JACK THE MILKMAN — Restaurant in Melbourne

Edit (04/04/25) - I've decided to change the overall score from a 4 to a 2—otherwise, the review itself loses meaning. Customer service carries significant weight in my reviews, almost as much as the food, because one of the main reasons I dine out is to have a good experience. Points are deducted for rudeness, lack of awareness (e.g., not apologizing for long wait times, failing to notice errors like incorrect orders), and poor communication (e.g., not informing customers about delays). However, I’m not nitpicky about minor issues—if I'm told the food will take ten minutes but it arrives in eleven, that’s not worth mentioning because it's silly and picky. In most cases, my reviews barely touch on service, which means it was fine. Food remains the deciding factor in my final score. That said, if there are multiple major uncorrected service issues, they’ll be called out. On the flip side, if the staff go above and beyond, and fix any errors that arise, I’ll note that as well—and appreciate it.

(Review) Was contemplating not writing this review because I wasn't sure if what I'm about to say is harsh. About 3 months ago I rocked up, no acknowledgement from staff members for about... 10-15 minutes. I was just standing there. They saw me. They definitely knew I was standing there. But no one asked what I wanted. Keep in mind, I was the only one at the front bench. I was going to ask for a table for one. It wasn't super busy from what I could tell. Not to the point of ignoring someone for 15 minutes, anyway. And even so, I've been to busier establishments and never had to wait that long to be seated. And then another 15 minutes to have my order taken. Both times, for the order to be taken and to be seated, I considered walking out. Not to mention, another 20 minutes waiting for food/drinks. Didn't mind that I was ignored, it was more the blatant disrespect of my time that was infuriating, whatever the reason. They had about 4-5 staff members there at the dining area/front bench. Not one person said a word. No apology for being made to wait. Hence the reason for the review.

From memory I ordered the Buttermilk Chicken Burger and a latte, which were great. They used to have some sort of Corned Beef sanga which was a bit pricey, but it tasted delicious. Overall, their food and drinks are good. But the review itself is, in large part, about the customer service. Which I thought was...

We came for brunch to this local cafe on a busy Sunday. Our table was pre booked and ready in a corner area near the kitchen and staff were very welcoming.

Service was beyond excellent.

My questions re no garlic and no onion were answered promptly making it easy to choose my tasty salt and pepper calamari as my main dish. My wife had a wonderful salad and falafel middle Eastern style bowl and my mate had his tasty chilie scrambled eggs. Coffee and my hot chocolate drinks were good.

The cups and mugs are really nice. The inside of the cafe is bright light and seating is very comfortable.

The only massive negative that I must call out and as such was annoying to a level I’ve never experienced is when the staff use a juicer / blender to make smoothies it sounds like a lawn mower is on or rocket is taking off! You literally can’t hear the person next to you talk. Either find a better machine that’s not noisy or stop the juice making. It’s so bad that not just my table were annoyed but so were other tables near us. It’s an easy fix!

Prices : Otherwise great value, good prices for food ($20 or less for most main meals ) and even almond croissants at $5.50 are reasonable compared to local bakeries who charge $8 plus.

My wife has been two weeks in a row. I will come back as a Carnegie local but that noisy juicer must go! Honestly I would have given 5 stars if it was not for the noisy juicer every 5 minutes.

Summary: Once again .. your staff are awesome, tasty menu and value for money and that’s a big part of the happy...

The new kid on the block in Murrumbeena and it is a ripper. Located in the old Milk Bar on Kangaroo Road (just down from Poath Road) this is our new go to Breakfast and Brunch spot.

The outside still looks like the old Milk Bar. The addition of some outside tables with umbrellas hints that this is in fact not the cramped and dark little shop it once was. The interior has been completely revamped and it is wonderful - with neat little nooks, cushioned benches and a very well laid out dining area. Plants and cool lights finish it off. The ambience inside is good. Not too noisy. Not too cramped.

Now for the menu. There are some twists on your classic breakfast Cafe fare and they are really good.

The Eggs Benedict is served with pulled pork, Mushroom, spinach and a rich saffron hollandaise sauce that works really well.

The Berry pancakes were perfect. Light and fluffy with Berry compote, banana slices, slivers of almond and whole pistachios topped off with ice cream. They were not sickly sweet and the nuts added that little bit extra.

Presentation of the meals is outstanding.

Meal sizes are very large. We both swapped meals at one point but were unable to finish either serving.

Coffee was okay - not strong enough - needed an extra shot for the larger cup size. Chai latte was the same - it just needed to be stronger. Temperature was perfect and taste was okay - it just needed that extra shot.

Staff were fast and friendly.

Will definitely be going back to try some of the...