el café — Restaurant in Vienna

My boyfriend and I were incredibly disappointed with the service at this cafe. Our review does not apply to the barista who was working at the time, but to the older gentleman.

My boyfriend and I don't speak German, and upon arrival, we tried asking the barista whether the cafe took credit card. She was so patient with us and did her best to answer our questions even though she did not speak much English. After communicating that the cafe did take credit card (with a 10 euro minimum), the barista kindly gave us an English menu, instead of the German one that was on the table where we sat down. After five minutes, the older gentlemen came out of the back kitchen and his first words to us were "what do you want, what are you doing here". Confused, we told him we are looking at the menu, and will order. To which he replied (verbatim) "you can't just sit around here". This was incredibly confusing given that we had only sat down for five minutes and no one had asked for our orders.

The gentlemen than said that we had to go outside if we were still deciding and could not sit down in the restaurant (even though the restaurant was completely empty).

Given his completely unprofessional, aggressive, and undeserved attitude, my boyfriend and I left. While we were leaving, he had the nerve to say "bye!". Perhaps he has this attitude with all of his customers, which explains why the...

The coffee is on par with most 3rd wave coffeshops in Vienna, but the service is not. I'm writing this review in regards to the elderly gentleman who was working the bar at the time. It doesn't apply to the very friendly and professional lady who was working here the other times I've visited.

This barista approached me about an hour after I sat down and, after I declined to make an additional order, made a rather critical and condescending remark asking me whether I'm using this table as a workplace.

I should say that the place was completely empty and I had simply ordered a coffee with a snack and sat down with my laptop to get some light reading and work done while enjoying my snack and coffee. This is completely usual in places like this and has been the norm in Vienna for at least a century (minus the laptop of course). People who use cafes as a workplace during quiet hours are great customers, even if they don't buy much, because they keep the place looking busy, and they are usually very loyal customers who often become friends with the baristas (look at PoC in Vienna for a great example). I can't really understand why this barista thinks he needs to "call me out" for hanging out. What can a business possibly gain from this attitude? He has not gained anything that day, but lost me as a customer, that much...

El Café is truly a hidden gem. The atmosphere is warm, cozy, and feels like home — a real family vibe that makes every visit a pleasure. The staff is incredibly friendly, always welcoming with a smile, and the service is simply outstanding. And the coffee? Without a doubt — the best in town. Every cup is brewed to perfection, rich, aromatic, and full of flavor. You can feel the passion they put into every detail. Highly recommended for anyone looking for great coffee, fantastic service, and a lovely place to relax. I will definitely be back...