50 Best Cafes near Playa Del Rey

“good food good coffee good service and very close to home“

“Long layover at LAX but want to go outside away from the crowds and airplanes for an hour or so? Get an Uber and go here! (after Covid of course). You could also take the Beach Cities Express shuttle to Manhattan Beach, but almost none of their restaurants are RIGHT ON the beach like this one. Before going here, make sure your cellphone works because you'll want to catch an Uber/Lyft back to LAX because bus service is not good. If you have more time, walk to downtown El Segundo it's cute and easier to take a taxi or bus from there back to LAX.“

“I met my friend for breakfast yesterday morning at 8:30 am. Since it was so early, we were able to grab a four-top table on their patio, just outside of the open-air, stylishly beachy restaurant.

We both ordered coffees, a latte and an Americano. She had the overnight oats bowl, which looked delicious and filing, and I had the avocado toast on sourdough. So fresh and good!

The staff were very nice and friendly, and this is a great, laidback place to have breakfast.

There is a large parking lot in front of the restaurant; paid parking only.

I will come back and bring my boyfriend! Great location across the street from Venice Beach, too.“

“Stopped by Be Bright Coffee and ordered a cortado made with their Colombia Paola Trujillo Wush Wush Natural. The coffee had tasting notes of blood orange, red currant, honeysuckle, and tart cherry juice, which made it a really interesting coffee to experience in a milk drink.

The cortado itself was very well executed. The milk had a smooth, creamy texture with strong integration, and the body remained cohesive throughout most of the drink. As I worked my way through it, the espresso and milk continued to hold together nicely without developing a thick or separated layer of foam. The tasting notes had good clarity and came through well in the milk. The latte art could have been a little cleaner and more defined, but that’s a minor presentation detail and didn’t take away from the quality of the drink.

My main technical feedback would be the temperature. It was served just slightly hotter than I think it should have been. The flavors were still clear from the beginning, but the difference became noticeable as the cortado cooled. The coffee really opened up, and those fruit-forward characteristics became even more expressive and enjoyable. Starting the drink at that slightly lower temperature would have made the experience feel more dialed in from the very first sip.

I gave Be Bright four stars, and part of that comes down to the $10 price of the cortado. At that price point, I think the expectations naturally move into a different category. When you’re paying $10 for a cortado featuring a coffee like this, I’m expecting the execution to be as close to perfect as possible. The slightly higher serving temperature, along with the minor presentation detail, was enough to keep this one from reaching that level for me.

The customer service was excellent. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, and the person working the register was especially nice and made the experience feel inviting. Overall, it was a very good cortado with quality coffee behind it, and I’d definitely return to try some of the other beans they offer.“

“Nice vibes, convenient location with easy parking, beautiful decor. Service was lacking, but understand there is a labor shortage right now, perhaps that's to blame here. Bodega sando was perfection! Pastries were alright...most looked better than they tasted. I'd say they were good but not great.“

“Lee’s cafe is a Taiwanese-style cafe with a hint of Hong Kong sparkle, serving the perfect mix of Taiwanese and Hong Kong food. The toast is absolutely marvelous, and I truly believe it is worth every penny. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the other dishes. The sesame cold noodles were good, but missing something—I felt they didn’t quite hit the mark. The wontons were delicious, but the braised pork belly rice was your typical run-of-the-mill rice. Nothing terribly special, but delicious nonetheless. The HK milk tea, however, leaned very watery and missed the signature strong tea taste of a HK milk tea.
Also, their bathroom sink was broken and put as a “use at your own risk”. Hopefully they have fixed this since my visit!
Yet, through all this, I would still return to Liu’s kitchen—for their toast!“

“My wife and I went to the Grove in Los Angeles last night and we had dinner at "Sogno Toscana," an it was outstanding. It was perfect in every way; great food, great drinks, outstanding and friendly staff, beautiful location, etc. I love Italian food but I can't think of one Italian restaurant that I like, until "Sogno Toscano." The food was outstanding, and there was so much more we saw go by that we can't wait to go back and try. And the drinks were outstanding. I love martini's and they served the best martini I've ever had. Giacomo was our server and took great care of us. He's from Italy and "Sogno Toscana" brought him to America when they opened their New York restaurant, and now he's in LA for this new restaurant. Although very busy, the entire staff were very fun to be around, and most of them are Italian which is also great.“

“Great atmosphere, Hector was great!“

“Hot day. We had a relax time with amazing tea!!!“

“Love this place!
It’s immaculately clean and the food is first rate.
Whether you want something sweet or savory, you’ll not be disappointed.
If you’re looking for a meal that is different from the every day fare at most restaurants, you really should stop here.
The presentation is top notch, too… The meals are as beautiful to look at as they are delicious
Great coffee, too.
Service is kinda slow, but that’s really the only thing that’s off the mark.
The owner lady at the counter is welcoming and sweet.“

“Had a great experience visiting this place. The atmosphere was pleasant, and everything was well managed. The staff was friendly and helpful, making the overall experience enjoyable. Definitely a nice place to visit and would recommend it to others!“

“The Menemen was absolutely delicious - fresh, flavorful, and almost as good as the one I had in Istanbul! 😊 It reminded me so much of the Bulgarian mish-mash. The oat milk latte was perfectly smooth, too. I’ll definitely be back! ☕❤“

“Love the atmosphere, great place to try authentic Turkish dishes ( İskender , dolma , mercimek çorba, Lahmacun) 😋😋😋🇹🇷🧿“

“10/10, asked the server for his recs and they were all awesome - 5 stars for service as well. They also have WiFi and outlets if you’re looking for a spot to work that also has great food options! I got late breakfast here after 11 AM which I always appreciate!“

“Great spot and everything about it screams great marketing and fun ideas you want to spend money on. I know. I bought the mug 😬 It’s small and very busy but the staff are somehow quick but relaxed. They’re happy to pause and check on you but they’re also really quick to get you your order. I was hoping I could try the add on cotton candy with my peach bellini but they were out of cotton candy. Sad. The lox waffles was surprisingly tasty given the swap from bagel to waffle. The name made me want to try it but would absolutely eat here again based on food and staff. If you’re looking for a quieter spot, this probably isn’t it. They do have music inside and it’s right on the sidewalk if you’re seated outside. The noise would prohibit taking a call and understanding every word. If you’re there to chat up the person across from you and you don’t mind a little background noise, then this is definitely your spot.“

“High quality food, tastes like the homemade wholesome Ukrainian food back in Ukraine. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED. 😀“

“Excellent service and delicious food 100% recommended“

“Great Vibes ~ cool 😎 peeps ~ delicious food“

“We went for a late breakfast before a matinée show. The sandwiches were great, service nice and ambiance nice. Even though I prefer full service places, I sure would, when in the area, go again and can recommend the place. However, I doubt that I would do a 30+ min detour just to eat or drink here - mandatory in my rating scheme to achieve five stars. So it is a heartfelt, recommending ★★★★ out of five stars.“

“Such a sweet and kind establishment“

“Not close to my first time getting coffee here, I've also come for various events, but its my first time leaving a review, because I couldn't not do so for this. Got their email with the new seasonal drinks including this Orange Blossom latte that I just have to try. Ordered it from home on their app as I head out for work yesterday, get there, head straight to the counter, it's not there. All good, I'm only 5 mins away, I see it's already packed in here this early in the AM, so it's just not ready yet. I sit to wait... tick, tick, tick, time goes past, commute out there's getting worse, time to clock in's getting closer, where's my coffee? One of the baristas calls me up to the counter and she's like: What'd you get? I tell her and she says I don't have a ticket for that. I tell her, No I ordered it on the app. I go to look, and Dang, still unpaid in my cart. Line at the counter's long so I reorder on the app right there on the spot, go sit back down. Tick, tick, tick... tick, tick, tick... Girl calls me back up to the counter: I still don't see your order... No, you saw me order it. Pull it up on my app and Fuuu, I ordered it for Hill St in DTLA, this is Slauson. I look up and she says: Don't worry about it, you don't have to drive all the way over there, I gotchu. I dropped $5 bucks in their glass tip jar on my way out. Ain't no way Starbux up the road would've done that. I wish I'd gotten her name, but if you're reading this, you have no idea how much you made my morning yesterday. Thank youuu! And that OBL was so good.“

“The food was excellent! The service was excellent also ! Nice place“

“I love this place and come constantly. The food and service are fabulous. The staff are extremely friendly and the atmosphere is so beautiful. I really wanted to give five stars, but I just wish the owner would fix the A/C. I feel really bad that the staff have to work in such hot temperatures in the summer, especially the gentleman working the grill. Please fix it for them and I'll be happy to leave another 5-star review :)“

“Went with some friends who were vegetarian and we opted for the hummus wrap with tofu and it was SO good. I’ll always go for local food versus chains and this hit the spot. The owner was also really cool and chill (loved the condiment sides he suggested). Highly recommend this place! The next time I’m in LA I’m definitely gonna come back here.“

“Fantastic coffee. espresso or drip, they know exactly what they are doing“

“Cute, fun, and immediately won me over because they use Dune Coffee beans, aka one of my favorite coffee spots from Santa Barbara!

The matcha was incredible and my friend LOVED her strawberry matcha because the milk tasted infused with freeze-dried strawberries which really leveled up the strawberry flavor! Super unique and really tasty. Will definitely be back!“

“The best vegan baked goods around town! I had the cornbread, almond cookie (gluten free), chocolate chip (gluten free), and Armenian pizza with a mixed tea. So good!“

“The staff and owners are beyond amazing!! Their love for the community and passion to serve others makes me believe in goodness again in this world. I love you guys! Thank you so much for all you do!!“

“I have been looking for a local coffee shop that was a 10 all around. One thing I noticed was that they care about their customer service. Its hard to find a place that genuinely is always giving attention and care to everything they do. The pastries are very much well made and taste very fresh. My favorite pastry is the Almond Danish. Now the coffee is so well done that you will never be disappointed. Overall the atmosphere is great . I have tried so many places and this is a winner. Their prices are reasonable and the quality makes it worth it.“

“My family and i stopped for lunch. The chorizo omlett is delish. Great service. My toddler loved the waffles.“

“my new favorite coffee shop!! the baristas were sooo friendly as soon as i walked in and the ambiance was to die for. i came for the first time with a friend of mine; both of us also work in coffee and we were so impressed! awesome pastry selection too, can’t wait to come back :)“

“My husband and I stopped by for a late breakfast and were so happy we did. The food was delicious, the coffee was really good, and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. You can tell this place is made with a lot of love and care.We’ll definitely stop by whenever we’re in the area.“

“So much more than a bookstore with a coffee shop. It's a perfect cafe to meet up, get a unique book, do a work session, or catch one of the many events - it's a place with people that make you feel part of the community. It's a very unique spot where everyone feels invited and welcome.“

“I grabbed a coffee before heading to the airport and appreciated the quick service. The line moved steadily, my order was correct, and the cup was securely closed for travel. It was an easy stop that didn't add any stress to the morning“

“Great place! Awesome service.“

“Nice folk. Refills on coffee! What?!!“

“This is definitely a hidden gem and I only found it by chance when trying to find a quick bite near their closing hours. They have wonderful service and the rice balls they have are delicious. The rice is cooked very well and has a nice bite and their kimchi is delicious.“

“Oh my gosh! Great food! Huge portions! Awesome staff- so very friendly! Love this place! Shhhh- don’t tell everyone about this place- tee hee! Seriously some delicious food!❤️“

“Wish I lived closer. As a first time customer I got a drink on the house, and they have a utopic pay-what-you-can model for future drinks. The cafe is spacious, and it’s the perfect place to either get work done or chat with some friends—it doesn’t seem dominated by either group. The baristas are very friendly and clearly excellent at their craft. They use high quality espresso, and the brown sugar latte was divine.“

“Excellent food and service! Absolutely perfect breakfast. Hot, delicious, HUGE portions. The best chai tea latte I've ever had it - it puts Starbucks to shame. The meal was esthetically a work of art (see photo). The menu said two eggs, but it looked like five. Great French toast - better than I can make myself. Needless to say, I highly recommend Joey's Cafe!“

“This place is amazing. I had one of the best tuna sandwiches of my life. The bread is so fresh and soft and the tuna salad has like chickpeas in it and it’s just so flavorful and delicious. I love coming here and I always get the Matcha too!“

“Love the coffee, the snacks, and an amazing staff. One of the baristas came after me and returned my debit card the other day after I absent mindedly walked off without it while I was there. Obviously right thing to do and all, but that and their friendliness and answering questions about menu items beforehand left a positive impression.“

“Great new neighborhood spot! The food is healthy and delicious. Lots of variety on the menu so everyone should have a few excellent choices!“

“Great place but horrible customer service !!! I wanted to order online and it was an issue with the website (availability and discount problems). At first they were really nice and reactive but then they just disappeared and ignored my messages ! I asked them 3 times to answer me but nothing….. I have never seen that in the US ! Really disappointing. And their answer on Google made it just worse. Although the shop is amazing, I won’t go anymore.“

“They needed better air conditioning and accurate time for pick up food was cold.“

“Muy buena y personal muy amable“

“The food was great and the service was excellent! Will definitely be back.“

“This place is pretty amazing !!! They know all there products very good willing to help you find just what you are looking for very good service“

“Everything about this place is PERFECTION. The owner, Plern, is an absolute genius! Plern has so much talent and puts all her heart into this place. You really feel like you’re being cared for here.“