Caffe Nero in St Albans

S L O W service. Only one person serving most of the time, a queue of four to six and a wait of about ten minutes. Tables full of used crockery. They are simply understaffed; it’s the same nearly every time.

Always a pleasant experience, with efficient friendly staff

No surprises when it comes to food - typical coffee house food. Nothing to rave about. Drinks are well made and tasty. Lovely atmosphere

Dog friendly. Friendly staff and lovely coffee. Nice seating (but limited) downstairs, and larger seating area & toilets are upstairs. Accessible toilet is downstairs just past the cashier area.

I have not been there 4 coffee the last time I whent in there 4 coffee is about six years a ho

Very relaxing atmosphere. Friendly personal. Nice pastry

An ordinary Caffe Nero...the staff is friendly and polite as well as the coffee is good . The coffee shop itself looks dirty to be fair ....definitely not the cleanest place. 👍

2x staff, 1x rushing around making coffees and waiting on tables. The other just ignoring everyone queuing, people were giving up and leaving. Otherwise very good coffee and food. I understand that it's a busy day.

Really slow service, frequent mistakes in the order Bad hygiene, poor cleaning

I like to pop in about once a week for a nice coffee as a little pick me up. The coffee isn't special, but I get a weekly voucher from Three that I like to use. The service here is usually ok too. But today, I was overlooked by the baristas and they began serving people behind me. I waited in line in the correct place like everyone else. I moved forward, I made sure I could be seen. I was calm and patient. I'm not short either, but for whatever reason they just served people behind me and only served me once I spoke up and said can I be served instead. One of them did apologise, but being overlooked isn't exactly a nice way to start off the day.

Service was a little slow, but very friendly and accurate and the coffee was excellent

Apr24-The staff were so kind to let us borrow their venue for our meeting point for a campaign. And store our bits whilst we campaigned. Lovely May24- happy friendly place. Doesn't feel "big business" like some chains do

Hi Everyone, One of my favourite coffee shops is the Coffee Nero. The coffee is good and the staff are very kind, friendly and professional. Keep up the great work, Guys 😁🙌

My 'go to' coffee shop. Located in the centre.

Great food and drink but infrastructure rather neglected

2nd time trying to buy a coffee in the morning before work , service slow slow slow . While I was waiting to buy a coffee , the girl who was making coffee wiping her nose and with the same hand kept making coffee. If you have runny nose, you wear a mask or go to the bathroom, clean your nose, wash your hands and continue working. Not acceptable to manipulate food or drinks for other ppl like that . I just left the place.

Love cafe nero Nice comfy place for an early coffee

Great Italian coffee ☕️ and tasty toasted sandwiches and pastries 🍰

This is a local hub for both locals and visitors as it sits in the heart of St Albans. The staff are approachable and quick to serve. So why oh why 3 stars? The cleanliness is below average. Stains on the furniture the tables always full of leftovers and forgotten mugs. Just horrible. Visit only of you have napkins and a cleansing gel to sanitise the place.

Mid-afternoon, still had some cakes left 😉. Service was good, it was clean and tidy.

The staff were very friendly and helpful and they allow dogs which was fab for our tired girl who curled up and had a sleep after having a lovely dog treat from the counter. Food and drinks here are expensive for what they are but it is lovely just to sit and watch the world go by on lovely St Albans. The boys Loved their hot chocolate with marshmallows and cream.

Had great coffee here. Staff friendly. Store clean.

Nice cup of coffee. Usual expensive but very nice all the same.

Staff are nice and get through the queue quick, coffee is alright! just the average neros experience so if you're weird about not liking Neros it's not for you

Begin with a long queue. Then clear your own table of cups and plates because the staff cannot be bothered to do so. Sit at a sticky table that has not been cleaned properly in days ( at best a quick wipe down at the end of the day ) Hygiene ratings for this establishment have left much to be desired. A shame really as the coffee, food and ambience are quite good.

Great service, team was smiley. I enjoyed a hot chocolate with marshmallows. Nice festive atmosphere to bring my laptop and work.

Tables dirty. Lack of staff to remove used items from tables. Long wait to be served....

These places are so tired and feel like they need a good clean. Don't enjoy this shop anymore.

Constantly broken dishwasher means your drink is always served in a paper cup. 07:30 in the morning and the floor is filthy, food on tables from the day before.

Their flat white is weak. Unlike any other Nero I've ever been to, here they've decided to reduce the size of the caffeine shot in the flatwhite. So you end up with a weak coffee.

Very busy but lovely staff n delicious pastries! Lots of places to sit, even an upstairs. Toilets could have been better.

Always consistently OK. Decent coffee and muffins and pastries are nice enough. I generally only go here to use my weekly Vitality reward but if I'm paying with my own money, wherever possible, I'll go to smaller independents who are passionate about coffee, know their stuff, and combine that with great beans and skills/science. Generally speaking, their barristas actually know how to heat milk without burning it (a rare skill in my experience) and their suppliers provide decent beans. Being really fair and balanced, I would rank them joint first among the big chains, along with Costa.

Great tasting coffee and a nice relaxing atmosphere!

Nice place for a coffee,cake and a catch up with friends

3 people behind the counter but only one serving. Very slow service. Good coffee though despite high prices

I love the location, the atmosphere is great! It was particularly busy this time and staff couldn't keep up with cleaning tables and I had to go about the whole room to find a clean one. The overall is good.

Great for a short meeting. Lovely cappuccino ☕️

I used to love it here but recently the standards have dropped. I was served horrible coffee back to back at least 3 or 4 times so I’ve decided to try the other coffee shops.

This Caffè Nero in St Albans is definitely due a refurb and needs to be updated.

I don’t know, it’s Cafe Nero you know what you’re getting. Some are better than others this one is below average. There’s always a queue. On the other hand you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to coffee places in St Albans I’d try somewhere else.

Really nice ladies and gents serving - best time 7.30/8 weekday nice and quiet, croissants still warm freshly baked straight from the oven. Great way to start the day - nice coffee & pastry!! Loads of comfortable seating too, plus if you’re in the app loads of bonus stamps this week!! 😊 Todays visit not so good. A barista so important couldn’t listen - took payment before scanning on the app meaning had to give me a card with stamps, and got order wrong meaning had to return to counter. No apology just grumpy 😧

Does what Nero does, but it would be nicer to have more food options directed to vegetarians and vegans, as well as more healthy snacks without sugar. Staff was friendly and the coffee was really good.

We arrived 30 minutes before closing time and was told we can only be served in take away cups and we were reminded every 10 min about closing time. Very nice coffee though

An excellent Neros. Especially upstairs. Which is very relaxed. Great staff too. Very helpful.

Unexceptable that the dishwasher is constantly broken (so we're told) but still expected to pay full price to drink out of paper disposable cups. Unfortunately we now go elsewhere.

This coffee shop used to be really well managed and friendly. Recent experience is long queues, slow, disorganised and inattentive staff. I don’t think they are actually rude people but they could really benefit from some training about how to talk to customers. Often no crockery because of broken dishwasher. It seemed like it was staffed only by trainees for a long while. It looks like staff just aren’t being trained and that is not good for them or for customers.

Nicely designed Caffè nero, with good service from the baristas. Really like the books on the wall.

I've never had a problem with the quality of coffee and service. I will usually visit an independent where possible, but this chain has always treated me well.

Great coffee, very friendly clientele.

Workers on the phone behind the bar checking rota for next day as long queue of customers waiting. Poor service.

Your Berkhampstead Nero is just appalling. 32 minutes in a short queue for a coffee. Staff unaware of what shortbread is. How is that possible. What sort of training is offered to staff. It’s been months with lack of staff, closing doors early as only one person serving. He gets no support. I will no longer support Nero.

Love the coffee and the atmosphere

The skirting boards are very dirty the windows had marks all over, the toilet was disgusting could do with a clean and the floor was dirty too and smells like dog. The sofa has a broken leg the walls could do with a cout of paint You'd think they can a afford a cleaner. Coffee was cold. Shame

This Nero employs fortune tellers! They could tell at 4pm that despite the toilet floors being currently wet and dirty that by 6pm it would clean so signed to say they had completed the 6-7pm check already at 4pm. NICE It is a bit cold, not the cleanest Nero and also not particularly friendly staff. Has free WiFi which is helpful.

Cafe Nero St Albans. Staff was uncommunicative and surly and disabled toilet was disgustingly dirty. Tables not cleared.

Always excellent customer service, friendly staff. Can get busy and crowded at times, baby buggies

Very busy . Not many.staff on to clear tables . Had to have my coffee in a paper cup . I prefured a proper cup.

So slow to take orders. One person serving, one ‘filling stuff up’ who then went in her break. Saw 3 people start to queue and then leave. Could treble turnover with a bit of urgency for customers.

The place is filthy and under staffed

We visited the cafe and had to queue for 20mins to order. The coffees were served in paper cups, even if we noted to the barista that we were drinking in the premises.. They said were only serving in those cups.. No spoons, not even the disposable ones, were available so half of my small macchiato remained in the cup (yes, i paid it in full..). All very dirty, used plates, cups (those lucky who got a ceramic one some hours before) were still there un-collected. There were only 2 staff, on a Saturday afternoon prior to Christmas.. they were doing what they could, but obviously the management of the premises is poor. You pay for a full service, you get half of it and the whole experience is not nice.. You are supposed to get there to get a coffee and relax, but the reality is something else..

Very cosy. Area upstairs reminds me of my grandma's house.

Good atmosphere in the centre of the town. Nice selection of chairs and tables for a social get-together or some creative time on the laptop.

Visited Caffe Nero and went upstairs as no room on the ground floor. the walls were dirty and cracked and the whole room could do with a fresh lick of paint. the tables were littered and crumbs on the floor and seats. The coffees tasted just like hot water and in future I will stick to Costa for my twice weekly coffee.

Stopped for a coffee and a cake. Clean shop, friendly staff, tasty foods.

A quick coffee and some remote working for breakfast. As always the coffee is good but i had to use my phone to tether which is why it only got a 4 star. The reception was also very poor. Needs Wi-Fi!

A very interesting branch in the battlefield, or market square, towards the Cathedral.

Nice ambiance in an old building. I love sitting in there watching Saint Albans go by.

Have been coming here for 8 years now. Love cafe Nero coffee. Staff always been polite with a few off days. Sadly the toilets are revolting. First thing in the morning no toilet roll, no hand soap and dryer broken. Bit just once or twice seems to be regular thing in last couple of months.. Have mentioned it but snapped at by staff saying they will do it! Suspect no staff ever in there. Maybe last thing at night or first thing in the morning would only take 5 mins to have a quick wipe around and check.

Good coffee, pleasant staff and good view of the street. However, it needs a deep clean- windows are filthy and the whole place looks dusty and grimy. It is also disappointing that the upstairs area is now often closed.

Store very dark ,need of refurbishment, staffs up their nose

I like the coffee. The location is excellent. The time for a coffee is long, only one person on duty. I'm nor sure if this happens regularly. The food prices are high and the portions small. I have only used this place twice so take it under advisement.

Big and huge thank you to Rishi & Katie who provided great customer service. Even bigger shout out to Rishi who was quick and fast with his service providing he accommodated great customer service to all the customers. Great experience and would recommend Caffé Nero to all my friends due to the service provided by Rishi & Katie today.

Swift and friendly service - and pleasant coffee.

I don't know what it is about this branch of Nero but I've consistently found the staff here to be very offhand. Today, with 25mins to go before closing I was told I couldn't have a blended drink. I was asked if I wanted to drink in or take away cup, and when I said drink in, I was told I'd have to drink up because they were closing soon. All on all we were made to feel unwelcome and like an inconvenience to the staff who clearly wanted to clear up before they closed rather than serve more people. Sadly this has consistently been my experience at this Nero and is not representative of other Nero branches I've visited.

I don't know what it is about this branch of Nero but I've consistently found the staff here to be very offhand. Today, with 25mins to go before closing I was told I couldn't have a blended drink. I was asked if I wanted to drink in or take away cup, and when I said drink in, I was told I'd have to drink up because they were closing soon. All on all we were made to feel unwelcome and like an inconvenience to the staff who clearly wanted to clear up before they closed rather than serve more people.

Friendly staff. Shop was so clean. There was a lovely variety of cakes, sausage rolls, drinks and sandwiches. Stephen gave us a Royal treatment today. Superb! ❤️

Visited the coffee to have some coffee. Ordered three mochas - probably the worst ones we have ever had. The service was mediocre as well.

Why is this place so dirty?? They dont clean at all!

Staff friendly. Coffee good as usual. Only negative comment would be 'keep on top of cleaning floors and tables'. I visited at 10.15am.

You know what you'll get and you get it.

I once walked to South America, harvested my beans and brewed my own coffee quicker than it takes to get served here

Customer service lacking. Service without a smile. Please train staff on how to also make coffee correctly. Not burnt wet milk! Third time I've tried this place. 1st time rude Barista, talking together in front of a queue. 2nd dirty covered tables. And now this.

Came in this morning (Monday 21st) for a quick drink and was pleasantly surprised! I’d been in cafe nero a few months prior and been less than impressed by the service and staff. Today, however, the two baristas that served me were excellent! Smiles, friendly conversation and superb service, even though it was decently busy. The girl with the purple hair was especially helpful, and answered my questions about the menu patiently, as I hadn’t visited Nero in a while. The hot chocolate was good, I had the mystery hot chocolate (interesting flavour!) but it was the staff who really made the difference.

Visited store yesterday, was really disappointed. Was having a bad day and decided to treat myself to a hot chocolate and tuna melt. Staff serving was not friendly. There was nobody in the queue but he asked me to move. Not friendly at all and they kept talking amongst themselves. Interestingly a younger girl who who was served after me was served with a smile and even asked size of coffee. With me it was like he was doing me a favour serving me. Tables still had empty cups and plates. Disappointed with visit, ended up feeling worse than when I walked in.

Perfect location to have a cuppa while you are doing in the market on a cold winter day 👍

Usual cafe nero, filled with prams and kids.

Comfortable coffee shop in the city centre.

Great coffee and a lovely atmosphere

Great coffee shop or in my case hot chocolate stop, great location, good food, comfortable and great staff, young man who I think is called Felix is so helpful cheerful and makes brilliant drinks, even when short staffed, a really top employee.

Cleanliness very poor ,staff not great and not very nice when dog's are sitting on furniture.

Calm, cosy café ☕ to meet someone special on Sunday morning. Thank you, guys

Too many messy, uncleared tables to give more than 3 stars and TBH, that's generous.

I used to came here very often almost every weekends before happened COVID-19. Now they don’t take cash anymore while the others Costa and Starbucks they do it’s just crazy hilarious and I prefer stick with others now then.

coffee is great…staff friendly…perfect not much about customers…:(

Looking a bit tired these days, but still a convenient place to stop for a decent coffee, perhaps with a sandwich or pastry.

Love visiting this Nero as staff friendly and efficient and lovely and quiet!

Cute cafe, quite busy due to the amazing drinks and food provided!

Gorgeous muffins. Nice relaxing sofa's

good location, plenty of seating, bit short of food as "need to get them out of the freezer"

Nice coffee sometimes milk is too hot.