Barista Society Coffee Boutique

FIVE STARS FOR THE AWESOME DONUT SNOB COLLECTION. YASSSSS
but
Minus two star because my coffee didnt have latte art, which sucked and was the only reason I even got a hot drink when it’s 90 degrees out. The latte itself was ok, i ordered caramel but didnt taste much caramel. Stick to the cassanova only.
Anyways Ill be back for the donuts. AMAZING.

Didn’t make it to write they review before they closed down (till March 2016)
Really really loved the coffee here, the location is for me hard to get to.
If you work downtown or happen to be in the area, this is great, for me downtown is a mess, hence minus one star for location.
Service was nice and my mocha fantastic, excellent really, so good I wanted another.
I can’t wait for them to open again and even better more locations elsewhere, very high quality coffee, worth the money!

Knowledgable and friendly staff. Fair prices and excellent coffee. They get different beans about every two weeks so it’s nice to stop by every once and a while to try coffee from different origins. I’ve been here only once but I will definitely be coming back. Parking is difficult because it is downtown. I was told to get a library card and park at the library.
Only drawback is that their coffee is so delicious, you won’t be able to drink inferior coffee anymore! Highly recommended, staff is also incredibly helpful and friendly.

Though difficult to find, it’s definitely worth the search. Barista Society has some of the best coffee in the area. With staples of quality like Stumptown and Blue Bottle, they have garnered a decent following of local business patrons.
To find them, go up the steps across from the Central Library on 5^th (between Flower and Grand). It’ll be up about a flight on your right, ensconced in a nook of the building.
My favorite so far is the Nutella Latte. I also bough a Smore Donut for my daughter who was dumbfounded and speechless as she ate it. They haul their donuts in from Donut Snob. Though they’re pricey (about $ 4 a donut), they’re worth every penny.
Service is great, too.

I have a few check-​ins here and I don’t even drink coffee. This is the favorite go to spot for one of my friends and I often walk with her to this spot which is where she gets her morning coffee.
This is a pretty solid spot and right there at the tallest building in Los Angeles. $ 4.00 for a off the shelf donut with some bacon sprinkles on it seems a little steep to me, even in DTLA.
Bottom line … a nice spot for coffee or a pastry of some sort.

Barista Society Coffee Boutique is an interesting find in DTLA. Located in the US Bank Tower (2^nd floor, just up the flight of outdoor stairs), you’ll find them. Probably one of the rare occasions I’ve seen a non-​Starbucks/​CBTL within a financial building, one that sources good roaster coffees and pretty fancy pastries behind the counter glass. Seating located outside with a good amount indoors as well. Free wifi, although the outlets inside don’t seem to work (probably turned off). The few times I have visited, sitting inside, it isn’t surprising to see the local business people sitting around having a meeting or discussing work alongside a solid cup of coffee, or the work friends meeting up to have lunch together. The occasional married couple meeting up for lunch is also really cute. A unique side of the DTLA coffee scene.
I really enjoy stopping by here on a weekday, as it’s pretty quiet, you can get lots of work done, and the baristas are pretty nice. Despite being somewhat roundabout to find, it always seems there’s a steady trickle of customers. Lots of locals working in the area, needing that caffeine push towards a second wind. I’ll be back. One of these days I’ll try their fanciful, tantalizing pastries. Thanks guys!

Klatch, Blue Bottle, Stumptown Coffee… You can’t go wrong with the «third wave» single origin coffee here. Either ice brew, hot, slow pour.
Worth a visit if you’re walking up the Library Tower steps from 5^th Street. Walk up two flights and you’ll find yourself at Barista Society Coffee Boutique.
They also sell Donut Snob here. High end donuts for $ 4 which will leave you wanting to walk up more steps and leaving a hole in your wallet.

Great, strong coffee. I came to this place often over the summer while I was working in a office nearby. It’s a great alternative to the CBTLs and Starbucks that are all over the area. I always get the iced soy latte or a tea, depending on how much caffeine I feel like I need.
Pretty expensive though, a iced soy latte will run you over $ 5.00.

Go here for your specially prepared coffee and if you have one of those distinguishing palates which I don’t. Otherwise, save your money and go to Starbucks or Coffee Bean.
Unfortunately, the donuts don’t come out until about 7:30, so I haven’t had a chance to try those but their croissants are good — get them warmed up.
Service is great.
Not for me but for others.

The new Nutella latte, a whopping $ 5 pre-​soy charge, tastes nothing like Nutella and quite frankly is a little gross. I asked if it was super sweet and the girl said no. She wasn’t kidding, as it’s barely sweetened from the tiny amount of Nutella they must use. I would have asked for my money back if I hadn’t been back at the office already when I tasted it.
I would suggest to Charn B., who I’m sure will see this review, to take this off the menu and go back to the sweet potato latte, or at least improve the recipe. No offense. As you can see, I did come back and try your suggested drink. But I didn’t like the Nutella latte because it’s not good.
I didn’t drop any stars because I tried the salted caramel donut and while it wasn’t mind-​blowing, it was actually pretty good. Yes, I had a salted caramel donut and a Nutella latte for breakfast, aight? Don’t judge, Unilocal

I’m swept away…
With Donut Snobs, customer service and coffee!
Alright lemme jus say that I love donuts and once I got a donut on my mind, there’s no way it’s off my mind until it’s in my tummy. So one day, when I was craving a donut (which is almost always), I found Donut Snob. They don’t have their own shop but they distribute their donuts to LA and surrounding cities’ coffee/​pastry shops. So that’s how I discovered Barista Society.
Barista Society is in the Bunker Hill portion of DTLA, on the second floor of the US Bank Tower, the tallest building on the west coast. They are only open on weekdays starting at 7am. Makes sense, since the local businesses in downtown are preoccupied with people primarily on weekdays. The great thing about Barista Society, is that you can order from their outdoor window (just on the side of the pretty stairway) or inside the US Bank Tower. Since I’m only a short walk from this place, I was able to just walk my dog here, order from the outside, and sit on one of their outdoor tables.
Barista Society has their own coffees that I have not tasted, but they also have Stumptown and Blue Bottle. I’m a huge fan of these two, especially Blue Bottle. So coffee here is good :) and to make it better, their Donut Snobs are so yummy! I’ve only tasted the Oinker (maple and bacon) and the Razzy Lemon donuts and I really like them both (both ⁴⁄₅ stars). They’re not greasy and not overly sweet. Sometimes they may run out of certain flavors. But if you call ahead, they can save you a donut. Also, Donut Snobs are only there Tuesday-​Friday.
Lastly, customer service is a hit. I’ve been helped by both baristas, Cathy and Kofi, and they’re so nice. They also like my dog, so that helps too I guess :)
I can’t wait to come back when I walk my dog in the morning :)

The coffee scene is crowded in DTLA and DTLA-​adjacent. You’ve got Coffee Colab, Blacktop, Blue Bottle, Stumptown, etc. All great places but I had yet to try Barista Society for some time now because of the parking in the area. It’s not a bad walk from the meters on Beaudry. Just make sure to put in enough time and pay attention to the cars!
Barista Society is located up the stairs on the side of the US Bank Tower. There’s seating outside and inside, though it’s an office building so there’s not much as far as coffeehouse ambiance goes. I liked my CAPPUCCINO but I don’t really see myself coming here over the aforementioned spots. I want the ambiance.
Also there were no more Donut Snob donuts when I came by around lunchtime so call ahead if you want to make sure they have some.

Hidden on the second floor of the US bank building in DTLA, this little gem is the only coffee joint where you can get a Kyoto style coffee that has brewing for over 12 hours for $ 5. Right after the fresh baked goods it was the ginormous Yama coffee maker that caught my attention, intrigued by this contraption, I knew I had to order a cup. My choices were vast, as they have many different types of coffees, in fact if you are into sweet delights they have quite a few specialty drinks that may put Starbucks to shame.
Nonetheless, I quickly ordered the Kyoto as well as a campfire donut. Which was only due to previous reviews, apparently if you walk into to this joint then you better walk out with a donut. As always Unilocalers are right on the money with their advice. The donut was fresh, and light. Not too sweet and overwhelming, which is how I prefer my sweets. Couple that with the flavorful, full body and aromatic Kyoto coffee, then you have yourself a full blown meal that is nothing short of heavenly.
Needless to say, this is one of those places that you really have to enjoy first hand, ambiance is on point, service was great and the quality of the goods and coffee really speaks for itself. I will be back for sure as my current place of employment is close by and I suggest you do the same. Trust me when I say that you won’t be disappointed.
Love this place. Cheers.

I remember coming to Barista Society perhaps a year ago when it first opened and I was turned off when they charged me 50¢ for adding soy milk to a cold brew coffee. As a connoisseur of every coffee shop ever, there usually isn’t a charge for cold soy milk, there shouldn’t be a charge for cold soy milk, no no no no. While negative first impressions might not be forgotten, I still sort of forgot that this even happened until I remembered it. Lol!
I came here perhaps a handful of times after being pissed off for a few months until I got over it. There are no other coffee shops that I remotely like in the 7^th Street/​Metro vicinity besides this one. Coffee Bean & Tea leaf is crowded, and sucks. And the coffee trucks don’t have patios. It’s consistently good and comfortably empty. It seems that they have 20+ floors of people bringing their coffees upstairs and most of the foot-​traffic isn’t stopping at the terrace between the stairwells. It isn’t so obvious that this is here.
I come here for a cold brew coffee (without soy milk). Their cold brew is very well made. It has a fresh almost almond-​like hint to its taste. They’re located across the street from my favorite library, at a stop to a terrace-​level patio along a grand staircase and underneath a skyscraper. I am typing on the skyscraper’s white marble tables that don’t get hot as the 85 degree sun is beating down.
Few reliable outlets. Fast wifi! View of LAPL! Nine skyscrapers!

I had to try Barista Society because of its great reviews.
Ordered mocha and berry donut on my first visit.
Mocha ($ 4.50): I could not taste the coffee and the mocha, all I tasted was milk.
The berry best donut ($ 4.00): cinnamon glaze, mixed berry coulis center, fresh berry toppings, dusted powdered sugar. Not berry best if you ask me. I gave the other half to my friend and she liked it. I liked the berries on top but the donut tasted like any other cheaper donuts. Sorry…
The workers are so sweet and friendly.
I was still curious why I didn’t like the coffee so I read more reviews and came back for more. This time I tried using the app to order the coffee. I got there and my donut was ready but not the coffee itself :(The workers were sweet and told me that they wanted to make the coffee fresh. I understand that but I have to walk blocks away during my break time and I use the app to save time. What a waste of my time using the not user friendly app, waiting for them to email me back, and I had to wait for my coffee even though the email said it’s ready for pick up.
Hot Casanova Latte ($ 4.50): it had weird aftertaste but better than the mocha… sorry.
The Oinker ($ 4.00): maple cinnamon and an orange zest glaze topped with maple bacon. It’s better than the berry donut but nothing special.
My friend said her Americano tasted just like Starbucks. I was surprised to hear that since she is not picky at all.
The donuts are expensive for $ 4.00 but understandable since they get their donut from Donut Snob. Donut Snob sells their donut for $ 3.00 each.
3 stars! I will probably give this place another chance to be fair. Maybe I haven’t found my favorite drink so try it for yourself.
Barista Society Coffee Boutique is almost yummylicious!

I agree with most that this place makes pretty amazing cup of cappuccino. So why am I only giving it 4-​stars? Because I’m not crazy about the taste of their coffee… It’s of great quality and the skill of the barista is acknowledged, but I don’t know that I like the taste of the beans they use.
I’ve had their cappuccino, americano, and regular brewed. I love the cappuccino — smooth and perfect amount of milk — and would say it is equal to what I have had at Bourbon St. and BrewWell. Not sure it’s any better, I think all three are highest quality I’ve had. Their americano and regular brewed, have a particular taste that is very unique and I don’t really like. It’s not the quality, just personal taste.
Sweet girl at the counter, several tables inside and out for enjoying the coffee (although I’m always getting it on the way into the office), and excellent quality beans certainly deserve at least 4-​stars. I’ll decide if my next cup bumps them up to 5.

Decided to check out this café after reading such great reviews from Unilocal.I was expecting a regular sit-​in café, but it isn’t. Despite that there are places to sit inside and out. The baristas were cheerful and friendly even in the early am. I appreciated that. They have specialty coffees and teas. There’s something for everyone. They sell Donut Snob, but by the time I got there only the «boring» ones remained (too pricy in my opinion…). I got the Matcha Mint Tea Latte or was it called the Mint Match Tea Latte…(?) at the suggestion of one of the baristas. He seemed so certain I would like it. He was right. The latte had the match green tea-​ness I liked with a hint of mint. It was quite refreshing. My coworker got the iced coffee and seemed pretty satisfied with it.
Love that they sell Blue Bottle Coffee and Stumptown Coffee.
I’ll be back to treat myself to a specialty coffee or tea!

This place is pretty stellar! The coffee is frothy, tasty and awesome. The service is quick and they have a great selection. I’m really glad I found this place vs. the more well known places. Definitely give this place a shot to compare your favorite cappuccinos and lattes. They also have matcha green tea and matcha green tea lattes that are pretty amazing.
I highly recommend you try this place and I’m glad I found it :) Enjoy!

OKAY this place is the BEESKNEES and I’ve been here way too many times to have not reviewed yet.
I LOVEEEEE that they rotate beans. I get to try new roasters. And drink MOAR COFFEE.
I love staring at the giant cold brew contraptions.
I love that they have orange straws. (NOT green, NOT purple)
I love that ICED mint green tea latte that has been made/​tested in like at least 3 different ways to suit my taste. (JasonPark/Charn’s unorthodox-​steamed-​milk-​over-​ice way IS THE WAY TO GO. Drop those names and try it THAT way, you will reach new levels of green tea latte heaven).
I loooove the chocolate even though I never order it, I take sips of other people’s hehe.
I love that they have so many diff milk options. (I’ve had soy, almond, hemp.)
I love that Maria has a permanent smile, she is the cutest.
I love the stupid gold spoons that I always want to steal.
I love that it’s almost always sunny and cheery and perfect when I go there.
I love the comfy chairs and the fancy marble tables.
I love the wifi cus my phone provider sucks.
and I hate that I live so far away.
and Charn’s ok too.

«There are 7 Starbucks surrounding us,» said Charn
To be completely honest, I didn’t try tallying but I did notice two just walking from my car parked on Fremont & 5^th.
Perform a Unilocal search for «Starbucks near Financial District, Los Angeles» and you’ll quickly return results for 10+ locations ready to swallow up Barista Society Coffee Boutique!
**********BEGIN SIDEBAR**********
This became a huge wake up call. Learning that consumers demand and are completely satisfied and willing to drink inferior *Tarbux (or Charbucks as Robert P and Loren L refer to it as) Coffee masked by super unhealthy refined sugar to mask over-​roasted, charred beans grieves me. But I digress…
**********END SIDEBAR**********
Hewn out on the 2^nd Floor of Los Angeles’ tallest building in the Financial District, Barista Society Coffee Boutique is easily overlooked when driving and fighting for parking. But your perseverance in finding a parking spot will be rewarded with the opportunity to enjoy some of tasty coffee from a variety of origins. Yes, Barista Society features an impressive set of specialty coffee from multiple roasters, both local (Andante, Rose Parks, and Baristamia), PNW & SF (Blue Bottle, Stumptown, Verve, and Heart).
Yet their vast beverage selection may not be their finest quality. You might actually enjoy engaging in fine conversation with Charn or any one of their delightful staff more than their tangibles!
Caffe Latte «Andante Coffee Roasters» ($ 4.00): ⁵⁄₅
My introduction to Barista Society and Andante Coffee Roasters set a very high benchmark for this new local roaster because Charn pulled such an amazingly tasty shot that make itself known, piercing through the latte’s naturally sweet creamy, milky attribute. At this point, I was completely satisfied not choosing what was in the other hopper (Stumptown). Just to inform you, Charn pulls the best shots of Andante (even better than Andante does from their retail location on Beverly).
Cappuccino «Andante Coffee Roasters» ($ 4.00): ³⁄₅
This under extracted shot pulled by Toby had an unpleasant lingering aftertaste, leaving a sharp acidic sensation that would not shake off, even after having a massive shawarma plate at Joe’s Falafel an hour later. I suppose it was my fault not sending this capp back and having them redo it.
One and One — Rose Park Roasters ($ 3.50): ⁵⁄₅
There are some highly unrELIable S. ources (if you cannot read between the lines, that spells out Eli S.) downplaying the One and One, claiming this to be a beverage for a pseudo coffee connoisseur. Umm, I happen to know a lot of people in specialty coffee, Mr. Eli S. and you sir are sorely mistaken! The One and One is a remarkable beverage celebrating the skill of a barista and their ability to pull even shots and do it well. The One and One splits the shot, yielding a single espresso in two demitasse: One, remaining as single espresso; One, essentially a single shot macchiato. Charn, you did it again! Perfect extraction. I couldn’t ask for more!
Finally, you’ll be happy to know that Barista Society conveniently receives orders online or via their app freely available on Apple’s iOS App Store (
)!
If you work in Los Angeles’ concrete jungle of the Financial District, you owe it to yourself to drink exceptional coffee. Start living life and support your local independent coffee shop. There is an amazing world of coffee that does not revolve around Starbucks.
Most assuredly, Barista Society is one of the best places for coffee in Los Angeles.

Coffee drinking at Starbucks helps you get through the day. Coffee drinking at Baristas Society is an art form. This espresso/​tea bar is inside the US Bank Tower on the 2^nd floor, you’ll easily miss it if you don’t pay attention. Free parking is impossible around here so it’s really catered to people who work in the area. I discovered it when I was buying lunch at Petite Café. I noticed a cute window display with hand stamped coffee bean bags. The «Blue Bottle» coffee caught my attention so I immediately went inside to check them out.
I love their rooibos latte w/​almond milk. I’ve also tried their Kyoto iced coffee, latte w/​soy and green tea latte w/​soy. The green tea lacked flavor but their coffee was good. Drinks are pricey, they’re between $ 5-​$ 5.75 when I upgrade to non-​dairy, but I think their drinks are definitely crafted with care. The baristas are friendly and will help you pick out your drink if you’re not sure about what you want. They’re also more than happy to share their knowledge about coffee. I always ask them what’s this and what’s that because I’m no coffee connoisseur, but I love to drink it and always want to learn more about it. Definitely give them a try if you’re walking in the area.

Best coffee in dtla. It shows up in my dreams, meaning 1) It’s delicious, and 2) I need to work on that caffeine fix addition of mine.
But seriously, hand crafted coffees made to order. Each with a cute art design in the foam for that extra touch. Kofi or one of the other bar tenders always deliver with awesome drinks. My personal fave is the Latte, which is not too sweet, and so delicious.
Barista also sources its pastries and donuts from quite a few local bakeries. They run out as the day wears on, so get in early. The donuts are particularly bomb — Razzy LuLu (raspberry lemon) is WOW! There’s also a smores one that I need to get my teeth into.
If you have a hard time finding this spot, walk up the «spanish steps» at the US Bank Tower/​Library Tower and you will spot this adorable little caffe on the right hand side, 2^nd floor. Go in, get a cup, sit, relax, and soak it all in. It’s the stuff dreams and coffee-​additions are made of.