Kona Coffee

If I can't get Costa Rican honey process coffee beans, or beans from Oaxaca, my next choice - by no means a poorer one - are those from Kona.Kona's terroir ensures coffee that's smooth and balanced, slightly syrupy, nutty and sometimes floral or fruity. Depending on the grower/weather/year, a cup of Kona coffee might include notes of caramel, honey, milk chocolate, and brown sugar.The truth is that Kona's coffee is better than most of the Mexican and Central American brews I've tasted, but because it costs three to four times as much as those alternatives, I only drink it when I'm in Hawaii, or when someone sends me a bag of Kona beans.Why, you might well wonder, wouldn't I drink Kona coffee at Hillcrest's Kona Coffee Company? I did, twice, and here are some reasons that I decided never to do so again:- Parking was a nightmare.- The store was small and confusing, so stuffed with cluttered shelves of food and products for sale, like a tropic-themed version of a 7-Eleven, that coffee seemed an afterthought.- The things that make Kona coffee worth the money, that is, its aroma and flavor, were lost when the shop used industrial coffee machines to brew it and thermos jugs to hold it for service.- Although the company roasts several types of high-quality Kona beans for bulk sale, the shop only brewed one of them, and most of their coffee-based drinks were made using a blend of Kona and other, markedly unexceptional, beans.- Most of the shop's customers ordered "coffee drinks" that combined brewed coffee, or espresso, with milk, ice, sugar and/or syrups. If the coffee in their drinks was true Kona, its shining attributes were obscured. I don't know whether to blame the shop for promoting such nonsense, or the customers, for having terrible taste.Kona Coffee Company is a snack bar masquerading as a coffee shop. It offers what children think of when they watch grownups drink coffee.Pass.

Cute little coffee shop. Just wanted a nice cup of Kona. Menu has a lot of options but simplicity is all I needed. The cold brew was flavorful and roasted beautifully.

A small coffee shop located in Hillcrest next to the theater, this place serves coffee and pastries for convenience and enjoyment. For a quick review, I would say that the service is good, but I would just go to Better Buzz a block away for better coffee.Reasons being is that no matter how many times I've visited, the coffee is a hit-or-miss and also very on the sweet side, just like other reviews written here. If you don't like it on the sweet side and ask for half-sweet, go even lower. Cold brew is fine, but other ones are watered down at times, so that's why I say a hit-or-miss. For the customer service, they're nice and service is good. Nothing else to say.Overall, come here to support the local business, but I would prefer other coffee shops.

I ordered the jalapeno croissant just as the Costco delivery guy showed up with them, mine was burned and even tho the lady realized she burned it she still served it to me. Way overpriced for items I can buy at costco

After a decade plus of visiting this shopping center I finally made my way over to check out this quaint Hillcrest cafe.The cafe doesn't have much for seating inside but they have tables outside for customers to take advantage of; but I imagine a fair amount of people like myself take to go and enjoy perusing the neighborhood as we did. The service was nice and I ordered the standard 100% Kona coffee and it did not disappoint; it was roasted just right and I enjoyed it black per my taste. They validate parking with a $6 purchase so it is worth checking out for that as an added bonus.

HONEY LAVENDER MATCHA!!! It's soooo good.The people there are always kind too. The drinks I have are on the sweet side but I like them that way. Maybe let them know your preferred sweetness level if you're particular :)

We were in the area and saw that this coffee shop was just down the street where we just had brunch.We were all looking forward to have Hawaiian coffee again since we went to Hawaii last summer.The employees were a mother and daughter who was very friendly and helped us select our order. We ordered the iced white chocolate macadamia nut and our teens had the iced dirty chai.Personally, I have a sweet tooth and thoroughly enjoyed mine, but my hubby didn't quite like it as much because it was too sweet for him. Our teens enjoyed their drinks as well while we sat at the window, drinking our beverage of choice and watching people walk by with their dogs.It was another beautiful day here with my family.

Really friendly and quaint cafe, but the coffee is well below average - watered down and flavorless. Pretty pricey for what it's worth.

If I could give this place a 10 star rating, I would!! This locally owned coffee shop is perfect from beginning to end. From their cleanliness, to the outstanding service and freshly tasting food and coffee, everything is perfect. The barista is always making me new and exciting drinks which is a huge plus when I can't decide on what I want to drink! The owners are super sweet and always have great attitude with myself and others. If you're in the San Diego area, I highly recommend trying this place out!

To start, The lovely ladies behind the counter are so sweet and very helpful. I wasn't very sure what to get and one of them recommended a Hawaiian mocha. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I LOVED THIS. Service is amazing, coffee is amazing, and the vibes there are just great. Will be coming back!