Coffee Emporium — Restaurant in Cincinnati

I have been going to Coffee Emporium for years now and have had nothing but good experiences. Only to be let down and be treated unfairly by this business one Sunday afternoon. I arrived to Coffee Emporium right before they closed and got to the door exactly at 4:00 PM. At first I tried to open the door but it was locked. I was confused because I had no idea they closed at 4 pm and should have checked beforehand. One of the workers putting things away looked through the glass and mouthed to me “sorry we’re closed”. I had no issue that they were closed, and just walked back to my car. As I am in my car looking for another coffee shop to go to, my boyfriend and I witness this Caucasian lady with a stroller walk up to the door not realizing they are closed as well. As we sit there, we witness her look at the door and flail her hands up theatrically disappointed they were closed. Someone comes up to open the door and very happily takes her order. We see her hand the guy the money and soon after she receives her drink. The concerning thing for me is the fact that Coffee Emporium decided that it was okay to pick and choose who they decide to serve based on how the customer looks. I feel like there was an unconscious bias happening in deciding who got service in that moment. I do not understand why me arriving right at 4 pm causes me to 1. not only get no one to physically come up and talk to me, 2. Not place an order BUT when a Caucasian lady comes up to the door minutes after me, she gets served with great customer service. Truthfully I am beyond disappointed in this business. I have contacted the manager about the issue and talked to Sam/Samantha (said manager), and was told that their policy is no one after closed gets served and would be contacted back, after they looked into the issue. I gave them about 1 to 2 weeks to get back to me and still no response. This just proves that they do not care about certain issues and favor a specific clientele. I will not be returning to this place ever again and will be supporting more inclusive local...

Coffee emporium is a true Cincinnati treasure. With locally roasted coffee so good it makes a believer out of the pickiest critics, it is no wonder that it has become a can't miss on the Cincinnati coffee scene. With a drink menu that points to careful consideration of ingredients whether it be cold brew that shows a commitment to the classics or an affogato with local gelato that showcases the versatility of their coffee, coffee emporium has a great drink for everyone. Even non-coffee drinkers will be charmed with the flying piggie (pomegranate green tea and lime blended drink) or the best chai latte in the city. And be sure to select something to snack on with pastries that show a commitment to quality and dietary variety, there food options are a can't miss. Whether the vegan chocolate cake that makes a believer our of an true omnivore, or the lemon blueberry loaf that pairs so well with iced tea on a hot day, their options are sure to please. And with all this quality, one might assume that the people behind the counter would be the too-hip baristas all too common in good coffee shops but coffee emporium staff is always kind and welcoming to all showcasing the best of Cincinnati hospitality. And with a spacious patio and a bright and calm upstairs seating area this is a place where truly all...

Ordered a breakfast burrito. Asked for it on a plate with a fork.

Came down to get it and it was in foil in a bag.

I asked for the plate and she said they don’t do ceramics. When I told her that I had asked for a plate when I ordered from her she just smiled and said sorry. I was looking at the ceramic plates behind her when she said this.

Next time I’m bringing my own fine China, sterling flatware, and a dollop of caviar to top the burrito, since they’re always out of caviar.

On the plus side they gave me a big glass for water.

A note on the clientèle: there was a three or four year old girl who pretty much drove me mad stomping around downstairs as I waited to order. As I was unwrapping my burrito from its foil upstairs, guess who arrived and stomped even louder. I frankly can’t handle such riff raff this early in the morning, and perhaps THE MANAGEMENT should expand their policy of not allowing dogs to also refuse entry to non adults under three and half feet tall. Mother always said children are to be seen and not heard, and on that one point I couldn’t agree...