Lovely neighborhood cafe in West Portal. Really the only good cafe in the area with an awesome and friendly fan base and a lovely owner. The highlight of this cafe is that it sells Filipino coffee, Barako, which is a lot stronger and robust than arabica that you find at ritual, blue bottle, etc. They stock pastries from third culture and starter bakery, BUT they've been having pop-ups with other local Filipinx food vendors. It seems to be on a monthly basis,but their IG has updates on pop ups and collabs. Overall a great and lovely cafe. and YES there is WiFi and indoor and outdoor seating!

Rad little coffee shop. I didn’t Think that I got the full experience of this coffee shop because it’s during COVID-19. Stopped by with a friend to grab a coffee. Masks are obviously required. Social distancing is required. But I will tell you that the staff is super friendly I got my coffee quick and they were very kind. You could grab a bag of coffee to go you to grab a treat while you’re there. I really thought that they had these red little cups to that you could pick one up. We ended up sitting outside for a little bit while I drink my coffee. The inside looks really nice and I’d love to come back and try another cuppa coffee

Quiet neighborhood coffee shop. They have their own beans. I enjoyed my cold brew. Service was quick and friendly. The inside was quiet with people working on laptops. The back patio was nice to talk in. There is also a parklet.

One of my favorite coffee shops in San Francisco. Their Ube latte is delicious and beautiful - the purple is really unique and the Ube (Filipino purple yam) flavor really stands out. They specialize in barako beans from the Philippines. They also have unique baked goods like mochi muffins. The space is big if you need to work or hang out. Plenty of outlets and a bigger table in the back that can fit six. There’s a cute patio with seating if the weather is nice.

Found this unassuming coffee spot in the neighborhood. We ordered their ube ballast cappuccino, barako crush (iced), and an ube mochi donut. We were surprised they have a cappuccino option. The drink ended up a bit too sweet for us though. Other than that we love everything about the place.

Great place for coffee and you should try their donuts 🍩 Most people hang out here with their laptops. There’s is also an outdoor space at the back. There’s artwork 🖼 on the walls for sale. Meter parking available. I’m not sure if there’s always only one person working here it can get a bit of a wait if there’s a line.

The coffee here used to taste amazing, with notes of berry. Now it just tastes burnt, worse than Starbucks. Dunno what happened 🤷‍♂️

If I could give this place 6 stars I would. It’s a a lovely bright and clean space and the owner and staff make you feel so welcome. Now down to the important stuff. The coffee. It’s great and they serve the lovely Barako bean. This is a must try. You cannot find it elsewhere in San Francisco. I cannot wait til the start to sell he beans so that I can have it at home too. The pastures are also Devine. They include, dynamo donuts and this amazing Mochi muffin which I have to add I gluten free. This place is a must try even if you don’t live in the neighborhood. All the reviews cannot be wrong. 5 stars all the way!

Their Barako beans make a uniquely tasty latte, spice aroma and wine-like taste. I would like to buy their Barako beans when I finish my stockpile home.

Cute little coffee shop in West Portal. Good coffee, friendly service, so pretty standard stuff in general. Their baked goods look delicious. There is a bench and a parklet outside to give folks a little space to drink their coffee and maybe to have a chat with friends or neighbors.

Kind of a snobby zillenial vibe. Mask mandate was optional and before I could say “hi” they asked me to put my mask on just to order. Okay, fine. Then I ordered a matcha latte with honey and they just drizzled it on top and since it was iced it just stuck to the cup. It wasn’t bad, but the place didn’t seem worth patronizing again.

Best cafe in West Portal, by far. Good coffee (I order the medium roast for my cappuccinos), nice atmosphere, good place to study or work, tasty pastries (mochi muffins from Third Culture bakery), and fast friendly service from the baristas there.

Beautiful cafe. And great for working from here. The barista was super friendly and gave great recommendations for the things to do around too!! Must try the Ube ballast latte. So good!! They also feature local artists which is awesome.

Great place for coffee and to do work. Has a nice patio in the front and in the back, including a room as well. Cortado was decently pulled and the “medium” bean was on the heavier side.

Absolutely love their coffee here as well as third cultures mochi muffins, hidden cute place and I love studying there

This is a great little neighborhood café. Modern, pleasant, and immaculate. It has quality pastries and coffee and a few interesting signature drinks, like a cappuccino made with ube condensed milk. Great music playing (Elizabeth Cotten) but not too loud. Also has beer on tap and is open until 9 PM on weekdays. Every neighborhood in the city should have a cafe like this. Recommended!

I go to a lot of coffee shops and this place really stood out! I had their ube ballast coffee iced with oat milk which was a delicious, generous portion, and had the perfect subtle sweetness. I also enjoyed their well-priced vegan coconut chia pudding with granola that was so creamy! I will definitely be stopping here again!

Stopped by here for a quick latte. Enjoyed the Ballast Latte that I got. There is plenty of seating & and general ambiance is pretty good.

Their coffee is pretty good. I haven't tried their mochi donuts yet but have heard they're worth getting. I wouldn't plan on studying here if you need a solid connection to WiFi since it can be spotty at times.

I enjoy the vibe, beautiful "for here" coffee mugs, and quiet outdoor patio here, and while the coffee here isn't quite my preference someone else may love it! I realized after posting an earlier review that this is due to them serving Barako beans, grown in either the Phillipines or in a small section of Vietnam. I edited my review after realizing my ignorance - if you're an explorer, give it a try!

just went here for the first time on my way to work, fantastic customer service, and friendly staff. Highly recommend their guava cheesecake mochi donut, great tea selections when I went in. Did not try coffee this time but will be coming back! Cute seating areas for work indoor/outdoor, and art!

I loved my drink, pastry, and the lovely indoor/outdoor ambiance they've created in the shop. I really wish I could rate Ballast 5/5 stars but the music they played is keeping me from doing so. I understand that music is subjective, but the music they played when I was there was objectively bad. Coffee shops usually play nice and calming music but I genuinely could not focus. However, if they played good music I would totally rate Ballast 5/5!

My favorite coffee place in this area! Great with a mochi muffin too. Lots of seating! Worth a visit if you're anywhere nearby.