Ocean Beach Cafe
San Francisco
Recensioner
(NOTE: I can't actually rate the food becuase we didn't have any! We stopped in to ask about omelettes and the staff members recommended we head a few doors down to TJ Cafe, which we did, (see separate review). I just gave it 5 stars becuse everybody else has and I see no need to bring down the rating.) On the way back to our car from TJ Cafe, i noticed, through the window, that the wall of bottles was actually topped by a big sign saying non-alcholic! Having been a member of a non-drinking community since 1962, I was fascinated to see such display and dropped in to check it out We spent some 15 minutes with Josh, an ex-bar tender, explaining his philosophy on the social need for community life withoug depending on alcohol (See his Youtube channel: "Josh the non-Alcoholic" for more on this). Josh gave my wife a free cup of coffee since TJ Cafe down the road had no had free refills, and we entered a draw to win a bottle of non-Alcoholic French wine. Josh surprised us by telling us that the French wine industry is going big on non-alcoholic wines. I bought a can of Vanua Bliss - a Mango flavoured Kava drink - vastly different from the Kava served to me during my 3 years stay on Tanna, New Hebrides (1977 to 1980) which was made by youth chewing the kava in their mouths, spitting it out on to a coconut sheath, then pouring water into it and squeezing it into a half shell of a coconut and cerimoniously handing it to you under the shade of a huge Nambunga tree as the twilight deepened! Such are memories made of. While Kava is not alcoholic, it does have some muscle relaxant properties and give a weird buzz of the tongue. I wish him well in his endeavour to allow the teetotaler community to enjoy the social aspects of drinks with their meals, without worring about the alcohol destroying our brain cell and livers!
Folks at Andytown were redirecting me to go here, as I needed to work a bit. Great atmosphere, just in the second row of the waterfront. Quite a young crowd running that place, good vibes. Went for a matcha and tuna sandwich - both good. Will come back when I’m close to that area.
Very cute cafe in a quiet corner of the city. The food was good and I loved the coffee! I got a cappuccino and asked the barista to add sugar while making it (medium sweet) and it turned out perfect. Also got the Spicy Chicken Sandwich and the Turkey sandwich. Both were good quantity, tasty and had a side of chips.
There is a cool hiking place next-door, food is not fresh. It’s kind of crammed, but the atmosphere is pretty good. It’s near the beach, but the drinks are scams. One of the drinks we bought was $17 and it was super little and not even tasty. Menu is pretty small with not many good breakfast choices.
Just a minute from the beach, Ocean Beach Cafe feels exactly how a neighborhood spot should feel: welcoming & alive with community energy. I tried the cortado, made with milk delivered fresh that morning & an iced golden chai that was perfectly balanced & refreshing after a walk by the water. From their thoughtfully curated non-alcoholic bottle shop, I picked up a premium alcohol-free wine from Vienna, Austria, part of a selection that clearly reflects intention & care behind what they stock. Breakfast did not disappoint. A warm everything bagel with a “secret sauce” I am still thinking about, generous salsa options & homemade pastries that made it hard to choose just one. The staff is young, friendly & fast paced in the best way, attentive without ever making you feel rushed. I noticed pets happily set up with their own treats & water bowls, which adds to the relaxed coastal atmosphere. What truly makes the place special, though, is the mix of people coming through the door. All ages. Surfers fresh from the beach, families, remote workers, neighbors picking up salads & sandwiches. It feels lived in & real. And then there is Josh, the owner. When he walks in, the energy subtly shifts. His passion for non-alcoholic beverages, shaped by years behind the bar & now five years building this concept, gives the space a quiet magnetism. Conversations naturally unfold about well-being, mindful drinking & community. You can easily spend hours there, sipping slowly & talking about life. I also loved the Hawaiian furniture handcrafted by his father, which gives the space a deeply personal & home-like feel. What elevates Ocean Beach Cafe even further is how it connects daily rituals with something bigger. Every Saturday, the team organizes a local beach cleanup, inviting neighbors & customers to begin their morning with purpose. By removing plastic & marine debris from the shoreline, they contribute directly to Life Below Water (SDG 14) & the protection of coastal ecosystems. These cleanups strengthen community ownership & environmental responsibility. By turning care for public space into a shared ritual, the café contributes to Sustainable Cities & Communities (SDG 11), showing how resilient cities are built through small, consistent collective actions.
