I've pretty much given up on this place. Ten dollars for a BLT and a twenty ounce Coke. For San Francisco that's not an alarming price any more, sadly enough. Except, Carmelina's BLT's used have detectable, justifying amounts bacon in them. This past year it's become two strips, some lettuce and two slices of tomato. How am I supposed to induce a myocardial infarction on two measly strips of bacon?! I'm going to live forever with food like this. And when I ask for "a little mayo, no mustard, please", after strangely being asked if I want mustard on my BLT (who does that?!) , I'd really like to not get the mustard I expressly refused. Every time I've ordered I have to follow the making of my sandwich and say a number of times, as that robotic hand reaches for the mustard, "No mustard please". I've become that nervous guy with trust issues ordering at Subway. I know I sound like a whiny douche, but permit me to echo some of the other reviews I've seen to provide justification. What I'd really like is to have healthy food at such a convenient spot. How is it that UCSF, a premier health provider and learning institution for medical professionals, gives their single, onsite cafe contract at 1855 Folsom to a restauranteur with some of the unhealthiest fare in a one mile radius? You can't even get a salad at Carmelina's that qualifies as healthy. If you're going to try to kill us, don't go all half-baked with two strips of bacon. Yes, it always comes back to bacon. Talk about killing me softly. To be fair, all I've really had here are bagels, pastries and coffee in the morning and ham sandwiches or BTLs at lunch. I just can't do mass-produced food that's been sitting in some sort of heating device for hours. That second star comes from the pastries, bagels and bread always being fresh, although they do run out earlier and more often than I'd expect. The coffee is OK, and at least they do have decaf. It's Peet's (thank God), but their house blend often has that sour South American coffee bean thing going on. My first born for some Sumatra, please! Pretty much these days, most times that I don't bring lunch from home, I make the two block trek to Gus's. I spend the same money, get more food, healthier food at that, and something that vaguely qualifies as two blocks of exercise.
Margarita Contreras
(Translated by Google) Delicious coffee and its very friendly employees a clean and comfortable place
J Jones
Super friendly staff. Empanadas! They need more but when they have them. So good!
Ana Oliveira
Ver y friendly staff
Michael C.
This is right above my office so it's very convenient. I don't even have to leave the building. I haven't tried their lunch, but I usually get breakfast here. My go-to is their breakfast burrito. It consists of beans, eggs, bacon, lettuce, cheese, and salsa. Add jalapeí±os if you like a kick. The taste is standard. Pretty much exactly what you'd expect from the ingredients. Nothing unique or outstanding. It's a bit pricey for what it is. $7.50 for a simple breakfast burrito. It'd be super worth it if it was between $5-$6. But, I'm paying for convenience. The staff are friendly. I'd go back because it's literally 6 floors down.
Madison M.
Many of us who work here have NO idea how or why Carmelinas is allowed to service UCSF staff and guests. It is disgraceful and UCSF should be ashamed. If I could give negative stars I would. I have had better food visiting grandparents at the nursing home. Carmelina has the contract here and at Parnassus, which is an even greater mystery why with Parnassus being the primary hospital and school location this place has some type of monopoly. Little to no variety. Bland and tasteless. Not creative. Overpriced. I think you get the idea... Do yourself a biggie, eat here ONLY if you are just too lazy to walk elsewhere
Victoria L.
The service is good but I would only recommend coming here if you have work to do at UCSF.
Abigail A.
Pricey but i have no choice. Lady who worked on my order was so rude. I asked the casier for a hot roast beef sandwich. And when i asked the lady if she will toast it, she gave me an attitude that next time i should tell the casier, so i told her i did.
Augusto O.
Convenient, specially for UCSF employees. They have few, but good options, mainly sandwiches. Their daily specials are interesting and I like their soups. Service is attentive.
The café is in the UCSF building, so if you work at Mission Center and you don't want to or can't grab something elsewhere, this is your only option. They are regularly out of bagels in the morning, the eggs are always dry and overcooked and their customer service (from mostly Carmelina, I'm guessing) leaves much to be desired. The quality of the food is not good. I am looking forward to the day when UCSF chooses to not renew the cafe's contract and puts a bid out for some other companies who are interested in stepping up their game for UCSF.
Sangeeta
Good place for lunch and breakfast
Lalo Santos
Good place for breakfast. breakfast Burrito so Delicius
shojua p.
This is a UCSF building, so those of us who work here regularly or periodically commute to this location can comment on Carmelina's Cafe. There's really nothing to write home about here. The selections are painfully sparse for such a prime location. The proprietress--who I'm assuming is the cafe's namesake--has all the warmth of a snowcone, and promptly said in response to my request for a sandwich one day, "No bread," when 90% of their offerings are sandwiches. I mean, they literally ran out of bread at 3:00 one day, and that's what she said. She also didn't give me a receipt the first time I went there, didn't' tell me how long it would take to get my order, didn't even say "thank you." This is inexcusable and sloppy. And it's not what our hard-working folks at MCB deserve. I am reporting this to whomever needs to hear it.
$6 empanadas are filling and delicious
I've pretty much given up on this place. Ten dollars for a BLT and a twenty ounce Coke. For San Francisco that's not an alarming price any more, sadly enough. Except, Carmelina's BLT's used have detectable, justifying amounts bacon in them. This past year it's become two strips, some lettuce and two slices of tomato. How am I supposed to induce a myocardial infarction on two measly strips of bacon?! I'm going to live forever with food like this. And when I ask for "a little mayo, no mustard, please", after strangely being asked if I want mustard on my BLT (who does that?!) , I'd really like to not get the mustard I expressly refused. Every time I've ordered I have to follow the making of my sandwich and say a number of times, as that robotic hand reaches for the mustard, "No mustard please". I've become that nervous guy with trust issues ordering at Subway. I know I sound like a whiny douche, but permit me to echo some of the other reviews I've seen to provide justification. What I'd really like is to have healthy food at such a convenient spot. How is it that UCSF, a premier health provider and learning institution for medical professionals, gives their single, onsite cafe contract at 1855 Folsom to a restauranteur with some of the unhealthiest fare in a one mile radius? You can't even get a salad at Carmelina's that qualifies as healthy. If you're going to try to kill us, don't go all half-baked with two strips of bacon. Yes, it always comes back to bacon. Talk about killing me softly. To be fair, all I've really had here are bagels, pastries and coffee in the morning and ham sandwiches or BTLs at lunch. I just can't do mass-produced food that's been sitting in some sort of heating device for hours. That second star comes from the pastries, bagels and bread always being fresh, although they do run out earlier and more often than I'd expect. The coffee is OK, and at least they do have decaf. It's Peet's (thank God), but their house blend often has that sour South American coffee bean thing going on. My first born for some Sumatra, please! Pretty much these days, most times that I don't bring lunch from home, I make the two block trek to Gus's. I spend the same money, get more food, healthier food at that, and something that vaguely qualifies as two blocks of exercise.
(Translated by Google) Delicious coffee and its very friendly employees a clean and comfortable place
Super friendly staff. Empanadas! They need more but when they have them. So good!
Ver y friendly staff
This is right above my office so it's very convenient. I don't even have to leave the building. I haven't tried their lunch, but I usually get breakfast here. My go-to is their breakfast burrito. It consists of beans, eggs, bacon, lettuce, cheese, and salsa. Add jalapeí±os if you like a kick. The taste is standard. Pretty much exactly what you'd expect from the ingredients. Nothing unique or outstanding. It's a bit pricey for what it is. $7.50 for a simple breakfast burrito. It'd be super worth it if it was between $5-$6. But, I'm paying for convenience. The staff are friendly. I'd go back because it's literally 6 floors down.
Many of us who work here have NO idea how or why Carmelinas is allowed to service UCSF staff and guests. It is disgraceful and UCSF should be ashamed. If I could give negative stars I would. I have had better food visiting grandparents at the nursing home. Carmelina has the contract here and at Parnassus, which is an even greater mystery why with Parnassus being the primary hospital and school location this place has some type of monopoly. Little to no variety. Bland and tasteless. Not creative. Overpriced. I think you get the idea... Do yourself a biggie, eat here ONLY if you are just too lazy to walk elsewhere
The service is good but I would only recommend coming here if you have work to do at UCSF.
Pricey but i have no choice. Lady who worked on my order was so rude. I asked the casier for a hot roast beef sandwich. And when i asked the lady if she will toast it, she gave me an attitude that next time i should tell the casier, so i told her i did.
Convenient, specially for UCSF employees. They have few, but good options, mainly sandwiches. Their daily specials are interesting and I like their soups. Service is attentive.
Restaurantji Recommends
The café is in the UCSF building, so if you work at Mission Center and you don't want to or can't grab something elsewhere, this is your only option. They are regularly out of bagels in the morning, the eggs are always dry and overcooked and their customer service (from mostly Carmelina, I'm guessing) leaves much to be desired. The quality of the food is not good. I am looking forward to the day when UCSF chooses to not renew the cafe's contract and puts a bid out for some other companies who are interested in stepping up their game for UCSF.
Good place for lunch and breakfast
Good place for breakfast. breakfast Burrito so Delicius
This is a UCSF building, so those of us who work here regularly or periodically commute to this location can comment on Carmelina's Cafe. There's really nothing to write home about here. The selections are painfully sparse for such a prime location. The proprietress--who I'm assuming is the cafe's namesake--has all the warmth of a snowcone, and promptly said in response to my request for a sandwich one day, "No bread," when 90% of their offerings are sandwiches. I mean, they literally ran out of bread at 3:00 one day, and that's what she said. She also didn't give me a receipt the first time I went there, didn't' tell me how long it would take to get my order, didn't even say "thank you." This is inexcusable and sloppy. And it's not what our hard-working folks at MCB deserve. I am reporting this to whomever needs to hear it.
Good place for lunch and breakfast