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Mon-Fri. 5:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sat. 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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Used to come here very often on my lunch breaks last summer. I'd always order the spicy tuna panini. Always delicious- don't think I've had a better tuna sandwich recently. I sampled the bbq chicken and beef panini and it was also very good.The passion orange guava iced tea is light and refreshing, not overly sweet. The citrus iced tea is alright, but I didn't see the big deal...I'd stick with whatever fruitier flavored iced teas they offer.
They've perfected the community oriented friendly coffee shop theme here and It's fitting in a neighborhood like willow glen. I'm used to people being cold or indifferent about serving me, so it's a nice change to see some enthusiasm and a more personal touch in customer service.
I was surprised, considering the rave reviews for this place, by how small it was! That's great that people cater to this place. There was one guy sitting at one of the seven or so tables inside; otherwise, there were two pretty friendly staff there.
To be fair, I might have given more stars if I had gotten food. There were some sandwiches and scones sitting out, but I wasn't feeling too hungry, so I got an iced chai latte. It was small, pretty decent, very sweet, for $2.75. I sat inside to do some work on my laptop, but I couldn't get my wireless to work. Oh well. Maybe next time :)
I'm so glad to see Elva's has thrived in WG. With so many coffee options, she really sets herself apart with her cheery attitude and great coffee & snacks. I don't think I've ever come in and not received a friendly greeting (she always remembers my name). The burritos, pastries or fruit always satisfy. When I was pregnant and not drinking caffeine, they always tried to come up with fun alternatives. Even though Frank doesn't approved of my baseball team affiliation, he always serves me with a smile :-)
This place is great, no complaints here! Elva, the owner, is great. Regardless of what I order, it always better than expected! Five stars hands down.
So I'm a HUGE fan of fresh coffee and an even HUGER fan of little coffee shops. So when I get both things together, I'm in coffee shop heaven. This is one of the friendliest shops I've ever been to. Everyone in the place greets you when you open the door, and the coffee is always good. Their iced green tea is VERY nice, especially when it's so hot outside.
Also, if you are hungry, they have a pretty good selection of coffee shop grub; bagels, pastries, coffee cake, etc. But if you have a special hunger, the have breakfast burritos. Chorrizo or egg, with potato, ham, cheese. But the very best part is the tortilla. They are homemade, not at Elva's, but homemade and fresh. And ask for the spicy salsa. SO good. I will be back, and not just because I work next door at Salon Rain, but because it's totally worthy, breakfast burrito or not!!
Maybe I'm a Seattle coffee snob, but I don't get the hype here. The coffee was alright, but not anything to write home about--my latte's foam looked like something that came out of an instant coffee machine from a trainstation. The people who worked there were friendly enough and we noticed some very tasty-looking breakfast burritos being served. I would go back to try one, but my trip to San Jose is over! Sad.
I came across the reviews for Elva's on Yelp about a year ago. The rave acclaim for her citrus tea alone got me to make an excursion over to the place. Elva and Frank are some of the nicest business owners I have met. Even though I haven't been there all that often (strictly due to my over-scheduling) Elva always remembers me and what I like...even though she doesn't know my name. It is such a warm and inviting place.
Now the tea that I originally came for is SO worth it! Not lemon tea....the citrus tea that is scooped out of a magical jar and mixed with VERY hot water. Note that this tea does not have caffeine in it and you cannot get the ingredients from Elva because it's "secret"...but I can deal with those things just to get a sip of that delicious beverage.
When I came for the tea we were hungry so we tried the BBQ Chicken & Beef Panini. SERIOUSLY?! This sandwich seems simple enough...some chicken and beef covered in barbeque sauce toasted between 2 slices of lightly buttered bread. I know that is what it is literally but it tastes so much more magical. It really is something you have to try for yourself. Their soups made from scratch are must-haves, as well.
Now, I should mention that I don't drink coffee...so I can't rate that. (Funny, I know, being that it's a "Coffee Stop." Many people comment that they'd be afraid to see me with that much caffeine since I'm crazy-hyper as it is.) Their hot chocolate is outstanding, the citrus tea is amazing and their savory goods are delicious. All of that plus their superior customer service! Just go try it out for yourself, k?
K, I went here maybe a few weeks ago during finals week trying to grab a nice cup of coffee while relaxing to do some reading. There were some good things about this place and some things that just were not comparable to that of other local coffee shops.
1) I don't think this place has wifi. I tried to log on with my lap top and could not find any local network. I double checked to make sure I wasnt just being stupid (like I so often do) and i had my wifi enabled but there was just no network.
2) They are very friendly, it is kind of like a homey atmosphere. Ya walk in they say hi, and when you leave they say thanks for coming. It is worth coming to just for that now a days.
3) They serve food, and decent food at that. I didn't try it but they do serve some soup which is good on chilly days.
4) The coffee ain't half bad. Wasnt the best, but was still good.
If you are in the Willow Glen area and dont feel like fighting for parking head down the street to this joint. It is worth checking out. Only 3 stars though because the lack of wifi, that is a huge must for all coffee shops.
So I am officially one of those people who stops in fairly regularly for their POG ice tea now. Man that stuff hits the spot when you want something sweet and delicious. I have yet to stray from the POG, but everything else also looks really good, and Jason has ordered their regular coffee before and there were no complaints on his end. Maybe when the weather completely changes and I can't get away with iced tea anymore I'll give something else a try.
One huge thanks to Noelle for being the first person to bring this shop to my attention. Without it I would be lost on hot afternoons!
I love Elva! She's so sweet and friendly.
I love POG Tea!
I love custard crimpies---so sad there werent any today when I wanted to get some.
Also I eyeballed some breakfast wraps/burritos (bacon, potato, eggs and cheese) in the fridge?! Why dont other coffee shops sell these.
My 200th review deserves a worthy establishment and what better one than Elva's!
I really wanted to…
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I stopped by Elva's for a cup of coffee. I was greeted by the nicest people and they made me feel really welcome. As I was sitting waiting for my friend to show up I noticed that everyone knew each other. It is the neighborhood coffee stop and it is a place to go to have a GOOD cup of coffee and to mingle with familiar faces. I like to support local and small businesses. I will be back for my coffee and hopefully soon I'll be one of those faces that everyone knows.
Thank you for the great service and excellent coffee.
Don't let the challenging parking scare you - this is the best place for coffee in the area! However, the great coffee isn't even the best part (although it's wonderful) - Elva's is worth the trip for the great service alone. Elva and her staff are incredibly nice, will remember you and your order after you have been there only a few times, and always make you feel really special. Wonderful local businesses like this deserve to be supported by their neighborhood!
What a great little find...and to think, I owe it all to Yelp and Noelle and the Coffee/Cookies donations to our troops!
This is a great little Mom and Pop coffee place in Willow Glen. The coffee was great, Elva was so friendly, and what they are doing for our troops is even better still.
This is definitely going to be a new place to stop for coffee on my way to school!
Elva's is awesome! I don't believe that I have ever experienced more friendly service anywhere else. Their coffee and food are wonderful, and their active support of the local community is even better. They remember my drink, ask about my kid, and they run a clean, *damn* fine establishment.
The only irritating flaw is the location. Despite my love for Elva's, I've probably passed them by about a dozen times because of the parking situation: Basically, there isn't any. I have even been blocked in by less-than-considerate parkers. But they still get 5 stars from me.
The owner of the shop is very sweet and knowledgeable. She always remembers my name (even though I wasn't able to stop by on a consistant basis) and is very helpful by suggesting coffee beans to every taste.
They're constantly hosting social events (ex:valentines day night, singles night...)
Their coffee is (in my humble opinion) excellent! Not just their coffee, mind you...their smoothies are delicious!
They also sell sandwiches, fruit and pastries.
Only downside: Parking can be a pain. (parking lot is ridiculously small...you're better off parking on the street)
Finally made it to Elva's, and I'll definitely be back!
First, I thought it was really cool that she recognized and greeted my friend, a former customer who has lived out of state for more than a year.
Second, I have a cold, and based on Yelp recommendations I ordered the citrus tea. Oh my, that is the real deal! I drank every drop and it really felt good going down the gullet.
I'll be back.
SUPPORT LOCAL MOM AND POP JOINTS!
I WILL SHOUT FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOPS TILL I TURN PINK IN THE FACE "I love Elva's Coffee Stop!" After eating tacos next door, I decided to take a stroll and visit Elva. You would think I would know her by the way I talk...
I was a little full, and really did not need anything after my lunch, so I stayed outside looking at the menu board. Elva, in her nice super sweet voice says "you thirsty, you hungry...c'mon in!"
Truth be told I had some sips of a chai tea latte.
Truth be told...I love that she is doing the cancer walk and taking donations in this big clear jar.
Truth be told the space is yellow, friendly, fun, and filled with decorations, coffee, and gear.
Truth be told, the staff is the perfect example why I support local mom and pop shops.
Truth be told, she won me as a customer when she let me sample some of her lemon honey tea. It was amazing. If you are sick, or want something sweet...GET IT. It's good.
Truth be told...she had me at hello.
I am not one to review a coffee shop because they are a dime a dozen but Elva's stands out with some pretty good coffee with decent prices.
One cool thing inside the place is all the pictures of people who travel and take pictures of themselves with an elva's sticker or shirt. Not as fast as starbucks, but if you don't care about waiting an extra 30 seconds then give this place a shot, you may end up making it your coffee spot.
Looking for a good independent coffee shop in the vicinity I keep trying new cafes....
After reading the rave reviews about this one stopped by around 4.30 Pm on a week day (they close away too early - 5.00 PM)
I would consider the "latte" to be just OK..Nothing extra ordinary....
I was searching for coffee shops on Yelp today and came across Elva's. I read the reviews and with all it's positive feedback living pretty close to it's location I quickly rushed to the shop before closing time (5:00pm.)
I found it with ease, I ordered an iced White Chocolate Snicker doodle (since many people were raving about this drink in their testimonials) that i pretty much inhaled. It was awesome, I for sure want to try a sandwich and the iced tea when I come back next time. Coffee will have to be a must as well, Starbucks is just bad, period.
nice people, but when i went there on a Saturday at 1pm, they were out of coffee....not like they were brewing and it would be 5 min, they were flat out.
So they offer me an americano instead, which is fine since I'm not picky. I also got their homemade breakfast burrito.
It was pretty tasty, but maybe a little dry...would have been really good with some hot sauce or salsa.
prices were a little high, but nothing totally out of control...i'll try again because i hear their latte's are amazing, and would like to support local businesses as much as possible.
i just can't give more than 3 stars to a coffee shop who is out of coffee the first time you go there..
I love Elva! She really cares about her customers and her community. I would much rather see her get my hard earned money than some mega corporation in Seattle! I usually order a drip coffee, which is always fresh and hot and never bitter or burnt tasting like the other places. My kids usually get the fu fu coffees and they claim that they are excellent. She also carries breakfast burritos, pastries , and danishes from locals suppliers.
Only downside is the parking situation. Only 3 designated spots in the front of the place. Sometimes it is hard to get a space in the street.
I really like this place! it's close enough to bike to, and their morning buns are to DIE for :)
very friendly service every time!
Okay, I guess it's about time I write a review on Elva's. I worked for many years with Frank's mom so when I found out about Elva's I had to give it a try.
PROS
I drink sugar-free syrups. Elva has SO many different kinds. It's amazing! No more vanilla or hazelnut rut for me! When I couldn't decide she even whipped up a sugar free latte that tasted like a cinnamon roll. How cool is that?
The kids RAVE about the hot chocolate. I tried a sip and it does not taste chalky like Starbucks. It's chocolatey, creamy, and warm. The kids don't even ask for Starbucks anymore. They want Elva's.
They have a case with ice cream in the back. So if it's a weekend afternoon and the kids don't want a drink, they can pick up an ice cream. Now that does make it difficult when my 5 year old wants one at 7 am....
They have a frequent buyer card! Every 10th and 20th is free. Since I purchase 4 drinks at a time, the free one comes around often for me. They even let me save it for the few days right before payday. lol They also do the card for ice cream too.
Elva and Frank are so nice. They don't just remember your name, they can even remember what you talked about the last time you were in. I moved a few weeks back and when I stopped in, they asked me how the move went. Do you get that at Starbucks?
CONS
Parking! I've had a few akward situations trying to park. And now with the new car, I am not driving up the curb. I've started parking in the salon area if it's closed.
They are farther away from my new house. But I'll still drive the extra mile or two!
This is a really cute neighborhood coffee shop. I was meeting a friend here and Elva chatted with me while I waited. She is super nice! I got a mocha with whipped cream which was yummmy.
I hesitate to come here sometimes but only because of the parking situation. It's not so bad getting in when there is a spot, it is the leaving part that is awkward. It's almost like you have to drive off of the curb. I try to park on one of the side streets and just walk over but the streets are a bit narrow.
They have some great looking pastries that I have yet to try, although I have heard customers say they are awesome.
I love me some Elva's......
Just like everyone says, parking sux! Usually I get my walk on with the puppies and hang out in the front.
The staff is super cool and gets my drinks right everytime. The coffee is stronger than Starbucks so usually I am going half caf.....Im a weenie.
The food is also tasty. I am a creature of habit and get either the empanada or the breakfst burrito. Both are goooood! Watch out for the orange sauce they give you, blew my head off. My husband loves it tho.
See you there tomorrow morning!
Today was as my boyfriend called it "The Fat Cow Day", so before we jumped on the freeway to go to the Sonic in Gilroy, we stopped here for our caffine fix. Me and the girlie got white mochas, her boy got a zebra mocha and mine got a mocha frap. We also got a plain bagel to share. Everyone was super friendly from the moment we stepped in asking us if we had been there before (we hadn't) and bringing our stuff to our table. Our white mochas were perfect, the girlie said she doesn't normally like Starbucks or coffee, but she liked the white mocha. I didn't try the zebra, but she said she didn't like it as much but the boy did. My boy LOVED his mocha frap and he gave me a sip and it was very chocolatey goodness. The bagel was enourmous and was made of like sourdough bread. Very different but still good and they piled on the cream cheese which made for very messy car food.
We got there around 11 so there was no wait but the parking SUCKS! I hate that tiny lot and having to drive on the sidewalk.
My boyfriend and I saw this place while eating at our favorite Mexican restaurant next door. We stopped in and everyone was so friendly, and our coffee was great. I remember leaving and saying that if I lived closer, I would go there all the time. So now I do, and I am going to start going there more often!
I've had a couple of their pastries and a breakfast burrito stuffed with lots of eggs/chorizo/cheese. Oh, and that orange sauce they give you is the best! Ok, I'm hungry for it now.
Each time I go in, they are just as friendly as the first time. One time they gave us a smoothie sample, and it was divine. This will be my only place for coffee...unless they are closed or unless I'm out of the area. I can't wait to try all the other things they have there as well.
UPDATE - so I've decided that my favorite morning treat is the custard crimpy. It's delicious.
Great coffee, really nice owners. Parking is ok in the morning when the salon is closed and I can park there or sometimes on the street. Service is quick and coffee decently priced. Definitely like supporting a family-owned coffee shop.
Update 5/27/08:
My husband got a chorizo breakfast burrito here the other day and it was really good!
Elva's is a great local business - excellent coffee, good treats and a laidback and friendly staff. Elva and Frank seem to remember everyone's name - including the names of everyone's kids! San Jose has a wide variety of excellent coffee houses but I favor Elva's.
This place really was what it was cracked up to me.
The parking is a mess, but the shop is awesome. The soy mocha was one of the best I've had, and Evla herself was charming. The place has a really cozy, kicked back feel. We must have sat there drinking coffee for half the morning.
The one thing I'd improve is the lack of outdoor seating. There is one table, but a few more would be really nice to enjoy on a beautiful day.
Pros:
Friendly neighborhood coffee shop
Staff always greet you with a smile
Good latte
Cons:
Limited parking. Lots of tow away signs
Only a few tables to sit inside
Ditto the family owned thing.
For those wishing to shun the corporate coffee machine, support Elvas!
Parking is a bit awkward, but the coffee's good stuff. ;)
I came here this morning because Elva's is close to my work and I just had to try Noelle W.'s favorite Iced Snickerdoodle Drink! Doesn't it just sound good?! The guy who helped me was really nice and I feel bad that I was so tired I didn't seem to appreciate him.. He suggested the Morning Bun which was a cinnamon and sugar roll. I decided to try it warmed up. It was so good! The drink was delicious as well! I can't believe it was empty at 7 in the morning.. I will be coming back here because they have a punch card and I want to try more of their drinks!
I went in today because I was hungry and thought I would try a sandwich. When I walked in Elva said "hi!! how are you? It's nice to see you again!" I have only seen her one other time and she remembered me and my daughter!! No THAT is customer service!!! And her husband made me this YUMMY drink - a White Chocolate Mocha Snickerdoodle!!! I would have licked the bottom of the cup but that's kinda bad manners in public. I also had a turkey and cheese paninni.....perfect!! Yummy and gooey and delish!!! I also bought a pound of coffee beans and I can't wait to try them. This is that one in a million Mom and Pop shop!! They truely love what they do and love their customers!!!! Everyone needs to go here!!! Such NICE people!!
Yes, I tried Elva's too! I'm on a Yelp tour of the South Bay! I ordered a Toasted Marshmellow… Read more »
LOVE LOVE LOVE Elvas..... this is the best place in town, homey and friendly. Elva and Frank are excellent hosts/owners and the customer service is better then any of the big chain coffee stores. They remember names and orders, even funky special orders. The food is really good, you just gotta try their spicy tuna panini... yum yum.
This place is cool! Cozy. Elva makes you feel like she knows you. Great tuna sandwich. I went here to meet with Pardees for lunch and I since went back there for lunch with co-workers. Definitely a clean place. I will definitely recommend to friends.
I haven't actually been to Elva's personally, but someone picked up a sandwich for me from there and it was seriously the best sandwich EVER - a turkey cheese melt that was to die for!!! I am headed back there soon and can't wait to try some of their coffee drinks! yum-o!
I came here to drop off some coffee and cookies for Noelle's DYC and based on the recommendation of her mom the awesome Beth W. I got a POG (passion, orange, guava) iced tea on my way out. Absolutely delicious and not overly sweet, it was the perfect drink as I strolled through the farmer's market. My mom enjoyed her coffee and my aunt said it was the best cappuccino she'd had outside of Rome. High praise from a pair of coffee snobs and an iced tea aficionado.
elva! you breakfast burrito goddess you! chorizo, cheese and eggs- fuuuuck. we rolled in here around 10:00am hungover (typical), elva and her crew were holding down the fort and served up some giant, tasty breakfast burritos to go with their surprisingly really delicious coffee. the crying babies in strollers and willow glen mom's in their spandex were causing my alcohol swollen brain to start bleeding so we high tailed it out of there pretty quickly. it seems like it would be a lovely place to sit and chill if i wasn't a vampire and afraid of sunlight and firm asses.
elva, if you read this can we get an upgrade on the plastic wear? the fork was bending to the point of breaking while i was working on my buritto and forced me to resort to using my hands, and fingers covered in chorizo grease = not cute.
San Jose, CA
Category: Coffee & Tea
San Jose, CA
Category: Coffee & Tea
San Jose, CA
Category: Coffee & Tea
San Jose, CA
Category: Coffee & Tea
Los Gatos, CA
Category: Coffee & Tea
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