We are so utterly disappointed with our experience and would urge anyone thinking about going there for the picture to go somewhere else.
1) Crammed like sardines
As instagrammable as it seems (on intagram), it is so difficult to get a good picture because you are basically sharing a table with strangers on both sides, but the staff would deny it because there is obviously a crack between the tables.... They pack you in like sardines, so much so that people have to move their tables to try to get out. I would perhaps expect that kind of seating in a back street hawker style small eatery in Hong Kong, or Taiwan, but not when I am paying £7.50 for a cup of chinese tea in Knightsbridge. The waiter literally had to move the next tables plates whilst they were eating so that I could squeeze through, and I am 152cm, 43kg, UK size 4, US size 0. When my friend arrived we asked if we could sit somewhere else instead, and we sat by the bar, where the washing up station was, and I definately fell victim to the splashes of washing up water. Well at least we didn't have to constantly move to let people out right? We are winners!
2) Overpriced and bad quality
I ordered a flower tea which came with 400ml of water for £7.50. It came in a dirty rimmed cafetiere. We also had a tea-mojito (alcohol free) which was a ready mixed concentrate, also costing £7.50. I ordered a decaf cappuccino (see note on point 3a) expecting a pretty latte art, it was pretty poor and amateur for £5, especially when the cafe's whole selling point is its aesthetic...
3) Rude, unfriendly, unapologetic staff
a) I ordered a decaf cappuccino, and the waiter said it's red espresso, which I misheard as ready espresso and thought he meant instant (decaf) espresso, little did I know red espresso is actually tea. Boy was I not expecting that. When I called the waiter to let him know it's not what I ordered, he defensively said that he explained to me it was red espresso (I still heard it as ready espresso), and only after a few times of him repeating red espresso, I understood him and asked what red espresso was.... he said its more like a herb tea... if I wanted a herb tea with milk I would have ordered a herb tea with milk. I was obviously unhappy about the drink but at no point was he apologetic about the misunderstanding nor did he try to rectify it and ask if I would like to order something else. He rudely shrugged and walked away.
b) We went to the cake counter to look at which cake looked appealing, and we ordered the chocolate and macaron cake. After about 25min of waiting (for a slice of alreadt baked cake!), we called the waiter and asked about our cake order, he checked and said that they had sold out! On our way out, we saw that the cake was actually still there, so we confronted the waitress who told us it was sold out, and she said that the one we were pointing at is a black forest cake. But the furious part is that on the "black forest cake" stand was a lable that said "chocolate and macaron cake". When we pointed it out, she said "I don't know who put it there", shrugged and left. Worth the 12.5% service charge? I don't think so.
4) Dirty
a) The velvet pastel pink chair had chocolate cake on it, which my friend picked out as the staff were too busy and unaware, and quite frankly, didn't care.
b) The menus came torn, had pen marks on them, and smears of cake or avocado or some sort of brown food on.
c) I saw a guy behind the bar pick up an ice cube that had fallen into the sink and put it in a drink (I mean, 5 second rule right?)
5) The interior was ok but probably not where you'll be seated.
Lots of fake flowers, pastel coloured seats, and neon lights. But in all seriousness, it look better in pictures then when you're there, especially as its not a leisurely cafe, it's not somewhere you can sit, relax and read the paper kind of cafe, the staff there are unhappy and rushed, and it's really busy, crammed and noisy.
All in all, a terrible experience. We went to Ladurée in Harrods afterwards because we were so unsatisfied, disappointed, and we felt cheated. Ladurée was miles better in every single aspect. The staff there were friendly and helpful, very well mannered and actually had time for you! The tea and coffee was served hot, and their cakes and macarons (of course) are delicious. You actually get a table to yourself, and you even had space to put your shopping other than your lap or behind your chair! Talk about the luxury.
My advice, do not give Elan a penny of your money just for a photo, it is not worth it. I would recommend Ladurèe, or if you want instagrammable cafes, try Peggy Porschen in Belgravia, just not this place. read more