I visited this place one afternoon on the weekend with a friend as he recommended it. The coffee was good but the service was appalling. There were only 5 people inlcuding my friend and I in the whole place yet it still took about 15 minutes to get a coffee and cake. The staff were (visibly!) too busy chatting at the front counter and being cool to bother. My advice is to buy the beans if you must but save yourself the pain of wondering if your coffee is ever going to make it to the table.
I have been here a couple of time and each time been more disappointed. At this place they make you feel like you should be honoured to be served. 3 out of 5 times we have sat there waiting to be served for so long we have had to go up and order, which is fine but don't make the place table service!!! The staff ignore you even when trying to pay the bill, mostly because they are catching up with friends or other regular customers.
We persisted because the food was always good but the last time we were ignored for so long (even the older man who I think is the co owner looked at us several times and kept chatting) we just walked out. The funny thing was the staff were that bad they didn't even notice we walked out. Food is good but won't ever go back. So many other friendly places in the area.
Despite my seemingly low score, I have to say this is the Best coffee I have ever tasted. It's not really a restaurant, so it's unfair to judge it as such. It's more of a coffee house, as I see it, and bloody good coffee!! also, I think winning Any award is worthy of a mention, and if it was meaningless, wouldn't the award be discontinued?
Very unfair comments and unjust I'd say by Jamie_Shea. I think it's wonderful that Don Adan won awards, and to be honest, awards or no awards, it's still the best coffee I have ever had, and I would drive from any part of Sydney to buy it. I have been told by guests that it is fabulous coffee - and the aroma.. wow. nearly makes you drool! keep up the good work guys.. the food is fairly boring, but hell, you can go elsewhere for the food!
I was told the coffee was great here (at Spit Jn), but the whole experience was very disappointing. The coffee was not even warm, and the nachos was brought to me almost cold with clumps of unmelted cheese on top, when I asked the girl nicely to warm it please, the 2 girls gave each other a look, as if they thought I was a "difficult customer". She brought it over and dumped it on the table without any apology, and when I left half an hour later, they both turned and glared at me as I walked out with my friend. Will not go here again!
Response from Management:
I want to thank as well as to apologize to ceeceeb. Her comments and feedback, we have taken her comments on board and will address the behaviour mentioned in the comments in our training modules.
Excellent coffee, but all round a bit idiosyncratic. Our suggestion: buy the coffee, take 500 grams home, drink lots of it and come back for more. The snacks are in the hit and miss category though.
I absolutely love this coffee shop. After an absence of a few years I dropped in for a coffee and a bite to eat. The coffee is the best in Sydney, and the food is simple but delicious and fresh. I have so many fond memories of my daughter and myself speniding time at Don Adans in 2002 to 2004 as we used to live up the road.
I love this place. After my fave local cafe changed hands I switched to Don Adan in Cremorne and have not looked back.
The food is always fresh and delicious with some interesting items on the menu. The coffee is great and there is a brilliant selection of teas...big thumbs up to the cinnamon tea which I have been hunting for since I visited Peru a few years back.
The staff are welcoming and friendly and nothing is ever a problem. Smiles are always forthcoming! The small size of the cafe is a welcome change to the huge feeding halls that are so common.
Gerard and Sharon, you have my business and my thanks!
Really sorry guys, but it's just not what it used to be. Don Adan was a great cafe with a string of awards back in 2002. Hey, it's 2007 and they haven't won anything worthwhile for 5 years (local business award does not count guys).
The big problem is the use of poorly trained and supervised part time staff. Terrible service and the coffee are poor to average most days. Sharon, Gerard - will you two please wake up and get back onto your game - the staff you're hiring are crashing your business; and meanwhile you have Penny Royal in Mosman and About Thyme in Cremorne kicking ass right next door.
Response from Management:
To call my staff idiots and to pretend they know what they are doing by giving ill advice and just being negative by insulting people (my staff!) that I respect and cherish is very poor. Local Business awards might not count for jamie_shea, but it counts for our customers and the business that are finalists and recipients. It shows an unbiased pursuit of quality that goes into a lot detail and has a mystery shopper by AC Nielsen checking the retail aspect of the business. It is a fair and continuous competition.
More importantly for us, being winners for the last 6 years and getting overall Best Business in the lower North Shore, it shows that we are constant and in our market we are leaders. I invite jamie_shea to come back when there is genuine positive criticism available, I always welcome feedback when is well intentioned, but not the biases negativity that has been displayed.
The food is incredibly fresh and unique. No pre-made stuff here. The coffee is roasted fresh, you can taste it - it comes from their own farm and there is love in it. . .good looking and friendly staff are helpful too. Other regulars seem to love it as well. They have got a shop in cremorne as well and a stack of awards.