Botanic Gardens Cafe — Restaurant in Sydney

I visited on a relatively quiet Saturday and found myself underwhelmed from the start. After placing my order for both coffee and food, I was handed a table buzzer. However, when the buzzer eventually sounded, it was only my coffee that awaited me, served in a takeaway cup. Inquiring about the missing meal, I was met with a dismissive response from the barista, who promptly slammed the buzzer onto the counter, instructing me to return to my table and wait for my food.

Observing the café staff, they appeared to be primarily capable of serving coffee and little else. Regrettably, the coffee I received was marred by the unpleasant taste of burnt milk. Despite understanding that the steep price of $34.50 was likely attributed to the prime location, my dining experience took a rapid downturn. My attempt to secure an outdoor table was thwarted by an audacious ibis bird that hopped onto my table, helping itself to my meal. Consequently, I relocated indoors, only to find tables in a state of disarray, adorned with remnants of rubbish and food.

Meanwhile, two café staff members, now idle, seemed absorbed in their phones, while individuals resembling managers emerged from the kitchen, indulging in fries and casual conversation with their unenthusiastic colleagues. The brazen ibis bird, which had earlier pilfered from my lunch plate, somehow infiltrated the interior without challenge. A manager stood idly by as the bird made itself at home, resulting in a surreal and unsavory spectacle. The restroom facilities were also found wanting, with a lack of toilet paper and hand towels, mirroring the café's overall neglect.

While I appreciate that dining in the Botanical Gardens may invite the occasional visit from wildlife, other gardens in Sydney boast superior measures to prevent animal intrusion. My overall experience left me thoroughly...

I ended up here by accident while visiting the gardens today and if you’re reading this - consider it your warning. This place is a total tourist trap and you’ll be much happier eating literally ANYWHERE else. The low rating of this place reflects exactly what’s happening inside!

Yes, the location is stunning and the service was passable but that’s where the positives end. The food is outrageously overpriced for what you get and the quality is just pathetic.

We ordered the beef burger and let me tell you, it was an insult to burgers everywhere. A bland, frozen patty with the texture of rubber, topped with wilted four leaf mix, exactly one sad slice of red onion, a slice of processed yellow cheese that tasted like disappointment and all drowned in the cheapest mayo imaginable. And let’s not forget the bun - drier than a nun’s coochie.

The side slaw? No clue why they even bothered. The chips? Clearly precooked hours earlier and lazily dropped in the fryer to “warm up.” They were stale, unsalted, cold and had all the flavour of cardboard. To add further insult, they charge $7 for a bottle of water.

If you’re going to charge premium prices, at least pretend to care about what you’re serving. Maybe start with the basics—like a clean dining area, wiped-down tables and food that people can actually eat.

Do...

Located at 4A Macquarie Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 🇦🇺 Or to put it more simply, in the middle of the Sydney Botanical Gardens. You couldn’t get a better location. Everywhere you look, you have stunning views that reach to the Sydney Harbour, also you have everything the Botanical Gardens have to offer. The cafe itself is designed very tasteful, creating a very welcoming and relaxing atmosphere. It’s also very wheelchair accessible with enough space between the tables to manoeuvre the wheelchair. The menu is pretty simple, not a lot of thought went into it which was pretty disappointing for such an ideal location. It was also very expensive but I think this is to be expected (again the location). The food was okay, but I have definitely had better. I just expected a lot better from a cafe in such a beautiful setting. My problem were the staff, not welcoming at all. They were not helpful, no smiles were forthcoming, basically acted as if they couldn’t care less if we were there or not. They were evidently not in the correct industry. Also be aware of the bin chickens, they wander around, both inside and outside and will jump on tables with no hesitation. I would probably go to one of the other cafe’s/ restaurants in the gardens before I returned...