Maru Coffee - Coffee shop in Los Angeles - 1936 Hillhurst Ave, USA

Very likely the least pretentious feeling café I went to in LA! Staff were sooooo friendly and nice and the vibes, although busy, were excellent. I asked the barista to pick a coffee for me and he gave me this insanely delicious like heavy cream topped lookin nitro thing. I’m a black coffee drinker almost exclusively, and I don’t even know what it was but I see lots of reviews saying they got the same thing from Maru and damn the joint was out of control delicious. Picked up a bag of beans and after cupping them next to some of the best roasters in LA, I think these cats deserve to be in that conversation as well.

In short, great coffee and specialty drinks but the pastry display cabinet looked sad and lonely and unappealing. Too many flies inside and service also was dead as if it was a funeral. With a few more details, First, the coffee was awesome. That gets all the stars. Cream Top looked heavy but delicious. Bonbon was amazing! I can have that every day! I might become diabetic because of it but it might be worth it. Lol iced Matcha was fantastic too. I wanted to see if I could pair our drinks with some pastries but the cashier guy did bot loom very amused and had no patience so the moment I looked at the display there was like 3 pastries in there randomly placed looking old. It looked sad and unappetizing to me. Later I learned that they usually have good stuff but maybe they need to work on their display. There was a lot of flies inside also for some reason. Maybe on that flat window to let them out because people hold the door with the long lines…so they’re not trapped. I understand the decor was a bit minimalistic and going for a certain vibe but it felt a little dirty to me. Service was quick and easy but no one was enjoying it. Anyway I told you the stars were for the drinks. The line wasn’t horrible and it moves fairly quickly. No parking so park somewhere on the street and stumble down the sidewalk. You’re welcome.

Got curious about this place because of long line and gave it a shot. Got the cream top and matcha iced latte. For pastries, I had the matcha donut and almond financier. It was worth the wait. Coffee was strong and the pastry was good. Definitely worth a try. The place is small with limited seats. A little pricey but worth a try.

We were standing in line trying to decide which pastries to order and the woman in front of us turned around and said “Go with the ricotta cake - it’s life changing. From here on out your life will be like ‘before ricotta cake’ and ‘after ricotta cake.’” She was right. The ricotta cake was moist, dense, and absolutely delicious. The other pastries were great as well - no misses. The kouign amman was incredible, I loved how carmelized the bottom was. The almond financier was good too - for me not as great as the ricotta cake, but just as dense and still very tasty. Lastly, I had their matcha latte, which was lovely. Overall an incredible stop for coffee/tea and some truly delicious basked goods

I loved the aesthetic of this coffee shop! Apparently it is TikTok famous! Picked up a bag of Ethiopian single origin and got a free drink 🥹💕 what a sweet surprise at a new cafe! Both the espresso tonic and the cappuccino tasted really solid! Please expect to wait in line!

There's always a huge line of people outside this coffee shop waiting to get in and order, so I never got the chance to stop by. Figured since it was raining the day I went, the line would be a little shorter, and I was correct. Waited only about 10 minutes to put in my order for a cold brew and started hunting for a place to sit. The great thing is that the turn over is pretty good, so I never had to wait too long to find a seat. There's also decent WiFi in the store. However, the popularity of this place means that there's a constant hum of people coming in and out, which can be super distracting and there aren't any actual tables to work on, only short coffee tables to place your drinks on, so I ended up working with my laptop on my lap for about an hour or so. People tended to be talking a lot more at this coffee shop than others (maybe because it was a small space, I noticed it a lot more) Great place to hang out and get some decent coffee, not so great place if you're looking to get some work done.

Maru makes a good latte/matcha/insert choice beverage here but the line is so long and the seating so limited that you was essentially have to be on your merry way once you get your drink. That, or fight for elbow space at one of the 4 crate-boxes they have for you to sit at. I can’t deny the quality of their coffee, but if you’re looking for a place to work or catch up with friends, I would go elsewhere.

Wish there was more time in a day for coffee! Quick pit stop at Maru for all the driving around. Went with our go-to’s: espresso tonic & honey oat latte. Both were delicious!