Don't be mistaken! The overall high ratings and numbers are from this place's previous identity as "Coffee Connection". I'm only giving this place a four star because of the gratitude of the church to grant the space, along with the nice barista. Other than that, this place has been turned into a minimalist cafe with nothing special, and would be a three star. Drinks are no longer boasting creative coffees that we loved, like the Berries and Cream and Orange Chocolate drinks... just the plain old espresso, latte, americano that you can make just as easily at home. The homey atmosphere is gone with the warm hanging lights and densely packed tables. The courtyard is still relatively nice, but it just isn't the same anymore. I don't feel drawn to hang out in this space as before. I do like that they play nice church music, but that's pretty much it. You also cannot study here for long anymore - WiFi is now limited to two hours per purchase, which would be fine if there were good drinks and cozy interiors to justify spending more. I really miss the old place. I cannot imagine the owners making more money than before with this new business model they have adopted; there just aren't that many customers and I can see why. I don't think I'll be back - there's just too many other great cafes to enjoy in Los Angeles. read more

It just makes me sad honestly. This place used to be an incredibly inviting space with wood doors, stained glass windows, plenty of outlets, fresh empanadas from a local bakery, the works. They even held monthly music nights and weekly writers groups. It was a wonderful community hangout. Whoever bought the space fired all the baristas and closed it down for over a year just to turn it into the most unwelcoming dentist waiting room you've ever been in. The food is the same muffin selection you'll find at most gas stations. The coffee here was decent, I'll give it that. But "decent" doesn't count for much when Alana's is barely a block away roasting their own beans. read more

This place used to be coffee connection with a beautiful interior and homey work space. They shut down about a year ago and rebranded to awaken cafe and remodeled everything. What was once brick walls and leather couches with hanging plants and greenery is now a sterile white doctors office that no one will ever work or spend time in. This is a classic case of corporate sterilization that has ruined a beautiful coffee shop with a healthy community. It feels like the interior redesign was done by an out of touch boomer that defaulted to a modern/sterile feeling because that's all they know. They're hardly any seating now and the food that was once served hot and ready is just gone. My girlfriend ordered a matcha drink that came out to $9.5 and was mid. My americano was subpar as well. All around a depressing reopening of a once loved coffee shop turned cold and sterile. read more

Great spot to work or hang out. Enjoyed our coffee drinks, and the great service. The outdoor space is very calm and has plenty of seating. read more

Awaken Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Visiting this place definitely brought on an unexpected wave of grief for everything Coffee Connection used to be. What used to be one of the best cafes on the West side got a tragic modern-millennial makeover that literally no one was asking for, with a new dash of Evangelical Industrial Complex. Back in the day, the vibe was so much cozier, full of old-world charm and stained glass, and was always ABSOLUTELY PACKED. There were many days where I was lucky to find a seat, but I kept coming back for the affordable coffee, decent parking, and reliable Wifi, and most importantly the vibe that this was a true Third Space for the community-- where folks of all walks of life could gather, get work done, and connect with friends. Where there used to be a thriving community hub now stands a barren, austere dentist's office-- but like, the dentist is young and hip and cool, you guys! There is far less seating (the couch area has been replaced by metal chairs and tables), and the dentist definitely wants you to know he's a Christian dentist, as evidenced by the Bible books awaiting your perusal in the back work area, the Apostle's Creed on the wall, and the contemporary Christian worship music piping through the speakers, completely unavoidable to anyone still healing from religious trauma. Years ago, Coffee Connection was one of the safe spaces I remember processing my own departure from Evangelicalism with dear friends, and that safe space is now gone. My visit was brief. There were maybe three other people there. Super sad. I'll be going to Alana's from now on. read more

Awww its breaks my heart to see coffee connection has been replaced into a modern coffee shop. This cafe was absolutely beautiful BEFORE the remodel and the perfect study spot! Thank you coffee connection you got me through my licensing for work read more

Great place to work, read, chat, and relax. Vibes are fantastic and service is good. read more

Awaken Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Clean and great ambiance. Austin, the manager, was very friendly and accommodating. Reasonably priced and free WiFi. My drink was delicious. I highly recommend this place. read more

Awaken Cafe - Espresso tonic - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Very clean. Great space to grab some coffee during the week and work from here. Friendly Barista.

What a disappointment. I was a huge fan of coffee connection. It was a perfect, cozy neighborhood gem with great coffee, decent pastry options. and always great service. It really just lost its charm now with limited drink and size options at higher prices. It is no different than any other coffee shop around. To add to my surprise, I was handed my iced latte with an inch missing from the top. It may have not bothered me if it were coffee connection with their great prices and unbeatable charm, but this truly was an awakening: an awakening that this will not be my go to spot like it was with coffee connection. At this point I'd rather go to Starbucks. if anyone expected an upgrade this is far from it. I would actually call it a downgrade. read more

this place is my favorite coffee spot- coffee is good. prices are average, not bad! the ambiance is what's absolutely amazing - you can do work, have meeting here. there is a stunning courtyard, brick walls, waterfalls & full of plants. tons of space to sit & lots of table room. i used to come here when it was called COFFEE CONNECTION, and it immediately became my favorite place. it's now owned by a guy named austin. you'll always find him behind the counter because it's just him running the joint. it is a total mom&pop place. they seem really sweet here & he knows his coffee! this is coming from a barista. LOVE IT! i wrote this review bc they deserve more business for what it is & they just reopened after a huge renovation. read more

Awaken Cafe - patio - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Love the drinks, atmosphere, and community! Very friendly staff, neighborhood is safe and walkable, and the indoor aesthetic is unlike any other spot in town. This is my favorite coffee shop in the area, really glad to see them reopen after the renovations. read more

This place used to be so good back when it was Coffee Connection, but now it's soulless and boring. What a shame, why would you turn one of the best westside cafes into this? Why would you replace such a beautiful space with such bland, tasteless decor? None of the baristas want to be there and I don't either. read more

Love their coffee , I've been waiting for them to reopen... ambiance is relaxing and the service is great .hope they post their reopen date . read more

Yum, try the espresso tonic, so good! Great atmosphere and extremely friendly staff. I love the addition to the neighborhood.

This is such a cool space for college students to come and study. It's calm, quiet, and large. I only wish they used more of the space with seating in the separate room. Oh, it should be noted that this space is also shared with a church, so I would stay away from it during their Sunday Service because parking can be quite horrible then. Their almond croissants are so yummy! I enjoy the matcha and my husband likes the brown sugar coffee drink from there. We enjoy stopping by here often. I do recommend it. read more

Coffee was good and tried the croissant with cucumber. Was good! Small place but fairly quick service.

The Awaken Cafe (was knows as Coffee Connection) is finally open to the public and I'm so excited! Let's start with the atmosphere. The interior is bright and is welcoming from the minute you walk in. The cafe late is my favorite. But more importantly, you will be greeted by Austin, who will be serving you with a smile and kindness! We need more places like this! read more

The espresso tonic is strange but honestly pretty good. Very friendly staff, lots of places to sit, etc

The Drinks, Soo Tasty On Point and You Get Points for a Free Drink Great Location and Spacious Indoors to do your laptop work or read Service is Quick for on the Run Peeps read more

one of the saddest renovations i've ever witnessed... it went from a place with personality to just another "modern" coffee shop. the environment was always inviting and cozy, but now the coffee isn't the same and there's no corner that feels welcoming... such a bummer for this MV classic to fall off read more

This place used to be amazing. It was a gem and a historic landmark that was open from 7:00 AM until 7:00PM. It was a perfect place to study, have meetings, or just grab a cup of coffee or tea. If you lived on the westside it was pretty famous and legendary. The vibe was warm, welcoming, with a large seating area inside and outside. They welcomed students by providing a discount if you were a current student or educator so the place was always full with students from the different campuses. It had a beautiful fountain and shaded courtyard outside so during the summers it never got too warm. It had character. The tables and decor looked like they had not been changed since its opening, so there was a real vintage feel to it. But all good things must come to an end. They are under new ownership since December 2024, and as with any new ownership there are bound to be changes. The first thing they did was transform the courtyard into community seating with bar style tables. It makes seating quite limited and uncomfortable. They used to have heat lamps during the winter, but they ripped those out. The operation hours also changed to 7:00 to 3:00 PM. In short, the new owners want a different vibe-- more take out, less regulars, less students, and less community. They have been closed since mid December and I doubt the place will look the same or ever be the same when they reopen. It is owned by the church so perhaps they are deciding to use the space more for services. However, I can't imagine these changes will increase business. It was great while it lasted. read more

Love this place to both work and hangout with friends. They also have a great vegan muffin! Can't wait for them to reopen :)

Really cool space with super friendly staff and delicious drinks (Ancient Mayan and Coco-Nut-Tea are our favs).