Evoke Cafe Bar — Restaurant in Seattle

I’ve been to evoke about 3 times in the past couple of months since I work around the area. I love the space and have been there frequently prior to when evoke acquired the cafe side. However in each of those 3 visits I’ve always encountered the same standoffish/rude barista. Each time I’m greeted as if I stepped into a private conversation and with a sour look. I understand having a bad day since I’ve worked customer facing jobs. I work in one right now and I can’t imagine treating my clients like this.

The first time I just assumed it was just a stressful day since the cafe was quite busy. I didn’t think much of it.

The second time it wasn’t really busy at all and it was the same kind of look/interaction.

The third time the cafe wasn’t busy and she was talking to who I assume was another barista or a friend. I was again looked at as if I didn’t belong there and she took my order.

I’m also incredibly lactose intolerant and each time I always request my drink with oat milk. However after these three times I’ve had massive stomach cramping and have been stuck in the bathroom for most of the day. I’m going to assume the first time was a mistake but it kept happening… other coffee spots I’ve ordered from have never caused something like this when I always ask for oat milk or any other non-milk substitute. If it’s an accident I understand but after three times I just can’t do it anymore 🥲

I wanted to give evoke a chance since it’s in the area and I like trying new coffee places… but after these three times I think ill just come around to get work done and get...

Ok, so the coffee was great and the barista was awesome. They were (probably) understaffed, so the barista was incredibly busy and did a great job managing multiple orders!

So why two stars? Well, we went here mainly for food, because most coffee shops are going to have good coffee in Seattle, but fewer have good breakfast, if anything at all. Both our food orders were not good:

The breakfast sandwich advertised bacon but was served with ham. I’m 90% certain the menu did not say Canadian bacon, so this was mildly disappointing. While it was otherwise fine, I can get much better in the area for the same price. (Try Rubinstein’s bagels.)

The Açaí bowl was served in a cup, and filled up so far that when you opened the lid, everything spilled out. This cup is clearly not made for this meal! So we walked home — about 5 minutes away — to put it in a real bowl. And by that time, it had somehow melted enough that it was mostly liquid. Unfortunately not pleasant. Please, please use real, solid, environmentally friendly, reusable plates!

So that’s why it gave it 2 stars. Food was the selling point for us, but I’ll likely not come back for their food. Coffee, on the other...

They are not very nice here. At least this one girl... there were two of them there talking when I walked in the building. Btw, it’s not like they were busy or anything like that, there was barely any customer there at the time. I was there to make a delivery and the coffee shop is inside the building at the same address as my delivery, right there when you walk in.

So, I walked up to them as they walk were chatting. I just greeted them nicely, trying to ask them where I needed to go for the delivery. This (short/bigger) girl there was just so rude. She didn’t even respond when I greeted her. Instead, she just gave me this dirty look for a couple of seconds, and in this disrespectful tone said “what’s up”? As if she had an issue with me, even though I had never even met her before. Is it wrong for a person to ask you for direction if they need help with where to go? Especially if it’s not like you were busy or anything like that? Maybe you should learn how to interact with people before working at a...