Lab Bar + Restaurant, The

6.5 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  6     

Went there for my mum's birthday, and I believe the food from the restaurant was only okay. I had the pork belly and the prawn for the entree. It is nice, and quite moreish. However, I had the veal and can't quite say it was the best veal I have tasted. Overall, I don't think the food is bad, but for the price you pay you do want to see better standards.

Oct 06, 2010 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  8     

We ate here one night during our stay at the Treasury Hotel. This restaurant has a beautiful ambience as the orante bar and large windows are just beautiful. The food overall was nice but it wasn't amazing. I would definitely eat here again as it is nice to eat in such a beautiful restaurant.

Jul 01, 2010 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  7     

We were visiting Brisbane from Sydney and found this gem. Fantastic service, very good quality food and the building is beautiful.

For the reviewer below, it's called LAB (bar and restaurant) and it stands for Lands Administration Board, which is what the building was originally used for. For those interested in the historical aspect, there is a great book on the history of the building available for diners to review while dining.

We loved the artwork, enjoyed the historical building and the food was of good quality. The staff were personable yet professional and the background music was just perfect (great volume and selection) which is so important for ambience.
Will be back next time we are in Brisbane. Thanks for a wonderful evening.

Apr 04, 2010 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  6     

Still our favourite once-per-year fine dining classy restaurant experience in Brisbane. It's always consistently good and the food is great. It's an 1880's building with high ceilings and pillars. Don't know where they get the "bar" from, it's really a restaurant with a couple of bar stools at the front no one sits on. The wine list was good too but expensive.

Usually great staff, sometimes engaging French waiters who aren't arrogant, perhaps, because they love food so much. We shared all our food and we liked the scallops dish the best, but it was all good. Check out the old Conrad waiting rooms near reception and the loos are classy too. Nothing bad to say, we'll be back.

Jan 22, 2010 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  7     

I love the Lab bar, it is one of my favourite places in Brisbane to eat. It is expensive, so it is for special occasions. The food is divine, the service fantastic, I love nothing more than to sit in one of the arch windows and share this wonderful time with my husband. He loves it too, it has an old world elegant feel. I love the duck salad with goat cheese tart and I love the old fashion specials like ox tail etc. We love the Lab Bar. I think what is also special are the staff, we have been going there for several years and you often see the same staff and they remember you this makes you feel so special. Well done.

Sep 02, 2009 

1.5 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  1     

Comments refer to the 'bar menu' which is served at the outside tables (in dry weather) or at the bar in wet weather. Very ordinary meals, very poor value. $15.90 for a half a dozen bite-size pieces of crumbed, deep fried 'salt and pepper squid', a pile of limp chips and a tiny salad garnish. This place has really gone downhill in the last 12 months or so. Food used to be really good. Wine by the glass is also at ridiculous prices. Won't be going back.

Jun 04, 2009 

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  6     

The Lab is a smaller, intimate space marred by the oversize bar that overlooks all the tables. There's not much romantic ambience when faced with waiters preparing drinks, writing up orders, giving orders, and patrons coming in to sit at the bar.

That aside, the fine dining aspect is in full swing. The meals are competent, although I struggled to find anything I really wanted on the limited menu. I settled for the lamb shoulder which was well presented and cooked in a rich reduction. The desserts looked amazing, but both of us were overcome by the richness of our food to attempt anything but gelati at gelatissimo. I really liked the menus, handbound square affairs with a metal tag sporting their logo. Fine papers. Very well presented.

I'm really over clipboards with laser printouts, even though it provides flexibility for the chef to change meals on a whim. The staff are quite effective. I didn't mind the price point of the place, but just found the bar disconcerting. Probably coming in for a drink only would have changed the tone of my review altogether.

Feb 14, 2009 

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  7      Value  6     

We went here for dessert one night. Really good desserts - and dessert wine! Not cheap by any stretch, and perhaps not the best value with tiny portions for a decent sum of money, but nonetheless, a nice atmosphere and we had a really good time!

Feb 08, 2008 

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  5     

The Lab Bar + Restaurant is a fantastic venue to meet up with friends, family and colleagues and escape the city crowds offering you your own private hide away. We had dinner on a Friday night, meeting up after work. Though the restaurant became quite busy, this did not detract from the service or atmosphere. After a wine selected from their extensive and impressive (but overpriced) wine list we were seated for dinner. The staff and service were exceptional, with a high degree of attention to detail. The meals were lovely and well presented, though portion size a little on the small size. Expensive but worth the cost for the occasional splurge.

Jul 25, 2007