Subterranean Coffee Boutique

A great place to study with very tasty menu options. The guy barista is really nice and always happy to help. My only complaints are that the water often has floaters (pretty gross) and the internet and air conditioning can be spotty.

I really wanted to like this place but the service and lack of standards is disappointing. I have come here for breakfast twice and each time they took over 30 mins to get my food and beverage.
They don’t have a full kitchen which is obvious when you walk in but I still expect better than a half an hour wait for an egg sandwich. The most recent visit they gave my mother the wrong breakfast item, forgot my latte and gave us the beverages only after serving our food. The cashier wasn’t confident in our order and had to double check with us though she had written it down.
I’ve come here before when it wasn’t busy, majority of the customers had only ordered coffee and had been served already. They had 2 – 3 employees and two of them were wearing flip flops which would not be okay in any other restaurant or café. I’ve seen the cashier take money, turn around then start working on a drink with no hand washing in between, not only that but she touched food with her bare hands. They don’t start your drink after you order so while you wait several minutes for the food you have no beverage to pass the time.
As far as the rest of the café it has decent décor and allows a comfy place for lounging with friends. The bathroom is kept clean but they have no seat covers for the toilet to my dismay.
Everything I have tried here is good as far as taste but the wait and lack of standards for food handling is inexcusable. For this business to gain my support they have to educate employees to sequence beverages and food to get everything out in a timely matter. Cleanliness standards should be prioritized even the more lax cafes have employees with their hair tied back, hands washed regularly, and closed toed shoes. It seems like only certain employees work as baristas and other just on register, but the more multitalented your employees are the stronger your team will be.

I was going to bump them up a couple of stars because they cared enough to write to me and it was a very nice email. Now I see this post below, I am leaving it this as it is. As I wrote to the owner, «to each their own.» I rarely go out for coffee so when I do it’s with a friend and we want to sit down and enjoy the coffee and chat. This is not the place for that, they are obviously successful allowing people to sit for hours doing school work and home work. Maybe I should change review to reflect that but the coffee to me, maybe it was an off day, is not worth the effort.
I have lived here for 20 years. This is a place for squatters. Edit: This is a place for people who sit for hours doing work.
I was disappointed by the coffee, I don’t go to coffee spots to eat food or sit for endless hours writing a thesis for my Master’s Degree. By the way, Subterranean Coffee, most of the teachers I know brag about the fact that you allow squatting rights there.

This place was recommended to me by a friend so I wasn’t reluctant to drop by to get some work done before I headed back to OC. I have absolutely zero complaints. I’m a big fan of Mexican hot chocolate (one of the reasons why my friend suggested this place to me) so of course I had to get the Mexican Mocha my first time around and it was superb. Great cinnamon flavor and not a bad price for how much they give you. Plus they have stamp cards! Vibe is chill, not loud, and has a bunch of locals coming by so it’s a good place to people watch. Bonus points from me also because they have a chess set. I wish I lived closer to this place because it would definitely be one of my go to’s to get work done. I will pass on the torch and recommend this place to anyone.

The coffee here is famous. We found this place on Unilocal!I had a salted caramel macchiatto and my hubby had a sugar free hazelnut latte. Both were decaf and the coffee was great and not bitter as some decaf espresso can be. The acai bowl was pretty good too. Would definitely come back for the coffee and atmosphere. Very eclectic atmosphere.

Ordered a Mexican Mocha & Cold Brew w/​Almond Milk. So yummy! Can’t wait to visit San Diego again so I can come here! Cute atmosphere with lamps throughout and string lights on the ceiling (indoor). Bookshelves with books to borrow while sipping some coffee also available.

Cool place with lots of room and outlets.
If you are working however, be warned: the internet cuts out pretty often. Hopefully, they upgrade.

Had the iced rose chai latte and lavender white mocha. Both were okay. Would probably not come back for it.

This is my new favorite coffee shop!
First of all, it’s so cozy and neat. It’s also quite roomy so there is always a place to sit down.
Second, everyone is so nice and friendly.
And third, I LOVE their smoothies. Try the Siamese Basil or the Citrus Spinach, so healthy and so yummy!
I would come here every day if I could :)

I had just got back into town after a hiatus and was walking the neighborhood to see so many places closed and the new places that replaced them. Walked by the old hookah place and noticed this gorgeous new Coffee shop.
I was lucky enough to score a window seat, perfect for people watching, even had a couple of friends spot me while I was on my MacBook drinking my Americano. They also offer delish looking sandwiches and baked goods. They have some really cool set up for working on your laptop or just catching up with a friend.
I’m claiming this place my new spot for chilin’ with my laptop and getting some work done.

A friend mentioned this place to me. We had walked by here before but didnt stop in.
Today, I was fortunate enough to be able to stop in. I liked the low key and inviting setting. It is open and roomy. They have limited window seating and outdoor seating. Inside there are areas where people can sit ad a group or as singles or couples.
Serving up local coffees are a treat. I love supporting local businesses. Subterranean offers foods, coffee and tea drinks.
I enjoyed their Reese’s Mocha and was able to sit at one of the window seats. Read my newspaper and people watch on a rainy day. I wanted to try their Lavender Mocha. It is on my radar for my next visit.
I came here early enough that this place wasnt crowded. However, I could easily see this place getting packed and busy.
Subterranean is worth a try.

My new spot! I’ve passed by this place several times and didn’t dare to enter. I wasn’t sure if I would fit into the hipster vibe it gave off. I am glad I took the chance and walked in. They offer a variety of drinks from coffee, Italian sodas, smoothies and more. They also offer breakfast and lunch items. The atmosphere is very laid back and there is plenty of seating. Some couches in the back and tables for relaxing with a book. The crowd is a mix of ages and backgrounds. Everyone had their laptops with them too. Not a bad place for studying or catching on some work.
I ordered their «kind of spicy tuna sandwich» and a strawberry lemonade. Wow one of the best tuna sandwiches! I was only able to eat half it was a massive sandwich. You could add a side of chips or salad for extra. The prices are very reasonable for what you get.
Service was awesome. Just man behind the counter but he was friendly and quick with my food. Defiantly adding this to my list of hang out spots!

What an adorable little café in the heart of Hillcrest! We stopped by on Saturday afternoon to have a cup of coffee and grab a bite to eat.
The interior is lovely and welcoming, offering sofas and comfy seating areas to study, do work, or just pass the time with your cup of joe. Rich reds and earthy colors envelop the space, making it warm and inviting. Quiet, too; a very nice quality.
Subterranean sports an impressive menu. They serve breakfast sandwiches until 3pm, but I was immediately drawn to their lunch offerings. Specifically, my eye couldn’t stop staring at the Chicken Salad Sandwich. This was certainly one of the most memorable chicken salad sandwiches I’ve had in quite awhile. The chicken is soft and tender, cut up in bite-​sized cubes. It’s all dressed in a ridiculously addictive sauce that just takes the overall flavor to a level all its own. I devoured the sandwich and loved every bite. The bread its served on is also high quality.
The coffee was nice. I chose their dark roast and it was rich and nicely balanced, not over the top like a Starbucks dark roast where I walk away with the jitters.
Subterranean seems to attract quite the breakfast crowd. Because I’m not much of a breakfast sandwich kind of person, I“ll likely place this café within my rotation for lunch spots on weekends. I’m definitely a fan.

I really like this spot! Tucked right in the hotspot of Hillcrest, the new Subterranean Coffee Boutique is a great addition to an already awesome spot for food and drink!
I’ve been dying to go back to their spot in North Park, but I wanted to check this place out. Getting a parking spot just to come for a great cup of coffee was a little bit of a pain, but I ended up parking in a nearby parking garage ($ 4) to drink their delicious coffee and order up one of their sandwiches.
I walked walked into SCB, and the first thing I noticed is how spacial it was compared to their North Park location. Great for hours of group study! Wifi is free, and they have from small tables, all the way to a large table for a nice sized group. It looks like they know we college students need a place to study!
I took one short look at their menu and had to have their Baja Club sandwich. I also ordered a medium cup of their house coffee. Coffee was super hot and I sat waiting for my sandwich to be ready.
The Baja Club was awesome! What made it awesome is that it was huge and I loved how they stacked it. The turkey, ham, avocado and sweet bacon was delicious on their sourdough bread! I love a place that does food and coffee right! Lots of place just do coffee and desserts. This place has it all!
I really wanted to try their desserts, but I was too full from the sandwich. I grabbed a punch card and vowed to come back for that next time.
I think as long as you are in the area, this has got to be one of the best spots in Hillcrest, especially if you want a cup of coffee. Next time I have a group study session, this would be my first place to go to!

I stopped by this new location of Subterranean Coffee for a quick breakfast before heading to work. They just recently opened their second location in Hillcrest right near Fourth Ave. The street parking around here can be quite rough during the day and the public lot across the street is really overpriced. So if you’re coming here for a late breakfast or lunch you might want to head north for a better chance at parking. This location definitely has a lot bigger area for sitting around to enjoy your coffee and food. The window up front with stools allows you sit and watch people walk by on University Ave. (
) They have a very small food menu but they also offer lots of different pastries. The coffee selection constantly changes from different roasters, when I stopped by they were serving local roaster Virtuoso.
I ordered the Steam breakfast with avocado (75cents extra). The plate (
) came with three eggs, shredded cheese, tomatoes and a English muffin. They cook all their eggs here by steaming them rather than using oil to scramble or fry them in a pan. Steaming gets fluffier eggs and makes them quite healthier in my opinion. The eggs were cooked great and the English muffin was soft and warm to the touch. They give you about half a small hass avocado on the side for extra, it was quite ripe and fresh. I really wanted something sweet to go along with my coffee, so I also ordered a lemon poppy seed muffin. They warmed the muffin (
) up for me, which made the frosting on top melt a bit. The muffin was moist and flakey, very delicious. They don’t make their pastries on site though, they’re delivered fresh by a local bakery down in Chula Vista.
My hammerhead coffee (
) went really well with my food and everything tasted great. I enjoyed this location a lot better than the North Park one. The seats are more comfortable, the Wi-​Fi worked really well and the service was very friendly. Subterranean has a great atmosphere and location to grab some coffee. An enjoyable place to stop and get local coffee.

This is their second location in Hillcrest. Very spacious coffee shop in the heart of Hillcrest. It was really understaffed when I went there last week, I waited 15 minutes for a cup of mexican mocha. But at least it was delicious.
Totally going back for their Mexican Mocha!

Possibly the best iced latte in town! Not too bitter and just the perfect amount of milk. The guy at the counter was super friendly and nice.
I like this location much better than the one in North Park since it has so much more seating available. Although trying to find parking can be a pain in this area, it’s a great addition to the neighborhood. This just might be my favorite coffee shop!

TL;DR– good coffee, good sandwiches, great décor, and ok prices.
I love this place! It just opened in Hillcrest a couple of weeks ago. I’m always a fan of good coffee shops, and this one is a good one! They’re cold brew is delicious, and so are their breakfast sandwiches. The prices might be a little bit higher than other coffee shops in terms of the food, but I think it’s well worth it. And let’s be honest, hillcrest is not cheap neighborhood! I can’t blame them. The décor is very much homey and comfortable. I can’t stand when a coffee shop looks like an IKEA model room.
I also really appreciate the friendly service. I come here early, and they have greeted me with a genuine smile thus far! I definitely recommend coming here!

If you have never been to the North Park location, this is Subterranean in a nutshell — friendly, easy going & comfortable with yummy breakfast/​lunch bites. The only difference with this new location is it is much bigger with tall ceilings and lots of light from the big windows. Unlike some coffee shops, you are welcome to relax and stay as long as you want. You can often find people reading, working, or studying here for hours on end. It is also a great place to meet a friend or colleague as there is something for any craving: from sweet to savory.
There are lots of choices on the menu, but like most of the regulars you end up with favorites. Mine include the pesto & mozzarella sandwich (btw you can order any sandwich as a salad), the veggie topping heavy bagels, and the iced horchatte latte.
I hope this location becomes a bustling neighborhood ‘comfort zone’ just like the original. You know, like that show ‘Cheers’ — where everybody knows your name…

Subterranean Coffee Boutique recently opened this roomier location with plenty of good room for study groups in Hillcrest, and the best thing is, they are still making their terrific breakfast sandwiches and local coffees.
I had them make me the breakfast sandwich on a toasted wheat bagel. The sandwich came with uniquely steamed scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, melted mozzarella cheese, and freshly sliced tomatoes. I also added some fresh cut onions and added extra black pepper. For my drink, I went for a cup of their fresh drip brew.
The breakfast sandwich was nothing less than scrumptious to say the least. The wheat bagel came nice and warm, and the steamed scrambled eggs were piled high and had a very good fluffy light texture. They were lightly seasoned and tasted great. The bacon was crisp and savory, the tomatoes juicy and mildly acidic which provided good balance, and the mozzi melted. The red onions added good flavor and texture. The breakfast sandwich was only $ 5.
I have to admit I was quite fond of this new location with its opener setting and same great food and coffee. This is a great place for a meet up or for a cup of coffee and dessert after dinner.