Highland Coffee House

Highland Coffee House isn't just a coffee shop, it’s an institution. Stepping inside feels like walking into a secret garden or a best friend's living room. The ambiance is unmatched, dimly lit, surrounded by lush plants, and filled with the perfect background buzz of conversation and music. It is the ultimate antidote to sterile, corporate coffee chains. Whether you are studying late, catching up with an old friend, or just need a place to breathe, this is the spot. The patio is incredible in the warmer months, and the interior is a cozy sanctuary in the winter.

used to love highland for the cozy atmosphere and went there frequently for drinks and food. recently the barista pressured me to tip (which i was actively in the process of tipping) then began ranting about how people don't tip and the workers don't get paid much. during my time there i saw the worker tell a large table of people who had all bought drinks that they needed to leave unless they purchased more. publicly shaming people is an awful atmosphere for a coffee shop. i have never had this level of poor customer service before and will not be going back unless ownership changes.

Been coming here for years always a welcoming and friendly environment. sometimes it is packed without seating but jay makes the best coffee i’ve ever had. Jay is amazing and very friendly!! i don’t know how he gets to everyone in a timely manner to take orders or bring coffee/ food with how packed it gets. I have never had any issues here and recommend it to everyone!

seemed like a super cute place, i love that it's open late. i went here for the first time last week and the owner was incredibly rude to me. i am a student, like many of the patrons to this place. i do not have much money. but regardless, i paid $15 for a bagel and tea. i did not leave a tip, and likewise i was publicly shamed. it was super awkward. had i know what i was getting myself in to, i wouldn't have gone. the last thing i want to do is give someone money for humiliating me. there are many other, kinder, more affordable options in the area. i wanted to love this place but alas....

I really enjoyed this coffee shop and have been excited about the proximity that it has to my building as a PhD student. However, after being scolded today while I was in the active process of going through the tipping screen about how I should “be a decent person” because the workers only make 3$ an hour, I won’t be coming back. While I recognize that the model of table service is unique for a coffee shop, it is still a coffee shop. If it is to the point where this is being said to customers; perhaps this is not a sustainable model. I’ve both gotten table service here and ordered at the counter— so I don’t really think that it’s reasonable to expect customers to intuitively know what to do. Furthermore, the timing of this being said to me made me incredibly uncomfortable, and because I was so anxious, I couldn’t really think straight enough to select an appropriate tip amount as I was actively being spoken to in a confrontational manner. Had this been presented to me in a kinder way (and not after I was literally already in the middle of the process, actively in the screen), I would have heard the message. However, I am a depressed, anxious PhD student who is going through a lot personally (so, awesome work, you really chose the right target audience here) this made me further uncomfortable and also ruined my evening, so, my friends and I will find a different spot in the future. This appears to be a consistent problem with this owner and establishment based on other reviews. I also make 3$ an hour working pretty freaking hard myself— I don’t need a lecture. Oh and cherry on top? They never even bright my husbands food lol. So you want me to tip you even though you literally didn’t even do half the job? No thanks.