This is the second location of this restaurant that I have been to. The first is Long Beach and I really liked the restaurant so much and I did write a review. This new location is located in the River St., San Juan Capistrano area. This river Street is such a nice venue . It feels very carefree and open with many shops and restaurants and many open areas with children happily playing. I came for lunch and the brunch menu is being served. I ordered a delicious Aji salad with fresh greens and homemade miso dressing. Once you pay for your food, your food comes out very quickly. The outdoor shaded patio is very pleasant and it also features peters for evening time. It was a very pleasant lunch with very high-quality food. read more

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Vanilla Latte -- really good but I didn't like how my cup warped. The micro plastics leeched into my drink is not worth the continuous sipping :s also why I wanted an iced drink so I wouldn't have that happen but next time maybe time? The 3.5 is really because of the cup situation My husband said the service was good no complaints read more

Ubuntu - Vanilla Latte - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

$18 for a breakfast sandwich ... literally just a small sandwich with no sides or salad. Flavor is good but the price is just too crazy. You will still be hungry after this. The breakfast short rib chilaquiles is a larger, more filling portion. Kids chicken tender is two pieces with small side of fried. Okay food but not the best value. read more

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Such a unique and full menu! All of the dishes we've tried there have been delicious. And they are so attentive and sweet. Breakfast is sooo good. We're been there 3 times and each time we are always so pleased! Highly recommend this restaurant! read more

The avocado toast is everything! They actually put everything bagel seasoning on top and makes it slightly crunchy and delicious with the radishes, perfectly seasoned avocado . The Chilaquiles is also very good .. as well as their delicious lattes. This place was packed today very dog friendly. They do have blankets for your laps if you get chilly. Their system is you order and then you sit down we did the opposite. We grabbed a table and then we ordered. It seems to be the perfect way to do it. read more

Ubuntu - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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Swung by for coffee while I was in the area. Ubuntu is centrally located in the new River Street Marketplace. They've got plenty of outdoor seating overlooking the central area, and staff is very friendly. I got their French toast latte and an almond milk latte, and both were great. I also loved that they use coffee ice cubes, and frankly more places should do that. I do plan to come back, and want to try their food next time too. Be sure to check this place out next time you're in the area, even if it's just for a coffee. read more

This review is a hard one to make because there is some good...yet not enough good to make it higher than a 3 star rating and comes from it being just an odd experience. 1st the Good. Millionaire's bacon is amazing. Worth the $11 - thick cut and tender, it's a must try. Wait, that's about it that I can remember. Everything else was bleh. THE BLEH: -the Menu - they have multiple locations and the website has only one version of the menu but does not indicate which location it is referring to. Unknowingly, when we tried ordering some food from the website version of the menu, the order taker informed us that they don't serve it (talking about the bread pudding shown online). -Staff Knowledge - this bread pudding that we ordered...well it actually WAS available on the backside of the in house menu...so the staff didn't know they serve that? Also, when we pointed it out to her on the in store menu, she then changed her answer to "oh we ran out of that". -Availability - we went for Sunday brunch...and they told us that 4 of the things we tried to order were out of stock. -Seating format - when you walk in, your order and pay and then seat yourself. I noticed that there was a jug with water and glasses next to it so I assumed I would be allowed to serve myself a glass of water and take it to my table. Nope. I was informed (in a very dry, awkward way) by one of the staff that I shouldn't be using that and there is water at our table. It was a very weird interaction. -Food preparation and delivery: When the food arrived (going back to staff knowledge), our orders were not what we expected. Many of the items on the menu have bolded add ons underneath and apparently when you order one of the add ons, it comes out with your food but on a separate plate and not prepared in the dish as you would expect. For example: we ordered an omelette and added Portuguese sausage on. Since it's an omelette, you would expect the sausage to be mixed in, right? wrong - it comes on the side, uncut...just sitting there...so odd Also "famous scrambled eggs" were very wet and runny...is that why they're famous? The two pieces of bread that came with it were also hard as rocks so that was slightly unpleasant. Finally, the fingerling potatoes that came with it were ultra bland. -Outside seating - they have staff wandering around ready to fill water and clear plates which is nice but how are we supposed to tip them if we already paid before we sat down. I am just confused about this aspect. Do I want to go back? Not really.... read more

Ubuntu - 3 eggs served very runny and some bread that's as hard as rocks and some potatoes with no flavor - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

I'd never been to Ubuntu before and my friend and I decided to stop by for a bite, while shopping. I was so impressed. At first I thought it was just a cute coffee shop, and then come to find out, they have a whole, delicious menu. They have an indoor space and super cute outdoor space too - tons of seating areas! I loved all the decor and florals! I especially love that they have blankets on the patio for breezy nights. That is so thoughtful. The food we ordered was plated with care and didn't just look visually appealing, it tasted so amazing as well. The grilled zucchini came with this delicious pistachio cream spread that was bursting with flavor. The cheese board had a fantastic selection and the goat cheese balls with apple slices and hot honey were a dream. Only thing I'd add would be a lot more bread! Our service was fantastic too! I'm coming back soon for sure! read more

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This is one of the cutest cafes! It is so homey and welcoming that you can't just pass by it without going inside and wanting to get something from it. I only got their latte. Unfortunately it was not anything special or memorable. But since the restaurant itself is so cute and trendy, I am writing this review. I am gonna go back for sure to dine in and try their food! read more

There's plenty of seating outside. I especially love the beautiful flowers set on every table. Absolutely my highlight with this little detail! We got the Lobster Omelette and Brazilian Cheese Bread. We shared amongst the 4 of us and it was surprisingly filling, especially with the bread. I particularly enjoyed the bread. It was warm and cheesy, the guava jam and butter just added so much. The staff were very friendly and the food came out relatively quickly. read more

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At this point, I should start a fan club for Ubuntu and I will proudly be the first member of the club! This is the third location of Ubuntu and I've dined here yesterday with my family and hence I have been to all of their three locations! SJC Ubuntu is located at the River Street market plaza/Los Rios Historic area. This location is their latest addition and I think they really took the other two locations into consideration when they designed and opened this one. I think the layout is the best out of three. There are tons of food choices and restaurants in the area and I've decided to still go to Ubuntu instead for our lunch. Here, you order at the counter and then grab your seats. You can still order service at your table once you've seated and placed your order at the counter. But I like this concept it makes me feel like I'm dining at my neighbor's backyard! The pastries display here is big and you have a big view of it when you enter. If you haven't had any of their pastries I really commend just any of it because they are all so good, but my favs are any of their croissants. For food, few of my favs are their toast variations, the millionaires bacon or million dollar bacon, the grilled/roasted veggies sandwich, the grilled salmon salad, short ribs chilaquiles, breakfast croissant sandwiches, and the omelettes. They also make their pistachio milk in-house so I often get a latte with pistachio milk. One think I noticed is the chilaquiles here, the tortillas chips were super soaked and soggy though. I think they might've accidentally poured too much juice of the pickled onion or something in there that the tortilla chips were like wet bread. However flavor and taste were still good so I forgot to mention it to the staff. John helped us at the counter and also at our table here and there and he was super friendly and knowledgeable about the restaurants, its visions and plans. Overall, I love Ubuntu! I think few of their signatures is the fresh beautiful flowers that is the center piece on every table, their yummy pastries, the Millionaire bacon, and the super friendly staff and environment you get here. I read some not so great reviews posted here and I don't understand if you actually talk to any of the staff here, how would some misunderstanding would take place? I've witnessed they really went out of their way to make sure their customers are actually happy and satisfied with their food and drinks, even when they are in Togo cups! So, in conclusion, highly check them out if youre in the area! Either morning lunch or night, stop by and you won't regret! read more

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"But don't tell me about the things you've heard Maybe I'm wrong, but I want to believe in humanity" (Carole King) Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning 'humanity to others'. Three of us had lunch at their San Juan Capistrano location and sat at one of the outdoor tables. One odd thing I noticed was that every table had a red blanket draped over one of the chairs. My cousin that lives locally told us it gets chilly here at nights, so some restaurants provide blankets for their customers. OK, that's a new one on me. We ordered a tomato bisque ($13) - "fresh tomato soup - served with basil and toasted country bread", the Quiche Lorraine (22) - "ham & cheese served with organic field green lettuce salad", and a Roasted Veggie Sandwich ($19) - farm roasted butternut squash, fennel, arugula, crispy onions, goat cheese, house-made Calabrian chili jam spread on toasted ciabatta bread & organic field of greens lettuce salad. I added on sliced avocado for a $4.50 upcharge. My Veggie Sandwich was very good, a real nice blend of colors and textures and tastes on soft and fresh ciabatta. There are quite a few places to eat in the River Street Marketplace, and Ubuntu was a solid choice. read more

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I'm so excited that they are finally open! The owners are super sweet and they are from Brazil so of course they are the nicest people ever. They have a few gluten-free cheese, free options for me like scallops. They also have beautiful baked goods as well as coffee and overnight oats. I ordered the $37 scallops and they were rubbery and overcooked. My girlfriend had two glasses of wine and dog treats for her Frenchie and they charge five dollars for that. What a great idea for restaurants to charge for dog treats!! read more

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Came for a quick drink and snack and ubuntu did not disappoint! The passion fruit margarita was sooo good and refreshing. Tequila was smooth and didn't taste like it was overpowering, which I enjoyed! The kouign amann was flaky, sweet and delicious! Their other pastries looked really good too and I'd love to try another time. read more

Ubuntu - passion fruit margarita - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

This is a cute little cafe in a fun and unique shopping center. The ambiance is relaxed with walk up ordering and then table service. I ordered my daughter the unicorn toast and while she thought it was cute, she didn't really like the taste and ate my omelette instead. I thought it was good though! I ordered the classic omelette which was decent, but for me the star was the roasted potatoes! My only issue was the baguette that came with it was so hard it was inedible. I also had a Spanish latte and it was yummy. I loved that the ice was frozen coffee which was flavorful and helped not to water down my beverage. There's a nice grassy area for kids to play so my daughter got some wiggles out after breakfast. read more

Ubuntu - Unicorn barf toast - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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Came here on a Sunday afternoon for my mom's birthday brunch and the food was delicious! Unfortunately the wait to order our food was almost an hour. I'm not sure if we caught them on a bad day or if it's always this slow, but the staff was extremely kind and apologetic, going above and beyond to make up for the wait time. The food came out very quickly after we ordered and everything was delicious. They also use coffee ice cubes in their iced coffee drinks which is a huge plus! This location at the Riverstreet Market is a great vibe and perfect to walk around after your meal- note they do not validate parking. After getting through the line to order, it was a great experience and I would consider coming back because of the customer service and fun location. read more

Ubuntu - Angry fried chicken sandwich, avocado toast, omelette, & lavender latte - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Back again at my happy place, sitting outside on another spectacular Southern California evening. Once again, the service was friendly and helpful. Our server was Will, and he took very good care of us, as have all of our servers previously. My grandson stayed busy looking at the collection of books they have available for their younger customers to read. We ordered our favorites-first the Adult Lemonade, a very refreshing starter. The potstickers were delicious as always, filled with peas, carrots, corn, broccoli, not that bean sprout concoction you might be used to. The crab cake had more crab than filler, and was served with a lovely side salad and the lemon vinaigrette was just the right accompaniment. They had sold out of the Short Rib Pappardelle, so we ordered a burger. It's served with lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, bacon, and aioli. It was perfectly cooked, and the brioche bun added lots of flavor. Don't miss the Brazilian Cheese Bread, and please don't leave out the guava jelly, it takes the little bread bubbles to a whole new level! Our favorite dessert is the Pot de Crème. Just order it-you won't be sorry. read more

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Picked this restaurant during our day at River Street Marketplace and kinda wish I picked something else. Expensive for what it is. Ordered the chilaquiles. Just by looking at it, I was worried about the portion size and the lack of sauce and color. I was real surprised that it was pretty flavorful. Although good, it didn't blow me away. For $22, I expected more and this didn't even have any sides. The texture of some chips were hard and the avocado was not ripe. Couldn't even cut the avocado with my fork it was so hard. No complaints about service but nothing to rave about. Nice outdoor patio vibes on a beautiful day. read more

Ubuntu - Chilaquiles $22 - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Tried the scrambled eggs breakfast and also the Devil's eggs on toast. Both were just as good! Service is impeccable. Ambience is great and relaxing. Good for catching up with friends and private conversations. read more

Ubuntu - Open- Faces Devil's Eggs on toast - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Perfect Cafe to stop for brunch or lunch! Situated in the River Street marketplace, Ubuntu Cafe has an extensive outdoor patio (also dog friendly) that is both tastefully decorated and thoughtful. Each hardwood table was decorated with fresh seasonal flowers (delivered each week), and offered a blanket for patrons to use (in case you were cold), and also had heaters throughout. They had a full selection of pastries the morning I went, from various croissants (guava, chocolate and almond) to cakes (tiramisu, dulce de leche cheesecake) and also had healthier options like a fruit parfait or overnight oats. You pay at the cashier, and then they will bring your food out to you. We ordered several espresso drinks, almond croissants, a ham and cheese quiche and the vegetable sandwich. The almond croissant was divine, came out fresh flaky, and buttery - also very generous with the almond filling inside. Both the entree dishes were delicious, and I love that it came with a large serving of mixed greens. The ham and cheese quiche was thick and flavorful, but do keep in mind that this dish takes a while to make (over 30 mins). Lastly, service was great! The servers were constantly checking in on us, making sure our drinks were to our liking, waters were refilled and that we had everything we needed during our visit. Will def stop by again next time Im at river street! read more

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The Names on the kids menu is clever but wow the portions are small for the cost. I get there's inflation and perhaps they use high quality incredients, but the cost is just too high for portions you get. I spent almost $100 on 3 sandwiches and 2 kids meals. I would probably give them 3 starts but I still want businesses to stay alive. read more

My friend and I popped into this cute cafe after dinner. We were looking for some coffee but got so much more. Upon entering we were fascinated by the beautiful display of sandwiches, pastries, and goodies in the case. While we drooled over them all Ashley walked up and greeted us. She was incredibly knowledgeable and welcoming. We thought she'd worked there for years but she told us she was new and had only been there a few weeks. We were shocked! She truly had such a light and knew so much about the food and selections. We ordered some drinks and made our way out. We will definitely return to try the food, and to see Ashley again. read more

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What a wonderful place to have brunch. I came here with my husband and son earlier this afternoon and enjoyed every minute of it. The ambiance here is great and the customer service is amazing. Located at the River Street marketplace you will find lots of delicious food items and desserts and drinks. Loved everything we ordered and the cold brew was perfection. Service over coffee ice cubes. Now that's impressing. Lovely place to meet family and friends at. read more

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This first visit to Ubuntu also marked our first visit to River Street Marketplace. Immediately, I felt the welcoming warmth and friendliness of the staff, eager to assist and accommodate our needs and requests, boosting my excitement to be there and putting me at ease! The entire staff was fabulously personable, professional, helpful, and efficient (5+ stars!!)! The creative entree names on the Kiddos Menu had all of the adults at the table chuckling! The presentation of the Kiddos meals was attractive (and well received by our kiddos), too! As for the adult entrees, a few of the menu items I tasted included the: - "Millionaire's Bacon" ($11), which consisted of a single slice of pork belly (not what we'd expected); - Famous Scrambled Eggs ($18), in which I most appreciated the farmers market green lettuce salad; - pastries (Kouign-Amann and Butter Croissant): while big-&-attractive in size and presentation, both lacked the textures and buttery flavors that I was expecting and desiring. Great location and atmosphere for this counter-service restaurant, offering spacious outdoor patio seating (with a nice touch of a throw blanket, too!), attractive furnishings, and fabulous staff and service. read more

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Ubuntu Cafe offers a limited but fresh and tasty menu, pleasant counter service (food brought to the table and cleared) and an upscale ranch style outdoor patio. The crab cake appetizer was delicious and big enough with the mixed greens to serve as a lunch entree. Charming lunch spot. read more

Ubuntu - Wonderful salad - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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One of our favorite spots! The staff is very friendly and right away learned what we liked. The food is delicious and the setting is perfect for a lunch date, especially in the middle of the week. The food quality is amazing. I usually get the chai and I've tried everything on their menu and you can't go wrong with any of their items. Highly recommend it! read more

When I went, there was a a bit of a line, which suggested the place may be decent. The place was nicely appointed, and the outdoor seating area was airy, clean and lively. My wife and I enjoyed our lattes in their domed white wicker chairs that had pillows and blankets in them. It was a nice setting to enjoy our hot beverages. My latte was good enough that I ordered another one from my server. That was a surprise because the place is a counter service establishment (at least in the late morning when I went). I would recommend this place, and I have returned multiple times. read more

Excellent! The staff is super friendly, the ambience is clean and modern, and the food was delicious. They give you a ton of food. I had the famous scrambled eggs and my wife had the bagel and lox. They even gave us some complementary Brazilian cheese bread. What a great find! read more

San Juan Capistrano, Ca. We chose this business for lunch, out of a lot of choices, in a new and popular market place. It was welcoming, had a nice outside dining area, was not crowded and was just easy. Upon perusing the menu I saw a burger offering. Only one choice and it was $24 so I assumed it was a premium burger. It was not. The patty was only about a half inch thick or less and was of a small diameter. The buns were a decent quality but huge compared to the central ingredients. The burger is typically served with American Cheese which I don't care for. While ordering, I asked if I could have a different cheese. He said he could put Gruyère on it instead. He did, and it went well with the burger that tasted mostly of bread. Later, upon examining the bill I saw that his benevolent gesture of changing the cheese cost me an extra $2.00. I knew then that I would not be back on principle alone. Stephanie ordered the Short Ribs Chilaquiles. The Short Ribs were good, the egg was good, the chips were soggy and inedible. Another expensive dish at $28.50 that was not on the same level as the price, Our iced lattes were ok, good but not at all special. read more

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One of the most amazing restaurants I have been to in a very long time and I go out to eat almost every day. Axia the manager who works so hard and Coralie were the most helpful, kind, and attentive servers. The food was excellent. We had the most amazing cauliflower cooked promotion and very tasty. , lobster Mac and cheese with sweet lobster and creamy cheese. vegetable potstickers filled with so many amazing veggies and Brazilian cheese bread with guava preserves which was the highlight! . My friend had an iced French toast latte. One item was better than the next. I would suggest this location to anyone. Please come by River street in San Juan to enjoy the restaurant and darling shopping area. read more

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Amazing experience if you want something different while at river walk. Had a lovely lunch outside beautiful weather highly recommend! The grilled cheese is enough for two and yummy the portions In general are good. Service is good as well highly recommend! read more

Ubuntu - Quiche - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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Cute restaurant in the River Street Market complex. The ambiance and service is the best part of the restaurant. The food was good but not good enough for the hefty price tag. I had the braised greens. They were served lukewarm and were lacking flavor. It was a warm bowl of soft greens for $18. I also had the Brazilian Cheese Bread which had a good flavor but also tasted like it was microwaved and not freshly baked. An order of about 10 small cheesy puffs was $15. Better than the greens but also not worth it. Lastly I had the French toast latte I asked for extra hot but was served medium hot. I asked for it to be warmed up and I think they maybe microwaved it because it didn't taste great when it returned. The latte was around $9. With tip, this was a $50 meal and was very unimpressive food-wise. All that being said, it's got a cute ambiance, very good friendly service and is located in a cute area. I wouldn't come back for the food or coffee, though. Park outside of the lot to save $2. read more

I came here with my son when my brother was in town. My brother had found the River Street Ranch when looking for kid friendly outdoor activities. We came here with an appetitie. The menu was very appetizing and the seating overlooked a green belt as well as the other shops. I ordered the American Cheeseburger along with an Iced Oat Milk Latte. My brother ordered the Angry Fried Chicken Sando. I also ordered a side of fries for my son. The staff member sold me on the parmesan fries for my plate but I told him to make my son's fries as plain as possible as he is a picky eater. He said it was no problem. The food came out promptly but the staff member came out with the fries just missing the parmesan cheese. My son took one look and when he saw the herbs on the fries was like no. I told the gentleman I believed I ordered them as "plain as possible". He responded "against my better judgement I thought I could just bring them without the parmesan". He appologized and offered to fix it immediately. My son devoured the plain fries with the lunch my wife packed him. I still hold out hope that one day he will try the food we offer him when we go out but Ubuntu wasn't his day yet. read more

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I loved coming to Ubuntu for brunch. They have an amazing outdoor space that's perfect for a nice day. Our service was quick and very friendly. I got their greens and a side of millionaire's bacon. Both were incredible! The bread that came long with the greens had the perfect texture and the bacon was so succulent and definitely left an impression! Definitely a great spot to take others to read more

Ubuntu - Millionaire's bacon - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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Ubuntu was such a pleasant surprise! It was our first time visiting, and the food really impressed us. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with high-quality ingredients. The setup is casual- you order at the counter and seat yourself, but the reserved patio adds a nice touch with its spacious layout and elegant table settings. Food and drinks came out quickly and were beautifully presented. The standout for us was definitely the bread, especially in the grilled cheese. It was incredibly fluffy and cheesy, probably the best we've had! Would absolutely come back again. read more

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Came here after a visit to the SJC petting zoo for the family. We didn't realize that the history river street district had been done up to this level for great views that would make for a great brunch and quick date. You can either order first or sit first prior to getting your order. The service was fantastic, and the food came out quickly. I would give this a 5 star, but because for our orders, I unfortunately will have to leave with a 4 star due to the bread pudding and the steak and eggs. The bread pudding was much denser than I was hoping (it had come out previously not completely plated (missing cream, and additional supportive elements which thank goodness the chef caught because it would've made the bread pudding just be totally dry), and the steak I ordered medium rare came out being more medium to medium well *womp womp*. Hopefully next time with these orders they'll be able to dial them in a bit more. read more

Ubuntu - Bread pudding - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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My wife and I arrived early at Ubuntu on Easter Sunday. The restaurant was running a special dish of eggs benedict with crab cakes instead of ham. It was delicious. My wife had a lentil and potato bowl which was surprisingly a little spicy. We sat outside and a heater was turned on for us. Our waiter was excellent in his attention to us. We have no complaints. We will return. read more

We got free samples of Portuguese sausage and cheese bread while waiting in line! The ambiance is so lively! Nice outdoor seating under the shade. From what we ordered in ranking of my favorites: 1. Millionaires Bacon was so good, thick, juicy, and delicious. Must try. 2. Angry Chicken Sando was surprisingly awesome. The chicken was juicy, nicely crispy, with an amazing sauce to pair with the sandwich! The crispy fries with fresh Parmesan are also amazing by themselves 3. Chilaquiles was okay but you have to eat it fast! The nacho chips get soggy quite fast, but sunny egg was nicely cooked. Caneles are hard to find but they have it as a pastry option here! I also got a lavender latte with cashew milk, but you'll only like it if you like really milky/nutty coffee. Huge difference from the typical black coffee I drink. read more

Ubuntu - Millionaires Bacon - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Such a find for breakfast! Great selection of healthy tasty food and drink. Awesome patio and friendly service. Pro tip: Ask for the homemade pistachio milk on your late. read more

Ubuntu - Breakfast - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

This place has a very nice covered outdoor patio area, perfectly for being outside but also not melting in the sun during hot summer days. My wife and I chose some beers from their fridge inside and then ordered the burger and their spicy chicken sandwich to share. The spicy chicken sandwich was borderline too spicy for us, but the burger was great and the fries were good too. The staff was also very friendly and happy to recommend menu items, and answer any questions we had. read more