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Espresso Roma
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Restaurants Cafes Coffee & Tea, Cafes [Edit]
2960 College Ave(between Ashby Ave & Webster St)
Berkeley, CA 94705
Neighborhoods: Elmwood, Claremont
(510) 644-3773
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
160 reviews for Espresso Roma
Review Highlights
"this is a great place to get your work done."
(in 5 reviews)
"A plus is that there is plenty of seating and free wi-fi."
(in 6 reviews)
"I remember studying for my human anatomy class here."
(in 22 reviews)
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160 reviews in English
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Review from Antone J.
Oakland, CA
1/31/2012
When it's time to camp out for a few hours of working, studying or reading, Espresso Roma holds its own among stiff competition in Berkeley and Rockridge. It's a pleasant place that manages to have both character and elbow room -- a rare combination. Well located on the corner of College and Ashby, it's hard to miss. Quiet music (at least during the day) fosters a productive atmosphere.
I was happy with my sandwich (hot ham and Swiss FTW) and double latte. Bonus points for making it in a glass cup while including a cardboard insulator to avoid burning my hand! Free Wi-Fi shouldn't even be a question in the Bay Area in 2012 (do you also provide restrooms with free indoor plumbing?), but some places on this very street don't have it, so it's worth noting. There is a silly password scheme that requires typing in about 3,682 characters to get online, though, so I subtract half a star for that. -
Review from Cesie A.
12/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
My friends and I came after getting a great deal for a large pizza and 2 pints of beer. The pizza here is SO good. I got the #4 which had ham, cheese, tomatoes, and some other good toppings. From what I saw the beer selection was pretty decent as well, yet they only had 2 beers available for us to try at the time.
I don't think I would come here without the deal though since the pizza is a bit pricey, unless of course I were to share it (they're huge).
Also the reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is because the service was not very good. The cashier was new and fairly nice but the guy in charge was not pleased at all. I'm guessing it's because we each had the deal from online. But really, it was your store's choice to participate in the deal. Don't be upset that my friends and I were smart and purchased it. You probably wouldn't have attracted us there and gotten our attention had there not been a deal. -
Review from Amy J.
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you're a beer drinker you'll love the selection of tastes and flavours. My friend had a Groupon so we split a large pizza. Half #3 and Half #5. Both were a good combo but it was a bit soggy in the middle. I like the thin crust though which was good.
My friend drank the beer since he wasn't driving and I had a Ginger Beer. The Ginger Beer was good and it had a bit of a burn at the end.
There was plenty of seating and it's a good spot to hang out and study or work on your laptop. The location is good too. -
Review from Adam C.
Berkeley, CA
1/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've gone to this cafe many times over my life and it is definitely a great place to grab a beer, eat some quality food or study / surf the net on the free Wi Fi. The sandwiches and salads are my favorite in terms of food and the cafe is also open late (I think until 10PM) which is also a plus.
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Review from peter s.
Berkeley, CA
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Had a three cheese omelet and potatoes, it took over 25 minutes to get served yet somehow it was prepared with absolutely no flavor.
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Review from Kate G.
Reno, NV
12/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great latte! Penne and arugula salad good too. Foccacia that came with it tasty as well.
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Review from teresa l.
Fremont, CA
10/7/2011
Came here on a Friday might with a friend after dinner. Looked at the memo and saw nothing that I wouldn't find at another coffee shop. Then as I was ordering, I saw a sign for lavender lemonade. Immediately I changed my order. Let me tell you, the lavender lemonade was delicious! it was nice and cold and the lavender didn't over flavor the lemonade. Hmmm!
I wish Berkeley was closer so I can get this more often!! -
Review from P T.
Oakland, CA
9/24/2011
Came here to meet up with some old friends, and we ordered drinks only. Based on my mocha, which was thankfully not over-sweetened, I really liked it.
Looking around, not that I was really paying attention, there was a decent selection of pastries, breakfast/lunch menu, beer, and seating. Plenty of newspaper-readers and college students studying. -
Review from Eric B.
4/22/2011
In some ways Espresso Roma is the center of the this part of Berkeley as I know it. It's right on the corner of Ashby and College and there's a wide mix of college students, townies, and visitors that have walked on by as I've enjoyed my coffee within this relaxing and comfortable interior.
In the evening and coming back from Walnut Creek, I've also been known to take the first exit past the Caldecott Tunnel, swing past the Claremont Hotel and stop for a to-go soy latte on the way back to Albany. Furthermore, it's a convenient place to meet people before the movie, dinner, or whatever activity that you might be planning. Only parking difficulties might get in your way. -
Review from Susie W.
6/6/2011
Roma recently did a major upgrade, painting and modernizing. Nice job. It's a very warm and inviting cafe. If you used to live in the area you'd hardly know it as the place you used to get cheap lattes.
I asked a barista if they'd upgraded their legendary scummy bathrooms. "No." I haven't checked yet as I want to retain the mystique of not knowing.
You can't beat this Roma's location for convenience, nice patio for people watching, and meeting friends (read: online dates). They still dish out mega sized lattes "para llevar" or "para aqui" and have great home made food - salads, calzones.
Except for the prices and now the facelift, Roma has been a constant in Berkeley over the decades. If you haven't been, try this icon whose design-on-the-latte-foam has been my blog avatar for years. -
Review from Monica R.
San Francisco, CA
3/17/2011
One Star for spacious room
Two Star for good pizza
Three Star because the bartista is sexy!
Other than that Coffee= disgustingly strong bland drinks!!
Warning: A Mocha Blanc Do not try! That is if you love strong bland coffee eek. -
Review from Celia B.
Portland, OR
6/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
This review is for 2.5 stars. I agree with the statement that I've had better, but it's also "ok" and not horrible. They should get props for being open so late.
The past few times I've gone here it's been at night since they are one of the only local coffee shops open late. It is usually one guy by himself who makes the espresso while running the register. His people skills are non-existent, making him come off as rude. Maybe he would be in a better mood if they weren't understaffed and had more people to run the front show. Besides that, everything was okay. Until my latest experience...
This past weekend we went here during the day after getting lunch across the street. We wanted to fulfill our daily espresso cravings. To start off, the girl who rang us up at the register was very nice. The cashier, who also runs the show at night, seemed angry, again. I got a soy cappuccino, which is my drink of choice. Something was "off "about this drink...I always finish it, but here, I barely made it half way through. I don't know if its the soy milk that they use, or what, but I wouldn't order it again. When you order your drinks for "here", they give it to you in a glass cup, no handles. When I went to pick up the cup, I practically burned my hand. If they are going to serve drinks in cups so hot, they should put a sleeve on it before handing it off to the customer. Seems like a liability....
Dr. Andrew decided to try their special which is $4.75 for a pint of beer on tap which includes a free pizza slice. I think it was so busy that they left his pizza slice in a little too long. There were some burnt pepperoni slices and the crust was hard... He said he wouldn't get their pizza again.
I don't know if I will come back, at least not planned. -
Review from Jaime S.
San Francisco, CA
3/29/2011
Came here on a Sunday... after stopping by 2 other cafes on College Ave, desperate for some empty tables to get my study on. I like the setup a lot - spacious place with lots of tables and a good amount of lighting. Outlets every few yards = a BIG plus.
I order their special - something like a salad with romaine and avocado dressing? It was pretty darn good. I also recommend the potato salad! And I don't really drink coffee so I couldnt tell you how that was (i dont have much to compare it to) ... sorry i suck? Overall, happy smiley cashier took my order and I got my salad within 10 minutes. Good place to catch up on work ! -
Review from Corinna K.
Berkeley, CA
7/1/2011
This place used to have the scariest coffee shop bathroom in Berkeley -- no longer! Nice job with the remodel. The place is now more pleasant overall, and still gets a great breeze with all of the open windows and natural light.
I'm usually happy with the food here too; the spinach salad and the pizza are tasty. And, free wifi. -
Review from Gypsy J.
Berkeley, CA
8/28/2011
Beautiful, clean coffee shop, nice coffee and hunky pastries, and, last but not least, swift, thoughtful service. There's plenty of seating and space to go around, making it a great place to get some work done or have a meeting. This place is an all-around winner.
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Review from Helen W.
Berkeley, CA
3/14/2011
I bought a mocha and a chai latte. He misunderstood me (or "misunderstood") and rung up a mocha, a latte, and a chai latte, but I was a little distracted so I didn't notice until I had paid. I noticed almost immediately after, and I went up to the cashier (there was basically no line) and told him about it, and he insisted that I ordered all three. I asked him again, saying I said "chai latte", not a "latte and a chai latte" until he finally "gave up" and gave me my money back, minus a dollar. (As in, he shorted me.) This entire argument, my chai latte and mocha were already sitting on the counter, but there wasn't a latte in sight. WTF? I won't be back.
The drinks were rather weak, too, but the tables were big and looked good to study on. -
Review from Cash F.
Oakland, CA
5/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place was really nice to meet a potential client. The atmosphere was nice, good lighting and some really good tea. I am glad you are close by.
Cash F. -
Review from Audrey B.
Berkeley, CA
12/6/2010
Listen. I don't pretend to be a coffee expert. But all it takes is a person with taste buds to tell you that the coffee and lattes here are SO BAD. Really, truly, desperately terrible. Like dirty water. You think I will pay $3.50 for a small latte that I can't even choke down?? No, no I won't.
I've had some ok food here. I've also had really terrible, dried out pastries. There's lots of space and outlets and tables and it's in a good location. So much potential. But there are too many other coffee shops near (i.e. Beanery, Sacks, Elmwood Cafe) with good coffee, non-spotty internet, and nice staff. -
Review from HeartBeat Radio F. M.
Berkeley, CA
9/3/2011
Lots of tables, lots of eating options, lots of drinking options, ample space, free wifi, and hot baristas. All of the above, with a touch of Italian flair. What more could you ask for?
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Review from Kimmie M.
8/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
One of the best iced-coffees I've had in a long time! Not that iced coffee is hard to make, but the flavor and freshness of this particular cup was refreshing and chock full of caffeine, making me a happy girl. Bonus: public restroom (sometimes hard to come by in Berkeley), and free WiFi.
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Review from Garett N.
Berkeley, CA
9/3/2011
Nice cafe. It's always buzzing. Decent coffee.
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Review from Phan H.
Berkeley, CA
9/18/2011
They actually serve alcohol here. But the food and service were good. The view are nice from inside. I had the turkey sandwich, but it was very very dry. The salad on the side wasnt bad. The mocha coffee was very nice, especially with a heart cream in it.
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Review from Jackie S.
San Jose, CA
1/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
The place is okay, but it's not the best.
I went here to work on some essays with someone and the place is indeed a wonderful place to sit down and really get some work done. there are basically two rooms: one is the front with the cafe and the bathroom on the left. If you go to the right, there is a mini staircase to the other room, which is filled with students working on the tables. If you sit at a place next to the window, the view of the stores is pretty nice. here are posters here and there in the cafe as well. The chairs are a bit wobbly, though.
The only problem with the place is the drinks and food. I mean, I had to get SOMETHING, right? I couldn't just sit there and use their place without ordering anything, could I? So I ordered..
Cafe mocha: um.. no. It tasted kind of plain and bleh. I probably would have preferred STARBUCKS.
White mocha: I didn't think this tasted ANYTHING like a white mocha.
Italian soda: Well.. Italian soda is Italian soda.
Some mango blended drink: It was really foamy. Keep in mind that this is a cold smoothie. I could kind of taste the hint of mango, but it tasted a little like banana to me.. which I do not like.
As a side note, there is wifi here. I never really used it, but you have to go to the Batista to get it. -
Review from helge m.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 9/29/2011
Food and beer selections good here.
But they still don't know how to bus.
During a recent evening I spent one hour in the side room and the busser made just one visit during that period. Meanwhile my fellow diners and I were having to swat away those tiny (fruit?) flies that may be attracted by the accumulated dirty dishes. Two minutes after taking my seat the flies were alighting on the rim of my beer glass.
Unfortunately this is one of those establishments where they leave out a tray in the main room for dirty dishes, which some patrons take as a signal to do their own bussing. But tables that are cleared by customers never get a wipe-down because the busser just goes for tables piled with dishes. So you sit down at a vacant table and find a sticky surface; a situation that may contribute to the clouds of insects.
The bathroom is much improved with a sink that actually works.
But the new low-flow toilet looks like it belongs in a suburban house and is not suitable as a public toilet in a restaurant. It is frequently in a shocking state.
The paper-towel dispenser is stocked with the sort of flimsy paper that breaks apart as you try to extract sections with your wet fingers. This would account for the small scraps of paper that litter the floor.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/23/2009
I patronize this cafe often, mostly out of habit.
Worst problem for me is the cleanliness, or lack… Read more »
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Review from Richard A.
San Francisco, CA
9/24/2011
The cafe has been delightfully remodeled (though I could do without all the beer signs high on the back wall), and the artichoke hearts & spinach pizza is extraordinary and low cost. Twas great to be back there, and I'll definitely plan to return for more delicious pizza in the future.
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Review from Jade P.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2010
Wifi internet terribly slow. Poor signal throughout the café (wavering between one and two airport bars out of four). The password is an incredible 26 random characters long, difficult to enter. Plus it was crashed when I first logged on, required the barista to reset the router (my neighbor table says crashes are common). Electrical outlets are few and far between.
Bicycle parking is weak. One rack--full.
Food is meh. Few vegetarian salad options. -
Review from David G.
Berkeley, CA
10/27/2010
At first, the staff seems really gruff and unfriendly, but they are just focused. The are super fast and will even smile occasionally.
There is plenty of room and a good wifi connection and plenty of outlets, so it's a great place to get work done.
The Chai-lattes and iced teas (green, black and herbal) are very good, very fresh tasting. -
Review from Ann M.
Pacifica, CA
9/10/2011
Came in for the pizza and pint special, what a great deal. Pizza crust is crisp, fresh vegetables were good. Beer choices are great, bottled beers are substantial. Great special, will come back for more.
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Review from Kate Marie G.
Berkeley, CA
10/22/2010
I like the venue--plenty of seating, lots of light and wood. It's old school, so a bit grimy and mismatched. The grim (but fast!) baristas are hilarious--I keep imagining them as former members of some Soviet-style mafia, patiently making espresso drinks for insipid college kids while waiting for the inevitable return of the old-world enemy. Some day there will be a fantastic skirmish fought with scalded milk and espresso beans flying everywhere.
Haven't had problems with the coffee or the connection. It's not an especially comfy or cozy place, but as someone else mentioned, it's a good place to get things done. -
Review from Roy N.
6/1/2010
Been coming here on and off for the past couple years. Hadn't given it much thought before, but was in there just the other day and realized that this isn't a bad place at all.
Perfect if you're in the area of College and Ashby and want to meet up there. They have Italian sodas and I really had to smile when I saw that they put a smiley face pattern on top of their lattes. Not a coffee guy so I don't know if it's common, but seeing that really made my day. So much bad in the world nowadays...kinda nice to see someone do something like that. It's the little things in life that always make me happy. Just looked and saw that another Yelper has taken a picture...very helpful!!!
They have food too and I had one of their little pizzas which I thought was pretty good for a cafe. There's a little of everything in here. -
Review from Avani W.
Albany, CA
6/29/2010
I felt a little guilty for giving a coffee house a 1-star review on my first visit, but if you have to gall to call yourself "Espresso Roma" and your espresso tastes 1000x worse than anything in Roma, you really need to rethink either your naming or your baristas.
They have outlets, tables, and wireless, which is nice but also expected in a coffeehouse. The tables wobble, chairs are sticky, and they have stairs in the middle of their space. Finally, the bathroom is outright disgusting. Graffiti everywhere (some of it entertaining, since it's Berkeley, but some of it needs to clearly go), broken toilet seat, flies in the air and crawlies on the ground. I am in no hurry to come back here. -
Review from MIchelle M.
Oakland, CA
8/7/2011
Delicious Lavender Lemonade...and decent choices of pastries and I like the fact that you can get a hard boiled egg for protein here.
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Review from Alina T.
Oakland, CA
8/17/2010
I spent twenty minutes trying to get on the internet. I'm stubborn to a fault so I really should have given up sooner. I typed in that ridiculous twenty character password four times and when I finally "connected" to the network, the page didn't load. As I endured this frustrating endeavor, I consumed a mediocre mocha prepared by a very surly barista. I tried to get some help with the wifi and he made it very clear that he didn't care about my dilemma. That's the entire reason I stopped in and purchased an overpriced drink at this spot!
As I got up to leave, I noticed a nice lady struggling to connect to the elusive Espresso Roma network. I told her it was futile and she said this happened before and doesn't know why she bothered to try it again. She said "the guys that work here really don't seem to care". So true. She suggested I try A'Cuppa Tea a few blocks down at College and Alcatraz.
On my way out I decided to use the bathroom and that was the nail in coffin. Disgusting. This place barely deserves one star. The experience made an already difficult day so much worse. Boo on them. Luckily I found solace at the tea place with functional (no password required) wifi. I had a soothing cup of chamomile tea while I wrote this review. Now I need to review A'Cuppa Tea and give them props for redeeming my evening. -
Review from Dub M.
Oakland, CA
9/12/2010
1. Atmosphere: The only up-sides of this joint are that it is spacious, has many windows, and has plugs in many areas of the walls. The negative far outweighs the positive. There are usually too many people to connect online (even if you are ninja enough to get the password). The baristas are total douche bags... well not all, but two in particular. It's like you're ordering from a pissed off taxi driver.
2. Coffee: The brew is dark but unfortunately extremely comparable to Starbucks. In fact, I bet they use Starbucks beans and training techniques. I'm not sure who decided to order tall glass cups instead of coffee mugs but that was an idiotic move for a coffee place which is supposed to host study groups and computer peeps.
3. Douche Bags: Did I mention douche bags work here? At closing time, instead of what you would expect, "Hey everyone, we're getting ready to close." They blast the house sound system on max, which literally hurts your ears and shut off internet access.
Don't go here. -
Review from Kate L.
Oakland, CA
12/20/2010
I'm in the area on Mondays for several hours, so I usually end up swinging by here. The coffee isn't amazing, but I really enjoy having coffee in my hand at all points during the day. This coffee is dark but not strong, which is good for me and the ulcer I'm sure I'm creating.
The pizzas are really good. So is the arugula salad. The bread that comes with the salad is fresh and soft and yummy. I'm not a big pastry person, and if I were really craving one, I'd go across the street to Dream Fluff.
I like the people that work there, I don't need my barista to be really excited to see me. I need them not to be mean to customers or each other, and to get the job done. They fit the bill.
I always get my stuff to go, but there is a lot of room inside with plenty of tables and chairs. -
Review from Meredyth S.
Berkeley, CA
5/11/2011
After a year of trying to force a relationship with Espresso Roma (perfectly situated to be my neighborhood study spot) I've decided not to come back. Food is overpriced for the quality, service is generally rude. Salads here = unseasoned heaps of arugula; bagels = burnt, always, even after the first one is sent back. The other patrons? Berkeley at its worst - stay-at-homes in running gear, infants galore, generalized grossness.
I'm giving Roma an extra star because it serves beer, but frankly I don't know who would enjoy drinking in this atmosphere. -
Review from Danny L.
4/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Eh, bland and disappointing... The food was utterly bland. The coffee and espresso drinks were well below par. And the service?! Disappointing.
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Review from gwynnie p.
San Francisco, CA
2/8/2010
ER works out well if you need to meet someone at College and Ashby. It's right there! Woohoo. Nice that they have outdoor seating, and that even when it's pretty crowded inside it's still easy to have a conversation without shouting.
I always wish it were slightly cleaner. Ok, maybe a lot cleaner. -
Review from Tam F.
8/16/2008
I was having such a nice time talking with Allison that after our lunch, I suggested we pop across the street for a cup of coffee (tea for her), before parting ways.
I had not been to this place in well over 5 years and didn't remember all of the food offerings they had. Things looked super good, but since we had just had lunch, I opted for a non-fat extra foamy latte. It was delicious and I loved being served in a pint glass and seeing the layers of coffee/milk/foam. It was a gorgeous day and we had a table outside and chatted until our meters were going to expire.
Definitely a comfortable place to hang out, drink coffee and people watch! -
Review from Rachel H.
El Cerrito, CA
12/6/2008
I sometimes pick up a goodie or two here when I get my hair done at Moonshadow. They have good coffee cake and they make a good italian soda. I got a bagel the other day, and they toasted it well but the cream cheese wasn't spread on the bagel, but rather a slice of cheese cheese cut from a block of cream cheese. I thought that was lazy.
I used to come here with this 19 year old guy I dated when I was 15. He drank a lot of coffee and pretended to be a Navy Seal. I thought he was totally awesome, but now I realize that he was really not awesome at all, he totally sucked and broke my heart when he never called me again after i refused to give him my flower. He also enjoyed the coffee cake.
This place is good for meeting friends and studying. The guys who work there are polite and sometimes cute-ish.
Tip: Be careful of the time on your parking meter. They (bacon, yum) like giving out tickets in this area.Listed in: Places I've Been with Terrible…
