English Nirvana Soul Coffee - Great for Students, Tough for Employees Nirvana Soul Coffee has a unique situation: because they operate under university rules, they can't accept tips. Honestly, that's pretty great for students - no tip pressure, no awkward "20%, 25%, or 30%?" screen, and potentially a more affordable coffee run. But man... that has to suck for the employees. The baristas are still putting in the work, making the drinks, providing great service, and creating a welcoming atmosphere, but they can't accept tips even when customers genuinely want to show their appreciation. So I'm conflicted: great for students, but I really feel for the employees. The coffee is good, the vibes are good, and the university rules are... well, the university rules. Great spot for students. Just remember to show your appreciation in other ways! 中文 Nirvana Soul Coffee - 对学生来说很棒，对员工来说却有点心酸 Nirvana Soul Coffee 有一个比较特别的情况：因为他们受到大学相关规定的约束，所以员工不能收取小费。 老实说，这对学生来说其实挺不错的 - 没有小费压力，也不用面对结账时那个让人纠结的"20%、25%还是30%？"选项，而且喝杯咖啡也可能更轻松、更实惠。 但是说真的......这对员工来说就有点心酸了。 咖啡师依然认真工作、制作饮品、提供优质服务，也努力营造舒适友善的氛围，可是即使顾客真的想用小费表达感谢，他们也不能接受。 所以我的心情有点复杂：对学生来说真的很棒，但我也确实很替员工感到可惜。 咖啡不错，氛围也很好，至于大学规定嘛......规定就是规定。 对于学生来说，这绝对是个不错的地方。既然不能用小费表达感谢，那就用其他方式支持和感谢这些辛苦工作的员工吧！ read more

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The ube latte with oat milk is worth every penny. Perfect Blend, Rich and subtly sweet ube flavor, and oat milk that makes it perfectly creamy without being heavy. Exactly what a specialty latte should be. Great vibes, great staff, great coffee. Nirvana Soul is a gem in downtown San Jose. Go get the ube latte -- you won't regret it. read more

Stopped by on a Friday before a concert and the place was busy. Most inside tables were full, but there was some space outside. Considering how busy it was, ordering was quick and the service was also fast. The Ube latte was delicious! Would come back to try some of the baked goods and other drinks. read more

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This place was very good, coffee was yummy and the location is ideal for some reading at MLK library. The workers were really friendly and helpful and the ambiance was cool read more

Nirvana Soul Coffee - Local art from locals - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

I love that this is a black owned business! I love the taste of their coffee! The service was good. The only complaint and this is why I did not give it Five stars is the price. read more

Nirvana Soul Coffee - A picture of the owners - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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Cute coffee shop near City Hall. I had an iced Mabuhay Ube Latte (espresso + steamed milk + ube + coconut) with oat milk. It was soooo good and a drink I've never tried before. Staff were very friendly. Cafe is cashless and oddly there is no way to tip the baristas. read more

Did not know this coffeehouse was here on the SJSU Campus! Corner of 4th & San Fernando attached to the library. They have a variety of waffles, sandwiches, salads, teas & of course - coffee! I got a churro waffle and did not disappoint! Next time I am in the area will stop by again. read more

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Very inviting space, the artwork on the wall is beautiful and the plants definitely give another added touch. 1st visit: I ordered the white rose latte and it's very creamy and probably 3 sips in you will taste the rose and not overpowering. 2nd visit: (next day) I ordered the banana chai and wow - it's become my fav drink. The aftertaste is this drink is very pleasant and sweet. My daughter attends SJSU so anytime I'm in the area I'll definitely be coming back for that. read more

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Service was warm and I like the fact that it's next to the MLK library which makes a caffeine refuel convenient before class. Lines can be long and sometimes there seems to be one person behind the counter, so have patience. I did order their limited/seasonal drink, I believe it was chocolate/caramel. It was not a sweet drink, it was very delicious but the coffee itself wasn't strong or maybe I have developed a tolerance for caffeine. read more

Love the people, the ambiance , and the coffee! I know they only had the gingerbread cookies for like 2 weeks but they were soooo yummy! If they could bring them back seasonally that would be lovely! Service is always good and convo even better even though Juju's not there anymore. Service still on point! read more

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Got an iced white rose latte with oat milk and it tasted just okay. 3/5 for the taste, it was sweet and floral. However, shortly after I drank a couple sips of the drink, my stomach started to feel a bit uneasy. I'm not sure if they put oat milk like I asked or if the milk has gone bad. I had to use the restroom right away and afterwards I just tossed the rest of my drink so I didn't risk going again. This is located at the bottom of the MLK Library so it is a great location for convenience since a lot of students study there. Prices however were a bit on the higher side. My drink came to $7 something for a regular size. I came twice, the first time I came service was friendly and quick, had a good conversation with the cashier. The most recent time though, I got like bare minimum service. They asked what I wanted, made the drink, and that's about it. Not much interaction. read more

Nirvana Soul Coffee - Iced White Rose Latte (Oat Milk) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

I'm a frequent visitor of the Nirvana Soul on 1st St. and I'm SO excited to see them expand to SJSU campus! The new Nirvana location is a part of the MLK library and it has the same interior art style and vibe as their other locations. It seems like they also have a lot more tables and study spaces, and it looks SOO much better since Nirvana renovated it! This location is having their official grand opening on May 13! Some of my favorite items on the menu are the banana chai latte, matcha banana latte, mabuhay ube latte, and celebration latte. Congratulations to the Nirvana Soul team! Hoping for many more coffee adventures to come! read more

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Nirvana Soul just opened up another location in MLK! They have a pretty good amount of indoor seating and there's a lot of outdoor seating as well. Service is fast & drinks are delicious like the other locations. I tried the Banana Chai with the Mac Nut this time. The Mac nut is really really subtle. The banana overpowers it so it tastes like a regular banana chai. The music is a bit loud here, but other than that a nice spot for SJSU students to grab a cup of coffee. read more

Nirvana Soul Coffee - Banana Chai w/ Macadamia Nut - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

This Mabuhay Ube Latte was really good here. I can really taste the ube, and it has a light sweetness. The Totoro latte art was really cool! The service was fast and friendly. And the ambiance is really chill. read more

Nirvana Soul Coffee - Mabuhay Ube Latte with Totoro latte art - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Superb coffee. Their Coco Mo drink is delicious. Love the words creativity too. The service is friendly and welcoming. Very clean and inviting coffee shop. read more

I was so excited when Nirvana Soul decided to open up a location on campus because I really like the one on first street ! I'm so happy that they are the ones to fill up the coffee shop space of the library. I think most students like it too. They have unique drink flavors, food to order, and food that is ready to purchase. It's quite a nice break area from all the studying and work to do. The interior is nice and bright just like the 1st street location. Service is friendly too. I don't go as often as I would like but I would recommend stopping by here ! read more

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The hazelnut mocha was delicious and I loved the foam art on top. Not many coffee shops do this any more. Service was quick, limited seating and staff were helpful with my questions. I got oat milk to make it non-dairy. It stood up well to the mocha and hazelnut. Overall great choice for a good cuppa in downtown SJ! read more

Nirvana Soul Coffee - Hazelnut Mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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The ambiance is pretty lively, and the hostess is very nice. The cinnamon roll had the perfect texture and flavor. It was very delicious. The sweet potato pie was awesome, and the marshmallows on top of it were a good touch. Make sure you ask for the cinnamon roll and sweet potato pie to be warmed up. For my beverage, I enjoyed a lavender matcha latte, which was really good as well. read more

Nirvana Soul Coffee - Sweet potato pie & cinnamon roll - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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Excellent service and excellent coffee... I would recommend to everyone... highly recommend a banana latte...

Service was awful! This is my second time trying Nirvana overall. Today was their $2 celebration latte day, I told the cashier I wanted the $6 regular - she was clearly not paying attention and rang me up for $2. I asked the barista who handed over the drink if I could have a lid, she said no. I asked if I could pour the drink into the larger cup - she said I could get back in line and be charged. Unfortunately after my first mediocre experience at the OG location (drink and service were both so so) I won't be returning after this poor level of service. Unless things drastically improve the only coffee I'll support downtown is AM craft and academic coffee. read more

Why can't we tip workers at this location???? I loved the service and quality of drinks here and was sad to hear that this is the only Nirvana location that doesn't accept tips. The employees deserve it. read more

I ordered my drink with oat milk and then I got this shits after. So the oat milk probably was not added. But the Ube latte was good. read more

Nirvana Soul Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Highly recommend yiu support this business they are black owned and women ran & products are amazing I love their matcha banana late I will be back to order it again I stumbled across them at the sf coffee fest and I am so glad I did read more

So happy to hear Nirvana Soul has a spot in the MLK Library!! My favorite drink is the Banana Chai Latte - if you like anything banana then this drink is for you. Since the location is new, the staff are still training. Despite this, the drinks still come out pretty quick! The store has a few tables and chairs indoors and outdoors, so the spot is ideal for students to hangout or study at. read more

Nirvana Soul Coffee - Chai Banana Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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Love this place but not being able to Tip here but literally everywhere else is a little disheartening . Hope management can fix this read more

My coffee was very good. Iced Hazelnut nut latte /oatmilk and lavender. OhMaGosh!!! I will be back. The cashier was friendly and efficient. The others making and distributing were aware of customers coming and going and greeted. It was my first visit and I will return with more time, a book and a friend. The environment, customers appeared relaxed. Chill vibe read more

For the most part the drinks do come out fast but I've noticed it's only when the shift lead is there (she's the girl who's always working when I am there). Today was pretty frustrating, shift lead was not there and the 3 ppl behind the counter were working at snails pace. It really shouldn't take over 15 minutes for one drink, I would understand if understaffed but they weren't. Waited around 15 mins and my drink wasn't even good, got an iced van latte and when they handed it to me the syrup was at the bottom, I did the best to mix it but my first two sips were straight up just vanilla and the rest of my drink was just a reg ice latte. I do feel bad for the girl I assume is the shift lead, she always seems stressed but she makes the best drinks by far. Would've gave one star if she prob wasn't there. Not saying this place sucks, they have pretty good drinks but I think some of the baristas need better time management when making drinks. read more

To say I was surprised was the very least I was not expecting a cafe in a library to taste so good and to be strong! I had to actually stop drinking half way so that it could last and felt the caffeine immediately. I'm extremely picky with my coffee and was not expecting this to be as great as it is. Staff was fun and friendly and flavors were whimsical and delightful. Super yummy read more

Melanie is awesome I moved across the street and I've been dying to come here and I finally did because my out-of-town friend visiting wanted to meet for coffee, so perfect up opportunity. I'm obsessed with this place. As soon as you walk in, it makes you feel like Home the beautiful art, friendly smile, it's super bright and beautifully decorated walls. The bonus is the huge outdoor seating area my goodness it's perfect I must've stared at the menu for 10 minutes and I couldn't decide there was so many delicious things on the menu from specialty lattes to specialty traditional drinks, teas and things waffles and pastries and if you were just looking for a smack and a refreshing drink they also have a refrigerated drink Case with soft drinks, energy drinks, muscle milk, gatorade, water, and tea. Melanie was super helpful explaining the drinks to me explaining the process of the room and let me tell you this is one of the best cold brew I have ever had anywhere ever. I do have to say the only thing that made me a little sad was the fact that they're not allowed to receive tips. I'm not sure if it's because it's San Jose State University campus location, but maybe you could put a little sign that says tips are not required, but appreciated, anyhow the service I received from Melanie made me feel like I was excited to pay for my coffee just so I could give her a nice tip because She was just so bright and kind informative and friendly. I'm excited to bring all my friends and make this my regular coffee place. read more

Nirvana Soul Coffee - Melanie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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Very convenient spot to grab a coffee, bottled drink, or some food before heading to class or up the library to study, as it is on the first floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Library on the SJSU campus. There are some tables inside the coffee shop and some picnic tables outside if you want to study there or just to sit and enjoy your food and drink. Just be very aware of your belongings and surroundings if you do decide to sit there, especially outside. They just recently opened so their staff are all still in training but the service was still quick; there is a sign at the register that lets customers know that the staff are still in training at this time. I ordered a regular iced latte this time, but I will definitely try out some of their more unique drinks next time. All of their pastries look delicious as well! Will definitely try some of them next time! read more

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On google they claim open at 7 am so I walked about a mile to find out at 8:30 they were closed . They should take 5 min out of their day to update their page instead of waisting people time . Like I just did about a hour walk . Crazy ..... read more

Nirvana Soul Coffee - There times they claim to be open but not true - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

The coffee selection is great. They will always help with suggestions based on what I like. So many choices. The customer service is second to none. Alana and crew are great with greeting you with a smile that continues throughout your order. It's becoming the spot for city hall employees who want a different blend in coffee. Great job. read more

It's nice that the library has a cafe but the service can be eh and the prices seem higher than the actual store.

Staff is so sweet!! I get the white rose latte but I've heard that all the specialty drinks are good! Price is about 7 dollars a drink but not unusual for SJ. read more

Nirvana Soul Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

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Exceptionally nice staff. Exceptionally good coffee and food. Mainly, I just love coming here because the staff people behind the counter are so kind and compassionate - makes my day to be quite honest so thank you. You're wonderful ! read more

Love that they opened up another location! Grateful for the convenience of walking across campus to get my Banana chai fix. There are many tables to sit, eat, and study as well. read more

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I ordered a holiday matcha minus the peppermint (they didn't have any)... why is my matcha straight up brown?? It did not taste like matcha and It was not green. I spent 7 dollars on this.. read more

Nirvana Soul Coffee - holiday matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Jose, California

Holly was extremely helpful and accommodating. Even by herself she was able to get everything done quickly and she was incredibly kind.

The hot chocolate tastes like rubber. If they can't succeed in making a simple hot chocolate, how can I trust them to make a more complex drink? The chocolate waffle is pretty good. The strawberry smoothie is ice cream based (which I didnt know, I thought it was yogurt) so it tastes mostly like milk. Service isn't so bad. Some are very nice, others are like they don't want to be there (which I get, it's morning). Could be a lot better. As for the ambiance, just know it's echoey and music is pretty loud, even for noise cancelling headphones. read more

Ok I've had it with this place. I've had multiple drinks from the Matcha latte to their more fruity drinks like the Peach Nirvana and the Serotonin Sunrise. I've had them on multiple occasions and one thing consistent is their inconsistency in taste. They are overbearingly sweet most of the time lacking real taste. Today I went in to get food. Their only options in front of the register were Plain bagels, Everything bagels, and a plain croissants. A young man took my order of the every thing bagel toasted with cream cheese. The girl in the back gets the bagel, puts it bag, and tries to hand it to me. I reiterate that I wanted it toasted. The young man tells hers to toast it. She proceeded to grab the whole bagel and throw it in the toaster unsliced. I then stare and ask are you guys not gonna slice it in half? The young man proceeds to get gloves and cuts the bagel and the young lady toasts it and finally hands it to me. That interaction was too long for it not being busy. The bagel was a meh. Not sure how much a bagel cost but my receipt said I was charged 6 dollars for a croissant. read more