Whiskers & Cream Cat Cafe London — Restaurant in London

We came to the cat cafe expecting a fun experience for our daughters eighth birthday. Having navigated the pre-book system and shedded out over £200 for 6 of us in advance we were disappointed. We were seated in the basement where the cats are not. They seem to like the ground floor/ main area of the cafe. The service was slow- our food came quickly but drinks took a long time, bizarrely two lemonades took the longest to arrive and only appeared after the waitress was given a nudge. The requested jugs of water never arrived.

We pre- ordered the cream teas- the only option as we were a group of 6. As our order was over lunch time we had hoped to eat some lunch. But the sandwiches were limited to 3 crustless finger sandwiches per person. They were tasty- we just wished there were more! We also had 2 scones each accompanied by the measliest portions of jam and cream. We were told if we wanted more to ask for more. We asked for more but like the cats and the water none came. In the spirit of a fair review the cream teas also came with a shot glass filled with sorbet another filled with a cheesecake mixture and a brownie and carrot cake mini square each. Unfortunately what we all really wanted was lunch. We did ask for more sandwiches but were told we had eaten our quota and that anything more would be extra.

It would be great if as a large party we could have eaten from the a la carte menu- with regular food much like the rest of the cafe but this wasn't an option. Very bizarre. If they could take this as a fair criticism - maybe offering a different lunch option for large parties would go a long way.

The biggest disappointment was being seated in the basement. The cats seem to like upstairs more and for the majority of our time in the cafe this is where they stayed. We had been told that if we wanted to interact with the cats we could go upstairs. Or a waitress would try and lure them down. Customers upstairs were having a great time with the cats, a kitten curled up on someone's lap, another couple cuddling on one of the spare chairs as a couple ate. The problem is when you head upstairs you aren't just entering into the cats area- but other peoples dining area. While most were accommodating, it's very awkward trying to navigate petting a cat while someone else is eating their lunch at the same table.

We had asked a couple of times for a waitress to lure cats down and after complaining about the food and lack of cats the clearly disgruntled waitress lured 3 cats downstairs with treats. This was at approximately 1 hr into our visit and the visits our broken into 90 minute slots. Prior to this we had seen one cat sniffing around a couple of times, the remaining cats all stayed upstairs.

The kids enjoyed playing with the cats to an extent, but once the treats were eaten two of them drifted back upstairs. The sad truth is- it's an uneven experience between upstairs and downstairs and without the cats the very average but very expensive food becomes the focus. The staff were inattentive and visibly annoyed when we raised concerns. The manager seemed powerless to act on any complaints, repeating the mantra "That's the owners decision". As our ninety minutes finished we were asked by the manager if we had finished. We said yes, but could we take away the vast quantity of uneaten dry scones. She said of course, but like the water and the cats and the jam and the cream it didn't happen. We left pretty annoyed and disappointed at an over priced and uneven bizarre experience.

As I'm unable to respond to the owners reply, I will take this opportunity to edit my post. I have not emailed the owner or commented separately to the cafe owners other than on the day. I certainly was unhappy with the staff and their attentiveness as my review says. They literally ignored all our requests! You are obviously confusing me with another unhappy customer. It seems like...

If you're an animal lover, don't go there. Just went in to check it out and when asking the lady if the cats are kept in the relatively small enclosure - for 9(!) cats at least - all the time, she replied "Yes, they are very comfortable" as if that wasn't a really cruel and unnatural thing.

Reply to the owner's "justification" down below: No, I don't have to see the whole place, also because there are pics of miserable looking cats in a small inside space in Google maps. And no, the fact that some people have the audacity to keep an animal in a flat without ever letting the poor thing out, is not a justification for anything. No matter how big the place is and no matter how many plastic toys there are, it is in no way an adequate replacement for nature and exploring the world. It is also no flex to say that the cats have beds or food - you don't get a medal for that. And the "dangers" that are allegedly awaiting outside - this is nothing but projection (cats aren't children) and if the area is so dangerous, then DON'T HAVE CATS. Locking them into an artificial environment (whilst making money off it!) is.not.the.solution. Besides that, if the area was really that bad, the many cats that happily stroll around outside for years in the neighborhood (not strays but species-appropriately kept cats that go in and out of their homes on a daily basis) would all be kidnapped for dog fights and killed by... I actually forgot what nonsense you claim would happen to them. It seems, you either have psychological issues that have to do with thinking of the outside world as a danger zone that your children (projection) have to be locked away from or you're simply full of it and just make money with the entrapped cats - or both. The cats aren't toys or dolls. You are practically whoring them out. The animals are treated and used like moving objects, that don't need any stimulation beyond a small space. Your cat cafe is nothing but a weird prison - so sad. I don't understand why keeping living beings like that for up to two decades is...

I recently visited Cream and Whiskers cat cafe for my daughter's birthday, and I must say that while the booking process was incredibly easy and convenient, the overall experience left much to be desired.

To start with the positives, the reservation process was a breeze, and we were excited to spend a special afternoon surrounded by cats. However, upon arriving, it became evident that the feline residents of the cafe were not in the mood for interaction. We were informed that they had just been fed and would be in a deep slumber for the next several hours. While I understand that cats have their own schedules, perhaps the manager could have advised us on a more suitable time to visit, such as during or before their feeding time. This would have ensured a more engaging and enjoyable experience.

One of the significant disappointments of our visit was the afternoon tea itself. The cost was far from cheap, yet the portions were disappointingly small. We had already paid over £100 in advance for the experience, so it was disheartening to receive a bill of £1.60 for adding a handful of marshmallows and a dollop of whipped cream. It felt like a rather tactless way to add extra charges to what should have been a special occasion for my daughter.

The staff, while polite, seemed to lack warmth and friendliness. We were hoping for a more engaging and personalized service, especially considering it was a birthday celebration. It's the little touches and gestures that make such experiences memorable, and in this aspect, Cream and Whiskers fell short.

In summary, Cream and Whiskers has potential, but our visit was marred by a few critical issues. While the ease of booking is commendable, the lack of cat interaction, small portions for the price, and the seemingly impersonal approach to customer service left us feeling less than satisfied. With some improvements in these areas, this could be a unique and...