My travels brought me up this way and I couldn't wait to stop by here. I found them a year ago and…read moreit is one of the best coffee places in San Jose. The last time I wanted the Santiago and ordered something different, which was good. But I got Santiago on this visit and it is one delicious signature coffees! The staff is really friendly! Especially so early in the morning. Luckily, they had just opened and it wasn't very crowded. This was a great way to start the morning!

Popped in to grab a matcha & 2 TGTG bags…read more * Line moved quickly, staff was friendly * Iced Tokyo matcha latte had a taste of cherry blossom, but it felt unbalanced b/c I asked for it without sugar syrup. Nice but I would likely skip it in favor of an Americano next time Tip: If using TGTG, check your purchased bag type & description vs. the contents of the bag you receive. We purchased meal bags but received 100% pastries, coworkers were happy for the unexpected treats.

Stopped in on a Monday morning and was so thankful there wasn't a line. I ordered the strawberry…read morematcha and my partner ordered a coffee (can't remember name). My matcha was AMAZING. I also got the passion fruit scone, yum! Service was very friendly and efficient. Lots of seating inside and out, so bring your furry friend.

I haven't been here for quite awhile. They have a shared parking lot. At noon on a Friday, there…read morewere two parking spaces left. At least four employees working that should have lots of energy. It's always good to see they're enjoying the coffee they sell behind the counter. There are 12 small tables, one huge shareable table, a small bar counter, and outdoor tables with whitish umbrellas. People in and out with tables opening up. Small wait for our lattes. They have concrete floors, pink & off white walls, with some tile work. This was really cool decor when they first opened. We got the Santiago latte - dark chocolate, blend of cayenne, ginger, and cinnamon. It was spicy and reminded me of Tajin. We also got the Lexington latte - sweetened reduced bourbon, plus vanilla accent. We got both with oat milk. I'm not a latte person but I like trying different flavors. Both were okay.

I went early morning, interestingly this coffee shop is attached to a seafood restaurant…read more But the ambience is a little dark but cozy. There was one lady working what appears to be both sides so I gave her grace to come get my order. She acknowledged me as soon as I walked in so I was okay waiting. I ordered the cookie butter cold brew which was be try smooth and the balance is nice here it's not milky or creamy from the cold foam. I really enjoy that it's not just plastered in sweet so I really enjoyed it.

Ordered a small hot lavender honey with oat milk and a sesame beagle with cream cheese…read more Total $11.00 Coffee was okay. Nothing special, you could really taste the lavender but did not blow me away. Beagle was eh. I wasn't anticipating the cream cheese spread to come in the pre-packaged small 1oz. (glen view farms) The atmosphere was blah, I came in early morning on a Tuesday and the vibes were not it. There was an older lady (I am assuming the manager) who brought out my drink and food. She was quite rude when I had asked for napkins (stating there was already some inside the beagle bag. There was ONE napkin). I didn't feel welcomed. I was in town visiting and figured I check out a local coffee shop instead of Starbucks. I should've just stopped at Starbucks. Don't recommend. Take your money elsewhere.

Really lovely little coffee shop that leans into that industrial warehouse vibe in the best way…read more The coffee was great--I ended up trying both on-tap cold brews on the day we went because I didn't realize that buying a bag of whole bean coffee came with a free coffee drink. With some coffees a second cup will give me a stomach ache (especially since I drink my cold brews black and bitter like my soul), but I had no problems with their cold brews! I also got the vegan stonefruit scone (baked by Sweet Dragon) and while a little on the dry side (common with scones), paired extremely well with the coffee and had good flavor. Husband got a cappuccino and a strawberry mini pie and was extremely pleased with his order. The service is friendly, but some things may have been new on the day we went. They almost forgot my cold brew until we asked at the counter, as well as stating that they didn't have anything to heat up my husband's strawberry pie (which seems odd, since a little toaster oven seems like a simple fix for that), but apparently it was fantastic at room temperature anyway. Seating was absolutely full when we got there and we were lucky to snag a table as another couple left, so it seems like a popular Saturday morning spot. Several folks were working on laptops, and it seems like a kid-friendly place. The decor is a clean and modern/trendy industrial style, which works well for the space, and the windows provide nice daylight. Overall, a good coffee shop and I am really happy to see vegan pastry options! My husband is getting into pinball, which was part of the motivation to come out and try Chromatic, so I am sure we'll be back again next time he wants to hit up Slingshot (in the same building), and I look forward to the coffee and treats!

Chromatic Coffee has convenient parking, though the space itself had a bit of a grunge, industrial…read morelook during my visit, likely made more apparent by ongoing construction nearby. The seating area is quite limited for the large crowd it attracts, making the atmosphere inside feel a bit chaotic at peak times. Fortunately, the baristas are super polite and work fast, keeping the long lines moving efficiently. The coffee menu and the retail bean selection are both impressive. I decided to try a dulce de leche coffee. While I was expecting a strong caramel profile of dulce de leche, the flavor turned out to be fairly subtle rather than prominent. It added a significant sweetness, but without knowing the order beforehand, identifying the exact flavor would have been tough. That said, the coffee itself was still refreshing The high quality of the coffee bean really shone through, delivering a rich aroma and the ideal caffeine kick for a breezy morning. Great coffee beans and fast service make it worth dropping in, even if the indoor seating situation is a bit tight.

After dinner, we found ourselves on the hunt for something sweet. As we were walking by Cafe Maiko,…read morethe matcha-themed menu immediately caught our attention, as none of us can resist a good matcha treat. Originally, I was planning to order a matcha latte, but one person in our group was craving ice cream while another wanted tapioca. Thankfully, we found the perfect compromise: a matcha soft serve topped with tapioca that managed to satisfy everyone's cravings in a single order. I was pleasantly surprised by how bold the matcha flavor was. It had a rich, authentic matcha taste without feeling overly heavy or bitter, and the soft serve itself was smooth and refreshing. The tapioca was another pleasant surprise. Even sitting on top of the ice cream, the pearls remained wonderfully chewy rather than hardening, which is something I've experienced at other shops. Overall, it was a simple treat that really hit the spot. If you're a matcha lover looking for a refreshing dessert, Cafe Maiko is definitely worth a stop.

Got a matcha frappe for like $7 and it was good! Not icy, still creamy. The only thing I wished was…read moremore matcha and less sweet, but I don't think they let you customized because they didn't ask me. Went on a Friday at 1:00pm and line wasn't long and waited like 5 mins for it to be done. Wished I could add toppings, but again they didn't asked.

People are so nice and pleasant!…read more Excellent coffee - perfect and pretty Cortado and I always appreciate glass for that drink. Love the just off campus vibe. Put this in your rotation.

Personally feel like I'm living a fever dream where everyone loves this place and enjoys the coffee…read moreand I'm the lone Scrooge who hates it. I don't think their coffee is any good. At all. I've enjoyed a few of their specialty seasonal drinks but those have never become core menu items. I am talking some really great items like mango matcha's, strawberry matcha's, lavendar latte's etc that I have thoroughly enjoyed but their core menu is not something I ever want to order from. They have really great stuffed croissants but those are also seasonal! My office catered pastries from here once and I still think about the spinach and cheese croissant we had alll the time! I have never seen it in their case though. And while they are really great, ~$8 for a pastry is highway robbery. Parking here is very difficult and I think most people who come here live nearby enough to walk. You gotta hope to get lucky with some street parking as they have no designated parking areas. I've had several odd cashier interactions where I am met with blank stares and no dialogue as I order. Today took the cake, however. When I ordered, the cashier looked at me confused. I picked up their menu and pointed to the item one I wanted. The cashier had to come find me again after placing my order to confirm it again. They have a seasonal chai listed and 'can be made into a pumpkin chai by request.' There was confusion around it coming with a shot of espresso and because my stomach has been completely wrecked since I had it, I think the they must have put two shots into my drink. In the past 5 hours, I've used the restrooms 4 times and eventually projectile vomited. I don't drink coffee often and had this in ONE sitting. I realize this is a unique experience as I do not drink espresso often but wanted to share so you all understand how strong their coffee is and seeing as how its across SCU, it DOES make sense why so many people come here. Upset is the least of what I feel right now and can confidently share I will not be back. Shits fucked up. No pun intended

Love that this location is in the middle of outdoor seating. Nice place to get coffee and hang out…read moreon a nice sunny day. Ordered an iced miso and it took a little longer than expected but the coffee was creamy and not bad.

I have frequented Blue Bottle at Santana Row since it opened, typically once or twice per month…read more Not a regular but also not a first timer. The coffee and service have been excellent, until today. First, my coffee order was lukewarm- which is not a problem to complain, just correct-- to which I asked barista to warm. She said she couldn't warm but she would make a replacement. At that point I asked "You don't want this back, do you?" holding up my cup. She said she didn't if I wanted to keep drinking it. About 3 minutes after the interaction, while she was making the replacement another barista told me that if they were going to make a replacement coffee it was policy for customer to exchange the coffee that was not up to standard. I was surprised so I asked her to repeat that. After she did, I surrendered the coffee, without comment. I was with company so I did not make a point to argue. I thanked the barista for making the replacement and she said to avoid issues ask for the coffee to be "extra hot" at the register. Frankly, I have ordered coffee at this location many times when the coffee was too hot & I needed to request a coffee cup sleeve or 2nd cup to avoid discomfort. But I have no problem asking for extra hot coffee. The bigger issue is that when I returned to complain that I had never being asked to exchange or surrender a lukewarm or incorrect coffee in order to get the proper replacement and that it is not good business, I was told the policy was to let customer make the decision whether they wanted to give the coffee back-- unless it was the discretion of the barista that the customer just wanted more coffee. The implication was clear-- the barista didn't think the coffee was too cold but instead that I just wanted 2 cups to myself. This type of judgement is ridiculous. What I wanted was to wait for a hot cup of coffee. So what if I was drinking the cold cup while I waited. Was it that important for you to throw it away? My response given this new information was "I will never order here again, but I love Blue Bottle so I'll be going to Los Gatos, not that you (supervising barista) would care about losing me as a customer." Then the cashier spoke up and said, "I'm sorry the cup was not hot but it sounds like you like the cup at Los Gatos... " so I may as well go there, to paraphrase his full comment. That was unbelievable to hear. The supervising barista continued that the information would be shared with the manager "downstairs"-- and I asked their name, as well. Regardless to say, I always tip the bill. And it's not a cheap cup of coffee. But I've always felt it is 100% worth it. However now I'm left with my feeling that not only the initial response but also the treatment of my complaint has been disappointing. Because where I order coffee is an experience rather than simply a transaction and that I like to go where I am appreciated rather than incorrectly judged, I am more than disappointed. The impact of being disappointed by one of my favorite coffee shops is really a bummer that makes me want to not to buy Blue Bottle there-- or at any other cafe or through subscription (which I also pay for 3 freshly roasted bags per month).

Such a cute and good coffee and breakfast spot! They have a lot of cute images and pictures in the…read moreshop with limited seating. They had a good selection of fun and different drinks and the AAron and matcha horchata drink is what we got and both not overly sweet and so good! For food, we got the green eggs and ham sandwich and it was so filling and good that I could only eat half! Altogether a solid spot for breakfast food and drinks and would definitely come back!

This was my first time visit here and I am pretty disappointed. I was really excited to try the…read moresourdough bagel, but it was actually two slices of sourdough bread with cream cheese...I know they're both bread but it is very different, and I did not like it! I honestly would've preferred a plain bagel instead. I ordered a vanilla iced latte with one pump of cardamom. I like cardamom, but even one pump was incredibly overpowering and ruined the drink for me. I did order ahead my drink, and "bagel" were ready. There happened to be a race downtown, which obviously isn't the café's fault, but after dealing with parking and walking over to pick everything up, it was extra disappointing to not enjoy either thing I ordered. The inside is cute, but overall this felt like a waste of time and money. I would've rather just gone to Starbucks or Peet's, and I'm not sure I'd come back.

I love the Mont Blanc. It's really creamy and sweet. It's probably too sweet for others but I enjoy…read moreit. They have two kiosks to order and live people for help. I don't know what happened. Am I getting too old? The ambiance has changed since my last visit. They took out the open book case separating half the cafe so it wasn't just open space. The long table was there and same with the bench seat against the wall but it just doesn't seem as cozy and cool as before. They moved the rack for used dishes by the door. The menu board is very white. It's a place you go with someone you're familiar with not someone you want to date or impress.

Higher prices but very good quality coffee! I also really appreciate how nice and friendly the…read morestaff was while I was ordering. I didn't want to order on the kiosk as it was my first time and I appreciate the willingness from the staff to take my order instead of just referring me to the kiosk. I highly recommend trying them out if you're in the area and I'll definitely be back!

I've been here a couple of times with my husband, and hands down, this is one of our favorite…read morematcha spots in the Bay Area! The place has indoor and outdoor seatings but limited. I've seen people study or do work in there but it's not the most quiet place. Staff is always friendly to us when we're ordering drinks. We tried the Guava Matcha with Guava Cream, and this was easily a 10/10 for me. The li hing powder on top adds such a unique, slightly tangy flavor that makes the drink really stand out. This is the drink we always order whenever we visit this place. We also tried the Double Matcha Melon Matcha, which was good, but I still preferred the guava matcha. My husband likes the Melon Matcha better though. The Vietnamese Coffee was very strong for me and on the less-sweet side. The Pandan Latte wasn't really for us either. It wasn't very sweet, and we didn't get much pandan flavor. We've definitely had better pandan lattes elsewhere. The drinks aren't cheap, but I think they're worth trying, especially the guava matcha and double melon matcha. Lines can get pretty long on weekends, and parking is free but limited. Definitely a spot I'd come back to for the guava matcha!

I've had Academic a few times already. This was my first time at this location. Parking was awful,…read moreeven for a Friday morning at 10AM.. Ain't y'all got work or something (I was coming home from the dentist). Luckily I found a spot after circling the lot one time, got my drinks, and was in and out within 15 minutes. I finally got to try the Melon Matcha, which was delicious! I recently had the King Jasmine Melon matcha from Heytea or something, and it just did not hit. I know these aren't identical drinks, but I've been craving something good with melon flavor, and this hit the spot. For the 2nd drink, I got one of our usual go-to's, the guava matcha. Pretty good overall. I've knocked on their prices before. Still steep and more than I'd like to pay for my matcha, but it IS good. Still, costs about $1.5-2+ more than other places in my experience.