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Ratings and reviews

RATINGS
Food
Service
Value

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CUISINES
Cafe, Australian
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinks
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meals, features, about
Reviews (80)
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Traveller rating
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13
11
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All reviews mushroom risotto bacon and egg roll fish and chips horseshoe bay saturday night morning tea coffee
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Reviewed 4 September 2023 via mobile

Ate here on a number of occasions whilst staying at Bowen, fabulous food, drinks and entertainment on a Sunday. Meals were all exceptional whenever we ate. View not to bad either. Definitely recommend coming here. Wanted to do a breakfast but never got around to...it.More

Date of visit: July 2023
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Restaurant's Favourite
Reviewed 22 January 2023 via mobile

What an amazing hidden gem right on the beach. Extensive varied menu. I had the prawn risotto with cherry tomatoes, best ive ever eaten. Cafe is spacious, beachy decor and lovely and cool. Live music is played on sunday arvos. Staff are friendly. Has a...lovely vibe and could easily have spent the whole afternoon here.More

Date of visit: January 2023
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 28 July 2023 via mobile

Really lovely Friday night dinner. Nice relaxing vibes with great live music. The staff were amazing, very friendly and the service was excellent. The food was delish. Everything was really fresh with a good variety. Prices were good.

Date of visit: July 2023
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 29 June 2023

I went to have an outing for myself to relax. And enjoyed scramble eggs and one of their Rosti. And my Almond milk flat white with honey was comforting.

Date of visit: June 2023
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 14 June 2023 via mobile

Was going here for lunch having been there a few years ago. Didn’t stay as arrived at lunch time and no wine cold??? No chardonnay No cold grigio only hot , very disappointed as loved this place last time we were here, must be new...owners not organized. Decided if they weren’t organized enough to have wine maybe the food wouldn’t be great either went into town insteadMore

Date of visit: June 2023
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 30 May 2023 via mobile

Had dinner on Tuesday night special, great food, generous servings, attentive staff and a really good feel about the place with a mix of locals and travellers.

Date of visit: May 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 25 May 2023 via mobile

Often get breakfast, coffee or most recently Parmy night. The atmosphere is friendly and warm. Staff couldn’t do enough for us and they remember your name. The food was perfect even for fussy eaters or gluten free peeps. The food service was great and all...of the staff were so friendly. We always feel so welcome and enjoy eating at Horseshoe Cafe.More

Date of visit: May 2023
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Reviewed 20 May 2023

Great atmosphere, good coffee, waiter was great, unfortunately my meal was a mix of fresh and old ingredients, a let down considering the price of the meal was on the high end.

Date of visit: May 2023
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jilly Paddon, Owner at Horseshoe Bay Cafe Bowen, responded to this reviewResponded 21 May 2023

Again. This is a review of an ex member of staff who we will not have re join us even though they have asked

Reviewed 18 May 2023

Let me start by saying I go to this cafe a few times especially on Tuesday nights. PARMIE pizza and pasta night and usually the wait is long but it’s rectified by lovely staf. Tuesday however the 16th was a disaster. Service was disgraceful and...the kitchen just stopped caring. Usually when we go we expect a wait but the beautiful chef lady comes out and apologises in person for the wait and sometimes has even brought out our meal , bought us drinks and is accomodating and wonderful. This time we didn’t get any of that. I did notice the usual chef wasn’t there and it shows. The staff weren’t apologetic at all, the chicken was dry , the pasta was horrid and we got the wrong dishes anyway with no apologies what so ever. My advice is check who is cooking before you sit and eat, if it’s the lady with tattoos and reddish hair you’re in for a treat, if it’s not walk away. There’s no love for the food and it shows. I really hope she is just on holiday or sick and returns asap because otherwise they will lose some really good customers. The food is cheap but incredible usually hence my 3 stars. This week however has shown to me that it really depends on the chef. The place is lovely, the waitresses aren’t all that good but the kitchen usually makes up for it. Word of advice to the kitchen staff : show us you care. Word of advice to the waitress: smile. Word of advice to the tattooed chef : please come back , the food needs you.More

Date of visit: May 2023
Helpful?
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Jilly Paddon, Owner at Horseshoe Bay Cafe Bowen, responded to this reviewResponded 21 May 2023

Am ex member of staff writing a review as we have moved on . Thus has been reported to tripadvidor

Reviewed 16 May 2023

Quite possibly the worse experience I have ever had in a cafe, with the most disgusting “ manager “ who stunk of vodka I’ve ever dealt with. We went to the cafe against recommendations of the local caravan park who told us to go to...euro fusion on front beach but instead went to the cafe. Wasn’t greeted, took a seat , went to order and stood around for a few minutes which was fine. Saw the chef walking plates which I thought was strange but understood that they may be busy doing shakes or smoothies. Got to the counter ordered my food on a fine Sunday afternoon. Half hour goes by and I asked the chef about our coffees. Food was amazing by the way. The chef said she would ask the manager who was manning the coffee machine. Nothing came from it except the chef saying it was coming. It’s not the chefs job so I respected her. Still waiting for my coffee and the manager is behind the bar. Asked about my coffee and the manager rudely said it had been done because the electronic docket had been cleared. Stunk of vodka , slurred the sentence, quite confrontational so we left. I strongly urge people to keep away from this place. Although food is amazing, the service is disgusting! The manager is unprofessional. I didn’t catch her name nor did she offer it. I run caravan groups all over Australia and this is the worse place we have been.More

Date of visit: April 2023
Helpful?2  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jilly Paddon, Owner at Horseshoe Bay Cafe Bowen, responded to this reviewResponded 21 May 2023

It is beyond belief that an ex member of staff will stoop this low to write a review like this. This has been reported to Tripadvisor and our lawyers

Reviewed 7 December 2022

Bacon and egg roll and an almond latte was $27.95. Bun was so stale I threw it out. View is amazing though.

Date of visit: December 2022
Helpful?
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jillypad, Owner at Horseshoe Bay Cafe Bowen, responded to this reviewResponded 9 December 2022

Sorry that is not our prices. All our buns are fresh. You must have the wrong place

Reviewed 5 November 2022 via mobile

Stumbled on this lively cafe/restaurant. We had a very enjoyable evening. Great food, great service and amazing live music. Not rushed. 10/10

Date of visit: November 2022
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Reviewed 28 October 2022 via mobile

Called in on the cheap Tuesday night and ordered a gluten free chicken pizza for the family $20 Pizza was the size of a pancake (kids size pizza) and was atrocious! Seriously disappointed and in this competitive market you need to be better! Also update...your info, impossible to call as number listed doesn’t work, update your on line menus. If you change them than surely you change them on line as well hey? There’s also 4 menus for a cafe 😂 Breaky Lunch Dinner Cheap Tuesday Poor kitchen staff what a farce! Dominos is down the road & if the spotty faced 14 year old rolling his eyes can do a better job than your so called Chefs than wow! Music was atrocious get all the worse songs you could think of and grab some tone deaf dancing fool to sing! Grease lighting, footloose, nutbush! Plse stopMore

Date of visit: October 2022
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 3 September 2022 via mobile

Was a beautiful looking cafe well set up and staff were friendly. There was an amazing range of cakes and biscuits in a spectacular spot however, the coffee was terrible could not even finish it!

Date of visit: September 2022
Helpful?
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Reviewed 27 August 2022 via mobile

Fabulous setting looking over the magical Horseshoe Bay. Friendly staff. Good selection of pub style dishes and pizza. What we ordered and all the other dishes being presented looked great. Garlic prawns with coconut rice and wild mushroom pasta were excellent. You can get burghers,fish...and chips and there is a selection of good looking deserts. Would prefer real cream rather than the foam from a can but would definitely go back.🙂More

Date of visit: August 2022
Helpful?
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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HORSESHOE BAY CAFE BOWEN - Updated 2023 Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Horseshoe Bay Cafe Bowen

Yes, Horseshoe Bay Cafe Bowen offers takeaway services.

Horseshoe Bay Cafe Bowen is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:
  • Food: 4.5
  • Service: 4
  • Value: 4