Tropicana Cafe

6.8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  6      Service  9      Value  3     

Tropicana has always been one of my favourite places to visit when I come to Coogee. You can't go wrong with a brekkie wrap or the breakfast bruschetta and I especially enjoyed the beef lasagne. The service is usually very pleasant which adds to the experience. My only hang up on this place is, however, the prices which I find to be too steep and not consistent with the everyday feel of the place. This, unfortunately, prohibits me from going there quite as much as I would like to.

Nov 21, 2012 

1.8 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  2      Service  2      Value  2     

I had a breakfast of scrambled eggs on toast at the Tropicana a few weeks ago, after two mouthfuls I saw a very long curly black hair in the eggs. I reported this to the waitress who was very courteous. She took the food away and apologised. However, when I went to the counter to pay for my coffee a woman behind the counter said "Nobody in our kitchen has long black hair" whilst rolling her eyes. I assured her I had found the hair in the eggs, and that I have red hair! I left feeling really let down by her customer service and will not return.

Oct 10, 2012 

6.5 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  7     

Good little busy cafe. Stopped in for a quick lunch. Service was ok although sometimes hard to get their attention. The food was satisfying but nothing great. Not bad, but when in the area next time I would be happy to try another place.

Feb 12, 2012 

9.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  10     

My boyfriend and I come to eat here all the time. The food is amazing and very well priced. Byo make it even better, and the waitresses are really lovely and friendly!

Nov 17, 2011 

4.8 Average

Food  7      Ambience  4      Service  1      Value  7     

Food good, service really bad. Unhelpful wait staff that didn't listen and seemed not to be able to communicate in full sentences. Wouldn't go back again.

Aug 07, 2011 

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

Having previously visited here a few years ago and been disappointed with the quality of food and the service, this time it was a different story and we were pleasantly surprised.

Being mid-summer we took the precaution of booking ahead but we needn’t have bothered because when we arrived at 7.15 pm the place was virtually empty. It never seemed to get more than about 60% full with most diners being of the of-the-street variety. And this is another surprise. With its fresh makeover and prime position in the heart of the Coogee Bay Road dining strip I would have thought that they’d be packed. But being half empty suited us just fine. It meant that the acoustics were good and we had the full and undivided attention of the wait staff.

And we got the best table in the house. Inside but right next to the large windows flung wide open to the street with a refreshing, cool breeze blowing in and able to watch all the comings and goings on busy Coogee Bay Rd.

For starters we shared a serve of garlic bread and a mixed salad. This was just right for our table of four. The garlic bread comprised four pieces of crispy toasted bread but without the lashings of butter that sometimes make garlic bread too rich and filling before the main meal.

For mains, I had the spag with meatballs, which was fresh and tasty. The other mains all went down well especially the barramundi fillets served with freshly cut chips and a side salad. Portions were generously sized.

The service was friendly, polite and efficient with minimal waiting between courses. Being a warm, balmy night we decided to skip dessert and coffee and take a walk on the beachfront instead. Our bill came to a reasonable $110, for starters and mains and including corkage of $3 per person.

The single unisex toilet was dirty and wholly inadequate for a restaurant of this size. Being a Saturday night, we struggled to find parking, eventually settling for a spot down Mount Street, which entailed a 15 minutes walk.

Overall, a pleasant dining experience and we wouldn’t hesitate to go back.

Jan 14, 2011 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  7     

Breakfast Bruschetta is to die for and I love the linguini for lunch. Very chillaxed restaurant, always good food a chirpy waitresses. One of Coogee's top places to eat.

Dec 29, 2010 

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

I have come here a few times for lunch and can say that I have never had a bad experience with the food or service. The people working there are lovely and the food is delicious and satisfying. This is my favourite place for lunch along this strip.

Apr 01, 2010 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  9     

Had dinner there last night with a girlfriend. We enjoyed our risotto, glass of wine and cup of tea. The wine is very reasonably priced in comparison to loads of other places. The food serving is very generous! The waitress was friendly and lovely. We left full and content. I'd recommend this place.

Mar 12, 2010 

3.3 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  5      Service  2      Value  3     

My sister and I had lunch here, and it was awful. We both ordered pasta, hers was a marinara and mine was a tomato, olive, bacon type sauce. The seafood in the marinara tasted horrible, like it had been frozen. There was no sauce on the marinara, I would have at least expected a bit of oil on it. The tomato sauce was also pretty bad. You would get better out of a bottle I think. Then on top of the pasta they piled a whole heap of salad!

When I questioned them about this they said it was 'garnish'...it was enough to have as a side salad! So we had to eat our pasta with grated carrot and pea sprouts all through it, topped with Balsamic! oh and again, when I questioned the balsamic on the top she said 'it's not Balsamic, it's balsamic glaze'! go figure.!

So one rule. Do not order pasta if you go there! and don't go at lunch time, the service is terrible. If you want anything you have to get up and find the waitress and ask her to come over. The only good thing was the juice and the sparkling mineral water.

Feb 26, 2010