On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Potrero HillMon-Fri. 6:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Loading...
got coffee here a couple weeks back (im not a coffee drinker whatsover)
they were closing down so they gave me & friends the coffee for free
incredibly nice and friendly
will def go back for tea, food, and more
:)
Word:
Food (sandos)
Service (nice staff)
Free WiFi
Play Good Music
Ehh:
Seating, Indoor - a couple hard benches and chairs, and not enough cushions to go around)
Seating, Outdoor - heavily-shaded (no sun) & no view of the city
Whatchotalkin'bout Willis?:
They close at...4PM???
Small neighborhood coffee shop with tasty treats, good breakfast and lunch fare. Nothing fancy, but great place to see and talk to neighbors. A nice place to have a place to grab a cup of coffee on the way to work.
It's tiny for a coffee house - you can maybe squeeze in 16 people inside. The necessities are present: bathroom, free secure wi-fi (the signal is weak though), easy (and free) parking, and food. For inspiration, proverbs are painted on the walls from famous thinkers like Confucius.
For breakfast choose from bagels, muffins, scones, breakfast burritos, breakfast croissants, oatmeal, fruit bowl, granola, and smoothies. Breakfast is served all day (yay!). For lunch, they have salads and sandwiches (about $7) as well as a soup of the day, wraps and lasagna. Cakes, pies and cookies will tempt your sweet tooth.
I had 1/2 a "Potrero" sandwich: a thick pile of fresh spinach, sweet caramelized onions, roasted red peppers and creamy goat cheese on a toasted focaccia roll. The sandwich was quite small. I liked the combination of ingredients but the bread, though toasted, was already cold. The roasted red pepper soup was okay, a bit too sweet. The latte had generous amounts of foam but was just average in strength and flavor.
They close early - the website says 7 PM on weekdays but now they close at 5 PM on weekdays and 4 PM on weekends.
This review is strictly for the artwork on the walls. Did you know that the barista Chris not only makes a damn good vanilla latte, but sketched the awesome artwork that decorates the walls? My favorite is the Bob Marley piece near the restroom, but Chris said that one is not for sale.
:-( He also takes commissions. I plan on commissioning a piece for my husband for his birthday to support this talented, aspiring artist.
I just had a caesar salad here and it was yum-o! They put tomato, red onion, and SHAVED parmesan.… Read more »
Love coming here to unwind. Can get kinda crowded on a beautiful day seeing that they have outside seating and all. Nevertheless, on a cold day, its the place to go. Its on a beautiful street, has great coffee with free refills, free wi-fi, and yummmmmy food. Some of the dudes that work there aren't that friendly, but the girls are normally great.
Apart from seating outside and having a Parisienne feel, they serve Illy caffe' (I think, at least the cups were from Illy).
Espresso was definitely too long, diluted, but honestly priced at $1.25 and tasted great....
It's all about roasting, and SF worships over-roasted beans for espressos (see Ritual, Blue Bottle, Dynamo etc etc) which spoil the entire concept of an espresso....being delicate and bold at the same time and persistent.
This wasn't persistent (because too long) but definitely delicate and bold.
Big points also because it's close to home.
Friendly staff, no attitude. Quick and efficient service. Great breakfast burritos!
Thinker's is one of those unique and amazing establishments that adds flavor to Potrero Hill that often feels missing - tasty, healthy, reasonably cheap cafe food served in an establishment with a strong neighborhood vibe. I'm a huge fan of the breakfast burrito myself, but I've also had most of their sandwiches. They make a really good salad that is always fresh and tasty.
They do get really busy on the weekends, but even when they're not, I feel like it takes an extraordinarily long time to get my food. And that wouldn't be a big deal, except that due to the way the tables are laid out there is never enough space for even the mid-morning, off-peak rush, so I hate to wait around for a second longer than I have to because people are often standing around peering for an open table. I feel like there has to be some way that they can reorganize the tables to take a bit of space out of the middle area and add one or two additional tables along the sides (maybe by rotating the two-top tables 90 degrees...)
But it's still a five star establishment, and one that I hope remains around forever, and I'm glad that rumors of it being sold (that were leaked on EaterSF) were false. I would love to be able to grab a light dinner here, but like every other cafe on the PH they're breakfast/lunch only.
If it wasn't the nearest coffee to my old house, I probably wouldn't have come back so often, but be that as it may, they did have very good coffee.
The staff has changed a bit since I went here often, but every time I went it in was the same story, no wait at the reg, but no staffer behind it. So I stand there looking around, a few "Excuse me's?" and when that still didn't attract the staff, I'd just leave $1.25 on the counter and get my own coffee. Granted, this would be when I woke up on the weekends at, on average 1PM. Still that's no excuse.
I'd always just bought the coffee here, but one day I brought a friend and we sat down and ate lunch and I was very pleasantly surprised how good it was. I never bought food again, save a danish here or there, it was just always a little awkward inside, very unwelcoming.
Overall, good coffee, bad service, odd atmosphere.
Great neighborhood cafe. Breakfast is tasty and fresh, though they are not fast at all in preparation. Fine with me. Breakfast burrito is awesome. It is tiny so be prepared for it to be tough to get a chair. Probably even more crowded when the library is open for business again.
Another spot I was excited to get to know in my neighborhood.
I prepped myself by looking over the menu the previous evening, and the coffee drinker I am not, I decided a smoothie sounded rather fantastic.
As I headed out of the house and bounded down the street with my dog in tow I was so ready for a banana smoothie.
I showed up made my order with a nice morning smile only to find out someone dropped the blender and it broke...and yes I asked....they only had one blender in the place!
I was down but not out, so I ordered the the breakfast croissant sandwich. For $7+ I got an egg from McDonald's slid between two of the most thinly sliced pieces of ham I have ever seen, sprinkled with graded cheese out of a bag you can pick up at Safeway. Croissant wasn't too hot either.
That sando + a bottle water ran we $8.75 and not one bite tasted good.
I had a decent time as they had outside seating and were dog friendly (water bowl included outside) while I caught up and read the onion - readily supplied copies available inside.
The blender thing really threw me off and negatively impacted my experience.
They did have breakfast burritto and bagel & lox on the menu as well.
Will come back and review once I have a fulfilled experience...but really only 1 blender...come on!!!
Totally whatever. But this isn't a review about the cafe's food, beverage, or service quality, all of which is safely middle of the road. No one will ever write home about this place. Unless their lives are staggeringly dull, but we won't think about that. it would make us sad.
No, this is a conversation about seriously poorly thought-out names. Bear with, because this has been bugging the crap out of me for going on four years and I'm just now venting spleen.
Let's look at the name of the business, shall we? I'll do all-caps, for emphasis.
THINKERS CAFE.
No possessive apostrophe. I cannot begin to accurately describe how that crawls under my skin and chews on my muscles. Thinkers cafe. Had they allowed the cafe to belong to Rodin's The Thinker, then I would never, ever care about this place. But because of this horrible stupid grammatical error, I despise it. My mind starts working overtime trying to make sense of it. What could thinkers cafe possibly mean?
It's like the concept of squaring a cube- you constantly feel like you can almost get your brain around it, but then you sprain something important and give up.
Thinkers Cafe.
Thinkers Cafe.
You know, I'd even be kind of okay if it were Thinkers' Cafe. I mean fuck Rodin. I mean, he was just some guy, right? Maybe they meant for it to be a place where people can come and, you know, ponder stuff. Life. God. Death. Peak oil. Whatever heartwarming lesson we all learned from last week;s This American Life. Weighty matters with a side of coffee. But they didn't do that.
Thinkers Cafe.
The plural of "a person who thinks," and the singular for an informal restaurant with absolutely nothing that would signify a relationship between the two outside of a seemingly coincidental proximity. Many people thinking coffeeshop. Oh my god my head exploded.
I've literally been annoyed by this for multiple years, and sometimes, when I'm having a particularly sublime bout of paranoia, I think they left the apostrophe out on purpose, just to mess me up.
Of Potrero Hill's three independent coffee houses Thinkers is far and away my favorite.
The drip coffee isn't the best, but they make excellent espresso drinks.
The space is a little small and often crowded....seats about 12 inside and 6 at the outside tables...and the milk/sweetener bar is poorly located...but the service with a smile more than makes up for any shortcomings.
In addition to the typical coffee/pastry offerings they have a full menu of breakfast and lunch offerings...a soup of the day, hummus plates, 8 different salads, a half dozen different sandwiches, wraps, breakfast croissants, oatmeal, etc.
They catered a neighborhood event for the Trust for Public Land and did a phenomenal job.
Each afternoon they have "Thinkin' Hour" from 3 til close: half price Fat Tire & Sangria and Scrabble boards set up. Fun way to spend a summer afternoon.
And they get a full star for being puppy-friendly. Saturday and Sunday mornings there are often up to 8-9 dogs crowding the sidewalk on 20th, and they provide ample tie-ups and water for the pups.
They hang the works of neighborhood artists and the walls are decorated with notable quotes from the likes of Descartes, Oscar Wilde, Seneca, Archimedes, such as:
The greatest minds, as they are capable of the highest excellences, are open likewise to the greatest aberrations - Rene Descartes
Plus, free WiFi.
Still smiling from a great night, but now the sun is up and the dance music has faded, replaced by a rumbling hunger and the recollection that you essentially had a piece of cheese and 455 vodka redbulls for dinner and you have to run 12 miles later that day. Suddenly, you are STAR-VING.
Enter a simple and delicious breakfast egg burrito in a whole wheat tortilla and a perfect cappuccino (I don't say that lightly, mind you), served by efficient staff in a cozy neighborhood joint surrounded by the work of local artists.... ahhhh, and all is right with the world.
Oddly enough, I was going to up this to a 4 star. The key word here is was. I'll give it to the baristas, after years of going here (since I staunchly will not compromise my coffee morals and step foot in Farley's again) they finally have baristas that care to remember my name and my favorite summertime drink.
So, why have I suddenly downgraded you ask? Well, I thought their hours were bad already. They have left me in the lurch for years when I am craving a nighttime coffee, but it has gotten worse. Now I can no longer appease my afternoon cravings. There is now a new sign on the door indicating their "Fall" hours.
First, when did August 1st become Fall? Please do not take my summer away from me any earlier than need be!
Secondly, how on earth can a coffee house survive when they only serve food until 2:30 and close by 3:30, or is it that they only serve food until 1:30 and close by 2:30? Either way, what the hell? Perhaps this is why they raised their prices.
Oh and I have one other beef. Why do "regulars" still get to pay $1 for their coffee? Why aren't they subject to that extra quarter they now charge? Really, what is the extra quarter to these "regulars" what on earth will a single quarter get you? So, why do the baristas turn their head when they are only handed a dollar? Why not speak up and say "I'm sorry, coffee is now $1.25." It doesn't take a lot to be a little assertive.
So there is my rant and my rationale for the downgrade. I admit, I am a coffee addict, but how hard is it to have some decent hours. Is it that they can't pay for the extra help? Maybe if they actually charged all those "regulars" that extra quarter they could stay open past mid-afternoon.
But, it is still the only decent coffee house in my neighborhood. So, what's a girl to do?
Ok, I'll admit it I'm a coffee house snob, so shoot me. Shoot me if I want a cafe where everybody… Read more »
I love this place... Especially the Spicy Chicken Wrap... mmmmmm
mouth watering ..great coffee and cheap ! .. There is a nice buzz in
Thinkers .. I really think you should try it
After my last update, the store Manager messaged me to follow up. I was really impressed with the level of detail and concern she dealt with. I am raising my star count again :) It's always a pleasure to see a shop manager who actually cares.
You know. Lately, I think Thinkers has been slipping. The latte is starting to taste more and more… Read more »
3.5 here. This is my neighborhood coffee spot. They make a great latte that actually has a nice topping of foam. I so love foam on my latte. Really tasty salads and sandwiches. Awesome fresh ingredients. It is a pretty small cafe with very limited seating (both indoors and out) so you may want to do take out. And not always the fastest service. But the wait is worth it.
Good and reasonable priced coffee and breakfast food. Great quiet place to read the paper on a Sunday morning.
I have a need to keep this cafe on the dl because it's an awesome oasis away from the bustle of 18th Street. But, they deserve props for making the most homey food with fresh ingredients and downright smart cost! The soups are amazing, I am particularly fond of the corn chowder that puts a little kick in your pants. Also, the only place I have found to get a decent salad in the 'hood during the lunch hour.
Extra kudos for hiring sweet and sexy staff!
Coffee's still meh (but at a buck, I'm ok with meh). The breakfast burritos are my achilles heel. Spicy and yum. Minus a star for the awful bready dry croissants they use for the croissant sandwiches. Stick with the breakfast burritos and you're golden.
I like the outdoor seating (at least in this weather), the food and the fact that I don't feel like… Read more »
I needed a spot in Potrero to camp out before meeting a friend for dinner. Desperately trying to finish Harry Potter before some random 13 year-olds have a heated conversation about it in my vicinity and burst my bubble; I curled up in the corner of the cafe with a non-fat mocha and my completely conspicuous children's novel. As ridiculous a hold as Harry has on my simple mind I still found myself glancing up and around, out the window, at the photos on the wall... I just enjoyed the feel of this place. It was interesting. It was cozy. People walked by outside on their way to their important lives. It's not a heavily traveled area but it was quiet and cute all the same.
Perhaps 10 seats (~6 tables) are squeezed together inside and maybe another 16 seats (~5 tables) were arranged under the tree in front of the cafe. Times on yelp say the cafe closes at 7pm on weekdays but they closed at 6pm on Wednesday Aug. 1, 2007.
My mocha was good. Harry was better. Having a place to relax before dinner was the best.
I stopped by here with the lovely Lorrie S. They waited patiently as I tried to choose what I wanted to eat. I finally decided on the half sandwich and half salad option. The food came out pretty quickly but it wasn't very crowded at the time. The lemonade was really sweet. You can sit outside here if it's a nice day. I noticed on the register it said they're here to stay but I dunno if that's the case because some people have been saying it's going to close. Oh well, they have lots of options to keep you well fed.
More like 3.5 stars but I'll bump 'em up just because I have to give any establishment respect that gives props to the some of the world's greatest thinkers.
The breakfast sandwiches *can* be good but sometimes they'll be cold in the middle for some strange reason. With that many people behind the counter, the food should be a lot more consistent.
The drinks I've had hear have been fine but nothing to write home about.
I won't talk about the locals too much because it's hard for me to diss an establishment because of its patrons but I'll just say that I've heard some of the most vapid convserations at this place.
Visit but don't stay too long.
Great neighborhood coffee shop with outdoor seating and prompt service. Coffee is decent (refills are free-- even on iced coffee) and food is fresh and tasty. They tend to run out of bagels (sometimes eggs?), so go on the early side if you are committed to breakfast. Other Yelpers are giving the service a bad rep-- in general the guys are pretty nice. It only took a couple of days for the guys to know my order and give me a little extra attention. If you want a fake smile and a name written on your cup, go to Starbucks!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. If they improve upon these two things, I will change my grade to five stars, no problem:
1. Fly-proof their baked goods display case. It borders on disgusting. No, actually, it IS disgusting. There are bugs all over their scones and in the hummus.
2. They really need to write down drink orders, or get started on them right away. On more than one occasion, my order has been forgotten and I've had to pipe up and remind them what I am waiting for.
If those two problems go away, I'll be back. But not until then.
Perfect spot on the hill for sitting outside drinking strong coffee and reading the Chronicle. Good sandwiches and salads. Friendly staff is always a bonus!
Oh and eggs....they make good eggs.
I like eggs.
Cafe's are a funny thing....it is a very personal like or dislike and one which become a defacto hang out for many of us. I am not a heavy coffee drinker nor am I a big sandwich eater but I can see how Thinker's Cafe can be that kind of hang out.
The place is run by a friendly bunch of guys in cozy Potrero Hill. The salads and sandwiches are good portion and the price very reasonable. They have board games as well as philosophical quotes on the wall. There is also plentiful of outside seating. Best of all, the place was clean. Lots of charm in this place makes Thinker's Cafe a quintessential neighborhood hang-out.
Thinkers is the closest cafe to my apartment, and they never disappoint me. The latte comes out in what can only be described as a bucket with a handle like a coffee cup. It's probably the size of your face, and needless to say well made.
I've tried two sandwiches: the potrero and the caprese. They were both good, if you like veggie sandwiches. I'm usually more of a carnivore, but for some reason these two appeal to me in particular.
The free wifi, friendly service, outdoor seating with heat lamps, and neighborhood character all add to the goodness of coffee and a tasty quick bite to eat.
I like this place because it's in my neighborhood - right up the street from me. Plus I like to support the local businesses.
They offer coffee cards which I think is a nice touch. After 10 purchases of coffee you a get a free cuppa. You can even leave your card there in a binder so you don't have to keep it in your wallet.
But, what I don't like is that it takes a long time to get a cup of coffee - expect a wait, and that the coffee is not always hot. You need to make sure you ask for it to be super hot.
Excellent food and the best coffee on the hill. I am a big fan of their caprese (sp?) sandwich (mozzarella, tomato, basil and oil on a toasted baguette). Nice people.
These guys gots some java skillz.
If their latte is a street ball slam dunk, then the little leaf pattern they put in the foam is the victory dance. In yo face Farleys!
Actually, I like Farley's too, but - like the other Yelpers said - mostly for people watching, magazines and general lounging.
Thinkers' espresso drinks rival any you can find in this city, and unlike other joints that serve up jitter juice most worthy (Ritual?), Thinkers is almost hipsterless and entirely attitude free. I'm not a hipster hater, I just don't dig on high concentrations of any single subculture in any one place.
Thinkers has good food too, which is more important than ever with Klein's Deli on hiatus.
Docking one star because the place is so small you can't wait in line without being hit repeatedly by the door (assuming my post-holiday ass has nothing to do with it).
I had quite possibly the worst cup of coffee I have ever had at thinkers. Sure, the place is cute/cozy/local/whatever, and comes complete with people sucking down american spirits outside.
But when a coffee joint (keyword: coffee) has bad coffee, it's just a failure. especially when you are friends with someone who works there and they admit the coffee is bad.
This is quickly becoming my secret little study spot, even though it's not too close to my house. The place is quiet and relatively low key and the service is great. Pretty standard cafe food. I can't comment on their coffee because I'm a tea drinker, but I'm sure it's dandy. You can start a Frequent Thinker card, good for free drinks and stuff, but the best part is, you can leave it there!
The only downside that I've seen is the overabundance of bints with screaming children. Shut those fucking things up, yo.
This review pertains to the coffee, ambience, and wifi. Coffee was good, ambience was chill, and the wifi was free. What else can you ask for in a coffee shop? Good place to chill, get some work done, surf the net. You get a sense of neighborhood here, although you're still in the city. Cozy little place, will definitely try some grub next time.
My boyfriend and I ate lunch at Thinker's Cafe yesterday and were pleasantly surprised. Their chicken sandwich was one of the best we had tasted and the humus plate was delicious. I had an iced coffee which was the greatest but the food more than made up for it. Its in a pleasant neighborhood across from the Potrero hill branch of the public library and also close to several gorgeous parks.
Overall I think this was a delightful spot to lunch!
I'm a fan of Thinkers. They hold there own amongst the thousands (Millions? Bjillions?) of cafes in San Fran. I am a total caffeine addict and they are close to my house which automatically gets them a star. They actually have good sandwiches + 1star. The coffee is nothing special but I am an addict so my "crack" can never be strong or tasty enough... (yeah I know that sounds bad!).
The wifi is free and they get another star for playin whatever F'in music they feel like. I heard dead milkmen followed by tears for fears. seriously....
Great coffee! Great Food!! One star off b/c the food is a little pricey. But the staff is great and the place is definitely family friendly, as the groups of moms and kids trek up there after storytime at the library.
I love this place! I usually get a latte, chai, or a regular cup of joe when I go out for coffee, and all are great here. The food is very yummy here; especially wonderful are the hummus plate and the soups. Bagels are good too, and the breakfast burrito is decent. The people who work here are really friendly and welcoming; the eclectic, low-key music reflects that. Plus there's free wifi, a major plus.
Mention yelp and get 15% off
Neighborhood: SOMA
What's New At The Shop!
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
Neighborhood: Potrero Hill
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Potrero Hill
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Potrero Hill
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Dogpatch
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Potrero Hill
Category: Coffee & Tea
These are the businesses I frequent with, uhhhh,…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
On a quest for good herbal tea, caffeine-power…
There's more to the Hill than housing projects and…
I drink it every day (well sometimes not on…
When having 20 friends was the norm, and before…
Since I'm a full-time telecommuter (until I find a…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
