Longplay HiFi — Restaurant in San Diego

The vibe is very chill, dj is on point, staff seem friendly enough, and the drinks were pretty good. Didn’t order any food so can’t offer insight there.

Their intention is to make a very small sort of eclectic hang for people to appreciate slowing down and enjoying the moment, but I think it could communicated with more clarity to help people have that experience.

A few things to note that could be improved on:

1. Outside signage — overall was very unclear. It was hard to tell if we were in the right place because the shop’s name isn’t explicitly posted anywhere, and there was a sign that said to wait outside for someone to get you which added to our confusion. Most people aren’t expecting to wait outside for a table just to order a coffee so we thought we were in the wrong place. Maybe consider a small sign on the sidewalk that says the name or something more clear on the door (there’s just a big window that has “wear mascara” written across it in huge letters with a salon right next door). Even just posting the part of the menu that states the shops “expectations” on the door would be more helpful than saying to wait outside
2. The very very strong smell of incense that I could still smell hours...

I came it Longplay HiFi with my friend yesterday. It was the first time for both of us. When you walk up to the shop door, you’ll see a sign to wait until someone comes out to get you. It took about 1 minute before we were invited in.

The cafe/bar has a minimalist design, inspired by shops in Tokyo, and has a lot of cool little trinkets, items, and vinyls. The menu is really nice, with a high-quality, thoughtful selection of coffee, tea, and alcoholic beverages.

My vanilla cold brew was really yummy, and had a perfect balance of dairy to coffee. My friend’s matcha drink was really creamy and top-notch! I also really loved the orange liqueur drink I ordered. I can’t remember exactly what was in it, but the flavor was subtle and fruity, with the right amount of alcoholic kick.

One of the coolest parts of this experience was the amazing Japanese-imported ice they use! That was the cherry on top. Plus, my two drinks were only $21, which is a steal for San Diego. I highly recommend checking out Longplay Hifi!

Update: Came back again and had an even better time. Some of the tea drinks are absolutely incredible....

If you like records, good coffee, or music in general I urge you to give this place a try (although a part of me wants to gatekeep a little).

Possibly the best vibes I’ve experienced at a Cafe in San Diego and truly deserves 5 stars. Owner running it all was super nice as well, so great service and very chill if you are going with a friend or just a nice spot to study or read in general.

No earbuds needed with the high quality sound system here!

Drinks were so good we both finished by the time I thought to...