We came to this place on a thursday afternoon and it was pretty empty. The baristas here are super…read morehelpful and friendly and the coffee was really good!! At first we couldn't find the coffee place but it was tucked away in this little plaza upstairs at the kaleidoscope. I would definitely recommend if you find yourself in the area:)

First time being in that plaza and it was like a ghost town. None of the elevators worked and it…read morelooked almost abandoned. Other than that, the coffee and matcha were great. Once we made it to the actual shop, it was clean and aesthetic inside. There's also other businesses surrounding the coffee shop so you can kill time when waiting for your drink. They were quick to make it because we went earlier in the morning. They had very fun and exciting drink options if you like a signature drink versus a standard latte or cold brew. I would definitely recommend!

I had the best looking sandwich at the picnic…read more I visited Kona Loa Coffee last weekend while on the way to my monthly book club picnic. Nothing screams picnic quite like an iced latte and panini pairing. I ordered the chicken pesto panini, apple chai kombucha, and a mushroom iced latte. This latte did loads for my social meter. Giving me the extra pep to talk all things books. The sandwich was stacked with thick pieces of avocado, jalapeños, and sliced chicken. A very filling meal that definitely caught everyone's eye. Would love to return and explore more of their food menu.

Stayed in Irvine overnight and was looking for a breakfast spot before hitting the road. Decided…read moreto check out Kona Loa due to their coffee choices. So glad we did. Inside is very cozy. There's also some seating outside as well. We love Portuguese sausage and was glad they had that as a protein option. Staff was very helpful when we asked for suggestions. We ordered the Kim chee burrito with Portuguese sausage and a breakfast burrito with Portuguese sausage. We also got the Island coffee (coconut flavored) and Spanish coffee (condensed milk and cinnamon). Both drinks were amazing. We also really liked the Kim chee burrito. One bite and my husband and I wish we ordered 2. It went so well with the sour cream. The service was very fast as well. This is a must try if you are in the area! Wish I had pictures but we enjoyed it so much it was gone.

Arianna and Cadence gave such wonderful service today. I genuinely felt welcomed and they did such…read morea great job helping me with my order. I have never had a bad meal here. Today I ordered two croissant sandwiches and three pastries. All super delicious which is why I come back.

This place is so cute w amazing food l! Feels like a little European cafe. Beautiful pastries so…read moredifficult to select. Each one easily shareable. We got the quiche which was wonderful, almond croissant which was perfect and enough for a few meals and blueberry danish which was so fresh not terribly sweet like so many danishes can be the crème was so perfectly creamy and balanced. I topped it off W a cappaciano Great experience don't miss this for breakfast or lunch or just stop by and pick up a wide range of delicious pastries

Fantastic coffee and fabulous baristas in the same coffee house seem impossible to find in this…read morefast paced transactional world but not at High Ground Coffee House. The baristas make a point of getting to know their customers by offering more than just small talk. If you are regular customer they seem to just know your order and I have even heard them comment "we have missed you" when you haven't come in for a while. It truly feels like you are part of an extended family whenever you stop in. Three baristas that stand out for me, that I look forward to seeing each time I come in are: Anthony, Sami, and Sophia. Anyone who works there is wonderful, but these three have a special place in my heart! Their smile, their kindness and the goodness they put out into the world has left an impact on me. I'm an iced coffee girlie myself and have tried quite a few of their different options. I like their cold brew, iced Spanish Latte, and their June drink of the month was a Roasted Toasted Iced Coffee with a toasted Coconut cold foam. I made mine half sweet. Currently I'm into their ice latte with espresso and oat milk and a little brown sugar syrup, shaken, after a recommendation from Sami. It's been my go to drink for a few weeks now. That first sip is so satisfying. I highly recommend if you aren't sure what to get that you ask them. They know their coffee! There are plenty of places both inside and outside where you can slow down and enjoy your beverage and/or food item by yourself or with friends. They don't rush you off. Inside has cozy chairs, a couch, and various coffee tables. If you are eating there, they bring the food to you and typically grab your empty dishes later on. Their menu options are quite varied and should easily satisfy most groups of friends. Dogs are also welcome on the patio space outside. If you are looking for more than just a place to "grab coffee" then you need to come in and sit down and hang out at High Ground Coffee House! You will be happy you did.

I hadn't been to High Ground Coffee in years, but unfortunately my recent visit wasn't a great…read moreexperience. I ordered a tall iced latte with almond milk. When the employee asked what size I wanted, I repeated "tall" three times and even spelled it out, but there still seemed to be confusion. She then pointed to the cup sizes on the counter, so I clarified that I wanted the large iced latte instead. While I was paying by card, the employee walked away and returned in just a few seconds before I had finished the payment screen, which prevented me from completing the option to have my receipt sent to me. When I asked for my receipt, the interaction felt abrupt and unnecessarily reactive. At that point, I decided to skip it, waiting for my iced latte and then leave. I'm not sure whether the background music was too loud, the employee was having a difficult day, or there was simply a communication breakdown. Regardless of the reason, the overall customer service felt rushed and unwelcoming. In fact, there were not many customers in the shop at noon. I hope management provides additional training and support to help create a more positive customer experience.

It's a rare thing, finding a place you know you're becoming a new regular at and this is one has…read moreentered that arena. I visited Japan late last year and it was the best travel experience of my life, so to have a little slice of it here in my little town of Laguna Niguel is so special. And it's open early enough for the Finance Girls! The word that comes to mind is authentic. The barrels of beans waiting to be roasted in the front, the minimal menu, the pour-over style coffee for every cup, the chic industrious decor, super friendly service from every barista. It's hard for me to want to make coffee at home when I can have this! Worth every penny. Can't wait to gift my loved ones with bags of their freshly roasted beans. Do not sleep on Maméya!

Easily 10 out of 5 stars…read more I've been coming here since they first opened about three years ago and can honestly say this is hands down the best coffee in SoCal. Genuinely surprised I haven't left a review sooner. It's a small, quaint shop with a clean and mellow interior, relaxing jazz playing in the background, and aroma of freshly brewed coffee that always transports me back to Japan. Daisuke and his team greet everyone with such genuine warmth that you immediately feel welcomed. Their hospitality is unmatched, but what keeps me coming back is the consistency. Every drink is made with care, and they're always happy to take the time to explain the differences between their beans, recommend something based on your preferences, and answer any questions without ever making you feel rushed. You can tell they truly care about both their craft and their customers. I usually order the café au lait, and it's the only coffee shop where I'm confident in asking them to make it however they like. Every now and then I'll also pick up a bag of their beans to brew at home, and I highly recommend doing the same. They carefully help you choose from their wide variety, then grind the beans for you or sell them whole if you have your own grinder. Grinding fresh beans takes about 15-20 minutes, so if you're driving from farther away, I'd recommend calling ahead or placing an order through their website for pickup. The quality of the coffee speaks for itself, but what really sets this place apart is the experience. It's rare to find a coffee shop where both the product and the people are this consistently exceptional. Where most coffee shops tend to rush you out I think the difference here is that you genuinely feel welcomed. Wishing Daisuke and the entire team nothing but continued success. They deserve every bit of it. If you're looking for incredible coffee, authentic Japanese hospitality, and a place that genuinely cares about what they serve, do yourself a favor and stop by. You won't regret it.

I tried their seasonal "Hopper" latte during April (carrot cake), and I'm STILL craving it to this…read moreday! I love the ambiance, the staff is friendly, I only wish I lived closer to Oslo!

I was in the area and decided to come here on a whim because of the excellent Yelp reviews. I…read moreneeded to do some work on my laptop and saw that they had wifi so I thought this spot was perfect. Overall, love the vibe here. The atmosphere is super trendy and inviting. The cashier was really sweet and let me know that they had vegan alternatives available which I absolutely loved. They also don't upcharge either which was a bonus. I ended up ordering an iced ceremonial matcha latte and everything bagel with vegan cream cheese. The presentation for both my drink and the bagel were 10/10 perfect. The everything bagel was a bit salty and the matcha latte was pretty diluted/didn't have much flavor. I did think their portions were pretty large for the price which was great. If you're looking for a trendy place that brings immaculate vibes, come here! -1 star because the matcha wasn't perfect and the bagel was overly salty. Also, the wifi was not working properly so I had to use my hotspot to work.

Staff is so helpful and kind. Their employee Talyn was more than happy to help me choose the right…read morekind of tea! Overall I had a great time and will be returning to try more flavors.

Regular order: large Pomegranate green tea, extra sweet been…read moregoing here a few years now. cute little spot thats kinda tucked away if youre not really looking, but a good find. the last few months i have been going, customer service has really been not great. There will be times when i go and im helped within a timely manner, despite there being a line or not. other times i will be waiting in line for maybe 5-10, at one point 15min in line, just to order a drink. Some staff seem more ontop of it than others; it seems like they hire alot of people yet never have enough staff staffed on a needed basis. its usually 1 or 2 people, rarely will i see 3 or more yet even still with 3 people they are slow, there is no sense of urgency, its more panic i sense. dont get me wrong, i adore this place yet things could improve as well

The baristas were amazing and my cinnamon cream cold brew was so good. I will be trying their new…read moreOreo cold brew next.

I love the coffee here and come almost every day! Today I ordered a drink that just wasn't for me,…read moreand I was nervous about asking if it could be changed. Rosa was incredibly kind, patient, and helpful. She helped me pick a different drink and had such a great attitude the whole time, even though I felt like I was being an annoying customer. Great customer service like that is one of the reasons I keep coming back. Thank you, Rosa!