The Forum Coffee House

This place is sooo good! I tried the matcha with Ube cold foam and a vanilla latte with ube cold foam. I like my coffee sweet so I got an extra pump of vanilla and it was perfect! The ube flavor was sweet and strong and paired perfectly with the latte. The matcha one was refreshing and well balanced! Im definitely going to be back for more! The watermelon Guava Tea is new for summer and SOOO good!

12-07-24 Looked up this place to see if it would be a nice cafe to go have coffee and hang out. Once we got to the parking lot, we found a space right away. While placing my orders, we scanned the shop to see if there was a table available for us. At first not a single indoor table to grab, we decided to check outdoor. We sat and waited for our order. While waiting for the server to call my name, I saw an empty table with a huge orange couch right near the cashier. I wasted no time to secure it. Ordered: -Rule 34 $9.90– sour cream spread on sourdough toast atop with smoked salmon and garnished with slices of fresh cucumber adorned with pickled sweet red onion and baby dill. All the ingredients combined well together. I completely enjoyed my snacks. -The Dreamers $6– refreshing, a slight flavor of cinnamon and loved that the sweetness was just right. This is a great place to hang out. Finding a table might take a while depending on the time of day.

This café is so so good!! I’ve tried the lavender latte and the BB code (banana bread cold brew, sounds weird but It’s delicious) and to be honest I’m struggling to try anything else because those two are both so great that I typically go back when I’m craving one of them. I’m lactose intolerant and there’s no way for them to make the BB code lactose free, but I will just pop to Lactaid and take the chance because it is one of the most unique drinks I’ve ever had and it’s exceptional! A lot of people like to work and study from here so I would suggest getting there early if you need an outlet! Everyone is super friendly and the energy in there is really community oriented, so I feel comfortable asking people to watch my stuff as I went to the bathroom.

I used to love this place. However, after learning that the plastic lining in hot beverage to-go cups leaches micro plastics into the drinks, I have been exclusively drinking hot beverages in for-here glass and ceramic cups. I was so disappointed to learn that they don't have any ceramic or glass cups! Not only is this incredibly unhealthy and can lead to a number of health problems, but it's also wasteful. For a coffee shop that caters to remote workers and students who hang out there for hours, it really doesn't make sense that they only have to-go cups. The other issue is that their online photos include ceramic and glass cups. It's hard to tell if they just stopped using them or if they're exclusively stock photography. Either way, it's totally misleading. That's not the experience they're offering. The food and overall drink quality is great though and I'm a huge fan of their house made vegan chocolate hazelnut buns! Unfortunately, though, I won't be going there any more for tea or coffee.

I love having this coffee shop in my community. I really don't like Starbucks and they are a dime a dozen around here. So nice to have a great local option! They always have really delicious treats and light food/fare options. I see a lot of people who come here to work or study (I think UCSD students mostly). Vibe is chill and enjoyable. I will say they get busy on weekend mornings. I've seen lines out the door. So, just be aware of that.

If you’re thinking of coming here for the matcha drinks, save yourself some time and money—don’t bother. I personally prefer my matcha on the richer side, so I was caught off guard when I realized they use water instead of milk for their matcha. That alone was already a big letdown. As a result, the matcha tasted super light and didn’t pair well with the ube cream foam I added, it just didn’t come together. The staff experience was hit or miss. The space itself is quite large, which is a plus. If you’re coming for drinks other than matcha, it’s probably a better experience. I just wouldn’t recommend the matcha here. That said, it’s a nice spot to study or get some work done, so I’d still consider coming back for the environment—just not for the matcha.

The Forum is a very popular coffee shop and hangout in Clairemont right across from the DMV, next door to Cotixan and Circle K. Pro tip for this spot is to utilize the online ordering system — the line can be quite long at times and it’s nice to skip the wait completely without any special online surcharges. I’ve tried a variety of drinks and pastries here, but I think I like their cold brew and lattes the most. There are plenty of variations, including classic options like vanilla, and interesting choices like Nutella. A lot of people do remote work here, so sometimes it can be hard to find a place to sit. But, if you come at odd times or very early, you can snag a spot and hunker down for a few hours if you’re looking to study or work.

This is probably one of my favorite coffee shops in San Diego! Where do I begin...well first let me say I have a very up and down relationship with coffee (body doesn't always react well to it 😞) but I LOVE COFFEE! And my absolute favorite coffee drink of all time happens to be sold here, The BB Code 👑. It's cold brew coffee with their house made banana milk 🤤. Now I can't always have it because it's cold brew and I get kind of jittery with too much caffeine 😆 but it is amazing! I get mine with chocolate sauce on the inside of the cup. I also like matcha and their orange creamsicle matcha is probably the best matcha drink I've ever had (unfortunately it's a seasonal drink) but hopefully they bring it back 🙏. They also bake all their pastries in house lots of unique flavors but everything I've ever tried has been great! Plus they always have a few gluten free/vegan options daily which my son loves (he's on a strict diet). And lastly the staff is super friendly, they always make you feel welcome. I love this place and always look forward to my Friday forum trip.

Okay coconut cream and caramel! Who knew they'd go so well with matcha! I am always on the quest for a quality matcha. Everyone and their mother is serving matcha, but I'm looking for either great quality (bright green in color, ceremonial matcha with rich flavor) or untraditional standout flavors (unique mix-ins that aren't too sweet, but provide the right taste combination with the matcha). This falls into the later. I don't usually frequent this area, but I wasn't far and have had it on my list for a while. I got the C++ and it was SO GOOD. The coconut cream is perfection and I'm not even a big coconut gal. The caramel is also such a treat. I was so impressed by this drink. One sip and I knew I was in trouble. I'll have to be making my way out here more frequently.

I went with my partner on a Sunday afternoon. The cafe has plenty of seating, and it appeared that plenty of people were getting work done and studying in there. There was no line. Staff were welcoming and professional. I got the Double Post matcha and my partner got the Avatar matcha. The earl grey in my drink was very strong, and it overpowered the matcha. It was also a little too sweet for my liking. The Avatar had a very strong cinnamon flavor that also overpowered the matcha. If the flavors were more balanced to enhance the matcha instead of be the primary flavor, we would have enjoyed our drinks more.

Based on most recent experiences, but previously was 5 stars... They got rid of the waffle breakfast options!!! It's so sad and now they only have bakery type items. Also, there's been a lot more mistakes with using alternative milk options when it's been specified in the order. In the most recent experience, when we pointed out that we saw them use cows milk instead of milk alternative due to lactose intolerance, there was resistance and rudeness by the staff when we asked for the drink to be remade. Super disappointing that the breakfast options and the quality, care, and friendliness have deteriorated.

The BB code is my favorite coffee drink in San Diego! It's not too sweet and the banana flavor is light and enjoyable!! Service is always quick and folks are always friendly!!

drinks were so unique and yummy, the sizing of the drinks were also good enough that i had so much. good cafe in sd to go-to for me !

Forum is always one of the few go to coffee places when we come back down south! You absolutely can't go wrong with their classic cold brews like the fanatic. Prices of the coffees are steep. They changed up their menu and added some new drinks but my go to are always the classics! Service was great the staff was friendly and knowledgeable. There's not ever enough space here! It's always busy so I'd come early to grab a table if needed. I hope they expand one day because it's a great place to hang out and even study

This was my go to back in college. It seems to still be a great spot full of students and families. They don't have big tables anymore and have opted for smaller ones which I'd find it harder to work on, but people were still doing their thing. Their spring specials include an ube cream, so my friends and I got it! I got it with cold brew and they all got it with matcha. I had a sip of their matcha's and didn't find it particularly amazing. The matcha had a pre-packaged taste even though they use ceremonial uji. I LOVED it with my cold brew. It was the perfect amount of sweet and the cold brew was a bit on the sour end. Look how pretty.

Cute coffee shop to study at. All the tables inside were filled. We were able to snagged a table outside. We ordered the binary code and debugger. I asked for both to be hot but the binary code came out iced which we didn't mind. Binary code had an horchata taste but it was too sweet for me. The debugger had a good amount of sweetness to coffee ratio. Love the crème brûlée on top. Too bad there were no pastries for us to try. They were all sold out.

Came in for breakfast just to find out that none of the yummy looking toasts and waffles are on their menu now Latte was good but their food selection very limited.

Okay. Unfortunately I have a concussion so I couldn't drive to experience this place. Luckily they're on DoorDash! I was really craving matcha & I had been recommended this place before- so with no delivery fee I figured why not? Uhm, this easily my new favorite place to get matcha. Seeing they offered banana cream (my absolute favorite flavor) as an add-on, I knew I had to get it! So altogether it was a Large Iced Oatmilk Matcha Latte with banana cream. I just can't express how delicious this drink was! I will be back sooner than later. I had also ordered the Passion Fruit Bun, which unfortunately was out of stock, but was replaced with this Blueberry Basil Goat Cheese Bun! After warming it up in the air fryer, it was a perfect addition. I will be going in person soooon to get the matcha again and definitely to try more pastries!

This place can get pretty busy, and for good reasons! I pop in here for their hazelnut lattes (iced with oat milk please) and [usually] for their selection of avocado toasts. However, I just learned today that they stopped serving avocado toasts to focus more on pastries. I'm a bit sad about it but I did try one of the pastries, and it was a delight! I had the Cheesy Tomato Pesto Bun and it was moist, flavorful, and had an even taste of cheese, tomato, and pesto! I'm certainly going back to try the other pastries! It has a decent level of noise, with music and people talking, but plenty of people are on their laptops working despite it all.

I've actually came here three times since my 7 years ago review. I've written reviews for their Trouble Shooter, C++, and Avatar before but it's no longer posted for some reason. "Life happens, coffee helps... order online!" Well, today, we ordered for delivery as that is an option on their website. I went with their ~$6.50, Iced BB Code which is a cold brew coffee with house made banana milk and it's sweetened with brown sugar (banana milk contains dairy). It was so bad, I gagged when I took that first sip. I LOVE banana in coffee, but this one was not good. It had a bitter undertone and the aftertaste reminded me of Fritos. Fritos, to me, has always had a sour stinky sock/armpit vibe to it. That's what this had. The banana milk itself was a bit chunky, I thought it would be more smooth. My brother did order half sweet and said maybe they left out the brown sugar (would make sense because I don't taste brown sugar)--but I still feel like the combo should have been good even without brown sugar. So overall, I'm just disappointed with the execution of this drink. I personally would NOT recommend it. My brother ordered two other drinks. One of them was $6.00, The Dreamer, this is their house made blue chai latte with a blend of loose leaf black tea and spices, also sweetened with brown sugar. The taste of it was sweet & fragrant. But also quite thin and watery. I like my chai to be more on the creamy and more full bodied side. It was ok, but it could have been better. I wonder if it's maybe the blue portion that they added that made it so watery? It's not for me, but out of the 3 drinks, if I had to... I'd drink it. So, he also ordered a matcha & coconut milk drink. It was visually not appealing and from first glance I already knew it was going to be bad. To me, it tasted like watery grass. To him, it tasted like "dog water." The matcha settled on the bottom of the drink which was odd, so I recommended he mix it in hopes it would taste better. This is really not on par for the Forum Coffee because they used to make iced matcha drinks REALLY well. Overall, I'm really disappointed on how these drinks turned out because the Forum Coffee used to be a place I'd recommend to many people. And to see them go downhill like this is sad. I mean, perhaps it's better in person, but if they offer online ordering you'd think the drinks would be good too.

Forum Coffee is a cute little coffee shop that offers plenty of caffeine-laden drinks and lots of seats for myself and my family during our weekend getaway to San Diego. They had plenty of pastries so that was nice. The latte is pretty standard and tastes great. We enjoyed the pick-me-up. One downside is they stopped offering waffles for their breakfast and I don't think they have any other food items except their bakery pastries. There's plenty of parking so no need to fight for parking. We got in and out pretty quickly. And there's lots of seating.

Good thing I ordered online because the line was long! Also this coffee shop is very spacious in the inside, but also pretty packed! All tables were practically filled lol. I saw my order on the counter and just grabbed it and go. I remembered there were so many pretty drinks they had on the menu, but Yelp recommended a cold brew. I got the BB code and my friends got the BB code, matcha latte, and london fog. So I only have my critiques on the BB code, which it was pretty good! The banana taste is pretty prominent, but I thought it was a bit too sweet for me. Although, I still enjoyed the drink overall. I wish the coffee was stronger too, but it's a pretty solid place.

I've had a hit or miss experience the few times I've been here so the quality is never consistent for me to continue coming back. I've ordered their specialty coffee a couple times and those were good but the matcha is really watered down. The most recent visit, I ordered the Avatar which was a horchata matcha. I was honestly really excited bc I love horchata and thought this fusion drink was unique. I even ordered the large but maybe it was the sizing that made the drink watered down? Unfortunately, it tasted like cinnamon water with hints of matcha. When I finished half of the drink, it started tasting better but moreso watery milk with hints of matcha. I'm bummed out bc I really wanted to love this place but the inconsistency is a no for me.

This place is good to study from and has a cute interior, and pretty good cold brews and unique tea type drinks, but is overpriced. At $7- $8 per drink without milk substitution I expect EXCEPTIONAL quality or at least real cups for dining in. The crème brûlée cappuccino always has super weak espresso. The service at the counter is also super "idgaf" energy and unkind. I find it kind of telling that the employees went to Philz for their own caffeine fix rather than at their own store. Just kinda odd in my opinion, unless they are doing a taste comparison. (see pic).

I've started coming back here after a long time since I'm closer to this are now, and it good to see the menu has expanded so much. I've tried a couple drinks, and my favorites are debugger, nice for a chilly morning, bb code, and c++. I've also tried dark web, but I expected a stronger mint flavor, and it was a bit watered down. The other drink I've tried are great, though. The c++ has a really strong coconut flavor which I favor. Plenty of seating, however, it gets busy in the morning. Came here on a weekday around 9 and managed to snag a table. On a Monday at 10am it was full and a barstool opened up right after we ordered. It does let up midday though, and we managed to get a table eventually. Come early or expect it to be packed in the am. I've had pastries both times, pretty good. We also had a salmon toast our first time, but didn't see the toast menu any longer our second visit, so wonder if they've gotten rid of them. Will be back to try some seasonal items!

I visited Forum Coffee after hearing great things, and it definitely lived up to the hype! We tried the BB Code, which was very banana forward with a nice cold brew kick! I'd love to come back next time to try the Double Post. The space itself was super cute and seemed like a great spot to work or study. The staff was also really friendly! Definitely worth checking out!

The coffee is good here, but you can't just chill here to have a drink and catch up with a friend (at least in my experience). I usually come here on the weekend and it's ALWAYS crowded inside with no place to sit down. Each seat/table is taken with someone studying or reading, and I don't blame them since this is a great place for that. Word of advice: get here early so you can grab a seat. Bonus: there's plenty of parking in the back but you'll have to have someone open the door for you on the inside.

Amazing service, walked in and was immediately greeted. I ordered the Captcha which was an iced matcha latte with oat milk and it had the perfect matcha to milk ratio without it being too bitter or too sweet. Also a perfect study spot, but would have to get there earlier to secure a table. Would come here again!

We visited Forum Coffee on a Saturday morning around 9am. Anticipating a crowd, my husband suggested we place an online order ahead of time and I'm so glad we did! About 15 minutes later, we arrived and our order was already set out and ready for pickup. I got a matcha latte and a Dubai chocolate croissant, and both were amazing. They use ceremonial grade matcha, and you can truly taste the difference. The latte was smooth, flavorful, and perfectly balanced, easily one of the best I've ever had. My husband couldn't stop raving about it after every sip. The croissant was equally impressive - fresh, flaky, and still warm with rich chocolate inside. The place was packed when we arrived, every table full and a line of 6-7 people but the vibe was energetic and inviting. Parking was super easy in the large plaza. All around, this has officially become my favorite spot for a matcha latte. Can't wait to come back!

I'll admit: I come here a lot more often than I probably should, but what can I say? The drinks are consistently good, and you can't go wrong with a lot of their menu staples. Service is always nice as well, especially on the weekends. My go-to drink is usually the "Double Post," which is such a lovely blend of rose, earl grey, and matcha. What I like about most of their drinks is that they manage to balance all the flavors really well, and nothing overpowers each other. The end result is always a smooth-tasting drink, both in texture and flavor. I will say, that recently, the flavor of this drink has been a little off, and I think it comes down to the syrup that they use. I suspect they might've changed the syrup since the drink now tastes a bit like a cleaning product... Since then, I've decided to order something different for once, and I've really come to enjoy "Reboot" (honey cinnamon latte), which I think is a classic. I'll occasionally order "The Dreamer" as well, which is a unique blend of English breakfast tea with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and butterfly pea flower, which gives the drink its beautiful blue hue. Again, well-balanced flavors, with cinnamon at the forefront. It's a nice break from the more popular caffeinated beverages, but it's one of those drinks that I'd only order if I was craving its unique flavor. I've also tried "Geocache," but am personally not a huge fan of it, especially since I prefer the stronger flavor of jasmine tea that I've grown accustomed to from a traditional boba shop. I find this drink to be heavy on the taste of milk, with the jasmine and rose flavor taking a backseat. It just tastes like diluted jasmine milk tea with a hint of the rose syrup. They also introduce seasonal drinks every now and then, which can be pretty good as well. Their pastries and baked goods are a hit or miss. Of the ones I've tried, I really enjoyed their vegan peppermint donut, which was a seasonal item. Parking is usually easy to find, but the place is generally always packed as it's especially popular among college students. Tables get taken quickly, and the average person stays for at least an hour or two, if not more. I find myself having to take my drinks to-go most of the time. Despite the amount of patrons, it always manages to be relatively quiet since most busy themselves with their work.

This is a great coffee shop and study spot! I've been coming here for years and they have such a variety of fun specialty coffee and matcha drinks. Most recently, I got the Binary Code which really hit the spot when I was craving some strong espresso, hints of sweetness from condensed milk, and cinnamon notes from horchata. I'd recommend! The drinks usually come out fast and the baristas are always nice. This is also a cozy spot to study or get work done because Forum has solid wifi and plenty of outlets. Only thing is the inside is often packed and it can be hard swiping a spot to sit down since lots of people study here.

Great cold brew! It looks like they have a ton of drink options to choose from. My friend got a matcha which she really enjoyed too. We went on a Saturday afternoon and it was pretty packed. Waited in line for about 15 min and there were a lot of people studying inside. Just something to keep in mind! Would still come back here and next time I'm looking forwards to trying one of their match drinks :)

Drinks? Okay. Place to work/study? Amazing. I've never really been a big fan of Forum's drinks, but I can definitely advocate for this being a great spot to get productive. They have ample seating options, although it does get filled up rather fast. Their hours (7AM- 7PM) are a lot more forgiving than most cafes in San Diego. I've found that so many inconveniently close midday or late afternoon. Not entirely ideal for those who work remotely or are students. Cozy cafe vibes, tons of seating, and later operating hours truly makes Forum a local hotspot. Drinks-wise, I've never been too impressed with the handful of times I've visited. I'm not a big fan of their matcha lattes- they weirdly taste very coconut-y to me. It's definitely not a milk thing since I always opt for oat. During my most recent visit, I decided to try something new and got their Passionfruit Colada- a creamy coconut latte with passionfruit syrup. Very tropical and pleasantly tart! Definitely enjoyed this unconventional fall seasonal drink.

Binary Code - tasty horchata latte. the coffee taste was good. I wish the horchata flavor was stronger, maybe having more cinnamon would help. Good service and didn't wait too long for my drink. Lots of seating in the dining area but when it's busy will fill up quick.

This review is for studying spot: This is a hot spot to study for a coffee shop, especially because it closes a little later at 7pm compared to other coffee shops: the interior is a comfortable homey/cozy vibes which is nice for studying. Music is a bit on the louder side so bring headphones/earphones if that might disturb you! The service is really good, and good options for drinks and foods. Lots of places for working, however keep in mind it gets packed!! I came on a Tuesday mid-day and it was already so full, I was luckily able to snatch a seat on a couch but no table space left. There's a parking lot available so easy to find parking.

I love Forum Coffee! I've door dashed from them and gotten coffee in shop from them multiple times and have never been disappointed. I would have to say this is definitely in my top 3 for coffee shops in San Diego! Located near the intersection of Balboa Avenue and Genesee, Forum sits in the same center as places like Feng Cha. I don't think parking is an issue for the most part because this center doesn't attract as much traffic. Bonus, if you have a tesla, there's a supercharger in the lot. It's small, but it's there. I think there's like 6 chargers? The place itself is decent sized, has a good amount of seating and is pretty clean. It's definitely a good spot to get some work or studying done. But getting a table might be hard. We were there Saturday morning and all the tables were full already (that's a good sign though). I had no issues with service. All of the staff were super kind and had good customer service. They were all working hard and we were able to hear them communicate with each other on who's working on what or if anyone needed help, so it's nice to hear that they work as a team. Another thing that I really enjoy is that they recognize there usuals. They greeted a woman as soon as she walked in by her name and said "I'll be getting my usual." And staff knew right away what she meant. That was really nice to hear. My drink was good! I had the code green and it was yummy. It was a water based matcha, but I liked that the matcha taste wasn't watered away. It wasn't too sweet and heavy and I really liked that! My mom had "The Last Waffle" and it was definitely packed on! It was yummy and the beet sauce was interesting. I had the Rule 34, and that's my usual and it never disappoints. They're very generous with the salmon and the bread is never too heavy. They also bake their good fresh in the shop. We had a butter croissant and it was warm and flaky in all the right ways. I will confidently say I will be back. DoorDash or in person, I will definitely be ordering from the forum again. I was extremely satisfied and now my mom wants to go back. They have a good amount of stuff on their menu that I would like to try so you'll see me there again soon!

Ive only been to this place twice as I am not local but it has been one of my favorite coffee spots in SD by farrrrr. They have a wide variety of options so there's something you are bound to like and they do have seasonal menus as right now for spring they have cherry and pistachios. I got the Reboot which is cinnamon and honey and I enjoy it alot ! Its not overly sweet and you can still taste the coffee, after finishing I did see it had a cinnamon stick which was a nice touch! My sister had the cherry foam matcha and she really enjoyed it! There is lots of seating but it does fill up quick and it is noisy so keep that in mind ! They offer pastries and savory bites. The service at the time was a bit slow but understandable since they were pretty busy.

They bake their baked goods in house!! Cafes that do this never fail to impress me. The cardamom bun is stellar-- be sure to have it warmed up. The matcha is the kind of matcha you know will be good before you try it because of its beautiful green color! Coffee is also very solid. Lots of seating and WiFi! All around impressed by the service and this adorable coffee shop.

I used to come here 2x a week for coffee and studying while at college as this is a perfect cafe. There is ample seating prefect for solo studying or with a partner and lots of charging stations + free wifi. I had to come back while visiting the city for a nostalgia factor and it did not disappoint! I ordered my usual BB Code which is cold brew with house made banana milk... the coffee itself is amazing but I don't remember the banana tasting a bit artificial. Otherwise it's a deliciously creamy drink! The menu here is extensive and unique so it's easy to find your favorite

This is one of the best coffee shops in San Diego. Staff is very friendly. Drinks are super tasty. Pastries are amazing! My only complaint is they don't have a drive thru .... Haha.

12-07-24 Looked up this place to see if it would be a nice cafe to go have coffee and hang out. Once we got to the parking lot, we found a space right away. While placing my orders, we scanned the shop to see if there was a table available for us. At first not a single indoor table to grab, we decided to check outdoor. We sat and waited for our order. While waiting for the server to call my name, I saw an empty table with a huge orange couch right near the cashier. I wasted no time to secure it. Ordered: -Rule 34 $9.90- sour cream spread on sourdough toast atop with smoked salmon and garnished with slices of fresh cucumber adorned with pickled sweet red onion and baby dill. All the ingredients combined well together. I completely enjoyed my snacks. -The Dreamers $6- refreshing, a slight flavor of cinnamon and loved that the sweetness was just right. This is a great place to hang out. Finding a table might take a while depending on the time of day.

The C++ (matcha with coconut cream and caramel) is SO good! I love the pronounced coconut taste. This drink is the reason for the 4 stars. The Avatar drink (matcha and horchata) was decent, but tasted a bit watery in my opinion. Matcha drinks should have a strong and rich flavor. Also props for using a reasonable amount of ice and for still filling the cup all the way even with a light ice modification. However, the Digital Detox is the worst avocado toast that I've had. I didn't like that the bread came untoasted and that it was multigrain. I thought the strawberries didn't go very well with the toast especially on top of the already sweet balsamic vinegar, and the excess black pepper was overpowering. Avocado is a pretty subtle flavor to begin with, and there were too many competing stronger flavors. Definitely skip the digital detox for sure.

A good study spot with unique drinks. I got the troubleshooter and although it was a little strong, it was really good. Inside: It's always crowded, but if you get a good spot along the wall, there's a good amount of outlets to use. I was there from 2pm-7pm to study and it was a good amount of ambiance to get work done. The music isn't too loud either.

This was a very nice cafe to discover! The place has a lot of seating that's "workable" in (tall enough tables). Wifi's decently fast as well. The staff were super nice and friendly. I got the Avatar drink, which is a matcha and horchata, and it was pretty good. It was a little more horchata leaning, but I think that's just because horchata is more overpowering. I will definitely be coming back to study at this place, and I'll be sure to try out the other matcha drinks, which all look very delicious!

An amazing study spot! Quieter than most cafes, so the environment is def suitable for getting some work done. There's plenty of seating inside although it gets crowded pretty quick (was already full by 9:30 AM). I tried the captcha based off of popularity amongst other yelp reviews and I definitely was not disappointed. Smooth, rich, and creamy high quality matcha to fuel my study session - definitely hit the spot! Will consider trying other drinks next time but no complaints with this simple yet satisfying classic matcha latte :)

The guy who took our order was really friendly and forum coffee is really lucky to have him! I got the Captcha with no modifications and it was delicious!! Also got the BB Code and the Code Red, we weren't a fan of those drinks but that's just personal preference and i can see why other people would love them. This place seems like a great place for students to study at! Music was at a good volume, inside was quiet, parking in the back was easy. :) i would recommend coming with your laptop charged just in case!

We stopped at this shop on our little road trip. The space was really nice as well as the barista. We ordered an Ube Matcha and Matcha. It was pretty good. The Ube definitely tasted real. Nice stop. Loved the giant quote on the wall for sure.

strong dislike when having to do this to one of our favorite coffee shops... unfortunately my most recent experience was not the best. and I felt super undervalued as a customer. milk allergies peeps beware. Ordered an apache with soy milk ( as it was on the receipt for confirmation ), having a milk allergy, usually stand around to ensure my drink isn't made with regular whole milk. having come in early almost first thing, there weren't alot of drinks being made so keeping track of what was being poured was relatively easy. sure enough, I see the whole milk gallon come out and get poured into one of the metal containers and I see my apache drink (which is syrup, chocolate powder and expresso ) get assembled into the clear plastic cup... there were two baristas making it, when I observed the secondary barista flat out pour the whole milk into it ( without even checking what the drink order label said ), of course I politely called it out, to the cashier who then asked the primary barista and then secondary barista then acknowledged it to the cashier and the primary barista ( i think for me it was the attitude by the back/secondary barista acting like this was a huge hassle being called out as well as how they handed it to my in the pick up counter not even saying sorry or anything) .... there was no apology or not a single ounce of resentment as to the mistake, as if this is a common thing.... I dont expect much when getting coffee/latte but at least make the drink right and use the right type of milk ( be considerate that some people have severe allergies to milk ) they also have gotten rid of their best breakfast items aka all the waffle dishes and toast :((( as of summer of 2025.

I'm addicted to the trouble shooter. It's so good!! Great coffee!! This is the 2nd time we've been here!! I'm addicted! My daughter loves her drink also. We're both addicted!! The place was busy with many students studying. But it looks like it's a chill place for students. Lots of parking so parking is not an issue. Great customer service!! The barista recommended the trouble shooter due to us wanting oat milk. It's so good!! I'm salivating just writing this post!!

Came again to try their new Spring drinks and I got the ube cream cold brew and my sister got the ube cream matcha latte. We both agreed that the ube cream was sweet and rich but pretty overpowering, my sister said she couldn't taste her matcha. I could still taste my cold brew but it was pretty acidic which I didn't like. Overall, we wouldn't get the ube cream drink again. We also got the chocolate hazelnut bun which was delicious! It was warm, fluffy and soft with a little crunch, and not too sweet. We came shortly after 7 am on a Tuesday and it was mostly empty. Service was quick and friendly.

I came here with my friend on Labor Day and it was open and packed. We waited in line for about 10 minutes before ordering, which wasn't bad at all. There's a decent amount of seating indoors and some outdoors, and we were able to find a seat by the window to dine in. We ordered two toasts to share, and I got the C++ latte (iced). The rule 34 was really good! It was really refreshing with the hint of lemon juice, and the salmon with cream cheese was a perfect pairing. The digital detox was okay, it didn't wow me. It was just avocado, strawberry and an egg. I had requested the toasts be cut in half so that I could share it with my friend, and they did that for me, which was a nice touch. The C++ latte was really good, the matcha flavor was strong and the coconut added a nice creamy sweetness to it. I would definitely get it again. Overall, I really liked the place. It was lively and food/drinks were good. There was also parking outside, so it's easy to access.

The avatar matcha 5/5 This place is PACKED with people studying, it's quiet though for the most part! The avatar taste like Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal with matcha--the hype is very much justified when it comes to this coffee shop!

THIS is what I'm talking about when I say a coffee shop has VARIETY (regular coffee drinks, mixed lattes, matcha & other tea, etc.) in addition to some pretty good looking food items and pastry items! I ordered the binary code, which was coffee + horchata (5/5!). The shop is also very spacious (many people studying or working throughout the day). Guaranteed I'll be back trying the entire menu!

If you can get here and the parking lot is not too crazy, it's a good day! Location is right at the corner near a gas station and a strip mall of Genesee and close to Balboa Ave, it's easy to drive past it the first time coming here but I've been here a few times now. I like a more straightforward simple matcha latte but decided to try their cherry blossom special they had going on. It just the right amount of floral and not too sweet which I liked. I very much like their Ube matcha which is a pretty unique combination and I've had a breakfast sandwich or two before. Overall great little gem of a place. A lot of people hanging out, working, studying, and their matcha is excellent!

The Forum Coffee House isn't just a coffee shop--it's a moment. You walk in and the air shifts--rich with espresso, warm with laughter. The baristas? Charismatic, sharp, the kind of people who make you feel like you belong before you even order. Their jokes land, their charm disarms, and the coffee? Bold. Refined. Exactly what you didn't know you needed. And the pastries... they don't just taste good. They leave an impression. This place doesn't try too hard. It doesn't have to. It just is.

This was one of the coffee shops recommended by few of my coworkers who attended UCSD. Apparently this is an extremely popular study spot for local students (most likely from UCSD). [Parking]: Parking is free but can get a bit crowded. Luckily, I found a spot at 4 PM on Friday. [Amenities]: There are few outdoor tables, but they are usually packed. The place was completely packed with local students. There wasn't a single seat available when I arrived at 4 PM. [Menu]: Many of their drinks are named after computer programming jargon. According to their Facebook/IG pages, the top 3 drinks are: The Dreamer (house blend blue chai latte w/ cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and butterfly pea flower; sweetened with brown sugar), Troubleshooter (salted caramel latte with house-made sauce), and Double Post (rose + earl grey matcha latte). Their cold brew coffees are also another popular choice likely because students need the extra caffeine kick and the popular cold brew drink appears to be BB Code (cold brew coffee with house-made banana milk; sweetened with brown sugar). *** Cold Brew (house-blend, 24-hour unsweetened cold brew coffee, small - $6): The coffee was fairly strong just as I had expected. *** Forum Coffee is not the ideal spot for a date as the coffee shop actually feels more like a library - talk about a hardcore study zone.

Paid by card. Forum is located in a plaza and offers plaza parking. I went on a weekday and there were only a few people ahead of me so I didn't have to wait long. Everything looked and smelled good. They had pastries but I only got a drink. They offer indoor seating only. I ordered the The Dreamers hot and it was so yummy! I was really happy with my order. I would recommend this place and would go back.