Decided to try since we were at NEX. Stood at the queue and we really felt ignored. Staff were rushing up and down in a rush. No acknowledgement, nothing. Out of the blur, a lady gesticulated the 5 of us to a 4 seater. She said, take it or wait. We werent small in size as 3 of us were squeezed on the sofa seat.
On to the food. There is no detail on the dish on the online menu...eg..is there seafood? Is thetr peanuts? To top it all, no way you can customize. So one has to order the food expecting sirprise, good or bad. Russian roulette in play.
The payment counter is a blistering mess. There are customers who went to order there and thr lady accomodated! Imagine thr build up of the queue! Plus its next to the collection point! Its chaotic, an accident waiting to happen or has happened.
Food quality, its ok. Ingredients are sparing. Taste is above average. I reckon it takes time toimprove. jia you.
adeline NG
5
Dining during peak hours results in longer waiting times, but the service crew were helpful in requesting that other diners who had finished their meals vacate a table for us. Curry fish head were fresh and tasty. The service manager has a great personality and provides warm service to all restaurant patrons. He can be seen walking around, checking on guests needs. It's a warm and welcoming place, and I will visit again.
Lionel Tan
3
The food here is average and quite greasy. The service staff is busy but helpful as the manager helped to carry our dishes to our table. They should really replace the very annoying beeper to tell people their dishes are ready. Nobody seems aware when it goes off and you hear the loud beeps throughout your visit. People cannot hear it above the noise especially the elderly. It is better to switch to the vibrating ones which light up. I hope they change this to improve the dining experience.
Zackery Goh
4
I recently visited Hainan Story and had a decent experience. While the ambiance was pleasant and the service was attentive, the food left a bit to be desired. The waffle was quite average and a bit bland, which was disappointing. I was hoping for something more flavorful, especially since I usually prefer the waffles from Prima Deli.
Overall, the food was just average, but there were still some redeeming qualities in the menu. I might give it another try in the future, but I’d recommend sticking to other items rather than the waffle.
Kenshin
5
Nex has so many food options, but we decided to give The Hainan Story Coffee House a try. The three of us—my wife, friend, and I—ordered a variety of items, including their kou rou fan and western-style chicken chop, along with different drinks.
The ordering process was fairly straightforward. You place your order on your phone, then head to the counter to scan a QR code for payment. While this is convenient for most, it might be a bit confusing for older folks due to the multiple steps involved. Thankfully, there was a staff member at the counter helping guide customers through it.
The store is spacious + clean and the food was great—flavorful and satisfying. We really enjoyed the meal and will definitely return for another visit soon!
Andy Wuu
3
We initially planned to dine at Oriental Kopi, but the queue was overwhelming. So, we decided to try this other café offering similar items, with fewer people and no waiting time. The food was decent.
However, we couldn’t help but notice the male manager’s inconsistent service — he personally served food to certain groups, particularly those who ordered fish head curry or more expensive dishes, while others were left out. This kind of preferential treatment was quite off-putting.
Caleb & Faith Koh
4
Great atmosphere for hosting fellowship and discussions. Noise level can a bit a little rowdy sometimes. But overall still a great place for a cup of delicious hainan coffee.
The service front staff was very passionate in looking out for the needs of the diners. They have also have the system to cater for online payment.
Hope to see more choices for authentic Hainan dishes in the menu.
Clifford
1
When you first walk into the cafe, the nostalgic feel is really quite nice, at first. Then you are greeted by the led words on the wall that reads "Sway liao, Hainan kopi soi hai hai", which in Hokkien and Cantonese means "bad luck and it's a really dumb coffee." The font is a really really poor choice.
I would fire the interior designer if he or she did this to my business.
The coffee is not too bad. The food, on the other hand, are all frozen pre prepared and heated when you order so nothing is fresh. The meats are tough and sometimes even cold on the inside. (Curry chicken)
The ordering system is basically some poly students project which has failed. The interface is laughable; you need to navigate through buttons that do not look like buttons, multiple times before you can even start ordering a drink. The payment modes are poorly thought up: you have to walk to the counter or fumble with Google pay or you are not a Google pay user. There are no paynow or grab pay options, nor easy ways to pay with credit cards that do not store your credit details.
Service is extremely erratic and slow, expect to wait up to 15mins for one coffee... 30mins for a curry chicken... While the staff are busy looking around.
Basically, just go to the toast box at basement. Much better quality, though a bit more expensive it's worth it.
*Edit as reply to owner : no offense intended, do get some objective views of the font, see how many people can tell the "u" from "w", and "r" from "i". The issue is with the font, not the culture.
Service today is excellent, though the ordering system is still a wrecked train, imho of course.
YZ Ong
2
First, I need to say that the beeping sound of the beepers are too annoying.
There is no proper instructions or service crew to guide the ordering process. I had to go to the counter only to be told to take a beeper and scan the qr code to order at the table, then go to the counter again to make payment. Many other aunties were also seen confused.
I ordered a Gula Melaka Kaya and Cold Butter Set Meal with Crispy Traditional Toast and Kopi Dilok. I could not taste any kaya, nor the gula melaka. The soy sauce for the egg was of low quality, and the kopi was not thick at all.
Paid $5.80 for disappointment. Recommended to go to Yakun instead, unless you need to save that 50 cents for your caifan.
Kon Li Su
4
The morning breakfast set was very worth it. $5 for toast, chee Cheong fan or Chee kueh set.
Yoklan service was great as she was attentive to my order.
Kitchen is also fast (for food) just that drinks order is a bit slower/unorganised.