Philz Coffee — Restaurant in Costa Mesa

To preface, for $5+ for a cup of coffee i expect a good experience. In general, that’s not what I experienced at Philz.

First they ran out of the plant based sandwich a few times, which is their only vegan option. I overlooked this considering the times the world is going through, but it’s still frustrating.

Then came the comments about the dog. I thought they were dog friendly since they have a wall of ‘Philz friends’, but that is not the case. One particular employee mentions every time that the dog cannot be inside, even though she is being carried. Also frustrating, so we tried to order online.

Then, ordering online, it’s very hit or miss on how long it will take and if your order will be ready. You have 30 seconds to cancel in the app, but I didn’t notice how long it would take.

We arrived several hours after opening with the dog, not expecting an online order for two coffees to take over 30 minutes like I mentioned. The patio area was soaking wet because they were cleaning it, for some reason after opening. Since this was the case we went inside to wait. We waited 20 minutes, even though we told the employee we were here for our order.

He then made comments about the dog. We told him there was no place to sit outside, we’re not gonna stand outside for 20 minutes, especially for two coffees and a doughnut. His only solution was to cancel the order if the time shows longer than expected. If that is Philz solution to their wait times and poor service, I’m not coming back.

There was no apology, for the coffee taking so long and for us waiting so long even though they were pretty much empty. We told this employee Ryan were not coming back and he didn’t seem to care or get anyone to talk to us. We were regular customers, but will not be...

Yay for Philz! Love the coffee. glad there is one in the OC.

Let's take a look.

Pros: +I'm a big fan of Philz Coffee options ever since I had them in the Bay Area. Lots of choices for all types of coffee lovers that can be sweetened. My favorites include the mint mojito, the rose, the Tesora and the Dancing Water. For a drink, it's not too pricy (like $4-5ish). Also cheers for text receipts! +I actually like some of the food at Philz and the options. Some food options like quinoa to avocado toasts and protein breakfast bowls. Also, these items aren't too pricy (overall like $3-6ish). +Service is super friendly here like all other locations. They'll happily explain the drinks; help you with your drinks and are happy to chat. +The decor is nice with white walls and a modern look. WiFi isn't too bad for the most part and I believe there are some limited outlets (although as you'll see below, this runs into how busy this place gets).

Cons: -This place definitely gets super busy. Seating is a bit tough although you'll usually find something either indoors or outdoors. Lots of different seat options from sofas to high tops but do expect a very busy atmosphere. This extends to the line as well. -The busy atmosphere extends to the parking. Can be a bit tough to find parking in the small parking lot they have just as a heads-up. -Finally, I've had a couple experiences where the server has forgotten a drink which with how busy this place gets, I totally understand. Just don't be surprised by a few...

So I ordered through DoorDash for some coffee and a chicken pesto Sandwich. The coffee was amazing and excellent, however the sandwich was horrible. It had a spoiled rotten smell to it that you don’t get from chicken. So initially I ignored it and had a few bites until I couldn’t anymore. The smell was very prominent in this sandwich. Literally very stinky and a bad aftertaste that lingers in your mouth. I was scared I was going to get food poisoning so I forced myself to throw it up. I called and asked if they make their sandwiches fresh or if they are already premade. The woman I talked to on the phone was nice and she told me that the sandwiches are premade and they warm them up. The quality of this sandwich does not compare to the quality of their coffee. I think Philz should not serve food for that reason. It’s a coffee shop why would you order food for!? I’m sorry it was my first time ordering from Philz and I just wanted a snack along with my coffee. I learned my lesson. I got my refund through door dash however that sandwich just gave me the worst experience I’ve ever had. So beware if you go to Philz! Just get the coffee...