Esquires Cafe - Manukau — Restaurant in Ōtara-Papatoetoe

Lovely Spot, But Service and Pricing Could Use Improvement

I recently visited this charming spot for breakfast with a group of five. While the atmosphere was lovely and the overall vibe was warm and inviting, there were a few aspects of the experience that left me disappointed.

First, the service was quite slow. Despite the restaurant not being overly busy, it took around 45 to 55 minutes for our food to arrive. We had hoped that our coffee and drinks would be served promptly, ideally before our meals, but unfortunately, they were brought out after the food was already on the table. This seemed a bit off, especially when dining out for breakfast, when people usually expect their drinks to arrive before or alongside the meal.

As for the food, I was particularly underwhelmed by the price. I ordered a dish that cost $27.80, and while it was tasty, the quality and portion size felt more in line with a $15 meal. It seemed overpriced for what was essentially a simple, basic breakfast. While I understand that prices at some restaurants reflect the quality of ingredients or location, the dish didn’t seem to justify such a high price tag.

Despite this, I’m willing to give the restaurant another try. The French toast with bacon and banana, which I saw on the menu, looked absolutely delicious and might be worth a second visit to explore other options. This could be a truly fantastic spot...

I visited them to have a nice coffee ( second time) with my family,Face wasn't busy , I told the staff person ( a lady) who took my our order to make Coffee extra extra hot 90-95 Temperature.When I got the coffee it was cold , I had a sip and returned back , a lady started making faces (I could clearly see on her face) I didn't say anything but ignored and waited for my coffee , she brought my coffee (Mocha) which was watery , and super super hot ,even I couldn't touch the touch the cup, literally it looking like hot water mixed with chocolate power , I got annoyed because I didn't enjoy the quality time but got engaged with hot & cold coffee issue.I got another nice staff person and showed her ,she apologised and agreed that it doesn't seem to be a coffee made nicely ( mocha) mocha is rich creamy/frothy.I told that lady that I am not wanting the coffee anymore but need my money , she said will do that but she also made a nice coffee too ,though I had told her not to make because I was already very upset.One staff member who wasn't nice made my experience unpleasant but glad that I found the lovely lady at the end. So I would say their customer service and coffee making skills aren't that good or maybe it's just a one of incident...

What's more upsetting than paying for our breakfast, is that I wasted a gift voucher on eating here. Very pricey so I just ordered a ham and cheese croissant from the cabinet. Not sure how long it had been sitting there waiting for some unsuspecting fool, aka me, to come along and buy it. The cheese was so hard I could tap my plate with it. No sure the photo does it justice. My husband ordered his usual eggs Benedict and my word, an unbuttered English muffin split in two with a poached egg on each. Token green leaves and a squirt of some or other sauce, presumably hollandaise. Adding the bacon took the price to $26!! A flat white and an English breakfast tea took the bill to $47. If you had to look up rip off in the dictionary it would have Esquires listed. Did not...