Starbucks — Restaurant in California

Okay, here's the skinny of it... I love the smell of Starbucks and, like most of the population, I find that I'm perking up and getting amped like only Starbucks can get me from the moment I walk into the store. It's like some kind of energy is just oozing out of the walls and the air around me and I'm no stranger to feeling like I had a cup of coffee before I got to the counter and ordered.

It's probably just an oxygen high from breathing in so deeply in appreciation of the rich aroma of coffee in the air, but that's entirely secondary. Isn't that feeling that you're going to fall over when you get to the counter supposed to be a cool challenge? I mean, you can't see straight (you stood up and got a head rush) your heart beat is roaring in your ears, and you're so light-headed you can't feel your face, but you're going to successfully read a menu in Italian. Hardy har har...

Lucky for you, the layout of the menu is familiar enough for you to understand the gist of it and that helps because otherwise, you're staring at the barista with the thousand mile stare and that's got to seem unsettling, if I were to hazard a guess.

I know that I'd be just a tad freaked out... Maybe that's just me.

Moving on... Where was I? Ah, yes! Now I remember... The ambiance is so trendy it's almost contrived, the drinks are strong, but not as much as they used to be, and the air smells delightful. What's not to love, folks? Oh yeah, they took out all of the outlets so if you need to charge your phone or tablet, you're out of luck and the staff here is better at making coffee than explaining what it is they just made. I'm not sure that's a bad thing, though. Jury's still out on that one.

All in all, I'd give the shop a good grade, but the staff I'd rate...

Most Starbucks are pretty consistent. Drinks are made the same, pastries ate the same and customer service is usually good. I do have some locations I prefer over others because of friendly baristas and how quickly they serve. As of recently this location has moved at the top of my list and my visit a few days ago is just another reason why. I placed a mobile order and quickly realized I ordered my drink wrong. I ran in as soon as I got there and asked if they could change it and I would pay the difference as my new drink was 50 cents more. Barista says she couldn't find my order so I got to my car to get my phone. I was in a hurry and already flustered with my own mistake when I realize not only did I make an error on my order, I also order from a different location (across town)! AHH! So I go inside just to let her know since she said she would be on the lookout for my order. I walk in feeling defeated by my day and tell her I'm about to drive across town. This lovely lady made me my drink there and did it immediately so I could get on my way. She didn't have to do it and every part was my own error. She was kind, courteous and made my day go a little better. I know this location may be a bit out of the way for some people but if you are in the neighborhood or somewhat close, definitely check this Starbucks out. You'll find some of the best...

I have had Starbucks coffee and pastries from over 30 locations from Mt. Vernon WA to El Cajon CA. My El Cajon experience is the one that best explains why Starbucks is such a huge company. However, of all the Starbucks experiences I've had, this one was the worst. One can easily expect a Starbucks to open at 5 am; travellers benefit a lot from that, especially a hop, skip and a jump away from a Hotel. The first morning, I waited at the door for the 5 am opening, and their espresso machine was not ready, but at least I settled for the black ready. Letting me in 3 minutes early or something like that before opening and having the espresso machine ready right-off-the-bat would have been very marketable. Yes, I did have the breakfast pastries. A NASTY HEALTH RED FLAG was that NOT ONE of the 3 employees was wearing gloves. Now believe it or not, I actually have something even worse than missing gloves to throw in there: IN THE SECOND 5am MORNING, THERE WAS A HANDWRITTEN NOTE READING THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO OPEN UNTIL 5:30 which has absolutely no legitimate excuse... NOW THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE!!! Fortunately for me, McDonald's across the street was open. Buh-dup...