Karma's Coffee House — Restaurant in Cullman

2025 UPDATE: We decided to give Karma's Coffee another shot, but unfortunately, it was pretty much the same as before. The staff still seemed irritable and not friendly, which again made us feel more like an inconvenience than customers. We had to ask multiple times about our drinks and food, which was frustrating. Again, the HIGH prices...

On the bright side, there’s a nice bookish vibe that gives it that cozy feel. With the exposed bricks/ductwork, mismatched secondhand furniture, and a small selection of books, it does seem like a good spot to relax and chat with friends... Still, I’ll be looking for a different coffee place next time! Somewhere the employees attitudes match the chill atmosphere.

2024 REVIEW: Oh, what a delightful experience this was! I hardly know where to start, but let's dive right in. From the moment we arrived, we were treated like royalty by the charming twenty-something girl at the register, who was just radiating maturity with her bratty teenager attitude. Cue sighing, eye rolling, and finger tapping. She was ever so polite and took her sweet time with us while we were merely contemplating the seasonal drink menu—what a hassle that must’ve been for her! It’s not like there was anyone else in line behind us, and the place was bustling with activity... oh wait, it wasn’t. And how lovely to see so many employees loitering around, glued to their phones, engaged in deep and meaningful conversations about absolutely nothing—real productivity at its finest!

After an eternity of indecision—just three minutes, but who’s counting?—we finally made our selections (the photos should be a real treat for you). We placed our orders at 10:48 AM—thank you, Google Maps Timeline! But then, in a shocking turn of events, we waited 20 minutes for our drinks. After being so rushed, I was surprised to be left waiting. After about ten minutes I bravely went up to ask about them, and the girl behind the counter looked at me like I was speaking Klingon. Another ten minutes passed and I had to request our drinks... for the second time! And here we were, twenty minutes into this exhilarating saga, still no food in sight. I approached the counter once more to inquire about our buffalo chicken flatbread and breakfast croissant, only to be met with a look that screamed, “IDGAFSTFU.”

Surprise, surprise! Our orders were apparently entered into the system only after I had asked about them THRICE. The receipt that came on our to-go bag (we requested dine-in) conveniently timestamped that revelation at 11:04 AM. I wish the prices were listed on our receipt —it would have shown their borderline criminal pricing for such "exceptional" service and “gourmet” food.

An hour later, at noon, we were still holding onto hope for our food. We watched other tables of 4 or more come in, place orders, eat, socialize and then leave all before we got our two sandwiches. I graciously asked about our food yet again, and finally, our meal arrived. I excitedly took a bite of my grape salad, and guess what? A delightful surprise—a chunk of plastic bag! How refreshing! We left immediately after that treat, the rest of the food untouched. I wouldn’t recommend this place to my worst enemy—because even they don't deserve this...

I really wanted to like this place, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. I should preface that we have been at MANY coffee shops across the nation. The location was so cute. The inside adorable with exposed brick. I asked as I always do how much syrup do you put in your coffee. I prefer a balanced bittersweet taste, a robust nose with a hint of sweetness. They said 3 pumps for the 16 oz latte. So I pick my drink, the Curt Cobean and specify half sweet, no extra shot, thinking that will mean 1.5 pumps. I get it, and it overwhelmingly sweet, like undrinkable. I ask is this half sweet because this is way too sweet. They seem a little offput and irritable. They are like we can add extra shot. I'm thinking I don't think that is going to help. I don't want more coffee taste because then it will be unbalanced. They are like look we already made it, so that's what we can offer, but I hesitantly said ok. It comes out as expected, still sweet and now unbalanced with too strong a coffee flavor and acidic. They quickly hand it to me and try to avoid contact. I taste it and am still very unhappy. I keep standing there and considering and finally reapproach a barista and say I'm sorry but this is not a great cup of coffee. She finally is like well what do you want, seeming very annoyed and bothered. I say, they said there was 3 pumps in this, and I asked for it half sweet. Is that correct? She said well no that drink has more in it. And I'm like, they could have specified that the drink I was ordering had even more after I went through the trouble of asking! So they remake it. It is still too sweet, but at that point, I'm leaving.

I've never been at any coffee shop where they have given me such trouble about remaking a drink that didn't come out as expected. It especially threw me off that it was their miscommunication that they gave me a false impression of what I...

Listen, I’ve been to a lot of coffee shops. I’ve had oat milk lattes made by hipsters with ironic mustaches, cold brews aged in bourbon barrels, and cappuccinos so pretty they made me cry. But nothing—and I mean nothing—prepared me for Karma’s Coffee House.

The vibe? Immaculate. Plants everywhere, soft jazz playing, the kind of seating that whispers “stay a while and overshare with a stranger.” I ordered a cinnamon maple latte with almond milk and sat by the window, watching the rain.

That’s when he appeared.

A grizzled, wild-eyed man with a beard like tangled vines and a trench coat older than time itself. He asked for a sip. I, thinking I could hold my own, said no. He challenged me to a duel.

We fought. Right there. Tables were knocked over. Muffins were weaponized. I tried to go for a spin-kick (I don’t know why—I’ve never done one in my life) and missed completely. He tackled me into the condiment station. When it was over, I lay in defeat… and he, as a final act of vengeance, shat in my coffee.

And here’s the wild part: I still drank it. Not out of pride. Not out of some weird dominance move. But because Karma’s Coffee House? Still worth it.

That latte—even post-defilement—was smoother than silk and just the right amount of sweet. I don’t know what beans they use, but I swear they’re blessed by caffeinated angels. The baristas didn’t judge me (much). They even gave me a free scone and a fist bump for surviving.

5 stars. I’ll be back. Next time, I’ll...