Let me just preface my review by stating that the miserable piece of redundant matter occupying precious space behind the counter called me a c*nt to reinforce the unwritten mantra of this dump: 'Viva el Cafe-get your own f**king cup of java'. This review is belated due to being preoccupied with a gender transition. Digressions aside, I languidly strolled into this quaint and mildly charming capitalist cabin of coffee and eventually decided to settle on a medium iced latte. The barista stood stone-faced behind the counter as if she were ready to supply Dog Soldiers their very first cup of coffee after battle and, if she failed to please, would be choked to death with pellets of termite droppings shot down her throat with a makeshift straw. No perfunctory greetings needed, apparently. We had to just jump straight into the order as the barista curtly asserted one of my friend's drink choices would be complex to make and may take awhile-the level of inconvenience she demonstrated through this drink order obviously took a horrendous toll on this poor woman; something akin to having a kamikaze pilot stop off at the seven wonders of the world to marvel at the beauty of the world before having to nosedive his aircraft into some civilians and kill himself. Eventually, the barista, with her manky sleeves rolled up, laboured over this drink for a whole 2 minutes whilst wearing a hurricane misery smile and a furrowed brow so deep that one would think a team of sumo wrestlers were dangling their scrotum sacks in front of her nose in tandem. The barista eventually gave us our drinks and had such a dismissive air about her, that I could not enjoy my drink. I eventually had to go back and reproach her for being such a surly individual. She, unsurprisingly, responded to these recriminating comments with an acid tongue-essentially arguing with me as to the level of how rude she is. I had told her diplomatically that she shouldn't be so rude towards the customers and perhaps be more accommodating, to which she became more animated. She eventually called me a c*nt. I have never taken a c*nt with my coffee in my life and can't say the alliteration does the duo any favours. I was so aghast that she could have such nerve that my sub-conscious mind accidentally dropped my full drink all over the floor. I was now without a drink and seething. The ever so endearing barista then refused to offer me a replacement and I left. I can only imagine, do to the feral state of her personality, that the barista then tore off all of her clothes, smashed her face against the Grindmaster coffee machine and then got on her hands and knees and started lapping up the spilled mess. Going here for a nice cup of coffee is like going to Pakistan for bikini clad women.
Evangeline A.
The iced coffee tasted terrible so we asked the barrista to remake it but hot and she said ok. We waited about 10 minutes and she made remade the same iced drink. We told that we didn't want it iced because it was not good the 1st time. She ended uo makimg it hot but was rude about it. As we were drinking the coffee in the shop the manager and employees were talking about how we asked to have the drink remade hot. As they were talking I let the manager know it was very unprofessional to talk about her customers and she tried defending herself and the barista by saying the drink was made right. She said that they made it right the 1st time and I told her she did but it tasted like crap and when I asked for it to be remade hot she made a mistake by making it iced. She actually got the iced coffee and heated it up. Customer service and satisfaction is key when it comes to owning a business and this place is lacking in both those things not too mention bad coffee. I let her know Starbucks, coffee bean and 7 leaves had better tasting coffee than her place and they also had better customer service. She told me to go there then and that is why her business is closing down and the other shops are thriving with business. I'm from out of town and glad I have better coffee shops in the OC. Hopefully for my next visit back I can find a decent place for coffee here.
Andrea M.
It only gets two stars because my drink was really good! Other than that it was horrible. As soon as we walked in Iiii greeted the guy behind the counter... Hee blurted a rude "Can I help you?!" He just looked so unhappy to be there. He didn't even say thank you, have a nice day or HI! This place is so cute and he took the joy out of it. They should really consider hiring different people because he was just rude
Steve D.
Friendly barista recommend the Aztec Warrior espresso drink and it was absolutely delicious!
Lynn G.
We have been here a few times and it is by far our favorite coffee place when in old town. They are always busy, so be prepared for a little wait, but it is so worth it! Great specialty coffee drinks, blended beverages, and smoothies. They also have a great assortment if sweet treats. Our favorite is the Viva brownie!
Gloria P.
The smell of coffee is my weakness. Plus I needed an afternoon boost Cute coffee shop and lots to choose from. I decided on the iced coffee since it was a warm fall day in beautiful San Diego. The woman working the counter was nice and welcoming. She took my order and made my coffee. It was delicious. I liked that she had Mexican candy and desserts in the store. I also enjoyed the decor here very much. I could have sit here and smelled the coffee all day. But all too soon my cup was empty and so I had to leave. Be sure to stop by for a café con leche and a masa pan.
Sarah K.
I come here all the time for coffee and really enjoy it. It's nice and tucked away which I like. The coffee is always very good. I like to try out new ones each time I go. The bakery items are AMAZING! I like that it's quiet so I can read for a little bit outside at one of the tables while I drink my coffee. The girls who work there are always very friendly and helpful.
Megan L.
This place tries to steal your money! They try and fraudulently impose minimum debit card purchase amounts. First let me say that under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform law (2010), a merchant can impose a minimum purchase amount up to $10 on credit card purchases but NOT for debit card purchases. I came in for a coffee and the girl working was sitting in the corner playing on her phone. I ordered my coffee and asked about using my debit card. She rudely looked up from her phone (finally) and said there is a $5 or $.50 charge then went back to her phone. I told her that I believed it was illegal to charge and without looking up she told me that's what they have been doing for years. I said it was illegal again and looking up from her phone she said "don't get mad it's my bosses rule" then did a full body look and said "you must be a tourist- that's what we do here. It's all over- especially gas stations". I informed that I am not a tourist, live in Carlsbad, and no they don't do that in all gas stations- mostly Arco stations. I was so mad at her terrible attitude, lack of good service, and this place ILLEGALLY trying to charge me extra money that I walked out.
Adan G.
Disastrously bad service. The guy that works here seems to hate his job, coffee, brownies, water, the earth and probably breathing too.
Stacey M.
Great little hidden coffee shop in Old Town. The next thing on there menu are the arrogant bastard beer brownies! Super good! Coffee drinks are average nothing unique about them. Here is my one critic. It it very plainly decorated the furniture is out dated. There is some seating outside where you can have your coffee and people watch.
They need to fire the creepy guy (jeez, hope he's not the owner ... if he is, he should leave the customer service & coffee making to people who care) referenced in a previous review, which I completely agree with. I went with my son and waited several minutes before he emerged from the rear of the store. I asked for a soy latte. I was told 'we don't have soy milk'; was not offered another non-dairy option, but had to ask. Ultimately, the information that they had rice milk was communicated. The espresso, however, was watery. And iced tea seemed like a new concept to the guy; he exclaimed 'iced?!' when my son ordered iced tea. Hard to find location. Unfortunately not worth the effort or the money.
Dan B.
The Arrogant Bastard Brownie is amazing! This cafe does a lot baking for local restaurants and some of these signature treats at other restaurants are available here as well. The ambience is great with outdoor seating as well as inside. This is one of my favorite hidden spots in Old Town.
Dana S.
Horrible service!!! Looks cute and all but just keep walking. I waited at the counter for about 4 minutes until some creepy looking guy comes out from the curtain and with the biggest attitude tells me, "can I help you?!" Keeps giving me attitude, doesn't even apologize for keeping me waiting so long.. Even after I told him I had been standing there for a long time. He said, " so do you want anything?!". I asked him what his favorite drink was and he said, "nothing, I don't like anything here..." Woah! Guess I should've ran. By the Looks of the reviews, looks like there aren't many pleasant people that work there. This place would be a lot better if their service wasn't so crappy.
Rachel M.
I love this place. I always come here for my coffee. I've had a variety of drinks and they have all been amazing. The service is always great. At times it is a little packed. I just wish it was bigger so they can keep spreading their awesomeness. My favorite drink is their dirty chai and my favorite pastries in the arrogant bastard ale brownie. It's something you should definitely try.
Alyxandra S.
Amazing! The barista ( short curly hair)was super nice and customized my order with a big smile, rather than the scowl I am accustomed to at other coffee shops. The drink flavors are all very unique and exciting. I had the viva el amour. FANTASTIC! My friend got the Viva late (iced and blended as suggested by the Barista). It was even better! I def will be back.
Let me just preface my review by stating that the miserable piece of redundant matter occupying precious space behind the counter called me a c*nt to reinforce the unwritten mantra of this dump: 'Viva el Cafe-get your own f**king cup of java'. This review is belated due to being preoccupied with a gender transition. Digressions aside, I languidly strolled into this quaint and mildly charming capitalist cabin of coffee and eventually decided to settle on a medium iced latte. The barista stood stone-faced behind the counter as if she were ready to supply Dog Soldiers their very first cup of coffee after battle and, if she failed to please, would be choked to death with pellets of termite droppings shot down her throat with a makeshift straw. No perfunctory greetings needed, apparently. We had to just jump straight into the order as the barista curtly asserted one of my friend's drink choices would be complex to make and may take awhile-the level of inconvenience she demonstrated through this drink order obviously took a horrendous toll on this poor woman; something akin to having a kamikaze pilot stop off at the seven wonders of the world to marvel at the beauty of the world before having to nosedive his aircraft into some civilians and kill himself. Eventually, the barista, with her manky sleeves rolled up, laboured over this drink for a whole 2 minutes whilst wearing a hurricane misery smile and a furrowed brow so deep that one would think a team of sumo wrestlers were dangling their scrotum sacks in front of her nose in tandem. The barista eventually gave us our drinks and had such a dismissive air about her, that I could not enjoy my drink. I eventually had to go back and reproach her for being such a surly individual. She, unsurprisingly, responded to these recriminating comments with an acid tongue-essentially arguing with me as to the level of how rude she is. I had told her diplomatically that she shouldn't be so rude towards the customers and perhaps be more accommodating, to which she became more animated. She eventually called me a c*nt. I have never taken a c*nt with my coffee in my life and can't say the alliteration does the duo any favours. I was so aghast that she could have such nerve that my sub-conscious mind accidentally dropped my full drink all over the floor. I was now without a drink and seething. The ever so endearing barista then refused to offer me a replacement and I left. I can only imagine, do to the feral state of her personality, that the barista then tore off all of her clothes, smashed her face against the Grindmaster coffee machine and then got on her hands and knees and started lapping up the spilled mess. Going here for a nice cup of coffee is like going to Pakistan for bikini clad women.
The iced coffee tasted terrible so we asked the barrista to remake it but hot and she said ok. We waited about 10 minutes and she made remade the same iced drink. We told that we didn't want it iced because it was not good the 1st time. She ended uo makimg it hot but was rude about it. As we were drinking the coffee in the shop the manager and employees were talking about how we asked to have the drink remade hot. As they were talking I let the manager know it was very unprofessional to talk about her customers and she tried defending herself and the barista by saying the drink was made right. She said that they made it right the 1st time and I told her she did but it tasted like crap and when I asked for it to be remade hot she made a mistake by making it iced. She actually got the iced coffee and heated it up. Customer service and satisfaction is key when it comes to owning a business and this place is lacking in both those things not too mention bad coffee. I let her know Starbucks, coffee bean and 7 leaves had better tasting coffee than her place and they also had better customer service. She told me to go there then and that is why her business is closing down and the other shops are thriving with business. I'm from out of town and glad I have better coffee shops in the OC. Hopefully for my next visit back I can find a decent place for coffee here.
It only gets two stars because my drink was really good! Other than that it was horrible. As soon as we walked in Iiii greeted the guy behind the counter... Hee blurted a rude "Can I help you?!" He just looked so unhappy to be there. He didn't even say thank you, have a nice day or HI! This place is so cute and he took the joy out of it. They should really consider hiring different people because he was just rude
Friendly barista recommend the Aztec Warrior espresso drink and it was absolutely delicious!
We have been here a few times and it is by far our favorite coffee place when in old town. They are always busy, so be prepared for a little wait, but it is so worth it! Great specialty coffee drinks, blended beverages, and smoothies. They also have a great assortment if sweet treats. Our favorite is the Viva brownie!
The smell of coffee is my weakness. Plus I needed an afternoon boost Cute coffee shop and lots to choose from. I decided on the iced coffee since it was a warm fall day in beautiful San Diego. The woman working the counter was nice and welcoming. She took my order and made my coffee. It was delicious. I liked that she had Mexican candy and desserts in the store. I also enjoyed the decor here very much. I could have sit here and smelled the coffee all day. But all too soon my cup was empty and so I had to leave. Be sure to stop by for a café con leche and a masa pan.
I come here all the time for coffee and really enjoy it. It's nice and tucked away which I like. The coffee is always very good. I like to try out new ones each time I go. The bakery items are AMAZING! I like that it's quiet so I can read for a little bit outside at one of the tables while I drink my coffee. The girls who work there are always very friendly and helpful.
This place tries to steal your money! They try and fraudulently impose minimum debit card purchase amounts. First let me say that under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform law (2010), a merchant can impose a minimum purchase amount up to $10 on credit card purchases but NOT for debit card purchases. I came in for a coffee and the girl working was sitting in the corner playing on her phone. I ordered my coffee and asked about using my debit card. She rudely looked up from her phone (finally) and said there is a $5 or $.50 charge then went back to her phone. I told her that I believed it was illegal to charge and without looking up she told me that's what they have been doing for years. I said it was illegal again and looking up from her phone she said "don't get mad it's my bosses rule" then did a full body look and said "you must be a tourist- that's what we do here. It's all over- especially gas stations". I informed that I am not a tourist, live in Carlsbad, and no they don't do that in all gas stations- mostly Arco stations. I was so mad at her terrible attitude, lack of good service, and this place ILLEGALLY trying to charge me extra money that I walked out.
Disastrously bad service. The guy that works here seems to hate his job, coffee, brownies, water, the earth and probably breathing too.
Great little hidden coffee shop in Old Town. The next thing on there menu are the arrogant bastard beer brownies! Super good! Coffee drinks are average nothing unique about them. Here is my one critic. It it very plainly decorated the furniture is out dated. There is some seating outside where you can have your coffee and people watch.
Restaurantji Recommends
They need to fire the creepy guy (jeez, hope he's not the owner ... if he is, he should leave the customer service & coffee making to people who care) referenced in a previous review, which I completely agree with. I went with my son and waited several minutes before he emerged from the rear of the store. I asked for a soy latte. I was told 'we don't have soy milk'; was not offered another non-dairy option, but had to ask. Ultimately, the information that they had rice milk was communicated. The espresso, however, was watery. And iced tea seemed like a new concept to the guy; he exclaimed 'iced?!' when my son ordered iced tea. Hard to find location. Unfortunately not worth the effort or the money.
The Arrogant Bastard Brownie is amazing! This cafe does a lot baking for local restaurants and some of these signature treats at other restaurants are available here as well. The ambience is great with outdoor seating as well as inside. This is one of my favorite hidden spots in Old Town.
Horrible service!!! Looks cute and all but just keep walking. I waited at the counter for about 4 minutes until some creepy looking guy comes out from the curtain and with the biggest attitude tells me, "can I help you?!" Keeps giving me attitude, doesn't even apologize for keeping me waiting so long.. Even after I told him I had been standing there for a long time. He said, " so do you want anything?!". I asked him what his favorite drink was and he said, "nothing, I don't like anything here..." Woah! Guess I should've ran. By the Looks of the reviews, looks like there aren't many pleasant people that work there. This place would be a lot better if their service wasn't so crappy.
I love this place. I always come here for my coffee. I've had a variety of drinks and they have all been amazing. The service is always great. At times it is a little packed. I just wish it was bigger so they can keep spreading their awesomeness. My favorite drink is their dirty chai and my favorite pastries in the arrogant bastard ale brownie. It's something you should definitely try.
Amazing! The barista ( short curly hair)was super nice and customized my order with a big smile, rather than the scowl I am accustomed to at other coffee shops. The drink flavors are all very unique and exciting. I had the viva el amour. FANTASTIC! My friend got the Viva late (iced and blended as suggested by the Barista). It was even better! I def will be back.