Specialty’s Cafe & Bakery

Best cookies, ever. Love their hearts of palm salad and delicious sandwiches!

Amazing sandwiches! Love their cookies! I visit at least once a week. Everything is so fresh and gourmet. I love the self service kiosks. I love their vegetarian sandwich and also their turkey pesto is yummy.

This café is in an office building next to my job. So I get Peet’s Coffee AND Specialty’s goodness wrapped into one.
In my most recent excursion I had their Caprese sandwich. Um, deliish! The bread on this baby was fresh, well seasoned and just perfectly toasty. The mozzarella was ideally moist and the tomato fresh. Ready for the downside? Yes there is one! It came with spinach instead of basil which is a bit disappointing. Why? Because traditionally it SHOULD come with basil and I love basil anything ha ha!
Get your veggies whenever you can and don’t shy away… it was good spinach :)
Prior, I have enjoyed their chicken soup which was hearty and filling. The Cranberry Chicken sandwich as well as their baked goods too. Overall the quality is great and the freshness is up to par!
Downside, they are a tad organized and I scored a free Café Au Lait last time. That’s great customer service.
You can order ahead and pick up your food in a brown paper bag on the shelf for those of you in a hurry or have to run back up and eat at your desk. Ya, don’t do that :(…enjoy the greatness that is lunch!
Or… you can order on tablets if you chose be a more robotic and shy away from human interaction.

Black and white cookie all the way! Ask for a warm one!

Best chocolate chip cookies ever !!! Coworkers and I love to walk across to grab a quick lunch. Their sandwiches, salads, soups, pastries, coffee, and cookies (oatmeal, semi-​sweet, milk, dark, macadamia nut, bran) are all great !! Must try:
Southwestern Turkey Chili
Turkey, Apple, Brie and Bacon sandwich
Greek Goddess salad
Chicken Cobb salad
All their pastries/​COOKIES :D
A bit pricey, but worth every penny :) See you next time Specialty’s!

My Unilocal review totally backfired! I’ve been to Specialty’s probably 3 times since I wrote this review 10 days ago and they haven’t had any cinnamon rolls at all. Major bummer! Also to add insult to injury they can never tell me when a new batch will be available.
And to make for it I got a chocolate chip cookie instead this morning, but sadly it’s not as good as the cinnamon roll. I know everyone loves their cookies, and they are good, but I have access to a lot better ones so until I see a cinnamon roll no more Speciality’s.

I honestly can only recommend this place on the strength of their cookies. I mean, WOW! They probably have some of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever eaten in my entire life, and this is coming from a chocolate chip cookie connoisseur.
As for the rest of their offerings? I can’t say the same. Their soups and salads range from average to mediocre.
The real problem with this place is the parking. If you’re familiar with the area you know that parking near Santa Monica and Sepulveda is next to impossible. I used to work in the building across the street so for me personally parking was never an issue but for someone who doesn’t work in the area, you may end up becoming so frustrated that you just decide to skip Specialty’s all together. But again, they have some of the best cookies I’ve ever had in my life!

The soups are mediocre, the sandwiches are only marginally better than the ones I can get a block away at Subway, but the reason I keep coming back is for the salads. I really enjoy getting a hearty, healthy salad that fills me up, and having it so close to work. I especially like the Dawn’s Vegan salad. Artichokes, avocado, corn, bean mix… yum!
This location doesn’t seem to crank out the cookies like other Specialty’s locations do; they never look particularly fresh or warm, and I never see people buying them. With other locations I know that the cookies are WHY people come to Specialty’s!

I came here because I’d had the cookies at a Specialty’s in Chicago and was craving one. I came for lunch and there are two reasons for the relatively poor review.
1) Unless you work in the building, it’s very inconvenient. Parking in the building is very expensive and there isn’t any street parking that’s too close.
2) My cookie was not warm. That was the best part about the one in Chicago.
Aside from that, I got the steak sandwich, which was quite good. If you work in the building, it’s probably a pretty decent lunch option. If not, it’s not worth the hassle.

I use this place a lot for deliveries for breakfast and lunch. Good solid food, great sandwiches, and they have an awesome cookie platter with bits of dark chocolate and white chocolate. They also have mini finger sandwiches on seasoned bread. They do a whole array from fruits, cheese, nuts, yogurt, breakfast breads, quiches, breakfast muffins, OJ, Peet’s coffee in dispensing cardboard jugs, etc.
INSIDER TIP FROM DOREEN (AKA AZN PERSUASION): Plus when you get stuff catered and delivered you get free reusable shopping bags branded with their logo. They are pretty big in size too!

I’ve been eating here once a week for the last two years. Here’s a summary…
The good
1. COOKIES. Oh my… the semi sweet is amazing; good heavens. Disclaimer, I love cookies. PS, their lovers’ lane brownie is also great.
2. You can order online and set a pick-​up time and quietly grab it from the side shelf without talking to anyone (important if you’re not in the mood to chat with one of their friendly staff). You can even customize your order online.
3. Ample outside seating
The not so good
1. Inside seating arrangement is poor, not very comfortable, crowded often.
2. Once in a while (rarely) they’ll forget to read your customization, resulting in the default configuration meal.
3. I’m getting tired of their food, they need more variety besides sandwiches, but then again i think this is a sandwich shop…

I feel absolutely awful writing this review — but not awful enough to stop. I only go here because it’s on the lobby level of the building I work in.
Specialtys is so interesting. I could think about it for days. For serious. First off, they are super on-​top of technology — could be because they are based in San Fran?
Pros:
1. You can order online/​from a mobile device and have ready for you — they send you a text message when it’s ready.
2. If the actual line downstairs is too long, you can order on one of the three iPads they have set up. Then you take one of your own buzzers.
3. Customer service is pretty good — these people are paid to smile. However, they rotate and this reminds me of the neverending cycle that is life. #depressioncomingon
Cons:
1. I had a butter croissant there once. So buttery I thought I was gonna die. Clearly I didn’t but the experience meant that I had to suffer through one of those troublesome life-​flashing-​before-​my-​eyes’ moments. Or at least I worried about gaining weight and never getting married.
2. Expense.
3. None of the food is that good — it is SO weird! I think it’s known for its pastries, but they just taste weird and pack a ton of cal (like 450!).
4. There is a «Peet’s Coffee» built-​in, but it’s not full-​service.
However, Miss Melody is the reason I will always come back. And the fact that it’s convenient. If it wasn’t, I would never return. I truly prefer 7 – 11.

It’s just a normal café/​bakery.
I dont think the food stands out or anything but it’s convenient and quick if you work in the area.
Dont get the grilled veggie sandwich — It was SOOOOOO salty i literally had to pick out all the insides and only ate the bread. Maybe it was a bad day, but it tasted like someone had poured salt into the vegetables.
The ham and cheese croissant was on the salty side too.
The turkey pesto sandwich was good. I’d order that again.
*update* had the Turkey Cranbery sandwich today. That was good. Liked the sprouts in it.
*update* WHY CAN“T THEY MAKE GOOD COFFEE? I swear for a place that’s supposed to specialize in coffee, they BURN THEIR COFFEE EVERYYY TIME. it tastes like @SSSSS.
PLEASE CHANGE THE WAY YOU MAKE YOUR COFFEE.

My friend took me to Specialty’s when I was in SF traveling for work. I remembered that the ingredients were fresh and the baked goods delectable. After I got back, I looked up where else I can find Specialty’s and was surprised to find that there was one on Santa Monica Blvd, less than 2 miles away from UCLA!
Today I ventured over with a lunch buddy. After turning into the parking behind the Westwood Gateway building, we couldn’t figure out where we were supposed to go because we didn’t see an area designated for the café. After checking with security, we found out that we can park in the Visitor’s area and get our parking validated (good thing because it’s $ 3 for the first 15 minutes!!).
The restaurant itself is spacious and the employees friendly. I thought the Big BLT was a deal at $ 6.19. The chopped bacon was slightly sweet, which I liked. The turkey pesto ($ 7.29) was not terrible but not that great either (meh). We couldn’t resist the cookies on display, which are $ 2.39 each, and got the peanut butter chocolate chunk, which was hearty with whole peanuts inside.
Nice place to grab lunch during the work week. The courtyard in the middle of the buildings has 2 long ponds filled with koi fish! Very relaxing to watch them for a moment before heading back to the office.

This place is in my work building and the sandwiches are yummy. The salads are just okay. Saladfarm is much better.
However, the MAIN reason for the rating are the employees!
These kids are the rudest bunch of people.
I get it, they’re young and probably hate their job, but wow! The manager needs to evaluate all of them ASAP.
One in particular has glasses and usually works the register, she is chubby and brunette and rudest girl I have ever had to deal with…
Despite the inconvenience, I’d rather walk somewhere else for my morning coffee and lunch.

Amazing food delivered wherever you’re hungry.
I was the lucky recipient of a birthday lunch, ordered from across the country, and complete with a huge box of cookies. The receptionists who received the order on my behalf were all oohing and aahing at the cookie tray — enough to convince me to share, albeit somewhat reluctantly. My sandwich was fresh and tasty, and the cookies were enormous and delectable. Seriously, one cookie feeds 1 – 3 people.

The food was below average. I ordered the Cobb salad. Talk about mediocre, not to mention the lettuce wasn’t very fresh at all. Parking at this location isn’t bad. The validate for a parking structure. But it’s a pain to get out of the structure and into the restaurant.
The big issue I had was the online ordering process. A fantastic and user-​friendly website allows you to quickly order and customize the heck out of your salad. What they don’t tell you upfront is that if you order online, you have to pay online. No pickup in the store with cash. I work for a business and we expense our lunches with cash. No more ordering ahead of time from here. It was a pain that they don’t have this posted more visibly. I spent 30 minutes filling out our office lunch orders and then realized that I couldn’t order online. Smartly, I printed out the order from the website and just brought that in. I shouldn’t have had to go through the trouble.
Also, if you want to call the store to ask them a question or confirm your order went through, you’re out of luck. They have a main customer service line for all of their stores, but they have a posted message on their website that says that no stores accept incoming calls. This is apparently to improve customer service for those currently at the store. That, combined with the fact that this location doesn’t show up on Google maps, is the reason why this place only has a handful of reviews. I bet people don’t even know it exists.
Check out my other reviews for way better lunch places.

If you work in the Westwood Gateway, this is the best place around within a walking radius. Specialty’s reminds me of a crossbreed between a less expensive Mendocino Farms and your favorite local coffee shop. I don’t work out of our WLA office much but, when I do, the first thing I think about are their stuffed croissants! They have two very simple selections: turkey & gravy with cheese and ham & cheddar. The turkey isn’t processed and tastes like you’re eating Thanksgiving leftovers in a hearty croissant. All that’s missing is the stuffing. The ham & cheddar is my favorite with their generous meaty and cheese portions stuffed inside. Definitely no skimping here at about $ 4.50.
I have tried a number of their lunch selections from salads to sandwiches. All of the salads are served with this amazing herbed rosemary bread that is always out of the oven fresh. You can order a small salad or large — so moderate eaters aren’t always having to split or waste it. The only thing I might recommend is asking for extra dressing for salads that come with a creamy dressing like the Southwestern salad. I never find the 1 oz containers enough for my greens unlike the vinaigrette’s.
The service is also exceptionally friendly. Everyone is questionably giddy and happy to be there. It says a lot about who they work for. They occasionally pass out sample offerings, you can order online and have your food already placed on the «To Go» shelf when you pick it up expediting long lines, and many items are under $ 7!
Don’t forget to try their desserts! Cookies are amaze-​balls!

A gf of mine works in the Westwood Gateway complex where Specialty’s is located, and she’s been loving this place ever since they opened.
When we walked in at 1-​ish on this Friday afternoon, it was clear that she wasn’t the only one who loves it here!
My gf showed me the ropes: order at the computerized kiosks, grab a pager, and wait til it buzzes you. She alternatively usually orders online and picks up her food in the alphabetized area to the left of the Peet’s Coffee corner.
The computerized ordering system was pretty sophisticated — you can customize salads & sammiches, order soups and coffee drinks — and even see your calorie count as you build your meal!
Brave move, Specialty’s — as your fresh baked bread hikes the calorie and carb counts into the 800−900ish range easily!
We drooled over the baked goods display (cookies, pastries, scones, bundt cakes, muffins, mini quiches, sweet rolls, etc.) and girl-​blabbed and before we realized it, more than 10 minutes had passed, and a few minutes later our pager lit up. It was busy there, but it felt like it took a little too long for two simple salads to be made and ready.
We walked up and the friendly dude placed a tray with our food on it in front of us with napkins and plastic forks, and we took it outside to one of the tables.
My Chinese Chicken Salad ($ 7.99) was a HUGE pile of shredded cabbage, with a few thin slices of red bell peppers, green onions, cubes of chicken and a sprinkling of black sesame seeds and wonton strips on top. The sweet-​ish dressing served on the side perked up the rather boring (to look at and taste) salad somewhat, but it didn’t really do it for me. The chicken cubes felt like they were diced from a formed chicken piece, instead of a whole breast — and the portion was pretty small to me.
My friend always gets an extra side of chicken ($ 2) to go with her Mixed Green Salad ($ 5.79) and subs out the Balsamic Vinaigrette that she doesn’t like with the Poppy Seed Dressing that she does like (no charge). Her salad was a mix of baby field greens and some carrot shreds that looked fresh and healthy, and topped with huge crunchy croutons.
Now that I see how little chicken comes with my salad, I realize that adding more protein is a good idea!
Both our salads came with a square of fresh flake salt and herb-​sprinkled focaccia bread, which was chewy and spongy. I think that might be one of the bread options for the sammiches on their menu.
We saw some sammiches go by with melted cheese that looked really yummy, and my gf said that her co-​workers always RAVE about the big, thick, soft (Isabella’s Cookies-​looking) cookies that they have on the cookie sheets in the bakery area.
Previous to Specialty’s being here, there was nothing that was even remotely decent for lunch in this complex, so this place is a Godsend for a lot of people I’m sure.
I likely will come back because it’s a convenient way to get together with my gf during her lunch hour, but next time I’ll either try a (likely high calorie) sammich, or get a different salad with an extra side of chicken — and I likely will not come back unless it’s to go to lunch with her.

I also work across the street from this place so I was intrigued to have a new alternative to bleak lunch options around West LA. I don’t ask for much from my work lunch places… just fresh, healthy choices that are a good value. I think I found a winner.
I placed my order at a computerized ordering kiosk which activated one of those fun vibrating/​blinking reservation coasters. The small Cobb Salad at $ 6.79 sounded just right (I wasn’t too hungry) although in the back of my mind I wondered if I should have gotten the large.
I took a seat and was accompanied by some loud 90s AC rock on the satelite radio for what seemed about 8−10min. A bit slow, but it was during the busy lunch hour. It was worth the wait since everything about the salad seemed extremely fresh and the portion was just right, even for a guy. They even put the dressing on the side without me having to ask. Bacon, chicken, avocado, bleu cheese — every ingredient was bursting with flavor.
And to top it all off, they even added «1x Free Cookie!» on my order. I don’t know if this was a first-​timer bonus but that oatmeal chocolate chip goodness was just delicious enough to turn this solid 4-​Star lunch into a rare 5er. Thanks Specialty’s, we’ll definitely do lunch again.