The Boiler Room — Restaurant in Minneapolis

I love this place, so much - the food, the ambiance, the different drinks that are unique and also really good. I realize it's very hard to be in the service industry, especially in an era of customer entitlement just getting worse and worse - believe me, I have worked on the service side of things, too. But I'm disappointed because I've had a series of incidents with the same barista, now, for the third time. The first two incidents, spread out WEEKS apart, I had very similar encounters. I didn't make a big deal of anything and extended my own grace and flexibility, just assuming he must have had a rough day already. After the first incident, he actually apologized to me, and was nice enough to give me a small gift card to the coffee shop, just as an apology. That was nice. Not something I needed, but it was a nice thing to do, since I really didn't understand why there was so much tension.

Today, unfortunately, again there was a lot of tension when I asked a simple question - what was the spicy tiger eye chai like? I was happy and enthusiastic and just curious what it was! Sounded like a unique drink! I don't know if he was already frazzled, because he definitely seemed very stressed out from when I first walked in, and he said a few times that he'll be with me in just a minute. I was in absolutely no rush. I was just standing there. So maybe he felt under pressure from others. Again, I try to give people the benefit of the doubt and extend grace.

Unfortunately, this time, he seemed to go off the deep end and was telling me, quite aggressively or defensively (I don't know which one), talking at top speed, that they were out of the spices, but they have this this and this, and there's a Rishi version of something (I don't know what Rishi is), but that I should get the matcha tea latte, it's really good, and I should just get that.

I tried to take a pause because he seemed pretty frazzled, and I tried to communicate politely to clarify. I said, I didn't know what Rishi was, but I was just trying to understand what was in the spicy tiger eye chai. Is it that they're out of spices? If that's the case, then I don't really want a herbal tea version, but it's totally okay, and I'm happy to look at other options.

He tried to push me again to just try the regular chai (I still didn't know what the situation was, based on his conversation - he was just pushing me to take different options). I said that I was okay making a decision based on the options - I wasn't looking to try the different drinks, especially because we were 30 minutes to closing time. But that I was just trying to understand what was in the drink.

He AGAIN pushed a different drink, and then the unfortunate part, when I said I wasn't looking for a recommendation, was he thought I was being aggressive and yelling at HIM. That's too bad. I am fairly sure that if they review the video footage, they would see that my voice volume is quite normal, and that he was escalating the dynamic, really, quite unnecessarily. But it is his right to refuse service for whatever reason, so I took a step back and waited. It's up to him, and no one has a right to service. I respect that a barista must have to deal with all different kinds of people and difficult people throughout the day.

When he called me up, I talked extremely softly and slowly, but he said to keep in mind that there's video footage. I truly welcome the coffee shop to take a look at the video footage, because I don't think he was treating me with respect, and I felt that he was trying to just push me in different directions and get me to shut up and order a drink. I just had a simple question - what's in the chai? If you're out of it, what drink are you out of, and what are the remaining options.

Unfortunately, this is the third time in a row with this barista that he's had the same issues. I hate to say it, but he seems very emotionally volatile. He started off asking me how's life going and how have I been, when I came into the shop. He then proceeded to freak out...

This place represents everything that is wrong with Minnesotan white (passive)aggresiveness and with the third wave hipster coffee shop culture. The place is cute, the owner is nice, but two of the baristas are having a very problematic power trip just because they are "in charge." It's so dangerous to make such toxic people in charge of anything. They will do anything to cover up their lack of self-confidence and self-achievement. I went there with my dog—as my friends and I witnessed countless times dogs running loose there— and the barista says my 10-pound dog is disturbing people. When I ask them, "why is my dog disturbing and not the other dog" which was at the shop at the same time and unleashed, they say "just because they are doing something bad, doesn't mean I should be doing that too"!?!? What does this mean, can someone explain? What sort of an explanation is that? Then, perplexed because I confronted them and challenged their fictitious authority, they aggressively tell me "you have to make a purchase by the way." I go there all the time, so rude, so pathetic. These people think they can enjoy their power trips by proving others that they are the "authority." But, if you ask them, they will tell you that they are anarchist and opposed to any sort of authority. Later on, when my friend and I are having our snacks that we brought because they don't have meatless or dairy-free food, they stop my friend on their way back from the restroom and tell her with a horrible attitude that "we shouldn't bring food, they sell food there." Finally, when I am leaving the store, I tell the other barista that we bring our snacks because they don't have options for us, he tries to teach the Middle Eastern immigrant customer (me) about the "general courtesy rules" and asks me with a smirk on his face to "respect the general rules." Who are you to define the "general rules"? Or , who are you to try...

Staff is consistently unfriendly, borderline rude. They charge $8 for a sandwich and even $3 for a small cup of cottage cheese, which is overpriced in my book. I used to like this place, but the baristas give off a negative vibe. I won’t be back.

I’m editing my review to provide more specific info after reading a review Tankut Atuk wrote today. My “last straw” experience was yesterday (4/5) with what I assume are the same two power-tripping baristas, unless they’re all like that?

I had been a semi-frequent customer here. I was in the area and came in to kill a bit of unexpected free time before my next client meeting. One of the baristas came over and informed me I’d have to leave if I wasn’t going to order anything. I was a bit surprised, but technically I was in the wrong - it’s a business and they had every right to ask me not to take up space, so I got up to leave vs. purchasing anything since it was time to go anyway.

I went to use the bathroom on my way out however, and was informed by the other barista that, “If you aren’t going to purchase anything, then I can’t let you use the bathroom.” At this point I was completely taken aback. I can’t remember ever being denied acesss to a bathroom before in my adult life.

Owner: if you’re looking to attract only arrogant hipsters and drive everyone else out, keep doing what you’re doing. Otherwise, find some friendly baristas who have customer service skills and ditch the ones with an aggressive attitude. I like to support small businesses, but Starbucks is doing it right with their more...