Cafe Once Upon a Time Normanhurst — Restaurant in Sydney

I recently visited Once Upon a Time Cafe, hoping for a pleasant dining experience. Unfortunately, my visit was marred by the incredibly disappointing service provided by a Korean male staff member who appeared to be a teenager.

From the moment I walked in, it was clear that this particular staff member lacked the professionalism and basic customer service skills that one would expect in a cafe environment. He seemed disinterested and unengaged, barely acknowledging my presence or offering any assistance. It was evident that he had no enthusiasm for his job, and it reflected in the way he treated customers.

When I finally managed to place my order, the staff member appeared impatient and rushed, as if he couldn't wait to move on to the next customer. The lack of attention to detail was evident in the way my order was prepared. My coffee arrived lukewarm and tasted subpar, completely lacking the flavors that are usually associated with a good cup of coffee. It was clear that the staff member didn't take pride in his work or prioritize customer satisfaction.

To make matters worse, when I politely requested a replacement for my unsatisfactory coffee, the staff member responded with an attitude that was both dismissive and condescending. He seemed annoyed by my complaint, making me feel as if I was inconveniencing him. This lack of empathy and respect was highly unprofessional and left a sour taste in my mouth, both figuratively and literally.

The overall atmosphere of the cafe was pleasant enough, with a cozy ambiance and appealing decor. However, the poor service I encountered overshadowed any positive aspects of the establishment. It's disheartening to see a cafe with potential let down by one staff member who clearly doesn't value customer satisfaction or take pride in his role.

In conclusion, my experience at Once Upon a Time Normanhurst Cafe was deeply disappointing, primarily due to the subpar service provided by a Korean male staff member. The lack of professionalism, disinterest, and dismissive attitude displayed by this employee overshadowed any positive aspects of the cafe. I hope the management takes note of this review and addresses the need for better training and customer service standards in order to improve the overall experience for...

This is a long review. From the moment we walked in we were greeted with smiles and the willingness of help very friendly employees. Note to owner, your staff are key to your business success, you are have employed a winning ticket. The ambience in the cafe is just perfection. I immediately thought what a great place for a truely traditional English High Tea, on a Sunday with soft jazz playing in the back ground. It isn’t customary to serve alcohol at a traditional high tea so I don’t see why there is the need. It reminded me a little of the Victoria Tea Rooms in Darlinghurst which has now closed. I have been to over fifty high teas and nothing in ambience has come close. Once Upon A Time has the ambience, decor, chefs and staff already. The number of wow’s my friend and I said when we noticed different antiques used as decor and even down to old singer sewing machine tables, some tables with class insert and the machine in view. The choice of food was amazing and catered for all. I tip my hat to the chef/‘s, the quality and taste of the food we ordered and the presentation was simple stunning. I am not one for taking photo’s of food but I certainly did of my pancakes. Coffee was great and hot, nothing worse than warm coffee. I have thought of so many people I would like to take to ‘Once Upon A Time’ so they have the amazing all round experience that my friend and I did on Thursday. I have finally found a cafe to call home. Thank you...

I NORMALLY have a great experience with this cafe, I’m a normanhurst local and I go to this cafe now only if I have like 20 minutes before I gotta catch a train. This is because if I order with 7 minutes before my train arrives they only start making my kiwi apple smoothie after 5 minutes, so it was the smoothie or my train and work is more important. When I asked how long it would be as I had 2 minutes before my train they said 3-4 minutes after I had ordered 6-7 mins before, I told them don’t worry about it because I’m gonna miss my train if I wait for it, they just stood there like dam that’s not okay our problem. So moral of the story only go if you have 20 minutes if not the two other cafes are much...