Isles Bun & Coffee — Restaurant in Minneapolis

1st time visit

Food: I got 2 puppy tails and asked if they could add more frosting, which they did with enthusiasm 😍... they seriously win points with me for that policy alone. They looked really good and fresh and did not disappoint. I also ordered an oatmilk mocha. Being somewhat hungry 2 was the right call on puppy tails. I love that they taste pretty much like a cinnamon roll but with a different format, which I think make the texture & moisture more consistent and satisfying, though maybe a little less cinnamon-y..? They also felt like real ingredients,... so if you're used to really processed corn syrupy type pastries this is not that and might not be your taste. Looking for something sweet and clearly a treat but that I could feel "better" about, these did not disappoint. The frosting had a really genuine cream cheese flavor that was really rich and sweet but not punch-you-in-face sugary. The oatmilk latte felt more on the mild side of sweetness, possibly in comparision to the puppy tails but I ended up thankful to not have gotten a sweeter drink since it balanced well, and I probably could've even gone with an unsweetened latte (non-mocha) which would've probably been the best counter-balance to the puppy tails... next time. I definitely would recommend the puppy tails. I like that they're not a huge commitment and I could order 1-2 probably depending on my mood vs a full cinnamon roll, which appeared very generous in size though also looked really good. They did have a gluten free baked oatmeal that sounded pretty good but no gluten-free roll/tail option.

Atmosphere: They had outdoor seating which really appealed to me but it was cold outside so we ate inside. Plenty of seating inside when we were there but I could see it filling up at busier times. There were maybe a dozen or so tables. It has a kind of "hole in the wall" feeling that I found charming despite that from the outside it doesn't look like a hole in the wall. The staff seemed very happy and were friendly and enthusiastic. 😃

COVID: They were quick to remind of mask policy when walking in the door which I do appreciate right now. They didn't seem to enforce masking at the tables whether people were actively eating or not. There were signs posted about needing proof of vaccine but I was never asked to provide it; best to make sure you have it in case.

Navigation & Parking: It was pretty easy to find on Hennepin using google maps. I didn't see a parking lot; it appeared to be metered street parking only enforced daily. I didn't have trouble finding a spot at the time I visited (1pm on a Sat) but wonder if that could be a challenge at...

I came here for the 1st time due to the high reviews and was not impressed. The service was absolutely awful. Upon arriving on Sunday around Noon, the place was extremely busy. The line was out the door and around the corner. I will pride the place for having efficient service, as we waited no longer than 20-25 minutes. I ordered the cinnamon bun as well as the iced mocha latte. After ordering, the cashier didn't provide instructions regarding my drink. I found a seat and started eating. The barista began calling out different drinks, and I was confused as they didn’t state a name. They just said what drink they made. Considering the small menu, it’s hard to know if the drink is yours or if another person ordered something similar if not the same exact drink. I took what I thought was mine and immediately discovered it was wrong. I brought it back and the barista was EXTRMELY rude. He glared at me when I told him I accidentally grabbed the wrong one and snarkily stated, “ I know you did; everyone has been grabbing the wrong drink.” he asked me what I ordered, and I told him. He returned to work, so I assumed he was working on mine. I sat back down, and approximately 10 minutes later, I went back to see if my drink was ready. The same barista glared at me again and asked, “What drink did you have?” after reiterating what I had, my drink was ready a few minutes later. I’m unsure if the quality is similar to what I received, but it was absolutely disgusting. It's probably the worst coffee I’ve ever had. The cinnamon bun was phenomenal, but I would not return due to the horrible service and how blatantly rude the barista was. You would think being in the service industry, you would have the basic level of customer service, but everyone working seemed very annoyed and agitated. I also witnessed a person being yelled at for taking a picture of the menu. The employee thought the person was recording and proceeded to yell and embarrass them in front of everyone. I don’t feel comfortable supporting an establishment that doesn’t respect...

Order delivery was delayed by 10 hrs. Received call in morning 10:15 am regarding expected delivery at 8:00 am informed of delay and informed out of scones I ordered. I could wait 2-3 hours for delivery in order to get scones I ordered. Mind you I placed the order several days in advance. I had to call Isels Bakery at 4:30 pm to see if delivery was still going to occur, the gentleman I spoke with called diver no answer told me to call back in 45 min, which I did to only be told ‘we’re closed’ and hung up on. Order was delivered at approx 6:00 pm silly me I didn’t check the scone order. Guess what? I received the wrong scones, this could purely be an innocent mistake; however, it’s a very frustrating mistake. The fig scones I received are hard as a brick so must be several days old. I was given several additional treats for the delivery delay. However, I was never offered $18 refund for the delivery fee from Uptown area to NE Mpls.

I totally understand if you’re experiencing staffing shortages and it’s impacting your delivery services and or bakery order options. Please let customers know this upfront when you call with updates or when customers call you for updates. That way the customer can make decisions about their order. Yes it would be disappointing not to get what’s ordered but we could live with it and I would hope it would make your day go better. Instead of promising and...