Review The Bean Thief - Kew East

I come here out of convenience not because the food is good. The staff are nice to regulars but rude to others. There has been times when the staff have commented on customers appearances or made fun of customers which is incredibly rude. I’ve had staff roll their eyes at me when they’ve taken my order or just flat out ignore me to continue their conversations between eachother. Food isn’t great, coffee is average. There are a lot of new businesses opening within the area, is this the sort of impression you want to continue making to potentially new customers?

Enjoyed a friend’s Birthday lunch today. I had the Potato and Basil Gnocchi - very tasty and my husband ordered the Chicken Burger which he said was 👍 Our friends were happy with their meals too; service excellent and the ☕️ there is 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

"It tasted great, the price was right and the service and environment was nice."

I will never eat here again. We came in for Brunch the other morning and later that night my partner was rushed to emergency due to server food poisoning ( From the chicken burger on the menu) it was the only thing he had to eat the entire day and the hospital were certain it was from chicken. I was required to let the cafe know just to ensure they are aware of what had happened and I got nothing but disgusting comments by a lady who was suppose to hand me to a manager. This is disgusting behaviour, horrible service.

Great coffee and service. Staff are very friendly.

Had lovely breakfast here on Sunday. Sat outside under the heaters and it was surprisingly pleasant. Food and service both very much appreciated.

This has to be the worst cafe on high st. I’ve been multiple times and they are always extremely mean to customers. There are regulars they are nice too but otherwise they make no effort. The coffee isn’t great and the food is all way overpriced. Kuche up the road is amazing and I highly recommend it. I’m situated close to the bean thief and walk the extra mins up the street rather than go to the bean thief.

Great coffee and yummy breakfast. Very generous servings and 1 meal was enough for my son and I. Friendly staff and comfortable surroundings. Really love the outdoor setting which is also dog friendly. Not much to fault except we only had 30 mins to enjoy our meal.

Great coffee and pancakes that would make even the strongest-willed person cheat on their diet.

Our favourite cafe in the world. The food and coffee are superb and the staff are so friendly and helpful. Always a highlight.

Thank you so much for having all the kids from kinder visit today for hot chocolates!! ☕☕☕They had an absolute blast. You were so accomodating and generous with your time and effort as we took over your courtyard! Thank you much 🙌

Amazing new menu.. Yummy different brave and exciting - pork belly bagel was to die for

The lady in there that runs the place is great, always happy and nothing is 2 much trouble Always a warm welcome from the people there

I had a vegie soup with S/D toast today - so delicious.. Yumy. What a culinary experience! 🍲

Excellent service from staff. Food is amazing! Definitely worth the visit

Friendly people, great food, close to home - perfect for us!

We used to live around the corner. Since moving (2014) we continue to patronise this superb cafe. Staff are very friendly. Nothing is a bother to them. Menu changes are OK. Ingredients are all fresh (often see the grocer delivering boxes of fruit & veg). Spiro is a gun barista. Every other cafe closed over Christmas/New Year so we regulars have had to shove up and let others experience the best this area has to offer. Hope they all decide to reward The Bean Thief with well earned, ongoing patronage.

Sunny,friendly, boutique cafe with awesomely awesome coffee and food ���

Wonderful food and great service. Very impressed!

Fantastic service, great coffee, very warm and welcoming, a great place to catch up after our Nia class on Friday mornings.. <3

Great coffee and atmosphere. Would definitely come back!

Most amazing service and best muffins ever

the best coffee!

No registration for eat in diners to complete. Really Poor form

Great coffee. Sensational food. Awesome people. Sweet vibe. Bangin' tunes. Doggy friendly. Something for everyone. Love it!

The passionfruit sponge is so delicious. I have had many passionfruit sponges but this one of my favourites.

The Bean Thief is a really nice place to go for a brunch or early morning tea. It is quite unique in its own way and they have good choices for you on the menu.

Sunday 7th April 2019 at 1pm. <br/>This is the best cafe in the Harp Junction area. <br/>The coffee was well presented, but lack a taste that left an impression. <br/>The Green Eggs & Ham and the Arancini balls were both tasty meals 😊<br/>We will be back 👍🏻

Always really good, tasty food presented well and the staff always seem to be cheerful and friendly. Haven’t yet had a bad experience, even when the cafe is busy. Would recommend.

Been here a handful of times because it was close by, each time the coffee had been mediocre and the staff have been differing levels of rude/short with customers which wasn't pleasant to witness. Food on the other hand isn't actually too bad but not enough to make me come back.

The Bean Thief cafe is a fantastic cafe! The atmosphere is great and the staff are very friendly and nice people.The set up of the cafe is great but can get quite squashy when busy. I ordered a latte and for breakfast I ordered the dish called The Avocado which had Avocado, beetroot, poached eggs and two slices of sourdough. The food was very good but the eggs were a little cold but still good. The cafe is a great place to grab a coffee and some food, it is also in a great location.

The service and food is good , but our coffees were not.<br/>This is our second visit and once again our flat white coffee was strong, and almost bitter.  It lacked the thick creamy luscious mouth feel with just a touch of coffee flavour, of a correctly brewed flat white.<br/>We left our coffees and commented at the desk, but no offer to refund the charge.<br/>Visiting a cafe with the coffee related name of Bean thief, you would think they would train their baristas.

Amazing service. Although it was a takeaway order,the staff offered me a seat and water while i wait 😀👍. Will b back to dine in. Thanks heaps:)

This is a definite go to cafe for my family! <br/>They have a great a variety of sweets in the window display especially scones and muffins which are my go to when I don’t feel like a big breakfast. Their menu is great too as they have a range of options. I have had the veggie burger and porridge which I both really enjoyed. Their coffees are really good too!

What a delightful local cafe! <br/>I came here for brunch recently with a group on a Sunday morning and we had a lovely time at The Bean Thief. Bigger than it appears on the outside, the cafe extends out into a courtyard (where we were seated) which has a wonderful homely, cosy feel to it. The menu is fairly traditional and suits the location and decor. I chose the muesli which was one of the best ones I’ve had in a while! The lemon curd that it came with was so so good and the Greek yogurt (served on the side) cut through the sweetness. I‘ll definitely come back to enjoy another sunny weekend in their beautiful courtyard with some quality food.

Nicely fitted out place. Another converted shop that feels for all the world like it should always have been a cute little cafe. Had another gorgeous coffee here. Another barista who is clearly right on the ball. You could go for months anywhere overseas and not taste coffees as good as I found in this area today about half a kilometre in distance and one hour in time apart. Impressive. In addition, there was a good people feel here at this cafe. I had the door opened for me with a big smiling greeting. The young servers too were happy, polite and impressively efficient. They were not only nice to customers but to each other as well in their spare moments, always a good sign I feel. On instagram you’d pop places like The Bean Thief up with a melbourneiloveyou hashtag. It’s a beauty. I shall return.

Love this place. Good food, consistently good coffee and friendly staff! There is ample seating and the cafe has a nice layout. It is my local go to.

Nice service. The food was lovely forever not big serves e.g. 6 chips with the burger and also a small menu, particularly for lunch. Nice courtyard area I the back

Food and coffee were delicious!! I had a soy latte and the chilli scramble. Yuuuum. The staff was also super friendly. Will definitely be back

Excellent coffee, food and friendly service. Worth evety cent. V popular with those who know it is there as it has a long record of great food drink and service. Pleasant atmosphere and dexor. Extremely clean always

Mediocre for the price. Nothing particularly nice that we ate -avo toast was bland, coffee had burnt taste. Cafe is very dark and cramped, service was minimal and disinterested.

Great local spot for the perfect Saturday morning coffee! Breakfast is fast and fresh - and we love the family vibe. Can't go past those fresh scones either...devine!

I couldn't resist ordering the ricotta and cinnamon doughnuts, with vanilla custard, salted caramel, chocolate sauce and pistachio soil. Sometimes I make really good solid decisions. This was one of those times!!! While I'm not a ricotta fan the doughnuts were light and fluffy and a perfect vehicle for the decadent chocolate sauce and salted caramel. The pistachio soil added a nice textural crunch contrast. I will not publicly admit to using my finger to try and scoop out every drop of the chocolate sauce. I did offer the Butterfly one... but I only had one left and I think she could see I wanted her to say no!

One of our favourite cafes, the food is always perfection, coffee is great but today we had a young, inexperienced waitress spill my partners and my coffee when she put them down on our table, she then attempted the quietest "sorry", walked off and didn't come back to clean up the mess or offer us fresh coffees or even some more napkins as we were left to clean it up. Very disappointing, I understand that young people need to gain experience some how but common sense should prevail. This happened because she brought them over on tiny saucers that were for babycino's not for lattes. It's a shame because we are at this cafe all the time. Just thought management should know. The same waitress also gave my partner a menu but not I which I then had to ask for, also half way through our meals I had to ask for water which I know is always put down on arrival at the table and the coffee bell was seriously loud, disruptive, an alternative should be considered. <br/>Brunch is a choice, a costly one, so the experience should be nothing short of amazing and today it was terrible.

Best hot chocolate in Melbourne!!!! And you get two marshmallows with it. Do not have one fault about The Bean Thief☕️☕️☕️☕️I go there lots good coffee as well and great service

Lovely seating areas. Came here for coffee and dessert. Friendly staff and good service.<br/><br/>Definitely recommend the Ricotta cinnamon doughnuts, vanilla custard, salted caramel, chocolate sauce and pistachio soil. Warm delicious dessert! <br/><br/>Negative:<br/>Unfortunately the coffee did not match the same quality as dessert. Very milky and weak coffee flavour, extremely disappointed.<br/>

We love the food and coffee here! The quality of coffee is consistently good. We've tried lamb shrank, porridge and various pastries and found them very tasty. The cafe space is cosy and staff are friendly.

AMAZING food. Lovely family run business. Friendly staff. If you have a taste for a certain ingredient, these guys will happily give you a WHOLE side of it just to make you smile. Great ambience. BEST MUSIC! Thanks guys

Wow a hidden gem!! The Bean Thief situated pretty much isolated is a fantastic cafe. Great selection and friendly and fast service. You feel very welcomes here. The food presentation was ace not to mention simply divine. The poached eggs were cooked to perfection! Will be returning.

As a local, I am severely disappointed in this place. Due to the Fat Penguin crew having a very well deserved Christmas break, I decided to stroll down the road to The Bean Thief. As I walked in, who appears to be the manager, rang a loud bell yelling at his staff to "wake up guys, seriously!" This wasn't exactly what I expected walking into a cafe, however I stood there like an idiot before taking it upon myself to sit down at a table without a greeting. Awkwardly looking around for 5 minutes, a gentleman (who clearly lacked experience) casually asked "What do you want?" , I was genuinely taken back. I excused his poor wording of the sentence and replied, "I'll just grab a menu and have a look first thanks." I received the menu and had a browse. I was approached by a young lady not long after to take my order - I decided on the chicken salad - it looked great on paper! Chicken, avocado etc. I was pretty excited about my order. Throughout my 30 minute wait on the food, I noticed the manager's unprofessional attitude behind the counter towards the other staff (who all seem to be learning as well). The same lady emerged from the kitchen with a bright smile and placed my lunch on the table. At first glance, I noticed all the ingredients mentioned on the menu. I went to take a bite of the chicken. As I lifted the fork from the bed of greens, I noticed that they had added an extra ingredient not mentioned on the menu - an insect. This is no word of a lie. I grabbed the lady's attention who immediately agreed that this unhygienic dish was not up to standard as she offered to order another salad, I said yes. On a second thought, I stood up and let the lady know I would just prefer to cancel and leave. She cancelled the meal and sincerely apologized, going on to offer me something from the cabinet to go free of charge. I declined as the cabinet was rather unappealing and I had completely lost my appetite. The manager mumbled without a care in the world, "yeah sorry mate" as I left the cafe. I believe the waitress deserves to work for someone who takes pride in their cafe. I will never return to this place.

The bean thief provided a great service, they have reasonable prices, they serve great coffee, their pecan pancakes were delicious—will come back again!

I ordered the granola and it was delicious! The nutty cereals balanced well with the tart rhubarb and was a refreshing brunch on a warm day. The interior of the cafe itself is gorgeous, three seperate dining areas all have a different atmosphere. Coffee is good and service is friendly. A nice local cafe!

Got rid of the burger(

Lovely cafe! Great atmosphere with lovely staff! Good menu - ordered the porridge and a chai latte it was great! The butterscotch on the porridge was a delightful touch! Will definitely be heading back again!

Loved this place! Great vibe, efficient and friendly service and delicious food! <br/><br/>I had the spicy buttermilk chicken burger with fries - the chicken was so flavourful and complimented perfectly with the condiments in the burger. <br/><br/>Great menu with a wide variety to choose from as well!

Uniquely decorated, cute little cafe with friendly and warm staff. My friend and I came to bean thief for the first time and tried the coffee, has avocado dish and the pork belly benefict. <br/><br/>Coffee was decent, it was slightly too bitter for my taste but the froth was smooth and creamy. Chocolate for my cappuccino was dumped on the top which made it a bit clumpy, not sure why they didn't incorporate the chocolate before pouring the milk like most cafes do! 8/10 for coffee. <br/><br/>The food came fairly quickly and ingredients were fresh. I liked my avocado dish, except it got a bit plain at times. The eggs were soft boiled rather than poached on both dishes, which made the whole dish a bit dry. They were happy to replace my eggs and the second set of poached eggs were runnier but still slightly overdone compared to other top brunch places. Still, they were very gracious about replacing the eggs and we didn't get any bad vibe from the staff when I commented on the eggs. <br/><br/>Overall a nice local brunch place and it was an enjoyable experience.

I was pleasantly surprised by this place.<br/>Kiddo loved her pecan fairy floss pancakes.<br/>Hubby enjoyed his crispy buttermilk chicken burger.<br/>And I really liked my juice with avo toast topped with beet chutney, herbs and caper berries.<br/>Would definitely come again - and would love if there was one...

Good honest cafe in a quiet spot opposite officeworks in Kew east. <br/>Have been dropping in over the years and I've been pleasantly suprised on my most recent visits. I'm assuming it's a family run business and it shows. Service is personal and so lovely. The young man even sat down and entertained my child while I was looking at all there sweets at the front counter. <br/>Ordered the scrambled egg dish with the salmon and pickled cucumber. I quite enjoyed it. All the elements were there and portion size was just enough. <br/>Coffee was ok.. I don't think they use the best of beans but it was hot and pleasant to drink.<br/>All in all its a great café and has a awesome little courtyard out the back on those rare sunny days. Worth a visit.

Breakfast dish with the roast pumpkin, broccolini and poached eggs has to be one of the best breakfasts I've ever had at a cafe! Good coffee too.

We found our way here early on a Sunday morning and after defrosting with some coffees, ordered the jap pumpkin toast & the crepe special.<br/><br/>Both these dishes were fantastic! The jap pumpkin toast had a pea mash, goats feta, broccolini, two poached eggs and a grainy toast. Everything went really well together. The crust on the toast was a bit too hard for me, but I'm just nitpicking. I would order the dish again in a heartbeat. The orange blossom crepes were soft with the a generous amount of a smooth, creamy filling. Like the pumpkin toast, this dish was also well balanced & would be a satisfying start to any day.<br/><br/>There were lots of appealing choices on the menu - I know I was undecided between at least three of their standard dishes at first glance.<br/> <br/>I found the cafe to be a little bit cluttered, which makes me feel like it's automatically dusty when it's probably not. The front area is also a bit dark, even though it has big glass windows. The service makes up for what the building lacks; with young, friendly & helpful staff.<br/><br/>I actually used to come to The Bean Thief when I first moved to the area & I found the food to lack complexity & quality. We thought we'd try again because of its popularity & were definitely surprised at how much better the food was. It has smashed my old expectations out of the water & I'm really excited to try everything else on their menu.

- The thing I enjoy most about this place is the warm, cosy, authentic atmosphere. All the staff are really chilled out, down to earth, attentive and friendly! <br/>- Food is yummy with the right number of options! <br/>I will definitely be a repeat visitor.

As someone who has been to every cafe in the area, this one is definitely the best so far. I'm only disappointed I didn't find it earlier. Service is also great. Have tried breakfast 3 times- all delicious; high quality ingredients, different flavours and very satisfying in terms of size. My parter LOVES the chicken burger. Will be back very soon... And probably most weekends ;)

I popped into this cafe as I had to kill 30 mins whilst my photos were being processed at Officeworks- opposite. If my meal was any indication of the other offerings of this cafe- well- I highly recommend it!!!<br/>I didn't order coffee, but I did select the crispy buttermilk chicken burger on a brioche bun with bacon (extra). I was pleasantly surprised!! The flavours and textures were perfectly matched.<br/><br/>The service was friendly and efficient.<br/><br/>I would recommend and I will be returning.

Tasty meal had by all, we tried some staples: eggs with bacon and salmon; and some house specialties: home made black bean baked beans; pumpkin with poached eggs; and the roasted field mushrooms, though a comment was made that the field mushrooms could have been cooked for a tad longer. Coffee was pleasant as was the service. Will return!

Only popped in for a takeaway coffee.. But greeted with a warm smile and hello. Prompt service and great coffee. Tempting sweet treats on display in the cabinet may lead me astray in my next visit!

Had a really yummy breakfast this morning. The food was fresh and appealing and really well presented. The staff were really helpful with their recommendations and were very friendly! We had breakfast with a group of 11 and all of us were impressed with our food and coffee😄

Amazing coffee, fantastic food and staff best group of ppl I have ever seen work as a team with a smile always on there face.. Keep it up guys!! I will def spread "The Bean Thief" around..

3/4 full fresh juice with lots of ice cube for $7 is not fair 😪 My wagyu beef pattie was ok but the chips looks not fresh fried. French toast taste good with fair amount of fruits and maple syrup. Overall foods can still improve.

This is the second time this year I have been here. Staff just ok. Ordered banana bread toasted with jam & cream.  It first came by itself. I sent it back telling staff it was not ordered as such. It returned no jam no cream. But toasted. Sent it back - 3rd time they got it right-  by now the toast was cold & a bit hard. It was the end piece - surely they could've discounted it or add another piece to the order.  I was so disappointed.  Reckon staff should concentrate more.

Firstly, the first thing you will notice is how nice and friendly all the staff are. The cafe is family run and all the staff say hello when you arrive and are always ready to help. Really friendly staff. Secondly, the food is good as well, so is the coffee. I am a regular here and the coffee and food are always consistently good. They have an outdoor undercover area which is great for dogs and rainy days. Pictured is the scrambled eggs with mushrooms and tomato, very nice. Great family run cafe.

Big fan of not only the coffee here, but the friendly staff. Was almost overwhelmed at how welcoming they were as I came in. Will definetly be back for both the coffee and the service!

Coffee was a little average and when our order came out they had forgotten to place the order for the side. I could understand if the cafe was super busy, but wasn't.

Food is alright, nothing to write home about, except for the fact that it's never consistent. Some times you'll get 2 pieces of bread, and then order the same thing next time and only get one (when you really need two.. two eggs two pieces of bread). Then when you ask for another, they will charge you (just keep it the same!). Staff are very friendly. Although the owner is very rude to her staff in front of customers and makes the experience rather awkward.

Had a great breakfast this morning - Popeye's Breakfast with beans + spinach with poached eggs on toast. Amazing! Great flavor, good portion and very friendly/tentative staff. <br/><br/>I'll be heading back there soon to try their cakes!

Really nothing major to complain about. Delicious food. Good coffee. Great atmosphere. The staff are really friendly and accommodating. Would happily go again.

Russell. I love the bean thief best place to go in the morning for breakfast, stop there on the way to work , staff are very good and friendly make you feel welcome,best ever chef I've come across . Cooking is great , I highly recommend the cafe 10\10

I personally recommend you try out the bean thief , good prices, great chef, well cooked meals, good coffees , friendly staff, quick service. Won't be disappointed :)

The local gem!. The bean thief is one of my favorite places to go in Melbourne, great staff, great coffees and fantastic food. It's definitely my local and love the welcoming atmosphere!

Very overpriced and the food is awful. I've tried this place a few times as it's so close to my work and been extremely disappointed each time. <br/>The last time I went I ordered just avocado on toast thinking nice and easy, can't go wrong. I was wrong. Worst I've ever had.

Good place for a feed. Good place to have a coffee and a feed. The gags on offer were of a high standard. Will definitely return in future.

Great food and coffee. Always great coffee, fantastic service. Highly recommended

Food lovely but.... I wandered in one morning after a trip home from an overnight hospital stay. All I wanted was a decent breakfast and a hit of caffiene.<br/>After wanting to try this place out for a while, I decided to stop (the free park at the front was my omen)<br/>Really lovely interior. Far too cold for me to venture out to the courtyard but have heard lovely things about that area.<br/>Staff were friendly, pancakes good (honey comb amazing).<br/>But the coffee was disappointing. It tasted a bit ashy. Burnt, I guess? Will definately return to this little gem, I think they deserve another chance.

Can't go wrong. the bees knees.. I love my breaky, and the bean thief is the best.<br/>I have shopped around for years but always go back to old faithful. <br/>great service, food and price.<br/> real holly sauce and amazing coffee.. two most important things!<br/><br/><br/>-----21 Feb, 2015-----<br/><br/>Bean Thief Eggs with Chilli and a Side of Hollendaise. Scrambled eggs with spring onion and Persian fetta cherry tomatoes on amazing bread. optional fresh chilli omg yum

In short, compared to the layout and "trendy" feel, the food was disappointing, with very little taste or texture. We ordered four meals, two being the 6 egg omelette and salmon rosti, considering the amount of ingredients layered on the plates, the hollandaise sauce had no bite or sweetness, the omelette no juicy flavours. The fresh juice had no kick therefore not correct amount of each ingredients and when they got our chai incorrect the waitress did not know how to assist so we thought to be polite and keep it. To their credit when the owner knew about the chai he refunded us. Nice people, however we left feeling unsatiated.

Really lovely place. The staff are really sweet and the chefs are friendly. The coffee is awesome. It's probably the only place in Kew that isn't pretentious.

Stay at home and have a Nescafé. Long Black was over extracted and beans burnt. Other halfs coffee was weak and lukewarm. It's a pity - this place looks good from the outside - and this part of town needs a good cafe. But it's and amateur outcome needing some professional help.

Had a lovely lunch here. We sat in the outdoor area at the back as we had our dog with us. The atmosphere was nice and relaxing, friendly service and great burgers :)

Favourite breakfast venue in Melbourne!. I absolutely love this cafe. I have been there for breakfast twice now and multiple times for coffee. Every time the food and service has been amazing. I highly recommend the smashed avocado!

Delicious Bircher!. Came here for brekkie on Sunday and loved it!! The bircher was AMAZING! Made in-house! They squeeze juice there too. We sat in the courtyard and enjoyed the sunshine. Best place in the area!

Definitely the best coffee in the area and the corn fritters were amazing! The staff were really friendly and attentive. I will definitely be returning to The Bean Thief and highly recommend it to friends!

Coffee here is consistently good, and fairly priced. However, the food is somewhat underwhelming (and over priced, particularly the breakfast food). I'd come back for a coffee and a snack, but not for breakfast.

Can't do the basics. Went here for Sunday brunch. The poached eggs were beyond overcooked, and completely inedible. The cafe was very busy and this seemed to be much of the problem, they just couldn't handle having more than 8 or 10 customers. Wrong orders coming out to tables all around and two couples getting up and walking out. Food not worth bothering with but coffee decent. Would only go back on a weekday when they are empty. Definitely don't go there on a weekend.

Coffee good, food isnt. The coffee is so tasty here, yet the food wasn't. My two friends and I went here for brunch last week. I ordered the scrambled eggs and she ordered the banana bread. The eggs were overcooked and dull tasting. Her banana bread was the smallest slice I've ever seen

Great atmosphere and coffee!

Background music ?!. Love the food and location, pity about the background music. Is it to please the young staff? It certainly annoyed me!

Not kid friendly.. Went for lunch. Took kids. Place was virtually empty but no one came us to seat us. I think they wanted us to sit in the cold out the back as 2 kids with us. When we finally got served they had run out of some dishes after the weekend!! Really got the vibe not to take kids again. Disappointing overall....<br/><br/><br/>-----04 Feb, 2014-----<br/><br/>Good cornie fritters. Bacon a little bit too fatty and greasy. Ok pricing. I'd go again!!

Ok but nothing special really. Good coffee and casual atmosphere with average food.

Strike 1. I've been here a few times before as the coffee is pretty good and breakfasts too - especially the breakfast panini's.<br/><br/>I'll be going back for coffee but won't be venturing onto the lunch menu again. I did so on the weekend for the spiced lamb burger which was a HUGE disappointment. Not sure if I was served what usually passes for the burger but boy, this was a shocker. The burger itself was small, dense, and completely lacking spice. The rocket, tomato and grated cheese in the burger was dreary. The dipping sauce for the chips looked and tasted like milk. I can't help but feel like something went terribly wrong or something had to be thrown together in a rush.<br/><br/>Willing to pass it as a once-off but I hope I'm wowed next time I go.<br/><br/>(Ps: Service was great, as usual.)

MUFFIN AND COFFEE. Enjoyed my morning coffee and muffin but the two female staff at the counter could do with a smile.<br/><br/><br/>-----21 Dec, 2013-----<br/><br/>Breakfast. Runny eggs on toast. just how i like them. great.<br/>delish coffee. and yummy muffin.<br/>service so so.<br/>new owner friendly welcoming<br/>pleasant atmos.

I never get good service here and always burnt coffee!!

The Best Coffee. Hands down best coffee in East Kew and I'm pretty picky

Great coffee and. The asian barista makes the best coffee in the kew area. The waiters are really friendly and kid tolerant, especially the blonde guy.

We went for breakfast the guy who served us was lovely and his service was great, we ordered corn cakes, baked eggs and scrambled eggs, all very dry and not so great. The guy behind the counter (seemed like the owner) had a nasty attitude maybe to many early mornings! Food was just not up to scratch and loose the attitude, bad for business.

Great place for lunch - decent portion sizes and very tasty. Lovely staff who looked after us well. Definitely will head back.

Yummy breakfast. We had the ricotta hotcakes and the chorizo baked eggs- both delicious! Will definitely return.

Awesome Little Known Cafe. Went their with my girlfriend during my lunch break from work and we ended up having some dishes from their all day breakfast menu, food was delicious and the atmospshere was very relaxed. Although it can be deceiving from the front there is a partially covered outdoor courtyard out the back which was really nice on a sunny day. Will definitely be coming back.

Bean Thief. Disorganised. Table we were given had the back of the fridge facing it. Breakfast dreadful coffee arrived after we had eaten breakfast although had been ordered when we sat down. Breakfast was not what we ordered despite repeating the order. Will not be back

Very good coffees . had pancakes which were light and fluffy. friendly staff. will be back.

I can't remember who recommended me this place.. nothing much to right home about. The latte was burnt. The big breakfast was what it was so can't complain, lasted me the whole day. The salmon w/ potatoe rosti was pretty darn good I have to admit. If anything come for that!! the coffee ... well there r better elsewhere. staff are friendly.

Just picked up a couple of take away coffees. The WORST customer service ever!! Soooo rude and its not even busy!

Someone definitely stole the coffee beans here cause they are so bland. All I could taste in my flat white was milk. And it was too cold! Nice decor but everything else is distinctly average. In fact some things are poor. The chicken Caesar salad I had for lunch was poor. The chicken tasted like its been sitting in the fridge for days, the dressing bland, the egg overdone. At least the lettuce was fresh. All in all I probably wouldn't bother going again when there are so many better eats around

Nice cafe. Lovely staff (child friendly too). Egg and bacon panini was delicious, however the other items on the menu are a bit pricey.

This is a quaint little cafe oozing with character and setting. The coffee was a bit bland and a let down unfortunately. However this place deserves a second chance so will try again at the next visit before the final verdict.

Disappointingly loud. We had to ask for the music to be turned down. We then moved to the back area because the group of 6 ladies next were so loud we had to yell to converse. Also didn't help to see one waitress pick her nose before handling food.

Great environment, great staff, pet friendly and good food and coffee.

Very friendly staff who clearly care about their patrons. They even provide water for pooches. Very tasty menu choices and great coffee.

Good food, nice decor, cheesy music (a deal breaker)

Highly recommended. My first time to The Bean Thief and I was immediately impressed by the beautiful decor as i walked in. The service was excellent and our coffees arrived quickly. My mocha was lovely and my mother (who is incredibly fussy about the temperature of her coffee) loved her "very very hot" latte. I also ordered a prosciutto panini which was fantastic, full of flavour and toasted perfectly, my mother ordered the orange almondine which was delicious and fresh. I would certainly recommend The Bean Thief if you are looking for great coffee, a delicious meal, and value warm, friendly staff and fast service.

Nice little cafe for north balwyn/kew area, and a cute sunny courtyard out back to sit and relax. good honest wholesome food and super friendly service. will defiantly go back

Nice little secret. There isn't much else around but this is still worth a visit. Great coffee and lovely service. I have been a couple of times and will keep coming back. The wonton soup was delicious, coffee is great!

Hmm. Breakfast 'chef' who can't poach eggs? Too hard yolks on door stop toast that was definitely very stale bread in need of being put in the bin rather than the toaster. And a side of mushrooms was $4. For ONE mushroom. Very bad start to the day.

Perfect for brunch. Enjoyed a great Brunch today. Service was prompt and friendly. Great coffee and perfectly runny poached eggs with great hollandaise. Had a little bit of food envy over my friend's baked eggs with goats cheese and leek. Definite choice for next time.

Got potential... We have bean here a few times, the food is lovely and the eggs cooked to perfection. gf aware but one item is marked gf and it isnt..the atmosphere is great and the staff friendly..just wish the coffee was better --its really just 6/10 which prevents us from being regulars...and no financial review

Nothing special. Nice little cafe. Very cosy and filled with people. Ordered the french toast. I was very disappointed when one piece of bread came out, which was dry in the middle. Clearly, not soaked long enough. The home made jam which accompanied was nice, but didn't make up for the overpriced french toast. I had to order my coffee 'hot' because my companions came out luke warm. Wait staff were friendly enough.

Great coffe and a good feel...refreshing not having to line up for 40 mins on a Sunday. Finally, someone has provided what 'us locals' are looking for and could not find at the average 'Convent' or the below average 'Grazing'. Well said.

Delicious!!!. After eating at the bean thief I was truly intrigued to write about it and share my thoughts on the new cafe. I was truly pleased by the service and the smiling faces of the girls there. They were all very polite and served each dish with love. The food was a scrumptiously made dish that i would LOVE to try again and would recommend you to try. After eating I cleansed my palate with a cappuccino, I was astounded by the fluffy goodness in the milk and richness in the coffee, (supplied by coffee Mio - definitely the best in Australia) they have some very talented baristas! Overall my experience at the bean thief was a 10/10 and I look forward to going back next Saturday for brunch.

Impressive new Cafe. After a number of recommendations i decided to venture down to the newly opened 'The bean theif'.<br/>After initally driving by, i double backed to find the cafe in quite a convienant position as was able to park with ease; certainly a contrast to the main strip 300m up the road.<br/><br/>We entered to a warm and friendly greeting from staff and the decor is relaxed but has that realy melbourne cafe feel (something which has gone missing in recent times)<br/><br/>It was roughly lunchtime, we were seated around a few other patrons, creating a pleasant atmosphere. Now to the ultimate question; Can they make good coffee?<br/>Well yes, not usually a fan of MIO, the coffee was spot on and i couldnt be anymore pleased! I have had a recent bad run with cofffees.<br/>$3.60 for a coffee may be 10 cents more than im used to, but it was well worth it.<br/><br/>Lunch was filling and had no complaints about the food. Tables may have needed a better wipe down, but thats just being picky.<br/>All in all, i left motivated to write another review and will definaltely return again.

In the end though I went with the roast vegetables salad with spinch, pesto, pine nuts, lemons juice and persian fetta. I really enjoyed it, very fresh and colourful and tasty.