I have been a Starbucks customer/ lover for over 30 years! Literally! I have enjoyed a chai tea…read morelatte, pretty much every day since! I'm talking, even in different countries where applicable. I was really at a loss a few months ago when they changed their recipe! I drive by this establishment every day on my way to get on the 94. I thought to myself, "one time can't hurt!" OH MY GOODNESS!!! The Chai tea ACTUALLY had TASTE! It did not taste like that new found chemical (classic) taste Starbucks apparently has pumped into my beloved drink. The customer service was bubbly and jovial! I went inside one day because the drive thru was a tad chaotic, and I saw what I believed to be the owner. He was so just, chill and carrying on with the patrons. I really hope he is cognizant and proud of his bustling coffee shop he has created. This man, is also on the headset as well. So the work ethic is there. I want to see this for a local business! This is why they THRIVE! I have never met this person, no idea of his name, I am an observer as well as being part of the food and beverage industry. I appreciate greatness. The customer service here, all around is 10/10! It took me 4 times going through the drive thru (they have a camera) , for them to know EXACTLY what I order! Crew! You actually make my day!! Shout out to Sara and Melody! Give this place a go! Oh,oh they also have a punch card! Make sure to get one! You get $5 off when you hit a certain number! (The number could be lower ;-)) Ok, I'll see you tomorrow guys :-)

New Fave Iced Coffee: The Lemon Poppyseed Shaken Espresso…read more If you are in Spring Valley/La Mesa area, you have to stop by and try this drink. I was able to peek the inside from their drive thru line and the seating and space looks very comfortable. The drive thru line itself is a huge plus for me when on-the-go before work/errands. Getting back to the drink, I did order this iced with Oat Milk and half sweet -- It is so delicious My coworkers were even surprised at how much they liked it because of the lemon. Me personally? I love anything with lemon in it. Well balanced, tasty, not too much... just right and strong to get you through the day!

The food was honestly better than expected. I tried one of their sandwiches along with an açai…read moreoption, and both were fresh, flavorful, and made with care. You can tell they don't just throw things together it actually tastes quality.

I needed a new coffee shop to try. I was passing by Stir It Up Coffee house and Cafe just simply…read moreneeding a Sugar-free Vanilla latte. As soon as I walked in the doors, it was decorated so cute. Very colorful, vibrant, and designed to impress. I also noticed they take pride in keeping their little coffee shop clean. I noticed the menu is extensive and impressive. So, if you are needing a new coffee shop to try, hang out, or simply to replace Starbucks, here they are! The coffee was high quality, smooth, and loaded with flavor. I wanted to give a special shout out to Sandi and Daniel because they told me it was a family-run business. They were friendly, professional, and hospitable to me. I loved the personal connection I felt which made me feel right at home. It is located in Spring Valley on Campo Road tucked away. They are a hidden gem that must be experienced. I need to come back with my appetite because they have it all here. Thank you Sandi and Daniel for giving the small-town friendly coffee experience that is rare to experience in a big city.

Lovely atmosphere, lovely people, amazing service, and the best cup of coffee you'll have in the…read moredowntown area. If you like a little bitterness like me, try the aunt maple. Cinnamon, house made dark chocolate, cute art when you order it hot. This place is a gem.

The coffee here is SO good...I am comparing their coffee to many places that are high quality…read moreincluding dark horse, birdrock coffee, peets, etc. I personally think it's even better. The coffee is strong but not bitter at all extremely smooth and the latte was very creamy. No bitterness, not one ounce of foaminess in sight it was the absolute perfect latte. I wish there was one closer to my house too!

If you're in the La Mesa area of San Diego and you need a quick caffeine fix, this little…read moredrive-thru packs a big punch. I was on my way to church and needed an early cup and was surprised how many shops were not open at 7 AM. I'm sure I could have found a Starbucks but that's always reserved for a last resort. Big props to this spot being open early on a Sunday morning, so I could make it to church prayed up and fully caffeinated. The barista opened right on time (7 AM) I loved how friendly she was for it being that early, and she got me my drink within 3-4 minutes. I am not a big coffee drive-thru guy, but if I lived in the area, especially knowing it is veteran owned, I might become one. Thanks guys and best of luck!

I've been feeling the deployment blues lately so I figured I'd grab a coffee from one of my…read morehusband's favorite spots to lift my mood a little. I've had Red White and Badass Brew one other time after my husband raved about this cookies and cream latte he got here. It's a small, local, veteran owned shop, which honestly makes supporting it feel even better. So, I thought getting his favorite drink would help, but turns out that was a seasonal winter drink... please bring it back, it was sooo good. I got in line around 8:30 and there were two cars in front of me. This place is so small and cute, I actually used to work in one of these drive-thru kiosk style cafes so I didn't mind the short wait at all as usually its only one or two people working in there. I do wish they had a menu visible from the line because I couldn't decide what I wanted while waiting. The only things visible were the specials like an avocado toast and a "no lucks given" drink. I ended up pulling up the menu on my phone which works, but it would be more convenient if they had something displayed out front like a sandwich board or something. The employee was incredible, super friendly, my order was taken quick and my drink came out even quicker. It is a little on the pricier side for a cup of coffee but you are supporting a local business. With tip it came out to over $9 for a regular size. I ordered the no lucks given, which is a chocolate Irish cream latte, and swapped to oat milk. My first sip was amazing, a medium dark roast that wasn't bitter at all with a rich chocolate flavor. You could see the chocolate coating the walls of the cup and I'm pretty sure there was a cold foam on top that made it extra creamy. The overall drink was smooth and well balanced, just a little too sweet for my liking but that's something I can adjust next time. I did have a kind of odd moment though. My second sip was great until I got hit with a sudden punch of salt. Like a full on salt crystal just melted on my tongue for a good 10 seconds. It was strong and definitely woke me up... which I guess is what the coffee was supposed to do, I just didn't expect a surprise salt bomb to help with that. After that I checked my drink and everything looked fine and the rest of it tasted great. Overall I'll definitely be back. The service was great, the drink was solid, and I love supporting a spot like this. I can't wait to come here more often, and hopefully one day come back with my husband when comes home from deployment, with his cookies and cream drink back on the menu.

My new favorite coffee spot! I'm currently in my pandan obsession era and this place does it RIGHT…read more I've already been back more times than I can count. So far, I've tried the pandan, the brown sugar, and the sesame latte all iced w/ oat milk and they've all been a hit. The pandan is easily my fave, but if you're trying the brown sugar and don't love super sweet drinks I'd recommend adding an extra shot to balance it out. The drinks are consistently good and you can tell they really care about the quality. It's one of those spots you keep thinking about and end up going back to without even planning it. Customer service was solid and there's plenty of seating, which makes it a nice place to hang out or get some work done. Parking was also easy, which is always a win. Highly recommend checking this place out especially if you're a pandan lover like me!

This place gets a lot of hype for their scones, but honestly, that was the only thing special. They…read moreoverall they are very expensive and service is slow. Be prepared to wait, or order a mobile order for pick up. Cleanliness...could be better. Looks clean from ground level, but if you look up the plants and ac vents are covered in layers of dust. Scones were fantastic but not sure that makes it worth the wait.

Strong coffee that tastes good. I ordered food for my friend here and she liked it. It's at a…read morechurch I've gotten a couple books from here. I like how they are all back up with God's word/ scripture and plan to get more.

Lovely place! Great study space with amazing prices and delicious beverages + food. Wish I found…read moreout about this place sooner :)

This Starbucks is huge - looks like a former restaurant (I would not know - not from the area)…read more They were quick though, and I received my order correctly and pleasantly, and was able to be on my way - headed home to LA. They had a drive through and indoor seating

This is the best Starbucks team in all of San Diego…read more Trust me, I have been all over South Bay, North County, the coastal region and East County, and they are consistently good here. Great, really. The team is patient, attentive, purposeful in getting to know their regulars. Honestly. There is no Starbucks in San Diego where I feel more welcome and at home. And I find that when I travel outside of San Diego, I always miss the team here. So why did I dock two stars? Two main reasons: Corporate is ruining the experience here, and this is by far one of the busiest locations in the region -- it always feels so chaotic (because of the customers). No. 1 recently, the renovation. The location was shut down for a few weeks and reopened in August 2025 with a new look. Now, I appreciate that the team has more space in the back for storage and movement. They were absolutely crammed in before. But as with this ridiculous Starbucks trend, corporate redesigned what was more of a homegrown feel perfect for students and workers into more of a lounge. We lost seating, lost space, lost electrical outlets for our devices. The redesign, though fresh and bright with new decor and furniture, has been horrible from the perspective of the customer -- especially given how absolutely busy this place gets with students, teleworkers, groups, families, etc. Second, again, I must repeat it, this place is absolutely overrun. I wish the customer space could be extended. It gets crammed, loud, noisy, most always has a massively large line in for the drive through, which backs up for parking and non-Starbucks passengers driving through. And while the locals know how to manage this, non-locals always arrive confused and disjointed, contributing to the chaos. Despite this, I will still return most every single day for the excellent service, the feeling of family, and an expertly made quad shot of espresso. I will just forever miss the old ambiance for what it was.

First time discovering this small bakery tucked away in a spacious plaza of Lemon Grove. The inside…read moreis able to seat around 14 people from the looks of it and there is additional shaded seating outside. Staff that I met was extremely friendly (Grayson, Jules, and Dom), as well as the owner of the bakery Tanya. This bakery has been operating for about three years and there was a good crowd on a Monday afternoon. All the pastries are vegan and I tried the vanilla concha (pro tip get it warmed up) with their house made maple butter and the carrot cake. Both were amazing, I've never had a vegan concha and don't think I'll be going back to regular ones! They also have breakfast sandwiches that many people ordered that looks like it's on a thick piece of focaccia. The reviews speak for itself! Great pastries and coffee, friendly staff, and clean store what more could you want?! I'm glad I made this discovery and can't wait to come back, highly recommend you check out this place!

This place is a hidden gem! Elevated Coffee has such a cute vibe, and the staff is so friendly…read moreespecially the owner, Tanya. You can really tell they care about their customers and the overall experience. My coffee was delicious (I got an americano with cream and sugar), and I'll absolutely be coming back. Thank you, Elevated Coffee & Confections team!

Customer service was great, and the options were even better. This is one of the few places in the…read morearea where you can get brewed yerba mate. I had a custom one with a hint of pomegranate syrup it was delicious! I love how accommodating they were. Also, if you have glue and allergies there are gluten-free pastry options as well as gluten-free bagels , a plus for those with some dietary restrictions. And all around mellow spot with plenty of options for coffee, teas and smoothies as well as light bites.

Pros: - good value:cost…read more- clean bathrooms with lock PIN code - full expresso bar - good selection of healthy smoothies - acai bowls - some savory food selections aside from just pastries - free WiFi - background "cafe" tunes - a/c - sufficient amount of power outlets Cons: - interior needs a complete renovation. Not dirty or anything but very basic. Okay to get work done or sit down for a quick bite but wouldn't take a client here. Best way to put it

What a treat! They are open until 10pm which is a double win. Filled with trays of delectable…read moreTurkish desserts. They also have fresh squeezed orange juice, straight from the juicing machine. We got a few different things to go but for in dining we shared a biscoff cheesecake. Very dense and delicious if you like cheesecake. Love the vibes in here thought they are going through slight renovations on their ceiling and wall. The service was friendly and fast. Will be back to drink tea and have more sweets.

I've had this place saved for a while and finally made it there--honestly, not sure what took me so…read morelong. The space is gorgeous and lowkey made me feel like I had been transported to Turkey (I wish). We were greeted right away, and the woman helping us (possibly the owner) was so kind and recommended a few baklava options for us to try since it was our first time. They sell them by the pound, but we went with one of each: original, powdered sugar, and the chocolate pistachio finger. Drinks: pistachio latte + iced mocha latte My goodness... everything was heaven-sent. The baklava and drinks paired perfectly--we left no crumbs. I'm literally drooling just thinking about it while writing this. Definitely coming back soon.