Cherrywood Coffeehouse — Restaurant in Austin

A VERY HONEST REVIEW - I hope you read this (especially you Cherrywood Coffeehouse) Gosh, there's quite a lot to say about Cherrywood. As a local to the neighborhood I'm quite honestly amazed at how many 5 star reviews this joint has gotten. I'd also like to say I've been here many times. Don't get me wrong, I'm not here to say Cherrywood Coffee is terrible, but I'd really like to balance the scales and provide some pretty honest feedback that I hope is read and taken to heart. I'm going to try my best to be real here without being overly critical (but at times it is hard I'll be honest). So if you read the other reviews you've gotten the idea: relaxed vibe, lots of seating, decent fries. These things are the good and are sort of more or less true (unfortunately there's caveats to these pros). But for God's sake why does no one point out how crazy ridiculous the prices are here. Literally almost everything is crazy overpriced. The burgers are no joke $17 (they come with fries, but there isn't an option on the menu for no fries), pretty much every other entree follows and is at least $14 but usually around $16-18. I understand some places are expensive, but here's the thing: the food is just not that good, it's not terrible, but it is decidedly MID most of the time- a lot of it is fairly greasy, especially eggs and beef and a lot of it as also sloppily thrown together, also pretty inconsistent. When you ask for toast you usually get warm bread. When you order a taco you may have to ask for extra tortillas because it's so covered in grease when you unwrap it from the foil it's served in that you can't eat it with your hands. Again I've been here several times and really almost every time something is messed up about the order, and I have to go back and ask them to fix it. This is where we segue into the service at Cherrywood... Look, I don't like talking bad about service people because there's so many factors at play when you consider the experience (management, training etc.), but I really am being honest when I say that sometimes it's just... laughably bad. I don't know why. But I'll relate a story that illustrates it pretty well - so when I moved back into this neighborhood after a few years away I decided to go back here and get a cappuccino. I noticed they serve theirs in kind of a huge cup with a ton of foam, which is not my vibe. Not really a problem on it's own. So when I order it I ask them if they can make a cappuccino in a smaller mug. I point to the mug I'm talking about. The person at the register confirms it with me. Then says "I got you. I'll make it right away," and indeed proceeds to make it right after ringing me up. And then turns around a couple minutes later and hands me... a super foamy cappuccino in a gigantic mug. And it doesn't end there- I tried to get them to do this 3 more times on different occasions before they could get it right- and it was different baristas each time! I found myself gazing at the sky after that and asking the universe how it became such an expert practical joker and why I was chosen as the subject for this cosmic giggle... I really don't know why the service is the way it is. I don't dislike the people working here. They're usually nice, but there is like a relaxed vibe about service that is just like... too relaxed, like way too relaxed. Anyway, you're starting to get the idea. Nothing about this place is exceptional except the prices. I wouldn't have written this review at all if it weren't for these prices. I'm okay with a mediocre coffee joint existing, but not with how much they ask you to pay them to them give you such a sloppy experience... Now you may be asking why on earth have I come here so much if I'm so disappointed - I don't come here often, but in short it's a very quick walk from my house and does provide ample seating when you need to get some quick work done (provided the music isn't blasting...) . I usually just order tea or drip coffee now. Oh and the one food item you can get for a reasonable price is the Artist Taco -...

Just, wow! I have been coming here ever since my last two years of college. I have even had interviews and lunch meetings at this location. It has been one of my go-to areas for brunch and meet-ups with friends. But seriously, to have such a lack of customer service from the front area. I got more acknowledgement from the back than from the young woman at the register.

I was not acknowledged as I entered, and it's not like there was a line at the register. I walked in and went straight to the sign that said ‘Pick Up Order’, believing this was the pick-up area. (Apparently it's not!)

The young lady saw me standing there, but decided to make the coffee concoction and not say a word, mind you, that the sign is on top of the espresso machine. I watched as she swiftly finished making the drink, cleaned the espresso machine, and threw the used grounds into the trash. No word.

I was acknowledged by an older gentleman who came from the back and expressed his amazement at the new pope being American. I was surprised as well. However, there was no acknowledgement from the young woman behind the counter, even though I was standing right in front of the register.

As soon as a male delivery driver arrived to pick up three different orders, he received an automatic smile and a greeting from her. I was taken aback. Even more because he acknowledged me, and seemed surprised that I had been waiting to be acknowledged.

Once she finished helping him, I asked her if I could pick up my order. She responded by saying she thought I was going to order a smoothie. Seriously, why would I order that? Has this young woman not been told that she should always ask customers if they need assistance instead of assuming someone has already helped them? It felt like a blatant excuse.

I spent more time waiting at the front register than I did navigating traffic from the north side of Austin near Rundberg, which took about 10 minutes. If it weren't for the delicious food and my loyalty to this place, I would consider not returning. However, if I do go back, I will make sure to acknowledge her first, hoping that she might respond in some way. Still, it shouldn’t be the customer’s responsibility to seek acknowledgment in a paying...

In late February, the front of house staff at Cherrywood coffeehouse quit after egregious negligence landed one of us in the hospital. In the months leading up to her hospitalization, a rat INFESTATION took over Cherrywood. Rats were running through the dining room and kitchen during service, and dead rats became a daily occurrence. The owner paid someone under the table to poison the rats periodically, but left the bodies to rot. During this time period is when a member of staff became seriously ill. After two trips to the emergency room and admittance to the hospital, the doctors were only able to determine that she had MURINE TYPHUS after she disclosed the rat infestation. Her case was documented with both the Austin Department of Health and the CDC.

The owner refused to pay for her full time out of work and not a single cent for her mounting medical bills. When he found out she had typhus, he cleaned the office (where he worked!) and waited until the health department came to deep clean the areas where staff work.

The baristas who quit after seeing the horrific way he treated an employee (who he “loves like family”) and the disregard for all of our safety left us with no choice but to leave. We all love Cherrywood and it was a tough decision for us to come forward, but as members of the community ourselves, we feel it is only right to let our loyal regulars know why we left and give other members of the community the information they need to make an...