West Side Perk

To be honest, I had fairly low expectations considering from the outside, I thought this was going to an awkwardly situated coffee shop tucked inside a strip mall. I was wrong though and ended up being pleasantly surprised! A couple tables, several comfortable chairs… there’s not a whole lot of space but for going in on a late afternoon, I didn’t have any trouble finding a spot to call my own. Cute, comfortable ambiance too with friendly staff and a fireplace and a shelf of games. It’s always a little disappointing to me when I see everyone drinking out of the disposable cups when they have perfectly good ceramic mugs just wanting to be used. I wish that coffee shops such as this would ask if it was for here or to-​go and automatically serve their hot drinks in a mug if the customer will be staying. Nonetheless, my hot chocolate with almond milk (in a mug) was delightful and I got a good hour of work done, which sadly was cut short since they close at 5pm. You’ll have to ask for the wifi password since they change it consistently (to ensure that it’s for customers only) which I sometimes find a bit annoying depending on the mood of the barista (sometimes at other coffee shops they act like you’re bothering them by asking but hey, you could have posted it!). Anyway, if you’re in the area, check out West Side Perk! They also have a drive-​through if that’s more your style.

West Side Perk is a real treasure. It is the BEST coffee shop, not only for the drinks, but the people. It is family owned and operated and they really try to include the community in it, by hosting events/​fundraisers, supporting local artists by providing a venue for local musicians to perform & a place for artists to showcase their artwork. When you support West Side Perk, you truly are supporting the greater community. The atmosphere is great, they have a fireplace too when it’s cold out! I would HIGHLY recommend visiting the Perk, the staff is wonderful who sincerely care about their customers (Shout out to Deb, Cindy, & Joan!), the drinks are great, and they even offer soups, sandwiches, & pastries! Whether swinging through the drive through on your way to work, or sipping a cool smoothie on a warm afternoon, West Side Perk has it all! Do yourself a favor and check it out!

I have never been here when the service was less than very friendly. Unfortunately, I’ve never been here when the service was less than very slow. Okay if you are ordering a coffee but if you are getting a latte or cappuccino, pull up a chair, it’s gonna take awhile.

My biggest customer service pet-​peeve is when I’m the only one in the exchange that says THANK YOU! It’s so easy and fun to say! The blonde lady who is almost always at the drive-​thru, has never once said thank you, or even cracked a smile — that is not an exaggeration & we’ve interacted at least 2 dozen times. She’s even snubbed my bf, who is impossible not to like.
Living so close, it is nice to have this as an option when I’m in a pinch but it’s disappointing that I can’t LOVE my local coffee shop.

Maybe I have common taste but didn’t really care for their coffee. The scone was ok but paying almost $ 10 for those two items really turns me off. Only interaction with the workers is when you stand in line waiting to order. Did like that they brought out my latte but didn’t care for having to bus your own table. For those prices, I think they could’ve been a little more hands on.
Also, does anyone else think they have a really odd layout in the dining area?

Remember coffee shops before Starbucks? This has a bit of that feel. Great coffee and pastries. It may feel small to some people but I think it’s perfect and you can also go out into the inside lobby between a couple other great restaurants, outside at a table or just sit on the lawn. There’s also a drive thru, which is a huge bonus in the morning.

Great customer service! Loved the atmosphere and the coffee coolers are a must in the summer. Check out the burlap table runners and pillows that the owner makes out of the old coffee bean bags! Will be going back.

The coffee, treats, and incredibly kind service set West Side Perk head and shoulders above the competition. Skip Caribou and Starbucks — West Side Perks has ‘em beat!

Good pastries, a fireplace, leather seating, spacious, and good coffee. It’s a little gem hidden out in the ‘burbs. Worth the drive and the confusing Google navigation instructions.

Support a local business and buy your coffee here. The shop is owned and operated by a Bloomington resident, so the money is staying right here in our town. The atmosphere is very friendly, family-​oriented and unpretentious (try getting that at a Starbucks). I’m so happy to have a neighborhood coffee shop and hope they stay in business.

Food/​Drink: Coffee was average, nothing to write home about. I’ll come back to try some of the espresso drinks in the future. The breakfast foods were all plastic wrapped or outsourced so I skipped it. They mention some lunch options, but nothing that would make me go out of my way to try them.
Ambiance: Well, here’s the thing, this coffee shop is more modeled after your living room. With the fireplace, the games, the comfortable sofas, the tv (and corresponding TV night for kids), it’s you’re home away from home. It is a little crowded around the ordering area and the cream, sugar, etc, but hopefully you’re not spending a ton of time in these areas.
Service: Good, no complaints. The coffee was for here and was given a mug and mentioned there are refills. No upsell, no crazy conversation about the weather.
Overall: It’s really hard to knock a independent and local coffee shop. It’s good in a pinch, especially in the area. If you’re planning on working here, it’s pretty quiet and you won’t get bothered except maybe during the kids nights, but plan accordingly and you’ll be fine.

I love the atmosphere at West Side Perk. You can come with a friend and have a great conversation in this comfy-​cozy smallish coffee shop. It’s incredibly clean, and you can tell that they want to be a hub for the community, as they sell books by local authors, hold community events here, etc. Both family friendly and a quiet escape!

If given a choice, this is the place that’s at the top of my list for coffee close to home. Average pricing for specialty drinks, no fuss about a special order, tasty tuna salad sandwich. Comfy chairs by the fireplace as well as a drive-​thru is a boon depending on when you feel like stopping in or just stopping by.
The only times I have ever noticed a dip in service is when they had new employees training but any mistakes made were happily rectified.

I’ve been looking for a local coffee shop to call home since moving to Eden Prairie, and I’ve finally found it at West Side Perk! Today was my first time there and there are already a lot of reasons to love this little gem:
1. Service: A super smiley, nice staff goes a long way. Keep it up, ladies!
2. Entertainment: Having a whole shelf of board games makes WSP a perfect place to meet up with friends for coffee and a round of Desperate Housewives Dirty Laundry. Yes, they really do have that game.
3. Atmosphere: This is a great place to park it and get some work done. Plenty of outlets (usually right under your seat), and it’s fairly quiet and cozy. It reminds me a lot of Overflow Café.
4. Food: Shoutout to the chicken & wild rice soup I had today. Seriously good. The coffee was great as well, though I’m excited to try their espresso drinks next time!
5. Drive-​thru coffee: This is and always will be a beautiful thing.

Great hidden gem of a coffee shop. Plenty of comfortable seats with adequate plug sockets and a quiet atmosphere makes this a great place for studying or other work. I was very excited to find a great independent shop in Bloomington.

Happy to find good, quality minded independents when we travel. Owner Deb Irvin and her staff are friendly, no bubbly, (and yes, my MN friends, you do talk that way). Deb uses artisan roast coffee from True North roasters in St. Paul. I sampled the Mexican Altura — good aroma, mild up front and a nice bright, citrus finish. Bottom line is this is where you should go when nearby because corporate coffee just doesn’t match up.

Cute. Great place to meet with friends. The brewed coffee is better than Dunkin but the latte was not impressive.
Support the independent anyway.

This is a coffee shop with a very friendly atmosphere. Whenever I go, the crew is always smiling and eager to help. It is a super addition to our neighborhood. The coffee drinks are delicious and reasonably priced.
I was once there on an uncharacteristically busy Saturday afternoon, and the few young people behind the counter were really working hard and kept everybody happy and the line moving.
I also like that is has a drive-​thru.

My sister needed an afternoon pick me up and the baby was asleep in the car seat, so we headed on over to this optional drive-​thru coffee shop. I got myself a small skim dry caramel cappuccino extra hot, and it was pretty good. The speaker at the drive-​thru was very clear and impressed me that the lady could hear us so well. As we pulled up to order she told us about the many different flavor sauces and syrups they have for the drinks that they could make us. We also got a punch card as well so that after 10 drinks the next one is free and it could be any size too! The prices are reasonable and next time we might get a chance to stop inside.

This sweet, quaint coffee shop is no more than a stone’s throw from my house, but because of my addiction to a corporate coffee chain (that will go unnamed), I didn’t rush to try West Side Perk.
When I did finally step into this darling shop, I was blown away. The bold colors, the cozy feel and the friendly staff made my experience wonderful. It felt like the ‘Cheers’ of coffee shops-​welcoming, friendly and fun.
I cozied up with a cup of tea, bowl of soup (Delicious, BTW) and a good book and got lost at West Side Perk.