The West Brooklyn — Restaurant in New York

Love coming here, it's my neighborhood coffee house. Thank goodness the people who work here are SO FRIENDLY. And the walk-up window is DOPE. And I love the music they play. And I love the decor and lighting. I work from here, I draw here. The coffee is just great. The end. Oh wait! Funny story. I noticed one day on the outside of the building toward the back of the building near their little courtyard area there was this movement as I was walking by. Barely saw it out of the corner of my eye. But it was like a leaf was blowing in the wind or something. I stopped and looked and I thought for a moment that I saw a tiny little person on the side walk run and take cover under a little weed that was growing out from the building's foundation. I thought I was crazy. But I wasn't in a hurry that morning and was feeling sort of playful and light, so I decided to indulge myself and go check under the green leaves of the weed for fun. I sort of gently moved the little bush and huddled there, visibly shaking with fear, was a tiny little woman! She was dressed in business casual, sort of a sleek stylish pant suit and she had a tiny to go cup of coffee in her hand. She shook so much that the coffee spilled out of her cup and onto her hand and she grimaced in pain as she looked for a way to escape from me. I was frozen with disbelief. I had gone crazy. This wasn't happening. When she winced from the pain of the hot coffee on her hand it snapped me out of my stupor and I immediately reached out my hand and scooped her up as gently as I could. She screamed and I almost dropped her. I whispered to her "it's ok, it's ok! I'm not trying to hurt you! I.... what ..... who are you!?" She began talking but I couldn't hear anything but what sounded like squeaks so I brought her close to my face. I could hear her now and she was going on about how she needed to get to work and that people were going to ask where she was soon and that she was not supposed to be here. I eventually butted in and said "I'm so sorry. I will put you down. But.... what is happening? Who are you? Why are you so small? Why am I so big?" She stared at me for a long time. She had calmed down a bit. I sat down on the sidewalk and leaned against the building. Truth be told I was feeling light headed. This was a lot. She began to talk and told me about a world all around us, us big people. She said there were millions of them. They inhabited NYC from Inwood to Staten Island. Their own economy. Their own homes. Their own transit. Their own parks. Everything. She was a single woman working in advertising and she lives in Brooklyn. Advertising for her consisted of sourcing letters off of discarded material from "the bigs" (thats us). We talked all morning. I couldn't believe this new reality and how we had never seen it before. She eventually said she had to get to work and I asked her if I could take her there. She said yes and told me that she worked across the street. Literally across the street so I walked her across and set her down gingerly. I asked her if I could see her again and she blushed a little and said yes. She took out the tiniest of pens made from a twig and some beetle juice and wrote her number on the side of my index finger. I was so excited to call her that afternoon to see if she wanted to go to a movie or dinner or something but an hour later I sneezed into my hand and the number got obliterated. I haven't seen her since. But every once in a while I walk past The West with my head down, looking....

I ordered a maple latte, I don't like sweet drinks, but enjoy a hint of flavor and my all time fave coffee drink ever is a maple bourbon latte I get in Nashville. When ordering, I asked please go VERY light on the syrup, as again I do not like sweet drinks. The drink I received was was overpoweringly sweet and tasted nothing of maple, but instead of simple syrup mixed with too much cinnamon (I am sensitive to cinnamon and did not know it was in the drink). I hate to complain so tried to drink it, but could not stomach it. As I paid $7 for this little thing, I thought I'd would be doing myself a disservice to not just say something. I totally didn't blame the bartender for his heavy pour on the simple, but thought he'd be glad to fix it since I was clear I wanted very light syrup and perhaps there was a misunderstanding on what that meant (although to be frank, I don't know how anyone could have considered that light). I kindly asked the bartender if we could do something about the sweetness level. He indifferently said he could put cold some cold brew in it (I got a hot drink??). I said, "wouldn't that make it cold?" Him:yep. I sit back down. Try to sip some more. I just can't do it! (Ive had probably 10% and my stomach hurts). I go back, again to ask if there is anything we could do about the sweetness, even some hot water! He cooly adds hot water to my drink. It's still too sweet. I leave. I was flabbergasted that he would not want to fix the drink/make me a new one. TLDR: The drink did not come how I ordered it. I kindly asked if we could fix the issue. He was rude, dismissive, and didn't fix it. I wasted $7, and felt nauseous...

Have only left 1 bad review in my life, however, this service was called for one. I ordered a drink that I had a few sips from next to my bottle of water that was also barely drank. I used the restroom for maybe 30sec and came back to both the water and beer thrown out (not a big deal because the bartender realized that, poured me another one and apologized). I then close my tab and am charged for both. I asked if I was being charged for both to the bartender who “replaced my drink”, in which he said to the other bartender charging me for both, if that was the case. He then told the other bartender charging me what happened, but she said she “will still be charging me for both drinks” and was incredibly rude, instead of understanding. As a bartender of 13 years, had this same scenario happened at any places I’ve worked, I would’ve said “oh I apologize for that, no worries” and rectified the situation. Instead, she then proceeded to “enlighten me” and explain to me the proper way to leave your drink while using the bathroom (napkin over the drink… yea, no shit). However, there were no napkins around and I didn’t think the 30sec I was gone after establishing presence at the bar that this would happen. Just overall very unprofessional on all accounts and disappointing because I like the overall atmosphere and backyard of The West. I still tipped her rude ass 20% as she sarcastically yelled...