Fern Food & Drink, The

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  7      Service  1      Value  1     

Nice looking place and welcome shelter on a soaking day. But the boys on duty were so surly! How hard it is to smile and say hello? So, you think they don't have to try because their food's so good. Uh-uh.

The food was greasy and the chips were dripping in oil. The oh so famous brioche hamburger rolls were stale and the "no amendments to the menu please" warning meant we ended with up scraping unwanted sauces off our food and in the end not finishing everything off our plates. Sure, it might be groovy and chic and the music was brilliant but the food was overpriced and the guys serving let the flag down. It might be better at night when the place is rocking but to me and my partner it was all decor and no substance.

Apr 19, 2012 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

I don't usually write reviews, but I thought this place was great. Will definitely be back.

Mar 14, 2012 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Been to the fern for brunch a few times and really love the Latin slant on their menu, try the rancheros, fritters or any of their burgers. Coffee is excellent and food is speedy with attentive service.

Went for dinner last week as was taken back by the delicious offerings, they have share options which are fantastic for grazing with larger plates like charcuterie board, crispy barramundi and roast pork belly, generous serves and great value at $22 with snacks around $6-$11. Very good value compared to other restaurants in the area and in general, with attentive and knowledgeable staff.

The Fern is a great all round food and drink establishement, well done team!

Mar 02, 2012 

4.3 Below Average

Food  6      Ambience  5      Service  3      Value  3     

Let’s start with the layout.

Awkward, the main area is slightly cluttered and dominated by one giant table. It seems poorly thought out and you get no sense of where you should sit, a sense of being almost uninvited the moment you walk in the door. The booths down the side are nice but you feel detached from the main restaurant area and have to deal with kitchen staff and toilet doors nearby.

Service is quite random and usually poor. I've been here three times now and the general attitude from staff is quite surly, especially from one of the senior staffs who is often there. You question anything on the menu or drinks or even why the outside area is closed and you get a really short terse response, almost a "how dare you ask or question anything" you feel really awkward afterwards like you have burst into someone’s home uninvited. There’s an overall sense of begrudgement and resentment towards customers.

The ambience is not very nice and it does not surprise me that every time I have been here it's always half empty. The food and wine are nice for the most part with some really interesting dishes on offer including ox tail and a fantastic pork belly offering.

However, for the high price you pay the food portions are far too small and you have to order a lot to actually feel full, but maybe that's how they make their money.

Feb 28, 2012 

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  9      Value  9     

Excellent place to grab a quick breakfast with good coffee in the mornings to work. The staff are always friendly and bubbly, which puts me in good step for the rest of the day. Would definitely recommend to friends.

Feb 13, 2012 

5.3 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  5      Value  4     

We went for dinner with friends and I thought it was alright but nothing special. The serve was very casual and the food was slow to come out.

The 'snack' share plates are quite small (like 2 little things on a plate) so in order to share you have to order a few of everything.

The main courses were all Ok (there are only 3 so between us we ordered at least one of everything). The gnocchi was quite large compared to the tiny pork belly. The fish serve was also small but came with a generous serve of jerusalem artichoke puree.

The churros were good although the foam served with it was too light but the lemon curd was unpleasantly set like rubber.

Dec 16, 2011 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  9     

Very glad I discovered The Fern, the food is always plated up really well for a casual cafe and the big outdoor area is great to sit and have a 2nd or even 3rd coffee. Smoked pork belly is simply to die for and the general rancheros style is cool. Word is spreading fast that this is one of Sydney's best cafes.

Nov 30, 2011 

6.8 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  9      Service  6      Value  5     

Not a bad breakfast/brunch spot, great decor. Read more on our blog.

Read more on my blog

Nov 06, 2011 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

I had heard about this place as a great brunch option but was in the area and went in for dinner with a friend.

Started off with some killer drinks (fernarossa, king kong) and thought we would just order some bites. After sampling their delicious house cured sardines and bite sized falafels, we moved onto the charcuterie board ( pork board) which was just amazing.

At this point we ordered a beautiful bottle of Hugel Gentil and proceeded with the barramundi, this was to die for! The jerusalem artichoke puree was mind blowing, the fish was perfectly cooked and the broccolini added crunch and citrus- yum. My friend had the pork belly which was every bit as good- kumera, peanuts and apples.

For Dessert we shared the meringue which came with strawberries, lemon curd and crumble- it was perfect, just the right level of sweet and sour.

I must say I was pleasantly surprised and would recommend this restaurant, do yourself a favour and try it before it becomes the new it place in town. Excellent!

Oct 26, 2011 

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  8     

This is a great cafe with a wonderful retro decor. The staff fit in with the place and the food has that touch of creativity, and a flair towards mexican inspired dishes. Your usual corn fritters was not as expected, and adorned with a generous mound of sweet pulled pork with a guamacole salsa. Its only downfall was that I would've preferred my toppings on the side as the fritter tends to get soggy underneath it.

Loved the generous portions though. And then theres your much loved eggs benedict but this time with pork belly and bacon gravy?! a tasty dish, though I wished my pork belly would've been cripsy. All in all, a great cosy place for breakfast or lunch.

Oct 05, 2011