Flying Saucers Caffeine & Art

Santa Monica, United States

3.9

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 415-533-5185
Website:
www.flyingsaucersla.com
Address:
306 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA, 90405
Santa Monica
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.4 miDowntown Santa Monica
1.1 mi17th Street/Santa Monica College
1.7 mi26th Street/Bergamot
Categories:
QR code
Download QR Image Download vCard

Map

Streetview

Activate map

Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Breakfast, Lunch
Parking
Private Lot
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Hipster, Casual
Noise Level
Quiet
Alcohol
No
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
No
Caters
No
By Appointment Only
No

Today

Today –
Local time (Santa Monica) 9:03 PM Friday, June 27, 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday –
Wednesday –
Thursday –
Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Flying Saucers Caffeine & Art is a hybrid between a 100% Organic/​Fair Trade espresso bar and a cutting edge art gallery, featuring monthly shows of Los Angeles and Santa Monica’s finest artists and photographers.

Free wi-​fi and plenty of free parking in the rear!

Event space as well as film and TV location use is also available.

History

Established in 2009.

Flying Saucers was founded in October of 2009 by renowned fine art painter, musician and UFOlogist Ryan MacLeod Morris as a way to establish a creative and intellectual community in the heart of Santa Monica’s beautiful Ocean Park neighborhood.

The Café/​Gallery has met with instant critical acclaim and has been hailed as a new local landmark by local media.

It has been featured in film shoots as well as magazine photography, in large part because of the highly unique brick wall and exposed woodwork ceiling, which was based on the designs of MacLeod.

Meet the Business Owner

Ryan M.

Business Owner

Ryan MacLeod Morris (known as MacLeod in art circles) is an internationally known painter and UFOlogist currently living and working out of Santa Monica, CA. He is best known for his super-​viral video «Unknown Lifeform in North Carolina Sewer» which was anointed the biggest viral video in the world for July 2009, and was crowned the #1 most viewed video on Youtube​.com for summer of 2009, prompting international controversy due to the nature of the video and making him an instant celebrity in the UFO/​Paranormal world.

MacLeod is also a classically trained painter and sculptor, he studied under Cedric Wentworth and Henry Yan at the prestigious Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA and has become one of Santa Monica’s best known oil painters. He is known for a unique realistic style.

MacLeod founded Flying Saucers Caffeine & Art as a intellectual and creative community center in the heart of Santa Monica, California’s Ocean Park district, 3 blocks from the beach.

Related places

You might also like:
750
ft
Dogtown Coffee
2003 Main St (Santa Monica)
1
mi
Starbucks
1908 Lincoln Blvd (Santa Monica)
1
mi
Sweet Rose Creamery
826 Pico Blvd (Santa Monica)
1
mi
Cora’s Coffee Shoppe
1802 Ocean Ave (Santa Monica)
1
mi
Urth Caffé
2327 Main St (Santa Monica)
1
mi
7-Eleven
1865 Lincoln Blvd (Santa Monica)

Vicinity

Near this location:
20
ft
LifeFood Organic
306 Pico Blvd
20
ft
Life Yoga Garden
306 Pico Blvd
20
ft
Raw Star Cafe
306 Pico Blvd
60
ft
Vidiots
302 Pico Blvd
80
ft
Animal Kingdom
300 Pico Blvd
100
ft
Arco Gas Station
332 Pico Blvd

20 reviews of Flying Saucers Caffeine & Art

No registration required
Place rating: 4
La Crescenta-Montrose, CA
Good food at a good price tasty smoothies and music on a sunday afternoon. Don’t get there too late in the day your food choices will be limited. I got there at 3 they close at 5.
Place rating: 3
San Francisco, CA
I really wanted to like this place more than I did. I liked the people behind the counter and I love the very idea of having a café there. I love calling it flying saucers, but…
The food was meh, the seating is uncomfortable and this wasn’t a place I felt I could either work for hours or would really enjoy meeting someone there.
I had the breakfast sandwich which came on brioche so soft it made it hard to physically eat. And the bread was so sweet it overpowered the savory contents. Again it looked and sounded great, but in reality, it was a disappointment.
The actual seats are physically uncomfortable, maybe that helps them keep people moving in and out, but it garners no affection from me. I like that there’s a big communal table, but… I just kept being disappointed because I wanted this to be my new little find. And I’ve tried going back maybe 4 times and each time, I’m just a little disappointed, enough to not go back for a month or two. But I’d say, check it out, see if you like it. Maybe you will.
Place rating: 5
Santa Monica, CA
The Best Coffee House In Santa Monica. Great parking, character and staff and owner are A+. Love their loyalty card! Buy 9 and get 10th free:) it’s so cool and old school!
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
Amazing Cuban Coffee
They serve proper cups here.
Place rating: 4
Los Angeles, CA
Free coffee refills & rotating brews with one fo the best reading atmosphere’s I’ve experienced. I’m a fan.
Place rating: 4
Playa Vista, CA
Flying Saucers Caffeine and Art… and ridiculously yummy sandwiches too. Another Groupon adventure, and another procrastination until the date of expiry. I told the guy at the counter up front that I had a Groupon and he quickly pointed us to the right section on their menu and also advised us of items they were out of for the day.
My girl and I opted for sandwiches (grilled chicken on wheat for me, salami on baguette for her) and grabbed a seat on the comfy sofa at the front. I had originally thought I’d be admiring the artwork but it was just kind of in the background for me as soon as I dove into my sandwich! Yummmmmm. I was absolutely loving that wheat bread! Grainy and fresh, this bread really made the sandwich amazing. Sandwiches come served with a beautiful side salad (greens, mushrooms, tomato, artichoke) and a pickle (yes! i adore pickles) and are right around $ 7⁄8.
As others have mentioned, parking is a breeze, especially considering the proximity to the beach, with plentiful metered street parking if you’re unable to snag a spot in the rear parking lot.
I’m definitely a fan of this place and since it’s just a short jaunt down Pico from my work I am definitely coming back for lunches in the future.
Place rating: 2
Glendale, CA
Got a groupon now. Was not what we were expecting from their website.
LOVED my iced americano. But that’s about it.
Love the idea of the art… but the whole place felt sparse and unorganized.
The food was lacking. Was hoping it would be cuter inside and wanted to enjoy the garden patio… but it was just concrete and a plastic table w/​a ton of newspapers strewn all over it. I felt like we were in someone’s white trash backyard instead of a café.
I would say YES to grab and go coffee and NO to a sit down type place.
Place rating: 3
Los Angeles, CA
This is a very interesting café, filled with eclectic pieces of art for sale and a sparse, dingy looking patio out back. We came with a groupon and did enjoy ourselves overall. It’s nice how groupon can offer the opportunity for you to experience places you probably would have never visited on your own!
The bf got the mothership with salami and a macchiato, and I the Venutian and tiger
Chai latte. The drinks are a good size for the price, there ‘small’ chai is like a regular size at Starbucks! The sandwiches came with side salads that were overdressed and far too oily, but the sandwiches themselves were good! The bread they use, which is key to any good sandwich, was delicious and well toasted. The fillings were generous and overall a tasty sandwich.
It’s a tad far and there are so many tasty sandwich spots in WLA, so I don’t know when my next visit would be. However, if this was a café that was close to where we lived, then I could see me returning for the occasional meal.
Place rating: 5
Los Angeles, CA
Not a huge tea selection, but most of it is organic. I sat out on the back patio and got a little sunkissed sunburn on my face — but I was enjoying my talk with my gal pal that I could’ve stuck out there forever until the areas was invaded by local high schoolers (eek!)
Service was tops, they brought out everything and were incredibly accommodating. And the name of the place? Come on, worth five stars.
Place rating: 4
Los Angeles, CA
I thoroughly enjoyed my coffee and chocolate croissant while killing an hour and a half on the internet at this really cool café.
free parking in the back that is awesome!
Place rating: 4
Frisco, TX
Super cute little coffee shop, clean and inviting interior.
Joe is awesome!
Skip the salads and stick with the sandwiches.
BEST chai tea lattes EVER!
Lots of outlets, wifi with purchase, plenty of parking.
Place rating: 4
Chino Hills, CA
Beautiful and quaint coffee joint conveniently located near the courthouse where I often end up having to work. I walked in and immediately noticed their eccentric, retro meets futurama theme. Oddly, Sinatra filled the air. I felt instantly hipper.
I was recommended the cuban coffee and a bacon/​egg/​cheese breakfast sammy by Ryan. After all, who better to make a recommendation than the one spearheading the behind the counter operations?
Everything looked appetizing and tasted just as fresh/​delish. Great start to what ended up being an even greater day.
I’m pretty sure I’ll find myself here again. I’ve still got the rest of their menu to try.
btw LOVING the alien theme in the restroom.
Place rating: 3
San Jose, CA
I wanted to like this place more than I actually did. The ambiance is cute and fairly unique, being semi dedicated to UFO sightings and aliens with really cool artwork on the wall.
I ordered an Americano and the breakfast sandwich (applewood smoked bacon, egg, tomato, and sharp cheddar on a brioche bun) for around $ 9. Both were decent but nothing special. There aren’t a lot of seats, but the tables that they do have are all next to outlets. Wifi is decent, a little laggy but not so bad. Also, they have a relatively large parking lot in the back, which is a HUGE plus especially in Santa Monica. The baristas were also super nice and friendly.
I just kind of wish the place was… cleaner. Not that I was afraid the food was unhygienic or anything, but when I found a table with three empty seats, I kind of hovered around for 5 minutes trying to decide which seat was less… risky. I mean I’m fine with grungey, but to a certain extent…
Also, since this place is so small, I wouldn’t feel comfortable staying all day. Sorry Flying Saucers, I probably won’t be back =(
Place rating: 2
Los Angeles, CA
Although it might not look like much from the outside, the setting inside looks nice. I didn’t get a chance to check out the artwork, but when you walk in the entire place looks well-​decorated. There are glass tables with chairs as well as big couches to sit on.
The espresso drinks were pretty good. It was nice that they sold day-​old pastries at a cheaper price instead of just tossing them out or charging the same price.
I’d give it more stars if it weren’t for the bathroom. We got there about an hour after the place opened, and the place was pretty much empty. Saw a couple other customers go in and out, but for awhile we were the only ones sitting in the café. I went to use the bathroom, and the toilet was disgusting. I don’t want to go into details, but let’s just say it left me feeling disgusted for the next hour or so.
Parking was easy, since there was a small parking lot in the back. There’s free wifi, although I had problems with it when I was there… apparently Time Warner was down that day.
Place rating: 4
Tempe, AZ
I actually drove to this area because I wanted to check out the Vidiots video store, which is by the coffee shop, so find this place was an ancillary benefit of my sightseeing while in Santa Monica. Right after I walked into the video store I heard a crash and the tinkling of glass and there was rear-​end accident right outside the coffee shop and this blond got out who was wearing some sort of sheer black dress which barely covered the cheek of one buttock and then went all the way down to the ankle on the other side and she was wearing some cheap faux black fur coat. She was the one who hit the front car and gets out of her somewhat well used white car and proceeds to start sobbing wildly. Well, what could I do but head over to the coffee shop, get a latte, and proceed to watch the show outside the window?
A long setup but I will tell you this just a cool coffee shop with laid back personnel engaging in fun back and forth discussion. I found the mix of people was more laid-​back local more than arty cool and they were just as interested in the accident. The owner even went out and walked around the accident to surreptitiously gather information on the accident (okay, I live in Phoenix, and it sort of felt like walking onto a movie set. There was actually some filming going on across the street and the sobbing blond ended up sitting in a director’s chair). Bottom line, good drinks, I had an iced tea made with green tea that they made fresh, and everybody seemed welcome, which was great. I would happily hang out on a regular basis if I lived in the area. :-)
Place rating: 4
Upland, CA
UFO theme is real nice!
very cozy place for studying or working!
workers are friendly and coffee is good!
Place rating: 5
Brooklyn, NY
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. When it comes to working remotely, it’s all about the almighty trifecta: outlets, wifi and parking. And Flying Saucers has all of these in spades. But it’s more than just a functional space to set up a temporary office. This delightful little café also has some truly friendly employees, a quirky sense of humor (I love the portrait of Michael Jackson and ET in the bathroom) and an artistic sensibility… not to mention some amazing food. I highly enjoyed my many hours here today and gobbled down my ham and cheese croissant with tomato with glee. I love that they have savory food available in addition to your typical coffee shop pastries, and that they have lots of tea and coffee selections, and even a blended drink selection that you can add CANDY to. How amazing!
My only, and seriously only complaint after spending an entire day here is that those glass tables and chairs aren’t the most comfy in the world when setting up a little station… I kept dropping stuff and fidgeting. But the rest of the place was so tranquil and conducive to my work that I barely noticed. Love this place to death!!!
Place rating: 4
Los Angeles, CA
This place is pretty much right next to the bowling alley in Santa Monica. why is that relevant, you ask? lol. because everywhere around there is metered parking. and the lot is pretty much empty for the most part… Also a side note on the service, the barista was very kind and helpful too.
Anyways i ordered a White Mocha Latté
and an apple turnover. www.yelp.com/biz_photos/np2ab2­pHovngWPB7dv8ikw?select=cFfocfPvmjBC4zRc_4BDbA I did enjoy the apple turnover although it wasn’t as i imagined and, made me wish i had gotten a chocolate croissant. I did however enjoy the Latté.
I will definitely be back because i want to try a breakfast sandwich the next time i come.
Place rating: 5
Inglewood, CA
an u.f.o.-themed coffee shop– how fun! there were lots & lots of u.f.o. artwork all over the brick walls. and fresh organic cup ‘o joe was simple, inexpensive, and tastey! the seating situation was limited, but we got to sit on very comfortable sofas in between this huge einstein-​egg painting, and i loved it!
nothing better than a laid back quirky local coffee spot that makes your coffee the right way.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
OVERALL: 4
FOOD: 4
SERVICE: 4.5
AMBIANCE: 4
VALUE: 3.5
Total find! Love that this Bohemian-​à-​la-​Gaga coffeeshop is next to a taqueria and across from an empty lot & high school – so random!
Got in before closing time… with just enough time to get a 175-​degree (as ordered!) soy mocha, kick up my feet on a plush chaise-​lounge, and take in the carnavale themed masquerady paintings filling the walls. Brian is friendly, fun, and accommodating – stayed open an extra 20 minutes so a couple customers could finish up. Pastries/​café treats & a small lunch menu… Will be back for the offbeat-​cool atmosphere & free Wi-​Fi, especially since it’s a block away from the hotel.