Florida Waffle Shop: Save Some Money and Head for Waffle House Instead

Location, location, location. A lot of people will tell you that’s all there is to great businesses, restaurants included. Florida Waffle Shop certainly has a prime location. You can’t miss it if you’re driving to the Mall at Millennia - it fronts Conroy Road in the upscale shopping center right in front of the mall. Could that be all there is to it?

When I visited Florida Waffle Shop on a Saturday morning, hoards of people were patiently waiting to eat breakfast - some inside, and some outside. In a courtyard, a large group of Adirondack chairs circled a potted palm to hold those waiting. Have you ever walked into a Waffle House and been handed a pager?

Seeing all the people waiting to get in really got my hopes up for some incredible waffles. I know there are not a lot of breakfast choices in the area, and no upscale breakfast options at all, but come on, could all those people really be there just because of the restaurant's location?

Yep. It is all about location, location, location.


The waffles at Florida Waffle Shop were artfully presented on large, square platters with orange slices on the side. My Chocolate Chip Waffle ($7.49) was smaller than I expected, much smaller. I expected a delicious, light and fluffy waffle. My waffle was so tough I could not cut off a piece with the provided knife. A steak knife would have worked, but the tough skin on my waffle was no match for an ordinary butter knife. The description of my waffle on the menu reads, “…chocolate chips in the batter.” The few chocolate chips “in” my waffle were actually sprinkled on top. For all I know, they served me a toasted Eggo waffle. I wouldn’t have known the difference.

My guest ordered the Banana Split Waffle ($9.79) and received the same puny waffle, but with generous portions of banana, pineapple, glazed strawberries, chocolate syrup, pecans and whipped cream on top. He enjoyed it at first, but half-way through called it “the most expensive banana split in the world, on top of a plain waffle.”

The sausage links ($3.49) we ordered on the side were good, but were the same links you could get anywhere. The coffee was above average, but nothing special.

Our server was friendly and quick to take our order, bring our food, and clear our table when we finished. We couldn’t have asked for anything more in a breakfast server.

The décor was nice, with much of the furnishings obvious holdovers from the previous tenant, Mama Fu’s. It was nice, for a change, to enjoy breakfast in a contemporary, stylish and comfortable environment. Why must every other restaurant that serves breakfast model their dining rooms after country farmhouses? I hate country farmhouses.

The Florida Waffle Shop is assuredly in a great location. I like the idea of Florida Waffle Shop. I like the food at Waffle House more. Florida Waffle Shop is expensive. Waffle House, cheap. Florida Waffle Shop is near the Mall at Millennia. Waffle House, the Magic Mall.

2 Great Locations out of 5

http://www.floridawaffleshop.com/