This hidden spot is located up the stairs in the GONDA neuroscience and genetic research center. Well I would say this is basically like any other school food place. Come with not so high expectations... This seems designed for many students giving them the ability to grab something quick and giving more hot meal vibe that's still quick and efficient. seems like plenty of seating outdoors and indoors and not so loud giving the ability to study. let's talk food! I got the Pasta bowl with alfredo sauce and added chicken for $2 . The chicken was flavorful a bit on the saltier side but the pasta was great! The do add a garlic know which helped balance it all. I also ordered a caramel blended and well that was beyond sugary! I would say not even starbucks serves it like this. Hate the coffee food was decent. Staff still seemed like they were training. Cashier was kind and helpful. They do have quick grab and go snacks for example sandwiches, wraps and pastas on the go. Gave it a 4 due to the convenience, how fast they were to get my food out and the variety of options read more

See all

Got a super cold pasta bowl! I was so excited but was ultimately a little disappointed with the food. Definetely has lots of potential, but the pasta was a no go for me :( besides that employees were super helpful and positive, the cafe was also pretty and very nice. read more

Nice pretty lady I think her name was Ika made me the best coffee I have ever had and was just so kind and polite. Really brightened up my day! read more

I really wanted to like Cafe Synapse - it would have been convenient with solid food options located close to the UCLA campus and the hospital - but unfortunately my experiences there make it impossible for me to recommend this place. One of the best chefs recently quit, and without her, the workers are poorly trained and highly inefficient. The food is very inconsistent in terms of pricing, preparation, and even what's included in an order. I've ordered many options multiple times, and they're always made differently, with different sides or none at all. Overall, the cafe seems very disorganized with long wait times even without many customers -- I've waited half an hour just to finally be told they were out of my drink. I honestly think that with some more training and consistency, Cafe Synapse could be a good spot to grab a quick bite -- the food is not bad (especially the paninis), but the combination of factors just makes it an extremely frustrating experience. read more

See all

Went here to take advantage of $5 Fridays at UCLA. (I quote) "Every Friday throughout the 2023 spring quarter". It was the Friday of finals week = 06/16/23 Was charged full price for their supposed $5 deal (any panini). I chose the spicy chicken panini. It was seriously MEH. Honestly, I would not pay $5 for the sandwich, much less the $8.50 I was charged. This place used to be good, which is the only reason I sucked it up and paid $8.50 for something that should have been $5. I won't make that mistake again. read more

2 words: PEET'S COFFEE. Tucked away at the top of the stairs in the Gonda Neuroscience Bldg, best place to grab a coffee, study, or take time for a break. Reviewing to add updated menu pics. read more

Café Synapse - Latest menu (8/19/22). No more pastas or pizzas. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

Café Synapse - A small venue located across the street from UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, is simple, but gets the job done. For students, it offers a quiet, secluded place to study. For nurses, doctors, professors, etc., Cafe Synapse is a caffeinated (or decaf) break from work's hustle and bustle. This cafe's biggest selling point is probably Peet's Coffee. Its reputation precedes it and draws in those who trust the brand and the jitters you are promised. What I Get: Cold Brew Worth Your Money? A small cold brew cost me around $3. Could it be cheaper considering the amount? Probably, most definitely. It's worth it if you don't want to walk too far. It's worth it if you're tired of hospital coffee. But it's also worth it if you want a quiet place to relax and drink coffee. This one's a hard one, but yes, Cafe Synapse is worth it for me. If you're a student, make sure to show your UCLA Bruin Card--you'll receive a discount (~10% off). Although I have not tried the breakfast/lunch offerings, I can share that the coffee is always fresh and brewed perfectly. Score (Out of 10): 7.5 read more

Café Synapse - Small Cold Brew ($3) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I used to love this place, now I kind-of like it. As a UCLA medical student, I used to come here regularly because of two items that never disappointed--(1) the turkey avocado sandwich, fresh with whole grain bread and a delicious, slightly spicy spread, (2) the mango chicken salad which was a generous amount with a nice balance of sweet mango and chicken that left me feeling full and satisfied. Let's cut to my visit today; both those items are now gone. The menu has changed. Though disappointed, I decided to give their new menu a shot, which featured dishes with more greens and beans, couscous, and chickpeas. It seemed like they were going in a healthy direction with less meat. I appreciated that but also, I was hungry. I had the grain bowl which came with couscous, spinach, arugula, and sweet potato. Upon first inspection I couldn't help but notice the size of my meal--less than half the size of the usual salads. The couscous was flavored well, the sweet potato and greens worked well together, but the bowl was overly sweet with honey. I finished my meal and was still hungry. I don't typically need a lot of food to feel full. But this was disappointing. I left hungry and craving another meal. As a regular customer, I ask you to please bring back the turkey sandwich and mango salad. And if you're going to serve the grain bowls, please double the size and make sure you have an adequate serving of protein to make the meal more satisfying (couscous doesn't cut it; some tofu or chicken would be a nice addition). read more

Overall a nice place on the health sciences campus of UCLA to enjoy a latte and get some work done. I have been enjoying Cafe Synapse since becoming a medical student at UCLA and have continued to patron this coffee shop when I have a chance. Being across from Macdonald Research Lab and across the street from CHS and caddy corner to RR UCLA Medical Center, it is definitely situated amongst the heart of UCLA Health Sciences campus. The cafe has good WiFi for getting studying, research, or other work done. Fairly good environment/ambiance to stay focused on your work activities. Snacks are pretty good. The coffee selection includes basic drip and cold brew in addition to a full espresso bar. Definitely will continue to stop by when not stuck inside the hospital. read more

Great salads - personal favorite is the Synapse Mango! The soup is good here, and the coffee is slightly higher priced than everywhere else within walking distance. Go to the hospital cafe or Ackerman if you have the time instead for cheaper coffee. Great study space! read more

Points for serving Peet's coffee! It is always a trudge to walk all the way to Wilshire Blvd for Peet's, so this is definitely a plus. And I will say the donut case this morning looked fresh and not just your run-of-the-mill generic donuts. These looked like they were from a proper donut place (although I didn't ask who the supplier was). Lunches tend to be a bit pricey so I will usually bring my lunch and sit outside on their patio. They have a very relaxing area to just sit. read more

Café Synapse - Free iced tea for staff appreciation! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Cafe Synapse gets 3 stars for trying hard, but the food is nothing to get excited about. Lunch specials do come with a drink, which is a pretty reasonable $8 or so. The salad of the pizza & salad combo is good, but it's hard to mess up salad. My bigger complaint is with the pizza. It's very industrial tasting, not crispy at all, and barely has any taste I'd take Costco's pizza over Cafe Synapse's pizza any day! However, my pizza did have fresh tomatoes & green onion sprinkled on top, so they have some fresh ingredients & try to add a little personal touch. Cafe Synapse is probably my second-to-last choice in the lunch rotation, but at least it's close. read more

Café Synapse - Half pizza & salad - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I've eaten here many times while an undergrad at UCLA and a couple times now as an employee, as the location is super convenient to my workplace. I wish I could give this place more stars as the workers are friendly and tend to remember/greet me, but the food isn't all that great. I always give it another chance and try new things, thinking "maybe it'll be better this time" but either the pizza is soggy, the soup is watered down, or the salads lack flavor albeit the fancy names/descriptions and the extra stuff they add to it. The prices are average-to-high for a cafe ($6-$10 per single order) but honestly I rather walk a bit more to the Court of Sciences Student Center and have Bombshelter or Subway for the same price! If you just want coffee and pastries, this place is decent. Personally I've never had their pastries but I've gotten some coffee drinks and they're pretty standard. If you are looking to get lunch or dinner, however, there are better options on campus. read more

Ordered a caramel ice blended. This is probably the only coffee shop on campus that has made coffee that I truly enjoy. The espresso shot in this drink was not bitter and it was the ideal amount of sweet. Drinks are on the pricey side, but you pay for convenience. Fast and friendly service. They wish they would offer almond or coconut milk alternatives. read more

This is a good place for coffee and tea on the UCLA campus. I've had their salads and sandwiches before, and they were decent if not spectacular. The grilled chicken caesar salad was chock full of chicken, cheese and lettuce and the dressing was not too heavy. I recently got their chicken pesto sandwich; I was initially happy that it arrived so quickly but that turned to disappointment once I realized they had taken a prepared sandwich out of it's to-go container and placed it on my plate. I guess that's one way to be efficient... Café Synapse met my moderate expectations for a campus dining experience. If you go, one of the highlights for the cafe is being able to sit outdoor in the sun! read more

This place has some decent pastries and soups; I can't say I've tried anything else as my being Muslim limits what I can eat here. Ample indoor and outdoor (weather permitting) seating with large lines of the medical/bio crowd. Some of the regulars look a quite depressed and over-worked! Also come by for such surprising celebrity-sightings as Anjelica Houston and Patrick Swayze...that is, if you are into that whole L.A. thing. read more

Café Synapse - Where great minds meet...to eat! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This place has the best food on the UCLA campus. Sure, it's a little pricey, like everything else here, but hidden away on a nicer part of south campus, it really does have the best-tasting food. I like the separate counters for the coffee bar and for lunch. Rotating variety of soups, sandwiches, salads, pizza and pasta. Everything I've had is delicious, I really like the raspberry chicken salad, cream of broccoli soup, BBQ chicken pizza, and any of the combos. Everything is around $7 or $8 but the portions are pretty huge. I do wish they sold half salads or sandwiches, like they do up here at Espresso Roma. Pretty courtyard, away from noise or traffic, to enjoy your meal, and indoor tables too. The pastries and coffee are pretty average, and they close early, which is why I have to deduct a 5th star. But if you want good food on campus, it's worth the walk! read more

UCLA Campus Cafe on the first floor of Gonda As far as campus restaurants/cafes go it's not bad, but compared to other restaurants it's a step down. I would give it 3 stars but the reason for 2 is it's damn expensive!!! They have a pretty good mango salad but it's almost $10 lol. If you're on campus might as well go to green house or Ronald Reagan or med cafe to make your own salad! The coffee has always been pretty disappointing. I go in case of emergency aka I really cannot stay awake, but the lattes tend to have a burnt taste?? I really wish they would step it up because it's a convenient location, but while many other UCLA campus restaurants have been revamped Synapse hasn't been. Seating: indoor and outdoor seating. Outdoor is a nice courtyard where you can observe scientists and students passers by Parking: it is on campus, so you would have to park in a UCLA pay by space lot if visiting (closest is Lot 8). Or try to find street parking a walk away. read more

A good spot to serve the local buildings. Coffee is pretty cheap and they actually have decent lunch items that are ok priced. Food is pretty quick too read more

Cafe Synapse offers a nice variety of sandwiches, soups, and salads. And they have coffee, tea, and pastries too! The sandwiches are amazing when they're toasted, and they come with a side of kettle potato chips. There's a nice patio outside where you can sit and converse with friends over food. The sad thing is they supposedly close at 5:00pm, but I came there today for a sandwich at around 3:50pm and they were starting to close down the kitchen!!! My heart nearly sank, I was starving... but the cafe worker was nice enough to offer me a cold sandwich and toasted it for me, so I was happy in the end. Go here to get your soup and sandwich fix. You won't be disappointed. read more

Working just in the building next to Cafe Synapse, I can probably say I have eaten 90% of the items off their menu. The most common thing i get is cream of broccoli soup which usually never fails me. Their pizzas are quite tasty and also not a bad deal for around $5.50. The sandwiches, which are all cold are a bit on the pricey end and I usually stay away from those as I prefer going to subway or another place for sandwiches. Their salads I would say are very typical and also about $7-8 an order. The other side of the cafe is the coffee shop with pastries and other simple items. The atmosphere if very college like as there are always students studying and people having business lunches here. If you ever are on UCLA campus near the med school, this would be the place to go as it spears away from the cafeteria feel on a campus. read more

Café Synapse - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Love this Cafe! The staff here are so warm and friendly! Always smiling and always greet you as you come in, thank you for your service!

Woohoo! As good as it gets! ... on UCLA Campus, that is. I'm still waiting for the day Starbucks, Coffee Bean, or Peet's settles on campus, but UNTIL then, the only place to go for a good coffee is Cafe Synapse and Cafe Roma... but seeing how I'm south campu: Roma is out, Synapse is in. (-) they close at 5 p.m. ... and sometimes 4:50 p.m. doesn't cut it either. (+) pizza and pasta heated to order! (+) salads tossed to order - no more soggy lettuce! (+) good selection of sandwiches - the garlic spread on the chicken caesar, etc. is nice. You can ask to heat them up! (+) better/fresher soups than the med center. (+) separate drink counter so you don't have to wait behind the slow person who can't decide what to eat if all you want it a latte. (+) nice areas to enjoy your food - outside on the grass or inside in the modern eating area. read more

I am so sad I went here on my last final of undergrad. The location is in between the campus and westwood. They have perfect lighting and comfortable seats. I ordered an omelette, banana, and coffee for the breakfast. The omelette had perfect seasoning and comes in big portions. For a little bit more $, you can get potatoes on the side. It got a bit heavy. I didn't want to get food coma so I opted out on that option, but my friend got it and I had some of hers. If I have reasons to study at UCLA again, this will definitely be the spot to get breakfast, coffee, and study. read more

Convenient location, chill vibe, free wifi. Great coffee tax-free if you're a student or resident. They also have pastries and sandwiches in case you get hungry. Lots of lighting. The only issues are that there aren't enough plugs in the main area. There is one toward the front of the cafe, and some long the longer hallway on your right as you enter. Also, try not to come during prime lunch hour, as there is a line. Otherwise, it's a great place to relax and do work if you're coming from Ronald Reagan hospital or the surrounding area. There is also a small outdoor area with seating, if that's what you prefer. read more

Try their turkey avocado ... It's amazing for a slightly overpriced sandwich but I love it the bread, the dressing on the salad. Omg so good. read more

One of the best places to eat on the UCLA campus. Their menu consists of daily specials with items like sandwiches, pastas, pizzas, and salads. I am typically not someone who loves pasta, but they have some great pasta dishes here. My favorite being the Kung Pao pasta. Be warned though that they take a very long time to cook the pasta dishes, so if you are in a hurry get something else like a sandwich or salad. Cafe Synapse is also one of the few eateries on campus that has free soft drink refills. If you walk around to the far side counter, they also have a little pastry area that is severely overpriced! $2.50 for tiny store bought cupcakes...are you serious?? Besides that, this is a nice little spot to eat on campus. read more

One star-off for: closing early at 5:00pm and prices that target professionals (i.e., non-students). Star-on #1 - salads, pizzas, gourmet food not found elsewhere on campus Star-on #2 - tucked away from traffic, hidden on 2nd floor of the Gonda Star-on #3 - view of courtyard, magical Star-on #4 - the lovely cashier Natalya (: read more

Cool place to grab a quick sandwich and study! However, not a big fan of the prices and variety! Had a informal interview here and got a turkey sandwich. Not be best, kinda dry and not much flavor. However, the seating and ambiance are great for studying and doing some work. Close to UCLA. However, prob not the best place to eat. read more

I only stopped here because I wanted a croissant and it was the closest thing to my job. They screw up your drink order because the person who takes it can't understand when I've said twice what I want. Pastries are not up to par. I'm all for supporting campus business, but I think for now I'll stick to what I know (at least they get it right!) read more

Panini's and omelets never disappoint. Shout out Deb the best chef at Ucla and Alex the barista who's personality shines on the darkest days. Definitely give them a try! read more

Since I study computational neuroscience, I felt like this was a cafe for me with lots of neuroscientists and medical students/doctors hanging out. Their morning omelets are good and so are their pastries. Their lattes are okay, but nothing special. I think the tuna sandwich I had for lunch one day gave me food poisoning though, and it wasn't particularly good tasting either (the bread was stale). Despite this, I really wish my university had a place like Cafe Synapse. read more

I used to really like this place, but the service has gone way down. I used to go there for a good salad, but the last time I was there, I was told they no longer toss the salads to go with the dressing and that they only provide the dressing on the side when the salad is to go.. Really? I cancelled my salad order and walked away. Poor business decision since I will now get my to go salads at a place that has no problem tossing them with the dressing to go. read more

I've definitely had much better places, but since it's very close by to where I work, it will do on the days where I'm too lazy, or if I can't go into Westwood or eat at the hospital cafeterias. Note: the food here has progressively gotten better over the past year...most notably with their better quality pizza crusts and baguette breads. For the food you get, it's not worth the price...a bit pricey if you ask me. If you're in the mood for a sandwich, try Corner Bakery instead, which can also be pricey, but at least there you can get someone tasty and something that's not premade and sitting on display. Since it is just a university restaurant, I'll give it some slack. Staff is nice and generally pretty good at getting your order done (though the wait time for pastas and pizza can get up to 20 minutes during a busy hour...just make sure before you order). Sandwiches: The chicken in the grilled chicken caesar tends to be dry and overcooked. The saving factor is the focaccia bread and spread it's served with. I usually order the Portobello focaccia. The turkey baguette has become part of my "regular" lunch rotation. (I used to not even touch the baguettes because the bread was so hard and digusting...and once the fridge must have been so cold that the lettuce and tomato in the baguette italiano that I ordered froze over. And when the ice melted, it made my sandwich soggy. NOT GOOD.) All sandwiches are served with chips (now more variety to choose from) and a pickle. Soups: Meh. Soups don't have enough flavor to them. They almost always have cream of broccoli on the menu...one of the relatively better soups. All soups can be ordered with a sourdough soupbowl as well. Pizzas: Can't go wrong with a pizza, but I still wish the crusts were better. They always have pepperoni, sometimes BBQ chicken, 4 cheese, sausage mushroom...it varies. Every time I finish eating one, or even half of one though, I just feel "heavy" if that makes sense. Not the healthiest items on the menu. Pastas: These usually take a while to make, so make sure you have enough time on your hands, or are willing to wait 10 or so minutes. Sometimes the pastas are good, but I haven't ordered enough of them to know. They change the menu weekly. Breakfast: They have good omelettes, but then again, I've had better. Coffee/Pastries: Coffee is weaker than I like, but it will do the trick on a sleepy morning/afternoon. Pastries are actually pretty good. I like the apple fritters and chocolate croissants. read more

I read some of the reviews before coming here and still gave it a chance but this defiantly not the place to eat unless you just want to spend $14 dollars in a sandwich you can make at home. Seriously, the simplest sandwich is very expensive. Not that many options on menu, small place. I really don't recommend it. Good luck. read more

If you want real food (not a mall pretzel or a smoothie), Cafe Synapse is the best food on campus (as many other reviewers have noted). When I'm having business meetings and want to take them to an on-campus eatery, Cafe Synapse is it. The menu is small-ish, but the have the basics (pizza and pasta) and also some more creative things (kung pao chicken pasta) and daily specials. The quality is far above campus average. They've also got a coffee/pastry bar for morning snackies. Seating is limited- Cafe Synapse is located in a research building, so it doesn't have the capacity like Ackerman. It does have an outdoor patio, but there is virtually no shade and during the lunching hours, the sun can be broiling. read more

I love the coffee here and the employees that typically work at the coffee counter. This 1star review is solely regarding the food preparation at this establishment. I observed 2 employees handle the cash register, and then walk over the food preparation area, put on gloves (WITHOUT washing hands) and started touching ready to eat foods. If you don't know, that is not proper handling of foods, you must wash your hands before touching gloves because touching gloves with dirty hands defeats the purpose of wearing gloves. And, yes I have knowledge in this area so I am more likely to notice these things because I know the importance of safe food handling to ensure the customers do not get food borne illnesses. ***Please management, educate your employees, I hope I do not see this again next time I visit. read more

This review is strictly for breakfast. Synapse also has sandwiches, pizza, and other goodies for lunch, but I've only been here for lunch a few times. I love the location. It's very close to all of my classes. I pass this place every morning when I walk to class. However, whatever time I save by going to a physically convenient place is wasted by the time I always spend waiting for food/drinks. This morning, I was the only person in there (at 7:30AM), so I decided to get an omlette. It did not come out until 7:50. Yes, I kid you not. Maybe I was the first person to get an omlette this lovely morning, so they didn't turn on the burners yet? I don't know. But all that I know is that I ran out of time and couldn't even eat my breakfast since I had class at 8:00. Saved it to eat during break in the middle of class, so it was no longer hot. Annoying. I'm not much of a breakfast person and I only eat breakfast when I know that I won't be able to eat lunch that day. I'm not a fan of many breakfast foods anyway. But, the omlettes here are pretty good. For about $4, you get an omlette the size of half of a dinner plate. The other half is filled with yummy potatoes. The veggie omlette is my fave because I find most breakfast meat to be overly salty. Today, I decided to be different. I had the Denver omlette, which contains ham. My salty-meat theory unfortunately proved to be correct. The ham tasted good, though slightly salty, but then I was thirsty the whole day! :( Synapse loads your omlette with veggies and/or meat so you can count on getting a super FAT omlette. They are not weak on your toppings AT ALL. However, the actual egg part of the omlette was too thin. It had the thickness of a crepe. I would rather have an egg crepe stuffed with veggies than an eggy mess with toppings sprinkled on. Today's omlette was a disappointment though because I had to eat it lukewarm. Coffee is okay. Pretty much the same as anywhere else on campus. If I absolutely need to get my caffeine fix, I just get the regular house blend iced coffee. It surprises me that the wait for this drink is relatively long. If I went anywhere else on campus, I could get my drink in like 2 seconds. Pastries are overpriced. I love me some almond croissants, so I had to try it here. It was actually really plain and somewhat soggy. It cost $3. If you're looking for a bomb diggity almond croissant, go to Whole Foods. It's ridiculously OMNOMNOM for about $2. Synapse is nothing special, but it's a decent cute little place. The outside eating area is a big plus. However, a major no-no is the wait time. Definitely not a place that I would go to when I'm counting on getting something quick. read more

The prices are decent and the food is actually pretty good. I like their BBQ Chicken Pizza, although the taste of it bore an uncanny resemblance to the Western Bacon Cheeseburger at Carl's Jr. I think I mean that in the best way possible? Salads are pretty good too -- I've tried the Chinese chicken salad (same as the one at Bruin Cafe, I swear!) and the Caesar (which always comes with the fatty dressing on the side the way I like it). It's close, cozy, and has a more upscale feel (even if it's UCLA food). Plus you get to get away from the undergrads (or be the only one in the room, as was the case when I was still a bruin). read more

I've volunteered at MacDonald Research for a summer, and now I work at CNSI (right above parking lot 9), and I come here sometimes when I want to treat myself to some delicious breakfast. :D This review will be short, as all I ever get is a coffee (good coffee) and pastry -- (TO DIE FOR). I'm pretty sure they get them freshly baked from somewhere else because they're so awesomely crispy on the outside, but oh-so tasty and soft on the inside. It's definitely not the ones from Costco or Starbucks... They are a BIT pricey, but hey, not like I eat here everyday. read more