The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf — Restaurant in West Hollywood

I've never left a review in my life, let alone a public chain cafe. But my experiences at this specific Coffee Bean location have been so utterly bizarre compared to any other experience I've had with baristas and customer service, I felt compelled to.

Look, I get it. I've worked in retail for years, making minimum wage and dealing with rude customers. In fact, I was working retail just down the street from this Coffee Bean a month ago. I came in occasionally on my breaks and lunches.

Maybe the regional management sucks, maybe this location is understaffed, and maybe the employees don't make close to a living wage for West Hollywood. All those things are out of the employee's control, and may even be actively demoralizing. I've been there, and I am extremely sympathetic.

But all of this is tangential to what I really wanted to get into here. I won't get into the lack of urgency, where it would take the entirety of my 15-minute break to receive my order even when I ordered on the app well in advance, or that I would end up overpaying for a bagel when they were out of Beyond Breakfast Sandwiches despite them still being an option at that location on the app, and I wouldn't receive a message letting me know beforehand. Mistakes happen, and like I said, maybe the working situation is not ideal.

What I want to talk about is my water bottle. My blue, dented, banged up five-year-old, rarely washed Hydroflask covered in faded-out stickers. About two months ago on one of my breaks, I accidentally left my Hydroflask at this Coffee Bean, probably in a hurry to make it back to work on time. You might be thinking, "No biggie, just go back and grab it." I was thinking the same thing. As I am fallible too, it slipped my mind to retrieve it after work. The bad news is, I went out of town for four days after that shift.

You might STILL be thinking, "No biggie. I'm sure they have a spot for lost items." I thought that as well. So I didn't worry, not even a little bit. I was a fool.

Cut to after my trip and the first thing I do on my break is head over to inquire about my bottle. What I thought would be a smooth, quick interaction was surprisingly not. I asked about my bottle, describing it as best as I could. The employees seemed to know what I was talking about. Each of them could individually recall traits about it. One went to the back to look for it, and after quite a while came back and said he could not find it. No biggie. I was told the manager would probably know, and I left my contact info there. The next day, and the next day, and the next week I went in and continued to ask. Each time I was met with the same response. Confused looks, shrugs, staff who claimed to see it somewhere before but couldn't say where it ended up.

I know what you're thinking: maybe it was stolen? Perhaps it never made it to the coveted lost-and-found back space? I considered that possibility. But then I wondered how each person I spoke to, on different days and different shifts could recall details about my specific bottle. It must have been lying somewhere around the shop, unless someone took it home with them.

If someone on the staff or whomever did take it home, I wouldn't even be mad! Okay, perhaps a little mad since I inquired about it so frequently, but what I really wanted to know was whether or not I should budget to buy myself a new one. It was the mere fact that every employee I spoke to remembered seeing my bottle in the elusive "somewhere" that frustrated me the most. The only reason I stopped going in to check on it was because I literally moved out of the country at the end of July.

To reiterate what I said before, I know the lame reality of working retail or customer service. But if you are a business interfacing with the general public on a regular basis, you NEED to have a designated "Lost and Found" area in the back of your store. Every store I've ever worked at has had one. An extra cardboard box...

This Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood checks a lot of boxes when it comes to atmosphere and convenience. It’s clean, well-maintained, and has a calm energy that makes it an easy spot to post up with a laptop or meet a friend without battling the chaos of trendier cafés nearby. The staff is friendly and efficient—my drink came out quickly and with a smile. There’s plenty of seating, both inside and outside, which is a plus in this part of town.

But here’s the thing: the coffee itself is just… okay. Not terrible, not great—just a bit forgettable. It tastes more like what you’d expect from a chain trying to be consistent rather than aiming for depth, nuance, or roast character. And for people who actually care about coffee (as in, the flavor, not just the caffeine), that’s kind of a letdown. You come here for the reliability and the vibe, not for a transcendent cup.

So if you’re in the neighborhood and need a clean, chill place to sit and sip, this location will work just fine. But if you’re looking for something to impress your palate, you might want to walk a few...

I've been going to Coffee Bean for over 10+ years but due to the Pandemic my go to spot on Argyle & Sunset has been closed down. Everyone there was like family & the environment was so positive with Yasmin, Jessica, Jeff & everyone else! Can't say that about the Coffee Bean on Sunset & Halloway! The manager there has been so rude the past couple times I've attended.. She'll literally yell at you, be short tempered, easily agitated, and super transparent with her negative emotions! There was a time when I enjoyed this location as it's within Sunset Plaza. The outside fireplace with a good book and coffee was paradise. Now, I will avoid this location at all cost thanks to the manager! Keep up the great job yelling at customers being super disrespectful! If you have to stop at this place, try & avoid the short Latina manager (wouldn't dare ask her name.) The taller Lady with the tattoos is really cool though & friendly so I guess it balances out.. Try to be a little more friendly & patient with loyal...