Banana Dog Loose Leaf Tea — Restaurant in Muskegon

Bananadog before and after the new owner is like the difference between Twitter before and after Elon. Edit: Ok, so my original review was snarky, so I’m editing to clarify.

They are serving hot to-go orders without lids and have been for weeks. This is not acceptable or safe. They also aren’t telling you until after you pay for your drink, or it’s been made and people feel too guilty to back out of their order at that point. He’s blaming the lid vendor, but this is pretty easily solved. It’s almost bizarre they don’t see this as a problem that needs an immediate solution for 180 degree beverages. The lid vendor certainly isn’t to blame for their decision to be irresponsible, over and over again…for weeks. This one fact tells you everything you need to know about the new owner. But this is too important… Speaking of blaming others, that’s a really common theme with the new owner and it might be the most common thing I hear when talking to other former regulars. He routinely blames his vendors for not delivering on orders he has never placed. Do not rub your stink on other small local businesses!! That is not okay! As the former owner of a brick and mortar myself, that’s hugely offensive in the small business community. The lack of ethics here is astounding and I will never shop here again on that point alone.

I also have strong opinions on the diminished quality of tea, the inconsistency in the drinks and menu, not using the old recipes you promised us all you would respect, overall lack of cleanliness, the smarmy vibe and more. But if anyone is still going here after the first two points, well, we probably aren’t each...

Writing this review after my first visit: First impressions, I was a little underwhelmed, but I am happy that there is a tea shop close to home, and a mom-and-pop business to support. The lady behind the counter gave me the rundown of where everything was located. Many of the blends they had where Michigan/Muskegon inspired, and being from the area, I really appreciated it. The presentation of all their blends fit well with the space they have without feeling cluttered and I love that they have little smelling jars. I found myself wanting to try just about everything (I purchased Peaceful and Lakeside Lychee). I think that given Banana Dog's location, they have a good amount of varie-teas. Inside the bags, the tea is beautiful! (I had to mix Peaceful a little bit, given the weight of the little bits. I found a whole flower in there! How awesome is that?!) With that said, I really look forward to stopping in again and trying some of the beverages they...

Amazing place to hang out and enjoy tea! The fun part about unlimited samples is testing teas you’ve never even thought of trying before and learning more about them. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable about the teas and don’t hesitate to let you try as many as you want. When you purchase a drink they prepare it carefully so that you get the best tasting experience! The lounge is also very cozy. There’s spots where you can sit on your own and not be bothered and spots to hang out...