Breakfast was very good, 2 eggs over easy with Hash Browns and Sourdough toast. Good Coffee and the employees were very kind. I was looking for the English Muffin with the likeness of Elvis in it and was informed that they have a Cinnamon Bun with the likeness of Mother Teresa, very spiritual ! Pets are welcome on the deck outside. read more

Bongo Java - Happy Guests - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Quiet little coffee shop, very friendly employees. The coffee was great, as well as the snacks. Worth the visit!

It's kind of crazy how downhill this place went when they changed management. The patio atmosphere was amazing and it was always packed 6-7 years ago. Nowadays, I don't see even close to the amount of people and the atmosphere makes me want to take my food to-go instead of sticking around to eat because the inside has very limited seating and the new patio is very uninviting and small. Food and coffee quality went way down when they changed management/kitchen management. The Bongo Basic and other breakfast items used to be amazing, now they're very subpar and the coffee is nasty when it isn't clouded by pounds of cinnamon and sugar. They made a huge mistake when they tried to start focusing on lunch. No one wants a burger from a coffee shop read more

I used to love this place and it's coffee but the experience I had the other day made me want to never go back. I stood in line for roughly 10-15 minutes and when I got to the register to order, the employees proceeded to talk to each other and ignore me and the group I was with for about 5-10 min and never took our order. Finally did and we waited another 30 minutes- in the meantime employees were chatting with each other and it did not feel like making the drinks was a priority. Because of the length of time it took, my group and i ended up leaving without our drinks as it had been 35+ minutes and we were late for a meeting. There was no sense of care or urgency for guests and it makes me really sad because I loved this place for years but it's not the same. Makes me not want to go back. Hope I can at least get my money back for the drink I didn't even get. read more

Well to start off the staff can be somewhat arrogant when it comes to their coffee so asking a question can be frustrating. The food was just plain Jane in my opinion. There are so many people from the college flooding the place so had to sit outside where there were bugs and leaves everywhere. The coffee was strong but I don't find myself making a must stop at this place again if I'm back in Nashville. read more

Bongo Java - Regular latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I used to love it here but over time it has gotten progressively harder to be a loyal customer. Today I ordered a hot latte and waited for close to thirty minutes for it to be given to me. I watched as 5-6 people in line behind me received their orders (mostly iced, but still) while the employees were chatting and having a good time with each other (and stepping away from the bar to have conversations with their friends) and were not productively doing their job. I understand enjoying the process as an employee and it's great that the vibe is happy, but 30 mins is a bit steep. If you don't mind waiting 30 mins for a mediocre coffee this is the place. I'm afraid today was likely the last time I'll be going to Bongo. read more

Bongo is very good at a lot of things. Great coffee and good menu. Sometimes the staff can be curt or extra noisy at closing time or the Internet might be jacked. All in all, good place for multi purpose coffee house enjoyment, and a legendary Nashville staple spot, arguably responsible for building the very idea of a coffee house in Music City. The remodel here is super nice. Great improvement on all the spaces inside and out. I've come here nearly all my life and know it from the much more humble days. It has really evolved nicely and Bob runs a great company. read more

Had a limited amount of time to get to the airport and everywhere else in Nashville is a tourist trap for Sunday morning breakfast, so my friend driving me brought us here. We both got iced coffee, and a meal. She got the grilled cheese and it was a huge portion and an awesome sandwich! I got The Great Bombino. I added the salmon and cappers, and subbed hummus/Aoli for cream cheese. Both meals were simple but good! It's great to be able to grab a bite to eat with a more local scene. read more

Bongo Java - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Good drinks...you just have to wait a long time when it is busy, the pastries are really good too. I have just been in there 3 times and different times and needed to wait a long time. The prices are a little steep but understandable for location, rent, etc. read more

I love bongo java. They always have great coffee and its an awesome place to meet with a friend, get dinner, or keep to yourself and study. They have a great after school special right now, after 4pm you can get a cookie or muffin and a small coffee or hot chocolate for $4. The hot chocolate is not too sweet and just delicious! They have great outside seating for when the weather is warm. The staff is always welcoming and friendly. read more

Cute place and AMAZING coffee but do NOT come here if you wanna get out in less than 30 mins. We waited 15 mins for our coffee and there was nobody in front of us. Can't imagine what it would be like with people here. The workers are on their phones and talking, also only one person making coffee. I would not come back here. read more

Nice coffee, however, with out specialty flavor, the cinnamon was added more than required, masking the taste of actual coffee read more

Bongo Java - Bongo Java coffee- seasonal specialty flavors - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I really enjoyed my time here. I had a drink called The Outlaw recommended by Caroline(?) at the counter and it was fantastic. We sat outside and BS'd for an hour or so. It was a beautiful day to enjoy their outside seating and do some people watching. read more

The coffee is good and strong, and the treats and pastries are great, but I admire this place more for the atmosphere and location. This is a great spot to settle in on the patio with a book, or establish a temporary office inside for a couple of hours. The crowd is diverse, can be eccentric and interesting; making it a great place to people-watch! The service was great and the staff was laid back and welcoming. read more

Bongo Java - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I work nearby so have tried to give Bongo a number of chances because of the convenience. Here is the breakdown of each time I went: 1. Daily special sandwich and special latte coffee drink, $20. Way to expensive, staff was rude, bread was stale and overall just wasn't great, especially at that price. 2. Egg McBongo and coffee, don't remember price, but McBongo wasn't too expensive. It was super bland and I wouldn't get it again. Coffee tasted like coffee. Staff was fine except they left my food on the counter for a good few minutes before calling my name and it was already somewhat lukewarm. 3. Burger, specialty drink (Called lightning or shocker or something), wife got fish plate and drink. It was around $45-50 after tip. Wife was on a special diet at the time and so asked questions, staff were rude to her the entire time. She also brought a snack since she was unsure if they would have something she could eat. We sat outside and when our food was brought out she was snacking on what she brought and was told that outside food wasn't allowed. We just spend $50 at your coffee shop and you won't let her also eat a small snack, it's ridiculous and rude. Burger tasted like a mediocre burger, wasn't terrible, but wouldn't order again. 4. Chicken Salad Sandwich and Bottled drink, about $16. I don't know why I came back again, I was hungry and it was close. I thought, you can't mess up a chicken salad sandwich. They didn't have the bread advertised. I said it was OK and substituted. The chicken salad literally tasted like nothing, practically zero flavor. Bottled drink was IBC cream soda and was fine. 5. McIrish Specialty something coffee. I ran out of coffee at work so stopped and got some specialty coffee drink. Don't remember the name but it was irish themed I think and on their legacy drink board. It was pretty decent. So overall experiences are that the place is way overpriced, food pretty bland or just not good. But I would live with all of that if the service was good, which it wasn't. Not a single time was it decent. So Bongo, I tried to give you all my money over and over again. I wanted a great convenient coffee shop, but you failed. You are dead to me. P.S. The odd thing is that I absolutely love Fido and have never had a bad experience and they are owned by the same people I believe. read more

Hi Olivia. This morning my husband picked up a coffee & a sandwich before work. We live right down the road, so this is routine for him. The other staff even knows him by name. The person making the coffee asks my husband if his accent is Australian. My husband tells them "No, I'm British." Person making coffee responds with "Well that's a shame." On top of that rude comment, he never got his sandwich & was late to work waiting around for it. We've never experienced this type of service and this has been our spot for the past 2+ years. Person making coffee should probably work in BOH & not around customers. read more

When I first started going to Bongo Java (14 years now?), it was the sort of place where people struck up conversations with random strangers, played chess on the front porch, drugs were dealt in the back room by employees and the coffee slingers were occasionally baked. They had signs up everywhere about no outside food or beverage and had to shoo away the broke coffee-beggers. The bathroom was a place to be feared, and the Nun Bun reigned supreme. I left for a while. I moved back and the place, as far as I can tell, is a bunch of people on laptops sipping on lattes eating food that really has not changed much, other than price, from the beginning. I saw reviews down a bit saying this is the place for counter-culture, but I start to wonder what counter culture war is being waged there... the counter talk-to-strangers war? The counter be in a public space and act as though you're connected to that space and time war? At least when I've seen it lately it's just a Starbucks with a slightly lower class of SUV driver and last year's Macbook pro. This may sound like I'm complaining, but I'm not. Times change and places change. Bongo has become gentrified, and that saddens me a bit. The coffee still tastes burned to me every other time I go, but it's decent. The special drinks, ok... the food, it is ok, pricey for just ok though. The line still queues out the door due to poor planning on placement of the counter. New people there only need to know you wait for your drink near the counter and take your flag for any food. I miss my old Bongo Java, but times they change and so do your old haunts. The place is now perfect if you want to go, open up a laptop and be antisocial in public while drinking pretty good coffee and eating ok food at a place that used to scare decent folk out. If you're looking to find a place to drop off your 16 year old multi-tattooed kid, this isn't it anymore. Um, so yeah, I recommend this place if that were not evident through my nostalgia and dislike of the laptop people. read more

Get their chai drink, it gave me food envy. I decided to get a hot chocolate and my friend got what I think was a chai latte. I had such drink envy. The hot chocolate was good, don't get me wrong, but I thought it would be more chocolatey. I tried his chai drink and it was amazing. It was rich with milk and had a strong chai flavor. Our other friend got a mochahantous, which was one of their specials. Although I usually don't like mocha drinks, I was pleasantly surprised. It was good! Their selections of drinks is what sold me on this place. When I can't choose what I want to drink, I know a place is good. Prices aren't bad either. It was worth stopping by and getting a warm drink to heat ourselves up. read more

Love the coffee here and enjoy the atmosphere. It is also convenient to Belmont which makes it very popular. Service has never been a strong suit and I've noticed it going downhill of late. Employees seem more interested in conversations with each other and friends than in making and serving drinks. Leisurely service may be part of the price for that congenial atmosphere. Leisurely service and lost orders aren't. Bongo Java is off my list as a place to grab a coffee before class. read more

This has been our favorite spot since attending Belmont in 2005. For 17 years, we have been coming here multiple times a week. It's our family Saturday morning routine, and the first place we brought both of our children. Recently, they have changed the menu, making their portions smaller, and their prices have sky rocketed. I just paid $20 for an egg mcbongo with bacon and a "side" of hash browns that I couldn't even see when they brought out the plate - literally ate them in 5 bites. Come on, bongo. Pretty bummed and missing the restaurant this used to be. We were so worried it was going to close in the pandemic, but I would rather them be closed than it deteriorate to this. read more

There's a weird vibe inside where everyone is really slow and detached. Took 20 minutes to get an egg sandwich and grilled cheese. Service is bad and the guy with the high pants and low cut shirt was very rude. Food was pretty bad. Coffee was AMAZING. read more

As a Belmont alum and now grad student, of course I frequent Bongo Java. Although the Nun Bun is no more (yeah, that was here), this place still has plenty to offer. I love the fancy coffee drinks with cute designs in the foam (don't judge me for being impressed by that). For lunch, I'm a big fan of the 'poultry bomb' bagel sandwich. The breakfast sandwiches are great, too, as are the desserts. I love the big patio (when it's not completely overtaken with smoke). My inner yuppie snob wishes there were some big comfy chair options inside, but that's ok. This place has a ton of personality and lots of deliciousness. Winner. read more

Bongo Java - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

What a cool little spot to grab a hot cup of tea or coffee. It is a great vibe to sit down and relax either on the patio or inside with all the eclectic decor. I had no complaints the place was cute and the service was pretty spot on. Overall, it was a good experience. read more

Bongo Java - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Terrible service! We waited for 45 mins for 3 lattes & 3 bagels. They made one latte wrong and completely forgot one of the bagels. Rude to top it off. read more

Service has gotten better...but please, PLEASE, bring back the old breakfast burrito + hash brown combo. The new one is doesn't taste anywhere near as good, maybe the watery salsa that's inside? And the size for the price is insulting. read more

The best coffee shop in Nashville. I think it was the only one when I lived there. I remember the nun-bun. I think someone tried to steal it once. I went to poetry readings here and every now and then they had live entertainment. I miss ya. read more

Not the greatest place to hang out. It's extremely cramped inside and way too loud to get any work done, or even hold a conversation without screaming at each other. The tables are small, the outlets are scarce, and the crowding of people slows the internet down. This is honestly my biggest complaint since the drinks were pretty okay. I tried the hot chocolate and my friend tried the Avalanche. The hot chocolate came luke warm and pretty frothy - it was a little bland in flavor, but I can tell that it was made from scratch, which is nice not to get the powdery taste you might get from a Nestle packet or something. My friend's drink came in a shot glass - which probably should have been mentioned before she ordered it. It was extremely strong though, which is good if you want that caffeine kick. I didn't get to try any of the food, but because the atmosphere here isn't my favorite, I probably won't be coming back any time soon. read more

This is purely a review of their coffee. I judge based on drip coffee since flavored drinks are pretty much the same everywhere. That being said, I found it overpriced and on par with Starbucks (except they don't burn it). As other reviewers have said, the staff seemed like they could care less. Nashville has a lot of cool, trendy coffee shops, unfortunately this one just didn't do it for me. read more

Bongo is one of those places I think I like better in my head than in reality. I find myself coming back occasionally because of convenience but I usually end up feeling like I could have done better. Don't get me wrong this location is hip and cool and all the things, but I don't care for the product. The chai which is my cafe go to, was watery and unsatisfying. I tried a latte today which was a lot better, though still subpar. The food is just meh, though portions are generous. Quite pricey for being just okay all around. I want to like this local shop more. read more

DON'T GO! This was the worst experience I have had. The person in charge of the register was rude and when our order was lost for over 45 minutes, we were stuck waiting at our table for our order to arrive. We already paid AND added a tip (big mistake), so we couldn't walk out. When I brought it to the attention of the person who took our order, they gave us some nasty attitude! We only ordered 2 bagels and cream cheese and 1 coffee and a juice. I would never recommend this coffee spot. Go next door to the Proper Bagel where the employees are extremely friendly and the wait is well worth it. read more

I went to the Nashville airport location and was pleasantly surprised at how good my coffee was. I ordered an Iced Local Latte (honey and cinnamon) with oat milk. This is a classic for me so I'm pretty picky with it. They actually melt the honey in the espresso and use real cinnamon powder! I also got a bagel and my order was around $10, so not outrageous for the airport! A great way to start a day of travel :) read more

This is my go-to breakfast place in the West End. I swear the hash browns are MAGIC. I usually stick with the Bongo basic which includes an egg, a hearty portion of the hash browns, homemade sourdough bread, and a coffee. This will satisfy any craving for the classic eggs and toast breakfast! read more

I've been to this place a couple of times. Pro's: Good coffee, full-menu, good for working (although a bit on the noisier side), and popsicles from Las Paletas!!! Cons: A big turn off for me was seeing that everyone's drinks are served in disposable cups, even if you are not having the drink to go. read more

Worked here for a year and a half, worst job ever. Employees do their best, but upper management (Bob and co.) make it impossible to do a good job. For years I wondered "Why are the people at Bongo so rude?" Then I realized it was because working there destroys your soul and your dreams. Loved all of my coworkers but no one was happy to work there. Upper management treats you like a replaceable cog but expects you to come to work with the passion of a beloved family member. We all got the "we're a big family!" speech so many times but were left in the dark about basic info (like when certain items would be on sale). Employees will be blamed if upper management makes a decision that backfires. The entire time I worked there we were chronically understaffed. The ice machine was broken for nearly a year with nothing done about it. I used to bring my own tip money from previous days back to use as change because we'd run out and it wouldn't be restocked for days or sometimes weeks. It's possible things are different now. But this was just a couple years ago, so I doubt it. These things take concentrated effort to fix and Bongo Belmont always seemed like the lowest priority as far as any of the locations go. Anyways, be nice, tip your servers, and probably just shop at Three Brothers or Red Bicycle. read more

Only the best place for coffee and food in town ! A Nashville staple :). They have quite a few other locations too, so make sure you check them out - they carry different items and drinks :) read more

I'm in town visiting, and after my first visit the barista (with tattoos and a Hawaiian shirt, working Sunday January 9th) remembered my name, how to spell it, and how to say it, which isn't something I usually get! The coffee is delicious, I've tried a few of their drinks as well as one of their vegan pastries. I intended to try as many coffee shops as possible during my stay but I might be making this my regular spot instead. Thank you! read more

horrible experience. the person at the register yelled at me for no reason at all. i forgot to grab the thing you place on the table so they know whose order it is, and i was immediately yelled at by the person at the register saying, "or we can just not bring you your food like it does not matter to me". horrible experience. probably never coming back and they should rearrange who works at the register. I am a freshman at Belmont and I am only 3 days in and this was the welcoming I got from the community. Not cool. read more

I have lived near Bongo Java for 10 years, and have never gone back in 7 years after an employee told me at a few minutes after seven a.m. that I was going to have to wait for him to finish his cigarette before he would open up. And I smoke, so I wasn't being a hater. Besides, who opens at 7 anyway? After discussing it with someone who knows, they informed me that some people like crappy treatment and that it's part of the ambiance. Whatever, I can find other places for that, and for coffee, it's not worth it. Since I've gotten older, I also don't like to wait in line in places where there is nowhere for a line to form or to form it with youngsters who fix up and dress themselves to look like they just woke up and got out of bed. Seems like a lot of work for minimal effect, and I am only willing to enjoy them these days for good music; my fault, not theirs. I would rather drive to Fivebucks and deal with all the folks in their fashionable workout clothes yacking importantly on their cell phones than ever set foot in Bongo Java again. That's pretty bad. read more

The bee's knees of coffee houses. 100% organic fair trade coffee plus alternative milk options: coconut, almond, & soy. I got the Mochahontas which is mocha coffee, vanilla, and cinnamon with coconut milk and it's to die for (figuratively speaking) read more

Bongo Java - The mochahontas... Can you drink with all the colors of the wind - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

While I never felt I was trendy enough to hang out at Bongo, I always found myself here getting coffee before class, meeting groups for class projects, hanging out with close friends over a hot cup of tea. I used to frequent this place because it was so convenient when I went to Belmont. Now I come because I love it so much, and it brings back great memories. The coffee is great, I personally prefer a hot or iced Chai (depending on the time of year), but the "P-Diddy" peppermint mocha is pretty damn good too. I also love the apple pie, which is basically hot cider with whipped cream, which is perfect during the fall weather. While most people come just for the coffee, their food is worth trying. The breakfast sandwiches are awesome, along with everything else I've ever tried there. I love hanging out at Bongo on a beautiful sunny morning, sitting on the patio, sipping a drink, people watching. Its definitely one of my favorite places to simply chill in Nashville. I also love running into old Belmont friends and teachers on occasion. All in all, Bongo has a great vibe for all types of people, and I would choose it over Starbucks any day. read more