Flying Fox Cafe, The

1.5 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  1     

Lunch on a sunny summers day 29 December 2011, not crowded so should have been a great experience. Service non existent, had to wave down a very young wait staff member after 30 minutes waiting to get attention, menu very ordinary, 1 hour wait for food, burger meal comprised of meat patty with lettuce in bun, no other garnish or ingredients plus some lukewarm chips $19.

Extremely disappointing that a local treasure now has nothing to offer but a view. All waitstaff around 15 years of age, no apologies it took 1.5 hours to get a very ordinary and overpriced meal. Will not waste time here again, will bring take away to the park or just enjoy the walk then head back to Mona Vale for meal.

Dec 29, 2011 

3.3 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  5      Service  2      Value  3     

Wonderful location and well below average food. Service is much too slow. This place used to be good, it has gone downhill. We have two bad experiences in a row now. Having to wait 40 minutes for fish and chips for hungry kids (it is within a park adjacent to a playground..) is not good. The fish and chips was something from the 700s, dripping in oily batter which barely any fish inside. I hope it picks up, the location is wonderful, but that is it at the moment.

Jul 19, 2011 

3 Below Average

Food  2      Ambience  6      Service  2      Value  2     

Fish and chips. The fish was brown/black on the outside with raw batter inside. Not just mine that was what they were serving to everyone. Salad was oil with leaves added. Kids meals were stone cold. When we mentioned it the staff didn't even care.

May 15, 2011 

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  1     

The cafe Used to be brilliant but new owners have sadly sent this Northern Beaches delight downhill. Food is overpriced and not really that nice. Gone are the veges that used to come with the kids meals and everything seems to be deep fried or come with chips. No pasta's on the menu today and $10.50 for soup is outrageous! The cold food selection are now at airport prices (seriously inflated) and the service for take away coffee is appallingly Slow.

It is a shame when a good and reliable business is a let down. Especially when you make a concerted effort to drive the distance to enjoy the park and a 'treat' of lunch at the 'nice cafe'. Self catered picnic's only for this family at this park now!

Apr 22, 2011 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  10      Service  8      Value  9     

This cafe is one of those hidden gems of Sydney. We have been here a few times now with friends. This has to be the perfect place to sit and drink great coffee. Our friends could let their kids play outside in the adjacent playground, in safety.

The food is typical cafe fare and certainly well above the average. The corn fritters I had for a late breakfast some months back were to die for. Lunch, more recently was the lamb burger. This I have to admit whilst very tasty, was too big to finish.
Staff were helpful and attended to our needs with a minimum of fuss. It is a happy, noisy (without that din you get in smaller places) and delicious place to be.

Jun 07, 2010 

5.8 Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  6      Value  7     

I had big expectations but was very disappointed. Tried to book but was told that it was booked out but when we got there 5 minutes later, it was half empty. It was about 1 pm sunday and they had run out of bread for sandwiches and even beef burgers. Food was average. Playground was not in sight of the eating area. It would have been better to bring our own picnic basket. Or, better still, head over to Lillies in the Park for some decent food.

May 30, 2010 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  10      Service  8      Value  9     

This is one of the few places on the Northern Beaches I know where you can enjoy coffee and simple but delicious food overlooking Pittwater. During the week it is quiet and relaxing, a great venue to meet up with friends or to just relax and enjoy the stunning views.

Sure it gets busy on the weekends sometimes and service can get a bit slow, and staff stretched, but the prices are good and it meets a real need for families who bring their kids down to the playground, and for other users of the park, like the dog walkers.

Breakfasts are good value and filling, and so are the lunches. My kids attended a birthday party there recently and I found it was well organised and the kids and parents were very happy. Where else do you get a big park and a playground for the kids to run around, with good food at good prices?

This is one of my regular haunts on the Northern Beaches. I only just discovered this site and was surprised by the negativity in recent reviews. If this cafe wasn't so good why is it so consistently busy on weekends and school holidays?

May 29, 2010 

1.5 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  2      Service  2      Value  1     

Totally understand, bellamiss. This park is great, we come here very often for walking, catching up with friends, but, unfortunately, this cafe won't match to this park at all. Coffee=$3.50 for small, cold, taste burnt. Muffin=Hair, premade wraps=soggy. Chips=ok. That's all.

May 19, 2010 

3.3 Below Average

Food  2      Ambience  4      Service  3      Value  4     

The food was below ordinary at best. I'd definitely give it a miss.

May 07, 2010 

2 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  1     

Ok before I poo-poo this place let me just clarify that I am basing this review on a kids party that was held there, the actual park and location is beautiful, but beware the café at all costs (and it will cost…literally) if you want to use it for an event.
There are numerous reasons why we will never go back to this café, so I will base my reasons around the review guidelines on eatability.

First, [Food], horrible, horrible food, we ordered canapés, which were basically bits of fried food on sakata biscuits not Lavosh as originally stated, they were also cold and tasted old, it was just appalling and embarrassing to have serve this to our friends and family.

Second, [Ambience], as stated before the actual park and location is beautiful, we are locals and often walk our dog at the adjoining dog park, the café ambience is loud and busy, nothing out of the unusual.

Third, [Service], well our day started rocky when we were seated at the wrong table, then the staff hadn’t put out enough seats, I think we were charged with extra tables, even though we had less people than was originally quoted, one girl was slightly helpful, by offering us some assistance but overall service was appalling, all staff are rude, I witnessed 2 fights between staff members.

They were very busy, but they are always very busy, they really need to hire some more staff and better trained staff, essentially they (all the staff members) appears under the age of 25 and their attitude and service skills reflect a much younger age possibly a 14 year old working their first job at McDonalds, I think some affective senior management is a must or this place would surely go under new management in no time.

Last, [Value], well I felt extremely angry over this, I was quoted a price over the phone when we got our bill it was $100 over what was quoted, when I asked to question the manager over this gross oversight I was told that she had left for the day even though I saw her several minutes after paying for this appalling café, I actually feel incredibly angry with myself for even paying and not kicking up a fuss, but I didn’t want to ruin the day for the children at the party. In addition, to this we were also overcharged with corkage and as I stated previously, I think we were charged for the extra table (That is the only reason how I can see and extra $100 on the bill)

Overall, we will never go back to the café! We will go back to the park and next time we ever hold an event there, we will get there early and use the BBQ facilities they have in the nearby surroundings. I hope that the café gets some good management soon, because under the right management and competent staff this place would be a gold mine and would get a much better review on food sites. In my opinion come for the view not for the food, come with a packed lunch or BBQ gear and do not hold an event in the café.

Mar 15, 2010