Bongo Java

Great location but the cafe was dirty everywhere the tables weren’t clean the staff taking orders didn’t say hello to anyone even though there was no line. Get some new staff and clean up this seedy place. The latte was fine though. I’d like to support the neighbor but this makes it a challenge.

First time ever visiting Nashville, trying to get brunch on a Sunday. Obviously this is a difficult task, as other successful business like BMR and Frothy Monkey have over an hour long wait. We decided to go here, because we heard that there was no wait. We were not surprised. Trying to order was borderline embarrassing, they were out of bread (which is on half of their menu), and also out of avocado. It's almost exclusively a breakfast and brunch restaurant. The food was well priced, but the flavor left much to be desired. This isn't the main issue, though. It took 30 minutes to get a plate with hashbrowns, a bagel, and eggs. The worst part is, when it actually got to the table everything was cold and was obviously sitting on a table for a while. There was a table of young women next to us, who also took a long time to get their food, and I overheard them saying "there's no way it should've taken that long." They literally had to put their food in a to go box the second they got it. Service is almost nonexistent, the front counter people were kind, but other than that they were just there. If you want water, have fun pouring it yourself. If you want silverware for your meal, have fun getting it yourself, because it won't be brought to you with your food. What exactly did I tip the servers for? There was zero pest control outside, there were wasps, bees, flies. We are outside, but this shouldn't be an excuse, it's obvious there is no up to date pest control, as the wasps are flying into nests established in the ceiling. There is no justification for it, I usually eat outside at restaurants and never deal with the issue. I almost never leave reviews online, but this experience just left me and my girlfriend disappointed, wishing we ate at a different brunch place. I'd spend your money elsewhere.

Cappuccino is excellent. Venue is funky. GF bread is okay. Parking is difficult. Best if you're a Belmont student.

Always love visiting. The coffee is delicious. Tried the milk toast breakfast sandwiches. Different.

Very good coffee and food in a good location to go to Nashville or for Belmont University students. I highly recommend their mocha which pairs nicely with the Egg McBongo with apple wood bacon. Though it is expensive, it is only as expensive as Starbucks which is a major step down in quality and flavor.

Perfect spot for coffee on the go or to sit down and enjoy a pastry/light breakfast! I really enjoyed my cappuccino and wish I had time to stop by one more time before heading home!

The oldest coffee shop in Nashville! What a wonderful atmosphere, delicious coffee and a breakfast menu that is amazing! You definitely must visit here. Cool merchandise, too! Then stroll across the street to Belmont University and Belmont mansion. Gorgeous!

Local latte was very good, would get again.

Tasty coffee with tons of seating options! Great place to study, hang with friends, or just go for a grab and go coffee. I'll be back for sure!

I couldn't decide between a few signature lattes so the team recommended lavender almond. I'm glad I took their recommendation. Fabulous! Love the location & vibe.

My sandwich was deliciouso!!! The amount of pork and eggs and all the fillings was so flavorful. It was good and filling. So glad bongo Java collaborated with Egg Drip. Good combo for sure!!

Wandered into Bongo Java, a smidge hungry, looking for a place to work on my final papers. I ordered the Egg McBongo, partially because I liked the name and partially because I was intrigued that it was served on a browned butter english muffin. It was a very simple breakfast sandwich (just egg, cheese, bread) but it was ridiculously good. I also ordered a seasonal drink, called "Our Drink"- the components I remember were cinnamon, brown sugar and salt (!) -- I got mine with whole milk and loved every sip. The next day I returned and ordered the same beverage with oatmilk and it was nowhere near as good (and $8). My tips for Bongo Java: Go with Whole Milk DO NOT, whatever you do, ask for a straw. They will look down their noses at you like you are an earth-hating turtle murderer.

Amazing coffee!! Cool to be able to try such a hidden gem in a great area. We sat outside and it was a special and unique experience. Prices weren't outrageous, either! Staff was super friendly and even made great suggestions on what we should try. I'll be back soon! 10/10

This was a really cute coffee shop with a great vibe and interesting drink selection. It has a nice outdoor patio seating and is on a gorgeous street full of little restaurants and shops. Perfect for grabbing a drink and strolling.

I've never like Bongo Java but decided to come since the other cafes in the area were too busy. I was extremely nauseous and wanted a bagel but I guess they changed their menu... the egg drop menu is interesting and the sandwiches are cute. Way too expensive for the taste tho. My friends matcha was chunky and gave her heart palpitations. There are lots of tables so I would recommend if you need a place to study!

A local favorite. Definitely quality coffee and fun breakfast favorites! I love the outdoor seating here and it's great for a coffee with a friend.

What happened here? They really screwed the pooch. They lost the old menu and now an egg sandwich on toast is $11. Are they kidding me? On top of that they named the sandwich the New Yorker. A New York sandwich should be on a proper Kiser (hard)roll which you can't even get here in town. This sandwich should be called the San Francisco it's overpriced and on sliced bread. Sorry bongo Java. You're off my recommended list for all who ask. And ignore the menu listed on this page. It's completely different now

Flying out with the earliest flight possible, I opted for local coffee in the Nashville airport and what a start to my day. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, the service was fast and the coffee (In the Wild) and food (almond bun) tasted fresh, non acidic, and fulfilling. In the Wild was flavored with lavender, vanilla and two shots of espresso. I added oat milk for the creamy taste. The almond bun, oh my! Warming it up really brought out the orange essence and buttery heaven with whole and pieces of almond in every bite. I'll remember Gate C Bongo Java Roasting as a positive experience and will look for them every time I'm in the area.

got a hot chocolate and the cup was weirdly empty, idk if it was a mistake or if it's supposed to be like this. i really hope its not supposed to be this empty bc thats pretty messed up for the price. i feel like the quality of product has gone down after the mass exodus of workers a few months ago due to problems with new management. also the hash bowns just taste like someone added truffle salt to mcdonalds hash browns. again not bad just not worth the price

Woke coffee shop run by woke college students. Expensive, Mediocre coffee. Best part about coming here was seeing their reactions when I handed them my Daily Wire "Leftist Tears" cup

Nashville's oldest coffee shop! It has a very welcoming vibe, friendly staff and prompt service. They can make just about any coffee for you and it's really good! I also liked that they sold canned coffee and popsicles, as well!

I got a Milky Way coffee with almond milk (very yummy!) and the bongo basic with 2 pieces of sausage and 2 pieces of bacon instead of hash browns. The food was good too, I liked how thick and unique the bacon was (trust me they're huge and thick). Sausage also rivaled the size of the bacon. Honestly the bongo basic is enough food for 2-3 people, I didn't even make a dent in it. There's also a bongo Java in the airport and the names of the specialty drinks are slightly different but I found one similar to the Milky Way and it was just as good. The workers were very nice and the space was clean too.

My sister took me to Bongo Java by her campus at Belmont University for a coffee and work date! I LOVED the cute interior with lots of tables and all the sweet smells of the cafe. I got a simple iced mocha which honestly wasn't the best I've had, but I couldn't get enough of the Good Mornin' BLT sandwich!! It was a classic BLT with a twist including aioli and a fried egg on a wheat bagel. The space was filled with lots of college kids and made for a great, calming work environment. Staff was friendly, but parking was a bit tricky considering it was a weekend and only street parking was available.

Conveniently located in the Belmont University district, Bongo offers a large variety of coffees and breakfast options. We opted for an Irish Cream with hazelnut and an iced raspberry latte with almond milk. Customer service was great, each server was friendly and down to earth. The coffee is smooth and nutty. A nice local establishment that should be supported. They also sell bags of coffee if you'd like to enjoy it at home.

There's probably many reasons why this coffee, light breakfast, and limited menu place has such a short wait time compared to some of their busy competitors nearby. Honestly, I should have been happy to get the free sausage that I didn't order on my breakfast burrito. I don't eat sausage. My wife asked for a well cooked egg on her bagel and received a runny, lightly cooked egg. The good news is that the wait time for a Sunday morning was very short. The Cafe latte was fine. I just think this place is probably about on par with Starbucks and is really not trying to be anything more than that. It was OK, no big complaints, reasonably-priced food. Just don't expect home-cooked, home baked, table service, comfortable chairs, speedy service, etc. A decent place for a college student with a lot of time on their hands, dressed in their pajamas to sip a coffee while looking at tictoc or youtube videos or even play runescape on their laptop for an hour or two.

They have good coffee and foods!! I like coming here for good coffee but also foods. My favorite is BLTA sandwich and bagels . Their hush browns are really good too. I usually park street near the coffee shop but there's parking back of this shop too. Staying there is nice but I guess covid, their windows are open even winter cold days. So it's chilly staying inside.

Do not come here on a Saturday morning. Do not come here if you are a decaf coffee drinker. They don't have drip decaf and the Americano decaf takes a long time to make. The staff was busting their butts to keep up but it wasn't enough to keep the line moving. I'd probably won't be back anytime soon. Which is sad because I really wanted to like this place. 30 minutes to get a decaf drink is not how want to spend my Saturday morning.

A breakfast sandwich with tons of leaves and basil pesto but no meat. To add bacon is 6$ really? Campfire cold brew has no flavor and taste almost like dirty water. I have no idea how this place is open.

Not the same bongo! Ahhh depressing and I went here for years after belmont classes! No more homemade in house muffins either. Such a shame and too expensive for what it is now. Sad . Service is of course so young they have no clue what it was and ambience is good but just everything has changed for the worst sad to say

Quiet little coffee shop, very friendly employees. The coffee was great, as well as the snacks. Worth the visit!

Bongo Java is not the Bongo Java I remember. I grew up in Nashville and went to Bongo almost every week. I came home from college and gave it a visit and was very disappointed. The vibes were great and it was super cute, but the food was not good at all. I got the breakfast burrito and it was small and soggy. It used to come with hashbrowns on the side but does not anymore. I ordered a side order for $4 and Waffle House makes bigger and better hashbrowns than that. They used to fill up the whole plate when I was younger and now the serving was barely the size of my palm. Sad to see such a Nashville classic go down the drain.

I have never witnessed such good personal connection with a customer service person, such as Anna Henthorne. Although Dee, while so slay with her style and fit, managed with the face of a condescending parent and the tone of the upset monster in monsters, Inc. when she says, "wazowski." The cute art on the wall and accepting signs helped to distract me from the hour it took to get my iced vanilla latte. If you're reading this, it is too late for me.

I only got the apple cider, but it was delicious! I'll definitely have to come back to try some of their other food items (and hot chocolate one day). They brought the cider out to me right as I sat down- super fast! They were also super nice in taking my order which I appreciated as a first-timer. The place is also really nice, it has this cozy appeal that has me wanting to come back even if it's just to do my homework. Overall, a great spot- especially for college students!

I've been to Bongo Java a few times over the years I've lived in Nashville - usually if I'm in the area for something else. I visited this past Saturday with a friend after we had gotten bagels at Proper Bagel and were walking around the neighborhood. Bongo has some pretty creative latte options, but I'm more of a simple coffee girl, so I stick to the basics. On this recent visit, I had a cold brew (it's summer now, switching over to iced and cold coffees for the next few months), which was good. My friend had one of their more fun lattes but had them make it iced. Bongo has a really nice patio, so if you enjoy a coffee outside, Bongo is a really good option. Nice patio, good coffee. Nothing super special about it, but a solid little neighborhood coffee shop that's great if you're in the area.

I like the food here, but they are rude! I am on a special diet that limits what I can eat, but I am able to have coffee and fish so I came here and between myself and my friend we spent $50! I ordered a meal and coffee and had out my own gluten free snack from home because they were out of gluten free bread. I often bring snacks since many places don't have food I can eat. This man with light brown hair and glasses brought us our food and seeing my one small bite of gluten free snack next to my coffee he unceremoniously said in the most obnoxious way ever "traditionally no outside food" then walked away. He was not kind, he was not apologetic. I felt unwelcome and targeted. It's not like I brought Burger King and then sat at your table. I have a dietary need and I already spent $50 at your establwhich you know because you brought our food ! This place is way too over priced to put up with such rude behavior!! I can't believe how intolerant these people are despite claiming to serve people of all kinds!

HASHBROWNS! Leaning on the grungier side of other local options, the vibes here cater to chill conversations, over decent coffee and good food. The key item on their menu has to be the Bongo Basic (eggs, HASHBROWNS, toast, and coffee). This menu item shines mainly because of the HASHBROWNS! If you can't tell by the all-caps excitement, they are something special. While you may not walk away from this meal feeling light and healthy, your taste buds will already be looking forward to the next time you come. Bongo Java also displays the art of different local creators every month. Check out the walls!

I arrived at Bongo Java at 12:30pm on a Saturday, apprehensive about the potential wait I might encounter. To my pleasant surprise, I was greeted with no line, and a very attentive staff person behind the register. I ordered a hot drip coffee, which was charged at about $2. Nothing to write home about, but did the trick and was served in a ceramic mug which I appreciate. I also ordered the breakfast bagel sandwich. Now, I should preface that I'm a New Yorker and worked at bagel deli with stellar bagels for about 6 years. However, I do try to keep an open mind. They were out of everything bagels (always my first choice), so I opted for plain. The bagel itself had a hit of sweetness, and was rather soft even when toasted. The eggs were real (not carton), to Bongo's credit. Overall, the sandwich was too dry, and fell apart due to this. The taste itself was okay, but could have used more moisture from perhaps a different variety of cheese. I am giving 4 stars because I found the service to be friendly, very quick (got my sandwich within 5 minutes of sitting down), and professional while still relaxed. The atmosphere of the space was low-key, chatty, and supported a steady stream of people in and out. I am always on the look out for coffee shops or cafes to post up in for hours at a time to do work, and this fit the bill. I was surprised by the large, airy feeling of the building. There is a spacious outdoor area to sit in, and then three main areas indoors with plenty of varied seating. If you prefer a quieter, more secluded experience, there is a small back corner and adjacent room where you can work almost entirely alone. The aesthetic is warm, casual, and hip. I will certainly be returning, and am envisioning finishing many a term paper in these walls.

I used to love this place and it's coffee but the experience I had the other day made me want to never go back. I stood in line for roughly 10-15 minutes and when I got to the register to order, the employees proceeded to talk to each other and ignore me and the group I was with for about 5-10 min and never took our order. Finally did and we waited another 30 minutes- in the meantime employees were chatting with each other and it did not feel like making the drinks was a priority. Because of the length of time it took, my group and i ended up leaving without our drinks as it had been 35+ minutes and we were late for a meeting. There was no sense of care or urgency for guests and it makes me really sad because I loved this place for years but it's not the same. Makes me not want to go back. Hope I can at least get my money back for the drink I didn't even get.

I used to love it here but over time it has gotten progressively harder to be a loyal customer. Today I ordered a hot latte and waited for close to thirty minutes for it to be given to me. I watched as 5-6 people in line behind me received their orders (mostly iced, but still) while the employees were chatting and having a good time with each other (and stepping away from the bar to have conversations with their friends) and were not productively doing their job. I understand enjoying the process as an employee and it's great that the vibe is happy, but 30 mins is a bit steep. If you don't mind waiting 30 mins for a mediocre coffee this is the place. I'm afraid today was likely the last time I'll be going to Bongo.

Cute place and AMAZING coffee but do NOT come here if you wanna get out in less than 30 mins. We waited 15 mins for our coffee and there was nobody in front of us. Can't imagine what it would be like with people here. The workers are on their phones and talking, also only one person making coffee. I would not come back here.

Hi Olivia. This morning my husband picked up a coffee & a sandwich before work. We live right down the road, so this is routine for him. The other staff even knows him by name. The person making the coffee asks my husband if his accent is Australian. My husband tells them "No, I'm British." Person making coffee responds with "Well that's a shame." On top of that rude comment, he never got his sandwich & was late to work waiting around for it. We've never experienced this type of service and this has been our spot for the past 2+ years. Person making coffee should probably work in BOH & not around customers.

It's kind of crazy how downhill this place went when they changed management. The patio atmosphere was amazing and it was always packed 6-7 years ago. Nowadays, I don't see even close to the amount of people and the atmosphere makes me want to take my food to-go instead of sticking around to eat because the inside has very limited seating and the new patio is very uninviting and small. Food and coffee quality went way down when they changed management/kitchen management. The Bongo Basic and other breakfast items used to be amazing, now they're very subpar and the coffee is nasty when it isn't clouded by pounds of cinnamon and sugar. They made a huge mistake when they tried to start focusing on lunch. No one wants a burger from a coffee shop

This has been our favorite spot since attending Belmont in 2005. For 17 years, we have been coming here multiple times a week. It's our family Saturday morning routine, and the first place we brought both of our children. Recently, they have changed the menu, making their portions smaller, and their prices have sky rocketed. I just paid $20 for an egg mcbongo with bacon and a "side" of hash browns that I couldn't even see when they brought out the plate - literally ate them in 5 bites. Come on, bongo. Pretty bummed and missing the restaurant this used to be. We were so worried it was going to close in the pandemic, but I would rather them be closed than it deteriorate to this.

Well to start off the staff can be somewhat arrogant when it comes to their coffee so asking a question can be frustrating. The food was just plain Jane in my opinion. There are so many people from the college flooding the place so had to sit outside where there were bugs and leaves everywhere. The coffee was strong but I don't find myself making a must stop at this place again if I'm back in Nashville.

There's a weird vibe inside where everyone is really slow and detached. Took 20 minutes to get an egg sandwich and grilled cheese. Service is bad and the guy with the high pants and low cut shirt was very rude. Food was pretty bad. Coffee was AMAZING.

Bongo is very good at a lot of things. Great coffee and good menu. Sometimes the staff can be curt or extra noisy at closing time or the Internet might be jacked. All in all, good place for multi purpose coffee house enjoyment, and a legendary Nashville staple spot, arguably responsible for building the very idea of a coffee house in Music City. The remodel here is super nice. Great improvement on all the spaces inside and out. I've come here nearly all my life and know it from the much more humble days. It has really evolved nicely and Bob runs a great company.

Had a limited amount of time to get to the airport and everywhere else in Nashville is a tourist trap for Sunday morning breakfast, so my friend driving me brought us here. We both got iced coffee, and a meal. She got the grilled cheese and it was a huge portion and an awesome sandwich! I got The Great Bombino. I added the salmon and cappers, and subbed hummus/Aoli for cream cheese. Both meals were simple but good! It's great to be able to grab a bite to eat with a more local scene.

Service has gotten better...but please, PLEASE, bring back the old breakfast burrito + hash brown combo. The new one is doesn't taste anywhere near as good, maybe the watery salsa that's inside? And the size for the price is insulting.

Terrible service! We waited for 45 mins for 3 lattes & 3 bagels. They made one latte wrong and completely forgot one of the bagels. Rude to top it off.

Good drinks...you just have to wait a long time when it is busy, the pastries are really good too. I have just been in there 3 times and different times and needed to wait a long time. The prices are a little steep but understandable for location, rent, etc.

I love bongo java. They always have great coffee and its an awesome place to meet with a friend, get dinner, or keep to yourself and study. They have a great after school special right now, after 4pm you can get a cookie or muffin and a small coffee or hot chocolate for $4. The hot chocolate is not too sweet and just delicious! They have great outside seating for when the weather is warm. The staff is always welcoming and friendly.

DON'T GO! This was the worst experience I have had. The person in charge of the register was rude and when our order was lost for over 45 minutes, we were stuck waiting at our table for our order to arrive. We already paid AND added a tip (big mistake), so we couldn't walk out. When I brought it to the attention of the person who took our order, they gave us some nasty attitude! We only ordered 2 bagels and cream cheese and 1 coffee and a juice. I would never recommend this coffee spot. Go next door to the Proper Bagel where the employees are extremely friendly and the wait is well worth it.

Nice coffee, however, with out specialty flavor, the cinnamon was added more than required, masking the taste of actual coffee

I really enjoyed my time here. I had a drink called The Outlaw recommended by Caroline(?) at the counter and it was fantastic. We sat outside and BS'd for an hour or so. It was a beautiful day to enjoy their outside seating and do some people watching.

I went to the Nashville airport location and was pleasantly surprised at how good my coffee was. I ordered an Iced Local Latte (honey and cinnamon) with oat milk. This is a classic for me so I'm pretty picky with it. They actually melt the honey in the espresso and use real cinnamon powder! I also got a bagel and my order was around $10, so not outrageous for the airport! A great way to start a day of travel :)

I work nearby so have tried to give Bongo a number of chances because of the convenience. Here is the breakdown of each time I went: 1. Daily special sandwich and special latte coffee drink, $20. Way to expensive, staff was rude, bread was stale and overall just wasn't great, especially at that price. 2. Egg McBongo and coffee, don't remember price, but McBongo wasn't too expensive. It was super bland and I wouldn't get it again. Coffee tasted like coffee. Staff was fine except they left my food on the counter for a good few minutes before calling my name and it was already somewhat lukewarm. 3. Burger, specialty drink (Called lightning or shocker or something), wife got fish plate and drink. It was around $45-50 after tip. Wife was on a special diet at the time and so asked questions, staff were rude to her the entire time. She also brought a snack since she was unsure if they would have something she could eat. We sat outside and when our food was brought out she was snacking on what she brought and was told that outside food wasn't allowed. We just spend $50 at your coffee shop and you won't let her also eat a small snack, it's ridiculous and rude. Burger tasted like a mediocre burger, wasn't terrible, but wouldn't order again. 4. Chicken Salad Sandwich and Bottled drink, about $16. I don't know why I came back again, I was hungry and it was close. I thought, you can't mess up a chicken salad sandwich. They didn't have the bread advertised. I said it was OK and substituted. The chicken salad literally tasted like nothing, practically zero flavor. Bottled drink was IBC cream soda and was fine. 5. McIrish Specialty something coffee. I ran out of coffee at work so stopped and got some specialty coffee drink. Don't remember the name but it was irish themed I think and on their legacy drink board. It was pretty decent. So overall experiences are that the place is way overpriced, food pretty bland or just not good. But I would live with all of that if the service was good, which it wasn't. Not a single time was it decent. So Bongo, I tried to give you all my money over and over again. I wanted a great convenient coffee shop, but you failed. You are dead to me. P.S. The odd thing is that I absolutely love Fido and have never had a bad experience and they are owned by the same people I believe.

Love the coffee here and enjoy the atmosphere. It is also convenient to Belmont which makes it very popular. Service has never been a strong suit and I've noticed it going downhill of late. Employees seem more interested in conversations with each other and friends than in making and serving drinks. Leisurely service may be part of the price for that congenial atmosphere. Leisurely service and lost orders aren't. Bongo Java is off my list as a place to grab a coffee before class.