Turtle Bread — Restaurant in Minneapolis

I felt compelled to write a review after a culmination of visits in the last 8 months of going to TB.

After we moved to Longfellow, we were stoked to have found a local bakery near us and we wanted to make sure to avoid chains & support small businesses.

The first few times, the phone orders were pretty choppy and the workers on the phone were rude every single time but we brushed it off because we wanted to support a small business in our neighborhood. And we understood that times were taxing during a pandemic, especially for businesses.

However, the breads are good but not great. We have tried their pastries such as the twists, danishes and others and have been lukewarm. Either you will get a pastry that is bone dry or the opposite and the dough is undercooked and super doughy.

We went in for Father’s Day to see if that would have been better to get fresh goods since it was around 8 in the morning but yet again, our experience was extremely lukewarm. We tried the twist and it was rock hard and not to mention, not much to choose from when it came to pastries. (Little shocked since it was a Sunday morning)

When we went to pay for our breads and breakfast. Your breakfast list did not have pricing nor did you have coffee on your menu board. When we went to ask if you guys served coffee. The response was yeah.

Okay……… haha, we have never been physically in before and would like some direction. We felt on the spot and the cashier looked bored and impatient. We ordered drip coffee. And we continued to order our breakfast. Could barely hear the cashier when she mentioned sides. All I kept hearing was potatoes and we looked around and didn’t realize it was either salad or potatoes although, that’s a very odd side for a 8 am breakfast.

We sat down and waited for our food and coffee. We didn’t realize the coffee was self serve. Very watered down at best

Our breakfast arrived. I ordered the smoked salmon scramble and it was borderline unappealing. The salmon was most definitely not smoked and almost seemed like canned salmon with watery eggs and absolutely no seasoning The potatoes were huge potatoes that were fried and hard (so clearly not cooked through)

My husband ordered the Eggs Benedict. And the eggs were legit hard boiled eggs on top. Eggs Benedict is usually poached, runny eggs.

On top of this experience, our tab was $53 for bread, a pastry, 2 breakfast and drip coffee. This definitely stung since this appeared to be casual breakfast.

We have tried so many times to give TB a chance and we have gotten sub par food and terrible customer service. It’s unfortunate because it’s so close to us but will have to find a different bakery. We will not be returning...

I have loved turtle bread since I watched the first one be being built at 44th and Beard. I had not been there for a while and did not know one was closer to my house, so I thought I would try it today. I had set aside a particular bread, to make sure I could get it, but even that became negative, when person giving it to me complained that my number was not asked for, when I called. Like she had been frustrated by it all day, even though I had said I would come mid afternoon and it was 3 PM.

While the food was as spectacular as I remembered, the service was a consistently inexcusably harsh. To the point where I asked what a particular bakery item was, and they said a scone, like I should know that. I said yes, I was wondering what kind. They gave a withering look and said, I don’t know. And all of that was after I tried to get someone’s attention three or four or five times.

Although I was there an hour before closing. I was reminded of it multiple times and I really want to dine in. Toward the end, they handed out leftover bread to people sitting around me, but did not offer it to me and instead, walked quickly by.

It was a terrible experience, especially, because I was looking forward to sitting With the memories I had of Turtle Bread as I ate and enjoyed my coffee, The coffee was fantastic, but my brain trauma was triggered by the inhospitable manner in which I was treated and my day quickly changed to needing to recover, rather than going to church as I planned. So disappointing. I still love Turtle Bread, but I guess I will have to go further afield to be treated like a worthy customer. Perhaps like those around me, with whom the staff engaged in conversation throughout...

A couple of their breakfast/lunch items are really good, but it's difficult to buy baked goods there due to the confusing set-up. None of the trays of pastries are labeled, so you basically have to guess what you're picking out. They're also all out in the open air, so a lot of the stuff gets dried out/stale pretty quickly. The counter staff can be condescending, and has never been particularly warm or friendly any of the times I've been in. Come for the bean burrito or the Reuben, but don't expect a stellar welcome!

UPDATE: I moved out of the neighborhood for a couple years, but recently returned to this Turtle Bread location. Sad to say, service is as bad as ever! I've just never been to a business before where it feels like the employees hate you for walking in the door. Every time I come here, the vibe from employees is so terrible that i think about it for hours after. It just feels like everyone is having the worst day ever because I dared to walk in and...order a pre-packaged wrap???? That they just had to pick up and hand to me? This was like 1:30pm on a Sunday; they were neither swamped, nor about to close. It seems like the only thing I could do to make them happy is to never go to Turtle Bread, so that's...