TL;DR: Wi-Fi, outlets, tables, open until 4 most days I am a regular at Royal Ground Coffee and love studying here, so I thought I'd give my review an update. AMBIANCE: Royal Ground is down Shattuck. Despite being next to a street with a lot of foot traffic and car traffic, it is never too noisy or full for me to enjoy myself. There are always a few patrons, but I haven't had any issue finding a spot to study. Some of the tables are a little wobbly, but they're easily avoidable. Many of the tables are near outlets, and I've never run into an issue charging my laptop. The tables are always clean. SERVICE: The owners of the cafe are very friendly and polite. You order at the register and they will take your card to tap it so there isn't really a chance to tip with a credit card. I like to tip whenever I go to a coffee shop and plan to stay awhile so I bring cash when I remember. After taking your order, it will be prepared and then they will call out your order from behind the counter. If you order to go, it will be nicely packaged in a brown paper bag. Otherwise, it will be on a tray. They regularly change the wifi password to reduce non customers from clogging it. If you want the password, just ask them and they will show you it clearly written down. It's almost always an easy and memorable password related to coffee. FOOD: I love love love the BLT here. I find myself craving it and will purposely go to this cafe specifically for the BLT. Next time I go, I will find and add a picture of it here. All of their coffee options are good and they offer non-dairy alternatives and decaf options. I've had the chai, the cider, the Vietnamese coffee, and the Italian Soda, and would recommend any of them. If you order the Italian Soda, they have large range of flavors to choose from. I've always gotten the strawberry, but maybe I'll try another sometime. Similarly, they can also modify your coffee to have flavorings like vanilla. Finally, my girlfriend loves Vietnamese coffee, and we've been looking for a french roast we can use at home. We buy the french roast they have here! They can be bought as beans or, if you have no way of grinding them, they can grind them for you. One bag has lasted us pretty long and makes a strong, delicious Vietnamese coffee for us in the morning. read more

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Same name of the coffeehouse in san francisco..there's at least 3 in SF..this one is in Berkeley..old fashioned from the 1990s..feels similar to a Friends episode..got a bagel with cream cheese. read more

Came in on a Thursday morning around 10 am. Super friendly service, great prices and tasty pastries. If you're looking for a chill spot to enjoy a sweet Vietnamese coffee, here's the place! Sorry I don't have any pictures of my croissant, the vibes were so good, I entered flow state and inhaled it. read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - Vietnamese Iced Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

The California sandwich is my favorite of them all. I tried 5 of their sandwiches and they were all amazing. Staff is really friendly. Very nice place to work, study, and relax in general. read more

Great place to work and sip on some tea. I have had several meetings there with clients so comfortable and the staff is really nice.

Breakfast sandwich was great. Called it in and it was ready by the time I got there. Their iced tea is great too.

Easy quick and grab food, nothing to special but what they do they do well. I enjoyed the mocha very much and would say this is solid "hangover" food or quick breakfast food. Not quite a first date spot but great for if you need solid food with reasonable pricing . They also allow dogs if you're getting takeout. read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - Lox bagel - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I have stopped by this location and they are so pleasant. They greet you with a smile. Your order comes quick. I tried heir Vietnamese coffee and it was nice and strong. They also have great breakfast sandwiches. read more

Garbage. Serving impersonations of coffee drinks and food. Such a lame way to waste peoples money. BTW- there are different names for espresso drinks for a reason. read more

I went here with several friends, and it's nice that it has such large tables so you can accomodate a big group. I wasn't in the food for a lot of food, so I got a latte, and it was pretty good. read more

Best Vietnamese coffee ever!! Nice owners and very reasonably priced sandwiches. Not to hard to get a parking spot in the area as well! read more

Prices seem somewhat affordable for the place and location. The menu is somewhat difficult to read that I didn't what to get so opted for a basic cream cheese and bagel. Some varieties of bagels are available. Got the everything bagel. Wait was quick and seemed that everything was flowing smoothly. Service was to the point and straight forward. There's some chairs available so it was nice to wait before my appointment. The drinks seem to smell and look good. read more

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This will probably be my new go-to cafe in berkeley! The man who works behind the counter is always super kind and it's rare to find cafes that actually have seating available but I consistently am able to find seats here. I like working here because there's music and slight chatter but it's all quiet enough for me to study and read while I find a lot of cafes are too loud for me personally. The menu is a bit pricey, but that's pretty common in this area. The iced mocha is really yummy but as someone who isn't an avid coffee drinker, the caffeine definitely threw me for a loop. ~$6.50 I enjoy getting hot tea here when it's cold outside ~$2.75 The pastries are also yummy- the lemon bar is my favorite! There's a bathroom available for customers & wifi. Certain spots have outlets. I'd say this is a solid, convenient cafe to get some work done. read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - Iced mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

An run of the mill cafe with average coffee and food, with a good location. Owners are friendly, but they don't know how to steam milk properly, and the baked goods are not very fresh. read more

Came here during shelter in place. It is only take out at this time. I originally came here to pick up a gift card for someone's birthday, but I learned that they don't offer them here. Therefore I just picked up an iced latte and a slice of carrot cake for the birthday person. Pros: - parking is available in front (paid parking) -they offer drinks, sandwiches, pastries and desserts. -the interior looks pretty spacious Cons: - they do not offer any gift cards/gift certificates read more

Bought a Mexican chocolate latte and cupcake, throughly enjoyed them. The owner is a chill and friendly man who generously gave our baby a free cookie to make him feel better. Great vibe overall. The place has a clean bathroom. read more

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I ordered a veggie omelette sandwich with dutch crunch as the bread. The shop had transparent barriers set up at the counter due to COVID-19. The worker asked me about the $5 off I'd gotten via DoorDash that I had used on my order, and remarked on it being a good deal, so bonus points for friendly conversation. The sandwich contains tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, cheese, and eggs. It was still nice and warm when I got it. A nice vegetarian breakfast or lunch option! read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - Veggie omelette with dutch crunch bread - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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A BLT and a 20oz coke shouldn't be $17.65 after tax. Or should it? I could have had Pad Thai or Hawaiian BBQ down the street!! Ugh. read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - BLT and 20oz Coke. $17.65 after tax. You kidding me?! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Requested to use a bathroom... was denied. I am 8 months pregnant -- this is not a family establishment.

What I've tried: Veggie egg omlette and spicy chai latte. The good: The latte is really good, the level of spice is really nice and it's not sickly sweet. The bad: The sandwich. Oof....now let me ask you...why would you package a piping hot egg sandwich WHILE it's piping hot for delivery? What could possibly go wrong? Yeah, you guessed it...SOG. I mean it isn't such a complicated process. You toast the bagel, you put the egg on there, set it on the counter to cool for like 5 minutes and then pack it for delivery. Nope! Worst breakfast sandwich experience. The first time I thought it was just because I got it on toast bread but the second time with a soggy bagel was just unforgivable. On top of that, the sandwich was not even accurate to the description. It said it came with sprouts but there weren't any. The egg itself felt like a food service prepared tightly packed egg block with veggies (probably frozen veggies) stuffed inside. It did not taste like a high quality breakfast sandwich. I wish I had photos, I always forget to take photos of my bad experiences but it was not good... TLDR; Skip and go elsewhere for breakfast (and don't even THINK about getting delivery) but the beverages may be fine (I've only tried one kind). read more

Jamie W. and I have been here a couple of times because as we walk around Berkeley, we tend to gravitate toward this part of Shattuck on weekends. It slips in and out of our collective memory like an overdue library book. In fact, the library analogy works effectively here as it reminds me of a library break room. There was no conversation, and everyone's eyes were locked on their laptop screens. A quietly efficient couple appears to run the shop, and they're not much on chit-chat either. 'Warm and cozy' is not how I'd describe the space, though that didn't appear to bother anyone there including us. The prices are decent: $2.35 for a medium cup of tea (photo: http://bit.ly/2wKwR34), $3.50 for a large iced coffee (photo: http://bit.ly/2CkhfZi). No pastries for us, thank you (photo: http://bit.ly/2PE50Zl). COFFEE/TEA - 3 stars...decent enough to wet our whistles AMBIANCE - 3 stars....shhhh! SERVICE - 3.5 stars...the couple works quietly TOTAL - 3 stars...take a break and keep your mouth shut RELATED - If you're looking for dining options in Berkeley, here's a list of places I've tried and reviewed: bit.ly/2N4anQA read more

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Even if the inside doesn't look like it, this place has the best coffee in Berkeley. The owners are really nice and they have many options for food and drinks. read more

What I ordered: - Caramel Frappe (Received, no whipped cream though. I think you have to tell them to add it.) - Giant Cookie (Received) Service was quick and kind. It was quite empty since it was early in the morning, but it looked clean and well maintained. read more

Excellent in every regard. Had a fantastic sandwich for breakfast (not just a breakfast sandwich!) Mocha was delightful. Write some poetry inside on this quiet, early morning. Picked up something to go for my SO and was given great counsel by the staff because the Matcha with Oat Milk got rave reviews. (The dutch crunch bread would make an amazing Bahn Mi, but I didn't see that on the Menu ;) read more

Another awesome place to get on that study grind in Berkeley! Seating is plentiful, and I love sitting at the wooden booth seats in the back. They have many outlets. I can also connect to Airbears2 here. ^^ I got a chocolate chip cookie here, and I wanted the one with the nut, which was the vegan one. It didn't taste very good, but it did taste healthy. read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - 12.10.17 interior - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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good iced coffee. lots of bagel sandwich options. croissants are large and look yummy, but i only came for a coffee. read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - iced coffee with cream - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is the worst place to come. I was waiting for a friend and the lady came up to me and asked me was I ready to order and I told her I was waiting for a friend . She then told me I gas to order to sit in the coffee shop. Leaving now! Don't come unless you want to be Harassed read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

This cafe has a nice selection of sandwiches (on bagels or bread) and drinks, but I really wanted to write a review because of the lovely people who work there. Since shelter in place started, I've been ordering my lunch for pickup about once a week. I like the Denver omelette and I've been trying out different drinks - their Vietnamese iced coffee is quite sweet but good, and I also enjoy the occasional frappe! I call in my order and it's always ready within 10 minutes. One thing I appreciate is that they wait for me to arrive before preparing my iced drinks so the ice won't melt before I get there. It's a small gesture - it'd be easier to get everything ready in advance and just let it sit there - but it's very considerate. The workers are always friendly and I look forward to my lunches from here :) read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - Denver omelette and Vietnamese iced coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I love coming here to study on the weekends! There are usually plenty seats and outlets. The floor to ceiling windows allow for a lot of natural lighting. The light chatter in the background is perfect for those who like to study with a little bit of white noise. Everyone who works here is extremely friendly! They sell a variety of drinks, sandwiches, and pastries. I usually get an iced coffee, and a bagel if I get hungry! read more

Just not for me. The bagel sandwich was not very good, and also slathered in mayonnaise despite that not being listed on the menu--I accept it as my burden as a mayo hater, to assume everyone is adding it without saying (I don't know why this is commonly accepted, but it is), so that's not really on them. At least no more than it's on the entire culinary world. But the sandwich was pretty lackluster independent of that, the coffee wasn't great, and together they ran me about $22--more money, without tip included, than could get you better food and coffee at some nearby competitors. As a rule I try not to be too judgmental, caustic, or dismissive of places on a first visit--it's their livelihood after all, and who knows how I'd rate with someone peering over my shoulder reviewing me--but I don't think I'll bother to make a second one. There are just a lot of superior cafe options in Berkeley, both on quality and ambiance (the location is not their fault, but kind of tragic, perhaps the least aesthetically appealing stretch of Shattuck, right across from the Toyota dealership). read more

This coffee shop is far enough from campus that you can actually grab seats/tables to study, chill with friends, or enjoy one of their drinks. Located on Shattuck you might be able to nab free parking as well, but it's super accessible to the Downtown area/modes of transportation. PROS: + Plenty of seating + Free Wi-fi + Friendly and quick service + Variety in drink options + Food options such as sandwiches, bagels, pastries, etc Giving Royal Grounds a 3 star rating because I'd probably pass on the white mocha I got during this visit. However, they serve other drinks such as Vietnamese Iced coffee, Thai tea, and Chai that I'm curious to try in the future. read more

I have come to Royal Ground Coffee several times, and always order the #3 breakfast sandwich (sausage, egg, bacon and cheese on a cheese bagel) with a hot americano. This has become a favorite breakfast for me, and the americano is nice and strong, the way I like it. The sandwich is the exact type of salty tasty breakfast sandwich I crave in the mornings. This is one of my favorite cafes to study in Berkeley because there is always ample seating, fast wifi, plenty of outlets, and the music isn't overly loud as I have experienced at other cafes. This is definitely a no-frills cafe -- I come here simply for my coffee/sandwich fix and to get work done. The place is run by a sweet couple and they have always provided excellent service. Highly recommend! read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I ordered a large chai latte with an added expresso shot, I asked the rep if I could change the milk to half n half instead of whole milk the rep then stated that it would cost an additional amount for just changing the type of milk. The total cost in the end for one beverage amounted to $11. Absolutely ridiculous. The woman was very unpleasant to speak with and the cost had me shocked. I asked to have it a bit sweetened just bit and it was still bitter and lacked taste and llove. It was very unfortunate. Everything is priced to a T if anyone would like to support this joint please ensure to go over pricing before selecting the appropriate beverage. Enjoy! read more

I love going to this place to work and study. There are plenty of outlets and WiFi. If you're a student, it's close enough to campus that you can get campus WiFi. Docked a star because I haven't really ordered any particularly good food there, but very nice space to just get a coffee and go to work. read more

Love this cafe! I seem to come at un-busy times & never have to wait. It's on my way from Downtown Berkeley bart & my walk to work. Great bagels, sandwiches, coffee, pastries & dessert. Good customer service. Spacious & I enjoy relaxing here with my cup of coffee (Vietnamese iced coffee on my splurge days) & bagel w/cream cheese. Today I got a cup of cut-up fruit (trying to be healthy...) :) read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - Yummy asiago with cream cheese bagel. And my fave: Vietnamese Iced Coffee. It's kindy pricy: $4.95 for 16 oz, but worth it!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

Food was fine. I got a basic bagel sandwich with sausage. Tasted fine. Egg was maybe somewhat rubbery. Service good. Nice folks. Vietnamese coffee was actually pretty darn good minus one for the egg but otherwise will come back. read more

As with any college town, but ESPECIALLY with Berkeley, you are going to get a TON of coffee shops. And many of them are going to be small, local shops that are worth trying. Like Royal Ground Coffee House I heard about this place back when I went to Cal and have continued coming here as my go to place to chill, grab a drink, and meet with friends. I wouldn't say that there's anything spectacular or out of the ordinary with Royal Ground. Their drinks are decent, service is friendly, and space is adequate for meet-ups. They also have wifi and a bathroom for customers. But what I do enjoy about Royal Ground Coffee is that it's consistent. It's one of those coffee shops in Berkeley, similar to places like Au Croquelet on University, that you know will always be there. There's a steady enough stream of customers to keep this place going. And so when I'm in the area, I pay this place a visit. It's hard for me to rate this place super high since it doesn't stand out, but for consistency and for what it's worth to me, I give it an "omg I'd travel 2 hours for this" rating! Drink well and prosper, read more

Local mom and pop coffee shop. Their coffee is decent, and they have a good variety of sandwiches and pastries. I was able to connect to AirBears2, but they also give you the wifi password when you buy something. There are a couple outlets near the tables with benches. There is a lot of seating (~20 tables), and window walls for a lot of natural light. read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

I went to Royal Ground Coffee House after making a special trip to Top Dog on Durant since the wife was craving 2 Hot Links. I ordered a Medium Soy Latte and the total came to $3.50. I ordered it to-go and it took a few minutes to make. I'd say it's a nice place to study since there's wifi but it's not close enough to the campus. There were rows of tables just like a mess hall and a few separate desks. I saw a whole bean counter and some pastries but nothing out of the ordinary. When my coffee was ready, I took it and left. The latte was too hot to consume so I had to wait a few minutes. As soon as I tasted it, it tasted watered down. Soy milk usually has some taste and texture to it but this one tasted like hot water with a hint of espresso. Even my wife took a sip and she said it tasted watery. Overall impression? Definitely not worth going back! It may be a nice place for group studies if I were still in college but since I'm not, I wouldn't recommend Royal for a coffee fix. read more

Royal Ground Coffee House - Mess Hall style seating and tables - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I've come here a couple of times to study and do some work. There's lots of available seats. They staff will the shades down especially when the sun starts striking you in the face. The drinks aren't bad especially the white chocolate mocha. The iced chai, eh, not so much. The blueberry muffin was pretty crumbly but their chocolate cream cheese cupcake was pretty good. I can't comment on the wi-fi since I've never tried it before but surprised that the coffee shop doesn't offer it for free. My question is, Is there a lock on the bathroom? I've had to pee real bad and prayed to God that no one would walk in on me while doing my business. So far so good.... read more