Coffee Bar Montgomery — Restaurant in San Francisco

FiDi has like a 100 coffee bars in a small 1-mile radius in downtown SF. Coffee Bar is one of five that I walk by every day on my way to work. I’ve stopped by here a couple of times specially for their Horchata Cold Brew ($5) which is very good. I’ve also tried their Vietnamese Cold Brew ($4.25) which does not have the intense deep strong sweet taste of coffee that you expect from Vietnamese coffee. I’ve also tried their cappuccino with both regular and Almond milk and found it to be good but not great.

Like every other coffee place in FiDi at the peak morning hours expect a rush. Here it becomes a little pronounced as the place is very small and a lot of people end up standing close to the exit almost blocking it. I think they need to do a slightly better job of controlling the line and letting people move outside from where they can pick up their orders. Due to the rush I’ve not tried their hand crafted (pour over) coffee selection as the wait for that can be pretty long. The cashier and the baristas here are pretty good and treat patrons with respect (most coffee places in FiDi are like that except for Peets). Overall it’s a nice place for me to cheat on my regulat illy Café...

To start the coffee beans are $27 per pound. That is a big price for mediocre coffee. Bought a half pound of Neapolitan beans, featuring a medium dark roast. Flavor notes say dark chocolate, hazelnut and caramel. Couldn't detect any of those flavor notes even remotely. Made the coffee at home using a Baratza Encore grinder and a Bodum French Press. Really lacking any richness or body. Tasting it the one word that came to mind was ordinary. Contacted the owner BEFORE trying the beans about their return policy. She explained to me it could be possible on a case by case basis, but would not accept a return just because you don't like the flavor profile. There in lies the problem, to me this coffee doesn't have a flavor profile. Coffee Bar uses Mr. Espresso beans which are fire roasted. Philz Coffee is way better. Caffe Trieste is 50 times better. So now I'm stuck with a half pound of beans I paid over $13 for and I don't even want to drink it. I do not recommend the Coffee Bar on...

The owner is maliciously accusing reviewers of spreading false information for mentioning that this establishment was closed after failing a city health inspection on May 2, 2025. The city health inspector "observed rodent droppings on the food prep tables where the coffee machines are" and that "droppings are between coffee beans." The report is available from the city and was covered by the San Francisco Chronicle. On May 5, 2025, a reinspection was completed and the inspector noted that the "facility's Permit to Operate is reinstated and the facility is now allowed to reopen to the public."

Regardless of this establishment's current health code status, people should know that the owner operated in unsanitary conditions, and when confronted by reviewers after this came to light, took no responsibility, instead gaslighting customers by saying this in response: "Coffee Bar doesn't have a kitchen—nor rat droppings. Please don't spread false information....