Dead Eye Coffee Bar: Exceptional Coffee and Community in South San Francisco

Completely obsessed with their Tahitian Vanilla latte. I’ve moved to the east coast since first discovering this cafe but still make it a point to grab my morning coffee here when I am back in town. While I usually enjoy my lattes iced, I prefer their Tahitian vanilla served hot! Do not sleep on their ham & cheese croissant, it’s delivered fresh every morning & always the first to sell out for good reasons. Brian is lovely & seems to know his customers very well, a sign of a great local coffee shop. Highly recommend coming here!

My first time here and everything was amazing. The service was super friendly and the ube latte was one of the best I’ve had. The pastry was fresh and delicious, and I even picked up their Ethiopia Limu beans because everything tasted so good. I’ll definitely be back.

I went here in May 2025 very early on a Friday morning. I got a cup of hot chocolate - it was very delicious! I could find a spot to sit there and have my hot chocolate. The place did start getting crowded slowly after that. I don’t drink coffee a lot but I would have loved to try the dead eye coffee which is a cup of American style drip coffee with three shots of espresso added. Will definitely come back here! I’m not sure about parking in the area. I used public transport to get here.

Truly a hidden gem. It’s a small spot you might miss at first, but it’s 100% worth finding. The coffee flavors are unique and unlike anything I’ve tried elsewhere, and the pastries are consistently amazing. The staff are beyond friendly and always welcoming. My absolute favorite coffee shop.

Two major positives are the attention to a quality product and its hardworking staff. The opportunity lies with throughput. Another personal critique is the excessive decor (feels over-curated). This place is a gem. The coffee is good. I rarely receive sparkling water with my espresso without asking. It shows they care about their product, and it delivered. The staff were hard at work with minimal chatter. If you have some time to kill and want to enjoy a unique and high quality product, this is your place. Clearly there is a throughput problem when 8+ people are standing around early on a Sunday morning before the day has really started. The interior makes it seem like they are trying too hard. There are so many off-menu items on display (small food, snacks, sweets, toys), it feels distracting and overwhelming. They have such a good product and clearly staff who work hard - don't overthink it. I hope they expand on their strengths and leave the issues behind them!

Updated 8/25/2025 - Rowby is still pulling amazing shots 1 year later as attested by a loyal following of highly satisfied patrons. Make this your stop to/from SFO airport or whenever in the area. Superb cappuccino and cortado prepared by an expert barista in clean minimalist space. Both beverages exhibited strong notes of expertly roasted beans with rich crema that lingered on the palate. The cortado exhibited an intoxicating taste that rivals the best we’ve ever tasted - and we sample plenty across the US and beyond. Much attention has been devoted to the interior which is adorned with live plants and decorated with tasteful combination of tile and natural woods which maximizes the small space.Should have hired the designer to do my kitchen. There is no seating on site. Barista Rowby is a master of his metier and efficiently serves a line of patrons, many of whom were welcomed personally by counter person Gigi. Pride of ownership bounds with a variety of fun stickers and branding item. Roasted beans are available on site which is a big plus for me. Dead Eye rises to the top echelon of Bay Area coffee establishments and deserves to be on your map.

I was in the area for work, and am so glad I found Dead Eye Coffee! I had the Tahitian Vanilla latte and the pistachio blackberry croissant, both of which were delicious. It’s a cute little spot but has limited seating, so I sat on the bar stools. The baristas were super nice, continuously checking in to see if I needed anything even while they were busy making drinks! Truly a gem on Grand Ave

A very cute and small coffee shop, only 3 seats so plan accordingly. I had a delicious less sweet hot Ube latte. I loved it! They have pastries as well, mostly sweet and some savory.