It might be controversial to say, given its status as the most talked-about new business in town, but Dutch Bros Coffee is just not that great. Even beyond the coffee, the overall experience of Dutch Bros didn’t wow me either.

Clemson’s newest coffee shop opened last week, and, like seemingly everyone in the nearby area, I went to enjoy the opening day. I was pretty unimpressed.

The physical menu is vague but also somehow overwhelming. There aren’t many things that you can get at Dutch Bros that you can’t get elsewhere, except for the customizable energy drinks. With that said, I appreciated the number of customization options for your beverage, which gave me some autonomy in creating my order.

The blended Aftershock Lemonade tasted more like a mixer slushie than a fun drink. It was too sweet and unbalanced, the flavor was too syrupy, and it overall tasted cheap.

On my second visit, I ordered a Golden Eagle Chai, a signature drink listed as an online option, but my order came with coffee instead of chai. The Golden Eagle is supposed to have a caramel and vanilla taste, but this had so little flavor it was astonishing.

On opening day, a small pocket menu was handed out listing staple items, but the seasonal menu items were nowhere to be found on the physical menus. Instead, you have to seek out the limited-time specials online, which is very inconvenient. I wish the menu in person was better overall; the online menu is way more extensive.

There aren’t many options in regard to food to get with your drinks, either, just the granola bar or a muffin top.

I did, however, love the sizes of the drinks. The medium Dutch Bros cups are larger than those at Starbucks or many other local coffee shops, and roughly the same size as Dunkin’s. The service was also exceptional both times I went. Every employee had a smile on their face and an infectious sense of happiness.

Even with the aforementioned positives, it just wasn’t worth the long lines in the already terrible traffic to get Dutch Bros. The vibe of the establishment is amazing, and I was excited for a potentially great new coffee spot, but Dutch Bros is a decidedly mixed bag. It delivers on price, but not on flavor.