I tried to come in frequently to help out this business whenever I was around the area. I'm from Escondido. And the last time I was in there, an employee was rude and got mad that I forgot to ask for an alternative milk on my drink for my order. I offered to give the difference in cash since we were paying in card but instead she had to void the whole order and I felt bad, but she did give attitude. Granted I gave a $5 tip which she only acknowledged because the person I went with said something, but I doubt I'll be back in there. I used to love coming here after having dinner at the brewery next door, and I feel like the customer service has gone way down. And maybe I'm just being over critical but I feel like the quality for the price isn't worth it above all else. Maybe she was just having a bad day but regardless. read more

This is an amazing location, but I'm not the biggest fan of the coffee here. Most people would say that a cafe NEEDS to have the best coffee, but this place is still one of my favorite spots because if the great location and ambiance. The coffee here is not great. The standard americano taste like stale, old coffee and the latte doesn't fare much better. At least the affogato, hot chocolate and acai bowls are pretty good. The reason I keep coming back here is the place itself. It has something for everyone. Need to plan a trip, they have giant tables. Need to catch up with friends, gather around the fire pit or on a comfy couch. Need to cram for an exam, sit in one of the many nooks and study away. Even though the chairs and tables are starting to show their age, this place still feels like the same old charming coffeehouse I found ages ago. Another reason I always end up here when meeting with friends is the centrality of its location. It's in San Marcos' Restaurant row which is close to the freeway and has tons of parking. Honestly, if you don't come here expecting the best coffee, the charm of this cafe will win you over in an instant. read more

Popped in to this little joint after dinner at one of the restaurants in the area. It was around 8:00 pm and there were fires outside. When we walked in the coffee joint is filled with cute furnishing and lighting. The staff was friendly and courteous. I ordered a chi tea latte with almond milk. You could tell that it was made with quality ingredients. The drink was hot but did not burn your mouth hot. I had to run but the coffee shop had lots of seating and some games to play. It seemed like it would have been a fun place to hang out. I'm definitely going to have to come back and try their other menu items and hang out. read more

Ascend Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

The hot chicken sandwich i got was pretty yummy! Make sure you get some honey packets to eat the sandwiches h with, trust me. The coffee, on the other hand...not that great. I'd come again for their sandwiches! read more

This place has decent food, even some gluten-free options. No one seems to know which gelatos are gluten-free. The whole place needs a power wash to get rid of the dust and dirt accumulated, especially on the patio. There are lots of repairs that need to be made, too. Basically, it is run-down and no longer quaint. read more

Love this place! Employees are super friendly and caring and the drinks are great. Coffee refills are only $.99. The environment/clientele is very comfortable, intellectual, artistic. This is a big study spot, so you can stay virtually as long as you want, though it's good etiquette to spend at least a few dollars every few hours. Food is usually not worth it unfortunately: quality is great but portions are too small. The bathroom always looks great but there is only one toilet for all the customers so you might have to wait a long time if you ever have to go. Seems most busy during the school year, so planning on taking advantage of the summer lull at this place to get some writing done. read more

First time here and I'm loving it! The coffee is great, food is cheap yet quality, and vegan options are easily available! On the menu I saw a vegan chili, and almond/oat/soy milk is available. Vibe is very chill, music is quiet enough so you can study. Best thing about this whole place is the decor. The private room area that you can see has antique books, adds the jazz coffee vibe that makes it a pleasure to study at. The decor is vintage/antique and quirky. read more

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A pretty casual coffee shop with some good drinks. I usually go here to study because it's one of the only later-open coffee shops in San Marcos. Lattes and special espressos are average price, and I've liked most things I've gotten here. Recently, I got the Pumpkin spice latte which was really good. I just wish if you were staying at the coffee shop, they would give you mugs instead of all to-go containers. They don't do latte art either. Presentation can be lacking, especially when you pay $5. Their food is definitely over-priced. Once, I got a gluten free sandwich (made with Udi's bread I think), and it was $11 for the tiny thing. I love their gluten free muffin too, but that is even pricey at $3. I like studying here, but if I need internet I'm out of luck. Their Wi-Fi seems to always go in and out, especially when a lot of people are connected. For a big place, they need a stronger signal, especially when most people go here to study. Other than all this, it's conveniently located in Restaurant Row with a lot of parking. Though it's not the best, it's still my go to. read more

I asked for not sweet mocha - it was way too sweet. I asked for cappuccino - that didn't look like cappuccino at all. I asked for espresso - it wasn't good. Breakfast burrito was way too salty. Almond butter toast was okay but I wouldn't come again. read more

Costa Rican coffee and lavenah toast is what I ate. Both were basic. Hit the spot for a pre- shopping trip energy burst. I wouldn't go out of my way to hang out here. The inside is eclectically decorated. The coffee shop has a couple retro decorated nooks and corners. The service I received was good. read more

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I've come here to study a few times and recognize a pattern. They seem severely understaffed since I always have to wait awhile to order as I watch them frantically preparing the food and coffee. One experience I ordered the breakfast spinach wrap and it was inedible. It was toasted so much that it was black. There's also a stench over by the TV with the curtains Although I can admit this is one of the best matcha lattes I've had, and it's local to campus so I return for the WiFi. I have resorted to ordering online instead of in person if I want a matcha latte. The staff is generally very friendly so I blame management read more

So happy I found this place. The coffee is great the Avocado Toast is perfect and well priced. The atmosphere is lovely, staff is helpful and overall vibe is ideal. Don't miss out. read more

Ascend Coffee Roasters - Avocado Toast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

The decor in this place is pretty cute. My chai tea latte was great. My chicken salad was good. My friend ordered a lemonade but it was powdery & not real homemade lemonade (she was surprised because she asked before ordering). read more

Ascend Coffee Roasters - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I love stopping by old Cal for a cup of coffee or breakfast bite on a chill weekend morning. My favorite has always been stopping by on a weekend evening to hear some local music sitting around the fire pit. It's such a great space for community and fellowship. read more

Just discovered this place and my husband and I absolutely love it! Plenty of seating inside and outside, amazing coffee, kind staff, fresh baked goods! If you are in the San Marcos area you need to check it out read more

A great independent coffeeshop, maybe the best in San Diego. There are tons of nice places to sit and nice lighting on the patio and inside. I always get a vanilla latte with one pump of vanilla, it's perfect. The only reason I gave it 4 out of 5 stars is because they close at 5pm. This coffeeshop would probably be packed with customers and students if they simply stayed open till 8pm even 10pm. San Marcos has a terrible night scene you'd have a monopoly with students or in my case night owls. read more

One of my fave places to go in San Marcos! It's a very cute family owned coffee house. I come here to do remote work. They don't have AC so sometimes it gets a little too hot for my liking. However, they do have outdoor seating, and they open the doors to their inside area which sometimes allows for a breeze (no often though). They do have fans inside. The bathroom is also always well kept! They coffee is delicious and I recommend the laveneh toast... not sure how it's spelt. Oh! And they're matcha lattes... hot or cold! And one more thing to note, even when they're busy, everything comes out fast!!!! They have free WiFi, and everyone who works there is SO KIND! read more

I love this place. My wife and I come regularly to order the Grand Scram and coffees. Very cool ambiance inside and out, just a cool spot to grab a bite to eat and hang out. The owner Erin is awesome and makes you feel welcome. read more

The place definitely has the cute home-y feel to it so I would come back coffee and enjoy the ambiance it offers. Their customer service was also great. What got them 3 stars was the breakfast we ordered. I find that it was too expensive for the quality. I ordered scrambled eggs on croissant, paid extra for bacon and cream cheese. My boyfriend ordered the same except on an everything bagel. They made an error by forgetting the cream cheese on my croissant although they fixed it immediately. The scrambled eggs tasted bland and the bacon that we had to pay extra for wasn't the thick cut quality bacon but rather, 2-3 strips of thin and what looks like Oscar Mayer boxed bacon. Disappointing. I'm still hungry. read more

I love this coffee shop cause for the most part it's pretty big and there's inside and outside seating and also couches (: they have a good amount of outlets around the place and parking is easy to find. 10/10 recommend to come and work on some homework or even read a book. read more

Ascend Coffee Roasters - I got the hot chicken sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Local cafe with generic breakfast offerings - cold brew, tuna melt, breakfast scramble on croissant, breakfast scramble with bagel, and acai deluxe. Everything tasted fine but nothing outstanding. Price was a bit steep especially for the portion size. I think Panera would do for our next breakfast/brunch gathering. read more

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Need a place to study? This is your place. There are bonfires outside and spacious tables inside with fresh air flowing in. I went here with my boyfriend to study one afternoon we were able to sit and study for hours without a problem. The bonfire kept us warm, their coffee kept us awake and their food (Corn Tortilla Soup, so good!) kept us full and on track. In San Marcos I found myself running into a lot of problems with finding a place that was actually open a later for my late night study sessions but this place never really let me down. read more

If the cowshed is my cheers for bars, then this would be my Coffe shop from Friends. I love this place, its small and quaint on the inside, or in the warm seasons tons of patio seating. Food is still on point, free wifi and water. Yes, I love being in here with my laptop working on my yelp reviews. read more

Old California Coffee Company is good. The atmosphere is pretty cool, I like The Vibes in there. Customer service is actually quite amazing. However the coffee was not my style. When i went in today, they did not seem to understand craft coffee as a whole. Maybe they are not into that. And not everyone goes in for quality crafted coffee. This is my review of their coffee and coffee knowledge. The espresso beans are dark roast with a chocolatey feel. I did not get the taste from the beans and milk that I have experienced at the best coffee shops in town. Its not the barista's fault at all. Every team trains their baristas differently. And the pricing is a bit strange in my opinion. I ordered a small drink and was charged without being told the price. And it ended up being more than any of the large drinks on the menu. The barista assumed I knew that this usually $3 drink at other coffee shops was a specialty drink at THIS coffee shop. Weird that its a specialty drink...but even so, I should have been told it was a specialty drink. I would have known something was off. read more

2.5... After reading all the rave reviews, decided to see for myself what this place was all about. I'm upping a half star given its cute, homey ambiance. I can definitely see myself studying here (if I were in school) with the free WI-FI and all. It is realllly quiet with ample seating inside and out. Props to the amount of choices they offer. I was debating where to get the Mint Mocha or the Turtle (caramel/hazelnut mocha). I asked the girl behind the counter if the Turtle was good. She replied that she's never had either kind, but the Turtle is really popular. With hesitance, I ordered the Turtle. I was pretty disappointed with the Turtle. IMO, it was too watered down. For a 12oz, it was $3.55, which is comparable to Starbucks and Peet's. This is a great place to chit chat it up with friends. I'd come back to try other drinks offered on the menu. read more

This place is a bit over-rated. Certainly a worthy establishment, but a few major flaws. Here's my break down, and I'll keep it simple. Pros: Cozy atmosphere, good selection, creative dishes, good quality, friendly staff, tasty food. Cons: It's a little over priced.. $14 for lunch is too much. (small sandwich and cup of soup) MAJOR CON: There was hardly ANY meat in my sandwich. This happened both times I tried this place. Literally just a couple salad style strips of turkey on the turkey club and . What is that all about? Rip off if you ask me. read more

Old California Coffee House has served up coffee, goodies & conversation for at least 20 years. Maybe there was a different owner back then, but it's the same funky, lovely place. This coffee house is remarkable not just for good joe, but for friendly and cheerful baristas. At the counter is an amazing assortment of gelatos glittering up from the display case as you try not to see the pastries. Good luck! Tonight I ordered Thai iced tea and a delicious falafel wrap. More than satisfying on a summer evening. There's live music sometimes and a firepit out on the large patio. This coffee house is a joy! read more

2 stars only due to the coffee being great. Food and coffee was expensive. A counter type operation. Order, pay, they then dump the food in a cardboard tray, plastic gork, etc. We ordered 2 scramblers with extras. Food was all pre-prepared, eggs were old and dry, bacon was dry and tasteless, bagel was a non event, avocardo was BROWN and STALE (see photos). We took it in and they remade it with BROWN avocado a second time. I went in for a refund and the manager told me that's what happened when they put them in the oven (Explained a lot). So if you want day old bland crap reheated in the oven, eat here. FAIL!!! Go for coffee only, you will regret everything else! P.s. Owners, if you can't cook fresh breakfast food on demand, get a chef that can or just sell premade wraps so we know we're getting average at best. 2 scramblers and 2 large coffees were $26.00. Price range means it should be made to order. read more

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HIGHLIGHTS: live music, great coffee, friendly people Stopped by on a Friday night before a movie and there was a live band playing jazz music. Loved the atmosphere (fire pits and heaters). I ordered a Butterscotch single pour coffee and it was delicious - not too sweet. The brownie a la mode was tasty too. The employees (I think one was the owner) were all great, very friendly and helpful. I've been wanting to check this coffee house out for years and I'm glad I finally did. Can't wait to go back! read more

Ascend Coffee Roasters - Live music!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

My go-to place to grab a coffee and chat with a friend or study for a few hours. The iced latte hits the spot!

Hands down best coffee shop in North County. Really cool vibe with outdoor fire pits, local bands playing outside, indoor music, and funky and eclectic decor. Coffee is always on point. Sandwiches and soups are legit. Great staff (Erin literally greats customer after customer by name). read more

Food and coffee is great and all but they can't ring you up for just a bagel or give you extra bread with your chili... service is alright. I would have given this 4-5 stars if customer service was better. read more

Cool cool place, chill atmosphere, good food, not filling, but good. The drinks are awesome, the service is great, with friendly smiles... sometimes to much political conversations going on, but I shouldn't be ease dropping... check out this place. read more

Excellent service & atmosphere. The smoothies are delicious! Try the four berry soothe (raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, blueberry). The acai bowl is great! I enjoyed sitting outside near the fire-pits. read more

Ascend Coffee Roasters - Outdoor patio seating with fire-pit. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Nice place to study during the quiet hours. Plenty of seating inside and out. They do have live music at times, but I don't know the schedule. I haven't been here at night, but it'd be a cool place to hang out near the fire pit outside and have a cup of coffee and dessert. I had the "Hot Chicken" sandwich and a small coffee of the day to go with my attempt at studying. The sandwich consisted of chunks of chicken topped with strips of red bell pepper and red onions, slathered with a chipotle sauce (homemade I think?), and melted provolone cheese on toasted sourdough. The sweetness of the bell pepper and onions contrasted nicely to the spice of the chipotle sauce. I thought it was a pretty good sandwich, enough to satisfy you, but will still let you leave some room for dessert. They offer other food stuffs besides sandwiches, i.e. soups, salads, bagels, and fruit bowls. I'll have to try out some other stuff on my next trip out there to do some homework. read more

Ascend Coffee Roasters - The "Hot Chicken" Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Ok... so a friend and I were at one of my fave breakfast joints when they were closing for the day and we were enjoying sitting outside. I suggested we check this place out! I'd only driven by a million times! Very cute quaint place. All it needed was some lil fountain and runny water to add to relaxation! There was definitely a variety of patrons. Several diligently working on their laptops. Others discussing things I'd have to go back to college to even try to participate in their conversation! LOL When I walked inside I was glad I wasn't hungry because they had all kinds of yummy pastries and snacks. Looking for the coffees and teas I was a bit overwhelmed. The menu's where hanging all over the place and it was hard to figure out what I wanted. It would have been great to hear... HAVE you ever been here instead of tell me when you figure out what you want. I'm not a man... so I like a lil guidance! (just kidding guys) I ended up with Yerba mate Ice tea and my friend got coffee. We sat on the patio and relaxed and I got to people watch! Yeah.... all is right with the world! I have to say I'd hit this place again way before Starbucks! Ok.. a rush Starbucks drive-thru to relax and sit outside Old California Coffee House! read more

Cute coffee house with cozy ambience that is the complete antithesis to a corporate coffee store. The service was on the slow side and the coffee itself was mediocre. I was also a bit surprised as it seemed overpriced for what you get. I ordered a 12 oz regular coffee with shot of syrup. Cost was $2.95. Refills are $1. I perused the desserts available in the case- tiramasu and cheesecake that looked ok, but not dazzling. Priced at $4.95-5.95 for a single piece. If I was going to an amazing place with an amazing food offering, I wouldn't mind paying $10 for a coffee and dessert, but this was not that place. read more

This is one of my favorite places to study in north county. They have so much seating for a coffee house. Indoor, outdoor, chairs, couches, shaded, by a fire pit they have so many options. They do have outlets to charge laptops or phones but not a lot of them. It's also great that they're open later than most coffee shops for evening studying! They have coffee, tea, gelato and other food options and they are right in old California restaurant row so there are plenty of other food places nearby as well. Great place with a great vibe! read more

Found this place quite by accident.. coffee was calling..super cute and trendy little spot. I had regular brewed coffee and it was just perfect. Not to strong , not too weak. Seriously perfect. They do offer other drinks..lattes and such if you're in the mood. My husband's ice coffee was great..according to him. I had the bagelwich with veggies. Very tasty. They didn't skimp on the cream cheese . I also tried one of their oatmeal vegan cookies..yuuummmm.. for the record im not vegan so when I tell you everything was very tasty..I really mean it. Definitely a spot I'll stop at when I'm in town again read more

Ascend Coffee Roasters - Veggie bagelwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Feels like home! I always feel welcomed. Staff is friendly and remembers your name/order. Chai is delicious and breakfast sandwiches have saved me on days when I was running late or didn't want to make breakfast. read more