Aria

5.8 Average

Food  4      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  4     

We visited Aria in October last year during good food week for the lunch special and had a fabulous time so we had high expectations for our visit on Saturday evening. The restaurant dazzled at night time and our table of eight had a fabulous table overlooking the harbour bridge and opera house, just stunning, the staff were friendly and attentive, the wines we chose were divine, so why such a low rating. The food was just disappointing, we all had three courses and there was no Wow factor at our table.

Only one out of eight people said they really enjoyed their meal, the rest of us felt a little let down, perhaps, we set our expectations too high. The most disappointing were desserts the caramelised banana mille feuille was a cold banana with broken shards of brandy snap stuck to it and the souffle had no taste at all.

To be honest the food was not worth the high prices they demand. This review is made in comparison to meals enjoyed at the Quay and Bennelong restaurants within the last 12 months.

May 22, 2012 

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  8      Value  8     

We dined at Aria for my husband's birthday. From the time we entered the restaurant, we were welcomed warmly with a friendly and relaxed service. We had degustation and each dish was described clearly and not rushed like in other fine dining places. They had even placed a candle and wrote Happy Birthday in chocolate on my husband's dessert plate, a nice personal touch! The dishes were each unique and of high quality and we left there feeling very satisfied. A great place to go for special occasions.

May 14, 2012 

3.3 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  3      Service  3      Value  2     

My friend and I eat out in the City around two to three times a week, everything from fine dining to Chinatowns cheapies and we eventually caved in to curiousity and had to try this place.

The exterior suggests you would be entering something very reserved and with an air of elegance, unfortunately, once you swing around the corner past the register and look to the dining area it is a very underwhelming experience and you cannot help but think, "is this it?".

Service was mechanical. We ordered the degustation with matching wines and for what you pay, it is simply not worth it. The food at best was average. Neither great nor bad. Simply a matter of eating it plate after plate with no real sensory experience. I love degustations and have done many of them with my friend and I really hope someone from Aria is reading this.

Whoever created the wine list to match with the degustation...fire them. It could not have been the Sommelier surely to create such a thoughtless compilation, even though that is their job right? The look on the Waiters face when he kept seeing course after course our wine glasses nearly full was funny to us but they were the ones laughing at the end I guess as they ask $280+ for the occasion per person.

So after 2-3 hours of painful boredom we finally left. The man at the counter did not ask how our evening was, I would be too embarrassed if I were him, so I don't blame him. A sign of a lack of confidence.

To sum it up, Aria is the sort of place Businessmen in their 50's+ would take their overseas clients for something neutral and bland to experience, or for couples who have hyped Aria in their minds for so long they keep it as a place to go for an Anniversary. It is the Mercedes badge of dining, for the rich and gullible who don't know better.

What else can I say? Go elsewhere.

May 01, 2012 

7.5 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  10      Service  8      Value  6     

As a first time Aria customer I was looking forward to a special meal in honour of my dads 70th, his meal was great thankfully, the service was excellent, unfortunately, the free appetiser of velouté was my best dish of the night, the Peking duck soup was delicious but no better than any offering at Chinatown at 1/4 the price, the steak was medium instead of the requested medium rare and the banana dessert was nice but stingy in portion compared to other offerings st our table.

Overall good and the view was magical but disappointingly did not live up to the hype.

Apr 25, 2012 

7 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  4     

Went there for dinner last night for our Anniversary. We had the tasting menu. The venue is good but not fabulous which I thought it would be as is price around the same as other venues such as Guillaume and Quay. The food was very nice but for the price did not "blow me away" which I felt it should. I know a tasting plate or degustation has small serves but they could have been a little larger.

The Duck Consume is lovely and very tasty. The wines are extremely overpriced. Service was great. Overall I'd say would have been a great experience if about 25% Cheaper as is not worth the money at that standard.

Apr 08, 2012 

5.5 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  6      Value  4     

"Nice" - nice food, nice service, nice atmosphere but certainly not worth the money. The only remarkable thing about the evening was John Cleese was sitting at the next table. We won't be returning.

Apr 08, 2012 

6.8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  5      Value  5     

Having previously been to Aria and experienced great service and food, unfortunately, I was disappointed on the evening I went. The food was great, but the service was below par.

We were dining with a group of 8 people for a pre theatre menu, so understandably, time was critical.

We were shown to our tables and waited about 10 minutes before someone asked us for our order. Serviettes were not placed on our lap (I would expect this from this restaurant), and although our entrees came out in reasonable time, our mains took about 20 minutes to arrive which felt quite long at the time.

Once mains were finished, we waited a little while for the plates to be cleared, and we were not offered the option of dessert, or petit fours. Half our table was offered a second serving of bread, whilst the other bread plates were just cleared.

Having paid over $600, the petit fours we had received last time would have been nice. Once again, food was great, but based on this experience, I doubt I will go again.

Apr 05, 2012 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  8     

We have treated ourselves to fine dining a number of times over the years, and Aria is the one we keep returning to, and it lived up to expectation! the food was simply incredible. I had the raviolo, I've never eaten pasta like it.

For main I had the vegetarian souffle. The combination of flavors and textures was incredible. My husband had the pork belly and duck special, both of which he raved over. We shared a banana plate for dessert, again, was great! service was also superb. They struck the fine line between attentive, friendly, helpful but not painful. We were seated one row back from window overlooking their incredible view.

Hugh grant was sitting a couple of tables away, he was pretty easy of the eye. It was a couple of years since we'd been, and Matt Moran has spread himself pretty thin since then. In my opinion, the restaurant has not suffered. It's his usual mix of fine dining, exquisite flavours and textures, but still real food that real people can eat. I'll have to in the next special occasion to go back!

Apr 01, 2012 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  10     

This place is absolutely amazing. The staff are so helpful with recommendations of wine and are not pushy at all. The food was excellent, but small portioned! Would've loved to taste the tasting platter but our session was pre theatre. I will be back!

Apr 01, 2012 

6 Average

Food  9      Ambience  3      Service  4      Value  8     

Had my husband and I's 2nd anniversary at this well known fine dining restaurant: Overall, we were very pleased.

Food: Delicious, uniquely presented, well cooked, would love for extra portions. My main meal was two spoonfuls.

Ambience: Horrible. Needs a little bit more atmosphere. I felt like I couldn't raise my voice in the place.

Service: Not so good. Had to wait 15 minutes until I attracted the waiters attention to order another drink.

Value: What you would expect. Very very expensive.

Mar 20, 2012