If you’ve spent any time in the San Diego area, there’s a chance you’ve heard of Better Buzz Coffee. They have multiple locations in the city including three in Pacific Beach, the flagship store in Hillcrest, and a stand in the Fashion Valley Mall. Over my three years in San Diego, I’ve watched the chain add more locations. In addition to the previously mentioned store, they’ve added multiple locations such as their La Jolla and Encinitas shops.
Have experience in San Diego, and being a coffee lover, I’ve gone to Better Buzz more than a few times. If you’re in the area, is it worth checking out?
My answer: probably. But you’re not missing much if you skip it.
Better Buzz Coffee & Drinks
Being a coffee shop, it seems important that the coffee is good. Despite my love of coffee, I’m not a coffee snob. So long as the coffee is flavorful and not overly bitter, I’ll be able to drink it.
At Better Buzz, I find the coffee to be fine. It’s not exceptional and can be slightly bitter. Generally, I get the cold brew and it’s usually pretty strong without any cream or sugar. It’s not the smoothest and tends to leave a lingering bitter taste in my mouth. This is not unusual with coffees or cold brews, but it doesn’t make Better Buzz exceptional.
Brewed coffees are roughly $3-$4.50 and cold brews are $4.50 or $5.50. Compared to a lot of coffee shops in the area this about average.
Better Buzz draws a lot of attention for its lattes, specialty drinks, and iced coffee “buzz” blends. These tend to be much sweeter and fattening, but can be a good treat if you’re in the mood. All of the “buzz” drinks are akin to Frappuccinos, so expect them to have high calorie counts. In my experience, they are every bit as delicious as a Starbucks Frappuccino. I seldom get drinks because of their high calorie count, but the times I got the Vanilla Buzz and the Caramel Buzz I was not disappointed. They were super sweet, but that’s what I wanted.
The lattes or specialty drink can be hit or miss. I admit I am a pumpkin spice latte fan. In the autumn I tend to enjoy the occasional PSL at Better Buzz. I’ve found their blend to be very milky with a more subtle flavor of pumpkin spice. I’ve had the same complaint with the vanilla bean lattes, but I found the green tea matcha latte to be very sweet and flavorful. If you like sweeter matcha, this is a great option for you.
Overall, I am under the impression they’re aiming to have trendy drinks. They’re good enough, but I haven’t been blown away by anything.
Better Buzz Food
If you go into a Better Buzz, you’ll feel like you’re in a trendy coffee shop. With that, there’s a selection of pastries and food to go with your drinks.
I’ve tried a lot of things on the menu. The first thing I will note: nothing is healthy. Some of the foods might appear to be health-conscious, but they’re not. For example, I’ve gotten plenty of açaí bowls there. They’re delicious, but they’re usually covered in toppings like peanut butter, chocolate, coconut flakes, or granola. In the quantities you’re served, they’re not that healthy.
Healthiness aside, I think the food is pretty good. I doubt they’re baking muffins and croissants in the back room (in fact, I know they’re not), but they tend to be a pretty good size and I’ve never been underwhelmed. The breakfast sandwiches tend to be really large and provide a lot of food. This is not an outright compliment, however. All of these sandwiches are over $7, so I’d hope they’d be bulky.
Many of the selections are trendy. Expect to see açaí bowls and avocado toast, but that’s exactly what I’d expect from a coffee shop like Better Buzz. If you’re looking to sit around, have a bite to eat, and talk for an hour, Better Buzz might be the exact place you’re looking for.
Better Buzz: The Good and Bad
When it comes to the food and drinks at Better Buzz, they’re adequate and slightly expensive. If I had to have breakfast at Better Buzz, I wouldn’t complain. If I had to pick a restaurant for brunch, it likely wouldn’t be Better Buzz.
So why do so many people go there? Because it’s super trendy and modern. Expect to see neon signs, funky patterns on the wall, unique designs, and a modern atmosphere. When the dining rooms are open, expect to see college kids and young adults sitting down and doing work. The restaurants tend to have outdoor seating and spaces for people to gather, which draws in crowds. With this aesthetic comes funky, branded cups and loud, modern music.
Perhaps the worst thing about the restaurants is the speed of service. If you go into a Better Buzz, it’s common to wait about ten minutes for your drink. Some locations have drive-thrus which tend to have long lines. Usually, the parking lot doesn’t have adequate space for the line and it wraps into an alley or the street. You can also order ahead online, but it’s a very clunky interface. This was clearly rush-released so the stores could keep business during the pandemic, but the website makes it hard to enter payment information and select items. Then, the estimated wait times can be very long and inaccurate.
Better Buzz is a coffee chain located in a big city, so it’s bound to have some inconveniences. If you’re in San Diego and near a Better Buzz, it might be worth checking out. However, there are other coffee shops that are just as good and offer the same types of drinks. Better Buzz is designed to be trendy and cool. Nothing about the restaurants scream “San Diego,” so it’s not a necessary addition to a trip to San Diego.