Playback Coffee

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.

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.

Great new spot in San Pedro market. I got the tiramisu coffee and it was pretty good. the Iced vanilla latte was mid tho.

Most expensive matcha in the bay- almost $10 for a latte that would be $7.50-8 at all other matcha spots. (That doesn’t include tip.) The matcha was good but not good enough for the price. The matcha cafe nearby is still my preferred spot. The honey cream was $2.25 alone and they don’t give you enough to justify that price. It’s also a bit too thick. When you sip from the lid, it gets stuck in the ice instead of being able to drink. I’m still glad I tried it once while my other spot was closed. Maybe I would get it again, but the price is hard to support. Especially when they don’t have a dedicated seating area. I will also add that I liked the branding and staff was very nice! And I didn’t have to wait in a line.

Cappuccino was great and tons of seating space. I came in to find a pretty long and so ordered with the QR code and my drink was ready within 5-7 minutes :)

Checked out Playback for the first time and was really impressed. I ordered the matcha and could tell right away they're using quality ingredients. They have an eclectic selection of pastries from Manresa Bread. I went with the chocolate chip cookie and it didn't disappoint! The space is chill and the staff are welcoming. Solid addition to the Market, I'll definitely be back to try more!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

Pretty solid cafe for drinks with spacious seating indoor and outdoor. The cafe is in San Pedro so parking is a little tough, but there are garages and meter parking if you plan to stay for long. They have free wifi and outlets at specific tables, however it does get loud. We got their guava matcha (4.3/5) and mango matcha (4/5). They're not as creamy as other lattes, but were both good! I like that they don't skimp out on the matcha. Would definitely come back again to try their other drinks!

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.

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!

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.

Cute coffee shop with good options! Some of the items are on the pricier side so keep that in mind but as a once in awhile treat it was great! I had an iced teddy graham latte and it was so good! It was creamy, strong and not overly sweet - that cream top was perfect. I also had a butter croissant and it was flaky and buttery, my total for the pastry and drink was a little over $14. Service was fine, they were nice and my drink came out quick.

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.

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.

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!

Playback has taken over the old voyager space in San Pedro. Same great space. The service was friendly and quick. I tried a decaf mocha which was great, but I definitely want to go back for a teddy graham latte. I just wish it wasn't so expensive!

Teddy graham latte was so yummy the foam was nice and thick and yummy coffee tasted good Matcha was good I wish it was a bit more on the matcha tasting side but overall not bad It's cute inside with long tables they played kpop demon hunters so i like them

Came here during their grand opening! Staff here were super chill! Their espresso was perfectly extracted and it's pretty strong! The drink itself was a perfect balance of sweetness, nuttiness, and citrusy. I also love hanging out in the area in general because it's super spacious with lots of tables.

Great coffee and matcha! Out of all the coffee shops in downtown, this place has to be my favorite. Excellent location with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Customer service is always good & drinks are made fast. Highly recommended their guava iced matcha, teddy graham latte & tiramisu latte!!

located where the voyager in San Pedro used to be (also would like to take a moment to apologize to voyager for cheating on them lol they moved just a block away but I thought I would try this new place?) currently in soft opening so hiccups are to be expected, but knowing that it's not a "new" place & is instead just a separate venture by the academic coffee people , I'm not sure if I should give them that much grace? would've been 3.5 stars rounded up to 4, but am instead rounding down bc the iced drinks are just straight up a whole cup of ice lol matcha latte w oat milk: 4/10 tasted like green oat milk? not sure what to say lol legit no taste of anything at all oat milk latte: 6/10 at least I could taste some coffee in this espresso: 4/10 somehow watery & bitter at the same time lol on par w Starbucks espresso maybe total was over $18 so idk lol not worth it imo

Let me say: I will DRIVE in traffic her for their tiramisu iced latte! 10/10 for efficiency! Their service is always quick and friendly! San Pedro is always busy, but this coffee shop is WORTH it!

I had the teddy graham latte and my sister and daughter had the matcha. Unfortunately none of the drinks were something to come back to, but the service is good. The guy at the register was friendly and the ambiance is cute. I may come back to give it another shot after a few months, they're still new.

Drinks were good. A little on the pricey side because they werent anything too fancy. The location is great and I loved the decorations. Super cute trendy spot to meet with friends but I dont think I'd go by myself as a regular.

My first time into Playback Coffee and I got an iced americano! Cute spot and vibes, and Wifi! I loved the espresso as it was very smooth and bold without bitterness. Staff is super friendly and helpful with suggestions. I will be back!

Don't let the reviews on here deter you, this is a great addition to DTSJ's coffee offerings. Stopped by after Saturday morning run club and there wasn't too long a line. I went in with the intention of getting the guava matcha latte since I took a look at the menu beforehand but decided on the Teddy Graham latte after I heard the cashier tell the couple in front of me that it was his favorite. I got it cold as well as a ube double baked croissant. Prices are typical coffee shop price. Got my drink quickly and they warmed up my croissant. The teddy graham latte was delicious! Give it a good mix so you don't get a mouth full of syrup though. I could taste the cinnamon as well as espresso shots so I really enjoyed it, plus they add actual teddy grahams to the top. The ube croissant was DELICIOUS! It had ube cream filling and it was just soooo good! I would come back time and time again just for that croissant! Again, super solid coffee spot!

Stumbled upon this place as we were driving by! I usually don't find myself in DTSJ, let alone San Pedro Square during the daytime, but. so glad I was this time around! This coffee place hit the spot! We got the teddy graham latte and the guava matcha! Both 10/10!

Loved the ambiance of the cafe. They had a community event with live DJs and it was such fun vibes. We need more of these cafe DJ experiences. The line to get drinks was busy but once you got a drink, you could sit and chat with friends on super cute benches. Or dance. It was a family fun place and event. I hope they do more of these events to gather the community together.

located in san pedro square, playback coffee had a coffee & house music event! it was such a cute event and there were lines to get in to order. we were in line for about 30 mins and we were able to order. the wait time was not that long (around 10-15 mins). i got the tiramisu latte and my friends tried the teddy graham latte and ice matcha guava latte. tiramisu latte was pretty good but it is on the stronger side since it has 3x the caffeine. i also tried my friend's matcha guava latte and it was surprisingly good! i didn't think the combination would work but it was very refreshing. would love to come back when it's less busy to try their other drinks :)

The drinks were pretty good. Like any other cafe it had signature drinks. We got the matcha latte & teddy graham latte. We got the matcha latte with lavender and oatmilk. We also got the teddy graham latte with oatmilk. Both were great. Service was nice, just ordinary coffee shop service, they had cups, lids, complimentary water, and napkins available for self serving. The ambiance inside is inside San Pedro square and it shares space with the bar. Recommend! A little loud if you want a good study space but manageable.

Thought it was a nice trendy new spot in San Jose and planned to hunker down for a long study session. But turns out they forgot they are a cafe and blast pop music at full volume. I genuinely forgot I was at a cafe and thought I was at a club..... I even tried to push through by putting on my airpods with noise cancellation but still could somehow hear the music. Drinks itself was also a let down. Matcha just does not go well with citrus/fruit juices. Matcha itself is okay, but just doesn't taste right with the flavor profile they were going for. Ambiance itself is really nice with open seating a cute outdoor setting as well. Just a shame the music is being played at such loud volumes.

Playback Coffee is such a gem in downtown SJ! The vibe is modern with just the right amount of chill, perfect for getting work done or meeting up with a friend. I ordered the Iced Vanilla Latte and it was amazing, it wasn't overly sweet, and had a great balance of espresso and vanilla. I felt like I could tell they use quality beans and real ingredients. Easily one of the best lattes I've had in the area! The staff is friendly, the space is thoughtfully designed, with solid wifi and a great playlist. If you're in downtown SJ and need a caffeine fix, Playback is a must!

I'm obsessed with this new cute coffee shop and have been coming every weekend. I didn't enjoy mango matcha but LOVEEE guava matcha. Also their matcha latte w/ honey cream top was delicious. Although their cream top is pricey it was good! Love all their indoor & outdoor seating!!

I Love the cold brew and I will forsure be coming back for this. The coffee is also decently priced. Service was quick and easy also looks like a nice quiet place to sit down and enjoy

Changed from voyager to playback coffee. Vibe was great and so was the person taking my order. Ordered an expresso it was really bad, super bitter. Not sure if it's the beans they used or who made it. Took it back and just asked for a vanilla latte, which they just dumped extra syrup into not sure to try to cover up the taste, didn't care, or just bad at making any kinda of coffee. Avoid if you want to enjoy good quality coffee

The tiramisu latte was a 8.9/10. Creamy, strong, and flavorful. Teddy graham latte 4/10 does not taste like anything besides espresso and milk but more on the milky side. The matcha is probably my favorite especially with the honey cream top. Not too strong but not too milky either.

Matcha latte w/ No Foam Need to work on: Matcha was too milky Pastries, no hot food Pricey Positives: They are faster in serving drinks Friendly atmosphere Nice seating indoor or outside Great music

i miss when voyager was here :( ordered the teddy graham latte for $9, which is already an insane price without tip included, and recieved a very burnt and watered down tasting coffee that lacked flavor. they also do not provide water to people which is also insane for a coffee shop.

I stopped by here before work last weekend for a cold brew and a vanilla latte. Playback was easy to find and the line moved quickly. The baristas were knowledgable and helpful especially for just getting open recently. The cafe has great music and a dope ambiance if you like cool vibes and great coffee I would recommend. Excited to try more of the menu!!!

this is a review for the iced matcha latte with honey cream top i received on saturday, 7/5/2025 at 11:28am wow. i was excited to try this place as my partner had tried it during their lunch break and said it was one of the best places they've had. we have the same taste palette plus i saw a tiktok raving about this place so imagine my surprise having the most watery, plain, putrid, sad matcha i've had in a minute. the color was beautiful and i was excited to try the honey cream top. it fooled me and it cost me $11 (like 10% with tip). it tasted like low quality matcha a-la chamberlain coffee. which is like, ok you might have run out of your regular higher tier matcha, but why are we charging double digits for her? i understand they just opened so i will give them some grace and will most likely try it again in the future. however, i'll forever be haunted by the fact i wasted $11 on a nasty ahh drink.

I wanted to like this place ! The matcha quality is decent, I ordered a matcha with a honey cream top oatmilk iced. Total was a whopping $9.84 Then I realize my cream top is sour - and off. I had this verified by two other people. They kindly refunded me, but that's not something you should slip up on. Won't be returning :(

Worst service! and the guy who was working behind the counter was RUDE! Had asked for water since the coffee was so thick and covered with cinnamon they refuse to give water to paying customer and suggested walking into the market to a water station! Never going back to this place again! Loved when voyager was here.. OVER PRICED poor coffee and horrible service! save your money and walk over to Dr Ink's or Voyager!

I really really really wanted to like this coffee shop, however upon my first visit I had ordered a cortado and when it came to me, it was piping hot almost boiling which was super disappointing. The staff were very friendly and welcoming but the coffee really put me off.

I came in on a Sunday morning and there was no line and really needed a pick me up. There was no line, so we decided to try it. The staff were very friendly, ambiance was modern and loved the idea of an open cafe. I ordered one of their seasonal items which was an iced mango matcha latte for $8. I was hesitant because I couldn't imagine the two flavors marrying well in my head but decided to go for it anyways. It was ok, the flavors were too conflicting but I loved the quality of the matcha. Would come back to try their honey cream topping next time!

Overall, the service was good, but it took 10-15 minutes just to get a drip coffee. I'm not sure if my order was forgotten, but I did have to remind them.

GIVE THIS PLACE A TRY! The croissant was so flaky and buttery. Matcha didn't have any of that grassy taste, super smooth and the vanilla iced latte was solid. They are just opening up and taking over voyagers old spot. Big shoes to fill but not a super crazy crowd so plenty of room to work and vibe. Love the design inside. Come try it for yourself first!

Friendly baristas, great drinks, and plenty of seating. The go to spot if you need to schedule a meetup with a lot of folks!

Walked by the other week and decided to stop in this morning! They opened 2 weeks ago in the old voyager slot in San Pedro square. Friendly service and great cold brew!

Bought the ice vanilla latte and the teddy gram latte. Both were mid af tbh. Both tasted water down. But the the kicker is that the TGL was 9 DOLLARS!!!! NOT WORTH IT.