Cafe 88

First time here , clean basic atmosphere. Lots of choices on their menu . A bit pricey but what…read moreisn't these days . Service was friendly and drink was good . If I'm in the area I would come here instead of Jamba Juice !

I don't go there very often because I live on the east side of El Cajon but when I do get to go…read morethere I always order the large smoothie with strawberries,pineapple and yogurt it's a little bit pricey, when the fruit is ripe it is amazing so yummy but when the fruit isn't ripe it's kinda sour so it's kinda hard to know if the fruit is going to be ripe or not.

Seating area

Large fruit salad

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Fruity loco

4.7(263 reviews)

3.3 mi

I love all the snack options sometimes the lime tastes artificial so I ask to have no lime juice on…read morestuff but other than that everything is pretty tasty

I've been trying to cut back on caffeinated drinks, so I've been replacing them with healthier…read moreoptions like smoothies. It was a hot day, and a smoothie sounded perfect. The menu had so many fruit options, along with fun snacks like chips topped with fruit and hot sauce. I got to choose two fruits for my smoothie -- I went with mango and pineapple -- and it was absolutely delicious. Fresh, sweet, and super refreshing -- definitely a 10/10! The service was fine, not very welcoming but straight to the point. I'd definitely come back next time I'm in the area.

"Bee Sweet" bowl supposedly, but missing the yogurt. Not worth it IMO.

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Menu Mar 2026

Cafe Bella

4.1(169 reviews)

1.6 mi•Bostonia

I was SO sorry to see the location closed! I loved their coffee and their food! Always excellent…read morecustomer service! All they serve is awesome! Wish you the best of luck and if in your other area will DEFINITELY drop by!! - Thank you for all the good coffee and yummies!

It's unfortunate this cafe had to close its door at this location. But good to know, I still can…read morestart my day The Bella way somewhere else. I loooved that it had a drive-thru if I was on-the-go. Inside, it was spacious and clean...very accommodating to someone who teleworks. The staff was super friendly when I placed my order and provided a quick turnaround. My latte was sooo yummy! I can see why this cafe had an overall positive rating.

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Vanitea Café

4.4(257 reviews)

2.9 mi

I love Vanitea Cafe!! I am addicted to their snow bubble drinks and I just want to keep coming back…read moreto order all of their flavors and just in time for summer. The snow bubble drink is the consistency of a shaved ice with milk. You can choose from quite a few milks like whole, coconut, oat, and more. You can choose the level of sweetness you like from full sweet, 50% sweet, or 25% sweet so it's perfect every time because I don't like it too sweet. They have a whole selection of boba you can add to your drink so the combinations to these drinks are endless. They also have a happy hour when you can get discounted drinks which makes it a really good deal. So far all of the cashiers have been friendly and super helpful when I ask them questions. Of you live in the Ranch San Diego area, Vanitea is a must!!

Piña Colada Boba is a MUST…read more Vanitea Cafe never disappoints, but the piña colada boba? Next level. It's perfectly balanced creamy coconut, fresh pineapple flavor, and that smooth boba texture that ties it all together. Super refreshing without being overly sweet. It honestly tastes like summer in a cup. The vibe inside is clean and aesthetic, great spot to chill or catch up with friends. Staff is always friendly and drinks come out quick and fresh. If you're thinking about trying something different from your usual milk tea, go with the piña colada boba. Easy 5 stars every time.

Coconut Snow Bubble

Green Tea with Cheese Foam

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Vietnamese Drip Coffee

Surf City Squeeze

3.9(115 reviews)

2.7 mi

Let me start off by saying I've been going to this place since I was young; I love their smoothies…read more But I cannot tell you how many times I've gone and asked for boba (was not refused, and or I was charged for the boba) and ended up not receiving any boba in the end. I love yall but fix the boba game.

The smoothies are always too watery. To think they would have perfected the craft by now, the staff…read moreis always rude and in a rush. I'm not sure who the owners are or if this is a Franchise. But the dude working there is so cheap and stingy with straws and napkins etc. like wtf we're already paying damn near $11 for a smoothie. This mall is already going down hill they lost touch with the customers and crowd. The whole food court is ass everything is all bootleg one off places. Also it's dirty and they use the blenders incorrectly. Meh

Strawberry banana

Inside the mall, corner spot

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The BEST strawberry banana smoothie you'll ever have in your life

Sprouts Farmers Market

3.8(211 reviews)

0.9 mi

This store is incredible shoutout to Gigi for recommending good coffee from klatch the service is…read morevery good here, everyone is very kind and they are always willing to help

Came in on monday after work in such a weird mood but when i got to check out Olivia (my cashier)…read morewas so bubbly and sweet, we talked about music while she was helping me, it really made my day! I'm excited to come back and talk to her more!

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Regular sandwich menu (as of 10/2/2025)

Blendees

4.7(54 reviews)

0.8 mi

I have wanted to try this place for years but was never around when they were open but I finally…read moregot to try it today and we left incredibly happy. I believe Monique owns the place but she was there with the best attitude. She was so welcoming and kind that I knew we would return even if the flavors were mediocre. Thankfully, our smoothies were delicious. I ordered a large Royal for $11 and my daughter got a medium Majestic for $8. Sounds kind of pricey but considering the superb customer service (which is hard to find these days!) and fresh ingredient smoothies, it was well worth it. The large was also HUGE with perfect consistency. I would much rather support Monique than a corporation. We will definitely go back. Hoping to make it a weekly stop for us!

The person who took our order and made it was very nice and professional. Very personable too…read more Outside of the tiny building has pretty murals. Generous portion for the large. Delicious. We enjoyed

Large Royal and regular Majestic

ImLarge pomegranate, mango, strawberry

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Incredible Hulk on the left. Piercing on the right!

Extraordinary Fruits

4.3(361 reviews)

3.9 mi

Food is amazing ,you can tell they make it with care. I got the chicken wrap , price and taste was…read moreGreat. The location itself is super chill to hang out and has good ambiance. I'm definitely coming back!

I come here at least once a month. This place been here for years and I love it. They do get busy…read moreat times. The menu is great. The food is delicious.

Caesar Wrap

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NEW!! Chilaquiles de la casa.

Shaghf Cafe

4.5(100 reviews)

0.8 mi

Free WiFi

Family-owned & operated

Probably the best latte I've had! Coffee is SO delicious here! Stopped by after grabbing some lunch…read morenear by and tried the Habibi latte (vanilla and hazelnut) I appreciate the strong coffee flavor and the syrup not having that artificial taste. You need to try this place!

Rude staff and a very disappointing experience…read more My friend ordered a Lotus frappe, and unfortunately, it was not good at all. It tasted more like crushed cookies than an actual frappe, and she was literally chewing on pieces of ice. Since we've ordered the Lotus frappe here before and it was perfectly fine, we figured this was simply an issue with how the drink was made this time. I politely asked if the drink could be remade as a caramel frappe instead, since we knew that one was good. Instead, we were told, "We can't do that, you would have to pay." I'm sorry, but why would we pay again for a drink that was made poorly the first time? We weren't asking for a free drink just because we changed our minds. We were asking for the original drink to be corrected because it was genuinely not drinkable. What really made the situation worse was being told, "We're not a chain like Starbucks to just remake drinks... this will go to waste." Respectfully, if the concern is that the drink will "go to waste," perhaps the better solution would be to make sure the drink is prepared correctly in the first place. I understand that businesses don't want to waste product, but making a customer pay for another drink after receiving one that was poorly made doesn't exactly feel like great customer service either. I'm not expecting the "customer is always right" treatment, and I'm certainly not trying to be difficult. But when a customer genuinely cannot enjoy what they were served, the reasonable thing would be to offer a solution rather than essentially tell them, "Sorry, pay again." We've had good experiences here before, which is why this was especially disappointing. Hopefully this was just an off day, because the way this was handled left a much worse taste than the frappe did.

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82 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Delecian J.

1 year ago

I rarely leave bad reviews, but my experience at Café 88 was extremely disappointing. The service was slow and inattentive--even though the place wasn't busy, I waited nearly 20 minutes just to place an order. When the food finally arrived, it was lukewarm and bland, definitely not worth the price. The coffee tasted burnt, and the staff seemed more interested in chatting among themselves than helping customers. I expected a cozy, welcoming vibe but left feeling frustrated and unwelcome. Not planning to return. read more

Blanca B.

5 years ago

Before Cafe 88 was established, I would buy my açaí bowls from another place which are nothing compared to the best açaí bowls I've ever had from Cafe 88. All of their food items such as their smoothies and desserts are absolutely amazing. I've been coming here since they opened and the customer service has always been excellent. I highly recommend coming here and grabbing an açaí bowl or any other food item which you will very much enjoy and want to come back for more! read more

lali m.

3 years ago

Service is very slow. Even if you order ahead they won't make your food until you get there. There were three people working only one was making the bowls one at a time while the other two were cleaning... the place is clean no doubt about that, but will that matter if costumers stop coming in? This has already happened two times, so I figured I needed to let other people know. XOXO fruits down the road are much quicker, maybe give that a try read more

Ali A.

7 years ago

If you ever want a good desserts or drinks you should come here. The classical crepe is really good and it tastes really good. They make it fresh every time and it does not take long at all. The customer service is really good and the workers are super friendly, they ask if the food was good and they are not rude. I recommend Cafe 88 to anyone looking for a good dessert or smoothie at a cheap price! Very affordable and good! Thank you very much! read more

Jenevein S.

7 years ago

The best açaí in all of San Diego. I have personally explored every açaí location in San Diego, but this place is top notch!!! The açaí is outstanding, and they always use fresh fruits. Their product is always consistent and therefore is always a rewarding visit. Excellent and friendly service which is a plus. Overall.......simply excellent. read more

Gricelda V.

8 months ago

"Such a great experience at this cafe! The atmosphere was cozy, the drinks and food were delicious, and the staff was super kind and welcoming. They even surprised us with a free dessert, which was amazing and really made our visit extra special. You can tell they truly care about their customers. Definitely coming back and highly recommend!" read more

Mirna T.

5 years ago

This cafe literally has the absolute best customer service. I usually feel nervous trying new things but the minute I walked in, I felt at home. I love the smoothies. My all time favorite has to be the strawberry banana smoothie because I love strawberries very much!!!! And I love the Nutella shake!!!! 10/10 recommend!!! read more

Naseem A.

6 years ago

It was my first time visiting the store! I was shocked by the service and the way the associate detailed every plate and whats in it.. so we decided to order three plates and man! They were the best tests ever! It will be my favorite place now and will always recommend it to all!! Thank you guys for the best service read more

Giovanna L.

4 years ago

When I ordered The Lit Bowl and Happy Bowl, they were both delicious! I even saved some for the next day for breakfast and they were still amazing! I am also so happy when I found out my Grandma, who can't have a lot of things, can eat these fabulous Açaí Bowls!!! A+!!! read more

Epic Daily Game C.

7 years ago

This is one of the best dessert cafe I have ever been to. They have a wide variety of desserts that no other place has in El Cajon. One I strongly recommend is the classic crepe which is one of a kind. Overall my experience was a 10/10 and I would come back. read more

MrXtremeNinja L.

5 years ago

Amazing place! They are always on time with serving their orders. Products always on point 100% recommend to visit this place. they make their customers feel welcomed and are willing to take the time to help you find the right order fitting your needs. read more

Rawan A.

5 years ago

Delicious dessert & smoothies with an amazing staff. My family and I went past their closing hour and they still served us and didn't turn us down. Everything they have is so good but my favorite is their kinder Nutella crepe. 10/10 would recommend read more

Rami H.

7 years ago

One of the best places in town, one of the best customer service ever you will never wanna leave the place, clean, super nice outgoing people working there you will never get disappointed. Highly recommend. THANK YOU CAFE 88 will be back soon . read more

Nancy G.

5 years ago

Amazing the guy owner was super sweet and they were out of the drink we wanted so we got different ones and when we waited he gave us a food item for free the drinks and food were amazing and the owner was very kind 100% recommended visiting read more

Alexa G.

8 months ago

Best Acai bowls !!! You get so much compared to other spots!! Me , my sister and mom always come here post workout on Sundays , I cant stop eating it...... I would wait an hour if i had too ! But luckily wait times are actually decent. read more

Mirah W.

5 years ago

I always got to Cafe 88 with my family and friend. The owner and the employees have never been disrespectful. They are always kind and thoughtful. The order does take a long time but it is worth because their food is delicious. read more

Farah J.

7 years ago

I 100% recommend this place if your looking for a great desert to enjoy. I have had both a crepe and a waffle there and they were both delicious. It gets made quickly and the people there are very sweet. Definitely recommend! read more

Yanni O.

8 months ago

The service was great, the acai bowl is a 10/10 and the variety's it has is amazing it goes well with eachother. The table is clean and it's a good place to go eat with your friends. This place is a 5/5 for sure!! read more

Meme M.

5 years ago

I love this place! I have been coming here since it opened and everything is so good. I love the people who work there because how nice they are. Also, really good prices on everything. I recommend this place!!! read more

Ashley T.

5 years ago

I'm from NYC and that's where my favorite crepes are, thankfully someone suggested Cafe 88. So good and everything is incredibly fresh. So appreciate of them and that I ordered. Can't wait to try more things! read more

Cafe 88 - desserts - Updated October 2026

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I go here often for the smoothies especially with this heat wave. The ladies are so welcoming and…read morerestaurant is very clean and pristine with A/C. They also make sure to confirm our orders in the screen first before processing it.

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I've driven by this place so many times and finally stopped in. Now I wished i'd known about it…read moresooner! They have a way bigger menu than some might expect. Including burritos and tortas that all sounded really good. I was in the mood for something refreshing so my boyfriend and I each got an açaí bowl and an agua fresca. I chose the Chapis smoothie bowl which was 10/10. It was layered with açaí and pitaya, and the flavor and texture of the sorbets were perfect. It had tons of fresh tasting fruit on top and a generous amount of almond granola and honey. I appreciate that they don't skimp with their toppings. I was so happy to see a cantaloupe flavor agua fresca on the menu so I had to try it and it was also delicious. We saw them freshly prepare and blend everything. My boyfriend got the strawberry watermelon and it didn't even make it home before he finished it. I was really hungry so I also got a jalapeno cheddar bagel w/ cream cheese and it was pretty good as well. Toasted perfectly and the cream cheese was veryyyy creamy. Didn't have much cheddar flavor but I didn't mind, the cream cheese made it cheesy enough. The inside looked clean and well taken care of. It's relatively small but there's lots of booths to sit at. Also an easy spot to get to and had plenty of parking available. I will definitely be back to try other things!!

I discovered Chapis next-door to my facialist, and I'm sure glad I did!…read moreTheir green smoothie is literally the best green smoothie I've ever tasted. I would consider myself a smoothie connoisseur as I frequent different smoothie bars throughout San Diego a few times a month. They are hands-down the best. Not only do they use quality ingredients, the taste is fantastic, but their price point is one that you can't beat!

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