Sufi Coffee Shop

10/18/2014

What a surprise! I stopped by to grab a cup of Joe whilst waiting for my business cards to be printed next door. Not only did I enjoy an excellent cup of coffee... but I stumbled upon the Sufi culture and met an amazing person. I love the environment.. definitely a place to go and reflect.

If you go, make sure you don't use your laptop in doors! The coffee shop is about finding an inner peace... laptops don't help you achieve that! :)

6/28/2014

• 6 check-ins

It's about atmosphere here. The chill garden in back is amazing. The owner's mystique is what makes this place the best. He gives me a hard time for adding cream to my coffees.  I think I heard him say that one day I will grow up and be a man haha.  Just give me my half and half lol.
This place is hard to find so look for we fix laptops or something like it if you are parking on El Camino otherwise just park in the back  That's the best way to get in anyway plus you have to walk through the oasis to get to the shop. Enjoy :)

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  Backyard chill spot

  Backyard chill spot

8/17/2015

I was assisted by a sweet lady and did not experience any negativity from the owner who was present.  2 Medium iced Konas came out to $13.44.  I think the coffee is very good and there is a difference in grinding the beans and using the drip method.  I adore indie businesses but their prices are very high due to the real estate in the area.  If you can afford it and want an experience then please visit.

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  Most customers prefer the balcony area perhaps to avoid the owner who is indoors most of the time :D

  Most customers prefer the balcony area perhaps to avoid the owner who is indoors most of the time :D

7/30/2013

This place isn't a cafe it's a FREAKSHOW!

I urge you to visit this place if you want to be treated offensively and feel demeaned on the spot. The owner (old man) has no courtesy or respect for others whatsoever!

No, really, don't waste your precious life here. The coffee is bland and you feel so utterly insulted after you get your coffee that you will be speechless. There were actually 2 other guests in here when we walked in and they were whispering as to not insult or offend the owner, probably out of respect. Who the FUCK does he think he is? Some god obviously.

I repeat, the coffee sucks. The owner is insane. Go here purely for the "WTF factor".

I gave him 2 stars just for the "WTF factor".. maybe slightly out of pity as well as I have a hunch he will be out of business soon.

3/1/2014

• 1 check-in

AMBIANCE: cute outdoor sitting that is relaxing and zen. Sat here when it was raining and its so calling to hear the rain drop on the tent gazibo. The two tent is surrounded by bamboo blinds to block off the wind and the ugly outside so it does feel really secluded. I love sitting here.

COFFEE CHOICE: Jamaican Blue Mountain, Kona, Sufi blend, etc.

PRICE: $3.35 - $7.  I ordered the kona. Yea it was good. But not that great. And definitely not worth $7.14

SERVICE: dismissive. This older gentlemen sat in the corner. I didn't even know he works here. As we were looking around for the buriesta, he finally came up and asked what we want. Told us to wait. When I paid he just was eh.

11/14/2014

So, you have to treat this place as an experience and not a coffee shop, and you will be fine.

All the reviews of this place, good and bad, hit it right on; more so the bad ones, though, as those are actual happenings and not just vague abstractions of how "good" the coffee is. The coffee itself is mediocre, which is a notion that goes against those hippie folks gung ho about local businesses. I mean, I'm all for supporting small businesses, but I'm also all for truth and clarity. They are probably tasting some wizardry of the old owner in their coffee.

Also, prices are pretty expensive for the amount you get. We paid about $4 and got the Sufi blend in a small Styrofoam cup that is typically used for sampling - it didn't taste much different than decent black coffee, sorry but our taste buds are not aligned with the stars.

If you go here, you need to be able to drink the coffee, whatever coffee, as-is; you are given very little sugar if you ask, and a small amount of cream for the coffee. If you use any amount, you will be stared at in disappointment and told that you are supposed to drink coffee black. Also, you need to preferably pay in cash or be more of a disappointment.

The experience itself is pretty cute; I imagine you can do alright if you order something, go to the back to "enjoy the coffee", and take little sips while pretending you like coffee black. Meanwhile you can speculate what you want to ask or say to the owner to get your kick of the day.

3/15/2013

• 1 check-in

Shhh...this is my new secret place!  

Perfect place to be productive and have a cup of tea. Free wifi.

The outdoor patio is so tranquil with plants, bright natural lighting, finches hopping and chirping about, light breeze flowing through.  I'm kind of in love.

The lady here is so sweet. She makes sandwiches, and they have a selection of pastries as well.  

The place is a gem on an unassuming block.  There's a large parking lot in the back so pull through the alleyway.  

I just wish there were more power outlets to charge my laptop out here.

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  Back entrance

  Back entrance
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  My fav seat outside

  My fav seat outside
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  Outdoor patio

  Outdoor patio

1/24/2015

Nice place, beautiful backyard. A bit different from the regular coffee shops. Try it.
I am rating a bit higher.

1/23/2014

Some friends and I stopped in here to get some studying done. When we walked in, there was one woman at one of the tables. We didn't see anyone behind the counter, so we walked to the nice backyard and started chatting. The lonely star in this review is for the backyard only.

About 10 minutes later, the woman (who was a customer, not an employee) came out and said "the owner wants to know if you guys are going to order something." We all replied yes and she came back with "well, he's waiting."

So the three ladies I was with went and ordered coffee. They told me that he would tell them when it was done. He came out into the backyard about 5 minutes later and told them that their drinks were done. He didn't bring them out, but he walked a good ways into the backyard to tell them they were done.

No one liked their drinks and they were served in styrofoam cups. Really?

However, the weirdest thing about this place is that theres a sign in the bathroom forbidding you to poop. You can only pee in Sufi Coffee Shop's toilet. Um, I hate to tell you bud, but if you serve people coffee, they are going to have to use your toilet to poop in.

11/13/2013

I have a love-hate relationship with this little coffee shop: it has a charming garden ambiance and an overbearing owner who frequently makes me feel insulted. The coffee and tea are fine but overpriced ($4 for a cup of tea). There is a very small selection of pastries (often only rugelach). I've never tried the limited sandwich menu. As there is usually only the proprietor behind the counter, and he is never in a hurry, service tends to be slow.

The garden is charming, quaintly decorated with cozy tables and chairs and potted plants. Free wi-fi and plugs make it a useful place to bring a laptop. There is even a small couch and a bookshelf to browse. The small interior of the shop is decorated with inspirational pictures and quotes from the Sufi tradition. It's clear that a lot of attention and love have gone into this place.

That being the case, it is odd that the owner doesn't try to make his guests feel more welcome. He once yelled at me for trying to use my laptop indoors, saying that I would spoil the ambiance for other customers (even though there was not a single other soul in the shop). He once refused to make me a chai latte even though it was on the menu, saying that I would not like it.

And, most recently, he rebuked me for paying with a $20 bill instead of giving him exact change. (I didn't have any smaller bills; I offered to pay with a card, but he said no.) He suggested that, in the future, I should first go to the bank or to another business to get change before coming to his coffee shop. Sheesh. Most proprietors would apologize if they had to give their customers fourteen one-dollar-bills as change, but not this guy - he said that it was my own fault and that I should be more thoughtful next time.

Sigh... all I wanted was a cup of tea and a place to sit, not a lecture!  If Sufi Coffee Shop wasn't a one-minute walk from my house, I probably wouldn't come here any more.

11/17/2015

This is one gem of a place, tucked away beautifully in the Castro Street area. I had a very meditative experience sipping coffee in their backyard garden.

2/19/2014

The coffee here is the best coffee I ever had. This prompted me to go back again, only this time I had my brief case because I was between appointments at work.

The owner was eating soup when I walked in, looked up from his soup when he heard me. I ask if I could sit in the back and he said "actually we are closed today." I was shocked but mostly it hurt my feelings because when I walked right back out and looked up and saw a lit up open sign and the door was obviously unlocked. This happened last week.

I'm still generously rating  2 stars because like I said, best coffee I ever had but more so because he shared enough "negativity" by treating a potential paying customer with such disrespect...why add more bad karma to the  awkward experience. He totally reminded me of the "Soup Nazi" from Seinfeld, which kind of makes me laugh. Did that really just happen??? Ummm really? Ha! Also after reading many other's post about "Sufi Nazi" experience, I feel a bit relieved it wasn't just me.

8/24/2014

Absolutely a gem hidden in the rough.  If you love pure drip coffee, without adding any junk to it, this is your joint.  The older gentleman that took our order is very passionate about his coffee and you can feel it in the environment of the shop. The patio in the back is so relaxing and peaceful.
Don't come here looking for a mocha or latte. They have them on the menu but that is not what this place is about.  Just step into the shop, take a moment to let the ambiance sink in and try one of their main drip coffee drinks.  Let me know how you feel after.

1/5/2014

Peaceful patio, limited selection, and a take-it-or-leave-it owner

Today I came in, the owner asked how I help could help me, then I told him I wanted something iced, caffeinated and not sweet, and I asked for his recommendation. Then he told me to go to Peets, that all they do is on their menu, and that he doesn't give recommendations, I have to choose whatever I want from their menu. I glanced it over and didn't find what I wanted, so I left.

6/29/2015

• 1 check-in

I discovered this place when I needed some printing done next door. As someone with an interest in the mystical, I was curious and excited to have found a hole-in-the-wall place like this. There is ample Sufi art and quotes on the walls and the backyard patio is nice on a cool day. I asked the owner where he was from, and he said "Planet Earth." Lol. I think the quirky owner and his wife add to the charm of the place. I've been back twice, and I get the Lychee Tea. Good, hot and delicious. Just remember that the owner doesn't want you taking photos of the menus or the art. As I mentioned, he is quirky and moody, but I can guarantee that this place will be a lot less crowded than Peet's, so if you want to do an afternoon of studying, this is a good choice.

9/5/2013

The owner is rude, prejudiced and insulting.  I would recommend you go elsewhere.

As I got my coffee I was not feeling very welcome (couldn't put my finger on why).  That feeling grew when I politely asked for a glass of water and got an espresso cup of warm tap water, despite there being both glasses and a cold side of the faucet in clear view.

The worst part though is my friend's cup handle broke in his hand as he was drinking, and he narrowly avoided having his hot drink land in his lap. As we were leaving my friend told the owner about the cup, and he was asked for 50 cents "even though it costs more, but to teach you to respect other people's property". To be fair, after I told the man what I thought of this and we were standing at the corner waiting to cross the street, the owner came out, grabbed my friend's hand and pressed the two quarters into it, murmured "it had a chip" and hurried back inside.

6/26/2014

• 1 check-in

The best place for coffee on the planet. Hands down. Hand-brewed coffee a cup at a time, and an extremely peaceful atmosphere.

The owner used to have unlimited wifi for customers, and the place was filled, but he discontinued this because all they did was stare at their screens and not enjoy the coffee: this should give you an indication of how serious this place is regarding coffee!

Don't believe any of the corporate-minded pinheads who come here looking for another Starbucks experience... Grow up! Coffee is more than just a drink to gulp down while you search the web for some mindless crap not worth your time.

Experience what is now: this is the lesson of Sufi Coffee.

Oh, ... and bus your own table, please!

9/5/2013

My friend and I enjoyed coffee that we both found delicious, sitting in the lovely garden area in the back. Both of us would have happily returned if not for what happened on the way out. The handle on my mug had snapped off while I was drinking coffee, and I told the owner as I returned the mug and apologized. He told me I had to pay for the mug. I thought he was joking, but he was serious. He asked me for 50 cents and said "the mug cost much more than this, but this will teach you to respect other people's property." (It was a cheap thrift store mug like the kind lots of Goodwills have for 99 cents.)

A few minutes later, my friend and I were standing a block away waiting for the traffic light to change and talking about how rude the owner was. He came running up and gave me back my 50 cents, saying that he noticed that the mug had a crack in it.

I don't care about my 50 cents that much, but what was inexcusable was the lecture about respecting other people's property. I know of at least 22 places where I can drink my coffee without being condescended to, so I don't have to go back to this one. Maybe that will teach the owner a lesson about how to treat customers with respect, though I'm not holding my breath.

2/17/2014

• 1 check-in

It is a very nice place to have good coffee and think, or maybe chat with a loved one. It is not a noisy Peet's or Starbucks to update on the latest gossip.

3/6/2013

A little town in Sonoma county named Cotati had a tiny eclectically appointed cafe with the best coffee done by the cup.  Each flavor I had ever tried rivaled the next. The owner was a misunderstood man, with thick eyebrows, thick glasses and a coy grin. He possessed an unapologetic dry sense of humour and his little cafe housed books on Sufism on shelves near the window.
I once took my parents here and my Father thought the guy was kooky but admitted it was one of the best cups of coffee he ever had.  
He then understood why I liked this quirky cafe.

fast forward 10 years..................
I'm in Mountain View on El Camino in traffic stopped before the light, look to my right and see a sign that says 'Sufi Coffee.' My mind instantly went back to that impressionable spot on Old Redwood Highway in Cotati.  

I decide to park and check it out, good coffee is always a friend of mine and I still had a few hours of work ahead.

I walk in and feel the same mystic vibe. Straight ahead was the SAME OWNER.

' No shit' I thought but instead of saying that aloud, I almost yell at him, "YOU! it's YOU."

"No, it's you," he replied with emphasis on the 'you.'

His years showed and honestly he appeared to be high on something.  He remembered me and rambled on about his move and how he ended up there....

My coffee was fantastic as ever and I highly recommend checking this place out, if anything for the experience.  His hand written signs are hilarious and his directness is refreshing but not untypical from someone who wasn't born in the U.S.
The man knows coffee.