Better than Starbucks …read more They win on quality, service ,simplicity, fresh ingredients, and just being that local coffee shop that Orange County people love .Can't beat that Starbucks...

DRINK: I got their seasonal Blue latte (tea latte), I cried on the inside for the taste being a 2/5…read morefor like 6 bucks. It was bitter and a bit bland. SERVICE: Not warm at all, as someone who is in the service industry, I get it but would've been nice to have experienced a sprinkle of kindness. Wish they had more specialty lattes LOCATION: Ample parking, nice seating :) They had some fresh bread though!

It was my first time here, I've heard that it's good so I gave it a try. I got the Golden Lily…read moreOolong tea because it sounded so pretty. The wait wasn't was too bad, because I went at around 18:00 and so the public parking was also free. However, when it came out I was a little surprised to see how clear and colorless it was. I was sort of expecting a golden brown color, or something more... Oolong? It looked like water, and also tasted like water... It was like water with maybe a hint of oolong... It felt like I bought a cup of $8 water... I loved the atmosphere and the space though, so I would definitely visit again if my purpose was to study. I would also go for a different drink next time, too.

Play Coffee knows what they're doing behind the bar ~ and more importantly, they know how to handle…read morealternative milk. Getting oat milk (or any non-dairy) steamed properly is rarer than it should be, but here it comes out perfectly frothy without a hint of that bitter, scorched taste. Huge win. I got the shaken maple latte and honestly? It was a standout drink. Citrusy, smooth, and just the right amount of sweet -- not cloying, not subtle, just balanced. The kind of drink you think about on the drive home. The coffee itself is solid and the craft is clearly there. My only gripe: the prices are a little steep. $8 for a latte adds up fast, especially if you're grabbing drinks for a group. This is firmly a "treat yourself solo" kind of spot rather than a "let me get the whole friend group a round" situation. Go for the experience, enjoy the quality, and maybe leave the group chat at home.

Philz Coffee is AWESOME! I am a huge fan of any place that sells coffee coffee - not just the…read moreflavored stuff that so many places in Orange do. The abolute NICEST folks work at this shop. there's great parking, and these guys truly care about their customers (me included!). Highly recommend you stop by first thing in the morning - they open at 5:30 am!

The honey haze is always my go to and refreshing especially for summer! The service here was nice…read moreand friendly. The atmosphere is bright and homey feeling, seems like a nice spot to do some work. Parking lot is super small maybe only 4-5 spots but there's street parking since it's downtown Orange.

I went in here today, because I wanted to get their Yuzu-mango matcha latte drinks to help boost my…read moreenergy so that I can walk to the CVS pharmacy on the other side of Orange without losing so much energy. It worked. The servers were busy and thankfully there is an iPad you can utilize to order your drink and/or meal without causing any disruptions. I really like that. I also love how lovely and comfortable the indoor furniture is.

Blk Dot Coffee is a neat, urban shop with a minimalist design and straightforward menu. Some bakery…read moreitems are offered, but the primary focus is a fresh cup of coffee. I popped in on a Sunday morning after a brunch nearby and opted for my regular order, a cold brew with a splash of oat milk. My coffee was GREAT and I was really digging the decor and red brick exterior. However, the mood was dampened as the ambiance inside was a little soulless. No music, no laughter. Additionally, the staff was a little moody for my taste. I got decent service but staff were frowning and not having a good time. Maybe I visited on an off-day? However, the shop wasn't busy nor were customers being unpleasant. I just think the band of baristas needed a social check-in. I can see this shop taking off one day and becoming a hit in many cities. I'm rooting for this place, they just need to work out the social kinks. Note: Merch is available for you Blk Dot superfans.

I remember trying to go here a while back ago when it blew up on TikTok but ended up not sticking…read morearound because it was so crowded (and also because I got harassed by a neighbor outside who, in his own words, was trying to make people feel not welcome here because he was angry about people coming in and parking in the neighborhood... weird). Still, I decided to give this place a second chance (no angry neighbor this time), and I was glad I did! PARKING: There's street parking around the neighborhood - I parked on Almond Ave so I wasn't in front of a house. The spots right outside the shop were 30 minute only. If you can't find parking there's probably tons as you go east if you're willing to walk. WHAT I ORDERED: Pistachio cream cold brew THE DRINK: Amazing. I've had my share of acidic or bitter cold brews, and this was not one of them. The cream was perfectly sweetened and flavored . SERVICE: Exceeded my expectations. The baristas when I came in were very bubbly and answered my questions and gave me suggestions, and were funny too! I wish I got their names, but they were working on Monday early afternoon - I hope they get some recognition. We also got some samples of the food items (which may have swayed me to get the turkey panini next time I come in). Even with the experience I had above a while back ago, I remember going in to let the baristas know and they were very understanding and apologetic, which I really appreciated. VIBES: Probably one of the top coffee shops to get work done in OC. Here's my work-from-coffee-shop checklist: * OUTLETS: So many. Not at the tables downstairs but in the private rooms and at a lot of the seating upstairs. * WIFI/INTERNET: Yes, good speed * BATHROOMS: Yes, clean * WATER: You can ask for free water * VOLUME: Music was a little bit loud but not terrible * SEATING AVAILABILITY: Lotsssss of seats when I came on a Monday late morning-afternoon. Very cool that there were private rooms (which can be reserved two hours in advance if you call them), tables, bar-style seating upstairs, and most importantly, comfy couches!! * LAPTOP FRIENDLINESS: No restrictions BOTTOM LINE: I can't believe I almost missed out on this gem. I'll be back soon!

Oh, The Lost Bean... I'm at a loss for words…read more I really wanted to love this location. I've been a customer at the Tustin location for years, so I walked in excited. Unfortunately, this visit was one disappointment after another. We arrived at 8:30 a.m. hoping for a peaceful coffee-and-breakfast morning. Instead, we accidentally wandered into what felt like a Janis Joplin tribute concert. The music was blasting at nightclub volume--not exactly the relaxing start to the day we had in mind. But surprisingly... that wasn't even the worst part. The food was incredibly disappointing. I ordered the breakfast burrito, and the potatoes were still raw--hard enough to remind me they were once part of the ground.. My husband ordered the French toast, which looked suspiciously like it took a quick detour from Trader Joe's frozen aisle before landing on our table. There's nothing wrong with frozen French toast... unless you're charging $14 and calling it brunch. Another friend ordered the granola with berries. After a few bites, he gave it a skeptical look, pushed the bowl away, and decided breakfast simply wasn't worth the gamble. The coffee was decent , but honestly wasn't worth fighting the neighbors for a parking spot!

Great coffee shop with specialty in banana. Love to try new coffee shops!…read more I had: 1. Golden ape - house-made banana syrup latte 2. Mango cloud matcha - inspired by mango sticky rice dessert, made with house-made mango puree 3. Banana walnut fig 4. Ham & cheese croque

i stopped by this cafe for some matcha with my friends, and the mango cloud matcha sounded super…read moreyummy as a mango sticky rice with matcha cream top! i would say it is on the sweeter side, and the mango can overpower the matcha since it's such a prominent flavor, but i still enjoyed it a lot. it was really refreshing for a warm day! there was a good amount of seating here for studying and relaxing with friends, and the cafe was very grey in a cool way LOL the servers were also really nice and efficient. i could see myself coming back to try their other drinks soon!

I genuinely think Ayer Coffee has the best matcha in all of OC. Ever since they opened, I've been…read morethere 4-5 times a week and somehow still haven't gotten tired of it. The quality and consistency are honestly unmatched. I've tried pretty much every drink on the menu at this point, and every single visit tastes just as good as the last, which is rare these days. Yes, the line can get long sometimes, but the staff does such a great job moving things quickly while still being friendly and attentive. You never feel rushed, and they're always happy to answer questions or make recommendations. Their new guava matcha is AMAZING! Super unique and refreshing without being overly sweet. I've already convinced a bunch of my friends and family to try Ayer and now they're hooked too. Even my dad, who visits Vietnam often and is very picky about coffee, said he liked the coffee at Ayer even more. I've also purchased their Saigon blend to make Vietnamese coffee at home, and the staff were incredibly helpful in guiding me on how to brew it properly. You can tell they genuinely care about both the quality of their drinks and the customer experience. Ayer deserves all the hype. Easily one of my favorite coffee spots ever.

Ayer is one of the best matcha spots in OC, it's very convenient for me that I live seven minutes…read morefrom there so I'm able to go there anytime. Their service is one of my favorites the workers are polite and friendly and the drinks never disappoint.

The food was amazing so were the drinks! The bacon avocado with an addition of an egg was perfect…read more The service was amazing and everyone was so sweet and kind! The Ambiance as well is such a cozy feeling! I cannot wait to come back again to this coffee shop, coming here is a must!

UPDATE! I'm thrilled to share that after my post, the owner…read moreof Rekindle, Rebecca, reached out to me and has been absolutely wonderful. It's not often today for the owner of a business to reach out directly to a customer - she did and it was a very positive engagement. There are time that even the best business has a hiccup and something goes wrong. What makes a huge difference is how the business responds, and therefore, Rekindle gets five stars. I'm certain my next visit will be fantastic - I'll be posting an update in the near future. Wow - So Disappointed! Rekindle was at the Taste of Orange this year and I enjoyed one of the Italian sandwich samples they were handing out. It was fantastic! We met the owner - she was very charismatic and charming. Today we stopped by to grab an Italian sandwich, and I just cannot believe they served me bread that was so old and dry - it would have been perfect for croutons, but definitely nothing like what we had at the Taste of Orange. The bread was so dry I had to dress it up with some olive relish to eat it - I don't expect when I pay $31 for a sandwich and chai iced tea latte to get home and have to start working on my sandwich. I accept some responsibility for this, because honestly, who goes to a coffee shop for a sandwich.