Montse’s Cafe

Wonderful service and excellent food! The sandwiches are packed with fillings yet well-​proportioned so you could taste all the ingredients. Loved my hot Chicken Montse and my friend got the hot Chicken Pesto — which he wolfed down. We would definitely return!

The best lamb pita I’ve ever had! Large succulent chunks of lamb meat, perfectly marinated in a toasted pita with fresh vegetables and a yogurt sauce! Yum! I’ll definitely be back

Montse’s is way better than it needs to be. Their location is a total food desert — the only other nearby cuisine are taco trucks and vegan soul food. And yet they serve literally the best sandwiches, bacon omelets, and soups that I’ve ever eaten. Sandwich shops in the Gourmet Ghetto can’t beat a Chicken Montse on Focaccia. I frequently eat here 3 – 4 times a week for lunch because the food is so consistently good and the prices are reasonable.
The Montse’s team is super personable and friendly. I can’t recommend this place enough, even if you don’t work nearby.

Gera, Carlos, and Cesar — The Montse team =D These guys are super friendly. As soon as you walk into the building you can listen to the graceful latin tunes… Montse’s has accessible parking in a convenient location. Their slogan says it all, «Always fresh, always hot!» These guys whip up delicious sandwiches, my favorite is the Turkey Montse & Pulled Pork. Their food always surprises me!

Montse’s is so good, I almost wish it wasn’t. There’s no incentive to bring a lunch from home with such good food available here!
The best thing on the menu hands down is the Chicken Montse sandwich or wrap. The others are good too, but the Chicken Montse is the best by far.
They have great Agua Fresca flavors as well, and they change every day, so keep an eye out for that.
(Their bagels are subpar, but only because I’m still looking for that perfect NY bagel in California, which apparently doesn’t exist.)

This place is incredible! Tucked away in the industrial district of West Oakland, this little café is a godsend for those of us who work around it. Despite being in the relative middle of nowhere, this place is always packed around lunch time, and for good reason. The salads are big and delicious, the sandwiches are creative and filling, and the guys who work here are always trying to make your lunch the best it can be. I’ve been going here for a long time and will continue going for a long time.

This place is the place to go for lunch or breakfast during the week if you work near Jack London square. It might be hard to find the first time since it is on the entrance floor of an old brick office bldg. THIS PLACE IS A GEM. The food is excellent and the prices are very reasonable. I have been eating here 2 – 3 times a week for the last 2.5 months and have not had anything that I didn’t enjoy. The wraps and sandwiches are great. The salads are delicious. They usually have 1 – 2 specials a week. The portions are very good. I have the cheeseburger special the other day with fries and salad which was delicious. Also they have homemade aqua frescas which are very tasty. Make sure to check this place out if you are in the area.

I would be lost without my friends at Montse’s! Great food. I love all the sandwiches, but you really can’t go wrong with the Chicken Montse on dutch crunch, or the Blue Salad. If you’re lucky enough to be here when the special is the cheeseburger, GET IT! Sooo good! Although all of the specials are usually pretty spot on. The coffee is great, plus they have iced tea, aqua frescas (always delicious), and a wide variety of canned and bottled drinks.
The guys that work here are some of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet, and they actually care enough to get to know their customers by name. True, there isn’t a ton of seating, but it is maximized for the space that they have. Montse’s is always clean and comfortable, and the staff always greets me with a smile.
They take orders ahead of time over the phone, which is so great if you find yourself needing to order lunch early in the day for pick up later. They also offer tons of breakfast pastries, bagels, and SUPER tasty omelettes!
There have been many days where Montse’s has saved me when I needed breakfast, lunch, or just needed to see a smiling face!

I work across the street from Montse’s and love it. Great healthy food and super friendly guys who run it. I try and pack lunch but if I don’t I am all about this place.

Work in the building, and go here at least 2 – 3 times a week.
Great omelets, sandwiches (the BBQ pork and Chicken Montse are 2 of my favorites) and the salads are another solid option.
Great service and even better food. Value is pretty good even though they have raised the prices a couple times in the last 2 years.

Time: 11:23am/58°F mostly clear
Purpose: Driving on 3^rd st made a left turn thinking it was a through street. Then realize dead end had to do a 3 point turn to leave. While leaving saw people holding coffee cups coming down flight of stairs. Park on 3^rd st and walk over.
Ambiance: This place is hard to spot by foot or driving. No signage or logo to be seen from the outside. Only way you’ll see it, is when you open the front doors. I’m thinking its meant for people working within the facility or near by. There’s even a call box outside, but the doors are open to the public. Place starts with one painted bamboo weave table near entrance while inside with two close together tables with cloth wrap cushion seats and a red/​purple sofa. Decorations are mostly coffee burlap sacks with used or vintage looking furnitures. Walls painted tri-​color scheme of mustard, avacado, off yellowish along with red structure beams and couple of frame pictures. High front counter area almost couldn’t see who I was talking to, I’m not short neither. Counter sits two chamber Faema espresso machine, grinder, boxes of tea, bottles of Torani syrups, two tier pastry display box, tip jar, menu holder, fresh fruits, energy bars most items that cafes would carry. In here you may not be able to talk, Mexican music blasting in background even the table outside may suffer as well. Better to order something and take it to go.
Staff: Two guys around 30s. The one with Bluetooth headset is obnoxious. He appears to be normal, but when you talk to him he’ll listen to you halfway then starts talking and singing when his favorite music comes on. Basically you’re forgotten or they don’t care if you need anything or not. Other guy just back of house worker stands there smirking while packing an order. Not the owners, but acts like they are. Still get paid by the hour no matter if you by or not.
Cleanliness: Grade B+, utensil area needs a good wipe down and vacuum debris off the sofa. ServeSafe certificate and all related permit posted next to espresso machine.
Eats/​Drinks: Regular cappuccino $ 2.75 and chocolate croissant $ 2.50. Capp was ok not great or bad just had the right foaming texture and was still stuck on cup when finish. All I did was add half packet of sugar in the raw. Even though it was Mr. Espresso a brand, I normally skip for more premium beans. Chocolate croissant can’t really say, but it was definitely deliver by local bakery or frozen version pop in oven. It had enough chocolate, but under baked. Layers on bottom shows closed together dough in unbaked form. It was too late to bring back calling them seems impossible, on hold forever. Most cafes these days outsource their baked goods anyways then a mark up of 25−30%.
Main Features: Omelettes available from 8−11am. Known for their good size sandwiches and salads.
Products/​Services: DIY combos, hot/​cold sandwiches, bagels/​bagel sandwich, yogurt granola, omeletes, falafel, pita, salads/​soup, breakfast wraps, oatmeal, croissant sandwich, quiche, fruit salad, toast/​muffin, plate specials, vegetarian. Coffee by Mr. Espresso/​tea by Harney & Sons. Takes plastic no minimum, cateting available.
Punch Lines: Tuck away, nondescript, employees mind wondering, louder than usual music, minimal seating, kitschy décor, occasional spotty service, nothing out of the ordinary, modest cost, quirky, go elsewhere, kept its standards, not as great, parking (hard), industrial area, minutes to Mandela Parkway/​JLS, located bottom lobby area.
Tradeoffs: Place has potential just need to sell things that differentiate itself from the rest. Lastly needs a bigger sign so others can see the business name. Right now its only people that work in area the know.
Final Thoughts: Found this place driving in a dead end street. Now if it wasn’t for that, I would’ve kept driving, but being curious I had to stop. This place is one of those if you know them or they know you before you’ll be help. Don’t expect warm or near friendly service. Just come in order what you want and leave. The longer you stay, the more they look you over and over. They know you’re there, but for some reason they think your better than them so, you’ll be left wondering. Really 3.5 stars is all I can do here!

Montse’s Café doesn’t have signage outside. it’s just a food stand against the right wall as u ascend the steps
informal line forms in front of cashier.
menu: soup, salad, hot & cold sammies, coffee. wraps, etc.
eats: BLT on dutch crunch (6.5)
–thick slices of bacon (sad i don’t enjoy bacon much anymores)
–fresh lettuce, tomato, and bread.
3.5 stars
crumbs:
–wait about 10 minutes
–skipped on mr. expresso, not my fave coffee
–only 2 tables and a couch for sitdown
–patrons seem to be office workers nearby.
–would get an eggplant next time.

Eggplant on sourdough Sandwich was superb, as well as the double cappuccino. The place only seats about six people is mostly takeout for the industrial park customers in the area. It’s a gem with really good sandwiches and coffee. It could convince you to have an office in the area.

This place is a little hidden piece of gem. Hidden, might even be a semi humble way of describing this place.
Sites of trucks with shipping containers speeding in and out of the Port of Oakland, the the aroma from Svenhard’s Swedish Bakery’s Warehouse (those rather ubiquitous danishes and pastries found in grocery stores), and the office in which I work at pretty much defines the intersection of Third and Adeline. Places for lunch are difficult to come across, and lets not try to begin thinking of not having to drive to food.
I didn’t realized how difficult it was to find food until the other day when I forgot to bring my lunch (purposely didn’t pack), and did not have any cash for the food truck parked near Filbert and Third. That’s when I started researching and found Montse’s. In a million years, I would not have thought that there would be a café tucked inside the sea of warehouses. I drove pass it the first time, thinking that it might have closed and Unilocal had lied. I pulled out my phone and searched to find the address, turns out there the storefront of Montse’s Café is inside the building, pass the vestibule. Enough babbling about the location, lets get the list going:
Ambiance: Great. Service is nice, and the crowd is friendly. I actually met someone new.
Food: Flavored nicely, they have a wide selection of sandwiches and salads. The menu on the wall might be intimidating because some of the names of the sandwiches are not self explanatory. Use the menu on the counter if you are new to the place.
Drinks: They have a pretty large selection for your caffeine fix.

Delicious!!!
I eat here at least twice a week, since i work above this café. Everything that I’ve tried is so good and fresh. Staff is super friendly. They have the classic salads and sandwiches and their weekly specials is what keeps the menu interesting. My favorite is the pear salad with salmon (always done right). Many great options to choose from. Try it!

I work right above the café and have always been impressed with the service and food. Everything on the menu is really good!

This spot is a small whole in the wall with great delicious food and great service! They have many delicious food options. They have soups, sandwiches, wraps, salads, sides and recently they added breakfast options. Food is always made to order and warm (if you order hot food) :D. My favorite is the Montse Chicken Sandwich. I recently had a Parm Bagel with their Chipotle Cream Cheese. Yummy!!! They have Special almost daily, call ahead and ask or call in your order, place can get busy during lunch time. I highly recommed this spot. Food is always fresh and delicious!

Such amazing specials! Arugula, roasted beets, fennel salad with manchego, quinoa, homemade orange white balsamic vinaigrette with a pan seared salmon fillet on top! So bomb for only $ 10!!!
Great service, quick, friendly. Coming back!

Started working in the same building 2 months ago. I really love these guys they always have a great attitude even when it gets busy and the food is actually really good. You can give them your lunch order in the morning and pick it up!

Great place for breakfast or lunch! Always check the specials before you order, and helps to call in order during lunch rush!