Review Basement On View - Bendigo

Very nice basement cafe with lots of atmosphere. Coffee and cake was delicious. Staff are friendly and welcoming.

Gorgeous French-style cafe with lovely staff. Delicious food and coffee, a hidden gem!!

The service was quick, albeit abrupt. Lukewarm and weak double shot latte. When we asked for cream with our lemon tart, we were told there wasn't any. Then cream arrived when the tart was 90% gone. Staff need some senior supervision. The prices are quite high in stark contrast to the quality and service. Pity, as it's a lovely building.

Had lunch here with a friend, it was a bit pricy. I also wasn't a huge fan of having to go get our own water. Service was ok, I've had better. But the interior is seriously gorgeous, a really nice atmosphere for a get together. I also really enjoyed my lunch. I had a vegetable panini and it was very tasty, not too much on the plate. Coffee was fine. I would come here again for a special treat.

Such slow and high prices just for 2 drinks and a cheesecake for 17 dollars. Outrageous prices! Orders took 25 minutes to get to us and had to ask 5 times just to get them to bring out a pot of tea. Thought that was the easiest drink to make. When I went up and asked where everything was their excuse was we were too busy and only was 3 other customers at the time. Hot Choclate was not even hot when asked for extra hot, not stirred properly. Don’t recommend this place if you wants such poor service and such bad experience. Workers didn’t seem to take an interest in our family afternoon tea. Never going there again such a bad cafe.

Great place under the gallery. Excellent breakfasts. Better than normal coffee.

I've been there 2 times withing the last 6 months, thought the first time was just unlucky with the service, that was slow and the quality of coffee was very averaghe...6 months later the same story. Positives: The interior is great Negatives: Get your coffee and lunch elswhere, they are not ptrofessionals, and by today's standards (especially Melbourne) not sure how they survive

I’ve been here twice and the same rude, abrupt, unfriendly woman served us at the till. They couldn’t swap my order of Thai Beef salad to chicken, which was ok, but then the salad had absolutely no Thai flavor whatsoever. When I asked to get my money back when it was so tasteless, the owner grilled me in an intimidating manner as to what was wrong with my salad and then when I said the service was unfriendly he grilled me further, asking for examples. We will not be coming again. Eek!!

This establishment has officially closed due to covid-19. <br/>We regretfully inform you the owners of Basement on View have taken the extremely difficult decision to permanently close the business effective from 31st March 2020.<br/>After ten years of operation, we have been extremely fortunate to have had the support of some wonderful staff members, customers, suppliers and key stakeholders.<br/>We are grateful for the support from the local community, and we wish you all the best during this difficult time for many.<br/>Sincerely,<br/>Basement on View

First time for a freakshake thought we would try here as pics looked good. Arrived within an hr an 10 mins of closing time to be told we close in 10 mins when that was not the case. Attitude of staff member from get go was appalling. Well this is what we got .... then to be told when asked she had never made them before ... So why not tell us that . Paid 15.50 for slice with some lollies chucked on a plate with a half cold so called milkshake that was made just of milk an topping. We're also overcharged & were not refunded on the spot. Had to recall the following day. All in all I don't recommend here we were offered a replacement by a duty manager but why would you want to go back to a place where your treated like dirt.

As a local I feel sorry for out of towners who visit the gallery then pop in to this place. The owner is rude. The coffee we had was very weak and my food/ crossent was microwaved it was very soggy and inedibly tough on the outsides and worse than something from the airport. Its a bad advertisement for visitors to the city, there are so many better cafes

quite disappointed! We were from out of town and stopped here on our way to get a nice lunch. All I can say is expensive and very mediocre! Staff were nice and it seemed to be fairly busy! Ordered the beef bourguignon pie special but the filling just seemed as though they had added some wine to yesterday’s bolognaise sauce! It was quite dry and the pastry looked crisp but was soft and also dry (how??). The chips on the side were chewy and clearly brought frozen. Salad dressing was also store brought. Not worth it!

What is wrong with this place? 4 staff behind the counter yet service is slow and disorganised. They sold the croissant I had ordered and for to someone else after me; I was offered the tart they had prepared instead, I asked the woman what was in it and she said “quiche”. Quiche isn’t an ingredient....no wonder they have so many problems if this is the kind of person they have running their cafe. One younger woman seemed really overwhelmed by her hopeless coworkers, I feel sorry she has to deal with their errors. Don’t bother with this place, so disappointing since the building is beautiful and in such an ideal spot.

Overpriced, poor quality & disappointing after the long wait ($20 lunch that was barely entree sized, burnt & old). Felt sorry for the staff as something is clearly not working here

Have you changed hands?<br/>I have eaten here on many occasions and loved it but yesterday was amazed at the total lack of care and customer service.<br/>All the way to Bendigo I raved to my travel companions how great you are. I couldn't have been more wrong.<br/>The zucchini and corn fritters were mingy but even worse burnt to a total crisp. They were as black as briquettes.<br/>Why didn't we complain at the time? Because at the time of ordering we realized that the person serving us didn't care about service at all.<br/>It was an awful and expensive experience and we won't be back.

Very disappointing... we went there for lunch after seeing an exhibition. My daughter ordered salt and pepper calamari with salad. I ordered Thai chicken sausage roll made on the premises. The calamari was the packet frozen type from Costco, about 8 pieces with a very tiny amount of dipping sauce, the side salad was undressed. Cost $16. <br/>My sausage roll was so dry and tough I couldn't eat it without having water to wash it down. Flavours were good but clearly who ever made it can't cook. The pastry was not puffed or crispy, rather under cooked and oily. My salad had a tiny amount of dressing. Would never ever go there again.

Finding the most creative and wired combination drink-freak shake. I guess, it deserves the name as you look at the picture. You will be like what, how did I miss you in the past?

Great Cafe! Fantastic service. Enjoyed the sweet chili burger and the best was Black and Tan Ale & Stout!!!! Hats off for stocking beer that's not just boring old lager. Will definitely be back!

Would recommend this little gem as we had our family over on holidays and stumbled across this restraunt .<br/>Lunch was delicious and the service was great. Also the dec@or was lovely and cosy.

Cosy little hidden cafe. Surprisingly busy for lunch, the salads were fresh & appealing. Good vegetarian offers on menu. Only disconcerting aspect was the salmon patties weren't available so had to order another dish which turned out to be cheaper but the difference in amount paid wasn't offered. Admittedly it was only $3. Wouldn't have minded leaving it as a tip but it wasn't offered just taken.

It’s a lovely cafe. I went there just before closing, but the staff was friendly and I could enjoy a beautiful flourless orange cake and a latte. The cake was very moist and delicious.

Love the vibe of the place but staff & management very cold & unfriendly !!! Waited half an hour for coffee & cake, very slow ! Such a same as its a beautiful cafe.

What a find. Hidden under the capital theatre in Bendigo was the most delightful café. Food was delicious, staff were friendly and environment was fantastic. Recommend to anyone.

Great Find. I visited the Basement recently as I was in Bendigo on business. I must say I was extremely impressed with the food, but what impressed me more was the fabulous service I received. The wait staff were so friendly and welcoming. I often travel to Bendigo for business and have never been completely satisfied with the lunch choices I've made thus far ... that's now changed and I now look forward to my trips knowing that I will be lunching at a fabulous venue with friendly staff!<br/>Love the décor as well ... very comforting with great ambience. The food choices are fabulous and the quality is exceptional for the price.<br/>Can highly recommend!

Absolutely delightful. We frequent Bendigo on a regular basis and by chance came across The Basement on View as we usually would go to The Gallery Cafe. We fell in love with the place! The staff, the venue and the food all were perfect. This was approximately 16 months ago, and every time we are back in Bendigo we go back. Yes the staff sometimes may have changed, but they are always delightful. The food is always beautiful and there is always something new to try. We love this place and will continue to dine there.

Worst place in Bendigo. I went in for a quick bite to eat with a few friends and I have never experienced such rude waitresses! They were horrible and when i asked about the surcharge one of them made a rude comment, telling me I should read the whole menu before coming to the counter. I would never go there again. The food was okay, but with very salty and oily chips, i would give it a miss. The extremely rude staff ruined my day. I strongly suggest never going there!<br/><br/><br/>-----16 Sep, 2014-----<br/><br/>Worst cafe' in Bendigo. I went in for a quick bite to eat with a few friends and I have never experienced such rude waitresses! They were horrible and when i asked about the surcharge one of them made a rude comment, telling me I should read the whole menu before coming to the counter. I would never go there again. The food was okay, but with very salty and oily chips, i would give it a miss. The extremely rude staff ruined my day. I strongly suggest never going there!

The waitress ruined it. The lady that survived us was very unfriendly and disrespectful to the questions we asked. She rudely reminded us of the 10% surcharge and strongly objected to the pulling another chair up. Also the chips were greasy and only a tiny amount.<br/>Just a unpleasant experience.

Rude service. The older waiting staff rudely treated us like children with no friendly smile, the 10% surcharge for weekends written in tiny writing down the bottom of the menu tricked us and there was huge objection when we pulled an extra seat to the table<br/>Never again!!

Some good, some bad!. Took my daughters out to celebrate a birthday after one of them reported having a lovely "high tea" the week before. Initial impression was dampened by the less than welcoming waitress. We were happy to accept finding our own table and making do with two menus for the three of us. Even happy to go to the counter to order, but not to be made feel silly for not knowing what table number we were at (none given)and the food was delivered in silence. A smile and a few words would have made all the difference! The food itself was very nice, and reasonably priced. Perhaps just caught her on a bad day, and the other staff were friendly

User reviews. Had Lunch there today. Very good meal, friendly and attentive. Boxed a couple of Lemon and Coconut muffins with cream for us to take home.

Miss disappointed !. Rude staff , management arrogant to comment about complaint , never dine there again , other lovely cafes with excellent service in Bendigo .<br/><br/><br/>-----30 Apr, 2014-----<br/><br/>Miss disappointed !. Rude staff, management arrogant to comment about complaint , never dine there again , other lovely cafes with excellent service in bendigo .

What a find! A hidden treasure - friendly staff - very helpful ... And the lunchtime food was great - pies made with excellent pastry - loving finished. Soup was hot and tasty. Risotto had plenty of flavor. Worth a visit!

No table service. Home to the world's saltiest chips. If you enjoy a burnt steak that tastes like charcoal and to be given two deserts when you've only ordered one (and charged for two!) then this is the place for you. A new chef and staff, this place could be quite enjoyable. Avoid at all costs.

Unbelievably rude! 'Here's your food as per your dietary requirements. The vegetables going to be very bland.' Were the delightfully cheery words of a middle aged waitress with blonde hair. The male wait staff on a non sarcastic note were great. Trust the negative reviews. They are bang on! Such a shame given this place has enormous potential. If you like service not with a smile but dagger stares then walk on in. Do not dine if you are expecting to be treated like a normal person. Service stinks!

Underneath the magnificent Art Gallery is this cosy place with a whitewashed wine cellar feel.Reading previous reviews I can report the place has certainly lifted its game.Granted you order at the counter and help yourself to water but lets face it,the cost of staff required to provide table service would probably 'kill' a business like this -open half a day and very dependant on whats going on upstairs.<br/>The menu was small but seasonal and appropriate for light lunch seekers.A group of 6 ranging in age from 12-70,we all found something to get excited about and everything was delicious.My chicken and asparagus salad with creamy brie was perfectly proportioned-enough chick ,not too much brie,baby crisp asparagus and chunky sour dough croutons with tangy dressing.Mum had a chicken asparagus tart in buttery home made pastry,my daughter had a moist quinoa rissotto cake and even the wedges were <br/>perfectly cooked.We sampled their <br/>french chocolate meringues with expertly prepared lattes delivered by Matt and Mason.These two were warm,fun and attentive-and 'very good looking'said my 17 yr old!It wasnt their busiest time-not a big exhibition upstairs- but school hols so lots of <br/>families like us.

Sensational. Beautiful building and Delors.<br/>Food was scrumptious.<br/>Service terrific.<br/>Lunchtime gem.

Terribly rude staff and service on several occasions, such a pity for a such a beautiful cafe and great location.

Great experience. What a wonderful venue. We had a great 50th birthday.<br/>Food was sensational service excellent.<br/>We will be going back with our business, terrific location for functions in the Large room, projector for family photos was a real plus.<br/>Staff extremely helpful

Terrible Service, Boring food. I have never ever had such terribly rude service from a venue before. The woman serving us was so rude to us that we left immediately after eating our meal. If we had not have paid before had, we would have left before eating.<br/>Not only was the service rude, our order was wrong, and then my friend was not offered anything else in compensation. The food itself lacked taste, and was downright boring - even the side order of 'fries' was badly cooked chips - and it was not a busy lunch shift.<br/>Never ever again will this venue get even one dollar from me.

GREAT FOOD!. MARVELLOUS!! Best place in bendigo! Great service, friendly staff, impressed with overall menu and variety, great ambience, food pricing sensational. Every body should definitely attend this cafe!

Great customer service. Recently had the satay chicken for lunch, absolute wonderful flavour profile memories of being in Thailand or anywhere in Asia ie: Vietnam. On a terrfic assortment salad bed. Portion size and price excellent. <br/>Also tried an fantastic savignon blanc served with it.<br/>Atmosphere and decor better than anything in most parts of the world. Bendigo should be proud of this venue and staff service was great.

Went there before a show, should've gone earlier, had to scoff food down to get to show on time. I had the pumpkin risotto and it was lovely, some pine nuts for texture would've been good. My fella had the chicken as did a friend, he loved it, she didn't so hard to tell. Another friend had the curry which wasn't nice at all. They did offer complimentary coffees after the show which was a nice gesture. 50/50 on this place. Price was very reasonable, timing wasn't.

Great Coffee. I was looking for a coffee fix, after having eaten somewhere else,before a show at The Capital recently & I had a large take away latte & it's one of the best cups of coffee I've had in a long time so I will be back. Great to know you can still get good coffee at a good price in this town.

Absent service. Horrible horrible service from miserable staff. This place is just trading on its proximity to the capital and the gallery. It must do more.

I had been told to visit this cafe / restaurant because of its proximity to the gallery, its cosy interior and selection of fresh food. What a shame that all the staff have no idea about customer service. I recently went to the cafe on a Sunday, the area was busy due to a popular exhibition but the cafe had some empty tables both inside and out....and this is why. My friend and I waited for 5 minutes along with 3 other customers and were completely ignored. No acknowledgement of our presence, no apology for not attending to us, no nothing! I left and spent my money elsewhere, I knew if this was the kind of welcome it wouldn't get any better. Management should take note as this should be a working gold mine in Bendigo!

Mothers Day. You would not.... Mothers Day. <br/>You would not think a table of 6 would be too hard but today we found out maybe it is. A simple coffee and cake for mothers day turned into a 1.5 hour marathon. We started by ordering our coffee etc all together. After waiting half an hour for our coffee which all come out over 5 minutes so some where finished before others started, there were no cakes to be seen. Another 20 min went by and two people had missed out? After reminding two waitress's they finally arrived. Coffee was horrible clearly made by someone who has no clue with the coffee machine. On a lighter side the cake was great!

Coffee and cake. The Basement on View is the perfect venue to satisfy your sugar craving. The sticky date puddings are lovely. We have been here many times and for lunch and cake. We usually bring out of towners here after perusing the gallery. Staff have always been courteous and helpful.

2 out of 3 is not good enough. Visited for lunch on opening day of Grace Kelly exhibition at Gallery upstairs. It's a very pretty venue and I was impressed at the speed and attentiveness of the service staff given the venue's proximity to the Gallery. But the food was very disappointing. I might go back for a drink, but not for another meal.

Just ok..... Went to Basement on View on 9/10/11 to have a light lunch for my parent's wedding anniversary. When we walked in, we expected to be met and seated in the restaurant, but we had to ask someone whether we seat ourselves. They did seat us then, but we weren't given any additional menus (we had one in our hand from having had a look at the front door) so we just shared the one we had. We were told you have to order at the front counter, which I thought very unusual for a restaurant. You expect this at places like the Green Olive, Bath Lane Cafe, Cafe Au Lait as they are more cafe-style, but Basement on View has a real restaurant feel to it, particularly given there are separate dining rooms for small groups, and the setting is quite intimate (the decor is quite lovely). <br/><br/>Because there was no table service, we weren't offered water. When I ordered it at the counter, I was advised I could grab the cups and water from the fridge. We ordered our food, and it took about 15 minutes for them to bring our drinks, and 30 minutes or so for our food. We considered this quite slow, particularly the drinks. The food we ordered was just ok (average cafe quality, definitely not restaurant quality). The prices were quite cheap, but we still felt we didn't get good value for money. For example, one of our meals was the Chicken and Mango salad ($18). There was hardly any chicken in it (two thin slices - approx 50g) and no mango pieces (it was a mango dressing). We would expect at least 1/2 a chicken breast, or 2-3 tenderloins, but the meat was just so minimal. The salad was a basic kind of garden salad, and the dressing quite nice, but with only a few small slivers of chicken it felt like we had about $5 worth of value. One of the other meals was a bacon and egg pie/quiche with salad ($13.50). The pie was an individually baked tart and quite small, the salad a basic green salad. Yes it was cheap, but for the same price elsewhere you would probably get a much larger slice of quiche. <br/><br/>We ordered coffees after our meal and it took about 15-20 minutes to get them which seemed a long time to wait. The coffees and cake we had were quite nice though. We asked for one of the coffees to be made extra hot, and they did ensure this. The service, whilst a bit slow, was polite. <br/><br/>I think this venue would do better to pitch itself more as a restaurant than a cafe, and offer table service. It should also improve the quality of its food. Bendigo has some nice cafes and restaurants, and to compete with them I think Basement on View needs to lift its game.