Hernando Beach Java & Kava — Restaurant in Spring Hill

I hate writing reviews like this, especially because I was genuinely excited to visit Hernando Beach Java & Kava. I discovered them around mid to late May and had been looking forward to checking it out ever since. I love kava, and up until now, the closest spot was all the way in St. Pete. Having a local kava bar felt like a dream come true. The concept, the culture, and the vibe all seemed promising.

After a relaxing girls’ day on the river, I brought a few friends to check it out. When we arrived, the energy felt great. Customers were chatting, the space was welcoming, and the staff greeted us with smiles. We were excited to settle in. Unfortunately, the experience unraveled quickly.

We approached the counter and asked the hostess/bartender/server (who seemed to be covering all the roles) about a couple of menu items. Instead of answering, she redirected the conversation to how we wanted to “feel” and offered kava shots to us and another group nearby. While we appreciated the gesture and friendliness, we genuinely wanted to know more about the actual menu options, but that took a while to be addressed.

I stood at the register and said multiple times that I was ready to order, but she kept talking with other customers. I gave her the benefit of the doubt, maybe she didn’t hear me, and stayed patient, waiting for my turn.

When I finally placed my order, I asked for something listed on the menu, but was told it didn’t actually exist. She said the menu had a typo and only a portion of the drink was real. I switched to something else, but it had no name, so the process was awkward. I also ordered a chicken salad.

When the total came out to about $16, I asked for clarification. That seemed too high for just a drink or too low if the salad was included. She realized she had forgotten to add the salad, apologized, and added it in. Then I asked about the drink price, since the menu said $10, but was told the real price is $13 due to an outdated menu. I tried to roll with it, but when I asked about taxes, she didn’t explain. She just rang everything again to show prices. It wasn’t about the money—it was the lack of clarity. Later, I wondered if gratuity was auto-added (which would’ve been totally fine if someone had told us).

Then came the wait. About 30 minutes later, someone asked what kind of dressing I wanted. I was confused. I thought I’d ordered a chicken salad (as in, the mayo-based kind), but it turned out to be greens with chicken. That was on me. I clarified and waited. Another 25 to 30 minutes passed. No food. Eventually, the same woman came out again to confirm my order. At this point, we’d been waiting almost an hour for basic salads and still hadn’t been served.

I kindly asked for a refund for the food. She acknowledged the request, then disappeared. When she returned, it was with my friends’ salads, but we were beyond frustrated and politely asked for a refund for the salads instead. We remained kind and complimentary. We truly liked the drinks and the atmosphere, but the warmth we were greeted with was gone. It felt uncomfortable.

A different woman (possibly the owner or manager) came forward to handle the refund. She seemed flustered but was apologetic and called her POS company for help. The refund took another 10 minutes. Later, my friend mentioned seeing a staff member walk in with a bag of lettuce, which made us think they may have run out and had to go to the store. If that’s the case, we completely understand, but please, just communicate. Let guests know so they can make an informed choice to stay or not.

All in all, I left feeling disappointed. I wanted to love this place. I’m a big supporter of local businesses and truly hope they succeed. The space is beautiful, the drinks were great, and there is so much potential. But communication, pricing transparency, and overall operations need improvement.

I won’t be rushing back, but I truly hope things improve. If they do, I’d love to return and update this to a...

This might’ve been the worst customer service I’ve ever gotten. Me and my friend were excited to go and get ourselves a little breakfast and a drink but were disappointed with everything we got. The food was overpriced seeing as it was handed to us on paper plates, and was basically just heated up. The salad I got didn’t taste fresh at all and I felt sick afterwards. We came here specifically because we wanted to try the kava but were unaware of it having an earthy taste when we got it. We didn’t care much for it but we weren’t rude about it to the service and tried to be respectful as possible since it wasn’t their fault we didn’t like the taste of kava, however instead they were rude to us. They told us that we shouldn’t have had it at all since we haven’t tried it before which makes no sense because how are we supposed to try it then?? They also made a stab at our age, since we were only 18 and couldn’t have any of the stronger drinks she made a rude sarcastic comment how we should’ve just ordered the strawberry lemonade which is on the children’s menu. The way they respond to customer feedback is outrageous, they give sarcastic responses and don’t offer any...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I forgot to make this review last week, but here I am now! I’ve been to Java and Kava about five times now, and every visit has been a great experience. Everything I’ve tried has been delicious, and the vibe is always chill and welcoming. On one visit, I had a soft spoken staff member who seemed a bit out of it. She was still polite and helpful it just would’ve been easier if she spoke up a bit more. Most of my visits have been with Tricia and once with Ayla, and they’ve both been amazing super sweet, outgoing, and professional. Tricia, especially, made a lasting impression. My very first visit to a kava bar was with her, and she went above and beyond to make it a positive experience. Not only did she make a drink that had me feeling amazing, but she also uplifted my spirit with her wisdom and faith. She genuinely listened to what I was going through and even offered helpful advice and resources. She didn’t have to take the time to hear my story, but she did and that meant the world to me. If you’re looking for a place that serves more than just good drinks, Java and Kava is it. You’ll leave feeling better than when...