Ritual Coffeehouse — Restaurant in Lake View Township

I had a really disappointing experience here. It was a snowy day in Chicago, and I was looking for a cozy place to work in a new neighborhood. After not liking another coffee shop, I decided to check out Rituals because of the good reviews.

Unfortunately, the moment I walked in (around 1:30 PM on 3/7), covered in snow and holding a coffee from elsewhere, the staff member told me I wasn’t allowed to enter with a drink from another place. This happened before I even had a chance to look at their menu or order something else, like the tea and pastry I was planning to get. The employee’s tone was rude and dismissive, and I was essentially turned away in a very unpleasant manner.

I understand policies about outside drinks, but the way it was communicated left a really bad impression. Maybe this is a nice place, but I hope the staff gets better training in customer service and communication. Based on this interaction, I won’t be returning...

Listening to the owner berate his staff in front of customers during the morning rush just killed this place's laidback vibe in a matter of seconds. I doubt he saw the looks on all his customer's faces as we just stared at each other in disgust. Over a lousy bagel. People make mistakes. Why not talk to your staff at a diffrent time? Or better yet, try jumping in and helping. I'm very sorry for your staff, who were all very professional, but I'd rather take my money to any one of the other cafes in the area where I feel the owner deserves it. PS I have 20 plus years in restaurant and coffee house management, so I understand the nuances of running a cafe, but you lost my business forever. So maybe next time, slice the bagel up and put it out as a taster for your customers and maybe you'll sell more making the best of a human error, and have a staff meeting to address your staff's lack of "focus." But honestly, I wouldn't work hard...

Things have been hit or miss when I’ve come to work here, and it really just depends on who is working. It’s a nice place to get some work done or to catch up with a friend, with a pleasant backyard patio.

On the last visit, someone requested a drink changed drink because they didn’t like it, and the folks working said “ we don’t do that, we are a small business”.

This is valid, you don’t have to provide someone a different option if they didn’t like what they paid for. However, it felt like in that moment they wanted to make the customer feel bad, and as someone just working nearby, I didn’t like observing it.

Recommend Backlot coffee as they will remake your drink if you are unhappy!

It’s important to support small businesses, and everyone can have off days. It’s never about really the transaction, it’s about how you make someone feel who chooses to spend money at your...