Stopped by Damo on a Saturday afternoon and the line was about 10 minutes which honestly wasn't bad…read moreat all for a weekend. Got the strawberry matcha einspanner with oat milk and it was really good -- the strawberry and matcha balance each other out well and the oat milk was a solid call with it. Only problem is the parking, mainly gotta street park as the plaza has very limited parking. However the inside was clean and there's always some parking nearby.

DAMO has been on my list for a year since I last visited LA, and let me just say it was worth the…read morewait! When my friend and I stopped by, I realized DAMO is located in a plaza I used to frequent for I Love Boba and what used to be Potions & Poisons when I lived in LA back in the early 2020s. After reviewing the menu, my friend ordered the hojicha einspänner since we'd already had one matcha earlier in the day. I ordered the strawberry matcha latte with oat milk, which is typically a safe choice. The cashier seemed to have misheard my name and order because when our drinks were ready, the receipt slip displayed my name incorrectly as "Jane", and my drink was prepared einspänner style even though I requested just a regular strawberry matcha latte. Fortunately, the barista was super nice and understanding and offered to remake my drink on the spot. Since all the tables and counter chairs were taken, we sat on the bench near the front of the café to sip our drinks, which were very good and definitely above average. Really happy I got the chance to try this place finally.

I don't typically stray from my usual drip or pour over, but I happened to be in the area and…read moredecided to give Tilt Coffee a shot -- and I'm so glad I did. I went with their Iced Cloud Cinnamon Foam latte, and it did not disappoint. The latte is infused with maple-flavored milk and finished with cinnamon, and the combination is absolutely delightful -- ice cold and bursting with flavor from the first sip to the very last. What really sets Tilt apart, though, is the staff. They go above and beyond for every customer, and you can genuinely feel the care they pour into their craft and their service. Whether you're a coffee purist or just looking to try something new, Tilt Coffee is absolutely worth a visit. They just earned a new fan!

I walked in feeling blue, and found this hidden spot. These peeps worked some type of magic and…read morefixed the funk. They were so upbeat, quick, and ready to take on the day. I had a hazelnut iced latte, and it was delicious. The fact it was $6 really is a steal! This was so good. I loved the fact you can get baked goods and sit outside. They have a little patio to enjoy the day. I'm a fan. You have to give this a try! Say hi to the baristas, tip them, and watch the magic hit your hands!

Drinks: - Matcha einspanner has a good balance of sweet and…read moreearthy flavors - Tiramisu latte is alright, too sweet Parking: - If you come before lunchtime, you can park in the lot for free! - If you come after/during lunchtime, good luck finding street parking or you can pay valet Seating: - Plenty of seating all throughout the store - Many outlets! Of all the alchemist locations, this one is superior because of the abundance of parking and seating

While the coffee was undeniably delicious, it's the experience--and how it made me feel--that will…read morelinger... I ordered a pour-over to enjoy in-house. When I went to pick it up, I grabbed a saucer to avoid spilling on my way back to my seat. Before I could even walk away, one of the baristas snatched it from my hand and said, "You're not allowed to use that. The saucers go with the latte mugs!" I paused, glanced at the empty café behind me, and replied, "There are plenty available--surely I can use one." He continued, in a dismissive tone, speaking to me in a way that felt unnecessarily disrespectful. I chose to walk away and still enjoy my pour-over. But it's not just about serving good coffee. As Maya Angelou reminds us, people will always remember how you made them feel. And in this space, I felt unwelcome. As a paying customer--one who tipped in advance--that behavior felt undeserved and unwarranted. For that reason, there's no need to return.

This was a really good spot. I'm not a matcha lover but the drinks here were deliciousread more

the strawberry shortcake matcha bomb, the duo matcha bomb, the employees showed racist behavior…read moretowards hispanic people showing discrimination for only speaking spanish ! and they have no toaster for pastries.

Memory look never misses. We come here when we want reliable, wonderful matcha. I consistently…read morerecommend this coffee shop as they always have great drinks day in and out. Please bring back the strawberry matcha because I already miss it ever so. See you soon!

This cafe has a nice ambiance and free parking! Something that you don't really see in ktown…read more I visited during the weekday so it wasn't packed. Their photo booth is really cute and easy to use, but you do have to pay $10 which is not bad at all. They have their pastries facing the street entrance to the cafe (not the entrance from the parking lot). I didn't know that they had pastries on display until after I had payed for drinks and had to make line again. Can't imagine how frustrating it can be when it's a bit busy and having to make line again. I ordered a regular matcha latte with oat milk, the color was promising but once I took a sip of it I was disappointed. If you're a person that likes sweet matcha then this is for you. I personally I didn't like it just because it was sweet and grainy. I could see matcha but could not taste it. My sister got an iced vanilla latte and said it was really good! Not too sweet and not bitter either. I would have to go for an iced latte if I ever come back to visit!

What an absolute treat in the Japan Town area! Not too far from the center, just a short walk away…read moreis Kokoro No Coffee- a pop-up coffee shop at Aloha Cafe. I stumbled across their Yelp page when I was visiting from out of town and checked the Instagram for their hours on a Saturday afternoon and was happy to see they were open! I am a sucker for pop-up coffee shop/cart concepts so I had to check it out. The pop-up is easy to find, it's outside facing into the parking lot, and they had a cute A-frame sign out by the street side. There was no line, and I ordered and sat down at one of the tables out front. The service was so warm, and I believe the shop is owned and operated by one man on his own! He was an absolute delight to meet, and he brought my matcha latte to me at the table when it was prepared. He suggested I get the cream top on it, and boy was that the perfect recommendation. I would say I'm a little bit of a matcha fiend... I think I got a matcha latte at 3 different places this day... and this one far surpassed the others. I think it was one of the best matcha lattes I have ever drank to-date. It was perfectly green, the matcha quality was phenomenal, both taste and look-wise. The texture was just right, perfectly creamy with barely any grittiness. The cream top only added to the drink, and didn't take away from the matcha flavor at all, which I feel like has happened at other places for me. I'm dreaming of this matcha latte days later, and need to go back to Kokoro No Coffee as soon as I am in town again. This was a spectacular find, and I hope this spot gets all the love it deserves! There is truly nothing like a great business ran by a great person and you can tell there's so much intention put into this concept. Highly, highly recommend and I could not sing praises more!

Got there at 9am and ordered drinks. Friendly service and delicious coffee beans. Great pop up…read morespot to support located at Aloha Cafe in little Tokyo! I could see some outdoor sitting option to wait or enjoy coffee being helpful, yet currently it is only take out with paper and plastic cups available.

Aesthetic coffee place, quiet and modern! Perfect place to study or just a delicious coffee in the…read moremorning. We order the cream top and two almond croissants. Cream top , perfect sweet & strong taste. Almond butter croissant just warm and crispy with strawberry jam inside, a little sweet for my taste but I finished it in seconds...

Had heard about this place forever ago and finally got to try it, and I really liked it!…read more The vibe is minimalist Japanese aesthetic: clean, peaceful, calming. The workers were super kind and not pretentious at all (which honestly matters, iykyk). Got an espresso and a matcha with almond milk and both were SO good. High quality, balanced, delicious. Definitely a spot I'd come back to.

RNY is my go-to coffee shop. I visit several times a week to say hi to my favorite baristas (Hi…read moreMichael, Wonki, and team!) and order a potent pick me up. The baristas are passionate about their craft and so knowledgeable about coffee beans and are expert latte artists. I love that their cold brew is made using the cool science-y looking contraption. My little one gets the strawberry or chocolate milk; they use real strawberries puree and none of that powder crap. I love their iced vanilla bean latte, cold brew, strawberry matcha, iced matcha latte, iced americano. Everything is so balanced, delicious, and perfect! I've had their pour overs with single origin beans. Yummy! Whether you need a quick pick me up, study or work space, or social coffee time with friends, I 100% recommend stopping by RNY!

Valet parking in the plaza but you can try finding parking on the street. Menu is small and…read morestraight forward. The inside has limited seating and is dimly lit. Got the dirty matcha and vienna latte. The vienna latte was definitely the better option. The drink wasn't too sweet and the foam gave it good balance. The dirty matcha wasn't horrible but the matcha flavor was ok so it's probably better to stick to their coffee drinks overall.

Ambience: Great cozy interior and plenty of seating…read more Drinks: Both the Matcha and Hojicha were perfect. The tea flavors are stronger than any other place I've had which I love. Food: The Wagyu Sliders were good, but nothing out of this world. The salsa and sauce they gave paired well, but everything here I could make at home. Parking: If you map to Archives of Us, there will be signs where the store is locating you to the retail parking lot. You would need to go to the elevator inside sharing the leasing office to get to the second floor where the shop is.

Archives of Us reminds me of some of the restaurants and cafes you find inside the city areas of…read moreTokyo. Integrated within the city itself, but designed and curated to still be apart from it, Archives of Us feels like a space perfect for studying, working, and just vibing if you have the time and you're a local while as a tourist or passerby it's a neat stop by as you continue on your itinerary. Design - Private but Open Located just on the boundary of Chinatown and inside the new shopping plaza under new apartments, Archives of Us has its own separate entrance utilizing an elevator to get you to the second floor. This simple detachment allows Archives of Us to have a private space in such a public location. The interior has exposed concrete, ventilation ducts, and wiring to give the industrial design that's currently popular whilst integrating soft tones of wood, stones, and simple plants in the same space. It makes the interior feel less brutalist by incorporating nature where it can. In juxtaposition, the exterior is a large balcony space with planters of leafy plants on the perimeter to provide semi-private screening as you look out into the city. Though you're close enough to people's apartments where you can snoop on what they have on their balconies it provides enough privacy where they can't look at the TikTok's you're watching. Drinks - Matcha & Espresso Archives of Us has a reputation for its matcha. Like so many places these days they proudly utilize ceremonial matcha for their drinks (although ceremonial grade doesn't mean it's good for lattes but that's a whole different story for a different time). They also do Einspänners, cream lattes, and more traditional drinks like flat whites. All these come in one size, ensuring a consistent taste for each drink. Although I did enjoy the banana tiramisu cream latte I had I don't know if paying an average of $7.50-$9.00 is worth the price. The quality of the ingredients can be tasted so it's up to you to decide if that price is worth paying. Food - High Quality for Simple Design Following the same rhetoric as the drinks, the food they serve here aren't complicated but they do have a high standard to their ingredients. The Wagyu Egg Sliders is executed well with toasted Hawaiian rolls, perfectly cooked Wagyu beef patties, and a hand chopped egg salad between them all. The egg salad part especially feels like the same type of flavor you would get if you got an egg sando in Japan. The ingredients taste great and as a simple recipe it is executed well. However, for the price of $17 you might be looking for more than "simple done perfectly". If you're looking for a kick or accent to their food you'll have to look for outside sources. I recommend asking them for condiments like their salsa they use for their breakfast burritos. Their breakfast burrito also falls under the same umbrella of well executed with simple ingredients. I especially loved how fluffy the eggs were and the ratio of potato to all the ingredients was fantastic. Final Thought Archives of Us can be seen as a hip location you have to try because of all the buzz and hype you've heard of or it can be seen as a place to make your own if you're a local of the area. It can be considered both overly hyped and a well loved secret. Whatever perspective you see it as what is unarguable is Archives of Us is quintessentially LA and you can love it or hate it for it. Try it for yourself to see where you stand.

I came in on a Thursday morning to grab a drink and cowork with my friend, and was pleasantly…read moresurprised. There was parking outside for the coffee shop and the business next-door. I loved the decor inside and the fact that theres a seating area on the second floor. I ordered a matcha latte ($7+ tax). They made it super quickly and I went upstairs to find a seat. Even though it was a Thursday, almost all the tables were taken so I went to the outside tables for a little bit. Someone ended up leaving and I snagged their table. One thing to note is that the parking lot outside does say 2 HR visitor parking.

Friendly staff, lots of space to work (indoor and outdoor), and drinks are yummy…read more They also have free parking which is very nice in a city where anywhere you go it's a hassle to find parking and then you find out you gotta pay and also have a 1-2 hour limit. Definitely going to keep going for work days!