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    Altered State

    4.9 (44 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Altered State Photos

    ALTERED STATE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Strawberry Letter Cold Brew
    Lauren K.

    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!

    Capp
    Brent W.

    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.

    Bacon and egg empanada
    Michaela I.

    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.

    Smash burger & fries
    Char T.

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

    Sarah M.

    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!

    Turkey pesto panini with sun-dried tomatoes
    Yasmine 'DeShun W.

    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!

    Menu
    Brett P.

    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.

    Smashburger

    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.

    Flat white (cortado maybe?? Idk I forgot)
    Christina G.

    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.

    Vegetarian and non-vegetarian breakfast empanadas
    Christi L.

    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.

    downstairs
    gwen c.

    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

    Upstairs skylight area
    Christopher C.

    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.

    Cortado.
    Jordan M.

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

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    11 months ago

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    11 months ago

    This place has such a cool vibe! I got the Purple Haze cold brew and it was delicious.

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Altered State

    Review Highlights - Altered State

    I just had their drink called Fool In The Rain along with two of their breakfast empanadas.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    We ordered the Egg brulee & white truffle tiramisu coffees. The egg brulee wasn't that sweet and…read morehad a strong egg flavor to the cream, which was delicious! The coffee is also pretty strong and would highly recommend for a boost. The white truffle tiramisu was a bit sweeter than the egg brulee but it honestly had the perfect level of sweetness to it. Would highly recommend ordering both flavors! Service was excellent! We received our orders quickly and the cashier was kind. There is a good amount of seating in the cafe and it was pretty packed with people working there on a Monday afternoon. A nice spot to do work or hang out with friends! Plenty of parking out in front in a lot with other shared businesses. Would recommend!

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    Forum Coffee

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    4.4
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    First time here and I wanna go back! Their coffee menu has some unique drinks that I haven't tried…read morebefore. This time I tried the BB Code which is a Cold Brew with Banana Milk + Brown Sugar. It's $6.75. This was quite tasty and like nothing I tried before. It was quite busy, that just means how popular they are. The cashier and the staff were nice. This coffee shop has indoor and outdoor seating. It's a cute coffee that I regret not taking pics of the shop itself. A good reason to go back to try another tasty drink and snap some photos!

    The name of Forum Coffee is rather apt as many local college students meet here for study and…read morediscussion. Many of the drinks are themed around computer programming with names like "C++" and "Debugger". The whimsical nature of the naming is rather appealing and cute. The atmosphere here is casual and relaxed which is perfect for those needing a chill place to study or kick back. Service was quick and efficient. The staff members also were friendly and positive in mood. I ordered their batch brew coffee which was illustrated as using Guatemala beans that provided "chocolate, nutty, caramel, and citrusy" notes. I didn't quite taste the first three aforementioned notes, but the citrusy, sour note was there along with bitter notes. I've been here before and I much prefer their lattes such as the Troubleshooter and Debugger. Those are exceptionally enjoyable drinks to me. I would rate the batch brew a 3/5 but I'd rate the two aforementioned lattes around a 4.5/5. Overall, it's best to enjoy the specialty drinks here and inundate yourself with sweet caffeine to focus on studying for your upcoming test or completing your project that's about to be due.

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    Elite Experience: Spill The Beans and Coffee and Bagels…read more What a beautiful morning to be by water and enjoying a warm Bagel & Chai Latte and bring my family too. We were greeted by Santana with a lovely smile and as we placed our orders I have plain bagel I know I'm boring but it was stuffed with avocado & Habanero & jalapeño Bagels with bacon an egg and cheese for my son With Hot Coffee, Then she ordered a breakfast bagel with sesame bagel sausage, egg, cheese And hot strong coffee like she enjoys We enjoyed every bite and the early morning out by the waterfront What great experience we had I was generous with tips I happy to make them know we appreciate them And we now know how good it is here Thank you to our CM Hannah And all who helped bring this altogether And Audrey thank you too

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    Altered State - coffee - Updated July 2026

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