We ordered avocado toast. Terrible. Looks like they sliced a small piece of avocado and spread it across a piece of bread. No way! Would never come back. read more

First visit to this location. Very busy but the service was great. The pancakes are the size of a dinner plate and wonderful. The only drawback is parking, but it is expected with anything downtown. read more

I have been to Sleepy Bee before a few years ago. I enjoyed the food and was excited to come back...... Today when coming back, it was a completely different experience. I'm not sure if there was a change in management or what, but anyone who's worked in the service industry would be able to walk in and directly see things weren't going well on that shift. It was a mess. Dirty tables all over the restaurant, servers weren't attentive to their tables, cold food, and incredibly long wait times. Was very disappointed in the overall experience. read more

We stayed downtown for a week during my 'big' birthday and we at at Sleepy Bee Cafe twice. We stayed close to the breakfast sandwiches and coffee. I ordered a smoothie that included nuts and I was told it wasn't available because one of the staff had a nut allergy. I'm not sure what to think about this. I really wanted to removed stars and I'll admit I was very, very annoyed. This could turn into a TLDNR rant and I'm not going there. We chose other menu options that didn't endanger the staff. I had the Broakley one morning and the Avi Scrambler another. They were both delicious. The bacon was always done well and as yummy as bacon should be. The place is cute. There's lots of merch. It's interesting. Still, both times the breakfast experience was both flavorful and enjoyable. read more

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Some of the best gluten free pancakes I've had, sweet and fairly fluffy with solid maple syrup. The scramble was a little on the smaller side but it was really good. The place was packed on a Saturday morning but has a lot of seating. Service was pretty quick for how busy they were. Would come back next time we visit Cincy! read more

Sleepy Bee Cafe - Downtown - Gluten free pancakes, Avi Scramble - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Here's the deal ! Love the Sleepy Bee Cafe ! Great service. Great atmosphere. Great concept ! Breakfast / brunch/ lunch ! A good choice ! read more

Sleepy Bee Cafe - Downtown - Great sign that stands out - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

What a cute place with a great mission! My colleagues and I went for lunch at Sleepy Bee. They accommodated our party of 10 with a reservation and gave us prompt service. At noon on a Tuesday, this place was bumpin--lots of diners, which actually made it a little bit loud and hard to hear. The menu draws from locally sourced foods, which informs their B-corp certification and larger sustainability goals. The menu includes options for omnivores, vegans, and vegetarians, and they're very accommodating to food allergies/restrictions. I ordered the Sweet Bee Quinoa Bowl and added an over easy egg for a little extra protein. Delicious! The chimichurri was savory and herbaceous, the pickled onions were crisp and zesty, the sweet potatoes were caramelized perfectly, and the quinoa was perfectly cooked--not hard, not mushy. It all blended well together for a delicious entree. While the initial serving looked small, it was very filling! There were a few hiccups for our group. First, it took a while for us to get seated. However, when we were shown to our table, our server was responsive. Second, it took a while for our food to arrive. Yes, we were a large group, but 30+ minutes after ordering is quite a bit of time. Lastly, two orders came out incorrect, resulting in one in our party getting his food more than nearly 10 minutes after the rest of the table. They remedied this by offering another item for free and providing a discount on his meal. So all of the concerns for our group were really time related, not food related. Overall, we had a tasty meal, and I enjoyed my experience at Sleepy Bee. read more

Sleepy Bee Cafe - Downtown - Sweet Bee Quinoa Bowl with Free Range Egg a la Carte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We were staying nearby and spotted this for breakfast! The vibes in here are great. Bright and open, and beautiful flower glass art hanging from the ceiling. Our server was so nice and attentive. He asked if we had been before, and when we said no, he replied "New Bees in the hive!". He was great. I had the pancake with bacon in the batter, stopped with candied pecans! The bacon was SO good. Nice thick cut bacon! The buttermilk pancakes were fluffy and tasted really good. I got the double stack but a single would have been more than enough. Hubs had the Broakley. Breakfast sandwich with bacon, lettuce, broken yolk egg, avocado, cheddar, onion and tomato on milk bun and he loved it! My pancakes were amazing, but I was side-eyeing his sandwich! read more

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I love the idea of this place: spread the importance of bees for our food systems. I was also so excited that they offered vegan goetta! Grew up consuming it but hasn't had it in years as I didn't eat pork. I wanted the breakfast burrito, but the sausage can't be removed they're premade, so I opted for the breakfast sandwich. I chose the red skin potatoes for my side. The sandwich was...not good. Dry, needed sauce of some kind, and needed flavor. The potatoes were good. I also got a single pancake that was good as well. Service was mid. She seemed to want to get us out asap for to the busyness of New Year's Day. Overall, wasn't impressed with the food, but the vibes and mission were a fun, important perk! read more

Food was incredible. I went on my birthday and used the area to study for a little bit. Food was great, the server was a sweetheart, and the price was great. Very cute atmosphere, and the couple next to me paid for my food! read more

I've been here several times, most recently we just got carryout but I've also dined in. The service is always great even when it's busy. The vibe is casual and cozy. The food is amazing! I have celiac disease so I don't eat gluten, and their "bee cakes" (gfree pancakes) are soooo good! Even friends who eat gluten have tasted mine and loved them! I like the bacon ones and the blueberry ones with the apricot topping. The quinoa bowl is also super yummy! And you cannot skip the sweet potato-coconut-ginger soup. Idk how they make it so good! I also like that this restaurant focuses on sourcing their ingredients locally. read more

Frannie Kroner would not approve. See my previous, stellar review of the Sleepy Bee for context -- I have enjoyed many lovely meals here over the years. Today was different. I just encountered bafflingly poor service such that I actually wondered if we had entered another, inferior restaurant by mistake? Or had we been mistaken as personae non gratae to warrant such mistreatment. After twenty minutes of sitting with no acknowledgment, I sought the host and asked if we would be served. Which table? "The one with empty water glasses." (One apology for the delay.) After another twenty minutes, five of which our plated meals sat in the window, ignored like us, I sought the nearest staff person and asked if I could retrieve our meals from the window myself. "No. You may not do that. I will get them for you." Three luke warm meals arrived at our table promptly thereafter, but nary a word of apology. Cashing out, there was one apology to one colleague. Zero to two of us. Zero tip from me aside from a note -- "poor service" that I reiterate here in case it's not clear. read more

I am from out of town. I saw this place last time I was in town and decided to stop in. They've got merch for sale and it's decorated for the bees. The mission of the business seems cool. It was an okay experience overall. Seated at the bar, I spoke with several different wait staff who assisted with my order from coffee, to bringing water, to serving the coffee, to taking my order, bringing the food out, to bringing the bill - there were numerous people involved. The seasonal lavender coffee was good. It wasn't in a cute cup or anything so just a basic to go carrier is what is pictured. I tried the pancakes and they were your average pancake! They did have some flavor options including a rotating seasonal one. I tried the Avi Scramble (not pictured in my post) which was a recommendation of one of the wait staff. It came out cold. The person who took my order apologized, told me that it would be taken off my bill and offered to have it remade. I accepted their offer to take it off the bill and remake the same meal. It did come back out much better by a different staff member. It was decent in flavor. The wait staff who took my order didn't return though and another staff member brought the bill with the meal still on it. Not positive that I will return but glad I gave it a chance. read more

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Good visit. Told the wait would be an hour. Seated in a much shorter time. Foods they use have unique ingredients that allow you to step outside the box. Would return if back in downtown Cincy. read more

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longgg wait on new year's day, but that was fully expected. our server was amazing, food was quick and delicious, and the place was packed full of unique art and unique dishes. highly recommend if you're looking for a new brunch spot in downtown cincy! read more

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VEGAN REVIEW 3.5 stars Stayed around the corner, so we came here for breakfast This is a cute, hopping spot. No wait Sun 9am for 2, but it was full. Service was good. They made sure to ask about allergies/dietary restrictions. I got the vegan workers breakfast-- tofu scramble, vegan goetta & roasted sweet potatoes. I was excited to try the goetta because I heard it's a Cincy special... I'm glad I did, but it won't be on a regular rotation The scramble was VERY nutritional yeast heavy & had small pieces of cauliflower! The sweet potatoes were undercooked, with some pretty hard pieces Lavender latte was ok, though pretty lukewarm & a tad sweet- would ask for half the syrup next time read more

I had the avi scramble and my husband had the chorizo scramble. We both had coffee. Everything was delicious, the restaurant was clean, the staff was friendly. It didn't look like ton of food when our orders cane, but it was very filling! Highly recommend. read more

The food is great, the service is too. We were at one of their other locations in the suburbs (we're from out of town) and it was so good we decided to eat at the downtown restaurant before catching our flight. read more

Sleepy Bee was great! Went to Cincy for a wedding and stayed at the Westin. This place is located right beside and went for breakfast and to finish up some work. Got the avocado toast which was okay but their breakfast burrito was amazing. They also had on the best lattes I've ever had. Really good place and definitely recommend anyone staying in town wanting a place for breakfast and coffee! read more

Looking at current reviews I now know for sure this place has gone down the drain. It was so good that last time we went maybe a year, year and half ago and that is why we decided to go back while in the city again. Waitress seemed bothered to even take the order and wife asked for crispy bacon. Order arrives, bacon is barely cooked, toast might have had butter on it but u could barely notice and you can't really call it toast because it was more like just bread and toasted for maybe 1 second. Now the waitress is MIA, we flagged down another person and asked for crispy bacon like was ordered and she said sure. Really wanted ketchup and jam for the bread aka toast. Sent out a search party for the waitress and was worried she was missing for good. So I got up walked to the counter and asked for ketchup as I could see it sitting there and jam. Magically my waitress showed up again at the counter and grabbed the ketchup and handed it to the other lady at the counter to give to me. Then the other lady went to the kitchen to get me jam as my waitress disappeared again. Next time we saw her was when we were basically done and she stops by and said here in your extra side of bacon and the check. Didn't care the bacon we got sucked, this was not extra bacon it was to replace the crappy bacon we got and that is why we asked for new bacon which once again wasn't very crispy. Never asked if I needed another drink and since it comes in a can I guessing there are no refills. Wife barely touched her food because it was cold by the time the so called crispy bacon arrived. So I got a $50 breakfast with bad food and service. I could have had a 100% better experience at Waffle House for half the price. Never will I go back, this place has gone downhill. Waffle House, see you soon. read more

Stopped by here for breakfast and got seated at the bar. The vibe in here is so cute and inviting! My server was friendly. There were lots of things I wanted to try on the menu but I decided on a regular cup of coffee and the queen bee breakfast sandwich. The coffee was great and refillable. I didn't enjoy my sandwich, it was hard to finish eating even half of it. The meat inside was dry and would keep falling apart so i ended up eating it with a fork and knife. Also the apples inside were quite sour and when opening my sandwich, I saw raw stringy pieces of egg white that kinda made me lose my appetite.. For the side I got potatoes and it tasted like a mini baked potato covered in a flavorless gravy. I'd probably recommend getting a different side. read more

Sleepy Bee Cafe - Downtown - Queen City Bee Sandwich - do not recommend - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

We were in town for the marathon and came for breakfast while my husband was running. I'm sure they were busier than normal because of the marathon. I had requested a table for two and been told it would only be 5 minutes while they cleaned up a few (there were some open) but we ended up waiting 15 and only got seated when I went to the counter to try to order take out instead. Once we got seated our waitress was quick, but we waited a while for the food. Everything was very good once we got it though. I really liked my egg scramble and my toddler seemed to like her pancakes a lot! I also got a chai team latte that was VERY sweet. read more

Sleepy Bee Cafe - Downtown - Make your own scramble with bacon, onion, cheddar and a side of roasted sweet potatoes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Sleepy Bee Cafe is amazing!!!!! The atmosphere, the staff and the food is just 10/10. So glad I found this on Yelp. If you don't smile when you walk in and see all the images of bees...there's something wrong with ya. What a happy place. The music was amazing. The staff were bubbly. The menu has too many good choices. I wish I lived closer. I chose the Almond Milk Oats. I've never had almond milk in my oats; but, I am quite the fan now. It was so warm and hearty. A steaming bowl of steel cut oats with toasted almonds, bananas and blueberries were just Mmmm. I didn't have to add a thing. They were creamy and just dang good! I took my multigrain bread with butter and dunked that in like it was my last supper. It was that good. My sister ordered the Bee Spoke Scramble with goetta, which I had zero idea what it was. We had to google it. So if you are like me here's a little food fact..... Goetta is a meat and grain sausage German inspired and originating from the Cincinnati Metropolitan Area. This stuff was amazing. I can't believe I'd never heard of it before. The scramble was amazing. I had to take a couple bites. The girls had the shape cakes and the idea of having different shapes p-cakes as we call them is perfect for the little ones. They were tasty and super fun! If I go back to Cincy I will definitely come back to the Sleepy Bee Cafe. I loved the vibe and the food was great as well. read more

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On a random weekend getaway to Cincinnati my honey and I found the absolute cutest little breakfast spots. Breakfast is one of our favorite meals out, and this modern but cute cafe did not disappoint. The coffee, of course was perfect. They had a lot of alternative milk choices which was nice, and my husband said the chair tea was delicious as well. Our waitress was sweet and got to know us a bit. Talked about how she spent time in Seattle and missed it, which was nice to have that connection. I had a scramble and bacon with a side of fruit (no toast or hash browns for me!) And my husband had his go to, Eggs Benedict. All of it was unreasonably good and fresh. read more

Sleepy Bee Cafe - Downtown - Scramble with bacon and fruit - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Walked from our hotel to Sleepy Bee for breakfast. The menu options were different and unique, just what we were looking for being from out of town. Food was tasty, really hit the spot. Our waiter Ramone was friendly and on point. The Sleepy Bee got it all right. read more

What is not to love about the sleepy bee? Cool spot, love the interior, great staff, and dynamite food. It is like a great coffee bar grew into a super hip breakfast spot. Our staff was great! Team service and very thoughtful. The pancakes are almost too good if you want to control yourself. They do a lot with the space they have and manage to create a vibe over breakfast and lunch. Love it! read more

Good service this morning! We enjoyed our experience. I get the bee keeper every time, and I have noticed the one in Oakley is notably better. Not sure why, less cheese, more toppings and chicken, fresher bread perhaps. Barely any avocado. Not bad though, just didn't hit the same. read more

Sleepy Bee Cafe - Downtown - bee Beekeeper Sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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I was headed elsewhere for breakfast and as luck would have it I recognized the name on the sign from my Yelp review and decided to give it a try. So glad I did! The place has a great vibe and the servers were very accommodating and friendly. I ordered a coffee and a worker bee breakfast with eggs over easy Goetta and red skin potatoes. The potatoes came with a garlic honey sauce which I was not sure I would like so I requested it on the side. When I breakfast came the sauce was on the potatoes so I notified the server and she told me she would bring me another order with the sauce on the side which occurred very quickly. The manager brought them and apologized. It turned out the sauce was only mildly sweet and made the whole meal come together. I am very satisfied with this laid back inviting eatery in the heart of downtown. Tell your friends! Cheers! read more

Sleepy Bee Cafe - Downtown - Interesting decor! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Visiting the area in downtown Cincinnati and have brunch here. I've been back two more times and tried something different every time. The Pancakes are huge and the best I've ever had. Atmosphere was welcoming and pleasant. Staff were kind and service was good. Highly recommend. Oh and smoothies were delicious. read more

We went to a different restaurant for our second breakfast in downtown Cincinnati. The Sleepy Bee is above average in my opinion. The menu is good ! We all tried different omelets. I had the Avi, one brother had the Chorizo, and the last had cheese. All were tasty, we only found fault with the temperature of the sides. The potatoes were ice cold. A manager came by, and offered to provide a replacement. This was a nice touch! Overall a pleasant breakfast. read more

So glad to have discovered this place! The food was great and the service was awesome. Really enjoyed our server Gina. Super friendly and attentive, but not overbearing. We will definitely be back! read more

We're visiting over the weekend for a baseball game and wanted a good brunch for our first full day in Cincinnati. Not being familiar with the area, we did a Google search for options and came across the Sleepy Bee cafe. We were seated pretty quickly and greeted by our sever, Jay. Jay was AMAZING. So kind and patient with us while deciding what we wanted and happily making adjustments to our orders. Even though it was busy, Jay was regularly checking in on us. We got a scramble, the Worker Bee, a chocolate chip pancake, and iced coffees. Everything was delicious. Overall, we had such a great experience that I had to leave a review as soon as we left. We will definitely be back if we're in the area again. read more

Sleepy Bee Cafe - Downtown - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Staying at nearby hotel for work, I found this on Yelp and had a terrific coffee and tasty "Forager Scramble." Friendly service (pretty much a given in this friendly city) and a really pleasant atmosphere with lofty ceilings and lots of bee and flower themed decor adding to the vibe. read more

We had a fantastic experience at Sleepy Bee. This is one of my favorite brunch spots, but my first time at the downtown Cincinnati location. Our server was extremely attentive and had a great personality. Our food was served quickly. I loved my pancake, especially their homemade whipped cream. My friend had the sandwich and loved it also. Sleepy bee has such a great atmosphere and I can't wait to go back. read more

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We found our way to Sleepy Bee Cafe because our hotel 21C Museum changed their brunch hours but "all" the paperwork in the rooms and according to our server yesterday when we ate breakfast said, brunch was served until 2pm daily. So imagine our surprise when the doors were locked. I went to ask the man at the front desk who preceded to tell me that it changed months ago. I explained that the day before we were there until 2pm, or later. Then he proceeded to get snarky with me. He then suggested a place across the street called Nada, who offered drinks excuse me, maybe he drinks before 11am on a business day but we were wanting breakfast before we started pounding drinks on a Monday morning...lol The service we had for brunch on Sunday was pleasant the servers who assisted us were friendly and explained the food well. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to eat my fried egg even though it was cooked to a medium. The whites were not cooked completely. I had to find a restroom because it made me nauseated. I did dip my toast into the yellow part of the egg, which honestly is my favorite part. Dipping toast in the yellow of the egg. This is all I'll say about the service desk at this time and the pleasant service we had during our meal on Sunday. More to come... read more

It was okay. My husband ordered his eggs OM and he got it OE. I ordered a chorizo scramble and I did not taste the chorizo at all. I ordered a side of avocado and it was brown. The food runner had an attitude because our server had mentioned the kids grilled cheese comes with fruit.. don't tell me your colleague was wrong. That's none of my concern; like back off. I'm sure lots of people like this place but it's a hard No for me. read more

Sleepy Bee Cafe - Downtown - This place was not our cup of tea. First and foremost our server - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Amazing breakfast!! Definitely recommend. Try the goetta, truly unique and delicious if you've never had it before

My friends and I got breakfast here and we all really liked it! The service was great, our waitress was so nice and friendly, and it's so cute on the inside. I loved the lights they had on ceiling! The food was decently priced and so good - everything tasted so fresh and very good quality. Everything was delicious but I especially loved the sauce they had on the pulled chicken! read more

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Had a great time, always a busy time but the staff, rotating menu, and ambiance are always amazing. Will be back sometime soon.

Cute place. Great service. Very good food. We would definitely go again if in the area. read more