NOTE: I have not tried the coffee at Royal Ground Coffee House. This review is strictly for the atmosphere or lack there of. Staring into Royal Ground Coffee House I was just a tad giddy with excitement. I thought I finally found an excellent study spot with a fantastic natural light source, ample seating, and low-level background noise. Looks can be deceiving, extremely deceiving. I strolled in and bought a huge oatmeal raisin cookie that was just a touch sweet. Then it went all downhill. Uncomfortable seating, unstable wifi, and varying temperatures makes this coffee house a terrible study spot. Entertaining plus includes the regular man occupying a few tables with a makeshift cubicle, constructed out of cardboard and duct tape. I might come back if I want to meet with friends but I will never study here again. read more

Since I'm no longer able to frequent Sacks Coffee on College and Derby (you rock my socks Sacks!), Royal Ground Coffee has become my go to coffee shop. It's clean, there are a bunch of tables, a few outlets, but overall it is lacking in that mom and pop charm I need in a coffee shop. No it's not a Starbucks or Peets, but it's still lacking something that I just can't put my finger on. The staff, as other yelpers have mentioned, are somewhat peculiar. I try and smile whenever approaching the register, and I usually get a smile in return. However, there is no friendly small talk; it all seems very mechanical. That's alright though, working those long shifts would probably zap my mood to make small talk too. The hot cider, hot chocolate, and mochas are all good choices, but then again I'm pretty easy to please. Oh yeah and just a note about the wifi... it's only for two hours. I guess it's a good way to make sure you stay busy if you're going to use it. Happy coffee going! read more

The only good thing about this place is that they have a lot of single tables and access to natural lighting. That's it. Their food and coffee are overpriced and not even that great. They also change their wifi password very frequently (I guess to avoid freeloaders), so it's annoying that I always have to ask what the password of the day is every time I come here. I wouldn't exactly mind spending all day studying in here, but I only go here as a last resort if I wasn't able to find a seat at other coffee shops. The lady behind the counter at the register is also pretty rude. One time I put my head down on a table for five minutes and she literally woke me up just to remind me that I couldn't sleep here and that I had to buy something. I had been to this place numerous times before that and always buy something. I was going to buy something again until she did that.. Which made me not want to buy anything anymore. So yeah. read more

I'm on a very strict diet which does not allow gluten of dairy. I ordered a Denver omelette after reading the ingredients carefully and seeing that it included neither of those things. When it came out, it was in the form of a sandwich with cheese. I told him I couldn't eat it and he very graciously re-made it for me. So, 4 stars for a good healthy breakfast, good ambience, and very good service. -1 star for a very unclear menu. read more

I came here every afternoon to get work done for four days straight. I read some reviews about the baristas giving some people a hard time but everyone I engaged with there was cool for the most part. Towards the end of my visit in SF, the barista knew what drink I wanted (Americano) and hooked it up. The only complaint I have is that one of the baristas let a kid make an espresso drink. That kinda irritates me b/c I want my drink made by a trained professional. It's cute or whatever that a kid is helping out but I don't wanna pay full price for something a 10 year old made. That didn't happen to me but it happened right in front of me. read more

+1 for awesome late night hours +1 for local berzerkley feel +1 for "personality" sitting right next to you +1 for decent coffee +1 for free wi-fi -1 SCARY bathrooms, boys are gross ;-) -1 food, well, you are there for the first four reasons = 3 read more

So my zeal for the cute girl who used to give me coffee early in the morning has worn off, and I'm ready to write a better review. Here are the things about Royal Grounds that I like: * It's really big, there's always seating * They have a diverse selection of food and drinks * There are always a few people in (even early in the morning) so you don't feel awkward about camping out there Bad things: * There seems to be a surcharge if your order "for here" * The wifi isn't free. I've had mixed success connecting with unencrypted wifi connections in the neighborhood. If you don't want to pay you might want to try "StaplesHotspot" which I was able to connect to (Staples is about a block away), albeit with a very weak signal. In my experience most of the patrons of RGCH are old people (in the mornings) and students studying (at night). This is pretty typical of the Berkeley coffee house scene. When school is in session it can get really packed. Another neat thing about this place is that sometimes deaf people come here to meet up and socialize. Every once in a while when I walk by at night and it will be packed but oddly quiet, and I'll notice that there are thirty people in there flapping their hands and having a grand old time. So now you know. read more

This place is just across the street from my new apartment. The coffee is good, the WiFi is free (if you bring your own computer.) I agree with Maria D. about the non-smiling staff, though... it's a little creepy. Plus I ordered a latte today and the person behind the counter stared at me as if I had three heads and green teeth. I had to repeat my order three times before she understood what I was asking for. Weird. Still no smile or thanks, come again or anything to that effect. Anyhow. Close to home, cheap coffee, free WiFi - easy to see why this will be a regular haunt of mine. At least until I get the innerwebs hooked up in my new pad. read more

I went here the other day with a friend to hang out and read. I walk by this place pretty often in the evening and always see it jammed with people studying or on the internet. So after wandering aimlessy trying to find a cafe that wasn't crowded, I suggested that we try RGCH. With its many tables and chairs, it seems like a pretty good spot to study and do homework. Over the course of the 2 + hours we were there I had an OJ and an espresso, both of which tasted fine. read more

On my quest to explore the different coffee shops around my area, I decided to stop here for a bit. I didn't like how: 1. You have to pay for wi-fi. So instead I used whatever wireless network was available, but the connection was very, very slow. 2. The iced coffee wasn't the best I've had. I did like that: 1. This place had plenty of seats 2. They have large windows. 3. The workers were nice. Would I come back here again?....Probably not. read more

You just can't be mediocre in this market where there are so many coffee houses and this place is. I'm new to the 'hood, so I'm making an effort to explore and avoid the predictability of Starbucks. However, in comparison, the consistent level of service at Starbucks killed this place. I had tea and you really can't mess that up. Hot water, tea bags, and ta da! You're done. They're getting dinged for service or, to be accurate, lack of friendly service. Also, there is a ton of seating but it's laid out pretty badly. I just didn't feel comfortable. I didn't feel like I was in a space where I was welcome to enjoy my tea, tap in to their wifi and get things done. Next time, I'll just keep it moving and go somewhere else. read more

Wifi password changes every day! No free mooching! =P Great study space with tons of tables! Not lots of outlets though because of all the windows, but i really like how bright the cafe is. I came on a super hot day in Berkeley and beware, this place does not have air conditioning. It was manageable though. This place serves coffee, smoothies, pastries and sandwiches. I ordered the thai ice coffee and it was delicious! My only gripe is that the drinks here are definitely on the pricey side! Close to $4 for a regular coffee drink. You also have to get the key for the bathroom, which can be annoying if you are in the cafe for long hours, sipping lots of drinks and need to use the restroom often. Staff is friendly and Royal Ground seems family owned. Nice. Good location to study, but drinks are on the pricey side! read more

super friendly staff serving up a sweet latte. lots for seats people for who wanna hang or those who wanna study. the only thing i was really kinda sad about was that their pastry case was pretty much dry by 11AM. stock up people! feed us with an amazing amounts of flaky, buttery goodness. i guess they had other breakfast specials made to order but still, cant a girl get a croissant around here? :D read more

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

It's like the barista knew better than I did about how much soy milk I would have liked to put in my Americano. As I watched in front of the counter, she proceeded to top my drink off with what I'd venture to guess was about 1/2 a cup of soy milk. I had a very soy milked Americano that day. The baristas were pretty awful. They had the hipster attitude without the hipster wear. It's disarming. The "I'm too good to be your barista, but I'll be your barista today, howcanIhelpyou" kind of deal. I'm over it. The coffee? I've probably had better Americanos at Starbucks. But it's hard to genuinely judge given I felt like I was drinking soy milk. The place has high ceilings and a variety of desserts. There is WiFi and the tables are indeed arranged like a classy high school cafeteria (and by classy, I mean the tables are made out of shiny wood!). I'll take my business elsewhere. read more

Perhaps a good place to go for wi-fi, but do avoid their coffee! My experience at their two outlets indicates nobody has the vaguest clue our interest. Recently on Shattuck, when I asked what to use in my espresso maker, I got a shrug and a smile, no words. When I finally picked a blend of two, he proceeded to put them in the scale, and was interrupted by the manager, who emptied the scale, and put the bag on it, then put the couple of coffees into the bag (on the scale i.e., charging the weight of the bag as well) as well as not mixing the two beans - what a pain. I pointed that out to her, and she just smiled mischievously and just repeated the price. (I weighed it at home, and saw that she had deliberately cheated me by 10%). I am not sure whether anybody among the 4 staff hanging around speaks any english, or at least cares to. I believe that they may be the same folk as Solano's shop. When asked about a purchase, the response was "I don't know, I don't drink coffee, I drink tea!" Failed 2 out of 2. Oh., btw. coffee style is pre-2000 overroasted (practically burnt) I hope this helps. I wanted to send this note to management for response., but I couldn't find a web-site or email address. Do we need this shop, when every corner in Berkeley has a roaster / even better than the corner before. read more

What can I say about Royal Ground? Their breakfast sandwiches are amazingly yummy without being greasy, the cafe itself is quite spacious and kept relatively clean. There are quite a few outlets, though they are concentrated mostly at the window seats. It doesn't seem to get too packed, given that it is a walk from campus, which brings me to one of the top reasons to come here--FREE (did I mention FAST) Wi-Fi! I would highly recommend studying here if you live nearby, want to study in a larger group, and benefit from the yummy food, good coffee, and free wi-fi. A little bit pricey, but worth it given the other benefits (which are much harder to find at closer-to-campus cafes). read more

I like this place. It's pretty close to where I used to live, and you can sit here all day and have all of your earthly needs met. Pastries for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, sandwiches and/or ice cream for dinner, caffeinated beverages all day, and a bathroom in the back. Lots of table space and chairs, and electrical outlets are plentiful. The staff is generally more kick-back and friendly in the evenings than during the day. There are about 5 desktop computers next to the wall, in case you don't have a laptop. The wireless internet here isn't free, but I think the price is reasonable if you plan on coming here often ($15/month). One guy actually made a scene about this, very loudly informing the staff and probably everyone else within a 1-mile radius that Royal Grounds had lost his business, for good. Yeah... don't be that guy. read more

Great study spot, good wifi, decently quiet, pretty clean bathroom, awesome friendly service and good food! Had their medium soy latte (not as strong as I would've liked tbh) and their Denver Omelets bagel (egg, tomatoes, avocado, bacon), which was super flavorful and delicious. It is a bit pricy with my bagel + drink coming out to be about $12 but not bad for how long I stayed. Great study spot and I definitely will be back in the future! read more

Thai Tea is awesome, so much room, good lighting, kind of pricy food items This place should get more credit! Lot's of places to sit, outlets, good lighting, and quiches that are available sometimes ares something that I have been dying to try. Family run and they are super nice! it would've been nice if they could close later though!! read more

I've been writing here the last 3 nights. It's SO much nicer when all the students are away. What the fuck am I gonna do after the first 2 weeks of January? I guess I'll cross that road later. Decent coffees and teas. Mmmm Chai Latte. Alright sandwiches, a bit cold. Do the have a nuke? So far this week, lot's of seating. Visible outlets. Nice huge windows. read more

Got a mid day death charge (shot in the dark/red eye) that never fully kicked in. I thought I ordered a lox bagel but I got a bagel with salmon bits mixed into the cream cheese. This could've been my fault since both options are available. I don't think I was clear with my order. There's a lot of individual table seating. Their pastries look tasty and are reasonably priced. Bathrooms and wifi are only for customers. I had a meh experience. I could see this as a great place to camp out in when studying for exams but I doubt I'd become a regular. read more

I'm pretty upset that I just found this place as a senior, after years of fighting for a spot in libraries, Starbucks, and the ever cruel FSM cafe on campus! This place almost always has an open seat and the staff is really friendly. The big windows let in lots of light, there are plenty of outlets to share, and I love their white mocha. Fun Fact: All of their pastries are half-off after 7pm and they stay open pretty late! Late night study snacks galore!! :D read more

OMG!!!! Absolutely rude management! Can't even begin to express how horrible they're! Came in a few weeks back and they made my drink wrong. When I returned to bring it to there attention, I was rudely spoken to in front of guests and treated as if I was a liar! Being the forgiving individual I am.... I returned today only to have the situation brought up again in front of a whole coffee house full of guests. The Asian lady is beyond rude/argumentative and wanted to make an ass of herself in front of others! It's not as if they're the only coffee joint in the area. This was a, "Quick fix" on my lunch break. If I want, "Real Coffee"... I'll go to Starbucks or Peets where they treat there customers with respect and actually don't screw up orders! read more

Great location and tons of spacious seating, that's about it. The drip coffee is subpar and my almond milk cappuccino didn't fare much better. Definitely make the extra journey to Philz further up Shattuck or wherever else for good quality caffeine. read more

I came here to meet with a friend. There were tons of open spaces. The tables had enough room for people to spread out their books. The ambiance is casual. I only ordered hot apple cider. It was good, but in my opinion $3.25 for a small is overpriced. Elsewhere, that same apple cider (same size too) is under $3. I can see why many people decide to get their work done here. It's quiet for the most part and wifi is fast & reliable over here. read more

The lady at the register was super sweet and it's a chill place. Lots of tables to sit at, good place to come hang out and get some homework done or just grab a quick bite without a wait. The food was actually realllly good and really cheap which is nice sense everything in this city is so pricey. Buuuut the coffee was not good at all. We had a regular iced latte and a dirty chai and they both seemed watered down and super bitter. I'd rename this place and not focus so much on coffee but focus on their food cause it was amazing! The reason I'm giving them 4 stars even tho their coffee was not good, is because I came here for food not coffee and it was really good! I'd definitely eat here all the time would just grab my morning joe somewhere else. read more

The only good thing about this coffee house is that they have PLENTY of room, too bad this cafe is HORRIBLE. HORRIBLE! It's so odd, because Royal Grounds always seems to be packed with students. This cafe seemed promising, big windows, plenty of table space and chairs. There's even a wall of computers where one can access the internet, but I just can't to seem to feel comfortable at this place. Even tho, there's a good amount of table space, I don't like the fact that they're so close to each other! I'm sorry but I need my personal space. Perhaps, there is just TOO much room. The ceilings are too high, which makes everyone's conversation echo. There really is nothing intimate about this cafe at all, so really in the end, there's nothing good about this place at all. And yes, the staff...they've never cracked a smile towards me. Oh and yes, their coffee is pretty below average and not worth my 1.75 and the vegan cookie...has a weird after taste....DON'T get it. read more

The natural lighting here is fantastic - I don't think any other cafe in Berkeley beats it. The cafe itself has lots of tables but tends to get full. There's usually one or two empty tables. The wifi is really reliable so that makes this a great spot to study. The drink's aren't that great though. The white mocha I got didn't taste very caffeinated at all. I mean it's drinkable, just not great. The drink did come out pretty quickly though, and service is friendly. All in all, this is a great place to study, but not-so-great place to stop by for a caffeine fix. read more

The moment I walked up to the barista/cashier at Royal Ground, she gave me a genuine and warm smile and asked me what I wanted to order. It was so refreshing to get a worker who was happy and friendly. The coffee I got was good. No complaints. The cafe is great. Lots of tables and chairs. Nice and airy cafe. Great natural light coming in too. read more

The owners are SO FREAKING RUDE when it seems as if you aren't going to buy anything. Even when there are plenty of seats available, they will question you if you are a customer and if you are going to buy anything because the seats are for customers. Seriously??? I have purchased plenty of times and have gone almost everyday since the summer, but I have been asked TWICE to buy something. It is ridiculous! Update 8/23/13: I have been going to this cafe for over 1 year now because I live close to it. I have mixed feelings about this place. Some days I feel productive here, but other days the noise level would just be too much to focus. I only come here to do homework. You meet a lot of interesting people here. The staff has become more friendly and welcoming. I still do not like how you have to ask for the keys to the bathroom. read more

It's nice that they have plenty of tables and chairs, so there's lots of room come study time. However, I didn't think their selection of pastries/drinks/food was special at all. In fact, they may be a bit overpriced for what they are. Just a note: the bathroom requires a key that you can get from the cashier. There's also Wi-Fi if you buy something. read more

I started going to RG to work out my programming homework. Plenty of tables and space to set up your laptop and hunker down for a long work session. I give them points for: Size - rows of tables where you can spread out or sardine in Noise level - it's got more of a study feel than a noisy cafe feel, but headphones are my savior when "that guy" on his cell phone sits down Snacks - VEGAN cookie while you work? Yes, please. Variety of breads and non-coffee drinks? Twist my arm. The other food - behind the display - I can't vouch for it, but will say it looks funky. Hours - considering the serious lack of cafes, RG has great late night hours, especially during the school year. If only I hadn't closed it out sooo many times. And the wi-fi cost issue? Please. Considering a drink is less than $3.00 normally and patrons are usually there for over an hour - you can pony up some bucks for using the internet. And we wonder why other cafes aren't around. read more

I liked this place, it was just around the corner from where I lived and when I was too lazy to drag my butt to the library...I went here. It had a nice environment with large windows to add plenty of natural light and it was filled w/ tables. Although I enjoy my space so during finals when it was packed I would have to sit smooshed between people at times. But usually I was plenty spaced out. I didn't really like the pastry...maybe I got it way late, as I usually came in the evening but it was a bit dry. I do like their thai teas though...it was sweet and delicious, their chai latte was not so good. I thought it had way too much cinnamon. Still I agree that the workers there are really nice and attentative. They always served me w/ a smile and when my pastry was dry they offered me another one or money back. Yay. read more

This is my favorite place to come to in the morning. The staff here is so nice and their drinks are very good. But it is definitely their breakfast bagel sandwich that makes this place so amazing. I totally suggest you stop by and grab the bagel sandwich and a drink!!! read more

I have to give them credit for making the best espresso I've tasted in South Side Berkeley. I know this because I had two shots of it with a little sugar and half-and-half. I can't even drink that quantity of drip-coffee at *certain other cafes*. And being able to drink almost straight espresso late at night is so useful I might just come back here. However, I would've liked to add some milk instead of cream. Ideally nonfat, but I would've settled on lowfat, or even whole, but that was not out in the sugar-packet-area. Oh, you probably have to pay extra for that. They should put up an additional menu of "simple conveniences that are complimentary at any other cafe". A smile or some semblance of gratitude from the employee taking your money: $5. Not getting glared at: $3. Milk for your coffee: $1. I don't know what the cost is of getting an item on the menu explained, but when I asked about the "cafe borgia" it was explained as "a cappuccino with flavor." Mhmmm. The layout creeped me out, no lie. And there aren't outlets for any of the tables in the middle. The comment about San Quentin was accurate, and it was so dim that I started falling asleep before that amazing espresso kicked in. Everything added up to the place seeming like what I imagine a Soviet-run cafe would be like. Now if I just had more time I could come up with a brilliant Soviet Russia joke about it... read more

I came in with a friend right after brunch with our leftovers and claimed a table by the register. At first we were worried that the lady at the register would be annoyed or passive-aggressive about it, but she was just curious about it; later when we moved to a 4-seater table covered with crumbs, she came over immediately and cleaned it off. I was a little hesitant about getting a drink here because I'd gotten a coffee last time and didn't like it, but I got a hot cider this time that I really liked-- it was a good temperature and most importantly, tasted like spiced cider and not just apple juice. Overall, a really great experience! read more

Baristas here are extremely rude. It's fine for studying, because everyone else is working. But it's not a particularly pleasant place. I wouldn't go there to enjoy the ambiance. The music is terrible. read more

If you sit here long enough the sun WILL get you. with all the windows they have, on a sunny day, blindness is but eventual. Still, despite the sunshine daggers to the eyes, I've been coming here on and off for the past six years. The coffee is solid and, despite its size, the place is mostly really quiest. Perfect for some reading and writing. read more

Saw the results of a fairly spectacular car crash here tonight. No one was seriously injured, but lots of glass and spilled chairs/drinks from the car that plowed into a corner table (through the windows). Five stars for a hell of a scene. read more

I'm with Talia on this one. When I think of this place, the words "Not Peet's" come to mind. I'm also joining the club with Kate and Maria in mentioning how strange it is that the staff all have a general demeanor suggesting that they might all be working there against their wills. It's not even that they're unfriendly; they just all seem really, really unhappy. That aside, the coffee is ok. It's not amazing, and neither is the chai, but it's closer to my office than Peet's, and they take cards. There's a heap of seating, which I could certainly see being a major bonus for college students in the area, though, with the amount of space they have, they could certainly hold some decent-sized events there (lectures, meetings, open mic's, you know, coffee shop type events). Then again, it would almost feel wrong to enjoy yourself here while the staff looks eternally distant and forlorn. read more