Gaylord's Caffe Espresso
Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: North Oakland4150 Piedmont Avenue
(between 41st St & Linda Ave)
Oakland, CA 94611 (510) 658-2877
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Paid
7 reviews
Albany, CA
"I only come here when I'm doing my laundry across the street. It's the perfect place to wait while the cycle finishes because the decor is…" read more »
125 Reviews for Gaylord's Caffe Espresso
They put coffee ice cubes in the iced coffee. This is a nice touch. The coffee seems a bit sub-par like the machines need cleaning. It was on the bitter/acidic side which left me with a stomach ache for the rest of the evening. I expect better on a block with that much competition.
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The skinny love machine with the blue framed glasses is NOT hip, he's actually terrible at his job.
I agree with the cleaning -- something needs to be cleaned here. The coffee tastes dirty. And what's the point of using coffee ice cubes if the coffee ice cube flavor ruins the rest of your iced coffee?
It looks like they offer free wifi here, as all the tables are taken up by people with their Macbooks.
I'm all for supporting local, but the management has to figure out a few things (recap: blue glasses and dirty coffee flavor).
Blue Bottle, then Peet's, then Starbucks, then McDonalds or Gaylord's
Gaylord's makes me a perfect cappuccino. Miraculously, everyone who works the machine is good at it. This is my ideal Bay Area cafe. Bright, airy, clean, well cared for. The workers are all nice, the crowd is friendly, if laptop-centric. It's comfortable and unpretentious. There's lots of sidewalk seating so you can drink coffee and smoke if you wish. If more independent coffee shops this good and consistent, we wouldn't have Starbuck's everywhere. And seriously, I cannot fathom why there are so many people hanging out at the Starbuck's across the street from Gaylord's. It must be a lifestyle statement.
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Best. Double. Soy. Latte. Ever. Nuff said. Ok, I'll say more. When I think about how much money I have spent, cumulatively, over the past seven years or so, on double soy lattes from Gaylord's, it's kind of intense. I could have a Craftsman mansion in Rockridge, man, and like ten Prius's (Priuie? Priuae?)
I know my coffee, and Gaylord's has the most competent baristas of any shop I've ever visited. Big up.
1 star for the horribly racist mural painted on the side of their building...capture of the solid...yuck!
this place is pretty busy compared to starbuck's across the street. the french dark roast coffee (1.90), nica labeled claimed to be free traded and organic. a little biter, it took 2 sweet & lows and a bit of half/half to make it a pleasant drink.
they also make smoothies (3.40) here using frozen fruit and juices. didn't try this item.
there's free wifi here, but i didn't see an empty seat in the cafe,
My ideal cafe would be a replica of the perfect cliche that was the student run coffee shop at my small women's college, complete with vegan baked goods, rotating art exhibitions, an eclectic assortment of music, furniture and barista personalities, and an atmosphere as conducive to study as it is to a friendly gathering (you can leave out the excessive use of Target style plastic bins and ancient issues of I'mReallyLiberal,really! magazines). Yelp has guided my Oakland quest for this magical place and most recently led me here. Well, the coffee is decent, the lauded vegan chocolate chip cookie is indeed worthy of praise, but will I go out of my way to come here? Hmmm...
I went a few times and these are my observations: service can be spotty. One girl was lovely and super apologetic that they were out of those cookies (darn!), others indifferent, others bordering on rude. The interior isn't particularly nice, but it's always packed, mostly with individuals attached to their computer screens, which doesn't make for a convenient environment if you're in a group or an especially welcoming one if you are not attached to a computer screen.
Other baked goods I've had, though decent, weren't nearly as good as that (really good) cookie, which is worth going at least once for. I was a little surprised that the cookies are actually packaged, when I did get one it had just come out of the freezer, but that was definitely the best previously plastic wrapped food item I have ever eaten. The mood at Gaylord's is not really what I go for and the coffee itself isn't enough to bring me back, but if you are a student, or a person with one of those mythical jobs that allows you to spend all your time in cafes, then enjoy! I'll just get my cookie to go.
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Grumpy servers, weak coffee and no place to sit on a Friday morning at 9:30.
One star for the student art on the walls.
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You go to Gaylord's for the coffee fairly traded and tasty, becuz it is open until 12, becaws the wi-fi is slammin, there is always an outlet where you need one, cos the music is like a worn pair of jeans.
You don't go to Gaylords expecting to find a free seat.
The food looks tasty but I've never had any of it. If you are in the hood and desire a good cup of joe you can't go wrong and you certainly could do worse - think ubiquitous Seattle coffee chain.
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10 min wait in line
10 min wait for your order
coffee is OK
the place has a pretty nice vibe though
If your seeking good apple cider, then look no further. Gaylord's has the best cider in the east bay hands down. Excellent place to study and/or think.
This is a great place to hang out with friends or to spend some alone time with your laptop. I used to study here when I went to grad school down the street and had my share of their coffee and food. All their coffee and espresso drinks are great and the chili was very satisfying. They used to to have a frequent drinker card but I haven't been there recently.
Despite the crowded tables and music overhead, I managed to get a lot of studying done and it was the perfect place for a group of us to study together without worrying about bothering someone else nearby. What fun is it when you can't shout across the table to your buddy to ask "What are the origin and insertion points of the vastus medialis?!" Dude, who needs a library?! You can't drink or talk there. This place is way better.
Just make sure you go during a non-peak time so you can snag a window seat...or any seat for that matter. It gets pretty packed in there!
Great place to go for a damn good cup of joe, or if you want to study. They have the BEST vegan chocolate chip cookies, and I love coming here and seeing the different art work from the students of piedmont high displayed. It does get quite packed, so seating may be difficult, especially if you're coming w/ a group. You have to pay for the wi-fi, but i believe it's only $1. They even have the old-school pac-man video game that they utilize as a table, that still works, which is pretty neat. The coffee is really great, and i particularly enjoy their indian spiced chai tea. it's absolutely deliciouso! I have to admit though that they are pretty adamant about not bringing other coffee into their shop. One time i was studying w/ a friend, and she had a starbucks coffee w/ her, and they basically told her to either finish it up, or dump it!!
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Here's the thing, you need to understand: Gaylord's is a scene. It's not just a source of caffeine, it is a vital part of the neighborhood. This is why it's surviving just fine despite the starbucks across the street.
The coffee has generally been fine, pretty good mochas when I get them. It is crowded, but outside is nice too, if the weather is good and the smokers haven't lit up.
And it's great for people watching, which is partially the point. It's difficult to really describe it, especially since it's a personal perspective thing, but I find the place to be necessary to the neighborhood, providing life and color and keeping it from being just another corporate drag.
It's real. There's something to be said for that.
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Didn't inspire the "si se puede" of Crema. Not because of the coffee, but because no se puede afford to live in Piedmont. So much for a neighborhood cafe. Alas, the coffee was terrif.
And what with those speakers? Are they, like, B&Ws or something? A cafe interested in acoustics is a cafe that steals my heart.
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I love Gaylord's!
It's a Saturday tradition for my boyfriend and I to hit up Piedmont Ave in the following order: First a stop at Dr. Comics, then peruse the amazing selection of mags at Issues followed by a much needed stop at Gaylord's for lattes & donuts to be brought home to enjoy with our just purchased comics/magazines.
My friend turned me on to Gaylord's when I first moved to Oakland, claiming it was the best coffee to be found in Oakland & as an added bonus, they seemed to employee only cute hipster boys & girls. Well, not sure about only cute hipster employees anymore & not sure that I entirely care but I do care about consistent amazing vanilla lattes always topped with a decorative design in the perfect amount of foam. I also care about the best vegan lemon poppy seed donuts around- try one, I dare you, you'll be hooked. I also care that they FINALLY re-did the place, replacing their sad torn-up seated chairs with new ones and repainting the place in pleasantly soothing colors. I also adore the organ(coffee lids/stirrers island)- unique, unexpected, totally random and totally rad.
Only complaint- As somewhat of a social weirdo, I never know what to do with myself when I'm waiting for my drinks. This may sound silly, but really, if there are no empty seats to occupy, there's just no where for you to go. It's a constant dance of people trying to figure out who's in line & who's already ordered and a lot of excuse me's.
But over all, not too big of a deal to justify taking off a star. I'll deal.
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The coffee is really good... or actually, the single soy lattes I order are really good. BUT: The staff fucking sucks. I shit you not, I've been going here at least a few times a week for years, and without fail, the staff is chock full of rude, poseur, stinky, militant assholes and I just can't take it anymore. It seems as though the only requirement to work here is to have a terrible attitude and a sour expression when you call out my latte and see me coming to get it. Hey BITCHFACE I just tipped you $2 on a $3 drink, at least fake an emotion not so reminiscent of disgust for me. Now, I know money can't buy me love, but can't it buy me an not-so-hate-filled coffee experience?
Gaylords Staff, I implore you, reach around, grip that stick like you've never gripped anything before, and pull it out of your ASS. And get me my coffee while your at it.
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Gaylord's soy lattes are the best in the East Bay, but I'm partial a hint of marshmallow and foam art. (I cross my fingers for the heart, but sometimes get a leaf.)
Minus one star for select members of the clientele. My dad, who visited Oakland last month from friendly Pittsburgh, likes to tell a tale about two rude, studious Gaylord's hipsters who saved a chair two tables away. It's true, when we sat in that chair and they reprimanded us, we should've been all "Not anymore, sweethearts," but their behavior was just stunning.
Today, too. My boyfriend and I were sitting by a sunny window, and within 15 minutes, two different people came and plopped down with us. One said nothing, the other said "I'm joining you." It's true: Nothing says the West is the Best like Piedmont Avenue privilege. Fortunately, I'm moving back to the East Coast next month. In the meantime, fuck me with a (silver, coffee) spoon.
On Piedmont there has to be about 4 different spots where you can get a cup of joe (why is it called a "cup of joe"?). When I'm in need of a pick me up, I always make a beeline to Gaylords.
One- because the coffee is G-Double O- good. Two- I like looking at funky/ Hip people- who populate this place- Three- It seems a tad more independent than the Starbucks or Peets.
I would like to love this little shop. It serves decent coffee across the street from (and in the face of) the craptacular megachain coffee shop.
But they have a list of issues that don't seem to be changing, from a remodel that is taking forever to an atmophere that is inhospitable to about half the populace.
I still go down and pick up a regular cup of coffee but nothing else. They have never bothered to put a menu board back up since the (nonstop) remodel. Blind ordering is no fun.
I agree with one of the other reviews that the wait staff a grumpy mix and the only person that will make eye contact with you is the cashier (because they are the face that makes the tips).
I would have given them one star but their regular coffee is pretty good but I don't have any plans to go back any time soon.
When I used to frequent this place, my Dad would always ask me where it was that I was going and as soon as I started to say the name, he would cut me off and say "Going to the gay cafe again, eh?"
Okay, let's clear this up for once and all. I'M NOT GAY! I've been hit on by gay guys, even gone to a gay bar a couple of times but I tell you, I'm straight as an arrow. I've nothing at all against people who swing the other way or even both ways.
Sure, I laughed a bit at I Know Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, took my gay neighbor out to dinner once and event went to a pride parade or two, but that's pretty much the extent of my "getting in touch with the queer-side".
Sorry guys. By the way, your shoes are faaabbbulllousss!
Kidding, really.
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The best overall coffee spot on Piedmont Ave. by a long shot. I spend a decent portion of my week on that street, so just take my word for it. Good smoothies, good sandwiches, nice people.
I would give this place a five, but they just remodeled the interior and just robbed the place of all its character. Still, very worthy drinks and food, though (but when are they going to put the menu back up?).
One of the coffee girls at this place hooked up the most novel foam design I've seen. Just a good spot.
I was lured here by their late hours and fairly good reviews, but was sadly disappointed. The main thing that bothered me was the stark, white walls and ugly uncomfortable chairs and benches all crowded into a tiny space. I paid $1 for the wireless password and sat down to a fairly good cup of coffee, but didn't stay long because my butt was falling asleep and my back was hurting from the bench I chose.
Clientele were college girls absorbed in their laptops or bitching to each other about their boyfriends, groups of older men talking quietly, and the rare solo boy reading a book. It was a crowd oddly divided by gender on the evening I went, like a middle school dance except with everyone sitting down.
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I came here hoping to taste their Mexican hot chocolate. I was really bummed that they were out of it. Their mocha was good but it was difficult to find a seat. The place was packed. I would suggest getting coffee to go.
This place opens late!! You have to pay $1 for unlimited internet. Tables are super tiny, you can hardly fit two if you're trying to study. Coffee and tea is good, but nothing great. Staff is always helfpul and friendly. I was looking for a menu on the wall with what they had, but couldn't find one.
Gaylords gets points for good coffee and I am a sucker for the Gaylords Mocha. They also have the option of coffee ice cubes for their iced drinks which is pure brilliance. Everybody needs to do that and stat.
Gaylords is small, packed a lot of the time, and it's a scene so that works against it. There is good people watching there at least, but don't expect to have much space to kill time and get anything done over the loud music. The wait staff can be friendly or just too cool to be nice to you.
Only gripe is the inconsistent service. Amazing Coffee.. to-die-for vegan cookies; I will forever be a slave to these splendid creations!!
my drink is a double soy latte in an 8oz ( triple if its a rough one )
Big Props on the foam because those who know me well know that I know coffee. Great foam is hard to do when it comes to soy and this place knows how to. Espresso is fantastic and with their great foam frothing abilities, its a perfect cup of double soy latte.
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After I got coffee at Gaylord's I realized I am not that cool. People tend to shoulder themselves around the glow of their macs as they sip on their small lattes for hours. Everything is green party in this fun loving brownie eating joint until someone blocks someone else's power cable to their ibook.
Great coffee, go drink it outside under the awesome mural on the side of the building.
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Uh, no. Bad music. Ratty chairs. "Interesting" staff. Mediocre coffee and tea. I know people love it because you can study there, surf the web there, etc. but it's simply not my scene.
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The Chai was excellent, service was nice. Music was a bit loud and the chairs need to be re-upholstered. I think this place would have been at least four stars if the ambiance were better. Lights are really bright and hard and the tables are arranged in this way that makes you feel like you are walking into a $1 take-out chinese restaurant. If I had to make one recommendation here though, it would be to have more outlets. This place is crawling with studiers and surfers who are busy working away on their laptops and I saw but two plugs. Take a lesson from Espresso Roma on Ashby and College - outlet at almost every table against the wall in the back room.
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The best drink this place has is the Monk's Prayer green tea. Gaylord's coffee is not the best on Piedmont Ave., it tastes burnt. It is not uncommon to wait 10-15 mins for a cup of tea. There are a few baristas who are nice, but the majority of the people who work there are pretty sullen, and a couple of the people are downright hostile. If you can't stand the hipster crowd then this is not the place for you. Everywhere you look there are unusually tight pants and flannel. People here seem generally unclean. When it rains the whole place smells like wet dog. This really isn't a place you want to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee indoors. I recommend buying your coffee at Peet's and sipping it at Gaylord's outside seating on a sunny day.
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I have mixed feelings about this place. Some days, the service is friendly and smiley and cute. Other times, they're grumpy and rude and slow. The coffee here is down right awful! It tastes like am/pm gasoline station coffee. Not kidding. The worst!
Their lattes are much better, though. They are, at least, aesthetically pleasing--usually a pretty heart or leaf shaped image gracefully placed on top of your drink with foam. They also have a pacman table, a nice corner window, and a bench outside. So on a sunny day, it's a good place to go for people watching with a bad cup of coffee and a cigarette. And they support local art by hanging it up on their walls, which is nice.
Whatever you do, don't ever ever ever get a "delicious brownie." I bought one of those and it was truly the most disgusting pastry i have ever had in all of my life. I thought that thing had probably been sitting in the pastry case for six months...until i found out it had been sitting in the freezer for a few months. Apparantly, they don't put out new, fresh pastries until the old ones sell. As in, they never throw old pastries away. At least that's the word on the street. I find that kind of gross.
So to sum up: awful coffee, worse pastries, inconsistent service, but good location, nice foam, local art on the walls, and cute clientele. Depends on your priorities.
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Any place named Gaylord's automatically gets 5 stars in my book. I would suggest Gaylord's Mocha, there was something special about it. The whipped cream was thick and the espresso was strong.
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i don't want to sounds dramatic or absurd, but i'm currently sitting in gaylord's, and i'm totally unhappy. I just moved to oakland, and love the neighborhood, so gaylord's does have that advantage. however, i found the servers to be slow, it took about 15 minutes for my iced soy mocha to come up WITH NO LINE. also, you pay 1 dollar for an hour of internet. not so bad, i guess, but still, it should be free? also, the baritas aren't knowledgable, they didn't know what they had to put on bagels, and i had to just give up. it's real crowded in here, which i don't understand. maybe their coffee is the best part. im just not down with the vibe. they're playing shitty 90s music, maybe alice? it's just, the jokes old. stale. no thanks. see ya.
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I love this place. Outside of having a good personality, I love their espresso drinks, the hours are great for working or studying, and they have a good selection of cafe snax.
I've had a couple of bad times there but most of the time it's well above par.
how the hell haven't I written a Gaylord's review yet? My game must be slippin'.
Gaylord's was the place to be if you were anywhere near Piedmont and you were under 30 in the late '90s, early '00s. Still is, probably was before that. What they do with espresso drinks is amazing, and I'm not talking about just the talent they have with foam. If you want a good independent coffee shop, the closest place, going north, is Cole (formerly Royal) on College. From there, going North, the best is Au Coquelet on University in Berkeley. I challenge anyone to challenge that list! ;-) No, Peets' doesn't count. I'm talking about one-off coffee shops. I would move in on Piedmont Ave. just to be close to Gaylord's and the scene.
It's a place to see and be seen, much like Cole Coffee. It's where you want to be on a cold or rainy morning. It's where people write, do homework, and just watch Oakland go by. It has a controversial mural of Spanish conquistadors and native americans that is only really controversial if you're descended from conquistadors or don't know when or what Indigenous Peoples' Day is. It's happiness in a cup. You can shake your head in disappointment at the Starbucks patrons across the street. It's like window shopping for asshats, or a terrarium of lemmings.
Peets is right down the street if you need it. And if you ever go to Starbucks on Piedmont, then sir, de-Yelp yourself, 'cause you're in the wrong place.
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cops seem to hang out here, and it kinda makes me uncomfortable
......not that there's anything wrong with that. (get it? get it? no? oh ok..)
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Definitely the best coffee on Piedmont Ave. (although I'm still hoping for something better). Always crowded, more piercings per capita than elsewhere on Piedmont Ave. by a large margin, and has a great authentic Oakland vibe. Not a great study spot since it is hard to study while listening to the Smiths, but people seem to manage.
Weirdly slow service - no matter what you order (tea, juice, coffee) your drink comes out when it does, even if they could pour you a cup of juice in 10 seconds. Still, I'd rather come here for coffee than Rooz or the chains that shall not be named.
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