Dark Horse Coffee Roasters

The coffee here really is phenomenal, but I'm new to Dark Horse, so can somebody tell me... is "poor customer service" part of their brand? As a barista myself, I'm naturally joyful with our customers even on our busiest days... I can hardly get any acknowledgment from these gals when I try to ask them questions or simply smile in their direction.

Dark Horse is in my top 3 favorites in town (along with Coffee Cycle and Bird Rock). If they were closer to PB I'd spend a lot more there. I love light roasts and they are a leader there. Usually have a good natural Ethiopian on offer but if not I go for their Fruit Party blend. It's rare to find shops doing blends this bright and fruity. When I leave SD I can't believe how hard it is to find the caliber coffee we have here. I live in PB and if I order Dark Horse beans online, they often arrive to my house the day after roasting. Great for picky home espresso nerds.

I knew this place was good when we saw a line going out the door onto the sidewalk. The cafe is very small but they crank out lots of high quality coffee drinks for being such a small place. The staff was friendly, the service was quick and the coffee and donuts we got we both amazing. I got the maple latte to try it out and was pleasantly surprised by how delicious it was. Very trendy place, will definitely be back again one day!

As a newcomer to the area, I decided to explore local coffee shops and stumbled upon Darkhorse. It's evident that they have their regulars, as I noticed during my morning walks. Typically, there's a short line of people descending their concrete steps. While the lack of indoor or outdoor seating led me to rate the atmosphere four out of five stars, it's clear that Darkhorse is a grab-and-go spot. Despite their limited food menu, they offer satisfying options for a quick breakfast. I tried their signature honey and cinnamon iced coffee, which was absolutely delicious. Both fellow customers and employees were friendly and patient, contributing to a pleasant experience. Notably, their coffee isn't bitter, and their large sizes are comparable in price to a Venti with extra shots at a popular coffee chain.

Cozy coffee shop with just a few places to sit. I really like their churro donuts and just tried their maple one too. I always get my orders to go since seating is so limited. This is where I buy my pounds of coffee and them ground for a french press. Makes for delicious coffee at home! Numerous locations across San Diego, each with different funky vibe.

Great little coffee shop. You can find Dark Horse in The Chula Vista Village also. This is the original very nice great cup of joe

Long wait (1h) even though it was prime coffee hour, several people who arrived later and ordered in-person got their orders before us. We placed a relatively simple order. Earl grey donut was disappointing but average compared to most other vegan cake donuts. Americano was under-extracted causing it to taste very acidic. Might have been a one-off experience, but not a great experience.

Great coffee and pastries! I really enjoyed the maple donut and the pumpkin spiced latte. The service is fast and friendly.

Happy Hour drip coffee?! Hell yeah! They have Guatemala/Ethiopia mix and it's good, I recommend! Will pick up a bag of their beans once I have my set up.

The new location which opened in late December 2024 is located less than two blocks east of their old spot in the heart of Normal Heights. The interior is small but has four tables with a long bench seat that can probably seat 13 people. I came in and ordered an iced chai latte with almond milk. It was delicious. The cinnamon and cardamom were prominent. Be careful when picking up your order. I wasn't paying attention and didn't see that mine didn't have a top so I spilled some on the floor. After my embarrassment wore off, I cleaned my mess and enjoyed my drink solo. It was nice sitting quietly listening to the new wave music as it was a Monday morning and no one else was in the shop with me. $6.25 for a 12oz chai latte is more than I am used to paying for a drink but I did enjoy it. Coming here often would be an expensive habit but I can see indulging every now and then.

Super cute little place near our Airbnb in San Diego. Assortment of coffees & teas as well as a variety of milks to choose from. It's a small place, standing room only but the coffee was delicious. Service was speedy and they make many of their own syrups which is always a plus.

Love this lil location off Adams! Kind workers, super cute and vibey interior, has a superb vanilla latte and some bomb lil protein treats for you to choose from (parfaits, acai).

This location recently moved to the next block right next to Studio 67 hair salon this weekend. I'm glad because it's now in a bigger location and has indoor seating! I love coming here for my iced vanilla lattes whenever I'm in the area. The baristas now recognize me and are always friendly. The service here is quick and friendly. Since they just moved locations, the shop seems a bit empty except for murals that they have inside. I can't wait to see the finished product!

Kindest girls working. I got the chocolate donut that was a cake donut with the yummiest frosting. Drip coffee get it was great and had so much more flavor than any Dunkin' Donuts or Starbucks anyday!

I have been getting coffee here twice a week after my boyfriend introduced me to Dark Horse on a random day in November. Their drinks have never disappointed me. As of recent, I got hooked on their matcha. Although I miss their skinny donuts so much! I hope they are able find a kitchen soon. Customer service has always been superb. The staff are always so friendly and cheerful. They remember my order (even the changes in my order). Today, Evette took great care of me. She included my name with my boyfriend on the cups which is so so so cute and a great touch on the experience. Thank you so much for making my day.

Didn't love my coffee here but perhaps it was an off day. The coffee either tasted burnt or overextracted - quite bitter and it didn't blend with the steamed milk as one texture experience. The latte art also unfortunately left more to be desired. Adding sugar helped but I usually don't like to add too much to my espresso-based drinks. Either way, would give this place another shot for their desserts since people really seem to like those. The staff however were super friendly! The place is a small spot selling some merch as well. It's strange because I see this place on more than a few lists of best coffees in the area. So perhaps it really was just an off moment. Would consider coming back for sure, even though I'm not exactly close by.

Sadly we were very excited to try dark horse BUT honestly the customer service left something to be desired. We were not greeted with a smile or even a hello. Additionally, they were out of 8oz but didn't inform us until we went to order. We will try another location.

Delicious ice cream cones a cinnamon flavoured! - brownie ice cream and my chocolate chip was bomb! Customer service was great Ambiance was cute Nice place to come by to go on a date

Small space but does not feel overly cramped, plenty of space to walk in and order with benches outside to sit and sip on your drink! Prices are reasonable and the flavor is soooo delicious, you can tell from that first sip that the coffee is gonna be good We ordered an oatmilk matcha latte and soy vanilla latte, can't wait to try them again!

I decided to come here because it holds a lot of memories for me. And the last time I went they had indoor seating while I really liked. Sadly when we arrived I learned they extended the coffee making area and cashier spot so there's no seating inside. (-) Only 4 benches outside. I personally really liked how they utilized the space 3-4 years ago, hopefully they will return it back to normal. Other than that, the iced s'maple (salted maple) was spot on and delicious. It was smooth, not bitter or acidic, and very tasty. 10/10. The woman working asked us questions to be sure it's to our liking: what size cup, what milk is ok, etc. My aunt ordered a cappuccino. Which has a standard size (pretty small). But you can choose if you want the standard or something bigger. My aunt asked for caramel, which they don't have. And the barista recommended the salted maple which is made with real maple syrup by the way! I think they added a little bit less to hers because she seemed unsure about the syrup. My aunt did enjoy it though. We also shared one of the pastries in the window case. It was a croissant muffin combination but was labeled under a cinnamon roll muffin. It had cinnamon sugar on it and a great caramelization to the middle spiral of it. But since it wasn't warmed up or anything, I think it's one to skip for next time. I usually order an "eat skinny donut" -- churro flavor but they only had chocolate today. (Vegan) Something to note is that their straws are really thin and easy to "splinter". I opened mine and sat down and the first sip I took the straw stabbed me in the lip. It was really sharp so I went in to grab another~ the barista mentioned about the straws and apologized for it. So it seems like something that happens often with their straws! That's not good. (-) Next time I'll have to remember to bring my own if it happens again. The service was quick and they were pretty nice. The music was different than I expected for Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, but the artwork inside was pretty cool. (Maybe they can play some Nothing But Thieves, CAS, or Friday Pilots Club?) Pick up your drinks on the small table to the right of the tablet. Mine was ready on that table but I didn't know until she pointed it out. 3-4 stars. I know sitting outside is a nice thing, especially with the sunshine we have. But it's so close to the road that it's not as enjoyable for me. I really hope they do indoor seating again (even though they only had three small circle tables at most, seating two per table).

One of many coffee shops on this busy street. They had a nice selection of beverages and vegan baked goods. I ordered their salted maple latte and was hoping for a sweet drink but sweet it was not. The coffee is really strong, it definitely woke me up. For two drinks my total was $11, fairly reasonable for San Diego. It's a very small space, so grab your coffee and go!

Dark Horse is one of my top favorite coffee shops in San Diego! It's definitely small, so don't plan to hold up here to study or catch up with friends. However, if you're looking for a yummy coffee to go, this place is for you. I personally love the iced Salted Maple and the iced Champ. Additionally, their baked goods are to die for! The finally have donuts back!! I can't believe the donuts are vegan--they are my favorite donuts in all of San Diego! I've also had their cinnamon roll and that was incredible as well. I typically skip the pastries at coffee shops--except here! This place is quaint and cute! A servers are always friendly, and my coffee and treats are always dependably delicious!

Do you ever visit a shop that just makes you feel good spending your money with them... this is one of those gems. The product being coffee is exceptional. Consistent. Delicious. The people are incredible. They make it what it is. And I'm thankful. Being able to stop somewhere like this that's close to home is a treasure. Thanks Danny and All. Highly recommend. You won't be disappointed. And the donuts are back!

The food is pretty good. I've gotten some bomb vegan donuts. The employees are always super nice. The coffee...I've gotten many a cup that tastes a bit on the burnt side. After a few failed tries I'll stick to my Nespresso or go to Bica.

I have been a loyal customer of dark horse for years, and they have a good reputation in the community. Hence, I was shocked when I bought a donut the other day that was completely inedible. It was so stale I spit out my first bite. This donut had to have been at the very least 3+ days old. I was so disappointed dark horse found it acceptable to sell customers old food.

What kind of coffee shop serves a double shot espresso on ice. Employee are to busy talking than focusing on orders.

It's been awhile that I have had Dark Horse coffee (somehow manage to want coffee when they are closed LOL). Just so happened that I was strolling and saw Dark Horse coffee opened. My sign to get a drink. Initially I wanted coffee, but decided to try the lit chai latte as I hadn't tried their chai latte. I did not add the espresso shit as I just wanted to try their chai latte. I ordered warm (cold day) with oat milk. They were really quick with making my drink (luckily the line wasn't long). The chai latte smelled like a Christmas drink due to the cinnamon. I tasted the cinnamon more than anything, but I love cinnamon so that was not an issue. I also appreciated that it was not burning hot so I didn't have to wait for it to cool down. I was able to immediately enjoy my warm drink without having to cool it down myself either. Since I was walking around parking was not an issue, but I can see parking being an issue if you are just coming for a drink. Staff is nice and helpful with questions. Def recommend and I do plan to come back to try their dirty chai latte (chair with the espresso shot).

Best coffee chain in SD and this location is my favorite. I'm biased because it's walking distance but I have tried who knows how many coffee shops and their espresso is by far my favorite. Also wherever they get their pastries from... tremendous

I've been grabbing an iced coffee here every week during my work breaks, and it's become the highlight of my routine. The iced coffee is always perfectly made, refreshing, and just what I need to power through the day. The staff is awesome, super cool. They know my order by heart and always greet me. It's a great vibe, and they never disappoint! Highly recommend if you're looking for a go-to coffee spot!

Shout out to your cafe in San Diego airport. I asked for a cappuccino and the clerk pointed to a small cup and said that was the only size. RIGHT statement for cappuccino. No discussion on size or the stupid question you get so often in CA... do you want it wet or dry or with extra foam!! There is only one way to do a cappuccino and you understand that. Thank god there is a coffee bar that goes against the gain of so many bad US coffee chains. And your muffins were actually good. Great bread texture for muffins. Although a little too sweet. My suggestion... lose the sugar coating on top. I will be back and look forward to trying your non-airport cafe to get a good cappuccino in a ceramic cup, the real way to serve coffee.

They probably make my favorite coffee in SD! I only say probably because I admit I haven't tried every coffee shop here haha. Regardless, their espresso is rich and flavorful... yumm!

I love this place! Definitely one of my favorites. Any drink I have ever ordered has been delicious and strong! Their fall drinks.. delicious! The location is convenient with plenty of street parking. Of course, it may be difficult to find parking at times, but that's not usually the case. There is no seating inside, but there is one bench outside. This is more of a grab and go type spot!

Love this charming coffee shop. The coffee is amazing. I had the Nitro Brew with a Coconut Cold Foam. The pastries were so tempting, but we are on our way to brunch. Can't wait to come back.

Always enjoy stopping by at a Dark Horse. I rotate between this location, and the locations in North Park and South Park. Love the hole in the wall vibe of this location, and the fun staff! Came by for a midday pick me up, and surprisingly found parking right down the block. There was a line out the door, but the little wait was worth it. We ordered an iced vanilla latte and an iced matcha latte. The drinks came out quick, and they were so good! The matcha was light and had a good flavor; and the vanilla latte was strong with just a hint of vanilla. This Dark Horse is a great spot to check out if you're in the area!

Best coffee spot in the area! Their espresso is rich and smooth. It's a tiny little shop where you grab your coffee and go. Staff is very friendly and welcoming. They also have cute merch! There's a line out the door for a reason :).

Jeeze. I gotta catch them ALL. There are so many dark horses. I feel like every turn I see a new one in an unexplored corner of town. This is my third location. I love their homemade vanilla in their lattes. This location is smallest by far and has the hardest parking but worth the drop in if you're in the area. Come early to get the good good baked goods.

I love, love, love Dark Horse. Great coffee and people. My 3 year old daughter very unexpectedly threw up all over there floor while I was in line. I was horrified but they quickly cleaned it up and then made sure to get me a coffee. Such great humans.

DECAF JUNKIE I am not sure how I've gone living in San Diego for a few years and not make a sip stop at Dark Horse. I always saw crowds infront of every coffee shop they had around the area and never had the patients to wait and try. Well, that changed, today. - No line, quick preparation - Average price for espresso - Believe the hype, good sips THE CHAMP - Aka Honey Cinnamon Latte. Decaf for me. Their Decaf - Colombia beans are Swiss Water Processed. My first sip was delightful... very smooth, bean flavor profile - strong chocolate notes and hint of hazelnut, and I am thankful to not have latte breathe afterwards (LOL). Added this place to one of my top coffee shops in San Diego. Jaba approved. Until the next review...

Awesome coffee and espresso, nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Great neighborhood joint.

We enjoyed a flavorful espresso here this morning. However, it took 15 minutes to get it. All the service was outside due to Covid which I can understand. The lady who took our order was friendly and talkative which helped since we were there quite a while. The espresso is only 1000x better than Starbucks.

The champ iced tasted bitter and not sweet enough to my liking. Wasn't a huge fan considering honey cinnamon not what I was expecting

WOW. Great coffee. Great prices. Great staff. The Champ with oat milk has got to be my favorite iced latte from SD. It's a mix of cinnamon and honey and while I don't like either on their own, it's heavenly mixed together! MUST TRY.

First time here and it was good! Service was quick and efficient. I asked if I could use my own reusable cup and they were happy to do that for me! They even give a slight discount for it as well! I ordered a vanilla latte with oat milk and they finished making my drink within minutes! They have different decor in the room with various set pieces as well. Parking wasn't too bad and the streets were pretty empty (at around 12pm). Definitely check this place out for a quick coffee break during work and try out the pastries here! It looked delicious.

WEAK WEAK WEAK COFFEE! I went here for a DARK roast coffee. NOPE! Nothing but medium roast. Fine. I was with my daughter and she wanted to try it. She got a Caramel Maple Iced Coffee. When I asked her how was it, she said it tasted like water!! I will NEVER go here again! The prices are too high for such small sizes and the coffee is way to weak!

I absolutely adore their coffee. When I'm in North Park I hit up Dark Horse. I'm out and hoping to pick up fresh beans. I'm telling you, if you love coffee give them a try.

During covid they don't allow anyone inside and the ordering is done outside. They seem to have a smaller menu than normal as well. We got the vegan almond crunch donut and a small of The Champ which is a cinnamon & honey latte. I got the champ half sweet which was perfect. It had nice cinnamon undertones and just the smallest hint of honey. The small sizes of their drinks come in 8oz. Unfortunately the donut was a let down. It was a glazed cake donut with some almond-esque pieces on top. It was pretty moist but it tasted like a normal vanilla donut. There was no crunch at all and no vanilla flavor.

Dark Horse Coffee has some of the best coffee in San Diego. I'm a big fan of everything on their menu from drip to pour over to latte. They are my number one spot to get beans for brewing at home. They have a variety of roasts, and I love all the African coffees they sell. The baristas are always nice and take their time to make your drinks. It's a great spot to grab a coffee to go or beans since there really isn't anywhere to sit.

Great espresso drinks! I've been to this location a number of times since I live in the neighborhood and I'm always impressed with the quality and service. You can't go wrong with any espresso drink on the menu. I've had their Vanilla, Sweet Maple, and Egg Nog (seasonal) lattes and they've consistently tasted delicious. On one occasion, I got one of their iced teas and it tasted just as good as their coffees. Service has always been great. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable. It's a tiny coffee shop with no place to sit and/or hang therefore, it truly is just a take-out coffee spot. Shout out to whoever designs their merchandise. I really dig the design of all their merch.

Tiny coffee shop with a lot of character. I wanted a caramel macchiato, but they said they don't have caramel (not sure if that's just today or every day). They told me they do have vanilla so I tried a vanilla latte. It's actually delightful and the coffee flavor is excellent. I ordered the smallest size which is an 8 ounce and I guess it's just a lot smaller than I expected LOL and for $4.25 I guess I kind of would've wanted a little bit more volume. 5 stars for flavor, but I knocked off a star for value.

Just straight up friggin good coffee. You know, for coffeheads. We got the champ, salted maple, and vanilla latte, all delicious and not too sweet. Baristas were welcoming, super cool, and knowledgeable. Crowd was mostly peeps buying beans so you know the roast is legit. Sorry, gotta subtract a star for not having a comfortable hang out/ study area. The few benches outside don't really count when it's freezing cold or boiling hot weather. Otherwise, highly recommend.

Since moving to San Diego 4 years ago, this has been my favorite coffee shop. No, they don't have the Instagramable walls or the fancy WFH areas, but what they do have is top notch coffee. They carefully select everything they sell and it shows. I am constantly changing up my order, but my overall favorite has got to be The Champ (their honey cinnamon latte). If you aren't a coffee person, they have great teas, including matcha, as well as kombucha. Plus their vegan donuts are some of the best donuts I have ever eaten. The staff is always super friendly, and their prices are reasonable. Don't hesitate to visit any of their locations!

thank God this place is down the street from me! My bf and I tried dark horse today and ordered the champ and their vegan donuts. the combination together was amazing. the vegan donut was soft, fluffy, not too sweet, but just the right amount. it was delicious. the champ, I really recommend if you like cinnamon. the line was fairly long but it goes by fast with the fast service! definitely will come again and probably buy some beans to take home!

I have always heard great things about dark horse and so I wanted to give it a go! Parking was hard to find but on weekends I can see it being troublesome, super cute little aesthetic going on with the shop and they have free mail cards! They have a simple traditional menu but even have some speciality coffees with a yummy twist. I got a salted maple latte 8oz and an espresso. Not a fan usually of blends but this one was delicious! Super smooth going down a bit sharp to taste and very pronounced! Loved it and the cashier was super sweet and friendly. Everyone had a good chemistry going in. I know understand the hype. 10/10, will be trying Haupia next time on a warmer day. No indoor seating but there are benches outside and the neighborhood is a great walk. So i recommend grabbing a coffee and walking around. Thank you for a great experience and taste coffee/espresso!

I got the iced champ latte with almond milk and it was SO GOOD I will forever crave it now. The girl at the register was super nice. She was so friendly and even gave me some vegan donuts! I am so thankful to have had a good experience!

Cute little place. We go out of our way to come here for the coffee. We have friends who like coming here from other neighborhoods. They do a great job. Its small and they plan to move to a bigger location a couple of blocks down and that's been discussed for about a year. Hope they move so you can sit and have a cup of joe, but otherwise they are great. I like the salted maple, the haupia, and my husband just gets a plain coffee. They have yummy locally made kefir sodas. They are known for having some yummy vegan pastries and my daughter loves them.

Delicious, strong coffee, their holiday drinks are the perfect little hint of sweet, not too much, quick service, awesome people who work there. What's not to enjoy?

After reading a few reviews, I got the most recommended drink in the menu called The Champ latte. It was surprisingly a pleasant flavor! I'm a coffee enthusiast and I always have an appreciation for local coffee roasters. My husband enjoyed their cold brew and bought their Best Friend Blend coffee beans to make cold brew at home. The staff was able to grind the whole bean at the store as well.