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    Diesel Cafe

    3.8 (1k reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

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    Diesel Cafe Photos

    DIESEL CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Diesel Cafe

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    Chocolate peanut butter smoothie!

    Chocolate peanut butter smoothie was delicious but just a little bothered it wasn't a full 16 oz... : | For $11.40 I expect a full cup!

    Vanilla strawberry iced latte
    Anh L.

    The place is so cute and the service was pretty good. Their bagels was really good as well I think it's sourdough. The coffee was okay I didn't like it that much

    Nick S.

    Diesel Cafe is a decently sized spot with some cool extra amenities you don't always find, like a pool table and even a photo booth inside. We came by on a snowy day, and it was still pretty packed and busy. The place did feel a bit unclean, which might just have been from the constant flow of people in and out with the snow. The bathrooms were also not very clean, which was noticeable even though there's a password lock on the door. We tried a cardamom bun. It had a slight lemony taste to it and was just alright for me, though I think that might just be my personal preference talking. The drinks other people had looked really good, but I didn't end up trying one this time. It's a nice place with a fun vibe, especially with the extra activities. But between the crowds and the state of things, I think I'd only go back on a much less busy day to really enjoy it.

    Aya R.

    My order: Vietnamese iced coffee The Review: Definitely not a real Vietnamese iced coffee. Was it good? Yeah, it was sweetened iced coffee with milk. Diesel is a great place to hang with friends and have a bite to eat. They didn't have many gluten-free options, and things were rather expensive. The space itself if very nice and airy and lively. Just a few tweaks and they will be at least 4 star worthy!

    ambience
    Lauren S.

    Loved the look of this place-- plants and weird decor, definitely a plus in my book! I think the playlist threw off the vibe a bit though, it was loud 2000s music, which felt a little distracting at times, but if that's your thing, this would be the spot for you! I went midday on Saturday, and the line was rather long and not moving quickly, but the place was packed (and it seems the food was made to order, so understandable for the timing). I got a black coffee (by black coffee standards this was really good!) and a ham and cheese croissant. They couldn't heat up the croissant (which would have changed the game), but it was decent!

    Back
    Tracy C.

    I went to Diesel Cafe and it's very spacious inside. There's a lot of seating and even outdoor seating which was nice. I mainly went for the photo booth... it was $8 and our photos didn't even come out. The cashier lady working there was nice about it and gave us a refund and let us try again but it still didn't work though. The place overall was cool, but it definitely could've been cleaner. The bathroom wasn't well kept and there were crumbs on a lot of the tables + it was very loud. In the back they had 8-Ball, Connect 4, word puzzles, and a bunch of fun little games which was a nice touch. It's a decent spot to hang out with friends, but maybe not the best for studying. I'd probably go back and maybe try the photo booth again when it gets fixed though

    vietnamese coffee
    Natania C.

    This place has tons of variety, serving items ranging from ice cream to coffee to sandwiches. Their Vietnamese coffee is delicious. My only gripe is that the seating is really uncomfortable, and the AC runs quite cold. They also have very few outlets, only in inconvenient spots as well.

    Hot Chocolate - 12oz
    Aileen N.

    Hot matcha latte was too milky and had basically no matcha. Hot chocolate was watered down and bitter, wasnt really sweet and tasty. Vibes are nice though.

    Plain Croissant
    Connie L.

    Came here twice because Diesel stays open longer than most of the other Davis Square cafes, but idk the experience was a bit underwhelming? First off, the theme is cool - it's retro, industrial, cool vibes all around. Difficult to find a table on the weekends because they are very busy at all times (& there's no wifi). Not to mention the tables don't seem to be cleaned often, there's always crumb residue on them. Pricing is fine. About $10 for a plain croissant + iced coffee which seemed average. But the plain croissant was pretty stale so wasn't worth it. Coffee was also oddly sour. I've gotten their Avo Toast before and it was very average, definitely overpriced for what you get. Service seems fine, you can order at a kiosk so there's not much interaction, but the food & drink do come out quickly. Overall, both times were okay experiences.

    Specials
    Michelle M.

    Saw this place had tons of reviews so decided to check it out. This place was packed during lunch on a Sunday. Not an empty seat in the house, and considering how spacious this place is, that was a good sign. It wasn't good however for us when we were trying to find a seat, but it didn't take toooo long. I ordered the Monkey Wrench sandwich and an Iced Vietnamese Coffee. The sandwich was high quality and had really fresh ingredients. I especially loved the focaccia bread it came on. My coffee was good too, and I'm glad I tried it. I will say it took quite a long time for our food to be made. Considering how packed it was I understand, but it was loooong, like over 15 minutes long. Drinks came out fairly quickly though. I ordered a hot coffee too and the guy mistakenly gave me an iced, but another barista quickly apologized and gave me the correct one. I also liked the pool tables in the back and their photo booth. This is definitely a place I'd love to come back later in the evening and vibe with friends at. Oh, and they also serve ice cream! They also have monthly specials but the tiny menu is only by the registers so I didn't get a chance to look at it before ordering. I wish they had it on the board also because they looked good. Overall a cute garage themed coffee shop in the city with quality drinks and food, & great vibes.

    Inside Cafe
    Joan M.

    I was in Davis Square going to another cafe and was on the wrong side of the road for it. Luckily, I found this hidden gem. So glad I did! I looked in and saw crowds of people so knew it must be a local hit in town! They have breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, coffee, iced coffee. So I got the breakfast special with egg, cheese and spinach on focaccia bread and my friend got the Monkey Wrench which is turkey, cheese, avocado, sprouts, tomatoes and greens on focaccia bread as well. It is a pricy one, 15.25 while mine was 7.85 but my friend said it was fresh and tasty. Oh and after if you have a sweet tooth, yes, they have ice cream for you. Not sure when it's open. I visited here on a Sunday. They have a booth with about 7 seats around a board with ice cream flavors. You come in and find a few tables. You have to walk down to find more tables and booths. But it does get crowded and you have to wait to find a place to sit. I sat right behind a stack of journals that they sell. They also sell plants, shirts, coffee and other neat items. You go and place your order and find a table to sit. You wait for them to call your name and you get your food on a tray. You walk around the back and they have cool signs and a pool table in the back if you want to have some fun later with your family or friends. They do have public restroom. Parking can be tricky. You park on the street or in lots but the lots are small. It's a fun atmosphere and you have to try it once. But you will probably come back when in the area. I know I will!

    Joplin on sourdough
    Alana K.

    I came here on a Friday afternoon around 11:30am for lunch with a friend. Although it was busy, there was plenty of seating. We both ordered the Joplin (egg, cheese, sausage, and maple butter, typically on focaccia). Unfortunately, they were all out of the focaccia, so we opted to have it on sourdough. While I enjoyed it, I think my expectations for Diesel were a bit high, and the value for money was a bit low. My friends who live in the area really seem to enjoy this spot, though.

    Iced Coffee - 24oz & Bagel/Toast w/ avocado

    Good coffee. Good food. Good environment. The wait time for food is really long, though, and you probably won't find a seat. Not their fault or anything, just a fact. Still would recommend.

    Loaded avocado toast

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    2 years ago

    Excellent service, so friendly and helpful! Also a lot of delicious ice cream flavor options.

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    3 years ago

    No wifi on the weekends no wifi on the weekends no wifi on the weekends :-( otherwise everything else is fine

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    2 years ago

    Drinks and ambiance are great. Service couldn't suck mote. Watched staff fooling around together while people were waiting in line.

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    2 years ago

    Excellent coffee and a great place to vibe. They put a lot of care and attention in the food as well. I highly recommend this place.

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    Page 2 of 26

    Diesel Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

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    I try not to post negative reviews but I do not recommend the flank steak. I saw it (flank steak,…read morechimmichurri sauce, mashed potatoes, and broccoli) at $29 and said I haven't ordered a steak in while, let's treat myself. Boy was I disappointed, it was literally four tiny slices of beef, about a ladle and a half of mashed potatoes (flavor was great but the texture was dry and it was hard to swallow), and the broccoli was broccoli. The steak was cooked to my liking (rare) but it was room temp and I would describe that serving size as maybe the equivalent of a medallion. Everything else our table ordered (pizza, shepherd's pie, and a burger) looked great but the flank steak is not it y'all. However the service was top notch and will definitely go back, just won't order the flank steak next time!

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    Diesel Cafe - coffee - Updated August 2026

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