Paradox Coffee & Bistro — Restaurant in Junction City

Second time visiting this place, my expectations and overall joy of coming to Paradox has increased.

First visit, hot caramel macchiato and their avocado toast. It was overall good but didn’t realize there was a fairly cozy yet spacious rest area for family, friends and community members.

Second visit, ordered a hot Big Red One as it’s the local special. Wasn’t disappointed and fallen back in love with the use of raspberry in coffee. The chocolate and raspberry blend was incredible! I also ordered their Paradox breakfast sandwich, never thought a semi neutral flavor but incredibly soft yet chewy potato bread would make this sandwich sing.

To test out the beautiful sectional, I brought my current crochet project to enjoy the peace from home. Pending work and family obligations, I want to keep coming here weekly.

The staff was the main catalyst for returning. While it’s their job to be friendly and knowledgeable of what they’re selling, it was the small moment of kindness. They put a message on my first to-go order a couple of weeks ago and didn’t see it until I got in the car. It’s an incredibly small gesture in the grand scheme of things, but it’s the genuine kindness of people that makes me want to return to an establishment. Sincerely, thank you so very much! I honestly needed that.

The bathroom is incredibly spacious, making it incredibly friendly for those who need a wheelchair or need an extra hand from a caretaker.

The only negative here is that I didn’t get to visit Paradox until just recently. This is my go-to coffee & bistro place until I have...

My husband and I were excited to try this place. I’ve seen nothing but good reviews however we were/are very disappointed with our experience. We went for lunch today and both got the same panini. Both paninis were extremely flat, with barely any toppings. If the sandwiches were less than 10 bucks I would’ve understood, but I can’t even consider this a meal. It had barely any Brie or fig - you couldn’t taste it. All I tasted was bread and bacon. The bread was fantastic despite it being torn and the bacon was too. If they weren’t so stingy with toppings it probably would’ve been an amazing sandwich. In addition, the small containers we thought were our sides, turned out to be some red sweet and sour sauce. We were not given our pasta salad. Since we live on post, it wasn’t worth the 25 min drive with two kids back just to get two sides. The coffee was decent but I was disappointed they didn’t have any iced teas other than sweet tea. At a coffee shop I usually get iced green tea or peppermint - any bag tea.. at the very least fruit teas. Unless someone reaches out to us to reimburse or replace the 35 bucks we spent for two poor paninis and a small coffee, we will not be returning or...

I must admit, the coffee at this place is beyond amazing – so much so that it drew me back multiple times despite the hefty price tag. However, there’s something I couldn’t shake off about the atmosphere.

It’s not that I’m not approachable – with my neck tattoos and dreads, I might stand out a bit. Yet, it feels like there’s a subtle shift in vibe the moment I walk in, especially if I don’t fit the mold of their typical “regular” customers.

The baristas and other patrons, who mostly seem to be of the clean-cut variety, often give me puzzled or even uncomfortable looks. It’s disheartening to feel like you’re intruding just by stepping inside.

This unwelcoming atmosphere has led me to either rush in and out as quickly as possible or opt for other cafes in town where I feel more accepted.

Overall, while the coffee here is undoubtedly top-notch, the lack of inclusivity and warmth in the environment is a significant drawback for someone like me who doesn’t fit the conventional mold.

So I suppose I’ll get my coffee from Starbucks...