eatability sydney local restaurant reviews - restaurant guide  

 

 

 

 

the people's voice for gastronomic choice!

 

HomeGuidesTop 10Book Real-timeBook via Booking Angelspecial offer Special OffersRegisterTell a FriendAdvertiseRestaurateursLogin

 

 Featured Offer

Sanders Waterfront

$39 for 2 courses

 Featured Offer

Cala Luna

Summer Special - $49 for 3 ala carte courses

 Featured Offer

Zaaffran

Three exclusive offers for Eatability users

 Featured Offer

Borruso's Pizza & Pasta

Dine in for a free bottle of wine

 Featured Offer

Flying Fish

Exclusive Offer All mains at $29 Tue-Fri Lunch

 Featured Offer

MUMU Grill

Free tapas $5 beer/wine; $10 cocktails

 

 

good food user Hi, Anonymous

Login / Register
Login / Register

your lists

    No Items.

add new list

add Galileo to your new list
 

 

search

e.g. name or postcode or suburb
advanced search

 

 

locality guide

Find

in the region of

 

 

 

atmosphere

   
 

 

cuisine

   
 
 
 

 
 

cuisine features

   
 

 

special features

 
 

 

Sydney newsletter

 

 
 
   

 



Galileo

Overall Rating

8.0

 bullet Read 130 reviews 
 bullet Review this restaurant 
 bullet Special Offer! 

 

 

The Observatory Hotel
89-113 Kent St
Sydney NSW 2000


Phone (02) 8248 5250

 

website for Galileo Website   menu for Galileo Menu   view map Map   weather at Galileo Weather  
tell friends Tell Friends   print review Print    Add to list Add to your list 

 

Look for

 

What's nearby Galileo

bullet Restaurants & Cafes around Sydney

bullet Bars & Pubs around Sydney

 
 

 

 Manage this Listing free! 

 


  

Special Offers for Galileo!

 

Sydney restaurant star Dine with New South Wales Wine

 

Match a delicious main course with a glass of New South Wales wine in the Globe Bar.

From March 9th-31st, Globe Bar will be participating in "Dine with NSW Wine."

Globe Bar will be offering:
Lunch: 12pm-2:30pm
Dinner: 5:30pm-9:45pm

Menu:
Catch of the Day
or
Braised Beef Cheekswith Red Wine Sauce

Price: $40.00 pp for main course with a glass of matching NSW wine.

 

Subject to availability.

Valid from 9th Mar 2010 to 1st Apr 2010

 

How:

For more information and bookings please contact: 02 8248 5252 or email@observatoryhotel.com.au

 

 

Sydney restaurant star Chocolat Tea

 

From the 2nd to the 5th of April, The Observatory Hotel will replace their signature Afternoon Tea with a decadent high tea service, choc-a-block of well, chocolate to celebrate the Easter long weekend.

In addition to the freshly cut smoked salmon, cucumber, egg and ham and cheese sandwiches, Globe Bar guests will enjoy white chocolate and fig scones, chocolate brulèe, white chocolate pistachio layered cake, white chocolate and rose macaroons, chocolate opera cake, caramel and chocolate mousse with gold leaf, dark chocolate truffles, mud cup cakes and of course, home-made Easter eggs.

Chocolat Tea costs $59 per person and will be served from Good Friday until Easter Monday.

 

Subject to availability.

Valid from 9th Mar 2010 to 6th Apr 2010

 

How:

To book please phone 02 8248 5252 or email@observatoryhotel.com.au

 

 

Print Offers  |  Terms & Conditions

 

 



Overall Rating              8.0  
 
Food                8.0  
Ambience                8.6  
Service                7.9  
Value                7.2  

 

Recommended based on 130 votes
(The Overall Rating is calculated using a Weighted Average)
       
 

 

 Been here? Rate Galileo, Sydney!
 

 

Please read our review guidelines and tips

 

 Awful Mediocre Perfect
  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  
Food  
Ambience  
Service  
Value  
 
 Your Review *  
 
 

 

Already a member? Please login:

 

 Login Name  
 Password  
 Keep me logged in on this computer unless I logout   help
 (Non members may register on the next page)

 

 

 



Awards

Awards 2009   Galileo Restaurant awarded one Chef’s Hat – The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010
  2008   Named best hotel in Australia by readers of Travel + Leisure magazine (US), January 2008
  2007   Named “Best Five-Star Hotel” – Australian Gourmet Traveller – Sydney, May 2007

 


 

Overview of Galileo

Galileo is Sydney's leading five-star hotel restaurant with a proud record of excellence since its opening. It has been consistently recognised for its fine food and excellent wine list.

After a long-awaited and much anticipated arrival of new Executive Chef, Masahiko Yomoda to Galileo Restaurant at The Observatory Hotel, a new menu has been launched reflecting Yomoda’s signature French style yet surprisingly seasoned with international influences.

 


See Also




Related Editorial Content


 

User Reviews on Galileo


 
Displaying 1 - 10 of 130 comments
 
Page: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   Next
 

 

 

Overall             Average
Food 5 Ambience 6 Service 6 Value 2

 

Ate here as part of the Observatory Hotels stay and dine package, 1 nights accommodation, degustation dinner for two (beverages not included) and full Australian breakfast for two people.

At time of booking I asked if I could have the matching wines at the set price and was told no problems. Be warned. The wines as a part of this package are charged by the glass. And with 8 courses and 16 100ml pourings of wine makes for a very expensive night out. For example $55.00 for 200ml of champagne. The degustation courses were all cold and nothing to rave about.

Of course I could have had just the Degustation on its own but I thought I was getting the wines at the set price and wanted the complete experience. The service was mediocre but I've rated it a six because the breakfast staff were excellent. Great place to stay but I will not be in a hurry to return to Galileo Restaurant.
 
Was this review helpful?
 
fattone  -   See my reviews 2reviews, 19 March 2010
bullet Manage this Listing to respond
 

 

 

Overall             Recommended
Food 9 Ambience 6 Service 7 Value 5

 

Had a special weekend in the city and dined at Galileo's. Although it was a bit hard to get the waiter's attention to get a drink, the food was fantastic. Meals took along time to get to our tables considering our booking was late and there were only 4 other tables by the time our order was taken.

Ambience would have been a 9 but we has to listen to the table next to us complaining numerous times, loudly why they still didn't have their food. We were in no hurry so overall thought the food was worth the wait. Good to try but in no rush to go back as value for us wasn't there and there are so many other restaurants at this level in the city to try.
 
Was this review helpful?
 
rach74  -   See my reviews 2reviews, 11 March 2010
bullet Manage this Listing to respond
 

 

 

Overall             Recommended
Food 8 Ambience 8 Service 9 Value 8

 

Exceptional service. The wine list was good. Food was also very good. Effectively three degustation choices. Beef was well cooked but lobster was deep fried which masked the flavour of the lobster. Dessert (the peach soup and cheese) was slightly disappointing. Most patrons may have been from the hotel but worth travelling to this gem.
 
Was this review helpful?
 
lunchalotsydney  -   See my reviews 3reviews, 07 March 2010
bullet Manage this Listing to respond
 

 
  0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
 
 

 

Overall             Average
Food 5 Ambience 3 Service 7 Value 6

 

Ate here recently and was not impress. The decor was quite old fashion, a bit like eating in a restaurant at the back of an old pub. My entree of scallop was good and recommended, but the main of fish wrapped in pantry then deep fried was dry and fairly tasteless. My partner's lamb was ok, a bit on the raw side. The wait staffs meant well and were attentive.
 
Was this review helpful?
 
Jadel  -   See my reviews 3reviews, 09 February 2010
bullet Manage this Listing to respond
 

 

 

Overall             Recommended
Food 8 Ambience 8 Service 8 Value 8

 

A recent Saturday night dinner for two was very impressive. The degustation meal was all it promised to be, the matching wines were just that and we were very happy with the whole evening. Service was to a very high standard and the ambience reminded us both of much higher priced European restaurants. The restaurant certainly deserves one hat and is, in our opinion, well on the way to two.
 
Was this review helpful?
 
tsschatswood  -   See my reviews 41reviews, 19 October 2009
bullet Manage this Listing to respond
 

 
  0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
 
 

 

Overall             Recommended
Food 10 Ambience 8 Service 1 Value 6

 

Went there for Mr Man's birthday. When I called to book the table and inform them about his allergies, they asked if it was a birthday. When I said yes, the person who took my call mentioned that they'll do something special for him on the night. That sounds cool. Anyway, we make our way to the dining area and greeted by a maitre d' who was so distracted that he said no (abruptly) when I asked for my table. He has the cheek to ask "do you have reservations". Dude, I can see my own name on the register.

Bad start. So we order one of the best scallops and wagyu we have both ever tasted, except that the service was extremely haphazard. I was not asked what water I wanted, and was automatically given Italian mineral water. That was presumptuous when the water jug is located near our table. We were then offered bread which never came. We had pomme frites (spuds) which were undercooked.

When we mentioned this to the waiter, he said "oh, thats a shame". Nothing was done about it and we didn't finish it. We did the Good Food deal of 2 main courses for $49, so we were preparing to leave but I remembered the offer when I booked the table about "doing something special for mr man". Well, nothing eventuated. We declined dessert and responded that we had a birthday cake at home, and the response was also "oh" nonchalantly.

Bill came and we were charged for yuck pommes. Do the chefs know about this? It really marred the experience for us, though the food was fantastic. The service somewhere else was so much better even though they had a full house when we were there just 4 days ago.
 
Was this review helpful?
 
Cirque1  -   See my reviews 95reviews, 15 October 2009
bullet Manage this Listing to respond
 

 

 

Overall             Recommended
Food 8 Ambience 8 Service 8 Value 9

 

I've been to Galileo several times now, and I think that the food and service both fluctuate. The food can be absolutely divine at times (try the soups for entrees, generally always lovely, the unbelievably tender lamb for the main, or the mindblowing chocolate fondant dessert). A further note on ta chocolate fondant, actually one of the best desserts I have tried in my entire life. Service can be amazing too, incredibly polite and thoughtful (such as offering hot water and lemon when I mentioned I had a sore throat).

However, both aspects can take also be less than impressive. The foie gras pie was burnt and overly rich, the wagyu, dare I say it, chewy and almost dry. You may also encounter slow service between courses, or a peculiar indecipherable mumbling waiter who steadfastly refuses eye-contact.

Overall, though, Galileo is a wonderful restaurant, and of particular value with the new midweek special, we will definitely be returning!
 
Was this review helpful?
 
Kathhh  -   See my reviews 10reviews, 14 October 2009
bullet Manage this Listing to respond
 

 

 

Overall             Highly Recommended
Food 9 Ambience 9 Service 10 Value 7

 

Some of the best dining we've had in Sydney. Each dish was unique and tasted fabulous. The prices were at the upper end but worth it.
 
Was this review helpful?
 
mhsafs  -   See my reviews 1review, 02 October 2009
bullet Manage this Listing to respond
 

 

 

Overall             Recommended
Food 7 Ambience 9 Service 7 Value 9

 

Booked a table at Galileo for my partners birthday as we were staying at the hotel. After reading a rave review in the SMH we had high expectations. We decided on the 3 courses for 79 and bought wine by the glasses. We were seated at a very pleasant table so we could enjoy the beautiful old school dining room. Service started off well but as the evening got busier we saw less and less of the waitstaff and had to wait well into our main courses for our matching wines.

Entrees were the highlight with one beautiful Jerusalem artichoke soup and another fantastic scallop with carrot pure. For the main I tried rabbit for the first time and must say I was disappointed. The rabbit was covered in some sort of dukka with barely crushed black pepper corns in the mix and it completely drowned out the flavour of the meat. The sauce was too salty and too rich to match the rabbit with truffle risotto.

I also didn't appreciate eating what looked like a mushroom only to discover it was some part of the rabbit, either kidney, heart or liver. I almost threw up. I should have paid more attention I guess. Noticed that my partner who was having the lamb got exactly the same sauce with his dish. When we ordered he was told that his lamb was pink and that was how it was served, no options here.

Well it was more red than pink and I was surprised he managed to eat so much of it considering it was rare. Desserts were heaps better though. Partner had the vahlrona fondue which he said was his favouite part of the meal. I had a chocolate fondant which came out as a divine buttery shortcrust pastry filled with molten chocolate and banana. Unfortunately, not very fondanty to me, more like a tart.

Anyhow, it tasted ok, albeit a bit too sweet, especially if I hadn't had the ice cream to get me through it. The absolute though highlight came with the amazing coffee. We received a delicious selection of petit fours that disappeared instantly and I would definitely order again.
 
Was this review helpful?
 
Eddwina  -   See my reviews 4reviews, 11 September 2009
bullet Manage this Listing to respond
 

 

 

Overall             Recommended
Food 7 Ambience 9 Service 7 Value 7

 

Had our Anniversary dinner there. The atmosphere great, piano music and comfortable lighting. We ordered a quail entree which was ok and mains, we had Roast Lamb and Duck pie. Roast lamb was good but just slightly under cooked for me. The duck dish looks fantastic just that my partner did not enjoy it too much as it has liver in it. Service was abit slow, with only 4 waiting staffs.
 
Was this review helpful?
 
eat&sleep  -   See my reviews 7reviews, 01 September 2009
bullet Manage this Listing to respond
 


Displaying 1 - 10 of 130 comments
Page: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   Next


 

Galileo Details

The Observatory Hotel
89-113 Kent St
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone (02) 8248 5250

website for Galileo Website   menu for Galileo Menu   view map Map

Cuisine

French
Gluten Free, Cater to Special Diets

Chef

Masahiko Yomoda

Opening Hours

Breakfast
Mon to Fri 6:30am - 10:30am
Sat to Sun 6:30am - 11am

Dinner
Tue to Sat 6:30pm - 10pm

Serves

Breakfast
Dinner

Prices

Breakfast
Breakfast $39.00-$49.00
Full Australian $49 pp
Continental $39 pp
Children (under 12) $22.50

Dinner
Table d'Hote Menu
Includes cofee & petit fours
Set Menu
3 courses for $88.00

Degustation
8 courses
Without wine $110.00
With wine $190.00
8 Course Galileo Degustation Menu

Prices last updated:  11/2009

Bookings

Bookings Essential
Opening Hours
Tuesday to Saturday: 6:30pm-10pm
For all reservations and inquiries please contact us on:
Ph: 02 8248 5250
Email: crm@observatoryhotel.com.au

Licensed


Seats  60


Entertainment/Live Music

Live music Thursday, Friday and Saturday's.

Special Features

Business Friendly
Entertainment/ Music
Fine Dining
Good For Groups
Has Bar
Has Cafe
Private Room
Romantic & Intimate
Wheelchair Access

Specialties

Crab Mille Feuille
Crystal Bay Prawns Ravioli
Tajima wagyu sirloin marble score 9+
Chocolate fondant

Payment Types


Diners Mastercard Visa
Diners Mastercard Visa

Parking

Ample or Convenient Parking
Valet Parking

 

 
 

Featured Offers


special offer   AiR All India
Balmain
 
special offer   bel mondo
The Rocks
 
special offer   Bistro Lilly
Sydney
 
special offer   Borruso's Pizza & Pasta
Northbridge
 
special offer   Cala Luna
Mosman
 
special offer   Chedi
Newtown
 
special offer   Emperor's Choice
Sydney
 
special offer   Flying Fish
Pyrmont
 
special offer   Mino Japanese
Mosman
 
special offer   MUMU Grill
Crows Nest
 
special offer   River Canyon
Parramatta
 
special offer   Saigon Bay
Darlinghurst
 
special offer   Sanders Waterfront
Cabarita
 
special offer   Steeds Grill
Rosehill
 
special offer   Tandoori Palace
Darlinghurst
 
special offer   Waqu
Crows Nest
 
special offer   Zaaffran
Darling Harbour
 

See All Special Offers

       
   

Home | Guides | Top 10 | Book via Booking Angel | Special Offers | Contact Us | About Us | Register | Advertise | Restaurateurs | Login



© Eatability Pty Ltd 2003-09. All Rights Reserved. Terms and Conditions ..