Boxcar Coffee | Mesa Cafe — Restaurant in Boulder

I find that the Table Mesa location is always a gamble. Sometimes the drinks are good and properly made... But on many occasions I've had mediocre beverages.

I think part of it is the rapid turnover in staff. I understand that new baristas need to train, but I regularly observe the 'more senior' barista barely paying attention and a lack of willingness by the staff to remedy mistakes. Recently I ordered a cappuccino 'to go' and it was served in a cup 'to stay.' I informed the barista that the drink was 'to go' and the barista just poured it into a paper cup, thereby removing any foam, a fundamental and defining element of the drink. I asked if they could remake it and the staff said they would need to ring me up for a new drink. I then heard the barista inform the cashier about how to mark that a drink is 'to go'. So they knew they made a mistake, but were unwilling to remedy it.

Lastly, it has been really disappointing to see boxcar opt for Pacific brand alternative milks over the past year. The amount of added sugar in Pacific is more than 2.5x the amount in Oatly and really masks the quality of the espresso, especially in a drink like a cortado. I understand that Oatly is about 10% more expensive when ordered wholesale, but it is a far superior alternative milk to Pacific.

Like many, I live in the neighborhood and want this coffee shop to succeed, but if I am going to spend $5+ for a coffee drink (before tip) I expect better service and higher quality.

On a positive note, the pastries are always exceptional and I enjoy the seasonal offerings that they...

So sad this coffee shop isn’t better. I came again today on a Sunday against my better judgment and was disappointed again. Coffee was fair but SLOW. No food except pastries, which were almost 100% sold out by 11 a.m. Watched groups of people come in and leave when they realized they basically don’t serve food once the pastries run out. No options for dietary restrictions. A few people wandered in with kids and were disappointed this place is decidedly not kid-friendly. Minimal outlets for the laptop crowd. Service was mediocre, slightly better than the overtly condescending person who I ordered from last time who berated me for trying to order a 16 oz coffee - the max size is 12 oz. I feel I am not alone in wishing we had a great neighborhood coffee shop where the staff is friendly and I could take my family and grab a good coffee and chat and everyone would be able to find a snack to eat. This is not it. There is a take it or leave it approach to everything and I’d...

We waited so eagerly for this location to open in South Boulder, but I’m disappointed in the quality. I’ve ordered 3 different espresso drinks over the last couple weeks, and all have been made poorly. These are expensive drinks, friends! Nearly $5 for a cortado that’s half foam? You could almost get away with the prices if the quality were excellent, but it just hasn’t been.

This location needs to think of itself as a friendly neighborhood coffee shop if they want to be successful here; it’s not Pearl St. The service feels impersonal, and the space kind of does, too. The baristas in the last few months have also seemed inexperienced. Really hoping the manager(s) will turn things around. SoBo is...