WEEKENDERS COFFEE TOMINOKOJI — Restaurant in Kyoto

This was the most frustrating, unpleasant, and insulting experience I’ve ever had.

Weekenders Coffee is known for serving quite good specialty coffee. I’ve enjoyed their coffee at other cafes that carry their beans, and I’ve even purchased their beans to brew at home. I really wanted to visit their shop in Kyoto, so this was my first time here.

[Issues During the Ordering Process]

I ordered Panama Janson Geisha and Ethiopian coffee as iced hand drips from staff member A.

When the coffee arrived, staff member B brought me hot coffee. When I mentioned that I had ordered iced coffee, they said they would check and took the coffee back. I told them it was fine to drink it hot since Panama is a rare coffee with limited production, but they took it away anyway.

Shortly after, I received the iced coffee. The time was too short to brew fresh coffee. It seemed like they had simply added ice to the hot coffee to make it cold. After a few sips, it was indeed too weak.

[Unpleasant Staff Response]

When I told staff member B that the coffee was too weak, staff member C made an unpleasant expression and said, “Didn’t you order hot coffee?”

According to staff member B’s explanation, Panama Janson Geisha doesn’t have iced hand drip on the menu. They said they don’t normally serve it iced, but made it iced as a courtesy.

While I was talking with staff member B, staff member C kept making unpleasant faces while emphasizing how good this coffee was. I told them I knew it was good coffee. Then they told me to try it hot and slammed down a cup with a little coffee in it.

How could I possibly drink that coffee in that situation? I left the shop feeling offended without even finishing the coffee I had ordered.

[Most Unpleasant Aspects]

Communication Issues: If they had explained from the beginning that “iced orders aren’t normally available,” I would have understood. Even if they had explained that ordering it iced would make it weaker, I would have accepted it. But adding ice to coffee brewed with a hot recipe isn’t courtesy—it’s insulting. Staff Attitude: When I said the coffee was weak, instead of asking “Didn’t you order hot coffee?”, they should have explained from the start that only hot coffee was available. Staff member C angrily kept emphasizing it was good coffee, telling me to try it hot while slamming down another cup. I don’t understand why that was necessary. Were you that offended that a customer ordered it iced? Did I look like someone who doesn’t know coffee? Why was the staff member getting angry instead?

I’m someone who enjoys coffee as a hobby, has great interest in the specialty coffee market, and enjoys exploring cafes in search of delicious coffee. While I’m not a Q grader, I believe I’m someone who can fully appreciate good coffee.

I know that good coffee is best enjoyed hot. But when it’s hot weather, sometimes you want to drink good coffee iced. Is that really such an annoying and inconvenient thing?

If it’s truly good coffee, isn’t turning it into iced coffee by brewing it with a hot recipe and just adding ice actually insulting to that coffee? Wouldn’t it have been better to inform me from the beginning that only hot was available?

I expected good coffee and paid for it, but this was the worst experience I’ve had at any cafe. It was so frustrating, unpleasant, and insulting, and I will never visit again. If this kind of experience represents what Weekenders pursues with their coffee, I will no longer purchase Weekenders coffee...

Worse experience ever in Japan. Once we ordered our coffees, the lady came to give us our order in a coffee cup(they didnt ask us if we want take in or take away, so we assumed that it would be taken away (mainly because there aren’t any chairs or table and the coffee shop is just placed on a car parking) when we asked to take away out drink, the lady seems not happy to remake our drink) (we asked just at the first drink made) so they had to remake one…then 5 others since we order 6 beverages. Once we got our order, we begun to drink our coffee(which is good quality coffee, I can give them that) then our baby went hungry so we had to prepare her milk. We asked the coffee shop if they could give us some water for the baby, just to cool down the milk. They said they were too busy…( so they couldn’t give us even 5 sec to give us some water…). Then at the end we left and 2 of us finished to drink our coffee already so I went back to the shop to give them our empty cup, the lady seems really annoyed and didn’t want to take our cups because we ordered take away…😑. No matter the country, it’s the first time that a shop event don’t want to help parents and give us some water. Really the worse service ever. I really don’t recommend it. Those people seems not happy to do their job…There are plenty of other coffee shop with more consideration for...

I finally made it to Weekenders Coffee Tominokoji, and wow, this place is such a cool little spot. It’s tucked away down a small alley with no sign at all — even the cups don’t have a logo. At first, I wasn’t sure if I was in the right place, but that’s part of its charm. Despite the low-key vibe, it’s always busy, which says a lot about the coffee.

I ordered an iced latte, and honestly, it was one of the best I’ve had in a while — rich, bold, with subtle floral notes and perfectly balanced. Easy 9.5/10 for me. I also tried their iced americano and hot americano, and both were excellent as well, clean and smooth, about 9/10 each. You can really tell they take their coffee seriously here.

The staff were friendly and quick, which I really appreciated given how many people were waiting. Service gets a solid 9/10 from me.

The atmosphere is unique: super humble but with a steady stream of customers who clearly know where to find good coffee. It feels like a hidden gem you only share with friends who really love coffee. Definitely worth hunting down if...