I really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately employees are very rude and service is slow. 2 stars instead of 1 since the coffee is ok.
Zara D.
I quit my job at Bohemian Alchemist because the owner was incredibly rude, often making offensive comments about Arabs and constantly trash-talking customers behind their backs. She also got Turkish coffee all wrong and does not make it authetic whatsoever. If you're looking for a place that respects both its customers and the authenticity of Turkish coffee, head to Finjan in Kearny Mesa instead. ON TOP of that, the owner would not wash the cups that people used and reused them right after saying "it increases the water bill, I cant afford that". DISGUSTING
Sandra P.
First time trying Turkish coffee and won't be the last. Coffee was full of flavor and it was hot just the way I like it.
Christina H.
What a great concept! Coffee was unique and delicious. Staff was great Nice ambiance. And it's nice to see that the business owner cares about the client experience. It was wonderful
Jennifer White
I wish I could give this place negative stars. The woman behind the counter was extremely rude, and the coffee didn’t take good either. This was our first time visiting this coffee shop, and we had questions which clearly pissed her off. It was obvious we were not welcome here as she was very friendly to all other customers in the shop. I wish I went back inside to take my tips back because this was definitely an unpleasant experience. Do yourself a favor and take your money elsewhere.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Jen W.
I wish I could give this coffee shop negative stars. It was our first time trying out this type of coffee and the woman behind the counter was so rude. We had some questions and wanted to watch the coffee being made and she would not help at all. It was obvious we were not welcome here as she was very pleasant and kind to every other customer greeting each one with a smile and saying goodbye as well. I wish I could go back I in there and take my tips back. Extremely dissatisfied and disappointed in the experience as a whole. Definitely will not be returning, and if this review helps at all, take your money elsewhere. The coffee did not taste good either.
Jannell J.
I would not recommend this place. If you appreciate kindness and welcoming energy, avoid this place at all costs. I was the only patron and I could tell the woman behind the counter wanted me to leave. I regret purchasing anything and honestly will never return. I don't understand how walking in and greeting someone good morning resulted in them disliking me. Unfortunate series of events but I am grateful to know I am not welcome here. I hope others who visit don't have the same experience.
Hoda F
A 100% must go if you're in SD. It was such a cute bohemian environment. The ladies were super friendly and service was phenomenal. The types of coffee and the pastries are just gr8 for an early afternoon snack . Come check it
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Turkish Coffee Bohemian Latte Fig Scone and an Apple Turnover
Shawn Reed
My quest for exceptional coffee spots led me to Bohemian Alchemist, spurred by an enticing social media portrayal. Unfortunately, the reality didn't live up to the hype.**Ambiance: 0.5/5**The decor barely hints at Middle Eastern or Turkish culture, save for some overused and uncomfortable pillows. The atmosphere lacks authenticity and warmth, failing to transport patrons to the vibrant streets of Turkey.**Customer **The service was dishearteningly poor. Interactions with the staff, including an older woman and a younger employee, were marked by irritation rather than hospitality. Questions about the menu were met with unwelcomeness, and there was a noticeable absence of effort to make customers feel valued or welcome.**Coffee: 3.5/5**The coffee, while good, didn’t reach the rich, complex flavors one anticipates from genuine Turkish coffee. It missed the mark on delivering the signature aromatic depth and velvety consistency that defines the traditional coffee experience.**Overall Rating: 1.3/5**Bohemian Alchemist fails to deliver the immersive, flavorful, and welcoming experience their social media promises. While the coffee itself is decent, it's overshadowed by the lack of ambiance and poor customer service, leaving much to be desired.
Food: 3
Yasha F.
I wish I could leave a review without having to choose stars because I don't want to add to the relatively low rating of this place when I actually like it quite a bit. But alas, I have to add to the tons of accounts about the rigid and grumpy customer service. I echo the many that have said the stringent rules and inflexibility of the owner and staff greatly take away from what could be a completely beautiful experience given the decent product and stunning setting. I've been forced to have sweetener added even when they said it was possible to serve the drink I was ordering without it, I've been refused a half teaspoon of cinnamon powder even when offering to pay extra for it on top of $8 I was already paying for the drink, and the list goes on. The main thing I'm here to say is that I simply cannot understand why the owner/manager is insisting things continue this way. Perhaps they never go on Yelp and don't care what customers think, or maybe the stubbornness driving their authoritarian management style is a force they're unable to overcome despite the terrible reviews. Whatever it is, I wish they'd calm down, loosen up, bend even slightly, read the room. I guarantee reviews would be better and people visiting there would be happier. And although the owner may disagree, the product would likely be better as well because people know more about what they what than any business owner does, and many of them also know a lot about coffee, milk, spices, sweeteners, ice, sand, etc.--the owner did not invent these things and is not the only person in the world to ever make and serve Turkish coffee and Chai tea although it appears they believe this a lot of the time.
I stumbled upon the Bohemian Alchemist via Yelp, and couldn't wait to try it out! Upon entering the nice sized (not too big but not too small) shop, we were delighted by the ambiance and intimate seating options. I have never had Turkish or Egyptian coffee and the woman who took our order was so patient and kind in explaining what to expect. With that, my husband choose the pour over and I choose the Turkish coffee. When the drinks arrived, there had been a mistake in which I ended up with the Egyptian coffee. But I was excited to try it regardless, and I'm so glad I did! The barista that delivered the drink explained the "recommended" way to drink it (sip of water, sip of coffee, bite of Turkish delight), and it just made the whole coffee going experience more interesting. The coffees themselves were delicious as was the Turkish delight! If you're looking for a fun experience and tasty coffee, I recommend stopping in at the Bohemian Alchemist!
Ridhima Goyal
Love this place! I’ve been here twice and enjoyed it both times. It is so peaceful in here and I appreciate that they serve vegan baked goods. I had a blueberry pastry which was delicious and paired well with my Turkish coffee. My husband ordered the golden yogi, as he doesn’t drink caffeine, which was also delicious and soothing. Highly recommend!
Shana Pereira
We are coffee snobs and consistently look for unique and wonderful coffee places. I was SO EXCITED to try this place. The lady who was serving us was dismissive, short, demeaning and snappy. She even rang the total up and walked off before taking our food order and then came back with a huff when I said “can we order something else?Maybe I should have said I was a Toktok influencer to get. The inauthentic service. Instead I’m just a DelMar local who loves supporting small and independent businesses.It is unfortunate to have to write this review, but I’d hate for anyone coming to Del Mar for the first time and experiencing this lady’s customer service to think that this is representative of the whole town. Because it’s not. It’s not even representative of the name of her coffee shop.We cancelled our order before she started making it, as it was the vibe for the amazing morning we were having.
Sahar T.
It's fantastic to come to such a unique space. This aesthetic is so underrepresented in coffee and added so much of a sense of esoteric luxury, all in a hole-in-the-wall setting that makes it cute. It was nice to sit on a different kind of chair at a different level than usual chairs. I enjoyed the experience- came around 8am and there was one other couple in there.
R B.
Good Turkish coffee. Good touch with Turkish delight. Nice place to sit on street. Great location
I really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately employees are very rude and service is slow. 2 stars instead of 1 since the coffee is ok.
I quit my job at Bohemian Alchemist because the owner was incredibly rude, often making offensive comments about Arabs and constantly trash-talking customers behind their backs. She also got Turkish coffee all wrong and does not make it authetic whatsoever. If you're looking for a place that respects both its customers and the authenticity of Turkish coffee, head to Finjan in Kearny Mesa instead. ON TOP of that, the owner would not wash the cups that people used and reused them right after saying "it increases the water bill, I cant afford that". DISGUSTING
First time trying Turkish coffee and won't be the last. Coffee was full of flavor and it was hot just the way I like it.
What a great concept! Coffee was unique and delicious. Staff was great Nice ambiance. And it's nice to see that the business owner cares about the client experience. It was wonderful
I wish I could give this place negative stars. The woman behind the counter was extremely rude, and the coffee didn’t take good either. This was our first time visiting this coffee shop, and we had questions which clearly pissed her off. It was obvious we were not welcome here as she was very friendly to all other customers in the shop. I wish I went back inside to take my tips back because this was definitely an unpleasant experience. Do yourself a favor and take your money elsewhere.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
I wish I could give this coffee shop negative stars. It was our first time trying out this type of coffee and the woman behind the counter was so rude. We had some questions and wanted to watch the coffee being made and she would not help at all. It was obvious we were not welcome here as she was very pleasant and kind to every other customer greeting each one with a smile and saying goodbye as well. I wish I could go back I in there and take my tips back. Extremely dissatisfied and disappointed in the experience as a whole. Definitely will not be returning, and if this review helps at all, take your money elsewhere. The coffee did not taste good either.
I would not recommend this place. If you appreciate kindness and welcoming energy, avoid this place at all costs. I was the only patron and I could tell the woman behind the counter wanted me to leave. I regret purchasing anything and honestly will never return. I don't understand how walking in and greeting someone good morning resulted in them disliking me. Unfortunate series of events but I am grateful to know I am not welcome here. I hope others who visit don't have the same experience.
A 100% must go if you're in SD. It was such a cute bohemian environment. The ladies were super friendly and service was phenomenal. The types of coffee and the pastries are just gr8 for an early afternoon snack . Come check it
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Turkish Coffee Bohemian Latte Fig Scone and an Apple Turnover
My quest for exceptional coffee spots led me to Bohemian Alchemist, spurred by an enticing social media portrayal. Unfortunately, the reality didn't live up to the hype.**Ambiance: 0.5/5**The decor barely hints at Middle Eastern or Turkish culture, save for some overused and uncomfortable pillows. The atmosphere lacks authenticity and warmth, failing to transport patrons to the vibrant streets of Turkey.**Customer **The service was dishearteningly poor. Interactions with the staff, including an older woman and a younger employee, were marked by irritation rather than hospitality. Questions about the menu were met with unwelcomeness, and there was a noticeable absence of effort to make customers feel valued or welcome.**Coffee: 3.5/5**The coffee, while good, didn’t reach the rich, complex flavors one anticipates from genuine Turkish coffee. It missed the mark on delivering the signature aromatic depth and velvety consistency that defines the traditional coffee experience.**Overall Rating: 1.3/5**Bohemian Alchemist fails to deliver the immersive, flavorful, and welcoming experience their social media promises. While the coffee itself is decent, it's overshadowed by the lack of ambiance and poor customer service, leaving much to be desired.
Food: 3
I wish I could leave a review without having to choose stars because I don't want to add to the relatively low rating of this place when I actually like it quite a bit. But alas, I have to add to the tons of accounts about the rigid and grumpy customer service. I echo the many that have said the stringent rules and inflexibility of the owner and staff greatly take away from what could be a completely beautiful experience given the decent product and stunning setting. I've been forced to have sweetener added even when they said it was possible to serve the drink I was ordering without it, I've been refused a half teaspoon of cinnamon powder even when offering to pay extra for it on top of $8 I was already paying for the drink, and the list goes on. The main thing I'm here to say is that I simply cannot understand why the owner/manager is insisting things continue this way. Perhaps they never go on Yelp and don't care what customers think, or maybe the stubbornness driving their authoritarian management style is a force they're unable to overcome despite the terrible reviews. Whatever it is, I wish they'd calm down, loosen up, bend even slightly, read the room. I guarantee reviews would be better and people visiting there would be happier. And although the owner may disagree, the product would likely be better as well because people know more about what they what than any business owner does, and many of them also know a lot about coffee, milk, spices, sweeteners, ice, sand, etc.--the owner did not invent these things and is not the only person in the world to ever make and serve Turkish coffee and Chai tea although it appears they believe this a lot of the time.
Restaurantji Recommends
I stumbled upon the Bohemian Alchemist via Yelp, and couldn't wait to try it out! Upon entering the nice sized (not too big but not too small) shop, we were delighted by the ambiance and intimate seating options. I have never had Turkish or Egyptian coffee and the woman who took our order was so patient and kind in explaining what to expect. With that, my husband choose the pour over and I choose the Turkish coffee. When the drinks arrived, there had been a mistake in which I ended up with the Egyptian coffee. But I was excited to try it regardless, and I'm so glad I did! The barista that delivered the drink explained the "recommended" way to drink it (sip of water, sip of coffee, bite of Turkish delight), and it just made the whole coffee going experience more interesting. The coffees themselves were delicious as was the Turkish delight! If you're looking for a fun experience and tasty coffee, I recommend stopping in at the Bohemian Alchemist!
Love this place! I’ve been here twice and enjoyed it both times. It is so peaceful in here and I appreciate that they serve vegan baked goods. I had a blueberry pastry which was delicious and paired well with my Turkish coffee. My husband ordered the golden yogi, as he doesn’t drink caffeine, which was also delicious and soothing. Highly recommend!
We are coffee snobs and consistently look for unique and wonderful coffee places. I was SO EXCITED to try this place. The lady who was serving us was dismissive, short, demeaning and snappy. She even rang the total up and walked off before taking our food order and then came back with a huff when I said “can we order something else?Maybe I should have said I was a Toktok influencer to get. The inauthentic service. Instead I’m just a DelMar local who loves supporting small and independent businesses.It is unfortunate to have to write this review, but I’d hate for anyone coming to Del Mar for the first time and experiencing this lady’s customer service to think that this is representative of the whole town. Because it’s not. It’s not even representative of the name of her coffee shop.We cancelled our order before she started making it, as it was the vibe for the amazing morning we were having.
It's fantastic to come to such a unique space. This aesthetic is so underrepresented in coffee and added so much of a sense of esoteric luxury, all in a hole-in-the-wall setting that makes it cute. It was nice to sit on a different kind of chair at a different level than usual chairs. I enjoyed the experience- came around 8am and there was one other couple in there.
Good Turkish coffee. Good touch with Turkish delight. Nice place to sit on street. Great location