Starbucks — Restaurant in Lakewood

If Dante were alive today, he’d write a Tenth Circle of Hell just for the Wi-Fi at the Starbucks on Detroit Ave in Lakewood. I came here to knock out some work, sip on an overpriced coffee, and maybe pretend I was a mysterious screenwriter crafting the next Oscar-winning screenplay. Instead, I ended up staring at a spinning loading wheel so long I started to feel like I was in a time loop.

This Wi-Fi isn’t just slow — it’s molasses in January. It’s a dial-up modem reincarnated into the body of a smug little router hidden behind the counter like it’s ashamed of itself (and rightfully so). A pigeon with a USB drive duct-taped to its leg could’ve delivered my emails faster.

Every time I tried to upload a file, the signal dropped like a fainting Victorian lady. I moved seats five times like I was chasing the Holy Grail of signal strength, but no — this Starbucks is where Wi-Fi goes to die, and dreams follow shortly thereafter.

The vibes? Sure, they’re cozy — if by cozy you mean watching your productivity wither like a houseplant in the trunk of a hot car. I had a full-on existential crisis between page loads. I ordered a caramel macchiato, and by the time the latte art finished swirling, my document still hadn’t synced to the cloud. I came here with ambition and left with heartburn and rage.

To call this place a “workspace” is like calling a kiddie pool a public bathhouse. I’m genuinely considering billing Starbucks for my lost hours and emotional trauma.

Will I return? Only if I decide to unplug entirely and handwrite a novel with a quill while my laptop screams in the background, searching for a signal like a ghost wailing in the night.

Avoid if you’re trying to work. Or think. Or exist in the...

I gave two star's because I wasn't happy with the service, on top of that we are talking about a hour and 23 minutes from home to go back. I ordered my favorite triple shot Carmel Rubbin Crunch no whip cream at the bottom very little at the top. Now I drink this all the time so I'm use to it being dark do to lactose I can't drink milk. On top of that I ordered a Lemon slice which should have been given while making the Crunch that was $7 bucks I wasn't able to get plus milk which made me very sick. I have treatment five days a week in Cleveland and I never experienced this. This was in Lakewood which I never been to but since we had a ride back home. I grabbed it. I won't be returning at this location anymore I will stick to my usual places or on the Ohio Turnpike their service is so amazingly beautiful and no I wasn't in the mood after being sick and a ways to get hm yeah I give thumbs up. I'm very cautious with what I eat and drink. I love Starbucks just not this location. Yes I always get Soy Milk or Almond Milk that's why I was frustrated again I love Starbucks I sm time if not most times order Two no whip cream at the bottom extra extra Carmel and extra...

I visited this Starbucks to warm my baby's bottle and requested a half cup of hot water. The barista informed me that they "aren't supposed to do that without a purchase," despite my having just added $20 to my Starbucks card and purchasing two drinks earlier that day at another location.

Policies are one thing, but so is basic human decency. I wasn't trying to exploit the system—just trying to care for my child.

Additionally, the locked bathroom doors in Lakewood—one of the safest neighborhoods around Cleveland—are disheartening. Instead of focusing on such measures, perhaps Starbucks should prioritize paying their disgruntled employees a living wage.

Considering Starbucks' recent financial performance, with a 4% decline in global comparable store sales and an 8% drop in U.S. transactions in Q1 FY2025 , it's perplexing that the company is tightening its policies on minor requests like a cup of hot water. Especially when such requests likely account for a negligible percentage of customer interactions.

Starbucks is supposed to be your “third place.” Now, it feels more like a corporate entity that's lost touch with its...