Victor's Celtic Coffee & Roasters — Restaurant in Redmond

I've grown up in the area, and Victor's has always been around. When it first opened, it was actually run by someone named Victor. It was sold awhile later, I want to say in the early 2000s. Let me start with the things that one might find frustrating, because I like to end on a good note!

Not super kid friendly. If you have kids, and you want to get them a snack, need a booster seat, etc. to my knowledge, from what I've seen, they don't have any of that here. They have the food, but they don't have the hi-chairs. I also want to note that bikes, scooters and skateboards should be left outside, as it's not a huge space up front. There are rules for Wi-Fi and using it and how often, especially when the owner is there enforcing the rules. Make sure that you check with the cashier on the Wi-Fi rules at the time of your visit, before you decide to open your laptop and attempt to stay awhile (or even before you order anything, that way you don't waste your time or money). I have seen people be asked to leave/turn off their devices. They do charge you to use your credit card/debit card. Cash is the one way that you get a set price here. Not a whole lot of outlets for plugging in an electronic device. The food does feel overpriced for what you get.

The good:

They don't burn their coffee. Someone, I think it's the owners wife, because I've seen her showing the baristas how to make the coffee before, makes sure that they all know how to make a really good latte. The fresh made whipping cream. Amazing! 3.The atmosphere It does have a European Cafe feel to it. It is wonderful if you want to have a conversation with someone and catch up after having been apart for awhile. The encouragement to put your phones away and talk gives the perfect environment to do just that. The location. If you are looking to get a delicious coffee and then go somewhere for a larger meal, but you want to take your time and discuss where to go, if you are going on foot, how long that will take you, etc. there are lots of really great restaurants around the area, and this is the perfect meeting spot in the morning to plan your day.

I hope that this is a...

Edit: After taking into account the alternatives to Victor's on the Eastside, I'd like to adjust my rating. The prices do seem to match those of competing businesses and I would much prefer to spend my money at a small, local business.

I've been going to Victor's Celtic Coffee & Roasters for the better part of a year now and I do consistently enjoy the time I spend there. Cafe's like this one, with it's warm and cozy atmosphere, are few and far between on the Eastside. This is a good place to bring a book and sit for a while, ya know?

That said, I do have some complaints.

The high prices of their drinks aren't listed on their menu above the counter. Today my husband and I came in and we ordered a 12oz Mandarin Mocha and a 16oz Black Forest. The order came out to about $18 with a $2 tip. I can't lie, I did hesitate to tap my card. I believe that a customer shouldn't be surprised at the price of their order at checkout.

I usually go by myself and have a regular order of a 12oz Cappuccino, so maybe I just never noticed how expensive the drinks are until today. But now that I am taking notice, I have to add that their $6 price point for a 12oz Cappuccino is also excessive.

I haven't been for some weeks and I often forget to pull out the rewards punch card I have with me, but today I remembered. I was taken aback when we were told that they no longer accept the punch cards. I just don't understand that. I was about halfway through my second punch card, which meant that I had already spent around $35. I would have had to spend around $60-$70 for the free coffee offered after completing a punch card. I guess a $4.75 (w/ tax) self-serve coffee is too expensive for the café (as well as the customer) if they can't afford to keep up with their former reward system.

Unfortunately, because of the high prices, I will not be making as many visits to Victor's. I'll miss it, especially during these...

Sad service. Amazing flavored drink!

Maybe it was a bad day for staff, but we had a really rough time on our last visit. Two drinks, two pastries. 20 minutes at least. The person who took our order took their break and our order was scrambled and lost. Seems like it may have happened to other customers as well.

Folks were lined up at the pick up area, super impatient. At one point the cashier asked a customer to take a drink to a table for them - maybe the customer was a regular, but he definitely did not know the people he was asked to take the drink to and this request seemed super unprofessional and odd. Drinks started to pile up on the counter, but no one was around to claim them, what a mess. The drink maker asked another coworker to 'get this s* off the counter for me'. I cringed.

Time passed slowly, we got our drinks - in the wrong cups at first. Though we had been very clear that this was a 'to go' order, it was shocking to the person making the drinks. How did that get lost? My drink didn't have the whipped cream on it though, which was a pretty big deal to me. "Oh, did you want the whipped cream?" Yes, it was part of my order, it says it is part of the drink, please, thank you.

We left, hoping the folks behind the counter would see some relief. Walking away, I tried the drink. Wow, it was amazing! Not too sweet, a great flavor. This brings them from two up to three stars for me.

I've never worked in a coffee shop before - if you're super slammed, does it make sense to let customers know that your drinks will be a little while? Would certainly have helped some of the customers that grew increasingly irritated as we all waited. If that's not how it works, it's got to at least be common practice to have a way of cashiers telling drink makers what size of drink customers ordered and whether it was for there or to go. Thankfully we were there to kill time, just won't be...