Review Madelines At Jells - Wheelers Hill

Food was delicious and good portion too. Reasonably priced. Staff were friendly and helpful. Cafe has a great view! Also, perfect to go for a stroll at Jells Park after or you can just sit and relax while enjoying the lake's view.

Lovely cafe open 7 days a week. Lots of seating, indoor and out. Very fast service for yummy coffee scones and huge berry muffins They serve breakfast and lunch from Wednesday to Sunday. Views are beautiful. Best playground l have been too.

Great view, good service, nice coffee and very nice prana chai. Also had a noisette toast with Nutella and a hash brown. Lots of places are suffering from staff issues and although not busy we had no issues. People need to be more considerate. I have noticed lots of cafes suffering from limited staff and nasty reviews. Come on Melbourne, support the cafes we love and put yourself in their shoes when doing a review.

Busy park so definitely good that there's a cafe around! Indoor dining is closed but they do outside dining and you just need to collect your order when they call for your name :) Really lovely outdoor space but there's a few tables and seats that have no shelter from the sun during those sunny days so it can be a little hard to find a cooler spot to sit at a table if it's particularly busy. I had the iced coffee, which was a little on the warmer side so I wouldn't have minded if they had added some ice to it to keep the drink cold. Everything else was fine and I liked that they kept wipes on the table for COVID safety though it wasn't utilised that much from what I could see.

Had a great time dining at Madeline’s today! Haven’t been back to Jells in while so the good food and fantastic service was a bonus! The owners are sociable and attentive to their customer’s needs and have a great work ethic.

First time coming here and I was amazed! The service was so great and all the waitresses were so friendly. It was a lovely view too from the window and had a beautiful atmosphere. Thank you 😊

The place was being slammed today, with an endless line of takeaway customers being served by the small but dedicated team. My family was well looked after, and the food was spectacular when it arrived - the chicken burger was a monster, the calamari superbly cooked, and the kids meals quite ample. Despite the challenges they faced, the staff were always approachable and tried their absolute best.

Perched atop the hill at Jells Park with beautiful views of the lake. The coffee is nice and strong, yet smooth. The muffins and brownies are dangerous, in the fact that they taste so good you might be liable to get another. Perfect for dog walkers and park enjoyed alike.

On a recent trip down south, hubby and I dropped in for a late lunch. One big surprise was how very hot the restaurant was! Huge windows and no air-con meant these Queenslanders were suffering. But we soldiered on, and ordered: for me- a recharge bowl with smoked salmon. This was incredibly filling and very tasty. Full of fabulous, healthy items like edamame, beetroot, avocado, radish, grains, sweet corn, and hummus. I found this flavourful, healthy and satisfying. Hubby had to help me finish this one. He chose a burger with a beetroot bun, halloumi, leaves, and a vegetable/nut pattie. This was a special of the day. Hubby enjoyed the not too sweet bun, the spicy, nutty pattie, and the squeakily delicious halloumi. The sauce was a winner too. (He loves lots of sauce.) And there were heaps of crispy outside, tender inside fries with aioli too. I helped him with those, natch. He drank a berry smoothie – deeply pink, cold and full of berry flavour, while I had a cappuccino. Service was okay, nothing fancy. The atmosphere also okay. We were in and out quickly, as the heat was radiating off those windows, into the huge parklands in which Madeline’s sits. We even got a bit damp, due to the sudden rain squall overhead.

Love the atmosphere here next to Jells Park. The food was yummy and the customer service was sound <br/><br/>The dogs were given a biscuit each so they were kept happy. They also made a few friends at the cafe

Nice atmosphere and solidly good food - I had the pulled lamb eggs Benedict with kombucha hollandaise which was really tasty and well presented and my friend loved the scones!

Beeen here quite a few times in the past year. Food is always nice. The owner is very welcoming and friendly as are the staff. I’ve had breakfast, antipasto, baguettes, salads, wine and smoothies here and all tasted good. Looking forward to our next visit after a walk around Jells Park.

Very busy spot located in good area , staff and owner are all great and clearly love there job always running around . Good quick prompt service, first time customers and it won't be the last time ordered big breaky and the kale mushroom dish . Finished with scones all tasted great and had great presentation!

first time visiting last saturday and watched as some runners got abusive with the cafe staff , couldn't believe my eyes, luckly the staff defused the situation as i watched on from the deck witch is quite lovely and dog friendly aswell, we enjoyed the big breaky board with a bircher cup was super filling and my wife had the eggs on toast on orgsnic bread, bernard even got a dog biscuit, will be back maybe not on a park run day as they had my blood boiling,worth the visist

We had a family birthday breakfast there yesterday. <br/>It was 38 degrees in Melbourne and this place has no aircon!! Just a couple of ceiling fans. <br/>Then they serve us bottles of warm water. No ice. My mother had to ask the waitress for a bowl of ice so we could put it in our drinks.<br/>The food was below average and the people that ordered hash browns couldn’t eat them as they were tasteless and soggy. Coffee was just ok. My toast was underwhelming. Just 2 white squares that I could get at the supermarket. The butter arrived melted due to the heat inside the cafe. <br/>It’s really not appropriate in this day and age not to provide adequate cooling in an establishment. We will never go back and we wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. Luckily there weren’t any elderly people in our party as it would’ve been a risk for them in that heat.

New job meant new places to eat and we made a booking at Madeline’s at Jells which is located right inside Jells Park by the lake. It’s a very cosy venue and the staff were quite friendly. We were shown to our table and BAM we started ordering because, well, everyone was super duper hungry.

This is a 3.5<br/>Beautiful day. We wanted to go to a place where it wasn’t tucked in the middle of a shopping strip. Madeline’s fitted the bill. Whilst Jells Park was a little busy, it was a nice sunny day, it was nice to be amongst the trees and to have a glimpse of the lake. We had the kale & mushies and the fried chicken burger. Highlight of the mushies dish was the hash brown. Not sure what was in it but it was deliciously different. There was also a feta based dip/spread that was colored with charcoal. It was very tasty. The chicken burger was pretty good. Chips were very nicely done with a great aioli. Think they ran out of a burger bun as mine came in a roll which was slighted on the dry side. Chicken was yummy. Great place to hang on a Sunday arvo.

Went there for a function. I have to say the location looks amazing. I have never been to Jells Park before and it was beautiful and big. It easily can be a wedding venue with the views. The food experience was a letdown though. We were served finger foods and I don't think there were enough food for everyone. The foods came out rather slowly so each tray was emptied in like 2 minutes. This function has maybe about ?200 people, and yet trays of foods came out like 2 trays every 10 minutes. And one of the staff got rather upset when people came to grab the foods, thinking that she had to go to a particular area of the room because she thought that area has not been served. When it is a cocktail party though, you cannot control that people move around and I would say people moved towards where the food were, and yet the waitress was upset that people did that. Some of the fingers foods are good, like the prawn tempura, the sausage rolls were good too. But other foods aren't memorable to me.

Food and service 2.5. Food is very average but their special is great. 1st time I left a restaurant, leaving half the kids meals still untouched. The manager is great but 1 of the female waitress asked me..so hows the food. I told her the waffle is rock hard. I could barely cut it, so how is my kid going to eat it. I am not asking for refund or anything, just to point out to her that she might need to speak to the chef about it, so they can improved. Btw, I had order 2 waffles..not 1...both are rock hard. She said, " Waffles are supposed to be hard." Smiled and left. Dont get me started on pizzas, my son had 1 piece and left the rest there..how can a child reject pizza..this tell u how the pizza tasted. However I had their omelette special with goat cheese, Instagramable and yummy. Nevertheless, I am not gg back there in a hurry.

The fried chicken burgers were interesting. I thought the bun made from matcha but it’s not, when I flipped to the other side the green looks unnatural. The texture has a bit weird and not as soft as typical bread/bun. The fried chickens were too oily and had a lot of fats in it. The fried fries were great with the aioli sauce. There wasn’t special thing about the iced choc. And I didn’t eat the bun bc it didn’t taste natural. The service wasn’t the best as expected. The people are very rude and taking forever. The foods and drinks didn’t worth the price. The ambience are very busy and limited. There were too many reserved tables without label. The head floor staff said that people aren’t allow to sit anywhere as they need to be seated — if we need to wait to be seated then I expect it’s a five-stars restaurant with professionalism, but sadly I didn’t experience anything special or even normal.

This place has a nice ambience to it with great coffee, the aroma is just to die for. Had the anti pesto plate which came with quite a variety of eateries on the plate. The bread was soft and fluffy it was so fresh and crunchy on top, it was accompanied with some fresh meats, a great overall combination here. The setting is modern rustic and quiet chic here and a nice place to catch up with friends.

Great staff and lovely service.<br/>We enjoyed our meal although it was a really noisy place because it was very busy.<br/>Lovely views and Jells Park is always nice to go for a wander.<br/>

Awesome service! Excellent food! Can’t wait to go back! Had a dish from the specials board, which was salmon - delicious! Even got a blanket because they noticed I was cold. <br/><br/>

Had coffee and scones here. Scones look great from a far but.... they are actually sweet bread full of baking powder.  Someone teach this café how to make scones.  Customer service is disgraceful and non existent. Well, I guess the customer service is the angry middle aged lady that thinks she owns the place.  Heaven forbid you want to add to your order, you'll get an eye roll.  It's a pity there isn't another café close by. The only reason that they are busy as there is no where else to go. Captured market.  Most entreupenuers would love this and treasure it, not this place. Don't waste your money.

Very disappointing experience. Tried earlier in day to book a table for afternoon tea but phone rang out twice so we just turned up at 2.30. It was busy but there were tables available. Even though Cafe is open till 5.00 we were told there was no food available apart from some cakes on display which the owner pointed to. I asked if we could have the scones and a cup of tea but was told no. I asked why when they were on display only to be given a scathing look and then he took the scones and put them out the back with no explanation. An hour later after a walk around Jells Park walked past cafe again and noticed a man eating (you guessed it) scones! Not impressed at all!

Beautiful ambience in the centre of Jells Park near the lake. We started with coffees which were nice. I had the pumpkin tart which was simple but tasty. My friend had the breakfast burger which looked nice.

Friendly staff but service was very slow. We had steak sandwich and Burger and chicken baguette and my in law want to have a lunch special which was barramundi but it was yesterdays special menu on the board ....so she had pumpkin tart instead. My steak sandwich was ok but chips was cold. The baguette was nice but my husband $24 burger was't good.<br/> <br/><br/>Second visit on weekend 24th June<br/><br/>It was super busy. The staff was very nice and friendly. We had soup, lamb souvlaki, chicken burger, waffle and scones. The baked product seems ok but sausage roll wasn't great. Not reccomended for a main meal.<br/><br/>Floor staff 4<br/>service      3<br/>meal          1.5<br/>price          3.5

5 stars for the friendly and accommodating service on a busy Mother’s Day morning. Coffee was fantastic. We ordered a roast beef baguette and two sets of big breakfast. Serves of food are huge for the price but I’d wish there’s more oomph in the dishes themselves. Still good quality but just need a sauce to bind the poached eggs, bacon and hash together even though there was a small serve of tomato relish on the side. <br/><br/>Good and coffee-3.5 stars. <br/><br/>Beautiful setting and service-5 stars.

The beautiful Jells Park is home to Madeleine’s cafe. The decor is plain and reminds me of a Scout / Guide hall. The food is provided in large portions and there is a large and lovely selection of teas. The food is average. Service is good. Staff relatively friendly and helpful.

The service and the food is only fair and the food is over priced.The Manager has no customer service, and makes excuses for her lack of ability to properly manage this café.They won't split the bill, or allow individual payments to be make.A Manager who is good in hospitably could make a lot of difference to this café.Linda.

Brought in a large group of people (28!) for breakfast and coffee this morning. Jo and team were amazing to work with and very accommodating despite the stress we put them under. Great food and coffee and they obviously really care about their customers too. Thanks from the Truce team.

Nice cafe located at Jells Park. Having coffee here is great while surrounded by some relaxing views of the park. Coffee tastes great too. Also serves a variety of hot food and sweets.

I didn’t even know there was a cafe at Jells Park! But it was actually really nice! Was surprised they had prana chai 🙌🏻 and it was good. I think the meals were a bit too pricey for what they were, but the staff were nice & also there was heaps of dogs outside which was really cute!

Madeline’s is the perfect local cafe destination with stunning views overlooking the Jells Park lake and the Dandenongs. Food is always fresh and tasty, and staff are friendly.

Rude! Was getting takeaway drinks and the person serving had the worst attitude. Took 1 minute to order but apparently that was too long for her because they were “closing”. Proceeded to make a hand gesture for us to hurry up although the cafe was half full and closing hours are advertised as 40 mins later. Never again

Took my daughter out for a babychino, some scones and a coffee with me for my birthday. Waited more than 30 minutes to be served. Whilst others were served ahead of us. Couldn't tell you what the coffee and scones were like. Why is it when dads take their daughters out they are reared with such contempt. Will go for a coffee on my birthday elsewhere next year!

Revising an earlier post to advise that the hospitality at Madeline's is on the upswing, with better customer care and more consideration towards families with young children than previously experienced. A great place to relax and unwind with very good menu options for breakfast and lunch. Well done Madeline's!

Combining exercise with eating makes me feel so virtuous so I'm always looking for an awesome park/cafe combo. Jells park/Madeline's cafe is a win- win! The outlook is beautiful, green grass, gum trees and distant lake almost takes you mind off the length of time you'll have to wait to have your order taken and served.<br/>However the pumpkin, feta and roast capsicum tart was delicious and the hot chips weren't half bad either. It sure is hard to find good service these days but it's Definitely worth another try.

A nice and convenient cafe to make a stop at when visiting Jells Park. Coffee was good, and the serving size of the scones were generously large!

Food was good as usual but the atmosphere there is not pleasant.<br/>Went there today and didn't enjoy ourselves as the noise levels there were excruciating !<br/>I don't know how the staff can cope ???  OHS not important??<br/>All the diners had to yell to be heard. I've worked in quieter factories !

Madeline's at Jells Park is a family friendly cafe serving decent cafe style food in picturesque surrounds. As far as breakfast menus go, I was pleasantly surprised by the choice available. Yes, there was the obligatory Big Breakfasts replete with eggs done your way, bacon, hash browns, mushies, tomato, spinach and sausages. Then there were more the interesting breakfast offerings. I had a charcoal burger. I cannot go pass anything that is noir, be it squid ink pasta or charcoal buns. It's the novelty factor. My burger was stuffed with breakfasty things such as bacon, an oozy fried egg, spinach and relish. It was delicious and substantial for brekkie. If I was to order next time, I would replace the relish with regular ketchup. Seems more fitting that way with the bacon.

Great <br/>Lovely spot located in the park<br/>Amazing views with floor to ceiling windows <br/>Food is 4.5 out of 5 chocolate waffles are to die for and the eggs benny looked delicious great options <br/>Service was attentive and friendly very cosy setting <br/>Prana chai was perfect <br/>Can't wait to take the wife back

공원과 함께 있어 탁 트인 분위기로 다 먹고 들어가는 곳~~직원도 친절하고~아직 음식은 먹어 보지 못했지만 언니 말에 의하면 스콘과 홈메이드 잼이 정말 맛있다고 한다. 라떼는 그저그런것 같구 진저에일은 진짜 생강을 갈은 듯한 맛에 병이 이쁜 제품으로 나온다 :) 잘 씻어 말려서 꽃병으로 쓰니 빈티지한 맛이 있어 다음에도 가면 또 먹을 생각이다.

We went there in a busy Sunday afternoon but they served us quickly. The food was good, we've had chicken baguette and beef baguette sandwich. We'd definitely go there for their special brekky.

SERVICE: 3/5<br/>Always served with a warm and welcoming smile. Have been here with a small group and larger group of 10 and the service has been consistently attentive.<br/><br/>FOOD: 3/5<br/>Have tried their breakfasts and light lunches, both have been tasty but thought it a little on the steep side for what you get. However, they know we will pay this for that view!<br/>Only other option is to BYO sandwiches or BBQ...<br/>Coffees are also decent here...tastes even better sipping it overlooking the greenery and the lake.<br/><br/>DECOR & AMBIENCE: 4/5<br/>The best part about Madeline's is the wall-to-wall windows overlooking the park. You can't help but to unwind and relax especially sitting by the window. Fingers crossed you don't get a gang of cyclists congregating outside blocking your view with lycra!<br/><br/>KID FRIENDLY - Yes, but not during peak times

Lovely view of the lake. A great place for a coffee after a bike ride to Jells Park. Food very pricey and not what I want to spend money on. Very limited sweet options - scones, sometimes Friands, muffins and cookies. They don't split bills.

I have come here to study a couple of times because it is so nice and peaceful! The view is lovely, then again I have grown up living next to Jells Park so I will never not love it! <br/><br/>Honestly, the coffee wasn't amazing and the interior isn't fantastic :( but luckily the view and friendly staff make up for it.

Great service;fabulous food and awesome view! Didn't order Coffee but they do yummy chai and scones. My new weekend favourite place ❤️ also great for families and pets😍 🐩🐈🐥🐷

Nice coffee. Kids loved the milkshakes. My breaky burger was really tasty. Kids had the waffles and a little bit of a mixed review and only for this reason a slightly lower score. GF bread I was told was the best yet so that's a thumbs up also. Service was brilliant.

The location is the only positive that this restaurant possess and it is an undeniably pretty spot overlooking the lake and the park. However, if you are after quality food, you would be better off packing a picnic and choosing a spot in the park. I had the questionable honour of of ordering the most bland salad in the world. It was akin to munching down on an oily piece of cardboard. My "pearl cous cous salad" was sans cous cous when it arrived. When I questioned it, they took it away and the exact same salad returned to me with a blob of cous cous mixed through. The menu stated it was accompanied by pumpkin and roast capsicum, yet it appeared to be a Where's Wally scenario in which the diner has to hunt out these morsels among the disgustingly overly oiled greens. My fellow diners had the joy of overcooked dry steak in the steak sandwich, another bland flavourless salad and dry roast beef. The service was mediocre and we left feeling uncomfortable and dissatisfied. Visit Jells Park by all means, but give Madeline's a wide berth.

Arrived here at lunch and it was evident straight away the Cafe was understaffed.<br/><br/>Long queues at the front waiting to be seated and dirty tables around the Cafe that had yet to be cleared.<br/><br/>Menu is extensive with a good variety of options including all day breakfast, vegetarian options and a specials board. <br/><br/>Staff were slow to take orders and even slower to bring out our food and drinks-if only they communicated that the kitchen was behind by 20mins at the start could of allowed us to reconsider ordering.<br/><br/>It was also difficult to decifer who was actually employed as some staff weren't wearing aprons and no one seemed interested in making eye contact with customers' probably from fear of hearing too many patrons complain. <br/><br/>On a positive note the food itself was full of flavour and fresh <br/>

A beautiful view from the restaurant with floor to ceiling glass to maximise the surrounding parklands. Disappointing though that so many tables are crammed into the space!! When we ate there they were quite full but the noise was deafening!!! A few less tables and more space would have made for a more pleasant dining experience.

It's unfortunate but what would otherwise be a great Cafe, is let down by more often than not, attitudes of underachieving staff (in all fairness - not all staff, but definitely the majority) <br/>Beware should you choose to share a plate (A Big Breakfast) with a 2nd or 3rd person. Half its contents mysteriously disappear even though, you'll still be charged the same overpriced $$$.

My wife went there with our 17 months baby and below incident occurred recently with her experience: She had a pumpkin tart and drinks. The tart was rather small to her surprise and overpriced, so are the rest. What ticked her off was the cashiers' poor attitude toward her. Don't know whether she is the owner or not, but clearly looked senior in the restaurant. My wife went to the counter to pay for the meal at the register, no warm welcome by the cashier, and shitty attitude of some sort, was rather rude! By comparing her response to other customers other than Asian background were rather nice and welcome. My wife felt insulted, and isolated by her poor attitude. We will never go there again ever and just share my experience among friends. Clearly, an example of service level by race cafe, in a modern society with sickening form.

Food quality is ok. Serving size average. Too pricey. The price is without GST which is unusual. On a holiday they add 20% surcharge so my bill adds up 30% more. The view is ok overseeing the lake but i do not think will come back again considering the price versus of what i get.

Worst experience ever. First nobody look after you, when you complain they finally come but forgot the food. I asked if they run out of potatoes, no order didn't get tru whatever that means. Rating would be minus 5 if posible

By far the worst coffee I've ever had. Tried it twice and that's enough! The food is ok at the takeaway but it's very disappointing since I just moved here and it's walking distance.

Second time I've been here, second time they've run out of hot food.<br/><br/>Terrible service.<br/><br/>If you come done to Jells Park, don't risk it and BYO food.

The coffee was mediocre, but the scones were soft and fluffy and really hit the spot. They were a generous size and came with more than enough jam and clotted cream. The service was a bit lacking though. The cafe was not busy at all yet it was so hard to grab a waiter's attention!

I love it. I've been numerous times and will continue to go back. It's a great cosy cafe for rainy winter days enjoying a coffee indoors or sunny summer days where I can take my dog. My favourite dish is the mushroom and kale hash... YUM. And the coffee is superb. I've always found the staff very friendly, and good with dogs. Always happy to give my pooch a treat even though he isn't the friendliest of dogs (although he loves anyone who comes bearing food). The location is unique and perfect. I would happily go time and time again.

The staff at Madeline's need a good rundown on basic customer service skills and manners.<br/><br/>We waited for 5-10 minutes before someone noticed we were waiting to be seated. Another 5 minutes for the menu and water to be brought to the table. Another 10-15 minutes before a waitress noticed us and took our order. When the food and coffee finally did arrive, the waitress was rude and abrupt towards us. <br/><br/>The disappointing fact was that many people who had arrived after us were getting served and attended to before us. We felt very unwelcome and ignored the whole time we were there. Honestly, you receive better service and hospitality from the McDonald's McCafe down the road.<br/><br/>It's a shame, because the food is actually half decent and the view of Jells Park from the venue should in theory make it a nice place for breakfast/brunch/lunch. <br/><br/>Unfortunately, we will be heading into one of the more welcoming cafes in Glen Waverley central for Sunday brunch next time.

Rude staff - whole set up with takeaway and dine in is not very clear to customers. I felt that the staff really let the place down. Waiter was muttering under breath which I found shocking. Bring your own coffee or go on to many of the other excellent places around. Poor!

So glad that we finally discovered this little gem so close to home too! On a sunny day like today, it was delightful to be seated near the window and watch the park go past as we ate. A surprisingly good menu with a range of options. The vodka cured salmon and beetroot dish was excellent and plated beautifully too. The only downside perhaps was that the avocado was a tad too firm. But that may be nitpicking! The atmosphere is rustic and comfortable; and the friendly staff add to that too. I would definitely recommend- whether it's to stop by for a coffee or lunch after an exercise routine, part of an afternoon in the park or even if you just make the trek out especially...you won't be disappointed!

Visited 05.09.15 it was the best experience I've ever had there i don't know if it's under new management but the staff were attentive, food and drinks were alot quicker and the service was great. <br/>Previous visits there the service was shocking and you had to wait forever to be seated let alone served there was also one particularly rude unaccomodating lady who isn't there anymore.<br/>I would recommend anyone to give it another go they've even updated the menu possibly streamlining the process

Beautiful view and beautiful coffee. Met friends for breakfast in jells park and not expecting much. Well hands down the best best cafe view down the park to the lake, with friendly and efficient service. I had the big brekkie and latte...both were fantastic and i liked the look of eggs Benedict aswell.

Worst experience Ever!<br/>Just a quick summary. <br/><br/>- Establishment thought it was necessary to increase menu prices due to Fathers Day. Ill live that. <br/><br/>- Was told from the moment we walked in that we would be booted out by 10.30am, again Ill live with that.<br/><br/>- Was told menu selections could not be altered at all. Our table had 1 pregnant women and a elderly person with dietary requirements. Waitress had to go seek Managers approval to exclude a dash of sauce from the meal. For the rest of the morning we received death stares from the waitress, to the point where she snatched the menu's from each and every person on the table. How pathetic!!! Realistically we were actually saving the restaurant money by excluding the sauce. <br/><br/>- Order was put through at 9.20am. Food came out at 10.15am (no exaggeration) The cheque was handed to us at 10.30am. Wow! What an absolute disgrace!! I will never set foot in this place again, nor will I recommend this place ever. Management should be ashamed of themselves.

Shocking service!! Served a latte that had a full mouth of lipstick on it. Took 10 minutes to politely catch the attention of someone working to ask for a new one. They said they'd get a new one, but no apology. Again when the new one arrived, no apology. In fact the manager gave more of a vibe that we were being annoying customers. Went to pay with the manager and AGAIN, no apology!! She just said '$8 thanks.' I don't mind mishaps like that happening in hospitality as long as its acknowledged and someone says a simple 'sorry'. So rude!

We will never come back. A group of us with 4 prams asked for a table. The lady serving looked at us in horror and didn't want to accommodate us, she asked us to go outside and wait so as not to take up space inside and then said she needs to serve other customers first before even seeing if she could accommodate our request. The lady was so rude it was disgusting! After waiting a minute or two all looking at each other shocked we all decided to leave and take our business else where. The lady said absolutely nothing to is as we walked past her to leave. There were five of us in total and were easily about to spend $150 in there. I have never seen anyone so rude and discriminatory towards mothers with prams. <br/>Poor layout as the cafés main clientele are mothers with prams. I would encourage anyone not to visit this place.

Poor service. We only ordered coffees, however, we found the owner to be quite rude to customers, especially those who had ordered take away. Seemed quite unprofessional and because of this, probably would not bother going back again to try a meal.

Lovely sunday brunch with unbeatable scenery. It was a gloomy Sunday morning and no one wanted to get out of bed. However we committed to trying out Madeline's for brunch (my idea- in an attempt to get into the brunch fad).<br/><br/>As we were driving to Madeline, we took the wrong entrance in. Take note folks, enter through the Waverley entrance! In my stubbornness, we drove around for 15 minutes before I conceded and drove to the Waverley entrance.<br/><br/>Plenty of parking available. As we walked from the carpark to Madeline, we immediately got a good vibe. Plenty of families, dogs and BBQs happening against a green beautiful background. The host was welcoming and we got seated straight away and served straight away. I loved the look of the place- great open windows and quaint comfortable decor, nice but casual.<br/>We ordered drinks and they came quickly. The hot chocolate and soy latte was above average. <br/><br/>The food. I ordered the mushroom bruschetta and the boyfriend ordered the Big brekky. I don't think we were expected anything amazing- just standard brekky food. We were wrong. How can bread, mushrooms, fetta and rocket taste so damn good? Did they put delicious magic powder onto that dish? <br/>I assume the Big brekky was good as i didn't hear my boyfriend speak for 5 minutes as he savoured the meal. (i didn't even have time to steal food off his plate! it was gone that quick! The potato hash brown looked golden and crunchy and definitely stood out). Both portions were good sized and the quickness of the meals coming out was impressive, considering it was quite a busy morning.<br/><br/>The price was standard, however due to the service, quality of food and the location- this was a home run. We would definitely come back especially as we were able to stroll off the calories afterwards on pretty amazing walking trails.<br/><br/>If you are also looking to join the trendy brunch or are already a member of Brunch club, please try Madelines! Its relaxing and tasty and the location is unbeatable.

There is a indoor cafe area as well as an alfresco dining and a even more casual kiosk opening for coffee orders.  Being a cafe in a park, it naturally is bike and scooter friendly. After a brisk walk in the bracing wind around the lake, we headed to Madelines for coffees and a wee snack.  The staff were very friendly and Kiddo received an activity sheet to keep her occupied.  The wood fire was roaring which was a much needed comfort on a wintery day. The food service came rather promptly however there was a bit of a wait for the beverages (10 - 15 mins). We ordered a latte;  hot chocolate for Kiddo;  green tea and their "Meat Platter" ($17) which is more or less an antipasto plate to share.  

It didn’t surprise me at all this place was popular – it was school holidays and the weather clearly made everyone else have the same thought as myself – that a walk in the park would be a fantastic idea.

The restaurant was quite full today, but the service was still fantastic - all the other customers seemed very happy from what I could tell! I will definitely be returning to Madeline's since it is so close to home, not only for convenience, but for the great food and service as well.

Try the chai latte with ice cream.. We've stopped in here for drinks several times. It's a bit expensive, but the cafe lattes and chai lattes are always good.<br/><br/>Last time we visited, it was very hot outside, so I asked if they could do a cold chai latte. They could indeed, and with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream in it. It was like a root beer float but even better. I was thrilled.

Dukkah chicken was delicious! And the pumpkin tart. Very friendly service and food was impressive. Will definitely be back

Dog Friendly - Great service. I went to this cafe on Saturday, 13/12/14. I sat outside as I had my dog with me. It was a 30degree day and poor Scout was very hot. The staff were caring and polite. The even gave me a plastic cup full of ice for Scout to chew/suck on so he wouldn't be so hot. I had a lovely glass of cool white wine and the hand cut calamari - yum.

Sour service. There were 5 of us.we only wanted coffee.we wanted 2 tables put together on the deck.we were told under no circumstances was that possible.so the group sat at the two tables next to each other along the window wall. then she who must be obeyed took our orders,i didn't get the cappuccino I ordered. I couldnt be bothered complaining because the boss was such a *. so when the bill came , yes the types of coffees we ordered were on there , but they were not what we received. and god help if you want to pay separately -they don't split bills.forget about a tip, heres mine- the lady needs a different job. enjoy the park .though .

Horrible service. Had a terrible night with bad service. Never going back. I went to pay for my meals (that were overpriced & undersized) early & was told (despite there being no one else waiting) that she could not split my bill. I hadn't noticed any signage informing me of that earlier & I told her we wouldn't be able to pay unless she gave change to a few of us or split the bill. Her response was curt & dismissive. I went back to the table & tried to figure something out. When I returned after being cut off several times trying to talk to her I told her that she should edit the menu so her customers are prepared when they get to the counter. She slammed a business card sized sign in front of me (a tiny no split bills sign kept next to some mugs above the counter which can't be seen until too late) & said nothing. Such a simple argument caused by a rude staffmember. All she had to do was be polite & try to help me. Oh well I vote with my feet...never to return

Good food. Appalling service - sure it was beautiful Sunday morning and quite busy but to wait an hour for a coffee (after letting them know twice I was still waiting) is a bit much. It was 'on the house'.

Perfect spot so it'll always do well, but the service by the front person could be much improved. Pity.

Average. Food and service..that's what happens when there's no competition.nice location though.

If you want BAD SERVICE, grumpy waitresses and rudeness, Go to Madelines. We booked for a group of people for lunch recently and when we arrived it was the WORST SERVICE WE HAVE EVER RECEIVED. We were running late so we rang and spoke to a receptionist stating we would be 30 mins late. She said "thats fine were not busy anyway" and also that only 8 would be there instead of initial 13. When we got there the blonde waitress was annoyed we were "late" and that there were only 8, despite us calling and given the OK. She refused to take eftpos from one of the people in the group and was rude. She stood up the top end of the table and asked for everyones order - they were elderly people so couldn't hear well. The waitress had a bad attitude and was very negative to a group of frail elderly people. We were disgusted by the POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE and will NEVER ever go there again and DONT RECOMMEND anyone to go there. It was the worst customer service ever.

Young guy doing takeaway coffee obviously doesn't want to be there. Treated an elderly gentleman very disrespectfully. When I asked a question he was very firm that he didn't know. I have to send me daughter up there for a 21st tonight and was 'making an enquiry around security. Will have to make further enquiries. This is disgusting!!

Been coming to Madeline's for a while now and I really enjoyed the food and coffee although the Atmosphere seems very different the last couple of months.There are a lot of new faces and we don't see the regular girls that work there anymore. We hope to see them soon. Service is still good but miss all the lovely smiley faces!!

IF YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO EAT THEN DON'T GO HERE. Madeline’s at Jells is a FANTASTIC place to go if:<br/><br/>1. You’re on a diet: <br/>Your order is guaranteed to have zero calories because the food just won’t make it to your table! <br/>2. You enjoy conversing with the staff:<br/>If you much prefer chatting with staff rather than enjoying your family’s company then Madeline’s is perfect for you! You’ll get to repeat the same thing on and on to different waiters and be quite the social butterfly!<br/>3. You wish to save money: <br/>Although the staff may disagree, waiting until everyone else on the table is cleaning off their plates is a great time to cancel your order and not pay a cent! Cha-ching! <br/><br/>UNBELIEVABLY BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE. The staff did not know how to communicate with each other and the manager implied that I was being unreasonable for cancelling my order. Here is what happened: <br/><br/> My family and I ordered together. The waitress repeated our orders correctly. <br/>Approx. 20min later- everybody’s dishes arrived except mine. I informed the waitress that I haven’t received mine yet. She returned 5min later saying my dish was coming “soon”. From this, I knew she forgot my order. <br/> It did not come soon. About 20min later, my family had almost finished eating. As I do not plan on making everyone else wait for me to START my breakfast, I finally told a waiter that my dish had taken too long and I wanted to cancel it. He checked with the kitchen and advised me they were just plating up, 2min left. I said I still want it cancelled and the waiter hesitantly said that this was okay. <br/> A few minutes later, another waiter informed me that my dish was coming soon. I told him I already cancelled it. Confused, the waiter went back to inform the kitchen. <br/> Next, my dish appeared!! I again informed this new waiter that the dish was cancelled.<br/> Then, the manager came over. I told her that I had waited at least 20 minutes (which was a heavy understatement). Instead, the manager said that it was really only 15 minutes because I ordered later and that she won’t charge me this time but really it was only 15 minutes which isn’t that long. How wonderful. She ran off while I sat back in confusion – and realised that her waiters have demonstrated the worst communication I have ever come across in any restaurant. And I eat out A LOT. <br/> To wrap this up, I spoke with the manager and explained that I ordered with everyone else and she understood that one of her waiters forgot my order and tried to sneak it in. She apologised and gave me my bill - which overcharged me on one too many teas --> had to have that fixed as well. <br/> I left that restaurant feeling like nothing will be done to improve their customer service. I had wasted my breath, ruined my metabolism (starving isn’t good) and they really made it difficult for me when it should have been the other way around.<br/><br/>There are two things I am sure of after eating there on 4th May 2014:<br/>I WILL NEVER EAT THERE AGAIN and I WILL INFORM EVERYONE ELSE NOT TO GO THERE BECAUSE OF THE HORRORS THAT AWAIT<br/><br/>Edit: I have since received a response from the manager at Madeline's at Jells. Although I probably won't be returning, I'm pleased to hear that this matter was addressed and hopefully future customers will be dealt with more care.

The tea-house was once a favourite, but after an unpleasant encounter today, I'll not be visiting again. I am elderly, and after our usual walk today I was sore. My husband asked if I'd like a rest and a coffee. I sat on the verandah, but my husband unfortunately ordered take-away coffee . We were asked to leave, because only those who drank from cups or mugs were permitted to sit on the verandah. Three very young women were extremely efficious.......one even following us to the bin where we put the cardboard mugs as we left....There were no other shady seats............These ladies don't understand service !

Sad. Today is a beautiful day we decide to went to a nice place for lunch, we chose Jell's park but what a sad after lunch! Madeleine's had a very poor service, the people is unfriendly and the food just ok but very small portion and I'm not a big eater. Very sad that is the only restaurant at Jell's and so bad manage!

Cannot believe the service. Took the grandchildren, aged 4 and 2, to Jells Park. After a lovely time playing and riding bikes, we all went up for some lunch to the Jells Park Cafe. i ordered two coffees, hot chips to share and a chocolate milk shake. It was a takeaway order which we ate at the takeaway tables. No problems there. The young man who took our order was very friendly. HOWEVER...........when the order came I politely asked the young man if we could have a paper cup to share the milkshake between the children. he said ok and went off to get one. I got up and followed him (not expecting him to wait on us) and I met him halfway. He said he was told it was against policy because we were takeaway customers. He also wasn't allowed to give me a glass (fair enough because I didn't want it broken. i asked again if they could allow me a paper cup for the toddler. I said I was prepared to pay for it. ( i would have paid $2 for an empty paper cup). He told me to speak to another lady working there. She said the same thing. They refused to relent. I told them "ok, I will pour my coffee, which I haven't even started yet, down that sink in the kitchen and then I will have a paper cup to use to divide the milkshake between the children". They knew I was serious and they didn't care. Went outside to our table. Brought back inside my newly purchased cup of coffee in a takeaway cup and poured it down the sink, informing the 5 kitchen staff of my intentions. They didn't care. i asked to see the manager. She reiterated that it was against management policy to give out paper cups. Told her again that I had been prepared to pay for it. I explained that I could understand their reluctance if I hadn't purchased anything from the cafe. BUT I HAD. I WAS A PAYING CUSTOMER. She said the rules still applied. I'm a 63 year old grandmother, and I was completely gobsmacked. i could not believe the appauling customer service. AGAIN, I state. I was a paying customer.

Great food and position. Good biking stop for coffee and yummy food. The staff are very friendly but pity about the rude manager!

Great Place. My entire family go to Madelines, so handy with the kids. There is a good selection on the menu, awesome breaky, my husband loves the burgers and we always get a good quality coffee. The scones are the best I've had in years. They haven't just thrown food on a plate it is thought out and well presented. We have become regulars and always have a great experience with the wonderful staff.

Bike friendly cafe, modern australian. They have a total monopoly on food in Jells Park, for better or worse. Pros: Stack of bike racks outside which we find handy as we usually cycle into the park. I enjoyed their various fresh garlic and herb ciabattas, steak sandwiches, roasted chicken breast with rocket, etc. Cons: Others have noted the snooty manager and the sometimes slow service. Wir: Given the monopoly.. I have no choice.. lucky the food is good.

First and last. We looked at the take-away menu which is roughly scrawled/painted on a window, with no prices, and went inside to ask for the take-away menu, as on the window. We were asked to wait at a table on the verandah. The menu which was brought to us had no take-away items on it. I went inside to ask for the take-away menu. The terse response, like that of an old fashioned school mistress telling a child off, was that we were not allowed to sit at those tables if we wanted take-away. I was told this twice, even though I explained we had been asked to wait at those tables and had asked for the take-away menu. (There were no prices on the window so we could not order from that version of the take-away menu.) The place was far from busy, with just a few tables indoors and outdoors occupied at around 1pm. I get the impression that this restaurant in such a lovely setting wants to sell only items that are on its main menu. A bit of staff training in politeness and communication would not go amiss. Alas, our first and last visit. Such a pity.

Best park location in the south east. Good grinders coffee. Open airy. I had sweet corn fritters with beetroot relish and avocado and feta. Very yummy

Had a lovely brunch for fathers day, service and food was lovely.

Staff were very rude and slow. Our food came out before our coffees without an apology. We had to wait for cutlery and ended up having to get up and get some myself. The bacon was completely burnt and it took us another 5 minutes before we could get the waitresses' attention. For a Cafe set in the middle of Jells Park service is extremely poor. Was very disappointing.

Good quality brunch. We took some friends for brunch at Jells last Saturday and found the food to be quite generous in portions and it was really good flavours. <br/>We had 2 x Big breakfast style, French toast and eggs and salmon. They liked the French toast a lot, and we loved the home made style hash browns and chicken (and veg?) sausages. I couldn't even finish the scrambled eggs as it was so much ! <br/>I read the reviews below and not sure what they're on about. Service was ok. <br/>It is amazing views, very peaceful and even though it is mid winter it was a gorgeous scenery.<br/>I saw someone else get the scones and they looked awesome. Will definitely go back for that!

Great Setting, Slow Food. My partner and I go to Madeline's regularly but only because we go to Jells Park regularly and this is the only cafe there. We have been going there for several years, both midweek and on the weekends. <br/><br/>Madeline's is not really a place to go on the weekend if you have other things to do and are wanting a quick snack or meal. You need to be prepared to relax, sit and wait. Service will be slow. Friendly, apologetic, but slow. You may need to wait to be seated, wait to order, and then wait for your meal. If you arrive fifteen minutes before the closing off time to order breakfast, you may be disappointed, and have to order lunch instead.<br/><br/>But the setting is great. If you get a good seat on the outside deck or near a window, it is a nice spot to sit and look out at the park and people watch. They do have a good range of snacks, we often share a bowl of wedges, sometimes I have poached eggs, or soup, which are always good. It can be very noisy inside when busy - it is a big room, with a lot of people and hard surfaces!<br/><br/>I find coffee quality is a bit variable, so now I usually order hot chocolate or iced coffee.

Happy Mother's Day!. Enjoyed a delightful breakfast this morning. Whole family raved about their meals but the favourite had to be the pancakes with apples and cinnamon.<br/>Even impressed my Mother in Law! Well Done Madeline's, service was fantastic too, even though it was packed. We'll be back soon!

They do not understand what customer service is. This cafe has monopoly as it's the only cafe in Jells Park. Their food is good but their service is shocking. We have had several bad experiences there with the manager on site. Usually it happens after school, when we arrive there around 3:30pm and the manager tells us that the only thing available is takeaway coffee and drinks. There is no opening hours on the cafe window so you never know when they are supposed to close. On the website it says they are supposed to close at 4pm, not 3:30pm. While we were waiting for our takeaway coffee yesterday, we sat at their outside table waiting and we were rudely told that takeaway was strictly takeaway. We said we were only sitting there as we were waiting for our coffee. No focus on customer service what so ever. This was not the first time it had happened.

Yum. Had lunch here the other day. Generous portions. Could easily have shared my Chicken BLT. Staff were friendly and efficient. Will be back on Mother's Day for their set menu!

Very. Slow takeaway service

Love this cafe for Devonshire tea, good coffee, yummy scones in gorgeous surrounds.

Service with a Smile. Come here often with friends after our walk around the park. Coffee was good and went nicely with the raspberry white chocolate muffin I had, which was huge! Very tasty and was served with cream on the side ( a well earned treat after that walk!) Staff are very friendly and always offer service with a smile. Will definitely continue coming back here.

Service was below ordinary. Warm milkshakes, dry bread & 45minutes to clear the table and seeing if the table wanted to order anything else. Wouldn't be racing back here anytime soon.

Disappointing all-round. I went to Madeline's on a quiet day, with a handful of customers inside, and it took at least 10 minutes for my cold flat white to be served. During that 10 minutes, the workers were chatting away in the kitchen, unconcerned about service- when it finally came, it was crap. Don't go here for coffee.

Not recommended for functions. I had an Xmas function there. Food was acceptable, but ambiance was terrible. Loud and echoey, and area resembled more of a large store-room than restaurant (30+ people on 5-8 tables) For the prices we paid, we did expect better.

Overpriced. Perhaps the pricing would be fair if the service was acceptable but it always seems impossible to find anyone that works there. I've been several times and had to wait minutes at the front counter to either get a table or pay at the end. The food is quite nice despite the difficulties. Best to look elsewhere.