Ballast Coffee

Unfortunately had an unwelcoming experience here.

Found a table with no chair so I grabbed one from the pile of chairs. After I sit there for a few moments the shop assistant told me that the chair I used was designated for the outdoor seating and I should not use it despite the fact that there are plenty of them piled up not a single one of them were being used in the outdoor sitting area. I explained I like to use that chair because it’s more comfortable (I also have neck issues sitting long time) but she insisted I move the chair back and use the less comfortable stool. So I did. Doesn’t seem like the shop welcomes the customer or even cares about the customer.

Seems the high rating is misleading and incomparable to the service they provide. On the bright side though the coffee tastes fine.

Rad little coffee shop.

I didn’t Think that I got the full experience of this coffee shop because it’s during COVID-19.

Stopped by with a friend to grab a coffee. Masks are obviously required.
Social distancing is required.

But I will tell you that the staff is super friendly I got my coffee quick and they were very kind. You could grab a bag of coffee to go you to grab a treat while you’re there.

I really thought that they had these red little cups to that you could pick one up. We ended up sitting outside for a little bit while I drink my coffee.

The inside looks really nice and I’d love to come back and try another cuppa coffee

UPDATE - 5/11/23: so the wifi now appears to work, great! Now i’ll definitely come here more often to work 😀
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ORIGINAL REVIEW - mid-April, 2023
It's a nice cafe. Coffee options, whatever you may end up picking, are all solid across the board. Deducted 2 stars bc even though this would be a lovely place to work, the wifi does not work, even though they say explicitly they have wifi :( It's just a little inconvenient to have to work offline, esp when you are able to connect to the wifi, but said wifi does not have any internet.

Normally this wouldn't be a problem, as I could just use my personal hotspot and keep working, but for some reason the cafe also appears to be a dead zone for cell reception. Obviously this is no fault of the cafe, but this does make the presence of wifi even more critical.

Owners, if you're reading this, if you fix the wifi, I will edit my review to 5 stars; the cafe is a really nice spot to study and work with solid coffee, after all.

Just out of town , and this place wasn’t the best. The quality and quantity of the coffee wasn’t worth the price at all. One of the workers seemed like she didn’t care it really want to be a work (which is understandable) but I really was disappointed in the taste of the latte and the service.

If I could give this place 6 stars I would. It’s a a lovely bright and clean space and the owner and staff make you feel so welcome. Now down to the important stuff. The coffee. It’s great and they serve the lovely Barako bean. This is a must try. You cannot find it elsewhere in San Francisco. I cannot wait til the start to sell he beans so that I can have it at home too. The pastures are also Devine. They include, dynamo donuts and this amazing Mochi muffin which I have to add I gluten free. This place is a must try even if you don’t live in the neighborhood. All the reviews cannot be wrong. 5 stars all the way!

My favorite coffee place in this area! Great with a mochi muffin too. Lots of seating! Worth a visit if you're anywhere nearby.

Their Barako beans make a uniquely tasty latte, spice aroma and wine-like taste. I would like to buy their Barako beans when I finish my stockpile home.

I’m normally not super critical of places, esp when young(cheap?) people are employed and the owners are nowhere to be found. But the service here today was terrible - the girl had mad attitude and she was rude to multiple people in front of us and then to us as well. Owners need to train their employees to be kind to customers.

My favorite iced chai in town. Staff are very chill. Very cozy quarters with a nice outdoor seating area, highly recommend. Definitely beats out peet's and starbucks in West Portal.

Of all the coffeeshops I have been to so far, this place has got to be my favorite in SF. First of all, the space is very minimal, spacious, clean, bright and they even have an outdoor seating area hidden in the back. Second, MOCHI DONUT!!!! I love mochi and I love donuts and eating this ube mochi with coconut was HEAVENLY!

I also liked that it was very quiet. Probably because I came in on a Sunday morning. But Im sure as this place fills up during the day it gets louder with all the chit chat from all the happy customers :)