Tried 3 pastries between us, all of them tasted like soap. Not sure if an ingredient I didn't expect was used, or there was a problem, but I couldn't finish the cheesecake. I ALWAYS finish cheesecake. 1st visit will be only visit read more

The service was very helpful and welcoming. There is plentyful of seating if you are going with a big group including inside and outside. The chai was great and really like the variety of desserts. Open late and love the location read more

The place is fancy with Middle Easter vibe. They have variety of desserts and breads/bun both meat and cheese options. I didn't find any vegan options though. Has both indoor and outdoor seating. We tried their Adeni Chai (9/10) and the Jalapeño honey combo (10/10). Would definitely visit again! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Adeni Chai - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Worker was extremely kind and treated me and my friends so well! I was unable to get his name, but his service is what motivated me to write this review. He recommended the Honey Comb, and I loved it. The portion is very good for its price. The cafe was a great place to study as well. There are outlets at the long seats, though I'm not sure if there are outlets near the regular individual chairs. We were able to study here for a few hours, and it was really busy at night. Many people were hanging out with friends at the tables right outside. I understand why it gets busy! Aside from being a place to study, the atmosphere of this cafe makes it a fun place to spend time with others. read more

Sana'a Cafe - Honey Comb - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Came by this spot thinking it was the old place but was surprised to find this new establishment. The guys working there were very friendly and I got this iced drink, love the cup lid! The ambience was nice and there were lots of delicious looking baked goods on the case! This is not an American cafe so they have these delicious looking baked goods that are worth trying out! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Had this delicious iced drink! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Really great cafe! The only problem is where it's located. But really nice service and the food was good! The chocolate baklava was so good! And my hibiscus tea was so so nice! Loved the vibe too. read more

Sana'a Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Not open at 6 o'clock like they say. We were there Saturday morning at 6:30, and no one was there.

I like their chicken bread, also cheesecakes are good as well. Good service & good ambiance!! I will be back! read more

Sana'a Cafe - I will come back later at night time for more dessert choice :) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Love this cafe! Talked to the people working for a while and found out it's family owned and everything they serve is homemade. I had the latte with cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger (I can't remember the name of it), and I loved it! My boyfriend thought the spices were too strong, but I enjoyed it. We also had their Dubai cheesecake. Omg. The best cheesecake we've ever had. If was perfect. No artificial coloring or ingredients, per the people working, too. I definitely want to go back and try more items. Everything looks incredible read more

Tried this place since we saw it on yelp! The ambiance is great, lots of seating and a quiet enough place to study. We tried the pastry/desserts and was pleasantly satisfied with both options :) Next time we hope to try their coffee read more

Sana'a Cafe - Baklava and honeycomb bread - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

This place is the best! So authentic with serene music and really great ornate teapots everywhere. Huge selection of wonderful desserts. I had a bread item I thought was very tasty. It was called jalapeño honeycomb made with small bread balls closely baked together. But you have to come try this place. So many great desserts and drinks. Two big rooms for seating and plenty of seats outside. The service was freindly and fast. I highly recommend. Best coffee place I've been to yet! read more

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I love this place and their amazing drinks and desserts. Yemeni coffee is all the rage right now, rightfully so, given that the most popular type of coffee bean, the arabica bean, comes from Yemen! Sana'a has a more modern feel to it which is a nice distinction to some of the other Yemeni coffee shops out there. I highly recommend the iced pistachio latte as well as the biscoff flavor milk cake. Overall I'll most definitely be back, especially with how friendly the staff were as well. Highly recommend. read more

Wow. Friday night. Two millennials wondering what do.. club? No we don't have energy for the party scene. Grocery shopping? No. Nothing is open in Irvine area... then we find Sana'a!!!! Open until 1am, we visit around 10:30pm. A wonderful, clean, and lively cafe, the ambiance was vibrant and kind. Seeing that it was night, we skipped on the coffee, BUT we got food. Two beef stuffed pastries, a honey comb, and a cheese filled pastry. My goodness the jalapeño honeycomb, served with honey.. a fantastic food item that made my tongue dance with joy. My food-inhaling partner, though, ate it too enthusiastically and burned his tongue on the cheese. So yall be careful. For me, it was only a delightful experience! The cheese stuffed pin wheel was great! Not too oily, every thing we ate was fantastic, and didn't feel too guilty eating it at 1030 pm. I first thought... oh. Did I order too much... but it was a good amount of food and not too heavy. The staff checked in on us with a smile, asking if the food was ok and good, and I was touched by their kindness and attentiveness. thank you! Next time we go, we want to visit earlier in the day to try their coffee. Cardamom and saffron?! Sounds too good not to try. We'll most definitely be back! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Very kind staff!!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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Best place in South OC for a late night coffee/tea and a sweet treat. Love the ambiance and the vibe of this place. The service is quick. The pastries themselves are great along with the price. read more

Sana'a Cafe - Pistachio Milk Cake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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Excellent cultural experience. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Packed at late night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]How fun. Love it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Very shitty customer service the worker with curly hair laughed in my face while I was just trying to get help

I came to this place with a thirst and a need for energy and it delivered. I was placed an order and in no time I got what I asked in a good amount of time. I got a full flavor of different taste of coffee and sweet flavor of good pastries. I am happy I stop by and will surely stop by again. read more

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Reall great desserts and drinks - good work spaces... but it gets packed - I would almost dock a star for how packed it gets, but that's good for the business and a result of how great their food is. Open very late, ample space, good location. Staff is friendly. read more

Amazing and this place is hopping! Well deserved, as there definitely is a market in OC for a nice authentic chai place... we have been here twice up to now and the chai order of last week was a revelation - fantastic presentation and it was simply delicious and tasty. Initially we came earlier in July for the knafeh, fantastic pastries and coffee drinks but that chai.... amazing. Jamal is amazing and keeps everybody informed on when orders come out which is nowadays quite unique. Sanaa Cafe is our go-to in Lake Forest and we're glad it's only a couple hundred steps from Bru Baru. read more

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Picture 3 happy and energetic kids behind the counter having fun with every customer as they greet, welcome, inform, help and serve all with love, kindness and off the charts natural enthusiasm. Add to that some really special treats like pistachio baklava, biscoff( yes like the red packeted airplane snack with the beverage cookie) cheesecake, red velvet cookies, jalapeño honeycomb baked pastry, cheese zatter, spinach and chicken fatayars, Dubai cookies( for my dear Yelp friend Pat F in da Bronx), to go with the great Yemeni coffee straight from the source plus the famous Adeni chai in which the 3 C's - cardamom, cloves and cinnamon come together beautifully with evaporated milk, black tea and sugar to change your hot beverage appreciation and routine forever. This is a very minute sampling of the extensive offerings here. There is so much love in the air. You get it as you open that front door. We saw two groups of 14 and 16 having some great family fun with birthday cake and singing. Couples on date night checking out the gorgeous Turkish and Yemeni tea pots as lovely music played in the midst of the laughter. Our dirty chai made by the outstanding Abdul Rehman was to die for. Mo behind the counter was a superstar as well. Abdul was very sweet, respectful and hospitable and just oozing with warmth. This location has been open for 10 months. It was packed( inside and outside patio) at 8:10 pm on a Thursday night. Love that they are open from 7 am to midnight Sunday to Thursday and an additional hour later Fridays and Saturdays. Sana'a is a great,fun and vibrant addition to the Lake Forest/ Irvine area. read more

Second time coming here. Fantastic coffee options, fresh and authentic Middle Eastern taste for any palate, and an "at-home" feel with the staff, the ambience, and the decor. Pistachio cheesecake, meat fatayer, and Yemeni coffee...mmmmmm read more

Excellent coffee and tea. Great selection of food to choose from. The service is great. Always a pleasure coming to Sana'a Cafe.

Brought my family visiting from a different country & love this establishment Very, very Authentic!!! Deserts are so yummy ! And we tried the Mediterranean tea in a glass heating kettle ( hope I'm right) So flavorful. Tons of free parking And outdoor the perfect sitting area Will definitely return read more

Workers are snotty, ratty, and bratty. Drinks are mid, tell your workers to stop making eyes at me and to quit being so loud and just do their damn jobs. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Noise pollution has never recovered from this cafe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Wow what a hidden gem this place is! I've been driving by it for a year now finally decided to come in. Best cold brew I've ever had and huge food and dessert selection. Glad I found this spot. Kind service and cool middle eastern aesthetic read more

At night, Sana'a Cafe is a hub of energy in a corner of Lake Forest that's mostly quiet. This place is one of the only few that's open as late as it is, so it gets quite busy later into the night. My friends and I got here at around 9:30 PM and we could see how busy and bustling it was inside at 10 PM when we were parking. There is plenty of parking available as this is a shopping center. The store is quite busy at night, and it stayed that way even when my group and I were on our way out around 11 PM. I've also come here before during the day, both earlier for morning tea and later into the day for a pick-me-up and it was less crowded. It's really at night when this place becomes super busy, at least in my experience. There are quite a few tables but seating still feels a bit limited, especially since it's so popular. However, I've never had an issue, often finding a spot after waiting a bit, even when my group was larger. The best seating is on the right when you first enter with the plush seats and bigger tables but they are sometimes reserved for groups of four or more depending on how busy they get. There's also outside seating and they have those heating lamps to help stay warm. The highlight here, and what you should really order, is the Adeni Chai. I recommend buying a teapot (they have a medium and large). The teapot comes with a little candle and warmer and the drink truly stays hot until the end (it's actually really hot at the very end since it's closer to the flame!). You can adjust the sweetness when ordering, and they provide you with cute little teacups. The large kettle is good enough for a group of 4 (obviously, adjust as needed and how much tea you want to drink!). I'm not even a hot drink person and this just hits REALLY hits the spot. It's spiced and brewed to perfection. I've been to a similar Yemeni cafe and I really do think this location steeps their tea in such a way where it's even more flavorful and just... it's SO good. I'm also usually a coffee drinker but the Adeni Chai is still what I order every time. I've gotten their pistachio latte and, while it was really delicious, it was quite pricey for how much you get so I'm sticking to the teas. Their Yemeni Black Tea is also really good. It has cloves and mint but, while both were in the tea we ordered, neither of those flavors were really there or overpowering. It was just a really good, strong black tea. This was a great second choice since we ordered two teapots. I've tried the pistachio, caramel, and biscoff milk cake. They really just taste like tres leches (in the best way) with their respective flavoring. I would recommend picking whichever flavor sounds better to you. I love biscoff and so of the three, that one is my favorite. Their sweets are a bit pricey and not really what I come for. Service was wonderful, everyone is super kind and welcoming, and the vibes are just right. They also have a few sets of cards, dominoes, and a chess board available for patrons. My friends and I had a great time and I'm so glad they're open as late as they are because it's a place we keep coming back to. read more

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Amazing coffee. Great flavors and the staff is very friendly. They want happy customers and it shows. Great variety of late night snacks!

I noticed a cafe near me has a new sign on the building. Sana A Cafe replaced the previous cafe. So naturally I pulled in. They have been open now for two weeks. I was going to order an Americano but the menu offered a cardamom and coffee named Sana'ni so I went with it. I also noticed an entire glass case of yummy bakery treats not typical of our average selection found at Starbucks, Coffee Bean, or Kona coffee. That's a good thing. So I added a Tiramisu cake to my order. It's not easy to make any form of a tiramisu dessert so the cake would really tell me a lot about their bakery selection Here is my review: Great coffee. Served hot. After a few minutes the temperature was just right. The cardamom came through nicely but not overwhelming. The coffee was not acidic, not overly strong but a bold yet balanced black coffee flavor. I love cardamom so I loved this drink. They made a perfect coffee. The tiramisu cake is a tremendous symphony of layered flavors. The bakery case is nicely chilled so my cake came at a very cool temperature that warmed to a perfect cool for enjoying in minutes. I took my time and each bite delivered memories of the best tiramisu I ever had at the Spanish steps in Rome. A little bit of Marsala wine, brandy or rum soaking would have made it a California equal to Rome but hey, this cake is fabulous and you should try it. I don't know anything about Yemeni flavors but I know we have a delightful new Yemeni Cafe in town. I'll be back. read more

Sana'a Cafe - Tiramisu cake and Cardamom coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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The pistachio milk cake is so freakin GOOD!!! Kinda regret not getting a second slice...Staff were friendly and funny too! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Pistachio Milk Cake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

So happy I found this cute coffee shop that offers an authentic Yemeni experience, from the warm décor to the friendly staff. Their Yemen coffee is a must-try--rich, aromatic, and perfect whether you like it black or with milk. They have a variety of sweet & savory pastries. My favorite is the honeycomb with cheese, the flavors are incredible! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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This cafe just opened up in Lake Forest and it is definitely a gem. We walked in after having dinner next door at WingStop. They had a number of dessert and drink options. We decided to go for one of their milk cakes. The caramel was calling out name, and we did not regret it! It is almost like a Tres Leches cake that is very moist and had a hit of carmel flavor from the whipped cream on top. All the desserts looked so good, we have come back twice already to try other items. We also tried the saffron milk cake and the tiramisu milk cake. Our favorite continues to be the caramel one, as the saffron was not as flavorful as expected and the tiramisu one was not as milky as expected. It seems like a great spot to get some work done, as there are a ton of tables and outlets. The only thing is that it is on the pricier side. However, I will for sure be coming back to try their other treats! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Most delicious coffee and friendly staff. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Enjoy the ambiance and service[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] . Hope to have more Sana's cafe come to Orange County as there seem to be mostly up north read more

Tried the iced Yemeni latte, loved it's just the right amount of spice! (If you're a fan of horchata, I think you'll like it.) I wish I was hungry when I stopped by because the Nutella cheesecake and jalapeño honeycomb were calling my name, next time. I was able to sit, enjoy my coffee and work for two hours. Lots of seating inside and out and free WiFi. So glad I tried this spot. read more

Sana'a Cafe - Iced Yemeni Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

We were looking for a coffee spot and stumbled into this place. And it was such a delicious and delightful surprise! It was a new experience for us. The standard and authentically exotic coffee options are delicious! Along with the sweets and savory pastries. And to top it off, the beautiful, welcoming barista who provided great service! We will definitely come back! read more

Phenomenal coffee and pastries. This is my new favorite coffee shop. From cardamom-infused coffee to delectable caramel très leches, this beautiful coffee shop will not disappoint. I can't wait to try everything on the menu. Amazing friendly service, too! read more

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After reading the reviews I just had to try this place out. So desperate for a good cup of coffee that doesn't exist in RSM. This is definitely worth the 25 min drive. I had an iced pistachio latte and I was blown away. No artificial taste. It was just the right amount of sweetness and presented in a beautiful double walled glass mug. The moment you enter you could smell the aroma of coffee. Also tried the jalapeño honey comb bread! Delicious and soft! Will be back! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Jalapeño bread - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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my first time having yemeni coffee and baked goods and i went two days in a row ordered their iced pistachio latte 7/10 & meat fatayer 6/10 & og honey comb 10/10 i appreciate that they toast up the pastries will be back read more

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The best coffee shop! The best tasting desserts and rich tasting tea! Jamal gave the best service!! Such a good late night vibe read more

Sana'a Cafe - Pink drink Yemeni Black Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Shoutout to Isa for the coffee recommendations and friendly service! I got the iced Mofawar and it was seriously delicious!!! Definitely feels high in caffeine, similar to Viet iced coffee, but a lot more flavorful. The spices in the coffee add a great depth of flavor (Note: spices aren't actually spicy lol). I was also pleasantly surprised by the interior decor, it seems modern yet traditional. I recommend y'all give this place a try! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Iced Mofawar drink is SO DELICIOUS! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

Came here with my boyfriend to get some work done. Very nice atmosphere! He got the lavender matcha and loved it and I got the pistachio latte with oat milk (decaf) also very good. Had a nutty flavor to it which I love. ALSO got the jalapeño honeycomb pastry... OMG SO GOOD and soft. Highly recommend! To top it off, he gave us a complimentary drink in this beautiful tea dish. Felt so fancy! Will definitely be coming back! read more

Sana'a Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Lake Forest, California

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