The Roots Coffeebar & Cafe

It’s a pretty decent atmosphere for a local café. I’m always looking for somewhere to study quieter than what Starbucks has become. I’m afraid this isn’t that place either. The music is so loud it helps lead to a loud environment as people begin talking over the music. Sad coffee shops are no longer a quite chill environment but the place is a cool hangout

I stopped in for dinner with my Aunt while visiting from Texas. There was a band playing and it totally had a «Friends» coffehouse vibe. «Smelly cat, smelly cat»… It was cute — WI is all very «small town» vibe for me so I always get a good chuckle at the nightlife. However, very cute place, spacious, AND — MAJOR SCORE — they served coffee, food and ALCOHOL! Cha-​ching! We got a vegetarian sandwhich and, well, it was OK but nothing special. I would suggest always toasting bread for sandwhiches… that would have helped. Also, play around with it — there just wasn’t anything special really. But, fresh, edible and ok.

I love this place! This is one café that you most certainly have to stop in and hang out. Love the ambient setting and calm atmosphere. My lady and I always get gift cards from family members to this store so we are thrilled to come back.
We usually get the artichoke dip — mmmm… mmmm so good, I totally recommend this place to anyone who like an environment made to feel like your hanging in your own house.
Lately, the one thing I am slightly bummed out about is they stopped doing the open mic night on Fridays… I understand the reasons behind this decision were legitimate, but there are many reasons to bring it back ;)
Overall, this place is on fiiiyyyaaahhh (not literally) — as the younger generation (not that I am that old) seems to calls things nowadays… definitely check it out!!!

Delicious, spot on coffee in oconomowoc, WI. Highly recommend getting the latte on the way from Osrui camp. It’s totally worth the stop.

Roots has amazing gluten free food options which is huge when you have a horrible gluten allergy! It is very hard to eat out. The staff is wonderful. Always kind and courteous. Love it here!

This place is the best. True coffee shop without any of the chain shop bs. People are super friendly and coffee is really good. Recommended to all coffee drinkers!

Coffee shop on steroids … In the good way .
First thing I noticed when I walked in was how big the place was. There is lots and lots of seating. They have tables and the ever so cliché sofas. You can enter via the street or the back by the lake.
Their menu is so much more then just coffee. They have smoothies, small plates, hot and cold sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups and Bakery. They serve breakfast as well .
Now let’s get to the important part: the coffee. They have the coffee on its own board and they have seasonal specials as well .
I got the Carmel Apple latte and it was amazing.. Not to sweet, more coffee tasting. I also ordered the Beatles sandwich. I liked that the jam was the kind with the seeds in it .
Out of all the sandwiches I’ve had from here, there isn’t one I didn’t like. It’s refreshing to eat food that gets back to the basics and just gives you simple, whole quality.

I liked this place when it first opened great décor but the coffee is just terrible now. I brought my 2 latte’s back because the tasted like warm milk. I did not want to risk another fail so went for the chai instead.
Well not impressed gross .? I have given up on this place no more chances. The Food is so so also. I will spend my money elsewhere there is Better coffee down the road.

I’ve visited Roots several times and my favorite thing about it is its location on the «main drag» of downtown Oconomowoc, just a very brief walk from the lake shore. I also enjoyed the spacious, homey feeling of the space – there’s tons of seating inside and outside: couches, dining tables, high tables, etc. I am not a big fan of their actual coffee and espresso drinks. Both times I ordered a vanilla latte, it was noticeably missing an «espresso» taste and was rather watered down. Regardless of this, though, it’s one of the best coffee options in Oconomowoc and its worth a visit if only to make use of its spaciousness.

This is an indoor playground disguised as a coffee shop. Kids are all over the place, but I guess that’s a good thing for such a family-​oriented town. I’d avoid this café, though, if you have any standards for your coffee. I’ve given Roots a lot of chances. Last time I was here, an employee prepared an iced latte – a drink that’s quite difficult to screw up – and it tasted so awful and rank that I had to toss it after 2 sips. $ 5 wasted.
They do have one barista who knows how to pull a great shot, but in my experience the quality of the espresso drinks has been a crapshoot – and I’ve since banned myself from going here. Consistency is important for any café, but unfortunately you won’t find that at Roots. The sandwiches have really gone downhill as well. Not worth your money at all.

Nice atmosphere. A little chilly since there’s not a double doorway and the area is very large and open. I was happy I ordered a hot tea to keep me warm. I enjoy the variety of offerings they have and their willingness to make things «your way». It’s a great place to meet up with friends and chat.

Great atmosphere, people and coffee! Love that they offer Almond Milk, unlike some of the big chains! Also love that they offer GF bread opt for sandwiches. The Stevie Wonder is my fav!

Terrible tasting coffee! Not a huge fan at all! Slow getting your bad coffee. When you walk in it smells like burnt coffee! YUCK! Will never go again!

Great sandwiches for both breakfast and lunch. Loved my chai. Always have great service

Last weekend while we were stuck in town, a friend of mine invited us out with some friends. We weren’t expecting a lot, but we were very pleasantly surprised.
After we arrived, we ordered drinks and sandwiches. The sandwiches were good but nothing special. The drinks were great. I had a latte and my girlfriend ordered chai with a shot of rum. We were impressed that not only could we get coffee but also a drink from their small drink selection.
The atmosphere at the place was fun. There was live music in the front but also a room in the back with a fireplace that we could still carry on a conversation with friends. We had a really fun evening and next time we are in town we will definitely visit again.

We were just driving through and decided to check out a local coffee shop instead of one of the chains.
While the inside is decorated nicely they need to learn how to serve espresso…
Both of us ordered lattes and what we recieved is what I would call bad coffee with warm milk. Possibly the worst coffe experience I’ve had

Ah, Roots. I had such high hopes for you. I took my niece here a few times this summer, each time expecting to have a better experience. Unfortunately I was severely disappointed each time.
Pros: I love the décor. It’s spacious and «artsy,» at least by Oconomowoc standards. The location is fantastic! You can walk the Fowler Lake route, and come in the back way, which is an added bonus. So, good job with that. Service wasn’t «overly» friendly each time, but I wasn’t very surprised.
Cons: I was impressed by the sandwich options (their names, at least) until I tried a few. Again, I left disappointed each time. The last time we were in, I ordered the panini and was prepared a glorified cheese sandwich — complete with TWO (yes, two!) cheese slices. Sargento, I believe — like you get at the grocery store, to put on your lunch sandwich. They weren’t even really melted, they were just kind of there. If you are charging those kind of prices, I’d like more cheese on my sandwich, and chips that aren’t obviously the low budget Roundy’s brand.
My niece had the mac ‘n cheese and it was Kraft — out of a box. My jaw almost dropped when we picked our food up. Seriously, Roots, are you kidding me? I know my mac n’ cheese. There’s really no way to dress that crap up. I could have made this at home. For the $ 20.00 I dropped there that day (just for my niece and I to eat), I expected WAY more.
Sorry Roots: you need to make a lot of changes for me to come back here. I had high hopes but I feel my money is better spent elsewhere.

It’s a coffee shop in Oconomowoc, so let’s not compare it to Altera on the Lake.
The menu is cute and they even have a full bar. It has the potential to be really really good, but it needs to mature.
Here’s the breakdown
The Good
It’s got some character. Art by local artists for sale on the wall. A warm feel and friendly atmosphere. It’s a place I like to sit at a table and read or have a conversation, and I don’t feel like I have to get out of someone’s way.
They make a decent iced coffee, and it’s not bitter.
My wife needs an extra shot of espresso in her coffee to make it the strength she likes. They don’t have the greatest coffee in WI, but it’s an ok cup of joe.
The Bad
They run out of the quiches pretty early… and that’s really the only thing I would order for breakfast again. The baked goods are ok, but again, I’ve had better. The prices are a little on the high side for what you get, so don’t go if you’re starving and want a huge breakfast. If you’re a light AM eater like me, then you’ll be fine.
Service is not super fast, so be patient. You can always stay home and make your own damn coffee if you’re in a hurry.
The Ugly
If it does not try to push itself a little an stay fresh, then it will stagnate and dissolve into just another place that could not make it. Let’s hope that does not happen.
The short of it
Try it out. Give it a chance and form your own opinion. At worst, you’re out a few bucks, but you might find your new favorite place. Who knows?

This is a very nice café/​coffee shop/​bar with nice atmosphere, décor, music, and staff. If you are near Oconomowoc, check it out.

Fact: I added this business page to Unilocal and wrote its first review (5 stars).
Here’s why:
1.) Coffee in Oconomowoc sucks super bad in general, so a new coffee shop with a legit-​looking menu was exciting.
2.) Coffee shops in Oconomowoc are ugly. This place is decorated well.
3.) I had to give Roots the new-​restaurant benefit of the doubt, and hope that the food and drinks would get really good as they found their groove over time.
It’s been a year, and the only thing that’s changed is the stars.
What I mean is, the coffee kinda sucks (my previous review talked about just one drink). The chai is undrinkably sweet.
The customer service has left a bad taste in my mouth (or was that the coffee?). The baristas still don’t know much about coffee.
The best food is nothing special.
It’s still the best looking coffee shop in Oconomowoc.
I just can’t disagree with the previous reviewer who wrote that this wouldn’t fly in Chicago. It wouldn’t fly in Milwaukee. Something tells me it wouldn’t even fly in the dirty ‘stAllis. I just think a year is plenty of time to get your ish together and run a good business.
Roots, you started strong, but you remain stagnant. Sorry kids.