I asked for an espresso shot and I got a nice one! They were quick, and the coffee was decent! Found it a nice spot on the way to get some caffeine for the ones in need of coffee... read more

This shop is nestled in Balboa Park, near the botanical garden. They are a very small coffee bar with seating nearby. The baristas are nice and quick to finish making your order. The drinks themselves are not amazing, but not terrible either. For instance, I ordered a tres leches iced latte today and thought it just tasted like a standard latte. My partner ordered a hot matcha and they informed us that it was a pre sweetened matcha mix and asked if that was alright with us. Just a heads up for matcha lovers- if you like a very earthy matcha, then you may not like the matcha here. read more

Prado Perk - Menu - Bakeries Near Me - San Diego, California

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Prado Perk is a coffee stand just outside of the Prado. My fiancé and I typically enter Balboa Park from the Organ Pavilion and have only visited this place because it happens to be the nearest coffee stand from that direction. Neither of us regard it as very good, but we have been here two or three times just out of convenience. After subpar service and what felt like a bit of a scam this last weekend, we'll make sure to grab coffee elsewhere. During our last visit, my fiancé ordered a drip coffee. After he paid, the cashier told him that his "Americano," would be poured at the other end of the counter. He was a bit confused and asked why they're making him an Americano since he ordered a small drip coffee (the carafes were right behind the counter). The cashier immediately copped an attitude after his honest question and responded, "Well, it's basically the same thing. Americanos are made with hot water and espresso." He said that yes, he understands how an Americano is made and that they are similar, but it's a different drink than he ordered. The cashier got defensive and claimed that they were out of drip coffee while repeating that the Americano is basically the same thing, so it shouldn't make a difference, plus he already paid and they were already making it. My fiancé decided to let it slide and drink the Americano anyway, but he doesn't particularly like Americanos and would have wanted to order something else. Later, when we reviewed the transaction, we realized that the cashier had charged him for the Americano without ever warning him that the drip coffee was out of stock. The price for the Americano is not listed on the menu, but it's $7 whereas the drip is around $4. He paid nearly 50% more than the listed menu price for a drink he neither ordered, wanted, nor liked and the staff was rude at every point of the service to boot! We don't want to accuse them of intentionally duping him into buying a more expensive drink and would rather believe that it was an honest mistake, but the lack of transparency and poor customer service that followed made us both feel a bit suspicious. We chalked this all up as something that we should have paid more attention to and disputed in the moment rather than something to try and correct days later. We don't feel like we can trust going back here again, though, and would like to warn others to either avoid the place or *REALLY* double-check your order before paying, especially if you're just ordering a drip coffee. read more

This is a hidden gem in Balboa Park, great coffee and great service! Great place to stop while visiting the park.

Absolutely loved the coco puff cold brew. It was delicious. Since this store is located in Balboa Park the ambiance was beautiful and there is a ton to explore. Would highly recommend for coffee. read more

Prado Perk - Coco puff cold brew - Bakeries Near Me - San Diego, California

Nice little coffee stand in Balboa Park. Coffees, teas and pastries. Plus for me was they offered Sugar Free syrup for drinks!! Nice treat of a cool morning read more

Prado Perk - Sugar Free Vanilla Latte & Large Coffee Drip - Bakeries Near Me - San Diego, California

Love my morning coffee from Robert and team. They prepare it the way I like it, just a touch of honey. Enjoy sitting on the bench by the fountain. read more

Prado Perk - Prado Perk courtyard fountain - Bakeries Near Me - San Diego, California

I would visit the Prado Perk again! The baristas always give great service and are super helpful.

The Prado Perk totally rocks! They have really cool seasonal drinks and I'm a huge fan of their hot chocolate and iced Chai! Hard to beat their staff and service, too. Keep it up! read more

Oaxaca mocha is really good! Super nice and fast service too. My partner had a cheese danish - fresh & flavorful. Nicely tucked in with the courtyard and the pretty, relaxing fountain. read more

Prado Perk - a cup of coffee on a table - Bakeries Near Me - San Diego, California

This was for their lunch. The ambiance outside was worth coming here. The food however, was just OK. Our sandwiches were barely warm and could tell the chicken and burger was not made to order. Not a whole lot of flavor either. Service was good. So if you are looking for a great ambiance outside this is a great spot. Just don't expect fabulous food. read more

The staff is so friendly and quick. I ordered the special of the day and it was so delicious, I can't wait to go back and see what the New special is the next time I visit Balboa Park. read more

Jonna was extremely conversational and friendly! She hooked me up with a honey & cinnamon latte with oat milk! Never tried my honey steamed into the milk but it worked out well, I might just carry this tip with me to the next cafe. read more

Prado Perk - Honey & cinnamon with oat milk! - Bakeries Near Me - San Diego, California

It is really unfortunate the frio beverages are no longer blended, just iced. It really does make that much of a difference. Straws are no longer available as well. read more

When you're at balboa park and need a sugar boost, you can come here to grab a drink. Most items cost $4.50 or more but your thirst is quenched! read more

Prado Perk - Lavender lemonade & matcha latte - Bakeries Near Me - San Diego, California

The perfect afternoon consists of a dulce de leche latte from Prado Perk and a walk through Balboa Park. Absolutely magical! This is small coffee cart located in Balboa Park, so there's not a ton of seating or an indoor area to hang out. It's definitely the kind of place you get your coffee to-go. But the COFFEE- wow, this latte was good. For such a sweet flavor, the sweetness was not overpowering but the delicious caramel flavor came through without completely masking the coffee. And getting it iced was a great move- so refreshing and perfect to sip on while I walked through the botanical gardens and listened to the live music around the park! read more

Prado Perk - a hand holding a cup of iced coffee - Bakeries Near Me - San Diego, California

I was there last week & let me tell you! There were two employees there that were extremely unprofessional. One girl had AirPods on while taking my order & the other guy looked like he did not want to be there at all. I asked how they were doing & DID NOT ask how I was nor made any interaction with me whatsoever! I have been to many coffee shops here in San Diego & I have never felt this unwelcome before this. read more

great coffee! Riley, Claudia, and Joey were the best! I enjoyed their vibe and kind customer service!

The cashier pre-selected the tip and finished the transaction before flipping the screen so I can pick how to receive the receipt. So sketchy. Wouldn't recommend, and wouldn't go back. read more

Ugh hopefully this was a fluke, but had to drop my 5 stars to 2 stars because of poor service and lack of organization. I dropped by here while walking through the park with my dog to get a cold brew; just like I've done several times before. There were 3 people working, which would make you think service would be run professionally and efficiently. I paid for my $5 cold brew and waited by the end of the counter. Several people behind me received their orders. I'm generally a patient person, but I started to question the wait when the barista leaned over the counter and asked what I had ordered. I told her and she called out the cashier's name in an annoyed tone. Clearly, there was a lack of communication. The barista scooped the ice and poured the cold brew from the carafe within seconds. There was no apology for the wait/mix up...I wish I could take back the tip I already left when I put in my order... I'm not completely writing this coffee stand off yet, but hope my next visit is a better one! read more

Prado Perk - Cold brew with a side of cookie - Bakeries Near Me - San Diego, California

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Terrible attitude! I am all for supporting businesses during these hard times but she doesn't deserve any. Instead of being polite about their policy she said if you're going to touch something you better buy it! Then when I asked if I could continue looking at the menu "yeah we'll go ahead. What else do you fucking want?" Absolutely the worse customer service I've ever experienced. read more

Two stars because they serve decent coffee, but christ almighty they are slower than molasses.

Delicious cookie and decaf latte! Reasonable prices. Fast service. We took our drinks to a sunny nearby bench.

Love the Spanish Cold Brew! It's sweet and creamy. It has condensed milk and cinnamon read more

Prado Perk - Spanish Cold Brew - Bakeries Near Me - San Diego, California

Very Friendly employee. Had a regular coffee and cranberry almond scone which were both delicious. Definitely stop here before for breakfast first before the start of your Balboa Park day! read more

Every barista that has served me has been uninterested - they act like they have better things to do and are most often preoccupied with texting or chatting with friends. The coffee is fine, but service is poor. Prado Perk is surviving on its central location and relationship to The Prado restaurant - guests are desperate for food and drink in the park, and as a park employee, I understand their frustration. But Prado Perk isn't cutting it for me. They have also recently become cash only, which deepens the frustration. Their chalk art sign is the best thing about this place. If you want good coffee in the park, try Daniel's Coffee in Spanish Village. It's a little out of the way but worth every extra step. Daniel's is the OG, and unfortunately, Prado Perk pushed it to the outskirts of the main park when Cohen Restaurant Group wanted to open their own coffee stand. I love CRG restaurants, but Perk is an unfortunate exception. I don't recommend it. read more

Only giving this 2 stars instead of 1 because the young lady working was very nice. On the other hand the guy working was a total douche.He copped an attitude with the two patrons before me for no real reason just a snippy attitude. After I ordered I stood there waiting I looked up and saw him giving me a death glare. Like what did I do to you? He put my drinks down and turned away I said thank you but no response back. So dude needs to change his attitude before he gets the wrong person. read more

Great coffee but bad attitude from the manager there and I didn't like how I was rushed to get my coffee. She had curly hair and looked under the influence, i hope the baristas aren't treated rudely if that's how the manager was read more

Don't bother. My worst coffee shop experience in the USA. No posted information to show how many shots in various sizes. Ordered cappuccino in 8oz cup and I'm thinking one shot but came with two. No froth. Undrinkable. Politely asked for extra milk. Got lecture about how different drinks are made. Shocked and angered at inflexibility and being talked down to. Buy your coffee before you get to the park which is beautiful btw read more

I had a great experience here, Vanessa provided exceptional customer service, I had the Oatmilk latte she recommended and it was phenomenal.

I went here this morning for coffee and was highly disappointed. The service was terrible. The barista said in Spanish that he did not want to be there. Bad idea! Secondly when I politely asked him to fill up my coffee cup all the because I drink it black, he made it overflow outside of the cup & did not apologize. He made my second drink hot when I ordered it iced. When I asked him if he could make it iced, he said it would be an additional dollar. So I said sure and handed him my debit card. He said, "you don't have a dollar?" I said no but I have my card. Luckily another person working there told him to just give it to me. I will never go back there. read more

I love to have my coffee morning break here. They always are bringing drip coffee beans from Brazil, Colombia and other wonderful places. I love all the staff! They are so careful and cheering, they make me the best mocha everytime that I ordered and They have the best cookies from a local bakery. (I love my Taro, key limes and the upsidedown pinapple ones) Vanessa, Frida, Kaylor and the rest of the staff are incredible. Always meeting the cuttest dogs at the line (and they always get treats and lots of compliments from the staff). read more

This is one of my favorite places to go for coffee. I love their drinks, the staff, the Cravory cookies, and the location.

Asked for a latte made extra hot. Received a latte that was lukewarm. When I asked the batista to heat up the latte, I was given a lot of attitude and a slightly warmer latte. read more

I work in the park and get coffee at one of the cafes/carts nearly everyday. I've not cared for Prado Perk ever since they kicked out Daniel's Coffee Cart and took it over for themselves. With the Mingei temporarily relocated out of the park, I thought I would give them another shot. I have a high sensitivity to caffeine, but love coffee, so I order decaf. The barista gave me my decaf order and when I double checked that it was decaf, he was very dismissive and walked off. After drinking it, I discovered that it was NOT decaf, but regular which gives me terrible heart palpitations, which keeps me from sleeping. That night I went back to let them know and they were closed, but cleaning up. 2 different employees told me they were closed while I was explaining my frustration with the service I received earlier that day. Between the service I received that day and the response I received that evening, they honestly seem as though they couldn't possible care any less about their customers. I got very little sleep that night, up with a rapid heartbeat. From now on I will be taking the extra walk to Daniel's Coffee Cart in Spanish Village. read more

really good coffee and I got their chai last time which was amazing. 2 starts just because of their service. They are so rude every time. My last visit was on Monday and I asked if they had white mochas and the girl at the register said "oh sorry we don't have that" but was cut off by the guy making coffee and he was like "no honey this isn't starbucks" and rolled his eyes. We were like okay we'll just get the chai's. It took 10 minutes to get our drinks and they didn't call out our names when they finished making them so they just sat there and we awkwardly had to ask if it was our order. The guy just said "yep" and didn't look at us. Not sure what we did to piss him off but definitely won't be coming back. This was on 12/5/18 around 3 in the afternoon. Didn't get his name. Disappointing read more

Honesty, if I could give zero stars I would. The mostly unfriendly staff. Coffee, teas, and drinks are made with haste. Staff is unfriendly. I'd rather get my coffee from a gas station ‍ read more

Today was my first time here, and the experience was frustrating. When we got here, there was just a single person who got in line right before us. It seemed like he works nearby (maybe at the Prado restaurant?) and knew the cashier and barista on duty. The three of them ended up chatting a while, perhaps five to ten minutes, but it felt like forever. By the time we got to order our drinks, there was a line of more than ten people behind us. I hesitated to post this two-star review, especially as the first review, because our experience could be a fluke. But it just seemed so rude for them to be shooting the breeze while people were waiting. And when we got to the register, there was no "sorry for the wait" or "thank you for your patience." We ordered a chai latte and a matcha latte. If I were to return, I'd order them with half the sugar. read more