SusieCakes- Manhattan Beach — Restaurant in Manhattan Beach

Funny, I see someone else posted a review about becoming sick after eating here on 6/1/2016- I think I might know why. This place is unsanitary. Their food is contaminated.

So today, 6/11/2016, I went in to get a few cupcakes. The cupcakes and cookies are keep in a lower shelf behind a glass counter, however the glass counter has several slightly open seams running up and down the glass. The glass counter where the food is kept is NOT air tight.

So I see a 3 year old Burberry clad child licking, blowing air and splitting as hard as possible directly into the open seams of the glass counter for several minutes. She was doing this directly into the seams only inches away from the cupcakes/cookies. She was blowing with all her might like one does when blowing a ballon. The child left a trail of spit and drool all over the glass. Of course, the two adult men with this child did not even notice, let alone look down once from their conversation to supervise the child. Well, the reality of Manhattan Beach is that not everyone vaccinates their children. Some other illnesses are airborne (like hand, foot and mouth disease). I was seriously concerned about contamination so I told a nearby employee.

Several minutes later, the "assistant manager" approaches me. She interrupts as I am telling her about the unsanitary situation and tells me that, "unfortunately, I cannot say anything to the child". I responded by saying, "of course not, but you can speak with the adults with the child". By that time, the men and the children were gone, and I asked her to please throw away the food that was in the area where the child was spitting and blowing. You could see the area- it was filthy with drool. She asked me to wait and said she would speak to her manager.

She then came out and told me that the counter was air-tight. I refuted this by showing her the seams. I could put part of my finger through the seams and see into the other side of the glass counter. Then she tried to deny it and said that since it is refrigerated, the air pushes everything out. Well, the cupcakes that come from the counter are not that cold- air is not blowing on them, and I'm sorry, but if someone is blowing bubbles and air into the seems, it is going to get onto the food, even if air blows back against it. Then the assistant manager looks at me and says, "there's not much we can do, we are child friendly here".

This is not about disciplining a 3 year old, it is about fixing an unsanitary situation. Either get an air tight counter or watch the customers so that the food you serve isn't contaminated. Apparently at Susie Cakes, being "child friendly" comes before public health.

Funny thing is that mid-way into the disucssion, an entitled, white Manhattan Beach house wife came in with her own child. She put her hands on me and pushed me, saying, "could you move, my kid wants to see the cupcakes". She had no idea about the spitting blowing child, but when she heard me complain, she said, "I hope you never have kids". Great example she is setting for her kid, pushing strangers out of the way and insulting people. Maybe her kid will be the next Brock Turner. Little did she know I was trying to make sure that people like her and her child didn't become ill.

So I guess these foul people are the type that Susie Cakes caters to. People who will berate a total stranger who was concerned about food safety. The manager did apologize and she gave me free cupcakes, but I threw them away. I won't risk my health.

Notably, I did not see anyone discard the contaminated cookies/cupcakes. The person who left a review on 6/1/2016 threw up after eating here- I think what I saw today might...

The Baseline: For cakes and cupcakes the base line is flavor, moistness of the cake, and quality of the icing. SusieCakes hits the marks for the baseline.

September 16, 2025 review:

Food: I got a dozen cupcakes with my favorite flavors (peanut butter and coffee) and the seasonal pumpkin spice. All were moist and flavorful matching the flavor stated. Great cupcakes.

Service: Great and fast service today.

Ambiance: Bakery was super clean and well organized. Made me feel comfortable to be there.

July 19, 2025 review: Food: The cake/cupcakes were really moist and the icing was buttery/creamy. It was a great order on this trip.

Service: Service is great and Anthony was awesome the day I came in recently.

Ambiance: This is a great location for quick baked goods for celebrations. The parking is good here and pretty easy to find.

I like using SusieCakes for my celebration needs. I hate to bake so it is great having a place near me to do it for me for a reasonable price.

Previous review:

Food: The cake/cupcakes hit the base line and what they succeed at is the moist level and the icing quality. The cake is super moist and never dry and the icing is a butter cream that is not overly sweet. Flavors are all good and there is a nice variety, but there isn’t any that stand out as unique.

Service: Service is top notch and you are treated immediately, served quickly (or told an estimated wait to be served), and the staff is very friendly while assisting you in selections. The website/app is good with assisting pre-orders, phone service for per-orders is also good. There is also a small selection of celebration materials (cards, candles, etc.) for purchase. There is also a rewards program via the app and phone number that is worth signing up for for extras.

Ambiance: This is a quick pick up location for your baked goods but there is some table outside if you want to eat immediately. This location is in the Manhattan Village mall complex so it is a very nice location to be at. The area is...

You can never go wrong with SusieCakes! As a self-proclaimed sweetaholic, I absolutely love their treats. SusieCakes just nails it every time. I usually grab a few cupcakes and sometimes a random treat like a brownie, pudding, or whatever else they have available that day. The only thing they’re missing is coffee, haha!

Their cupcakes are always moist and delicious! My favorites have to be the chocolate and red velvet; so good! The mini cupcakes are perfect for a quick sweet fix. The staff is always so nice and welcoming; I’m always greeted with a smile and a friendly hello, which makes me want to buy even more, haha.

I’ve also bought cakes from them a few times; not custom ones, but their pre-made cakes. The confetti cake and red velvet are both amazing. Their custom cakes always look incredible, and you can see them lined up for pick-up in the glass display.

There’s plenty of parking, and they even have a designated “grab & go” spot right in front of the store for...