The cashier/barista FORGOT our drinks! I'm so sick of this happening everywhere we go. She was young and that is a common denominator most of the time. The entire place seems to be run by children. My drink wasn't right either. It was an over all FAIL The entire staff seemed to be wandering around in no particular order too. At this point I'd say management has no idea of structure and flow in a fast paced restaurant. Too bad, cause it's busy and has tons of volume. They most likely rely on tourism. read more

Excellent place for breakfast - tons of choices to please every pallet! The staff is super friendly and accommodating. You go in and order then get a table outside and the staff will deliver. Street parking fills up fast tho. I would deff have breakfast there again when in Carlsbad! read more

Helpful and friendly servers. Even on a beautiful and busy Sunday morning, we got a table and our food came out quickly after we ordered. Good coffee, excellent pancakes. The big breakfast is huge, easily feed a family of 3. Fresh baked pastries croissant was flaky and buttery. Shaded Patio is a great spot to enjoy your meal and the ocean breeze. My seat had a small ocean view. Clean bathroom no smell. This is a repeat experience. read more

Hidden Gem! Tucked in the middle of Coastal Carlsbad it looks like a tiny coffee shop but little did I know what a great spot was hidden here. Wonderful breakfast with a large menu for such a small place. read more

Really poor food and coffee. The sourdough bread was old and soggy and tasted like some cheap grocery store brand. The coffee tasted like it was from one of those little machines and not made by hand. For context I had avocado toast, a BLT, and a cappuccino. My husband was also pretty horrified. The spinach quiche was ok although a bit greasy. The smoothie was ok. The service was good and the outdoor area was nice enough but the food was sad. read more

Sadly we won't be coming back. We arrived to see a long line but didn't stop us from stopping in. Looked kind of charming, had a big pastry selection who knows but be a hidden gem. Well, took about 15 minutes to get to the register, handful of people in front of us. Finally get to the front of the line and my wife orders a hammer head coffee and myself the mexican mocha. Neither of us finished it. Clumps of cocoa power is water is what mine tasted like, 3.85??? Hers she drank halfway because no coffee in the morning is like awaking the kraken. The staff seemed nice. But early in the morning and the coffee taste worse than 7/11 right around the corner we won't be back. With a heavy heart and as much as I hate giving out 1 stars the wait and most likely the worst coffee we have had in Carlsbad we won't return. read more

Been to this place a bunch of times in Carlsbad. It is normally my go to place for breakfast. On my most recent trip this week, we went twice. Had a poor experience twice. Both times, waited way to long for food (30+ minutes the first time, 20+ minutes the second time). And the food came out cold. Just super disappointing. They did have a help wanted sign up, so I wonder if they are shot staffed, but it was super disappointing. read more

Incredible Coffee and a Full Menu for breakfast and Lunch! Anyone who doesn't give this little cafe a 5 Star Rating has Not Traveled enough to know what an Excellent location is! Service was Great! Clean and Very inviting atmosphere!WILL RETURN whenever in the area! read more

Cafe Elysa - Cafe Elysa - Landscaping is Beautiful! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Great coffee, great breakfast, great pastries, and the staff is awesome - we went back again the next day. We really like the avocado toast, breakfast sandwich, and stuffed French toast. read more

Had the largest breakfast they had to offer and it was amazing with minimal grease to it. Two Pancakes, 2 slices of bacon, 2 pieces of sausage and hash browns. Price for the food was approx 13.00. The outdoor dining experience was very relaxing with the scent of the ocean on a cool breeze. Everyone was very friendly and they offer many pastries, coffee's and the beans are freshly ground. It's certainly not the cheapest place to eat, but the quality and experience more than made up for it. read more

Cafe Elysa - Reese's Mocha & Fresh Ground, Black in a purchased Mug. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Great selection of pastries and breakfast, food was prepared quickly and was very tasty. I do wish they had a better standard of offering salt/pepper/hot sauce as it was a little bit difficult to find and grab some for our table. Overall very relaxing spot for studying or a quick bite. read more

Great fresh baked pastries! The cinnamon roll are awesome! Full espresso bar with great drip options. The omelettes and egg sandwiches are very tasty. Friendly service, great spot, good food = winner read more

Had the BLTA, it was okay, except it had a HUGE amount of lettuce. Busy at 11:30, but it's tourist season. Not too noisy, other than it's on the boulevard. Portions are generous, but pricey. read more

Cafe Elysa is a pretty cool spot located right off the coast in Carlsbad. This is essentially one of those little beach cafes that has a healthy selection of pastries, breakfast, coffees, teas and cakes etc... The selling point is obviously the location as it's literally across the street from Carlsbad state beach. I can't speak for the lunch items, but I can say that the breakfast, in particular the Benedict is decent and the portions are rather large. The food here is pretty average, meaning it's better than the likes of Denny's but not quite as good as the nearby Naked Cafe and/or Swamis. Overall, the ambiance and location alone make it worth a trip. Legit- Large portions Substantial menu Location is fantastic Pet friendly outdoor seating Friendly staff Good coffee selection Cakes and pies looked good Meh- About average breakfast dishes Line to order often runs through the tables being dined at Limited parking Can be slow read more

I love Cafe Elysa. The food is always good. I especially love the carlsbad Benedict. My favorite part of this place is the staff they are al amazing and friendly! read more

One of my favorite places in Carlsbad, hands down! The Carlsbad Benedict is fantastic

Good but not as good as our first visit a few years ago. My croissant was excellent but they had no orange juice. Every flavor of juice but orange. Oh well. My wife said her cinnamon roll was not as tasty as she remembered and she chalked it up to needing gluten! Haha. Seriously though she said it just wasn't as flavorful and the dough seemed less "puffy" than before. Ok other than that setting is nice. Service is excellent. read more

Friendly staff, delicious food, cute spot with succulents and few fireplaces, really good coffee. It's my go to for breakfast! read more

Best part about this cafe is the huge outdoor patio that offers lots of seating options (especially great for social distancing). Barista was super friendly and gave me drink recommendations. The ambiance of the cafe is nice, but the drinks are not very tasty which is why this cafe is bumped down to 3 stars. Both the iced vanilla latte and the iced chai tea latte were not very flavorful and tasted watered down. Prices are very reasonable for a decent amount of drink. I didn't get the chance to try any of the pastries available but they had a wide variety to choose from. They even have a house specials menu with lots of cool latte options. I'm not a coffee drinker so I didn't try any of these, but they sounded delicious. Average drinks but great outdoor patio and ambiance! read more

Cafe Elysa - Outdoor Patio - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

One of the best spots in the village! It's awesome because despite the great location, the prices are super fair. The food is always super yummy and the coffee is always nice and hot. They hardly have any seating inside, which is fine with me because I'd rather be outside with my pup (there's usually several out there) the staff is also super friendly and helpful. :) read more

Cafe Elysa - Very Dog friendly! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

We only went for coffee but ended up dividing a breakfast special with yummy hash browns! Great prices and great coffee. Nice looking quiche pies, too. Lovely server knew everything! read more

I've tried blueberry muffins at hundreds of places all over the U.S. Elysa serves one I would rate in my top five best. The place is usually busy but employees keep the line moving at a good pace. The ladies that work here are all smiles and service driven.And they are easy on the eyes as a bonus! read more

Just had one of the best omelettes of my life at Cafe Elysa. Fresh basil, some excellent feta. It was perfectly cooked. The fruit on the side was outstanding. Not your usual tired fruit, but fresh banana, blueberries, raspberries, melon, strawberries, etc. We also bought some pastries when we saw how great they looked. Haven't tried those yet, but I predict they will be delicious! read more

Greeted by happy, pleasant cashiers and employees. Food was delicious and their sweets and croissants are all home made there. read more

This place is just awesome . Perfect service , perfect quality , awesome atmosphere , great company and all around homerun ! Cant say enough . Best breakfast of a lifetime . Sat by the fire and enjoyed the fresh ocean air and a few small feathered friends who asked politely for a crumb . Romantic , Enchanting and Inviting ... read more

Cafe Elysa - To begin breakfast and prime the pumps I started with some vanilla tea and danish .. OFF THE CHAIN ! Awesome ! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I had breakfast at Cafe Elusa today. The food is really good and the price is reasonable. The service is excellent. I ordered a matcha iced tea. I didn't like it. Later I found out that it's the real traditional matcha. Duh to me. I am use to Starbucks matcha. So I asked for a refund. They were going to give me the refund and asked if I would like something else instead. I did get a mint tea and they offered me a top off when I left. read more

RUDE!!! Ordered an açaí bowl, and received a Greek yogurt bowl, with zero açaí. Went and told the staff, and was told "you got what you ordered", too bad.... Would never go back or recommend. read more

First time here: Great spot for Sunday morning breakfast and coffee!!! Staff is friendly, and its covered patio seating including some fire pits. Wi-Fi free. I saw someone had 2 small dogs. Also, there are a few tables inside. I think most enjoy the outdoors. Street/traffic noise present but due to location. (On main road) Street parking. Counter order then seat self, they give you a number for the table. Can get to go as well. Credit cards accepted. I had : Carlsbad benedict- delicious! Cafe mocha also delicious-!! Come for coffee with friends and chat, or enjoy some good eats! They have tarts and other baked goodies, including a chocolate dipped meringue which is on my list to try next time!! Definitely recommend you should check out! read more

Cafe Elysa - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Very cute coffee spot. Didn't eat but the place was packed so I have to imagine the food is good. Sat outside, cute little seating area if you're into watching the cars go by. :) Will try again as my coffee was quite lovely. read more

See all

Yummy breakfast on a rainy Christmas. These guys were open at 6 on Christmas Day. We walked across the street from. our hotel and grabbed coffee, yummy quiche, pancakes, bacon and eggs. All boxed to go and served w smiles. read more

Love this place! First thing in the morning you can smell the freshly baking pastries. Their food is well priced for the location and the coffee is delicious! Love all the outdoor seating especially if you have furry friends! read more

Great pastries, especially the almond croissant. Yummy omelets with an option for almost anyone. My son loves their waffles.

Are cops paid to hang out here??? Every time I drive/walk by or go in there are always at least 2 squad cars or motorcycles parked in front (or back) of this small coffee shop on Hwy 101. When I walk my dog I try to stop by here for the gunpowder iced green tea which is magically delicious :) This is also a good place to pick up a fancy dessert for 1-3 people. Their desserts come from the french bakery near Albertson's off of Carlsbad Village Drive. There are fire pits outside right on the 101 for good people watching and most of the time you get a great view of the sunset. The employees here don't seem to enjoy their jobs and have asked me if I knew a place to work on numerous occasions (I hope they don't get in trouble for this because I'm not sure if they work there any more) and it is extremely hot inside of the shop. I'm not sure how clean the place it either....questionable at best. Summary: Do not order food here if at all avoidable (everything is greasy and very so-so in flavor) but do enjoy coffee or tea here, always a safe bet! Also, with all of the police around, you had better be on your best behavior and make sure your tags and insurance are current! read more

Eek! This is a convenient location right off the corner off C-bad Village and the ocean, but I advise you-- Go to Vinaka across the way! I went to Cafe Elysa for lunch with my family and had rotten pinapple served to me and rotten tomato served to my bro. Gross city. It was summer to, so they were in season. Health code violation city, man. The employees here are very dirty going from taking money to making food non-stop. And we sit outside and the tables were all sticky. What an awful experience... read more

i have no Idea why this place has a semi low rating. This place is great! I had their breakfast sandwich with bacon and eggs. YUMMAZING.. the croissant was a pile of golden flakes :). Also had their waffles with starberry it was mediocre, can't complain, I've had better. The Coffee & Teas, has that cute little place taste hehe. Grab a Joe or Tea and see for yourself. read more

Cafe Elysa - Bacon egg and cheese croissant. Simple and delicious. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

See all

omelette bland. Tried the brie cheese but not a fan. Too runny for an omelette IMO. Should be swiss or colby jack. Location was nice and good for a couples outing. My wife ordered eggs soft boiled and they came our hard boiled. Probably won't be back. It's a nice casual place. read more

Love the staff there. Sierra, Erin, Bella, Sean, and all those behind in the kitchen etc all do a good job. Legit French bakery choices from the owner Eric (who is French). Perfect patries and croissants, pies, danish and other sweet treats. My go to is veggie quiche if I feel like eating light, or Carlsbad Benedict - eggs Benedict with bacon (get it crispy) and avocado if I'm goin' big. And yerba matte tea with lemon and honey, or frozen latte if a hot summer day. The very berry salad is awesome and you can get it with chicken (yum). Good burgers too. Often a line, because it's good and in a great location near the beach. Moderate prices. A lot of locals eat here regularly, and a lot of tourists. Dog friendly patio -please keep your dog close- the patio can get busy. read more

What a pleasant place to have lunch. Everyone was so friendly and polite. The food was great! Look forward to eating there again!!

Fabulous place for coffee, fresh out of the oven pastries and full breakfast. This was our daily stop during our mini vacation and we are big fans. Thanks to the staff for all the non-dairy accommodations. read more

Livery good pastries. Has nice patio to sit outside with fire pit. Not sure about their breakfast though