Ubuntu was such a pleasant surprise! It was our first time visiting, and the food really impressed us. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with high-quality ingredients. The setup is casual- you order at the counter and seat yourself, but the reserved patio adds a nice touch with its spacious layout and elegant table settings. Food and drinks came out quickly and were beautifully presented. The standout for us was definitely the bread, especially in the grilled cheese. It was incredibly fluffy and cheesy, probably the best we've had! Would absolutely come back again. read more

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I loved coming to Ubuntu for brunch. They have an amazing outdoor space that's perfect for a nice day. Our service was quick and very friendly. I got their greens and a side of millionaire's bacon. Both were incredible! The bread that came long with the greens had the perfect texture and the bacon was so succulent and definitely left an impression! Definitely a great spot to take others to read more

Ubuntu - Millionaire's bacon - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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The Names on the kids menu is clever but wow the portions are small for the cost. I get there's inflation and perhaps they use high quality incredients, but the cost is just too high for portions you get. I spent almost $100 on 3 sandwiches and 2 kids meals. I would probably give them 3 starts but I still want businesses to stay alive. read more

Such a unique and full menu! All of the dishes we've tried there have been delicious. And they are so attentive and sweet. Breakfast is sooo good. We're been there 3 times and each time we are always so pleased! Highly recommend this restaurant! read more

Disappointed but will give it another try. I've been wanting to try Ubuntu cafe for a few years and finally went for brunch today. The atmosphere is nice, very pleasant outdoor seating with nice decor and good, friendly service. I ordered the breakfast sandwich- egg, avocado, and bacon on a brioche. the brioche was good and very buttery. but the avocado tasted like it was overripe and the bacon was very undercooked so it was still pink and the fatty parts didn't seem cooked enough so I pulled it out of the sandwich leaving me with mostly the bun. My husband had the angry fried chicken sandwich. He was hoping for a nice crispy sandwich as described but instead it was soggy and dripping in spicy sauce and Cole slaw. The Bloody Mary was good. I think we must have ordered the two worst items on the menu. the people at the table next to us had the short rib chilaquiles and said they were very good. someone at their table also had bacon and it looked properly cooked and crispy. So we will go back and give it another chance and hope it was just a bad day for them. read more

Came here after a visit to the SJC petting zoo for the family. We didn't realize that the history river street district had been done up to this level for great views that would make for a great brunch and quick date. You can either order first or sit first prior to getting your order. The service was fantastic, and the food came out quickly. I would give this a 5 star, but because for our orders, I unfortunately will have to leave with a 4 star due to the bread pudding and the steak and eggs. The bread pudding was much denser than I was hoping (it had come out previously not completely plated (missing cream, and additional supportive elements which thank goodness the chef caught because it would've made the bread pudding just be totally dry), and the steak I ordered medium rare came out being more medium to medium well *womp womp*. Hopefully next time with these orders they'll be able to dial them in a bit more. read more

Ubuntu - Bread pudding - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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My wife and I arrived early at Ubuntu on Easter Sunday. The restaurant was running a special dish of eggs benedict with crab cakes instead of ham. It was delicious. My wife had a lentil and potato bowl which was surprisingly a little spicy. We sat outside and a heater was turned on for us. Our waiter was excellent in his attention to us. We have no complaints. We will return. read more

We got free samples of Portuguese sausage and cheese bread while waiting in line! The ambiance is so lively! Nice outdoor seating under the shade. From what we ordered in ranking of my favorites: 1. Millionaires Bacon was so good, thick, juicy, and delicious. Must try. 2. Angry Chicken Sando was surprisingly awesome. The chicken was juicy, nicely crispy, with an amazing sauce to pair with the sandwich! The crispy fries with fresh Parmesan are also amazing by themselves 3. Chilaquiles was okay but you have to eat it fast! The nacho chips get soggy quite fast, but sunny egg was nicely cooked. Caneles are hard to find but they have it as a pastry option here! I also got a lavender latte with cashew milk, but you'll only like it if you like really milky/nutty coffee. Huge difference from the typical black coffee I drink. read more

Ubuntu - Millionaires Bacon - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Such a find for breakfast! Great selection of healthy tasty food and drink. Awesome patio and friendly service. Pro tip: Ask for the homemade pistachio milk on your late. read more

Ubuntu - Breakfast - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

This place has a very nice covered outdoor patio area, perfectly for being outside but also not melting in the sun during hot summer days. My wife and I chose some beers from their fridge inside and then ordered the burger and their spicy chicken sandwich to share. The spicy chicken sandwich was borderline too spicy for us, but the burger was great and the fries were good too. The staff was also very friendly and happy to recommend menu items, and answer any questions we had. read more

Oh my gosh- seriously best most savory food I have had in a looong time!! We were greeted by the owner Dani (or Danielle?) who was absolutely the sweetest and friendliest person. She obviously loves what she does! And it shows through the love she and her family put into her place and the food! The patio is huge and they offer cozy blankets for cooler days. This is the first time my son and I have been here and we will be coming back on our little dates!! Yummmm!! read more

Ubuntu - Salmon lox Benedict!! Holy cow - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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We came here for some brunch and some studying/ work. Very chill and cool ambiance. The staff are super friendly and approachable. Luka/luca was our server/host/waiter. I'm not sure how to spell his name but very sweet and gave us a small education on where the name comes from. Overall we had a great experience. We ordered the breakfast sandwich, bread of the day, regular coffee and lavender latte. Very delicious and tasty read more

Ubuntu - Our feast - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Very good place Very clean Good price Love the coffee Service excellent. Lucas was amazing read more

Ubuntu - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

food was alright, i liked the burger but service was NOT it. the waiter was extremely rude because one person in our party, a 13 year old, had a acai bowl and lady was extremely rude about it, keep in mind we were outside. she seemed to wait for him to put it on the floor. he went into the resturant to order food because he could not eat the bowl. the busboy was also incredibly rude and nonverbal. ambiance was cute as well. read more

When I went, there was a a bit of a line, which suggested the place may be decent. The place was nicely appointed, and the outdoor seating area was airy, clean and lively. My wife and I enjoyed our lattes in their domed white wicker chairs that had pillows and blankets in them. It was a nice setting to enjoy our hot beverages. My latte was good enough that I ordered another one from my server. That was a surprise because the place is a counter service establishment (at least in the late morning when I went). I would recommend this place, and I have returned multiple times. read more

We took a group and really enjoyed the ambiance and the food! Service as a challenge. They were very busy. You order your food first and they bring it out. They were very busy. I'd really nice though. Wonderful outdoor seating and overflow. I had the lobster omelet and a scone!! I thought I would share it, everyone was either on a keto diet or not gonna have a bite! That scone rocked!! Out of our servers made the experience great despite the slow service, she was a young woman, her name started with an Niya I think. She was amazing. She kept us informed, did any thing she could to make the experience great despite everyone's food coming out at different times and quite delayed. The food is amazing. Oh and the French toast latte!! Bomb!! I do recommend this place. I love a good breakfast place. This is a good one! And great shopping all around! read more

Ubuntu - Yummy Bakery Stuff! - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Amazing place for coffee or tea, a simple dessert, a small meal or a beautiful dinner. They served me a whole pot of tea (no single servings here!) and the Brazilian cheese puffs are served with guava jam are incredible. The ambiance on their outdoor patio is second to none. This place is the whole package, I hope to come and try everything on the menu. It's located at the SJC river street marketplace, which is a lovely place if you have not yet visited. read more

Excellent! The staff is super friendly, the ambience is clean and modern, and the food was delicious. They give you a ton of food. I had the famous scrambled eggs and my wife had the bagel and lox. They even gave us some complementary Brazilian cheese bread. What a great find! read more

I went here for a relaxing evening dinner in San Juan Capistrano, but there was poorly cooked food, the menu had few dinner options, the service was bad, and the waiters were incompetent and didn't serve us for after 15 minutes of waiting. My son got the chicken tenders and the outside looked ok until you cut into it and the chicken inside is raw. read more

Decided to take a short amtrak train ride to San Juan Capistrano to get that yummy French omelet at Ubuntu. Needed a break from life and the rain was a perfect excuse to go on the train for lunch. Damn I missed the breakfast cut off by 20 minutes. Delayed train. So I tried the han and cheese quiche with side salad. And a scrumptious pecan bourbon pie..note needs more bourbon ..as you can see from the photos I uploaded..quiche is light and fluffy..crust is moist and not overly flakey..must be the French butter they sale with other delectable goodies. Nice inside dining..outside is nice but rain dampened that experience. Lunch menu is simple with good choices..next time I'm arriving early for the French omelet..and I did have the adult lemonade..try it.. CAME back for that yummy French omelet and French toast latte..My gosh. So delicious and the servings were perfect for me. A little light eater now a day's. Took y he early train to make sure I made it in time for breakfast read more

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We had a horrible experience here. The service was bad, the waiter barely communicated and put in our order wrong. We waited another 20-30 min for the food to be brought out and it was wrong again..... the staff seemed like they had no idea what they were doing. In the end we were offered a pastry for the bad service..,, will not be returning. read more

One of our favorite spots! The staff is very friendly and right away learned what we liked. The food is delicious and the setting is perfect for a lunch date, especially in the middle of the week. The food quality is amazing. I usually get the chai and I've tried everything on their menu and you can't go wrong with any of their items. Highly recommend it! read more

This has one egg in the dish !!! If this was a staff favorite which the entire staff is Hispanics they would put atleast 2 eggs in it. More like an owner proclaim favorite ... try better for the Hispanic culture don't make dishes Americanized in a dominated Hispanic city . read more

Ubuntu - "Staff favorite " chilaquiles !! - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

I made a reservation for a Friday night in May for a bday dinner for a girlfriend at Ubuntu. They offer counter service for breakfast & lunch but have table service for dinner. We had such a fantastic time. The menu has so many great options at various price points. We shared the crab cakes, goat cheese fritters & farmers salad. For dinner we split the steak & branzino. Everything was incredible. The service was outstanding & the patio gave off a beautiful vibe. We wished they would light the outdoor fireplace as it would draw people in & create added ambiance. Ubuntu was so fabulous I went the following week to take my mom to dinner but they are unfortunately closed on Mondays. No biggie. We will definitely be back soon! read more

This is a review for their coffee and service: My husband and I stopped in here to grab a coffee since it seemed to be the only location in the center we could find with coffee. We ordered their French Toast latte coffees and let me tell you, as a coffee snob... these were amazing!! Not overly sweet like you'd expect it to be and lots of options for dairy free milks. Even my husband loved it and he's hard to impress with coffees as well. Who we believe was the owner helped us and he was fantastic. Remembered our names when he handed us our cups! We will definitely be back here very soon!! Make sure to take a look at their pastry window too read more

As someone who spent 15 years in the food and hospitality industry, I know that mistakes can happen. But how a business responds to those mistakes says everything about its values, and Ubuntu fell short in every way this morning. We came in for a Father's Day breakfast that had been coordinated in advance by my sister in law and the restaurant. Instead of the warm, thoughtful experience we were expecting, we were met with a series of oversights, drinks served in to-go cups despite the 6.5 of us sitting outside dining in with a baby chair, and most frustrating of all, our entire meal was served in takeout containers. When the to-go coffee cups showed up on the table where we were all sitting outside, my brother in law let the server know that we ordered for the table to dine in. The servers should have double checked with the kitchen to make sure that our food was meant for dine-in as well. There would be no reason for my sister in law to coordinate for Father's Day ahead of time and for us to sit in the dining area outside, just for us to order to-go. When this was brought to the owner's attention, instead of showing empathy or trying to fix the situation, he doubled down insisting the order had been placed to-go and dismissing any concerns with a "too late" and "no, it's not possible" attitude. This isn't just a service misstep. It's a lack of care, a refusal to take responsibility, and a failure to meet the basic standard of hospitality. The attitude was incredibly off-putting and I will never come back to this restaurant. If I hear that one of my friends or family has plans to go, I will gladly tell them of our experience and deter them. read more

Amazing amazing restaurant. Some of my favorite chilaquiles in the area! They make so much stuff in house and the patio vibes are just immaculate. Everyone is very friendly and helpful. It's an order at the counter and sit down but then they bring you your food. Definitely recommend! read more

Ubuntu - Patio - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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AAA. Pretty cool spot. Make sure to come & ask for Lucca, these days friendly staff make a big difference read more

Ubuntu - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Food is okay, but the portions, and the pricing is a total joke. Borderline offensive. 20 dollars for scrambled eggs, and they give you 4 potatoes, miniature toast, and a few strands of lettuce. Eggs Benedict is $28, and they don't give you any sides with it. Definitely won't be back. You don't get close to equal value for what you pay here. There's much better options in the area for a lot less money with more food, and the food is just as good if not better than Ubuntu. read more

Ubuntu - $20 for this? Total rip off. - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

The tart morning toast with million dollar bacon (additional side) were filling & delicious in a rainy morning. Staffs are eager to please, happy & ernest. Outdoor courtyard seating was wet and damp. Four euro-size table by ordering counter worked out great. read more

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Delicious!! The staff was so personable and helpful. The food was delicious and uniquely styled. I can't wait to go back!

A disappointing Father's Day at a place we used to love I feel genuinely compelled to leave this review after our unfortunate experience this morning. My husband and I have been weekly regulars at Ubuntu. While the service has never been perfect -- usually a little slow and something tends to get missed -- we always came back because of the friendly staff, charming vibe, and kid-friendly atmosphere. That's why I chose to bring my family here for Father's Day. I even let the owner know in advance, and he happily encouraged us to come at 9 AM. I was so excited to share a place we truly enjoyed with our loved ones. When we arrived, things started off fine. The staff created a table for us, and we were seated comfortably. But then... our drinks were served in to-go cups -- despite us clearly dining in. I politely told our server that we were here to eat in, and while he did transfer them into mugs, it felt like the attention to detail and care we were expecting just wasn't there. I had hoped for the usual presentation, including latte art -- the kind of thing that makes a moment feel special. But the biggest disappointment came next: our entire food order was served in to-go containers. On Father's Day. After I had spent days talking up this place to my family. I spoke to the owner and explained this was unacceptable. Rather than apologizing or trying to make it right, he insisted that I had ordered it all to-go and told me it was "too late" to plate the food. No effort to understand, no offer to fix it -- just a defensive stance. We paid $250 to eat what should've been a celebratory meal out of cardboard boxes. It was embarrassing and disheartening. There was no apology, no sense of ownership. I felt the dogs were treated better than this. Truly offensive, never have I been treated like this. We'll miss the Ubuntu we used to love, but this experience made it clear -- we won't be coming back. A tip to the owner: have the to go orders order at the counter and for dine in orders have your staff take orders at the tables. You've got plenty of staff, utilize them. read more

It was my first time here and I was absolutely blown away! The food was delicious and fresh, the eggs were cooked perfectly & the kumquat jam was next level. But beyond the great food, the service was genuinely the best I think I've ever had! It really elevated the experience. Can't wait to go back! read more

Ubuntu - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

The ambiance of River Street is so fun! And this outdoor cafe offered much more than your typical cafe. My sister and I sat here and did some work while we nibbled on this delicious lobster mac. Workers were so nice! We'll definitely be back. read more

Ubuntu - Lobster Mac n Cheese - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

Awesome fresh quality food ! Great service and an amazingly kind owner she brightened our day ! Great cozy patio which had great ambiance ! I highly recommend this cafe and more than glad I found it !!! Thank you from my heart read more

I really liked this spot for breakfast! Food was fresh and delicious. You order at counter and then have a nice patio to sit on. The waiters delivering food and drinks were very speedy and efficient. Nice touch by the restaurant to have blankets on chairs outside. read more

Ubuntu - Avocado toast - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California

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Love this cafe! We stopped in just for coffee after already having breakfast and I wish we had room for food! It's beautiful inside and feels like you're outside of Orange County. The team members taking our order were so friendly and welcoming. They made great recommendations and let us know the nut milks are made in house. For me that shows they truly care about their place of work! I had a latte and my husband had a real flat white. Both delicious! We shared an equally delicious cookie. They have great home items like hot sauce and tinned fish. I got a cute fish plate! Can't wait to come back for brunch. read more

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The food is outstanding, fresh quality you can see and taste. Service is excellent and they think ahead of your needs. Love the location and vibe of the SJC location. Highly recommend as a don't miss place! read more

Ok! I have the best very best thing to order on the menu, it's the passion fruit mousse! It's very tart and creamy and so delicious. The Matcha Latte is fantastic as well for those of you watching auger, it's actually not sweet. Can't wait to go back! read more

This is just what San Juan was looking for! Early morning you can get your coffee and pastry fix if you are on the go, or you can sit and enjoy breakfast on their cozy patio. The French style omelet is a must have! Lunch? Yep! Dinner? Yep! The house made pastas are an experience all in their own. Very kid (and dog) friendly. You will most likely find at least one, if not both of the owners (Fellippe or Danielle) running their restaurant and making all who come in feel like they have been a long time regular even if it's just your first time. They have managed to make ordering at a counter feel like a five star experience which is impressive! If you haven't checked out this new edition to SJC, you really really need to! read more

Ubuntu - Assorted pastries! Try the Guava Croissant! - Cafes Near Me - San Juan Capistrano, California