If you're craving Cuban coffee and baked goods, but don't want to make your quarterly drive to the famous LA bakery (you know the name), then swing by Azucar. It's a small local shop in OB serving huge flavors. On this trip, the hubby and I started with a passion fruit caramel. It took me by surprise because it was so fruit forward but had the texture of caramel. I'd order it again. I ordered the almond coconut florentine, which is a square full of sticky coconut goodness. It was delicate and crumbled easily but I didn't waste a bite. My husband immediately saw chocolate and ordered the turron, which is a dark chocolate, hazelnut and praline crunch bar. It's dense, must be eaten with a fork and rich. He devoured it. We then took home a tiger butter cookie, think peanut butter and white chocolate, and a salted toffee oatmeal cookie. It's a visit worth making and pairing with a walk along the beach or on the pier. Parking can be troublesome depending on the time you visit and the price per item isn't cheap. read more

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Update: 11/23/2020 I have been here more than once despite YELP only giving me credit for one check in but nevertheless this place does not disappoint. Their hot coffee, specialty coffee heck any kind of coffee you get here is absolutely delicious. But let's talk about the pastries for a few moments and give them credit where credit is due. Not only are they a beautiful work of art and colorful, they are sweet treats and wonderfully displayed # delicious. The cheese roll is a must every time so stock up, buy them share with yourself, family members, neighbors heck then again eat them all.... they're absolutely delicious. The outside crust is nice and flaky with a nice hunk of cream cheese in the center and it is absolutely amazing. The gingerbread chocolate chip cookie chunk did not disappoint and sea salt cookie is delicious!!! They have a scone with peaches and I forgot the name but it taste like peach cobbler as a scone it was so amazing!!!! They are not excepting cash so be prepared with the credit card. They are limiting the amount of customers inside and social distancing is enforced. read more

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We had heard how wonderful the pastries are at Azucar, in OB, and today we discovered the truth for ourselves--These are the best pastries we have had in San Diego! We shared a fresh peach/pistachio cream pastry that is now my favorite pastry anywhere, and a guava pastry. Both were excellent. We also took home two cookies, chocolate chip and oatmeal, and we agreed that Azucar is now our favorite bakery for pastries and cookies in the San Diego area. :-) read more

Cuban style patisserie in San Diego. I recommend the meat pies and scones!! Been here twice- the first time I got the meat pie, blueberry scone, peach scone, and a cheese roll. The scones are so light and moist with bits of fruit in them. The cheese roll is too heavy on the filling for me- I prefer Porto's cheese roll. The meat pie is SO good. The next time I was in San Diego I went out of my way to come back and order extra meat pies. I also tried the Cubano pie, which also hit the spot. They were still warm when I got them. Seating - few tables, we took our pastries to go Parking - street read more

Azucar - Bakeries Near Me - Ocean Beach, California

I thought I had to go to Portos over an hour away by car to get delicious cheese rolls. I was highly mistaken. Azucar in Ocean Beach may be a tiny store compared to any Portos, but they have all the right treats. Of course, the cheese rolls are a must, then add on some guava rolls for diversity. Meat pies were a great savory option and there's so many other types of pastries, cookies and desserts available. The mango cheesecake was divine. It's great to discover new places in your own city! read more

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Crisis Averted It was only six months ago that I had my first Cubano sandwich ever, and after that first bite, I was an instant fan. Then with the recent news of Cubano Kings leaving OB, I had an instant void for that style of sandwich. Many people then pointed me to Azucar (located on Newport Ave and Sunset Cliffs Blvd) and said I must try their Cubano sandwich. To be honest, I had no idea Azucar offered a Cubano sandwich as I thought they only offered pastries. So on Saturday, I stopped by, and what I tasted ABSOLUTELY blew my mind! I'll admit, I am very, very late to the party and almost embarrassed to admit that (to me) Azucar might be one of OB's biggest secrets as I also found out they just celebrated their 16th-year anniversary. Congratulations!! How did I not know about this incredible Cubano sandwich hidden in plain sight? If you are like me and haven't tried it yet, I'm smiling because I know you too will have that jaw dropping first bite so get ready to become an instant fan. Their bread is perfectly pressed and toasted to a golden-brown crisp, providing a delightful crunch that gives way to a tender interior. The succulent roasted pork that was slow cooked/marinating for 12-18 hours was juicy and seasoned to perfection. Hands down this sandwich is a must-try, and I'll say it's a perfect five stars. I also had a funny experience. At first, while I was taking a photo of this sandwich, I thought, "Wow, this sandwich is almost too thick." It wasn't until I almost took my second bite that I realized it was actually a sandwich cut in half and stacked on top of each other. I also tried their plantain chips. The chips by themselves are great, and with their garlic creamy dip, it excelled the taste, completing this meal and making it unforgettable. I'm SOOOO happy to have finally found this sandwich on Newport Avenue! I'm definitely going back this week for another one! If you've tried this Cubano sandwich or if you try it soon, please report back to this post and share your thoughts. The other wonderful thing about this new find is their hours of operation. They are open 7 days a week from 7 am-4 pm, with Saturday and Sunday opening at 8 am. read more

Azucar - Cubano Sandwich and a California Wild Ales michelada. The perfect pairing. - Bakeries Near Me - Ocean Beach, California

I have a fondness for Cuban bakeries since I was introduced to Porto's.  Azucar is much smaller and during the apocalypse they have less options available.  I was sad to see they didn't have potato balls during my last visit. Vanilla raspberry cupcake was moist and had delicious vanilla & raspberry flavor.  Passion fruit vanilla frosting was the perfect compliment and not too sweet. Beef meat pie had a flaky buttery pastry outside with beef inside.  Loved the pastry part.  Didn't like the flavor of the beef/picadillo recipe. Mojito cookie was soft with a bit of sweetness from the sugar crystals and a mix of lime and mint flavor.  One of my favorite lime cookies of all time. Birthday cake is a decadent treat with lots going on.  Tons of frosting which seemed like a dense whipped cream.  Good amount of sweetness but not too much.  Lots of confetti pieces which add another layer of sweetness.  Cake was fluffy, moist, and had a nice mild sweet flavor.  Great tasting treat to treat yourself with whether or not it's your birthday. Staff was friendly and filled my order quickly. read more

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I would always pass by and see the fancy deserts and didn't realize they had other things until a coworker mentioned that they had good Cubano sandwiches. I came in to try it out and also got a guava cheese pastry and a couple of their meat pastries. The Cubano was pretty good and was way larger than I expected. It was probably like a footlong size sandwich. I ended up splitting the sandwich with my wife and shared the pastries. The pastries are top notch because they are flaky and the filling was flavorful and generous. It was probably better than what I would get from Porto's in LA. Will probably come back and try some other items like their coffee, pastries, and other offerings. read more

Highly recommended. They have a large selection of cookies and pastries with a Cuban flair. The pastries are sparkly and delicious! The staff said they taste better than they look and it was a true statement. I ordered the key lime pie, ginger snap chocolate cookie, almond coconut florentine, and guava cheese pastry and all were spot on. read more

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FANTASTIC to have a Cuban bakery down in OB! Their pastelitos de carne are to die for. Traditional Cuban sandwiches with plantain chips and a materva? Chef's kiss. Delicious Cuban coffee and espresso shots. Very limited seating both indoors and outdoors, and it's usually ALWAYS busy. My go to: order ahead; you can pick your time for pick up, literally walk right in past the line that's out the door, and pick up your stuff. read more

Great pies, dessert selection & coffee. Pleasant servers and the OB vibe makes for a great vacation day Morning visit!

They have the best pastries in the neighborhood. They are usually packed, so you need to be patient going there.

I placed an order for a cake here after seeing great reviews online. I waited a little too long and ordered the week before I needed it (order 2 weeks in advance!) and the ordering system had closed. I emailed the owner, Vivian, and she was very good about communicating when she would open the ordering system back up again. She even emailed me again when she opened the ordering system back up to make sure I wouldn't miss it! I ordered a cake for a wedding of 22 people (the 9in one that serves 25 people) and we had a lot of leftover cake. The flavors we went with were chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and cocoa bean brittle and coconut frosting and it was absolutely delicious. All of my guests were commenting about how amazing the cake was. It was also incredibly affordable. Highly recommend this spot if you need a cake done! Also, when you stop in, make sure to grab a guava and cheese pastry. They are decadent! read more

Azucar - 9 inch cake with coconut frosting - Bakeries Near Me - Ocean Beach, California

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Was recommended by a coworker to come for desserts. In a cute corner is Azucar. It a cute little shop. The staff is all friendly and helpful with what is in each dessert. I had so many things-- the pumpkin flan, champagne peach croissant, the guava cheese dessert, the raspberry croissant and the salted toffee cookie. Everything was amazing. Super flavorful and fresh. Spent about 40 ish bucks including a macchiato. I will definitely be back to try more of their pastries because they had so many I couldn't try in one visit. read more

Azucar - Bakeries Near Me - Ocean Beach, California

Horrible customer service rude and Impossible to order anything on line ,phoned in for help but they seem clueless! Just lost a huge order from me I will go elsewhere read more

100 Times over, yes, yes, yes!! A friend brought these for Dine en Blanc years ago and I've been addicted ever since. "The Divina" is hands down an all around favorite: dense white chocolate cake, passion fruit curd, fresh raspberries and a toasted semi-sweet marshmallow...this is truly a slice of heaven. Every chance I have to grab one from their cafe in OB is worth the trip, because they can sell out. I've tried every dessert they offer including the Manolo sugar cookies. My god-dog, Osito, loves their homemade doggy treats. Guava/cheese pastries were a hit in the office. I say try everything and share the read more

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We got their Berto sandwich. Good flavor, and portion. The guava cheese pastry was yummy. The location has a few tables inside and out. Overall a very good experience. read more

Only gluten free option was plated next to none gluten free so really they have no gluten free options. Very misleading. The cashier was kinda rude about it. I get there was about 4 people behind me so she felt rush but just wanted to see if they had gluten free options separate so I can have some. Coffee was ok.. probably won't be back read more

Delicious pastries! Next time I'm going to try the Cuban sandwich that I watched another customer scarf down. We locked eyes a few times. It got weird. read more

This bakery is worth the hype. On a recent trip to San Diego, we stopped at this little Cuban bakery in Ocean Beach I had heard great things about it and could not wait to try it. The cases are loaded with delectable options and I found it very difficult to decide what to order, we settled on the following items: one sugar bun, one guava cheese pastry, and two champagne peach scones. Everything was very tasty, but sugar bun might have been better if it had been heated up just a little. I didn't have any coffee but my husband did and he liked it. There are many other desserts and pastries I would also try here on a future visit. It starts to get quite busy here as the morning goes on, but I recommend this bakery to anyone who comes to Ocean Beach. read more

While I would go back here again for the meat pie, which was delicious, I wouldn't get any of the cakes/desserts again. I got the birthday cake, turron (hazelnut bar), and key lime pie. They were just okay, and there was no depth in the flavors. They just tasted sweet... that's it. read more

Azucar - Key lime pie, birthday cake, and turron - Bakeries Near Me - Ocean Beach, California

Oof it's very possible I ordered the wrong pastries to try here; I definitely did not try the popular options per browsing fellow Yelpers' pictures. Alas. This is a super cute little bakery with both inside and outside seating. Service is pretty friendly, and there's a good variety of pastries including cookies, cakes, tarts, and rolls. I didn't realize it was a Cuban bakery at first, but got super excited when I saw the guava and cheese rolls, not to mention the meat pies. Guava and cheese rolls, meat pie: It's hard not to compare these renditions to Porto's, but I think Azucar did a pretty good job. The meat pie was probably my favorite out of the three, as it had nicely seasoned savory ground meat and a flaky crust. The cheese roll came second, with its flaky puff pastry and creamy cheese filling. It wasn't too sweet, which I appreciated. The guava roll fell a little flat for me, as the guava wasn't equally distributed and the guava was somehow too tart yet sweet at the same time. I think maybe it was again a distribution problem with the filling, but I preferred Porto's version. Vanilla layer cake: This cake probably had a fancier name, but hopefully the picture helps to correlate. I was a fan of the bottom layers of this cake, as the cake itself was spongy and moist without being too sweet, and the cream in the middle paired nicely for a decadent treat. The top layer was my least favorite, as the chocolate was waaaay too thick. It was impossible to cut through and made the entire pastry topple over; I finally flipped the top chocolate layer off to eat the bottom layers properly. The crunchy chocolate pearls on top were good though. Azucar tiramisu: This is a popular choice, but I'm not quite sure why. It.. did taste like a tiramisu somewhat, but the texture was clunky with too much powdered chocolate on top. The cake was super dense and hard to cut through, and while I liked the flavor of the cream, there wasn't enough to balance out the strong chocolate cake. I wish there had been more coffee flavor to balance out the richness of the chocolate and cream as well. Overall I felt like the ratios were off, and I probably enjoyed this the least of all the pastries I tried. I'd be open to stopping by again if I'm in SD and trying the pistachio macaron or key lime tart -- those definitely seem to be fan favorites. read more

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Whether you're looking for elegant desserts or delicious Cuban pastries, Azucar has got it all! I couldn't help marveling at all of their pastries and desserts in the display case and it was so hard to choose what to try! Ultimately I settled with the guava cream cheese pastry and the cheese roll, along with the Cafe Cubano and omg everything was so good! The pastries were all flaky and the proportion of filling to dough was excellent. The cafe was made with Cuban espresso and natural cane sugar which made it taste even creamier with the perfect amount of sweetness. Would 100% recommend the coffee. I asked what they're known for and was told that the meat pie was a highlight along with their cheese rolls. They also have a good selection of sandwiches for lunch. I'd give this place a try whether you're looking for a snack or something more substantial! read more

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Tale as old as time- Girl meets Boy. Boy moves over to the Midwest to be with Girl but he misses California and not having to shovel snow. Girl and Boy visit San Diego and decide to move there. Hand in hand, Girl and Boy strolled along the beach all starry-eyed and thinking their broke asses could afford to live in OB without several roommates which they don't want. Girl and Boy most definitely do not end up renting anything in OB but they still visit occasionally. What does this have to do with Azúcar? Girl and Boy spent that delightful morning at the beach after they had a tasty brunch at Azúcar way back in 2010. It's a cute little shop. The staff is always welcoming. The cases are always full of delightful treats that are too tempting so I always order several things. I'm not a one coffee and one pastry kind of gal. Little meat filled pies, Baby's first Papas Rellenas (meat in a fried potato ball? Who knew life would be so magical!) a couple mojito cookies, and a Diablo (dark chocolate cake, chocolate mousse dome, glazed in dark chocolate - finished with a cocoa nib brittle and a blue blackberry!) all made for a delightful meal. Plus I had some caramels for the road. They were all so pretty and even more delicious, that we were thoroughly smitten with this little shop. We've come back over the years for pastries which are always flaky and delicious. Once or twice he's even come back to eat a cubano without me (like a total freaking monster) but I love him anyway. Recently we had a rare day off work together so we headed back to Azúcar so I could finally try their cubano (aka one of the top 5 greatest sandwiches of all time) to see how it stacks against my other favorites around town. I didn't love the bread as much as my other favorites but the meat and pickles were on point. Plus they give you plenty of garlic sauce and some very delicious plantain chips. You can't beat that! I also tried the cubano pastry, because I can never have too much pork, and it was definitely a tasty bite. If you weren't getting the actual sandwich it would be a way to get a little taste. You don't get those chips though, so you know, get the sandwich. Treat yo self. Cuban meat pie? It's good, but a little plain which is fine for some, but the hot sauce gave it a nice little boost if you want that. The guava pastry was delicious. I've made note to try the guava and cheese version next time. Could I have gotten that old familiar chocolate Diablo? Yes. Did I? No. I tried the key lime bar instead! It was as beautiful as it was delicious. Every bite was perfectly balanced. Also can we give props to their plates? They are such a nice change from the plain plates everywhere else. More places need pretty plates! We left full and happy, strolling hand in hand back to the car, the same Girl and Boy who came in all those years ago, just a little less starry-eyed and a bit more world-weary, but still fans of this little OB bakery offering a taste of Cuba in their baked goods. read more

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I LOVED this place. I was pleasantly surprised and I am not even a big sweet person. I got something with meat and a pickle in it (per recommendation of my friend). Will get again when in OB ... Also got the Oatmeal cookie and lemon poppy seed togo! read more

Azucar - Bakeries Near Me - Ocean Beach, California

Where do I start ? We tried 5 different things and everything was 5/5 food wise . Their coffee was fresh and perfect temperature. The elote quiche was out of this world . Their pastries are flaky buttery fresh for chocolate croissant, guava cream cheese were sooo good . Mango cake is just perfection, not to sweet, perfect size and texture and fresh! I wish I can live near this place to have breakfast there everyday read more

I ordered online for pick-up first thing in the morning. The cubano pie-puff pastry is to die for! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It is the filling of a cubano sandwich inside a light and flaky puff. We also got the Divina, Diablo, and Key lime square. If you want CHOCOLATE, the Diablo will hit the spot. The Divina had a zing of passion fruit. The key lime square was also nice. Azucar is a little out of the way for us, but I like knowing that I can get there first thing on a weekday with easy access to parking. read more

Just delicious - definitely always in contention to swing by while in OB. Azucar is a Cuban bakery with delicious pastries on Newport Ave. I've only been here a handful of times but each visit, the pastries and coffee have been incredible. You can't go wrong with their cakes (we enjoyed carrot most recently - definitely recommend if you're a fan of carrot cake in general) and drinks (the cortadito is fabulous). Fresh and delicious are two words that come to mind in describing the experience. Also: prompt service, cute seating, and fair prices. read more

Walking in here and drinking the cortadito makes me feel like I'm back in Miami. I like my coffee black and strong with sugar, so if you don't like sweet coffee, you might not like their espresso drinks as much. Everything in here is so delicious it's hard to walk out with just one or two things. I have been here exactly twice so far, once with another person and once with my family, and I think I bought the same amount of things both times. Things we've bought: Guava pastry (yaaas), guava cheese pastry (also good but I'm not a fan of cheese in my pastries), meat pastry (5/5 do not share with others), Cubano pastry (11/10 probably my favorite but big enough to share with others. The pickle is so good) Chocolate espresso cookie (delicious like a flat brownie but didn't taste the coffee as much) Unicorn cookie, oatmeal salted caramel cookie - I didn't eat it but I was told it was a good cookie. The unicorn one is way too cute too. I also tried one of their cakes - they're so cute and a great size for splitting with someone else (or eating it yourself this is a judgement free zone). One of the places I definitely have on my list to visit when I'm back in San Diego. read more

Azucar - Guava pastries - Bakeries Near Me - Ocean Beach, California

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We had a scone and a dulce de leche type cake and found that though both were beautifully prepared, they were overly sweet. The scone had too much frosting and the cake had too many caramelized almonds and the milk/cream sauce did not taste very fresh. read more

Azucar - Dulce de leche type cake with sugared almonds. Pretty but too sweet - Bakeries Near Me - Ocean Beach, California

Visited this morning to grab some cookies for a Super Bowl party, and great quality products as always. I've been coming here for probably 10 years and first time I've seen the line out the door right when they open. Picked up a couple each of the chocolate chunk, tiger butter and salted toffee, an almond bar and coffee. These are hands down my favorite cookies ever. Everyone working is always great, and run it pretty efficiently. Although I will say on this trip they did forget to include my chocolate sea salt caramel, will probably just remind them on my next trip in. read more

Azucar - Chocolate Chunk Cookie, Peach Champagne Scones, Tiger Butter Cookie, Salted Toffee Oatmeal Cookies, Coconut Almond Florentine Bar - Bakeries Near Me - Ocean Beach, California

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The service was good and the lady who helped me and my sister was very nice, friendly and helpful. Everything we ordered tasted good. The cafe cubano shot is very sweet but very good. The cortadito was tasty, not too strong, but still sweet and I would get it again. The pastries and cinco leches were very good and I would come back just to try the other desserts they have. We grabbed some to-go coffees and those were worth getting. The seating is very tight inside, but easy to find somewhere to sit, and there was some seating outside. read more

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Azucar is such a gem; not so hidden any more. I've been coming here since the week they opened, so through it was finally time to update my review. Absolutely love their little cakes and desserts - so beautiful and delicious; just perfect for birthdays and special occasions. But their savory items are great, too - sandwiches, quiches and Cuban meat "pies." Just had the Cuban pie this morning - pork, mustard and pickles, served piping hot in a flaky, delicate pastry. Wow! Such a great combo of flavors, and just $4.75. For coffees, my favorite is the Cafe Con Leche - two shots of the amazing Cubano espresso with a bit of sweetened milk, and more steamed milk mixed in. What a great way to start the day! read more

Great small local bakery with talented bakers and fast service! Their coffee is out of this world. Very cozy with Cuban vibe to it. The potato balls are exquisite. 10/10 recommend 100 percent if you are in ocean beach. read more

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I ordered ahead the night before and got the birthday cake and the Diablo chocolate cake. Both were amazing! I would definitely get them again the next time I'm in San Diego. I didn't get a picture of the birthday cake before me and my toddler got into it on my birthday, but it was very cute and the perfect size. The pick up was easy and I was tempted to get some of the pastries and other desserts they offer. read more

Azucar - Diablo Cake - Bakeries Near Me - Ocean Beach, California

I have been here many times, but my favorite is their raspberry passion fruit scone! Best scone I have ever had!! The staff is very sweet. Small interior and exterior so plan to grab and go. read more

Cubano - check (after 11 am) Malta - check Platano - check Cafecito - check Guava con queso - check Little cakes are so beautiful, you just want to grab a whole bunch. This is the real deal cuban style bakery and the savory items rival the sweet flakey treats. We also ordered a Cubano and a side of Malta. The line was out the door and it was very efficient. Cubanos are available after 11, so she took our order and we came back in :45 min after walking around. It's so worth it with the side of plantain chips. I love supporting female business and their architect who did their remodel is also a female, Ruland Design Group. They recommended this place to me and I am addicted. The coffee was on point too. The staff was very efficient and friendly and I can not wait to order a cake from them. Few tables inside with a few outside as well for all the fur babies who like to come along. read more

Azucar - Cubano pastry - Bakeries Near Me - Ocean Beach, California

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Don't blink or you will miss it once you turn down Newport. A couple customers ordering inside and a few sitting at tables outside, so not too busy, which was nice. Service meh. Ordered online. Walked inside and the first one I see turns and goes the other direction. Someone else came to help and brought my food right out and I was on my way. "Hereyagokthxbye!" was the vibe. No bag to carry the sandwich and Key Lime pie. No napkins. No utensils(asked for a fork, didn't think about napkins. Maybe a section for online ordering to include utensils I missed?). The bread part of the Cuban is delicious. Crunchy outside, soft inside. Loved it. Decent size. All the pieces to make a Cuban a Cuban are present. A little more chili powder than I am used to in the pork, but after a few bites, it mellowed. I have not tried the Key Lime yet, but for the size and weight(light) at $9.75, I hope I orgasm from the taste. Might stop again if in town, but definitely not braving rush hour again 1.5 hours round trip, even if it is National Cuban Sandwich Day. read more

Azucar - Cubano - Bakeries Near Me - Ocean Beach, California

The meat pies and guava and cheese pastries are my favorite here! I've tried some of the little cakes, but they look better than they taste. I will keep coming back for the pastries. read more

I haven't been to Azucar in a while but they have really good guava pastries so recently I stepped it to pick up one. All looked good but a sign by the cashier said "No Cash Accepted". The cashier confirmed it. Sorry, it is an automatic 1 in my book. First of all, I have more credit cards than I can count but it is out of principle. Second - it is discriminatory. Against whom, you ask? Happy to tell: against those who have cash only, i.e. those who are homeless, those who couch-surf after a bankruptcy or divorce, the old man or woman with no support and living off of her social security checks, in general the poorest of us read more