Cafe Society

A Coastal Gem for Coffee Lovers If you’re hunting for the perfect caffeine fix in Half Moon Bay, look no further than Cafe Society. I recently stopped in, and it’s safe to say this spot has mastered the "chill coffee shop" vibe. Here is why it’s a must-visit: * The Best Brew Around: I’ve tried a lot of coffee in the area, and this was easily the best I’ve had thus far. Whether you're a purist or like something a bit more crafted, the quality is undeniable. * Atmosphere: It is chill coffee shop culture at its finest. It’s the kind of place where you can actually relax, soak in the local energy, and lose track of time. * The Bakery Case: Don’t skip the food! They have a wide variety of tasty offerings in the baked goods department that pair perfectly with your drink. Verdict: I highly recommend popping in for a cup of Joe. It’s a standout local spot that hits all the right notes.

A cute coffee shop made even better by the gentleman playing the piano while we were there. It was a beautiful afternoon so we sat outside but with the window open, it was easy to hear. The barista was friendly. The mocha was delicious. We didn't have any food but the pastries on display looked nice.

I absolutely adore Cafe Society. They have such a good vibe inside, very cozy and jazzy, hence the fact that they have music nights quite frequently. Their coffee is so good, I love the oat milk iced latte. They have lots of flavored syrup too, like hazelnut, coconut, lavender, and more, that are all very yummy. There's plenty of seating inside, a large table in the back and front, and many small tables in between. There's also some more outside. The staff is very nice, and there's really no wait for your drink. It's centrally located downtown too, lots of free parking everywhere.

Took a coffee and Caprese Sandwich. The coffee was amazing though the sandwich was kind of okay. It was pretty small and didn't have fresh basil. I also felt the sandwich was a bit expensive for the size. It costs a about $12. About coffee, it was awesome, served in ceramic cup and perfectly hot.

What a nice place to grab a coffee, an outdoor table and relax at. The caffe mocha was tasty and full of rich chocolate taste. The baked good seems fresh. I approve of the little shop🤣

We stopped while traveling through on our way to Samuel P Taylor State Park (going the scenic route) and picked up some food for lunch - I got Morning Glory Muffins, which were delicious, and Quiche Lorraine, which my husband said was the best quiche he had ever eaten! It was much less heavy than many quiches that overdo the cheese and bacon - and as a baking pan quiche, it was thinner, which made more crust per bite (which I loved). Light, balanced, yet delicious! It was crowded, but the line went fast, and it was definitely a place I'd enjoy hanging out in if we pass this way again.

Great coffee. I was even attacked by a guy outside and he knocked over my coffee and they didn't even charge me to remake. Got the caffe mocha and it was amazing my wife got the sugar free soy vanilla latte and shes picky and she loved it..

Unbelievably rude staff. We were the second customers to enter the store and waited behind the first (who were paying) so we could see the food on display. After a few others entered the store, a barista asked if we were waiting (to which we replied yes) and she said the line is the other way and turned around. Shockingly poor customer service and absolutely no attempt made to provide any meaningful atmosphere of hospitality. Will be recommending my local friends to steer clear of this spot.

Visiting town, my husband and I were walking around on a Monday early afternoon to try to find a spot for a coffee and some lunch. We had grabbed a coffee from a place down the street and it was *horrible* so we kept looking for another place. Stumbled upon Cafe Society and it was exactly what we were looking for! Pretty spacious inside for what I expected - service was fast and friendly. They were decently busy and I felt that we did not have to wait for anything. I got the Roxy - avocado toast with turkey - and it was exactly what I wanted. Simple, easy, and fresh. We'd eaten so much rich food on our trip that I was hoping for a gentle meal and they delivered. My latte was HOT (my favorite) and delicious - almond milk and a little vanilla. My husband got the Caprese sandwich and loved every bite.

This is such a great beachy coffee shop. The baristas are always nice and fast with making my drinks for me and my coworker. The food is also really good! This is a great shop to stay and get some work done or get coffee on the go. The shop is very cozy and filled with local art. Love it!

Just stumbled upon this little cafe while strolling in downtown Halfmoon Bay. Husband got drip coffee and I had the iced coffee. Simple but strong. Got the carrot cake too, moist, rich with a nice texture to it. Yummers! We came on a busy Sunday late afternoon, it was packed but the line moved pretty quickly and was able to find a seat right away. Outdoor seating also available. Live piano music added to the ambience which was really nice.

We visited Cafe Society on a Sunday (late) afternoon and found it pretty busy. The interior was on the smaller side, with lots of wall decor, including antique signage and old photographs. We placed our to-go order, and I chose the Caprese Sandwich and a slice of Banana Bread. My friends' coffee came out pretty quickly, but the food and pastries took a surprisingly long time. Service was also lukewarm, and the staff seemed a bit stressed by the volume of patrons. We ended up eating at the trailhead before our hike, and all the food was delicious! The basil, pesto, and fresh mozzarella in my sandwich went together perfectly, and I loved the warm ciabatta roll. My friends got the Ham & Brie Sandwich and the Roast Turkey & Swiss Sandwich, and both were great. The Roast Turkey especially had super thick cuts of meat, and was so filling. I loved the Banana Bread too (great texture, not too sweet) and my friend's Streusel was fantastic. Would definitely return to try more!

Cute cafe in the heart of the adorable downtown half moon bay. I stumbled in here for breakfast and loved the art and ambiance. They have a huge selection of pastries and baked goods, while the food menu is a bit more limited. There weren't many vegan/vegetarian options and they weren't able to modify the menu items so I got oatmeal which was just from a container and they added fresh fruit. They do however have a variety of coffee drinks and the dirty chai latte I had was amazing- more vanilla and spicy which I really enjoyed. I also liked that they had accessible seating options!

Service wasn't very friendly. Kept rushing us to leave, 30 minutes before closing, even before we got our order.

One off coffee place in Downtown HMB. Hipster Hippie vibe. Service was great but they have like 2 people working on a Sunday am. Relax, it's Sunday. Nice selection of baked goods Homemade

Unable to rate but want to share my experience . Not much is open early on a Monday in HMB, as I discovered as I took a walk late Sunday evening. But the sign on the door indicated that the shop would be open at 0630 - perfect to get an early start on my journey. I was there a little early, and the sales person arrived at 0630. She breezed past me with barely a response to my cheery greeting, and locked the door once she got inside. So I waited... 15 minutes went by with no movement towards the door. I knocked and was ignored. The salesperson looked at me, so I waved. No response. As I started to leave, I think I heard her shout "we're open at 7" A most unpleasant experience. Also recommend the windows be washed.

Great little coffee shop with coffees and pastries. Lots of comfortable seating inside.

Nice little local cafe. We were able to find parking really close by. Staff is friendly and they have wifi and outlets for those working. Pricing is reasonable and the lox bagel was great. A good cafe to get work done in!

Cozy little cafe with a sweet vibe. The coffee is not gourmet but the service is nice. Im sure the jazz sessions are pretty cool as well on Friday nights.

The service is friendly and polite. The food is excellent. I love the bagels with smoked salmon. Lots of locals and the jazz is fabulous ‼

Ambience is nice! Beautiful art on the wall and also lots of pics of jazz greats. The mocha was a great balance of choc and coffee and the everything bagel with cream cheese, chives and (the most amazing) avocado divine.. be coming back!!

The service was pretty bad. I was one of the only people that ordered. They weren't even busy. Waited for 30 minuets for a sandwich and they didn't even start making it until I asked them.

Good latte and friendly service -- I would come back again to drink coffee. Pastries looked good.

This is review for this cafe during the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin festival. We visited and queued in the line that moved pretty quickly. Got a pumpkin spice latte and some pastries. We really enjoyed the pumpkin bread and pumpkin chocolate chip walnut bread.

The one thing I would come here for is the sweets! They have a big collection of lots of baked goods. Cannot speak to how fresh they are, but the pecan bar and the raspberry bar tasted good, although maybe slightly sweeter than I'd like. I sadly give this place a worse rating because of a coffee I got. I got an iced coffee with oat milk-- which is what I normally drink at home-- but this one just tasted absolutely awful. Maybe the oat milk went bad? Maybe the coffee itself was badly done? It just had a nasty lingering slightly sour aftertaste, and the flavor in general was peculiar for what I thought I ordered.

Thought I'd come in for a quick breakfast, and was pleasantly surprised by how incredibly smooth, tasty and perfectly balanced their mocha was. Hands down best mocha ever! Definitely my new go to spot when in the area!

I was looking for a Kava beverage. It turns out, they do not have Kava. Seems like. A cute little cafe though!

Came here after the beach to grab an iced coffee. Super close to the beach which I really liked. Wasn't super busy which I liked. Coffee smelled great as soon as I walked in. The only thing was as soon as I walked up to the register to order the lady taking my order was very monotone and direct, which I understand people are just there to work but some nice custom service would overall enhance the experience inside the cafe.

Nice counter employees Perfectly made Latte Great location Clean spot Definitely will return

The coffee shop is beautiful and unique on the inside and I could appreciate that, BUT I got a chai latte and it was so watered down I was sadly disappointed, I also purchased a carrot cake slice, it was great, staff unfortunately didn't give me correct change either. Disappointed.

This place is full of contradictions. They claim to be a cool Jazz cafe that cares about the environment but then they serve every coffee in a to go cup even though it was very apparent that we are staying. We ordered a bunch of sweets and a savory quiche which were also all packed up in boxes, the sweets push together. When I asked for plates and utensils, the lady behind the counter rolled her eyes at me and gave me dirty ones. For utensils we got this wooden stirrers. There were no napkins. The restroom claims their whole philosophy of being environmental friendly and use less but then they serve everything in plastic. The quiche was very greasy, the cakes extremely sweet and the coffee weak. The staff had an attitude and were super unfriendly. Not cool.

Amazing little cafe. Had an americano done perfectly. The food was flavorful, fresh and wonderful. Staff is super friendly. Artfully decorated and fun. I highly recommend this cafe.

Came here for some caffeine kick. We got a cafe latte to share. The space is really nice. Lots of tables, good wifi, and everyone was friendly. One large unisex in the back.

Inviting cafe on HMB's Main Street drag. Popped in shortly before 8:45am and by 9, a line had already formed behind us. Space is open and airy, service just fine. Enjoyed my almond milk latte and smoked salmon bagel. Worth a stop if you happen to be in the neighborhood.

super cute cafe in the heart of downtown half moon bay! i stumbled upon this cafe a few years ago and my eyes sparkled as i saw the many homemade pastries in the display case...i recall getting a berry cobbler type bar and ate it while watching the sunset. fast forward a few years, i was walking along main st and stopped in and my eyes paused at the sight of their homemade quiche! there were also pretty looking scones, tarts, and bars, but on that day, my tastebuds wanted something savory, so i went with the tomato spinach quiche...what i didn't know was that it would come with a side of mixed green salad with balsamic dressing...lovely! the quiche was served warm, and it was delicious, i loved the blend of egg, cheese, tomato, spinach on a light and flaky crust. the salad was light and green and fresh, maybe a tad too much dressing, but otherwise very good. service was friendly and warm, like a mom and pop store, which i liked. i also sat outside where i could enjoy fresh air and people watch. as far as price was concerned i paid $14.13, incl tax and tip for this slice of quiche and side salad...i felt it was a bit much for the portion size...i probably would have been more comfortable paying $8-10, but alas inflation and cost of food and service have increased dramatically over the past 1-2 yrs. no dedicated parking, but lots of street parking along main st.

Solid little coffee shop on Main Street in Half Moon Bay, a few doors beyond the much more famous Half Moon Bay bakery. We got chais and mochas after stopping by the bakery, then enjoyed them on the drive to Pelican Point Beach, our next destination. Quick and friendly service, reasonable prices, parking conveniently available right out front. Be sure to check out the poem they post in the shop.

I really enjoyed my experience here! Was walking by looking for a warm place to sit down to enjoy some coffee. Had an oat vanilla latte and it had great flavor, so did the americano. Didn't try any of their baked items, but they looked delicious and great portions! While we were sitting down enjoying the drinks, a woman started playing piano in the main lobby room for everyone to enjoy (leave tips if able!). Overall, a great experience. I'd definitely recommend this place and surely will come back!

Fabulous coffee shop & restaurant! We stopped in on our way out of town unfortunately, but it will be a must visit on our next trip to the area. Local coffee shop with so much personality; the piano and music posters, paraphernalia and art lends note to a pretty cool evening vibe too. Perfect coffee menu with all the options (almond, soy, syrups etc.) and a huge fresh pastry cabinet. We both opted for a croissant sandwich (one ham and Swiss and one avocado and Swiss). My bf also had a bagel with cream cheese and everything was so fresh! The coffee came in regular mugs which I thought was a nice touch. It was breakfast time so I didn't try any soup, but they had two homemade soups and they smelled AMAZING. Definitely check this place out!

Service and pastries were good. They cannot really make a proper cortado or cappuccino.... That's what we ordered, but got lattes.... Way too much milk!!!! If want a drip or espresso, it might be ok, but cappuccino or cortado.... not so much.

The wait is terrible, make sure you half enough time to spare. They don't respect people on line they attend whoever they feel like.

A fan! Great location with outside seating. Open late for those non early birds like me. I had no idea about this coffee shop for years and we finally found one surrounded by the downtown shops and a bakery next door. They have plenty of pastries to choose from and seating for small and large parties.

Awful, awful service. The barista that interacted with me and my boyfriend was terrible. Just rude and nasty for no reason. They shouldn't be able to rely on location with no care for how they treat people...

I've know about Cafe Society for some time now but for whatever reason just haven't been! Well that all changed when I started visiting my mom at her work on Mondays and I am so glad I started this little routine! My coffee order is pretty standard but oh my gosh, its so good. I get an iced vanilla latte (yes, even when its cold out) and they make it so well. My mom really enjoys their hot oatmilk sugar free vanilla lattes. When you're there, get the peanut butter cookie with half dipped in chocolate. To die for. The girls I've encountered working there are soooo nice and always so accommodating and nice! The space is relatively small but they really make it work. I cannot wait to go back next Monday for my latte (and probably cookie)!

A classic coffee and pastry cafe! I had a latte and Almond Croissant, my wife had the quiche. Superb! They also have warm sandwiches, bagels, bread, fruit, etc. a really good spot!!

Excellent coffee! My husband and I went to this place last year. I was in town for work and remembered this place. The coffee is better than I remember. I consider myself to be somewhat of a coffee snob. I drink Turkish coffee at home, use a pour over.... I wouldn't consider drinking coffee from 7-11... if you catch my drift. I got a double vanilla latte in a small (12oz) cup. Under $5!!!! In this economy that is virtually unheard of. If you're in HMB and looking for an excellent cup of coffee come here! They have a few food items, coffee cake, bars and the like. There is a donut shop close by, if you're hankering for a treat.

Severely uncomfortable experience with what seems to be regular patrons. With no conversation with said individual we were chastised by them and thanked for leaving. Unfortunately will not be coming back or recommending this location anywhere. I have felt more welcome at other nearby cafes and will continue to frequent those locations. Edit: why were we targeted by this individual? Our appearances exclusively. No words from us were exchanged with this patron and although the cafe heard these out loud ramblings and our lack of comfort become visible no action was made by staff.

Excellent coffee, nice choices of bagels and sandwiches, delicious coffee cake! The local vibe is great too. Good place for a snack when you're downtown.

Have to drive back to San Jose. This coffee cafe was just what was needed. We order the oat milk latte and the americano. Full bodied and bold, we enjoyed every sip. The coffee cake was delightful as well!

Nice ambience and a relaxing place to take a break and moment anytime in the day!! Cafe Latte, double express and macchiato!! Delicious! Will be back when we tour and relax Half Moon Bay!!

I found this place driving through the downtown today. It was very busy and looked good. We had a chai latte and soy latte. Both were very good. I like the inside decor with jazz music and kind of an Art Deco feel. I would definitely go back.

Super cute cafe in beautiful downtown Half Moon Bay. It was a colder summer day and a warm cup of something sounded perfect. My teen and I ordered our favorite cappucino with whole milk based on the other positive yelp review. Service was efficient but sadly coffee was not a hit. First of all - it was made Latte size - so the ratio of milk to coffee was not correct - barely could detect coffee flavor and sadly was a better hand warmer than beverage. And it was way too hot.... We walked around sipping it hoping it might grow on us as it cooled to human temperature or at least warm us up a bit - but ultimately decided it was really not worth the calories or caffeine so we ended up dumping it. $7 for two capps. :( Quiche and sandwich menu looked good. Perhaps we didn't order the right their best drink?

Super cute, local spot in downtown HMB. Delicious local coffee, and very yummy pastries. They even have a gluten free lemon bread that was so good! Reminds me of our local place back home.

The ambiance is great Love the deco , jazz music, the paintings the coffee is average good not amazing but is good The service omg! Was so unfriendly, the lady never say her name, no name tag but it was A skinny young short lady with wavy black hair She talked to us like she was forced to do it, we paid, tip, ...that wasn't enough to do any review yet... then she said about our small service dog, that we need to leave in the most rude way possible literally said ..."dogs are not allowed so you need to leave" she didn't ask if it was a service dog or not, but we decide to leave with no problem even if we have the registration for the service dog, so we ask for our coffees without making any problem there were 3 coffee (ours) on the counter, so we ask if those were ours... She literally say I guess I don't know and turn around ... if she hate her job that much she shouldn't be working The ONLY reason why I put the 1 star is because of the deco and the jazz

My favorite lunch - Chai latte with a caprese sandwich! Great spot to meet and catch up with friends. The bakery selection is amazing, and you can tell this place has heart.

Until yesterday, this had long been a favorite cafe of my mom and I. We had always thought the one worker (pictured) was a bit off-putting, pacing around and glaring at folks, but yesterday he took it to a new level. After my mom purchased two lattes and we took a seat outside around 2pm, I went in to use the restroom. Someone had asked the worker to refill something, and he loudly said, "I just filled it this morning, s***." Later, while I was still sitting outside, my mom went in to use the restroom. She was next in line, and he chose that moment to put up a sign that said only customers could use it, then rudely told her the same. She told him she had purchased two drinks. His response? "Show me." He then tried to turn this into some sort of joke, as she was too shocked to respond. He rambled something about Covid, then said, "I know you. I know you." Meanwhile, I'd been sitting outside, and a stranger asked if he could use one of the chairs at our table. I said sure, he grabbed it, and the same worker immediately pounced upon him about moving the chair, then said, "Maybe you can work here." At this point, my mom had exited, and was relaying her story to me while the man who'd borrowed the chair was relaying his story to his companion. As a small business owner, I would not speak to any customer like this, "joke" like this, or randomly and rudely accuse customers of anything. Everyone in this situation was too polite to react as they probably should have. Now that the owner has passed away, I hope this place doesn't continue to lose its charm. We won't be back.

Great coffee. Chill atmosphere, very friendly staff. We came and got coffee while traveling and stopped in ready to post up and get a couple hours of remote work done and this was a perfect spot. Also as a musician myself you always have to love a spot that's got pianos and a weekly jazz night! I may have played a few songs for some unsuspecting patrons before we left for the day. The owner was also very friendly, the whole place exudes the spirit of jazz.

My go to is a bagel with cream cheese and avocado! I can be picky where I get my coffee and I must say this place has been my go to between Peet's! Definitely prefer it over Starbucks!