Café Ansari — Restaurant in Vienna

We came here today (a Saturday morning) and when we were at the door we were asked if we had a reservation and we told them we did not, the woman with blonde hair (who perhaps was the manager) straight away turned us away and told us without reservation they cannot give us a table. Although we could see plenty of empty tables. The place was busy but not full. There was a family behind us and we waited by the door to see if they had reservation. They were Austrian and spoke with the manager and as much as we could understand, she also asked them the same question “do you have reservation?” To which they said no but instead of turning them away she went to look for a table and checked her tablet. She then told them ok and was about to show them to a table when I looked at her and asked “but they did not have reservation?” And so she spoke again to the family in their language and then showed us to the table she was going to take them to. She then told us we have the table for 2 hours!! Plenty of time for us to have breakfast. We give this low rating because we were disgusted with how we were treated straight away.First impressions are everything to a restaurant and we couldn’t understand why at the door we were turned away but the Austrian family who were behind us in the queue,who also didn’t have reservation, were not turned away?Is it a money thing? With a family of four perhaps they think they are going to make more money than a couple? Or is it because we are English/foreign? The manager was friendly and kind to the Austrian family however was cold to us and straight away turned us away without hesitation. I don’t know why we had this treatment but we will not...

UPDATE: Just popped in here for lunch last week for the first time in five years (pro-tip - don't wait five years between visits to Vienna!) and everything was actually the same if not better than 2019. The lovely staff were able to squeeze us in even though we didn't have a reservation and the atmosphere was busy and bright. The quick red lentil soup we had was so good (my nine year old daughter declared it one of the best she had ever had in her short life thus far) and the beautifully presented tea warmed my body on a chilly Vienna morning. I wished we had more than half an hour to spend there - it's a place worthy of at least an hour of sitting and enjoying the food, drink, and hopefully either come good company or a good book.

This was the perfect cafe for us to grab a quick lunch while exploring Vienna. They had a beautiful outdoor seating area and because it was slightly after lunch there were very few people using it. The food was excellent - their butternut squash soup was amazing!! Situated a quiet business/residential area and a shared space with some other restaurants and cafes, gives it a very local community feeling. We were only in the inside briefly (toddler toilet emergency!) but I would love to come back and try it during colder weather where a sense of coziness rather than chaos would prevail, no matter how many...

So, let me just quickly share that I have been coming here for years. The service has become worse over the years. One of the typical Viennese places where the customer is not the king and they make you feel that you are nobody. I visited it now for the very last time. We had breakfast with a friend of mine. I was not too hungry and I am on a fat free diet. I ordered soft boiled egg. According to the menu it comes with butter toasted bread. I did not want so much fat so I asked if we could switch that to normal toast and just some butter on the side. Without even checking with anyone, the waitress said that it will be extra - in Vienna it means they will charge you extra. So, I showed her the calculation. “So, you tell me that if I do not want the toast with already butter on it and I just want to ask for the bread and butter separately then you charge me extra? I literally ask the same, just do not add the butter before you bring it to me”. She got upset and told me “Yes, it is extra.” So, I had one stupid egg for 3,90 EUR!! And bread and butter extra for 2,5 EUR! This is outrageous and also the attitude is so bad! I surely hope that one day they understand that they live from customers and simple switching the bread is nothing compared to...