The Grounds of Alexandria — Restaurant in Sydney

A celebration of mediocrity.

There was a time when visiting The Grounds of Alexandria felt like stepping into a magical little pocket of Sydney. It was charming, vibrant, and full of promise. But that time has long passed. What now remains is a crowded, bureaucratic tourist trap, where style masquerades as substance.

Arriving with two young children, I approached a clearly functional entry point. Instead of being welcomed, I was asked if I had a booking. I didn’t. What followed was absurd. I was told I’d need to walk all the way back through the carpark and re-enter from another direction, all to access the exact same area that was just metres away. I ignored the stupidity and walked in anyway. When bureaucracy trumps hospitality, something has gone wrong.

We were told the wait for a table would be 35 minutes, despite several visibly empty tables inside the café. Regretfully, I chose to wait and ordered some drinks. The coffee was passable. The milkshakes, however, were a joke. 50% whipped cream, cold milk, a drizzle of chocolate syrup, and a maraschino cherry. While a normal cherry would have been great, The Grounds of Alexandria opted for the cheaper maraschino cherry, full of sugar and almost zero nutrients. While The Grounds of Alexandria claims they have 'gourmet offerings' and that people would gather for 'wholesome food', Heathline explains 'The cherries are first soaked in a brine solution that typically contains calcium chloride and sulfur dioxide. This bleaches the cherries, removing their natural red pigment and flavor. The cherries are left in the brine solution for four to six weeks. After bleaching, they’re soaked in another solution for about one month. This solution contains red food dye, sugar, and oil of bitter almonds or an oil with a similar flavor. The end result are bright red, very sweet cherries'. One coffee and three milkshakes: $42.

While resident piggy Kevin Bacon has long since retired, the absence of any pig was just another letdown. Pigs are wonderful animals. Cute, clever and undeniably tasty, it's no wonder that kids from all walks of life would love to see them.

Next, Snow Land, or whatever the thing was. A thinly veiled cash grab posing as a family attraction. The layout was underwhelming, the theming was lazy, and the entire space was overrun with influencers staging selfies and blocking foot traffic as the rest of us awkwardly shuffled past.

After 41 minutes, we were notified that our table was finally ready. On the way to our table, we passed at least five empty tables. Why the 41 minute wait? Maybe it was operational incompetence. Maybe it was deliberate scarcity marketing. Nobody knows why so many tables were empty while the queue outside was packed, but at this point, is anybody surprised?

Food time, at last. Dreadful. The menu promised bold flavours and comfort classics, but what arrived was greasy, joyless, and clearly the result of a kitchen taking shortcuts. The burger buns were crumbly. The patties were overcooked and tasteless. The beef sandwich was slick with oil and unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. Somewhere along the line, the core of what made The Grounds of Alexandria so special, failed. It seems like nobody in that kitchen cares anymore. Two mains and two kids meals, with no beverages: $85.

It's undeniable that The Grounds of Alexandria has traded quality for quantity, charm for branding deals, and hospitality for crowd management. What was once a must-see destination worth visiting even though it was inconveniently out of the way, has become an expensive, soulless backdrop for content creators and corporate...

Having been captured by the beautiful and immersive displays over social media and an impressive selection of fine cakes and food I was eager to visit before leaving Sydney.

To say disappointed is an understatement.

Permanent hearing damage to staff is inevitable.

Awful experience for diners with blaring pop music drowning out any opportunity for meaningful conversations or experiences - at 8:00am on a Saturday morning.

My friend who is an AV engineer was mortified by the lack of consideration to small children, older patrons and the attempt to drown out conversation by increasing the volume of mid 2000s one hit wonders only further encouraged people to yell louder. This prompted her to pull out her SPL meter and detect extremely high levels of noise pollution- I had earplugs in and still could not enjoy our experience. I then walked through the venue and found that on average, the venue sits between 85-95db.

The wait staff couldn’t hear us. It was a struggle and you could sense their frustration.

The female wait staff were sharing their annoyance that they have asked repeatedly for the music to be turned down at work by themselves and patrons, but management will not oblige and stressed they are afraid they have been impacted by the lack of appropriate accommodations to their own hearing - they urged us to write a review and complain.

The male wait staff were rude, stroppy and one grabbed my friends arm asking us where we moved to. This is not ok. You do not touch another person without their consent

I tested the noise levels inside, even near the toilet - consistent from 89-95db.

We witnessed several instances of patrons not getting the correct order and long waits for service and food. When this was raised, they were snapped at and corrected saying it was the patrons mistake or that they weren't clear enough - the obvious solution would be - turn the music down.

We suspected having made the welfare of the staff known and also having expressed our gratitude to the wonderful woman at the front - completely cool and collected and very positive that we were then being watched…..quite hilarious.

We were followed through the complex by what we assume to be whoever the floor managers/grounds managers are? We were told that we were not allowed to enter the new "lavender garden" due to not having a receipt - we just finished brunch? NO OTHER PERSON was asked for proof. I stated they could see my bank statement and the photos i took of the dishes. This prompted the member of staff to let us go through after i raised the animal welfare issue and suggested they focus on that. Absolutely disgraceful. It is clear the welfare of the goats is not a priority - exposed wiring was found in the pen. After a firm discussion this appeared to have been removed- partially - with wiring still left behind.

Looking forward to the report to SafeWork and also to RSPCA and animal welfare groups to investigate the working conditions for the clearly stressed out and ignored staff and the goats.

Whoever owns grounds - do better.

The Grounds is riding the coattails of Instaworthy venues having lost its pizazz from its glory days.

Trying to draw people in with Gatsby like Instagram influencer trash - an exhausting cash cow, slaughtered to death that’s having its offcuts sold onward, months after the kill is just not on. Regroup, take on the feedback - or sell to operators who know what to do with the...

A Disappointing Decline

The Grounds of Alexandria has long been a beloved spot for both locals and visitors, known for its vibrant atmosphere and unique charm. However, my recent visit highlighted a significant decline in both service and ambiance, culminating in a disappointing experience that has left me questioning whether this venue still merits its once-stellar reputation.

We had an 8:15 AM reservation, expecting a peaceful and enjoyable breakfast. However, the indoor environment was anything but relaxing. The music was blaring at an astonishing 90 dB, as measured by my SPL meter—making it nearly impossible to have a conversation without yelling. The waitstaff, unable to hear us properly, struggled to take our order, which only added to the frustration.

Despite multiple requests to lower the volume, the staff made no effective changes. The overall attitude from the staff suggested annoyance rather than concern, and one staff member even admitted that they receive multiple complaints daily about the noise levels, yet nothing is done to rectify the situation. The atmosphere inside was overwhelmingly loud, forcing us to request a move to a quieter area.

The staff eventually accommodated us by moving us outside, where, surprisingly, the street noise was less intrusive than the music inside. However, this relocation was marred by an unsettling incident: as I was being escorted to a new table by a staff member, another male staff member grabbed my arm and questioned where I was going. This physical contact was entirely inappropriate and added to an already negative experience.

The culinary experience also fell short. I ordered the White Bean & Tomato Stew, a dish I had frequently enjoyed in the past. This time, however, it was served cold, and it was evident that the dish had been sitting out for some time before reaching our table. While the flavors were good, the temperature and presentation left much to be desired.

Service was sluggish and disorganised, further detracting from the overall experience. Given the café’s reputation, I expected much more in terms of attentiveness and efficiency, but instead, the waitstaff seemed overwhelmed and indifferent.

The Grounds of Alexandria appears to have lost the qualities that once made it a standout destination. The overwhelming noise levels, subpar service, and inappropriate staff behavior all contributed to an experience that was more stressful than enjoyable. For those who value a pleasant and relaxed dining atmosphere, I would recommend looking elsewhere.

While the food’s flavor and the café’s aesthetic still have some merit, the overall experience was severely overshadowed by the unbearable noise, lackluster service, and inappropriate staff interactions. It’s disappointing to see such a decline in a once-beloved establishment. I sincerely hope that The Grounds reconsiders its approach and returns to the standard of excellence it was...