Fresh User Reviews in Canberra

7.8 Recommended

Drinks  9      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  9     

Fantastic laksa. Best in Canberra and indeed better than anything in Sydney too. We also appreciate the half-size laksa which is great for a lunch-sized meal. To be honest we've never got past the laksa so can't say much about the rest of the menu. The place is always busy, service is quick if not particularly friendly.

May 14, 2012

4.8 Average

Drinks  6      Ambience  6      Service  2      Value  5     

We went for dinner, not going to a show so happy for a long dinner and dessert. The food was good but the service was atrocious. They must have wanted to get home as we were rushed. Pushed to order the wine when only halfway through our opening drink, next thing it was on the table, opened!

The food came out one course straight after the other. When we said we would wait to order dessert, they were back in 2 minutes, we said give it ten, so they were back 3 minutes later and the desserts followed a couple after.

We left and went for coffee elsewhere. My suggestion, dine elsewhere, Canberra has plenty of choice with good service, don't waste an evening at the Hermitage.

May 11, 2012

7.2 Recommended

Food  7      Drinks  8      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  5     

My partner and I go to Siren for lunch on weekends. We love spending time on their outside area reading newspaper, whilst having some white wine. We love their lunch menu as well. This place is highly recommended!

Apr 21, 2012

6.6 Recommended

Food  8      Drinks  8      Ambience  3      Service  7      Value  7     

I have eaten at Siren a couple of times and it has always been quite nice! The first time I had pork belly, and it was the best pork belly I've ever had. My main came overcooked, but I sent it back and they had a new one prepared for me in no time.

The second time I went there I had the lamb salad and it was lovely! The only thing I don't like is that it's way too loud. Especially for dinner. You can barely hear yourselves talk. However, it's a great new place with good food to go in Gungahlin and I'd highly recommend it.

Apr 16, 2012

7.2 Recommended

Food  5      Drinks  8      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  5     

The establishment is really nice, warm and inviting. The fittings and decor are modern and on trend.

The service was super friendly and prompt. Unfortunately, though, the food left more to be desired. For the price I expected more, both in taste and quantity. Our entrees were ribs and pork belly. The ribs were really nicely done and I would order again, however, the pork belly was served almost cold and the meat wasn't tender.

The chicken breast main was overcooked, the sauce was totally bland (albeit being named zesty breast) and my seafood salad was drenched with sauce to the point where it was swimming, and the seafood was overcooked and tough. My partner and I felt a bit disappointed all in all.

I might go back and try it again but not in a hurry. Great place to meet for drinks with friends though.

Apr 15, 2012

7.3 Recommended

Drinks  8      Ambience  6      Service  8      Value  7     

A very good tapas menu and excellent wine list provided by friendly and attentive staff in a cosy environment.

Read the full review on my blog

Mar 24, 2012

7.8 Recommended

Drinks  6      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  8     

Great burgers and the service is second to none. Whoever the lady is who served me (tattoo on back) with the dark hair, you were wonderful especially considering I was a super-fussy customer. The barman remembered our drinks after one round and the waiters/waitresses were very attentive.

All in all, I didn't expect much and was so thankful that this turned out to be a super-yummy eatery with great service that I had to review them. My only suggestion is to not eat before going, their servings are huge! Thanks The London.

Mar 12, 2012

2.5 Not Recommended

Drinks  1      Ambience  4      Service  4      Value  1     

My partner and I went to the Hermitage for Valentines Day night this year and this has got to be the worst experience in my dining out life thus far (not to mention put quite a damper on our Valentines day).

We firstly got there and were presented with a non-optional 3-course set menu for $85pp, which I later found out is only about $65 on a normal night (most entrées are $19, mains $33 and desserts around $15 or so). Being charged an extra $20 per head when it was not a public holiday or weekend I'd expect good service at the least. Anyway, I had never experienced Valentines Day in Canberra and apparently a bit of a price hike is the norm?!

We were able to place our order quite quickly, however, were informed that they were out of the duck main and out of the key lime pie. One I could, perhaps, understand, but two? The restaurant does not seat all that many so I couldn't really understand their lack of food preparation for the night for not one, but two dishes on their set menu of only 6 or so mains and 6 or so desserts.

After having a waiter turn his nose up at us for not ordering any wines (we don't actually drink but had maybe thought that the food would be decent here!), and after hearing they were out of 2 of the items we had wanted we were able to order.

Entrees came out, my partner had the scallops with risotto which was quite small sized although what I'd consider reasonable enough for an entree, and he was impressed with the meal. I took the calamari and it was not cooked well at all. It was deep fried but came out soft, mushy and the spices/mix used were not the best, but edible.

We finally received our mains about 1.5 hrs or more after ordering. Both were bordering on inedible. The mustard sauce used on the veal was terrible and my partner's steak was on par with an $8 steak you'd get from a bar, overcooked (he takes it medium rare) and extremely dry.

Just before our mains arrived we began noticing people leaving and their parting comments, as we were sitting in front of the counter. At least about 8 of the 10 we saw pay the bill and leave had a complaint to make, mostly that the food had taken such a long time to come, others about the dry meat and others about the lack of menu items available.

Our desserts finally came another 45 min or so later (both of them cold desserts). The crème brulée was completely underset and runny like a milky custard, accompanying biscuit nothing to be desired and the summer fruits brioche not anything spectacular, just below average if anything.

We had a quiet 'sorry for the wait' comment from a waitress upon receiving our mains but no recognition of what a horrible night it was at all by anyone else. It seemed as though the senior staff was so sick of hearing all the complaints that by the time we came to pay he did not even bother asking us how the meal/night/everything was.

The customer leaving and paying before us even felt the need to tell them he would definitely not be back and refused to pay for the drinks. The senior staff merely said that any other night it wouldn't be like this but since it was Valentines.

That does Not excuse the lack of menu items, the lack of customer service, the lack of timeliness at which we received each of our servings and the lack of decent food - And to have the gall to charge us $20 extra per head?!

I'm still astounded. And would Never return. (The positives: one waitress was nice enough and the chairs were comfortable).

Feb 15, 2012

5.3 Average

Ambience  6      Service  3      Value  7     

Loved the Tom Yum Kung but found the Laksa too rich. The vegetable Tempura is not very authentic but tastes OK. Service is terrible; Thumbs placed in our bowls, our plates whisked away just as we swallowed our last bite, our table trampled upon a couple of times without acknowledgement or apology. The food is fine but Perhaps a take-away is a better option.

Jan 17, 2012

1.5 Not Recommended

Drinks  3      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

Noisy venue with ordinary decor, rude staff with a poor service attitude, uninspiring food with optimistic prices, ok drinks at anything but ok prices just about sums up the Kennedy Bar for us.

Dec 31, 2011

4.5 Below Average

Drinks  5      Ambience  4      Service  4      Value  5     

Very average, with no competition around I guess management feels there's no point in fixing the place up or improving service/quality.

Nov 30, 2011