RUDE! INCONSISTENT! CANNOT DO MATH! You would think these people could use the register properly.. They might be fast and the croissant sandwiches may taste alright, but they cannot get an order correct to save themselves. And to add to that, everything is over-priced. $5 for a mediocre blended coffee that would have been 100% better quality and 2$ cheaper at Starbucks. I ordered my drink and my sandwich; when they give me my order, the sandwich had egg in it, and my drink tasted like dirty milk with no syrup and expire espresso shots. When they corrected my sandwich and drink she said "Oh, I overcharged you" as I was walking out. -Extremely crowded with smokers outside. Watch your lungs! -Dont bring Kids. This place confirmed my hopelessness for the Excelsior. read more

Warning!!!! Do not eat from this place!!! I bought a breakfast sandwich this morning and immediately got sick after eating it! They are serving old eggs to you if you are not a regular customer of theirs. It cost me a whole day of work and I my stomach is still turning and threw up twice already!!!!! read more

just a plain old neighborhood coffee shop. i went in here to get a cup of coffee while waiting for my pizza next door at Little Ceasars. First thing I noticed was that there were a bunch of people outside looking like they were having a good time. i went in to get my cup of joe and was greeted when i came in, asked for my name, and was referred to by my name each time they talked to me! that'll be $1, Ray! do you want room in your coffee, Ray? have a nice day and come back soon, Ray! very nice people. good coffee. definitely a good place to spend your sunday morning. they have lots of chairs and a couple of couches and some books. i went back outside and realized why the people outside looked like they were having fun. we don't have many coffee shops in the excelsior district, and so this place looks like it's a godsend for the neighborhood. do you want read more

Grew up in the Excelsior...still live nearby...and still can't pronounce the name of the coffee shop on the corner of London and Geneva streets...but their coffee is just right. It's perfect for morning pick me ups and hangovers...Claddagh's regular house coffee is smooth tasting, dark and has that woodlike smell to it. I'm not sure of the brand they use but I like to go here on Saturday and Sunday mornings and grab my cup of coffee for to run the thousands of errands I never get a chance to do during the weekday. Absolutely not a Starbucks and not the place to order a kopi luwak or something fancy. But, they serve nice, strong enough house coffee (and of course...have the selection of mochas, lattes, iced drinks and pastries) Also, I appreciate that this is a family run establishment amidst the chain joints that open up. You just have to look for parking around the area (and has been difficult because of the crowd that Walgreens plus the other small businesses draw). Claddagh closes early ...4PM on weekends and 7PM on weekdays...I pull late nighters and would love coffee like at 8 or 9PM at times so that's the inconvenience of it...'small potatoes' issue but overall, great coffee and service! read more

Our neighborhood may lack the potential to attract an abundance of hipsters in search of the perfect burrito (not a great loss), but this doesn't mean locals don't share in the dreams of yuppy America, creating a cozy corner cafe to call your very own. Claddagh is Excelsior's answer. Weekday mornings, the Cantonese retiree Mah-Jong society scurries in and out of this place to get refills while parking themselves in the park bench out front and presumably discussing the old days. The friendly Chinese couple behind the counter smile when they recognize frequent patrons, and can often recall from your face exactly what you're going to order. And the house coffee, on a weekend morning, somehow hits the spot in the way that my own concoction cannot. Free wi-fi, an old Apple workstation usually adorned by a lonely Mexican housewife checking the weather in Guadalajara, and booming soft rock all add to the character of this place, our local anti-Starbucks. read more

I have to admit while their service isn't the best there could be, maybe because I'm not an old Chinese guy or something. They make great breakfast bagel sandwiches. Ham, cheese, and egg on a toasted plain bagel. Yum I'm only giving 4 stars because of that bagel. If it wasn't for that I would definitely be putting 2 stars haha. read more

I call this place "JAVA ON GENEVA" and is the place to get coffee in the Excelsior & Crocker Amazon area. The staff is friendly and the place is cozy, although it does need some upgrades, but it does have its old world neighborhood charm. Coffee prices are pretty reasonably priced and even taste better than Starbucks.......in my opinion. Love the free Wi-fi.........and wish they got a flat screen tv to watch sporting events. Great meeting place to study & do homework. Great tasting coffee & pastries. Yeah...............the best "Java on Geneva"..........I like that!!!!!!!! read more

I settled down here to do work on a Thursday afternoon around 5pm. Music is chill with no lyrics, and there's few sockets around so it's ideal to do work if you need to concentrate. I got an iced coffee (they don't have decaf iced) and a pumpkin cream cheese muffin. The coffee was good enough and the cupcake was dry and dense. It could be more than three days old or just a bad recipe. Either way, I don't recommend you get the cupcake, even if it's the freshest looking treat in the joint. Overall, it's a good enough place to work if you prefer to work in a cafe. Not too crowded and the drinks are good enough. read more

Best coffee in the Excelsior, imo. The people at the counter are always really nice and their coffee is always great. The interior is kind of run down, but has charm. Their frappes and hazelnut lattes are awesome. Not the best place for sandwiches but the coffee makes up for it read more

There are only a couple coffee houses a convenient busride away from my inconveniently-located Portola District house. This is one of them. It is also, by far, my favorite. Nice people, nice coffee, nice atmosphere for kicking back. read more

Pretty much the only good thing about this little spot (in a great location, right near misson on geneve) is the fact that it's a non commercial/local spot where the neighborhood's sleepy residents can meet up for a cup of joe and a nice paper read. That being said.... the coffee is meh at best. It's a bit wattery without much flavor, and the cappuccino my girlfriend bought was not only overly bitter, but had a weird sour taste to it. I work in a coffee shop, and I know first hand that the service you get can definitely turn a 2-star into a 4-star, but the worst part was that the two people working were mildly courteous at best. I got no more than a "Hi" and a "here ya go" which was kind of a bummer considering the best part about local spots is generally the people you meet. I'll stick to making my own coffee or hitting up spots where you know the coffee will be flavorful and smooth =]. read more

What can you do on a relaxing Sunday? Go to a local coffee shop. There is free wifi and coffee. :) A coffee junkies dream. The coffee isn't exceptional, but it will do since I don't want to drive far for a cup of joe. read more

I love this place. They are always really nice, ate community based, make great mochas, and have wonderful pastries. Its loud in there, but there is seating area. read more

Watch the change you pay with, regardless of the amount, they will only take 5 penny's. No tips today. Needs to be cleaned, your basic low level coffee shop. The only place near by my grandson's school where he can do some homework. The nearest Starbucks is a 20 minute drive each way, and zero parking. read more

Pretty good place and decent coffee. Like the bookshelf with books to browse and the comfy couch. Though they have weird rules about when the wi-fi is free and when it's not. Hey, it's a coffee shop, aren't you *supposed* to be able to hang out and surf the web? Oh and on a cold foggy day I had the hot cider with the cinnamon sticks and it was awesome! read more

I basically call this my "study paradise". My dad's been going to this joint for years and I always saw it as nothing more than just another local place on Geneva Ave. One month ago, I was proven wrong. My first impressions were "I think I just found myself somewhere to spend a good 1/4th of my college life". You simply cannot judge a book by it's cover and apart from the shabby exterior, the interior was as good as you need. I've always been one to order a mocha from anywhere and the taste is relatively the same and the price was a buck lower than what I would usually pay for a large. Having the mocha be extremely hot was an absolute bonus but that's just my own preferences. I love their ice blended coffees (coffee, caramel, mocha, etc.) but I just wish they put it up on their menu wall. I was completely unaware of those until my friend ordered one after I mistakenly ordered a dull ice coffee. I'd say the place has one of the friendliest staff around who allow free wi-fi (and for those in serious need of internet, an old Apple iMac is set up but costs 1$ for 10 minutes?), and a good amount of seating. In fact, they're not too strict on anyone staying inside the cafe for too long. I usually find myself in there for a good 3 hours before heading home. Overall, it's a decent place but add an extra star because it's a very chill place to be and probably the only notable coffee house past Geneva/Mission. The only flaw I would see in the place is the lack of napkins and the noisy Chinese construction crowd (and I understand every single cuss word that comes out of their mouths but I won't hold it against the cafe). The only flaws aside from the menu would be the strangers read more

This Cafè is unbelievable! It is very good with the pastries, and they don't only have coffee, they have ice drinks, for example, they have a green tea frap w/ whip cream! It is so good! They have white mochas too, which you don't usually see. (They taste really good!). Go to Claddagh coffee when you can, and don't miss out on their donuts! read more

This must be what it's like getting coffee in China. The clientele is predominantly older Chinese men, speaking very loudly and with great fervor, with zero assimilation into western aesthetics. That's fine if that's what you are into, but for the rest of us, it's a real drag to go to this place. In addition the coffee is really weak, and the food is weak and over priced. It's a shame, as there really aren't many options in the excelsior for coffee/pastries etc. I only go here because it's the only option, well that and Cumaica coffee down the street which is the Latino version of this crappy coffee shop. Too bad Mamas Art Cafe is a piece of garbage as well. Someone would kill it if they opened up a decent coffee shop- quality coffee, food and ambiance in the excelsior. read more

Please clean the place up. Power wash the dirty floors so there are no flies swarming. It could be a lot nicer and inviting. Looks like the owners do not care about or are oblivious about how a cafe should be. It is not a lot to ask for and not too expensive. Get decent clean couches which do not look like something picked from the side of a freeway. Pretty basic stuff and you'll get 10 times the returns on your investment. read more

I've visited this place many times since it opened. I only come if I forgot to make coffee that day. Otherwise, why spend money on coffee, since it's a little expensive. Yes, this place has wi-fi. Do we really need it? Of course not? cause there isn't a place to sit to be able to use it. It's crowded with asian people who lounges there forever in the day. People who want to sit there and ordered a sandwich pretty impossible. So, why ordered lunch here. There is a no smoking zone out front, but nobody follows it. I walked by and a ton of smoke in your face. On a nice Spring day, it's just lovely to have smoke down my lungs, while I gulp down my water down coffee. read more

If you are looking for average coffee, rude service, bugs, and dirty floors this is your place. I wish there was a good coffee place in the area because this place certainly isn't one. read more

Only been here twice. Same woman working. Same classy jazz music. Unfortunately, same crowd. I was the only woman customer in here, & you could only hear the music if you were lucky. I'm Asian, so no offense...but the Asian men in here DOMINATE the place. All the tables were taken & all I could mostly hear were them talking. They were the kind that stare. Fortunately the first time I went here it was near closing time, so the bathroom had just been cleaned. Don't know how it was prior though. Convenience of this place is awesome, just a few minutes to walk to from my place. I've only had 2 drinks but they were made quickly & tasted pretty good. Haven't had anything else. If it weren't for the crowd, I'd be back more often. read more

This is one of the least appealing businesses in the Excelsior that I can think of. I live just a couple of blocks away and I would give anything to have a nice coffee shop that I can patronize happily. Unfortunately it looks incredibly unwelcoming, ugly, and dirty, that I have never been able to force myself to walk inside. The crowd of chain-smoking day laborers lingering outside make it look like the Asian version of Kelly Moore on Army street. And who wants to fight lung cancer to reach the front door? No, thank you. Martha Bros on Mission is a MUCH better place! read more

pretty good coffee! Only one girl working so kinda slow. But they have brown sugar, splenda, all the good stuff at the bar. The one girl working was very nice for being so friggen busy! read more

It's a decent hang out spot. Not mind blowing but sometimes you just need to get a cup of coffee that's close to your house. Way better than the petrol-filled crap that I got a the wharf with some out-o'towners the day before. Place could use one more small table though. read more

5 years later I thought I'd give them a second chance. Unbelievably, the service is worse than before! Today, I went in asking for the a hot chai, and explained I was happy to pay the full price ($4.25) of the cold chai. I was really hopeful the service would be better, and thinking after so many years they must have learned how to be kind to customers. Nope. They told me there was no way they could alter the drink because it might be bad for my health. They even have a picture on their counter of the chai made hot, like a chai latte. I pointed at the picture on their counter and explained, "I'm just asking you to make what you are displaying here as a product you serve." She said no. Then I said, okay, I'll just get it cold, even though it's freezing out today. She then told me she wouldn't sell me the cold one because I might not like it. Terrible. Worst service I've ever received any where. read more

I have always loved this place. My wife and I stumbled upon it by accident about 14 years ago while attending a convention at Cow Palace. We had coffee and sandwiches from here, (Very good btw) and also pastries from the bakery next door every morning for three days. One year later we came back for the same convention as we walked in the door they greeted us BY NAME!! So far they have remembered us every year we go back and we are only there three days. That's customer service! Now every time we are in the bay area we make it a point to stop by. Not great looking from the outside but definately a diamond in the rough. read more

Cozy coffee shop with lots of character and yummy baked goods. Great for studying, grading papers, reading and relaxing! Only drawback is they don't have their own wi-fi network, but you can usually pick one up anyways. Lovely place! read more

This place is gross...there are a whole bunch of old chinese guys sitting out in front drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes. The actualy spit right on the floor as I was walking by. I was going to go in and try the place out, but the spitting, smoking and blocking the door, just turned me off. read more

This place looks like a union meeting in the morning and an AA meeting at night. The coffe was OK and the sevice was fine- but can I say that their sign is an eye sore...(but both the businesses next to it have plastic banners for their signs.) Gawd my neighborhood sucks :P read more

Cozy little cafe. I dropped in for a hot chocolate, wasn't too bad. Took a while to make it though.

I like this place because it's close to my house. I used to sit here with my roommate for hours, but, she moved on to a different house and local coffee stop. The coffee is inexpensive, which is nice in a city where it seems the price of everything is just a little too much. Don't drink too much of their coffee though because it will make you jittery! read more

Wouldnt go out of my way but a comfortable little Joint to grab a coffee or chai tea latte. Rather spicy for the chai but im used to Starbucks so its just a preference thing. read more

Living in the Outer Mission/Excelsior, a decent cup of coffee is surprisingly hard to come by.. I guess our area just isn't as trendy and hip, like the Noe Valley, the Haight, or even the Richmond, for that matter. I think the closest Crapbucks is either at Westlake in DC or on West Portal. Thankfully, this place opened in the neighborhood a few years back and solved the need for me to have to hunt down a place for my caffeine fix. (What does Claddagh mean anyway?) The decor of the place is rustic. The jazz station is always playing. The outdoor signs are hand-painted. There are always two benches on the outside and neither of them match the other. It's like they found them at a garage sale and thought, "hey, our customers would appreciate a place to sit outside.. who cares what they look like." But regardless of the decor and the atmosphere, I've always found their coffee to be consistent. Which isn't to say it's particularly great, but still good enough that I wouldn't hesitate to come back for another cup the next day. read more

I was looking for something similar to this for a long time in this area! I am usually a big fan of small mom and pop coffee places, and they finally have one in this area so I don't have to travel far just so I can work at a starbucks. Their coffee is whatever, but their service is top notch as well as the ambiance is amazing. We need more of these coffee shops in this area. read more

As one reviewer said, this is not a cafe for hipsters, but it is a great cafe for us Excelsior types. It is very simple and has average coffee. But it is also quiet and nice for study because not that many people are there in the mid-day when I went. read more

needed a breakfast and a decent internet connection last Sunday. What I found was both: A perfect bagle, really tasty and cheap a 7MBit internet connection, better than anything else I saw so far in San Francisco and on top, I had friendly chats with people from the Phillipines, a comfortable sofa and good coffee. You are there in the middle of the real community life and definitely not in a tourist spot read more

Love this place!! Great lattes & breakfast sandwiches! Plus all the girls that work there are very sweet! Specifically, the one who works Saturday & Sunday evenings read more

3 strikes and you're out. Strike one, the manager (a nice guy) made a very disrespectful and rude remark to me while purchasing a cup of coffee. When I gave him the wrong change he said "boy you really need that coffee, maybe you'll be able to think better." What was that all about. I guess everybody has a bad moment. Strike 2, yesterday I went in with only $1.25. Coffee costs $1.35. I asked if I could pay the 10 cents the next time I come in. The young server instructed me to use the ATM in the next block. I left coffee-less. Strike 3, there are always about 4-10 guys on the bench sitting right outside the shop smoking away. You get a nice whiff of second hand smoke with every cup of coffee. I'm going to go to Martha and Brother's or Mama's Art Cafe on Mission. I think our neighborhood deserves a little better. read more

Two stars just for having an awesome chocolate brownie. I could never see this cafe as a place to unwind at, though. The cashier did his job, but was cold. Plus, every time I walk by on my way to Walgreens, there are about 10 smokers hanging out at the front entrance. Oh, and I dislike their selling Aussie Bites. They've got every right to sell whatever they want, but a good cafe sells its own baked goods; they don't buy them by the box at Costco. :( read more