I had lunch with my daughter and enjoyed the short walk through the City. The location is a school for bright students from all over the world and this was summer break. The cafe offers a reprieve from the bustle of downtown, where I felt relaxed among the many young people in the cafe. Although I only had a drink, my daughter loved her salad, which you make yourself. I would totally come here every day, just for the exercise and nice environment. read more

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Was hesitant after reading the not so great reviews but we were tired after visiting the Broad (which is right across the street) so we walked in. The place is quite modern with super high ceiling and window walls all around. The self serve cafeteria is basic - a simple salad bar, a grill station, etc. It looks like a school cafe catering to students and staff so price point is pretty low for the downtown location. Average pp is around $15, plus drink. Also a decent coffee bar inside. Very casual but pleasant ambiance with super strong AC so great place to stop by after long walks around downtown area. read more

A hidden gem there in DTLA. Think "elevated" Whole Foods hot bar at Trader Joe's prices. Clean place with well seasoned food. Can't get enough read more

Scary attempt of a French dip sandwich. Served with a softball sized collection of pickles, banana peppers, and olives. The chips were good but the rest was really bad. The lady who made it was nice. Also not served with any broth to make it a French dip. read more

Colburn Café - French dip sandwich - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I am writing to share my sincere appreciation for several members of your team at Colburn Café who have made a lasting impact on my experience there over the past three years. As the mother of a dedicated young cellist, I spend many hours on campus while my son attends classes and rehearsals. What began as brief café visits during his one hour lessons has grown into long weekends and sometimes weekdays where I find myself at Colburn for four or five hours at a time. Over those years, the café has become more than just a place to grab a snack or coffee; it has become a welcoming and familiar space, thanks in large part to your exceptional staff.Andres and Maria were the first team members I came to know. Their kindness, warm energy, and genuine enthusiasm for their work consistently brighten my day. It's a gift to be greeted by friendly faces who remember you, share a bit of conversation, and make you feel like more than just another customer.Miguel has become my favorite chef, known (at least to me!) for our weekly tater tot tradition. Our lighthearted banter while he prepares food for a long line of customers adds such a personal touch. Being remembered week after week in such a simple but meaningful way creates a sense of belonging that is rare and deeply appreciated. Melchora is truly one of the sweetest and most gentle people I have met on campus. I lovingly call her my "Mama Coco." Whenever I see her working around campus, her warm smile and kind spirit lift my entire week. She carries herself with such grace and care, and her presence is a blessing to everyone around her.In a world where so many interactions feel rushed or impersonal, the team at Colburn Café stands out. These individuals do more than serve food and drinks they create connection, comfort, and community. They have turned what could be long, tiring hours of waiting into time spent in a place that feels like a second home.Please know that their efforts do not go unnoticed. These team members are true assets not only to Colburn Café but to the broader Colburn community. They are the unsung heroes who nourish both body and spirit, and they deserve recognition for the difference they make every single day.I also want to let you know that there are some younger staff member that also truly amazing I don't know them by name but they are wonderful young ladies that are kind and always greet me with a sweet smile. Even Miguels young side kick chef ( sorry I don't know his name) is super sweet and friendly. Overall you have cultivated such an incredible team and I am so grateful! With sincere heartfelt gratitude, read more

Lessons learned~when I walked in waiting in line, I thought it was going to be less than 20min on the weekend, but after seeing they serve Starbucks coffee, I wasn't interested in any coffee drinks anymore because I only either drink Peets or Bodhi Leaf Coffee Traders brands. I waited for about 10min, then quit the line to take pics instead. So, they sell pastries, Starbucks coffee, salad and other entrees. When I got here yesterday, Saturday, Feb/4/23, there existed a crowd inside Colburn Cafe. Staff was wearing masks inside Colburn Cafe. I really wanted to stay around longer since I paid for flatrate parking $10, but the main line at the cashier was taking too long. I will have to come back at least to try an entree or a pastry. They offer indoor and outdoor seating. There were plenty of tables and chairs outside. Another weird fact~weekend parking is cheaper than week day parking? Hmmm. I'll be back because weekend line was too long, so perhaps on a week day! Basically weekday parking was $14, but weekend parking was $10. Interesting! I kept 'Colburn Cafe,' bookmarked for next trip back to DTLA!!!! Cya next trip! read more

Delicious fresh food for not a huge price. It was so fresh I was so surprised that it was so inexpensive. Here's a picture of my salad that I created on the salad buffet. The ambiance is mostly quiet but sometimes a little noisy but overall very calm and peaceful. I would recommend for a Sunday. read more

Colburn Café - Delicious self-made salad from the salad bar - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I came here on a Sunday with my mom after an afternoon at the Broad-it was a 2-3 min walk. I ordered a grilled cheese and ham sandwich and my mom ordered a chicken quesadilla. The portions were quite large and delicious. The workers were also very kind and let us know the closing hours of the cafe as well. The interior was quite nice and air conditioned, which was great for how hot that day was. Would recommend for a quick and inexpensive bite in LA! read more

I was never that musically talented, but I can be an expert at eating a music school's café. This place is a little hard to find as it's off the main street front, but it's a cool place with an eclectic menu. Since it's subsidized by the music school, the prices are also pretty good, especially when you consider it's downtown. They have a grill station where you can order burgers, fries, etc., a make-your-own salad bar, a sandwich counter, a soup station, and two other special stations with a rotating menu. You can check out the daily menu online to see their specials. Today I went with the skirt steak and chimichurri with grilled veggies on the side. It was charged $0.49 an ounce, and it ended up being around $9 for all that food. Not bad for downtown! The steak itself had pretty good flavor, but the meat was pretty tough. Maybe it's because it was a leaner cut of skirt steak, but it definitely took a lot of chewing. The veggies on the side tasted fresh and were sautéed well. The café has a good number of tables, and it's an interesting mix of artsy music students with professionals from the nearby office buildings. They also have a Starbucks inside the seating area, so you can pick up a coffee on the way out too. It's not the best food, but Colburn Café certainly has decent food for a decent price. I'd come back to check out some of their other menu items. read more

Colburn Café - Skirt Steak with chimichurri! - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Good steak for 12 dollars! The thing that brought it down is the fries. The taste after a few seconds brought it down fast. Don't recommend the fries but the steak yes!! read more

Fantastic place to grab eats near Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Music Center. So glad Colburn has this option!

Depending on the week and the menu, Colburn Cafe is a hit or miss. We've had some really good food when it's a hit - like the meat (carnitas and asada) for tacos and tortas. I didn't care for the soups they have here. It's clean, **pretty** organized, and they have a good variety of items for lunch. I do want to try their breakfast one time or another. :) The food is pricey tho. read more

Hard chairs. Wifi keeps logging out. Coffee bar randomly closed. No power outlets. Didn't try the food. .79 per oz salad bar may be agood deal read more

Colburn is a performing arts school located in the Museum/Arts area just north of the Financial District in DtLA. Within the crevices of Grand Ave right behind the campus, you'll find the Colburn Café. It's a cool little find with limited eateries around. This café is cafeteria style with a few stations, Asian, grill, salads, deli. The beef randang look appealing and tried it with added veggies on top. The sauce was very tasty with coconut milk and curry. Beef itself need a bit love. It lacked stewing time and sodium. There's open seating. Definitely reminds me of college café but a bit cleaner. Overall, the food here is just okay and the prices are reasonable. read more

Colburn Café - Beef randang.. pretty good. - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I happened onto this place by chance while I was looking for a place to eat during my jury duty lunch break, as it was easily within walking distance of the courthouse. As many others have already mentioned, this is a cafeteria-format restaurant. I'm not a particularly picky guy, I hadn't eaten here before, and I was far too lazy to walk another few blocks down to grand central market to get some tasty carne asada tortas from Tacos Tumbras a Tomas, so I figured why not give this place a try? I ordered a pastrami melt and onion rings. I also filled up a 20oz cup with ginger ale from the beverage dispensing machine. The total came out to $10.33, which I thought was a bit high for what I got in return for my fiat currency. The pastrami melt was actually pretty decent tasting, and toasted properly. Having said that, the portion of pastrami inside the sandwich was disappointingly small - the volume of pickles in the sandwich was literally as much as the volume of meat (I'm not making this up - see my attached photo) I couldn't help but immediately experience a flashback of the 1980's "Where's the Beef?" commercial - the cliche would have been disturbingly appropriate for the occasion. If you're accustomed to the generous portions of pastrami you would get in a sandwich from Langer's (Westlake) or a burger from Tops (Pasadena), you are guaranteed to be underwhelmed if you order the pastrami melt from Colburn Cafe. :-( The onion rings were excellent in both taste and texture. In fact, they were better than *most* onion rings that I've had, and I have absolutely *nothing* bad to say about them at all. :-) I don't know if the cafe simply purchased the cheapest craptastic brand of ginger ale they could find, and/or if the syrup in the mixing machine had gone bad/flat, but the ginger ale was quite horrible - the complete opposite experience I'm used to when I'm drinking GOOD ginger ale like the stuff made by Canada Dry. This is apparently what I get for not first sampling the soda being dispensed from the nozzle before filling my cup. :-( Now to again alternate to another positive note: I could not help but notice the restaurant was conspicuously clean. The word that immediately came to mind to describe both the hygiene and decor of the place was "STERILE". The restroom in particular deserves plenty of applause for its fresh citrus/lemony scent and the exceptionally high standard of upkeep to which it is apparently held. As this was not a full service restaurant, I can't really comment much on "service", but I would like to say I didn't have to wait long for my food to be cooked (5 minutes tops), and that the lady working the cash register was pretty friendly. There was also plenty of seating available for diners (both inside and outside), even though I had arrived at noon on a Monday. Overall, I would have given this place at least 4 out of 5 stars if 1) I hadn't gotten such vile "ginger ale" from the machine, and 2) if they weren't so stingy with the pastrami portions. Now comes the big question: would I eat here again? My answer would be a qualified "yes" - I *would* eat here again, but given that the parking is so horrible (as it is pretty much everywhere in downtown Los Angeles), I would only come back again if I happened to be on foot in the area again, and if I was too lazy to walk to a potentially better restaurant. read more

Colburn Café - Pastrami melt and onion rings - $10.33USD. All great tasting, but notice how there's as much meat as there are pickles. :-( - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

If I knew it wouldn't be filled all the way, I would have gotten a size smaller. And PAID for a size smaller. read more

Colburn Café - Large drip coffee with cream. - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

So glad I found out this place exists! It looks like it's part of a school/university but is open to the public! It's right next to the Omni Hotel and attached to a Starbucks. Both are located across the street from the Broad museum. The building it's located in is really nice and open and plenty of seating! It's a cafeteria style where you kind of order or grab what you want and then pay up front. I ordered: GRASS FED SWISS BURGER - this was part of the grill station - this burger was honestly one of the most satisfying burgers i've had - the taste was so juicy and it came with a brioche bun and all the toppings! - for the price it was well worth what i got! I also like how they have specials everyday that are posted next to the various stations. I saw a tostada salad station and multiple things I would love to try in the future! Overall, will definitely come back and try more things from this place! read more

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Idk why this isn't rated at least 4 stars. Anyhow, i come here for lunch. It's a break from all the wild, expensive, busy overrated La restaurants. Ima gonna make a list of what i like because let's be honest here who tf wants to read novels on Yelp besides those elites who like to see themselves write stupid critiques like they're some experts 1) Food is good. There are options: hot bars(food is charged per oz) salad bar and sandwiches. They have rotating menu which is cool 2) Tons of condiments 3) Place is clean and is never too busy 4) Free water. We're talking ice cold fruit-infused water 5) The staffs are friendly. Esp that Asian floor manager dude. I don't recall his name. But he goes around and checks in on the customers. Seems like a genuinely nice dude. Usually i d say he s just doing his job but i think he s really being himself 6) the ambiance is nah jk who tf cares you're not on a date Good spot. Ignore the low ratings. Reading those reviews gives me cancer read more

This is a great place to get breakfast and lunch while on Jury Duty! Take a short walk over from the courthouse and meet Leo, he's one of the chefs and he knows how to make a mean breakfast burrito. After you walk to pay for your food Rosa will check you out with a friendly smile and great personality. They have a Starbucks Coffee in the same location too. The employees at the Starbucks and friendly and knowledgeable. Since it's not a company owned Starbucks, they don't offer all the perks that you would normally have, but they will accept your Starbucks card/app so you can still acquire your "stars". The atmosphere is very modern and the best part, it's clean. The food service is run by a company called Compass Groups USA, which services a lot of the DTLA offices. read more

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The Colburn Cafeteria is run by a new company since August 2018. Any reviews before that date tell you absolutely nothing about the current (sorry) state of affairs. After hearing horror stories (from students who have to eat there every day) about burnt morning eggs and chicken breasts that are charred on the outside but still raw on the inside, I wanted to check it out for myself. - I didn't get very far. The oatmeal they served that morning was absolutely inedible. Oatmeal is usually the one thing you can eat even at a substandard hotel breakfast buffet. I mean, it's oats and water. How much can go wrong that can't be fixed with a little bit of extra seasoning and a dash of half & half afterwards? Apparently a lot. What the Colburn Cafeteria offered that day was a watery brew that only tasted of one thing: a badly burnt pot. How can you burn watery oatmeal? And how can you serve that to your customers?!?!?!?! After that experience I decided to take my breakfast business to the small Starbucks counter that's in the same location. I have never been as thankful for their sous-vide egg bites as on that day... I am all for supporting a local business, but whoever runs this Cafeteria can't be awarded for their sheer incompetence. I will not be back as long as the Cafeteria remains under the current management. read more

Great place for a reasonably priced healthy quick bite. I highly recommend the soups. I had Boston clam chowder and vegetarian minestrone and both were tasty. And they come in a huge bowl that is meal sized for only $4. Lots of nice outdoor seating. Starbucks in same space. read more

Colburn Café - Outside - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

It is a cafeteria style place. You stand in line; choose and order food behind a counter. Average food. I had the Beef Pho. The broth and the noodles were good, the meat was not eatable - shoe-leather like. You also do not get the standard Pho condiments like bamboo shoots, basil, pepper. You can get the hoisin and chili sauces with a lime slice on the side. read more

Stayed at Colburn for a week and the Cafe was one of the best parts! The customer service is outstanding - the staff remember you and your orders, and I had a minor issue that wasn't even their fault and it was immediately taken care of. The vegan & vegetarian options are great, with vegetarian labels on the options, and a good balance between healthy and junkier choices, with some pre-prepared foods, and a coffee shop too. Salad bar is wonderful!! Love all the vegetables, beans, and fresh foods. Many dishes they make are customizable to individual tastes. Highly recommend and will definitely be back! read more

In a rush? Looking for great quality healthy eating food? Stop by the Colburn Cafe, One of the best cafe's I've been to so far. Not your average "school cafeteria" style. The foods always above expectations and they offer a wide variety of food options such as vegetarian, Gluten Free, and GMO free!!!! The prices are decent and its located in the heart of downtown LA. Love Love Lovvvvvveeeeee this cafe. Kid friendly and great atmosphere, open to the public. Compliments to the Executive Chef Frank and General Manager Phil for the outstanding customer service they're providing. read more

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If you work in the financial district in downtown LA, your choices for lunch options are limited. I like coming here as they at least have a nice cafeteria style lunch option...you can have hot food items and the chefs make it in front of you. I have tried the pasta counter, it was ok...nothing great but at such reasonable prices, hard to beat this option. They also have Au bon pain soups, pizzas, and salad bar, readymade counter that has pre-prepared salads, sushi rolls, milk, fruits bowls and lots of snack items. I love getting the soup here and it's fun to sit outside...the crowd is mostly work people and the students from the music school. Overall, if you are looking for a decent, non spectacular and reasonable lunch option on Grand Avenue, Colburn cafe is it! read more

$8.76 for a breakfast burrito? Over priced for what you get. The Colburn Cafe use to be affordable for breakfast burritos, no wonder why everybody just gets breakfast from the Starbucks. I was hoping after the summer break there would be a price adjustment but that never happened. The price for the limp burrito is just as much as their dinner entrées. The bacon in the burrito was over cooked and burnt. The potato's inside were old and dry as if they were leftovers from breakfast service from the day before. Although the burritos are kept warm in cast iron skillets they are not warm enough. For the price of a burrito you can get a bigger and better breakfast burrito from the hotel next door. I am a fan of breakfast burritos, but not this from the Colburn Cafe. The Colburn's is two dollars over priced and frankly is a disappointment read more

After visiting the Broad museum I had the opportunity to go across the street to the Colburn School. Such a beautiful and clean campus. As it seems to be our lucky day because they have a cafe that is open to the public that's located in the school and it appears to be their grand opening under new management I suppose. I was greeted by Chef Linda and security guards who was very polite to my family and I. The cafe had so many options to choose from, I had to just go straight into their create station which then has their chefs cook my food right in front of me while waiting. My family and i enjoyed our visit and will definitely be returning soon. read more

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This is a nice hidden gem. There is a salad bar, made to order sandwich station, daily specials, soup station, chef ready to cook made to order items that are both adult and child friendly. I find the cost to be reasonable for eating out. There is a full Starbucks inside the same building which is nice!!! If you are a student or staff member at Colburn then you can log into the wifi and do homework while there. I am thankful this place is here and order drinks and meals here often. read more

How do more people not know about this hidden gem. Located behind the Colburn Performing Arts school on Grand and 2nd, this place has fresh, cooked to order gourmet items, and excellent grab-to-go snacks in healthy and fresh varieties. This is definitely a new lunch favorite. Their rotating Asian trio station is always an olfactory delight, but their deli and hot grill counter consistenly offer stiff and tempting competition. read more

Downtown, there really aren't that many choices for a variety of foods at lunchtime. Of course you've got your sandwich shops, your build a burrito shops, and your salad shops, but what if you really want something heartier but don't want to sit down at a restaurant? Colburn Cafe has you covered. It's actually a cafeteria for students, so it definitely has the college vibe, but it's affordable and while not the best food ever, it's very good for the price and cafeteria food. A good place for jurors on their lunch break, or for anyone looking for a menu that changes. read more

I've been working up in L.A. on a project for the past couple of months, close by the museums, and this music school which has a pretty nice cafe, and a Starbucks! But wow is it inconsistent. Sometimes they label the food stations and soup, and sometimes they do not. I'm no mind reader so how am I supposed to know what sauce is on the chicken, if it's chicken or fish, what flavor the soup is, or what the secret sauce is on the various stations they have? It's hard to find someone to ask and isn't it annoying for the workers to have dozens of people asking the same question when you can simple put a sign up saying what the food is??? It would be to their advantage to label the food each day for customers. It blows my mind that they seem to prefer to make everyone ask the workers what the food is. Even worse, some days the sign for the previous day's food is still up - so it may say "braised beef with polenta" but the food is actually mushroom chicken with cauliflower. If your single purpose is to make and present food, then focus on doing it well. Otherwise, what's the point in being in business? read more

I've only eaten here a couple times and both were very good. This place is like a company commissary, with good food cooked fresh to order. Prices are not too expensive and the food that I've had was delicious. Restroom is clean, too. Great place to eat while downtown, especially during jury duty! read more

The turkey burger was good and instead of ordering fries on the side I ordered a fruit salad.

It's hit or miss at the Coburn Cafeteria. It's a cafeteria. Sometimes, there is good food and sometimes, the snacks are what will make my meal that day, but it's relatively fast and easy when we're seeing a concert at Colburn or going to The Broad Museum or seeing a concert at the L.A. Phil or a play at the Center Theater Group. The prices are nice on the wallet and while there is very little chance of getting gourmet food, the food is okay for the most part and the ease of it makes it a better option than not. Plus, I do enjoy seeing young musicians and dancers eating and being kids. I like the energy they bring and how no matter how accomplished they are, they are still kids, being kids, and eating food that is kid appropriate. My daughter and I have spent a few too many nights eating at the Colburn Cafeteria and while, yes, the food can be more consistent, it's fine for what it is. read more

I love this place. It reminds of my college dorm cafeterias (a good thing!) and I love being able to get exactly the amount of what I want to eat. There's always a decent selection of food and it's never overcrowded. read more

I work near this place. It is one of the best places to eat. What I like the most about this place is that they prepare your food right in front of you which means it is super fresh. I tried their chicken sandwich with avacado and fries. The prices are very reasonable. Almost everything on the menu is below $10! I will be visiting this place more often to try new stuff since it's only a few minutes away from my work place. read more

The food here is similar to cafeteria food not by quality but by selection. In other words, the menu often changes day by day, from what people say, but I have only tried this place once. From my impression, there are good selection of food and variety to build your meal accordingly, but the quality is a bit underwhelming. Nonetheless, it's a great experience. read more

The food is decent here for downtown location. Lots of choices, salad bar, hot grill , sandwiches and soup. Great location right across "The Broad" read more

Okay... so I work downtown, and yep, our options are limited, but there's absolutely better places than this for as far as this is from my building. I came in to get my lunch, just a moment ago, and it sits, half eaten, and I feel compelled to write. This is not my first time at the Colburn, and yes... the food is ... "okay"... as in... what you could have made yourself but you wanted to treat yourself to a lunch out so you go get something and it truly, ends up no better if not worse than what you could have brought from from home. I kinda hope the young woman making my sandwich sees this review... I asked for a turkey paninni... I at first said sourdough, then quickly switched to whole wheat... got an eye roll and a slapped bread loaf for that.... then she asked about cheese, I said no cheese... another eye roll. Then she starts putting lettuce and tomato in the sandwich and I stop her and said, do you put the lettuce into the paninni maker? (remember, I said turkey paninni) another eye roll and now a sloooooooooow deliberate move to take the lettuce and tomato out. She looks at me... "anything else?" I said, well avocado... She said... "we don't have avocado" I said but the place over there (pointing right behind me) has guacamole... so don't you have avocado?" She said... "you can ask them for it, but we don't have it" Okay, so now I walk across the empty room to the OTHER counter and ask that lady for guacamole which she readily provides... My lady takes the guacamole and just... dumps it in a pile on top of the three (THREE!) thin slices of turkey and proceeds to put the top bread back on Me...."okay i'm not trying to say anything, but you are GOING to spread that out" I get... eye roll and half assed tamping down of the avocado" mind you... there's NO ONE ELSE THERE. For this, and a rice krispy treat... I paid just under $10.00 for two pieces of bread, one piece of lettuce that she stuck back in, two tomato slices, three THIN slices of turkey, about an ounce of "guacamole" and a rice krispy treat.... just under $10.00 never ever ever ever ever EVER again.... if i'm going to spend the money... i'll spend it at Mendo farms which is closer and at least the people look like you are not bothering their existence by daring to request they put consideration into making your food. read more

Wow just got a soup from this place. The texture enveloped my mouth like a mother's hug on a cold winter day. It's swinging!! Keep it up Colburn cafe. read more