This place has a really lovely setting and their hours are great. Their options for bubble tea and bubble tea smoothies are fun and enjoyable. They could however add some vegan options to their edible menu and further options for their drinks.Their prices seemed a little steep, however it is in Ellicott City & Howard County, so it could be average pricing their.We were able to meet up for games and have some drinks till 11pm. Quite a nice and well lit spot for an evening gathering, though it may be a little cramped for some when the tables fill up, and be careful, some of their chairs are rickety.

Nice quaint place! Doesn’t have a strong coffee smell which is why I prefer to study here. I can’t think when the smell of coffee is burning my nose haha. A lot of seating and books to read for leisure. Food is typical cafe style baked goods but they have an assortment of drinks. They have specialty waffles! Prices are pretty high though. $6 for a smoothie or yogurt with strawberries and $8 for a sandwich that isn’t even a foot long. None of this matters to me because I come here to study for the ambiance!

What a lovely coffee shop. Very clean and unique. I hope to make this place a frequent stop.

Love this place. Went here with my friends and tried the strawberry parfait, its was delicious. I decided to come back next week for more. It is definitely a shareable treat.

Warm place to grab a sweet treat. Everything we ordered was delicious and the service was great!

Cute little bakery with delicious pastries and hot drinks. Super chill atmosphere.

Pretty nice cafe in Ellicot City. The place was clean, but not many people were there (granted we went around 9pm on a Friday night). The green tea ppatbingsoo (red bean shaved ice) was really good and refreshing--and they gave us a lot! Would definitely recommend. It also seems like a nice place to study or do some catch up work in.

A nice place for study free wifi and good coffee

REALLY bad customer service (from management - employees are OK). I got their cheesecake ($5 for a small slice) - took one bite and it was REALLY bad. Not like American cheesecake at all, they should have put Korean-style like all the other places do to warn non-Koreans this may not be what youre used to. But Ive also had cheesecake at other Korean spots and its not nasty like this one. This one tasted like CARDBOARD. Thats not what this review is about though. I took one bite and asked to get my money back - and they refused. WTH? Even at 7-11 when my coffee is made bad they make you another. I even asked to exchange it with something else. I will never come here again and I wont bring anyone here. I was planning on having weekly work breakfasts meeting here but I will not anymore. So they have lost hundreds in sales because they didnt want to exchange something that probably cost them $3. (Maybe even thousands in sales because a lot of people will see this review and decide to go to another cafe in this area.)Then, I came here to write this review and saw others that said the same thing. The manager responded in the other reviews that if you have a problem with an item, you can get a refund or exchange. So, I took that and showed it to the cashier. She CALLED the owner to ASK if it was okay to give me an exchange. I thought that was VERY WEIRD and almost said forget it - just take the nasty cheesecake back, but I decided to wait, because if this were really just an employee training issue, I would be willing to come back to this place as the environment is nice. I was REALLY giving them every chance to right this wrong.Turns out, its not an employee issue, its a management issue. The manager called back and requested to talk to me. He said thats not how this works which is REALLY RUDE to say to anyone. He said, We cant just have people not liking something and exchanging. Actually sir that is EXACTLY how it works if you are smart and run a good business. I have never been to a place that serves food who wont give you your money back if you dont like it (and you have not eaten it). Businesses large and small do this - Teado, Bon Appetit, Shilla and others have all exchanged things (no questions asked). As a result I continue to go there and spend lots of money.I told him the item was stale, he spoke with the employee who in korean told him nothing was wrong with the item. I guess they assume if youre not korean you cant speak korean. So, she said again that this is how their cheesecake is and so they cannot exchange it. I said okay and gave her back the cardboard cheesecake with one bite in it.You all can be the judge for yourself. Have you ever heard of a place that doesnt give you your money back or exchange an item if you dont like it? This was not like a $1 cookie or something, if it were just a small amount I would have just thrown it away and bought something else. But it was 5 bucks for a slice of cake, so I didnt feel I was unreasonable to want to actually eat what I paid for. Its not like this is an area where people are coming trying to get over on businesses so they have to be careful - its an affulent area - most likely if someone complains its legit.Last month at Starbucks I had their pumpkin spice latte and I hated it. They happily exchanged it for the hot chocolate I normally get. And Ive probably spent $180 more at Starbucks since then.This manager is really not a good at customer service or business apparently. Lets just say that was it and they have a no exchange even if your food is nasty policy. I may have come back and just got something like apple juice or outsourced foods. But to put the cherry on top the owner is very rude. To tell someone thats not how this works is CRAZY. You act like youre doing us a favor when actually its the customers who come first.Pictured is the cheesecake. I took one bite. I stuck the fork in it a few times trying to see if I could suck it up and eat it, but I really couldnt

I have been to this shop twice now. Ive had a white mocha, lavender milk tea, and red velvet cookies. My drinks were expertly prepared and quite tasty. The cookies were a rich red velvet and delicious. They have waffles and assorted desserts and bubble tea. If youre looking for a caffeine pick me up or a tasty treat, this is a nice spot to stop.

The brewed coffee is good, but the staff is not proficient in pouring espresso drinks. It is a large coffee shop and the atmosphere is fine. However, the seating is very uncomfortable for a big guy like me. A better trained staff would improve the shop and warrant a fourth star.

Delicious coffees, teas, hot chocolates, waffles, muffins, and sandwiches. Service a wee bit slow but, in their defense, it was busy and they were short-staffed. Still and all a very nice experience and service/counter staff friendly and helpful.

The overall design of this shop is very cozy. Ive visited twice. Both times have been positive. Ive enjoyed both food and drinks. During my first visit, I ordered a double shot of espresso. It was satisfactory, but definitely could have been better. Not sure if the coffee was bad or if the girl working the espresso machine didnt know what she was doing. Nonetheless, it wasnt horrible. My second visit was good as well. I ordered an iced mocha. It hit the spot. Overall Id recommend stopping in here if youre in the area. Their shop shares a parking lot with about 4 or 5 other stores, so parking can get a little silly.

The spicy chicken sandwich is good

Great place. Awesome atmosphere. Their bakery is quite western but they have awesome Asian bubble tea and drinks.

Its my first time having bubble tea and I really enjoyed it. they closed early because of the virus but the service was wonderful and the food was great.

Cute coffee shop! My daughter likes the bubble teas. Baristas have always been very nice every time we go.

The store is at brink of closing down only one person behind the register waited 25 min for a smoothie that tasted like shaved ice... it was not worth $6 DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE the store was not kept clean.. floor was dirty and chairs were all crusty do not trust the rating it has on google or yelp

Very good menu, very tasty. Ill definitely come back. Only took off a star because the wait can be pretty long if it gets crowded, and this place gets really crowded. I can see why the tv in there said 2 of these places open daily across the world. Its a good take on a cafe.

I use to love coming in to Caffe Bene to get a delicious ice parfait. I’m not sure when this change went into effect but they don’t make ice parfaits the wait they use to. First of all the bowl they serve the ice parfait in now is significantly smaller. They advertise these ice parfaits online in large almost mug like bowls. the price remains the same but the amount you get is so much less. Now they substitute strawberry with red bean paste... I miss the delicious layered parfaits! Probably won’t be back,. Pretty disappointed overall. Overpriced and decreased quality.Edit in response to the business:It’s not like you have me both bowls to compare the ice parfait in. You’re advertising on your website a bowl that is layered with fruit. The strawberry parfait on your website does not come with red bean sauce. But your location serves the ice parfait with red bean sauce. Your pictures online don’t depict what you’re actually getting in store. I think you may have misunderstood my complaint. I DID NOT want red bean sauce with my parfait so I ordered the strawberry parfait and half of the topping was red bean. Your parfait online shows strawberries, blueberries, and strawberry ice cream. I didn’t even eat the choice in ice cream when I ordered. Maybe you guys should update your pictures online to show the product you actually deliver in store.

I stop by here once or twice a week midday for coffee. Today I came about 11:45 am and they were closed. No signs stating whether or not they would be opening today, or when. Just dark inside and door locked. No sign of anyone inside. ☹️

Poor service decent coffee. Stale bakery items with funny smell. Didn’t take my coffee order right and when they had to remake it they claimed they didn’t hear me specify the kind of milk but they’re doing me a favor. Way to treat your customer. Take the order correctly the first time!

Delicious and tasty drinks and snacks. But need more seats. People stay there for hours.

This place gets a really bad rep, and I get it, especially when you look at the prices, but I personally have always loved this particular location. I used to study all day long every day when I was in nursing school, and I tried not to go too too often, but there was no where I loved to study better than here, especially on a bright sunny day. I understand why other people dont like the small space and the not so impressive interior design, but I actually really love it the way it is. To me, its really cozy and peaceful in there, and especially considering I tend to stick to really simple drinks in general (such as plain iced coffee), I never had an issue w the menu at all. The occasional dessert there, especially the Affogato!!, isnt so bad either, in my opinion.

Great coffee and food. My wife and daughter love the waffles, which are a little bit yeasty and just the right amount of sweet. You won’t find it on the overhead menu, but they do make “normal” breakfast sandwiches (bagel or English muffin with egg and assorted breakfast meats). My only ding is that all of the chairs are too wide and tall for the tables, which are all too narrow and low.

LOVED that place ... I decided that Im going back there once a week .. its 25 minutes away from my place... the staff is warm and friendly... I wasnt feeling well and Nate wrote on my cup, Feel better! Small touches makes all the difference

This is a great new establishment in the area where the forest cafe used to be in Ellicott City. It tries to marry European coffeehouse with Asian cuisine and desserts and does a good job of it, too. The main attraction (visible as soon as you enter) is the dessert table filled with pastries, croissants, and cookies. Set atop is their specialty - honey bread which comes with a variety of toppings.I personally come here for their espresso drinks, which can be either hot or iced as you would expect from a fancy coffee shop. I like that their brand has rules of espresso of which they follow to give you a great, smooth, flavorful shot each time!But their menu doesnt just stop at your normal coffeehouse faire, they have bubble tea, smoothies, and even hot/cold sandwiches! The food takes well to their Asian fusion flavors, like Korean style spicy chicken sandwich (pic included).Their drinks options, too, offer Asian specialties like Vietnamese coffee (slow drip coffee over condensed milk, hot or iced). If you like sweetened coffees, do yourself a favor and try their Vietnamese coffee, you wont be disappointed!

Drinks taste terrible!! You have to wonder what they are thinking to be confident enough to sell this stuff for money. Just downright awful.

Not a bad place to come and hang out. Order some coffee and catch up with friends. Maybe bring your laptop and just surf the web. Nice little spot.

Fancy looking place and an inviting atmosphere. Nice staff, always.However, espresso drinks are machine/automatic made and taste about as much. Seating is uncomfortable. You wouldnt want to spend time here, and apparently people agree because its empty every time Ive been. Bakery of Korean items, so know that going into it. Not bad or good, just not a standard American bakery.

I am a starbucks addict yet I also love to come here for coffee when Im not running on the go. The coffee drinks Ive tried seem to be richer in taste and less sugary. Cafe bene offers a lot of variety in their menu from coffee to sandwiches and desserts. Great atmosphere for studying or reading which I have yet to take advantage of!

My wife and I enjoyed the whole experience. The coffees and desserts were great. Believe it or not I would choose Caffe Bene over Starbucks. Highly recommend!

Really great place to go and study for school. Their food is really good but costs a little more. The reason for 4 stars is that it gets crowded but thats nothing really.

The employees here are great to work. We go here frequently and Ive only ever had one problem with an order. When I talked to them about it they quickly fixed it. They have a great selection of drinks and food, including specialty waffles to make anyone feel spoiled. Their drinks are flavorful, but not as sugary as Starbucks. Soy is also free.

It wasnt bad. I would definitely visit again for a better opinion and update. It was very quiet and relaxing.

Caffe bene is completely different now. I use to love going here with my sister to get mango ice parfait. Which is made completely different now then what it was before. It was like no effort put in when they made our parfait. The bowl is also smaller than before but im just more disappointed in the taste of the parfait. the customer service is also not the best. The workers seem clueless with our order. Probably wont come back anymore.

Friendly staff but mediocre products. The environment is cozy modern but often uncomfortable (many seats lack cushions), and its very apparent that the design was aesthetics first and function later. The staff, as stated, are always very friendly and will prepare your order in a timely manner. However, their drinks and food are not memorable.

Stumbled upon this while driving through the area- latte was mediocre, desserts a bit better. The presentation of espresso beverages and desserts is amazing and draws attending. It is a cozy and relaxed coffeeshop full of students and guests hanging out. However drinks/food average.

I like coming for coffee or tea, and meeting friends. Its a good place to sit and talk.

Actually tried this place at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo and was impressed. Turns out that theres one not too far from home! Great coffee, relaxed vibe, real, creative food, and good service.

The place looks nice. Just when I went there with a friend and we ordered drinks, I ordered a large and my friend ordered a medium and both got the same amount of the drink just I got more ice. I didnt pay for more ice I paid for more of the actual drink. Great milk tea bubble tea as a side note

My girlfriend and I ordered our desserts then we stepped to the side. Another couple orders, one of them orders the same thing I did. My girlfriend got her dessert, they put mine up, the lady working said that it wasnt mine and gave it to the other guy. His girlfriend got her order next and eventually I got mine

Very relaxing coffee shop with so much to offer.

Good location. Selection of pastries not as expansive. Good korean bingsoo.

Everything we had there was good, but it is expensive for what you get. Service was good. The place was clean, there is Wi-Fi available. If you wanted to you could hang out here like at Starbucks, and get work done. Or, have a good conversation with a friend.

Cute. Quiet. Good meeting spot. Small ta les though

Good food. People not especially friendly. Chairs are very low to the floor... extremely uncomfortable.

Its a very stylish coffee shop alright. The bakery items are from a Korean bakery. I ordered a large cappuccino. What was made in a small cup because I did not want a double shot espresso. Or at least that is how I understood the reasoning behind paying for a large cup but getting a small?

Honestly, their coffee bean is not my style, but I love thier refreshers. The shaved ice is good. I did not try a the bread, but they are mostly okay.

A friend recommended we have coffee here. The coffee was good.we also had waffles with real maple syrup, mmmm...

Good options, nice atmosphere. Looking forward to trying other menu items.

Nice place. Comfortable and relaxing with good beverage and snack selection.

Lots of great pastries. Too bad they have absolutely nothing that is gluten free, I cannot eat there as I have Celiac disease. Oh well.

Friendly staff, surprisingly good sandwiches, decent coffee, and a great atmosphere to work/study.

Horrible Customer Service!!! The place has adopted discriminatory practices. The place is operated by Asians whom aggressively will harass you to make a purchase before sitting your bag down. The manager literally sat down next to me within a short time frame of me being in the store and told me to leave because I hadn’t purchased anything yet. As a business owner I find these types of practices to be disgraceful and counterproductive. I would recommend NO one patron a business that upholds holds such standards.

Woah talk about some great coffee...Caffé Bene outshines it’s competition at least tenfold. Shout out to the people who run this fine establishment as they are the real MVPs here! 5 Stars!

Quickly fills up sometimes, but it has good music, good atmosphere, and good food.

Highly recommend! Anytime I have a big test the next day I come here for almost the whole day and get a portabella sandwich and white mocha. The service is incredible, when they see Im busy with studying they will walk my food and drinks to me, and they always are smiling and super nice! I was new to Maryland, so finding a place I feel comfortable and relaxed in while doing strsssful school work, was exactly what I needed!

A great spot for hanging out with friends and family. Great ambiance, super friendly staff, and a wide variety of drinks and treats to choose from.

Good coffee, good food, and a good quiet atmosphere for computer use. An ideal internet cafe.

Cute place, great chill vibes. Love the European Korean fusion.

Nice place, good coffee and selection of desserts (cakes, waffles, etc.). They have sandwiches too but I didnt try any, maybe next time.

Great place to work or for coffee meetings.Limited lunch menu. Good Mighty Leaf tea selection.

Cafe Saigon is delicious hot and cold. Original recipe sandwiches - 5 to choose from in addition to many bakery treats AND a delightful atmosphere to hang with friends.

Ive been here many times in the last few months, I used to come when they first opened for meetings and to work, but it is not up to par as it once was. The service is unfriendly, slow and seemingly untrained. It is dirty and unsanitary in the bathroom. Many items on the menu are not made correctly nor taste ok/fresh. When asked about the freshness/recipe/ingredients, Im told it is my problem and to go elsewhere with no explanation nor answer. The menu and website of items and products are completely misleading, as their selection is quite small now as well. I loved Caffe Bene, but I will not be returning after many many chancesEdit: The owner has since responded and discredited my experiences by saying Review is not right, look at others and compare. Completely unproffesional to descredit a guest and it shows you have no care for the people who spend money there or the experience they have in your store as long as they are spending money. Exactly the reason as to why I will not return.

This is a really good cafe. Their coffee selection and flavors are great. Beware though, they are very busy on Friday and Saturday nights.

The coffee is good but the service is poor. Ive tried to come here numerous times in the morning only to find that the shop isnt yet open because the morning staff is running late. The cashier hasnt been trained on the register and is unable to find the requested drink. Also, the drink specials featured on the register are outdated, showing the winter drinks from last season. I keep trying to give this place a chance, but Im often disappointed.

Awesome coffee desserts and comfortable place ❤️😊🙏

Nice spot for small meetings/hanging out. Ambiance is cool. Employees are nice.

Most recent experience was a chocolate frappe but what I received was a water frappe with brown color.The door faces east making the sun glare into your face at times. The service is not passionate family oriented like shilla bakery which i highly recommend

I love the books at the back! The coffee is delicious. I remember I got a free size upgrade just for having a friendly banter with the staff

I loved the coffee but specifically the environment.

Lovely Cafe to hangout with friends and they have got really good options of beverages & desserts... Their Tiramisu cup and Banana-walnut Honey bread are yummy....You can also carry any card games to add fun to the grp while u hang out here...

4 stars just for being open late on a weeknight! This is a good place to get some work done while enjoying coffee, tea or Misugaru (like Asian Horlicks). Desserts are good too.

Had their expensive spicy chicken sandwich which was not spicy. I am confused how buffalo sauce is spicy. I just did not buy it. I expected more for the money I paid. The french roll was nice and the thick chicken breast was too. The spread was ok. But I only got two jalapenos that tasted like dill pickles. The sauteed bean sprouts did not make any sense. I got too many onions. I honestly wonder why I got a ridiculous amount of them. The mixed green salad with some long peanuts and some sweet balsamic vinaigrette was enjoyable. I would absolutely never order this again. I also plunged to spend further to get a large hot caffe latte for the road. As a home barista myself I got nothing but big bubbled foam on the latte. But the taste of the espresso had a long lasting aftertaste which I liked.👎🤡👎

Great green tea drinks. Easy access bathroom. Reasonable pricing.

Always a great visit. Quiet, comfortable.

Good little place

Maybe I am missing something. $3.45 for coffee in a dixie cup. The cup was so small that I asked, Is this what I ordered? Sorry. You are right in my neighborhood. I really wanted this to work.

Walked in today, and no one was in the line to be waited on. There were two Caucasian people behind the counter. As I stood there for a total of 14 minutes with both of them in plain sight of me, neither took the time to acknowledge me or my 8 year old son.... after the 14 minutes I asked the gentleman who was in front of me “ is this where I should stand to place my order, he then pointed to where I was standing... I’m not going to rush to judgement and say they were racists, however the customer service was absolutely HORRIBLE.... and there were no African Americans in the establishment at all... hmmmmm !!!

Interesting desserts. Neat little coffee house. They have big parfaits too

Love this place. Atmosphere and coffee are superb.

I see there are many below average reviews but I have happened to have only good experiences with the coffee shop. It is decorated very well and though the employees seem somewhat inexperienced, not once in the plentiful times I have been in there, have I had them mess up. The coffee is always quite good. Its better than Starbucks, though it usually comes a little bit unsweet, which I prefer. I think the seating is comfortable and I usually sit in there and relax. One thing I do think needs changing, are maybe more experienced baristas and a menu that doesnt make you try and guess if they have something or not, as not all coffees are listed on the menu. I live close. Ive been here many times. I enjoy it.

Great espresso drinks and pastries. Plenty of room to work. Nice location.

Great if you want to study, read or semi quietly talk with someone. very chill environment.

Food is good.Not terribly crowded but food does take time since it is fresh and hot.

Ordered 3 lattes and 1 cappacino. Took 15 mintues to make in an empty store and then they all tasted like water. When I told the guy all of them tasted watery he said it was the ice melting. When I pointed out there is no ice in a cappacino he just shrugged.

Got a macchiato espresso, such a perfect coffee.

Warm and cozy place to visit during winter. Good choices of desserts.

I could tell the girls were trying so hard to keep up with orders but there is absolutely no organization. They called out orders which might work if there were more menu options. People were essentially fighting over orders and who got here first. Many people got their brewed coffees and ice waters before we got ours (30 min later after asking). Have a name system and a manager on duty always. It was a mess and although we live very close its unfortunately not worth the wait.

Perfect place to hang out with friends and drink good coffee.

Amazing macarons and great coffee. rustic and quaint ambiance

Their Cafe Saigon is amazing hot or cold and the atmosphere very relaxing

Cute little coffee hangout spot for study groups, bloggers, and friend-get-togethers. Pastries and good coffee abound here along free (limited!) parking, free WiFi and handicap accessibility.

Bubble tea is really good. Friendly service

Great coffee, helpful staff and the only reason for the 4 stars is there are GF options.

A great place to have coffee or tea and chat. Liked the cake i had.

Great coffee. Great selection of coffee and always perfectly roasted.

Three times here and I keep wanting to love it for localtion and atmosphere, but the service has been rude each time. This is my last visit, too bad.

Super cute place if you wanna post anything on insta or snap, their boba teas are awesome and the shop is one of my favorite places