Longbench on Darby

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Another great experience at Longbench, I can't disagree more with some of the older posts? This place constantly gives me great service and outstanding food. Love it and will spread the word. Keep up the good work and hopefully other places follow your example.

Apr 30, 2012 

2 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  1     

I have lived in Newcastle my entire life and have never experienced service so bad as at Longbench.

I have never had any trouble being served a meal within reasonable time while on my lunch hour at any other venue in Darby Street.

I waited ten minutes to be approached by the waitress. Even though I had signalled her over. I then had twenty five minutes for my meal. This might have been understandable had the restaurant been busy, but there were about four other patrons (all of whom had already eaten). I had about five mintues to eat a meal which should have been delivered to me about fifteen before.

$19.50 for a steak sandwich is overpriced to begin with, but the portion size was absolutely tiny. A small sandwich and ten chips which wouldn't even fill the smallest of people.

I would Never recommend this restaurant to anyone. Don't waste your time and money. Darby Street has many wonderful restaurants (Depot, The Grind, Three Monkeys) but this is most definitely not one of them.

Feb 16, 2012 

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  4      Ambience  4      Service  1      Value  2     

Waited over an hour for our drinks, during this wait The waitress said she would bring water but never did. Food finally came and the portions were quite small. Service was non-existent, waitresses were rude and not attentive whatsoever.

Jan 01, 2012 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

It's always difficult to shake one's habits when it comes to Darby St. If you speak with a local they'll usually say "meet you at Goldbergs or 3 Monkeys", however, I was really glad that I step out of the norm and visited Longbench.

The atmosphere is slick but not snobby, the food is top class but not overpriced and the options for choice of dining were great, up front watching Darby St go by or out back around the chimenea pretending you are camping.

I'll definitely be back, especially for the pancakes.

Jun 16, 2011 

1.3 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  1     

After being ignored, our mains were served to us raw! Drinks ordered with dinner were never served to us and still charged to out bill. Service was terrible and when complaining about a raw dinner was made to feel that it was our fault. Overall a very overpriced and dissappointing night!

Apr 11, 2011 

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

Just took my mother out for breakfast for her birthday along with my sister and my boyfriend and omg it was the worst I've ever been too . First and last time coffees took ages and were served cold meals were served two at a time and my sister and bf were finished before other two were served and then they were stone cold . I took plates downstairs and to counter to complain and had to stand there holding two plates of food for a long time before I was asked the problem. Staff were shocking and offered little help . By the time we got warm meals they were laying in juice and oil and were way too salty even for a dish of mushrooms and bacon and eggs.

Feb 27, 2011 

1.3 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  1     

Great kids meal, no menu for it though, and hour and a half wait in an empty restaurant for a main terribly overcooked pork belly and worst duck ever tasted, and to top it off when meals returned still charged $50 for tasting our food, will never eat there again, much better choices along Darby St.

Jan 16, 2011 

7 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  7     

Nice food and fast service. A nice byo restaurant and would recommend it.

Sep 08, 2010 

4 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  4      Service  2      Value  5     

It wasn't our first choice, but with a big group on a public holiday we had few options on Darby St. Sadly, they seemed awfully short staffed and weren't able to deal with the volume of customers. The coffee was pretty average, the food was okay, fairly standard breakfasts. The portion sizes are generous, but expensive. The service was so slow and the waitstaff so inept, coffee ordered at the end of the meal took about half an hour to reach the table. Save your time and money, book a table elsewhere.

Apr 05, 2010 

5.5 Average

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  5      Value  2     

Has several delicious options, but ridiculously expensive and unpleasant waiters combine to make this a place I wouldn't go back to.

Mar 13, 2009