Great spacious cafe with cute vibes, very good for sitting and chatting or working. We got the strawberry matcha latte which was good but okay compared to other places, and an einspanner which was amazing! Not too sweet but very creamy complementing the espresso very well. We went on a weekend and there were decent amount of people there but we were able to grab the seats next to the window and couches read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

If you need a WFH cafe with chargers, wifi, and amazing pastries and drinks, Buoy's your place! I worked here on a Wednesday morning and I was pleasantly surprised by the delicious snacks, the friendly staff, and how much seating there was. FOOD [5/5] ========== + Milk Bread (6/5 - WOULD RECOMMEND!) This is honestly a really amazing pastry. The milk bread is served warm, with a slightly salty outside and a warm soft sweet inside. For the price, it's a little small, but it's such a great bomb of flavor that I didn't mind. + Mugwort Latte with Espresso (5/5) This mugwort latte was really interesting! The mugwort is slightly bitter and earthy tasting, but it's balanced with the espresso in a way that makes the whole drink quite pleasant. + Tiramisu (???) Unfortunately I left this on the MUNI so I will never know how it tastes. T_T read more

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I found this cafe on Instagram and was excited to see another Korean-inspired spot. What stood out to me were the gluten-free desserts ~ amazing for those who have Celiacs or just can't have gluten in their diet! The pastries looked yummy, but sadly, I didn't get to try them. The vibe was super cozy, especially on the gloomy Friday. I appreciate the open space, great for working or just lounging around. My experience was okay. The guy who took my order gave me an iced black sesame latte instead of hot, but this isn't bother me. The black sesame latte was super nutty and flavorful. Pretty good! $9 for a latte is pretty steep though...maybe because I got it with oat milk? Overall, regardless with how flavors were, this is the cafe you visit once to try the trendiest flavors or to chill and work. It is a bit pricey just for a regular drink. read more

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Buoy is a cute Korean cafe in Hayes serving an assortment of coffees and snacks. There is plenty of seating inside - a coffee bar counter, dining tables, and lounge section. We enjoyed our flavorful black sesame latte and classic einspanner drinks. The salted bread roll was heavenly and something we could have easily eaten more than one of as it was quite small. We also had a red wheat loaf with walnuts which was bland if not for the side dipping sauce. Overall a decent first experience at Buoy. Drinks were great. Pastries were not too memorable but I am open to giving them a second chance and trying other items. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Buoy was decent...went on a weekday for a larger dinner reservation and I felt like service was slow...food portion sizes were also super small! The playes are tapas sized, but I didn't feel like it was a full dinner. Great for a light dinner or pre-dinner place, but I definitely left wanting more. Good, but for the price point I'm not too sure. I do want to try their afternoon/lunch items and maybe that's more promising. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

While searching for a cafe near my sister's workplace with Wi-Fi and outlets, we stumbled upon Buoy--and what a find it was. We ordered the black cocoa mocha (which genuinely tastes like Oreos) and split the mushroom tofu panini and the Bam French toast. Usually, one item steals the show while the rest fade into the background, but here, everything was outstanding. The black cocoa mocha was rich, and deeply satisfying. The mushroom tofu panini was a surprising delight--the kick of mustard paired beautifully with the umami-packed sautéed oyster mushrooms. And the Bam French toast? It featured moist rice flour bread topped with a luxuriously smooth chestnut Bam purée. My sister and I loved every bite. On a return visit, I tried the Tropical Espresso Soda and the matcha raspberry jam levain cookie. The soda sparkled with pineapple and passion fruit notes, while the cookie was a perfect shortbread-style treat, balancing the earthy matcha with bright, tangy raspberry. It's rare to find a cafe that checks all the boxes: great food, creative drinks, Wi-Fi, and outlets. The only downside? The internet speed is a bit sluggish. But aside from that, Buoy is an absolute gem. read more

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This place is worth going just for their kimchi panini alone. It might be one of the best korean fusion dishes I've eaten here in the city/ever. Crispy bread, crunchy and spicy kimchi, sweet umami from the corn and gooey cheese. Loved every part of it. It comes sliced so you can share amongst two. The sweets I've had was so-so to good. The matcha roll cake was ok but the brown cookie with marshmellow was solid. Einspanner and ssuk lattes were so-so. Not bad but not great. Latte einspanner had chocolate milk texture and was just sweet. Ambience is great though, great place for you to study. read more

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Cute cafe that's good for working -- they have free wifi and outlets and the vibe is great! They have tons of seating and it wasn't too busy on a Wednesday. Lots of people talking though which could be distracting. I got the ssuk latte, black sesame salt bread, and the kimchi panini. The ssuk latte was very mild and I liked the creaminess -- I've never had ssuk before but it didn't taste like much to me; very pleasant flavor. I liked the salt bread, which was filled with black sesame cream. Not too sweet but some bites were quite salty. The kimchi panini had corn cheese & bacon and was pretty good as well, but a little expensive at $20. I did really like the side caesar salad though. Service was good -- food & drinks came out fast and workers were pretty friendly. read more

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I'm so glad to have found this place! I've been searching for a cafe that serves einspanners in the city and this is the perfect spot! They had so many options and also had pastries and food! I tried the classic einspanner and it was delicious! I will definitely be getting it again! My friend got the black cocoa mocha and it was also yum! We shared the tofu mushroom panini and it was good but not memorable. The interiors are also very cute with lots of seating so will be coming back here to work! read more

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Our third time dining at Buoy. Nice little place and food is great.... wonderful find before heading to jazz night, or to bring friends. Relaxed but special and lovely food. Made with care and folks are nice. Staff experience varies widely. Read the fine print, apparently we were oblivious the first two times. Mandatory 20% gratuity for all parties. We were duped by the forlorn faced waitress into leaving an additional tip, as she stated she did not receive any of that gratuity. Apparently this is not the intent of the management, but just what can happen as the staff might not understand their compensation structure. Anyhoos, I emailed the restaurant to clarify, where they apologized, but simply reiterated their policy and how well it works. Of course it does, because 2 out of 3 times, it goes unnoticed by patrons. Our bad, but needs to be highlighted. We don't need to leave a meal feeling sour. We'll just try any of one of the million other restaurants out there and bring better reading glasses! read more

TLDR: The upscale Korean cafe I didn't know I needed. The black sesame brownie and Ssuk Tiramisu here are standout and unique desserts, and I'd get them again in a heartbeat. The space is honestly really cute with both a casual lounge area and plenty of tables + "coffee bar" seating for studying or catching up with friends. They're known for their desserts and specialty drinks, but they also have 3 types of paninis and 3 types of onigiris if you're looking for real food. ------ FOOD: 1. Black Sesame Brownie (5/5) - The black sesame flavor is super strong here which is hard to come by in desserts and so nostalgic for me. The mochi balls in the brownie are a welcome surprise. The brownie itself is quite small though. 2. Ssuk Tiramisu (5/5) - This was delicious and the tiramisu part of the dessert was done perfectly. This was my first time trying ssuk in a cake and it gave the perfect, subtle herbal taste to add a twist to a classic. 3. Kimchi Panini (4.5/5) - Very complex flavor profile and made fresh which was great. Also comes with either a side of salad or chips. So much going on in this but somehow it worked really well, though the sandwich itself is quite messy so get napkins. 4. Black Cocoa Cookie (3.5/5) - I thought I'd like it more but it was a little too grainy and nutty for my liking and the melted marshmallow didn't quite work with the cookie, though it was delicious on its own. 5. Match Roll (3/5) - Didn't love the cake part of the roll because it wasn't as soft and pillowy as I was expecting it to be (had more of a bite than I was expecting?). I'm not a huge matcha fan but I actually didn't mind the matcha flavor of the cream in this. ------ ENVIRONMENT / AMBIANCE: Lots of seating options here bucketed in 3 types: 1) Casual lounge seating in arm chairs in a super cute library-type space at the front of the shop; lots of light and perfect for catching up with friends over a coffee or specialty drink 2) "Bar" seating at the coffee bar and dessert-assembly space near where you order; you get to watch someone decorate the various desserts throughout the day; tall chairs at a wide counter so multiple people can sit along the space 3) Table seating at round tables lining the interior wall of the shop; people were working here and catching up with friends over food / desserts There's some very convenient street parking right outside the shop as well as parking along the nearby streets. read more

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Came here to try the lattes and roll cakes on a Sunday morning and saw that they were sold out of their scones and matcha roll cake already. I ended up getting a an iced latte einspanner with the raspberry roll cake and my friend got the black sesame latte. The lattes were great and I enjoyed the einspanner. The black sesame latte isn't by default caffeinated but you can add a shot of espresso. In general both were a bit sweet for my liking but overall pretty good. The roll cake is made from rice flour making them gluten free. The cake is pretty light and it's filled with a cream cheese mixture. Overall it was good and not too sweet but I wish the cake was fluffier along with the filling. The space is nice and welcoming. There were plenty of people sitting with laptops at the tables so if you can find a spot it's pretty good to work at. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Updated with more photos, including half of the charming alcove. :) (I couldn't get a photo of the other half since there were people sitting there who probably didn't want to be in a photo posted online.) The Ssuk and Black Sesame Einspanner are soooo good. They both had a nice, strong flavor and thick cream on top. The raspberry and red bean roll cakes were delicious too. read more

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Heard good things about this place but had a hard time finding it due to the relatively lowkey exterior. The interior, however, is nice and spacious, with a relatively warm ambiance with ample seating and okay service. I had initially gone in for a drink, but decided to get a sesame brownie to take home. Unfortunately it became a little mushy (and some of it got on my hand while I was taking the BART home in spite of the sealing), but the taste was alright. I'm glad I was able to get this photo of it before the frosting got smeared around the side. Overall, it was an alright experience. The coffee was okay, nothing particularly memorable, and the brownie had a sweet taste that still maintained its sesame flavor. It might've been a little sweet for my taste, but I'm sure their other desserts, which are more akin to the kind of sweets I usually gravitate towards, will be better. read more

Buoy - Sesame brownie - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here for dinner which was a total vibe! But the cafe during the day ...crack!!! Thank goodness this place is across the bridge cause otherwise I'd order the egg sando and there damn salt bread French toast everyday' read more

I had The Buoy bookmarked for a while and was excited to finally try them! However, maybe my expectations were too high, but I was honestly disappointed with my experience. I came in on a Friday afternoon and ordered the Matcha Roll Cake. I think the cake slice was on the more expensive side; it didn't feel super worth it to me. The cake itself also was just okay. I could taste the matcha, but the overall flavor was super subtle, and I didn't love the texture of the cake or cream. I think both could have been lighter and fluffier. The environment had a lot of tables and I saw a lot of people studying, but it didn't feel very warm or charming--if anything, it felt more dreary. Overall, I think there are much better dessert spots in SF, and I wouldn't prioritize The Buoy over other options. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Such a cute korean coffee shop! The lattes were okay, but the black sesame brownie was delicious. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Flat slates bread? Very disappointing Regular customers know what you give. 3rd time visit to buy salted butter role. First 2 times, it was excellent. Chewy, soft, tender and rich on top and bottom crunchy. Almost addicted but 3rd time which was today, disappointed. It clearly taste old, not fresh and flat. I won't come back for long time but eventually be back, then hopefully you give me the fresh, fluffy ones. Reason why I gave 4stars, because we all make mistakes. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The Buoy is a small, Korean cafe based in Hayes. In terms of the space and the vibes of the cafe, it does a great job. It has high ceilings (probably a reflection of the fact that it's in a new luxury building) and it has this massive bar with great lighting. It feels sleek in that particular way. I will say, it seemed clear that they were training new people when I went and I got the black sesame latte which tastes... off? It doesn't have a particularly nutty flavor and it tastes a bit artificial which feels like kind of a red flag to me, but the pastries seem really good (which I didn't get any of). The eispanner's also seem potentially good but I also didn't get those. I will say, in terms of a cafe to work out of during the day, it fits the exact bill. There's a fair amount of seating, free wifi, and a ton of space so if this is the spot that you're looking for. read more

Buoy - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

I love how close this cafe is to my job. The aesthetic was amazing and workers polite. I had a einspanner and the milk cream salt bread. It was amazing. I definitely recommend this place if you're in the area. read more

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Nice cafe in Hayes valley. It's chill and spacious and really clean. It has a nice vibe and great for coffee/pastries and desserts. It can be a little confusing when you walk in if no one is near the bar on where to order, but the service was great. Greeted once I walked towards the bar. The bar area is where you order when you walk in. The vegan garlic bun was paired perfectly with an iced latte. Lots of nice options to choose from their menu. read more

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This place is so close to where I work, I can't believe I've never noticed it. Located on Franklin, you won't really notice this place driving by, but the cross street would be lily, right across from Nakama Sushi. What caught my eye about this place were their roll cakes. At the time, they had matcha, red bean, and a red velvet roll cake sold by the slice. I was a little bummed they didn't have any black sesame treats, but I'll just have to return for that someday. If you want a whole roll cake, you will need to place an order in advance for pick up. Treats are made from organic Korean rice flour and natural food coloring. Desserts are not too sweet either, which is the ultimate Asian person's approval LOL I have not tried their lattes yet, so I will update my review when I do. The café itself is very spacious, with lots of room for people to work, study, or just enjoying a quick coffee date. the interior design is such a vibeee. So aesthetically pleasing, giving boujee boutique hotel. They have a small intimate area with couches and plush lounge chairs. The service was a little slow for orders to-go, but the staff were very nice and I know they get super busy. all in all, great experience. I might have to schedule a couple of in person meetings here some time! read more

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I was looking for a sweet treat in SF and came across this place. The matcha cream cake was excellent. Not too sweet but also not too bitter. It was soft and creamy in just the right way. Def recommend Also seems like a good place to study! There's a ton of seating and it's a well lit quiet spot. read more

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Super cute ambience and delicious salt bread and matcha. Would love more savory snack options for a late afternoon bite

This Korean inspired cafe is a new SF gem for my partner and I. We have been obsessed with ordering the Suuk latte (hot, with no caffeine) and Einspanner Latte. I've had a number of Einspanner lattes, and I find that this is probably the best Einspanner latte I've had in the Bay Area - 10/10 for both. The matcha rollcake is also pretty good, probably 7/10. Interior is also incredibly cute. There is plenty of booth/paired table seating, a bar of seats next to the baristas, and separate couch seating on the right. Fair warning, it does get pretty busy - so seats might be hard to come by depending on when you come in. We've seen a couple of dogs inside, so it seems pet friendly - but don't quote me on that. There are also plenty of folks WFH here (Free WiFi). Buoy is one of our official favorites/go-to's in the Bay Area! read more

Buoy - suuk latte (left and no caffeine) and einspanner latte (right) - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Buoy is a Korean inspired cafe that shares the same space as another Korean inspired spot, Jang. The space has a very minimial clean look. Got an Einspanner Latte and a Black Sesame Brownie. The latte was really nice and not too sweet. The brownie had bits of mochi in it which I'm not too sure that it contributes positively to the taste and texture. Also, not sure if the brownie is also made with rice flour but the texture is not brownie-like at all, which isn't a positive or negative for me, just different. read more

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I've been wanting to try this Korean-inspired cafe for so long and finally got to this weekend. WOW. It's gorgeous inside, the interior decor has a mix of minimalist with antique, and music is at an appropriate level. Staff isn't overly-friendly though, kind of just there to answer questions without that inviting aura honestly, but this can be overlooked. This cafe hits all the right boxes - free wifi, lots of seating, cute sectioned off area with comfortable seating for socializing, great drinks, amazing pastries. The only downside is the same downside for every business in Hayes which is just parking but never an issue on Sundays. I need to just bring special attention to their black sesame brownie because it's the best thing I've eaten in a long time. Very similar to a small cookie business (Christine's Cookies) Oreo black sesame cookie but with a really nice subtlety sweet black sesame frosting. I want everyone to try this and thank me later. Raspberry einspanner was a miss unfortunately, just too bitter but everything else we tried was pretty good (matcha roll cake, black sesame latte) Excited to try more~ read more

Buoy - Black sesame brownie 10/10, matcha roll cake 6/10, raspberry einspanner 2/10, black sesame latte 9/10 - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Their toasted coconut iced latte and salt bread is great!!! Only place I've ever liked a coconut-coffee drink before... the salt bread was simple and delicious. Haven't tried anything else, but will return again soon. Environment is HUGE, good place to study or chat during the day and then return in the evening for drinks. Customer service is good! read more

So impressed by this cafe!!! Such a cute little spot with beautiful interior - lots of seating, chill but good vibes, and many options for food and drinks. I got the black cocoa mocha which was really yummy and perfectly sweet for me (but it was a bit pricey). My friend got the latte einspanner which was absolutely delicious and I'd love to get that next time too when it's warmer out, since it can only be made iced. We also got the mushroom tofu panini which was good overall but had more mustard flavor than expected. Service was fast and friendly! Would love to come back here and hangout or work! read more

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Love Buoy for coworking since it has outlets and restrooms but the only thing is it does close relatively early (3-4pm depending on the day). I've been told it gets too busy to find tables sometimes but I haven't had issues the times I've gone. Below are the things I've tried so far: - Mugwort latte: 5/5, one of my favorite things here. Super unique and the right sweetness. Would highly recommend pairing this with one of their roll cakes - Matcha raspberry cookie: 1/5, too sweet for me on its own, and it felt dense without being soft or crispy. - Roll cakes: 5/5 so good! not super sweet, cake is soft, and the flavors go well together read more

This spot is great for grabbing breakfast/lunch or working/studying! Lots of seating and has a chill vibe. We tried the latte, black sesame latte, kimchi onion panini, and black cocoa cookie. Everything was delicious, but the black sesame flavor wasn't as strong as I'd hoped. read more

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I coworked at this dessert/coffee/drink shop with some friends on a Friday afternoon. The atmosphere was really lively and I loved all the decorations (the alcohol bottles and vinyl records). There's also plenty of seating and outlets. Unfortunately, I wasn't too impressed with what I ordered: the Raspberry Omija-Berry Fritz. It was a bit too sour and not in a good way like sour candy or some fruits. I tried my friend's Raspberry Einspanner, which I also did not like. I couldn't taste the coffee over the raspberry. Maybe I just need to try something not raspberry-flavored next time. I really appreciate how everything is gluten-free and how much care went into creating a space that is both comfy and functional. I just wish the drinks were tastier! read more

Buoy - Raspberry Omija-Berry Fritz - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is such a cute Korean dessert spot in town dedicated to serving up yummy gluten free pastries and drinks. I've been craving scones this fall, and their fig jam scone topped with crispy coconut hit the spot. I also enjoyed their black sesame latte with oat milk. The café is pretty spacious, and there's free WiFi ftw, so it's perfect for getting a bit of work done. read more

Buoy - fig jam scone & black sesame latte - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

I recently tried Buoy during lunch. I got their Maitake Mushroom Panini and the Pineapple Chamomile Cooler. Both delicious. Also the interior of the restaurant is beautiful. I brought the fig scone and the pumpkin cupcake home for the hubby. I tasted them both but somehow these gluten free sweets do not agree with me. I got a slight heart burn from them. Service was friendly. I would come back for the drinks and to enjoy the space. Located on Franklin St. between Oak St. and Market St. (Outside can be a bit crazy sometimes. Last time I walked by, a huge mattress was dump near their door so I had to step out into traffic to walk to the restaurant. Unfortunately, typical in this part of SF.) read more

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A super cute cafe in the city. The drinks and desserts are Asian inspired flavors, which is super delightful to see! The cafe also has WiFi and bathrooms, which are not common in the city. It is also very spacious inside. I met a friend here and got a drink each. The drinks and desserts came out pretty quickly. I'd recommend stopping by to try their Asian drinks! read more

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Buoy is a modern cafe that offers Korean inspired brunch & lunch consisting of paninis, French toast, salads, cakes and cookies! They also serve lattes, teas, sodas and einspanners. We ordered an iced Jujube chai latte, pina colada soda and the Bam (Chestnut) French toast to share. It took about 30 mins for the toast to arrive since they make it fresh but worth the wait! The French toast was soft, and warm when you slice it opened. Inside was filled with chestnut puree as it was also layered on top with chestnuts. Perfect for brunch and a must try item here! I enjoyed the Jujube chai, I love a hint of spiciness in my chai! This drinks got it! The colada soda tasted like a tropical Dole Whip. A good cafe to stop in for drinks, brunch or to chill! read more

Buoy - Pina colada soda & jujube iced chai latte - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Went at around 1:00 PM on a Saturday and it was packed. After waiting 15ish minutes at a bar seat, a table with outlets opened up and I was able to move there. The ssuk einspanner (3.5/5) had a really subtle earthy taste and it wasn't really for me. Not bad but it wasn't to my liking. I might try the latte einspanner next time. The green tea roll cake (4.5/5) was really delectable and I would come back just to eat it again. Unlike a lot of other roll cakes, the cake part is almost like mochi. Not sure if it's made of mochi but as someone who isn't the biggest fan of mochi, this cake had just the right amount of bounce and chew. Best part is it's not dry at all which typically is the case for other roll cakes. The whipped cream on top and the green tea cream inside were very light, not too sweet, and very creamy. Points docked off for the nuts inside which I'm not a fan of and could've preferred it without. Would definitely come back to try the paninis. Wish they could close later as it's a great study spot. read more

Buoy - Green tea roll cake (4.5/5) and ssuk einspanner (3.5/5) - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Buoy has Instagram pretty desserts but I didn't really like any of the things we tried. The gluten-free roll cakes were dry and dense, with the matcha flavor being marginally better than the red bean. The matcha raspberry jam cookie (gf) was very chalky and the ssuk latte had a strong herbal flavor that reminded me of Chinese medicine. I was also surprised to see how dark and dreary it was inside - they keep the blinds shut even during the day. Not an ideal setting for enjoying coffee and desserts. read more

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Great place to work! Lots of creative asian-inspired drinks & desserts -- I got their black sesame latte which had a subtle black sesame flavor (stronger coffee) but still pretty good! Service is quick, plenty of seating, and pretty spacious in general. However, the cafe does close at 3pm so better for early morning work/study or catch ups. read more

Buoy - iced black sesame latte - Desserts Near Me - San Francisco, California

Drinks, good! Ambiance, good! Service, a little slow, but very kind staff. Food (baked goods) not great. Some things we wanted to try were gone on the day we went/none of the items we saw on Instagram/Tiktok posts were available/on the menu? They also sold out of an item we ordered...after we ordered it (lol). Best thing would be the kimchi onion jam panini, all the baked goods were very dry or too cold (frozen from being in the fridge). Have hope that they improve with them. read more

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