Tender Loving Coffee — Restaurant in Chico

Food: Excellent. I've never been disappointed by the food. Service: Poor.

I've hesitated posting a public review because this is literally the last vegan joint in town. I even contacted the owners directly through their website last year because I really don't want this place to disappear. I never heard back, but that's okay because it wasn't the end of the world. Just wanted them to know of my experience(s).

The experiences were: The employees weren't acknowledging me when I would come in, not in any way whatsoever, and even when they were ready to take my order, they wouldn't even say hi or anything. It always just felt cold to me (reminiscent of the holier than thou attitude I would get from Naked Lounge staff back in the day). The second thing was, when placing an order online, and finding out it wasn't ready by the time it said it would be ready, I would place an online order again the next time, and give it an extra 10-15 mins AFTER the pickup time before heading down to pick it up, but my food still wasn't ready. So, I stopped going for a bit because I just got tired of it. I also thought, maybe they just don't like dealing with the online orders, or maybe the online ordering system is messed up and the time it gives you is just way off or something. But sometimes a half hour would go by before I'd even head over there, and still no food. And when I stood there waiting to pick it up, minutes would go by before they even asked me what I was there for.

So then today, finally after months of not going, I decided to try one more time. This time, I phoned in my order, so that I would talk to a person and know exactly when I should come and get my food. They open at 8 am, so I called at 8:19. I was told that the oven was not heated up yet (!!!) so my food would be done in 40 mins. So my food would be done by 9 am, she told me. Fine, good, I placed my order, knowing I should give them a little buffer. I get over there at 9:15 and guess what? My food wasn't ready. I've only been ordering for myself this entire time, one item, so it's not like I'm ordering for the entire office or something. If they open at 8 am, wouldn't it make sense to have the oven up and running before people start ordering food? I noticed three other people standing around waiting, so I know it wasn't just me this time. So, I didn't get my food until 9:20, an entire HOUR after I placed my order - and this time I placed my order with a human being. There is no way a burrito should take this long to make. No way. And it's every time. Every single time I place an order, it seems to take longer, and longer, and longer. So, I think I'm done. I don't want to go back. It's not worth it. I love the food, but not if it's going to take a minimum of an hour to make it. Especially if I'm leaving work to go pick it up, and having to sit there and wait for food that should've been ready for me when I arrived.

Also, the music playing over the speakers this morning was way too loud. Sitting and waiting for my food, while listening to the loud music and a couple trying to talk over the music, was too much. Straw, camel's...

I was excited to try TLC, but it didn't live up to my expectations. Their shop is really more of a pub, that serves coffee as well. Pizza, Beer, Wine... and Coffee.

I tried to order a Flat White, off menu, but still never a problem for any barista worth its weight in coffee beans, however the barista here said no :( . Then I ordered a Mochaccino, to which she replied "a cappuccino?" facepalm. I corrected her to a mocha (short for Mochaccino) and paid and sat down.

The coffee came in a tall beer glass, not a coffee cup. So that threw me a bit off. But I tried to remain optimistic, for afterall, it's all about the coffee. The drink was OK, I have no major complaints, but also no compliments.

Overall if your looking for a traditional coffee shop, this is not it. This is more of a a coffee pizza, and beer joint, that happens to have an espresso machine and roast their own coffee (in my opinion).

I hope to patronize this establishment again, however not for their coffee....

I don't understand the appeal. Just because it's vegan, doesn't mean I should lower my standards. The 2 women who worked there (presumably owners) touched money, then the food & drinks. Not once did I see either wash their hands or change gloves in between going back and forth. Both kept walking outside to hand out food & drinks, touching the doorknob with the gloves they were also touching the food with. Literally all the food I ordered had a gross spicy flavor. I bought some for my daughter and she wouldn't eat it. The hash browns were the worst I've tasted in my life. Spicy and tasted like old boxed potatoes. For horribly bland food that tastes like cardboard, you'd think it would be cheap...nope. It was all very overpriced. They also had no service if you sit down. They were running around the place like headless chickens. My order took forever and...