About Retro Bay Cafe
Step back in time at this welcoming gaming venue on Eastbourne Gardens, where classic arcade machines meet modern café culture. Fully accessible with refreshments available, it's perfect for all ages.
What's nearby
- Whitley Bay Beach next door
- Waves Leisure Centre 200m away
- Coquet Park First School 300m away
Distances as the crow flies, via Google
Good to know
Parking
- ✓Free car park
- ✓Paid car park
- ✓Free street
- ✓Paid street
Accessibility
- ✓Accessible parking
- ✓Accessible entrance
- ✓Accessible toilet
- ✓Accessible seating
Payment
- ✓Credit cards
- ✓Debit cards
- ✓Contactless
Details via Google — worth confirming with the attraction before you travel, especially for access needs.
Photos
Photos via Google
Facilities
Opening hours
- Monday
- 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Tuesday
- 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Wednesday
- 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Thursday
- 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Friday
- 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Saturday
- 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Sunday
- 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Current hours may differ from the usual schedule above (e.g. holidays) — check Google Maps for today's hours.
What visitors say
Read the other comments bit too late. Saw that they have a decent coffee machine and ordered a takeout cappuccino, thinking the worse that I could get would just be a hot milk for £3. I guessed wrong. It is literally just water. You know how you have been using the same mug for coffee and one day you drink water from it and tasting the coffee stains from it? That’s how their drink tastes like. Place looks absolutely fantastic but I can’t recommend their coffee drinks to anyone.
· via Google
Friendly staff, food is always good, on this occasion we had toasted teacake and it was perfect. The views are fantastic, especially on a sunny day. It's dog friendly and it doesn't matter if they've just come off the beach.
· via Google
The location is fantastic and the building is iconically of its period. It’s spacious and airy with great views. Unfortunately the food is horrendous - stuck in the 1970s synthetic junk era. The coffee, sold as lattes etc is nothing of the sort, just very watery and very weak with very little milk. Some members of staff are rude and aggressive and seem to resent being questioned about anything and having to serve anybody. I imagine that’s why the food and drinks are so inexcusably bad. It could be an amazing business and big attraction if it had trained willing staff and a small menu of real food, even easy items like chips and pies and sandwiches and cakes and teas and coffees if they were of edible quality. The tiny little art gallery cafe at the back of it doesn’t have the views but it contrasts hugely in a very small menu of excellent quality food and drinks and service. Whoever owns the Rendezvous needs to understand that the way it is being run defeats what could be an astounding business. Perhaps it’s just as well though, as if it was decent, in that location it would be inundated.
· via Google
Fantastic location, but that's the only real positive. Service is slow and Staff unfriendly. The coffee is just out of a machine, possibly instant. Food is pre packaged sandwiches and cakes - nothing made fresh. Inside it's dated with just plastic chairs and old fashioned. It's such a shame as the location and views are great. I wish they did proper coffee and some freshly baked cakes or turning it into a licenced restaurant would be great!
· via Google
People say this cafe offers good coffee, delicious ice cream, and fresh food, including tasty toasted teacakes and Victoria sponge cake. They also highlight the friendly and polite staff, reasonable prices, and dog-friendly atmosphere.
Some reviews mention the staff can be unhelpful.
Summary via Google
At a glance
- Address
- 52 Eastbourne Gardens, Whitley Bay, NE26 3LX Get directions
- Category
- Arcades & Gaming
- Guest rating
- 4.3 / 5 (1,474 reviews)
- Suitable for
- Ages 4+
- Suggested visit
- 1-2 hours
- Setting
- Indoor
- Dogs allowed
- Yes
- Good for children
- Yes
- Good for groups
- Yes
- Booking required
- No
- Toilets on site
- Yes
- Destination
- Whitley Bay