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My daughter took us to her favorite coffee shop in Orange--Play Coffee. Here are some thoughts: -This is the single coolest coffee shop I've ever seen. It's an old bank building--wide open with super high ceilings and cool Roman architecture! -I'm a sweet coffee drinker and I love a good latte. So when I looked at the lattes on the menu--the "volcano" latte caught my eye. -I asked about it and the barista's eyes lit up, "If you like sweet coffee, you'll LOVE the volcano--it's made from brown sugar and sea salt." -I ordered one and the flavor was rich and unusual. The sweet and salty really work together. Surely one of the best lattes I've ever had. Highly recommended!
Parking in the orange circle now costs money ($1.50 per hour). However, the orange circle remains a wonderful location for thrifting, coffee, and hanging out. Play coffee is an iconic coffee shop here that honors the history of the building and offers great coffee flavors. There is a decent amount of indoor seating here, A few different pastry options, ceremonial matcha, and a variety of latte flavors. We ordered an iced chai latte with almond milk and a "sweet latte" (aka a brown sugar latte) - both were well balanced and enjoyable. And the barista that helped us was very friendly, accommodating and patient.
Play Coffee is such an interesting spot - there's a lot to like, but I think it's still a little rough around the edges. Play is located in Old Town Orange off the main circle in this beautiful historic bank. It honestly feels like a pop up within the bank because the rest of the space isn't being used at all, so I really hope that changes and they actually take time to do more with the space because it feels like such a waste and kills the vibe IMO. Staff is all nice, and they move pretty quick considering how busy they tend to be. On the drinks front, I usually get their cardamom latte, which is great, but I've noticed as of late they've been underserving on their drinks which is a bummer (the shrinkflation is real I guess). They also serve some various baked goods which are fine, but not great. Overall, Play has a lot of potential to be great, but they've got a ton of stiff competition in the area. I'd say it's worth a visit, but don't go out of your way for it.
Loved the ambiance of this coffee shop especially for taking over a historic landmark in Old Town Orange. The space is beautiful. The line/wait for the coffee from here is insane. It took us a solid 15 minutes to order and another 10 to get our coffee. I picked up the Volcano Latte. It was fine. It wasn't really a standout to me. I've had better coffee.
Play Coffee knows what they're doing behind the bar ~ and more importantly, they know how to handle alternative milk. Getting oat milk (or any non-dairy) steamed properly is rarer than it should be, but here it comes out perfectly frothy without a hint of that bitter, scorched taste. Huge win. I got the shaken maple latte and honestly? It was a standout drink. Citrusy, smooth, and just the right amount of sweet -- not cloying, not subtle, just balanced. The kind of drink you think about on the drive home. The coffee itself is solid and the craft is clearly there. My only gripe: the prices are a little steep. $8 for a latte adds up fast, especially if you're grabbing drinks for a group. This is firmly a "treat yourself solo" kind of spot rather than a "let me get the whole friend group a round" situation. Go for the experience, enjoy the quality, and maybe leave the group chat at home.
I was in the area and decided to try this spot. I really liked how spacious it is inside; I'm assuming it used to be a bank back in the day. One thing to keep in mind is that parking isn't free, and depending on the time of day, it can be a little challenging to find parking if you're just stopping by for coffee. I tried two different lattes and unfortunately wasn't a fan of either. Yuli, the barista, truly did her best to make it right and was so sweet, which I wholeheartedly appreciated. Her service alone made me want to give this spot a higher rating. That said, the lattes were a 2/5 for me. They tasted too milky, and the coffee had an aftertaste I personally wasn't fond of.
This coffee shop is in a great location and looks promising but I left with much to be desired. I love the access to the Duck's hockey merchandise but the service between the coffee shop to the merch booth is not it. A coffee shop in a sports themed building would be one of the places l'd expect cheerfulness, a warm welcome, or maybe a smile. They're strictly business up in here with very little confidence in their interactions with the customers. The building is spacious but the vibe and set up felt very corporate and uncomfortable to chill or even study in. The coffee wasn't my favorite, after all my complaints I hoped the coffee would be its saving grace but they missed that mark too. I ordered the volcano latte which sounded promising but the end result tasted like salty, creamy, milk with a hint of espresso. Don't think I see myself coming back for the coffee shop.
First time in Orange County Downtown. Pretty cool place. We actually stumbled with this place walking and thought it was super original a Coffee Bar inside an old bank building. Lots of space to sit, love the ambiance feel like you were in an old train station. Service was great, I had questions about some of the coffees and they took their time explaining it to me. For food they only had pastries but for coffee and matcha lots of interesting options. They have beans from various parts of the World, but mainly Norway!!! We got really excited about this. We ordered a Volcano Latte and a regular latte. The Volcano latte had an explosion of flavors topped with a smoked salted foam out of this world. My new favorite. I will keep on coming to try more things while in town.
This coffee shop is located inside an old bank building, giving it a unique and spacious atmosphere. There's plenty of seating and it was quiet, making it a great spot for studying or getting some work done. I also appreciated the availability of outlets throughout the space. I was curious about their Volcano Latte, so I asked the barista about it. He was very knowledgeable and took the time to explain the ingredients in detail. I ended up ordering the Lavender Latte, which I enjoyed, though it was a little sweeter than my personal preference. I liked the Shaken Maple Latte which is what my friend ordered! Their menu features a lot of creative and interesting drinks, and I'm already looking forward to coming back to try more of them!
As many other reviews pointed out, prices are quite steep and many locations can be found with better prices and drinks. Parking here is not free but there's a free parking building 5 minutes down the street. Overall, a really nice study place with cool architecture with free wifi and free outlets. I liked my chai latte, but it did taste a little watered down.
Nice quiet coffee shop in a sea of coffee shops around the circle. Love the space, they've brought in a modern stand within an old bank. Friendly staff, some familiar faces from the old Starbucks that closed end of last year. Good for craft espresso drinks.
What a fun experience, we took pictures on the Ducks cam, purchased some Duck paraphernalia and enjoyed some delicious coffee. The power play creamsicle was surprisingly delicious. The more I sipped the more I enjoyed it. It was a fun family outing.
Finally got to try out Play! There's a location near me in Fullerton, but my friends and I were in the area and they convinced me to go. First off, the interior is gorgeous and I love the history that goes with it. Yes to utilizing spaces! Anyways, I got the maple matcha and it was quite good. It was 7 dollars even with almond milk (but this seems standard now a days tbh) and with tip came out to a little over 8 dollars. Our drinks came out promptly and the vibes seemed chill. I thought my drink was fine--nothing too spectacular or worth me revisiting too much (unless I want to try out their actual coffee, which I think I will at the Fullerton location).
I really dig the vibe of this place! It's taken over an old Wells Fargo bank, so there's still the cool marble columns and bank teller windows. They have a nice coffee and tea/matcha selection. I tried the Volcano Latte, and it was very light and sweet. Seats are limited since it's always busy. The internet is also kind of spotty, I couldn't get my laptop to connect, so I just left. However, it's right at the heart of Old Town Orange, which has a lot of cool restaurants, bars, and cafes within walking distance. read more
1. The coffee tasted delicious! 2. The spot has fun historical vibes as it took over an old bank, and you can still see the remnants of the bank! 3. The staff were friendly and timely with my drink! 4. The parking lot has limited space, but there is other free parking lots and a structure in the area! Note: Bathroom requires a code! Photo: Shaken Maple Latte read more
8 months ago
2 years ago
As a licensed coffee grader and cafe/roastery owner, I truly appreciate the selections at Play! I visit every time I'm in Orange. It's Located in the heart of the Orange Circle in the historic Wells Fargo building. I usually go for some coffee seeds for the house since they rotate different roasters, their pour-overs and espresso. My wife had a few of their lattes & enjoyed it as well. My only caveat is that unless you know what you're looking for, it sort of feels like you're on your own when making choices. I would love to see the staff fired up about what they're serving! read more
Play coffee has been a favorite of mine at their previous location, so I was stoked that they opened up in Old Towne! Their location is in the old First National Bank and it is HUGE! There is plenty of seating and the cavernous ceilings are a vibe for sure. Their drinks are always on point - may favorite is the Volcano Latte. And their staff are always super friendly and helpful. Be aware though that you will pay for the excellent coffee and service, so don't be caught off guard by the prices. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO DO WORK HERE: the WiFi is hella spotty, so be prepared to use your hotspot. It has worked around 5% of the times I've been here, and is a major downside. PRO-TIP: parking in the circle is hard, but Play validates parking for an hour in the lot behind the shop. read more
1 year ago
I've been here a plenty of times during Uni. to study (good wifi and plenty of outlets) and it's truly my favorite space in Orange to find some solitude. They do lean into the speciality side of coffee, offering different and unique coffees. If you're looking for an intentional and new way of experiencing coffee, try the rotational menu (pour-overs or espresso) that they have on bar. The team is helpful and was always willing to explain! read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Having been to multiple specialty coffee shops in the OC, Play really stands out. From their historic building to their tasty coffee options, you're sure to have a great experience there. What really stood out this weekend was their service. Their barista Justin who took my order helped me pick out a pour over to ease my black coffee craving. Justin was very kind, knowledgable, patient yet efficient at making conversation, all while breaking down their roasters and coffee options. I ended up going with a Gesha grown in Panama from Nomad. With bright fruit notes and a fun touch of limoncello, needless to say it was a tasty cup. Their whole team seemed very efficient yet calm, it was very fun to watch. In sum, I had an amazing experience! Can't wait to come back for my next cup. read more
2 years ago
Overall I'd give Play Coffee an 8/10. We tried their Volcano Latte with almond milk and Strawberry Matcha with whole milk. The volcano latte was a little underwhelming, essentially just a brown sugar latte. The strawberry matcha was more of the highlight. We found it to be richer, more flavorful, and smoother than most matchas. The price was quite expensive for two drinks; $17. The ambiance is definitely beautiful unique but there is a shortage of seating. The spaces fill up fast, most with people working, so there aren't too many spots to sit and wait for your order. Its a plus that Old Town Orange is walkable. read more
2 years ago
11 months ago
Cute spot in Old Town Orange! Great space to study, chat and unwind. They were extremely busy but the service was quick. My husband and I got a hot chocolate 2/5, volcano latte 4.5 /5 and large chocolate chip cookie 4/5. My husband thought his hot chocolate was horrible and I tasted it and have to agree... better off making your own at home. As for the volcano latte I got it with one shot and almond milk great flavor, light yet with a kick and the chocolate chip cookie pretty darn good. I will be back to try the matcha but my husband said he would pass coming by again. read more
2 years ago
First time here and tried the volcano latte. It was okay, it honestly just tasted like a regular caffe latte with sea salt sprinkled on top. I will give it another try and try something new but so far it hasn't impressed me to really want to go back. I'm hoping the names are not just the only thing that sound good and other drinks there are just as good as the names. read more
As others have observed, it was originally a bank before turning into Play Coffee. Inside is HUGE. This is a great place to study. They have high speed WiFi, small and large tables for studying alone or with a group, and a limited amount of outlets (I counted at least 8 along the wall). One thing I did notice was that the lighting wasn't great if you weren't by the windows. In terms of the noise level, it can get a noisy and there's an echo so bring noise cancelling headphones. I ordered the uji matcha latte with oat milk. The matcha is good but the matcha to milk ratio is way off. I tasted more milk than matcha in my drink. Service was a bit slow but it wasn't a huge deal. read more
We stopped by the new Play Coffee in Old Town Orange today. They are located in a converted bank building right on the Orange Circle. It is a beautiful space with a large coffee bar and lots of seating. Perfect for working/studying or just enjoying a nice coffee & pastry. My Son had their seasonal Eiffel Blue Iced Latte and a Vegan Sprinkle Donut, for me a straight Espresso and Kouign Amman. All the drinks & pastries were Sooooo good. I tried some of everything :) But my favorite was the Kouign Amman, it went so perfectly with the espresso :) :) The staff was very friendly and the drinks came out quickly. If you are familiar with this busy part of Orange you know parking can be hard to find even with the multiple public lots. But Play has several dedicated parking spots in the rear. Great Espresso & unique specialty drinks in a beautiful building surrounded by blocks of shopping. Yes, this is indeed a very special spot. read more
My friends and I went to study here and I tried the volcano latte. The barista was really nice and answered all our questions about the drinks. It was super spacious and a great place to work. I think it was a bank before? All the architecture implies that and so working there was super fun. It does a good job adding to the vintage feel that comes with downtown orange. The drinks were solid, I could taste the maple in the volcano latte and my friends vanilla latte was good as well. If you plan to stay for a while make sure you bring a jacket, we got pretty cold in there! I also like that they don't charge extra for milk substitutions. I will be back! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
We frequent the circle in orange pretty often, so we were excited to see a new coffee shop open and love that it's inside the old Wells Fargo building! Fun concept. I do wonder what all the extra space is being used for, or what it will be used for in the future. Right now, they have a coffee bar in the middle of the "lobby." They have many options of coffee and tea drinks here. Most of the coffees have two shots of espresso, where the Shakerado has 3 shots. My husband ordered the Shaken Maple. He enjoyed it and said you for sure taste the maple. The orange peel on top adds a bit of fresh zest to the drink that compliments the espresso well! He says he would recommend trying it! There is plenty of seating around, although I'm not sure how comfortable some of the chairs would be. I'll include a photo that shows both options. We will be back. I'm interested in trying some of the teas! The barista was friendly and she answered our questions easily! They got the coffee made in good time too despite how busy it was. We gave it a 4/5 because it was really good, but it feels like the space is underutilized at the moment. Go check it out! read more
Ordered a vanilla matcha with oat milk and it was $7, one of my go to matcha spots it's never too sweet and definitely taste like the actual stuff! we ordered and they came out sooo fast, it was my first time at this location super easy to find (on the corner in the orange circle)! definitely recommend to go get a quick yummy coffee or matcha and walk around all the cute shops in the area! read more
This building used to be Wells Fargo Bank and now became a coffee shop. I've heard of this coffee shop from words of mouth and I have to check this out. The place has a very beautiful interior, high ceiling, very spacious, well-lit, and clean. Nice place to catch up with friends although it tend to get packed with students from nearby college. I find their prices a bit on the expensive side, though, I'm not going to deny that it taste awesome. I ordered cardamon latte which was recommended by the barista. read more
This coffee shop has such cool vibes since it is an old bank, and definitely recommend taking a look at it! The overall ambiance of the place feels like something from New York and there were a lot of tables available. Also, every table had outlets, which is such a plus for study sessions or working on a laptop. Since it is a large building, it does get very echoing and loud when it is crowded, so make sure to bring headphones if you want to get some work done. I decided to order the Volcano Latte, but thought it was nothing special. However, I will definitely come back to try the other coffee drinks, as there are a lot of unique options available on the menu! read more
2 years ago
came in on a monday morning, around 8am! i got a strawberry matcha and it was probs the best i've had in all of sd and oc. i've read some reviews about unfriendly service, but i didn't have any issues! the employees were very friendly :) the strawberry matcha was $9, which is definitely on the pricier side but unfortunately for me, it was the best strawberry matcha i've had so i will definitely be coming back lol cute place! good music btw the matcha wasn't grainy AT ALL and had zero separation which was soooo appreciated read more
1 year ago
Play coffee has always been a go to spot for me in OC. There is a large selection of different coffees, teas, and matcha, and so far nothing has let me down. The space is in a historic bank and is perfect for hanging out or studying. I recommend checking out their pour over menu- lots of really cool options. The service has also always been friendly and quick. Definitely worth checking out! read more
2 years ago
10 months ago
I'm a big fan of Play in Fullerton and was ecstatic to here that they opened another location in Orange inside of Orange's first banks! The interior is amazing and they take up half the bank. I thought it would be funny if they handed pastries and drinks through the bank teller windows. The architecture is beautiful and seems like a good hotspot for students to study. Drinks are very unique in flavor as well as their matcha with different types of matcha grades you can choose from. My friend and I we ordered a shaken maple latte and genou matcha as a matcha latte iced. 5/5 for the vibes! Unfortunately didn't find seating during the time I went (sunday afternoon) 3/5 for drinks. I liked the shaken maple a bit more since it did have that nice hint of citrus taste to it. But it tasted more milky than coffee. Im okay with a sweet coffee but when your latte tastes like milk with coffee flavor its like :\ The matcha though was even milkier and not strong at all, can barely taste the matcha. For spending $10 on a drink its kind of a yikes. I know it is newer in location so I'm thinking its just a fresh opening fluke - will probably visit again for a redemption drink. But for right now I'm not dying to have a cup of their drinks. For the vibes probably! read more
1 year ago
Tried their iced volcano latte at Taste of Orange a couple weeks back and had to come back for more! So good, a sweet and salty combo but not too sweet. I'm obsessed! Service was friendly and quick! Also love the space, will need to come back and bring a book or my laptop. read more
11 months ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
Drinks used to be much better. Since they've gotten more busy, I do feel like the quality has gone down and coffee flavor is lacking. Their prices also keep going up and the average cost of a drink is $7. I tried the black matcha for $11 and it was terrible. Too milky and tea flavor was barely there. read more
2 years ago
The drink was so yummy and worth every penny. The service was super quick and the barista was extremely nice and helpful in my selection. read more
I have been to Play Coffee only a couple of times, but in both instances, I truly enjoyed my coffee order. I have tried their volcano latte and hot chocolate! Their branch in Orange is an old Wells Fargo bank. They kept the interior of the bank as is and just placed their coffee stand inside the bank. There are sufficient amount of sitting area but many do hang out there and work while enjoying their drinks so there might not be sitting area available. The baristas are all nice and very helpful. They give good suggestions if you are overwhelmed by the choices because they are all so good. So feel free to ask them if you have any questions. Do I recommend this place for a good coffee? read more
1 year ago
11 months ago
amazing coffee!!! service was perfect. I messed up on my order and came back asked if they can switch it. They were so nice about it! Thats good customer service ! not to many good folks nowadays! read more
2 years ago
This coffee shop is inside an old bank and they've kept some of the bank decor which is so cool! The bar area is so artistic looking. I couldn't stop taking pictures of it because it's so beautiful. It's very spacious inside. I had the matcha lavender latte which was absolutely delicious. I met up here with my thrillers bookclub and everyone loved the vibe. It's right in the Orange Circle so it's a bit tricky to find parking but I didn't mind the walk to the car. read more
I've been to Play Coffee at their Fullerton location but this was the first time I visited their location in Old Towne Orange. Because it's in a popular area, parking can be a bit of a struggle. I usually park on the street or at the lot right behind it, which gives free 2 or 3 hour parking. My friend and l dropped by after lunch on a Saturday, so we were pretty full & opted for basic vanilla lattes. To be honest, it wasn't anything special & their prices are kinda steep. However, the vibes are great for studying/working which means seating gets filled pretty quickly! This building used to be a bank which explains the high ceilings and unique interior but makes for a super cool cafe. There's a lot of unused space that they could fill so hoping they add more tables. Weekends get busy so I'd love to come back & work here on a weekday! read more
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Hi, I would like to know if there is any additional charge for a milk alternative?
Do they have wifi?
Yes, the password is on a sign at the counter when ordering your drinks!
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