Cafe Espresso Experience

HORRIBLE Experience. Just sat down to read a book, when within minutes, the owner walks up viciously staring at me. He said, and i quote, «are you going to purchase anything?» and i responded, no. He replied, «you cannot stay here then.» I grabbed my things and simply walked out. This is THE FIRST time I’ve EVER been treated this way in my 4 years here at Berkeley. I cannot imagine EVER eating food from a place with such a negative aura. Simply, FUCK THAT PLACE AND THE OWNER. Café Milano is wayyy nicer inside anyway.

Did they close or move?
I saw the open sign and was excited to get some dubokki, but when I walked it, I realized that there were new workers behind the counter and a different menu. :(

*DROOL* I can’t get enough of this place! The bulgogi sandwiches are PERFECT. The meat’s just right, and the bread is soft but crispy! And it’s just enough to fill you up. I’ve also tried the bulgogi salad — and it exceeded my expectations. The salad was huge!
This place is great for lunch, I know I’ll be going back soon.

Love the food here.
Bulgogi sandwich & shave ice — can’t go wrong!
Take a window seat & people watch — it’s like a trip to the zoo!

Cute little café that has a hidden gem, as if it hasn’t been mentioned already the «bulgogi sandwich.» They always ask if you want medium or large. Iv’e tried both. One is supposed to be 6 inches and one is supposed to be 9. Didn’t notice much difference because I was sharing it. I do favor that wonderfully savory bulgolgi if only they weren’t so skimp on the meat. BOO! Just one thin layer. I feel like when Im eating it Im constantly hoping for a good full bite of the flavor but, that’s the thing, it’s a good, little treat usually gets me somewhat satisfied. I took my 2 year old nephew here with me and during the wait Iv’e decided to buy their chips for the wait (you know how impatient toddlers can be) He tried one chip and didn’t want anymore. I wondered why. It was expired.
Hint: Just be cautious of the chips near the counter, I went for the second time some where outdated some where still good. So just keep an eye out.
Maybe not 3 stars if only Unilocalers had the opportunity to offer half stars so 3.5.

I realized that this place is less a café than a Korean restaurant. They have a small board of different coffee drinks, but students mainly come for the authentic Korean creations. I tried their dukbokki, my newfound food infatuation. The sauce was thicker than that of Crunch, which correlated with a stronger cornstarch/​flour-​y flavor. They make a classic dukbokki, with just rice cakes, fish cakes, a hard-​boiled egg, and napa cabbage. The spicyness level is just enough to keep you alert and working (I was studying) but not burn your mouth.
This is actually a pretty nice study place, if you don’t intend on studying late into the night, with a sufficient number of outlets and Airbears access. I think it slips from the mind as a study spot because of its focus on food, but I’ll try to remember this place when the typical cafes are packed full of students during finals season.

My lunch date place of choice^^ I like it enough to drop by once almost every week, enough times that the owners recognize me. Although their English is poor, they’re the sweetest people ever. The name of the place is a little misleading: it’s less a coffee shop and more an adorable mom-​and-​pop hole-​in-​the-​wall with delicious korean food.
BEST DUKBOKKI EVER. Hands down. Maybe I’m not Korean enough and I definitely haven’t been to Korea, but out of all the places I’ve had spicy rice cakes at, IMO Café Espresso Experience does it best. My rating (I’m usually not generous) goes to the dukbokki and the dukbokki only. I’ve had all variations. Get it spicy or don’t get it at all. If you like noodles or want more heat, order the ramen kind. And ADD CHEESE. Always: D
I’m not addicted.
I also like the bulgogi salad. There’s a nice bed of romaine greens, as well plenty of rice and bulgogi to fill you up. Topped with gochujang (sweet fermented chili sauce) and an egg, it’s kinda like a selective bibimbap. Yumyum.
Their bulgogi sandwiches are meh. For what you get, I think it’s kinda pricey, it’s not particularly filling, and sometime’s the bulgogi’s mediocre. But sometimes, it’s a delicate flavorful piece of sammich, and I can (sorta) understand the hype. And in most cases, I don’t believe in pineapples in sandwiches.
The one dish I’d be wary of is the shaved ice. I know a lot of people who say they like it, but I found it to be overwhelming and kind of gross. It’s a sodden mess of frozen fruit, syrup, ice cream, and mochi, and I found it to be WAY too sweet. Too little ice and no subtlety of flavor.
Honestly, just the dukbokki. Get it.

This place is known for their bulgogi sandwich, and I don’t know why. I found the sandwich to be too sweet and not satisfying. I’ve tried to get myself to like it on multiple occasions and each time, I am disappointed.
I also tried their shaved ice recently because it was a rare hot day in Berkeley. BIG MISTAKE. (see my picture) it had so much random stuff in there that it was disgusting and not the refreshing ice I was looking for. In fact, my favorite part of the dessert was actually the ICE. From what I remember, there was condensed milk, vanilla ice cream, bananas, strawberries, kiwi, pineapples, mochi, chocolate syrup. Talk about an overload of sugar.
I will never be back.

I love this place because it never gets too crowded and you can actually study in there and catch up with friends! It’s also owned by a really kind Korean family (I’m pretty sure they love Jesus, which I also love).
+ Bulgogi sandwich — yes it really is good. If you’re looking for quantity over quality though, just go to Subway or something because this is definitely on the pricier side for a sandwich (and a poor college student). Definitely try at least once.
+ Spicy Tuna sandwich — okay I must be the only person who gets this more frequently than the bulgogi sandwich but I just love it! They really lather on the tuna but it’s not the mayo-​ey type of tuna – it’s more spicy than mayo-​ey.
+ Bulgogi salad — don’t let the word salad deceive you because it’s literally just a bed of rice with romaine lettuce and bulgogi and some yummy spicy sweet sauce. t’s more of a rice bowl than salad. I split it with a friend — huge portions! It’s no culinary breakthrough but I really like it!
+ Pat bing soo — let’s just say that socal does it WAY better. It’s the only place in Berkeley that has it though but it’s really disappointing if you’ve been to Socal Korean shaved ice places :(I feel like it only had mochi, fruit, ice and ice cream… oh well.
Bottom line: I like coming to this place to chill and eat. Never tried to study in here but it seems very doable! Also never tried their drinks, but do check this place out!

Satisfying bulgogi sandwich and friendly service. .
I had walked by this place a few times and their comfort korean food items have always piqued my interest. I was hungry after working out and decided to give their «must try» bulgogi sandwich a shot.
The bread was nicely tasted and the sandwich nicely assembled. The chopped jalapenos on the side were appreciated. Nothing mind-​blowing, but just what I needed. They have both regular and large size options, but I was not sure
Service was extremely friendly and warm. They unfortunately do not take credit cards though. They also serve a variety of coffee and tea drinks as well as Italian sodas.
I will have to come back for their highly recommended cheese spicy rice cakes someday.

Came here tonight for dinner and the location is really convenient since it’s right across the street from campus! I had never really noticed it before, but I’m glad that friends recommended it. The Korean woman working the counter was very friendly and helpful!
What I ordered:
— Vegetarian spicy rice cake (dokbokki) ($ 6.25):
I’d had dokbokki before at O.B. Chicken and I didn’t remember the dish being that spicy, so I thought I could handle the one from Café Espresso Experience no problem. I generally enjoy spicy food as long as it’s not crazily overboard and would rate my spiciness tolerance as pretty decent, but I surrendered to this dokbokki. The food came out hot, which coupled with the spiciness of the sauce, made it pretty hard to eat and I could only take half bites at a time. I probably would’ve needed 5 glasses of water to finish the whole thing, but I got pretty full by the time I had eaten ²⁄₃ of the plate. The sauce and the dish itself was good though, but I just had to eat slowly. It also comes with a boiled egg on top which is nice! Next time, I’ll probably try the dokbokki with cheese to balance out the spiciness a little!

Love their bulgogi sandwiches! The portions don’t look that big, but the price is fair and the sandwiches are pretty filling. And it’s pretty unique for the Berkeley area. They also serve some other Korean-​inspired dishes, as well as regular sandwiches as well.
The staff is also super nice, and there’s always seating available.

Tips:
The spicy rice cakes are SPICY, be warned.
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This small little café owned by a Korean couple is super cute with good food. I’ve gotten the spicy rice cakes and the spicy noodle rice cake. (The spicy noodle rice cakes have a majority of noodles so if you want rice-​cakes definitely get the other dish because the proportion of noodle to rice cake is definitely not equal in the second dish.) It really is the spiciest thing I have ever eaten in my life. I was in pain. T_​T Definitely not a good dish for weaklings like me that can’t take spicy too well.
The bulgogi sandwich is SOO GOOD. The meat is so sweet and tender it goes GREAT as a sandwich. The bulgogi salad is also a great choice as well! It’s kind of like a small bibimbap with a leafy salad, rice, and bulgogi. These 2 dishes are quite similar so they’re good substitutes for each other if you really want some bulgogi.
The coffee on the other hand isn’t the greatest, but that’s okay because I don’t really come here for the coffee anyways. I’d suggest to come here for food rather than coffee. There are a lot of other places to get coffee from that I believe are better choices.

Little hidden jewel across from campus :)
1) Innovative food. Spicy rice cake with mozzarella cheese? Bulgogi sandwich? Yeah. AND… they’re actually all REALLY GOOD. I know… Not an acquired taste either. They also have the best takeout ware I’ve seen in Berkeley. Unlike other places that use cheap clear plastic boxes that melt when your food inside is too hot, Café Espresso Experience has really high quality plastic ware for takeout.
2) Cute and quiet atmosphere.
3) Nice Korean couple/​service.
But the one-​star off comes from the price range. The spicy rice cake is $ 8+. You can buy a whole bag of rice cakes for like $ 3.
The green tea latte is also made differently from the ones you get at Starbucks. Café Espresso Experience mixes Tazo Green Tea with soy milk to get its own unique taste. It’s really good also. But all green tea lattes are overpriced.
Did anyone also notice they don’t have a kitchen? So everything we eat is basically pre-​cooked and heated using their microwave.

This is one of my favorite places for an afternoon snack and definitely a place i will miss after leaving Berkeley.
Staple foodings include:
–bulgogi sandwich
–hwae dup bab
–Korean shaved ice
–green tea latte (love it)
–cheesy rice cake (yum for the colder days)
Its good to go with friends or by yourself. Most visits I usually run into 2 or 3 groups of friends during my long lazy hours spent here. Its generally quiet and the cute Korean couple that run it are always sweet and friendly. Even if I’m not hungry, I often get to-​go sandwiches and bring them home for later.
Try it! You won’t regret it.

This was my spot for lazy/​gluttonous afternoons with my Korean girlfriends in Sophomore year. We had a reunion here today, and I realized how much I love this place. It’s rare to find a place that takes me back to the days in Korea. I’ve even brought my cousins from Korea here, and they even thought it was good Korean food.
Favorites:
Cheese Spicy Rice Cake: The regular one is awesome with rice cake, veggies, and an egg covered in sweetly spicy sauce. But when you add the cheese into the mix… it is magical. It is COVERED by mozzarella cheese and melted in the oven. SO GOOD. If you are a cheese lover like myself– try this! Tip: Buy dumplings and use it to dip it into the left over sauce/​cheese.
Sashimi Spicy Rice Bowl: HUGE bowl. Lots of veggies and a decent amount of sashimi. You can add your own spicy sauce to accommodate your spicy taste buds.
Shaved Ice: Huge. we were 3 girls and we had a lot left over. Imagine copious amounts of shaved ice, drizzled condensed milk, sweet red sauce. Garnished with bananas, pinapples, kiwis, strawberries, mochi, and red beans. Top it all off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Heavenly on an unusually sunny Feb day in the bay.
There is also drinks, sandwiches, and CA rolls offered here, but the food listed above are a MUST TRY’S at the place. The Korean lady at the counter is just really friendly and sweet. She greets everyone as if she was like an aunt. It gets a tadddd bit loud at the café due to the Korean population (like myself) the café attracts, but I’ve studied here before and it was ok. Just bring earphones. :)

For the first three years at Cal, I thought this place was a café catered to Asian people. I mean, it is, but it turns out that in Korea, cafes serve drinks AND food, unlike most cafes that specialize in drinks.
I first chanced upon this place when my friend ordered their rice cake dish. She invited me to try some, reassuring me that she had asked them not to add in anything spicy so that I could eat it. I was hesitant at first, mainly because I was sick that day, but after eating a few bites of the ricecake-​egg-​cabbage-​pork dish, I couldn’t stop eating. And what do you know, after a few minutes, I had eaten half of her food. Oops @__@
When we went back to lab, she also recommended their bulgolgi sandwich. I put it in my bucketlist, and the following semester, I whisked another friend there on a Thursday noon. Both of us ordered their bulgolgi sandwiches (total was around $ 14).
After 15 minutes, our sandwiches were ready. Jalapenos and salt/​pepper can be requested. We picked up our sandwiches from the counter and proceeded to satiate our appetites. The beef is well marinated, and the lettuce, tomatoes, and delicious mysterious sauce are wonderful complements. The bread is crunchy, and the serving size is just right! I seemed to enjoy my sandwich more than my friend did, but I still have to say that overall, the sandwich tasted like a superb Subway sandwich, Asianized. It was good, but not outstanding.
The café is right across from campus, has a good number of small tables, gets good light, and is a self-​busing system. And cash only!

AHH Café Espresso is probably my favorite place in Berkeley. They have awesome bulgogi sandwiches, dukkbokkgi (spicy rice cake) and dumplings (mandoo).
They have the tastiest korean snacks/​dishes, in my opinion. I love their sandwiches (bulgogi, Hawaiian bulgogi, sometimes spicy chicken) for the taste and the price ($ 5 – 6 for a regular size), I love the dukkbokkgi even more ($ 6 – 7). The rice cakes are perfectly chewy, and the spicy sauce is JUST right (it tastes like the dukkbokkgi from Korea).
A lot of non-​Korean people don’t know about this place (which is sad), but Café Espresso has some BOMB food. TRY IT!
Also, the owners are so sweet! :)

Took a break between paper writing to get some lunch with my roommate.
Atmosphere: There are a good number of seats. When I walk by on the way to class it’s always busy around lunch time, but I went today for lunch around12pm and it was nearly empty.
Food: Bulgogi sandwich is pretty yummy! The meat is well-​flavored, and the bread has just the right amount of toastyness (toastiness?) to it. It’s about $ 6, and the portion is pretty accurate for the price (it’s pretty filling). I remember having it about two years ago and not thinking it was that great, but when I had it today I enjoyed it.
I ordered a Green Tea Latte with soy as well, and I couldn’t really taste the green tea, which was a bummer. That and my sandwich cost around $ 9ish.
Service: The lady at the counter is super nice and friendly.
I’ll probably go again to try their other sandwiches — they have a lot to choose from!

I rediscovered this place after my first visit last year (my friend studying for a year here from Korea took me here)…and I remembered why I liked it. Bulgogi sandwich = HEAVEN. Not just the meat, but even the bread is really nicely toasted (not too crunchy, not drenched). Now I go here at least once a week. I used to always forget it was there… because when I think of «fast food» in Berkeley, I usually think Asian Ghetto. But I’d almost rather go here now! My favorite café in Berkeley, hands down.
Another thing I tried recently… the ddeokbokki (the spicy rice cake). SO delicious. You’d better have desensitized taste buds though because it’ll leave your mouth on fire for 10 – 15 minutes after… I was seriously crying by the time I got to my last bite. But it was worth every moment of pain. And also the 10 cups of water I had which caused me to have to use the restroom every 10 min after I left. :P I’ll put up a picture of this tantalizing goodness!