Sparrow Coffee — Restaurant in Saskatoon

This place gets SUCH good reviews which probably what made it feel like an even bigger bummer that I had such a bad experience. I went there for the first time today. I told the guy at the till it was my first time and he kind of shrugged. No welcome... nothing. I'm not entitled to that, but I just thought it might be good for staff to think about being welcoming to customers. I worked in a cafe for 15 years and always took pride in being kind. I ordered a tea and scone. The scone was decent. The tea ($4) came out in a little pot. Cute, small but I could get a water refill I'm sure. I tipped 20%. When I sat down to login to try and work a bit on my laptop I couldn't get the internet to connect. I tried the password many times. An error kept popping up saying it could not connect. I tried the password in front of staff at the counter, they confirmed I put it in correctly. It would not connect. I asked if anyone else was having trouble and they shrugged. No problem solving. They made it clear it wasn't their problem. I told them I needed to get my tea to go then because if I couldn't sit and work, I couldn't stay. I explained to them that I am new to the city and was curious if they could help me find another place with wifi to sit and work. They told me to try City Perks. When they transferred my tea into a go cup I got maybe 4-5oz. See picture - tea was still a few cm from top. When I got in the car, I looked up City Perks and surprise surprise it's owned by the same people as Sparrow. That was kind of weird they would only suggest another place that was affiliated with them? So I would spend more money at their cafe after being treated like that?

Nobody owes me free Wifi. Nobody owes me kindness or problem solving. But....if you want to go somewhere and be treated kindly and helped, consider somewhere other than Sparrow. Or at least hope that my experience was a one-off.

I ended up at Broadway roasters. I was met with a warm welcome, and more generous amounts of product at a better price. The tea was large, high quality, and he staff member even offered to put honey in it for me. He was reassuring that the internet would be working and that he would help me if I needed. My computer connected right away (so it wasn't my computer causing the issue at Sparrow) It was such a relief to find a nice sunny spot with kindness after my...

Easygoing atmosphere with friendly staff. An extensive (albeit expensive) selection of espresso drinks and food items. Baked goods look great on display and the storefront is clean and in a good location.

They charge $4.10 (before tip 🙁😞🙂‍↔️) for a black coffee. Shown in the image below, their cups and lids are suffering from the same garbage issue all companies seemingly have been having these past few years.

The photos are of my $4.10 black coffee after the drive home. No I didn’t flip my car.

For a drip coffee of this size, if it’s over 4 dollars, I expect at least the lid to work.

I didn’t realize they sell drip coffee, I’ve been walking past on my way to work for idk how long. Unfortunately, it’s too expensive, and I will keep making it at home. I assume that because this business sells sit down style breakfast, that you could ask for refills if you like. I think they should consider having a to-go price, and a to-stay price. If you’re staying, it includes refills and then sure, I would stomach a 4$ coffee to go with my breakfast if a server was coming around and topping it up. Then if you get it to go, it’s half price (still 2$ for bean water) and you can’t refill Togo cups. Then I’d get one every morning! And sell my coffee maker! Black coffee just HAS to be your loss leader if you ever want someone to pop in on their way to work and consider buying a loaf...

One morning, I had a major coffee crisis – I'd left my homemade brew at home. But no worries, Sparrow's came to the rescue! A quick Google search led me to this gem of a coffee shop, and I decided to give it a whirl.

From the moment I stepped in, I was smitten. Sparrow's not only had an incredible exterior, but the interior was a masterpiece of beautiful ambiance. It was like walking into a coffee lover's dream.

I moseyed up to the counter and was greeted with a friendly smile. Now, I must admit, I was a bit lost when I stared at the coffee menu. But the cashier came to the rescue, suggesting a cup that turned out to be pure magic. I also snagged a muffin to go along with it.

As my order was prepared, I found a cozy spot next to the window. Within minutes, my coffee was ready, and there was a self-serve milk and sugar station – a coffee lover's paradise!

I perched on a stool, gazing out the window at the world passing by, savoring both the view and my delightful coffee. It was an all-around fantastic experience. The ambiance, the exceptional service, and the delicious food – it was a coffee adventure worth embarking on. If you're on the hunt for a coffee shop in the area, I highly recommend giving Sparrow's a visit. It's a true...