Cancel

Open app

Search

Better Buzz Coffee Hillcrest

4.1 (1.5k reviews)
Open • 4:30 am - 8:00 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

Order Better Buzz Coffee Hillcrest Takeout or Delivery

Better Buzz Coffee Hillcrest Photos

Business Info

BETTER BUZZ COFFEE HILLCREST ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Classy
Outdoor seating
Good for working

You might also consider

More like Better Buzz Coffee Hillcrest

Recommended Reviews - Better Buzz Coffee Hillcrest

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos - Better Buzz Coffee Hillcrest

Front store
Jennifer G.

Such a great space. The decor is amazing & theres so much space for people to spread out & have coffee while they work. We ordered a matcha drink, cold brew coffee & some egg bites. They put my matcha in my reusable yeti mug. They were friendly, helpful w my boyfriend allergies.

Jordyn J.

Can't go wrong with better buzz. Tried this cute summer drink and really enjoyed the pop of color and flavor.

Front seating area
Jim B.

The Yelp summary is not kidding when they say sweet beverages. My cinnamon pistachio best drink ever iced coffee beverage was very sweet even for someone who loves his drinks very sweet. It was delicious and well prepared. I also had a blackberry banana nut muffin which was incredibly delicious. There is a ton of seating inside, including some really comfortable couches with pillows, some upbeat music playing somewhat loudly, and this being their flagship store, they have a huge coffee roaster machine to marvel at.

Joyce G.

My daughter heard about this place from a coworker so since we were in the area, we had to go try it out. Parking was a challenge. I HATE looking for parking. Once inside, I really liked what I saw. I did some exploring while waiting for my coffee. I ordered the best coffee ever, and I really liked it!! I definitely want to order it again next time I'm in the area. Price? A little pricey, but it was kind of worth it. The ambiance was nice and interesting. Quite a few places to sit.

Honey lavender
Caitlin H.

Came for the coffee, stayed for the vibes This spot is so spacious--plenty of room to relax, work, or catch up with a friend. The staff? Absolute gems. Super friendly and welcoming from the moment I walked in. I ordered the honey lavender coffee and WOW--perfectly balanced. Not too sweet, not too floral... just right Only downside? Street parking can be a bit of a challenge, so plan ahead. But honestly, totally worth it once you get inside! Will definitely be back

3 Seed Avocado
Vivian L.

I needed a place to work and happy that I found this spot! The ambiance was super nice. There's seating & tables downstairs and upstairs (couch vibes with pillows AND regular tables and chairs). I ordered the 3 Seed Avocado Toast & a small matcha tea latte, then grabbed a spot upstairs. There was only one outlet charger upstairs FYI. The 3 Seed Avocado Toast was good but I thought it tasted better with the lemon. The toast was a bit soft. The Matcha Tea Latte was very good. The items came out quick and they'll call your name. You'll need to ask for WiFi and the restroom has a code on it. Street parking only. Good spot to work, hang out/catch up, date spot, etc.

Hillcrest love ;)
Phillip Z.

This place was fantastic. Such a nice cafe right in the heart of Hillcrest, San Diego's gayest neighborhood. I loved the rainbow flags hanging from the ceiling, and making it feel like such a welcoming space. There are multiple floors of seating options. My partner and I grabbed a spot at the front of the cafe, and could watch all the Hillcrest action pass by. I got a standard drip coffee, which was great and enjoyed the flavor. My partner got his standard London Fog and thought it also came out perfectly. The wifi was fast, and we loved just how bright the spot was with all the windows. Service was friendly with some gay sass, which we personally loved. The shop is part of a socal coffee chain. We now want to check out the other spots, based on this great experience here.

Banana pudding best drink ever
Anna H.

I love Better Buzz. I know it's one of those 'splurge' places for coffee, but their coffee really is worth it. This location has beautiful spacious indoor and outdoor areas to sit. I got the banana pudding best drink ever and it really was the best drink ever. You can tell they put care into their drinks. I also love their pastries - they had a rainbow pound cake once that I still think about.

3 Seed Avocado
Aaron A.

A must-stop for us while in San Diego on business. Coffee and service are consistent. The inside is large with seating upstairs as well. It's a neat place. Line moves quickly, so don't worry, it'll be worth it! I really enjoyed their twist on an Americano. "Best drink ever," so good! The avocado toast was pretty good as well.

Laila S.

The hazelnut latte had the most reviews on Yelp, but it wasn't very impressive--they don't use real hazelnuts, just a flavored sweetener. If you have a nut allergy, this latte should be fine since it isn't made with actual nuts, though it's still best to confirm with the barista. The honey latte, on the other hand, was excellent and easily the best drink we tried. The service was great as well--they made a mistake on one of our drinks and gave it to us for free. The ambiance is really nice, making it a great spot to study, relax, or catch up with friends.

Limited release. Toasted marshmallow cold brew
Alex S.

I love this Better Buzz location. The people are always friendly and the space is great. And of course the drinks are delicious too. They have plenty of tables and couches if you want to get some work done and the wifi is reliable. It is a great spot for people watching, so... Don't get distracted!

Ervin S.

Tanya was so knowledgeable about her beverages and made my entire experience so welcoming. First time in San Diego and this made it much better. I will definitely come back to this coffee shop in the future. The ambience is really peaceful with lots of seating to work and the music is great too. :)

Sundar K.

Amazing staff. Very kind and helpful. A couple of weeks ago, I had a mishap in one of the drinks I got from them (the drink rolled over in my car), when I told the staff they made the same drink immediately, with a smile and didn't charge me for it either. The drinks are amazing. I love the staff there. I should've noted their names, I believe they are all equally friendly. Of course the store looks amazing, very modern and cozying. Parking kinda sucks.

Interior

See all

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Marcie L.
431
769
1781

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

17 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 days ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

5 days ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Joyce G.
470
1274
6718

3 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Helpful 2
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Thank you for your amazing review! Keep getting Buzzed with us!

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0

24 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Sundar K.
20
84
127

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Thank you for your amazing review! Keep getting buzzed with us!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Thank you for your amazing review! Keep getting Buzzed with us!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Joe M.
0
26
1

13 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 months ago

I love this place and thanks for the service and friendly service and good food service God bless all the people in this area.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Kat T.
187
4
3

24 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Thank you for your amazing review! Keep getting Buzzed with us!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Thank you for your amazing review! Keep getting Buzzed with us!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Tom S.
0
28
3

23 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Thank you for your amazing review! Keep getting Buzzed with us!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 8
Thanks 1
Love this 8
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Thank you for your amazing review! Keep getting buzzed with us!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Thank you for your amazing review! Keep getting Buzzed with us!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 months ago

Business owner information

Photo of Better Buzz T.

Better Buzz T.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 38

Better Buzz Coffee Hillcrest Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Better Buzz Coffee Hillcrest

Does it offer delivery service with Doordash , postmates?

Yes

Do they have outdoor seating?

Yes, they only have a few tables on the side of the building!

Do they have sugar-free flavors or sweeteners?

Yes. Vanilla, Carmel and Hazelnut

Does Better Buzz offer coffee travelers?

Yes

Are dogs allowed inside?

Unfortunately no, my Friend Tried to order coffee with his Puppy and was told pets are not allowed.

Is It open today on a holiday?

They're open every day, including Christmas

Are the study rooms available on a first-come-first-serve basis? Or, do they need to be reserved in advance?

From what I understand, there are no "study rooms" in the San Diego locations. They have an upstairs office for the business but not for public usage. That's per the Hillcrest location.

Can I reserve a study room?

Better Buzz has a very nice meeting room on the first floor, but I'm *pretty* sure it's for employee meetings only. Third floor is offices. But, hey - doesn't hurt to ask? 🤔

Is there parking?

Only street parking. It's pretty limited.

Are their many available outlets?

Not really. Not much seating either, it's usually taken.

Is there air conditioning?

Yes! It's nice and cool inside

What's the wifi?

Buzz1234

View All 13 Questions

You might also consider

Mostra Coffee

Mostra Coffee

4.1
(159 reviews)
0.5 mi
•$

Whenever we're in town, we always make it a point to stop by Mostra Coffee--it never disappoints…read more Their coffee is consistently amazing, and our go-to drinks, the Bibingka Crème Brûlée and Campfire Latte, are always a hit. Servers are nice and helpful. This location is especially beautiful--clean, well-kept, and thoughtfully designed. The patio is a great bonus, with a cozy vibe that makes it perfect for relaxing and enjoying your drink. Definitely a must-visit spot in San Diego!

I came here this morning because a Filipino pastry spot with a bibingka latte sounded too…read moreintriguing to pass up -- and they had a longanisa sandwich on top of that? Sold. So I made the trek over. Heads up: there's construction nearby, so parking was a struggle. Unfortunately, the visit ended up being a bit of a letdown. First off, they didn't have ice. I like my morning drinks iced, and I still ordered the bibingka latte, but it came without ice -- I ended up having to grab some from another restaurant since my work doesn't have a fridge. I was also excited for the longanisa sandwich, but they didn't have any hot sandwiches. What they did have was cheese rolls, a guava-filled ensaymada, and pandesal. The pastries were frozen, so he had to warm them up, which took a while. On the drink, I'd give it a 2.5/5. It was OK, but not something I'd order again. It was a balance of sweet and savory, with hints of rice flour and coconut milk -- but even ordering it less sweet, it still came out too sweet for me. The pastries were also just OK. My favorite of the bunch was the ensaymada. I really wanted to love this place given the concept, but between the missing ice, no hot sandwiches, and the frozen pastries, it didn't quite come together this visit.

Photos
Pick up area/ water station
Pick up area/ water station
Bibingka crime brûlée latte
Bibingka crime brûlée latte
Bathrooms

See all

Bathrooms
Rosemary and Thyme Cafe

Rosemary and Thyme Cafe

4.7
(139 reviews)
0.4 mi
•$$

This is such a cute little cafe. Especially for plant lovers. Service was very friendly. We got…read moregreeted as we entered. The patio is surrounded by tropical plants and there is plenty of shade. My husband had the French toast, which he said was pretty good. I had the Benedict and enjoyed it. The potatoes have rosemary and thyme on them and they were cooked well. I will definitely be back! Especially on a Sunday because they are right next to the farmers market. Note: The place can be a little tricky to find because it is in the back of a multi use retail space. Walking directions were trying to direct us towards the ally, but you enter from the university side and heads towards the back.

My friend picked this place to celebrate both my birthday and Mother's Day. It's definitely a…read morelittle hidden, but once you get inside, the space is actually really nice. We were a pretty big group of 11 people total. We had a reservation for 10am on a Sunday, but still ended up waiting around 45 minutes to be seated, which was a bit frustrating. I ordered the Cinnamon French Toast, and honestly it didn't really meet my expectations. It was a little too dry for me, and I was hoping it would be more soft and syrupy. That said, some of my friends really enjoyed what they ordered. The service itself was good though, the waiters checked on us often and were attentive throughout. They also brought out free birthday shots for the table, which was a fun and thoughtful touch.

Photos
Rosemary and Thyme Cafe
Rosemary and thyme Benedict
Rosemary and thyme Benedict
Outdoor vibe

See all

Outdoor vibe
Chance’s Coffee

Chance’s Coffee

4.5
(162 reviews)
1.1 mi

I had been wanting to check out Chance's Coffee and I was in dire need of caffeine so I scooped up…read moremy Pomeranian Kodi and we drove the 3 miles. It was Sunday and I felt utterly blessed by the Universe when I found parking almost right away. This place is right next to The Lafayette so parking is always so hard to come by so be warned. When I got to Chance's there was a pop up too, I ended up ordering the matcha latte with a pandan syrup and pandan cream. I got Kodi a pup cup and then a pastry, I'm not sure how but my total came out to $20 with tip, so it can definitely get pretty pricey. I waited outside with my Kodi and ordered breakfast sandwiches for myself and my husband who was still asleep. They have plenty of outside and indoor seating and I really like the minimal vibes but it was still welcoming nonetheless. They also had a cute photo booth you can pay to take photos with your pups. When my drink came out, I was so excited. The matcha had a great hue to it and you can definitely taste the pandan that was still respectfulness to the matcha flavor. Kodi also devoured his pup cup. I would come back with a friend, everyone is super friendly and the matcha is great.

I came by to try Chance's since we were in the area and I had a just okay drink but my friend loved…read morehers! Black sesame matcha - It tasted like I was mostly drinking black sesame milk with a hint of matcha here and there, I wish the matcha was stronger Coconut water w/ Ube/Pandan Foam - My friend loved this! The foams were delicious and mixed well with the coconut water Overall if I were to come back I would probably get a non-matcha drink or try the double shot to see if anything changes! Service is great and I love the tables they have setup

Photos
Double Pandan Coffee, Double Matcha
Double Pandan Coffee, Double Matcha
Lavender Tonic
Lavender Tonic
Chance's Vietnamese Coffee drink Background was a popup event there with Puppy Picnic Co.

See all

Chance's Vietnamese Coffee drink Background was a popup event there with Puppy Picnic Co.
Fuzz Coffee

Fuzz Coffee

4.4
(63 reviews)
1.8 mi
•$$

MUSICIANS + COFFEE (4 stars)…read more You get "Vinyl consumption and thoughtful produced coffee"! Chill and cozy coffee shop with a few seats and a selection of coffee and vinyl in the layout. Bought a bag of their beans and it came with a free cup of drip or iced from that same bean. After browsing their selection of beans, I couldn't quite find the type of profile I like but there were a variety of profiles. I bought a bag for a gift for someone who might appreciate their shop style and profile. At the time of my visit there were no decaf beans available. Took advantage of taking the free iced coffee and was surprise of my sipping acceptwnc! RAW POWER - their mainstay coffee which has a profile of chocolate and orange. I had this as an iced coffee - straight up black with no added anything and I thought I'd hate it without anything but I enjoyed the ice coffee as black and plain. From here I could really taste the bean profile very clearly and indeed could find the chocolate and the orange, more the orange than the chocolate. I am not into acidity or tart when I take my lattes but I don't mind that orange flavor when I take an iced coffee. It was an inquiring taste! I'd like to come back and try their decaf beans with with a flavored latte or an iced coffee plain as possible.

I love their Crumbling Castle cappuccino. I am a dedicated…read moreiced coffee lover but this is the only place I get my drink hot. And it's so good. My only beef is the small size, as it's really hard not to down the drink in the span of five minutes or less. They also have some really cool assorted pastries if you get there in time. High quality and unique options with fun flavors. The shop is relatively small with seating in and outside. There are also records for sale and they have a really cool curated selection. The staff is also really cool, sweet and quick to make drinks.

Photos
Coffee beans
Coffee beans
Coffee beans
Coffee beans
Fresh flowers

See all

Fresh flowers

Better Buzz Coffee Hillcrest - coffee - Updated July 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...