Conifer Cafe — Restaurant in Colorado

Got the special today they had written up on the white board, 'Bacon Caramelized Onion Burger' I asked the server what kind of cheese came on it as it didn't specify, she said Cheddar. Food arrives and I notice the cheese looks white, she says once dropping of my plate "Oh and the cheese isn't cheddar its provolone is that going to be a problem?" I told her not to worry about it I'll be fine! (No big deal) This is where the frustration begins. As I'm biting into the burger something just does not taste right, I figured it might just be the onion over whelming my palate, no it was the cheese, it was Swiss cheese. Not cheddar, not provolone, Swiss cheese. (Very different taste in cheeses, and I don't care at all for Swiss cheese) The girl comes back to check on our food and I ask her "is this Swiss cheese on the burger??" Her reply " You know what, it very well may be Swiss cheese, did you want me to bring you a different cheese?" I literally laughed at this point and just shook my head. So at this point she's already told me 3 different cheeses all of which she's guessed at, then offers to bring me a piece of cheese on a plate to make up for it? The onions were literally caramelized into the cheese so that wouldn't help. The owner (I assume) hosts there and normally walks around to ask how everything is going, (very sweet woman) however this time she skipped over our table. It would have been nice if the server had acknowledged the unsatisfactory service or let the owner know what happened. I worked F&B for 10 years so I totally get it, things happen, but if you mess up with someone's food order at least own up to it and try and better the situation. Super let down by this experience. We always bring friends and family here when they visit. We will travel out of Conifer if need be next time for...

We love supporting local, especially where we live. There are not a lot of restaurants in Conifer and we try to stimulate the economy in our area. Tommy's subs in Conifer had been closed for quite some time during the pandemic. We continued to support (local, assuming it was the same) by traveling to the Morrison location almost a half an hour away. Today in Conifer we ordered a vegetarian sub and a turkey. The sub buns were very dried out and seemed more than day old. I basically was only able to eat the miniscule toppings within the sandwich. Not nearly as much as they stuff in the sandwiches in Morrison (the subs are definitely better down the hill). I did call to let them know that we were not pleased with our sandwiches that the buns were a bit tough to eat. I was very polite and prefaced we were happy that they opened back up and want to support local, but we were however disappointed with our sandwiches. We frequent Tommy subs because of the soft overfilled sub buns. The manager Janine apologized, saying they order the bread fresh "almost every day". That is all. I understand the pandemic was hard on restaurants, it was also hard on everyone else. It's difficult to stay in business without customers. There could have been something/anything offered, a small gesture for our return (I would never ask) to rectify our meals, but there wasn't, only an apology. Needless to say it doesn't seem worth it for us to return if we aren't valued as customers.

*Reply to response from owner; Maybe there is a mistake on your reply, we did not have a Philly, chips, or was there any compensation, a change to our original order, nor a discussion about any of it. Perhaps you have me confused with another...

----- Updated Review Sept 2019 -----

Restaurant changed hands in May 2019. It does feel cleaner inside, although the dining area is loud without the knickknacks on the wall to absorb sound. We arrived at 11:00 AM to a half-full restaurant. It was nearly empty when we left at noon. That's a big change from the always-busy diner we remember.

My biggest complaint is that the waffles are pre-made and deep fried. They taste more like funnel cake. We did like the caramel sauce drizzled on the plate, but my wife can't eat much fried food. She wound up eating off my plate, and I ate the waffles instead.

Fried "funnel cake waffles" could be an attraction - something used to get attention and market the restaurant, but it doesn't work if people are expecting traditional waffles.

The waitstaff doesn't seem happy. I remember everyone smiling before. All but one of the servers today looked worried or unhappy. Everyone was courteous and professional, but it feels like the warmth is gone. One person might just have a bad attitude, but if the whole staff feels uneasy, that's generally due to management. I'm not sure if we'll give this place another shot.

------ Original Review Oct 2019-----

We rather liked this place. Our waitress was funny and helpful. I like the breakfast options, though honestly I can't remember what we ordered. The prices are a smidge on the high side, but with good service and a nice atmosphere it is worth that little bit extra. We saw some obvious regulars, which is typically a good sign. I look forward to trying lunch...