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    The Lean Bean

    4.5 (281 reviews)
    Closed 5:30 am - 4:00 pm

    The Lean Bean Photos

    Business Info

    THE LEAN BEAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Dogs allowed

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    Angelina C.

    Ok, I've been wanting to try this place for years, but I'm never in Santee in the early morning. I had a day off yesterday and finally took a morning drive over to the Lean Bean, and I'm glad I did! They welcomed me right away when I arrived, and they were cool about me taking some extra time to look at the menu. I decided on the "little dirty" iced 24oz drink- it's a dirty chai with two shots of espresso, oat milk, and a little bit of lavender. Let me tell you... I was enjoying that drink all day. (I'm a really slow drinker... lol). Their chai is spiced and the latte was really flavorful. It was $6.50 for the 24oz. My only constructive feedback was that they didn't mix the powdered chai drink base well with the espresso, so my first sip had some dry chunks of powder in it.

    Menu
    Alondra R.

    I passed this place a couple times and finally got to try it, it is a cute small drive thru coffee place that sell more than just coffee. I got the January drink churro latte it was pretty good and not as sweet as I thought which is perfect! I also tried the pitaya bowl with peanut butter it's really fresh and was good. The cashier was really nice and overall I enjoyed it!

    Protien bowl
    Gwyn C.

    Very cute drive up coffee and bowl location. Greeted with a big smile by a friendly person despite being 1/2 hour before closing. Really enjoyed my protein bowl - see where it can be addictive! Will try another coffee option next time as this one wasn't quite right for me. Overall enjoyed the experience and frankly just find them adorable.

    The nutty professor
    Jennifer L.

    Not the best coffee I've had. I ordered the nutty professor, it was overly sweet and grainy. I didn't like the grainy stuff. I think stuff like that should be fully dissolved. Then I had like no ice in it. I assume they pour the shots over the ice. I didn't even finish my coffee it went to waste. I'll probably come back and try the açaí bowl but not get any coffee again.

    PB Açaí Bowl
    Nathalie H.

    I wish I had known about this place sooner! I got the pb açaí bowl and it was delicious! They have so many amazing coffee options that I can't wait to try and finally a place that doesn't completely gauge you. Totally affordable "splurge"

    Alexandra R.

    Love it here! The girls that work here are always so nice and energetic. I like getting sweet drinks so I either get a white mocha with cold foam or a vanilla chai with 2 pumps of toffee nut. Delicious! It can get quite busy with how popular it is, but I really do prefer coming here rather than Starbucks. This is a great coffee shop and deserves all the attention it gets! :)

    Eleana S.

    Morning boost with a colorful acai bowl, protein bowl, and a veggie shake! So refreshing and healthy. Just a heads-up: it's a drive-thru spot, and it can get pretty busy during breakfast or lunch. Would be great if they had an extra person to help with orders during peak times, it took a while for us, but the food was worth the wait.

    peanut butter açaí bowl

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    5 months ago

    This is one of my go to coffee shops. I love their rotating monthly menus. The coffee is amazing and the staff are all so friendly

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    5 months ago

    yummy açaí bowls, they're so flipping good bro i licked the bowl after i was done, reccomended

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    1 year ago

    Best cold brew in Santee! The owner is nice and the service is great. The drive through is quick, easy and convenient.

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    My acai bowl was soooo good! Quick and easy service from the ladies working. Will definitely return!

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    Page 1 of 8

    Ask the Community - The Lean Bean

    Review Highlights - The Lean Bean

    first of all this was my first time going here, gotta say the peanut butter acai bowl was phenomenal.

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    A friend told me I needed to try this place. They were right. This fruit bar does not disappoint…read more On a hot day this would be the most refreshing place to go. All of their fruit for their smoothies, fruit plates or açaí bowls is very fresh ,not frozen. I had a strawberry mango smoothie with apple juice . The juice is fresh squeezed with no added sugar. My friend had a watermelon smoothies that tasted just like a watermelon! I will be back. I k ow my family will love this place too. It is casual and a quick healthy snack. The staff was very friendly and helpful with questions. I''m looking forward to my next Kravngs when I am in Santee.

    I'm always on the lookout for a Mexican Fruit Salad restaurant and Kravings was my next one to try…read more I live 15 miles away (Mira Mesa) and saw this place earlier when I was last nearby getting gas at Costco. Their offerings range from smoothies, juices, wraps and salads. They use fresh ingredients. The granola that they use isn't the Mexican kind but for me wasn't a big issue. We ordered a Large Fruit Salad to share and a mango smoothie as well as a green smoothie for my wife. The establishment was quiet for the most part. It was Sunday late afternoon. And service was relatively quick. The food was served quickly enough and the portions in the salad was good. My mango smoothie was good and not over the top sweet. I am definitely coming back for more!

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    Apparently this place is open again under new management. I walked in while my kid was next door at…read morekarate. I was starving. Used to be a grilled cheese place which I never tried because I like meat in my sandwiches. Then the last owners I'm sad to say I didn't visit either but today I walked in and realized they have one of the best steak tortas I have had in the US. If you're from tj they are like the tortas at the "car wash" next to giussepis. If you know you know. Very nice sized bread, toasted on both sides with a chipotle sauce, fresh jalapeños, lots of avocado, the steak was fresh and delicious. Half a torta was enough to get me through for a while and now I have a great evening snack after Jiu Jitsu. Owner said the chicken torta was even better. Hard to believe but maybe I'll get one for the wife. They have Acai with champs like a Mangonada. It's a pretty cool spot that could become a staple if enough people find it.

    My first visit to Fruitylicious! I had the Birria grilled cheese sandwich on sourdough bread, and…read moreit was an incredible choice. Esmeralda, who made my order, was so friendly and welcoming, guiding me through the menu and letting me know that the Birria grilled cheese is a favorite. Now, about the sandwich--wow! It was buttery toasted and packed with an impressive amount of cheese and meat, truly a delightful indulgence. It also came with a side of consomé for dipping, along with a refreshing lime slice, which complemented the flavors perfectly. Fruitylicious offers a fantastic range of options since they've transitioned from being a cheese grill sandwich place to a full-service spot with both Mexican and American cuisine. Besides the grilled cheese, they also have ice cream, shakes, fruit juices, and specialty drinks that I can't wait to try on my next visit. If you're looking for a delicious meal and a warm atmosphere, I highly recommend stopping by. You won't regret it and bring the kids as they have Jenga and Connect for fun for the family.

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    Boba Joy

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    Came here on 4/15/26 to grab drinks with the kiddos, and while they thoroughly enjoyed theirs, my…read moreexperience didn't quite hit the mark this time. I ordered a chai, and unfortunately it was so watered down that the chai flavor was barely there. I really tried to stick it out (I'm not one to ask for remakes), but it just wasn't enjoyable--honestly felt like I was drinking cold milk. That said, the young man at the front was incredibly sweet and attentive. He didn't hesitate at all to offer a remake or let me choose something different, which I appreciated. I decided to try a strawberry matcha with clear boba instead. It was a bit better, but still not quite right--too much ice and boba, and not enough matcha flavor coming through. This visit didn't meet my expectations, but I still have love for this spot and will definitely be back. Next time, I'll probably be more specific and ask for more balanced proportions upfront. Overall, I still recommend stopping by--I think most people will really enjoy it.

    Wow! First time trying this place and it was delish! I was craving a boba and popcorn chicken…read more The two gals working that day were super helpful and patient as I asked my questions before ordering! I ordered two popcorn chicken and two bobas to go. When we ate the chicken at home, we paired it with rice. TBH, one al a carte popcorn chicken would've been good for two if eaten with rice at home. The popcorn chicken wasn't as tasty as others I've had before - I was thinking it'd be more like Taiwanese style. It was crunchy and there is some mild seasoning. For drinks, we got milk tea with boba and taro smoothie with boba. The milk tea wasn't super flavorful. On the contrary, the taro was a little too sweet. But at least the boba was nice and chewy! Would come back and try other things. Nice to have more boba spots in the area!

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    Inside seating

    The Lean Bean - coffee - Updated May 2026

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