The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

We ordered coffee to go and was recommended the“Sweet Treats Platter” which is supposed to feed 18 people and included mini cakes of pumpkin crunch and carrot cake. When I went to pick it up they had it sitting on a customer table in the dining area. Who does that? Why they didn’t keep it behind the counter is beyond me. Not only was it so tiny — the diameter of the box is about 12″ — the catering order form said it «serves 18». How? The «mini cakes» we’re 1“X½″ bites. I’m not exaggerating. On top of that, they substituted red velvet and chocolate bites instead of the pumpkin crunch and carrot as advertised without notifying us. The platter was so ugly — the bites were not standing up and were toppled over so the tiny bit of icing was stuck on the lid.
I’ve a huge fan of CBTL — but now I know to never order from them again. So disappointed and upset. $ 26 for a 12″ platter with 1″ cake bites — not as advertised. If you look at the order form — sorry I don’t have the photo anymore — it looks like little cupcakes with icing and toppings — not the junk we got.
Because it was so small — I had to buy a lemon poppy seed cake as well.
Also — they don’t honor the stamp card on catering items — spent over $ 55 and no stamps.
Shame on you CBTL.

This review is about the way they handle their «Mo’Joe Mondays» & «Mo’Fun Fridays». Monday was just the last straw. I think it’s how they handle or LACK OF handling their promos! One of the Fridays the crew DID NOT know the Promo! The other time they couldn’t ring the $ 0.99 drink special SOOOO they DIDNT SELL ME ANYTHING!!! The girls there just have to CARE ABOUT the small things like those PROMOS. I buy REGULAR PRICE items too, BUT I’m going BACK to STARBUCKS even though I have to PAY MORE!!! If I could give a ZERO or NEGATIVE (–10) I would. I’m DONE!!!

This review is only for the Coffee Bean & Tea location in the First Hawaiian Center.
I’ve been here several times since they opened and the service is very inconsistent. The baristas/​staff don’t try very hard to make sure your drink is right, the tables are usually left with crumbs on them, etc. I gave them another try today for their bagel and coffee promotion. I asked what kind of bagels do they have and the barista says, «we don’t have any bagels, we ran out.» At 8am. The promotion just started so I assumed they would try to honor it so I asked if they were offering a substitute (i.e. muffin, croissant, etc.). She just looks at me dumbfounded and says no, only bagels. And that’s it. Maybe they need a lesson from SB on customer service.

CBTL replaced Café Central on the ground floor of First Hawaiian Center. A national brand gives us all assurance that they’ll be around for awhile. And as a First Hawaiian Bank employee at First Hawaiian Center, coffee regulars like me appreciate a mainstay in our building, so that grabbing a cup of Joe or a cup of comfort on our way to our office (as opposed to having to cross the street to Starbucks) becomes a part of our daily routine.
Pros here are convenience for building workers, friendliness as the baristas greet you by name, punch card, grab and go food options, warming/​toasting service, their pesto pasta for 3.99, non-​coffee options such as Ice Blended pineapple cream or Sunrise beverages. They’ve also honored expired punch cards here (other locations have not… avoid Monsarrat, for example).
Cons here are prices just seem high (to the point where you can get a whole meal for the same price as one of their larger sized handmade drinks), artificial taste & grit of their powders for flavored drinks as opposed to sauces/​syrups, occasional long lines especially in the morning, and rather slow service as you wait for your drink to be made (unless it’s simply brewed coffee, remember that?) Only their caramel latte is made with a sauce, and not their powders. Powders are in vanilla, mocha, and hazelnut flavors. Another con is that they close early, at 3:30. How many times have I wanted a coffee drink past 3:30, and had to give my business to a competitor!
Tip: To take the sting out of the cost, buy $ 100 CBTL gift cards at Costco for $ 79.99 & treat yourself instantly to a 20% discount, and be sure to use your punch card – one stamp for each $ 1 you spend, 50 punches to fill a card. You’ll receive one free beverage of your choice, any size except the 32 oz size.

CBTL has arrived in downtown! (Okay, I know I’m a little late to the party but nevertheless.) YAY!
I am not exaggerating when I say I went on an adventure to find the new downtown CBTL. I guess I didn’t know what to expect, I thought that the CBTL would be out in the open like all the other shops so I just trekked out to find it and ended up wandering around aimlessly for 15 minutes. On my way back to the office, it started to rain, so I walked as close to the First Hawaiian Bank Building as I could. ALAS, this cute little CBTL location is tucked INSIDE the building :)
This location is a mini-​CBTL but still offers the mugs and cups and pastries and drinks. There was a line of 4 people deep but I didn’t wait very long for my latte. The latte was delicious, btw. The service and quality of my drink lives up to the CBTL name. Woo hoo!

OMG! I was sooooo thrilled to learn that CBTL is within reach in the Downtown area. I paid it a visit today and purchased my favorite drink in the extra large version to make up for lost time. CBTL makes the best coffee drinks ever!

For the longest time, I thought that this was a different, local coffee shop/​café. After stopping by to visit First Hawaiian Bank, I noticed that the Coffee Bean sign by the ATMs. I cannot tell you how much I have wanted a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in downtown, so I was VERY excited to see that a Coffee Bean was now open in the heart of downtown Honolulu. Don’t get me wrong, I have always been a fan of Starbucks, but Coffee Bean offers a wider variety of drinks and food. Plus, I like their rewards program a bit more as Starbucks looks at the number of transactions, while Coffee Bean uses a stamp card system that will give you a stamp for every dollar spent (I may spend $ 20 at Starbucks, but it would only count as one star; while Coffee Bean would give me $ 20 stamps for the same transaction). Once the stamp card is filled, you can get a free drink.
Anyway, I digress (I don’t want to begin comparing Starbucks with Coffee Bean; I like them both for different reasons). This shop is open at 6:30 am. As this is in the lobby to the First Hawaiian Bank building, the doors are open by that time, so patrons of Coffee Bean (both those that work in the building and those that don’t) can get their caffeine fix.
I remember one morning, I decided to splurge and order both a drink and a food item (did I mention that I was starving too?). I ordered the blood orange sweet tea and the turkey bacon cheddar scone. The blood orange sweet tea was very sweet. I let the tea sit on the side to allow for the ice to melt and dilute the syrup used to flavor the tea, which worked like a charm. It was definitely different flavor. I have never eaten a blood orange, so I don’t know if it tasted like a blood orange, but the flavor used was strong and present in the drink.
The turkey bacon cheddar scone was absolutely delicious. The scone has a light texture, but it was oily (I remember having to constantly wipe my fingers on a napkin so I didn’t get oil all over my keyboard at work). The scone had bits of bacon in it, as well as spinach (or I think it was spinach; all I know for sure was that there was some sort of green leafy vegetable that was chopped up and mixed in the scone). Regardless, it was delicious! For $ 3.29, it was a great breakfast and a good portion size. Tip: heat up the scone (either have them toast it or pop it in the microwave).

Small little nook here in the first hawaiian center. They have a friendly staff and all orders are made quickly.
One thing I’d recommend is they put their over stock in the back and not leave them out in the way.
Otherwise I love coffee bean over other coffee spots glad I found this one

Unilocal 100 Review Challenge 2015: ²⁴⁄₁₀₀
Thanks to @Trish N. I discovered The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in the First Hawaiian Bank building in downtown, lobby area! Despite working near the Starbuck’s downtown, I love to venture through downtown on my lunch break and change up my coffee routine… plus FHB is my bank!
It’s small but provides all the same services/​products as a full-​sized, stand-​alone Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf location. For under $ 10, I got a regular Mocha ice blend to keep me from kanaking post-​lunch and a Pumpkin Crunch bar that was more than enough to satisfy my sweet tooth craving. Customer service was very pleasant! Will definitely be back!

So excited about the new Coffee Bean downtown! Its in the same space as that previous little coffee shop (kind of stuck between the elevator/​hallway). Location is small but the staff is mighty! Welcome to downtown CBTL! We’ve been waiting for you. .. ..

like the others said Finally! I am not a Starbucks person, and have been waiting for a cbtl location in town.
the location is small, but staffed appropriately. There are about 10 two person tables for lounging around with friends. Decent small sandwiches and snacks in the cold case.
I had a morning oatmeal (steel cut the way i like it). The oatmeal was around little small in comparison to other places that carry similar products.
Definitely happy with the new location.

I’m always here for Monday deals:) the place is so tiny, but great service and smiley girls make up for that. Despite the size I feel like this location has more food options than Ala Moana, Waikiki or Kapiolani.

Thanks to Trish N, for writing the first review, I became aware of my favorite tea & oatmeal place opened a location in downtown Honolulu. The location is small, which is challenging for their staff during the busy morning rush, but their 3 employees make it work well. I prefer their steel cut oatmeal to Jambas, and I ask for all the toppings (you have a choice of up to 5: walnuts, honey, brown sugar, raisins & bananas) & I add a dash of cinnamon & splash of cream at the self-​help counter. Employees are friendly & quick. They have a bunch of grab & go breakfast pastries, sandwiches & cakes too.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) inside the lobby of First Hawaiian Center is small, but definitely is serving up a good selection of grab and go items, pastries, and course a full menu of COFFEE! While they may not have size to offer, they still have what you have come to expect of any of its other locations. Good coffee, snacks, and service… what’s not to like?
It’s nestled right between the elevator lobby and the ATMs and there aren’t any signs on the building and you can quickly walk past it. So, keep your eyes open or just hear the bustling of people ordering their beverage or the sound of steam escaping the machine. Not necessarily good for groups since seating is limited and largely filled with small 2-​top tables.
The coffee is good. nothing stellar or boutique about it, however you do know what to expect. It is consistent to the other shops in their chain and you know your americano will taste the same as its counterpart down the street. Prices are reasonable and nothing to sneer at, little pricier than «the other chain» but still not as bad as other boutique spots.
Service is where they shine though. They are quick and friendly. Efficient and helpful. In your brief minute or two experience with them, you’ll wind up satisfied and thinking that your wait wasn’t as long as it actually was.
I hope that my Starbucks barista friends aren’t reading this…

Finally, a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf opened downtown. I can now use my gift cards here.
Likes: Really convenient location in the First Hawaiian Bank tower. They have a full case of food (even whole cakes for last minute birthday celebrations), pastries and the standard beverages. Not sure if it’s their entire menu, but I just get their brewed coffee or Americanos here. They also have a stamp card too, but that’s chain specific.
Dislikes: They close pretty early at 3pm.
Good alternative to Starbucks. Tip: they sell $ 50 worth of gift cards at Sam’s Club (and maybe Costco) for about $ 40.

One of my friends works with Foodland & tipped me off about this new location… woo hoo! ;D I’m SO glad they finally have a presence downtown! I love CBTL, even though I don’t drink coffee – yes really – bc the atmosphere in their shops is always so cute & comfy… and hey, a gal still needs somewhere to drink her tea or pineapple cream ice blended right? 0=)
As far as ambiance goes, this location doesn’t leave much room for that… it’s literally just a service counter tucked into a little hallway next to the elevators, with about 10 little tables (seats 2 ppl each) lining the hallway. That said, they do the most they can with what they have, and the gals that I’ve dealt with here so far have been super sweet.
They’re swamped in the mornings, but the line moves very fast. Remember to get your stamp card stamped! Not only is this the perfect place to grab both hot & cold refreshments, but they also sell sandwiches, salads, yogurt parfait, entire cakes & more, courtesy of Foodland! Yay for shopping local! =)