Berni Beans — Restaurant in King's Lynn and West Norfolk

What a terrible service this place offers. Back in January, there were four of us that wanted afternoon tea. It was booked by one of our party over the phone and we were looking forward to this. When we arrived, the place was shut and the staff were inside cleaning. We rang the bell and explained that we had booked afternoon tea. For some reason this had not been booked in, and it wasn’t in the diary. We had to sit outside while they put together a table and it was freezing cold in January. Eventually after about 30 minutes we were told that we could come in and have the afternoon tea. By way of an apology, we were offered a free cream tea, at a later date in the year.

We booked this cream tea, by email, for this afternoon (24th March) and this was confirmed by the owner. We arrived there today, in the pouring rain and we were so shocked to see that the place was closed! We just couldn’t believe this. This was the second time that we had been let down by these people. I emailed the owner whilst outside the premises. I did get a reply a short time later with an apology that she had closed due to a dental appointment, and the other member of staff didn’t feel confident to work alone..how confident do you have to be to serve a scone and a pot of tea..? Therefore the place was shut. At NO time was I or anyone else in the party contacted about this. She had my email and a telephone number, but we were not told about this at all. That is what I find an appalling service. We should have been notified that they were unable to do the cream tea, and we could have rearranged this. It is terrible customer service to not bother to contact your customers, when you easily could have done so.

The four of us do not get together very often, so we were really looking forward to seeing each other and having a lovely cream tea together, but our afternoon was ruined by this. Also, we had paid to park the car, and walk in the rain to the place, and two of us are in their eighties ….! We will never go here...

Never again due to sheer rudeness. Arrived on New Yrs day and the main door was locked and unless you looked very hard through the red sign writing on the door their is a very small sign pointing to another entrance. (We went back to see this sign when we left). We walked round the side of the building to what looks like a door to an upstairs flat. We opended it to a very shocked member of staff. We thought we had gone into the kitchen area by mistake. When I queried it the lady said their was a sign on the other door. I mentioned that we didn't see it she said "oh maybe it needs to be clearer". As we were shown to a table by a member of staff, my husband heard the lady say with her head down "Their is a bloody sign on the door and no one reads it" my husband did say don't speak to my wife like that but their was no reply. We ordered coffee after what seems ages, the gentleman seemed put out no food was being ordered and queried our order twice. We paid and left. To be told under £10.00 is cash after I said cash or card. Good job we had cash on us. As we were leaving people were still baffled and trying the main door so maybe the fault is on the sign not (stupid people as implied). Will be giving this one a total miss shame as now local and the coffee.and...

Excellent tearooms. Perfect service. We went in two days runnning, first for a snack (coffee cake for the wife and a cheese and tomato sandwich for me since you are asking) and tea (wife has coffee, there is no accounting for taste), and then the following day for afternoon tea. On the first visit, when I pointed out that chocolate cake is the only cake the staff pretended that it wasn't, and that chocolate cake would not be available for the afternoon tea! Shocking. Fortunately, there was an overnight revelation and when we turned up I got a delicious slice of said cake, especially obtained for me. The wife had lemon cake, poor girl, but she says she prefers it and that it too was of high quality. We very much enjoyed the experience, including hearing about the exploits of Amanda's boys and generally chatting away, and though we live many miles away we will return again (the wife demands seaside quite...