Coffee Guy Cafe — Restaurant in Pensacola

How have we not stopped here yet! When you're searching for a coffee shop in Pensacola, Coffee Guy is a name that's sure to pop up. With multiple locations, including their "Original" and "Underground" spots on North Davis Highway, this local institution has a reputation that precedes it. But like any popular spot, the experience at Coffee Guy is a mixed bag, with plenty of highlights and a few points of contention.

Coffee Guy's menu is what truly sets it apart. They boast a massive selection of creative and unique lattes, with a wide variety of sugar-free options—a major plus for those with dietary restrictions or a preference for less sweetness. The "Velma," a white chocolate and raspberry latte, is a fan favorite, as are drinks like the "Snickerdoodle" and the "Redneck Latte." They also offer classic coffee and espresso drinks, smoothies, and teas, so there's truly something for every palate. The quality of the drinks is often praised, with many customers loving the flavor and customization options.

In addition to the drinks, Coffee Guy offers a small but satisfying food menu. The homemade chicken salad is a particular highlight, available as a wrap or a croissant sandwich. They also have breakfast items like bagels and muffins, as well as a variety of gourmet cookies and slices of cake. We loved the waffles!!!!

The atmosphere is generally described as bright, energetic, and family-friendly, making it a comfortable place to study, work, or catch up with friends. The café is often decorated seasonally and has a homey feel, which adds to its charm. Great gift shop items. We went home with some merch.

While the drinks and the atmosphere are generally well-received, a quick search online reveals a very different side of the Coffee Guy experience. The owner, who is also associated with the "Eye Guy" optical business, has a reputation for being a polarizing figure. There are numerous complaints about poor customer service, with some customers and former employees alleging rude behavior, inappropriate comments, and a toxic work environment. The owner has been known to respond aggressively to negative reviews, creating a contentious dynamic with the community. While many customers have no issues, others have had experiences that soured their opinion of the entire business.

Coffee Guy is a classic case of a business with excellent products and a problematic public image. If you're a coffee lover looking for a huge menu of creative drinks, the taste alone is often enough to justify a visit. The food is also a pleasant surprise. The drive-thru makes it a convenient option for a quick coffee on the go. However, if you are someone who values a positive customer service experience above all else, the potential for a negative interaction with the owner may be a reason to consider other local coffee shops. Ultimately, the choice is yours, but it's wise to go in with an understanding of both the exceptional coffee and the controversial history that define this Pensacola...

We stopped in at this location Sunday around 11am. We ordered 3 beverages, 2 iced and 1 hot. After a few minutes, typical time frame I would say, the 2 iced beverages were ready. We waited at least 15 more minutes and still no hot beverage was called as ready. I tried to eventually get the attention of someone, but not a single person would give any attention. I saw a cup sitting that may have been it, but surely it couldn't have been mine since it was sitting there so long on a cold metal counter with no lid. I finally got the attention of a worker who said he would check, but then went along doing work on the other side of the counter. After a few minutes he walked over and asked the woman who had been working the espresso machine. They looked at the cup and said "It's ready, here you go now.” I took one sip and it was barely even warm at this point. I gave it back and asked for a refund since we had to leave and were already way behind schedule at this point. The woman working the espresso machine offered to make it again, but I explained again I would simply like a refund as we waited too long. I pointed I noticed that cup had been sitting for a long time with no one delivering it, to which she responded “Well, I was busy making drinks.” This makes no sense at all, since all she was doing was making drinks. The deliveries were being handled by other workers. Despite the fact there was an obviously ready drink sitting on the counter every single work who has been busy completely overlooked it for 15 minutes. I had to wait longer for them to find a manager. When she did finally show up, she was apologetic and courteous.

The scene behind the counter was almost chaos. No one was organized. Several workers kept shuffling in and out of the others way trying to get drinks delivered in no semblance of order.

Overall, nice folks, but they have no good process for handling...

My wife and I visited the new location across the street from the old. This was our first visit. We loved the atmosphere and it is a very nice place. Really roomy upstairs and has the additional area downstairs. The cakes and pastries looked very tasty. I'm sorry to say we didn't try any. But they were very tempting. They said they have their cakes made locally. In addition to the large selection of cakes, they have a very large selection coffee drinks. Very impressive place.

However the reason for the low rating. I only drink plain coffee and I like a deep strong tasting coffee. We usually drink Peets, Illy's, and Seattle's Best at home. When we are out, we are always looking for a place that sell similar coffees. The coffee they gave us was very weak. I usually add the half and half myself but they added before they gave it to me. I don't like a lot. When they gave me my coffee, at first I thought they added too much half and half. It barely had a brown tint to it. However, it wasn't too much half and half but as I said the coffee was very weak. So weak, it didn't even have a coffee taste or smell to it. You could only taste the half and half. It wasn't good at all. I did not finish it.

I will say this though, I only had the plain coffee. So I don't know about all the other coffee drinks. By the business they were doing, I would say they are probably pretty good. We were the only ones there having plain coffee. There were quite a few customers inside and several cars in the drive through. However, I hate to say, even though I loved the place, based on the coffee we got, we will probably won't be going back.

But I do recommend you try it. I'm pretty picky when it comes to my coffee. So give it a try, you...