Not only were the beverages delicious and the counter service charming, when I discovered more than two hours after leaving that I had forgotten my handbag at the table, it was graciously returned to me, fully intact. Three cheers for the honest souls in Berkeley and the kind management at Royal Ground! read more

RGCH is good place to study or get some work done. There's lots of chairs and tables with outlets scatter throughout. I don't go for the coffee or the food I just go there for the space. They're open late so, I can only imagine how busy it gets during midterms & finals. read more

Good ambiance and free wifi... but my hot chocolate definitely lacked chocolate and tasted like it had been made with expired milk, and the banana bread was pretty dry. Blech. read more

Went there for the first time today, I ordered a turkey sandwich with avocado on rye bread and it was very fresh and yes I will be returning. :) read more

Got the #1 bacon, egg, sausage, cheese on an English muffin. I don't like bacon so I just took the bacon out (it was very crispy) but the rest of the sandwich was very good. Got this and 2 water bottles for around $7 and overall the sandwich was very filling. read more

Came in here for a quick coffee. The open door feel is nice and it has a great location right on Shattuck. Unfortunately, the iced coffee I got tasted almost exactly like the bland Costco coffee I drink at work. The fruit cup was ok; my wife said she couldn't eat it because it tasted old. I can't comment on the actually food but if you can't get coffee or fruit right I don't have great expectations. read more

The coffee is okay, I ordered small caramel mocha. not sweet enough for my taste, I personally like how Mc Donald's caramel mocha tastes a lot. xD haven't tried the food yet. Price is a little high I would say. read more

I really appreciated that the woman working took the initiative to come over to where I was siting off to the side without a table to work, and make sure I was able to sit and plug in my items and put my laptop down. It was a simple conversation with another patron but most places don't do this! Little things that make all the difference! read more

I'd definitely recommend this place but only for the environment - drinks aren't anything special, and the food isn't bad - definitely a better selection that your typical coffee shop. Besides that though, I think this place is pretty awesome. The internet is pretty quick. It does drop out very occasionally as someone else mentioned, but like I said, it doesn't happen often, and while it isn't anywhere near T1 speeds, it's pretty decent. Ambience is also nice. Didn't mind studying here for a couple hours at a time. read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Service was below average and had difficulty relaying my drink order to the barista who seemed to have difficulty with English. Of course, my drink was wrong and tasted like the espresso had been burnt. Moreover, when I brought the error to the barista's attention, I still had to pay .50 for the flavoring I had asked for and was charged for previously. As far as coffeehouses in Berkeley go, I was very unimpressed with the overall experience. read more

This place needs zero stars!! I went in here wanting a chocolate crossant and they said they didn't have one. So I asked for a plain one toasted. So the man behind the counter said ok I can do that. So about 4 minutes later he rings me up and he says that's 2.75 and I ask if I can have some butter on it he says that's .50 cents extra for a slice of butter!! So I didn't buy it. Not only was this guy rude but his cafe was way over priced. I ended up going somewhere else and getting a crossant with butter for 2.00 total. read more

I love this place. Perfect for studying and writing papers. Wi-fi password changes everyday, and they'll only give you the password if you are a customer. Food and drinks are cheap and good! read more

Great pricing to portion ratio! I didn't have the coffee but the green tea frap was delicious! Second time here and they don't disappoint! Had the grilled chicken sandwich and the Denver omelet on egg whites...I'm a happy guy and it's s great coffee shop atmosphere, pretty clean and hip. read more

Shocked that it's only 3 stars, I would say it's worth 4 stars, giving it 5 to balance out the low reviews. The coffee is decent and the bagel sandwiches are tasty. I love coming here to study, the lighting is great and the wifi reliable. read more

I don't quite want to give them two stars, but I think that three would be really pushing it. Their location is great, and late hours are good. The problem is, they have the word "coffee" in their name, and that's the last thing I want to order there. I've been there several times, but never twice close together. I keep forgetting how much I loathe their coffee, or maybe I kept telling myself that they were having an off day, and the next time I thought it was a coincidence that they were having off days whenever I was there. No more- I won't be back for coffee. The packaged food is OK, the cookies and cakes and whatnot, but they're nothing special beyond what you'd get anywhere else. The prices are so-so, but I don't remember having the cash as a student to blow that kind of money on snacks. Back to the coffee.... The coffee is bitter, and not in a good way. They must roast it there, because that's the only way I can imagine that you could screw up coffee so badly. I've heard that even one bad bean can mess up a batch of coffee, and you need to pick them out before you grind it. Maybe that's their problem- I don't really know. The coffee just tastes burnt beyond all recognition, beyond what I can even drink, and bitter in a way that isn't at all pleasant. If they think they're being some sort of local berkeley gourmet establishment by doing it themselves, they need to STOP or get somebody trained to do it properly. I guess if that's not it, then they leave the coffee burning on a heater instead of transferring it to a vacuum thermos like they ought to. Jesus. I am crazy about coffee, and I enjoy it regularly all over town. I know what a decent cup ought to taste like, and I can tolerate a mediocre cup. Gas station coffee won't kill me, instant coffee can be swallowed, and the worst of the major chains range from "blah" to "decent" in my opinion. These guys- wow, off the chart. I am really disappointed that there isn't a decent coffee shop running at this address. read more

Royal Ground was very welcoming! When I first walked in I noticed how spacious & bright the environment was. There was a nice fresh feeling to it. The staff was very friendly & patient with me (being that it was my first time there). I didn't have any food items while I was there, but I will say that the latte I had was made PERFECTLY! I was a barista in the past, so I have a feel on what a good latte is like. Not to mention, what good service is! Royal Ground hit both perfectly! I was very pleased with this shop & I would most certainly bring someone back with me! Next time, I would love to stay & read my bible & eat some lunch! read more

I like this place for its seating arrangements and lightings. Coffee is okay , They have hot cider too. It is a nice place to read / study. Earlier staff was more friendlier. read more

I have been going to this cafe for the last four years while I have been a student in the area. The wifi works great for the most part, and it is a great place to study and hang out. However, this last year there has been a change of management (maybe ownership too?), and all of the really cool and nice people that work there have been replaced and that is too bad. The original baristas knew me and were always friendly and it was always a pleasure to go in and talk to them while they made my drinks. Now, there is one woman in particular that seems to work in the weekday afternoons, and I have had two super unpleasant experiences with her, so bad that I actually avoid going in there any more. Probably she just doesn't like ME for some reason, but who knows? All I know is, I used enjoy going there and now I will go out of my way to go somewhere else. read more

I was disappointed. I was hoping from the reviews that something would make me smile. But my experiences here have all been the same: poor and non-communicative staff, disappointing ingredients, mediocre coffee, and an unimpressive atmosphere. It's good for a quick stop in if you ran out of coffee grounds, but really doesn't have much to offer outside of convenient location. read more

Their breakfast sandwiches are SO GOOD, and the employees are very friendly :) There's plenty of seating and outlets - a great place to study. The lighting is really good too cuz they have huge windows that let in tons of natural light. read more

There're so many choices of sandwiches and bagel that u are able to get what u want. I tried the Latte and i think it's good, not too strong, not too milky, just at the right point. The spacious place provides a comfortable environment, the lady there is super nice too. The price is reasonable that i'm sure I'll be back again! read more

It's great to have this coffee shop on Solano Ave. This is place efficient, friendly, roomy, and a great place to go for that caffeine fix. Mike will even customize your drink if you ask him. And did I mention great wi-fi? read more

Mediocre, at best. The black house coffee was old, the baristas didn't know what they were brewing, and I had muffin resembling a Costco varietal. Also, I was one of those guys this morning, needing to get some work done online, and figured it was a great chance to try a coffee shop in Montclaire where I'm housesitting. I popped in, asked if they had wireless, got a 'yes we do', and the password. After locking up my bike, ordering, ad sitting down, I couldn't get a signal. Up at the counter the barista explained that every time their phone rings, the internet goes down for about 10-15 minutes. This would have been better to divulge when I inquired about the internet earlier. Granted, I'm using them for their connection, which is probably and understandably infuriating to businesses, but it seems to be part of the service offered. Maybe I'm being punished for taking advantage and the bad coffee and muffin are my penance. read more

Some items are overpriced. Coffee is mediocre, atmosphere is depressing, and there seems to be too much space. I've only been in here a couple of times and there was pretty much no one in there. I would imagine it always being like that. It it was every filled to capacity, it would be obnoxious and loud. Two stars; I have indeed experienced better... much better. read more

This has been my go-to study spot in Berkeley for almost a year. It's a great space with lots of natural light. The owners are extremely friendly and always have my order down! Also, they have made big upgrades to the menu in the past few months. The food options are much more extensive now. The breakfast and bagel sandwiches are so addictive! read more

I was told that Peets was on this corner, but it was this establishment instead. The place is spacious, the people serving were very nice. I had to wait for them to brew some fresh coffee, but I guess that has its advantages (fresh coffee). The decor of the place is seriously lacking, they could invest a lot more in it. The place was full of students so I guess it serves its purpose. read more

Simply bad. The omelet is microwaves!!! Have no flavor. The owner she got made at us for ordering with a lot or restriction. Never again

Spend your money somewhere else! I used to come here and study every week because it is the closest cafe to my apartment. Overpriced coffee that tastes like water, old pastries, and rude staff. The lady behind the counter is disrespectful, I've seen her harass a man who walked in to charge his phone. He ordered a drink, minded his own business and yet she felt the need to direct him where he was allowed to sit. The poor man just followed her as she directed him to the corner of the cafe! I was with a friend and we were disgusted by this disrespectful woman. Today, I came in to study. This cafe does not sell matcha green tea and I had wanted some so I decided I'd bring my own and ask for hot water. I ordered a cup of almond milk and was willing to pay the 3 dollars they charged for the measly cup they poured me. But when I asked for a cup of hot water she told me to pick a tea. I replied that I do not want tea because I want to drink a tea they do not sell, so I simply need a cup of hot water. Now, as far as I understand it is illegal to require customers to purchase tap water because IT IS TAP WATER. But perhaps I'm wrong, or maybe this law is complicated when it involves boiling water. So, I was willing to pay for a 3$ cup of almond milk and explained to her "Yeah, I just want to drink the tea I brought because you don't sell it, but I will pay for the almond milk if you can just give me hot water, if you want I can pay for the cup you put the boiling water in and the almond milk," so she tells me that a cup of boiling water and a separate cup of almond milk will cost me 6$. So here's why I'm mad: I don't know if she's disobeying the law, but regardless how can you really charge me 3$ for a cup of water hot water EVEN WHEN I SAY I WILL BRING MY OWN CONTAINER. Anyways, all I'm saying is this woman valued making money over customer experience and I guess good for her at this moment because she made the little three dollars she charged me for the almond milk but I am NEVER spending my money here again and I hope that those of you who took the time to read this decide to spend it elsewhere. And even if you don't care about my tragic water story, just think about that poor man that was harassed, even after he paid just like everyone else in here. Do you really want to support a business that openly harasses their customers? read more

One of the few coffeeshops that has thai coffee and tea, which makes my day. Though, their house coffee is pretty bland and their pastries are often stale and seem to have been out for too long. I like the long tables cause I am a teacher and I need my grading spaaaaaaaaaaace. But dont get me started on their bathroom...damn, my nose is starting to wrinkle at the thought. Damn, gotta stop... read more

Good place for hanging with friends. They have the best breakfast sandwiches. The barista is very friendly. ^__^

Royal Ground Coffee House is a great place to grab breakfast when you are short on time. The employees make a spectacular sun dried tomato omelette bagel. They are always friendly and efficient. read more

First time here after visiting many cafe's in bekeley over 15+ years now. Extremely impressed with the ample power outlets as well as the friendly looking clientele. Extremely unimpressed however with the taste of the espresso drink I had. Definitely they don't have the knack that other cafe's do when it comes to using their espresso machine. I'm going to guess that the staff don't even drink espresso beverages. Even more unimpressed with the harsh attitude behind the counter. I won't be back, which is sad because the key to getting a restaurant or cafe to thrive is to get new customers in the door and then impress them and have them return. These folks aren't in that mode of thinking. read more

I had the bad experience ever in this coffee shop ,the asian lady who act like manager or owner was sooooo rude many times ,I don't like going there any more !they go cheap on a coffee ,and even the way how they major the single and the double shot ,never ever go back again there,customer service 0% ,rude ,not respectful.... read more

I like this place a lot. The food's meh, but I expect that from a coffeeshop. The staff is always friendly and welcoming, there's great natural light, they have far more single tables than most cafes do (which is important to me), and outlets are abundant. read more

the basic coffee shop. it's not small and cozy but there are plenty of tables to get work done. don't think about snuggling up to read a book, this place is more of a group project get together meeting spot. wi-fi is available. in all honesty, there are plenty of cooler coffee shops out there, this one just gets things done. read more

My favourite place to study in Berkeley! Great food, stable wifi, big tables and lots of outlets - what more could I ask for?

i didnt try the coffee yet but the dessert is awesome. very spacious and a great place to study. read more

I am adding a star. I've been coming here a lot lately ahead of finals. One thing that really impresses me is how friendly the owner is at all hours! I had an early morning event to go to so I was at the cafe at around 6 am. When I came home around 8 pm (I live right on top of the cafe), the owner was still there! And he looked just as lively. That's dedication. I plan on returning here often, not only because it's super convenient and the food is pretty decent, but I think this guy deserves it! read more

One of the barristas walked in on me while I was using the restroom -- even though the door was locked, I had the key, and I yelled. If you're seeking standard-fare coffee, a good variety of cream and sweetener coffee accoutrements, and the element of surprise during your most intimate moments on the royal throne, Royal Grounds may be the place for you! read more

Though it seems well run and efficient, I find the coffee awful (super dark, yucky type). I got a $5 yogurt/granola parfait - soggy, wet mess of which I had one bite. Second and LAST time here. read more