Cafe PHiL

Malina

I came for about 3-4 days in a row when I came to visit my friend in Brooklyn. I got their dirty chai each time - I think it’s unbeatable in the neighborhood. I also found their garden tranquil to look at while taking breaks from my studying. The staff were always kind and understanding, and my friends who I brought here also fell in love with the place.

Hazel Chong

Truly the best cafe in the neighborhood! Their coffee is amazing and food menus are exceptional. The owner was very passionate about cooking and offered us to try his new menu—freshly made katsu. He said the katsu is available depending on the situation, only on weekends up on request. Highly recommend you try this place out!

Vincent

Glad I found this spot in this neighborhood, it's the best coffee cute spot around. Great place to hang with friends or solely do your own things. Environment is chill and so clean!!

Juan Oropeza

Delicious coffee and ambiance. So happy to have a local coffee shop near home and not another chain that cares more about their bottom line.

Sarah Petrocchi

The Korean sandwich was delicious and the back patio is wonderful to sit on

Isabelle J

Cute coffee shop, really great for working with a good setup with wifi, tables, plugs. Korean owned and they make a DELICIOUS egg and ham sandwich. The scallions in here were so bomb. Staff was great. They have a back outdoor patio for warm seasons.

You

Such a wonderful place to enjoy pleasant food and coffee. I’ve known the owner for awhile and he is down to earth and knows what he is doing. Must visit place for some cool Korean food while browsing Brooklyn / Clinton Hill area!!!

theresa lee

I’ve been coming to this cafe for years, it’s truly a gem! It’s a great spot to sit and get work done, or take a short break in their peaceful backyard. Their sandwiches are great, and coffee never disappoints. The owner is kind, welcoming, and makes the space feel warm and inviting. Highly recommend!

mark johnson

An incredibly charming slice of Brooklyn serving Stunptown coffees and a wonderful variety of pastries and Korean street toast. If you have an appetite, don’t pass up the opportunity to try the toast. Beyond the coffees and menu items, PHiL has an incredibly beautiful garden area tucked behind the cafe between neighboring buildings creating a serene landscaped oasis with a variety of seating options. This is a great place to work, study or catch up with friends.

Arava Greene

Stopped by this morning because I didn't feel like making breakfast. I think the toasts and stuff are more their main thing, but the bagel was quite decent! I don't know if they make them themselves or have them delivered but either way, it was fresh and yummy. They have a nice selection of cold drinks too if you're not a coffee person. I took mine to go but they have a cute little seating area if you'd like to stay. Staff was friendly and my order only took a few minutes and my bagel was still nice and warm once I'd gotten back home!

I wanted to try out a new cafe and I’m so happy I went here. It’s on the expensive side however I think it’s worth it for a little treat. The ex-boyfriend toast is super yummy and fresh which is why it takes around 10 minutes to get it. The dirty chai is also amazing. The atmosphere is super lovely and calming and has a decent amount of spots to sit. 10/10 would recommend!

Hands down the best coffee shop in the neighborhood. Espresso is incredible and drip is amazing. Great seating in the back for solo hangs with a book or get together a with friends. Can’t wait to sit in their outdoor patio when it gets warmer. Wish they didn’t charge extra for almond/oat milk but that’s my only complaint. Will be back soon (like maybe tomorrow)

Cozy cafe in the neighborhood my husband & I frequent because of the coffee, the food and the kind owner! The coffee is wonderful - I get the dirty chai often and it is delicious. We’ve also had dinner here and the katsu is unbelievable. The owner makes everything from scratch, truly remarkable! Major perk is that I can bring my dog (& my baby) along for this highlight of my day :)

We love Phil Cafe. The Korean street toast is so good. The owner is a kind and hardworking guy. He takes good care of his customers and makes great breakfast sandwiches. He’s always happy to accommodate our dietary restrictions with dairy. We love being regulars at Phil. The work space and backyard are wonderful too. You can tell he put a lot of work into the space!

Great coffee and even better food. They do breakfast lunch and dinner and it is all great. The sandwiches are super crunchy and delicious and the dinner is a rotating menu and just as good. The katsu is some of the best I have had!!

When I had an issue with delivery the store was kind enough to call on my next order to make sure things turned out right! Very nice of them and kind customer besides the delicious food.

Claudia Yoo

Cozy cafe in the neighborhood my husband & I frequent because of the coffee, the food and the kind owner! The coffee is wonderful - I get the dirty chai often and it is delicious. We’ve also had dinner here and the katsu is unbelievable. The owner makes everything from scratch, truly remarkable! Major perk is that I can bring my dog (& my baby) along for this highlight of my day :)

Jascha Goss

Great coffee and even better food. They do breakfast lunch and dinner and it is all great. The sandwiches are super crunchy and delicious and the dinner is a rotating menu and just as good. The katsu is some of the best I have had!!

Sara Peyser

Hands down the best coffee shop in the neighborhood. Espresso is incredible and drip is amazing. Great seating in the back for solo hangs with a book or get together a with friends. Can’t wait to sit in their outdoor patio when it gets warmer. Wish they didn’t charge extra for almond/oat milk but that’s my only complaint. Will be back soon (like maybe tomorrow)

angela theis

We love Phil Cafe. The Korean street toast is so good. The owner is a kind and hardworking guy. He takes good care of his customers and makes great breakfast sandwiches. He’s always happy to accommodate our dietary restrictions with dairy. We love being regulars at Phil. The work space and backyard are wonderful too. You can tell he put a lot of work into the space!

Dylan Jones

I usually go here to study and relax. The atmosphere is great and has a room in the back with lots of seating. The worker is very nice and they have great food options

This review is about sustainability only! I am so relieved that your lovely coffee shop offers reusable mugs and dishware to patrons. But it seems like this option is not being communicated very clearly to those who are enjoying their beverages in house. Many of us who were staying there—to work, read, or meet with friends—were indeed drinking from reusable mugs. But I would say about half of the clientele there was drinking out of throwaway plastic cups, headed for the landfill, incinerator, or our oceans. By 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. As a waterfront city, I would love to see more local cafés, restaurants, and businesses honoring the land on which we live, and the waters that we border, to help work toward a healthier environment for all. Perhaps your barista could more explicitly ask patrons if they will be enjoying their drink to stay, and you could also put a sign by the bar, encouraging people to order their drink for here, in a mug. You could also feature customers on social with the reusable mugs, to make sure that people know about them. Again, I really love this space, and the coffee was delicious, and I so appreciate that I was able to take advantage of your reusable mugs. I just wish that more people knew to ask for the same! Thank you for considering how to help mitigate the plastic waste crisis.

Sheila

This review is about sustainability only! I am so relieved that your lovely coffee shop offers reusable mugs and dishware to patrons. But it seems like this option is not being communicated very clearly to those who are enjoying their beverages in house. Many of us who were staying there—to work, read, or meet with friends—were indeed drinking from reusable mugs. But I would say about half of the clientele there was drinking out of throwaway plastic cups, headed for the landfill, incinerator, or our oceans. By 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. As a waterfront city, I would love to see more local cafés, restaurants, and businesses honoring the land on which we live, and the waters that we border, to help work toward a healthier environment for all. Perhaps your barista could more explicitly ask patrons if they will be enjoying their drink to stay, and you could also put a sign by the bar, encouraging people to order their drink for here, in a mug. You could also feature customers on social with the reusable mugs, to make sure that people know about them. Again, I really love this space, and the coffee was delicious, and I so appreciate that I was able to take advantage of your reusable mugs. I just wish that more people knew to ask for the same! Thank you for considering how to help mitigate the plastic waste crisis.

Had ordered a Korean toast and their ex boyfriend toast, I would expect for a high price point for these items ~15$ per, the flavor profile / texture would be at least palatable. I was not a fan of the Korean toast at all, overly dressed with vegetables and the sweet toast was throwing it off even more. The ex boyfriend toast was decent but it’s just cream cheese and blueberry jelly so it’s pretty hard to mess that up, but for 10$ you can get 2 bagels from anywhere else. The vibe and ambiance of the location were spectacular though if I were to have been at the location and working or studying I’d have rated the place higher. Personally I’d give this one more chance but I wouldn’t recommend the food to anyone.

The aroma of freshly ground coffee hit me like a warm hug, while the soft jazz playlist and golden afternoon light pouring through the huge windows made me want to cancel all my plans and just… exist here forever. Ordered their signature honey-lavender latte and the French toast with seasonal berries. The latte? A masterpiece — floral notes dancing with the sweetness of honey, topped with the creamiest foam I’ve ever seen. The French toast was absurdly good: thick brioche, perfectly caramelized edges, bursting with vanilla custard inside, and those berries were so fresh they tasted like they apologized to the bush for being picked. The staff? Angels in aprons. My barista noticed I was shivering (typical November betrayal by the weather) and brought me a tiny blanket for the armchair without me even asking. WHO DOES THAT?! In 2025, this is basically witchcraft.

Austin Le

Had ordered a Korean toast and their ex boyfriend toast, I would expect for a high price point for these items ~15$ per, the flavor profile / texture would be at least palatable. I was not a fan of the Korean toast at all, overly dressed with vegetables and the sweet toast was throwing it off even more. The ex boyfriend toast was decent but it’s just cream cheese and blueberry jelly so it’s pretty hard to mess that up, but for 10$ you can get 2 bagels from anywhere else. The vibe and ambiance of the location were spectacular though if I were to have been at the location and working or studying I’d have rated the place higher. Personally I’d give this one more chance but I wouldn’t recommend the food to anyone.

Estefana

The aroma of freshly ground coffee hit me like a warm hug, while the soft jazz playlist and golden afternoon light pouring through the huge windows made me want to cancel all my plans and just… exist here forever. Ordered their signature honey-lavender latte and the French toast with seasonal berries. The latte? A masterpiece — floral notes dancing with the sweetness of honey, topped with the creamiest foam I’ve ever seen. The French toast was absurdly good: thick brioche, perfectly caramelized edges, bursting with vanilla custard inside, and those berries were so fresh they tasted like they apologized to the bush for being picked. The staff? Angels in aprons. My barista noticed I was shivering (typical November betrayal by the weather) and brought me a tiny blanket for the armchair without me even asking. WHO DOES THAT?! In 2025, this is basically witchcraft.

Genuinely baffled over the reviews of this place. My girlfriend and I waited over 30 minutes for our food to get served, and after asking the barista where it was, she promised it was "almost done" when minutes prior, she gave her boyfriend (who arrived 20 minutes after us) a full platter of food. We decided to then instead get a refund and leave instead of waiting any longer. Very cute place with a lot of potential, but the service just isn't there. If we were given a heads up about the long wait or were told there was a delay, we would've completely understood. Wouldn't recommend.

Ayanfe Adewoye

Genuinely baffled over the reviews of this place. My girlfriend and I waited over 30 minutes for our food to get served, and after asking the barista where it was, she promised it was "almost done" when minutes prior, she gave her boyfriend (who arrived 20 minutes after us) a full platter of food. We decided to then instead get a refund and leave instead of waiting any longer. Very cute place with a lot of potential, but the service just isn't there. If we were given a heads up about the long wait or were told there was a delay, we would've completely understood. Wouldn't recommend.

AM

I really don’t understand the high reviews for this place. I stopped by right when they opened, and there was no one else in the café. Even so, I ended up waiting around 10 minutes just to get served. I can understand delays when it’s busy, but this was first thing in the morning with no line at all. When the coffee finally came, it was a letdown — nothing special, especially given the high price. For the cost, I expected much better. Between the slow service, disappointing coffee, and price point, I won’t be coming back.