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    Playback Coffee

    3.9 (195 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Order Playback Coffee Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    PLAYBACK COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for working
    Outdoor seating

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    Reviews With Photos - Playback Coffee

    Loved their lighting
    Clare K.

    Came here to try their coffee and I actually enjoyed their matcha more than coffee! They had plenty tables and chairs in the indoor and outdoor space and we enjoyed sitting outside cause weather was great and we had our dogs :) We didn't struggle finding street parking but you have to pay for parking if you are staying and enjoying coffee or food there! Service was pretty good and fast. If you put your number when ordering, you will get a notification when it's ready!

    Mango matcha latte
    Graschelle H.

    Mango Matcha: 2/5 The mango matcha fell flat unfortunately. I watched the barista make this drink and did not have high expectations. The majority of cup was filled with Goya or Jumex mango juice (as you can imagine, the flavor was totally overtaken by the artificial juice flavor), followed by some syrup, oat milk, and premixed matcha from a squeeze bottle... for $8.50, it just didn't taste fresh or good quality. I tried my friend's pistachio latte which was better, but I don't think I would recommend/return for the drinks. Vibe and Service: 4.5/5 I would, however, return for the ambiance and how easy it is to grab food from the variety of stalls. Came to study/work with some friends and there was plenty of seating with outlets in the coffee shop itself and the adjacent food hall area if you don't mind a more bustling environment; plenty of people were doing the same. The cafe scene in SJ is strong if you like to get out of the house to get some work done alone or with friends, and this spot is a solid choice for that.

    Pistachio Matcha Latte
    Amy K.

    Playback Coffee definitely has a vibe. It gets pretty busy, and there's something nice about being surrounded by people--it's a good spot if you want to feel a little less stuck in your routine and just soak in that lively, everyday energy. Service-wise, no complaints at all. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, which I appreciated. That said... the drinks were a letdown. I ordered the pistachio matcha, and it was honestly not great. It tasted overly sweet with a very artificial pistachio flavor, and the matcha itself didn't taste authentic either--more like a flavored drink than real matcha. For the price they're charging (which is definitely on the higher end for matcha), I expected much better quality. My husband got a black coffee and wasn't impressed either--he said the flavor was pretty underwhelming. Overall, nice atmosphere and good service, but I'd probably come back for the space, not the drinks.

    teddy graham latte (regular sweet, iced)  and Ferrero rocher latte
    Rebecca H.

    The ambiance is top tier. There's a lot of seating and tables, low music playing in the background. The design is super cute. I ordered a teddy graham latte (regular sweet, iced) and it was so delicious!! In addition, I also order the Ferrero rocher latte and it was just as delicious, especially if you're looking for something on the sweeter side! There was options for pastries. However, I did not partake. I did order bagels and they were good. There is a kiosk for self-service and an option to order with the cashier. I did go on Saturday morning which was fairly busy. However, there was still a lot of seating options and the drinks and bagels came out quickly. Overall, will definitely be returning!

    Miranda L.

    The interior of this place was so beautiful I was honestly blown away at first glance. This was my first time visiting and I thought the interior was just decorated so uniquely and with so much personality. I can see why many people come here to study because the environment is absolutely perfect for it and also suitable for just a casual hangout spot as well! We tried the red velvet latte and also the honey date latte today and I thought the drinks were both pretty good. I don't think this is the most amazing coffee I've ever had but the coffee flavor was there but not extremely fragrant within the drink. The red velvet latte was extremely sweet and I really felt like it was the embodiment of a red velvet cake within a drink form! The honey date latte was just honey flavor with a faint taste of espresso but I also ordered it with a substitute of oatmilk and oatmilk can often times be very overpowering within a latte. The service was good, I felt like the staff were nice and welcoming. It wasn't above and beyond but it was definitely far from average! Overall, this place was a super cool experience and I think if anything I would probably come back for the environment just to study or hangout!

    Hojicha Latte with chocolate cf & Pistachio Latte with vanilla cf
    Danielle P.

    I had really high hopes of this place after seeing it on insta with the fun vinyl atmosphere and sharing the same owner as Academic Coffee. Nevertheless, the spaciousness and amount of seating here with outlets make it hard for people not to come by here. It's also right across from the parking garage. But, let's play it back... At a glance, their menu has a great amount of options considering they have hojicha and matcha in addition to coffee. There's even fun pastries, including a Dubai chocolate croissant and pistachio! It is really expensive though. The base price of a latte was already $8-$9. We ordered the specials: Hojicha Latte and Pistachio Latte. The Hojicha latte came with chocolate cold foam, which sounded yummy considering the nuttiness from the roasted green tea flavor could complement that richness. However...it was extremely watery. We could only taste the foam. My sister had to ask the barista to kindly add more syrup, but the barista was kind enough to remake it altogether and that Hojicha flavor decided to pop in! Not sure if they didn't put enough Hojicha powder at first, but we really appreciate the great service. This does tell us that their drinks might not be as consistent --- just as a note. The Pistachio Latte came with sprinkles of pistachio and vanilla cold foam. Now THIS was delicious. Great coffee flavor ratio to that pistachio syrup, which didn't taste artificial at all. Loved a good crunch. Seems like they won't mess up a cup of coffee here, but have yet to try their matcha. Just not sure about that base price point. Enjoyed sitting here in their sofa chairs though and their location being inside the San Pedro Market Square.

    Christopher B.

    I am normally an espresso guy, and I've been on the search for the perfect Bay Area espresso however this was a bit later in the afternoon so I opted for something different. Playback is in San Pedro market, sharing space with a bar that is completely emptied during the day. This means that there is ample seating both indoors and outdoors, including enclose outdoor patio for the cold and rainy days. The seating includes plenty of high tops, tables, and lounging spaces. Today I opted for one of the outdoor high tops in the shade. They have plenty of staff on hand to take and process your order quickly. The staff was friendly and professional, and my drink came out pretty quickly. I went for a lavender latte with regular milk. The temperature was perfect and the lavender was perfect kind of sweetness and flavor, without being too sweet or sugary. They still have some pastries in the cabinet, I didn't ask where they're from but I will do some next time. Of course, there are a lot of food options at the market even during the middle of the day. Overall, this is a great place to come whether you're meeting somebody and want to peruse the market, want to sit and chill or get some work done on your own, or even if you just want to people watch.

    Guava matcha latte and dirty matcha
    Jiwon K.

    Really vibey and spacious coffee shop in downtown SJ! It was pretty crowded on a Saturday afternoon so it took awhile for our orders to come out. There's tons of seating both inside and outside. The matcha drinks were pretty good, but I feel like you have to get extra matcha if you really want the flavor to come through, which is an extra cost. Overall, bit on the pricy side but I love the variety of drinks and food options they have. The salmon lox bagel was also delicious! Will definitely come back to try some of the other drinks!

    In line
    Kristina K.

    I've been wanting to try this place for a while now, and I'm sooo happy I did!! It is such a vibe!! I went on a Sunday around 11 and there was a little line as well as lots of people sitting, drinking, chilling , working, etc. such a big space though. Located in the same area of the Three Sisters Bar, I almost felt like getting a drink too lol such a good atmosphere! There was even a band setting up, I feel like they played around noonish. There's a cute little outside area too with lots of seating in a covered area where I sat and ate my goodies. I went twice in one trip to San Pedro Market. The first time I got a pistachio latte with vanilla cream cold foam and it was SO GOOD!!! Not too sweet at all, it was pure perfection!!! I also got a Spinach Artichoke croissant and Olive Oil Lemon cake, both were so incredible. This area is so fun bc there's so much to visit so I went and got a pizza then came back for a cold brew & another slice of the olive oil lemon pound cake. One thing I appreciate is I was asked if I wanted the end or the middle slice of the cake & just found that to be such good costumer service, it's always in the details! The cashier was so nice too, my orders were always made super quickly. There's a place off to the side for lids , water & napkins which was nice. There was also a tablet for ordering but most people ordered at the counter. Also when I went back on the second visit , the spinach artichoke croissant was gone so I feel like that's a popular one I would get if you see it!

    Berry in Love Latte
    Megan C.

    great spot for the local students to grab a drink and study, as well for anyone looking for coffee. But their concept of matcha lattes is just not good. There is not matcha flavor at all. The flavor is overpowered by the choice of dairy you get, which I got oatmilk, and i saw which brand and its the Oatly Barista Edition, which is super thick, which nothing wrong with the choice, but it is such a powerful oatmilk, that at least the flavors of matcha should over compensate for. So i got their seasonal berry latte, and I was excited for the berry flavor, but also that was very mild. Their guava matcha at least you can taste the guava juice, but even then that drink lacked the matcha profile. I do think that they could improve in not masking the flavor of the matcha. Just maybe I will stick to coffees if I come back.

    Berry matcha latte teddy graham coffee
    Josh A.

    This place has been my girlfriend's go to for coffee ever since we discovered it. I'm pretty new to the matcha game, but lately I've become a MATCHAFOO and let me tell you, this spot is easily top two on my recent matcha journey. The strawberry cold foam they put on the matcha is super flavorful and not watery like most cold foams. The matcha itself is solid overall. Amazing place to come check out service is quick and on point, and the vibes are super chill and laid back. I'll definitely be coming back for the matcha, and my girlfriend for her weekend coffee fix.

    menu
    Samantha V.

    been wanting to try the matcha here bc i always see videos about this place raving about their matcha maybe i got a bad one but my manga matcha was giving nothing sadly. giving grass. only saving grace was the mango syrup

    Andrew N.

    Came here at night and was craving a drink. I was able to grab a drink about 20 minutes from closing. The employee who took and made my order was very kind. Guava Matcha (3/5); This was definitely not the best guava matcha I've had. I thought the matcha did not blend very well with the guava and created this awkward taste. Not sure if I would come back here, but maybe for coffee next time.

    cold brew

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    Ask the Community - Playback Coffee

    Do they have outlets for laptops?

    There are outlets available by tables throughout the seating area.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Academic Coffee

    Academic Coffee

    4.4
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    Omg!!! I this this place outdid some of my favorite matcha places. I went in not expecting too much…read morebut was SO SO satisfied. My friend and I ordered the guava matcha (with cream) and strawberry matcha and both the drinks were delicious. Most places I do to I usually like only 1 drinks and not both that I get but both of them were extremely delicious. For the guava matcha, I was slightly disappointed and taken aback that they charge more for the guava cream but usually most places include it in the drink already but I def recommend getting it. It is definitely on the pricier side with my drink being close to $10 but it's sooo worth the try. The cream was so thick and creamy and their matcha is incredibly smooth. My friend got the strawberry matcha and that was so flavorful as well. Most times when I order starberry matcha the flavor is bland but hers was reallly good. It was a little hard to sip it through the straw though because of the syrup. The server there was extremely sweet as well. I didn't catch her name but I think she had an eyebrow piercing (?? Maybe??) but she was extremely helpful and made conversation. Loved the customer service. I also saw the workers who were making my drink take their time and care with it and measure everything properly with scales and everything which was great to see. And it's a cute small spot there which was so pretty. I RECOMMEND I need to go again once I get my money up tho

    I heard that Academic had a new seasonal melon matcha and decided to try it. They told me it was…read moreonly around until the end of July and that it's honeydew flavored. I got the melon matcha with whole milk and the matcha cream top. I think I like their guava matcha more than the honeydew, but it was still good. It had a distinct honeydew flavor and the matcha itself was smooth. A friend of mine tried it and said it tasted like a lip smackers, which I think is a good way to describe it. I came on a Friday morning and it wasn't too busy. All the seats inside were taken but there were open tables outside. There's metered parking along Second and William street and it wasn't hard to find a spot. I love coming to academic and trying their new drinks, so I'll definitely be back.

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    Amazing coffee place! The espresso was smooth and perfectly balanced (not bitter or acidic). Plus…read morethe flavor syrups are perfectly balanced in the latte. I tried the Honey Black Sesame Latte, and while I wasn't sure I would like it, I ended up loving it! The flavor was super delicious, and went really well with the espresso flavor. We also ordered the avocado toast which is made on a Japanese milk bread slice. The seasoning toppings were super interesting and yummy, just maybe would have liked a bit more of the toppings personally. I really liked the larger menu of super unique drinks and definitely will be coming back to try a couple more that caught my eye! People are super nice and even though it's busy (for a good reason) there is plenty of parking and places to sit indoors and some outdoors.

    I was craving an affogato on a rainy day and Coffee & Water Lab totally hit the spot. The place is…read morereally cute -- I walked in to a lot of people on their laptops, so it definitely has that cozy work-friendly cafe vibe. The drink itself was great! My only complaint is that it came in a very small cup. The price is pretty standard for the Bay Area, but for the size, I was a little disappointed in the value. When you're craving an affogato, you want more than a few spoonfuls! Small cup aside, the quality was there. Perfect rainy day spot.

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    Aroma

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    Love the unique flavors Aroma offers…read more Ordering at a kiosk and picking up at the front cashier within just 10 minutes amidst heavy foot traffic. First time around, I went ahead and ordered their pandan matcha. Yum! This masterpiece is served with pandan cold foam and toasted coconut flakes. Ordered it regular sweet, less ice, with oat milk. Very balanced flavor. Loved it. Would definitely try their other flavor offerings. :)

    Got their banana matcha with extra cream, less ice. Was super excited as I hadn't had anything…read morematcha in months. After 10 mins I got my drink and it looked nothing like the pictures in comparison. The "extra" banana cream I got ended up being less than what I'm seeing in photos on yelp from other customers. The band of cream was about the size of my pinky. I get that less ice =/= more drink added, that's completely normal. But even with LESS ice, 60% of my cup was ice :(. I finished it in 8 sips. For $8, a dollar a sip. In this economy ?!? I got robbed. Next time I'll stick to Izumi or soyful. My friend got the jasmine matcha, no changes and had plenty to drink still long after I finished mine. I went for the creamy MT from soyful after to drown out my sorrows. Unlikely to come back, this was a disappointing experience. Their other drinks seem good though.

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    I have gone back here multiple times with my friends and we're not even from the area. We're about…read morehalf an hour away. The pandan waffles are what originally had us hooked, it's so flavorful! Recently we ordered some of their fruit teas and they are so freaking refreshing and not overly sweet. Can't wait until we go back again!

    I've been to Co Ba twice now and had a great experience both times. I was looking for a reliable…read moredessert spot open late that serves desserts on the lighter side, and che fit the bill perfectly. Both times I've gone were half an hour before closing and the store was packed. The first time I got the Ha Noi Mist and the Lychee Rose, the second time I got the Ha Long Sunset and a limited stock warm specialty dessert with pandan and ube dumplings in a ginger coconut sauce. The Ha Noi Mist's ingredients sounded the most aligned with my personal preferences and I got the Lychee Rose to try something different but refreshing on a warm summer night. I was hesitant to get the Ha Long Sunset since I'm not a fan of jackfruit but Eric voted for it, and also the dumplings since a ginger coconut sauce sounds weird but he said that's what he wanted. Sipping che through a straw definitely beats spooning it. Make sure to thoroughly mix the drink and crush up the ice a bit before indulging. On my first visit I didn't notice the kiosk and ordered with the cashier so I was confused at how I would know when my order is ready because I didn't get a number or a receipt, but I later noticed the screens displaying that information on the wall. I'm a big fan of pandan jelly. The red pearls can be good but can sometimes have a bit of a crunchy chew in the center. Young coconut has a good flavor but a texture that isn't my favorite. I did not like the jackfruit in the Ha Long Sunset, but the flavor wasn't strong enough to ruin the whole dessert. I feel like che is a dessert that is not necessarily expensive or time consuming to produce, and the milk tea/fruit tea prices here are definitely on the pricey end given their component ingredients. Yes I would revisit, especially when I need dessert late, but I feel that making che at home could be the cost-effective alternative.

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