Cafe Mekka

This place is B.E.A.Utiful! And the coffee, the coffee is aaaaamazing!!! Staff is on point as well. Definitely worth the trip. Cheers!

Just stopped into town and tried this place out, a friend of mine goes here frequently. I don’t like coffee so I ordered a Fairy Tea instead. It was absolutely delicious, sweet and fulfilling. Great service, very calm and quiet.
I personally love the atmosphere, hippy isn’t my thing personally but I love a locally-​themed places. There are many fun things to look at while drinking your tea/​coffee. I can understand how some the people might be a bother on a crowded day though.

It’s Bohemian and if you are a Silicon Valley/​Bay Area yuppie, young little entitled narcissist, you won’t get it. We actually would appreciate it if you would just head over to Starbucks where you can feel at home.

our old favourite hang out is fortressed by dirty smelly smoking, spitting, litteting, dog-​infested street kids, trimmigrants, and homeless drunks. this is a nonsmoking historical district, a once stylish hip business, and the front is constantly maintained by a very generous colunteer gardener. i cant stand walking through the filthy air and sidewalk. this place needs to be cleaned out if they want the numerous former customers ive spoken with to return…

I’ve gotta give it up for the owner of this place and the chill, good natured people that work there. Yes, the problems I mentioned before still exist, though it’s gotten better, and they’ve improved their pulls/​technique. Temple coffee is always a solid choice. I find myself going in a lot more lately.
Above all, there’s something to be said for folks who don’t take themselves too seriously. They’re becoming an endangered species. Mekka is a little crunchy but at least they aren’t pretentious.
Stay tuned — a local roaster is opening a shop here in town. Coffee in Nevada City keeps getting more interesting.

WARNING! ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK AND KEEP YOUR VALUABLES ON YOU; NO ONE HERE IS LOOKING OUT FOR YOU! PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR RECENT REVIEWS AND DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY HERE! This really deserves less than a point on a star…
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Go down, past Cooper’s to 3 Forks Brewing Company and Bakery to get great coffee and yummy eats or the Curly Wolf by the National Hotel on Broad Street.
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I’ve loved going to Café Mekka for years, enjoying DeGroot’s famous desserts, and wonderful coffee with a shot of Orgeat (almond). Haven’t been in there for a while BUT I will NEVER set foot in there again! The place has gone WAY downhill with offensive-​smelling (c’mon, at least TRY the natural salt crystal deoderant!), unbathed, unkempt-​looking, and smelling-​like-​marijuana derelicts who congregate in and outside — GROSS! (The inside isn’t kept up on either (sort of NASTY) but at least there was no pile of weed lying on the table this time).
So, we just got our desserts to go; the BO stench was sooo bad that my friend had to wait outside just to breathe. (BTW, the Tiramisu and chocolate mousse were awesome — it’s just safer to get it to go.)
Frantically searching in my purse, car, and my friend’s car upon getting home 12 miles away, I called my iPhone 6+ ($ 1000), knowing I had left it at Friar Tuck’s or Mekka. It went to voicemail. A couple of seconds later, I received a call back from my cell and found I was speaking to Corey (THE OWNER OF MEKKA). He asked if I was coming back to get it and that he would leave it with Carolyn (THE MANAGER), who was working until 11PM. In good faith that my phone was secure, I said I would pick it up tomorrow instead.
Well, my friend went in to pick it up today but they couldn’t find it, knew nothing about it, and had to wait till Corey/​Caroline showed up. My friend had called my cell and it went straight to voicemail.
I called Mekka back later to leave my name, number, and my friend’s number so they could call when either of those two people showed up, so my friend could snag it on her way back up to Nevada City and on her way home. I was told that Corey didn’t have it and that someone «took» it. I said, «I’m calling the police», hung up, and called Nevada City Police.
Needing more information, I called Mecca back and found myself talking to Carolyn. She alleges that after Corey –THE OWNER — talked to me, and rather than securing the phone, he laid it BACK DOWN on the counter, where someone else «must have taken it». (This would NEVER happen at FRIAR TUCK’S, whereas the clientele Mekka caters to would NOT be well-​received).
I asked, «Who doesn’t secure a $ 1000 phone?» She said, «Well, YOU left it here». I agreed but pointed out the chain of custody should have ended with Corey. There was absolutely NO apology, empathy or responsibility taken, only Carolyn’s defensiveness and blaming ME for MY having left my phone in the first place.
What kind of owner (AND manger) responds like this, acts irresponsibly to where it injures their customers… perhaps someone who cant or won’t do the right and decent thing?
I had a $ 75 reward set to bless Corey because of his honesty but they now have this terrible yet earned review.(Does any of this sound kind of suspicious to anyone else?)
To top it off, I’m a 100% S/​C USAF Veteran who uses the apps on my phone to manage my meds, serious issues/​symptoms of PTSD, MST, MD and all my VA appointments. I still have $ 400 left to pay on the phone (NO INSURANCE was offered) before I can get another iPhone 6+! The phone is now locked and entered into the datbase as stolen. MEKKA is a soon-​to-​be-​fading hellish experience I’ll not repeat. THANKS, COREY!
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Carolyn, dispute this all you want but the FACTS and TRUTH will always ferret their way through. And Carolyn, the phone won’t ping when it’s turned off…

I had an orangesicle latte, which sounded interesting, and it was! It was delicious and definitely not something I could get anywhere else. The barista was really nice and I loved the atmosphere. I would definitely come back when I have more time to relax. The reviews that say it’s dirty — it was cluttered, but not gross. The surfaces, machines, and chairs were clean. I loved the atmosphere but if you’re more organized… it’s probably not the place for you.

I’m sure most of the staff are pretty nice here, so no offense to them. I came here with a friend today and noticed how dirty the couches are and someone left marijuana on the table. I understand that this is Nevada City and you’ll find a lot of this here. At least have some respect and keep that private! It’s not legal and children come in here!

This is THE CAFE. Your childhood in Nevada City/​Grass Valley unless you go here at least once a month. First of all, all the drinks are delicious and some exotic. The seating is funky and comfortable, and the atmosphere is generally quieter than other cafes in town. But the best part of this café is the outrageously delicious chocolate desserts that are always sold there. This café is perfect, therefore, for going to after you’ve been out to eat at one of the restaurants in Nevada City and picking up something rich and luxurious to the palate. I would also suggest this place first of all locations in Nevada City if you are interested in hippy watching; you will not be disappointed by the fine array of specimens that frequent this particular café.

First of all, I am a Nevada City local, and have been for over a decade now. I’m not trying to say that makes my opinion any more important than anyone else’s here. But I will say that first, I have been in Café Mekka many times. Secondly, I spent quite a long time reading the reviews here and an overwhelming amount of them (especially the bad ones) seem to be left by people from very far away who most likely only passed through here once, had a less-​than-​perfect experience, and decided to plant an unfair review-​bomb on this unique and independent coffee house.
Bottom line: Café Mekka is not at all a bad place. Is it a great place? Perhaps not for everyone. But it’s not the horrible, dirty grossness that some reviewers make it out to be. If you are the sort of person who tends to be germ-​a-​phobic and likes everything to be in a perfectly neat little white box all the time, then don’t bother coming in here; you won’t like it. Just stay in your boring corporate Starbucks la-​la land where nothing is ever untidy or out of place. I don’t mean that as an insult. But some people have more tolerance for less-​than-​perfect cleanliness than others, and that’s important for you to consider your own level of tolerance when you decide to walk into Café Mekka.
Mekka has the misfortune of being on the lower part of Commercial street. What this means to an out-​of-​towner is that you will most likely have to weave your way through an array of vagrants, stoners, and drunks hanging out on the street, in order to get in the door. And still at any given time, some of those sorts of people who happen to have laptops (or simply nowhere else to go) will also be hanging out in Mekka as well. Again, assess your tolerance level for this when deciding whether or not you should bother coming in at all. Please don’t blame the riff-​raff issue on Mekka. The city (which has a large vagrant population) has been trying to «clean up» this part of town for years, with limited success. Mekka also has the misfortune of being located next door to Coopers, which is (in my opinion) an unsavory bar which can get quite loud at times.
The décor is an eclectic blend of vintage architecture and local «art». The seating consists of an array of vintage chairs & seats that look like they came from thrift shops. Tacky? Perhaps… but they’re comfy! I have enjoyed every drink I have ever bought here, which never took more than a few minutes to make. Everyone who works here has always been nice to me. They don’t mind if you hang out for hours freeloading off their free wi-​fi and enjoying their warm building long after your drink is empty. If you even bought one at all. On occasion they will have musicians play, which is fun but can make it impossible to find a place to sit and watch in the limited space.
With all that said, I will admit I do prefer Curly Wolf to Café Mekka, simply due to the location issue which I discussed above. Curly Wolf is adjoined to the National Hotel on Broad St., in an area much less attractive to the vagrants. If you prefer a «cleaner» establishment, yet still want that indie coffee house appeal, I’d suggest going there instead.

I prefer original places compared to chain stores, and Mekka is very original! I ordered a fairy tea that was soo yumm (rice milk & white chocolate) I want another one, right now!
It was late at night so I wanted something un-​caffeinated and they had a lot of options. My kiddos were whining about being cold and the hot cider was just perfect on a chilly evening. My nephew got a hot cocoa that I sipped and it was super creamy and not watered down like some places can be.
If your looking for caffeine they have that too, with one drink on the menu having 4 shots of espresso… I would have a heart attack but to each his own:) drink with caution!
Very hippie as in layed back style with kind of red light district furniture! Must see for yourself:)

Darker reds and browns. Brick walls under high ceilings of what looks like 19^th century architecture – atmosphere and congregants are Café Mekka’s strong points. I can attest to the friendliness of staff and the nap-​inducing comfort of its overstuffed furniture. I say, if you can’t hang with the funkiness, don’t patronize. Café Mekka offers an alternative to the current corporate coffee wasteland (read, Starbucks and ilk). To all you retentive cleanliness freaks, mellow out and enjoy this primo respite on 49 between Sierra Nevada and coast. Mekka hearkens to an earlier age, when expectations were more carefree and folks not so finicky.

Just what you would expect to find in a small miners town out in the middle of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It’s not bad. It’s not good. But it’s good enough.
Great seating area outside… That is littered with pot smoking hippies, transients, and other derelicts.
Worth the time if you are in town and are in need of a caffeine kick.

I’m a local. This is one of the main cafés in Nevada City, and here’s why: they use only Temple coffee. It’s totally fine quality; while they don’t do pour-​overs and presses, still great stuff. And they have good cakes; a local produces their chocolate confections. They’ll be the right thing at 3 – 4 pm when you need it.

I cannot tear myself away from ordering the same thing every time I come here… the Vietnamese Coffee… it is so delicious… I wish it came in a x-​large serving though because I can sip it down in mere seconds. I love visiting Café Mekka every time I visit Nevada City. I love how it is decorated (so cozy), as well as the local art

Hyped by my friends. Saw another place more highly Unilocaled.
Lackadaisical order taker/​barista.
Cute interior. Flashback everyday.
My almond cappuccino was indeed bitter.

Despite carrying Temple’s fine coffees, the macchiato I had was terrible– offensively bitter. The character of the coffee was entirely overwhelmed by the poor extraction.
Others comments regarding the lack of cleanliness should be considered. Younger patrons find this an excellent lounging-​around alternative to their parents’ living rooms, absent the oldster’s tiresome haranguing as it is, so you’ll be pleased to share their company as they demonstrate myriad creative ways to drape themselves over the thrift store furnishings. Here, I invite you to recall the Far Side comic captioned, «Boneless Chicken Ranch.»
The kids are all right, but let’s have a Café Mekka cleanup party day sometime soon, shall we? Alas, something tells me, casting my eye over the other patrons, that it will be ill-​attended, if at all.
You’d hope for decent coffee here, given the hipster hobo ambience of the place, but, not to be– not, at least the times I’ve visited. I give up. If I’m desperate for a caffeine pick-​me-​up after dinner to keep me awake for the drive home, I think I’ll consider alternative venues.

I’ve always hated this place. A few cool bands have played here but the service sucks, it’s dirty in a bad way, over priced, too many hipsters staring and never anywhere to sit.

You may think this place is a-​wrecka
But it’s a library-​art-​coffee trifecta!
And my ‘buds went «oh boy»
When they foamed up my soy
Now I get why they called the place Mekka…

Great coffee!
Cute atmosphere.
Friendly service.
Any time I am in Nevada City I will hit this place up!