I am not one who would usually bother taking the time to write reviews for places, but I felt my recent visit to Swensen's at Junction 8 earned the time needed to let others know about this place.
I've been to Swensen's multiple times, at various locations (as many of us have), and while service has never been excellent, it's never been horrible per se. I recently visited the Junction 8 outlet on a Sunday night with the following experience:
1. We requested assistance regarding the savory waffles and ice cream served on the side. A female manager came over, told us to order it on the iPad while standing and waiting next to us without saying a single word. We had to ask, "Do we press order here?" and all she did was press the "order" button and walked away without saying a single word.
2. There was a server, Margaret, who seemed to absolutely hate her job. She brought our ordered food over on a tray. When we pointed towards the person who ordered it, all she did was stand there, stationary, with a stone-cold face. Apparently, she did this to everyone in the restaurant. When we asked for desserts to be served, we weren't even acknowledged, nor was the request passed to the kitchen. She simply walked past our table and continued walking to bring out the next tray of food.
3. We ordered a savory waffle that came burnt and totally squashed on one end, served on a plate smeared with what seemed like batter. It looked like something home-cooked — not something that costs $12.90 as a base. We sent back the waffle, requesting it to be less burnt, but we were told that was the fixed timing they had to adhere to when cooking the savory waffle. Thankfully, the manager we were talking to willingly took it back to be redone. Another male server came back with it and bluntly asked us, "Can? Like that the color can?" Uh, okay...
Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I just felt treated poorly as a paying customer at an establishment that has been around for a long time and charges a service charge for this level of service. So if you're looking to dine here, please manage your expectations, and you'll probably be fine.
Maddy Mama
4
Looks like some improvement to the menus, service was fast, but I don't really like the sirloin steak; the meat was too soft, not as expected.
Yeo Bao
4
I love Swensen’s Impossible Burger. It has a thick, juicy patty, full of flavours. Highly recommended. Satisfaction guaranteed. I love the crispy hot fries and coleslaw too.
Seng Li Soo
5
I came here to buy an ice cream cake for my Dad’s birthday, and was pleasantly welcomed by Fazhan. He was smiling the whole time, helped me choose a lovely cake for my Dad, and even helped us redeem a complimentary Firehouse Sundae. His wonderful service made our evening. Thank you!!
Afiqdan
5
A pleasant atmosphere for lunch. Our server Shafiq was very enthusiastic and cheerful. Thank you for the good and fast service.
Poh Ghee Koh
5
Had a great meal. Love the sizzling cheeseburger. Steve, the manager, and the other staff are friendly and helpful as usual. Today, the ice cream compartment in my tummy is closed, so there's no space for dessert. Will return.
Gao Xiang
3
AIA birthday treat, so I got it for free.
The soup with ham was mediocre.
The salad was uninspiring, and the mashed potato, while rich and buttery, was just too dry. At least the fish was well-grilled and tasted great, with just the right amount of crisp. The meunière sauce was just a bit acidic, but nothing noteworthy.
Kudos to the manager for managing the staff. Honestly, it seems like most or all of their waiters are on the spectrum. So, if you want to get a GL experience, just visit during a slightly peak hour for a unique experience of being told to wait and help yourself as they are busy.
Angela Tan
3
Suddenly had a Western food and ice cream craving, and Swensen’s seemed to be the only option here. I can’t remember the last time I had this, but I felt nostalgic because I recall I used to reward myself with a meal here during my JC days.
They seem to have a lot more options now. The food was average; you get what you pay for.
Pictured:
- Pesto salmon
- BBQ chicken
- Soup of the day (mushroom soup)
Not pictured:
- Sticky chewy chocolate (it tastes different now? Didn't they used to have chocolate balls, or am I tripping?)
Corinne Kang
5
Good membership benefits, including a free drink and free sundae during birthday month. Staff were helpful and readily helped us cancel our wrong order. Food was also not bad.
The only drawback was that the salad's prawns did not have their poop removed.
Isabel Tay
4
Here's the lightly edited review:
We visited for weekday dinner. Service was somewhat slow as there were few staff members on the floor. Food was okay, though, consistent with their usual standard. We tried the kunafa ice cream, but it's a miss for us. The kunafa tasted so raw and was hard to bite.
Not the best outlet, but I guess it's fine if you live nearby.