I came in on a Saturday morning at 10 AM. It was pretty dead. I saw this place on yelp and aesthetically. It looked pretty cool the reviews were decent when I got to the counter there was an Asian teen maybe in his late 20s working and I asked him what type of iced coffees do they have flavor wise? He looked at me super confused as if I asked him a question that he has no idea how to answer and he kept telling me the type of coffee grounds he has no I kept saying what type of flavors do you have so finally somebody named Casa stepped in, and kindly explain the type of flavors they offer for iced coffee because he saw his coworker was acting like I was speaking in a different language, then I asked him what kind of breakfast sandwiches the most popular, and he literally looked at me like he had no idea what I was talking about. Not sure if he was new, but he should really be having People skills if he's gonna be working the register, I give Casa 10 out of 10 he was very friendly and very informative, but the coffee and the customer service I received from the front was not worth it at all. I came from the East Bay, and I will not be returning do not recommend, coffee is not good and their service is not good except for Casa he was great! Also at 10am they had no bagels left but 2 the breakfast sandwich I got was dry the kid didn't add the cheese I asked for and it was overly toasted -10/-10
Amanda Tozer
Delightful coffee shop. Where locals know is the best place for morning coffee. Skip Starbucks and enjoy a real coffee with great conversations and service.
Al L.
My co-worker friend arranged a coffee meetup with us four former co-workers that resided in Alameda. It was cool since I haven't seen two of them is a while. He arranged for us to meet up at 9am on a Thursday at Bad Barista, his favorite local coffee shop located at the Encinal Shopping Center, a small neighborhood strip mall. When I arrived, I remember this being the former Café Aulait. Checking out the menu board, offering consists of coffee drinks, teas, frappes, smoothies, shushes and breakfast sandwiches and bagels, square muffins and croissants. I got a large drip and was hoping their offerings would including pastries, but they only had bagels and the square muffins as they were out of croissants. They have a quaint patio in the back for you to enjoy your drinks and food. It was quiet and we were able to catch-up with our coffees. Worker was friendly. No restroom on the premises as it is located across at the Encinal Market Good local coffee shop with a quaint patio. Hope they expand their offering to include breakfast pastries options.
honey bat
One of the better mochas I’ve had - incredibly smooth and well balanced (not overly sweet or underwhelming). Will definitely be returning soon for another and more ;}
Devin M.
The WTF sandwich is not just good, it's good enough. apparently my review needs at least 85 words so here are some more words to fill up space. None of these words I would recommend that you actually read. I'm learning that the internet and apps have no concept of the value of brevity when it comes to content. What can I say garbage in garbage out. The reason I no longer actually read reviews or take any of them seriously. However on another note. It's nice to have somewhere to get a decent breakfast sandwich and a hot cup of coffee! Keep up the good work bad barista.
Julia Florence S.
Best mocha around.I love supporting local businesses and I absolutely love this place. I usually come in a little later (around 10 am) when I'm in the area and they're out of croissants by then which is a bummer but understandable. I would get their croissant sandwiches when I can.
Adrian de la Fuente
With a mix of emotions swirling within me, I feel compelled to share my review of the beloved neighborhood café I'm reluctantly bidding farewell to. A recent change in my job location means I won't have the pleasure of visiting this delightful spot anymore. Nevertheless, I can't help but sing praises for this hidden gem and the experiences I've had here.What truly sets this café apart is the exceptional service provided by the dedicated staff. The owners, in particular, go the extra mile to make every customer feel welcome and valued. Even during the chaotic morning rush and bustling mid-afternoon lunch hours, their attentiveness shines through. They consistently have my order ready, striking a balance between efficiency and quality.Now, let's talk about the café's offerings, which are nothing short of delightful. Whether you're a coffee aficionado or a lover of delectable pastries, this place has it all. As you step inside, the inviting aroma of freshly brewed coffee instantly awakens your senses. The coffee itself is rich, flavorful, and expertly crafted, making it the perfect way to kickstart your day.As I bid farewell to this café, it's with a sense of gratitude for the memories it has given me. The combination of excellent service, carefully crafted beverages and pastries, and a cozy atmosphere make it stand out from the competition.To anyone who has the chance to visit this neighborhood café, I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a try. Whether you need a quick caffeine fix or a peaceful spot to unwind, this café has got you covered. Treasure each moment you spend here, as it truly is a haven for coffee lovers and food enthusiasts alike.Parking: Plenty of parking.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Meat Egg
Google user
With a mix of emotions swirling within me, I feel compelled to share my review of the beloved neighborhood café I'm reluctantly bidding farewell to. A recent change in my job location means I won't have the pleasure of visiting this delightful spot anymore. Nevertheless, I can't help but sing praises for this hidden gem and the experiences I've had here. What truly sets this café apart is the exceptional service provided by the dedicated staff. The owners, in particular, go the extra mile to make every customer feel welcome and valued. Even during the chaotic morning rush and bustling mid-afternoon lunch hours, their attentiveness shines through. They consistently have my order ready, striking a balance between efficiency and quality. Now, let's talk about the café's offerings, which are nothing short of delightful. Whether you're a coffee aficionado or a lover of delectable pastries, this place has it all. As you step inside, the inviting aroma of freshly brewed coffee instantly awakens your senses. The coffee itself is rich, flavorful, and expertly crafted, making it the perfect way to kickstart your day. As I bid farewell to this café, it's with a sense of gratitude for the memories it has given me. The combination of excellent service, carefully crafted beverages and pastries, and a cozy atmosphere make it stand out from the competition. To anyone who has the chance to visit this neighborhood café, I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a try. Whether you need a quick caffeine fix or a peaceful spot to unwind, this café has got you covered. Treasure each moment you spend here, as it truly is a haven for coffee lovers and food enthusiasts alike.
Caroline C.
Absolutely love this place. I live nearby and have been here many times. They have a great selection of drinks and seasonal and creative coffee flavors, and the staff are really nice; great food too. Beautiful outdoor patio space also!
Dominic B.
Walked in and visited Cafe Au Lait while across the street at the local plant shop and needed a little caffeine boost. The cafe itself is pretty simple with a menu spanning a variety of drinks. There were also small bites available but I was only interested in a coffee. - Vietnamese Coffee When I ordered the Viet coffee, I had the choice to choose between hot or iced. It was a really warm day and I almost always opt for a cold drink anyways so I asked for it iced. The coffee took about 5 min before it was ready. I was one of only two people in the cafe so it came out quickly. Flavor wise, I enjoyed it. It wasn't as dark, strong, or bitter as other Viet coffees I've had but I was okay with it. It was lightly sweet and I drank through it quite quickly to be honest. The only thing is that it could have used more ice. Usually when f I ask for an iced drink, I would expect it to come out cold but it seemed only a little bit of ice was iced so when the coffee was poured in, it melted almost all the ice and the temp was Luke warm at best
This place was literally my childhood. I remember back in middle school when my friends and I used to come here after school, and we get a smoothie and pastry and just sit outside in the patio for hours doing homework and talking. Since I've been back they have updated their menu extensively and they have so many new breakfast items!
Jane O.
Delicious iced Thai tea and friendly service! Easy convenient parking. Looking forward to returning soon.
Omayra O.
Cute little coffee shop that makes fancy coffee drinks and various breakfast sandwiches. They don't have a ton of choices but enough to have a nice quick breakfast. There is a nice covered back patio area where you can sit and eat your breakfast as well
Aj Froman
Solid Vietnamese coffee spot.
Mys D.
Why do they run out of bagels or croissants by 11 am on a Saturday? They are open from 7 to 2 pm. They still have 3 hours of service and all they have now are donuts. This rarely if ever used to happen here back in the day with the original owner. Just think how much extra revenue they are missing out on on the weekend when everyone is out and about yet some of us sleep in a little bit later and aren't here at 7-8 sharp as we would be on the weekend. I want to like these guys and give them way more stars as the staff is very nice but hard to do so when they don't offer more food variety midway through the hours they are open. I wanted something substantially extra to go with my latte but oh well, got to go elsewhere for that. See what I mean Au Lait? You are driving away business but not having enough on hand to last most of your business hours. Suggestion: order more bagels, popular varieties especially, and you'll bring in more revenue and keep your regular customers happy. I want to add that I would be much more of a regular customer if I didn't come here time and again disappointed with the leftovers. Oh, and, please have heavy whipping cream available for my low carb Keto friend as well. Why is it she can go to nearly every other coffee shop and they know how to take care of her but you are puzzled by such a request? Again, revenue lost!
I came in on a Saturday morning at 10 AM. It was pretty dead. I saw this place on yelp and aesthetically. It looked pretty cool the reviews were decent when I got to the counter there was an Asian teen maybe in his late 20s working and I asked him what type of iced coffees do they have flavor wise? He looked at me super confused as if I asked him a question that he has no idea how to answer and he kept telling me the type of coffee grounds he has no I kept saying what type of flavors do you have so finally somebody named Casa stepped in, and kindly explain the type of flavors they offer for iced coffee because he saw his coworker was acting like I was speaking in a different language, then I asked him what kind of breakfast sandwiches the most popular, and he literally looked at me like he had no idea what I was talking about. Not sure if he was new, but he should really be having People skills if he's gonna be working the register, I give Casa 10 out of 10 he was very friendly and very informative, but the coffee and the customer service I received from the front was not worth it at all. I came from the East Bay, and I will not be returning do not recommend, coffee is not good and their service is not good except for Casa he was great! Also at 10am they had no bagels left but 2 the breakfast sandwich I got was dry the kid didn't add the cheese I asked for and it was overly toasted -10/-10
Delightful coffee shop. Where locals know is the best place for morning coffee. Skip Starbucks and enjoy a real coffee with great conversations and service.
My co-worker friend arranged a coffee meetup with us four former co-workers that resided in Alameda. It was cool since I haven't seen two of them is a while. He arranged for us to meet up at 9am on a Thursday at Bad Barista, his favorite local coffee shop located at the Encinal Shopping Center, a small neighborhood strip mall. When I arrived, I remember this being the former Café Aulait. Checking out the menu board, offering consists of coffee drinks, teas, frappes, smoothies, shushes and breakfast sandwiches and bagels, square muffins and croissants. I got a large drip and was hoping their offerings would including pastries, but they only had bagels and the square muffins as they were out of croissants. They have a quaint patio in the back for you to enjoy your drinks and food. It was quiet and we were able to catch-up with our coffees. Worker was friendly. No restroom on the premises as it is located across at the Encinal Market Good local coffee shop with a quaint patio. Hope they expand their offering to include breakfast pastries options.
One of the better mochas I’ve had - incredibly smooth and well balanced (not overly sweet or underwhelming). Will definitely be returning soon for another and more ;}
The WTF sandwich is not just good, it's good enough. apparently my review needs at least 85 words so here are some more words to fill up space. None of these words I would recommend that you actually read. I'm learning that the internet and apps have no concept of the value of brevity when it comes to content. What can I say garbage in garbage out. The reason I no longer actually read reviews or take any of them seriously. However on another note. It's nice to have somewhere to get a decent breakfast sandwich and a hot cup of coffee! Keep up the good work bad barista.
Best mocha around.I love supporting local businesses and I absolutely love this place. I usually come in a little later (around 10 am) when I'm in the area and they're out of croissants by then which is a bummer but understandable. I would get their croissant sandwiches when I can.
With a mix of emotions swirling within me, I feel compelled to share my review of the beloved neighborhood café I'm reluctantly bidding farewell to. A recent change in my job location means I won't have the pleasure of visiting this delightful spot anymore. Nevertheless, I can't help but sing praises for this hidden gem and the experiences I've had here.What truly sets this café apart is the exceptional service provided by the dedicated staff. The owners, in particular, go the extra mile to make every customer feel welcome and valued. Even during the chaotic morning rush and bustling mid-afternoon lunch hours, their attentiveness shines through. They consistently have my order ready, striking a balance between efficiency and quality.Now, let's talk about the café's offerings, which are nothing short of delightful. Whether you're a coffee aficionado or a lover of delectable pastries, this place has it all. As you step inside, the inviting aroma of freshly brewed coffee instantly awakens your senses. The coffee itself is rich, flavorful, and expertly crafted, making it the perfect way to kickstart your day.As I bid farewell to this café, it's with a sense of gratitude for the memories it has given me. The combination of excellent service, carefully crafted beverages and pastries, and a cozy atmosphere make it stand out from the competition.To anyone who has the chance to visit this neighborhood café, I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a try. Whether you need a quick caffeine fix or a peaceful spot to unwind, this café has got you covered. Treasure each moment you spend here, as it truly is a haven for coffee lovers and food enthusiasts alike.Parking: Plenty of parking.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Meat Egg
With a mix of emotions swirling within me, I feel compelled to share my review of the beloved neighborhood café I'm reluctantly bidding farewell to. A recent change in my job location means I won't have the pleasure of visiting this delightful spot anymore. Nevertheless, I can't help but sing praises for this hidden gem and the experiences I've had here. What truly sets this café apart is the exceptional service provided by the dedicated staff. The owners, in particular, go the extra mile to make every customer feel welcome and valued. Even during the chaotic morning rush and bustling mid-afternoon lunch hours, their attentiveness shines through. They consistently have my order ready, striking a balance between efficiency and quality. Now, let's talk about the café's offerings, which are nothing short of delightful. Whether you're a coffee aficionado or a lover of delectable pastries, this place has it all. As you step inside, the inviting aroma of freshly brewed coffee instantly awakens your senses. The coffee itself is rich, flavorful, and expertly crafted, making it the perfect way to kickstart your day. As I bid farewell to this café, it's with a sense of gratitude for the memories it has given me. The combination of excellent service, carefully crafted beverages and pastries, and a cozy atmosphere make it stand out from the competition. To anyone who has the chance to visit this neighborhood café, I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a try. Whether you need a quick caffeine fix or a peaceful spot to unwind, this café has got you covered. Treasure each moment you spend here, as it truly is a haven for coffee lovers and food enthusiasts alike.
Absolutely love this place. I live nearby and have been here many times. They have a great selection of drinks and seasonal and creative coffee flavors, and the staff are really nice; great food too. Beautiful outdoor patio space also!
Walked in and visited Cafe Au Lait while across the street at the local plant shop and needed a little caffeine boost. The cafe itself is pretty simple with a menu spanning a variety of drinks. There were also small bites available but I was only interested in a coffee. - Vietnamese Coffee When I ordered the Viet coffee, I had the choice to choose between hot or iced. It was a really warm day and I almost always opt for a cold drink anyways so I asked for it iced. The coffee took about 5 min before it was ready. I was one of only two people in the cafe so it came out quickly. Flavor wise, I enjoyed it. It wasn't as dark, strong, or bitter as other Viet coffees I've had but I was okay with it. It was lightly sweet and I drank through it quite quickly to be honest. The only thing is that it could have used more ice. Usually when f I ask for an iced drink, I would expect it to come out cold but it seemed only a little bit of ice was iced so when the coffee was poured in, it melted almost all the ice and the temp was Luke warm at best
Restaurantji Recommends
This place was literally my childhood. I remember back in middle school when my friends and I used to come here after school, and we get a smoothie and pastry and just sit outside in the patio for hours doing homework and talking. Since I've been back they have updated their menu extensively and they have so many new breakfast items!
Delicious iced Thai tea and friendly service! Easy convenient parking. Looking forward to returning soon.
Cute little coffee shop that makes fancy coffee drinks and various breakfast sandwiches. They don't have a ton of choices but enough to have a nice quick breakfast. There is a nice covered back patio area where you can sit and eat your breakfast as well
Solid Vietnamese coffee spot.
Why do they run out of bagels or croissants by 11 am on a Saturday? They are open from 7 to 2 pm. They still have 3 hours of service and all they have now are donuts. This rarely if ever used to happen here back in the day with the original owner. Just think how much extra revenue they are missing out on on the weekend when everyone is out and about yet some of us sleep in a little bit later and aren't here at 7-8 sharp as we would be on the weekend. I want to like these guys and give them way more stars as the staff is very nice but hard to do so when they don't offer more food variety midway through the hours they are open. I wanted something substantially extra to go with my latte but oh well, got to go elsewhere for that. See what I mean Au Lait? You are driving away business but not having enough on hand to last most of your business hours. Suggestion: order more bagels, popular varieties especially, and you'll bring in more revenue and keep your regular customers happy. I want to add that I would be much more of a regular customer if I didn't come here time and again disappointed with the leftovers. Oh, and, please have heavy whipping cream available for my low carb Keto friend as well. Why is it she can go to nearly every other coffee shop and they know how to take care of her but you are puzzled by such a request? Again, revenue lost!