Ground Up

Really cute little cafe in Carlsbad Village. Maybe we just got unlucky, but our Nitro cold brew was poured so quickly, the foam hasn't settled even after 15 minutes of waiting. There's still over half the cup that's nothing but foam. Disappointing, since we were hoping to enjoy our nitros this morning.

I was in there on a Saturday afternoon when I discovered that the water was not running in the women/men's restroom. I asked the staff member if she was aware of that. I made her aware that customers were using the restroom and not able to wash their hands and then were touching surfaces in the dining area. She told me she let her manager know. No effort was made to post signs or close the restaurant. Is this business not aware that this is in violation of public health standards especially during a pandemic?

(Takeaways) • Great place and great open vibes being in downtown carlsbad off grant it's a really nice spot to take a break chill and watch everything going on outside. • The coffee ☕ I've had so far has been great as well.. their specialty drinks are really good! • Kombucha on tap that's delicious 😋 • people (and employees) are all wearing masks and keeping distance with great outdoor seating. • Employees have been pretty nice despite this pandemic..no bad experices so far. • Free WiFi Overall I highly recommend this spot to anyone looking to just get out and enjoy some coffee and carlsbad vibes while supporting a local business.

Although I prefer to spend time in Ground Up, I personally don’t like the coffee they sourced. The interior design is stunning, and it’s easy to spend time there. The furniture is high quality and the bathrooms are clean. Good service; the barista is patient, talented, and focused on her job. If she greeted me I would’ve tipped her but she made me feel like my order was annoying. Maybe she was stressed out... The internet is fast too! The food and drink are affordable. If you’re looking to relax in the village and aren’t looking for superb coffee beans, this is your place. You can tell the place is managed really well! They’re running a great business. Four stars because the coffee is just... not great. Apparently they chose mass market Lavassa coffee (the mugs are branded Lavassa). I would urge the owners to offer some other, perhaps local, brands.

I am trying my best to support local businesses, but when I got taxed on a gift card that I purchased this morning I was surprised. That's not right because you are double taxing; when the recipient of my card uses it, he will then get taxed again for his purchase. Make it right Gaetano and add the amount to Will's card, the customer who sits outside of your establishment daily. Later: I am thankful that I was thinking that it was an honest mistake this morning. Thank you Gaetano for your quick response in rectifying this and being an example of what makes our town great.