Happy Goat Coffee Co. (Elgin) — Restaurant in Ottawa

I’d be dead in a ditch somewhere it if wasn’t for Happy Goat coffee.

I also came back to edit my review in light of some recent happenings in this comments section. I can see that there has been some negativity recently towards the staff and it disheartens me. I will start by saying, I have a bias. I have a service background and I'm especially sympathetic to the good souls who have dedicated their professional and personal efforts for the provision of service to those that are privileged enough to enjoy it. I come at this issue with a heavy heart because I know what it's like to be behind the counter, and I am convinced that very few of the reviewers have that lived experience, or that sensitivity, to how difficult this job really is, and how much is at stake for these people when they show up each morning, here to make our days better.

There is an abundance of support for what society and government considers "Essential Workers" and at the core of this wording, we find the hardest-working, least-appreciated and most overlooked (and in my opinion, the most important) people who show up to work and serve us food. Healthcare workers deserve our utmost love and appreciation too, but love and appreciation isn't a pie. There isn't an finite amount, and giving one slice of appreciation to one Essential Worker, isn't diminishing from giving another, equally-sized slice of appreciation to another, less visible Essential Worker. This is a misconception we still have in society that some work is more valuable than others, and more laudable than others, and more deserving of respect and attention over others. I'm reminded of that when I read these reviews. And I will submit, as much as it should be a reminder and not the first time you hear this, but the people who serve us food are just as important as those who write us prescriptions. What I'm saying is that we should dole out equal measures of appreciation, respect and care for those who put themselves out there at risk for us, every damn day, and at least attempt some empathy at the grind that they go through to serve you. And how much that deserves media attention, praise, a living wage, good tips, and human interactions bearing responsibility that as the customer, and on your mighty keyboard, that you wield your power for good.

The Happy Goat café on Elgin has become a lifeline for me, and my routine is visiting several times per week. It pains me to read that people have had detracting experiences, when every single time I've visited, I'm met with care, appreciation, kindness, friendly words, expedient service and an excellent product. They know my name, my drink, ask me how my day is going and are genuinely concerned in the answer. I don't get this at Starbucks, Bridgehead or frankly anywhere else. So before you take to the keys and unleash your negativity, please check if you brought it with you into the café that day, because these are human beings, of the most excellent, laudable variety, and are working extremely hard to be cheerful and friendly all day, and the negativity they get in return makes my stomach churn. We are a community and if you're not a part of it, change that, we'd like to get to know you and ask you how your day is going too, and care about the answer. But please know, this is for all those that I've been with to visit, and asked, this is the best Ottawa has to offer. And that's not on Ottawa standards, that's in general. Happy Goat and the entire staff here are exceptional humans and I appreciate them, each individually and as a collective, so much more than I could ever show in my generous tips, my reviews online, or my interacting with them.

The owners (I'm looking at your Henry), should be grateful that you've assembled such a formidable team who have braved the worst pandemic of our time to keep up the good vibes in this neighbourhood. I love you all and will continue to support you with all...

Let me start by saying that I love Happy Goat coffee. I buy the beans and drink it every day. When out and about I look for a Happy Goat for my coffee.

My experience at this location though wasn't great. Coffee was delicious as always, the atmosphere is generally good but I dunno why the music volume is so high, it's a coffee shop, not a club. Wouldn't be a problem but I was sitting to have my coffee and basically left with a headache.

The service though, really? As a veteran of the industry I have an extremely high level of empathy, but I also call it as I see it. It wasn't busy, there were no customers ahead of me, and none behind me. It took them about 5minutes to actually say hello and start serving me then another 5minutes to make the double espresso (so quick and simple!). Basically her colleagues kept interrupting her and asking questions and discussing this and that, and she wouldn't multitask. I ordered "for here" and it was taking so long, that I took a seat at their bar, just 3 meters down the counter.

I HOPED that since I tipped 20% on my $5.50 double shot (pretty expensive for a double shot) she would at least walk 3 meters to put it down in front of me since she was busy talking to her colleagues. When it was done, she put it down next to the machine and yelled out my order and I had to go get it.

For the record, I wasn't expecting service when I ordered and tipped. But I wasn't expecting to be a bystander to a 5minute conversation before she started my coffee. I didn't nudge in any way that waiting on a coffee... I just sat down and waited. I'm a bit disappointed that there was clearly zero care about the customer. It's a service industry job, you ask for tips, but you don't want to provide a service. My $5.50 covers the coffee and the making of the coffee, the $1 is for at least some resemblance of service.

Will I return? Yes. I love their coffee. Will I tip in the future? No. No service, no tip. If I experience service in the future, I'll start...

During our recent trip to Ottawa, my wife and I visited GOAT coffee as it was conveniently located near our Airbnb. We arrived at the shop around 6:45 PM with the intention of sitting down to enjoy a coffee and chat for a while. Unfortunately, our experience was less than pleasant.

Firstly, we were unaware that the coffee shop was about to close when we placed our order. The staff should have informed us before taking our payment, as we had planned to sit in and enjoy the ambiance. Instead, we were left with expensive takeout coffee, which felt overpriced without the benefit of being able to sit and relax.

To make matters worse, the order was incorrect. I specifically asked for hot coffee, but we were served cold coffee instead. It seemed like the staff was distracted, possibly due to the impending closing time.

As for the coffee itself, it was quite disappointing. While I understand that every coffee shop has its own unique flavor, this one just wasn't good, especially considering the price tag. Without the ambiance of the café, the coffee certainly didn’t justify its cost.

With better communication and attention to detail, our visit could have been much better. Unfortunately, this is not a place I...