Rise — Restaurant in Springfield

I took my husband to Rise for breakfast May 5th to celebrate his birthday. First, the positives, because I generally prefer to be positive. The restaurant was clean, minimalistic (which I like), with plants, a nice airy atmosphere. I ordered the Strawberry marscapone ricotta pancakes with a side of bacon. The pancakes were delicious, perfectly cooked, the strawberries were fresh, the marscapone topping was very nice. The bacon was really good and cooked well, but their idea of a side is 2 slices. My husband ordered biscuits and gravy. The biscuit was beautiful - light, fluffy with a perfect crispness on the edges. Now here is where things go awry. The sausage gravy tastes like someone got creative with spices and it didn't have the usual biscuits and gravy flavor. I don't know if it was an issue with the sausage or with the gravy seasoning but it wasn't good. Then they only give you about two tablespoons, barely enough to cover the two biscuits. With my pancakes, I prefer to have syrup as well. They do offer the option. My husband had placed our order initially, so he didn't order it. I asked the waiter for syrup. He said, "It will be an upcharge." I said, "That's fine." My husband said, "Sorry, love. They did ask me, I told them no." The waiter said, "So do you want the syrup?" Uh...as if I had just changed my mind? "Of course." I replied and he disappeared. Not to get my syrup, no, no, no...he returned with the card scanner to collect my upcharge before I could get syrup. How much? $2.72! OK, whatever. Then he brings out the maple syrup in a tiny crock jug...all of about an ounce! Want a refill on coffee? Pay for it. Then, the waiter had brought out my "seasonal" beverage - a passion fruit green tea. I expected to taste passion fruit or green tea or both. Instead, I tasted neither. Nothing. It was like tinted water. My husband tasted it, said he could pick up just a hint of green tea. I thought maybe it was just me. I thought maybe the tea hadn't brewed long enough but I think too much water was added. When the waiter asked how everything was, I said, "I'm afraid my drink doesn't taste like anything." His reply? "HUH! That's weird. I'll check on it." Then he comes back and says, "We can add more sweetener to it if that's what you need." Seriously? I said, "No, what I NEED is a drink with flavor. I already have water. I'll order something else." He said, "OK, what would you like?" I told him, he disappeared then returned to the table with, you guessed it, the card scanner. As we left, my husband said, "That was the most pretentious place we've been. For a $60 breakfast, we'll...

Their desserts are good and they have ok food. But don't come here if you're on a budget and if you're looking to try something new and broaden your horizon because when you buy it. You're stuck with it. I took 1 bite of their breakfast bowl here and not my thing. And primarly because it was too greasy like someone soaked the whole dish in oil. And every establishment/restaurant I've ever been to if you didn't like something and especially if you only took 1 bite of it or very little of it because you tried to like it. Most places offer something different or money back. So that way either A you aren't stuck with something you don't like and you can have something maybe you do? Or B take your money somewhere else. It kinda feels like stealing when someone brings their money to your establishment and you force them to keep something they don't like without any offer to make things better. All I was told was by a server who said they talked to a manager is that they're sorry we can't do anything. Are y'all that desperate to keep people's money? I've work in the restaurant industry before. And I have never ever been told that we couldn't make something different for a customer or offer a refund. Because we wanted to make the customer happy so that they'll leave a good review. Unlike me. Because I didn't have a good experience. I feel like my money was taken and I'm not happy. If I'm spending money at a place I have some expectations especially since the place always looks busy for the food to be good. And for me and my palate. I didn't like the breakfast bowl. But now I'm stuck with it. No offer to make something different or a refund. What a waste of $14. I could've used that to buy some groceries at the store and make something myself to eat. Experiences like this are the reason why I don't want to go out anymore to any establishment. It seems like nowadays good customer services is disappearing. And good customer service doesn't just mean putting on a smile and being polite. Good customer service is being both polite and coming up with a solution to make the customer happy. Because like I said. As a customer who has worked in the restaurant industry. I know how real customer service is supposed to work. And this felt like such a joke. You didn't even make an offer to ask... " What can we do to make this better? " That's the basis on how any negative customer experience should be handled. Not... " Sorry. There's nothing...

My husband and I were looking for a nice breakfast to celebrate the end of a productive month. We ended up settling on Rise since it was near some other errands we had this morning.

I'm just going to say, today's breakfast was worth every penny. Was it pricier than I'd typically spend? Only if you count fast food chain breakfasts. When it comes to a solid, real breakfast (not from Taco Bell or McDonald's), the pricing was on point for comparable places like Panera. Except the value was so much better here.

The breakfast bowls are massive and leave you full, but not miserable and feeling gross like typical greasy breakfast fair. And trust me, they don't skimp on flavor either. I swear both my husband I were saying "mmmm" after every single bite. I have no idea what they season their food with, but whatever it is it's worth its weight in gold.

Not to mention, the ingredients are quality. Every component of our bowls was next level. Whether that be the sweet potatoes, the sour dough bread, the sausage, the eggs, all top notch.

On top of that, the menu caters to meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegan patrons. A rarity in Springfield. Yet, Rise does it so well with tasty food no matter what your dietary preference are. I love the fact that there's somewhere both my vegetarian husband and I, a non-vegetarian, can eat without him being left with a single option on the menu.

Aside from the amazing breakfast, the staff were extremely friendly and the restaurant's atmosphere was so calming yet awake. I loved all the plants throughout the space, the antique tile floors, the spring-like and energetic pops of color throughout, even the music fit the space. We got our food to go, but just sitting there and waiting was treat. (Did I mention the chairs were so soft and comfy?)

We can't wait to go back. I can't recommend Rise enough. Definitely one of the best breakfast places in Springfield and way better than any...