04/19/09

Best Restaurant Ever!

by disneymonkey

This is the greatest place. I haven't had one bad thing here. Everything is excellent. It's all very fresh, vegetarian friendly, and it has the best bakery items. The coffe and tea are great too. I couldn't recommend a place more.

• Pros: Great outside area
• Cons: None

10/27/08

Neighborhood friendly

by KatieOC

Love Aroma...mostly there for breakfast and occasionally lunch (but the desserts are excellent, too...love it when the pumpkin cheesecake comes back in the fall.) Owner Mark Gunsky has created a sense of community there.

Staff greets customers by name and remember the regular beverage orders. Homey setting, great food and a friendly place to meet other people.

07/15/08

Best Cafe in Los Angeles (not just the valley)

by hypemike33

This place has the best cafe food and by far the coolest atmosphere for breakfast. Great for lunch and late night coffee, too. Plus, you can bring dogs..what more can you ask for? The breakfasts are huge and pretty cheap for what you get. Salads are excellent and sandwiches are great, too. Umm did I mention that they have about 50 dessert items and ALL of them are out of this world? Usually places with a big dessert display don't have the best stuff but this dessert display is the 8th wonder of the world! I really hope the owner isn't as rude as this guy below says, but hey, if people take up the parking that's the city's fault, not the owner. Do you really want this guy to close his business because customers happen to park by your house? Petition for the street to be permit only then.

• Pros: food, eat outside with lush vegetation, bring your dog!
• Cons: waiting in the 200 foot line, high temps in summer

11/24/07

Welcome to OUR Neighborhood...we love meeting new people!

by roseart

Dear Fussy Bottoms, I have come to find that in the customer service business, the disgruntled people are the type of people that are intending to be offended from the time they get up until they fall back to sleep. Aroma is a neighborhood spot. If you want to come and visit from YOUR neighborhood, let me let you in on a few tips. IT IS ALMOST ALWAYS BUSY...Why? Because its a brilliant concept. Be prepared to take your time.....THIS IS NOT STARBUCKS>>NEVER WILL BE. Please do not compare Aroma to Starbucks on any level, the counter kids smile plenty but are PEOPLE, treat them as you would like to be treated. The line you see wrapping out the door is intended for those ordering meals plus...If you would like only to purchase a drink or a quick cookie that you know is there and do not wish to gander at the case, then slip in through the side door by the book store and your time in line is shorter, however there is a beautiful randomness that you get to experience. You order your food and or beverage at the counter before finding a seat, wait with patience to recieve your drinks and goodies...YOU are experiencing a CAFE....There are generally 3 to 5 people behind the counter to assist.(you could not possibly fit anymore!)...As stated in a few reviews...the counter kids are "hipsters" what that is to mean I suppose is that they are HIP......so, now that we know this...please don't be jealous.....they like to look at how beautiful and hip you are too! Look, you get to watch your experience being made...hear incredible cutting edge, trendy, or classic music while people watching......Aroma is definately a loud and bustling place...SO Full of books to be written!! Please, MOMS..if you have been to Disneyland you understand you leave your stroller outside the ride...The Lobby is very small and very full of people, be considerate of others and leave your baby carriage outside, Aroma loves children, bring yours in to enjoy the scene. Last, find your spot and enjoy. PLL

• Pros: PARK and take a walk....walking is good for you.

10/09/07

Great breakfast!!

by brian_kastel

Friendly staff and casual surroundings make this place a winner for breakfast! I have not had a chance to try them for lunch but everything I have tried off the breakfast menu has been out of this world!!

• Pros: great prices and excellent food!
• Cons: none

10/04/07

Great place to meet with friends

by kthrynileen

I completely disagree with the last reviewer -- I've always had excellent, friendly service and the coffee was pretty good. Can't speak for the food as I've never eaten there... This is a great place to meet up with friends and hang out. As for the neighbor-complaint in a prior review, I wonder what your review of Vitello's and their clientele might be...

• Pros: homey, coffee-house feel

09/23/07

Terrible counter service

by leilamh

It's true - service without a smile. When there are so many choices in town, I've finally realized it's just irresponsible to go to Aroma and spend so much while getting poor counter service. It's also true that most Starbucks employees are delightful by comparison to the sullen and/or phony hipsters working at Aroma. If the coffee were consistently good, I'd have something good to say, but both the food and drink are inconsistent. Not recommended! Urth in LA is a drive but the service is far better there.

• Pros: n/a
• Cons: Rude service; inconsistent yet expensive food & drink

08/03/07

Aroma Tea & Coffee in Studio City KAOS & RUDENESS!

by deefras

I took my daughter to Aroma for a late lunch (3:30pm on a Friday). We decided to split the Lobster Salad and asked for two plates with our order. Someone at another table said dishes were sitting on the table for more than 1/2 hr. As we waited for our food a woman served us a the meal in one dish with no extra plate then quickly rushed back to take it away to another table.

When she returned she served us Lobster Salad in two dishes. We were 1/3 through our salads when she returned saying "wrong" and proceeded to reach for my bowl to take it back. I placed my hand in front of her?s and said, "no, come with me". I led her to the counter and asked for the manager. A woman working behind the counter claiming the title listened and said, "Oh, she just got it mixed up". I said, "ok, that's fine but it was very embarrassing for me, but thank you". I returned to my table. As I was eating my salad again, I was interrupted by the "manager" who announced very loudly, "You order only one salad and you got two and you only paid for one". Again, feeling humiliated I said, " Do you expect me to pay for another one?" She said, " Arrg!", or something insinuating that I had irritated her and left out the door exclaiming how appalled she was at me.

I have been a loyal customer for years.

I'd like to say "Never again, I will never go back to that kind of treatment again", but I .. I like the deserts. So, I might cave.

• Pros: I'VE BEEN MEETING FRIENDS THERE FOR YEARS... COMFY
• Cons: WATCH OUT FOR THE BAD ATTITUDE MANAGER IF YOU SHOULD HAVE A COMPLAINT -- SHE YELLS

07/24/07

Rudest Service In LA

by i8there

A friend and I went there to study while we ate our breakfast but were forced to leave because the owner wanted to make more room for other customers. Apparently it didn't matter that we were still paying customers considering that we were still drinking the coffee we had just bought! This place is solely focused on making money and cares nothing for its customers. There are plenty other cafes in the area that treat people with respect, so why pay for their overpriced food? Even Starbucks beats this place out.

• Cons: Rude Service

Editorial Review

by Contributor

Casual Tujunga Village eatery serves up omelets, salads and paninis, all containing creative ingredients like lobster, crab cakes and steak.