38 South — Restaurant in Melbourne

I recently visited a second time and to my delight it was much an improvement. The customer service was a lot better, the waiters were attentive, regularly checking on tables, and I received only friendly vibes. It seemed to be a different team of staff this time around (makes sense, it had been 2 years.)

I had a smashed avocado. It was $20.50 which is fuel for jokes about never buying a house BUT it was 2 generously sized bougie multigrain bread with cherry tomatoes, dukkah, and goats cheese. It was plated to me fresh enough that the avocado was notably cool while the bread was still hot from toasting. This is a fancy cafe, and the food plated is price accordingly. The menu has good variety of classic dishes with some signature dishes sprinkled in. Dietary requirements don't seem to be an issue here.

Despite the heat, I also ordered coffee. It was just right for me and also came promptly. The outdoor seating is completely shaded and the beach breeze kept me quite comfortable.

I do wish they had padded seating, as hard chairs or benches make it really difficult to sit for more than a few minutes. I'll give you 5 stars if you put cushions on all the seats. Please.

Review from ~2 years previously: (3 stars) It was fine. They have some nice cocktails, freshly made juice and use quite fun cups and glasses for them.

Really strange to order eggs Benedict and have to stack it myself. They're hollandaise had a film on the top and was way too thick - obviously had been divided into dishes and left to sit all day before haphazardly being put on a plate. Food is average at best.

I found the staff standoffish and quite unfriendly. Waitress tried to walk away without taking my coffee order despite half the table calling her back.

Not enough space at the table for each person to eat and the table settings were all on the wrong side. Maybe I'm being petty, but I think it's really tacky.

Social distancing is not encouraged and place was far too packed considering COVID guidelines. None of the staff wore masks...

At $20.50 (and I did not request the additional egg for an extra $3.50) Smashed Avo was simply poor value for money. I respect there are staff and overheads to pay in a small business. It was not a public holiday I attended 38 South for brunch. One piece of small toast……knowing the mark up on this meal, it was very disappointing when it arrived. As a local, this is the first and last time I will purchase food at 38 South as it was not value for money. $20.50 warrants more on the plate, compared to other Smashed Avo meals in comparison.

REPLY: To the Disgruntled Owner’s response: …..You did not read my review properly. I did not order the egg at all, which would have cost me more. My point is about value for money. Would you yourself have been happy to pay $20.50 for what was served, in the photo provided? I do not go after small businesses, in-fact this is my first review as I felt the value was poor. As a paying customer, a local, my review should motivate you to review this particular dish served by 38 South and it’s cost….. because this is good feedback if you want to continue to thrive as a small business. Don’t get emotional….it’s good honest constructive feedback to improve your business. It does warrant a one star rating if we are measuring value for money. You run a business and I would rather support small businesses but it’s a two way street. Us paying customers will return, to support you but fair go, we need to make our dollars work for us also. We have overheads in our private lives as you do in your business. I stand by my one star review…..the meal was not worth a...

I was very excited to venture out with my daughters and mother for a very special birthday breakfast. I booked late but they were very accommodating. When we arrived we were seated and given menus. I wasn’t sure if I needed to approach the counter or if it was table service. I eventually worked out it was table service. On ordering I made it very clear to the server that we required our drinks first as due to a medical issue I cannot eat and drink at the same time. I asked that the food not be prepared until after our drinks arrived. I was assured this was no issue, “the drinks will come first”. We didn’t wait long and the meals arrived. I was immediately disappointed and tearfully told the server we needed our drinks first. She did apologize, stated she didn’t know and asked who our server was. I pointed out the person who took our order. Not wanting to make a fuss or be labeled a “Karen” I accepted the meals of the rest of the group. The excuse was made that it was busy. I explained I didn’t mind waiting, that wasn’t the issue. I just wanted to enjoy breakfast out with my family after a very long 12 months. Not long after our drinks and my coffee arrived. I enjoyed my coffee. My children enjoyed their meals. When it came time to pay I found i again had to wait in a queue of people ordering which took some time, maybe 10 minutes. They did take off the price of two coffees however this did not make up for the experience. It was a completely disappointing experience. I’ve waited a week to make this review so that my emotions didn’t cloud the review. I think it was...