Brenen’s Cafe

I went to this Brenen’s a couple weeks ago for a class meeting, and I think it was a pretty likable café overall. I got an iced mocha, which was probably one of the most delicious iced mochas I’ve ever had. The café is pretty spacious, so we didn’t have to worry about not finding a table. The employees were super nice as well. My only complaint would be that I had some difficulty accessing the Wifi. I didn’t really need it very much for what I was doing, but it would’ve been useful.

The coffee is so terrible. Tasted burnt. No amount of cream and sugar can fix it. The only thing that redeems them is their everything bagels with cream cheese.

If I had to make a review strictly on the service, this review would be a half star. I was waiting to make a review hoping that I could give a higher rating after my first couple of horrible visits. However, each time I’ve gone back here, the people behind the counter act as if my presence is SUCH a nuisance to them. No friendly service at a coffee shop absolutely kills the vibe for me. Additionally, the coffee was horribly bitter and overpriced. I would much rather stand in line for 5 minutes at the Starbucks just a little further up High Street than waste my money on a coffee place that seems to be annoyed by customers.

Very very rude service. No free refills on Regular Iced Tea. Food was decent for a sandwich.

I only come here for their breakfast sandwiches and coffee (i find their other drinks not very tasty). Breakfast sandwiches are under 4 – 5 $ or you can also build your own and it’s offered throughout the day! Their muffins are also quite good.
Super affordable and satisfying.

My favorite place on campus to get coffee and study. I personally have better luck sitting by the window and use campus Internet over the free wifi. There’s 2 rooms with plenty of tables so it’s a great place study and not feel like you’re hogging the place to yourself

This is the first time I have been to Brenen’s, quiet place, not many people. Guess it would be a great place for meeting or something. I ordered a blueberry blast, fair price, little bit sticky, not too sweet. Love the music played in the café. My friend ordered a mocha, she said the taste’s not bad.

As an OSU student, I reeeeeally like Brenen’s. It’s not really anything special, but it’s a nice coffee shop.
First off, they are always playing great music [modern alternative CD101 type stuff] which they project outside to entice you in. And their coffee is good and only 1.50 for a small which is nice, and they have cinnamon on the condiment [is that the correct term in a coffee shop?] counter, which I always take advantage of.
They also have a few lunch items, but I myself have only had bagels, usually with their hummus, which is fantastic.
There are two different rooms for seating, so you can sort of choose if you want the customers in and out environment, or the slightly quieter one.
They take the Flock Tags, so if you come enough you occasionally get free drinks!

This Brenen’s is in a great location for OSU folks to wander over for caffeine or tasties in the middle of the day and a lousy location for just about anyone else. Given its obviously university-​centered orientation, one would think they’d have more outlets available for laptop-​toting students and faculty, but I spotted exactly one. So make sure to juice the machine before you go. There was one dude hoarding the outlet the entire time I was there.
Free wifi is always nice, but this was slow and flaky and eventually ground to a halt. Several refreshes later, I was able to make it as far as the Google search page.
Food and drink options are café-​standard. As at any good coffeehouse, the drink menu takes up three times as much space as the food menu. The food case is nicely stocked with carbolicious breakfasty goodness. They get points for offering hummus as a bagel topping alongside their gazillion (ok, maybe half a dozen) cream cheese spread options. And the hummus is good, too! Creamy with a bit of zip. There are a couple of hot soups available, including a tomato bisque I might have considered if I’d seen the soup sign soon enough.
«Seen the soup sign soon» — say that ten times fast.
They may be well-​stocked on the yums, but there’s not much to draw a non-​OSU-​er out of their way. If you’re there long enough to look around, you start to notice there’s a distinction between the look and feel of the counter area (sophisticated design, clean space, organized tea and coffee stuffs) and the seating area (cheaper looking tables, fast food joint atmosphere). The message in the layout is: Buy our food and then… whatever.

Brenen’s is the home of my favorite vanilla latte! You must get the whipped cream though, no skimping on that.
Besides the vanilla latte, Brenen’s coffee is really pretty yummy. Try one of their interesting flavors, like the Celtic Grog, or their Pumpkin coffee in the fall. I find myself putting my absolute minimum amount of cream and sugar in their coffee because it’s already so good!
If you like bagels with LOTS of cream cheese, then try one at Brenen’s. The Honey Wheat with plain cream cheese is my go-​to – but make sure you grab a knife because they don’t spread the cream cheese for you. They just plop it on your bagel with an ice cream scoop and send you on your way.
I can’t speak to any of the lunch/​other food options at Brenen’s, but the bagels and muffins are both just what you would expect from a coffee shop like Brenen’s.
Prices at Brenen’s are definitely college student friendly – my latte and bagel combo is 5 bucks!
If you’re heading to class or cruising down High Street, Brenen’s is a convenient stop for your caffeine fix. There are also plenty of tables for studying or working, and there’s free Wifi!

One morning we were having a great debate about where to go for breakfast and nothing sounded good so we went to Brenen’s for the first time, and I’m glad we did. I will definitely be frequenting it over the weekends.
They have quite a selection of breakfast sandwhiches and bagels– the 3 meat and cheese breakfast sandwhich on the everything bagel is lights out good. They have a pretty big selection of Nantucket Nectars and a few cans of soda if coffee is not your thing.
My only complaints about the place is you can hear the music from next door (totally not Brenen’s fault) and if you show up before 10 there’s not very many employees so you may be left waiting for service while the person makes the customer ahead of you’s breakfast.

Brenen’s sells coffee. Decent, affordable coffee. They also happen to sell overpriced sandwiches and desserts. I have gotten their turkey + cranberry sandwich a few times, and I have never been wowed. That said, I’ve never not eaten the entire sandwich. My main complaint is that everything seems to take about double the amount of time you’d expect it to. Order a sandwich and chips? You’re in for a 15 minute wait. A cappuccino? Might as well take a seat and read the paper.
Bottom line: Brenen’s will do in a pinch, but it will never be my first, second, or third choice.

Brenen’s is a solid coffee house. Their house blends are pretty good; I personally like it a more than any of the chains around the OSU campus. Try the Celtic Grog. It’s a little different, but it is my go-​to cup of coffee. Brenen’s also has some decent prepared drinks. There is a peanut butter mocha that should come with a warning label on the side: Wilford Brimley exhorting the dangers of diabeetus. It’s definitely a guilty drink.
Brenen’s also sports some good food offerings. The black bean burger is fantastic. When I need to grab a bite on campus, it is always a top choice. As a word of warning, if you get a bagel with any kind of spread, they use an ice cream scoop to glob it on – be prepared.
If you need a place to get some work done, Brenen’s is accommodating. For me, there is a certain level of coffee shop noise that can actually help me focus. Brenen’s is right in the butter zone.
Overall, Brenen’s is good campus coffee shop; the only one that I frequent on a regular basis on the OSU campus. The staff is super at the sustenance is satisfactory (sorry, couldn’t resist the alliteration). Thumbs up in my book.

You’ve got to judge Brenen’s for what it is for the same reason I don’t complain that you don’t have Heidi Klum’s legs. You’re not a supermodel and Brenen’s isn’t a fancy purveyor of fluffy croissants.
Brenen’s is whatever the coffee shop version of a hole in the wall is. It’s function over form. You won’t want to take a date there but you’ll probably take your work there. Brenen’s doesn’t have the fancy couches that Starbucks has and THANK GOD. This means you can actually find seats not taken up by college students who aren’t buying anything, but still want free wifi.
The sandwiches are good and so are the soups. Not the biggest fan of the salads as they dont chop the lettuce at all and I look like a lunatic trying to eat it. Also if you’re a regular, they’ll remember your name and order which is great too.

Brenen’s is my favorite place on campus for breakfast and lunch. Many people come here for the coffee, but their sandwiches are their best product. I am a regular at Brenen’s and have been going there 3 – 4 times a week for a year. The only reason Brenen’s doesn’t get a full 5 star review is the service can be pretty terrible. I have been a regular for a year and rarely have I been greeted warmly. Granted, I often come in around 7 in the morning which is a hard time to be cheery. Other than that, Brenen’s is the best place to grab a coffee, breakfast sandwich, and read the paper. I love the atmosphere and the delicious bagel sandwiches.
Not many people come here for lunch, and that is a big mistake. The chicken caesar wrap is really fantastic. I have had a few of their assorted turkey sandwiches and they are also awesome. The ingredients are always fresh and tasty. I have never had a sandwich here I didn’t like!

My two trips were short and sweet and gave me just enough info to gather if it was my thing or not.
On one hand: It’s great place to grab a quick cup of joe and jet. The I-​just-​need-​a-​cup-​to-​wake-​me-​up kind of cup. My coffee wasn’t particularly wowing (pretty bitter actually) but it did the trick. I saw some sammies on the menu and I believe there were a few pastries???
On the other hand: I didn’t really want to stay long. I felt like I was rushed (and it wasn’t even busy) and many of the tables were pretty darn dirty.

This is my go-​to place during the day when I want to leave the office for my entire lunch break. There are usually plenty of open tables and seats, even during the height of lunch. This availability is rare around campus… I’ve trekked to Panera and Starbucks only to turn away in frustration at the swarms of hungry undergrads.
I think the food is decent, too, though it depends on what you get. The salads are overpriced but I’m a big fan of their sandwiches (Patrick’s turkey is my fave). I also like their giant buckeye cookies which, despite my best intentions to save some for later, I always eat in one sitting.
Most of their servers are helpful and friendly. A few are quite pleasant and one is a total grump. Though I’ve worked in food service and it’s tough to be pleasant all the time, so I’m giving her a pass. Kind of. I’m writing about her here so I guess I’m still a little peeved…

Brenan’s is an alright place. Sure, it’s not fancy. But the coffee is good and cheap, better than Starbucks anyway, and more conveniently located than Cup O Joe. The breakfast sandwiches (ham, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel– om nom nom) are super tasty. Honestly, I think the breakfast sandwiches and locations (Neil and 11^th or High and 15^th) are the main reason I go in.
My only suggestion would be for Brenan’s to get more comfy chairs and couches in there. The tables and hard chairs are okay for studying, but not great for hanging out. I’d probably come in more often if I could sit on something comfortable.
I also have been avoiding the Neil Ave one lately because the new staff is AWFUL. I knew the old staff pretty well and they were great, but the last few times I’ve gone in I’ve gotten ignored because they were too busy texting to take my order, and when they finally did get around to taking it they were really snotty. The managers there need to replace those people stat, or I’ll be heading over to the new Breugger’s instead.

I recently revisited what was one of my favorite study haunts in undergrad, and it seems Brenen’s really was better left to my memories.
The lattes are still fantastic, but the house coffee was grainy. The wobbly tables no amount of napkins could right now seem cheap and worn instead of endearing. I used to live off of their bagels and was thrilled to see the veggie cream cheese hasn’t dimmed even slightly, but the whole wheat bagel I got on this last visit was so tough it actually hurt my teeth to eat it.
This Brenen’s location still wins for an abundance of seating, prime people watching, and being a student oasis, but the years have worn down some of the charm I used to love it for.

Worst excuse for a «croissant» I’ve ever had the displeasure of eating.
It was basically a dense piece of bread loosely shaped as croissant.
Not cool, Brenen.