The Blackwater Pearl — Restaurant in Colchester

Had been to the cafe for a number of years so thought we'd get my elderly dad there for a change, NEVER AGAIN. At 12.45 i ordered the families food from the menu then requested scrabbled egg on toast for myself, omg with that a passive-aggressive female appeared stating they don't do scrabble egg after 12!! The polite young cashier appeared embarrassed. There was nothing polite in the way this woman spoke at all. I explained to the cashier that I would return to my family to look at the menu to reorder. When I returned to the cashier I apologised for my pervious order, I said quitely the menu didn't state anything about before 12 like other items did, omg with that this white haired passive-aggressive, rude and ignorant manger appeared beside me (she was sitting at a table eating her lunch!!) She started shouting about how she knew what was on the menu as she had written it, she continued to shout telling me they were to busy to serve scrabbled egg, i did say did she want us to leave due to her passive-aggressive behaviour, she stated she didn't care. I returned to the family who were in the next room but horrified what they had heard. If it wasnt for my elderly dad needing to be fed we would have left. Shortly after this young waitress plocked a tray of food on the table and walked off!! She clearly didn't want to be there!! No matter, smiles or anything. Omg then the food, burger had no taste at all with some funny cheese in it. The jacket potato was dry then the cheap fried, very greasy chips (no potatoe inside) arrived covered in microwave processed cheese. I regret not getting photos of the slop. The hygiene of the place wasn't good, carpets with food on in the corner. (Did get photo) Unable to see any toilets inside the cafe, they do have public ones opposite. We will NEVER BE GOING THERE AGAIN Right on the seafront and No fresh...

This is a nice, freshly decorated cafe building with a nice long terrace area out front which is partially covered so good all year round I imagine.

I popped in on Saturday at about 12.30 as one of a group of about 12. It was half full so we were able to sit at a couple of tables out the front.

The staff member taking the food orders was friendly, effective and quick and you got your coffee there and then rather than having to wait so top marks on that score.

There is quite a wide ranging, decently priced menu. I chose the Ham eggs and chips with a white coffee which cost £9.90, not bad as the portion was a decent price and it is quite central to the main waterside area of West Mersea.

The food came quickly in a small pizza box with real knives and forks which made sense and was nice, the eggs were a little crispy but ok.

A friend chose the doner kebab and salad but asked them to remove the chips (who orders a doner kebab when they're sober??!!). It took a long time to arrive as, no doubt, they had to fire up the doner kebab grill and get the meat heated up. When it did arrive it had one single strip of singed doner meat and a few other greasy strips in a small, crisp pitta bread, a table spoon of bland coleslaw and a spoonful of red onion. It was awful. Another reason people only eat doner kebabs when they're on their way home from the pub.

I fully appreciate that we arrived en masse and the kitchen is small hence the time taken to cook a variety of meals however I think that if it is on the menu it should be ready in the wings not being woken up from a cold start.

I would eat there again but would stick to the conventional menu options which you can see others are eating as they will be ready to cook and part of an...

This could be a fabulous little cafe with its great location but unfortunately it is a dirty establishment that doesn't seem to care or take pride in it's business Rubbish and food remnants litter the floor, that doesn't appear to have been swept for days, just left to blow into the estuary across the road. Tables hadn't been wiped for days. Asked for a cloth twice and in the end had to fetch it myself. Had an expensive cheese and pickle sandwich with the smallest amount of grated cheese all served up on disposable plates. Used cutlery had to be placed in a filthy swing bin by the rubbish bins. A young, inexperienced girl was serving ice cream and was openly reprimanded by a senior member of staff for failing to fill the ice cream machine/issues with filling the cones. Was sad to witness - please give an appropriate level of training to the young lady rather than belittling her in front of customers! One positive point - good Mr...