Absolutely love this Lestat's location! It stays open late, the coffee is excellent, and the vibe is immaculate. I've always enjoyed the service as well--every worker there is super cool, and they've always worked with me to customize my order to my specific liking. I can't recommend this spot enough! read more

Love the vibe here. Come as you are. Enjoy your time! Today my friend and I came to do some art--she was working with colored pencils and I was crocheting. It was the perfect place for it! Also, I got a decaf coffee and lemon bar which was divine. Service was great! I'll surely be back! read more

Lestat's Hillcrest - Art day with a friend - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

The place is okay. It's a good place to come in and work any time with access to outlets. The service is usually pretty good in my experience and I've never had a problem. The food is alright, but not great. I never feel like I have to hurry up and go, which I really appreciate, but there are some downsides. The place is really dirty. It's like the windowsills and floors never get cleaned or something. And the bathroom is pretty gross. I appreciate the gender inclusive aspect of it, but the execution isn't great. Most of the places I've gone that have gender inclusive restrooms either have one stall bathrooms or have large multi-stall bathrooms that are open to the rest of the establishment. This one is just like a closed off bathroom with two dirty stalls. I don't feel particularly safe going into the same closed bathroom space with cis men who rarely seem to wash their hands or flush the toilet. It's just gross and uncomfortable. 10/10 for intent. 2/10 for execution. read more

Feels like a purgatory between the everyday working class citizen and the average unhoused person, coffee is cheap and fine. Homeless guy peed his pants on the floor while I was there. Would go back for the cheap coffee. It's an acquired unexplainable hipster hippie aesthetic that a slight few can understand and appreciate. read more

to be fair, my friends and i did not know that we had to purchase from the menu to study in this cafe. HOWEVER, the individual who kicked us out (who i assume is the manager) was extremely rude and lacked any professional customer service skills. when he (a white man) was telling us to buy something or get out, he only looked at me (an asian person) the ENTIRE TIME and barely glanced at my other white-passing friends. we were not causing any scenes at all and were peacefully working on our laptops. he came with such attitude and said that "if you don't buy anything then we don't have a table for you." meanwhile, the cafe was not even half full. ultimately, this felt EXTREMELY racially motivated and unprofessional for a simple mistake. DO NOT COME HERE IF YOU ARE A PERSON OF COLOR read more

They're open 24 hrs. So it's a great place for a late night or study. The furniture and seating placement can make it kind of sketchy. The food was good. However my croissant sandwich was very deconstructed...still delicious. read more

Lestat's Hillcrest - Be prepared to put your sandwich back together. Toppings are all over the place but it was still delicious - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Classic Lestat's if you wanna get some studying done. Plenty of outlets and the WiFi was fast. It was quiet on a Saturday afternoon, so there were plenty of seats. I had the snickers drink on ice with oat milk. It wasn't too bad, and the service was good. Overall, it's not my first choice when it comes to coffee, but I'd definitely come back to study. Don't get me wrong, I'll still order drinks and maybe a pasty next time though. read more

Lestat's Hillcrest - Saturday afternoon studies - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Came here after lunch for a latte. They had a massive menu for drinks, I had to put my glasses on since the text was so small. Luckily the man working noticed and handed me a paper which had their menu listed. I decided to get their $6.52 Iced Snickers Latte, I figured with the chocolate and the hazelnut in it-- it wouldn't be as sweet. Although, it still was pretty sweet imo -- I wouldn't ask for less syrup though since the flavors were super subtle. If I asked for less, I might as well get a plain latte! It also contained espresso and caramel. I asked for here, but it was serve in plastic cup so maybe it's only hot drinks that get served in ceramic ware. But the receipt did say Mug/Glass on it ... not sure what happened. Price is under $7 for a specialty latte which is always nice! The last time I came to Lestat's I tried their Iced Irish Monkey (Espresso, Banana, Irish Cream, Chocolate) and thought the flavors were really light. I would have liked more banana oomph or Irish cream! There's plenty of indoor seating (it's just spaced oddly) and they even have an upstairs seating area. But I didn't go check it out in case it was filled up and I would have to make the awkward trek back down. They do have an outdoor space, but I didn't see any tables and chairs out for some reason. The guys working were really kind and had loud voices which is great because I have not so great hearing. Fun music. Would come back here again and they are open late which is nice. Next time maybe I'll try their Iced Funky Monkey (Banana, Coconut, Espresso, White Chocolate) or the Iced Cherry Bianca (Espresso, Cherry, White Chocolate, and Almond). Lots of people were here on their laptop, reading books, creating art, having conversations, etc. A space that welcomes all, just be sure to grab something to drink or eat! They have a biggg food menu. read more

Lestat's Hillcrest - Iced Snickers Signature Drink, $6.52 (Espresso, Hazelnut, Caramel, Chocolate) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I usually go with my friend to study for our exams, and it's a really great place to study and really learn and take time out of your day to lock in. Conner was super great with positive energy and great service. I love the dirty chair latte and it was alright but the cheese danish was also good and my friend liked her sandwich. read more

Lestat's Hillcrest - Compliment jar - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Great spot with delicious coffee and food items. One of my favorite coffee spots. Love the peppermint patty which is expresso latte with peppermint and chocolate. Service is great. Friendly workers. Spot is Egyptian themed. They close pretty late around midnight. They have pizza which is delicious. My favorite is the pesto pizza. They have vegan/vegetarian options. They have quiet study rooms upstairs which are private. People upstairs are studying and quiet. Downstairs is a busy cafe. read more

Nestled between the best LGBTQ dance clubs/ high energy bars in San Diego is Lestat's Hillcrest. I have gone to this spot more then a handful of times in the over the past few years. It's 2 floors with an eclectic look - movie posters & Egyptian designs on the 1st floor. Here there is a full service cafe bar & kitchen that makes delicious pizza! The 2nd floor is ultra cool to me. The entrance of the stairs is hidden behind a bookshelf door. You are greeted @ the top of the stairs by a life size Anubis. There are different kinds of seatings, small tables, bigger tables & booths. En route to restroom there is an enclosed room that seems to actually isolate music & loud conversations. There are many working electrical outlets to charge your devices. The free Wifi connection is awesome. Definitely a great place for studying or that meeting the O.L.D. match safely (wink*). Afterwards you can dance @ Rich's or Flicks. "GOT A MEETING IN THE LADIES ROOM" - The restroom is decent, its clean that's what matters. It's not a ladies room though its an unisex bathroom. As long as everyone is potty trained there shouldn't be an issue. read more

See all

This place has great ambiance to get work done. Excellent location, nice food and teas. Everyone has been nice. This is a favorite work spot. read more

Poor service....i was the only customer and the server told me I had to wait for my order (20 mins) because he's expecting a group coming in, even though no one was there read more

Lestat's is one of my regular spots. It's usually filled with people working or studying, so it has a nice, focused vibe. The food and desserts are consistently good. I almost always go for a chai latte, which is excellent, so I can't speak to their coffee. It can get busy in the afternoons, but there's plenty of space--I can usually find a table whether alone or with friends without much trouble. read more

Matcha latte was very grainy. Also the taste was very milky/watered down so did not taste like a normal matcha latte. read more

Lestat's Hillcrest - Matcha latte was super grainy - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Lestats is cool because it's got lots of seating and is open late, which is perfect for students and people who want a late night study session. Coffee-wise, it's not fantastic, but also not bad at all. There's lots and lots of options on the menu for drinks, so everyone can find something that they like. read more

Music is too loud! I suppose the food and coffe are fine... The staff flipped me off too. Who is being hired to work here? San Diego do better? Wtsf?!? read more

Came here before on a Sunday night around 8pm to get work done. It was booming. Lots of people here. Bring headphones because nobody wants to hear your convo and also there was quite a bit of noise. I revisited on a Wednesday afternoon around 1pm and it was about a quarter full. I ordered a pup cup for my dog and a Funky Monkey for me which had banana, espresso, coconut, and white chocolate. I think the white chocolate masked the flavor of the other flavors. It was kinda too sweet which is surprising because I generally love sweet things. Drinks comes in 12-16-20 ounces. A cup generally costs between 6 and 10 bucks. I haven't had the food but it generally costs around 15 dollars and it looks okay. The staff are quick and sorta friendly. The energy was alright. Plenty of seating both upstairs and downstairs and a few outside. Brought my ESA. They seem dog friendly in general though. read more

See all

Love that they're open late. I tend to come here to study and get some motivation but I don't really care for their coffee as much. Their food is decent and they're usually quick to dish it out. I will say they keep is really warm inside but the patio is a nice place to study as well. They even have an upstairs that I've heard about that I plan to check out next time. read more

Great spot. Lestats is a must stop every time we are in San Diego. This location is a little less enjoyable than the Normal Heights location, but the coffee and the service from the staff are still top notch. The patio just isn't as dreamy with the buses going by and the sidewalk smelling like hot garbage. read more

Lestat's Hillcrest - Cherry Bianco (16 oz.) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I don't know how this place stays open. I like to come and work from here for a little bit, but literally no one is working the counter. This is the second time I've come here and there is no staff to help. I couldn't get a drink and I was not the only one. I sat here and watched half a dozen other people not get served too. I get that they may be understaff, but get it together. read more

Love the hours for a late night place to crank through some reading, school or work. The staff is friendly. If they only hired cleaning staff I'd come here more frequently. The dust on a lot of surfaces is quite thick and the bathrooms are horribly dirty otherwise this place would be 5 stars. read more

My favorite coffee shop! I come here all the time and I love the food, coffee, and ambiance.

Today we needed to get away from the kids to enjoy some time to think and work a little before our dinner reservation at 7:15pm. We actually looked up "Places to work on computer" on Google and landed on Lestats. We literally wanted a place to sit and work on our computers. We also wanted to maybe enjoy a little coffee and a snack. Lestats delivered. We weren't really hungry or looking for a meal. We actually just had a cold cup of water and a lemon bar. It was big enough for two to share. The WiFi is fast, the lemon bar was sweet and delicious. We stayed for about 2 hrs working in a cool, calm, clean environment. There are also plenty of open seats. If you are in San Diego, CA and want A cool place to work on your computer, unbothered, we recommend Lestats. We see it is also open 24/7 too! Cool! Thanks, Ashley & Lindsey Head read more

3 strikes and you are out First time I came I got a sandwich and they left the plastic on the cheese, cooked it, and served it to me. I ended up taking a bite of hot plastic Second time was tonight, it was the only place open to get some work done at this hour, so I went to the one on Adam's Ave. The guy who worked there was so negative and complaining about how a crazy guy came in and flipped over a table, so he's closing down early and and to go to Hillcrest because he's not serving food and he's so over it all... if I owned a cafe and my employee was speaking that way and turning people away I'd fire him in a second So I go to hillcrest and ask what kind of mushrooms are on the pizza and the worker A) had no idea and B) decided to give a snarky reply, "whatever kind of mushrooms are normally on pizza" Not to mention they give me a to go cup when I want to sit down I went against my better judgment by coming back tonight. Never again will I make that mistake read more

I can always count on the team here to get my coffee needs met in the evenings. I've had nothing but great experiences with the staff members, and have surprisingly always found parking nearby. On days I left the hospital late at night, Lestats helped me make it home read more

I love their funky monkey drink, it's so buss and I love their avocado toast. Also Brent is THE G. Very down to earth and chill. read more

Lestat's Hillcrest - Avocado Toast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Food was amazing and cheap, the owner saw my friend was throwing up and gave me a bag and water. 10/10

Cool name, large selection of drinks, decent products and homelessness abound. Ordered a couple coffee beverages and they were so so, nothing to write home (or Yelp) about. Ordered a hot sandwich that took 30 minutes to get. Apparently they make the food and when it's ready stick it on some random countertop near the kitchen for you to have to listen for your name called one time to pick up. The place is quite large with an outdoor area too, so ever hearing your name called for when the food is ready...good luck. Hot tuna melt was lukewarm when we finally asked about our food order and were nonchalantly directed via finger point to the obscure "food ready window." What a joke. Homeless residents of University congregate on their outside dining patio area. Area smells like it too, despite the vagabonds leaving hours earlier in the day. It's pretty filthy outside. All in all, save your time and money and go to Starbucks, as much as it pains me to say it. At least your order will be made by someone who cares about repeat business and overall experience will be better than average. Like I said, great name, horrible experience. read more

Great service and nice staff. We sit and play cards in a comfortable atmosphere. Delicious treats and snacks. Food.

Food is fine. Nothing too special. If you're working on stuff there it's good in a fix, but I would not go out of my way to eat here. Their pastries are definitely better than their sandwiches. Though service is nice, they are incredibly slow and unresponsive. I stood at the register for 15 minutes while being ignored. Eye contact was even made. Maybe this is just the vibe of the place, it was my first time getting food here. I would have left if I hadn't already ordered over the phone. read more

The bars are always really funny and I like the environment. Sometimes their pizza is a little bad and they are croissants. Kind of taste chewy but the coffee is good and so are they sandwiches. I like that they're open late. It's one of my favorite things. I wish that the upstairs was open later though. read more

Why do your restrooms always smell like urine? Do the restrooms get cleaned regularly ?

Roomy, quiet and has a good selection of drinks. Lestat's seems like a nice place to come with a group or come on your own to get some work done. It was kind of quiet when I went, but it was a comfortable kind of quiet. I went up to the counter and ordered a kale caesar salad and iced marty palmer (OJ + iced tea). The drink was out almost immediately and my salad took about 10 minutes to assemble, so I sat a table and waited. Felt embarrassed not knowing if they were gonna bring me the salad or if I wait at the counter, so I asked the barista lol. He let me know that they shout out the order names when food is ready to serve and it can be picked up in the back by the kitchen. The salad was REALLY good! It was also a lot bigger than it looks in my pic, so it filled me up! I gobbled it all down and I'm dreaming of the next time I can eat one from here again. The drink however...I would not recommend. It tasted very watered down and bitter. There was no sweetness from the OJ so I really didn't like it :/ read more

Lestat's Hillcrest - Inside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Most awful dirty coffee shop I've ever entered. Place is never clean, bathrooms look & smell worse than the nasty Balboa Park bathrooms, after all the homeless, bathrooms are multi-gender use, which is uncomfortable since they force you to share with whomever... and some unknown my be pooping next to you. Additionally, their dishes pans, etc are never clean, & tastes like death. Plenty of former employees attest to this on reddit. At night when you drive by, their property becomes a BIG homeless encampment eith every sleeping, peeing etc., on their deck. I've also seen a rat or two. I wouldn't consume anything here if my life depended on it. read more

I'd come back. The menu has a good variety. I got the dulce mexican mocha and really liked it. I wish I got a pastry and a sandwich.

What a fun coffee shop! I just was strolling down University and walked in to have an iced Vietnamese latte and a Mexican wedding cookie which was delicious. There are several Egyptian themed items around the restaurant which go with the Egyptian revival buildings a few blocks down the street. There was a nice seat waiting for me at the window right next to a golden sarcophagus of King Tut. read more

See all

There's street parking around here. I came on a Saturday evening, and it wasn't too hard to find parking This place is perfect for studying! There's plenty of outlets and power stripes and they even have two floors. Finding a table wasn't difficult at all. I really like that they still sell their breakfast sandwich even at evening. :) also! They don't allow outside food, so make sure to not do that! read more

Lestat's Hillcrest - California Breakfast Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Everyone seems to love Lestat's, and it makes me WANT to love Lestat's too. But why people like Lestat's is a mystery to me. The vibe of this location is pretty cool, I'll give them that. (Is this the biggest location??) Cool interior, spacious, and they have a giant menu of coffee drinks, a tea menu, plated food, and pastries. Perhaps you fellow Yelpers like that their expansive menu sets them apart from other bougie coffee shops? My biggest knock off their stars is that Lestat's coffee never tastes good. My recent cappuccino purchase tasted bitter, almost like one of those instant coffee machines from a hotel's breakfast bar. I'm more so of a straight coffee drinker, so the sugary flavored coffees didn't intrigue me. I soooo want to like their coffee because I don't always want to go to a bougie [insert any trendy cafe name with plants] coffee shop and pay $7 for 12oz. But you know what, their quality is worth the $7. Last note, please come only when you're feeling zen and not going to contribute to the road rage here. Because parking is a PITA. read more

I decided to leave a review here as my partner and I frequent this place often we need to get out of the house and focus on daunting computer work. I will start with the things I love. I love that there is a ton of space for me to work and I love the community aspect of others working along side by side. I love what I recognize as a sense of inclusivity to all in our community who need to come to this space for a coffee, snack, or to read a book. I love the unique and slightly odd decor conglomeration. The menu is large and in charge and all the items I have tasted I have enjoyed. I could go on however I will leave you with my experience is overall always positive. What I do not consider negative but point out as something to be aware of if you are coming to work for hours... There are not endless outlets. Just be prepared and charged up or maybe have an extension cord? For the most part I have always found a spot near one and people have been extremely friendly in regards to the outlets but be aware every space is not equipped. It was no question to me to leave 5/5 stars but I have seen the other reviews and I do understand this spot might not be for everyone. Should I take a star off because maybe they could do a super deep clean of the place? Eh? I don't think so.. this place doesn't claim to be super sterile and honestly it isn't that bad. It has that cute charm of an cafe. It's not a health hazard. read more