Mini Monster Cafe
5211 E 2nd St, Long Beach, CA
Crema's Take
“This charming Long Beach spot specializes in Instagram-worthy creative drinks like their signature Taro Coco Smoothie served in an actual coconut shell and inventive matcha creations such as the Strawberry Banana Pudding blend. Staff members like Nina go out of their way to guide you through their thoughtful menu of specialty drinks and light pastries, making it an ideal cozy gathering place despite its compact layout. The cafe's aesthetic appeal and curated selection of bottled beverages and snacks make it worth seeking out if you're in the area, even if the experience can be hit-or-miss depending on who's behind the counter.”
What to expect
Google Reviews
Wonderful, intelligent Nina was kind enough to tell me about the menu. She even made me the Taro Coco Smoothie in a real coconut!
O to the M to the G! If you’re into gorgeous eye pleasing presentations just like me then check out my pictures and you’ll see! But first let me tell you what we ordered. Since I’m not from the area and not sure when i would be back we decided to order all of their drink flights which were the Milk Tea, Matcha and their Refresher. All three of them came out looking beautiful and the flavors were very satisfying. Besides the flights we ordered a couple of desserts and they were definitely lip smacking. The Flan was super sweet so if you want your sweet tooth satisfied then this is for you. We also had thier ice cream sandwich which was also a winner. The place is super cute with plenty of photo op spots. The service was great and a shoutout to Greg who helped us out. Parking can be tricky but that’s expected in this busy part of town so if you’re ever in the area check this place out.
The shop had an unpleasant smell, and the staff were not friendly. The coconut shell was not available at all, so it wasn’t actually an option even though the menu lists the coconut smoothie as $9 with the coconut shell. At checkout, only the size was asked, and I only found out afterward that the coconut shell wasn’t offered. A $0.25 difference doesn’t address the issue when the advertised presentation wasn’t available or communicated upfront. The smoothie itself also didn’t taste good. The honey milk tea had an unpleasant aftertaste and wasn’t enjoyable. I’m sharing this to clarify my experience, as clearer communication and accountability would have made a big difference. I don’t recommend this place.
Strawberry Banana Pudding Matcha was deliciousss! 🍵🍓🍌 So sad I don’t live close to the place so I can’t try more drinks. They have lots of cool snacks and canned/bottled drinks in the fridge. The menu looked so good I didn’t know what to get, everything looked yumm! The staff is super nice and prepared drink really fast.
They got the cutest and very economical tea flights. I shared one with my friend and it was plenty. The shop is very cute, but the way it is set up it does not allow for a lot of seating. The settings are also not very private or cozy. I will be back for their tea combos which seem like a great deal.
Crema Reviews
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