Roy's Station Coffee & Tea — Restaurant in San Jose

THOSE WITH SEVERE FOOD ALLERGIES: BE CAREFUL HERE

I have witnessed two instances of staff not paying attention to a very real food allergy.

I live nearby and really like this place most of the time. Sadly, twice now I’ve ordered items and asked for oat milk in place of regular milk. Both times I received regular milk. The first time I immediately caught the issue. They changed it for me (made a new one with oat milk instead of regular milk). I always say “with oat milk” automatically, and I explicitly recall looking for it on the menu before ordering.

The second time, unfortunately, I did not catch the problem. My partner found that the item had milk—the way in which this was discovered involved a day of pain and suffering due to the allergy itself. Milk allergies are real, horrible, and exposure to lactose-containing products can induce serious, sometimes life-threatening problems.

Thinking of both times this happened, I should have been more careful, especially considering the vibe of the employees. Both times, place had three people working in the middle of the day. The second time, there was only one other customer there, and the staff was not paying close attention to me when I ordered. Instead they were more interested in their own conversations with each other. While I have no complaints about that in and of itself, when it’s at the expense of customer HEALTH, it’s a problem for human life.

Roy’s Station Coffee & Tea staff, please pay more attention to what is being ordered and listen for modifications — add them to the ticket so other staff do not make a mistake. Do whatever it takes to make it so we don’t suffer the horrific effects of significant food/milk allergies. Please,...

Finally I got the chance to try Roy's and it didn't disappoint.

From the outside looking in, Roy's has the best location. Situated in the corner lot in the heart of Japan Town, across from the Buddhist temple, Roy's has a cute outdoor seating area with ample spaces. In a sunny day like today, you can see people hanging out here with friends and pets, having a sip of coffee while catching up or doing their homework.

Parking is a bit tricky as it's Japan town. But if you're willing to walk a bit, there're always street parkings 1 or 2 blocks away.

One step inside Roy's and you'll be taken back to older historic times. Roy's so charming with two corner big window, classic coke dispensing machine and a red brick wall with arts and plants donning it. The delicious coffee smell mixed with yummy pastries welcomed me and made me feel immediately at home.

The line was a bit long but it moved fast. I order Green Tea Latte on their special menu. My drink came out fast. I really enjoyed how light and smooth it was! The latte left a lovely aftertaste and I grew more and more in love with every sip.

I'll definitely come back on a different day to actually sit down and enjoy a slow Saturday morning next time here. Until...

I tried Roy's for the first time on a recent morning and it was a very pleasant experience.

The location itself is great. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. Indoors is exceptionally clean and interestingly furnished. I love the functioning old Coke machine and the well-restored gas pump. A satellite jazz station playing in the background was a nice touch. The outdoor seating area is large, clean, and provides a nice vantage of J-town foot traffic.

As far as food and beverage selections go, the house coffee was decent and they have a selection of food items in a refrigerated case, some of which can be heated up in a microwave by the staff. Espresso items are the usual types one expects. The employees that were working at the time were all very friendly and professional.

I will make Roy's one of my usual morning spots. Come for the coffee and stay for the lovely and lively atmosphere. It's really nice to patronize a local joint that offers an experience that is far more enjoyable than the bland and soulless one found at the average chain...