Came here to read a book, chill, get some breakfast. The whole vibe of the place is nice. I love the decor and the set up. There's plenty to choose from on the menu. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Avocado bagel - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

Great lavender latte! Fabulous indoor (spacious) and outdoor seating. This was my second visit and honestly, everything was even better than the first time. Starbucks on the other hand, has been out of caramel at several locations. I love the Iced Caramel Macchiato. The way they have handled it is ridiculous. I've just learned from it to say I'll go somewhere else now. read more

It was my first time trying this place and will be my last . I ordered online because I was kinda pressed for time . I stood at the pick up window for about 5/6 minutes without being acknowledged. So then I walked to the front and asked about mobile orders . The girl rudely said " as soon as I'm done doing this I will help you ." Then told me to go to pick up window where I was already standing . Get it together guys read more

got recommended the turkish hazelnut first time coming in and have gotten it every time since then, the food is ah mazing!! haven't had a bad experience :) read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Turkey Bagel + Turkish Hazelnut - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Cute little place with great customer service... a nice variety of drinks and food. I got the Iced Vanilla Chai and my boyfriend got the Baja Mexican Spice coffee. Both were great. We got a bagel as well and it was pretty big and they used a good amount of cream cheese. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

Cute cafe, good for studying. I am subtracting one star because of the lack of attention and the outrageous price. $5 for a chai in my own personal 12 oz cup. $6 for a slice of cheesecake!!!!! On top of that, I had asked for no ice in my drink and was served a drink with tons of ice. After feeling bad for making them redo it, i didnt bother speaking up when I was served the wrong piece of cheesecake AFTER the fact they forgot to give it to me in the first place. Maybe it's the fact that none of them speak English as their first language or maybe it was late and they just didn't care. :( read more

First time here. This is such a another good spot to get a coffee around the area. First of all they have a small parking lot in front, it's limited but definitely helps. Second the place is cute! Nicely decorated, plus inside is very spacious in case you wanna hang with computer or friends. I ordered small americano and some pastry to go. They had a variety of pastry looked yummy. The staff was pleasant too. My drink came out in few mins, I noticed all the decoration is neat and also they have some art work on a wall. There were many customers that time, was around 10am on Tuesday. My favorite was the lemon cake there, very tasty! read more

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Great tasting coffee, very clean and quite. I love the simple decor and lots of space. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Mom enjoying coffee mocha - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

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My second trip here. Discovered this gem and their Dirty Matcha on Christmas Eve. Loved the coffee and the vibe so much decided to try this instead of Starbucks on my Sunday morning coffee run. Keep in mind this is more of a designer coffee like place so it's not the rush & bustle of scripted drink recipes being assembled on the favorite line at Starbucks. So if you have a really tight schedule to keep, skip this place and try it when you have time to actually sit on one of their plush couches and enjoy the vibe. I adore and love to support local owner coffee shops and I'm happy this cozy place came about in my neighborhood. Also, a Starbucks occupied the space before this business came about, so it's laid out well too. I just ordered a white chocolate mocha, dirty matcha and a bagel with avocado. Came out in like 10 min and everything is very delish. read more

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They were overstaffed, managed to skip and forget our order extending wait for 20+ minutes during non busy hours. Staff opts to stand around and is aware assistance is needed but is lackadaisical and slow to take action. Poor use of time, lack of awareness within staff, and very poor customer service resulting in 1 star. Would not recommend unfortunately. read more

Good food, pretty good coffee! Coffee has been a little on the sweeter side but we enjoy this place. Staff os friendly and helpful as well!

I love this place I'm so happy they opened. It's the best cafe in La Mesa by far. The staff is super friendly and even comped me when I was having a bad day. The drinks are delicious and they offer an array of baked items and healthy options. The decorations are amazing. Love how they update for the holidays and seasons. It's a must-see if you're in the neighborhood read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Adorable Halloween decor - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

A gem! Im not sure why I hadn't found this place before as I love going around to different coffee shops. I recommend any coffee drink as I have not tried the matcha. Coffee quality is amazing. read more

Love the ambience and atmosphere. Staff is so nice and the coffee and pastries are so yummy! One of my favorite cafes to go to!

This is a really nice area to study! At the time of this review, this establishment has been around for about four months. It took over the Starbucks that was in the area. The layout of the building is spacious, with many tables around for you to sit and study, or talk to people. From other places that I have been to similar to this one, the music is somewhat loud, making it hard to concentrate. That is not the issue here- the music isn't as loud, almost fades into the background. Theres also a bunch of places for parking, so that's a plus. It will be a nice alternative to the other places I go to study, and I hope it stays for a while. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Acai bowl. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

It's been a long wait for those of us on the East side of the Village to have a coffee shop that isn't Starbucks! The owner is really nice and is working hard to bring all new staff up to speed. The staff is very nice and social with the patrons. It's wonderful that they have such long hours. No other coffee shop in La Mesa Village opens at 5am during the week! My husband finally has a place to go to grab a coffee before his long commute at 6am, with no giant line of stacked cars like at Starbucks. He and I both like their darker roast drip coffee and the temperature is nice and hot without scalding you. We've also tried their pour over which was good. They stay open daily until 7pm which makes this a place you could have a quick and inexpensive dinner as well. Or just a place to grab a coffee after eating in the Village. I had their chicken arugula panini and it was excellent. The ingredients were very fresh and they didn't drown it in sauce like many places do. They use Bread & Cie which is my favorite local bread company. I am looking forward to trying a lot more of their food and beverages. If waiting in long lines at Starbucks isn't for you nor is struggling to find free parking in downtown La Mesa, this place may be your answer! There is free parking in front of the shop as well as a commercial parking garage inside the building located in the back side of the shop. Welcome to La Mesa Lightbulb, so glad to have you here! read more

Lightbulb Coffee - The chicken and arugula panini - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

Small quiet study coffee shop. I've been here on a few Saturday mornings/afternoons. Seating has never been an issue. Their menu is located in the back on a wall chalkboard. On my first visit i got a pumpkin iced latte in fall season and turmeric tea this visit. I haven't had any of their sandwiches or food/sweets but they are reasonable prices. They are very festive to the season and holiday and decorate the shop accordingly. Most visitors, including myself, have only gone there to study. WiFi is accessible & not slow! As a La Mesa local, I always recommend supporting neighborhood businesses & this a great space to be productive not to far from home. read more

I am so glad I found this place through a friend. I was excited to try their Turkish coffee and it did not disappoint. The coffee was smooth, rich and the flavor of hazelnut was so delicious. Definitely coming back here to try their food because the croissant was so good. Great environment for studying and catching up with friends. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Hazelnut Turkish coffee and chocolate covered banana smoothie with an almond croissant. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

Nice coffee cafe, located in busy downtown la Mesa. They offer a vast variety of coffee, pastries, baklava and teas. A nice selection to suit all taste buds. They even offer gourmet chocolates. Delicious chocolates that you can purchase by the piece or pound. We sampled the coconut, mocha and chocolate filled pieces. Divine treats. I highly recommend you get a piece or 2 of chocolates with your coffee. Extremely roomy, clean, modern cafe with Numerous tables and chairs for sitting and conversation. Quiet inside, not very loud. Quite busy evening yet I still found a table. We ordered the vanilla caramel and toffee iced large lattes. Each large latte comes with 2 shots. I had to add an extra shot $.80. I need all my caffeine. I prefer a sweeter latte. The coffee was delicious. It wasn't very strong or 2 bitter. Not to sweet. Just perfect. They use powder as well as flavored syrup to add flavor to your drinks. I added an extra scoop of vanilla powder to my vanilla caramel latte, to offset the extra espresso shot bitterness. A little pricey for the beverage especially for only 2 shots. And these are average shots.. not large shots of espresso. Parking isn't very easy. The cafe is located in an incredibly busy business center. Will return in the future to try more coffee and chocolates!! read more

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While I like Lightbulb Coffee, it's not a reliable place. Been here probably 4 or 5 times. Each time we've waited and waited. Seems there's only ever 1 or 2 people working, even during busy times. This morning we waited again but for the shop to open. We were leaving on a road trip and arrived shortly before 8. No one ever opened and after almost 10 minutes we left. Sadly, we probably won't return. read more

I loved my seasonal Ube bowl! It was packed with fruit, granola, and lots of delicious sweetness. The coffee shop music was perfect and the decor felt warm and homey. I could definitely see this as a great meeting or studying spot. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Ube bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

This place is a hidden gem. They decorate for the holidays! A friend and I visited around Halloween and so they had spiderwebs and ghost hanging about. It was so fun!! And there staff were so sweet and helpful. Good play to study or have a chill hang out with friends. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Light bulb coconut & açaí dragon bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

This isn't a fast food joint. When your food/drinks come out, you'll see why it was SO worth the reasonable wait. Everything is quality. Oh so delicious!! read more

Lightbulb Coffee - RASPBERRY TURKEY PANINI : on ciabatta w/ low sodium turkey breast, raspberry jam, havarti cheese, pear, onion , tomato and spinach. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Superior customer service, they are very welcoming and I love the ambience! I don't drink coffee but their drinks look good. I usually get their smoothie but I love their açaí bowls! It's soooOooo good and a fair price! I will most definitely be back for an açaí bowl when I'm craving something sweet instead of getting ice cream. This place is reported closed- but it's not! I was just there the other day. read more

This place is super cute and the staff is awesome! Tons of parking and a huge lobby for seating and free WiFi! Plus the coffee was incredible and so was the dessert! read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Took over an hour to make one drink, was not too busy, but super understaffed to save money. Even the drink was blended so thick with ice, I could not drink it through a straw. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Poorly blended ice, couldn't even drink this slushy through a straw. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

Service was great; all the employees were super friendly, knowledgeable, and hard working! The coffee was absolutely delicious. I ordered the Turkish Hazelnut latte- one of the best coffees I have ever had hands down. read more

In town for Comic Con, we stayed at an AirBnB in La Mesa. It was our first time in the San Diego area, and we were pretty stressed about logistics. Lightbulb was on the way to the nearest trolley stop. Open early, we had iced coffees and tasty, well-priced bagel sandwiches each day. Awesome fuel to start each morning. The inside was beautiful - it looked like someplace I'd love to meet a friend or read a book. Last, the barista that opened each morning was awesome. Incredibly friendly. She definitely made the experience even more pleasant. Definitely recommend it! read more

I have been going to Light Bulb for over a year and always have a different experience. Their coffee is always really good and they have a ton of different flavor selections, which is awesome for those that love sweet coffee drinks. As for their Acai bowls, they are really bad. At first, they were great and then it started to dwindle down. This was an order to go, I opened the top and it was just over half full. I asked for some more toppings or acai because I just paid $10 for what looked like a 6oz amount of acai/toppings when I ordered a 32oz. I got barely a scoop of acai and a crap ton of toppings. Not only is that a very small amount of acai but the fruit tasted like onions. Almost as if the knife being used was not cleaned after cutting an onion. I called to let them know my feedback and they were nice about and said they could fix it or next time I come back they will make it better. This is a great answer but I've already left the establishment and because this is not the first time the acai bowl has been bad I do not plan on returning. read more

Can we all agree it's difficult finding a coffee house open past 6PM? Wonderfully open until 9:30PM this place is perfect for late night work or school projects. It's aesthetic for pictures too if that's your coffee house goal. The shop is well stocked. From sparkling waters to artisan lattes (check out the Baja Mexican spice and the Light Bulb Coconut!), the gang and I stayed impressed through out. Service is great. Staff is knowledgeable about their drinks and didn't mind all my questions about what's in what. They even gave us a free chocolate when they found out we were first timers. We'll definitely be back! (p.s. see David G's review for amazing photos, he's the foodie pic one of us) read more

The men who work there are aloof and confused, they don't greet you when you walk in, I was waiting five minutes in an empty store because they didn't say anything. Other guests were coming up for their orders and the workers didn't know what they were making. Also, trash was all over the floors. My husbands "wrap" is bigger than the thing they made me. I get better service from my dealer. I'm going to Subway next time. Lavender latte is great, though! read more

Our new go to coffee spot in La Mesa! Turkish coffee & a classic rueben sandwich is my choice! Great staff also cozy lounge space.

I've come a few times and have expirenced little things that have added up and this will be my final time going. I wanted an iced coffee, but it seems like an ice cold brew was the only option so I went with it. Even added an extra shot of espresso, almond milk and sugar free hazelnut, and what I got was the water you get from cleaning the coffee machine (basically). It was not what was expected at all, and they had messed up the girls order before me too. I understand that it was busy, but that shouldn't mean we get lesser quality drinks, especially the quality of what was given to me. Last time I was in, it was super slow and one worker was sitting on the counter in the back, the same counter where they prepare drinks with her feet (dirty shoes and all) resting on the shelves below that had regularly used coffee machine accessories. Also, everytime I've ordered iced drinks they don't put enough ice (unasked for) leaving the bottom of my drink is still super warm with not enough ice to cool the entire drink down. Also several fruit flies in the croissant case. Take yourself across the street to Public Square Coffee, they know real coffee! read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Ice cold brew coffee with a shot of espresso and almond milk that taste like the most watery coffee I've ever had. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

My husband and I went yesterday and we absolutely loved it! 10/10 ! Sweetest people ! read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Açaí Bowl with no granola, Hummus Avocado Toasted, Water Vanilla Chai Latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

Coffee is pretty good and the espresso is strong. Only thing that grossed me out is the guy who took our order held the cups by pinching his fingers on the inside of the cup. Would really rather not have bare fingers that have touched everything around the store in my coffee cup - especially during heightened germ-sensitive times. read more

I thought they serve the coffee in a bulb, but then you actually have to buy the bulb cup at $7 something. As long as the coffee was ok, i am ok. read more

My daughter recommended this place, she visited this place a few weeks ago and had fresh fruit smoothies and said they are a bit pricey at $8 a cup but really good so I decided to give it a try. We have a strawberry banana smoothie and a pineapple mango, omg, we've never had any smoothies this bad. The strawberry banana smoothie taste like blended milk with a hint of strawberry, my pineapple mango is so bitter and tasteless. I'm not going back. read more

Pretty good! Um not my favorite but there is a lot of love in the food. It shows. Can not say I would privy often but will do again. I felt like the importance was placed on things that puzzled me. There is a lot of good things here. read more

Also, great selection of sweet stuff. See photo of display case filled with individual sweets and beautiful display boxes. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Nitro Cold Brew, too. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Such a hip place ! Love the vibe and menu! Enjoyed our time hanging out here. Highly recommend for people studying or meeting up with friends. read more