Kitty Cat Lounge — Restaurant in Lakeland

this might be a long one, so bear with me. there’s no amount of words in any language to describe how much i love the kitty cat lounge, but it would definitely be more than 5 stars. i’ve been coming to the kcl since september of 2024 and i became a volunteer for the kitty room in October 2024 (best decision ive ever made). if i had known how amazing i feel when im here, i would’ve started coming A LOT sooner.

1. i have to talk about the employees first. no matter who is working, ive always been met with love, kindness, and acceptance. anytime im having a rough day, i come hang out with Cindy (the owner) and the girls, and i feel so much better. all of the employees i’ve met have been so, SO terrific.

2. the community this little “home” creates is astonishing. i’m here about 2-4 times a week, and my favorite thing while im here is watching the community come together. while you’re at the lounge, you’re not a stranger to anyone. the second you walk in the front door, you’re family. no matter who you are. i love the way people just randomly chime into our group discussions!

3. the entire lounge is in the style of a midcentury home. it reminds me of my grandmothers houses growing up. walking in is just a wave of nostalgia for me, and makes me instantly calmed and relaxed. i love the gallery wall in the living room with artwork from local artists!

4. all of the foods and drinks come from small businesses in the lakeland area. i’ve tried pretty much everything on the entire menu except the bagels, and just thinking of all of the different flavor profiles makes my mouth water. teas, juices, coffees - all so good. all the pastries though? i dream about them. the sourdough croissant with apple butter is to die for.

5. the cats!!!! i love them. i don’t think i’ve ever been in the cat room and met a cat/kitten i didn’t like. there’s some lap cats, some playful cats, and some solitary babies too. there’s quite literally a cat for everyone here. kcl partners with a local rescue, Saving Paws, to get all their kitties, and they all are adoptable! even if you’re allergic, you can still hang out in the lobby as it’s a separate ventilation. kitty time is great therapy..

all this goes to say, the kitty cat lounge is one of the best businesses i’ve ever had the privilege to visit. i...

Very disappointing experience. I was traveling from Orlando to Tampa and stopped here for a fun detour. However, it wasn’t fun and I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to check this place out. I stood there for at least five minutes before having to interrupt the staff from washing dishes so I could order. I watched them take the frozen veggie patties out of the freezer from a crumpled bag; which made me feel like I was at a stranger’s house eating their breakfast that they grabbed from Publix. It was over microwaved and I ended up throwing it out. The pressed juice was also just very mediocre. I went into the cat room, which is thankfully separate from where you eat, and spent about five minutes before picking up a cat and having the staff come in to tell me not to pick up the cat I picked up. If the cat just had surgery, the cat should probably be in a separate area from the cat experience room, Or at the very least have a collar that indicates- hey I just had surgery & Please give me space.

Overall, unfortunately, It was a very unwelcoming and underwhelming cat...

UPDATE:

We went back to Kitty Cat Lounge this morning! We found a few more things to love. First of all, they have Ethos Roasters coffee, baked goods from Honeycomb Bread and Meraki Bakehouse (pic of Meraki’s phenomenal Apple Pie Bostock featured), and juice from Southern Babies — so you can support like 5 small, local businesses in one stop. Also, the vibes and decor of this space are amazing (and of course, all the cats— duh!) The customer service is also outstanding— even when they’re a little busy. These people definitely love what they do and their guests. Definitely recommend checking them out, with or without time in the cat room🐈 😻

Review from first visit:

Today we just went for 30 minutes with the cats and it was a great experience. The room is clean and the cats are well cared for and social. I have been to similar places and some of the cats seem a little stressed. We didn’t get to try any food or drinks this time but the menu looks great and I look forward to exploring it more next...