Bar Italia — Restaurant in Sydney

Make me the bad reviewer number #9 of the birthday battalion. The fact that you respond to any review that says something slightly negative about your business is embarrassing and unprofessional. As a business sometimes mistakes happen that are out of yours and the customers control. But based on your replies you really do believe your restaurant is just perfect. Not one piece of accountability is taken on your behalf after we spent hundreds of dollars at YOUR restaurant. Whether or not us spending our money matters to you, it does to us and other customers. So again it’s interesting to see a business owner talk about how little it means to you for us and others to spend money eating YOUR food. We chose this place based on the fact that many of us have dined here before with our families and love the food and atmosphere. Unfortunately, ‘the owner’ had it out for us from the beginning whether it was discrimination against our age or not it was obvious. The fact that we were told we were being so loud that we had to use ‘inside voices just like you were taught in school’ (so condescending btw) when your whole entire restaurant is loud because you guys are so busy was just unfair. We were just as loud as the other customers. To be accused that we were drunken idiots is just completely false. If you want to call us laughing and chatting with our friends a ‘ticket to a club in Mykonos’ god forbid we were having a nice wholesome dinner at your restaurant. Maybe hang a sign in the bathroom or near the ATM that clearly states ‘be quiet and don’t have fun’ Lastly, whether or not my friend was given false information she WAS in fact told that she could have that area. We COMPLETELY understand that this was not possible to do for us and that what my friend was told was wrong. However, our issue is that you IMMEDIATELY went “No. no your wrong that’s not possible you were never told that your lying” Again showing that you cannot take one ounce of accountability.All that need to be said by you was a simple “I appreciate that you were told this but whichever worker of mine has told you that has given the wrong information and we actually can’t do that for you”. It doesn’t take much to be kind, but clearly it does for you. We walked in happy and hungry not looking to cause any trouble, and left annoyed and angry after the problems YOU caused against us for no reason. We only began to talk back once you had caused and issue out of nowhere and we had to defend ourselves as we actually did nothing wrong. Also PS: It’s not nice to throw a chair at your worker, poor girl. And also not nice to spill my friends drink all over her. And lady, feel free to use this review for a Netflix series too. Let me know when the next...

I last ate here 12 years ago and since worked overseas. I took my partner here this tmorning for breakfast around 10:30am on Sunday morning. I was so excited that it was still the same place and that it appeared nothing had changed and also that my partner had never been to Bar Italia before, despite eating at a lot of the surrounding cafe's and restraurants over the last 15 years (her son lived just off Norton St for many years). I forgot it was cash only and after giving the order, the person taking the order said that it was cash only and there was an ATM over there, pointing to the street. I said I would go and get a card from my car so I could get cash. After about 10 minutes of trying to find an ATM, I walked into the local pub and got cash from their ATM (cost $2.70 to withdraw). I went back and reordered. When I got back to my partner's table and told her where I went for cash, she pointed to an ATM next to the Gelato Bar in the corner of Bar Italia!!! It would have been nice to have been told that they had an in-house ATM and not pointing to the street. We ordered scrambled egg with smoked salmon and turkish toast; tuna facaccia; flat white; and chocolate cannoli. The scrambled eggs weren't that good (the smoked salmon was) and certainly not to the standard of good cafe's. The focaccia was horrible and the worst I have evber had. Having said that it is very difficult to get focaccia's that were in all good cafe's in the 90's, with roasted eggplant, capsican, mushrooms and selection of cheeses. Because I was overseas for so long and couldn't find what I used to buy, I called Sonoma last year to find where they supply to so I can try and find a good focaccia. I was upset with myself that I ate most of the focaccia. The focaccia was puffy bread and clearly had not been in a hot press for very long. Some luke warm canned tuna, a little bit of soft tomato and some only just melted cheese and not much of it....yuk! The coffee was as I remembered...delicious, as was the chocolate cannoli. My partner couldn't eat all her scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and I asked for a take away plastic container, which we were charged $1 for! I should have tried pasta which I hope is as good as I remembered, but I won't get the chance as we won't be back after such a bad...

I've been here twice in the last few weeks. We've ordered the Chicken Avocado both times because it is exactly the same meal as the old Mamma's and Pappas restaurant that used to be on Marine Pde in Maroubra. Unfortunately, the good food is let down by the unfriendly service. Now, I know that the guy at the counter is juggling taking orders and making coffees and he's super busy. If you want to boast about being a "family run, old school restaurant" then at least teach your staff good old fashioned, old school manners, and greet people with a smile. The wait staff are the same, they're not rude, but there's no smiling, friendliness or warmth, almost an indifference when serving you. You take a look at their blank expressions and hesitate having to ask them for anything additional to what you ordered at the counter. They serve Vittoria which is one of my favourite coffees. Be aware, they put 2 shots in a small cup. It's very strong, and we couldn't drink our coffees. They really should have a sign up about that because not everyone would know this. It gives people the option to ask for a single shot. That said, they don't charge for the extra shot like most cafes do though. Bar Italia is a cash only business. I read some of the review replies from the owners explaining they're trying to keep it old school like when their parents came here from Europe. Let's get real, we all know why businesses take cash only and it has nothing to do with how nonna and poppa did things in the 50's. Overall, you go there for the good food. Next time I'll take my meal away rather than sit and have it there. If you do visit, keep your expectations low and you then you won't be disappointed. I'm expecting the owner to retort back with a sarcastic, unapologetic reply as I have seen them do on other people's reviews. Instead of leaving those kind of replies, maybe take onboard some of the constructive criticism that people have left to improve your business and elevate your customer service skills whether they're local or visitors alike. I gave it 2 stars because the...