Once more, I must increase the ratings of Simple Pleasures Cafe. I found myself there on a cold San Francisco afternoon after a walk from Ocean Beach and Sutros. I needed a warm drink to take the morning chill out of my bones, and I needed a space to sit a read for a little while. I got to Simple Pleasures Cafe and the place was packed. The sofas had been moved and there was a drum set and a piano pushed in the back corner of the shop. I ordered a deliciously flavorful chai latte and an apricot pastry twist. The pastry was flaky but dense and the total for both came to $5.60. It really did take the summer chill out of me. Right after I sat down near the stack of board games and books, the band started. They played mostly jazz and stopped in between song to talk to each other, chat with the audience, etc. It was much more a jam session than a formal show, but that made it all the more interesting. The service was friendly as always and the drinks were good. Overall, I've learned why one should go to Simple Pleasures Cafe, and it was a fantastic experience. read more

Bad customer service. Bad food. Bad coffee. Dirty dishes. Stomach ache afterwards. The server/cashier with the dream catcher tattoo on her arm was extremely rude and unpleasant. Either she was having a totally crap morning or she is a huge asshole. Our food was extremely bland, and the ketchup packets had gone bad I think. Most of the packets were bloated and all the vinegar had separated out of them. The water glasses had food in them. We both got stomach aches right after eating. Positives: outdoor seating is cool and the paintings on the wall are nice. read more

SERVICE: I'll have you know I will never step foot in here again on the last 3 accounts of having gotten the unwashably snarky passive aggressive jabs reeking of spite. Which could possibly be just one's sense of offensively offputting "sense of humor" of this Village of the Outter side of the City. To be honest I think I've experienced the same service, or rather, the same disservice the first time I ever came here, but had overlooked it. But for a place where I would want to be a patron, but actually make the effort to now avoid because of one person's poor attitude, definitely reflects a 1 star = which I equate to me never wanting to go to again. And to be in customer service / restaurant industry for almost a decade, I absolutely will not stand for snarkiness. read more

This place is on my way to work and is the perfect cup of coffee to begin my day on. Strong and tasty. The problem is the baristas. I go to this place about three times a week and not once has anyone offered friendly banter or any recognition of any kind. I don't expect starbucks style mania in all baristas, but a "have a nice day" goes a long way. I feel like I'm walking in there with food in my teeth or something by the way they treat me. They don't even speak to me except to tell me my total. And I tip every single time I go in there. Totally ridiculous. These people need to get over themselves, even if their coffee is good. read more

Great coffee Great people Great coffee Also, beer, bagels, breakfast burritos, and babes. Always some cute puppies hanging around and the sun always seems to shine when you're at Simple P's. read more

This is the Cafe Trieste of the Outer Richmond. Lots of locals and regulars and the occasional live jazz trio. The good news is, going to Simple Pleasures does not require the masochism necessary to engage with the ridiculous attitude at Trieste everyday. The service at SP is friendly and more relaxed in that "It's all good" kind of way. IT was a bit grimy the times I went. Maybe they can clean up or reupholster a few of their furniture items. I'm not a clean snob, but a few seating areas felt dirtier than Spec's in North Beach, if that's even possible. Well, whatever. The grimy thing must be part of the ambiance. There's outdoor seating, good tea, and a relaxed atmosphere. For a good number of my Outer Richmond friends, SP is the default place to hang out. read more

Met up with a good friend and her german shepard for a catch up session. Decent selection of beer. They did not have a lemon for my friends Hoegarden. This is not a place to go to if you are in a hurry. Very relaxing, friendly staff, really friendly patrons. A perfect place to sit outside with a dog and sip a beer on a Wednesday night. read more

I've never eaten here before. But I was at next door waiting for table and I can see ppl from the cafe starts smoking weed and the wind start blowing the smoke towards my child. And I found this really inappropriate for the neighborhood. read more

I met with a woman here who is interested in my faux fur knits, and I brought 3, plus the clasps and ribbons, was rather a large bag. We were comfortably spread out over the coffee table when the drummer for the band playing that evening shows up and rudely announces "you ladies are going to have to move all this stuff because this is where I'm setting up my drums". Well, we were disappointed because we weren't so much interested in moving or drums but I said "Okay, we'll be moved in 5 minutes". I thought a reasonable response. No, he gets all plexed at the idea of 5 minutes separating him from his ideal personal visualization. Largely so. And we're looking at him now like he is totally crazy because what are we supposed to do, wave a magic wand? I got so annoyed, I said to him, " should we just sweep everything into the garbage?" Soto sarcastic. The barista overhears all this and comes quickly to our defense, diffusing the situation by walking the guy away and telling us no need to hurry.. He couldn't have been nicer, kudos to him. Suddenly Mr. Drums is going on about his bad day..poor him...ohh poppycock you were a rude a-hole. The music starts at 7:30, know that if you are not really a jazz buff. And if you are, well there you go. BTW I had a quiche and a salad, it was delicious. read more

Amazing cafe. Very unique and friendly SF vibe. Their food is superb and so is their coffee. Kind of a hidden gem on Balboa Street

The more I come here the more I dislike it... I stop by every once in a while to 1) buy coffee beans since they're cheap or 2) get coffee and a bagel in the mornings when I run out of coffee or feel like a bagel. But I don't like this place very much anymore because: 1) Like many of the reviews say, the coffee is pretty medicore even though they roast their own beans. 2) The bagels are actually not very good, for some reason... and I'm no ~bagel expert~ at all; any form of densely packed carbs is by definition appetizing to me, but I've been very displeased with the last few bagels I've had here.. they're just bland and too doughy and flavorless, even w/ cream cheese, and I don't even end up finishing them. That's actually very impressive for me given that I love densely packed carbs. 3) Worst of all, the service is always super rude. Sometimes they are nice to other people but never really to me and I don't know why because I always order politely and don't have any complaints/weird requests. Is it just me?? Who knows. But they'll always take my order with a stony face and drop my change on the counter as I clumsily pick up each piece and never announce when my order is ready. So even though this could've been the perfect neighborhood shop for me due to its location and the fact that they serve beer, I really don't care for this place. read more

It's been a while, but when I lived out in the Richmond this place rocked! Great coffee, some beer and wine - intelligently prepared food. It also served as the best social nexus in that 'hood. Day - if you're out there somewhere, here's to you brother! read more

Ever wonder what cafes were like in the 70s? Look no further than Simple Pleasures. It's about as close to the Carter era and green flag gas days as you'll find, and that's probably due in part to the fact it's been here as long as I can remember. But like your grandfather who still wears his ascot, but nevertheless keeps himself well-groomed, Simple Pleasures has evolved with the times in all the right ways (good coffee -- yes, anything with carob -- no). Simple Pleasures has a great selection of bagel-based sandwiches, regular sandwiches, and a few hot items, including soup and quiche. The large counter is pretty well packed with tempting sweets that go well with the great coffee, and you're to be congratulated if you can resist temptation and forgo these treats. On a sunny day the outside tables are terrific, but the back is where it's at for cozy, whether at an undersized table, or on one of the dilapidated sofas or chairs, which also appear to be vintage 70s relics. read more

A friend introduced me to Simple Pleasures in College 7 years ago. Since then, Simple Pleasures has pretty much been my living room/office/music studio/breakfast nook/patio. I left the city after college, moved back down the peninsula (yawn - no offense to anyone, it's just that I grew up there) for a few years, and STILL, I'd find myself making the 35 minute drive to the city... I'd make excuses to friends ("I'm going shopping!" "I'm visiting a friend!") but really, I was going only to sit in the fog, sip a glass of wine and listen to jazz at a tiny little cafe in the Richmond District. After spending lots of money on gas, and lots of time driving, I realized it would be in my best interest to move back to the city. I left my heart in San Francisco - on the couch at Simple Pleasures. Ahmed, the owner, is one of the sweetest people I've met- very down to earth and always greets with a smile. The friends I have met there are all ages, from 19 to 83, from all backgrounds. On a foggy night, you can curl up in the back and read a book while the jazz band plays, or listen to beautiful music by a local singer/songwriter (this was the first place I ever played in front of a real audience). Or, you can sit in the mist outside and watch the blinking lights of the balboa theater, enjoying conversation or just losing yourself in the quiet, serene atmosphere of the Outer Richmond. Oh and their coffee is AMAZING. They recently started brewing their own and opened up a roastery next door - definitely a plus. If you want a real San Francisco experience, come to Simple Pleasures. If you live far, you might just end up moving. read more

too early for movie at The Balboa and wanted a hot chai...the dude handed me something that was HORRIBLE...tepid and tasted like non fat water from his dishwater remnant. Just order a regular herbal tea and if the water is NOT hot ask him to redo it. Some of the guys behind the counter are smokin the purple so much they could give a crap about anything else, which is surprising since you'd think they'd have some elevated palate. Funky smelling couches to sink down to smell the funk even more intensely. IT is sooo great grandmother with funksmell that it is just not pleasant. Sit outside. Only on one of those rare warm days of Fogless howling winds. yet again to test the waters......was it a horrible mistake going inside...? I am not a member of the Alabaster Family and therefore, there was a definite chill in the tepid tea and the attitude of the cashier. Burrr, colder than an Alabaster tit-zy fly 24 hours whipped by Ocean Beach winds in December. read more

Worst WIFI ever, needed to get some things done - couldn't even upload a file to Dropbox! In this city if you are running a coffee house - get the WIFI figured out first, who needs your coffee if there isn't a way to work online? Simple pleasures in life start with quick connection to the net. This is not the year 1980, get your business synced with reality NOW. read more

This is the best of the Balboa Street cafes in the Outer Richmond. The food is great, beer is on tap, the staff and customers are laid back. There's just... I don't know, there's just a vibe about this place, and I don't say that often. Fifth star for the albacore and cucumber sandwich. read more

I'll say a few words about this place, because it seems like the kind of joint that appreciates a no-frills approach. The cafe breva (my first) tasted pretty good. I adore any place that has heaps of baked goods on their counters. The lighting and decor were just right--not too loud, not too bland. And there seemed to be an interesting mix of people, including the rambling, old locals, some hip students, and some stuffy medical students who didn't seem to "mesh" with the idea that my friends and I wanted to have a discussion at our table instead of staring silently at each other out of respect for their studying in a cafe. Here's a tip for anyone worth telling: Libraries and, usually, your own bedroom are much quieter than local cafes on a Saturday evening. Also, headphones are cool. read more

Simple Pleasures is a cute neighborhood cafe where everyone seems to know each other. Or maybe strangers just strike up conversations, I'm not sure, but it has a real community feel to it. There's always a bunch of people hanging around at the tables outside, enjoying the nice weather in the afternoons. My go-to breakfast at Simple is their whole wheat bagel with cream cheese and veggies. Sure, normally when you order a bagel with veggies, you may get a few slices of cucumbers and tomatoes, but no. At Simple, that won't fly. Expect a huge plate with cream cheese, slices of tomatoes and cucumbers, red onion, peppercini, lettuce and black olives. YUMMMMMMMMMMM!!!! Coffee is also quite good here. Always a pleasure at Simple. Just remember - CASH ONLY!!! read more

I grew up in this place during the '90s. I've been away from SF for the last decade, but I absolutely had to stop by to visit my old haunt. This place hasn't changed much except for the expansion of added foods. The coffee is great, the interior cozy and unique - an awesome local hangout spot. There are books and games to select from if you want to spend time with your buddies. You'll always see students studying in the back where the outlets are, and I swear I saw older regulars sitting out front from when I use to patronize this place. The one thing that definitely hasn't changed, is the sole bathroom for all the patrons to use. It's dirty, but what can you expect for a high traffic pitstop in a place that serves diuretic drinks (thanks, caffeine!) and one toilet for the entire establishment? Either way - great local spot with great service, pastries, and atmosphere. I miss this place so much, and I hope it endures for another 50+ years. read more

I like simple pleasures simply for the vegan cookies! They have a few different kinds and they are better than the real thing. They also have good sandwiches and other baked goods. Simple Pleasures can get crowded so finding a spot to hang is difficult. The folks who work here can be a little rough around the edges. I find myself trying to please them when isn't it supposed to be the other way around? I try not to make any special requests with my order because I fear I'll get an eye roll , a sigh, or a louge. read more

This place is fantastic! Awesome soy caramel latte. Perfectly toasted bagel. Authentic coffee shop atmosphere. Bathroom was kinda gross like people pissed all over it, but that's ok. The end. read more

Definitely an outer Richmond fixture, Simple Pleasures has been here for years and has a personality all its own. The food and pastries are pretty good, and the homey living room like feel of the place is inviting, but the overly bitter coffee is not my cup of tea (if that makes any sense, and it does, if you think about it) and the customer service, in my experience, can be brutal. Some of the employees at Simple Pleasures are fine and don't give off attitude, but others seem to think that they're doing you a huge favor by serving you. I try not to judge people by the way they look, but, in this case, I'll indulge: too many "trustafarian-hipster" types working here. 2 stars may seem harsh, but customer service is important to me. read more

I come here almost every morning, and sometimes before long nights working. Their coffee is strong! Starbucks will be like flavored water in comparison. They roast it themselves, which is why I guess it's a little pricier but still worth it! Their food is nothing really special, but they do have some pretty great pastries. If I come on a weekend for breakfast, I usually order bagel with lox and fresh squeezed orange juice :) There is beer on tap, and apparently happy hour and live performances as well, although I've never made it to one of these events on purpose. As far as staff goes, it depends on the person. Some are friendlier than others, but the coffee is still good no matter who serves it. read more

Boyfriend's dad loves this place for its coffee. Apparently this place is where he tells people to get coffee after seeing him (he's a dentist) in the city. I just ordered a tea since we just had dinner and they have some great loose leaf tea. Earl gray was delicious. They have some quirky live bands playing almost every night and quite an interest bathroom. If you go in, as the bf's dad pointed out, there is almost no profanity on the writing on the walls. It's weird. Anyways, I'm sure we'll be back since the parents come up to the city quite a bit and we just love getting dinner with them. read more

This is the place with the best tasting coffee in the area. The things I don't like is how dirty the place is. People will have their dogs outside and the place doesn't seem like it was ever cleaned. read more

A lovely place to hang out and enjoy a coffee. The baked goods near the register looked delicious. We sat in the living-room inspired seating area and had a lovely time reading the paper and people-watching. read more

Simple Pleasures Cafe - Bagels Near Me - San Francisco, California

Simple Pleasures is cool in small quantities if you live out in Outer Richmond, if not don't bother BUT they do have great bagels & decent drinks. I just don't really enjoy the crowd it gathers & the management is a little SUS. read more

Came here with our baby because this place is one of the open at 7am in the area. I don't think that the people working there wanted to be there. They seemed annoyed when people took their time to order, they didn't small once to me or even the regulars and they didn't really make you feel welcome. The place was quite full at that hour and the bagel breakfast selection was great. I had the smoked salmon breakfast bagel. It was reasonably priced and it came with literally a stick of cream cheese. They definitely didn't skimp on giving you enough. :) If the place was more inviting, I would recommend it, but unfortunately, it won't be a place that I would return to hang out at. read more

It's far out there for me. But when I'm taking the pooch out to the beach, I always make sure to stop in for some coffee. The ambiance is that "laid back" kind of feel, a fairly clean bathroom, good music heard and live music at times too. There's outdoor seating which is usually shared with the locals of the area. I LOOOOOOOVE their bagels and cream cheese. It's a rarity for me to have, but OMG, when I do, theirs is the best:) read more

Horrible service. Rude. I asked for no ice in my drink, there was ice-lots of it. I asked for no cucumbers on the sandwich...he put cucumbers on it! Acted like we were a nuisance. The food wasn't even that great and the Italian soda tasted like straight up water. Won't be here again. read more

Uber friendly staff, no lines, and plenty of room. The place is clean, selection of food provides a ton of decisions. We were told the happy hour is great, so we'll definitely be back. read more

When I first moved to the hood, I didn't come here often. Something about the staff and the regulars was a little off-putting. I really wanted to like the place but kinda gave up. Lately though, I've been coming in almost everyday work on my thesis or lesson plans and it's gotten better. The staff seems nicer and the regulars are still kooky but I don't let them bother me as much. The sandwiches, lasagna, salads all do the job but the pastries are pretty awesome here, especially those rich brownies. The live music can be hit or miss. Avoid the times when one of the regulars plays his cacophony of ear-bleeding drums in a jazz trio. Dude - it's a small cafe - you don't need to bang on your drums that fuckin loud! read more

I ate here for lunch today going here on my brothers suggestion because I wanted a salad. It was Okay as far as salads go a little boring for my taste but edible. I had a Green Salad w/ Tuna for 6.25 not bad it came with bread as well. I would eat here again but it is not my first choice as far as salads go. read more

To me, I would describe this coffee house as bohemian, an artsy place where you'll meet some very interesting people. It's not just a coffee house, it's an experience. But one of my experiences here will always be the most memorable. I came here with one of my friends on a weekday back in the day to have some coffee but we saw some Beer there too and then we looked at each other and said "Damn, they have beer, you wanna beer?" We just both looked at each other again and said "Shit, Okay..." And there it was, Rolling Rock will always have that special place in my heart.... Not sure why, but that's just one of those things that happens that you somehow just think is memorable..... Good Times for sure..... read more

Ross? Monica? Phoebe? Chandler???!!!! Where are you!!?? *LALALAAAALALAA LAAALAAALAAA....O god's!! What's that crappy music!!!????" ..whoever had the bright idea to put Barney music in the store...yup brillliiiiaannt idea to chase away GW high kids, but sucks for those who wanted to have some caffeine nirvana...no...I DON'T LOVE YOU, so don't YOU Love ME!!!! Minus one star for the annoying ear fodder in the CD player. Central perk it's not, but there's plenty of old overstuffed couches and coffee tables galore for anyone to put there feet up on. The coffee is very strong, but I really like the variety of sugars you can put into your joe...especially the raw sugar *yum* Lots of bagel sandwiches, regular sandwiches, piroshikis, and blended coffees. It's dark and a bit like sipping java in a library, but the baked goods are everywhere in this place. The tables outside are good for those whose inclined to burn lungs with their nicotine sticks, and the giant tables inside makes me feel like Goldilocks sitting in Papa bear's table...hello! I'm already short and these tables are giving me a complex T___T. read more

This place is pretty rad. I used to come here on a regular basis during lunch. The bagels here are good and so is the yogurt and granola. The amount of yogurt and granola they give is never consistent though. Sometimes there's too much yogurt..sometimes there's too much granola. Blah! I think my friend found some moldy fruit in her fruit cup once...yeah...that was kinda nasty. Anyway, the guy with the dreads is awesome. Super friendly! read more

This is my favorite coffee shop/cafe in all of the Bay Area. Their Coffee is consistently good as are their bagels and egg sandwiches. A great place for a quick bite to eat. Lots of organic options. They have beer also which is awesome and different for a coffee shop. Take a seat out front if you just wanna hang out in front with the locals. There can be a line some days but it's anyone's best guess how a line can be avoided in San Francisco. Lots of different stuff on the menu in a nice location in the outer Richmond district. read more

This is my go to coffee place in the Richmond! I sometimes wished I lived closer to this lovely place! Their coffee is by far the best coffee in town! Ahmed (the owner) really knows how to roast his beans!! If you're there during lunch time try their tuna salad sandwich, it is out of this world. Very simple, but so delicious!! And their happier hour makes everyone really happy with local kegs!! read more

Their coffee is delicious. Their wifi password is not "feelingsafe_injosephgordonlevittsarms" (just in case that was your first guess). read more