i love cafe bean! i live across the street and am usually there every day. the owner knows me by name and knows what i order. sometimes, hes even got it ready for me when i come in. the coffee is pretty good, as is the food. but, i come here mostly for the company of awesome locals and that everyone knows my name. many afternoons this past summer were spent sitting at the tables in front observing all of the interesting happenings at jones and sutter. my roommate and i even coined our most infamous game here...french or homeless? read more

Clean and comfortable cafe that is a couple of stores away from Huf. It helps when you're in line for a pair of limited kicks and need a pick me up or a bathroom. Really good breakfast, especially the Masher (Everything that's good about breakfast stacked up). I'd recommend the green tea latte, it has to be the best in the city. Friendly owners and Free Wi-Fi. Oh yeah, decent Koffie! read more

I had a good cafè au lait but the owner is unfriendly and there are no plugs for anybody to charge their computers. This place is bad if you want to stay there and use your computer, but it's ok if you have to get a coffee to go. read more

I decided to stop in Cafe Bean the other morning instead of my old stand by, Sugar Cafe... It wasn't bad, but I think I'll stick with Sugar 'cuz I like their iced coffee better. read more

Chester is my favorite part of this place. He's so friendly. This is more of a second wave coffee shop, which I actually like. I miss the funky 90's coffee shops. This place is reminiscent of that. read more

Great local coffee shop and friendly owner who seems to know all the locals and keep up on basketball. Whenever I stay in the city, I venture a few blocks away from the financial district for this little oasis. read more

Cafe Bean is my favorite neighborhood spot for coffee. The Dutch coffee is top notch and I love their soy lattes. This cozy Euro-style cafe is the perfect place to hang out with friends and catch up over great coffee. They have traditional Dutch cafe food and good sandwiches. The owner and staff are super friendly and personable. read more

Best vanilla latte in the city. Excellent customer service and a comfortable atmosphere that feels like home.

Another shop on the daily work walk that I've been curious to try (passing a place three times daily will do that to you I guess). Stopped in for an afternoon tea and was welcomed by a friendly barista and bright yellow interior. Was sadly dissapointed by the small tea selection and the prices - one small cheap tea bag will cost you a $1.50..... I think I'll stick to the usual starbucks for twice the tea at half the price. However, the cafe's plush couches and large windows are a great place to cozy up with a friend or good book - maybe the extra cents is worth escaping the sutter street crowds for a chill cup of warm herbal goodness :) read more

Back when I used to live on sutter, this was my favorite breakfast place. I only ordered scrambled eggs and a bagel (boring, I know) but it was always a delicious breakfast. Hot and fresh food, good service, cholula bottles, and outdoor seating makes this place a real winner. read more

Bean is a little international place that has good coffee and good food, although nothing fabulous. It is by far better than Cup-a-Joe one block down, so if those are your choices Bean is the way to go. The window seat makes for a good people watching spot and the staff is friendly and attentive. Good out door seating as well. read more

I'm a bit of an espresso junkie, so when a coffee shop gets it right, I have to talk about it. Blue Bottle still holds the flame for best Americano in the city, but at that price they better be. The $1.75 americano at Cafe Bean puts every single Starbucks to shame. Chester even makes sure to preserve the foam on top when topping off the cup. It's the little things. Speaking of Chester, the last time I was at Cafe Bean was about 4 months ago. When I came in today, he remembered me by name. Awesome! read more

The espresso here is some of the best you can get in the neighborhood. In fact it's the only place where I feel like I can actually get any caffeine. The fare that is served here is somewhat decent, although I could outbake and outcook whoever is back there in the kitchen any day of the week. Interwebs is free, and since I only live half a block away when my internet is down I come down here and sit outside (if it's a nice day) or sit in one of their fantastically comfy and cute cornerbooths against the window. This is a good neighborhood cafe. Also.... they serve draft beer here. And it's only $3 during their happy hour. read more

Great coffee. I love Chester and Nancy and their cute little dogs.

It all started on a hot morning, back in the summer of 2012. I stopped into Cafe Bean for an iced coffee. Fearing there may be hazelnut in the blend, I asked the owner if it was safe for a nut allergic patron. He replied by telling me everything about the blend, and put my fears at ease. Every time I returned, for the next year, he remembered my allergy and advised me on my drink selection. Probably the best service in San Francisco, if not the greater Bay Area. This is a five and a half star establishment. read more

The food and lattes are amazing! I had the hot green tea latte and the veggie burrito and both made my mouth so happy!

Chester is the best! When business is booming he can add an employee to help with some of the things that can become overwhelming for a small business owner. It's hard to know how difficult it is to run a business until you decide to run your own! read more

green tea latte: mmmm 1 star chai: mmmmm 1 star comfy feel to this cafe, nice interior.. blah blah 1 star. 1+1+1= 3. yay. read more

I'm updating my review to grant Cafe Bean three stars instead of the one star I gave them in 2007 in a pique of annoyance that they wouldn't let me plug my laptop into the wall. That was seven years ago, this is now, the owner has reconsidered and asked me to do the same. I think it's a perfectly nice little cafe, very humble and comfy, the window pillow seat is a nice place to lounge as others have said. read more

This place was so sweet. A little bit of a mess overall -boxes stacked around, and a messy looking desk. Something about this place seemed really down to earth. The breakfast menu was legit. I had Chester's eggs one day and then a light breakfast -yogurt and granola the next day. The chai latte was REALLY good. I love chai latte's and they make it well. the other thing I liked about this place was that the staff was so sweet and friendly. They were really attentive and warm, that really stood out for me. read more

A quaint little cafe with great coffee however I tried to order pancakes at 9:30am and was told they were already out.

Chester is the best! I have been coming here for almost 4 years and no one can possibly beat his breakfast sandwhiches on a croissant. Its impossible. I love how he always remembers me and is very nice plus the food is great! There's nothing more you can possibly ask for! I always bring my guests here to experience his food at least once while they visit me. read more

My favorite place to eat late breakfast on sanday... Great food. Nice and cosy inside. Just cool.

The location is a tad odd for a coffee shop unless you live smack dab downtown, but on the occasional visit I've always liked this place. It's got a funky setup and the coffee ain't so bad, sometimes it's better when it sits out all day. Cool afternoon spot to meet a friend and chat, I love the window seats. read more

The tuna salad here is sooooo good. The food is all pretty decent. I don't love the green tea latte or the flavored lemonade, but the food is good. The staff is awesome, and the cafe is comfy. This is definitely my go to brunch place after a night out. read more

No good food experiences to mention. The last time I was here, they served me lukewarm coffee. That's blasphemous! The last meal I ate here, I spotted a cockroach. I understand that many eateries have cockroaches, but after the cold coffee, I just gave up. read more

Never eaten here. Don't want to try. Happy Hour beer and patio is what its about. Be careful though, too many of those happy hour beers can lead to drunken walk-ins to Canteen across the street, which you'll not regret but you wallet will! read more

Lovely juices, more breakfast items than I might anticipate from a cafe & friendly service. It has the feel of a cute neighborhood cafe, complete with the cushioned bench in the window. The food is, as others have said, fairly straightforward. Little in the way of flair or presentation but this did not bother me in the least. A glass of mango juice and breakfast sandwich on a croissant was just what I needed. My only complaint? A little pricey for what it is but worth a stop if you are in the neighborhood. read more

Cafe Bean is wonderful. The beverages and food are always great. Chester and Nancy are always smiling. If your looking for an easy fast morning coffee or a place to sit and enjoy your breakfast, Cafe Bean is the best. read more

Used to stop by all the time for mochas on the way to work. Friendly and nice staff. Outdoor and indoor seating good for people watching, as well as a comfy booth section. Not open at night. $2.75 for a single mocha. read more

This is a great little spot to grab a good breakfast, or just a cup of coffee. I have been here a few times with my friend who lives in Nob Hill, and have never been disappointed. The service here is wonderful! My friend has a pug that she brings here regularly, and the owner always has some treats on hand for her. It is all about the dutch pancakes! Mmm Mmm Good! If you can, try to grab one of the outdoor tables for some good people watching. read more

I came to sf from LA and had to rely solely on reviews when I came here and the fact that this cafe was 5 minutes away from where I was staying. The owner was so welcoming and the service was amazing. He took time out to sit with us and chat about the city and recommended us certain places and things to go see. He didn't have to do all that but he went above and beyond to help us and that alone was what made me give this place 5 stars. we ordered a jalapeño bagel egg bacon and cheese sandwich and it was so good that we ate two! One thing is this is not a place where food comes out fast we waited a while since the kitchen isn't too big. That however was minor and everything else made it worth the wait. next time I come to sf definitely will come a pay this place a visit. read more

I live above this place so I end up here more than I'd like for a quick breakfast. Food isn't bad but it's overpriced and nothing to write home about. The fresh orange juice is good and the cafe itself does have a nice S.F. feel to it. read more

This is my neighborhood coffee spot, I stop here every morning on my way to work. I love Chester, he's awesome! He knows I'm not a morning person, so he gets my double americano ready in a flash, and doesn't try to talk me up too much. I have yet to try the food, but it always smells delicious! read more

They make a great sandwich called a Masher. It rocks. This place used to be better a few years ago and seems to have gone a little downhill. I almost gave 4 stars, but its not the same. read more

the only reason i ended up here was b/c my sis and i were on a tight schedule, canteen across the street had a long wait, and it's right next door to huf - the reason why we were in this neighborhood in the first place. she was dying to get her limited edition dunks, and since it wasn't open yet, we decided to grab a simple breakfast here at cafe bean. she had eggs and hot links, and i had a tuna pecan salad atop mixed greens. her meal seemed mediocre for what it was. my tuna pecan salad was decent, but they served it with some funky raspberry vinaigrette. no thank you. i asked for something creamy, perhaps ranch, and they DIDN'T HAVE IT! so i settled for honey dijon. what kind of establishment, pray tell, doesn't carry even ranch dressing when they serve simple salads? i wasn't expecting exuberant house creamy pesto or anything like that. also, my sister found a strand of hair in her eggs. so far, not very impressive. the only reason i give it two stars is b/c as a destination for tea/coffee/bagels, it seems just fine. the decor is somewhat charming, and there is an inviting sunday brunch vibe going on for it. convenient if you want a quick sip, but don't go there for any subsistence beyond bagels. read more

While the coffee is average, the friendly staff, free wifi and relaxing space make Cafe Bean a good place to hang out. The dutch pancakes are worth a try. I've had most of the savory ones and all those have been great. The prices are pretty reasonable. They also offer beers, but I've never been there at an approriate time for tippling. read more

Really Good Latte. Seriously, may be the best I've had, not sure why, but it was damn good. The dutch pancakes looked great, but alas I only had coffee read more

They make decent coffee and espresso drinks, but I was quite disappointed one morning when I ordered what should have been a quick breakfast before work with a friend, and had to wait so long for it that I had to take it to go. The person behind the counter apologized for the wait, and the breakfast sandwich was fairly good, but the wait put a damper on my morning, and it was definitely not busy enough to justify it. read more

cozy, chairs doesn't match, vegie sandwich was ok but only 3 different kinds of chips, price was moderate. This place was just ok.