Darcy's

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  7     

This restaurant has been here for years and is one of Sydney's institutions. It consistently turns out lovely traditional northern Italian cuisine. The ambience is beautiful without the pretention and the service is knowledgeable.

Aug 18, 2011 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Had a wonderful wedding reception last year at Darcy's and returned to celebrate our first wedding anniversary with my husband last Saturday. As many times before , the food was great and service perfect. Darcy's might not be everybody's cup of tea but it definitely suits our age and expectations, ie. traditional cuisine of high quality, quiet music, family atmosphere, personal attention and great wine. Thanks Attilio, we will be back!

Dec 13, 2010 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Myself and my husband booked a table at Darcy's last Saturday, based on the great reviews we had seen on this site, and I am pleased to report that it exceeded our expectations.

We loved the cosy, homely feel of the restaurant (more like being in someone's living room!) and the food was exquisite. The buffalo mozzarella starter was the best I have ever eaten, undoubtedly homemade and incredibly fresh and tasty. For main course we both ordered the fillet steak, which was cooked to perfection for each of us and virtually melted in the mouth.

The service staff were friendly and efficient without being intrusive, and we were treated as though we'd been going there for years. Looking forward to our next visit!

Aug 09, 2010 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

The place remind me of an old English tea room. I really like the room of this place.

Service was fantastic from the minute we walked in. Napkins on lap, water glasses filled, bread brought out and then replaced when finished as well as extra butter. The waiter was great, attentive but not over the top. Wine glasses were filled during dinner, tables decrumbed, 1st class service.

The entrees were great, one of the few places that I find a perfect beef carpaccio these days. We all had perfect steaks, the meat just melted in your mouth. The pepper sauce was just right and my friend loved the steak dianne, he said it was one of the best he had and he has one almost everytime he goes out.

Desserts - well I had the puff pastry with strawberries and cream. I would go back just for that, heavenly. elena1 & leonienorton must have been there on a bad day. There was no lasagne on the menu that we saw and everything was clean.

Jul 18, 2010 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Mrs Porkman and I are in our "mid 30s" and I have to give the disclaimer that Darcy's is Mrs Porkman's favorite restaurant in Sydney. I'm also a big fan and have been eating there with my folks since I was a piglet in my teens.

Tonight I had cured tasmanian salmon and a duck fettuccine which were outstanding. Although I like Sopra et al, these dishes were really the real deal, noodles had the right texture and the duck was tasty and the creaminess came from the meat rather than any additions to the sauce. Mrs Porkman had snails which were hot and delicious. Coffee tonight was great too. Sometimes I have the steak or scollopine and love the spinach and potatos sides.

The guys who run this place are classic, local legends, who provide gracious service, always recognising the regulars, and maintaining a great, unpretentious ambience, whether it's a couple or a whole family with kids in tow. This restaurant has carpet and is quiet. You hear a quiet burbling of Eastern subs types over their cab savs through dinner.

Entrees are restaurant price, around $20, although mains are reasonable for the standard of restaurant, around $30 to $35 for most. This place is an old school treat, I much prefer over Buon Riccordo (can I say this?!), although I haven't been to Lucio's yet for some reason.

May 07, 2010 

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  7     

I appreciated that this fine establishment is completely unpretentious - it was lovely to enjoy varied Italian dishes which are simultaneously delicious and healthy, while also feeling so welcome (no doubt a rarity these days!).

Thank you!

Feb 21, 2010 

10 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  10     

We went to Darcy's last night for my husband's birthday and were delighted by the quality of the food and the friendly service. It is such a nice change to go to a restaurant that is not caught up with trying to be 'trendy'.

My husband and his mum had the snails for an entree and they were so good they didn't stop until they had mopped up every last drop of sauce. I opted for the angel hair pasta with mushrooms and black truffles which was delicious and light. The eye fillet of beef with Dianne sauce and lamb rack mains were perfectly cooked.

If you are in the mood for good quality, traditional Italian food in a relaxing setting, Darcy's is the place for you.

Oct 15, 2009 

10 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  10     

I cannot imagine what happened to elena1 at Darcy's but I totally agree with papillondor and will give Darcy's 10 for every category.

I was taken there with my family by my mother recently for my birthday on a Tuesday after celebrating the previous weekend at Kables on Friday night, Garfish at Kirribilli for lunch on Saturday [which was great] and the much overpriced Fathers Day lunch at Catalina on Sunday and the best restaurant experience of all was Darcy's.

My daughter in her 20's declared her seafood marinara the best she had ever eaten [and she has eaten many]. You cannot say too much for this superbly run establishment and I only wish I had gone there over the years when instead I was trying and being disappointed with more "trendy" restaurants.

Darcy's is No. 1 on my list now.

Sep 26, 2009 

10 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  10     

I love dining at Darcy's. Hands down the best restaurant in Sydney, it's an institution.

Darcy's does what all other restaurants try emulate and does it better. It's the original, authentic Italian cuisine. A booking at Darcy's is almost like a private invitation, Paddington is renowned for its artists but where are they really? The artists of food are in the kitchen at Darcy's.

It's worth mentioning that I'm in my 20s and so my peers might have a different set of criteria for a night out. First of all Darcy's is not the place to go if you want to have a wild night out. It's not the place to go to meet people and bop to music.
If you want that, go to a night club.

Darcy's is the best place you could imagine to go and relax, be treated well, eat something that will sit right in your tummy and make you feel satisfied and grateful. It is the absolute quality of the food and harmony of the place which keeps me (and my family) returning again and again.

The wines are superb, Attilio really knows wines and spirits. The staff are always impeccably mannered and dressed, but unlike other restaurants in the area, one does not feel like one has to 'be' anything, there are no pretentions, no man-behind-the-curtain, just a pleasant, refined dining experience. You're respected and treated beautifully no matter whom comes in the door. Darcy's does not have to advertise, it just is the best. For Forty years and counting.

Having dined at just about every other restaurant in the general vicinity, I can genuinely say Darcy's is my favourite. Where other restaurants have groovy music etc, I find all too often that most restaurants will serve food which tastes ok and then later feels icky in the stomach, too much cream, too much salt. This never happens at Darcy's. I know the food will taste great but also I know it will be nice to digest! It's all beautifully presented and great tasting fare.

The service is so understated but attentive. The focus at Darcy's is on tradition, excellent service, excellent food, making sure each customer has a wonderful time.
Darcy's would be the absolute best place to take someone on a romantic date, the perfect place to take your business colleagues or parents, anyone who appreciates beautiful food and wine, great service and tradition.

Jul 29, 2009 

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  3      Service  3      Value  1     

This was one of the worst dining experiences that I had, would strongly recommend against this place. Certainly try it before organising an event here or coming for a special occasion

The evening started with waiter serving us stale bread rolls. The wine was over-priced and obviously so-the mark-up on some wines was $30. The food, when it finally arrived, was very bland and certainly not what you would expect for the price. My veal was 2 slices of veal medallions covered in gravy and decorated with a tiny flower made from a carrot, all for $45. You can do better at home. If you are looking describe the atmosphere in 2 words, then "retirement village" and "country club" come to mind. Other than us all other patrons were 50+.

While you can see that all of them were regular clientele, I would suspect that they wetr there more out of habit and convenience rather than for a fine dining experience. Maybe I'm just not old enough to appreciate the food and its all good for older people, but if you are young this place is an absolute waste of an evening and money.

Jan 02, 2009