SoBol Islip — Restaurant in Town of Islip

As someone who frequents health-forward cafes and has long appreciated the SoBol brand for its consistency and clean offerings, my recent visit to the Islip location was nothing short of deeply disappointing. What should have been a simple order of three smoothies turned into one of the most frustrating customer service encounters I have experienced in recent memory. Upon entering, we placed an uncomplicated order: a small SB smoothie, a small Pitaya Plus, and a large Super Green with apple juice substituted for coconut, with spirulina and strawberry added. We had to repeat the order multiple times, and even then, the staff seemed unsure and confused, lacking even basic familiarity with the register. One employee, Jasmine, had to repeatedly re-confirm our order. Understandable if not ideal, yet the process bordered on chaotic. A second staff member, Gabby, appeared visibly annoyed when asked for assistance, responding with a dismissive and unprofessional tone saying, “What’s the problem?”

After nearly thirty minutes of waiting, only two smoothies arrived, one in the wrong size and missing requested ingredients. When asked about the third smoothie, we were informed we had ordered a bowl instead. When we gently corrected the staff, we were met not with apologies, but with argumentative pushback.

At this point, we requested a refund for the missing item, which prompted a cascade of further issues. We had never been given a receipt, and when we asked for one, we were told it could not be printed. When I asked for a manager to be contacted while I was present, the request was flatly denied. Gabby, in particular, continued to make snide comments, roll her eyes, and exude a general air of hostility that made the situation increasingly unpleasant.

To Jasmine’s credit, she did apologize and acknowledged that mistakes had been made. However, the damage was already done, not by the initial order error, which happens, but by the attitude and unwillingness to resolve the matter with even a modicum of professionalism.

What truly underscored the dysfunction was when another customer stepped in to help mediate, providing paper and pen so I could at least leave with a written record. That level of intervention should never be necessary in a well-managed food establishment.

It is important to note that this was not an isolated experience. A day prior, we also encountered rudeness while inquiring about ingredients, suggesting a broader issue with staff training and guest interaction.

SoBol Islip would benefit immensely from reevaluating its approach to customer service. A dedicated on-site manager and basic hospitality training for staff could prevent similar situations and restore the welcoming, health-focused environment that SoBol is known for.

Until then, I cannot in good conscience recommend this location.

Also to add, it was freezing in there. It felt like I sat in a refrigerator for a half hour only to be deeply...

I did not have a good experience here due to the immaturity of the employee working there. She was young, probably high school age. I went in there about a month ago to purchase an acai bowl. It had been raining for the 3rd day in a row. When you walked in the store you were immediately hit with a smell of mold. The rug was probably very wet and was holding an odor. When I approached the counter I mentioned that it smelled like mold when you walked in. The girl made a confused face. I asked her if she smelled it. She looked puzzled and didn't answer me. I said maybe you should let the owner know it smells bad in here. She turned to her coworker and rolled her eyes, crunched up her mouth and sighed. She didn't realize I had moved from the counter and saw her. It was very disrespectful of her. She could have atleast waited til I left. I called my friend who lives close by and asked her to go in there and tell me her first impression walking in the door, in case or was just me. She called me back and said it smelled musty and moldy, so it wasn't just me. I will never go back to that store to be treated disrespectfully which is sad because I used to go in 1x a month. Now I have to go to Bayshore to get a good acai bowl. They need to train these girls in respect and...

High school kids work the counter ( as usual ) they clearly don’t pay attention to the orders. The worker messed up my bowl I went up and pointed it out hoping for it to be corrected by me getting a new one that was correctly made. But no she says “ I’ll give you the extra ingredients in a side cup “. Wow really they are that lazy ?! I don’t want a side cup of ingredients I wanted a new one made for me or mine made into the correct one by the worker doing it. I would think for $10 a bowl the service be better. She took it back after I said I didn’t want a side of ingredients and just piled it all on top of the one I gave to her. Made it very messy to eat. Overall disappointed with...