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    Controversial Coffee

    4.5 (119 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Controversial Coffee Photos

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    CONTROVERSIAL COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

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    interior
    Sabrina J.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Love that this is a LGBTQ-positive space with a beautiful photo op area in the back and lots of cool political signs and magazines.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] However, the coffee itself was not the best. I got a latte with huckleberry and vanilla, and the huckleberry tasted really fake and too sweet.

    Tara H.

    Came here to grab a coffee and some breakfast. We ordered a breakfast croissant and bagel sandwich. You are able to customize what you want in your breakfast sandwich. We enjoyed our food from here and got it to go to eat by the beach.

    Hot chocolate
    Tara B.

    What a fun quirky coffee shop! Walked in to the barista playing punk rock on a Sunday morning and it was awesome! The specials are unique and imaginative but my Lucy's Vector (blended white espresso and amaretto) was good drinking. The barista made my daughter's day when they put extra whip cream on the to go lid.

    Everything Bagel
    Rachel L.

    The vibes!!! I was visiting from out of town and the name immediately caught my eye. I took the short walk from my hotel to the shop with my dog. The staff gave him a treat and didn't seem to be too bothered by his barking (Sorry!!). The Chai was yummy and the bagel was perfectly toasted. I don't like a ton of cream cheese, but I could easily wipe off the excess. Thankful for a funky, affirming, safe space in the small coastal town of Seaside!!!

    Mindi J.

    Very good coffee and breakfast foods. [[HIGHLIGHT]]90s grunge feel, amazing art and overall just a fun place.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They support the community by giving back, mental health nights, game, art, and karaoke nights among other things. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Fun photo space in the back where everything is upside down.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Friendly service.

    A little sticker we picked up for our kiddo whose favorite movie is Brokeback Mountain.
    Alissa A.

    I happened upon Controversial Coffee as I was looking over Yelp to see what food places we should try on our first trip to Seaside. When I saw this coffee shop, I knew we were 100% getting coffee there. Love the message and the coffee was excellent as well!

    Chai Latte
    Robert C.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Always make a stop at Controversial Coffee when visiting Seaside! It's a nice coffee shop tucked inside a little nook on the main strip.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The team working there was very kind to my partner while she ordered and gave her service doggie a little snack too. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The room is decorated in artwork and they have a cute little shop of goods you can buy stickers and stuff from.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I always judge a spot based on their ability to make a dirty chai and this one didn't disappoint. Photo pictured is an iced oat milk chai latte with two shots of espresso

    Menu

    Love everything about this coffee shop! They seem to be very involved with the community, hosting all sorts of events. They also take donations that go towards meals to feed people in need. Coffee specials were creative and yummy.

    Menus

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    Review Insights

    18 days ago

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    4 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    21 days ago

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    10 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    9 months ago

    Coffee was okay but I should have researched my choice. Very woke and, frankly, a little creepy.

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    10 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    9 months ago

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Neat little community oriented spot tucked away very close to the beach and boardwalk.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    I only had coffee but it was the best cappuccino I had in a very long time! Great flavor and perfect foam!

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    1 year ago

    Amazing coffee and a [[HIGHLIGHT]]super accepting atmosphere[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. Would highly recommend if you're staying in Seaside.

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    8 months ago

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    Page 1 of 3

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    Chalkboard Cafe

    Chalkboard Cafe

    4.6
    (114 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    Have you ever gone to the Pig and Pancake and ordered a $16 plate of slop, wolfed it down, and then…read moresaid, "Oh God, what have I done?" Yeah, me too. That's why I've decided to stop hurting myself and go to the Chalkboard Cafe instead. The difference in quality of ingredients and cooking is apparent in the first bite. It really is a bit jarring. This restaurant makes everything from scratch, and I mean everything. Yesterday my son and I got two burgers and our potato salad and coleslaw sides were like sides my mother would make in her kitchen, not globs of shelf stable Reser's food-paste that were made two states over a month ago and sprayed with mortuary chemicals to stop their decay. The food at the Chalkboard is real food, not fake food, which brings me to my next point, dietary restrictions. If I had any dietary restrictions whatsoever, gluten sensitivity in particular, this would be where I would go for breakfast or lunch in Seaside. Chalkboard has gluten free biscuits and gravy available, delicious GF naan bread made by hand, and gluten free versions of popular bakery goods made in their small kitchen from scratch. Even if you don't have restrictions you can be assured that your meal will have 80% less total ingredients just based on the restaurant's ethics alone. They aren't taking shortcuts, they aren't bringing junk into the building in the first place, so junk never ends up on your plate. The service is stellar, the ambiance is charming and clean. You're out of excuses. You were wondering where you should go to eat, and now you know. Go to the restaurant where the locals take their own families - the Chalkboard Cafe.

    This place needs ventilation very badly. You will walk out of there smelling like the smoke from a…read morebusy kitchen. The soda bagel thing is over rated. I liked the airy texture. But I didn't care too much for the flavor. Genuinely not good. And the cream cheese it came with, zero flavor, which was easily remedied by adding my own salt. The ambience and decor was quaintly charming, at first. But the more I looked the more understood that everything was creepy. Like witchcraft creepy.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Philly cheese
    Philly cheese
    Dinner with a view.

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    Dinner with a view.

    Controversial Coffee - coffee - Updated July 2026

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