Brown Couch Cafe

I’m so sad Brown Couch closed! They had the best salads, wraps, and smoothies. The new replacement spot is a Mexican food restaurant… which is unfortunately never open :(.

Seriously going to CRY. OMG Teresa sold it, her food was AMAZING thai wrap ughh i will miss you. New owners NOT the same at all.

Teresa sold brown couch. I don’t think they should have the right to keep calling it that. Teresa’s brown couch was awesome! This place is TERRIBLE!!! I come here often because it is close to my work and I’m disappointed every single time!
They take forever to take orders & usually do not make them correctly in the first place. They don’t restock their pastries and never ever have decaf. It takes about 10 – 15 minutes to even get your bad coffee. I’m so glad they’re out of businesses now and hopefully they get something like what used to be good there.

If you ever want a great smoothie, come here. I got the Green smoothie which had spirulina, kale, banana, avocado and I believe the owner customized it by adding in matcha (which I love! I don’t know how she knew but she knew!). It was thick and amazing and sooooo filling.
I came here on a recommendation from a local restaurant owner and boy was I glad. I was originally at Awaken which was really crowded and had overly priced mediocre drinks and wifi that died and couldn’t be revived. I got to Brown Couch and it only had a few patrons (so it’s now my new but not so secret place to get work done) and great affordable priced drinks.
Also, I think the space just got renovated and there is a brown couch but also a freaking amazing wall to ceiling mural that I couldn’t help but constantly stare at.
Go. Do it. You will not regret this.

Brown couch is a great little spot! It is currently undergoing a facelift, lots of new art and murals inside as well as new menu. Still offering delicious and great priced coffee drinks, fresh juices and smoothies. Menu is changing a bit but come in for breakfast sandwiches, wraps and salads.

I used to love this place, back when it actually had a brown couch in it.
It’s gone though many different owners since then, apparently, and is now approaching peak hipster-​artisinal-​gentrified bullshit like so many other previously good places down/​uptown.
i was only in there for a minute, but i was really turned off by the new ownership. i really just wanted that old falafel wrap that i used to always get. anyway i went down the street to the mediterranean place real close; this falafel wrap’s probably better anyway…

First impressions are important. When I’m met with serious attitude trying to get a cup of coffee, with only one or two other patrons present, I’m given no incentive to try again. I’ll try 7 – 11 next time I want mediocre coffee & service.

They no longer have salads. No soup today either. The chai latte was perfectly serviceable, but something’s missing with the new ownership.

Careful if you go here. The menu, though simplistic, is quite confusing. I asked for a vegan wrap — unfortunately that doesn’t quite mean exactly what you think it does — the woman put a sauce on it with cream on it, and I had to have her remake it.
The English of the two people at the counter isn’t fantastic either, so be real clear when you order. Looks like they’ll put hot sauce and onions on too, so check that.
I’m told the regular girl at the counter has fluent English. In the end, the wrap was pretty good, but since it’s the only thing there, I won’t be back in a big hurry.

My colleagues and I came here today for lunch. Repeat customer. Not coming back.
Comedy of errors during the lunch rush.
What it comes down to is:
Cashier needs to be trained on food safety, proper operation of equipment, and writing down accurate orders, otherwise they should be let go
Manager needs to make sure staff has enough 1s and quarters to make change
Here’s what happened.
I ordered falafel but got chicken. I sent it back. Prep team said cashier wrote it down wrong. They said they’d throw out the bowl so keep it. OK.
Cashier wasn’t trained to use the juicer. Cashier who used said juicer had not washed their hands or put on gloves after taking my money and chopping fruit. I canceled, because it was taking too long to make the drink. And… dirty hands on fruit means the juice will be no bueno.
Prep team took 20 minutes to produce my colleague’s falafel bowl. She canceled the order and requested a refund. Staff did not have exact change so overpaid my colleague by about 50 cents. Which seems nice for the customer and I do appreciate that, except the business owner will have trouble balancing the books if this continues.
Nice people, but they need to work out their training and ops so that they can keep up during a lunch service.

I love this place and the people that work there. All around Goodness with a capital G.
Once upon a time I lived a block away from Brown Couch, but would only go there for a warm beverage in the morning and a pastry. Then this year I started working in Alameda, and came in for lunch once and now a couple of co-​workers and I make it a thing to go about once a week. The bowls and wraps are splendid. Between the flavors, textures, and different physical temperatures of ingredients, each bite is an experience unto itself.
The art is always solid local stuff, too.

This small Oakland spot, located about 2 blocks from the 12^th St BART station, is a good choice for a quick meal. I don’t suggest it for hanging out, since the cigarette smoke from outside wafts indoors. Also, it seemed a bit hot & the employees were blasting a talk radio program.
That said, the food was delicious & inexpensive. We both got the recommended halal chicken «bowl», which actually came on a plate. It is reminiscent of the NYC street cart food, but with a chopped salad on top. There are 3 sauces you can choose from: white «house» sauce, BBQ, and spicy. I picked the first 2 and got the spicy on the side. The chicken was plenty spicy, so I didn’t use that.
I also got a iced soy latte. They gave me an iced spiced chai instead. It was very flavorful, but not exactly what I ordered.
Overall, a nice place to get a quick bite to eat.

If you walk by this place, you wouldn’t look at it twice. The outside is very unassuming. The brown awning is dingy and needs replacing, but if you walk inside you’ll see local art on the walls in a friendly environment that is clearly maintained by a happy owner.
I tried the turkey sandwich (it was just fine. fresh ingredients and well-​made, but the sandwich as a whole was nothing to jump up and down about) and my boyfriend had the chicken wrap (which he totally loved). The prices are fair. I think we spent $ 15 total. I saw juices on the menu and yummy breakfast items. I’m eager to go back and try those (kind of a sucker for veggie/​fruit juices).
I’m really writing this review because I was so pleasantly surprised by how friendly the people were and how decent the food tasted considering how the establishment looks on the outside (I know – why go in if you think it’s going to be bad? I was curious! Unilocal reviews were puzzling to me). Don’t be fooled by the exterior! Pop in and try something! Especially if you’re looking for something on 14^th, on the way to/​from BART, in an area that doesn’t necessarily have a bunch of appealing options at first glance.
Oh, the Halal component might be important to mention if people observe religious food restrictions and things.

First off, no brown couch here.
The food here reminded me of NYC’s Halal Cart. It is nowhere close to the price, quantity or quality of it, but good enough to make me reminiscent of it. That says a lot, right?
I ordered the bowl with chicken, white rice and veggies. The white sauce is pretty awesome and I recommend getting a generous amount. Plus, the BBQ and sriracha were necessary complements. This cost about $ 8.50, which was decent. Brown Couch is only a block away from work, so it’s the perfect place to grab and go. Driving & parking may be challenging.

Happy 1^st Review of 2014!
Them wraps though.
My best friend wanted to visit me and take me out for lunch so he found this place through Unilocal because he was looking for something on the «healthier» side :) This place is a small café with a limited amount of seats but we were able to find a seat right after we ordered (the cashier was right when he said people usually come and go).
We arrived around 1pm on a Friday afternoon and it wasn’t crazy packed but most of the seats were taken up. I think most people come here to get there food to-​go that’s why. My best friend and I couldn’t decide on which wraps to get so we asked the cashier which he recommended.
For meat/​chicken lovers, he recommended trying the Spicy Thai or the Spicy Cowgirl. As for vegan lovers, he recommended the 14^th Street (vegan meat) which was the most popular one that people usually get at Brown Couch Café. My best friend ended up getting the Spicy Cowgirl (~$ 7) and I ordered the 14^th Street (~$ 8) just because I wanted to try something different that had no meat in it: P We also ordered an Acai Smoothie each that was $ 5.50 each. Bit on the expensive side but it was good (don’t think it was worth the price though).
When the wraps came out, I was pleased at how neatly they were packed with so much stuff in them. It just made me even more hungry. I tried some of my best friend’s Spicy Cowgirl and I liked it a lot. It had a nice kick to it with the sauce they had; definitely one of my favorites. I really liked my 14^th Street since it’s not often that I eat vegan meat. Though it was more on the plain side and a bit healthier of course, I think I liked the Spicy Cowgirl more just because it had that tangy taste too it: P Next time, i’ll try the Spicy Thai.
Brown Couch Café is a great place to get delicious wraps! Come here hungry because you will definitely be full! I was already so full from my wraps that I almost didn’t finish my smoothie. Almost.

Well I think the name of this place pretty much says it all. It gives a face to the colloquialism «hole in the wall». This place is just big enough for a cash register, an espresso machine, and of course the namesake, a big brown couch.
While there I ordered food and a tea. The falafel wrap that I ordered was delicious and the tea was, well it was tea. The wifi was steady and the atmosphere was comfortable. Overall, a cool little spot to hangout and relax.

Brown Couch offers delicious wraps, salads, and smoothies. I made a trip out to Oakland to run a few errands. I’ll admit, I was feeling super hungry but trying to eat light, since I have a dinner date tonight. ;)
I ordered the 14^th Street wrap, which consists of a spinach tortilla with «teriyaki glazed veggie meat, greens, tomatoes, and onions with Jean’s sesame scallion sauce». The vegan chicken was damn good! I just wish there had been more of it. They also offer a vegan Falafel wrap, which I’m now kicking myself for not ordering.
For my beverage, I ordered an Acai smoothie (apple juice, bananas, strawberry, and acai). Sweet and delicious!
If you want dessert, they have vegan cookies by Alternative Baking Company and a pastry case full of yumminess. The staff seemed a little stressed, so I didn’t bother asking about their sweets.
Unfortunately, the lettuce inside my wrap was a little disappointing (a little wilted and not so fresh), and the workers seemed a little crabby.
Sorry, Brown Couch! You seem like a legit place. Maybe next time will be better.

This is a hipster’s paradise! Mismatched furniture? Check. Friendly barista with facial hair greet you when you come in? Check. Lots of veggie/​vegan options? Check and check.
What makes this place great are the unpretentious prices! This is my go-​to spot when I visit my Oakland friend.

I like Brown Couch. It’s a good café with a very friendly staff (shoutout to Theresa). I love the atmosphere of the place with art on the walls and very comfortable vintage lounge chairs.
I usually just stop in for a cup of black coffee, they brew a good blend.
For breakfast, I’ve tried their french toast breakfast sandwich which was bacon eggs and cheese in between two pieces of french toast and maple syrup… it’s kind of a guilty pleasure that I feel guilty eating it.
I’ve also enjoyed their wraps, like their falafel or spicy cowgirl. Their wraps or paninis are decent sized, with fresh ingredients, and it shows that the staff put some effort into making them instead of quickly throwing stuff together on a plate.

Wrap heaven!
The hub is always nagging me to join him for lunch so I thought I would make his day and grace him with my presence. I was feeling like a fatty and wanted to try the huge wraps that I have been drooling over on the Unilocal pics. Here I come Brown Couch!
Weekday lunch time around 12:15PM. Just a couple of blocks from 12TH St. Bart. Why bother with parking when it’s such a nice day and accessible by public transportation.
Upon walking in you are greeted by colorful art on the walls, casual seating and a huge menu board. I think I still have a cramp in my neck from staring up too long. Everything sounded wonderful sandwiches, wraps, salads and smoothies. It was difficult to make up my mind.
After much thought I ordered the Southwestern BBQ chicken wheat wrap.
We found a table and took in the view of the art. Before I knew it our food was being brought over by the owner. She was very sweet and told us to enjoy our lunch. She doesn’t have to tell me twice I was ready! I looked down at the brown plastic tray and saw a huge wrap I swear it was the size of a 1 month old baby.
The wrap was delicious. Fresh ingredients and just enough sauce so it wasn’t over bearing and not dry. The hub asked to trade halves (he knew mine looked good) so I thought I would be a nice wife and grant him his wish. So I tried his half the Spicy Thai on spinach wrap. It was good. I liked mine a little more but the spinach wrap had a better taste compared to the wheat.
Prices are reasonable for the ingredients, portion and service for $ 6.75 each.
The staff was very nice and I liked hearing the owner greet her regulars by name. You can see that she really enjoys what she does and her store.
When in the mood for a casual meal check this place out.