Farley’s East

Mediocre food that is overpriced and delivered by unpleasant and condescending staff. Unless you like a dollop of rude with your drink/​food, I’d avoid this place.
I should say that I generally like trendy/​hipster coffee shops. I’m not on the Starbucks hate trains like some, but I usually prefer the environment and tone of a nice relaxed chill café better. This place could be that and I wish it was. But the people working here, man, they’re the reason God doesn’t talk to us anymore.
Hey Farley’s, pro-​tip, but if you have an employee who appears to have a general disdain for all people and things, a condition that makes him incapable of doing anything other than scowling, or is in fact the physical manifestation of the bubonic plague, maybe you shouldn’t put them on the front register. I don’t know. call me crazy. But I feel like the counter-​people should at least be neutral, possibly even friendly.
I mean, you could go here and just ignore the rude rat fink working at the front, but why not go to any of the other nice and friendly coffee shops in downtown Oakland? If the food were like changing, I’d say it would be worth it. But it isn’t. And if you really want to try Farley’s, go to the one in Emeryville or SF. They’re far better. Still expensive, but at least the staff don’t look like they’re going to hock a loogie into your tea.

No drink. just…
A panini & coffee cake. = $ 15 (+15% tip…$ 17 something)
Seriously?
Harissa Panini. Meh. :-/​
Looked tasty… but Pretty much just tasted like arugula. I really did expect MORE.
Disturbed by the amount of ecstatic reviews.
So much for the Downtown Oakland I used to know. sighhh

Cold brew is on point. Venue is chill — easy to read or do work. Outdoor seating is fantastic, especially in the urban parklet. Staff is friendly. Good location.
Best part is they have ~60 magazine subscriptions available for customers to read. I flipped through the latest version of HBR, Wired and Inc.

It’s a bad sign when you’re the target customer of a business and you hate it. I like Farley’s in SF great! I like coffee! I LIKE PARKLETS.
But every time I go to Farley’s East, the counter-​staff outdo themselves in rudeness, condescension and general unpleasantness. Then I sit down at a dirty table and wait 15 minutes for an underwhelming drink, usually with seriously un-​calibrated espresso.
Now I hit up Black Spring if I have time, or Starbucks (gasp), and both experiences are 20x more pleasant.

Love the almond milk lattes, get the chicken tikka masala panini if they have it for the week. You get to read magazines in the coffee shop and see local artwork on the walls. It’s all the hipsterness you could ever want in a coffee shop. The chocolate chip cookies and teas are good too.

Like the other Farley’s this place is an excellent place to drink some coffee and get some work done. Staff is friendly and the place is well run.

Farley’s East is a great place for a hot cup of coffee, a sandwich or salad, and some good people watching. Space is limited as it becomes a workspace for many during the day, everyday, but don’t be deterred. There is a parklet right outside; sit and enjoy the sun with your hot cup o’ joe.

Your typical friendly local hipster café.
I had to kill 2 hours since I was getting my car maintenance nearby and I asked to be dropped off at a quiet, non Starbucks coffee shop and found myself at some pretentious espresso bar and had to leave.
I pulled up my trusty Unilocal app and searched for another café and found Farley’s East. Once I stepped through the door it just felt right.
I ordered a cappuccino and a pastry for $ 10. The person behind the counter was helpful and patient with my pastry selection. I got the Kouign Amann because I was told it was difficult to make and full of butter and sugar. Sold!
I saw there was an upstairs area and stayed there for the next 2 hours sipping on the silky cappuccino, chomping away at my pastry, reading, and people watching. There were quite a few patrons studying and enjoying a good cup of coffee.
I really like it here and will be back.

Based on a single visit, Farley’s East has a competent staff, good wifi connection, and friendly towards customers lingering with laptops. The flat white was served at the appropriate temperature (on the warm side rather than hot) and the staff cranked through the line of customers at a speedy pace. All of the seating is set up with laptops in mind – you are certainly free to linger with a friend, but there’s definitely an acknowledgement that customers want to both work and play at coffee shops. No complaints, this seems to be a fine place for coffee in this area.

It’s a rainy Sunday afternoon and as usual practically nothing is open in downtown Oakland. Farleys is packed, no seats at all even though I’m solo. I sit down on the bench next to the food pickup area to eat my salad and wait for my espresso drink. While I’m munching on my tiny cobb salad, I curiously notice one of the staffers pull up her pants then continue making a salad in a to go box. I’m a bit grossed out and immediately think of her hands having pulled up her pants after using the ladies room, but she wasn’t the one who made my salad (it was a guy) so I try to put the toilet vision out of my mind. But then I notice her putting a metal fork into the box without closing the flaps then grabbing a book before heading upstairs. Ahhh… it’s her salad! But thoughts of Chipotle food contamination still dance in my head…
The cashier lady (not the same as salad lady) seemed irritated at her job. She practically phrased her instructions for checking out on the iPad to say, «leaving a tip is expected.» I didn’t leave one.
But the salad and barista guys were friendly and chill. My cobb salad was ok (La Boulange is way better) but my espresso drink was superb. However I should have ordered it in a paper cup because the wide mouthed bowl of a cup it came in meant it was cold within 5 minutes.
Overall this is a poor representative of Farleys, and of coffee shops in general. But kudos to the salad and barista guys, and to the clients who were very respectful to maximize making space available at shared tables. I dunno if I’d come again though. It needs a lot of improvement.

Espresso drinks are always on point.
Food and sweets are also always on point. Chocolate chip cookie sprinkled with coarse sea salt: get it.
Quality assortment of loose leaf tea: finally, someone serves more than just that Tazo BS.
Customer service is sometimes super sweet, sometimes dismissive/​gruff.
Ambiance and pricing is hipsterific, meaning I have to consciously try to find the cheapest things on the menu when I go so I keep my spending under $ 10. Meaning I went there to get some writing done this morning and literally had to leave before I wanted to because I couldn’t bring myself to get ripped off for lunch, but I was hungry, so I went somewhere else. Meaning I sometimes go to the bagel shop on the corner to get a nice filling breakfast beforehand so I don’t have to spend more than I have to at Farley’s.

I forgot how good the lattes are at this place! Came here yesterday morning after a long time but was so not disappointed! :)
First off, I couldn’t find the damn place… so when I called, I spoke with this guy named Morgan who was so nice and pat won’t with me as I asked him how to get there (apparently I was a few doors down and should have just kept walking… oops lol).
Anyway, when I got there, there were a ton of open seats inside and outside which was a plus for Saturday morning.
Mary was a super sweet barista there and we struck up some great conversation.
Kaylee made me the most delicious almond milk latte. Super creamy and it was so well mixed and already slightly sweet so I didn’t even need to add sugar (and their barista almond milk must have been great too). There are few places who can do this-​Blue Bottle, Timeless, and Saint Frank-​but when you find a place that does do it right, like Farley’s, you keep comin’ back. Yay-​yuh :)
Will be back. Done. :-D

All I can base my food experience on here is the bagel I had, but it was a really really great bagel. I got a poppy seed bagel toasted with cream cheese and I really wasn’t expecting it to be anything different from any other bagel I’ve ever eaten. However, I took one bite and it was like I was in heaven. The dough used to make the bagel just made it so chewy and tasty, and it was so much better than any bagel I have had.

The mochas are absolutely delicious here! I tried some of my friends and it was sweetened to exactly the right amount. I got the iced latte, and it was still pretty delicious but next time I’m definitely going with the iced mocha. The people at the counter were pretty friendly too.
This place is also the perfect place to study! The second floor is the best floor to study on, as there are more plugs and more tables up there, and when you need an occasional study break you can people watch on the ledge. It can get a little cramped up there when it gets busy though, but overall it’s a really good place to study, and definitely at the top of my study places.

I really wanted to like this café — I honestly tried. The inconsistency of the drinks and aloof, bordering on rude, baristas has me seeking other options in the area. Bummer dude.

What a great little spot! I wouldn’t have tried Farley’s on my own but a friend and die-​hard Farley-​fan recommended this coffee shop. What a total, pleasant surprise.
Small interior but super quaint. Order your coffee, which by the way, was one of the best almond milk lattes I’ve ever had, then sit either downstairs or up on the loft, overlooking the kitchen and shop floor.
One very cool feature of Farley’s, besides the amazing drinks and delicious baked goods, is that they have a huge selection of magazines. These magazines are for reading while you’re there or purchase and take home if you need more reading time. Awesome little perk– get your reading on and sip great coffee.

They make a mean panini.
Came here with colleague, who raved about the atmosphere of the place. Though they are quite busy at lunch, orders are taken quickly and efficiently. With recommendation, I got the turkey panini with pesto, we then proceeded to grabbed a seat on the second floor that’s also a best kept secret at first glance and waited for our food.
My panini came on a plate, meticulously sliced into perfect halves with a side of arugula salad. It looked amazing and smelled heavenly. The bread of the panini was pressed to perfection, slight burn marks with infused melted butter, every bite sounds a crunch and rich with buttery goodness. The pesto is lathered on generously, savory but surprisingly light and did not overwhelm the flavor of the layers of turkey deli slices, the slices of tomato, appropriately thick, adds a softer and watery dimension to the sandwich.
The pastries looked fantastic, can’t wait to come back.

I just really enjoy the vibes here. The location is super convenient, right by the lake, they’re open late, and there’s also food. Love it.
I recommend the green tea– Spring Jade is better than Jasmine (unless you like drinking potpourri). When I’m working in downtown Oakland, I always stop in here for coffee in the morning. Outdoor seating is a huge plus. As is all the space they have upstairs!
Free Wi-​Fi, but it’s not the best. I worked for about 30mins before I got kicked off.
Support local business!

I’m such an ambiance person; and with that being said, Farley’s paramounts at being a picturesque moment in Oakland. This review is based solely on the atmosphere and not the food nor drink. I did have an exceptional cup of coffee (2.50 served in a for here Farley’s mug and 1.00 refill) but did not order breakfast. I came here on a Thursday morning around 10AM after the rush to enjoy some quiet reading time.
Outide you’ll find an adorable patio with wood tables, high chairs, astroturf (we’re in a drought), and plenty of chairs. Inside you’ll find hardwood everywhere with complimentary interior décor with more than accommodating seating. You’ll find locally provided art, magazines, and games. I’m totally in favor of all things local. This is also two stories high. I found the studious to be on the second level, the brunchers on the first level, and the conversationalists outside. However, it’s almost as if this place was specifically designed so that you would meet and talk to strangers of various backgrounds (I had a conversation myself with a cute older couple on the patio). I witnessed «progressive» folk, hipsters, suits, artists, beards, and tattoos all walk in and out of this café to exhange business. Truly shows the heart of Oakland.
You’ll see that this café totally sports the community with event promotions and featured posts. Spend your money here. Take time to relax, bring in your friends, dates, or yourself. You will not be disappointed.
Will definitely come again and provide an update on the food.

Farley’s East is a top notch coffee shop with friendly, helpful staff and community minded management. The coffee is delicious and they have a daily frittata with changing ingredients. The ones I have enjoyed were all tasty, flavorful and fresh. The sandwiches look great and are really popular.
The two best things about Farley’s are the outdoor seating plaza and the magazines that are free to read while there and available for purchase. The outside space is perfect for people watching and enjoying the sunshine on nice days.
Highly recommend!