Brickfields Chippendale — Restaurant in Sydney

I feel very sad giving Brickfields a 1 star review. I’ve waxed lyrical about this place to so many people.

But it has to be done. Brickfields almond croissants were a thing of legend. People would come from all around Sydney to Brickfields to have these almond croissants, and I was one of those. For a time I worked in an office in Chippendale and on some Friday mornings I would walk over to Brickfields, sit on the wonderful bench by the window and savour Sydney’s best almond croissant while sipping an expertly made coffee (featuring Mecca beans).

Sadly this legend is not just dead, it has been killed. I went there a week ago and I was shocked when I saw the appearance of the croissants. They had that limp, pale look of supermarket croissants. My friend decided it was too risky, and he passed on getting one. If only I had been as wise. Perhaps drunk on memories, or maybe just in denial, I ordered an almond croissant. It was terrible. Exactly as limp as it looked, there was no flaky ness or crunch. The filling was flavourless. This is the worst almond croissant I’ve had in years. How the mighty have fallen. I pray this was only a one off fluke, but my experience was bad enough I’m scared to try one again.

The venue is still an absolutely wonderful space, and they do a great coffee. Maybe I just got unlucky? Maybe they will recover? I really hope so. I would love for Brickfields to regain and retain its status as the premiere almond...

Just made a purchase from Brickfields but note they are in breach of Australian consumer law by explicitly surcharging credit card payments on the weekend and not offering a surcharge free payment option.

In Australia, if a business applies a surcharge to credit card payments but does not offer any surcharge-free payment options, the law requires that the surcharge be implicitly incorporated into the displayed price of the product or service, rather than added as an explicit surcharge at checkout.

This means that the price customers see should already include the minimum surcharge amount, making it the final, all-inclusive price. For example, if a coffee is priced at $5 but incurs a 1% card surcharge, resulting in a final cost of $5.05, the displayed price must be $5.05—showing the full cost upfront without an additional line item for the surcharge.

This requirement, enforced by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), ensures transparency and prevents consumers from encountering unexpected fees at the point of sale. Additionally, businesses must ensure that the surcharge, if embedded in the price, does not exceed the actual cost incurred for processing payments, further protecting consumers from excessive charges.

I’d also note that I would have spent significantly more but for the belligerent stance...

The WORST service I've experienced. Not only in Sydney but I'd go so far as Australia! After owning an extremely successful 400 seater restaurant, I understand the importance of customer service & satisfaction. • We weren't greeted upon arrival, not even an acknowledgement or smile. • We waited with no menu's/water for 15minutes. • When our orders came trickling out individually, 2 of them had to be taken back because our surly young waitress got them wrong. • We had to go behind the counter ourselves to get cutlery as our food was cold from waiting for them. • When paying and finally getting out of there we weren't thanked or even acknowledged when handing over our money. Truly disgusting service that should be reported. To the OWNER: why don't you actually hire people that want to work for you & treat other people as human beings. A smile, a thank you & an acknowledgment doesn't take a lot. It didn't surprise me there were so many reviews similar to mine. #consumeraffairs should...