Mayflower Restaurant — Restaurant in Adelaide

We spent some time choosing where to go for breakfast which is one of my favourite things to do, especially buffet. When we arrived at the door it appeared to be quite a sophisticated premises, the decor was quite good too although the dining layout was wanting, a bit small and cluttered in the main breakfast room. Presentation was not what I expected compared to other venues even some Cafes. The buffet table was very minimal compared to other venues that are the same pricing. All the 'hot' food was not, and the supply in the 'warmers' was minimal also and a lot were empty or 1 item left in it, where I would ask on more than one occasion about it and they would say yes it's coming. The bacon was particularly disappointing, luke warm and leathery. The only way to get 'hot' food was to order it separately which made it - not a buffet. The pastry choice was ordinary and the waffle tray was one of those items that was always empty so I ordered a couple separately. It was not worth the $100+ it cost for 2 people, which included a surcharge of 15% when it was a Saturday, not a Public Holiday, in fact the girl at the counter said $44, took our card and processed it.

Barista coffee was not hot, and the girl attending that area was less than friendly, and appeared to not want to be there. All morning she was rinsing dirty dishes that were continually being stacked on the edge of the bar near the door of the kitchen. Apart from being un-hygenic washing in a drinks prep area, clearly she didn't enjoy her job and on more than one occasion was very indifferent almost rude to more than one customer asking a question, certainly not worthy of being front of house. In defence, my guess it was possible that being Easter weekend there was not enough staff in the kitchen to cook and clean, stack the dishwasher etc and so she had to do that as well as be the Barista and do her other tasks?

Meals done in a 'hotel' marketed with a 'renown reputation' should be an experience worth remembering, however it was more like a cafeteria with not too much customer care or monitoring of foods and service to satisfy being called a "Best Buffet Breakfast in Adelaide" We won't be returning, but I've put these notes in the review so that management can address them, as I know I was not the only customer disappointed, even annoyed at the whole experience, but I won't hold my breath that anything will change. Also the Car Park cost $25 where other venues provide Free parking as part of...

What we experienced at The Mayflower restaurant this morning truly has to be seen to be believed. Given the reputation that the Mayfair Hotel has managed to uphold, I anticipated the buffet breakfast at the restaurant below would meet, if not surpass the likes of Hilton Adelaide for example. Boy was I wrong. It kind of felt as though we were part of a reality show, where the host was going to pop out at any moment, and say “SURPRISE, this is nothing but a prank, got ya!” The Bain Marie was three quarters empty for the most part of the hour we were seated. Mushrooms amongst other things were never present, despite the tacky little hand written plaque suggesting they should be there, leaving plenty of awkward gaps along the small bench that was wrongfully titled a “buffet”. The “selection of pastries” were offered on a 3 tier high tea style serving plate, although there was only ever half a dozen cold croissants and a bunch of mini muffins that looked that had been baked by a 2 year old. Also sat on the bench was a random bunch of bananas greener than grass itself and no fresh berries were in sight. If you dare risked tucking into a pot of yoghurt and granola that looked like it was left over from last week, best believe your only option was to eat it with a soup spoon. We observed many diners walk up to the food bench with an empty plate, to then only return to their table moments later with yet another empty plate. When we, amongst other patrons, questioned staff when there might be some more food joining the tiny collection of what was already there, “5 minutes” and a brisk walk in the opposite direction seemed to be the autopilot...

High Tea that was more Low Brow..

Firstly this is a review based on "our experience" as Coeliac diners who required Gluten Free substitutions; a nutritional requirement that was made aware to the staff four days prior to our arrival. So for those other diners who come here not requiring GF options, then this review probably won't apply to you.

You would think that when you are offered nutritional changes due to dietary requirements, the kitchen staff would ensure that your experience is as close to the original menu as possible... unfortunately not.

My wife and I went for High Tea with friends on a Sunday, but was served something that resembled more like a poor mans picnic.

Our food was plonked onto individual plates with no tact or real attention to presentation, compared to the three tiered platter our friends received.

Our substitutions to the standard menu were lacking flavour and substance. Clearly the chef didn't put much thought into our taste bud needs. A spoonful of halved cherry tomatoes that weren't seasoned or dressed. One prawn wrapped in a lettuce leaf and cucumber, again not seasoned or dressed. One frozen falafel that was bland and dry. A gluten free sandwich slither that was stale.

(See comparison photos attached)

We were also charged the same amount per person which just added insult to injury.

There were some positives however. The staff were lovely and the live piano created a wonderful atmosphere. Alas we came for a great meal and not just serenading.

However, as we have heard that the Mayflowers evening à la carte menu has some fantastic offerings, we will give them another chance to...