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Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Gourmet Ghetto
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Here is the 'rub.' The prices at this place are freakin' 50% cheaper than 'Bucks, that is a latte is $1.65. (Was $1.50 a month ago.) Bucks is $3.00 plus. Infinitely better than Starbucks and a star ahead of Peet's, for that matter.. The staff, mainly Latino, are fast and efficient to an almost Germanic degree, which I count as a plus. (If you have Bay Area Attention Deficit and prefer a consultation to placing an order, stay the 'F' away from this speedily-served place.)
There are hot chicks a plenty peering at you over their "study glasses," if that's your bag. The classical music, (and I'm an expert is a LITTLE Mozart-centric, but it's still better than the bogus free jazz at Bucks.)
Now, for the negative. Nuts. There is one crazy 70-something dude with a tiny pony-tail who imagines himself the bathroom attendant. He will attempt to wipe down the front of your trousers when you come out of the can. Ah, nah! He also constantly goes compulsively in/out to make sure it's 'nice' in there. After two hours, an overly-tolerant management, (even by Berkeley standards) punts him. Too, please find the uber -thin, 60-something "crushed by divorce" woman. Her gig is fiddling incessantly and angrily with the bulletin board - it's as if she receives messages from Stalin from the damn thing. Glare at her and she'll shoot you a sado-demonic look; yikes.
... As well as the various "street-stinkies" constantly coming in to use the bathroom. If you can sit near the windows and away from the bathroom, you should be fine, but in truth, Management needs to aggressively bar the door to the stinkies. The nutty woman and man are tolerable, just.
In all, four stars.
Make sure to count your change!
My bf has been jipped thrice in change recently. Change isn't super substantial, but still...you want to know you're getting back the correct amount. It's a little shady when they think you're dumb enough to just pocket it immediately. Well, in my bf's case, he technically was before he went back home and checked.
3.5 stars.
Basically, come here for their ridiculously fast high speed wi-fi. I mean, it's…
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Before I actually sat down to write this review, I always thought myself very fond of Berkeley Espresso. I come here on a very regular basis, in fact, I'm on their wi-fi right now.
Although thinking about it, I don't really know why. Their coffee is pretty good, but not amazing. Well, at least it is reasonably priced. The cash only thing has currently halted my coffee consumption at 3 double espressos, the hoards of people on laptops have forced me outside (no outlets, but it is a nice day).
It's a good place for getting your laptop on, but more than that?
I love anywhere with free internet, and now that I've been studying and not socializing, I've learned to appreciate how quiet Berkeley Espresso is. While not for everyone who enjoys studying at cafes, the patrons at Berkeley Espresso are very respectful of personal space, minimizing distractions, and silence.
Compared to most Berkeley cafes of a similar caliber, the coffee isn't bad and the pastries are better than most. I'd give them four stars if they took credit cards and closed at 12 instead of 11.
One of my favorite spots. Good coffee, decent Wifi, friendly service. I like the fact that they are open till late. Quiet enough to study, or do work.
This place smells like sewage. From the moment you walk in the door, you're immediately hit with the stench of god-knows-what. The only reason people come here (imo) is because other coffee shops on shattuck might not have free wifi or tables. That's why I came here. I ordered tea (they carry republic of tea brand in a variety of flavors) because it's pretty hard to mess up hot water. Even then, the water was pretty lukewarm...and everybody knows water needs to be boiling hot for tea to brew properly.
Did I mention it smells like sewage in here? That, or horrible BO, or a dirty rag that hasn't been cleaned in a while... that rotting water smell pervades the room. they really need to open the door or something to get rid of the stench.
Having worked in Berkeley for over 3 years i have been to many of the coffee shops, this was not the first one i tried but it was the first one that was recommend to me.. well either the people(yes more than one) hate me and hey that's a possibility or they have don't know a good cup of coffee if it hits them in the kisser.. i think the latter is probably the truth.
I had many a burnt Espresso and Americano here but No more !!
also i don't care for the customers (students and Berkeley types) and they don't cater for Vegans so 2* is best i can give them.
Smell:
Bleachy, dirty rags.
Available sugar:
Brown, white, and some offbrand fake equal style stuff.
My drink:
Nonfat latte. Great until it started to cool and then it tasted really, really weird and I ditched it.
Final Thoughts:
Too bad there's not something in between "Meh. I've experienced better" and "A-OK."
The only reason you should come here is to do work on your laptop. =\
At least the clientele aren't too obnoxious.
Don't come here for the coffee or conversing. Their brews are nothing special. The ubiquitous laptoppers will shoot you dirty looks for breaking the peace with words or a laugh. It's like a library. I sneezed and got scowls. Then I had to again and stifled it *atieuuuuu* all genteel-like, and hoped my brain didn't hemorrhage from the pressure.
But for turning pages or clicking keys, you'll be good with the company of the upper ranks of college folk situated at the little round tables juggling their computers, textbooks and disarray of papers. You may even catch a gaze spacing out, fixed aimlessly when searching for the right phrase. Here it's polite to avert your eyes and focus on your sandwich. They've got really simple ones (pick your filling and bread), but in fairness they're cheap, fresh and pretty tasty.
There's this unspoken understanding that when sitting at the perimeter tables, everyone faces in towards the cafe. I refuse to sit with my back to the broad windows and let passersby peep at my screen, top secret yelping going on! I've got to hunch over while I'm typing this though or else the staff here will see that I think they're a little creepy. Shhhh.
Convenient, yes. Free wifi, yes. Good java, not so much. Tables for two? Barely enough room for you and your laptop.
But the soy milk foam - divine.
I keep forgetting why I hate this place, because it's always filled with people on their laptops so I think, hey I could get some work done here. They also serve sandwiches and pastries but with all the great places to eat within walking distance, why bother?
(1) Their overpriced drinks suck and the scruffy guy behind the counter hates making it for you.
(2) The FLIES. OH GOD THE FLIES. WTF?! Inside and outside. Please make it stop.
I do have to give them credit for:
- a decent, stable internet connection that doesn't have an annoying sign-in page
- a functional bathroom that doesn't require a secret password
- a good number of power strips (free-hanging from the ceiling... surely a fire hazard)
Overall, though, it's just not worth it.
Not my favorite, especially with so many other good places around. The coffee is passable (please get Splenda!), as are the baked goods. Free Wifi, which always makes me happy.
As for the cold vibe that others have mentioned, I don't really go to coffee places to make friends, so I'm indifferent. Have to agree that the tables are way too small .
(Editorial comment: As usual, I have had to pay my $36 toll to Berkeley for failing to run out within the stinkin' 2 hour limit on parking. I'm kind of over Berkeley. To those who say I should take public transportation, I don't live near a BART/bus stop and Berkeley would be one of the closest, so please go easy on my apparent lack of concern for the environment ...).
Not the greatest coffee in town, but close to the campus (1 *), with free WiFi (2 *), and they do close late(3 *).
However, their table's are so small! Damn, laptop on the table, book on your laptop, book on the table, laptop on your laptop, I don't know =[
Caffeine in Aimee's bod - good.
Type of Caffeine being slowly injected - Iced Mocha Bianca.
Strong. Sweet. Cold. Smooth.
DELICIOUS.
great for: a friend/romantic date, a colleague meeting
not great for: a big book club (no huge tables)
vegan plus: little oat treats at the counter.
vegan minus: all you can buy is those little treats.
You know, I've been coming here quite a bit lately, and I must say that the music is better and not blasted as loud as it used to be...don't know why this is, but I like it. Also, I've gotten avocado sandwiches a few times, and they're quite good! The veggies (and corn chips the sandwich comes with) all taste fresh and yummy. I'll give them another star.
Weird, too-loud music; tiny tables; mediocre coffee and snacks.
It's near campus and has free wi-fi.…
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Berkeley espresso would be an ordinary little caffeine fueling station for the working class except for these neat facts:
- cash only
- you can practice your spanish on the barista
- my female friend ordered a latte and the barista made a flower out of chocolate powder on the foam (no doubt I was puzzled by this unequal treatment)
I would stay away from just a regular coffee; I find it a bit burnt.
I have had a number, a variety, of emotional experiences here. I don't know why this would be a place where that has happened, but there it is.
Without divulging personal details, let me just describe how it goes down when one enters this cafe.
From the corner of Shattuck and Hearst, one enters the glass double doors of Berkeley Espresso. One receives many looks from sudden upturned heads which were previously deep in thought or deep in porno-distraction via the prevalent laptops propped on almost each and every table. Blue squares of light projected to all corners of this green rectangular cafe.
One does not know where to stand to order a cup of coffee. Oh! One sees. One walks to the back of the line by the glass pastry case, as one continues being watched by aggro grad students and frustrated writers of the Berkeley persuasion. One feels prickling on the back of one's neck. One hopes to make one's order and then escape down to a table to enjoy caffeine fix as soon as one is able.
One finally gets coffee, cream, finds one table in the far corner near the stinky bathroom, and sits quietly. One gets up to pick up The Onion or a local stinky newspaper. One's purse drops to the floor in the shuffle. A lady at a nearby table shoots one a menacing look. The student across from the newspaper shelf huffs in your direction. One grabs The Onion and returns to original seat.
One finds The Onion hilarious. Especially the business about having coffee with President Bush. So hilarious, one must laugh out loud!
One did not! One did! Did not! Did!
Leers from round the green rectangle.
One gets the picture. One quietly stands up, grabs one's purse and heads toward the glass doors.
The coffee was not too bad, but the company made it taste like 'shhhhhhhhh!'. Not my favorite cup of coffee in Berzerkeley.
Barista Nazi: No WiFi for You!
Last night I popped into Berkeley Espresso to check my email on the way home. I don't live near Berkeley Espresso so I was drawn there (out of a whole row of cafes) purely because of their free wifi sign.
Like a good cafe citizen, I decided to order a latte first. There was only one person in line, but for some reason it took the barista over 15 minutes to make their coffee. I could have been half-way home by the time I ordered my latte!
I finally got the latter, and I settled down at a table near. I fired up the ol' T/X and clicked my shortcut to Yahoo...and then WHAM! The connection totally disappeared! I turned around to see the barista staring at me. I went to the counter to ask about the WiFi and mentioned that there was a sign on the door promising free WiFi.
The barista said he was getting ready to close. Actually, closing was a good 20 minutes away (I stayed to finish my latte). That jerk actually looked over at me, saw I was trying to check my email, and TURNED IT OFF!
I can't believe the cafe owners let that barista get his jollies like that.
As mentioned above, the only reason I chose that cafe was for the WiFi. I wish I'd known that the barista was on crack before I ordered my latter. There's a cafe a block away that has free WiFi, too.
So people complain about the lack of friendly service here; I don't know what to make of it. The staff won't gab with you like they're your styllist when you're in the chair or your gurlfriends while your shopping, but that doesn't make them surly--at least I don't find them to be that way. I will say the place has great coffee drinks and good treats to eat. Free wifi's great, if you can find a place to sit (and plug in when you need to).
My only complaint is the cash-only deal.
The good: Beautiful cafe, great location, free wifi with tons of outlets (as others have pointed out).
The bad: Service. I've just about given up on tipping here, as I'm tired of the attitude I get every time I'm at the counter. It's less arrogance and more just-don't-give-a-damn. I'm editing to mention that the only people who seem to get good service are cute twenty-something girls. I've stopped tipping here for the most part. Why do I come back? It's the masochist in me.
Go if you've got a deadline to meet or if it's raining and you want to watch the windows steam up. Otherwise, try one of the many other great cafes in Berkeley.
Generally there are two types of people you find in cafes: (1) people who want to hunker down with their laptop/books and get some work done and (2) people who want to socialize and hang out. This cafe is definitely for people in group (1) -- by a long shot.
When I want to do some early morning work, this is the place I like to go. The reason is that I'm somewhat of a social worker. If I'm working on my laptop, chilling out trying to maximize my work time while minimizing my expense, I want to be somewhere with lots of like-minded people. So I like to do work at cafes where most of the other patrons are also working. And Berkley Espresso is great for that, especially in the mornings.
The thing that I find this place especially good for is morning owrk. At 7:30 AM (the place opens at 7:00) you can come in with a laptop, put on your headphones, and start working with at least two or three other like-minded inviduals. By 8:00 AM or so on a weekday the place will be mostly full, and by 8:30 AM or so that morning rush starts to peter off. So you'll be working in a place with other early morning types (in my experience, mostly old people) and the people who run the place will be used to it.
The other cafe that's nearby that I tend to frequent a lot is the People's Cafe. In comparison, I've done work there in the morning, and it's a lot weirder. The crowd there is mostly people grabbing a cup of joe before work, or for whatever they had to get up early for that day if it's a weekend/holiday. If you come into People's Cafe at 8am with your laptop, you're likely to be the only one actually sitting down and staying in the place. Now, depending on your personality, you may see this as a bonus. But I find it a bit awkward. It's you sitting in the place all alone with the owner while business-types rush in and out.
Other pro tips:
* You can use their wireless connection for free (no password, no survey, etc.). It's just an open wireless network. It's not super fast, but it will get the job done.
* If you sit by the windows they have power outlets in/near the potted plants. There are also power outlets along the far wall from where you enter.
* As Ligaya T. pointed out, everyone sits facing with their back to the window. I don't know why, but that's just how it's done.
* Don't sit in the corner by the bathroom in the mornings. They clean it around 8:00 AM with about a thousands times too much Pine Sol. Every time someone enters or leaves it you risk passing out from the Pine Sol fumes.
* They have the ceiling rotating fans -- directly below the lights. If you come here at night, make sure you don't grab a table under the lights, or you might get a seizure.
* They always seem to have humidifiers on or something. If you wear glasses and it's the winter, the chances are pretty good that you're glasses are going to be totally steamed up for at least a few minutes when you first come in.
Wireless is a little slow, but it is available :D
They play classical music at a nice volume - good for working.
The coffee drinks are nice and strong - I recommend the mocha bianca.
The waitstaff is friendly and they recognize you if you come often.
But the tables are small.
And the bathroom stinky.
Reasonably bad espresso, but at least it's not watery. I do get annoyed at all the laptops and their owners, who sit there for hours taking up all the space not leaving any seats for a guy looking to sit while he sips his coffee.
On the positive side, I once took my parents here for a morning coffee, and the barista made a cute little smiley on top of their cappuccinos. So awesome!
How can you go wrong with a corner coffee shop? It's not Starbucks, and that's a start right there!
I waited no longer than 3 minutes for my soy vanilla latte and two other hot drinks. the service was friendly and fast. I would definitely stop again. It's a nice ending after an afternoon lunch at Triple Rock.
Check out my pictures from the personalized drinks!!!
I get my morning mocha here every time I want to treat myself ....which can be quite often. The foam is amazing at this place, so I recommend skipping the whip cream. Although, I generally stick with a white mocha, I have enjoyed iced coffee drinks during the summer.
The staff are fast on the espresso and very nice. Also, the drinks are typically a dollar less than anywhere else on Shattuck.
The *only* reason to frequent this place is b/c they offer free wifi and as long as you buy something, you can sit there till 11 PM when the lights go out & the network's closed. The drinks are bad--even the hot water has a film, and the only pastry worth a damn is the apricot square. If you are not a laptopper, watch as the vultures hover over your chair and ask "are you leaving yet?? when are you leaving???"--don't worry, they won't want to share a table--and don't you think of getting any funny ideas about asking to sit with someone else, either...
Doesn't Cal Berkeley offer free net to its students? Other net cafe options are sprouting around Downtown Berkeley, so avoid this joint.
Easy to get to, awesome cappuccino! The barrista even put a happy face on it. The milk was well heated, not scalding, bubbles were super smooth. Not sure about other treats here, but with free wifi and good capps, you can't go too wrong. I wouldn't recommend coming with a group though. It's definitely hard to find a table at peak times. I also love the soothing classical music and the open airy atmosphere created by the basically all window walls.
Free wi-fi and tons of outlets make this place awesome for laptop junkies like myself. The coffee and food are OK, but you're really here to get work done. Also, late hours (11pm most nights) are great for working under a deadline.
TIP: If you have trouble getting on the network, ask them to reset the router, as it can sometimes go down.
ive been coming here for awhile and enjoy it.
free wifi
openable windows
nice staff
i was a regular here once: i was lured by their library like atmosphere and free wifi. this is definitely a "bring your lap top and give dirty looks to people talking" kind of place. i even spent a valentine's day here once!!
why have i turned to bitter and sour, you ask? well, we had a bad break up a year ago, and yes, i'm still angry at you, berkeley espresso. why? well, you don't give your regulars hell for sitting down for a sec before buying something, you clean your bathrooms (this place has the most disgusting musky bathroom ever), and you make some attempt to make decent coffee at least every once in a while.
i was so outraged at how rude they were to me, that i haven't gone back once.
try village grounds down the street for a good study environment or guerrilla for excellent coffee and a more social ambiance.
I was one of the laptoppers everybody seems to be complaining about, and I'm not sure what the problem is - it's a university town, the cafe is right near campus, and it's a place where people go to study, so yes, people are quiet and they take up tables for a while. That's the kind of shop it is, that's the shop's bread-and-butter patron - if you are looking for a boisterous atmosphere and a seat reserved for you, you will be disappointed.
My personal opinion - coffee was decent, so were the pastries. I used to go several times a week to study. Then I got sick of the fact that staff was always surly, never seemed to recognize me or care that I come in all the time. So I switched to Village Grounds, which is much better on all counts.
Weak coffee, a very rude wait staff and its usually a sea of laptops.
They cornered the market for proximity to the college and dont care about service or the quality of their product.
Before I had my baby I used to drag my big pregnant self here every weekend with my laptop working on a project and I sure miss it!
(Miss having more time on the computer now that junior is here but that's another matter).
The coffee isn't the greatest, but the ambience is -- they always have KDFC-FM playing (classical music) and almost every customer is there to work or study, or just shoot the breeze. Very friendly.
Good coffee for very good prices (way cheaper and bigger than the usual chain coffees). The cafe is big with huge wall-to-wall windows making it a great place to study or read. Generally draws the older Berkeley crowd and is almost always full. The outdoor seating is nice for warm days.
They also have free wireless and it doesn't require pointless logging in or other stunts to start using it. It's pretty fast too. Lots of electric outlets too.
It has been my favorite place to study for a couple years but it's just so hard to find tables most of the time!
With lots of outlets and seats and free wireless, this is laptop heaven. However, the food is mediocre and the espresso is low-quality (the barristas don't tamp the grounds down, and the resulting brew is harsh). Service ranges from so-so to "why are you bothering me" as closing time nears.
For better food and drink (and service) try Fertile Grounds a few blocks north on Shattuck.
They only get that extra star for the free wifi. drink selection is mediocre to poor. attitude of staff is poor. i concur with those who say the atmosphere is somewhat ... tense...
lots of outlets though. and free wifi
A quick in-and-out drink order is a good way to go at Berkeley Espresso. This way you might not notice the handful of flies in the pastry display, or see (and smell) the horrible bathroom standard.
Even with free wireless and late hours, I will not step foot in this place again.
Where else can you buy one caffeinated drink and sit at a table enjoying free wireless for five hours without feeling like a total freeloader?
Everybody else is doing it.
Neighborhood: North Berkeley
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: South Berkeley
Category: Coffee & Tea
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