Note:
This review is based primarily on one issue: price scaling for whole (or ground) coffee beans.
When Ideal opened years ago, I was a solid supporter of their coffee, and I often bought fresh-roasted beans and swore by their roast. For years, however, I've preferred the beans at Moonbean Coffee just a few blocks south east on St. Andrews. (Also fresh-roasted, and, in my opinion, just better beans.)
Yesterday, I was in the Ideal 'hood, very short on time (i.e., not enough to take the extra time to go to Moonbean & back) and I wanted to buy some whole bean coffee, so I popped in and bought 1/4 lb of their espresso roast.
Oh, what a surprise it was when I checked out and the chick at the counter told me my 1/4 lb was $5. I haven't been there in a while, but the last time I was, the price was much less. When I expressed my surprised, she noted that a full pound was $12, 1/2lb $8, and 1/4 $5.
So, it appears that Ideal has turned to one of those pricing structures, where you get ripped off if you buy less than their base amount. (If anyone knows a good reason for this other than having it be a really good way to make money, please comment.) Sure, we're only talking about a couple bucks, but it's the principle of the matter.
Since I started this review with a comparison to Moonbean, I'll end it that way: Aside from actually liking their coffee more (lovely, smooth espresso beans, and a wonderful variety of fair-trade beans), their prices are scaled perfectly. Most beans are $11.99/lb, and you weigh what you want based on that price: 1/4 lb = $3.00, not $5.00 like at Ideal.
In short, if you're in the market for less than a pound of beans, and if you care about where your cash goes, this isn't the place for you.