Best local coffee shop. Super friendly courteous staff. Great selection of drinks. All good vibes.

This it's exactly the place I've been searching for this last week of vacation. For me, the tests in every community I visit are their preferred coffee and their most highly toutrd morning pastry. The last three shots in the Capitola/Santa Cruz tour can't hold a candle too the Ugly Mug on either score. Tried three blend the favorite being a half-and-half blend of San Francisco and Peru. The coffee cake is light with lots of cinnamon and just the right amount of sweetness. Great people alluring here, know regulars by name, have a pleasant and laid-back atmosphere, good art, community announcements. All-in-all, a local gem not to be missed by travelers! read more

The Ugly Mug - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Soquel, California

I love this place! I wish I lived near here so I could come every day. We stopped on our way home from Santa Cruz. The vibe is so friendly and inclusive, the young man at the counter was so sweet and patient with me, and my coffee was absolutely delicious! Even better, my wife's iced tea was also delicious, and I have to say most cafés don't manage to get the ice tea very good and it's always a little sad for her. The owner was generous enough to share with me what tea they use and how to brew it. Thank you, Ugly Mug, and I hope to see you again one day! read more

For the last six years I've come to the Santa Cruz area for work. The Ugly Mug is not just a hangout to me, it's a home away from home. Not once has a barista been unfriendly even in the busiest of times. The espresso is out of this world. My favorite munchies are quiche, coffee cake and the various croissants. That there's a rainbow flag ‍ prominently displayed in the front window, does my 65-year-old gay heart a lot of good. Now duty calls me to another city far away, but I will always drop by The Mug if and when I'm in town. read more

Hmm...so one stop, first impressions. This is the Santa Cruz style, laid back coffee spot--mis-matched furniture (including some bean-bags), totally funky, lots of hand-written signs. First impression was just OK--latte was fine, food was OK, but nothing to knock my socks off. Put my latte for-here in a paper cup which is a loser for me...give me something solid to drink out of. But I'd give it another shot--I think I need to try the straight coffee. And it is way better than the chains! read more

Love this place! I go back everytime in in town...the workers change, but the laid back, friendly attitude and awesome coffee drinks are always a welcomed luxury amidst my travels. If you like the corporate predictability of Starbucks, you might not like the Ugly Mug. If you enjoy the feeling of a local, one of a kind, whimsical, gathering place... then feel free to roll out of bed, put on a pair of uggs and lose yourself in a book... or update your Facebook status on the free wifi. read more

This local, mildly funky, superior in every way coffee spot is filled with win and covered in awesome sauce. Parking is street only which here means sometimes you'll get a spot, sometimes you won't. For those times when street parking is a no go, there is a lot more or less behind the building. There is a range of seating choices. The most common type are the usual table/chair combos, but there is a not quite comfortable couch, some bench/table options (perfect for working) and some window facing counter seating. It has a long counter as they sell a variety of menu items including but not limited to panini things, ice cream, gelato, beer (four taps), a limited wine selection, various super awesome pastries some of which are made in house, some sourced from local bakeries, some of the best coffee on you'll find in the area, and yes a large collection of ugly mugs for in house use. Most of the action takes places by the coffee machines and cash register area.The decor is pure old school coffee house quirk. I kinda like the old school weirdness of posters and art made by employees and local customers. There is an aquarium near the back. It's a large ish space which hosts readings, open mic nights an local bands on a regular basis. Those events can be really popular so if you were wanting somewhere to get some emo solo brooding in, plan accordingly because it can get quite jolly at times. As much as I like the space, it's the coffee that is the real star here. The baristas have some mad coffee (and tea) skills and the house specialties can be life changing. The Mr. John Nasty will blow you right past the struggle bus in a blaze of caffeine and chocolate fueled ecstasy . It's five shots of espresso, three different kinds of chocolate and some other stuff that doesn't matter as it's five shots of espresso with dreamy chocolate. Sure you won't sleep for a day and a half, but that's small price for glory. There are of course other choices should you for some reason not want quite that much caffeine-they have a variety of plain jane brewed coffee and quite a large selection of pour overs, along with ye olde latte's and suchlike. They have a chile infused drink as well, which while also may not be for everyone everyday is a unique glorious coffee adventure. The free wi fi is fast enough for most work, and there is a fiber connection available for pay if for some reason you need ridiculous amounts of bandwidth. While there can be a line sometimes, it moves fast and it is ALWAYS worth the wait. Pricing is fair for the area. While the specliaty coffee's can run three to five dollars and good ole John Nasty will be almost eight, a plain cuppa joe and sweet and come in at around five bucks or so. A simply perfect local anti starbucks in all it's glory. read more

The Ugly Mug - specialty coffee with shortbread pastry - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Soquel, California

The girls working today were sweet and attentive. I had regular hot coffee that was better then most coffee shops in my experience - bold but not bitter. I also tried their quiche of the day and it was the best I've had (I don't eat quiche often but I do recommend trying theirs!). It looks like it's a hot spot amongst locals catching up or simply reading the newspaper. I highly recommend checking this place out! read more

Friendly service, great coffee, fun/funky atmosphere. Only knocking off a star because their breakfast food choices were pretty limited. Good to know: Street parking or public lot across the street (inexpensive). Accepts credit/debit cards. Live events (we didn't attend on our visit). Clean restroom. read more

This place has ample seating so bring your laptop Parking is a bit hard to find the latte here is better than firefly but the breakfast options are limited. The service is great people in Santa Cruz seem very friendly. I sat here for awhile on my laptop the noise was reasonable an the flow of people was good so can people watch easily read more

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I've loved ugly mug for a long time but having your FREE WIFI password be "freeloaderssuck" is rude and pretentious. If they don't want to offer free WiFi, don't offer free WiFi. Don't make people who can't afford it feel bad. Super unnecessary to make someone feel weird about utilizing a service you offer. read more

Wish I was there to experience this myself. To the staff, thank you for helping my mom out this past Sunday July1st. You all really made her feel at home as she waited to be picked up by me, her son. Kudos to the Ugly Mug Team! read more

Great corner coffee shop. Lots of tables and space. There is parking around the corner in the back and some on the street. This coffee shop has open mic nights some evenings. The drinks I've gotten have been good. The muffin I got was ok. There is a free WiFi and a faster WiFi you can pay for. read more

Love this little local shop. Super bummed they had to change their wifi password because someone couldn't take a joke. It's such a great atmosphere and is great to just sit and enjoy while sipping on some great coffee. read more

Super sweet and welcoming. Non pretentious no frills coffee spot with relaxing vibe. Delicious quiche!

This is a great little coffee shop, excellent brew and amazing muffins. Friendly too. Thanks

Awesome coffee spot with a clever name. The main idea is that you can pick out one of several hand-made mugs (no idea who makes them or how they get so many-is the owner a pottery enthusiast? Do they shake down schoolchildren for their art projects?), and then you order whatever drink you'd like, which then comes in that mug (which is yours to keep!) Staff is friendly, also pretty sure they undercharged me for my latte, the vibe is cool to hang out and work or read a book, and they have some sweet lookin food. I'll be back for sure read more

Pleasent quirky vibe with great coffee - I had an oat milk cappachino and a slice of pesto quiche. Lots of options and cool tea / smoothies / and coffee. Ice cream too! read more

There are many vegan options here. The coffee options are very unique and creative. The place has a great vibe, free internet and for $8 a month, high speed internet. There is also a wall for regular customer's coffee mugs. The staff is amazing, everyone is full of joy. I am definitely returning. read more

The Ugly Mug - Vegan ollaberry pie, yummy! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Soquel, California

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Okay, this may be my goto coffee shop on a 530 am in Soquel. I'm actually writing from Peet's because Peet's open at 5 am. Anyway, I think Ugly Mug is super accepting, and there's a diverse age group. You see the millenials from the nearby high school to the white bearded regular hangouts. The place is large enough for people to site down and plug in the laptop to take care of emails and administrative duties without feeling much guilt. Super cool place, not posh. If posh is your name, then consider other places. read more

Mixed feelings about this place because I used to work there. But from a purely customer-oriented perspective, I can say this is the best coffee shop in the area, hands down. The coffee rules, for one. They have lots of varieties and the espresso kicks my ass. Staffers get their knuckles rapped for using a spoon in the making of cappuccino. Plus just about all of them can pour rosettas... it's pretty amazing! They also have amazing pastries delivered from all over, badass Aunt Netties soups & pies, and Humble Bagels. Hell yes. This place is also VERY serious about being for & by the community. There's awonderful mix of people from lots of backgrounds, age groups, etc. doing all kinds of great things. There's free wi-fi, couches, a kids area and rocking good mix of ecclectic tunes, selected by the staff. Everyone there is capable, cheerful, funny and kind, and they've all got a ton of personality. But the owner will not hesitate to crack down on the disruption of community, nor will the staff hestitate to make it clear that things like racism and homophobia will not be tolerated inside those four walls. They also have music and other events, and every year they welcome cyclists on the big AIDS ride. It's rad. And there's the Ugly Prom.. and gelato... yumm! Full of awesome, active, open-minded, talented people (staff and customers alike!). And it's fun if you can manage to be there during a rousing round of Stop Light Latte. Try and catch it yourself; I couldn't really hope to describe the hilarity. read more

Unpretentious competence. Best neighborhood coffee shop I could ask for, whether I'm groggy and need to get out the door in 3 minutes with a savory breakfast and a latte, or I need a welcoming place to read while I sip a perfect cappuccino. Thank y'all. Service is above and beyond every time for over a decade. read more

I'm sure Santa Cruz and its surrounding cities have many nice places to hang out, but for whatever reason, we always end up at the same couple of coffee shops... Today we ended up at The Ugly Mug, which was new to us... What a lovely place! They have a bunch of space to sit, great drinks (get the Orange something Green Tea... really yummy), and a nice atmosphere to boot... I guess they even have live music on Wednesdays... I hope we end up back there early and often when we visit read more

They have good espresso drinks. The blueberry pie was amazing. They also serve coffee, smoothies, tea and an assortment of baked items read more

The Ugly Mug - Blueberry pie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Soquel, California

This place is maybe a 2 1/2. I was not impressed with how messy this place was -- there were newspapers everywhere and no tables were clean. The girl who took our money had coffee grounds under her nails. And, the latte was just okay, but not the best I have had. To top it all off, the pint glass that the latte was served in had no handles -- the glass made it super hot to pick up. I guess I just had higher expectations for an independent coffee place with nice pictures from petfinder.com lining the windows. read more

Wonderful Santa Cruz atmosphere, fun/friendly baristas, great coffee, & they even have gelato! Can't go wrong here. I also used to come here after school to study & it was good place to get some work done. It's not too noisy & you can usually find a seat. read more

I usually don't hang in the Soquel Village but after going to Charles Schwab a latte was in order. Decent soy latte.. I didn't take much of the atmosphere in (I wanted to get back to Santa Cruz to run other errands) but I can see why folks when I was in college studied here.... enough tables and some window views with sunlight shining in to work on a paper. read more

I like to support local coffee shops and avoid the corporate vampires at all costs, but the Ugly Mug is overpriced and has slooooow service, especially in the morning when I don't have time to hang out. I waited a while to review this place and give it the benefit of the doubt, but I've had the same experience repeatedly. read more

Great place for coffee and a snack Steve has a great team. I enjoy taking my family there for a treat! read more

The Ugly Mug - Starting the day off with espresso. Great coffee and service. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Soquel, California

Went here for the first time today and got a chai tea latte and a Earl grey latte- the drinks were really tasty and the guy who was taking our order was very nice and helpful. The atmosphere was also really great- cool fish tank will be coming back SOON!!! read more

This is my personal favorite when I need to hole up and study awhile. Love the quiche and gluten free donuts. Coffee is strong and nice community vibe. read more

Found the Ugly Mug by (happy) accident as I was wandering through town. The Witch Hazel coffee drinks were amazing -- sooooo gooooood!!! Nice vibe, friendly staff, very chill and relaxing cafe. I will be back! read more

Off the beaten path for the average Santa Cruzian. I love it! There isn't too much to say about this place that hasn't been said. Great drinks and pastries, great vibe, friendly staff, free wifi, and non-corporate. Also, not flooded with students like Lulu and Pegolesi, so you can always get a seat, and don't have to wait in much of a line. -1 Star for the crappy hours. A coffee shop that closes at 7? Phooey. Then again, it -is- Soquel. Not much going on there at night. read more

I used to be a regular until they plastered the walls with "Bush lied!" fliers. I suddenly found myself out of place with the decidedly leftist clientele and haven't been back. Update: the owner replied to me expressing that he does not intend to make his guests feel uncomfortable. I give him credit for that. I may give this place another try... read more

Perfect local coffee house! Unique decor (i.e. mugs, a fish tank, local art) and the patrons there are obviously regulars - everyone was quite comfortable. A lot of the mugs and such on display were made by local artists and could be purchased. My mom and I were just passing through Soquel for a wedding and wanted a pick-us-up. We both ordered the "Witch Hazel", blended latte with hazelnut flavoring. It was so good, tasted like a coffee shake! They must have a Vitamix, because the blended drink was so fine and didn't separate (bonus points!). We sat at the bar overlooking the street and thoroughly enjoyed our drinks and the atmosphere. The barista was nice too, very friendly. Big drink menu, lots of the items custom - love that. Also served local, organic icecreams, baked goods and bread. The pastries, and especially the pies, looked delicious. Next time I'm in Soquel or exit Porter Bay I'll be stopping here! Highly recommend. read more

I spent a year here, coming to work on my freelance proofreading work. I made friends with a lot of the staff. After I moved to a different part of town and found myself out of that job, I stopped going. Yesterday I was house sitting in Soquel and found myself walking to the Mug again. The owner Steve remembered my name and told me that they've missed me. If this isn't a coffee establishment about community, I'm not sure what is. Great place, especially when you are burnt out on coffeeshops full of college students. This place actually has age diversity in its customers. So terribly refreshing, as are their fruit smoothes. And their coffee is great, of course. read more

The Ugly Mug is probably one of my favorite coffee shop names I've heard. Even though I had a few cups of coffee with my breakfast just down the street, we had to stop in here for another. It was busy on a Saturday morning but the baristas kept the line moving rather quickly. And yes, they even have ice cream for those hot summer days! Easy parking: Plenty of spots of the street. Large drink under $5: Yes Friendly staff: Yes Indoor seating: Lots of tables scattered around and more at the counter along the window. Outdoor seating: Not much, just a couple benches facing the sidewalk. Decor: Lots of bright and funky colors and artwork hanging on the walls. People with laptops: Yes Hipsters: Some Famous Faces: No Foam Art: No People watching: Good In & out quick: Yes The challenge continues! read more

I like to be polite to people who provide customer service because I have been in their shoes, so I always say hello and ask how they are doing. This morning I asked the older man who was taking orders how he was doing and he immediately started mocking me and trying to mimic my accent. He went on repeating what I had said 3 times and every time exaggerated the 'accent' more and more. I hope he was just too caffeinated to be able to tell what'stheproperwaytotreatcustomers, because if he was trying to be funny he totally missed the mark. read more

Owner Steve Volk has a Ph.D. in coffee - roasting, brewing, pulling an espresso - he's the best! This is the heart of Soquel - a community-based coffee house that serves great soup, sandwiches and even beer. Lots of groups hold meetings here because it's such a friendly place. Great crew and we've made many friends over a latte. Parking is super-easy, just go around the back and there's tons of public parking in the lot. It's not easily seen from Soquel Drive or Porter - look for the blue public parking signs to guide you. Enjoy! read more

I live around the corner from the Mug and it is my favorite morning spot. Good coffee, friendly conversation, and the best egg and cheese around. What more could you ask for? read more