Bloc 11 is a great coffee house in the heart of Union Square. They have an eclectic menu of sandwiches and salads. Try a scone if they're available. They care about their coffee, and where it comes from. They get imports from Intelligentsia and Stumptown, two very serious coffee makers, and rotate their offerings daily. Their drinks vary in complexity. I stick to simple cups of coffee, but they have a variety of espresso drinks to choose from. Try their Vietnamese coffee, a blend of sweet and smooth. Try their edibles. I've had some of their sandwiches, and a lot of people are on the fence about it. Not many places make a "spicy curry tofu salad sandwich" with apple slices and avocado. Tell you what, go there and try their egg sandwich with prosciutto and cheese on rosemary foccacia bread, and then tell me what you think! It's my favorite. Their walls are usually decorated with cool, local artwork. The music is mild and doesn't distract the scores of locals who hangout with books and pads and work to be done. It's a great place to talk, and you can have privacy in the back if necessary. In the evening, they host a variety of live music events. What else could you ask for? read more

Bloc Somerville - Bakeries Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Coffee: Very great taste and excellent presentation I ordered a mocha latte and a regular latte and both came with a leaf/Rosetta pour so I was happy Convenience: It's only good for street parking(meter=15min/25cents max 3hrs) and taking the T is requires at least a bus from sullivan square. Environment: Has outdoor seating which is a plus the cafe itself looked somewhat stylish with brick walls and artwork for sale. The music was not in bad taste. It wasn't all instrumental, but some had lyrics. It's a good place to study. There's plenty of space inside and outdoors. Finding my own spot was easy. Service: The staff were helpful with answering my questions and seemed very cheerful. I noticed one of the staff took out a phone/camera and what I thought to be taking a picture of something which didn't seem professional. read more

Bloc Somerville - Mocha Latte - Bakeries Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Bloc 11 has a large cafe menu from baked goods, to sandwiches to salads. I enjoyed the overall ambience of this cafe however did not enjoy having to wait for my food right next to a tub of piled high, dirty dishes - this place gets very busy though so I guess that's understandable. The service was mediocre but typical for the area and the city in general. I got the egg and cheese on multigrain. It was gross. Does it look tasty on the plate? Sure. But I wasn't sure if I was eating real eggs or something that comes out of a Morningstar box. The rubbery texture was strange and the aftertaste of the sandwich lingered for days. I want to give the place another shot...one day...but will stay away from anything with an egg! read more

Bloc Somerville - Egg and cheese on multigrain - Bakeries Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Just ordered the Clover(sandwich) to go. Got home, there were no tomatoes on it, and they put artichokes on it. I don't eat artichokes. Completely disappointed especially since the sandwich is over $11. I will not be returning to this location. I will from now on go to Diesel Cafe in Davis Square instead. read more

Bloc is a cool location, built in a former bank. If you wander the back a bit you can see the vaults and remnants of what it used to be. That alone wins some points for this new-Bostonian, who's used to "old" buildings back in California meaning something built in the 1970's. The vibe is hipster-y, there's no doubt about that. If that turns you off, check out somewhere else. The workers are just that, workers - don't expect much small talk. The coffee is fine. I'm no coffee snop, and I like mine light and sweet, and it's perfectly acceptable. If it's amazing coffee, I probably wouldn't be able to even recognize that. The Vietnamese iced coffee though, was excellent. But in my month of living here I have had the Terrace sandwich (turkey, avocado, carmelized onions, and a garlic mayo) twice. It is seriously one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. Lightly grilled, oozing garlicky and avocado-y goodness, and on a really solid bread. I could eat it everyday, and I might not even always order coffee! read more

Omnomnomnomnom, Bloc 11. I love their sammiches, their pastries, and their London Fogs with soy milk. I love the art on the walls, I love sitting in the bank vault, and I love how friendly the staff are. Yes, it's a bit out of my price range for an everyday cuppa, but this is a luxury I'm willing to pay for every now and again. I like to go down to the Bloc to do homework, people watch, and candy crush. Why would I go someplace like Diesel or Ula when I've got someplace so much better in my own backyard? read more

I used to love this place, but now I can't say that anymore. It's still the same ambiance - cool art, ample seating, cute little garden outdoor seating area - and the staff is great. However, the food took a nose dive, particularly some of the sandwiches. My favorite used to be The Clover, with its pillowy mozzarella cheese, delicious tomatoes and caramelized onions and light pesto filled with crisp greens. It's replacement "The Clover 4.0" makes me sad. Yeah, the bread is still great, but now the cheese is now low-moisture mozz, which is good on pizza, meh on sandwiches. Gone is the pesto and I have 9 pieces of arugula on my sandwich (yes, I counted). The worst part is imam bayildi, normally a really good Turkish dish of eggplant, tomatoes, onions and garlic usually with parsley and/or dill. Unfortunately, in this version, all I can taste is onions and it's meh at best. Overall, I will likely still go here for the baked goods, salads, coffee and ambiance, but RIP delicious Clover. I'll just drive a few mins up the road and hit sister cafe Forge if I want a sandwich. read more

Recommend I'm kinda struggling with how to write this review - I mean how do I rate somewhere I go somewhat consistently only 3 stars? Probably because they're across from union square donuts and I buy myself a donut and then come here and grab a coffee so I don't feel bad about taking a table. The pastries are pretty decent and I enjoy the yogurt when they have it. The coffee is okay but wow the baristas have some attitude. I ordered an extra dry cappuccino and it came out like a latte - I'm not normally one to complain but this was so far from what I ordered. The barista refused to remake my coffee. Not the first time the people preparing the food/drinks have thrown attitude around. So be wary! The coffee tastes good though - I've found that a lot of places in New England seem to have a really buttery taste to the coffee but not here. Which I like. Overall I'll say this place is straight 3 stars and yea, I'll be coming back. Also, when the weather is nice the outdoor seating is clutch. read more

Bloc 11 is a really good coffee shop. Excellent coffee, wonderful outdoor seating, interesting and unique indoor seating (bank vault!?), and really good sandwiches. It is a little noisy inside, maybe because the counter is in the middle of all the seating? Also, you have to pay for wifi and the food can be a bit on the pricey side. Union Square isn't the most convenient place to get to, but if you are headed there for the Farmer's Market or just to get out, it is worth a stop by. I usually come with a couple of girlfriends for coffee or early on a Saturday morning to read a book on the patio before heading to the Farmer's Market. PS: If you have a sweet tooth, head across the street while you are in the area to grab a donut from USD. SO good. read more

Bloc Somerville - Outside seating! - Bakeries Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I ended up here by accident because I was hungry and Union Square Donuts across the street had sold out of donuts for the day. I love the vibe of this restaurant and the enormous patio, which is great for people watching. I ordered what I thought was a sandwich but it was really more like a salad and the components of a sandwich on a plate. It was good, but I wish I had known this before ordering. Also while I appreciate the high quality ingredients and good coffee, it seemed pricey for the neighborhood. read more

Bloc Somerville - Bakeries Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Wait was long but food was okay. I ordered the bagel and lox, it was a bit mushy for my liking. Great ambiance, though!

The coffee is good, but the counter guy just made me feel like a complete idiot for ordering something I've ordered no problem here in the past. He told me I was wrong about what I was ordering, then when I clarified, still had to read it back 3 times. The line was growing ever longer as he continued to question me. It wasn't a hard order. I just wanted foamed cream instead of foamed milk added to an americano. And still he was disdainful when I confirmed. Was like "alllright. That's what you want". Yes it's what I want if I'm paying over $5 for my bougie hipster coffee. Maybe if the employees cared as much about their customer service as they do their mustache wax we wouldn't have this problem. It pains me as I purposely avoided the big boy store across the street, but at least they don't make me feel like an uneducated asshole. And after all this I still tipped, so I guess I really am the ass Update: I was totally dismissed by the hipster counter girl. This is twice now by different kids. I'll continue to go for the cool bank vaults and Fire, but management, please train your staff that every customer is important. And I am a bartender so I am customer service and I tip well. Too bad hipsters. Your attitude sucks. read more

Bloc is so convenient that I stop in periodically, but it's a massive disappointment each time. Wayyyy over priced (a hot tea is $4, sandwiches are all $12+) and the real kicker is the place is filthy. The floors are always a mess, the tables are all dirty and wobbly, and the bathrooms resemble a crime scene most of the time. At premium prices Bloc completely fails to provide a premium experience. read more

Ten years ago, when Bloc 11 opened, I lived right around the corner. It was hip and cool and at that point the drinks seemed pricey. Soon after, I moved to San Francisco and learned what pricey really was. Recently, I had a Facebook memory pop up reminding me how much I had loved Bloc's peppermint brownies in those early days. So this week, while visiting Boston, I detoured to Somerville and let my palate remember. HOLY CRAP, they are good. The drinks are tasty, sure, but I swear, I would travel across the country again just for this damn brownie. It's stupid good. Plus, I got to eat it in a bank vault. Ambience FTW! read more

This place is super convenient pre/post yoga at B in Union. I like their food ok; their coffee is good; and the atmosphere is nice too... BUT (you had to know that was coming), as an independent contractor that does a decent amount of coworking and coffee shop emailing, I can't in good conscious pay for WIFI when it's free elsewhere. I appreciate that indie coffee vibe is its own commodity, but to be on the pricey side for food and coffee and then add the cost of connecting to the WWW, you've lost me. I'll drop in when it's convenient, but only then... read more

My husband and I came here spontaneously after him being not satisfied with the donut shop across the street. We came for coffee by the sandwiches looked amazing on the photos. My husband was so excited that he wasn't diss appointed. Her ordered the safe haven sand which was a veggie sandwich with avocado, feta cheese, tomatoes, sprouts among other things and the bread was soft as if homemade. We also ordered coffee which was very good and my husband is a coffee snob and he said it was good coffee. He got an americano and I got a oat milk cappuccino. Both drinks were great. Good ambiance, lots of space to sit and chill. We came early on a Saturday morning and hope to come back again during our short weekend trip since we liked it so much. Ten stars ! read more

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Not sure how I skipped a review here considering they're my go-to while in Union Square. Intelligentsia coffee, baristas who know what a black eye is, an array of veggie options for both sandwiches and salads, and a lot of seat (both outdoors for spring/summer and indoors). Did I mention the building used to be a bank? They have seating in the vault, too. Favorite things about this place: friendly/knowledgeable staff, buffalo tempeh, fresh Forge bread for their sandwiches, mixed greens, hearty helpings of avocado on all (er, many) of the things, and they're basically next door to Hub Comics and Union Square Donuts. I've lost track of how many people I've referred to here and haven't had a complaint yet. read more

The food is okay, I had the quinoa bowl with asparagus, avocado, quinoa, arugula dressed with sauce. The ingredients were fresh, but the sauce didnt match the flavour of any of the ingredients, and its strong flavour didnt let you appreciate the rest of the ingredients. The coffee is delicious, but the absolute best is the place, it's an old bank and you can even go inside the vault. 100% bankers would approve Tip: ask them about the ingredients from the food you want because they are not all displayed in the board read more

Ate lunch here today, and enjoyed it! The sandwich I ordered was turkey with avocado, piled high with other veggies, and a great sauce. The whole sandwich was grilled, and served hot. I'll probably come back in the morning to try coffee and breakfast, which looked good too! read more

Bloc Somerville - The terrace sandwich - it looks small, but don't be fooled! Without chips it was enough to fill up a hungry 180lb guy. - Bakeries Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Re-edit: I gave them the benefit of the doubt. This was a mistake. A month and change after receiving a concerned letter from management, it's still named Bloc 11. And no reply from concerned/courteous Community Coordinator. Thanks for the update, buddy. We assume that they have no intention of changing, which, fine, more power to them. But ignorance can no longer be an excuse, if it was in the first place. Edit: After receiving a concerned and courteous letter from the Community Coordinator from Diesel/Bloc, I've decided to rescind my prior review. It was unfair on my part, and perhaps not exactly in the spirit of Yelp, to editorialize on little more than speculation, especially when the subject is really just an unfortunate coincidence (which I kind of suspected all along). Seems they are at last aware of the potential powder keg they are sitting on. There's a lot of power in a name. read more

Ashamed to admit that for as long as I've been exploring the nooks and crannies of Union Square, this past weekend marked the first venture in to the (literal) vault that is Bloc 11. It's a sleek, sexy coffee shop that's modern and somewhat icily hip. Almost too streamlined with an industrial, no-softness approach you'd expect from a cafe phoenix born from the ashes of an old bank. The line (there's always one) splits at a fulcrum of pastries and today's blends to form two distinct paths. I tell you this so you know when your drink is called, it will be on the side from which it was ordered. May seem obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many patrons found themselves doing laps for their medium chai latte. Prices are on par with an trendy java hut ($3-6 for two sizes of the bean or the leaf) and the pastries ride in same range. Our blueberry scone - not a contender for the 2011 SconeOff, but very well could have been - had a more cohesive, almost bready texture and massive, abundant berries throughout. Delicious, even in spite of an unnecessarily sweet icing (perhaps make it a drizzle?). While waiting for our chai and hot chocolate, we took time to explore the dining space in the rear, which actually seemed a little more cottage-like. That is, until you meander past the giant vault door and into a rightfully warm set of benches, positioned lovingly where safe-deposit boxes and enormous wealth once resided. Kitschy, and kind of just there because it always been, but oh so cool. Outdoor seating for all-season al fresco sippage adds a nice touch. Her chai was too weak and watery, which on the plus means it's brewed to order (not Oregon mix) but on the negative means it's too weak and watery. On the flip, my hot cocoa sat rich and thick on the tongue, and had a pleasantly sweet foam I totally mustached. So far, this is the cafe of choice for morning walks through Union, and I'd love to return for a lunch sandwich (variety, all $9). Dig their attitude on transport with discounts for cyclists and a dedicated parking space out front that's been converted to a bike rack. A little jab at Diesel, you say? read more

Another bad guy review. I WAS SINGLED OUT FOR MY DOG. First, to be fair, the good - huge space, interestingly set up and very quirky thanks to the bank layout. Good selection of beverages and pastries and sandwiches. Good coffee. Nice outdoor seating area. Now the BAD. They must put a lot of love into their sandwiches because the place was not busy at all (I walked right up to the counter when I got in) and it still took FOREVER to get my sandwiches. I literally watched the guy making my sandwich gingerly put each leaf of lettuce onto the top of the sandwich one at a time. Seriously dude? I had the curry chicken salad and the egg salad sandwich, and love is the only thing they put a lot of into the sandwiches because both were very meager considering their $8+ price tag (I don't remember the exact price and, wouldn't you know it, they don't have the prices on their website!). Also, while the curry chicken salad was ok, the egg salad had way way way too much dill. The two sandwiches, two iced coffees, and a croissant came to almost $30. So weak. Now the UGLY. While my wife and I were enjoying ourselves on their patio with our dog - something WE'VE DONE BEFORE and something MANY OTHER PEOPLE DO - we were approached by an employee and told OUR dog wasn't allowed on the patio due to health code violations. But there was ANOTHER dog on the patio and its owners weren't told to leave, and there was at least one dog INSIDE BLOC 11. We were singled out for no reason - my always well behaved dog was enjoying the shade under our table and minding her own business. And I get the health code thing and I'm fine with that, but either you enforce the policy consistently (PUT UP SOME SIGNS OR SOMETHING) or don't enforce it at all. When we mentioned all of this, the girl even said "Yeah well, it's up to us to enforce the rule..." which I took to mean "we don't want YOU or your business." Even the woman sitting next to us was aghast. Really dumb, I live around the corner and could have been a regular. You have ensured I will never return. read more

I've recently come to the conclusion that Union Square is probably the coolest square in the Boston area. Well, I'm admittedly a little biased... OK, very biased. I can't hide my bias. I love Union Square. Amidst shopping trips and general debauchery in Union Square, I need my coffee fix. Enter Bloc 11 Cafe. I did give Bloc 11 a pretty average review a few months ago, so let's get a few of my original concerns out of the way. First, I haven't had a particularly bad espresso drink here. I was afraid that they'd fuck up the milk or pull bad shots in subsequent visits because the baristas seemed apathetic; so far, they haven't. Also, they now have paper menus next to the cash registers. This gesture is much appreciated, as developing 20:20 vision is a bit trickier than printing out a couple pieces of paper. Thanks for accomodating us myopics, Bloc 11! Let's pause for a second. I hate being meta, at least so deliberately and unjovially; any good writer knows to cut the meta bullshit and get straight to the point. (I.e. stop talking about your damn review, and start reviewing!) But certainly there's a very good reason I'm writing a subsequent review, and I think said reason really gets at the heart of what distinguishes a good business from a great one. You see, Bloc 11 is a great cafe... in theory. But theory is about as reliable in the world of food service as my landlord is in fixing that rat infestation in my apartment. Bloc 11 has amazing coffee beans (Intelligentsia AND Stumptown? Nice). They have good tea. They have decent sandwiches. The pastries are pretty alright. I've never had a salad there but they look fine too. The atmosphere is awesome. The location is, well, I belabored that one already, didn't I? Must I go on? Wherein Bloc 11 Cafe fails to be a sincerely excellent business are those ineffable qualities that cannot be measured "in theory." Namely, Bloc 11 ultimately fails to put the hospitality in... well, hospitality. A few weeks ago I received a brimming hot drink in a glass cup. No handle. No sleeve. I'm a cook in a restaurant so I'm used to burning my hands, but there's no way in hell I'm going to carry that to a table bareback. I asked the person who served me my latte for the sleeves. "They're over there." Jeez, thanks for giving me a piping hot drink and then leaving me to fuss with the details, lest I contract first-degree burns even on my day off. I walked in about a month ago at 7:02 pm; at the time, they were still under winter hours so they were technically closed for a whole two minutes, even though some patrons were still there. I understand how closing works, they're cleaning the espresso machine and dumping out the drip coffee, yeah. But I only wanted a bag of whole bean coffee. Nope. They wouldn't sell me it. Let me put it in terms of cafe business dynamics: whole bean coffee is very profitable compared to other cafe products, the major benefit of that being it requires virtually no labor to sell a $15 bag of coffee. In other words, you can sell a bag even when your equipment is defunct. I probably shouldn't focus so much on the business dynamics; what dismal patron thinks of a cafe as a mere business? The insanity ultimately lies in the lack of hospitality, how unwilling they were to accomodate my meager request. The person at the register was unsure whether she could sell me the bag; she asked her shift-supervisor if she could do that. The shift-super responded with a blunt "no." That's it. Not even a caring "no, I'm sorry." Simply "no." I don't know if the "no" was directed at me, or at the cashier. If it was at me, why so fucking blunt and apathetic toward a customer? If at the cashier, why did you pretend like I wasn't standing in front of you? I used to work in an open kitchen (which is essentially what Bloc 11 is) and you never, ever pretend like customers can't hear or see you. Essentially, Bloc 11 simply doesn't train their employees to empathize with or give a shit about customers, and apparently the higher-ups don't care as well. Don't get me wrong, some of the people there are great. But it's a mixed bag; a good amount just ooze apathy, both ostensibly and in practice. These two incidents are not isolated, just notably egregious. Hospitality is the reason why even restaurants that serve undeniably shitty food manage to survive (e.g. Applebee's), while great local chefs watch their restaurants wither away into the red. A cafe should never think of itself as a place that merely sells products, but as a holistic experience that begins no later and ends no sooner than the door. Bloc 11 does sell great products. As for everything else? Meh. read more

Still got mad love, but want to point out my distain concerning one piece of this otherwise pretty puzzle; the paid wifi. Bloc 11 is the quintessential "do work in here" place. To have paid wifi (to make more money / to disincentivize long-sitting customers?) is, in simple terms, uncool. Diesel, Bloc 11's sister coffee shop in Davis Square, also charges for wifi, which I still find aggravating, although I can sympathize with given Diesels location and set up. For Bloc 11, a high end coffee shop with pricey things, I find this unfortunate facet unacceptable and yes, I have to make a fuss. *However* ~ since my first review, Bloc 11 has begun to stock almond milk. This was the one missing piece keeping me from initially giving them 5 stars. So, in that way, thumbs up! read more

Along the theme of "In my previous review, I was dead wrong" Bloc 11 continues to struggle to find more customers in Union Sq. Unfortunately, every time I go there, there is always something the employees are doing to drive away customers. They always play the music way too loud, the kitchen staff routinely make random raucous unnecessary banging noises with dishes and equipment, and basically treat the place like their sandbox. And the dishwasher is not very effective either. All the glasses are stained. The surfaces are starting to wear down already. It's a shame they are letting it go, because they spent so much money renovating. The coffee quality is variable depending on the barista. I've asked them to turn down the music several times, they comply, and then 10 minutes later, they turn it up EVEN LOUDER. They simply "yes" me when I bring up complaints. When they close at 9, they put the volume on "11" as to drive out the rats (us customers that is.) Not good, man! Not good at all! read more

I got the clover sandwich here and it was really good. The bread was excellent (forge bread is always a treat) and the Mozzarella was very fresh and tasty. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but they were very stingy with the pasta salad on the side. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their various salads, sandwiches, and soups. They were very generous with bread, which is a good thing because who wouldn't want extra bread. The space is very cool, you can sit in the old vault and they had a cozy fireplace next to where we were. However I have to knock a star off because the bathrooms were truly disgusting. I've used gas station bathrooms cleaner than this. The sink was full of napkins and hair, the trash can had a very stinky diaper languishing, there was TP all over the floor, you get the point. It looked like they didn't even clean it daily. I won't harp on the name Bloc 11 anymore since it seems to have made it through and they appear to be rebranding themselves. read more

I need to start hanging out in Union Square more. Because Bloc 11 Cafe is a great spot, with bomb dot com sandwiches and baked goods. Their egg and cheese sandwich is definitely one of the best around. Scrambled eggs and warm, melted cheese on focaccia... I added bacon, avocado, and onion to mine (which means you should do the same to yours). It ended up being a pretty hefty sandwich, and it filled me right up. But regardless of how full I was, I'm glad I made room for dessert. I got the raspberry shortbread bar, which BLEW. MY. MIND. Each square is decent-sized, and the shortbread is rich and dense, so you could probably split one with a friend and still be full (although I loved mine so much that I got strangely possessive and absolutely did not want to share). The only thing I can compare it to is the raspberry crumb bar from Flour Bakery, which is good, but Bloc 11's version had me going "Flour who?" I was pleasantly surprised by how much seating there is. I definitely felt okay sitting down with a book and staying a while. It was a Sunday afternoon and they were clearly busy, but there was more than enough space to accommodate all. So, even if you don't live in the area, I'd recommend that you make the trek to Bloc 11 Cafe. Grab a table, purchase a baked good or two, and stay a while. You'll be glad you did. read more

Bloc Somerville - Bacon, egg, and cheese with avocado and onion, on focaccia. - Bakeries Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Things that make me not want to frequent Bloc 11: Walking into a fenced in area where there are people with a dog are sitting and being told I can't bring my dog in the "courtyard" because of health codes. WTF??? Hi, did you NOT see the other people sitting with their dog? Seriously, I'll keep my money that I was going to spend on two mochas. Not. Happy. read more

Enter Diesel Cafe's straighter and slightly snobbier cousin. The best thing about Bloc 11 seems to be that it's an indication that this neighborhood is getting a little nicer. Union Sq has a ton of great little restaurants, it has my scooter shop in it, and a great little fenced in dog park, so I'm there on the regular. The remodeling was a total success. Great concept and a fun execution, but the crowd that frequents it is definitely on the conservative side. It was nice to see some familiar faces behind the counter though. It just needs to be gayer to justify the price. read more

Best assessment yet (not mine, but spot on): "This space is going to make a great bar after Bloc 11 goes under." read more

While it is unfortunate that the owners of this location are getting bad publicity when it comes to the name of this place, I personally had no idea what it was until I learned from a few knowledgeable Yelpers. However, despite the name, this is not going to hold me back from coming here. The owners aren't doing anything wrong or outlandishly to seclude anyone or making any discriminatory references. Their name was explained in the papers when they first opened and it is just so happened to be a coincidence. I do not hold this against them. I came here for the Crafters' event and have to say that the staff is incredibly sweet. I do have to say that this location is definitely targeting a different audience. It's much cleaner than Diesel. The atmosphere seems a bit more contemporary rather than artsy. They have photographs hanging along their walls. The bathroom is actually clean! Although, for me the downside is that they have all this space, but they aren't really utilizing it. Where are the couches around here? I feel like it is a bit colder in here because they are so minimalistic, but maybe that's because they're still new. I hope they add some couches and make it more homey feeling, especially since they have the brick walls to help accentuate it. I'm not too sure how I feel about the bank vault. Although, I've seen a few people sitting in there, it just seemed kinda awkward to me. But I guess I will have to give that try the next time I come here. I also like the fact that they also have another serving bar built in towards the back, for overflow that hasn't yet happened maybe? I hope they will eventually utilize it. It's a certainly a great idea. I'm hoping to see Bloc 11 strive, as I see great potential here! They don't have it quite yet, but they will. Just give them some time to establish themselves, just like their sister in Davis. I believe I may have found my new study spot when Diesel is overflowing like it was last weekend. A return is definitely in order. read more

Bloc 11 is a neat space, has friendly staff, and serves strong coffee. Their ham & cheese croissant was meh. In fairness, it's hard to find a place in Boston that serves a good one. The obnoxious thing? They charge $4.95 an hour for WiFi. Maybe it's unfair to expect free WiFi at a coffee shop, but it *is* the standard of the coffee shop industry, and I did blow over $10 on coffee and a meh croissant. Even if you ware going to charge for WiFi, $4.95 an hour? Seriously? As an aside, to the hipster wearing Ray-Bans, cut-off jeans shorts, dress shoes, and a striped shirt, sporting a moustache: Dude, you're a caricature. read more

Came here on black friday after getting an intense pump with the fam at brooklyn bouldering gym, needed a caffeine pick me up and was expecting to meet some friendly faces at my neighborhood cafe, instead i was met with frowny faces from a crew of douche-riders. My sis needed a protein boost after her sick climbs and she ordered a tasty sounding salad with goat cheese, hold the bread due to a gluten allergy. The salad came and, hold it, no delicious cheese. Because the cheese is on the sandwich line they don't classify it as GF. I call BS, isn't there virgin cheese in the back? You couldn't cut a fat slice off that cream log for my favorite sister? My soup was alright but i said gluten free and they put a huge loaf right on top of my spoon. Just right on top, all crumbly and bready. I wiped it down but we'll see what happens. It's hard to go back when there's frown town up front. The salad was pretty good but would have been outta this world with delish goat crumbles. The boys working were kinda hot but they didnt smile or believe in common niceties like saying hello or how are you or whatsup. When I ordered my small cup of for here coffee I stood around for 15 minutes before the grumpy gus at the counter said "oh, right, you got a coffee?" Is that a statement or a question, Bro? Fail. I ordered a croissant too douche-rider. Coffee was tasty and I'm willing to try this place again, maybe all the employees were hungover and grumpy from T-giving. They seriously need to step up their Gluten free game though. read more

Beautiful space. Beautiful people. I have always enjoyed Diesel's atmosphere, and Bloc 11's is a bit more upscale (bigger, brighter) -- and I dig the vault. Although, I'd never sit there because I like windows and sunshine. My favorite part about Bloc 11 is their extensive Hot Sandwich menu and veggie options. I love Diesel, but at lunch-time, space is scarce. At Bloc 11, I don't have that problem and I get the same great food. It's a great escape for a work-lunch with friends if you live in Somerville or Cambridge! read more

Waitstaff is attractive but ineffectual. Everything is pricey (got a sandwich there today... 9 dollars for a bunch of greens and an ice-cream scoop full of lackluster curried tofu? No thanks.) I spilled some of it on accident and felt judged by all the customers. Didn't want to sit in the vault -- looked scary. There was a woman poorly-performing card tricks at the corner table. Everything about this place is weird. Plus, you have to pay a buttload to use wifi? I'd rather just sit at a starbucks and suffer through the chattiness and crappy coffee. At least I'm getting a good deal there. The coffee was O.K. Pastries looks enticing. I almost would've bought one but it was the same cashier that I had when I made my first order and his overly-apologetic attitude was intimidating. On second thought, sounds like I have some shit to get over. read more

Yeah, the bank vault seating is cool, and the cafe is nice and big, but this place is just not that great. My first complaint is that the aforementioned large square footage of Bloc 11 is totally misused. There aren't many places to sit in the main part of the cafe. In back, there are two bank vaults to sit in; one has subway-style seating so you're facing the strangers sitting across from you and have nowhere to rest your book or food, and the other one is a tiny dank pit with no power outlets. There's another back room with a fireplace and only two tables. If you sit directly next to the fireplace, your face will burn off. Trust me, I've been there. Other problems include slow service and lack of free wifi. Drinks are small, especially considering what you pay for them. The bathrooms are clean but boring. Wheelchair accessibility seems decent, except for the back rooms. This place is open late, which is nice because the only other cafe option in Union (the superior Sherman) closes at 7. Overall, I only go to the Bloc 11 to grab a beverage when the Sherman is closed. If they amend the poor seating plan and light a fire under the employees' collective asses (alternate use for the fireplace?) to speed up the service, perhaps my ire will decrease. Until then, see you at the Sherman! read more

I make my coffee at home, so for me, Bloc11 is a place of spritzers, sandwiches, and salads. The array of seating areas is nice. At least four micro-environments to suit my changing moods. If I need to work, I hunker down in the secluded back room near the fire. If I want to have a one on one with a friend or colleague, I head to the middle back room that doubles as an art gallery. If I want to people-watch, I grab a street-side window table. If I'm craving fresh air --- I head out to the garden. Love all the options. Staff people are nice and professional. However it is THE FOOD that stands out here. Especially the salads. I used to make salad at a gourmet lunch spot, so I'm picky about salad. Bloc 11 has mastered the art of salad. Fresh greens are piled high and framed by colorful crisp veggies, nuts, and fruit on a square plate. The homemade vinaigrette rocks. A real party on the palate. Otherwise, I recommend the mega-sized fresh-squeezed limeade. Really hits the spot during those two weeks in the summer that you think you're going to sweat to death. read more

Love, love, love the atmosphere and location! It's so great to have a laid-back, large coffee shop in Union Square. Only downside -- prices are a bit steep, and if only the wifi was free. A girl can dream.... Either way I'll be back often! read more

I've always been a Sherman Cafe loyalist, going back to the days before Bloc 11 ever existed. Though I still visit Sherman more frequently, I've come to love Bloc 11 for a few things. For one, you can always find a seat here - this space is cavernous. Diesel in Davis Square is probably about the same size but it's rare to find an open seat there even in off-hours. I love the outdoor seating complete with a well-maintained patch of grass and ivy-covered wall. People watching in Union Square has never been better! The coffee and tea is high quality, or at least the iced varities are (I almost never drink hot beverages). The sandwiches are tasty but I feel like there's not a ton of variety in the selection - many feature similar combinations of ingredients. And they come only in one size - at Sherman you can order a half sized, and Oxford Spa offers a small for a few dollars less. The baked goods are decent - Sherman has them beat by a mile, but Bloc 11's selection is solid and aside from a rock-hard cookie, everything I've had is great. Other plusses - you can usually find a discarded newspaper to read, and there's a very good chance it will be today's paper. Grab yourself a few random sections of the Globe and the Times and kill an hour or two! They have occasional performances in the early evening hours, including an open mic night that seems to attract cute girls. The downside - no free wifi. While laptop campers annoy the hell out of me, it would be nice to check my email someplace besides my sunless apartment sometimes. Sherman seems to have the best solution - you can pay for it, or get an hour free with a purchase. Because after all, who's going to be so lame as to go into a cafe and set up a laptop without buying something? I think it's great that there are two very cool independent cafes in my neighborhood - it's kind of like how Davis Square was a few years ago when they had Diesel and the Someday. There's a lot of ways to make a coffee shop lame, but Bloc 11 avoids all the usual pitfalls. Small tweaks is all I'd ever suggest from them. read more

First thing that comes to mind when I think of Bloc 11? Chicken salad. Second? Movies. (And, oh yeah, they have coffee and morning pastry things too.) I can't even express how happy I was the night they were showing Clue and I got to sit outside with a plate of chicken salad on my lap, and one of my all time favorites on the big screen. I never knew life could be so good. Order The Union (the chicken salad version, obvi!) and you've got a huge, satisfying meal. Here's the breakdown: Chunky white meat chicken, lightly mayonnaised, with halved red grapes and sliced almonds. Pile of fresh greens with a scoop of shredded carrots on top. Slices of avocado. Handful of cherry tomatoes. Two slices of chewy, crusty bread. I'm not done yet...here's the best part: Dozens and dozens of cheese cubes. Plenty for mixing in with the chicken salad, plenty for putting between the bread for a teeny tiny cheese sandwich, plenty for eating on their own, and plenty for sharing. I love this dish. If I was Mrs. Peacock, in Clue, this dish would be my monkey's brains slip-up that would give me away. read more