Clean Beach Coffee — Restaurant in La Union

I’m a local from Elyu and have been to Clean Beach many times. My partner and I went here back in 2023, and I noticed they added a new coffee station on the right side facing the beach. Before, it was just chairs and tables in that spot.

Sadly, we had a not-so-great experience at that new coffee station. My partner loves coffee and enjoys asking about the beans, the brew, and where they come from. But the barista we encountered didn’t seem to appreciate the questions at all. She wasn’t even smiling, barely made eye contact, and her eyebrows were almost touching—like she was really annoyed or pissed. It was honestly uncomfortable. You know, my partner is from Mindanao, and I really wanted her to have a good experience here in La Union. She stayed here for 11 days, and that moment with the barista was the worst social encounters she had. I felt embarrassed, because that one interaction gave a bad impression of a place I’ve always liked.

What made it even more disappointing is that on Clean Beach’s social media pages, they often showcase their baristas like they’re the best, like they’re friendly, passionate, and full of personality. But what we experienced was the complete opposite. Sure, maybe that barista is skilled or technically trained, but attitude and genuine passion for what they do should be the top priority. Being “the best” shouldn’t just mean being good at pouring coffee—it should also mean treating customers well and being proud to share the craft.

On the other hand, the staff at the original coffee and bar area on the left side have always been approachable and warm. They’ve got great energy, and I’ve never had a problem with them. It’s just unfortunate that one new person could throw off the vibe like that.

That said, the view is still beautiful. It brings back memories of the days we’d come here for breakfast after my graveyard shift during the peak of COVID. The kaya toast still tastes the same and hasn’t changed. Food is delicious, although it’s not the most affordable, and the servings are a bit small. Parking is limited and could really use improvement. I do appreciate the self-service setup and the clean-as-you-go policy. Also, the music isn’t too loud when you sit outside, which I really like.

We also used to come here even before the pandemic to drink Engkanto beers and other alcoholic drinks. It’s actually where I first discovered Engkanto, and it’s been my favorite beer ever since. Sadly, Engkanto beers are no longer...

Not a bad place but terrible customer service. I dont understand the waiting time for take out orders. All I wanted was a latte and they still wanted us to wait for 4 other tables to finish eating to even just take our coffee orders. We didn't even want to be seated and they wanted us to wait for groups of friends to finish eating? I understand that they want to serve the ones who came before us first but they also refused to at least put our order in line and come back for it after since it was just coffee. I just dont get the logic behind that. I have NEVER been to any restaurant with that policy. The 2 guys were the ones insisting that and when the girl waitress came to us she immediately took our orders. To top it all off, once we gave our orders they said they didn't have coffee! The one thing we waited for. They said it's because they didn't have electricity (I could clearly see they had electricity, their fidges and lights were all on) idk what kind of excuse that was but they could have literally just been honest with us from the beginning. Since we already waited for over an hour we just decided to get the items they did have. Most infuriating thing they did after everything was give us our iced drinks for take out before giving us our 1 pancake so by the time the pancake was done the paper cups were soggy and gross and watered down. The cafe should really coordinated with the kitchen when it comes to take out orders. They also didn't change our drinks cuz our 1 food order was finally done even if our cups were literally falling apart. No apologies either. Literally the worst customer service experience of my life. Was there for over 2 hours and still left with no coffee, just soggy cups of iced tea. I don't write hate reviews ever but this one...

Clean Beach is a 5/5 for me. It was highly recommended by the staff from our accommodation and it didn't disappoint when we visited that we came back for another meal!

Pay as you order (no service charge) - We were asked to look at the menu and write down our order and then proceeded to the cashier to pay. The waiter noted that we won't receive our food if we didn't write our order and pay. Lol.

Food and drinks - Their banoffee latte got me curious and I had to order it. The foam on top tasted amazing! However, the coffee tasted like instant coffee, so I don't think I'll be ordering it again for 130 pesos. I also ordered their liempo meal on our first visit and the portion was perfect for its price. The meat itself was well-seasoned and I finished everything as well as their side of kangkong.

We came back for breakfast on our last day and I ordered their good morning pancakes (pancakes, fried chicken, and bacon), which came with iced tea (I chose iced tea over coffee), and I ordered their fresh buko as well. The pancakes tasted divine, it had sweetened saging na saba on top and powdered sugar, yum! The fresh buko was also cold and was just perfect to sip by the beach.

Staff - It's a self-service restaurant but the staff can/will still assist you in bringing food to your table when you claim your food. They're also friendly (aside from the Ate in the souvenir area who I believe was busy when I wanted to ask something so she didn't bother answering me).

And yes, they have a souvenir shop. I bought a scented candle from them. However, I did not get a shirt or anything wearable because they felt pricey for me.

Definitely give Clean Beach a try. For breakfast, we visited around 7:45am and they were already open. And there were not a lot of people...