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LONGPLAY HiFi

4.7 (92 reviews)
Open 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Updated 2 weeks ago

LONGPLAY HiFi Photos

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LONGPLAY HIFI ATMOSPHERE

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Recommended Reviews - LONGPLAY HiFi

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Bhadri K.

Another lovely visit - always top vibes and ambience plus also lovely friendly hospitality. Wish they had more savory vegetarian food options.

Ashley H.

What makes Tokyo my favorite city in the world is its relentless commitment to craft, artistry, and passion. This is reflected in the food scene, the bars, the cafes--which is why I find new pieces of the city to fall in love with each time I visit. LONGPLAY HI-FI, inspired by the hi-fi stereo listening bars of Japan, brings that same philosophy to San Diego. The Vibe: I immediately connected with their motto: "EL DISCO ES CULTURA" (The record is culture). Even their house rules set the tone--focusing on conversation and presence rather than screens. It's a refreshing departure from typical café culture that feels both intentional and necessary. The Concept: This unique space combines café, bar, and shop, all dedicated to audiophile culture, design, and hospitality. You come for the expertly curated DJ sets and stay for an immersive experience of sounds and flavors you might never discover on your own. From the ambience to the impeccable Japanese-inspired drinks and music selection, every detail reveals this as a true labor of love--a space where the owners invite you to slow down, explore, and discover. My partner and I spent an entire hour working on a puzzle, completely absorbed in the world LONGPLAY HI-FI so meticulously creates for its guests. Perfect For: Anyone seeking a sophisticated bar alternative--great drinks and music with friends, with or without alcohol. Food: Light menu featuring sweet and savory options, plus rotating specials from guest chefs. Practical Details: - Street parking available; conveniently located near the Orange line - Intimate space seating ~20 people (4 tables plus bar seating) I can't wait to return on my next SD visit and be transported back to this little piece of Tokyo.

Daniel C.

What a cozy and welcoming space. I loved an atmosphere where you feel calm and invited. From the decor, music, and attention to detail, you can tell everything was curated with great intention. Stopped by for a quick drink and was surprised by the craft. The drinks came out beautifully and the use of Kuramoto ice cubes adds such a lovely touch. Would definitely come here again.

Highball
Marc P.

What a delightfully strange, cool place. The setting is intimate, the hours are odd, and the music is vibey. Tucked in a neighborhood that's a bit rough around the edges, Longplay Hifi takes heavy inspo from Japanese listening bars: venues centered on relaxing, easy listening, and enjoying hifi stereo systems in a third place. Even with GPS, the place is easy to miss. We found ourselves spinning the block twice over. The front door had the smallest little sign. You wait outside until the host/hostess invites you in, then you're greeted with a wall of vinyl records, trinkets, stereo systems, and coffee/tea knickknacks. There's no bass thumping, no obnoxiously loud groups. It's a place to sip a single-origin and read your Fitzcarraldo editions. There a blend of Mexican and Japanese-inspired snacks and a decently large menu of coffees, teas, sodas, and mocktails. After a day of running around downtown, it was a perfect venue for our small group to unwind, sit back, relax, and reflect. The drinks were a unique spin on traditional cocktails and a few traditional teas. I'd recommend the hojicha if you like slight smokey notes. Oddly enough, the drinks and food aren't the focal point of this bar. But without a cover charge, it's their main source of revenue. You come here for a relaxing DJ set. You come here for a curated experience and to discover some sounds you might not have explored on your own.

Woooo!
Leland S.

Came here with my friend, I was excited to visit one of the original AMBIANCE: Parking: Street parking moreover but what's cool is that it's near the Orange line. Seating: Cozy indoor seating for maybe 20 people total. 4 tables and the rest being bar seating. Vibes: Welcome to Sherman Heights! You're not too far away from Downtown San Diego and Barrio Logan. The spot itself is a grit and grind area but still a lovely place for some local gems. The spot itself is pretty nice. A small spot that' relatively lit through the windows. Of course, you'll see a lot of records and some pop art. Great place to chill and relax. FOOD: Jazzcat (Recommend) It had me at cocoa. If you're looking for that along with something that will keep you up (cold brew). A little bitter, a little sweet, and a nice hint of citrus to contribute to the refreshingness. CUSTOMER SERVICE: J was great! He was friendly and attentive TL; DR OVERALL: Awesome! Good choices, fair prices, and a pleasant experience. They seemed to yield a nice friendly audience too so nothing too wild. If you're looking for a place for some good tunes, drinks, and convos, this is your spot. Pro Tip: *Follow them on social media for their schedule on live dj sets!

Inside
Salman S.

I've always been drawn to Japanese listening bars and enjoyed Convoy Music Bar a lot for their cocktails and listening experience. Was happy to come across Longplay while browsing Yelp and decided to stop by as I was in the area today. The outside has no signage so it's almost like a speakeasy. The front door was locked but someone opened it a few seconds later to let us in. The inside is tastefully decorated and there was some nice modern jazz music playing. The ordering process is all online via QR code and for our drinks we ordered the Gina which is house cold brew coffee + oat milk + vanilla bean + foam + kuramoto ice and the Hokkaido which is 6-hour cold brewed paru hojicha tea + oat milk + vanilla bean + orange + kuramoto ice. Our beverages arrived approximately twenty minutes after ordering, and the wait proved well worthwhile. Both drinks were served in elegant, thin-walled glassware that significantly enhanced the overall drinking experience. My coffee was exceptionally smooth, richly flavored, and truly outstanding. My friend's hojicha was equally impressive--perfectly balanced and elevated by the thoughtful addition of an orange peel garnish, which provided an additional layer of aroma and visual appeal. I shall definitely be back to try the cocktails next.

Butter toast and jam, matcha latte, chips
Demi N.

I've been to Longplay HiFi twice now, and it's a great place to live slow and enjoy the space. I love the atmosphere so much, I'll definitely be a returning customer! I arrived around noon on a Saturday and was nervous that there would be a wait, but there was space for my group of 2 to sit at either the bar or a table. I'm so glad to find a space where I don't have to worry about lines on the weekend. And we were able to get street parking right across from the place. Another blessing that this part of town is not so crowded that it's impossible to find street parking! When you arrive, it's not obvious where the store is, but you'll find it if you look for their logo LP. There's a sign on the door asking you to not open the door and wait for someone to come out and get you. I was confused whether we should ring the doorbell or not, but after waiting for a moment, someone came up to let us know they would seat us shortly. I came with my partner, but I saw other patrons came by themselves. So if you're looking for a cool cafe to read a book, you can definitely come here by yourself. Note that they do have a policy about no laptops in the cafe. The food and drinks are good. This place is definitely more like a bar alternative if you're looking to get drinks with friends but don't want to drink alcohol. They have one of the biggest non-alcoholic menus I've ever seen, so I'd love to try more of on my next visit. The food menu is limited and more like snacks, so again emphasis on the bar-like vibes.

Aesop hand soap in the bathroom
Christopher G.

I came it Longplay HiFi with my friend yesterday. It was the first time for both of us. When you walk up to the shop door, you'll see a sign to wait until someone comes out to get you. It took about 1 minute before we were invited in. The cafe/bar has a minimalist design, inspired by shops in Tokyo, and has a lot of cool little trinkets, items, and vinyls. The menu is really nice, with a high-quality, thoughtful selection of coffee, tea, and alcoholic beverages. My vanilla cold brew was really yummy, and had a perfect balance of dairy to coffee. My friend's matcha drink was really creamy and top-notch! I also really loved the orange liqueur drink I ordered. I can't remember exactly what was in it, but the flavor was subtle and fruity, with the right amount of alcoholic kick. One of the coolest parts of this experience was the amazing Japanese-imported ice they use! That was the cherry on top. Plus, my two drinks were only $21, which is a steal for San Diego. I highly recommend checking out Longplay Hifi! Update: Came back again and had an even better time. Some of the tea drinks are absolutely incredible. Still a great.

Ashley L.

The location felt a little off. It's parked on the side of the street where there were a few homeless encampments, and we actually walked past it at first because the place was completely blacked out with no sign anywhere saying Longplay Hifi. Once we walked in, the guy seated us but didn't say a word, so I ended up pulling the menu up on my phone. Eventually he brought over a tablet with a QR code to order through, which was fine. I got the Midori latte and it was actually really good. They use Paru matcha, so the quality's definitely there. It just took about 15 to 20 minutes to come out, which felt a little long for a drink. After we finished, we got up to leave and the guy chased us down saying we didn't pay. I had assumed the payment went through when we ordered via QR, but I guess that just places the order. You still have to go up to the counter to pay, which felt a bit confusing considering how digital the whole process already is. Inside, it smells strongly of incense, and while I usually love a retro or mid-century vibe, this one didn't quite hit the mark for me. The concept is cool in theory, but the execution felt a little unfinished.

Midori
Anthony D.

Walking up to the location, there is very little to no signage once you get here. There's a sign out front that says to wait outside and someone will come get you (the windows are all blacked-out and you can't see inside but they can see you). For our party of 4, we had to wait about 10-15 minutes just to be let in (nobody left in that time). And then upon entering we see that there was already an open table plus bar seating so I'm not sure why it took so long just to get in. Inside is pretty small lending itself to a more intimate spot with some interesting memorabilia behind the bar area. Ambiance-wise it's okay. Ordering and getting our drinks total probably took another 20-30 minutes. I got the Midori which is a matcha-based drink with oat milk, vanilla bean and foam. I felt the drink was fairly light on the matcha flavored and the other elements I couldn't really taste. And combined with this being $9, this was definitely not worth it. We also got the Hokkaido which is also the same price and we had similar feedback on the flavor. This place some things (at best) okay, while in other areas it falls short.

City Pop & Harajuku (I think)
Zaydian A.

Came to LONGPLAY HiFi a few weeks ago as I saw this place on social media. The spot is a bit tricky to locate, but once you're inside, it's definitely a vibe. We ordered the PB&J toast and two drinks (City Pop and Harajuku) both drinks were super refreshing and clearly crafted with care. Where things fell short was the service. We waited about 15-20 minutes to be let in, even though we could see two empty tables and a few available bar seats (which were already cleaned). Once seated, it took another 15-20 minutes before anyone came by to give us a menu or QR code. As for the music, it was honestly a bit of a mismatch with the overall vibe of the space. I expected something more aligned with the cafe/bar's aesthetic, but the selection that day felt off. Overall, LONGPLAY HiFi has a lot of potential, but my visit was underwhelming. Would I go again? Probably not

Hanna O.

What a unique cafe-meets-jazz experience this was! I enjoyed the ambience of this cafe, the abundance of natural lighting, the decor, impeccable attention to detail. and the incredibly delicious menu items. Staff was incredible friendly and helpful with answering my questions bout the menu items. I will admit that jazz isn't quite my cup of tea and I just couldn't get into the music that was being played during my visit. It was a bit too strange and random for my liking and I found it difficult to stay focused on my writing. Oh well, that's alright! Perhaps next time I visit, I'll jive a little better with the mix. The magic for me was in the beautifully handcrafted latte and yummy vanilla concha I ordered! I would visit again for the delectable flavors and the unique experience!

Saleen M.

It was pretty tough to find especially because there was no storefront sign. But if your GPS says you are there, look for an unmarked door & you found it. I did not have a reservation & someone came out to tell me that it was going to be a long wait to get my drink, & I said that was fine, & then he emphasized it will take awhile, as if he did not want me to come in. Yup, thank you, I knew that before coming in after reading reviews. I came all the way from Escondido so of course I was willing to wait. My girlfriend told me about this place for an authentic matcha experience. The cafe is cozy with a bar seating & a few tables. They serve specialty coffees & teas, cocktails & non-alcoholic cocktails & a few small dishes. Great music playing. They make your drinks with care & it was nice watching them make them. My matcha was tasty & reminded me of those from Japan. If you are looking for sweet matcha, this is not the spot.

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2 months ago

Was not admitted, person granting entrance said this wasn't our vibe. Super rude. This is also unsafe because they lock you inside.

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Ask the Community - LONGPLAY HiFi

Is it a dog-friendly establishment?

Yes! They accommodate my pup every time.

Is this establishment 21+?

No, it's all ages.

View All 3 Questions

Review Highlights - LONGPLAY HiFi

It was the perfect environment to take in such wonderful flavors, unwind, and listen to some great vinyls.

Mentioned in 10 reviews

Read more highlights

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LONGPLAY HiFi - themedcafes - Updated May 2026

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