Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Cafe on the Ave

    3.0 (549 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

    Order Cafe on the Ave Takeout or Delivery

    Cafe on the Ave Photos

    Business Info

    CAFE ON THE AVE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Cafe on the Ave

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Pork Bulgogi Bibimbap
    Louise F.

    Really interesting korean fusion brunch place! Definitely a college vibe, reminded me of places I used to eat back in college. And very college priced too. And college portioned. The plates were like double the size of my head. We got a bibimbap and creamy chicken mara pasta. The bibimbap wasn't really a bibimbap but made a nice bulgogi slop bowl basically. And it was nice that there were so many veggies in it. The pasta was definitely asian fusion pasta. Really has that creamy taste you get from having pasta in korea or japan in the places that have an asian interpretation. We ate until we were stuffed to the brim and still had leftovers. Probably didn't help that I ate the garlic bread too but it was also good. Unfortunately during the meal a crazy person came in and started yelling at people and the restaurant had a difficult time keeping him out but what are you gonna do about that I guess

    We forgot to take pics until deep into Korean chicken. So tasty and crispy.
    Cristin G.

    Ok that was fun! Went with the UW student kiddo who loves this place, I can see why. Order at the counter, friendly and helpful staff. HUGE portions and boxes for take-home meant we have great meals for lunch tomorrow, too. Casual place for students, parents, and anyone in the UW area who's hungry for a big meal (or split one!).

    Korean Fried Chicken
    Natalie N.

    pretty good asian fusion spot in u district. as you can tell by the name, it's on the ave. open til at least midnight every night and open later on friday and saturday. the first time i visited, i only got a decaf latte. i recall the decaf tasting good and my friend and i just kinda parked at the place and yapped for awhile. it seems like a good place to do that at, as it's very very spacious inside. i tried it again during the cherry blossom festival and got an alcoholic drink. the drink, while very pretty in pink, was not good. wayyy too much syrup, it was almost entirely sugar, and, i love sugary drinks, but this was too much. because of that, i've never been back for alcoholic drinks. most recently, i went here with a friend because we wanted chill cafe vibes to work on some projects, but it was a sunday and evening time so most cafes were already closed. we got half a korean fried chicken with the honey garlic and sweet n spicy sauces. it was actually well-made, i was surprised. the portion was generous, which was an added bonus. everyone that works there is very nice. i think if you need a place to study or work or just chill out, this is a good place to go. it may be kind of a mixed bag in terms of quality, but you can at the very least get good coffee here.

    Chicken Pesto
    Mei Jie W.

    Located in a very central area on the ave, this cafe has a nice variety of food, cafe drinks, and lots of seating. I saw many people studying while eating. The portion is very generous. I got the pesto pasta with chicken. It didn't say it would come with garlic bread so that was a nice surprise. The chicken was so soft and tender and well seasoned! They garnished it grated mozzarella and basil. I also got an ice latte and it was really good too. You order at the counter, find a seat, and they'll give you a number plaque. They'll bring you your food, but for drinks you'll have to get yourself at the counter when the buzzer goes off.

    Ginger tangerine
    Oris B.

    The place has a casual dive bar-meets-café atmosphere. The staff were friendly and made me feel welcome. Unfortunately, the food didn't quite hit the mark, though perhaps other menu items are better. It's a bit of a gamble what you'll get.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ On the other hand, it's a great place to study or journal.

    Photograph for my review of Cafe On The Ave.
    Luther N.

    THE END OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AS WE KNOW IT! Last night, I stopped into this restaurant because it was my birthday andI didn't want to go to Wallingford or Capitol Hill for a meal. I told them and asked if I could be offered anything. Sure the guy said only it had to be under $5. He then said, "...we're not giving you a $20 meal free!" I could have enjoyed a plate of bacon, eggs and pancakes since I just turned seventy-five. So I took a coffee and purchased a brownie. The coffee was eventually brought out, but without any napkins or spill protection. At least it was the decaffinated that I ordered, so I said "Cheers!". I did leave with my coffee in a cup like at Starbucks, but if I had thought I could expect this kind of lame customer service, I could have gone there! Seriously, it reminded me of being back in the midwest, int he days when a person of colour could go into a restaurant but had to take the food or drinks outside. Well, so it goes but I will never go back into the Cafe on The Ave. again. Right now, I despise this place as much as Starbucks, and IHOP doesn't look bad at all after this! Luther R. Norman, Former Teacher and World Traveller...

    Green Tea Frappe
    Diana C.

    The menu is customizable for vegetarians but a bit more difficult with dairy free options, especially the drinks. The kimchi fried rice has dairy and it can't be removed unfortunately too. Got a drink and it was fine. The servers were polite and efficient. The ambiance is kinda like having breakfast or lunch in a dive bar with lots of natural lighting, which was fine. Very popular student hangout.

    Tomato Basil
    Kacey T.

    I am a regular at cafe on the ave. I love their tomato soup, it was buttery and super thick. It was also a good portion size. Cafe on the ave was super busy that day so I had a hard time studying there. The service was pretty quick. I will always be a supporter of this restaurant and I love all the seating and music Yas .

    Red velvet hot chocolate
    Noopur D.

    I very much appreciated the menu options here! I wanted something a bit lighter to eat and a sweet drink to accompany. I liked that they had "on the go" options so I got the veggie sandwich and the red velvet chocolate. The sandwich was pretty good, nice amount of flavors and vegetables. The hot chocolate was absolutely delicious, I really loved the comforting creaminess and the red velvet flavor was SO well done - still dreaming about it! My friends got the waffle and Benedict. Both were so good too. Service was really good too and all the staff were really sweet. We also enjoyed the big seating area!!

    Menu 1of6 (6/21/24)
    Marie B.

    Clearly I've been under a rock. I've walked by or driven past this corner spot on at 42nd & The Ave in Seattle's University District. It's been around since 2003! We had a brief power outage in North Seattle/Shoreline, so to escape the warm temps, The Homie recommended hanging out at Cafe on the Ave (6/21/24). Great business hours: 7am to 11pm Mondays - Thursdays & Sundays. Fridays and Saturdays 7am to 2am. Nice assortment of seating: two tops along screened open windows which allowed for a nice breeze, covered patio seating, bigger tables to allow for group meet ups, book club, gaming, etc. There's quite the variety of menu items and even a small bar area for 21+, essentially something for everyone. I had an Arnold Palmer and The Homie enjoyed an iced London Fog while onsite. Well worn, comfy college cafe vibe.

    watery ahh gyudon

    I just ordered the worst gyudon I've ever had in my life and I'm not even exaggerating. This is up there in terms of the most disgraceful things done to Japan since WW2 like man, take this off the menu PLEASE if you're gonna do it this awfully, JESUS!! LOOK AT MY PICS BRUH, GYUDON IS A RICE BOWL NOT A SOUP BOWL, LOOK HOW WATERY TS IS. this place is cookedddddd

    Kimchi Fried Rice
    Shachi S.

    One of my favorite spots in udistrict! I love the kimchi fried rice and the basil pesto pasta. Recently tried the tomato basil soup and it was so creamy and delicious! The portions sizes are generous too! Value for money

    Amazing cafe workers!

    It was a dark and stormy night, yet when I entered this cafe in the wee hours of the evening, I was greeted with the radiant sunshine of human kindness from these two lovely young ladies. Not only is the ambiance and quality of food here fantastic, but the workers here are extremely kind and beautiful :) I had a great experience and continue to come back! Thanks Zoey and Konnie for providing excellent service and always remembering my order/name

    California Croissant

    See all

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Elaine W.
    13
    32
    48

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Food is way too expensive to justify. The Kimchi fried rice is decent but is no way worth $17.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Eric D.
    691
    61
    9

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Meg P.
    0
    14
    6

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Michele R.
    0
    144
    159

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jenn W.
    134
    12
    14

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 3 of 14

    Cafe on the Ave Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Cafe on the Ave

    Are dogs allowed? Even just to order and then leave?

    I once saw a dog sitting next to entrance door but I don't think let you bring your dog

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Coffee & Tea 10,415 times last month within 5 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Fuel Coffee & Books

    Fuel Coffee & Books

    4.0
    (135 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $

    I stumbled into Fuel Coffee & Books on a morning when the whole neighborhood was still buzzing from…read morea 5K race, so the place was packed. Like, "good luck finding a quiet corner" packed. But honestly? The energy worked. The staff was moving with that calm, unbothered flow only seasoned baristas have. Friendly, attentive, and somehow keeping the line moving without making anyone feel rushed. Respect. Light was flooding every corner; that soft Seattle glow that makes you want to pull out your journal and pretend you live inside a cozy indie film. Ventilation was perfect. Temperature was perfect. Seating options? Abundant. And not the awkward wobbly kind either. This spot is built for lingering. I grabbed a latte, sat down, and immediately fell into an art journaling trance. There's something about being surrounded by curated shelves of books and cute little treasures that just unlocks your brain. It's the kind of place where you look up after ten minutes and somehow an hour passed. This was my first visit, but it's already on my list of "places I'll actually come back to and get work done." A rare category, honestly. If you're looking for a café that feels like a creative reset button; this is a great one.

    I had a DELICIOUS, smooth cold brew here. The nonfiction book selection is small, but well-curated…read more There are clean, plentiful, well-spaced out tables. I'll definitely be back with my laptop to get some work done!

    Photos
    Atmosphere + kyotobot on the right
    Atmosphere + kyotobot on the right
    Lounge in the front
    Lounge in the front
    Fuel Coffee & Books

    See all

    Leon Coffee House

    Leon Coffee House

    4.4
    (216 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $

    I am staying at a hotel two blocks away and needed a snack and warm beverage before my dinner and…read morethe hotel recommended Leon coffee house. I looked up their yelp page as well as their Instagram and knew I had to come just to get one of their lattes with their amazing foam art! They have a variety of waffles and sandwiches on the menu that seemed appetizing however because I got here after 3:30 the kitchen was closed but they have a variety of pre-made burritos and sandwiches that you could still buy. I love that they have a huge variety of non-dairy milks including soy which is my favorite. I wanted to get the turmeric latte however I mentioned that I couldn't wait to see the foam art and the Baristas told me that due to the light color of the latte, it would be difficult to see the foam art so I instead ordered the red velvet latte with soy and it was as delicious as it was cute! I also got the egg and sausage cheese burrito and it was chock full of eggs and sausage... very filling. The decor and seating options are plentiful upstairs and downstairs. They also have free pineapple infused water for guests to drink which I appreciate. Seems like a popular spot for UW students to do work as there are lots of outlets for their laptops.

    Very cute cafe with a colorful, pink, lively ambiance and adorable latte art. I ordered a 12 oz…read morelatte with a slice of double chocolate cake. I was surprised that the cake was so cheap around $4 but after the first bite, it tasted like it was from a Safeway bakery, which made me feel a bit scammed. The latte was a very light roast, so the coffee flavor was barely noticeable and it felt more like drinking hot milk. On the positive side, the servers were sweet and friendly. It took about 5-7 minutes to get our drinks, and the place was packed around 1:30 pm on a Saturday.

    Photos
    Cool Mysterious doors - perhaps for a slender villain!
    Cool Mysterious doors - perhaps for a slender villain!
    Taro purple latte
    Taro purple latte
    Mexican mocha

    See all

    Mexican mocha

    Cafe on the Ave - coffee - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...