7 Brew Coffee — Restaurant in Round Lake Beach

I've been to this location about 5 times now. Every single time I have had a seem-less and efficient experience. The staff is friendly and informative. From entering the line, to ordering, to receiving my drink, I have enjoyed the process as a consumer. The drink quality is also top notch. It emulates the authentic drink experience you can have from the West Coast from a place like "Dutch Bros." I truly believe 7 Brew is the place to go in the area.

Not to mention, the immediate give back to the community immediately shows the kind of business it is and will likely stay. I have immense gratitude and appreciation for their free small drink weekend and free shirt with large drink day. (Also, the shirt quality was extremely good and soft for a free shirt.)

There is one glaring downside, though; prices. Drinks seem to be on the premium side of pricing and I haven't felt amazing about said spending. Added on, tipping culture is prevalent at this location. With how the staff treat the customer, they do deserve a tip. But the intimate experience invokes one to feel pressure into giving. I don't think that these pricing choices are to the fault of the store itself, though.

For reference, I paid $11.42 (cents may not be correct) for a large Ocean Breeze Energy and tip. Comparatively, a large Dunkin Energy refresher is $5.04. Or, a Venti Carmel Ribbon Crunch at Starbuck is around $6.45 + tax + tip is still under that $11.

My point is: if you're money conscious, 7 Brew may not be the right choice. But for every other category of experience, atmosphere, friendliness, and etc, it's the place to go. I personally see it as a "splurge." A personal treat for a good day. But I will also explore cheaper drink choices in the location. I'd definitely recommend checking them out if...

Been coming here since it open, and was a fan and supporter of it. Loved the drinks and thought they did a great job… until my visit today (Sunday, 8/10). Ordered a large Strawberry mango smoothie, but they didn't have any of the strawberries or mango ingredients! | overheard the baristas making the drinks say they where out for both, and then guy that took my order said "just use syrup", and the barista asked “are you sure that’s fine?”. And the guy said, “yeah it’ll be fine”, Instead of asking me if I wanted a different flavor or drink. So my drink was just pink syrup, ice and milk. I’ve ordered smoothies from here, it definitely DID NOT taste or look like a regular smoothie Worst of all, I redeemed a reward to get it, so I couldn't ask for a refund. Very disappointed with my visit. The “smoothie” began to separate after 5 mins with all of the syrup in it, and it didn’t not taste good after a few minutes. I’ve had issues with out stock ingredients at other locations, but the staff there quickly let me know and gave options/substitutions or suggestions. I think some of the staff could use some further training on this. This is NOT on the barista that made the drink, she was following orders from the person that took my order. I think I will avoid this location until something is done about this. I’m not going to waste my money or rewards on half-ass service and syrup water. Anyone ordering from here, please doublecheck that they have the proper ingredients, or just save your money and...

I really want to love 7 Brew. The customization options for drinks are fantastic, and I appreciate the pricing—definitely prefer it over Starbucks or Dunkin’. However, I have some significant concerns.

I’ve tried many drinks and enjoyed them all, but the inconsistency is frustrating. My go-to is a simple iced blondie with toasted marshmallow, yet each visit it seems to be made differently. Sometimes I receive whipped cream; other times I don't. I was charged for cold foam I didn’t ask for, and the staff never mentioned the added charge or the fact that it was included. Additionally, the secret menu feels overly secretive. When I inquired about it, the staff member taking my order was unwilling to provide any details, which was disappointing.

The wait times are unacceptable. I understand that it's a new establishment and the hype is real, but waiting 30 minutes in line is excessive.

Regarding the line setup, the shared space with Crunch Fitness creates chaos. I've noticed many people cutting in line instead of waiting their turn, which is frustrating. While I realize 7 Brew can’t control people’s behavior, I would expect some guidance from staff, such as a reminder for people to return to the end of the line. The workers see this happening and do nothing about it. Overall, there's potential here, but I can only give it 3...