I started to come to the original Pete's coffee shop in Walnut Square. I was a freshman at UC Berkeley. I have been coming to this Peet's coffee store since 2002. I would say this is my second favorite location. The store has Great air-conditioning. The staff are very friendly. The noise level is very low so that you can relax and be alone or converse with friends. And this store is located In the center of Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. It has the charm of Piedmont with the reality of Oakland. I like it a lot. It is user-friendly for seniors,adults,adolescents and children. At anytime of the day you can see at least two or three generations of local people having a coffee break. This store has all the good traditions from the original Peet' store. read more

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The wait was 25 minutes this morning. at 9 a.m. People were walking out muttering, even giving up on mobile orders. The staff was laughing, talking among themselves, and excessively chatting with customers despite the lines and waits. Do they simply not care that people have to go to work? Why are they so disrespectful of people's time? It could be great if Peets could put a solid manager in this high-volume location that could have the staff keep up with the workflow. read more

I used to live coming here until I asked for a small dry cap and the light skinned person of color with the snarky attitude made it. I asked him to remake it because what he was giving me was a latte with foam. Of course it was my fault and he treated me like it was. I wished I had gone to the Peets on Lakeshore where they know how to make a dry cap without hatred running through their veins and a snarky attitude read more

I have been to this Peet's several times over the years as it is close to Oakland Kaiser. On the day of Toni's knee replacement surgery, I walked over from the waiting room and got a latte for both myself and my Dad and a cup of decaf for Toni's BFF, Nina who was waiting with us. Service was friendly and efficient and it was the perfect pick-me-up from an afternoon of waiting. The only thing I will say is it is a bit of a trek with more than 1 drink in hand and stupid me forgot the drink carrier! read more

I enjoy Peet's Coffee and Tea but I do not enjoy this particular store on Piedmont anymore. A few weeks ago, I was up way earlier than normal and we had no coffee in the house. I offered to my boyfriend that I'd run out and get some coffee. Usually, I'll go to Peet's on Shellmound where they are extremely friendly and helpful but I chose the Piedmont store that day because I wanted to also get breakfast bagels at Posh Bagel's across the street. So, I go in Peet's, not a huge a line just the baristas filling orders and making coffee. One tells me that someone will be right with me as I waited patiently in the line for whole beans. That was not a problem. When the helper came by, I told him that I wanted two 1lb. bags of Major D, one whole beans and the other grounded. He also asked me if I wanted a cup of coffee, as Peet's offers a free complimentary cup of coffee with a purchase of a 1lb. bag. I said sure and asked if I could have 2 cups of coffee since I was buying two bags of coffee. (Thought it would save me and the bf some time having made coffee.) The helper said no. I thought you get a free coffee with a lb. of coffee and he confirmed that but I just couldn't have two. I said that I can buy them separately then and he said that I wasn't really suppose to do that. I wasn't really trying to argue plus I saw he had a name tag that said he was in training but I just thought that was so lame. I didn't feel like digging in my wallet for the free card I had from my last visit at the Shellmound store so I said, alright I'll get a free coffee and also order a vanilla latte. He asked me how I drank my coffee for the the one bag I needed grounded and I wasn't quite sure since I was buying it for a friend. I told him that and said to just leave it whole and I'll grind it for her if she doesn't have a grinder. Still annoyed by this kid's attitude but keeping cool, he proceeds to tell me that I should really know how I like my coffee before I come in. I'm thinking, "Are you really still talking to me?" He tells me that he will ring me over at the register so I walk over there and he rings me up for the 2 bags of coffee and the vanilla latte. He then turns around and gets my free coffee but places it at the next register. Then he returns my way and looks past me to the customer behind me and asks he could help him. I'm puzzled and I'm still standing there and he looks at me and says, "Oh, do you want a bag?" And I say, "Yes, please." He puts the coffee in a bag and pushed it towards me. I ask him if I can have a receipt. He asks, "You want a receipt?" I tell him yes. (Mainly because I used my debit card and he didn't ask me to sign anything or to punch in any numbers so I just wasn't even sure if the transaction was complete.) He tells the other two working that I need a receipt. I'm asked to move to the next register over. This helper is going through the receipts trying to find mine. She asks, "What'd you order?" I tell her and apologize that I just want my receipt because I don't know if the transaction is complete and she answers, "Yeah that register doesn't print receipts." The next barista over calls out my name because my drink is ready, and I say, just a minute. Call me old fashion, but what happened to saying things like, "Excuse me ma'am, " "I'm sorry" or "Please" and "Thank you" to customers? How about even a smile? These three people looked so unhappy working there. Even if it's early and you hate your job, quit and work somewhere else that will make you happier. The helper finally finds my receipt and asks me to sign it. I do that and I hear my name yelled out again. I walk over to get my drink and I swear to myself, this Peet sucks and I never want to come back to it! I've had several friends in the past work at this store who were great and I've worked on this street for many years in the past and have always came to this branch but they've got it stocked with some mean people who need to learn how to represent the company better. yeah, I was pissed at the answer and attitude I received about not getting a little cup of free coffee but I was more pissed of having to start my early morning off with some bad customer service. I wrote this review today because I went into the Shellmound store and ordered a lb. of coffee. They must have an awesome manager because the staff there is so friendly and helpful every time. I didn't get the free coffee today but they offered a complimentary card for next time on their own and they even ask if you'd like a receipt. When you say yes, they don't give you any attitude. I will not go to Peet's on Piedmont anymore. My 3rd time in a row of bad customer service I don't think was an off day I think it's poor staff training and low employee morale. read more

The first time I ever tried Peets Coffee was at this location. I was so green back then... fresh off the boat from Orange County and so accustomed to Starbucks. Peet kicked my ass. The coffee was like truck-driver strong and it went through me like liquid draino. I think my intestines melted, but have since healed. Peet's...strong enough for a man, not made for this woman. read more

The coffee is good, but this coffee shop is kind of slow, at least compared with the Peets' on Spear Street in SF. I would boost my rating from 3 to 5 stars if they speed up service and if they start offering light roast. read more

I rarely cheat on Gaylord's but I was here today, just enjoying a hot cup of coffee, friendly barista service, free wi-fi and a great view of Piedmont Ave. read more

I am huge fan of Peets, but I'll never go back to this one. Not only do they not have a bathroom that customers paying $4 for coffee can use, but the employee was quite rude to me when she told me I had to go the street to the grocery store to use the restaurant. Hey, folks I can use the restroom at any Starbucks, even without buying coffee! read more

Starbucks is for nancys (nancies?), Peet's puts hair on your chest / or makes your boobs bigger--which every is better for you, you choose. Five rules to drinking peet's coffee... :P 1. Drink it before 2pm. 2. Don't Drink peet's and drive--road rage. 3. Don't Drink it before class and or work otherwise your professor/employer might report you to a guidance counselor regarding your likely meth addiction 4. Don't pretend like you actually car about the long line. You are jonezing--you don't care...You'll wait out in the rain, sleep in the streets, blow jobs in the park...whatever! I, I mean, you'll get your fix at any costs! 5. Be kind to the coffee people in house...they deal with us coffee crackheads everyday. (...and "no" I don't work at Peet's) Peet's is great. Starbucks tastes like hot water. read more

I like this Peets for several reasons. It has a convenient Piedmont Street location and I sometimes like to sit at the window and watch the world go by while my son is at the nearby card store. Service has always been friendly and Inner East Bay Barista knowledgeable, and the separate bean line has rarely kept me waiting. read more

On Pied Ave, you have a lot of options -- Cafe Trieste, Gaylords, Starbucks and Peets. Peet's is a great cafe. The space is clean and orderly. Seating is a little limited so be prepared to hover around if you come later in the day. Staff is friendly. I can't really compare the different ones in terms of coffee -- each person has different tastes. My suggestion is to try them all. read more

Every weekend morning I splurge and get a pastry along with my morning latte. They were out of my favorite yesterday - a chocolate croissant - so this morning I was eager to get there early. I threw on my flips flops (no time to change out of pajamas) and stumbled down the hill towards the glorious Peet's. I walk up to the counter only to find out that they had sold out of chocolate croissants again. I must have looked really heart broken because the guy working gave me my latte for free. And I settled for a regular croissant. I love Peet's and the liquid crack they serve that passes for coffee. Nothing else comes close to delivering such an efficient pick-me-up. read more

I used to love this Peet's but lately the customer service has been disimal: From the cashiers chatting up despite the long lines to the only cashier behind the counter mysteriously disappearing. I miss the old crew. read more

One of their barristas knows what she's doing. The rest constantly burn the fucking espresso and then cover it in overheated milk. Hey Peets I have an idea. How about you stop raising your prices, not remodel every location so that it looks like a god damn Azerbaijani bazaar, and actually deliver a thoughtfully made espresso drink every once in a while. No, you'd rather keep your stores stupid and use them solely as advertising for your wholesale beans distribution business, which accounts for 80% of your revenue. Fuck I hate stupid corporations. read more

I heart Peet's and this store is very convenient for me to go to. I sometimes "forget" to brew coffee at home, just so I can get a cup of liquid crack to start the day. There's a few other coffee spots on the block but what can I say...I'm a peetnik!! BTW, if you prefer Starbucks over Peet's, we are no longer friends. Kaiser Hospital is close by so you'll see lots of people in line wearing their ID badges, myself being one of them. With that said, this place gets pretty crowded at times and the line is practically out the door. Mind you, this is a small Peet's with limited amount of seating and no bathrooms. Hmmm, maybe that's there way of saying "get your sh*t and gooooo"! The baristas are always pleasant and very quick. The cream and sugar area can get messy at times and they tend to run out of cream/milk quick but that's because they're behind the counter cranking out all the orders. However, once it's brought to their attention, they're on it. This one isn't a good hang out spot since it's so small. It's OK though, Piedmont Avenue has some cute stores so get your coffee and take a stroll to check them out. read more

It's hard to know how to rate Peet's: based on nostalgia and heavenly roasty aroma alone, I would give them 5 stars; based on the heart palpitations caused by even a half of a small coffee, the preposterous notion that lavender oil sprayed on black tea makes something that should be called Earl Grey, and the crazy lack of seating, I'd give them a 3; so let's take the average and go for a 4. Peet's isn't what it used to be in the pre-chain days (god that makes me sound old), but they have such amazingly fragrant and delicious coffee that it's hard to pass up, even if I feel like I'm dying from caffeine poisoning every time I drink their coffee. How people drink the jumbo coffees from Peet's without bursting into flames or making everyone they work with suspect that they have an expensive coke habit is beyond me. For purely sentimental semi-Proustian reasons, I also appreciate that Peet's introduced me the wondrous buttery world of the madeleine when I was very young. Even today I can't resist a madeleine with my coffee when I give in to the Peet's temptation. read more

My closest Peets. Good service, even when the line gets large, they crank through it. People are nice and the latte is always right. It's small and crowded, but there are great neighborhood spots to stroll to including a magazine shop around the corner, Pioneer bikes down the street, the Glen creek park, etc. read more

So I used to love this Peet's. Great location, spacious, and one of the original stores in the company. And it didn't hurt that the staff used to be totally friendly, super knowledgeable and fast, and yeah...super hot. Used to be. Today I went in to buy coffee beans. There was one boy working behind the bean counter with three customers in line. And there were one two three four five six! workers at the bar, helping NO customers. Yeah, some of them were busy flipping coffee urns, restocking cups, restocking the pastry case. But come on. Seriously? Six baristas and one bean counter person? Come on over and help a bean customer out! Sheesh. But the kicker is that, after waiting some ten minutes for the bean counter dude to get to me in line, I placed my order aaaaand they were out of coffee bags behind the counter. So counter dude goes to the back room to dig for more. He comes out with a whole box full of them, and before filling my single pound bag of coffee, he starts restocking them all! Seriously? Can't that wait until the only customer in the store has her coffee??? So I waited. And waited. And waited. I started looking around. Seven employees laughing it up. One customer. The pastry case was dirty. This beautiful wooden coffee display get up thing had only one Major D bag in it, instead of the 12 or so it can hold. The floor was dirty. Newspapers everywhere. Dirty condiment island with empty milk canisters. The decaf urn had expired. I thought, man, the manager must have the day off today or something. What happened to this place? And the worst part is that none of the workers were even cute. What the hell. No eye candy even. Oh well, at least at the end of the day I got my pound of great coffee to last me a week or two at home. And that's basically what Peet's is all about, anyway: The best coffee in the Bay Area hands down. But make it great yourself...at home. read more

I normally try to seek out local coffee shops but I wanted to use up some Peet's gift cards. It was such a pleasant place to grab a cup of coffee. What made it so nice was the kind, helpful people that took my order and made my coffee. They seemed to really care about their customers experience. Thanks you! read more

Hm, well.... Went to another Peet's with my laptop today. It turns out it only gave one hour free as well. SO, I must update this because the cafe/location itself doesn't deserve two stars, Peet's deserves two. ESPECIALLY now that Starbucks (oh em gee, I said it) offers a form of free wifi. The onlyonly thing Peet's has over Starbucks (for me) is the Jasmine Lime Tea Cooler, otherwise I want Starbucks (latte, mocha, etc.). read more

I hate to be critical but I often wonder why almost everyone working looks tired, cranky or zoned out when they are in the smack dab in the middle of Piedmont Ave. It's hard to feel happy about picking up coffee or hot chocolate when the barista churns out drinks as if s/he were a robot. No smile, no eye contact. There's a sense that you are not important enough to some of the people who work here to be properly acknowledged. Certainly, not everyone behaves this way. However, my experience is based on several visits over the past year. read more

Good coffee when I need it. Walking distance from work. Really, really friendly staff. One of them gave me a hug on a day when it looked like I needed it. Another one walked me through different kinds of coffee based on my preferences and sold me the basics (grinder, french press, and 1/4 pound portions of several coffees). The other nice thing is that there is seating. Not a ton. But just enough. And the seats aren't all torn up like at Gaylord's. Per usual, the line is pretty long, but there's always plenty to keep me entertained while I'm waiting. read more

20 minutes for two cold brews and a latte. This is not what excellence in coffee looks like.

Peets Coffee is well established as quality coffee, so this review is not about the goods. What will make or break any institution like this are the people you interact with and the service you get. The people at this shop are almost all really nice. Most of the people I see in there from day to day say hello and recognize me and are genuinely friendly. The only person I have had any problems with is the angry lesbian. I don't know what her problem is but one day she flat out ignored me when I was in with my girlfriend. She helped my girlfriend who I was standing at the counter with, and tried to wrap up the transaction without even looking at me or asking if there was anything else for the order. There are other instances with this person, not worth detailing, but its enough in my mind that the above was not an isolated instance. The salty lesbian is the only reason this really nice shop looses one star. Otherwise, great shop! read more

More than one star only because there are some nice staff there that try their best. This used to be a reliable source for a good cup of joe. Now it's become coffee roulette: wait in line, get to register, find out they don't have the blend you're after brewed, despite the big hang-tags displayed prominently on the urns. Four days in a row they've been out of the advertised blend. How hard can it be for five or so people working a not particularly busy location to keep the house urns full of coffee? Maybe I'm just old fashioned in expecting a coffee shop to have coffee... read more

I worked here for awhile. I can attest to the fact that we were a lovely crew. Very friendly, looking out for you...the customer...all that jazz. I should warn you however, you order anything soy or eggnog and ask for special modifications on that already incredibly annoying order? We will hate you. And some were known to spit into those drinks. Just thought I should speak out about that. But I love this place! Excellent latte's. Good brewed coffee, excellent service. Clean too. read more

I love Peet's, so let me explain the rating. There are a bunch of other coffee shops in this area, but I got to Peet's first because I know their coffee/espresso is the shiz, and will turn my ADHD butt into a studying machine. HOWEVER, I am gravely disappointed at the lack of table space at this place. It seems to be a local favorite, but its more of a get in and get out store. They don't let customers use the restroom and dangnabbit, I need to pee after I've had my Peet's! Despite all that, I am still coming back, crappy study place and all because of a thing called addiction. It's a disease... okay, it's not, but it keeps me coming back for more. =/ read more

You don't have to write a review about Peet's coffee (most excellent!), I won't even go near a Starfucks anymore. You can however write a review about an individual location. This one's my fave, 'cos it's walkable from home, they remember my real AND fake names (major points for that), and the staff is great. As opposed to the one across the street from my office that is staffed with glassy-eyed hippies that can never even look at my face to offer a smile of recognition. I digress... There does seem to be an issue of where exactly to stand while you wait for your coffee. I always seem to be in someone's way. read more

Ugh, the drip coffee here is the worst I've ever had in a Peet's. I've been coming here for years and it's good about 10% of the time. Unfortunately, there's no better alternative on Piedmont ave. Buy the beans and brew at home if you can. General note to Peet's: yes coffee snobs like strong coffee. But if you must empty out a quarter of the cup and fill it with half and half to change the color, it's too strong. read more

The inside windows are dripping with condensation. No one did anything to resolve the problem Coffee was lukewarm and cashier not friendly. Won't be back to this location again. . Too many other peets locations that are far superior Piedmont ave oakland location read more

Quick service and nice staff - they manage to move the line with ease and make the coffee experience pleasant. I always go for the green tea latte (sugar-free). It gives me my morning kick without all the sugar. NOW, I have to do the inevitable comparison - the sugarless version from Starbucks continues to be a bit sweeter (but don't get me wrong, it's good there, too), but if you want a pure green tea version, this might work a bit more in your favor. It gets crazy crowded in here... practically any time of the day so I end up fighting for a seat most of the days... if you can get a window seat, you're super lucky. read more

I go to this Peet's before every tennis match on Sundays. The staff here is very efficient, and Peet's is so popular, you'll usually have a 1-5 minute, and will have time to run across the steet for a bagel. Parking can be tricky around Piedmont Ave and I hate to say it, but I do park at the Piedmont Grocery lot. read more

The barista's at Peets are pros - for the most part and I love Peet's coffee in general. Friends just don't let friends drink Fourbucks. read more

Tea is expensive. $2.07 for a small 12 oz. It's just water and a tea bag which probably costs $0.05. And it wasn't even good. AND! They don't have a bathroom! What? I had to go to the grocery store down the street. That's a terrible strategy for a coffee shop. Don't they know that caffeine is a diuretic? Alright, gotta bump it up one star because the workers were relatively nice. read more

One of the worse coffee joint on the Avenue. With all the selections n variety of cafe in the area, this should be the last place to come for coffee. Matter fact, the only reason why I came here is because someone paid me to..( in the form of a giftcard). I visited here recently and ordered two drinks for myself and my collague.The first impression was how dirty n unkept this store is. Given that it was morning, maybe the high volume of customers ravaged through faster than it can be cleaned. So I let it slided. But after standing there for what must of been 10 mins and only one individual ahead of me, I realized that the cashier was not even at the register.. While there were 6-7 other patrons behind me. I was not very happy by this point. Finally I got to place my order. It took another 12mins for them to make my drinks and both of my drinks were easy to make drinks right on their menu (a mocha n a latte). When they finally handed me my drink, I was done eating a pastry that I had ordered. I hate to sound like I complaint a lot, but it was very annoying when they handed me my drinks with out the lids on. I know what you might be thinking.. U need to add sugar, milk n etc. Well if that was the case, why was there no head left on the cups? I ordered both drinks flat!! I asked the barista for a carrying tray n she just pointed n left. Overall, the taste of their coffee are overrated and the service is second rated. Like Their coffee left me with nothing but a bitter taste. I will not come here ever again. read more

I was just in here with my parents when a man stole the tip jar and made his way to the door. A barista with dark chin length hair and amazing eyebrows caught up to him and said something along the lines of "Sir I need that back." Then they retrieved the tip jar. My entire family was impressed with the way that the barista handled the situation. As a former Peets employee I can say that even noticing that someone has stolen the Jar when there were only two people behind the counter, every seat was taken and three people in line was commendable. 5 stars!! read more

I like Peets the best of all the coffee chains. a) it is local b) they hire fun interesting people c) coffee the way it was meant to be and not watered down muck designed not to offend people in Kansas The Peets on Piedmont is my favorite in the chain, yes it gets crazy busy, but the staff is fast, friendly and funky, just the way I like it. read more

I have a fairly moderate opinion of this shop. There coffee is good and they aren't as creepy as the some of the other chains. I haven't asked much of them and they haven't disappointed. Basically, they have a good cup of coffee and the neighborhood is nice for a walk (which is essential because there's really not that much seating inside) read more

i feel like they are part of my family after 20+ years. They hire people who seem to really care about coffee. They are willing to share their opinions and are often correct in their recommendations. What I find truly remarkable is that they almost always remain patient. They are happy to make your order anyway you want. Always kind and respectful. I wish the world behaved like that. Kindness does matter. I get whole beans and grind my own. In the morning my wonderful dog goes out in the backyard and returns to fresh water and his morning food. And then, and only then, do I get to drink my coffee. And so it is, Amen read more