Good Vybes $ Brews opened a year ago on the ground level of Link Apartments. Entrance is on 4th St…read more side, not Madison St. Some nearby parking available in afternoon, unsure about mornings. Small central room with an adjacent one for leisurely sipping & lap topping. Able to order promptly as it's less busy in afternoons. Confirm with owner/associate that Asahi Matcha was available. No tipping policy here. Offerings: espressos, matcha lattes, coffee brews, teas, filter brews, classics, flavors+, toppings+, pastries, snacks.... Sips: Asahi Matcha (9.25) -Asahi described as a rare single cultivar, less than 1% of matcha is Asahi. With Oat milk, matcha was bold, full bodied, rich Unami, creamy, smooth. Very unique. Bits: rugelach (4) -made by Ukrainian bakers following old Ukrainian/Polish recipe. 4 flavors. Choose chocolate, least sweet amongst the fruit fillings. -hand rolled baked confections made of cheese dough. Liked the delicate light chocolate taste. Has slight resemble to rolled Thai ice cream. 5 stars: Worthy! Service: Fab. Quality: fantastic, made to order, quantity: reasonable pricing. *Kirishima & Uji matcha also available.

The owner was very nice to talk to and knowledgeable about the different matcha varieties he had. I…read moreordered the matcha latte with macadamia milk and earl gray syrup per his suggestion. For a matcha latte that cost almost $10, I was very disappointed. The drink was very bland other than the hint of earl gray I got from the syrup. It felt like I was drinking green milk, there was no nutty or sweet notes I was expecting from the matcha. I do not recommend getting matcha from here.

Delicious, delicious cappuccino!!!! The whole staff is very friendly and contribute to the vibe…read more Will buy beans next time. Great coffee roast smells and the drink was on point with the right temperature and nice foam art.

Location location location…read more What I love about this place is that it's down the street from Amtrak. they roast & package their own coffee. It's a cute cafe that loves their Pokèmon. It's kid friendly. This place has outdoor seating as well as indoor. Handicap tables too. I got me a cool pin for my jacket. I ordered a vanilla latte. Hot smooth, foamy & tasty. Got me my first Matcha donut. Meh that could have been better. When I'm in a rush & I just want coffee, this is the spot. See you some more on Yelp

Earth Grown drinks are both delicious and beneficial to your health. They use only the freshest…read morefruits and no artificial ingredients in their recipes. They even offer non dairy options for their smoothies. Great service from the owners. Parking can be tough during peak hours so phone in your orders ahead of time. They also have bottled grab and go drinks made fresh daily. A nice change from all the milk tea shops and sugary boba drinks.

Love Earth Grown! It was my third time coming here and I always bring friends. They have clean and…read morehealthy ingredients, I am always trying something new. Tony and Jennifer are so helpful and so knowledgeable. Would definitely recommend!

Look, I'm a man who respects the process - so I know what it means to apply yourself and deliver…read morequality. That's exactly what Lane-e Kefa Coffee does with their food. I pedaled my bike over there this Wednesday morning, aiming to secure a proper breakfast that would actually carry me past 11 a.m. The shop is cozy, definitely on the smaller side with a few seats inside, giving it that familiar, neighborhood spot feel. It's not a sprawling, antiseptic café, and I appreciate that. I ordered the Laney Breakfast Sandwich, which features egg, fresh spinach, sliced turkey, and Swiss cheese on a toasted English muffin. What impressed me was the intentionality--this wasn't something sitting under a heat lamp, looking defeated. It was clearly made to order. The egg was seasoned right, the turkey wasn't flimsy, and the spinach added that necessary fresh bite. It was a damn good sandwich, simple as that. I paired that with the Berry Lovers Smoothie. The original recipe calls for banana, but I asked if they could swap that out for mango. My people know that mango adds a different kind of sunshine, and they executed the substitution flawlessly. It came out thick, perfectly blended--a rich mix of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and that mango kick. It was super refreshing and didn't taste like I was drinking melted ice. The service was quick and friendly, which is key on a weekday morning. Everything tasted clean, fresh, and intentionally prepared. If you're looking for high-quality breakfast fare that feels less commercial and more like something someone actually cares about, stop by. The short bike ride and the intimate seating are worth it for what comes out of that kitchen. They earned this review.

I order a plain toasted bagel and a double espresso. the espresso was not too bitter. bagel was…read morekind of remarkably akin to the one I used to get in New York City on Broadway South of Houston from the guy in the middle box before work. it was a low bagel a work a day bagel, if that's what you get here. three stars, nothing, boring. but the espresso it's good. so, 4

I would thought Sweetheart Café opposite to the Chinese school was closed down for good; but nope,…read morestill opened for business, especially during the Chinatown Night Market at nighttime. The one small local business in Chinatown of East Bay, the bubble tea café in the high crime rate area, will always continue to serve customers, locals and foreigners alike. It's good to see shopkeepers taking time to make healthier drinks like my açaí coconut milk smoothie. Along with deep fried chicken wings my brother liked, they slowly and surely got the orders right. Not too shabby knowing their bubble tea shop was currently the only one serving açaí other than the black sesame paste. Sweetheart Café wasn't my best go-to bubble tea café in Oakland. At least I'll definitely treat it as normal everyday café selling candies and bottled drinks.

Sweetheart Cafe, Oakland's Chinatown…read more This Sweetheart Cafe location has been here for more than 30 years. It originally sells snacks and tons of candies in different aisles . Later on, they sold dried fruits also. Eventually they sold hot foods like popcorn chicken, curry fish balls and different boba drinks. They have seatings as well. Their boba drinks had became so popular that they opened locations in Berkeley, San Francisco and Milpitas. I love their bobas, it's sweet, bouncy and great chewing texture. They used to have small tapioca options which I had loved, but it isn't an option anymore. All their drinks are pretty good so you can't be wrong what drinks you choose. I highly recommend their drinks and their popcorn chicken. I will definitely come back and try other drinks as well.

The service is attentive, nice and friendly. The ambiance leaves a little to be desired but to be…read morehonest we are here for the pho. The pho broth is delicious and tasty and the cuts of meat are flavorful and fresh.

We came here on a weekend morning and decided to order some pho here and get some fried donut next…read moredoor to go with it. The Vietnamese coffee was filled only 4/5 of the way, so that was a little disappointing, but the coffee is strong. The pho broth was just okay. It was on the saltier side and also had more spices in it and therefore a little on the thick side. But the service was great. She asked voluntarily if I wanted tofu in the broth, which was nice of her to ask given I didn't see it on the menu. Overall, this is a no-frills place and it's overall fine but nothing amazing. They are cash only, so that's important to know before you order.

The Quickly brand will always have a special place in my heart. In college, for hours at a time, I…read morewould study at the local Quickly while munching on fried snacks and sipping boba. Although I now have higher expectations for what constitutes a good pearl milk tea, I still visit Quickly from time to time for my fried fish ball fix. This particular location has fish balls for a cheaper price than some of the other Chinatown spots, and they always come out piping hot. Judging by the adorable mommy and me umbrellas I saw stashed in the corner today, I believe this location to be a family-owned, independent franchise. If you're looking for some fried snacks consider supporting this local business!

Whenever I roam around the Oakland Chinatown this is one of the few places I like to sit down and…read morerest while enjoying a wonderful drink. The lady at the counter is very nice and she does a wonderful job at making my order fast!

This place is probably the most amazing spot ever. Not only is the coffee crazy strong, like give…read moreyou the jitters, profuse sweating, seeing visions, speaking in tongues kinda strong, there is also a place to work on your Harley Davidson with all the parts and cobbled together bits imaginable. I mean I don't own one because I wanted to buy a motorcycle that started and runs when I want it to. You know, a functioning motorcycle that is fast, great for riding that doesn't draw the attention and ire of everyone around you. Or doesn't require constant maintenance and parts that are sourced by one company who artificially inflates prices. Anyway.... The coffee is good. Better than Starbucks, who sucks.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised when I first walked in and became a customer of Brad Beanz…read moreEnterprises. The owner was very gracious. He provided me with multiple tokens to enjoy his delicious coffee FREE. It kind of reminded me of how crack dealers lure their customers in, free sample, you are then hooked and next thing you know you are selling your grandmother's television set for another cup! I do have to say that the barista is not very friendly. On one occasion I had been partaking in a few tasty adult beverages and mustered up the courage to ask her out on a date. She never said a word, I reached down and grabbed my coffee and was given a cold blank stare. It might be my fault, she may have seen me go to the Starbucks a block away the day before, it's not like I went to Peet's. The decor is awesome, there are multiple television sets, over twenty chairs to choose from, wild animals running free and always good conversation. Brad you are the man, keep it up and please put a good word in for me with the coffee maker. She's a hard one to crack!

This is the most efficient and reliable tea shop in the area. It has an old school HK vibe to it…read morewith the size of the establishment. It's basically like a window you walk up to and order at. The small shop is well staffed for its size you get your drink relatively quickly unless you order a rare tea which takes just 10 minutes. You can order in Cantonese or English. I wouldn't say they are trendy, more like an institution of Oakland Chinatown. They have been around for a long time and don't seem to be going anywhere, so it's really within their right not to riding on any da hong pao longjing coattails. They do what they want and they do it well. My fav is to order a nice drink from them while the sun sets and bring it to the courtyard near the library and people watch or read my book. It's a tranquil space and you can hear people speaking Toi Wah (Sun Ning Wah). It lends to the nostalgic I-Tea experience.

Small shop, available for take-out only…read more I appreciate they offer Iced Milk Series since Purple Kow I can never pay a visit ...but good grief the sweetness lol 50% sugar taste like 100% and even then, I had to add 5 more big chunks of ice cubes to dilute it down