Kool Beanz Cafe

The food was amazing, hot, and fresh. We had great service. The menu changes often, so check their site or socials for an updated daily menu. This will definitely be on the date night dinner rotation.

Last night’s dining experience was nothing short of incredible! Even with the chilly weather, the service was top-notch—attentive, warm, and seamless. The crab cakes? Absolute perfection, crisp on the outside and bursting with flavor inside. I went with the shrimp linguini, and wow—the sauce was simply divine, rich and velvety, coating every bite of perfectly cooked pasta. Plus, the portions were generous, leaving me happily satisfied. My fiancé took a bold turn with the coffee-crusted pork tenderloin—not something I would have picked, but I have to admit, it was cooked to perfection, tender and full of depth. Our server also shared some exciting news: they have a new pastry chef! Now we have even more reason to return, and trust me, we absolutely will. Can’t wait to see what delicious surprises await us next time!

Here’s a Google review for Kool Beanz Cafe: I’m in town on business with my coworker, and after hearing multiple locals rave about Kool Beanz Cafe, we knew we had to check it out. I’m so glad we did! The food was absolutely delicious—thoughtfully prepared, full of flavor, and worth every bite. The service was just as impressive—friendly, attentive, and welcoming from start to finish. It’s clear why this place is a local favorite. If you’re in the area, don’t miss out on this gem!

Love this boisterous, fun restaurant, but at peak hours it may not be easy to find a parking place. I had the salmon with mashed sweet potatoes and they were perfectly cooked and beautifully plated. Delicious! Sadly I did not have any of the desserts. Perhaps next time. I do wish they had vegetarian options for main courses and not just for appetizers. The attentive waiter gets 10/10 for his excellent service even though the place was packed!

The service was top-notch, especially the Asian gentleman host and server. He was extremely polite and attentive. The food was also solid though a bit on the pricey side. The atmosphere is laid-back.

Very good food and service in a relaxed atmosphere. It's noisy, so be warned that this is not the place for a quiet, romantic evening. Folks are there to have a good time, and you will too.

This medium size restaurant has daily menus, and most everything is well prepared and quite good. Some of the food and entree combinations are a bit unusual, so make sure to read the menu carefully. The ambience is nothing special, and service seemed a bit understaffed, but they have a fairly nice outdoor covered seating area. The scallops were phenomenal, the trout was quite good, and the cobia was very well done, but the rice that came with was cold and firm. The servings on all three were fairly small, but to be expected for seafood entrees at that price. Other options seemed to be much larger portioned. The chocolate cake was quite good.

We had a family dinner and were really impressed by the menu and flavor options. It’s pricier but high quality.

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

If you're up for dinner and a show, my hubby and I highly recommend sitting at the bar facing the grill. The chefs are amazing. The flow of the staff is impressive. The food is out of this world!!! Great setting for a date, meeting, or anytime you want delicious food made with love!!

Amazing food. Different choices daily. The service is amazing and the food is outstanding. I have been on several different occasions and have not been disappointed. My last visit was for brunch. The shrimp and grits were soooo good. The chicken and waffles were very crunchy and the waffle was soft with just the right amount of crunch. The eggs Benedict was perfectly poached and the added greens were a nice touch. The desserts and some of the best I have had and I have been to Michelin stared restaurants. Their flavor and presentation is out of this world. A great spot and a must try.

Wow what an amazing find! It is soooooo unique the menu is diverse and the food is divine yes divine if you have not been here you are seriously missing out! The first time in 20 years of living in Florida that I have compared the food to England EVER! It was on par with some of the best restaurants that I have eaten in all over the world! Creative superior food and homey all at the same time! I highly recommend it wtg on all levels and the staff were so welcoming to our puppers as well iced water and lots of pets

Amazing food and this was our 1st visit. I would recommend this restaurant. The atmosphere is very pleasant.

Probably one of the best, if not the best, meal I have had since moving to Tallahassee. Kool Beanz Cafe impressed me beyond belief. So I had had them bookmarked for ages and was told repeatedly that this would be my scene, my type of restaurant if you will, and yet I never went until a girlfriend wanted American food. Now I'm not sure what she meant by American food as there's typical burgers, as well as soul food and a bunch of fusion mixes, but I threw out many names. From those names was Kool Beanz, and hence, we wound up there. Their parking lot is small, but there is parking on the street, too. They happen to have both indoor and outdoor seating. I remember that November evening it was cold, so I opted to sit inside. While I waited for my girlfriend, I perused the menu that I had looked at earlier that day on Facebook. Apparently they upload their daily menu there as each day the menu changes. On the day I went, I chose to have a shrimp and linguini dish, although I heavily debated between this and a mojo chicken dish. As it turns out, great minds think alike as that's what my girlfriend ordered. Unfortunately for me, each dish was so yummy, we inhaled and didn't even think about each other's plates. And mind you, we wound up with leftovers! We really questioned getting dessert and decided against it. It truly didn't matter either way. We were so full of yummy food, food we got to enjoy the next day as it heated up well. I hear they have a brunch on weekends. That's likely going to be the next time I go. I loved this restaurant and I am frankly dying to return.

Stopped in after not being here in years! It did not disappoint! I sat at the counter and was greeted by the most wonderful server. She was so friendly and helpful with my selections. I started with a glass of red wine ( Banshee) and ordered the grilled cheese & tomato bisque. Both were delicious! I also ordered the shepherd pie to go! Oh man, was that yummy! Did you see the dessert? Oh boy, parsnip cake? Is this for real? Like carrot cake, but better! I'll be back as soon as I can get back to Tally for work! Reasonably priced. Unpretentious place. Great quality food. Very creative!

Food was wonderful, ambiance was nice. Our waitress was knowledgeable of the food ( we had questions ), very pleasant and quite attentive. Highly recommend, especially if you're adventurous and looking for something different to eat.

Headed to Kool Beanz for dinner recently and it was a great experience. Was seated in the back room and, while I missed watching all of the action from the open kitchen, the AC seemed to keep that room cooler. The service was exceptional. Tyler was a wonderfully attentive server who made sure everything was on point. The runners also were outstanding as every item came to the table at the perfect temperature. They have a decent wine list that covers most tastes and price points. We had a refreshingly dry Riesling from New York State. Very tasty. I'm a sucker for a wedge salad. They have one, and will happily serve a 1/2 portion as an appetizer. It was wonderful. My wife ordered the octopus starter which was just a bit overcooked but still delicious. For dinner I had the southerst spiced wahoo, which was delicious. The cilantro slaw, salsa verde and refried red beans were a perfect accompaniment. My wife had the pecan crusted trout, which was asl delicious. They post their menus on Facebook, and I had seen a posts showing a beautiful chocolate domed dessert being made by their James beard award finalist pastry chef. I had to have it, and I'm glad I did. It was a chocolate, peanut butter mousse bombe, and it was the bomb. A great ending to a wonderful meal.

Kool Beanz Cafe is quite a unique cafe to stop in. Rather small on the inside but they added outdoor covered patio dining as well. The good is made fresh to order which can mean a little wait however totally worth it.

Service has gone down hill last my last few visits. Also have a reoccuring issue with the fish being undercooked. It sucks because this place used to be my favorite a few years ago but I can't justify paying $30 a plate when it doesn't hit the mark. They also have one comically small table that is smaller than all the other tables. I make sure to ask not to be seated there but its funny seeing two adults in a child sized table.

When I stopped by Kool Beanz this past Monday, the cafe had been recommended to me by a local. He and I met friends for lunch and I ordered the salmon BLT. This sandwich included a fried green tomato, smoky bacon, arugula lettuce, salmon, and lemon aioli mayo. When I tell you that this was an excellent sandwich, I am not exaggerating. The bacon was flavorful, the salmon was fresh, the tomato and lettuce added some crunch and the aioli tasted so good. The creamy lemon flavor with the salmon was inspired. My side of sweet potato fries just added to the deliciousness of the meals. Our server was attentive and made sure my leftover sandwich was packaged for a future meal. When I return to Tallahassee, I'll make a point to come back to Kool Beanz!

First visit. Fun atmosphere with an eclectic menu of sorts. It was after the lunch hour. Seating and service were great even though we would finish after their afternoon closing before dinner seating. Tuna Melt for one. Bangers and Mash for the other. Both good choices

I went to Kool Beanz for the first time tonight. It was really good and very tasty. Everything had its own unique flavor and stood out differently. This is a very busy place with its regular, so please call ahead and try to make reservations or get on the wait list. For 3 people, we had a 30-40 minute wait on a Wednesday night. So please plan accordingly. We have plans to go back and try more of their eye-catching food. It's also a bonus when all your staff was friendly, helpful, and polite.

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.

We were a group of five and every one of us loved what we ordered. The server was incredibly friendly and came around often enough that we didn't have to look for him; he answered questions and we never felt rushed. Two of us ordered the trout and two of us ordered the mahi and one ordered something with shrimp and chorizo (not for me so I kind of blocked it out what she ordered--she was also the only one to take home some leftovers; the rest of us were members of the clean the plate club ). It was very cool to hear that the menu changes daily in order to keep everything fresh. Loved that! We will definitely be back!!

Rainbow Trout Recommended by our server. Confirmed by the cleaned plate that followed!

This place is so cute! Great place for a first date, and the food is delicious! Try the brussel sprouts or the swordfish, both were excellent, and the red blend wine by the glass was superb! The service was welcoming, responsive, and gave great recommendations!

Took forever to get our food. Two dishes. We got there right as it opened. Heard good things so was excited Mine was not good. So basic. Visually terrible. Grits and a ton of sauce on one side with shrimp in a heavy inedible hard batter. I should have sent it back. The staff was great though!

Amazing meal and Amazing Service! Everything we ordered was super fresh and delicious. The maduros were the best I have ever eaten. The chicken was extremely tender and moist. But what made our delicious meal super special was the service! Tyler is the GOAT ! Knowledgeable, thoughtful, and hands down, the best in town!! Thank you Tyler, you are truly excellent at your craft!

Kool Beanz has been our favorite restaurant for so many reasons. Each time we go, the menu is different and the food is fabulous. HOWEVER, at the beginning the desserts have been innovative, chocolate and delicious but for the last two years or so the pastry chef must be asleep because it is nothing to speak of and it has increased in price to $15.00. To spend $15 on a dessert that is just so so is wrong. We will be going back tomorrow and hopefully they either have a new pastry chef all the old one got her Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah back. Five stars for the menu, and no stars for the dessert. Denise andrews

I went for dinner once. Ordered the duck and my husband had I think the steak. The dick was fabulous. The steak was a little undercook for what we ordered but it was still delicious. Unfortunately we dod not have room for desert but from what I saw, they are beautiful and look delicious. Definitely coming back to try the rest of the menu.

Another trip to KBK, another wonderful experience. If you've never been, it's great fine dining food served in a causal atmosphere...all of the great taste and service without the fussy atmosphere. We went to Sunday brunch for Father's Day. Everyone else had the same good idea we did to arrive just before they opened at 10:30 am, but we all had a seat within 15 minutes. I love Eggs Benedict, so I was leaning towards Crab Cake Benedict. But I saw the Duck Confit Hash and thought it sounded interesting. One of the things I have learned about KBK is that they really think through their menu. I figured it would be good and I was right. It was amazing, so I apologize the the half eaten version of this dish in the photo below. My wife had the French Toast with berries and fresh whipped cream. Again, outstanding. I have never been disappointed with anything I have ever ordered and I've been coming to KBK for several decades. Just go baby, just go!

I have visited Kool Beanz several times and love it. On this last time, i ordered 1/2 mixed greens salad and it was very good. I chose an amazing fish dish - Cobia over red beans and rice with fried kale. The cobia is a very mild white fish and this one was superbly prepared and very moist. My service was incredibly professional and friendly. It is interesting to watch the waitstaff look over the entire dining room to make sure everything is going well. To round off my meal, I had the Meyer Lemon Pudding Cake. Art on a plate. I inhaled the entire thing! My dining partner had the arugula salad and the salmon cakes. They looked delicious! I can hardly wait to go back.

Colleagues and I went here for donner here after a long day. It was nice outside and we sat on the patio in the corner. The atmosphere was laid back and funky. Relaxed patio vibe included a few furry friends under the tables as well. The menu changes every day and you can only find it on Facebook, which made one of my colleagues a little salty. He stopped grumbling when he finally saw the menu. Me, I went right to FB to take a look. There were lots of good choices on the menu and it was hard to pick. One colleague got Crab Cakes, one got the Walnut Crusted Trout with red potatoes and I got the Sicilian Amberjack. There was some controversy on the trout. It was very pink looking when my colleague cut into it. We all agreed trout is usually white and thought perhaps it was salmon instead. It tasted like trout, but the color. Colleague decided to check in with wait staff to confirm. Trout indeed. I did get a taste and it was amazing. The amberjack is a meaty fish and once covered, Sicilian style, with large green olives, briny capers and plenty of tomatoes and onions it was delightful. I think the crab cakes were good, since my colleague finished them. Overall, we enjoyed our dinner and if we come back to Tallahassee, this would be on the list.

3.5 "it's cute but I don't get the hype" stars Came here right before they closed at around 9:30 PM and the staff was super friendly. Thanks y'all for putting up with people coming towards the end of closing shift!! Super eclectic and cute deco, with an open kitchen so you can see what they're making. Very family-friendly and homey - what you see on the outside is pretty much what you get. It seems like this is a local favorite - it popped up on my searches and was recommended on Reddit (plus it was open later!) so my partner and I decided to go there. The menu had some fusion stuff like gochujang which was cool to see. We shared the yuca fries, crab cakes, and duck entree. I think everything was yummy but not good enough for me to go again. The yuca fries weren't that crispy but they were thick and the oil seemed clean (since they came out pretty clear). It came along with a tart sauce, although I think a creamy aioli would have been a better option. The crab cakes were not bad; didn't taste a lot of crab but the taste in general was fulfilling! It came with arugula and a creamy sauce which I ended up dipping the yuca fries in. Finally, the duck was not too bad. The duck breast had some pretty thick cuts, but was for the most part tender. It came on a bed of beans (lol, bc cool beanz- get it?) with crispy kale on the side. I personally liked the kale (it's like kale chips!) but my partner felt meh about it. I was also a little disappointed the dish didn't have as much mushrooms as I expected (mostly beans). Overall this is a sweet, homey, local restaurant. A pleasant break from the list of chains in Tallahassee but one that didn't particularly wow me. I would recommend a visit if you're curious on what the locals like! I passed by it on a Saturday night and it looked packed. Would I go out of my way to go again? Probably not, unless it's with friends who really like it.

What an amazingly funky find! You'd never guess by the name or the exterior, but inside is a whole treasure trove for foodies who want an upscale food experience withOUT the stuffy, upscale dining experience. The menu changes regularly, both for entree and desserts. We got the lamb and the monk fish but by the time you read this, they're like serving up something totally different. Everything feels experimental in a refined way. The highlight of our meal was surely the dessert, all of which are crafted by an (I think) James Beard award winner?! And you can tell. They painstakingly bruleed slices of banana atop our sticky toffee pudding and the depth of flavors keep you on your feet! Every bite here leaves you wondering, "what flavor is that?" but in a great way! Just stop reading reviews and go here!

Incredible food great service and creative. Definitely worth another trip. It's wonderful to sit at the bar and watch the cooks work. They once had a vanilla ginger crème brûlée that was the best I've ever had.

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.

This place was recommended by a friend and the solid reviews had our hopes up. Unfortunately, This is the first meal I've had in a long time that made me physically ill. And I didn't even eat much of because it was gross. Everything was served at room at temperature (grits, mashed potatoes, shrimp, steak and tacos were all crap). The steak was ordered medium rare and it was blue and rancid so I'm sure that's why I was bound to a toilet afterwards. The server said the remulade was served on the side and the shrimp arrived swimming in it. The staff appears to go out of their way to be "hip" and not care about appearance. The irony is you really have to make an effort to look like you live in tents and dig wells. I'm pretty sure the long hair in my mashed potatoes was from one of the hippy chick waitresses armpit. Definitely won't be back but they don't need my business cuz the parking lot was packed when we arrived. PEACE!

The croquettes were crunchy, flavorful and just the right mix of chorizo and potatoes. The salsa verde had a lovely kick and paired beautifully with the crepe tres. I also ordered the plantains, which were perfectly fried and sweet. The dipping sauce it came with had a little heat as well but balanced with the sweetness nicely. The dessert was a pleasant surprise. Deep, rich, creamy, crunchy, absolutely delicious. I'd go back just for the creme brûlée but I'd happily try the other things on the menu if they're anything I had.

Loved them so much! We live just down the street and we finally went over. The peppered flank is definitely worth all of the hype and we will be coming back many many MANY more times! I can see why this is a lot of the locals favorite!

Love the funky atmosphere and the local art. Love the outdoor seating with heaters when it's cold. Love the colorful exterior murals. Love the location in Midtown where I can walk and not worry about parking. The servers are always friendly and efficient. Oh, and about the food.... consistently well-prepared and delicious. Lord knows I don't need to be eating dessert, but it's hard to resist. Always something on the menu that is irresistible.

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.

This food. We wanted something that was locally made and this was definitely was something when we saw the menu knew it would hit just right. The plantains dipped in the garlic sauce was a happy surprise for us. We didn't think it would be something to it, but our mouths smacked us and said "Where has this been in our lives?!" The mojo chicken has so many flavors and makes you want to overeat or be rude and not share with people at your table. The shrimp inside is true to a water state! They were so large and cooked just right. The black bean was delicious in its own way too. If you don't like jalapeños then this dish isn't for you--but otherwise add that green garlic sauce to it too!! Service was good. We thought we wouldn't receive great service since it was about 40 minutes to closing time--but they took great care of us. Also, the artwork was something nice to look at. Just seeing local art up makes me happy.

What a great little place. Stopped here on our drive across the country and so glad we did. Service was great and food was amazing. Everything had incredible flavor. I think they opened up 10 minutes before we got there and they were already in a wait. You know it's good when that's happening. Highly recommended

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!

We ate here when we were in town in August, so we HAD to eat here again because the food is THAT good! This visit definitely did not disappoint. This place is great. Now - they do change their menu to some degree every day, so what you loved last time may not be on their menu the next time - but I guarantee you'll find something new to love. For appetizers we tried: Crab cakes with jalapeño tarter sauce & arugula Black bean cakes with salsa and smoked Chile sour cream Pulled Pork w red eye BBQ, pickled mustard seeds and homey 'polenta' Roasted pepper glazed lamb skewers For entrees we had: Mojo Chicken, chorizo, shrimp, black beans, rice, pepper jack cheese Grilled bone-in pork chop, 5-spice pear butter, collard greens, Mac n' cheese Linguini, shrimp, Tasso ham, roasted garlic cream sauce, Asiago Everything was prepared perfectly - it was fresh, had great flavor and simply stated, was perfect! Don't let the 'different' name or look of the restaurant fool you - this is top tier dining in terms of quality, taste and presentation! Amazing! I'm bad about taking pictures but here are two I managed to take before we dug into them. We got ours to go (hence the foil and container)

Amazing place , service was outstanding and the menu very nice , the pastry chef is an award winning lady , the place was not crowded because of the FSU game but this place is really an example of a total experience, what a contrast with the other place I review while in Tallahassee, this is the guide on which must restaurants should follow !

I hadn't been to Kool Beanz in quite some time, but we went for a celebratory dinner for a girlfriend who's leaving town soon. We had a delightful time. Tyler was our server and he was phenomenal. We started off with a round of appetizers which I honestly enjoyed more than my entree. We had the blackened salmon dip which we all agreed lacked flavor, but was still fresh and decent. The chorizo croquettes and octopus was prepared to perfection. We also all tried the sangria spritz. I enjoyed it, my girlfriends not so much. For dinner I had the pecan crusted trout which presented well but also lacked flavor. I tried my friend's linguini and that was easily my favorite entree ordered. It was savory and delicious. My other friend had the quail which was also good. It tasted gamey but I didn't hate it. We sat outside and the weather was perfect. It was a little loud and parking is definitely a premium but there is a decent amount of street parking around the establishment. The menu changes depending on the day so check it out on their Facebook although you're likely to find something you want to try no matter the day.

I was not expecting this place to be what it was. I'm thinking cafe... I'm thinking diner, I'm thinking soul food, you know what I mean. Well, throw those expectations out the door. You walk inside and you think cafe... diner... home cooking... something simple. WELL THROW THOSE EXPECTATIONS OUT THE DOOR. This place is deceptive, and I don't know why. We were sat at the counter so we got full view of the kitchen and cooks. Lots of good food and smells hitting us right in the face. They have a limited menu that changes occasionally and seasonally. We tried several of the appetizers and salads so got to taste a little bit of everything. My sister got a pasta dish and I ordered a pork chop. Everything was incredible. High quality food with eclectic tastes and preparation that you would not expect. If you scroll a little further down, another reviewer calls this a "treasure trove for foodies who want an upscale food experience withOUT the stuffy, upscale dining experience." (What you can expect is upscale food pricing). I could not have put it any better myself!

Food is always amazing as well as the service. Make sure to check their FB everyday around 10 to see their menu for the day.

Went here on a Sunday morning and it was amazing! We had the shrimp and grits and the steak hash. The shrimp and grits was very good and the crispy kale added a great texture and taste. The service was also very wonderful, she always made sure we were taken care of. At the end of the service we even ordered dessert of coconut layered cake. The dessert choice was perfect if you don't have a big sweet tooth like we do

Always good food and great service! We go every time we're in town!!! It gets very busy at peak hours so go early if you don't like waiting... but the wait is ALWAYS worth it!!

Food is fresh, fresh, fresh. Shrimp linguine outstanding. Peppered flank steak out of this world. Service fantastic. Ambiance fascinating, chefs prepare in front of bar. Well done. Will be coming back.

My husband and I had two different types of fish. Both were superb, cooked to perfection. We both ordered half salads, which is highly recommended if you're ordering an entrée. Would have posted a picture of the dessert, but we devoured it too fast, it was very good indeed! The only negative was my sautéed spinach was too salty, inedible. Otherwise service was really great and we enjoyed this restaurant very much. Would definitely recommend.

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.

Nice place, atmosphere and staff. Sunday Brunch is a separate menu that is unique. Expect to wait for a table. Oddly, our food took over an hour to be served -- some elements were cold; others warm. Delicious, otherwise. Would be a five star recommendation if they could improve on speed and consistency of serving warm meals.

Great service! Food was great, go in with an open mind and empty stomach! The ambiance was great, felt very cozy!

One of, if not the most consistent restaurants in Tallahassee. I absolutely would rec this place to anyone. They never disappoint!