Dear Friends Cafe — Restaurant in Devonport-Takapuna

In short: great cafe to eat at and then buzz off, terrible cafe to socialise at during busy times with inconsistent and disappointing service. Read the full review below.

I’ve been to this cafe a few times, but I think with my recent experience here with a friend, it has left an unpleasant taste in my mouth, and will not return.

Whats good? The food at this cafe is just as tasty as it’s presented. The coffee is great and the waiter who served us was good too. I also like how you can get half sized portions in some items if you don’ have too much of an appetite (like the eggs benedict for example).

Here’s the catch about this place. It gets very busy (and for good reason), but as a consequence, it can get quite loud and difficult to hear people at your table. If you prefer a more quiet cafe to have a conversation, this may not be the best choice, unless you sit outside.

Now this is where I feel like they dropped the ball. We ordered, received and ate all of our food within 30 minutes of being seated. After being finished, we wanted to relax and chat for a bit (as you do at a cafe). But then this one staff member (who stands at the entrance and appears to be in charge of seating people), comes to our table with an eftpos machine and asks us to pay? I’ve lived in New Zealand for 15 years, and there has never been a case where a staff member came to our table unsolicited and just asked us to pay for the bill.

The message was received loud and clear, they got our money, so they just wanted us to leave. Because that same staff member kept staring at our table as people started lining up at the door waiting for a new table. I understand that you have a business to run, but to treat your customers like this just ruins the whole experience.

We arrived just before 8:30 in the morning, and left just after 9:00. We decided to go to another cafe for another round...

Meeting for quick coffee and cake, at the weekend at our regular meeting place but did not expect to get hassled. Ordered our drinks brought quickly to table but one the incorrect drink. Taken away no hassle and quickly replaced. Friend poured her tea from pot immediately empty pot and rest taken away. We had not been there 15 mins and not even half way through the drinks when our conversation was interrupted by staff asking would we be long. We informed him we were still drinking.

Not long after again interrupted and informed people waiting for tables would we mind not being long. To which we replied is it profit or customer service you offer. Minutes later interrupted again as our table was forceably moved along extremely close to next table whilst our drinks are in hand whilst they squashed extra chair on end of anther table. People crowed in.

We eventually were allowed to finish our drinks in peace but as soon as our cup was put down they were gone, and again had staff interrupt to ask if we wanted anything else and continue to hover around us. It was embarrassing for us, and we were unable to hardly complete a few sentences before we were hassled for something.

We have NEVER had such BAD SERVICE in a cafe, and especially one we frequent, but NOT anymore. DEAR FRIENDS ITS CALLED BUT DEAR FRIENDS IT IS NOT. THEIR A CAFE JUST FOR PROFIT ONLY. HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR MONEY ETC ON QQUIET DAYS BUT LOOK OUT IF THEY ARE BUSY YOUR JUST A NUMBER.

OUR ADVICE there are plenty of lovely cafe & bars in Milford find one that treats you with respect and not a $ sign especially if you’re a regular Coffee...

Very noisy, to the point we had to shout to talk to our table. There were dogs all over the place, not quietly sitting, but barking and one guy tripped over a lead of a dog that had bolted to the other side. We had 3 dogs each side of us! The food one of us ordered was so greasy it was inedible. We returned it. The other meal was OK though, but very overpriced. It was such a horrible dining experience, such a shame. I usually only give good reviews, good or I don't give one at all. But this was horrible. I used to love this place, but it was like sitting in a cross between the britomart station and dog day care, with sub standard food. If you want that frenetic noisy rushed coffee, this is the place for you. Not my idea of a lovely Sunday brunch at all. Sorry to give a bad review, but really can't justify anything else.

Following this post, the Cafe replied... that was not correct. The entire order was greasy and not nice. We couldn't eat it and so it was taken away, uneaten. We weren't charged because it wasn't eaten, you still charged for the drinks etc. There were lots of dogs, you didn't try and move the dogs, they took presidence, and that's fine, I love dogs, but these are running round and really disrupting. I always give good reviews, or no review if it's bad, but that experience was horrible, it was so nasty in there and...