specialTEA Lounge & Café — Restaurant in Doral

First and foremost I want to start by stating I have NEVER written a negative review, and that this review is not meant to hurt the business or business owner in any way but just to state my experience quite objectively. I have never had a problem with the food, the food is very tasty. Its the management and service that is quite subpar considering they charge gourmet like restaurant prices without the great service. I am forced to write the review based on a surreal and beyond negative experience. I have never been treated so disrespectfully anywhere else like I was treated here by the business owner for making a comment that was not to her liking.

I went in after a little over a year and I was appalled at the overpriced menu. As a concerned customer on a budget I went ahead to question the high price increase. What was the reasoning for such high price increase? (Read other similar reviews on overprice menu). The owner got very agitated and she immediately got a paper and a pen, all the while her hand was shaking and she showed me what it was before the price change and calculated the difference, I noticed she made a mistake and I pointed it out, she admitted to the mistake. Then she kept on redoing the math and insisted how she had been right all along. (Really?) At which point I should have seen that as a red flag but I decided to ignore it.

I decided to shake that off and asked her if there were any daily specials at which point she replied with an attitude "What specials?" (Rude) I decided not t o buy anything and served myself a glass of water and sat down with my friend who had ordered something. The owner came up once again in a very confrontational manner escalating the argument even more stating how everything there was organic vs. subway where all they served was processed chicken. I then told her I didn't appreciate her tone of voice and she lowered her tone and told me that I hurt her business by not ordering anything and not paying the price difference. She also mentioned if I had any complaints to write a review. Then she went ahead and said to take my business elsewhere and walked away. I went to tell her that attitude was completely uncalled for and unnecessary and she said she could do whatever she wanted (So because you're the owner it gives you the right to mistreat people any which way you want?, whatever happened to respect?, just wondering) and then threatened to call the police.

Overall this was a very unfortunate circumstance which reflects on the unprofessionalism and immaturity of the business owner. This petty argument escalated to the point where the owner was just plain rude and disrespectful whereas it could have all been handled in a more appropriate manner. As a customer I have the right to have a concern, comment, question. And regarding the price increase I don't agree with it at all considering the clientele its catered to and the zone in which is located in. And furthermore IF you at least offered a good service there would be no reason for questioning the cost because at least I know I'm getting what I'm paying for. However the quality and the overall service is just lacking to...

I visited this cafe recently, and I must say that I am deeply disappointed with the level of customer service I received. I have been a loyal customer of this establishment even before they expanded, and this experience left me questioning whether I would ever return.

Upon entering, I was excited to find a cozy spot to work on my laptop, especially since both my laptop and cellphone were out of battery. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm was quickly shattered by one of the servers who informed me that I couldn't sit at a table designated for two people unless I had a second guest with me. This was the first time such a restrictive policy was communicated to me, and it was disheartening to be treated in such a manner.

To make matters worse, there was no one else waiting in line, and I was the sole customer seeking a table. Despite the availability of empty tables inside, the server insisted I sit outside, where there were no power outlets to charge my devices. As someone who relies on electronic devices for work, this decision was not only inconvenient but also impractical.

I made a purchase, intending to support the cafe while I spent time there. I ordered a chocolate chip and a mango smoothie, hoping for a pleasant experience. However, the server's unwelcoming behavior overshadowed any positive aspects of my visit. Being literally kicked out after making a purchase was both humiliating and disrespectful.

Treating loyal customers with such disregard is unacceptable, and it reflects poorly on the overall image of the business.

I truly hope that the management takes this feedback seriously and reevaluates their customer service policies and staff training. Until there are clear improvements in how patrons are treated, I regret to say that I won't be returning to this cafe. It's a shame to see how an establishment I once enjoyed has become so unwelcoming! I ended up taking a phone call in my car while charging my phone.

Here's a better-phrased version of the situation:

Update: When I arrived at the café, the staff pointed out that I should sit outside. I didn't notice the empty seat, or else I would have chosen another spot. Usually, when I sit at a table for four, someone comes over to sit on the other side or vice versa because they have a laptop. If you have a camera, you can check the conversation to verify what happened. Allow me to describe the interaction: I politely asked if I could sit at the table for two people since I wasn't waiting for anyone. The staff replied that I couldn't sit there and suggested I sit outside where they have more tables. I expressed disappointment, and they apologized, but they didn't offer any information about a charger station or other options. It's challenging for customers to know where all the outlets are, after all. I felt offended being asked to sit outside, and it didn't feel welcoming. She clearly y saw my backpack, and that I was on the phone with someone. I did even mentioned to the person on the phone: a server from this cafe told me to sit outside, since I don’t have anyone to seat with. Thank you for addressing that I’m not welcome to your establishment....

If they can get your order right it's actually a great place for people with food allergies like my daughter & I. However, I'm leaving this review because this is the 4th time they've messed up one of our orders. I never complained before because I simply didn't have the time to go back & do so. However, now that it's happened more than 3x, I feel I should definitely say something. I placed an order online for my daughter & I & asked my husband to swing by to pick it up. When he arrived with our drinks we realized the order was made completely wrong. So we all got in the car in hopes of getting our drinks made the way we ordered them. To my shock, BOTH drinks were made wrong AGAIN while in-store. Not sure who's training these employees but clearly they need to be more mindful of reading incoming orders correctly as well as listening to the customer while the order is being placed. It was a waste of our time and money and it could have been easily avoided had the employees focused on accuracy. NOTE: in response to the owner's reply to my review, I call MAJOR BULLSH*T. We've had those flavor combinations before when they were done right & they tasted as they should have. Cherry flavor is very noticeable as is lavender. Cherry flavoring was added to mine instead of my daughter's & lavender was added to my daughter's instead of cherry. You may need to review that secret camera again & maybe not condescend your customers seeing as you're a small business who depends on them. The flavors were MOST DEFINITELY mixed up & the "free of charge boba" isn't a good thing when a customer doesn't like the taste of...