CoffeeBay — Restaurant in Cebu City

After a filling lunch, we looked for a good coffee place to stay for a while and have a chat. We decided to check one of not so crowded coffee place in the metro. We found Coffee Bay.

PROS: -Not too crowded. This is one of the factors why we chose this coffee place as we liked to sit back and relax while enjoying our coffee -I am a coffee lover and I want my coffee to be strong but not too sweet. The coffee is good here but not to the standards I am looking for. Maybe I needed to add more shot of espresso to the base to make up for the blandness of the coffee though I don't want to pay extra for it -The place gets crowded at times during our stay but not too inconvenient -Parking spaces are provided by the mall -For those fond of Korean movies and TV shows, this coffee shop plays them at their store since this is the first Korean coffee brand in Cebu.

CONS: -Food will be served within the 15-20 mins interval. A bit long for a waiting time -Smoking area is provided by the mall which is located at the ground floor (Seaview Area) at the other end of the building. The coffee shop is located at the 2nd floor of the mall. Start to exercise your feet as it may take you about 5-15mins walk to get there depending on your pace. -Power outlets for your gadgets are available and installed on the floor. I just find it inconvenient and probably hazardous as the sockets cover could not be tucked in. If you don't notice it immediately and pass by it, you may potentially get in an accident. -Although not a place for kids, I was hoping a high chair for babies and toddlers are available just in case a customer would bring along their kids. Unfortunately high chairs are not available so you would need to get your kids to sit on you lap while having your "you" time.

I can't remember if wifi is provided by the store but nonetheless, you can have it via the mall's wifi access.

Overall the experience was good but not exemplary. I am rating this to be 4 of 5 stars due to the points I mentioned above. Although the points for improvement are minor, I find it imperative to get a worthy experience...

I recently visited this café to order a regular-sized Americano to go. The waiter insisted on serving it in a dine-in cup, claiming that to-go cups were only available for the large size. When I asked if the regular size would fit in the large to-go cup, he admitted it would but said he couldn’t do it due to inventory policies. Eventually, he agreed to use a to-go cup, but the experience left a bad impression.

I felt he was trying to exploit me with this unnecessary restriction. The price difference between the regular and large sizes was around 50 pesos, but instead of feeling like a valued customer, I left feeling manipulated.

By losing me as a customer, the café is now earning less than they would have by simply fulfilling my order without issue. For trying to squeeze out an extra 50 pesos, they’ve lost hundreds of pesos in future sales. I’ll be buying my coffee at another café where the large Americano is cheaper than this place’s...

First impressions, the interior has a very chic design that gives off a dark yet cozy feel to the shop. It is also one of the very few no-window shops in Cebu. It does get a bit warm if the A/Cs in the mall isn't running at full blast or if the shop is packed.

Their coffee is a tad bit acidic for my taste though. Their eclair was alright, it was fluffy and not too sweet as compared to other dessert shops in Cebu.

Judging from their marketing materials and TV ads, it is a Korean based coffee shop chain that has set up shop to join in the coffee shop industry in Cebu. It is located on the 2nd floor of the mall, next by the BDO bank and parking entrance/exit.

Overall, I do love the color scheme and the feel of the shop. I'm not too fond of their americano. Although, they do have other offerings for their coffee and their desserts do look delicious. Might have to give this shop...