The Espresso Lab - QAH — Restaurant in Abu Dhabi

I'm writing this review based on my experience on the place and time I was there and your experience may vary.

Now this was a sure 5 star rating without thinking, but when simple discomforts start to accumulate I had to drop one.

The shop was welcoming and neat. The smell of fresh brewed coffee hit you like a bomb. Their in house barista knows his beans and can recommend something according to your preference. The atmosphere was quite and elegant which had me mesmerised. I was in the mood for something sweet so the waiter choose something called T.E.L. and my friend ordered drip coffee. Hands down amazing.

Now with that out of the way let's start with the discomforts. The waiter who was talking our order wasn't paying any attention to what I wanted to order and her attitude was a bit off. The chairs although they look elegant they are not meant for long seating sessions. When we received our order there was an extra item we didn't order because of the lack...

Good coffee and desserts. And the revamped Qasr al Hosn / Cultural Foundation area is breathtaking. The mixture of modern and traditional is beautiful.

Edit: service has seemingly gotten worse since I've last been here. I counted maybe 5 or 6 employees and they were all having a chat at the opposite side of the cashier (facing away). One employee ran to the cashier area as soon I got there (great!) but ran back as soon as I turned to a friend to ask for their order (huh?).

No wonder it costs nearly 30 Dhs for a cup of coffee when you have to pay 6 employees for subpar service 🙄

I get it. Employees want to converse and chill and it's not like baristas get paid much anyway, but at least put in some effort?

Other reviews seem to point out the same problem. Sad. This place has a lot...

Amazing location and decor, Kind and knowledgeable stuff, But most importantly, excellent coffee. While its more on the expensive side, it truly is a specialty coffee at it's highest level, celebrating the essence and art of making coffee and coffee drinks. We took the cold brew, Spanish coffee and catuai coffee. All of them were excellent. The waiter also gave us free "shots" of the their signature "catalyst" coffee, which was delicious as well.

If I had the time in abu Dhabi, I would probably come back again and again until I have tried anything they have to offer

And maybe the biggest compliment I can give- the friend I was with thought he didn't coffee, until he...