- Abbotsford
- Brampton
- Burlington
- Calgary
- Chilliwack
- Edmonton
- Halifax
- Hamilton
- Kamloops
- Kelowna
- Kitchener
- Ladysmith
Do a search below using the city or postal code search box if your city is not listed above.
Get dining news including restaurant closures and qualify for giveaways.
A funky restaurant popular with the 30 something and over crowd that has an all day brunch menu including several different types of eggs benedict.
We had a good experience here last week. I like the fact they have several wines by the glass, and draft beer. That in itself is a good reason to stop in. Each of us had a fish sandwich/burger. One salmon and the other the halibut. My only complaint was the bun seemed day old, but other than that the meal was very nice.
The food was good but the staff here just slam cups, glasses and your food on the table when they bring it out. We got 1 refill on our coffee as the server rarely checked up on us.
At the end, I walked to the bar to pay (because we couldn't get the server's attention) and the server said to me "I don't know which table you are sitting at or who your server is"
I replied with: "I'm sitting right there and you are my server."
Good times for me. I left a tip, but I don't know why.
I wish to also say that the service I recieved from Cafe Barney on Granville was poor. In fact the waitress was so rude to myself and my friend I have not been back since. I had been going to Cafe Barney regularly over many years on a Saturday morning, and we had ordered our brunch and 45 minutes later were still waiting.
Mentioning it to the waitress, got us a rude remark about how busy they were.
Not having enough staff is not a customers problem. I have not been back since then ( last year) and felt the need to confirm the writer of " Let Down" comment as not just a one off experience.
This morning I am going to the Cafe Barney's on Main Street for brunch and look forward to a better experience. I will report back.
The food is good, how can you screw up eggs, bacon or french toast, I mean really. The wait staff is very disgruntled though. I guess its the kind of atmosphere they are trying to create, casual. Its inexpensive so one cannot expect service of any kind. But I would rather eat somewhere else as the lineups are never worth the trouble.
I like this place a lot for breakfast fare. Their eggs benedict are always cooked perfectly and the hollandaise sauce doesn't try too hard. This is a joint where its not looked at as a bad thing to go in slighly hungover and order a couple beers with your breaky. The service is always fast and friendly.
Food: We tried 2 different types of eggs benedict; one with shrimp, avocado, and tomato and the other was smoked salmon with mushroom. They were perfect!! The shrimp tasted fresh and sweet (some places I've tried was rubbery and had the freezer burnt flavour), the avocado was ripe and flavourful! The smoked salmon was excellent!! It wasn't those pre-packaged slices of salmon, it was actually a smoked filet. It was perfectly smoked and very very tasty!! The eggs, oh my goodness, it was awesome!! They were done to perfection! The whites were fluffy and the yolks were just a little runny! Both dishes also came with great hashbrowns. Not the shredded type but actually potato chunks. The hashbrowns were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I can't wait to go back again!!
Service: It was a pretty busy Sunday afternoon. Well... more like brunch time as we got there at 11ish. But we were seated right away and our drinks came quick. The food came pretty fast too. Our waitress was friendly and even though it was quite busy, she still checked up on us at least once.
Value: Excellent value. Two eggs benny with hashrowns was only $10!! I think most things on the menu was under $10! Maybe it's just for the brunch menu? Not sure but if you like brunch, this is the place to go!!
Ambiance: It's pretty comfy there although the tables are pretty close together. The washroom was very clean and on way there, in the hallway, there were some pretty neat pictures/paintings.
For some reason many people on here seem to be expecting a 5 star restaurant peopled by high fliers in business suits! It's not that kind of place. It has a "studenty" or "arty" vibe and there are pluses and minuses that come with that. The service can be a little slow but I have never known it to be rude and the food is always very good and reasonably priced. You are also never rushed or made to feel unwelcome. It's essentialy a bar that does great food, what's not to like?
I have been to this restaurant.....many many times...
every time I come the servers are very friendly and helpful....yes they are casually dressed...but it is a casual environment....
You are not going to leave hungry and very reasonably priced...
When ever I am in the staff seems to be making people laugh and have a good time and they seem to know alot of the people....
shocking to read such terrible reviews....it is not a five star restaurant so keep that in mind when you come in...
Have been going to Cafe Barney on Granville for nearly 10 years. Always loved it, service generally great, food and drink always great. Today was lack luster. It took nearly an hour for a cobb salad, and a smoked salmon bagel. We were not so bothered that those around us got their food ahead of us (even though they ordered far after we did) it was the attitude of the staff after we raised our concern. Blaming it on shift change, then on a computer problem. As tips are based on good service, we decided not to tipi as we felt we were poorly served. Here's the kicker they gave us attitude for our shitty tip! We have been long term customers and will not be back to the Granville location ever again, shame on Barney's and their pompous ways we thought better for them!! Thank god for the main street location!!
It's a great place for diner food with a date. The menu is what you would expect it to be, with lots of burger and sandwhich selections, which are all quite good- we've been there a few times. If you go for breakfast or lunch, expect to wait for a table. Nomally the service is excellent- the staff are very friendly, and cute, and they remember you after a couple of visits, guessing what you will be ordering.
One time, instead of bringing around the coffee pot after the dishes were cleared, a waitress asked if I were leaving soon. Yes, they were busy, but that question never makes you feel welcome, and it was a few months before we returned.
Other than that incident, if anyone asked, I would reccomend this place to anyone. The Barney Caffe fits in perfectly into the quirky neighborhood where it resides, and is worth the visit just to see what a diner of that area looks like. Hope they never change a thing. Love the waitresses even though I am currently dating
Prepare to line-up with everyone else for weekend brunch at Barney's. It's popular because it's good. Lunch and casual dinner or drink at the bar are great too. The food is consistent and reasonable. The staff are great - casual and friendly. All the breakfast items are exceptional - the omelet stands out. Daily specials are my favourite since it is hard to decide what to have.
I can't understand how this restaurant can be so popular after so many years of same ol', same ol'. The decor is tired and greasy, so is the menu, and the staff is tired and condescending. This place desperately needs an update of menu, decor and staff. I went in with a friend last weekend since swearing off the place 15 years ago after being snarled at by the staff one too many times. Sadly nothing has changed. I ordered coffee with my meal, which didn't come either before or during the meal. When I asked the server where it was I received a generous roll of the eye, and a curt "d'you still want it or what?" The art displays are amateurish and poorly curated, giving you nothing new or interesting to look at.
The only positive comment I can give this place is that, if you are on a budget, you will save money not having to shell out for a large tip.
We stopped in for a quick lunch on a work day, just after 12 noon. I was expecting more of a business crowd, but on a Tuesday in June no one was dressed for work but us. The atmosphere was decidedly bar-like and we were left to find our seats. Only half full, I was surprised that ordering took as long as it did. The food then took ages to arrive. Once it had arrived, it was what you'd expect from any old chain restaurant, though not unpleasant. There was lip-service to trendy ingredients and the like, but ultimately, it was just average. The whole experience was average, which was somewhat disappointing since on first entering, it seems a place with geniune potential. Service wasn't unpleasant, just slow and utlitarian. And, if you're popping in for lunch on a work day, I'd recommend hitting somwhere that can get you in, have a sandwich and out in under 90 minutes. If you've got time to relax, it might be a good stop.
I've read a few reviews here about the poor service so was a little hesitant when my friends suggested it for a brunch date. well...we got there 10AM on Saturday, no line up so was seated immediately. We took our time with the menus but were not rushed, and we ordered our various breakfast favourites (bennys, pan cakes, scramble), and the food came fairly quickly and was faultless. Not excellent (as one reviewer noted below, it's not a 4 star restaurant now, is it), but perfectly reasonable. The service, while not stellar, was also acceptable. So for the price point and neighbourhood, a solid choice overall.
Friend and I dined here prior to attending (the dismal) "Homechild" at the Stanley. Super, funky spot with many veggie choices so I was very happy. Opted for the Spicy Lentil Dahl with Brown Rice & Roti - delish. Jane had beef stew and asparagus... she would have preferred it served a touch warmer but mine was steaming hot. Glass of Red Rooster for $7.00 - not often you can get a glass of wine for that price around the city any more. St Paddy's night, so they'd a band playing but I must admit, I found the ceiling a little low for a rather loud band which made conversation nearly impossible but anyone/anywhere can be forgiven anything for offering a St. Pat's celebration! I really liked this place and the waitress was lovely and helpful.
Well folks, I think that the servers you have all been complaining about are now ruining other locations. And also there is a new face at the bridge , although a long time fixture at barneys.not saying the previous manager( now at main at location) was the problem, but whit change things do often improve. I have been a loyal customer of barneys for 10 years. I have experienced first hand all the noted problems. And have seen it change for the better . So give it another shot, and remember it's not the ritz carlton or mcdonalds, it's real people unscripted with bad and good days just like we all have.
Now typing this I just realized I missed my breakfast !!!
I have eaten here today and food rocked but service really sucked.
Our waiter was busy chatting with co workers instead of serving.
Offered a coffee refill but never delivered until served the bill at which point asked again if we would like a coffee refill.
I sat in front of an empty plate for approximately 15 min.
Never asked if everything was "OK " with food after delivering it. Really poor customer service and that was the last time I have given this place a chance.
This could be a coinidence, but ever since the additional Caffe Barney opened on Main, the Granville service has gone seriously downhill. Many new servers, work slower, seem more interested in chatting with each other (or looking cute in a hat) than working and really don't seem to care. I'm a local who goes frequently for the good food (great Benedicts), but they could reduce their line-ups by simply having better trained and managed staff. Still worth a visit, but get your coffee next door, as it is the same owner. Coffee has also gone downhill and often tastes like they used the grounds twice to make a pot...weak coffee doesn't win friends!
I completely agree with Famished. The attitude problem with the waiters is pervasive, and is the reason I will never set foot in this place again. They are aloof, patronising, and rude. When I asked 'could you please tell me what this is', pointing to a beer on the menu I had never heard of, the waiter replied 'it's beer', voice dripping with sarcasm. Yes thank you for clarifying that. Obviously I meant where is it from, what kind of beer is it, or any scrap of information you may deign to impart. This was just the start of a long night of Attitude. Which the food and atmosphere do not make up for. Avoid.
I always enjoy Caffe Barney. Buffalo, chicken, lamb or beef they have THE BEST burgers in town. The rest of their menu is tasty too. Drinks as with everywhere are a tad pricey and they don't have debit. I will always go back for the food.
| 1. | Main (2.7 km) |  |
| 1. | Bean Around The World (15 m) | |
| 2. | Kyo Korean BBQ & Sushi House (27 m) |  |
| 3. | Luke's Corner Kitchen & Bar (29 m) |  |
| 4. | Meinhardt Fine Foods (48 m) | |
| 5. | Phoscao Cafe (54 m) | |
| 6. | Picnic (67 m) | |
| 7. | Ouisi Bistro (78 m) | |
| 8. | West Restaurant + Bar (94 m) | |
| 9. | Cafe Crepe (102 m) |  |
| 10. | Daniel le Chocolat Belge (153 m) |
