My check in process was a little rocky. The hostess was rude - didn't even acknowledge me and then when someone else walked up she asked if she could help them. That was strange but I'm going to chalk it up to the place being really busy. Perhaps she was overwhelmed. After that we got seated after about a 30 min wait and the mimosa made up for it all, lol. It was fantastic. The food was also great. Overall we were happy with our experience! read more

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I've been coming to Kool Beanz since I moved to Tallahassee several years ago. It is hands down one of my favorite restaurants of all time. They constantly change the menu to offer new and unique dishes. The service is always friendly and great. You can't go wrong with ANY dish from here. One of the best parts of dining here is you get to try unique dishes you can't anywhere else. Their pastry chef, Sylvia, creates desserts that are to die for. Do yourself a favor and try these fantastic dishes. read more

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Review update: still 5-stars! Sat at the counter this time and watched the busy process at lunch. These guys on the line are talented, calm and fun to watch. The kale salad was fresh and light. The trout was light, flakey and fresh. Accompanied with chard and potatoes. The chard was fresh, flavorful and tasty with the fish. Potatoes were basic but perfect. My partner had the eggplant and swooned. Blueberry crostata and chèvre (goat cheese) Ice cream was amazing. Yes, goat cheese and I was almost going to skip it, but I'm so glad I decided to indulge. So yummy- oh my gawd. Even the dang coffee was remarkable. Always a fun treat! Highly recommended to all! read more

I was in town for work and decided to return to Kool Beanz. I was by myself and sat at the counter where you can watch the food being prepared. Great view - the only thing disturbing was when I heard order requests for "well done"..... I had the snapper and sweet potato bread pudding - all delish. Suzanna was great offering insight and service. My favorite place in Tallahassee. read more

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Amazing food! Wouldn't expect it when walking past. The staff was very friendly, would definitely eat there again! read more

Kool Beanz Cafe - Peppered Flank Steak - New American Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

What a surprise to visit this brightly painted restaurant expecting traditional lunch fare such as sandwiches and salads and stumbling upon a gourmet meal with a fresh daily menu selection! We sat at he bar and had a view into the open kitchen and watched as plate after plate of delicious food was prepared and presented. We had the salmon special served with an Asian inspired sauce over noodles and a spinach salad with grilled chicken. Both were excellent and we left with the intention of returning the next day. Unfortunately, the restaurant was closed Saturday for lunch. We will definitely return and try a dessert along with our entree. The atmosphere belies the quality of food being served. A rare find! read more

I cannot believe it took me so long to find this place. They have all the classics. For the price definitely the best steak in town. And their onion rings are the best I have ever tasted. Excellent duck. They provision it out of a farm in Indiana. It's a peking duck so it's not rubbery like most places. Excellent flavor great texture. The octopus I would only give a three star they need to marinate it for at least 24 hours and Grill it. it is not easy to get good octopus in United States. The best I have ever had outside of Greece is at the Greek isles in Fort Lauderdale. I would put cool beans right up there with farm to table except it is probably about 20 to 30% cheaper. Great value for a place to eat once a week. Far less expensive than the huntsman much better food. I still do love that Huntsman cocktail though read more

The first time we came to Kool Beanz we loved it. But tonight was a disappointment. My SO's pork chop came out RAW, and I received the wrong dish. The power went out, which is fine, but we had ordered our food after power came back on. Not sure why a restaurant wouldn't have a generator, and I don't think there's really an excuse for serving raw food - particularly a $30 entree. They fixed the meals but didn't offer any sort of discount/comp and no manager came over to apologize. My fish was very average and not worth $30. Sadly, will not be returning. read more

Great menu, selection and variety! High quality food cooked to order! Delicious in every respect! Best restaurant in Tallahassee read more

Let me just say, Kool Beanz NEVER disappoints! I basically always get whatever new fish they have that day. It's always perfectly cooked and seasoned. I love that they have a changing menu. You never know what you're going to get and then when you finally pick something and eat it, it's even more delicious. The staff is always super friendly. I love their outdoor seating area as a safer option during these tough times. I can only say the best things about this place. I have gotten swordfish from here and it's now officially my favorite fish to eat. If you haven't tried Kool Beanz yet, you definitely need to. It's most certainly a staple in Tallahassee. I also don't normally get dessert, but I've heard only the best things about their pastry chef. Maybe next time I'll start with dessert! read more

Kool Beanz Cafe - Cheesy grits and red potatoes with their blackened amberjack and crispy kale and red beans and rice with their pork tenderloin. - New American Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

This restaurant was quirky and had a menu were everything looked good. We got the best hummus to start and it was surprisingly good. I'm not a fan of beets but I did enjoy the hummus a lot. My mom got the fish taco's and said they were good. It. And with yuca fry's which I tried and also enjoyed because they weren't too greasy. I had the linguine which was the perfect proportion of food. We also got Arnold Palmers which were made with a perfect ratio of tea to lemonade. We did get the tea unsweetened. Our server was very nice. Over all good time and I'm looking forward to going again. read more

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On a vacation in Tallahassee--Kool Beanz is soo good I had to come twice! Incredible service and impeccable food. The baked Alaska is a must while the duck and flank steak left us full for hours. Loved. read more

GET THE BLT, if available. Everything on the brunch menu looked incredible. Not your standard "eggs, bacon, and hash brown" brunch menu, but it was excellent on all fronts. I didn't get a mimosa but they looked great too. If you're going for brunch, get there at least 15 minutes before 10:30. There will be a line. Very reasonably priced for the quality. read more

Kool Beanz Cafe - BLT - New American Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

Service was great but not many vegetarian options. My salad was basically a bowl of arugula. Very disappointed. Also did not have any options for kids. read more

This restaurant uses locally grown produce and fresh fish for their menu and that cannot be said about very many places in Tallahassee. If you enjoy eating organic and local produce, you will find the food here of a superior quality to other places. There is an open kitchen which is very appreciated to me as I prefer to see my food being prepared and it adds to the experience. Prices are high but totally worth it. Menu changes daily so never a boring place and hardly the same place even if you just ate there yesterday. The tables and chairs are no nonsense. There is artwork that is for sale on the walls. I would classify this place as high end restaurant with a very casual atmosphere. Very high quality food, but no options for gluten free and dairy free, so unfortunately I ate my last meal there on my birthday several years ago. Service was on point and we had a large crowd. read more

This place has been a favorite of mine for over 20 years. Of the many things they do well you will get perfectly cooked seafood. Don't miss Kool Beanz for something delicious and creative in Tally. Love the new outdoor patio. read more

So far I've visited this place twice and both times excellent service and food. Most recently I had a Jamaican Jerk fish dish and to my surprise, they did not hold back on the spice in a good way. I find that other locations in town mute their food to appeal to the masses. This was just the perfect level of spice. They also have excellent desserts. It can get noisy if you go at a busy time. read more

After visiting so many times and now living in Tallahassee for nearly six months, I FINALLY made it to Kool Beanz. Don't chastise me for the sheer absurdity of this statement for I regret not coming here sooner. My friends and I decided to come here for dinner tonight and I was super excited since I have heard and read so much about this place but surprisingly had never been. Since we arrived on a Saturday night, there was a wait but we didn't mind at all. The interior of Kool Beanz is loaded with local art. I didn't get to see all of it, but nearly every inch of the walls inside is covered with a variety of paintings on canvas, cardstock and even actual window frames. Really cool and adds a lot of brightness to the restaurant. We were seated outside which wasn't too bad since they had fans running and the weather has started to cool off. We asked for a couple of recommendations from our server, Elliott, and ended up getting the fried oysters. The fried oysters came out in a decent amount of time and were smack dab in the middle of a deliciously creamy remoulade and cheese grits. Now, cheese grits are totally hit or miss for me. I've only been to one or two places that make cheese grits the way they should be made (in Nashville) and these were just okay. The remoulade was incredible though and the oysters were so tasty dipped in it. Truly a southern classic. We were supposed to receive bread for our table but the bread did not come out until we had asked and after our entree came out. Even then, it took forever to get it. But, moving on. For my entree, I ordered the salmon which came with some sort of feta battered pancake like topping on it. I asked to substitute the sides for brussel sprouts and cauliflower. One of my friends also ordered the salmon and my other friend got the pork chops. Our food took a little while to come out. Once our entrees came out I realized the topping for my salmon, which was an aioli and artichoke mix, wasn't on my salmon. The only way I knew this was because my friend ordered the same thing, so I thought it was strange they'd leave it off of one meal and not the other. The food itself was really good. The salmon was a decent portion and the toppings were excellent. I loved the variety of flavors with the aioli, artichoke and the salmon. The vegetables were cooked perfectly. They weren't hard or too mushy. My friend let me have her green beans with bacon on them and they were quite good. They were dipped in some kind of sweet bacon marmalade which really complemented the vegetable taste well. We topped all of this off with the chocolate cake, which had layers of mousse and ganache. The cake was quite good. Not the best cake I've ever had in my life, but definitely a solid contender in chocolate cake world. The mousse was rich and decadent but the dessert itself didn't give me a huge sugar headache afterwards. It felt light and flavorful. The service was pretty decent but we were there for quite a long time, a little too long. Of course it's not too bad when you have great company to talk to, but noticing tables who had arrived after we did get their food and their check before we did didn't sit well with me. I also don't think we should have had to ask for the bread and I think our server should have been more watchful as to what happened with the topping on my salmon. The service wasn't terrible, but it was slow and jarred at times. This is the reason why I'm giving Kool Beanz four stars instead of five. The food can be a little pricy at dinnertime, but the quality of my meal was probably one of the highest I've had while living in Tallahassee. I would love to try this place out for brunch and I will definitely come back for lunch or dinner to see if I can bump this rating up another star. read more

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From the name, I thought this was a hippie coffee bar. It has an eclectic name and looks very unassuming from the outside. But if you can get past that and try their dishes it's well worth it. Their menu changes every day so you know it's fresh. I stopped by around noon on a Friday and was able to find parking (barely). I wanted to stop by since I heard Yelp raves about the fish dishes here and am a fresh fish fiend. I grew up fishing in the Atlantic and cooking what we caught a few hours prior. I ordered the pecan-crusted trout with roasted red potatoes and sautéed kale ($14). The fish was incredibly fresh, and everything was perfectly seasoned, although my only complaint is that the kale was swimming in oil but it was still good and didn't taste greasy. I wish I had wine with it because it'd be the perfect complement. I couldn't leave without dessert, so I ordered the strangest and longest item on the menu. The toasted oak ice cream tasted woody (but delicious) and had crunchy bits inside. I loved the chocolate crumbles around the cake. The mousse part of the cake was on the border of sickeningly sweet and too sweet, although I enjoyed the crust. I'll be coming back often - although I may just stick to the entrees with my college budget. If you want to get away from most FSU students (except me) and in search of delicious/unique food, Kool Beanz is the place to go in Tallahassee. read more

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Food is consistently good! I have been here several times. Desserts and brunch are my personal favorite here.

Kool Beans is good but not great IMO. I can totally see why so many ppl love it and for the most part I agree with them. Yes, the menu changes daily. Yes, it seems like a relatively innovative concept. Yes, it's a local and charming spot. It is always packed so the popularity speaks for itself. But based on my two visits, the food didn't wow me. I actually ate here when I flew into town for apartment hunting last summer. It was on the top of my list to try as I had heard so much about it. So I came, sat at the bar, and ordered the grouper. My dish was pretty decent but nothing I'd write home about. That explains why I haven't been back until recently. This time I sat at the patio and got the pork chop. Again it was a decent dish but the pork chop was a bit dry and the Brussels sprouts were somewhat mushy. Don't get me wrong, I like Kool Beanz! But it's just not a five star in my book. read more

Kool Beanz Cafe - Pork chop is OK. Should have gotten the frog legs they have today, lol! - New American Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

One of the good places in Tallahassee for celebration dinners for small group of people. Service was a bit slow when I order, but the meal was tasty. It was worth to wait! I ordered a meal, a glass of wine, and a dessert. The pricing in this restaurant higher among the similars, but again: it is totally worth! read more

We arrived at 7:30 and the wait was already 40 minutes long. We tossed our name on the list and grabbed a spot on the bench. The hostess took a drink order for us and brought a glass of wine out for my wife. About 20 minutes in, we were offered a spot at the counter, in front of the kitchen. We took it and I am glad we did. It was fun watching everyone in the kitchen, and reminded me of my time in the biz. The menu was really great, diverse, and apparently always updated. I ordered the wild boar ribs that were on that night and they were terrific. I saw some amazing food coming out and seeing it all made me want to come back and try other dishes. My wife had another glass of wine, and I has a beer - none over the top price wise. All in all, the prices were on point with the food and service and we can't wait to come back! read more

Kool Beanz Cafe - Wild boar ribs. - New American Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

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Great spot hidden in Tallahassee- I've been coming here for years! It looked like an abandoned building a long time ago but since then has improved its appearance but thankfully kept their every-changing day to day cuisine and creativity on the inside! The menu changes every single day based on the best available foods. The food is always thoughtfully crafted and delicious! Be warned though, they do not take reservations! Options to sit inside or outdoors. Art available for sale along the wall as. Brunch is available as well. I make it a point to try and eat here every time I am back in Tally! Nothing but wonderful comments for this place - come give it a try! read more

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A little bit of a wait, but the food would be amazing in Vancouver, NYC, San Fran or yes, Tallhasse. it was a benefit that it's near Florida State and Sorority row. There were a bunch of yonng women walking in and aorund getting hammered in low cut dresses in never a fail, which added to the romantic ambiance The waitress asked if I wasn't from around here as I asked what black eyed peas and grits were that came with the Tobasco fried chicken and yet I know what pork tenderloin scallopini was.. Fried Gulf Oysters with Cheese Grits and Remolade were amazing I wish I had tried the frogs legs the Strawberry Mergingue pie was also a must have if they have it on the menu They had some Crawdad lingunini which looked awesome and a creative replacment for linguini with clams read more

Kool Beanz Cafe - Strawberry meringue - New American Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

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Come early because our 45 minute wait time was actually 2 hours (they don't even take your # for text updates). We left and went to Whataburger up the street. Took us about 10 minutes to get through the drive thru and our food was great. Kool Beanz has great food, but the service is really sub-par. Not sure if we will be back. read more

This is a must every time I visit Tallahassee. There is sometimes a wait and it can be a little pricey, but it's so worth it. The menu changes daily. The food is top notch. Fresh everything. The service is always super. read more

Great food, and outstanding staff. better ventilation is needed so you don't leave out smelling like you were cooking the food!

A unique Key West feel restaurant in the heart of the capital of Florida. When I first stepped foot into this restaurant I immediately noticed the colorful artwork and the unique method of showing the menu (clipboard). I knew it could not disappoint. I had the pulled pork with guava BBQ sauce over a sweet potato pecan pancake. It was delicious to the very last bite. I just wish the portions were a little larger, but definitely will be coming back. read more

Kool Beanz Cafe - Amberjack - New American Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

Friendly and loud. Rustic decor. Service fair to good as it took time to get attention of waitress. Ropa Vieja non-traditional recipe and taste served with barely warm refried beans and long held rice. Instead of traditional flank steak they used chuck. Tasted like highly chili seasoned pot roast. The trout was a nice portion but the walnut encrusting was too strong for the delicate fish. Almonds would have been better. The okra side was VG except the very sweet dipping sauce which we had too leave aside. This restaurant is the first merchant in well over a thousand who refused to accept my Apple Mastercard with a couple of different lame excuses. We'll likely choose someplace different in the future. read more

Food is prepared well and delicious. Service is good. I would recommend sitting in the back room because the kitchen area seating is a little loud. read more

The octopus is delicious! Not the biggest fan of the indoor seating so try to sit outside.

Wow, delicious!! Wonderful and attentive service. Fresh and vibrant food. We will be back!

Amazing breakfast/brunch spot! Enjoyed the outdoor seating option. Waitress was phenomenal!

6 Star's if they had such a thing!!!!! My buddy and I are only in town for a couple days and this was the first place we stopped for a meal.....LET ME TELL YOU, THIS PLACE SMOKE'N!!!!!! I had the scallops w the grits on the lunch menu, my buddy opted for the fried chicken. Mine came out and there was about 6 scallops all grilled to perfection!!! The grits were great as well! The presentation even kicked ass!!! They had on top it was almost like spinich that they left on the grill too long, it looked burnt. It was SLAMMING!!!! My buddies chicken was perfection. His side's included out of this world collards and Mac n Cheese!!! Each dish was very well proportioned and about half way through the waiter gave us some of their homemade hot sauce, which we both doused on our food. Now it was like a whole other meal!!!! Their hot sauce should be bottled it's so damn good!!!!! Wow!!!! My buddy and I are talking about going back tonight for dinner!!!! Stay tuned..... Okay, sure enough, WE WENT BACK FOR DINNER! I set a new record for myself. I have yet to eat at the same place twice in 1 day, especially when I'm out of town and there's a lot of other places to try!!! Do you get it? This place is that AMAZING!!! I don't know what it is. Maybe it's the homemade salad dressing or hot sauce. Or maybe it's just this place is in a league all of their own. Tonight, my buddy had the scallops this time but they were prepared different from when I had them earlier. These chefs have mastered the art of grilling a scallop to perfection that's all I'm gonna say... I on the other hand had the grouper. Again it was perfection. I'm including pictures of our appetizers and the menu so you can see all the extras they throw in. Too much for me to type! Also, pay attention to the prices!!!! We are in town 1 more day, and yes we're already planning to go back! read more

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This place is the best. The food was excellent. The service was excellent. Don't get me started on the dessert. It was phenomenal I'm so sorry I don't remember my servers name but he did ask the bakery chef to come out and speak with us we just had to tar her how wonderful her dessert was. If you find yourself in Tallahassee this is a must go to eat please believe me you will not regret it. read more

Second time here First time forgot to write a review but the food was awesome They change up the menu This time I had Oysters and grits excellent Lettuce wedge excellent Trout just ok didn't care for the crust Berry something lol just ok But I like this place a lot Will come again read more

Great atmosphere ! Excellent food ! Don't miss a Sunday brunch. The menu is amazing and the staff work hard to make you feel at home

The finest restaurant in terms of great staff, fabulous food, and consistently awesome and enjoyable. Can't wait for the bar counter seats to return. You can't go wrong with pretty much anything on the menu and their desserts are to die for! read more

A very busy and popular breakfast spot, so expect a long wait on the weekends. We came for Sunday brunch and waited about an hour to be seated. They have no electronic waitlist so make sure you stick around, we saw several couples get skipped because they missed their name being called. Wish they had a texting system so they can just text you on your phone when your table is ready to avoid all the trouble. We were able to get drinks at the host stand while we waited which made the wait just a little more bearable. They only have two small chairs inside as well and some seating outside which definitely wasn't enough to accommodate everyone waiting. I was also disappointed that they were only offering their brunch menu and not their lunch menu as someone who doesn't eat many breakfast foods. I was able to get the BLT though which was pretty delicious. My fiance went with the chicken and waffles which he enjoyed as well. Will definitely visit again! read more