Acai Craze: an honest review

collage by Lennon Turner

Recently, I visited Acai Craze, the somewhat new edition to Eagle Rock’s vast array of food vendors. After the closing of Jamba Juice, I fled to Acai Craze desperate for a nice, cold acai bowl or smoothie. I’ve been to this place a few times before, and after developing a general idea of it, here is my honest review:

1. Quality and Taste

After only taking one bite, it became obvious that Acai Craze definitely passed the taste test. The acai is smooth and creamy; it has a sweet and slightly tangy taste. They also offer several quality toppings, including fruit, granola, and a drizzle of something sweet on top. I also enjoyed how there were multiple bases you could choose, including options like ube and chia pudding if you’re not the biggest fan of acai. I’ve also purchased a smoothie from them, which was possibly even better than the acai. It was smooth, fresh, and overall just delicious. My one con is that there were a few small unblended chunks throughout the drink, but I’d say that the quality was still top-notch and noticeably better than Jamba. They also sell freshly-squeezed juices, ginger shots, and vitality drinks; but I haven’t had the privilege of trying any yet.

2. Staff/Organization

At Acai Craze, there is the option to order in-person or at a nearby kiosk. The people there are friendly and the kiosk is helpful when there is already someone ordering in person. Acai Craze offers a variety of pre-made bowls and also an option to make your own, and the same goes for the smoothies. I typically make my own bowl, but it’s nice to have another option to rely on when you don’t feel like manually selecting your toppings. One thing that is somewhat difficult is that you aren’t able to split the price with two cards when paying, but you can pay with card and cash. This isn’t the most important issue, but I, personally, have run into problems with this system before.

After ordering, your bowl comes out fairly quickly. They will call your order out in the store and sometimes send you a text, depending on whether you give them your phone number or not. The bowls are available to eat there at the store or take home and enjoy later. I recommend eating them there; the aesthetically pleasing vibe and soft mood lighting provide a calm environment to enjoy your food.

3. Price

This is where I feel that Acai Craze struggles the most, price. Though their products are high quality and quite delicious, they are most definitely overpriced. I bought a small acai bowl, and it was $10 before tax, sometimes more depending on customization. A medium sized acai bowl is $12.75, and a large is a whopping $18.25. Not to mention, the smoothies are extremely expensive too. I bought the Hemp Queen smoothie, which is 20 oz. (there is only one size for the drinks) and it was $13, completely draining out my debit card. Though the smoothies are large, I think it would be a much better option to have a smaller, less expensive size available.

In conclusion, I’d say that Acai Craze is a pretty cool place and definitely worth checking out, but it’s more of a once-in-a-while treat. While they offer large portion sizes and quality ingredients, it's likely to empty your pockets. All in all, this place is a great spot and a pleasure to the foodies of Eagle Rock.