Unlike most dining at Stanford, Bytes is staffed with people who care about their work. They keep it clean in spite of huge crowds during lunch and even at the most crowded times, you'll have your food within 15 minutes, including the line to order. The food is consistent and high-quality with interesting specials that change daily. Lunch runs about $10 and a small coffee is exactly $1. read more

A cheaper option for lunch that gets the job done. Their sandwiches are quality options and come with a pasta salad that is a good lunch portion for just around $12 read more

Ordered a Matcha & forgot to ask for it with almond milk (I am lactose intolerant). When I explained the situation, they told me I'd have to pay for a whole new drink. So now, I have a latte that I can't dink :/ read more

Cheap coffee for your caffeine fix on campus! If you bring your own mug they'll fill it for just a dollar(!). Cant beat prices like that on campus. Their lunch hours are also extended from 11:30 to 3pm now. read more

Bytes Cafe - Lunch menu - Sandwiches Near Me - Stanford, California

Delicious pizzas! The apple, brie, and bacon one sounded weird, but it was oddly good! The sandwiches are awesome as well. The line isn't too bad around lunch time and they promptly bring out your food! I enjoy having lunch here. Next time I want to try some of the pastries and coffee. read more

Bytes Cafe - Roast beef - Sandwiches Near Me - Stanford, California

See all

Probably the best place to get lunch at Stanford. The best price for the biggest portion. $8-10. //Food Bytes has a daily special and daily soups that rotate. For entrees, I have seen butternut squash pasta, Chinese chicken, Spaghetti Bolognese, etc. For soups, I have seen roasted zucchini/watercress, black bean, tomato basil, cream of spinach, etc. There is a good variety of food: cold and hot sandwiches, soups, salads, pasta, pizza! There is also a good variety of coffee/tea and pastries along with yogurt, fruit, and nuts. Plus there's a deli fridge full of bottled drinks! I highly recommend the Cuban Roast Pork sandwich. It comes warm and it is the most meat for your buck! The Chicken Pesto sandwich is a little too dry for me. All sandwiches come with an orzo pasta salad but you can substitute for an extra $1.25 a regular mixed salad. The Harvest salad is definitely tasty and has a great textural component with the dried fruit and crunchy walnuts! The Greek salad is also yummy, too! (Just always make sure they gave you your protein, sometimes they forget when they get busy!) Also, the salads always come with a slice of crusty bread! Yum! Oh my goodness, they charge for hot water. So painful. It is only $0.50, but it still sucks! :( Here's a tip: Just bring your thermos and fill it up with the water dispenser in the back, it has both cold and hot water! //Service This place gets BUSY. Especially around lunch time. The line can be as far out as the exit! Just always make sure they gave you your protein option on your salad or whatever, sometimes they forget when they get busy! But, they were super nice when I brought in my receipt and the salad that was missing chicken. At the register, they give you a number to take to your table and then they will bring you your food. And then they serve it in nice dishware with silverware. But, I definitely recommend taking the food to-go because it is so busy! And then you don't have to bus your own table/plates because you throw away the take-out box or keep the leftovers (which is what I usually do). //Ambiance There are both indoor and outdoor tables, but good luck getting a table when it is sunny (which is like...all the time). Sometimes you can get lucky, but other times don't bother waiting just get it to-go! Give the staff a break! read more

Starving and needing a quick "byte," we stopped by here. It was relatively quiet on the day I was there. Its been a few years since I've had a meal on a campus. But, this cafe had a pretty good selection. Place your order at the counter and they bring it out to you. There are tables inside and outside, but there was too much sun outside, so we opted to sit inside. Ordered Soup & Sandwich. Soup-was much better than I expected. It was a curry broccoli? I think. It was tasty. Sandwich was bigger than expected. It came with couscous. I'd pass on the couscous. I had the Roasted Turkey. Kind of bland, but definitely hit the spot. Plus, after my meal was able to grab a cappuccino to stay awake for the afternoon activities. Bonus. read more

I've stopped by here a few times to pick up some coffee & brekkies in the late morning on the way to work. Their regular coffee is good, as is their iced coffee. I've had a breakfast burrito (GINORMOUS, full of eggs and potatoes with a yummy pico de gallo - had the rest of it for lunch), strawberry scone (ok) and banana bread (yummers).The staff is very super friendly and service is quick. It's conveniently located on campus. There's plenty of seating inside plus quite a few nice sunny tables outside. One thing I did notice is the majority of the people patronizing this place were male. Maybe a coincidence? I'll have to check it out at lunch to confirm. read more

My go-to place for a lunch on campus. On the first floor of the Packard building, Bytes has enough variety with frequent enough changes in its menu that you could go every day without getting bored. If you work or study on campus and eat out a lot, that kind of variety makes it a better bet than Coupa; it's slightly cheaper than Nexus ($7 vs $8); and is more flexible than a Dining Hall (can get takeout). Of the salads, the Harvest salad is the best (the combination of apricots, cranberries and walnuts is amazing), but I've also heard good things about the Thai and Caesar salads. I haven't heard too many good things about the pizzas, but the shrimp one is unique - just prepared to wait a bit longer for your order! The specials can be hit or mess: anything Asian-sounding is usually pretty pitiful, while the pastas and Mexican-sounding ones (e.g., quesadillas) tend to be better. In the end, the sandwiches are my favorite. The cuban roast pork is a Bytes specialty, especially if you like pickled cabbage. For my money, the chicken sandwich is the best though. Especially when they make it with the roasted chillies...que rico! The house pasta salad that it comes with has elicited mixed reactions from my friends: some hate the raw onion and capers, while others find it a nice compliment to the sandwich (I like it!). Lines can be long during lunch, so try to go before (11:30am) or after (1:30pm). If you must go during lunch, there's a small lull around 12:30pm, so try to hit that spot! I find 1pm is the worst since there's a slight backlog in all the orders. Enjoy your lunch! read more

Bytes Cafe - Chicken bacon clubhouse with house pasta salad - Sandwiches Near Me - Stanford, California

See all

Bytes has been going downhill the last few years. I used to come here a lot for their sandwiches, but I feel like it's been getting worse over the years. I really liked their potato salad they used to serve with the sandwiches, but about two years ago they replaced it with a pasta salad. I'm guessing it's cheaper and easier to prepare. It's a great place to go though if you want something quick. The line is fairly long, but it moves quickly and they bring the food out in less than 10 min. One thing to note is that even though they close at 5 PM, they stop serving food at 3 PM. read more

Bytes is located in the Packard Electrical Engineering at Stanford University on the west side of campus. It's a small little cafe that serves breakfast and lunch. Their breakfast burritos are amazing - I guarantee you will be full if you can finish it! It is full of delicious cheese, egg, salsa, and I recommend getting it with bacon or chorizo. Their lunch menu is pretty much the same every time, with a few specials here and there. There is an assortment of pizza, sandwiches, soups, and salads. In my opinion, for how long the line gets during lunch (upwards of 25+ people...goes out the door) i recommend just going to nexus cafe across the street by the med school, or to the thai food place in the quad, or ikes. Those places are at most equally as long, but I think the food is a little better. read more

Bytes Cafe - Breakfast burrito - Sandwiches Near Me - Stanford, California

A nice place to grab some quick lunch if you spend most of your time in the CS/EE buildings. Their partly changing menu has some highs like the spinach and arugula salad, the meatloaf and the pulled pork sandwich. These's are all really fresh and flavorful. That being said, I don't care much for the pizzas or some of the other options on the menu. Lunch time can often get very very crowded leading to long lines to order but the turnover time is still pretty good. The staff is really friendly and if you are a regular they treat you super nicely. On the down side however, nothing is customizable on the menu since things are not made to order. So we can't ask them to leave something out of a dish or add something in, it is what it is. Their coffee is pretty good as well but they take only cash for amounts below $5. Overall it's got some highs and a fair few lows. read more

One of the few places I like to eat at Stanford.... To be honest, I don't think I have ever tried anything other than their Latin Salad and it's rare I get salad as a meal but this is so good. When you get a fork with a slice of jícama, it's heaven. Just be warned it gets super crowded at lunch, and when the weather is nice, it seems to be the go to place to enjoy the sun. Also, do not panic if you walk into the Engineering building and see a massive line. It goes very fast and the wait isn't too bad. Just a little scary when it's packed and the poor servers have to find your number but somehow it always works out before anyone gets worked up. read more

Awesome place! I've walked by here many times and the line is always long which I think is a good sign. We had lunch here on a Friday, but arrived around 11:45 to beat the line. I tried the Latin salad and it definitely did not disappoint! Very flavorful and great portion for the price. I added shrimp to mine. There is plenty of indoor/outdoor seating but you can also take to go and find seating in the SEQ if needed. Highly recommend if you're bored of Coupa or Forbes. Much better quality! read more

Bytes Cafe - Latin salad with shrimp - Sandwiches Near Me - Stanford, California

Never order the pizza. It wasn't even edible and I'm surprised they have it on the menu for how little effort goes into it. The crust was nonexistent and had mountains of mozzarella. The ingredients were as cheap as they come and didn't taste fully cooked. read more

Bytes is a bit (or eight) bland. There's a unique kind of sadness to taking your first byte of a meal and thinking "man, I'm not going to enjoy this at all, and to think I could have just gone to Thai Cafe for cheaper." Trust me, it bytes. Hard. Like NP-Hard. Also, Alissa S. is right that there's never enough seating, but it's not just at lunch time -- CS people from Gates, EEs housed at Packard, and many other departments camp out here during all hours of the working day to discuss things or study. read more

Ok place for eating in this area of campus. Their sandwiches are around $7 and are ok, but don't compare to the nearby Ike's (the wait is much shorter here though). They also have pizzas and specials for around the same price. Today I had the chicken marbella - seasoned chicken with apricots, plums, and olives over saffron rice. The chicken was surprisingly tender and tasty and it was a good portion for $7.35 I felt. Pastries and beverages are decent and fairly reasonably priced but nothing to write home about. I give them points for taking credit cards, having friendly staff and having things other than sandwiches, burgers and burritos, which seem to be the default foods on Stanford campus. However I have to ding them a little bit for not allowing you to get something without an ingredient. I've been dying to try their apple and brie pizza, but it comes with bacon, which they told me they can't make it without. Make sure you ask for it to-go to avoid paying tax (you can eat wherever you want). read more

Very cool ambiance --- Bytes is a hip little eatery in the Packard Electrical Engineering Building. Specializing in salads, pizzas, pasta and sandwiches, it attracts quite a crowd from the neighboring Hewlett Teaching Center (oh come on Hewlett is never that far away whenever Packard is mentioned and vice versa. They're like the Aflek and Damon of the technology world!), and the Gates Bldg. across the way. With all that computer history in the vicinity of course the clientele lunches with all of its mobile technical wares sprawled on the tables. I'm glad the Latin music piped through the stereo speakers spiced up lunch because my garlic chicken sandwich was a bit bland. I found myself wishing I'd gotten a salad --- any salad, which is what the tables around me seemed to be eating. They looked FABULOUS! The pasta looked great as well. I'll definitely be back. One note: like a lot of other eateries on campus, go around 11:30 or wait until 1PM or you'll stand in quite a line. read more

The first time I came here they had just opened. Their credit card machine was not hooked up yet, and I had no cash. I asked the manager where the nearest ATM was and he said "we'll take care of you, go ahead and order, you can pay next time". This kind of service, and good food, is how you make customers for life. They recently hired a new guy behind the counter who makes a good cappuccino and latte, too. There is plenty of seating inside and outside. On nice days people spill outside and sit on the ledges near the water clock (how do you read that thing anyway?). read more

In all fairness, I'm basing this review on one double espresso, nothing else. It was super-hot, really too hot to drink for a long time, and absurdly bitter -- which I know from reading the product info on my aeropress is a natural consequence of using water that's too hot to brew coffee. Unless they get this corrected, their espresso and espresso-based drinks will be wrong. So coffee geeks -- beware of this place. read more

Fair prices. Good Mediterranean salad. Okay lattes.

Great option for lunch on campus, be it to go, alone, over a meeting, or with friends. Service is fast, the people are nice, the location is great, and there's something on the menu for everyone, whether you're in the mood for something very light but filling (for which I'd recommend the Thai cabbage salad) or heartier (I love the caprese sandwich and the couscous side or comes with, though I always pick out the capers). Their beet and goat cheese salad is also quite good. I've been here more times than I can count over the years, and I love just how consistent and predictable it is. I'm certain I'll be back again. read more

I don't know why people say bad things about this place. This is the best food place on campus! And for those that would rather go to Nexus than here, I don't know what you're smoking. I work at Clark Center, and would rather walk over to Bytes than eat the overpriced, disgusting stuff they serve at Nexus nowadays. The staff at Bytes is always friendly, and the lines look long but are very quick. The Cuban pork sandwich is my favourite - it's my go to dish when the special doesn't look enticing to me. But at least once a week, there will be a really good special. Also, the ingredients here are fresh, and prepared with time and care. Everything is consistent from day to day to week to week, and I've never been disappointed with the quality of the food. Their salads are also tasty, as well as filling! It costs about the same as Nexus, but they give more quantity and the food tastes better. read more

I get my lunch here almost everyday. They have the best fresh salads for a fraction of the price as other places nearby. I get the greek salad (I think $7.50) with shrimp (+$3.50) and it is huge and filling, and comes with a piece of small italian bread. The half soup/salad or half sandwich/salad are awesome too. I also like the spinach and arugula salad, which has lots of beets. All the sandwiches are good. I have never had the entrees but they look good and are generally like. I personally prefer authentic italian pizzas, and so these (which look like celeste personal pizzas) are not my style. read more

3.5 stars rounded up to a 4 I'm a fan of their food. Their Latin salad and pizzas are pretty darn good. I hear their breakfast burrito and soups are great too. The Latin salad is very filling, much more so than I thought a salad could be. They add a lot of fresh veggies, corn and it's tasty too! Not bad for on-campus dining. As for their drinks, they leave something to be desired. Their regular coffee is pretty good but the other specials that I've tried are not. Stay away from the mochas and avoid the chai lattes. The mochas have an artificial taste (probably due to syrup). Save the money and calories for a much much better mocha at a cafe that starts with a C about 2 min away. The chai latte did not taste like chai for the most part. It tasted like non-fat milk. I'd stay clear of fancier drinks at Bytes but the food and regular coffee make up for it. read more

I don't care for this place for lunch, but it is a nice morning option. Their drip coffee is decent, though their espresso beverages are nowhere near as good as Coupa's. They do a nice breakfast burrito, and their pastries are good. It is a great place to grab a lemonade or iced tea during warmer season, and they will happily mix the two together for you into a glass of deliciousness. I wish their hours were better (later, weekends, summer...) The line gets very long during lunch time, and I've found I don't care for their lunch options that much. It tends to be a bit pricey, and often more than I can eat. Other pluses: 1) Super friendly staff 2) Big cooler of beverages, so a good place to grab a soda or energy drink without going to Tressider (or having cash) 3) Hot sauce selection. Good on breakfast burritos, but I bet that the Electrical Engineering students mostly just pour it in their eyes to stay awake until they are done with their degree.... read more

I really believe this is the best place to eat at Stanford! They make good food with plenty of flavor. The salads (which is what I tend to get) are delicious-- especially the Thai peanut cabbage salad. Yum. The breakfast is also good! The coffee is good (and cheaper than just about anywhere else on campus!). To top it all off-- the people working are so incredibly nice. If you are looking for a place to eat on campus, head to Bytes! read more

Bytes does well on three fronts; the quality of food, the friendliness of service, and the variety of plates offered. It's tucked away in the Packard building, which is very convenient for anyone studying in the sciences and engineering parts of campus. I highly recommend the soups and salads here, they are usually on point. :) read more

As far as campus food is concerned, it's the best. Beats Tressider fast food by a mile. Their salads are HUGE and zesty, and I get the breakfast burrito at least once a week since it's filling and the salsa's tasty. Probably not the place to get a junk food fix, but if you're gonna eat out regularly, better that you do it at Bytes than anywhere else on campus. They're slightly pricey, but that's cuz they mostly make your food to order rather than scoop it out of a tub that's been sitting there for hours. Also, there's a half hour gap between the breakfast and lunch menus at 11am, which can be annoying if you didn't get up early enough to go to breakfast, rush to a 10am class and are hungry afterward. read more

This place gets busy at lunchtime but the line moves fast. They have a variety of options for vegetarians and carnivores alike. My complaint is that I ordered a panini and they gave me the butts of the bread! The sandwich was really crusty and tough to eat, as a result. Booooo. read more

Bytes cafe is a good option when you're at this end of campus and are too lazy to walk over to the business school or Nexus. -Their portions are big, their ingredients are fresh, and their employees are really nice. As others have noted, it's a great place to meet friends for coffee or a pastry, there's lots of outdoor seating (though it does get super crowded around lunch time). They also take credit cards which is a big plus! read more

Most of the food is mediocre at best, but their pizzas are always a pleasant surprise. Mainly the shrimp pesto and the "ragin' cajun" are the only entrees worth getting. I give it a 3 because it's on the lower end of dining options on campus (though still leaps and bounds ahead of Subway). The coffee is fine (though I prefer Coupa) and the pastries/snacks are pretty good. read more

positives: their salads, most fritatas, soups and pizzas are generally pretty good. Breakfast sweets and cookies are good. The line is long, but moves very quickly. negatives: Boca Burger is a culinary disaster. It actually made me want to vomit. Coffee is also not so good - it has a chemical sort of taste to it. Also, the guys taking orders at the register flirt way too much....and they think they are really funny when they aren't. read more

A decent place for lunch or a pastry if you're on this part of Stanford's campus. Their menu has a lot of fixed items and then some that change quite frequently. The staff are really friendly and it is always fun interacting with them. The food is overall reasonably tasty and there's a good variety of dishes to cater for different tastes and preferences. The portions are relatively small for the price, in my opinion, but I eat a lot and am probably biased. Nevertheless, I am never full after eating here. The lines can be very long at lunchtime, but they do an extremely good job of getting your food to you ASAP. I've always wanted to try their pastries, but I've not gotten to it yet. They do look delicious, though. Hopefully soon! read more

I don't think I've ever been disappointed with this place (the same cannot be said for Nexus). The pizzas are good, but oily. I really enjoy the latin chopped salad. That salad has never been a miss, it's very filling, and at 6.25, it's a great deal. This place DOES get crowded, but I find that the wait is never too awful. I suggest trying to get there earlier than 12. I thought going late would work (1 PM), but it was still busy (though the line moved pretty quickly). Also, the people who work there are very friendly. read more

Bytes is a small cafe in the corner of the EE Packard Blding. When I used to work nearby, this was my speedy place for a chicken salad to go. It got to the point that when they saw me coming in, they'd start putting my salad together. Always a dependably good, large salad, w/chunks of chicken, taken to go (w/my dressing on the side) + a slice of bread. These folks were always willing to please: emergency coffee order for a meeting? Done. Less than 24 hours notice for a lunch meeting for 12? Done. Always greeted w/a smile? Easily done! As is the case w/campus eateries - get there @ 11:30 or 11:45 at the latest if you don't want to wait in line & still be able to find a table/bar seat inside or outside. read more

Brace for crowds of engineers homing in on pizza slices, 12 o'clock! A popular lunch joint on Stanford campus across from the Gates computer science building, offering some "gourmet-esque" sandwich fillings and pizza toppings, daily special hot entrees, and pastries. While the individual-sized pizzas and some of the hot dishes are quite palatable, the latter especially can be hit or miss (and the cold couscous side ranges from surprisingly decent to downright mushy). Nay, worthy would-be Stanford choosy eater, Bytes is where to go for your rabbit food fix! The salads are by far the most consistently good menu item, and one of the best deals you'll find among the exorbitantly priced eateries on campus--quite an enormous bowl, one that will take even a hungry muncher of greens a shockingly long time to devour. My personal favorite is the Thai salad (chopped cabbage, cilantro, roasted peanuts, and tinned mandarins) with shrimp. Service is brisk but courteous, especially considering the inevitably heavy lunchtime traffic; the outside tables are also very pleasant on a sunny day. read more

I love Bytes Cafe! When I need a place to meet with friends and and co-workers in the morning, I always go to Bytes. They make very good latter and for me I always get a special treat with a cup of warm milk to go with it. Jeff, the owner, is very nice. His staff are also very friendly and provide excellent services. I went there many time for lunch and they serve good sandwich and salad there. read more

You can get a good lunch here without too long of a wait (compared to Ike's). I usually show up around 12:30, when the line is shorter. I never tire of the Cuban pulled-pork sandwich here, and highly recommend it. The soup of the day is usually good too. For a vegetarian option, the mozzarella, pesto, and tomato sandwich is delicious. Drinks are a bit pricey, though if you get the iced tea you can keep refilling the cup all day. read more

This is for the rude "barista" lady. My husband generally takes medium size coffee in a large size cup to prevent spilling (he spills a lot). So he ordered the same thing. The barista lady there gave him, what seemed more like, a small coffee in a large size cup. So my husband asked for more coffee. She said NO. I wanted to ask for an empty medium size cup and show her that she really gave less coffee but I didn't wanna ruin my morning. First, she was wrong. Second, who says no to a little bit more coffee!!! I hope the manager reads this and improve their service. read more