Pony Espresso Coffee House & Cafe — Restaurant in Ashland

Super unfriendly owner , Very childish untrained staff….

I walk in with a tote back and books to journal unfortunately before I even sat down I get attacked with a “you have to buy something “ like excuse me can I not get settled in do you not see my hands are full ….

Before I even try to sit down a worker was telling me I can’t sit there … I didn’t know she was a worker until she then very passively told me “you have to purchase something (I thought she was waiting for friends this whole time) and than the owner comes in very strong from behind me and says the same thing! I was extremely upset at this point & didn’t appreciate the passive sneak attack approach I felt from the owner and employee !! Remind you while all this was happening there was another employee facing the glass door giggling…. it was SO SO SO unprofessional and embarrassing!

Too add, I also had a Starbucks drink so THE OWNER than continues and says that’s against health code violation as I told her I’ve been coming in here for the past two weeks no one has said anything and due to my peanut allergy I like to go to Starbucks as i know what’s in my drink! She sayswell we have the same thing as Starbucks .. okay so then how is it a health code violation? So then she says we don’t allow outside drinks! Like okay now that makes sense …

& again don’t get me wrong , I understand enforcing rules an not at all against that as I have my own business I totally get it but there is a way to approach someone when addressing something …and training your staff correctly to conduct themselves as a professional worker is HUGE!! They are a direct reflection of YOU and YOUR business and not making it a protocol for them to know the rules can cost you business !!

Seem to me these workers can’t assert rules and too scared to let someone know the rules until 2 week after the fact … so I genuinely felt attacked & so caught off guard ! In the 3 times I went I purchased something other than 1 time …. So it’s Sad to say but I was really happy with this place and was making it my go to place to have some me time for when I travel between my two places here and LA !!!! I truly believe having regulars is the best for business but now I won’t ever go back there… I won’t ever forget how rude and embarrassing that felt especially with how untrained and childish the workers behaved .. Litealy...

First visit. I ordered a latte and their breakfast. Breakfast served all day, so the Avocado toast, bacon and egg looked like a good idea. It was about 4:15 or so on a Wednesday afternoon. Anyway, the latte was nice, but the breakfast was horrible. The toast was slightly burnt and the amount of avocado on it was probably about 2 tsps. The bacon was wobbly and sitting in grease on my plate. The egg was the only thing that was done right. It was boiled so...THEN , a loud shrill, continuous whistle started. How is a customer supposed to enjoy anything? I cleared my table including 75% of my latte. I asked the counter person about the loud whistling that was happening. She said its their ovens turned off and cooling! So, wouldn't it be more considerate to wait till no customers are in your cafe ?? Its too bad they have such a cool space but everything was so bad. My suggestions are obvious for the next customers you want to keep. So, it...

really good coffee and customer service here, and even a washington federal bank! They call it WaFed now I guess. Either way you can get both coffee and money in here! And the decor, urban loft style makes me feel so hip and cool. Also, when the male barista (I find out his name is Mikey!) is running the front of house, he plays the best country music and not the usual autotune pop garbage starbucks music that the ladies seem to play - not being sexist, just saying that I appreciate the change in music from your typical coffee shop and it goes with the "Pony Express" theme so well. Thanks to whoever that guy is (Mikey!) that plays the country! Good job bro. Also the coffee here is the best, I find out the roaster is called Longbottom, however it is they roast those beans is top notch - probably the best cafe in all of ashland right...