Cute place with a local community crowd; mostly quiet. Great service and great banh mi. Wifi, seating and plugs are plentiful.

This place is the BEST! My classmate and I want to personally thank Nomad Cafe for giving us a stellar Saturday study spot that has been essential in helping us graduate from our Masters program. I have nothing but amazing things to say about the food, staff, and coffee here! The staff here are the sweetest and they always make an effort to remember customer names and offer free coffee refills on the house. The food is delicious- I recommend the tofu bahn mi (vietnamese sandwich), the mediterranean snack plate (tons of fresh veggies and hummus), or the veggie bagel. Honestly, I've never had a bad meal here and the prices are super reasonable. read more

I have mixed feelings about this cafe. The free internet access is a plus, however it means that the place tends to be full at most times of the day. Coming in around 2-3 PM looking for a place to have a coffee and study is an exercise in futility and forget about Sat. or Sun. morning. The place is also tiny. Not counting the outdoor tables, there are only about 6-7 tables inside and it is very cramped. There is only one bathroom, which often has a bit of a wait. I don't understand what people are doing inside a cafe bathroom for 45 minutes, but something tells me that I don't want to know.... The Main complaint I have though is their "green" commitment. I don't mind a green/environmentally freindly/organic/fair trade coffee place, if it is done well, but at the Nomad it is not. The food is decent, albeit overpriced. I've had better organic food from other cafe's in the area for less money. The fair trade coffee is decent, but they often allow old coffee to sit for HOURS without changing it. They don't make a very good coffee drink and the coffee drinks are all overpriced. $4 for a latte? What a joke. I went in last week and the hippie behind the counter informed me that I was being charged extra for my paper to go cup to "encourage me to bring my own coffee cup". When asked why I was given a mumbling reason that included the words "green" and "environment", which to me translated to "we need more green from you if you want to bask in our hippie, organic environment". The "organic beer and wine" gimmick is just that, a gimmick. Again, if you want to be an environmentally friendly hipster, you gotta pay for that at the Nomad. The pluses? Nomad does feature live music and poetry a few nights a week and they support local artists, serving as a gallery of sorts for local painters etc. The building is also pretty unique looking so if you like that then thats a plus. The main problem is that the Nomad has comeptitors in the area that offer better then what the Nomad offers for far less. Cafe de La Paz/La Pena is a better "hipster enviornmentalist" place with better food choices available and better beer and wine and better performances and art. The cafe down the street also offers free internet access with reasonably priced coffee that tastes far better then the overly acidic sludge they serve at Nomad. What I look for in a cafe is: good coffee, reasonable prices and internet access. These 3 can easily be found in the area for less $$. My advice is that if you live in the area, spend the extra 3 minte drive/ 15 minute walk to go up to College Ave. and visit the coffee shops there. read more

I love this place - yes, you do have to wait a little longer, but let's all slow down a little y'all. hey rena y. you should have brought that latte back, or said something because usually the lattes are AMAZING! i recommend the bagels, the black and white sandwich (add tomatoes) and the matte latte to drink! :) read more

So they don't stay open very late, and while most coffee shops have couches they only offer metal chairs. BUT the redeeming quality that makes this place great is that people are quietly working here all the time. They don't blast loud music so it's easy to concentrate on writing or have a queit conversation with someone without having to compete with the people next to you yelling over the music that doesn't even drown out the banging in the kitchen.You know what I mean? read more

Super nice staff! $5 sandwiches! Always a place to sit! Not a gourmet boutique cafe with $5 latte but a great neighborhood cafe for meeting folks and working read more

I've been visiting dat for my breakfast sandwiches and coffee for a while now. Always great service and delicious food. I suggest the Vietnamese pork chop sandwich if you're looking for something new. Has cilantro, carrots, and jalapeños in it, delicious read more

This place looks warm and inviting, but I never feel comfortable in here. The people all act like you're a foreigner if you don't exactly know what to order, or where to sit, because Schmoe in the corner refuses to sit anywhere else and takes up two tables with his laptop bag, ibook charger, and a plate full of a half eaten crepe. Gimme a break people, you're not that cool. Be more welcoming and, dare i say it, FRIENDLY. I mean, yeah, the place is cool to hang out in, blah blah, blah, but it isnt the center of the world, despite how the owner may feel... God forbid you walk into this place with a plastic bottle - the walls might crumble on top of you. If you like being cramped and feeling awkward the very first, second, and third time you enter this lovely establishment, then by all mean, ride your bike, tie your scruffy dog to the pole outside, and enjoy. sorry. i hate to overgeneralize, but this place bums me out. and Hire more people of color NOMAD, geesh. read more

I love coming to the Nomad Cafe to write. It's got exactly what I want: wifi and power outlets, decent seating, no music (a huge help when you are studying, reading, or writing, even with headphones), friendly staff, and lots of food and drink options. Love that there are 1960s protest photos from Berkeley on the wall. I highly recommend getting a half-sweet, half-spicy iced chai. The only thing that missed the mark for me was the hummus, which was just ok. It also isn't the cutest cafe in the world, but as I mostly come here to write, that makes no difference to me. read more

Great tofu banh mi, and really friendly people! Free WiFi, and a perfect place to get some work done. I only wish they were open later.

I used to be all about the Nomad. Sure, their coffee is tasty. It keeps getting more expensive although the quality is not improving. Recent changes to the interior make it less customer-friendly, and the bathroom is effing gross. read more

No more plugs!? Thumbs down! The coffee is delish and the waste free ethic is awesome...but no longer can some of us partake. If your computer battery life is zilch and you need to plug in, this is not your place read more

I like Nomad Cafe--esp now that it's under new ownership. The husband and wife team that run the cafe now are so sweet--and they work really hard to try to make sure customers are satisfied. I don't generally eat in the actual cafe because I live next store, but it's a great place to go for a bagel and latte in the morning. Anyhow, with owners this sweet, I'm always happy to support...even if the prices may be a little inflated! Good place, great people! read more

the coffee here has always been so so. i heard there was new owners and i was out of coffee at home. i live around the block and i thought why not. i got me and my sweetie some double shot espresso drinks. worst coffee of my life. i mean i don't even think there was coffee in our drinks. read more

I recently went to Nomad cafe with My husband and daughter. This is practically the only cafe I can go to because of my dietary needs. They serve organic milk and cream with their drinks and I can get something for my daughter that I don't feel guilty about. I noticed that the vibe had changed when we walked in. No bustling people in and out, no sense of everyone was doing something creative and having beautiful conversations with their fellow coffee drinkers. JUST A BORING SELL OUT CAFE. not my nomad cafe...this was my last option!!!! I asked the customer service man if the milk was still organic. He said yes. I asked to see the container and he showed me some disgusting ultra pastuerized, gmo corn fed bloated cow milk!! The milk containers at the self service area all state organic. So basically they are lying to the public. The sign above states we serve an array of fair trade, organic, local food, blah, blah, blah as I stare down at some conventional bananas. I am utterly disappointed and will no longer go to Nomad Cafe. read more

great for studying! the crowd here is pretty laid-back, as should be expected because it's within the vicinity of cal, but far enough so that its not inundated with berkeley students. its also great that they have computer stations and free wifi. i also love the glass windows... nice to see the sunny day that i'm missing while studying. its so popular but small that i often have a hard time getting a table, but the tables are fairly large and people are very nice about sharing. o yea, and i like the music they play... very KOIT (chill, old favs) the GOOD: fair trade coffee, yesss! and unlimited free parking around the residential area =D (also great location cause if u walk in and find it full, just walk down the block to jump n java!). free wifi. plenty of outlets. the BAD: tragedy of good things, sometimes too many people want it... All in all, this is one of my regular cafes and i will continue to frequent it. Highly recommended! read more

Staff is very rude. Food is very bland. I think it's cool that they're green and socially conscious and all. I just don't want to go there. read more

This place is good. The coffee is strong, the staff are quick, and the food is good with big portions. Best breakfast sandwich in town. Could use a little ambient music or other white noise, but then again everyone sitting there is plugged into headphones so guess not a problem. read more

best yerba mate late you can get anywhere. good to go in the afternoon if its sunny because the chairs outside get pm sun.

3 & 1/2 Stars....as a regular for morning coffee & bagel, the staff has gotten to know me and they treat me very well. They have taken the time get to know my preferences and they get 5 stars for service. I can see how the casual observer might see them as a tad standoffish, but they really are nice folks. The only downers are the incredibly high prices and the new scaled down menu. I'm sure they are doing what they need to do to stay afloat, without compromising quality. I'm sure it's tough when the majority of your customers buy a cup of coffee and then stay for 3 hrs using your free wi-fi. Raising prices in a down economy seems silly to me, but perhaps they have no choice if they wish to continue operating the business...I see others have complained about them yanking the power outlets, etc...my experience is based on 5 minutes every morning on the way to work. Pretty good coffee, excellent bagels, exceptional service & very high prices. read more

I have to second the other recent reviews - this cafe has declined in quality. It makes me sad. This used to be the best cafe in Oakland. The coffee was amazing, the food delicious, the baristas friendly, and everything was fair trade, and eco-friendly and organic. Then everything started changing. I don't know if it was Chris who changed the coffee or the new owners, but it was a serious step down. They brought in a boring, non-organic menu. The up-side to the changes is that this place used to be so popular that you had to wait in a huge line to get your coffee and bagel. Now you barely have to wait at all. read more

they have sandwiches and smoothies. there area few pastries. the tea selection is good.

If you don't like being treated rudely by employees and don't enjoy people shouting over you about their personal lives, don't go to Nomad. I made the mistake of politely asking a few people to lower their voices slightly or move closer to one another because they were practically shouting over me about their personal lives (sorry, I don't want to know about your new car or your dating situation) with complete disregard for my existence. I couldn't read a single word. I have read in many loud cafes, and this was the first time I have ever felt compelled to ask people to alter their behavior. That is, I'm not someone who goes around asking people to be quiet, especially at a cafe where I expect people to be conversing. But these people were being so disrespectful that I felt compelled. And, in fact, they did slightly lower their voices after I asked... I was able to read, and they were able to continue talking. But... a little bit later, an employee came up to me and angrily announced that if I ever tell a customer to leave again I won't be welcome there anymore. How my request got translated into an order for someone to leave, I don't know. Even after explaining what had happened to the employee and later the owner, I was told that I should probably go to the library instead. I had made the mistake of asking one of their "loyal" customers to be considerate. At Nomad, loyalty apparently gives you license to be obnoxious. The cafe should probably either turn off the wi-fi and prohibit reading, or recognize that a social atmosphere need not involve utter disregard for a person stuck in the midst of a loud, protracted conversation. Even though I've spent quite a bit of time there in the past, I won't be visiting Nomad again. read more

I want to love this cafe. It so close, its very green, all the way down the the building its in. It stays open late by Berkeley/ Oakland standards. It has regular free music. (granted the ren faire style I've seen there is not my style, but more power to ye). But the traffic of wifi people drive me nutso. Doooode you and your mac mini are taking up mucho landmass. How long have you been parked there with your piles of paper attempting to look important. I am usually forced to the outside tables, which is fine by me. All of this is bearable, but then add in the employees with the let me ignore the whole line of customers while i talk with my co-worker about why ani difranco is a sell out discussion. Umm heeello? It is a bizarre group that works in there, and they have collectively decided to ignore the exasperated people waiting in line. All that said sometimes i still go there b/c they sell the new york times and semifreddi morning buns and they are super close and my experience at Jumpin Java has been consistently bizarre. Im a llitte hopefull too, ive noticed some new employees and I've got my fingers crossed. read more

Best latte I've had in years! Super warm hard-boiled egg. Easy parking and floor to ceiling windows provide great view of neighborhood. Free internet, clean, and ample seating. Lots of great menu choices - I will come back some time soon to try out their Vietnamese sandwiches. read more

the only times i've been was to see some friends of mine do gigs here, so on a friday/saturday night expect (some good) live music. i've had the tea (numi teas, very good) and....chocolate beer???? no lie, it exists. it's just ok. the people working it are always kind despite how crowded it can get. it's super vegetarian-organic-fair-trade-ish. parking's kinda tough. read more

I don't go here often but I'm always pleased by the atmosphere. It's not like all of the other super-hip, super-crowded coffee shops in Berkeley. I'm a fan of their soy latte. read more

gobin...in march...sounded ok here. just thought the vibe @ nomad was a good mix for the music.

My mouth is watering thinking about the double americano I always order. It's a simple drink, sure, but the fact that their americano is so noteworthy is a testament to the quality of their espresso beans. Nomad does not skimp on what's important. It's a zero-waste business -- they use biodegradable to-go cups, lids, straws and silverware -- and they host awesome local art, including live music, poetry, storytelling and open mics. This is all reason enough for me to want to patronize Nomad. That and everything on their menu is so delicious. Their "Boogie Woogie Bagel Boy" bagels rock. Their coffee stokes me in a way Starbucks never will. It's great. It's all great. But don't think you don't have to pay extra for greatness. The prices are steeper than your average cafe, but it's worth it. Your dollar is your vote. I agree with Nomad on all the issues -- the environment, art education, and whatnot. So as far as my coffee budget goes, I say, Nomad Cafe '08! read more

I was a super loyal customer back in the day. I was there several times a week, buying drinks, food, etc. In fact, I was there the changes happened and the staff was telling people they didn't want their customers hanging around so long. Seriously bad business move. If your business is booming and always crowded then you should be grateful and kind to your customers. Instead, Nomad bit the hand that was feeding them. The only thing that's unique about this cafe now is the physical space. I miss the old Nomad! read more

the food here is really good. this business is family run and i like to support that. this is a good cafe if you need somewhere quiet to go on your laptop - not a good place to meet a friend and chat. prices are very high. read more

Very friendly staff, excellent bagel sandwiches, decent coffee, big windows with outstanding natural light.

Hey guys they are back open. Excellent food and really friendly service. Cozy atmosphere to study, chat or just chill!!!!

Nomad seems a bit more expensive than other restaurants/cafes in the area but their heartichoke sandwich (goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, good bread, side salad) was tasty. My coffee came in a soup bowl :). read more

went here today after quite a long absence. it must be under new management. the food is wretched. bland dry hummous. yuck . lukewarm coffee and NO OLIVES. read more

Great sandwiches, Vietnamese and western style... Good prices, clean spot, friendly people working. I like this place!

The Nomad Cafe is my favorite neighborhood coffee spot, hands down. The owners are super friendly, the ingredients are organic, the coffee is great, and the sandwiches are really good- way better than you would normally expect at a coffee shop. It's a bit pricey, so if you don't think it's worth it to pay for organic then you might be annoyed at your $4.00 latte. It's also a great spot to work, study, etc. as there are lots of tables w/ power outlets and free wi-fi. Super stoked that there is such a great cafe in this part of Berkeley! read more

This is my favorite cafe in Oakland. Unbelievably friendly staff, great coffee options, incredible Vietnamese sandwiches and great Wi-Fi. What more could you ask? Also if you sit outside wifi still works. This is my TOP PLACE to get a coffee and enjoy a relaxed vibe whole getting some work done. Love this place. Also being from New York, very good bagel sandwiches. read more

We walked here from Cal Glass while our windshield was being replaced. The coffee was very good, quite strong- always a plus for me. The hot chocolate was nothing special according to my husband. The pastries were not fresh, though the counter person assured us they were purchased as fresh that day. If so, they need a new supplier. I had a cinnamon roll, my husband had a morning bun. Sad to think we could have walked down to Berkeley Bowl and gotten fresh pastries or fruit. Internet must be pretty good- lots of computers up around the cafe. read more

Best lattes in town. It's a double edged sword though - now no place else will do. Great staff, and I really appreciate the efforts that are being made to make it a more friendly environment (example: no plugs). It's not an office folks! read more