Number 8 Restaurant & Wine Bar

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  6     

This was a return visit to Number 8 after a very pleasant experience on a prior visit.

To strat with we shared a couple of entrees and the Calamari was magnificent but the Oysters Napoleon were disappointing as you could not taste all the specified ingredients.

For the main all of us had the Whiting fillets and they were cooked very well and the accompanying salad was a good blend but the associated fries were very disappointing with many just end bits that were overcooked, spoilt a good main.

Wines are very good but on the pricey side.

Mar 22, 2012 

2 Not Recommended

Food  4      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  1     

Disappointing! Our party of 5 adults booked for lunch on Christmas Day and so we thought paying $210 a head would guarantee a reasonable dining experience. Understandably they were busy but as all guests had to pay in full a week before the lunch they should have anticipated the required waitstaff for the numbers of guests.

It was a set menu but we waited 2 hours for our entree and only after I went down stairs to find a waiter did we receive it. Towards the end of the meal an American at the next table had had enough of the lack of service and made a scene. I felt like cheering.

Dec 28, 2011 

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  4      Service  2      Value  2     

We arrived at the restaurant and were seated at one of the outside tables beside the serving station. The menu was passed over the station to us rather casually. Starters arrived (scallops & prawns) both tasty dishes. The mains arrived (whiting & lamb) with side orders of roast parsnips and mushroom rice. The whiting (only 3 pieces) was vaguely tasteless, the lamb was less than hot, the parsnips were disgusting - soggy - I've had better from the frozen cabinet.

The only saving grace was the mushroom rice which was really good. When I mentioned this to the waiter he just looked blankly at me and walked away. The waiting staff seemed to make a habit of standing and chatting at the serving station right beside the table. The urinals were blocked and smelled strongly both at the start of our meal and just before we left.

On our way out, we asked for the manager who was not in however we were told to email our feedback in which we did that night. 5 days later no response so I called the restaurant, spoke to the duty manager who did not apologise for not getting in touch and did not accept any blame for the food or lack of service and instead told me I should have brought it to the chefs attention (clearly the waiter was not enough) - tho when probed said she would investigate further.

10 days later still no response, another phone call to another duty manager who claimed there had been no complaints and refused to accept there could have been anything wrong with the food, he like his colleague was very rude and accusatory on the telephone. At this point I gave up. Do not eat at this restaurant - I have had better meals at half the price in several restaurants nearby.

Aug 10, 2011 

10 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  10     

This place is amazing! Came here for my partners 30th. We shared the Calamari for entree, OMG the aioli with the tomato was so tasty. Then for main my partner ordered the Lamb Rack (he also had this on our 1st visit there and had to order it again). I had the Pan Fried whiting, the meals were Fantastic.! My whiting was beautifully cooked, there were about 5 pieces of Whiting on the plate.

Great value and portion sizes. Had two side dishes, the dressing on the Roquette salad is great. But we couldn't stop there, I had to have dessert. My partner had the Chocolate Fondant and I had the White Chocolate mousse. OMG what can I say.. Yum!! The mousse was in a huge glass, so I couldn't eat it all. By the end of the night we both had to crawl out of the place. Service was great. Will definitely be back again.!

Jul 07, 2011 

6.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  3      Value  7     

With an impressive wine and food menu I would say the only thing that didn't fit was the service. The food was well presented and cooked. After waiting for an hour for the starters to come and having to ask for a menu for the desserts it was a little disappointing from the service side of things. Though the food was good, I probably wouldn't go back due to the overall experience.

Jun 21, 2011 

4.8 Average

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  1      Value  5     

Had lunch there on Sunday. 2 courses for 44.50, good value. However, at a restaurant of such supposed calibre, the service was terrible. No bread on arrival, had to ask for the menus, specials were not advised. In a complex with so many restaurant choices available, it won't be my first choice.

Jun 06, 2011 

1.7 Not Recommended

Ambience  2      Service  2      Value  1     

It was a special occasion for us so we have booked a table in Number 8 in advance and it was supposed to be on their terrace area. On our arrival (we were there on time as we live just 5 minutes walk from the place) it appeared that for some reason the administrator didn't have any notes about the terrace so we were seated at a terrible table near the door to the terrace (to be fair it was the one closest to the terrace and as an alternative we were offered a table at the terrace if we agreed to leave at 8 (it was 6:40 at that time already so we didn't really think it was an option plus the way it was suggested only made us feel even less welcomed.

We set at our "almost on the terrace table" for about 5 minutes looking at each other and slowly realising that it's wasn't the level of service we normally expect from a restaurant so we had to apologize and leave. We were afraid that the night was spoiled but, fortunately, within next 10 minutes we found a very nice restaurant on the North bank, where we received a very good service and food.

Number 8 - unpleasant atmosphere, bad service, too busy and too popular to care about their customers. Unfortunately, couldn't stay there to try their food. Will not be back.

Apr 09, 2011 

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

Reading the reviews it would seem something has gone drastically wrong with Number 8 since last year. As indicated by my ratings our experience (7 adults) was awful. We were seated beside what turned out to be a public walkway from the Casino complex to the riverbank. We waited & waited & waited for drinks (even water), menus, in fact service of any kind. Service when it came was bordering on rude (I was hit in the head by a waiter brushing past me, another's chair was repeatedly knocked) Never an apology never a smile. And the food, I need say no more than to describe one of our party's Bug dish: Shell and meat burnt black, flesh mushy & very odd flavour. Awful. This dining experience was unforgettably forgettable.

Feb 22, 2011 

4.5 Below Average

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  3      Value  2     

I came here for lunch the day after boxing day and was decidedly underwhelmed. I find it very annoying when a restaurant is full of glass and chrome and fancy toilets but can't get basic service right. It took us 15 minutes to be seated, I had to ask for water, a menu, someone to take our order....etc etc. It's a nice spot by the river on a sunny day. Food is quite good but you are paying through the nose here, just to pay for the fancy toilets. Go to a restaurant that deserves your money.

Jan 03, 2011 

1.3 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  1     

Number 8. Not so great. After booking in 3 weeks in advance, we were placed on a terrible table, next to the upstairs servery consolidation point. It was a special night for us, we arrived 20 minutes early to be told our table was not ready and have some drinks at the bar, this is where I noticed things I shouldn't. The coffee milk frother on the coffee machine was caked with dried milk. No coffee for me later, I made a mental note.

Next was the bar staff including the bar man and the sommelier. Lifting glass after glass from the bar onto the service level by the tops of the glass. Uuugh!! We were then seated at our table. What was the table outside reserved for someone else?? As mentioned stuck upstairs next to a servery Yuck! Now for the meals, A tasting plate as an entree has us thinking the evening was turning in the right direction, Pork belly, Oysters, Prawns and Scallops, Very nice.

Onto the main, looking forward to a $45 steak and multiple $8 sides. After quite a wait, here comes the steak. Looks ok, waiting waiting waiting where are the sides? Or, perhaps, we should just tuck into the steak rather than go hungry. Eventually, we succumb we start eating our steaks after 10 minutes with no sides Yuk mine was Cold! My wife, however, advises her's was nice. After about 15 minutes here comes the sides. I end up leaving most of my steak. The sides to be honest, well I've had better in good pubs for far less than $8 serve.

We waited and waited with dirty plates on our table for what must have been 20 minutes. We ended up walking out without dessert (and certainly not coffee). What a poor experience. I can only say it was the most disappointing dining, drinking and customer service experience I've had. Your local pub wouldn't make some of these basic mistakes. Take stock number 8, there's a lot of competition out there for consumers money these days, you'll never have mine again!

Jan 01, 2011