Snug — Restaurant in Brisbane City

Hidden Gem! You’ve probably heard about this place based on its reputation. And it definitely deserves it. Brunch is excellent… but… dinner is where they shine!

We booked to come on a Saturday night, and from the moment we made contact through Instagram we could feel the warmth and love from the restaurant. My wife has dietary requirements (vegetarian) and we were offered options before making the commitment to book. It was very reassuring that she would be taken care of, so we proceeded with the booking.

The dining experience itself was spectacular. The food was of course gorgeous and delicious, but in combination with the intimate space, the proximity to the chefs, and the warm and local atmosphere, it’s a real winner!

We could honestly feel the love and care in their dishes. Everything seemed so intentional and thoughtful. Stand out dishes for us were the honey bread and the pork jowl (a dish I felt was comparable to a similar dish at Quay Restaurant!), but all dishes were incredible.

If you had to price this up for a “local joint”, yeah, it would be pricey. But your reference is incorrect. You need to compare this to some of the top hatted restaurants in Australia, and for that, this place is an absolute steal!

Thank you for having us and sharing your craft. It’s up there as one of the most memorable dining experiences we have had in a long time, so I really wanted to share it with as many people as possible!

(And in case anyone was wondering, I’m pretty familiar with the SMH hat and San Pellegrino top 50 scenes, having dined in many of places on their lists. I’m giving these guys high praise, not because they asked for it, but because they deserve...

I have been meaning to come try this place out for a while now and when checking reviews I noticed not many people have talked about the food. In my opinion it was the highlight of our time there.

The atmosphere and feel of the interior inside the cafe was amazing. I enjoyed the way the kitchen was open and it lent itself to the vibe inside the cafe.

Snug doesn't have a big menu but it means that you don't get overwhelmed with choices like you may do with other cafes. We had the Prawn omurice and the Egg drop sandwhich. Both dishes were great and I would get both dishes again. I think my personal favourite was the egg drop sandwich, it had a really fluffy soft texture and buttery taste but not too heavy. The prawn omurice was delicious as well. I liked that they added seasonings to the rice and the prawn was chargrilled.

The reason that my review is 3 stars is because the drinks were a disappointment. I had an Iced chai latte and my friend had the Ice hojicha latte. My iced chai was very sweet and the way they made the chai resulted in a solid half a centimeter of chai seasoning at the bottom of my glass and therefore too spiced and not in the good way. My friends hojicha was okay but just tasted a bit diluted.

Overall it's a beautiful warm cafe with friendly hard working staff. I am most certainly coming back for the atmosphere and definitely the food. I didn't order coffee because I don't drink it so I am missing out on...

Let me start with goods; I’ll get to the ugly later:

Is the café well-designed? Absolutely. Does it serve good food? Yes.

Does it make you feel welcome? Absolutely NOT.

Hospitality is more than design or food; it is about creating an experience. A guest should feel valued in a place where they are the very source of its revenue. What I encountered here instead was an attitude of entitlement from the staff; something I have experienced only at the snobbiest cafés in Sydney and Melbourne.

No matter how skilled you are as an owner, barista, or waiter, the first principle of hospitality is to make people feel comfortable. Instead, I felt as though I owed Snug’s team something, as if they were doing me a favour by letting me sit in their café or order food (order was wrong too!).

They got my order wrong, and instead of an apology, when I asked for a refund I was indirectly accused of lying. In the end, I had to say, ‘Forget the refund; just keep it as a tip.’

The above is based on two visits. I initially assumed my first experience was just a coincidence - perhaps they were understaffed or unusually busy - but my second visit confirmed that this is the standard at Snug!

One last note: do not expect mobile service (there is only one bar) and forget about Wi-Fi (who needs wifi when your phone is practically useless...