James Brooke Bistro, Kuching - Restaurant Reviews, Phone Number & Photos

Does this restaurant serve alcohol?

Yes

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CUISINES

Bar, European, Asian, Malaysian

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, After-hours, Drinks

FEATURES

Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Table Service, Waterfront

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4.0

1,269 reviews

Excellent

388

Very good

533

Average

218

Poor

82

Terrible

48

Daisy22doo

Nerja328 contributions

Amazing laksa

Mar 2020 • couples

We love the Laksa and Curry, there are about 7 or 8 different types on the menu and all 12MYR which is about £2 now so great value. Before the restaurants closed for the regional lockdown we went 5 times and went through all the local food, Mee Mak was so tasty and we shared that every time. The lady serving isnt too happy but the food makes up for it and the kittens running around were great entertainment. You can see the water fountain light show at night and is a very pleasant place to sit. We liked it so much we didnt go to many other places but we cant wait to go back and wish they delivered. The specials were quite expensive so we didnt try them and just stayed with local dishes which were so tasty.

Written 22 March 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Deltadavid

Kingston-upon-Hull25 contributions

Great food & location but service hit & miss

Mar 2020 • none

This cafe / restaurant / bar is ideally located on the river front & makes for a lovely place to take in kuching with a beer in hand. We actually ended up eating here 3 nights with a diferent meal each time & the quality & price was very good but the young girl waitress service was hit & miss. I think we managed to get one smile out of her in the 3 nights & she seemed to dislike her job with passion - such a shame. The young lad was the total opposite, hence the hit & miss title.

Written 15 March 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Liz D

9 contributions

Lunch - two days running!

Feb 2020 • none

This restaurant is beautifully situated in a green garden on the waterfront. The building is old and filled with artefacts. It has A wonderful old Brookes era feel to it. Staff are friendly and helpful: more than willing to adapt any dish in the menu to suit personal preferences. Food is good and well presented

Written 9 February 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

HTH

Kuching147 contributions

James Brooke Bistro

Mar 2020 • solo

The bistro combine cafe situated at strategic points of Kuching southern city. This restaurant serve with local eastern and western cuisines as well. Sir James Brooke, the first white Rajah of Sarawak - name used by the restaurant owner is a good idea.

Written 13 March 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Richard T

Perth42 contributions

cold beer and good food

Jan 2020 • none

Used this restaurant on several visits and is still up there. Beer cold, food good (asian and western) Open air so you get the breezes and on the waterfront so you see it all. Staff attentive and friendly, nothing too much trouble. Prices sensible, especially the beer which is usually more than twice the price in other establishments in the vicinity.

Written 19 January 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

stanian

Stafford183 contributions

Return to a favourite

Feb 2020 • none

Returned yet again to an old favourite. It is a really nice setting at James Brooke Bistro. The service we recieved was very good and drinks and meals arrived in good time. Sarawak Laksa, Malaysian style fried Rice (Nasi Goreng) were a favorite along with vegatable curryt. Only thing I wish they could sort out are the Toilet and washing facillities. Apart from that all was good.

Written 19 February 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Shaukat A

Sydney78 contributions

Simply loved this cafe and its locations

Apr 2021 • none

The cafe is located near Sarawak Riverfront and the main road along the riverfront. The cafe is richly decorated with colonial-styled furniture and offers a relaxing atmosphere to enjoy some popular snacks and food from Sarawak. I ordered Sarawak Laska and some desserts.

Written 2 March 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Aryl

Rawang59 contributions

Tried 3 Different Range Of Laksa with a view!

Jul 2020 • none

Well, it's been a week in Kuching and I tried Sarawak Laksa at they offer their own version as well. I tried the 'OG' Sarawak Laksa, Wild Borneo Laksa and Sir Charles Laksa. Yes, the Sarawak Laksa is quite similar to the others. Not too spicy. If you want something sweet, choose the wild borneo laksa, and if you want something with thick broth, order Sir Charles Laksa. p/s : They have a great ambience and offer tuak too!

Written 12 July 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

tormm77

Singapore2066 contributions

Great Location, Room for Improvement in Service and Kitchen

Jul 2023 • solo

The restaurant is situated in a fantastic location, attracting many tourists strolling along the Kuching river. However, upon entering the restaurant, I encountered a lack of attentiveness from the waitstaff. Despite their presence, none of them noticed my arrival, resulting in a few minutes of waiting before I had to specifically call one of them over. Furthermore, I was disappointed by the limited food selection and the unpleasant odor emanating from the sweet and sour chicken, presumably due to the sauce. While the overall ambiance of the restaurant was pleasant, the service and kitchen definitely require significant improvements.

Written 16 July 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Loes V

9 contributions

Don’t miss this in Kuching

Jun 2022 • couples

Very chill place with very nice terrace. As well western as Asian meals. Being a Dutch tourist myself, I would recommend this for tourists as a very nice spot to enjoy breakfast ( not open untill 9.00 hours ) , lunch and dinner. Eggs, toasts, sandwiches , pasta, salads, etc. Really worth visiting.

Written 24 June 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RJCF1

Kuala Lumpur93 contributions

Disappointing birthday meal

May 2023 • couples

Came here with high expectations and was left very disappointed. I checked this place out on many different media platforms and it seemed to be a good option to celebrate my birthday. How wrong was I. There appeared to be no directions for the staff to follow, the staff did not check on people waiting, they only hid near the kitchen. When the food did eventually appear none of the staff knew which table it was for, this resulted in them having a "food auction " a trypcal sign of lack of direction and poor management. I would avoid this place as there are many far nicer restaurants with good service nearby.

Written 11 May 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gemma H

Ko Chang29 contributions

Poor service and average food. I think they forgot about us, we had to ask about our drinks and our food.

Dec 2022 • couples

The only thing that could excuse such poor service is that we arrived at the end of what must have been a busy day. Drinks didn’t arrive after 20 minutes, after asking they appeared. Food not there either. The guy who took our order actually came to ask us what we orders after we went up to desk to fobs our where it was.

Written 18 December 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ErikRaij

Helmond5 contributions

Our choice because there is no other option at the moment.

Jun 2022 • couples

For me the rating is 3 stars. The choice between dishes is limited. Unfortunately there is not much tourism at the moment, so the dishes are not as fresh as you might hope. The personal is friendly but don’t look like they are really happy you are there. The terras is very nice, bit the furniture is half broken and ready for a replacement. I understand we are just after the covid pandemic, and it shows that after the last 2 years this restaurant had a hard time to keep their restaurant open. Let’s say the potential is there.

Written 24 June 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Grueben

United Kingdom96 contributions

Wonderful meal and great service

Jul 2022 • couples

We ate here a couple of times on our visit and the food was fantastic. We had the Wild Borneo Laksa and Sarawak Tom Yam Laksa - both very tasty with the Tom Yam being the spicier one. Next night had a very good fish meal. Good service too.

Written 6 July 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Voyager14705367113

2 contributions

Nice spot. Shame the food and lack of cleanliness ruined the experience

Sept 2024 • couples

Nicely decorated cafe by the river. Great spot to relax. That ends the positives.The floor looked like it hadn't been cleaned in weeks and the table linen the same. Had at least 20 food spills on the runner and when lifting that we found more stains on the table cloth. The coffee was that Monty Python would gave described as "making love in a canoe". We thought the food was average and the drinks unusually sweat even for being Malaysian.. The waiter did his best but if advertising Western cuisine, staff should have rudimentary ability to speak and understand English, which unfortunately wasn't the case.

Written 21 September 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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