Awaba

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  8     

We went here for an early lunch on a Saturday, great place with a great view from most tables. The waitress was friendly and the food was really delicious, we didn't have to wait too long but were not rushed either. A lovely way to spend a lazy lunch on a sunny day.

Nov 29, 2011 

3 Below Average

Food  7      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  1     

A classic case of a Fawlty Towers dining experience. Arrived at 1pm on a Sunday, 2 people we did not book. Probably 8 tables vacant and it was a big decision to squeeze us in.

First waitress asked us what we wanted as she handed us the menus, asked for a few minutes then never saw her again. Finally flagged down a waiter, we ordered 2 mains and 2 glasses of wine. He commented I'll get your wine now as the food will take a while, when I asked why? he just shrugged it off and disappeared. The guy next to us was also having trouble getting served the waitress reappeared at his table but when asked for menus and something to drink she said her shift was over and she was about to leave!

About 30 minutes later the food arrived, as I was not in a rush that was ok and given the earlier comments I was surprised. The food was ok, fish and chips and thai fish cakes, nothing exciting but ok. Had an ok coffee and asked for the bill. The same guy that had been serving us presented me with a bill for 2 coffees $ 8.

On paying the cash register I told the other waiter we had lunch as well, 2 mains, 2 wines. It was not in the computer, he went out the back came back and said we had paid with a voucher, I was confused and the waiter said, oh just pay for the coffee then, then the other waiter appears and adds back the main and coffees but deducts the wine for the confusion! Surprisingly I did not leave a tip.

Nov 21, 2011 

1.8 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  1     

Recently went to this restaurant, waited about 30 minutes for two of the three meals to arrive, the third arrived 90 minutes later, even though it was the same as one of the others. (Just fish and chips, nothing complicated!). The prices are outrageous and the staff care diddly squat about your bad experience. It is obvious by my experience and the previous reviews found here that the Awaba thrives purely on location and nothing else. Terrible food, terrible service.

Oct 29, 2011 

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  6      Service  1      Value  1     

As a local resident, I was terribly disappointed in our brunch on Sunday at Awaba Cafe. We were a table of 4 and none of us will be going back any time soon. Firstly, the staff 'lost' our order so after being there for an hour and a half, we still hadn't eaten! We chased the order 45 mins after they'd first taken it, it then took them 15 mins to come back to us to say they'd lost it and then didn't serve us the brunch until over half an hour later! They obviously plated our food too quickly as our meals looking distinctly different from the same meals that had been plated for other tables and the food was dry and eggs were overly cooked.

What was even more disappointing was there was no offer at the end of the meal to discount the total/throw in the coffee's for free etc. We were all very disappointed and felt very ripped off. This is only the second time I've been to Awaba for brunch. Whilst my first experience also wasn't great due to the slow service, this time the only thing I could rate it on was it's ambiance and it has the location to thank for that! I'm not someone who would normally complain but they've certainly lost 4 local patrons following this experience!

Oct 24, 2011 

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  5      Ambience  4      Service  1      Value  1     

Attitude from the staff. An hour late with lunch and didn't have 2 of the items we ordered from the menu. Won't be going back. Do not recommend it. Plenty of other places to have a coffee and lunch in Balmoral.

Sep 17, 2011 

4.3 Below Average

Food  1      Ambience  9      Service  6      Value  1     

Breakfast: Asked for a plain untoasted croissant - got a toasted croissant + a little attitude upon receiving a replacement untoasted croissant. When it eventually turned up my coffee was cold and my companion had finished her breakfast. Plus the croissant was either part stale or out of the freezer. One waitress was great.

Aug 13, 2011 

4 Below Average

Food  4      Ambience  5      Service  3      Value  4     

$30 2 course + glass of wine lunch. Oven Baked Scallops with Parmesan- overcooked, tough, overpowered by the cheese. Fish & Chips, fish battered earlier, recooked, bit dry. Chips were wedges, been baked in oven, maybe re-baked, soggy, not crisp, not nice. Salmon on corn fritter, not much better. Hard to attract attention of either of 2 floor staff. Cheesecake best dish of day, was it bought in? Won't be back in a hurry.

Jun 17, 2011 

3.3 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  7      Service  1      Value  2     

Went for a weekend breakfast. Was not busy (maybe 8-12 other people there) but wait staff were too busy chatting to come and take our order. Once we got their attention ordered bircher muesli, they'd run out. So instead ordered porridge with poached stone fruits and brown sugar and english breakfast tea. Firstly cold tea arrived after about 20 minutes. Then barely warm porridge with 2 small slices of poached pear. When I questioned the waitress she stated that pear was a stone fruit. When I questioned this the waitress huffed off rudely muttering under her breath.

A beautiful location but poor unprofessional service and average to below average food. With plenty of great cafes at Balmoral and its surrounds I would not recommend this place.

May 24, 2011 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

The review below was obviously written by a billys employee which is also awaba's competitor. Awaba has been going through a lot of changes including management and ownership and is now finally going to start shaking of 'the past' you could say, it has brought in new floor staff and especially new chefs to bring a new life to this restaurant. A new menu has just started so there is no better to come in and hopefully see the changes for yourself, hopefully this restaurants past is in the past.

May 14, 2011 

1 Not Recommended

Service  1      Value  1     

We went for the Lunch tried this cafe. We arrived and not busy, just few customers. We asked if it's possible to get a table near the window to enjoy the view, the waiter replied 'up to you, doesn't matter'. No welcome, nothing...good start!

After seating we waited to get the menu. As I said just few customers so not busy and the waiter was waiting near the counter, drinking water. He never cam to see us. We waited again but nothing happened. Tried to get his attention, nothing he ignored us.

The next table told us 'we also waited so long maybe you should go the bar pick up the menu!'... incredible it's so quiet and he ignores his customers. Finally between 10 and 15 minutes later we decided to leave and go to another cafe (we went to Billys, it was really nice and the service perfect!).

Of course we will never go back to this cafe even the view is nice because the service is not acceptable and unprofessional.

Mar 08, 2011