Old California Coffee House & Eatery

This place is a freaking a joke!!! They offer this digital offer of liking us on Facebook and then Sign up for «emails» (all digital!!) and then to redeem the free croissant you need to print the freaking coupon! Seriously! Who prints coupons anymore?! Way to waste and kill trees to print something that can very easily be all done digitally! Shame on you old California coffee house! Way to waste my time! The lady at the register said, oh I need the printed coupon you can go to the public library! Wtf!!! Seriously?! Why can’t you just use the scannable code in the email you sent and make a new customer happy? Hmm no! She needed the «printed» coupon! Oh and the best part, they print this ads in the San elijo newspaper that tell you to go online to sing up so it makes you believe this is all digital… Stop wasting paper!!! And way to go to care for new local clients… Which I will ni become one just because of this experience!

Old Cal Coffee House is warm, friendly and the coffee is great. Whether you are relaxing with friends, or meeting with a business associate, Old Cal Coffee House is centrally located and the staff is available to meet your food and beverage needs!

The quality has improved since I last reviewed– still pretty pricey, but I’ve had some tasty meals and tasty drinks in the last few months :) Specifically the lattes are bomb, and the cookies and sandwiches are sooo good. Also the Southwest Salad is filling and delicious. Woo!

I highly recommend this coffee shop. We stopped by today for some delicious custom lattes. A great relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff make it a great place to get some work done, play some gsmes, or jut hang out and chat.
I recommend the almond Rocha latte, but all the specialty lattes I tried were great.

This is my go-​to North County coffee shop! As a graduate student, I am here multiple times per week writing papers and studying, often for hours at at time. It’s a great space to come and work, and there are usually other students or professionals here doing the same. I also love coming here to read or to meet with a friend and play a board game. There are plenty of comfortable seating options, including tables and couches indoors and tables outside (with fire pits!). They have recently been remodeling and redecorating the place, and it looks great! Everyone who works here is wonderful and friendly. The food can sometimes take awhile, but it doesn’t bother me because I’m not usually in a hurry.
Heads up: Bring cash if you plan on spending less than $ 5. They have a $ 5 minimum for credit/​debit cards.

Not a huge selection when it comes to coffee, but it was ok.
They have sandwiches and other small food items, the place is cute and has plenty of seating indoors as well as out.
Service was fine, prices ok, I wish they would have more coffee options, such as blended or flavors coffee, but the vibe was nice and so was sitting outside here.
FIne, but not worth rushing back for.

Taylor did an extraordinary job waiting our table. We will definitely be back to try new food and hopefully get Taylor as our waiter again! Thanks again!

Because of their decent rating, I gave them a few tries. Here are my thoughts.
1. I find it really annoying that they ask me if I want to order «anything else?» after I order my coffee. So far they all asked me that question every time I ordered my coffee. I guess the owner told the employees to say that line. If I want to order more, I will tell you, dude.
2. Coffee tastes below average. If I am paying $ 4 – 6 for a cup of coffee, I want my coffee to taste better than what I can make it at home. It is not the case at this place.
3. Paper cups. What is up with using all these paper cups? Plastic film inside paper cup releases carcinogens, especially when hot liquid is poured. Plus we don’t need more trash to pollute our earth.
4. Music on the weekend. Probably only good thing about this place and only reason why I didn’t give 1 star rating.
I will probably not go back here for coffee.

I visited here for the first time today. My iced chai latte was good. This place has indoor and outdoor seating. The chairs are not that comfortable. There is not much scenery around as it is on a busy road.
I might come back if in the area.

Originally came to this area for a movie but had some time to spare before the showing. The walk from the Movie Theater to the Coffee House wasn’t too bad and it was also a great sunny day.
The Coffee House is quaint and has a great Marquee inside. There’s lots of indoor/​outdoor comfortable seating that makes you want to bust out a book to read or laptop to do some work. I really enjoyed the casual and comfy ambiance, they also have free WIFI that you can get the password to on your receipt.
I came here with one other friend on a Sunday early afternoon. I ordered the Backyard Club sandwich while my friend ordered an Iced Americano and Acai Bowl. The Backyard Club was huge but also tasty. It had a bit too much lettuce but I did not mind because it made feel better about myself eating bacon. My friend’s Americano was strong and bold even with it iced. The Acai bowl was average but great for the location we were in since there’s not too many places that would offer Acai Bowls. Definitely would love to be a regular here or bring friends to chat with when I’m around this area.

2 stars only due to the coffee being great.
Food and coffee was expensive.
A counter type operation. Order, pay, they then dump the food in a cardboard tray, plastic gork, etc.
We ordered 2 scramblers with extras.
Food was all pre-​prepared, eggs were old and dry, bacon was dry and tasteless, bagel was a non event, avocardo was BROWN and STALE (see photos).
We took it in and they remade it with BROWN avocado a second time. I went in for a refund and the manager told me that’s what happened when they put them in the oven (Explained a lot).
So if you want day old bland crap reheated in the oven, eat here. FAIL!!!
Go for coffee only, you will regret everything else!
P. s. Owners, if you can’t cook fresh breakfast food on demand, get a chef that can or just sell premade wraps so we know we’re getting average at best.
2 scramblers and 2 large coffees were $ 26.00.
Price range means it should be made to order.

I love this little spot! Craig is the owner and took over the joint 6 years ago… Fantastic atmosphere! Today was my first day dropping in and I am very impressed. They hold network meetings for WSPN on Thursdays. I’m really glad I spoke up early to come all the way up here (a 50 min drive for me)
The food is so good! I had the quiche and breakfast sandwich… I’m in love! I would drive up here to eat and mingle. …and to work! Two thumbs up!

This coffee shop is a hidden gem located in San Marcos Old California Restaurant Row. I absolutely love this place and have been coming here 10+ years and each time has been a pleasant experience.
The service is great, the ambiance is cool, and they have a good selection of options for food and drinks. I usually get coffee here as it is the spot I used to frequently study at back in the day or a place to catch up with friends. More recently I came by this morning, and it is still the same and a great place all around.
My usual favorite drinks would be the *Almond Roca* or the *Snickerdoodle*… so delish! Inside there are a few tables and couches. and there are fire pits located outside which are cozy and perfect for enjoying the outdoors with a cup of joe. Sometimes there’s live music out on the patio which is awesome for entertainment.
Overall, a great North County option and very comparable to «The Living Room» and «Lestat’s» with a nice vibe as the perfect spot to chill at and get your caffeine fix.

I like the food. 1 star
I like the coffee. 1 star
I like the service. 1 star
I like the environment. 1 star
I like the free wifi. 1 star.
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5

If the cowshed is my cheers for bars, then this would be my Coffe shop from Friends. I love this place, its small and quaint on the inside, or in the warm seasons tons of patio seating. Food is still on point, free wifi and water. Yes, I love being in here with my laptop working on my Unilocal reviews.

They don’t always get your order right. In fact they got two out of three orders wrong when me and my friends went before. But we are only human and sometimes we make mistakes. No worries. It happens. I don’t find the staff to be particularly warm, inviting, or friendly, which are all things I love to see at any and every coffee shop. But despite the few quirks this place has there’s a certain charm to it that draws me back to it every time. It’s truly a great place to chill with a warm cup of tea in your hand and escape the outside world for a little bit. Like a little coffee shop oasis.

During my first visit this morning I scored a delicious mocha and a bowl of yogurt with granola and honey for $ 10. Valerie and Heidi provided great service. I called my order in and it was ready on time right when I arrived. No line, no wait.
The espresso has a more of a strong-​brewed coffee flavor but with an acidity that reminds you it is espresso — it pairs well with the steamed milk and chocolate. The yogurt was creamy and tangy with the perfect mix of honey and crunchy granola.
I lucked out and found a parking spot right in front, but I could tell that this is a very busy parking lot.
Lots of seating inside and out. Next time I hope I can stay for a while. I did not use the restroom so I cannot speak to its condition.
They do not accept AMEX.

Im not much for hot drinks, they are just not my cup of tea. (No pun intended) however this place has some unique ones and I always have to get something.
The vibe and the environment of this place is really relaxing. With game boards, guitars for your use, free wifi, couches, and just very rustic looking furniture and interior this place is an awesome place to hang out when you have nothing else to do on a cold afternoon.
Not to mention outside they have 2 large bonfires and plenty of seating. On friday nights they also have live music. You get the point right… yep this place is awesome.
The staff is super nice and helpful. When ordering they always have a smile on. This is great because you feel welcomed, you really do feel like you’re at home and makes you want to just relax.
They serve some great sandwiches and some even more amazing desserts. We tried the cheesecake and the chocolate ganache cheesecake. They were both amazing but I really recommend the Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake. They have it refrigerated so its nice and cool.
I have really nothing bad to say about this place. I take that back maybe you cam re-​string that guitar you have hanging. Its been missing strings for as long as I can remember. It would be nice to play it.

Nice place to study during the quiet hours. Plenty of seating inside and out. They do have live music at times, but I don’t know the schedule. I haven’t been here at night, but it’d be a cool place to hang out near the fire pit outside and have a cup of coffee and dessert. I had the «Hot Chicken» sandwich and a small coffee of the day to go with my attempt at studying. The sandwich consisted of chunks of chicken topped with strips of red bell pepper and red onions, slathered with a chipotle sauce (homemade I think?), and melted provolone cheese on toasted sourdough. The sweetness of the bell pepper and onions contrasted nicely to the spice of the chipotle sauce. I thought it was a pretty good sandwich, enough to satisfy you, but will still let you leave some room for dessert.
They offer other food stuffs besides sandwiches, i.e. soups, salads, bagels, and fruit bowls. I’ll have to try out some other stuff on my next trip out there to do some homework.

HIGHLIGHTS: live music, great coffee, friendly people
Stopped by on a Friday night before a movie and there was a live band playing jazz music. Loved the atmosphere (fire pits and heaters). I ordered a Butterscotch single pour coffee and it was delicious — not too sweet. The brownie a la mode was tasty too.
The employees (I think one was the owner) were all great, very friendly and helpful. I’ve been wanting to check this coffee house out for years and I’m glad I finally did. Can’t wait to go back!