Been coming here for a couple of years sporadically and have never had a bad cup of coffee no matter what I have ordered. Today I had a double shot that did not disappoint. Stop in for the vibe and get a cup of coffee it hits the spot. Also very unique atmosphere.

Great coffee and friendly owner. Its nice to just chill out while catching up on some work with a great coffee!

I enjoy coming back to this very unique and hole in the wall shop. I had not been back here in almost 3 years. But i walked down the street towards the entrance, and it was like walking down a fond memory lane.The establishment is open, wide, friendly environment, great staff, amazing and well affordable food/ dishes.And as cliché as it may sound, but the pastries and tarts are to die for!Great job Back to the Grind, youve satisfied and amazed me once more.

BTTG...is synonymous with#Downtown Riverside. It absolutely IS a local place with the charm and charisma of the denizens who frequent. Im grateful we have a cozy, community active coffee shop. Thanks Fasten for staying and keeping a great place to hang and have a bite to eat and drinks.

Motorcycle Friendly 😁Our blended almond milk drinks were great! Raspberry, blackberry, strawberry; lots of flavors to choose from!Decor is uniquely awesome!Owner was super chill too! Was only in town a few days and had to come back here before we left. Thank you!

I always love stopping by when I am in downtown Riverside. I been coming here since I first started college so this place, for me,feels nostalgic. I just want to say this is a great place to come! I love what back to the grind is doing for the community and I support them. They offer yoga and AA meetings which is encouraging health and wellness in the community.They also have open mic night which is a great outlet to allow others to share their talents and express themselves. They offer so much more to the community than any other coffee shop I know. Also the environment is the best and cannot be Imitated. Very unique original and comfortable!Also please add that matcha green tea to the menu because it is so good!

Great Service! Great coffee and Drinks and Great Ambiance 😁👍🏼the owner was the one preparing and serving our food and drinks and did so with a pleasant attitude 😀 definitely will continue coming back when I return to visit Riverside.

During the time I went there was only one person working the bar and he was phenomenal, even as people continued to queue up. Kudos to him! I loved my Orange Blossom smoothie and stuffed croissant.

5 STAR COFFEE. 4 STAR AMBIENCE.When I was in town, my wife and I went to a nearby coffee shop to get some local coffee (a favorite of mine to do whenever I’m somewhere new). When we were looking for our second cup, I decided to try out a new place.Back to the Grind was a cool spot to get a great coffee. My wife liked the Almond Milk Cappuccino better here than the other place. My only hang up was the ambience. In the morning it was a little quiet, but more-so the workers a bit inattentive.Maybe I’ll try it again at a different hour or maybe it was morning and they were just off their game. Either case. Great coffee and worth the stop.I’d recommend it.

I’ve been searching for a coffee shop like this since I moved to California. The place is beautiful. Coffee is great. Lovely little outdoor seating place.

My boyfriend and I stayed at the Mission Inn just around the corner. I found this place after researching “best coffee in Riverside”. The aesthetic reminded me so much of the coffee houses from home (Minnesota) that we walked in with such enthusiasm. The individual working never greeted us or even acknowledged our presence—even though we walked in cheerful and said “hello”. We found that odd but figured they were busy so we meandered around a bit. We asked one question about the baked goods, and were slammed with the most (almost comically) intense scowl. I didn’t know you could hate life, or your job, or seeing other people happy so much. It was jarring enough for us to feel so unwelcome, we just walked out and gave our business to a really lovely coffee roaster across town.

The barista is unbelievably rude :( we were nice to him and he still was very very rude

Love coming here every time I get a chance .Love their Coffee and pastries.This place is very clean and the owner is very courteous and friendly.Come and check it out it!

Won’t be coming back! I used to love this place, but it’s changed. The last two times I have been the barista was rude. Plus I went recently, and I had a drink, and they told me I couldn’t have outside drinks even if I ordered food. I don’t understand why they want to lose business.

Always a fantastic place for extremely good coffe and tea, with so many other beverage choices and food as well.

Back to the grind is a great coffee shop in down town Riverside. It has a friendly staff and a great menu; drinks and food. They have scheduled nights for open mic, chess, art shows, all kinds of things. They also have live music randomly. Everything is nice. Highly recommended.

Hot coffee, safe place. A hidden oasis of serenity in downtown riverside. Zen

Chill coffee lounge and bar. it’s a nice casual and laid back spot, w/ ample space for groups and spots for individuals. I wish there was a jukebox and a night shift/bar hours.Coffee and light meals are tremendously tasty as well.

Cool place for photos and great environment but coffee is okay.

I enjoyed the wall art, ceiling art, and how everything was arranged. There was so much to look at and take in. The environment is friendly, welcoming, and quite a conversation starter. The owner is also very helpful in recommendations and the drinks are tasty with plenty of flavor. Id definitely go again and try more of their alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages!

Always feels like home here. Talenes donuts are an absolute must have if available.

Great coffee and friendly staff. Come and see the very special decor.

Love the vibe,our Barista was friendly and the coffee was great!

Coffee, beer and smoothies. Lots of vegan options too. Very old town and welcoming feel, and they even have a basement for events. Cant wait to come back.

I love you, Darren. And Jasper, and Taline...lol Hi 👋 ☺ Thank you for all the years. At least I can say from here on out. Ill just be visiting.

Hands down best coffeeshop downtown. A staple in the community for a few decades now. Has it all, coffee, good food, patio, live music, community meetings in the basement, art, etc. It is cash only, they have an ATM inside though.

This place is like a mix between a trendy cafe, a bar and a library Ive gone there to get work done. Ive gone there for a beer and I have also gone there for a cup of tea.I believe they do open mic night one or two nights a week. I went there on a Sunday and there were different locals singing and doing poetry and they all were amazing.

Love mimosa there and smoothies! Perfect for brunch !

Amazing place great customer service! Delicious smoothies. The stage is amazing

Decent little place in a redone old building near the library and mission..plenty of nice seating and free WiFi...nice back patio area for smokers. Paid parking is a pain and extremely limited. Cash only..another pain if ur like me and rarely carry much cash

Love B2TG. Great food, drinks and atmosphere.

When I spoken word coming back?

I had to be in the area for jury duty and happened upon this cute place. This morning, I ordered the best apple-cranberry-pecan pie! Tart, naturally sweet, and Ill definitely will be back for some more. At the back patio, the nicest couple, Tim and Cathy, and their friend, Deev, told me that Back to the Grind has a Portland vibe, so now I know why its so popular! The baker of the pie says this is a new recipe, so I take it that there are other wonderful treats for me to try. I cant wait to enjoy another morning at Back to the Grind.

Fun, quirky coffee shop. Lots of places to sit and relax, inside or out.

I dont like that its only cash here. I understand the fees associated with cards or rent being significant. On a longevity perspective i dont think cash only is innovative at all.

Awesome atmosphere and coffee. I got lost in the wall to wall bookshelves and was super late to work but it was a great excuse when I showed my boss the pics and he showed more interest in going than me being late...

Such an amazing place been coming here since I was a teen ager! such a safe haven

This place is not open at 7 am. It’s closed.

Beautiful place to have coffee, vegan friendly:))Everything super good🤙

The space is awesome and very cozy. The food and smoothies are super delicious. You cant go wrong with the bagel melts. Awesome coffee shop to sit and read in or eat in. The staff is great!

I appreciate the spaciousness of the place, with the variety of decoration themes that makes it interesting and joyful. I did not fined my favorite coffee roast, my choices were limited to only one, that was the Colombian light. Well, that was OK, I guess! As for the turkey and cheese sandwich, it was standard. Overall it was pleasant experience

Awesome, friendly and relaxing place to have lunch or work on my projects.

Neat place to grab breakfast. Nice staff and great cold brew.

Friendly and very inviting the aroma of great coffee and spirits infused with awesome art in a while having that feeling of home. Ask for Daryl hes pretty cool and knowledgeable!!!!😊😀

Great coffee and their teas are amazing

Love this cafe! They have a great atmosphere and delicious food.

Such an amazing place & very baristas. Coolest coffee shop Ive ever been to. Plenty of cool things to look at while you enjoy your drinks &/or food. Also a nice patio in the back.

Best coffee shop ever. I have been going there since about 1998. Great coffee and cheese cake. I really love the ambiance and music.

Terrible service. The cashier is rude and has no people skills. Would not recommend this place.

Turkey sandwiches own!

I wanted to see if they had coloring pages out. They have fun and hype things around. They dont accept credit cards so they have on sight atm that charges a fee but they accept cash. I had an interesting smoothie called the kindergarten special of almond milk, peanut butter, raspberry, blueberry .

Great coffee and atmosphere

Stepping inside from the street is a completely different experience for your eyes. From the ground, to the tables, up the walls, to the ceiling… There is no better visual experience. I found some of the pastries a bit dry but the drinks were delightfully delicious and slightly different from the familiar flavor in a good way. This is THE spot, for sure!!

This place is a home away from home for most of my friends and I. Cozy couches, great back patio, great coffee, cool baristas. Theres nothing like it anywhere. Plus theres always a show or an open mic or some cool art to check out.

Comfy, spacious coffee shop downtown. Chill atmosphere & service. Good coffee, tea, & sweets. My reg. spot.

Thai Tea was amazing 👏 I love this place

Awesome place!!! Cool atmosphere!!! Great vibes and eclectic sounds!! And their teas are good but my daughter loved the ice cream scoops

Very good coffee!

Cutest little coffee place, walked in cuz we heard a band playing and it was very neat havent tried the coffee yet but will be coming back to do so soon

Delicious coffee and very polite staff.

Love the staff here!!!. The atmosphere is relaxing 😌 and welcoming. Great prices, perfect for anyone new intown or anyone who just wants a cup of joe. Definitely recommend this to all.

I love this coffee shop, I love the owner & her crew. Ive been coming to back to the Grind since high school & Mean Street Magazine was located upstairs. Great coffee, I always grab a snack my favorites are the brownies, fruit tarts & lemon bars. This coffee shop gives back to the community in more ways then one and I couldnt be more grateful for their open loving atmosphere.

Great latte in a place with great atmosphere.

Lovely atmosphere, caring people, good place

Just paid $4 for parking and they do no have A/c. It’s also very dirty and has homeless people in it. Do yourself a favor and go to Molinos rt down the street. I just did and it’s not hot!

Excellent coffee and pastry.

I love this coffee shop. Have been going here since the day it opened. For years this place was like a family home to me. Great coffee great employees. Fantastic owner Darren is the nicest person youll ever meet. Its been there 20 years now and I hope it never goes away.

I like coming Monday and Tuesday nights for their open mics. The environment is very inviting and full of culture with so many poets, musicians, and artists of all realms. Last night, this lovely singer-songwriters keyboard malfunctioned, initially impeding her ability to perform. She was the last act of the night, the clock was ticking, the MC had to start getting everyone out by 11. However, when she asked if she should just pack her keyboard and skip her turn, applause and cheers of encouragement erupted and filled the room. Moments into this girl singing acapella, one by one everyone in the crowd began to snap along to the bluesy beat of her song. Snaps turned into claps, one guy started knocking on a table and playing with the rhythm, another pulled a maraca out of his bag, and voices in the background could be heard vocalizing and giving her the accompaniment she had been stressing about earlier. It was a beautiful, unreal experience. So yeah, if youre looking for a cool coffee shop with good food and drinks (and a few vegan options, I might add), then I highly recommend you go support your local business and get a taste of their vibe, meanwhile checking out a super supportive artistic community.

It’s a fun place if you’re into an eclectic vibe. I understand why people like the shop even though I don’t find it particularly special. I come here just for a place to work and for coffee. I don’t love cash only businesses but don’t hold that against anyone. They seem to be a great part of the neighborhood community as well.

Orrible experience,The service is very rude and incompetentI dont understand why the owner pay this employee.

My girlfriend and I came here to grab a quick breakfast before school this morning, and we absolutely loved it. It had a relaxed and easy-going atmosphere, the staff was incredibly friendly, and our food and drinks were amazing. My girlfriend got a smoothie, I got a latte, and we both got the ham and cheese stuffed croissants, and everything was delicious. Its definitely a place that we plan to return to in the near future.

I really like this place and this is my only serious review on anything ever because Darren deserves it

Honestly the best coffee shop in Riverside. Literally the only bummer is that theyre cash only, but Ill pay cash to support such a great place in my town. Te food is good, the drinks are good, the coffee is good. There is plenty of space to spread out if you need to and the staff are incredible.

The grind is my go to for a cafe yes there are you there ones around but for me this place tops the list. They always have cool art from locals hanging about, the pastries are great and without question the drinks are excellent. Order the back to the grind blended. A margherita pizza is also a go to there.

This is probably the coolest place in downtown Riverside. Its got that great been here forever and everyone knows about it vibe. Theyve got events going on like every night. I do wish their coffee was better though ☕😝

Come one, come all! Seriously, you have to come and support this local coffee shop. They have a great atmosphere, week day nights are laid-back, weekend nights are pretty busy and lively, and morning times are great for sipping coffee and reading. This place has the friendliest staff, and a huge menu. I recommend having the vegan donuts 🍩 theyre so delicious, BBQ chicken pizza is also good, and the house chili is perfect for this cold weather. Its cash only but they have an ATM inside.

My top scene for tasty Cafe food. service is always awesome even when they have a full house. there was quick and friendly service. the place has a nice atmosphere. i can see why they have so many good reviews.

Huge coffee shop which occasionally had live music

Great place! I am excited to visit again for their live music nights and try another drink from their excellent selection. I was here to study around 1pm and the place was perfect, as was their thai tea.

Cool atmosphere and very peaceful for studying! They have a great variety of drinks. In case youre asking, they do have vegan options. Lol

I have stopped in a few times. The coffee and food I have tried before have been good. I tried one of their smoothies for the first time today, it tasted great and was perfect for this hot summer day. This is a cash only business.

Cafe food here - very tasty. Great ambiance & decor. Looking forward to coming back with my coworkers. The bill was good for what you get.

It has a really nice atmosphere, fairly tolerable noise level where you could talk with friends or study. the food options are really good, and are at a fair price. i got the turkey and swiss cheese croissant and it was SO GOOD. they also have a decent amount of vegetarian and vegan options if youd like.

Adorable place, lots of cool stuff and books. Great service, plenty of variety from coffees (hot and cold) smoothies and baked goods. Order the just trust me and see what they come up with for you. Highly recommend as a fun place to gather for conversation and beverages.

I love this place!! Such a cool retro vibe and lowkey ambiance. I love the coffee, and the food is great too! A cool place to chill and read a book, or hang out with your friends on a weekend. Be on the lookout for cool events they host! (Artswalk, open mic night, riverside prom)

Very cool, engaging atmosphere with a quirky, talented trio of musicians (a band called Coleslaw) playing to a small, appreciative group of people of all ages. If you wanna buy something, bring cash. The Italian sodas are quite tasty.

Reminiscent of the European Coffee House and now that they serve alcohol and old western Saloon. Very unique calm relaxing atmosphere with open doors to everyone. One of the unique pleasures in Downtown Riverside California. It has a wide variety of menu item and leaving a part of the Art Walk downtown Riverside featuring local artists and their varied artistic endeavors. The venue is even available for rent for special occasions and many of their weeknights are themed. See picture live local bands at least one night a week.

Local shops are the best. I stopped by for coffee and a breakfast sandwich and was extremely satisfied. The room was quiet so you could carry a conversation. It is full of small tables and one wall is all bookshelves, filled with books. They also offer alcoholic beverages in the evening and though I havent experienced that yet I look forward to my next visit.

4-star for the drinks and selection (which includes sugar free options). 4-star for the nice location in the heart of downtown. Its a big space with high walls that make it feel old school grand. Only downside is theres no air conditioning so it can get hot during high temp summer days.

Cafe food, mmm, quality stuff. I should have took a photo of the food but it was too good to interrupt. Looking forward to coming back with my friends. It has a nice feel to it. Food is similar to a place in San Francisco I loved.

Are they struggling? The man has been there since I was 15 but at least they took cards.. I think. And wheres the amazing gallery?? I hate change... But the Italian sodas were delicious!

What a great place to visit again and again. Decent little place in a redone old building near the library and mission..plenty of nice seating and free WiFi...nice back patio area for smokers. Excellent customers service.

Good vegan options and the service was great.

Friendly nice place, always fun here, food and coffee are great!

Very unique coffee spot. Feels very cozy! Great menu.

Love this place. Ive gone there for years and theres always interesting people hanging out. Animal friendly, staff is cool, great drinks every time. I rarely get food but enjoy it every time I do. I always recommend trying the smoothies, theyll make you come back for sure. Its always a calm place to do homework out and plenty of space to sit. The pool table always works and the concerts always rock. Probably my favorite place in Riverside.

This is truly a great place and this area was nice to hang out. Wonderful atmosphere and drinks are delicious. Its in the heart of old riverside, and a great lil coffee spot.

Took some friends from out of town had to show them the best places in Southern California. Always great vegan options and such welcoming real service. Love the location and all it stands for.

Loved it. Cant wait to go back

When I think of what a coffee shop should be like, this is one of the places. Its atmosphere is welcoming and pleasant. The service was friendly. The customers seemed to enjoy the place. The menu is simple and the coffee is delicious. A great place to study, have conversation or anything in between.