I decided to stop by St. Noir while visiting New Orleans after seeing some of their drinks online…read more The Wedding Cake Latte and Cookie Butter Chai both caught my attention, so I figured I'd give the place a try.
The cafe itself is cute. It has a cozy coffee shop vibe and seems like the kind of place where you could grab a drink, sit down, and relax for a while. When I visited on a Saturday evening, it was pretty quiet. There was one girl working on a laptop, a group of friends who looked like they were catching up, and a couple waiting on drinks they had already ordered. Other than that, it was basically empty. It also appeared that there was only one employee working, so it was a good thing there wasn't a long line or anything.
Customer service is a huge part of my experience when I visit a business. A place can have amazing drinks and a great atmosphere, but if the customer service is poor, it affects the entire experience for me.
When I walked in, I wasn't greeted or acknowledged at all. Not a "welcome in," not a "hey, I'll be with you in a minute," nothing. I stood at the register looking over the menu while the employee finished making drinks for the couple who was waiting.
Once she came over, I smiled and said, "Hey, how are you?" but didn't receive that same energy in return. There was no smile, no friendly greeting, and the interaction immediately felt very dry.
Since it was my first visit, I asked what she would recommend for someone who likes sweeter drinks. She responded, "Everything here is sweet," but even that was said in a tone that felt annoyed and dismissive and didn't really help me narrow anything down.
I was trying to decide between the Wedding Cake Latte and the Cookie Butter Chai. I then asked whether the Wedding Cake Latte actually tasted like cake. The reason I asked is because I've had plenty of experiences at coffee shops where a drink sounds amazing on the menu, but when you actually get it, it mostly tastes like coffee with only a tiny hint of the advertised flavor. A lot of times I end up having to add extra syrup because the flavor is so subtle.
When I asked if it really tasted like cake, she responded, "Uh, yeah." In a tone that came across like a "duh" response.
From the lack of greeting to the tone of responses, to the overall energy of the interaction, it all felt cold, dismissive, and like I was bothering her just by being there. I'm not from there and it was my first visit, so I was simply trying to make a decision, but I left feeling very unwelcome.
I honestly considered leaving and saying don't worry about it because the interaction was that off-putting, especially since it wasn't busy at all.
I decided to order anyways because I had already been anticipating trying it on this trip and had already drove all the way there. I ended up order the Cookie Butter Chai and it was really good. The flavor came through well. I just wish it was a bigger size.
One small thing I noticed was that the drink came with whipped cream, but I wasn't asked whether I wanted it. It wasn't a huge issue because I don't dislike whipped cream, but I typically decline it when given the option. Since I didn't know it came with it and wasn't asked, I didn't really get the opportunity to choose.
Overall, the atmosphere is cute, and the drink itself was good. However, I was genuinely surprised by the customer service because I had seen reviews describing the staff as friendly and welcoming, and my experience was the complete opposite. The drink was good, but the service left a negative impression.
