my favorite place to relax and get work done. it's cozy and comfortable with great drinks and food. loved the vintage/artsy vibe too. food is a bit pricey but really yummy. if i worked here all the time i would be broke because everything looks tempting to order. however, it's definitely worth frequent visits.
Review Source:The desserts and coffee here are to die for! The food can be slightly on the pricey side (for my taste) but its delicious! This is my favorite study spot (when it isnt packed) I love their furniture and the couches that you can get cozy on, and the wifi is extremely helpful with studying. I love the live music and the patio seating.
Review Source:A treasure. Hidden in a college town it's so wonderful to have a place that not only have amazing ambiance but also great service. I ordered a chai tea latte today, normally I order a cappuccino, and I am blown away. They make their own chai, adding to their exceptional execution of their menu. I plan on becoming a regular here.
Review Source:This place has been a saturday morning tradition for the last year or so.
Great Vegetarian options for the Girlfriend and a tried and true breakfast sandwich for me. Â Great atmosphere and the staff now knows exactly what we want when we arrive. Â Great to feel at home and be a regular.
Usually eat around 8am on the patio and with the Southern California weather, it doesn't get much better.
Try the Hammerhead, great start to a Saturday morning full of errands.
i love this place. very sad it has changed ownership SO many times over the years.
atmosphere makes up for it. soooo cozy and cute. great tables outside to chill. lots of coffee drinks, yummy bagel/egg sammys, (get spinach feta). and gluten free options a  plus.
many board games etc to play inside. love the charm of this place. service can be hit and miss. but no lines for coffee :)
This is one of my favorite Coffee Shops! I love the couches and the overall atmosphere. From everything to the out of tune piano they keep in the back to the 1970's TV they use as a place for cream and sugar.
The couches make it the perfect place to nest down with a book or for buckling down and studying. They have the huge tables in the back that made it great for group study sessions I used to put together while in college!
The food is amazing and the drinks are divine. Being a college student, the prices hurt a little bit, but they are worth it to be in a unique atmosphere.
Great place! Go and visit soon!
I used to frequent this place when I was going to college nearby. It s great, cozy, independent coffee shop where you can just get in your own little world on the couch and get some homework done. The coffee is great, there's live music played often, whether its a musician they have scheduled, or a patron playing the piano they have by the coffee bar. It's also pretty cute they have a mini library room with books you can borrow and board games.
The wraps there were also very good! If getting the fudge cake, it is EXTREMELY rich so share it (:
This is a wonderful, independently owned coffee house, in a setting that is comfortable, clean and friendly. Â The prices are fair and it's a place to hang out for hours without feeling rushed. Â The "old California" decor is a fresh departure from the chains of coffee houses everywhere.
Review Source:How this place was awarded best coffee house in San Diego is beyond me. Â If you're in San Marcos and need coffee and want to pay more money than Starbucks, this place is adequate. Â They have several flavored beverages on the menu that you could get almost anywhere else for an equal or lesser price (other places just don't place them on the menu). Â The owner calls espresso "ex-presso," and, unlike many of the independent coffee shops in North County, they don't offer coconut or almond milk. If you want food, go somewhere else, it is remarkably overpriced. Â The customer service is decent. Â If you really love coffee, this is not the place to go.
Review Source:I wanted to give 4 stars for Old California Coffee House, but I just couldn't. Here were the pluses:
1. Awesome atmosphere
2. Friendly staff
3. Board and card games to play
4. Good coffee!!!
Minus:
1. For the price you pay, the food wasn't the greatest. For a family of 4 we ended up spending 50 bucks. Wasn't expecting that for some sandwiches, salad, soup, coffee, iced tea and a personal pizza.
Overall, I think I would go back to listen to live music, sit by the fire pits and order a coffee or tea. The food wasn't terrible, but for the price, I wanted it to "wow" me...it just didn't.
This is one coffee house that GETS it, when it comes to understanding how to provide a great customer experience.
The coffee house can be divided into two parts: outside and inside, and they have very distinct vibes. On the outside, you get to enjoy live music and sit around the fire rings enjoying your music, food and beverage.
We've struck up quite a few chats over the years with perfect strangers and enjoyed the music of many talented local artists. Heck, even if you don't spend a penny, you can still enjoy the music! (Although there's something about sipping a nice Mexican hot chocolate with extra whipped cream that makes the music even better...)
On the inside is where all the Cool Kids hang out. I'm not usually hip enough to join in all the reindeer games, but if you like hanging out with the nerdy, geeky or trendy types, you'll probably fit right in. There's fun art on the walls, and usually a plethora of laptops and homework being done, in addition to just hanging out and having philosophical, (or silly), conversations.
All in all, it's a fun place to hang. You don't have to be a student, because people of all ages go there. It's a cheap thrill, because you can get out of there for a few bucks and enjoy a tasty drink and cool tunes after having dinner somewhere in Restaurant Row.
Places like this have something a Starbucks can never touch: Authenticity. What it lacks in professionally made corporate logos and chain-store consistency, it makes up in genuine smiles, casual people, and its own unique persona. And people actually talk to each other there, instead of just sitting side by side, texting friends far away. How's THAT for nostalgia?
Poor business practice- A few months ago I was asked by the owner to take this post down. Instead of coming to me directly to treat a unsatisfied customer, he went through someone else to deliver the message- I need to take my negative review down or he will consider charging the artists to set up their booths in the Art Walk. I used to be an artist at the San Marcos Art Walk until this incident.
Hey... I can understand what it means to be a community and supporting one another.... but, to try to censor me and control your ratings and use your power of being chair in the San Marcos Art Council... well, sorry buddy, that's just disrespectful and bad karma. I suggest that you should of reached out to me yourself, addressed my dissatisfaction in a professional manner, and then bring up the developing community between the restaurants and the artists.
I lagged in posting this information out of fear that the owner was going to do something drastic to my friends who were still participating in the Art Walk. Needless to say... there were some negative changes that occurred anyways and my friends are no longer part of the Art Walk.
By the way, I went there again recently-- had a regular coffee-- there were grinds in my coffee. Not sure if I just have bad luck you with this place. However, the atmosphere of this place is still great. The location and the events, and the outdoor patio is beautiful. At least you've got that going for you.
Cool little place in San Marcos restaurant row. Been around for many years.
I popped in here the other day due to a coupon one of their employees left at my place of work. I know...I'm cheap
Their wide variety menu sparked my interest. Went with the Southwest chicken wrap and a strawberry smoothie. The wrap was fresh and flavorful. The smoothie was ok, but tasted artificial. Not sure if fresh fruit is used or not.
This place is more known for the coffee. A great alternative to Starbucks, bring your school books and kick back on a couch for a little study time.
Perfect for an after movie date coffee. Fire pits on the patio will keep the mood.
Old California Coffee House & Eatery is a comfortable place. The food is good, but inconsistent. One cook does the quesidilla one way, while another prepares it totally differently. The staff are pleasant. My one quibble about them is that one of the guys has a lip pierce. That is a little gross to me.
The coffee is excellent. The furniture is quite old. It has a nice location and appealing patio. Forget about using the internet. The wifi is painfully slow.
It has a hippie vibe to it, so if that is your sort of thing, go for it. . .
Great food, great service, and an great environment. I've been coming here for years.
As a matter of fact, the more that I think about it, the more I realize that this is simply one of the best all-around cafes I know of. The staff is very personable and friendly and they have a wide range of menu items (my favorite is the acai). It's a great place for groups of 12-20 to meet, either inside or on the outside patio by the fire pits. Also, don't forget the live music on weekend evenings.
The only criticism I have is that the WiFi has become virtually unusable the past couple months, even if there's no one else in the cafe. It definitely seems like a hardware or connectivity issue with Road Runner:
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.speedtest.net%2Fresult%2F2374972158.png&s=a99ee5b000c4a3e80c324e16aa8b4068f34b4418849a595a22c6fbb6fe57d1b4" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.speedtest.net…</a>
In my journey to find the "El Dorado" of coffee shops, my most recent exhibition has brought me to the Old California Coffee House & Eatery. Â This place is place is just way too cool.
The first thing you notice upon entering is their beautiful outdoor patio seating. It is reminiscent of the old Spanish California Mission days with its classic stonework and masonry. Â The patio has a nice, big tree as well as a little fire pit in the center.
They have a great menu with several great drink and food choices.  I ordered the 20 ounce  Almond Roca (sugar free) which was still pretty sweet which means it was just that good or they messed up and gave it to me with Sugar.  I guess I'll never know. The only thing I do know is that it was excellent.  I also ordered a breakfast bagel with Egg(scrambled) and Turkey which was delicious as well. I often found myself having to eat some of the egg off the plate since there was so much crammed into the bagel that it often fell out. The menu isn't cheap, somehow that breakfast came out to $11.25 but I'm not going to complain because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Â
It was getting busy (Saturday morning about 10:00) but still not bad at all. I found a place to sit outside and even if I didn't, there was still plenty of seating inside.
While sitting outside enjoying my food and drink, I was entertained by the combination of conversations of the group of old-timer veterans talking about their days in the service and the sound of someone playing classic Christmas songs on what sounded like a ukulele. Â For those few minutes out of my day, I felt like I was on mini-vacation.
The overall atmosphere and ambiance of this place just make it so unique and extremely enjoyable. This place is just excellent and I really wish it wasn't so far away from me. I only occasionally venture out this way but I could totally find myself visiting here every single time that I do.
This has pretty much become my new home  while I am studying for my CFA exam.  I used to come here all the time during high school but stopped while I was in college.  It's not quite as good as I remember it under new management and the new food items are just alright.  Also the credit card minimum usually forces me to order more than I need.
All those being said I still think that this is the best coffee shop in the area. Â The atmosphere is still very warm and packed with all kinds of interesting people. Â They have a piano inside that some of the regulars sometimes hop on and play, and there have a been a few occasions where strangers have challenged me to chess. Â The fire pits outside are always the perfect place for conversation.
A high school reunion every time I stop in.
Credit card minimum gets annoying.. but definitely has encourage me to sample plenty of the their delightful dessert pastries! mmm..
They have some kind of coffee or dinner and a movie deal.. I've  never really thought of it much as a place to actually eat.. although they do have vegetarian options they seem a little too on the healthy side rather than the hearty cheesy style I long for.
Nice little spot to relax, study, read, catch up with friends. Funky mismatched furniture. Board games and books in the back.
Restroom leaves a little something to be desired, but at least they are chill about you using it regardless if you just purchased something or not.
Cozy fire pits and live music outside in the evenings.
Excellent, delicious coffee. Wonderful vibe. Cozy environment. Fire pits. Eclectic crowd.
But GOOD LORD is the internet slow!!! There are maybe 2 or 3 other people on laptops here and every page takes 5 seconds to load from a blank screen. Spotify and streaming radio are sometimes unusable. Makes it really hard to get work done at a decent clip!
Good coffee, good prices. Â This place is kind of tucked away so you you have to be looking for it to find it. Â It is behind the Old California Mining Co. at the end of restaurant row. Â I actually wouldn't have found it at all without the Yelp app on my phone (thanks Yelpers) There is both indoor and patio seating, however, they don't want smoking on the patio anymore (I guess they didn't watch Coffee and Cigarettes by Jim Jarmusch) Make sure you bring cash unless you are buying coffee for several people or you are getting a specialty coffee and food because they have a $5 minimum for using plastic. Â There is no reason to go out of your way to get here but if you are in the area and don't want AM/PM coffee then this would be worth making the trip.
Review Source:Eh! My home brew is better then overpriced coffee! This place just wasnt "my cup of tea" no pun intended............ I probably wont ever come back here the tea I had was ok nothing to rave about. My husband had a coffee I tried it and it was way to sweet. The staff was blah like they had a rough day and didnt want to help us but oh well we live and learn right...........
Review Source:I love this place. Â I work in the complex at Sublime and I frequent this coffee shop several times a week as does most of my staff as well :)
The coffee is delicious, I like the CocoMoco iced with no whip cream personally, but they also have an extensive selection of teas - I like iced oolong too :)
They are not the fastest of coffee shops however it is worth the wait and I would rather spend time here than at a Starbucks any day.
If you get a chance have their Apple Chicken sandwich, it was amazing... Simple yet wonderful.
The staff is always friendly, they know you by name and what you order.
You owe it to yourself to try this coffee shop for your next caffeine fix.
Largest variety of lattes I've ever seen: "Sugar daddy latte" "Rocky road" "snickerdoodle" and the list goes on. Some of the drinks can be a bit sweet, but they're all pretty good. I really like the Raspberry Silk here.
In addition to the drinks, this place has the best atmosphere of any coffee shops I've been to! There are several couches, free wifi, a firepit outside, a few board games and cute decor and string of lights outside. It's a great place for catching up with friends or for a get-to-know-you date, and on the weekends they have live music.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place. This is a place where I could see myself pulling up a stool and kicking back for a few hours. It is unpretentious and serves up some pretty good coffee and small bites. (The bagels are really good...but they are limited...because they are worth it).
The decor is funky with an underlying music/art expression kind of theme (if you had to label it).
I wish I lived in the area, I could see myself crashing here on a Saturday morning.
I used to visit this place regularly, but i think the place has really gone down hill under the new ownership. Â The prices have gone up, and some of the less expensive dining options have been completely eliminated. Â I'm not a fan of the tacky sign that says ".com" on it. Â Kimery was a lot more fun than Craig, and on friday nights she used to have themes like 90's night, and ugly sweater night. Â
Also Craig is unprofessional towards musicians who play there. Â I was really getting into the music on saturday night and he came out and grabbed the mic and made a scene (that was totally uncalled for). Â He also pushes people to vote for this place as the best coffee shop, which i think is kind of sleazy. Â
I don't think i will be going back.
The only thing keeping this place from a perfect score is the fact that they're not 24/7. While I try to avoid live music nights, there's a nice sort of ambiance about the Old California Coffee House that's difficult--if not impossible--to find in its North County peers.
Not to entirely derail myself, but I don't understand why there are no 24/7 coffee places in the entirety of North County. We're right next to a busy and growing college. It seems like it would be a perfect place for one, but here we are.
This is a favorite hang-out for my daughters and I. We love to get a fancy drink and play a game from their game pile. We have played indoors by holiday themes and outside by the fire. We have also brought our dog at times and had him hang outside with us.
They have a home-like environment with couches and comfortable chairs. I would always choose them over Starbucks for many reasons, so if I am in the area I will go there first. I have also gone out of my way to drive there just to enjoy the environment and work on my computer or meet with a friend. :)
My husband and I wandered in here for breakfast on our way to a matinee next door. The service was friendly but the girl talked my husband out of his original coffee order bc it was single serve "took a long time to make" and suggested an already brewed coffee. She then realized she was out of the already brewed coffee she suggested and quickly said "Oh nevermind I'll make that one for you.".... Umm shouldn't items on the menu be made for a customer regardless...Why even offer it?
We both ordered bagels and they use great quality bagels! They came hot and perfectly toasted with two containers of cream cheese (I love my cream cheese!) Sadly, our coffee didnt make it to us until much MUCH later when we had already finished out bagels. (Who wants to eat an entire bagel without their coffee?) I've never had a coffee take so long and it was awkward to finish your food and still be waiting on your drink... I have to say when the coffee did come it was very good, but I won't be back unless I want to kill some time.
This place is nice if you want a laid back atmosphere to hang out and great coffee/bagels but definitely not a place to stop by if you have anywhere you need to be in any reasonable amount of time.
I love this place! Â Came here to meet up with my girlfriend, and she recommends this place. Â Loved the inside/outside seating and the vibes. Â The pumpkin spice latte was delicious and my friend had the caramel cappuchino which she loved. Â
If I have to stop by and need a place to hang out, I'll definitely come here :-)
San Diego trip 1/6-1/9
Visited this place twice I loved it so much. They have a huge extensive dessert coffee drink menu and have a lot of delicious food to offer.
This is a beautiful old-antiquey looking building, with old timber inside, and its in a  gorgeous shopping mall, that i took pics of...but back to this awesome place. They have very interesting collection of furniture, all unmatching, from the drum end table to the piano against the wall. The condiment/cream/sugar stand is one of those old box style tvs.
The music isn't too loud (and on certain days,there is live entertainment!), there is plenty of room, and outside there are fire pits!
All I can say is, what's not to love?
The food is kinda pricey here, and it seems to take FOREVER to make. Â But I guess you know that you're getting it prepared fresh, huh?
That said, I don't come to a coffee shop for the food. Â The coffee here is top notch: Â delicious brewed coffee, refreshing iced coffee and an assortment of foofy drinks that are generally very tasty. Â The atmosphere inside is kinda hobo chic, but the patio is very comfy (despite the trees that insist on dropping their infernal plant bits into your beverage!) Â
This place is pretty popular and you will likely encounter lots of friendly people at any time of day. Â One of my faves in North County!
I really like this coffee shop! It's peaceful, clean, accessible, spacious, and the service is great. The drinks are not over priced, coffee and teas get refills for 50 cents. The interior is rustic and quaint, there are lots of couches and tables to lounge in.. Wifi is free and fast, unlike some other coffee places..
If you come here on a nice warm day, sit outside! There's plenty of seating and also two fire pits to sit around and chat if you have a larger group of people :)
I love chilling out over iced tea and a good book at a local coffee shop. I like a place that's conducive for reading and relaxing, Old Cal is perfect for that! I've completely given up going to places like Starbucks, it's always incredibly noisy with their blenders constantly churning, people there are loud, and I feel like a canned sardine with their tables packed to close together. Plus Wifi is pretty slow whenever I go to Starbucks.. Nyeh.
Old Cal is quickly becoming a favorite! I'll definitely come here more often!
Update (10/20/11): If you want to use their free Wifi, ask for the password at the cashier, they'll print it out for you. The password changes every couple days. Also, they have gluten free alternatives eg. bread, muffins. Lastly, if you sit inside, it can get pretty stuffy depending on where you are, so ask for the windows to be opened if the AC isn't on!
Good coffee with a nice selection of locally baked desserts..
Strawberry Shortcake Cake -
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/VJ2cq7ZPkdYXHWXhRaA3jg?select=uYAkuM1pUX7ZWlIDCscKsg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
Like the name states, you have a multi layered strawberry shortcake cake.. Well balanced dessert that stays true to the classic.
Chairs and tabled are a bit wobbly outside.
Now that Market St Cafe is closed, this is the only place to chill outside in the area.
I love cool coffee houses, and this place is definitely a cool coffee house. Live music, fire pit, plenty of outdoor seating, and good coffee.
My only gripe would be that the coffee is nothing special. I mean, it's good, but not great; nothing I would crave during the week.
But the fact of the matter is that this place is an excellent place to keep a Friday night simple. Four stars well-deserved, especially for the free wi-fi!
I just want to thank the yelpers for introducing me to this place!! I never knew I could fall in love with a coffee shop/cafe!! This is my "ideal" coffee cafe that I have always dreamt about!
My ideal cafe: a place that is warm, cozy, quiet without those loud blenders with good healthy food & free wifi.
Check - Found!
Seriously, right when I went into the cafe, the exterior looked a like cute house with an adorable patio. Â The patio had numerous iron tables, chairs, and the perfect garden atmosphere. Â The interior looks like a living with comfortable couches everywhere. Â There are several tables, some big and some small that are decorated with a unique antique look. Â You could go there to study by yourself or with a group. Â
The place gets packed but it's QUIET!! I am normally the type that cannot work in loud areas like starbucks, coffee bean, etc. Â but this place.. this place is so different!! No one makes a peep and if they do, they are really quiet!
The staff is excellent! They provide you with the greatest service ever!
The food!! The food is healthy and fresh! You order the food in front and the staff delivers it to you. Â I got the half and half combo - hummus tabouli warp with the baked tofu salad ($6.99). The price for the amount of food is a real steal deal!! By the time i ate the salad, I was so full that I packed the wrap to go. Â The food is excellent! The baked tofu kind of tasted like the chinese bean curd. Â I also got the small snickerdoodle latte ($3.45). Â The drinks are a little pricey but they have a lot of variety of different kind of drinks. Â The snickerdoodle drink is really good, but next time i'm going to try it cold. Â
Overall, I recommend this place!! You can stay as long as you want and they don't mind!
Despite the clouds outside, it's sunny where I am, my coffee getaway. Â
Even if I have to share it with a mix of peeps - the chatter of good conversation among families and friends at the couches and tables; the informal game of Trivial Pursuit or crossword puzzles at the next table; or the silent students from nearby CSUSM or Palomar because they're intently staring at their laptops and wearing ear buds. Â Are they working? Nah, just youtube or facebook actually.
Sometimes, the background music is replaced by a talented person that decides to play the piano and if we're lucky, sing covers of totally recognizable songs. Right now, said person has got some nice Coldplay going. Â Look at everyone smile.
Nothing like a bit of the familiar to bring it all full circle.  This my friends is gold, a  touch of humanity and a little coffee among some good-minded folks.
Happy New Year.
OK, so the bonfire pits are great - if you can get one on a busy night.
It's a cute coffee shop... I used to study here on a regular basis because of the ambiance. A positive is that the clientele can be diverse and intriguing. My friends and I once ran into a great piano player and we stayed late to sing a few songs...
That's the kind of place this is. ...kind of like your home away from home. Cozy...
But when you get straight to it, if it WERE my home, I'd be that annoying kid neighbor who was always hanging around YOUR house taking sips of YOUR mocha and mooching on YOUR sandwich.
(I mean, we all had one of those... right?)
...the drinks taste a little watered down for my liking, and the italian sodas taste like cough syrup... YUCK! To top if off, i'm horribly disappointed by their wraps, which have NO flavor whatsoever, unless you're a rabbit of some sort.
T_T
meh.
overall, i'd much rather stick to my coffee shops down in san diego and I'm so glad I moved away.
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