Guerilla Cafe

Love love love this place. It’s a Berkeley mainstay for those with good politics and standards when it come to coffee and food! The owner is an exceptionally talented artist and it shows in every detail of this place.

First time , first impression. It was nice, nice vibes , nice people. Now on to the food and drinks. I got a croissant egg and cheese with avocado. Yum, delicious. Drink flavor latte, spot on. I'm going back again

I went here just for the avocado toast. They put a touch of arugula, sweet tomato and an olive to give it a wonderful flavor. I love sitting outside too when it's nice out.

Javier the owner is wonderful, food was delicious, lots of options on the menu and attention to quality of experience.

Just visited today for brunch, the food is delicious, the fruit is fresh and the arrangement is delicate. I like the vibe in this restaurant, staff are young and energetic. They have indoor or outdoor seating.

Charming atmosphere, great food. Little hole in the wall. Would recommend. The line zest on the fruit bowl was a great touch. Added a nice, slightly sour, taste to the watermelon.

Old world, quiet, settled atmosphere. Barstools and wooden tables. Scrambled eggs and cheese on croissant was EXCELLENT, as was the breve.

I got coffee a couple of mornings. Really good. Alternative milk options. The banana bread came grilled. Very nice. Great atmosphere and music. Outside tables too.

Their coffee creations are superb! Love the latte and the spiced mocha is something special. Love the quaint atmosphere and welcoming staff. Hungry? Try the egg sandwiches or the grilled lunch specials. Enjoy!

Friendly staff. Fast service. Wasn't too busy around noon and there is plenty of seating. The breakfast sandwich on the baguette was pretty good. A little pricey though.

Service was very unorganized. The cook and person taking the orders were randomly bringing food out to different customers out of order instead of serving one table at a time. This created confusion as they were skipping people's orders and sometimes going to each table asking if the food they were tying to serve was what they'd ordered. People, like myself, came up to the register to ask for the status for their order when the other person at their table got their food a long time ago. Also, I just got my food served after waiting 25 mins when my partner got his 15 min ago. My partner found egg shells in his food and didn't get the flavor shot he'd asked for in his espresso drink. I also saw another customer come back and ask for more matcha flavor in his drink as it was flavorless,

Purchased days old dry pastries and sour coffee. Not sure why shop here when so many nice places nearby.

I had the croissant and egg sandwich with fruit on the side and a big mocha. Very good!

One of my favorite places to grab a quick brunch. Food is delicious, the people who work here are great, and it has a chill environment that's perfect for unwinding with a pot of tea and a croissant sandwich!

Quick Summary: - Comfy, cozy, relaxing atmosphere - Delicious and delightful portions for breakfast, brunch or lunch - Coffee is not sour - Seats available inside and outside - After eating, drop of the dishes in the cubby found near the doorway - Walking distance from Safeway I added into the list of places to eat for breakfast, and the time has arrived. It was the weekend morning, and the family left home early to have breakfast and coffee here. The building is easy to spot with the blue painted exterior and the logo on the side of a wall. At the entrance of the doorway, there was a large sign with the list of food menu items. The drinks and another menu display) was also pasted on the entrance window. After deciding on what to eat and drink, we walked inside and rehearsed the list. Food, we ordered avocado toast, poached egg with toast, and a grilled sandwich with the turkey option). For drinks ,these were chosen on a whim; the horchata latte caught my eye, so I picked that for the cool drink. For the hot alternative, I chose the spicy mocha. The cafe offered seats inside, so we went in a sat at the end (the staff told us we can sit anywhere except for the bar area). The drinks arrived first. I got excited, when I saw that the mocha was brought in as a medium sized bowl. I saw one of the guests drinking it, so I was hoping that one of my drinks will be filled in it. The iced horchata was in a slender tall glass. I loved both! I never had a coffee drink with a spicy kick to each sip. The spice factor burned in the back of the throat rather than inside the mouth or tongue area. The mocha itself was smooth, and no hint of sourness, which I love. I also recommend the horchata latte! Even my relative, who doesn't drink coffee, was able to drink this and say it was delicious. Again, the coffee added into the drink isn't sour, and there is a light and refreshing sweetness of the horchata. Soon after the food arrived at the same time. I enjoyed the avocado toast. There was some spices sprinkled on top of the toast, but it wasn't as spicy as the one in the mocha. The spread was a good blend of creamy and chunky. Also, the fruits that came with the side, were so sweet! I took a bite from the other dishes, and both were delicious. The grilled sandwich. This is very good. The bread is grilled nice and crispy, so it was also light and airy. A bite got clean of the bread and the filling. The sandwich also contains some avocado! I love eggs, so the poached egg with toast, so this was very good .Pop the egg and the yolk was running off just right to be absorbed by the bread slices. When I return to here for another round of breakfast, I might order the one with poached eggs.

I usually go for an ice coffee I was intrigued by the Cairo iced coffee sadly it tasted mostly like water but I got a amazing mochi muffin. Decided to go back today and grab 2 mochi muffins sadly when I asked for one of each I got two of the sesame and didn't realized when I already home. It's so weird I was right in front of her I should have looked as she packed them but I was paying.

I got the Cuban roasted pork plate, and oh em gee. This beautifully packaged lunch had a generous, lightly dressed, green salad (tomato, cucumber, and olives), a moist & lean handful of pork, a scoop of black beans, a scoop of fluffy rice, and 4 fried plantain medallions. Honestly I did a disservice to Yelp by not taking a photo of this dish to share. It was so tasty and perfectly seasoned (sometimes pork can be too salty). I was super impressed by it. I'll likely be back next week for a repeat meal. At $15, this was a bargain. Staff were friendly. Speedy service. A good amount of outdoor seating.

Great food. I ordered an peach, ricotta toast and my fiancé had a vegan dish. They were out of polenta by the time we came; which we were bummed about. But we'll try again next time. Service was great; we ordered Togo. Always a plus when they don't forget utensils.

What a cute little place! My friends from out of town were here and we stumbled across this place thinking we'd have coffee but instead stayed for a meal. If I had to describe the atmosphere it would be a combination of cozy, artsy and woke! Menus are near the cash register. They have breakfast foods in the morning then they also have things like sandwiches later on. Their place is on the smaller side, so you can see the workers behind the counter making your food which I really enjoyed. Pros: -great vibe -friendly staff -fun decor Cons: -street parking (Coin meters) -I was served the butt of the bread

ATMOSPHERE More coffee shop vibes than restaurant vibes, but still good vibes. Indoor and outdoor seating. SERVICE Friendly staff but food and drink came out a bit slow. If you're ordering with a group, it's not the kind of place where you food comes out all together. Just eat it before it gets cold. FOOD Worth the wait! I was in a group of four, and we all were very pleased. Avocado toast, Mediterranean eggs, waffles, mimosas, chai, coffee, all of it tasty and good portion sizes. Not too much, not too little, just right. OVERALL I will be back and I do recommend!

It wasn't busy, I was the third ticket in line. It took 25 minutes to get two to-go coffees nothing really special. The barista working at the front was so slow and didn't have any sense of awareness that not only myself but others waiting a long time. A lady sitting at a table asked if I was waiting for a table, I said I was waiting for my to-go and she said. " oh boy you have been waiting for a long time" For me, it was very bad service

Cuban breakfast was excellent. It was packed with deliciousness, including rice, beans, roast pork, plantains, and salad. A great deal for the price. Staff were very friendly also.

Our favorite breakfast place. Great coffee. Great vibe. Attention to detail. Love the polenta and egg croissant.

Mocha perfect-- has cinnamon so if it's not you thing be warned. (It's a small amount but detectable. I like it.) Small comfortable place, clean, cheerful and excellently themed! Food is clean, not greasy, super fresh and made on that day. Simple menu to support you diet and heath with good flavors and flair. A bonus the owner works her own shop. Cannot beat that. HAZAH! Enjoy the polenta, the croissant egg sandwich, poached eggs on prosciutto and the pulled pork is def authentic in flavor and texture. She also makes a killer batch of hot sauce, super spicy! All yum, enjoy! Working peoples hour.

Always very pleasant. Polenta quite copious and tasty, avocado toast equally good, service very gracious. Great pleasure to spend time at Guerilla.

A place that's pricey for portion sizes like Guerilla Cafe usually gets at most 4/5 in my book, but I'm bumping this review down a star because the feta cheese in my Eggs Mediterranean tasted funky. I think it was almost going bad... 4/5 for presentation. The bread was toasted nicely and arranged neatly on the plate. There were four pieces in total, along with two neatly poached eggs, three olives, three cucumber slices, and a few halved cherry tomatoes. I paid $11 for this plate and think a fuller breakfast is warranted as mentioned earlier. Summary: come here for a cutesy brunch if you're not feeling hungry. The dress is also casual, and the ambiance relaxed. It was not very crowded here (~6 people inside, 2 more outside) when my friend and I came here for breakfast on a Saturday at 10:30 am.

I ordered a latte and the savory polenta (w/Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, and grilled mushrooms). The latte tasted ok. The espresso was a bit light, allowing the creaminess of the milk to dominate the cupping notes. The savory polenta was quite unsavory and devoid of flavor. The polenta had no seasoning of its own and relied on its ingredients to imbue flavor. Shredded cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, however, cannot possibly fill the entire dish with flavor. Moreover, the grilled mushrooms also tasted bland. As an aside, how does one make grilled mushrooms bland? One would literally need to put only oil and mushrooms on a pan! Quite inexcusable.

The granola is better than ever ! Shouts out to the Monday crew who are friendly and legit. Comfortable atmosphere and clean. Inside and outside seating for that relaxing morning vibe. Fresh ingredients and consistently never disappoints. Fast becoming an elite Berkeley institution of edible caliber

Updating my review! They have great caprese sandwiches and the lady working there is very sweet. They have outdoor seating which is prob closed now, but will eventually reopen I hope! I believe during covid they have a limited menu..

Coffee is great the poached eggs on bread with garnishments is simple, elegant, and delicious. Not feeling eggs? The avocado toast has you covered!

Lovely little joint. Before heading out from Berkeley back to LA my friend and I stopped by to grab some coffee and some breaky. The drip coffee tasted a little like bad water had been used (I'm sure it wasn't bad...but it tasted a bit rank)...so I wasn't feeling that. However---the egg croissant was delightful. I asked to add prosciutto to mine. So it came with eggs, cheese arugula and possible some other lovely items. Arugula is my absolute favorite in hot sandwiches. It was really good. I love the James Baldwin quote on the chalk wall and the huge Bruce Lee mural. Lots of artwork that's representative of POC's which was lovely! The two ladies who helped us that morning were so relaxed and kind and warm. I think maybe I hit them on an off day for their drip coffee but I'd still give them another go without writing them off bc of it.

Had a fresh waffle with fruit, maple syrup, poached egg side, coffee and fresh orange juice. The spot radiates a personal loving touch from Andrea, the owner. The music play list was excellent. The staff were helpful and attentive. The food was healthy and incredible. A wonderful experience. Great vibes...

The best latte I've ever had was made here, and the barista was super great. He was very nice and his drink was very well done. He had pretty short, dark hair and was very pretty.

Perfect! Excellent! Indescribable! I absolutely loved the salmon plate for breakfast, definitely a come back!!

The food is good, and I love the Mediterranean eggs! But, the customer service needs improvement. They have this one female server that needs to fix her attitude. Today, she served our food in a very discourteous manner without saying a word to us. Anyway, I'm not coming back. Nobody wants to eat in a hostile environment.

Good neighborhood spot where you order food and drinks at the counter and grab an open seat. Definite artiste vibe, with a menu that's long on poached egg and polenta options and short on breakfast meats (no bacon). We came for the waffles, which have been reviewed favorably. Today was lemon poppyseed waffle day, with creme fraiche and fruit cup. They were good but not the classic super yummy Belgian style waffles we were hoping for. Very good coffee and hot chocolate and the food was definitely fresh and made with care. Good if you're in the 'hood but don't think I'd travel miles n miles to eat brkfst at Guerrilla. Good tunes and warm inside, with nice counter seating too.

Super nice staff and the food and drinks were amazing, highly recommend. Perfect for brunch and has indoor and outdoor seating.

Not a long wait coming in, but super long wait (over 30 min) for food to arrive. Definitely not the place to go if you're super hungry. Music was also pretty loud. Otherwise, the restaurant was charming and the fare was light, casual and simple. My party had the prosciutto toast, the polenta porridge and the savory polenta. The meals were well portioned and tasty. Hot chocolate and coffee was good too. Don't know if I would go again any time soon but it's worth a try for anyone in the area.

Came here for brunch on Sunday. My roommate said she tried to eat here before but the wait was too long. It's a tiny place so we were lucky there was an open table when we walked in. The service wasn't friendly but they weren't overly rude either - we weren't greeted when we walked in, we seated ourselves, and realized on our own that we had to order at the register but when we spoke to servers, they responded nicely. The food was decent. I ordered the croissant sandwich with scrambled eggs, cheese, tomato and a "fruit bowl". The croissant was nice and crisp but not burnt - tasted like...scrambled eggs. I was just glad the fruit was fresh fruit and not canned.

This funky, compact cafe reminds me of Berkeley in the days of yore. You remember 'yore', right? Like Rachel said on "Friends", it's somewhere beyond a fortnight. I'll say. Try a few hundred fortnights. It reminds me of a smaller version of the good ol', still-open Homemade Cafe out on Sacramento (review: http://bit.ly/1hHvL9f). This one is located in the heart of Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto, so I was expecting a certain amount of cachet, especially after seeing rapper Lyrics Born rave about it on "Check, Please! Bay Area". But no, not really, just a uniquely hip menu of good, organic eats for breakfast and lunch. The staff is the epitome of diversity, and the order signs provide bios of seminal figures in social justice (photo: http://bit.ly/1EoCZN4). There's also local art galore on the walls that they apparently rotate often. You order at the counter where you have a nanosecond to decide what you want from the overhead menu (photo: http://bit.ly/LK6LDL). Jamie went for warm and cozy with an order of the $7.75 Organic Savory Polenta which offered not only a genuinely creamy consistency but also sun-dried tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, chives and Parmesan cheese (photo: http://bit.ly/1eOoQs3). It was quite a luxuriant alternative to a bowl of oatmeal. I had no hesitation in ordering the $7.75 Waffle of the Day, a cornmeal-based creation that took up the whole plate. It was relatively light as waffles go and absorbed the housemade apple syrup quite easily. The fresh fruit topping and creme fraiche were a bit on the skimpy side, but at least it helped allay some calorific concerns albeit not all (photo: http://bit.ly/1alA3U7). Thank goodness the waffle wasn't covered in fried chicken pieces. The coffee is Blue Bottle, so that was a slam dunk in the satisfaction department (photo: http://bit.ly/1eb9Rdd). I was surprised how quickly we were able to secure a table on a Saturday morning since there appeared to be a lot of customers buzzing around. The owner's big dog Kuma was panting in the back, and children couldn't help but go back there to pet him. We both liked the casual, Haight-like vibe in there a lot (photo: http://bit.ly/1mx8ABA). With the third world music oozing out of the speakers, it was a relaxing place where regulars appear to drop in and chat with the staff. The rest of the small, local-based menu looked worthy of a return visit, especially the paninis that passed by. "Art, Coffee & Vibes" is their slogan. Yep, this is Berkeley in the days of yore alright. FOOD - 4 stars...satisfying, homey goodness with fresh ingredients AMBIANCE - 4 stars...casual, compact and oh-so-Berkeley...at least the way I remember Berkeley SERVICE - 3.5 stars...friendly for the most part, a bit erratic TOTAL - 4 stars...comfort food in a relaxing setting, worthy eats with the polenta and waffle at least

I would not go out of my way to go here. This place has a great vibe and the interior is very hip. The music they play is very nice too. I only tried the iced coffee here which was good but I think slightly over priced for the place ( comparable to blue bottle). The bean had good flavour and I enjoyed the iced drink while strolling through the neighbourhood on a hot afternoon.The guys behind the register seemed distracted so not much interaction there. I guess if you are in the neighbourhood check it out!

I stopped into the Guerilla cafe this afternoon as a participant of the Chocolate & Chalk Festival. My friend and I ordered the Mocha and Spicy Mocha. They initially didn't seem to busy considering that I was able to order without a wait, however, it took about 20 minutes for the drink to be ready! I'd asked if the Mocha could be iced. The person who took my order, seemed pretty discouraging about ordering the Mocha iced. He said something about the milk not foaming as it should have. After consulting my friend, she said that was fine, given that this was not the first time she's ordered an ice mocha from a cafe. When the coffee came out, there was no ice in the mocha at all. They just came out in two regular coffee cups, 75% filled to the top. Both cups rather warm. Also, the mochas didn't taste like chocolate at all. They really just tasted like burnt lattes. The spicy mocha just has some cayenne pepper added. Pretty unoriginal and boring. If you're looking for a delicious mocha, I'd recommend Coffee Bar.

This place is very homey and artistic. Good waffles w/ fruit and little bit of whipped cream and maple syrup on the side. Pecan pie is good if you like pecan pie. Cappuccino is good if you like caps, I prefer lattes since I was awake all day after drinking my cap. Order at the counter and food will be brought to you with a number and a pic of someone famous. One tiny bathroom for customers. Recommended if in the area.

A shadow of what this place was pre-COVID. Dismissive customer service, pretentious politics serving clearly corporate store bought low quality ingredients. Filthy tables and overpriced! Another COVID downfall.

They have delicious food, coffee drinks and an assortment of pastries including some GF options. Try the iced Horchata Latte - it's wonderful!

I walked in really wanting the croissant sandwich. I was told there were no more so I decided to go with the prosciutto and toast. The dish was great, but as we were waiting for our food and while I was eating, somehow there were more croissant sandwiches. In fact, they didn't actually sell out of them until we were almost done with our meal. I'll admit, I was kind of angry, but I definitely didn't want both the croissant sandwich and the toast I got. Just wish the cashier had his facts straight. The toast was good. The polenta porridge the boy got was interesting. It was loaded with fruit and maple syrup on top. I will admit, I normally have savory polenta, but the sweet version wasn't too bad. Service was spotty and it seemed like they had no process in getting the food to people. I'll be honest, I was watching them make the food and stuff - and they were training someone who obviously had no experience in the kitchen. Also, they were definitely sending dishes to tables that had them already and bringing them to other tables. Totally not great. Overall, food was good, but service is just not at all there. Protip: toast.

I came here yesterday and finally got to order their Blue Bottle. The cafe is pretty small in size but the amount of people eating there is huge. Obviously. The place is pretty neat. The seating is kind of like a diner. Theres a long bar and the menu mostly consists of breakfast/brunch type options. The menu for their blue bottle coffee is pretty large. The service was pretty friendly. I can tell that the guy didn't know much but that's ok. One of the regulars recommended me to have their cappuccino. All I have to say is that their capp shits on my sbux. It's the coffee I tell you, nothing else. The way it was made wasn't light but it had that evil bite that was good enough to beat any others that Iv'e had. The place is a bit too dark and dim and I wish there was more light but oh well? It doesn't stop a bunch of customers from entering this Guerilla jungle. I'd come back for more!

A very small and old coffee shop located on I think one of the main streets in Berkeley. Theres nothing really sexy or appealing about this place. The coffee is ok you know nothing special. Brunch was being served as well but it just didn't look right selling breakfast food in such an old and small place. I think originally it was just a coffee shop but expanded with brunch menu items. Location is great because you'll have people walking by all the time looking for a drink or a quick bite.

Mostly nice, decent food and coffee. But once in a while, the cashier exhibits terrible attitude. This has happened 3 times in the 5 or so years we've lived here. Why endure it when Philz, with way better coffee, is just next door? We order an item that they didn't have any more. The cashier just rudely mutters, "no more" with no eye contact. When asked for clarification, she gives a blank stare. The lady behind her had to chime in, and cheerfully make up for the rudeness she just noticed. This is all in the context of the cashier being warm and cheerful with the party just before us. Rudeness does not make you an activist. Wah wah.

This is THE spot in Berkeley if you want yummy food and a friendly experience. Shoutout Meabh for making it the best every time I come in!

I hate the name. I hate the location. I hate their website. Lousy availability of good snacks and good coffee.

This review is only for a drink, as I stopped in here looking for a refreshing drink after walking in the hot sun. Before walking in, I had no idea that they had so much more than coffee. So much more. They've got food. They've got personality. They've got spirit. And they've got Berkeley written all over them. I sorta kinda love it. The staff was super friendly, and threw together one of the most refreshing tasty drinks I've had in a really long time. Super super good. Tart and light. It was sparkling water, berry, mint, and lemon and lime. They've got some food, that looks and sounds delicious. I would've treated myself had I not just eaten elsewhere. The art on the walls is simple, engaging, and free-spirited.

So good service was great. Avocado toast was amazing orange juice was so fresh overall really great.

Awesome ! Sweet! Local! I'm Born and raised in Berkeley and even though one could consider me to have gone corporate, this morning, looking for a cup of coffee, I saw two coffee shops next to each other. So I stopped. The busier one was the one that caught my eye, but at I walked toward it, I walked past the Guerrilla Cafe. Having been here several times before, I knew it was good. I also remember a couple of events they hosted for locals schools. I went in. Comfy, cozy, warmth from the staff to the music to the OUTSTANDING food. I chose to support local, especially when it is better. Cheers

Excellent quality food, prepared fresh for every dish. Happy friendly staff, who seem to love what they do. Great customer service! Extra attention to detail on each dish. Delicious chai -- had perfect amount of spice. Great atmosphere and vibe; Kid friendly! Definitely recommend this lovely lil place and will come back anytime I'm in the neighborhood.

A nice, small cafe located in North Berkeley. Maybe a 15 minute walk from the Downtown Berkeley BART station and there is street parking. The Americano had a good (and not bitter taste), which definitely shows that the beans they are using are good...which means all the other drinks should taste good too. I would come here if I wanted to meet up with just one friend or wanted to spend a day doing some work. I would say I would do work inside but it is kind of dark. Therefore I definitely like to spend time outdoors. I would personally prefer to go to some other coffee shops near by but would come here to shake up my go-to spots.

Awful experience this morning. Place was SEVERELY short staffed at around 11:30am. I've been coming here for 9 years and ordered typical breakfast. When I could see things were not going as normal- 20 minutes passed; waffle iron was burning, no egg orders coming up, polenta not getting prepped, for anyone, I nicely asked for a refund on the egg dish, not the juice drink I was already served, because I needed to get back to work after 20 minutes of waiting. I didn't even want the tip returned; When I ordered, I dropped a $3.+ tip, in the jar, on a $16.+ order. But what happened? The woman REFUSED to refund me my money or give me a gift certificate. It got to be pretty embarrassing with her continually refusing to refund me my money- and continually apologizing. I CONTINUALLY said I knew they were short staffed and that I completely understood, but that I had to go back to work. I was going to leave without my refund, I was so frustrated that I was continually ignored and told her that I would report what happened to the Owner of Guerilla Cafe; How she was refusing to refund me my money or give me her name. Only THEN did the food prep person come over to the cash box and get me my money.