Grand Central Bakery - Burien cafe — Restaurant in Burien

Moving review from 4 starts to one - the place has lost everything I liked about it.

Both my house and my office are less than a mile away from this location and over the years I've been here dozens, if not approaching on 100 times. I realize that COVID is tough on food establishments and during the shut down I twice bought lunches for my entire office to support this place. I used to work a lot with the restaurant industry, I know many owners and workers - my heart goes out to them. Now that Grand Central set up outdoor seating, I attempted to have a few business meetings here. And what a disaster!!

They are running short-staffed likely for financial reasons (which is what it is), but whatever staff they do have, plainly do not care about customer service and with every mannerism portray the feeling that they are there against their will.

While standing in the lengthy line and watching them work, it is impossible not to notice the laxidasical nature with which they move or the obvious lack of efficiency in how they take orders, communicate and fulfill them. Honestly, they seem stoned.

All three times I've had meetings there (within the last 2 weeks) my very simple orders were screwed up. I don't think I ever got utensils, despite the fact that I asked for them. I'd gotten wrong food made, had an item missing and today despite asking twice, my $12 palm-sized sandwich was not cut in half. (Typically this would be a non-issue, but you saw where I said that there are no utensils, right?)

They take your order from behind barricaded plexiglass, no customers are allowed inside, they then drop your order around the corner from behind a curtain, as if it was a hostage exchange. You never get to interact with a human, so if your order is messed up, you just have to get back in line. The line is full of frustrated customers who have been waiting there for way too long so cutting in front of others to ask for utensils, or for your order to get fixed, despite the fact that you already stood in line, gets sideways stairs from people. Adding insult to injury, today I learned that about half of the people in line were there for the second time because their orders were also messed up.

Today, I stood in line literally three times in order to get my order right. When I asked for the manager whom I could see in a little office, one of the worker girls came up and told me that she was the manager on duty. I explained to her that I was in line for the third time to get my order and that I was frustrated. She did not even apologize.

In all, it makes it for a very unpleasant experience. And I am done with this place until the COVID hysteria is over and they can hire some people who realize that they are working in "the...

First time visiting a Grand Central Bakery. I won’t make this location a regular stop. Inside was nice enough and had ample seating, mocha was good, and sandwich pretty good for a different time of day…however, customer service was disappointing, which for me is the ringer.

Went in at 930am, ordered a ham & cheese croissant which I could see in the case. Served cold and when I asked nicely for it to be warmed was told there was no way to warm it, which seems unusual for a bakery/pastry place. Then upon taking a bite, it was immediately clear that this was a lunch sandwich with Dijon mustard, full seeds, as a primary flavor. Good, but not for 930am. I was raised by a food industry professional who taught me the motto of “give me the chance to make it right” - so I don’t hesitate to nicely ask for accommodation if there’s an issue - plus, the sandwich was $9+ which is a breakfast splurge for me. I took a few more bites and wrestled with whether to ask for something different, finally deciding to confess the disappointment at the register, asking if I might be able to get something different. I was told without hesitation that I could buy something else but they couldn’t give me anything else. Who knows whether that was a self-preservation decision by staff or a company policy of self-preservation, but that, added to a complete lack of empathy for the situation and the sense I had that I was an imposition or annoyance to staff, and I’ll be happy to go somewhere the customer experience is of...

Bakeries have always been my favorite kind of store. Grand Central's treats are all excellent, from the delicately flaky folded pear frangipane tarts and cherry tarts - sadly, only seasonal - to the large, sumptuous cookies, particularly the Triple Chocolate - chock full o' chips! - to the nicely seasoned apple turnovers, and the large pecan-studded sticky buns - I am salivating as I even write this! I know the prices seem high, but - how many have the time, patience or skill to make this quality of pastries? And it's not just sweet treats, either. They make exquisitely creamy individual quiches, with mushroom, spinach, broccoli, leeks & cheese, and ham & cheese - and all in a delicious crust! Again, my only little quibble is the purported seasonality of ingredients - are mushrooms really seasonal?

Their sandwiches fill your tummy quite nicely, too. I recently had a Turkey & Cranberry Chutney ( so sweetly tangy!) on Como bread - mmmmm! And lest I forget, their breads are truly outstanding! Often, while waiting for your order to be filled (I am on the go), you get the extra nice treat of sampling their delicious, crusty bread, and can slather a generous piece with real butter and preserves! What can I say? You should try...