The cutest little hole-in-the-wall coffee shop, the kind of place you'd walk right past if you didn't know it was there, and I'm so glad I didn't. It's small, cozy and full of character, with that warm neighborhood feel where you instantly want to stay a little longer than you planned. Now the real reason you need to go: the pumpkin spice latte. It's a MUST. Perfectly balanced, cozy and smooth, with real fall flavor that isn't overly sweet or syrupy like the chain versions. It tastes like someone actually cares about how it's made, and it's easily one of the best I've had. If you love finding hidden gems with a ton of heart, this is it. I'll definitely be back to work through the rest of the menu, but the pumpkin spice latte alone is worth the trip. Don't skip it! read more

Tried the chocolate chip walnut cookie (it was okay). Also got the bagel that was really good but they don't toast bagels. They also only give a small portion of cream cheese. It's the mini size Philadelphia cream cheese brand. It was a good experience overall but I was disappointed on cleanliness... As I was ordering the employee sneezed all over the bagels and still gave me the one closest to where they coughed. read more

The Waiting Room - Inside - Bars Near Me - Mendocino, California

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A cute little cafe next to and affiliated with Cafe Beaujolais. Lots of comfy seating both indoors and out. The place seems to do a good business and stopping by for an afternoon coffee was perfect. We ordered two large lattes and they really quenched the thirst for a pick-me-up coffee. While watching the patrons order and file through we noticed baked goods continually brought out and offered. When the chocolate chip cookies arrived we did a quick dive before they were snatched up. The baked goods seemed to disappear quickly. The cookies were delicious. It's a pleasant enough space and they have an amazing antique type stereo system playing classics. Very nice background music. This is definitely a place for a coffee or similar type cafe offering. read more

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The Waiting Room in Mendocino is a cozy, welcoming spot that feels like stepping into someone's warm living room. There's a fireplace, a relaxed vibe, and genuinely friendly staff. I waited about 30 minutes for their breakfast sandwich (which I had heard was amazing) while sipping a matcha latte and it was absolutely worth it. Easily one of the best I've had... rich, flavorful, and totally addictive. The pastries were also phenomenal across the board. Chill, quaint, and memorable in the best way. A must-stop breakfast spot in Mendocino read more

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This place has the same menu as Cafe Beaujolais if you can't get a reservation. Downside is seating is first come, first serve and you may need to wait a while to get a spot/order if it's really busy (came during a long weekend). That shouldn't dissuade you from coming here though - the food is probably the best you can get in Mendocino, besides the neighboring Italian restaurant next door which I won't advertise here. The menu changes frequently but be sure to get the 8 hour bolognese is available - you won't regret it. read more

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Such a cute cafe with espresso drinks and pastries! We had dinner at Cafe Beaujolais the night before and stopped by their coffee shop, The Waiting Room before heading out of town to grab coffee and a bite to eat. I opted for the huckleberry latte and my partner got a cardamom rose latte (he originally wanted a cold brew but unfortunately they had ran out) read more

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Loved the vibe here. The croissants and coffee were excellent, but honestly it was the atmosphere that made it special. Cozy, intimate, and the kind of place you want to linger in a little longer. We went twice during our Mendocino stay. The first time was intentional, just for coffee, and the second time was when we were seated here while waiting for a table at Café Beaujolais. I ended up preferring this spot. The music was great, the space felt warm, and it set the tone for the rest of the day. It's a must stop for morning coffee and croissant, especially those who like a slow start to their day. read more

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Very cute little coffee and pastry/bread shop in an old building (that was maybe a house or something?) in downtown Mendocino. I had a delicious nettle flower hot tea and my husband had an americano with oat milk. Both were just right. Would definitely return! read more

TL;DR: - well thought-out coffee place that offers plenty of seating indoors and outdoors. a fire place was available and unique drinks were tasty. while there were savory items available they are not made to order and tasted a bit overcooked. I did enjoy their complimentary postcard station! parking: - Parking was easy, but only because it was Easter Sunday at noon. wait time: - little to no wait time ambiance: - aesthetically pleasing and IG worthy place to enjoy your morning coffee or tea. Unfortunately, several flies were buzzing around inside that detracted from the ambiance service: - patient and thoughtful. They even offered a sample of their new dessert, just out of the oven! food: [Worth It] - Blackberry Espresso Tonic: tasted refreshing and had enough caffeine to keep me adequately energized throughout the day - Wide Eyes Coffee: surprisingly, despite how heavily caffeinated this drink was, it did not taste overly bitter! [Good to Try Once] - Biscuit sandwich: this was not made to order and you can tell it was a bit dry to stomach. read more

The Waiting Room in Mendocino is my dream foggy-day escape, set in a vintage cottage complete with lots of seating, a wood burning stove, and a cozy feel. The baked goods and drinks are creative, and the combination of 90s music playing on their mid century stereo console, a tiny bar for afternoon beer & wine, & a morning coffeehouse set up with good pastries, make for a flexible venue. It has that Mendocino charm that makes you want to linger. It's associated with Cafe Beaujolais, a classic bistro in town, that's been around forever. The one downside to the Waiting Room is with just one person making drinks, the line moves slowly. Overall a cozy spot to linger and we felt the baked goods were notable: homemade bread, bagels, bialys, pastries and biscuits. read more

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cute little cafe, love the vinyl area. Waited less than 3 minutes for my drink which was great. I had a rose cardamom matcha. It was milky but the taste was good! The back patio is adorable! read more

Really lovely spot but it really gets hot in there. The Waiting Room is hybrid setup - a coffee bar with beer on tap and wine. It's a bit too early for alcohol so I can't speak about that experience here. I like the overall setup especially their fireplace and record player setup. Outside seating available but no good view. Anyway, they only have one guy making the drinks so y'all have to be patient. Yes, it took awhile but not end of the world. I also did not expect to see options like blackberry espresso tonic and rose cardamom latte. The rose cardamom latte was the better of the two. Highly recommend! read more

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A local recommended The Waiting Room and suggested ordering their matcha, which I took her up on. Besides their standard menu, the Waiting Room also has a chalk board with specials, and I decided to add their rose cardamom syrup to my drink. My matcha latte was so delicious, and I loved the subtle floral notes from the syrup. My partner ordered a special drink with matcha and coconut water, which he was not a fan of. The matcha wasn't well whisked, and you could see visible clumps floating at the top of his drink. While mine was good, the drinks can be inconsistent. Service was fast and the vibe inside is very laid back and homey. It almost feels like being inside a cabin, and I like the vinyl records on display. I'm glad we stopped by, and you can tell that this is a spot that locals love too. Pro tip: stick to the standard menu. The expresso shots were so fragrant, and I'd consider ordering an expresso drink next time. read more

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Solid coffee and savory scone! Got the cortado with a bit of cardamom syrup, and it was very good. The savory scone was light and crispy as well. Would probably not do the matcha again, but pretty happy about the rest. The deck seating is cute as well. read more

The Waiting Room - Bars Near Me - Mendocino, California

I absolutely loved dropping by this spot on our weekend trip to Mendocino. Inside was a cozy living room vibe, fixed with a vinyl wall, fireplace, and couches. I loved their pumpkin spice latte. Made with real pumpkin and you could totally taste it. They also have pre-stamped postcards on the shelves - super cute! I could imagine myself hanging out here and doing some reading and writing with a hot bev. read more

Cool coffee shop with cozy interior and large tables on the outdoor patio. The drinks and bites are delicious this is a good spot to start your day. read more

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If I start with the almond croissant, it was burnt. It tasted terrible. I didn't even finish it and threw it away. The service wasn't great either. The girl clearly was not in a good mood and did not speak to anyone in the entire coffee shop and believe me the line grew. She moved with no urgency. The shop is adorable and I hope this is just an off day. read more

The Waiting Room - The almond croissant. - Bars Near Me - Mendocino, California

Don't expect any pastries unless you're there early morning. Ordered an iced matcha latte but it was mostly ice. Not the friendliest people either. read more

Walked in, male at the bar did not even notice 3 of us: after a while younger blond lady walks in .. asked if we had reservation .. I said we did not, we just wanted coffee to go.. simple as this but the attitude and tone I would not wish on anyone.. owner of this place needs to do some mystery shopping visits stuff is .. well Yayks.. savory read more

Great service, nice and comfy dinning room. Need to wake up early to try out the pastries highly recommend the Espresso Tonic.

Coffee, Tea, & Pastries by day; Wine & Beer by evening! My husband and I visited The Waiting Room multiple times while staying in the Mendocino area. We first stopped out for their beer and wine happy hour before returning the next day for breakfast. I got the Rose Cardamom Latte which was absolutely delicious! Their Apple Danish and Chai Latte were also very good. Great spot in town to enjoy a little bit of everything! read more

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Got my purse and wallet stolen. Do not recommend. You have to be careful, it looks cozy and small, but if you get distracted then you become easy prey. Someone went and took my purse and nobody saw anything. The bartender made me wait 10 minutes to order a chai, the most expensive chai of my life cause somebody took my stuff. They do not even have cameras so you're on your own. They had the audacity to erase my comment from Google. I won't erase my comment until they give me my purse back. read more

This is a quaint coffee shop with amazing pastries and flavorful coffee. We spent the weekend in the Mendocino area and made sure to stop here twice! It was also a great place to grab a little gift as a souvenir. The inside is cozy with a good amount of space to chill with friends. They also have board games to play, which was fun. And there is plenty of space outside to soak in the sun and hang out. read more

The Waiting Room - Back Porch - Bars Near Me - Mendocino, California

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I love this bakery, everything is excellent, especially the brownies. Coffee is delicious as well. I always get my order to go, but they have a cozy seating area inside. read more

On our last morning of our long coastal weekend getaway, my husband and I made our way to The Waiting Room. It was quite crowded when we arrived, but we managed to place our order for two maple lattes, mine with oat milk and his with regular. We also managed to snag one of the last available pastry items in the display case - a walnut chocolate chip cookie. While we waited for our beverages, one of the tables in the tiny interior managed to open up so we snagged it. This is definitely a quite small and quaint location. It was a rainy day, so the outdoor space and patio were not an option. But as for the maple lattes themselves, they were quite delicious as was the walnut chocolate chip cookie. This may be my favorite coffee shop in Mendocino. read more

Great coffee and baked goods. Rude service. Every time I come here, I get rude service from whoever is behind the bar. I don't get it. Maybe it's personal, maybe it's white privilege. Either way, it makes me not want to come back here no matter how good the coffee is! read more

I am a coffee passionate guy, and been around the works. The ladies at this place make truly delicious expresso based drinks. They have Oatly milk, the aroma and quality is beautiful. Also their ham and cheese croissant is out of this world delicious. Could be the best I've ever had, including France and Italy. The best coffee and baked goods in town, don't try others : A+++ read more

Adorable spot with great vibes. Staff are very friendly. I got the honey lavender latte special and it was delicious. I generally don't like lavender but wanted to give it a try. It was not soapy and paired well with the oat milk I subbed in. I was there later in the day so mast pastries were already gone. Can't wait to go back and try one though. read more

Great atmosphere...cool vibe with the record player and wood paneled walls. We had a latte and cappuccino. Delicious and beautifully presented in colorful ceramic cups and saucers. Seemed like a nice local clientele. read more

The Waiting Room - Coffee! - Bars Near Me - Mendocino, California

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Came here on a Monday morning and it was pretty busy. The service was okay as I wish the pastries could've been heat up instead of served cold. I purchased a ham and cheese croissant and a strawberry scone along with a hot chocolate. The hot chocolate wasn't as sweet as I would've hoped as it was made from semi-sweet chocolate chips and was a bit light for my taste. The ham and cheese croissant was flavorful but I couldn't really taste the cheese as I got more of the ham flavor. The strawberry scone was super flaky and thick but I wish it had more strawberry jam in the middle. read more

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Quick, delicious and beautiful. Best bite we had in Mendocino- don't skip on the pastries. Coffee was delicious. Everything was fairly priced, hang out in the garden and enjoy your morning read more

One of the cutest cafe I have ever visited! My partner and I were at Mendocino for the weekend and had planned to visit the Waiting Room as a quick breakfast spot. This little spot is my definition of a cozy, homey, comforting cafe. The interior of it is very aesthetic. They got a couple lounge chairs, a comfy bench, and some normal seating area closer to the counter area. I think we got there around 9AM, and we're lucky enough to have beat the crowd that came in after us. They offer a good size selection of pastries, whole loaves of sourdough, and a variety of drinks. My partner tried the Matcha Latte with Oat milk, and a Fig Walnut Gazette - very pretty! I went for the Vegan Huckleberry Muffin and a Chai Latte. We also ended up getting a loaf of their sourdough to-go. My Huckleberry Muffin was so good! I love a good crumble top. It adds both a slightly crunchy texture and sweetness. The muffin was moist, crumbly, but not too crumbly, and there were plenty of huckleberries mixed in the muffin. As for my Chai Latte, this chai is on my list of top three chai lattes I have ever tried. It's nicely spiced, and not too sweet. Just perfect for a chilly, cloudy morning. Nothing like a delicious hot drink to keep you warm! As for the Fig Walnut Gazette. There were some good size chunks of figs in the middle. The pastry puff was topped with some sugar, and it was made beautifully. Nice and crispy outer layer, with a soft gooey fruity inside. My partner really enjoyed it. As for the Matcha Latte, I'm surprised at how vibrant it was in color. The more vibrant green it is, the better quality the matcha is. And they added a good amount of matcha in there. I think a good matcha has a slight bitterness to it, and this one was just perfectly bitter initially, but towards then end it got a tad more bitter because a lot of matcha powder had sunk to the bottom. I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The bitterness offsets the sweetness of the pastries. I'm sure Waiting Room is popular amongst locals, but if you're just visiting and you love cafes, make sure to hit up the Waiting Room! We'll be back for sure next time we're around! read more

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This is a great little coffee and bakery. I had a great Americano and their baked goods are incredible. My buddy loves their bagels! The customer service was amazing! read more

The best breakfast burrito I've ever had(Bacon) normally there's too much going on in them, but this was a breakfast sandwich in a burrito, and the salsa was *chefs kiss*, the coffee and hot chocolate were decent They have a good selection of pastries but we didn't try any Ambiance is VERY nice, unique and eclectic (their tunes were fun as well) Also, the bathroom is clean and spacious read more

The Waiting Room - Interiors! - Bars Near Me - Mendocino, California

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I love coming here anytime I am in town. The drinks are always so good, the pastries are perfect and the vibe is just right. I highly recommend. read more

What a hidden gem! We didn't discover this place until our 5/6th time in Mendocino. It's not a place you would just randomly walk by because it's tucked away on a side street. But it was def the best coffee/pastry spot we've tried in Mendocino! I got an iced strawberry matcha which was delicious, and a green onion/cheese scone that was one of the best scones I've ever had in my life. And I don't even like onions! It was so buttery and soft, not dry at all. All the pastries looked delicious, was clearly home baked, and were already running out by the time we ordered. There was a bit of a line, but it moved fast. Really cozy inside with sofa and board games. Decent seating outside that's dog friendly. We also tried the Brickey for lunch and it was similarly delicious! Can't wait to try the Cafe for dinner on our next visit! read more

Monty, the coolest and kind barista made amazing coffees and welcomed us early in the day. Quality coffee, house made syrups, and delicious pastries. Amazing music choices on a chilly morning while a wood burning pot belly stove kept the place warm and cozy. The baker happened to be there and hopefully he was happy we bought 4 of the 8 offerings. All were stellar and I would love to know if he has his own place or sells to the public. Coffee was perfect and not $$$$. Must go place when on this side of the Cali coast. read more

Cute bakery, but I think my sister & I were a bit darker than the usual white they liked their customers to be! They didn't have anymore of this baked good, couldn't heat the ham & cheese croissants & if I wanted a cup of latte (on their menu) they didn't make them & I had to add milk to their Americano. No Thanks! read more

Super fun spot in this small village of places to eat. We grabbed a beer and a coffee while we tried to find the pizza place... it's connected by a deck.... Service was so great I went to get a beer after ordering my pizza! read more

I've been to this wonderful little gem 3x now, and it is part of the charm of "Mendo". The atmosphere, the music (even though the cool retro turntable next to the stack of vinyl is not the audio source I'm hearing) just speaks to me. Last time there had my first cappuccino in at least a decade (and it was vegan), and it was sublime!! Very much appreciated the attitude of both men that made my drinks, nothing wrong there. Rule of thumb - be friendly and receive friendly. First and 2nd time there ordered a pour over, which were delicious, as well. As Arnold said, I'll be back. read more