This is a very inviting establishment thanks to its friendly staff, tasty food and homely atmosphere. If you feel like taking the day slowly then you can relax and enjoy the outdoor patio, dining tables or the comfy couches in the living room style area. Also, on some evenings they have live music on the patio so you can lounge by the firepits and watch/listen. Otherwise, this place is a great option to take your goodies togo if you're looking for a quick fix when you're on the run. I'm not much of a coffee person (only on those times of desperation I am) but I do get teas. I have tried their Iced Chai Lattes numerous times and it's one of my favorite amongst all cafes in the area. Overall it has a perfect balance of flavors and isnt overly sweet. Their baked goods, breakfast bagles/sandwiches and lunch sandwiches are also very delightful and satisfying since they don't skimp out on the portion and ingredients. Service is always great here and during the day you'll often find yourself among students doing homework and studying for exams. The venue boasts the ideal atmosphere for that since they have free wifi and it's relatively quiet. I suppose I also like coming here since it's a good reminder of how much I don't miss those days :) read more

Ascend Coffee Roasters - The Hot Chicken Sandwich (on wheat in lieu of sourdough) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Food is great! Service is kind, a place to chill and have a delicious cup of coffee or whatever beverage you order is perfect... I get the Arnold Palmer alot. read more

Best coffee shop in all of SD. Went here once a week for two years while I was in community college. Went back a month ago when I was in the area. Hasn't changed. Go there for the sweet latte drinks. Food is good. Expensive but usually shareable. (One sandwich is good for two people for a light lunch.) Tons of parking. Tons of seating. Best ever atmosphere/seating/decor/music on the speakers and everything. They said it was "bedroom pop". I would rent this place out as a studio apartment it's so hip. Open air. Nice as the weather inside. Not an icebox like other places. Perfect. The reason why I'm going to rank every other coffee shop in SD that doesn't live up to this one. read more

Super sweet barista, great drinks, and overall a great quiet place to do work or enjoyed your coffee

Super cute hidden gem! Absolutely loved both the coffee and breakfast at this cute little spot. Very good atmosphere with great service. Can't wait to return! read more

Coffee was smooth, i ordered a cold brew. Wish the toast had more. It was very skimpy so i didn't take a picture :( it looked sad. read more

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

Wow the absolute nerve of the customer service. Last I checked, you never give a customer attitude when they ask for extra dressing on the side. Even McDonalds knows how to maintain some level of professionalism. Let me throw your comment back at you so everyone can read it. "I've worked here for 11 years... " Let me stop you right there... Today you just lost a regular customer and from the look of a few other reviews, I won't be the last. Owner please contact me, I would like to come back when I know I don't have to tolerate that type of service. read more

Loved the chipotle chicken sandwich, but I was unable to finish my iced chai latte. It was very grainy.

The ambiance was beautiful and relaxing. The staff was friendly and helpful. The breakfast burrito was good but it barely had any avocado in it. The coffee was delicious but the muffin was dry and tasteless. Overall a good experience. read more

Best lattes always friendly staff and super clean coffee and food shop. I wasn't really surprised as I've previously visited their other long time location in San Marcos....congrats Erin and crew read more

My partner and I stopped here before heading home after spending a weekend in San Marcos. We were so impressed by the extensive menu, offering not only your standard coffee drinks (latte, cappuccino, etc.) but also speciality coffee drinks, smoothies, and iced teas. My partner and I tried the caramel brûlée and the honey vanilla coffees and both were delicious! Not too sweet either and you could still taste the coffee which was awesome. They also have a great selection of breakfast burritos, lunch items, artisan toast, and baked goods. I would definitely come here regularly if I was a local. Friendly customer service, great ambiance, lots of seating, overall a great spot! read more

Palomar College Baseball has their Comets in First Place and for a Post Game Win, plenty of choices for Steaks, Ribs and all things Meaty. Our Party of Five was well pleased and happy with the Drinks and Big Portions with take home for Third Baseman, C Hain. We drove around looking through Restaurant Row and got exactly what we thought we were getting. There is so much of the same Corporate Dinning it's fun to find very unique satisfaction! read more

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

An amazing spot to study or catch up with a good friend. Lattes and service are top notch. I can't wait to go back and try their fooood, it looked delicious! read more

Support your local sunrise! Great new coffee shop! Great coffee and food. Nice and clean

I am only giving them a one star because I had the worst customer service I have ever had today. I am so disappointed because I have never had anything but a pleasant experience here and the coffee is amazing! I had a cashier that from the start was rude and showed no interest in her job or knowledge of it at all (she is not a new employee). If you decide to come here on a Monday to listen to The Twin Picks play jazz stay away from this evil cashier. *Stephanie the manager stepped in a resolved the issue. Thanks! read more

Old Cal continues to be a great place for students to study during the day and a family oriented environment. I finally tried their açaí bowl today and I must say for $9 it's not the best in the area. I wish they gave me a bowl rather than a cup, my granola literally spilled all over the table every bite. I loved the warm fire pit at night. There's a piano at the front and it seems like anyone can play. Tonight we had a gentleman play and sing Christmas songs. Great environment! read more

This place is meh but the food isn't bad. The service isn't great. Half of us were done with our food before the others got their food. We had to inquire about parts of missing orders that the number was taken away for. It wasn't very busy so the lack of service was a little weird. read more

Ascend Coffee Roasters - Backyard Club Sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

A blackened avocado should NEVER make its way into a sandwich. I ordered two and both had bad avocado on them. I'm sure you can see they are bad when making the sandwich. The cold foam had no foam. The Chipotle sauce was good. I think the sandwich would have been great if there were some quality control. read more

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What a sweet gem on restaurant row! My husband and I decided to check out a local coffee shop on a Saturday night. They have a good amount of coffee and loose leaf tea options. They also have healthy and easy American fare to feed your brain as you study or do your work here. They have a spacious patio space where you can bring your furry friends and sit by the fire. It's great for working, socializing and lounging. We learned that they also have live music here on some nights so we plan on coming back for that. Pro-tip: keep your receipt as the day's wifi password is going to be at the bottom of your receipt! read more

Second time getting food and drinks here during quarantine and I am so impressed with the level of safety measures they have taken to make sure their customers and staff are safe while still serving up delicious food and coffee. My husband and I each tried one of their gourmet toast and we both love them. read more

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

This cafe shop had a nice aesthetic having indoor and out door seating. I saw a few people studying here and was pretty quite. I tried something new which was the Apple sandwich and I really liked it. The seasoning on the chicken wasn't over powering and the apple combination was quite refreshing. The BLT was great, could get it anywhere but what got me was how flavorful the bacon was. They toasted the bread and wasn't fluffed up with just only vegetables. I tried the crème brûlée and it was very smooth. It wasn't too sweet and you were still able to taste a little bitterness which I personally like about my coffee. I think this would be a great spot for any college student looking to study and get a meal at. read more

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

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Great coffee and great food. Owner and employees are very friendly. Glad to have them in the community offering a nice quaint spot for coffee read more

Great ambiance - just wish the hours were longer. BTW, the vegan chili and baked falafel wrap are both very good options for vegans and vegetarians. read more

Love it, can make a wonderful cappuccino breve and live their burritos breakfast. Interior is not great and can do better, but customer service and location is good. read more

DOV: 1/3/2017 | 3 PM-5 PM Ambiance gets 5/5, but if you analyze the different aspects...it doesn't quite hit the mark for me like others rave about. Coffee wise: ehh. Large cups though, for cheap prices! Food: A bit pricey, but decent soup and sandwich combos. Gelato: errr yikes. Probably the worst I've ever had. Also, pretty pricey for the quantity! Tastes like frozen, watered down ice cream that you find in the back of the freezer. +Wifi is given on the bottom of the receipt! +Minimum purchase of $5 for credit cards! +Service is fast and efficient. Lady serving wasn't uber friendly though...Happy new year..? +Parking is abundant. Restaurant Row plaza FTW! Overall, I wouldn't make a trip just to come here for food and drinks, but definitely if I need a quiet place to study and have a group meeting. There aren't many coffee shops in San Marcos, so I can see why people love it so much! read more

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I really wanted to love this place because it is conveniently located next to my kids gymnastics gym and is great for me to work at while she has gymnastics. Unfortunately, I have decided it is just not worth it to buy anything here. I have tried an iced vanilla latte coffee which was just not good! The flavor was harsh and just not enjoyable, I took two sips and threw it away. I went a second time and tried the garden muffin and a chai latte. The garden muffin was horrible, it was so incredibly dry and no flavor at all. The chai latte to my shock was TERRIBLE it had a rlly strange flavor/taste, I drank about half and threw it away. I decided I can't justify going back to this place. I will also add their seating is rlly uncomfortable. The staff are nice though which is why I gave it 2 star. read more

Great little retro coffee shop! Great choices for breakfast and lunches. We had Bagel sandwiches that were really good for breakfast as well as amazing coffee! The coffee shop is decorated really cute and cozy and inviting with indoor and outdoor space. Service was quick and they are very friendly and helpful there. Definitely try it out if you're in the area . DON'T go to Starbucks! Support local small businesses! read more

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

Old California Coffee House and Eatery is the place to be! I absolutely love this quaint coffee shop hidden in the center restaurant district of San Marcos. Coffee House and Eatery has a menu expansive for the best of palettes catering to anything of vegan diet to the heartiest of consumers. I personally really enjoy their coffee selection, having their mint mocha coffee to perfection! The service is quick, presentation amazing, and seating area clean. I love the urban rustic outdoor patio creating a plethora of open space and plenty of room for the coffee extraordinaires to bustling students of the University. It also hosts a big enough space to have your kids and family, creating a wonderful experience for people of all ages. With meals divine and a great, cozy spot to hang, I will be making a trip back here! read more

Ascend Coffee Roasters - Vegan Chili w/ Onions and a Cranberry Turkey Sandwich! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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This place is cute and stepping in felt like i was in another time and place. There were different groups of people getting breakfast and going through bible studies (two groups) or rehashing a party. The weird thing was it was a Thursday.. like don't people have work?? Anyway, i tried to do some work there and they had wifi and a bathroom. The food though was just okay. I've had better avocado toast and chai. read more

i was pleasantly surprised finding Ascend coffee shop! I wanted to be near nature outdoors in a good chill out ambiance to have a coffee read and write a few hours. the staff was friendly loving and helpful and the place is lovely! I'll be back!! thank you !! especially to Alexis read more

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

Just an overall great experience and amazing coffee, worth sticking around and enjoying your drink, I suggest trying the caramel brûlée.

I love this coffee house! My friend and I love to come here drink coffee and work on our assignments. Also, we like supporting our local coffee houses:) A lot of students come here to do their homework because Cal State SM is down the street, so it's pretty busy. The inside is really nice and very clean. I've had their mint mocha, Mexican mocha, and today I tried their crème brûlé (decaf) sooo good! read more

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

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Truly friendly customer service here. I used to come here often years back. Since work brought me to San Marcos for a few days, I decided to go down memory and try the place out again. Not sure if ownership changed the past years, but I am still impressed with the customer service and efficiency this coffee place has. Recently I tried their almond milk latte. It is good. Nothing like my usual Lofty or Blue bottle though. The housemade chai tea was refreshing and I like that it was not made from a syrup nor a powder. I could really taste the difference. As a result the chai tea is not too sweet. Just how I like it. read more

I needed to get out of the house for a few hours with my dog, needed wi-fi, shade and coffee. Then I remembered this place. I live barely 2 miles from here but I rarely frequent this establishment. Why? I don't know...but that's about to change. The patio is 80% shaded- score. Snickerdoodle drink is amazing- score! Wi-fi is lightening fast, even outside...score! The love dogs...even have their own water bowls for them- another HUGE score. The barista was super friendly, made small talk, my drink was ready quickly- large snickerdoodle without whipped cream $5.94. Take note- minimum credit card purchase is $5.00 I'll be back. read more

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This is a pretty standard neighborhood coffee shop, it's nothing fancy. There is a food menu with some customizable options and a drink menu with coffee, smoothies, and teas. The pricing is fair, but depending on when you go, the wait for food can take awhile. I only got an acai bowl, which was just okay. The acai was blended, but it was more on the smoothie side than being frozen, topped with granola and banana. It's a good option for a snack, but probably not for a meal. read more

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Below average food and basic coffee, nice outside sitting and dog friendly environment, could've been 4 stars if not for snobby cashier. You are feeding people, why you so unhappy? Too special to be friendly ? well you are not, relax read more

This coffee shop is a hidden gem located in San Marcos Old California Restaurant Row. I absolutely love this place and have been coming here 10+ years and each time has been a pleasant experience. The service is great, the ambiance is cool, and they have a good selection of options for food and drinks. I usually get coffee here as it is the spot I used to frequently study at back in the day or a place to catch up with friends. More recently I came by this morning, and it is still the same and a great place all around. My usual favorite drinks would be the *Almond Roca* or the *Snickerdoodle*... so delish! Inside there are a few tables and couches.. and there are fire pits located outside which are cozy and perfect for enjoying the outdoors with a cup of joe. Sometimes there's live music out on the patio which is awesome for entertainment. Overall, a great North County option and very comparable to "The Living Room" and "Lestat's" with a nice vibe as the perfect spot to chill at and get your caffeine fix. read more

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

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This has always been a great coffee shop. The owner, Erin, is the nicest person and really keeps the shop running well. Great staff and the food is always so good. I had the chicken pesto burrito and it was amazing! Also had the housemade chai tea latte and it, too, was delicious! read more

I just want to thank the yelpers for introducing me to this place!! I never knew I could fall in love with a coffee shop/cafe!! This is my "ideal" coffee cafe that I have always dreamt about! My ideal cafe: a place that is warm, cozy, quiet without those loud blenders with good healthy food & free wifi. Check - Found! Seriously, right when I went into the cafe, the exterior looked a like cute house with an adorable patio. The patio had numerous iron tables, chairs, and the perfect garden atmosphere. The interior looks like a living with comfortable couches everywhere. There are several tables, some big and some small that are decorated with a unique antique look. You could go there to study by yourself or with a group. The place gets packed but it's QUIET!! I am normally the type that cannot work in loud areas like starbucks, coffee bean, etc. but this place.. this place is so different!! No one makes a peep and if they do, they are really quiet! The staff is excellent! They provide you with the greatest service ever! The food!! The food is healthy and fresh! You order the food in front and the staff delivers it to you. I got the half and half combo - hummus tabouli warp with the baked tofu salad ($6.99). The price for the amount of food is a real steal deal!! By the time i ate the salad, I was so full that I packed the wrap to go. The food is excellent! The baked tofu kind of tasted like the chinese bean curd. I also got the small snickerdoodle latte ($3.45). The drinks are a little pricey but they have a lot of variety of different kind of drinks. The snickerdoodle drink is really good, but next time i'm going to try it cold. Overall, I recommend this place!! You can stay as long as you want and they don't mind! read more

Ascend Coffee Roasters - Hummus tabouli wrap with baked tofu salad - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Their homemade chai tea lattes are the best! They also have some unique specialty drinks as well, but my go-to is always the chai tea latte. Oh, and don't forget about the pastries! They do have food here, but it is overpriced and nothing to scream about. I ordered a quiche with a side salad that ended up costing $9. However, if you are in need of sustenance, they do have food here and gluten free options. I always make it a point to stop by and study here when I'm in the area. The place has a quaint, hipster-like ambiance. If you plan to study here, be sure to ask for a receipt when you order since the Wi-Fi password is located at the bottom of the receipt. Until next time! read more

Ascend Coffee Roasters - Chai tea latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Carlsbad, California