This bookstore is a nice addition to the Bay Street mall in Emeryville. It is one of the anchor stores. In terms of square footage it is the largest retail store, with perhaps the exception of Tokyo Central. The sections are well separated, and the books are well curated. The staff is sparse but helpful. I like how the upstairs spills out into the food court area. The prices here are slightly higher than Amazon, but it's worth it to be able to flip through the books and peruse. read more

Barnes & Noble - Beautiful building - Bookstores Near Me - Emeryville, California

I'll always have fond memories whenever entering a Barnes & Noble. I am just a lover of all book stores, and I mean the ones that aren't online! There's a massive parking garage to use. It's not free if you want to do more than 30 minutes but thankfully you can get your card validated at Barnes & Noble. Incredibly organized as is all B&Ns are. It's two stories so there's an escalator. There's the cafe there too. Super helpful people work here. Feels cozy and safe in here. Plenty of seating at the cafe and a couple of chairs around the store. Loved stopping by the 50 percent off section! The value there is great. I was able to get a book for less than $7. 5/5 read more

PROS: Clean, working escalators, friendly staff. Well stocked. HUGE! Great selection of games and puzzles!!! They validate your parking in the front during check out! CONS: No seating on the 1st floor. After a day of shopping I wanted to relax with a magazine while my sons checked out the books and other items and there was absolutely nowhere to sit downstairs. I don't know if that is purposeful but it didn't seem to make sense. We did find some cool items to purchase and a card game so that was a plus. read more

I love Barnes and Noble and this is two floors of books for everyone and every topic, along with toys, board games and a cafe. This is a must visit for bibliophiles and am happy to see the resurgence of books in recent years The staff are happy to help with providing recommendations and help for finding the item for your heart's desire read more

I have fond memories of big bookstores--growing up, I would spend hours at bookstores like Barnes & Nobles, getting lost in books and letting hours fly by. We stopped by recently with our kiddos and it was so much fun! They have a great selection of books for all ages, things are easy to find and the kids' section is great. There's a coloring area for little ones and they even sell board games, LEGO sets, etc. We didn't need too much here, but the staff we encountered were friendly and efficient. Highly recommend this place for a quick escape if you're at Bay St Emeryville. read more

As of February 2026 this is the only Barnes & Noble in this side of the East Bay Area beside the Concord and Walnut Creek location. It's be a long time since I check out this location. I was heartbroken when the El Cerrito location closed down. The parking garage is not far from Barnes & Noble. Luckily if it does rain or it is evening I don't have to walk far from my vehicle. What do I like about this Barnes & Noble location: I like how organize the store is. I thought this location was small but with two floors it is big. The B&N Cafe is clean. Plenty of tables to sit down at. Out of the stores that been in Bay Street this store has been in business the longest. read more

The service was wonderful and the books are great. But, I wish book series were together in the sections of the store to be a little easier for me. However, it is still a nice place. read more

This is my favorite Barnes and Noble! This location is such a gem. The location is great, located in the Bay Street shopping area. After you shop, you can then relax with a book at the cafe here at the book store. It is such a large location as well. They have everything you are looking for. Beyond books, they have toys, cars and and several other unique finds! We walked about and then pulled up to the cafe to have a matcha and a breakfast sandwich. Such a delightful way to start the day! Overall, will I be back? Yes! I enjoy visiting this location whenever I am in Emeryville! read more

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Been coming for years! The nostalgia staff helpful and friendly! I wish the sections were organized a little better but I understand that's its huge spot. read more

I drove all the way from Vallejo because I received an email stating that my order was ready for pickup. When I arrived, I was told, "I don't know why your item got accepted, but we don't have it available." This is unacceptable. I am handicapped and had to arrange transportation just to get here, based on your confirmation that the item was ready. To be told "I don't know" after all of that is extremely frustrating and disappointing. This has been by far the worst experience I've had at any location. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Emeryville, California

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I had the pleaser of visiting this location yesterday (3/7/26) for a flurry of books( 16 in total) that I had to retrieve from the children's section. A daunting task in a sea of books but thankfully JULIA was working in the children's book section and literally helped me find each book with ease and grace. I was throughly so pleased and grateful for her wonderful service and how much time it saved me read more

So many options in this large location in a mall. Two stories to wander through. Found two books to take home which is always a warm feeling for me. First time there on my weekend drive and will chose this again. read more

Barnes & Noble - Huge inside - Bookstores Near Me - Emeryville, California

Situated within the Bay Street Emeryville shopping center, it's a convenient and well-stocked store. Reviewers on Reddit have praised it as "the nicest one near the city" and a good place to find specific titles. While some mention the reduction of physical media like CDs and Blu-rays, the store remains a solid destination for books, including new releases and bargain finds. With a cafe, it's a perfect place to grab a coffee and browse for your next read. read more

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I called yesterday, 6/15, about a lego set that is nearly impossible to get now but they had one in stock. They informed me that it was on hold but if the person didn't come in by end of day, I could all at 7pm and reserve it to pick up. I called at 7 and was told that I actually could not reserve it until 10am the next day. I clarified that if the person did not pick it up by closing on 6/15 that I could just walk in right at 10am and purchase it. They said yes. I also clarified that if I called before 10am, could I reserve it and they said no. Reservations are only taken during store hours. Today, I drove 2.5 hours to this store. I arrived at 9:45am and waited until the store opened and was the first person inside the store. Low and behold they had taken a call outside of business hours and reserved the Lego set. When I asked why that was allowed when I was told it wasn't, they just shrugged and said the manager took the call earlier and reserved it. How is this acceptable? Why was I told one set of rules, but it was broken for someone else? I do not recommend this store because the managers obviously do not follow protocol and the amount of wrong information they told me between yesterday and today is completely unacceptable. read more

Great place very friendly employees, great place to browse. Love this Barnes and Noble

Probably one of my favorite stores in the mall. Great selection of books, board games, toys, and stationery. The service staff are quite helpful. Great value on books, worthwhile discounts on items of interest. read more

Rough customer service. Manager seemed to also really struggle with being kind to employees in the cafe. Seems like a super hard place to work and the vibe is so tense. I don't usually get too bent about messiness, but the cafe was pretty gross in general and the store was kind of a disaster. Employee lady who had to tear down a little girl for sitting by the window - I hope you felt powerful. You caused harm. read more

This is my go to place after work. I love how it's two stories and how you can validate your parking tix here for 3hrs free! They have a great selection of reading material and a cafe inside on the second floor. It's such a great location for shopping and entertainment. Please don't ever close this store! read more

Used the women's restroom that's located upstairs during my visit. I guess the store can't be bothered to invest in better locking mechanisms, because even though I specifically recall double checking that I locked the door someone was still able to open it while I was in the middle of doing my business. Absolutely ridiculous and I feel completely violated! read more

It's the largest bookstore I'm aware of locally...I wasn't even sure it was still open until my cousin asked me to go. The place is spotless as it's always been every time I e gone. It's quiet and has the usual wide selection of books. No incantation books for Halloween kiddos. Lol It sounds horrible, but I've all but stopped reading books and read mostly online articles, and job related materials of that sort (Sad). Anyone else kinda enjoy the smell of a new book? Lol, ok, if crisp was a smell then I like the smell of new books and that's that. The place smelled like it should and you would never know there was a cafe/coffee place upstairs. I appreciate that. There was so many good looking books (Yes, I like looking at the art in the comics and anything else with great art) and I was tempted to buy a few only not to read them. What stopped me from buying books for show was the prices! Yikes, can't say they are overpriced but they are pricey and I don't know that enough people are buying these books for them to be $25 and up. I'm still trying to finish the books I have. I will be back to find a new book to read (no pictures) in the near future. Cheers to the Noble. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Emeryville, California

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Spacious, cute fireplace area, cafe, and conveniently part of the mall. Lots of books to choose from.

Nice location with plenty of options to choose from. I came in not expecting to get anything but ended up nabbing an activity book from the children's section for my toddler. Easy checkout with friendly customer service. read more

Great selections. Cordial staff, clean environment, friendly place to be. Attended lovely, live orchestra concert last year in this book store. read more

This is always a pretty nice bookstore to hang out in for a while. Well laid out. Escalator from the top to the bottom floor. Untidy little starbucks. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Emeryville, California

Great bookstore, especially since there are fewer and fewer of these around. Upstairs, downstairs, lots of books and chairs to enjoy them on. There's a Starbucks upstairs, also the children's book area is upstairs also. Nice mellow vibe, that's what remember most about bookstores in the past. Being able to get lost in a book or 2, I always spent more time than I planned to in bookstores, this one was no different!! read more

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We visit here at least once a month. Barnes and Noble offers us the experience of taking time to look for your favorite author or discover new ones. They have an amazing children's section where you can relive your summer childhood favorites. And they have a helpful staff that can point you in the right direction or order a favorite online for you. It's worth taking a hour or two out of your busy shopping schedule to relax, have a cup of coffee and pick up a book or two read more

You know, I've been shopping here for years without incident. And so, this review is mainly to address a trend I'm seeing in retail. And that is this: don't be rude to customers, periodt! Working retail can be frustrating - I know firsthand. However, I was trained to go the extra mile and to treat every customer with the utmost respect. To be fair, courteous, and kind. To greet people pleasantly. These are the basics. I, on the other hand, encountered a salesman who was condescending. The way he spoke to me was so demeaning. And, part of me wonders why he talked down to me. 'Is he having a bad day?' Or, 'Does he resent something about me?' At the end of the day, these are questions that I should not have circling in my head just from one fleeting encounter with someone at the cash register. Instead, I should've been thinking to myself, 'Wow, what a friendly guy - he brightened my day!' Or, 'Man, he was so helpful and patient.' Human kindness is out there, I know it. But if I can't find it for free, then I damn sure should receive it if I'm spending my hard-earned money at your establishment...ya' feel me. That's all - maybe next time I'll just order a cold brew at the Starbucks on the second floor and stick my nose in a book. Then, order it online lol! Happy Trails! read more

With my frequent travels to Las Vegas, I've always limited my gaming to craps and blackjack. Strolling through The Cosmopolitan, there's a bunch of table games that I have no idea how to play. With a pending pilgrimage scheduled for the end of October (going to hangout with Elite Yelper, Lene N!), I decided to study up on the table games. B&N have a fair assortment of titles. Mostly game specific. The Dummies series has brief descriptions and strategies for many games. Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker, Omaha, Spanish 21, and Caribbean Stud are briefly covered. And not that I'm going to be suckered into these gimmicks, but at least I now know what the games are about. read more

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[ During Covid Review ] I used to come to this location a lot growing up since the location was a popular hangout for teenagers back in the day. I like that this place is pretty big, has a huge selection compared to other bookstores that I've been to, but unfortunately this place has changed a lot. Because of Covid, you cannot enter the facility unless you are on the bottom floor, which means that you can't enter where the cafe is located (second floor). You cannot enter or exit from the second floor, so expect to leave or enter from the first floor. I do like that they make sure to clean and disinfect any books that customers do not want by putting a sign that says to put any unwanted books here to allow for disinfection. I understand that with this pandemic, we need to keep socially distanced, but that doesn't mean you get to ignore customers or greet them. When I came in, I was looking for help and approached these two employees about to ask a question. They told me to give them a moment which I did, but then they kept talking about gossip. I wish they could have just simply stopped "gossiping", helped me first then go back to talking gossip. I ended up just grabbing another book instead of the book I wanted to get. read more

The quiet ambience it's nice. Downstairs you have most of the adult section and books and magazines. All you have to do is take the escalator upstairs will you find the restrooms kids stuff and Starbucks as well. read more

Wonderful. Glad to see there's still magic to be found in bookstores. This location is clean, spacious, and bustling with activity. Many books are fully stocked and ready to read or buy. I love how this location is just as huge as the other ones. The customer service is top notch and everyone is always willing to help and available for questions. Literally, the place is teeming with employees. Even though I only came here for refuge from the rain, I enjoyed browsing the shelves and picking out titles that spoke most to me. Will definitely be back and buy myself a cover! read more

A huge bookstore still open!! Can you believe it?? I thought they were all extinct at this point. This one is huge too. Upstairs they have a beautiful coffee shop. They serve Starbucks coffee and Cheesecake factory cheese cake. It is a beautiful bookstore both inside and out. Probably my only complaint is that parking is not as easy as in other places and you will have to pay a few bucks... Come here and support them so they stay in business... :) read more

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Two months ago I mentioned that it was a definite that I would not come back to this Barnes & Noble. However, my oldest sister wanted to get in on the bargains - 50% off on 2014 calendars and Christmas cards. She asked if I would come along with her to check out their inventory. I couldn't tell her about my bad experience. I agreed to go with her, just to see if I could find some Christmas cards. Well, I have to say there was improvement in the customer service and I did not feel I was wasting my time in searching for bargains on the holiday merchandise. The sales associate was helpful and the store seemed more organized. They had a good variety of greeting cards, but the one box that caught my eye was the Graphique de France - a wintry scene in Paris, Eiffel Tower in green - see photo. (Reg. price was $14.95; 50% off = $7.48; Barnes & Noble member, another 10% discount; final price with tax included = $7.32.) Tom Clancy's latest novel, Command Authority, was on sale - 30% off; Barnes & Noble member get another 10% off (see photo). I have never read any of Tom Clancy's novels. I will have to purchase this book a little later on. Tip: Enter Barnes & Noble from the street level, take escalator to second level and one will see plenty of 50% bargains on their Christmas inventory. Do it ASAP because if one procrastinates, one can lose out on the good selection. read more

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This store has two floors, and it would be an awesome store if it were better organized, the displays were complete, and if the clearance sections were more hidden. It is a bummer to walk into a store past Valentine's Day and see three huge tables filled with Chanukah tchotchkes and Christmas crap. The kids section was filled with plenty of nooks for reading, but it was so poorly organized. Alphabetized? No. By age? Not totally. Some shelves were so stuffed full it was hard to tell what was in there without removing six inches of books. Other displays were half empty and looked sad. Look B&N. I spent the late 90s and early 00s disliking your big box corporate takeover of small shops. Now I just want you to succeed so Emeryville doesn't lose its last bookstore. Please clean it up a bit, spend some time with the displays and shelves and make it feel like a lovely place with lovely things to buy and read. read more

I love this Barnes and Noble! I've been coming here for over 10 years now, and since then, a lot of the sections have been reorganized For instance, the fantasy and the comic/manga section used to be upstairs, but have all been moved to the first floor near the very back of the store. *makes a joke about geeks lurking in the back* The staff is so helpful in answering questions and will even lead you to the area of the store you're looking for. For instance, I was looking for the Barnes and Noble Hans Christian Andersen special edition collection. For some reason, the B&N website said it was out of stock, but when I went into the store on the same day, I found it in the B&N classics collection section. Weird, but I guess it goes to show you can't always trust online inventories. But it also isn't too difficult for me to find what I want. Everything is really well-organized, as it seems to be with all B&N branches. I do love how spacious this Barnes and Noble branch is. I can spend hours getting lost in this place. If you park in the garage, they will validate parking for you when you purchase something. Win-win. read more

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For me, the Cafe continues to be the saving grace for this location. They still "proudly offer Starbucks", but don't go if you're expecting to use a Starbucks gift card or your Starbucks Rewards. As the Cafe isn't a legit Starbucks, they can only accept Barnes & Noble gift cards for purchases. Also, please refrain from trying to get their baristas to make your complicated order that could pass at a regular Starbucks. I've seen some try to accommodate, but if its crowded or the barista genuinely doesn't know how to make an off-menu item they will say "no" (understandably so). Funko fans: this location does receive a limited quantity of Funko NY Comic Con and San Diego Comic Con exclusives, though not all exclusives will be offered. I've seen them limit certain exclusive pops to 2 purchases per person, and sometimes they'll get the exclusives in 1-2 weeks before or after the specific convention. Save yourself a trip and call ahead to ask, sometimes they may be able to hold one. I had to lower the rating to 2 stars as the cleanliness has continued to go down, specifically in the women's restroom. Instead, people should use the public restrooms by the Bay Street Security office (to the right of Fuddruckers). More stalls and consistently cleaner / stocked. read more

Bookstores are a dying breed. I am grateful to have B& N in Emeryville still in business. I like to feel and review books that I want to purchase. Plus the magazine section contains international magazines of USA brands. Always a plus! Support any bookstores before they disappear. And before they are remade and re-imaged into the same thing as a hipster would. read more

Worst B&N customer service in the Bay!. Today my daughter and I were on this location and she found a series of manga she had been looking for. We had been at Dublin B&N a day before and they had buy 2 Mangas get 1 free promotion and had stated promo was good until Sunday. I approached customer service desk and waited, and waited, and waited until finally a lady came I said we had been at Dublin and Mangas....she interrupted me at the middle of my sentence just to say " If you didn't see them in the shelf there are no more" I replied "but that's not my question". She rolled her eyes and asked what's your question then? I said does this location have the same promotion of buy 2 Mangas get 1 free? She goes "no that NEVER happens at B&N". I said yes it does but if this location doesn't have this special its ok, than you. 1. In any other location if you approach customer service wanting to know if they have a book in stock, they check in the computer, take you to aisle or check in the back. She didn't want to bother, that's why she interrupted me, she wasn't going to check anything for anybody. 2. I find it odd that only this location wasn't running special but other locations were. 3. Noone will ever ask you if you are finding everything ok or need help. You are on your own. And they are not even that busy! read more

I just feel so bad walking into this place. It is a remnant of the past. It's a true bummer that bookstores are on the back end of time. I remember I used to spend hours at a time in bookstores just hanging out with my buddies. That being said, that may be one of the reasons these places are closing down. People aren't purchasing enough. Books are now digital and who really likes the actual paper "real" book material. I looked at different sections like anime, medical, biographical, ect. I enjoy walking around the bookstore, but I know I am not going to purchase anything. I know I am not alone. I noticed that a lot of people were doing the same as me. It was rare for someone to purchase something. The only place that really had business was the Starbucks that was located on the second floor. Otherwise, people were mainly on their laptops and other devices. I ordered a drink from Starbucks and I found out that they validate parking. The only catch is that the parking is only valid for two hours post validation. Just keep that in mind if you'd still like to walk around to other shops. I enjoy going through bookstores. But they are also on its way out. Its a true bummer but that's just how things are going. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Emeryville, California

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Tanya and Sandra were incredibly nasty and rude when I asked for help. Especially the assistant manager, Tanya. Learn some customer service otherwise have fun going out of business to Amazon, which is where I went to buy my books instead. Also Tanya told Sandra "that was really kind of you" when she grabbed a book for an older gentleman, which I thought was strange. That wasn't kind of you at all, ITS YOUR JOB! I worked retail for a decade, and if I didn't feel like i could be nice to customers that day, I didn't go to work. read more