This place is complete and utterly UBE HEAVEN!! The place was small, but charming; the feel and aesthetic was welcoming. The staff also greeted us once we stepped inside. They don't have a lot of seating inside the cafe, but there are lots of tables and chairs outside at the plaza area. We were incredibly happy and super impressed with every single thing we got--from the drinks, to the desserts, to the famous halo-halo. Everything was delicious and perfectly balanced in flavor; none of them were overly sweet or bland. Here's everything we tried: ORIGINAL HALO-HALO: 9/10 This one was the more traditional version, having the brown sugar milk base with ube ice cream on top. It was really good, a little more on the sweet side. But I just loved and preferred the upside down version more. UPSIDE DOWN HALO-HALO: 10/10 This one had the ube base with vanilla ice cream on top. I loved this one so much more than the original. I really liked how the ube flavor stood out. I just think this one was more balanced compared to the original. UBE MATCH LATTE: 9.5/10 I love that the ube flavor was prominent enough here that you can really taste it with the matcha. None of the two overpowered the other--it was the perfect balance. It wasn't too sweet either. I also appreciate that they did not charge an additional fee for any of their milk substitutes. UBE BUTTER BAR: 9/10 This dessert tastes *so much* like the ube halaya we have and LOVE in the Philippines. Ultimate *chef's kiss*! UBE CRACK CHEESECAKE: 9.5/10 Creamy and luscious with a really good amount of ube flavor! Would gladly have another piece of this dessert, or five. UBE LECHE FLAN CUPCAKE: 7/10 I had high hopes for this one, but the leche flan on top was not as soft and bouncy as a leche flan should be. I found it a bit dry, like it was sitting out for way too long. The cupcake was okay--good ube flavor, but a bit dense and dry too. MILO CUPCAKE: 9.5/10 This one was really good--the cupcake was moist and fluffy with a great amount of chocolate flavor. I think the Milo was only in the icing, but I only got a slight hint of it there. Still very very tasty though! Overall, this was by far the best and most Filipino-tasting ube I've ever had here in the US--and we've had a lot of ube here. Will definitely be back! read more

See all

What a nice discovery in the already popular food court near Sorrento Mesa what I will say is that you have all these good diverse food places and you have this Filipino café that offers a variety of Ube and cheesecake and sweets what I love is that they had a daily special of $3.50 for any of the drinks that they offer and you can do adjustments I will say the stars go for the service and just the kindness I would say overall this is another spot worth visiting. Don't sleep on the variety of pastries because they are all delicious read more

See all

At first, I had a bit of trouble finding the location, I ended up walking around the entire building to find the entrance. That said, once I found it, I was delighted! It's a bit small on the inside, so if you have a big party, the suggestion would be to eat outside (there are a bunch of tables!). I got a sandwich, a pastry, and a drink, spent $25. Sandwich was great and came with chips. I couldn't decide which pop tart I wanted and the turon was delicious! I simply need to go back for the ube one. I got an iced tea and it was good, but the tea was mildly over brewed. It was a great place for me to just chill out and read my book. I shall be returning, can't wait to try out more things! read more

Cafe 86 - Turkey Pesto Sandwich (this is only half...I ate the other half too quickly! ) - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

I always try to come here to grab halo halo whenever I am craving a dessert! I do enjoy this spin on it where you can choose the base. All of the ube desserts flavor is legit strong in ube, so it is nice and the girl math makes sense. This place is great for gifts or for a small treat yourself! The restaurant is a little tucked away, but the parking is plentiful. The shop is small and casual with only a few couches and tables to sit at. The employees are nice and honor military discount. They do deals during holidays, so definitely ask! read more

See all

The service, food and ambiance were all excellent. Highly recommend get the halo halo (upside down version). Will be back read more

Cafe 86 - Upside Down Halo Halo, Ube Pop Tart and Hibiscus Calamansi - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

I recently went to Cafe 86's new location and tried their regular Halo Halo. I can say I still a fan! I also ordered the Milo milk tea and really liked it. Their new location is smaller than their previous one but they still serve all the great drinks and desserts they previously did. Their is also plenty of parking which is a plus! The staff is friendly and service was quick! read more

Cafe 86 - Halo Halo and Milo milk tea - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

Came here to order to go. Order original halo-halo, upside down halo-halo and some pastries. Everything was yummy and will definitely come here again. The ube flan cupcake was the best but everything was good. read more

See all

Delicious Filipino dessert/boba spot in Mira Mesa. Tiny shop in the plaza. My favorite things to get here is: Ube flan cheesecake Upside down halo halo Definitely worth the trip for something sweet and delicious. And a taste of Filipino sweetness. If you have questions, ask the staff for their best and favorites. read more

See all

This place is tucked away in a Mira Mesa marketplace. I brought the ube sampler pack to a Galentine's, and everyone loved all of the ube desserts. This pack came with the ube crack cheesecake (my personal favorite), ube truffle (so decadent), ube leche flan cupcake (love flan), and ube butter bar (liked how the crust balances out the ube butter). It also came with a hibiscus calamansi which was refreshing but the desserts were what blew me away! I also ordered the regular upside down halo halo with ube ice cream. Although this drink was $10.95, it was loaded with so many toppings. I shared it with my husband and we were beyond satisfied. The next time you're craving anything ube, you should stop by this place! read more

See all

This place moved to another location in Mira Mesa. I ordered the 16oz upside down halo halo and it was amazing! It's a filling dessert drink with so many textures. It's ube cream milkshake with ice cream, jelly, jack fruit, corn flakes and flan. I should have shared it but instead I devoured the entire thing myself. They' offer other drinks and snacks like sandwiches and desserts. This place is tucked away inside the food court plaza. Check it out if you haven't tried before! read more

See all

I saw a lot of reviews saying this place has the best halo-halo in San Diego and went there hoping to find my new go-to spot. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. The service was good, and it was a nice enough place to sit and have a drink. But the halo-halo really disappointed me. It was more like a drink than a shaved ice dessert. The texture was very slushy and melted into a liquid within minutes. The caramelized sugar on the leche flan tasted a bit burnt, and the flan itself was not great. I know it's popular to use rice krispies instead of pinipig, and I don't mind that. But this place used cornflakes, which I did not like and became soggy very quickly due to the liquid-y nature of the dessert. I hate leaving bad reviews, but I disliked this dessert so much it kind of ruined my day. read more

Cafe 86 - Menu! - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

Yummy desserts and drinks! I want to explore more of their filipino inspired menu. It does run a bit on the sweeter side, so keep that in mind when ordering. It is a very small cafe, but it's cute. Also the staff are very kind and helpful! read more

See all

I came to Cafe 86 on a Friday night. The cafe has a nice cozy feel to it, with a huge menu on display as soon as you walk in. They also have a bunch of pastries on display including their flan ube cupcake, cheesecake, and butter bars. The three items I tried were: -Ube Cheesecake: Had a good ube flavor, but I wish there was a more tart flavor like an original cheesecake. The portion was also very small for $5.50. (3.5/5) -Ube Butter Bar: Very nostalgic for me! I grew up with a Cafe 86 in OC, and this was my go to. The texture of the ube was dense and fibrous, almost like a baked sweet potato. The bar was not too sweet, and the graham cracker crust added a nice hint of salt for balance (5/5!) -The Mermaid: The star of the night. This was soo good!! The jasmine tea was super fragrant, and the sea salt foam complimented the tea well. I got it with boba. It was a perfect texture, not too soggy or too hard. Also great value considering how large the cup was. (5/5!!) read more

Cafe 86 - menu as of 01/2026 - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

This is a cute little shop with unique offerings. I've actually been here twice within two weeks for the Calamansi Tea with Aloe (second time aloe was out .. sad ): ) but each time the service is kind and friendly. The sweetness level of the drink cannot really be altered but it actually was not too sweet for my liking and had a great tea forward taste. Definitely swing by if you're in the area! read more

Cafe 86 - Calamansi Jasmine Tea with Aloe - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

My friend and I wanted to have a nice mocha coffee and found this place after a quick Yelp search. As soon as we reached, parking was easy to find. The cafe was a bit small but fortunately we didn't have to wait and were able to get a table! We got the mocha iced latte. They had a whole bunch of interesting options like ube latte and nutella latte. Everything sounded so good. The beverage was ready in no time. The size of the beverage was good. The presentation was also great. The flavor of the latte was spot on. It had the right blend of chocolate cocoa and coffee. It was not overly sweet and it was not overly iced. Everything about it was perfect! If you are in the area, I recommend checking out this cafe! They also have interesting baked goods! read more

Cafe 86 - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Cafe 86 was my go to delicious Ube dessert with the hibiscus drink. I was sad because i thought that they close down at the mira mesa location next to Seafood City/RakiRaki, but was surprised they only move to down next to momo omakaze. So I saw this place again and we ate the ube truffle, which was my daughter's favorite. The place is not only good, but friendly as always as well. So come and chill with drinks and awesome dessert. read more

Cafe 86 - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Cafe 86 is known for its Filipino-inspired desserts, especially anything with ube, and their "Monster" drinks definitely stand out visually and in flavor. The workers are really nice, tiara was extra considerate. Good vibes! read more

Amazing taste. Different options. Great service. Halo halo is the best. Ube truffles and milo cupcake is awesome. Will come back. read more

See all

The best halo halo by far! Way better than any other halo halo nearby. Best pastries too! read more

Cafe 86 - Free drink! - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

Hidden gem that housed so many of our favorite Filipino dessert delights that filled our tummies and soothed our tired souls...love Cafe 86! The hubby was craving an affogato while we were cruising around Mira Mesa and lo and behold, a place that made it with Ube ice cream...yes please!! This chain of cafes was founded by a couple that wanted to introduce Ube to the world. Which I LOVE. Ube is life! I was blown away by the amount of offerings here and had a difficult time making a dessert selection. Hubby loved his ube affogato while I opted for an Ube Butter Bar. Goodness, I could easily eat a dozen of these in one sitting! Bonus points: we heard that the owner was possibly a member of 501st and me being a MASSIVE Star Wars fan and seeing the Darth Vader statue on display made my little nerdy heart extra happy! It is a bit difficult to find if you are not familiar with this shopping center but note that it is near the donut shop for reference. Masarap! read more

I got the cookie butter latte and wow--it was strong! You can definitely taste the espresso, which I appreciate since some places tend to water down their drinks. Overall, it was really good, and I'd definitely get it again. read more

I was so happy when I realized that Cafe 86 didn't close completely in Mira Mesa but they just moved down the road! They used to be located in the plaza with Seafood City, but now they are a few blocks down the road in the plaza with Aldi. GPS will guide you only to Aldi, but they're tucked in the corner of the lot in the food court area! Definitely a smaller shop size than their old location, but all the delicious treats are still there. A few tables and couches inside for customers to sit and hangout at. I love their crack cheesecake and ube bar the most! Tried a drink on this visit and I enjoyed their House Milk Tea although it is a bit on the sweeter side. Service was nice and swift. Definitely will be back when I'm in the area. read more

See all

The whole strip is under construction- You find the entrance from the back by the courtyard- staff is friendly- As always the halo2 is good. read more

See all

Spot is a little hidden compared to where they were before. Plenty of parking spaces though. Space inside is also much smaller, but there are seating available outside. Good food, staff are nice. read more

Cafe 86 - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

Absolute perfection in a cup! This Halo-Halo hits the spot every single time with the perfect mix of sweetness. My favorite go to especially in this summer evening. Staff members were so nice as well!! read more

Cafe 86 - Upside Halo Halo - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

Upside down halo halo is my favorite! We also got some milk tea bobas and coffee. I definitely want to try other menu items so we will be back. read more

Cafe 86 - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

They are very reasonable priced, they have a drink specials for $3 all day everyday. Fast friendly service. read more

Cafe 86 - Menu - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

I didn't know they moved from the Seafood City Plaza to the Burger King plaza! They have an extensive menu ranging from all kinds of drinks to desserts. Just a heads up they have limited inside seating. read more

See all

The drinks are amazing and the staff is so friendly and welcoming. The cheapest and best Thai tea around!!! Great place to solo study too! Music is good and the place is cozy. 10/10!! read more

See all

Amazing drinks such as the Halo halo and Calamansi (free with check-in). Halo halo was too sweet for me though, wish I had adjusted the sugar lvl. Friendly service! Place is small with 3-4 tables at most, best for to-go. read more

Cafe 86 - Menu - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

We had: Ube Flan Cake Ube Cheesecake Milo Cupcake Ube Crinkle This bakery is located in a complex so parking is fairly accessible. Does it taste like Ube? The answer is nope. If you close your eyes and eat the desserts, the distinctive purple yam or halaya taste is missing. Yes the color is there. Yes the desserts are not too sweet, but the nutty taste of the root vegetable is missing. The cupcakes are light and airy and fall apart when you take a forkful serving. The flan is more rubbery and glue like instead of delicate, smooth and silky. Milo is a chocolate cupcake. If you grew up drinking and eating Milo, you know the taste. For the crinkle, the cracked exterior is there, but the fudgy, chewy center and ube flavor were absent. Points for not making the powdered sugar exterior too sweet. Five stars for the cheesecake. Texture and taste are good even though it doesn't taste like Ube. read more

See all

Soooo yummy!! The ube didn't taste artificial at all and toppings balanced out the ube and ice cream really well. Very cute cafe and service was nice! read more

Cafe 86 - Upside down Halo Halo - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

Tates great tres leches ube cake is my favorite highly recommend this spot if you are in the area!

Chill space and music. Same great drinks like the halo halo, and the service is always friendly. Not even close to the amount of inside seating like their previous place. They have outside seating in the food court. read more

See all

Amazing desserts and coffee is just as amazing. I got the pandan matcha latte and the ube latte read more

Cafe 86 - Support local Filipino coffee - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

we absolutely love this place and come here every time we are in town, love the upside down halo halo and ube flan cupcake! so yummy!

Love their halo halo! The person that helped me was so nice and answered all the questions I had. I was also trying to check in to get my free drink and she was so patient with me while I was dealing with my internet being so slow. 10/10 recommend! read more

Chill ambience, relaxing perfect for quick cafe meet up. Or maybe group/duo study. Prices are reasonable, love the cupcake 10/10 recom. My husband loves the Halo Halo close to what we remember at home (PH) read more

Cafe 86 - Desserts Near Me - San Diego, California

I had a wicked craving for halo halo, and Cafe 86 came through! This shop is small and tucked away in a large plaza, near an Asian market. There is plenty of seating and the whole shop smells like ube. It feels like a great place to study! Service was quick and friendly. I got the upside-down halo-halo, which comes with flan, vanilla ice cream, ube base smoothie, and some jellies and boba. It also originally comes with cornflakes as well but I opted to omit them. The portion was huge and it was delicious. The flan in particular had a wonderful, thick, custard-like texture and was rich and sweet. The only thing I wish was different was the number of toppings. I've had halo halo with many more jellies and other fun goodies like beans. I would love to have a greater variety of textures in my halo halo! I only finished half and refrigerated the rest. It melted down to a thick ube milk texture and help up decently well after several hours in the fridge. The boba makes it something that I wouldn't keep overnight though. This is a good, quick option for satisfying my halo halo fix! I'd also love to try their other tasty ube drinks and desserts next time :) read more

One of the best halo halo shakes in SD. I love how they use ube cream as the middle foundation instead of just adding ube ice cream. The vanilla ice cream balances out the ube-ness of the drink. Plus the boba at the bottom is chefs kiss. read more

See all