Calypso Cafe — Restaurant in Coronado

CALYPSO CAFE: “Taking advantage of the most vulnerable since 2007!”

This establishment is far from the mom-and-pop vibe it attempts to portray. I encourage all to read this review as well as other corroborating reviews from more-regular customers who know the inner workings of this business. Here are just a few reasons I encourage all to revoke any assistance to the sinister agenda of the owner.

THE OWNER TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE CAYS’ ELDERLY RESIDENTS.

One particular patron visited the cafe daily for breakfast because he could not drive and was limited to his scooter. It took a little while for his family to catch on, but the owner would trick this patron into ordering a bunch of stuff not on the menu and then would over-charge him because the patron was elderly and trusted the establishment. He was not aware of the actual charges, and the owner knew. The owner would provide no receipt, and the prices for the same meals would steadily increase until the patron was spending $20 on a sandwich (which consisted of stale bread and a couple slices of lunch meat).

As time dragged on, this patron began losing his memory. His decline became noticeable to all who knew him, including the owner. He would visit the cafe, return home, and then return to the cafe between one and three more times daily because he had forgotten that he had just been to the cafe. The patron’s family decided to intervene because he could not afford the exorbitant costs of visiting the cafe so often.

The family called the owner and asked her is she would help the family by denying service to the patron if he had already been to the cafe just a few hours earlier. The family understood the importance of the cafe to the patron’s quality of life, because it was the only accessible place to him and enabled him to get out of his house. The family explained to the owner the nature of his mental deterioration, and that he is spending way more than he can afford at the cafe. The family did not confront the owner as to the overcharging, in the hope the owner would be amenable to the patron’s mental and physical condition moving forward.

The owner angrily refused, and doubled-down on her most vulnerable, and profitable, customer. The family eventually moved the patron to a more appropriate environment, ending the nightmare that was Calypso Cafe. Please, do not support this!

THE OWNER TREATS HER EMPLOYEES AS SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS WHO DO NOT DESERVE RESPECT

I do not have as much personal knowledge of the specifics, but given the number of interactions I have had with the business, I have gotten to know many of the employees well. They have detailed to me the lying, deceptive character of the owner. The owner would jerk employees around, give promises she did not intend to keep, and then fired them when pressed for better treatment.

THE FOOD IS RE-USED!

That $20 sandwich? There is a much too significant chance a component of that sandwich was served to someone else. Take that as it may.

Coronado is full of wonderful mom-and-pop restaurants run by those who deserve your business! Please do not go to...

We walked out in shock commenting to each other about our very unpleasant experience. I looked at our, "trash bag" half way home and asked my daughter if that was our order. She said yes, we then looked at the bag which looked small to me and the chips were missing. Being half way home, I told my daughter and her friend I was going back to get our chips. I then walked back and surprising it was still open. She was completing orders, and making new drinks for others (and we were rushed out?). After 2 minutes of being ignored again, she nodded and looked at me. I said I was back to get our chips and explained they were not in the bag, she said you have to get your own in a snotty voice. I said sorry to her and explained to her I was new to the system and did not know. She then said, "no, you aren't you've been here before everyday." No, I was not there every day before, I was there twice before, but I never ordered anything with chips. She then pointed to the chips, walked away and said, loudly, "Thank You." I then took the chips and left. When I went home, the girls told me she was very rude and the food was very expensive. The owner, while I went back to the table earlier while the girls were at the register, charged my daughter's friend $56.60 for our order, which again was 4 Dansani waters, one single order of potato salad, 2 hamburgers, one gyro, and two individual chocolate chip cookie deserts! I am assuming this is the game over there, don't take the credit card and then over charge! I asked my daughter for the receipt because I was going to go over the next day to get the price fixed, but she said the lady would not give them a receipt (I TAUGHT MY CHILDREN TO ALWAYS GET A RECEIPT). So in ending, watch your bill, demand a receipt, double check your order bill, and if your children go in there are alone, beware-they are sitting ducks for price gouging! To add, she is very rude to individuals with special needs. When I went in there the second time she was very impatient with my son who has Asperger's. She treated him like he was stupid even though he has a full ride scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin for Physics! I went back to explain his disorder so she would be patient with him the next time (I thought we were going to be there a lot since we just moved in the neighborhood), to help her understand. So, watch your disabled friends and family while they are in there! And finally.... the food is just not that good! I will never go in there again! Coronado Cays should be embarrassed to have this business there for many reasons! Discrimination should not be...

Avoid this establishment!!!

We have lived in the Cays for years and unfortunately Calypso Cafe is the only thing nearby. We have gone there from time to time with hopes it would be a decent cafe for a quick bite. The food reminds me of leftovers and I can only imagine their special is simply what they are trying to sell before it expires or spoils to the point of notice. The food is not special and the owner always tries to push her recommendation on you, which is always the most overpriced meal and tastes the worst.

Enough with the quality of the food. The owner is inconsistent at best with her pricing as I have seen her charge someone $5 for a coffee and breakfast sandwich. Nothing on the menu is even $5. While we are overcharged for a ham slice. Customer service is not a strong suit of hers as one complaint puts her on the defense, when she should be tending to the need of her customer.

It is shame that she has somehow cornered the cafe market in the Cays, I believe that is the only reason she has not gone belly up. If one halfway decent establishment opens up next door she would surely lose the business. ...