Playback Coffee

This café is one of my favorite spots. Parking is super easy, which already makes the experience stress-free. The staff is incredibly attentive and welcoming, and the coffee is absolutely delicious. The coffees are really good, and I also tried their guava matcha, and it was amazing — such a unique and refreshing flavor. The pastries are really good, and they have a great selection of bottled juices as well. The space is large, open, and very comfortable, with plenty of tables and cozy couches. Every time I come, there are people working on their laptops, which makes it a perfect place to work, meet, or just relax. Highly recommend!

Great atmosphere and energy! Visited on a Saturday afternoon when they had live music. The staff were friendly and relaxed, and there’s a nice variety of pastries and lattes. A wonderful addition to the San Pedro Market scene.

It’s a decent spot. It used to be the Voyager Cafe before which is now moved across the street. The cafe shares it place a bar and there are a lot of seats. Both Indoor as well as outside. Saw a bunch of people working. Is pretty busy and it took a while to place my order. There is also a kiosk if you don’t want to interact in person. Got an ice lattice, and it was pretty okay. Again, nothing exceptional. Got the butter croissant as well. It was pretty bad and not worth it at all. Maybe because it was sitting there for a while and wasn’t fresh. Would not order again. Overall, a bad place to grab a coffee.

The exterior of the place is very nice and aesthetically pleasing. The line was quite short when we arrived, but we waited 45 minutes for our drinks. We had ordered two drinks—a chai latte and a tea latte—but both tasted like water. Not only that, but we were initially only given one drink, and the staff insisted we had only ordered one, even after checking their computer system. We had to clearly show them our receipt to finally receive both drinks. The drinks were terrible, and the customer service was equally poor. You're better off going to Voyager right across the street. You'll actually get a delicious coffee you won't regret.

Same awesome space and a new coffee shop! Free WiFi, outlets, lots of tables, very bright and spacious with high ceiling! Staff is friendly, I believe it’s their 1st day and they are still setting up. They do offer non-diary milk but no plant-based options for food, just gluten-free. I hope they will add vegan-friendly items soon!

Love that it opens decently early and open pretty late for a coffee shop! Good amount of space; enough to get some work done too if you don't mind some bustling around. Fun music playing most of the time. Drinks and pastries are good as well. Clean bathrooms.

Same owners as Academic Coffee. Great vibes, friendly staff, almost no indoor seating. Cortado was solid. Love the vinyl aesthetic.

A lot of the people whined about the price here, claiming it’s about $9 a drink. That’s not entirely true. Only the tiramisu latte is expensive. Everything else is the same price as else where. I had high hope for this place, but they made the most watered down matcha and very strange after taste. Might come back for tiramisu latte, hopefully that won’t be my last time.

We came here on the weekend and there is a lot of seating with the outdoor patio area too! The inside was cute and decorated nicely. My boyfriend for the ferrero rocher latte less sweetened and it was perfect, especially if you don't like super sweet! The mango matcha was good but very mango pireee forward, still delicious overall!

Came here at night and was craving a drink. I was able to grab a drink about 20 minutes from closing. The employee who took and made my order was very kind. Guava Matcha (3/5); This was definitely not the best guava matcha I've had. I thought the matcha did not blend very well with the guava and created this awkward taste. Not sure if I would come back here, but maybe for coffee next time.

Tbh I haven't tried the coffee yet, the drinks seem a bit more decadent than what I prefer, but I did have the opportunity to try a few pastries since they sell pastries from Manresa Bread. Im not the first to mention this but I think its worth mentioning again that for being called Playback Coffee and your theme is music, the music selection is pretty awful. I think it's pretty important to set the proper vibe and for having been in a few times the music makes me want to leave.

I finally got to try this place that has been popping up on my feed a lot. The atmosphere is so comfy and artsy chill museum vibes. The service is quick and precise. My food seemed to come out shortly after ordering. I ordered matcha latte with ube cream top. The matcha itself was perfect balance of not too sweet and combined with the ube cream top really really enhanced each other flavors . I would highly recommend it. I also wanted a little snack. I ordered artichoke cheese pastry. The bread has nice flaky crunchiness and the artichoke cheese filling is rich and savory. Definitely a repeat cafe I'll be back too!

Such an exciting new spot in San Pedro square with really unique drinks! I tried the guava matcha and it was one of the best drinks I've had in a while!! The quality of matcha is amazing and this drink came with oatmilk automatically. I love the music theme throughout the space and the staff was so kind and helpful! Will 1000% be coming here regularly!

Now that was worth hitting the repeat button. Playback Coffee is the current cafe of the San Pedro Square Market that basically holds court over its own wing when the nearby bar is closed. I decided to stop by today to start my morning before a matinee San Jose Sharks game. As you might anticipate (although I didn't), it was really crowded with people waiting both to order and to pick up. Fortunately, I found a QR code for online ordering and got on that straight away. Even better, they completed my order in 9 minutes, way faster than the promised 30+ min. And since I was on their online ordering system, I noticed an item not listed on the printed menu: the 1&1 ($6.50). It's a double espresso split into a ristretto (just espresso) and machiatto. This was my first time trying it, so just trying it felt cool. The ristretto read much more acidic than I'm used to, but the machiatto was creamy and surprisingly smooth in flavor. A water dispenser was also available near their corner so I could cleanse my palate a bit. I would definitely visit Playback again if I were to go downtown in the morning. They got my day off to a great start and seemed to be knowledgeable and efficient.

Was recommended to try this place out. Going to the front, there is a kiosk where you can order by yourself or go inside and order with someone. Went here on a Sunday and it was crowded, keep in mind they are in San Pedro so seating might be a little challenging on a weekend. My friends and I all ordered the Teddy Graham Latte, and it was a delicious coffee. I did like their system though where they will text you when your drink is ready so you don't need to be waiting in the crowd for your drink. I will definitely try this place again! :)

3.5 STARS Ahh the power of social media. From the owner of Academic Coffee, Playback Coffee is the most hyped up cafe in Man Jose (San Pedro Square). A vinyl cafe with DJs spinning? This geriatric millennial is ready! On the Saturday we visited, there was no DJ. There was vinyl spinning for "show" and a random playlist. I was expecting r&b, hip hop, maybe even edm but not Britney Spears. Checked their IG afterwards and it looks like they have DJs maybe once a month (if that). Ok, but how are their drinks? Sorry, I think Playback's (and Academic's) drinks are hella overhyped. IMHO, the quality is not commensurate with their prices. They charge $2.50 for a cream top while nearly every tea shop in the bay charges $1. * Seasonal Iced Maple Pumpkin Spiced Latte ($8) - Request decaf Legit tastes like a watered down latte sprinkled with nutmeg and cinnamon. No maple pumpkin flavor. * Matcha Latte w/ extra shot of matcha ($9) Didn't care for the matcha at Academic Coffee (bland) but....now I know, the key is to add an extra shot! But, then you're paying $9 for a matcha latte you can get at Voyager for $6.30. The best part of Playback? It's spacious with plushy lounge chairs...big booty/bbl approved. And with the free WiFi and outlets, no wonder SJSU students camp here for hours (hard to score a seat). Not to mention a full bar is just steps away. Start with espresso shots and end with tequila shots!

Awesome new coffee spot from the team behind Academic Coffee, taking over the space previously used by Voyager. Really cool theming with the On Air sign, turntables, etc. Lots of seating as it's inside San Pedro Square Market. I had one of their seasonal specials which was a decadent Ferro Rocher Latte. It wasn't cheap but I imagine the rent here must be pretty high! Plus it was a quality drink. Fast and efficient service.

I love Cafe academia as much as I love playback!! They're cool, retro vibe and good beats always are welcoming and upbeat!! Especially who was happy to see they were a full pastry case at 11:30 AM since I was in dire need of a morning suite with my coffee well, guava Matcha latte!! Guava Matcha latte; it was perfectly mixed with a heavy, bitter, sweet Matcha, and I'm sad. I didn't mix it sooner, the guava was a little sweet on its own, but once I mixed it with the Matcha, it was a perfect pairing!! I also loved the three pastries I forgot their names, but they were delicious!! The barista that served me was very sweet and helpful with my drink choice. I never got their name, but they were very helpful and the other barista all seem to joke around and sing along with the music so it seemed like a good work environment for them! The area in San Pedro market just created a new outdoor seating area with a glass fixture around it. Which will be nice for when it rains and still being able to go out and work on your laptop in the rain. I will definitely be back here! Oh, and the parking garage across the street is free for the first 90 minutes!

Not worth the hype, wow... I ordered the maple spiced latte and did not taste any maple flavor; maple has a fairly strong flavor profile too, so this was really disappointing. The coffee itself was ok, but we have so many other options for better coffee. My friend also ordered the maple latte and was underwhelmed. This cafe has received so much hype due to being affiliated with Academic Coffee, but this drink was a miss. Don't think I'd bother coming back to give anything else a try. They took over Voyager's location, so it's almost the exact same interior. Service was quick.

I was excited to finally try this place out and was in the area by chance on a Friday night. I grabbed a burger at San Pedro market but made room for a coffee after! It was near closing time so it wasn't too busy so I was able to take my time deciding on what I wanted. I usually like to try their unique drinks especially since it's my first time and the nice barista recommended their Teddy graham latte with oatmilk and i asked to make it less sweet. My friend ordered the charcoal latte and thought it had a unique taste. My drink came out very quickly and was very cute! The drink was delicious. I might add an extra shot next time as I like my coffee a smidge on the stronger side. I definitely want to try their tiramisu coffee next time. There is also plenty of seating that is shared with the bat next door and an outdoor patio so plenty of places to sit as well. I recommend!

Been wanting to check this place out and the service did not disappoint. Came here to work and taste their delicious coffee and treats. I had their ferrero rocher chocolate iced latte and the spinach, artichoke and escarole pastry. First the latte was on point. It the right amount of ferrero rocher topping and I couldn't even taste the coffee flavor. Definitely something I would return for. Their pastry was warmed and flaky with a good amount of crunch with each bite. the combination of flavors were proportionate. Not sure this is something many would enjoy but something's are worth the price. The ambiance was chill. Plenty of seating and different types of seats to choose from.

Great location in the San Pedro Market blocks. Covered outdoor seating is huge, but so is the volume of voices as people enjoy this nice coffee shop and area. The vibe of vinyl records and albums is well done. Nice touch on music in the digital ago. Easy order process. In/out quickly, even on busy days like the weekend. Inside, there is a lot of seating and indoor access to other stores in the building. The indoor seating is shared with a bar with a vintage look and feel. Unique area and well worth hanging out there.

Unfortunately I didn't love the matcha. I tried the guava matcha and it was ok, the matcha flavor wasn't really prominent as the guava nectar overpowered it. it's served with guava nectar and oat milk but I wish it was more milky, I didn't realize the was even oat milk in it as I was drinking it. They are located inside of San Pedro square, there is lots of seating available outside and inside. There is street parking if you can find any and parking structures. I like the vibe of this place, the the drinks are on the pricier side.

I really wanted to love this place since I've heard so many good things about their guava matcha! My friend and I stopped by on Monday around 2pm, and it was fairly busy. There's plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors, which makes it a great spot to work or study. I especially loved the outdoor area! We ordered the defying gravity (strawberry cream matcha), mango matcha, and guava matcha. Surprisingly, my friend ended up liking the guava matcha the most, even though she didn't think she would. As for me, none of the drinks really stood out. Defying gravity had potential, but it fell a little flat. After reading a few reviews later, I saw that they might use juice for the mango and guava flavors, which could explain why those didn't hit the mark for me. Overall, it's still a nice place to hang out or get some work done, so I might come back to give their coffee a try next time!

This place has been my go to every month I go into the office. With the time constraints in between meetings, this is the closest coffee shop to my office. I usually go with my go to Americano at all coffee shops. For the price, I feel like it's a little steep for the size. I am willing to come back as it's closest to the office and sometimes it's good to get a change of roast. I feel like it's not as strong as SB, Pete's or Philz. I use Lavazza beans at home

I tried the Peppermint White Mocha with oat milk, and it was alright. I was hoping for a stronger peppermint flavor, especially considering the drink was almost $10 before tip. I don't think I'd visit again unless someone else wants to try the cafe.

Solid place to hang out and study. Plenty of chairs and tables. Love the ambiance with the Halloween decorations and cafe setting of a music studio. They have seasonal drinks with the Wicked theme! I got the defying gravity which is a matcha latte with strawberry cream. The strawberry cream tastes just like the inside of the hello panda cookie. Decent matcha and when mixed with cream, it gives a subtle sweet strawberry flavor. Matcha here is towards the milky side. The you'll be popular maple pumpkin spice latte was decent. Good pumpkin spice flavor and coffee. Quick service, lots of street parking. Would go back for the strawberry cream taste!

I got the Ferrer rocher coffee and it was soooo good. I've been dreaming about it since but I just hate that it's downtown. I don't go to dtsj very often. My husband got the dulce de leche latte and he said it just tasted like a regular latte.

We were surprised to learn about Voyager being relocated to another section of San Pedro in order to make room for this new place, but the atmosphere for Playback Coffee really gives the place a unique, distinct feeling. The music clashes a bit with the ambiance (a lot of the songs playing were modern music which kinda went against the vibe that the interior was giving) but was tolerable enough. We decided to get the Strawberry Cream Soda and the Guava Matcha Latte. Coincidentally, the Guava Matcha Latte was actually sweeter than the soda, so we ended up switching drinks with each other. The service was relatively standard (not much really stood out) and the drinks, despite not matching our exact expectations, were alright. Overall a decent experience. I'm not entirely sure if this is a place I would frequent, but it's always nice to have new coffee places in San Jose that have good drinks.

The star rating for this business truly doesn't do it justice. While I didn't try any food this time, the pastry selection looked absolutely delicious. I did order an iced oat milk matcha latte (less sweet), and it was easily in my top five. The quality was exceptional -- I savored every sip. It definitely met my matcha standards! Service was fast and friendly, even with how busy it was. Both inside and outside were bustling with people grabbing their Saturday coffee, but there was no long line or wait. The ambiance is incredible -- I love the decor, color scheme, and overall vibe. It's a very pleasant spot to sit and unwind. Most of the indoor seating was taken, but there's outdoor seating available as well. I plan to come back when it's a bit less busy so I can relax and fully enjoy my drink. I definitely recommend this place and will be making a return trip soon!

Iced chai was watery and fell flat, but the kouign-amann was delicious! Long line, but cute concept. Nice location in San Pedro square. Heads up that if you have coffee from voyager (across the street) and try to walk into San Pedro Square the security will stop you and not let you enter. That was weird LOL but I guess I understand.

Discovered this spot on IG and this was well worth the trip! Got their iced guava matcha latte and this unexpected combination was very good!! It's pretty centrally located in San Pedro Square and right next to the parking lot! Great vibes, super spacious and they have great taste in music!

the coffee shop is a cute stop for music fanatics. coffee is good and plenty of seating as they share the space with the bar next door

From a girly who loves spending time at coffee shops, this is my top favorite matcha drink. The service was fast, and the ambiance is chill. This is always my go to place to get work done!

Space is gorgeous but the teddy graham latte is so sweet and not coffee-forward at all. It was too syrupy even for my friend with the biggest sweet tooth I know. We also got a vanilla latte and it kinda just fell flat. Baristas are kind and quick. I just think the drink recipes need tweaking because the interior can't carry bad coffee. I don't know if I'd consider this coffee shop successfully third-wave, which made me disappointed because I frequent Academic Coffee weekly so I was disappointed that its sibling coffee shop isn't there yet.

Newer coffee spot in San Pedro Market! I believe it used to be a different coffee shop so it's pretty similar. I got the teddy graham latte and it was so goood!!!! Perfectly sweet and just enough caffeine. I went on a Thursday afternoon during lunch time with a few folks in line and service was quick! Will definitely come back and would love to try their matcha drinks!

Voyager used to be here and now they've opened up playback coffee! Great coffee shop with ample (and I mean ample) seating to get work done. I enjoyed their teddy bear latte and most of their drinks come with this sweet and addicting cream foam top that really makes the drink. I will say since you're in DTSJ you'll have to deal with the annoying parking situation so either pay a flat fee or pay hourly!

The foam of the latte was very creamy and thick. The hazelnut flavor was like Nutella, and I liked the chocolate cream stuff

This new coffee shop in San Pedro Square is open daily from 7 am - 7 pm. Like many new coffee shops, expect to pay $8 per drink. Their drink menu has the basics plus specialty drinks like an iced mango matcha latte (what I had). They have a pastry case with basics like chocolate croissant and one GF and one vegan option. There is plenty of large tables and chairs inside and out, so it is good for groups. The staff were friendly and informative and the music is on the louder side but I didn't find it disruptive.

I love to work from here on my WFH days, it's in the San Pedro Market, by the back bar. So much open space, tables, and plenty of outdoor seating make it easy to find a spot to focus. I got a matcha, which I really enjoyed and came out quickly after ordering. The vibe was exactly what I was hoping, plenty of fun decor, music playing, and art everywhere. Love the concept of a coffee shop during the hours the bar isn't open!

The aesthetics are superb! The spacing and amount of working spots are great. The matcha tasted high quality, and the matcha mango was superb.

Today I tried playback coffee which I had been wanting to try for the longest and let me just say it was great! It is a very spacious cafe with seating indoor and outdoor. The staff are super friendly and helpful especially if you do not know what to get. We ordered the Teddy Graham(signature house drink) latte iced and Ferarro Rocher(seasonal drink) latte iced. They both are super flavorful with still the flavor of coffee. It is not too sweet but also not too strong. I think it is a perfect combination of both. I definitely recommend this spot. Will be back soon!

So many places serving matcha nowadays! It's so hard to keep up. This location is right at San Pedro square. There's a parking structure nearby so that makes it easy. I first saw this place on social media because of their iced matcha drinks. The line can get long but it moves quickly. Their service was also pretty quick as well. There's plenty of seating inside and outside. -mango matcha: 4/5, The drink comes with oat milk as the default which is nice if you're lactose intolerant. This was my first time having a mango matcha so I didn't know what to expect. I liked it! The matcha paired well with the mango. I believe they use a mango juice which was why the flavor was still present even after mixing. If you want a matcha with a super strong matcha taste, I would say this isn't for you. That being said, It was still delicious and I would get it again. Next time I would love to try their matcha guava or even the coffee.

I love this place! It's inside of San Pedro Square Market and they have lots of seating, some outlets and they share a space with a bar but many ppl use that area also. It's right next to the restroom and they also have a covered outdoor seating area. The drink menu has always been good here and they also have seasonal drinks that I love trying! Music here is kinda loud which matches their vibe and on some evenings I've been here a live band has came in to play. The coffee and matcha's are a bit pricey but a nice sweet treat with a working/social ambiance is what this spot offers.

There's a few cafes nearby, but decided to try out this new spot Menu has the coffee basics. The iced chai I got wasn't very flavorful, wouldn't pay $8 for it again. The location and ambiance are what they do have going for them. Vibey interior with a good amount to tables to work at, plus all of the shaded outdoor seating outside. Overall good place to hang or work but you probably won't be wowed with their drinks.

Was looking for a spot to do some work on a Sunday and stumbled on Playback! If you thought it looks huge from the outside, well get ready to be surprised by the inside! It seems like they share the space with a bar (called Three Sisters?). I asked the barista to choose a surprise drink for me and ended up with the mango matcha latte. My friend got the white peppermint latte. Prices are a bit steep, both drinks coming out to be a bit over $18 with add ons/substitutions. With that said, I think this was my favorite matcha drink I've had! The white peppermint flavor in my friends drink wasn't that strong so it was a bit disappointing. Would totally come back again for vibes and also to try the matcha guava!

Ferrero Rocher Iced coffee just like the candy sweet and nutty. Service was nice and friendly. Ambiance was ok kind of rustic. It's nice to be able to take your dog.

Had come here in the afternoon for coffee. Ordered a Fererro Rocher Latte and Hot Chocolate - both were great. The latte especially stood out as it was good coffee and the chocolate hazelnut cream topping was not too sweet or overpowering against the latte itself. Came on a Saturday so there was great live music and ample indoor and outdoor seating. Took us about 10 minutes from when we ordered to getting our coffee. Overall, would definitely recommend!

I was hoping for a little bit more with this new coffee shop. From what I've seen, they are connected to Academic Coffee. I love Academic so I had high hopes for this place. I wish the design of the place was something more. It doesn't look all that different and I don't get a vintage vibe from them like they said they had. However, they are early on in their opening so perhaps that will change over time. I got an iced matcha latte, sweetened with honey, with the honey cream top. The drink was good but I wouldn't pay for the cream top again. It was $2.25 which I don't think is worth it. I would come back for a regular matcha though. The mango matcha on the menu was different from expected. They use mango juice instead of a purée and I believe there is no milk in it (but correct me if I'm wrong). Not bad just take it as you will.

This is my first time visiting Playback coffee since it's no longer Voyager. I saw a video of how good their matcha is so I had to give it a try. Came on a Friday to get some work done and grab a matcha with a friend. Lots of seating still. It's right across from San Pedro parking garage so very convenient. Ice guava matcha latte 2.5/5: quite disappointed with this matcha. Although the matcha had a nice bright green color but they use guava juice so it watered down the latte so much. I couldn't really taste the guava. The drink was more like a refresher rather than a latte. $8 is also so steep for a very average matcha. My friend got a iced latte that was okay as well.

PRESS PLAY ON PLAYBACK COFFEE! Playback Coffee in its soft opening and I'm happy to see a new coffee shop at San Pedro Square! (It took over the old Voyager location.) This is a new venture from the people who created Academic Coffee, so if you like Academic then you'll like Playback too! I grabbed a vanilla latte on my way to work the other day and it was yummy! I like the new retro/vintage music theme (there are some turntables and vintage radios). I'm looking forward to coming back for the grand opening!

Their matcha was really good. The guava was overpowering for me but still delish. I want to come back and try their regular matcha latte :) If you haven't been to San Pedro Square, it's a nice area to explore. There's rarely street parking, but there is a garage ($) next to Playback.

Such a cute cafe with a spacious interior and a ton of outdoor seating. It is very "record" retro vibes, and the general seating arrangement feels like a casual lounge. We ordered a Matcha Guava drink, and it was very well done. Not only could we taste the matcha flavor, the guava also felt fresh and blended well with the matcha. Definitely want to come back and try more of their selections!

The location was very nice and they have a great decor and atmosphere - we stay outside at the wooden tables . I got the Americano (my regular ) which was not bad and daughter got the teddy bear latte which she enjoyed as well . We will come back !

This is a nice spot. There is plenty of seating with a mix of traditional tables, comfortable chairs, being in San Pedro Square and might get crowded but going at 9 AM on a Saturday, It was easy to park and easy to get in. The barista recommended the Teddy graham latte. It was good and wasn't too sweet, which was a nice surprise. The ham and cheese croissant was really flavorful and very filling. My friend got the curry croissant and said it was great. The price for two lattes and two croissants was about $35 with tip. This is definitely a treat spot to go to and I would like to try some of their layered Matcha drinks next time.

Came in today thanks to a BOGO promo--perfect timing since drinks here are a bit on the pricier side (especially the matcha-based ones; coffee drinks are more standard in price). I tried the iced matcha lemonade and got the iced mango matcha for my friend. Both drinks were super refreshing! You can really taste the matcha quality--bold, smooth, and not too bitter. The lemonade added just the right amount of tang without overpowering the matcha, and the mango matcha was the perfect hot day drink--fruity, creamy, and well-balanced. FYI: Free parking for the first 90 minutes in the garage lot across the street! Otherwise, opt for street parking.

Solid spot to meet up with friends and treat yourself to a nice sweet treat, pastry, or coffee. I got the iced guava matcha (default comes with oatmilk). Honestly, the price of the drink came with a little bit of sticker SHOCK, but the quality of the matcha is very high and the drink is solid so I would absolutely get it AGAIN! Hahaha- kind of the standard for high quality matcha/coffee outside nowadays. I think they are still in their soft opening phase as of 7/13/25. My little group actually ordered 4 drinks total- two espresso based drinks and two identical guava matchas. The espresso drinks came out first and maybe 15 minutes later I had to go back to ask for the other two drinks, as they were somehow missed in the queue. No probs! The barista was very nice about making it right away! Good tunes, great vibes.