Cafe del Mar - Sydney — Restaurant in Sydney

My experience at Cafe Del Mar was not good. I emailed Cafe Del Mar more than a month in advance requesting a booking for 15 people on the Terrace for Jan 29th. This was booked smoothly.

On the morning of Jan 29th, someone called me confirming the reservation for 15 people on the Terrace.

When we arrived at Cafe Del Mar that evening I was told by the host that because of the weather we had been moved inside because there was already an event with over 100 people outside and they had priority. We were taken to a corner inside which was very dark and had individual chairs and a couple of couches very spread out - not suitable for my friends and I to socialise.

I asked the host if we could possibly sit outside - she replied that she would need to ask the manager. The manager came over and said we could move the chairs close together but unless we wanted to sit in the rain we couldn't be outside.

I told him whilst we understood he could not control the weather, this was very disappointing considering nobody had let me know that the booking was no longer outside and that Cafe Del Mar had confirmed my Terrace booking over the phone that very morning. He apologised for this and said someone should have let me know.

He then told us we would need to go outside to order our drinks. Considering there was a huge event on (which again no one had told me) the lines were extremely long. I asked the manager that given the failure of Cafe del Mar to communicate the change in arrangements if we could order drinks from our table. It seemed reasonable that since we now had to sit inside we would also be able to order our drinks inside. There were plenty of waitstaff around.

The manager, I believe his name was Paul, then became extremely angry, rude and aggressive - waving his hands in my face and pointing saying if we wanted a private waiter we needed to spend $3000 and that I should have had to pay for my reservation in the first place and that it wasn't his fault it was raining.

My partner came over at this point to talk to him because he could see how upset and threatened I was feeling by this man. I explained that We were happy to open a tab and pay all together at the end. He then continued in the same condescending aggressive tone re-iterating that we would need to pay $3000 if we wanted to order inside.

I was ready to leave at this point because this was some of the worst customer service I had ever come across; I couldn't believe how rude this manager was being to a group of paying customers. A lovely waitress, Anna came over and hugged me as I was in tears. I had chosen Cafe Del Mar for my 21st birthday and it was being ruined by this dreadful behaviour from the Manager. She said she and her friend Cody would serve us and we could order our drinks with them. They came to our table every 15 mins, checked on us, took our orders and were o lovely. They could not have been more helpful and nice.

If it wasn't for Anna and Codee I would have taken my group and gone elsewhere. As for the manager Paul, he was extremely rude, unhelpful and clearly did not value our custom or have any care for our experience at Cafe del Mar.

Also I emailed this feedback to them months ago and no one ever...

haha I love how they deleted my review..!

Worst restaurant ever..!! Staff have a massive attitude problem. i don't recommend

Wow where do I start?? First of all ONLY the food was Amazing..!

I will honestly never return here or recommend anyone to ever come here..

I was just there on Saturday night with my friends for a Christmas dinner. As my friend and I were walking into the restaurant the Maitre De was giving us attitude when we told her we have reservations here..

So we sat down and with half of our friends at the table, a few friends were running late. I was asked if I would like an Alcoholic drink several times by the same waitress.. (I was hungry and wanted to wait for food first before my glass of wine.)

All my friends had arrived. We started ordering entree, the waitress insisted I placed my order for my main meal now, with attitude . (I still wasn't sure what I wanted for my main. I had ordered my wine instead. when I received my wine it had a fruit fly and I reordered it, I never got an apology )

So most girls received there entree. It was 7:45pm and the Maitre De stormed over with attitude and told the host of our Christmas dinner that we have to be out at 8pm...!!!!

Another friend of ours approached the Maitre De and said "Lets be realistic 2 of our friends haven't received their entree and I haven't received my wine, its been about 20 minutes?? and we also haven't got our mains?? " The Maitre De was extremely rude to my friend.

while we were in the middle of eating our entree several time the waitress tried to remove my plate. I constantly said "sorry I am still eating". We had ordered our mains and while I was having a break cause I was so full, the waitress tried to remove my half eaten meal, My MEAL was then taken without my approval cause I had turned my back to chat to a friend, I WASN'T FINISHED MY MEAl..!

We constantly felt like they were all gossiping about us and we were receiving staring as us all night.

I have NEVER been treated like this before at a restaurant. I am still in shock on the...

Extreamly Rude Manager

Went with 3 ladies today to join a large table for a friends birthday brunch. We were met by what I think is the manager. Did the usual to show vaccination records (mine is a letter from NSW health with dose dates and signed on my phone) now this review is not regarding the decision not to let me join my friends... i completely understand the letter seems sketchy and businesses must be careful.

My complaint is the manner and tone of the manager who immediately upon reading the letter began to shake his head saying 'nope nope nope' I was a little taken aback and said shyly 'my Medicare was expired so they gave me this letter till I can upload' he continued to shake his head at me saying 'nope nope nope all that is is a photo if a letter' his manner was absolutely appauling and was as if I was a drunk customer trying get In a bar at 1am who had had much to drink NOT a 32 year old woman who had a table booking and who was about to spend a considerable amount in the establishment!!!!!!!

I walked away completely embarrassed. For any upper management reading this, these times are crazy for all businesses and people and businesses are scared to do the wrong thing - which is why it's EVEN MORE important be KIND to one another ESPECIALLY YOUR CUSTOMERS and rather rather treat them like a drunk being denied entry, explain that it is not procedure and entry will not be possible this time but please come back when you have your Medicare sorted.

I can see there are multipule similar reviews here regarding a rude manager and I'm not one bit surprised.

I had been looking forward to visiting cafe del mar for a long time but will not return, for anyone reading this there is an abundance of other places in Sydney where the management team are welcoming friendly and have the people skills to speak to paying customers like humans during these...