I got my hazelnut latte and I got my gluten free fix. Great start to a Friday morning and intro into a weekend! I used to live really closeby over 10 years ago and the place still seems the same! They've got Gluten-Free treat options (peanut butter cookie!) so that just made my day. Service was friendly... although I can't say the coffee is the most amazing thing I've had in the world... but this is a convenient location for a quick pick me up! read more

Royal Ground Coffee - Desperately need coffee to keep me awake this morning... - Cafes Near Me - Albany, California

I use to not be so into this place, mainly because I found the coffee mediocre. However, I gave it another try this morning and it was excellent. The vibe was great. There was Latin music playing, and it was warm and cozy with plenty of space to hang out. And, my cappuccino was delicious. I'll return for sure. read more

Wasn't sure if I would ever visit because there are no recent menu pictures that would entice me to visit, but here I am. Surprisingly, they have multiple drink options that caught my eye. I got the Cafe Borgia which is the mocha with orange flavor. The sweetness and coffee balanced well with the chocolate, however, I'm not sure if I could taste the orange. If it was there, it was very subtle and faint. I would have to try the regular mocha in order to distinguish the two. Also, it was $6.50 for an iced 16 oz which I love rather than getting a 12 oz for at least $7. The staff behind the counter was super friendly. He made my drink right when I ordered, literally, I didn't even pay for it yet and it was ready in less than 2 minutes. Inside is a typical cafe with some seating and a glass case of pastries. There is a counter that has simple syrup, cinnamon, brown sugar etc. in case you wanted to customize your drink even more. In my opinion, this extra counter had more than your typically coffee shop. Overall, the expectations for this place surpassed what I was expecting based on the reviews, but I'm glad I checked them out. I'll definitely be back to try the Matcha Mint Chip Latte as that was also catching my eye. read more

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The front desk guy on Saturday and Sunday is the only reason you should not go. He's rude and does a terrible job making coffee and matcha. He yelled at me for remaking my matcha when he didn't even make my blended drink right. He still made me an iced matcha. Such a disgusting and ugly personality to deal with. read more

Owner/sever is very rude. Hot chocolate cost $4.25 somehow it jumped to $5 lol even with cash. Never again!

The location for this place seems nice but the customer service here is pretty poor. I tried to ask the guy for 2% milk for my iced mocha and he just went ahead and poured me nearly a cupful of whole milk (which mind you, was sitting on the counter unrefrigerated) with a grunt. So I basically had to go through my day feeling sluggish, stomach oddly growling after drinking a calorific coffee whole milkshake concoction. read more

I live in the area and come here often for the affordable drinks, tasty breakfast/ lunch/ pastry items, and for the lovely gentleman who runs the joint most days (and is truly the sweetest). I think a lot of these reviews are people wanting an expensive, hip Bay Area cafe vibe and that's just not what this place is about - it's a small, cute, local cafe who knows their customer base and offers space to work, chat, etc. I like their traditional coffee drinks most (americanos, lattes, etc.), but they have lots of choices and they partner with local bakeries for tasty treats. It's not the most glamorous or eye catching place, but it has tons of charm and the staff is incredibly hardworking, funny, and compassionate. I also love to come work on my laptop here, as they play quiet jazz music and it's never too disruptive to focus. read more

Royal Ground Coffee - Iced americano and hot eggnog latte (delicious) - Cafes Near Me - Albany, California

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Terrible customer service which is unfortunate because the place is nice. The man at the register who looks like the owner seemed like he didn't want to take my order. He was on his phone while I stood there waiting and when I asked for a drink from the menu he said he didn't have it. I came in excited and left disappointed. read more

Real real good coffee! Worth finding and going to, plus a great selection of pastries. Highly recommended.

This establishment has been around for 30 years, but the owner 20 years, so kudos for serving the Albany community! Even though I ordered a regular brew of coffee, it was really fresh & strong. They had an assortment of tempting pastries, unfortunately I had just had lunch, otherwise I would have happily ordered a New York Crumb cake. Next visit I'll take advantage of a pastry to accompany my coffee. read more

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Worst coffee Ive had in a while. They forgot my vanilla syrup in my latte. Staff seemed very annoyed overall. I ordered a breakfast burrito to go with my coffee and they handed me a microwaved frozen burrito I probably could've got from a gas station for $1. Needless to say I will not be back. read more

Due to the pandemic, I will be removing criteria that I had added to my reviews such as restaurant ambiance, mood, and staff. This review will only focus on the dish. This is around the time, when the restrictions were loosening up, so I decided to go out and eat. Although I only walked a block I was happy to see that the area seemed to be the same as I last visited (which is almost last year). The spotting difference is that many of the stores have outdoor seating, including this one. The sign on the door read that there is outdoor seating and some indoors (with a limited capacity and set of rules on distance). On the floor there are directional arrows and signs that explain where to line up and the place to make orders and pick up. I ordered the cafe au lait, Thai latte, and a sandwich: an egg and cheese There are three bread options to choose, so I picked the English muffin. The wait is at a relaxing pace, since there as only one staff at the counter to do the ordering and cooking. It's not the instant pace one in the working morning life would like, but Solano Ave is not that type of atmosphere, so I enjoyed the peaceful wait. Besides, the wait time was less than 7 minutes for a coffee and a sandwich; it's not that long. I ate outside with the outdoor dining space. The coffee is very delicious and piping hot - my favorite type of temperature for coffee. The Thai latte, on the other hand, was a perfect temperature on the first sip. The sweetness was just right too. The sandwich was so good. The egg was very fluffy, something that it will be difficult to make at home. The cheese was creamy and it also didn't have the strong cheese flavor that I don't favor as much; it blended well with the fluffy and airy eggs. I became a fan of the cafe, and if I visit Solano Ave again, I will come by and enjoy another cup of coffee and a good sandwich. read more

Royal Ground Coffee - Cafe au lait (to go) - Cafes Near Me - Albany, California

I've been going here for decades. A great place to meet a friend or to get out of the house to hang out on an Albany street corner on a sunny day. read more

Best coffee spot in the east bay -- coffee is delicious, breakfast sandwiches and veggie hummus sandwiches are great; the owner is kind and funny -- just an all around great spot. Highly recommend! read more

Service - unfriendly Carrot cake - dry Coffee- good I would not return. Too many other great choices in the area! read more

Not a great coffee. Too much added flavor so it's hard for coffee lovers. The space is pretty nice if you wanna have a meeting or study. It does come handy if you are looking for a place you can sit. Had a lox bagel but was ok. Would try something else next time. read more

The first thing I love about this neighborhood is that there's free 2-hour parking around the area. The coffee shop is quiet and has plenty of tables with outlets. Great lighting and an extensive menu with plenty of gluten-free options. There are plenty of regulars that come through as they greet the staff by their first name and already know their order. They have pastries, yogurt, oatmeal, and bagel sandwiches and plenty of beverages. Wifi was strong and it's protected so ask for the password. It's fast too! There are also some great stores around too before you head out. read more

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Ugh. Acted like they were doing me a favor taking my order. Coffee was good but my breakfast burrito was slimy and still ice cold in the middle. Seriously, I chucked it all and went across the street. read more

No two Royal Grounds are truly alike, are they? They're much like fingerprints or episodes of "Shark Tank". I like "Shark Tank" and I have this idea... but I digress. What the cafes do have in common is the availability of room-temperature baked goods and their customer base: preoccupied laptoppers who don't budge from their tables and young mothers who make room for their gigantic strollers. This one was filled to the rim with both archetypes, but I still managed to find a little table for me and my $3.20 Large Cafe au Lait which provided me with enough satisfaction to get me through my brisk walk on a particularly chilly day on Solano (photo: http://bit.ly/2rrCwrX). COFFEE - 3 stars...olé to the au lait?...not quite but warm enough AMBIANCE - 3 stars...study hall with caffeine SERVICE - 3 stars...moved quickly enough TOTAL - 3 stars...another Royal Ground, another au lait RELATED - Looking for something to eat in Albany? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2N4anQA read more

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Mediocre service. Tge coffee tasted old. The breakfast sandwich I ordered had a craft single slice that ruined the taste.

Truly remarkable coffee. Food is above average for a coffee shop. Coffee definitely worth going out of your way for.

I ordered a matcha latte from here, and as much as I want to give it a 5 stars, it's the taste and quality of this drink that brought it down. Service was excellent! Pricing: I think it was standard for a coffee shop. I honestly just wanted to support a small business. Taste: I think the matcha the shop uses wasn't the expensive kind but it was also not a great kind. It wasn't grainy but I didn't really enjoy it. There was also a lot of ice so I felt like I didn't get the most out of it. Parking wasn't too hard to find but you just have to be quick and keen about it because it's located on the busier side of Albany. I probably would come by again and try something else to see if I'll change my mind. read more

I've been here a couple times before and it's decent Nice location on Solano Ave But it irritates me when their hours are no up to date on Yelp, and I arrive there, but they're closing up shop read more

A delightful cafe with a delightful shop keeper. Honestly the best espresso I've had in a long time and the donut was super fresh. Would definitely recommend. Has great outdoor seating and patio chairs for COVID safety read more

Royal Ground Coffee - A partially eaten donut because we couldn't wait to take the picture first. DELICIOUS! - Cafes Near Me - Albany, California

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Stopped here on a weekday afternoon to get some work done with a coffee, and experienced chaga for the first time! It was delicious in a soy latte, and I definitely recommend trying it. Their baked goods looked fantastic, and I will be trying them next time. As previous reviewers mentioned, the ambiance is very low key and casual. I wouldn't classify the place as cute, but it was overall pleasant. Plus the barista seems like a cool guy that's friends with the regulars. read more

Royal Ground Coffee - Chaga soy latte - Cafes Near Me - Albany, California

Only giving 1 star because the coffee was good and that's partly because they had brown sugar out in the open for you to prepare as you wish but even then that raises the question of sanitation. However, my lack of the remaining 4 stars is due to the service. The man who works behind the register and prepares the food was incredibly rude. He not only stares at you with disgust, but gets your order wrong AND burns the bagels. The environment is just hostile and he stares at you while you eat. What a weirdo. Employees who pick and choose who they are nice to are entirely unprofessional. read more

Royal Ground Coffee - The almond croissant that I ordered that had hardly any almonds. It was less than mediocre. - Cafes Near Me - Albany, California

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This review is based on their bagels. Every time we come for bagels they burn the bagel and apply the teensiest amount of cream cheese. Coffee was fine. Great location. Just avoid their bagels! read more

The pros: Lots of open tables at 10am on a Monday. Clean bathroom. Iced green tea was good. The cons: Wide selection of pastries but only one not-so-great looking gluten free option (a trail mix looking bar of some kind). It's 2022, there are so many easy-to-get and make GF options and you can only manage one? Sorry, but I won't be back. read more

21.05.14 VERY good customer service! Very friendly and personable. Considering the many requests & questions we asked. Fast service. Solid espresso read more

The best cafe mocha and apple turnovers. The perfect atmosphere for a morning breakfast

My friend and I came here for lunch on a Saturday (which typically is a super busy time), but it was surprisingly peaceful inside Royal Ground Coffee. The ambience was relaxing, with instrumental music softly playing and natural light streaming in through tall windows. The service was fast, and the man working behind the counter was friendly. We also had no trouble finding an open table. I ordered a turkey sandwich and a medium latte. The sandwich was great. It included a generous amount of turkey with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cheese, and mayo. The price wasn't too bad either. My latte was also excellent. The cup size was pretty large, and the coffee itself was just right -- not bitter at all with a perfect layer of foam on top. I'll definitely return to Royal Ground Coffee for a quiet study session or chill lunch date. read more

Royal Ground Coffee - turkey sandwich and medium latte - Cafes Near Me - Albany, California

Yuck. I had a "breakfast sandwich" which was worse than gas-station food. The bacon was wet, white and floppy. The whole thing was microwaved to an inch of it's life. My daughter didn't even eat her donut... How do you serve a donut so bad an eight year old sugar fiend will say "nah, throw it away" read more

The neighbors miss you!!! Please re-open. Love, A loyal customer that misses you all and the food! Vic. read more

I came here on a whim since two of the shops around the area were closed due to the weather and was genuinely excited to try a new place out. Unfortunately, I left with a coffee that was undrinkable (ended up brewing my own at home and leaving the one purchased untouched. The latte was incredibly bitter and dark. The bagel I ordered was burnt but still edible so at least there's that! The barista guy was really friendly, but the guy at the cash register looked absolutely miserable. He was so rude, that it almost felt like he was being inconvenienced. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this place as there's MUCH better coffee places in the area. Unless you're looking for a place to sit. Then there's plenty of open seating, but that's about it. read more

A hard pass for me. Prices here are crazy, coffee was mediocre at best, dude working looked pissed he was missing a beautiful sunday outside. There's a reason why the place is so empty and bare. read more

They have a decent selection of food and there coffee isn't terrible but they guy they have working at the register with the carhart hat is extremely rude and unprofessional. He makes it seem like your inconveniencing him when you order anything. God forbid you ask a question he's get even more upset. I wouldn't recommend this place there's plenty of other good coffee shops on this block to go to. read more

Stopped in for coffee while traveling, mainly because of the wifi, but was impressed with the excellent service and great coffee, which was fresh, hot, strong, and delicious. Will seek this coffee shop out the next time I'm in the area. read more

Excellent ambience! I love the surrounding shops on Solano, and Royal Ground is the perfect place to relax after a stroll or in the middle of a shopping trip. I particularly enjoyed their herbal teas, and their Earl Grey latte. There's also a selection of yummy snacks on the counter, and there are breakfast and lunch items that seem very reasonably priced (around $5-6 for a sandwich). I appreciate the access to outlets, but I'd choose your time wisely; the shop fills up fast on weekend afternoons! Overall, the energy in Royal Ground is soothing and the staff is friendly (also, I love the local magazines and newspapers they have available near the door! Makes for some great casual reading while you're waiting for your item). The bathroom was also super clean! read more

Very good coffee and service. My son also got a hot chocolate that was delicious. Nice open seating as well. Will be back

Royal Ground has been around for decades,1/2 block from the theatre. brew: coffee (1.95) -smooth, slightly herby -lots of character/body, not watered down like starbux... drips: -store space like a long hallway, seats in close proximity constant foot traffic may be detrimental to getting work done. -pastries also available.... 3.5 stars for the coffee, 3 for the ambience. read more