On my quest to find the best chai tea latte in San Diego I stopped by to give this place a try. Checking out the menu I see that they have both vanilla chai and spiced chai. I decide to give the vanilla iced chai tea latte a try, I am not disappointed, the vanilla adds a really nice sweetness to the drink. I’ll be back to try the spiced chai too.
Jeff S.
Place rating: 4 San Diego, CA
This such a cool little joint close to school(Cuyamaca College) so it’s perfect for grabbing a cup of Joe before heading to class. Another great thing, they have Turkish coffee. Gotta love Turkish Coffee. It’s good. Granted the serving size is pretty small(espresso size, 4 – 6 oz) but it’s only about $ 2 so it isn’t bad. The guy working the counter is an awesome guy, really nice personable and loves to strike up conversation and just be a friendly person. They have some delicious looking pastries, the normal stuff and then a couple things I don’t really recall seeing elsewhere. I didn’t indulge this time but I’m sure I’ll succumb to temptation sooner or later. Overall, I’m pleased with the place. As long as I’m attending class at Cuyamaca, this will be my go to coffee stop.
John M.
Place rating: 1 San Diego, CA
Rude! Sorry but on your cell phone while making a coffee! Cant put it down for 2 minutes? Even my order was wrong. Seriously, where is the customer service? Last time here.
Vanessa E.
Place rating: 5 Portland, OR
Love stopping by here in the morning on my way to work to get me the espresso con panna and arctic mocha. Owner is very friendly and gives great service. This place beats starbucks or peets coffee. This place actually blows those chained coffee shops. Love the originality and the fact that they also have varieties of tea :) This is my go-to coffee shop here in SD.
Daniel W.
Place rating: 5 Bishop, CA
This place embarrasses Starbucks. We went so my wife could do some studying, they had free wifi, the owner was very friendly for a couple of first-timers. I got the Dirty Joe and WOW… SOOO damn good. I tried the bagel, egg and cheese sandwich and it was great. Decent prices too, don’t hesitate to visit.
Kalamakuaikalani D.
Place rating: 5 Big Sur, CA
This coffee shop is soooooo much better then Starbucks. Owner is super friendly, the employees are very helpful, the WiFi is EXCELLENT& the different types of coffee drinks are spectacular. Every time I visit family in San Diego, I make it a point to browse the internet at this place. Food is excellent also :)
Jack M.
Place rating: 4 Rancho San Diego, CA
Looking for a great alternative to Starbucks? Live out in East County particularly out in Rancho San Diego area? Well if so, stop by this place for a nice cup of coffee and some bake goods for a very reasonable price. They have a variety of iced, hot, and blended drinks for everyones’ taste. Coffee grounds has nice music, Wi-Fi, and some nice outside and inside seating area. The place is kept clean and the owner and employees are always very nice.
Erica F.
Place rating: 4 Santee, CA
I give The Coffee Grounds 5 Stars for Blended drinks and 3 Stars for the remainder of the menu, bakery items and service. When I first started frequenting this place my favorite was the Dirty Joe. Similar to a Java Chip at Starbucks. Now, my favorite cold drink is the Artic Mocha with a shot of Carmel. Their whip cream is good too, not like that waxy stuff at Starbucks. They also have a limited assortment of breakfast sandwiches, a decent amount of ice cream, sodas and I think – ‘locally baked’ goodies. Pros: The blended drinks are great(they use a powder base). They have free Wifi. They have a shelf for used books that you can read while you are there. They also have local artist’s art on the wall for sale. The art seems to change pretty frequently so there is always something to new to look at. They also sell handmade stoneware coffee cups. The shop has good ambiance. They have a restroom for when the diuretic effects of the coffee kicks in – awesome, you don’t have to speed walk to the McDonald’s toilet. They have a good variety of loose leaf teas. There are bagel/egg sandwiches or bagels with cream cheese that can be prepared for you to eat there, or to go. The owner can usually get the coffee/bagel thing done in about 5−6minutes. Super-fast. Cons: The baked muffins and scones are disappointing. One day I tried the Bran Muffin, thinking I was opting for higher fiber, less sugary choice. Boy was I wrong. It was chock FULL of raisins, not much fibrous bran. The muffin substance that was there was saturated with sugar. I’ve also had a blueberry scone that didn’t taste much like anything but flour and sugar, twas more stale biscuit-like. The bagel/egg sandwiches: I don’t like getting charged for meat-egg-bagel sandwich when I am only ordering a bagel-egg sandwich. Set a lower price for the vegetarian version. I would order it more often then. The flavored lattes are always over powered by the syrup. Even after asking for only 1 pump, instead of 2, in my 16oz latte – I still can’t taste any coffee, just syrup. I almost always bring my own mug, but I never receive any discount, not even 5 cents. In fact, I usually end up getting charged more. In fact, I’m chronically being overcharged! I’ll bring a 16oz mug, ask for a small(12oz) coffee. The owner fills the mug up full and charges me for a 16oz. I never end up drinking that extra coffee. I will order the bagel/coffee special for $ 3.99 off their special of the day board, and I’ll get charged regular price for each item. On the menu a 16oz coffee says $ 1.75, but I get charged $ 1.95? I never complained about the overcharging because there is always someone waiting in line behind me. I also feel that it is not being done intentionally, but is happening due to the rushed service. The owner Joe is always rushing and usually very gruff. Additionally, whenever I ask for a regular cup of coffee, I am never offered a choice, even though they are three choices [including decaf]! I have to interrupt the owner right before he is about to pour my drink and ask him what coffee he has brewed today. So why do I keep coming back and why 4 stars? I keep coming back for my favorite drink. I am pretty sure this place is deserving of four stars. As you can read, I seem pretty picky about pastries, coffee and the bottom line, but I don’t think everyone is. Most people would really enjoy this place and since Joe is always there it would be easy to strike up a good rapport, making the place feel more homey.
Joseph N.
Place rating: 4 Santee, CA
This coffee house is a step above! Very clean store and very friendly people. We felt welcomed. I think the prices were very reasonable and will certainly return. The menu seems like it has a lot to offer without making it confusing. There are nice seating areas and free Wi-Fi! Thank you for the top-notch service, my 2 girls and I really enjoyed it! –Joe, Melissa and Katelyn.
Michael C.
Place rating: 5 El Cajon, CA
My favorite place for Coffee. The staff is very friendly. and the coffee is great. Comfortable atmosphere with wifi. I suggest the mexican mocha.
Malia P.
Place rating: 4 San Diego, CA
One of the better coffee places. They have free WIFI and some comfy seating. It’s not a very big place. I get their chai lattes even though I suffer from lactose intolerance. Looks like most of their drinks are made from a powder mix. It still tastes pretty darn good. When you’re up at the counter, turn around. They have a wall full of teas that I’ve missed on my previous trips. The lack of toilet paper turned me off… good thing they had lotta paper towels.