Starbucks

Very weird layout in this store. The way the tables are arranged, there is only one path to the end of the counter and back. This makes it hard to understand the order flow, where you order and where you pick up. Once you get your order, you have to walk back through the line of people trying to order their coffee.

I kind of can’t believe I’m leaving a five-​star review for a Starbucks, but between the three hours of free (validated) parking for customers of Theatre Square shops and a personal coffee consultation (with tasting) when I said I wanted to pick up a pound of beans in a dark roast on my way out… sometimes the suburbs just feel so nice. Great staff here!

It’s like every Starbux amazing, the best place on earth! The best thing I like to get there is Carmel frapachino

So hot today… I can sit play game long time… nice place… nice green tea… sweet sweetsweet

look’s like pike’s peak isn’t their $ 1 cup of joe, anymores. part of their daily offerings. didn’t know there was 3 options for house blend. cashier explanation sailed by me.
closer signs to pricing would be better
brew: (med roast, pike’s peak, 1.8)
–smooth with a slight boost
3 stars.
drips:
–no parking here but there is across at safeway.

All Starbucks locations are different, and I loved this specific one for its wonderful, friendly service and professional employees! I went to this place on a Saturday morning, at 10:30 am, to be exact. My friend was running late so I decided to get drinks for both of us, along with something to munch. The counter person was so nice and smiley, that long line didn’t bother that much! I ordered 2 peach green tea coolers and 2 cake pops (delicious, «yappyfied» little treat!) and was lucky enough to get a table by the drink counter even though the place was packed. It was too hot outside, so there I waited. Barista was by herself and it took a little while to get our 2 drinks, but they were worth waiting! This peachy tea was their summer special, and I loved the fresh sweetness of it.
My friend also enjoyed the combination of tangy peach flavor in this tea, an we finished with salty caramel chocolate fudge white chocolate-​glazed cake pops, as a perfectly logical wrap-​up of a nice Saturday morning.

You should never have more ice in your cup than the actual drink! I asked for light ice and this is what I got. I had no time to wait for them to fix it and it was very busy!

We stopped by this Starbucks on a Thursday evening around dinnertime, waiting for the Orinda Theatre free movie night. This Starbucks has a great location, right at the entrance gate to Theatre Square on Moraga Way. A beautiful fountain is right outside (see pictures).
Since it was way past a safe caffeine time for my wife and I, I had the Decaf Caramel Macchiato, and she tried a non-​coffee drink, the Caramel Apple Spice, a hot drink that tastes like a liquid cinnamon roll — yum! Both drinks were well-​crafted and delicious.
The Orinda Theatre Square Starbucks was pretty quiet at this point, with just a few patrons, and plenty of seats to go around. My wife smuggled in a sandwich bought elsewhere, which we ate with our drinks, and fortunately for us the Starbucks employees were cool and didn’t bother us.
As always with Theatre Square outings, street parking is extremely hard to find, which might make this Starbucks a difficult choice for getting coffee to go. We did spot one gentleman that parked in the no parking zone right outside the Starbucks, zip in for his coffee, and then beat a hasty retreat before the parking enforcers caught on.
Another negative is an early closing time: 7 PM, 7 days a week. Evening coffee lovers are out of luck. I would’ve loved an option to stop by after the movie, but Orinda apparently rolls up the carpet early.
All-​in-​all a convenient choice for Theatre Square customers, albeit limited to non-​evening hours.

Today my roommate and I went to the Starbucks location on Camino Sobrante, as we do from time to time. I usually order an iced latte. Although this time he and I both wanted to try something different. I ordered a salted caramel latte, and he ordered a chocolate chai.
The girl behind the bar didn’t seem to know how to read the cup out, she sort of called out my drink with a question. I took a sip of my soy salted caramel latte with whip, and it felt like I took a sip of warm air. We got in the car and I took the lid off to see that half of my drink already fizzed away and the caramel sat in a clump of cream and I took another sip and the salt made me gag. There was absolutely no flavor to the rest of the drink, it was very much unbalanced. My roommate said his drink tasted awful like a watered down loaf of pumpkin bread. Not good:/
I wasn’t happy, I suggested we go to the other Starbucks by the Orinda theater. I took the drinks in, and Brett, I believe his name was, took excellent care as he immediately remade the wrongful in so many ways lattes.
I find something of this manner often happens with the baristas at most Starbucks, they just don’t care about the product, they are just there to work. Its quiet disappointing. Although Brett saved the day today. I think he is the only person there who made a good drink for me with excellent customer service. The day before I ordered a pumpkin spice soy latte with my own mug, and the girl took a long time, and she didn’t have her bar ready to go. She was obviously irritated about something and it showed. There weren’t even many other customers. She didn’t even care to make my latte with any foam at all. I was very disappointed. I will much rather go to Pete’s, at least I know the entire staff is trained to make a well crafted beverage. They also all greet the customers even as they are waiting in line.
If we are paying over five dollars for a beverage it should very well be well crafted. I order soy all the time, I happen to know it can be foamed beautifully. The staff should know how it is done. The foam shouldn’t have bubbles of air taking up space in the cup. It should blend smoothly with the espresso/​flavor.
Peet’s Coffee here I come. b

The only inconvenience about this store is the limited parking, but that’s downtown Orinda for ya. I chose not to count that against them.
Friendly staff. They know me by name. They remember my usual drinks (Yup! All three of ‘em). Most of the time my drink is waiting for me at the counter by the time I finish paying for it. One of my two favorite Starbucks stores (the other being the one in Downtown Walnut Creek on Locust St next to Chipotle).

They have two nice solid wood tables that feel good to sit at. None of that crouching over a tiny short table to pick up your drink from.

I love stopping by here if I’m early for the morning carpool.
The vibe is much better than the Starbucks by Safeway. This one is so homey! The employees are quicker and friendlier.
Stop by and bring your kids and dog!

I stop at this Starbucks because it’s convenient, if there is too much traffic during commuter hours on the weekdays. However, during the morning rush, the baristas have a terrible habit of burning the milk or soy milk. I really find it disappointing when I bought coffee that isn’t served correctly. What a waste of money and patience! The restroom is clean enough for a Starbucks. The parking sucks, but that it downtown Orinda for you. Unless you park in the garage and walk, good luck finding street parking. There are 2 free parking spots outside, but those are usually occupied.
c’mon, baristas, don’t burn the lattes!!!