Notes on Balcony Coffee

Balcony Coffee is an absolutely serene experience—granted you sit outside under the tiny greenhouse netting. Although you're just a couple feet from the busy sidewalk and Koreatown street, with buses and trucks rolling by, the thick wall of trees and vines engulfs you in a sort of mystical space.

The owners are very eager to help and make you feel welcome staying for hours. The lattes are really interesting, especially the seasonal and specialty drinks like the Dutch Latte or "Brad Pitt." The food selection is limited, but there is food elsewhere in the plaza and around the area in K-town.

Balcony is perfect for some study time where you just need to get off campus and really focus. Turn off your computer and read a book out on the patio with some quality coffee—it doesn't get much better than that. 😎

From Mimi: I loved the service and ambiance at Balcony Coffee. When I got there I ordered their Thai Iced Tea (super, super good) from the very polite baristas. My friend and I spent a full day working in their outdoor area — it's a lovely greenhouse-esque patio that's overflowing with both plants and outlets. It's colorful, it's relaxing, and perfect if you like the idea of studying in a park but can't do without decent wifi and power. There's enough space for you to come with a friend or in a group of four or so, which is more than most L.A. spots can accommodate (I'm looking at you, Alchemist). Based on who was there, Balcony is a good spot for a relaxing study session or a first date 😉... or both!

Notes on Highly Likely

An unexpected hipster-hideaway on Jefferson Street ten minutes west of campus, Highly Likely is a beautiful spot to enjoy coffee, work, and conversation. With a large food menu of healthy breakfast and lunch option—plus a fine array of coffee and tea—this shop is great for all-day work sessions.

The warehouse-like façade of the building is opened wide on warm days, spilling in lots of natural light into the space. Large booth tables with comfortable leather couches make for good group hangouts. Plus, there are plenty of outlets underneath the couches!

There are few downsides to Highly Likely, but a notable one if you're interested in opening up your laptop is the wifi: HL turns off their wifi on the weekends! Hey, here's to more person-to-person conversation and book-reading... but if you're going with the intention of work, avoid the weekends.

Notes on Prism Coffee

Prism Coffee is a wonderful, tiny slice of coffee heaven. Robin (the manager) and his staff's attention to detail—mainly for their pour-over and iced coffee—is undeniably the shop's strongsuit. That and ample charging, good wifi, and friendly service pushes Prism into my top 10.

If you're not into pourover coffee, or don't want to front the steep price for it, try the cortado. There isn't much food at Prism, but their waffle is to die for.

You won't hear much about Prism because of its distance from campus (15 minutes without traffic) and low-profile shop (there isn't much else to do within walking distance). Save Prism for a day when you're craving a great cup of coffee and a nice chat over a long work session.

Notes on Dulce Coffee

Located in the USC Village, Dulce’s combination of accessibility and quality coffee is hard to beat. Most people around campus will rave about Dulce’s Matcha drinks, but not being a big fan of Matcha, I’ve really enjoyed their plain-old drip coffees. Their lattes and teas are also very good and the service friendly.

In addition to good drinks, Dulce also makes a phenomenal breakfast burrito and a few really good sandwiches. Don’t sleep on their food… it’s a great spot for breakfast and lunch and comes out in less than 10 minutes.

From Abigail Africa: Dulce is overall a mixed bag. It produces great food and coffee, but you should never expect to settle there unless you're exceptionally prepared to deal with poor wifi and a tough selection of outlets. Lighting is great, but noise is high, so I go there to do remote work, but not for group projects. Outdoors is a lovely experience in the first months of fall or the bulk of spring. It’s quieter than inside, but there are variables like harsh sun and no power.

Notes on Alchemist Coffee

My most frequented off-campus coffee shop, Alchemist has just about everything you could want: good food, coffee, atmosphere, wifi, and cheap parking. Nestled in a small plaza in Koreatown, the area affords tons of tasty and cheap places to eat nearby, even in the same plaza.

Alchemist is a self-proclaimed “New Orleans” style coffee shop (previously named Bourbon Street Cafe), and the owner, Marcelo, really pushes to make great, artisanal coffee at an affordable price. I’d recommend trying their single-origin cold brew with the Egg Bat Sandwich for breakfast or lunch.

Watch out: If you’re planning on parking in the plaza’s central lot, make sure you have two dollars in cash ready to hand over to the “valet.”

Notes on Ignatius Cafe

This might be the only Korean Church that serves coffee and tea out of a cottage. If not, it’s probably still the best coffee and tea served out of a Korean Church. Ignatius Cafe is a tiny shop with outdoor garden seating, the perfect serene escape from the hustle and bustle on campus. And it’s walking distance (right near Ralph’s, north of campus)!

The wifi is spotty, so I’d recommend bringing a friend for a nice chat while you enjoy delicious lemon tea. Come here to unwind—the fresh air and peaceful garden is rare in Los Angeles.

Nothing is more than a few dollars here, and they only serve a few things in total: espresso, americano, café latte, and lemon tea.

They only take cash, so make sure to bring a couple bucks with you.

From Jenny Zhang: There are two ideals at Ignatius. One: bring a friend you haven’t seen in a while to catch up and reflect on life. Sip iced tea across from each other at a small round table with an umbrella, especially at 3 in the afternoon when the sun is warm. Two: bring a novel about love and fate in a small town. Admire the warmth of the yellow interiors over a latte. Smile sporadically at the friendly korean owners at the counter. Write a poem.

Notes on With Love Cafe

Located just five minutes away from campus, With Love Cafe is a sweet community spot. Its dedication to serving the community is reflected in the truly diverse array of people that come through the market and cafe everyday. Small downsides are limited street parking and unremarkable coffee, but all of the pros easily make up for these. You can stay fueled with solid food, wifi, and charging all day here at an affordable price.

It has different workspace options too. You can move from the wide open downstairs to the more studious and quiet upstairs, or even into the small conference room available by reservation — that room is a personal favorite for group meeting (first two hours are free!).

You won’t regret choosing With Love Cafe as your coffee spot for the full day — and you’re likely to be the only USC students there too, which is a refreshing change of pace from classic downtown brunch and coffee spot teeming with college students.

From Mimi: With Love Cafe feels like the perfect blend between warm community library and health food store. If you’re the type to grab snacks at Trader Joe’s and then stop by Cafe 84 on a Saturday afternoon, skip both and head to With Love instead.

Notes on Yellow House Cafe

Yellow House sits somewhere between a coffee shop and a full-fledged restaurant. Most days, you’ll find groups of Korean women sipping on tea and hashing out plans for their business, while some young couple slurps down pasta in the corner, and a guy on his laptop (me) nurses his coffee.

If you’re looking for an all-day place to have lunch, drink coffee, and get work done, Yellow House is a prime spot. The back patio area feels like you’ve exited LA and entered a misty jungle. Cozy fires roar in a few spots—I’d recommend grabbing a table next to one of those in the winter.

From Melisa Seah: If you're looking to find a place to hide out (while also fill your stomach with a blend of anything from Korean food to s'mores) Yellow House is your spot. Skip the inside and head to the patio out back, where you can nestle into a corner and get to work.

Notes on Bourgeois Pig

A classic Hollywood writer’s den, Bourgeois Pig is the ultimate oh-shit-i-have-to-write-my-paper-by-tomorrow study spot. It’s vibey, it’s always open late, and everyone there is working hard on something.

While their coffee and pastries won’t blow you away, the mystical, purple light, the “forest room,” and pool table offer an ambience unlike any other coffee shop you’ve ever visited (to add to the intrigue, Scientology’s Celebrity Center is located right across the street).

I recommend departing from campus for Bourgeois Pig long after the sun has set. Bring a blanket. Order an espresso. Work til two and ride the empty freeways back home to USC in record time.

Notes on Nothing But Coffee

As the name suggests, Nothing But Coffee (NBC) serves… coffee. And a really good waffle (which you can smell every time one is made to order). Pourover, matcha, cold brew, lattes… NBC nails all of these and serves until 2 AM.

NBC is a wonderful spot for late-night work sessions, but mind the limited parking in the back lot if you’re driving, and limited table space (no room for groups larger than 3 or 4).

The coffee might look expensive on the menu, but their pours are generous... often coming in pitchers large enough to keep you caffeinated for hours.

Notes on Bricks & Scones

Bricks & Scones is situated in Larchmont, a beautiful neighborhood with plentiful shops and eating options for a nice lunch on a sunny day. The cafe itself is gigantic, taking up all of the first and second floors of what looks like an old home. Downstairs, there are long tables for groups and upstairs, collections of odd-shaped tables, desks, and couches.

As the shop’s name suggests, the scones and other pastries at Bricks & Scones are quite good. There are plenty of food options here, but I’d recommend walking down the street to a small deli with some of the freshest, most delicious sandwiches. Drink-wise, you can’t go wrong with their multitude of iced coffees or cappuccino.

Traffic can really make Bricks & Scones feel far from campus, so plan your trip around avoiding rush hour.