Higher Groundz Coffee House and Eatery

I got the Americano and it tastes really great! It’s got nice whole flavoring to it. The two girls working there were both really nice and cheerful. Great atmosphere and great drinks all around!

The atmosphere is the very first thing that propels me to this coffee shop. I don’t live very far from it, and that makes it all worth while. Their vanilla chai’s are absolutely perfect. So are their breakfast sandwiches, pumpkin bread, and banana bread. Everything that I’ve tasted is stripped down, it tastes natural and organic, in a way.
The prices are a tad bit more than what you’d pay at any Starbucks, but it’s so much better. It’s worth it and it’s probably the best place to come to if you want to relax and have some peace and quiet. I love that there’s extension cord outlets and varying heights of the tables. I have nothing bad to say about this place. It is amazing! I would come here every day if not for school.

Not terrible coffee but not very good for the price. They aren’t open early for a coffee before work. Nice atmosphere and service, but wouldn’t recommend it to a friend.

Literally the best chai in SLO. That’s all you need to know.

Day old cinnamon roll was great! But I was very disappointed with the food selection, bagels and the standard wraps and Sando’s. nd and oatmeal and 2 parfaits but they didn’t list the price. Nice well kept places. Nothing special though. Not crowded either.

Wonderful place. New owners but same excellent food, coffee and teas.
Friendly, professional service. I felt very welcome here.
I’ll be back for sure!

What is wrong with some of the reviews here??? Has anyone ever had a real cappuccino or pour over? My god! Please! Higher Groundz, you guys really need to #1 get some real baristas and #2 get serious about your coffee. Clean up the place, it stinks. I’m sorry but I’m just being frank. Buy a new couch, it’s not THAT expensive! Craigslist if you don’t want to buy new!
I would LOVE to come into your shop and buy buy buy, but please fix this whole place up and get serious about your coffee!
I PROMISE to spend so much money here if you get your act together.
Love,
Me and my friends

Their blended chai is the best blended drink on their menu. No other coffee shop compares in this regard.

Good food but the people that work there don’t know about customer service. With the attitude, they don’t deserve to work in a town where so many need work.

Love this place, will go out of my way when passing through the area. The Garcia Mocha is really good, basically a Mexican Mocha, but the names makes it special!
My daughter had the iced mocha and she said it was «Really good» if you could hear the inflection in her voice you could really hear how much she liked it!

Well I had my first cup of coffee here at this establishment today. I was served a cup of regular black coffee and oh my gosh it was very very strong and tasted like it was very old. I truly believe the young man that was working by himself did not make fresh coffee in the afternoon. This place gets a 1 star for sure and I would not recommend having coffee or anything here. My best description is the coffee was so old the after taste of the coffee actually tasted like a cigarette. I am relieved that I did not order anything else, nor will I in the future period.

I really enjoy the atmosphere here, and the coffee and tea is decent. I ordered a Vanilla Chai Latte today with cream. It was a bit on the sweeter side than I’m used to even for Vanilla chai, but it is still amazing. The prices are comparable or better than *$; and to be honest, I prefer their laid back atmosphere in comparison.
The staff at this shop are extremely friendly and helpful, and the food they have is equally wonderful.

So I’m limiting my review to 2 food menu items because I feel they are at extremes. The coffee is decent, they seem to always have the «North Coast Blend» on tap which is so-​so. I don’t believe their coffee is anything special.
The good news: the Oriental Chicken Wrap. This thing is the bomb, and if you buy one on Thurs, it (or any wrap or sando) is only $ 6. It’s filling, first-​off, but it’s sooo tasty. Chicken, crunchy chow mein noodles, spring mix, a sweet sort of oriental glaze in a wrap. I love it. And it’s one of the more original things around here to get.
The bad news: What I just ate today — the Mesquite Chicken sandwich. This thing has to be the biggest rip off. At least I bought it on $ 6 Thurs. It normally goes for a ridiculous $ 7.85. What I received was 2 smallish slices of sourdough surrounding a small, thin chicken breast, a little ranch, a slice of cheese, and some red onion. When the bag was handed to me it felt REALLY light. First clue. It was pretty much an appetizer, done in 4 – 5 bites. It tasted ok, but for the price (even $ 6) it was a huge rip off. I’m sticking with the Oriental wrap.

I love going to Higher Groundz when I have creative thinking to do– there’s always space, and it’s so roomy you never feel crowded. Their smoothies are awesome, the peanut butter one is the best. Staff always incredibly friendly, but they close at 8 pm some days, and I just want to be there forever! ALso greattt chicken wraps!

My favorite place to study. Extremely cozy and not crowded like other coffee shops in town. Plenty of parking space. Fast internet. ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEIR SMOOTHIES. You can create your own too. I came here so many times, the staff remembered exactly what I like in my smoothie. I really enjoyed their vanilla chai tea lattes. I also had the chai charger. It will keep you up for hours though. Perfect for college students.
There are four high tables with high chairs, a window table with a few high chairs, five regular tables and a green sofa. Warning: It is extremely comfortable and is not suggested to be sat on if you don’t want to fall asleep. They offer a wide range of choices on their menu from café basics, specialties, smoothies, iced/​frapp drinks, sandwiches, salads, wraps, sides, a breakfast menu, boba, snacks, bars, etc.
They have daily specials for $ 5:
m — grilled ham & cheese
t — turkey & swiss
w — turkey & swiss on bagel
th — oriental chicken wrap
f — garden of eatin
s — grilled ham + cheese on bagel
sunday — closed
they also have a customize your drink area. unlike starbucks and other coffee shops i went to, they don’t skimp out on options and amount. they also have free water and their specialty drinks are $ 1 off from 3 – 6 pm. i gave them an extra star just for these things.
their fruit parfait was pretty good, generous with portion size. their pesto chicken sandwich was good. their oriental chicken wrap was alright… not worth $ 7 though. for food, i’d recommend going to subway right across from HG or thai boat just a few stores down!
one bathroom, clean & simple. fireplace, not usually on, but makes it seem cozier.
electric outlets — plenty. staff — friendly and helpful
i wish they opened later and on sundays though and had more lighting for the high stool tables. other than that, i would say this place is my favorite coffee shop in slo, besides nautical bean.

Hands down, one of the most out going staff in the town. They try and great everyone by name if they know it. The beverages are made with care and it seems to be their personal goal to make everyone the perfect drink. The secret is getting out and tables can be filled up, but there is a massive patio area where you can enjoy these high quality drinks with friends.

I come here a lot. Love the staff, super nice and care about your life.
They make my favorite americano in town. Super good breakfast food.
Come here.

There’s a sofa inside! How fun!
So far I’ve had a cappuccino, a latte, and a regular ol’ cup of coffee here. All were good and I enjoyed sitting on the aforementioned sofa while drinking.
Also, they didn’t charge me extra for soy (although they normally do), which I appreciated. I really hate paying an extra 50 cents for soy, if I could, I would just drink milk, but that really isn’t an option. Why do coffee shops punish those who are lactose-​intolerant?

It is nice in here. From the outside it looks like a chain– the name even sounds like a chain, but inside it is all homey goodness.
The baristas are nice and super friendly. They have food. Real food.
$ 5 oatmeal on wednesdays I think. I personally have not had the oatmeal but when I went in another customer was raving about how good it was. Not bad, not bad.
They have a very good selection of Harney and Sons teas– this makes me very happy.
Also: they have day old pastries for cheap. Nice on a student budget.

Higher Groundz is another one of my favorite spots in SLO.
It’s a little bit out of the way of busy downtown, which is always good if you’re looking for a quiet place to study or catch up on your reading. There are a lot of tables, chairs, and PLUGS for your lovely MacBook, which is definitely a pro.
The blended drinks are extremely sugary, in the best way possible and I swear, it could be a meal replacement of sorts. The coffee is good too, no wateriness. The baked goods are good too, not too heavy but still delicious!
I think their staff might be the friendliest in town, no joke. I can always go there knowing I’m not going to be snubbed and given attitude. Good music selections too!