Gateaux Patisserie — Restaurant in Dearborn

To begin with, I would like to state that I have been a regular customer of this establishment for a considerable amount of time—so much so that the cashier would actually remember my order—and I have never had a negative experience until today. However, today was enough for me to write this review and never go back. I went with a friend to finish some schoolwork, like we have done many times before. like we walked in, we noticed a sign saying that outside food and beverages are not allowed. Alright, well, we didn't bring any in. We proceeded to our customary spot and got to work. We've been there for about fifteen minutes when an employee tells us that she's at the counter to take our order whenever we're ready. We say, "Okay, thank you." After that, we carry on. My friend started a test about 30 minutes ago and was still working on it as of now, so it has been about 2 hours. We've been there for two hours when an additional employee approaches us and says we can't stay any longer unless we buy something. We've been there numerous times; most of the time we do buy something, and even on the occasions when we don't, there have never been any problems. We explained that we had been here for two hours and that this was a first for us. She persisted in saying that we needed to buy something or go, so even though my friend was still in the middle of the exam, I got up and bought a lemon grass tea. Returning to my seat, I discovered that my friend was speaking with one of the owners—I think her name was Sueha—and the first employee, who had informed us that she was at the counter and prepared to take our order. Aggressively, the owner started talking about how it's policy for us to have to buy something in order to sit there, that they have signs up stating this (they don't; there's just one sign about food and drinks outside), and that this isn't a library. While she is technically correct—Gateaux isn't a library—we repeated that we are regular customers and that we always buy drinks while we are there. The employee behind her then lied and said she did tell us that we needed to buy something to sit there, which she did not and I made it obvious that she did not. I then added that had someone informed us earlier, it would have been a bit more understandable than two hours in. The owner said, "Go somewhere else then," and left as I was in the middle of saying that I had purchased something and that my friend and I would not be returning after this encounter because it was just so uncomfortable. Now, it's not about the money or buying a drink; rather, it's about having common courtesy and not treating people disrespectfully, especially if they are regular customers of your business. I have experience working in customer service, and I simply felt that the entire exchange was very nasty and inappropriate. That is definitely not how I would have handled the matter personally. We had already spent two hours there, so it was really inconvenient to address this at that time. However, if my friend hadn't been in the middle of an exam, I would have gotten up right away. Granted, the owner did return and apologize, saying that they should have informed us about the policy during the first ten minutes of our visit rather than two hours later. She also claimed that, despite my repeated assertions to the contrary, she was unaware of this beforehand and that she didn't want to cause us any discomfort and she expressed displeasure with the way the conversation ended. Nevertheless, even though we did receive an apology it was such a disgusting experience that I don't think I could go back to a place that exudes so much entitlement. I understand now that leaving this review won't accomplish anything, and from what I've seen, every bad review response has been incredibly defensive and unremorseful. I don't expect anything more from you than that; just try to improve and do better because coming to try and apologize after handling it the way you did to try and save grace doesn't remove the bad taste left...

After my first time sitting inside, I have decided this is truly my last visit (for a plethora of reasons). I started patronizing this establishment when they first opened, because I thought it reflected a glimmer of promise mirroring my many tea parties at the Ritz. So many times I was over charged for simple trifles, and objects in the display case weren’t marked, so you couldn’t dispute the appalling bills. To buy pastries for a party of three (every time I came), my bill totaled around $55-$70. Then to arrive home to either spoiled or stale desserts, was a HUGE disappointment. I stopped patronizing them once I realized it was just so much more brilliant to bake my own desserts, suit to my own taste. However I didn’t come to them because I couldn’t bake, I came because everyone likes to take a break from slaving in a kitchen all day. It’s a part of human nature to desire to serve and be served (properly, and with respectful decorum). Staff were known for taking other people’s orders (who arrived after me) before mine. They were perpetually perplexed and lost. I finally came in to sit down, hoping to find the establishment changed, then to find things worse than the same. During a racial pandemic, I found myself baffled that my mother-daughter day ended with my mother feeling belittled and discriminated against. Consistency is key to a thriving businesses, as well are repeat customers. Tables were not bused or cleaned swiftly, per COVID mandates. We were not served at our table, but were rather expected to pick up our food from next to the garbage can. Our tea came in sachets, rather than the pot (of endless refills that was purchased). Then I looked around in disappointment as I viewed other women’s tables getting served by hand, with tea pots in tow. Every woman wants to feel special, and that we did not. My mother being one of the only visible patrons of colour, made me realize that things haven’t really changed at all here, and that the business is not inclusive. When the discrepancy was noted, empty excuses were made and my mother came away with six tea sachets in a to-go cup for her troubles. No I didn’t expect better compensation out of this business, that was (anyway) before I had witnessed them extend proper compensation to the disagreeable women shouting at the beginning of my trip. For her discontentment she was given four free drinks all adjusted to her liking, on the house. And then she had a full refund extended to her for her whole table’s desserts at the finality of the trip. In short, staff (whether temporary or not) are a reflection of the management, and will only perform to the standard they are held to. I didn’t come seeking free desserts, I just simply wanted my hardworking mother to feel special, and I am ASHAMED to say they rather made her feel both dehumanized...

Wow! Gateaux cakes, macarons, and pastries are all phenomenal. As someone who is heavily critical of dessert and has tried various pastries from different parts of the world, I can say that Gateaux truly takes me back to France. In terms of the pastries, they were all delicious. I highly recommend the creme brûlée. Unlike others that I've sampled, this version is not eggy at all, and you can really taste the vanilla. The macarons were also amazingly delectable. The flavors are unique (try the rosewater, it's perfection in a cookie), and the texture is exquisite. Upon sinking your teeth into the scrumptious cookie, you get a crunch and a burst of flavor. The inside of the macaron is very chewy and absolutely melts in your mouth. Even the buttercream is flavored! The ispahan is also amazing. It makes for great pictures because it is so beautiful, and the cream cheese buttercream filling pairs well with the fresh fruit that is inside of it. The drinks are mouthwatering, from the fragrance of it to the taste that hits you with each sip. An employee had me smell each of the teas because I couldn't decide which to order. They all smelled so beyond delicious that I could not choose which I wanted. Eventually, the same employee gave me a tea recommendation based on my tastes and the pastry that I ordered. Since then, I have been back multiple times to sample nearly all of the drinks that they have. The interior decor is just gorgeous. It looks like something straight off of Pinterest. The pastel green walls paired with the white and gold accents make for a lovely combination. I particularly loved the tea sets that were used. The bottom of the tea cup says that it is plated with 24K gold. Such a small detail that makes such a large difference! The interior along with the taste of the pastries took me right back to Paris. The service is AMAZING! Each of the girls that helped me were extremely familiar with the pastries and drinks. They asked me questions to get a feel for my taste buds, and used my responses (combined with their extensive knowledge of the shop's products) to formulate appetizing combinations of dessert and drink that I absolutely loved. Overall, Gateaux is very pretty and tastes amazing. It's very resonably prices, seeing as the chef only uses the freshest and highest quality ingredients to craft the delicacies. A must-see for anyone in the Metro Detroit area....