Matcha Cafe Maiko - Escondido — Restaurant in Escondido

Accessibility: there is handicap parking but it isn't right in front of the building; it is a number of parking spots down, in front of the building 3 doors down. The rest of the parking lot is pretty busy with not tons of parking. To get more room next to your car you have to park farther away from the building or get one of the few handicap parking spots. The door to get into the building is the common, single pull/push door.

Experience: this place was pretty busy on a Tuesday night around 8 PM. Lots of people were sitting inside, eating/drinking, so no masks on them. The employees were wearing masks though which I am thankful for! It was too crowded for me, and a small building, so I ate outside. They have one table outside with 4 movable chairs and the other stores nearby have tables so if they are closed you can use those tables I'm sure. All of the people I saw eating here were young people so it gave me a very hipster vibe; If that's something you like, this is your place. The employees were kind but maybe seemed tired so the customer service seemed less communicative than I hoped for and I didn't feel comfortable asking questions...again, it was the end of the day and they were slammed with tons of customers and orders so please be kind and understanding to the employees if you come. We are still in a pandemic.

Food/drinks: I ordered a matcha latte and it was okay. It was my first time trying Matcha so I'm not the best judge of character...you should come and try it yourself. I think if you love matcha, you might like it. I also bought a mango black tea and that I LOVED. The mango black tea was fantastic and I would definitely buy this again! I recommend. Even though this is a matcha place they do have other things non-matcha so you should check it out and see...

As someone who works nearby, Maiko Café has been a steady favorite of mine for a while now. It’s got that calm, almost meditative atmosphere that makes it perfect for taking a breather, reading, or knocking out a study session. The staff is always friendly, the self-serve kiosks make ordering smooth, and overall it’s the kind of place that welcomes regulars with consistency.

That said, I’ve gotta point out something that left a sour taste in my otherwise mellow matcha routine: the recent menu update. I usually order a simple, no-frills matcha—no toppings, no milk, and often no ice. It’s just how I like it. But to my surprise, there’s now an extra $1 charge for opting without ice. That’s right—removing something from the drink now costs more.

I’m not one to complain about pricing without reason. I understand businesses have to adjust, and Maiko has always leaned toward the premium side. But charging more for what’s essentially preference? That’s a tough pill to swallow—especially for a regular customer who’s been ordering the same thing for months.

It doesn’t change the fact that this is still one of my favorite spots in the area. The matcha itself is quality, the space is clean and calming, and I’ve had genuinely great experiences here. But I hope they reconsider the pricing logic around something as small—but telling—as an ice charge....

This place has horrible customer service! Tried ordering online for 20 minutes for pick up and it wouldn’t let me check out!I decided just to go and order inside since I was already heading that way thinking that their website was working and my order would have been processed.got there at 8:50 after I tried ordering online at 8:30.Went inside and ordered the maiko special and they proceeded to tell me that they don’t make the waffles 30 minutes prior to closing!! I told him that I was trying to order online for 20 minutes straight and showed him everything in my cart and that it wouldn’t let me check out or had a reason why it wasn’t letting me but all he had to say was “idk” and shrugged his shoulders!!!he didn’t care what I had to say and was rude about it!!like they could put that information on the website for the customers to know!!! Especially in the cart when trying to checkout!!!he didn’t even say anything to me like “I’m sorry for the inconvenience mam would you like something else?”.this was my 2nd time going and my last! My first visit wasn’t a pleasant one either but I gave them the benefit of the doubt till this...