The Black Sheep Coffee Shop Hay — Restaurant in Hay

I don't like to rate places poorly, but the service and hospitality we received here was pretty awful on a mid-morning drink stop on our road trip between Canberra and Adelaide.

We walked the length of the street to go to this one because it caught our attention with the lovely shady sitting area out front with our 4 (well-behaved!) kids. We 'checked in' while standing outside on the veranda where we waited for a couple of people to come out so a couple of us could go in. We admired the black sheep decor and the kids looked through the window in the door to see what treats they might have. There were only two people allowed in a time because of covid restrictions, which is fine, but there is no menu board or menus or anything so we had to take turns to go in and look. One of the kids snuck in and we were firmly directed that there are only one at a time inside. Two of the kids had found ice creams they wanted and I asked at the counter if by chance they had a menu I could give my family outside. The woman at the counter was very quick to tell me it was only what I see there and directed me to another coffee shop back down the road. I felt that she was trying to get rid of us but we only wanted a quick drink stop so I sent my husband in to check out what he wanted - and he got the same treatment. She would not even answer his question as to whether she offered 'chai latte'. He asked three times and just got told that she'd already told me, and was directed to the shop down the road and repeatedly told that she only has what you can see (a coffee machine, some unreadable milkshake flavouring bottles (no pricing or anything about milkshakes written anywhere), an ice cream fridge and a couple of slices in a small fridge). With no list anywhere to be seen, no printed menus and her unwillingness to answer what there was for us to order, we really had no option but to go back down the road somewhere else. The whole situation was confusing as customers and overly dramatic on her part.

There was a lovely customer sitting out the front, apparently waiting for her friend with their coffees, which was the highlight of the visit there. She chatted with our 5 year old as we waited on the veranda.

You think you're helping to support small town businesses in rural Australia Post-covid, post-drought, post-fire season and that's the reception you get from the business. My husband now tells me that the older couple ahead of us were also directed to go elsewhere.

I highly recommend the Havachat Cafe down the road. I recommended that my parents and siblings and families who are road tripping with us in separate vehicles go to Havachat Cafe down the road. Lovely service, cake and drinks. We got milkshakes, a slice of carrot cake, a chai and a babychino at the Havachat cafe and they were all great, with friendly...

Have often driven past Hay on way from Sydney to Adelaide, but this time hubby and I were on motorbikes and wanted a brekkie stop after staying the night in Balranald. Two minute drive off the highway for the BEST and FRIENDLIEST and quaintest experience. No 'cooked' brekkie but light foods (yummy toasties) and treats available and the coffee is great. Open super early to cater for a diverse clientele (workers, travellers, locals-so you know it's good), Susan turned on aircon(heat) in the vehrandah area as it was a chilly winters morning and she gave us one drink free. This is what country hospitality is all about. Will stop here every time we go this way...

Oh my word this was the rudest place I’ve ever been to. Big signs all over the place saying “WE DON’T DO BREAKFAST” ok strange so we decided to just have coffee. A lady (the owner I assume) rushes up to us and says “do you want coffee?????” In a rude and very condescending manner. When we said we would she barked “my coffee machine is broken”

It’s almost like she was trying to push us away. She could’ve offered us tea or a slice or just been nicer. She was the rudest most condescending woman I’ve ever met in customer service.

I’ve never written a bad review. This is my first one. But I had to for this. My husband and I were...