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Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: MissionTell your friends because we're coming to Berkeley! Now open at SF Civic Center too!
Mon-Fri. 6:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 6:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
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Philz Coffee. Is the best. Ever. In all the world. Amen.
I also like that Phil hangs out.
BESTCOFFEEEVER.
If coffee is your religion, your congregation meets at Philz Coffee.
I do audio engineering for a living, and as all audio engineers know; coffee is the fuel of our trade.
Every Sunday however, I arrive at Philz to celebrate the Great Mystery of Philz Bean.
Did Phil sell his soul at the crossroads in exchange for the secret to delivering texture with taste?
Does Phil "do something" to the water he infuses into that magical hand-crafted cup (quite "analog" I might add)?
Has Phil commissioned his own line of filters to sustain the purity of the bean as the water passes through the grounds, through the filter, and into my cup?
Will Phil ever create a POS system that solves ordering and payment in one easy step?
While these and other mysteries remain in the ether of my mind, I dream of Sunday. My perfect (always perfect!) cup of Philz in my hand.
I am not a religious person, but that cup of Philz sure makes me feel like one.
Drink the word that Phil preaches, and you too will understand.
4.5 stars really.
This place is great! One of my favorite hangouts in the city!
I love the atmosphere and the comfortable seating, though it can get too crowded sometimes and there's no place to sit, which can be annoying.
Their drinks are freakin awesome! The baristas are super nice and make it a point to make your drink exactly the way you want it.
My only complaint is how confusing the whole drink ordering process can be. My first time there I did not understand where the line started or who to approach to order, but ever since then everything has been smooth sailing!
I was SHOCKED and amazed when, while in San Jose, my friend took me to the new Philz Coffee, and the delightful young "barista" filled me in on the fact that I was not in fact at the second Philz location, and that 24th and Folsom was in fact NOT the only other Philz in the bay area....
my jaw hit the floor.
I've been coming over to this location from Oakland because I love the Ambrosia roast so very very much! Now that my eyes are open, I may try one of the other locations, but in my eyes, this Phiz is always going to make the BEST coffee and be the BEST coffee-house in the city!
Love you guys :)
BEST COFFEE EVER. I'm total coffee snob, not addict, I drink for the taste not the addiction.
They have 20+ different kinds of roast, not flavored beans (like hazelnut, pumpkin, raspberry, ew...) Every roast has their own characteristics, taste, and their own fans. Ask the barista for recommendation if it's your first couple times here. They are usually very knowledgeable and helpful. They add cream and sugar in for you, and I always ask for light cream no sugar so I could taste the beans.
If you have a sweet tooth, the mint mojito iced coffee, HEAVENLY on a hot day! And mocha tesora is to die for on a cold day!
This location has the most interesting and authentic character. Love it!
I was wondering why a cup of tea costs $2.50, but then I got my tea and I figured it out. I had an herbal mint tea, and it was full of flora so it was pretty and it tasted wonderful. There were enough mint leaves in the cup that I may have gotten a serving of vegetables. Real mint!! Anyway, it was also cool that all the ladies behind the counter were constantly checking to make sure that no customer was ignored. I will be back.
I am a total coffee snob and this is the first 5 star I have given out on Yelp for reviews. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!
Coffee is excellent!!!!!!
This is by far the closest thing to coffee heaven I have been.
WORTH the drive, worth every penny! However; there are several bay area locations to choose from.
If you never been to this place before. You may feel lost or intimidated at first. JUST RELAX, take a breather and start reading the descriptions of their roast. Anything named after a symphony always works great!!!!!
If you are not sure, just ask somebody - they will be more than happy to give you some suggestions :)
OK so it's officially been over a month now that I've developed my obsession with Philz. This included visiting 3 different locations in 2 days but we'll get to it later. I'm pretty sure this one obsession is here to stay... thanks to Eric E. and his raves, I've found a new coffee road...
What is up with Ross S. getting some kind of weird service at this one? Maybe I always luck out but I'm always helped by the girl with the dark hair who is just oozing all kinds of positive vibes. Anytime I see a new customer come in, the barista painstakingly goes through the entire list until they find the right one. Always asking me if it tastes right and not being offended if I request just a tiny bit more sugar, so lovely! OK, maybe I can agree on the cashiers being a little bit indifferent but it's because they didn't put love into my coffee so it's OK.
It was the first location I visited and still the homiest of the now 4 Philz I've been to. Free wireless and I don't feel like people are going to bother me, which is always nice.
I tried the Mocha Tesora first and I have to say that I was blown away when I tasted that coffee with the right mixture of cream (REAL cream! it really limits the weekly intake of Philz... just not the same with any other kind of milk, truly) and sugar. I'm pretty sure I said, "Wow" out loud. Now I'm a Jacob's Wonderbar kind of girl but i still get that same pleasure when I take the first sip. I was never a coffee snob before (and still am not!) but I was drinking enough Philiz to tell the difference when I ventured into tasting the others. Find your love!
I know all the hippies are telling me stop drinking caffeine, that it's bad for me, drink mate, etc etc etc blech but it's just not going to happen. I love my coffee, I love my Manufacturers Cream, I love my Philz, just too damn delicious. And the ritual! Just the ritual of enjoying a hot cup of brew. Ahh...
It is possible to experience great service and get a great cup of coffee for a low price. Here's my breakdown:
Peet's: Great service, fair coffee, mid-prices
Starbucks: Fair service, lousy coffee, mid-prices
Dunkin' Donuts: Lousy service, lousy coffee, low prices.
Finally...
Philz: Snooty, arrogant, slow, rude services, great coffee, high prices.
I get it, you make your coffee from scratch and put love into each cup. However, I get less coffee and 4 times the order time as a competitor. And, when I go to Peet's the baristas don't make me feel like a bonehead for asking if I get get an espresso. Plus, the barrista doesn't take time to shake the milk for 2 minutes (shaking milk? Huh?) or periodically take sips from his own coffee while he's preparing mine. Plus, Peet's doesn't cost $3.25 for a 12-ounce cup of iced coffee.
I like a great cup as much as the next guy, and Peet's is a great cup. But, arrogant employees doesn't exactly brighten my morning. Philz wouldn't make it in any city other than San Francisco, a place where lousy service and high prices are tolerated for something deemed by the Mission masses to be cool.
I know, I know, everybody loves Philz! It's a phenomenon and now even an iPhone app (???) , so what new could be said?
Still I want to toss my hat in the ring about how refreshing it is to receive a delightful personally- crafted cup of coffee in a welcoming atmosphere where the staff at least successfully pretends to really really like you and really really love what they're doing! That kind of sentiment - real or pretend - does make the world feel like a sweeter & gentler place.
The tasting ritual, the aroma of fresh mint, the Turkish coffee, medium sweet - I love it!
Good coffee, fun place
We came to redeem a "groupon" ... unsuccessful because they had run out of gift cards, gives me an excuse to drive back to the city from the burbs and have another amazing cup of Joe. I told Bri we were nubi's and was attentive to explain Philz process ... we were astonished at the friendliness of our barista and realized just why this is Philz 504th review.
I ordered their decaf- dark french roast with medium cream and sugar. The hubs ordered chai and the lil-bro ordered hot cocoa. I took a sip, "oh my Gawwd", and Bri was estatic at the delish cup of coffee she had just produced. Bold, just enough sweetness, and eye-opening flavors. The hubs loved his chai -- after ingesting a few floating leaves and mint, it did spoil his experience a little, but still thoroughly enjoyed his beverage nontheless. I had a sip of the lil-bro's hot cocoa -- amazing. Of course I'll be back =p
Dear Phil,
I will be straight forward with: I love you. This isn't quite a love letter (sorry to disappoint you), but just my heartwarming feelings towards you.
Your coffee is beyond excellent: brewed to perfection and delicious!
Although I admit, I was overwhelmed by all the drink selections on the menu, but one day I will conquer them all! The turkish coffee I ordered was strong & full of flavor, just the way I like my coffee!
Your prices are reasonable for quality coffee, and the service is excellent. I love how each cup of coffee is brewed individually.
This location is a bit small, and can get crowded, but I always think it's worth the wait. Love isn't something you rush right?
Now if only we didn't have a semi-long distance relationship. If only you were closer to me or on my daily walk to work. But I guess the few times I do get to visit you, it makes it even more special.
Thanks for keeping my love for coffee alive.
Love & Coffee Beans,
Cat
What a momentous occasion, my 500th review on a day I find a coffee place that is bomb!
I do not drink coffee, but after this wonderful aroma and taste of Philz coffee hit my tongue I do now. The experience of receiving your slow food movement coffee, brewed one cup at a time, was memorable. However, the most IMPORTANT thing is the coffee bean and you can tell, unless you have the pallet of a fish, then I feel sorry for you. The service was friendly, attentive, and they know what they are doing. The Mocha Tesoro, Iced, is what I had slightly sweetened. I was very happy with my selection and would gladly recommend it to my fellow friends and yelp readers.
Early-ass flight from JFK to SFO
PLUS
Hiking from the BART with suitcase in tow
PLUS
Hot day
=
3 words: iced mint mojito.
After smelling the Heavenly scent of Java & seeing the unexpectedly beautiful sign for Philz Coffee, two out-of-towners steered their suitcases into the busy coffeeshop, innocently looking for a decent cup o' joe to prop us back up after a busy day.
One sip and it was decided: Best Coffee i've ever had in my LIFE. hands down. And i don't say that with little experience. I'm a coffee fiend. Correction, caffeine fiend. I'm trying to cut back from the 3 cups a day to 1. And for that i'm mildly thankful that Philz is on the west coast - otherwise, there'd be trouble.
We asked for the iced mint mojito. The barista was actually EXCITED to make the drink. She said so! She said 'i'm so stoked you ordered that - it's so fun to make!'
Pause.
I'm sorry, What? A cheerful barista? Dorothy has left Manhattan. er. Kansas.
During our 4 day blitz of SF, my friend and I sent all our co-visitors on a mission to try the coffee at Philz. We all had nothing but love for every cup of coffee made, and more than a lil bit of a desire to hug the wonderfully cheerful Philz peeps for their creations.
Best. Coffee. Ever.
Best cup I ever had. Was dumb and the bartender helped me pick the perfect cup. Tried the cupcakes they were ok, The coffee is fantastic. Medium roast with cream and sugar. She told me I'd love it and I did.
I want more. God I miss San Francisco!
I really like the Mocha "Tesora"
I confess that I'm a coffee aficando, and Philz Coffee definitely passed the taste. It's not a surprise that this neighborhood coffee shop is packed with unemployed hipsters. It's in a trendy area and definitely hipster haven.
The service is excellent and the Jacob is inarguably a hit. The coffee is a bit overpriced at $3.00 and the shop is far from the BART station, but I think it's worth trying if you're in the area.
Can anyone be more thoughtful in how each cup of coffee is made? This morning I came here to meet my Yelp buddy Kent P for coffee and came away thoroughly impressed. With a wooden sign that says "gateway" by the door, I had no idea what was awaiting me on the other side. I proceeded to get a cup of aromatic Arabic with soy ($3.25) and a mini red velvet cupcake ($1). The red velvet wasn't as good as expected but my drink with a stem of mint was excellent and powerfully aromatic with a full bodied finish. I was awakened by my own amusement from the first sip, and now I'm accompanied by a nice cup of fresh chai ($3) as my fabulous morning was well spent between work, people watching, and chatting with Kent about our common interests in finding great cafes such as this one.
The vibe is friendly and filled with coffee enthusiasts looking for another round of caffeine. Service-wise, the staff is cheerful, knowledgeable, and deliberate with the way each cup is made. They also offer free wifi with plenty of plugs available on the floor and around their eclectic sets of tables and sofas. If there are any limitations to this place, it's the loosely organized line that can be very confusing for those who are waiting to receive their order and those trying to pay. Thanks Kent, for suggesting such a wonderful place to meet. This is such a cool place that I think you'll be seeing me here quite often.
I wish I could give Philz a whopping 5 stars because their coffee kicks a lot of ass, but some especially scenester-tastic baristas can be a little snooty with their coffee-making. And if you ever had the misfortune of trying to get a cup of coffee during peak hours on weekends, it's like a mad house. I wish they could come up with a better system, or maybe there should just be more room for people to stand while they wait.
That said, Phil and his scenester minions can definitely make a cup of coffee. Ambrosia is excellent if you want something on the sweeter side. And the decaf Swiss Water is delicious!
There are old, comfy couches to sit on, free wifi, and it's good for some people watching. Almost forgot, their vegan donuts are delectable (try the purple one). And the gluten-free lavenders cookies are baked there for your chewing pleasure. Can't get much better than that!
It was Day Of The Dead and we loved our coffee to death. Freshly ground bitter strong (was Ambrosia sweet) Coffee God. My. Have no idea. This is real.
Not a huge fan of hipster grunge-chic, but the coffee drinks are both unique and top quality. A pinch of cardamom in the Philharmonic transforms a great cup.
Totally love this place. Everyone here is really nice. Tesoro is great, and if you are in for a treat, the way they make it the best. They have opened a few others, my only thoughts RE the new ones, are that they are in some random locations and totally lack the like, feel of coziness the original one.
A bit pricey, so you are buying the lifestyle of appreciating the finer things in life. I am into it,
"That motherf@#ker made the shit out of my coffee!"
For the purposes of this review, I changed the original Louis CK line to the slightly less offensive "Motherf@#ker," but the theme is the same. I've never had a cup of coffee made with such pride. The coffee artist put his love into my coffee, although not literally as that would be gross. When dude passed me the coffee, he said "let me know how that is for ya."
Well to answer your question Mr. Coffington, it was god-damned delicious for me. Good show old sport. Good show indeed.
Strong, bold drip coffee one cup at a time with some Blackstar comin' through the speakers -- it doesn't get much better than this.
Walking through the mission East of S Van Ness feels like walking through another country to me sometimes, and I love it. Philz is right on the corner of 24th and Folsom with wonderful tall trees hugging it, and I just want to take pictures of the whole thing. It's how I imagine stumbling upon a cafe in Uruguay would feel.
Inside keeps up the whole aura of South America with sky mural ceilings and friendly tropical plants. The whole atmosphere of the place is the kind of different that makes it okay that I'm unemployed and unable to travel.
And now to the coffee! I don't know much, but I know that I like savory coffee that leaves roasted nutty flavors on my tongue, and the Tesora (house specialty) excels. The baristas were friendly and knowledgeable and ready with recommendations based off my poor uneducated coffee preference descriptions. And with a menu of 20+ drinks, I'll be coming back to try more.
I'm totally drinking in the vibe.
Epic. EPIC. Orgasmic, truly.
Perfection in a cup. Almost too good. Is that possible?
Some have tried to argue that Blue Bottle is better. Blue Bottle is good but Philz is other-wordly.
Try the Philharmonic w/cream and sugar.
Blue Bottle it is not. Maybe I just don't get it. $2.50 for a small coffee? And it tastes like...coffee? At least the staff was nice. And they do have a crazy menu of coffees, but it just didn't feel special or taste particularly good to me. I'll try it again. Maybe someone can recommend something good here, but I'm not going to regularly shell out that dough on hit or miss experimentation.
Sadly, I have nothing like this here at home.
I was lucky enough to venture into this place a couple times over a bad ass weekend in SF.
I really liked watching make the coffee right in front of you. The counters have the filters built in, so once you pick a coffee they poor the hot water and you get an awesome cup of coffee that had me buzzing for hours.
So many different choices I was a bit overwhelmed.
What can one say about Philz that hasn't been said before? I mean, there are only so many ways to express 'OMG, that coffee was so effing good I'd sell my children for just one more cup,' you know?
But I love a challenge, so I'm gonna give it a shot anyway. Here goes:
A few months ago, I was minding my own business working as a corporate lawyer on Wall Street, which, being located in New York, is frustratingly far from the nearest Philz location. Anyway, like most of my colleagues, I was making bank, but hating life.
However, I had this dream of ditching it all and moving to the Bay. Which seemed like a great idea except for the minor hitch that I had neither a job, nor a license to practice law in California, which would render my hard-earned Ivy League law degree more or less worthless. Undeterred, I decided to make a list of reasons to move to CA. And sure, there are cool people and beautiful landscapes and giant redwoods and all that, but the thing on the very tip-top of my list was Philz Coffee. I used to lie awake at night in Brooklyn wondering if I would ever again taste the bracing, seductively mint-laced, creamy, caffeinated goodness embodied in a cup of Philz iced coffee.
Finally one day, June 17, 2009 to be exact, I walked into a partner's office and quit my job. I packed up all my junk, found a place in Berkeley, bought a one-way plane ticket, and here I am.
Yesterday, I went to Philz and fulfilled my dream for $3.25 (plus tip, natch). It was totally worth it.
While walking around the Mission on Sat. morning, I decided to stop in here for coffee.
I just started drinking coffee again, so I've been excited to try new places. This one sounded good, I'd never had coffee brewed "one cup at a time."
The ordering, waiting and paying system is confusing, (and not just to me, others were flummoxed as well.)
Service was friendly, and I enjoyed my coffee.
I'd return:)
Truly unique coffee experience. They brew each cup one at a time once you "pick out" a barista. They help recommend a blend for you based on your tastes. The dark roast I had was very tasty. The staff is super enthusiastic, which is fun (not quite overdone!). Only suggestion I can make: the pastry selection could use more healthy/low-fat options. They offer soy and fat-free milk, so the pastries should follow suit! :) In all honesty, I will definitely be back.
I can't even explain how excited I am to come back here! But next time, I'm gonna have to do a little research before I just step into Philz and expect to get a quick cup of coffee.
This place is like a coffee shop on 'roids. SO many different options to choose from, but so little time to collect your thoughts before being summoned to the next available barista. It's quite intimidating if you've never done the song and dance previously. I must have screwed up every possible step in the ordering process:
-Stood in the wrong line off the bat
-Cut like, 10 people when I finally saw the actual line
-Tried to pay the lady to made my drink, when there's a dedicated register to hand over the cizzash
-Only had my credit card for a $2 drink (yes, that makes me the annoying coffee-buyer guy who pays for everything with a credit card, and I'm willing to shoulder the humiliation).
The reason it's not higher than a 3-star is because I only tried the house coffee. I was too flustered to attempt a more elaborate order, in fear I'd fuck up again. It was pretty damn good, but I know their other offerings will bump that shits up to a 4 or 5 star experience in no time.
I have my eye on that mojito coffee drink. Yum! I was looking at a pretty cool apartment about 4 blocks away from this place.... and had I chose to rent it, I know I'd be a Philz customer nearly every single day.
is the BEST coffee in San Francisco... i'm addicted and love the people that work there too!
I first visited the place over two years ago, but was apparently unaffected by its remarkable charm -- for i neglected to visit until just last week. After embarrassing myself by trying to order a latte, the barista explained to me their unorthodox method of caffeine delivery; heance one cup at a time. Armed with the knowledge that they prepare their own exceptionally good cream, the Barista (who was lovely) recommended a dark, smoky blend called Jacob's brew. At first sip, I knew again what coffee could, indeed should, be with hints of chocolate and nutty notes and a wonderfully robust, creamy texture. I highly recommend this place for people looking to reconnect with coffee.
My only issue now is that I have a slew of flavors and nuances to sample -- but I certainly don't mind the challenge.
Pros
The coffee's good. My first cup there was phenomenal. It had the PERFECT amount of cream and sugar. How'd you know, sez I? I just read you, sez she. But I haven't tried the house coffee yet.
Each cup is individually strained. Takes about a second longer. But since there's no extra cream/sugar/stirrer space bottleneck -- that's at the cashier -- and with more than one coffee "maker" on duty they dispatch long lines of customers that can curve around out to the sidewalk in a reasonable time. It's a different model than Starbucks' but they let staff dress and act normally. They all look really smart too, which is important when you're getting coffee, right?
The layout inside is OK.
Philz allows non-customers to use the bench outside during street events like fairs, Carnaval and the Food fest. This is what you call being a good neighbor.
Cons
Pricey, at maybe $3.75 a cup for non-small, non-house, non-Fair Trade coffee. Their prices are not prominently displayed on their website either.
Some people like to add their own cream & sugar. Only my first cup was perfect but they'll tune it up for you.
I don't like the guy in the hat. Is this outgoing, gregarious personality Phil? He told me he was the owner. Next time he said he wasn't. Which is it? Once he let someone walk around me with their coffee and pay in front of me. Police, first responders, Muni, DPT ? .. all cool. But someone in civvies, without an explanation? Not cool.
3 stars, after a 1/2-point deduction for schizophrenia and lack of line management. Rounded off (truncated) instead of rounding "up" from 3-1/2. Not ready to say Yay, I'm a Fan just yet. Too bad, because the coffee preparers are all nice.
Yelp powers, how do you go from a 2, Experienced Better, to a 3, A-OK? This is a quantum leap. How about a mediocre or average rating?
Philz, Mr. Phil, Amazing Wonderful Baristas and such, I love your coffee.
I used to treat myself to a large Tesora on the way out of town. Not only did this incredible coffee pack a caffeinated punch that could have shot me to the moon, but it was a delectably bitter treat. A garnish of freshly picked mint rounds out this dreamy cup. Well, since living in the bay area, I haven't treated myself nearly as well, forgetting that the best cup in town is still at Philz. And then, I went for an iced coffee, and the memories came rushing back.
Cream and sugar exactly how I like it, a sprig of fresh mint, strong, sultry, bitter, deeply flavored individual drip cups. It's a simple concept, at simple prices, with astounding results. And I couldn't be happier every time I have a cup of Philz in my hand.
Absolutely. Awesome.
I ordered a small house coffee, and to my dismay watched her grind the beans, dose out fresh grinds, and make fresh drip coffee within minutes. She asked me if I take cream and sugar, and I said yeah, thinking she'd just leave me some room like all the others. No. She added them herself.
At first, I was nervous. I normally take minimal amounts of sugar and use a teaspoon of non-fat milk. How could she know how much to put in? I began to sweat a little, bracing myself for an overly sweet, overly creamy coffee whose fresh grinds couldn't even be tasted anymore! How could she know?
She knew. Perfect blend of cream and sugar that took the harsh edge off while still keeping the blend's flavor completely in tact. Amazing. I gave my friend a sip of it and he wanted to order one, and he doesn't even drink coffee! Not to mention there was plenty of comfy seating, plenty of accessible outlets, and a really nice open atmosphere.
The only criticism I had was that they didn't have complimentary water and cups out. I always like to rehydrate after drinking my morning cup. She did give me a large cup of fresh tap water with a smile and clever quip, though. So all is forgiven. If there weren't 100 other reasons to move to the mission, this certainly would be the deal breaker.
Best coffee in the city. Though at time, it all depends on the hands of the barista. I like the ice coffee, tesoro, canopy of heaven and the jacob. Once, Phil was behind the barista, which almost never happens, so I decided to order from him the most expensive coffee in the shop -- Jamaican blue mountain coffee. It is bitter and was disappointing. It was one of the worst coffee I've ever had, and no amount of sugar and cream and ice can do justice to that awesome bitter taste. OMG It was horrible! The coffee bean must be old, or it was just a off day. I do not know, but that cup definitely did not cost $7. Let's just say that I will only stick to the regular familiar taste: iced coffee, tesoro, canopy and jacob.
I love coffee. Especially good coffee. I drove by this place one day and saw the big sign. "Philz" and "Best Handmade Coffee" ... I thought, Who's Phil?
So of course, I Yelped Philz and saw that it was highly recommended. I went the next morning and wasn't sure how the flow went in there. But I worked it out. Order from the back and pay in the front. Got it.
As I was handed my coffee I had a whiff of it and I just knew it was going to be good.
I took that first sip and immediately thought, damn I am definitely not in the know!! Philz IS the BEST HANDMADE COFFEE!! :)
These motherfuckers put crack in my coffee!
Now i'm feenin' for their drinks...catching the BART from Oakland to The Mission for a hit.
I can't stop itching....until i feel the sensation of their ambrosia embrace my lips.
I'm addicted...to what this shit did....
Neighborhood: Castro
Category: Coffee & Tea
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Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Coffee & Tea
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