Appalling Service and a Troubling Reputation

We went to News Cafe Somerset West, 07 August 2026, just after 18:00. The music was ridiculously loud for this time of the evening and we could barely hear eachother. We moved outside to the deck where it was slightly quieter. 30 minutes after ordering our drinks, we followed up with the waiter who said “it’s coming” only for him to ask us in the same breath what we ordered. It clearly wasn’t coming. Time went by, we had our drinks and food, which was to a mediocre level of quality. Consequently, we asked for the bill. 20 minutes later we had to remind the waiter about the bill. Now after such dismal service, the bill arrived and we were further disgusted that News Cafe adds a 10% service fee for its appalling service. So even if the service is highly uncalled for and unprofessional, you’re still required to tip.

Yes it’s a bar at night with music, but the surrounding crowd was raucous and obnoxious to say the least…can only imagine what happens there from 20:00 onwards.

I left a Google review to which News Cafe responded and said that they value my feedback which is important to them and asked me to provide my contact details for their management team to follow up with me accordingly. I was clearly gaslit and consequently ghosted as now, 11 September 2026, more than one month later, no one from News Cafe reverted.

How is it possible that an appalling establishment with exceptionally poor service and a deeply troubling reputation of crime-related incidents is still operational?