Blue Bottle Coffee Co.
Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: SOMA66 Mint St
(between Jessie St & Mission St)
San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 495-3394
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Sat 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Sun 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Wi-Fi: None
203 reviews
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
"I LOVE NOOOOK!! Yes, I am shouting this from the rooftops! How do I love thee, Nook, let me count the ways! 1. Chicken Hummus Sandwich- sex…" read more »
237 Reviews for Blue Bottle Coffee Co.
The best cup of hot chocolate EVER! Extremely aesthetically pleasing and delicious to taste. Better be, for three and a half bucks... awww, but it was worth it. The prettiest little cup of cocoa I've had in a long time.
And individual drip coffee (as Blue Bottle makes it) really should be the ONLY way to drink a cup of coffee. Made one filter, one cup at a time, burning hot coffee tastes so fresh and so clean clean, and so much better than lukewarm coffee stored in a thermos.
I've heard the coffee here is to die for, but I'm not a huge coffee drinker. They were out of lemonade so I had to settle for water. It was pretty good...but I was quite thirsty. It's a decent place to sit and chat for a bit though. I highly recommend it. Next time I visit, I'll make sure to order an actual beverage like a tea or something. It's a wee bit on the pricey side though.
Blue Bottle isn't the pinnacle of coffee drinking for me because I like the coffee at Bernie's better. However, it is probably the strongest coffee I've ever drank outside of Tu Lan. I tried the siphon bar coffee once and I don't think I'll ever order it again simply because I don't think I can appreciate it enough to warrant the outlandish price. I still respect the owner for trying to take coffee drinking to the next level though.
On a couple of occasions they've run out of the New Orelans-style iced coffee -- the only thing they make that I greatly enjoy. It's understandable enough that they'd run out but pretty disappointing considering it's a bit of a hike to get there. The second time they ran out I asked if I could call ahead if it was a hot day to make sure they had some. Their response: "Actually, we don't have a phone".
The self-flagellating seriousness with which Blue Bottle approaches coffee making and the absurdity with which they approach everything else will keep me from giving them five stars anytime soon.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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04/03/2008
I've had a fair amount of stuff from here at this point including the siphon bar coffee, the New… Read more »
I don't get it.
I. Just. Don't. Get. It.
Coffee snobs--like tea snobs, wine snobs, and the thoroughly paradoxical (yes, I like this word and frequently use it) beer snob (at least beer and high culture do not go hand in hand in my mind)--extol the virtue of Blue Bottle like the blood of Apollo himself drips from the omnipresent Beehouse Ceramic Drippers (yours for a mere $16.00, according to signage) into paper cups anointed by the Baby Jesus. So I set out upon my journey to find this mythical Blue Bottle, located amongst the carts and ruins of a Jessie Street past; I stood in line behind snotty drama queen with faux hawk, a few unwashed tourists, and angry emo bookworm; and lastly, I patiently waited for my name to be called. When scenester hair handed me my $3.85 latte (including tax), I eagerly sipped this liquid manna.
And that's when I realized that I had been duped by the hype.
This cup did not contain the exquisite taste of liquid mahogany pissed by Costa Rican Pegasi fed solely upon shade-grown, fair trade coffee beans. Oh no, this cup contained the musky aftertaste of ferrets, which about twenty minutes after drinking my cup of disappointment, began to gnaw their way through my intestinal tract. Overall, a big "Meh" with a side of stomach pain.
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This place sits squarely at the pinnacle of San Francisco foodie-techie-geekdom. Yessss, they have the $20,000 Japanese machine, and it's pretty cool to watch the mix masters in action, like an episode of Mr. Science (better would be to see the Mystery Science Theater version). They layout is very stark, but the communal table is fairly comfortable, with purse hooks.
If coffee is to be elevated to this rather elitist level, we are the city to do it and obviously, we know ourselves well enough to realize that there is a loyal customer base for this. Personally, I like that all of the Blue Bottle locations are very different from each other, so you can decide if you want to be hip in Hayes Valley, casual at the farmer's market, or buttoned up at Mint Plaza.
Try to secure a seat here - the same coffee in a paper cup almost defeats the purpose. Leave your laptop at home - the only technology supported here is in the siphon.
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Excellent coffee and fun atmosphere. Employess leave the place a mess. The entire Saturday morning we sat there coffee cups, food plates, papers and whatever else where grossly left on the tables as we and other people shoved stuff to the side to make room for our stuff. Everything kept piling up. Bizarre for such a cool place. Work on customer service for shiz!
I have to agree that the cups are fricken small and the price is high at $3 for a small cup of capuccino...
BUT...
This is the BEST coffee EVER. Ok, maybe not ever, though it's pretty damn good. I don't know what they do or how they do it, each cup of caffeine is equally and heavenly good. When I'm standing in that God-forsaken line (yes, there is one) I can count on one important thing - the quality of my choice of caffeine is going to be excellent.
This is the type of coffee that you sip, breathe in the aroma, look around to take in the surroundings, enjoy the moment, and relax with your cup of delicious coffee. I love it!!
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I was clearly not hip enough to be in this place.
Also, the coffee was exceedingly mediocre... and may have, in fact, been burnt. When I asked if I could have an iced mocha, I was refused. "Yeah, we have like, iced coffees and iced lattes, but we don't do iced mochas."
But they do make regular mochas... then can I please just have a regular mocha and a cup of ice? The iced mocha was clearly too pedestrian for the baristas of Blue Bottle.
I'm sure there are better coffee shops in this city. But if you want to be seen (and "scene"), then definitely go here.
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When I go to Blue Bottle (Mint Plaza) I know a few things will or can happen:
I can wait in line between 5 and 10 minutes.
I can wait another 5 to 10 minutes for my coffee, depending on what I order and how many people are ahead of me.
I will have to tolerate 2 types of people: the pushy downtown shopper lady who cuts in line or the much hated inconsiderate-downtown-white collar-douche robot with his Blue Tooth in.
I will spend $4 - $6 dollars, inclusive of tip.
I can end up illegally parking our car.
Now, when I go to Blue Bottle in the Mint Plaza I am always happy because I know the above will or can happen. You cannot go there if any of the above will make you mad enough to give it a bad review. As so many have said, the universe of coffee houses that is San Francisco offers a consumer choices so choose one that will make you happy.
I continue going here because I am always given wonderful service. I have never been served anything beyond delicious and technically perfect. The space is simple with no bells and whistles. Even their alien coffee machines seem to blend in.
5 Stars :: Not only for the quality of the coffee, the great service I receive 4 times a week, but also for the unapologetic attitude for how they do things i.e. the wait for coffee, lack of WiFi and disregard for pillowy soft recliners to accommodate those who like to camp and ignorantly disallow small, independently owned businesses from making a profit in this city.
Long story short, come here for a consistent, artisan brew with no consideration for those looking to plop their asses on a cushion and "work" for 3 hours.
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"Mmm... god damn, Jimmy! This is some serious gourmet shit. Me and Vincent would've been satisfied with some freeze dried Taster's Choice, (looks at Vincent) right?"--Jules Winfield
I decided to try out this place after reading all the hype about their mochas and lattes. I can't seem to get to the Hayes Valley locale, so I was glad to find this location too!!! :)
Okay, I knocked off one star b/c the place is just too damn expensive for what I can easily slap together... and trust me, I'm definitely not much of a cook so that tells 'ya something.
That said... OMG!!! That is THE BEST MOCHA I've had to date!!! :-P~~ I think it's the chocolate. I'm more partial to the bittersweet chocolate than the milk chocolate. (Milk chocolate tends to have WAAAAAY too much sugar in it. Bittersweet doesn't have too much sugar, which is JUST FINE with me!!!) And I would just LOVE to try to do one of those nice little designs they put in my mocha!!! (The barista showed it to me once how they do it too! It was KEWL!!!)
I saw this cream of potato soup that they were serving one day that look totally delish... and my sandwich was pretty decent too, considering. (Okay, it's not as economically sounds as Lee's or the Banh Mi's but I'm reminded about how simple things can actually be very tasty!!!)
And... MUST GO FOR THE BRIOCHE!!! (I'll write more when I have a chance to go there for brunch... unfortunately my schedule doesn't seem to allow me to go there during brunch.)
Definitely a place for the scene and to be seen place. Lots of professionals hanging out there! (And apparently the morning staff seems to think I'm hip enough. They know now when I walk in to make a soy mocha for me!) :-)
Keep on keepin' on, you guys at Blue Bottle... as long as you keep making my mocha the way you always have. :-)
WTF. People write "If the soup nazi, an art gallery and the owners of several speakeasies got together and decided to open up a coffee shop, Blue Bottle would be the result." and still rate this place 5 stars? On what planet is this too cool for you coffee bar worth 30 mins to get a latte. Maybe I'm looney tunes and all the trendoid wahoos here in SF think it's chic....
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If the soup nazi, an art gallery and the owners of several speakeasies got together and decided to open up a coffee shop, Blue Bottle would be the result.
There is a respect for bean here, the making of each cup by hand - to order - and no non-sense: it is frowned upon to order any double-whip-non-fat-soy-vanilla..blah blah blah.
There is a reverence observed even by its patrons...everyone enjoying the coffee quietly, having what I assumed to be extremely intellectual conversation and pretty much minding their own beeswax.
The goods themselves are delectable, unadulterated and simply what coffee was supposed to be before D&D or Starbucks infiltrated the market and destroyed any authenticity. Okay, maybe that is a little harsh, but try the coffee and experience this for yourself I am sure there will be very little to debate about.
I'll certainly be enjoying a cup whenever I am in town!
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This place has by far the best coffee in San Francisco and we've tried them all. Per some of the other reviewes, this place may not be for those who aren't coffee aficionados - who could find it overpriced and a bit pretentious. But for those who value the best, this is as good as it gets. Also offers excellent pastries and sandwiches. We live in San Diego so only get to frequent Blue Bottle on business trips and therefore purchase beans from their website. The roast is consistently good.
Can a coffee shop change the world? How about a neighborhood. My first encounter with the part of town behind the old Mint was in 1973. I had a part-time job working in what is now the credit union, on the corner. This area has always to my memory been on the less than desirable side, although less skeevy then, compared to say two years ago. We all remember these alleys before the Mint renovation -- bums, urine, bus parking, grit and grime.
The Blue Bottle (along with Chez Papa and the resto) have succeeded in reclaiming this lost landscape and making it a sweet little promenade, and I salute the owners who had the chutzpah to invest here.
As for the coffee, well read the NYT review for starters. I'm a big fan of innovation and risky undertakings (like Boccalone and Terroir) and Blue Bottle is doing the same here. I suppose you'll read rants and raves over the $12 pot of coffee -- I'm writing this without scanning the previous reviews -- but regardless of what you think of the cost-benefit proposition here, I don't think they're lining their pockets with money in this venture and to me, it's value for money.
I think I'm like a lot of people who can't afford a $800k house or a $80k car, but a nice coffee once a week won't kill me, and for those brief shining moments I am reminded of the rewards of working and a little disposable income. This is an oasis of quality and care in my days full of schlock. 5th star would come from a little zhoozh of the service -- can you guys move a little quicker, act a little more enthusiastic about the cool stuff you're doing? Is that a coffee scoop in your pants or do you not give a damn about seeing me?
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I'm crazy about coffee. I love it in all of its various forms, and its about time I review blue bottle. I'm going to focus on the beans and the brewed espresso I have had in the café.
-=[The Beans]=-
I have tried various roasters in the city (ritual, graffeo, roastery, etc.) and have found none to be as consistently high quality as blue bottle. It is priced around 7 for a half pound depending on the blend, which is about the same as other high-end roasters. Just finding out when most other beans were roasted can be an issue that is why I love that blue bottle prints it right on the bag and will not sell beans that are more than 48 hours old. I enjoy the Hayes Valley roast most often.
I brew most of my coffee as espresso as I have a low-volume commercial plumbed-in machine in my kitchen (i'm nuts). It gives me control of the brewing temp within 1 degree, so on a long shot I emailed them to see what temp to brew their beans at. This is what they said:
"Hi,
We usually set our machines to 200-203 depending on the day of roast and the weather.
The roman usually likes a lower temp but that is the only one that I would recommend at around 198-199."
They tune parameters of the espresso making process based on the weather.
-=[Espresso]=-
I have only had espresso in the café, but I can say that it was tasty and prepared with such care as to elevate it to an art. I like that it is served with a glass of water.
The espresso itself had a thick dark reddish-brown crema, was prepared ristretto style (shorter/smaller/stronger shot) with a slight bit of speckling in the crema.
It is presented in thick walled Italian made Nuova Point cups which are used for great espresso all over the world. Coincidentally if you like the cups, Café Trieste in north beach sells them.
The café was busy with a mix of business people on lunch break and tourists. Everyone was friendly and the service was prompt.
My only complaint is that one time I was trying to go to the café I ran in to a rather confrontational crack head while trying to park. I can't blame blue bottle for that though.
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Purchased my first cup of the "famous" individual drip coffee this morning. To my surprise after reading the reviews, their wasn't a line to order at 8:30 this morning. In fact, I walked right up to the counter. I did have to wait about 5 minutes to get my coffee but it was worth the wait. The coffee is delicious. The only thing that bothered me (and kept me from giving it a 5 star rating) was the staff. Their must have been 10 people behind the counter and I didn't see a single smile coming from the group - including the person who waited on me. I just didn't feel a very 'welcoming' reception from anyone working. Perhaps they haven't had their coffee yet!
There are moments in the work day when I find a little levity.
Unfortunately, those moments are usually found when I'm at the Blue Bottle Coffee Co.
I will sit by the window with Kyoto iced coffee, sandwich, and book in hand, occasionally stare out the window into the Mint Plaza, and find myself at peace with the universe. For I exist only to be lost in my reading.
How long is an excessive lunch again?
A lot of iced coffees lose their coffee flavor and then rely on the cream and sugar to make it taste good. What I enjoy about the Kyoto iced coffee is that it retains its richness.
Sadly, I have yet to try any of their espresso drinks but if it's anything like their regular coffee, I have no doubt of its excellence.
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WOOHOO! is right!
I'm wired and Blue Bottle Coffee is to blame!
Great coffee and beautiful atmosphere. The staff is really friendly and represents Blue Bottle very well. Um yeah.. and they're cute too.
A blessing and a curse, it is conveniently located a block away from my work. There is always a line, so its good to get there early, or at least before the "rush" hits..but I haven't figured that out yet, because there always seems to be a "rush".
My fave is the latte', but I have sampled others. The Iced coffee rocks, but beware it makes one SO energized that one cup will make the rest of your day full of stuttering and speed walking EVERYWHERE.
Goodness. I'm exhausted now.
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So I really like the coffee at Blue Bottle. I like watching them brew the individual pots of coffee in the glass carafes. I love the new orleans iced coffee and I love going there when there isn't a line. This is the problem though... when is there not a line?
The line is huge and there is very little uncomfortable sitting. The coffee at bluebottle is 4 star coffee, but the ambiance is lacking significantly. No seating, no service, and a very unfriendly area (5th and Mission... ick) Also, no wifi. (You're in SOMA with so many computer upstart companies in the industrial part of the city... you should have wifi).
I have experienced much better coffee houses. Bluebottle may be inventive with their ways of serving and their roasting system, but I prefer my coffee houses to have a bit more class and a more welcoming atmosphere than that...
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Ok, I am not a Blue Bottle devotee. In fact, I can't stand their Hayes Valley original location, or at least the caffeinated pretense that pervades there. Even so, I had to admit that their coffee in and of itself was always at the peak of its flavor whenever I did have a cup (sometimes at a restaurant, or at a friend's place).
With this new location pretty near Union Square, there's a distinct friendliness that has been added (perhaps the staff gets there morning coffee before work!?). There's actually a chance to sit down here, not for hours but perhaps to enjoy your drink at a leisurely pace. While you sometimes see someone with a laptop here, those people tend to be lame and should be avoided. Somehow, Blue Bottle has succeeded in making the art of coffee drinking an activity, and not just a form of hot sustenance.
Another nice aspect: they have food! And beer and wine! And come on now, let's here it for the Japanese siphon bar (http://www.nytimes.com...), try roasting that bean, Peet's.
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This is a classic "Soup Nazi" situation. The coffee is fantastic- definitely some of the best in the city. HOWEVER, the customer service sucks- I mean really sucks. I already show enough respect by ordering straight off the menu, their New Orleans Iced Coffee is fantastic however their extremely condescending attitudes are not. Every time I am in there they are always playing very somber kill yourself music (which is just fine), but in my opinion it comes down to the product and the way the customer receives it and this place needs a lot of help with their people skills. I would not talk smack on anything else because that is all a matter of preference. Coffee is great but the service is terrible- every day it is like making a deal with the devil.
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Holy Mother! I have found the holy grail of lattes! I swear, this is the best damn latte I have EVER had. I now find myself making up excuses to head downtown just so I can get my BB fix. I laugh as I walk down the sidewalk seeing people carrying their Starbucks cups--they have no freakin' ideal! Seriously, it is a bit of a wait to actually get your drink, but it is SO worth it. Try it...if there is such a thing as a coffee orgasm, you'll have one! Ohhhh, get me some Blue Bottle baby!
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I was underwhelmed and less than impressed.
Small cup of coffee.
Large price tag.
Soggy egg tossed on a stupidly large piece of bread.
boo.
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So this is the second Blue Bottle Coffee location I have tried and it as satisfying the garage location in Hayes valley. The better thing about them is they have an actual cafe and I can eat some toast and jam with my latte.
The interior is very modern and sleek.
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My love-hate relationship with Blue Bottle (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) continues at the new Mint Plaza location. The coffee absolutely blows my mind, but equally mind-blowing is the long wait to actually get the coffee. I nearly gnawed my hand off waiting in line on Saturday morning, and it wasn't even crowded at the time. They really need to figure out a way to serve their addicted customers faster...
BTW, Blue Bottle, your new space is oh-so-sleek and cool. Please please please don't let your newfound celebrityhood get to your head and affect the quality of your coffee! It happened to my first true love (Peets)--I just can't bear to see it happen again.
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I come here on weekends, and it feels like Chelsea, but with more flavor and less attitude. The Kyoto iced and espresso con panna are amazing but just checking out the cool use of materials and fixtures in the space is worth the visit alone.
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I'm trying to get into Blue Bottle for the sake of my BF, who is hardcore about it and thinks it is the greatest thing since sliced bread (well, no...I guess he actually thinks it is the greatest thing since Ritual or Philz Coffee, which would make more sense). In any case, he goes through these coffee phases every six months or so, and Blue Bottle is in very high rotation right now!
I've accompanied him about three times now, and I've had the new orleans style iced coffee, the kyoto style iced coffee, and the cafe au lait. Their coffee is damn strong! I swear it kept me up until 5 am one time, which was frustrating because I wanted to go to sleep...so plan accordingly, people...no afternoon coffee! I've also tried some of their food, which has always been on a sunday, so I don't know if they serve it the rest of the week, but the tomato soup souffle thingie and the the toast with jam is really good! Everything here is on the pricey side, but it is all very good quality.
Lastly, the environment of this place is definitely cool, with a sort of science lab feel to it (they have these crazy machines for brewing the coffee that seriously look like they are from a different time and place, you've gotta see it!) Overall, Blue Bottle is not an everyday type of coffee destination for me, but it is an "experience," and at least I know where I can go now to get super caffeinated for an all-nighter!
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Who do these guys think they are!
Every time I go into this place I get the worst customer service, so what if they brew their coffee in a glass ball. Their attitude is the worst. If I ask for modification on a drink they tell me they can't do it. I asked for my drinks after wait ing 20 minutes and they gave me attitude mocking me.
Customers who were at the end of a long line were receiving their coffee for me.
Just because they have good coffee doesn't give them the right to think they are better than.
I mean come on. What are they making over there? minimum wage? Maybe they should take their hipster selfs back to the mission or the haight.
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There are better/cheaper/faster coffee shops all over San Francisco.
Their coffee is certainly freshly roasted and some of their blends are quite nice (though they only carry a few). And their brewing methods -- practically the whole point of going there -- are up to par, when they're functioning properly. It's all show though. Is a fancy vacuum pot really THAT much better than manual-drip-style (how they do their drip coffee)? I don't know for sure, but I don't think so.
And if you're on a budget, don't even think about it.
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Stopped by last Saturday after hearing about the 20$K Japanese Siphon Bar Coffee Machine everywhere online. Neat little spot with a long line but well worth the wait. It was pretty hot that day so I decided to order a New Orleans Iced Coffee. Great flavors. I usually dose my coffee with extra sugar but I decided against it since I wanted to savor the amazing flavors. Best iced coffee I have ever had.
I would love to give this a 5 star but the melt-y coffee cups resulted in a mess all over my white dress shirt and dripping everywhere in the shops.
Definitely a place to stop by if you're in the SF area. Now I have to find a place as good in NYC.
I have to bump up the rating I gave Bluebottle, I've come here several times since my first visit and they've haven't run out of coffee which is a bonus. The coffee is definitely the best I've had downtown, it really gives you a jolt like no other coffee shop near by.
If you're willing to splurge try the mocha, it's fairly pricey at $4.50 but it really is the best mocha in SF (at least in my opinion). Still can't give it fives stars though, pretty pricey, takes a really long time to get any drink and the staff are consistently snooty. I think it's that the staff are trained to be coffee snobs so if you don't know have a PhD in coffee you're likely to get some attitude.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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03/24/2008
I was excited to give this place 5 stars after hearing from many people that the coffee is the bomb.… Read more »
Okay, a review of Blue Bottle has to start with the coffee. Honestly though, it's been covered. There's even a Chronic article about it. Just for the sake of saying it though, the coffee is amazing. Period. There are lots of great coffee shops in the city, they all have their own reason for being awesome, Blue Bottle is awesome because it has amazing single serving drip.
I'm going back on Thursday for the Siphon coffee, I just didn't want to try to drink a pot for two all by myself. I probably would have reached low earth orbit.
Okay, so the food - which is (-1 star). The food was amazing, tasty and delicious, but it just wasn't enough for lunch. I was expecting to get Lunch, really I had a snack and was hungry for the rest of the day. So, I think the place is great. I expect to try their breakfast stuff eventually, and I'm going to try the Siphon coffee on Thursday. Cross your fingers, maybe I'll give them that 5th star.
Alright. The infatuation of Blue Bottle is beginning to wear off. I've been here a few times over the past month.
Blue Bottle looks cool, it's chic. The coffee is good. The equipment looks cool and always gives you something to talk about.
But Blue Bottle needs to get its act together. The lines are always out the door. Their equipment always seems to be broken. Every time I come back, I leave more frustrated.
For a coffee shop that seemed to be taking off, it looks like Blue Bottle is smashing into the chain-link fence at the end of the runway.
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05/12/2008
It was only a matter of time before I experienced the hype around Blue Bottle Coffee.
And it more… Read more »
I LOVE their ICE coffee! organic fresh coffee beans made to order. you can find blue bottle coffee at the kiosk at Farmers Market near the Ferry Building (weekends only) and a store on Mint St in SOMA.
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Super cute, but $3.50 for an iced coffee that would be a small size even at starbucks is beyond redonkulous. It was absolutely fantastic tasting, but absolutely fantastic / $3.50 creates steeply decreasing returns on bang per buck.
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After many visits to the satellite operations at the Ferry Plaza and Hayes Valley, I decided it was time to check out the actual cafe.
It was okay. Fancy insides with all the brewing equipment and cute little French country style counter sitting, but that was it. meh.
The other places are much more convienent and the counters were fairly dirty from sloshed coffee and creamer. I went late in the afternoon (3p), but still hoped to nab some form of food treat to have with my coffee. Only thing available was the gingerbread cake...
It was good, just not worth hunting it down in the touristy streets of Market Street. I will stick with my friendly neighborhood stands.
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I'm normally much too lazy to write reviews of places but when I noticed Blue Bottle Cafe didn't have a Yelp review I knew I had to intervene!
I'm not a coffee snob so I can't comment authoritatively on that (although I really like the mocha) but the food is really solid. It's not my favorite type of food but in terms of executing on the concept it doesn't get any better than this.
One of the only places in SF to get a decent tasting coffee. Don't get me started on the number of burnt, too strong, or too weak coffees in this country. argh! not sure why most places find it so hard, but this place nails it.
Go during off peak times and you wont have any probs with the queues.
