When going here, get in the north facing lane. Sounds silly, because both lanes should be the same. But they appeal to the city commuters and no one headed south ever goes in the north facing lane. Even when no one is in it. You're in and out in a jiffy that way. Coffee Good Food OK to Good (Muffins, burritos, etc) Burritos are the same ones you see all over the north bay microwaved, etc... Staff Great Speed Great Prices Great Like the REM song "shiny happy people"... read more

Missed the exit for Starbucks... SO GLAD I DID. The vanilla latte was perfect and there was a pretty large selection of baked goods sold here too. This was a quick and easy order, and I was headed back on the freeway. read more

Great coffee, friendly staff, quick service and the food was surprisingly good! Solid breakfast burritos and sandwiches that are great for on the go! read more

Exhibit A: I'm a lazy bitch. Exhibit B: Starbucks "coffee" (read: Cinnamon Dolce Machiattos and Orange Mocha Frappuchinos) make me want to punch someone in the ovaries/testes/babymakers. Exhibit C: Peets "coffee" makes me feel like I just shot up, racked a few lines and swallowed 3 to 7 ephedrine tablets. Exhibit D: Gas Station "coffee" gives me the squirts. Where's a slothful Marin girl supposed to get a good cup of overpriced coffee in the morning without having to leave the warm comfort or her leather seats and Sara and No Name radio show? Exhibit E: Cable Car Drive-Thru Coffee. The best, overpriced, slightly sub-par but with a healthy dose of caffeine coffee in Mill Valley for when you want to be the irritating blonde girl in a Lexus, talking on her cell phone, using her ATM card to pay for a $3 dollar coffee, while applying mascara. Namely me. read more

TODAY I DID SOMETHING I HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE. I realize this is not as earth shattering as the time a couple of years ago when Oprah PUMPED GAS for the first time in 25 YEARS, but ladies and gentleman I got coffee from a drive through coffee place. The wait was tooooooo long at 9am on a pre-holiday weekend but the coffee, their house Cable Car something was veeeeeery good. If you're in a hurry and just need some hot brown liquid to comfort you on a 101 slog (and maybe a chicken biscuit), go to McDonalds on the other side of the highway. If you want good coffee and need to catch up on some email, go here. read more

High prices and nothing special about the coffee or the service. The breakfast sandwiches are terrible. 8/25: Gave it another shot this morning almond croissant was the bomb, mocha good, breakfast burrito thumbs down. read more

Dear Cable Car Coffee Company, My GF, Amy C. is not a morning person. Especially when cold, rain, and/or Mondays are involved. It's not a pretty picture. (A not-pretty-picture-that-scares-me-a-little-ok-a-LOT -help-me-please!)*** Luckily, she always perks up after we drive through the Cable Car Coffee kiosk. She always calls the red cable car "cute." But most importantly, she likes that you come out to our car window to take our orders (even when it's raining!) so that when we get to the window to pay, our strong piping hot coffees are already good to go. Those minutes MATTER. Because the sooner she gets caffeinated the happier she is. And the happier I am. Gratefully, The BF (aka Mr. Large Dark Roast Coffee with 4 Sugars and Soy Milk) ***Just kidding, GF you are always beautiful and perfect to me. And no that dress does NOT make you look fat. read more

4/16/08 - I hate to have to do this... but I have to update my review. Although I think the service rocks... they just don't have the concept down of drive thru. Their drive thru servcie is so slow. I to their often so it isn't becasue of one bad experience, but it is not uncommon to wait 10 mins in drive thru for you order to be processed. So this is place just opened up on Monday. It is a drive through coffee shop that also sells pastries.... I've been driving by it every day on my way to work and waiting for it to open. It's right down the street from ARCO and next door a little bit before Goodmans Lumber. They are still working out a few kinks regarding quick service. However when it comes to Customer Service they are 100% spot on. I stopped today on my way to work to get Ice Tea. I drove up and ordered my Ice Tea from the comfort of my car. I must of been waiting for about 5 mins even after I gave my order. I was starting to get a little impatient, but figured heck its Friday I have a three day weekend coming up I might as well stay calm. Well the owner came and apologized and explained that they had to hand make the Ice Tea because it wasn't ready yet. I was fine with that... its cool... but she then proceeded to give me a card for a free drink of my choice the next time I visited and also wouldn't accept any money for my current order. Service means everything to me.. so the next time you pull in to that very odd ARCO you'll have to drive by the Cable Car Coffee to get back on the freeway... why not do yourself a favor and zip in and hopefully they will have enough of their act together to zip you out quickly. read more

Who doesn't like drive through coffee? Sometimes when I am in the hurry and don't feel like going to a coffee shop to grab energizing drink to start my day or wake me up, I drive by cable car and its that easy! I don't have to get out and just order my coffee or latte or whatever I feel like that day! If you have a dog, they give out treat for your best friend! The owner is nice very cool person, used to own cafe Divino but now owns another great place.. Sea Horse in Sausalito!! Much visit this coffee place not because you are lazy but because it's actually great cup of coffee!! read more

Ordered a coffee from this place on my way to work, I asked for just a regular coffee with vanilla creamer. The guy just looked at me like he didn't know what I was asking for. So I explained. Just a regular cable car coffee with 2 (pumps/shots of French vanilla creamer in it). I ended up receiving just a coffee with no vanilla creamer, just normal creamer. It taste like burnt grounds on top of that. Don't got there for a normal coffee plus it cost 3.50. Just go to ampm and save 2 bucks read more

I've been a customer at Cable Car Coffee since I moved to Marin about a year ago. I parked in an area designated for those such as myself who work in the area. I accidentally PARTIALLY blocked a trail that no one ever walks on...there wasn't even a "NO PARKING" sign and the lady that owns the place calls the police to my job, and when I went to move my car, she calls me an obscene name three times in front of the cop. I handed her her coffee card and told her I would never be back, and that I would be Yelping her. She calls my job and says that I "threatened" her. Threatened???? Come on! Anyway, if you want to be disrespected by people you spend your hard earned money with, Cable Car Coffee is the place to go. read more

It's sad to me to have to write this review, but Cable Car Coffee has swiftly gone down hill under new ownership. I used to love going here; the baristas were friendly and personable, they had a large selection of breakfast food, and they were quick! This all changed under new ownership. Some of the newer baristas don't seem like they want to be there and are very curt. They used to have a roving order taker, that sped up the line but that is no more. Then this morning, I ordered a Mate Splash and the flavor is very bitter and all wrong. I've tried to give them a chance, but I think I'm done. It's sad because it was so convenient to grab a beverage and breakfast on the go, and not settle for fast food. read more

Ordered two sugar free frappes this morning and they were full of ground up glass or plastic. That is deff a safety hazard and their phone number is no longer in service so I couldn't alert them to the issue. read more

Cable Car Coffee - Those are not ice chunks but plastic or glass - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Mill Valley, California

See all

If you want to get pionsed this is the right place to go. I walked in to get my cofee like i do every time and I was looking near the bread and I saw a trail of ants walking in a line I said to myself WTF. And Also This new guy Carlos I think his name is does not know how to make drinks . I used to work at a Cofee shop and I know what a dead shot is. So please think twice before you come here. read more

A bit overpriced, but everything I ordered was good, and I'll pay for the convenience of not having to get out of my car. Had the green chile breakfast burrito and a double cafe mocha. Service was fast and friendly, and both items were hot and delicious. BONUS - Very convenient location right off of 101. Easy off - Easy on! Double BONUS - Breakfast burrito came with a packet of Tapatio! read more

What a fun little business. I usually grab gas in the area as it's located directly off the freeway exit and what a convenient little coffee company Cable Car is. The line is always 2 cars deep and you can tell they keep a steady flow as the employees usually walk outside and take your order by clipboard before you even get to the window, expediting service impeccably. I had a Caramel latte and the drink was fantastic. Granted I didn't go for a typical cup-O-Joe but what I tasted was great. The service blew me away as they handed me a stamp card since I was a newbie, encouraging me to come back. It's little businesses like this that make you want to start your own. The friendly service definitely put a smile on my face and started my day off on the right foot. But best part about that... I didn't even have to get out of my car! read more

This adorable old cable car from across the bridge works perfectly as a drive-thru only coffee shop. It's right off the 101 just a few minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge. That being said I'm sure the place gets busy around rush hour. Thankfully, you can enter from either side which is a great way to keep the lines moving. If you have a dog with you they can add it to their collection of furry friends in their photo section! Easy parking: No need, it's a drive-thru! Large drink under $5: Yes Friendly staff: Yes Indoor seating: None! Outdoor seating: Two metal tables located near the road. Decor: None! People with laptops: No Hipsters: No Famous Faces: No Foam Art: No People watching: None! In & out quick: Yes The challenge continues! read more

I make my coffee at home. I'm cheap and I like strong coffee, plus I have an almost one year old child, so getting out of the house, with a diaper bag, remembering to make sure there are diapers in it, ensuring there's a stroller in the back, putting her in her seat, getting her strapped in, driving to location X, getting out of the car, taking little one out, yadda, yadda... It takes 45 minutes to run the shortest errand. Not to mention making sure there are ALWAYS enough cheerios in tow (via the "snack trap" of course) to make sure there are no apoplectic fits along the way, in the aisle or in the check-out line of wherever we're headed. I stopped here last Friday on a lark. It was sopping rain out, little miss back seat was chillin', I was drowsy... I got a mocha. I have now been back THREE times - count em - THREE times in one week, the mochas are THAT GOOD. Plus, it's fabulous to not have to get out of the car. My life right now, if I can't walk to it, then it's a serious PAIN in the buttocks to do, so I have to really weigh the pros and cons of an outing before committing to it... Ergo... Cable Car Coffee is my new "local." I only hope it doesn't get too popular, as I don't want long lines. This is MY SPOT, dag nabit. (working on not swearing as much, now that the tooter is coming up on linguistic development). read more

This place is walking distance from where family lives, and over the holidays my brother and I took great amusement in walking up to the drive-thru window and pretending we were in a car, complete with sound effects. Note to self: I am 43 years old. I am 43 years old. I am 43 years old . . . Anyhow, they were polite enough not to stare at us like we were jackasses. For that alone they deserve a five-star rating for service. They are, on top of that, genuinely nice people, and the coffee is great. read more

Sad to report this spot has gone down hill. The consistency that was my attraction to the place has disappeared completely. I order the exact same thing every time, house coffee with cream and sugar. It hardly ever tastes the same. Once they put splenda, once they didn't stir it, once it was very acidic. I think there's been a change in staff and unfortunately after several tries, they just can't get a simple coffee to taste right anymore. So sad, it was one of my favorites. read more

You get 5 Stars WooHoo! Here's what you're the best at in the area. First, You are the fastest coffee shop around, even with a long line of cars you get me in and out and on my way to work in less than 10 minutes counting from the time I exit on the other side of the freeway. Second, Your employees are very nice, they smile alot and make me happy to be a customer. Also if they're backed up they will hustle out in the cold and rain to get my order so they can have it ready to go. Third, Consistency, you put the cream and sugar in my cup the exact same way every single time. Nice!! Fourth, Your lids have some kind of super ultra seal that never leaks on me while I'm smashing down the freeway late to work or while i'm sprinting up the stairs to make it to my a.m. meeting. Fifth, I have a choice of light or dark roasted coffee because not everyday I want a strong dark cup yet somedays I need it. Thank you my morning coffee peeps read more

Rolled through around 1pm on a weekday. I work at a coffee-shop, but I like the idea of a quick little drive through, and as many times as I've passed this little gem going from the cheap gas station to the freeway, I have never stopped here. This was surely to my detriment! Ordered an iced vanilla chai. No wait. Super friendly barista. DELICIOUS. Sucked the whole thing down before I hit the freeway. $4. Quick. Easy, Delish. High recommend. read more

Made a quick in & out visit to my trusty ole "drive through" coffee stop this afternoon. A lot has changed... One of my favorite things about this place in the past, was the "Happy Hour" discounted coffee specials (which happened various weekday afternoons). I have not noticed the "Happy Hour" sign out in a long time. The last couple times I've stopped by, my favorite hostess/barista hasn't been around (she was SO awesome - knew all her customers!!!). The super-cool, rock-solid, bomb-proof travel lids they once had, are now gone. No longer saw the signs in the window for the weekly "Business Card" gift certificate drawing. Menu is different. Coffee is still good... though I swear it isn't quite as smooth. The service was still great (new faces, but friendly faces!). They're location is still very convenient! I was told they're under new ownership.... not sure if they'll bring back Happy Hours. I sure hope so! That was such a great treat - I never missed it if I saw the sign up! :) I'll be back for the caffeine & convenience... but so far can't help it... I miss the "old" Cable Car a lot! read more

The coffee is good and the service is friendly I have only been here once because it is a easy place to hit up when you are leaving the hell of cheap Arco right there. You still even have money left for coffee with the cheapest gas in town. The girl who served my coffee gave my dog a treat so that gets an extra star read more

I ordered a medium coffee with almond milk and 3 pumps of Vanilla. I also ordered a medium Mate Latte with almond milk and 2 splendas. The barista seemed rushed and proceeded to tell me to pick up the drinks on the other side. When I pulled up to the opposite side, the cashier handed me the drinks and told me the total. When I handed my card, I overheard the barista tell the cashier that the Mate Latte was a large. When the cashier handed me back my card, I asked him if the Mate Latte was a medium or large. He seemed to be hesitant to tell me. I asked for a receipt and as he went to get the receipt, the barista grabbed the receipt from the cashier's hand and approached the window in an agitated manner. He then asked me what the problem was. I told him that I overheard him say to charge me a large Mate Latte, when I asked for a medium and I assumed I paid for a medium. He told me that it was a medium. I asked him what's the price difference between a medium and large Mate Latte. He responded with an explanation about how they charge for almond milk and for the sugar pumps. When I again requested for a receipt, he seemed annoyed that I asked him. I pulled out of the drive thru and headed to work. When I parked my car, I reviewed the receipt and saw that they charged me $5.05 for the Mate Latte. I pulled up the menu on their website. The MEDIUM Mate Latte was priced $4.35. The LARGE was priced $5.05. They overcharged me when I asked if the drink was a medium or large. Not the first time this has happened. It seems to happen a lot here. Not sure if it's just the morning staff but I am very disappointed how the barista and cashier handled the whole situation. I will definitely think about not coming here again and see the other options of coffee shops in the area. read more

Super friendly lady :) No wait on the weekends, nice little table and chair area if you'd like to sit outside and sip your latte. The white chocolate mocha was a little heavy on the sweetener - next time I'll ask for less syrup. read more

I just love this place! Best coffee stop on your way into the city. Everyone is great, and the little touches like the care friendly lids and the insulated cups are nice touches. Small Double Yinyang Please! read more

The best coffee place in Marin!!! I love how you just drive up, someone takes your order, and once you reach the window your order is ready. And, you dont even have to leave the car!! The best if you are on the go. read more

Cable Car Coffee - Cable car is always so popular, no one can't resist - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Mill Valley, California

If you live North of SF bridge and are driving South towards SF thru Strawberry then this is a perfect spot. Wait to get gas if you can make it to Strawberry. The reason being is you take the exit to Cable Car Coffee and stop for gas at the ARCO which is the least expensive in Marin and right off the freeway. Then drive just passed the hardware store and Drive Thru Cable Car. It has fantastic drinks and snacks. I love the coffee and love how easy it is to get off the freeway, get my coffee and then get right back on the freeway. read more

I've been here a handful of times and have been mostly pleased. I think it's very safe to say that this is the FIRST drive thru coffee shack (besides the several sbux) that I've been to in the 7 years I've lived in cali. I was skeptical to say the least. The service is stellar and my latte is consistently just how I like it. To top it off, the lids on the cups have a little sliding cover that keeps it shut and from spilling all over my car. Kudos for that! I have two complaints, the first is that it takes a long time to get through the line. When I get to the window, the service is super fast so I'm not sure what the hold up is. They have an expediter that takes the orders from waiting cars which is nice but doesn't seem to keep the line moving. The second is that the prices are fairly high. $4.50 for my latte which is $4.00 at the market next to work, $4.10 at Starbucks. I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but that's $130 a year if I came here every day that I work. Definitely worth the stop for the occasional latte. read more

It always amazed me how american and french consumptions habits differed. It is mind blowing to me that people wait in line in their vehicle for 10plus mn to take their drinks to go and drive off. Yes the staff is amazing and yes the drinks r great. They have yerba matte frostee and all kind of funky flavors. Then I discovered there was ONE table and 2 chairs. So I parked the motorcycle and started enjoying my drink sitting OUTSIDE for a little break. You woukd be amazed at what it does to PAUSE and stare at everybody else driving ...love this place read more

I can't believe I spent the last 4+ years driving PASS this "drive-thru" coffee spot. I love coffee & not once did I ever stop & think about how convenient & AMAZING a cup of coffee from cable car could be, until today! I live about 5 mins from a Peet's & Starbucks & although it seems convenient, sometimes it's just NOT! There are days when looking for parking, getting out of your car, & having to drag your infant/toddler in & out of his car seat for a cup of coffee is just too much of a hassle!!! I was on my way to the city & was in dire need of my caffeine fix. I've been driving for about 10 mins & my son already looked like he was about to pass out. There was no way I was going to stop at a Starbucks & wake him up! Next thing on my mind was McDonalds coffee (just because I knew they had a drive thru) Heading on S101 I took the exit right after Tiburon. Along that rode I noticed the cable coffee co. drive thru on the right. There were no cars so I pulled up. I didn't bother to read any reviews before I stopped here & well, I must say, I'd have to agree w/ the majority on the 5 stars & say this place is an absolute treat!!! I ordered a white mocha & it was perfect. The service was great as well. They also have some food items on their menu which is a plus. Seriously, if you're on 101 & passing thru Mill Valley & need your coffee fix, skip Starbucks & check out cable car coffee company! You won't regret it. I'm already looking forward to my next drive down there :) read more

Beware of the gift card game being administered by what appears to be new owners here. I have a bunch if $5 gift cards which I bought from cable car coffee and the current operators will now only honor them for drinks. Needless to say this was never disclosed at time of sale nor is it noted on the gift card itself. When I purchased a $2.50 coffee last week and paid with a gift card the operator refused to offer change. Similarly this morning the same trick was tried out. Needless to say I won't play this game and will get my drinks elsewhere. read more

I love the concept of the old cable car and people there were friendly enough and quick with the order. The reason they get two stars is because their Yelp profile indicates they brew Specialty Coffee and this was most certainly not that. It was bitter and burnt and not prepared well. When I asked what coffees they're serving all I got was "the same one I serve every day". Again, this is not Specialty Coffee. If you're looking for an alternative to chain stores or Folgers, it's fine, but don't expect great things from what is served. read more

Great service, price, location and convenience make them the perfect choice for early commuters! Their lattes and croissants are my always perfect for breakfast! read more

I i've been to this coffee place three times and each time I've had a bad experience. Overall the guy behind the counter never smiles never says hello and never acts like he's interested in helping. He's short and he's abrupt and he's pushy. Today he demanded I put a mask on before even talking to me. Clearly sitting in my car I was well over 6 feet away from him. He was incredibly rude. He could've said kindly, gosh I really would appreciate it if you put your mask on and I would have immediately done this. Instead, I felt like a sergeant was demanding something of me. I have driven to Burger King, Amy's Drive through, almost every burger place around and nobody has demanded that I wear a mask while I talk to them from my car into their tiny window. I felt so put off. I will never return. PS, their coffee is always cold. This should not be happening in one of the nicest counties in the entire country. This employee should be kind and generous and open and warm. Instead, I was made to feel like I was a bad person and I was not happy with his attitude. How rude! I was in New York and I was so shocked to see that nobody was wearing a mask. Nobody. I believe in masks and I wear them all the time. But I was very angry at his attitude. He should be fired for treating me and probably others, so poorly. read more

I continue to get some of the best coffee and service at this place. Anytime I get a chance to drive through for my soy chai and chocolate croissant, I do. They are always friendly, fast service (depending on what was ordered in front of me, mini-van full of folks and their special "half half decaf triple"....augh) and right on each time. Ok, done in SF and thinking of getting a muffin now on the way home. They need one on the NB side too! and then I can get In and Out too:-) Keep up the great work and see you all soon. read more

They need to get their times right on yelp. Says they're open till 3 today and just got there and they're closed. 2 girls inside with the door open. read more

Tops in drive through convenience. Lowest quality Kirkland milk and nothing organic. Still, it's better than McDonald's. read more

The last couple times we've tried it, we ended up tossing out the coffee, hot chocolate, breakfast sandwich and even the oatmeal. It's a shame because it's so convenient and the staff has always been so nice. I hope it dramatically improves, and soon. read more