The baristas here are hands down the best! Everyone is incredibly friendly, welcoming, and efficient, making every visit a great experience. This place is definitely a hidden gem. It's tucked inside the apartment community near the mailboxes, so drive or walk slowly or you might miss it. The prices are hard to beat, especially in today's economy. I always order the vanilla latte made with half-and-half and their house-made vanilla syrup, and it's consistently perfect. My order is always accurate, and the coffee is smooth, flavorful, and never disappoints. There is limited indoor seating, but plenty of outdoor seating if you want to relax and enjoy your drink. Between the outstanding customer service, delicious coffee, and unbeatable prices, this spot has earned a loyal customer. If you haven't been yet, do yourself a favor and check it out you won't be disappointed! read more

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Visited a few times now, mostly just when I see special drinks pop up. Watch their socials. I like dark horse coffee just not this location due to convenience issues. There is a small parking lot but it's a little awkward to get into. Mostly street parking. Cars drive pretty fast down the road so playing frogger is a risk. Curb is high, watch when opening the door. Very small shop with limited seating inside and out. More of a grab and go spot. Definitely not a work from the cafe place. Note that all drink sizes come with two espresso shots. You are paying for more milk when getting a larger size. Place wasn't busy when I went and staff were chatting, had to wait at register until they finished their conversation for them to take my order. Drinks were ready quickly. Tried: Haupia Matcha $7 - good I liked the coconut foam. Bananarama $5.50 - good banana flavor. Brioche breakfast sandwich $10 - the egg was cold/middle of sandwich was cold. I asked them to reheat it but they couldn't because I had taken a bite so they had to make a new one. Second one was warm throughout. Wasn't really a fan of the sandwich flavors. Pumpkin latte w/cold foam $7.50 - just okay Champ $6 - was given a hard time about getting this iced. Not sure if it's supposed to be more like a cappuccino? It was okay. read more

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One of my favorite coffee shops in SD!!! You have to try their signature S'Maple (sea salt maple). So smooth and delicious and the perfect milk to espresso ratio! This location is quite small but has some dedicated parking spots in the lot next to it. Service was nothing exceptional but the coffee was delicious. I was in and out quickly on a Sunday afternoon. read more

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It's my visit to a Dark Horse location, I didn't realize there were quite a few. The guys working here were super friendly and we came a few minutes before closing. Cute little shop, outside space to sit and there's a park across the street you can play pickle ball. read more

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Driven by here several times finally spotted in and I'm glad we did . Got the smaple and added shots very good and smooth espresso shots has a nice rich coffee roast to it . Menu is limited and inside isn't very big small area to sit outside that faces a parking lot and a beautiful park . Staff was friendly price was average read more

Dark Horse Coffee Roasters - Front of store - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

This place is terrible! The coffee is 2-stars and I was going to let it go, but $7 for this "burrito", it's the size of a rolled taco, what a complete rip off! I only got the burrito because the breakfast sandwich is disgusting and I wanted to give them a second chance. read more

Dark Horse Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

This coffee shop is located in the border of La Mesa and Lemon Grove and while most will drive right by it and not notice I'm glad I did. Cute lil spot with big flavors and big smiles. The staff were so courteous. Zach who took my order made down suggestions that were spot on, San and Catlin were so quick at getting my champ drink and avo roast, or maybe I talk too much! Will def be coming back read more

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I love having a coffee shop down the street and I was in love with their avocado toast for a while but more often than not I'm left disappointed. Ordered a breakfast sandwich, a cold s'maple coffee and avocado toast this morning and when I got home and took a bite of the toast- it was just soft bread. It wasn't toasted at all. I tried to call to let them know that either toaster wasn't working or they need to toast longer but no answer so I'm now writing a review. The avocado toast looked amazing and everything tasted amazing but the meal was ruined without toasted bread. The crunch of the toast is very important to a breakfast of avocado toast. Otherwise you're just eating an open faced sandwich of avocado and pickled onions. Very disappointing. Very. The iced coffee is always short on ice. I was vacillating on whether to go to The Lunchbox Cafe for a sit-down breakfast or to go grab something yummy and eat at home. Decided to grab something since I wasn't sure of the temp in the restaurant but I think I'll not be frequenting Dark Horse anymore. Too many disappointments. I've written previous reviews of this place regarding food and customer service. So disappointing that it's not awesome. read more

This is the only coffee we buy in our household, and it is top quality. The service is friendly and this location is really clean and modern. I wish they'd bring back their canned nitro coffees regularly, they're GREAT if you can get them. We love supporting a local coffee roaster and are so happy to have them in La Mesa. read more

Stopped in for a coffee before hitting the park. Nice people and cool spot; however - I ordered a straight cap and it was served less than warm. Not sure what happened and how that was possible. read more

Today was my last time visiting this location. Unfortunately, the staff seem to lack basic customer service and common courtesy. The cashier (the man with the mustache) came across as very arrogant and rude -- he didn't smile or show any welcoming attitude at all. It honestly felt uncomfortable interacting with him. The baristas weren't much better. My coffee was mostly milk with barely any coffee flavor, and it tasted pretty bad. When I picked up my drink, I said "thank you," and the barista didn't acknowledge me or even nod. Overall, the experience felt cold and unprofessional. I'd much rather make the drive to the Golden Hill location, where the service is noticeably better. read more

Super nice staff. Super good coffee and super dog friendly. Coffee shops are a luxury for me right now but I will make a point to walk my dog over there a few more times this week before I leave town. read more

I've been to the dark horse about 5 times. The first and last time it was horrible. The times I do come aligns with my kids ortho appt across the street. So most of it was during pumpkin spice season so I knew what I wanted. But the first and last time I wanted to try something new, and the person taking the order was annoyed that I was asking them for advice. All I asked was what are the favorites here. He came back with "I don't know what you like". I do come in with kids and they all get something and then we leave. My kid who is autistic actually spoke up and explained to him that I was asking "what do people usually order?", but then I told my son it was okay. I ended up with a vanilla latte and it was okay, made with mostly milk. I do enjoy the pumpkin spice here more than Starbucks but I don't think I will come back. The customers are nice and they allow dogs inside even the big ones, which is nice. I like how easy it is that it's directly across the street from the orthodontist and the park, but I probably won't come back. read more

I love this location and even more since they added the parking at the side! It's a quick stop off the 94, and such yummy smooth coffee. If you're an OG I will say I miss the "skinny donuts" the new ones just aren't the same. However, there summer season Aloha Latte is life giving! Hello Hawaii vibes! Dark Horse workers are always so San Diego nice too. Very "How's your day" not in a hurry chill. If you haven't been to a dark horse coffee, you're missing out. This isn't like crappy chain coffee, it's the legit stuff. However, they will still do a pup cup for your doggo. This location is super dog friendly! read more

Dark Horse Coffee Roasters - Pup cup for the birthday girl - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

The espresso they use is amazing!! me and my boyfriend come here whenever we get coffee and they are always so friendly and get our order perfectly everytime! Shout out to all the wonderful staff members!! read more

Went here for the first time yesterday & loved the coffee! The space was very small, but it still felt very comfortable & relaxing. The workers were so friendly, even when I knocked over all their lidsDefinitely coming back to try more of their flavors of coffee!! read more

They have 2 degsinated parking in the lot, but there was def enough street parking around. Well, when I went on a Wednesday morning. The shop is right across the school/park and like those little under condo shops that you can miss if you're not looking for it. The staff was super quick and helpful! The drinks weren't as strong a I'd like a coffee to be, but ehh. Donuts were okay as well, but they are vegan! read more

Dark Horse Coffee Roasters - Parking - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Dark horse is always reliable, and this neighborhood location is no different. Food Vanilla latte (5/5) Avocado toast (5/5) Service I don't think any other location makes their drinks faster. Fantastic and efficient service. Ambiance Limited seating inside, chill stools to hang outside or good spot to grab coffee and stroll at the park! See you soon! read more

If you're a coffee fanatic like me, it's first about the beans and always about the vibe. I'm not mainly fond of the roast at DH, and this is not the reason for the single star. There are things I like, the vegan pastries and the location is very convenient. However, the service is terrible! This is not the first time we've experienced rude service at this location by this female server; I've finally had enough. We visited on St. Patrick's Day this past Sunday. The store closes at 4:00, and we arrive around 3:45! My wife ordered a double iced espresso and was told, "We don't have espresso and have shut down the machine. Wait, what? DON'T HAVE ESPRESSO! You're a coffee shop! My wife was taken off guard, and I guess I won't get anything. Without blinking, the server approached my daughter and asked what she wanted. ( she couldn't be bothered. This behavior isn't nice! Service like this is not uncommon at this location. I don't get why my girls continue to come here other than they enjoy the roast. I'm guessing one could argue it was ST. Paddy's, and they wanted to leave early. OK, at least be nice. Right after, another patron came in and was given the same story by the other server ( gentlemen), who was at least friendly. If you're open till 4:00, Fifteen minutes can't make that much of a difference in your closing routine. From time to time, the product will be a miss. But there is no excuse ever to be rude. read more

Feels like a kind of random location, but great if you're one of the people that lives in the adjacent apartments! They have about three dedicated stalls for Dark Horse patrons. I am a big matcha latte drinker and my only gripe is that their matcha comes pre-mixed with sugar, so you can't get it unsweetened. It does taste absolutely delicious, but that's probably thanks to all the sugar in it. If you're wanting to enjoy a pastry, come early, as they are usually sold out by noon. Love having a local option to frequent instead of Starbucks, so recommend stopping in here instead! read more

Just thought I'd give a shoutout to the employees that work at this location! First of all, the coffee and the avocado toast (not pictured because I ate it ) was SO good. But secondly, they had a lady that had been very rude, annoying other customers with her shouting, and literally told them to bring the coffee to her (around the counter) because she could be bothered. They were super nice and friendly despite how they were being treated. True customer service even when the respect was reciprocated. Definitely going back! read more

Dark Horse Coffee Roasters - Honey cinnamon latte (champ) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

Yes, the place is inside of an attached building. I also provided a photo for the signs that allow you to park in specific areas. This place is cute & quaint! Really appreciate the cleanliness of this place and the aesthetics of how industrial and minimal the decor is. A quick stop by and you'll keep coming back! The baristas are super friendly, great attitudes and make the place very welcoming. All in all, the coffee is great! The cappuccino is perfect and the favorite Vanilla Latte (with Oat Milk) was smooth. 4/5 first impression. 5/5 cleanliness. 4/5 coffee. read more

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They were super nice! It's a really cute little spot and the chai was super good. I would definitely recommend this place. I wish I could keep it to myself but it's just too cute to. read more

Service Super friendly and helpful I ordered a :Dirty pumpkin Which I might have to come back for more ... I can definitely Taste espresso which is great .! Cocoa drizzle powder A side of -Pumpkin loaf Which as very good! Not too sugary but you can taste the Powder sugar glaze that had Pumpkin seeds on top ! Decor Is sooo cute ! Halloween approved read more

Okay. A coffee shop is a coffee shop... right? Except when it's Dark Horse. Loved it. Made a superb cider and chai latte. Good drinks. Great staff. read more

Dark horse has a special place in my heart. I love their other locations and love all of the coffees I've had from them. I buy their beans to use in between visits so I can have their coffee at home as well. The workers are always so nice! read more

I have been to this coffee shop multiple times and it's always been pleasant visits. The coffee has never disappointed me. The location itself is small. It's a grab your coffee and go type of location. The baristas have always been helpful and nice. They have street parking and disagnated parking on the side which is nice as well. read more

Coffee/espresso is top tier in the area. Very smooth and robust espresso flavor. They make their own dirty chai sweetener which is the best in the area, highly recommend. The inside ambiance is definitely a grab n go kinda place, not much seating and not great for meeting with friends. Very friendly staff. read more

Dark Horse roasters is doing coffee right from the drip coffee to cold brew, seasonal lattes, cortados to their tea scene. I ordered the Salted Maple Latte with almond milk, which was not overly sweet but smooth, nutty and luxurious with a hint of the salt popping through at the end. My husband ordered his usual iced vanilla latte with almond milk. Both were delicious. Pick up a bag of beans, grab one of their churro donuts with a coffee and hang out on the patio for a while. read more

Dark Horse Coffee Roasters - Maple latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

As a self-proclaimed matcha latté connoisseur, I believe Dark Horse offers the best iced matcha oat latte in San Diego and in the whole world! It's always mixed well and has just the right balance of matcha, milk and sweetness. Also, their vegan strawberry vanilla protein chia parfait is out of this world! I need more! Their vegan donuts are also delicious. Not a fan of cake but these aren't as dense; rather, they're softer, lighter, fluffier. read more

The customer service here is blah. I'm back and forth between dark horse and starbucks. Dark horse coffee better, but customer service is spot on with starbucks. Parking a little tight depending on what time you go. But yeah dark horse employees need a little pick me up!! read more

I keep coming back because the coffee is great, but unfortunately, every time I visit, the customer service is consistently disappointing. The staff are rude and unwelcoming, which makes it hard to enjoy the experience. I really love the coffee, but the poor service might eventually drive me elsewhere. read more

On 8/17/25, I went to the Dark Horse coffee bar and requested a straight Mocha and Macchiato. The cashier/barista did not ask if hot was preferred, I tend to think that is like a default setting. The first order I received was a hot Macchiato and iced Mocha. I asked for the Mocha to be hot as well. The second time, I heard a shout out for iced Mocha with Almond Milk. I told the same barista I wanted 'hot, hot, no ice, no Almond Milk Mocha.' I repeated myself since she seemed preoccupied. Third attempt, I receied a hot Mocha with Almond Milk.. Another woman asked if I was sure (that I knew what I wanted). I was sure that I would never return. I took the drink, which was gorss. For $12, the Dark Horse served me Horsesh*t on a day when I was craving good coffee. read more

Love their coffee and pastries. You cannot go wrong with this location as well. Service is friendly and fast and the vibes are always good.

If I could choose a location to go to this would not, be it. We love Dark Horse Coffee, but this location isn't the most pleasant. The woman is nice overall but Shes always behind the scenes making the coffees. The gentlemen sometimes does not even respond when you're approaching the register with simple morning gestures. I did not think much of it until my husband said he had a similar interaction. The location sometimes is hard to park but every time we have come, someone is leaving so it's worked out. I appreciate the vegan donuts because that is always consistent unless sold out. Dark horse is overall great coffee but just this location is not as nice as the others. read more

It was okay.... The food was good. No donuts to be found unfortunately. My avocado toast was good though. My boyfriend got a breakfast sandwich with sausage and he wasn't a huge fan of it. He pointed out that it's a turkey sausage and not very hot. The coffee was okay. The entire time we were there, we felt like a huge inconvenience to them. The place itself is really small. I wish there was more seating inside. I did see a bathroom though. Probably wouldn't go out of my way to go there again. read more

Dark Horse Coffee Roasters - Left: chia parfait (vegan) right: dragonfruit vegan protein bowl. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

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When we first relocated to San Diego from New Orleans, we would stop at dark horse every weekend. Their selection of donuts (if you're early enough to be so lucky) never disappoint. I recommend the vanilla latte with their house made vanilla. My hubs always gets the chocolate latte. Depending on the location you might have a bit of a wait but I highly recommend you stop in and get some coffee and cute swag on your way out! read more

Came here after a great hike early in the am at cowless. Off top, great service Landis took my order and made me a recommended drink. I really enjoyed it ! Thank you Landis ! I will come back. G read more

I remember apartment hunting not too long ago and noticed that it on the bottom level of an apartment complex, there was a dark horse coffee right there! How elite, right? The setting kind of reminds you of downtown, but it a suburb kind of way if that makes sense. Anyway, there's plenty of street parking to go in and get your coffee. I ordered the champ, which has honey and cinnamon in it-it's pretty good, I do recommend it. It was just a little pricey, in my opinion. I'm not sure when they open, but the staff seemed a little tired, lol, but other than that very nice. read more

Dark Horse Coffee Roasters - The champ-medium-iced - Coffee & Tea Near Me - La Mesa, California

The service was terrible.. very rude person at the cashier.. I was looking forward to visiting Dark Horse.. sharing coffee with my friend.. I will not be back .. After speaking with the management they took responsibility for my experience.. in a very professional manner.. I will give them another chance as I want to support local businesses in La Mesa.. read more