutiques, mom & pop shops...but not trendy, its not for shopping, just for hanging out...having an ice cream cone and enjoying Southern California weather!
Bean Town is awesome. Great atmosphere, like a lazy afternoon with a cool breeze. Part of that has to do with the neighborhood that it is in. The area can be described by one word - CHARMING. The area reminds of a bygone era where life was just at a slower pace. Of course, I am sitting here working but it makes working so much more bearable.
Good big tables inside, couches inside, ice cream inside and nice seats outside. This very well might be the best cafe I have found in LA as of yet and I have been to a lot - though I don't review any. +)
Coffee itself was good enough. Had an ice coffee black and it tasted like coffee which is all I need. The worker was super friendly and nice, cute too which doesn't hurt.
Point blank - Bean Town is awesome. Great coffee, great atmosphere, great food and wow, what can I say.....Fosselman's ice cream!
My better half and I spent an evening this week curled up on their sofas, drinking malts and playing Trivial Pursuit (which I let him win, of course). Eclectic crowd of folks and unlimited WiFi use. Saturday night was buzzing and we felt like we were at a party in somebody's home. It's a fun, delicious and cozy distraction from the world outside.
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A real old-fashioned gem nestled in the heart of the Foothills. Bean Town appeal lies in in its simple neighborhood homeliness, friendly service, a hearty variety of food and drink, and of course-- FREE WI FI (a plus for any student worth half his/her salt).
It's a great place to settle down in the morning (though you'll roast quickly if you're sitting by the window so step aside, friend, and move to the back). Bean Town has a pretty good iced white mocha-- a bit on the sweet side, but it tempers well with an order of oatmeal! Nighttimes can get busy, especially on the weekends.
Bean Town was also featured in the Will Ferrell film a few years back, "Kicking & Screaming" where his character has coffee for the first time and utters a line much since repeated between me and a girlfriend: "What is that haunting aroma?!" You'll find yourself coming back for more.
Good air conditioning, good coffee, good snacks, good wifi (no password nonsense needed). The ice cream is great (Fosselman's brand). The couches are comfortable, but it's usually tough to get one for yourself.
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The coffee tastes good. The patries tastes good. The neighborhood is good. They are open late enough, they have wireless internet available. They have tables but limited number of power outlets if you don't get a table by the wall. Everything is good here. People are nice and some nights they have live entertainment here. It's a fun spot to hang out. Just haven't been here in a while because I haven't taken a day off in a long time but this is one place I can come to kick back and watch people come in and out of the place and enjoy good coffee.
Note: I said good coffee but it's not strong and it won't kick you on your ass or kick start your day but it will sure get you in that sugar high and have you visiting the rest room enough times because it's like drinking a gallon of water. All the patries are freshly made at this location which very much surprised me. If you come here often, don't forget to ask for a frequent card because you'll get a free one after 10 I think.
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my friend from the san gabriel valley suggested we go to Bean Town. I never heard of Bean Town or this cute old town sierra madre area. I was pleasantly surprised. It really felt like a homey, neighborhood coffee shop. Plus Fosselmans Ice Cream!!!
When I was there they had a bluegrass band playing which was awesome. I never heard a bluegrass band in the l.a. area before. It was pretty full inside on a Saturday night so I had to sit outside. I shall go back.
I've heard so much about the infamous Bean Town ... I couldn't wait to go...
I like the location, I like the feel of the place... I like the fact that its an independent coffee house. They have a large magazine rack.... I brought a book to read but ended up reading some cooking magazine... The outdoor seating is nice. I went on a Thursday night and the seats outside were packed... feels like a true locally-loved place...
I had their eucalyptus-mint tea, it was gooood. Their coffee was decent. I didnt have food, but I had a cookie, it was decent.
They only take cards for purchases over $5 - minus one star. Maybe thats just my fault, I don't carry cash. Sorry to take it out on you Bean Town.
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Well since I have become a unabashed Yelpaholic I will shamelessly fling my two cents in on Bean Town. I am a confirmed, card carrying coffee addict. I bleed coffee....I am often asked, "how many cups is that"?
I even worked in a coffee house a couple of years, only because the owner quipped one day " you are here so much I should be paying you" So I had a part time job, serving coffee.
I whole wholeheartedly agree with all the other reviews here. Bean Town is one of the few independent coffee houses that serves coffee, tea, food, and ice cream and does it all well.
The atmosphere is always comfortable and inviting, the antithesis of Starbucks, who feels the need to artificially increase the caffeine in it's products and make mindless caffeinated zombies of it's patrons. Too harsh? sorry Starbucks I just don't get it.
Free WiFi, and a computer for public use, as well as the ever present books, board games and other local publications.
It is a great place to see people of all ages, walks of life and make new friends. When you are there you can tell people want to be there and enjoy hanging out, not just get their fix and run.
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This is what a small-town coffee shop is supposed to look like. A single computer for those who need to yelp but forgot their laptop, plenty of tables for you to share with free wifi, families playing Connect Four, and the "regulars" coming and going. Most Thursday nights they have live music, too. If you're lucky (as I was about a year ago) you'll see 'the old guys' playing their home-made instruments, singing a cover of Madonna's Like A Virgin.
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Before there was Starbucks...
...there was BEAN TOWN. Man, I love Bean Town. It's a relief from all the fancy pants coffee shops. With worn wooden chairs, chalkboard menus, and community board games, Bean Town is a classic. Their drinks and pastries are delicious and they have Fosselman's ice cream too!
Tips: Free Wi-Fi for all you nerdy 24/7 laptop folk.
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Bean Town -- IS THE STANDARD. I have never been disappointed here. I love coming here for coffee and parking my butt down for a couple of hours. The staff is extremely nice and really down to earth. They have a large menu and tons of coffee options. I always get a bowl of soup and a large v. soy latte. It's the best thing after a terrible morning in the courthouse. When it is a REALLY bad day, there's even yummy local Fosselman ice-cream to make things better. I also love the place that knows the meaning of good quality for-here mugs. Did I mention the free wi-fi? Or the community pc you can check you're e-mail on for free? LOVE IT.
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I love Bean Town, but the first time I went I wish I had remembered Amanda's advice about the $5 debit card thing. Luckily someone in line after me was nice enough to pay for my coffee. Who says there aren't nice people here anymore? The service was super too, and yay for free wireless.
I haven't tried any of the food yet, but the coffee was pretty good. The only turn off for me were all the high school students being loud all over the place. It's really my own fault for not bringing my headphones to tune them out. I'm looking forward to going back and trying their food.
One more thing, if you go close to closing time, they give some of their pastries away for free since they're going to be throwing them away anyway. It's a nice way to pick up breakfast for the next day.
One of my favorite places whenever I come home. I used to come here with my mom for a light afternoon snack and a game of sorry when I was in high school!
They have a great menu - from sandwiches & wraps, salads, homemade soup, fresh brewed coffee, espresso drinks, loose tea and Alhambra's own fosselman's ice cream!!!
The walls are decorated with lots of signs and fun things to look at. On weekend nites, they often have live music and it's so much fun!
It's a wonderful independent coffee shop and I highly recommend it!
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Absolutely loverly. If you're looking for a place to chill out at night, this is a great place to do it. The charm of this place is it's quaintness. All the furniture is mis-matched from various sources, as are the mugs they serve drinks in (unless you want a "to-go" cup). You can sit inside or outside, and either will be bustling with activity (in a very relaxed way).
There's a stage inside where, tonight, I saw some guy (who was a pretty good songwriter, might I add) sing and play not only a harpsichord, but also a theremin! lol. Definitely something you don't see every day. I asked the guy behind the counter, and apparently they have music there most Friday and Saturday nights. The audience was receptive. Maybe I'll play there one day. heh.
I had a ... Vanilla Chai Tea with Milk.... and it was extremely tasty, and just the right temperature. I've also had a smoothie there, previously, which was really good.
Definitely THE place to go if you're in the area. Love it.
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Great place to hand out with your kids. They have a cubboard full of games and the Fossleman's ice cream is what ice cream is supposed to taste like. I'm a little concerned the new owners will get rid of it which would be a HUGE mistake. I'm so happy they finally got rid of those styrofoam cups as it made their great coffees taste not so great. One thing, the smoking teenagers at the tables outside have to go. I can believe kids still smoke, talking about polluting the environment.
there is no place like it in this whole area. the tea is great, the food is great, the place is fresh and friendly. unique decorations too! sit indoors our outdoors; you'll love it both ways. free wi-fi, and even a computer you can use. a place to chat the night (or the afternoon) away. i'm not too fond of the concerts on friday and saturday, but everything else makes this the best destination for conversation, catching up, and coffee (although i've never tried the coffee). the restrooms are clean and nicely decorated.
Bean Town is great in person and when delivered. I was lucky to have a few friends bring me 2 pints of chocolate chip ice cream from there last night. Their ice cream is definitely the best I have had in years. It is nice and soft and full of flavor. And if you decide to visit the cafe, watch out for the cute hapa boy that works there. Oh and there is free wireless for all!
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The charm of Beantown is not in the food. It offers a standard collection of Coffee and Tea drinks in addition to a menu of sandwiches, salads, pastries and desserts. Everything I've had there has been good and the prices are about the LA average. Being from the south this is kind of pricey to me though.
What sets Beantown apart is the atmosphere and the people. It's in a town that feels miles away from the sprawl of LA, although it's really 2 min from the 210. The inside of the restaurant echoes this feel with the old wooden structure of the roof exposed and an assortment of old signs and other americana on the worn brick walls. This is a great place for people watching as customers could be anyone from a studying college student to an independently wealthy investor managing his fortune with the free WiFi access. It has a collection of regulars that add flavor the the mix and if you get to know the people there you can have discussions on any topic imaginable.
If you're like me and need a break from the city every once in a while head up to Beantown and just relax for an afternoon sipping coffee and surfing the net. If you're going on a night when there is music though, get there early or seating will be in short supply.
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Fun if you like to hang out with hormonal teenagers that edit their MySpace all day long. I must admit, I also used to come here in my hormonal teenage years, but now I can't work in this lack-of-electricity environment. Oh, I'm supposed to talk about the drinks..they're decent. White hot chocolate.
We love the Beannie!!
It is one of those gems with something for absolutely everyone.....
Laidback atmosphere, music which adds to ambience but still quiet enough for both conversation and reading.
Child and dog friendly, ample seating outside on the pavement.
The coffee and tea here are fantastic, they have a wide selection of loose leaf teas and coffee drinks to rival all the coffee addicts top 5 hangouts around Pasadena like Zona Rosa and Zephyr, and there's more....... they serve sandwiches like doorsteps and supersized baked goods......Wow!
This place is convneniently located bangsmack in the centre of Sierra Madre, and even better,literally just down the road from the hiking trails for Little Santa Anita Canyon, and Mount Wilson, and a welcome sustanence stop on some great cycling routes.
What more could you want when you can stuff your face with an absolutely *massive* slice of chocolate layer cake to reward yourself for your physical labours? We are greedy types but still happily shared one slice between the two of us.
Beantown could do with an extra restroom, as all too often one finds oneself standing crosslegged in the loo queue for up to 10 mins, so make sure you go before you come to Beantown!
All in all, this is a great place to hang out, read, chill and peoplewatch, and is a welcome change from the ever multiplying corporate chains serving so-so fare like Starbucks.
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Support a local business and ignore the Starbucks a few doors down. By far better ambiance and now they take debit cards so there's just no excuse to feed the man's pocket book.
Great loose leaf teas, entertaining staff, couches and computers, ice cream for the kiddies. Dog friendly, kid friendly, Sierra Madre-an friendly.
If you have the time, stay and have a game of checkers, maybe bring some extra pieces with you, I think they get snagged regularly, or set up on the couch with your lap top and enjoy the vibe. They also have some pretty interesting bands that come through. We once saw a vibraphone player and that just doesn't happen at every coffee shop.
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This place is everything Sierra Madre is about, and what is missing so often in other neighborhoods. It's friendly, laid-back and welcoming. The coffee's great, the pastries are terrific and homemade, but what's best is the way it feels to be part of a community. It's typical that people run into one another there - it's a gathering place for young and old alike. Everyone loves Beantown!
Bean Town IS everything a coffee house should be. The decor is as cozy as can be. The ambiance is perfect morning, noon, or night. They've got old, mismatched chairs, bar stool seating in the front windows. a living room setting with two couches and a coffee table. A great way to start your day! Food and coffee are what you'd expect, I enjoy it. But, I think it's really the service and the ambiance that appeals to me.
i credit Bean Town for introducing me to my addiction to coffee. or maybe it was the zero-period classes i had in high school and the fact that it was down the street. but regardless, i lost my coffee innocence to Bean Town.
Bean Town is everything a local coffee house should be - friendly employees (many of which are somehow related to people you know), good coffee, ice creams & cocoas for the non-coffee drinkers, comfy couches, free internet access, fresh baked sweets and of course, dog biscuits for the local pooches. it is the kind of place where you almost always see someone you know - but then again, i guess that is Sierra Madre. Bean Town was a great local hang out before the coffee house trend and still is. so grab an ice cream and enjoy the world go by as you recline in your vintage patio chair.
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