Shawnniecakes — Restaurant in Cedar Rapids

I write wordy reviews, and a few individuals have asked if I could shorten them up... so here goes.

Shawnniecakes, go!

Their food is excellent, their sweets are divine, but the thing that has stayed with me after my recent visit is how friendly and genuine the owner, LeShawn, is.

Some people are part of a business, some people bring their energy to their business, and some people are their business. That is what LeShawn is to Shawnniecakes, not just the owner, but the living, beating heart of this tiny local treasure.

I felt like we were friends after 2 minutes of chatting, and I am not alone in that, many visitors comment on how personable and lovely LeShawn is.

The hype is as real as she is, this place is a (slightly) hidden gem!

I ordered a chicken Philly and a Reuben, with a side of mac-n-cheese to go. I also grabbed a sweet treat out of the case, unfortunately, I can't remember the name, darnit!

The food arrived quickly, long before I was done chatting with the charming LeShawn.

It was simple, yummy, and satisfying. Many places strive for that home-cooked taste, and they nailed it!

The Philly was loaded with tasty pulled chicken, and it was flavorful while still being mildly spiced. The bun was perfect and I enjoyed the fact that it wasn't soaked with cheese sauce, again, that homemade taste.

The Reuben was yummy as well, simple, but possessing an excellent flavor. The sammie was also of a manageable size, which I appreciate in this day of extra double mega sammies.

The mac continued the theme of homemade food... as long as you live in the home of an excellent cook! Between bites, my partner said, "This is the real deal..." and then, just like that, it was all gone😋

The sweet was a rich, moist, dark chocolate cake cup, filled with a rich white cream. The filling was between whipped cream and frosting... I am thinking perhaps a thick crème anglaise🤔 Scrumptious!

The restaurant is located in the Collins Community Credit Union, with an entrance door right inside the entrance, so one needn't go into the bank, at 1800 1st Ave NE.

I am calling this one a must-visit, enjoy the food and friendly atmosphere, and support...

Miss LaShawnie was hospitable and welcoming and even ran back to check the fridge to see if she still had some gluten free cookies after graciously informing me those are an order-ahead/special order item. I was in luck today! She had them, and they were DELICIOUS, down to the last crumb. I asked for 1 chocolate chip cookies, she threw in two, and I ate them BOTH! They were STUFFED with chocolate AND white chocolate chips and were sweet, naturally, BUT NOT TOO sweet...perfection is what you call that, folks. Now listen, gluten free goodness is hard to come by, so while I am a local, self-appointed Google St. Louis foodie of sorts, I do NOT assume all G/F is tasteless any more than I assume it delicious...it all lives or dies by the palate! Soooo, I say, "Long Live Shawnnie's! for EVERYONE should be allowed to eat cake!"

And as if those g/f goodies weren't enough, my spouse had an inside out cupcake filled to the brim with rich buttercream! It was divine...how do I know?! We'll, I snatched some buttercream, of course, and dreamed up a new decadent delight: a chocolate butter-dream cookie sandwich! Girl, mama didn't get dese hips by avoidin' da buttercream! Mmm, mmmm, my advice? Go get yerself some and love ALL the ones yer with by...

The Love Sampler platter is amazing! That's all I ordered, but there were a lot of other options. The greens were seasoned perfectly and cooked just right, the mac and cheese was delicious, the chicken wings are not overly seasoned- they're plain but cooked thoroughly and so good. The stuffing was dry, and I don't like sweet potatoes but I tried them and if you do like sweet potatoes, you'd like these ones for sure. $15 for the Love Sampler- not bad. I'll definitely return! The only real issue is the atmosphere. The store is tidy and cute butI wish they had a place to sit, you gotta go eat in the bank chairs and I felt too awkward doing that so I asked for it to-go and ate in my car in the parking lot. I hope they can expand soon for a better dine in experience so I can bring my whole family!...