I'm would give this 5 stars only because the staff are awesome and the PB & chocolate power smoothie is insanely good. Honestly, if this rating were based on pricing alone, it would be a 1-star review. I ordered two smoothies, tipped $3, and my total was $28. How is that even remotely okay? I can get takeout for three people for that price. I'm genuinely stunned. This is where business owners need to understand pricing and customer retention. They'd probably make more money charging less, because people would come back more often. If a large smoothie were closer to a normal price -- even around $10 -- I'd probably be here almost every day. But at this price? Not happening often. Great staff, great smoothie, ridiculous pricing. read more

I'm VERY grateful that there's a non-Starbucks option at SDSU, especially since the coffee at BCB is so good. Pricing is basically the same for higher quality coffee. They have a loyalty program that gives you $5 off for every $100 spent if you register your email address and link your credit card(s). There's no greater feeling than a surprise discount! I love me a dirty chai latte, so BCB's Java Chai is my go-to, though I've had a few different drinks over the years. The lavender Arnold Palmer is a delicious afternoon treat. The BCB located inside the EIS building has a bigger menu and offers lunch options like paninis in addition to the pastries and bagels offered t the cart locations. I've never had a bad food item and especially enjoy the cheese danish and jalepeno cheese bagel. The downside is that the carts are only open during the semester -- I find myself friending for a Java Chai when campus is open but school is not in session. Like other dining options on campus, the staff are SDSU students -- service isn't overly friendly but never rude. read more

The bcb huaxy location is immaculate. The girls there are the sweetest and always greet us with a smile. My go to is the acai bowl with peanut butter and I can always count on getting perfect proportions. ALSO this bowl is very reasonably priced compared to Everbowl. If you go to sdsu trust me when I say this is the best bowl on campus. Shake smart bowls are also great but they sometimes lack on the peanut butter tbh. My friend gets the same bowl but with Nutella and she wants to say that it's extraordinary. The ratio is just right and she really enjoys eating it. read more

BCB Cafe - Nutella acai bowl - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Really sad. Spent $7 on a pumpkin coffee and it was terrible. Tasted like there was alcohol in it. Like a bad espresso martini.

The workers at the Peterson Gym SDSU location are so rude to customers. They act like we're asking them to do something unreasonable, but we're just ordering off of the menu. They open late and close early almost every day. Most of the time, they're hiding away from customers, watching something on their phones or iPads. The prices have also gotten so high, and paired with the poor worker attitudes, it's not worth it. read more

My husband turned me on to this place after I purchased a Groupon for him for sandwiches (he says shouldn't be missed) but we're here for breakfast. My pessimistic Manhattan-raised mom says they don't have real NY water (it makes a difference) but OMG! These New York-style bagels were perfect with scrumptious flavored cream cheese (my fave is the REAL strawberries; they don't use fake nastiness). With a hot chai tea, it was simple and yet SO satisfying. AND they offer a tofu version of cream cheese that passed my NY mom's test - WHAT?! The same woman who swore she would never eat tofu? The best part of coming early in the morning? The day old section!! Best deal in the city! This is definitely going on the lists of regular visit and bring visitors to places! read more

BCB Cafe - Cool quotes cover the walls; my kind of place. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

For the location in the 24/7 dome. Bestie ordered a latte with whip creme and barista thought we couldn't hear her laughing at us 'that's so stupid!' and whining about not having the proper dome lid for the whip cream. Can you even call yourself a barista when the standard holiday latte usually has whip cream? And even if you don't have the proper lid is that really gonna stop you from making the drink? It takes you half an hour to make what we paid for the drink in the time it takes you to put whip cream on so I get it. I get it if you're having a bad day but in what way were we rude to you that makes you entitled to think that we can't also comprehend exactly what you're saying under your breath? read more

I've had the queens twice this year as breakfast and it honestly tastes better each time. The guacamole, turkey, bacon, and sauce is all really good and tasty. I've been to a lot of cafe shops and no sandwich comes close to queens (at least in my opinion. Would highly recommend this shop if your looking to any breakfast. They have a lot of sandwiches and bagel options as well as coffee options. Only downside is that they close somewhat early. 10/10 though! read more

BCB Cafe - Queens - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Oh the days of reaping the benefits of SDSU privilege... BCB was one of my daily stops on campus because I needed iced coffee and a starchy bagel to get me through student life. Incase no one knew, BCB serves Cafe Moto coffee. Cafe Moto is a coffee roaster / coffee shop in Barrio Logan--a local neighborhood in San Diego, and they have pretty decent in-house roasted coffee. Anywho, BCB is a convenient coffee kiosk that I frequented more than Starbucks. Considering that I work for a corporate Starbucks location, I hated going there on campus. There were three BCB locations that I can recall: one kiosk near the bike lanes in front of Hepner Hall, one kiosk near the EBA, and one kiosk in the 24/7 study area in the dome of the love library. My favorite to grab and go was at the location in front of Hepner Hall but my favorite to lounge at was the one near the EBA because they had patio tables and plenty of surrounding trees. Regardless of which location, the caffeine and quick bites at BCB were reliable for broke students spending their last $10. Also, I love the packet of cream cheese! So generous, squeezable and perfect compared to those measly cups given by Starbucks! read more

I love this place. Good coffee and good prices. Best coffee spot on campus bc it's never as crowded as the Starbucks and cheaper as well. There's also multiple locations all over campus as eel as inside the library read more

I go to the BCB everyday it's a magical experience every time. no matter what you order it's a 20 minute wait and nobody knows how that's the magic of it. i've found that the mexacali with no egg to be the best thing on the menu. i would avoid the eggs at all costs. if you have the time definitely recommend we love you bcb! read more

One of my favorites for sandwiches! I'm gluten free and they have gf bagels as well as a great selection for my non gf boyfriend. I personally love the BALT! read more

Convenient place around campus for a quick coffee but the coffee isnt that great... at all. The brewed and iced coffee are decent but the espresso drinks taste like there is not coffee in them. I personally always gets shots of espresso over ice, which is normally strong but theirs tastes like normal coffee put over ice. Get an iced coffee! The best affordable thing on their menu if you don't want to spend $5 on a drink. They brew Cafe Motto! Yes, i come back because it's convenient but definitely not a first choice! Super pricey too in my opinion. Not the original store so maybe that's why too. read more

BCB Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

You know, this place was going to get 3 stars but after my last experience, I'm dropping it down one star. I think this place is a whole lot better than Starbucks (and I hate Starbucks for a number of reasons other than the fact that they're corporate...that part doesn't bother me). I love the tea and coffee here. Unfortunately, this place has failed me for the following reasons: - The sandwiches are SUPER expensive...$5.95 for a sandwich I can easily make at home. And not only that, but they don't even taste good. - They stopped doing their punch cards. I guess they were losing money. When they still had them, I could buy any drink I wanted. But after a while you could only get a "free drink" if it was less than a certain amount; if the drink you wanted cost more, you had to pay the difference. THEN they discontinued the punch card entirely. - If you decide to eat here, do NOT get their bagel dogs. I bought one once out of hunger because I was working overtime. Got sick the following morning. I decided to try it again, thinking I got a bad dog. Same thing. I'm never eating their food again. - For the most part, I love the college girls who work at this tiny barista; they always try to chat you up and usually they're super friendly. However, there are 2 girls I've come across who are pretty rude. One I can deal with okay, but I purposely try to avoid the other girl because it is blatantly obvious she doesn't take her job seriously. She has gotten my orders wrong every time I am served by her. Because I don't think it's in my place to describe how she looks like or her name, I'll say this...she works in front of the Gateway Center and Extended Studies building and she sings to Justin Bieber (I'm not joking). I'm pretty sure if I was some hot, European male exchange student, it would be a different story. I'm totally over the novelty of this place. read more

I used to go to the Starbucks in East Commons last semester, but found that the line to get coffee could get crazy during peak hours. I started getting Mexican Mochas from here since I was in the library on a daily basis either studying or trying to catch up on all the reading my professors assigned. I've mostly been to the one located in the 24/7 area of the library. During Finals week, they were open everyday and pretty much ran 24/7 which was a savior for those of us staying in the library late/overnight. I've also been to their location by PS1. There's never really a line there since I think most people frequent the location near ENS. The 24/7 location has pretty cool employees who seem really chill and are really easy to talk to/sympathize with all of students spending our day in the library. The drinks are usually $3-$4 and they also have a fridge with sports drinks if you're low on electrolytes. They also have sandwiches and breakfast burritos if you're hungry, but I usually opt for the bagel w/ cream cheese for $2. They also have bananas, cashews, peanuts, and assorted pastries (the pumpkin bread was amazing during the Fall semester). Definitely check this place out if you can't find the Starbucks on the East side like myself (I think it's in the new building but I haven't ventured there yet). Also, if you don't want to lose your precious seat/table in the 24/7 area then this place is perfect since it's right there. read more

BCB Cafe - Daily Mexican mocha fix. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Sometimes I need a second dose of caffeine to supplement the one I always have first thing in the morning. Especially when I have an afternoon class until 6. Starbucks coffee sucks so I'm glad there is another alternative on campus. There are several carts conveniently placed across campus. I go with a regular coffee large for around 3 bucks. Iced during the heatwave, but hot whenever weather is normal. Their coffee always tastes fresh and seems decently strong. They have the sugar free syrup pump dispenser along with the other creams and sugars which makes me happy. Medium amount of half and half, two pumps of sugar free syrup, and off to tackle another class. Works just fine for me. read more

I come here WAY MORE OFTEN THAN I NEED TO considering the price of the drink I get. But I am completely obsessed with their dulce de leche coffee which I always get iced and costs $4.85. The locations are perfect with there being 5 carts on campus and I definitely like their coffee more than Starbucks and the Market. The quality of the coffee is great and they normally work very quickly to get the drinks out to you. The lines have never been longer than 4 people at a time, whereas, Starbucks, pretty much has a line wrapping around the place. My only complaints are that there are never enough chocolate chip bagels, sometimes run out of bagels at the Peterson gym location by noon, and there are lots of flies surrounding some of the carts. So convenient with great quality. You can risk spending all your money here so don't become addicted like me! read more

I've been ordering drinks from BCB at SDSU for a couple years now and the quality of their drinks have gone downhill. Maybe it's because they constantly hire new people, just a guess. But I always see new people at the 3 main locations on campus every semester, which always results in poorly made drinks. When the manager made my drink one day instead of the worker it was heavenly; it tasted how it was supposed to. But it has been so long since I've received well-made beverages consistently from BCB at SDSU. Therefore, I wouldn't recommend this location over the one in Hillcrest. Unless they hire people who care about making good drinks the quality will continue to plummit. read more

Really good coffee! One of best I've had, And I've tried many different coffee shops. It's so convenient because it's on campus and really close to my classes. I needed to wake up, so I got a Madagascar vanilla latte, it comes with two shots already but I added an extra. Definitely woke me up, and not only that but I felt like I was going to get a heart attack in a good way, lol. Fast & friendly service! read more

After 2 years of attending SDSU, I finally decided to try BCB instead of Starbucks. Hands down the best decision I've ever made. First off, the line isn't as long as Starbucks, so if you're running low on time then definitely come here to save the wait. It's located conveniently next to EBA and near the Music building. I got the iced White Chocolate Mocha and holy cow it was amazing. Best coffee ever!!!!!! So excited to try their other drinks. read more

This is my favorite spot on campus! I like it way more than Starbucks and I get it every morning. The iced dulce de Leche and white mocha and vanilla latte is so good :') read more

Love this place. Better than Starbucks, and cheaper too! As a student of SDSU, this is the most frequent place that I visit, behind the library that is. The employees at every BCB are always really cool and helpful. They are students that are looking out for other students, if it has to do with discounts, advising on how to make the order cheaper, or just giving us options on what to get and being helpful. Without the BCB company being at SDSU, there would only be the Starbucks that's on campus or the market (which is only coffee and no espressos or special drinks). I wish they would keep the coffee shop open on Saturday's that's inside the 24/7 library though... read more

BCB Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Definitely my favorite place to grab coffee when on campus (given option of Starbucks or this). The line here can get long during passing period but it won't be as long as Starbucks. The coffee here is also really good! The staff is also really nice as well. The drinks also comes out pretty quick! From my knowledge, there is one location near EBA, one on campanile walkway, and one inside 24/7 now too!! During the winter I would always get their Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha and it is soooo goood!! I recommend: - Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha read more

Thank God these little coffee carts have survived even after starbucks invaded campus. As far as I know there are three carts. One located outside the extended studies building, one on the main walkway of campanile and the other in between Nasiter Hall and Student Services. This cart will fufill all of your needs specially on your way to class: Fresh squeezed oj - check Bagels (toastable) - check Red bull- check check check! A variety of tea blends - check!!! And a grand assortment of coffees - check! The best part of all is it all tastes great!!!! My favorite drink has been the Mexican Mocha. Wow this place is so great! The only downer??? CASH only, so all of you crack plastic spenders...sorry, bring the green with ya! read more

Peabody's! I ended up trying this place one day because the line for Starbucks was way too long, I was already running late to class, and I was in desperate need for some caffeine to keep my up. They have a few locations. There is one on the main Campanile walkway (near the Theater Arts building), one near the Business building, and one near the Extended Studies building. My favorite thing that I'd always order from here was a blended Dirty Chai (Chai tea latte with an extra expresso shot). I also liked their bagels. They have other selections of coffee drinks here, as well as other food options like sandwiches, pastries, etc. read more

I usually get one of three things here: iced black tea of the day, iced coffee or blended white chocolate mocha (with an extra shot please!) I LOVE the blended white mocha. It is REALLY blended so you don't have a lot of leftover ice at the end. My only complaint would be that you only get one size, and the standard is one shot of espresso and 50 cents extra to add another. It just seems that one shot is not enough for a cup that large. Don't forget to pick up a frequent buyer card. And make sure you know that your 11th drink isn't free -- it's just $3 off. But still, that means a $1 white chocolate mocha when my card is filled up! read more

Love this place! I always go for iced or blended (but they only have blended at the library location) Madagascar Vanilla. It is so creamy, sweet and light. They are a tad more expensive than Starbucks, but it is so worth it because their coffee tastes 10x better. read more

Awesome customer service and great coffee !! :) The staff is always friendly and helpful. There's usually not a long line to wait in and they put out drinks pretty quickly. I typically get the mexican mocha :) read more

Most of the times that I have been here have left me dissapointed but not surprised. BCB has terrible quality ingredients, especially their bagels which is ironic given that their name is "Big City Bagels". Sometimes it hurts my teeth because of how stale their bagels are! The avocado is horrendous as well. Most of the time there are brown spots within the very little avocado that they scoop onto their stale bagels. The location is very convenient but at what cost? read more

Being the typical university student I needed my fix of crack ( aka caffeine ) so instead of heading to disapointment (Starbucks) I decided to take a walk on the wild side.. Having gone out of my route to class I stopped by one of the Peabody carts. This specific one is located by the Students Service Center in SDSU and was pleased by the service and drink quality. I ordered the caramel blended mocha, which is off the menu, and its definitely delicious! The only negative about P's is that there are no carts down by the new building of Arts & Letters; they definitely need one there.. read more

Little pricey but the coffee always great. Try the Madagascar are vanilla latte! I personally like it best with one extra shot of espresso.

This coffee service has improved since I last reviewed it. I have increased the rating from 2 stars to 3 stars. Keep up the good work!! Below is my previous review: Unfortunately, the "baristas' at Peabody's leave a bad taste in my mouth. The coffee is fine ... I'm sure it's great if you just want regular coffee ... but the service for specialty drinks is really bad. I have been served sour, spoiled milk in a cappuccino (which is really gross) and when I pointed this out to the barista she was anything but nice. On another occasion I was served regular coffee under the guise of decaf, and regular milk instead of soy milk, etc. Those kinds of things are noticeable after a couple of hours ... your body lets you know that you clearly did not drink what you thought you drank. The service at Peabody's leaves much to be desired. read more

Bought a medium mocha and opened it and was disappointed to only find out it was 3/4 before I started drinking it I removed the lid to let it cool. Wish it was nearly filled to the top for nearly $6. Next time I won't order it again. read more

BCB Cafe - 3/4 full - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is a great alternative if you are sick of drinking Starbucks. There are multiple BCB coffee carts that are surrounded around campus but the one I usually stop by is the main one across from the library. This coffee cart could get really packed in the matter of minutes, but definitely worth the wait. I usually order Vanilla ice coffee $2: The vanilla ice coffee is pretty good for the price. You can't complain about how much you're paying. There are half & half, soy milk, and regular milk provided on the side for free which is a bonus because soy milk are usually charged. White mocha $5: I don't recommend buying white mocha here because it is really watery for the price you're paying. I didn't tsar the coffee or the white mocha. I only tasted the hot water. Blood orange ice tea $3: The ice tea is delicious here, they have a couple of different flavors. They even have the option of sweetening it yourself on the side. If you're on campus at SDSU, I highly recommend you pay this place a visit for their delicious ice coffee! read more

Great coffee which is more than I can say about charbucks. Not to mention the staff actually have an opinion and are helpful. Great place to grab some fresh brew between classes. read more

Surprisingly good coffee for a campus cart.

I've been stopping by the Peabody's cart my whole State career and seriously, for those of you who pass by on your way to Starbucks, STOP, turn around, and order yourself a delicious blended beverage from Peabody's instead. I agree with the previous posts, there is a certain depth to the flavor. Starbucks, while reliable, just can't compare. I used to be addicted to the blended Chai; they use the same spice mix used by my favorite place back home. The blended caramel or either of the mochas (Mexican or regular) are awesome. It is important to note that there are TWO carts on campus: one by the business admin building and one by the music building. I stop by the music location three times a week after the gym (because soy has protein in it - right? Just let me believe.) so I can mostly attest to that cart. The workers are friendly and they have one of those "frequent patron" cards that afford you one free drink for every nine you purchase. My only criticism? Not enough ice. I know they have to cart it in from a separate location so they probably tend to use sparingly, but I'd appreciate a few extra cubes, just enough so it doesn't all melt by the time I finish my iced soy. read more

This is a great place to sit in the sunshine and enjoy a drink with a friend. Good coffee and great Matcha green tea. It ain't cheap, but what coffee shop is now a days. Added bonus: Peabody's is adjacent to the Music Building so sometimes you get free entertainment, score! read more

Since I practically live in the BA building, this is my go-to spot before work or class. This one's for the cart nearby. The London Fog is always made right! I had gone to get one at Starbucks in Aztec Center and it was horribly made. I'm never going back there for my London Fog fix. For the record: a large LF at Peabody's is $2.85 whereas a tall LF at Starbucks is $2.95. Hmm. When the weather gets warmer, I go for the iced white chocolate mocha. You can never go wrong with that :D Just plan the times to go; they get really busy especially 10-15 minutes before class. read more

For my first 2 years at State, I used to pass by these Peabody's carts without a second glance. Why would I get coffee from a cart when there are 2 Starbucks on campus? How naive of me. Then my friend started raving about a blended white chocolate mocha from here. I was intrigued and tired one day when I decided to try it. Well, I ordered the wrong thing (iced instead of blended)...but wow. I can't explain what makes their drinks incomparably better than Starbucks. It's almost a...depth of flavor. Instead of a syrupy sweetness, it tastes like chocolate covered vanilla beans were crushed into your drink. Since then, I am hooked. I practically have to chain myself to the art building to prevent myself from going here every day. "Only T/Th," I tell myself. My only complaints: There is only one size for cold drinks. It's too big! I mean, I finish it, but my stomach does not enjoy it. The hot drinks aren't filled up enough. I see the empty space! I get a medium and feel like I can finish it in a few drinks. Other than that, I love these little carts. Since I've tried it, I haven't even stepped foot near a Starbucks. And I just finished a punch card so my last coffee cost 95 cents--score! read more