Saigon Coffee — Restaurant in San Diego

After my second visit to Saigon Coffee, I'm convinced this is the best coffee shop in San Diego, at least for my taste.

ITEM'S ORDERED:

MATCHA ICED COCONUT FRAPPE HAINOI EGG COFFEE FAMOUS SAIGON COFFEE

TASTE:

FAMOUS SAIGON COFFEE - If you have never had a Vietnamese Coffee you are in for a treat here, since they are doing it right. Robust dark roast coffee that might seem too strong at first, but once the sweetness/creaminess from the condensed milk makes itself known the perfect balance is achieved. Points for being strong enough that when the ice melts, the coffee is still good, unlike so many other ice coffees.

COCONUT FRAPPE - I'm actually not that big a fan of coconut flavor nor frappes, but I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. I think it's because the coconut was not too strong and the still strongly flavored Viet coffee balances it out. It's also not too sweet which I usually associate with frappes. I could see this being devoured by the coconut/coffee lovers.

HAINOI EGG COFFEE - I'd describe this the same as the FAMOUS SAIGON COFFEE but the egg cream on top makes the overall drink even more creamy and maybe just a little more sweet, which works to make it taste less strong in coffee flavor that the original version. Don't let the egg scare you away, no efg flavor here.

MATCHA ICED - Think matcha latte here, but sweetened with condensed milk since we are in a Viet coffee shop. It makes for a little creamier of a matcha latte than the usual which is enjoyable.

SERVICE:

I think the only thing that might be better than the drinks is the service here. You know those places now where you place your order, the employee gives you no customer service, then they show you a tablet waiting for you to tip at least 25%? This is not that place.

All the staff I came across were so genuinely friendly and I loved how even though it was busy both the times I came here, the cashier did not make me feel rushed and answered any questions I had. Service like this adds to the vibe and makes me want to return.

LOCATION & PARKING:

I'd describe the overall feel of the place as modern and contemporary which I believe fits in well in the trendy North Park area of San Diego. I failed to get more photos of the inside, but there are several tables and a bar-style seating area you can sit in and enjoy your coffee while people watching the streets. I love all the artwork and the orange color scheme. Marketing on point here, I'd honestly think this place was a chain with how put together it all seems.

I guess parking is the only really negative about the place, but that's the same for so many places in North Park, as well as other big cities. If you get lucky you'll find some close street parking. If not, I believe there is a paid parking structure several blocks away (on 30th?) Or you could drop someone off to order drinks while you search for parking.

If you are looking for a good coffee you found your place. See you next time Saigon...

Two drinks for 16 bucks is not worth nor tasty. I was very disappointed that I who just acquired a phin myself made coffee equal to or better than this place. I'll give you the details too:

Buy a phin, can get them on Amazon or a Vietnamese market for a few bucks. Either a 4oz or one that does 2/3 serving sizes. At the Asian market there's only one size.

Go to an Asian market, preferably a Vietnamese one and pick up a can of trung Nguyen coffee the body and taste is the exact same as what's served here.

You're gonna load the phin up to and not pass the top of the middle screw hole. And if your phin doesn't have a screw on press you'll load it up to the notch that holds down the top plate.

Splash some hot water into the grounds just to moisten them up a bit to prep for even water distribution. Compress and move phin to cup or whatever vessel.

You'll then fill the phin with hot water and let drip. The ratio of how much grounds to water with the compression is a little tricky but the rule is for that serving size it takes 4-5 minutes from first drop to last.

Get the longevity condensed milk brand ( NOT THE GOLD LABEL it's too milky) it has a picture of an old dude with a long beard, add to taste should be 1-1.5 teaspoons. It has to be this milk to work. And you have to have Vietnamese coffee too or else you'll just be doing coffee and milk and calling it Vietnamese??? Might as well call it Italian too then. And no, espresso doesn't work either that's gross in this process and absolutely not the right body or taste for this.

All this stuff (phin, coffee and old man milk) should run you 20 bucks or less and keep you up late at night on that caffeine high for about a month. Literally tastes like their base coffee too.

If you want something different from condensed milk get some coconut milk. Chaodoc is great. And if you really want to go down the unbeaten path explore palm sugar instead of white sugar. Asian ingredients for an Asian drink doesn't sound too bad eh?

Phin smith in OC is soooo much better btw so I threw away my phin and religiously make a bi-weekly 60 mile drive...

I love Saigon Coffee’s strong and creamy drinks! I’ve been here a handful of times now mostly during the weekdays and most recently, on a Saturday morning.

Parking/Environment: It’s in North Park so parking can be very, very tricky since it’s strictly street parking. We’ve gotten lucky on weekdays by finding a spot within the same street. On a Saturday though, it was almost impossible due to construction + normal Saturday busy-ness. My husband ended up dropping me off to order for us while he circled around.

This corner lot coffee shop is very trendy and clean. The inside decorations and the outside wall are aesthetic for pictures. They have few indoor seats and tables and some seats along the wall that’s open air.

Service: You’ll most likely see a line out the door and more people waiting for their orders. However, the employees taking the orders and making the coffees work hard and are fast! They’re also all very nice and will patiently answer questions.

Food: Their coffees are pretty strong! I’ve had to leave half for the next day so my heart doesn’t jump out of my chest haha. In other coffee places, I usually try to look for sugar-free options but for this shop, I order as is because I want to taste the true flavors. So I can’t really comment on whether or not they offer this option to those who seek it!

*Hanoi Egg Coffee ($7): one of their best selling coffees. The egg coffee cream is sooo creamy and delicious. Pretty sweet but in my opinion, pairs well with the coffee underneath. Some could argue that it’s too sweet so just a heads up!

*Famous Saigon Coffee ($6) + Cream Cheese Foam ($1): my husband’s order. This is their original iced coffee topped with Cream Cheese Foam as extra. He says it’s delicious and sweet!

Overall, I’d definitely come back to Saigon Coffee whenever we want to treat ourselves for some sweet, delicious coffee! And probably on a weekday for the...