Olive Branch Cafe — Restaurant in Balhannah

I visited 3 times in the last month with a work colleague and 2 different groups with disabilities. They were accommodating with our clients having their own food and we bought food and drinks and our clients bought drinks. I had soup with toast each time and it was lovely and reasonably priced. One client had a club sandwich which he said he enjoyed. One client played in the kids play area when he finished his lunch. The staff spoke to our clients when they ordered their drinks and one staff remembered what my client had a month ago when we visited the first time. My first visit my colleague said he enjoyed the coffee. The second visit my colleague said the coffee was great and that he had dreams about it so I tried it today and it is bloody good coffee. I would recommend for the coffee either dine in or takeaway. If dining in it is spacious and quiet inside even with many people and also they have 2 doors, one for entry and the other for an exit I’m assuming to ease congestion and or maybe something that was started due to Covid however , my clients used the incorrect door. The staff were extremely friendly. I would definitely return when I’m back in...

I'm sorry to be mostly negative in my review, but this will hopefully encourage the owners to respond in improvements. Positives-spacious, well lit, generous seating, enclosed kids play corner, beautiful art work for sale on the walls was the only thing that brightened up this cafe. Negs-outdated decor, dirty walls, chairs comfortable but looking worn, basic menu, signage with specials above serving counter is handwritten on paper, prices didn't reflect quality of food (higher end price, average presentation and taste) service was slow (sunday lunch at full capacity), felt more like a cafeteria than a restaurant/cafe Lacks life and atmosphere. So much potential in this quaint town, tourist area and great location. PS upon reading other reviews, I see it's popular and loved as is, owned by locals, with a personal story of loss attached. So please don't take my review personally. I may have come on a busy, understaffed day, but these are just my observations as a in comparison to visiting customer...

Staff were polite, I imagine would be quite friendly with the locals. The food was reasonably priced and my husband's fish and chips looked great. My open sandwich was tasty but nothing fancy. The tomato was placed on before the ham and cheese which makes the bread a bit soggy though.

Our kids shared a burger and the patty was very solid. One seemed to like it and the other didn't touch it.

My main disappointment was that the food took a long time. You can see the kitchen from the tables and no one even made a start on our food for a while.

One or two customers came in to get take away and got their food before ours had even started. The waitress also went outside to chat with other customers and pat their dog.

The atmosphere is very laid back and homely. The kids area could do with a good clean. Everything felt a bit grubby.

Not terrible but not somewhere I'd go unless...