This is a great location and the breakfast sandwiches and smoothies are delicious! I came with a group of mommies today and everyone was happy with their food. It did take some time to get everything, but we all had time so no big deal. And the prices weren't ridiculous either. I had a strawberry, blueberry, banana and apple juice smoothie and it was $4.95. I will be back! read more

The staff is friendly and the coffee is superb. People play checkers and chess all the time and it's just an overall cool place to just relax inside of the little strip mall. It's never overly crowded but there's always people around. My wife and I think short of going to Fiji, you won't be treated better. read more

Thank you Vinaka! Thank you for letting me stay here all day surfing the web. You are cool!!!

I've been going here for years, they have $1 coffee with a free refill (including iced) and they always play great music. It's one of my go-to places to kill time, or meet up with friends. They recently revamped the store a little and it makes it that much more awesome. read more

Great coffee, friendly and interesting staff. can't ask more than that out of a coffee shop. The staff is really friendly and the young guy with the moustache at the register even asked which book I brought in to read. I tried explaining who Edgar Cayce was, but mixed with my mid-evening daze and need for an upper, I don't think he got it. The Cafe Mexicana (a spicy, Mexican mocha) was absolutely delicious and it perked me right up. I can tell they used the Ibarra Mexican chocolate, which has been my lifelong favorite. It was served in a 20 oz "for here" mug which was really a nice touch, it made me feel like that staff wanted me to stay! Vinaka gets extra points because they have alternative milks other than Soy milk. I would recommend Vinaka to anyone! Good date spot too :D read more

Having gone to this darling, little coffee shop for the last FIVE?? years, I knew I would miss it when we finally moved away. What I DIDN'T know is that my eyes would actually tear while placing my last order. Their coffee is DELICIOUS (the cocoa cafe made with one of the flavored coffees of the day was a favorite, as was the "coconut" frozen mocha made with soy). The neatest thing about this little place,too, is that they have a rewards card: for every ten you buy, you get one free. The vibe is coffee-shop perfect. read more

This place is wonderful! The whiteout is our favorite.

Love the location. They have a house coffee thats organic and very good. The only downside is that they had no gluten free options in their food cabinet. Other than that, I can say nothing negative. Outdoor seating all around the place is super nice. read more

I'm a huge fan of this place! Such a welcoming atmosphere to hang out, do work, or catch up with a friend. I tried the Organic Guatemalan coffee and it was great! Also, their menu always has something new and interesting to try. They also provide a nice outside area that is perfect for San Diego weather. I'll definitely be coming back more often. read more

Great croissant breakfast sandwich, excellent meximocha and vanillattes. Great flourless chocolate cake. Staff should be more aware of allergens in ingredients as this could be detrimental to affected customers. Overall great cafe! (Really refreshing cold self serve water too!) read more

If you love a cozy, familiar place, the kind you might seek shelter in on a cold, overcast day for a coffee and pastry, Vinaka Cafe is tops in Carlsbad. I frequently work remotely from Vinaka on my computer. The staff are friendly, and I always see familiar faces. Their coffee is fantastic, btw, as are their sandwiches. Love it! read more

$1 coffee free wifi friendly people surf movies on the flatscreen. it all works for me. read more

This is just a cool coffee shop. Echo the other reviews in regards to good drinks at reasonable prices. I'm crossing my fingers in hope that one day Cafe Elysa will be this hip. read more

Yes.This place is good.Try a cappuccino crunch milkshake,ignore the douchebags and hope you get helped by the Lily Allen looking girl.She's super cool. read more

Great selection of teas and some pretty cool people. I prefer to lounge at Vinakas then at a corporate money hungry sucky place like Starbucks. They have the best croissants and a delicious selection of pastries and freshly made sandwiches. The pricing is perfect and I'm never disappointed when I come here. read more

Their White Chocolate Mocha is better than Starbucks!

Love this place! It has a great vibe and is really comfortable. I like the indoor and outdoor seating, and the beverages are tasty. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because it wasn't obvious how to make use of the Free WiFi, and the veggie pattie wasn't the greatest. The fixins on the sandwich were great but the pattie wasn't stellar. Other than that, I'll be frequenting this place for sure! read more

Coffee: freshly brewed Snickerdoodle mixed with freshly brewed Vinaka House Organic. Great combination straight up, no mixers. Very tasty roasts. Location: second story of The Village Faire Shoppes. Near a lot of busy restaurants and other shops, always a good spot for a coffee/ice cream/pastry house. Staff: meh, not very friendly that day but I wouldn't want to work Saturday either... Nice cast iron outdoor seating and they do serve you drinks in ceramic mugs if you're going to chill on site for awhile. I'd give it another round for sure, especially for being non-conformists and battling the corporate giants in the coffee world. The place reminds me of Grounds For Enjoyment in Redlands, CA back in the day. Props if you know the place. read more

Kids loved the ice cream. Coffee was good. Shake was great!

Nicest staff helped us find a great restaurant for dinner! After dinner, we went back for some tea and dessert. The tea, honestly, was the same as you can buy on the shelf at any good grocery store, but they had a good selection and I enjoyed mine. The chocolate cake was AMAZING! But the thing that tips the scales on this one is the consideration of their employees. Thank you! read more

You must try the Mexicana coffee. A little sweet but unique. This is the best spot to get proper coffee/espresso in Carlsbad Village. Plenty of seating inside and out. Friendly & prompt service. read more

A fun place to hang out, decent prices for good desserts and drinks, free wifi, I'm a fan. :)

Friendly service, nice seating arrangement, and good food. There are plenty of outlets along the wall and small tables, which make for a great place to open a laptop and get to work. Had the tuna sandwich, very fresh ingredients and came with Sun chips. Overall, great place to grab a sandwich or coffee. read more

This is definitely the coffee hotspot of Carlsbad Village! It's open much later than most other cafes, and has a variety of snacks and drinks. Service is ok, coffee is ok...this place is great for its ambiance and outdoor seating. Great to meet up for a chat! read more

Great place to chill with friends. We met there on a Saturday night and had some great coffee and pastries. Love the relaxed atmosphere as well as the friendly service! :) read more

I was looking for a nice place to study and I came across Vinaka. The sandwiches are amazing, I recommend the turkey and avocado sandwich with the dark/sweet bread. Unfortunately I can't remember the name of the bread, but it made the sandwich perfect. I also had their Chai Latte, and it was soooo good. I am definitely getting it again. I also like their atmosphere, music selection (Jazzy), and seating areas. read more

Cool little place with lots of tables. Coffee seems to be above average. They have a bunch of sandwiches as well as ice cream which is a nice treat. They have a decent amount of outdoor seating as well if you want to enjoy the sunshine. read more

Vinaka was my go-to coffee shop when working remotely in Carlsbad. The space is pretty big and they offer free WiFi for customers. The staff is young but works quickly. Healthy menu options for a good price. My latte was burnt but drip coffee was good with non-dairy options. I was disappointed with the music as only the same 5-6 songs would cycle and sometimes stop entirely, and the WiFi would periodically go down. Great outdoor space, lots of natural light inside, and perfect location right in the heart of Carlsbad Village. read more

When you start thinking Carlsbad is turning into a yuppie haven and Starbucks pop up on every corner...turn to Vinaka Cafe. This place is a reminder that Carlsbad still houses some neat diverse people...not to mention the coffee and menu is amazing. I like the latte's. OH--but don't go here if you're used to the Coffee Bean atmosphere at The Forum. It ain't La Costa my friend--and I love it! read more

Very laid back atmosphere Great for a people who just wanna hang out and meet new people. Also perfect for those who wanna get some work done Free wireless internet read more

I've been here thrice now and i'm loving what I'm seeing, first of all the service reps seems to be friendly and the scenery is not bad at all and don't forget there is only few local coffee spots like this in North County? and it's got a local feel to it like a mom's and pop's place which I love. If u ask my opinion in regards to ratings I wld definitely give it a 4 1/2 out of 5 and wld highly recommend this place for someone who want to get the best out of thier morning experience(coffee) or wants a cool place to relax and meditate. Give It A Try Today!!!!!! read more

This coffee house has a very welcoming atmosphere, from the delicious looking cakes and pastries, to the vivid art work hung on the walls. The food there is great, you can even order a side of toast. And really who can beat $1 coffee, where you can sit outside and often have entertainment from the rest of the Carlsbad Village Commons. Also a nice place for an afternoon date, or get a cup of coffee on a winter night. read more

4 brews to choose from. $1 for a cup of coffee to stay. 1 free refill. Local. Organic coffee same $ as non-organic. Free Wi-Fi. read more

No surprises here. Great surface, drink and food selection, and welcoming atmosphere. They could use some more comfortable/updated furniture both inside and outside. Plus most of their tables are meant for single use only. I felt really squished. read more

Obviously a Carlsbad resident staple, love the cappuccinos and the best bagels ;) welcoming atmosphere, unpretentious. Outdoor seating available, really like getting an actual mug instead of a paper cup read more

Delicious coffee, I love this place because when you sit in you get a real mug and not a paper cup!

Pretty good, they have gelato, desserts, and bagel sammies. Lots of chess playing happens here. Indoor and outdoor seating, but good luck finding an outlet for your laptop - there's only two or three places to plug in indoors. Lots of local high school kids, families, and girls that come back from the beach. Carpet is kinda old and tired, but the staff are friendly and helpful. I have my reservations on the north county interpretation of hipster, but I'll save it for another time. read more

I really want to love this place but for some reason I can't get that into it. Coffee drinks are decent and I love the location but something about the vibe here leaves a lot to be desired. After coming here for 2 yrs I learned that they have a loyalty program where you can earn free drinks. Why no one told me about this sooner I am not sure. Strike one. They don't have a kitchen per se so they construct all the food items right out in the open and while i am sure they follow all the food handler guidelines, it just doesn't seem that sanitary to me. Strike two. I often feel like the employees are annoyed by my questions or don't want to wait on me. Strike three. I will still pop in every now and again but it'd not the quaint local hang out where I would go sip lattes on a regular basis. read more

It is a nice cafe with a great atmosphere. However if you are going specifically for ice cream I don't recommend it. There are not many options and the brownies and cream flavor I got didn't have any brownies in it. My brother got the cheesecake and said it was all cheese and not much cake. The lemon cake was good though. I think that the cafe is predominantly a spot for breakfast or lunch. read more

This place is your typical chill hippy-bohemian coffee shop full of relaxed employees who are definitely grateful for having such a laid-back job. It's just like the old Java Joe's in Ocean Beach from back in the day, except that you won't trip over a strung-out, pan-handling dreaded bum on your way in. Oh, and except also that the food is better. In fact, the atmosphere is so different from the rest of the area that sometimes I like to go here and step inside the door, then step out, then step in again and pretend I'm being transported cosmically from Carlsbad to Ocean Beach to Carlsbad again. Until the nice, laid-back employees ask me to stop, anyway. Oh, and it's a really comfy place to meet friends and study too, when that's on your agenda. read more