This is one of the best, non-coffee bean, coffee locations on campus. Also, their pretzels and flatbreads are very tasty. The only downside is for the quantity of food you receive, the price is quite steep. I would like to see a reduction in price on their menu items.
Kelsee C.
Place rating: 4 Riverside, CA
I absolutely love this place. The ladies are always so happy and friendly. I order here so often that they know me and my usual order. The coffee tastes great and is pretty strong so my caffeine kick lasts throughout the day. They have many different coffees to choose from, but if you order an iced coffee you can only get a medium or large. They also have a great food selection. They have small things like muffins and bagels, but they also have meals like sandwiches and flatbreads. I’ve had a few of the flatbreads and they’re alright. Not worth the money in my opinion. Their bacon breakfast sandwich is pretty good though. This is a great place to grab coffee and a snack and then sit to work on homework or study. They have a pretty large sitting area with multiple comfortable couches. It’s too loud for nap time, but it’s great for everything else. Depending on the time of day it can get pretty busy, but it’s busy because it’s such a great place!
Jayce G.
Place rating: 3 Riverside, CA
Food is okay, a bit pricey for the quality however the convenience of the location is nice for any engineering students. Not the best spot to study or to prepare before class due to loud atmosphere which includes the talkative employees. Overall a hidden and enjoyable spot catered directly to engineering students.
Andy L.
Place rating: 4 Pacoima, CA
Bytes was a good addition to that area of campus. I am a little bias to that though since I was BCOE and I spent most days in that area. Saves from crossing campus to Coffee Bean though. It is very similar to the Starbucks and Coffee Beans of the world, a little different of course but a great café. I literally spent all of my summer session here in between classes, it was not crowded and the air conditioning was welcoming when it was scorching outside. There is about 6 or 7 small tables around the perimeter with couches lining the middle. There is a TV but it’s always on the UCR channel. Coffee choices are like SB and CB, same with the frozen blended drinks as well. Drinks can be a little inconsistent since they were training new employees at the time. There food choices are delicious. In the early mornings until 11 they have breakfast sandwiches. For lunch they have these flat breads sandwiches that I find myself craving even until now(that buffalo chicken though). Price wise is fair, they did give me a free size upgrade for being there literally everyday. Unfortunately it gets too crowded during the regular school year.
I G.
Place rating: 5 Irvine, CA
I love coming here to get my on-campus lattes. They have very good flat breads, small, but a good grab-and-go item for lunch. There’s sofas, couches, and tables to use. Usually they’re filled up, but if you can snag one, it’s a good place to study because the noise level isn’t too loud, and people are usually studying or discussing(«important») things, so none of that loud laughing, gossiping, or just people chatting really loudly. The service. is a little… has a bit of an attitude. But I don’t think the lady is mean, I think that’s the way she is and how she speaks.
David K.
Place rating: 4 Riverside, CA
Great little café in engineering at UCR. Coffee is good and they have sandwiches, fruit, pastries. Lots of tables inside and out.
Gina F.
Place rating: 3 Riverside, CA
Really good food! The soups are always super hot and pretty tasty. And the sandwiches are pretty good too. Juuuussstt the service here leaves something to he desired. …
Adrienne R.
Place rating: 3 Riverside, CA
The service is definitely a 2, the girl I always end up ordering from is not mean but she’s definitely not nice either even though she’s been working here for a while it seems because she was training some guy the first time I came here. Anyway, they have premade sandwiches like Bear Necessities(the convenience store), I never tried these because the BN sandwiches are not that good(the wraps however are quite delicious) and also because they always only have tuna when I go, which is usually 4pm. Do they only sell tuna or do they just sell out of the good ones, I have no idea haha. I’ve never tried their teas either, just bottled for me since I hear they are overly sweet here. I do, however, really like the flatbread sandwiches, I always get the turkey club — it has cubed pieces of turkey, bacon, and what I think is some kind of avocado based sauce and a chipotle sauce, it’s quite good, but messy… almost filling even :-) They also have chips and other snacks you can get here, so it’s kind of like a cross between coffee bean and the Bear Necessities, and it’s located more conveniently if most of your classes are in Physics or Chung like I am this quarter. If you’re somewhere like INTS or Psychology, I dont think it’s particularly worth the trek. I mostly prefer coming here not just because it’s convenient, but also because it’s way, way less crowded than the hub, easier to find a table outside if you want to sit outside, and it has wall sockets so I can eat and be on my laptop at the same time, unlike in the hub where you’ll almost never get a table next to a socket. Also the couches are comfy and I like suggesting this place for group meetings instead of in the uncomfortable and stuffy Riviera study rooms.
Chris V.
Place rating: 4 Wilshire Center, Los Angeles, CA
I have class at Winston Chung this quarter, while I had another at Bourns last year. Since this place is right next to these places, this place is my go-to stop for a quick meal. Their items are overpriced, but if you’re a student, the food here is some of the better stuff on campus and, compared to the rest, it’s sometimes worth it. They have a good selection of coffees and teas, which is great. Their wraps are really good, but their options aren’t the healthiest. I got the Turkey Bacon Wrap with Chipotle Ranch, and it’s pretty good. Good quality, and delicious results. I’m rating four stars instead of five because I ordered a cappuccino here and it’s hardly even strong. I’m sort of a coffee enthusiast and, to me, their cappuccino isn’t as strong or flavorful as I had hoped. But it’s at a good price. I do see myself coming back here. And if you have dining dollars, even better. Check this place out.
Kelly C.
Place rating: 3 San Francisco, CA
For the convenience, I’m definitely a fan. It’s located within the Winston Chung Hall(formerly Engineering II building), and is an easily accessible location for those who either work or study in the area. For food, they have the typical types of pastries that you would find on campus at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf or at the C-Store. They also have different types of candies and snacks for available for purchase. As of last quarter, they even added breakfast foods such as muffins and crossaints to their list. Now their drinks are just passable in terms of the taste. Their coffee isn’t especially tasty, nor are their smoothies especially delicious. In fact, I find their smoothies overly sweet. The only thing I really like from here is their Chai Tea Latte. The ladies who usually are working there are extremely friendly, with the students being so-so. Nothing to rave about. As for why it’s just three stars? It is definitely A-OK. Nothing I’d go crazy over.
Kathy C.
Place rating: 4 Riverside, CA
This is like a hidden gem at UCR. It’s fairly new. I probably wouldn’t have come across it if it weren’t for my brother’s recommendation which I’m glad he did because if there’s one thing I’m going to miss, it’s this place! FOOD — So far, I’ve only been able to try their Turkey Club flat bread sandwiches. It’s nice and toasty. Good food on the go! It was enough to fill me up. I do think it’s a bit on the expensive side. DRINKS — These come in 3 sizes: S, M, L. I usually order a large iced caramel macchiato. It’s my absolute favorite! Since it’s through UCR’s dining, it’s the exact same as Ivan’s Café(near Hinderaker). The price is more affordable than Starbuck’s, and in my opinion, I like it here a lot better! The only suggestion I have for this place is to lower their pricings. After all, we ARE broke college students, and we recently got hit with a tuition increase.
Ryan S.
Place rating: 4 San Francisco, CA
on a scale for souly campus food this deserves a 5 but when compared to the rest of the city i would give this place probably a 3 ½. newly opened located in engineering 2 the side facing B118, is this small little sandwich shop, to be more precise flat bread sandwiches In reality its pre made and frozen and when you order they just put it in those fast heating ovens you see at subway and serve it to you, the good thing about that is that getting your flat bread sandwich is pretty fast like every place on campus to get a cup of water is 10 cents but the janky thing here is that i don’t think they have teppid water, i’ve seen the worker fill a whole cup with ice and put hot water in it… so this wouldn’t be the best place to get water since they don’t have those dispensers for drinks. they do serve breakfast now but i have yet to try any of their breakfast sandwiches, if they are better then scotty’s then this would probably be my new favorite spot on campus, but scotty’s made it fresh, this place would probably utilize that fast oven.
Ruth R.
Place rating: 2 Oakland, CA
It’s pretty new, so gotta give them some slack, but still, not very organized. Every time I’d pass by, they always seemed very frazzled and busy, confused about what they’re supposed to be doing. When I actually bought something there, a scone, it was a process. All it takes is for the cashier to put it in a bag, and hand it over. Instead, the cashier told her subordinate to warm up the scone(which i declined earlier) which i than had to wait for after they forgot about it. It was not a very quality scone, and since it’s a UCR run coffee shop, it was over priced. I’ll probably not return, because I can find/make a better product much easier. But, they are fairly new, so if I’m in the area and starving(in a few months) I may return.
Felicia L.
Place rating: 4 Long Beach, CA
Being that my lab is just upstairs and my internship is just a couple of steps away, I must go to Bytes 3 – 5 times a week. I always seem to find myself getting a spinach and peta pretzel with marinara sauce, a bagel with cream cheese, lemon bar, cinnamon pretzel, or a gatorade. Those are my favorites. As for drinks, I am not much of a coffee drinker so I can’t give you a great suggestion… =O Flatbread sandwiches are pretty good too(mushroom ortega is pretty good), but they get boring when you eat them so much(from personal experience, lol.) The ladies there are always nice. Gigi will remember your name and order and always greets you with a smile =) Also, a nice seating area/lobby near Bytes. Before Bytes opened, it was just a lonely empty room. Nice to see BCOE is making our building look good and more social with students and professors coming here.
Heather I.
Place rating: 4 Riverside, CA
This is my go to café on UCR’s campus. It’s located in EBUII and it is not usually as busy as Coffee Bean. The coffee here is pretty good and they have a delicious menu of flat bread sandwiches, bagels, and pretzels. They also have all the«frou frou» coffee drinks one might crave as well: Mochas, lattes, and the obligatory Caramel Macchiato. AND, right now they have a promotion 2 drinks for $ 2 after 2pm(8 oz drinks only). What a steal!