Karak House Coffee Co | Tea & Chai Shop | Pastries and Desserts in San Diego, CA — Restaurant in San Diego

1/5 Stars – World’s Worst Cafe Experience: Overpriced Hype with Zero Substance at Karak House

I’ve visited hundreds of coffee shops across the US from hole-in-the-wall gems to high-end spots, and Karak House Coffee Co in San Diego has to be the absolute worst I’ve ever encountered. This place is all style over substance—flashy decor and a trendy vibe that screams “Instagram-worthy,” but it falls flat on every level of actual quality and service. Don’t believe the glowing reviews; based on my visit, they feel suspiciously untrustworthy, like maybe they’re padded or from people with low standards.

Let’s start with the drinks: I ordered a cappuccino and some tea, hoping for something special given the “Tea & Chai Shop” in the name. The cappuccino was utterly flavorless, like watery milk with a hint of coffee grounds—zero depth, no foam artistry, nothing. The tea was just as bad, super generic and tasting like it came from a cheap grocery store bag. For the prices they charge, I expected at least some effort, but nope.

Then there’s the food. The cheesecake? A tiny slice for a whopping $18 that tasted worse than what you’d get from a fast-food chain—dry, bland, and artificially sweet in all the wrong ways. I also got a cookie and some bread to go with our two coffees, and the total came to $27. That’s highway robbery for such mediocre (at best) items. Everything is highly overpriced, especially when you consider the presentation: our cappuccinos came in cheap paper cups, not the ceramic mugs you’d expect at a place charging premium prices. No table service either—just grab-and-go like a fast-casual spot, but without the value. Even the utensils were flimsy wooden ones, which felt out of place and cheap for the ambiance they’re trying to sell.

Service was a joke. The staff had these fake smiles plastered on, but there was no genuine emotion or helpfulness behind them. Customer service was lacking entirely—rushed, indifferent, and zero engagement. It felt like they couldn’t care less about making the experience enjoyable.

If you’re looking for a cozy tea or coffee spot with real flavor and heart, skip this overhyped trap. San Diego has way better options. 1 star, and that’s generous. World’s worst cafe, hands down—save your money and...

I'm so excited that Karak House opened in SD. I've gone to the OC location once and loved it and was so happy to hear that they were gonna open up here!

FYI--Google maps gave me the wrong directions and made me go in a weird circle to get here, if you enter the parking lot from where Moment Sushi is, you will find Karak House easily.

Despite the size of the place, there is plenty of indoor & outdoor seating--much more than their OC location. The booths looked SOOO cozy and there was outlets. They also have wifi so this looks like a solid place to study or get some work done. Outside seating as heaters and cute patio lights to add to the vibes & keep you warm on chilly days. They also had a lot of Egyptian music playing in the background which was nice.

The chai Karak is a classic, safe drink to get that will always taste good. The iced cardamom latte, I had an initial sip and was wondering where the cardamom flavor was, but realized I didn't mix my drink, and as soon as I mixed it I got a KICK of cardamom. If u love cardamom, plz get the cardamom latte, it is amazing. They also have plenty of desserts. The chocolate chip cookie was large and came out heated and was sooo soft which was amazing :')

Service here is great, everyone that works here is very friendly, patient, and kind.

The soft opening has been a great experience, I can't wait to see what's in store for the grand opening & beyond. Def recommend anyone come check out this place...

I have some conflicting feelings about this.

First time going, they didn't have 3 items that I had asked about. Which is okay I guess, a little bit of a bummer

Some of the people working there were okay, one person was rather nice, one person was kind of stuff

The atmosphere was relatively nice

All the pastries were pretty expensive for the quality. I decided to give the almond croissant a try and it was not good. Looks substantially better in picture than it tasted.

If they charged $4 or for $4.25 for the croissant, that would be more in line with the price but it's about 50% more than that so at the price point they charged, I would give that 2 stars

I added an extra star to this review because I know that many reviewers seem to be fond of this place, and perhaps some only go for a specific coffee drink, so I don't want to discourage people from trying it if they see something in particular that they want to try from the photos.

I can't justify coming back here again, but if you like coffee and want to give them a chance, I'd encourage you to go and...