Philz Coffee
1085 E Brokaw Rd, San Jose, CA
Crema's Take
“This San Jose Philz stands out for its creative signature drinks that consistently impress—the Mint Mojito and Filtered Soul are standouts that rival coffee shop favorites elsewhere—though consistency can be hit-or-miss, especially with basic orders. The staff brings genuine warmth and speed to service, making it an inviting spot whether you're grabbing a quick specialty drink or settling in with something more adventurous. If you're willing to embrace their playful, imaginative menu rather than stick to straightforward coffee, you'll likely find something memorable here.”
What to expect
Google Reviews
Placed an order through Philz website and the 4 drinks we ordered were all enjoyable and made relatively quickly. Also in the order were 4 bakery items, where I selected to be contacted if the item was unavailable. It was later in the morning so it turns they were all unavailable. Unfortunately, instead of being contacted to change it, the unavailability of those items pushed the order readiness time back an hour despite the drinks being ready. There was no indication that the drinks were ready or that the reason for the order pickup time being pushed back was because the outage of bakery items. I was able to pick up the drinks after some confusion, since my order, which was placed through the PhilzCoffee website for pickup, was produced as a DoorDash order and included in the DoorDash handoff counter. Since I had already seen how empty the bakery case was I followed up with an employee to confirm that the bakery items were unavailable, which they were, and when offered to exchange them for another item for another item I declined as the selection was very minimal. Had I been able to get a refund for the items at the time or since, it might have been a pleasant experience. But when I asked about a refund the first employee said something to the effect of "I'll tell my manager when I see her," and I asked how could I be sure I would get a refund he didn't have an answer. So I went to the register where another employee had just come from the back of house and asked about getting a refund, when I was told it wasn't possible because of the type of order, and that I needed to contact DoorDash. After looking it up, I found that it is true that the PhilzCoffee ordering website is "powered by DoorDash" and that my text confirmation came a with add short link. However, that link took me straight back to the PhilzCoffee website where the only contact information provided was the individual store location's phone number. Seeing this, I returned to the counter where I was told they didn't know how, and that nobody in the store knew how, to refund through this order method, and that I should contact the Philz customer contact line, which I did. Twice, leaving all my contact info and order information. I haven't heard back. As I said, had I been able to get a refund at the location or since, I'd happily be a return customer. The drinks were good, and they were made quickly despite it appearing quite busy on a Friday morning before the Super Bowl. But it's absurd that a refund is impossible in-store for an order through PhilzCoffee website and just frustrating that I was never even contacted.
First time going to Philz. I can say now, I’m not going back. I order a black medium coffee, straight up, nothing fancy. They gave me my coffee overflowing and seeping from the lid. First they tried to double cupped the coffee, still seeping. Then they poured it in a different cup and added mint to it. I don’t like mint…. They never asked if I wanted a mint and nor did the menu say anything about mint. At first the new cup seemed fine, but when I got to my car it started seeping again. I went back inside to get napkins thinking that they just missed a spot. Man… was I wrong. I picked up the coffee and its start seeping all over my hand, cloths, and car. Luckily the coffee was lukewarm. At the point I was done. Took my coffee back and left it on the counter. I didn’t have time to ask for a refund. The staff is nice and trying to their best with what they got. But $8 went to Philz Coffee for nothing.
I had an amazing experience at Philz Coffee today. I ordered the Mint Mojito and the Filtered Soul, and both drinks were honestly some of the best I’ve had anywhere. The Mint Mojito was incredibly refreshing — the mint, the sweetness, and the smooth coffee flavor were all perfectly balanced. It’s one of those drinks that wakes you up but also feels super light and enjoyable. The Filtered Soul was just as impressive in a totally different way. It had a rich, bold flavor but was still super smooth to drink. You can tell they really care about making every cup quality. The staff was friendly, helpful, and had great energy. They took the time to make sure everything was right and brought a really welcoming vibe to the whole experience. The shop itself was clean, comfortable, and had a nice atmosphere to relax in. Overall, Philz continues to set the bar high. If you want unique, well-crafted coffee and great service, this is the place to go. Highly recommend stopping by!
I honestly wasn’t a fan. I have been to Philz before and liked it, but I guess this time wasn’t great. My first problem, which is also there selling point is the unique drinks. Sometimes I want to go to a cafe and get my basic iced vanilla latte. Most other specialty, Coffee shops that I have been to can make easy lattes with flavours. They however, don’t do basic lattes. You have to go with one of their unique coffee flavours. I got the rose one, and it was just fine. I asked for low sugar, but next time I will ask for medium because this was tad bit bitter. My second problem was the wait time. I am not sure if this is because they have too many orders or they are short staffed, but my drink literally took 20 minutes to come. By the time, my drink arrived. I had to quickly gulp it and run for my appointment. The third issue is lack of character. The space feels in industrial and not in inviting at all. They do have free Wi-Fi, which is a plus. The best part of the cafe for me was the staff who were really nice and welcoming. I don’t think I’ll be back again.
Wow... iced mint mojito has always been my favorite coffee at Philz. I order it with light sweetness, and it turns out perfectly delicious! The service here is phenomenal. Staff are fast, polite, and super friendly. I love the atmosphere here with the spacious, chilled, and comfortable seating area. It seems busy on a weekday morning, but the line goes fast. Ordering ahead of time from the mobile app would save you a lot of time. Parking is plentiful in the morning.
Crema Reviews
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