Omen Coffee Company — Restaurant in St. Louis

Omen Coffee Company is unlike any other coffee shop I have ever visited, and I have visited a lot! The interior design is so aesthetically pleasing. It's crisp and modern and industrial, warmed by golden yellows and green plants everywhere. The seating is chic and plush and comfortable! You can either sit at the bar or a couch or a table or a wall booth hybrid! So many options. That's just a bit on the atmosphere. Now, the coffee is DELICIOUS. They have a limited menu, but it is unique! Of course, you can get just about any coffee if you ask, but the featured items are lattes, cortados, americanos, cold brews, CEMA Special, and some non-coffee beverages like cherry limeade, tonics, and teas! The CEMA Special is my go-to. It's milk, caramel, and espresso over ice. But I request chocolate oat milk and it tastes like a candy bar! The mini bakery is all local made cookie, coffee cakes, and breakfast bars. I am not a big bakery indulger but the few items I have tried were so soft, fresh, and palatable. My BF loves the Blondie bars and the Blueberry Jam squares! You can even get a parfait upon request! For most coffee shops, this would be all to add. But not with OCC! Omen is all about cultivating a community of people that extends far beyond a shared love of caffeinated beverages. Omen offers Sunday Service Yoga, Men and Women's Groups, and several social events meant to bring patrons together to mingle. The owner, Mark, is a delightful owner and barista! His right-hand barista, Lau, is my go-to for fun conversation and smiles! Grace and Katie keep the cafe flowing with drinks and smiles and social media content! I love how OCC has become an almost daily part of my routine! Definitely check them out and join...

Came in today around 1:30 with the intention of getting some work down and enjoying a treat. I am an Attorney and just wanted a change of environment today. This was my third time coming to this shop all within the past two months.

The Owner “Mark”, approached me as soon as I sat down and stated “he remembered me from last time and that I sat down for a few hours and did not purchase anything, —this space is ONLY open for customers”. The statement was at minimum off putting and at maximum rude and really assumes a lot. I had only been seated for two minutes today. While I had not bought anything the most recent time (about a month ago) , I did in fact buy something the first time and planned to buy something today. (I did not know it was a requirement for entry, and did not see a sign posted).

I went to the register soon after the interaction and bought a can of Topo Chico. The owner then introduced himself and forced small talk but it was awkward. Note, that he did not speak to me at all on the other two occasions. The whole scenario made me feel uncomfortable/ unwelcome and I left within 3 minutes. I will not be back, and will not recommend to anyone.

After a quick review of the companies social media, it seems to have been issues in the past with others feeling unwelcome as well. I really make it a point to explore my neighborhood and support local businesses and was just overall disappointed in the owners approach.

Pro tip; lead with kindness, you don’t know what people are going through. I was already having...

Additional Update: It's very odd for the owner of an establishment to gaslight their previous customers via comments on reviews. Everyone is intitled to their own opinion, but only someone who doesn't respect others attempts to gaslight guests.

Original Review: Born and raised in STL and I've always loved checking out places I've never been to in my home city so I decided to give Omen a try. It was...meh, about on par with Starbucks, maybe a little worse. The coffee tasted burnt, the atmosphere was pretty generic and a bit off, and the service was just fine.

It felt over priced for the what I got, and as a STL native I can safely say there are MUCH better options around. Check out Hartford, Coffee Stamp, or Sump! They all serve absolutely amazing food and coffee and are always extremely friendly. Hartford has some of the best beans!

EDIT: I am changing my review to 1 star because an account with no affiliation to STL and only 1 review copied my review word for word, and then spun it to be more favorable and gave Omen 5 stars. I find it hard to believe someone acting on their own would do this, and it's left me with a very uneasy feeling. As silly as these reviews can be, people look to them for honest information about businesses in their local area. So when something like that happens, things look and feel very fishy and the reviews can no...