Ember Coffee Co. — Restaurant in Big Lake

**Update @4:35pm 12/10: Ember Coffee reached back out to me after seeing this review and offered a prepaid label in hopes I would remove this review or update it. They assumed I was happy because I took the 23% discount for future orders. No, I chose that option because it was the best of the 3 options you gave me for your error. So at the end of the day, they gave me the prepaid label that I originally asked for anyways because they made the mistake, not me. The owners said if I didn't update or remove my review, they will respond. This is my experience and I will not remove or update my review.

I placed one, online order for 3 sets of their 3 Coffee Starter kit where Ember advertises we get 3 of their most popular coffees in one kit: El Jefe, Monsoon & Young Lions for December (owners just today specified this is what comes in the kit). To my surprise, I received my order with 9 different coffees, none of which included any of the selections that should have came with the 3 Coffee Starter kit because the owner Matthew stated, "I think our fulfillment team made the assumption they were all for you so they mixed it up with our more popular selections to give you an assortment across light, medium and dark roast." Why would a business assume this?? If I wanted 9 different coffees, I WOULD have just ordered 9 different coffees. So now, instead of 3 sets with the same set of "3 popular coffees" from Ember as mentioned, I have 9 different varieties. It's disappointing when Ember's "fulfillment team" made the wrong assumption and sent me orders I didn't even pay for. When I asked to get what I ordered, Matthew said, "You did get what you ordered, which is an assortment of 3 bags of our most popular coffees." Clearly, the 3 Coffee Starter kit has very specific selections, again none of which I got. Matthew did provide resolutions: Give me a full refund if I send the coffees back on my dime because their policy doesn't authorize prepaid refund postage (I was quoted $17 to ship back) A free mug or 23% discount for next time. Maybe the coffee is good since all the media hype so I remained positive and did accept the 23% but will think really hard about "next time."

I bet if I had placed 3 separate orders for the 3 Starter coffee kit, I would have gotten 3 kits with the exact same 3 coffees (El Jefe, Monsoon, Young Lions). But since a wrong assumption was made by Ember's fulfillment team, I get to eat up over $$$ worth of flavors that I surely hope my friends enjoy.

Just for fun, I asked 5 (pretty intelligent) people to read Ember's description of their 3 Coffee Starter kit with no mentions of my experience. All 5 came to the same conclusion as me: "I would get 3 kits, each kit having 3 of the same popular blends."

Here's to trying to support small, locally owned businesses. Wish the best to Ember Coffee and these coffee...

Both times I was there, the coffee tasted burned, even after it was remade. Each time I threw the coffee away and went to Caribou. I really wanted to support a local business and thought I would try it again, but after hearing about how a local family was treated, along with how I was treated ordering my beverages, I won't be back.

*edited to add the following after reading the owners response to my review as it appears I'm unable to respond any other way as it appears I have been blocked.

I have the receipts and bank statements to prove I visited Ember coffee twice. The first time I was there was the "early opening" day, the day before the store was expected to open. The owner walked over to me and said, "I know you." To which I replied, "I've never met you or seen you before." Then the owner said, "No. We've met." I then suggested that perhaps she knew my twin, because I've never met the owner before. And then the owner continued to stare after me. I won't forget the interaction because it was awkward and I felt weird. My second experience the barista asked me if I "actually know" what a "real macciato is". I did, in fact, know and did, in fact, want one. She tried hard to tell me that it "wasn't Starbucks version" to which I replied, "Good deal." Both times the coffee tasted burned. Both times I asked for a redo. Both of the re-made drinks were equally as awful. "I don't recognize your name as one of our customers",...

So far, I've been to Ember 5-6 times. They've had consistently good service. Staff are friendly and obviously are working hard to get the drinks made as quickly as possible. The lattes have been tasty. I order mine with whole milk. They add enough espresso so they are well balanced. I've only had one bakery item, almond pastry, it was too good. I've bought a variety of darker roast coffee beans. We have found them to be high quality, enjoyable. There are several varieties of roasts to choose from. (award winning from what is posted in their shop) It would be helpful if they had the bagged coffee prices and roast descriptions on one obvious list as you come in the shop. The roasts do vary in price. They can grind the beans for you if needed. They have ample seating areas inside and outside. They have a kids' playroom with french doors, lots of toys, and comfy adult chairs. It's nice to have a place kids can have fun and the sounds are buffered for the main seating area. They have good sales like their recent buy 2 get 1 on bags of coffee beans. Their rewards program alerts you to sales and...