Altitude Restaurant

6.3 Average

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  4      Value  6     

Went there for our anniversary dinner on a Monday, the place was packed. Nice place, food was good, but the service wasn't the best. Ordered for a Glenfiddich, arrived only when the main course was served, in spite of reminding the waitress.

May 16, 2012 

10 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  10     

Simply put this is the very best restaurant I have dined at. I could not fault it on any level, the view is spectacular, the service was without fault and the food heavenly, the duck cooked to perfection, the seared scallops were mouthwatering, the rabbit exquisite, the Tasmanian scale fish again cooked to perfection and so well complimented with a delicate porcini broth.

Topped off by a delicious dessert menu, of which we shared the chocolate fondant (with a personal message, see photo) and a perfect selection of cheeses chosen by the waiter. To top off a perfect night was a very reasonable bill, excellent value.

Apr 28, 2012 

7.8 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  7     

The best thing I could say about this restaurant is the breathtaking view of the Sydney harbour.

The food was good (we had degustation with matching wines), but I could not help notice that many of my dish tasting a little salty for my liking. For the price that I paid, I think the food could have been better. Not all of the wines matched well with the food and I kept feeling something was missing with most of the dishes.

The service was lovely, but I believe the staff was a bit too attentive, they kept asking how the food was at the end of every dish as if they needed our approval. It was uncomfortable because I felt obliged to say something nice about the dish even though I did not particularly find it interesting enough to say something about it.

I think next time, I will stick to the bar next door which has equally magnificent views with excellent choices of cocktails and wine.

Apr 18, 2012 

6 Average

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  5      Value  3     

Waitress was pushy. Wanted us to order expensive champagne before we were seated! ($37 a glass!) Food was good. Ambience was good. Good experience but will not return.

Apr 17, 2012 

7.8 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  6     

This place did not live up to my expectations. The seafood was mediocre, I felt like it was just normal seafood being placed on a dish in an interesting way. There was a total of 2 dishes that I actually enjoyed out of the 7. For almost $150, this place was not worth it. Even water cost $15 a bottle!

Apr 12, 2012 

5.3 Average

Food  5      Ambience  8      Service  5      Value  3     

We went to Altitude for our wedding anniversary. The manager had promised us a window table, however, when we got there we were sitting behind a large column which blocked the Opera House view. Eventually we were moved but it tainted our evening and we found it to be very unprofessional.

Although the view was spectacular the food was ordinary. At a restaurant with Altitude's reputation I expected something extraordinary but it didn't happen. While the food was good quality, there was nothing extraordinary. I could have made the dishes myself. It is such a shame as our meals and wine came to $195 each so we expected more.

For example, we received a risotto which was gritty and undercooked, for the main we were given beef which was very tender, but it came with smoked vegetables (or morsels of them) which were totally oversmoked and had an almost chemical taste.

The dessert was a poached pear with a hazelnut cream. It was nice but not extraordinary, and again I could have made something more satisfying at home. Harsh I know but when you are paying a premium price you expect more than a good view.

Apr 10, 2012 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Started off the night by being shown the window seat in the private dining room. Unbelievable views over the city and great for intimate dining. Had the Epicurious Degustation menu. Couldn't fault a dish. They were all superb. Just wish I hadn't filled up so much on the complimentary bread! The stand out dish of the night was the duck. Amazing and a must have. Rich and flavoursome was the ultimate main.

Overall service was lovely. Really nice and super professional. A definite must do if you're in the area or want to impress.

Apr 04, 2012 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  10      Service  9      Value  7     

With a wonderful bar and views of the harbour bridge and Luna Park, a great place to enjoy the night.

Mar 14, 2012 

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  7     

Went here for my birthday last December and had the epicurious degustation menu. Found the service to be as expected for a restaurant of this nature, very attentive and friendly.

The food was a consistent quality and each dish kept me interested in my meal. The attention to detail on each course was great. To top of the night, and make the view even more spectactular, there were fireworks going off down by the opera house.

Mar 12, 2012 

6 Average

Food  7      Ambience  4      Service  6      Value  7     

I think in every restaurant, there'll always be one server that treats diners with a bad attitude and ruins everyone else's hard work providing the best quality service. I feel sorry for the business, really.

We had a lovely table by the window and we had a dedicated waitress, I believe her name was Alicia. She was delightful to deal with and very attentive to our needs. We ordered Lamb and Fish, which apparently the lamb was delicious but my fish was a bit too salty. Because I booked the restaurant and I paid for the meal so I get to rate it as how I tasted the food.

I don't like the way they serve bread to us instead of leaving it in a basket for us to freely eat it. It made me feel uncomfortable that someone is always checking on my bread intake. The side of potatoes was very oily and tasteless. I would've preferred not ordering it. How can one get it so wrong?

Alicia checked with us to see what the occasion was for us to dine there and we told her it was our anniversary, then the kitchen very kindly wrote happy anniversary for us on our dessert place. I thought it was very attentive.

As for the ambience of the actual restaurant, it was so noisy. I think they should work on their seating arrangement. The whole evening I just kept hearing the group from next table laughing very loud in my ears and I can fully hear their whole conversation. I think the restaurant should separate us into 'talk zone' and 'candlelit dining zone'. We ended up having to shout at each other when we talk. It was very unpleasant.

Finally. The reason why I said that there's always one that breaks the pack. Yes, there was a girl who was so rude and just doesn't listen when I ask for something. I would be telling everyone about our experience at Altitude with her kind of low level of service.

Mar 10, 2012