I C.
Yelp
NOTE: This review is only of Chez Bon Bon's coffee / latte drinks - we were iso a close-by, strolling-distance-from-our-mid-beach-hotel, morning non-Starbucks indie coffee spot.
If you're staying at the Fontainebleau, then I guess you're okay with shelling out $20 for a couple of latte drinks that were ABSOLUTELY NOTHING SPECIAL THAT FRANKLY STARBUCKS CAN MAKE 100X BETTER WITH TWO HANDS TIED BEHIND THEIR BACK. :(
Yelp won't allow you to give no stars and I would say I would give 1 star anyway just for the ambience and aura of walking into such an iconic, historic and once-revered hotel. If you enter thru the South breezeway into the complex, you'll be treated to almost a museum-like wall of old time retro photos of all the classic stars who performed at the hotel back in its hey day: The Rat Pack, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Frank Sinatra etc. Even not having been from that era, their legendary presence feels like it's all around you.
Chez Bon Bon is on the North side of the beautiful lobby area.
We walked into the hotel just to get a morning latte from where we were staying just down the street.
What we found was, though the chocolate, pastry and cake displays in the many glass cases there in the shop were beautiful and decadent, the latte and coffee drinks left A LOT to be desired - like a total afterthought for them - and DEFINITELY NOT WORTH THE $10 EACH THAT THEY CHARGED. You could barely taste the coffee in both the hot and iced lattes. So disappointing!
Never again at this place! Not even worth it if I were staying there. Just use your coffee maker in your room - it will be the same quality. Orrrrrrrrrr...read on......
TIP: We eventually found an AMAZING coffee shop called CREMA (it's a small local Miami chain) not far a walk (south) from the Fontainebleau - it's across the street from the Faena. 3400 Collins Ave. SO CUTE. LOADS OF SEATING - INSIDE AND OUT. It's literally a 10 minute (if that) stroll on the boardwalk or along Collins. GOOOOOOO!!! SOOOO WORTH THE WALK - AMAZING ILLY BREWED COFFEE DRINKS, LATTES, SMOOTHIES, JUICES AND GREAT FOOD INCLUDING BFAST SANDWICHES, EGGS, PANCAKES, MEAT SANDWICHES, GRAIN BOWLS, SOUPS, SALADS - ALL REASONABLY PRICED FOR MIAMI BEACH (and way better value, quality and rich coffee flavor (they serve Illy brewed coffee!) than this place!). (See my review and pics of Crema - we ended up going 3 mornings in a row. Also check out my other reviews and pics of places in the Miami Beach and S. Miami area we liked (and didn't) for other restaurant suggestions.)
Like I said, the visit to Fontainebleau alone was worth the 1 star rating - sadly, the 1 star isn't even for this shop or its coffee / latte drinks. :(
I would say if you're in the area visiting and can walk to the Fontainebleau (definitely not worth a drive or paying for parking), DEFINITELY POP YOUR HEAD IN JUST TO SAY YOU'VE SET FOOT INSIDE THIS ICONIC HOTEL AT LEAST ONCE. (You won't be able to enter the hotel from the beach walkway but you can enter either from the south breezeway or the front entrance of the hotel on Collins Ave.)