http://www.cuppiesandjoe.com/

So I went to Cuppies and Joe on Friday for their grand opening. Atmosphere is nice and cozy, there were probably 4-5 people in line. They were real unorganized though. Didn't greet me when I came in or a couple other folks who walked in right after. They had several employees just lounging around doing nothing or just walking around. They could have easily greeted customers as the line was forming awkwards since no one really knew what to do. Found out I ended up knowing one of the owners once I got to the "front" of the line. She was nice but busy. She said they were a little ambitious for telling people they were open, so I'll cut them some slack since it will take awhile to get the kinks out. What I don't excuse is lazy employees just lounging around and walking around doing pretty much nothing, when they could have been helping or talking to customers. The line went by real slow since only one worker was working in the front part of the store. There may have been more back in the kitchen working. It appeared they only had some coffee drinks ready to order and 3 kinds of cupcakes to order. I had a chocolate with chocolate icing. It was nice and moist (plus over Sara Sara), the size was the average small size you would make in your home (smaller than Sara Sara), Price was $2.50, so a little cheaper, but it tasted like something you could make yourself and not get at a gourmet shop. Sara Sara has them beat on selection and quality and size. They were "out" of milk or actually just hadn't arrived yet in individual "bottles", but since I knew one of the girls working there, she poured me a small glass of milk in a to-go coffee cup and just charged me a little less for that. That was nice to have with my cupcake, since coffee didn't sound good. I'll definitely be back to give them another shot after they work the kinks out, but for now, I'm sticking with Sara Sara (unless I'm in Cali and will go to Kara's).

I'll have to check it out. What are their hours?

It's on their website, I think like 11am-7:30pm or something like that.

Here's a link to the website:

Home | Cuppies & Joe Cupcakes in Oklahoma City (http://www.cuppiesandjoe.com)

Hours are listed on the "find us" page. Right now it's 12-9 Tu-Th and 11-11 Fri and Sat.

My family and I went on Saturday and we loved it. The buttercream frosting was to die for. I can't compare to Sara Sara because I haven't been yet. The atmosphere is very nice with a lot of intimate seating areas where one can just sit back and relax and read a book a while.

I would like to comment on the remarks made by the visitor to Cuppies and Joe on on 12/21/2008 (link #1). I wish he/she would have spared the negative comments since the establishment had just been open for a matter of hours. C $ J is owned and run by a wonderful Christian family. This is their first venture into the "business world." Needless, to say, as with any new business, kinks take time to be worked out. The writer commented that there were several lazy employees just lounging around when he/she entered the desert cafe. C & J has hired no employees. It is family staffed. On opening day, the owner and two of her daughters were at the cafe and I know that they were not lounging around. I visited the cafe on 12/20 and again on 12/22 and all family members (joined by the third daughter and husband) were hard at work. Whoever was "lounging around" on opening day would no doubt have been customers or friends who dropped by. Matter of fact, both days that I visted the establishment, friends were lending a hand by collecting dirty dishes, etc. C & J is a warmly and personally decorated cafe. The family has worked hard to create an atmosphere that invites the customer to stay and "hang out." The owners are one of the nicest families that you will ever meet. I'm sure they have been overwhelmed the first few days of businesses (both times that I have visited have been very busy with customers) and therefore had not intentionally failed to greet the customers. The writer also commented that they only had three kinds of cupcakes available at the time of his/her visit. There is a reason for that. Within the first hours of business, the top shelf fell in the display case ruining dozens of their cupcakes. Also, their cupcakes are $2 , not $2.50. I hope the writer will go back soon and give them another shot. This time, sit, relax, and stay awhile.

is this place laptop-friendly? are there lots of outlets?

is this place laptop-friendly? are there lots of outlets?

yes there are lots of outlets and free wi-fi

We ordered some of the Roman Holiday (tiramisu) cuppies to take to my parents on Christmas and they were incredible. I was wishing I had ordered them in full-size instead of mini.

I went to C&J on their opening day and yes, it was a little slow, but they were nothing but nice and friendly, and were working as hard as they could be. The did apologize for only having a few flavors available, explaining that the shelf fell, ruining most of their supply. I had the red velvet, and it was incredibly delicious. I have had Sara Sara cupcakes on several occasions, and would pick C&J over Sara Sara any day. It was very moist, and the frosting was excellent. The place is charming, and a great place to hang out. I've been recommending it to everyone because I think it's a great spot.

I went to C&J yesterday and the place was absolutely packed! Everyone was gushing about the cupcakes, and I must admit that I was impressed as well. I had the Na' Na' (banana) and it was absolutely wonderful!

I heard they had a full service coffee bar - has anyone tried anything?

Yes, they have a full service coffee bar. I had a vanilla latte and it was good, that said, I don't have anything to compare it to other than starbucks. My wife absolutely loved their hot chocolate.

My wife ordered the peanut butter and chocolate cupcake and she has been going back every few days to get them. I had the carret cake cupcake and apple pie, both were excellent and I would definitely get them again.

Yes, they'll make you any kind of coffee drink that you want.

AB's .. I didn't say 'cuppies' would keep me from going... just think the name is a little too cute.

I had a latte and it was great . Don't know what brand they use but I liked it. Going back after work today.

My family and I went by at 5 til 11 last night on our way home from downtown and it was still packed. We did not go by there with the intention of stopping, we never dreamed it would be open so late (I did not read one of the previous posts well enough) but as soon as we saw the lights on we did an immediate turnaround and went right in. I wonder if these people are getting any sleep?

They are in the wrong business if they want to get some sleep. :bedtime:

Glad to hear they are doing well. Always good to see a new, unique local business do well.

I was there Saturday night too and it was packed. They are so nice and I loved the atmosphere. It reminds me of a place you would find on 23rd St in Portland, OR. It is trendy yet laid back and comfortable. I had the peanut butter with chocolate cupcake. It was awesome. I also had a hot chocolate, and it was great.

I am definitely going back. It is a great alternative to the bar scene on a Friday or Saturday night!

My wife and I stopped by after the Thunder game last night and there was literally not an empty seat or couch in the place. Its getting busier and busier every time we go.

I walked over the other day and bought an assortment. The Italian Creme was very good, and I did like their Red Velvet. Freindly service, cosy atmosphere. More unique businesses like this on 23rd to walk to, please!

I stopped in in the afternoon a few days ago and had a vanilla bean cupcake. It was good. I think I might give the edge to Sara Sara on the cupcakes, but I LOVED the atmosphere at C&J. They did a great job with it. That little house has great, original built-in hardwood furniture, and they've kept it all. The china cabinet is where they store silverware and dishes. Very cozy and unique.

jbrown, just useless trivia, but all their wood chairs were bought from VZD's.

I just wanted to echo all the great reviews of this place. Its awesome. I certainly couldnt make them at home. I haven't tried the coffee yet, but the cuppies are great and the hang-out space is fantastic. Check out how many reviews there are on eataroundokc. That should tell you something.

Just a heads up, if you are wanting a dozen or more, make sure you call early in the day or the day before to put your order in.

We've been to C&J a couple of times now (as well as Sara Sara), and it's been a wonderful experience. The coffee, both brewed and espresso based, is of very nice quality with one of the most modest price tags I've come across. As we sipped our drinks today, the rooms were lively and full. During our hour long stay some 25-30 new people came though - I just hope the staff can keep up the quality of service demanded from such a turnover.


I haven't tried the coffee yet,

A final word on the coffee - I'd rate it just slightly below Coffee Slingers, and probably better than Red Cup - it's fresh and there's certainly nothing to complain about. Lastly, I did try the coffee at Sara Sara, it was the most expensive of the lot at around $2.70, and not very good (it seems like a an afterthought in their model).

I just hope the staff can keep up the quality of service demanded from such a turnover.

They have hired on 3 employees working part time. Come summer time, they will have a lot more help, 1 daughter is a teacher and the other is in college. That said, they still are swamped on the weekends when the whole family is working. My wife has volunteered up there the past 2 Saturdays because they have been slammed the entire day. At times, its all they can do to keep the shelves stocked.

I still think Cuppies & Joe needs to do something about their sign. It's so easy to miss because the sign is very small and the colors do not stand out. I had driven by there dozens of times and never had noticed it. ANyone else have this problem?

It is hard to notice if you don't already know where it is or aren't looking for it.

My wife and I ventured out to Cuppies & Joes for the first time tonight. We were fortunate to find street-side parking right in front. First thing I noticed about the place is that it does not resemble any other coffee shop or cupcake place I've ever been to. Instead, the place looks like a house with different rooms which feature couches, chairs, tables, etc. I liked the uniqueness of the layout.

The place was definitely hopping. We arrived around 7:30 and the place was packed. There was a whole mix of people, including families, college kids, older adults, and young kids. I was and still am a bit bewildered about how this place has been able to be so apparently successful. I've been to a number of coffee shops around this time of day and they can be absolutely desolate (i.e., coffee slingers).

On to the food...We have the OKC City Card which lets us get 1 cuppie free with an order of a cuppie and a drink. So we got a vanilla with buttercream frosting, vanilla with chocolate frosting and a hot chocolate.

The cupcakes are the size of your normal cupcake. From what I hear, Sara Sarah cupcakes are larger. Nevertheless, these cupcakes were GREAT. No complaints at all. They were moist with just the right amount of frosting. They were also not so large so where you felt like you were killing your diet. They were just perfect. We ordered the small hot chocolate and it came in quite a big mug. It was a nice, standard hot chocolate.

One cannot complain about the prices. Our hot chocolate was $1 something, and the cuppie was $2.

All in all, I have to say that this place is pulling off something pretty special. The atmosphere is relaxed, the people are friendly, the food is tastey and the prices are very affordable. It also has a very "active" feel to it, with workers buzzing around and conversation going at a fast clip.

It is hard to notice if you don't already know where it is or aren't looking for it.
Metro, are you gonna give this place another shot? Seems like they may have just had an off day when you first visited them.

Yes, I will definitely give them a few more tries. It's hard because even Sara Sara doesn't come close to the upscale cupcake places I've had in California. Amazing!

Yeah we know...

lol.

Yes, I will definitely give them a few more tries. It's hard because even Sara Sara doesn't come close to the upscale cupcake places I've had in California. Amazing!


For Pete's sake! Enough about your California cupcakeries. You're in Oklahoma, not California!

I only said it like once or twice, everyone just keeps quoting the same quote. How about enough with the quoting. And If you know me or read many of my posts, I prefer local places, but simply stating the obvious that the local cupcakeries don't hold a candle to out of state gourmet cupcakeries. Keep in mind San Fran is like the foodie capital of America.

I only said it like once or twice, everyone just keeps quoting the same quote. How about enough with the quoting. And If you know me or read many of my posts, I prefer local places, but simply stating the obvious that the local cupcakeries don't hold a candle to out of state gourmet cupcakeries. Keep in mind San Fran is like the foodie capital of the western part of America.
There, fixed that for you....I think NYC probably blows San Francisco out of the water, Chicago is probably up there as well but San Francisco is the best of the cities out west.

They definitely have a following. They have over 500 friends on their facebook apge.

I and about 40 of my coworkers will never step foot in this place again. We had just tried Sara Sara cupcakes yesterday and wanted to try this one to compare. We tried to get a dozen and were turned away. Apparently, they will only sell you 6 or less. I could understand if they had run out not being able to fill an order, but an hour after opening? And, seriuosly, can't you bake another batch if you feel you are running low? It's not like they take a long time to bake. Trying to give the new company some business and they make it hard to do business with. I'll stick with Sara Sara...

Me and a friend of mine tried Cuppies and Joe last Saturday evening. It was about 6pm I believe. We got in line to order and noticed there were only a few cupcakes left in the case. As we waited to order, the line continued to get longer behind us. We ordered the Na Na and a regular cupcake with chocolate frosting (all they had left). The cupcakes were great! Though smaller, I definitely think they were a bit better than Sara Sara. And the place is very nice and cozy. I just hope they get some more help in there so they can keep up with their business.

I and about 40 of my coworkers will never step foot in this place again. We had just tried Sara Sara cupcakes yesterday and wanted to try this one to compare. We tried to get a dozen and were turned away. Apparently, they will only sell you 6 or less. I could understand if they had run out not being able to fill an order, but an hour after opening? And, seriuosly, can't you bake another batch if you feel you are running low? It's not like they take a long time to bake. Trying to give the new company some business and they make it hard to do business with. I'll stick with Sara Sara...
See the post below yours as to why they don't allow people to buy more than 6 at a time. They bake non stop from 8am until 9pm. At first every other person came in and would order 1 or 2 dozen and it would completely clean them out. Thats not really fair to the people in line that just want to order 1 or 2 and there is absolutely nothing to choose from. Sure, they would like to be able to sell every person a dozen, but they bake as many as they can and still cant keep up. If you want to order a dozen or more, all you have to do is call a day in advance. I posted a message about this a while back on this thread, its posted on their website and its posted at their store.

Sure it doesn't take long to bake them but to frost them the way they do it takes a few hours of cooling before you can put the frosting on them or else it bleeds into the cake or will melt/slide off, especially with butter creme frosting since they are not as dense as the shortening based frosting.

Sure it doesn't take long to bake them but to frost them the way they do it takes a few hours of cooling before you can put the frosting on them or else it bleeds into the cake or will melt/slide off, especially with butter creme frosting since they are not as dense as the shortening based frosting.
You mean they can't just open up a box of Betty Crocker and have some cupcakes ready and frosted in 15 minutes???? :hungry:

I still think Cuppies & Joe needs to do something about their sign. It's so easy to miss because the sign is very small and the colors do not stand out. I had driven by there dozens of times and never had noticed it. ANyone else have this problem?

Not a problem with me, but you may have been brain-washed by the BIG SKY HIGH SIGNS ARE BETTER mentality that pervades Oklahoma in general and OKC in particular. Just like the cupcakes at C&J . . . with signs, smaller is better. And if you have to park a block down the street, the walk just adds to the appetite.

Michael

Pray For World Peace . . . pass it on

Yeah, I don't think they are having any problems with people knowing where they are. It is always packed when I am there.

You mean they can't just open up a box of Betty Crocker and have some cupcakes ready and frosted in 15 minutes???? :hungry:
And you would pay $2.00 for a Betty Crocker cupcake? Their cupcakes are made from scratch. You have to let them cool down awhile while before you can ice them.

I and about 40 of my coworkers will never step foot in this place again. We had just tried Sara Sara cupcakes yesterday and wanted to try this one to compare. We tried to get a dozen and were turned away. Apparently, they will only sell you 6 or less. I could understand if they had run out not being able to fill an order, but an hour after opening? And, seriuosly, can't you bake another batch if you feel you are running low? It's not like they take a long time to bake. Trying to give the new company some business and they make it hard to do business with. I'll stick with Sara Sara...
They bake and bake and bake, but the demand for cupcakes is so high, especially on a Friday/Saturday. They also bake fresh daily, refusing to use any leftovers from the day before. You can't just whip out a new batch in a few minutes. You must allow time for the cupcakes to cool before icing. They limit to half a dozen so others will have the opportunity to have a cupcake. Call a day ahead of time and they would be glad to have a dozen FRESH cupcakes waiting for you.

And you would pay $2.00 for a Betty Crocker cupcake? Their cupcakes are made from scratch. You have to let them cool down awhile while before you can ice them.I was being sarcastic. My wife has volunteered there the last few saturdays, I know how hard they work back in the kitchen.

Dropped by last Thursday w/ my girl. Loved it! The staff was great and the vibe of the place was unique for OKC. Cupcakes were really moist and the frosting was really good. The girl had a hot chocolate that she raved about all of the way home. I hope that they're around for a long time.

I'm not a big fan of their practice of limiting orders either. Not our fault that they can't keep up with production demands. I think the sales should be done first-come, first-served.

How difficult is it to place a large order the day before?
Limiting orders is a fairly common practice at many specialty restaurants especially when they first open and are trying to judge demand. Most have no problems accommodating a large order if given a decent amount of time to prepare, if you want quantity you can always go to Sam's/Wal-Mart. It is also a matter of common courtesy.....

That's like walking into a restaurant and expecting them to cater you a meal for 20 people on the spot.

Sounds like a perfectly reasonable policy to me. Long live Cuppies & Joe.

That's like walking into a restaurant and expecting them to cater you a meal for 20 people on the spot.

Sounds like a perfectly reasonable policy to me. Long live Cuppies & Joe.

yeah, but is a dozen cupcakes a "large order?" I mean I can see if it someone wants several dozen, but one dozen? A dozen or bakers dozen sounds like it'd be common at a bakery type shop. Sara Sara has no problems accommodating people wanting a dozen.

Anyhow, I gave the place another shot Friday night. I took the wife there after having dinner at Bellini's and then we walked off dinner at the Paseo Friday Night Walk. It was a perfect end-cap to our date night. The place was PACKED. Even saw former Mayor Humphreys and his wife and crew there as well as several other people I knew.

It was so packed (50 people or so) we had to get ours to go. It was nice hey had live music, but it was so packed, you couldn't enjoy it. It was elbow to elbow the entire house/shop. Since several on this board were wanting me to give this place another shot, we got 4 different cupcakes, an orange dreamsicle brownie and a frozen hot chocolate to go. Don't worry, we didn't eat it all that night (don't need to get a self induced diabetic coma!).

My wife really enjoyed the orange vanilla dreamsicle brownie ($1) and I thought it was pretty good too. She really loved the frozen hot chocolate, i thought it was alright. We took a bite of each of the cupcakes, the only one I would re-order was the chocolate peanut butter, everything else was just okay Betty Crocker tasting like I could make myself at home. The chocolate peanut butter was like those peanut butter kiss cookies and even had a hershey's kiss on the inside.

I'll go back on a non-weekend night for the cozy atmosphere, but hands down Sara Sara is still way better, although not close to out of state places unfortunately. I'd really like OKC to have a true gourmet cupcake place. Oh well, at least we have two new concepts to the market that will hold us over until we get one.

I think all local cupcake stores need all of the local support they can get. Some of you are going to choose one over the other, but at the very least, choose one. They need all of us going 5-7 times a month....this is a really difficult concept for one to be successful.

but hands down Sara Sara is still way better

I've been to both and I strongly disagree.

I think all local cupcake stores need all of the local support they can get. Some of you are going to choose one over the other, but at the very least, choose one. They need all of us going 5-7 times a month....this is a really difficult concept for one to be successful.

They aren't the same business model, I see no reason why anyone should feel the need to split their business out of obligation. If you want rich cupcakes and a cold-milk bar in a "boutique" style atmosphere and don't mind the cost - Sara Sara is where you should stop. On the other hand if you're in the mood for delicious but simple cupcakes and good quality coffee/espresso (or milk for $1) in a relaxed environment, at a more reasonable cost - C&J is an obvious choice.

I hope both do well, but they're two starkly different places that will have largely divergent clientele - no need to split loyalty on any basis but their offerings and your preferences.


Sara Sara has no problems accommodating people wanting a dozen.

I bet they don't.

How difficult is it to place a large order the day before?
Limiting orders is a fairly common practice at many specialty restaurants especially when they first open and are trying to judge demand. Most have no problems accommodating a large order if given a decent amount of time to prepare, if you want quantity you can always go to Sam's/Wal-Mart. It is also a matter of common courtesy.....

Difficulty level? Low. Inconvenience level? Moderate. I'll choose to pick up a dozen doughnuts or something different instead. That's just me, though.

...I'll choose to pick up a dozen doughnuts or something different instead. That's just me, though.

...and you should. As of now, they're not a primary bakery. It's a product they offer along side coffee. If they were to sell out what they have on hand to large orders - what effect would that have on the many customers who come there to sit and enjoy a cupcake and coffee with friends?

I enjoy the place - but I do my bakery shopping and Brown's, not C&J's.

Man, after looking at this thread, and the ongoing muck in some other threads about local businesses, I've come to the conclusion that some people will complain about ANYTHING and rate that establishment on a SINGLE experience rather than giving a place an opportunity to shine.

It's no wonder it's so hard for local businesses to really do well here in the long-term.

As much as we say "we want, we want," we gritch and moan when people don't come up with perfect.

Lighten the load, folks, and if you can't, why don't you open a "new concept" yourself and see how well you do it.