A gem of a coffee shop to grab a well crafted beverage (Gibraltar was great) and a window seat to settle in for some reading or to get some work done. Light tunes were being played, but it made for good background music and was otherwise quiet. If you're looking for a chattier, more bustling environment, I'd recommend Republik down the street. If you're looking for a peaceful place where you can concentrate, TB&TB has just what you need. read more

The iced chai tea latte is one of the best I've had and the vanilla latte is way too good we also got the chorizo empanada which was super savory medium crust on the outside and soft inner . read more

See all

calming ambiance and always good music playing beautiful and intimate interior barista's are superfriendly and they make a solid matcha read more

The Boy & The Bear - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

The drinks are made well, the interior is cute, the wall graphics are nice, but the cashier made us feel like we inconvenienced her by ordering. Not a good experience as a consumer. Literally not a please or thank you. For the price of the drinks, I'd rather go somewhere where I won't feel like a bother. read more

The Boy & The Bear - Wall graphic behind the bar. Cute. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

This place is OKAY, the few times I've been here it wasn't bad but it wasn't amazing, definitely overpriced in my opinion. The worker with the pink hair is SO nice I can always appreciate a worker that goes out of their way to be kind and helpful to customers so that's a plus! Cups are cute, again coffee isn't terrible but will only be coming here on pay day that's for sure. read more

The Boy & The Bear - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

First time customer today and I'm a fan! Beautiful decor and merchandise. Parking was good early morning. Now for the most important part, the coffee was fantastic. I went with a popular choice this time (mocha latte). Not too sweet and lots of flavor. Customer service was also 5 stars. I work close by so from now on I'll likely stop by a few times a week. read more

The Boy & The Bear - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

See all

This place is nothing but fantastic! Calm and serene and great when you come in the afternoon. I usually come here to get out of work and find a place I can get on the laptop and work my butt off. Or if I have a meeting, work next door and I still have people meet me here! Get the salted caramel and you'll thank me later! Do it with almond milk if you wanna stay away from the dairy! Jonah and Greg are an awesome duo that work behind the counter! read more

See all

I will not apologize for how my fiancé acted because he was the ONLY person in this situation who stood up for me since your staff could not facilitate a safe environment. I am now giving this place one star because they completely disregarded how I felt and just because they were busy and didn't notice how "the man in question" was behaving towards me then it didn't happen? Ok. Noted. read more

I felt it important to write an updated review after a more recent experience at The Boy & The Bear. My husband and I recently were near the shop for an appointment and were desperately in need of some coffee. We both had sworn we would never come back due to how badly my husband my husband was previously treated, but given how long it had been and the fact that we knew we liked the coffee in the past, we decided we would just quickly grab coffee and leave and hope for the best. Our experience this time around was drastically different. The two baristas working were incredibly warm and friendly. Honestly, they were two of the most genuinely kind baristas I've come across as of recently. They were intentional about creating an environment of hospitality for all of the customers in the store. This was deeply appreciated given how upsetting the past experience was. Our lattes were consistently delicious and the espresso was just as dynamic as we remembered. The environment was cozy and tranquil. It seems that a lot of positive changes have been made since our previous visit. We were both grateful that we gave this establishment another try, and I hope these changes remain. Based on this latest experience, I would definitely recommend The Boy & The Bear and would encourage those who have had less than ideal experiences to give them another chance. You may be pleasantly surprised like we were. read more

I really like the coffee. It's a little pricey but it's worth it. The staff is friendly & polite. The ONLY reason they're not getting 5 stars is because they don't accept cash. You can call me old fashion, but who in their right Mind doesn't accept cash!? read more

Cute spot in a cute neighborhood. Love the minimalistic decor inside. The latte and a croissant were delish. Service was great as well. I would definitely come back. read more

The Boy & The Bear - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

Honestly never understood the low rating on Boy and the Bear's Pasadena location. I've been coming here since it opened and have never had a bad experience. Not only that but it has some of my favorite coffee drinks in the area. Located on the corner of Green and Mentor, two one way streets, which is probably the only real negative thing I have to say about it. Can be a little tricky to get there but parking is usually pretty easy on the street. The vibe inside is definitely just that, a vibe. Inspired by Columbian influences, it definitely has a cool, dark, and quiet aesthetic inside. A good place to sip your coffee and stare out the window. They even have a few outside tables and benches which can be nice depending on the time of year. As for the coffee, it has always been pretty top notch. I think their nordic lights coffees are really great in particular. The cold brew and espresso specifically are my go to's. The espresso has an awesome presentation too, as it comes with sparkling and a piece of dark chocolate. This is for when you are drinking it there though. Also a big fan of their latte's, my go to is their iced vanilla latte with oat milk. You also can't go wrong with their rotating pour overs. Hopefully the other negative reviews haven't scared you off of this place, because really it is a great spot for some really quality coffee. read more

You'll feel transported to another destination when you walk into the Boy and the Bear. Tall ceilings, beautiful art on the walls, tropical-plant-lined window seats where one can enjoy a coffee or quietly work away. I ordered a beef empanada which came with a really good condiment like a chimichurri sauce. read more

I like the interior a lot. They have high ceiling and the furniture and decor is hip and yet welcoming. Having said that, I almost wanted to spit out my drinks both times I've ordered. First time I ordered the Stockholm fog, their signature. It definitely isn't for me. It tasted very odd to me but it's not a coffee drink so I thought I'll order something else next time. And I did. I ordered a cafe latte. There shouldn't be any surprises right? Well, not really. My 4 year-old makes better latte than this place. I'm not even exaggerating. The coffee was tasteless. It was $5.5 +tax, so $6.2, before tips. If I order a Tesora at Philz, which is just a block away, it's $4.1 (tax included) and tastes 10x better. The cashier will try to make conversation with each customer, it can be a nice touch but it means the wait is longer than it has to be. Definitely not for someone who's trying to pick up a coffee and get back to work. What a waste when you spend time to create a nice atmosphere in the space but you can't make a coffee that tastes like the price you are charging people for. To answer the Mark's reply - no I don't like extreme dark roast. But your latte taste like a mixture of milk with water if that's what you want to say about my preference. read more

Weirdest weirdos in weirdo-town. Adequate drip coffee; a bit lighter and more sour than I prefer, but that's the style these days. Coffee not very hot, and they insist on pouring milk for you, which is weird. Expensive but no more than the norm these days for chichi coffee. But the whole vibe, and the employees, so weird. Super serious and pretentious and supercilious and cold, like somehow super impressed with the ultra serious business in which they are engaged and more than a bit disdainful of their normy customers. It's just coffee; try acting like a normal human being and just be normal about exchanging money for hot bean water. read more

Great matcha with oat milk. Not too sweet which was nice. Good setting. Lots of sunlight.

I always have my usual black ice coffee. It always tastes great. I service was quick and friendly. I go there once a week. It is a good place to relax. read more

Visited this location on 7/8/22 about 2:35pm. There was one person in line, so I waited where I thought my already ordered drink would be set when ready. The male, dark haired barista, glasses, dangling earrings, never once looked my way, in the 10+ minutes I stood there. A few other customers came in while I waited. There were no other baristas there at the time. The barista set a hot drink down at the end of the counter, without calling out a name, and I knew it wasn't mine because I had ordered a cold drink. As I waited, I finally walked over to look at the name on the paper that was under the drink and noticed it was the drink I was waiting for... not what I ordered, but because I had waited so long, I just took it. By the time I picked it up, it was only luke warm. Needless to say, I won't be doing business with this establishment again. There are too many other coffee places that serve good drinks, and have employees that actually acknowledge, and are friendly to their customers. Coffee was definitely only so-so, and the barista's attitude bordered on rude. read more

Found this little coffee shop while running around doing errands and was really surprised that I found this gem. The ambiance and modern decor made the shop very enjoyable and relaxing to be in. I ordered the Stockholm fog with oat milk. I really enjoyed the drink and will comeback to try their other drinks. If you're near and want to try a new coffee shop this is a great place to try. read more

The Boy & The Bear - Stockholm Fog - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

It's funny, this is a coffee place but they make best hot chocolate I've ever had. Deep, rich, and not overly sweet.

Nice mural. Good coffee. The barista seemed overworked, like someone didn't come in. But he did a fine job.

Unfortunately this place has an unfriendly staff. It's a shame because it can be good spot for the area. A friendly smile goes a long way ! read more

The cappuccino was good, not acidic and great espresso taste. The vibe is calm, fresh and dark moody lights. Most people were on their computers or working, great spot for a Sunday, midday reading of the paper and day dreaming. The service was fast and the I appreciated the patience as I liked through the menu asking questions about coffee origins and taste. It was my first time here and I will come back. read more

The Boy & The Bear - Cappuccino and carrot cake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

What a cute coffee shop! Our drinks were delicious, service was friendly and fast. They roast their own beans, and you can really tell the difference. They also sell it in bags so you can prove your own at home. Absolutely delicious, great quality, wonderful addition to the area! read more

Best quality coffee around. Love the interior too. The parking isn't the best. Will be back

Will return for the Stockholm Fog!! It's delicious and haven't had anything like it, it's a mix between a mocha & chai. It doesn't have any coffee, and I wouldn't recommend adding espresso bc it takes away from the other flavors. The salted caramel latte was also good, but Stockholm fog was the favorite. read more

Came in here on a whim as I had passed the place several times and was curious. As a person who is not an expert on coffee, and do not try and taste all the notes in a coffee I was glad to have my questions answered by the barista that took my order. I asked for a recommendation and she asked what kind of flavors I liked, simple things like sourness, bitterness, sweetness. With each of these I picked out a coffee that suited me and got a table with my friend and patiently waited for my order. It did take a little bit of time but the coffee is one of the best that I have tasted. Not THE best, but it was smooth, pleasant, and not bitter at all. So in general if I want a good cup of coffee I would come back again. read more

Really cute interior & a great spot to hangout in Pasadena! Drinks: Loved the chai latte and regular latte. They have milk alternatives as well for those dairy-free! Seating: Ample seating, a few tables and comfy accent chairs. Interior: A dark modern themed coffee shop but still considered "cute" imo. Parking: On Green St or Lake Ave. You can also park in the lots behind Mendocino Farms/Chipotle and walk 2 blocks over! read more

Fruit flies and gnat flies everywhere! I stopped by here post my morning walk as the interior looks aesthetically pleasing. However, I started experiencing flies hovering around me and my baby, one even got into the stroller. I quickly finished my drink and left! Plus my vanilla latte was served at room temp and not hot. read more

The Boy & The Bear - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

I was excited for this place to open up, but very disappointed when I finally visited. I ordered ahead to "skip the line." My order was suppposed to be ready by 9:10 a.m. However, when I arrived at 9:15 a.m., my order was nowhere to be seen. I ended up having to stand in line to tell the barista that I was here to pick up my cortado. It was ready, but it was sitting on top of the espresso machine out of plain view. What's the point of ordering ahead to "skip the line" if I have to STAND IN LINE to pick up my drink? It shouldn't be that hard to set up a pickup station where the drinks have a receipt+name for easy identification. Also, there was no sugar station for me to add my own sugar. I had to ask the barista for sugar. No stevia at all, either. The trash can was awkwardly located near the ordering line, instead of more logically near the pickup station or the front door. The online ordering system is also inaccurate. It lists an option for "Cappucino/Flat White," as if they were interchangeable. However, those are two very different drinks. read more

I was excited to check this place out. The aesthetics are nice inside. But my experience was pretty lackluster. I got the sense that the barista didn't want me to be there. They close at 3, which is pretty early if you like taking meetings over coffee. The coffee is pretty expensive and not necessarily better than the other spots in Pasadena. I wish it were better. P.S. lack of latte art was a rough finish. read more

I love coffee, so wanted to try this place. I didn't buy their beans, so no comment on that. I ordered a cappuccino, and needed to tell them how to make it (there is no such thing as a "wet" or "dry" cappuccino, except in the U.S.). I know that sounds silly, but I had the misfortune to study in Paris, so I know good coffee and how Europeans make it. That said, even though they accomplished the 1/3 espresso, 1/3 milk, 1/3 foam (after I told them how to do it), the coffee was bitter; good coffee, no matter how strong, should not be bitter. I then ordered a pain au chocolat (or for non-French speakers, a chocolate croissant). I asked if they were made there, and they said no, they buy them. Sorry, but it tasted like something I would have gotten at a drive-through coffee place. If you aren't going to have much of a selection, you might as well buy the good stuff from the guy by the Pasadena main post office on Colorado Blvd., just west of Garfield, opposite the Paseo. I don't think I am allowed to say the name of this good place, but I have reviewed it before -- amazing pastry!!!!! The decor is nice, very open, high ceiling, lots of places to sit and play on your computer by the windows looking out onto Green St., or just enjoy your drink, if it tasted better. It is great that this place has parking, accessible from Mentor, just north of Green, as we know how hard it is to find parking in Pasadena. read more

See all

(3.5/5) A new coffee spot in Pasadena. They have a very clean interior and beautiful decor. Aesthetic for social media & seems ideal for studying alone or catching up with friends. We ordered a cold brew latte and the macchiato sampler. We had no idea the drinks were ready and it's a little chaotic behind the counter. They had 3 people manning the orders/drinks but the turnaround time seemed a little below average for what I would expect from a cafe. Keep that in mind as I heard other customers also comment on the slow turn around for drinks. For the people who care about the coffee. - The modern espresso tastes relatively better than the classic espresso but both are slightly lacking inherent sweetness. Usually with acidic coffee you expect a note of fruitiness or sweetness at the end but I did not get that with the sampler. I'm not sure if that's because of the milk they use. Both have very sour notes, so if that's your style, definitely go for it. Personally, I would not order the classic espresso again. - The cold brew latte, even with the milk, is missing a slight sweetness which you would expect from the milk. I don't like to add additional sugar to my drinks so I was a bit disappointed by the missing sweetness. I do wonder what it would have tasted like fresh since again, I had no idea the order was ready. It has a very mild flavor. I think a regular cold brew would be the way to go. - All of it smells amazing though. A few notes: - When they're busy it would be helpful if they gave a buzzer so the customer can know when to pick up or brought out the drinks to their outdoor seating. It's difficult to hear since the outdoor seating is next to the street & I think offering buzzers would be a good option for them. I know this might detract from the aesthetic but I would prefer that over checking every few minutes if my order is ready. - I'm not sure if this was a soft opening but they ran out of coffee (maybe the cold brew) 40 minutes before closing lol Overall, I look forward to checking this place out again in a few months when they've settled in. read more

The coffee is pretty good here. I usually order an iced oat vanilla latte and am generally very satisfied with the drink. The problem with this place is the service. It takes ages to get a coffee and the army of elitist hipsters working there are more interested in talking about Coldplay and basically ignore you. When I asked at one point if my latte was made with vanilla (because it wasn't), the hipster arrogantly replied, "you didn't ask for vanilla" even though it was on the receipt. How dare I question their delicate meditative brewing techniques. Another time I asked, "is the coffee coming soon?" And they looked at me like I was interrupting an important debate on the philosophical implications of hemp footware. The barista turned to me with a smoldering side eye and aggravated crescendo says "...it's coming," with a dollop of artsy hifalutin distain. There was 4 people there waiting, it took 20 minutes. The other customers were too afraid to question the integrity of the ordained baristas. These aren't coffee chemists designing a new breakthrough bean. Bruh, I don't care how culturally significant they think the Pixies are, or John Lennon's glasses, I just want my damn coffee. Instead you get a face full of neglect. So choose your coffee sanctuary wisely. This one sadly is dead to me. Over. read more

Expensive and stuck up vibes from the employees. Every time. I live close and am an exhausted student so it's been "convenient" but I'm realizing I don't like it here. And should probably stop going. Matcha latte wasnt very good. Coffee is strong which I like but that's it. read more

Loved the coffee here! Our barista Emily was so friendly and an absolute joy! I had basically no idea what I wanted to get and she patiently explained the menu and their specialty drinks to me and had some great recommendations. I ended up getting the salted caramel latte that she recommended which was amazing! read more

The Boy & The Bear - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pasadena, California

Came here and got an iced latte from this place and it was pretty disappointing. It tasted like milk with a hint of coffee flavor. At $6.25 I was expecting more. Won't be back. read more

The worst coffee I've ever had. The interior is nice, yes, but the coffee sucks big time. It is so watered down that all you can taste is the milk and sugar. I tried their mocha, latte and cappuccino, all has the same issue! No taste of coffee. Super watery and bland. And if you're charging $5-$6 for a cup of coffee, please don't use the cheapest honey on the market! I tried this place 3 different times and I was disappointed all 3 times. Not recommending and not gonna come back. read more

I've tried most of the coffee shops near the old pasadena area. Most of the shops with high rating had dissapointed me in the past, and the only place I found to my liking had been Jones Coffee Roaster - until today. Had a cup of espresso con Panna, and it was a well-respected espresso. As for the til: the place is dog friendly, price is reasonable, and has plenty of sitting inside + some outside. Parking may be scarce, so start building good karma for your future street parking. read more

My partner enjoys this place and I tag along reluctantly. I love South American coffee, but all they serve is Colombian which isn't really high on my list. Coffee is highly acidic and hard to mask the bitterness. I usually just get the matcha latte while my partner gets whatever is the featured drink. It seems to me like yet another overpriced, overhyped coffee shop in Pasadena that is far less obnoxious than Intelligencia or Blue Bottle. Unlike those places, the service here is friendly and unpretentious. I'm a coffee snob as to the coffee beans, but don't identify with trendy coffee culture. read more