The Cups (Steeles)

Heard there’s new management at my favourite café, had to check it out. Drinks were on point, and the hodu gwaja was super fresh. The new owners and staff were really kind and helpful. Loved their recommendation on the Strawberry Matcha, definitely a hit. Low key… their rose tteokbokki slaps! Can’t wait to come again.

Awsome place! Very nice bingsu, not too sweet not too plain. Bingsus still sweet leaning but better than KAWARTHA definitely.

Service was disappointing. Both the staff at cashier and the one preparing food at the back obviously did not enjoy working there. No smile, talks with an attitude and has no awareness of what they do or do not have in stock. They did a full refund of my order without asking for permission after I sat down and asked me to swipe my card again at the counter because they ran out of what I wanted to order. They didn’t even have the courtesy to provide me a receipt of my refund until I had to ask and looked at me as if I was the inconvenience. As for the atmosphere, the AC was not cool enough I had been sweating the whole time in the restaurant. Not recommended. I went because the ratings seemed high but I guess it’s more so because of free giveaways.

I visited Cups at Yonge and Steeles location many times over the years, and it used to be a hidden gem for me until now. I've always had good experiences there, which is why this visit was so disappointing. Today a coconut slush on the menu caught my eye so I decided to order it for myself. why not!, I love coconut-flavored drinks. Before ordering the coconut slush, I asked the cahsier if its made from powder, and she confirmed it was. Nonthe less, I thought would still have a pleasant coconut taste. Unfortunately, when I received the drink and took my first sip, I was extremely disappointed. The flavor tasted very artificial and reminded me more of coconut hair oil than an actual coconut beverage. It was honestly one of the worst coconut drinks I have ever tried. I immediately went back to the cashier and asked if I could exchange the drink because I genuinely could not drink it. I was told that since the issue was simply I didn't like the taste, they could not exchange it. That response was frustrating, especially considering how unpleasant the drink tasted. A short time later, the cashier came back and offered me a tea or coffee instead. While I appreciate the gesture, it came after I had already been told that nothing could be done. If an alternative had been offered right away, I would have felt much better about the situation. What disappointed me most was not just the drink itself, but how the situation was handled. I ended up paying about $9 + tax for a drink that I couldn't enjoy at all. Because I've had many positive experiences here in the past, I'm especially disappointed to be writing this review. Based on this visit, I would not recommend the coconut slush, and I hope management pays attention to customer feedback and product quality.

The bingsu at cups is always solid, and the portion sizes are generous as well. We had the strawberry and black sesame this time, and both were good. This location gets pretty busy, but there is a decent amount of seating despite the small size of the space. Parking can get hectic with all the eateries around.