Cute shop. Good coffee. They cannot blend drinks but they do have them iced. Will be back. read more

California Bean - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

At a certain point, coffee shops become largely interchangeable. The beans come from similar suppliers, the syrups are mass-produced, the menus follow the same formula, and most drinks fall within a narrow range of quality. What ultimately differentiates one café from another is not the product itself, but the people operating it. That distinction is the primary reason California Bean Coffee remains open at all. Originally, this review would have been three stars solely because of three employees: McKenzie, Tayler, and Rheigan. Rheigan has since left the company, reducing that number to two. All three consistently operated at a level noticeably above the standards of the business itself. They were professional, efficient, attentive, and customer-focused despite working within what appears to be an increasingly under-supported operation. Maintaining that consistency while navigating malfunctioning equipment, long wait times, inconsistent drink quality, and visible operational shortcomings reflects well on the employees, not the business. Unfortunately, strong front-line staff cannot indefinitely compensate for weak operational management. The larger issue is that the café no longer offers anything sufficiently distinctive to offset its recurring problems. The coffee is average. The ingredients are average. The atmosphere is average. In a saturated market where nearby competitors offer similar or higher quality products at equal or lower prices, the only meaningful differentiator becomes the employees attempting to preserve the customer experience despite the conditions around them. At present, McKenzie and Tayler are carrying a disproportionate amount of that burden. Should they eventually leave, as capable employees always do when operating within stagnant systems, there will be little to no remaining reason to choose this location over nearby alternatives with stronger operational standards and more consistent execution. Ultimately, responsibility for that outcome rests with ownership and management, not the employees doing their best to sustain an increasingly fragile operation when only given duct tape and chewing gum and told to make it work. read more

California Bean - California Bean - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

Cute little coffee drive-thru hut in Encinitas, conveniently located near Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas just on the other side of the freeway. The only downside to this location is that it's pretty small and between a fast food spot and a gas station, so parking can feel really cramped. Even getting into the drive-thru can be a bit tricky because the space is so limited. Other than that, the girls I've encountered working there have always been super sweet, welcoming, and very friendly. The coffee is consistently really good, and I love that they offer a separate seasonal menu each month with fun specialty drinks to try. I've tried a few of them, and they've all been delicious. My personal favorite has been the carrot cake latte it was so good. If you're in the area and looking for a quick coffee stop, I would definitely recommend swinging by. Hopefully, you'll have as great of an experience as I did! read more

California Bean - California Bean - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

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drive thru which already gets bonus points from me for convenience! taylor at the window was so sweet and fun to talk to. we tried three of the april specials: nutella cold brew yummy. Not too sweet. Tastes better when you sip it rather that use the straw so you get the cold foam too carrot cake latte heavy on the cinnamon which Taylor explained and I actually liked. same thing as the cold brew, drink it with the cold foam lavender matcha couldn't taste the lavender at all and it felt watered down. would skip this one and try something else instead! None of the drinks were too sweet and all well balanced. Excited to come back and try their may specials next We got all drinks large and it was $22 before tip :) read more

Love this spot! Quick service coffee and the girls working were so kind and friendly. Will be back very soon!

Little coffee stand with the best service! First time in San Diego and California Bean does not disappoint! Love the vibe! read more

California Bean - Asiago Bagel with cream cheese (toasted) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great menu, great staff! Very friendly. Taylor made some incredible Match specialties for my wife and I on our road two! Cheers! Great vibes! read more

I got their August special, the Banana Foster Latte with oat milk. I liked that it wasn't overly sweet or heavy on the banana, and it had that roasted, slightly bitter note you'd expect. The barista was super nice and even checked if I wanted adjustments after trying it. I really appreciated that! It was a great experience and y'all should support the small business :) read more

California Bean - Banana foster latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

Found this little place while desperately looking for good coffee that's not run by a huge corporation. The barista was super sweet, chatted with me the whole time she made my coffee, and made me feel like I came to the right place. On top of that, the coffee was so good!!! Very rich, not too sweet, smooth and decadent. Found my new obsession!! read more

California Bean - Large Iced White Mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

The coffee here is really good and the workers are always very nice! I also like that it's right off the freeway

A great stop for coffee! The horchata is my favorite--perfectly balanced, refreshing, and not overly sweet. The atmosphere is welcoming, and the staff are always friendly and efficient. It's the kind of place you can count on whenyou're grabbing something quick. read more

Found this gem on my way back home to LA. The drive thru was super convenient. I ordered the Mexican Mocha. It was so good. Brought me back to life. The bagel was amazing. read more

California Bean - Mexican Mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

I ordered an iced hazelnut latte with oat milk. The drink was delicious. Loved the drive thru option. Good pricing and friendly service

This place is so so good, the drive through is super convenient & the staff is always the sweetest. My favorite coffee in Encinitas!! I'm obsessed with their Cadbury Cold Brew special rn read more

California Bean - Cadbury Cold Brew is SO GOOD - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

We stopped by on our way to Legoland and pulled off the freeway because we didn't want Starbucks and found California Bean from their good reviews. Taylor made our coffee custom because my husband and I are a little picky. She created 2 different iced coffees that we both loved!! She let us try them in case we needed to tweak it, but she nailed it on the first try! Plus we got to have a great conversation that you don't often get to have while she made it for us! We'll definitely be back!! read more

California Bean - Iced coffees - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Encinitas, California

I'm so glad I stumbled across this coffee shop! My white mocha latte was AMAZING! The girl who made it was very friendly and recommended modifications that made it even better. Definitely coming back! read more

Do yourself a favor - skip Starbucks and hit up this drive through. Coffee is delicious and that's coming from a very picky coffee drinker. They are friendly, fast and consistent. I get the iced americano with white chocolate and it is crave worthy. Putting everyone on to this spot! read more

I'm a regular at the Old Town location and this new location does not disappoint! Same great coffee drinks, clever combinations and options, and teas both hot and iced as well. No Starbucks premade pitcher. Individually steeped and so good. Drive through on both sides and friendliest baristas anywhere. They really care about your experience and the product they produce. Handy location but worth going out of your way for -- and support a female owned business in the process! read more

What a sweet tiny coffee stop with the best service and care from a coffee shop in ages! Had the High Tide (salted caramel and brown sugar), less sweet. Always appreciate someone who has a great, can-do attitude. read more

Our barista was a diva and i really liked her and i got a bagel and i also got a chai but i made it dirty and I also got lavender latte and it was fire read more

Just discovered this cute little coffee cart drive thru this morning! Had to make a stop at Scripps for some bloodwork (story of my life) Saw it as I excited Santa Fe Dr and made sure I found it on the way back! Morgan is all smiles and very welcoming! Made me a delicious coconut Carmel bourbon latte with oat milk. It was perfect! Not too sweet and lots of great flavor! The no-bake in house granola bar was just what I was looking for also! I'll be back for sure! Next time iced! read more

I'm a big fan of supporting small businesses. I drove past this small stand and decided to drop by quickly because it was a drive thru. Reagan (I hope I got the spelling correct) was so sweet and helpful! She recommended the tide drink and it was fantastic. Not too sweet and got my morning going. Ill be coming back! read more

The best coffee shop I've been to in the area! The drinks are always great and the owner is very friendly. Highly recommended

I love that this place is conveniently right off the freeway and a drive thru. My order was an iced Mexican mocha and matcha mule. Mexican mocha had lots of flavor and the matcha mule was nice and refreshing. read more