Came here to do some work outside of the house with a coworker and it was pretty busy for later in the afternoon. Service was very quick though which was nice. By the time I was done ordering and paying my coffee was ready and super tasty. I just ordered a cold brew with vanilla and almond milk and I loved that it wasn't overly sweet and still had that coffee flavor. I also got a muffin to snack on which I felt was really dense and a little dry but the top with chocolate chips was great and full of chocolate chips. The Wi-Fi connection was pretty good as well I had no issues getting on but this is definitely a spot for people studying or working with lots of tables and lounge space I would just come early if you want to guarantee yourself a set somewhere. read more

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Food was good, a little on the pricy side and the coffee was worth stopping in for; very smooth and creamy! Glad I tried this place. I've never been served so fast in my life and the shop was extremely relaxing. Try it! read more

I usually love lightbulb coffee! The sandwiches are delicious, the hot drinks are great, and many pastry's are tasty. However, I went in today with my friend to show her the place after hyping it up, and ended up having a rather poor time. I don't know if we came in on a bad day, but we ordered a cinnamon bun iced latte, a strawberry matcha, and two cookies. One drink + one cookie and a tip ran each of us $20, so $40 collectively. I should've just asked for a refund. My chocolate chip cookie was definitely a few days old and very hard so we had to pass on it, and my matcha was essentially milk. I also was definitely given 2% when I asked for almond (I'm sensitive to dairy) so I ended up having to dump my drink out. It didn't feel good to lose out on $20, especially when it's your last $20 for the day. There's a new lightbulb opening on the SDSU campus, so hopefully it'll improve there, but until then, I won't be returning to lightbulb any time soon :(. read more

Very expensive now! $6.50 for pastry and no sign for cost. All drinks $6.50 and up. I like to support local business but don't like the increase. read more

Favorite coffee shop in La Mesa! This spot has been here for quite a while now and it's an unassuming charmer. The interior has a ton of seating and is a great space to work. There are a couple of tables outside as well. I also love that there is a Resident bird (don't worry he's in a cage) named Mango. Just adds to the character! I've found very few places in San Diego do Turkish coffee, which I love, and this place does. I love their Turkish hazelnut drink if I'm in the mood for something sweeter, but honestly you can't go wrong with any of their specialty lattes. TLDR; favorite La Mesa coffee shop! Tons of unique and delicious coffee drinks. read more

I have always loved Lightbulb coffee. My favorite is the iced lavender coffee with oat milk. I stopped in today for the first time in about a year. I noticed an eye catching display case of ornate pastries. I decided to try a cheese danish. The nice young lady who took my order explained that they make their pastries fresh on location. Well, let me say, if you want a treat that will brighten your day, try one of their pastries. The cheese danish was light and buttery, crispy on the outside and soft and delicious inside where the cheese filling is. It wasn't too sweet either. What a perfect delight of texture and flavor . My coffee was also perfect as usual. I highly recommend Lightbulb coffee. read more

Unlike these incompetent idiots I actually have a brain and can tell you this is the best local coffee shop i've been to. The service is great unless you're so idiotic and unskillful and dense. I love the nutella crossiant and food overall. This shop is so cute and comfy and only people who have the mental capacity can understand this. read more

They have so many options on their menu, decided to try their Spanish Latte with Oatmilk and Turkish Espresso. It was a little bit on the sweeter side, but still okay. If you like earthy, floral flavors I definitely feel like the Turkish Espresso makes a difference. Nice shop to visit and maybe do some work. If you're in a rush maybe try to order ahead. I ordered ahead and my order was set to be ready in 25 min. read more

Oh how I wish this coffee shop was located in Clairemont for convenience. I had been wanting to try out this place for a long time and finally had the chance to go. I liked it so much the first time I went, that I went a second time less than a week later. I've ordered the iced Turkish hazelnut coffee, iced cali pistachio, coffee cake, and chicken & munster panini. The coffee here is literally sooo creamy, I was taken aback by it. I always order non-dairy milk (typically oat) due to a dairy allergy and when I was drinking the iced lattes here it was creamy to the extent that i was worried I was drinking real milk at first LOL. So fear not my non-dairy folks, you won't be missing out on milk at all here in your coffee at all :') If you're ordering a Turkish Hazelnut, the drink itself is very sweet so if you aren't big on sweet drinks, ask them to make it less sweet. They also have a really cute lightbulb coffee cup for an additional charge which I honestly think is worth it bcuz of how cute it is. The coffee cake here is also HUGE. I have never seen a slice of coffee cake so big before in my life?? And it's only $3.50 which is even more shocking. The coffee cake tasted fresh, was super light, had the perfect amount of crumb topping, and wasn't too sweet. It complimented the Turkish hazelnut coffee veryyyy well! I even took some coffee cake home to do a taste test with my mom who is extremely picky with coffee cake and hates like 98% of coffee cakes she has ever tried, but this coffee cake changed her and she actually enjoyed it! So if my mama is approving of this coffee cake, you know that says A LOT! The chicken muenster mushroom panini here is also extremely delicious. I typically don't order chicken sandwiches but was told by the workers that it's their most popular sandwich so I had to give it a try. I ordered mine without the muenster cheese and it was actually really delicious! A lot of the times when you omit cheese from a sandwich, its super dry, but the sandwich here wasn't dry at all. I felt like there was a good amount of the spicy sauce they put inside the sandwich. The sandwich had a variety of textures going on which is what you want in a sandwich, because who wants to eat a mushy sandwich. The decor here is very unique but it's very cozy. I plan on coming here again in the future to just chill with some friends. Also for my Arab peeps, they have Turkish coffee here! For the non-Arabs reading this, Turkish coffee is basically espresso shots on crack LOL. There is plenty of parking here so no need to worry about whether you will find a spot or not. If you want creamy, smooth, and unique coffee flavors; delicious coffee cake; and yummy sandwiches this is the spot to check out. You'll thank me later. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Chicken Muenster panini, coffee cake, and Turkish hazelnut coffee :') all so delicious!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Such a quirky cafe in the charming La Mesa downtown area. The shop is filled with all kinds of trinkets and curios along with a mammoth selection of drinks (All kinds of Coffees and infusions, and same for tea plus so many more options like shakes, juices etc.). Also the owners are super sweet and very hospitable. Though the cafe is known for their drinks served in their signature light bulb containers (Optional), there's munching options too if you are hungry and wanna chill with a snack :) If you wanna see a small video of how the place looks, here you go: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CYVbfV0Iv0f/ read more

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Too pricey for drinks and pastries. I can get more for way less at my local eateries. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Croissant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Really enjoyed their Pistachio hazelnut coffee and their pastries are very good. Service was excellent too

Great selection of pastries, prob the best I've seen in SD. The decor and feel of the place are great, but parking is sparse. The service was definitely off today, I literally waited 18 minutes for a drip coffee. The teamwork and urgency need improvement. A simple coffee should be served immediately in my opinion. I hope they dial it it. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

I come here fairly often (at least once every other week) to work remotely for a few hours, it's quickly become my favorite coffee shop in SD. The staff is casual & seems to always be having fun while working, and even when they're slammed they get drinks made quickly. It's usually fairly calm inside, with a few rushes throughout the day. It's well lit without being too bright, and it's SO cute inside. Love the plants & decor. I always get the Turkish espresso, it's strong & delicious but not bitter. Also highly recommend their chicken mushroom Muenster panini, a little pricey but it's huge & really, really good. read more

Vibe is very pleasant, offers things Starbucks can't. Reminds you of your own room to study in. Sweet Barista, dope plays list read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Taste of the design of the place. ‼ - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

Super cute coffeeshop with good coffee and lots of seating! I ordered a hot Turkish Hazelnut latte, which the barista recommended, and it did not disappoint! The spices were strong, but the sweetness of the drink complimented the spices wonderfully. Although it was not overwhelmingly sweet as it is, I would recommend getting it a little less sweet. The staff was super cool, and service was quick. I will definitely be back soon! I'm looking forward to trying their food/pastries next time. read more

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Changed my review from 2 stars to 1 star for the terrible response to my original review. Again, I can see them "preparing" the sandwich behind the counter while they talk. It wasn't being prepared at all, for far too long. read more

Cute place, good coffee and pastries, but the people working are not friendly and could care less that you came in. Could be much busier if the staff was more welcoming. read more

The last two times I have been here I have left without ordering, or even being acknowledged. This morning I walked in at 7:51AM and stood near the counter to order. The girl looked at me- no smile, no "I'll be right with you", nothing. Just looked and kept doing her thing. It's now 8:06 and I left. Still no acknowledgment. There were 2 customers in the shop. I get being busy and I don't mind waiting, but over 10 minutes of not being acknowledged is ridiculous. This happened a couple of months ago, as well, but I can't remember the exact timing. This is good. They have good sandwiches and I like their tea, but the service doesn't match. They are on a strip with a few coffee shops that smile when you walk in. Plus I saw they add 3.5% surcharge on all credit card transactions- a little steep if you ask me. Anyways, maybe come a little later in the morning? Could work for some, but I have places to be. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Avocado Bagel - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

First time here and loved it. Came here for brunch and a matcha latte. Service was great! They're always busy and on their toes so if you're running late and wanted to grab something quick, this place isn't it for you! So worth the wait No complaints will come back! read more

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We decided to try this coffee house out on a whim. It was really a great experience. The ambience is relaxing and inviting. The coffee was excellent and the pasteries were amazing ! I had the pistachio croissant and it was delicious!!! I highly recommend it. read more

The coffee is pretty good and the service is amazing. The only thing that isn't good is the prices some deserts cost more than the coffee which is crazy in my opinion. read more

Tried their matcha lattes was disappointed. It just tasted like milk. :/ definitely not worth the price.

Stumbled across this place on IG and had to give it a try. I couldn't resist the lightbulb cups! The place is so cute and the customer service was superb. Food and drinks were both delicious. I got the LAVENDER LATTE iced. The right about ice and liquid ratio was spot on. AND this Turkey Avocado Wrap pictured didn't stand a chance, So yummy! read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Turkey Avocado Wrap - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

They are located in the old Starbucks storefront, but it feels worlds apart from Starbucks inside. If you're a peanut butter lover, I recommend trying the peanut butter latte, it's so good. My kid loves the smoothies here, they are highly recommended by the dude. Service is great and they're helpful with recommendations if you need assistance deciding. They've got comfy seating and air conditioning and it's located near the trolley stop for downtown La Mesa if you need an energy jolt while out. read more

I love this place!!! Such great coffee, AMAZING pastries (seriously-- they are to die for), awesome customer service and staff, and such a cute vibe on the inside too! Perfect for meeting up w some friends for a quick coffee while you explore some stores around here, or even getting some work done! Will def be back here again! read more

My now second review of lightbulb. The coffee is awesome. They will make it any way you want- sweet, extra sweet, half sweet, not sweet, iced, cold but no ice , warm or hot. The staff are without exception sweet and caring. They genuinely want people to be happy with whatever they buy. If you are not satisfied for any reason, they will make it right. Sometimes it can be hard to hear customers when everyone is masked and staff are behind the counters. This is common in the age of COvid and while I have never had a problem being heard, because I tend to be pretty loud, I can see how a quieter customer may need to repeat themselves. That's just the world situation for now. Lightbulb has had very comfortable indoor seating for sometime. It is a wonderful, cozy place to enjoy a drink, dessert or yummy, fresh sandwich. Once our state of California opens up completely I'm sure there will be even more indoor tables available. I love Public square as well but for my everyday coffee and dessert this is definitely my go to spot! It was the staff at Public Square that told me about this place. They said that if public square is closed they would get their coffee at Lightbulb. High praise! Just had the chocolate brownie there. It was delish! Can't wait to try more of the tasty looking desserts. One final note, I have been to a ton of coffee shops in San Diego, New York, Portland, Seattle and San Francisco. This is hands down the smoothest coffee served by the nicest people ever! Try it!! read more

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First time here to pick up a Too good to go order here and was unimpressed. Although the staff was friendly, they hadn't a clue about this app order. Normally at other businesses they give you a nice bag filled with goodies, I was only able to pick one item. Poor service and the manager should be up to date on things such as this. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Almond Croissant! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

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good quality coffee & their drinks are so good, it's for sure my favorite coffee shop! & they have really good service too. the only con about them is that their drinks can be very inconsistent. if i order the same drink twice, the second time tastes different from the first. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Iced Lightbulb Coconut Coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

My favorite coffee shop in La Mesa! Lots of seating and always really calm energy inside. I usually get the Vietnamese coffee! Super strong and delicious :) sweet staff and my drink came out super quick! read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Vietnamese coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

We were planning to meet up with friends for a play date for our son over at Jackson Park so we wanted to grab a bite to eat and some coffee before it was time to meet up. We're so glad we found Light Bulb Coffee! They have a pretty extensive menu- coffees, teas, smoothies, acai bowls, breakfast, sandwiches and wraps as well as a nice selection of pastries. And the decor is just so cute! They even have a resident cockatiel named Mango We tried: Cali Pistachio Latte & Turkish Hazelnut Latte - these were both so good and we were able to adjust to half sweetness. They have variety of milks available too, so we got oat milk. We even got their signature Light Bulb cups because they're just so cute! Seasonal Fall Sandwich- this has honey maple turkey, pumpkin pie hummus, cranberry sauce and pears on it. We would drive all the way back from Oceanside just for this. It's DELICIOUS! They will only have it for around another month so we need to get back there again ASAP. Pumpkin Muffin - this was really nice, not too sweet and full of rich pumpkin flavor. Pistachio Croissant- this was so unique we had to try it! Nice flaky, buttery croissant filled with pistachio cream. A little sweet but not overwhelmingly so. We loved this! There are still lots of menu items we want to try in addition to getting that fall sandwich again so definitely going back soon! read more

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I highly recommend trying the sandwich , Specifically this one that comes with gouda cheese, As for the drinks, they all look great, but I also recommend red tea and it's iced with mango pieces and hot coffee, I preferred them Turkish Hazelnut Coffee. The treatment of the staff is great, the shop is clean and the service is quick read more

This is an amazing coffee shop! An excellent café with a chill yet elegant ambience. All of the staff members are pleasant, knowledgeable, and incredibly efficient. They have so many different incredible brews the all have different influences. The variety is top notch. I can easily see why it replaced the mediocre chain coffee place that resided here prior. The coffee was so good and the service was so quick, I have already recommended it to others and will definitely be returning here. read more

Great German coffee, with ice cream is my favorite on the menu. Lots of couches to sit and relax, spacious shop with a young hip vibe. Great place to go in La Mesa. read more

The ambiance is amazing and beautiful. Plus the beverages are perfect and the food is to die for. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Vietnamese coffee Vanilla Caramel latte Turkey Pesto - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California

What a quaint cafe that serves up mean sandwiches and drinks. Parking lot was quite spacious and there were plenty of tables indoors and outdoors. Their menu had a wide variety of caffeinated drinks, smoothies, and hot or cold sandwiches. Although they've been packed every time I've visited, service was friendly and quite fast. For take-out orders, make sure to check-in so then the sandwich can get toasted. =YUM= *Valley Toffee: buttery smoothness with a nutty aftertaste. Slightly sweet, almost chocolatey. *Unicorn Tea Latte: fun tea based drink that the barista proudly presented us with a pink separation before we mixed it up. Had the pleasant tea fragrance but with a creamy, fruity taste. *Classic Reuben Sandwich: piled high with beef and glued together with cheese. Wished there was more sauce to give the sandwich moisture but I still enjoyed the saltiness and meatiness. *Chicken Arugula Panini: simple chicken sandwich with fresh vegetables. Bread was the best component and would suit those who prefer a lighter, balanced sandwich. *Raspberry Turkey Panini: my favorite sandwich from here and a contender for my most favorite panini ever. Most definitely thanksgiving inspired and I loved the combination of savory from the turkey with the sweet raspberry jam. The sliced pear that was warmed up with the fresh tomato and onion--mwuah, excellent. All wrapped up in a crusty, toasted ciabatta roll. Despite having a large menu, Light Bulb Coffee has satisfied me with every item so far. Their drinks have been executed well and were notably distinct from other cafes. Paninis were great and I love a cafe that does both drinks and food well. read more

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Love me some lightbulb! Every milkshake or smoothie I have tried is great! The bathroom and area inside is clean and always has nice music playing. The decorations inside are so unique and filled with horses. Love it! The food is also very good and the service is always on par. When the manager is there she gives us military folks a discount, which is nice. Great local spot to go to, head on over and give it a try! read more

Loved this place. Great employees and great food and drink. The place is so cozy and great for studying

Great place for lunch and coffee. Got 2 nitros. Quick service. Plenty of seating. Nice quiet and peaceful ambiance. Good music.

The food is amazing. Every time I come in it's always welcoming and wonderful. The employees greet are super nice and friendly. The vibe in the cafe is really relaxing just to enjoy a day off of work. read more

Lightbulb Coffee - Turkish Hazelnut Latte and tomato Basil pastry - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Mesa, California