FOOD & DRINK

Home Away From Home

Social coffee bar opens in Santa Monica

By Morgan Owen

Jared Meisler is on his third cup of coffee this morning. “I guess that’s an industry hazard, drinking a lot more coffee than I used to,” he said. In October, Meisler opened Please Enjoy, a social coffee bar in Santa Monica, with his longtime business partner, Marius Markevicius. According to Meisler, the goal of the coffee bar is to create a comfortable environment for customers to work and socialize. The centerpiece of the coffee shop is a long bar behind which baristas serve the coffee. With free Wi-Fi, plenty of outlets, and abundant seating, Meisler said he hopes Please Enjoy will bring people together. The concept for Please Enjoy was not only inspired by Meisler’s work in the restaurant and bar industry, but the experiences his friends and family shared about feeling isolated in a post-pandemic work from home environment. “I wanted a place that was a good hang,” Meisler said. “I really love the idea of a coffee shop being someone’s office or home away from home. The goal was to create a space (for people) to spend their day. I know a lot of (businesses) complain when people camp out, and I love it.” Meisler started his career in the eatery business somewhat by mistake. As a younger man, he was an aspiring musician, and like many artists, he said, he also had a job in a restaurant bar. Eventually, Meisler earned opportunities to open his own establishments, growing from there. While music is an integral part of all his businesses, he has found that creating a space for people to connect is rewarding. “A lot of momentous occasions are celebrated in restaurants, bars, and cafes,” Meisler said. “I love hearing about couples that met at one of my places, had their first date, or even got engaged.” But Please Enjoy isn’t just about good company. It’s also about good coffee and drinks. All of Please Enjoy’s syrups and specialty items are made in-house, including the horchata for one of their house lattes. The Matcha Cubano, one of the coffee bar’s specialty drinks, embodies Please Enjoy’s “playful” and experimental menu, Meisler said. The drink is served over ice and is a mix of matcha, coconut milk, and lime. They also have a Strawberry Mochi Latte and a Matcha Lemon Cupcake Latte, which Meisler said “tastes like a slice of lemon cake.” Please Enjoy focuses primarily on its drinks and coffee menu, but they do serve an assortment of pastries and in-house sandwiches for lunch. They also serve overnight oats, breakfast sandwiches, and avocado toast for customers to get their day started with. “I’m really proud of the offerings, and I’m really proud of the room. It sounds corny, but it’s a great place to get your Please Enjoy’s coffee bar behind which their coffee and drinks are served.

drinks,” were Meisler’s parting words. He hopes that people see Please Enjoy for what he intended it—as a home away from home with good drinks and good food.

Please Enjoy Coffee Bar

3008 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite A, Santa Monica 310-396-9333