Reviews (100)
UPDATE - 5/11/23: so the wifi now appears to work, great! Now i’ll definitely come here more often to work 😀 ~~~~~~~~~~~ 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.
Quiet neighborhood coffee shop. They have their own beans. I enjoyed my cold brew. Service was quick and friendly. The inside was quiet with people working on laptops. The back patio was nice to talk in. There is also a parklet.
When it's foggy and cold, Ballast feels like home.
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.
I go to a lot of coffee shops and this place really stood out! I had their ube ballast coffee iced with oat milk which was a delicious, generous portion, and had the perfect subtle sweetness. I also enjoyed their well-priced vegan coconut chia pudding with granola that was so creamy! I will definitely be stopping here again!
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.
New, personable staff, well made beverages, and yummy pastry - a quiet, clean environment - what else is there?! 🌞😍🌞😍🌞😍
Stopped by here for a quick latte. Enjoyed the Ballast Latte that I got. There is plenty of seating & and general ambiance is pretty good.
Our daily go-to place for coffee and pastries. Great quiche and empanadas, too.
This is a great little neighborhood café. Modern, pleasant, and immaculate. It has quality pastries and coffee and a few interesting signature drinks, like a cappuccino made with ube condensed milk. Great music playing (Elizabeth Cotten) but not too loud. Also has beer on tap and is open until 9 PM on weekdays. Every neighborhood in the city should have a cafe like this. Recommended!
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.
Good place for a bit of writing. Take a laptop or iPad to be part of the crowd.
Great place for coffee and to do work. Has a nice patio in the front and in the back, including a room as well. Cortado was decently pulled and the “medium” bean was on the heavier side.
Beautiful cafe. And great for working from here. The barista was super friendly and gave great recommendations for the things to do around too!! Must try the Ube ballast latte. So good!! They also feature local artists which is awesome.
Fun neighborhood coffee shop in West Portal. Coffee is great, staff is friendly and indoor seating is chic and tasteful. They also have a nice outdoor patio!
It was nice! I just ordered a uba coffee
Barista and staff were very cordial, helpful, informal & patient with me. The restroom was very clean and patio was quiet. I'll be back like a bad habit.
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 have to give this place a solid 5 stars. I would have given it 4 because the coffee tends to be on the acidic side, but that is preferential for my own taste in coffee. Their pastry selection is from third culture, so a great selection of mochi muffins and doughnuts which are all super delicious. The reason it deserves 5 is the customer service. Their staff, is really friendly, kind and caring. They go above and beyond to care for its customers and provide a positive experience for all of its guests.
Cute cafe with a nice staff, but the wifi is awful. I love coming here to work (as do others based on the amount of people I see working on their laptops) but it’s no longer a reliable place to get work done if you need access to the internet.