La Baguette Bakery & Cafe — Restaurant in Norman

My go-to here is a NY sub with turkey and a side of penne Florentine. It is tasty and I crave it often. However, I also like to get an iced tea with my meal, and often need a refill, which is included in the price. I leave a tip at checkout as requested and as customary.

The problem with this restaurant is that it keeps the soda fountain behind the counter so you cannot self-serve, but it is no one's job to attend to beverage refills. The people coming by the table will walk right past empty glasses all day long, every day.

The only recourse is to go to the counter (stand in line) holding up your glass and trying to get someone's attention. I paid attention the last time I went a couple of days ago, and the employees actually purposely direct their attention away from the front counter. They will look in any direction but there. It's loud, and impossible to get anyone's attention.

Two days ago, I had to wait through the entire line because I could not get anyone to respond to me with an empty glass trying to get their attention. My sister tried a few minutes after I tried, and, coincidentallly, a woman walked out from the kitchen area and was not engaging in the same active avoidance that the waitstaff was engaged in. She responded in the way a normal human responds when another human tries to get their attention and forced one of the server staff to turn around.

There is never anyone there who cares. The manager (I assume, wearing a different color tshirt) runs the same play and can't be bothered.

I recommend the food, but watch what im talking about next time. It doesn't matter whether they are more or less busy. It's just that it's no one's job to care, so everyone avoids it. And I've been going to La Baguette at its various Norman locations for close to 40 years. It's also the same if you try to call in an order. It's no one's job, so they will leave you on hold forever. If there was an owner or someone who seemed to care at all, or a suggestion box, I could write this there, and tipping...

PRIOR WAS 1/5, BELATED UPDATE

Ownership reached out directly to me following my first review (see below). I am happy with their reaction to me experience, the actions they took to address the problem, and how promptly they acted to make things right (within two days). I am leaving the prior review (below) for record keeping, and would still recommend their other location over this one.

This rating (1/5, as 0/5 isn't a choice) is not a reflection of the food, which was phenomenal. This rating is entirely due to an employee, "Andrew" if we believe him, who seems to be an assistant manager and the manager on duty when I was there. I have never had such a terrible interaction with an employee, management or otherwise, anywhere. From accusing me of shooting up opioids (I had to use the restroom, and was in there longer than he would have preferred [being checked on four times over 6 or 7 minutes, the last time him literally knocking on the stall door]), cursing (in front of other customers who were there with children), telling me how long it took him to "take a s**t" (apparently the young man can do it in three minutes!) and complaining about his pay, I was able to come to a rather obvious conclusion: as long as this establishment has people like this as managers, they should never be visited by anybody.

If you like the food, and you should, go to the other location. If you would like to be educated on the proper length of time to be on the toilet, have your children listen to profanity, or learn that an employee isn't "paid enough to provide good customer service...I don't care" (that being a direct quote), by all...

My description for this place can be summed up in three words: YUMMY, DELICIOUS, WONDERFUL! I go crazy for any of the sandwiches and desserts! If there is only one problem, it's too many things to choose from. Sometimes I spend 5 minutes looking at the dessert showcase and I have no idea which to take. Sandwiches, thank goodness, has less to choose from in comparison.

If I want a cold sandwich, I go with the NY turkey sub, the cherry peppers make it taste perfect. (My dad is a crazy fan for their Reuben, personally I hate sauerkraut.)

If I'm wanting a hot sandwich I would go with the chicken ciabatta or the French dip sandwich. French dip is pretty simple, but pretty delicious, it's a roast beef sandwich with a wonderful dipping sauce. Chicken ciabatta has a dozen things inside that I don't know what or how to describe it. But it's just sooooooo good.

Lastly there are the desserts. If You Love chocolates go for the chocolate mousse. If you love fruits, especially strawberries, go for the strawberry sandwich or strawberry Napoleon. My personal favorite I think is the Raspberry Renaissance, that has a raspberry mousse inside!

One last thing! You got to try the itailian or French sodas, raspberry or strawberry respectively! So tasty and new. If you like coffee, espresso, or cappuccino, totally go for it. My dad loves it, but coffee hates...