Beautiful space! Staff was extremely friendly and working hard!…read more Came to try out their drinks but ended up ordering food as well! Steak and frittes were decent. Steak was cooked perfectly, frittes could use some work. My friend had the poke and cleaned his plate (bowl?). Tried the matcha berries & cream which was nice. I also got an iced jasmine with a vanilla cloud (cold foam?). Very yummy and great to sip on while soaking in the great ambiance. It was pretty busy when I arrived on Tuesday late afternoon, but we were still able to snag a table pretty quickly. I'll be back :)

Salty horse, I hate how much I crave you...especially when I need something quick…read more It's one of the newer coffee shop / cafes in Costa Mesa and is still on the Hot List as the line is 15 min minimum on random Tuesday at 11 am. (Does anyone work anymore!? ) The longest I waited was an hour but that was 3 weeks after opening. And I can tell you, as long as you have the time it will be worth it. The overall aesthetic is coastal cowboy meets rustic modern. There is a ton of seating with a great outdoor patio. Parking in the back is pretty slim, so your best bet is street parking. You can either get lucky or park around the block, depending on the day / time. My absolute favorite coffee is the Hawaiian Cowboy. It flavor profile is a nutty tasting honey that's refreshing yet not overly sweet. You can actually taste the espresso without it being too powerful. This coffee is worth the wait. Their other drinks are also good, but this one takes the cake. They have a pretty expansive food menu as well, so it's much more than "just a coffee shop". And you can't forget about their baked goods. O M G. It's from a local bakery (sift bakery) who makes the best non basic treats around. Salty horse found its place at the top of my list in a very saturated coffee market.

matcha was good but hojicha was genuinely so buns take this off the menu ive had good hojicha and…read morethis tasted like straight mud why even sell this?? still drank it tho #antifoodwaste its so bad tho get the matcha not this terrible concoction

I've now been to both The Nook in Costa Mesa and Torrance and I can confidently say... I get the…read morehype. At the Costa Mesa location, parking was a little tricky at first, but after circling we got lucky with a corner spot. The location itself is SO cute! It's right next to colorful barrel fountains, and on a sunny day it honestly felt like the perfect coffee outing. The line was pretty long and you are standing in direct sun, so just keep that in mind, but the service was quick and efficient once you order. Inside, it's small but really charming, with Sunny Angels hidden around and a very open, friendly vibe. My sister (who is basically a professional coffee drinker at this point ) got the matcha and said it was her favorite, which says a lot. I got the iced Spanish latte with oat milk, and it was SO good. Spanish lattes are my go-to, and this one had the perfect hint of cinnamon without being overly sweet. Even as the ice melted, it still tasted great, which is rare. The Torrance location was just as good! Parking was easier, the space is bigger, and the service was still super friendly and fast. My husband got the cold brew "Nook way" and finished it in like 10 minutes. He said it tasted like Golden Grahams cereal. Highly recommend both locations and especially the Spanish latte. Definitely worth the visit!

The food here was warm and exactly as described. Seasonal drinks, we got the iced lavender…read moreblueberry matcha. I also tried the iced churro latte. Staff was fantastic, friendly and efficient They have indoor and outdoor seating. Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4.8/5

UPDATED REVIEW (see bottom) 5 to 3 stars…read more My favorite hangout and work spot. This is where I come for-- well just about everything, at least 2-3 times a week! Coffee, tea, breakfast, a chill place to read, or a counter top to sit and focus on work. It's my default cafe spot. The staff are excellent, always on top of it and friendly. There is no obligation for anyone to remember my name or get to know me or my usual order, but they do and it's very much appreciated and noticed. They'll always take care of you and make sure you're happy with your order and your experience. They are always attentive and professional. Kitchen staff are *chefs kiss* really good at what they do. Always hot and fresh and work hard to get the orders out and at 100% their best. Never had a wrong order, even during peak hours. Met a few new faces here and it's nice to always feel like this is a community watering hole. If it's busy and the line is long they have iPads to help ease the flow of traffic. Parking is a bit tight but the valet staff do a pretty good job of regulating the flow and other people are usually pretty good about the 10 min parking. I love the turkey sandwich here and the eggs Benedict-- both are a weekly must for me now. UPDATED PORTION: THEY ARE CUTTING PORTIONS AND CHARGING THE SAME. I just ordered the turkey sandwich melt as I usually do and the portion size was seriously lacking. It's usually an actual sandwich but I've noticed today that it was much much smaller. It was more like two halves of a finger sandwich, and I finished it in less than 3 full bites. Will not be ordering again if this is how they're cutting costs and making their customers pay the difference. While a member of the staff did at least reimburse me for the sandwich, I'm still hungry and wish I had the sandwich that I ordered and would have gladly paid the 17 dollars it costs, for it. Having worked as a barista myself at expensive/ritzy coffee houses-- this one beats them all for sure. 6/5 stars

The Caffeine Club - Costa Mesa @the_caffeineclub.oc…read more This is one of the coffee places I usually go to before work for a pick me up! Located in a plaza with other restaurants, this place can get pretty busy and parking may be difficult. The cafe is small and has a few seating areas inside and outside. The interior of the shop is really illustrative and decorated well, with a friendly vibe. The staff were kind and helpful. Ordered the following: Matcha Forest (shot of expresso) Strawberry Matcha My usual is the Matcha Forest! The matcha is smooth and perfectly balanced but with an additional shot of espresso that isn't overpowering. The strawberry matcha was good as well, not too sweet or earthy; neither overpowering the other. Overall, I like the selections they have and would like to try other things next time. Definitely want to try the Earl Grey Matcha next time.

First time trying one of their signature drinks, Einspanner, and I enjoyed it. Rich and creamy…read moreexpresso that woke me up after a long drive. I'll have to make another stop when I'm in the area.

Drink :5/5 Barista service: 5/5…read more Ambiance: 5/5 I recommend it Plenty of space Has private parking space

The store is really cute when I walked in. They had a mini board games for people to play and many…read moredifferent chairs and seating available for customers. I got the Matcha latte with no sugar and whole milk. It was decent nothing I would write home, but it was still pretty good for six dollars. In addition the staff are friendly prepared my drinks in about 3 to 5 minutes. Parking can get busy in the lot due to other restaurants

Whoever is leaving a 1 start review is either never happy with anything or thoroughly finding…read moresomething negative to say in whatever they experience (at least on Yelp). Hands down some of the best coffee in OC. If you don't like sweet, don't get a drink with flavoring. Or ask them to adjust. Simple! If you want something yummy and different, try their seasonal menu. I have never once felt like staff was rude. Every interaction has been authentic and genuine. The best. Lastly, long lines happen because this place has grown A TON post-COVID. They're also in the same building as a church, so get there early on the weekend or sit in line and enjoy the atmosphere. There's a friendly crowd there. Thank you Lion & Lamb for being a consistent go-to since Covid. You guys rock.

We stopped by on a Sunday at 11 -- it was very busy, as it's also connected to a church. The line…read morewent by fairly quickly with very friendly staff. For our drinks, we got two signature drinks: *lucky matcha* and *cookie butter latte* They're both on the sweeter side but still good. They live up to the name and description. You're able to taste the marshmallow in the matcha and the biscoff and cinnamon on the latte. For food, we got *avocado toast* The bread was very fresh, thick and moist. My favorite part was the pickled onions. I'd definitely get it again. And the *breakfast burrito* is okay. Nothing outstanding - they did tell us they get them made a day before and they warm up upon order.

My first impression of the cafe was that it looks and feels like a quaint house. When I walked in,…read moreit felt like I was in a house from a coming of age movie. The baristas were very kind and welcoming. I saw lots of seating and also peeped seating outside as I looked for the bathroom. The bathroom was very clean and beautifully decorated, which I really appreciate in a coffee shop. :) I ordered the rosemary caramel latte hot and a morning roll. I closed my eyes for the first sip and was so happy about how smooth the foam was. The rosemary flavor came through first, then it was softened by the sweetness of the caramel. It paired very nicely with the slight orange flavor of the morning bun. I am usually a sipper but I drank it quite quickly, which is usually a good indicator that I absolutely love the drink. I was tempted to stay for longer, but had to go because the parking lot has 5 minute spots. I will definitely be back for more! :)

The Neat One with housemade vanilla syrup: 3/5. This was an ok iced latte. Kinda milky, almost…read morebland, but I did taste a subtle vanilla flavor. It wasn't super sweet, though I would've enjoyed it more if it had more flavored syrup and/or a stronger coffee presence. The barista who took my order was chipper and patient. Since straws were apparently behind the counter since they haven't gotten around to restocking the self-service area, I requested one for my iced latte. Those straws weren't individually wrapped, so it grossed me out when the barista handed one to me with her bare hands. It's a cute shop with minimalist, modern vibes. Barely any parking there, so we parked a block away and walked over to its little nook. They also sell a variety of roasted beans, and we liked the Pantan Sinaku Indonesia beans from Dune Coffee Roasters. If I were to come back, I'd try the Shakerato, as it seems to be consistently crowd-pleasing.

This place is inside a mall like space with other small businesses. Very very cute…read more The strawberry matcha was delicious. Got it with whole milk and it left a really creamy aftertaste. Service was quick and friendly.

It's a cute place located inside the Soco Mix. That's about it. Service was ok, not overly friendly…read morebut not rude. No smiles. The coffee itself was horrible!! We got a cold brew and a shaken brown sugar espresso with salted cold foam. Both coffees tasted sour. I have never tasted spoiled coffee before but it tasted like the coffee had hints of mildew. The cold foam was blue and I was told it was made with a type of superfood algae. It was super thick like a overly whipped cream. It didn't have the salt kick or creaminess of a cold foam. . It also didn't melt into the coffee like a cold foam would. The flavor was so off putting. We explore new coffee shops almost twice a week. We have never tasted coffee like this before. It was very pricey which is ok if it's tasty but it wasn't. $15 for two drinks....my husband threw his away after 2 sips, took me about 4. What a waste of money!

Stopped by In-Sit Coffee and tried the new Cloud 9 series, specifically the matcha with Biscoff,…read moreand honestly I really liked it. I'm pretty picky with matcha because a lot of places make it either too sweet or too earthy, but this one was balanced really well. Smooth, creamy, and flavorful without feeling heavy. The Biscoff topping was a really nice touch too. Also wanted to shout out Eugene and Sean. Both were super welcoming and easy to talk to, and they took the time to explain the new series they launched instead of just handing over the drink and moving on. You can tell they actually care about what they're putting out. The whole place has a really clean aesthetic and the drinks look just as good as they taste. Definitely one of the better coffee spots I've been to lately and I'll for sure be back to try more from the menu.

This is a local favorite…read more I typically go here for a good matcha latte. They have a variety of matcha and coffee drinks and yummy pastries for offer. They can alter the sweetness on drinks too. My only hang up is it can get pricey for a drink if you sub the milk or ask for a custom drink (anywhere between $8-$11). Parking can also be tight here during peak hours as there is also a great ramen spot in the same complex. Other than that, good spot for catching up, studying, or popping in.

This location of the chain is on the corner of Baker and Bristol in a strip of businesses behind…read moreWahoo's. There is limited parking but the lot was mostly empty when I visited at 8am on a weekday. I was greeted with a smile upon entry and I got in a line of about 8 people. The line would whittle down rather quickly but then would go right back up to about 8, back & forth, during the entire time I was there. Only 2 gals were working but they were like a machine, taking orders and cranking out drinks in a perfectly synchronized barista ballet. I ordered a large hot Spanish latte and chose a chocolate croissant from the pastry case. I declined having the pastry warmed as the chocolate gets melty and gooey-messy all over my hands. She informed me that the latte would have 4 shots of espresso unless I wished otherwise, but I was ready for a good case of coffee jitters. The interior is very small with 6 two-tops crammed together and a window counter with 5 or so chairs. I sat at a table. The latte was perfectly made, served at immediate drinking temperature, with a great quality coffee and a cinnamon flavor that was exactly the right strength. The croissant was fresh with plenty of chocolate inside. By the time I finished it, I looked like a three-year-old; my lips were smeared with chocolate. This was an excellent pastry. I'm rarely in this area (my mechanic is a couple blocks away which is the main reason I was here) but this coffee place is definitely now on my map for a return visit in the future.

Had such a great experience here! I've visited a different…read morelocation before & was pleasantly surprised to see this location. We got the strawberry latte & oat cereal latte. Both were very delicious & had the perfect ratio of sweet rich notes of espresso. The vibe in here on a Saturday late afternoon was very relaxing where people were on their computers & chit chatting. Our service was above & beyond. As we had come in right before closing and left a wallet there on accident. Right when we called they answered (after closing, so thank you very very much) and happily assisted us with retrieving it!