Review Neighbours Cafe - Balaclava

More than 5stars !!! Lovely atmosphere , friendly staff Good to open your day with Neighbours cafe Coffee is wake me up with deep flavor No need to say for food 👍

A new find in our new local area - this place is a gem for we pupper & food loving types. Cute courtyard, excellent coffee, friendly staff, & vegan options aplenty. Do yourself a favour & try the vegan chili hash - it is DEVINE!!

The staff here are really friendly, they have a great menu and multiple dining area options ( indoor, outdoor, semi-outdoor). The food was delicious and super filling and the coffee was amazing with the personalised business name on the cups. Absolutely loved this place.

Great chilled atmosphere, staff were friendly and communicative. There is loads of seating outside (mostly under cover away from the rain today!) which is dog friendly too. The menu is huge and there were a lot of dishes I would love to have tried for brunch! The portions are generous (yay!), cooked perfectly and served alongside some great coffee. I also think the menu options are great value for money given the size of them. The only downside to our visit was the coffee arrived about 10 mins after our food due to the front cafe being busy. Not ideal but the staff came to tell us why there was a delay at least. Plus the food made it up for it! I will definitely visit again to sample something else from the menu!

Wide selection and delicious food. Yummy coffee. Friendly staff. Dog and kid friendly. Lovely, sunny, protected courtyard. Ticks all the boxes. One of my favourite locals.

Love this place! Friendly and helpful staff. They accommodate me on my scooter. Great food for vegans and non vegans. I've been coming here for years. They are really my neighbours, around the corner!

Great porridge. Shaksuka needs work though. Coffee and service was good and very dog friendly.

They have consistently poor customer service. The first time it happened I thought it’s once off. But several times the services have been poor. I’m not sure what is going on but the girls working there are pretty lazy, not considerate of customers. This morning was the last straw for me, I ordered a the passion fruit smoothie and the got home to drink it only to find out the milk was off, like it was fermented. I’m incredibly disappointed. The coffee is only passable because they have good beans but that’s about it about this cafe. The managers need to rehire new people or retrain them somehow.

I always come back for the same thing because it's the best I've ever had! Nice outdoor courtyard too.

Dined for lunch with a friend after visiting local dog park. Great place that's dog friendly & has a dog menu. I had the crab meat scramble & ordered the peking duck jerky for our dog, he loved it & I enjoyed my meal also. Had a couple of chai's as they were good also. Service friendly.

Since moving to the area a couple of years ago, Neighbours fast became a favourite of mine and visiting friends and family. <br/>I cannot speak highly enough of the cafe in every respect. The food is incredible; extremely flavoursome and nutritious. Value for money is by far the best I have experienced - affordable and one meal is enough for two. The service is always warm and friendly, with the cafe being family and dog-friendly, promoting an inclusive environment where everyone is welcome.<br/>Well done to everyone involved in this business - you guys are the best!

A warm and welcoming cafe with a great corner location, Neighbours cafe in St Kilda is a fantastic place to stop by for a coffee date. I love the area out the back, with it's huge space, exposed brick patina and homely feel.<br/><br/>Staff are really lovely here, and the vibe is friendly and chilled. With awesome coffee and a yummy menu, it's always a great cafe to visit. I love their range of cakes, as there are so many tempting options. Neighbours cafe is an apt name for this venue, as it's like dropping in old friend s.

Came one raining Saturday for brunch with group of friends... i ordered shashuka eggs and another friend ordered pulled pork with eggs Benedict. Shakshuka eggs was nice but the spices they used are too powerful for my liking. Coffee was a bit weak as well. But the cafe itself is cozy.

Delicious food, great range of different options on the menu, freshly squeezed juices and best of all you can take your dogs there! Service was friendly but a little slow, overall a great little cafe worth a look if you are in the area.

We are neighbours with Neighbours Cafe here in St Kilda East. My time on Inkerman Street is now coming to a close and it’s lovely to have finally managed to give Neighbours cafe a visit and a review. I thought the food was great. It’s a curious menu that delivered some punchy flavours overall. The only shame was my experience was marred by unfortunate service.

Great local cafe with a welcoming vibe and fab coffee.  You can sit inside our out in the (child and puppy friendly) courtyard - either under cover or out on the lawn.  The staff were all welcoming and friendly, table service in the courtyard and you can also grab coffees and pre-made cakes to go.<br/>Brunch menu is comprehensive and the portion sizes are really generous.  Great value for money and everything we ordered was yummy.  We'll definitely be back.

This place has clearly recently changed hands. Coffee is now very inconsistent and the service is really poor. I’m not sure the girls working there really enjoy dealing with people.

Absolutely superb! <br/><br/>Today was such a beautiful sunny day which made the courtyard experience so special! There were people doing an art class (very talented) just next to us.<br/><br/>The service is very friendly and non invasive which was pleasant.<br/><br/>The food. Wow! The portion sizes are BIG and to top that off, so much effort is put into the food, it literally blew my mind.<br/><br/>I had the Bush Lamb & Sweet Potato Hash (outstanding) and my friend had the Shashuka! We JUST fit it all in.<br/><br/>I have been living in the area for over a year and I could kick myself for not visiting sooner. <br/><br/>It's quirky, relaxed, delicious organic food & friendly service... I couldn't really ask for more.<br/><br/>Thanks so much for having us! Xx

I like trying new dishes when I find a place worth returning to... but at Neighbours... its the bush lamb and sweet potato dish... evvvvery time. Salty, sweet, filling and more-ish. Love it.

Great atmosphere given how casual it is. Helpful and friendly staff. Food was perfect. Awesome for kids too. Really enjoyed our morning. Thanks.

Great place for a casual breakfast or lunch. Courtyard out the back of the counter was too hot the day I visited. Decided to sit inside and look out the window at passing pedestrians. Order at the counter from a big menu. Just grabbed a soft drink out of the fridge and they brought a cold water jug and glass with my meal. I ordered a salad with smoked salmon- when it arrived I was surprised at the size! Looked more like a platter of salad than a salad for one. The feta was delicious and the dressing tasted sweet and salty and went well with the salmon. Good value too.

I can't fault this place. I have been a few times for take away coffee but never for breakfast. There is a great outdoor area as well as a smaller indoor space. The service was prompt and friendly (including the head barista who likes to have a quick chat with customers). I had the pulled pork with poached eggs & hollandaise on sour dough. It was huge! So filling and tasty and very well priced. My partner had the fritters which were tasty as well. The coffee & chai latte were spot on. Looking forward to becoming a regular here.

This is my new local cafe, I want to come here every Saturday! The coffee is great, the juices are so fresh, the food portions are so generous and great quality. I ordered the pulled pork addict and added spinach, it was delicious and so reasonable priced. You get so much pulled pork, 2 slices of sourdough bread, 2 eggs, a beautiful hollandaise sauce with bacon dust... I mean come on, that’s what you want for a breakfast treat! My partner ordered the bush lamb and sweet potato hash, it usually comes with a fried egg but he ordered without because he doesn’t like eggs, so that’s the only thing missing from the photo. Overall both dishes were absolutely delicious and the coffee is great but most importantly they have an outside area where dogs are allowed! So I will be returning for great food and bringing my wolf along very soon!

I have lived within a 5- 10 minute walk from Neighbours for the last 4 and a half years. Over the past 12 months, they have really stepped it up a notch! The coffee gets better and better every time! I have eaten the fritters, the matcha pancakes, the shukshuka, the acai bowl and the matcha pancakes- all delicious! I went today and had the mushroom dish with quinoa broccoli etc, it was fantastic! I love to bring my mum here cause she loves seeing all the dogs :) keep up the good work guys!

Dined here twice in the last year. The first time was great and it was during the week when it wasn’t so busy. The back area is lovely and is a great place for bring your dog. I’ve tried the bush lamb and sweet which was flavoursome. I try to choose different dishes which aren’t the standard smashed avo or eggs Benny. The second time I dined was around 2pm on a Sunday arvo so it wasn’t as busy as it usually is in the mornings. Trying to get table service was difficult as it seemed like the waiter was avoiding eye contact so I walked over and had to ask for my order to be taken. I had the rhubarb hot cakes from the specials board which was delightful and beautiful presented with homemade honeycomb. This place used to be my weekly go-to for takeaway coffee but on a Sat morning recently my partner and I waited for almost 20 mins. The coffee wasn’t worth the wait. Noticed that a new person had been making the coffee. Give this place a go if you find yourself in the area during the week. The service and wait times seems to better. But hopefully the coffee is better now.

Enjoyed the courtyard here, friendly service.<br/>I had superfood salad here, with all fresh ingredients and taste good!<br/>Perhaps will come back and try something else <br/>

3.9<br/><br/>Twosheds’ morning coffee walk today was to the Neighbours’ Cafe on the corner of Inkerman and Chapel St in St Kilda East. Talk about spoiled for coffee on this strip of Inkerman - see previous reviews of Blencowes Milkbar and Little Captain. Neighbours is a fantastic, huge, sprawling cafe with a massive green outside space. The food here is beautiful too - another slightly hippy, alternative place. We have eaten here before but didn’t today. Coffee was great - lighter on the milk in my skinny latte, which I liked and a lovely vanilla flavour. <br/><br/>Recommended. 3.9

Just moved to the area with my main gal, can’t wait to make this place my go to local cafe because they allow dogs. Yes. Good cafe and amazing chai. Chuz. Can’t wait to try the food- good vegan brekky options.

Visited at lunch time on a thursday, this allowed for super fast service with both coffee and meals. I would imagine there might be a wait for a table and slower service on a weekend or public holiday. <br/>The meals themselves were delicious, a super generous amount of meat was given with the pulled pork and the super salad (with added eggs) was really filling. <br/>Coffees were great and the staff were also lovely and attentive

Just appalling service.  I am definitely not usually one to complain: even if I don't really like a place it takes a lot to get me online to leave a negative review.  But this was an absolute shocker. In a group of 6 with 2 young (but well behaved!) kids, sitting right in front of the counter and register. <br/><br/>After half an hour not even our coffees had arrived.  I found the waitress who took our order and she said she was just about to enter it!  When I asked what had taken her so long to even just enter the order into the system she said "Look around, we're really busy".  Sure it was quite busy, but 30 mins to enter an order anywhere is just not normal. <br/><br/>Finally the coffees came but after another 20 mins still no food.  All the while we watched a large number of takeaway coffee and food orders come and go.  It's like we were totally invisible.  Kind of surreal actually.  I paid for the coffees and cancelled the food order.  Walked a few hundred metres down the road to Hannah, which was excellent.  Save your time and sanity and go there instead!

I was introduced to this place by my colleagues .. and I am so glad they did !! I had a bush lamb and sweet potato hash .. and it was mind blowing .. super yum 😋 the portions are huge.. we were a large group and we had almost one of each item of the menu on our table .. we all enjoyed the food .. no complaints at all .. just remember this one closes by 4pm so it’s perfect choice for brunch or lunch .. simply amazing food ! Will return for sure ..

Haven't tried the food yet, but had quite legitimately the best Iced Latte of my life.  I didn't want it to end.  Tried a milkshake, however, and it was quite expensive for what it was.  Lovely staff.  Great vibe.

What a delight to dine as guests of Neighbours. No relation to the cringeworthy Australian tv show but rather an impressive space with achingly cool interiors and a massive pet friendly outdoor courtyard. Staff fed dog biscuits to the canine companions of locals as I pondered the seriously delicious looking cake selections. <br/>I managed to abstain as my breakfast choices themselves were sweet enough. I had the apple chai to drink which was much sweeter than a standard chai as well as an açai bowl which was quite a sweet rendition. If you like them on the sweeter side this would be a good option for texturally it was made to a perfect consistency. Runny açai bowls are a bug bear of mine but this one was spot on. Hubby went for cauliflower, zucchini and haloumi fritters which were a yummy combination and served with butternut pumpkin, a poached egg, chilli jam and a date syrup. A unique twist on your standard fritter dish. The middle eastern influence was apparent on a number of other dishes across the menu which made them a little more intriguing then your average breakfast fare. <br/>The casual relaxed vibe and friendly staff are what makes this place great. Coupled with an awesome decor Neighbours really shows its personality and stands out as something a bit different in a sea of Melbourne cafes that all seem to be using the same interior 101 decorating book

Great coffee and delicious food. Love the court yard out the back, perfect for a sunny day. You can even get a fix of someone else dog is you so wish. As they are dog friendly.

Neighbours café is a cute little place with an awesome outdoor section that is dog friendly! The service staff is accommodating, the food is delicious and the coffee hits the spot. I’d highly recommend it!<br/>

Ate the Bircher... Was delicious!!<br/>Loved the garden and the fact that it is pet friendly, don't see that a lot 👏<br/>The place is very laidback but with good taste!

Excellent location and a great indoor and outdoor place! Being pet friendly it’s definitely a plus, turns out to be so cute to look around at the other tables. Good porridge and toasts, the baristas job it’s a little inconsistent!<br/>Ana Luís Ribeiro

Came here for brunch yesterday, really enjoyed it. Most of the seating is out the back (as the cafe is doggy friendly :)) but there are plenty of heaters so it's warm. Excellent coffee-had two long blacks. For breakfast shared the thyme mushrooms and kale and corn fritters with my mum. Both really tasty, although I preferred the mushrooms as the dish was lighter. Would definitely come back again.

Amazing! Loved it here! Cute little cafe, nice food, nice service, not overly expensive. Plus dog friendly area outside! New favourite spot 😍

Love the chill atmosphere in this cafe. Nobody is hustling you to eat and leave. There's tons of space to sit as long as you like and use the free wifi.

Good coffee and food selection is also pretty good usually fairly busy most weekend mornings I really think they should open up at night time I reckon they would do well

The first few times I came here I really enjoyed it, but it seems to keep going downhill in terms of food and service quality. After this time, I won't be coming back.The staff were OK, although not overly friendly. When we initially walked in we were ignored by most of the staff, but once we sat down our coffee order was promptly taken. Although it was not busy, it still took about 15 minutes to get our food order taken, however we weren't trying all that hard to get someones attention.<br/><br/>Coffee here is good. Always has been. This, and the great outdoor setting seem to be the only redeeming qualities Neighbours Cafe has for me. Once the food came out we were disappointed. The big breakfast came out with what looked like and tasted like cheap Coles  BBQ sausages and frozen hash browns. The french toast came out extremely sloppy and soggy, and with a banana that's core had turned completely black. Not something I would eat, let alone serve to paying customers. It's simple really, if you cut a banana open and you see the core is rotting, just go and cut another one open and serve that. The lime marscapone served with it tasted more like a super sweet lemon custard - too sweet for our tastes, but it may be others cup of tea. Neither of us could actually finish the french toast, and that wasn't due to the portion size.<br/><br/>When the staff came to collect our plates, and we mentioned our problem with the food they simply said "oh ok", walked away, and stared daggers at us for the last few minutes we were there.<br/><br/>With so many great cafes close by, I don't think i'll be coming back anytime soon.

If you’re looking for somewhere to sit and drink your coffee while embracing the outdoors then look no further than Neighbours cafe. Situated on the corner of Chapel and Inkerman Street this small looking graffed up cafe has a little secret. Once you walk in the door and past the coffee machine you’re greeted with a very serene backyard providing both open air and covered seating. As a former milk bar seating was minimal, Chen (the owner) decided to renovate, ripping down a shed and turning the outdoor area into some where that is very familiar and laid back, kind of like being in your neighbor’s backyard having a bbq. Oh I almost forget to mention the best part puppies are welcome!!On a beautiful sunny morning there is no place you’d rather be.The menu has your typical cafe usual suspects except with an Israeli twist (dukkah, dukkah everywhere). Catering to the healthy and those who have just a little bit of a sweet tooth. If you’re looking for a light hearty and healthy breakfast opt for the Porridge- Flip Shelton five grain porridge, mix berry compote, pistachio and goji crumble with just a drizzle of honey.

Another cool hipster joint in St kilda. Loved the graffiti art. Its not what you expect when you walk out to a beautiful courtyard. Its so peaceful and well decorated. Staff were lovely! Coffee was well made and strong. Acai bowl tasted good. Great place... love the homely feel no wonder its called neighbours cafe :) Heaps of dogs aswell

The middle eastern style of the menu is brilliant, not your average cafe menu which is refreshing to say the least. I had the falafel salad which was really filling, they also had lots of vegan / vegetarian options. <br/>Love the puppy friendly outdoor area. <br/>Our waitress was exceptional! Overall, great experience, will definitely be back!

Good local spot. Super chill and if it's a nice day make sure you go and sit out the back. Easy menu to - nothing overly complicated. Good service & good coffee just beware of the tables some of them can be a bit wobbly an over loved life!

We enjoyed our visit to neighbors today. A great outdoor setting for some summer rays! While the food didn't come out looking super appealing, both dishes tasted great! Service was super attentive and the coffee was really tasty too!

Im not sure why this place is called Neighbours Cafe but I'd say it has something to do with the cast from the TV show being there all the time. I've seen Harold and Stefan Dennis there recently and I think they may have been on a date. Stranger things have happened. Listen it's an ok cafe and I don't feel excessively irritated by being there. It's coffee is fine. Once I had a hamburger, once I had some pancakes, once I had a BLT and they were all better than I could've made but I lack kitchen skills and that's why I can't hook a man. I had the pancakes ages ago and it came with sissy garnishes and mascarpone. I get distracted by mascarpone as I once heard the Marquis de Sade would feed it to his lovers so things would taste better but it seems a fashionable addition to pancakes these day. Unfortunately there's too many people with fashion accessory kids and dogs at this cafe but I've seen some good looking men there too. People with kids should keep them at home, there's lots great cinema and tv for kids these days and they mature early (it's a fact, the government put weird stuff in milk) so they can look after themselves. And these cashed parenting types should really go and live somewhere else as they have forced the unsuccessful creatives out and there's prostitution, ice and underground child labour camps just up the road. The staff are quite nice also so no complaints there and I especially like the dare I say, Israeli appearing men. I hope there is a Jewish guy working in the kitchen as it's good to know your food is being prepared by a guy without a foreskin as they aren't always hygienic.<br/><br/>For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner.<br/><br/>The last time I was there's they served my fries in a mini deep fry basket. It was a sunny day and my youthful complexion glowed in the sun of the out door area and I looked really good. I was forced to use the bathroom after two cafe latte and had a very unusual experience while using the facilities which could only be described as an outer body / alien abduction type of experience. I'm having trouble remembering exactly what happened next because I think my memory was "cleansed" by the monsters in the toilet but needless to say it was a trippy experience and worth revisiting. <br/><br/>4 stars.<br/><br/>Sent from my iPad

The environment is very friendly and cute. I ordered the shakshuka was delicious wish it had more beans and toast, other then that was very tasty 3.5/5, my wife ordered the Birtcher was excellent 4/5. Would recommend ordering the Birtcher. The iced coffee and icream is delicious 4/5 would recommend ordering that, wife had the iced late 3/5. The waitress roelie is friendly and sweet.

One of my favourite breakfast/brunch spots in this area. There's usually space available, especially when the weather is good and the outside is available. A great area for those with buggies or dogs. As both animals and kids are welcome to roam free!<br/><br/>The coffee is good and smoothies are also great (they'll but them in takeaway cups with lids & straws for children). I've tried various items on the menu, my favourites are the Middle Eastern Brekky and Corn Fritters. If you're after takeout grab the egg and bacon rolls which come with a great aioli.

This place used to be really good, but the last few times I've been have been quite disappointing. Not overly busy, slow coffee service, the food has been really underwhelming. Shame because I used to love coming here.

Reliably good food. I often relied on this cafe for breakfast and lunch when I lived nearby. Really like the outside area when the weather was nice enough. I'd happily recommend you go there!

Coffee is inconsistent, inattentive staff and the service is TERRIBLE... Prices are also to high for the quality you get! <br/>I have been here 2 times now and I have been walking away disappointed every time..<br/>There are so many better cafes around, don't go to Neighbours!

Great breakfast! Very friendly Scottish waitress. It was a rainy morning so unfortunately couldn't sit in their garden area (but will be back to take advantage of that) despite that they had a covered outdoor area that was nice and warm. Despite it being busy the service was quick and the food was really good and hot. Great almond milk cappuccino! Will be back

Both food and coffee at this cafe is alright but service is absolutely tepid...I walked in today for a coffee and a chai latte, and a breakfast. The cafe wasn't busy, yet the 2 waiters were both busy reading the papers and simply walking around, and a) didn't clear my plate when finished, b) didn't come up and ask whether I wanted another coffee (the empty latte glass would've given that one away!), and c) when I ordered my chai latte it didn't arrive (I ended up getting it in a takeaway cup, as they were still making it 20 mins into ordering it!). Disappointing - won't be coming back.

It is a nice layout and good atmosphere. Our breakfast were good. It took a little time but I didn't mind as the restaurant was busy. I did find the service a bit lacking at times. We stood inside with a waitress walking past us a couple of times. I would think that even if she wasn't the person to greet customers, at least find the person responsible for it.

Avoid this place for Sunday brunch: I'm not sure if there was a melt-down in the kitchen however we had to wait 20 minutes for a lukewarm coffee; and a full hour for our breakfast. Our order was smashed avocado on toast for my friend and scrambled eggs with a side of avocado and fresh tomato for me. Not really an order that should take an hour to prepare... My side came out as roasted tomato. We were running late for where we needed to be as hadn't anticipated waiting so long so I didn't bother complaining about the fact the side was incorrect for fear it may take another hour to correct. We had to go up to ask for the bill rather than sit and wait an eternity for someone to approach our table and then were instructed that we had to go pay inside. We saw a lady start to line up and then do a runner from the long queue to pay - possibly may not be the right system to arrange payment. Just saying. We wanted to split the bill but were denied despite seeing the couple in front of us pay half in cash and half on the card. We were depleted of energy by this point so didn't argue.  If you want a relaxing brunch with good service - I would suggest go elsewhere.

Cool atmosphere and location are the only things that save this place. <br/>Service was slow, on a very quiet morning. When food FINALLY arrived, it was not only bland, but I could've made it better myself - plus at least it'd be warm. Disappointing for a place that has so much potential.

Very average for coffee and food... I'm disappointed with how bad the service was... The owner/manger (really tall middle eastern looking guy) was what I thought not nice (answering bluntly) ... First & last time to come here.

Great ambience, but I'll say NO to pork on my fork next time. Too stingy on the hollandaise sauce, overcooked pork rasher on dry round toast and non-runny eggs. <br/><br/>I had to send it back to avoid choking. The staff were cool about it and got me some tasty corn fritters instead.

Neighbours is conveniently located a 5 minute walk from my house, whether it be a phone order for take away when you don't want to be seen on a Sunday morning or for eating in a sunny seat in their courtyard! <br/><br/>The staff are happy, friendly and very attentive! <br/><br/>I have tried most things on their menu and I love their baked eggs! Feta and Chorizo top it off with multigrain bread to dip! <br/><br/>Couldn't recommend visiting neighbours enough... <br/>

Really lovely neighbourhood cafe! Came here for a quick lunch and some down time and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The food was really delicious, I'm on a health kick so I had the super greens salad but I had a good sticky beak at a few other tables and all the food looked divine. I would definitely say that there's something for everyone and they cater to a lot if not all dietary requirements and fads. <br/>The atmosphere was really cool, felt like popping over to a nice neighbour's house for a chat and a coffee. The front was your usual bar seating / cafe, the shed has a few a nice rustic touches but the courtyard was the serious winner. Wasn't idea today as it had just rained all morning but I could really see it working on a nice summer afternoon. There were quite a few patrons with their canine friends out there which is a big thumbs up from me! <br/>The staff were really nice and bubbly although a little rundown when we first got there (1:20, the end of the lunch rush), but overall super friendly vibe!

Food and coffee is good as long as you don't mind a heap of little kids everywhere. Nice on a sunny day in the court yard. Sometimes can be too busy

<br/>Love the atmosphere as you walk into this place. Coffee is always good but <br/>Come on guys....Surely you could have cut my egg and bacon roll for me. 😂 <br/><br/>

The owner/chef guy is openly anti kids - not sure if he's intentionally discriminatory or just a grumpy prick. We have felt his wrath towards our kids on more than one occasion. I would imagine he is pleased to hear he has lost our patronage. Shame, because the venue is great and the wait staff have always been friendly but he ruins the experience. Don't bother going there if you have children.

My most local eatery. Food is normally very good... provided you dont have any allergies, intollerances or dislikes! Others describe the owner as militant... i dont disagree. They dont even like you adding anything to their dishes (you know.. its only extra $$$ in the till). I know others who have been awfully embarrased there.. just not good enough for such a great location with a great history

These guys are militant about menu changes. Unfortunately for me I can't eat avocado due to a latex allergy... so many items on the menu have avocado! The waitress said they would not take the avocado out of the dish I wanted but she would ask them to put it on the side. It arrived with a large serving of avocado incorporated into the meal, I did my best to eat around it but I'm disappointed they insisted on serving it at all. In fairness the food was nice but the coffee was lukewarm at best. They don't seem very willing to satisfy their customers, we left feeling quite disappointed.

Food ok but nothing amazing, service staff are good but the owner was very rude to our group of mothers with buggies. Made us sit outside in the corner as he thought we would be in the way inside. Disappointing!!!

Not the friendliest of Neighbours. We asked if we could exchange the multigrain toast on a menu item for the sourdough as my partner dislikes multigrain bread. We were met with the response that the chef does not allow this on weekends. Instead we had to order extra sourdough bread on the side and move the avocado and eggs off the multigrain and onto the sourdough. Food tastes great though - it's a shame they could not be a little more accommodating.

Been here a few times and disappointed that the food portions are not consistent. The scrambled eggs are really good but the portion varies each time I've been there. Also staff is ok - not very attentive (forgot to give us cutlery, have to flag them down to order another coffee). Don't think we will be returning anytime soon.

This place is getting better and better. The courtyard is no longer a dog run. Dogs should be on lead now. There are nicer tables and benches. Coffee is always good. Last time I had Breakfast burrito. It tasted a bit plain, but it got better with fresh chili.

I use to LOVE Neighbours and now its hard too! Especially when I drag my boyfriend out of bed to go for a walk at 6.30 and get a coffee who had never tried Neighbours but I would always rave on. Finally get there firstly the girls were not friendly (I know it's 7am) but still anyways walk out with coffees and his latte was completely burned from the milk/beans. I went back 2 weeks later to try again and he DID NOT come this time.. Again staff were not friendly and this time my soy latte taste like it had been watered down. I'm sad as I just want them all to be nice again...

Mixed feelings about our short time spent at Neighbours. Was recommend by a friend but feel timing wasn't great. Took over 15 minutes for a take out coffee. Have heard great things, would love to go back another time as the food looked great.

Amazing amazing amazing coffee! My favourite there is soy latte! Delicious!!! Great please for breakfast in any morning! 100% recommendations!!!

Yeah hmmm really quite a nice café but if you're not big into dogs breathing all over your breakfast then you might want to give the place a miss. Sooo many dogs. Urgh.

The owner has recently made a lovely child and dog friendly area out the back, it should be an amazing place to take the kids and enjoy some great food.  The food and coffee was great... But the Chef who seems to linger around malevolently giving nasty comments and stares is a real turn off.   Clearly not interested in the family market. I struggle to believe he is the owner and if he is then why bother with the pretence that you wants kids around. If he's not the owner then word of warning to owner, get him in line or get rid of him. He's not doing your business any good.

Don't bother. Twenty mins for a coffee takeaway is just too long! Its not even rush hour coffee time! Get it together

Inflexible, unhelpful and arrogant cooks. On looking at the menu, I decided since I have food sensitivities and don't want to risk being sick before my chemotherapy, I decided to ask if the cook could make me an omlette. Nothing fancy, just tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms. I realized this shouldn't be a problem since they have all these ingredients from other items on menu, and there were two other people on separate tables already eating so cook wouldn't be rushed off his feet. I felt it was a reasonable request... Until I realized that it's not possible!! Why you ask?? "Because it's not on the menu" Just so you understand, if you go there you cannot get through to them, they are right, you will eat the way they want you to eat and don't argue... What was I thinking .... that I could actually go to a cafe and order something I want to eat? Buyer beware! Rename it Fawlty Towers !

Not a fan. We ordered four wagyu burgers- it's description sounded awesome. The beef was over cooked and dry and my brioche bun was burnt.<br/>I wouldn't go back here.

RUDE chef!. I have been a regular at this little gem since it's opening. However, today was rudely discriminated against because I had a pram... Yes, I've worked in hospitality and am aware the prams can be a pain in the arse! It was a Friday morning at 10.30am- hardly hospo peak hour and they have a courtyard the size if most apartments that was mostly empty! <br/>Staff hugely embarrassed by chef's comments and very quick to appologise on his behalf... But this guy is a prick and ultimately let's the place down. Walked down to Hannah Cafe on the corner of Chapel and Duke St and was welcomed warmly. Mum's don't waste your time with this one, I'll only return when that chef is gone!

Poor Service. I ended up leaving as I waited too long! The problem is each time I go I wait too long! The service was very very poor! Most places would offer a drink on arrival - perhaps they would have kept my business but I should not have to sit there and wait. Clearly the wait staff can't manage tables appropriately!

Poor Service. As this is local to me, I have eaten here only a handful of times, as each and everytime the service is pathetic! You always wait longer than what you should and today I ended up leaving after wanting just a quick bite and still waiting to be served. Most places will ask you as soon as you sit down if you would like something to drink, perhaps they would have kept my business had they even attempted that! I watched as others got served ahead of me and figured I was wasting my time! I will never return or recommend.

Very Rude Chef. Great set up and most of the staff are friendly. Coffee is good. The chef unfortunately is a nasty piece of work, very arrogant and rude. I'd heard this before but never saw it in action. I'm very disappointed in my last experience. I'm a local, but will never return based on that. I feel sorry for the staff that work there.

On my area alone, I haven't conquered the many popular brunch destinations, there's still many to go, much more to try. Jan and I drove to the other end of Chapel Street and we settled for Neighbours Cafe today. It was a rainy and cold day and we were freezing our butt off. Three degrees in the fall, not kidding. Acai Bowl Frozen Berry Mousse, 10.90AUD Banana, 2AUD I was on the hunt for another round of Acai Bowls after I visited the Green press . Its safe to say that the Acai Bowl at  Neighbours Cafe was pretty good, but it still couldn't beat the one's at Green Press. Unmistakably, Green Press makes the best Acai Bowl and its the best that I've ever tasted thus far. They have thick liquid consistency whereas the ones at Neighbour's Cafe was creamy like gelato at the circumference, with the core centre hardened. I had to wait for it to melt before I could cut it off with my spoon. Baked Eggs, 16.90AUD Jan, still in his Baked Eggs craze, ordered one. He loved Neighbour's Cafe offerings

DON'T BOTHER - MEDIOCRE COFFEE AND BURNT TOASTS. I live across the road from the cafe so I go there regularly. The coffee is not always great and neither is the food but out of pure laziness I still go there. <br/><br/>Today I went there for breakfast, ordered the chilli eggs and because I'm vegetarian I asked the chorizo to be replaced with mushrooms. My breakfast came, and the toasts were burnt and the eggs.. well.. let's just say I could have made everything at home myself better. <br/><br/>When it came time to pay, they charged me $16 for the chilli eggs and $3 for the mushrooms!!! I would have done myself a favour by order eggs and toast with mushrooms! And when I raised the issue, the response was, we only take things out, but we don't replace them!!<br/><br/>THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'M EVER GOING THERE. Yes, it means I have to walk the extra 5 minutes down the road to other 30238 cafes around, but this place seriously is not worth it!!!!

Delicately Delicious. Hi Khalid and Team. Thanks for the awesome food and heavenly coffee brew. My memory finally kicked into gear as soon as I walked out the door and could put a name to the familiar face who use to serve me at an old Hampton cafe in the rear room. Congratulations on this great little spot. Catherine

This place has a great vibe, and how can it not with dog and kid-friendly outdoor seating in the courtyard! The staff are fun and friendly and the food and coffee is good too. In particular, the wagyu beef burger with sweet potato chips is AMAZING! We'll be back.

Welcoming. Very charming welcoming staff, great iced coffee and too loud music. I might come back.

Good hipster cafe. The cafe and staff are quite hipster but the food is great. Really nice brunch place.

Good food and coffee. service always with a smile. thumbs up from us

Garden eating. Had lunch here yesterday - loved the back graden ambience. Suspect the wait staff are backpackers, cheap but not all that trained. However, who cares when you can see tomatoes and herbs growing, gorgeous fake grass, sunshine, comfy tables and chairs ... Just a liad back place to grab some rays and I liked my gluten free sandwhich toasted veggie whatever and coffee, and later, soy iced choc and brownie.

If a cafe has X amount of seats, it should be able to cater to / serve customers efficiently if the cafe is at capacity - neighbourhood cafe cannot.<br/>Having to wait 20 minutes for a coffee, not being able to get wait staff attention to order food, being informed there would be a 20-30 minute wait on a sandwich, hearing kitchen staff become frustrated at wait staff and obviously not coping with the pressure of amount of orders coming in were all part of my experience.

Good coffee, bad service- kept us waiting an hour for food, had to ask for menu.

Mixed feelings. Great coffee and space- but food isn't great and the chef doesn't seem very helpful with menu changes or you standing in the front section waiting to pay.

Going down Chapel hill. When we moved to the area over two years ago, Neighbours was the best discovery for our weekend brunches. The food was delicious, made with love and lots of care. The waiters always had a smile and a hello. Recently, however, the trend is quite the opposite. Ever since they opened up, or extended rather, the dining area into the garden, which used to have milk crates for sitting on for speedy coffee drinkers, without doing any alterations to the kitchen to cater for the extra 25-30 covers (size of a boutique restaurant) the quality of food (and service) has declined rapidly. We went out for a 10 o'clock breakfast the other Saturday and found a table. We did get offered coffee straight away but we received no attention from the staff to give our food orders. They flew past several times without even throwing a glance at us. After about 15 minutes of waving and ignored excuse-mes I eventually had to stand up to get the waiter's attention. No smile, no apology. Finally, my mushrooms and spinach arrived stone cold. My partner's baked eggs had big half raw pumpkin chunks, uncooked chickpeas and overcooked eggs in it. Clearly, however good the chef is, they couldn't cope with the extra people sitting in the garden. No love in that food at all. The second time was shortly after on a Tuesday morning when we took my in-laws for a good breakfast. My partner's mother asked for the açai breakfast. After a few minutes the waiter came back and said they'd run out. No apology. She asked for quinoa porridge. The waitress returned only to say they had run out of that. Still, no apology. Finally she asked for poached eggs, hard cooked. Again, my partner's baked eggs were cooked dry and the bread was stale. His mum's eggs in contrast were very runny which she couldn't bring herself to eat. I asked for niçoise without the olives, yet I got a generous serving of black olives which I'm allergic to. I can put more love into a fried egg! Either it was lack of attention from the kitchen or no communication from the waitress's side. I was really sad and embarrassed for bringing them to Neighbours. I have worked from kitchen hand to supervisor in fine dining restaurants, my partner manages corporate catering, so I know very well what I'm saying. Neighbours has made some bad management decisions which have led the once amazing local spot to lose its charm and character. Needless to say we won't be back for a meal until they downsize again or break down some walls and upsize the kitchen. To end with a positive note, I have to praise the boys behind the coffee machine - they bend backwards to deliver the best coffee. Even if it means pumping them out one by one.

Good food.... The chef was very amiable but the 4 young males serving we're useless , not attending to their jobs , not interested in helping customers.

2 reubens thanks. Sensational sandwiches. thanks and will be back for sure

Could be good... I don't know. After moving into this area recently, Neighbours was definitely on my list of places to check out. Unfortunately, what could have been a potentially great experience wasn't so amazing due to a lack of finesse that could have easily been avoided. <br/><br/>Dining solo, I felt pretty much ignored from the time I arrived. I was not greeted with a hello and had to stand awkwardly at the door wondering whether to go and find a table or wait to be seated, even though staff knew I was there. I sat in the courtyard and it took about 10 minutes to be given a menu. I ordered a coffee and then ordered the smashed avo and heirloom tomatoes. After finishing my coffee, having had my glass taken away (without any communication) and watching several other tables receive their food around 40 minutes later, I asked about my order. It was nowhere to be seen; the order hadn't even been put through.<br/><br/>I understand people have rough days and things can be forgotten but it was the way that this was dealt with that I was most disappointed with. Whilst they did offer me a muffin (that I didn't take up) and my coffee on the house, there was barely any accountability. There wasn't really an apology, the waiter who took my order even had the audacity to ask me 'oh, so what was your order anyway?'. During that waiting time, I felt ignored and forgotten. As someone who has previously worked 10+ years within the hospitality industry, I know it's the little things that count - saying hello when someone enters your café/store, ensuring they feel looked after and also noticing whether they're sitting at table with an empty coffee cup or no drink for that matter. In short, don't judge your patrons - treat them equally. <br/><br/>Going by previous reviews and the overall layout/feel, Neighbours seems like it's a pretty rad café. It's a shame that this tainted that. I don't doubt that their food can be amazing, however the fact that they left me feeling so crap without me even having eaten anything can't be a good thing and I just hope that they work on their consistency and approach for their customer's sake.

Best Breaky... and bring your dogs!. A bit addicted to the middle eastern breakfast here and my gf is a lover of the baked eggs. Delish HUGE servings in a really nice outdoorsy setting where you can bask in the sunlight and have your dogs with you in the outdoor garden setting. A hidden gem!

Friendly staff, great coffee, always somewhere to sit. Really enjoy Neighbours because of their ample seating out the back - either in the garden or in the enclosed area. Staff are always friendly and attentive and the coffee is great. Food is good too, love coming here for lazy weekend bites.

Definitely NOT dog friendly. After they attempted to overcharge me for the wagyu burger (the eat in price, not take away), the chef left the cafe and rudely approached me while I was outside waiting with my 5 month old puppy, chastising me because she was barking. Apparently the noise of busy Chapel St (which drowned her out most of the time) was fine though.

Excellent coffee!

Go-to. Sit down or take away, both good in equal measure.<br/>Bake eggs are definitely worth a try and a take out Tuna Sandwich is a must if you're passing!<br/>Staff are friendly and Coffee is good, even if there is a slight wait.<br/>Keep up the good work!

I've been here a few times in the past and since new management has taken over the food and atmosphere is so much better. Keep an eye out for the barista with the green eyes he's smoking hot. I'll be back on a regular basis.

Great food,really cute friendly staff, cheap prices, good atmosphere & music :)

Totally recommend Neighbours cafe. Coffee was amazing. Food was great. Service and staff was fast and friendly. Will definitely be back :)

Food took forever and the place was almost empty. Mushrooms were not cooked properly, hollandaise sauce was awful. Good - ish coffee. Staff could be better too. They need a new chef and an attitude adjustment.