I rarely drink coffee, but when I do, it has to be exceptional. While running errands, I needed a little boost of energy, so I decided to stop by the new Intelligentsia for the first time. I told the barista it was my first visit and that I have dietary restrictions. He immediately smiled and said, "No problem, I got you!" He recommended his favorite drink, the Los Angeles made with oat milk, and it was outstanding. Smooth, rich, perfectly balanced, and incredibly refreshing, it was exactly the pick-me-up I needed. To my surprise, they also had a vegan sausage burrito, so of course I had to try it. It was absolutely delicious, flavorful, and paired perfectly with my coffee. I loved that Intelligentsia offers both outdoor seating and a convenient drive-thru. Since I was in the middle of running errands, the drive-thru was the perfect option. Fast, friendly service and a great cup of coffee made my stop quick, easy, and enjoyable. If you're looking for an exceptional iced coffee, a delicious vegan breakfast, and outstanding customer service, make the smart choice and visit Intelligentsia. I'll definitely be back. read more

Reviewing after a second visit. The first time I ordered the Matcha Dreamscicle which was a Signature Seasonal drink. It tasted like a cup of of oat milk that used to have fruity pebbles in it. There was no matcha flavor, the color was closer to brown than green, and citrus flavor wasn't clear. Went back again today and ordered Vanilla Latte with whole milk with the coconut cold foam. I could tell by looking the drink would be watery - sure enough the espresso was watered down and bitter. They forgot the vanilla, used oat milk and the cold foam was... kinda of there? Not enough to taste. My partner ordered an iced americano which was also watery, the color was like iced tea. Both drinks together $16. I can't tell what's going on with this place. The ambience is fun, the service is upbeat, and it's great to have an alternative to SB but the drinks are not delivering. read more

Intelligentsia Coffee - Ice vanilla latte, with coconut cold foam which I could barely see and couldn't taste. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Dude ya maybe this is not necessary like. just drink black coffee don't make it fancy or prissy or whatever. but have you ever had that maple iced latter whatever? i'd bloody go to war for it. But plz don't skimp me on my liquid due, as you can see in the second photo. i payed hard earned money for it. that was truly a bad day read more

Intelligentsia Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I remember trying this place a week or two after they opened. I ordered a mocha at first but it was nasty so I ordered their salted maple latte, which was still nasty. How do you make a mocha nasty????? It's literally chocolate coffee. RIP Weinerschnitzel. read more

New coffee shop in the neighborhood with a drive-thru! I ordered the iced Avena latte with light sweetener, the drink is pretty nutty it masks the espresso a ton. It's pretty solid and a "different" I originally wanted the breakfast burrito but they had ran out (around 11:30 am on a Tuesday) so I got the breakfast sausage sandwich. It's on a poppy bagel which I wasn't a huge fan of, it wasn't disclosed on the menu. The sausage was chewy which wasn't too great either. I liked the convenience of the cafe, the only other drive thru options around here is Starbucks so this was a great addition to the neighborhood. read more

Intelligentsia Coffee - Egg, sausage, and cheese breakfast sandwich (it's a poppy bagel) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Stopped by the Pico Intelligentsia on a beautiful Santa Monica day, and the whole place immediately stands out. They kept the original Wienerschnitzel structure, but everything is wrapped in Intelligentsia's signature orange branding -- bright, bold, and impossible to miss. Between the umbrellas, the flowers, and the clean lines, it feels like a little design moment tucked right into Pico. It's outdoor seating only, but they've done it really well. There are lots of different places to sit -- cozy solo spots, shaded tables, and bigger setups for groups. With the flowers, the color, and the open air, it has this relaxed, California‑cool energy that makes you want to linger. The prices are definitely high. My iced coffee with vanilla cold foam came out to $9.25, which is steep even for LA. But the drink itself was strong, smooth, and not overly sweet despite the simple syrup and foam. It tasted like actual coffee, not just a dessert in disguise. Even with the price point, I'd come back. The setting is beautiful, the coffee is genuinely good, and I'm curious to try more of the drinks and some of the food next time. read more

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In a former Wienerschnitzel, Intelligentsia now has their 2nd Westside location! With a drive thru! Grand opening day included a gift bag for the first 50 people with a tumbler, and bag of Intelligentsia coffee inside. I tried their flat white and it's delicious. An espresso-forward coffee with velvety light foam. They also have some unique lattes available - check my photos for menu. Service on grand opening day was quick and friendly. You order in one window and pick up in another, you have the option to enjoy your cup of coffee in the outdoor patio. Really cool outdoor ambiance to enjoy the LA weather. Parking spots available inside, next to the drive thru, for handicapped as well. Metered parking available right outside on Pico. Open daily 5:30am to 8pm! What?! For your late night pick me up drive thru experience! read more

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This place is awesome. I wish I still lived in the area because I'd go a lot more. They did a great job remodeling the old Der Wienerschnitzel. They have a walk up window AND drive through which is very rare for craft coffee shops. I've had the iced espresso and cortado and both were enjoyed. I wish the espresso was a little more dark/bold, but it's still pretty good, flavors leaning more nutty & mild. Both time service was friendly. I saw someone complain about the burrito being hard or crunchy. I had the bacon breakfast burrito and had no issues with it. You could argue it's slightly small but it was enough for me. My only issue was they don't have napkins available outside but you can ask for them. Also the trash cans were hard to find at first. It's a nice area for walking in what's a quieter street compared to others on the West Side in my opinion. read more

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Very excited for a genuinely artisan drive thru coffee spot to open in Santa Monica and it being an intelligentsia is just the icing on top! The staff are very friendly and the patio is quite spacious and adorable. Unfortunately it is adjacent to the drive thru so I wouldn't personally sit in it besides waiting to pick up my coffee from the coffee window or on a slow weekday when so many cars aren't idling. Since there is a drive thru the parking situation isn't great but you always have to give & take with the drive thru. The Smoked Salted Maple Latte was yum and the vegan breakfast burrito was too -- just a bit small. read more

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I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE that there's another coffee shop aside from nasty Starbucks that has a drive thru in this area! I got the smoked iced latte with cold foam and it's pretty good. I got it half sweetened and it's a good amount of sweetness. My husband got the iced Angeleno which is 4 shots of espresso and also half sweet and it's still good. Staff was friendly. There's also a walk up window to order coffee. About 4-5 parking spots and a little seating area. Definitely recommend read more

Best coffee ever! The staff is friendly and helpful every time I go through the drive thru.

Today is the grand opening. A few kinks but excited to have them here. Plenty of street parking, it's a perfect spring day. Having an iced latte. Yum! read more

Intelligentsia Coffee - Menu and order window - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Santa Monica, California

2 stars because it has a drive thru. The coffee was okay but all the syrup was at the bottom of the cup. It seems like care is missing to mix or stir the coffee to have syrup distributed evenly. read more

Intelligentsia Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Santa Monica, California

This should not cost $7 Waitress was rude rolled her eyes when I asked why it was so small? Worst coffee experience I ever had read more

Intelligentsia Coffee - The worlds smallest cup of coffee for $7 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Stunning new landmark location on Pico! The coffee is amazing ... tried the Avena latte iced and it was delicious! Highly recommend... We will make this a destination every time we are in the area for sure There is a drive-through to boot... read more

Intelligentsia Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I realize they're still the "new" kid on the block and I was excited to have an alternative from SBUX down the street. I left frustrated and disappointed. 1. Ordered a special they were featuring, a hojicha latte. I love hojicha tea so I was excited to try. From the time I spoke into the box to order until the time I got to the window (a distance of about 20 feet), I waited 10 minutes (literally two cars in front of me). 2. When I arrived to the pay window the guy asked me again what my order was, which I reminded him of, thinking he just admitted they hadn't even started my drink yet. He then asked for my card and reminded me about the opportunity to tip. Mind you a small latte was already $7.75. Rather than deal with his disappointed pout, I added a $1.00. And then I waited. For another five minutes before he leaned out the window and asked me to park in their very small space on the way out to their exit so someone could bring me my coffee. 3. After parking I waited another five minutes (so now I've waited at least 20 minutes for one latte), when a very frustrated looking but kinder older gentleman ran out to deliver the latte. It was barely luke warm. He offered to make it again, I thanked him but explained I could not wait 45 minutes for a latte. I kept it and took it home to reheat, it was average at best. I hope their service improves because for the price, the experience was less than worth it. read more

Intelligentsia Coffee - Small hojicha latte. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Enjoyed my coffee and the outdoor patio but won't be back out of principle. They wouldn't accept my cash. Though I can appreciate not having to deal with cash, the fact that people who don't deal with cards/electronic media aren't able to just walk up to the window and purchase a coffee is, essentially, saying you won't serve ALL of your community. Going fully digital is denying access to a good portion of the neighborhood and there's just no need to take that stance. I hope Inteligensia changes their stance. If so, I'll be back. read more

Amazing pastries and delicious breakfast sandwiches. I can't say enough about the strawberry shortcake donut. read more

Intelligentsia Coffee - Almond strawberry croissant - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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service: 4.5/5 coffee: 5/5 (iced angeleno with vanilla cold foam) food: 4/5 (bacon breakfast burrito) ambiance: 4.5/5 read more

Their brown sugar latte is delish. It took about 12mins from the time I drove up (one car ahead of me) to get me food and drink. I ordered the latte and a burrito. Staff was kind, and the burrito was okay. Overall I'll go back but not when I'm in a rush. Super happy to have another drive there option locally though! Hope they get plenty of support read more

It's a new addition to the neighborhood we've been waiting for! Good quality coffee, friendly service and convenient location. It has drive thru service as well which is nice and cute outdoor space (no indoor seating, it's more like walk up kiosk type). I walked since I was close to it and ordered 2 lattes for myself and my husband - we loved them both. My friend ordered cappuccino. Wait time was good, and coffee tasted the way you'd expect I would only recommend mentioning somewhere that cappuccino size is less than 8 oz. It looked like 4-6oz cup to be honest. And you could tell it's more of a soft launch because staff members seemed a bit overwhelmed and not as organized but they were super friendly and owning up to some minor mistakes which happens to everyone who's working hard. Other than that I was so pleased when I learned they opened here. We need more high quality places like that! read more

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Do not buy their burritos it's 11$ for something that looks like it was made at home . I can't speak on the rest of the menu but as for the burritos, a complete let down The burritos at pollo loco are far better read more

This place has so so coffee at an astronomical price. Small iced vanilla coffee cost me close to $8!! Too expensive for just mediocre coffee. Do like that it's drive thru though! read more

So excited to have Intelligentsia here! Another clean and gorgeous location! Great service, delicious coffee, and plenty of outdoor seating. What more could you ask for?? read more

How does a company like Intelligentsia, always rigorous and quality focused in the past... ... change an existing drive through so a single car in the line blocks the entire parking lot? ... lose track of a coffee order when there's only two customers in the entire cafe ... botch a simple shot of espresso? SO DISAPPOINTED! read more

Wait for the drive through is insanely slow, they need more people working. 5 cars shouldn't take 30 minutes on a weekday

I'm impressed with this new Santa Monica east Pico Blvd neighborhood coffee spot. It has a healthy but limited menu compared to the fast food place just to the west. The set up is ideally arranged where you can greet your neighbors, and enjoy the shaded patio seating. However, their drive through service also has its perks. Definitely recommend supporting this new business and be accepting of any short delays as they work to streamline their operations. read more

What a great new addition to Pico! I enjoyed a flat white and croissant - would definitely get both again. My friends all enjoyed their choices as well. Our spoiled Westie LOVED her Fancy Pup Cup with peanut butter AND whipped cream - she will be back :-) The barista, Lori, was so friendly and welcoming - seemed to really enjoy her job, as well as, getting to know the customers. If I could rate more stars for the experience, I would. read more

Excellent. We loved the remodel and coffee was amazing. Thank you. nice location. friendly service.