Dark Horse Coffee Roasters — Restaurant in San Diego

I do absolutely love this place. The staff is super friendly and attentive, they look and behave like they belong at this place. Always a smile on their faces. The pour over might not be everyone's cup of coffee (haha) since you can actually taste a lot of variety in them (like with a good wine) I'm sure for people who get their coffee usually wherever and never had one like that, maybe they will find the taste weird. In my opinion, take it slow, wait for all the varieties of taste you'll get. It's amazing. Absolutely recommend the lattes as well, either if it's almond, soy or oatmilk with coffee or matcha they all taste great and smooth. The coffee itself is small with a few chairs. But most people are actually getting in and out anyway as they just wait for their coffee to go. It's super cozy and I love waiting for my coffee and looking at all the little details the store has. You can also buy their coffee for your home, some merchandise, donuts and brekki (oatmeal). If you're serious about starting your day right, or want a coffee on the run and are close don't do Starbucks...

Got the drip coffee, no cream. Coffee wasn't the best, but also not the worst. I asked for sugar in my coffee (since I didn't see any out) and was offered simple syrup as an alternative. Kinda hate when coffee shops don't let you add your own sugar and hold the packets hostage behind the counter.

I ordered a toasted everything bagel with plain cream cheese. It was 7am on a Monday morning and they were out of plain cream cheese... they offered me vegan plain cream cheese or the garlic/herb one. I chose the latter. It was freezing cold as it just came out of the fridge (obviously). The bagel was "warmed," but not toasted as there wasn't even a speck of browning on it. So it didn't really help the cold cream cheese melt. I didn't even bother to finish it.

The outdoor seating isn't the best, but it'll do for a quick drink and bite. All of the tables had morning dew on them. Would be nice if staff wiped down the tables at the start of each day. I had to grab a couple napkins and do it myself.

All in all, I won't come back here when there are plenty other coffee spots...

This is probably the best coffee I've had in San Diego. The prices aren't the lowest, but I wouldn't say it's overpriced either; in fact, I'd say it's honestly reasonable for the quality. The pour-over coffees are very nuanced in flavor, and the cold-brew is definitely the best I've ever had.

They sell merchandise as well. Again, it's not the lowest prices, but the designs are really cool. I purchased a shirt that looks like the SD Padres design, but slightly changed to look like a horse. My fiance bought one that looks like a Disneyland shirt too.

The space is small with only three or four 2-4 person tables, but it's not usually too packed all the time. How busy it is seems to fluctuate throughout the day, so I guess if you come at the right time then you can easily grab a seat.

Overall, this place is where I go when I want to get a really good cup of coffee, and I would recommend this...