Beautiful space! Staff was extremely friendly and working hard!…read more Came to try out their drinks but ended up ordering food as well! Steak and frittes were decent. Steak was cooked perfectly, frittes could use some work. My friend had the poke and cleaned his plate (bowl?). Tried the matcha berries & cream which was nice. I also got an iced jasmine with a vanilla cloud (cold foam?). Very yummy and great to sip on while soaking in the great ambiance. It was pretty busy when I arrived on Tuesday late afternoon, but we were still able to snag a table pretty quickly. I'll be back :)

Salty horse, I hate how much I crave you...especially when I need something quick…read more It's one of the newer coffee shop / cafes in Costa Mesa and is still on the Hot List as the line is 15 min minimum on random Tuesday at 11 am. (Does anyone work anymore!? ) The longest I waited was an hour but that was 3 weeks after opening. And I can tell you, as long as you have the time it will be worth it. The overall aesthetic is coastal cowboy meets rustic modern. There is a ton of seating with a great outdoor patio. Parking in the back is pretty slim, so your best bet is street parking. You can either get lucky or park around the block, depending on the day / time. My absolute favorite coffee is the Hawaiian Cowboy. It flavor profile is a nutty tasting honey that's refreshing yet not overly sweet. You can actually taste the espresso without it being too powerful. This coffee is worth the wait. Their other drinks are also good, but this one takes the cake. They have a pretty expansive food menu as well, so it's much more than "just a coffee shop". And you can't forget about their baked goods. O M G. It's from a local bakery (sift bakery) who makes the best non basic treats around. Salty horse found its place at the top of my list in a very saturated coffee market.

The food here was warm and exactly as described. Seasonal drinks, we got the iced lavender…read moreblueberry matcha. I also tried the iced churro latte. Staff was fantastic, friendly and efficient They have indoor and outdoor seating. Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4.8/5

UPDATED REVIEW (see bottom) 5 to 3 stars…read more My favorite hangout and work spot. This is where I come for-- well just about everything, at least 2-3 times a week! Coffee, tea, breakfast, a chill place to read, or a counter top to sit and focus on work. It's my default cafe spot. The staff are excellent, always on top of it and friendly. There is no obligation for anyone to remember my name or get to know me or my usual order, but they do and it's very much appreciated and noticed. They'll always take care of you and make sure you're happy with your order and your experience. They are always attentive and professional. Kitchen staff are *chefs kiss* really good at what they do. Always hot and fresh and work hard to get the orders out and at 100% their best. Never had a wrong order, even during peak hours. Met a few new faces here and it's nice to always feel like this is a community watering hole. If it's busy and the line is long they have iPads to help ease the flow of traffic. Parking is a bit tight but the valet staff do a pretty good job of regulating the flow and other people are usually pretty good about the 10 min parking. I love the turkey sandwich here and the eggs Benedict-- both are a weekly must for me now. UPDATED PORTION: THEY ARE CUTTING PORTIONS AND CHARGING THE SAME. I just ordered the turkey sandwich melt as I usually do and the portion size was seriously lacking. It's usually an actual sandwich but I've noticed today that it was much much smaller. It was more like two halves of a finger sandwich, and I finished it in less than 3 full bites. Will not be ordering again if this is how they're cutting costs and making their customers pay the difference. While a member of the staff did at least reimburse me for the sandwich, I'm still hungry and wish I had the sandwich that I ordered and would have gladly paid the 17 dollars it costs, for it. Having worked as a barista myself at expensive/ritzy coffee houses-- this one beats them all for sure. 6/5 stars

matcha was good but hojicha was genuinely so buns take this off the menu ive had good hojicha and…read morethis tasted like straight mud why even sell this?? still drank it tho #antifoodwaste its so bad tho get the matcha not this terrible concoction

I've now been to both The Nook in Costa Mesa and Torrance and I can confidently say... I get the…read morehype. At the Costa Mesa location, parking was a little tricky at first, but after circling we got lucky with a corner spot. The location itself is SO cute! It's right next to colorful barrel fountains, and on a sunny day it honestly felt like the perfect coffee outing. The line was pretty long and you are standing in direct sun, so just keep that in mind, but the service was quick and efficient once you order. Inside, it's small but really charming, with Sunny Angels hidden around and a very open, friendly vibe. My sister (who is basically a professional coffee drinker at this point ) got the matcha and said it was her favorite, which says a lot. I got the iced Spanish latte with oat milk, and it was SO good. Spanish lattes are my go-to, and this one had the perfect hint of cinnamon without being overly sweet. Even as the ice melted, it still tasted great, which is rare. The Torrance location was just as good! Parking was easier, the space is bigger, and the service was still super friendly and fast. My husband got the cold brew "Nook way" and finished it in like 10 minutes. He said it tasted like Golden Grahams cereal. Highly recommend both locations and especially the Spanish latte. Definitely worth the visit!

You NEED to come here for the tuna toast and the avocado toast. I'm not exaggerating, it's gonna be…read morethe best you've ever had. The level of detail they put into these is insane. The tuna toast comes with this Thai sweet chili rice crisp on top, and every single element is balanced to perfection. I was genuinely addicted lol. Honestly it's a whole meal in itself, so come hungry or split it with someone. The drinks are just as good. I got the pistachio latte and it was not too sweet at all, so if you're like me and you don't want your coffee tasting like dessert, this is the one. They also do pour overs which I love to see, and you can tell the beans are good quality. The interior is gorgeous, service was amazing, and I'm already planning my next visit. Highly highly recommend.

Menu has been revamped! I like how the Pistachio Latte is not too sweet, but the pistachio flavor…read moregot a little lost once it met the coffee. Would love a bit more nutty punch to really make it shine. Staff are warm and smiley, happily offer recommendations, and quickly make drinks. The interior is aesthetic with lots of guests studying. Looks like a promising refresh for the cafe ~ I just need that pistachio to speak up :)

I usually love coming to sidecar because of their delicious donuts but I was very disappointed…read morewith the service I received today. It was 10 min before closing & idk if the girls were just rushing to close down but one girl in particular had an attitude. There was a miscommunication / misunderstanding with the girl who took my coffee order (I had assumed the seasonal banana latte came with the foam as pictured & because she didn't ask if I wanted the foam, I didn't ask for it more-so bc she asked if I wanted the brittle on top). When they handed me my drink it was a plain banana latte with no foam or brittle. I was ignored when I tried calling for the barista until another girl followed up - however this girl had an attitude. She told me that I must not have ordered it since they ask at the register if I want foam with brittle. Explained they didn't ask. Instead she just said "sorry I'll let them know for next time". And walked away leaving me with my drink as is. Didn't offer any sort of resolution. I walked in and asked they could charge me extra for the foam. The same girl with the attitude remade my drink and handed it to me. No thank you, no sorry, nothing. First time experiencing this kind of service. Not sure if the girl is new but saw someone else share a similar experience couple days ago. Wish I would have asked for her name!

Sidecar never ever misses and they have me hooked with their seasonal flavors. They have the best…read moredonuts, and I'm not even a donut person. I specifically LOVE their cake donuts. I could go on and on about them... seriously. This time we had to come try their collab with Cake Picnic, which was the golden hour grey donut. Let me tell you, it was bomb.com. The orange flavor was phenomenal and I have no notes. We also got the strawberry donut and hot chocolate with almond milk, both obviously very good as well. It was my first time getting the hot chocolate and I was honestly surprised with how yummy it was. It was not too chocolatey and not too milky. It was the perfect balance and the perfect pairing with the donuts.

I decided to check this place on a whim since I was in the area! And this place didn't disappoint…read more They don't play about their coffee. Stepping in, the cafe has a lot of seating and I can see how it'd be nice to study in. I ordered Kashimiri Chai and the drink was so light and the cardonom really shines through. Their banana pudding is DIVINE, it is on the sweeter side but it's homemade and you fs tell! They also make their syrups in houseee! I tried the House chai but I ended up prefering the Kashimiri Chai! I'll def be coming back for more since the staff kept raving about their coffee. Sarah and Patrick were the sweetest! Service was top tier, so friendly! and they gave me reccomendations based on my taste. I wasn't familiar with the menu and they gently guided me through my questions.

My boyfriend and I were fiending for some coffee at around 9 PM. You know how OC goes. No coffee…read moreshops open past like 7. Not gonna lie, we were a little skeptical about the quality for it being this late but we checked it out anyways. The verdict is in. This place rocks. I got the banana bread latte (half sweet). Really enjoyed that. Boyfriend got Spanish latte and he was amazed. Our coffees weren't too sweet. No acidity. Just a good cup of coffee. Customer service was great. They were very communicative and just made you feel at home. Ambience is also great. They have a lot of indoor and outdoor seating. I will definitely be back to work at this little coffee club. Thanks, Chailo

Stopped by In-Sit Coffee and tried the new Cloud 9 series, specifically the matcha with Biscoff,…read moreand honestly I really liked it. I'm pretty picky with matcha because a lot of places make it either too sweet or too earthy, but this one was balanced really well. Smooth, creamy, and flavorful without feeling heavy. The Biscoff topping was a really nice touch too. Also wanted to shout out Eugene and Sean. Both were super welcoming and easy to talk to, and they took the time to explain the new series they launched instead of just handing over the drink and moving on. You can tell they actually care about what they're putting out. The whole place has a really clean aesthetic and the drinks look just as good as they taste. Definitely one of the better coffee spots I've been to lately and I'll for sure be back to try more from the menu.

This is a local favorite…read more I typically go here for a good matcha latte. They have a variety of matcha and coffee drinks and yummy pastries for offer. They can alter the sweetness on drinks too. My only hang up is it can get pricey for a drink if you sub the milk or ask for a custom drink (anywhere between $8-$11). Parking can also be tight here during peak hours as there is also a great ramen spot in the same complex. Other than that, good spot for catching up, studying, or popping in.

Drink :5/5 Barista service: 5/5…read more Ambiance: 5/5 I recommend it Plenty of space Has private parking space

The store is really cute when I walked in. They had a mini board games for people to play and many…read moredifferent chairs and seating available for customers. I got the Matcha latte with no sugar and whole milk. It was decent nothing I would write home, but it was still pretty good for six dollars. In addition the staff are friendly prepared my drinks in about 3 to 5 minutes. Parking can get busy in the lot due to other restaurants

Chai latte 5/5 Barista service :5/5…read moreAmbiance: 5/5 I recommend it They do not have internet connection .

Decided to treat myself to another cup of coffee while I was in the area. There's not many coffee…read moreshop roasters around me, so I was really excited to try Kean Coffee. Parking: Free parking lot. They're located in a busy plaza, so finding a parking spot can be a hit or miss. Ambiance/Environment: They have a small space with a decent amount of indoor and outdoor seating. I visited on a Sunday afternoon, and it was very busy. All indoor and outdoor tables were filled. Great spot to get some work done or a simple coffee date. Service: The cashier at the register was nice. Throughput was quick & efficient after ordering. They also sell their own coffee beans. There's a great selection of pastries and parfaits for a quick breakfast. Drinks: I love their story of sourcing and roasting their own beans. They offer a great range of coffee. I'm a latte girly, so I decided to try the Caffe Napoli Latte. This had hazelnut and white chocolate. It was definitely on the sweeter end, but wow this tasted amazing! Even though it was sweet, the espresso still came through. Pricing: They have four different sizes - 8 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz, and 20 oz. Prices are as expected. I'd definitely visit again when I'm in the area!

My first impression of the cafe was that it looks and feels like a quaint house. When I walked in,…read moreit felt like I was in a house from a coming of age movie. The baristas were very kind and welcoming. I saw lots of seating and also peeped seating outside as I looked for the bathroom. The bathroom was very clean and beautifully decorated, which I really appreciate in a coffee shop. :) I ordered the rosemary caramel latte hot and a morning roll. I closed my eyes for the first sip and was so happy about how smooth the foam was. The rosemary flavor came through first, then it was softened by the sweetness of the caramel. It paired very nicely with the slight orange flavor of the morning bun. I am usually a sipper but I drank it quite quickly, which is usually a good indicator that I absolutely love the drink. I was tempted to stay for longer, but had to go because the parking lot has 5 minute spots. I will definitely be back for more! :)

The Neat One with housemade vanilla syrup: 3/5. This was an ok iced latte. Kinda milky, almost…read morebland, but I did taste a subtle vanilla flavor. It wasn't super sweet, though I would've enjoyed it more if it had more flavored syrup and/or a stronger coffee presence. The barista who took my order was chipper and patient. Since straws were apparently behind the counter since they haven't gotten around to restocking the self-service area, I requested one for my iced latte. Those straws weren't individually wrapped, so it grossed me out when the barista handed one to me with her bare hands. It's a cute shop with minimalist, modern vibes. Barely any parking there, so we parked a block away and walked over to its little nook. They also sell a variety of roasted beans, and we liked the Pantan Sinaku Indonesia beans from Dune Coffee Roasters. If I were to come back, I'd try the Shakerato, as it seems to be consistently crowd-pleasing.