Hal's Office

Have been to Hal's Office on Solano Ave about a million times with my wife. We love the great quality of coffee and also the barista's expertise, which indeed makes a difference. Their empanadas and quiches are also delicious. It'd be awesome if they opened until a little later into the early evening. This is one of the best cafes in the East Bay in my opinion.

the caffeinated heart of Albany! Great drinks, lovely people, great environment, and a fantastic wine bar!

Lovely cafe with very friendly staff. Lots of sidewalk/parklet seating.

I have not had a better latte than here. I've been to many coffee places local and around the world, and for some reason their star anise oat milk lattes always taste so rich, creamy and just the right amount of sweet. If I could drink them every day I would, but then I would really be lacking in self control. This will always be my local go to for lattes.

Awesome coffee--dark, rich but not bitter & the parklet in front is a pleasant place to sit with friends & people watch.

I love Hal's office! It's my go to coffee stop. It's very cozy, but they have a beautiful parklet outside along with a few tables. Their simple menu makes ordering a breeze and their homemade chai is 🙌. The current climate has been a challenge for many small businesses and Hal's is handling it very well. The wait is a little longer and the ambiance isn't quite the same, but it's still my favorite place for a cappuccino and a friendly "hello".

You order coffee from the sidewalk and they have a good selection of pastries. The nice part is the seating area along the sidewalk as you wait. You can social Distance while you wait pretty easily. A contrast from the enclosed area at Highwire up the street.

Love counter culture coffee beans! Kind of a small shop but very cozy and the drinks are top notch

I adore everything about Hal’s: their staff are all lovely humans, and of course the beverages and snacks are all excellent — I get several dirty chai lattes a week (and their chai is house-made and spicy: no sugary boxed concentrates here.) I also appreciate that I can bring my own mason jar so I can avoid creating waste with my little caffeine habit. Plus, the location right next to the little “parklet” is perfect.

Hal’s Office Coffee smelled heavenly as soon as I walked in on a Saturday morning. I judge a coffee shop based on the quality of its cold brew, and theirs did not disappoint. The pastries looked and tasted scrumptious. The ambiance was lofty, friendly, and coastal.

Charming little coffee shop that makes some of the best latte I have ever had. Now to make it even better, a cute little parklet is opened right in front of it. I can imagine coming here on a warm summer day, sipping coffee and enjoying the weather!

Best beans… even the decaf …superb. Best baristas hats off to Cameron and Irene😊! Even the art on the walls is “ off the charts” As you can see on love love love this coffee house

To me, it’s the jam of dawn that makes this place very special. It spills over the toast of clouds; and you have about 10 minutes to catch the moment, on your retina or phone. A cappuccino takes as much time to drink. And here, it tastes dawn delicious.

Stopped in first thing in the AM. Tasty decaf latte with a pretty design, amazing pretzel roll with gruyere cheese. Steady stream of customers, even right as they open.

The drip coffee has some subtle flowery notes. I can't tell what it is, but very addictive tastes. I had it with oat milk ..It was soooo good. FYI, L-cup 12oz is $4 now.

Absolutely delicious lavender latte! Probably the best coffee in Albany. However, don't expect to being your computer and work/study here, as there are no outlets by the seats.

Excellent coffee and pasteries in this Albany institution. Just a great spot for a coffee and a break on Solano Ave. The barrista is friendly and the vibe good. Not much space inside but with tables outside and the public parkette right there you can linger. Enjoy it!

Carrie Bevis

Hal’s Office Coffee smelled heavenly as soon as I walked in on a Saturday morning. I judge a coffee shop based on the quality of its cold brew, and theirs did not disappoint. The pastries looked and tasted scrumptious. The ambiance was lofty, friendly, and coastal.

Maddy Clair

Best beans… even the decaf …superb. Best baristas hats off to Cameron and Irene😊! Even the art on the walls is “ off the charts” As you can see on love love love this coffee house

Alan W.

Charming little coffee shop that makes some of the best latte I have ever had. Now to make it even better, a cute little parklet is opened right in front of it. I can imagine coming here on a warm summer day, sipping coffee and enjoying the weather!

Viola Narang

To me, it’s the jam of dawn that makes this place very special. It spills over the toast of clouds; and you have about 10 minutes to catch the moment, on your retina or phone. A cappuccino takes as much time to drink. And here, it tastes dawn delicious.

CC Fre

Stopped in first thing in the AM. Tasty decaf latte with a pretty design, amazing pretzel roll with gruyere cheese. Steady stream of customers, even right as they open.

Donald Thornton

The drip coffee has some subtle flowery notes. I can't tell what it is, but very addictive tastes. I had it with oat milk ..It was soooo good. FYI, L-cup 12oz is $4 now.

Alyssa Pfluger

Absolutely delicious lavender latte! Probably the best coffee in Albany. However, don't expect to being your computer and work/study here, as there are no outlets by the seats.

Karlis “Karlis A” Jansons

Excellent coffee and pasteries in this Albany institution. Just a great spot for a coffee and a break on Solano Ave. The barrista is friendly and the vibe good. Not much space inside but with tables outside and the public parkette right there you can linger. Enjoy it!

this place is the best but plzzzz get wifi againnnnnnn plzzz great vibes and great coffee

Friendly neighborhood coffee place with outdoor seating out in front.

Coffee is always delicious and artfully presented, and the pastry options are varied and yummy! But that's not what makes Hal's shine: the wonderful parklet out front with ample seating is a neighborhood gathering spot on beautiful Solano avenue. Whether you're getting something to stay or to go, Hal's is right in the middle of where you want to be.

I’m think why not 5 stars. My mocha was foamy and creamy the espresso has a nice nutty earthy flavor. They make the chocolate in-house. I can smell the awesome aromas of the chai they are brewing in the back and the pastry was also soft and fresh. And very friendly.

Heather McBrien

Best decaf latte on this side of campus and the staff are super nice :)

EDGAR LO

I’m think why not 5 stars. My mocha was foamy and creamy the espresso has a nice nutty earthy flavor. They make the chocolate in-house. I can smell the awesome aromas of the chai they are brewing in the back and the pastry was also soft and fresh. And very friendly.

Shayna

Coffee is always delicious and artfully presented, and the pastry options are varied and yummy! But that's not what makes Hal's shine: the wonderful parklet out front with ample seating is a neighborhood gathering spot on beautiful Solano avenue. Whether you're getting something to stay or to go, Hal's is right in the middle of where you want to be.

Sarah Moats

The coffee here is so good. I drink drip, not espresso, and I often find that coffee shops focus too much on quality of their lattes cappuccinos etc and not the good old fashioned cup of coffee. The drip here is delicious, it doesn't need milk or sugar. Staff is very friendly and prices aren't outrageous.

Coffee is just okay but the space is cute

4 stars for the coffee - espresso is too tart. 5 stars for the outdoor space/community parklet.

Overall pretty good coffee. I review things from a remote work perspective. Unfortunately from what I could find, there were no outlets whatsoever. Also their internet is totally public so just surf safe. The shop itself is quite small but when I went still a few seats available. The vibe is quite nice though. If you’re just coming for coffee, still a great place to swing by as there is plenty of outdoor seating.

My latte was delicious, the staff seemed a little off, but I’m giving the benefit of the doubt and bumping my review up to four stars since it was pretty early the morning after Christmas.

It's a bit tight in here, but if you're fine with being outside, the parklet right outside the doors, or the greenway a block or two east offer plenty of space. The coffee here is me and my mom's favorite in town, although I personally prefer to get the hot chocolate. Everything here is quick and sweet.

Nice space and little bench area shared with the yogurt shop nextdoor. Staff was pretty lukewarm in terms of greeting which seemed strange and was off putting. Iced latte was on the most expensive end of the spectrum, it was good with a nice chocolate flavor, but not outstanding or anything to go out of one’s way for. I didn’t see a menu with prices, and the menu didn’t list an iced latte at all, but it didn’t seem to be an issue when I asked if they could make one. They have a glass case with labels for baked goods but we’re totally out by mid-afternoon; the signs suggest they serve granola with fruit; yogurt; empanadas.

Some of the best coffee in the area. Their teas and ice tea lemonade are really good too. Their roast is fantastic and they sell and grind it in the shop for you if you want to take some home. Seating is limited and there are very few outlets (maybe 1?). There is additional bench seating and standing bars outside. It's pretty busy most of the time so not the best place to go if you need to work. It's more of a hangout and chat or grab and go environment. Beautifully designed interior/aesthetic. The service is hit or miss but mostly a miss lol. A few bariatas are OK but they overall tend to be noncommunicative/don't like to answer questions. I'm not a talker so it's always funny to me when they don't want to answer my Y/N questions. Regardless I'll still go there because the coffee is good.

Fast and good service with choice of takeout cups or real cups which is always my preference. Coffee was good but not exquisite. Poppyseed muffin was very tasty.

I like to come here regularly for coffee because I truly enjoy it. Their coffee art is very much appreciated. As far as food goes, I had only tried their quiche once and it was absolutely amazing. It has a tender, flower-shaped crust, just crispy enough, warmed to the core and topped with a beautiful piece of bacon, which added so much life to an already delicious quiche. Trying to recreate this experience, I was very excited to have two special guests try this little piece of heaven with a drink on the side. Sadly, things didn’t go as planned because our quiche took quite a bit to get to us, but I understood, as there were a lot of customers. However, the quiche was refrigerator cold, even when I asked for a warm quiche. Plus, it lacked the very desired piece of bacon on top. One of my guests was already halfway done with his because he was very hungry but my other guest and I had our quiche heated or reheated- at this point I wasn’t even sure if they had even popped it in their heating device. We had waited for around 10 minutes, as there were still a lot of people, when I got up to be ready to pick the quiches up at the counter. I was excited to continue with breakfast when I was disappointed to find that it was still cold in the middle- only the crust was warm. I was sad that my guests and I did not have the same wonderful experience that I initially had. I still give 4 stars because the quiche itself wasn’t bad and I did have one absolutely great experience before this one, but I hope that they pay attention to these things as those are the ones that will keep us coming back over and over again. I was glad I captured what my first quiche here was like- it was as good as it looked.

Friendliest service, limited but tasty selection of pastries, and good coffee prepared with TLC. Limited indoor and outdoor seating. And maybe one day soon, an outdoor parklet in front!

Good outdoor seating and the drip coffee is good too.

Bryce McLean

Fast and good service with choice of takeout cups or real cups which is always my preference. Coffee was good but not exquisite. Poppyseed muffin was very tasty.

Bere G.

I like to come here regularly for coffee because I truly enjoy it. Their coffee art is very much appreciated. As far as food goes, I had only tried their quiche once and it was absolutely amazing. It has a tender, flower-shaped crust, just crispy enough, warmed to the core and topped with a beautiful piece of bacon, which added so much life to an already delicious quiche. Trying to recreate this experience, I was very excited to have two special guests try this little piece of heaven with a drink on the side. Sadly, things didn’t go as planned because our quiche took quite a bit to get to us, but I understood, as there were a lot of customers. However, the quiche was refrigerator cold, even when I asked for a warm quiche. Plus, it lacked the very desired piece of bacon on top. One of my guests was already halfway done with his because he was very hungry but my other guest and I had our quiche heated or reheated- at this point I wasn’t even sure if they had even popped it in their heating device. We had waited for around 10 minutes, as there were still a lot of people, when I got up to be ready to pick the quiches up at the counter. I was excited to continue with breakfast when I was disappointed to find that it was still cold in the middle- only the crust was warm. I was sad that my guests and I did not have the same wonderful experience that I initially had. I still give 4 stars because the quiche itself wasn’t bad and I did have one absolutely great experience before this one, but I hope that they pay attention to these things as those are the ones that will keep us coming back over and over again. I was glad I captured what my first quiche here was like- it was as good as it looked.

Ellen Warner

Friendliest service, limited but tasty selection of pastries, and good coffee prepared with TLC. Limited indoor and outdoor seating. And maybe one day soon, an outdoor parklet in front!

Gregor J. Rothfuss

Good outdoor seating and the drip coffee is good too.

Coffee is delicious, but it’s really unfortunate to enter one of your regular coffee shops and not be greeted. I walk up to the cash register and the worker just stands there without asking me what I’d like or saying good morning. It’s very odd when this happens and it feels like I’m talking to a wall or ordering from a machine. It’s unfortunate. Just editing my post and confirming that it’s the same employee each time. The other cash registers don’t do this. Adding here on Sept 25 that they still don’t ask you what you want for like 60 seconds. It’s quite uncomfortable. I don’t enjoy starting my mornings this way or appreciate that they capitalize on the demand.

The coffee was amazing. Had a vanilla latte - strong enough. Cute outdoor seating area, some Indoor seating. The employees however - not super welcoming. Maybe I’ll try it out again- could have been a busy morning

Was very expensive for coffee and hot chocolate for my granddaughter with a couple of pastries. When you pay by credit card on their iPad payment setup, the first option is for a 15 % tip... I could not afford this on a daily basis! The pastries were nice and fresh, but when we got there at 11 am there was not a lot of choice left. Almond croissant and cinnamon bun. Very nice but quite expensive. I paid over $22 for a small Americano, child's small hot chocolate and 2 pastries with the tip! The service is very good, and the atmosphere is neighbourhood friendly!

Vivian Klein

Was very expensive for coffee and hot chocolate for my granddaughter with a couple of pastries. When you pay by credit card on their iPad payment setup, the first option is for a 15 % tip... I could not afford this on a daily basis! The pastries were nice and fresh, but when we got there at 11 am there was not a lot of choice left. Almond croissant and cinnamon bun. Very nice but quite expensive. I paid over $22 for a small Americano, child's small hot chocolate and 2 pastries with the tip! The service is very good, and the atmosphere is neighbourhood friendly!

Estrella Sainburg

Coffee is delicious, but it’s really unfortunate to enter one of your regular coffee shops and not be greeted. I walk up to the cash register and the worker just stands there without asking me what I’d like or saying good morning. It’s very odd when this happens and it feels like I’m talking to a wall or ordering from a machine. It’s unfortunate. Just editing my post and confirming that it’s the same employee each time. The other cash registers don’t do this. Adding here on Sept 25 that they still don’t ask you what you want for like 60 seconds. It’s quite uncomfortable. I don’t enjoy starting my mornings this way or appreciate that they capitalize on the demand.

Rhema Limon

The coffee was amazing. Had a vanilla latte - strong enough. Cute outdoor seating area, some Indoor seating. The employees however - not super welcoming. Maybe I’ll try it out again- could have been a busy morning

Nice place but coffee is pretty weak.

Ordered a latte, did the whole "good morning", "latte please", "thank you so much" thing, tipped $1, barista definitely wasn't rude but I got a strong "here's your drink now go away" vibe. I guess she wanted to get back to chatting with her friends. Coffee was good, internet was poor (I went to do work on my laptop and was disappointed), service was acceptable. There are many places to get coffee on solano and you could do worse, but you could also do better.

Service and atmosphere is great, unfortunately the wifi doesn't work well or at all. The food is exorbitantly priced. Had hoped to work here a few hours but despite the name this does not work as an office. Great for grabbing coffee and running.

been coming here for years. consistently great coffee and vibe, friendly people. however their lids are almost always insecure and beware of taking their overly-hot coffee in your car. for here - 4 stars (coffee still served undrinkable) togo - 1 star

Disappointed - I ordered a cortado and was really disappointed — it tasted both sour and burnt, which made it hard to enjoy. I also tried the Drip coffee, but both drinks were flat and unbalanced. For a place that puts coffee at the center, the quality just wasn’t there. Hopefully they improve their roasting and preparation, but right now I can’t recommend it.

Abinaya Nathan

Disappointed - I ordered a cortado and was really disappointed — it tasted both sour and burnt, which made it hard to enjoy. I also tried the Drip coffee, but both drinks were flat and unbalanced. For a place that puts coffee at the center, the quality just wasn’t there. Hopefully they improve their roasting and preparation, but right now I can’t recommend it.

Seriously janky to-go lids for piping hot coffee.