I don't really understand the high ratings - I had the white mocha, and it tasted like a one-note hot chocolate drink mix. I also had a lavender shortbread, which didn't have strong enough lavender flavor... it wasn't bad per se, but with Saint Frank and Contraband nearby, I really don't see a reason to compromise on quality. That said, the vibe is nice, and it's not a bad place to chill at the window seat and watch the people on Polk walk by. read more

Please can you stay open later?!?!?!?! My favorite coffee shop on this side of Polk. It's pretty compact inside but has a great ambiance which makes it perfect for working/reading. I come here with my kid and he falls asleep instantly with the background noise. Would be great if they stayed open until 8/9/10 read more

Amazing style and lovely Coffee corner. Finally I can relax working with a lovely tasty coffee. The place now more bright and calm with nice music in the background. I will definitely recommend this place for any one who is tired of finishing a modern style with lovely tasty coffee.1 read more

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This place is awesome!! The best place to enjoy your coffee while you are working on your computer or just having some tea and enjoy people watching on Polk st. Cozy place, cool music.. read more

Moka Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

The stock coffee is very good and the best small portion I have had. Time has not allowed me to wait on a latte or snacks but I will...clean and comfortable tpo. read more

If I could give zero stars I would. Came in for an iced latte this afternoon and the barista (blonde with heavy European accent) was very rude and snappy. I will not be returning as this lady seems to Have a real problem with customers. After reading some other reviews on here from today I don't think I was the only person to have an issue. Hope the owners are able to do something about this employee. If she is the owner I hope she is able to safely remove the stick from her ass. read more

Seems there are many regulars that make a quick stop for their sandwiches or bagels. Their pesto bagel was absolutely delicious. The ambiance is cute with some seating outside as well. The music is more jazz than pop. The only downside was the reluctance of the server when I asked for an extra sleeve for my bagel as the pesto leaked through. read more

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This place is probably one of my favorite spots here in San Francisco. The coffee is perfect and the baristas are perfection. Take a cappuccino and you won't regret it. The vibe is great if you want to chill while listening to some relaxing tunes. If you have the possibility you really should check out this spot!!! read more

It is always distasteful to have to condemn what appears to be a small, locally-run neighborhood business, but there comes a time. There is essentially nothing to praise about this establishment, it was a total waste of time and money, I wish I hadn't visited, if I had it to do again I wouldn't, and if they want to salvage what they can they should wipe the slate clean and start over. The coffee is atrocious. Burned and tasteless sludge. Not Third Wave, not SF worthy, barely ahead of what you might expect to find at a truck stop convenience store. I poured three-quarters of it out and considered the Starbucks I later drank instead an upgrade. This might have gone down better were they not attempting to sell precious books about precious coffee and were their prep station not emblazoned with a giant 12-step primer on how coffee is harvested and grown. Maybe they should spend less time geeking out on agriculture and more time on learning how to brew an actual cup in their actual store. They had overpriced pastries from Batter, which is a noble enough effort, but never released at a discount, and then the scone we ordered was soggy on the bottom. The chairs are hard, every seating space is cramped, the customers waiting in line block the only means of egress, and the row of seats facing against the wall facing the back get a delightful view through an open restroom door. And then I might have consented to walk out, write off the $15+ to a failed experiment, and let others judge for themselves, but as always in 1-star situations, there is a crowning offense, which is that this place is actually unsafe, because the barristas don't control the environment. While we were there a woman swilling vodka out of her "water" cup started a major scene when she invited some rando wanderer to sit at her table, then accused him of sticking his hands in her food. Multiple accusations flew in all directions, with the original complainant pointing at us and saying we thought it was OK that the man had stuck his hands in her food, and no one from behind the counter--standing maybe five feet away--came around to take control of the situation and invite these two problem customers to leave. We left instead, and we will leave all the cast members of this dystopian farce to their own devices. At least we didn't want to be there anyway, since the coffee was awful and the chairs were hard. read more

So it's a Monday and brain is revving up but body is sore. What do bean hunters do? Waltz into Moka, of course. They tango with good vibes, samba with well made coffee, bossanova with passionate execution, serve and vibe with rock style vibing, and jazz with spirit. Observing them while slowly sipping my coffee leads me to believe by instinct they have it going. A vibrant and stylish joint, fun people, like the environment, say hi Merve and Vadim, love y'alls. read more

Moka Coffee - Good service, vibrant crew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

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such a lovely ambiance, I tried the moka coffee and it was just what I needed for a day in sf

Dated and all around average to sub-par if you really want the T spilled. // The selection wasn't super interesting or informative. // They didn't have simple syrup out for sweetening iced coffees. // The place (tables and coffee condiment station) were pretty crumb-y and needed a good scrub. // They didn't have lights on which might be fine on a sunny day but it was cloudy and rainy and inside was next level dreary. It was like an episode of The Killing... which I realize is a very dated reference at this point the guy detective is still hot AF and it was definitely not the sister and the politician's helper guy who dun it so definitely nooo spoilers here if you're 5 years behind on TV. // It wasn't a comfortable place at all. Definitely made we want to finish my coffee ASAP and GTFO of there... and maybe that's what they're going for. I don't know but I like a cozy nook and warm environment with my bevvie. This place was as icey as my iced coffee. // The one employee working was super on brand with the experience giving off some top notch dismal and abysmal vibes and immediately after he finished our order he went back to full-on eating a meal and reading on a case they store food in and I'm about 85% sure the health department is not cool with employees of a biz eating behind the counter when food and beverage service is involved. I don't see myself making a return visit to Moka. The reality of my visit was very different than the imagery on their online profile had led me to believe I would experience. read more

A lovely, affordable cup of coffee that strips itself down to the basics while still having a bunch of character. I ordered an iced coffee and it was well brewed with a slight tinge of sourness balanced with a good, earthy flavor. If you're looking to check out a place that has a more homey feel compared to some of the SF coffee titans, I'd highly recommend this place. read more

Grabbed a cappuccino here while on a walk and although the service was very friendly the options were a bit limited. Very few milk alternate options, only soy and almond. The drinks were on the extra small side but fine for the area I suppose. Very limited sweetener options as well so unless I wanted sweet and low or regular sugar I was out. Stopped at another coffee shop a couple blocks away to grab a Stevia LOL. read more

The first in my search for places that offer pots of tea to consume while you're reading or working. This place has a nice ambiance with books and such for decorations. It's very small, though, so don't expect to get a table unless it's an off hour. A decent price for the pot of tea - $7. I think that's a bit much for something that essentially fills one and a half 16 oz. to go cups. It does help that they serve it with little Turkish teacups to make it feel like you're getting a lot more tea. The quality is pretty good; they use a loose leaf tea which I wish I could've smelled first. I'm not sure how high the quality is, though, and would have to take a look at the leaves again. The food smelled good and if I were hungry I'd probably stop by and have a snack, too. read more

Polk street has so many shops and places to get a drink and quick bite to eat. Moka Coffee has some of the best iced white chocolate Mokas you can get! Bless your body and mind with a drink from here over Starbucks! read more

Excited to see this hip new cafe in my neighborhood. The coffee shop that was here before was very mediocre (I think it might be the same owners, just new name and renovation now? Not sure). Anyway, we wandered in after having some crepes at The Crepe House for a sweet non-coffee drink. When we walked up to the counter, the woman working was talking to two customers Then, they all left the cafe together. Not sure why (I didn't know what they were talking about because it was in another language). My boyfriend and I stood awkwardly at the barista-less counter for 5 minutes or so, wondering if this meant that the biscottis were all free (not really, we're not thieves). When she returned, I was excited to order the Hot Apple Cider that was on the chalk board menu. She said, "we don't serve that." I responded, "It says Hot Apple Cider on your menu" and pointed to it. She stared at it for a moment. Then, looked through all the refrigerators and finally said, "We're out of apple juice." So, not sure if they ever serve Hot Apple Cider or if, maybe, they sometimes serve Hot Apple Juice. We ordered the Lavender Drop tea instead. She dropped a tea bag into a cup of way too hot water and charged us $2.75. For a tea bag. I'm sorry I need to repeat that. A tea bag in a cup of water was nearly $3.00. I had to ask for a sleeve so I could pick up the cup and she looked annoyed. I won't be returning for Hot Apple Juice (if/when they have it) or a rare and golden tea bags anytime soon. I'll walk the two extra blocks to It's a Grind for a Hot Apple Cider. read more

I've been searching for weeks for a comfortable place to enjoy some delicious espresso, a good snack, decent seating (and outlets), and wifi. I think I found my new spot. HALLELUJAH!! A coffeehouse fiend like me relishes in this moment. Moka is great for several reasons: 1. Their espresso is fantastic: rich, dark, luxurious... as it should be! 2. Their baristas are friendly... especially the woman with a charming personality and is delightful to interact with. 3. They have a good amount of individual barstools up front and in the back. Not many tables, but that's fine... (may make it hard for socializing or studying with groups of two or more) 4. Moka has tasty pastries. 5. They have a solid amount of electric outlets. 6. It's bright and airy. Some coffeehouses are *too* cozy or dim to the point of me wanting to just sleep. (At least as someone who works from coffeehouses often, that's a "con.") 7. It's located in a prime location in Nob Hill: close to good hole-in-the-wall places as well as fine dining... and ughhhhh sooo close to Bob's Donuts (I have to constantly stop myself from leaving mid-studying to grab an old-fashioned or buttermilk!). 8. Close to the 1 MUNI bus. 9. Two sets of bistro seating outside for some street/people watching action. 10. GOOD MUSIC. The Shins, The XX, Phoenix... oh, and some LANA DEL REY REALNESS. Thank you for reaffirming my faith in the SF coffeehouse scene, Moka. read more

Moka Coffee - Baklava. $2.50. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Drink food Coffee Service Sweet, strong and free wifi Nice workers Atmosphere Super cute cafe, ample outlets, high top bar seating facing out to people watch, some small cute outdoor cafe tables, as well as some booths inside, and high tables. Along Polk street so super convenient to walk to any other restaurants or shops/bars before or after. read more

Renovated coffee joint with what seems like new owners. Regardless, I like the changes. The place feels clean; the folks behind the coffee bar are sweet and welcoming; and, the mural and "life" quotes on the walls are great. I ordered a latte for $3.50 and while it was nothing spectacular, it definitely hit the spot. I sat on the stools along the front window in the sunshine and read my book while occasionally checking my email. Perfectly relaxing one hour break from my day. Things to note: there's a $5 minimum for credit cards; they serve food (bagels + cream cheese and a variety of sweets); and there's two tables out front if you want fresh air while getting your caffeine fix. read more

I do somewhat like this place, except for the coffee and the service. Came to this cute little coffee shop quite frequently actually, but I never enjoyed my drink as they always don't make it right. Whenever I come in, the baristas seem to be new and under training, or just really bad. The cashier more than frequently did not know the prices of the drinks I was getting. She usually got flustered and looked at the menu behind her and let me know. As for the drinks, they oversteamed my cappuccino, and gave me a bitter/burnt tasting mocha. As I was observing the barista making drinks in general, she just left the milk under the steamer and coming back to it. To have the perfect steamed milk, it needs the attention from its barista. No wonder they never make my coffee right with their half-hearted attention and care. (It wasn't even busy.) The workers here never gave me a greeting or a friendly vibe. Not even a thank you. Pros: Great atmosphere for getting work done Free wifi Plenty of outlets Little to no wait to get your drinks Cons: Bad coffee Bad service Overall, I tried really hard to like this place and gave them multiple shots, thinking maybe they are just having an off-day and/or a new hire because I want to less frequent the corporate run coffee shops and support local businesses. However, I left with disappointment each time. read more

Moka is a joke-a. This would be a decent coffee shop if it was 1990 in Milwaukee. If you call it "joe" and are looking for an average cup (let's be real, you can't taste the difference), then Moka will do. If you're looking for a carefully crafted drink that somebody cares about you won't find it at Moka. I asked if they had cold brew. The barista said they did and proceeded to serve me a crappy cup of iced coffee. I was so bummed and then I bit into my donut from Bob's and all was okay. Seriously though, skip it. It would be a real win if this space was taken over by a real coffee shop. Because good coffee with donuts from Bob's would be so cool. read more

This place has really good Moca (hints the name), but honestly disappointed when I came in 40 minutes before close and was told all machines were shut down except tea for "closing". read more

I had what was probably the worst latte I've ever had, with some kind of strange, almost rancid taste. Luckily, I didn't feel sick afterward, so I don't think it was from the milk. Still couldn't finish more than a quarter of the cup before throwing it out though. I also tried some of my boyfriend's drip coffee, which was similar to Starbucks and incredibly mediocre. Not much better than what I could make with a cheap Mr. Coffee coffeemaker at home. With so many better options for coffee in the city, I'd avoid this place. read more

I am so disappointed in this place for the second day in a row. I will not return and I live next door- if you are the owner please contact me, I'd be glad to share. I'm not going to waste any more time or money with this careless establishment, I don't recommend you do either. Ignore the convenience- go down the block read more

Great little spot and right next to bob's donuts. We had he cappuccino and an espresso and both were tasteful and a lot better then the filtered coffee everywhere else. Highly recommended to anyone who wants good coffee. read more

A welcome replacement to the old coffee shop that was there...the drip coffee was good, better than the crap you get from the blue fog, Starbucks or it's a grind. I didn't have anything else but the coffee was good. read more

The layout and feel of this little coffee shop is great. Unfortunately I also got the worst café au lait I've ever had, which did set a damper on my enthusiasm. The person behind the counter was, however, very nice and the cookie I got with the coffee was fantastic to boot. Free wifi and plenty of outlets also makes it a great place to get a little work done. But seeing as it is mainly a coffee place, I have to give two stars for the exceptionally bad coffee I got. read more

Possibly the worst, most bitter cappuccino I've ever had in San Francisco. I took 1 sip, added a bit more sugar hoping it would cut the rough taste, tried one more sip, then handed it back to the barista and walked out. Would definitely not return. read more

Given the choice between Moka and Royal Grounds, I'd take the latter, mostly because its often indifferent staff at least listened, and knew what they were doing. The older I get the more I think we ought to be able to whack stupid young people with something that will induce TOL (Temporary Old Age)---for a few weeks, to the extent for a while they will lose their looks, their energy, their 28" waists, and firm breasts, Just So They Will Know...without the decades long interval until real old age settles in. I'm standing at the counter but a younger guy passes me and walks up to the cash register thing-y, and who gets served first? Am I Invisible? Whack! TOL for two months! Everyone is young at least once, a lot of old people in San Francisco have never realized they are old---you see them with pink hair in their sixties. But youthful stupidity is spreading, and Moka seems to hire some of the dimmest bulbs around. I generally only buy beans here, and they're the good, Second Generation dark roasted variety, not the pale sort popular with the overly bearded. Coffee for Coffee Drinkers. Yet every time I've been in to buy beans, the dolt at the counter seems surprised that I would ask to buy whole beans. Sometimes I have to repeat myself more than twice. Who works in a coffee house and is surprised that people would buy beans? Today the guy didn't even know how to close the bag---I kid you not, Mary! Whack! Two years of TOL just for being that stupid. I grant you he was cute, but that's no excuse. read more

Stopped at Moka Coffee to grab a quick mid-day pick-me-up. We ordered coffees and hot chocolates to-go, and were not too impressed by the drinks. The hot chocolates were not hot at all, which is always sad to see. This shop is decent for getting some work done though. There were many Mac users scattered throughout, so I would have felt at home if I was to work here. I still wouldn't prefer it for the coffee, but maybe I need to try a mocha next time I am here. read more

Moka Coffee - My coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here for coffee last Saturday to catch up with my bff and the staff were AMAZING! They were kind enough to satisfy my inner fatty with Bob's donuts from next door and eat them inside their coffee shop. Their coffee is strong and flavorful. The best part was the consistency of the foamed milk, it was nice and thick. I also ordered a tea (lavender?) which was also very delicious. I am definitely going to come back and try their tea selection. The staff were always cleaning so that's a great sign! Note: there was a minimum to use your credit card. 5 or 10 dollars. read more

These guys made a great cappuccino and a very solid lox bagel sandwich. They were a little overwhelmed by the morning rush and ran out of iced coffee early on an unusually hot SF morning. But it's a cozy little spot with great coffee and good enough WiFi. I'll be back. Came here again a few times since my initial review. The folks behind the counter are not very friendly. They never have lox anymore even though it's still on the menu. It's not bad, but I probably won't be back. Theres plenty of other options with better coffee, nicer people and consistent menus in this area. read more

I'm born and raised in SF, and I have lived off Polk St. for close to 22 years, with that being said, I do miss the old Royal Grounds, but this is a charming neighborhood spot with an awesome owner that can be seen here and there interacting with customers and community alike. Great coffee, cool vibe, good people watching. LEGIT. read more

This place was straight up not good. Stopped by after getting donuts at Bob's (go there), bitter espresso and their Moka had a horrible aftertaste. Should've just gone to Starbucks. read more

Merve still rocks this place!!! She makes food fast and hot, and is really pleasant to her customers. This is the cafe that used to have the weird vibe - and 99% of that has gone. It's now more hipster. In a good way :-) The lattes are always stellar! There is a gluten-free pastry available, along with yoghurts, sandwiches (BLT is good!) and a basket of fruit. One request for the manager: Some wacky customers harassing other customers on the premises. Oh Mister Manager, please can you make your customers feel like the cafe is more safe and welcoming? Otherwise, still a great place to hang out!! read more

Atmosphere: 5/5 Drinks: 2/5 Service: 3/5 Based on one visit, will definitely update if I come back. Nice place read, study or chat while sipping on the beverage of the gods. The barista wasn't very skilled, my macchiato in order was very bitter. But both people behind the counter are kind. read more

Suuuuuuuuper strong coffee. Super super strong. I sniffed the 4 bean options for the pour-over coffee, and requested the lightest roast. Even so, it came out being terribly strong / dark / heavy / burnt... can't imagine how dark the French roast must've been. I added heaps of sugar to my coffee and it still wasn't palatable for me. Just too dark for my personal taste, but I'm sure it would appeal to some caffeine junkies out there. :) That being said, the interior is roomy and quirkily designed. Plenty of wall outlets and tables inside and outside for working / hanging out. The presentation of the drinks (ie. my friend's cafe latte) was nice. BTW, $5 minimum for credit card! read more

Bagels don't seem to be fresh (wrapped in plastic) iced coffee is ehh chill vibes tho, groceries could be better. read more

Cute spot but I didn't like the coffee. I wanted to like it but I didn't. I tried cappuccino and American, both extremely disappointing... :( I wanted to like them because 1) really nice ambiance and lots of room for seating 2) they are reasonable on the almond milk up charge 3) service was friendly and quick. Lots of great things going for this place, but coffee is not good in comparison to the other great places around (I.e contraband). If you are coming for the coffee, don't. If you are coming for a place to hang out with friends and grab a quick snack, yes, this place is perfect. read more