Updated 01/04/2018 -- I just raised my review to 3 stars only because we have been back to the Lafayette location a few more times since my first review, and it's been ok. Still never get a happy vibe from the baristas -- always feels like ordering fast food here for some reason, impersonal -- but this location is a pleasant place to sit and talk; it is spacious and well appointed. Regardless, we always leave here feeling "meh" about the service. It is strangely ubiquitous at the various Brewing Market locations, I don't know why. Baristas here seem unhappy and like they can't wait to clock out. I just don't get that vibe from the baristas at the other coffee shops we frequent in Boulder. I still think it is a top-down issue passed on by the owners' attitudes. Too bad.
Old Review:
In short: when in Boulder visit Que's, Ozo, Laughing Goat, Boxcar, Amante -- all are excellent.
Recommend you skip Brewing Market -- we've been to multiple locations with repeated negative experiences at every location. The owner doesn't seem to give a hoot & his attitude problem trickles down to the entire staff... You don't need to spend your money here. If you do go, the McGuckin's and the Hover Rd locations are usually ok, but not great. Service at Lafayette & Baseline is consistently "meh" to "ugh".
Long Version:
We haven't been to a Brewing Market since the last time we visited the Lafayette location during normal business hours and it was closed. An employee told us the owner was aware that the hours were posted online incorrectly but didn't care enough to fix it. Considering we'd driven out from Niwot specifically to get those drinks (we liked their coffee) for nothing, we were a little peeved to hear that... Today, we tried the Baseline location only because Que's, our standby, is in the process of switching locations from Table Mesa to Baseline and is closed for 2 months.
Big mistake bothering with Brewing Market again! There is a barista at the Baseline location who desperately needs to get himself a "real" job -- he's obviously been a barista far too long based on the way he treats customers with disdain and annoyance instead of pleasant courtesy.
Since it's 92° and we work outdoors, my fiance ordered an iced Americano. He asked if he could have it blended (Brewing Market blends a variety of drinks, so this should not have been a big deal) -- the [disgruntled] Barista hesitated big time, saying, "I don't know WHAT that will taste like, man..." -- um, considering an Americano is just espresso and water, it would probably taste like.... an Americano? Seriously?!
For some unknown reason, he thought a blended Latte made more sense, so we switched to a blended Latte just to make him happy. No such luck, he had to roll his eyes a few more times and snicker about how dumb a blended Latte was with his co-worker before we could even pay for the damn thing.
It's not rocket science, fellas, you just dump it in the blender and push the button. Viola' -- you've got a blended Latte. Judging from the guy's age, he probably flunked out of CU 10 years ago, so a blended drink may seem like a Really. Big. Deal.
Whatever. We walked out while they were snickering together at the blender and drove straight to Ozo on Arapahoe, where they made us a blended Mocha in 45 seconds flat with big smiles (and a $4 tip, which would have gone to Mr. I've Been A Barista Way Too Long if he could have just kept his mouth shut & made the drink).
In short: when in Boulder visit Que's, Ozo, Laughing Goat, Boxcar, Amante -- all are excellent.
Might as well skip Brewing Market -- from the owner of the company and his crappy attitude down to the baristas with THEIR crappy attitudes (top down, folks... can't have a healthy business when the owner doesn't even give a hoot) what is the point of putting your $$ into this company when there are so many excellent alternatives in town? read more