Smoking Gun Coffee Roasters — Restaurant in Chilliwack

I really liked there coffee when I tried it in person. They have really nutty and malty medium roasts that I love for espresso. That's why I have been ordering from them online even when I moved. HOWEVER, recently the quality of service seem to have declined. The last two times I ordered from them which are usually 4 to 5lbs at a time. Every single bean that arrives are at least 3 to 4 weeks old. Shipping takes only a few days so this seems way too old to be selling to customers for a specialty roaster. The beans are already slightly on the decline and staling by the time I got them in both cases. As this happened twice in a row with not just one but all bags of coffee, I assume this is their new direction now and unfortunately I recommend people ordering from somewhere else at least online and make sure to check their roast date even in person.

EDIT: I have never edited my review due to a response from the business but this will be the first and hopefully the last. As Brandon the owner points out, freshness in coffee is a range. But this depends on the roast level, which in case of medium roast it is accepted in the coffee community and the scientific community that the peak starts around 5 to 7 days after roast and lasts up to the 2 week mark with some margin for error. This is longer for lighter roast and shorter for darker. Therefore, 4 week old coffee is already a staling product. If you fundamentally disagree with that then my review perfectly informs others what to expect from your store. Calling this a "misunderstanding" is insulting to me and other consumers. I understand that you are a smaller scale roaster and there are difficulties that come with it in terms of batch sizes and frequencies. However, if you're turn over for a batch of coffee is consistently reaching a 4 week mark (assuming from my orders which are 2 months apart getting 3 and 4 week old coffee back to back) then I think that is a problem that needs to be solved. Other small scale roasters I order from range from roasting small batches daily to weekly to alleviate this issue. To address the point of "high-barrier packaging" locking in freshness is just flatly untrue. The freshness time frame is determined with a specific temperature assuming a proper enclosure. If you are comparing to coffee in contact with open air at all times then the time frame is completely different from what even Brandon stated. This is even anecdotally observable from the fact I saw less crema from the same coffee I received which was 1.5 weeks old and the 3 week old batch.

TO CONCLUDE this lengthy review. To claim my review was a misunderstanding is to put it bluntly, utter nonsense. Nothing I have stated in my original review is untrue as mirrored by response by Brandon. It may sound harsh but I stand by the fact that people should avoid ordering online. If you like their coffee and live nearby I think it's great to check them out, given you check their roast dates...

Smoking Gun Café in Chilliwack really surprised me. With its high rating on Google reviews, I decided to check it out. The place was packed, with a long line and about a 20-minute wait to get our drinks served, but the space is cute and inviting. Despite the crowd, we were able to find a seat as people come and go, and they prepare orders as quickly as possible.

While waiting, we grabbed a breakfast muffin, cinnamon cookie, and brownie. Honestly, the brownie wasn’t impressive—too sweet for my taste. The cookie, however, was unique and nostalgic, setting it apart from other cafes' offerings yet too sweet as well. The breakfast muffin, made with nuts, carrots, seeds, and raisins, wasn’t the best either but paired nicely with their drinks.

We tried three drinks during this visit: the peach lemonade, house-made maple syrup macchiato, and pumpkin spice latte. The macchiato wasn’t special, but the pumpkin spice latte stood out as the best I’ve ever had. When paired with the muffin, it elevated my experience of the muffin from “meh” to “oh, wow!” The peach lemonade was also refreshing, with a good balance of sweetness and a natural peach fragrance blending perfectly with the lemonade.

Overall, this is the best coffee shop I’ve visited in Chilliwack. They roast their own beans, and I wouldn’t hesitate to return just for the BEST PUMKIN SPICE LATTE...

I am so so happy that I live within walking distance of Smoking Gun. I buy beans from here regularly to brew at home, and often stop by to grab a drink as a mid afternoon treat. My husband loves the matcha latte (with oat milk) and my personal afternoon fave is the espresso tonic. On days when I’ve run out of beans and walk over in the morning before I’ve been caffeinated, their brewed coffee has always been soul-restoring.

I love that they offer GF treats from the Polly Fox and vegan options, and I can also attest to the deliciousness of their sandwiches (or “sandos” as you will hear them called out 😉).

The atmosphere is aesthetically delightful, stylish, and hip, while remaining warm, welcoming, and unpretentious: a rare coffee shop sweet spot. I’ve always received friendly and attentive service. Also, I gotta add that the people who work here have great taste in music: I’ve yet to spend time here without hearing a song I love.

All in all, Smoking Gun is my favourite cafe in all of the...