Playback Coffee

I came here one weekday morning for their avocado latte and their eggspresso hanoi. It's decently…read morebusy but drinks came out pretty soon after ordering. I have never had their avocado latte before, but got it 50% sweet, less ice.The avocado added a nice creaminess in it with a subtle hint of avocado that wasn't overpowering for the drink. Would get again. For the eggspresso hanoi, honestly this is what I get almost every time I come here. Always get the 50% sweetness with less ice. Flavors are always the same when I get this drink which is nice.

I have been waiting years for the Bay to catch up w/ the Viet coffee!! I'm loyal to Phin Smith in…read morethe OC (better than Vegas imo)and had to ask others to get me grinds. I make my own viet coffee with crema at home but alas!!! Along comes Lacáphê !! It's usually super busy and I get overstimulated so I typically grab my drink and go. Recently I sat down inside and enjoyed my egg coffee for a bit. The line eventually grew. Preordering is clutch and crucial. egg coffee is perhaps my all time favorite. 50% sweetness, normal amount of ice. the perfect blend.

Lotus Milk Tea

Ube matcha, strawberry matcha, banana matcha

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MUỐI* Salted phin-dripped milk coffee, cloud cream

Academic Coffee

4.3(1k reviews)

0.7 mi•Downtown

My favorite coffee shop in San Jose. I look forward to going every time. All their drinks are…read moreexcellent. I started with the vanilla bean latte with oat milk. Good hot or iced. Occasionally burnt espresso but I love them too much to mind. I am a matcha snob to say the LEAST. Hands down best coffee shop matcha in the Bay Area. The classic iced matcha latte with honey is grassy and earthy and creamy and a little sweet. The iced banana pudding matcha latte had people lined up around the corner for months when it came out. It is deliciously worth the wait. Best banana cold foam in my opinion because it's made with actual bananas instead of flavoring so it's much more mellow. The double matcha they had for awhile is also awesome. Banana cold foam also goes great on an espresso latte. Now they let you add whichever cold foam you like to whatever drink which is great. Basically you can't go wrong. They are always changing up the menu for the new season and have lots of unique drinks on their menu. Not much seating inside at this location. The winchester Blvd one has more if that's what you're looking for. Their pastries are also all yummy and they sell their matcha powder for $60 for 100g which is a GREAT price for a great matcha. I would've gate kept this place but everyone already knows about it so I HAVE to show them the love they deserve!!

Wanted a matcha and a friend recommended this place! Known for their Banana Cream Matcha latte…read more Came here abt 2:30pm on a Friday and it was a full house. There is a bench-like tables with stools and 3 yellow tables for seating. There was limited street parking. Quick and friendly service - basic "what can I get you?" and no convo. I liked the hojicha the most but all drinks were good. Banana matcha was creamy and sweet. Vanilla cold brew was yummy and vanilla was not too overpowering. Would come again to try their pastries, they were allllll out. Order: 1 Matcha Banana Cream $8.50 1 Hojicha Banana Cream $8.50 1 Madagascar Vanilla Cold Brew $5.50

Guava Matcha

Banana Matcha Latte

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Guava matcha

Coffee & Water Lab

I ordered 3 drinks, and Iced Hojicha tea, a Banana Bourbon Iced latte, and a Citrus Chill. The…read morecoffee was well balanced but the citrus chill was my favorite as it had a tart finish that brightened up the fruity notes in the espresso. I need to go back because everything I ordered was iced and I want to try some of the hot drinks. The banana bourbon latte was good, I wish it had maybe a more pronounced banana flavor and that the bourbon came through more. But the oat milk and the coffee were so smooth and luxurious that it made the experience enjoyable. Important note: with Mitsua market and the busy food areas there, this plaza gets incredibly busy! It's not the best parking situation, so know that ahead of time.

Day Visited: Monday @ 2 PM Price Range: $$…read moreParking: Free parking lot (fills up!) Ordered: Dark Iced Chocolate Mocha and Nitro Cold Brew Bathroom: Yes WiFi: Yes This was our second time visiting and while we went into it with high expectations because of how much we enjoyed our visit (2 years ago), we did notice a dip in customer service and beverage quality. The espresso shot used in the iced mocha was not fully dialed to hit that balanced note that we are used to. The cold brew tasted more muddy than the previous time. Overall, the customer service seemed more like us inconveniencing the team, as opposed to being welcomed into the space. We noticed after we ordered our drinks, a line formed, and no one was available to take orders for customers due to behind the counter conversations that seemed more important than serving customers. There were two gentlemen who had been there approximately 10 minutes before us, and went to the pick up station three times to see if their orders were ready (multiple customers got their coffee and tea drinks before them). A quick note on the customer service - as someone who worked in food service for a number of years, I could empathize with teams that deal with high volume of customers. However, what separates good from great customer service is the ability to communicate with your customer when times are busy, as opposed to ignoring them. There are seated areas but fill up quickly, and they do have an outdoor space to hangout as well. If I'm in the plaza area and need a coffee, after this experience, we would debate before going.

Soft Opening Saturday May 22, 2021

Gingerbread latte

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Spring Menu 2023 Cherry blossom latte Rose fog Mandarin espresso IG: @rosyeatssj

Arisan Tea & Coffee House

4.1(455 reviews)

2.1 mi•East San Jose

Cute little cafe, very unassuming. I got the iced coffee tiramisu with oatmilk and light sugar,…read morephin brown for the husband and a little chocolate puff. Everything is 10/10. The coffee flavor is incredible. Would absolutely order again. And the man who helped me was so so sweet and kind. We inhaled everything before I remembered to take a photo.

On a busy weekend, make sure you order ahead because it was super busy!! The parking lot can be…read moresuper busy as well in this plaza. I don't usually order matcha out anymore since I prefer to make it at home but I wanted to give this place a try. I got the double matcha less sweet and it was pretty solid. I think if I had gotten the regular sweet it would've been too sweet for me. The matcha flavor was subtle though, but still not bad. If you're a matcha lover I'd say this is a good spot.

Salted Egg Cake

Matcha Einspanner Latte

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Jasmine Tea (tall) 2.5/5; corn latte 3/5: corn pastry 4/5

Aroma

4.3(386 reviews)

4.8 mi•East San Jose

Been coming since they opened. Some of the best tea and customer service I've ever experienced!read more

I've been to Aroma a few times and always love their matcha, especially the banana cream! had to…read moretry their new pumpkin spice matcha and it did NOT disappoint the pumpkin cream literally tasted like pumpkin pie and was SO good. the pumpkin syrup blended perfectly with their strong matcha, and I loved that it wasn't overly sweet. every time I've been, the staff have been friendly and the café has been clean. definitely recommend trying it if you're a matcha lover! I'll definitely be back.

Banana Cream Matcha

20% Off Soft Opening: Cà Phê Sữa Đá ($5.42 +$2.08 for 2 shots), Durian Milk Tea ($5.20), Pandan Milk Tea ($5.20)

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Pandan Milk Tea

Pour Decisions Craft

4.4(672 reviews)

7.9 mi•Santa Teresa

"The coffee here is delightfully smooth and well-balanced, offering a clean, non-harsh sip with…read morejust the right touch of sweetness.

Been here numerous times for beer and food and has always been bomb. The staff is always friendly…read moreand patient , letting you sample beers before purchasing. Inside and outdoor seating. Not super big place but a comfortable spot. Owner is super nice and down to earth as well. Makes it easy to come back! Had my favorite Pulp beer from Fieldwork. Also had a mozzarella and pesto sandwich from them and was much better than expected. Bread itself tasted/felt fresh with a good little toast. ( im sure it's packaged but still really good) I haven't tried the bahn mis yet from them but they do get them from Duc Huong who is very well known in the bay for bahn mi. Next time!

Hello em coffee beans

Matcha Horchata with Ube Cream, Viet Coffee with Ube Cream

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Mango fizz. Another very refreshing drink with the sparkling water. Try to get mango chunks with every sip.

Moonwake Coffee Roasters

4.5(418 reviews)

5.6 mi•West San Jose

Prices are high, but so are the vibes…read more I really enjoyed the pour over coffee bar and getting to watch as they made our coffee with fancy gadgets like a percolator? The barista was also nice and spoke to us for a bit about what he was doing and his coffee interests. I came here with my dad the coffee lover and another time with my husband (who came for the food). I think they have a unique selection of pastries to try from and would recommend the banana sesame toast and Shio pan. I will have to try the focaccia the next time I go! Definitely come for the experience if you like pour overs!

Came on a weekday around 10AM and it was mostly full. Got parking right outside. Ambiance was very…read morenice with the plants, styling, and bright lighting. There was a bit of a line but it moved quickly and then the food and drinks came out in a reasonable amount of time. I enjoyed the orange coffee. The egg sando was also well seasoned and picture worthy. Minus a star because the bread on the sando was stale, which was disappointing since it makes up so much of the sando experience. The cardamom bun was also good.

Pour over

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Phin Cafe

4.2(710 reviews)

6.8 mi•Blossom Valley

Locally owned & operated

Free parking

Got here at 10am on a Tuesday and the wait was a bit long because there was a large delivery order…read morebeing made before us. The workers were very friendly and apologized for the wait but it was perfectly OK. The interior was aesthetic and cozy, perfect place to read a book / hang out / reset your life lol. I do wish there was a smaller size, only medium / large were available. There were so many options, I wanted to try them all. Their sugarcane series looked interesting. I would definitely try their pandan cream next time. Order Egg coffee $6.90 Ube matcha $7.50

I've tried the Pandan, Ube, Egg, and Salted Coffee. Out of all of them, the Salted Coffee is my…read morefavorite. The salt contrasts the sweetness very well (I usually get less sweet for my drinks). The popcorn chicken is not my favorite. It lacks seasoning, so you'll definitely need to use the sauce they give.

Vietnamese Coconut Coffee | Cafe Dua

Vietnamese Milk Coffee | Cafe Sua Da

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Coffee Menu

Voyager Craft Coffee

4.6(585 reviews)

0.1 mi•Downtown

Popped in before Nikkei Matsuri for a coffee & TGTG bags, the Voyager visit set a great start for…read morethe day! * No queue at 9am, was helped super-quickly by a friendly staff member * Tried a hint of bourbon vanilla syrup in my Americano, tasty without being too sweet - will order again! * Love how much light & seating there is at this location, the vibe is always calming & cheerful * TGTG pastry highlights: Try the savory scone & the sesame chocolate chip cookies, both top-notch!

i love voyagers. in another life i was a cute fashionable alien on mars. beep gaaargt lah poo…read more(alien speak for 'hey girliepops'). but this voyager is NOT my vibe! the interior is nice. its giving retro 70s roller skating but also pink diner. good amount of seating with outlets. lots of rainbows! i like rainbows! my favorite mario kart game is rainbow road! service is alright. i noticed they reuse espresso pitchers and don't rinse between shots...that's kinda weird! we tried the tokyo and the manila. making lattes based on international cities is an interesting concept but the locations are done SO dirty...those cities have such amazing drinks and voyager's lattes are nothing compared to that. it literally tastes slimy. idk how to describe it but it's very artificial tasting..maybe it's the syrup. or a dirty espresso machine. i'm gonna bet on the former because the drinks are way too sweet. we asked for less sweet. STILL diabetes. wow. anyway not coming back. garhg laah pooah largegrgeg (alien speak for 'bye bye voyager see you never')

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Co Ba Dessert Tea & Coffee

4.5(491 reviews)

5.9 mi•North San Jose

Kitchen open late

Happy hour specials

The service is phenomenal! Even when a minor accident occurred on myself the staff proceeded to…read moresincerely apologize and immediately made up for it in a variety of ways that made this visit worth coming back to. I got myself The Classic Iced Coffee 7/10 and my partner got the Kumquat Blossom 4/10 (she's not a sweet tooth person. Very picky). Iced coffee was pretty good but the Kumquat Blossom will recommend only to the sweetest of people (can customize to be more sour). Recommend to explore the menu thoroughly and ask about popular items and flavor levels/intensity. Ambience is lively, modern, clean, cozy, lots of plants and thoughtfully designed with outdoor seating and plenty of parking. First impressions 8/ 10 Would return again! :)))

The coffee was pretty good, very nice taste, service was kinda bad, they were pretty stingy. The…read moreambiance was normal, nothing special.

Ha Long Sunset

Sai Gon Pearl

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Ha Noi Mist

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6 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Dime C.

1 year ago

I just tried this coffee shop for the first time and I'm so glad I did. The ambiance is really cool -- relaxed but stylish, the kind of place you want to hang out in for a while. Now, the real star: the cold brew. I'm extremely picky when it comes to cold brew, and this one blew me away. Hands down the best I've ever had -- smooth, bold, and strong without being bitter. If you're a cold brew fan, this place is a must. read more

Nabi B.

1 year ago

Walking into this coffee shop, I was immediately impressed. The vibe is cool and inviting! There's tons of seating, making it perfect for a workday, study session, or just hanging out. It has a library-like feel. Plus, there's a bar right across and it's set up so nice. There's TV screens inside too. The drinks were creative and delicious. I'll definitely be back for coffee or to get some work done! read more

Dave M.

1 year ago

Excellent coffee and service, great location and vibe, they even have a pup cup for my dog at no extra charge. Drinks are consistent, these guys know what they are doing and are passionate about it. read more

Mariana G.

523

5 months ago

Please bring back the famous Ferrero Rocher Latte back . This is a popular drink which made an impact on people's everyday life. #BringFerreroRocherLatteBack read more

Francisco G.

6 months ago

If we're going to pretend there wasn't a Voyager Craft Coffee here, I'll pretend the coffee was good :) No but really can we get back Voyager Craft Coffee? read more

Amela S.

1 year ago

Just wondering if your establishment should be adding sales tax to take out drink orders?

Playback Coffee - coffee - Updated September 2026

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I don't think anybody had the same experience as I do…read more My partner and I came in on a Sunday while we were having argument, and somehow this cafe music/atmosphere calmed both of us down. Whatever was in the coconut latte and the rose latte just melted our heat. And the barista/owner knew exactly what he was doing. What a great little gem in the area!

Hmm, I came here because of the positive reviews and interesting flavors…read more The shop is a hole in the wall with limited seating inside, but lets talk about the drinks first. I did like the idea of the flavors and coconut latte and such, so I got a coconut latte and it was tasting pretty good, but it did make my stomach upset. Not sure if it was coconut milk, or expired milk or something, and it was quite small for its price. The shop had no AC and it was quite hot on the inside. I did like how you can just order via the kiosk. Service was fast and nice. But yeah just dropping stars because of the coffee, I wouldnt come here again, maybe it was a one off.

Tono coffee project

4.8

(81 reviews)

I love tono! my favorite coffee shop :)…read more and the pastries are made by them and so yummy!

GAHHHHHHHH. WAHHHHHHH. sorry i really like their coffee. its genuinely really good. i always talk…read morein my reviews about how i'd sell this organ that organ to consume more food/drink but i don't know what i'd give up for another one of tono's flat whites - it's just too fire!! maybe like idk my favorite shrek plushie or something. parking is okay, they are literally in an apartment complex. service is so buss the barista is super chatty and nice. perfecto for extroverts. i tried the flat white, i would get it in a smaller size so the oat milk doesn't overpower. speaking of oat milk THANK YOU for accommodating my weak wimpy dairy free lactose self the lot today was a washed mexican bourbon AHHHHHH. i like it a lot. i usually hate bourbon varieties because they taste like...alcohol! but this one was perfectly funky and caramelly which worked super well with the alcohol aftertaste. they also have a bunch of chocolate yum! overall will come back

AM Craft

4.6

(207 reviews)

I got the iced vanilla latte! The shot was pulled perfectly, nice syrup, espresso and milk ratio…read more Only $6; lowest price for coffee in downtown SJ. It's a small shop by subway and it's right around the corner for Boccardo business building for sjsu students. It's a 5 minute walk and you can even go during class it's that close.

AM Craft As a…read moregirly pop who doesn't really drink coffee, this one made me jittery! This shop is across the street from San Jose State! So convenient to grab this coffee before class or in my case before work! The service was excellent, workers are so fast and so kind. This place is always so clean and has beautiful pictures on the wall! Drink recommendations: Iced coffee milk tea I've been exploring coffee shops all throughout the Bay Area and this one is on the top list

Qishr Coffee House

4.6

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Love this spot. It's a hidden gem in north san jose with ample street parking and very spacious…read moreinside. Their dessert selections are impressive and delicious. Service is good with friendly staff.

After a heavy lunch my family was craving some yummy dessert and coffee and we are really glad to…read morehave found this place! This is a really cute Yemeni coffee shop located near the SJ airport. The service here is very nice, and it is the perfect shop to relax and grab some snacks/drinks. They have matcha drinks, lattes, and lots of desserts. These were the items we tried: * pistachio latte - this was delicious if you like the pistachio flavor. I really enjoyed this and would get it again * rose milk cake - tender soft and milky this cake was yummy with a delicious rose flavor * Biscoff cheesecake - this was a rich dense cheesecake full of biscoff flavor that we loved. Really cool to try and very creamy * Baklava - this was a favorite as well amongst my mom and hubby Overall, really good experience and would go back again!

Big Mug Coffee Roaster

3.9

(1.8k reviews)

I love the Mont Blanc. It's really creamy and sweet. It's probably too sweet for others but I enjoy…read moreit. They have two kiosks to order and live people for help. I don't know what happened. Am I getting too old? The ambiance has changed since my last visit. They took out the open book case separating half the cafe so it wasn't just open space. The long table was there and same with the bench seat against the wall but it just doesn't seem as cozy and cool as before. They moved the rack for used dishes by the door. The menu board is very white. It's a place you go with someone you're familiar with not someone you want to date or impress.

Higher prices but very good quality coffee! I also really appreciate how nice and friendly the…read morestaff was while I was ordering. I didn't want to order on the kiosk as it was my first time and I appreciate the willingness from the staff to take my order instead of just referring me to the kiosk. I highly recommend trying them out if you're in the area and I'll definitely be back!

Kasama Cà Phê

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I heard good things about Kasma Ca Phe so I've been wanting to try it out…read more I tried their signature Pandan Muoi latte. Delicious! The caramel like salted cream is so salty (in a good way) that I almost felt like I'm having a bite of crispy sizzled bacon. This is quickly followed by the mellow sweetness of the cane sugar, creating a classical piece of sweet and salty working together in harmony. My only complaint is that this duo doesn't last too long and fades away half way through the journey. If there were someway to preserve the flavor all the way through the entire journey, it's easily the best latte in SJ (maybe that's not even physically possible though). Ambience is lively, packed, friendly. But, the service is quick for the amount of people ordering. Best, hottest coffee place in the Alameda or even the entire Downtown area right now.

Kasama Ca Phe is located in The Alameda neighborhood right around the corner from the SAP Center…read more It's such a great addition to the area as the cafe serves up delicious local pastries and variety of Vietnamese/Filipino inspired coffee beverages. My partner and I had the opportunity to check this shop out with a friend that lives in the area. We both ordered an Iced Vietnamese Coffee, and it was excellent. The coffee had a bold, robust flavor that was perfectly complemented by the condensed milk, creating an ideal balance. Highly recommend! Can't wait to come back and try other specialty beverages on the menu!

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