Jude Cafe and Bar

Lunch all alone today, so i went somewhere that i always wanted to try but never got around to.
Judes at Eagle St Pier Precinct… what an averge affair.
(tl:dr version — below standard fare, dont get your hopes up)
After walking past to crowded tables a year or so ago, without a spare spot to be seen, today I walked straight up to the counter at 12:20 being peak lunch hour.
Apparently the owners have changed and while the décor has stayed the same it would seem that something has changed.
On walking in everything feels a bit crowded, I managed to walk straight past the stack of menus on my left simply because there was so much other stuff in the way. Why they arent clearly on display is beyond me.
Trying to find a table. not covered in crumbs was also a challenge.
The lady behind the counter did have a menu on hand though and i quickly chose from the ‘light’ menu.
Chicken keiv balls looked appetising with a small salad and chips.
I honestly wasnt expecting much, but i feel that a salad is made up of more than rocket and brown vinegar.
The chicken keiv balls were ok, pretty sure just store bought in bulk frozen and deep fried for my pleasure as the actual chicken content was negligible.
Chips, well you cant really stuff them up, unless you let them soak in brown vinegar… see salad option above.
I was very disappointed and its highly unlikely i will go back.

Very disappointed. Fish and Chips billed as herb crumbed snapper with chips. Fish dry, stringy and old looking. I wasn’t brave enough to eat more than a few bites. Chips were only a scant handful. Very small serving for the price. Will avoid in future.

So… Jude has been sold fairly recently and it has definitely gone downhill, which is so upsetting! Our takeaway meal took half an hour to come out, and they have definitely reduced in size — still hungry after eating everything on the plate.
In terms of the food itself, I would say taste wise they aren’t as good either. Sooooo disappointing!

This place is awesome. It’s great for a casual lunch at work and since the meals come in cute little cardboard boxes, it’s surprisingly easy to carry if you draw the short straw and get sent out to pick up lunch for everyone. My favourite is the lasagne with chips for $ 14.90 (you normally also get a lettuce salad in with it at no extra cost).
Fair warning, don’t try to finish the whole meal if you aren’t starving, I’ve spent many an afternoon in a carb-​coma since I just couldn’t bring myself to put my fork down

One of the new stores at the revamped Eagle Street Pier is a pretty little café called Jude. I’ve been there a few times now, and although I feel that most of the meals are overpriced (nearly $ 20 for a serve of lasagne with chips and salad), the $ 9.90 I paid for my last meal, which was an enormous serving of three of their salads, was completely justified. The salads are delicious (the roast potato salad is especially amazing) and the meal size is enormous.
The café itself is very open and airy, and the staff are fast and friendly. Meals are put together freshly, so you’ll have to wait for a couple of minutes for your order. The other meals look great, but for now I think I’ll stick to my slightly cheaper order.

The sign boasted ‘Best burgers ever!’ and they weren’t wrong. My experience with Jude happened one Friday evening after I was tired of all the noise at Jade Buddha and hungry to boot. As I bit down on their Brissy beetroot beef burger — the fresh bread roll, the juicy patty and that tasty sauce, it really was the highlight of the evening.
I attempted to recreate the same experience last Friday with a bunch of friends. Unfortunately, I found out that they no longer serve their burger menu in the evening and I was forced to try their tapas menu.
Their tapas were okay but they weren’t great. I should warn people though that I’ve always found tapas ridiculously overpriced given their small portions.
Still, provided you’re not starving, this is a great place to go for Friday night drinks in the city. You can usually get a table, it’s a lot quieter than the surrounding bars and there’s a lovely view over Eagle Street Pier.