Aloha Waffle Bar — Restaurant in Jacksonville

Okay, I'm giving this a five-star review but also need to say that I doubt that we're going to return. Now with that said, here's the review.

We recently learned that both this restaurant and the Mexican restaurant next door have a patio in back and since we often like to take our dogs for a ride and live in the area we were quite excited to find both a place that we could dine outside with our puppies as well as go for dessert. This drink and dessert shop is located in a strip mall next to the aloft hotel and almost immediately behind the MayDay Ice Cream kiosk. Half of the space in the strip mall is still on occupied, but parking is already a nightmare even in the middle of the week. I do realize this isn't within the control of the tenant so much, but it's a huge hassle as a customer and it's only going to get worse because they are building out the other spaces. So, this lack of easy access is one reason why we wouldn't be so likely to return, but not the main one.

We entered the location during what I believe was probably a little bit of a rush. Regardless, the inside was very clean and everyone was busy working and helping customers and there was just a good vibe overall. Because we had our dogs we had checked out their menu online and that allowed me to order while my husband stayed outside with the dogs.

The cashier that assisted me was very friendly and patient. They can have quite a few different options, so while you're waiting in line please try to decide what you want to be respectful of customers behind you. I was pretty excited to see the inclusion of whipped cream on many of their items, but this quickly turned into a representation of one of my pet peeves because it ends up that they don't use whipped cream at all, but instead use some kind of whipped topping that similar to Cool Whip (which I've always found disgusting). However, knowing that it just meant that their menu item with berries and whipped cream was no longer something that I would enjoy. We ended up choosing two of what are essentially cones in a cup. I believe mine was called The Floridian and it had vanilla ice cream (or whipped topping if you prefer) with fresh sliced strawberries and a cookie butter drizzle. Normally it would also have the whipped topping on top, which I declined. Are other item was the peanut butter with chocolate ice cream, chocolate drizzle, Reese's pieces, and Reese's peanut butter cup. We got chocolate ice cream with this one and it seems like you pretty much get the choice between chocolate or vanilla rice cream or whipped topping, with pretty much any of the dessert items.

And when my name was called both desserts looked wonderful. We did really enjoy the bubble waffle, and all of the flavors and toppings were delicious. We both agreed that we would have enjoyed a little bit more moisture because it almost seemed like there was too much waffle, so for me I think if they had real whipped cream, that would have made both of ours pretty much perfect.

However, beyond the difficulty parking, we just really struggled with the price. We had already eaten dinner, so it's not like we were ravenously hungry. We do go out for ice cream all the time, all over town, and never have an issue with being satiated. Unfortunately, for approximately $14 for a single scoop waffle cone with a couple toppings, it just seems crazy. I do realize that things are kind of challenging right now for businesses from many different perspectives, but when I can get I gotta have it for $7 from Cold Stone creamery, I just have some difficulty with paying the price of a dessert at a fine dining restaurant at a little cafe and walking away not feeling satiated. This is really why we won't likely be back. It was almost $30 for two waffle cones that left us...

What a great place! Everything was delicious, but what really stood out for me was how NICE everyone was! And people around here are generally all nice, but they really went the extra mile to be polite, courteous, and helpful. You order then take a seat with a buzzer, and return to a different part of the counter to retrieve your food. The helpful staff will also bring things out to you if they are able to.

Ok, so we stopped here in the morning for a bite to eat unsure what to expect. The inside is very clean and inviting. After walking up to the counter and reviewing the menu board, I'd say you can categorize their offerings in three ways: coffee, bubble waffles, and Boba, or as they put it, their Tiki Tea Bar.

Coffee is a Kona roast I believe that was strong and delicious. Their lattes were so on point my wife had to order a second. They only serve espresso but it shouldn't be a problem for a coffee drinker to order a cappuccino, flat white, or Macchiato.

We were wanting breakfast so we had a Breakfast Waffle with crispy bacon, egg, and cheese, an Aloha Waffle with LOTS of fruit, and a Brunch Waffle with ham, swiss, and a really naughty raspberry jam that melded together in delicious perfection.

There are many other waffle combos to look into, both savory and sweet, and we need to go back to try something more decadent.

My daughter loves her Boba Tea and the Brown Sugar Milk Tea totally delivered. She really enjoyed it putting it up there with the top tier of teas in the area we've tried so far.

Again, there are so many varieties to choose from you can return again and again and never grow bored.

The simple variety of this unique cafe is a real selling point no matter what your mood may be. Come for a tea, or an espresso, or a waffle -- or all three -- and you will leave more...

What an absolutely adorable place, serving some unique food and drinks. I love that you could place an order online, and it's ready for pickup. The customer service was amazing! I placed an order for the breakfast waffle. This was my first time having the bubble waffle. I ordered it with avocado, an egg, and requested the Nashcille hot sauce. The employee wrote a sweet message saying, "Because I chose not to get any meat, they added an extra egg at no cost." How cool is that! Thank you so much! It is a very large serving, larger than I thought it was going to be. I was thinking it was going to be more like a handheld sandwich, kind of like a little mini english muffin or something like that, but it was very large. I had to use a knife and fork to eat it. So it's not something you can enjoy while driving if you're limited on time. It was neatly packaged and a beautiful presentation with fresh ingredients. I do prefer more savory spicy food, so the waffle was a little sweet to me. The hot sauce was a great addition, and I got it to the flavor that I enjoyed. I had the rose vanilla iced coffee. Oh my gosh, some of the best coffee I've had. It was so smooth and just had a delicious taste to it. I 0 definitely recommend coming here for breakfast or lunch, and if you're short on time, don't forget to place your order online. They're pretty quick. Great service, and I enjoyed my meal, and I would definitely come back there again. I appreciate that they kept my drink in the fridge until I arrived for my pick-up order. Excellent service from this establishment.

If you're staying in this area, especially at the hotel, this is the perfect place for...