Review Captain Grey - Essendon

Used to really like this place but today had a terrible experience today. Firstly, the service staff were incredibly disinterested. They preferred to stand around talking. They didn’t even ask how the meal was when we paid. Secondly, the bacon was so burnt that it was inedible. Can’t get the disgusting taste out of my mouth. Thirdly, I explicitly asked for my toast to be buttered. Instead, the butter arrived on the side, cold and rock hard. It was impossible to spread, especially having to move the scrambled eggs off the toast to do so. I raised with the wait staff and they couldn’t care less. It’s no wonder this place was almost-empty. It used to be so fantastic and friendly. Won’t be returning, not until they change the culture of the staff and improve the food offering.

Great location right on the corner with outdoor seating. The staff are friendly and accommodating as we had a stroller in our group. I had the pork bun which was really tasty. I'll give it a 4 out of 5. The coffee on the other hand was disappointing, I'll rate it a 2 out of 5. I ordered a flat white, it had too much milk, over powering the coffee taste.

Food is a little expensive for the quantity. Eggs Benedict had the smallest muffins I have ever seen basically half the size of a normal one. Latte was good. And meal delivery time was excellent. Seating is a bit cramped as well. Staff are fine though so no worries there. I have been there for lunch and the burger was really good so could be a bit hit and miss with the menu.

The coffee here is really very good. I had the Vietnamese calamari salad, which was lovely, although had too much raw onion. The service is great. I would recommend this place. EDIT: I spoke to the wait staff and apparently they were having trouble getting the Earl Grey in loose leaf, so I amended my rating.

The service there is bad. The staff is not motivated, especially the chap there don't know is the new owner or manager there just doesn't carry a good image at the cafe. I had been sitting there for 10mins before someone come to serve me. It wasn't really busy and all the time that chap just standing in front of the kitchen and talked. Good on him. And the coffee doesn't taste good as before. Won't go back there.

Lovely bright spacious atmosphere, clean and modern. Tasty food and coffee, especially their specialty double date espresso.. Yum! Only complaint would be the staff could definitely smile a bit more or engage with small talk that you initiate. The female staff especially. Even when they do smile, it very much seems like a forced smile, and detracts from the otherwise lovely cafe experience.

Wait staff pleasant, coffee decent but food very ordinary (poorly balanced). The kitchen staff were oddly rude, unhelpful and seemed unwilling/unable to deal with basic requests (eg. sent out tomato sauce vs salsa.) Bizarre experience for Melbourne... Hopefully it improves over time but I’ll try other places first before coming back.

My experience wasn’t as bad as the other reviewers but that’s because I only had a juice. Headache (that’s the juice name) was quite delish and refreshing. However the reason why I gave it a 3 ⭐️ is also the reason why I didn’t have food. I was in a bit of a hurry and they were veryyyyy slow in taking orders. They weren’t that busy at all so I wasn’t sure why it was so slow?! Anyway, I was in a bit of a hurry and decide not to have food there because I don’t know how long that would take.

So excited to see what the new owners are going to do with this cafe, my first experience there wasn’t the greatest but understandable with them getting on their feet and staff being a little difficult to work with, the owners are doing a great job!

My experience wasn’t as bad as the other reviewers but that’s because I only had a juice. Headache (that’s the juice name) was quite delish and refreshing. However the reason why I gave it a 3 ⭐️ is also the reason why I didn’t have food. I was in a bit of a hurry and they were veryyyyy slow in taking orders. They weren’t that busy at all so I wasn’t sure why it was so slow?! Anyway, I was in a bit of a hurry and decide not to have food there because I don’t know how long that would take.

The cafe is lovely but that’s where it ends in terms of positives. Came here on a morning before Xmas and ordered the açai bowl. It was the worst thing I have ever been presented. I wish I took a photo but I was so appalled. I was basically served a huge clump of cranberries with bland tasting açai and terrible tasting yoghurt. They didn’t even bother to put muesli on top. I didn’t finish it. The waitress was also in a bad mood even before we ordered which killed the vibe. Won’t be back.

Lovely staff and fast service. I ordered dukka poached eggs with sujuk which was delicious and came in large portion, good for sharing. The coffee was great.

We’ve been here a few times now as it’s handy with outside tables whilst you mind your pets. Last Saturday morning we arrived (made a prior booking) in a group of eight. Getting multiple rounds of coffees organised was easy and they were delivered quickly and without fuss. When it came to our meals it was a bit of a disaster. One of the dishes was completely wrong and had to be reordered (nut allergy) and when it came back out it was minus bacon and bread, but it was coming, and it was still coming and finally it arrived but we were still waiting for the crumpets and jam!! And to top all this, the service was not with a smile and rather cold as per previous visits. Shall be looking for another pet friendly breakfast spot.

The chicken salad is freaking delicious - like I could eat it erry day. I mean it’s pricey as though - honey you’re in Essendon, pah-lease. No need to charge me $20.50 for a chicken salad - yes it’s tasty but a bit ridick. The girl who has served me has less personality than a piece of cardboard. I even complimented her nails and she stared at me like I insulted her. Boo. I wouldn’t sit there and eat there - no vibe. I’ll take my chicken salad to go thanks - maybe at the 1/4 of the price though.<br/>

The coffee here is delicious and always good, seriously can not fault it. The Dukkah Eggs are tasty and a nice breakfast mea - looking forward to coming back and trying out some lunch. Staff are lovely always.

Too expensive for its location, weird feeling as there was no music, food wasn’t exactly great and the weird ‘golden’ latte I thought I’d try was burnt way too hot, burnt my fingers and tongue. Definitely won’t be back here anytime soon!

I had a latte (very nice) and had the Dukka Eggs. Overall a very good feed. I thought it was reasonable value for what we paid. Partner had the avacado and eggs and another friend had the Captain Grey. Everyone was happy with the experience. Well done!

Walked in here as my friends and I were hungry and not much were open at 3pm on a Monday afternoon. <br/><br/>First of all, we had to take the menu ourselves. Servers didn't even offer them. There was one server on her phone half the time we were in there and she wasn't even trying to hide it. She just stood by the register and her phone and when we walked in, that was when she looked up to greet us. (It wasnt quiet either, there were customers around.)<br/><br/>I ordered the pulled pork bun and enjoyed it. The food was good in taste and portions, but there really isnt much variety in the menu.

I visit this place regularly & have always enjoyed a great coffee. Delish coffee beans! The staff are very approachable with a smile & always up for a light hearted chat..I haven't tried their food yet but will definitely 😊.

A cafe that's just going through the motions. Plenty of staff on but none who are interested in providing service to customers. Avoid. Go to Lorenzo's around the corner

Wanting to go to this cafe many times before, my best friend and I finally decided to go expecting a lovely meal and great service. As soon as we entered the cafe, we were told that we would be seated and assisted soon. The staff had not brought us menus for a long time resulting in us having to go get it ourselves. There is a weird vibe about the place, maybe due to the lack of music and customers. The quiet atmosphere creates a very awkward and intense feeling and even with my best friend, I felt awkward speaking to her. I felt as if the staff was listening to our every word. Would not recommend for a first date!<br/><br/>The food was overpriced for what we ordered. We ordered eggs benedict that costed $16.5 and an extra $1 for an add on! this is typical pricing however, the portion sizes was smaller than expected and would not even feed a child! Menu selection is just average. The only good thing was the chips!<br/><br/>The table was dirty and there were crumbs on it and hadn't been cleaned since the last customers.

I've been here twice recently, won't be going again. Not good value for money, small serving size for what you pay for. Also inconsistent, my friend ordered the same thing two weeks apart and the second time it was about half the size (avocado, and breakfast options) for the same price!<br/>Coffee was below average, not strong and about 70% froth. <br/>The chips were way too salty, as is the bacon and beef. The wagyu burger is average, not worth the price - the only good thing was the house-made pickles, very nice. It needed something else (perhaps a relish or more salad) to cut through the saltiness.<br/>The menu is average, nothing too different or interesting. <br/>Staff are a bit slow, chat to each other a lot and are not helpful, I had to go inside to get one even though I was sitting outside and had eye contact with two staff members. <br/>Location for the outside seating isn't great - always noisy with traffic and the crosswalk signals.

Just ok. Staff are not overly helpful. Coffee is pretty good, but don't order tea. The tea pot is trendy but totally impractical - the basket is very small and as soon as you have the first little bit, the leaves are suspended out of the water - so you're just drinking hot water

The name change ruined the place, it should have stayed as denaros.. Smallest breakfast meal and didn't even fill me up.. Waste of $50! Options weren't that great either for breakfast.

Coffee is consistently very, very good, staff very welcoming & friendly, food is consistently of a high standard. Best cafe in the that precinct by a long, long way.

Came here for brunch today. Food and coffee was really good. Service was a bit lacklustre and slow. Staff don't seem to be happy. Nice little cafe though.

The coffee deserves 5 stars. Strong enough, yet not sour or bitter. The donuts and croissants are also really good. <br/>The breakfast however is not worth the price. We ordered eggs benedict with salmon, which meant 2 poached eggs on a small brioche with a tiny piece of salmon. For 17,50 I expect more considering the many excellent breakfast options in the area.

Captain Grey was not good or bad just Grey. <br/><br/>I did want to love this cafe as its local but started going out of convenience. The coffee is probably the best thing about it. When I first ate there my husband and I did not mind the food we selected it was average but not bad. I had the pancakes and my husband was happy to find a restaurant that served middle eastern sucuk on the menu as we don't eat pork. The food came out super fast. Unfortunately, it stops there. After the first visit, we gave it many attempts but there is something that makes this place just average. All the other food options we have had were not good, you left there feeling underwhelmed and wished you went some place else. Probably would help if the staff could crack a smile and go the extra mile, you would potentially keep going for average. We have even stopped getting coffee because lets face it we live in Melbourne and good coffee is easy to find.<br/><br/>My 3 Key Pointers<br/>• Don't just settle for good coffee <br/>• Friendly service can change your experience <br/>• Food comes out very quick if you are in a hurry

Not the best service at all, sadly<br/>Not very prompt in approaching the customers for coffees or menus either<br/>But hey the new fit out is amazing <br/>

Lovely, very cool decor. Nice meals but not a huge amount of variety (breakfast better than lunch). Very nice & friendly service. Weak chai latte (they call it a wet chai- a name i didn't like!)

Not really sure about this cafe.....the food is quite ok, just not spectacular. The coffee was absolutely spot on though and I would return for that alone. The place & people just seem lack lustre.....not sure if it's the minimalist interior that lacks warmth or maybe I'm just not accustomed to a quiet cafe with staff that are not very talkative? Apart from the coffee, the other highlight was the high tech, push button toilet door......but strangely there is no bag/jacket hook or mirror.....perhaps designed by a bloke for blokes?Considering there is a school nearby with quite a few young mums in the area, I would think a small mirror wouldn't be a bad idea. You can't serve porridge with black sesame seeds without a mirror to check your teeth afterwards ;) Just saying.....

Went to Captain Grey on Sunday 26/2 with my daughter. We were seated out the back because I had a pram. <br/><br/>Can't tell you how good the coffee is nor how the food was but I can definitely say that the service is terrible. <br/>We sat out the back for 20 minutes without someone coming to take our order. <br/>It wasn't like they didn't know I was there either has staff frequently came out to put rubbish in the garbage bin I was sitting next to and staff could also see us from the kitchen. <br/><br/>Eventually we just gave up and left - to be honest I don't think anyone noticed.

I wouldn't waste my time and money here again. Went last month for brunch with 3. My guests were served average meals however i revieved an inedible bagel and a very unsatisfactory response. I couldn't chew or cut the bagel and when dropped onto the plate sounded like a rock was dropped. When i asked for a replacement i was told that the Bagels had come like that from the supplier and that they would all be the same. No apology or alternative. I know a very stale bagel when i see one. We weren't even thanked on payment or given any concessions. I contacted the business directly with my complaint to give them a fair chance to respond, where i was offered a voucher but it never came. A month on and overall i am very disappointed.

Extremely disappointed and treated unfairly- orderee one short black which was cold. informed the waitress and she brought me another short black which was also cold. ordered the ricotta hot cakes- banana was sliced in the middle- one side was black and the other was the clear banana colour. explained to the waitress. she said the banana was grilled. i questioned why one part of the banana was vlack and the other clear and she said because they were grillee on different parts of the grill. i explained that if a banana was grilled it would be soft and i chopped the banana infront of her and it was hard. the head chef said he could take $1 off the ricotta hotcakes and the waitress said she wouldnt charge us for on of the short blacks. i explained it was unfair and was willing to pay for half the hotcakes but not the full amount. the waitress apologised and said the head chef couldnt talk to us as he was busy and there was nothing she could do. This is so unfair. and i am so disappointed at how rude the head chef is- and the waitress said she was the manager. we didnt even get half way through the hotcakes.

Nice decor and atmosphere however quite poor service, very difficult to get service outside so I suggest sitting inside. We ordered coffees which were lovely and for food the pulled pork burger and the beef burger which were nice.

I come here for breakfast every weekend, the staff are lovely, the gluten free porridge is super tasty, the coffee is perfect and my husband gets an amazing breakfast too<br/>

Heard about captain grey a little while back, Headed over this morning, interesting menu & Great fitout!<br/>Will definitely be going back for another try!

Wanted to have brunch, just because I was alone I could not take a bigger free table, if a bigger group would come I would need to move! They had couple free tables - very rude from them! I walked out... and won't come back!

Newly opened with minimal clean lines, Captain Grey is popular with the locals. <br/>We popped in for breakfast. Service was attentive with our hot Bev and juice arriving quickly. Husband's poached eggs with smoked salmon and avocado were perfect and my Harissa style scrambled eggs served with olive tapenade and coriander raita was lovely albeit as bit hot and spicy for my early morning palate - better for brunch.<br/>Green tea was beautiful and the coffee great. <br/>

Food was reasonably ok. Staff were quite rude and abrupt. It wasn't busy so I can't imagine stress being a factor here. Fingers crossed it was just an off day because we would like to go back and try again.

Service absolutely deplorable. No idea what they are doing - quite rude. <br/>Food is ok but def not worth the lack of respect and service from the staff.

A lovely cafe. Nice strong coffee. We had the captains big breakfast and the eggs benedict. Both were really delicious. Nice friendly staff and service with a smile. We will be back for sure.

I had the hotcakes with the banana and creme fraiche which was was and I also a soy chai latte and the wet chat (which is when they have strained the tea leaves). Everything was nice and the cafe is very bright and nice looking too. My creme fraiche tasted a little bit sour which I didn't like and the hotcakes were good but smaller than I expected- still filling for me but I wouldn't get it if you have a big appetite. Overall, it was kinda average. It was good to try it out, but I probably won't go back. Coffee in common down the road is way better!

As a family we decided to visit this new cafe. On first impressions it was modern and tastefully decorated. The coffee was good, tea was lovely and the muffin very fresh and delicious. The staff were friendly from barista right the way through to the chefs who were chatting and interacting with my 2 and a half year old. Until we came across who I can only assume was the owner. My child was sat on the table opposite where we could see her when I overheard the owner say to the waitress who is that child with that table who can't control or with some patrons who have come in. Firstly my child was doing nothing wrong, secondly you come and chat to your patrons don't get your staff to do your dirty work and thirdly don't allow your own children to run around and then proceed to hold a baby behind the counter near a hot steaming coffee machine that is a breach of occupational health and safety right there. To me double standards. As an owner think of your professionalism when dealing with patrons it leaves a very bitter taste in the mouth and I wouldn't recommend this cafe to any of my friends. Very child unfriendly.

We stopped by to check it out for a midday breakfast session in between getting things done. It was busy but there was no waiting for tables. First up was coffee, it was really good. Nice and creamy just how I like it. I ordered the avocado breakfast and found it was a little underwhelming for the price - 1 small piece of quinoa bread and a small amount of avo on top. I wasnt sure about the goat's cheese and labne combo on this. (Most savory dishes had a sour cream/ yogurt addition) My dining partner had the breakfast burrito - this was big and flavorsome. Service was fast, but you can see they are new. This will eventually settle and im sure they will do well here. I found the breakfast menu very sweet heavy, with not as many savory options, again im sure they will find their feet. The bill came to $46. The fit out is nice, very now, but the entry feels quite cramped. Overall was good and we will be back. It might also be good to add a specials menu or board with prices included.

Just recently opened, very nice decor inside. Coffee was great and the food is good. You would expect it to settle in over time and get even better. Great addition to the growing list of very good cafes in the area. <br/>Definitely worth a look and will be back.

Save your money and go elsewhere. We wanted to "try something new" to spice things up but save your time and money - eat at home or at one of the much better cafes nearby. <br/><br/>My food was not good - stale bagel topped with bland cream cheese, under poached eggs and salmon. I asked for hollandaise to try and jazz it up but the sauce arrived cold and to be honest it was beyond saving. My friend had some sort of breakfast bowl which was soggy and didn't have the black rice the menu had promised. Another friend had fried chicken she said was good. <br/><br/>Some of the staff seem clueless - asked for a latte and waited 20 minutes. Asked again and waited another 10 minutes.<br/><br/>Interior is modern but looks cheap compared to similar fit outs - although its newly opened the materials chosen have shown wear quickly.<br/><br/>Will not go back.

Freshly opened in Late September, I give it a 5 for presentation, taste in the decor and colour scheme! Despite the busy location, it is inviting from the outside. It is not posh, but pleasant and fresh. I find the coffee creamy, the way I like it as I am not a real coffee addict. If you like all sorts of cruisants and muffins, you might enjoy this. How I wish they offer the contemporary, healthier all day breakfast with fresh salad!! I do understand if time is not right yet.. thanks for the taste in the presentation

Great food! We both loved our meals and will be back. The new decor looks excellent and the coffee good also. Service was a little lacking, though it was opening week so I'm sure it will improve.

Very friendly service. Happy, bright atmosphere. Gorgeous modern interior. No waiting to order. Meals served promptly. Calamari was tenderly cooked. A perfect light, healthy meal. The pulled pork burger was mouth watering. Could not say 'no' to the salted caramel donut. Oozing with sweet caramel love. Highly recommend.

Worst service I have ever seen in my life. Walk in and take a seat. 15 minutes pass and still not waiter to ever give me a menu with half the cafe empty? Not happy.