Better Half Coffee & Cocktails — Restaurant in Austin

I’ll be the first to admit a mistake and that’s where this begins. I was sitting at one table waiting for friends and was looking through the menu via the QR code unique to that table. When friend arrived we moved to another table and I mistakenly placed my order there. After my friends orders arrived, I got a text saying that I couldn’t be find but to alert a staff member to get my order. I walked up and immediately apologized and stated my mistake and just was curious on next steps. What I was met with from the initial gentleman, was as if I had thrown my food on the ground and asked him to clean it up. An eye roll and a well that’s not how that works. After being handed a number and told to wait, I did. A woman then comes up and says are you Tre? I said yes, I am sorry again, what are the next steps. Another set of daggers and, “so look because you did it at the wrong table we have to remake your food.” I said, that no worries I can wait. She said they couldn’t find you and waited for too long. Where even are you sitting right now? I pointed in the direction and she said, “okay just so you know and your friend know if you ever come back here, here’s how it works” there is a line of courteously informing the process and complete patronizing as if I made the gravest mistake. I moved tables and was willing to wait for my own mistake! I, not one to be lectured by someone I’ve already admitted my mistake said sternly. I understand. I have this number. I will be at this table. One portion of my order comes out and another lecture is given to my entire table! Hey, just so you know because they couldn’t find you we had to remake this and it’s taken longer. Just to let you know. I said, thank you. I will wait for the rest of my order.

This minor mistake was turned into a punishment and a piss poor attitude with me being the reason and because I did this. There are a whole host of words and different tone of rhetoric to course correct or remedy the situation. Instead it was chastising and not embarrassing because truly, their reaction was that if I get a brunch rush (wasn’t that busy) but please, do not assume you can speak to anyone or lecture anyone that you don’t know over a minor mistake. I was wrong, and I admitted that up front what came after was quite frankly immature behavior.

Do better, watch your tone, meet people...

Possibly the rudest customer service I've experienced in Austin. There was a drink mixup and instead of accommodating us, they were rude and accusatory of us, as if we were trying to steal drinks from them. When in reality, the mixup happened because their waitstaff doesn't know what their food and drink items are by looking at them. They would just put the items down on the table and walk away. Instead of remedying the issue, eyes were rolled at us, and we were told if we want something else we needed to come inside to the bar and “pay for it ourselves”.

We also had brought a birthday cake. It's an outdoor coffee shop and bar with a super casual atmosphere. When I asked if we could use some utensils, they told me that I shouldn't have a cake on the premises (which is "standard for restaurants") and that it would be $15 for us to use their forks and/or consume the cake on site. They said I should have called ahead. If it was a nice sit down restaurant and not a bar that has a Sunday brunch, I would have.

Again, this is an OUTDOOR coffee shop and bar. We had a big group of 20 people who all bought a ton of food and drinks, and we were treated like we were taking advantage. We were super patient (I’ve worked in customer service and know how awful people can be, so I always treat waitstaff with respect. But this is not that).

Never...

Not sure how this place has 4.5 stars, and I’ll explain why. We came here to get some dinner and drinks, you first order inside and then you can find your own table either outside or inside, it’s up to you. When we were ordering our cashier (because this is a counter service) Jackie, was one of the most unfriendly and unpleasant people I’ve ever met, she never greeted us and never even looked our faces she was just AWFUL, I felt extremely unwelcome and disregarded. We sat inside because it was very packed outside and we couldn’t find a table, no biggie. We sit inside and we noticed that the napkin dispenser says “no laptops at booths” which is kind of funny because this a coffee shop, I’m sure most people would like to come and sit here to get some work done while they either eat or drink. Weird. Talking about drinks, they were just meh, nothing innovating or different, I felt I was drinking at dirty 6th just paying west 5th prices. We ordered queso and for a minute I thought I was eating cheese whiz with Smokey brisket and pickled red onions, the consistency of the cheese was thick and weird, again, just meh. The entrees were good but not good enough to make me forget how awful their customer service is. Sometimes trying a new place is not only about the food and drinks, but about the service and...