Restaurant Reivew
Steep Leaf Lounge
Steep Leaf Lounge has one primary advantage, being that it is the only tea option in the Flagstaff area. Steep offers an abundance of both traditional and creative loose leaf tea options, both for sale and to test out in the shop.
Steep could be a great place to stop for a refreshing mug of tea, however, inexperienced staff combined with a tiny, noisy setting definitely make this lounge all the less attractive.
Food
There are many loose leaf tea creations to try out at Steep. In addition to your regular choices like green, white, and black based options, you can also pick from a long list of creative herbal tea blends. Unfortunately, the non-professional staff did not know too much about the tea, nor did they bother looking into it.
When questioned about ingredients, they just said they didn't know anything about the tea. We had to look on the back of the tea bags they were selling to find out for ourselves. Pretty ridiculous for a place that calls itself a leaf lounge. It should be standard that all employees are trained in basic tea knowledge. Please hire staff that are passionate about tea!
Fortunately, the Witch's Brew turned out to be a delicious treat: flavorful, smooth, and comforting on a cold night.
Tea is a bit pricey at $3 per cup, and not presented nicely as it could be in a nice teapot.
Service
Perhaps because they get business automatically due to being the only tea option in town, their prime location downtown, and the consistent tourist base, they feel no need to offer friendly or professional service. Regardless, Steep needs to step up their game and hire some tea professionals.
Atmosphere
Unfortunately, the decor and limited seating both further decrease the appeal of Steep. Anytime you visit Steep it is incredibly crowded due to the limited seating available. In fact, we had to stand up for 10 minutes before finding an open seat. Ridiculous for a tea shop that is supposed to be relaxing!
Another disappointment: the music is extremely loud. It feels more like a bar experience, rather than a cozy tea shop. The employees act more like bartenders and you have to literally scream over the bar and go in between customers sitting at the bar to place your order.
Overall, not the peaceful, cozy setting I prefer out of a tea shop. The decor is also too modern and limited mostly to selling space for tea and other items.
Final Remarks
Steep is more of a modern busy tea shop with a noisy, bar-like atmosphere. It's not a quaint tea cafe by any means. Tea should be enjoyed in a tranquil setting, not a rowdy bar.
There are plenty of bars right downtown if you are looking for that setting. Let's keep the tea shop a place to drink tea. It's as simple as that. We are bombarded with too much noise and stress on an everyday basis, so it would have been fantastic if Steep would have gone with the relaxation route.
