MOTW Coffee and Pastries — Restaurant in Lombard

Based on the reviews, I was excited to try their coffee (I was also in the area and I love to support independent coffee shops). However, my excitement quickly spun to disappointment.

The coffee was good, and the muffins were good too (my kids liked them). Though, the tables we sat at to wait for our order were sticky, filthy, and a wobbly (we switched to three different tables to find a "steady" table). The worst part of the place was the bathroom. My son had to use the washroom and we promptly entered the men's room before we even ordered.

The men's room smelled awful; there were a few air fresheners around the bathroom (which I thought was odd) but I understood why. Inside the stall, there was a small trashcan next to the toilet which had writing on it that said, "please throw your toilet paper in the garbage can and not inside the toilet, thank you." Also, the toilet was disgusting; literally poop smeared on the inside bowl. I can understand why it smelled so bad inside, too. MOTW expects you to whipe your butt after you use the washroom and stuff the said used toilet paper inside the trash can? I am not sure if that's what they were suggesting or what, but it was disgusting (I could not come up with any other reason why the note was there? Maybe for people not to throw toilet paper on the floor physically? If there are plumbing issues, address them then). Lastly, the lights were dim and flickering, plus the sink was a mess. Seriously, I have seen gas station bathrooms in better condition.

I will not go back to this coffee shop because of the atmosphere and especially because of how gross the bathroom was.

The only positive out of the trip was the coffee and food. I do have to give them credit for having insulated disposable coffee cups (for hot drinks) too, but that's about it.

::::: UPDATED REVIEW ::::::

Although the owner has "personally" reached out to me to express their concerns with their business, I cannot help but wonder why I did not receive the common courtesy of an actual response from a human, rather than an AI generated generic response (I included the screenshot of the software below).

Now, I am going to report your shop to the DuPage County Health Department.

Maybe then you will clean up your mess (literally and...

I visited this place for the first time today, and my experience was mixed.

First, the cardamom coffee and blueberry muffin were delicious. However, the service felt a bit awkward. When you first walk in, it’s a little strange because there’s no visible menu until you reach the register, and no one makes eye contact or greets you. I ended up standing there for about 20 seconds, unsure whether to stay or leave. This setup creates a bit of pressure to decide what you want on the spot, especially with people behind you. When I asked the cashier something like, “I’m not sure, what are your favorite flavors?” he didn’t seem to hear me or just didn’t offer suggestions until I asked again. Even then, he explained the sweet and unsweet options with minimal enthusiasm. I get that these are young people who are still learning and can be trained, so it won’t stop me from coming back.

As for the atmosphere, I think the person who designed the decor has great taste. However, a couple of things stood out. The flooring in the seating area looks difficult to clean, and you can see dirt paths where people walk. That definitely needs to be addressed. Also, there was no music, and the space felt very echoey, almost like a cafeteria or even a library. It made the environment uncomfortable enough that I decided to take my order to go. Everyone was speaking in hushed tones because if you spoke normally, your voice carried across the room. Adding some decor to absorb the sound would help create a warmer, more inviting atmosphere.

In the end, I really enjoyed my coffee and muffin to-go, and I genuinely hope this place thrives. I’m looking forward to seeing how they grow. here in...

For my first time visiting, I went with a friend who is Arabic and is in the hospitality industry. We were both a bit underwhelmed but went in with high expectations. I had a tiny piece of baklava that was $4!!! Bit over priced. My friend ordered the zaatar bread with labneh. It was pretty much a slice of sourdough bread with a thin layer of labneh and the zaatar seasoning all over the top, served on a paper plate that was almost smaller than the bread. He was puzzled by the way it was plated, bc the price was steep. We weren’t given napkin so we went over to the counter and found them in a large bin. They were paper towel type napkins you’d find in a bathroom. I really wanted to love this place. But we felt based on our experience that the quality does not match the steep pricing. My vanilla lavender latte was very good, but I did get upcharged $1 for almond milk otherwise my only other option was whole milk.

The service was quick and friendly. I might try the place again and try a muffin and different latte

I agree with other reviewers that even though the design and atmosphere is nice and it would be a cool place to remote work, the noise level might be an issue. It got pretty loud in there and there are no sound buffers.

UPDATE: I wanted to write a fair update. I’ve visited here many times since and I have to say that they did some really great improvements to the menu and pastry choices. I do love their lattes and I’m a big fan of the teas. I also am in love with the empanadas❤️ yum. Anyway, lots of improvements and a great place to chill at lunch since I work around the corner. The staff is very...