The Custom Cafe in Rother

I visited the place with my male friend. We were getting weird looks from the clients and one of the guys kept pushing my friend trying to provoke. We ordered at the same time and my friend got served first, he finished with his meal and I still had to wait for mine which was spaghetti meat balls that tasted sour and salty. One of the worst experiences. This happened in 2018 or 2019 don’t remember exactly, but it absolutely did happen at this cafe. I remember the counter, the outside and the bikes. This is a 100% honest review. I’m not an ex-employee, I create web applications for a living and have an absolutely zero gain out of bashing some random cafe for pleasure. The meatballs in tomato sauce was unbearable to eat, as if it came from a can. I was served after my friend finished his food. Guy in a queue kept staring at my friend and pushing him. We felt extremely uncomfortable. Was meant to be a quick pit-stop after hours of driving that turned into a not so pleasant experience and now the owner is trying to fight me lol

Nice little find on driving through, really cool inside and outside, loved it

Prices are laughable. £15 for a ladle of chilli and rice? Seriously ? Average price elsewhere under £10. Same goes for mac n cheese. Massively overpriced - and look at recent reviews - apparently they cant even cook poached eggs properly !! One to avoid I would say. This is pure greed at its worst.

First time here lovely staff and food was nice.

Today I had a bacon roll and coffee for £6 it was good value as we had a refill of coffee too ,also they made a fuss of my dog and gave her biscuits which she thoroughly enjoyed .

Love the theme. Staff were friendly and helpful even though they forgot to check if we wanted anything else to drink. The nachos were awesome and the burger was great even though it had a box pattie. Was also a little disappointed that the roasted marshmello milkshake didn't have roasted marshmallows on top. Otherwise everything was great.

I can't say how much I adore this cafe.. words are not enough and I can't explain it, I just love it

We discovered this place by accident. It was lovely. The food was really good. Staff can't do enough for you. They also had a live band, which was pretty cool. We'll definitely be coming back and have recommended to family and friends 🧡

Personally I think the prices were a little high (like a bacon sandwich £5-50!...) alas the service from the young waitress was good!...

I was treated to a brunch here today and must say it was fabulous. There was a live band playing in the corner, not so loud that you couldn't hold a conversation and we were quite close. The staff were exceptionally fast, efficient considering the number of people there .the food was great. I had a custom breakfast, and my partner had eggs royale, having had my own cafe for 30 years, I'd have been proud to have served them up. I know i had breakfast but the cakes looked so scrumpy that I had to have a piece. At just under £30 including 2 tes a latte and the cake I'd say job very well done custom cafe we'll certainly be back

Excellent biker caff but not just for bikers

A really good place. We was introduced to this place by friends who live in the area. We visited at breakfast time and the food was really good. The price was good value for money and the service was very friendly. I wholeheartedly recommend this place and hopefully go there for dinner on another trip down here. Thanks for a very good breakfast!

Unfortunately it was closed when I came by. Next time maybe

This is such a unique cafe with characters. So American, so cool! You'll find fun decors and details that you'll laugh at and enjoy about! The food was nice and the American pancake was a delight.

Great place, eclectic decor, really friendly staff. Good service and nice food that came out quickly but didn't feel rushed. Will definitely visit again

3rd visit to the Custom Café. Again the food was excellent, I had the Custom Breakfast and it was cooked to perfection. Attentive and friendly staff didn't keep me waiting to be shown to a table and I didn't have to wait long for my breakfast either. 10 out of ten 👍

Portion size Vs the price was a bit small

Excellent breakfast and service

Great place lovely food and staff very friendly and helpful. Would recommend to anyone.

Great food, with lots of interesting choice. Super interesting place with very friendly staff. I will be going again

A great themed place to eat, lots of interesting stuff on the walls and outside. Great place to relax with a coffee.

Been here several times now. By motorcycle and by car. The atmosphere is brilliant, specially when there is live music, all the staff is friendly and the food is great.

I can only comment on the breakfast. The ingredients are quality and well cooked. Food is very good. Staff are polite and friendly.

Very easy to get to with ample parking. Genuinely friendly staff. Dog friendly. Unique themed comfortable and cosy interior with some interesting and great varied seating area and options inside and out. Great food and drinks. Highly recommended. Milkshakes are amazing!

Are the Crashes getting more frequent outside Custom Cafe? Hope everyone ok! Surely the access route should be at the top end not where it is currently. Yes maybe not pulling out of the cafe on this occasion but it's taking your life into your own hands pulling out of that place on a incline. Parking is a major issue as well. You need to consider health and safety and not overcrowd the place. Food is ok nothing special May be this should only be used for motorbike meets as this really works. Having live music with limited parking doesn't work. Needs a better location to enjoy completely.

Great food, fantastic staff. Dog friendly

Breakfast was good . The staff were great as it was really busy. The cafe has a good vibe.

Great place for food plus music Sunday s

Excellent food , great service and they made my sisters 14th birthday very special by bringing her out a slice of birthday cake !! She was moved to tears out of pure joy ☺️ thank you to the staff at custom cafe

Usually busy but also buzzy. Best diner type bikey cafe in the area. Caroline has bought something of interest and value to the local Moto auto scene. Well done

Amazing stylish place and absolutely fantastic staff!

Regular stomping ground for coffee stops when we're out on the Bikes

Went for breakfast, tried to stay all day. I wish you allowed us to park our campervan overnight. Been recently questioning my choice of buying an Australian leather hat, but sitting at customs cafe squashed those worries. I felt at home. Travelled to the south coast to see the Seven Sisters… this place was far better. If you want the savoury but also want the sweet then I have two words for you… pancakes for the table

Great place, unfortunately unable to cook a poached egg and could only blame fellow staff members for error. We received 3 hard boiled poached eggs, sent back and got another hard boiled egg. Spoke with head chef who blamed waiting staff for leaving food too long before bringing to table, no apology or offer to get something else. Very disappointing as we love this place and drove an hour and a half just for the amazing atmosphere and previously great food. Hopefully next time will be better as we frequently drive out to visit the cafe. Staff really friendly, but would be good if they can deal with these issues better.

Came for breakfast this morning and left full and happy! We sat outside under the porch, and the weather was getting very hot but we were very comfortable under there and out the sun. Food was great, music was good and the staff were very friendly. We’ll definitely come back when we are this way again

I popped in on my way from Portsmouth to Ashford Kent. Had the breakfast and coffee,free top up. Get off the carpark back on to A27 head to Bexhill is away a bit frought,but social curtsey go a long way. The venue is stack full 1950 1970 icon images and servral motor bikes ,a biker and road traveler place. Good food . Meet all needs, will probably pop in on my way back next week.

Good food but portions getting smaller for same price

Visited last weekend for breakfast, the place was busy and popular with bikers. Food ordering was simple and the service quick but wasn't particularly impressed with the food. Had a breakfast that had all the makings but failed to deliver on quality, bacon overcooked, fried egg yolks solid and hash browns too crispy. Also felt that the price was too much for the quality of food presented. Sorry folks, I don't mean to be unfair and the experience will not put me off trying another visit, hopefully a better experience than this visit.

Car park a little tight for larger vehicles

Atypical place but just passing through I can't say more but there must be a great atmosphere in the evening

Fantastic retro cafe. Will come again.

Good food superb surroundings like the bikers BBQs on Fridays

Stopped for breakfast on the way to Rye. Lovely staff and dog friendly. We Had a good full English and an American with pancakes, both great. Good parking and a nice outside area too.

Great place for all occasions. Staff really polite and helpful. food was amazing at a very good price. Good outside gardens .

Think the picture says how much I enjoyed the food. Good quality ingredients and friendly staff.

Haven't been here since ce pre covid and was a bit dubious after reading some reviews. But it was totally fabulous. The food was hot and delicious, the servers were all friendly helpful and welcoming. I would have given 10 stars of that was an option. The weather wasn't right for eating outside but the outside area is just gorgeous

Fantastic staff, excellent food and the best garden I've been in.

My friend and I were first time visitors today, arriving about 1.30. It wasn't very busy and our food arrived promptly. My friend had the chilli with rice and he said it was absolutely delicious. I had the bean burger and chips. The burger was very nice but I was disappointed that the "chips" were actually small, skinny hard fries most of which I couldn't eat. I'd seen photos of meals with chips in the reviews and they were all chunky chips. I don't know if this was just a one off but if not, perhaps the menu could state "fries" not "chips". I'd definitely return though as there was quite a few other meals I'd like to try.

To be totally honest, it's a little higher in price than I would normally like to pay, HOWEVER, the quality is worth it and the fact that there is always plenty of staff on to look after you will always have an impact on the cost of things, easy parking, nice appearance and atmosphere,

Had to wait a long time to be served to must chatting

Food is always great, I highly recommend the Hillbilly Special. Service is good, and fast comes out quite fast.

Really cool looking biker friendly diner. Excellent atmosphere and great service. The food? Well, it's a cafe with cafe food. Perfectly acceptable but the real diamond here is the restaurant itself, it's awesome.

You are also welcome if you just want to drink a coffee on the way through. Great atmosphere. The breakfast looks good.

Super pub, classic American and English cuisine, great service, beautiful outdoor seating, even dogs can come in. We enjoyed ourselves a lot.

Great service. Really nice food. Nice garden.

Drove past the Custom Cafe so many times, always wondering what it's like, and now I regret driving past that many times without going in. The look and feel of the place is a rarity. There's no place like this around which adds to its atmosphere. We went for breakfast, and we weren't let down. The food was fantastic, and I can say that because I have a picky son when it comes to food, and he cleaned his plate. We're going back next time for the burgers!!

Beautiful venue, lovely staff but food is very overpriced for the quality. For an American themed menu, there wasn't much American style food. We loved the look of the street food menu but that is only available one night a week unfortunately. The most unpleasant part is the live music whilst you're eating, completely ruins the vibe as you can't hear yourself think, let alone talk to those eating with you (Gordon Ramsay's kitchen nightmares Cher singer for reference). This place would thrive with an improved menu, a better chef and a calmer ambience.

Great place for petrol heads or anyone that enjoys good food and a relaxed environment. Got the American diner going on. A great motorcycle friendly place.

Very clean and well looked after cafe. Staff very friendly and helpful. Vegetarian small all day breakfast was delicious with plenty on the plate. Highly recommended 👌

We would visit again when in the area.

I was a bit disappointed after listening to all the hype, sausages were really poor and tasted off and when paying this extortionate amount for breakfast you expect it to be perfect. Def not the best breakfast but not the worst either. Great surroundings and decor

Welcoming atmosphere unfortunately the food was a disappointment. Pancakes, bacon and maple syrup for breakfast did not meet our expectations. Pancakes were not fluffy and unsure if they were fresh. The streaky bacon I would have thought would be crispy for an American style diner. And the maple syrup seemed to have barely any flavour.

Friendly service hot flavoursome food in a calm atmosphere really recommend this cafe

My fave place for breakfast. Has an excellent menu, always comes out hot and tasty with good service. Highly recommend.

Great cafe, fascinating memorabilia, rockabilly music and motorbike theme. Staff wearing cool "custom cafe" t-shirts which you can buy. Varied breakfast and lunch menu with limited bar available. If you're in the area we would recommend a visit.

Good atmosphere, average food, very poor service, waited well over an hour for two breakfasts, we weren't the only ones sat, saw two tables complain about the same thing. What a let down.

Super sausage sandwich great facilities and great vibe. As always

Top class pit stop for your rides, highly recommended. Staff were very helpful and made adjustments for a breadless Vegetarian Burger and Salad mix. Loads of parking for bikes and cars alike. Recommended.

If I could leave 0 stars I would. Ordered our breakfast, paying in advance, and receiving what we thought were some our drinks (we later realised were meant for another table) after waiting half an hour for the rest we went up to see what happened. A young waitress apologised profusely and said we get a discount, got our drinks out and said our food would be shortly. An hour and 10 minutes since ordering one of the waitresses that we’d seen multiple times finally realised we still hadn’t got our food. We then had to go inside to find out what was taking so long to be told that we had been warned upon arrival that there would be a 40 minute wait (but we hadn’t else we would have left it) but our food would be 5-10 minutes more. Then the owner came out. Never once apologised for our wait just offered us more drinks and said it wasn’t personal she got very defensive when we tried to ask what had happened. Shouted at us and then left to bring out our food in stages which was disappointing at best. The sausages weren’t even cooked properly which she denied when we brought this up when trying to get some money back and she was reluctant to do so. We weren’t the only table affected either. A couple near us had to wait over an hour too and a family near by had their food bought out individually over 10 minutes. Needless to say will definitely not be returning!

First time here and it will be our last, had the roadhouse breakfast, waited more than 1/2 an hour when it came the mushrooms were cold and hashbowns luke warm, told staff who took it away to be warmed up, had to ask for toast, when the food came back with hot mushrooms I cut into the sausages and they were pink in the middle. Complained again, food took away again, came back with an apology and supposedly cooked sausages, but no still pink, Complained again, I was told they had been in the oven 40 minutes!!! They were really pink, then they brought out 2 more in a dish practically threw them on the table at me, guess what ...they were pink to!!! I will never go there again.the breakfast was greasy and undercooked, I do not recommend.

What a great place staff were friendly and welcoming the minute we walked in , and the decor was brilliant love all motor theme. Their were 4 of us and we all had something different and we all agreed the food was excellent , will definitely recomend to others and return ourselves . Thanks

Really good food, great place to chill too.

Great place good service fantastic traditional breakfasts highly recommended

Lovely place to take the family for a very nice meal 🥩🍗🥔🥨🍅🥦 or meet up with friends for a shandy 🍻 Very Friendly Staff Great Food & Atmosphere. Highly Recommended ‼️ Full 5 Star Review ★★★★★

Great cafe with super American Diner food.

We made a welcome return to the Custom Cafe last Sunday and had a wonderful relaxing meal in their barbecue garden area. The trailer trash dish had both vegetarian and meat offerings and was cooked to perfection. Certainly leave room for a delicious and very sweet toothed desert. The interior and exterior is filled with Americana artifacts which add to the theme of a roadside truckstop just off Route 66. We will be back.

An American theme, with lots of memorabilia, we especially liked the front porch and clapboard sidings.

Biker cafe, great to have a super biker friendly cafe. Lots of nice bikes to ogle, great coffee, great clientele.

Really quite disappointed. Thought I'd give it a try on a sunny afternoon on a 200+mile round trip. Whilst the servers were nice and the food of reasonable quality the portion size was pitiful. Think of a McDonalds Happy Meal and that's the amount of chips I received. It wasn't cheap either at over £17 inc a (non alcoholic) drink. Parking also a little dodgy as well with a LOT of gravel all over the place.

First time coming here due to it being my daughter’s birthday and it was lovely. The staff were friendly and they even came over with a slice of cake for my daughter and sang happy birthday which was very generous. We ordered the mac n cheese which was absolutely delicious, the chicken burger which tasted great, potato skins were delicious, the hunters chicken which was very tasty and the trailer trash pie which was delicious too. We ordered strawberry milkshakes, banana milkshake and a cream soda which was all were delicious and refreshing. The place it self is well decorated and organised. All together the experience was a great one definitely recommend going and would definitely come back.

I visited here tonight for bike night after countless visits in the past. As usual the car park is full of potholes, uneven surfaces and patches of gravel. When I arrived the Marshall for the car park was nowhere to be seen so I pulled up in a space I thought was suitable but found that the ground was so uneven that my bike felt as though it would tip off the side stand so I made the decision to move to a more suitable space for the safety of my bike. I was then told by the Marshall who appeared that I was unable to park there as there was a big ride going on and was I able to move to another spot he showed me. I told him that wasn’t a problem and moved my bike over to where he showed. He then proceed to tell me I couldn’t park in the spot as there was too much of a gap between myself and the other bike. I let him know that my partner who was just waiting for me to finish parking was going to be parking in that space so there would not be an unreasonable gap between myself and the other bikes. He proceeded to tell me (or rather yell from across the car park instead of coming over and talking to me properly) that I had to move it over and I told him I couldn’t (at this point the bike was moved three times and between heat and bike gear plus being tip toe on my bike I did not feel I could move it a fourth time for the sake of less than a foot to the left). He then went on to yell “it’s my job and there’s loads of bikes coming here tonight, you have to move it” and I again told him that my partner was going to be taking that space and that I was unable to move it a fourth time. I cannot believe the level of disrespect from this staff member and the way he spoke to myself especially as he wasn’t even bothered to come over and have a polite quiet conversation and instead put us through the embarrassment and triggering mental health disorders. We left and shall not be returning.

Great biker cafe/restaurant, reminiscent of the Bike Shed, Shoreditch, London. A bit hipster. Lots of space indoors and out. I feel the prices were a little expensive but it certainly looked good. Service was a bit slow but staff pleasant. I would return but with a fatter wallet. 😁

What a little Gem this place is, the decoration and atmosphere was delightful, we picked the right time to visit as they had a live band playing, considering we were only a few metres away the noise level was perfect. The staff were very friendly and the food was perfect. We are already planning on a revisit with some friends.

The food was great and the staff were polite and friendly 10/10

Fantastic meal at the Custom Cafe this evening. All diets catered for in a lovely atmosphere with super helpful and friendly staff. Thank you. X

We had no food that day just coffee's and sweets. But the food looked good on other tables.

First off we waited 45 minutes for our breakfast which may as well been lunch! My partner’s breakfast was custom breakfast and was so small it was was served on a child’s plate, his tomato was so over cooked it was inedible, my green breakfast, the veggie sausages were charcoaled, my tomato was also inedible, I asked for brown sauce and was given an empty bottle. I have to say it was very disappointing in just about every way. I won’t be coming back

Been past hundreds of times and always wanted to stop but the carpark had been full so haven't stopped. Called in today for lunch and wasn't disappointed. There was a nice atmosphere and staff were friendly and welcoming. There was plenty to choose from on the menu even if you're vegetarian. The portions were a very generous size and there is even an option for small plates which suited the OAPs in a group. We had desserts were amazing. Another great thing about the cafe is that its dog friendly 👍🏼

Have been here before and food was great but this time had the all day breakfast and it was well disappointed bacon very hard over cook egg small slices off tomato cold toast white stuff ment to be butter thay fill the plate with chips?? Won’t be eating all day breakfast here in the future Charlie

Came to the Custom Cafe for lunch with my friend today. The food is sensational, the atmosphere relaxed and welcoming.

Breakfast served on ridiculously small plates (cold) grilled tomatoes warm and firm ,scrambled eggs microwave d and very expensive for a greasy spoon cafe , won't be back . Hope this explains everything Mr owner plus its very noisy

Great food!!! I enjoyed vegetarian option a lot, so called V-tween - halumi burger was super tasty. If you are arround make sure you visit this place!!!

Really busy and buzzy! Do book if you can to avoid disappointment Staff very friendly and lovely food Amazing music and atmosphere

Very quirky cafe, and the staff were so so lovely! The apple pie was delicious!

We went for lunch two weeks ago, what can I say, we ate very well, a beautiful atmosphere and friendly staff, we will definitely be back and I highly recommend. Excellent coffee and amazing apple cake

A drive to Cafe, warm friendly atmosphere, enjoyed a quality breakfast.

Lovely place only thing that could have been better is the child's meal the sausages were Lovely for an adult but small children don't like herbs and course sausages. We will be going back again as we really enjoyed the atmosphere. Lovely outside area to sit and eat.

It's absolutely fantastic.... service 10/10.... food 10/10... atmosphere 10/10 customers 9/10... BRILLIANT..

Nice place with a strong American-diner theme. Excellent fry up, would go back to try the lunch/dinner options.

Food was awful. Would not allow any change to set Menu. Slow service