Gemma Bassett
The latest couple of reviews sadly dont seem to be a reflection of what its actually like as a customer here... I've been to esca several times for brunch over the last couple of years. Its always busy...if you want a table outside make sure to book ahead! The menu is great for brunch...lots of options to personalise, and they do some nice fresh juices and milkshakes. Personal favourite is the zuchini fritters .. .super fresh and delicious! Never had a bad dish here and the portion sizes are generous!
Dion Karagiannis
Consistently great coffee, fantastic fresh food and hospitable service. I cannot recommended this place highly enough. I have come here with family and friends for breakfast/lunch many times and Esca are yet to disappoint. Came here for lunch today to try the new menu and was blown away by the flavours. The owner (Jim) always makes Esca hospitable the moment I walk in and it’s truly a reflection of why I rate it one of the best cafes in Sydney.
Louise Wallace
I have been here a handful of times (with a pram) and have either been told by the owner;
- we can't come in because there is no room (yet there were plenty of available tables)
- we had to sit in the back corner as there wasn't enough room at the front (there was plenty of room)
- on two occasions we were told we had to leave by a certain time as 'there was a big group coming for lunch'. This was a lie - we walked past later and there were only 2 tables being used in the whole cafe.
I'm not sure what the owner has against children or carers with prams but i have given this cafe too many chances. The owner is extremely rude and doesn't provide a pleasant service. Do yourself a favour and go to one of the other cafes on Glebe Point Road who will actually provide good customer service and a pleasant experience.
Wayne Lomans
Came here looking for French Toast, based off a Google Search! That and I am a local. Pleasant cafe, friendly and welcoming service. My French Toast was great and worth the visit alone. Everything else a bonus. Nice place to visit and would recommend.
D. V.
Most beautiful Fried Chicken burger I had in Sydney.
Rest of the family enjoyed their food as well
Brighette Ryan
A friend and I and our two babies were turned away due there being “no room” today despite only two tables being used inside. We’ve been before and the owner/manager (an older man with grey hair) has been quite sour about prams so I assume that was the problem. It was really shocking and awful. Avoid this place if you’re looking for a friendly atmosphere - plenty of cafes around the area who appreciate the business.
Liam Wilde
I came in for breakfast with my family and sat near the window. Food and location were amazing. Thank you to the kitchen! Unfortunately our appetite was lost after watching the awful service provided by the owner. Customers were obviously profiled upon entry to the cafe, after reading past reviews this seems to be a common theme. For example, a family of three was abruptly rejected, but the next group of three welcomed for no apparent reason. I will not be returning, but I hope improvements are made.
Adrienne Turnell
Esca is one of the best places to get coffee in Glebe! The breakfast menu is varied and has good choices, I highly recommend the potato rosti! The staff are friendly and nice :)
James Cutler
I had a terrible experience. I was one of the few people left inside as it was near closing. A woman in her 60s came up to order a takeaway coffee from the barista. Over her shoulder, the owner said, "Hey, darlin'." This woman turned to him and said not to call her that. He defensively said, "It’s my age. I guarantee you, 99.9% of us would say that." (ironically, she was in the same age category as him)<br/>She replied without hesitation: “I’m not offended, it’s just not appropriate.” and turned back to the counter to await her coffee being made. The owner was standing behind her and went totally silent. YES! I thought. A win for this woman standing up for herself.<br/>HERE IS WHERE IT GETS TERRIBLE.<br/><br/>As soon as she got her drink and left, he went over to his employee, a young asian guy, and said to him: “If she comes back again, tell her to F*** off.”<br/><br/>I'm never putting another cent into that man's business, knowing the kind of person he is to other people - including his own customers.
Lilli Bonouvrie
It's breathtaking how dismissive and blatantly rude the owner is, as a customer I consistently feel like I am putting him out by spending money in his cafe. I will never go back, which is a shame because the food is delicious but not worth the degrading treatment of the owner. Yikes.
Dale Spencer
More traditional food, fresh ingredients and ample servings at a reasonable price point<br/><br/>Appealing decor and staff friendly and efficient <br/><br/>Exceptional bruschetta for this visit, delicious - definitely go back to Esca
K J
The owner is so rude it takes you by surprise. Why does he serve customers when by his attitude he thinks we are annoying people below his attention? I think the only reason his business survives is that it is up the road away from the busier part of Glebe. Don't go here, take the short walk further down Glebe Point Road where there are many other better options.
Felicity D
Whilst the food is good and the waitresses are friendly, the owner is rude and the cooking time is a bit ridiculous. I've gone here twice and they've taken almost an hour to make dishes such as eggs and toast or bruschetta. On the last occasion it took 50mins for them to bring out my dish and by that time I had to leave for work so had to get the food takeaway. The owner/manager is also quite rude, when the waitresses told customers they could sit at a table he would then tell the customers "don't sit until I tell you." I understand the cafe is quite busy, however, this does not justify eating $16.50 worth of toast and toppings in a takeaway box on the bus.
Dominic Johnson
I am a semi-regular at this café and find the food and service generally of a high standard. The owner is very convivial and pretty passionate about his craft. The dinners are particularly good, and I find some of the commentary about the wine surprising - but I guess you need to take care in what you order from the modest wine list. The should of lamb, pizzas, deserts are all excellent, as is the coffee in the mornings. I note the owner does take issue with raucous children but there are plenty of other cafes around that are kid friendly. So if you want to read the paper or eat in peace, or you have older kids such as myself I think it is well worth a visit.
Helen Esteban
Beautiful food, fantastic service and a great menu with top coffee. We had a large family lunch here and there were many different dishes that were all beautifully presented, really tasty and served in perfect timing. Service was really friendly and personal. We'll be back in a heartbeat 😀
Andrew
Nice cafe in Glebe. I must say the past negative experiences with service I've had in this place made me wonder but I thought to give it a go today..... And more so the only place I could find opened today. The coffees were good and the eggs were cooked well. The service was better than previous hence I'm scoring higher than I would have. Just based on today's experience, is give it a 3. But beware, service could suffer if it's full.
Darryl Fox
Slow rude service, dont bother going on the weekend, waited over 25 minutes to be served even though we only ordered eggs, bacon and a coffee. staff need to find jobs they enjoy.
Pollo_pesce_me
After reading so many bad reviews I was reluctant to give this restaurant a try but I was glad I did! I didn't love their coffee beans but it was made well, Wait staffs were friendly. Service was rather slow but the restaurant was literately full. I ordered spicy prawn linguini and it was absolutely delicious. I would definitely come back to try another dish next time.
Alec B
Unpleasant. The owner is rude, the food bland and overpriced. Do not bother wasting your hard-earned, and do not take (even well behaved) children: we had bizarre acting out and rude words from the owner when my three year old daughter spilled her glass of tap water.
Bulldrummond
Awful place. Horrible rude owner. Wine by the glass is cheap overpriced plonk. Food bland and stungy, and I will never be going back. Awful service at dinner reclined me of Basil Fawllty, without the charm - rude (words faii) , condescending and unprofessional. Nasty overpriced ans medicre. Oh, and did I mention, rude? You have been warned. Check your bill for the extras - gold plated slices of bread and wine so bad you could gargle with it.
Gekko
This is my favourite café in the Glebe area. The breakfasts are delicious and varied. There are always specials (e.g. hot Italian chorizo breakfast, sautéed mushrooms, bacon and egg frittata, croquettes) which I love to try for a nice change. The service is friendly and efficient and the atmosphere relaxed. The quality is consistently good and prices are fair. This has now become our regular morning café haunt.
Annemarie Casey
Fantastic meal. I love the new menu on Friday/Saturday nights at Esca - particularly the bug tails and marinated trout. It's so good to finally have a great relaxed eating location on the pointy end of Glebe Point road without the hassle of parking.
Dancing Around The World
Keep walking- this place is unfortunately not worth your time or money. :-(<br/><br/>Bitter coffee, poor and slow service, eggy French toast, fatty bacon, maple flavouring (not syrup). <br/><br/>Big brekky- black pudding is a welcome change to the regular, otherwise nothing special. <br/><br/>This is in the spot of a cafe that was well-reviewed on Urban Spoon. Cannot recommend giving Esca a chance.
Mqw
Esca Glebe - Totally amazing dining experience. I absolutely love this cafe, the food is fantastic and well priced. One of my favourite dishes is the BIG breakfast, and it has everything you could want and is always cooked to perfection. The coffee is also really well made and the staff and atmosphere are very welcoming and friendly. I'm a regular at this place and highly recommend this cafe if you are looking for good quality food.
Jesw
JohnW. Great beef hamburger with beetroot and quality coffee.
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