I went here on a Sunday at lunch and it was a nice coffee shop to relax or work in. There's many small tables for 2-4 people, and there's so many outlets/extension cords for you to plug in your laptop. The WiFi is decent as well. I got a hot chocolate, and the price is pretty good. It's not the best hot chocolate I've had, but it's ok. I like how they have glass cups/mugs for the people eating in-store; sometimes coffee shops give to-go cups for everyone. Sometimes the music is a little loud, so I wouldn't recommend this place for a quiet video meeting/interview. I'll come back here for a good work/study environment, but not necessarily the quality of the drinks. read more

Solid coffee without all those name brands we know, love and crave. Plenty of tables, mostly all filled up with people working away on their computers. I'm assuming free wifi. My cafe au lait was solid. Did taste a little burnt, but all good. Priced at about $4. (Maybe a little less, maybe a little more). Not quite the hipstery vibe I dig, but definitely a solid neighborhood joint slinging some coffee on the go, or for those looking to get some solid studying/work done. read more

Berkeley Espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Affordable price and good place to study. Unkind workers and very slow internet. Good location read more

Wonderful environment, wifi, coffee is delicious. Some beer, wine and light meals. The staff members are such fun loving gentlemen . Cudos to owners and staff!!!! It's home away from home to many neighbors. read more

I love this cafe so much I made a yelp account to review it. It has the best vibes in the East Bay -- those of your favorite cafe when you were 9 years old. There is a sign that says "free internet with your wireless adapter." Their soy lattes are yet to be bested. Today the latte had a doggy face on it. read more

Berkeley Espresso - DOGGY SOY LATTE - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Latte was good . But their pastries aren't my favorite. Location isn't the cutest ha , but Great coffee quality!

I have been going here for years! It's a really great place to get your study/work on. The environment is more of a working one as opposed to a socializing/talking one. I personally get annoyed when I'm trying to work and sorority girls come in to the cafe and starting chatting it up. They play classical music and there is a good amount of outlets, probably the most I've seen at cafes really. Usually cafes are kinda stingy on the amount of outlets they have. Also, the internet is awesome. I've only had rare occasions where it went out temporarily, for like a few minutes, but at least it's an open network and you're not limited to like "1 hour per purchase" like other cafes. I usually am able to find a seat, or usually waiting a few minutes pays off in getting someone's seat. They can get really busy on Saturdays and at nights around 8 is when it'd probably be hard to find a seat. Finally, the staff is nice. Haha I know the guy who works weeknights, when I always come, and he likes to speak Spanish with me because I told him I speak some. It's good practice haha and it's fun. And if you become a regular, speak Spanish, and he thinks you're "bonita", then.. you'll get discounts haha. My only complaint is the bathroom! I wish it was cleaner/remodeled lol. It's a bit gross looking and the flush doesn't work that well. My advice, do what I do which is just go to the bathroom before going and when you get home haha. If you really need to then that's okay but I try to avoid it. read more

Perfect place to come and study or get work done. The atmosphere is quiet and low key, geared towards the student population of UC Berkeley, I believe. They have been playing classical music overhead which has been great for me. While some coffee shops have intentionally covered up their outlets to deter people from setting up shop and and using their businesses as a place to get some work done this place really makes you feel at home. They also have plenty of power strips strategically located and have made many tables seem private by separating them with tall indoor plants. The staff is warm and welcoming. Very willing to help you with whatever is needed. I actually spent quite a bit of time on Yelp deciding on where to go today to get my homework done since I am out of town and visiting my boyfriend for a long weekend. I used to always go to the Peet's Coffee on Shattuck but they no longer have outlets available to paying customers. I am very glad this was my choice for today's study session and will definitely be coming back here again on my next visit. I wanted to take a moment out of my day to give them a five star review because I was so impressed and want them to continue to thrive and get the business they deserve. Ok, now it's time for me to buckle down and hit the books! read more

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The person who runs the café frequently makes mistakes with the register, demanding a second payment after what should be the only one. Use cash here, not a phone or a physical credit card. read more

Good coffee. Chill lounge. Some people seem to just squat there. Just an observation.

Service is always incredible, the baristas are quick and always nice. Great ambiance, I enjoy reading here with a coffee in the morning. A breath a fresh air from the busy college campus read more

Quick and easy coffee+snacks cafe. I usually get iced coffee and it's $3, which, in my experience, is the cheapest around the UC campus (Yali's is $5.50 at time of writing). The staff are friendly and service is fast. They're always playing classical music and there are usually people studying/reading. I've done work there once and found it a pleasant experience. Overall: recommended. read more

Great bagels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very yum sorry I am trying to take up more characters for the post

Espresso was god-awful, one of the worst I've had. It was over extracted, sour and watery. I was planning on leaving a 2-star review because I like this cafe enough as a good place to study, and the food wasn't bad. There are outlets, free wifi, classical music playing, and enough tables to fit a decent crowd. Berkeley Espresso gets as close as possible to a 0-star review, however, because I saw someone run in, steal a laptop in front of me, and then get chased on foot by the laptop owner who was sitting at his table on his phone. The other customers complained that theft happens frequently at this cafe. It seems like a popular place to get your stuff stolen, especially if you sit outside or near the front door. You would expect some reaction from the owners to help customers feel a bit safer here. I think there are a few security measures to take, especially in the front of the cafe. The swinging doors are really easy to run through, and if they made the front doors heavier then it would be significantly harder to just run in and leave. Simple things like that would go a long way. No joke, though, I would've preferred hurling my espresso at the thief to prevent him from getting away, rather than drinking it myself. Hoping to see some changes made. read more

Thank god! Berkeley Espresso is right across the street from my office. I was debating if I should of gotten the hot caramel apple cider or a vanilla latte. It was perfect! It wasn't too sweet or too bitter. The staff was very friendly! read more

Coffee is great, bagels are amazing, and is a great place to sit and work or something.

Overall, an okay experience. When I made a visit, it was a hot day and super toasty/stuffy upstairs (even with a fan on). Croissant was meh. It wasn't warm so I could literally bite off pieces of chocolate (which was not evenly distributed). Not flaky nor memorable. Service is excellent and friendly. Unlimited WiFi (pw is written on the mini white board near the counter). read more

Berkeley Espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Asked for the wifi password and they told me I have to buy something first!!!! It's not 2001! It's 2020 for **** sake! Come on people! read more

The food is amazing and has a lot of options bring your friends and family you won't be disappointed winded service!!!

Very friendly staff and their cappuccino, is really amazing. I love sitting here and working and they have plenty of extension cords around the entire inside table seating area. They also have free Wi-Fi and a restroom in the back! read more

Worst service and a poor cup of coffee. This combination makes me not want to go to small coffee shops since there's no one to complain to. Waited 20 minutes for my drink. No one was in line except for me but the girl was just chatting with this guy trying to get a date or something. Waste of my time. And the drink was bitter since she let the shot just sit there as she talked to him. read more

I guess you get what you pay for? Bagel with lox for 6.95 would be a good deal for a good bagel. The bagel itself was kind of stale, and they were stingy with cream cheese and lox. Its worth paying an extra couple dollars for a good experience. read more

This is a delightful, quiet place for espresso and some quality reading time. Whether you prefer a book or magazine or the good old-fashioned Internet, the classical music and tall windows make this a perfect spot to fully absorb whatever your whatever you choose to cast your eyes and mind upon. There are a good number of tables and plenty of people in them, but you should be able to find a spot. My latte was pretty darn good and I was really impressed with the quality of my egg bagel. I didn't expect much from microwave eggs on a sesame seed bagel. But something about the red onions and tomatoes, combined with the cheese and bacon I added, made it surprisingly delicious. I think having a quality bagel helped. And, taking a look at them, they have a few nice pastries too. Add free Wi-Fi and this is a top-notch spot. I'd add a fifth star if there were more open seating..,then again it would only contribute to making it more crowded. read more

Who knew that Berkeley's best new happy hour was hiding in plain sight at Berkeley Espresso? My girlfriend and I occasionally go to Berkeley Espresso to get coffee and do some studying. About a week ago around 5 pm, we stopped in for some iced coffee but noticed that they had a brand new happy hour (every day, 4-7 pm), so we decided to try it out. They had a nice selection of beer (Negra Modelo, Lagunitas IPA, Trumer Pils, Fat Tire) and wine (Cab, Merlot, Sauv Blanc); definitely something for everyone. The beer was $4 for a bottle, and the wine was $5 for a glass. Additionally, if you purchase two drinks, you get an appetizer for free. What a great deal! The appetizers include chips + salsa, chips + guacamole, or two types of cheese plates. The employee informed me that the salsa and guacamole are house-made. My girlfriend and I ordered two beers and selected the chips and guacamole as our free appetizer. The guacamole was creamy, rich, and just a little bit spicy. The portion size was great too. It's hard to believe that it was free. It was such a good deal that we decided to get another round. This time, we selected the brie cheese plate for our free appetizer. The cheese plate came with a block of brie, crackers, an assortment of nuts (cashews, pistachios, almonds, etc.), and some dried cranberries. It was the perfect mix of snacks to enjoy with drinks. Although we had not intended on going to happy hour when we walked in the door, we were pleasantly surprised by all of the drink options, the great taste of the snacks, and the affordability of everything. We will definitely be back soon. read more

Berkeley Espresso - Happy hour 4-7 pm. Buy 2 drinks and get 1 app for free! Chips and guac! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Cozy cafe with amazing cappuccinos and baked goods. This is a regular haunt for people needing quiet focus with some perfect classical music pieces adding to the ambience. read more

love this place! such a good spot to study. I got a vanilla latte and it was so good and the latte art was so pretty. 10/10 recommend! read more

Berkeley Espresso - vanilla latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

How can you go wrong with a corner coffee shop? It's not Starbucks, and that's a start right there! I waited no longer than 3 minutes for my soy vanilla latte and two other hot drinks. the service was friendly and fast. I would definitely stop again. It's a nice ending after an afternoon lunch at Triple Rock. Check out my pictures from the personalized drinks!!! read more

Berkeley Espresso - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I've actually never been to the location, I usually just have a friend pick up a Salmon Lox bagel for me. Solid 4 stars. It's reasonably priced at about $6...comes with onions & I always request capers. Decent amount of lox is only there...of course I wouldn't complain if there was more, but it's good! read more

This place has more of the older crowd. Decor and seatings are modern. Classical instruments playing for background music. Hazelnut latte gave me the nutty kick I wanted with caffeine! They accept credit cards even though their Yelp Business Page say they don't! I love how their Wi-Fi is fast and doesn't lag compared to other coffee shops in Berkeley! read more

My toxic trait is ordering dirty chai lattes at every coffee shop I go to, even though I know I will be disappointed. MY Coffee Roastery on MLK broke the mold for this drink you guys. It's the best coffee drink I have ever had in my life like BY FARRRR. Every other DCL I have ever ordered has paled in comparison (literally). BUT, Berkeley Espresso probably comes in second! I asked the barista if he could make a dirty chai latte and he sort of smirked at me and said yes, how many? Lol, so I think that was a dumb question on my part, soz. I said "not very sweet please" because I'm naturally very sweet already, which makes it so that drinks are always too sweet for my palate. He did a great job! It was a hair too sweet, but I still drank almost the whole thing and enjoyed it. It had good chai flavor. The only thing lacking in this one was the espresso flavor and the consistency. MY Coffee takes a luscious chai latte and incorporate a luscious, silky dopio espresso, so the drink has body ody ody and neither the chai nor the espresso is the star - they're besties. I am definitely not an aficionado but when I put my thinking cap on I think the difference is that MY does a good job of incorporating the crema into the espresso before incorporating it into the latte. Idunno, it's complicated guys, but Berkeley Espresso does a good job and they are open way more often than MY. Would recommend. read more

Before I had my baby I used to drag my big pregnant self here every weekend with my laptop working on a project and I sure miss it! (Miss having more time on the computer now that junior is here but that's another matter). The coffee isn't the greatest, but the ambience is -- they always have KDFC-FM playing (classical music) and almost every customer is there to work or study, or just shoot the breeze. Very friendly. read more

Pros: - Loose leaf republic of tea - Reasonable prices ($1.50 for large tea) - 1 bathroom - Location near downtown Berkeley - Longer hours than most cafes nearby - Lots of seating and laptop plugs, free WIFI = bring your laptop to fit in! - Limited outdoor seating - Can get nice and warm inside from all the laptops and people, nice on a wintry day! Cons: - Street parking only, may be difficult to find (metered most days/ times) - "OK" food/ drink quality- standard cafe fare of pastries, with a few fresh bananas, apples, and a packaged vegan bar - Can feel smooshed between people as the seating is pretty crammed in - Tables are small-ish - Service is not good, not bad, just meh - Can get too warm inside-- not ideal for a hot summer's day! It's worth checking out if you need a solid place to use the internet for several hours... but don't make a special trip out here. read more

A great spot to work, with good lighting, plenty of outlets, and classical music playing. A downside of the classical music is that it's oftentimes too loud and plays a lot of either advertisements or interviews. Can be distracting. The pricing of tea and coffee sometimes changes and I get a little confused because I usually get the same thing. The americano is on the burnt side, but the lattes are fine. I only get soy since i'm lactose intolerant, and it's one of the better lattes i've had in berkeley. Staff is attentive and kind. read more

Nice, casual, and comfortable atmosphere. Soft classical music and relatively quiet cafe. I like the natural lighting here. I suppose the customer service could use some work; I didn't get a very friendly vibe from them, but it was nothing too bothersome. read more

Nice place to work for laptopists. But it's a shame that they decided to close early, all ready at 9pm. We need more night life in Berkeley! And why in winter there is no hitter in the coffee area? Why don't they but one? Don't they care for the health of their customers? read more

Berkeley espresso has been my go to spot since it's the closest coffee shop from my house. But as much as I want to give them a stellar 5-star review for how nice their "morning" employees are to me during my early morning coffee stop, my experience tonight was just plain horrible. I decided to do some work there for a little bit but was feeling really sick and decided to get my coffee to go and leave. The guy at the counter was busy getting orders so I grabbed a to go cup only for him to rudely take it from me some few seconds later without saying a word and replace it with a smaller one. My issue with this is not that he gave me a smaller to go cup instead but that IT WAS EXTREMELY RUDE and embarrassing and low-key racist since a white woman was definitely doing the same thing I was doing at the same time and he never did/said anything to her. I've heard horror stories from my housemate about her experience with Berkeley espresso in the past but never really understood why her aversion to this coffee shop is so extreme she doesn't go there anymore. According to her, she was studying for the bar exam one night and had been in the coffee shop for hours and someone from management shooed her away and accused her of freeloading (Yes, she mentioned they did talk shit to her and she was very offended). Anyway, I really like the vibe at Berkeley espresso but after today, I think I'm gonna have second thoughts about going there. read more

After a really crappy, small, luke warm chai latte for $6+ at Cafenation in Bezerkeley, I went to BERKELEY ESPRESSO for the BEST chai latte I've ever had! Tall glass pint, fabulous spicing, an inch of milk froth, and HOT!! For $4.50! Kudos to the tall dark middle aged gentleman who says he makes the best there...he is RIGHT! read more

absolutely superb bagels. they are toasted to the perfect golden brown, crunchy and soft all at once. my bagel sandwich was expertly crafted, and positively melted in my mouth. i could not give a higher review to any institution, and, as a jewish person, no better bagel has blessed my life before. read more

They have good wifi and plenty of seats. Nice, quiet place for studying. The mocha drink came out really tasty but a little too sweet for my taste. You have to ask for the key if you need to use the restroom. read more

Preview: So I come here a lot and actually love to do work out of here. A lot of chairs,outlets, etc. Location: Right on Shattuck so a perfect place for the Berkeley peeps to walk by and take a break. Coffee: So I judge every coffee shop based on their Americano and I have to say it is just aight here. Sometimes it has a bitterness to it that I am not the biggest fan of, BUT its still fine. Because of that, I do not come to Berkeley espresso just to get an Americano, but I come here because it is a great study/work spot. Other factors: GOOD WIFI! GREAT SERVICE! GREAT LOCATION! Other other factors: This place also has alcohol which is mind boggling to me. Cannot comment further because I have not ordered it before but just know that is also an option. read more