Phenomenal Coffee, lovely staff, and perfect atmosphere. Will come again to try their other wonderful flavors of blended coffees.Current drink Im having is Creme Brulee🤤👌😋

A cool local coffee shop with steampunk vibes. This place has been around for forever and always has reliably good coffee and food. The internet is usually reliable too. Spacious indoor and outdoor seating. I do wish they had recycle ♻️ bins for all the plastic.They also have live music some evenings.Support local!

Had the best sandwich ever! Turkey and cranberry on squaw bread! Finished it with cappuccino on the patio. Very friendly staff and very nice atmosphere!!! Bringing a friend next rime!

Such a chill coffee shop. I could hang out here all day! Its such a relaxed vibe mixed with really cool decor. And the firepits are awesome! Lots of great food and coffee options as well. And the staff are very friendly. Just an all around 5 star experience. Favorite coffee shop in all of Cali.

A very cool and unique place with a friendly staff. I started my morning with their hot and flavorful latte.

Exactly the cute, unique atmosphere I’ve been looking for in local coffee shops. Excellent for studying, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. A new favorite for sure!

Friendly staff, good tea, and food. Good value and comfortable, nice environment. Erin, the owner as well as the staff treat me like family!

THIS PLACE RULES! I love the green tea latte and they are always super nice!

This is a walk up to the counter to order kind of place. Friendly smiles! Fresh lemonade! Limited, light menu. My croissant egg sandwich was too salty.

1. Excellent Wifi. 2. Ample space for conversations and collaborations especially for College students with laptops. 3.Ample food and beverage options. 4. Pricey for caffeinated beverages compared to Starbucks.

Great spot for a quick brunch and great avocado toast!

Yummy cheddar sesame bagel with decaf coffee for networking and jump start my sales day. Good morning

Our new favorite coffee shop! We recently moved to San Marcos and came across this coffee shop when driving around the area. Their coffee is really good; they also offer food like bagels, sandwiches, salads, toasts, cookies..., which are also all really good! It’s a great place to grab a quick bite or to stay at for working/studying. Service is also always great!Definitely check it out if you are in the area!

This place is better than Starbucks hands down. College coffee spot vibe.

First time eating here everything was delicious

Great atmosphere for meeting friends or studying...coffee is excellent... cool vibes ☕🌟🌟🌟

This is one of the cutest coffee shops I’ve ever been to, with comfy couches, outlets to charge your devices, and an assortment of vegan and gluten free foods. Of course they also have great coffee :) Staff is very friendly and overall this place just seems like a very upbeat local gathering spot.

Easy location off the 78 at San Marcos Blvd. Easy parking & plenty of comfortable seating inside & out. Favorites, Turkey Cranberry sandwich & Iced Americano.

I very much appreciate how early is this place open

Food was good they need a few more coffee options beyond the one blend of costa rico available to black coffee drinkers.

This place is an absolute must see. The decor and feel inside is so cute and they have a great selection for a coffee house. Gelato Icecream - 🍪 great variety of coffee and sandwiches!!

I drive from Escondido to get the cold brew here. The staff is so friendly and their specialty drinks are great too. Skip that big chain down the street and visit here instead!

Ive been here a couple times and I love it! The coffee and food are always great (I highly recommend the crème burley latte). The staff is super friendly and the atmosphere is incredible. A great place to relax and catch up with friends or study. This will definitely become a regular meeting spot for me and my friends.

Wow! Coming back to this place is always a treat!!! The indoor seating is also fairly well spread out! And great staff!

Super cute spot. Lovely patio outside with plenty of tables, chairs and umbrellas. Awesome inside, tasty coffee and attentive friendly staff.

Great relaxed atmosphere. Great coffee and friendly service. I love meeting with friends here because its supporting small businesses in the local community. With the Covid shut downs small businesses have been hurt the most so I want to do anything and everything I can to support the good ones and this place definitely is one of the best.

Great cozy cafe with a relaxing environment, unique vibes, and extremely helpful staff! Plus, they have private rooms for groups up to 25 people! Would highly recommend. I come here all the time after class and for study groups.

Always good coffee. Firepits. Sometimes live music

Nice atmosphere. Very relaxing. Good coffee too.

Great atmosphere, friendly staff and good coffee!

For starters social distancing was not a thing. The food is less than average, especially for the price they are charging., ordered bacon on our sandwiches and got one piece. The wait for the food was long. Their coffee was bitter and when asked if we could have more flavor syrup added vbecauas it was bitter was told it will cost extra. Would not recommend and will be telling friends not to go.

Good vibes. Good coffeeeee

Coffee is a little strong but food is good.

I have but one word to describe this place; horrific. It looks like no one has cleaned in decades. The espresso was so burned and over extracted all you could get was bitter, it almost tasted charred -- not even sure how that much of an over extraction was humanly possible? The egg was way over cooked, disgustingly oily, it wasnt butter, the croissant was also seeping in oil. There was no salt to speak of, but the avocado was fine.In a time in which businesses are struggling; youd think that the business owners would be giving it their all. I find that not to be the case with this place. $20 literally into the trash, along with the egg scramble and the coffees.

This place has been updated recently revisited...and now there delivery services are perfect..they had received a 1 star from the beginning but now..that the error was fixed the rating must be (corrected)

Great neighborhood coffee shop. The outside patio is just perfect to relax and enjoy your coffee.

The greatest cafe in San Marcos ( one of the best in North county).- gluten free bagels as well!, - Amazing tasting and fresh breakfast sandwiches.- coffee is crazy good.- atmosphere is the best Ive been too for relaxing and enjoying a calm break with outdoor fire pits and calm lighting indoors.Perfect for studying.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Old ladies like it.Erin is the best.

Nice cafe with wifi

Fun coffee house. Live music, nice fire pits and relaxing atmosphere. Really enjoyable place to have a cup of coffee or a snack. Tasty gelato or shakes too! Great location by restaurant row. Lots of parking too!

I like this place! Always take a cup of coffee there on my way to work.

Great seating area but the coffee is alright

Favorite Coffee House HANDS DOWN!!!!! We love this place. Have celebrated birthdays, good report cards, had play dates, and girls nights, enjoyed the firepit, and yes their food, coffee and service is stupendous! Thank you Erin for your dedication to Old Cal Coffee, and staying open during COVID. Thank you for adapting and the wonderful drive through service!!! (We heart you)

Nice people. Cool ambiance. Cant wait 2 hear music hear soon

Great place always has been good food even better now outside dining around fire pits or under umbrellas happening now.

I love the ambience here. It beats the environment of the chained cafe, as it offers cozy and vintage sitting areas for lounge, study, or simple conversation. You can enjoy your coffee inside on a couch, or outside at the fire-pit while listening to live music.The vegan chili and split pea soup with bacon are definite comfort foods on the menu. I feel that the menu is pretty diverse for such a small cafe and the ingredients are all healthy and natural. Their sandwiches are fresh and hearty with taste.The service is very warm, and I noticed the owner referred to frequent customers by name. I came here when I first moved to the San Diego area 5 years ago. I was away 3 years and was pleased to return to the same familiar and homey setting.I highly recommend this cafe!

I love this place! Great coffee, yummy food, and amazing staff!

This place is hot... as in no air conditioning and even at night in the dead of fall I was insanely warm. The drinks are good and there are plenty of tables with Student-friendly Internet. They have never bothered me when I camp out all day and their couch with lights display is pretty iconic for the area.

I always come here on weekends to enjoy some fantastic music.They dont always have a complete band but when they do its great.Love their Mexican Hot Chocolate and Banana nut bread. Some good stuff .Definitely recommend it. Small location fills up fast but still great place.

Amazing coffee, staff and atmosphere. I highly recommend.

Drinks are always excellent. Nice vibe, and super friendly staff. Indoor seating, and outdoor seating with fire pits. They have live music on occasion. Fairly rustic. Lots of dining options nearby, so this is a good after-dinner option for a warm drink.

Local coffee is alive and well in San Marcos! If you miss the way coffee houses used to be, Old Cal Coffee is the place to go! Local ambiance and run by REAL, LOCAL PEOPLE!! Unique art all around, mismatched furniture, and even an upright piano is in this coffee shop.This iconic San Marcos coffee house is where everyone goes. Ample seating, indoors and out. A great place to hang out, study, meet for business, or just chill. Old Cal Coffee not only has an assortment of traditional coffee drinks, there is a variety of food to order, too. Healthy options and yummy desserts to balance everything out are available. BONUS BONUS: THERE IS ALWAYS PARKING!!! A must see and must do for years and years!

Very nice lunch. Relaxing outside with my 90-year old dad and my cousin and enjoying a meal and good conversation. Thanks old cal coffee. Great job!!

Found my new coffee spot near campus! Chill vibe. Great menu. Amazing staff. I had the breakfast sandwich and an iced tea, delicious! Mostly thank you to the staff for being so welcoming and inviting. I felt right at home when I walked in.

Nice set-up. I enjoyed the spicy chicken sandwich and coffee gelato. Way too much milk in the iced white mocha, so I had to add another espresso shot to taste the coffee flavor.

Not a fan of the coffee. Not very high quality nor extracted/brewed for a good taste. Atmosphere is cool but coffee is average. Havent tried their food but not really high on my list.

Such a cool place. Good coffee and sandwiches. Relaxing vibe and cool music. A mix of college students and older. Cozy atmosphere.

Best Chai I’ve ever had, and I’ve had a lot of chai.

We had planned to eat breakfast elsewhere, but it was Easter Sunday and nearly everything was closed.We Googled and found the Old California Coffee location. It was fantastic. Bagel sandwich for me and a wrap for my wife. Everything was delicious. We were very pleased.

Bullet Excavation gives this 5 star !, Keep it up !

I love the location and feel of this coffee house. Unfortunately that is all. I feel they were going for too much with the gelato and foods and could have focused more on coffee and fresh baked items to enjoy with your coffee. The ambience outside cannot be beat but a small count upon entry was an immediate turn off and I went elsewhere for coffee and a fresh baked good. Too bad. I was looking forward to something closer. I am also willing to revisit should I see changes occur!

Great food & servers

The coffees and teas are really good. The food and pastries are tasty. Its usually pretty busy. The fire pits and live music are a nice touch that keeps them in mind for social meet-ups with friends or family.

Coffee was yummy and we had a slice of pumpkin bread that tasted very fresh.Seating in-front of 🔥 was nice 👍

Love this place, it is so cozy to hang out with your loved one and so relaxing when you want to hang out with friends. The staff are very nice and welcoming.

Great beverage options and pastries.

Probably the hippest coffee spot in the San Marcos area. A good getaway from your everyday Starbucks atmosphere. Food can be a bit pricey though. The inside is comfortable and cozy and outside theres fire pits! The staff is friendly and oh yeah, theres a piano.

Good place, staff are very friendly

Quaint little coffee shop right in the heart of San Marcos. Coffee was great, but the food was only adequate. It was clear their focus was on the drinks. Very student friendly which is nice to see considering its 5 minutes from Palomar and CSUSM.

Love this place! Coffee and food is delicious.

Love their coffee drinks and gelato. The ambience was rustic yet warm. The staff are always friendly and responsive. Definitely a very cozy and quiet place to hangout on your own or with friends!

Cute spot for coffee and quick bites.

They are all around wonderful every time!!!

Very rustic but warm ambiance. Nice coffee drinks . Staff was friendly and responsive.

Southwestern Chicken 🐔 Wrap ! Chili 🌶️ !

Great service and nice atmosphere. Lots of people working or meeting so space can be limited but overall a solid unique coffee shop.

I have had nothing but positive experiences with Old California Coffee House. Their coffee is really good and I love their acai bowls. Additionally, their prices are really reasonable. They also offer a great environment to study in. Its really cute inside too, with comfy couches to lounge on. And if theres nice weather outside, the staff will light up the fire pit outside for guests. They are also super LGBTQ+ friendly and host LGBTQ Coffee groups (monthly).

Friendly setting to read, doing computer work or just surfing, listening to live music, chilling...😊

Oh so amazing the tea is delicious the coffees great the bagels are yummy have an awesome day

Nice traditional coffee shop. Excellent ambiance. Used to have music every Friday. This had been curtailed due to the cost. Now occasional music on Saturdays, sometimes.

Great place for coffee, networking, business meetings, or just hanging out. They have good live music on the weekends; usually acoustic musicians. My wife and I will go here after having dinner in Restaurant Row and grab a hot chocolate or apple pie a la mode. And... the owner Craig is the best!

Great place to eat. Awesome sandwiches and soups. Excellent smoothies. Staff is always very friendly and professional.

The drinks are amazing and the food is so delicious!! I love the atmosphere as well! I frequently spend hours at a time there getting all of my work done.

Fun staff and great food. Perfect for business meetings.

Love the atmosphere, super comfortable setting. A home like feel.

The food was not good! Thin Precooked Frozen bacon, oven baked scrambled eggs... Patio was nice to sit out on under trees.

From that time, 2 years ago, when music there was stopped I and my husband are not going there anymore, coffee is bad, atmosphere is not warm... Former owner of this coffee shop Greg was very good man, musicians were amazing... no Greg, no music, no more fun

We enjoyed our coffee and hot cocoa. Fire pits feel nice on a cool evening.

Very cute coffee shop! They have board games for you to play, a separate room you can reserve for meetings and lots of outdoor seating. They have typical coffee shop food plus delicious gelato. They have several vegan options too!

I guess that I am cheap. The food is excellent, the service is great the coffee is perfect, but I think that the prices are a little high. We go here after a bike ride every Wednesday. I recommend the place for quality and service.

Quaint little cafe, very cozy and welcoming. Croissant scramble sandwich was fresh and hot. Nice place to stick around and relax in. Loved it!

Nice looking coffeehouse with good outdoor seating. The iced latte was average and the regular coffee good. Enjoyed sitting outside on the patio.

They need more people working there maybe that can improve the services and the cleaning

I would like to give this a higher rating, however the prices are extremely high. I love their green tea latte’s and Mexican hot chocolate, however $6 for 16 oz -hit too hard on pocketbook.

My favorite coffee shop!

First time here b/c of a coupon. I wouldnt have known it was here. We tried calling in our order, but no one answered for 10 mins. When we got to the coffee shop we immediately let the girl know we had a coupon, but she didnt seem enthusiastic about it. The coupon was buy a sandwich, get one free. There were no restrictions whatsoever. The lady said we couldnt do breakfast sandwiches even tho coupon didnt say there were restrictions. I asked if I can do an avocado sandwich, but she didnt even acknowledge what I said and offered a different sandwich with a one word statement. As we waited, we asked for the wifi password and she said its on the bottom if the receipt. We didnt get one so she said, would you like another receipt. Im over here thinking, well we asked for the password and you said its at the bottom of the receipt, so my answer is yes. The customer service isnt just good. The food was decent, but not many options if youre vegetarian. I will not return anytime soon. Place is cute tho.

Great home-style soup, sandwiches and more! Boho comfort in a cute little cafe in Restaurant Row, San Marcos. Menu choices for every picky eater, food is delicious and the portions are filling. WIFI for those just looking for a comfy, quiet spot to sip coffee or tea. Patio dining too. Gets busy around the lunch hour.

Cozy local coffee shop. My Americano was excellent as well as the breakfast sandwich. Indoor or outdoor seating. Just be aware the birds are aggressive.

Oustanding drinks. Great atmosphere. If you’re in the area and want a place to grab a coffee or read you should definitely check it out.

My first visit, and Ive only had the Chai Tea Latte, which was delicious and reasonably priced. Ill be happy to go back and try more selections.