JDR!!! Funny and always ready to make my special order. The coffee is always perfect and worth the wait/price.

Love the playful vibe of this place. Colors remind me of a playground, although there aren't any kid friendly drinks here. Whole place is made out of shipping containers placed next to each other. It has some interesting sounding drinks, like Cardamom Latte, Matcha Maple Latte, Volcano Latte, Shakerato, and Cascara Punch. I tried the Shakerato, which is an iced drink made with three shots of espresso, little bit of brown sugar, and orange zest/juice. I really liked this drink. Very strong and refreshing. Espresso and orange flavors went well together. Their regular filtered coffee, on the other hand, was disappointing. It tasted watered down, and rather expensive at $3. Baristas were friendly and helpful. I will come back and try some of their other unique drinks next time. Parking can be a challenge unless you come here early. It's mostly street parking which can fill up very quickly. There is a public parking structure about a block south of here. read more

Possibly the best coffee I've ever had! The theming and colors are so sweet, and the building feels like something out of a cool abstract art exhibit. The breakfast croissant? A life-changing experience. Sure, it's a bit pricey, my wallet is still giving me side-eye, but totally worth it. That said, a little background music wouldn't hurt, it was so quiet I couldn't even drown out the voices in my head. read more

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I've come here weekly since my last review, and all I can say is wow this place is somehow doing even better after becoming more busy and popular. The level of devotion to high quality extraction is off the charts. And yet they have something to offer to every single type of coffee drinker. While I'm not a huge fan of sweet drinks, Play has a great offering in that dept, including their Volcano, Lavender, Shaken Maple, and Eiffel Lattes. I can GUARANTEE however that their hot chocolate is such a delight. Personally, Play Coffee has single-handedly turned me into a coffee and matcha fan (okay... snob). About a year ago, my virgin lips had never tasted a pourover. After extremely helpful advice and patience from the owner and the other baristas, I'm now brewing on an April (as per their rec), making my own water, and making some of the non-coffee drinks like the La Cabra hot chocolate and Tea Dealers matcha. Even after all this, I still end up coming here weekly just to enjoy the wonderful vibes (+ downtown Fullerton, or Orange, is really fun to explore)! Side note, you can request their matcha in any form you'd like (latte, neat, iced, etc) The location itself is really unique. To me, it feels like 3 different cafes in one: 1) there's a normal room with tables that is great for bigger groups or more quiet study (not to mention great temperature control). Depending on where you enter from, it's either in the way front or way back. 2) the middle container house has the bathrooms as well as small desks with great windows. Really aesthetically pleasing and calming. 3) the actual place of business/where orders are taken. Parking is always available since there are so many options. Opt out of street parking (don't fall for google maps) and instead head to the parking for the train nearby. Always guaranteed parking. If you want to walk .1 mile less though, there's a little parking lot right behind Play, in front of the train station parking. read more

PLAY Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Fullerton, California

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Love their cardamom latte and the service is always super friendly. Great location & cute ambiance.

PLAY Coffee is phenomenal! If you're a coffee lover, coffee snob, or someone that loves to try coffee that is carefully & thoughtfully crafted -- this is the place for you! My husband & I were visiting the area and in search of a unique coffee shop to work at for a bit. We came across Play Coffee and it was a delightful discovery. The ambiance is fantastic! It is minimal, clean, yet has the touch of fun colors of blue and orange. There is a lovely mixture of indoor and outdoor seating for working, studying, or catching up with family & friends. One of the interior spaces is a shipping container! Top tier service! Tafari was incredibly knowledge and patient as he shared all the unique coffee -- from the origin, roasters in Europe (including an award winning one), and tasting notes. We had tons of questions and he took time to answer all of them. Thank you for the wonderful & kind service, Tafari! I tried the espresso tonic and loved it. They also have various kinds of ceremonial grade matcha! Definitely going to try one of them next time. Overall, if you love trying new coffee shops -- I highly recommend trying Play Coffee! read more

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I've had them bookmarked for a longest time, but never had a chance to make it over since it's a bit too far just for a cup of coffee. I finally got a chance, and super glad I did! Parking is a little tricky, but there is plenty of free parking in the structure which I was able to get. Once you find your spot, walk over near the shipping containers next to Callahan's Pub. There is a front and back, not sure what the difference is but I just went into one without a wait. The menu is kind of nonexistent, but when I walked up, I thought I would try the Volcanic Latte. I really appreciate that they don't upcharge for oat milk, since their drinks are somewhat costly already. I will want to try their other drinks in the future, but with them opening a new location in Orange, I probably won't be visiting this location anymore! read more

It is a bit of driving for me but I am glad I found this place. Nothing else is attractive in its surrounded area, except I enjoyed the view of a paint store across and was unwillingly tapping my foot to the music from the neighboring restaurant(or bar)...(hopefully Play coffee and the neighbor restaurant agree to take turns on playing music, I personally thought Maroon 5 or kpop suits better with Play coffee, ^^;;) It is a nice cute hidden place for coffee and a notebook. I was able to find street parking easily all around blocks. I think after dark, with their lights on would make the place cozier backyard feeling. Oh, they sell Kouign-amann!! Yum. Well ventilated, enough unisex bathrooms, and uniquely tasty coffee. I look forward to see more fun neighboring shops keep opening. read more

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Staff is always warm and welcoming, and the atmosphere always feel fresh. I love walking into this shop. There is always a variety of coffee on display, and some interesting merchandise. Staff is always welcoming and friendly, and have good taste in coffee. It's hard to express how I feel when I come here into words. All I can say is: "you have to come and experience it yourself". read more

I love that this coffee shop is really three separate, small buildings. It makes it so convenient for both people who want a quiet study place and those looking to meet up with a friend, plus they have an abundance of outdoor seating. As for the coffee, my go to when trying new places is always a cortado because you can tell a lot from the quality of the espresso to whether it was dialed in. It was slightly under-extracted, but was using high quality beans which made it still a good cup of coffee. I also came on a rainy day which can change the calibration of the espresso to not be dialed in. Also, I LOVE how many pastries they have. I got one and the barista said she didn't know what it was called (which okay, that's a bit odd) and it was this beautiful bread infused with spices and small bits of candied orange zest. I'm literally drooling thinking about it now I was a barista for years and still have a home coffee set up so I have high standards when it comes to coffee and I love this place! It's pending my top tier list if the espresso is perfectly dialed in next time read more

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Play has always held a special spot in my heart over the years. From the coffee to the pastries that are so delicious. To the service provided and the aesthetic of the shop. It's wonderful. I can back for another visit, and was greeted by the best baristas!! Victoria and JDR are so fun and kind. JDR always has so much energy and is great to talk too. Victoria is so sweet and creates such an inviting environment. They are awesome!!! I recommend play to anybody. All the barista's are great and the coffee is fire. read more

PLAY Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Fullerton, California

Oh man, the time has come to finally review my favorite coffee shop, Play Coffee. Where to start? So I've tried a lot of coffee shops in SoCal. In my pursuit to find the best coffee shops in the area, I've noticed a trend. For many places I tried, even if I found it nice, I wouldn't find myself particularly itching to go back. Very rarely would I frequent a coffee shop again, favoring to try a new shop or use my home setup instead. But Play Coffee was different. I was blown away my first experience, the quality in the cup, the creativity, and their immense passion for coffee. I have been coming back as a regular countless of times since then! Coffee: the reason I come back. What gets me most excited are their pourovers. They always have a rotating menu of 6 single-origin selections, all sourced from prominent European roasters such as Nomad, La Cabra, Manhattan, Tim Wendelboe, Morgon, etc. My go to (whenever it is available) is a Letty Bermudez iced pourover by Manhattan Coffee Roasters. This stuff is nuts, truly one of the most mind-boggling beans in existence. Their Brew method: April dripper and EK43. Play Coffee does an amazing job bringing out the unique characteristics of this coffee. They seem to use the iced-coffee recipe utilized by April's founder Patrik Rolf, which to my pallet seems to help accentuate the distinct peach-lychee flavor. Seriously, there's really nothing else like it! I've also tried many of their other drinks at this point. I can attest to their specialty drinks, espresso tonics, etc. they are always coming up with crazy new ideas and sourcing from very high quality ingredients. Their newest regular menu item, hot chocolate, is no simple hot chocolate. It is brewed using La Cabra Single Origin chocolate sourced from Thailand and specialty sugar. Incredibly rich and nuanced flavor that I have not experienced from a hot chocolate before. A brief testament to their brewing expertise: I have tried making Letty Bermudez filter brews at home, but cannot come close to bringing out the prominence of peachy notes that Play has mastered in their brew. In fact, I became so exasperated by the difference in cup that I ended up buying new burrs for my grinder lol! Location and parking: excellent. There is free parking located at the nearby train station (google maps Fullerton Station Parking), which has plenty of spots and is free during business hours. Plus, it's only a minute walk from Play Coffee. The location itself is unique; it is split into 3 separate buildings/shipping containers, one of which serves as the coffee shop and the other two as separate seating areas. There is also outdoor seating situated in between each section. Overall, it offers a fun, relaxed atmosphere, but I realize it may not be everyone's cup of tea. That being said, this is one of the few coffee shops I do sit down and work for extended periods of time. Anyways this review is getting way too long. Who reads these anyways? Thanks for indulging me if you got this far lol! Overall: This is by far my favorite coffee shop in Southern California, and the one that I frequently recommend to all my friends. They are at the pinnacle of high quality coffee and demonstrate a strong sense of dedication and passion to the art of coffee. Play Coffee is a must try if you are in the area!! Coffee: SSS+ Location: A- Parking: A read more

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Cool little spot. Ordering is in one container and there are three small tables inside another container to sit at. There's also a long bench inside. It can be a little cramped inside if there are a lot of people. There's always the outdoor seating area facing the street. Average latte i would say. They sell beans here too. read more

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FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE COFFEE SHOP FINDS @_tres_mujeres RATING: (Overall 5) * Experience: I decided to take the two Mujeres (Mom & Grandma) on a surprise coffee run. I was driving and I could not find the coffee shop for the life of me! But I did not stop, eventually, we were walking and we saw it. The moment we got there are eyes gravitated towards the blue and orange color. My grandma said the colors brought this place to life. One thing was the customer service it was sort of welcoming, compared to other shops we have been to. But Overall great variety of drinks. As well as a ton of seating! especially the Rail car storage, you can sit inside and ps the restroom is cute too!! *Drinks: () - Iced Volcano Latte - Iced Vanilla Latte - Iced Matcha Latte *Pastries: () - Plain croissant - Apricot Danish read more

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Would you look at their seating space! It's as if they enjoy people hanging out here (they do). The cafe provides indoor seating and outdoor seating, and has a great environment to study in. I ordered their iced Matcha Honey Latte and the barista made it with the perfect sweetness level. It was a refreshing drink for my stroll around Old Town. I'm excited to try out more drinks! read more

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Play Coffee is a fun concept in Fullerton. It was a little disorienting trying to find it from the street, and trying to find the counter to order. It's tucked away behind some buildings, there will be signs that can help you when you're walking to find it. The interior was a spacious container/trailer. My qualms with this establishment start with the service. While we were deciding on what to order, there was one barista that wouldn't stop tapping her nails and look annoyingly at us. Just not really a friendly environment. Coffee was mid. lacking flavor and depth. read more

I've been on a quest to find the legit third wave coffee shops in the OC. I've wandered throughout South OC (which is a tough market to find quality brews). North OC is certainly more promising and this place is evidence of that. The store is very cute with its design. Parking is easy behind the shop or in the train garages. They carry difficult to find in the OC beans like Nomad and La Cabrea. I spoke to the baristas and owner who were all incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. I judge my cafes based on initial conversations with the baristas; these guys know their stuff. I got the pricey Eiffel 65 latte. It was a bit odd; it tasted like a sweet latte so I didn't understand why blue algae was added. I do want to come back when I go on the 5 to try more drinks. I'm all for these small independent cafes that make OC a vibrant small business community. It's not easy to find hipster shops like in NE LA, so you really got to work to find the gems in the OC. read more

I had this place bookmarked for a while and finally had time to give it a try. As most have said, parking is tricky. Came on a Sunday and street parking was non existent. We ended up parking in the structure and it's free on Sunday's for 3 hours. Be careful though because cars do get broken in to. The entrance, design and aesthetic was nice! The baristas were kind. We both ordered the spinach feta turnover (mid tbh) and maple matcha latte. I was really disappointed with the matcha. It tasted watery and clumpy. You can see the clumps in the pics. Maybe they're better known for their coffee? We hung out in the room right next to where you order. I'm not sure if it's because the door was open or because of the plants, but we were swatting away little flies the whole time read more

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I was incredibly rude & came in to order a drink past 8:50 (they close at 9). The barista was super nice & said it was not a problem at all! The service was super fast & I just needed to try a cardamom latte since I recently made my own cardamom syrup at home & wanted to compare. It was delicious (-: PLAY has a really cool space too. They have merchandise & a bunch of coffee accessories & brewing methods for sale as well. I almost bought an aeropress here. Also, they have two bathrooms across the entrance door & a cute private study area. Lastly, their logo & their cups are so cute. I kept mine idk the color & design is just so good lol. read more

Rhyme Review, First Impressions Parking structure, maybe near Street parking, have no fear Enter, menu in clear view, order up Questions answered, cool blue maze cup Plenty of open space to sip and sit Background music, chill or work, vibes legit Single, pair, group Website, social media loop Cappuccino with almond milk, hot Other drinks, volcano... sweet... seemingly liked a lot Dark chocolate, baked good, beans for sale If on your list, go, don't bail Walk around, guess you could Get familiar with area, maybe one should Have a great day And remember to play xoxo -Op read more

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Delicious coffee + quiet working space?! I'm there ‍ I'm usually a matcha girlie but PLAY Coffee's volcano latte is my go-to whenever I come here to work. Service is 10/10! The employees are so quick with the drinks and my lattes taste the same every time I come here regardless of who makes them. : Right behind the cafe, not so much. Plenty in the nearby lots and parking structure though : It seems limited but it's because the seating areas are broken up into 4 sections (2 outdoor, 2 indoor) : $7, Volcano Latte read more

I had NO idea this place even existed but so glad I finally know!! The design is so fun, made from freight trains, the cafe uses 1 train for the order and another next to it with some seating. But love the glass walls and simplicity and "green" way it upcycles! Anyways onto the drink, I got the volcano latte to try. Barista said it has a smoky flavor and something about the sugar...if I had a really refined palate maybe I could taste the smokiness better but to be honest it just tasted like a good latte to me. Next time would love to try the shakeroto (3 shots of espresso and sugar mixed together like a martini) or cascara punch (more tea like)! read more

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Monday Jan 20 at 9:20am. So you can check who was working. Came to Play to give it a second chance. The too-cool-for-school barista was so busy talking with her friend that orders were delayed. Then when I got mine, it was wrong. Seriously. There are so many other options for coffee and tea in Fullerton, I don't recommend this place unless you're one of their friends. Also it's pretty much outdoor seating and weak WiFi. read more

Super cute location! We both got a hot matcha maple latte bc it was cold outside and it was really strong and good. I need to try their ice matcha next time. read more

Very unique indoor workspace and outdoor seating for studying or small get-togethers. Love that Venmo & Paypal are payment options and that they offer oat milk free of charge upon request! Something I wish they offered: - More descriptions for the drinks displayed out on the menu board (ie: ingredients, flavor profile, etc.) so I don't need to keep asking the baristas about certain drinks (even though I know they're there to help but it would be a nice option in case they were busy or I didn't want to hold up the line). Baristas have been friendly both times I've been here and always answer my questions though! Jasmine Tea Latte (0/5): Didn't want to be overly caffeinated in the middle of the afternoon so I saw they had a selection of teas (available iced, hot, or into a latte). The drink was incredibly bland and the oat milk taste completely took away the flavor of the tea. I know that green teas tend to be more milder in taste but I wish that I was warned that the milk would over power the tea flavor. Drinks are a bit more on the expensive side ($6-7 not including tip) so for the teas I would pass on it as it felt like I just spent $6 on a cup of oat milk. Sweetness was at a nice level but really sad by the drink quality. I I wish I had known they offered to fix drinks but unfortunately I was on a time crunch so I didn't have the chance to try the drink until after I left. Vanilla Latte (4/5): Strong coffee flavor with their house made vanilla syrup. Nice medium roast balanced with the sweetener. Enjoyed this latte the first time I came to Play Coffee and will probably try more of their coffee menu items if I return! read more

PLAY Coffee - Jasmine Tea Latte w/ Oat Milk (Very milky, faint tea flavor not reminiscent of Jasmine) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Fullerton, California

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The coffee was awesome! The volcano and chai latte are the best on the menu. Also their select drip coffee and coffee espresso are awesome!

#81 in my Coffeeshop Chronicles. I loved the creative concept behind Play Coffee. The shop design is incredibly fun, with the bright orange and blue color scheme and the shipping container that's been incorporated into the store layout. There's actually seating inside the shipping container portion of the store, and outdoor seating in a back patio behind the cargo container. The menu is limited but includes some interesting options including the Volcano latte - they add a smoky salt to the latte to give it that "volcanic" flavor. It wasn't my favorite (I felt like the espresso was weak) but I did like how the smokiness flavoring was subtle yet still noticeably present. I also ordered the Matcha maple, which was sadly mediocre; I've definitely had better matcha lattes elsewhere. Anyways, points to Play Coffee for the fun design but the drinks could have been better. read more

PLAY Coffee - Matcha maple latte & Volcano latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Fullerton, California

Go to coffee spot in downtown Fullerton. Great cardamom flat white with outdoor seating

Cute, unique branding and aesthetic, great coffee, and the friendliest service. PLAY is serious about coffee, which I love as a coffee enthusiast. Lots of signature drinks and unique offerings, will be back to try more. read more

Play Coffee is a true gem! The coffee here is exceptional--I always get their Shaken Maple Latte, which has got to be one of my all-time favorite drinks from any coffee shop (and I drink a lot of coffee). The baristas are friendly and knowledgeable, making great recommendations and have a great insight on their drinks/menu. The Fullerton location is also quite unique--it is in shipping containers! Also, I appreciate the staff at this specific location, they go above and beyond for customer service experience and it is greatly appreciated! Such a good, fun, unique coffee shop. Definitely a must-visit for coffee lovers! read more

Love their vibe and this space is cute. I feel like it was pretty cold when I visited, but pretty sure it'll be so nice during spring/summer/ fall times. Coffee: it's little pricey and it was too sweet for me. I would get just a normal americano next time. Space: pretty spacious overall. I saw people study there with their laptops. Parking: street parking - no separate parking space read more

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Came here after church with the youth and they loved the experience. JDR and Yuli took really good care of us! PLAY IS THE BEST read more

It was raining cats and dogs and I just really wanted to find shelter from the rain and managed to find this lovely little coffee shop as the roads flooded and I watched Noah's Ark just miss the glass window outside. That being said I couldn't find parking for some odd reason (why are people out in this weather in the first place?!) and ended up parking off a side street and walking half a mile to this location cus I didn't know where I was allowed to park and LA has traumatized me to the point of paranoia. The space is really really unique, no music but separated into 3 rooms: the back room has the coffee bar, and the forward two rooms are areas you can relax and drink you caffeine in. One of the rooms is a remodeled shipping container and that made me feel bougie and ghetto at the same time. The coffee was delightful and the ambiance was tolerable. I couldn't find the bathroom but it was still a nice place to chill at and stare at my terrible mess of hair after being sloshed by California's torrential weather tantrum. read more

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This is easily one of the best coffee shops in North OC. I've talked to the owner multiple times about coffee and he's taught me a few things about making pour overs and even shared his recipe. He's offered to give me filtered water whenever I need it too. Super cool generous guy. The espresso tonic is amazing. That orange does wonders. It ruined espresso tonics pretty much anywhere else. If you care about coffee, I would definitely go here. Unfortunately, it does matter who makes your drinks... read more

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This spot is so small but so packed with a lot of good - I enjoyed their vanilla latte, they have a pretty simple menu. It was a lovely drink, note that it only comes in one small size though. The real perk of this location is the ample outside seating area and they sell a huge array of indoor plants plus coffee beans & more cute knick knacks. Street parking does seem a bit limited. Super cute spot in Fullerton to check out! read more

Parking: Free parking lot in the back of the cafe. Drink: Was craving a matcha drink so I went to the closest place to me after running an errand in Fullerton. PLAY has a pretty nice variety of coffee and tea drinks. I got a matcha americano with their lavender syrup, which is not a pre-made drink combo so I'm happy they were able to add the syrup to my drink. - Matcha Americano w/ Lavender Syrup Ambiance: Probably the most interesting cafe layout I've seen! The whole ordering area and separate seating rooms are made of giant blue and orange shipment crates. Such a cool theme for a small cafe. I would love to visit again to gauge what the studying ambiance is. Service: Easy ordering process since it was very empty in the ordering area. The employees were so kind when I asked questions about their lavender syrup. read more

PLAY Coffee - Matcha Americano w/ Lavender Syrup - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Fullerton, California

Plenty of parking and a nice ambience for this place. Signature coffee was really good and we tried most of them. We'll def. Be back when near the area! read more

PLAY Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Fullerton, California

Stopped in on my last visit to Fullerton the drinks and staff were excellent. I look forward to visiting again soon.

Wait, are you seriously Playing me? What do you mean when you say to meet you in a blue container to have coffee? What kind of logistics joke is this? Can this place seriously contain my coffee addictions? Last time I was in a Container store, I left with silly organizers for every occasion. Ok, enough with these enclosed and rigid jokes. Play Coffee is captained by Leon and his family's visions to build such a space. Cozy and minimalist styles with pops of colors and individuality. I almost see a tribute to '90s pop culture. (Shout out to all the 90's kids out there) Coffee selection: - multi roaster offerings from around the world - trusty ol' faithful LaMarzocco Linea - Mahlkonig grinders - pour overs - French press - Cold brew - aero press - Thai tea(?) ymmv - selection of local pastries Must try: coffee flight when available. Espresso old fashion and single origin espressos. Leon and his team is too notch, hospitable and not your typical hipster-i-dare-you-add-creamer-to-my-coffee type of deal. Place is as neighbor friendly as it gets and a venue of specialty coffee knowledge. Either you want to get a Single Origin Anaerobic Fermented Unicorn Geisha or a sweetened iced latte; they got you covered and would filter any judgments. Place is afloat with chill and oceanic vibes, Wi-Fi is spans across the Pacific and seating is a plenty. I won't at all blame this place for the two or three missing containers that could've been missing from the Long Beach port or blame for any missed Prime deliveries because of it. The place is surely worth a visit. Let's all keep a tight seal before the lines get too long. read more

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Play is our favorite coffee shop for many reasons. Let me give you a few: 1. The coffee: the attention to detail here is incredible. Whether it's carrying/serving beans from around the world, creating original recipes, their proprietary water filtration system or making sure that every customer is happy with their drinks, no one compares to them. We've tried every drink on the menu this far, and a few favorites are the cardamom latte (hot or cold), the shaken maple latte, or the espresso tonic 2. The staff: we were first introduced to play when they were in the building phase. We loved across the street, and happened to stroll through when Leon (the owner) was there. He joyfully invited us in, and told us all about the shop. Since then, every visit to play feels like family. The baristas are kind and take the time to get to know their customers. 3. The "vibe": You can't deny that there was incredible intentionality outside into the design here. The colors, the branding, the tile work, the whole flow... it's really beautiful. If you haven't tried Play, do it. It's a staple of Fullerton and really the greater OC coffee scene. read more

PLAY Coffee - Dog friendly - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Fullerton, California

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