I kept wondering why there were so bad reviews on customer service until today when I experienced it. I placed an order for pick up on the app for 4 drinks from my car after going to the Little Tokyo Marketplace - 1 pumpkin cold brew, 1 iced spiced chai, 1 12 oz drip coffee and 1 16 oz drip coffee with oat milk. The email confirmation from order on the app at 8:20 am said my order will be ready at 8:41 am. I thought, "damn. I should have just ordered it in the store." Since the drive was so short, I just walked in to see what pastries were available. I ordered and paid for the chocolate pumpkin bread. I asked if I could still add my rewards number since he didn't ask me before I ordered. He said no. I went over to the pick up area and noticed 2 of the cold drinks in the tray with my name on it already. I didn't think it was mine since I ordered 4 drinks and I was 15 minutes early. When I asked for my drip coffees they were pretty annoyed and brought me one. Then I said that I ordered 2 but one had oat milk and he "ok ma'am wait a minute." Both were the small size. Neither was the 16 oz. At that point I was over it. read more

It's a nice spot in the art district and there are a ton of tables with outlets inside. I would recommend it for studying. I haven't had the food here but there are a lot of restaurants around. Service is pretty good too ad the bathrooms are clean and there is wifi read more

Today I was given a difficult time when trying to pick up my online order. The barista had a difficult time believing the order was mine, which I am sure she would have not given me a difficult time if I was not Black. Great food and coffee but this staff needs to be reminded to treat all customers with respect no matter their race, ethnicity or orientation. Same on you Groundwork. :/ read more

It was a good spot. Had enough outlets for me to plug in my stuff. Had the spiced chai it was pretty tasty. Everyone there was working and overall decent atmosphere read more

Groundwork Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I've been looking for a cozy study spot in LA, and this is the place! I took the metro here and was able to study and get an awesome drink. The only reason I can't give this place a full 5 stars is because of the fact that their wifi can be spotty and that their drinks are a pricey. I ended up spending $6.75 on a house-made cashew milk iced latte with sea salt caramel, which I guess makes sense for a coffee shop in LA. The coffee here is strong and it kept me motivated to work, and I love the work vibes here! I Definitely want to try their espresso shake, considering they have a vegan version! read more

Groundwork Coffee - Sea salt caramel iced coffee with house made cashew milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Came here for some cold brew and a pastry to start the day. I got the vegan banana nut bread and tomo got the vegan banana cookie. Both were bomb. My banana bread was a heavy slice, very dense and super moist, perfect. The cookie was good too, pretty big. Well paired with my black cold brew. Workers here are very welcoming too. Be sure to sign up for that membership though. read more

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Located in the Arts district of downtown, Groundwork Coffee is great for studying or catching up with some work. I ordered their cold brew and waited almost 10 minutes. But they did make it up by giving me a few dollars off for my next order. Parking wise. Remember it is located in downtown and you already know that parking is always going to be a hassle. But they do offer some street parking and some public parking next door for 20$ the whole day. Overall, great service and friendly workers. . Drinks: 9/10 Study sesh: 8/10 ( Though great for studying they do lack outlets, but fast WIFI) read more

Groundwork Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The breakfast burrito here is chefs kiss! Pay for the extra harissa hot sauce - so worth it!

Haven't eaten or sat and enjoyed a coffee in the place but it seems busy and cozy. I always get their bitches brew beans from here - truly the best beans in the city. Staff is always so nice and never lets you forget that a bag of beans comes with a free cup which is perfect bc I always forget lol read more

Super nice employees and great coffee. Breakfast was good. Good staple for the neighborhood.

There are two chicks here that will never make your order right whatever you do and will never smile nor say thank you. I felt so embarrassed when I brought a friend here and the chick with the long eye lashes extensions (in fact they both have long eyelashes extensions) rolled her eyes at her after she tipped her. WE GET IT YOU DON'T LIKE WORKING HERE AND SHE WAS BEING NICE TIPPING YOU DESPITE YOUR LACK OF SMILE AND TERRIBLE ATTITUDE. There are some lovely workers here that are overshadowed by the coldness of these unhappy ladies. The two girls that both have short hair are very competent and professional and always say thank you with a smile, the guys that work here make nice small talk, and there is a very nice girl with kind eyes and long brown hair that is so welcoming. I literally only come here because it's close and the coffee is good but I wish someone would tell me why these girls are so awful to every customer and act like we are so blessed that they are serving us. You can't even get the orders right and it's your ONE JOB. Lord forbid you say they got the order wrong either because they will argue with you to the bitter end. I wish that companies cared even a little bit about customer service anymore and would take notice to these kind of employees. read more

Groundwork is known for their fantastic coffee and eclectic vibe. This location is no different, very LA. Service is great and I love their Vietnamese Iced coffee, though I wish they had it available in a larger size, the small is quite pricey. It has just the right sweetness while packing quite a punch, I can always count on it to get me through the rest of the day. Plenty of seating or to go available, worth checking out. read more

Good location in the Art District. You might have trouble finding parking on a busy day. There is a lot nearby that is $4 for every 30min. The shop has many tables to sit at and do work/study. I just got a simple hot chocolate because I did not feel like tea/coffee. I wish this location made drinks in order of people that are waiting. Not sure why my drink took longer... The taste of my hot chocolate felt water down. Moreover, when I ask if they can add whip cream (when I order my drink), they said they didn't have any... read more

The mood is simply so unwinding and they have extraordinary espresso and cakes as well! I will clearly prescribe this to every one of my companions! read more

Nice coffee shop near DTLA. Have different varieties of tea. Would go back there again.

The coffee here is nice and strong. I had an iced latte one time and I had a hard time falling asleep at night. But it tasted sooo good! I really enjoyed the iced latte. I have also tried the hot cafe latte and it was good too. You really get the great coffee flavor in each cup. The avocado and egg toast is good as well. The yolk is perfectly creamy and the flavors were just delicious. Remember to check in on Yelp for 10% off! There are some free 2 hour parking spots up front if you come early enough to snag one. read more

Groundwork Coffee - Avocado and egg toast. Pretty good. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The great coffee joints just can't seem to stop popping up around LA- especially hipster-frequented places like the Arts District near Little Tokyo. As if having Blacktop Coffee literally right around the corner, and The Pie Hole right across the street, Groundworks Coffee is now making it;s debut in yet another part of LA. The coffee and food selection is actually more extensive than you'll find at Blacktop, and the quality is just as high, if not better. The Vietnamese Iced Coffee is the best I've anywhere, EXCEPT at Cafe Dulce in Little Tokyo. On the menu you'll find everything from regular espressos, cappuccinos, Mexican Mochas, hot chocolate, and everything in between. Just pick your mood. The food menu is also cafe-inspired, but unique and well-balanced in its own way. They have a ton of healthy items from sandwiches & salads to Paleo bowls & granola. And let's not forget the pastries. A sure winning point for this cafe is the ambiance. It's super chill & spacious inside, the art and decor give it a certain "Life In The Big City" vibe. They even have a few couches and tables towards the back which afford more privacy and make you feel less rushed to get out of there. You may be tired of hearing about the newest "great" coffee shop that just opened up around the corner, but trust me, if you're in the are, can snag yourself a decent parking spot, and have some time to chill, this one really is worth checking out. read more

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Unacceptable. I come here all the time to get the classic ice brew coffee and rare teas since I work around the area. Got an iced tea today since it is super hot and saw hair/dust/fizz in my drink halfway through! Very disgusting!!! The people working in here are very friendly, but due to this incident...I probably wont be coming back. read more

It's a pretty clean place. Lots of space. All walks of life will be in here as I do some work here. They have sandwhiches, coffee, salads. They just opened up 2 months ago so it's fairly new. I was looking for a coffee shop to do some work and looks like I have found a winner if I decide to stop by in lil tokyo. I have to remember to bring an extention cord so I can make myself room up in these plugs. Haha. Standard ice vanilla latte with almond milk, next time Ill ask for half the sweetness. So places make it just right with half the sweetness, others it's like raw coffee pretty much. So it's still a good drink. Added some water to water down the sweetness. It's all good. read more

Groundwork Coffee - Drawing their grand opening art work. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This place is pretty good for coffee and an easy breakfast or lunch. It's a nice place to study, however, seating can get tough because the back area is dark. Additionally, it can be a bit loud from the high ceilings, making it hard to concentrate! Parking in the arts district is luckily easier that in other parts of downtown, so it shouldn't be too much of a hassle. Overall, I would recommend the coffee and food, but I probably wouldn't come back here to do work. read more

Coffee is good. Never order any food here, I'm so disappointed. I could make a better breakfast sandwich with $3 at food 4 less.

Wow, where do I start. Since this will be a lengthy review, I wanted to start off by saying, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE. EXTREMLY PRETENTIOUS STAFF. HORRIBLE SERVICE. I contacted this business on 9/7/17 to potentially reserve my wedding rehearsal brunch here. We were to have 30+ individuals and wanted to book for TWO HOURS ONLY. We guaranteed to spend more than $10-12+ per individual. The staff mentioned they would have to confirm with management to see if they are able to accomodate (which I completely understood), so they took my information down. I had asked when I would hear a reply and they initially said they weren't sure, but probably a week. After a week I called again on 9/14/17 because NO ONE followed up with me. The manager said they hadn't heard back from corporate so she asked for me to send her an email with my information and reservation details. I thought it was strange as I had already provided everything a week prior and yet, the manager asked for my information again. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I emailed her. The manager responded next day stating they'll let me know once she hears a response from corporate. I waited and called on 9/18/17 as no one followed up (AGAIN). They responded that they were still waiting. A few hours ago, I got an email from the "Community Manager" - Lupe Lucero. This is what he said: "Unfortunately, since you're expecting a party of 30+ we would have to close the shop to prep the place and clean up afterward and to make that happen our fee is $7,000. This would not include the drinks and food for folks." I've uploaded a screenshot of the message he has sent me as well. I am EXTREMLY APPALLED. How can you make someone wait 2 weeks with no answer and then charge them $7,000 just to rent a COFFEE SHOP for 2 hours?! Plus, that doesn't even include food or drinks? What?! Look at their menu - they charge ~$10 for an entree and less than ~$6 for drinks. This is how they treat their potential customers. They're extremly pretentious for even mentioning that a booking price is $7K. Never would I have thought a company that practices "customer service" would have the audacity to treat someone this way. Stay away. read more

Groundwork Coffee - Email I've received from the "Community Manager". Horrible. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The house mocha was delish! Loved the chalky sensation they left me to drink up at the end of the coffee. Yummy! Definitely getting house mocha again. Breakfast sandwich was amazing too. Friendly staff as well. read more

Groundwork Coffee - Breakfast sandwich on sourdough hold the bacon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Breakfast burritos with chorizo was mid. Could've called it mid-evil. Lol I think ground work needs to start working form the ground up ya know what I'm sayin lol read more

spacious coffee shop with plenty of non-dairy options! Highly recommend iced vanilla latte with the house made cashew milk. Great place to study or hang out - plenty of tables, WiFi access, and outlets read more

Groundwork Coffee - iced vanilla latte w/ house made cashew milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A really nice coffee shop in the arts district in Los Angeles. The vibe is pretty chill and relaxed. I went there on a random Monday afternoon and it wasn't full but had a healthy amount of people there. It seems like a good place to get work done or just socialize. The coffee itself was solid. Not the best I've had in LA but definitely top ten. The servers were very pleasant and helpful and kept the line moving. Side note, if you want to use the restroom they have a key that you can request from the person at the register. Take it with you else someone else might think the bathroom is available and you'll get a surprise. ( not speaking from experience) Parking is a bit of a challenge but there is metered parking if you can find it. You might have to shell out the cash for a parking lot. Overall a cool and chill spot that is worth checking out. read more

Groundwork Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I found this place after my workout class in the arts district and I like it! I have seen this place plenty of times while hanging out in Arts District, but never got coffee. They have a 10% off yelp check in offer so make sure you check in! * Cold Brew C'mon, you can never go wrong with a cold brew. I've been preferring iced coffee and this cold brew definitely hits the spot. Full of coffee aromatics and flavor, not too watery and not too strong. *Horchata Cold Brew This was actually really good. My cousin got her coffee with adjusted sweetener and it was less sweet. I picked up one to go for my bf with reg sweetener and that was overly sweet for me. I would say, if you aren't someone that likes sweet drinks, adjust your sugar level! Definitely worth a try. Lots of street parking if you come during the day, especially a Saturday morning! Tons of people are here working or studying so I definitely like the concept of the open seating here. I could find myself here again working on a weekend. :) read more

Love it, I went there for business and I was impressed with the quality of the coffee and customer service was awesome! **** free parking read more

13$ bucks for this 4 tiny pieces of toast? It's a joke This place is waaay overpriced read more

Groundwork Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I needed to get some studying done before my weekend activities so I stopped by Groundwork while in AD. As is custom in LA, street parking reigns supreme. Luckily, my bf and I were fairly early and were able to get a spot around the corner. Once we got in, the place had plenty of spots open for us to post up. I got an iced cold brew horchata ($5) and avocado toast ($9), he the earl grey green with a breakfast burrito. All items came at a premium, but it comes with the territory. The horchata was delicious, albeit on the sweet side. Could I tell that it was cold-brewed? No, but the cinnamon was delicious and better than my bf's earl grey green tea after the first cup. The avocado toast was a great deal - I thought I was gonna get avocado on toast (literal me) but it came with perfectly medium-boiled egg slices, a sweet/sour sauce, crumbled cheese and smoky corn. Way better option than I expected. The side salad was a nice addition but it was overdressed; I ate it 'cause I need to eat more veggies due to #2017resolutions, lol. Overall, 7/10 due to the heavy-handed saucing. My bf's breakfast burrito was pretty good. He thought it was average but it was packed with egg, cheese and whatever other proteins it comes with; I had a bite and I enjoyed it. That side chipotle smoky aioli is pretty delish. I'd give a 7/10, but he'd say 5/10 probably. We sat upstairs on the balcony so we could view the downstairs. Made for good people-watching and taking in the productive weekend vibes. No outlets to my knowledge. We stayed for about an hour and within that time, the place started to really fill up and we decided to head out to check out the nearby art galleries. Overall, I definitely recommend this place as a prime work zone. Not bad brunch options and plenty of coffee and organic teas to choose from. It's in such a great neighborhood, too! read more

Groundwork Coffee - Breakfast burrito - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Great lunch options, amazing coffee and various other drinks. But more importantly, this location in particular is one of the few coffee shops in DTLA where you can bring you laptop, project, whatever you're working on, zone out, focus and actually have a plug to charger your devices. So many coffee shops and cafes around the city, especially DTLA, are covering the electrical outlets and/or getting rid of WiFi, to inspire a "get your coffee and go" coffee culture and I commend Groundwork Coffee for keeping the cafe spirit many of us have grown to love and rely on when we need a place to focus. This location in particular is one of my favorites. Are they perfect, no. But for what it's worth--it's a reliable option that I appreciate and look forward to. read more

Good place to work and study. Chill ambiance and good coffee make the brain work faster.

Coffee is great but the breakfast burrito and yogurt parfait were disappointing. The potatoes weren't fully cooked and they were crunchy. The granola was chewy and did not seem fresh. I'd be back here for the coffee though. read more

I only come hear for their iced chai because it is incredible. The combo of spices is just right--cardamon, cinamon, and a little something I can't put my finger on. The milk to tea ratio is the also perfect. I think this is the best chai I've ever had. It would only be better if they put in less ice (even when you ask for light ice it's at least half ice) and if it were under $5 for a large. But still, it's pretty delicious and hits the spot on a hot day! read more

Breakfast burrito is great And they sell ' juice served here' Coffee is good too. What else,nice place for reading the books or doing some work here. Hmm,Art district,there are a lot nice places nearby read more

Groundwork Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

First time here, and Oh Boy am I glad I came! I got the Nitro Cold Brew and it was very smooth, and very delicious, my Fiancé tried their Horchata Cold Brew and she loved it! The staff is very kind, and service was prompt. We had their avocado toast and it was really good. I also had a slice of the Coffee cake. It was a good sized slice, and the flavor went perfectly with the coffee. I will definitely be coming back! read more

Love this Groundworks location. It's probably one of my favorites out of the few that I've been to! There is a lot of table space to sit down and work but it can get busy though so plan on arriving early if you want to find a table to work at for a longer period of time. All the art on the walls is fun to look at it. It's rather quiet and this area arts district is a vibe. The staff is super friendly and if you come here often, they are great at remembering who you are! The menu selection is fantastic. Plenty of drinks to choose from and a healthy selection of dishes to choose from. My personal favorite is the iced Vietnamese coffee. I don't find a lot of coffee shops that have this and it's one of my favorite coffee drinks. I will admit that the matcha to milk ratio in the matcha latte is more milk than matcha... not a huge fan of that but there are plenty of other options that I love on the menu :D read more

Parking is tough here, but sometimes you can get lucky free street parking or meter (depending on the time and day) Coffee: BEST. NITRO. COLD. BREW. that I have had in LA thus far. I would get a keg if I could, but we all know I might need my brain and heart.. Food: Pretty great brunch options here served every day! I usually get the vegan breakfast burrito, but my friends have gotten the bitches' brew hash which is delicious as well Study space: plenty of tables and standing tables, but only about 2-3 outlets overall. It can get pretty packed, so time it right or get lucky :) read more

So, Groundwork was across from my hotel. I ate breakfast there each morning during my trip. I fell in love with their granola and yogurt. I don't know why it was so special, but I crave it now that I'm back at home. They also make great vanilla lattes. The baristas and the cooks were very professional and kind and the cafe was well attended to between customers. I was able to spend time working on a writing project there completely uninterrupted by any loud music, customers or staff. Between the fantastic American Hotel and Groundwork cafe my stay in the arts district was truly wonderful. read more

My husband and I went on vacation and we were looking for a local place for coffee. This place did not disappoint! They had a great selection and also had some yummy food and pastries to go with our coffee. The staff was awesome and they make it very clear they are an all inclusive space, which is always a plus. We went almost every day during our trip and it was well worth it! read more