Kaffee Meister - Lakeside Coffee Bar & Drive-Thru

My order was a cold brew peach tea with a cranberry and orange pastry and it was AMAZING!!! the ladies in here are killing it. Great customer service, great selection. 10/10 . Would definitely come again . Will definitely drop by again next time I'm in the area.

The pastry and espresso shot was so good. If you get a matcha, I recommend requesting a few pumps of vanilla syrup.

For a place so well reviewed, maybe we didn't get the right thing. Cold foam cold brew and croissant sandwich... coffee was just okay for the price and the sandwich was gross. It was peppery? And not in the spicy good way. Just no.

The coffee shop follows the antique theme of of the adjacent shops, therefore you may hear country music playing in the background. I myself am not a lover of country music but it will give this shop the ambience of a country shop. Only had an iced coffee off the menu and it was OK. Nothing spectacular. Served in a plain Solo cup. I think they should start branding cups in my opinion but that could get costly. Just my opinion. I'd like to see the menu on a chalkboard but here the menu is on laminated paper. They do have WiFi thank goodness. The shop didn't seem that busy in the afternoon when I arrived. The service was fast. And the staff was friendly. The place just seemed dead to me. It needed more life. Overall I'm glad the country music wasn't loud, the place was clean, and they offered WiFi. It's too bad they don't have windows to look outside. I'd still recommend the place if you were looking for a local coffee shop. They even have a few board games. Prices are about on par with what you'd pay at Starbucks. Update 10/2019: Place is always clean and I've been here in the mornings and it's much more busier and lively but they still provide fast service. I think I'm expecting too much as this coffee shop is more of an antique coffee shop then a modern one. Restroom is kept clean. Still needs windows. Go glad they have high speed wireless internet. Update 10/2019: Been here a few times now. Great place to get away and study, and yes they don't only play country music. That was a one time occurance. The crew is friendly and the service is fast. I recommend this place. 4 Stars still because it's a little cramped and they only have one power outlet that I could see. Not sure if it's for customer use. Place could also use windows but on the brightside there isn't sunlight beaming in. Also the prices are a little on the high side.

Here's some pics of the menu. I had the Acai bowl and it was delish but smaller than I'm used to getting when you order the large. The hubby had a croissant breakfast sandwich. He said it was smaller than he expected but good. I'd go back!

Asked for car-A-mel latte and just got a black coffee and corrected on my pronunciation of a word that clearly has a second "A". Lids don't stay on for crap so be careful. Lemon scone was delicious though. Warm. Flavorful. Light. Cute place too!

It's sad to say that in the past couple months the drinks have gone down hill. The coffee is watered down, not adding the right milk or mixing up the flavors. It's been happening almost every time I go .

Must’ve passed by this place a thousand times, finally got a chance to stop in. Finding the entrance was a little bit tricky but what’s inside was definitely worth it. Ordered the White Chocolate Mocha for me and a Mocha Frappe for my kiddo. Both were absolutely delicious. Staff was super friendly. We will be back very soon!

This place is so good, with friendly staff and a cool location right next to an antique store. In fact, I've often browsed the antiques while waiting for my drink.

First time visiting this local coffee shop. Parking was a bit tricky, but we made our way inside. The space is small, yet clean and cozy. It took a few minutes before anyone acknowledged us. The drive-thru was busy, so we didn't mind waiting. We ordered a vanilla soy latte--almost $9, which felt a little steep. The drink was simply placed on the counter with no smile, thank you, or even a "have a nice day," which left the experience feeling a bit impersonal. Overall, the coffee was fine, though the service could use some warmth. If you're in the area, it's worth a quick stop, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.

This used to be my FAVORITE coffee shop in all of San Diego. Lots of flavors and variety, and the espresso alone was the best tasting you can find. While the drive through could get a little backed up, it never bother me because I knew that I would get a quality drink. However, I stopped going when they changed the "tipping scale" for 15% to reflect "Mehh." as if to say.... "You didn't tip enough" or if they're ungrateful for a tip if it's not significant. I also tip very generously anyway, but the message itself really just rubbed me the wrong way. Honestly really sad to not go here anymore, but I think the message spoke for itself.

Good morning all, We decided to finally go check out the coffee shop in the big red barn by our home, Kaffee Meister. The antique shop wasn't open that early. We peaked through the windows of the barn and their antiques look awesome. When we went in the cafe we were very disappointed. Looks dirty, messy, empty tupperwares EVERYWHERE. Pastries kept in tupperwares instead of displayed in a more appetizing way. Ordered 2 cappuccinos. They don't have sugar and sweetener available for customers to sweeten to their own taste, you have to ask for it AFTER they served it unsweetened,and they don't even ask how MANY! Cappuccinos served in a tiny cup for $10 for 2. I couldn't drink mine as she put too much artificial sweetener. The three young girls were more interested in their conversation about traveling to Spain than paying attention to the customers. They were very nice and friendly just not focused. Very sad and disappointed as we would have loved to become regulars. We will return to check out the antiques.

Coffee was great but I'll never go back just based on how rude the people who work there are / how aggressive! The girl with the pink hair was loudly complaining to make sure the customers heard her comment about how people want all these modifications and how annoying it is -- and also how people don't tip. Then going over to the register looking annoyed checking tip amounts commenting over and over about that. My sandwhich was made with bacon The menu says Turkey blt- i thought it was Turkey bacon so my husband kindly explained how i was confused and asked if they can remake it They just took the bacon off and handed it back Truly rude employees that have ruined the experience They also kept complaining that "Sundays are too much and not fun to work They all seem so miserable to work there But the girl with the pink hair is the rudest They should never complain in front of customers loudly about their job or tips

A coffee shop inside a florist & vintage shop?! Talk about dreamy. I wanted to work somewhere on my lunch break and searched coffee shop & I had no idea I'd be walking into an antique wonderland that would lead me to this quaint coffee shop. I had a lovely time working while I sipped on my latte. I was even pleasantly surprised when I walked into the restroom to find it covered with art and antiques. I'm excited to come back and enjoy my coffee before exploring more of the vintage shop

My wife usually comes here when visiting here parents. We stopped here after leaving here parents house around christmas. My wife really enjoys all the drinks she has picked up here. the service was great also. We will be back when we visit

Smell good walking in the shop. Open at 7 am. Drive thru and call to order options. There are 5 tables inside. Quaint and homey deco. WiFi free. Some light breakfast sandwiches dish besides Pastries biscottis scones muffin cinnamon rolls. Relax and enjoy the morning kaffe

We drove through this unassuming coffee shop on the way up to hike at Mount Laguna and it's so cute! You can enter through the antique store (also so cool to go through if you have extra time) or you can drive through. They have homemade pastries and plenty of specialty coffee flavors on top of your traditional coffee offerings. Very friendly, sweet staff. TLDR; Great stop right off the freeway before heading up to the mountains.

Love this coffee shop! I come here to work sometimes and it's so peaceful and allows me to get a lot done. The staff is all very welcoming and creates a great culture. Not to mention the quality and taste of the coffee is superb. The only challenge is parking due to being in a business complex - as the day progresses it gets harder to find parking.

This has been my favorite place to get coffee for years! They are super consistent with the quality of their drinks!

Love the staff, and the drinks! The iced banana bread latte is my absolute favorite drink, I've never tried a drink that I don't like from here. Also the cinnamon rolls are delish

This place is cute and charming on the outside, pretty clean on the inside. I've been there a couple times with friends. The service was good. the only thing is the drinks are very flavored down and expensive. They don't make iced coffee is the correct way. They only do one shot of espresso for a small one shot of espresso for a medium and one shot of espresso in a large drink, which doesn't make any sense if you know about making drinks.. then they make you pay to get an extra shot of expresso which is ridiculous. probably won't come here again for coffee but it's nice to have a local business but hopefully they improve their drinks

The cinnaroll latte was probably one of the best coffee drinks I've had in a long time. Loved the punch of cinnamon and just the right amount of sweetness. Loved loved loved this drink. The cafe au lait was ok. Just didn't have enough pizazz but it's a good coffee. I don't care much for them but boy friend said it's a good one. The egg and cheese croissant was good as well. Flaky and good flavor. The pesto was delicious. Service was just as great. I'd be back for sure when traveling down this road from mission valley or when in the area. Stop in you won't be disappointed.

I come to this coffee spot if I can on Saturday mornings. I would say its a small and quaint little spot. Off to a rather small part of the main street. I normally get the Cold brew. It doesn't disappointment. I have yet to try their breakfast sandwiches/ food etc. The gals that work here are always nice and hardworking. They also sell antiques here it looks like. But mostly coffee. I have yet to ask about the antiques. I would say prices are not bad at all. The quality is great! If you are ever in this area I highly recommend this place. They also have a drive thru. I feel though you miss a lot of the vibes that way because this is a small whole in the wall to me. Its better to stop in real quick you get a better vibe of the place. It has a calming feel to it.

This is just a convenient coffee cart located in the same building (barn) as an antique store. It was a nice stop for a relaxing drink and stroll after our hike in Lakeside

Super friendly staff, adorable interior, good vibes, and solid açaí bowls will definitely come back! Convenient location off the 8 freeway as well :)

Usually I love coming here. I don't know when a small coffee became so expensive here. $6.10 for a small white mocha latte. I gave the Barista $8 total for a tip. Did not say thank you and handed me a $ 6.10 coffee that tasted like warm milk. No flavor other than that. Please thank your customers for coming and supporting your local store as well as thanking them for a tip.

Place is normally packed on Saturday morning as they have a dance studio next door. Worst case scenario you get your beverage and a snack and walk next door to mast park to enjoy. That being said, During the week or afternoon it's a really nice place to come and sit, work, read, or have a date with a friend. The açaí bowl is yummy, they have bagels for a reasonable price and other pastries. Customer service is always top notch.

I'm glad I found this coffee shop have been coming here a few times I love this place , I'm sad I'll be leaving San Diego soon but whenever I come back to visit I will definetly stop here! The scones are amazing . Today I had the cinarolll latte with an extra double shot woot woot !!

Friendly and fast service. Iced Vanilla latte is so creamy and good! The scones are a must try!

My friend brought me there last Saturday, it was a great experience. Great coffee, the coffee shop connects with a very artistic antique store that sells potteries with plants and a garden that is surrounded by potteries and plants. Would love to bring friends here for coffee and hang out again. Highly recommend for friends coffee meet.

I've previously frequented the Santee location, stopped by the Lakeside location on the way out east. Drive through is super convenient since I was on the go. Never disappointed with the quality product of KaffeeMeister!

Delicious coconut latte with oak milk. They make their oak milk so frothy to the point you won't know it's not regular milk! This is definitely a life saver for lactose intolerant folks. The cafe makes you feel like you are sipping coffee at a old train station with a passage way into the antique shops. A unique secret little place for true coffee lovers.

Such a cute location, nice outdoor seating on the garden- like atmosphere, shop for antiques while drinking coffee! Loved it!

Great people Good prices Excellent brews and drinks Fresh bakery items Everything about Kaffee Meister was recommended.

Fabulous authentic Italian macchiato, not a pseudo coffee drink like the big company. Next time I visit San Diego I will be back.

This is a little hidden gem! They have a drive thru which is more obvious than the store itself! KaffeeMeister is attached to an antique shop which is super cute in itself! The amazing part was the beautiful outside garden with plenty of tables and chairs! This was such a unique location. Waze directions brings you to the back, which is how we found it after driving past it and turning back around, there are a couple parking spots right in front of the sign that points "coffee shop" to the door! The coffee was delicious, we ordered and Americano with steamed heavy cream and added collagen that they offered. The collagen addition was a nice surprise! The staff was super friendly and welcoming, even though they were super busy! They stayed calm and never backed away from their friendly customer service! If I lived near this location, I would be a regular!

Great lil hidden gem but be prepared to spend. Most expensive 2 coffees 2 snacks I've ever paid for a drive thru experience, need to work on some efficiency

Best coffee anywhere!! Puts Starbucks to shame!!! Add or delete what you want or dont want. Edibles provided from another bakery.

This is a great little find. I always appreciate a real coffee shop that is local and personal. High quality coffee, tea and snacks. Good Acai bowls. Parking- off the street. Offer drive through service. Cute thrift store adjoined to the coffee shop, but unfortunately closed on the weekend & so is the patio with additional seating.

My husband and I stopped before returning back to drive to Arizona. This is such a cute little spot and they have yummy bagels, and fresh cookies. We ordered a açaí bowl too and they were out of strawberries and blueberries, but it turned out so goood still! Glad we got to stop here before leaving.

The coffee was good. I'm not sure if I'd consider it amazing but I did like it. I'd return.

THIS PLACE DOES NOT SERVE ALMOND MILK! Alrighty then. Now that we got that out of the way, we can continue with the review. I have been coming to this location for about 7 months now. I normally just use the drive thru but I have come inside about 3 different times. It's a little strange on how it's set up. The coffee shop itself is inside of an antique store. But if you want to come inside, you drive to the back of the red barn antique store, and there will be a wheel chair ramp leading to the entrance of the coffee shop. It was very complicated for me to figure out the first time around. Their menu, both outside for their drive through and inside in their coffee shop, state that they have almond milk as one of their milk options. They told me that the almond milk was replaced for oat milk instead. They still have coconut milk and macadamia milk but they have completely got rid of the almond. The reason why I pointed it out in the beginning was because it's been almost 6-7 months since their change and yet they have not updated their menu at all and it still reads that they have almond milk. Which I think has been plenty of time to update their menu. When it comes to customer service I would rate it a 4.5 out of 5. Just about every time I come here I am greeted with the best costumer service. But there are 3 associates that I've come across that aren't the nicest. Not mean. But definitely could replace the sour tone of voice for a friendlier one. But like I previously stated, more likely than not the customer service is outstanding. Every crafted coffee drink that I have ever gotten here has always been excellent. They are on the ball with consistency. If you go to Starbucks, even if you order the same drink every time, you know that it will sometimes taste off, depending on the barista that makes your order. Very common for coffee shops for drinks to taste different every few times you order. But here, I don't know if they all dance in unison and do some crazy rituals but their drinks are always consistent and always taste the same. Never taste off or weird. My favorite is the white chocolate latte with macadamia milk. I've had one of their blended drinks which tastes like smooth heaven. So creamy and satisfying. The only down side...they are sooooo expensive! One 16 oz (grande for Starbucks fans) latte will run you $8 and some change. Than when you add the tip (which I always do) will bring you up to about $11. That's just for one drink. So although in my eyes, this is one of the best coffee shops in San Diego (in my opinion) it's not somewhere I could realistically come to every day. It's like a treat to come here or if I'm in a hurry and can't make coffee at home. I did purchase a cool shirt from here to represent. But now during quarantine, not sure if you could do that. With the quarantine, when paying with card, they will sign your signature for you by drawing a line through it. (No touchy their stuff) but they are still open!

This place is hella cute, quaint and rustic An old wood barn with a coffee shop inside along with rooms of antiques and cute country items for sale... Patio seating outside A drive through coffee line Came here a couple times... Service was pretty slow Prices a bit steep for a simple bagel and cream cheese... impressed with the country vibe Not impressed with the prices.... come on people it's a bagel and cream cheese and a simple pour house coffee Really 12 bucks for that?? I'm not cheap butttttttt.... the steep prices deter my continued return

Love their coffee and breakfasts croissants. I usually frequent the location on the outskirts of El Cajon in the Red Barn. You can have your coffee and a bite to eat then walk through the Red Barn, it's a great way to spend an hour or two.

Used to be a semi-regular and then haven't been by in awhile. Food menu has changed and they're no longer using croissants for sandwiches but 'artisan bread' and basically it comes off as Starbucks pre-made quality now. Drinks used to be some of the best in the area but the latte I had recently was watered down and pedestrian. Fortunately for them there isn't a lot of great coffee in the area. But it's sad to see the quality decline over the past couple years.

This place is cute local hidden gem. We've tried it like 3 times in the past month and it's been good every time. staff is friendly and I like the fact that they smile. I will be coming here more often and they even have a drive thru.

The girls are super nice. If you've gone to Kaffee Meister in santee and had bad service like I have, try this spot. Same strong coffee but better service!

Staff, product, speed, atmosphere, mood, coffee It's all pretty good and feels very peaceful inside

This place is great! The coffee and pastries are worth dying for. The customer service is awesome I'd totally recommend the Kaffee Meister!

Are you looking for a shop with great tasting coffee (hot, iced, blended), fresh baked goods and hot breakfast items? This is it. I've driven by it dozens of times and always saw the drive-thru window, but finally decided to go in last Friday and I'm absolutely glad I did! After spending 10 minutes looking around the attached Mercantile Shop, I went to order 2 blended vanilla lattes- they were the perfect consistency and had the right amount of milk, sugar and vanilla. I was tempted to get one of the freshly baked blueberry crumble muffins, but decided to save that for next time. The staff was amazing and treated me like I was already a regular. I will definitely be returning soon!

Craft coffee in east count, come on now, this is AH-MAZ-ZING!! Grab a to-go order through their drive thru on your way out East for a day an early morning hike or on your way back. They have a variety of options, even for non-coffee drinkers, and non-dairy options. They do a delicious tumeric latte, and unique of using Macadamia Nut milk. Their cold brew is STRONG and super smooth. Enjoy for whatever your tastebuds desire, you won't be disappointed.

Honestly i have hit my wits ends with this place. It's my local coffee shop so i was a loyal customer weekly- sometimes 2 times a day. I supported during covid and continued going to keep business going. However- recently it's just not been the same. The drinks are never consistent and the recipes always seem to be changing. The food is either cold or overly cooked. One time i ordered a bagel and there was a smear of cream cheese.. not even enough for a bite. My drinks are always made with the wrong milks or sour tasting. I have called the shop or gone back to let them know something is wrong and they are super defensive. The hours are very inconvenient to where i have to plan to go there. I am not sure if management changed or what but this location has gone down hill and it is sad.

We stopped here on our drive back to Phoenix. Not only do they have great coffee, but they have a charming garden area, a huge antique store, and a flower shop all in one "building." We enjoyed exploring all the sections of the property while sipping our coffee. There is a drive thru if you don't have time to explore. We didn't see any signs that indicated a drive thru when we parked, but it was there.

A relaxing find, hidden in an antique store where I could spend hours in walking around with my fresh coffee looking for bargains. My friend and I agreed this would be a regular stopping place for us. Friendly staff and quiet. Hint: if you've not been there, follow your maps app. When it tells you that you are there, park, because you really are there. Check it out!l.

I've always wanted to try this place but I never did until recently. Well thank God I did because I will never go back to Starbucks ever again. And that says alot because I was going every single work day. I love the staff at this particular location. They are super friendly, professional, helpful. The coffee is devine. They fixed any issues I had promptly and in the most friendly and helpful manner. We need to support businesses like this. Quality and charismatic staff. My new favorite coffee spot.

If you haven't been to this place what are you doing with your life? It's in a small area of lakeside connected to a vintage thrift/furniture store. Pre covid coming in here to hangout and drink a latte with friends on the BEAUTIFUL private outdoor patio that these businesses share was truly one of my favorite pastimes out here in east county. There's vintage patio furniture, spacious seating, quiet atmosphere (aside from the sound of birds chirping, which I adore), plenty of plants surrounding you, all sorts of cozy and peaceful all around vibes. The inside of the shops seating was decent as well, not huge but a few spots available with the cute vintage decorations. The bathroom is also very nice and spacious!! I hate coffee shops that are packed with people and I've walked straight out of coffee shops like that plenty of times due to anxiety about what should be a peaceful place being too overwhelming and feeling too much like a bar minus the alcohol. The coffee here is incredible. The lattes come in a few different flavors. My favorite drinks here are the iced white mocha latte, iced spiced chai latte, or the Carmel macchiato, all with Mac milk. The flavors and quality of the espresso is exceptional, none of that artificial crap that you can clearly taste in the Starbucks down the street. You can truly enjoy the flavor of the espresso blending with the other ingredients and the quality is ALWAYS consistent which ive found is a constant problem with huge corporate stores. They make their drinks with love and care and you can taste that difference here. This is the ONLY coffee shop I've been to that offers macadamia nut milk, which out of the non dairy options it is by far the best, it has it's own flavor that adds that extra oomph to any latte/iced coffee or macchiato. I've been a die hard almond milk junky, but am so pleased I was able to try the Mac milk here. There is a drive through with a pretty decent sized selection. They do take a little while to make your drinks but that is made up for in flavor and quality. Their food is sooo yummy too, açaí bowls, breakfast sandwiches etc! I haven't had anything I don't like on their menu yet and I've been coming here for years. Oh! They also give peanut butter dog treats through the drive through so if you have your dog they offer them:)

If you're in a hurry you going to work like I was it's a quick little stop in El Cajon. Great tasting coffee and probably the best breakfast sausage sandwich I've ever eaten. 10 / 10 recommend this place is great!