Koba Café

I love popping into Koba for a coffee drink and/​or to work in their upstairs sitting area. The food isn’t spectacular but it’s not bad. The staff is friendly and it’s a cozy spot to sit and get things done
They sell some local artwork, candles, granola bars, etc

Great atmosphere, great owner, great coffee. This is probably my favorite place to have a meeting in federal hill.

It is hard to overstate how impressive this place is in terms of its customer service. I came across town to grade final exams here based on Unilocal reviews that listed it as a good café to work at. I was very warmly greeted when I arrived (the woman at the counter actually suggested I check out their upstairs lounge before deciding whether or not I wanted to order a coffee). That upstairs lounge is indeed an awesome place to work. Tons of light, exposed brick and large work spaces with free wifi and abundant plugs for your laptop. I decided to stay for lunch and when I ordered something a little off the beaten path (a ginger lime chicken salad wrap), the gentleman at the counter offered me a sample without my asking to make sure I liked it before placing my order. He also found me a colder coconut water (again without me asking for one) when I went to pay and then offered a free refill on my coffee. The guy was looking out for me at every turn — again, very impressive. Lastly, the ginger and lime chicken salad wrap was indeed interesting — I liked the limey punch it had to it, though it probably isn’t for everyone. If there’s a downside to this place, it’s the drip coffee, which is serviceable, but not on the level of a Zeke’s. Overall, I can’t recommend the place strongly enough if you’re looking for a place to camp out and get some work done. It seems like a such a simple thing to really take an interest in your customer’s well-​being, but so few places do so. Fortunately, we have Koba. Added bonus: signed photo of 90’s Colombian soccer star Caros Valderrama. Props!

I was given a bag of their coffee, Excellent!!! I would highly recommend this coffee to all coffee drinkers.

Came here with a couple of friends for lunch. The place was cozy and although we waited a while for the food, the staff was very pleasant. The food was delicious I highly recommend the pasta salad. The ginger lime chicken salad wrap was scrumptious; a bit messy though so be careful. The wrap tasted a bit like curry which I didn’t expect, but luckily I like curry. My sister got the three cheese caprese and said it was a bit dry, but when I took a bite I loved it. Would definitely recommend the three cheese caprese for any cheese lovers out there. Would love to come back and try their coffee.

I ran by here recently and can’t believe I haven’t reviewed one of my favorite study places in the city! My only hesitancy in writing this review is that I don’t want this review to pop up and have someone suddenly decide to try it out and love it– and start frequenting it. I love this coffee shop. A friend suggested it for a study session and it was the perfect spot. The coffee is excellent and I love the eclectic snacks. From lentil chips to chocolate chip cookies, the health food gurus and sweet tooth aficionados alike can get their fix. I haven’t tried any of their food but it all looks really good. And the people who work there are super nice which always adds to a place’s appeal in my mind. I will most certainly be back– many more times.

Great coffee, lunch and working spot! Free wifi with a comfy work space upstairs. There are quite a few tables and eclectic chairs. I’m always looking for cafes like this and I found my favorite one in Baltimore. The owner is a really awesome guy and is very accommodating. I got the french press coffee which was delicious and had the chicken caprese sandwich later for lunch. Delicious bread for the sandwich! All the ingredients are fresh and the snacks they sell are healthy. Awesome hangout all around!
Parking wasn’t bad — we just parked for free on the street across the street.

This is my favorite coffee shop in Baltimore. The owner is really friendly and the ambiance is very relaxing and cozy. The upstairs area is perfect for hanging out with friends or studying.

Ventured to Federal Hill to meet up with a friend to get some serious studying/​work done… this was the best place for it! Excellent coffee, free wifi and sandwiches and snacks for break time. The upstairs study area is roomy but cozy. The server was awesome, offered to bring all our orders upstairs. I had the caprese sandwich, it was good, the pasta salad as a side was just okay. The latte was perfect though… great place for a quick coffee or for hours of industrious work.

Such a huge huge fan of this place. Everyone who works here is incredibly friendly and the coffee and smoothies and food are great! The prices are extremely fair and the atmosphere is awesome. I used to come here all the time to get some work done because there’s a great seating arrangement upstairs. They’re even really friendly with dogs! Mine was always allowed to come in with me and they would offer him water and a little treat. Just really great people. Spend your money here and not Starbucks. You’ll feel so much better about it!

The BEST and friendliest coffee shop in Baltimore. Tell the owner your name once and he will never forget you. Dog friendly (although I’m sure if you walked your cat they would let you in too). Coffee is very strong, smoothies are fresh and breakfast is delicious

One of the few coffee places that I actually like in the baltimore/​maryland area. Just the perfect amount of syrup for flavored espresso drinks (mocha, caramel, etc). Also the flavor/​syrup didn’t become more stronger as you drank it.

I love the neighborhood charm of the upstairs room. Lunch during the week it is quiet and the perfect place to work. Plenty of outlets and nooks and tables to work.
My sandwich was delicious in every way. I have found a new working lunch spot!

Fine for coffee, not so much for food. Their breakfast options are especially sparse. I haven’t had lunch here so can’t say the food is necessarily bad, there just aren’t many options. Plenty of seating and wifi, though. Seems like a great place to study or get some work done. The staff is always very friendly and welcoming.

friendly, fast and always delicious coffee and sandwich place. The staff is exceptionally friendly and I’ve never had to wait very long to be helped. Reggae music and bagel sandwiches, you really can’t go wrong with that combo.

Koba Café is a great neighborhood gem in Federal Hill. Good coffee and food with reasonable prices (this morning’s large iced café au lait was $ 2.50 and most sandwiches are around $ 6.50, including a side). Most importantly, however, the owner Adam is one of the nicest and hardest working guys you’ll ever meet. He has an amazing knack for remembering customers by name and making you feel at home. A very different experience than larger coffee chains.

Brought my boat to Baltimore inner harbor marina
and went looking for a place to get a decent cup
of coffee. The place we usually go to had closed
down and we were at a complete loss on where
to turn. We went on the Unilocal app and found
Koba Café. As soon as I walked in I felt the incredible positive energy of this place. The service was Friendly and Fantastic. The coffee was delicious. I now know where I will be tomorrow morning for my next cup of java.

Great corner spot. Went in for some coffee and found a cute little shop with upstairs seating and super friendly people behind the counter. They made our drinks perfectly and seemed to know the regulars and what they ordered. Will definitely come back when I’m in town– they serve food and snacks too.

The upstairs is great for getting work done (much less crowded than Starbucks), the smoothies are great, and everyone is very friendly. Biggest downside is that they don’t have a griddle, so the eggs are microwaved just like Sam’s Bagels.

I really like the staff! They are warm, friendly, and accommodating. The have a great work space upstairs with a ton of options for seating. It doesn’t matter if you are solo or with a group, you’ll be able to find a place to get comfortable. I’ve never had a problem with the wifi and the coffees and teas are tasty. The food options are limited but there are options to take the edge off.

Delicious, healthy, friendly, an all around awesome coffee shop with free wifi! Great spot!!!

On this morning and honestly most mornings, I was starving and stopped in between meetings at work. Koba Café was not busy. In fact, they were quite slow. But, the staff was super friendly and even a little chatty as she poured my cup of coffee. The coffee most certainly beats a traditional pour from that other major chain you can find down the street. They french press most of their beans, so it’s not bitter and the coffee flavor can really come through. I also got this fantastic bagel sammich. They don’t use fresh eggs, which is the only downfall. This is an everything bagel with a little cheddar.

Still loving this study spot and wanted to add that they offer almond milk (soy free dairy free people rejoice!) I recently tried the egg and cheese breakfast bagel and while the egg was microwaved it was still very satisfying especially with the sundried tomato bagel which tastes like a pizza!

I’ve been here twice so far and both times I have been impressed. I come here to study more than for the food or the coffee. There are two levels. Downstairs is is where you order your food and drinks, but it also offers plenty of seating. Downstairs is also where the bathroom is, of which is really clean. I usually would not study downstairs unless upstairs is full because they have music playing, people talking, or the blender running. On the other hand, upstairs, as stated in another review before I went described it as «cathedral quiet». The first time I came, it really was that quiet and I even felt bad for moving a chair around. The second time I came to study, there was someone having a date or an interview (but I think they just didn’t understand that upstairs is supposed to be quiet. smh). I still recommend this place for anyone that wants to have an escape from the library or home to study or read. The customer service here is also great. I always come in wanting to try something new and I ask the barista what they recommend. Each time, they would fully explain what they put in the drink or what is in the food. Speaking of food, the food here is more on the healthy side, but they provide many options that I would consider a snack size (I will post pictures and update my review about food soon). The coffee come in 12oz, 16oz and 20oz, costing about $ 2 for the 16oz. They also have flavored coffee that makes the price an addition 50 cents or more. They have the flavors: coconut, hazelnut, caramel, and vanilla (as of what I remember). I ordered the coconut and it definitely adds a nice smell to the coffee. In addition, the parking nearby is all free street parking!
Pro:
–great study environment
–free wifi
–customer service
–free parking
Con:
Overall, I would recommend this place to a friend to have a date or to study.

This is health freak haven.
Koba Café’s got an eclectic, yet homey interior, perfect for getting work done. Food options here are generally very healthy. Pastries are delicious. And coffee/​tea varieties are great.

First off the atmosphere of jobs café is very welcoming. Every visit, you are greeted with a warm welcome and the employees there are always friendly.
The food and coffee is always on point.
It is a really nice place to hang out.
Check it out, you won’t be disappointed!

Koba Café is a cute coffee shop that also serves breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, melts, wraps, salads, as well as hot/​cold beverages. I had a shot of their espresso (strong!); my husband had their hot chocolate (more on the sweeter side), Joe’s peach tea, and a plain croissant. The staff here are super friendly and laid-​back, and there is plenty of space (both down– and upstairs) where you can plug-​up and do some work and/​or reading. Definitely a good number of outlets, so you do not need to worry about not finding one to charge. There’s also a small ‘conference’ room upstairs with a couple of computers and books, and a couple of tables where you can do study groups or small meetings. The baristas and staff here let you find your spot and settle in and they deliver your ordered items to you at your table. They are also extremely conscientious about the noise-​level and make sure that they do not disturb anyone (speaking in whispers); the patrons here are also pretty respectful in terms of keeping the noise level at a minimum. Definitely a cute place and plenty of free parking available!
+wonderful place to get work/​studying done
+plenty of outlets & free wi-​fi!
+mini conference available upstairs
+free parking
+awesome and friendly staff: D

If you’re looking for a coffee spot other than Starbucks, Baltimore fortunately has many great options. Located right on Fort Avenue in Federal Hill, Koba Café is no exception. Even better, aside from coffee they have sandwiches, salads and pastries. My roommate and I have driven past this cute café almost every day since we moved and always talk about going there but never quite make it. That all changed the other day when we finally made a plan to go and stuck to it.
Koba Café also sells their own coffee which I did not get to try but I will when I am back for breakfast. My roommate and I ended up ordering a Quesadilla which was stuffed with peppers and cheese and came with a side of salsa for dipping.
I ordered the Turkey Dijon Wrap which was sliced turkey breast, honey dijon dressing, lettuce and cheese and then heated up on the panini press. The sandwich was incredibly basic but still delicious. I watched the chef make my sandwich with all fresh ingredients and I can’t wait to go back for another.
For great sandwiches in an non-​commercialized corner café, check out Koba Café in Federal Hill

We were just looking for a place to kill a little time before a dinner reservation, and we found our way to Koba Café. It’s along a street that doesn’t seem to have that much going on (there’s free parking! yay!), but the café itself is great.
I got the ginger honey smoothie, which was yummy, and my boyfriend got a macchiato, which was decent. I watched them make some of the other fruit smoothies with real chunks of frozen fruit, not just a mix.
The two guys working there (not sure if they’re owners? since they were a little older) were super friendly and seemed to have a good relationship with the regulars who walked in.