Delicious iced and hot caramel macchiato! Really yummy spiced mocha less sweet with almond milk!

The staff here is totally oblivious! My friend and I walk in and have to use the restroom. My friend goes over and the door is locked, so she stands at the side of the counter to wait. I join her in line. Literally ten minutes pass. We're checking the door, sort of knocking, and resolve ourselves to waiting for whoever is inside. We meet a handful of Australians, a couple, a mother and son, all of whom join this ever growing line for the restroom. Seriously, there are like ten people in line now RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE BARISTA STATION. After about twenty minutes, we ask the guy in the front if we need a key, and he says "oh yeah, I locked it." !!!!!!! There is NO WAY the guys behind the counter did not notice ten people standing in line for the bathroom engaging in various attempts at opening the door, etc., and loudly lamenting the fact that they have to wait so long. This was SO stupid, it was incredible. Once in, the bathroom smelled like a public park toilet. Yum! I didn't get coffee myself, because I was full from dinner, but three in our party did, and all exclaimed that all they tasted was milk and no coffee. Sort of an odd crowd too. I didn't stay, and I don't plan on coming back. read more

Such a great coffee spot. The ambiance is perfect for studying, reading a book, or just catching your breath. The lavender latte is a favorite! And the baristas are all so nice. Highly recommend this gem! read more

Great local coffee house. The prices aren't too pressing and the shop is trying to be nothing more than just a casual hangout place. Lots of seating and a very relaxed beach vibe. There seemed to be a lot of regular costumers which is always good to see. There are huge windows to let in lots of light and outdoor seating was also available. I ordered the cappuccino which was decent, nothing incredible but you do get a large amount of foam. I would estimate about a third of the cup was foam. They have pastries offered at the counter but the breakfast sandwiches seemed to be popular amongst the regulars. I would come back for the homey and comfortable vibe this coffee house brings. It feels rustic and isn't trying to be a serious coffee place. They just make their drinks with care and send you on your way. Would definitely recommend for hanging out with family and friends to start the day or for a nice place to study. read more

Coffee Cartel - Foamy cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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I almost wanted to give this place 2-stars this time, but I think that's because the customers were "meh"--not the service or the place itself. I still like this place, don't get me wrong. I got a decaf earl grey latte which was DELICIOUS. MMMMmmmm. Get it. Doooo itttt. My best friend loved it (she got this berry juice thing that ended up tasting like water with a hint of fruity flavor...and my other friend got this pomegranate juice thing that tasted like medicine... HAHA) Last time i came here with my friends, I played monopoly deal with my friends and we had a jolly good time. HAHA. jolly good. mm yes yes. BUT THIS TIME, right as we walked in, it's dead quiet. I didn't know this place turned into a LIBRARY. I'm just walking back to the seats with my drink and everyone looks up and is staring. I thought people only stopped and stared at celebrities or car accidents...I'm not a celebrity. But maybe i should have waved just so i could see their reactions..hmm read more

I remember this was a popular hang out spot back when I was in high school years ago. Honestly now, I'm not really sure why I thought this place was so cool. You know what? I also thought bell bottoms were cool when I was in High School, so clearly I had some lack in judgement there. The coffee really isn't that good. The furniture could also use some touch up: the couches are old, (and not the charming,rustic, country cottage kind of "old") and the chairs aren't very comfortable. The parking lot is small: expect to park on the street, and bring change for the meters! I guess this is a place to swing by if you happen to be out by Redondo Beach and need a caffeine fix. I always like to support local shops and small businesses as opposed to the large chains of Starbucks or Coffee Bean. Otherwise though, I would pass. read more

I first heard of Coffee Cartel about 6 years ago from a couple people that I met in school. Fast forward 6 years and I finally tried it out. I thought it was pretty funny since I've been in the area a couple times before to get food or dessert, but I never saw this place. For some reason I was expecting a small little coffee shop with just a couple tables so I was pretty shocked when I saw that this place was pretty large. The inside had plenty of seating with your choice of chairs or couches. They also had a decent amount of outdoor seating. You can seriously fit about 50 people in this place. I really liked how they had several different board games and a portion of the wall was covered with books. This place just had that neighborhood coffee shop feel to it. // DRINKS // White mocha: I thought the flavor was pretty good. It wasn't too sweet like the white mocha from Starbucks so I enjoyed that part. I forgot the name of the other drink, but it was basically like a hot chocolate with shots of espresso in it. The drink has a really strong flavor to it, but I did enjoy it a lot. Overall, I liked the feel and the drinks from Coffee Cartel. It's slightly out of the way for me so I wouldn't come here too often, but I will definitely be back if I'm in the area. read more

Stopped in here for some much needed coffee and was not disappointed. I had some plain coffee, and at the counter there's a nice little display of what types of regular brews they had made up. All of which were organized by strength. A small touch, I know, but a very nice one. I enjoyed a medium strength Guatemala Antigua roast and it certainly did the trick. My girlfriend tried one of the specialty cappuccinos called the "Clovamochaccino." Which was very kind to her sweet tooth. The staff was a little offbeat, but VERY friendly. The prices were also incredibly reasonable. Under $2 for a big coffee and under $4 for a specialty drink? That's pretty crazy low for this city. Also, this place is great for relaxing, reading, and getting some work done on your laptop. Nice little tables, overstuffed furniture, and plenty of books and cool decor made us feel right at home. Overall, it's just a great cafe in a great section of town. Can't sing it's praises enough. Will definitely be back! read more

Coffee Cartel - Lounge area - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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Looking for a "beachy" coffee shop to enjoy some hot coffee drinks in the rain. Stumbled on this place. No seating inside or out and it's a one way in and one way out set up... thanks COVID. Tried the Spicy Moroccan mocha and hubs had a plain black coffee. $10. It was the first time I've ever tried this type of mocha. I love habanero and other spicy foods, so I went for it. The plain black coffee was burnt. Guy taking order seemed shocked or bothered that I didn't know what was in this mocha and explained it like I should've known better. Maybe it's the mask thing and the fact we can't see expressions or attitude since half our face is covered. That just means we should compensate by being more welcoming, warm and friendly. For me, eating/drinking at venues is always about the ambience, service and food/drink quality. They can't do much about the ambience because of the health restrictions.... but there's much they can improve on even during a global pandemic. #1 the customer service #2 the product quality. I'd give the mocha 4, the guy working the counter 2...just like the burnt, plain, black coffee 2. Parking was limited, spaces small and almost was hit twice by people not paying attention, maybe due to the rain? read more

Coffee Cartel - Moroccan Mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

This place has an amazing ambience. It's hip, cozy, chill! And their lavender coffee has made my day! Highly recommend! Just for Dobby that they have in the kitchen, you know what I mean HP fans ;) read more

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The man who made my specialty drink really knew what he was doing. I asked him what his personal favorite was and in two seconds he responded with his favorite. He also reassured that the drink he wanted me to have was the best. And indeed the drink was delicious. He even said he would make me a different one if it wasn't to my liking. The seating situation is probably the best around. Comfortable chairs and couches with electrical outlets. Great place to go study if you can find a good seat (although there are a bunch of seats it can still fill up on the weekends). Overall, I would recommend this coffee shop to everyone. Definitely my go-to coffee shop for studying when I'm in town. read more

Coffee Cartel - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

i got an iced oat milk latte and an iced tea they were both SO GOOD. the tall short haired blonde & short brunette ladies were so sweet and helpful. so gorgeous and kind and made me feel so comfortable. amazing service from them, would definitely return even though its thirty minutes away from me read more

Coffee cartel is an amazing place where everyone feels welcome and loved. I have been going to coffee cartel since I moved to Redondo beach. Good coffee, great service. To me it is social place to go have coffee and discuss politics, sports, local news and connect with locals. Feels like home. I read some negative reviews from some Karen's on yelp. Word of advice go get your coffee from Starbucks. Coffee cartel is about good coffee, local connections, fun and laughter. I have met Judges, aerospace engineers, doctors at this amazing place. Thank you Coffee Cartel for making me feel like home. read more

Nice local cafe in the Riviera Village section of Redondo Beach (south end of Redondo Beach bordering Torrance and Palos Verdes). Good alternative to your commercial chains (e.g., Starbucks and Coffee Bean, both of which are nearby). Coffee drinks are good, made with care, and the snacks have a similar homey, hands-on feel (e.g., mini carrot cake muffins and lemon tarts). Indoor seating is a mix of regular tables and chairs plus sofas and coffee tables (think a slightly more used version of Central Perks from the Friends sitcom), with various books and board games scattered about. Outdoor seating is limited to small tables and chairs. There's a small lot for parking, but ample metered parking. read more

I love coming across random coffee shops that aren't a part of a chain you see on the corner of every block. This coffee shop was a blend of everything I love, books, graffiti and coffee! If I could be summed up into a coffee shop it would be this one. My friend got the lavender iced latte which I have to say is officially my new favorite, any other place I've had a lavender latte tastes like you're drinking coffee with essential oil but this had just the right touch of lavender. I got one of their specials that had nutmeg and cinnamon, it was a cold coffee but without ice..interesting. Anyways the coffee warms up pretty fast and I decided to ask for ice, got charged a buck for ice..which I thought was weird. So maybe add ice to that coffee? Overall the staff can be a bit warmer and nicer and their decor can use a facelift. I would come here just for the coffee and the books but unfortunately not the service. read more

Coffee Cartel - Super cool bathroom - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

A new favorite! The baristas are all very friendly and helpful. I love the Mojave chai. My boyfriend loved the white mocha.

Nice coffees and outdoor dining! I liked how there are different sizes of coffees - not so usual these days anymore! Interior is rather quirky but I think that matches the name of the business. Would be back!! read more

No. I wanted a coffee and the kids wanted a sweet snack. After getting through the cloud of smoke from all the smokers outside, we made it into a dirty looking Cafe. Not many things to choose from and not a very inviting place. We left shortly after and walked across the street to a lovely little Cafe that turned out to be what we were looking for. read more

Excellent tasty coffee, the price was good and the service even better. Would have loved to have hung out longer but my lunch partner had an errand to run. read more

Drinks, company, atmosphere, wifi. What more is there to say? :) Oh yeah. Tuesday nights are poetry nights. Drinks: -Coffee is decent - Steamed cider is pretty delicious and has a real cinnamon stick inside! - Hot chocolate is even better Lemon Bar: -Mediocre, but still delicious! *Place is normally filled with locals. read more

Been coming here for years. The staff is friendly and easy going. If you buy something you can basically stay there all day. They also don't care if you bring in your own food as long as it isn't hot and smelling up the place. Smokers and Vapers hang outside. Tuesday nights is poetry night... be ready for an invasion of students and poets pouring in around 8PM. read more

Very cozy and friendly place, very clean and good I enjoyed, I recommend customer services is very friendly :) read more

The only place that can do a small half caf coffee with vanilla and cream correctly. They let me bring my dog in too, which means a lot cause then I can get coffee with my old girl on Sundays. read more

Little hole in the wall place. People at counter seemed a little annoyed they had to work? Coffee was not great.

Love this place! I come here to read outside and enjoy a delicious coffee or boba. Best place to get boba in the Riv! And the atmosphere here is great. Squishy armchairs, lots of books. read more

My lavender latte was good but made from a powder. My friend ordered a chocolate croissant and it was stale. It was not very fresh. Would not order a pastry again. read more

if you like having little kids running around screaming yelling and chasing each other, then this is the place to go! I've been going to Coffee Cartel for years to enjoy peace and quiet and light-hearted conversation with some friends, along with of course, a nice cup of joe. No more! Now, instead of going to a park, moms are bringing their kids to Coffee Cartel, where they can run wild and free and make as much noise and mayhem as they want with no oversight. Please don't get me wrong, I love kids and have two of my own. However, when I want to go somewhere to just chill, Coffee Cartel was always my go-to place. However, if this is how it's going to continue, then I'm out and will never referr this place to any friends again. read more

I was walking around downtown and the name stuck out to me so I wanted to try them out! Walking in there's a rustic vibe in the shop which I loved. There was plenty of seating to relax or do some work. They offer a lot different drinks on the menu and plus bagels & pastries! Coffee and chai latte was delicious! I just wish the shop was a little cleaner but that's not gonna stop me from coming back. read more

Out of all the coffee shops in the surrounding area, the only good thing going for this place is its close proximity to the beach. This is my third time here, I was hoping it would be a better experience but it was not. They have free wifi here, but the white guy with the beanie is very rude when I asked him for it. He asked me if I was a paying customer when I clearly had already purchased a beverage. His total lack of a smile and demeanor made me feel unwelcomed. If you want good coffee, there's so many other close by places to check out. I honestly felt I was robbed spending four dollars for old iced- coffee. Take my advice, try somewhere else. read more

Good drinks, good atmosphere, and friendly staff! I ordered the chocolate mint frap and it was amazing!

Great place to grab a cup of coffee. I'm not from the area but was wandering around the Redondo area on my day off when I found this spot. First, the area to sit down and relax both inside and outside is amazing. Great setup. Lots of people here on the Sunday I came but java chip came out quick! Friendly guys on the counter. Parking right out front. Just a short walk from the beach. read more

Delicious coffee and good vibes but oh god is it dirty in the sitting area. Found a moldy chip bag in one of the shelves next to my seat, but damn was my latte good. read more

As a Redondo Beach resident I've always liked coming to the Coffee Cartel and bringing my friends as a hangout spot and to study. Workers there like Vishna (I think I remember her name to be) and the gentlemen with a thick mustache were always very friendly and gave good customer service. My experience with them is why I am putting two stars instead of one. However, the last few times I came here I noticed one of the male workers (who usually wears a beanie) there was not as friendly when I would ask him questions and he would always refuse to give me WiFi unless I showed proof I was a paying customer. This led up to my experience today, Jan. 10, 2018 when I asked for the WiFi and he did not give it to me because I was not a paying customer. Then he rudely recommended I buy something after I sat back down. When I didn't and just proceeded to spend time with my friend, he asked me to leave. SERIOUSLY!? He said I was taking space even though I had spent a lot of time there without buying anything, I wasn't being disruptive in any way shape or form, and I've never seen anyone else asked to leave for not being a customer. This awful experience was embarrassing to me and caused me to write my first yelp review. Don't think I'll come back or recommend this place to anybody just because of it. read more

This place is the best. It is friendly and welcoming.Some people are too sensitive. They need to accept the place for what it is Simply a great location. Enjoy it. Alex and jo do great work. Thank them read more

This place is... not great. I had a large cold brew and turkey panini which totaled $15. Not bad prices and both items were decent enough, however it took 15+ minutes for the panini to be made. The atmosphere in this joint is pretty neat, although it is really quiet, even by my standards it could stand to lighten up a bit. The shop doesn't seem very clean. There's big chunks of old foot, dirt and I don't know what else on everything. The customer service is also not good. The staff isn't friendly and that is a pet peeve of mine, especially when they don't make you feel welcome. Probably won't return. read more

I had randomly heard about Coffee Cartel from a coworker who mentioned he grew up in Torrance and used to love this place, and since I live in Redondo Beach, I should check it out! One evening, I had a bit of work to do but didn't want to go home, and remembered this cafe so I decided to check it out bc it was open late, and first things first, all the meters were free because it was the holidays and RB City Council or whatever decided to be nice AF - TIS THE SEASON FOR FREEEE PARKING! I walked in and it was very cozy and... old fashioned? In a sense? Like a cozy den and library at your uncle's house who you're not super close with but he is probably cool (or maybe not idk). The baristas working were funny and vibing with me as we dabbed here and there, and they suggested I get a white chocolate mocha, which was deeeelicious! There's plenty of places to sit and a lot of outlets, so if you're looking for something a little less clean cut and #aestheticgoalzzzzz and something more old fashioned/vintage/homey, you should def make a trip!!! read more

Finally checked this place out and it was okay. I had a latte and it wasn't the best I've had but it also wasn't horrible. The place really needs a makeover or something. I feel like it has a ton of potential. It could feel more warm and comfortable. It's cool and convenient that it's open pretty late. read more

This is easily my favorite coffee spot in town. The coffee is good and the bobba drinks are great, but I go for the ambiance and easy feeling. Lots of folks are working or studying here, relaxing in the oversized couches and chairs. The Cartel has been here for a long time and have served the beach cities well so don't expect a chic, lah-ti-dah coffee house vibe. It's definitely chill. Most folks keep their voices in check and the wifi is strong. read more

Even though I have over 300 check-ins here and stop by at least twice a week, I feel somewhat unqualified to review Coffee Cartel. This is because in the 4+ years I've been coming here, I've ordered a grand total of perhaps 3-4 total menu items. Yes, I'm one of those people. I can't speak for *any* of the food items, but if I'm honest they've never looked terribly appetizing to me. However, the coffee drinks I've had here have been consistently solid, from my stalwart triple-tall-latte to the refreshing Morning Hammer and the I-think-I-have-the-shakes Depth Charge. The employees (especially Nick, Alex and owner Doug) are genuinely cool people, and the themed wifi passwords (changed daily) keep things interesting. This is a locals spot, and there's something comforting about popping in each morning and spotting the regulars. Cartel's reputation is largely built on its PM crowd (not its AM one), so I'm afraid I can't speak to the poetry slams and singer-songwriters and wet t-shirt contests or whatever goes on in the evenings. But it's a fantastic place to get work done while surrounded by awesome people, bizarre literature and blazing fast wifi. read more

Beautiful coffee spot if you're into surf spot nearby. Morning hours are quite and relaxing