Maru Coffee

I heard this spot was popular in another city and I wanted to check it out. The location isn’t at your typical plaza, it’s setup near a busy street heading toward the freeway. I had their chocolate chip cookie and a matcha latte hot with whole milk. The matcha was excellent, perfect temperature and flavor. The cookie was also phenomenal. Overall it was an excellent breakfast time snack. I’d definitely come back here again. Street parking can get pretty tight during peak times and traffic times.

10/10 coffee, matcha, vibes, and ambience. First time trying this place while I was in LA and I would for sure go back. The location is pretty great as well.

Super helpful customer service! Environment is super friendly to animals and kids. It gives off a Japanese and modern style mix. Love that vibe! The creamtop was just the right amount of cream and sweet to my usual coffee craving. Amazing combo! Not over powering either side of the acidity of the coffee or the sugary-ness. I had a hard time choosing between their matcha collection or coffee. Their matcha seemed such a hit, I definitely need to come back to try it! Don’t wanna miss out their hype!

+2

The service here was consistently attentive, making the quick coffee run feel surprisingly smooth... The baristas kept the airy, hip atmosphere lively without ever being intrusive. I left feeling ready to tackle the next project and maybe a cycling route later

The creamtop was amazing. Great service. Clean and modern decor. The only negative is there are none close to where I live. I will be coming back again!!

This café feels like it belongs in Seoul — clean, minimal, and stylish. The matcha latte is smooth and balanced, not bitter like others I’ve tried. It’s on the pricier side, but the quality makes up for it. Seating is limited, so it’s better for grabbing coffee to go. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable about their beans

Maru is one of those cafés where the coffee details and the vibe line up exactly how you want them to. They are pulling flat whites on a custom Mavam setup with a light to medium roast Ethiopia and Colombia blend that tastes bright, clean, and a little fruity, without ever feeling sour. The milk is textured just right so you still taste the coffee, not just warm foam. The room has this calm, slightly cinematic feel, and the Titanic music playing softly in the background weirdly works, like your own little movie moment with coffee. Their croissants are sourced from Sugarbloom, which already tells you they care about quality. The pastry is flaky and light, and when you break it open, the strawberry jam style filling looks beautiful and actually tastes as special as it looks. Paired with the flat white, it turns a quick coffee run into a small ritual I would happily repeat.

Overall ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐（5/5) Environment ⭐⭐⭐⭐½☆ Very beautiful space, but crowded. Parking is difficult. Drinks ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ • Cream Top ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ Well-balanced and easy to drink. The coffee is slightly acidic, and the cream is smooth without being overly sweet. • Iced Breve Macchiato ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My absolute favorite. The coffee aroma is rich and intense, and it pairs perfectly with the cream. Will I come back? Yes. I’d come here specifically for the macchiato. After trying it, my friend and I liked it enough that we ended up buying coffee beans to take home.

One of the best coffee roasters in Los Angeles. I always stop by and get beans and a cold brew when I’m in the area. The baristas make great recommendations. Last time my friend got a sparkling lemonade and it was cool to see them slicing the lemon and making the drink from scratch. Also very tasty I usually park on the street or around the corner on Sacramento St. near the City Club Bar.

love this coffee shop, not only by me but by others too! i had a smooth and fruity espresso, you can tell that they are very serious with their coffee. love the white minimalistic interior and the overall vibe.

What a matcha! Very high-quality and perfectly made drink. The place is super pretty and great for a chat, but there isn’t much space so be prepared to be surrounded by a lot of people. Still, it’s totally worth it! The coffee is also delicious and high quality. I tried the natural latte, and wow a sip to heaven!

Maru’s espresso is always great. Got the kemi blend. Unsweetened iced matcha was rich and fresh, not watered down! Some parking lot available, but it’s always busy so street parking can be available too. Not necessarily a place to work remotely with your laptop, but plenty were doing it!

Tucked away and hidden in plain sight (at least to me because l've never seen this place and I drive down Santa Fe all the time) is this extremely cool little coffee shop that brings the minimalistic, neat and organized traditional vibes with some incredible tasting matcha and coffee. Photos don't do the matcha latte I linked under justice it was in my opinion one of the top 3 matchas ive ever had. They have some small bites to eat as well, I didn't order but I saw a lot of people going with what I think was a matcha crumble donut? It was small and green and looked great, especially if their drinks were this good. It can get busy around lunch time and breakfast rush, and seating is limited. But try it out, you won't be disappointed!!

Very much the best coffee roaster I’ve been to in LA yet. Their iced pour over was perfection in a cup. It’s literally everything I love in a coffee. Slow Pour Over, iced, perfectly balanced ratio, floral nose and flavor. Mellow, not bitter. And crystal clear with no residue. Near Perfection.

Amazing espresso, the Sanmi Ethiopia was an explosion tropical flavor. I got strong pineapple notes. The cold foam is a great option for those who like their coffee sweeter. I bought the same bag of coffee beans (which came with free drip or cold brew coffee) and em excited to brew at home.

This place really draws in a crowd. The place is small. The line was already reaching the door when we got there. Expect to wait for your nectar of the gods because it will take a good minute to reach the front to order. Still worth the wait IMO. The coffee is really delicious and strong. A real "wake me up" if you need it. The ham and cheese croissant was a sad. The little rolled up slice of ham in the middle just made us laugh. The spinach and cheese croissant was not disappointing. Very friendly staff and cool first time experience. Definitely coming back for some coffee ☕

I’ve been coming to this Maru for years, even before they started roasting in-house, so I’m finally giving the review they deserve. The first thing that strikes you is that even when the place is packed (which it often is), there’s a bright tranquility to the space; usually including good music and an air of creative energy from people working and collaborating while sipping their cream tops. I became a cult follower of their almond milk matcha latte, but their core competency lies truly in their phenomenal espresso. If you brew at home, you can’t leave without a bag of their beans. Overall, this coffee sanctuary has been and will continue to be one of my must-visits every time I’m back in LA.

prezelonline

Overall ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐（5/5) Environment ⭐⭐⭐⭐½☆ Very beautiful space, but crowded. Parking is difficult. Drinks ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ • Cream Top ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ Well-balanced and easy to drink. The coffee is slightly acidic, and the cream is smooth without being overly sweet. • Iced Breve Macchiato ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My absolute favorite. The coffee aroma is rich and intense, and it pairs perfectly with the cream. Will I come back? Yes. I’d come here specifically for the macchiato. After trying it, my friend and I liked it enough that we ended up buying coffee beans to take home.

rated by maryam • food critic

Maru is one of those cafés where the coffee details and the vibe line up exactly how you want them to. They are pulling flat whites on a custom Mavam setup with a light to medium roast Ethiopia and Colombia blend that tastes bright, clean, and a little fruity, without ever feeling sour. The milk is textured just right so you still taste the coffee, not just warm foam. The room has this calm, slightly cinematic feel, and the Titanic music playing softly in the background weirdly works, like your own little movie moment with coffee. Their croissants are sourced from Sugarbloom, which already tells you they care about quality. The pastry is flaky and light, and when you break it open, the strawberry jam style filling looks beautiful and actually tastes as special as it looks. Paired with the flat white, it turns a quick coffee run into a small ritual I would happily repeat.

Vlad Satchouk

One of the best coffee roasters in Los Angeles. I always stop by and get beans and a cold brew when I’m in the area. The baristas make great recommendations. Last time my friend got a sparkling lemonade and it was cool to see them slicing the lemon and making the drink from scratch. Also very tasty I usually park on the street or around the corner on Sacramento St. near the City Club Bar.

Miguel Alvarez

What a matcha! Very high-quality and perfectly made drink. The place is super pretty and great for a chat, but there isn’t much space so be prepared to be surrounded by a lot of people. Still, it’s totally worth it! The coffee is also delicious and high quality. I tried the natural latte, and wow a sip to heaven!

Jake E

Very much the best coffee roaster I’ve been to in LA yet. Their iced pour over was perfection in a cup. It’s literally everything I love in a coffee. Slow Pour Over, iced, perfectly balanced ratio, floral nose and flavor. Mellow, not bitter. And crystal clear with no residue. Near Perfection.

Kat Palmer

Maru’s espresso is always great. Got the kemi blend. Unsweetened iced matcha was rich and fresh, not watered down! Some parking lot available, but it’s always busy so street parking can be available too. Not necessarily a place to work remotely with your laptop, but plenty were doing it!

David Bar

Tucked away and hidden in plain sight (at least to me because l've never seen this place and I drive down Santa Fe all the time) is this extremely cool little coffee shop that brings the minimalistic, neat and organized traditional vibes with some incredible tasting matcha and coffee. Photos don't do the matcha latte I linked under justice it was in my opinion one of the top 3 matchas ive ever had. They have some small bites to eat as well, I didn't order but I saw a lot of people going with what I think was a matcha crumble donut? It was small and green and looked great, especially if their drinks were this good. It can get busy around lunch time and breakfast rush, and seating is limited. But try it out, you won't be disappointed!!

Kendall Whitbeck

Amazing espresso, the Sanmi Ethiopia was an explosion tropical flavor. I got strong pineapple notes. The cold foam is a great option for those who like their coffee sweeter. I bought the same bag of coffee beans (which came with free drip or cold brew coffee) and em excited to brew at home.

F U

This place really draws in a crowd. The place is small. The line was already reaching the door when we got there. Expect to wait for your nectar of the gods because it will take a good minute to reach the front to order. Still worth the wait IMO. The coffee is really delicious and strong. A real "wake me up" if you need it. The ham and cheese croissant was a sad. The little rolled up slice of ham in the middle just made us laugh. The spinach and cheese croissant was not disappointing. Very friendly staff and cool first time experience. Definitely coming back for some coffee ☕

Nat awee

Super helpful customer service! Environment is super friendly to animals and kids. It gives off a Japanese and modern style mix. Love that vibe! The creamtop was just the right amount of cream and sweet to my usual coffee craving. Amazing combo! Not over powering either side of the acidity of the coffee or the sugary-ness. I had a hard time choosing between their matcha collection or coffee. Their matcha seemed such a hit, I definitely need to come back to try it! Don’t wanna miss out their hype!

Alexandria Albert

10/10 coffee, matcha, vibes, and ambience. First time trying this place while I was in LA and I would for sure go back. The location is pretty great as well.

I've been hooked on there Creamtop coffee!! Overall nice place im usually on the run but it seems like a good spot to stay and enjoy your coffee in house as the atmosphere has a nice relaxing vibe. Once your inside everything slows down compared to the crazy outside world of Los Angeles. Parking is limited but worth finding a spot to enjoy a nice cup of quality brew. For the staff I appreciate your service and attentiveness to your customers keep up the great work!

Fernando Valdez

I've been hooked on there Creamtop coffee!! Overall nice place im usually on the run but it seems like a good spot to stay and enjoy your coffee in house as the atmosphere has a nice relaxing vibe. Once your inside everything slows down compared to the crazy outside world of Los Angeles. Parking is limited but worth finding a spot to enjoy a nice cup of quality brew. For the staff I appreciate your service and attentiveness to your customers keep up the great work!

Cute place. Both my mom and I enjoyed their drinks, but it was honestly average coffee. Nothing too special, but not bad either. Nice to try it at least once.

Great coffee, I had a oat latte in a gorgeous ceramic cup. Wife had a spich chilled Chai. I had a sip it was good. The branding is beautiful. They roast the beans on prem. A bit tight and parking is not easy. Gorgeous merchandise as well.

Decent coffee house. The lack of wall plugs, charger ports for laptop is annoying as there are only 4-5 of them and they’re all located near the big hot windows and near the door. If you sit at the bar area there are no wall chargers so you’re limited to whatever your laptop is at battery wise. Loved the iced coffee and the croissant was tasty. Will gladly come back but be weary, it’s small and it’s usually packed. Absolutely no parking besides an expensive lot a block away.

+1

I love their coffee and the location. The barista was friendly but one lady gave me a long stare when I asked for a glass of water in a glass, not plastic cup. My tip, try the flat white/cortado coffee ☕️ in a real cup, it tastes much better!

Good music and drinks but uncomfortable chairs and definitely not a place to work unless you are very very short and can use the low table or you are able to get one of the three chairs at the bar. The ricotta pastry looked great but was too sweet and didn’t have any ricotta that you could taste.

+1

Wonderful, coffee and great pastries as well. I made a special trip to this place and was very happy with everything they had to offer. I ended up getting a pour over as well as a croissant. I will happily visit this place again next time I’m in the arts district of downtown LA.

+4

Hip coffee spot in an industrial area with virtually no easy parking. The coffee is very good, though if one doesn’t like strong fruit notes in their coffee then this place is probably not for you. The minimalist ambiance was very cool and the croissant was excellent. I would say that Maru is a solid coffee shop but probably somewhat overhyped.

Us: got the iced cappuccino and cream top. I thought iced cappuccino would be interesting but it wasn't anything special. Their cream top is pretty solid. Others: I wished we could have gotten bonbon, but cold capp was too tempting. Other than that, its a very quaint small minimalistic coffee shop. Their chairs are so comfortable for some reason. Owners: all the best

+1

I really adore the aesthetic of this place. Staff was nice too. My espresso (bon bon) was a little sour, but all the drinks were decent overall. Can’t go wrong with a foam top. The blueberry muffin was yummy! The spinach croissant was very tasty. Don’t get the Matcha donuts! They have the texture of Twinkies, super gross! Unfortunately for the price and distance, I don’t think I’ll be back, but worth the trip.

+5

I'm a fan of Maru's pourovers. I really enjoy the notes and last week even bought a bag of coffee at the end of my visit. At that point, I already had a cup of coffee and didn't realize that you get a free drink with a purchase of a bag. When I said I already had a drink and if I can just save my free drink for next time, the barista asked me when I would come back. I said probably next Saturday and he gave me the ok to come back. I went this morning to grab my free drink and the guy at the front was so dismissive asking me who gave me the authority to make such a request and that they don't do that here. It was so dismissive and he spoke so condescendingly... He finally gave me the option of a cold brew or drip after shaming me (very loudly too). I really like the coffee, but I'm not about the service. I felt humiliated and honestly won't be coming back. There's plenty of coffee shops in LA with good roasters. I don't want to go to a place that thinks they're too good for their customers. It sucks that one barista ruins it for everyone. Maybe I'll try it again, but not anytime soon.

My wife wanted me to come with her to check it out. Somewhat new in the warehouse district and it's hidden on Santa Fe street. It doesn't stand out like Starbucks and if you drive too fast, you'll miss it, but once you find it & go in, you'll see a lot of people with lots of coffees on the table. This place tastes just like any other fancy coffee shop. But if you love coffees and you want to try a new place, you gotta check it out. The service was really nice.

I was pretty excited to try this place. They seem to have some intentional efforts to make great coffee. It wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. Pretty good though. 3.5 stars. Pour over decent. The cortado was a little sour. The space is a little small but that’s not to abnormal for great shops. Just part of it.

I walked in for a post boxing class treat with very little knowledge of the menu or vibe. Immediately as I entered I noticed the line was long and every table buzzed with quiet conversation. It was a decent mix of people, babies, and dogs, but not overpowering enough to reduce the enjoyment of the space. I over heard light conversations in french, family planning, business conversations and made friendly banter with the woman waiting to order ahead of me. She reassured me the line is long but usually moves quickly. Her prediction turned out to be true. When it was my turn I mentioned it was my first visit so I would have appreciated more intentional recommendations, but I understood the need to keep things moving. I ordered a cold, foamy espresso and a chocolate chip cookie; both distinct and genuinely divine. Pedestrian accessible, a great after work out treat, with distinct enough offerings to make a repeat visit when I am in this neighborhood.

I’ve been to Maru so many times and always loved their coffee — I even posted on Instagram to recommend them. But this summer, my first visit back was really disappointing. I bought a bag of beans that was clearly 10oz, but I was charged $40 (the price of the 20oz bag). The cashier even looked at the size before ringing it up. Later, when I noticed the mistake and went back, the staff only offered a refund with no apology. I told them I’d rather just switch for a 20oz bag, but they didn’t offer any help. I ended up doing the exchange myself and left after saying a very awkward “thank you,” without them saying anything back. What makes me sad is that earlier this year, the vibe and service here were always warm and welcoming. Lately, with some staff change, the energy feels totally different — colder, less friendly. Honestly, it doesn’t feel as recommendable as it used to.

Wade Hannah Aaron

I was pretty excited to try this place. They seem to have some intentional efforts to make great coffee. It wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. Pretty good though. 3.5 stars. Pour over decent. The cortado was a little sour. The space is a little small but that’s not to abnormal for great shops. Just part of it.

Rockyatu O.

I walked in for a post boxing class treat with very little knowledge of the menu or vibe. Immediately as I entered I noticed the line was long and every table buzzed with quiet conversation. It was a decent mix of people, babies, and dogs, but not overpowering enough to reduce the enjoyment of the space. I over heard light conversations in french, family planning, business conversations and made friendly banter with the woman waiting to order ahead of me. She reassured me the line is long but usually moves quickly. Her prediction turned out to be true. When it was my turn I mentioned it was my first visit so I would have appreciated more intentional recommendations, but I understood the need to keep things moving. I ordered a cold, foamy espresso and a chocolate chip cookie; both distinct and genuinely divine. Pedestrian accessible, a great after work out treat, with distinct enough offerings to make a repeat visit when I am in this neighborhood.

Yaqian Zhang

I’ve been to Maru so many times and always loved their coffee — I even posted on Instagram to recommend them. But this summer, my first visit back was really disappointing. I bought a bag of beans that was clearly 10oz, but I was charged $40 (the price of the 20oz bag). The cashier even looked at the size before ringing it up. Later, when I noticed the mistake and went back, the staff only offered a refund with no apology. I told them I’d rather just switch for a 20oz bag, but they didn’t offer any help. I ended up doing the exchange myself and left after saying a very awkward “thank you,” without them saying anything back. What makes me sad is that earlier this year, the vibe and service here were always warm and welcoming. Lately, with some staff change, the energy feels totally different — colder, less friendly. Honestly, it doesn’t feel as recommendable as it used to.

The coffee is good, first and foremost. The atmosphere is fine. Not my style, but I can see a lot of people digging the aesthetic. It is very modern/Norwegian feeling. Warm woods and what-not. The service was nice. I asked about their most popular drink, the cream top latte, and received a good description without fuss. Coffee itself has the perfect sweetness. Acidity is nice without being disruptive. I can also feel the caffeine levels were potent. Flavor overall was medium-light, mild fruitiness. I went on a Monday at 3pm and had to wait 3 seconds to order lol. That is greatly influencing my score as well. Will very likely be back.

Gabriel Russell

The coffee is good, first and foremost. The atmosphere is fine. Not my style, but I can see a lot of people digging the aesthetic. It is very modern/Norwegian feeling. Warm woods and what-not. The service was nice. I asked about their most popular drink, the cream top latte, and received a good description without fuss. Coffee itself has the perfect sweetness. Acidity is nice without being disruptive. I can also feel the caffeine levels were potent. Flavor overall was medium-light, mild fruitiness. I went on a Monday at 3pm and had to wait 3 seconds to order lol. That is greatly influencing my score as well. Will very likely be back.

I didn't like how the coffee didn't taste very strong and more milky for latte. Personally, I enjoy more of a deeper chocolate flavor for espresso. I also didn't think the service was that friendly, the seating not that comfortable. I feel like you're also more verbally pressured to tip which I just think is kinda weird even though I know it's important for workers. I did like the minimal aesthetic of the Cafe and I think they offer a different variety of coffee like slow drip cold brew. I think the coffee is fine, and if you do like your coffee on the "lighter" side, I think you would enjoy it.

I just got back from Japan and wanted some matcha, so I went to Maru. While i was waiting in line I noticed someone drinking an iced coffee with a sweet cream float. When it was my turn to order (10 minute wait), i asked for a matcha latte with a sweet cream float and they said no. Shocked, I asked why not and the barista pointed to a sign (pictured) and said it was company policy. I inquired as to why Maru categorically refused to put sweet heavy cream in my matcha latte and she responded “wE bUy ReAlLy HiGh QuAlItY mAtChA fRoM jApAn…” so they don’t want to compromise the flavor. Mind you, they put whole milk in it and agave (not Japanese). It still tasted pretty good, i just cant stand arbitrary rules, and my custom drink would probably taste better. Oh i also bought a stale croissant.

I visited Maru for the first time every day this past 4 days and I loved the coffee and chocolate croissants but the customer service was ‘shocking!’ I get your only job is to take my order but no hello, no thank you, no eye contact but yet I’m supposed to leave a tip? I get this is 2025 and customer service is becoming a thing of the past but I think proper acknowledgment is the bare minimum. I will say I had a positive experience on Saturday morning. Friday & Sunday morning - not so much.

Cute coffee shop in LA but didn’t feel anything too special/unique, but definitely more known for their coffee than as a matcha shop. Their coffee carries more citrusy notes, which was interesting. Their interior is also pretty cute and had a few seating spots!

I’m the odd man out, I get that. Their signature coffee had all the allure and wow factors that I’d expected. Although it was good, nutty coffee, it wasn’t my favorite flavor either. Don’t think it was worth the sweaty 30+ min wait in line in the middle of my Saturday, but cheers to those devotees who filled the store!

Really hyped coffee shop in Los Angeles. I was excited to try one of the most popular coffee places and went in with high expectations. It was a long line on a Saturday afternoon. The line was continuously long the rest of the day. I had their cream top matcha latte and it fell really short of my expectations. It was tasted really watery which was disappointing considering it had a nice green color. The cream top was really good though There is a decent size seating area but it gets crowded and the turnover isnt great since people are here to study.

Charlene Hsu

Cute coffee shop in LA but didn’t feel anything too special/unique, but definitely more known for their coffee than as a matcha shop. Their coffee carries more citrusy notes, which was interesting. Their interior is also pretty cute and had a few seating spots!

Tristan Torgersen

I’m the odd man out, I get that. Their signature coffee had all the allure and wow factors that I’d expected. Although it was good, nutty coffee, it wasn’t my favorite flavor either. Don’t think it was worth the sweaty 30+ min wait in line in the middle of my Saturday, but cheers to those devotees who filled the store!

liana na

Really hyped coffee shop in Los Angeles. I was excited to try one of the most popular coffee places and went in with high expectations. It was a long line on a Saturday afternoon. The line was continuously long the rest of the day. I had their cream top matcha latte and it fell really short of my expectations. It was tasted really watery which was disappointing considering it had a nice green color. The cream top was really good though There is a decent size seating area but it gets crowded and the turnover isnt great since people are here to study.

Caroline Njuguna

I visited Maru for the first time every day this past 4 days and I loved the coffee and chocolate croissants but the customer service was ‘shocking!’ I get your only job is to take my order but no hello, no thank you, no eye contact but yet I’m supposed to leave a tip? I get this is 2025 and customer service is becoming a thing of the past but I think proper acknowledgment is the bare minimum. I will say I had a positive experience on Saturday morning. Friday & Sunday morning - not so much.

Easily the most judgmental coffee shop I’ve been to. I stopped in because it’s right down the street and figured I’d give it a chance. When I asked the barista for a recommendation, I was met with a surprisingly snobby attitude. What made it more awkward was watching her turn around and help other customers with a completely different tone. No idea what triggered the shift, but it definitely wasn’t welcoming. Between that and the aggressively mid coffee, I won’t be back. Painfully over-extracted espresso. Harsh bitterness, zero balance, no sweetness to speak of. Served in a cup that suggests confidence, priced like a luxury experience, yet delivered all the nuance of burnt grounds and regret. - Sunday Jan 4th 9:40am.