Elite Audio Coffee Bar

The latte art is soooooo cute. But other than that, it’s just kinda expensive here and I’m not a huge coffee person. The mocha latte itself is around $ 4.75 and the art charge is $ 5 making the total for the latte $ 9.75. I was sooo amazed by my baymax latte when I got it! I loved it. But other than that, I wasn’t a huge fan of the latte and I didn’t even finish it. The vibes here are cool too so it’s a nice shop, I just probably wouldn’t come back for a $ 9.75 latte.

Came here for the famous latte art. Couple tips and things to watch out for:
–the latte art is only available for mocha lattes
–there is a $ 5 art surcharge, so my total with tax came to $ 10.17
–they only have latte art at certain hours on certain days (usually 1 – 3 pm on Mon-​Fri). check their website before you go
–they won’t draw portraits or logos
–closest BART station is Powell, and then it’s another couple blocks from the station down 5^th St
Overall it was a pleasant experience. There was a very short line when I got there around 2:15 pm on a Thursday afternoon, so I only needed to wait a couple min before I placed my order.
My mocha latte came out after ~10 minutes. I’m not a huge fan of the coffee taste (in fact before this I hadn’t had any form of coffee in 8 months) so I can’t comment too much on the taste/​quality, but the picture was super cute!
My friend was a little bit disappointed with her drawing though. She had brought a picture of a yorkie from work and but ended up getting a cross between a corgi and fox drawn instead.
I would give 4 stars, but knocking down 1 star for the price and for the stuffiness of the café. It was a rare hot day in SF and I felt like I was way overheated drinking a hot latte in the stuffy environment.
Oh and wifi is available here. The wifi network name and pw are printed on placards that are placed on the various tables around the café.

I’ve had this spot bookmarked for the longest time and I’ve finally had the chance to come here yesterday after my interview to finally check out Mel’s latte art. I came here to catch up on some reading, do some work, and to witness the art latte by Mel.
It was such an honor to be able to talk to Mel, and get to know her a little more and see how passion she is when it comes to art. You know it’s good if you come back to back days.
You can request a drawing and depend if she can do it, she’ll let you know. During my 2^nd visit, she surprised with me a dragon latte and it’s funny because I felt like she read my mind and knew I wanted something like that. My first screen name on AIM was DaNnYLiLDrAgOn. LOL. middle school status along with the bopper caps.
According to their website, they currently use Verve and Roast Co beans. Prices for the art latte would be $ 10. It’s so worth it for the gram though, hahaha.
Service/​Ambiance: Mel and the rest of the baristas were super friendly and nice. Garage type atmosphere with high ceilings. There are 3 tables that accommodate 4 people each and 2 bar type seating areas. The environment feels super cozy and it’s definitely one of my favorite coffee shops to go to now. I live in San Jose and it takes me about an hour to get here. So worth it though!
I am praying that I’ll land that job so I can start coming here more often even Mel isn’t doing her art latte.
Tips:
— Follow Mel on Instagram @melaquino to see her artwork.
— Make sure to check out their website @
for the art hours. It’s not everyday that she does it!

The latte itself was good not amazing but pretty good. The latte art however is amazing. Except that a small regular latte was nearly 7 $. I won’t be coming back here but it was an experience and seeing the foam dog on top my latte made me smile :)

Joked with my cowoker that I was going to ask the girl to draw a t-​rex in my coffee… He laughed at me. And then I actually got a t-​rex in my coffee.
Thank you amazing baristas for the LEGIT coffee art! Mocha is great too — they put real chocolate in it!

This place is pretty neat, with modern décor. The coffee is pricey, but I guess it is expected for such a great latte art job. The latte art is only on their mochas, and the employees really take their time on these and scrap it if it didn’t look good. I got a Pusheen eating cake from looking at other pictures on Unilocal.It was expensive at $ 9.75 ($ 4.75 + $ 5 upcharge for the art) but I am happy to have tried this once. That’s probably the only time I would try it though: P

I came here for latte art and latte art is what I got.
You should definitely check the online website to double check the hours for latte art if that’s what you were hoping to get. Typically, the artist, Melanie, would have her latte art hours from Monday to Fridays 1−3PM. There are certain dates when she is unavailable so check online to make sure you don’t come and find yourself one short of an artist. You have to order a caffe mocha because that’s the only drink that can have latte art drawn on top. The latte art upcharge is $ 5 in addition to the drink (used to be $ 2 but has since gone up due to high requests) so you’re looking at a total of $ 10~ for a latte art drink.
You can request for a drawing and depending if she can do it, she’ll let you know. I’ve seen many drawings of Baymax, Totoro, and such on Unilocal so I decided to go out on a limb and ask for something she’s never done before. My childhood comic book was Calvin and Hobbes and luckily, she was able to do it for me and gave me my very own Hobbes latte.
It was hard to say goodbye to my Hobbes but I tried my best to save it to the very end of the cup by drinking meticulously with care until he was no more. My friend destroyed his corgi though on the first two sips (savage!). It was a very delicious latte and I would definitely come again to ask for another art next time. Although for the price, I might have to cut down my coffee to once a week.
They take cash, they take card, and they have Dynamo donuts! The interior space is also a neat place to work if you want to bring your laptop over for a cup of coffee.

Four days into my stay, Elite has served me the best coffee in San Francisco.
Wandered in after seeing cute latte/​mocha art on Unilocal reviews. Asked what a Gibraltar is, was told it’s like a cortado. Decided to get it. It was bomb.

I found out about Elite Audio Coffee bar from the Repost app on Instagram. I saw a picture of their latte art and knew I had to try it once I got to San Francisco on our vacation.
I got a mocha (I believe mocha is the only latte they can do the latte art on), and asked if she could do an acoustic guitar. I got to watch her make it, which was such a fun and cool experience! The latte not only looked awesome but tasted great too.
The people there are very friendly, and the whole place has a nice atmosphere. The latte art is a bit pricey ($ 5 up charge from the regular drink price), but if you’re looking for a cool experience, I think it’s worth it once at least. Also, if you plan on visiting and getting latte art, make sure you find out what times they have it because it is only from during certain times. For example, the day I went they only had it from 1−3pm. Overall, it was such a fun and awesome experience! I would definitely recommend trying it out!

Coffee was good, no latte art when I went. I had a latte. Tasted delicious. I’m not a coffee expert but it was on par with what I would get at coffee bar, or atlas café in the mission.
The service was pretty subpar. Coffees were made and just left at the table for us to pick up. No effort to say «Your coffee is ready!» just four coffees in a row chillin for a considerable amount of time. Considering the guy was just on his phone scrolling and waiting for customers he could make a little more effort into his job to let us know when our coffees were done.

I don’t usually go out of my way to get lattes, but I saw these cute unique mocha arts on Unilocal and had to go!
It’s located 2 blocks from Yurba Buena Gardens and the Metreon, but since it’s downtown area parking is out of the question, but we got super lucky and got meter parked right across the street.
They have varying mocha art hours each months, check out their website for details!
DRINKS:
I went mostly for the mocha art, but the drink was pretty good itself. It’s a little more on bitter coffee side than sweet chocolate which I liked, but I think a cookie would have made my expereince even better.
Mochas are $ 4.50ish and they charge additional $ 2 for mocha art, so be prepare to pay extra for a cute drink! To summarize this was probably the most expensive mocha I’ve tried, but it’s not everyday you can walk in to a coffee shop and enjoy a drink with a picture of whatever you want on it :)
They also have various types of coffees you’ll find at a typical coffee shop.
SERVICE:
Super friendly and helpful! It got to watch the mocha artist work on my mocha at the counter which was a plus
AMBIANCE:
Small hip place with a somewhat hidden «audio bar» (the origin of shop name) behind the counter. I didn’t get a chance to check it out (no food or drink allowed in the area) but you can listen to different types of sounds through different sound systems.

I’ve never been a coffee connoisseur. You can’t tell shitty coffee from great coffee until you’ve had good coffee. I’ve always done it for the buzz. Well, Elite Audio definitely has turned me into a coffee snob. I will walk 3 blocks from my workplace to get a great coffee fix.
It also makes me feel ultra-​cool just being in there since it’s so hipster and modern. White everything and people looking oh-​so-​serious on their laptops discussing important matters affecting technology, who knows. I LOVE how the baristas are super-​friendly and keep it real.

Of course, the name of this place caught my attention. .
and the latte art…
However, the cute art is only on the Mochas and it’s $ 2 extra.
I had a macchiato and even though it’s tiny, it’s strong! I used some cream and sugar to help me get through the bitterness. .haha! There is a condiment station to the left of the cashier. They usually have pastries, but we went later in the afternoon, so we missed the maple bacon doughnut that we saw in a photo. :(
This is an interesting hipster type of coffee shop with a sound studio (?). The wifi info is posted on cards on each table. If you need the restroom, just ask for the key. Service is efficient and helpful! Parking is metered street stalls.
Be careful of the street «residents». Once you get over those obstacles (parking and vagrants), it’s a cool place to hang out… Enjoy!

Came the only Saturday in March that the latte artist was working! Be sure to check her hours ahead of time if you want latte art :) It works best with the mocha and I think it was an additional $ 3 or so for the art but hey, worth it for the instagram! The drink itself was excellent too although I was focusing more on preserving my latte cat for as long as possible!

Art: Make sure to check their FB/​IG page for the art hours! There is an extra $ 2 art fee and it is only done on the mochas (paid $ 7.17 in total). The barista, Melannie, can skillfully produce any design you desire and my friend and I were blown away by our requested pusheen art! Expect a wait for your design if there are people before you (we were asked to wait 15 minutes for the 2 people ahead of us).
Coffee: According to their website, they currently use Verve and Roast Co beans. I am sad to say that I was a bit disappointed with the mocha and the New Orleans iced coffee.
Service: The baristas were super friendly and nice! They also did not mind that we were excitedly documenting our pusheens being devoured.
Ambiance: Cool garage type atmosphere with high ceilings. There are 3 tables that accommodate 4 people each and 2 bar type seating areas. The music is pretty loud so it may not be the best study environment, but there is free wifi and a bathroom! This place is also part café and part audio & home theater system store.
Although the drinks I had did not blow me away, I would definitely return once in awhile to watch master Melannie do her art if I had a couple more bucks to spend!

Most of the reviews that I read about this coffee bar have to do with the cute Baymax and Totoro latte art, but honestly I would come here despite that. In fact, the latte artist/​owner was not there when I visited, but my experience was memorable nevertheless. I decided to work from this coffee bar for a few hours one weekday morning. Got my latte and found a table where I could camp out.
This place is very spacious, airy, and simple. The WiFi information is on every table, the restroom is easily accessible, and the music is on point. Props to any coffeeshop where I don’t to drown out my surroundings with my own music. Apparently they have Music Thursdays where you can bring your own music to play. I’m in love with the atmosphere. Just being here inspires me while I’m getting some work done!

Good coffee? — Check
Good pastries? — Check
Good seating? — Check
And of course, amazing baristas? — Quadruple check!
I’ll be honest, if I ever decide to get coffee at Elite, it would have to be Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays. Why you ask? Because they have one of the most amazing pistachio croissant ever from Neighbor Bakery. I’m not saying Tuesdays or Thursdays aren’t amazing, but they just don’t have that flaky and crispy croissant that keeps me coming back. (PS. They sell out their pastries pretty early, I would say come before 11AM.)
Elite now serves Verve Coffee, which is one of my favorites! Melanie, the amazing owner, also does super cute latte art on mochas! (Sadly, mochas are not my favorite drink of choice, but they are pretty delicious here.)
Thanks Elite, you the real mvp for being so close to my office.
P. S. Ask for latte art on mochas! (Or if it’s not busy, she’ll just surprise you with one!)

I’m getting back on that coffee shop game! This place is seriously good. There’s a constant flow of people coming in and out on a friday morning. Everyone is very uhh. SoMa-​ish which is refreshing since I don’t work in SF anymore. The breakdown:
+ I had a Mocha ($ 4.75) which was decent. Not the best, not the worst but it was definitely made with love. I’d prefer they use a stronger roast because I didn’t taste much of the coffee or felt much of a kick.
+ The latte art is on point.
+ Soy milk and almond milk available if you’re about that life.
+ I also ordered a Pour Over ($ 3) which is probably one of the best made cups I’ve had in a really long time (hence the 5 stars). The Honduras roast was pretty acidic but still offered nice notes.
+ Baristas are super chill and all pretty nice.
BONUS: Free wifi and accepts credit cards!
Bottom line — although small, this little trendy coffee shop is one of the best in the area. I definitely suggest giving it a try!

100^th EACB Reviewer, Whasssuh!
Saw the latte art via instagram and had to check them out! I was stoked that this place was walking distance from the Moscone Center (where I was taking some CE classes). It was about a 7 – 10 min walk. Made it there around 9:00am on a Thursday expecting the place to be busy and it wasn’t (thank goodness, because my next class was at 9:30am)! Scouted out for the pastries first (bc T TH is donut day), but they were nowhere in sight. Boo, was lightweight disappoints atm.
I researched ahead of time and found out the coffee art worked out best with the mocha (art appears more clear and detailed), so that’s what I went with. Requested for Baymax and a turtle ^_​_​^ After I ordered, a person came in with a big plastic tub of… something and placed them on the table. DONUTS!!! ERMAHGERD Yes!!! just in time, because I was hungry. Went back up to the counter to order one up! There were about 6 – 8 flavaflavs to choose from. Went with Maple bacon because yeah… can’t go wrong with that flavor. Sweet and salty goodness.
After a few minutes my mocha order was up. And I was blown away by how awesome the latte art was. It was… perfect. *tear drop. Whipped out my phone to have a mini photo shoot then I had to rush back to the center. This was my first mocha purchase outside of Starbucks. So this must’ve been pretty legit. I’m not a coffee person (frappes don’t count right?).I have it once or twice a year (forseriously.I do). I’ve never had straight up mocha. It was usually paired with caramel, peppermint, or crème brûlée. The EACB mocha was good and it tasted better as it cooled down. I mean… it kept me awake for my next lecture, because I was already doing the head-​bob in my first class…
This place is easy to miss. It’s located near non-​food places, such as a yoga studio, gym, and automotive place. I think they should have a more noticeable sign outside. I mean… its red, but you could easily mistake that sign for a printer shop or office (because of the font they use). The café is quite small, but quaint. The drinks and pastries are a bit on the pricey side but hey, its the city (everything is a $ 1+ more)…and the ingredients they use are above a lot of other coffee shops (I believe they use Blue bottle coffee in their drinks). Take a break from Peets and StarBs and support local businesses.

People used to go to coffee shops to enjoy a nice cup of coffee. Nowadays, people go to coffee shops in hopes to snap a nice photo of their coffee.
Look no further! Elite Audio Coffee Bar is home Melannie Aquino who makes beautiful and detailed latte art. (She actually prefers if you order the mocha because the art shows up better!) Her Minion themed art has been gaining recognition, so you’ve probably seen Instagram snaps of her work already. Besides Minions, she also does characters like Snoopy, Totoro, Wall-​E, Spongebob, regular cartoon animals, and more. Catch her if you can — she works Mondays through Fridays from 8am-​4pm!
The coffee shop is in a garage, but you couldn’t even tell unless you looked up! In the back is an audio store. Pretty legit because their sound system is crackin’. They play EDM, so it’s nice background music while you do work. Free wifi! :)
There are three square tables and two long counters to sit at. They don’t have AC, so it does get stuffy on a hot day. But I really dig their natural lighting and cute interior!