Caffébene
333 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA, 02115
Caffébene Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Boston for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Boston for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Boston for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
333 Massachusetts Ave
Boston, MA, 02115 - Phone (617) 982-6688
- Website https://www.caffebeneusa.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :6:00 am - 11:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Brunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : No
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Jonathan N.
I don't understand what is the fuzz and hype are all about this place. This place is over rated. The foods here are just decent but are way over price for it portion. I was told by my brother about this caffe and thought I would give it a try. I went into the caffe and look at their menu. It look pretty impressive but it very pricey. The kid who took my ordered was on his cellphone at the time. Definitely unprofessional and no respects to the customer. Anyway I ordered a Mango Bingsoo and a waffle with yogurt and fresh blue berry as advertised on the wall. About 15 minutes later, my orders came out. The Bingsoo was huge. The waffle does not look like what the picture that was advertised. The waffle was small with some creamy yogurt and blue berry jam instead. I'm was disappointed at this point. The bill came out to $20 buck, definitely does not worth it at all!!! The Bingsoo has about 90% of shaving ice in the cup. The waffle is too small that I finished it in two bites. It was dry and hard. The restaurant was pretty cute with nice decorations, well lite and clean. Conveniently located on Symphony station on the green line. Services was fast.
(3)Mary D.
I got a cheesecake and there was cheez itz layered in it. They just don't belong together
(3)Matt S.
Area needed this. Great alternative to Pavement, Starbucks and Dunkin. Ambiance is great. Plenty of comfortable seating and wifi is solid. Location is a great plus. Underrated and utilized location with great service too
(5)Jamie R.
Excellent new addition to the area. Guy who served us, Tim, was friendly and helpful. Had some weird coffee drink that I liked very much. Rock on!
(5)L Y.
It was nice and cozy inside. We had picked this place for dessert. A friend had the waffles dessert and some sort of shave ice dessert. It wasn't anything to rave about. It was new experience to be able to just enjoy Boston. It's like any other coffee shop and what I had tasted was average. I probably wouldn't go back as it's more like a college hang out spot.
(3)Danielle R.
I can't be more excited that Caffebene has opened up shop in Boston! Some of the best iced coffee I've had--and served in a really beautiful, relaxing setting. Also, the pastries are fresh and delicious. Very excited to return, especially in order to branch out and try their large selection of creative drinks (including bubble teas and mojito refreshers) and liege waffles.
(5)Wang S.
Went there on a Monday near noon time and got the waffle with strawberry gelato and the creme brule with berries. When I got them I noticed that it wasn't gelato and that it was just regular strawberry ice cream. They should change the name but the waffle tasted great. Oh and if you ever wanna know what ass taste like try the creme brule. But other than that I would come back and get the waffle!!
(4)E G.
Coffee/hot chocolate is alright but very expensive for what you're getting. But whereas the drinks are still drinkable, the food, in my personal opinion, is just awful. Ignoring the fact that the items on the food menu all seem somewhat similar (only partially because they're all equally terrible), they end up being a mix of flavors that don't work together. Head over to Pavement Coffeehouse across the street for a better experience.
(1)Arthur C.
this place is just overhyped...nothing THAT special. its a cool place for northeastern students to chill,hang,or study in. i wouldnt study in here tbh..it gets pretty loud been here about 3-4 times. they have bingsu, waffles, sandwiches, mojitos (non-alcoholic), coffee/assortments, honey bread and a few assortment of side desserts first time going. friend and i ordered two binsu's, and a green tea crepe cake. holy fuck shit, it was overwhelming. the bingsu's are the size my head. people think its overprice..but you can easily split it between two people. at $11 its not THAT expensive (inflation people, a 3 scoop sundae is like $7 now at friendlys). i got some green tea bingsu..it was okay. the shaved ice was quite bland. not that much flavor in it (i sound retarded but you cant exactly flavor ice...its water essentially). scoop after scoop was ice..pretty sure i got a brain freeze at one point. there is some ice cream in there though. then my friend and i attacked the green tea crepe cake. it was actually pretty good i must say. it wasnt too sweet..but not too bland either. the crepe layers were soft, not stale at all. then we looked at the chocolate devil bingsu...took that to go. let my friend take it home to her family. dont know anything about that one. second time. no green tea crepe cake..bummer..wasnt in the mood for bingsu..so i ordered strawberry and cheese honey bread while my friend ordered a strawberry and whip cream with waffle. honey bread is DISGUSTING. its just cream cheese on slice of hard bread thats dry and hard. dont bother wasting your time or money on that. the waffle with strawberry was decent. not good..but not bad either third time. ordered the waffle with green tea gelato..friends ordered random stuff. too big of a party for me to remember what people ordered. but this time, the waffle was different. there was some sweetness to it. crispy, soft, and puffy. the gelato gave it a nice touch to compliment the waffle. not too bad. will i be going back? probably not tbh. only if my friend/s want to. nothing to be craving about.
(3)Vivian D.
Caffé Bene is the place to go! Especially when it's hot! Their strawberry bingsu would probably be the best bingsu that they have since it's a mix of strawberry and red bean. You could even share it up to three people. The honey breads there are all really good too. Such a cute dessert/cafe/study place to go with your friends. + they offer free wifi!!!!
(5)Young P.
Whenever I come here, I always order their bingsoo (shaved ice with ice cream and other toppings) and it never disappoints. They give you a lot so you can share it amongst your friends if you want as well. I loved their mango bingsoo as well as their green tea ice cream bingsoo. I usually order something on the side such as their honey bread or other pastries because it usually complements the bingsoo so well. If you are in the area and you are looking for a cool place to just chill, eat, and enjoy some delicious desserts, then no look further than this place!
(4)Izzy Z.
Coming from Cali, where I had to drive an hour to k-town to get to this place, I was sooooo excited that they opened a store here! Love the decor of this place! Very serene and calming...a distraction from the craziness of the city. I love to study here-free wifi, lots of seating, restroom in the store, and friendly service. Only thing that I didn't like this morning was that the pastry weren't labeled and the staff wasn't able to identify the fillings for most of them. Kind of like a fun surprise filling LOL. But can't really go wrong with the pastry here. Very light and airy and fresh. The coffee I got with it wasn't very dark...prob a light or medium roast. There's hazelnut and regular syrup you can use! I love hazelnut syrup! Their shaved ice is a giant cup of awesomeness, esp in the heat of the summer! Great food item to gather friends around! I always end up splitting it with someone since there's so much! Don't get me started on the Belgian waffles or the brick/honey toast! On the downside, this place can be a bit pricey, but which place isn't nowadays! Lol They have happy hour now! I think it's from 11am -4pm and you get 50% off. There's also a breakfast special where you can get a free small coffee or tea when you buy any of the pastry item.
(4)Angela L.
Food: Caramel cinnamon honey bread. Mango bingsu. Red bean bingsu. So yummy. Definitely come here with a group, the desserts are huge. Would recommend getting a bread and a bingsu! I love the cinnamon honey bread. Perfectly sweet and soft. The mango bingsu is so good!!! There's a layer of yogurt in the middle and some ice cream on top. I'm not the biggest fan of red bean in my shaved ice, but this was pretty good. Definitely would come back. This place is very clean and seems like a good place to study. Good location down near Newbury street and Northeastern.
(4)Christina Y.
LOVEEEE this place. I always liked their shaved ice. Tried the strawberry red bean one and it's amazing!!!! Tried the garlic cheesy honey bread for the first time and my life has been changed. It's crispy bread with a layer of honey topped with cheese. It's the most beautiful combination both sweet and salty. Would definitely be back for this!
(5)Sami P.
It's such an amazing Asian Cafe! I've been looking for a good Asian cafe ever since I moved to Boston from SoCal. Now this is THE place to go if you crave for Honey Bread, Shaved Ice, sweet red beans... etc! They provide such a prompt customer service too! My drink came within 20 secs!
(4)Jeffrey N.
This time around, I got their mango yogurt bingsoo. I think this might have been a bad time to have gotten it because perhaps mangoes are not particularly in season (it's september)? The mangoes tasted rather sour and therefore did not really blend well with the yogurt portion of it. The ice cream portion on top was good though so that was a plus. Also, it's a really large portion that you wouldn't really want to tackle yourself unless it was your meal or something so as a dessert, it's good that I had shared it with many friends just to get a taste of it. Otherwise, it would've been really overwhelming to have finished it myself. Last time I came here, I had gotten the coffee bingsoo as I only shared with one other friend. That time we couldn't really finish. I think I like the concept of bingsoo but I haven't really tried anything besides Caffebene to know if there's extraordinary bingsoo so right now my perception of it is just decent.
(3)Chilly P.
It's cozy in here; perfect spot for catching up with friends or studying. The drinks and treats are unique. We tried the coffee bingsu and was surprised by it's monstrous size, definitely best for sharing. Pretty presentation; we had to Instagram it right away! The ice cream, beans and nuts were delicious but was a bit bland towards the bottom. I would visit again to try the other bingsu, especially the fruity ones!
(4)Shir L.
Green tea shaved ice-good Green tea latte - too sweet, not enough green tea flavor Strawberry and Cheese Waffle Banana and Carmel Waffle The waffles itself tasted good. Not a fan of the toppings.
(4)Vincent H.
I really like this location! A lot of space to get work done or to catch up with a friend or two. Menu selection has plenty of drinks and desserts with nice staff. Dishes can pile up sometimes which look nasty but it seems like they like to let it pile up from all my visits here.
(4)Pamela Y.
I've been meaning to try out the Ice Parfait (Bingsu, Shave Ice) at Caffe Bene since they opened a location in Boston. This location is in an area where there is construction. The exterior of the building is having some work done as well. I've had the toast and iced coffee in L.A. but I just never tried this icy treat. After an afternoon of shopping I asked a friend to join me here to try this dessert. It's huge! We decided to share a cookies and cream one. It was interesting but not interesting enough to tempt us to return. We're going to stick to ice cream sundaes for our cookies and cream fix. :)
(2)Amelia A.
This week has been such a struggle trying to find the perfect place to study, but thank goodness I finally dropped by Caffébene. My only regret is not having come here earlier! Atmosphere : Casual, comfortable, relaxed. Great natural lighting, tons of seating (bar seating by the windows is clutch), adequate outlets, free and fast wifi, suitable soundtrack, volume is appropriately low (but not so low that you feel like an a-hole every time you breathe). This to me has been the perfect environment thus far. Service : These employees are so polite and attentive. I can't stress this feeling of comfort enough. I've been here for five hours and bought two meals, and the employee simply (and very kindly) asked if I was studying, following up with some encouragement. When I was at a different cafe for five hours earlier this week (mind you no one was waiting to sit down as there were always empty spots), I bought a meal and three additional drinks out of feeling pure obligation because I was given death stares every so often. It's great to be able to study in peace here. Food and drink : So, I will say that this place is a bit more expensive than I'd prefer. For breakfast, I got a cream cheese and blueberry waffle with a mango passion fruit smoothie. The waffle was nice and crispy with (perhaps) some caramelized sugar, but fluffy on the inside - perfection. The cream cheese and blueberry compote was plentiful for the size of the waffle, but the waffle was pretty mini; enough for me to be comfortably full though. The smoothie was pretty ordinary. I was hoping for more of the passion fruit zing, but it was adequate. For lunch, I am eating the portobello sandwich with a caramel macchiato. The sandwich is fantastic. A perfect balance and composition of flavorful mushrooms, fresh spinach, cooked red onions, and melty cheese on top of delicious toasted bread. #noms and I hate vegetables btw. The macchiato, while tasty, is a little weak. But again, still adequate. I'm eyeing someone else's patbingsu (not creepy or anything), but will sadly have to wait on that until I can share it with someone because the serving size is huge. Perhaps next time...next time being tomorrow.
(4)Alex M.
Love love love this place - I'm addicted to their pastries, the taro bun is my favorite. It's so different from other cafes that I've been to, and it's a cool hang out spot with lots of seating area. Wasn't a huge fan of the hot sandwich I got there - the whole sandwich was hot except for the chicken which still was cold/frozen. Might have been a one off, so Im going to be trying more of their stuff.
(4)Jon L.
Caffe bene has asian inspired drinks and desserts. Generally speaking the drinks were better than the food items. Best drinks: matcha latte, misugaru latte. These were warm, creamy and flavors on point for both matcha and misugaru! Best food: the shaved iced desserts are all really good. These were fairly close to authentic and definitely unique the the symphony/Fenway/backbay area. The Chico more s'more is also a sweet treat. Honey bread items were more of an interesting experience rather than a delicious experience. It really is just a think piece of bread with some fruit on top, which you could make at home. Baked goods: don't really taste fresh or special. Even the Panera items across the street are better quality. Less good items: The coffee will come with cream and was too sweet. I do love the cafe environment itself though. This location has great floor to ceiling glass windows to look out at boston. There's free wifi and plenty of work space to study or enjoy people's company.
(4)Arthur C.
Very cute spot! Came in here during winter break. I wouldn't surprised if this was packed with students on laptops during the semester. The ambience inside was great. Although it was January 8th and they were still playing Christmas music. There's a large range of seating options and the decor inside is quite homey. My friend and I got the green tea latte and misugaru latte. Both were pretty delicious. (Misugaru was a cereal-tasting hot beverage, apparently good for your health but I wouldn't be surprised if they added a lot of sugar to this)
(4)Dedania M.
I LOVE CAFFEBENE. But I'm so cheap when it comes to buying their bingsoo :( so expensive for mostly ice!! It's always packed whenever I'm here but if you get there on time, you can grab a nice comfy spot to just enjoy the ambiance and do some reading or homework. Note to everyone** there is wifi and you can get a student discount if you let the cashier know! They offer sandwiches, drinks, and desserts but I heard every thing but desserts are average. Definitely come here to try their honey bread and bingsoo when the weather is nice! Keep in mind that you can always alter your order. If you want a certain ice cream flavor on your bingsoo, let them know! I always ask for green tea ice cream- super creamy and yummy :)
(4)Aynsley C.
3.5-4! I've been here a couple times with friends and I generally like their desserts! To start though, I love how this place looks; it's very modern, with lots of books on display, and wood finishings that make the place feel warm and comforting. They have free wifi and there's a good amount of space for studying. I've had their Azuki bingsoo, cinnamon honey bread, and strawberry and cheese honey bread! They're all gigantic portions, so I would share these between 2 or 3 people. Both honey breads were okay, but I think the strawberry and cheese one was more flavorful and fluffy! The bingsoo is probably my favorite dessert that they have their though; I love all the toppings and it reminds me of halo-halo (FIlipino dessert). Visit with friends for desserts or study time~
(4)Vivian C.
We were hot after a fun activity filled evening and were wanting some shaved ice. Jo Jo Taipei and PC Cafe/Between Hours came to mind, but we weren't sure how the parking situation would be out in Allston. Wait, I've read of a new Korean shaved ice place in the Symphony area where we were, but I couldn't think of the name... As we walked towards the intersection of Huntington and Mass Ave, however, a small group of Asians passed by us with cups and treat boxes in hand - "bene" was all I could make out in passing. Light bulb moment - Caffe Bene! Eureka! We found Caffebene up on the upper level above BLICK art materials, with its bold "Grand Opening" signage still up. I love how they have those realistic fake samples set out to tempt us. We opted to share the Green Tea Tower Ice Parfait $11.95 ($12.70 after tax). We ordered and paid at the counter and were given one of those buzzer thingies in return. They have a decent amount space for sitting and enjoying your treats inhouse, which is great since both the ice parfaits and their gelatos are quite meltable. Said parfait, when it arrived, was about the size of my face. Yes, definitely portioned for sharing, unless someone has a monstrous appetite. Sure, it is mostly ice, but we were both stuffed after consuming that bowlful of ice and green tea ice cream and an amalgam of nuts and whipped cream. A nice treat! Though I do wish they'd offer the same treat portioned for one, because I'm not often in this area with a friend. Free Wi-Fi available with password. Huge individual gendered bathrooms out beyond the counter. Bust your own table.
(4)Lauren C.
I've been meaning to try this place for some time and finally go the chance to when the weather finally let up a bit. The dessert selection is absolutely amazing but I ended up going with the Bingsoo and the Matcha Crepe Cake. I ordered a half and half Green Tea Tower Bingsoo and Mango Bingsoo. It was the best idea because I got more of the two flavors for the price of one, so I recommend doing this if you're planning on trying more flavors. In my opinion, the green tea tower was way better than the mango. The Matcha Crepe Cake was also very well done and soft, it was about $6.50 so much more reasonably priced than some other places around Boston that offer the cake. Also don't forget that if you're a student, present your student ID to get a discount on your order!
(4)MyLinh T.
This is the perfect place to go if you are in the mood for something sweet to share with friends. I came here with a group of 7. We ordered a mango bingsoo, a green tea bingsoo, and a banana and walnut honey bread. The portions were perfect for sharing. The prices were decent in my opinion, since the portions were so large. I feel like it was worth the money. The bread was $7.45 but sadly I forgot how much the bingsoos were. I am pretty sure it was around $10-12. Taste wise, I LOVED the banana&walnut honey bread. It had a nice little crunch around the crust and the inside was very soft. The bananas, walnut, and sauce combined with the bread was divine. I had never had anything like it and I'm craving it again. The green tea bingsoo was mediocre. I felt like it needed another layer of something in the middle. I usually love all things green tea but I wasn't really feeling this one. The mango bingsoo was a lot better. Two words. Mango. Heaven. It had 2 thick layers of mango pieces. On top was a scoop of mango gelato. It is every mango lovers dream. This place has a very relaxed ambience. The staff was extremely friendly. The decoration was cute, too. It definitely gave off a nice coffee shop vibe to it. On a nice day, you have the option of sitting outside which I was lucky enough to have.
(4)Jasmine L.
Great place to study and hang out. Ambiance is great with nice decor. Food is also great. Strawberry Honey Bread is amazing. It came warm and very well made (It actually looked like the photo) . Tried the waffle desserts but they're on the very sweet side. The coffee/cold drinks/smoothies/misugaru taste great. Service is always good and music isn't blasting like some other coffee shops (Jaho...?) It's really a one-stop location for coffee and dessert (unlike Starbucks). The 4/5 is because I would like more big tables. There's only one but I get that it's probably because they wanted to accommodate more seating for a smaller space (New York ones had 1.5 stories).
(4)Sharon C.
Love the interior decor - simple relaxed sorta homey feel to it. Great place to chill with friends or bring a laptop to do your own thing. My friend & I ordered the green tea bingsoo ( HUGE PORTION. .can feed 2 or maybe 3 people ) & the strawberry honey bread ( never heard of this pastry so it was quite unique..not bad ). I was a bit disappointed that they were sold out of the green tea crepes cake...both of us really wanna try that out. I would def come back here to try the green tea crepes or other pastries
(3)Idy T.
I can't believe that Boston finally has caffe bene! This is a coffeehouse chain based in Korea and has made it out to Boston! This coffee shop totally reminds me of my trip to Korea! The decor is really nice. There is free wifi for customers. This is great place to study, hang out friends, and enjoy a cup of coffee! They have a lot of different drinks and snacks on their menu. The patbingsu (shaved ice) looks so good but I was too full from brunch to try it. I will definitely be back to try this! I ordered the iced coffee but it was rather bland to my liking. I wonder if it is the type of beans they use. Maybe next time I will order a latte or try something else.
(4)Joanna Y.
Came here for their bingsoo. Did not disappoint! Until now, Boston has seriously lacked in having good bingsoo. So glad caffe bene made its way to Boston. We ordered the mango bingsoo. The ice was soft yet just crunchy enough to enjoy. It had two layers of ice, yogurt, and mango. The scoop of mango gelto on top was savory, soft, and juicy. One bingsoo comes out to be around $12 with tax, but they give you a lot. My fiance and I barely finished ours. We didn't try any of the pastries or coffee, but we will be back for sure to check it out! The interior of the cafe is clean and super cute. Certainly lives up to the korean cafe chain. Except to see lots of Koreans because they certainly approve of this new korean cafe addition!
(5)Rong Z.
When back to you couple times. it's always been good and I love their green bingsu! Oh also the Strawberry honey braid it taste really good it's just keeping me going back!
(5)Tanya Y.
Let's get real here: we all eat with out eyes first. And hott damn, Caffebene has their presentation of food done right. It is the pictures circulating around that made me eager to go out of my way to try it out in the first place. I finally got that opportunity to try what Caffebene has to offer last night. And, unfortunately, I left feeling slightly underwhelmed. Parking around this area, no matter what, is difficult to come by, but we were lucky and able to find a spot a couple minutes (walking distance) away. Once we stepped foot in doors we were greeted by the staff right away. It had a modern feel. Very comforting, with a nice environment to relax, do work, or simply hang out. There were also plastic displays of the food lying around, to give an example of what things look like when you order them. We ended up meeting up with a few other friends at this time and were able to sample a good amount of what Caffebene has to offer. We tried the Oreo Bingsoo (~12), Mango Bingsoo (~$12), Strawberry Honey Cake (~$7), and the whipped cream and banana Leige Waffle (~$5). We were given a buzzer to take to our table to alert us when our order was ready and waited. The best dessert to try out of all of them is the Leige Waffle. Made fresh, the waffle itself is crunchy on the outside because of sugar, with a warm and soft center on the inside. The waffle was great by itself but the addition of the toppings made it even better. The next best thing was the Mango bingsoo. It was layered similarly to a parfait. Tart greek yogurt, shaved ice, mango, repeat repeat, topped with a generous portion of mango gelato. The combination of everything together tasted great. It came out humungous and easily could feed 2-3 people without problem. I think I was most disappointed by the strawberry honey bread. I guess I was picturing the bread portion of it to taste similar to an Asian sponge cake. Rather, it was...bread indeed. Slightly hard on the outside which made it difficult to cut through with the forks they provided, topped with cream cheese and strawberries. Presentation again, was spectacular. (refer to my pictures!) The taste was just meh, ok. They had a layer of chocolate sauce on the bottom which helped bring the dish a little further, especially because the honey bread proved to be a bit dry without it. A great suggestion to Caffebene is to perhaps layer the honey bread just like they did with the bingsoo, to make it more palatable. I had super high expectations coming here and left somewhat disappointed. Because Caffebene is hard to access via car, it is on the steeper end of the price point, and the desserts were just OK, I had to rate it 3 stars. Definitely do take the train here and walk a short distance if you do want to try it out, and! Get the leige waffles. The end.
(3)Yuka Y.
The new Asian hot spot for dessert gatherings. Service is quite slow, taking ~10 minutes to get a mango binsoo ready. They'll hand you a buzzer device while you wait. Their bingsoo are H-U-G-E and pricey. $11.95 + tip= $12.70. A recommendation I have for them is to cut down on the size. A bingsoo bowl whose height is the palm of your hand eventually becomes far too much and less enjoyable as you approach the soupy, milky bottom. ++Their mango bingsoo is perfect for the summer- ripe mangos with alternating layers of ice and yogurt topped with a scoop of ice cream. The cashier was a cute Korean girl, topping off the Korean cafe experience- cute enough for me to catch my man glancing at her repeatedly. What else can I do but wish he'd GROW UP.
(4)Wilma O.
I'm very happy to see a cute Asian-style cafe (specifically Korean, though some desserts will feel familiar to people in Japan or possibly other East-Asian countries). I'm especially excited by the unique treats like honey toast with ice cream. This place is a little hard to find because it is masked by some construction, but the interior is hip and cute -- perfect as a date spot! Though it's also fairly crowded here as the place is still pretty new. - Mango Mojito (non-alcoholic by the way) - this was delicious and refreshing! You can clearly see fruit and mint in it. A nice upgrade from the options at a cafe like Starbucks. - Spicy chicken sandwich - my friend got this and it seemed good enough. Not extremely Asian tasting, and very similar to something you'd find at Cosi, but she enjoyed it. - Caramel popcorn patbingsu - this was tasty, though a little underwhelming for the price. Patbingsu in Boston (both here and elsewhere, like at Paris Baguette) are so overpriced since most of it is ice. In the photo, I thought this would have chocolate ice, but it was just normal ice. However, all the other components were delicious! It's still hard to say my full feelings on this place because I'm extremely excited to try the honey toast and the Belgian waffles next time (these are what I'd snack on in Japan!). Overall, this place is still working out some kinks as it's newly opened, but I see great potential and a lot of uniqueness to the somewhat repetitive cafe selection currently in Boston.
(4)Bonnie C.
My first impression of this cafe was that it was really cute. Their decor is really cute and they way they present their sweets are very cute. It makes you want to try everything on the menu and buy all their merchandise. For my first visit, I got two waffles, honey bread, and a mojito. I was very happy with the waffle, although I preferred the waffle with yogurt instead of whipped cream. The honey bread was not as good as I thought. I wouldn't recommend getting it, unless you want to have a nice picture to post on Instagram. The mojito was absolutely refreshing! I ordered the mango-berry mojito which had mangos, raspberries, a slice of lime and sprite (or some kind of sparkling water) with a hint of mint. I definitely recommend getting it! For my second visit (which was 10 hrs after my first visit), I ordered a vanilla latte, a blueberry lemonade, and a cappuccino cake. Not impressed! Not at all! The lemonade was gross, the cake was bland, and the latte was mediocre. Nothing special about it. I could get a better latte at Starbucks or the thinking cup. I didn't even bother trying the bingsoo or ice parfait as they would call it. A lot of people have been telling me that it was not worth trying. And I believe them. Giving this place 3 stars because I don't like 80% of their items on the menu. Plus it's pretty price-y for the food that you get. A waffle and a small latte comes out to an easy $10. (And I thought Starbucks was expensive!) Great place to study during the day when nobody is really here. Gets really crowded at night.
(3)Bryan M.
Been wanting to try this place for some time and finally got the chance. Got a little overwhelmed with the abundance of different desserts but ended up getting a few for all of us to share. Got a waffle with mango gelato which tasted good but the gelato was too sweet for my liking. We also got a green tea Bingsoo, which came out pretty massive. You're going to need a few friends to help you out with this. Final item was caramel cinnamon sweet bread, at this point I was so full that I only ended eating a few bites. Tasted amazing and wasn't too sweet which is a plus. Overall a good place for dessert
(4)Shannon M.
This place has some tasty beverages! Originally an Asian cafe chain specializing in bubble teas, this new-ish Boston location offers bubble teas, lattes, desserts and treats. I had a bubble tea latte and my boyfriend had some variation of a milkshake. The staff was very friendly and polite. the service was just very slow. We stopped in on our way to the south end while walking down mass Ave and thought it would be a quick way to grab a drink. It took nearly ten minutes before the drinks were ready. However- everything there looked so delicious! I enjoyed my tea very much and my boyfriend liked his latte. Just need to work on streamlining their services.
(4)Esther C.
Always good bingsoo, but the americano is awesome. Fell in love with theirs. It has a chocolate taste and it is so yummy! Especially on a cold rainy day!
(4)Jessica N.
A really nice spot located near symphony station, I've been dying to try this spot out after visiting the location in New York. I really like the environment, which is usually a very nice place to visit on a cold winter day. The drinks are delectable and very sweet, although they do tend to be on the sweeter side. The desserts are good and worth a try since they're cast iron pan desserts that have layers and layers of flavor and texture! If you are going to try this place definately try the sandwiches that come out hot and are mouth watering. ALSO, you need to add shaved ice to your list to must try items from this spot. The shaved ice can be a little lacking in flavor since the ice isnt flavored, so make sure to ask for a teeensy bit of more fruit of condensed milk!
(3)Ying X.
Oh man, where do I begin? This is perhaps one of my most favorite dessert cafe's (I first found it in Koreatown in LA), and was pleasantly surprised to discover they had a location in Boston as well! Their desserts are absolutely spot-on, and I've shamefully tried perhaps far too many of them (and would re-order any of them in a heartbeat). Gelato and waffle - Ordered this with tiramisu gelato, and it just absolutely melts in your mouth. Interestingly, the tiramisu gelato doesn't really taste like tiramisu (sweeter and less chocolate/coffee-tasting), but nonetheless a delicious choice. Banana Walnut Honey Bread - The honey bread is what really makes this dessert. The combination of banana and walnut was fairly standard, but it nicely compliments the honey bread (which, if I may add, absolutely owns my heart). I love honey bread, especially when done well, and CaffeBene does not disappoint in this department! Which is perhaps why I also ordered the... Caramel Cinnamon Honey Bread - Normally, I find caramel to be too overwhelming, but the caramel they used for this dessert was fairly light, and the whipped cream was perfectly fluffy. Didn't just stop here though... Garlic & Cheese Honey Bread - Technically more savory so not really a dessert, but it was surprisingly delicious. You wouldn't necessarily expect a sweet bread to work well with a savory topping, but this was probably my favorite honey bread of the three I tried. Misugaru Red Bean Bingsu - One of their two standard bingsu on the menu. Ours came topped with mochi, misugaru powder, red bean, and vanilla gelato. A great choice for a hot summer day (or a cold winter night, which was when I went. Call me crazy, but nothing gets in the way of me and my dessert). The most unique aspect of this bingsu (and what is perhaps also very unique to CaffeBene in general) is their use of misugaru - it's a grain powder made from a combination of many different grains (i.e. sesame, black bean, barley, etc.). The powder has a pretty strong sesame/peanut taste, so it's pretty hit-or-miss depending on your preference for those flavors. Mango Yogurt Bingsu - A very cool take on your traditional mango shaved ice. It's part of their "2014 Summer Carnival" collection, but they were still serving it in the middle of December. You get alternating layers of ice and mango pieces, topped with a layer of yogurt and a generous serving of mango gelato. The mango pieces were very sweet, which was balanced by the tartness of the yogurt. The mango gelato wasn't anything too spectacular, but was a smart addition to this bingsu. Coffee Bingsu - Also part of the "2014 Summer Carnival." As a coffee addict, I knew I had to try this (and I wanted to try their coffee gelato anyway, so that killed two birds with one stone). In this case, the ice is doused in espresso and topped with peanuts, red bean, and the coffee gelato. While I thoroughly enjoyed this dessert (largely due to my obsession with coffee and red bean), I don't know if I'd say that this dessert was anything spectacular. It's basically what you'd expect an Asian coffee dessert to be. Tasty and worth trying, though. Choco More S'more - Part of the "Pantastic Winter Wonderland Choco and Cheese" collection. It's served literally in a metal pan, so be careful not to burn yourself on that! Despite my apathy toward marshmallows (makes you wonder why I'd chose a s'more dessert, eh?), I chose to get this on whim because I was craving gelato and brownies and ended up finishing every last bite of brownie, ice cream, fudge sauce, and marshmallow. Since the dessert is served hot, the marshmallows and brownie pieces just melt in your mouth, and the ice cream provides a nice contrast in this otherwise deliciously warm delicacy. Be warned though - eat this fast! Otherwise, the ice cream will (obviously) melt into a gooey mess. Real Espresso Lava - Also a "Pantastic" dessert. I had no idea what this dessert would be like; from the advertisement , it looked like a standard chocolate lava cake topped with whipped cream and surrounded by chocolate crumbles (which turned out to be oreo cookie pieces). However, as with the coffee bingsu, I needed to try this simply because it had "espresso" in the name. Turns out, the espresso is hidden in the lava cake underneath the whipped cream! Ingenious and absolutely amazing! The oreo pieces were a bit underwhelming, but very appropriate for decorating the remainder of the pan. Misugaru Latte - Obviously, you have to at least try that "special" drink an Asian cafe is known for, and it was absolutely delightful. Warm and creamy with just the right amount of flavor. I love sesame and coffee, so put those together and you have my dream drink. Only reason I didn't give five stars is the service - some of the workers seemed pretty inexperienced or came off as unfriendly. Prices are also a little high for what they serve, so my wallet may or may not be crying a little bit... Totally worth it!
(4)Quynh Nhu D.
Shamefully still not quite sure how to properly pronounce the name, I still show up here too often.. Never get to try much of the drink because the gigantic bingsoo is enough. Favorite is definitely Mango! It have this yogurty creaminess that mix so well with the fresh fruit. I don't like my friend way of mixing everything since it make it look all boring and taste bland... Sorry! I eat it by layer so I can savor each part and have them come together in my mouth. :B Strawberry is good too, still need to try Matcha but I can't because I keep on getting Mango AHHH. Tried the shrimp sandwhich, it was ok... It's not something I'd get often. Met the nicest cashier who allow me to add liquid sugar to an ice tea (don't come as sweeten). I really think they should offer sweeten tea since it tasted really amazingly refreshing! Great ambiance for studying or chatting. Bingsoo is kind of pricy but definitely worth it, no complaints!
(4)Devika G.
I have developed this new liking for coffee and coffee shops. And this place has always been on the top of my list ever since they opened in fall 2014. They have cute interiors and u see people chatting, working, studying. The have a lot of options to choose from. From coffee till desserts. The one thing that tempted us was Maple latte, it sounds and tastes yummy (I am sucker for maple flavor). We also got s'more brownie which looked heavenly. The picture on the menu wall made us try it. The graphics make u go weak. The servers are very friendly and cool. I would love to visit often.
(4)Tammy T.
So adorable! A lot of seating and space. The desserts are okay though. The first time I went I got the green tea bingsoo, it did not satisfy me. It tasted like coffee rather than green tea, I got a little lightheaded after since I don't like coffee. I just went back recently and I got the mango shaved ice this time along with a chocolate cake. The mangos tasted dull and the slice of cake wasn't too shabby. A dessert place to go to when I'm craving sweets to an extreme. It would be a nice good first experience for anyone who has not tried it yet.
(3)Jessica L.
Stopped by today at night, and actually got a lot of work done. However, there are still some things Caffe Bene should fix. Like how to make coffee, and how not to steam milk. The entire cafe smelled like oversteamed milk...Definitely not a pleasant smell in a cafe. No. Maybe after two more tries here, my stars would go up to a 5....I doubt it
(3)Tina P.
Oh Korea! Thank you! Had this in LA and I felt in love with it, but sadly we didn't have one in Boston at that time. I guess Jesus finally listen to my prayers! *Green tea bingsu- you can't go wrong with this flavor. They also added some kind of nuts, a scoop of green tea ice cream and a lot of whipping cream. *Mango bingsu- this is probably my favorite flavor. They are very generous with the mango pieces plus a good scoop of vanilla ice cream. I'm not sure if they add cheese in it since I can taste it. *Banana bread- the moist on that bread is on point!!! They add a lot of walnut and caramel on the side. *Strawberry bread- same concept as the banana but this time they add something like cream cheese. *lavender lemonade- very refreshing!! This place will attract a lot of students during school season so make sure to grab a seat and ask someone to order cause those students will stay there for like hours!!! Lol
(5)Tammy L.
I swung by to check out this place that kept showing up on my social media feeds. My friend was meeting up with me there, but I had arrived early so I placed an order for a green tea frappe and strawberry honey bread. 30 minutes after I got my drink, my buzzer for my honey bread still wasn't buzzing. I approached them about it and they were very apologetic about forgetting that part of the order. No big deal. They quickly made me one and I was on my merry way. The disappointing part was the green tea frappe and the green tea gelato that I later ordered. The frappe only tasted like green tea when it was diluted and the gelato was way too sugary for my liking. My friend joked that I shouldn't compare both to any of the green tea drinks and desserts I've had in Japan. But still, it was disappointing. Perhaps I should try the rest of their green tea menu items to come to a final verdict. My friend ordered a portobello sandwich which she shared with me. Absolutely yummy. Just make sure you eat it while it's still warm. I will come again to try the rest of the menu.
(4)Mary T.
Caffe Bene is finally opened in Boston! They are a chain coffee shop that started in Korea. They have locations all over the world, including the states-- Los Angeles and New York. This is actually my first time trying Caffe Bene. They have a variety of drink options, food, snacks, baked goods, and even patbingsu (shaved ice). I came here on their opening weekend to try their iced coffee (my go-to drink at a coffee shop during the summer!) Their coffee was kind of bland and watered down. It seemed like they added ice to the hot coffee to cool it down. They should make their coffee stronger! I liked the ambiance and decor of the coffee shop. For some reason, it reminds me of Korea! It might get a little too loud if you want to study there because when I went, there were a lot of people talking. I will definitely come back to try their food and patbingsu!
(4)Todd S.
Coffee is strong, but smooth. More importantly - they have ample, comfortable work space with plenty of outlets and fast Wi-fi. This chain is originally a Korean bakery and that essence is present in their pastries and desserts, which are very tasty.
(4)Lillian C.
Apparently this is a pretty well known cafe/dessert chain with many locations worldwide. I really like the decor of this place. The area around the cash register reminds me of a bakery and the rest of the place is like a coffee house where you can chill. There are benches facing the window as well as large wooden table for groups. We tried the mango bingsoo and banana walnut honey bread. The mango bingsoo was AMAZING. I feel like I could eat this all by myself... I love mango desserts and this is the closest thing to a good mango dessert as it gets outside of Asia. There are ample slices of ripe mango and the ice cream on top is perfect. I wish they could make a mini size that's a single serving... I wasn't expecting much from the banana walnut honey bread and I thought it would be a bit dry, but it was actually pretty good. The bread was just a tad sweet and super soft. I could have done without the topping and just had the bread... delicious! The prices weren't bad if you come in a group and shared the items. I'd def be back for more!
(4)Nancy C.
I was excited to try this because I saw that they had patbingsu. I shared the mango one with 2 friends and while it was ok, it wasn't really worth the price. The location makes it a good study spot for Northeastern students, however.
(3)D.M H.
I want to like this place, but after five or so visits I have given up. 1). Smells terrible--like rotten steamed milk--everytime I am there. 2). Lattes and speciality drinks are way over priced considering the lack of taste. Vanilla latte, white chocolate mocha and maple lattes all taste like steamed milk. Only redeeming quality is the set up. Lots of space to post up and do some work.
(1)Mario C.
First impression is key - but it is possible for a second chance. I have been so excited to come try CafeBene since my dear friend told me that one had opened up in Boston. So here we are! Atmosphere is great, location is very painful to park but it's an "inner-city" place so take the T. I have had to write a few painful reviews - and it's painful because at times you go to a great place and the experience just doesn't hit the mark. Ordered two coffee drinks (Double Cappuccino and an Iced Coffee) - and had an order of the Garlic Cheese Honey Bread and the Asian Shrimp Sandwich. Ok let's start off with me repeating how excited I was to come try this place! Place our order - and sit down - get messaged to come up because they ran out of the bread. It's a Sunday 12Noon - How? This is your "Signature" dish - the one that sets this cafe apart from all others! Ok so the giggly state I was in to try this place and daydream that I was back in Seoul is starting to show some storm clouds on the horizon. We struggle for options and then the cook apologized and said they have a "half portion" of the bread left, and he would honor the order and make it if we were ok with it. The food comes out... The Garlic Cheese Honey Bread is awesome! Once the pouting stopped I took it as a lucky moment that I could try this and every other person in line would now not have any chance until more bread was delivered. There will be many broken hearts today. The Asian Shrimp Sandwich was good but not amazing. The coffee is good, the Cappuccino is ok - it reminds me of Gevalia dark roast... so it's just "ok". To set the bar where it should be my low-end spectrum for Cappuccino is with Illy and Lavazza (sorry if I sound like a coffee snob but us Europeans take our cappuccino serious as in many cases it is breakfast all of in itself). The place is clean and nicely setup. It had some customers but wasn't packed. The staff appear friendly but you can sense that they are "green" and it's all still very new to them. The manager was great but I can tell he felt awkward that they ran out of bread. He eventually offered to refund me the cost of the half portion of bread. Because of him I shall definitely return and give it another chance and update this review. So why the poor review? Because when your differentiating menu items that set you apart from the HUNDREDS of coffee shops around isn't available at noon-time then something is off the mark. It's important that they focus on this (and I hope they do review their Yelp posts). Focus on what they do and do it well - and I think their following will be incredibly strong, but if it becomes just a messy assembly line of warming up bread and throwing cheese on it without the care and passion that this chain is known for in Korea - then it will be a short lived experience. Anyway... you should try this place! But expect that it still feels very amateurish and perhaps they just need some time and love to get it right. I do hope my next review is a 5-star because it deserves to get there.
(3)Kelly D.
I saw Caffe Bene while visiting New York, never tried it though. I definitely had to when I heard about it opening, and near my house! There were so many flavors of Bingsu to choose from, I decided to go with cookies and cream, but asked to switch to strawberry, the manager was extremely laid back with that and changed my order nicely. It came out to be around $12. Not bad, it was a pretty big cup/bowl. It wasn't bad, not fantastic, just as i expected. Although, the red bean that was in it, was something that I really enjoyed. Would come back!
(4)Safinah B.
I stopped in here after my workout because I didn't want Whole Foods (guilty) and service was top notch. I ordered a portabella sandwich and my friend a chicken teriyaki sandwich. Cashier handed us a buzzer for when our order was ready. Because there weren't too many customers, the cashier was nice enough to walk our sandwiches out to us. It's the little things that make you become a regular! On to the sandwiches: the portabella sandwich was delicious!! There were mushrooms, onions, mozzarella, whole grain mustard. Everything just went so well together. Just enough of each ingredient to make a mouth watering sandwich. Teriyaki sandwich: chicken, teriyaki sauce, beets, sprouts & mozzarella. My friend demolished her sandwich and dipped her sandwich in the teriyaki sauce that dripped from the sandwich after every bite...that's how much she enjoyed it. 5 starts for service and food. Will definitely be returning to try their bar drinks.
(5)Amanda P.
I ordered the mango bowl do I think it's worth the 12 dollars? Nope! But I wanted to see what the hype was about. The crowd is mostly Asians and college students. It's pretty loud in here so I don't know how you could get work done The people who work there are super friendly tho!! I'll be back to try out more of their stuff.
(4)Shin L.
Went to this place after seeing good reviews on Yelp, and friends in Asia raving about this chain. Unfortunately it turned out to be a disappointment. 1) Coffee - You would expect at least decent coffee at a coffee shop/Cafe, but it tasted too mild and diluted. I can make better coffee at home. 2) Waffles - Dry and nothing special about it. 3) Price - everything seemed overprice. More than 10 dollars for shaved ice? Not for me. 4) Ambience - only saving grace of this place. Seems like a nice place to do some work.
(1)Jessica F.
Cool atmosphere for studying and meeting up with a friend. Good selection in coffee drinks and Interesting teas and smoothies. Desserts look really good, especially the shaved ice ice cream that can probably be shared with 4 people. I got the strawberry mojito and it was way to sweet for my liking. My downfalls of this place is the comfort. The tables are small and wooden chairs are uncomfortable. I was here studying for two hours and probably heard the music playlist 5 or more times. They even play this little melody of the place's name which gets kinda annoying. Also, card minimum is $6 which is odd. May depend on the employee. Good wifi.
(3)Jacqueline C.
Ordered the green tea tower, the green tea cake and macaron. Was gonna try the caramel bread here but it ran out. I felt that food was overpriced and the quality was just a-okay. I did not recommend the greentea Mille crepe. They were (overly)sweet and bland for Mille crepe. Macarons weren't the best either. - I've always wanted a cafe in Boston that makes brick toast! The honey bread I guess is the same as brick toast. But after I tried out their cakes. I now am not planning to return for the bread. - everyone seemed to get the greentea tower. It's great if you want bingsu, but they aren't really special or make you wanna go back. - great atmosphere for studying and just hanging out. There is space for outlets. Overall, won't hurt to try out. But don't expect too much if u've tried brick toast or lady m before :)
(3)Selina C.
I'm giving 4 stars mostly for the bingsoo...for now I came by around late afternoon in hopes of having some delicious bingsoo on this nice, late summer day. I read that the serving size was big but dannng, it's a giant container! I ordered the mango yogurt bingsoo since its a seasonal flavor and shared it with a friend. The mango gelato on top was citrusy enough without being overlt sweet. The mango pieces were sweet and my friend and I wanted to say there were little pieces of peach or pineapple in there too? The consistency was firmer/more crunchy than the bigger mango pieces. We ate more than 3/4 before we were stuffed! This was probably one of the better bingsoos that I've had in Boston. I hope to try the strawberry bingsoo next! It comes with red beans on top! I also ordered the yogurt & blueberry waffle. The waffle was delicious. It had a hint of sugar on top with a nice cakey, vanilla like taste. I love yogurt and blueberries but there was just too much on top. Service was rather slow. They still seem to be training people and working out a few things. On a positive note, they hand out buzzers for when your order is ready for pick up. The interior is modern and decorated well. I have a feeling it's going to be crowded soon with all the nearby college students though...
(4)Julia F.
Really great presentation & yummy taste!
(4)Francis C.
The place is conveniently located, friendly staff, quick service, nice layout, and the misugaru is amazing. I would give it 6 stars if i could
(5)Jae J.
We had the green tea bingsu and pistachio cheesecake, which were pretty good. The bingsoo came with chopped nuts, whipped cream, green tea ice cream, and a layer of red bean paste. Is chopped nuts a normal thing in shaved ice? I'm used to boba and fruits. There were also a lot of shaved ice chunks that didn't have any green tea flavoring to it, which made me a bit sad. Anyway, they call the bingsu "ice parfait" here. I asked the cashier just to make sure that they were one in the same, and he told me no. (whut?) Then I asked what the seasonal flavor was and he said they weren't currently serving any. (whut? but but but mango?) I think he was still in training though, but because of his fumble, I'm giving it 4 stars for now. I really love the decor of the place with the hanging lights and the wooden interior. Will be back in a few weeks to try the place again!
(4)Jia Ying C.
I tried the honey bread with banana and walnut. The texture is good, there is a good balance of honey and butter. However, personally I find it quite pricey. I would definitely go there for the ambience. Caffebene is usually packed during the semester (especially before finals). The provision of wifi also makes it a bonus.
(4)Anand S.
Went on a weekday afternoon and founds lots of study space, free wi-fi, and outlets, so definitely a good spot to study. It got a bit louder as more and more people came as expected but not obnoxiously so. I also appreciated that they didn't seem to blast their own music. I got a double cappuccino and a coffee and both were good, not amazing, nothing to complain about though. The food menu looked tempting for a return trip.
(4)DJ S.
Mediocre coffee and food, but a great spot to work or hang out. I spent an afternoon here and had a pair of soy cappuccinos and a spicy chicken sandwich. The soy caps were subpar; in fact, the foam on one was so strangely dense that I had to send it back (to their credit, they quickly remade it without question). The spicy chicken sandwich tasted as though it had been thrown from the freezer into the grill; toasted but kind of slimy and not exactly fresh. Some of the other items on the menu, like the waffles, breads, and giant ice bucket things, seemed a lot more popular, so perhaps those are better. All of that said, I'm giving this place 4 stars anyways because it was a great spot to work. They have a ton of seating (including a standing bar with big windows), cute decor, decent wifi, and bathrooms. The staff was also kind. I would return for these reasons, and reluctantly suffer through the coffee and food.
(4)Christopher B.
I love this location of Caffebenne. The inside has ample space to sit relax and do homework or chat with friends. There is plenty of variety in their food such as their great gelato or wonderful coffees. I would definitely return to this location to do some homework and hang out.
(4)Laita C.
I REALLY TRIED TO LIKE THIS PLACE 1) I bought a sandwich and a juice (which is, in fact, SUPER expensive). The Wifi had broken down and nobody told me before I bought. 2) The red velvet cake was dry, old, and hard. Could not eat that piece of plastic. 3) The gelato espresso or something like that was an ice-cream and a coffee in a foam cup. FOAM cup. It was just an ice-cream and a coffee in a foam cup... 4) The misugaru was just horrible. I just can't explain it. It was like the ice and the misugaru was divided? I don't even know. 5) The door on the side does not get closed when someone leaves it open. It should be fixed. People around the big table freeze. A plus is that, the bathroom was really clean, really really clean, which I truly appreciate. But what use is a clean bathroom when everything else about it is not good? I tried this place at least 6 times, and it never failed to disappoint me, not to mention the really high prices.
(1)Luke A.
What a great spot for a coffee shop from Korea. Horrible if you're driving there as parking can be a pain in that area but great for those who live there or take the T. Sitting above the symphony t stop ( literally ) caffe bene is definitely a nice change of pace and scenery to what lies at Huntington/symphony intersection. The Misugaru drink they offer is an interesting tasting while supposedly healthy latte which is rich and creamy but definitely for those who enjoy a more wheat/grain taste. I actually enjoyed it for all these qualities as I find anything that is healthy to always have an exception for overall taste ( let's face it, healthy foods just don't taste good, you just get used to it). The Bingsoo's are what brings people together to this place; attractive for all ages, this delightful illusion of deliciousness isn't as massive as it seems. It's half shaved ice and the rest is whatever flavor you choose. Oreo is quite yummy as it feels more like eating cookies in ice cold sweet milk; don't eat too quick, you'll get a brain freeze! Mango is more tart and requires a good mashing up of the bowl to really bring all the flavors together. This helps create a more balance of sweet and sour per bite. Green tea is just amazing nirvana. But only if you like green tea. I haven't gotten around to trying everything because of the fact that I don't have that much time on my hands to keep visiting nor do I want to keep spending 12-14 bucks for each one to take a risk. The frappes are good too, well blended and full of flavor. Typical of any place that offers them, they are rich just as should be. I like coffee the best, simple and not too sweet or fake tasting. Service is friendly but always seems busy, which is good, because it means people like it here. The ambiance is reminiscent of a typical korean coffe shop in Seoul. The employees all wear uniforms that tickle the cuteness of what Korean coffee culture is like if it was a tv show or drama. Just a note: if you see flocks of Asians going somewhere to spend money it's definitely a good place to be. No joke.
(4)Joe U.
Great Symphony location, nice digs, ambiance, especially since the unwashed masses haven't discovered this hidden gem yet. On Saturday mornings, the Starbucks, Panera, DD and Pavement coffee shop are jam packed. But Caffebene is an oasis of peace and free wifi. For that alone, I give it 4 stars. If this place becomes overrun, then you should run. The coffee and espresso based drinks are a bit weak. The background music too often plays the cafe's jingle, which was cute the first 500 times, but not any more. They have other interesting Korean cafe foods that are unique and probably delicious. But I don't have time to try those - I just want to chill out and enjoy all the space at Caffebene until the cafe zombies find it.
(4)Julia K.
This is a cute cafe on top of kung fu tea and across the street from the symphony t stop. The mango bing su is quite large and a little pricey. The bill came out to ~$12 for what amounts to a large cup of shaved ice and some mango chunks. One mango bing su can comfortably feed 3 people. All in all, I'd come back for this sweet icy treat when the weather is warm outside. For now, I'm ok with getting baked breads and sweets in chinatown at more affordable prices.
(3)Salinda N.
Great place to come hang out, do homework, snack, etc. The strawberry & cheese honeybread was sooooooooooooo good!!! And the mango bingsoo was pretty tasty as well. Love this place and I want to try everything.
(5)Cindy H.
Good atmosphere, though there's a bunch of Asians staring at your when you're there. I dig the decor and lighting - it'd be nice for students that need a place to study. I do want to warn those that come in large parties that there was no seating there for awhile - we had to wait for a table to open up. The food and service was not to my liking. My friends got the mango bingsoo and some pieces of cake that were covered in chocolate and strawberries. The bingsoo was simple, nothing special while that chocolate and strawberry covered cake was overdone. I swear, I could not even break it with a fork to avoid stuffing a whole piece of it in my mouth. My friend and I got chocolate and coffee frappes, which were a bit too watery in texture and a bit too strong on those flavors. I think this place is really expensive and overrated - I will not be coming back.
(2)Allen C.
I love here, so Korean style! Best place to hang out with friends! Btw, they offer limited green tea( they called in Matcha) Crepe cake!! U definitely should try it out!
(5)Ethan C.
Got breakfast on the way to the Museum of Fine Arts. The hot chocolate was good, not great. But the gauffre was really good. I usually don't review big chains, but I was so pleasantly surprised.
(4)Anna Q.
About time they made a caffe bene in Boston!!! Love this place back when I visited Korea! It's such a cute place to study but I don't know the noise level may be extreme when the school sessions are in. There's a lot of outlets. I wanted to get bingsoo but they don't make it the last hour opened. They give you 10% off for their soft opening. Grand opening this Thursday
(5)Kim Y.
I ordered a banana and walnut honey bread at 9:38pm...at 10:03pm my order still hadn't come out so I asked what was taking so long. They tell me my order is coming out in a minute when in reality I had to wait until 10:20pm until it finally came out. Turns out they 'lost' my order receipt or somebody must have taken my order by mistake was their excuse... Furthermore, I asked for my meal 'for here' and they made to-go. Just a disappointing experience overall. Parking is also difficult to get around here, so to drive all the way to this area just to walk back to my car with my food to-go is really disappointing. They had to separate the honey bread into two boxes too :(
(3)Momo K.
haven't really tried anything in the store yet but went to check the place out. nice decor and atmosphere. the place was filled w/ mostly young asian students and the food look very fancy and pretty just like in asia. i read the review about the big bingsoo, i had doubts about things when people say portions are big but the bingsoo is huge even in my standards. it's like almost a one gallon bucket, that's how big it is. i don't know if two people can really finish it considering the sugar and calories. it's more of a three people's dessert. anyhow, i am excited about this place and hope this open one in kendall square.
(4)Jason L.
nice and very clean place! Cozy
(5)John D.
The ice cream doe, amazing. It was so good. Best green tea ice cream ever. It was so creamy and want matcha tasting as if it was fake. It wasn't that icy either meaning 0 freezer burn. It was amazing 10/10 would buy every time. Never had bingsu before so here I am. I didn't really know what really to expect at all except for some shaved ice. After all of the hype and popularity from my friends I finally decided to give this place a shot! Walking in it looked really cute. It reminded me of a cuter version of Starbucks. I went around 6pm and there wasn't many people so service was pretty fast. I ordered a Green Tea Bingsu ($12)! Seems. A little expensive, but don't try to eat it by yourself, you get this huge container of this dessert. Order came a few minutes after and this container looked so cool. It's just big thing of shaved ice honestly for the most part. Then on top is a scoop of green tea ice cream, some red bean, some nuts, some whipped cream, and a mint leaf! Pretty good. The bingsu itself was 90% ice though, was meh. Then I ordered a strawberry honey bread (no cream though.) People aren't kidding when they say it's really sweet. The bread itself was so yummy, with some chocolate drizzle. The bread is firm on the outside, a little bit hard, but no problem. The inside was soft and squishy, it's not like sponge cake at all where it pops back up, but instead this bread, after squishing it just stays down. The strawberry though didn't do much, flavor wise. I feel like they were just there. I would honestly prefer plain honey bread with chocolate syrup. Ooo don't forget to try honey bread with ice cream, it's a very good combination.
(4)Angela D.
This is a very cute spot, and it's extremely convenient if you're a student nearby. It's kept very clean and has an inviting atmosphere, so it seems like it would be a good place to study. The coffee and other beverages are consistently good, and the staff is very friendly. The big drawback, however, is the food. I've tried a number of pastries and cakes because they look very enticing in the displays, but I have been disappointed on several occasions. The aesthetics are misleading, as none of the baked goods are very fresh. In fact, everything was quite stale, even when I stopped by first thing in the morning. Today the bananas on my honey bread were more than a little brown, so I don't think I'll be in again any time soon. I'd recommend stopping in for a latte but skipping the snacks.
(3)Kelly T.
I wouldn't even bother to give this coffee shop any stars. I ordered a cappuccino cake today and they served me an old cake. The cake wasn't moist and the cream had turned wrinkle and the color wasn't fresh. My point is it was nasty and I even got a stomachache after I ate it and had to go to the bathroom. I've noticed that their cake are usually old!
(1)Bunnie B.
This place is crowded sometimes.
(4)Nikko O.
Atmosphere nice. Cortado too expensive but decent. But they use strofoam cups! Wtf? Totally environmentally stupid and irresponsible and wasteful. Grow up Bene!
(1)Winnie S.
Very excited to see a Asian coffee house in the central NY! And this is really a big one, very nice~~
(5)Hanan A.
best belgium waffle i ever had. excellent food, atmosphere, and people
(5)Lily J.
Nice space to enjoy some food/drink and get some work done or meet up with friends. Free wifi for customers, and several available power outlets. The area is open, airy, and clean -- much less cramped than other coffee shops. There were a lot of food and beverage options to choose from. I tried the misugaru waffle, which was good but a major sugar load! I wish there were smaller-sized bingsoo options to try. Finally, I love that they will use soy milk instead of regular milk for your beverages without an extra charge. The only complaint I can think of was that their bathroom was out of paper towels even after I alerted one of their staff. Also, every time someone opened the door, cold air floods in and the seating area gets pretty chilly. Overall, a nice addition to the area, and I plan to go back to try more of their menu.
(4)Victoria H.
I guess my taste buds must be underdeveloped because I think the Honey Bread and the waffles are absolutely heaven on earth. The Honey Bread is so warm and fluffy I looove it, and the waffles are like crispy glazed on the outside and so fluffy on the inside and sweet... I could eat those every day if it wasn't so expensive lol Minus 1 star for really expensive, and minus another star because I really, really wish they could tone down the "Caffe Bene" song, like really, you don't need to promote the cafe INSIDE the cafe. It's really, really annoying, so if you're sensitive to that I really don't advise staying here for more than 30 minutes otherwise you'll go crazy Or maybe that's the point... to keep people moving. Anyways, Caffe Bene, please, stop playing the song. We get it. Caffe Bene is great.
(3)Steph S.
This is one of those places that make me miss cheap Asian desserts from the west coast... Caffebene over charges for food that's given in small portions and mediocre flavors. Their bingsoo is more ice than anything else, and their green tea latte had a centimeter thick layer of powder at the bottom that itched my throat.
(2)Susie Y.
As someone who's tried out Caffe Bene in Korea multiple times, I've got to say that it brings a similar "feel" -- made me miss Korea! The price is what I expected - expensive compared to other cafes around here, but the bingsoo at least is definitely worth it. It can get crowded in the weekends, but it's a good place to work and be productive!
(4)Yu J.
So terrible place! Coffee house is good but they do not accept credit card when the purchase is below 6. I don't think one person can buy a cup of cup more than that amount! It is so Ridiculous!
(1)Crista B.
Quick simple place to grab a coffee before the BSO. Note that patrons with laptops took most of the tables when we were there so we had to stand. There is also a minimum order before credit can be used.
(3)