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Mon-Fri. 5:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 6:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
"This is my happy place... the place I go to when: 1. I want to tune the world out and tune myself in 2. I want to stare into wide open…" read more »
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I'm not much of a coffee drinker, so a coffee shop endorsement from me is pretty special (or not special at all, depending on how you look at it).
Anyway, the very helpful barista recommended the Philtered Soul, which was spot on. It was extremely smooth, and was not nearly as bitter as most coffee I tried. Paired with one of their delicious fresh muffins, it was truly a surprising treat.
Given that it's only 5 minutes from my office, Philz may become a habit.
Philz Coffee is delicious.
For a long time I only ordered a Tesora (delicious, tons of caffeine), but I've started branching out and all of the different brews have been great - I particularly liked Philharmonic, it was very smooth and kept me awake after a sleepless night.
Their pastries are great, too. I love the banana nut bread.
I am too lazy to make my own coffee, but if I did, this would be where I bought my beans.
Had my second cup of Turkish coffee here and things didn't taste the same. My original cup from Van Ness tasted a lot smoother.
The atmosphere was completely different and so crowded I couldn't even sit down on a Thursday late afternoon. I had to sit outside and this is the beginning of the winter winds.
mmm damn.
all of the reviews are spot on!
walked in and was greeted warmly and, when they could tell I had no idea what to do, asked what I like and ended up with a brilliant cup of coffee! ended up with some "Canopy of Heaven" with cream and sugar and had a party in my mouth with every sip!
next time I'll be going to the Van Ness location which is closer to where I live!
5 Stars for the coffee! - Literally the best cup you will ever have, made one cup at a time with tons of options to choose from.
Minus 2 stars for the pretentious uppity attitude of the staff, They swear like they're curing cancer or something and you are bothering them by even being in their space.
I go here sparingly even though it's on my way to the train station because I feel like I'm a bother by even being in there. So while the coffee is far superior at Philz, I usually choose Starbucks for the service.
I am not a coffee drinker because I don't like the caffeine but on certain occasions I would sample some here and there. They have the best coffee in San Francisco............Hands down. Yes..........it's better than Pete's, Blue Bottle, Starbucks, Coffee house, etc. Although Blue Bottle is pretty awesome as well.
I walked in here with a few friends because they love coffee. I wasn't planning on getting one but the barista said, "just try it and if you don't like it you don't have to pay for it." Got sold!!!! Ok. My roomie had the iced coffee mojito and it was awesome. I had the number 4, I think it was called the jacob? Not to sure if I got the name right. but it was great as well. I couldn't finish the cup............it was just too strong for me.
I usually don't rate coffee or franchise type establishments but this place is awesome!!!
Having left one coffee shop to peruse another, I was ready to compare bean to bean. It is a little terrifying as there are so many options that I found a little overwhelming - I am not enough of a coffee afficionado to tell one cup from another a lot of the time - but I do like it when someone appeals to my imagination. What does this coffee taste like? Echoes of cocoa? roasted nuts? do you feel rivulets of fruit trickling across your tastebuds? I'm getting carried away now. So, it's a little stressful walking up to the barista when you have no idea what you want. You may do the same as I did and asked for a mocha with a sweetness rating of between 3 and 5.
err, yeah.
They ask you to taste the coffee before you go up to pay. That is rather cool, although I was worried about scalding myself (I didn't). The coffee I had was rather rich which pretty much finished me off for the afternoon. I found our barista to be pretty friendly as well - we had fun with him and he had fun with us - a pretty good deal I think.
I love getting mint mojito cocktails, and when they combine mint with coffee....I'm all over it!
I absolutely love the iced (slightly sweetened) mint mojito at Philz. Though the sign says it's new, they've been serving it for awhile. It's quite refreshing on a warm day.
Mission Completed!
I've completed my Philz hunt....I first discovered Philz in the Mission, then…
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The Ecstatic Iced Coffee is SO deliecious! The baristas are so friendly and very accommodating to the customers. I asked for the non-fat version of the Ecstatic Iced Coffee (because I'm a high-maintenance a-hole) and it TASTED so sinfully good (I hope he didn't sneak in some cream in there...).
I told the barista that I've heard about Philz and that it was my first time there! He gave me a free piece of baklava (despite my request for a non-fat drink)... it was very sweet of him :).
Overall, the coffee pwns any other coffee shop in S.F.
I love Philz Coffee. It tastes like no other coffee in the world. (For the record I was a barista in the US and have travelled to Turkey, Israel, France, Italy to name just a few, and tried several styles of coffee). I must say Philz is like no other! the cardamon and other spices added really bring on flavors both subtle and robust. I love the way the baristas shake the milks to prepare a distinct latte-like froth and use sweetening agents to your liking. I've tried all sorts of coffees and teas at Philz, and I loved them all for different reasons and drink them on different occasions.
With that being said, not all Philz are created equal.
I started as a regular at the Mission District location and the ambiance and staff's attitudes are quintessential San Francisco: lax, friendly, inviting, and all around enjoyable with a bit hippy dippy to follow suit. Then I moved and had to find a new Philz. That one is now the SOMA location. The ambiance is a lot less distinct with it's corporate-style coffee house decor, which makes sense considering it's closer to the financial district and the customers might be less hipstery and more young-urban-professionals. On another note, it's sad to admit and report that the quality control and barista attitudes aren't as regulated here. Sometimes the coffees are phenomenal and at other times they're watered down depending on the barista. In the same regard, the staff's attitudes sometimes comes with genuine generosity and others are nothing but sour-faced or snobby.
The potential is there as long as the staff receives a little more training. I continue as a regular because I'm willing to gamble to get that perfect coffee that I've randomly received at the SOMA location. Nothing is perfect, but I'm just saying this Philz may have some things to work on to become a 5-star joint from this regular.
Waking up on weekend mornings to a nice cup of Philz "Tesora" is like waking up on a "Canopy of Heaven" where alarm clocks are replaced by a "Greater Alarm" which directs an entire "Philharmonic" to awaken your soul. Their coffee is freshly brewed with "Dancing Water" and taking a sip is absolute "Silken Splendor" running down to the core of your newly "Philtered Soul". The morning brew is "Sooooo Good" that a solitary cup of the "Ambrosia Coffee of God" works like an "Anesthesia To The Upside" causing you to become so alert you could quite possibly run for mayor of "New Manhattan".
Philz..."It'z The Best"!!!
My love for Philz is strong and unbreakable and now I cannot drink any other coffee. I made the mistake (or was it a mistake?!) of going to Philz every morning before work.. I thought I'd give my bank account a break so I went to Noahs and was totally let down. Matter of fact, my coworker saw me walking down the hall with my Noahs and he said he nearly slapped it out of my hands. I've tried just about every dark roast on the menu except for Ether. I love the Jacob's Wonderbar!! Oh, Philz..
if there's one thing on everyone's mind in san francisco on a friday, it's "get me the hell home." so you can imagine my disdain when the t-line operator announced that my train would be going out of service at 4th and berry. oh, drat and a half.
but alas! there's a highly-touted philz coffee at the corner of 4th and berry. it was the perfect opportunity to explore and caffeinate.
now, i must express my pure hatred for the mid-80s to early 90s trend of adding the letter z to the end of a word to make it plural or possessive. fingernails on a chalkboard, i tell you. for this reason and this reason alone i had no interest in going to philz. it's should be 'phil's,' gosh darnit! but i digress. my love of drip coffee far outweighs cheesy grammatical puns.
i walked in, and right off the bat i am loving this concept. much like a tea bar, you can select from a bevy of roasts for your single drip cup. i approached the lovely gal behind the counter and disclosed that i am a philz virgin, and i should be serviced accordingly ('hey-o!', 'that's what she said', et al).
here's where i began to grow concerned.
i confessed that i was a loyal soldier in the blue bottle army. she looked at me, puzzled. "blue bottle? what's that?"
i don't even know what to say to this. if you're serving up a product that is in a constant battle of supremacy over another product - know your competition, and know it well. tell me why you reign supreme.
next, she mentioned that there are specific roasts they recommend for first time philzistines, but that she wasn't planning on following protocol. she made me a cup of the organic peru, which - though expertly prepared - was far too sour. the beauty of drip is the deep, robust flavors you get from such a strong cup of java. this was the wrong kind of strong.
the good news is there are plenty of other blends i'm eager to try. next time my t-line goes out of service, i'll make sure stop in for another go-round. cool beanz!
I've given Philz a review before when I had only tried one drink, now I'm in love. I've always been really big on espresso from your typical coffee shops and never much on just coffee. However, Philz has changed my cravings up. I get a hot tesora with light cream and sugar usually, but I plan on trying much more. The iced coffee is phenomenal as well. I tried the Turkish one recently and it's good just extremely bitter if you're picky.
Oh and the PASTRIES! How could you pass any of them up? I'm dying to dry a vegan donut but anything that rhymes with...donut..can't be healthy, right?
Anyways, please try the low-fat pumpkin muffin if you truly want a delicious flavor among your taste buds...
Lastly, this is my favorite location..it's peaceful and beautiful! Go go go !
Just wanted to add that the woman with the longish dark hair is also great. I ordered a low-fat Silken Splendor with milk and sugar and it was fantastic. Also, the guy I referenced in my previous review got a haircut. The "bushy" no longer applies.
I'm going to second pretty much everything Erin R. said on 7/16/09.
My first cup at Philz (the…
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I literally just went to this place 30 minutes ago for the first time, and its amazing. I am having the Mocha, and I must say its the best mocha ever (better then starbucks and Pete's). Why? Because it goes down smooth, doesn't taste like it has a million calories, is fresh (brewed right in front of you) and honestly tastes great. Their slogan is "one cup at a time" because they literally brew the coffee right in front of you one cup at a time.
Only downside, the menu is a little confusing, so i just went with the mocha (safe choice).
Seriously worth a try.
I was referred to Philz Coffee by some overwhelming feedback about its great, freshly brewed coffee. Prior to hearing all this praise, I'd never even heard the name before.
Upon arriving at the location, I immediately noticed the ambiance was quite mellow / laid back. You felt very comfortable standing there, looking at the countless selections of coffee on their walls and counters.
After deciding on the Philtered Soul with TWO mint leaves, I could not understand how flavorful the coffee was. Yes, they make their coffee literally one cup at a time, but this was more than I expected... especially having been hyped up about this place. They asked how sweet I wanted the drink, and gradually increased its sweetness as I performed a series of taste-tests. I was utterly impressed.
Thank you for the great first experience. I am now a loyal follower.
The coffee really was amazingly delicious. We got two different kinds (Ecstatic Iced Coffee and Turkish Coffee) and both were perfect. The price was higher than most coffee prices, but reasonable for, well, perfection.
The barista's attitude, on the other hand, made the taste slightly bitter. I realize she knows what she's talking about, and between the two of us, is the acknowledged coffee expert. However, I am the uncontested expert in ME, and when I say that I can't have cream because I'm allergic to milk, I don't need to be glared at for ruining her vision of the coffee and then further patronized about the sugar options. It honestly did kind of spoil the coffee for me.
I would probably go to Philz Coffee again, but either at a different shift time, or maybe just to a different location.
3 starbucks, one creamery, one coffee place next to Farmer Brown's(330 ritch), one panera bread, and other coffee joints separate me from Philz. But I just walk on by. It's crack and the baristas are good fam.
WMD right chere right chere!
Hands down, the best coffee I've ever had. I went at a very not busy time (7pm... and was hopped up well into the early morning), so the barista-lady gave me the spiel about how Phil and his son custom blend the different beans to find a great balance of flavors asked me what I preferred and recommended the Jacob's Dark (I think thats what its called). It had a deep flavor with no bitterness at all. I got sugar and soy in it, and they add it for you and let you taste it to see if its just right. A splash more soy and it was perfect.
All other coffees anywhere else have always disappointed since my first visit to Philz.
First time I went to this coffee shop, I ordered Mint tee with honey and creme. I wanted to drink latte or mocha or something like that, but they didn't have, so. But unexpectedly, the mint tee was really really good, testy and admirable. I had never had such cremey tea before. Since then, I often have been going to the shop to get mint tea. I tried black tea and green tea as well, but mint tea was the best. If you have a chance, you should try it. really nice.
I don't know what's wrong with Parker W down there but I think Philz is awesome! Parking sucks in SF you should have ridden on a scooter!
This morning I had Philz Chai which is my new favorite thing. Ever.
This is my week for honoring threats b/c Philz is now off my list.....for their Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie
Result: OMG - TASTY!!
Soft, gooey-ish cookie, really intense gingerbread flavor & the chocolate was mixed in & not necessarily a chip, if-you-will, but wowzers was it gewd!
Covered in sugar & broke apart as I tried to pick it up & that was *just* fine w/ me
Mocha was again super tasty & this time the temp was nice & hot so I can now officially report back that the previous lukewarm mocha was a fluke
Will DEF be coming back for Mochas & Cookies!!!
Philz Coffee says 'We wouldn't even call this a cup of coffee; rather "A Cup of Love." ' Boy is this… Read more »
Scene 2: The Train Station Wait
Location: 4th and King, K/T Platform
Time: 7:23am
Weather: 59 degrees, brisk breeeze from SE
Attire: Shirt, tie, cardigan sweater, jeans
Attitude: Pensive, stoic, with a light splash of optimism
(Jared exits the K/T platform on the far east end)
Jared: Oh man, I got here earlier than expected. Whatever is a boyishly charming guy to do with all this time?
(Boyishly charming guy looks to his left, and like the Phoenix rising or Terrelle Pryor running in a touchdown, sees a shining light appear to his left)
Jared: Is that what I think it is? Did someone just give me a reason to enjoy my mornings? To forget my worries and sorrows? To sip the most delicious, flavorful coffee that South America ever gave us?
(After several nanoseconds of thought, Jared walks slowly (no, cooly) to the entrance of Philz; he barely makes it through the door when he's greeted by a friendly face)
Barista: Good morning. How's it going?
Jared: Oh, it's good (kinda shy when talking to new people). How are you?
Barista: Oh, I'm good. What can I get for ya?
(Jared scans the list, wanting to try something new, but like always goes with the familiar)
Jared: Small silken splendor, please.
Barista: Cream and sugar?
Jared: Definitely
(Jared takes a seat on the comfy leather chair that's lower and sinkier than expected. After waiting a few minutes, another barista comes from behind the counter and brings him his coffee)
Barista 2: Hey man, here's your coffee. Take a taste and tell me what you think.
(Sip. Slurp. Funnel.)
Jared: It's perfect. Thank you.
(Jared reflects on how the customer service at Philz is flawless. No matter which one he goes to, no matter who's working, no matter how short or long the line gets, he always gets the same treatment)
Cue Music: "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" by The Smiths
(Jared places his earplugs in, walks out the door into the sunrise, takes a long, melodramatic sip out of his brown Insulair and EcoSmart Dixie cup, and dreams of a day when everyone can be fortunate enough to have this type of morning)
Do they roast crack into there coffee because it is strong and addictive. The strongest best tasting coffee I have ever had and the service is excellent.
Excellent coffee and one of the best kept secrets in the coffee world. I rarely can tell a different between one type of coffee or the other, but when you try Philz, you know right away it's no ordinary coffee. My favorite is Arabic and Filtered Soul flavors.
Who would have thought it: A fresh, individually brewed cup of coffee is really, really good. I guess they were on to something.
It's kind of pricey, but I guess if you live over here you have cash to throw down for frou-frou coffee. And I love the variety, but could I have useful names and descriptions instead of the pretentious, meaningless drivel? Am I buying coffee? Wine? Incense? I wouldn't know if there weren't grinders and filters and all. But yeah, good coffee.
4.5! Based on the awesome #6 Ecstatic Iced Coffee that I had, I now understand why there was a line 6 person deep at 3:30p on a random Wednesday afternoon.
It was my first time and my friend, a semi-regular, guided me through the multitude of coffee blends and selections to the iced coffee. At $2.75 for a small, I was thinking, this better be good. And it was!
The coffee is brewed in individual drip style hot and then ice, then cream and sugar is added for you. You can let the barista (is that a crime to use the S* word in a Philz review?) know how sweet or creamy you want it. For example we both wanted light on the sugar. After getting settled in one of the many window side tables, we went to pick up and then pay for our drinks. My friend treated - awesome friend.
My drink came in a beautiful creamy light brown color and decorated with a sprig of mint. How delightful. When you bring your nose down to drink you can get a faint whiff of the mint. Nice touch!
There's free wireless, comfy couches and lots of light. Really chill place with knowledgeable coffee artisans (how's that?).
Can't wait to try the 20+ other blends.
Cam you say the best coffe ever???? There seltion is beyound anything. It's like wine tasting for coffe drinkers with crazy coffee palets. THey make it to your flavor with cream sugar so nothing is needed when you get your coffee. A great spot with a truly knowledgable staff who is always nice and on top of it. If you haven't had coffe from philz well then you haven't had coffee
This is so good.
I walked in here on a random Wednesday afternoon, went up to the barista and admitted I was a Philz virgin. He said he had just the thing for me, and whipped up a delicious cup of Jacob's Wonderbar Brew, perfectly creamed and sugared. Let's not overlook that - a complete stranger perfectly creamed and sugared my coffee.
I'm hooked.
I work here, drink coffee here and enjoy every moment of it! It was the Ecstatic Ice Coffee that initially got me hooked to Philz. Now I am an employee for Phil and truly enjoy my job. I am proud to be part of such an awesome team of baristas. We make it our mission to give you (the customer) the best coffee experience possible! Thank you for your business.
Much Love,
Shauna
Ok, so I have never written a yelp review, actually i just made an account solely for the purpose of posting this review.
I went to Philz Coffee on Barry street on a tuesday afternoon i think..and did not know what I was walking into..I had bascally the shittiest morning in a while, and for some reason could not get out of this funk all morning. I had work coming up and needed something to keep me curling up in bed and missing work. so i stopped in for a boost.
My initial thought was, sh*t I know nothing about coffee, this is overwhelming, im going to look like a dummy walkin in not knowing a darn thing about coffee.
Then, a cute girl smiled and asked what I would like..long story short she helped me find a wonderful taste that fit me perfectly without saying one thing about coffee.
Next, as I was heading to the register to pay, another cute girl, who obviously had her coffee today was shimmying and smiling behind the counter and said, "I have found it is impossible to shimmy and NOT smile.."
this made me smile.
but this doesnt end, she made light conversation then gave me the most delicious cupcake I have ever had, and in one bite hit all my senses right to leave me with a perma grin for the rest of the day. I mean damn..that was probably the best costomer service I had had in a long time..and it flipped my day from complete crap to actually a pretty good day! :)
PLUS
they had water outside for my pup to sip on while i went to get my fix!
A + for the whole shebang!
I recently read a review in the chronicle for Philz and since I was in the hood, I decided to check it out. I ordered a 1/2 decaf/regular and was amazed that they grind the beans and brew it right in front of you. They actually put the cream and sugar in it for you which was a little strange, but then when I tasted it. Wow. Amazing coffee. Deduct 1/2 star because seemed a little bit pricey at $3.25 for a large cup which is the size of a medium at most places.
This was my first time to Philz. Why the hell did I wait so long? Well, my own stupidity, I guess.
I tried their #6 and their Mint Mojito coffee on my first visit. Derek helped me both times, and now I am addicted to the Mint Mojito. What a strange combination that feels so good for the few and far between hot SF Indian summer afternoons.
I'm going again this week; looking forward to going again and again and again!
THANK YOU for making awesome, handcrafted coffee. /swoon/
Philz coffee tastes great.
They boil hot water, grind up the beans, put the beans in a filter, then pour the hot water over it. Yummy!
Just the way mom has made coffee at home from 1980 until present.
The only difference is that a Philz coffee costs $3.50. LOL - whatever.
[Green Zebra Coupon: Buy one cup of coffee, get one free; buy two cups, get two free]
I don't give a f*ck about all y'alls hipshtah "atmosphere" and sh*t but this place has the BEST coffee I've had in San Francisco. I've had a lot of coffee.
Just so you know, none of those stars are attributed to their "variety" bull, their same-old "normal" coffee rocks my socks hard enough for 5 stars.
To the previous reviewer: I can tell you exactly how the Philtered Soul is so flavorful. It's flavored coffee. i.e., the BEANS are flavored. Ouch! I have read a few comments from other people claiming that this isn't so. Yet, Phil et al won't tell you what's in it. Regardless, take a whiff of the beans and tell me that you're not transported to a Yankee Candle. Sorry, but this really kills it for me.
I would like to make out with most of the women here. But only before I get coffee breath. They can froth my latte anytime.
Now this is how you do coffee. As an avid drinker for many years, I've always settled for the too-dark, too-gritty coffee served up by Starbucks, Peet's and Coffee Bean. Even many of the local coffee shops never really had truly good coffee -- I think it was more of a mentality thing ("Oh I'm drinking coffee from a local, neighborhood cafe so I'm cool"). It wasn't until I had Phil'z Coffee that I really had coffee that tasted fresh, aromatic, and refreshing, especially when there's no cream or sugar added.
I've only tried the Tesora and Philharmonic flavors here, but honestly, those are the only two I ever really need. Phil'z Tesora is probably the best coffee I've ever had in my life, and I usually drink Philharmonic when I want coffee with a little more kick (for those after-a-night-of-wild-debauchery hangover cures).
Friendly baristas, decent prices, and phenomenal coffee. As long as you don't mind the rich, fru fru clientele who frequent this Mission Bay branch (walking their Paris Hilton dogs in their morning $1,000 jogwear), it's really all you need in a local coffee shop.
This is soul coffee. Tried the New Manhattan recently. At the end of each sip, you are left craving the next as the stream of flavors, intermittent as they come (...earth....tobacco....wine?), enlighten your palate. No reference to bs Sideways monologue; I'm not kidding here. I've definitely had and sadly still continue to drink my share of convenient (=parking lot and on way to 280S) SOMA coffee... ahem...The Creamery (Ritual Roasters), which is completely a downer in each and every sense. The coffee is too acidic, boring and it ends at that. It just makes me crave Philz and wonder if being late for work was just the price you have to pay for good coffee.
Other blends that I like are the Philharmonic, Soooo Good and the Turkish (a solid dark roast). I like the option of putting some mint in the coffee. The vegan donuts play to my sweet tooth and go very well with the coffee.
I'm not sure if there is a way to describe the ambiance here. It's just a simple place with some hats. Watching the baristas make my cup of coffee looks like I'm witnessing a science project. I'd like to compare and contrast this place to blue bottle, but I think the two are just so different.
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