Starbucks in San Diego

“This is my go to Starbucks. Everyone is always so nice and welcoming! Shout out to Scotty for making everyone’s day too (see photo)!
I come here to work sometimes too and it’s always clean and an easy environment to get work done. Most importantly my espresso is never burnt which can be an issue for some Starbucks locations.“

“You wondering about who’s got your back, you having a crush day of the low kind, you missing your mom’s smile and hug and pat on your cheek to keep going? Just drop into The Best Vibe Starbucks in SD. You need smiles, check! You need accurate, well prepared drinks and food, check! You want to hear the entire staff laughing it up and still be paying attention to YOU, the customer?? This group of baristas gets what we all need: a connection to our coffee, to our food, and to our souls. This is actually the most consistent Starbucks on all of these salient points. In a world that seems on a crash course to increasing negativity, here is your antidote! Every single time! Kudos to the Store Manager for setting the example! ~It is a smaller Starbucks with a lot of foot traffic, but even a few minutes with these people is uplifting! (They are very quick about your business, too!)“

“Very nice people work here!! And they don't take anyone's crap, either. I come by early in the am and they are always so kind to me. They make great food suggestions. They know how I like my coffee. Even though it's early, they show up with a positive attitude and I can tell the manager is all about being efficient. The staff can make or break a Starbucks for me. I'll be back when I'm in the area. Thank you for being you. 💕🙌“

“I had an excellent Customer expirence with the young barista (Hope Severino) she was so kind and hard working and helped me out through everything and helping me get the drink “banana cold foam matcha” drink and helped me set up with rewards! It was perfect definitely coming here daily!“

“I tried this location for the first time and was impressed. The service was quick and friendly and the store was clean and organized. I happened to meet Shaely the store manager and she was super friendly and answered any questions I had about Starbucks. Shaely and her staff are great! I live in Normal Heights but will come to this location from now on. A+“

“This was the first Starbucks I ever went to. Must have been going 30 years as I grew up locally. A classic now. I think it’s busier than ever - that’s the one hard thing as sometimes can be a long wait. But today was fairly quick! I like the oat milk chai , extra hot, as a treat, every now and then!“

“The team at the University & Richmond Starbucks deserves their own reality show. I mean seriously—every time I walk in, it’s like I’m the guest star of the episode. They don’t just know my name, they know my drink, my style, and my vibe. They gas me up about my outfits on the regular (instant confidence boost before coffee even hits).

And listen—I am not a morning person. Like, people before coffee? Absolutely not. But these are the first faces I see in the morning, and somehow, they make it bearable. More than bearable, they make it sweet. When it was my birthday, they even asked if they could sing to me—like, what kind of wholesome, Hallmark moment is that?!

I order online, so technically I’m just swooping in for a pick-up, but they still treat me like a VIP every single time. This isn’t just a Starbucks, it’s a little pocket of kindness and joy that makes my day. Love my U&R crew—you keep me caffeinated and cute.“

“Eric came to save the day. The drive through has a brick wall that was a little bit of a tight fit for my dually truck. Eric with a smile on his face, came out and made sure that there was no casualty. He had excellent customer service. Not enough people say the good things. So I just want to make it know. Great coffee and a great human!! Thanks Eric“

“I’ve been to several Starbucks and this one is one of my favorites to go to! Super friendly baristas and customer service is amazing! They also get your drinks out really fast so if you’re in a hurry no need to worry! Also I’ve never had a problem with how my drinks are made.“

“By far my favorite Starbucks! They have the best staff that is super friendly and always welcoming. Our sweet barista drew us these adorable spooky designs today and we love them!! She was so fast too, didn’t even notice until we got them! Made our day!! 🎃🖤“

“Armando at the Little Italy Starbucks always makes my visits such a great experience! He remembers my order every time, which makes me feel so welcomed and appreciated as a customer. His friendly attitude, attention to detail, and genuine care for people really stand out. Sometimes I go to this location just because I know the service he provides always starts my day off right. Thank you, for going above and beyond! You make this Starbucks feel like a community spot, not just a coffee shop!“

“This store is, so far, my favorite and the BEST Starbucks in the SD area. I have been a loyal customer and a former employee myself for almost 20 years now. I come to this store at least twice a week. As a regular, I feel very comfortable and relaxed here. Especially, the store is still practicing the outstanding traditional standard for all customers, which is friendly, welcoming, clean, and efficient. I wish there were more stores like this one !!“

“I worked for Starbucks for 10 years in a very fast paced store in the University District of Seattle. I am so impressed with the caliber of the San Diego Gaslamp store. I am here for a conference and ordered a coffee every morning when they were extremely busy. They are fast, accurate, friendly and organized. The employees at this store fully embody the Starbucks vision. Everyone at this store deserves a raise!“

“The place is good,food is great. The music in background is awesome to listen to. The food is delicious and coffee tast good.

Vegetarian options: They over fruit and cheeses, vegetables and eggs to eat.

Kid-friendliness: They have kid-friendly food for them.

Parking: They have parking spots for disabled people.

Wheelchair accessibility: Wheelchairs can be put anywhere in Starbuck's place.

Dietary restrictions: You can get veggies hear or fruits here.“

“I am very impressed with the hospitality that I received from Noelle and Kacie at this Balboa Ave x Clairemont Drive location. I am not a big coffee drinker myself, but met up with my business partner at this location several times and am seriously considering becoming a regular.

Noelle is very kind and professional. She seems to have her system down. I bet corporate loves the way she handles the store.

Kacie is an absolute sweetheart. She has excellent social skills. I observed her with coworkers and people in the drive through. She even chatted with me for a few minutes during her break.

Unbelievable service from the two of them. With all the heat the Starbucks brand has been receiving Corporate needs to add a bonus to their pay checks. Not all employees at this location demonstrate the excellence displayed by these two individuals.“

“All the baristas were awesome. Alex and Emily were SO helpful and polite, I stayed a while and did some work on my laptop and got to watch them greet and help customers for a while. You can tell they work great as a team and have fun while they work, was refreshing!“

“Great people. Consistent quality and a willingness to make it perfect if it wasn’t the first time around. Today it was Zay and Jordan. I had a venti drink from another Starbucks, which wasn’t done right. Zay offered a gift card as that wasn’t right. Then Jordan whipped up my 2 apple crisp drinks, both a 100 % divine!“

“Best starbucks within 100 miles! Fast friendly and accurate. They go above and beyond and always welco.e you by name. They remember your favorites as well.as your extras and never skip a beat if you ask for something off the wall. Excellent! Love this location.“

“The new Starbucks at Convoy and Ostrow is spacious. It opened less than a week ago, so can't say how busy it is, or when it gets crowded. Nice place to hangout, study, and/or quietly sip your coffee or tea, then go about your day.

Update 2/1/26 - It's still a great place/location to hangout, study, enjoy your coffee or tea.“

“I like this store but my one complaint is the fact that in the bathrooms when you press down on the water in sink it keeps running…. Even when I try to pull knob up it doesn’t stop. It’s very wasteful and unsustainable. I’m not sure how long the water keeps running but when I brought it up to barista she said that it was normal and would turn off eventually. Which I understand but would be great if someone could fix this! Thanks:)“

“Moriah was so pleasant, personable and I love her recommendation to keep the chocolate chip cookie in the plastic if I’m eating it later, to keep the freshness. Eva left little pictures on my cup that made my morning better. I recommend Starbucks coffee over the tea. Also, the Apple croissant is good if you haven’t tried it.“

“I want to give a huge shoutout to Jami, Oli, and the entire team at Starbucks. Every time I visit, I'm greeted with warm smiles and exceptional service. Jami and Oli, in particular, go above and beyond to make sure every customer feels valued and taken care of. Whether it's the perfect brew or just a friendly conversation, they truly make this location stand out. The whole staff works seamlessly together, creating a welcoming atmosphere that keeps me coming back. Thanks to all of you for making my Starbucks experience consistently amazing!“

“I had a great experience at this Starbucks. My phone wasn’t charging because of a soda spill, and I was in a difficult situation. Sam, one of the employees, went above and beyond to help me. Even when my card declined, she kindly offered me my drink without making me feel uncomfortable. Instead, when I asked if she could help me with a charger, she immediately did, and that saved me.
Thank you, Sam, for your kindness and genuine support. People like you make the Starbucks experience truly special.“

“Damien was awesome !!! He is such a sweet barista. I am so happy with his kindness and he is just a great guy! Not to sure about the female manager she seemed kinda on guard but Damien made it worth the drink! Thank you for the Boba ( pearls)“

“Steven makes me very uncomfortable now he seems to be very good friends with two of the customers giving them free coffee beans to take home. talking to them all the time barely acknowledging me.
When I have been coming here over 10 years and he used to always say hi to me now he barely does. It really hurts my feelings to know I’m treated this way. Today he came with samples of new coffee only for the two customers he talks to. Every one else is great here.“

“For the first time in over 25 years we closed of the patio to hold a Celebration of Life for an amazing individual who managed the office of one of our tenants for over 20 years. We explained to Lee the manager of our amazing Starbucks why we were closing the patio down for 3 hours. In addition to being very understanding, he donated 2 coffee travelers for the celebration. Thanks, Lee and thanks Starbucks for being 5 Star tenants.“

“Fun😍Party 🥳 in a cup ☕️ EVERYDAY:) ✅Let’s go! “Julio”! is our favorite 🤩 Absolutely BRILLIANT! Awesome “5” Star First Class prompt Professional service & AMAZING Team at this location! Thankful for y’all! Sending big group hugs 🥰 Happy Holidays!Enjoy the season 🙏BE Blessed 💞“

“I’ve been to mannnnny Starbucks locations and this one by-far exceeded my expectations. Incredible employees. I witnessed the most friendly interactions between the employees and customers, I was also a beneficiary of incredible kindness. In 2024, this shouldn’t be alarming rather the norm but unfortunately it’s few and far between. I can tell that the management at this location creates a healthy and fulfilling culture which radiates to the customers. Well done!!!“

“I’ve been ordering from this shop for about a year since it’s just one block away from my work, and it’s always been reliable. They rarely mess up my orders, even multiple drinks for coworkers. If anything does go wrong, they’re always willing to help.“

“I normally am an AM frequenter at this Starbucks location and I love the AM staff so dearly but today I decided to do a PM coffee run, Mason treated me with such hospitality and care and made sure everything was perfect for me. Great attitude, my white mocha tasted wonderful and overall my best drive thru experience at this location yet!“

“The employees at this location is very friendly and they go beyond service to help you get the drink right on the spot and I would recommend coming here, I've never had a issue and they always have time to chat with you. I also want to mention Omar, Luis and Minh who are hard workers and are very friendly.“

“The food and drink here are comparable to any other Starbucks. The hours are odd, parking is a little tough and I don’t believe they have their own restroom. Other than that, customer service is great. They give out your order in a timely manner.“

“It's a nice cozy place tucked away from a lot of foot traffic. I have sat here many a times to grab a bite or have a cup of coffee. Service is quick and on the money, unlike the Peets up RB.
And you sit down and talk without having to elbow someone waiting in line. Like the place, 5 stars!“

“Walked to Starbucks with my husband. So blessed with wonderful people that work there as well. Get the #bekind #payitforward effort going again. Buy the person behind you in line their order. If its inside or in the drive thru, make someone's day! ;)5/25/2021 SO SAD when Markus told me that today was his last day! :( What a wonderful manager and you will be missed! Please keep in touch!Man they are playing the jams in here in the store!!! Come on in!!!!Buy someone behind you in line a drink!!! #bekind #payitforward

Kid-friendliness: Great place for the kids to come and visit their friends!!

Parking: Please be nice when looking for parking. Don't pull into someone's space when you clearly can see someone in waiting.Also the drive thru has 1 line into it. It enters (if you are in line, from south of the gas station) please #be kind and don't cut in front of someone for your "coffee emergency". That's not nice and that's NOT accepted in our Neighborhood. Thank you ?

Wheelchair accessibility: Starbucks has availability for special tables for wheelchair or handicapable persons needing lower tables for access.“

“Went thru the drive thru and had Cat at the window, she was super friendly. Everything was great too!

Another time they wrote cute notes on the drinks & bags. Such a small thing but the added joy & kindness made day.“

“What a great bunch of people. I come here every morning for 3 years and I look forward to seeing them each morning. However we moved so I don't get to see them as often but I make the drive here from Chula Vista as often as I can because no Starbucks matches this “

“I go here all the time, they are usually busy every morning during the weekdays as it is in a business and commercial area. Weekends are cool because it is very quiet and I will bring my kids for a mini date. The employees are always great and the coffee is always good. Service is very quick through the drive through as well. Also recommended the potato and chives egg bites from any Starbucks, something about them are very good!“

“☕ My Favorite Starbucks Spot!
I absolutely love coming to this Starbucks with my mama when she visits! We always look forward to catching up over a delicious latte or a refreshing Frappuccino here. It's our special tradition and the perfect place for a treat.“

“We stopped in to try the cinnamon dolce latte and oh my goodness!!! We got 1 hot and 1 iced. Both were very good. Was really surprised that it was sooo good made with almond milk and only 9 grams of sugar and whether hot or cold. Customer service here was Great!!! We were serviced very quickly! Will definitely return on next CA visit and would definitely recommend. You will not be disappointed. Very clean Starbucks!“

“It's Starbucks. They are mostly the same, good service, good drinks. Their food isn't great and they have lost a lot of selection, which means there is little selection.

The most important thing to me then is the location's space. It's pretty large, enough for a bit of study or work.“

“It’s been a long time since I walked into a Starbucks and actually felt like someone behind the counter wanted to be there. Cass, the cashier, was super cool — friendly, chill, and full of great recommendations (yes, even those off-the-menu ones 😉). Sometimes you just need that one person to turn your whole coffee run into a vibe.

Thanks for the good energy, Cass — you made my day (and my drink) better. ✨☕️“

“Celina was awesome! They were out of bagels but said I could buy one here at Pavillions & she would warm it up.
My frappuccino - for some reason they don't always taste the same, but hers was delicious!
out of bagels but said I could buy one here at Pavillions & she would warm it up.
She was so nice, with a friendly smile.
My frappuccino - for some reason they don't always taste the same, but hers was delicious!
She made my day...“

“Good starbucks location with good ambiance and plenty of space the sit. Good outdoor seating as well. They do seem to have a very limited supply of food and snack options by midday compared to other locations. They even tend to run out of basic snack and pastry items.“

“I recently stayed at the Intercontinental for a conference and went to this location every morning for my coffee and lemon loaf. Reggie was always the best start to my day, friendly and chatty! On my last day he asked if we were almost done, unknowingly it was my last day and had the biggest presentation of my life later that morning, Reggie was what I needed that day! So kind and encouraging, he was so great!!!“

“The lady that took my order was so kind! She had been there 15 years and she is definitely that one person that LOVES her job! This is what makes an experience worth it! Way to go Starbucks for hiring this ma'am 15 years ago. The place is also well kept and efficient!“

“Located in a somewhat hidden plaza, it's still popular with many people walking here on weekdays. The staff makes the drink pretty fast. The building structure is somewhat old but the decorations inside are pretty warming. The wall is decorated with photos from local dogs, they are cute and make me feel grateful. There is also an outside dining area, which might be great on a sunny day.“

“Amazing Service, outstanding quality drinks and really friendly staff. The establishment is always clean and the music is always on point. Only down side is that is a little bit hot sometimes. Special shutout to Nelly who takes care of my drink majority of the time and always surprise me with amazing drinks.“

“Shout out to the friendly and welcoming staff. Love the new single dispenser coffee machines. Pours a great cup of FRESH brew without the waste like the old coffee machines. Thanx again for all you do for your customers as it is appreciated.“

“I like this location, mainly for its outdoor seating. I tried a new Dark Roast ("Milano something something") 😊 ... it was quite good !! 👍🏼

The only (small) thing I didn't like on this visit was that I got a slice of "Pumpkin something" cake & it was good, but they don't have paper plates -- only ceramic or similar that you can only use inside the store. Ergo, if you go & want to sit outside, as San Diegans do, I guess it's BYOP if you're planning to eat. 😂“