Oscars Bistro in Powys

Good cosy spot for breakfast in central Hay-on-Wye for breakfast. We enjoyed terrific poached eggs on toast with sausage and avocado on toast. With excellent coffee, we were well set up for serious browsing in the many shops which constitute the world’s second-hand book capital. The bill came to £26.75 for two.

Had a jacket potato which was only warm, the baked beans were cold. Also ordered the burger a chips. The burger was tiny, the bun wasn’t great. Minimal amount of chips.

Delicious dishes and fantastic service. Plenty of seating inside and outside. Reasonable prices. Highly recommended

Ordered jacket potatoes which were tiny with a small amount of cheese and beans on small plates, not worth the money. Also a cheese plate for£9 which consusted of a dry brown baguette which was so hard yoy could barely chew, it must have been baked a week ago! 4 slices of tomatoes and 5 tiny slivers of cheese that was barely enough to cover the roll. To accompany was a teaspoon of pickle. It was like they had gone out of their way to serve lack lustre food. Wouldn't recommend or return, awful.

Only had a flat white here but it was delicious and reasonably priced. Great place, friendly staff, cosy and quirky in the centre of the town.

after walking for ages in the bookshops, we found this place to eat lunch, i had a tuna and coleslaw baked potato and the hubby had one with cheese & beans, the girl behind the counter was friendly and super lovely, she was so happy to be at work, the food was really good aswell, we also had coffee which was nice aswell, the price for food isnt cheal but the quality of the food was good. big portions aswell, the only thing i didnt like was being a plus size girl the tables were so put together that i was the corner and there was a 4 next to me and behind me so i either had to ask those people to move or barge past them but apart from that really good place to hang out for lunch.

Had a couple of lunches here whilst staying in Hay. Food was tasty (nice chips) and the service from the young staff was good. Quick service from the kitchen. Would return. Thank you.

Wanted something quick and simple and it proved ok. Not much choice but lunch was ok. Quite expensive for quality but it did its job. Probably would try somewhere else if in the area though

Order 2 baguettes and chips. Had eaten the baguettes before the chips had been delivered. Halfway through eating the chips staff decided to water the plants getting my gf wet. Then as they had closed early 2 members of staff came out and started smoking while we were finishing our meal.

Went here for lunch 18.5.24. Baguettes insipid and raw looking. Jacket potato skin was over baked and tough, and had horrible eyes on it. Lettuce looked like it had been in the bag for two weeks, soggy and brown. I had a chip in my glass which I felt with my lip. I took it to the counter to exchange it and the Manageress said and I quote "That is not a lip cutting chip!?" is that even a thing!? The young couple next to us left a strange looking soggy wrap, all their chips and half a glass of wine and walked out. Disgraceful, unhelpful moronic staff, don't waste your money!

Not alot to write really, on entering the premises I was approached by a very miserable member of staff who pointed us to a table. I ordered tuna mayo baguette no salad. Owner shouted across the room to the assistant how much to take off. I picked up my plate and herbal tea and took to table. No cutlery was offered I had to get up and collect myself. My friends were not impressed. The overall experience was diabolical to say the least. The attitude seemed, well we've got your money so we can serve you any rubbish + give bad service. PLEASE AVOID AND FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE. WASTE OF MONEY.

Cosy cafe with lots of choice. The soup, a generous bowlful, was delicious and the chips some of the best I have eaten. Also good value for money. We will definitely be back if we are in the area again.

Wonderful Bistro, excellent lunch. The apple cake is a must. Friendly, warm staff. The loo is upstairs so maybe not great for all. Also do takeaway

Turned up in Hay on Wye after a long bike over the Gospel Pass and in desperate need of sustenance. I ordered a coffee and chips. The coffee was excellent, but the chips, were on another level. You don't get many, but they are quite large chunks, and I have to say they're the best I've had for quite a while, and the reason prompting me to write this review. The staff were polite and attentive. The reason I chose this establishment after scouting out the other cafes was it was fairly unpretentious and it was a good choice. I will be coming back for more of those fabulously cooked chips.

Visited Sun 5th November at lunch time. The two of us. Ordered a chilli and chips and a vegetable cottage pie with a side of veg. The menu said freshly prepared. 5 mins later after hearing the microwave ping, the chilli turned up, very small pprtion, with very pale chips. The cottage pie had no mashed potatoes on top and seemed to be some sort of tomato based stew, kind of. It came with chips which i asked to be swapped for the vegetables I'd ordered. We had a pot of tea. £35 . Not good food and very over priced for the portion size. Staff very toung and although friendly, very inexperienced.

We arrived in Hay and immediately set upon fortifying ourselves for a day of book shopping! We came across Oscars bistro and agreed that it looked a nice enough place. We entered and were greeted by a friendly lady. We take our seats and peruse the breakfast and drink options. Our choices - a cafetiere of Kenyan blend coffee, one full English breakfast and a vegetarian breakfast. Coffee was served immediately, (oat milk available, big thumbs up 👍🏻) and we were left to plunge, thumbs up again as we can leave it to brew to our required taste. Once enough time had lapsed we poured and doctored it to our satisfaction. A gorgeous cup of coffee (which stayed hot until we'd had 3 cups each!) Our breakfasts arrive (sorry I'm not one for pics of my food 🙄🤭) and boy do they look scrumptious. We're asked if would like any sauces, and are provided with our selections. It smells amazing and we get stuck in. The pork sausages and the vegetarian sausages (not Quorn as so many places serve) are gorgeous. The hash browns are beautifully golden brown, the toast is buttered but is not soggy, the bacon on the full English breakfast and the fried eggs on both are perfectly cooked and the beans are served in a small dish allowing you to decide if you want to 'dip' or pour over the plate. Both breakfasts were of a really good temperature, and remained warm until the last bite, both plates cleared (but no plates licked 🤭) Both breakfasts were delicious 😋😋, and very filling. I would recommend Oscars for the food based on the quality, temperature and presentation of our breakfasts. But I'll also recommend it as the cleanliness, on the crockery, cutlery and tables were great, the signs were amusing, books were available for purchase if so required and the friendliness of the staff was fabulous. It gave us a really old start to our day! Cheers 👌👌👌

Oscars, we found a homely place with a standard of food to match the friendly atmosphere of the place. We shared the local cheese platter with a generous helping of cheesy chips. The choice of local cheeses served with half a baguette warm from the oven proved delicious. The cheesy chips were rich and hearty, just the thing for a cold day. Well recommended. Unpretentious very good quality hearty grub. Richard Sinclair Birmingham

It's like a step back in time to a cafe from the 80s. It had an aroma of over used chip fat and a smile wouldn't go amiss. There's an odd excess of laminated notices that make you feel afraid you might do something wrong. The food was surprisingly OK.

Nice cafe food and friendly service. This is a self service cafe. Sitting arrangements can be a bit cramped when busy. It has a quaint old feel with the old furniture (like school desk/chairs) and strategically located between two streets, accessible from both sides.

Nice place. Lovely friendly owners and good food. We had jacket and salad and quiche and salad while eating in. Then cake to take away. Recommend

Really enjoyed out visit to oscars, all the food was fresh and the staff were really friendly. I hope to come back to hay during the winter festival so i am hoping to visit again.

This place was lovely, the staff were friendly and the gentleman behind the counter was lovely. Had food and it came out together and was delicious. Highly recommend!!!

Good food very hard working staff and ver friendly staff. I highly reccomend. I had a cheese and ham panini. It was very good.

Food was poor, not good value for what it was and elements of the food were missing from the plates. When I ask for a part refund it was flatly refused. Stay away if you want a decent meal.

Had a lovely lunch here. I had Scampi & chips my husband had Cod & chips. Both were good and well presented. Next time I will try the lovely looking quiche! Friendly staff.

Perfect family lunch. Generous portions of good fresh cooked food. Veggie quiche was delicious. A very friendly restaurant that I will return to

A quiet cafe on a Saturday morning, now we know why. Asked for toasted teacakes which were on the menu, only to be told they didn't have any...at 11am on a Saturady morning?? Then asked for a scone and butter which the old boy serving then took out of the container with his BARE, UNWASHED hands. (I had just seen him pick up a dirty plate and tray.) Not a plastic glove or pair of tongs in sight. When I commented that this was UNHYGENIC I was told, quite rudely, that they would be touched in the kitchen anyway so what was the difference? Not really the point, mate, is it? I declined the scone.

I came in for a coffee and cake. In spite of only one other person in the queue behind me, there was no welcome smile or friendly chatter. When asked to pay there was no please or thank you. As there are so many other eating places in Hay, I will not visit this depressing and unwelcoming establishment again.

We stopped here for a lunch. We both had baguettes, mine was egg mayo, and it wasnt too bad, however my husband had a cheese baguette, and the cheese was sliced so thinly, it was almost transparent.Later a visit to the toilet, revealed exposed electrical wires near the sink and general dirt.

I had a cheese baguette. It was amazing, but unfortunately only for the fact the cheese was cut so thinly you could see through it. Really, I'm not joking.

Called in for lunch. Distinctly average and over priced. Had probably the most underwhelming ham and cheese baguette that you could imagine and my wife’s scampi and chips looked like it came straight out of the supermarket.Menus not priced up and now I know why!Adding insult to injury it calls itself a Bistro !

Amazing food and friendly staff. Mains are generous, followed by a dessert and you are full for the day. Atmosphere is very nice as well

Stopped here for excellent coffee and hot choc then came back for a lunch panini which was cooked to order and very tasty. Plenty of tables inside and out, dog friendly. Prices easily seen. Thank you.

Would avoid at all costs, poor quality food, limited selection, no pricing on menus, very grumpy staff and expensive for small bites.

I stopped in here looking for something to eat before heading off for a days walking up to Hay Bluff and back. The employees who served me were very friendly and sent me off with a sandwich and a smile. I also treated myself to a slice of carrot cake, so pleased I did as it was the best carrot cake I've ever tasted. It was a generous slice and I ate it at various points on my walk and enjoyed every bite! Thank you

Sunday of the August Bank Holiday weekend and after a bumble around the town we were hungry. As vegetarians it is always difficult to get a decent meal. However, very fast service with a huge bowl of curry veg soup, wholemeal French stick with a big fat cup of tea to start. We followed up with sticky, tasty, syrupy flap jack and Welsh cakes. Divine.

Great value cakes, well made coffee, unpretentious, quick service, food is simple, well made and very tasty. I look forward to my next visit.

Very slow awful service, some food overpriced, chicken goujons was raw (they were actually chicken nuggets), the counter top preparation area was dirty and full of bits of food, had to turn on the lights ourselves. The only good thing was the tuna and cheese panini but my plate was paper.

Having read some awful reviews on here I was not keen to eat lunch here but everywhere in Hay was so busy and time was against us. Whilst we did have to queue for a short while the food was good. I enjoyed the quiche and salads and there were thumbs up for the paninis too. Reasonably priced too so we left feeling full and happy!

Whenever we are down in Wales, Oscars is one of the highlights of our visit. After being away for so long, it was great to see the place again. The tables in the street above are a great place to sit and relax over a coffee and that wonderful carrot cake! Hope we are back again there soon :)

On our first visit to Hay on Wye we thought we would have lunch at Oscars Bistro.It is a quirky establishment and the young waitresses seem friendly.The menu does not list the prices which I found odd and not at all helpful.There was nothing on the menu to interest us so we just had a tea and a latte, the latte was awful and not drinkable, very strong and not milky at all, my Husband complained and I had a second one, this one was no better and I request a refund which was reluctantly given, the awful man tried getting me to have another latte but I preferred a refund and thought a different place deserved our custom.I would NOT recommend this place at all, avoid if possible.

Couldn’t have been better. Friendly staff. Good food served quickly. Plenty of seating. We recommend

Tea was hot and did the job and light bites were fine nice and warm. Hats off to the serving staff working really hard clearly under pressure to keep up with the cleaning/clearing of tables etc I think they might be short-staffed at present. Layout was a little confusing- it was self service but the menus are in piles opposite the serving counter and the trays by one of the two doors which was a little disorientating. Also worth noting that some of the larger meals/hot food other than jackets aren't served before 12ish, some clearer signage about this and where to queue from etc might be helpful.

The most bizarre and appalling customer service I have ever received. We were not greeted as we entered and the owners seemed irritated that customers had even deemed to enter the shop.When I asked what herbal teas they offered, I was told to name one and she would tell me if they had it or not. Obviously, and to the irritation of the owner, I couldn’t think of any. She then angrily shouted “OH so you don’t know ANY types of tea then??”In amongst the near-constant bickering between the two about the track and trace notebook (which they had asked nobody to sign) they said to each other that they had no idea what the covid rules were. He then turned to me and demanded “What are the rules?”Puzzled, I said I didn’t know. Then the interrogation began. “Well, YOU’RE wearing a mask” he snapped. “Why are you wearing a mask?!”Dumbfounded, I stared back. There was a sign on the door saying that face coverings were mandatory, yet here I was with the audacity to follow the rules of their premises.“To protect people, to keep other people safe.” I said, in shock.He scoffed. “To keep other people safe.” He repeated in disbelief. He raised his voice, filled it with sarcasm and mocked me to the entire cafe: “AH SO SHE’S KEEPING US ALL SAFE EVERYONE!!”Confused, embarrassed and hurt. I stood there in silence. We spent the rest of our visit in shock, disbelief and confusion and reading the other equally appalling reviews on this website. If only we had done so before we came, we’d have given our money to a business who didn’t seem irritated by our very presence, and determined to make their customers as humiliated and uncomfortable as possible.In short: if you enjoy being humiliated and criticised, this is the place for you. Good carrot cake tho.

Horrible, miserable and rude owners. The elderly gentleman behind the bar is potentially the rudest person I've ever met.The owners here could really do with some lessons in BASIC customer service. Didn't even say hello to us and then proceeded to question us for wearing masks in their café. Not welcoming in the slightest and made us feel on edge throughout.The food and drink was decent but the customer service was so shockingly bad that it doesn't deserve more than 1 star.Definitely avoid this place unless you get a thrill out of being treated like a piece of .

Great food in a lovely location! Cakes are to die for! Service a little slow but the food made up it.

£19 for two inedible jacket potatoes with skin like boot leather and served up with limp, withered salad and two cups of luke warm coffee. All delightfully shoved across the counter by the proprietor once he'd torn himself away from his mobile phone. Frankly pal, you're taking the pxss. Not even a smile to accompany the rip off.

We always go to Oscars when visiting the fabulous town of Hay on Wye. Good food selection and we especially love the great home cooked soups. And then there are the cakes to die for!! Staff are very friendly and helpful and its always a pleasure going back. Highly recommended.

We love this little Bistro and always head for Oscar’s when we visit Hay. Hot food is freshly prepared, there’s a great range of meals and snacks to suit all tastes and dietary needs, the staff are friendly and helpful. This is our third trip since the pandemic started, and we have been made to feel very safe each time, from the clear and appropriately placed signage, to the well spaced tables, to the open doors front and back, all the usual stuff recommended to keep us all and the staff safe. Food tastes great, portion sizes are generous, facilities are good and kept clean. Can’t wait to return soon.

We wanted a light lunch, it was apparent a gentleman serving on his own so it did take longer than expected to be served ! Be patient good food is worth waiting for ! We had courgette, leek and potato soup , hot and full of flavour , apple cake to die for ! Well worth the visit and wait , highly recommend!

Nice little cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. Quirky layout but excellent selection of cakes. We were only there for a cuppa but the lunch selection looked good too.

Other places were pretty full, only one table occupied here...now we know why. Owner not friendly or cheerful, a bit blunt, no table service. Another couple arrived - by then there were only 2 tables occupied out of about 6, "greeted" by the waitress - 'The guy who normally seats people is out there', gesturing to the owner. The next couple asked the waiter if they were still open "Er, yeah". Cakes and coffee pretty average. Absolutely no reason to return and plenty of reasons to avoid it.

Really rustic homily feel, food was locally sourced and fresh. Well cooked breakfast and lovely strong coffee to wake me up. Great staff, very friendly. Would definitely recommend 👍🏻

Stopped for a couple of coffees and some cake. The German Apple cake is lovely and the coffees were perfect. We sat on some tables on the road (they close the roads in Hay for certain afternoons) , so got to enjoy the outside on a lovely summers afternoon. Perfect.

We came in here as I'd remembered the German apple cake on a previous visit, which is recommended. However we did also remember the grumpy owner - he didn't hear one of my drink orders and tried to put the blame on me. Three people, you'd expect they would want three drinks? He also physically moved a member of staff's arm out of the way on the counter to put my drink down; had I been that member of staff I would have been reporting behaviour like that. The cafe itself is really cosy (though with it being a hot day we were outside), but I have had to remove a star because of the owner.

I have been here in the past and it has always been good. Not now! Rude and abrupt service from the owner. Many things advertised not available and no apology offered for this. Sad to see.

Stopped in for a quick coffee and ended up sampling the beautiful cakes, and they didn't disappoint! They were delicious! Staff friendly. Cozy and welcoming atmosphere. Would definitely visit again.

Absolutely awful experience!! My partner and I were in search of some chips for a quick snack, we stumbled on oscars and I wish we had never decided to stop. When we arrived the man behind the counter didn’t seem particularly interested in us and seemed annoyed that we decided to walk in, he took our order and then evidently left on his lunch break. This left a younger girl and guy taking orders and serving food, the girl was chewing her nails in full view of the customers and then proceeded to make sandwiches for people without washing her hands... to give her credit she did make the effort to don a single glove. The young man was more interested in his phone and didn’t even try to hide it while walking around with his face mask hanging off his head. We also then waited 25min for 2 portions of chips. I would not recommend visiting this establishment under any circumstances.

I know times are tough, but a smile would have been welcoming! All the Social Distance rules in place here, very impersonal though...

I enjoyed my coffee and cake at Oscars but the place lacked atmosphere. There are some entertaining quotes on the walls but there was just something missing....

I’ve just got home after visiting Hay-on-wye and diving into Oscars as we couldn’t find anywhere to eat a proper meal. By god I wish I’d just gone and grabbed a sarnie from the local petrol station. Service: awful. Rude. Staff looked lack lustre as if I was inconveniencing them, and they really had better places to be. Just stared at me as I stood at counter waiting to be acknowledged. Covid: everything served on paper plates, and in plastic cups with cheap plastic cutlery. But not much else going on covid protection wise to actually warrant bothering with the cheap £1shop crockery I had to eat my meal off. Staff member had his mask hanging off his ear the entire time I was there, toilets not cleaned after use and only one toilet for ladies and one for gents. Hand dryer didn’t work. I ordered a glass of wine and it was dumped on the counter without even a thank you and was served in a milkshake cup. I asked for a glass and was told I can’t have one due to covid. So I asked for at least a plastic wine glass...nope refused.Food: cheap, frozen nonsense. I had fish and chips. Kids had a burger each. With can drinks ( no cup offered) the whole lot came to an eye watering £45!!! £45 to eat frozen food off cheap plastic plates with bendy plastic forks! Chips were raw. Fish was only ‘just’ cooked and the batter was like you get on the boxed birds eye oven fish from the super market, and that was £9! Burgers were the cheap cooked from frozen ones you get from a van in the side of the road... which is is fine if you are paying those prices! No presentation at all, no service with a smile, awful cheap food... how this place is still open is beyond me. Hopefully they’ll read some of the reviews and actually start to take pride in their business. Otherwise... why bother being open? The German apple cake was nice. But that’s it.

Just ordered 3 coffees, a hot chocolate and two caramel slices. All were excellent. Great quality coffee and superb caramel slices.

We visited Hay-on-wye while staying in Wales. Me and my husband and our two boys came across Oscars Bistro, we asked if they were doing the 'eat out to help out' and just got a grumpy 'no' went in anyway as we needed to eat and everywhere else was full. We asked about seating because of the covid 19, they were'nt bothered and the owner we assume just replied 'yeah sit there'. There were no friendly smiles or a warm welcome, the chips that came out with the kids meals were awful and not fresh. What with them not being part of the 'eat out to help out' scheme and my husband seeing the owner paying the drinks delivery man cash, which is unusual, makes you wonder!

Today I, my sister and my brother-in-law had a very good cod and chips, crispy batter and skin on chips with peas. Substantial portions and quickly cooked and served with a smile. The price was very reasonable. Thank you.

No frills good value.. Oscar works very hard & the food is always good. Lovely to eat out on the pavement when weather permits great location. Can't fault it!

What a lovely place. Friendly staff. A lovely environment and poached eggs just how I like them. Thank you :)

Lovely lunch here very clean and good service. Very friendly staff. Right at the top of the high st but worth it!

Oscars Bistro is prominently advertised all over Hay-On-Wye, so we decided to give it a try for an early lunch on a Saturday. Upon arrival, it was mostly empty of customers, but staff were slow to acknowledge our presence. We approached the counter to place our order and, again, were regarded with an almost chilly suspicion.The food arrived relatively promptly, but the cheese and ham panini I had ordered was barely warmed through. The pot of tea for two that we shared was fine, but my friend had to first spoon out a large speck of something that was floating in the milk that accompanied it. Admittedly, we did not raise the issue, but that's because staff seemed unapproachable.Given that the outside of the establishment looks cosy and inviting, we were unsettled to find that the atmosphere inside was strangely unwelcoming. From the attitude of staff, to the numerous laminated signs telling customers how to conduct themselves ('Do Not Touch', 'No laptops, tablets, or devices', etc) - this is not somewhere that is particularly relaxing.By the time we left, however (after about 45 mins), new customers were literally queueing out the door and along the pavement, so I imagine that Oscars will be just fine without us next time we visit the town.

Called in for lunch had a lovely lunch. Host was lovely, very friendly and nice food. Didn’t have room for cake it they looked delicious

Shocking, terrible, awful service, and that’s from the surly, extremely unpleasant proprietor. I feel for the beleaguered staff who have to endure him on a daily basis. We, at least, could leave, albeit unhappy and still hungry. I can’t believe no one has closed this establishment down. It has no place in beautiful Hay. Avoid. You have been warned.

the large caffetiere for GBP 5 with a coffee strength to order was magnificent. Also had the homity pie which was a large hot serving. Definitley worth revisiting. Contrary to other reviews on this site we found the proprietor to be quite affable

While out with my family visiting this iconic town we happened across this ‘Bistro’. Customer service Oscar Bistro style:Step 1 - Greeting the customer Err nope, they are but a mere inconvenience to my otherwise busy day (referring to I guess the proprietor, slicked back hair and moustache that would raise concerns with operation yewtree )Step 2 - Taking the orderFace away, make little eye contact, always allow your customer to feel slightly uncomfortable, only do one thing at a time, if you require to replenish the crockery on the shelf feel free to stop serving the customer and do that instead and always shout the order loudly to the skivvey you’re paying minimum wage to in the sweat box that is your kitchenStep 3 - Taking payment Can’t fault this stage of Oscars Bistro customer satisfaction best practice, clearly happy to do this stageStep 4 - Delivering the orderEnsure that the staff you employ adopt the same distain towards the customer, place the order firmly in the table to ensure the customer knows it’s arrived, creating a rather loud bang is often most effectiveStep 5 - Dealing with a problemWhen dealing with a customer problem (clearly ordering 2 portions of chips was just to hard to honour) always stare at them as if they’ve just pooed on your bacon sandwich. Ensure that they feel as uncomfortable as possible and utilise your skills to have a very odd smile on your face. Without exception always and I do mean always shout the order a second time to the quivering wreck (I think his name is Tom, well that’s what was shouted, I feel for you Tom!) in the sweat boxStep 6 - Thanking the customer for their businessWhy on God’s great planet would you do that? Ensure at all times that you continue to make as little eye contact as possible and only when doing so a sneer is often the best way to display your gratitude towards these Muggles.Step 7 - Continuous Improvement Take time to reflect on the service you’ve provided, ask yourself some simple questions like, could I have done anything different, could I improve my already amazing customer service, alternatively continue enjoying your time interacting with the general publicIf you’ve bothered your arse to read this far then it’s likely that it’s too late for you, you’ve already entered the twilight zone and realise that you are a worthless waste of time....

We had strolled around this lovely town and wanted to find somewhere for a late breakfast, this place looked ideal with it's extensive menu of homemade food at reasonable prices all set in a characterful building.After ordering light breakfasts - various eggs on toast etc, it took absolutely ages (45 mins?) for them to be served to us out on the patio area. When they were brought to the table the waitress just stood there with the first two plates in her hands looking at us, initially we thought the poor girl must be mute but she did mumble something eventually and I had to take the plates from her. It would be such a better experience and make it a better job for her to enjoy if she had approached us with a little light banter about who was having what etc rather than just stand there looking at us? The food was OK but this place needs to survive and make money to pay it's staff so it's up to the owner to take the younger waiting staff aside and teach them how to deal with customers. Better still take them out to a nice pub or restaurant where you know the service is very good and let them see how little effort is needed to make it a better job / experience for customers? That way you'll get better reviews, recommendations and repeat business.I'd like to revisit this place one day in the vain hope some of my (and others) comments have been taken on board to help it survive as a happy place to work at and eat the quality food in.

Thirsty and hungry from a morning’s sightseeing in beautiful Hay, my partner and I were looking forward to a warm pot of tea and a tasty lunch. Oscar’s seemed like the perfect spot from the outside, with its timeless charm and classic British cafe menu. How wrong we were!

Having walked pasted this place a few days before and as I wanted a coffee we decided to give it a try, big mistake the person serving I presumed to be the owner was finishing serving someone else but when finished we were not welcomed in any sense of the word and my wife decided to have nothing. I ordered a coffee with an extra shot. What I got was probably the weakest and worst one I can ever remember having.

We were here with friends and if they had not already ordered, would have left. Husband is coeliac and so asked about gluten free options,but got the response "I don't know what that is", so he explained and got *shrug* "no idea". This is the least helpful response we have ever had.He opted for jacket potato and beans as a pretty safe bet and did seem to be ok.

We stopped for a late lunch after browsing the book shops and each had a lovely meal. The scampi and fish were cooked really quickly considering it was really busy, and both meals were excellent.

We had a good lunch and very good prices. My soup and roll was excellent and the cake with coffee pretty good as well. A busy place with plenty of people watching

Lunch was seriously average overpriced for what it was (£11 for average chilli or quiche with flavourless salad, £7 for jacket potato...) But the German apple cake was amazing.

Saw this recommended in "Trying Lives" by Carol Duval, an Australian writer who recommended the German apple cake which we were told takes all day to make and is fantastic! Interesting posters and pictures but staff were not particularly welcoming.

Called in here for coffee and a sandwich at lunch time after browsing the many bookshops in Hay. We had sandwiches and a portion of chips (the chips were especially nice) - good cup of coffee also. We sat outside as we had the dog with us and the girl behind the counter was especially helpful and chatty. Would call again if in the area.

Service here is not with a smile. Asked what the soup specials are the man pointed to the specials board "potato and leek". Asked for it and got vegetable soup. Guy behind the counter was ranting about a previous customers child. There are instructions all over the "bistro" saying what you should refrain from doing. Had to laugh myself but would not go back. I am sure there are better options in Hay on Wye

Really enjoyable latte. Comfortable big tables. Friendly staff. Bit of banter with the owner. Will visit again.

Not very welcoming or no interaction from staff. Would not return and would not recommend if you like a friendly environment

After spending some time exploring the bookshops in the town we were ready for some lunch and ended up in Oscars and we were very disappointed.

So we (6 cyclists touring S Wales) arrived in Hay at lunchtime during the Festival. We considered pedalling on through but wanted a look round the town. We found very little capacity but eventually found a table at Oscars. Expecting a very long wait we got our order for food and drink together and cautiously advanced to the counter. I guess this is THE WEEK to be prepared but by the time I'd finished ordering the first of our freshly prepared sandwiches was ready to take back to the table! It was amazing! We had a variety of hot and cold sandwiches and a portion of chips but it was all on the table within minutes. It's a busy, buzzy little place and we all really enjoyed our food and the overall visit. Clearly, Oscars was well up for the Festival Challenge, my own performance over Black Mountain will remain my own business, but was certainly a challenge!

Such an amazing little find! The food was fresh and home cooked! Great for kids, very quick service and very polite staff

We called in for lunch. It has a good menu and the food is prepared fresh. The food that we had we enjoyed and it is reasonably priced.

Looked inviting from outside but truth was it was cramped. Cutlery etc on the side. When got drinks the glasses were plastic and glass. Had to ask for serviettes. Staff not very chatty. Just took order then went on to next customer. Ordered cod and chips - disappointing. Frozen fish with rock hard batter, tasteless. Sausage casserole not brilliant either.

Over priced for a self service,nice little spot for a chill and watch the world go by and awkward stair to main counter

We came in here for lunch and it was immediately obvious that there a few problems with this place. First of all, it is rammed with tables and chairs and this just makes it fell hectic and stressed. You cannot queue up at the till and let people past. The ordering system is chaotic to say the least with one member of staff taking orders and making drinks so the whole thing takes 5 times longer than necessary. Trays, tables were dirty. This all would have been forgivable if the food had been reasonable. I had a ploughman’s which just had huge chunks of cheap cheese and a mundane salad, anaemic cheap bread and just horrible mass produced coleslaw and picked onions. The cheese baguette was the same horrible bread with the same hunks of cheese plus one or two bits of iceberg and badly cut tomatoes. The milkshakes hadn’t been mixed properly so one of them had big dollops of goo in it. Really if you want a nice lunch then walk by and go somewhere else.

My partner and I stopped by on a wet, cold day, for a hot drink and something to eat. Two young ladies were in attendance, one sitting at one of the tables, eating and the other behind the counter, also eating. They both stopped every now and again to put their hands to their mouths, then served customers without washing their hands. Definitely a hygiene issue. We ordered a cream tea. The scones were warm and tasty, there was plenty of cream but a very small sachet of jam in each serving, that barely covered the surface of the scones. A pot of tea for two made just about two cups. So disappointing.

Thoroughly recommend this little backstreet bistro especially for the homemade specials. We had the lamb tagine which was delicious as well as the German apple cake

We call in for lunch, it was very quite. But the ground floor filled up within minutes, it seam popular with regulars in there lunch breaker.We were the only tourist in there, so that a good sign.

Went here for a quick lunch and had the jacket potato with cottage cheese and a salad. Potato didn't taste like a nice creamy fluffy one and was barely warm. Watery cottage cheese. Limp salad. Cheap teabags. However my partner did enjoy his leek and potato soup. Seeing the cook sneeze and not wash his hands after was also off putting. Probably better places to go in Whitney-On-Wye for a quick bite.

We went to Oscars for a light lunch today (9 Feb 19) and the standards were as high as ever. It is excellent in what it offers. My wife enjoyed the soup of the day (leek & potato) with a fresh roll and butter. I had quiche and salad - green - mixed bean and coleslaw which was a very generous portion and tasty. I washed it down with a glass of very nice Sauvignon Blanc. The bill for this simple but quality lunch was very reasonable.

We went to Oscars for mid morning light brunch with an old colleague and it was alright although no bacon or sausage sandwiches similar were on the menu. Coffee was perfectly satisfactory as were the cakes and the lady behind the counter gave the impression of being under strict orders from 'the management'.

Managed to bag a table when the place was heaving for the first day of the Hay Winter Weekend. There seemed to be some interesting menu items on offer, but I'd had lunch and just wanted a quick hot drink before heading off for a festival session. The hot chocolate was generous and velvety, and the tables were pleasantly buzzing or a wee bit cramped depending on your mood. Have never eaten here despite many trips to Hay as it is always busy - so must be doing something right.

We visited Oscars during Hay on Wye's Winter Weekend. Oscars was very busy with visitors but we found a table and ordered delicious hot soup which was very tasty, There are stairs to upper rooms and we thought it might be quite difficult carrying plates of food and hot drinks upstairs. However, staff are willing to serve food to your table if you prefer. Food quality was good and we would visit Oscars again if we were in the area.

I went into Oscars thinking it looked like a lovely place. Counter service was ok and I luckily found a table. I waited for my meal and kept seeing numbers far later than mine being served. It started to get very awkward as I had tow ait longer and longer as several staff fawned over an author sat in the corner. This was unprofessional when it was very obvious there were lots of people waiting. several staff kept passing me and not one said 'oh sorry about the wait'. I waited over 50 minutes for what tasted like a commercially made pizza wrap that was lukewarm. the chips were rustic and very nice and the salad was nice too but I felt it was overpriced for what it was. When my meal was brought over the staff member was gruff and didn't even say enjoy your meal or I'm sorry for the wait.....Politeness costs nothing and takes no time to say a couple of words whilst putting down a meal, so I was very put off by this rude service. The table I sat on had been cleared of plates but was dirty too, it hadn't been wiped and there were crumbs and grease all over it, hygiene wasn't great by the looks of it. I went in with a polite friendly smile and left really angry and upset by such terrible service. Shame as it looks like it could be a lovely place if things were improved. I kept hearing people excusing the bad service because it was the festival but that is no excuse, staff had politeness and smiles aplenty for the author, so why not other customers too??