Way too sugary. I got smoked Carmel and it tasted like burned sugar. Got an extra espresso shot I couldn't taste the coffee over how sugary it was. I go to Hawaii often. This is a horrible representation of Hawaiian coffee. I bought a 5.95 medium and got a dollar shot to go on it which should be $6.95 however it was wore than that. When I asked for a receipt that doesn't start a breakdown. read more

I'd been driving past this place in Hillcrest for a while and finally decided to stop in. The café itself is small but really cute. Inside, they have a small table and a larger high-top table that would be great for studying or getting some work done, plus a few outdoor tables. The pastries all looked amazing, but I decided to go with a jalapeño cheddar bagel with cream cheese and a latte. The bagel was toasted perfectly, but I do wish they spread the cream cheese for you and served it on a plate instead of handing you cream cheese packets and the bagel in a paper bag. The staff was friendly, and I really appreciated that they were happy to serve my latte in a ceramic mug when I asked. It's such a small touch, but it definitely makes the coffee experience better. Overall, a cute neighborhood café that I'd happily come back to. read more

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Kona Coffee shop on Fifth St is the closest coffee shop within walking distance from Scripps Mercy Medical Center. While there is a coffee shop at Scripps Mercy's main lobby, all the three coffee drinks I've tried were caffeine weak and just not good. I usually walk here from Scripps, but parking is a challenge. The shop is small and clean and not much for ambiance, when you sit facing the Washington Street, that's about all the action you'll see, otherwise it's pretty sedate here. No outdoor seating. Lots of medical staff are customers. Service by the staffers is okay. Kona Coffee does offer satisfactory coffee and I actually just like their drip if made with Kona extra fancy beans, which is excellent if you do make coffee. read more

Kona Coffee - KONA drip extra fancy - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Having breakfast across the street, came to get some Hawaiian coffee shop, at the recommendation of talking to a local. As a lover of Hawaiian coffee, had to come and check it out - no regrets, the coffee was delicious, brought back memories of our trip to Hawaii, thanks! read more

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came here on a weekday afternoon. I was really looking for the specials but they had the board down. I had one of their mochas and it was decent! I would like to come back and try something else to have a better opinion of this spot. read more

Kona Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Since the new owners took over in 2021, the quality has dropped and the prices moving up dramatically. Used to support the business on a daily basis...the economy affects everyone with higher degree to the small business. read more

Small place with a nice staff and they have soy milk. One of the few places that do. Food is good and the soy chai latte was amazing. read more

Kona Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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Got some mocha with coconut forgot the name but it's super good. Strong coconut flavor. Didn't get the chance to try the bagels but it looks super good. Few seats if u wanna chill. Located in hillcrest so there is parking garage near by read more

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This is a small mom and pop coffee spot with a large variety of hawaiian coffee in Hillcrest. I got the White mocha toffee nut coffee and it was delicious! They also had a good amount of pastries in case you want a bite. Service was super friendly and very quick. The parking can be hard since it's only street parking but I went super early in the morning so it wasn't too bad. read more

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Great service, tasty coffee, everything is nice and clean, it has a cute little Hawaiian aesthetic, and everything is just right. read more

Kona Coffee - Coffee refill station - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Fantastic blended Kona mocha. Strong and DELICIOUS We drove 18 miles each way just to get this and go home.. yup.. this is YUMMMM read more

Order Small coffee wanted to charge $.80 for creamer to go in the coffee could not give me a receipt paper. Poor customer service I will not spend another dime there again. Ambiance was just okay I was rush to pay politely was asked to move so he could get to the next customer. I was taking too much time at the counter getting coffee the gentleman to steam heat, my coffee, my putting a coffee cup in my hand and I was trying to patronize an independent business owner, he lacks customer care and skills. I will not patronize this business. I will be going back to Dunkin' Donuts. read more

I really enjoyed the matcha here!! They have a new Summer specials menu and the vanilla pistachio matcha was DELICIOUS!! Definitely will be back for more, so happy I found this place! read more

If I can't get Costa Rican honey process coffee beans, or beans from Oaxaca, my next choice - by no means a poorer one - are those from Kona. Kona's terroir ensures coffee that's smooth and balanced, slightly syrupy, nutty and sometimes floral or fruity. Depending on the grower/weather/year, a cup of Kona coffee might include notes of caramel, honey, milk chocolate, and brown sugar. The truth is that Kona's coffee is better than most of the Mexican and Central American brews I've tasted, but because it costs three to four times as much as those alternatives, I only drink it when I'm in Hawaii, or when someone sends me a bag of Kona beans. Why, you might well wonder, wouldn't I drink Kona coffee at Hillcrest's Kona Coffee Company? I did, twice, and here are some reasons that I decided never to do so again: - Parking was a nightmare. - The store was small and confusing, so stuffed with cluttered shelves of food and products for sale, like a tropic-themed version of a 7-Eleven, that coffee seemed an afterthought. - The things that make Kona coffee worth the money, that is, its aroma and flavor, were lost when the shop used industrial coffee machines to brew it and thermos jugs to hold it for service. - Although the company roasts several types of high-quality Kona beans for bulk sale, the shop only brewed one of them, and most of their coffee-based drinks were made using a blend of Kona and other, markedly unexceptional, beans. - Most of the shop's customers ordered "coffee drinks" that combined brewed coffee, or espresso, with milk, ice, sugar and/or syrups. If the coffee in their drinks was true Kona, its shining attributes were obscured. I don't know whether to blame the shop for promoting such nonsense, or the customers, for having terrible taste. Kona Coffee Company is a snack bar masquerading as a coffee shop. It offers what children think of when they watch grownups drink coffee. Pass. read more

So far, this is my favorite coffee in the neighborhood, solely based off of the coffee quality! The inside of the store is small, so there isn't much place to sit, but I do really love their coffee so far! read more

A small coffee shop located in Hillcrest next to the theater, this place serves coffee and pastries for convenience and enjoyment. For a quick review, I would say that the service is good, but I would just go to Better Buzz a block away for better coffee. Reasons being is that no matter how many times I've visited, the coffee is a hit-or-miss and also very on the sweet side, just like other reviews written here. If you don't like it on the sweet side and ask for half-sweet, go even lower. Cold brew is fine, but other ones are watered down at times, so that's why I say a hit-or-miss. For the customer service, they're nice and service is good. Nothing else to say. Overall, come here to support the local business, but I would prefer other coffee shops. read more

We were in the area and saw that this coffee shop was just down the street where we just had brunch. We were all looking forward to have Hawaiian coffee again since we went to Hawaii last summer. The employees were a mother and daughter who was very friendly and helped us select our order. We ordered the iced white chocolate macadamia nut and our teens had the iced dirty chai. Personally, I have a sweet tooth and thoroughly enjoyed mine, but my hubby didn't quite like it as much because it was too sweet for him. Our teens enjoyed their drinks as well while we sat at the window, drinking our beverage of choice and watching people walk by with their dogs. It was another beautiful day here with my family. read more

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Coffees bagels and sandwiches all amazing. All the staff is so nice too, such an amazing experience every time!

Amazing and flavorful coffee!! The breakfast sandwiches are delicious and very filling!

Cute little coffee shop. Just wanted a nice cup of Kona. Menu has a lot of options but simplicity is all I needed. The cold brew was flavorful and roasted beautifully. read more

Kona Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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So when you hear Kona coffee you think of hawaii and how the coffee is the best, well let me tell you it did not disappoint, I didn't walk out with purchasing a $80 dollar 100% percent Kona beans because I don't have deep pockets like that but, I did purchase two cups. My wife tried the smoked caramel macchiato and let me say male sure you blend the milk with coffee before you say it's not good, wife made that mistake and after was like ohh yeah it's food. lol I tried the Hawaiian Mocha and man ohh man it was really good. The barista was really nice and our coffees were ready fast, the place is small in side but very nice and chill. They have lots of snacks and merch etc. over all good spot to come and try out. read more

Finally got the chance to come here even though I've lived a few blocks away for the last year. I think they have been understaffed in the past and I'm sure they are still hiring. This place is perfect for a quick stop coffee and snack. The cappuccino I got was just fine, but the blended coffee my boyfriend got was so good! I was trying to finish his before he did. I love the set up in here because they make it so easy to take things to go, and even make coffee at home. Their hours have been weird so you pretty much have to get lucky walking by and seeing it is open. I am happy they have a fall menu, but I will definitely be going back for those blended ice coffees. They are dairy free so they are a good option for both myself and my boyfriend. (I'm trying to convince my boyfriend to buy me the blooming teas for Christmas because they are neat and a great price here) read more

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HONEY LAVENDER MATCHA!!! It's soooo good. The people there are always kind too. The drinks I have are on the sweet side but I like them that way. Maybe let them know your preferred sweetness level if you're particular :) read more

Their coffee is delicious and great quality. The baristas are always nice and welcoming. You know it's good when they always have recurring customers. There are a couple high chairs at the window to sit at & outdoor tables. Super cute inside, but small. Definitely more of a to-go place. read more

Really friendly and quaint cafe, but the coffee is well below average - watered down and flavorless. Pretty pricey for what it's worth.

I love this small, cute coffee shop in the middle of Hillcrest! It's nice because it's walking distance from the nice neighborhoods and after lunch or when you're taking a stroll, you can pop right in! I got a simple iced oat latte and it was delicious. I love the flavor of their coffee! I always get nervous it will taste watered down, but it didn't at all. There was a little more ice than I would like; however, it hardly watered it down surprisingly! When I'm in this area again, I will definitely be back :) read more

I'm always looking for a coffee shop that has Kona coffee and this came up in my search. I ordered an iced macadamia nut latte and it tasted super diluted. I'm wondering if it would've made a difference if I ordered it with light ice. There is outdoor seating which is nice! They have a lot of other drinks on their menu as well as baked goods and tons of gift type items. It is located in a complex and street parking is hectic so you can park in the garage. You can validate your ticket at the cafe and get at least the first hour (maybe two hours?) free! read more

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Service was pretty good, got the cold brew which was really good. I'd mainly recommend this place for their cold brew as it's one of the few I've had that is actually decent quality without any milk or sweetener. read more

After a decade plus of visiting this shopping center I finally made my way over to check out this quaint Hillcrest cafe. The cafe doesn't have much for seating inside but they have tables outside for customers to take advantage of; but I imagine a fair amount of people like myself take to go and enjoy perusing the neighborhood as we did. The service was nice and I ordered the standard 100% Kona coffee and it did not disappoint; it was roasted just right and I enjoyed it black per my taste. They validate parking with a $6 purchase so it is worth checking out for that as an added bonus. read more

This coffee shop is one of the best! The quality is great and the service is even better. Sandy and Kristie are always hooking it up. Highly recommend the vanilla latte and the bagels are great read more

Kona Coffee - Kona Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

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I would skip the pastries (I've tried most of them and they're not worth it in my opinion) but the iced lattes are good, the customer service is great, and it's nice they also have additional snacks and refrigerated items (juices, sandwiches, etc). It's a great place to stop in for a coffee, especially if you work nearby! read more

Tl;Dr If you don't have a sweet tooth, don't come here. Great service, friendly and welcoming, but very mediocore coffee and pastry. I ordered the Kona mocha and regular latte. They made my latte vanilla instead, which was fine except the vanilla latte tasted too sweet (even at 1/2 sugar). I ordered the coffee cake and the almond croissant. The top layer of the coffee cake is basically sugar (sugar granules underneath a thick layer of frosting. Almond croissant is fine but also nothing to write home about. read more

This below normal rating is for the customer service from one employee. I'm a repeat customer and came in for coffee and danish. I took it outside to enjoy. I needed a little more cream for my coffee than had been added, so I walked back in and asked politely. The dark haired lady behind the counter told me (with attitude) that for my future reference, they charge for extra cream. But that she would give me some this time. OK... never heard that before anywhere.....just needed a little more cream to my liking. The coffee was strong. So, OK, noted. But then this happened...no trash cans outside, so when I was done, I walked back in to dispose of my cup, and the dark haired lady started speaking to her male colleague in another language; referring to me, I noticed. Little did she know, I understood that language and she was talking negatively about me.....simply for asking for extra cream. Take note, Kona, you should not talk badly about your customers. Most especially when it is not deserved. Bad customer service. And I won't go back. read more

My Friday treat. Amazing staff and amazing drinks 10/10 Fav go to is white chocolate mocha read more

Kona Coffee - White chocolate mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Diego, California

Went in to get an early afternoon cup but the barista said they were out of brewed coffee. She didn't offer to make another pot simply offered a macadamia nut flavoured coffee instead that was sitting out and shrugged about the lack of normal coffee. Unfortunately I had to leave without getting anything from the coffee shop that doesn't serve coffee. read more

Coffee is yummy. I've had this coffee before. It's right in Hillcrest and there is a lot of restaurants and shops in the area. I got the pumpkin cold brew. It was good but slightly bitter. The hot chocolate my bf got was really good! It had really great flavor. read more

I had the chance to visit Kona Coffee Company in Hillcrest recently, and my experience was excellent. While I saw someone had mentioned parking issues, I managed to find a spot without much trouble. Plus, they validate parking for two hours at the parking structure beneath them, which made the visit even more convenient for me! The store felt like home and was filled with a variety of products! I brought my friend in with me and her son and he was even able to get a treat for himself on the house from the workers. Most importantly, the coffee was excellent. The Kona beans produced a rich and flavorful cup with distinct notes of caramel and brown sugar. The quality of the coffee definitely lived up to the reputation that it's known for. Being amazing!!!!! Overall, I found Kona Coffee Company to be a really amazing spot for coffee lovers. The quality of the coffee and the overall atmosphere is worth the 25 min drive I took! Will definitely be making this a weekly visit. read more

To start, The lovely ladies behind the counter are so sweet and very helpful. I wasn't very sure what to get and one of them recommended a Hawaiian mocha. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I LOVED THIS. Service is amazing, coffee is amazing, and the vibes there are just great. Will be coming back! read more

I ordered the jalapeno croissant just as the Costco delivery guy showed up with them, mine was burned and even tho the lady realized she burned it she still served it to me. Way overpriced for items I can buy at costco read more

Located at the corner of Washington and 5th. There is a parking lot nearby. They validate for parking too! Good spot to get coffee. They have bagels, breakfast sandwiches and desserts/ snacks. The pistachio baklava looks different but yummy. I was going to see a doctor so I couldn't try it-but next time I will. read more