Lestat’s Coffee House

I’ve been going here since I was a child, so it’s only natural for me to stop by and study while my car’s in the shop nearby.
Moving on –
The staff is very quick and personable, the drinks are amazing (especially their smoothies), AND the Parisian macarons are HEAVEN ON EARTH.
I low-​key felt like crying.
The shop is also comfy, colorful, and full of space! A great place to drop by with your friends or relax alone. Plus, the artwork is (mostly) for sale, so support San Diego’s local artists and buy something!

First impression tonight.
Plenty of tables, especially if you’re planning on working by yourself or a couple other people. They have lounge chairs and a patio too. We came in on a Tuesday night around 630PM. So parking was a bit of a struggle. But we after a few rounds we lucked out and got a spot right in front of this hip café. We asked the barista what drinks were popular and he recommended the Milky Way, Dulce Mexican Mocha and several others I don’t quite remember. We opted for the first 2 and got a couple chocolate croissants to snack on. Wifi is free and fast. The music for tonight seemed like a throwback alternative playlist which I love love. Minimal other noise. Just the hum of casual conversation and the sounds coming from the coffee bar. Plenty of artwork on the walls. A pretty colorful and cozy place. I definitely see myself coming back here soon. And they’re open ²⁴⁄₇ what?!?

I would say this was an average experience. The place didn’t appear to be too packed when I walked in. It’s huge in the inside lots of various seating arrangements and tables. They have a full menu and various bakery items. I had been craving heaven sent desserts but let a first (and probably last) date talk me into this place instead because they were ²⁴⁄₇. I was craving something sweet and a relaxed place to talk for a moment. So I get to the front of the line; the man working looked slammed and a little on edge. He walked away as if to prepare something then decided to come back and ask me what do you want; no hello, not even a smile. I asked him for a chai and a pie; as I was looking to select the individual (over sized cupcake) pie I counted at least 4 bugs flying around in the bakery case. That epically ruined the pie for me and I went with a cupcake instead; the fore mentioned man was not pleased with this decision. When looking for seats I noticed that there are minimal comfy lounge type chairs and couches, most are wooden with some padding. The cupcake was like the date… ehh; pretty sweet and the frosting was a bit older when it has that weird hard top layer but the inside is still soft. The chai was fine; a tad sweet for my taste. Overall it was an experience, but not one I will go out of my way to experience again.

Absolutely love this place!
Open 24 hours which is very rare with an amazing atmosphere for working in a comfortable environment and plenty of space to sit (although it tends to get unbelievably packed during finals week since a lot of students are drawn here)
Coffee is great and if you’re not happy with it they’ll definitely help you out with that as long as you tell them. (*also, got the cherry cheesecake and unnff really delish if you’re craving something while you’re studying haha)
Very friendly staff which was also an added plus! Had a nice talk with them and they were very patient with any questions I had.
Always make sure to stop by here to study when I get the chance :)

This is a cool place and obviously a staple for the local crowd. I ordered a smoothie which appeared to be made fresh from real fruit and tasted quite good.
There is a lot of seating available here in multiple areas. The outdoor seating area is nice but reminds one of an ashtray with cigarette butts everywhere. There are lots of tables and chairs but most have seen better days.
Outside is a nice place to hang but definitely be prepared for the cigarette smoke.
Being open ²⁴⁄₇ is a huge bonus!

Lestat’s is for anyone and everyone. From the college student stressing over what comes at the end of every semester to the entrepreneur getting ready for a day full of conference calls and Skype meetings. The menu is stacked with an array of drink choices as well as food and pastries to accompany your drink of choice.
ANYTHING ON THE MENU, Literally, you can’t go wrong with anything in this menu or in the cold fridge next to the cashier or the display cases underneath the cashier.
I came here to grab a drink and catch up with old friend just last month and I visited this week to do some research and utilize their espresso machine as well as their wifi.
If you plan to stay a while good luck finding an outlet, depending on the time you show up, you might not even be able to find a seat. Definitely a hidden gem for all San Diegans. As

Last day in SD, I wanted to find an upscale coffee specialist shop. Most reviews point to Lestat’s which does the drip coffee model with different selections of coffee from different areas of the world. I think I got the Guatemala selection.
So I’m no beginner to getting pour over coffee as I go to Philz Coffee regularly. For some reason, I waited a while for my coffee. I was so caffeine deprieved that I grabbed another person’s order when I saw a cup placed on the pick-​up counter. I already was pouring milk when they informed me it wasn’t mine. Luckily the woman who had the coffee does add milk to her coffee so It was a close call.
By that point, I wasn’t in need of caffeine as I was jolted awake from that near snafu. The coffee itself was actually very smooth and had a deep satisfying aroma to the nose that probably did more for my mind than the coffee itself.
Seeking not to cause more collateral damage, I made a quick exit to walk around the Normal Heights neighborhood.

I’ve been to this location a few times during my visit to San Diego and each time I’ve enjoyed myself. The ambiance has been quite, relaxing and it’s a good place to sit and work or just chat with friends.
We’ve ordered the darker coffees, the Mexican Hot Chocolate (drooltastic!), and some of the foodies.
The employees are sweet and easy to talk with. They’re good with helping you pick out what to drink and eat for your stay.
The seating is comfortable and makes it easy to stay for long periods of time (especially if you’re needing a place to sit and work on a project).
I would recommend coming in for a seat and give the Mexican Hot Chocolate a try (I’m a big fan of chocolate).

Eclectic and artsy
Great study place!!! You will know it by the sheer number of laptops inhabiting the tabletops
The lemon ginger tea was wonderful and tasty
Service is quick
Right next door to some live and stand u comedy if you want some entertainment
Desserty stuff available pastries etc

This place is always packed! That means it must be a great place. I have only had their hot tea and it was super hot and awesome! I love the seating areas where you can catch up with friends or get some study time in. I will definitely be back to try some of their yummy food I spell when we go in there.
2 thumbs up from 2 fluffy foodies

Wow this place is awesome visiting from Boise there are not many coffee shops like this. Can’t give this place 5 stars since I only tried their coffee but customer service was awesome.
Will try and stop by before we head out to try some of their food and goodie. Everything looked amazing. The art that is throughout the shop reminds me of being back at home a lot of Fridas artwork!

Good old standby. I don’t come here for the coffee or the pastries; I come here for the atmosphere. The inside temperature usually matches the outside temperature and nobody ever seems to mind. The back patio has gargoyles and a weeping angel — how can you go wrong?
They’re open 24 hours a day and all the walls are covered with art. They have couches and comfy chairs and music playing and you can even have lunch if you feel a tad peckish.
Lestat is the epitome of the bohemian coffee shop and I love it. And they have great blood orange tea!

My first experience here wasn’t the greatest. My internet was down at my house, I came here to get some homework done with their WiFi I figured since I was using their WiFi for free, I should do the right thing and purchase something. It was a bit crowded at the front counter and the menu is in the smallest print ever. In order to read it, I must be right at the counter. Since there was already a crowd at the counter, I had a hard time getting up there to read it without seeming like I was cutting in line. I also didn’t want to be the idiot that approaches the counter to order… and not ready to order, so I settled for a soda that was in the fridge next to the counter. The layout/​setup could be better.
The furniture was a bit dirty so I sat at a small table and set up my laptop. Connected the WiFi and began my test. Four questions n the internet starts acting v e r y s l o w. By question 5 it disconnects me. Very frustrating. I packed up my shizz and went across the street to Starbucks for their reliable WiFi.
I guess this review isn’t so much about the product itself and more about internet. I may be back one day and purchase a coffee or something. But never to use their internet. :(

I really like this coffee shop in Normal Heights, though there are some improvements they could make to their operation. Ordered a Pesto Sandwich, and while not horrible, was not memorable. Typically, it looks like food at Lestats is below par and should only be ordered if extremely hungry. Get the awesome coffee here, and eat elsewhere.
Carame d’lish — As a person who loves caramel, this drink did not live up to expectations. Right off the bat, you notice a stronger than necessary taste of cinnamon. It’s a bit over powering. Please ease off on it a little bit Lestats. The drink was 3.5 stars but a little bit too rich. For some reason, the caramel came out stringy and didn’t feel familiar when sipped.
Parking — There’s parking in the back but you have to double park. If you’re on the outside, keep a lookout in case your car is called so you can move it and let people out. Avoid the inside if you’re trying to stop and go.

Great the way they have new artists perform here, and my favorite was tonight, when Lily Love performed!
She performed her own, original music and her songs are straight from the heart and really amazing for a 16 year old girl!
I think it’s so cool how LeStats has this venue and so many current superstars got their start here!
They are open all year long every day, all night. Personally, I think they should close on thanksgiving and Christmas but I do love that they are open a lot. We come every Monday for open mic and often for the other concerts in between.
Their cover is practically nothing and it is a friendly place with a great vibe. They have a lot of outdoor seating, too, so you can sit outside and enjoy the music.
I wish they had more outdoor seating in front where you can hear better, and I wish they sold beer and wine, and more gluten free, carb free foods.
But obviously this place has a formula that works because it is always pretty busy and you can’t beat the coffee and music combo!

The Good:
First off, I gotta say this place has a cool name. I like the décor of this place and some of the furniture they have here. I love that they support artists by posting some of their work for sale.
This place is open 24 hours which is great for people burning the midnight oil on a work project or for students pulling an all nighter study sesh. It’s nice that this place has free wi-​fi and that there are multiple wi-​fi points (with better signal strength) for different areas of the coffee house. Great place for students or people doing work away from the office that might need internet access.
They have a pretty big menu with lots of variety. We weren’t too hungry, so we decided to order a few drinks and a sandwich to share.
This place has plenty of room for people that have come to work, study, or hang out.
The Okay:
The sandwich was alright, but no where near as delicious as Good On Ya Deli sandwiches. The drinks were just okay, nothing to write home about. Prices could have been lower for the food quality and/​or the portion served, but it was acceptable. It might be a little pricey for college students on a tight budget though.
The Bad:
We came here (with a few friends) in the middle of the night and it was really muggy inside the coffee house. The ventilation and/​or insulation in this place is really bad. It was much cooler outside versus inside. It’s not conducive to good productivity in my opinion. Not sure how anyone can work or study comfortably in here when the environment is this way.
The Really Bad:
The employee that took my order was not very personable. In addition, when my buddy went up to ask for a cup of ice (so he could add it to his cup of water), the employee (not sure if it was the same one) told him that ice was for paying customers. My partner in crime went up with her drink in hand (the smoothie that we had purchased earlier) to show the employee, just to get ice for my buddy. I wasn’t aware of what was going on because I was taking pictures and looking around. When I came back to the table and they had told me what had happened, I was not too happy. Not cool at all… totally unnecessary for them to behave like that over a simple cup of ice.
Conclusion:
Overall, this place should have rated higher but due to poor customer service, I had to knock off stars. Hopefully, service will be better next time… if we decide to return.