Alcove Coffeehouse — Restaurant in Mountain Park

Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be giving this coffee shop a fourth try. I came this afternoon hoping maybe third time is the charm, but again I have left disappointed. The first time we came, we ordered a 12oz hot white mocha and blackberry latte and a 16oz shot in the dark. The latte was scalding and the drip coffee came with a shot of espresso on the side, we poured it in ourselves. On top of that, the customer service was awful. The barista at the counter had a poor attitude and was quick to correct my ordering of the blackberry latte because I didn’t specifically ask for white mocha so it didn’t curdle. The second time I ordered an iced blackberry and white mocha latte and a 16oz shot in the dark. Again the drip coffee came with the shot on the side, so we again poured it in ourselves. Not sure if that’s a problem with how we’re ordering, as I’ve been a barista for four years and wouldn’t serve drip with espresso on the side if a shot in the dark was ordered. My iced latte came with oat milk, after she asked me if whole milk was okay and I replied yes. They also made it like a “Starbucks macchiato” with the espresso on top, so I stirred it myself. And again the service was terrible, not personable at all and seemed unhappy to help the line of customers. I like to give shops the benefit of the doubt, maybe employees are new and don’t have experience making drinks yet, or something of the sort. Plus this is the only coffee shop in the surrounding area with blackberry syrup, and it’s just so good. But today’s visit will be my last. We went inside, the only two at the counter until 3 more stepped in line behind us. We waited up front for a few minutes while both baristas were in the kitchen. The girl that came to the counter came out first, and seemed very disappointed she had a line of customers to take care of. I ordered a 16oz hot blackberry and white mocha latte, with whole milk. She repeated it back to me, I had to tell her again there was also blackberry. Okay, that’s fine. I asked how many shots of espresso came in the latte, she said 3 in the hot latte and that there’d be 4 in my iced latte. When did I order that? I then corrected the order and told her it was one drink, not two, and she seemed confused. I paid, and waited. My latte came out warm, and at this point in my experience coming to Alcove, it’s not worth asking for it to be remade. Too bad the service is poor, no matter the barista, because the blackberry syrup is the only redeemer. I wish it was different, sorry to leave a...

Alcove Coffee is worth a trip for the view alone. Combined with decent coffee drinks and a nice variety of food, it is a solid addition to the Snellville/Lilburn area that is bereft of caffeine dispensing cafes. That being said, I can only give this place 3 stars due to the horrible customer service and strange rules I have experienced over and over again.

Examples:

If there is a line of customers, they will make each individual's drinks before they will take the next order. This often leads to awkward waiting around in the bar area, and customers who cannot go ahead and find a seat while they wait for their order. Often times, the baristas will not even acknowledge your presence in these situations. I understand that they can be busy, but even a simple, "I will be with you in a moment" would be appreciated.

If you have a laptop, you are not permitted to sit by the windows during certain hours and will be asked to move. I understand the reasoning, but this applies even when there is no one else there.

They will shut off the wifi without warning. For example, it was 15 minutes until closing and I was working on a online quiz that would only take 5 minutes. Without an announcement, the wifi was shut down and I lost all my work. I was pretty upset, but took the hint and left. Regardless, an announcement would be appreciated.

There is no free tap water. You must buy bottled water. I have never been to a coffee shop where this was even an issue.

There are no posted weekday hours. The hours online are all incorrect. Oddly enough, the weekend hours are posted on the door. (They close at 8 PM on weekdays by the way).

All in all, it gives the overall impression that you are not welcome and they are trying to save money anyway they can. I come here because it is the only place this side of Snellville to get decent coffee. But honestly, if you do come here, get a simple drink, go outside and enjoy the view of the deck, and then go home. Anything more than that and it's simply...

While I usually love Alcove for its calm environment and beautiful lake view, my visit today was anything but calm. I visited on 9/22/21 at 9:30 am, and there was one employee. As I entered, I forgot to put my mask on, something rather unusual for me. At the ordering counter, the barista treated me in a hostile manner. She said, in a hostile way, "Put your mask on for me.” I immediately put my mask on, apologizing for forgetting it, but still trying to make small talk. She cut me off, saying, "We have a couple of signs out there!" She was rude and confrontational, even after I had put my mask on. She continued by disclosing personal information about the owner’s immediate family, which wasn’t necessary. If I had been in the owner’s place, I wouldn’t have wanted that information to be shared with random customers. Later on, I asked for a real mug, and she refused, in a rude tone. I understand that different coffee shops have different policies, and I don’t have an issue with the policy itself, but she should have communicated it in a polite manner. I am a retail pharmacy manager, and I train my employees in customer service. Wearing a mask is mandatory for my patients/customers but my employees are trained on how to properly address any violations. Additionally, I’ve been on the front line of the pandemic, I am under extreme pressure at work and when I’m off, I seek peace, not to be yelled at ! As I was leaving, I asked her what her name was, to put in my review. She refused to answer, instead asking me what MY name was, and loudly asking me why I needed her name. When I told her the reason, she started yelling at me, telling me that the coffee shop followed “protocols,” and daring me to leave a review. She never did tell me her name. Since she was the only employee at the shop on 9/22/21 at 9:30 AM, I hope that information is enough to identify her. I urge you to retrain this particular employee on how to address...