I was supremely hungry by the time I got to Altered State...was pleasantly surprised that they offered more than just coffee and pastries! I ordered the avocado toast, was satiating and amazing! It made want to explore more of the menu... So I ordered the breakfast sandwich... Mmmm good! read more

This is a two-story cafe in downtown that used to have a Mexican-American theme before Altered State took over the space last summer. There were some chairs placed out front on the sidewalk for seating, however the highlight was the upstairs terrace furnished with decor that provided a 70s vibe. The separate room and lounge area on the upper level could hold a couple of dozen customers. Coffee and specialty drinks were the featured beverages. For food, bagels, empanadas, paninis, and toasts were the categories on the main menu sheet. The kitchen even offered a smashburger that was an unlisted choice. I already had a drink in my vehicle so I purchased a Ham & Cheese Panini for my order. Ham, swiss cheese, dijon mustard, and mayonnaise were layered on herb butter glazed sourdough bread. A dill pickle wedge was added as a condiment. The bread was nicely toasted on the grill. What surprised me was the spiciness of the panini. I don't know if another spread that contained chiles was included or if there were jalapenos in the cheese, but I could taste a sharp heat while I was consuming the product. I gave a three star rating for my item and raised the overall evaluation of Altered State to a four star level because of the unique second floor seating arrangement. read more

See all

Let me start off by saying that this is now my new go to coffee shop! It is a cute "quaint" space with a great atmosphere. However, don't be deceived by the tight space walking in because they have two upstairs rooms of good size! I don't really drink coffee often but this place makes me want too! The staff were great overall and welcoming with thorough knowledge of the menu. On my first visit, I was indecisive and was given a nice run down of the menu based on my general palate. I settled on the "The Return of the Mack". I want to try other ones on the menu but the Mack won't let me! It's so good and the blackberry flavor just keeps me coming back. I tried it as it comes first which was good but my sweet tooth prefers it a little bit sweeter. Therefore, now, I have a little extra blackberry syrup and it's perfect! It's a great place to chat or study with a good cup of coffee and/or snack as they do have food. Glad my neighbor recommended this place. read more

Altered State - Inside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Delicious cold brew and dark/moody aesthetic! I'm here for it! Neighboring the Taco Stand, I walked into the shop wanting to get an iced coffee. Came out with a delicious Strawberry cold foam cold brew and it did not disappoint. I loved the cold brew on its own and it was strong but the light sweet strawberry flavor brought it all together. Can't wait to come back to try the ube cold brew! read more

Altered State - Strawberry Letter Cold Brew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Very good cappuccinos. We ordered and they brought the drinks up to us. We sat upstairs where it was spacious and very comfortable. Popular spot and for good reason. read more

Altered State - Capp - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

place was bomb and so sad it shut down. the ambiance was great with an upstairs to hang out with the vibes. the food is soo gassss. read more

This place is super cute, staff very friendly, and relatively quick. I came to try out some of their coffee and the empanada. I got the ube cold brew and a bacon and egg empanada. Personally, the coffee wasn't as sweet as I expected it to be, and the ube tasted more like coconut to me, and I'm not a fan of coconut, but the empanada was good. What really gave it that extra "umph" was the hot sauce they served with the empanada. I would buy a jar of just the sauce if I could. While I didn't care much for the cold brew, my brother really enjoyed it as he doesn't care much for sweet coffee. read more

Altered State - Bacon and egg empanada - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

A definite must-try in downtown San Diego! Amazing food, incredible service, and such a great atmosphere. read more

Altered State - Smash burger & fries - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Service was great! Loved the vibes of this cafe. It's two-stories with lots of comfy seating choices. The coffee drinks were also very delicious- loved Return of the Mack! read more

See all

WHAT A VIBE! From the outside, it is an unassuming cafe but in the inside it's a tasteful throwback to 70-80s rock music scene with plenty of spacious upstairs seating upstairs that is ideal for lounging or working remotely. I got the Fool in the Rain which is a cold brew with earl grey cold foam on top, which was pretty much whipped cream and less foam. I usually find most lattes with cold foam on top too be too milky so this was a nice balance of creamy on top but smooth cold brew on the bottom. I do wish there was a bit more infused earl grey flavor into the coffee (only because I LOVE earl grey) but the barista told me ahead that it was meant to be a more subtle drink which it was. It was a nice balance of refreshing and sweet with each sip without feeling too heavy with too much dairy. I will definitely come back as I am curious to try their Walking in the Rain latte which has their housemade blueberry compote! read more

Great new coffee spot in town! I ordered a short iced latte, and the espresso drink was delicious, this was a Colombia. Great acidity, good body, medium light roast. Service is friendly and they have a lot of different areas and notes you can sit in that are comfortable, it has a 70s music theme. The turkey pesto Panini was delicious, loved the sun-dried tomatoes. They use really good ingredients here, the sourdough was very fresh with clean ingredients. The owners are musicians and they are building a recording studio on-site. This place is a gem downtown, highly recommend! read more

See all

Atmospheric. That would be my one-word review. It feels like a hip art show in a cool neighborhood from a decade ago. The lighting is a bit dim. Electronic music plays and I briefly looked for a DJ because that's the vibe it gives off. Oh, and the coffee? I ordered the golden lady and enjoyed the floral notes without being overly sweet. A well balanced coffee drink. read more

Altered State - Menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Went here with some coworkers to get some coffee. I don't drink coffee but figured I'd find something on the menu. I'm not sure if I should call it a coffee shop or a restaurant because they serve food too. I tried their smash-burger and was seriously impressed. My coworkers also seemed to really enjoy their coffee. I could be wrong but I think it is operated by the owners who were very friendly and welcoming. There is surprisingly an upstairs section which is well decorated and inviting. This place is definitely a hidden gem in the heart of downtown. I still don't drink coffee but will be back for more burgers. read more

Altered State - Smashburger - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Been to altered state a few times and from what I've had the food is sooo good ! Rlly love the turkey pesto panini, the sourdough is perfectly toasted and crunchy. Coffee is superb, espresso pulls are delectable. Staff is all amazing and so sweet ;) love love this place, good vibes all around. read more

Altered State - Flat white (cortado maybe?? Idk I forgot) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

I just had their drink called Fool In The Rain along with two of their breakfast empanadas. SO GOOD!! I'm excited to come back and explore more of their drinks and food, especially with live music playing. The vibe upstairs is amazing. Totally unique for a cafe and definitely feels like a great spot for private events. read more

See all

drinks and ambience and company were top notch !! they opened just 5 weeks ago and the upstairs was absolutely gorgeous and an amazing vibe ! service was great too, being able to chat with the owners (who are musicians) was so cool ! i ordered the return of the mack with oat milk and it was so delicious ! they use house made syrups as well :) my drink tasted like the brookside dark chocolate with acai if that paints a perfect picture :) great place to study or vibe or hang out with friends ! i heard they also do open mics as well :) would definitely go back when im back down in san diego read more

See all

This place has an incredible vibe! You have to check out the upstairs, it's the perfect place to hang and do some work. Their cold brew is perfectly strong and flavorful and they seriously know what they're doing with their espresso drinks. The upstairs is super spacious, has this really cool sunlight with lots of plants, cool lighting, and a very laid back 70s vibe. The owners said they're professional musicians and it really shows. Definitely the perfect spot if you want some good coffee and a chill place to hang out in Downtown SD. read more

Altered State - Upstairs skylight area - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

This place is RAD. Great coffee, good vibes! Don't forget to check out the upstairs lounge. read more

Altered State - Cortado. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Place is super rad, great coffee and vibe. Not your typical cookie cutter coffee shop, it was opened and decorated by musicians, so there's all these cool album covers and just a good atmosphere. Will definitely be back in the near future! read more

Altered State - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Cute and cozy coffee shop! The menu has a mix of your classic coffees/espressos as well as some unique specials. The ube coconut cold foam on top of any latte is a must! I'm vegan and usually have to skip on cold foams but this one is dairy free! The owners are super friendly and welcoming. And the upstairs has tons of comfy seating and outlets if you want to work or just hang for a while. read more

Altered State - Walking on the Moon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I'm really excited to leave this review. I ordered a golden lady and not only was it delicious but I'm diabetic and I was pleasantly surprised when my sugar levels stayed normal. The atmosphere was soothing and the music catered to every style. I wish I lived in San Diego it would be my go to coffee spot. read more

See all

I love this coffee shop! The vibes are amazing and the staff members are so sweet! Love the banana bread latte; I get it at least 3x a week!! read more

Beautiful inviting ambiance! You have to try the banana bread latte, best thing EVER! Plus, the barista was so kind and attentive. read more

Altered State - Banana Bread Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Great coffee, great owners, we enjoyed our time there and the pastries are top notch! Thank you from Boise! read more

I really wanted to love this place because it's super close to my job, i pictured myself grabbing coffee here often and taking a serene break from work and perhaps checking out one of their private night live music events one day. I decided to visit a couple days ago to check it out even though I had already had coffee. Decided to grab the bacon egg chz muffin and a house brewed iced tea. Front of house service was excellent, young lady made me feel very welcome. Got my tea right away and went upstairs to wait for my food to be delivered. Took a cozy seat over the small balcony overlooking the register and the outdoor facing window downstairs. As I sat there the guy who would later bring my food dropped something off to a gentleman sitting behind me and conversed with him for about 10 min, while I waited for my food. He then left and about 15 min had gone by and I started thinking perhaps they missed my order, how long can a muffin sandwich take? Then I see the same cook come up to deliver my food and he doesn't say anything just sort of tosses it in front of me as I realize it's sausage, not bacon which I had ordered and so I let him know. He seemed to get a bit upset, but offered I keep the sandwich and will be brought another one, which made me feel really guilty. I wasn't gonna eat it.. So he took it with him. About 5 minutes later he returns with what I know is the same sandwich but with bacon inside instead of sausage. You can see the grease had already seeped into the bun and the paper underneath the sandwich.. it wasn't fresh. And the pre cooked crunchy bacon they layer on top wasn't either for a $9 muffin sandwich. Which he dropped off just as rudely as the first time. All the while I could hear muffled arguing downstairs about my sandwich. I felt so bad because I knew I had placed my order correctly and I've worked in restaurants most of life. I had even looked at the menu online before arriving. I ate it fast because I was hungry and my work break was almost over. But I made sure to stop by the friendly register girl and ask her if I had ordered sausage, and she replied that I had indeed ordered bacon and that I was at no fault, I still apologized and thanked her but rushed off back to work disappointed. I'll probably be back to try the coffee and maybe to hear live music but the back of house interaction and food, was not my cup of tea. read more

Great service, family like hospitality, and great espresso. Their loft upstairs makes is a must check out, defiantly a hidden downtown gem! read more

Altered State - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

I had a Golden Lady latte, it was smooth and tasted great! The people are welcoming. The music theme brings much needed character to the area and is a breath of fresh air. read more

Great coffee amazing atmosphere! Amazing staff! one of the few places that has golden milk and my favorite latte is the banana bread latte! read more

Extremely cool shop. Coffee was pretty good, staff was extremely nice. Highly recommend.

I popped into Altered State today for a late lunch and saw they had a "smash burger" special. So I ordered it thinking it would be just a regular burger and fries. Well.. I was surprised. The burger was tasteful, well prepared, and just the right size for lunch. The fries were phenomenal. The cut wedged potatoes were seasoned to perfection, and gave the combo a dynamic look. The smash burger combo was outstanding! read more

This is such a cute coffee shop! The service was excellent, everyone was so friendly! We tried the orange colored sky and the purple haze. Such unique flavors and they were both soooo delicious!! The decor is really nice too, they created a beautiful relaxing space. I highly recommend checking out altered state!!! read more

Altered State - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Amazing customer service and great vibe. The upstairs seating area was well put together and on theme. I felt relaxed and the coffee was great. I would recommend checking them out! read more

Incredible experience. They've been able to create such a cool and comfortable atmosphere for this place. Coffee was on point and the music dialed in to a T. Make sure you check out the upstairs lounge area too! Thank you to the staff for making the place so welcoming. read more

Lovely people running the place, extremely well designed atmosphere, and great drinks. 10/10

This is my go-to coffee spot in Downtown. Their drinks never disappoint, all their syrups are in house, and the staff is one of the friendliest I've encountered! They're space upstairs is perfect for meetings, working from home, or studying. I've tried basically their whole menu and have loved it all. I would 100% recommend the Return of the Mack if you're into a sweet fruity coffee. read more

Definitely worth a visit -- amazing coffee, delicious food, and a great atmosphere. You can feel the care and creativity behind the place, and it shows in every detail. read more

I've been going here at least once a week since I started working in an office across the street and have yet to order something I didn't like. The atmosphere and staff are also both amazing! Highly recommended!!! read more

Delicious coffee, really great service, and a super cool vibe in there. Really glad I stumbled into this place. I'll definitely be back.

Altered state is a perfect combo of relaxation and creation. Great music, vibe is immaculate. Their drinks are top notch. Menu is unique tying in song names with food and drink options. Fun staff and one of the workers is famous. Anyone and everyone will feel welcome, check them out when you're in the San Diego area near downtown read more

I highly recommend this establishment, as they offer excellent coffee, service, and a cozy atmosphere. I particularly appreciate that i can support a local businesses. read more