Farley’s

neighborhood coffee shop. About as opposite from a starbucks as there is. Good coffee/​tea.
Stopped by to see friend of friend play west african music.
Small, most tables taken with people studying or browsing internet. Free wifi.
hot tea in ceramic cups /​no paper cups here!!!

Nice ambience with lots of college students.

Love the outdoor seating here and chill neighborhood vibe. Very good coffee and pastries also. I’m looking forward to spending many weekend mornings here!

I’m on a coffee break @ Farley’s Café yesterday and I’m seated @ the outside patio of the café and still on the wifi zone. I had a cup of coffee (cappuccino) and some goodies and pastries (Salted caramel brownie and panini sandwiches). I’m glad I went here @ Farley’s because they make a good breakfast for me. The place was great for they have magazine and newstand. The service was terrific and good!!! My bet!!!

I love it here! Everything is so welcoming. It’s a calm place to get work down and relax from a long day. I can honestly fall asleep here. They switch up the music every now and then but it’s all music I enjoy. The hot chocolate was really good and they have really good customer service. I love the way the shop is set up itself. There’s bleachers and pillows for you to dine in and relax. There’s also a journal shelf where they provided books and also games for the kids to play with. nice paintings and everything looks so vintage which is what really attaches me to this place! Definitely recommend this for everyone!

Update: Coffee MUCH improved. Now this place has the best vibe AND some of the best coffee in town. Peter is a great presence there. It’s a pity they don’t have more proper nourishing food — their panini sandwiches were amazing, but still this is a really great place.

I find the coffee and baked goods fairly typical here, plus the servers always seem rather unenthusiastic, but what saves Farley’s for me is the large and airy setting with picture windows overlooking the street, a decent amount of spaces to sit, and a surprisingly good magazine selection. A quality neighborhood hangout in every way.

Great coffee!
On a day where you have staffs that play relaxing classical, jazzy or slow music, it’s nice to work at the café.
On a day that staffs decides to play EDM, house or progressive music, and blast it up because they are happy it’s Friday, it becomes hard to work here.
Essentially this cafes music is dedicated by the staffs interest instead of catering to the crowd that comes here.
Good or bad? You decide.

I normally never eat anywhere unless I’ve done a ton of research on the restaurant/​café beforehand (I’m a methodical foodie, folks!) in order to avoid disasters and unpleasant surprises such as walking into a steakhouse only to find out there’s nothing for you to eat (ooh, never again!).
However, when faced with a wait time of over an hour and a half for brunch at The Plow right across the street and a much needed catch up session with my brunch buddy, we decided it was worth the risk to stumble into Farley’s and grab a tea, maybe a small bite, and sit down for a chat.
And good news, Farley’s doesn’t disappoint! This café has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and on an early Sunday afternoon was filled with lots of busy bees on their laptops and studying with a full array of books. This café reminded me a lot of my college days in that the cafes on and around campus are filled to the brim with students, and it strangely made me feel at home? To be fair, I graduated from college less than a year ago, so it would make sense why Farley’s would have that sense of comfort for me!
Farley’s had a nice selection of teas and pastries, and I ordered the Pacific Peppermint tea with a salted caramel fudge brownie. The tea was refreshing and cooling, but ehh it’s peppermint tea, so you can find this anywhere, but the brownie was AMAZING. It was perfectly fudgey and dense and the salted caramel drizzle on top balanced out the indulgent chocolate in the brownie — definitely the winner for me.
Farley’s makes a great spot to study on a lazy weekend afternoon and a lovely place to pass the time if you’re waiting to eat brunch at The Plow. If I’m back in the area again, I’ll be making a repeat visit!

This is a cozy little neighborhood café, but if you’re here for the food consider going elsewhere (or at least grab something from Hazel’s Kitchen next door) Baked goods are stale and I’ve seen bugs in the display case on numerous occasions.

Hung out here with my laptop for a few hours yesterday after getting brunch at Plow a block down. On a Tuesday afternoon, the place wasn’t too full or loud and was great for a chill afternoon with some coffee or tea. Great FREE wifi that was faster than I expected! The staff are all extremely friendly, and they seemed to be familiar with a few regulars that dropped by. The furniture was a bit old though — a lot of the leather covering on the booth seating was split open.
I didn’t have any complaints about my chai latte. They didn’t oversteam the milk, making it impossibly hot to drink, which I find that a lot of cafes tend to do.
Not really a coffee shop that I would go out of my way for, but it’s nice if you’re already in the area.

Farley’s is such a quaint and homey coffee shop. I can see why it’s landed on quite a few «best cafes in SF» lists. There is lots of space inside and outside to sit, and it’s not too crowded, even at prime brunch time on a Saturday. There are rows of magazines, divided into sections by subject (of course, with a full selection of food and tech themed reading material… oh, SF), well organized and in great condition.
I had the cold brew, which I thought was just fine and not incredible. Just thankful it’s not too sour, but it could have been smoother. I added in a little almond milk (they don’t carry soy milk), cinnamon, and Splenda to sweeten it up.
My boyfriend’s cappuccino had a pretty design in it (he took a sip before I could photograph it).
Service was great. I asked for light ice, and the barista showed me the level of ice in the cup to make sure it was what I wanted, before he added coffee in it. My cold brew came out immediately, and my boyfriend’s drink came about 5 minutes later. If I were in Potrero Hill again, I’d grab a coffee here for the atmosphere, but I wouldn’t get coffee here if it was just for takeout.

Seriously one of the greatest cappuccinos I’ve had in awhile! Espresso flavor was robust, and it was at the perfect temperature. Saw a lot of people with cortados (espresso with even less milk than a cappuccino) which I’d like to try next time.
I really like the interior too. Unlike Provender down the street, this place has a nice cozy environment with lots of seating and free wi-​fi. Though I was there with my laptop, most people were there in groups of 3 – 4, nicely dressed, chatting, and (likely) waiting to get into Plow located at the same intersection. I know, because I was doing the same thing, and saw many familiar faces from Farley’s when I was at Plow.

TL;DR — Five stars for some of the best lattes and cappuccinos I’ve had in SF and a super cool atmosphere. Minus stars for poor, absent minded, snail paced service.
I would honestly only come here if I needed to chill at the actual café. If you’re in a rush a need to grab a drink (quickly), I would steer clear.
It took a good 10 minutes to get one latte… Probably because the barista was more interested in taking her sweet ass time and chatting with coworkers rather than expediting drinks for the customers still waiting for their drinks…

Charming atmosphere, pretty good coffee (latte on the sour and lighter side, not sure which beans it is using – maybe Four Barrel?). It was just down the street from Plow, so we spent our time here waiting for Plow and enjoying the coffee, instead of waiting in the cold.
There’s plenty of seat, lots of locals on Sunday, lots of magazine (Current issues! Many art and scientific ones! Thumbs up!). It is also very dog friendly! We saw an adorable dog walking around the café, and people just absently petting it as it went by, I am sure this is a normal occurrence: D

I stayed away from Farley’s for a long time after moving to Dogpatch six years ago. It could be that the ex-​boyfriend of the woman I was dating, who had at one point stalked us, was a regular there. It could be that I remembered being there a long time ago and getting the impression that the coffee wasn’t that great and the staff kinda surly.
Times change, and Farley’s deserves major props for being an old survivor that has kept some of its best qualities while evolving with them.
The coffee is as good as anything you’d get at Four Barrel (where they source their beans). The staff is great. I like these people. I love that they have a news stand even though I’m sure it makes them no money. I love that they will completely leave you alone to just park there for a while. The staff-​chosen music works for me and is sometimes even really good. I love that I can pop next door to Hazel’s & bring back lunch, since most of what they offer is lighter fare.
Bottom line: as a regular I notice how this shop goes out of its way to provide a good, even sometimes generous customer experience, and they’re not missing anything that the newer places offer; quite the opposite, in fact.

What a happy place to rest tired feet after a walk up the hill from BART :)
The staff is friendly. The cappuccino and americano was good!
I can’t wait to go back and spend time on the wonderful patio reading a magazine

What a happy place to rest tired feet after a walk up the hill from BART :)
The staff is friendly. The cappuccino and americano were good!
I can’t wait to go back and spend time on the wonderful patio. They have a wide magazine selection.

Potrero Hill’s original hang out café up on the hill. They have a great selection of teas, milks, soy, almond, skim, cream, etc. The cappuccinos are always perfect taste and temperature. If you want a good local spot to meet someone then come here. Parking is also quite easy too. There is a great bookstore, wine shop, and good restaurants nearby.

Nice out door patio, their bath room leads to the back rooms. Cappuccino was milky but made with burnt beans. I went here on a Sunday so they could’ve been restocking their supply.

By far the best café in the area. Excellent and pretty staff that will cater your drink however you like it. Lots of work space, and you never feel like you out wear your welcome. Lovely humble and homey feeling. I am only in SF for 2 months but this place is such a treat. The coffee is excellent but the vibe really ties it together!

This coffee shop was actually featured on a show called «Bay Area Drop In» which was broadcasted on KTSF channel 26. After hearing some information about Farley’s from this show, I decided to come in for a cup of latte today. The coffee and service are both very good. Two of the baristas were friendly and the facility looked clean.
There are racks filled with magazines to read while your pastry and coffee. Props to this feature! This is a very compact sized coffee shop. Indoor and outdoor seating also available. Overall, very good first experience here so I’ll definitely be back.
Reason for rating:
— Compact sized coffee shop (+1)
— Good coffee and good service (+1)
— Clean facility and friendly staff (+2)

Lovely place, inside portion has the coolest ambiance from all the Coffee Shop I’ve already visited. Cappuccino is highly recommended for those people who plan for visit. Try also their Farrow salad, I promised it won’t let you down.

Hey, I’m going to review for the workspace and not so much for the drinks. (Sue me??? No regrets.)
I headed here with my coworkers at about 10 AM to start doing work at Farley’s. Because I don’t really go over to Portero Hill that often, I’m not very familiar with the coffee shops around this area or their quality.
Service and Space:
The baristas are friendly enough, since I didn’t really talk to them. They’re willing to ice your drinks and adjust the contents according to your wishes, and like socializing with each other as well as the customers. This space doesn’t feel like all the tech-​industry workers have sucked out the energy and are here to enjoy their time, not just their work. The music is calming, too.
Drinks and Food:
I ordered the ginger root tea, which was surprisingly spicy (and I liked it!) It isn’t overpowering, but since they give you the tea leaves to steep for as long as necessary, you can adjust the strength of your tea. The mushroom empanada that I tried (my coworker bought one) wasn’t very crisp, though.
Overall, I’d return here for the ambiance. Try to get the corner circular table, with pillows! Outlets might be hard to run by over here, but it’s worth it. If not, take your friends here to talk to them outside in the cute wooden chairs.

Great place. A SF classic: cool vibe, great staff, lovely light wooden premises, good citizen of the community, neighborhood-​y feel here in P Hill, free Wifi. Farleys was coffee and community long before 4 Barrel, Ritual, Sightglass, Blue Bottle and Reveille came along.
So why not 5 stars? The coffee.
Farley’s just can’t seem to make a decent cup. I’ve become used to good coffee, owing to the influence of the aforementioned SF hipster joints. So now it’s so hard to come here and have an Americano that is:
— too weak (just use more coffee won’t you, dammit!) i can’t see the merest snifter of crema, and I can see far too far down into the depth of my coffee… just the visuals alone tell me its weak.
— an unbalanced roast — to my palate, I find it watery on the front, and bitter on the back, with not much to round it out in the middle. Like diner coffee, not espresso machine brew.
I love you, Farley’s. I will continue to come here. But just not very much… only in the afternoon, when I’ve had my great cup in the morning, and I can endure a mediocre cup while I enjoy the wonderful ambience that you always do so well.

Welcoming neighborhood coffee shop packed with character. Friendly staff, great music, comfortable benches, crispy empanadas, abundant caffeine and free wifi — what more can one ask for?! And, I just heard the barista ask a customer if they wanted their latte with extra love ;-).
Great place to work or socialize. Inside, you’ll regularly see people huddled over laptops in deep concentration. Outside, patrons are engaged in conversation, reading books, or enjoying the sun with their dogs.
Farley’s also has an eclectic selection of magazines from around the world, music playlists curated by the staff, and some creative t-​shirts on the wall. Unique mix of retro, hipster, techie, and artsy in character.

Today was probably the last time I’ll go to Farley’s. At $ 3.25 for an Americano (that’s espresso and water, folks!), they’ve gone completely round the bend — that’s close to what a cappuccino costs at a Blue Bottle, and indisputably, ridiculously expensive, even by San Francisco’s insane standards. The coffee isn’t even that good!
Worse, the new owners have basically sterilized the culture: today I walked in the shop to find that every. single. table. was occupied by someone with their face buried in a laptop. Almost nobody had food or drinks. A café that used to have conversation and readers and singers and poets now has… tech dorks. Like every other San Francisco public space. It’s just sad.
Farley’s owners: eliminate/​regulate the wi-​fi, cover the outlets, and otherwise discourage Laptop People from setting up camp. Do that, and you’ll probably find you don’t have to charge outrageous prices to make ends meet.

A nice little coffee shop in a quite area in the city. I tried the almond croissant which was moist and not too sweet, perfect. I can’t say anything about their coffee since I haven’t ordered one but it is the perfect spot to have a hot drink together with a girlfriend to talk about life. They have outdoor seating which is nice.

Farley’s gets an upgrade because when faced with a 1.5 hour wait at Plow my friend and I were able to stroll down to Farley’s, grab a coffee, a table and spend the time chatting tucked away in the cozy café. The chairs weren’t any more comfortable but on a cold overcast «summer» day in SF the place was kept pretty warm and it was no problem getting a seat. I got the chai again and it was okay

I had an almond latte here (they don’t have soy milk). Cost about $ 4 which is standard I think. The latte was velvety and smooth. The line went really quick and I was able to get my drink pretty quickly.
Ambiance is nice, there are plenty of tables to sit at and magazines to read.

Still so incredibly rude service, poor selection of pastries – look burned, the other pastries that were provided for a couple decades were far superior…
still seem insistent in hiring insufferable hipsters that act like the people they are serving at a coffee shop are beneath them for some unknown reason… Ice cream not stocked, dirty, coffee poorly made. Never again! I’ve lived within a block of this place here for 23 years and I despise it. I live in hope it closes and a better business does something with the great location and space and replaces that rotten wood floor…

Hot chocolate that doesn’t make your head spin from too much sugar is hard to come by in this world. If I wanted a mocha or espresso high, I’d order one :)
Thank you, Farley’s for a foamy, honest-​to-​goodness hot chocolate. For less than $ 5. I drank it fast and didn’t have any regrets before a gut-​busting brunch at Plow down the street.

So I’ve become a bit spoiled on the coffee front, what with Phil’s, Blue Bottle, Sightglass, Ritual Coffee, and so many other stellar coffee spots within a few blocks of my place. It’s hard to be unbiased when I’ve become so accustomed to the high-​quality coffee those places have to offer.
With that being said, the coffee I received at Farley’s was pretty good. It is definitely above quality (i.e., you won’t find Starbucks or Peet’s level of coffee here!). The reason for the 3 rating is because I wasn’t «wow-​ed» as I am with the other aforementioned places. I won’t be making a concerted effort to make my way back here for coffee; but if I’m in the neighborhood, I would most definitely consider popping back in for a cup of joe.

I really didn’t think much of this place, but waiting for a Plow seating can drive a caffeine-​less girl nuts!
This place makes out pretty well since most people who are waiting in the cold in the morning for Plow will eventually end up here, right down the street. They even do really adorable coffee designs on your lattes!
They don’t do soy, so they had almond. Surprisingly their almond was very, very good. It definitely was a flavored, sweetened almond milk, but still much more tasty than most of the almond lattes I’ve had.
The smiley face helped too, thanks Farley’s!

Farley’s is a very cool neighborhood café located over in Potrero Hill. I really like the laid back feel once you get inside. Everyone here seems to be very friendly, and I really enjoy their outdoor seatings too. They are very dog friendly and you always see someone sipping their favorite beverage outside with their dogs.
Their coffee here is nice and smooth, the Baristas are super nice, and their cappuccino is a must. What more can you ask for!
Until then, Cheers! ~ :p

Now I’m Farley sure this place could do better.
Get it, I switched «Farley» with «fairly?»
My sad attempt at humor.
Just like this place’s sad attempt at coffee and customer service.
First off, you guys really need to clean up your pastry display. All those gnats flying around inside the case, landing on the croissant and cookies made me want to barf.
Secondly, instead of talking amongst each other, it would be nice on a busy Saturday to be actually trying to ring up the customers who are waiting for a drink.
There were 2 people ahead of us, then my buddy and I, yet it took longer for me in this line than it would be during morning rush hour at Starbucks.
Thirdly, the coffee was extremely bitter, and at $ 4 a cup, it was overpriced.
I want to support independent coffee shops, but they need to work on smiling or at least being a little friendlier and faster, and work on not holding that espresso shot too long before adding the milk. Hence, the bitterness.

Unpretentious hipster.
Unpretentious:
— Fairly plain coffee shop ambiance, nothing too minimalist, with a hint of warehouse like the rest of Dogpatch
— Interesting newsstand indoors that almost looks like part of a convenience store
— Nice patio area outside with turf, which I find cute and funny
— Gratefulness tree (like the ones at temples in Japan)
— Helpful and friendly baristas
— Loyalty stamp cards!
Hipster:
— Almond milk option
— Stamped branded paper coffee cups
— Fancy display of pastries with handwritten signs
— Communal tables
— Fairly pricey (~$ 4 for my almond milk latte)
— Being in the Dogpatch neighborhood