Fishtales Cafe — Restaurant in Warrnambool

First time we have walked out of a café

TL;DR – booked for a (70th) birthday lunch: Booking was not honoured, and the waitress asked the first arrivers to move from the table they sat at Drink orders were taken but not fulfilled Despite being clearly ready to order, we were not served in a total wait time of 40 minutes – while the café was more than half empty and one waitress talked to her friends about social and holiday plans Other diners had to get their own cutlery after food was delivered to their table

We went to Fishtales for lunch yesterday to celebrate our Mum’s 70th birthday. She had booked ahead, specifically requesting a table for 7 in the covered area out the back, as we like sitting outside. The whole experience was poor from the beginning. Mum and dad arrived early to ensure we got a table in the requested area; there was no reserved table for 7, & the waitress told them that the one reserved table was for someone else, and asked them to move. While waiting for the last 3 of the group to arrive, the rest were offered drinks. The coffees were brought out, but the kombucha that was ordered was never delivered. They table was also provided with 8 glasses, but in nearly an hour, no water was brought or offered. The final 3 of our group were only 10 minutes late, and being regulars, we decided on our orders quickly. We were obviously ready to order as the menus we were finished with looking at were stacked on the table. No one came to see if we were ready to order. Someone finally came past after about 20 minutes and asked if we wanted any drinks, at which point TWO of us said “we’re actually ready to order lunch”. The waitress said ok, and just walked off, and just stood in the middle of the outdoor tables doing something on the ipad she was carrying. No one came to take our food order. A short time later, the abovementioned waitress went to a table of recently-arrive diners (her friends, it would seem), asked if they wanted any drinks, and could then be heard saying “so what’s on for the rest of the day”, “it’s busy (it was not – the place was more than half empty, inside and out), and “..when I get back from Bali…”. People were coming in and out of the kitchen, we had told a waitress we were ready to order, and still no one came to take our food order. The kombucha remained undelivered. We also watched as a couple at another table had to get their own cutlery after their food was delivered. We are semi-regulars at Fishtales. 5/7 of us travel from Hamilton. The (lack-of) service we received yesterday was disgusting compared to what it has been in the past, when someone would be checking almost every 5 minutes to see if we were ready to order. Will not recommend,...

My family and I visited the cafe around 4:30pm today with another friends family, and I must say that I was incredibly annoyed by the overall experience. The behavior of the waitress left a lot to be desired. Not only did she exhibit rudeness, but she also displayed a complete lack of professionalism.

Firstly, I couldn't believe my eyes when I witnessed her throwing the coffee on the table and spelling some of it but I said may be she didn'tmean it. However, it was evident that this was not a mere coincidence but a deliberate act when my friends told me later that she did the same to them when I was in the bathroom. Such careless and disrespectful behavior is simply unacceptable in any establishment.

To make matters worse, when our kids in our group went inside to choose from the sweets displayed, the waitress had the audacity to tell them to wait outside. It was only after we left that my wife informed me about this incident. Treating children in such a manner is not only impolite but also shows a lack of consideration for customers.

Throughout our interaction with her, the waitress never once cracked a smile. Her demeanor was cold and unwelcoming, which further added to our dissatisfaction. When she brought three smoothies for the kids, she carelessly placed them on the table and instructed us to spread them out ourselves. This level of apathy and disregard for customer service is utterly disappointing.

However, amidst the frustration, there was one bright spot in the form of a young man who initially took our orders. He was extremely helpful and went out of his way to find vegetarian options for us. He made several trips to the chef to inquire about suitable dishes, demonstrating his dedication to customer satisfaction. It was refreshing to encounter someone who genuinely cared about their job and the customers they served.

Overall, my experience at this coffee shop was marred by the unprofessional and rude behavior of the waitress. The lack of courtesy and customer service displayed by her overshadowed any positive aspects of the visit. It is my hope that the management takes immediate action to address such behavior and ensure that future customers are treated with the respect and courtesy...

Have been here twice, have been told it's a hit and miss with the food but eating here twice is enough for me to decide I'm not coming back. Fantastic menu..... doesn't live up to its expectations. The staff are hopeless and are continuously slow. The first I went here I ordered the boho bowl, which came out with soggy vegetables and the wrong sauce, a tahini sauce instead of the orange-tamari-ginger sauce, and it was a very dry, unseasoned tahini sauce at that.... not very pleasant! The boho bowl came out completely different from how it was described on the menu. My friend's laksa came out tasting like a mouthful of straight curry powder and nothing else. The staff took a good 15 to 20 minutes to take our order/ provide water and cutlery, etc. and the food took just as long to arrive. Gave this place another go recently, same poor experience. My companion asked the wait staff if the soup of the day was dairy free, due to food intolerances, and when it came out, it was served with buttered bread and a side bowl of Parmesan; a complete lack of comprehension by both wait staff and the cook, of what a food intolerance entails!! I ordered a Falafel Salad bowl; the salad was actually a really great combination of veggies but unfortunately it came drowning in cheap dressing and the falafel balls were rock hard on the outside but raw in the middle. Two dissatisfying experiences, 4 even worse dishes. Do...