Tran Cafe — Restaurant in Santa Monica

If I could bottle the vibe of Tran Cafe and carry it with me, I’d never have a bad day again. From the moment you walk in, you’re hit with a warm, welcoming energy that feels like a hug from your favorite person. The mix of Japanese and Vietnamese touches is not only beautiful—it’s genius.

Let’s talk food. The grilled pork and pâté sandwich? Life-changing. I’m not saying it cured my existential dread… but I’m also not saying it didn’t. And the coffee? Absolute perfection. My go-to drinks are the Ube Love (like a hug in a cup) and the Golden Egg Cream (yes, it sounds mysterious, yes, it will blow your mind).

The owner and staff are truly the soul of the place—kind, friendly, and clearly passionate about what they do. They make you feel like a regular even on your first visit.

Tran Cafe isn’t just a coffee shop. It’s a little slice of joy tucked away in Santa Monica. Go once, and I guarantee you’ll...

A new gem in Santa Monica! I tried the Golden Egg Cream and it was love at first sip! I’m not a coffee connoisseur but I’ve tried a lot of specialty coffees… many of them are predictable but this one was a pleasant surprise. It was deliciously sweet without being overly sweet, perfectly milky and you can tell the coffee base is a solid quality coffee. It was something I knew I would come back for after the first sip, but conflicted because I want to try everything else on the menu too!

I also got the grilled chicken banh mi and the nerikiri desserts. The banh mi has a special twist with the use of condiments that makes it so savory and the desserts are so cute and unique! Everything was delectable and I’m excited to come back to...

Small quaint vibes coffee shop specializing in Vietnamese coffee and speciality coffees!

We are visiting the area from Florida and as my fiancée knows, I NEED my morning coffee so we thought, let's check this place out!

We went with the coconut cloud and honey ice drip, respectively. Both were PHENOMENAL. The rich, bold flavor of the coffee stood out to us, and the additional flavors of coconut and honey complemented nicely. I consider myself a coffee addict and this definitely satisfies me.

The service was 10/10, very friendly! They shared with us they only recently officially opened a few days ago so we're honored to have found it!

We WILL be back to try out the...