I really enjoy how much these guys love their business and roast their own coffee and I definitely will visit more often in the future, but I am pretty mixed on the place. I had a good cap one day, a good but not as good coffee the next day, a really helpful and knowledgeable barista yesterday and one who couldn’t care less about me being there today. Thus, why I cannot give them a perfect review. Again, these guys are a real coffee shop and they are professionals, but the little things do matter to me, like consistency and courtesy. Furthermore, as a barista, I think it is really valuable to have a connection with the customers and not take too much pride in being an elite artisan roaster (egos have their place, but one of these guys needs to chill out and be a little more open to people who aren’t them). The aesthetics of the place are not my favorite either, but that is just a personal issue. For a place that prides itself in its own roasting, I expected a little more uniqueness, especially for the “suggested” cup of coffee I was given. By suggested, I guess I should say told was the best and pretty much given no other option.

I had an interesting follow up to my visit. A barista from their store visited the Octagon during the SW Regional. I spoke with him a bit and he enjoyed the cap I made for him. At the end of our conversation I was frank about my dissatisfaction with their store. I was glad he was so open to the criticism, but I had to lament how turned off I was by the attitude and atmosphere of Barefoot.

I liked:

• The location