Cafe 976
Category: Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhood: Pacific Beach976 Felspar St
(between Bayard St & Cass St)
San Diego, CA 92109 (858) 272-0976
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Breakfast, Lunch
- Alcohol: None
92 Reviews for Cafe 976
3+ stars (it's still better than Zanzibar). Cool little place. Pretty good quality and variety of food and drinks. Lots of seating, mostly outside though. Being in the midst of a patch of trees and other greenery is a nice touch as well.
Gets really crowded though so as a study spot, it's just so so. And with the crowds is a potentially long wait for food and/or drinks.
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This is quick... Great food (salads and paninis especially). Bad coffee and latte's. Great atmosphere. REALLY crowded on weekends.
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I wish I had known about this place when I was in high school. Not that I would have come all that often, seeing as how I never did the whole "studying in a cafe" thing until grad school, but this place is really cute. Reasonably priced, free wifi, good food, fun servers, and great atmosphere. I love the converted house feeling.
One drawback is the lack of easy parking, but once you find a spot, you're golden. Like other reviewers have mentioned, the wait for food can be pretty long.
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I love this place!!! I have been going here for years and would have written earlier had I been hip to yelp as I would recommend it to anyone. They just changed things around a bit....you now have table service instead of waiting in a ridiculous line which just makes things better in my opinion. Call me lazy, but having someone wait on me while i read in the garden or nurse a hangover is awesome.
Contrary to what some have said, the staff has always been really nice and real...not over the top PB perky, but genuine, and that goes a long way in my book.
What else....Coffee is good, food is good (but can take a while on busy days so don't come in ready to rush) and the old house thing is always fun and cozy....oh, and the fish tacos are delicious.
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This is one of my favorite spots in town to "work on location." The scenery is beautiful, the food is pretty darn good (all about the soy-rizo breakfast burritos), and the coffee/tea drinks are pretty good as well. On the tea tip, you gotta try the "sport tea." Good stuff!
The wifi can be a little spotty, but MGMT has always been cool enough to restart the contraption that allows me to watch porn and illegally download music on the patio. KIDDING! Or not....
One thing though, and I can't fault 976 for it, is the birds. They crap on stuff like it's going out of style. NEVER, I repeat, NEVER sit under the trees if you're eating, or doing work on your laptop. Me and a friend were there recently, and a bird shat on her everything bagel...so I guess it really DID have everything, huh? Another bird dropped a deuce on my finger, and another bird crapped on my friend's computer, directly on the #2 key. I kid you not.
Birds with bowel problems--not cool
Coffee/breakfast outdoors near the ocean--cool
Eat, drink, be merry...but never sit under a tree. Unless you're the type that likes to be defecated on. AKA, women with Daddy issues.
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While I personally enjoyed this place, my wife felt like she was getting way too much attitude from the holier-than-thou hippies here, and that had her upset. In truth, we did walk in here and waited about 5 to 10 minutes before we had any kind of acknowledgment as to our presence. We clearly could see the barrista was busy, but a simple, "I'll be right with you," would have put everyone at ease.
When finally order we did, we both got the Blue Sky coffee, an excellent choice. I accompanied my coffee with a maple scone which was very tasty, far superior to anything you'd find at Starbucks. My wife chose to get a toasted onion bagel with cream cheese. Alas, nonchalance struck our waiter again as it was at least 10-15 minutes before we finally got our bagel. I didn't want to appear rude, but dude, stop doing bong hits and get me my fucking bagel already, aiit? Look, I lived in Berkeley long enough to feel the adverse effects of nitrous oxide, so it's not like I'm utterly clueless. Still, you might want to consider saving whatever precious few brain cells remain.
So all in all it was a disappointment. While the cafe itself is a beautiful villa with a gorgeous backyard, there's simply too much attitude from the waitstaff. 976 gets a mere 3 stars because of it.
Yes its adorable -- I've gone here many times because of the adorable-ness of the garden atmosphere... so if you want to eat at an adorable cafe this is a good place to go.
However.... if you don't want to eat mediocre food, or have to deal with a wait staff that seems confused and quite possibly stoned then you might want to go somewhere else.
2 of the times I've been here 2 different waiters didn't have a pen left to go find one and didn't come back right away.
One of the times I was there my cooked breakfast was out 20 minutes before my friend's yogurt bowl.
Everything takes a long - ass - time.
Good if you aren't in a rush I suppose.
I lived up the street for a couple of years. It's our favorite coffeeshop-type place to get breakfast, read the paper and people watch in PB. Admittedly, Garnet has better people watching...but I don't like any of the places.
976 has rotating art displays (as a photographer, I look forward to seeing a photog featured every now and then).
The coffee is good, the food is OK (except for the fruit waffle which is off the chain!!!) and we just enjoy going here.
It's not the fastest...but that's why you come here. It's easy, nice and shaded, good people watching, good food and you burn a very enjoyable hour...and the beach is next door.
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Mmmmm...yummy times at 976. It's cute, unique (especially for the area), and moderately priced.
It can get pretty crowded at peak hours, in which case the service turns to molasses. I kept imagining the scene in "The Devil Wears Prada" when Miranda tells Andrea, "By all means move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me". I mean it's nice to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather, but I'd rather do it because I'm being pokey, not because it's been 30 minutes and I still don't have my breaky.
Free wifi. Watch out for bird poop and flying insects that can sting you.
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F CAFE 976
I'm about to go up in there and run that bitch like the guy from Hell's Kitchen, i'm gonna knock the f'ing bong out of the waitresses hands and make them get to work!
they'd be all: bro.. your totally harshin our mellow here..
yeah your damn right i am
The staff at Cafe 976 works like a bunch of disgruntled DMV employees, its evident that they know they are getting 20% tip no matter what service they give.
thats right! management sees fit to INCLUDE A TIP WITHOUT EVEN ASKING YOU how much or even if you want to tip.
I'm over this place. Take your hippie vibe, your awesome food and your 20% tip and shove it up your ass.
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update: I keep hearing horrid things about the owner from other PB residents, and I do agree that the staff generally give off the angry vibe. I think I'm finally retiring from 976
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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02/05/2008
So, I've been studying here for years. I highly suggest the Indian Tuna Curry sandwich. The outdoor… Read more »
The service here blows, at least it does for breakfast. Heaven forbid I get a glass of water to cure my hangover-induced thirst. It took ~10 minutes for just the water to come. With foresight, I asked for the check when the food arrived.
I found it funny how a Yelper thought you could "find respite from the PB crowd" at Cafe 976. Ummm......Cafe 976 is PB and PB is Cafe 976. I don't know about the guys, but the girls that were there are the cookie cutter PB girls. That's not a bad thing cookie cutter PB girl = hot girl. If you are called a cookie cutter PB girl, thank them for the compliment then make fun of that person by pointing out their lack of a beautiful body and the lack of a nice tan.
Oh, and Heaven also forbid that my smoothie come out in a reasonable time. It wasn't a smoothie either; more like juice or a melted smoothie.
Some parts of the patio had just too much nature for me. The entire time, I had to worry about getting stung by a bee, attacked by a wasp, nuked by bird shit, and other nature shenanigans.
Boils down to this: a crappy cafe in a nice, patio setting albeit one with too many bugs. But I'd like to come back for lunch sometime.
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Love this place.
Fantastic outdoor seating with birds (aggressive), breeze, and choice of sun or shade. Good people watching.
The food is really good and so is the coffee. I like the staff; they're fun to talk to and genuine. No Starbucks fake peppiness here.
It's more expensive than the competition, but it's worth it. If I wanted all coffeeshops to charge the same price I'd go back in time and live in the U.S.S.R.*
*mental note: the U.S.S.R. ran out of coffee in 1989
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I went here on Sunday July 6. Yes it was July 4th weekend so I expected a crowd but luckily we were able to get seated within 5 minutes. The waittress took our order and we got our coffee nice and fast. But the problem is it took well over 1hour to get our food. I would say it took about 1hr and 30 minutes just for an breakfast burrito and another order of eggs. The food was great and all and the ambiance was cool. I would give that a 5 stars. But the wait was just too long and I would give that a 1 star and thats why overall I gave it just a 3.
If you have a lot of time on your hand and are okay with a 2hr long breakfast then this is the place to be. But if you want a nomal 30 min to less than an hour breakfast I would go someplace else.
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The atmosphere is absolutely fantastic! The seating outdoors was so quant and special, and on a warm summer day you can easily get a little tan! Unfortunately, the service is absolutely terrible, although the waitress we had today was so nice. The food took about 40 minutes to come out, and my order was completely messed up (asked for no cheese and no mayo on my sandwich, of course it came out with it). They also forgot the main dish of one of my gf's with me (the acai bowl- pretty good, a little watery). The bathroom was disgusting-- needs a little tlc. Personally, I wouldn't go there again-- Zanzibar is better and just around the corner.
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Cafe 976 is the place I go whenever I need to remind myself how blessed I am to live in San Diego, whether I'm enjoying 80 degree weather in November or February when my friends are fighting the cold or, better yet, snow in their places of residence, or when I just want to be outside, enjoy some good food, and get some work done in the comfortable shade of a garden with tiny birds flitting around. Afterwards I usually wander down to the beach to enjoy the sunset, aww.
I prefer Cafe 976 at lunchtime or afternoons on weekdays when it's a bit less crowded, though there are almost always seats for everyone on the patio or porch. I've actually never tried to sit indoors, though if you need to plug in your laptop, that's where you'll have to be. While most people go to a cafe for the drinks, I am almost always there for the food!! The sandwiches and salads are absolutely delicious, and my vegetarian heart is so pleased by all the options. The spinach burger is fantastic, and the portabello sandwich is incredibly flavorful. Sometimes I opt for a cup of veggie chili with a salad, and sometimes I just want to stuff my face with a huge salad practically overflowing from a deep bowl. Smoothies are also a smart option, and you can't go wrong with iced tea.
A few caveats, though: sometimes lines are long, and the servers and kitchen alike get a little frazzled and frantic and may not be super friendly. It's on the pricey side for lunch fare, though the side salad makes it worth it. For purchases under $10, you'll get charged a fee to use a credit card, and you need to remember to ask for the code to use the free wi-fi. And, well, it's PB, athough comfortably set away from hectic Garnet, sometimes people get a bit boisterous, shall we say. But all in all, it's a lovely experience at Cafe 976 and I think it shows off the best of San Diego living.
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I do not like PB. Sorry. I don't like the bars, I don't like the beach. Often, I don't like the people. If you are reading this and you live there, I apologize. I'll give you bonus point because you're yelping. But as for your neighbors: tell the boys to lay off the protein powder and the girls to stay out of the tanning salon. Yes I'm stereotyping and yes I'm OK with it.
OK, that being said, Cafe 976 is wonderful. Its the diamond in the rough, the light at the end of the tunnel etc. etc.
The food is really great. I'm usually opposed to paying $8 for a sandwich, but these are worth it. That acai bowl they have is amazing. Get it with everything. Perfect for a hot summer day. The staff is equally nice and pretty witty too. I'll pay $8 to have sarcastic stoners/wannabe Rastas making my sandwich just for sheer entertainment purposes. Who knows, maybe they actually are Rastas.
Lastly, the atmosphere is tranquil. The few times I've been everybody has been very respectful of others and of the place. The outside patio is an oasis of relaxation in a sea of obnoxiousness (yes, that's a word now).
I'd give it five stars if it wasn't in PB.
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Esc key, this one's for you.
So here I am enjoying a most beautiful San Diego day with my co-worker and pal, Ruggy J. We just polished off a chilled glass of pomegranate infused sport tea and two massive soy chorizo breakfast burritos (yes, I actually didn't require meat in my burrito, amazing) and I am really feeling in tune with the beautiful surroundings, the people watching and the tranquil atmosphere and then.....
A bird just shat on my computer!
What the shit? Holy Crap! Yep, all of the above. And people wonder why I glow in the dark and never go outside. God damn birds!!!
For the full laugh-o-minute report, click here: http://www.yelp.com/to...
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Go here. This place is awesome. They have free wifi (for nerds like me). They have a great variety of breakfast/lunch items on the menu, and also lots of vegetarian options too. I came here by myself while I was on vacation over Easter and my friend was in church (being a Jew, I had nothing to do). I came her with the intention of working on my thesis and eating lunch while the friend was in church, but ended up eating and mostly people watching. This is a great people watching spot because they have a large patio area to eat outside and it's right on a corner, so it's prime people-watching territory.
The service was a bit slow because they were super and busy and apparently someone called in sick (on Easter, imagine that), but that's ok. I was in no rush, so was no problem at all.
Oh, and I guess there are no refills of soda, but the guy behind the counter told me that he's give me one because I'm cute :)
A great meal, nice atmosphere, and a self-esteem booster...next time I'm in San Diego I'm going back for sure.
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Great food, although it can take a long time to get certain sandwiches. Great atmosphere, too and the pricing is totally reasonable. So much stuff for the vegitarian! Yea!
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This place rocks. Free internet make sit a great place to study. the cool people make it a great place to get distracted from said studying....
And the food is excellent, just be ready to refinance your home to have lunch there.
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Where the hell is the entrance to this place! My first impression was I see everyone sitting outside partaking in a morning meal and coffee (or tea or OJ or some other sort of tasty beverage), but was I supposed to bring my machete to hack through the shrubbery to get over there. Good thing I had the guidance of another who had been here previously (you may want to consider the same if you've never been).
After making my way through their urban jungle entrance, a long line awaited ahead of me, behind the line, was a menu of awesomeness, I was almost overwhelmed by how awesome it was! It was a good thing the menu was so awesome, because I would have been really upset to wait as long as I did to order something from a not-so awesome menu.
I joined the rest of my party outside with my coffee in hand and my awesome food was brought to me while I enjoyed the awesome day on their awesome patio.
Awesome... Just awesome...
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Love this place!
It's been a couple of years since I've been over here, but love the patio-- particularly on a Sat. or Sun. morning. Very nice place to sit and read the morning paper-- or have a casual chat with a date or friend. The last time I was there, you could take your dogs.
Very laid back atmosphere.
Really enjoyed the birds chirping, the outdoor umbrellas, and the nice spring day. Reminds me a lot of "The Cottage" in La Jolla-- only you go in to place your order, and you wait on yourself once seated.
Which reminds me...
I need to go back over there and take my dogs--
They would love this place!
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The vegetarian burrito I ordered had chicken in it. When I alerted the counterperson, he said "it's only one small piece of chicken" -- I thought it was dismissive and rude. I could have gotten very sick, and actually there was more than one piece but I had to have my non-vegetarian friend confirm for me that the mystery cubes were chicken. And even if it were one little piece, it's not what I ordered.
We waited well over half an hour (at 3:30 pm on a Wednesday - totally off peak hours) for a burrito and a sandwich. (reasonable at a restaurant but NOT at a counter cafe in the PM, IMO)
I do not recommend ordering food here, clearly their facilities are unclean and their service unreliable.
However, the garden and building are beautiful and the coffee was awesome and I'm a sucker for coffee so can't help but give this place a star more than I feel it truly deserves.
Also, we sat next to a woman who was talking quite loudly to herself which was kind of entertaining.
omg when i drove by here i was sooo excited to eat. its so cute its outside like in the yard and tables are situated like under and around a big tree, in between flower bushes...it awesome. i give it 4 stars for the concept and the vibe. you immediately feel like youre at a friends house and the staff is awesome!! and i love eating like really outdoors.
the food is good...good sandwiches and salads and breakfast. i would take a star off bc it was sooooo slooooow. like we prob waited at least 45 mins for one sandwich and one salad. no water refills. that sucks. i mean it was lunch time and they were maybe 70% full...but the wait was so bad that we couldnt even wait [ we had to go to work] for the check to come. but dont fret- we waaay overpaid! lol
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I'm not a big coffee shop guy, but I keep coming back to 976. Good breakfast, good coffee, and great outdoor seating.
I give it 4 stars only because I wanted to give it a 5, but a 5 means it's perfect and I have no suggestions as to how it could be better. But being the picky person that I am, I have one suggestion: Serve breakfast food combos where you can have both sweet and salty in one order.
Other than that, it was great. I went there Easter Sunday, and the garden was a PERFECT background to my Easter attire. It's quaint, cute, and exactly what I would want for a relaxed weekend brunch. I have high expectations, coming from trendy spot LA, and this is definitely making me re-think San Diego.
The waitress was so friendly and the wait was short (even considering it was easter sunday!) the oaxacan breakfast and banana/walnut/granola waffle was a delicious combo.
I'd totally recommend it to anyone that comes to SD!
Ok, so they haven't in the past been the most friendliest servers or the fastest. But I do think they are improving. I visited there last weekend and had the best service I have ever received, fast, professional and the food was amazing!!!!!
Best Cafe in San Diego. The perfect place to go relax and find respite from the PB crowd.
The best coffee in town. Way better than Starbucks and much cooler place to hang out!
Definitely a top spot for breakfast. There's plenty of outside tables (shade and sun), the food is A-1, the coffee is just right, and there's wireless. I'm not sure what else there could be really. Do take your patience though, the line can be a little trying at high times.
The spinach burger is the best here and I also like the Yerba Mate Latte. The service is very slow otherwise I would go out of my way more often to go there. I wouldnt say the service was completely bad... the people are very nice but they need to pick up the pace since I can wait thirty minutes for my food and this wasnt on weekends.
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It would really be five stars if it weren't for the treatment I received here by the owner, or waiter, or whoever those two guys were. I mean I love the food here (especially the Indian Tuna Curry sandwich like Megan below me has recommended) and the coffee's not half bad, but dude...the quality of service is so erratic here. Sometimes you'd get the friendliest baristas and rudest waiters, or vice versa, and etc.
This one time I was there I was left with a really disgusted impression of the place. So I was doing some work with a couple of friends there in a corner room, and we spent about $30 ordering food and drinks. After we ate, we pushed the dishes to one side and proceeded with work. I'd occasionally look up to see one of the waiters glaring at me, and since I hadn't been there for a while I was starting to wonder if they had a new rule where you bring the dishes back to the front after you finished.
About 15 minutes of this the waiter came over after one of my friends A left the table to order more food. He pretty much scolded us for being there without having food, and then tore off a sign of the wall (that was not visible to us from our seats) . He told us to leave our spot since we didn't have food on our table even though we did buy our lunch there. We told him we'll just wait for the third person to come back and we'll move. I resumed working, and about five minutes later some guy came and smashed down a sign saying "no outside food allowed" in front of me and left without a word or even looking at me. I was so confused until friend B pointed out that A had a bag from a neighboring grocery store on her seat.
I just made a big deal out of the incident, but hell, I'll still go back to this place cause the sandwiches are yummy. I'm just saying, I've definitely learned my lesson.
Oh, and soon they're going to have waiters seat you. Until then it's take a number and find your own seats.
Cafe 976 is by and large my favorite coffee shop in the San Diego area (Not true anymore - see edit). Even my decidedly snobbish tendencies can't keep me from liking such a popular pick.
Off the bat, I'm giving 976 four stars instead of five for one reason: the price of the food. Simply put, it's expensive. And I don't have much money. Not exactly the ideal combination. Of course, to much of the PB socialite crowd that packs this place on weekend mornings, this isn't so much of a problem.
976 has some great drinks, such as my personal favorite, the Nutty Irishman (espresso, mint, hazelnut, and milk). The drinks, while good, aren't made at a consistent quality (but then again, cafes that are able to accomplish this are very few and far between). Over the past few years, i've definitely picked out the individual baristas I can count on for well-made drinks.
Most people cite 976's atmosphere as the reason they enjoy this place so much, and I've gotta say that the praise is warranted. The outdoor garden is a delight to sit in for hours on end, and even the inside's wooden surroundings are painted in vibrant colors, allowing for a near-pastoral sensation. Whenever I do sit inside, I feel a little bit like I'm sitting in a giant wooden toy house, which is a fantastic feeling.
Free WiFi is always a big plus, but electrical outlets are sorta hard to come by, so lay your claim when you can. The crowds of people never fail to entertain on days you hang out there with no agenda, as stories of hookups, (un)employment, parties, religion, and even the occasional faked pregnancy travel through the umbrage and into the pleasure center of your brain.
Their music playlist ranges from Dylan to The Decemberists, from Marley to MJ. Watch for people like me who sit there, drink in hand, singing along silently to Man in the Mirror. It's worth your time.
EDIT:
I've decided to dock 976 a star because of what seems like an increasingly hostile attitude toward its customers. Though I'd only heard and read those "this place is for eating ONLY" experiences, I've now become a so-called victim, as well as multiple-occasion bystander. The now-password protected wifi is kind of a pain, especially when the person behind the counter half-shoves, half-throws a tiny sliver of paper at you with the password.
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976 is HIGH on my "If I ever left San Diego (god forbid) I'd definitely come back here when visiting" list. Maybe I'll put one of those together. Anyhow, it's also one of my favorite locations for lunch meetings as well as a weekend gathering venue for friends. As far as location, it's the preferred 1 block off the proverbial beaten path. For San Diego it has a friendly/homestyle/organic vibe, lots of outdoor seating, good California-style food, coffee and heck... you can check your email via free wi-fi while looking at the latest works from local artists. Nice.
My preferred lunch is the Caprese Sandwich on Focaccia, add grilled chicken (or not for veggies) and an extra side of balsamic dressing for dipping. It's hard to pass up the Acai Bowl as well.
Worth a moderate, yet not excessive wait in line. If too busy, hit either Cantina or Cass St. Bar & Grill and vice versa. Parking can be an issue on summer weekends, and considering thats 9 months out of the year, plan ahead.
Great for Meetings, Studying, Coffee Talk, Breakfast and Lunch.
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Great food, great garden , horrible service!
Awesome cafe, free wi-fi with a purchase, great place to sit and relax, large variety of teas, good food.
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nice cafe to sit outside or on the wrap around patio, but their espresso was definitely on the bitter & acidic side. I'd go back for the garden, but stick to regular coffee.
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I hate hunting for parking around here. I usually end up parking in the BoA lot across the street and praying I don't get a ticket/towed. I've been here to study a couple times, but it's a little hard to concentrate with the constant flow of people in here. I've tried a sandwich here- but can't remember any impressions... The coffee wasn't bad. Don't forget to ask for a stamp card.
Can't believe I never ate her or came her while I lived in SD for 8 years!
Cute little corner cafe/coffee shop/sandwich and breakfast shop with free wifi, an outdoor patio and garden with seating and great people watching of the eye candy that is known to be in PB.
Food is typical breakfast and light lunch options, along with coffee drinks, and fruit smoothies. Go in, order, sit at a table and wait for them to call your #. Pretty simple. Even on a Saturday morning, there was not much of a wait, maybe 4 people ahead of me. Also since it's a few blocks off of Garnet, the parking is not as atrocious as it normally is in PB.
My soy chorizo burrito was so good, that I forgot it wasn't even real chorizo!
