$7 (cash) for this vanilla latte, and staff wouldn't add cream when I asked because they would have to "charge a lot more" for it.... Ridiculous price for a latte of this size. In terms of taste, it is mediocre. Not the worst, but espresso is not strong at all, I thought I got an iced coffee at first. Pretty disappointed! Seems like this used to be the go to spot, guess things have changed :( read more

The Coffee Lab - Vanilla latte $7... - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I walked right by this "lab" for years without ever trying it. Recently, I stepped up to order a (double) macchiato and paid $4 cash for it. The coffee, served in a paper cup, was bitter and really off-putting. The beans might have been damaged by light exposure, and I suspect that the pull was over-extracted. At other spots on campus, you can get a much better version of the same drink, at the same price. In addition, you can specify your drink to be "for here" (served in a ceramic cup) at most places. Reading other Yelp reviews, I conclude that the good move is to show up with your own coffee mug and ask for a drip coffee. The price is apparently much lower, and the quality is perfectly acceptable. I will try that at least one time to see if this ploy really works. read more

The Coffee Lab - Double macchiato - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I really love The Coffee Lab! I have tried multiple sandwiches and loved them all. Recently I tried the Chicken Breast Salad Sandwich. It was really flavorful, a little on the saltier side but still really good. My go to drink order is their Mocha. It's really rich and not overly sweet. It's also really convenient that it's on campus. I can't wait to try their entire menu! read more

The Coffee Lab - Chicken Breast Salad Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Loved coming here in undergrad for a small iced mocha and some baked goods if I was really feeling it. Prices are very reasonable. They used to be cash only but I'm glad they do card now! There does tend to be a line between lecture times (MWF on the hour and TTh every 1.5 hours) so watch out for that. Staff is always super pleasant! I still think about their iced mochas, they bring good college memories. read more

Bagels are some of the best I've ever had. They all have lots of toppings and bagels are toasted till crispy. However, They are quite expensive with most bagels costing 12 dollars and their salmon one (the best one) costing 14. read more

Free Speech Movement Cafe in disguise, which itself is just Cafe Strada in disguise. Except this time there are fewer options and no actual location. Oh yeah, and the Chai tea costs $7.50 and tastes like [REDACTED] served in an eco cup. read more

This is my favorite place to get coffee on campus. It's in a convenient location close to a couple of my classes. This place is cash only so be prepared. The prices here are really good considering I get a medium cafe ah lait every time and it ends up being 2.50 when a small at Peet's is 2.70. Or any coffee at Phil'z is 4 dollars and up. The coffee itself is good in that it's basic and does not taste burnt, unlike most other small coffee shops around and in campus. It can be a little weak though. They also have food here but be prepared if you come later in the day they'll be out of most breads and bagels. The people who work here are all very nice and quick. 10/10 best campus cafe read more

Favorite place to get coffee on campus! It's a tiny little kiosk in Hilldebrand Hall's courtyard (which has benches and tables and is lovely on a nice day) with decent coffee. It's not the best you'll ever have, but it gets the job done and you can't beat the prices or the service! $2.50 for a medium latte is unheard of around these parts. It's always served up quick and the people are nice. They also carry pastries, candy bars, and other snacky things. Only downside is that it's cash only. read more

One of the best places to get coffee on and around campus. Working in the chemistry department, this place is only a few seconds away with friendly baristas and great coffee. They also serve coffee/tea and pastries before department seminars which are excellent as well. read more

The Coffee Lab - a coffee shop with a blue awning - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great coffee and prices, if you go bring your mug for a discount! Also they do accept cards, but their min. is $5 read more

The Coffee Lab - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Located right on the bottom floor of Latimer. Convenient location, decent menu for their small size. They tend to run out of items a little after lunch. read more

Super down-to-earth barista! 10/10 staff The baristas are always carrying a smile and asking how you are doing. They're open to share to you what they're doing over the weekend and never fail to make your day. Not only can I get a cup of warm, fresh soy latte but I know I can get a dose of altruism/positivity that will last me for the entire day here. Btw chocolate muffins are gooooood read more

So I have to star this review by saying that I love all 3 of the people that work here. There are two incredibly friendly Brazilian women that love helping me practice my Portuguese (which basically suffices to order coffee, say I'm hungry and/or tired, and not much else). There's also another guy there who's also very friendly, always has a story about his girlfriend keeping him in line, and tells me "not to work too hard." Something's nice about this kind of coffee ritual. Ok, so here's the deal: the coffee costs $1 if you bring your own mug. Do I really need to say more. It's not Folger's and it's not Blue Bottle, but somewhere in between. I recommend going in the morning, when they do a ton of business, and then the coffee is always fresh. The bagels are also pretty good. I've never tried any of their other food, but my coworkers like it. It's totally hidden in the courtyard between Tan and HIldebrandt. Yelp has it's location wrong, so make sure you find it! Just remember that thank you is "Obrigado" in Portuguese. read more

This place happens to be in the center of all my classes. It is hidden in Hilderbrand Hall so I'll bet you couldn't find it if you want to - which I may add is a plus for me. The folks in charge are the HAPPIEST FRIENDLIEST people I have seen. Coffee sucks. Everything else is cool. THE PASTRIES ARE DELISH: go for the pumpkin muffin or the cinnamon bun. Since this place is so small, taxes don't apply. I love paying EXACTLY one dollar for water or two dollars for a donut. Screw you Starbucks for charging me $3.04 for a late that other day. Bummers: Doesn't take credit cards / Limited seating (outdoor). read more

I go here daily before work because it's located in a corner of campus where there aren't many other coffee options (good location), and coffee is only about $1. They only take cash, which is a bit inconvenient, but other than that it's a great place to go for good quality coffee or a bagel read more

Really convenient place to get cofee &/or a light snack when you are on campus. It is right in the middle of the chemistry compound! Plus the coffee is waaay better than Strada. Angela and Rodrigo are super nice and they know coffee! If you say the secret Porteguese words they will make it for you in some fancy Brazillan way (yum!). I just go with Ana and have her say the magic words. read more

TLDR: If only it were open later, because the coffee here is both the cheapest and the best This place doesn't look like much, it's basically a glorified coffee stand tucked deep in the College of Chemistry. But as a person who has tried the drip coffee, espresso, cappuccino, and chai lattes, at all of the cafes on campus, on Southside, and on Northside, this place has THE BEST coffee, and at THE LOWEST price. Further, they have a great donut selection and their staff are super cheerful and friendly, never failing to brighten your day before your miserable 8AM chem lecture. AND their food options, baguettes and bagels are good for the price. The only drawback is that they close at 3pm. read more

Decent espresso when you're in need of one on campus! It was a little too smooth and a little chalky for my preference.

I love this place! The absolute best place to get coffee on campus. I honestly like it better than the coffee shops near campus. It's good quality coffee, never burnt tasting, for a low price. The only downside is that it is cash only, but with the prices as they are, I have nothing to complain about. Love this place so much, and the staff is always so friendly. Thank you for your service coffee lab read more

It's no Babbette but since they've moved away from the old BAMPFA building, it's probably one of the best coffee options by the law school next to Strada. read more

The coffee is foul swill, especially towards closing time at *3:00 PM* employees are nice, though, so 2 stars. Pay extra for ice? Maybe you could drop a few bucks on an icemaker. Worst of all, however, is the lady guarding the pre-seminar donuts and coffee like a hawk, if you have something, and take a step in any direction but towards the seminar, her sonic assult will teach you a new definition of the word "pain". Finally - the department isnt paying you to feed us PB&J on stale government bread, I see those donuts you have stashed back there. read more

Awesome place with cheerful, outgoing staff and short lines. I've always thought it was a little insane to spend more than $3 on coffee when you can make it at home for pennies on the cup. This place solves that. Between setting up your coffeemaker, buying coffee beans, and washing the pot/cup, getting coffee here might actually be a better value. It's $1 for a cup that's the perfect size to wake you up but not make you slightly loopy. No place better on campus. read more

YAY! This literal hole-in-the-wall under the chem library is the only reason I faithfully trudged over to my 8am rhetoric class every week, freshman year. I would wake up and think "I might just kill myself today if we discuss Roland Barthe again," but then I would remember "Heyy, if I go to class, I can get myself a baguette at The Coffee Lab along the way!" That, and the fact that The Coffee Lab is only open 'til 3pm (making afternoon class walk-bys impossible) earned me a solid B at the end of the semester. (Can't ask for miracles...) What is magical though, is the cucumber, tomato & cream cheese baguette. Coffee Lab has the best, most fresh baguettes, enveloping cool & crunchy slices of tomato and cucumber, all wrapped in paper and toasted to (dare I say it?) perfection I've only had the coffee once, and it sucked, viz: Was unapologetically burnt, as all campus coffee seems to be. Maybe the Coffee Lab has turned a new leaf since then, as the review below would suggest. But that's irrelevant. Bottom Line: Who needs a new (and superfluous) campus Subway? read more

This place is convenient, especially on this side of campus when food and beverage options are slightly harder to reach. They are located just below the main chemistry courtyard, and may be an easy place to miss if you are unfamiliar with locations on the UC Berkeley campus. I like coming here, especially to buy bottled water or other refreshments when I don't feel like going to Yalis or other nearby places. The best part about coming here is that the lines are usually short, and so making a purchase is quick and simple for me most of the time. They sell your standard coffee as well as a selection of bottled and canned beverages of your choosing. They also sell some pastries and snack items as well. read more

A nice quaint place in the middle of the Chemistry plaza on the Berkeley campus! After seeing the inflation that Cal Dining did by raising the price of everything, this place is actually pretty cheap. The people that work here are really nice, and they usually have only a short line usually. read more

This is a good place for a fast and great cup of coffee around this end of campus. It's inside the courtyard of the Hildebrand building. It's also cheaper than most places around. Recommended. Edit August 2015: Prices increased substantially this semester. Also, they often close earlier than posted. But still a fine little place. read more

Lovely tiny cafe tucked in the courtyard below the Chemistry library at Hildebrand. The cafe's Chai latte is my personal favorite out of the many cafes I have gone to in Berkeley and all over the Bay Area. They use real brewed Chai ,which has full cardamon seeds in it, instead of the Chai latte powder mix most cafe's use(with the exception of Elmwood Cafe and Nabolom Bakery near Rockridge). Their espresso drinks are all solid and very affordable. I have not tried their hot chocolate personally, but my roommate(who frequently orders hot chocolate at cafes) states that their hot chocolate is her favorite. Their pastries are all decent and they have a good selection for a shop the size of a large closet. The only item I am not crazy about is their smoked salmon smear bagel, which may have been more salmon flavored cream cheese than bagel (not my thing personally, but I can see how that could be appealing for some). Price wise all their items are very affordable and they have some of the lowest pricing for a number of items I have seen anywhere, especially for their quality of product. The staff are super friendly and fast. They don't make you feel rushed when ordering and often chat with customers. Overall, this is a really great café. Highly recommend if you are in the area. read more

Honestly, I think that they dig up some dirt from one of the planters out front and run it through a coffee maker. The coffee is pretty terrible, however the location is primo. I greatly prefer terrace coffee (on top of Davis Hall). The woman that works there is SO nice and they have flavored coffee (Vanilla Nut Creme, yum). Coffee lab yinks. Plus, they close at like 3 or some rediculously early hour. When I reach the (local) energy minimum around 4, they've left me high and dry. read more

Thought I start out with basics. For better or worse this is the closest establishment to where I spend way too much time that provides the necessities - caffeine and sugar. As I work both early and late the hours are definitely limiting. It would also be nice of the coffee was a bit less bitter. However, now that the undergrads are back the line is nice and short in comparison to the B-school and Yali's. Most importantly the staff are great and they keep the undergrads from stealing the seminar coffee and donuts! read more

I'm not sure why the lattes here are so affordable yet so nice and smooth! Their drink rivaled established chain cafes and was so convenient since it's right on campus. Hope to visit again when I'm in the area and in need of a warm drink! read more

Everything here is cheaper than any other cafe I've been to around campus and the people who work here are so kind and friendly- I love getting a cup of coffee (or a doughnut for $1) before class. Definitely recommend read more

Right around the corner from the lab I work in, so it's perfect for when I don't want to walk over to Strada. Their mocha is super strong and so rich that it can actually substitute getting a real meal for lunch, but I don't recommend that. I do recommend their chai; they use real spices, which can get kind of gritty at the bottom. They do not make the best of anything, but everything they make is good. read more

Best coffee place on Berkeley campus! Super cheap and friendly staff! My only disappointment is that it closes so early (at 3:00pm).

Great service and the best coffee on campus, with tasty cold sandwiches made to order and a granolla cookie that makes the perfect office breakfast. Now with nice benches for you to sit and watch the nerds going by! read more

I love this place with my whole heart. Been going here since freshman to the point where they already know what I want to order. The guy that works here makes my day and they are just overall wonderful, friendly people. I can't thank this place enough for getting me through those tough classes and struggles at Cal. read more

extremely convenient coffee, donuts, bagels, and sandwiches for busy scientists in the lewis-birge locus. very friendly service too. in fact, i believe they epitomize "service with a smile" maybe i should put that on wikipedia, because there is currently no "service with a smile" wiki page...not even a freakin' stub...what does that say about the state of society?!?!?! (ok...you got me...i didn't go to work today) they are closed during the holidays though...i even tried knocking on the door...but really, they're not there. UPDATE: roseanne w.'s point about them closing at 3:45 is well taken: 4 - 1 = 3 read more

cash only. but if youre stuck on campus, this is your best bet. (its between tan and lewis.) they serve coffee drinks, pastries and sandwiches. kind of pricey for what you get. read more

If you're low on cash they have a small coffee that's like a couple shot glasses in size for $1. It's like a caffeine boost no more no less, which is pretty cool, because then you won't have to go to the bathroom in an hour. They also have donuts, which is exciting. Least pretentious eatery on campus? read more

Very convenient location when heading to the chemistry buildings! Friendly staff and excellent prices, only thing is that they only take cash, however, the $2 lattes certainly make up for it read more

Had an excellent cruller here along with a cup of coffee. Very affordable, and one of the only places I've found crullers in the Berkeley area. The staff are all great - incredibly friendly, cheerful people who know how to make your morning. read more