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    The Ugly Mug

    4.4 (273 reviews)
    Open 6:30 am - 4:30 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    The Ugly Mug Photos

    Business Info

    THE UGLY MUG ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The Ugly Mug

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    Games
    Hannah N.

    The ugly mug in the Soquel village is a super chill spot to hangout. The space is set up for people to be inside with their computers but there are also spaces where conversation is encouraged. The also have a bunch of games that are available for people to play. Their coffee is really good!! If you bring your own cup, you can get coffee from the dispenser for $3. They also carry pastries from Kelly's bakery. The pan au chocolate is delicious. I love this spot to hangout or to just stop by and grab a coffee. This is a very inclusive space that is a great location to make a third space in your life!

    Aquarium
    Jessie D.

    First time trying the Ugly Mug! The staff was super sweet and chatty, and the atmosphere was perfect for meeting up with a friend (or studying if you can handle the noise and lack of WiFi). My matcha was lovely and I will definitely be back to try more options!

    The Donnie Darko. 10/10
    Sarah G.

    Yes, I behaved like a tourist, taking videos and pictures of my experience here. I just really liked the whole vibe. On top of that, our drinks were outstanding. So was service. I saw a gigantic double-crust pie in the display, and enjoyed my first slice of whatever olallieberry pie is. The barista warmed it up and added some whipped cream. My drink was the Donnie Darko, which was espresso, almond syrup, and heavy cream, iced. I wasn't expecting to love it so much. They have a lot of local zines and stuff to read, and they have some cute stuff for sale, like the slingshot journal I bought for $12. We need a place like this where I live.

    Octopus art on ceiling
    Deirdre R.

    I came here to meet a friend and had a great experience. Have been here often and enjoyed it in the past too. Their death by chocolate brownies are a must try. I always love looking at their fish tank too and the coffee shop is clean. I had fun looking at their stickers and bought one. I saw a barista scraping a sugar cube on a fresh orange to put in an espresso drink which gave me great ideas to try at home! Very great drinks my chai masala was good. The baristas were pleasant and very good at their job and I felt like the coffee shop was welcoming to all people of all types which I loved. I enjoyed looking at the octopus artwork on the ceiling. This coffee shop is good for relaxing, reading, studying, meeting friends, or having a snack. They have lots of different types of milks for you and there is a bakery nearby so you smell good fresh bread although I don't think they sell it there but I'm not sure. I give the ugly mug coffee 5 hearts!

    Iced mocha, earl grey tea
    Annabelle R.

    We came by on a Monday afternoon and loved everything about this place. Easy street parking right out front, quirky decor and inviting atmosphere, with lovely artwork on the walls, including awesome animal paintings by Wendy Maness (oil on canvas), even a fish tank and board games near the back, and diverse seating options. There were so many great items on the menu, including ice cream soda and ice cream floats, though I went with my regular, an iced mocha. It was amazing here, fresh, cold and creamy, chocolatey, just really great flavor enough to set it apart from all the other places I get it from. My bf got the earl grey tea and enjoyed his beverage as well. The staff here was outstanding, friendly and helpful. The employee even told us that every Monday customers can roll a dice, and if we get a double, we get $5 off a purchase. We didn't get a double, but that's still kinda cool. Even cooler, they do live music here on certain days, and possibly other events as well. Love this coffeehouse, and would defintely recommend it!

    Not too sure what the cup says. It's super old, worn and most likely not part of a set, but just some random mug... I'd go back because it's a nice spot and a cool place to write, but lord only if there be a little update on the those ugly mugs lol .

    Outside mural
    JoAnn S.

    It was a great place to meet with friends!!! I got coffee from a large coffee vessel in the back--nothing to brag about, but it dis give me a caffine rush. Next time, I will have them make a fresh cup. Also, I had a cookie, and the server heated it up to make taste fresher. What I love about The Ugly Mug is that it is a place where people can go to hang out with friends or meet new friends. You can find out what is going on in the community. If you are too shy to go up and talk to someone new, you can look at everything on the walls, and maybe take pictures. Food: 4 stars Service: 5 stars Ambiance: 5 stars

    Ray o' frickin' sunshine cappuccino
    Megan B.

    AMAZING coffee! Been here multiple times and have never had a bad drink. They have all the standards plus some unique coffee drinks that I haven't seen anywhere else (and are totally worth it). I recommend the Ray o' Frickin' Sunshine: espresso, soy milk, orange zest. They also have good coffee cake and rotating quiche flavors (some better than others). The Ugly Mug is on the corner of Porter and Soquel, hosts open mic nights, and is 100% the Santa Cruz/Soquel vibe. I highly recommend swinging by if you are in the area. Plenty of seating me good music. As for service, super kind baristas, laid back and cool, and the owner sometimes hangs around and he is so funny. If you want a no-fuss coffee place, this is the one for you.

    Menu
    Michelle V.

    Hipster coffee shop. I loved the decor and the aquarium. They have been in business over 25 years. Nice to see the survived the pandemic. And....must give recognition for the most unique bathroom! I thought it was a joke at first since the door looked the size of a small closet. They managed to fit a full size toilet & sink inside.

    coffeez

    this place is awesome good vibes nice staff verrry yummy coffee(especially mocha) and i love the fishies too! easily my favorite coffee place in santa cruz ! i'll hand the phone over to my friend aiveen now for her review: Hi! I'm sitting with my iced Mexi latte and boy do I feel great. what a lovely drink. the crowd here is also a vibe, everybody seems chill, which says a lot. Ugly mug, more like yuhhh mug.

    Rose matcha and mocha latte
    Shelby S.

    Great service, tasty coffee and wonderful specials. I would try the rose matcha, it is floral and earthy.

    The Ugly Mug

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    5 years ago

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    Steve V.

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    Steve V.

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    3 years ago

    Pastries good Coffee Awesome! Many other options to try out. Would I come back again? YES!!!

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Cool little local spot. Little sumn sumn was delightful as well as the witch hazel. Cool fish tank for the kiddos to stare at.

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

    I went to this place and ordered a iced coffee and I got mostly cream and milk and a little bit of coffee.

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    Page 2 of 7

    Ask the Community - The Ugly Mug

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    We came here for a quick breakfast before a hike! I ordered the tomato pesto croissant and it was…read moreSO good that we went back in line to snag another one lol. The croissant was sooo buttery, the pesto was very garlicky, and the tomato tasted fresh and vibrant. The employees were very kind. They also have a broad selection of breakfast items here that I'd come back to try. Tons of seating indoors and outdoors, and a large parking lot to top it off!

    This was my second visit and I decided I really needed to rereview it!…read more My first visit was during Covid. They were open but I think items were limited at the time and we were still masked up. My experience then was less than stellar but honestly, I think we were all still on edge. For this visit, we stopped in before heading home to pick up some pastries for a light breakfast. It was around 10 am and it was bustling. Clearly it is a popular spot but the line moved fast. We ordered ham and cheese croissants, an almond croissant, cinnamon roll with raisins (you can get them without as well) and an apricot pocket. Everything we tried was delicious and I mean DELICIOUS. The pastries were buttery and flaky and I am craving another almond croissant as I write this, lol. We didn't want to order any hot food since we were about to hit the road but they also sell breakfast sandwiches and burritos and it smelled heavenly in there. It is a little cramped with a few small tables but there is also a patio with a kind of wild garden which was very charming. I can 100% see this being a must stop for us whenever we visit Santa Cruz!

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    Castagnola Deli & Cafe

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    I love this place! The sandwiches are seriously affordable in a time where everyone is charging so…read moremuch for so little. The location is convenient, up from the beach. Sandwiches are made in a timely manner. And everything is good! This time I tried the Big Dipper and loved it. I probably could've split it with someone if I got a side, it had some size to it and was well portioned with meat, cheese and fresh veggies. You can eat inside or outside OR you can take it back to the beach and have the best setting possible. I will be back again and again- love this place.

    Food: 5 stars. Service: 3 stars…read more The food was excellent and made the visit worthwhile. The staff, however, came across as a bit cold and unfriendly. I get that it's beach time and things move at a different pace, but being a little nicer to customers and visitors would make a big difference. Hopefully next time the service will be as good as the food. EDITED - Saturday, June 20, 2026 I'm updating my review after reading the owner's response. First, I want to clarify that the response appears to be a copy-and-paste message aimed at people leaving negative reviews. If you had actually read my original review, you would have noticed that I never complained about the food, the wait time, prices, staffing, or anything related to the quality of the business itself. In fact, I enjoyed the food and had no issue waiting. I visited on a Thursday, and the café wasn't packed. The owner was clearly working hard, and I respect that. However, when I walked in and said hello, I was completely ignored. There was no greeting, no acknowledgment, and no sense that my business was appreciated. That was the only reason I left a 3-star review in the first place. The response talks about staffing shortages, minimum wage, food costs, and the challenges of running a small business. I understand all of that. Running a business is difficult. But those challenges don't really address the point I was making. A simple "Hi," "Welcome," or even a quick smile costs nothing and goes a long way. I also don't think customers should be made to feel responsible for business challenges such as labor costs or rent. Those are realities of ownership that every business owner has to navigate. That said, after thinking about it, I'm changing my review from 3 stars to 5 stars because the food was genuinely good, and I do support small businesses. My hope is simply that future customers are greeted with a little more warmth and appreciation when they walk through the door. One final thought: when someone leaves a critical review, it may be worth responding directly to their experience rather than posting a generic response. Sometimes there's valuable feedback hidden inside reviews that aren't really about the food at all. I wish you and your business success, and I genuinely hope you continue serving great food for years to come.

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    4.1(405 reviews)
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    Yes originally began for sourdough bread but now a variety of styles (all with sourdough starters),…read morepastries, coffee, breakfast and lunch. The line can get long on weekends but unlike neighboring coffee shops, it seems to move quickly and food comes out faster. Order pastries and bread at the glass case and coffee and breakfast at the registers. Coffee comes out by exit door while food comes out from the kitchen in the middle. The coffee is well balanced. Not sure whose they use but syrups are made in house. Breakfast sandwich looks small but is quite hearty and filling. You can add avocado, bacon, and aioli. This is a go to. West side avocado toast: adds garlic aioli, avocado, and poached egg to the Aptos version. Defn better Pesto goat cheese baguette: three letter review -- OMG Kouign Amann: this one is square, rather than classic round, and a little denser but still layered and not overly sweet. GF brownie: quite good for gluten free but sweeter than I like. Bacon egg galette: the puff pastry is nicely flaky with onions and crispy bacon. Messy but good. The premade sandwiches are all tasty and much better than you get in a grocery store. Customer service is a little hit and miss, based on personalities. There's plenty of seating inside and out.

    I came here with my mom on a Fri and Sat morning. Fri it was not too crowded and Sat it was very…read morebusy. The pastries were delicious and I love the vibe here, it's very comfortable and everything is made fresh in house. I got their fritatta which was yummy. I also purchased their lemon meringue pastry which was yummy. I did not try their coffee. My mom got a morning bun which she said was very good and she also tried their bread and butter.

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    The Ugly Mug - coffee - Updated September 2026

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