Cafe Presse

07/18/2008 Posted by TheMemberName

I like most of the food, and the hours and prices are good. They usually give free bread and butter, both of which are soft and enjoyable. Sometimes, though, they'll forget (or decide they don't care?) and the person waiting your table will seem oddly troubled by a polite bread request. I've also been given cold drip coffee more times than is excusable. Twice my latte came after my meal, so now I just order drip when I go. While the service is generally friendly enough (except for the bread, which seems to be a sore subject) it doesn't tend to kick in until after I've been there awhile and the workers have accepted that I am, indeed, staying for a meal. Maybe they hope that if they don't acknowledge me, I'll just leave? I have a feeling the poor service is the result of understaffing, and if so, shame on the management for putting the staff in this lose-lose situation. This is my major gripe: I've been here about a dozen times, and I'm still not sure whether I should seat myself. I've tried doing so, and I've tried waiting for acknowledgement, and both methods have earned me dirty looks from employees. I've seen other poor patrons standing around the door looking confused and wish I could whisper the answer to them. WHY CAN'T THEY POST A SIGN? Here, I'll even ghostwrite a few options: "Please seat yourself," or "Please wait to be seated," or "Please go away." Whatever it is, just let us know!

Pros: Food, prices

Cons: I think they hate their customers

06/04/2008 Posted by abcdefg09

I'm white and I always get great service. jitrata03 and chonpz, I think you're on to something here. Cafe Presse must be... Get real, people, white, asian or otherwise. If you don't like the Capitol Hill attitude, stay on the Eastside. The food is great. Once, it wasn't. I said something and they fixed it. Easy enough. I've never been pushed out the door, even while clocking 2+hours of laptop time during peak business. The service is merely there. I'm not looking to be entertained or stroked under the table. I'm here to eat and have some coffee or wine and that has occurred without fail every time I've been there over the past year (about once a week).

Pros: Great all purpose venue, (date, work, lunch,dinner, late drinks), Staff, Music

Cons: None really. They are who they are.

05/22/2008 Posted by jitrata03

I have been there twice because food, atmosphere and serives are really good at the first time. But tonight, my friend and I had dinner there. I was so happy with food but very disappoint and very upset for the services. My friend and I were done with our meal and still talked to each other. The restaurant was getting busy. Suddenly, a waitress who was not served us at the first time asked us did we need more water. We said no because the bottle of water was empty but our glasses were full. She took the bottle and glasses of water away. Our table was empty. That was so rude for the customer who pay the bill for $60.- per meal plus tip 20% because she needed our table to serve other customer. She is not deserve to work there or maybe she don't want to serve Asian. I am a server too, I never do that with my customers. I really upset and will not go back because not only that place has a good food.

Pros: good food

Cons: bad services

05/17/2008 Posted by chonpz

i ordered steak frite, croque monsieur and a salad verte the croque monsieur was good enough the salad was ok, nothing to write home about. the "steak frite" steak was horrible..believe me ... i haven't had meat this bad in 20 years. Just imagine steak at Dennys but on a really really really bad night....actually i think steak at Dennys is much better compared to this. btw i haven't writen a review in 20 years...It was sooo bad i fell it is my responsability to warn seattle.

Pros: hmmm still thinking...

Cons: steak frite.

04/21/2008 Posted by Meekonese

This duech bag carried such a horrible attitude towards my friends and was absolutely not friendly. We sat at the bar for 15 minutes, watching him chit-chat with his friends on the other end. Did not offer to get us a drink, or offer a food menu, until we had to call him over. When he did come over, he seemed so annoyed to even make our drinks. We actually felt he was sort of discriminating against us, because we were the only asians in the restaurant. Many other customers walked in after us, he was very friendly and was so nice to everyone else around us!! We all work in the restaurant industry, so we know we didn't get off on a bad start. It wasnt like we were ordering complicated and picky orders, and were snobby. We simply went in, sat down at the bar, and he never acknowledge us. I over heard him have his barback take care of us, and he was just fantastic and nice. He was the one with the short somewhat curly hair. The restaurant was not busy at all, with just a few people at the bar. But apparantly, he found it more important to be chit-chatting with is friends and talking only to those who were non-minority. In order words, ONLY White people. Dont go to this restaurant if you are Asian or NON WHITE. Apparantly, you will be absolutely hated with this prejudice minority hating bartender.

Pros: Nice Ambiance

Cons: White Power Bartender

04/02/2008 Posted by discoqwene

I love Cafe Presse and its sister restaurant Le Pichet. The food is amazing and I love sitting at the bar and soaking it all in. Casey is awesome! I love that it gets crowded and everyone is having a good time and I love eating an early breakfast when it's quiet on a Sunday morning.

03/26/2008 Posted by rillest

I love the sister restaurant, Le Pichet, so when I heard that they were opening a second restaurant, I was pumped! In the beginning it was cool, although service could have been warmer, but now- IT'S AWFUL! My husband owns a few restaurants around Seattle, and pays close attention to customer service. We were appauled by the way the waitresses were behaving. Upon arrival, the short haired, platinum blonde waitress hardly acknowledged our presence, then when she finally did make it over, I was embarrassed for her! She was so incredibly rude, walked away from the table while my husband was in the middle of ordering, and seemed annoyed when we wanted to order more! I don't even understand! How she got the job is beyond me! Apparently this girl doesn't understand who really signs her paycheck at the end of the day! Lucky for her my husband didn't share his thoughts on her with her. To the waitress-Hey Sweety, word of advice! Just because you work in a French restaurant, doesn't mean you can act like you have better things to do! If you don't like the restaurant business-don't be in it! Thankfully, the bartender was very attentive, and kept checking on us. That was noticed and appreciated! A common misconception is that the French are rude. Not so. And it certainly doesn't mean that if you work at a french restaurant, you can take on that characteristic! I lived in France, and never experienced such horrible service! Waiters and waitresses in France are knowledgable on the menu, as well as wine that compliments the meals. Not her-she was a DUD! Such a disappointment

Pros: Yummy Food and Cool Bartender

Cons: Platinum Blonde Waitress

03/06/2008 Posted by TheFrenchCat

I have to disagree with the comments I'm reading below... Cafe Presse is actually pretty close to the real French Bistros you'd find in small French towns where I'm from. Yes, it can be loud, people and servers are talking (God forbid!), but that what makes this place unpretentious and warm. You can have your coffee and "tartines" while watching a soccer game, or enjoy a perfect Croque-Monsieur with a glass of wine while reading a French newspaper. Again, it is a bistro. If you're looking for a fine French dining experience, you should head towards the Market.

Pros: Cheese

Cons: None

02/16/2008 Posted by jessanderson

My husband and I were riding the French wave after eating a fabulous dinner at Entre Nous on Valentine's Day so thought we would try another new popular French place. What a mistake! The service was so awful that I wanted to leave about 20 minutes into it! Although the food wasn't terrible, it definitely did not make up for the snotty painfully slow service we received. Needless to say, we have found our French spot, and Cafe Presse is NOT it!

Cons: Horrible service, salty food, soggy pomme frites

01/28/2008 Posted by kingotter

Whoa--first off, nowhere in Paris is like this place because no self-respecting Montmatre propriétaire would let customers sit around while the wait staff gossips. This was our second try--the first time we left after waiting for five minutes and not even getting eye contact. But hope or gullibility springs eternal and we tried again. Actually had to wave in front of bartender's face to get noticed and got sullen notice at that. Ordered. Waited. Ate Pomme Frites (pretty good, but even Mickey D doesn't screw those up). Crowning touch--put a $20 on the $12.50 bill and were asked if we wanted change. Sure--we always tip 63% for crummy service. Unless you're a masochist, don't bother.