Maybe it was raining... because it was definitely pouring disappointment. I really wanted to love this bakery, but after dropping $40 here, I left feeling incredibly let down. Maybe the bakers were just having an off day, but unfortunately, almost everything we ordered was a miss--and the service didn't help. When I was looking for assistance, the employees were entirely unhelpful and seemed like they couldn't care less. One of them was completely glued to their phone with their back turned toward the lobby, while the other was just standing there picking their fingernails. It felt like we were an inconvenience just by being there. As for the food, here is the breakdown: Cinnamon Roll Bowl ($10.00): For ten bucks, I expected something spectacular. Instead, it was completely underwhelming--mostly just dense dough and not nearly enough flavor or moisture. Snickerdoodle Cookie ($7.50): A massive disappointment for the price. It lacked that signature tangy, cinnamon-sugar punch. If you handed this to me blindly, I would never guess it was supposed to be a snickerdoodle. Savory Meat Pastry: This was the worst of the bunch. It was so incredibly dry that we took exactly one bite and had to throw the rest in the trash. Ham & Cheese Croissant: This tasted bizarrely off. Instead of a savory ham flavor, it tasted like it was stuffed with old, stale turkey. Æbleskiver Balls: These are supposed to be light and fluffy, but they were completely dried out and tough. Paying premium prices for bakery items is fine if the quality matches, but between the awful service and food that tasted like it had been sitting out for days, I won't be back. Lesson learned always check the yelp reviews before trying something new. read more

This place was awesome. The ableskivers were perfect, and the Oreo cannoli and pistachio milkshake were unreal. Definitely a spot I'd go back to. read more

We found our way into here because I originally wanted to try a cannoli, but ended up picking a crossiant with creme instead. My husband tried the Turkish coffee. It was a tiny bakery but the staff was friendly. The ambiance didn't feel as cheerful as the rest of the town with all the lovely atmosphere but it wasn't a bad place. There was a cute little strip on the side with tables to sit and dine though and that area was decorated and themed as expected. The crossiant wasn't anything special but the cashier did ask me if I'd like it warmed a bit and that helped a lot. It was expensive for what it was. 6/10 My husband loved his Turkish Coffee. It came with 2 candy cubes that were really sweet when eaten alone but paired perfectly with the coffee. My husband was hit with the caffeine almost immediately and wanted 4 more coffees 10/10 read more

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We came here late and it was one of only places it was open. We had apricot danish, cream cheese danish and had something with cheese and spinach. It was delicious. Service was very friendly. Very cozy ambiance outside. We had a very good experience read more

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The drinks were mediocre but it was cute. The ice cream is delicious and service moves at a reasonable pace. And read more

Cafe Esko - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Solvang, California

We visited before we left town and came right when they opened. A young woman greeted us and was very nice and helpful. She asked if we wanted our pastry heated. I said yes. And I ordered a vanilla latte along with it. To my surprise they had an alleyway seating area that was decorated and lit up. It was soo beautiful. We enjoyed our breakfast. (Actually we ate it so fast because it was so good.) and just enjoyed the outdoor seating space before heading out. Would highly recommend. Great service, great food, and great photo spot! read more

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After reading all of the other reviews I would have to agree with what people are saying about the cost and quality. Definitely more pricey than other vendors in the area for what they are selling. We got 6 cannolis to take to our family and it was $51.70. I will say though that the employees are friendly and the service is quick. read more

This bakery is open late and what a find! After winery hopping we really needed some strong coffee and pastries and they were great! They have delicious lattes, mochas and cappuccinos and they even have Turkish coffee! We had a delightful Danish style cheesecake dessert and it was amazing. No trip to Solvang is complete without a tub of Danish cookies and those were delicious too! The cashiers work quickly so even if there's a line it moves fast. read more

Cafe Esko - Seating area beautifully decorated - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Solvang, California

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** Visited on Friday 11/29/2024 around noon time Decided to stop by this cute little bakery cafe after eating at Copenhagen Sausage Garden. Mind you, it's quite pricey here - especially for the ice cream and average drinks- but considering it's a tourist town, I'm not surprise at the prices. I've visited this specific bakery cafe twice, and the service is sort of spotty, but aren't all places? My first visit was a little awkward, but the second visit was much more welcoming. I highly recommend their cheesecake slices! We've tried their oreo cheesecake and their regular cheesecake, and personally, I prefer the oreo cheesecake. The danishes and other pastries are pretty tasty as well, however there's plenty of other bakeries around town that are slightly cheaper and just as good. I'd say give this spot a try if you want to avoid huge and long lines, but just be aware that this bakery cafe is on the pricier side. read more

Cafe Esko - Cakes and cannolis - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Solvang, California

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I was checking out Esko's Solvang Bazaar Gifts & Souvenirs and as I was getting ready to leave, I saw Cafe Esko next door. They may be owned by the same people since they both have Esko in their biz names. I was so excited to see a cinnamon twist behind the glass. They look similar to the ones sold at Klatch Coffee. I had to come in here and get one of them LOL. It's a very small cafe. Upon entry, I was not greeted even though I was one of the two people in the shop at the time. More people entered and they were attended to before me which I found slightly uncalled for. Finally, I made eye contact with one of the young gentleman behind the counter. I asked for one cinnamon twist and they appeared to not hear me or something because I had to repeat it twice. Wow, I was flabbergasted to see the price was $7.50 per cinnamon twist. I thought Klatch Coffee's $3.50 per cinnamon twist was a bit high. Then again, I am in Solvang... what do I do? Nothing, just bite the bullet and buy it LOL. And that's what I did. It was very good... flaky and sweet. It tasted exactly like the Klatch Coffee's cinnamon twist. I would have given them a 4 stars, but the service was lacking a bit, hence, 3 stars. Will I be back here next time I'm in Solvang? I don't know... maybe not. I'll just wait until I get home to get my cinnamon twist. read more

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$10 days old super stale eclaire. Truly the worst I've ever had. Don't come here. I threw mine out. Clearly they don't bake fresh. The pastry was as hard and stale as could be. read more

I so rarely give negative reviews, but really, this was egregiously bad. We ended up here because we didn't realize everything in Solvang closed so early. It was open at 8:00pm I got a "Viking Croissant," which was $7.50. I don't think I've ever paid so much for a croissant. It was terrible. Like inedible. Rock hard. read more

Tried this place twice, but feels unsanitary and overpriced. Service was poor, sanitation gross and deserts underwhelming and overpriced. The kid at the counter was counting cash with rubber gloves on and then handling everyone's food without changing gloves. Probably was wearing same gloves all day. Was touching food too which was really gross. He was wearing earbuds in his ear and couldn't hear customers asking me to repeat what I said. Take out the earbuds! Then touching everyone's food with his gloves after touching cash and ringing people up. Got a danish for 6.50 and it was so so. Second time we didn't want to go back, but it was a different guy working, so I thought it might be better, it was also the only place open for ice cream. Got cheapest ice cream cone and it was 8.50$! I thought at least it would be really good gourmet ice cream, but instead got two small scoops, which were nothing special. Again the guy at the counter touched the cones with his unwashed hands and was handling money and stuff. Just gross. The customer shouldn't have to demand employees change gloves or wash hands before ordering. I would avoid this place and get something else, even if it is the only place open! read more

First spotted Cafe Esko in Solvang on Christmas Eve. They had such a long line that I really wanted to give them a try. Long lines usually mean that a place is very good so I knew that I had to see for myself. Unfortunately, Wifey and I did not have the time that evening to wait so long. Christmas evening the next day found ourselves back in Solvang. This time we waited along with some of our relatives. Stood in that line for a little over an hour. Cafe Esko is one of many bakeries located in Solvang the Danish Capital of America. On Christmas Day, Cafe Esko was the only bakery in town that was open. Cafe Esko is more than a bakery. They also sell many coffees and other drinks plus ice cream too. I have a feeling that long lines are not common at Cafe Esko. We passed by the day after Christmas, and there were no customers present. So they were very smart to be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Hardly any competition. So what did I think of this little bakery? Well, the service was friendly. The pastries were expensive, but I expected it to be since we are in a very touristy town. I tried the Cinnamon Bowl that my nieces got. It wasn't bad. For $9.99, though I'd pass on buying it in the future. The Cheese Danish that I bought was very good. Expensive but yummyrific! Don't know if I'll ever be back at Cafe Esko. If we ever return to Solvang for Christmas, then maybe we'd stand in that long line again. Otherwise, not very likely. There are too many other nice bakeries in town to patronize. read more

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It's a small bakery but had so much to choose from. This place seems to focus on quantity, not quality. I was excited because this was my first time spending time in Solvang. I wanted to try their pastries. I was brought to this place because I wanted something hydrating. I got an iced tea. It tasted like lipton tea. The pastries were just okay. I presume it may be better elsewhere. read more

Cafe Esko - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Solvang, California

I hate leaving bad reviews however, I do have to agree to the reviews previously posted here. My son was thirsty and wanted water, so we decided to do a quick stop here. I wished we looked at the reviews first but we always like to give a place a chance despite seeing the lack of stars. Sadly, I hate to confirm the previous poster's experience; our experience here was not a pleasant one either. First of, my husband ordered a cappuccino, but he got like a watered down coffee. My husband had to teach them on what a cappuccino is. They initially made his drink from a coffee pot!!! My husband had to tell them the proper way to make one. Lastly, the kid who took our order packed the wrong dessert for us!! By the time we opened it, it was too late for us to turn around and have the situation remedied. Seriously, how can one screw up such a simple order?! I hope management or the owners will take note of the comments on their business and retrain their staff. read more

I had a root beer float and it was incredibly delicious. The service was good, they were kind and friendly. The place is clean and really cool. read more

We were served cold, hard, days-old aebleskivers and the ice cream we ordered was worse than most grocery store brands. We threw all of it out. Left $30+ poorer for it, too. Do NOT stop here. Their entire business model consists of preying on tourists who don't know any better. read more

Visit on Wednesday 25 Des Food is good, quite price coffee 7,5$ ( without tax), bread is 6-7,5$ i know since it's destination place. They do charge 3% more for credit or debit card . The tax is 8,752% .There are less restaurants or cafe that opened near solvang! That's why they look so busy. Their service was terrible and slow!!! Too much talking! They have 5 employees , they are working with less smart working. As what i observed, most of the costumers are not ordering a lot ! They only order 2-4 orders. They change the service who gonna take the order every time. They suppose let them have some position, like cashier , they don't need to change every person . It is less effective and efficient. What I don't like some of employees are taking orders and drink using gloves. However, most of people paid cash since 3% charge credit card. They are so unhygienic after grab money and taking orders! I saw the store have and sticker" hiring employees" actually they don't need! It's only their system is bad! If they can do the system as Starbuck or any restaurant where there is one place that you pick up order rather than waiting in the cashier line. I believe they will be much quicker!! Overall, The breads are amazing but pricy . place is tiny. The queue line is so long because of the services ! Reminder, if you guys saw there are a lot of people waiting out side, do not get shocked! you will wait for 50 minutes ! I know it would be hard time for them since they open for Christmas. I can tell from their employees face. Hopefully ,they will faster in service. Will be back next year ;) read more

They offer savory items and I got a side of warmed up mozzarella pie. It looked like layers of mozzarella cheese softened with a charred topping. If you're Italian and/or love cheese, you would probably love it as much as I did. It was the best thing I ate in Solvang and had experienced a bakery and restaurant. I will be trying their other savory items on future visits. read more

Good pastries and a nice outdoor covered seating area to enjoy our coffee & pastries.

Awful service from the older cashier working on Sunday, June 13th. I asked if they had any sugar-free syrups for coffee, and instead of a simple answer, she just shook her head with a clearly annoyed expression, no words, no explanation. Later, when I moved down the line to order ice cream for my kids, I saw sugar-free syrups clearly available. I still let my kids get their ice cream, but I chose not to spend any more money there because of the poor attitude. Giving two stars only because the little seating area is cute. I took my business to another coffee shop down the street with much better service. I won't be coming back. read more

This place was amazing ! My first time there and it was excellent! I was really impressed with the customer service. I didn't catch the employees name but she was Asian lady who worked there did such an awesome job helping my wife out ! Definitely would come back ! read more

I posted this review to the wrong place at first. This is the correct place where I unfortunately had this experience. And upon further investigation, the total I paid was $36, which I do not understand and will be disputing with my bank. $30 for 3 single scoops!! 2 scoops were on cones and 1 scoop was in a cup. Ice cream was mediocre at best. I told the guy to give my 3 year old a cup but he shrugged me off and asked her what she wanted and of course she said cone. Well 90% of it ended up going into the trash because I knew she wasn't going to finish a whole cone. I just love wasting my money on tourist traps. Never again. read more

Saturday evening hubby and I decided to stop by this European cafe for a hot drink. I ordered the Hot Spiced Chai Latte. It was the best chai latte I ever had, it was sweet, creamy and absolutely de-licious with a nice cinnamon flavor as well!! My hubby ordered the Turkish Coffee and said this strong unfiltered coffee definitely woke him up and it came with a side of delicious Turkish delights!! I would HIGHLY recommend this absolutely incredible European cafe located next to Solvang's best souvenir shop, Esko's Solvang Bazaar! The staff were so sweet, the had outside seating and we're definitely looking forward to returning to try more of their incredible menu! read more

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When I say , absolute worst service ever this takes 1st place, they advertise 3x12.50 and the cashier almost forcefully tries to make me buy the 4 pack? Why would you have the other offer available then right, would not recommend this place to anyone payed cash and almost got my change tossed back to me , avoid this place at all cost. Ambiance will improve when you have better employees. read more

We stopped by mainly bc this was one of the few businesses still with power. The business next door had no power and were closed. Food: lots of pastries to select from. We ended up getting their apple Danish and almond Danish. They were good but a little on the smaller end and pricey, $6 each. For $4 you could get the same quality and much bigger size at the Olsen Danish Village bakery - about a 5 minute walk away. Also, their Danish waffle is $7.50. Very expensive compared to a better Danish waffle for $4.50 also at Olsens. They had no black coffee ready nor were they making any. They did offer an Americano and was more expensive than a regular drip coffee. They want you to pay more. I'd probably give them a pass if they were affected by the power outage and were just getting set back up but when we walked in, they said they were not affected so, that's not a valid excuse. Service: could've been better. I wasn't trying to skip the line and put my order in. I tried to ask a question about the tray of cookies sitting on the counter. The guy was quick to shut me up bc he was helping a customer. Sheesh! His customer service was terrible. He shouldn't be at the front of the house. He asked if we wanted our danishes for here or to-go. I didn't see any seating when we entered so I was confused and turned around to see if there were any tables and he said "I don't have a table right now". Okay, then why would you ask if we want it for here? I noticed the cashier gal was heating stuff up so when we got our danishes, they were room temp. I asked her if she could warm them up for us. She did. Perhaps that's what the worker meant when he asked if we wanted it for here. Again, he shouldn't be at the front of the house. It seemed like he came from the back to assist. Ambiance: the shop is a bit tight. The delicious aroma is what lured us into the shop. Overall I wouldn't return here. Service was lacking, no black coffee, and very overpriced when there are other bakery locations like Olsen's within walking distance. read more

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Cute little danish cafe in Solvang. Line was out the door. We wanted to try to dutch pastries. They sell many different types, such as cheese danish, danish cookies, fruits tarts, cannoli and etc. We ordered a cheese danish and the cinnamon bowl which is a cinnamon bun cover with cream cheese. Very delicious pasties overall, fluffy and puffy. I highly recommend! read more

Ordered an iced cappuccino & it was $9.50 & wasn't very impressed, personally. Did not try the pastries, they look good though! Good spot to get in and out of but I don't think I would go back for coffee. Maybe the baked goods. read more

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Disappointed in the "Cinnamon Bowl" at $9.99. It was simply gross and inedible. Had to throw it away. What a disappointment from a bakery in Solvang where usually everything in town is made fresh & delicious. read more

Cafe Esko - Cinnamon Bowl, Reese's peanut butter cookie & Snickerdoodle cookie. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Solvang, California

This is a cute little cafe with outdoor seating. It was very clean and bright with a variety to satisfy the most discriminating sweet tooth. We mostly ordered teas, which were very refreshing. The pastries were delicious and we would definitely return! The young man serving us was very friendly and welcoming. read more

After waiting in line for more than 20 minutes, we were disappointed with the quality of paestry we got - we had ordered almond croissant with custard and it was mediocre at its best! Also the Asian lady at the counter today evening was grumpy and cold toned. Would not return ! read more

DO NOT go here! Save your money! We literally saw the cakes in the fridge that were from Costco. Hopefully their pastries are made in house. I would recommend going to any other bakery! read more

I was excited to try their pastries and vanilla latte! It was so yummy but also really over priced. Their danish waffle is my favorite! read more

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Came here around 9:30am on a a Friday. Not busy. Sadly, everything was overpriced and did not look fresh. I specifically was looking to get some cheese danishes but they were $6.50 each and looked nearly identical to the ones Costco sells. Hm. Their pastries were also extremely expensive compared to the other bakeries in the area. Their eclair was $9. That's ridiculous. The cashier and one of the female staff were also rude. Overall, the pastries are not worth the price and the staff is not friendly. Would never recommend this bakery. It's a tourist trap. read more

Cozy cafe. Yummy pastries and wonderful ice cream. Closes later than other stores. Good souvenir shop too

Expensive: latte $7.50, average taste; beef and veggie pie $7.50 each so total of $25+ since they charge 3% more credit cards. It was ok, but I will look for a different place. They have a little dining area which is cute, in between the Esko gift shop and Esko cafe read more

Cafe Esko - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Solvang, California

Expensive prices for bad quality desserts. You'll get ripped off here. Trust the reviews.

I came in to buy some danishes to have in the morning with coffee. While in there I was going to buy the danish cookie bucket but asked if I could try a sample. He yelled at me no samples and he said no one gives sample! Needless to say we walked away buying nothing and we would never recommend this place! read more

Last month, my hubby and I visited Solvang for the first time and one of the things we learned quickly was the town closes early. I was fortunate to see this on Yelp and Google that they were open til 9pm. Majority of the businesses in Solvang closes around 6pm. Great customer service and the chocolate mousse slice that I bought was very delicious. I thanked for being open late like that. If you want to check out this place, make sure to Google the hours and days they are open as some places like this one closes Wed and Thurs. Will come here again on my next visit to Solvang! read more

Cafe Esko - Assorted desserts - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Solvang, California

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