Love this little cafe/coffee place!!! The baristas are always very friendly and willing to work with your orders. The food and coffee are absolutely delicious. It's great that this charming joint has both indoor and outdoor seating. If you haven't tried this little gem in the Village you are missing out. Vinaka you are the Best!!! read more

I've gone here for decades and love the communal aspect. People playing chess, reading a book, enjoying a great conversation with friends. The drinks are delicious, the food outstanding and the ambiance is what makes it so incredibly unique read more

Stop by one night for a late hot drink. I liked their tra selection and pastries! Highly recommend. They're on the 2nd floor of the plaza.

Not as good as I expected. I order their brownie, not meeting my expectations, the latte was subpar. The barista is friendly, hence I gave 2 stars, zero star for the coffee and the desserts. Sorry. read more

Nice coffee shop. Employees were courteous and helpful. Ordered a Veggie Sandwich and some coffee. Both very good . Will definitely go back. Place is clean. Prices are more than fair. read more

Cool little old school cafe. Dig the cozy vibe (not too modern). Had the cold brew here which was ok. A little more bitter than I was expecting and not much else going on flavor wise...but definitely hit the spot as far as not overdoing it with too much ice, and price was very fair $4 for a 16oz and the cashier was very friendly! Would go back for sure! read more

If I could give this place zero stars I would. Unbelievable. Cleanliness terrible! Asked for a breakfast sandwich. Watched it being made....no glove changing after cracking and beating raw eggs. The person literally handled all the raw eggs, didn't remove gloves or clean hands, and continued to make the sandwich. On top of it all, they beat the eggs and it was splattering all over the counter where they make sandwiches and going all over their deli items. When we asked to have it remade....we got complete attitude. Extremely rude! And then, the sandwich wasn't even made right. No ham, as asked. All we got was a poor excuse for a breakfast sandwich. This place is not clean at all, and their staff needs some improvement on customer service. Wish we had a better experience, we were looking forward to enjoying this place, but deeply disappointed. read more

Vinaka Cafe - Sorry breakfast sandwich. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

The service is very very slow i wait more of15 minutes for my coffee is so much time for one coffee

I mean, it's decent good coffee but what really kills it for me are the teens who work here and have ZERO I mean ZERO personality. They all look miserable, and when there's 5+ people waiting for their drink orders, the person making drinks has no sense of urgency. Same thing goes for the food orders. Takes her sweet time, makes every drink one by one and everyone standing there are all thinking the same thing...maybe they should have someone else preparing drinks? We're local and come here every Saturday morning and it's literally the same speed or lack thereof, and same vibes. No greeting, no thank you from the register, no personality and they all look miserable. There's plenty of other small shops within a few mile radius so vinaka will most likely be our backup from now. read more

Came in around 630pm for something warm after a walk at the beach. Shop had a quiet yet inviting atmosphere and the customer service was great. You have the option of sitting inside or out. Outside might be a little loud due to the band playing downstairs at a nearby restaurant if you're looking for quieter place to unwind. But don't worry! Sitting inside the cafe would be the perfect spot to study or relax with a real mug in your hand for a cozy feel. I had a hot cafe mocha with almond milk to enjoy outside. It was the perfect amount of heat, to where it touches your soul. But not too much sweetness to where it activates your sweet tooth - the perfect balance; with aromas of log cabin vibes. Even after drinking it outside 40 degree weather, the cup was still steaming, holding its warmth. Definitely will be coming back to this gem. read more

Vinaka Cafe - Cafe Mocha with almond milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Been coming here for years and highly recommend the snow cap drink. FYI always someone playing chess that you could play with.

Vinaka makes one of the best americanos around. Whenever I'm in town, I always make a point to support local business. Friendly service, and stellar coffee. What are you waiting for? Go! read more

Vinaka Cafe - Cafe Americano - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

My wife and I visited the Vinaka Cafe, twice, during our recent stay in Carlsbad. Both times the service was fantastic and the coffee was great. We also loved the atmosphere of the cafe. When we return to Carlsbad next summer, we will definitely be returning to the Vinaka Cafe for our coffee. read more

Good place to chill or do work. I got the Mexicana, which was interesting but I didn't like how there were bits of coffee grounds in mine read more

Vinaka Cafe - Cafe Mexicana - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Excellent customer service and delicious coffee and muffins! Seating outside is wonderful and the live music below was a nice and relaxing addition to the ambience read more

I hope that they are doing better after the fire, this place is is a great place to write and do work. I highly recommend this joint

Love coming here for a hot chocolate and then a walk by the beach-a delicious start to any morning!

Vinaka has ongoing issues with their service. Recently I was served the last slice of a cake on the same display plate on which it had been sitting for probably a couple days. Remnants of other, long-gone, slices were still crusted onto the plate. Not appealing! Lox Bagel plates tend to come with onions even though I ask for no onions. One time I bought ice cream, and one of the two flavors in my cup wasn't what I had ordered. I regularly see dishes and leftover food/drinks left behind by customers who don't clean up after themselves. Those remnants will sit on the tables for hours, with zero attention from the employees. The outdoor tables never get wiped down. The milk / half & half pitchers at the self-serve coffee station are empty more often than not. For some reason the Vinakans insist on putting my coffee in a disposable cup, even though I request a mug every time I go there. I don't enjoy drinking from a paper cup, and I want to reduce unnecessary waste. They get it wrong about every other time. That's a systemic communication issue between the cashier and the person who makes the coffee. This should be easy to solve! I even started bringing in my own mug... nope, I still got a paper mug. My travel mug was left behind by the coffeemaker. When I have mentioned the mug issue to staff, I'm met with apologies and blank stares. I don't want an apology, I'm not even mad at anyone. Mistakes happen. As I said, I even attempted to solve the problem myself by providing my own (colorful! hard to miss!) mug. But there's an unwillingness at Vinaka to consider possible changes in how things are done. And honestly it feels like they just can't be bothered to make an effort. I've been told expressly that they have no interest in fixing the issue, and will not do anything. I've been coming here often and for a long time, and I've been enthusiastic about this place. I've been telling everyone I know about Vinaka, I've brought in new customers, and I always tip. But I'm done with this place. They clearly don't want my business. I can no longer recommend Vinaka. read more

Wonderful place to have coffee with friends and family I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the people and the coffee is amazinggggg read more

Came here once a week for a few weeks as I was studying for boards. The lattes are good, prices are slightly high. It has a moderate volume level when busy and has spacious tables to study. Some seated areas have outlets available which is a plus! read more

Great place for coffee, tea, small bites and desserts. Seating inside and outside. Very friendly service. Located upstairs in the plaza. Rating 4 for service! read more

A Carlsbad staple! Please support! The staff here is always so kind and friendly! And, their food and drinks are pretty great too! read more

Vinaka Cafe - Veggie sandwich and ice tea for the win! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

VInaka's is cute, cozy, spacey and has awesome coffees! I LOVE their chai tea- one word. AMAZING!! and $1 coffee with free refills, can you say "yes"?? This place is by far one of my favorite coffee shops and is super chill. I wouldn't recommend coming here in a hurry though, not because they take long for your drink, but because it's so welcoming and relaxed, you wanna actually stay!! They have tables inside and out and everyone is really pretty nice. There's a nice mix of people there and i love it, cuz it's one of the few spots I actually feel like I fit in :) Ha, at vinaka's the stranger the better i guess. It's a bit artsy with a beachy vibe- it works. It's not snooty or grandoise- just fun people, good conversations and ridiculously awesome coffees ( and ice cream i've heard?) 5 starts. No complaints and...they have actual mugs if you stay?? I LOVE this place. beats starbucks any day =] read more

Vinaka Cafe - save a tree- have a mug for here. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Vinaka epitomizes the laid back, casual coffee Carlsbad atmosphere. This cafe is filled with people on laptops studying, reading books, playing chess outside, and others catching up with old friends. Although coming here on a Monday afternoon, most seats were pretty full and the kitchen was going full blast! I've been here once before, but I only got coffee. This time I got the Garden Burger and Iced Coffee. Their card system was down, so I opted to hand over some tangible monetary while I heard a whisper in the crowd say this happens quite frequently. Although everyone says it's a free Wifi, you have to ask for the Wifi password when you're done ordering. I fixed my iced coffee to my pleasing and waited outside until our orders came. We weren't terribly starving, but we were craving some nomz! My Garden Burger had a veggie patty with avocado, onion, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and mustard sandwiched between two toasted wheat buns with a side of Sun Chips. It seems like lately, I ditched meat for a plentiful amount of leafy greens and with a sandwich like this, you will not be missing meat! I definitely want to try their breakfast sandwiches and desserts! All the food looks amazing! Cons: I'm a bit apprehensive when it comes to someone writing down my debit/credit card information on a piece of paper, so that they can charge you later for your meal. I'm not implying that the staff will do anything with that information other than charge me correctly for my order, but I'm afraid of what other strangers will do once they see my information thrown in the trash can or on the counter or etc. I suggest bring cash with you because cash is always best! Hopefully they get a new updated system for people paying with their cards! Also, although they gave me the wifi password and prompted me it was case sensitive, I entered the pass code multiple times and still didn't work. I just refused to go up and ask because I wasn't going to be there that long anyways. read more

Vinaka Cafe - Garden Burger - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Stopped by for my coffee fix. Tried the Mexicana coffee with almond milk....it was good. They also had ice cream....sadly it was so soft and melted quickly. Kind of a mess. It is hard to give a full review due to COVID most of the shop was closed. But service was pleasant and place looked cute. They wore masks and kept distance. All In all, please support local. read more

Vinaka Cafe - Umbrellas amd tables available outside. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Love the chai latte. Lots of seating inside and out on the patio. Fast and friendly service.

Any alternative to Starbucks gets the benefit of the doubt in most cased. Vinaka Café (Perhaps stretching the meaning of cafe), was a nice find on a late evening in Carlsbad Village. The décor is Indonesian / art gallery. The Barista working this night was pretty friendly, and the chai tea latte was great. They did have a dessert case if that's what you're craving. - With Starbucks just around the corner, try this place instead. - They need to clean their food case for greasy fingerprints, especially after a long day of customers / kids "window shopping". read more

Vinaka Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

We stopped by some time ago after lunch at Coyote Bar & Grill. Vinaka is located on the 2nd floor of this plaza. Service was a bit cold as no one helped us as we stood there for awhile. You order with someone, pay, and then wait for the items. I treated friend that afternoon since he paid for lunch. We ordered: Iced Coffee: - I can't remember the price. The coffee tasted nicely brewed and not too acidic/bitter. They have self serve milk(s) and sugars to the side of the cafe. Ice Cream: - I believe they have Niederfranks Ice Cream. I remember thinking the three scoops were expensive but at least these were three BIG scoops of strawberry ice cream (who gets THREE scoops of the SAME ice cream by the way - my lame friend that's who). The cafe had a nice cozy open feel to it and we also liked their outdoor patio with a few tables. I think I'd return if I was in the area to try out more coffees and perhaps another ice cream flavor. read more

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Food excellent atmosphere excellent servers excellent, location wonderful. My friend and I visit here every other Tuesday morning for a latte and breakfast sandwich.....the very best read more

Beautiful shop was hoping to enjoy a cup of coffee but instead was met with a watered down hot drink.

3.5 stars for me.. Great location and such a cute place to study! I really like the overall ambiance of this place and it's nice inside the cafe itself. It also has a really relaxed atmosphere with games placed close to the entrance. The plaza it's located in is very convenient and has a lot of outside seating too. But unfortunately, the workers aren't the friendliest.. and are kind of "eh" but the woman baristas are always nicer than the men. Also, their green tea sucks /: it honestly looks like a shamrock shake from McDonald's for both the iced and blended green teas. It's waaayyy too sweet and just tastes like sugar with milk. I was really disappointed in this drink and I think better buzz and Starbucks make it a lot better. I do love their chai tea though! It tastes like cereal milk! I have yet to try their food items but their sandwiches do look pretty good. Overall, I only go to this place because it's close to my internship but I wouldn't go out of my way to go here. But I do have to admit it seems like a great place to do work and study. read more

Vinaka Cafe - When your green tea looks like a shamrock shake //: - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Great coffee. But you HAVE to try their Chai. Hawaiian vibe going on and Audrey always hooks it up (great food!)

So, I swore I would never go to Vinaka again. But they got me. Vinaka made a post on social media about how corporate coffee shops opening up are hurting the small business. I'm a sucker for small business and always show support. Even though I haven't been to Vinaka in about a year, I still get my coffee from another locally owned shop. Back to the post on social media, it made me want to come in and give it yet another shot. Bad decision! Again, the service sucked. They forgot my order first, when they finally made it, they put it in the pickup window over flowing out of the cup onto the counter. When I had to put a lid on it, it further overflowed. I don't want to be a jerk so then I'm having to clean their countertop with the beverage napkins that were sitting there. No acknowledgment from staff whatsoever. Okay whatever, it's a bunch of kids making coffee I'll get over it. When my wife and I left and took a drink of the coffee, no joke, 7-11 coffee is better than what they gave us. Worst latte ever. We both tried to choke it down but ended up just tossing them. She got a muffin also which she said was "okay". All in all the bill was $18 and after a tip, about $22. Save yourself a headache and throw a $20 bill in the trash instead of going here. Vinaka, if you're reading this, and you want to survive the corporate shops, you have to do better. There is a reason you're not making it and it's nobody's fault but your own. Never again, for real this time. read more

Lovely atmosphere and good prices. Coffee and sandwiches are delicious, and a nice spot to take a break from the day!

They have a great location in Carlsbad village near other restaurants and shopping boutiques. I like how spacious the cafe is even though my husband and I didn't go there to hang out due to Covid. They're still open with limited hours and some outdoor seating is available for customers to use. I ordered an iced latte which is rare since I usually order a black coffee or cold brew but I wanted to try something different. The latte was fairly simple and tasted just as I expected it to be. It was delicious and refreshing for a warm summer day. My hubby ordered their cold brew which he liked and sipped a little faster than usual :) We haven't tried their other food offerings so perhaps when COVID is over, we'll get to fully enjoy what this cafe has to offer. read more

Yummy coffee, yummy tea, yummy sammiches! All the servers are super sweet and super friendly. Also, I love the location! It's super family friendly, clean and cheery. I can't wait to be back to enjoy another cup of tea and their avocado-veggie sandwich. read more

I have been going to Vinaka for at least 15 years. My favorite chai latte in the world. I hate the interior remodel they did a couple years ago, they basically removed everything unique and special about it. I miss the postcards and rotating local artists' work and the cozier seating, but I will always keep going for the chai latte, as long as that never changes. read more

best & most unique, warm, delicious coffee and sandwich spot! I love treating myself while getting some work done on their outdoor patio. The people watching is exceptional as well. Been coming here for 30 years, won't stop anytime soon!!! read more

Looking for a cup of heaven , look no further. This place is ecstasy in a mug... Or a to go cup if you prefer. They had the flakiest croissant breakfast sandwich I have ever had in my entire life. And I mean that in the most positive way possible. Their coffee combinations were unique and novel. Indoor and outdoor seating are quaint. It overlooks a fountain on the first floor. Relaxed environment and the staff were incredible. read more

The pastries we had were good, but they gave us sweetened lattes when we ordered unsweetened. Unfortunately, we didn't figure that out until we had already left so we couldn't return them to be remade. Much too sweet to drink, so it was a waste. read more