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Last Laugh Coffee House - CLOSED
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Restaurants American (Traditional) Coffee & Tea, American (Traditional) [Edit]
1551 Dolores St(between Valley St & 29th St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Noe Valley
(415) 824-5524
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
50 reviews for Last Laugh Coffee House
Review Highlights
"A grilled veggie wasabi melt sandwich."
(in 4 reviews)
"I can't imagine a more perfect neighborhood cafe."
(in 4 reviews)
"the jotto bagel is the best."
(in 11 reviews)
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50 reviews in English
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Review from Beth C.
San Francisco, CA
5/15/2010
This place was the best... like buried treasure, hidden in an ambiance that was the antithesis of 24th.
Sadly, its best asset was its eventual downfall - quiet, uncrowded cafes in less busy areas generally aren't as profitable (unless it's Starbucks). -
Review from Eric S.
San Francisco, CA
9/4/2006
My favorite coffee house! The coffee is great and indeed they have created a good community there. Every day on my way to work, my girlfriend and I stop in to get our coffee and a bagel. It's one of the main reasons I get up in the morning.
Bill (the owner) and Scott (one of the employees) I consider to be good friends of mine. They both are super people and run a good business. I haven't had a chance to meet the other employees, but they seem quite nice.
I'm really excited for them, for they have just received their beer and wine license. They also serve great lunch items as well.
It's good to know that there are still some coffee shops that don't care about how you dress, or which laptop you own (they now have free wi-fi!). I'll be seeing them soon. -
Review from S P.
Seattle, WA
8/9/2006 1 photo
This place made me a coffee drinker. The staff & product makes it a destination for me whenever I'm in SF. A nice walk from the J Line. I can't speak highly enough of the coffee, food, & most importantly the superb service!
Give them a try & you'll have a new friend.
:edit:
I just stopped in recently and had the full brunch experience. A grilled veggie wasabi melt sandwich... a good glass of wine... and good conversation. Now I just need to find an apartment on the block so the Last Laugh can be a daily ritual. -
Review from Audrey K.
San Bruno, CA
Updated - 11/5/2008
This place still has consistently good coffee at a reasonable price. Also, they always have really good muffins. I had an awesome apple spice muffin today and it was so soft and delicious!
I've been craving the bagel breakfast sandwich but I never have time! I've gotta get up early! But if you have time, get it on an everything bagel. Delicious!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/10/2008
Umm these guys make an awesome breakfast sandwich!! Get the egg sandwich with ham on an everything… Read more »
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Review from Cake M.
Marin County, CA
8/28/2006
I used to live two doors down from this place and it SAVED MY LIFE. I used to stumble in there, freshly showered but dressed in my 'coffee clothes', scrunchie in hair (gasp!!!), mute and unsociable, and a mug of their bean juice would make me glamorous and articulate again. Just as an aside, I'll always remember it as the place where I walked in on the morning of 9/11/01 and saw the footage of the Twin Towers and thought it was a movie.
There's a real little community based out of here that I miss a lot. The owner and staff are near and dear to my heart, and seriously, when I moved out of the hood, this cafe was one of the hardest things to leave. *Sniff*
It's too bad they tore down the funeral home/mortuary college across the street; it used to be fun to see the Goth students come in for their coffee! -
Review from tara w.
San Francisco, CA
6/18/2006 1 photo
I'd be here every day if I could. Clean, spacious, and extraordinarily friendly... great sandwiches (especially anything toasty!)... free wifi... outside seating... I can't imagine a more perfect neighborhood cafe.
They just expanded their hours (I think they're now open 11-8 every day?) so you have no excuse not to come by! -
Review from Scott W.
3/3/2008
You got no time for the messenger,
got no regard for the thing that you don't understand,
you got no fear of the underdog,
that's why you will not survive!
This place is The Underdog (Thanks Spoon for THAT great song). So, while Starbucks on 24th Street packs 'em in (the lemmings, that is), this place sits quietly on Guerrero, building momentum with good food, good art and a great vibe. (I want to go there RIGHT NOW). The owner is a sweet unassuming guy. The wireless is free. The wasabi veggie melt is, well, YUM. The Tuscan Chicken melt is great too. And I have to cop to pasta-envy, when I saw a guy walk by with a big oven-heated bowl and a fresh salad.
Yes, I enjoy the earnest hipness of Ritual, I like the quasi-prep B-school feel of The Grove and the gentle flowers-in-your-hair aura of Smple Pleasures. But don't pass this underdog by.
Yelp Tip: order in advance as it takes a bit of time to make the sandwiches. -
Review from Jesse G.
San Francisco, CA
11/13/2007
Great local coffee shop for outer Noe, especially if you want to go in and hang out or work for a few hours.
Cool mix of locals and regulars passing through. I like the fact that it doesn't have as much traffic (and distractions) as Martha's, though the coffee isn't quite as good.
It would be *great* if this place staye open a bit later, as I think it would definitely hold a crowd into the evening. -
Review from kates d.
San Francisco, CA
8/27/2008
The coffee was good and i thought it was fucking funny when
the dude put my au lait in a water glass instead of a cup -
he didn't think it was funny but whatevs. Ice water was free
(which kicks ass in a town that typically wants every penny you
have) and no one gave me shit about smoking cigs in front of
the joint. I'd go back but i don't remember how I got there in
the first place, or why. -
Review from Trey D.
San Francisco, CA
11/24/2008
Overall my 4 star rating comes from their very good breakfast bagel sandwich. They really take their time and make them with care, and they cook their eggs perfectly for bagel-wiches.
A vanilla latte was pretty good as well. Great foam.
I do take a star away due to the slowness of the customer service and getting you your order. I wouldn't recommend going here if you are in a rush. Only if you can sit and wait for your order to be prepared. But definitely worth the wait. -
Review from BrasilPo P.
Oakland, CA
10/19/2008
Roberto is COOL!!! He took MY money and not my buddy's -- ha ha ha! :-)
Besides that, the tamales are not bad at all! Two for $5. Got one of each (pollo y puerco) with a cafe Americano with soy. HIT the spot before I helped my buddy move into his new snazzy apartment in the neighborhood!
Remember... tip Roberto REALLY well. He's a cool cat. Hands down! ;-) -
Review from Levi B.
Cook, IL
1/22/2008
I live really close by this, but have never been to it...so when I was looking up some free wireless in the area I read the other reviews and decided to check it out.
This was a great, Monday afternoon experience. The barista was super nice. I got a tasty coffee and even tastier chicken sandwich with sun dried tomatoes. We chilled and used the wireless for 3 hours. Only about 5 or 6 other people came in the whole time. So yeah, get yer solitude on.
Oh yeah, only request: stay open later than 5pm on Monday! -
Review from FoodieGal I.
San Francisco, CA
1/27/2008
This is a cute neighborhood coffee house - within walking distance for the weekend but not really on the way for weekday mornings.
I've stopped by a few times to pick-up coffee on the workday mornings, and always enjoyed the pleasant staff. They have free Internet access (steady, strong, and even allows me to VPN into my work - not all places can do this) and a few power outlets. Often there's music playing (jazz today) but it's low and sits well as the background.
But today was the first time that I spent a good period of time there. I came by at 2:30pm to chat with a friend and ended up staying for several hours. The place is small and the weather was rainy, so there were just a handful of folks there.
They have a nice array of breakfast and lunch choices. I've read about the vegetarian wasabi melt from other reviews and it is indeed delicious. You can get it with wasabi mayo or straight-up wasabi. I do like me some spicy food but was desiring the mild stuff and so went with the mayo. Tasty combo.
I appreciate the laid back staff - I had the sandwich, and then asked for a hot chocolate (with whipped cream), and then after the crowd cleared, paid for my selections (they take MC/Visa/Discover). The guy was relaxed - he knew that I'd pay and didn't feel the need to rush me. My friend had an Italian soda and the mac and cheese, which yielded a thumbs up too.
The only thing is that since this place also serves wine and beer, I wish it stayed open later. It has a comfy environment, and I could see myself coming by in the evening to read and have a glass of wine.
But overall, love having the neighborhood cafe close by and will come back soon. -
Review from Angela S.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2008
I work nearby and get coffee here sometimes. It's okay coffee at an okay price. The staff is really nice and there's a bunch of neighborhood friends there every morning which is really endearing.
I've heard the coffee is watery. I normally get lattes so I've never noticed.
UPDATE!:
I am changing my review from 3 to 4 stars. I came in this morning, pretty tired on a Friday. I ordered up my usual non-fat latte and I also got an asiago bagel with cream cheese (healthy I know.) Anyway, I didn't realize til I got back to the office to open it up, there is REAL CHEESE on this bagel. Not just the burned onto the top kind like most bagel places. Sooo yummy. I LOVE CHEEEESE!
Way to go Last Laugh!
UPDATE:
Last Laugh is quickly becoming my go to spot for lunch/breakfast/snacks. They have KILLER tamales...who woulda thunk! -
Review from Des Esseintes I.
San Francisco, CA
12/19/2006
Everything Tara W said.
I'm downgrading all my grades because the Yelp inflation is getting to me. Really, next to nothing deserves 5 stars. -
Review from Andrew H.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2007
This is another of my neighborhood cafes. I generally go to Last Laugh for a quick sandwich lunch (their tuna melt is really good). They have a nice cozy interior, some good outdoor seats, and a great sandwich and bagel selection. The folks at the counter are invariably pleasant and friendly, and people from the neighborhood people are constantly stopping by and saying hello.
Oddly, I've never had the coffee here, I should try it one of these days! -
Review from Jaden V.
Berkeley, CA
2/23/2009
I was saddened to learn today that they will be closing.
Saturday (March 28th) will be the last day they are open. -
Review from SF A.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2009
This place is awesome! Don't change a thing......it would be nice though if you guys got more 10 minute parking spots in front like Martha's has on Church.
Years ago I had a conversation with a co-worker and we discovered that we both lived in Noe Valley. I asked do you go to Marthas? He replied, absolutely not....that's not my place, I go to the Last Laugh and wouldn't think of going anywhere else....
That said - his statement made an impression on me and I just had to try the Last Laugh. Days later I tried the Last Laugh and understood what he was talkinga bout.
The Last Laugh is a super cool neighborhood cafe, where there's a cool friendly neighborhood vibe and where there's exceptional coffee and really good food too. The coffee blend at this place is probably one of the best in SF, at least it's on my top 3 list of best coffee in SF.
Very friendly service, though it's very neighborly and nobody is in a rush. This is not the fast-pick-up coffee joint, this is relaxed and relaxed....but it's all worth it.
The bagels, salads, sandwiches, and um...beer....it's all good.... Yes, they even have beer, if you want to kick back and relax in their livingroom like setting....
If you're a Noe or Bernal local, you've got to try this place....it's really cool and the prices are reasonable.... -
Review from Nicole K.
San Francisco, CA
2/28/2008
This place is a 2 minute walk from my house, which is just wonderful! Free wifi, good food, good service, good coffee. Their chai latte and veggie bagel (hummus, capers, sprouts, tomatoes, onions) are DELICIOUS.
The staff is very friendly and your order never takes too long. Nice place to go just to relax since their outside area is almost always sunny! -
Review from martha b.
San Francisco, CA
6/10/2007
My kids call it "Bills Cafe"
I started going here about 6 years ago for coffee, and became friends with Bill (owner) and his wife Kristen. and Scott and Kat (employees)and now I go for the coffee and to visit.
I love the Wasabi melt sandwich. and the cute t-shirts.
Good People! Good bagels! -
Review from erica l.
Oakland, CA
12/10/2007
I laughed when I read Megan's profile - it certainly explained her review! I suppose she was drunk when she went there and perhaps forgot to tip... [because as she says..."when she's not yelping, she's drinking."]
I can't imagine anyone that works there being rude like that - I'm always greeted with a smile and sparkling clean hands (they squeak!)...
I love their food and laid back atmosphere - it's a gem in the neighborhood! Yes, I too wish they stayed open later, but their limited hours really make me appreciate it when I'm there...
Great cafe! Go check it out... -
Review from Todd Z.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2006
You may not stroll by much since it's on Dolores, but it's well worth the effort. Easily the best spot for a morning coffee this side of 24th st. A great indie cafe with a cozy couch in the back, interesting art on the walls, friendly service, free internet, good coffee and sandwiches, and word-of-the-day while you wait. Also a few tables out on the sidewalk for enjoying the palm trees along Dolores when the sun is out.
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Review from Marsha Z.
San Francisco, CA
3/6/2006
This is a cute corner cafe on Dolores. There's not a whole lot of traffic in the area, so you shouldn't have a hard time finding a seat--a good place to sit and BS for a couple hours. The coffee is good and the staff is very friendly. It definitely has its share of regular customers from the neighborhood.
Listed in: The first hundred: Reviews…, All Work, No Play cafes
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Review from beth l.
San Francisco, CA
4/12/2006
I love this little neighborhood cafe. They make my favorite latte in town, a great toasted bagel with cream cheese, tomato, cucumber, salt, and pepper, there's free wireless, and they're just really friendly and good people there. You'll see the same locals there, and the owner often has his cute little twins there, which is fun if you like kids. :-)
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Review from bill k.
San Francisco, CA
9/11/2007
An excellent example of your local SF neighborhood coffee shop complete with all the quirks: local folk, unflattering pictures of customers, kids, strange art and good fair trade coffee. Ok, now if you are in a rush and need to double park the Beamer to grab a quick cup on your way to the firm, this may not be for you. If you want to say hello, gossip about that crazy guy who feels the need to exercise in front of his house, and grab a coffee ....this is your place!
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Review from Kimberly C.
San Francisco, CA
7/5/2006
This is all about what a local coffee house should be- very friendly proprietors, great selection of food and drink, terrific hours, and a total neighborhood feel. It feels so great just to hang out, sipping my chai tea latte, talking to the proprietors or to other locals that I've been introduced to. Sweet!
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Review from Dave H.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2007
Last Laugh Cafe is good stuff! You don't feel like your apart the Starbucks robotic customers there. The owners and staff rock! Good Times! It's nice to see a cafe that's stayed true to form! They have a book club and game night... Hopefully they will get a life-size Jenga someday!
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Review from Edward M.
San Francisco, CA
12/25/2008
Great neighborhood spot. Bill and Scott are first rate and quick which is what I want when I am on my way to work. Good coffee, great service and the pastries/banana bread are better than decent. Always people in the shop and dogs outside tied near the newspaper racks.
I read that they may be leaving after eight years and turning into a wine bar called Noeteca. I hope not, but do believe that Bill has worked hard to make this a good spot, so if sold, I hope he made a profit. Best wishes and good luck if true. -
Review from Rio R.
San Francisco, CA
4/5/2009
Waaah!!! This place was the best. I may never find another cafe with a giant Flipper fish overlooking the coffee urns, and my life will definitely be poorer for it's absence. What ever happened to that fish, anyway?!
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Review from Zach T.
San Francisco, CA
1/26/2008
tucked into a corner right by the j line, i had never seen this place.
and when i went in, i was a little cautious.
when i left, i was all smiles.
the coffee is great. the service is delightful. free wireless is always a treat.
and what was best, when we left, the worker gave us free bagels so they wouldn't go bad.
thank you last laugh.. i will never doubt you again. -
Review from Rene d.
4/16/2007
I really wanted to like this place. My ex-roomie practically lived here. I tried the coffee. Never went back.
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Review from Jenn K.
4/25/2008
This place is very convenient to us, which is great. We can easily walk over and grab a bagel, sandwich, or one of their excellent salads (try the Greek!). They also have a great value happy hour, and on a nice day it's fun to grab a glass of wine or a beer and sit outside, watching everyone go by on Dolores.
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Review from Kari S.
San Diego, CA
3/27/2008
Last Laugh is right down the street from my friend's place! She frequents it often but this was my first time. We both got paninis for lunch and they were quite tasty! The staff was really nice but not a ton of places to sit when it is busy. Good option for a quick breakfast or lunch!
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Review from shanestar h.
San Francisco, CA
5/28/2007
this is the only coffee shop in this block w/ six other coffee shops where they try to know your name. that says so much!! b/c it is a neighborhood afterall and people should try. it adds up to spend $2-5 a day on coffee so it's nice to be appreciated. You can't go here in a hurry though and shouldn't even try. b/c it's a neighborhood place, duh!
the sandwiches are all great! the mac n cheese is awesome and the music always always gets me movin...
.
so glad they're staying open later. and that they go wifi.
..
i wish blue bottle coffee were used though. and less costco products but i'm a huge fan of locals shopping locally esp w/ the global mkt being all messed up like it is....
..blue bottle do it!! -
Review from Mark G.
Denver, CO
12/23/2007
Good coffee, great owners, great music, Blue-grass on Sunday nights. Small children playing, free internet, dogs welcome. This place is as close to perfect as it gets. I'm only hoping you don't read this and spoil the best kept secret in Noe Valley.
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Review from Kat L.
Redwood City, CA
5/26/2008
Just okay... Stopped by for a quick bagel breakfast sandwhich. The egg in the bagel sandwhiches is not scrambled,but microwaved and the bagels were smaller than other coffee shops that I've been to. Coffee was good, but not the best. I would stop by if in the neighborhood and craving coffee, but only if I were in the neighborhood....They do have some outside tables and chairs so on a nice day it would be a great place to hang out and have coffee.
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Review from Richie S.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2008
I've been to this place a couple times while working in the area but I keep asking myself why I go back. Probably because the owner is a really nice guy. But the service is slow, extremely expensive for a coffee shop and they tend to run out of stuff and screw up your order.
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Review from Steve E.
San Francisco, CA
5/28/2008
This place is lovely! I went there for a Reading Event and I really enjoyed the place. It's not too big but that's enough for a Coffee House. The food is really good, especially the grilled sandwiches. My suggestion is for the ham and cheese one! You won't be disappointed.
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Review from molly l.
Los Angeles, CA
1/13/2009
my favorite place for a cheap breakfast on a sunday morning. lots of free newspapers of various vintages.
the jotto bagel is the best. the bagel sandwiches are not far behind. the brownies, croissants, etc. are consistently perfect.
the grumpy guy who works there is the best; i can't tell if he hates or likes my friends and i.
microwaving eggs is nothing to put your nose up over; it makes the eggs fluffy, delicious and shaped perfectly. psha. just put on your tinfoil hat and you'll be fine. -
Review from Lewis W.
San Francisco, CA
6/30/2006
Absolutely awesome coffee and great bagels (esp. the one with smoked salmon and the works). The cafe's owners just updated the menu -- lasagna, panini and much more -- and extended evening hours till 8 p.m., which is great for a quick, easy and delicious dinner.
