Hyde Park Barracks Café

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  8     

I went here for lunch on a Tuesday and was plesantly surprised. The menu was varied and interesting and the staff attentive. What impressed me most was the chefs willingness to make me the meal I requested. I basically constructed my own dish, due to various things I don't like or can not eat. I will be back! My friend had the Peanut Butter Cheesecake for dessert which got the thumps up from her!

May 16, 2012 

8 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  7     

Went here for the Crave Sydney brunch for $25. You get 3 courses: granola with fruit and yoghurt, eggs in 3 ways, chocolate waffles with coconut ice cream. You also got a choice of a cup of tea/coffee.

I loved the ambience of the cafe. Outside sitting looked great for a relaxing time in the sun. Indoors was still very well lit with a kind of old fashioned feel to the place (hence barracks, I suppose).

The service was also great. The server explained our courses to us and was very friendly. She did almost drop a bowl of granola on my friend though, funnily enough (not funny if it did actually happen of course).

The food itself is good quality. The eggs 3 ways was very interesting and I quite enjoyed the granola/yoghurt. The waffles were a bit disappointing with nothing really special about them. Also couldn't really taste the coconut icecream. The tea/coffee was limited to only 1 cup, which was a bit sad (no refills!).

Would definitely come back though.

Oct 30, 2011 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  10      Service  8      Value  8     

A really nice place away from the hustle and bustle of the city within the barracks museum walls. It is a place where you come and relax and hear yourself think. The food is good and service efficient.

Oct 11, 2011 

6.3 Average

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  1      Value  7     

As I was recommended by one of my friend to visit this cafe, so I went with my client on monday for lunch. Firstly, we arrived at the cafe and waited at the door for around 5 minutes to be served, then they took us to the table and we again waited for approx. around 15 minutes to even get water, then the waitress came to tell us about the special of the day and while mentioning that we are waiting a while for water she still continued telling us the special, then as soon as she finish I asked her again about the water and then she got us the water.

We ordered soon after it took a while to get our food the food was very nice, me and my friend both enjoyed our meals no one took our plates and then we went to the counter to pay. It was very disappointing that the service was so bad even though there were staff chatting and laughing in the bar area, I wish the service was as good as my friend told me. I hope this review will help them to train staff.

Sep 05, 2011 

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  7     

Food was great. We shared a dips plate between us to start with baba ganoush, capsicum and beetroot with toasted Turkish bread and fried pita. The steak was apparently done perfectly and my special (salmon ravioli with prawns and calamari plus seasonal vegetables) was great. We shared a sticky date pudding plus had a few wines (good wine list with reasonable prices) and a beer.

We must have got there early as we experienced no delays as mentioned in a couple of the prior reviews. The wait staff were very friendly and accommodating. They moved us closer to the window upon request and were very friendly. The total was about $120 which I thought was reasonable.

Sep 02, 2011 

9.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  9      Value  10     

Wet rainy day, but who cares when there's a open wood fireplace, beautiful! Service was friendly and knowledgable, my friend has coelisc diesease and they knew exactly what should could eat, which was most of the menu for once! We loved it, food spectacular, dessert special was amazing, didn't want to share it, was quite busy but with food this good, I'll come back anytime!

Aug 14, 2011 

3.3 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  7      Service  2      Value  1     

It was my birthday lunch and thought it would be a nice treat to try this place with a friend. The setting of the place is lovely. Service was fine at first, nicely attentive. Order, for 2 mains, salmon and battered perch fillets was taken within 5 minutes and then the problems started.

35 minutes after ordering, no food. We both had to return to work and inquired with the waitress how much longer. We were told 5 minutes: it's still in the oven. We politely explained it had been a very long wait and we had to get back to work. The waitress said we should have alerted her if we were in a hurry and tried to shift the responsibility to us.

It's not that we were in a particular hurry; the food took ages to come!(40 minutes). She then apologised for the delay and said you have to understand the restaurant is very busy. We completely understand the logistics of business at restaurants but this place had a duty of responsibility to put the customer in the picture of delay problems when the order was placed; the customer can then decide if they have enough time.

Quality of the salmon was good but the broth it sat it (within a tagine) was sour and unpleasant. My "fish and chips" was quite reasonable (tight with the chips! Overall very disappointed having parted with $53 and the occasion's significance dissipated. I am an easy going diner but this place provided one of my worst ever dining experiences; I will never return.

Jul 29, 2011 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  9     

I had lunch here a couple of months ago with colleagues and "Let's Do Brunch" last weekend. For lunch I had fish and chips, which were recommended by a colleague and great. Everyone at the table seemed to enjoy their meals, including vegetarian (vegetable stack). Service was fine, not fabulous.

"Let's Do Brunch" included 3 courses - granola with poached fruit and yogurt, eggs 3 ways (benedict, spinach and mushroom omelette and tart with chorizo and roast tomato), and waffle with raspberries, white chocolate and vanilla gelato. The food was delicious, great value, service excellent, staff all friendly and accommodating to baby and toddler.

We arrived at 9:30 and by the time we left it was getting more crowded, staff seemed a bit harried, and tables had to wait a bit longer to get served. It took awhile for us to get our bill (had to go up and ask), but prior to that, service was some of the best I've experienced in Sydney, and we didn't mind the delay given the ambience and great meal. We'll definitely be back.

Oct 22, 2010 

9.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  10     

I came here for the Food Festival 'Let's Do Brunch' promotion and couldn't have been happier. Such a great spot, exceptional food and the service was friendly, attentive and speedy. Being right next to Hyde Park, the Domain and Botanical Gardens was also great - you definitely need to walk this brunch off.

Oct 22, 2010 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  9     

Yum yum yum! went for lunch on Monday for my hubbys birthday, and all I can say is everything was fab! The food the service and the wine! Top marks, will be back!

Aug 15, 2010