Cocoa by Ali Reviews Summary

Category: Tea house Birmingham

Address: 26 Waterfront Walk, Birmingham, B1 1SR, United Kingdom

Rating: 4.0
based on 182 reviews.

Food Quality and Presentation

Pros:

  • "The food was good and the full English breakfast was very delicious."
  • "The special lattes are also a hit, I would recommend the Mermaid Latte."
  • "The pistachio chai latte was really nice though."
  • "Booked an afternoon tea and the food was terrific! The sandwiches were so original."
  • "The food and drinks were lovely."
  • "Absolutely great food! It looks absolutely fabulous! Taste is amazing, seasoning perfect."
  • "The food in question was phenomenal and exceeded expectations in its presentation, flavour and design."

Cons:

  • "Food was OK but the mac and cheese tasted like curry sauce, wasn’t great at all."
  • "Went for the Chicken Katsu Sando which sounded great on paper but was very average tasting."
  • "The food was amazing! Super sweet, but if it is what you're looking for in brunch then it is the spot."
  • "I got this raspberry pancake but I didn't expect it to be completely covered in the raspberry sauce."
  • "Stale chicken with no marinade., was supposed to be peri peri."
  • "Roasted potatoes with skin as hard as overcooked jacket potatoes."
  • "Given toast instead of garlic bread!!"

Service and Staff

Pros:

  • "The service was also really good."
  • "The staff was very friendly and the environment was nice."
  • "Staff were lovely, forgot our cutlery and had to wait a while for it even though food had arrived."
  • "The service was very friendly although it took 20 minutes to get our coffee."
  • "Jack who gave exceptional service was outstanding in his duties! I will definitely be returning for the food and his exquisite service :)"
  • "Our server Paul was a superstar really welcoming & friendly."
  • "Lovely decor, great location by the canal. Pleasant service and went the extra mile to make it special for my mother in law's birthday."

Cons:

  • "The service quality has dropped, very slow service."
  • "Only thing I would suggest is maybe limit the amount of customers you have in at a time as the place is small and can get cramped and humid! Also the service was quite slow."
  • "We were sat down fairly quickly, however it took 20 min for the waiter to come and take our order."
  • "The service was also unhelpful, I needed to rearrange my booking due to my mom being unable to come and they did not allow me to move my booking even though I had called in advance."
  • "The place was quite small though. I got this raspberry pancake but I didn't expect it to be completely covered in the raspberry sauce."
  • "We went for a snack during a lovely walk through the canals. They have a very light and colorful vibe with a buzzing ambiance."
  • "The staff is also super friendly and accommodate to vegan preferences."

Cleanliness and Ambiance

Pros:

  • "The area where this place is situated is absolutely beautiful."
  • "Loved the ambience, decor and the food was delicious. Loved the presentation and the flavours."
  • "The setting is very picturesque which is a bit of me."
  • "Gorgeous little Café. Arrived just after 11am when they opened (Sunday) and found it only got busier while we were there! (In a good way!!)"
  • "The gentleman that served us was polite and timely."
  • "This place is one golden treasure in the heart of Birmingham’s Mailbox. Stunning view and location as it’s on the canal front."

Cons:

  • "However, the only thing which was concerning, from the visit I made recently, was that the decor seems very tired."
  • "The menus were dirty, and the walls were also quite dirty. It seemed quite unhygienic."
  • "The windows and floor were dirty and there were pink decorative feathers which would gather dust in the drinks and desserts."
  • "1. Space is tight and claustrophobic- literally like a little room which can host 20 people at the most."
  • "The decor is extremely dated and falling apart."
  • "The windows have not been cleaned in ages. There were tiny fruit flies hovering over our food."
  • "Nice place, the food is good! However, I don't want to imagine the cleanliness of the kitchen when you see the cleanliness of the room... it's not very clean and looks unhygienic."

Thanks! Your review is awaiting moderation.