The Sweet Shop Cafe & Lounge

I saw the manager get on a microphone and start yelling at two young female paying customers today. He made oddly sexual comments to them, comparing bringing in personal coffee cups to having an unfaithful boyfriend. I get not wanting outside food or drink being brought in, but he went way too far, the situation felt unsafe. Literally any other way of handling this situation would have been better. I highly recommend not ever going here if you value not being attacked.

The new owner is shockingly ill-tempered, quick to lash out with yelling or childish insults at the slightest bit of disagreement, whether it's face-to-face or in a written review. He’s created a toxic environment where employees are clearly afraid of him and remarkably tense around him. Former staff members have mentioned that the owner regularly brings his kid into the restaurant and forces his employees to look after the child during their shifts, with no additional compensation. The Frain family, who ran this place for years, were known for their kindness and family spirit. Unfortunately, this new owner is tearing apart the legacy they built.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 1

Love this place. Been going for years. I hope they last forever

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Greasy eggs, hot coffee, quick service. By God, what else do you need?

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

This place is a staple, the staff is always friendly and things are very fairly priced.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Every time I come here now I think of that video of the owner jumping on top of that guy's car (positive). Look, the owner/manager is loud, I guess, but he isn't scary, and he can also be really nice so don't let the bad reviews ward you off from experiencing this place yourself. (Also, he just acts the way I think most people in customer service want to, lol. Most of the time the people being yelled at deserve it.) The atmosphere here is fun, because of the giant booths it's a good place to hang out with friends, and there's tons to look at. Also a good study spot. Every booth has its own fun graffiti to explore. Also, if this matters to you like it does to me, there's a great, single stall bathroom steps away from campus‼️‼️

As someone who has been, mmm, not a regular, but a returning customer on and off for a few years here's my advice
Don't get: milkshake, boba, salad, wrap
Do get: breakfast sandwiches, lattes, paninis, chai drinks

My go to order is cheese and egg on croissant and an iced latte

The plain espresso shots aren't good but they get the job done when you need to crackdown on finals week. And it's always fast.

The smoothies are a mixed bag! They're not super frozen but they are cold and the texture is fine. The mango one is probably the best of the ones I've tried. Good when it's hot outside.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Croissant

The owner stinks to our ears

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

If I could leave zero stars I would.
Let me clarify a few things: first, I have never left a review before, good or bad, because I don’t care to get involved in the mess. This experience changed that. Second, I hate to leave a bad review—I’ve worked in a restaurant, both my parents have worked in restaurants—restaurant employees has my highest sympathies.
Okay so, let’s get to what happened.
I ordered a cotton candy Italian soda and received an order number, I’m pretty sure it was 1-037. A few minutes later, “37” was called. I went to the counter. There were multiple items there and I wasn’t sure which would be my order, so I asked the employee behind the counter and told him my number. He said it was the drink and grapes and I could get ice from the machine. I didn’t pay too much attention to it—I figured they either screwed my order up, or they were cotton candy grapes and this was a new, weird way to make an Italian soda.
Later, an employee comes up, confused and scared seeming, and tells me it was the wrong order. He didn’t say anything else, just left. It was really weird. So, I went to the counter to see what was going on and they again acted scared and confused. They told me the new drink at the counter was my drink, so I took that. They acted strange, but I brushed it off. Like I said, I’ve worked in a restaurant before and I know weird mix-up’s like this happen all the time. I thought about brining the order back (which, to clarify, I was never asked to do) but there’s an generally accepted rule at restaurants that once the food hits the table, it’s unsanitary for someone else to eat it.
Later, another employee, scared and confused, comes up to me and tells me the “boss man” wants to speak to me because he is upset. At this point, I was now also confused, because it seemed like they were belaying a simple mixup by both parties. I asked the employee why the “boss man” wanted to speak to me, but before he could respond, something else happened.
The boss man got on a microphone, in front of the whole restaurant, and called me a thief! I was honestly blown away. I immediately went up to talk to him so we could get to the bottom (I figured there had to be something else going on because this seemed like an irrational reason to be upset) but he REFUSED to talk me. Classy. I don’t know if it was because he had a long day, or he just assumed I was ditsy college girl, but he would not talk to me at all. He just shouted, “I WILL NOT HEAR ANYTHING, YOU MUST PAY FOR BOTH ORDERS.”
At this point, I wanted to cry. My legs felt like uncooked spaghetti and my head was spinning. This situation made absolutely no sense to me. Maybe I should’ve followed my friend’s advice and just left, but I decided to pay the second order.

Now, after all that, I still wasn’t going to leave a review. It was the following events that put the nail in the coffin.
A few hours later, I was still shaken by the whole situation so I called my Dad. Not to get him to complain or anything, just to talk with me. After we finished talking, he called the restaurant and asked for the name of the “boss man.” Just the name, nothing else. The employees said they didn’t know and hung up.
Now, I still wasn’t going to leave a bad review. Then, I saw the voicemail message they left my Dad. I saw the incessant lying, blaming, and overall lack of respect that plagues this place. They claimed they asked me to return the order. This claim is incredulously from the truth; nothing close to it happened. All the employees just seemed scared and confused by “boss man” who was irrationally upset by a teenage girl when his cafe mixed up her order. They claimed I had no respect. That’s funny! I went up to talk with them twice to figure out what was going on. The first time, everyone looked around confused. The second time? I was blasted by a microphone and yelled at. Regardless, I CHOSE to pay for a mistake they made. The only party lacking respect was the illusive “boss man.”

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 2

Service: 1

On a visit stopped in for some lunch with my two sons my youngest son who doesn't like anything really enjoyed his chicken wrap.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Love starting my day with the vegetarian falafel gyro w tzatziki and a hibiscus tea!! Always delish and very fast service. The outdoor seating area is a really calm space surrounded by plants and good vibes.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I have been coming here the last two years for coffee and to study! Always great coffee and service.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Croissant, Blueberry Muffin

Love the owner and great coffee shop!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

it’s always a great visit for us when we are in Tallahassee. The atmosphere is cozy even when it’s busy, the menu is excellent with many healthy options and there’s even a nice outdoor patio if you just want to watch the people walk by. it brings back memories of when it was our “go to” place when we attended school at FSU.

I wish I had visited the sweet shop more often during my time at FSU! Not only is the ambiance cozy and welcoming, the food and drinks are delicious! There are SO many options to choose from and they are all fantastic. The staff is very friendly and accommodating as well. Truly remarkable service and food. The paninis and chai lattes are my favorite!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Visited for the first time today with my daughter & the owner was very kind to us! Customer service was excellent! I had a lamb gyro, my daughter demolished her chocolate cupcake and she shared (a little bit) with me. I’m sure my oldest daughter will enjoy her cheesecake too! ?

Side note, I saw low reviews about negative service here. In Japan there’s a restaurant that specializes in providing their patrons bad service and people pay top dollar to experience it. Check it out on YouTube…I’m not suggesting this for this place of business, just saying if it’s true, that kind of vibe might be something the students/community could embrace and flip it to a positive. Seriously life is too short, change your perspective, have some fun, and enjoy every moment even if it seems negative. The choice is completely yours. ?❤️