The Alternative Cafe

good café great show

I have a hard time giving this place even one star, not because of what little food and coffee they offer like Michael F. had mentioned. It’s because I know for a fact the owner purposely hires young employees and then doesn’t pay them! At least 5 – 6 employees were smart enough to quit before it was too late. There’s another hard working young employee whose been there for 6 months, rarely is she ever paid. What I want to know is why hasn’t anyone reported this guy to the Labor Board? The Better Business Bureau? And better yet, taken him to court for lost wages? He owe’s thousands of dollars to his employees. This business needs to close shop for ethical reasons. He obviously has no morals to continually have these young employees show up everyday, running his business, «for free». The Alternative Café needs to be exposed for what they’re really all about.

Beautiful art, music, coffee, food, and the employes are nice what more can you ask for. Well this place is family onwed!

This spot is nice. It’s as though they have been transplanted from a large city into little seaside!
I would have given them 5 stars but I think they can improve on their barista skills. You can’t have it all I guess =)
Their locale is very nice. They offer tons of artwork and figurines and other little plush dolls, etc. They are definitely ALTERNATIVE, nothing like what I have come across before.
They offer live music and such. I have not been but they have the walls plastered with different acts to come.
Their service was good. They were pleasant and greeted me genuinely. They were not overly chatty and not overly quiet, just right.
Their prices are GREAT. If you are not TOO picky about your coffee and just need to fulfill that caffeine need, this is the spot.
They have been open for 4 – 5 years. It’s a nice break from the norm so support your local caffeine dealer and stop by for a shot of espresso.

I can have a great soy late made with love and creativity surrounded by art and good vibes, shop and use the restroom with dignity.
My favorite locally inspired artists including Dakota Belle Witt and Justin Devine and a boat load of folks that I don’t know but am dying to know more about are represented and find that home is full of love and art.

I’ve gone three times this week alone… I can’t get enough of their Iced Acme Coffee… they do it the legit way… drip drip drip… less acidity and solid kick of caffeine. Oh and when they have it, I grab their Ham & Cheese Croissant… much better than most I’ve had probably because it is from the Paris Bakery. But I always hope they are out because I don’t need to be eating them… I’m trying to avoid wheat.

The café is small and has a very limited menu. However if you are looking to grab some coffee and see some local musicians place music, I say don’t miss out. The atmosphere is very nice, with a lot of art… pretty much anywhere you look. The room that the music is played is fairly small so just a heads up. I went on a Sunday evening when they had open mic. It was… hit and miss, but I can see enjoying an evening of live music here for sure. P. S. They have Italian soda’s, which I couldn’t find on the menu, but I saw the syrup in back so I got one.

This review is admittedly based on a limited sampling of this place: I’ve only been here on one evening and had two decaf lattes, so I can’t speak to the rest of the menu offerings or to what the café is like at other times. In other words, the five stars reflect my experience, not an objective and thorough inventory of possibilities.
Nevertheless: My first positive impression came when I called to find out for sure when the musical act (Raina Rose and Andrew Pressman: check them out) I was driving down from San Francisco to see would be performing. The person answering the phone was cheerful (more about that in a minute) and offered handy advice about how early I should get there to grab a seat. I arrived (even a bit earlier than advised) and found the environment casually eclectic, the staff pleasant, the latte (though I’m not a coffee purist/​elitist/​expert) fine and artistically swirled.
The gallery (a separate room from the café section) is a good place to hear music, intimate and congenial, and the soundman did an excellent job of balancing instruments and vocals, giving each a presence that was full but not overwhelming (actually not an easy achievement).
On my way out, I talked briefly with a staff member, who said the café was indeed a great place to work, confirming my sense that the staff here (at least the ones I encountered) were genuinely friendly, as opposed to selectively hip or artificially perky. I probably won’t be driving down again anytime soon (two and a half hours on Highway 1 is a lovely but lengthy trek), but I’ll definitely swing by if I’m in the area.

An amazing little place, with a very attractive staff, I love the atmosphere. Although small, the Alt Café offers Live music, AMAZING artwork, and an inspirational atmosphere. I will keep going back forever. Strongly recommended to visitors to our area who are looking for culture.

really good coffee, I have been looking for a place that has good, not too sweet, white mochas and I found it here! Very reasonable prices

Walked in and read a sign that says «ask about our hot meals». Asked about meals and the guy said «we don’t serve any». Lol. Not much choice as far as coffees go. Maybe 10 choices at the most. Latte was blah. Not the worst but far from the best. Service was ok. Only reason for three stars is for the unique art on display. Otherwise would of been two stars.

Nothing fancy, & service is *very* laid back. But good, inexpensive beverages, good music (at least at times; Jon Rubin’s trio & Bernadette Conant on Saturday night were excellent!). I’ll be coming back!

A fantastic little café, book/​toy store, and alternative art gallery. Staff are always friendly and they have a new show every 6 weeks. It’s a wonderful place to see underground art, which the Monterey/​Carmel art scene is definitely lacking and which one would otherwise need to be in SF or LA to experience. Finally, something classy to do in Seaside.
One place for improvement would be the seating. There are a few nice tables and chairs to sit on outside, but no comfy furniture inside. I love spending hours at a café working on my laptop or some reading material, but the Café just doesn’t have that sit-​and-​stay feel to it yet. I’m hopeful! It’s already a huge addition to the community.

Awesome little café! I went there yesterday evening for an art opening and the place was packed. Apparently they host new art shows every few weeks, and I was really impressed with the quality of this one. They were offering free wine and espresso drinks, thumbs up for that, and they apparently have a nice selection of cute little gifty things like Ugly Dolls on a regular basis. I’ll definitely be coming back, and am kicking myself for not checking it out sooner.

They’ve opened a new show every six weeks! And they spill out onto the street with beautiful people and great music. They sold theShepard Fairey piece «By Any Means Necessary» for $ 5,500! This place is a great Seaside addition. Thank you, Scott.