Cafe Argyll in Bournemouth

Probably the best big breakfast in Dorset

Good honest food, pretty busy on a Sunday morning but tip top place.

always great food and superb service in an ideal location by the cliff top overlooking Alum Chine

The food is absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced, I've been a few times now and can't complain at all. Fully recommend the salmon and lasagne, both were cooked to perfection. Lovely friendly staff as well and the view is beautiful. Definitely recommend this lovely little cafe!

Ahead of my review I want to make clear that the cafe has nothing to do with the bowling club. It is leased. The people in the club are separate (and lovely).Dreadful service, incredibly rude 'older' man and not much better young guy in his 20s. I'm beyond furious after my latest trip.I came down from London to take my elderly friend in for breakfast this morning, ahead of his chemotherapy next week. We arrived happy and smiling and said 'hello' as we entered. All good so far. . Before ordering, I politely asked the younger guy (on behalf of my friend) if the bacon were smoked. A simple question in a cafe, I'd have thought. But oh no. Cue an onslaught of snide and bitchy comments (yes, men can be bitchy) from the older guy, along the lines of "what sort of a question is that", "It's bacon for god's sake, just normal bacon", 'do you want it or not?' then "you asked me this last time you came in" (no I didn't - I've never eaten a cooked breakfast there before), "Whatever!" came the response - with a kitchen utensil flung furiously to the side for good measure. Where was the younger guy while this was going on? Walking around with a slightly satisfied look on his face. 'Old guy' continued to scowl and slam tea towels around while I stood there a little flabbergasted, wondering whether it were worth taking on this clearly unstable character, or if we should just leave. We left.Well, Mr Angry Argyll old man - you be rude to my friend for no reason, in front of other customers (albeit only a few), and I'll say what I think in an equally 'public' way.Seriously, you are, well, old enough to know better. You can throw your weight (and tea towels) around all you like but ultimately, you're serving toast (and some form of bacon). It's custom to do that with a little more grace. Lose the attidude, or you'll lose your customers.I note you only had 4 people in the place when we arrived. A little tip (not a pecuniary one) - you don't need to reduce your breakfast to £2.95 to get people through the door - you just have to try not to look like you'd rather throw it over them. You have a prime location on the cliff. You're the only cafe up there and there is a bowling club literally outside. You must be screwing up big time to not be packed on a Saturday morning. Just a thought.As for Mr Angry Argyll junior Firstly, the swagger doesn't quite go with the tea cakes - they're not THAT heavy to lift and it just makes you look comical. Secondly, if you can't be kinder, just man up. Take some pointers from the old guy and say what you want to say in the open, not hiding behind the kitchen door. I can't tell if you're working there because your 'dad' gave you the job (surely, that level of rudeness can only be inherited?) or nobody else would hire you. Tricky one. But if you don't like what you do, change it. Or you'll grow up to be just like that old guy you work with.Recommendation to customers: The Argyll cafe has only one thing keeping it going - it's the only place up on the cliff. Take a flask, and a picnic, and enjoy the view, but don't waste your money lining the pockets of people like this.Recommendation to the cafe: If you don't know the answer to a question, just say "I'm sorry, I don't know". It really is that simple.Recommendation to the old guy: There's a defibrillator on the wall outside the bowling club office. Calm down, or you may end up needing it. None of us is getting any younger, you know.