Jumpin' Java Coffee House
Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Castro139 Noe St
(between 14th St & Henry St)
San Francisco, CA 94114 (415) 431-5282
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Free
79 reviews
Neighborhood: Glen Park
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57 Reviews for Jumpin' Java Coffee House
Um, why is this place always so crowded? The coffee is terrible. The food is even worse. The patries look like they've been sitting out for weeks. And it is always way too crowded. A winning combination!
One day I was sitting around studying for the LSAT, which was truly a miserable experience, except for when I'd study at Jumpin' Java.
I was having particular difficulty with some logic game exercises that brought me to a breaking point. I was growing despondent about the idea of law school and what to do with my life. I looked like a royal, stressed out mess that not even the reliably calming powers of Jumpin' Java could help me. I'd say this moment was a major low point in my life.
Then my friend walks in with the hottest guy I've ever seen. My mood sky rockets. Turns out his hot friend has a boyfriend. My mood plummets back to the dumps. Dammit, I thought.
But I thought wrong. One year later, that hot guy became my boyfriend, who then became the guy I'm going to spend the rest of my life with.
I love Jumpin' Java for more than just sentimental reasons above. I've been a loyal customer for the past seven years, and I'm impressed that Jumpin' Java has stayed true to being a cozy, studious coffee shop. I'd say it has gotten better over time by growing its drink selections.
Overall, this is my favorite place to read the paper with my sweetie that I met at Jumpin' Java. I hope this coffee shop lasts forever.
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Location, Location, Location.
This cute cafe sits on a shaded wooded path, the smiling Buddha welcomes customers in the outdoors sitting. The slow spinning fan in the entrance conjures up childhood memories; in Taiwan, cafes often have this fan.
The interior is spacious, well-lit but not direct lighting, the atmosphere can be likened to a congregation of like-minded people. I had their Chai latte, it was warm, spicy and savoring.
I enjoyed this quaint little cafe; if I am ever in the neighborhoods, I'm definitely coming back for more. Although I wish there were friendly bowls of water for pets.
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$2.75 fro a vietnamese coffee, it was OK, just don't expect the authentic one.
I really like the athmosphere there, maybe too many laptops... but it's cozy, and perfect to study, read a book, etc...
There's music, but the "good kind", it gives a groovy touch to the place.
It's THE neighborhood coffee shop.
The people working there are nice too.
I will very very likely be back!
If I worked near here, this could be my regular haunt.
North of Market, Noe Street turns into a quiet, tree-lined, almost suburban residential neighborhood. As we walked to a photographer's reception at Jumpin' Java, the wind rustled the leaves high overhead, but air at the sidewalk was calm.
Outside the cafe we noticed the sidewalk garden, with benches where we could enjoy the sunshine. Inside, the party awaited. There were several people using laptops when we came in; all but one left as the reception got livelier and louder.
Mark Anthony Haviland was celebrating his show, "Abstracting Reflections," which revealed a keen eye for detail. The sense of depth in the water, the light and line in the sand, the other-worldly patterns in the frost, and the tangible texture throughout, gave us a new way to look at the world.
As friends and acquaintances poured in to view the art, we ordered a hot tea in a pint glass, a single latte, a cookie and a fruit bar for $7.95. We followed the apparent custom and bussed our own dishes when we were ready to leave.
Congratulations, Mark!
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I go there every time I have an early meeting with France. It is the best place to work or read or study.
I don't drink coffee, but if as some people say, it is the only thing that is not great here, go for their large selection of tea.
The staff is great, the wireless is super reliable.
I love this place. I'll propose my girlfriend at that Jumpin Java !!
Best place to read, study, write, hands down.
Plus the employees always play music that is neither distracting but still hip enough to make want to stay there.
It beats the library and my desk at home, but it is hard to get a table with a plug for my laptop on Saturdays.
I love the coffee here. The regular drip coffee. I also love that this place has a big canister of fresh-looking brown sugar and a big half-and-half dispenser.
I'm also addicted to their breakfast sandwiches. They make them quickly, and they're reasonably priced. Yum!
I take my coffee to-go on the weekends because there are so many people studying here.
Jumpin Java is a bit of a misnomer as the place is more of a library than the hyperactivity it's name implies. Frequented mostly by students and surfers, JJCH gets five stars for it's wifi and ample power outlets to keep your laptop purring. The coffee is just ok as is their pre fab food log assortment. It's best attribute is actually outside in the small zen garden occupying the extra wide sidewalk that extends out into the street. Here you can still get a whiff of the wifi cloud, catch rays and have a smoke while you geek.
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strengths are the location (just off the beaten path) and front sidewalk patio. If you need to have a library experience this place is good. You will probably get dirty looks if you have a conversation here though I imagine.
Coffee sucks. Asian owned. I've yet to see Asians "get" coffee. No offense, you gotta have some weaknesses to make up for looking like you're 17 till your almost 60. ;)
CK S. described it accurately--this place is more like a study hall. Bland interior but decent coffee, friendly staff, free/fast/reliable wifi and plenty of outlets. Noe Street is quiet, so the benches on the sidewalk outside are also great spots on sunny days.
Other pluses: eclectic music played by the barristas, large tea selection, clean bathrooms(!)
Minuses: the food is so-so (but that's not why you come here)
Plus/Minus (to some): Mac laptops are de rigeur
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The coffee is never that good, especially when you can walk 2 blocks to Market and get some Peets Coffee. Everyone sits around and angrily stares at the laptops.
This is my study treasure. It quiet., clean, and has really good coffee. Oh, and they offer Nutella as one of their bagel schmears!! Free WiFi and most of the people here are working, studing and generally using a lap top. The music changes with the staff, so you get a great mix. Thank God they have taste.
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The positives: I love this place not only because it's right by my house but also because it's not Starbucks. I always call in and order the same turkey sandwich. Whenever the owner, Wendy, answers she always recognizes me and I don't need to explain exactly what I want or how I like it. It's always warm and waiting for me when I come in the door. They also have great bagels, with cornmeal on the bottom ( a must! ). The people who work there are always friendly and I like that they get to play their own music.
The negative: Minus one star because their actual brewed coffee isn't that great. It's way too hot and bitter. I usually order an Americano instead which is a great trade. The other drawback is that EVERYONE in there is absorbed in their laptop (because of the free wi-fi) and no one says a word. Aren't coffee shops places for people to meet and pretend to sound politically conscience and culturally well-rounded? Instead, no one says a word. Weird.
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I always get excited to go here to nurse my hangover. I am not totally stoked on the $1 bananas and the bagels are good if you don't get anything too fancy. The little ' that is in the little window for "Jumpin' " really irritates me. Otherwise a nice, random hole in the wall.
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Great neighborhood coffee spot... Gotta love Sal and his interesting postcards at the register. Good place to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful Noe St scenery.
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This is my absolute favorite cafe to sit and sip and surf.
I often go there when I'm "working from home". It's quiet. No one talks on their cell phone inside. No crazies asking for spare change. Free WiFi. A fine selection of coffee and snacks to keep you energized while you crank out another email or PowerPoint presentation. They even how power outlets under the benches so your gadgets can get juiced up while you get caffeinated.
I almost hate to give this place a good review because I really don't want you to go there and ruin it.
I kinda think I'm semi-persona non grata here. About a year ago, posted one of my first Yelp reviews after getting my orders screwed up several times. And even without my picture on the profile, somehow I think the barista knows it's me who posted the review. Just get that slightly sinking feeling that must be know to other semi-frequent Yelpers when face-to-face with that which they critique.
But I digress. I came back a few months ago and have had excellent experiences. A great place to eat, drink and work-from-home, with a nice tolerant vibe ... and now and again, some enticing eye candy when I look up from the MacBook screen. I'll be happy to go from four to five stars when I get the feeling that I'm fully forgiven.
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First off, food and coffee were awful. Nomad was packed, so we came up a block for our first visit here, during a power outage that drove us out of our native part of Oakland.
The woman behind the counter was confused when I ordered a hot menu item, which apparently are all kept in saran wrap in the big cooler. She popped my choice of wrapped food in the microwave, and it was pretty nasty when it came out.
Wobbly tables, bad music, bad coffee. Avoid if you can.
At least the wireless is fast and free.
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Free wifi, cheap eats, and quite hip crowd plugging away on their laptops.
PS. on a really nice street. Noe.
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The Pros: Strong and free wi-fi signal. Abundant power outlets. No attitude. Mellow atmosphere and sorta cozy.
The Cons: Not the best coffee to be had in the neighborhood and the music selections they pipe over the cafe stereo can be...weird...I mean, eclcetic.
Still, I'm rating this place on atmosphere and wi-fi since that's what I use it for. Pay the rent by buying some snacks and some drinks, but this isn't a destination eatery.
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This is a great cafe for "working from home": the place is very mellow, quiet, and the coffee is strong. I'll be spending more time here.
The soy chai here is tasty. They don't have that Oregon-chai-Starbucks-hi-i' ll-give-you-diabete s stuff. I also like coming here because I seem more likely to get my work done than if I were to stay at home. But maybe that's because their wireless was down the last few times I came in. Ha! But seriously. I do like coming here because power outlets are everywhere and the place is pretty bright and friendly. I would have to say that the layout of the cafe caters more towards those working on their computers than those looking to come, hangout, and chat with their friends... But if you're looking to enjoy a nice cuppa and aren't into the somewhat library vibe going on, there are a few nice benches out front...
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Full disclosure - Jumpin' Java is probably 300 yards from my place which has a lot to do with why I like it.
JJ gets four stars on staff alone. Sal is genuinely cool dude and has the best facial hair in the neighborhood. Wendy, who seems to run the joint, can be sassy but is very efficient and generally polite. There was a new guy working last time I was in and while he was a bit slow, he made up for it with good humor and a smile.
Coffee quality is more 3.5 stars than 4, but the large assortment of baked goods more than makes up for what the coffee lacks. The biscotti are a little pricey at 2.25$. They're also cash only, but no worries!, there's an ATM in the shop.
The only big negative about the place is the lack of available seating - all the four-tops are seated with single patrons using the (killer) free wifi on their trendy Macbooks. SIGH. A plague on laptops!
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This is my favorite internet cafe to go to in the city. They have free wifi, but the main feature is THEY HAVE TONS OF OUTLETS! It's like they heard the cries of dismay from all folks who desperately glance about in vain for a source of electricity to power their soon-dead laptops, and decided to end the insanity once and for all.
Basically, just about every table is within reach of a gigantic power strip, so no more "excuse me, do you mind if I drape this power cable over your lap so I can plug in my laptop from across the cafe?"
Their coffee is good too, the staff pleasant, the prices reasonable, and the music mellow (though this can be hit-or-miss).
The only bad thing are their hours - what cafe closes at 9:00?
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Yeah seriously yo, so much hate! This place is perfectly fine and functional. They make a mean Americano (hey, I'm from Seattle and a diehard espresso snob) that passes my quality tests and thats all i need this place for.
I grew up in coffeeshop culture in Seattle so I can say that its refreshing to see this place attempting to create a similar vibe with their organic, vegan treat, free wifi, a place for flyers, and lots of places to sit and do your thing. it amazes me that coffeeshops don't have computers for customers to use. Ritual is ok, but they dont have flavors and there's never a place to sit and I love my shot of hazelnut while i sip my espresso.
i feel like every place in seattle had an online section. and even the most podunkiest, weird, lame coffeeshop with a hipster pulling shots behind the bar offered free wifi. yes, i go there to check my email, read a few blogs, download a podcast or two, and check out cute guys (not online, but in the shop). i like that there's a little seating area out front too.
And Noe Street is really the prettiest street in that Duboce Triangle area.
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They have power strips! Nice!
Had an iced coffee.. not so impressed.
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This is a great place to study. There are plenty of outlets and the patrons leave you alone (or maybe it's because they're gay men and I'm a woman). It's located a couple blocks from my house and lord knows I won't get anything done sitting around at home, so I trudge on over here...
Obviously you wouldn't come here for the coffee/food/snacks. OBVIOUSLY.
EDIT: okay well, they play some upbeat hip Brazilian music that I happen to love. Everything's going to be okay.
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I'm actually writing this review from inside the cafe. So at least you know the internet works. This is a pretty chill and mellow local neighborhood cafe. My business partner and I started coming here to work sometimes because Canvas Cafe turned into a Pacific Catch. We've been looking for a good cafe with connectivity for a while with no luck and finally came upon this place. I always get parking right in front...tell me anywhere that you can do that in San Francisco! The music here is always really random. Right now they're playing latin music and I feel like I should be at a salsa club but instead I'm trying to do work. The other day it was all Dylan all the time and I felt like I needed a joint or something. Then one day it was like house/techno day. The owners must be musically schizophrenic. It's a nice spacious place with plenty of tables,..all of which are usually occupied by an army of males and their laptops (most of which are Macs). If I took a picture right now of all the dudes lined up silently in front of their laptops, you'd probably laugh out loud. There's plenty of power outlets here which is great. The only drawback other than the random music that can be distracting is that you actually have to purchase their drinks. I've had a couple of drinks here like a chai latte and it was gawd awful. I didn't even drink it it was so bad...how is this possible if it comes out of a bottle?! I just felt obligated to pay the rent. But now I go straight to the fridge and buy a Naked Juice because they can't screw that up. $3.75 for a Naked Juice though!? Oh well it's worth it for the good parking and outlets and Internet.
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love love that I live right by here, walk out my door and in theres,stat in the morning. They have a very good zucchini muffin, if you can get there early enough to snag it. Chai is good, spicy not too sweet. I don't like the quiche, it's kind of weird, not their fault. Bagel sandwiches are good, but maybe just without the butter. Friendly faces.
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I didn't think it was that hard to make a cup of black coffee. I was wrong, I work nearby and get coffee every morning. Nothing fancy, just plain black coffee. There seems to be a rotating mix of alternative type people and asians who appear to be the owners. The alternative type people actually make decent coffee but the asians, who also speak very poor english, make AWFUL coffee and for $2 you have to be kidding me. The best is when I ask for black coffee, and they leave 2 inches in the top to add cream. When I ask them to fill it up they give me a bad look and fill it up with a an inch to spare.
ALSO Health Inspectors... My co-worker ordered a bagel, the worker went from handling my change to grabbing a bagel with her hands and potentially spreading germs everywhere. I am not a germaphobe, but put on a glove...
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Yay, my first review!
So really, I'm not feeling quite qualified to write this, considering I only ordered a double chai and was pretty much fixated on the abundance of potted plants on Noe outside the cafe. I forgot my powercord, and a friendly man with a powerbook was open to me taking his until I realized the incompatibility of various mac chargers. Indicative of the friendly clientele? Sure, but I still felt like a little girl among manly web 2.0'ers, a neat row of them facing the other, each armed with an individual table, the steel laptop, and a fleece jacket. The cute blonde barista showed a friend and I a hilarious youtube clip. Get the picture?
Overall, yes to the greens, mellow-yellow sponged walls, wooden everything, high ceilings, chill vibe. I would definitely come back. But not for the chai.
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Great location! This tree-lined section of Duboce Triangle is absolutely beautiful, and you can sit outside and still get internet service. The place can get busy, but people are friendly and will share their tables. The service is pretty friendly, and the people-watching is decent without the sleaziness of Cafe Flore. I like their cream cheese spread selection, but their other food items are pretty standard. It's nice that they also rotate their art on display. Oh, how I miss my old neighborhood...
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I used Jumpin Java for a full year befor eI broke down and got wireles sin my apartment. A short 2 block jaunt from bnearly everywhere in Duboce Triangle (and just a little way from both Market and Haight Streets), it's often a good alternative to the Starbucks and Peet's everywhere in the City.
The coffee is so-so, my chai latte was weak the last time and prior to that I relied on hot tea and their russian tea cookies, with are a delight if you're skilled enought o snag a table that isn't overrun with laptop users. I'll admit I was a moocher, but limited myself to an hour or two tops. However, it is often that there is propagation and no space to enjoy your tea without going outside to sit along beautiful Noe Street--- should it not be chilly. A hint: laptop users, please SHARE a table with another laptop. Why take two tables when there could be people enjoying coffee and tea instead.
Plus 2 for free wifi, plus 1 for good desserts... minus 2 for crowded space and laptop users who take up entire tables and don't share tables with other laptop users.
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don't really come here for the coffee. i come for the free wifi and the environment. it's a great place to get your work done. that's why i've become a regular. warning though, the occasional screeching experimental music will drive you crazy so bring headphones.
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Ill never understand the fascination with whole free wifi thing. I dont get the point in bringing your laptop to a coffee shop, BUYING coffee and sitting there in uncomfortable wooden chairs surfing a questionably secure network. Cant you do that at home, with better coffee, better seating and a network you have a pretty good idea is safe? What are people doing there? Surfing? Just looking up crap? IM'ing your friggin friend? "Im in a coffeeshop, lol!" Ugh. Lets also throw in the fact that this coffee shop doesnt deliver what its intended to deliver, and thats a decent cup of coffee. Burnt and a bit weak. Like a Sunday night in Tara Reid's brain. Their fixin's bar could stand to have a wet rag run over it as well. Quit gabbing about how long youve been into Deathcab and run a wet rag over the goddamn counter.
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Wow, so much hate. I get my daily dose of caffeine from Jumpin Java a few times a week when I don't want to walk to Bean There or Peet's on Market ( the hospital raised the Peet's cart prices & I just can't pay 1.65 for a SMALL so I had to go somewhere else) and it wakes me up out my stupor & ready to make some excel spreadsheets. But then again, I like my coffee to be like toxic sludge. Bagels & pastrys are mediocre. I was clearly the wrong gender to be hanging out here, but that's okay. I have no qualms with taking it to go.
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FREE WIFI. Not much atmosphere, but there is a lot of seating, and they let you plug in. Very quiet. They have the standard, organic, mediocre pastries that you can find at any of these neighborhood cafes. The coffee is good. They have sandwiches and smoothies as well - so it's a good place to come if you want to get a lot of work done but don't feel like wasting time on finding eating options. No one bothers you. Nice light if you find seating up front. The only negative might be the difficult in parking in this neighborhood.
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I like this place because it is right by my house. i dont even have to go out of my way to go there. at all. But what good is that if its never open? This place closes at 8 on weekends and 7 i think on weekdays. By the time i go to work, go to the gym, and get home, it's closed. Especially if i stop off to do an errand. I can never have a friend meet me there after work because even if i went straight home, and we got there to chat and it's still open, we'd have to gulp down our tea/coffee/whatever and not chat. I finally made it in today, on a sunday afternoon/evening around 6, and got some thai iced tea to go. yes, they have thai iced tea/vietnamese coffee for $2.50. It's pretty good. They also have other good looking stuff like smoothies, fruit shakes, bagels, sandwiches, drinks, and of course tea and coffee. The hummus sandwich and the avocado sandwich looked pretty good but at $6.75 that seems a tad overpriced. Because you pay also for atmosphere at restaurants and this one has NONE. There are cute kids pictures on the wall,. but it's lacking life. Dead looking people, too quiet, not a fun scene at all. I'm sure i'll still go back, but always taking it to go.
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I like them because they are open early and so far I have not had a bad coffee yet. A friend loves their mochas. I haven't tried any of the pastries, so don't ask me! :P
Times visited: 5+
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