Just wanted a decent Cortado but sure didn't get it here! Don't know what bean it was or just made wrong. Nasty bitter taste like it was made with dish water! And yes I've been drinking espresso drinks for 40 years. And walking in their menu is on the opposite wall high up which is annoying. Too bad High Wire down the street isn't there anymore. read more

Good latte, better than going to a chain coffee shop. It's a cute little shop with fun branding. Staff seemed a bit lacking in hospitality, so I docked a star. read more

Ain't Normal Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

Ain't Normal Cafe took over Bica's Coffeehouse's space with limited hours. offerings: coffee plus. didn't see list. brew: cold brew coffee (5) big house beans -smooth, cold brew, no harshness -seldom drink cold brew. they were closing, only coffee available. drips: -ritual, red bay coffee also sold here. -take out only. no tables available inside. read more

Ain't Normal Cafe - Cold brew covfefe (5) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

Unfortunately, the customer service was not great or friendly. I was met with a very gruff man at the counter. I ordered a chai latte, mocha, and a matcha latte for my friends. When I asked what kind of milks they served, he responded in a very rough, deadpan expression on his face, "all kinds." I chose oatmilk and he told me the total. I tried not to take his demeanor personally but maybe Sunshine shouldn't be taking orders and be the face of "Ain't Normal" for customer service. I asked if we sat outside, will they call my name, he said, "No, we won't look for you." Totally fair, but sheesh. The chai latte was alright, nicely frothed, but it was super mild. read more

I frequently stop by Ain't Normal Cafe when I want a good cup of coffee. Everyone has always been welcoming and nice. Today I had some time to actually sit down and work there which I never have done. I ordered a cup of coffee and had a small wrap with me. I decided to quickly eat my wrap with my coffee, and did not know that outside food was not allowed. (My bad!) I'm not as upset at the rule, because I get it-- they want people to buy their food, but more upset at the way I was told that there was no outside food allowed. First of all, there is no sign so it was an honest mistake. The worker there came up to me and told me loudly so that everyone around me could hear that no outside food was allowed. I feel like the delivery was deliberately to shame. I should have known that this cafe was like that. There are no outlets either so if you're looking for somewhere to work, maybe find somewhere else. read more

Didn't try one of the fancy toasts, but the broccoli béchamel puff pastry was fantastic! Pastry done right. Mocha was alright - if you like a foamy espresso with a hint of chocolate, you'll like it. Not my favorite because I prefer them sweeter. The wait time wasn't outrageous around 9:15 but it was probably long enough to be irritating if I was in a rush to get on a BART train. Appreciate that they include descriptions and tasting notes for each bottle of wine on sale. Impressive selection of coffee beans that I haven't seen sold elsewhere (figure I should note here that I'm saying this as a Berkeley Bowl shopper) and a few teas, matchas, chai, chicory blends and the like. They've also got a lot of supplies for at-home pour over coffee and matcha. I wish this place was in a different neighborhood but the outdoor seating is perfect if you like to people watch in Rockridge. Probably fun with enough wine. read more

Ain't Normal Cafe - Mocha with beautiful espresso art. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

So glad I finally got to try this spot! I've seen it on Google Maps near the Rockridge BART station, but I haven't been able to stop by because I am often in a rush when getting off BART. I arrived around 9am and there were people sitting outside, but there was no line inside. The menu has both coffee and tea options. I was interested in the food options, particularly the pastries, but I didn't order them on this morning. I would love to try them in the future! I also saw that they have alcoholic drinks, like wine, which is interesting to see at a cafe. I ordered an iced matcha latte. I really enjoyed it! Matcha lattes can sometimes be a miss because the matcha to milk ratio can be difficult to nail. They can often be too milky for me, but I think Ain't Normal's matcha latte had a great ratio. It also wasn't too sweet, which is exactly what I prefer. The lids have a hole near the edge, so you are able to drink without a straw. Would definitely recommend for great iced matcha lattes in the Rockridge area. read more

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It's poppin. It's cute. We got lucky and secured some of the dew inside seats. There's tables outside but it's a bit too chilly for me today. I got a potato carrot curry pastry situation and it made me do that lil Winnie the Pooh happy dance. How was it still warm???? I was all, "ooooh did you toast it for me?" And was delighted to learn it actually just came out the oven. This was around 10 am on a Saturday. Plenty of people are outside enjoying their orders. The line now wraps around the side a bit. There's a fridge with some fresh juice and some pre packaged things and BEER? The menu on the wall has a "meat plate" right above the "cheese plate" and I'm INTRIGUED. Highly recommend. The WiFi is strong and I'm happy to have made my maiden voyage to this spot. read more

Ain't Normal Cafe - Oatmilk latte, potato carrot curry situation still warm from the oven! (My spouse.) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

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Delicious americano speaks to their good beans. Love the vibes - this is right on the corner of Rockridge and there's ample outdoor seating and a small counter indoors. Staff was quick and not unfriendly. Prices standard for this type of nice coffee shop. read more

The best staff. Perfect location. Plenty of outdoor seating. 5 bucks for a standard oat milk latte is super hard to find right now. My usual work from the office pick up ritual. read more

Ain't Normal Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

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the pastries are very mid and extremely overpriced ($7 for a dry pastry, $4 for a cookie that tastes like the ones my 11yo sister bakes). also the energy in this place is bad too, very drab. i'm not blaming the employees because i've been there and in my experience usually unhappy employees means shitty management and bad work conditions (just a speculation though). overall I wouldn't recommend. go to starter bakery across the street instead. they have way better quality food for a fairer price and the employees are usually nice. read more

I found this place online after looking for cafes to study at in the area, and was pretty excited to check it out. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, which was really nice! I ordered an iced matcha, which was actually quite interesting. It wasn't sweetened so I had to add a bit of sugar to it on my own, and while the matcha flavor was present, I felt like the amount of milk in it just made it taste more like milk at times rather than matcha. It wasn't my favorite, but definitely not bad. I really liked their indoor seating area and was able to get some work done here which was nice. I'd still come back to try something else on their menu! read more

Ain't Normal Cafe - Iced matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

quality is decent, but it's very overpriced and the menu is limited. drip coffee ending at 11am (just let the staff make another pot?) does not help either. this should be a wonderful spot given the clientele, staff, and location in beautiful rockridge but it's clear that somebody's decisions higher up at ain't normal are preventing it from meeting this potential. read more

This place has been on my radar since 2019 and I've finally gotten the chance to try. The cafe is in a beautiful location and easy to walk to after brunch. It's small, but the outside seating is nice on a sunny day. The cold brew oolong was the perfect concentration, although I do love a little overbrewed tea. I had a sip of my friends oat milk cappuccino and it was lovely. You can tell the baristas we well trained and care about the quality of each drink. I'd be interested in trying their variety of pour overs as well. I didn't have a chance to try their food but will try next time. read more

Coffee is very good and the food is too, especially for a coffee-first cafe. Nice little outdoor space to go along with indoor seats and standing bar. There's a line sometimes; up to you if you want to wait but I've never left it. read more

Came here on a Sunday morning around 10 am after a Trade Joe's visit. There was a very short line, waited 5 minutes max. Ordered an oat milk mocha ($5.50), which was ready in less than 5 minutes. 4/5 for presentation; took the time to add foam design, but would've been cool if their cups were branded 5/5 for taste and quality; the chocolate and oat milk were well balanced, and not too rich or thick- definitely had the taste of premium chocolate 4/5 for the environment/atmosphere; standard level hospitality read more

Ain't Normal Cafe - Mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

My laptop was stolen yesterday within 10 minutes of sitting outside to work on an assignment. The thief jumped out from the passenger side of a white mustang and grabbed onto my laptop. I was hurt in the process since I instinctively grabbed on to my laptop and was dragged before letting go when I got close to the car. I've never felt my life be in danger like this before. It was so so scary. From 4:18 to 4:44 my laptop was snatched and sold. It all happened very fast. Please please be careful! So what makes me especially sad about this whole situation is that I messaged the cafe beforehand if customers could work outside and assumed that it would be a safe spot based on their response. Working at cafes is something I often did pre-pandemic and was hoping with the new CDC guidelines that there might've been some indoor seating but I asked about outdoor seating since that's what most spaces have. Unfortunately, I've come to learn that the former cafe, Bica, also had misdemeanor theft and assaults occur in their outside seating. Apparently Bica had warnings posted to customers. As an occasional visitor I would have been grateful to know about the thefts since I would have been more alert. Either way, I am leaving this review to let other patrons know to be careful with valuables when setting up outside. Don't make the same mistake I did! The cafe owner graciously gave me a gift card while I was being interviewed by the police so I plan to come back. I love that this place carries Cute Coffee and other smaller Bay Area roasters. From the one sip I had, the matcha latte was very good and really well made. It got smashed in the altercation so I'm grateful to be in better shape than I could've been. I got blood, a huge tear in my jeans, and matcha all over me. Anyways, the barista told me that this is the second reported theft of a laptop since opening. Another customer had their laptop stolen by a thief on foot. Please be careful and don't let your guard down! read more

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This happened a couple of months ago but thought I'd add my 2 cents. On the outside, it looked like a nice, friendly coffee shop so decided to take a breather during my walk on College Ave. I ordered a Cafe au lait, which is just drip coffee with milk and got instant attitude from the counter person! I also ordered a pastry & was treated as if I had ordered a 3 course meal! I'd kind of understand if this was a busy time & place but it was barely after 1pm! Definitely not going back there again! read more

Great service, coffee, and location! Has outdoor patio seating. Great way to relax and enjoy a great cup of coffee! read more

Ain't Normal Cafe - Cappuccino - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

I think my addiction to the scones from this place will be the end of me. I'm not talking about the scones to diminish how good their coffee and other items are. Because this is truly a Artisanal, high-end coffee shop. I used to live two blocks away; and of course just as they replaced the former cafe (BiCa, which I also loved but for their simple devotion to a dank cup of pourover) I moved to a different area of oakland. I still make the 10 min drive all the time just to come here. My usual order had been some fancy cup of exotic pourover. The cups are expensive here. But it is also exceptionally well, curated, well brewed and top quality, and it might be worth the money, if you're not doing it every day. I also recently had a long stint in Europe, where I converted to espresso drinks on the daily. That's also really great here and if you have the time, I highly recommend grabbing a seat in their outside, seating area, soaking in some delicious California sun, and admiring the aesthetics of the neighborhood, the cute, ceramic cup and saucer your beverage is served in, and the general vibe of the place. It's bustling, but time stops somehow. Back to the baked goods: the scones and turnovers baked here, in-house, also not cheap. At around six bucks a pop, they are a little bit more expensive than the fancy French bakery that made bon appétit top lists in your Bay Area neighborhood. But I'm telling you, it's 100% worth it, because they do it better here than anywhere else. Yes, even better than that bakery that you love so much. The coffee shop also offers a limited menu of wines by the glass/carafe, and it is open till 7 PM. With ample outdoor seating and situated, conveniently across the street from the Rockridge BART station, it's a perfect spot for a little breakfast, an afternoon pick-me-up, or some Happy Hour wine. Side note: they also sell all the fantastic coffee beans they brew from roasters all over the world, other food like delicious baguette sandwiches and avo toast, as well as a really unique selection of wines, coffee equipment and more - this is a good choice as a gift shop for those who love to live a good life! read more

This place might be my new favorite in Oakland. The coffee is amazing and so are the beans and the baristas- also super knowledgeable when helping to choose beans. Definitely give this place a try everyone read more

Ain't Normal Cafe - cold brew- so smooth - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

The people that work at this establishment are rude. Idk who is hiring people at this place but I went there one time asked them a simple question and they gave me an attitude for no reason. Will never come here again. read more

My go to coffee shop for their lattes, bubbles and small bites! The staff is friendly and it's got the best neighborhood feel! read more

Ain't Normal Cafe - Decaf Macchiato - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

I order a mocha and cheddar scone. I asked the cashier if they can warm up my scone and aggressively said no like she was offended I asked to warm up a scone. Like who the heck doesn't warm up their scones. The scone was bland. And the mocha was horrible!!! It tasted as if they used old milk! It instantly made me sick, I had to throw it away. read more

Great coffee, minus - the price (too expensive) Place is small but has good outdoor area next to BART read more

I was craving matcha and stopped by Ain't Normal on a walk along College Ave. The matcha latte had a great earthy flavor - it wasn't overly sweet like matcha from chains like Starbucks. The flavor was delicious and hit the spot. The space looks great - the interior feels so fresh and bright following the remodel. The staff was friendly, welcoming, and speedy! They have a few small tables to sit at outside. Kudos to Ain't Normal for opening a brick and mortar spot in the midst of this tough pandemic. They're off to a great start. I'll be stopping by again soon! read more

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The best coffee eveeeer. So flipping good it has ruined all other coffee for me. The bar has been set high and I am prepared to be disappointed by every other establishment. I was a barista for 8 years in the bay and have never tasted anything like this. I drink coffee for flavor and taste, not caffeine. I ordered an 8 oz decaf almond milk latte. Chefs kiss!!! Service was cool and chill. Helpful and alert. Nice outdoor seating in Rockridge near some beautiful trees so it felt quite serene for being in the city! Do yourself a favor and go get the best coffee in the bay read more

Ain't Normal Cafe - 8 oz almond milk latte, perfection! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Oakland, California

Taking over from Bica, Ain't normal coffee just opened with a new decor. Drinks only for now, among them an excellent espresso. read more

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Tried this cafe for the first time the other day and might I say I was not disappointed and ended up wishing I lived closer. The atmosphere was amazing it was such a nice day and there is so much fresh air flowing inside the cafe. The coffee was amazing I usually order lightly when trying a new place like ordering a plain drip straight up or just a latte with oat milk the coffee is extremely smooth and very light in flavor and acidity which is a big one for me. The food was extremely tasteful pretty good selection. The service was great I was helped straight away with a friendly welcoming read more

Found this coffee place in Rockridge and wanted to see what ain't normal lol. They have coffee, tea, wine, and pastry and light brunch options. We ordered iced latte and cold brew coffee. We are super happy with the coffee. Vibe is chill. There's seats inside and outside. Parking is available at Trader Joe's plaza. read more

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Having coffee here with the hubby on Saturday mornings is how I like to start my Saturday. I can never get coffee out on weekdays, so I tend to indulge with getting an Americano on weekends. Plus, It is a nice, calm start to a super busy day of baking. Their coffee is really excellent. No bitterness and lots of flavor. I always get the Americano, black no sugar. The hubby always gets their drip which is also excellent. I have tried one of their day old scones once and it was still good. I love their outdoor seating. The chairs are pretty comfortable and we tend to stay until Trader Joe's and Market Hall open up. I do miss Bica which used to be here before the pandemic but so happy that Ain't Normal opened in this spot! read more

Bright atmosphere. Good for toasts and coffee. Limited menu options - just know before planning a meal there.

Cozy spot. Grab a seat outside if it's sunny. Good coffee. Not a crazy menu. Great mochas

I have been meaning to check this place out for years and today was the day! Smallish shop with a couple of indoor tables, most of the seating is arranged outside. I had the cappuccino and it was very satisfying, I wished I could have upsized it because it was gone too fast. I also had the cherry scone. I am usually a harsh critic of scones because they are done so poorly so often but these were little triangles sent from heaven. The cherry was pronounced and not some dry little bit, the consistency was delicate and flakey. Where ever these scones came from they deserve a pat on the back. Staff was very welcoming and accommodating too. I am making it a point to go back and try more - I did see wine... read more

The cashier/barista was so curt and rude for no reason that we left without ordering anything and went to redfields instead. Based on the other reviews I'm seeing this isn't a one off thing. I know working in the service industry can be frustrating but maybe consider a different job if you really dislike interacting with people this much. read more

Love Ain't Normal! It's my go-to coffee shop in the East Bay. The pour overs are delish, so clean, and crafted with care. They also do a mean matcha latte, and they have a wide selection of premium coffee beans for purchase. Be prepared to wait a little - good coffee takes time! And while indoor seating is quite limited, there are many tables and chairs on the patio/sidewalk. If you're looking for an experience akin to Starbucks/Peets/Philz, this isn't the place (and I think that's a good thing). I appreciate their no-frills approach to coffee and focus on quality! However, I did witness a barista make a hot chocolate with a dog-shaped latte art for a young one the other day. Totally warmed my heart. Tl;Dr Go for the best pour over in the Town and be sure to ask the barista what their favorite offering is at the moment. read more

This really isn't a normal cafe! First, the scones are the best in San Francisco. Typically not a big fan but these are so soft and buttery and crumbly. Both sweet and savory made fresh every day! Other yum breakfast items too like frittata and sandwiches. Then you can get wine in the evening as well as small bites to go with! Cute small in door space with a couple of tables and a large outdoor area. All compostable spoons/forks/Coffee cup lids. Perfectly bougie to be honest ;). read more

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Sleek cafe with friendly vibes. Service is impeccable because not only were we acknowledged and told that they would assist us shortly, but one of the baristas made a coffee and personally brought it outside for a cyclist. Most places would have just called out coffee is ready. Anyway, we got a cappuccino to go because we were headed elsewhere for pastries. Cappuccino was not only pretty to look at, but tasted bold and smooth. They have a really nice outdoor area with a few shaded spots to enjoy your cup of joe. read more

Secured the bag. One of the only few to carry Heart. Keep doing a great job. Y'all are appreciated

Great place to grab an iced coffee on a summer day! I got to try the iced matcha latte. It was creamy, smooth and not too sweet. They do charge an additional fee to make it iced just a heads up. There are also some select pastries you can try here as well. There is limited seating indoors but some outdoor tables with some umbrellas. This location is conveniently located by the Rockridge area where there are plenty of shops and restaurants around. read more