"Excuse me, sir. May I have another?" is the theme of this stale, drab "neighborhood eatery". The miserly shopkeeps sneer at their patrons as they allocate one portion (read: slice) of lox per bagel. Try your credit card for an order under $5, and they will stare back at you blankly in absolute silence and contempt as if you had crawled from a sewer or a happy hour at Appleby's. One day I ordered a large coffee while on crutches. I crutched over to the coffee station only to find the pot of french roast nearly empty. I poured the remnants of the french roast into my large cup, only to find my cup half full -- or is it half empty? Rather than fill up the second half with decaf or hazelnut like a surbanite, I thought, " No problem, sir! I shall return once the pot has been replenished!" So I crutched back to my seat and waited for the pot of coffee to be refilled. Once refilled I made my way back to the pouring station. Big. F'ing. Mistake. Shopkeep: "You pay for refill!" Me: "I paid for a large coffee and got half a cup because you ran out of french roast." Shopkeep: "You paid for medium and grabbed large cup. Half large is medium." (Note: I have never in my life ordered a medium coffee. In fact when I am President, my first executive action will be to disenfranchise anyone who orders medium coffees OR wears flip flops to dinner. Anyone who does both will be shot.) In short, it's our local neighborhood coffee shop, if by neighbor you mean someone who wants you to die. read more

After reading other yelp reviews..I have to ask myself what am I missing?? I've tried Latte Express 4-5 times and found it to be nothing special. If I wanted a breakfast burrito I would go around the corner to Victors. Their donuts are standard, heck I could go to Safeway (1/2 block away) and get the same donuts. There is nothing bad about Latte Express, it's just there Parking is limited. read more

Where do you go when you have a 6am conference call and you desperately need a large cup of coffee to prevent yourself from passing out when you're supposed to be brilliant on the phone? If you live near the ballpark, there's only one choice: Latte Express. Jam-packed with construction workers, people in suits working East Coast hours and folks heading to an early morning Caltrain just a block away, Latte Express has some of the sketchiest coffee in the area... flavors like Irish Coffee, raspberry, french vanilla as well as some normal coffee "flavors" such as french roast, kona, etc. Trust me, Blue Bottle and Ritual don't have anything to worry about. Still, at 6am, it's there for your caffeine fix. Aside from the coffee, they do make some darned good pastries - kick-ass bear claws, eclairs and these little rolls stuffed with a half of a fried egg and some ham (it tastes much better than it sounds). What really sets Latte Express apart is the quality of their sandwiches. Even though the coffee barely gets a single star, I practically live on their turkey-bacon-cheese with avocado sandwich on freshly baked dutch crunch bread, having it on average two times a week. Freshly made ham, egg and cheese bagels for breakfast are excellent as well, but take note - they're much greasier than those at Choppers down the street. Prices are fair, they have three coolers full of various drinks (including Jones Organics mandarin green tea, a favorite), and the people there really do their best to get through a busy lunch crowd quickly. It's a block away from Subway - and a world better. Recommended for commuters, Ballpark denizens and the occasional neighborhood early bird. read more

I work near by and have been craving a Vietnamese sandwich for awhile so I wish I knew of this place sooner! I had the grilled chicken banh mi. The baguette tasted soft and fresh and all the veggies in it were refreshing. I also had a taro milk tea with boba, which was just ok. The boba was a little hard but I wasn't expecting much of it anyway. It's worth a try if you happen to be in the area and are looking for a quick, inexpensive lunch. Definitely a good alternative than the usual Subway. read more

Best Vietnamese sandwiches and ice coffee. All the cooked food is actually really good. If you're in the area it's hard not to stop by.

This review, I can keep simple. Stop by Latte Express for two reasons: almond croissants and ham and cheese croissants. They are generously filled and some of the best I've had. This place also gets additional points for being near CalTrain, on which I commute daily. And, recently they started accepting credit cards. Generally. I try to "be good" and bring breakfast from home. But. if I am treating myself on a week day, forget Panera, Safeway, Starbucks, etc. I am headed here. read more

I've walked by this place almost daily for a couple of years now and never bothered to go in until, yesterday, their lovely red "People Love us on Yelp" sticker caught my attention. So I stumbled in for a cup of coffee [fine tasting, but questionably kept heated in glass pots on a plate warmer] and a chocolate croissant [nice flaky pastry, but with the liquid chocolate inside that I don't personally prefer]. The woman who served me was efficient - neither pleasant nor unpleasant. In all a fine morning coffee stop, especially for this block, and I will undoubtedly be back soon. read more

Met a client here this morning (his recommendation) - great coffee shop! I probably have 150 Starbucks meetings a year and Latte Express is a breath of fresh, breakfast burrito laden air. Stripped down decor, clean environment, no nonsense staff and fair prices on everything from donuts to sandwiches to (yes) lattes. Down with Big Coffee! Patronize local! read more

Latte Express is a cheap, hole-in-the-wall that should only be visited if you're in a complete rush and would like a quick bagel. There's absolutely no other reason to visit. The cashier girl is unfriendly and seems like she hates the fact that she has to work. I didn't really care, but it definitely doesn't help the experience much. ------------------- FOOD: Pork Vietnamese Sandwich = Pork was dry and it had way too much mayo. At $4.50, it's actually a pretty expensive banh mi, compared to Lee's or Saigon Sandwiches (both of which are infinitely better). Veggie Burger = Meh. The patty was dry and had absolutely no flavor. There was actually no flavor in this burger whatsoever. Fries were soggy. ------------------- Even though I've lived close to this place for years, I was always put off by the exterior. I tried it today since the Yelp reviews are actually pretty decent. I guess I should have gone with my initial impression. read more

Like what many dudes look for in a chick (or another dude), Latte Express is cheap, easy, and quick. They let you get in and get out at whatever pace you would like, and don't nag. There are lots of coffee/breakfast options near the CalTrain. I'm quickly becoming a regular here in the mornings. This morning, I was looking to get on the 7:44am CalTrain. I got to Latte Express at 7:38am. Got my hotdog bun thing and medium coffee, only paid $2.80 for it, and got out by 7:40am, after taking my time to dress my coffee. Had plenty of time to stamp my ticket and find a seat to enjoy my coffee/food while reading the Examiner. For the price/service/variety, this place definitely has The Creamery and the two shops at the CalTrain station beat. Yay I'm a fan. read more

I got a breakfast sandwich and bottled drink here on my way to Caltrain. The sandwich is pretty standard--English muffin, cheese, egg and your choice of meat (sausage or ham). But for $5? I don't know... It was tasty though. I'm more interested in some of their other offerings as I saw that they had Vietnamese sandwiches and katsu. I'll probably try one of those sometime but for breakfast? Meh. read more

Around the corner from my office, so very handy. Decent BLTs. And Hiro from Heroes works there. read more

I went in today to buy 2 plain bagels with cream cheese. All seemed well once I got the bagels in the to-go bag. Once in my car, headed out on 101, my partner and I decided to go ahead and dig in. BLECH!!! The cream cheese had some sort of chemical spray residue on it - like they were cleaning near the food. The bagels had the same taste and smell. If I wasn't already in route, I would have marched back in there and asked them to replace both bagels. It took a full bottle of water and food else where to get the taste of chemical out of my mouth. I hope I don't get sick. read more

I work down the street occasionally and I always love to visit this spot. A few mistakes here and there after 20+ visits but that's normal. I love to get a custom breakfast burrito and depth charge and they always remember my order. Good variety of choices! Deli meats are quality and service is usually quick depending on when you arrive! Not many options in the area so this place can get packed around 8-10am read more

I come here all the time when I have a bahn mi craving and don't want to go far from my apartment. Really wish they open on Sundays or past 4pm on Saturday. The bahn mi is pretty good. I like that they're able to make the pork on the grill instead of in a microwave. The combo is also really good. I see lots of people come here for breakfast or a burger. Portions look pretty good and prices are great. read more

Get the Vietnamese sandwiches. They may not be the cheapest (about $6) or even the tastiest, but the bread more than makes up for it. They also experiment with new menu items. Two thumbs up for keeping it interesting. read more

Working in this area, every now and then we get bored of doing the circuit of standby lunch places, and take a chance on somewhere new. Today was Latte Express, and it gets a Thumbs Down. I wasn't going to Yelp about Latte Express at all, but methinks the current star rating needs to be lowered a bit. Think of this place as a generic donut shop and you might do OK. Do not think of it as a lunch place, though! I ate what was easily the worst donburi of my life, and paid a lot for it, and waited a long time for it. I hope I can save at least one other person from repeating my mistake. read more

They never forget a face, prepare yourself for wonderful customer service! And you can't beat good food, at a great price! :) read more

This is a quick fix/cheap eats joint. If you're around in the AM and god knows nothing is open that early in the City, swing by here to get a great fluffy donut (always ask what's fresh), they're pretty honest aka hot croissant or french bread rolls. For a buck-fiddy you can get a hot buttered french bread roll. Or add jam. If you want a Vietnamese sandwich for $3.75 or below, come here too. Juicy BBQ Pork is the best. About a buck more than a typical V joint but this place rocks 24-hours - and you can get a donut too. They have tons of other sandwiches as well. Cash only. If you work around SF Centre, this is a great alternative to the crap they currently serve in the Food Court. Otherwise, check out Cafe 36 2 doors down from Latte Express. Slightly more expensive, open M-F for great breakfast sandwiches and lunch stuff. P.S. Watch out for the bums/transients @ L.E. They lurk. And don't get run over on 5th as you J-walk back to SF Centre read more

A true hole in the wall. I would've totally missed it if it wasn't for the "People love us on Yelp" sticker on the door. There isn't much to this store, the coffee pots are all laid out in front of you to choose. There are many pastries and baked goodies to choose from. I had this roll with egg and ham. It was the most unusual looking baked good. The roll was sweet and was a good complement to the salty tastes of the egg and ham. Not bad. This isn't the cleanest place. But a nice quick stop shop to quickly satisfy your hunger. $5 minimum for credit cards. read more

Ugh. I usually grab a latte and a pastry at the cafe (Caffe D' Amore?) inside the 4th & King Caltrain station, which does a good job at keeping me happy during my commute. Today I got there a bit early so I decided to try breakfast at Latte Express instead. I'm pretty sure I'd been there once a few years ago and didn't like it, but you know, forgive and forget (emphasis on forget). I ordered a breakfast burrito and a latte. According to the menu, the burrito was supposed to come with salsa, but I couldn't detect any. I ate half of the burrito and couldn't bring myself to finish it. The latte tasted like a mix of flavored coffee and warm milk. I bet they use the same grinder for flavored and unflavored beans, which is a big no-no for coffee lovers. Blech. I guess this place is good for people who like flavored coffee (not me), and maybe their pastries are decent. But I won't be back anytime soon. read more

This place is my go to now, I had thought it was shut down with the way it looks. Probably cause of the protest the past year. But definitely open, and in the end great breakfast sandwiches and one of the best places to get Vietnamese ice coffee. Thank you to the people running it, you are awesome. read more

Could not find this place under Yelp categories like: Burger, Banh Mi, Donuts, Breakfast in 94107. Yelp is lame like that...it sends me across town and that kinda makes me miss what's good in my hood. So the Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich) was really good. I had Ham and wife had the Pork. They were made fresh, warm and they went down easy. It was $8.50 for both of them, and that's a bargain. We're gonna try breakfast and a few more things as time passes. But if you need a good quick lunch, try the Banh Mi...it beats muni/driving to the Richmond or Tenderloin.... read more

A coffee shop with tasty coffee, fresh bagels and a staff with personality! Those dongs at Starbucks, Seattle's Best, etc., could learn a lot from this fine place. I will be stopping in every morning. read more

The fish katsu was so good and they piled on the fish, so it was a great deal. All of a sudden, 2 weeks after their debut of the fish katsu, Latte started skimping on the amount of fish, so I would call in on behalf of our 15 guys that ordered regularly from them to ask them to hook us up with more fish since we were regulars. Sorry to say, but I have to drop my review a star. About a month or so ago, my ex-coworker and I decided to go get some fish katsu like old times. I called in with the same request. I ended up PAYING for the extra piece of fish, which was an extra $2.50 plus tax on a dish that costs $6.50. The negative star is to take away the value. Lost me on that one. read more

Really random corner shop. But it's super-close to my house, so it's convenient for a quick lunch fix when I'm too lazy to go elsewhere. My go-to item: the pulled pork sandwich. It's also the closest place to my house that I can get a boba milk tea, which is a plus. I'll put it this way -- everything I've tried here has more flavor than any of the mediocre crap served across the street at the Creamery and the Iron Cactus. read more

Friendly people working very hard to please everyone. I've been here a few times and they know me and know what I want! Very impressive. The latte tastes good, it's the cheapest in the neighborhood, and buying a latte here makes me feel good about supporting the mom-and-pop establishment. Plus, there is never an insane line for a coffee like there is at the nearby Starbucks. The breakfast sandwich on an English muffin is delicious!!! Home-made taste unlike the McMuffin. The lunch options seem a bit pricey to me, and it's nothing special. The menu lists soup but they don't actually have it. They have fresh bagels but no whole wheat/multi-grain option :( - minus one star. I am glad they are right around the corner from my work. It's a reliable option for your breakfast and lunch needs. read more

I have to have hot food for lunch. Alright, "have to" is probably a bit of a stretch, but it is definitely my preference. Subway sandwich? Has to be toasted. And a salad? It had better come with warm chicken, or I will be supremely let down. I used to avoid Latte Express like the plague because I thought it was a depressing place with not-so-special lunch options. Then one day I decided to spring for the BBQ chicken. They told me it would take 15 minutes or so to prepare, which, at the time, seemed completely absurd (Primo Patio could have hooked me up with a chicken pita in 1/3 the time!) but I decided to wait. They finally handed me a plastic bag with my lunch and I toted it back to the office. Upon opening it, I was greeted with 3 big pieces of BBQ chicken drenched in sauce, rice, broccoli, carrots and a fried egg. Heaven in a styrofoam container. (Disclaimer: I work in the part of SOMA where my options are usually limited to Safeway and Subway so anything that isn't a pathetic sub sandwich or lukewarm soup usually ranks pretty high with me.) read more

I would normally give a place like this only 3 stars. However it is located in the SOMA, a location starving for reasonably-priced good food places. The people here are kind and care about their establishment. They serve regular American lunch and breakfast: eggs& sausage, bagels, burgers, sandwiches, etc. They also serve special Asian dishes: Vietnamese sandwiches, chicken katsu (Japanese?), terriyaki chicken. The Asian plates kick ass because you get a meat, rice and perfectly steamed broccoli (mercifully they resist the temptation to overcook). They are priced between 5 and 7 dollars: cheap for this part of town, which all the restaurant owners know is swimming with SOBs, such as hipsters, yuppies and other rich swine. I love that I can get healthy food that isn't all dolled up and made expensive. it's just regular broccoli. They make their own bread every day. They even make their own bagels and I approve. Much better than Noah's swollen bread mountains. Although they make their own bread there is nothing gourmet about it. Eat here if you want affordable healthy food for regular people made by regular people. HERE'S TO THE PROLETARIAT!!! MAY THEY MAINTAIN THEIR LITTLE AFFORDABLE HOVELS IN THE MIDST OF THE RULING CLASS'S PRECIOUS, OVERPRICED HOOEY! read more

Ok - this isn't a real review, because I haven't eaten here yet... no, this is a plea - I'm on my knees here... PLEASE please please - bring over a few of your banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) from Latte Express #5 on Kearny. PLEASE! You guys have the same name - it's cruel that you don't have the same amazing sandwiches that they serve at your sister (distant cousin?) store. I just moved to a new job in SOMA from the Financial District and it's the selection is sooo dismal! If you brought those bbq chicken banh mi over from #5 you would be doing such a public service. PLEASE!!! Gaaah! read more

Bustling at breakfast. Great breakfast sandwich. Bagels and donuts look fabulous. If I lived here I'd be a regular. read more

Latte Express - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Francisco, California

donuts way cheaper than at Happy Donuts...love it that they have a couple versions of the hot dog bun and also like the ham and cheese croissants. I've had their breakfast sausage burrito which isn't too bad, made in a homemade kind of way, whatever that means. read more

This place makes sandwiches as well as coffee. What a nice surprise. The sandwiches were pretty good, and very affordable. I have no idea what the coffee is like, but this will be my sandwich place when I am in the area read more

CONVENIENT!!!!.... I pass by this place on my walk from the 4th & King Caltrain Station to work. Since I'm usually in a rush to get to work....this lives up to the name 'EXPRESS'. The two ladies are nice and try to can your order as quick to you as possible. Lately I've been getting the chai tea lattes which are decent, but not as good as Starbucks (there are two within 2 blocks). Not a big fan of their coffee or the donut holes....but I notice a lot of morning customers order bagels.Looking to soon check out a Viet sandwich from here. So If you aren't in a rush and can afford to wait 15 min+ for a superb cup of coffee, go to Philz down the street. If you want to run in, pay, and get out....if your in a rush..this is your place! read more

So far I have had a good experience here. The food is nothing tooo special or out of the ordinary, but I'm glad I discovered this place in SOMA so I can get my banh mi fix without having to walk far. I have walked by this place a bunch of times and always disregarded it due to it's exterior. However, I walked by recently and saw a banh mi and was committed to coming back to try. A bit on the smaller side, but it did the trick for me. Stopped in for a breakfast burrito today and it was also not that bang for you buck, but I was not hungry for a whiiile. Friendly ladies working there even when it's busy. Expect me to come when needing a banh mi or breakfast burrito fix. read more

My morning go-to place. Small cafe, nice ladies who remember all the regulars' orders. Cash only for anything under 5 dollars. Bagels are great, croissants are huge, haven't tried the donuts myself but they seem to be ordered quite a bit. Breakfast burritos (eggs, hashbrowns, salsa, sausage). I get it without the meat and it's a pretty good size, just could use more flavor read more

4 Stars Finally tried this place, since I pass by every week and keep telling myself to try it, I ordered a Vietnamese Ham Sandwich $5.35 for breakfast, the bread isn't like the tradition hard French bread, it's a softer bread (I prefer it better since the hard bread always cut the inside of my mouth), it's pretty tasty, the pickle vegetables was a bit wet, not the best but definitely not the worst, the service was pretty fast, I would come back again. read more

Oh my goodness, burritos!!!!!! Hells yeah, gimme a burrito with all that cheese, eggs, potatoes, salsa, and sausage and momma will be a happy woman!!!!! My coworker Uly refers to this place as the "corner shop" while the rest of us refer to it as "Uly's place." He goes here and will sometimes get a sandwich which he says isn't too bad. I think they're about $6-7. I usually go here for the burritos because they're full of breakfast goodness that you know you shouldn't be eating because it's bad for you, but you can't resist it because it's so freakin' tasty!!! Plus, the burrito's HUGE! Some of my coworkers split them because they're big, but I don't share. I eat that huge thing all by myself! I kid you not, one morning I ate it and it was about ... 9:30ish. I was not hungry till around 4pm that day. That's how full it gets you. They have donuts, hard boiled eggs (big plus for a former coworker), bagels, sandwiches and drinks. If they don't have a sandwich on the menu you like, they're more than happy to make it for you the way you want it. The only draw back is the burritos take a while to make so there might be a 10 minute wait or so, even more if there's a bunch of people waiting. I think it's worth it. It's a nice change from Safeway or Subway if you work in the area and want a sandwich. Hmmm, I think I found tomorrow morning's breakfast! read more

Definitely good for a quick in and out breakfast. We appreciated its convenient location on our way to the train station, somewhere we could also set our bags down and eat. I didn't love the selection, not much for a vegetarian, except junk. And fruit that didn't have a clearly stated price. That's a pet peeve of mine, no visible price tag. She really wanted me to get cream cheese with my bagel. I didn't though. Even after the third time she asked. What we did eat was fine, nothing stand out. I had a bagel and donut with tea. And speaking of tea, I'm not sure what happened to my tea, but it didn't taste like the Stash Black Chai I have at home...maybe I let it steep too long? My partner ordered the breakfast burrito. They do seem to be quick to serve and happy to see familiar faces, though. I'm not a regular, just a one time customer. read more

I've passed by this place so many times walking around the area but I only decided to stop by today. Their breakfast burrito was delicious and a great start to my day. I'll be coming back more! read more