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Rooz Cafe
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Restaurants Sandwiches Restaurants Salad Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Salad
4252 Piedmont Ave(between Glenwood Ave & Echo Ave)
Oakland, CA 94611
Neighborhoods: Piedmont Ave, North Oakland
(510) 985-1360
- Hours:
Mon 10 am - 6 pm
Tue-Fri 7:30 am - 6 pm
Sat 7:30 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
106 reviews for Rooz Cafe
Review Highlights
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"...the secret's out: Rooz is a peaceful place to get work done." In 4 reviews -
"I'm loving seeing Steve, the owner, advertise it on Yelp." In 11 reviews -
"...coffee and music to enjoy while tcb via the free wi-fi." In 8 reviews
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106 reviews in English
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Review from Wendy M.
Oakland, CA
2/27/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I love Rooz Cafe. When I lived in Oakland in 2008/2009 (and was still in grad school) I used to come here to study A LOT. I loved the BLT way back when, not sure if it's still on the menu as I tried their breakfast when I recently went back. It consisted of bacon, egg, and toast. The breakfast wasn't anything to write home about, but nevertheless a suitable breakfast to maintain thinking.
I mostly like Rooz for the atmosphere it's pretty quite. AND they have outlets for laptops.
AND at the end of your studying, you can always end with a beer! -
Review from Whitney S.
San Francisco, CA
12/17/2011
I'm actually here right now.... The atmosphere is nice and I guess I'd come again maybe.
I got a salad and a hot tea, both were over priced, and neither very good. The salad was $7.50 and was basically lettuce with a few olives here and there, it was seriously lacking in excitement. I wouldnt have paid that much for it had I known that it was so plain. The wait staff was also not very nice. They werent rude, but I got the feeling every time I asked for something it was a bother. No cheeriness here!
My tea was fine, hard to mess that up, but it was like $2.25...$.30 more than at Starbucks. It just wasn't that great over all and I'd rather go to Starbucks/ Petes/ Gaylord's instead. -
Review from Saliha B.
'Meh, I've experienced better' says it to a tee at Rooz. After a missed appointment in Oakland I realized I was starving so I ventured into the first decent looking cafe on Piedmont and that happened to be Rooz.
At first it seemed like a cool, low-key cafe and reminded me of a place I used go back home so I thought it would be a good place for a quick bite and a brief respite from the unseasonably warm weather. Well, unfortunately it didnt help that there was no A/C in Rooz and I didn't expect it to be 70+ degrees on a late November day so I was burning but since I was also too tired to find another place to go I went ahead and ordered a sandwich and a diet coke, hoping the latter would cool me down while the former was being made.
So I sat down in the balmy Rooz Cafe and waited.....and waited....and watched as the waitress made my predecessor-at-the-counter's sandwich extremely s-l-o-w as she chatted with another customer. Mind you there was also a cashier so she really did not need to be talking to the customers. She really needed to be making the sandwiches but as she langorously placed lettuce piece after lettuce piece on the bread and told the customer how she was moving soon to LA to take up some food art job, I was not surprised. I wanted to speak up and say I really didn't care what my food looked like as long as it was made in the next hour.....please and thank you. But instead I sipped my diet coke and tried to while away time checking in on yelp all the while grimly noting the 'no yelper' sign. What kind of a business would be averse to yelpers anyways I wondered? Except of course those businesses that were suffering from some sort of incompetence....such as not being able to make a sandwich with less than 5 ingredients (all of which are readily available..it's not like she had to go kill a chicken or something...) in less than 10 minutes. Meanwhile here I was on the verge of dying from either heat stroke (fine a bit of an exaggeration but it WAS hot in there) or starvation....I even looked on yelp to see if there was a Subway nearby that I missed where I could have gone to instead for future reference in case of said extreme circumstances occurring again, but alas no there was not....this part of Oakland seemed reserved for wannabe-hippie-esque cafes like the one I was one where the average age of the clientele seemed to be hovering around 70 (I wondered in fact if they were the original hippies of 40 years past...).
Meanwhile the waitress finished the sandwich of the customer before me (who had wisely gone to run an errand and was waiting outside for his order) and started on mine - but not before some bantering with the newbie cashier about how the bread I ordered with my sandwich doesn't come with salad but some other side instead...blah blah....can we get on with my food please? By this point I was tempted to jump over the counter and make it myself....
When at last (another 10 minutes later) my sandwich and side salad were done I didn't even get a smile for my wait but instead the waitress just plopped it down on my table walked a way with nary a wrinkle of a grin. Um, thanks???? But really no thanks Rooz. As Yelp said it best, "meh, I've experienced better." -
Review from Sarah W.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 3/30/2012
Very good latte. Pretty good bagel sandwich with tasty smoked salmon. A very good place to do some work- with internet!!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/3/2007
I love this coffeeshop; it's my favorite place to catch up on gradschool reading and writing! The… Read more »
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Review from Fontane M.
Davis, CA
9/9/2011
I practically lived here when I was in grad school! Wonderful cafe for studying. There's free wi-fi with purchase, and they have good food and good coffee. Can totally stay there all day and be happy!
A couple tips:
- the turkey cranberry sandwich is particularly tasty, salads good too
- bring an extension cord just in case...lots of tables, but they're not all near electric outlets
- the place is not open late, so not a good place if you're the late-night-type -
Review from Nick S.
9/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
A great place to have a morning latte and a bagel!
Rooz is cozy but not cramped. The espresso is done by hand and tastes like it. The wifi is fast and free. The bagels, while not mind-blowing, are good standard breakfast fare.
A 16 oz. latte clocks in at $3.20, so Rooz is a bit cheaper than Starbucks or Peet's and the tastiest of the three. -
Review from Zac C.
Oakland, CA
9/17/2011
The guy behind the counter forgot to put the chocolate croissant I ordered into my bag. Upon confronting him he said he never charged me for it I almost left but my friend said that 12 bucks was too much for 2 small mochas and 1 pastry so he went back. The guy relented and when I checked the bag it was a butter croissant and he returned 50 cents to my friend... What?! Why couldn't he just give me what I ordered? Sorry, but that was too many mistakes for just one order. You have lost a couple customers for good!
Be careful what you get at the end of your order when you go in you might not be getting everything that you paid for. Thumbs way down for Rooz for bad customer service. -
Review from Cynthia M.
Oakland, CA
11/14/2011
I've been going to Rooz regularly, since it opened. I am a local business owner so I depend on them to feed me when I need to eat out for my dinner. I've seen many waves of young employees come and go, and have always had good experiences. They are kind of like family to me. The breakfast spinach english muffin with an egg is my favorite, then there's their veggie pannini which is healthy and makes a great quick dinner in the middle of my work day.
Thanks to Rooz for being so dependable and "on it". I work on my laptop there a lot too, it's perfect. -
Review from Steve B.
San Francisco, CA
12/12/2011
Rooz has always been good to me. The espresso has always been great and I'm pickier than most. I applaud Steve for standing up to the nasty yelpers. What a flawed system. These reviews exemplify why a Zagat-based model (i.e. professional reviewers who know how to fairly evaluate a cafe) is superior to the screaming crowd approach. I'm looking for good places that DON'T appeal to the slack-jawed masses. I'm constantly disappointed by the places I visit that get five stars on yelp. When I go back to check the reviews, it's instantly clear that I wouldn't enjoy anything that most of these one-star reviewers would enjoy. Let's call it dumbsourcing.
Keep up the good work Rooz. Oh and p.s. I'm not a regular, and the staff has always been polite to me. -
Review from Courtney R.
Santa Clara, CA
5/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Super cute, and I almost want to give an extra star for the smart vegan cookie (it was made with sweet potatoes and amazing).
The prices were decent, I got a tea and a cookie and it was under 5$ so that was good. They also carry bagel sandwiches and small eats if you are looking for something easy and inexpensive.
The tea selection was OK, I believe they carry the republic of tea brand. Not a huge fan of bagged tea, but it wasn't bad.Listed in: Fancy a spot of tea
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Review from Kari C.
5/22/2011
Good place to get work done. Lots of folks sitting here with laptops, hanging out. Mostly small tables, wi-fi access with $3 purchase, large clean bathroom in the back kitchen. Not too many outlets, though.
Music is not overwhelming. Service is good - prompt and courteous.
Soy latte was strong and smooth, and there was no soy after taste. Not the best, but I would get it again without hesitation. Piping hot in a real glass mug, just the way I like it! Coffee cake was good, but not outstanding. A tad drier than Starbucks and the topping looks homemade (a good thing?). I paid nearly $6 for both.
Parking is hard to find in this region. You can find some 2 hour parking in the residential areas, but it's a bit of a walk. If you happen to find a spot on or near Piedmont Ave, remember, you need to pay at the kiosk. It's NOT free. -
Review from David L.
San Mateo, CA
2/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
The coffee was good but nothing special. The atmosphere was nice but the service was somewhat unaware.
Rooz wouldn't be good for groups or children as it's a reasonably small space.
My overall opinion is that it was a very average local coffee shop. You would go there because you know what you're getting, not because you're looking forward to it. -
Review from Angela L.
Fremont, CA
10/24/2010
Ok, I looked everywhere for the No Yelpers sticker but I am either blind or they do not have it anymore. Too bad, I kind of wanted in on all that Yelp drama... hehe
Baaack to the review: I loved this place! It was a breather away from the ghetto-artsy cafes nearer to the UC Berkeley campus. I was a big fan of the clean tables, the incredibly smooth Americano which was piping hot (perfect for the rainy day), and cozy atmosphere. They had a funky urban/ mod atmosphere going on which somehow worked. (Except they had this sort of disturbing painting on one of the tiles of their semi-destroyed ceiling of a monster eating heart... um, ok..)
Like others have said, the workers aren't chirpy chipper cuties, but they are polite, do their job, and are helpful when need be- Thats fine with me. The music is a weird mashup of stuff but it isn't blasting too loudly so I still got a lot of work done.
The only major downside I can think of is the random guy who sat at my table and wouldn't stop talking to me as I tried to study. Isn't it obvious that I don't want to talk to you?? But, that's not Rooz's fault...
PS-$3 minimum purchase for the WiFi. Cash and Debit only. -
Review from Frank R.
San Francisco, CA
4/9/2007
I don't understand the rave reviews for this place. I went a few weeks ago for a breakfast meeting . Food (Steamed eggs with sausage and english muffin) and coffee was just ok, overated The "service" with tude really sucked - the order-taker dude was cold (maybe hungover) the dyed black haired tatooed (wannabe hipster) waitress literally dropped the flatware and food on the table and walked away. (Like F-you here you go- I am outta here. CLANK!) My tablemates and I sat there literally stunned. Of course that witch didn't get a tip and I won't be going back to Rooz anytime soon WiFi or not. So :-p~~~~~
**Update**
On April 10, I received the following email from this Steve character who claimed to be the owner :
"Customers usually get treated like shit 'cause they treat the person behind the counter with no respect. Customer service starts with the customer. Treat people like you want to be treated. Then learn how to give a review with respect and integrity. Thanks for not visitings us again. "
ME:
**Nice attitude Steve, actually I treat people with respect and not like shit. You are the one who treats people like SHIT! Rude clerks belong on a sitcom not in real life. I gave an honest review of ROOZ - my experience - it was awful. Oh well can't please them all. Are you really the owner, that rude order taking dude or both? In any event have a nice life Steve. ** -
Review from Dan S.
Oakland, CA
1/24/2007
I have to agree with the aforementioned WiFi complaint for this cafe. I bought a drink, tipped very well over the $3 mark, and even gave the cafe owner some silver dollar coins that I'd just gotten from the post office and which he said he was collecting. Then he turns around and tells me I didn't spend enough for the WiFi. And since there's nothing super cheap, I have to spend another $2, so now I've spent double what I should have. Worst still, he was totally unapologetic. They could at least tell you ahead of the time if they see you walk in with a computer. I haven't been back here since, and I don't think I will.
Also, the music here is the kind of bad '70s rock and reggae that you hear when you stay at international youth hostels. Be gone, Bob Marley, be gone.
One star granted for some of the staff, who are quite nice. -
Review from Todd X.
San Francisco, CA
8/15/2007
Hated it. Try looking up "customer service" in the dictionary.
[edited 8/26/07]
It seems we've touched nerve:
From Steve R.
Sent 27 minutes ago
Well, we took your advise and looked up "customer service" and it did not mention anything about kissing people's ass. But I must say your review is so insightful, you mentioned a lot of good valid points why you hated our cafe, and your writing is so deep. But you should really go to a place and BE a CUSTOMER before you put up your "opinion" on yelp. But don't get me wrong, I'm not inviting you to come in, in fact I'm begging you NOT to come in....
[edited again]
Okay, now this guy is seriously psycho now. Now stay away now. Far away from Rooz.
From Steve R.
Sent 39 minutes ago
See, now your review is worth reading now!!
Good Job...... -
Review from Devon F.
8/14/2007
I feel like such a renegade yelping this place.
"NO YELPERS!"
Oh man, yelping a place with THAT sign while sitting at one of its lovely tables "planning" my school year? I'm so bad ass. Watch out now.
Rooz is a great cafe on Piedmont near Pleasant Valley Road. Perfect for people-watching if you can snag a table by the windows. If you're turned off by the hordes of people at Gaylord's or are sick of the creepers hitting on you at Starbucks, I suggest giving this place a try.
Comfortable, airy space with lots of tables and outlets. Laptop city here. The trick? Buy food, and you can plink away at your computer all day if you so desire. ($3.00 minimum ain't so bad for free wifi!)
And the food is good. Really good. Delicious salads (although sometimes too much dressing so tell them go easy) and fantastic sandwiches make the $3 not only not a problem, but a welcome challenge. I especially enjoy their Apple and Walnut Salad and their Turkey and Bacon Sandwich. I also really like their smoothies that are nice and yogurt-based.
As for the supposed 'tude of the people who work here - I think I'm either a) blind; b) naive; or c) awesome, because I've never noticed anything from the staff. The girls are really friendly and eager to help you figure out what you want to order.
My job requires a lot of work done off the clock and on my computer, and I have the attention span of a 3 year old if I try to work at home. Rooz helps me be productive, and keeps me from being hungry. Sweet. -
Review from Bonnie M.
Oakland, CA
8/16/2007
After reading all the hype about Rooz Cafe yesterday I decided to stop by on my way in to work this morning. Pleasantly surprised that it's just a mile from my house.
Never noticed this place on Piedmont Ave. but I've been missing out. FINALLY a place in my hood that serves hummus with their bagels! I'm so going back because they also have 3 sandwiches and one pannini on their menu that are vegetarian (probably all could be made vegan).
Did I mention the soy latte? Oh yeah..... Some sweet stuff. She made it hot, hot, hot and it lasted my entire commute (40 minutes). Not overly strong but a very nice roasted flavor.
Decor is kinda trendy, modern cute. Clean, nicely decorated-very warm. I love businesses that post local art on their walls.
I know people have complained about the service here. Not sure what to say about that. Should one bad experience with an employee change your entire opinion of a place? Here's my experience-she says hello. I say hello. I ask her a question about what's on the veggie bagel. She answers my question. She makes my bagel and latte. She says thank you. Gives me a little smile. Fine. It's not like I'm at Delmonico's Steakhouse where I expect them to actually lick my ass before I leave the restaurant.
And I did look for the infamous NO YELPERS sticker. It's small, behind the counter. Owner guy is taking somewhat of a risk having that up and I admire a man who takes risks. I also think it's hilarious that he wrote someone back explaining why he got treated like shit when most owners would either contact you and totally apologize or ignore you. I'm a firm believer that the customer is not always right-I have huge respect for people who support their employees.
I wonder if Steve's single.....Listed in: Soy Lattes in the East Bay
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Review from Cara Y.
Oakland, CA
2/7/2009
Seems like a nice neighborhood place. Service was friendly and the place had a solid crowd for a Saturday morning.
It's Piedmont Avenue, so parking is pretty awful. I highly suggest side streets like Howe, John, etc.
Rooz unfortunately committed my cardinal sin of eating out. Please, please, for the love of god...I know you probably think you're doing me a favor by adding juicy slices of tomato to my breakfast sandwich...but the taste of raw tomato literally makes my stomach go into "mission abort" mode. I loathe it. LOATHE.
While I appreciate the thought - please, I beg of you, if it's not specified on the menu and I didn't ask for it...
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It seems like people have been very kind about the whole "No Yelpers" controversy, which I think is great. I, however, am not that big of a person. I have a HUGE issue with anyone who tries to challenge my freedom of speech, or my opinions or personal experiences, and I would be lying if I said that it didn't make Steve fall several points on my respect-o-meter. Steve, I understand that you are a small business owner and trying to get by just like the rest of us. But really, that does not make you entitled to challenge the validity of someone's personal experience. So please just don't go there. -
Review from Graham F.
Berkeley, CA
3/31/2007
Decent mochas, good sandwiches, generally friendly staff, good atmosphere, fair wifi policy. It's not too far from my apartment, and parking is easier here than near the other cafes down the street. The major downside is that the hours are such that Rooz is usually closed when I want to spend time at a cafe, but it's a good destination for the occasional mid-afternoon break. All in all, I dig it.
Update (May 07): There are now multiple signs that yell "NO YELPERS!!!" at the register and in the back. How tacky. I think Steve needs to chill out and recognize that people will talk about his cafe whether he likes it or not. Such is life while offering a service to the public in an internet-enabled world. -
Review from Ed U.
Have I been "Rooz"-ed?
I've been here several times and never had a bad experience. I used to live about a minute away from this place and left as Rooz was getting established. I come back often because I'm loyal to some of the local businesses in the Piedmont Avenue area. It's a relaxing albeit compact place, somewhat non-descript really, which is why I'm a bit perplexed about the anti-Yelping brouhaha.
But perhaps it was an ingenious marketing ploy by the owner to generate awareness of his business. Seems to be working as it's been busier the last few times I've visited to get my medium coffee. I'm not a park-it-and-sip-it kind of a guy with an intense interest in free WiFi. I guess that's why I haven't felt hindered by the two-hour table limitation policy. And since this review is about my experience, I still give the place a thumbs up.
The servers are always cordial, and the few items I've had - a Caesar salad a couple of times, a sandwich once - were certainly edible enough for me to return when I need something convenient. Yeah, Rooz does OK by me, but I sure hope the owner doesn't hold it against me that I "Yelp" often and with relish.
COFFEE/FOOD - 4 stars...no complaints from me, a modest food menu, but the coffee has always been satisfying
AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...nice and compact with lots of seating, interesting set-up for laptops in the middle section
SERVICE - 4 stars...always been treated well
TOTAL - 4 stars...Roozed or not, I'm likely to be back againListed in: Go East, Young Man!, Where Have All the Percolators…
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Review from Krystal A.
Castro Valley, CA
3/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Tiny space, tiny tables. More appropriate for laptop work than space for notebooks & textbooks (I came to study with books). Coffee menu is limited to the basics but there are a lot of bottles behind the bar that might give you variety that the menu doesn't show. They charge you $0.25 for to-go drinks which is cheap but unnecessary in my opinion. The bonus is that their menu offers beer in addition to the standard baked goods, along with a soup and sandwich special. Veggie soup & Americano coffee were good.
What turned me off was seeing several rules/signs: no cell phone use (more than 1 sign), coffee refill limitations and price, to-go charges, $3 min purchase "appreciated" for Internet use, etc. I guess communication is good, but somehow it annoyed me.
The place seems to attempt a semi-hipster feel with it's artsy ceilings and music rotations of rock varieties and reggae. However, I noticed that there were a lot of older ladies enjoying themselves here as well. It obviously is a lot less chaotic/noisy than the coffee shops down the block hence the older crowd.
I'd come back but its not my first choice for a study sesh. -
Review from Joe B.
10/17/2007
just a review for the coffee, the digs, and the free WiFi. Uh, there's normally free WiFi, but they're between providers. I went here on the recommendation of Lise L., and what a great recommendation it was!
Classy digs. Lots of stained wood inside, which I love - kind of a Craftsman feel almost, with the wainscoting on the walls. Nice bar. Someone wanted to create an upscale feel, and that they did. Not that that makes it expensive, very reasonable prices for the latt I had, and it was goood. Nice mugs for drinking here. No waste, and a mug is nicer than a glass is nicer than a paper cup.
Oh yeah, they use Macs and apparently the owner is a big Mac head. And they're a few doors down from a bike shop. Good times.
No Yelpers, eh? Not bloody likely. :-D -
Review from Andy M.
CA
Updated - 1/18/2009
When I first wrote a review of Rooz, I gave my honest opinion, which happened to be a rather mixed opinion. In summary:
- Good sandwiches
- Coffee fine but not amazing
- Soundtrack seemed snatched out of a youth hostel/college dorm room
- Internet policies a bit restrictive but understandable given the space
- Hours of operation could use to be expanded to catch customers when they are most likely to use a cafe
- Staff can sometimes be nice, other times be rude, and on several occasions I watched as the counter staff made fun of customers after they left
- I still often end up at Rooz because other local cafes are often too crowded
This review clearly displeased the owner, Steve, because I quickly got a series of messages from him about how unfair my reviews were. This raised my hackles, but I eventually decided to be nice to a local guy trying to compete against Starbucks and I posted a watered-down version of my review. I tried to take the high road, but, in looking back, I feel like I sold out a bit that day.
So it turns out that Steve makes a habit of sending messages to Yelpers that write negative reviews - this is certainly fair (if a bit obsessive and counter-productive) for a business owner to do, but the messages sent to me and the other Yelpers are not about repairing the business-client relationship (e.g., what could Steve do to perhaps not warrant low reviews from customers), they're about milking more stars out of reviewers.
Now I have absolutely zero interest in harming a local independent business, but if he gets to go on Channel 2 News http://www.ktvu.com/vi... and decry all of the Yelpers "makin' up fake stuff" and hurting his business (even when he already has a 4 star review overall, by the way), then I get to have my say too, unedited this time. Sorry Steve, fair is fair.
No one should put up with malicious defamation, I just wish Steve would be (a) open to other people's opinions, and (b) actually willing to listen to them and make some adjustments over time to accommodate the needs of his customers - this is how small businesses survive. You catch more flies with honey...
On a positive note, now that my spleen is vented, if I'm on Piedmont Ave. and looking for a place to do some work and have lunch, I will almost certainly end up at Rooz. Why not? There will usually be a table, the food is pretty decent, the coffee is fine, and they have wireless. Is this caving?Listed in: The Piedmont Avenue List
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/22/2007
I wish they were open later since L'Amyx and Gaylord's are always full in the evenings, plus Rooz is… Read more »
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Review from Dave T.
Granada Hills, Los Angeles, CA
7/9/2008
The only cool part about this place is the decorations. The ceiling in particular is bad ass. There is generally good music playing.
Now that I've set the psychological stage with a couple positives, here's what i really think. First off, the people here are pretty rude. They leave you feeling like they think you're a sell out because you're not working in a coffee shop during the day and working on your music career by night. I went in there for a couple weeks straight because it's so close to my place, but I don't think i got one smile the whole time.
I had a friend visiting from LA who went in to Rooz unilaterally. She's a raw food eating, hundred-mile-diet, environmentalist, vegetarian. SHE thought the people there were elitist, rude, and condescending. Judge for yourself people.
If you order an espresso drink, the place slows to a crawl for a few minutes. And it's not even worth the wait. I hate starbucks coffee with a passion, but at least it tastes ok. Not exactly sure how it is you make coffee taste that bad when you put a buttload of sugar in it, but they do. Bravo, Rooz, bravo.
Oh and BTW, "Brooz" is cheezy and stupid. Damn, you're bringing out the hater in me. That pisses me off even more. -
Review from vaughn e.
Oakland, CA
10/31/2008
Went to Rooz two weeks ago, just to kill some time while waiting for a friend. I wasn't that impressed. The wait staff were ok, but not very friendly. The coffee shop was small, and narrow...not at all what I am used to - but maybe most coffee houses in Oakland are small. I ordered a mocha and a walnut brownie. The brownie was blah...a bit too fudgy for my taste. The mocha was bland and just a few degrees above lukewarm.
The experience wasn't horrible, but it wasn't spectacular either. -
Review from Sheila H.
Berkeley, CA
1/20/2009
I hadn't been to rooz for quite awhile, but alas, found myself pleasantly amused while reading the strategically positioned blurbs scattered behind the counter.
Apparently, the folks at this coffee shop aren't too big on yelpers. I myself, am not so biased. Anyway, I grabbed a coffee to go and my friend and I headed up towards the cemetery to soak up some ultra-violet.
Typically, I find rooz's coffee to be a bit on the weak side, but this morning's brew was tantalizing. Everything was as perfect as could be, until we, being our usual dare-devil selves, a little too eagerly ran down a hillside.
Sadly, my rooz coffee went sailing. Fortunately, after the traumatic event, a 1/3 of the precious liquid remained... of which I savored every drop.
Someday, I am going to try these heavenly sandwiches they speak of. *yum* -
Review from Nicolas H.
Miami, FL
11/29/2008
OH MY GOD!... "That is not on the menu" is what I was told, when I tried to order a sandwich that WAS on the menu. The only thing different was that I wanted was "toasted bread".
The person behind the counter told me, "No, it's not on the menu".
So be it, I ordered the "Turkey Bacon Sandwich on regular bread" (not toasted)
My friend had told me this was an awesome place for sandwiches. I am beginning to doubt my friend's judgment now, though.
The sandwich was alright, nothing out of the ordinary.
Why can you not toast the bread for me?, I don't understand.
Note: Wi Fi: Free if you buy something. (not really free then, hu?) -
Review from Jake S.
Seattle, WA
10/18/2007
Well, the only reason I was in the 'hood was because my friend lives down on Ruby St., and we went over there some time ago for coffee. Overall I'd give the place 1.5 stars if only Yelp would allow for halfs, but thats neither here nor there. I'm no coffee snob by any means (I drink the free crap they have in the office breakroom which tastes like battery acid instead of paying for the good stuff downstairs), but I wasn't all that into the Rooz coffee, tasted kinda burnt and not terribly fresh. Might've just been a bad batch though, friend liked her latte.
I look pretty conservative, short hair, button shirts, etc...and my friend dresses like Mrs. Cleaver on Leave It to Beaver even though she's 30, basically we looked like we were from Oaklahoma instead of Native Oaklanders. I just felt a kinda wierd vibe from the tatoo/pierced seemingly nice person working there. I'm not looking to make best friends forever with everyone who serves me coffee, but some sort of personal interaction would be appreciated beyond mild disdain. One star off for the counterperson and two off for the burnt-tasting coffee. I'll go back another time, probably just a fluke. -
Review from Kate I.
Alameda, CA
1/29/2008
Good cafe!
Pros:
Free wifi
Good tables
Happy hour daily
Good tea selection
They don't charge more for a large tea than a medium tea (you know, for 5 more tablespoons of water)
They don't rush you
Overall, good vibe for studying or chatting over coffee
Cons:
You have to spend 3.50$ to get the wife 'code'
Some decor transitions-- exposed ceilings above
Two people behind the counter-- one super cool, the other a little more anal and rude.
Anecdote #1: Once I was the only person there and was asking about the different teas, and rude guy slammed my cup down and walked away-- leaving me to the nice, friendly guy . He was cool and helpful. Angry guy has a fuse about 3 seconds long.
Anecdote #2: Went there to study and read-- only after I had been there a bit did I find out they have a happy hour and several good beers. When I found out, after talking to angry guy for a minute behind the counter-- it was not quite 5 minutes after happy hour officially ended. The place was empty. Mr. Moneybags did not offer to extend the set -in-stone time a mere 300 seconds for a first time customer courtesy.
I hope he has a comfortable sleep on that pile of extra pennies he's hoarded up.
Other than that-- a pretty good place to go. -
Review from Tiger W.
San Francisco, CA
6/30/2009
You know a place is bad when I'd rather be drinking a Starbucks. Hell, even McDonalds has better service. Service takes way too long, and seems even longer when you're being served by someone surly and unpleasant. I mean seriously, how hard is it to hire someone with a pleasant demeanor rather than having someone behind the counter who looks like they recently had a cactus inserted into their rectum?
As for the whole anti-Yelp thing? Very childish. If you can't handle people having an opinion of your business, then don't own a business that's open to the public.
I think the only positive about the place honestly is the decor, but it hardly makes up for the negatives.
--
Edit: The Veronica reply I had posted earlier apparently wasn't written by Steve, because Steve decided to send me a flame message, basically telling me that any review against his business is "hateful" and made up.
Steve. A word of advice. Learn to run a business. A poor customer experience is spread much faster than a positive one. Customers like myself, whom you're turning away with your piss poor attitude, are the people who pay your bills and keep your business open. Customer service is not "kissing the customer's ass" like you so eloquently put it, but rather working with your customers to ensure they have the best experience at your business possible.
Grow up.Comment from Steve R. of Rooz Cafe 6/30/2009
We at Rooz Cafe have always welcomed constructive criticism… More » -
Review from Missy W.
Oakland, CA
1/22/2011
I've lived near here for awhile, but had never been here before, so I decided to stop in one day. I suppose it's your run-of-the-mill snobby, yuppy coffee house, and since I don't really care for those, I was not impressed. Some of the staff were down-to-earth and nice, others gave me a look as tho getting a cup of peppermint tea was slumming it. I did not check the menu to see if there was any food I can eat (I have a severe gluten allergy), but I felt like it wasn't worth the attitude to ask.
I can get better tea and faster internet at my house 3 blocks away. -
Review from Royo Y.
San Francisco, CA
5/2/2009
Setting 7.5/10
Coffee 6.5/10
Service1/10
It's a shame that one snitty employee can ruin a place, but that's life. Maybe I'll walk in if I walk by and it isn't there and give it another go. -
Review from Susan M.
Oakland, CA
3/5/2008
As a relatively new resident of oakland, I've been using yelp to get a feel for the different neighborhoods and places to potentially check out. I was looking for some places to get a good cup of coffee and study (not a starbucks). The reviews for Rooz made me laugh. This Steve character made me think of my boss. I once purposely sent her an email and didn't label a file the way she wanted it so she emailed me back in less than 2 minutes...and yes I timed it. So I was almost disappointed that I didn't have a bad experience to write about and get one of the infamous responses.
I went on a weekday afternoon and found a cute little coffee shop filled with people either reading or typing away on their laptops. I ordered a white mocha and grilled mozzarella, tomato, and basil sandwich on focaccia. The coffee was pretty decent but the sandwich was delicious! Grilled to perfection and not at all stingy on size and ingredients. As I sat outside with my food and my dog I met a couple neighborhood people walking their dogs. Turns out the super friendly guy works at Rooz! We chatted about some other places around Oakland and he mentioned the other location on Park, which I'll definitely have to check out.
Oh well...I guess I'll just have to stick to annoying my boss and getting the email replys from her. But I'll definitely go back to Rooz. -
Review from Bronwyn S.
Oakland, CA
2/1/2012
I love the idea of supporting local cafes, and Rooz has good coffee and other eats/drinks. Unfortunately, it seems this place is run by hipsters who are above customer service (such as a smile or greeting), and the bathroom likely has not been cleaned in a year -- eewh.
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Review from Lise L.
Oakland, CA
8/29/2006 6 Check-ins Here
I really like Rooz and when I want a place to meet clients or work outside my home office, this is the place. The food is good with a decent selection of vegetarian options and the coffee tasty. I tend to like the staff and other customers, and I can always find a table.
Its a bummer they have gotten so careful about purchase for wireless access, but that probably IS why I am able to find a table here, and hear myself think, whereas all my ventures into Gaylord's these days is a failure in this regard.Listed in: Al Fresco, My Neighborhood, Where We Hang With Our Dog
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Review from Thomas M.
Alameda, CA
6/21/2009
Sorry, I have to add my negative review to the others. I was in yesterday in the mid-day; service was slow and oddly sullen and mean-spirited. Food was adequate, but a 25 minute wait when the place was not jumpin' was unacceptable.
***
Edited to add: Steve did write me a note, and correctly pointed out that I had prejudged him unfairly by predicting his response. I apologize for that, and have edited my original post. -
Review from Tat B.
San Francisco, CA
11/7/2008
So this review will be more like a recap of a little conversation I had with the barrista at Rooz.
I had ordered the mochiato and expected the latte-like caramel flavored drink one would get at a very well-known coffee establishment we all know. Instead I got a small espresso-sized serving with a bit of foam on top. Very nice.
I instantly realized my mistake and asked the barrista to make the drink into a latte instead, apologetically. So she says to me, "oh, you go to Starbucks, don't you?" and proceeded to make my pseudo-latte.
Yeah, I'm coming back.
The latte was great, btw. -
Review from Rusty M.
Long Beach, CA
7/28/2007
It sounds too much like 'Taz' to me but this place looks like Gaylord's for people with jobs or at least better trust funds. Good Coffee.
Update:
I give this place 5 stars because the owner Stevecharacter has balls enough to start his own business and fire back into the often spineless blogesphere. Yelper's write history but standing accountable and understanding the fallout is also important for the development of this culture. -
Review from Laurence T.
Oakland, CA
5/7/2008
Rooz is my favorite cafe in Oakland. I do not know why it has taken me so long to write a review, but I am finally doing it. I have been going there for over a year and remember the "no yelpers" sign, which was funny to me.
On to the review....
Rooz is a great place to relax and get some work done on the laptop to settle in with a nice cup of coffee and a book. The staff is very nice and friendly and will remember regular visitors names and orders. The food is actually quite good ranging from the breakfast sandwiches to the pastries.
It also has free wifi access with a purchase. I think that this is a nice touch and no one seems to abuse it in my opinion. Most of the people that hang out there go to get thing done or have a nice conversation with a friend. It is not a "scene" like some of the other coffee shops, which is a nice change of pace.
Overall it gets five stars from me.
