Latte Express

*chirps happily* I found a diamond in the rough!
As a San Francisco local, I usually avoid going into the «tourist trap» area as really, most of what you find around there will be overpriced, mediocre, and too fast paced.
Things changed for me when I found myself on a street away from the main «strip» at the waterfront, and I stumbled across this place.
I noted that they had a club sandwich and placed an order for one from the very nice man behind the counter.
I also ordered an iced coffee as well.
The sandwich here is MASSIVE! I’m a carnivore of a cat, but I could barely finish this thing. It was such a good value and tasted absolutely delicious.
The iced coffee I had here was perfect and exactly what I needed on that sunny but cool morning.
I’ve returned here many times since and I always get the sandwich. I’ve also brought my friends here and they love the donuts!
I tell everyone, don’t get sucked into the tourist traps! Go here! You won’t regret it!
*chirp!*

Very firendly! Donuts and coffee are AMAZING and we got a free donut hole and chocolate donut (don’t know why but yay!) Only reasonably priced place we could find in the morning that had more than breakfast food (besides the usual Denny’s and ihop of course) definitely recommend it!

Selling themselves short.
Lattes are not the only thing coming fast. Two shot Americano with a generous pour of sugar free vanilla syrup was ready in less than 3m and sold for a penny less than $ 3.
Impressed by the speed.
Impressed by the price.
Impressed by the nice service.
Impressed the most it was right in the middle of a nondescript tourist trap.
Cappuccino Americano Latte Mocha Express would be a long name. But it’d also be closer to the truth.

Came here with an intense banh mi craving after work and got the combination sandwich. It was probably the most «meh» banh mi I’ve ever had. The bread was thick and rubbery and the fixins inside were sparse. Major bummer, too; I was looking forward to having a go-​to Vietnamese sandwich place by my office open later than Darren’s Café.

I hardly ever give bad reviews but I really want this place to mitigate — I am a local who cares… and needs my Vietnamese coffee fix during rough times.
MY BAD
Two mistakes today: (1) running toward the water on an empty stomach, instead of up the hill (2) thinking that all Vietnamese coffee made with Café Du Monde Coffee is created equal. This review is to give this place a chance to be better! If it’s going to share a name with the Kearney location, it should also share its menu and quality!
SERVICE
Very sweet lady behind the counter here. Little gap in the communication though. We talked about my veggie options and I asked her if the pickled veggies were the same as the other locations — she said, «yes we have pickles» — umm ok. I asked for a veggie Vietnamese sandwich and pointed to what looked like a yummie one on the board; she gave me an American veggie sandwich — and a free old fashion donut– blah. I thanked her for the donut and repeated my original request describing what I wanted in great detail — she showed me the pickled veggies and asked if I wanted mayo and mustard with that — huh?
FOOD
I actually liked the pickled veggies — good flavor. The cilantro was very fresh and the bread was standard. The price was $ 6.50 — a couple of bucks more than other LE’s. I was too curious to care. American sandwiches: seriously, I would only order one of these for a picky 5 year old — super simple. The donuts: not even for a beggar: super greasy and not worth the artery — free or otherwise… especially with IN and OUT around the corner.
DRINK
The Vietnamese coffee: The can in the window and my study schedule is what drew me in and started this mess. I don’t know what happened here — it tasted like there was cheap vodka in it. I took a sip and tossed it — grr I really wanted one of these today.
AMBIANCE
Everything about it says «express:» grab and go. Great location, super small, super sunny, but no ventilation.
BOTTOM LINE:
Until they take a lesson from the other locations, customers keep walking. I think that this place could have a lot of potential, but they need to go back to the drawing board here. They would probably do better if they put more effort into making it better, seeing as there is potential for repeat customers. Not everyone that grabs food at the Wharf is a tourist — get the coffee right at least and you will have more local business and at the same cost.

i was a vegetarian craving protein, and the homely little «latte express» sign mentioned sandwiches. i thought, «this looks like a place humble enough to serve egg salad,» and they did. surprisingly, it was egg salad made fresh while we waited, accompanied by onions, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles.
it’s like the lunches i wish my mother would have packed for me in grade school.

Expectations were low, this place looks like a dive that profits off tourists desperate for a soda, no more a café than 7 – 11.
But we ordered an egg salad sandwich, and they peeled the eggs in response and made it from scratch. It was wonderful and there were tables outside for eating. This is arguably a horrible location for eating outside (no view but the traffic) but on a summer Sunday any closer to the hoards of tourists would be worse.

This little place is a one stop shop for breakfast or lunch on the go! They’ve got cereal, drinks (bottled and made to order), sandwiches, bagels, donuts, the works.
Occasionally I get a bagel sandwich for breakfast, but my favorite here is their Thai Iced Tea! Nothing like an chill Thai Iced Tea for a post lunch hour pick me up!