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    S3 Coffee Bar

    4.2 (111 reviews)
    ModerateCoffee & Tea
    Closed 8:00 am - 1:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Recommended Reviews - S3 Coffee Bar

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    Banana matcha

    This is why positive yelp reviews are so helpful! I looked up a couple of different coffee shops because I wanted more than a Starbucks. I wanted a good local spot while I was visiting. This place was FANTASTIC! i got the Vietnamese cold brew and it was so good along with the empanadas. I went back the next day to give their banana match a try, and it is hands down the best!

    Jordane A.

    The drinks were decent, i think I'd rate them an 8.3/10. The service was great, no complaints, but I think they could do something about the decor as it could be so much cuter, but that's just my opinion

    Blue-salt maple latte
    Nicole R.

    I was in the area and looked for the closest coffee shop around me. From the outside I could see a good amount of people in there which is a good sign. The store was very, very clean. The staff was fine. I ordered a blue-salt maple latte. It was good but I didn't taste the salt. It was around 7.25 which is normal for coffee nowadays, sadly, what with the tariffs and coffee bean prices inflating. My only two gripes were the air conditioning was on blast and it was so cold I had to leave before finishing my drink. It was a kinda chilly morning, too so I am not sure why it was so cold in there. Also, oat milk is an extra 1.00 coconut milk is 0.75 Almond milk is 1.25 Oat milk, coconut and almond aren't some rare exceptions that take grueling effort to acquire like it was 10 years ago. It's standard now. Charging people who are lactose intolerant a whole dollar extra isn't cool.

    Pumpkin bagel
    Izel V.

    Came for the pumpkin bagel and it was a solid 3.5/5 but there are no half stars on yelp. The bagel itself was a very dense and the cream cheese was an odd flavor on its own, but together they work. The cafe itself is clean and the wait was short. Staff worked quickly and street parking was easy

    Banana matcha

    The place is cute and bright! Loved the service! Matcha tasted a bit chalky I rate it 3 out 5. But Everything was good!

    Britt R.

    I have to say that this is probably one of my favorite coffee shops! We went because we wanted to try the pumpkin spice latte and the actual pumpkin and this is the only place in San Diego that did it. So we went the last weekend that they were doing it and their drinks were amazing. We also got a golden chai and honestly, I like that one better than the pumpkin spice latte it had turmeric in it, and the flavors were perfect. We ended up going super early in the morning because their pumpkin bagel sold out very quickly, and it also came with a pumpkin spice cream cheese. The top of the bagel was actually a white chocolate covered pretzel that they died green and that was fun to eat! Then we also got a bacon and egg empanada and honestly, that was my favorite thing out of all the stuff we tried, including the drinks. The drinks were amazing, the bagel was good, but that empanada was delicious. When I tell you, it was like a buttery flaky biscuit and it came with us like chimichurri sauce. Literally loved it! If you debating coming to this coffee shop, just go. Literally just go. I felt like I was in the scene of One Tree Hill or like Gilmore Girls. The vibes were new and fresh, but it had like this nostalgic warmness to the atmosphere, so

    Stephanie O.

    A staple coffee shop since they opened their doors, S3 provides a lovely cafe aesthetic and even more beautiful and delicious drinks to compliment the space! Stopped in because I heard about their Not Your Basic Pumpkin Spice Latte so I had to come try it. Presentation was top notch (I mean, who doesn't want to enjoy a PSL in a mini pumpkin?!) and the drink was delicious! If their fall presentation is like this, I hope they have something exciting for the winter!

    Pineapple mango tea Rate a 5/10 not so great
    Jazmine P.

    The coffee shop look is there but the customer service not so much. We came in about 3PM I looked at their menu on the website and decided on a drink I then go inside and it looks like they have their fall menu up? None of the fall drinks caught my attention. When I looked up from looking at the counter menu I found a blonde guy standing there I said hi and he took our order. He wasn't the most welcoming. My friend ended up getting a drink but I did not. My friends drink was made and the drink wasn't announced so by the time we looked back we saw the drink was already on the counter for who knows how long. Pros Lots of seating Cons Dirty tables Not so exciting menu Customer Service needs improvement Customer service is major to keep customers wanting to keep coming and feel welcomed and continue to support your business.

    Pumpkin bagel for the fall vibes
    Christine Q.

    Such a cute cafe to grab and drink and yap with friends! I had their pumpkin bagel which comes toasted with a pumpkin cream cheese. The bagel itself was a plain bagel but it paired nicely with the slightly sweet cream cheese. I also had a pineapple mango iced tea that was refreshing and not too sweet :)

    Vietnamese cold brew
    Jonny U.

    I found this place because they had received a 100% from the health department. Silly reason to try them, but I can respect when a rare 100% is handed out. It's now my go-to spot. The place is always spotless, the baristas are ALWAYS so friendly, and I really love their cold brew ... and the Vietnamese cold brew as a special treat. The location is easy to miss but I suggest not missing it next time you're close.

    Marie S.

    I was super sad when Koffee left us but this is a great replacement. The vibes are cute, the small food menu is rather tasty and the coffee is yummy. If I had to make any comments to the con side I was say their specialty drinks lean sweet but the baristas are aware and the ones that I have encountered make suggestions on how to tone that down while still making the drinks super yummy

    Strawberry matcha
    Rachel L.

    I was pleasantly surprised there's an S3 located up in Escondido after loving the drinks at the Mission Valley location. Pros: -Parking was easy to find on a Saturday morning even though it's street parking. -The location has a lot of seating to get work done. -My order came out quickly (strawberry matcha latte with oat milk) and I noticed the service was quick for all of the drinks that came in after me. -The menu looks fun and my drink was solid. Nothing remarkable. -Looks like they have good options for pastries. Cons: -The upcharge for oat milk is $1. For a $7.50 drink plus another dollar, that's quite costly but that's most drinks nowadays. When I asked what kind of matcha they used because at that price, you would hope they used a high grade, they said ceremonial would cost even more. -There is no AC. It was hot in there and felt stuffy. -I don't know why there was glitter on my strawberries. Still happy S3 is here but only when I'm willing to spend more for an aesthetic drink in a hotter location.

    Inside w/Christmas tree
    Andrea R.

    Words can't describe how ecstatic I am that S3 is in Esco nearby me now. The vibes are always immaculate, their seasonal drinks are always heavenly (their year round standing menu is also iconic) and even the music is always on point. It's my fave place to work and have coffee meetups with friends. It's seriously such a wholesome place. The Iced Winter Tiramisu latte was a part of their Winter'24 menu and it was delectable. A friend of mine ordered the Winter brûlée latte which also was like sipping dessert--absolute bliss! Although I wish they could keep their Winter menu year round, I look forward to their upcoming seasonal drink changes. The baristas here are always such sweethearts and give the best recommendations.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - S3 Coffee Bar

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    James Coffee

    James Coffee

    3.8
    (199 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    The staff is great. The manager is awesome. David Taylor always takes care of us whenever we go…read moremaking sure we get the best quality espresso. We can Definitely a cool coffee shop in San Diego. The pastries here are pretty good. I heard they just changed the bagels only made by their sister Co.. I need to give those a try I got the coffee soda basically like an espresso tonic pretty good the glass that it comes i in his super cool and different to most of the places you get coffee at the side of the building is small, but still kind of spacious in a way gives us pretty cool atmosphere. I heard they're gonna do some more upgrades to the inside, making it feel a little more home like that's cool cause I like cozy spots with a manly touch concrete leather metals. It's just a vibe.

    I wanted to give this place another shot, I know people love. I was in the area and popped in…read more I ordered a large hot non fat mocha. Which is my standard order. And picked up an almost croissant. They do not shelve non fat milk, but have oat and almond. So I went with oat. Two customers that came after me go thier drinks first. And when mine came up, it was lovely but not right. It was a cold mocha. They remade it. It was just a wee annoying, especially since I was coming here with the hopes of a mind blowing experience. The coffee was fine. The staff seem to know the local regulars and chat them up appropriately. The seating it still hard and uncomfortable. I'll try again one more time to see if hey flip my bippy. So far two stars for they way they interacted with other. One star for the pastry and the coffee mis up and late service was a - of stars. And my picky pastry folks (she knows who she is) would say it's not a true croissant, as there are cuts across the pastry... but it's buttery and flaky..

    Photos
    My first "coffee" experience with my kids. What a special experience! The hot chocolate gives them the vibe.
    My first "coffee" experience with my kids. What a special experience! The hot chocolate gives them the vibe.
    Seasonal special
    Seasonal special
    Roasting room

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    Roasting room
    Better Buzz

    Better Buzz

    3.7
    (560 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    I received excellent customer service from Ethan P. The line was long and he treated every single…read morecustomer with kindness and courtesy. He is a very professional and patient young man. The decor of this location is much brighter and more inviting than the PQ one. I will be sure to stop by this location when I am in the area.

    Came to this location while visiting my sister. I wanted to come back to a Better Buzz after my…read morewonderful experience at the Carlsbad location. However this location was a 180 experience from Carlsbad. I order the iced mint espresso drink. I noticed the first time I had this drink they filled the cup to the top with ice which gives you less of your drink you're paying for. So I asked the girl to give me less ice. She said they couldn't do that. When asked why , her response was because that's not how they are made. We sat there going back and forth for a moment me asking why I just can't get less ice, then she said because the liquid won't fill the cup up to the top if they do less ice. But offered to top it off with water to fill it. We seemed to be getting no where so I just said make it however you guys normally make it then. She then proceeds to talk about me in front of me to the barista as they kept looking at me and laughing like I was an idiot to request less ice. Not a great second experience. My drink tasted very watered down. Next time I visit I'll happily drive to Carlsbad where they seemed to care about how you wanted your drink made to make sure you like it.

    Photos
    Better Buzz
    Better Buzz
    Better Buzz

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    Matcha Cafe Maiko

    Matcha Cafe Maiko

    4.4
    (307 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    I visited the Escondido Matcha Cafe Maiko for the first time last week! I can officially say I've…read morevisited all three locations in San Diego! There was plenty of parking in the plaza. There were a few tables, and high top bar seating inside the location. I enjoyed a matcha latte with less sweetness, less ice, and with boba. The boba quality was great! I feel like the boba could be hit or miss at the Mira Mesa branch.

    I was visiting San Diego and came across Matcha Maiko, so l decided to stop by because I'd been…read morewanting to try their matcha. When I walked in, the kiosks weren't working, so ! waited at the front for someone to take my order. Instead, all I could hear was an older lady loudly screaming at one of the employees. It was loud enough that I could hear everything from the front counter, and it honestly gave me secondhand embarrassment. The employee was being embarrassed in front of everyone in the store, which made for a really uncomfortable atmosphere. Because of the confusion, I ended up ordering through their website instead. Unfortunately, the drink was disappointing. They added a huge scoop of strawberry syrup that completely overpowered the drink. I went there to try Matcha Maiko's matcha, not a cup full of strawberry syrup. On top of that, the syrup wasn't even mixed in properly, so l kept getting mouthfuls of syrup at the bottom I was really looking forward to trying this place, but between the uncomfortable experience in the store and the poorly made drink, it wasn't the experience I had hoped for.

    Photos
    Matcha Cafe Maiko
    Matcha Cafe Maiko
    Matcha & vanilla swirl with banana pudding

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    Matcha & vanilla swirl with banana pudding

    S3 Coffee Bar - coffee - Updated August 2026

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