MCA Café

5 Average

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  2      Value  3     

This spot has long long been a favourite of ours, but its been a while since we have been back there. There must be new management. The food still seemed fine but the staff desperately need training. Only half the tables were full but the head waiter insisted on asking "Have you got a booking?" Our table waiter then hovered and pushed us to order from the moment we sat down, had no knowledge of the wines she was trying to promote as "specials" and generally irritated us with her ineptitude.

We ordered a glass of wine each. "Why not get a bottle?" she asked, obviously briefed to "sell, sell, sell". This has long been a great cafe, in a great location. Its does not deserve poorly trained staff bent it felt on reducing it to a tourist trap, which I'm sad to say too many of the other places around C Quay are.

Apr 20, 2010 

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  7     

Came here for Good Food Month which consisted of grilled salmon fillet and prawns on vermicelli noodles, bread roll and glass of white wine and was placed on the balcony on a lovely day. I found the food to be really good, well prepared, the salmon cooked just right. I don't know what it's like normally, but wouldn't mind coming back to find out.

Nov 21, 2008 

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  8     

Purpose of visit: Friday afternoon business lunch. A very nice cafe at the front of MCA building, location is marvellous - Circular Quay harbour at the front, Opera House within sight and streams of people just soaking up our beautiful harbour.

Food: A simple menu that cross both the land and sea, it offers a nice selection. Our table selected 2 Jewfish, 2 ducks and I had the Rib eye. All were professionally presented and tasted as good as it looks.

Ambience: If you like noise then come here whilst school is on. There are endless children on excursion to MCA and its surroundings which adds a special atmosphere. I heard another table comment that the background noise resembles dining next to a school playground. For us we didn't mind.

Service: A professional group of waiters that was consistent throughout the dining experience. Well done boys and girls.

Verdict: Good enough to try but probably not week-in, week-out.

May 26, 2008 

8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  8     

We had a fantastic lunch here on Mother's day, it was very busy, they had a great value $69 - 3 course meal with a glass of bubbly, very nice for a special occasion !! the food was great, it was very relaxed. Good wines to choose from, we had a very pleasant day out !

May 12, 2008 

7.3 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  5      Value  8     

Fantastic setting for Lunch, relaxed and great food highly recommended.

May 10, 2008 

3 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  1     

I was very disappointed with this place. I had taken a friend from overseas here one Saturday morning as it was a cafe with a great view of the harbour and it looked inviting enough from the outside.

The service wasn't inviting at all. We went to sit down, it was quite sunny and headed for a table under the umbrellas that were a bit shadier. The waitress asked us if we were only having coffee, we said yes so she told us we had to sit at the tables in the full sun that didn't have tablecloths even though all the other tables were covered. The place was not full, but we did what we were told.

When my tea came I had to ask for my milk THREE times, the waitress was hard to get hold of and we'd asked a male waiter also. When it finally came I poured it into my tea and found that the milk was a little off after getting through a cup of it wondering what the slightly strange taste was. When I took a proper look it had those little floaty white specks through it from the milk.

We told the waitress about it when we finally got her attention again and she just said that I should have asked her to make me another. She didn't really come over as she said it and sent the male waiter. He was extremely rude. We were actually being polite about it and didn't understand why he was reacting so rudely.

He picked up the milk, drank it himself and told me that I was wrong and it wasn't off! Instead of argue we paid the bill, including the price of the tea, and left. My friend from overseas got a terrible introduction to Sydney's cafe service, thanks to MCA cafe. I felt embarrassed about it and will never take anyone there again.

Apr 27, 2008 

5 Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  7      Value  3     

I have had brunch at the MCA Cafe on numerous occasions. Had I recorded a score at the time, I would have rated each visit as 10 out of 10. However, I had brunch there this Saturday and was very disappointed. It's been a few months since my last visit, so perhaps the management has changed? Instead of every table having a harbour view, the seating has been changed to squeeze in more tables. They are all lined up besie the railing ... hence, half of the diners now have their back to the view!! Each table was elbow-cracking distance from the ones on either side of it.

The food: I had the scrambled eggs, with bacon on the side ... One piece of bacon cut in half was $3-50!! We used to order mushrooms on the side too, and share ... not any more ... there are just enough mushrooms for one person. Quantity of food: less on your plate for the same money. I was very disappointed. I will not be going back any more.

Sep 18, 2007 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  9     

I had lunch at the MCA, food was great, fresh and innovative menu and great prices with a fab view highly recommended.

Jul 01, 2007 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

I had lunch here previously. I had the fish and chips which taste beautiful and my friend ordered the lamb which was amazing. It cooked perfectly and really, just on the right portion. Not too fulfilling but not that small. It comes with a very nice vegetables (dunno what is it called) and potato. yumm!! The coffee and cake were just ok but the food was great and the view was incredible, it's good for lunch and definitely coming back!

That was my 1st time. I came back here today (Good Friday) for lunch, and I was amazed..my experience it's even better!! I had the zucchini flower as entree and chicken breast as main..yummm. It's beautiful! My other friends have tuna and comfit duck salad (which was a total divine...) for entree and barramundi and ocean trout for main..which again, were absolutely fantastic. Seriously, for the price that u are paying, the service and the good quality food paid off (I even think the price is totally reasonable). It's definitely a place to have high quality and relaxing lunch. TOTALLY HIGLY RECOMMENDED!

Apr 06, 2007 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  7     

It was a great lunch venue with nice sunny weather and view of the Circular Quay. Staff were friendly and the food was great! My lunch companions all commented that their food was excellent as well. The only problem was going back into the office after a nice lunch!

Sep 27, 2006