This matcha was so good! Loved the strawberry cloud cream, it tasted like strawberry nesquik and…read morewasn't too sweet so you could still taste the matcha. The ambiance was really cool too! They had a DJ playing music, a bunch of plants to shop around for and it was very lively. They also offer online ordering so if you want your order quicker you can order ahead. Definitely recommend 10/10!

The interior environment was so cute! I love the greenery and the cozy table settings. They have…read morefun trinkets lining the way to the register and strategically-placed menus with thorough descriptions of the drinks. I also got nice customer service, which is a plus! Unfortunately, this was the highlight. I ordered the "To die for" matcha with almond milk and no pumpkin cloud cream. My sister ordered the "To die for" latte with 2% milk, no pumpkin cloud cream, less milk, and more ice. We both ordered without modifications to the sweetness, under the assumption that the sweetness level wouldn't be particularly high. However, both drinks were entirely way too sweet and left a sharp aftertaste. We then ordered an additional shot of matcha and an additional shot of espresso, in hopes of remedying the taste. Unfortunately, the taste wasn't improved and we left. If you're a customer who is accustomed to a more matcha-forward taste, I would pass on this place. The matcha is pre-batched and tasted oxidized. If you're someone who likes a present espresso taste, I would recommend ordering with a quarter sweetness, although I'm not sure how that would affect the pumpkin flavor. On that note, the pumpkin flavor was difficult to place due to the sweetness, which also resulted in an inconsistent blend of flavors in both drinks. Maybe I'd come back to explore the trinkets.

Delicious drinks made well. It's hard to find hojicha, and they do it well! Their matcha drinks are…read morealso very good. Kind of expensive, but their prices are pretty comparable to other cafes in San Diego. The space is pretty cool with a variety of seating options. Love that this can also be used as an event space for different types of crowds and activities.

Parking lot: spacious lot…read more Interior: very big area to hang out. There's tons of tables and chairs. Tons of people that hang out. Nice vibe. People come here to study. Drinks: Passion fruit tonic expresso, Mia mor latte, sweet rice oolong ice tea. Nice and refreshing. From clovery (pop up in store): spam masubi focaccia, pumpkin bread, earl grey scone London fog, Christmas cookie.

Labora is such a fun spot! I tried the Pandan Matcha, Banana Matcha, and Salty Viet Drip all three…read morewere so good. Pandan matcha was definitely my husband's favorite and I really liked the banana matcha. We also ordered the popcorn chicken in both regular and spicy, and both were delicious! Crispy, flavorful, and the spicy version had a nice kick without being overwhelming. Everything was tasty, and there are so many interesting drinks and snacks to choose from. Definitely a spot I'd come back to! Service was stellar.

Labora definitely lives up to the hype. It was packed when we stopped by, but the line moved…read moresurprisingly fast and the staff kept everything running smoothly. Despite how busy it was, the café never felt disorganized. The modern space and lively atmosphere make it a fun place to grab a drink and hang out for a bit. I ordered the pandan matcha, and it was excellent. The flavors were balanced really well, with neither the pandan nor the matcha overpowering the other, and it wasn't overly sweet. Between the quality of the drinks, efficient service, and overall vibe, I'd happily come back to try more of the menu.

Super cool ambiance with the coffee shop sharing the space with the bar next door. Country music…read moreand football is viewable through the mini divider between the spots The cold brew is solid and there's plenty of seating. Fun "pot head" themed merch available as well. There's a couple locations around San Diego but this is one of the better ones

‼ DISCRIMINATION! RACISM! ‼ I had an extremely uncomfortable…read moreand upsetting experience here while picking up a large coffee order for a wedding. When I arrived, there was a very long line, but because my order had already been placed, I went to the designated pickup area. While waiting, I watched the employee behind the counter speak politely and normally to other customers. When it was my turn, I turned my phone around and politely said, "Hi, I'm here to pick up for" Before I could even finish my sentence, the employee looked at my phone, rolled his eyes, turned away from me, and went to retrieve the order. There was no greeting, no acknowledgment, and no basic courtesy. He handed me the order while staring at me, rolled his eyes again, and immediately returned to the register. The interaction was so noticeably hostile that I looked back at him and asked, "What's your problem?" He immediately turned away and began helping someone else. I then asked another employee whether there was a manager available and explained what had just happened. Her response was essentially that there was "a lot going on" and that they were busy. Being busy does not excuse treating a customer disrespectfully especially when I had just watched other customers receive normal, courteous service. What made this experience particularly concerning was what happened next. While I was still making sure my large order was complete, another customer approached the pickup area. The same employee who would not even allow me to finish my sentence immediately greeted this man with, "Hello, how can I help you?" and proceeded to speak to him politely and professionally. That was the exact basic courtesy I had been denied only moments earlier. As a Black woman, I cannot ignore that difference in treatment. I watched this employee demonstrate that he was perfectly capable of greeting customers, communicating professionally, and being courteous. He simply chose not to extend that same treatment to me. Based on what I personally witnessed, the disparity felt prejudicial and discriminatory. I then walked to the neighboring sister establishment to ask how I could contact management because I had not been provided helpful management information inside the coffee shop. Ironically, the employee I spoke with there was also Latino, and he treated me with complete respect. He listened, offered to get a manager, asked whether I was okay, and apologized that I had experienced something uncomfortable. That interaction is important because my complaint is not about anyone's ethnicity it is about the specific behavior of the employees who dealt with me at the coffee shop. What was also strange was that the coffee shop employees who had just explained that everything was so hectic suddenly had plenty of time to stand at the counter and watch me while I spoke with the neighboring business. They continued watching me until I got into my car. There had been an enormous line of customers, yet somehow the "too busy" explanation disappeared when it came time to watch what I was doing after I asked about management. That made an already uncomfortable situation feel even more hostile. The Smoking Gun needs to seriously evaluate who it places in customer-facing positions. Customers should not have to wonder whether their race affected the basic level of dignity and courtesy they received. If an employee is overwhelmed or having a bad day, take a break, ask for help, or work away from the front counter. What you do not do is selectively discard basic manners with one customer and then immediately demonstrate those same manners to the next. I came in to pick up coffee for a wedding. I was polite. I was there to collect an order and leave. There was absolutely no reason for me to be treated with hostility. I will be filing a formal complaint with management regarding this incident. I hope management takes it seriously, reviews what occurred, and provides its staff with appropriate customer-service and anti-discrimination training. No paying customer should be treated as though basic respect is optional. And yes, they can run the cameras back it'll be in there ! Then to ice the cake, they literally got the order wrong and didn't give me all the items for the party that I was taking it to! Could look me up and down but not look the orders up and down !

Em Coffee House has a great vibe to it. It is well lit and nicely decorated. I especially like the…read moremini indoor rock garden with the deer. Service was quick. Nothing to complain about here. I ordered a Spanish Latte which has condensed milk and milk foam in it. The coffee has the typical dark bitterness found in Vietnamese coffee. The bitterness is balanced out by the sweetness of the condensed milk. The oat milk adds a dimension of oat-y goodness on top of everything. Overall, an enjoyable and palatable drink.

Cute cafe but I wouldn't come here again for coffee. I'd honestly would just take round trip to da…read morevien or airoma instead. There were a lot of seats available but they were all dirty unfortunately. I got the White Truffle Tiramisu Cream Coffee and even though I mixed it thoroughly, it was still really strong and had a weird after taste. My friend got the Marble Latte Bac Xiu and it tasted a lot better so I would recommend that one over the tiramisu.

My friend and I stopped by Lovesong Coffee for a much-needed caffeine boost before heading out to…read moreexplore Balboa Park, and I'm so glad we found this place! The shop has such a nice little vibe inside, and the baristas were friendly and welcoming. Their latte flavors are definitely bold and interesting, with combinations you don't see at your typical coffee shop. My friend and I each tried one of their specialty lattes and really enjoyed them. It was the perfect stop before a day of exploring San Diego. If I'd had more time in the city, I could definitely see myself coming back, grabbing a latte, and hanging out here for a while.

Coffee was good with many unique flavor pairings to choose from. I'd like to come back if I find…read moremyself in the area to try the matcha. Service was fast. The interior is aesthetic but felt very worn. Parking was easy with plenty of street parking or a nearby garage.

Forum is one of my favorite coffee shops and it literally never disappoints!…read more Is it busy? Yes But the coffee and matcha are consistently so good every single time. I've basically tried the whole menu at this point and everything has been amazing. The mango matcha is SO good, and all their lattes are great too. Their pastries can sell out by late afternoon FYI, so come earlier if you want more options. I love both their sweet and savory ones, but the cardamom pastry is my favorite. For savory, the sun-dried tomato pesto and potato chili are my go-tos. There's plenty of parking in both the front and back, plus a bathroom in the back. Tons of indoor seating and a few outdoor tables, although you're lucky if you snag one because this place is popular! This is my go-to spot and all my friends love it too. So yes, I'm here at least once a week and I'm not ashamed to admit it lol.

Pretty busy at 7am on a weekday but my order came out fast…read more Espresso tonic with yozu B2k 5/5

Decent service food was smaller than expected but overall very delicious would come againread more

WOW!! This place is legit! Happened to be in this area and was looking for great place to get some…read moreomurice and stumbled into this little gem of a place!! First, street parking only but don't let that deter you from coming coz every inch or foot that you spend walking to this place is all worth it. Secondly, love the ambiance. Reminds me a lot of those ikazaya pubs in Japan but a little more chic and modern. They have bar seating of about 10 and 6-8 tables inside. But they also have outdoor seating. So I came at exactly 11 am and I was the second guest and they sat me at the bar. By 11:30 am, the entire resto was full, not granting it was a Saturday morning but people prolly got smart to come here early before the lunch crowd gets bigger. So for the food, I had to order their Hayachi Omurice and Chef Soichi's Chicken karage and both were BOMB! 11/10 each! Love the flavor of the rice and nice touch of thin slices of meat and the egg was perfectly made. I just wished there were heapings of those egg. The sauce was slightly tangy but love the flavor. The other star of my meal was the karage. Prolly the Top 2 karage I've had. I liked how they sliced in lengthwise and there not too much coating. And it wasn't oily and very juicy inside. Well seasoned and it came with lemon wedges and kewpie mayo. All I did was sprinkle some Nanami Togarashi for an added umami flavor. Overall, this should be on your top 10 restos in San Diego. Service was excellent, the servers were all friendly and always smiles!! Kudos to you guys!! I'll be back for sure!!

Good variety of tea flavors. You can ask for samples…read more Nice Ambiance to study, not much for boardgames. Shout out to Irene, Gabi, Micheal, Julia and Ellie for their service .

Service was great, and everything was fast. Just a long line. The drinks are always good and very…read moreconsistent. The bobaristast that day, Omar, Ellie, Silas, Christina, Dylan and Julia were all super quick!

The bagels TOP NOTCH…read more The location cute and quaint, but I do like the Mission Valley location more. This location seems to have a limited menu whereas their other location has more options. It was a busy morning, so they doing their best to keep up with orders while people were asking if their bagels were ready. The workers were being so patient and communicating with customers that they were on it. The coffee TASTES like coffee! Silly to say, but it's soooo delicious and I love when coffee doesn't taste like a complete sugary drink. We had two iced coffees (basic sitch and blondie mocha) and their drip coffee. Would definitely order again. They were out of some ingredients, but they advertised it, so customers were not lead astray. Easily, their bagels make this the place to go!

Scheduled my day to make sure I could stop by their anniversary celebration before heading to the…read moreairport. Left, extremely disappointed... When I arrived a few minutes before opening the lights were off, turned the corner to find things still being unloaded. Waited, until 6, nothing, waited 5 more minutes, some movement but still not open. Finally ask what the situation is and they said they were running behind and needed maybe 15 more minutes. I didn't have confidence that would actually happen, and left hungry to fend for food at the airport. Not worth waking up early and planning for.