Harlem Cafe — Restaurant in Town Parks

3 women having Sunday brunch after holistic treatments, so feeing really well and mellow. Waited well over 1/2 hr to get in and shown to table with chair so low the edge of the table was above my bust. (I’m 5’2”) I have very arthritic shoulders so would not have been able to eat - I asked for a higher chair but they moved us which was fine. Service was very slow but they were busy. Two avocado and toast which were ok but nothing special and oddly served in a bowl plus one three cheese omelette and toasted sourdough which I ate but did not enjoy. Sourdough toast was fine but omelette over cooked/rubbery and if there were 3 cheeses you couldn’t differentiate between them but I didn’t complain - couldn’t bear the thought of waiting an eternity for it to be recooked as it would probably have been just the same. I should know better, good restaurants ask you how you like your omelette - lightly cooked or firm…..this was just beaten eggs & cheese thrown in a pan and cooked until solid. As there were 3 of us there was a 10%service charge…..not good considering ‘service’ comprised merely taking order and delivering food to table - we even had to ask for condiments and butter. I paid and mentioned (very politely) that we were “not too happy with service charge” whereupon a cheeky young server rudely stated it was clearly written on the menu etc etc etc. I know. I read it. I was providing polite feedback and had already paid so clearly was not looking for discounts or anything like that. All he had to say was something along the lines of ‘sorry - we do try to make sure people know before they order by having it printed on the menu” clearly he was having a bad day, which of course you can not afford to do in service industries. It’s fine though - I am a customer and I’m now providing written feedback! I eat out all the time - friends are always asking where to go…..trust me - a) I will not be back and b) Harlem will not be getting any...

A gem of a place. I dare you to find something wrong with the food, the staff or the ambience. Generous portions, excellently prepared and presented with an attention to detail that rivals any Five Star dining experience. The menu is varied enough to satisfy the needs of all modern diners and streamlined enough to allow the chefs focus on turning out great food. Try the 'luxury fish finger sandwich', it is not what you might think and will fill you, surprise and delight you (don't expect Captain Birdseye's on floppy, white sliced pan).

The staff are friendly, attentive and are another reason why this popular eatery is so loved by locals and tourists alike. They are professionals.

The decor is fabulous. They got it right. An eclectic mix of photos and paintings adorn the walls in proper, old frames. The lighting is just subdued enough to be atmospheric, not glaringly bright and uncomfortable, and general appearance is another reason to visit. You won't be bored. I promise.

Lastly, there is a strong sense of 'place' at Harlem. It knows what it is and what it is not. It is not at all boring or corporate. It is run by people who care a lot about their place, their fare and their customers. Prices are slightly less than - I was going to write 'competitors', but I'd have been wrong. Harlem doesn't have competitors, as such; it is they that are the yardstick against which others measure themselves, and, to date, no one else has surpassed them.

We ate at Harlem on Wednesday, 23rd August, 2023, having been recommended it by a highly placed person in the luxury hotel business. We were not disappointed and...

We came here a couple of years ago and really loved it, so we planned our last morning in Belfast around coming back here to get the breakfast menu. To say it was a disappointment is absolutely an understatement. We waited outside until my partner pointed out that our reservation was for 10 mins ago (and we could see there were numerous empty tables). Our table wasn't set. Once our order was taken my partner didn't get his coffee for almost 20 minutes, and the food arrived after 40 minutes. I then had to ask again for my water which still hadn't been brought down. The queue built up outside for about 30 minutes while we were sitting waiting for our food, and it seemed as though only one server who may have been on break and suddenly appeared had the ability to seat people at the empty tables. I thought that maybe they were just having a bad day and were short-staffed, but reading the recent reviews it seems to be a regular occurrence. The pancakes were nice but not worth the wait. We weren't the only table ignored, many other tables around us were visibly frustrated. They'd been seated before us and got their food only a couple of minutes before we did. I would recommend avoiding this place and finding somewhere else. Only for the fact that we'd a suitcase and many bags we'd have left. We even googled to see if we could find somewhere else nearby while we were waiting. The worst part was that there was no acknowledgement of the terrible service, no apology, or no communication that there was any delay which is the really worrying part. Likely not a bad day, just their regular...