Isabella's

3.5 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  5     

Currently sitting in the restaurant, waiter just walked past me and nudged my chair. It's 540pm - the sign said there was a special "happy hour" price if u order before 6pm - $8.50 for pasta. When I asked the waiter she said that was for takeaway only and it was $10.50. Another waiter just nudged my chair.

Pasta has arrived, it's quite small. Table next to me just asked about happy hour and got the same response. Saving grace is that the flavor of my putanesca is quite good! Girlfriend ordered seafood, wasn't very fresh, overall impressed by the taste but just got hurried up by the waiter, spent about 25 minutes here and they are trying to move us along, just walked out and happy hour sign on the front didn't mention anything about takeaway, can't help but feel they are intentionally tricking customers using fake happy hour prices, definitely won't be coming back.

May 19, 2012 

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  4      Ambience  2      Service  1      Value  3     

We went to Isabella's for a friends birthday (begrudgingly). We live nearby and have noticed that this place is always packed, but we have always been sceptical. Now we know why.

When we arrived, there was no crockery, cutlery or glassware on the table, we had to ask for it all after our entree arrived (I have never come across Bruschetta with melted cheese on it before, Authentic Italain? I don't think so, more like cheese on toast). The crockery and glassware looked like it had been purchased that afternoon at the Vinnies around the corner, none of the plates matched and a lot of the glassware was chipped.

The service was appalling, we kept having to ask for more water, the main meals didn't all arrive together and they started clearing the table while people were still eating. Should have stuck with our gut feeling and avoided it altogether.

Feb 21, 2012 

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  8      Service  1      Value  1     

This is an italian restaurant with an asian chef. The food was not up to the standard of a $30 price tag per dish. The lemon sole we ordered was dry and and had a deep lemon fish taste to it instead of a light piquant sauce it was doused in melted butter and served with lemons on the side. The other dish was a rabbit ragout, with what tasted like a soy sauce, and barbeque sauce with peas and fettuccini. Tasty huh.

To add to the insult, if you order before 7pm it is half price. We ordered at the bar at 10 to 7, because no-one would serve us. When we went to pay they charged us full price. I mentioned the time I ordered and the staff said that the order was taken at 7pm and not before. I again told them that both my partner and I have seperately checked the time of order and it was definitely before 7pm. Then they told me it was a different menu.

On leaving I checked the sign on the front window it said all pasta's and all fish half price before seven....what do you think?

Jan 19, 2012 

5 Average

Food  7      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  7     

Been to Isabella's twice for dinner and a few more times for breakfast. Definitely not coming back for dinner, as price is expensive and we had the most terrible experience with seating arrangement with the staff.

However, breakfast is somehow a different story. It's definitely not as busy, and the food is good (our favorite is the salmon benedict), decent portion, and less waiting time. Service is nevertheless the same, and sometimes can even be rude. We once asked why the Goji juice tasted different than usual, and the senior staff confronted our table with such a loud voice. Apart from this, we still come back for the cheap casual breakfast.

Jan 10, 2012 

7.3 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  8     

Friendly staff and usually quick service. Go here at least weekly. Fantastic value with their happy hour in the evenings. Very good value for breakky/ lunch. Could do with a bit of work in the place though, getting a bit shabby inside and their full dinner prices are taking the pees a bit (we just avoid the post 7pm ordering as prices go from $9 to $22 for the same pasta! (You just get a table cloth extra!). All-in-all we love it here.

Jan 05, 2012 

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  10     

We only ever come here for the early bird special, $12 steaks baby! They are decent, hearty, tasty meals. Not such a great vibe and the service isn't amazing but if you're after a cheap midweek meal, this is definitely your place.

Sep 10, 2011 

7.3 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  9     

We like to go to Isabella's for Saturday brekkie. The food is good, portions are large, and the value is excellent. And there's enough variety on the menu that if you go there with a group everyone will be able to find something they like. Don't go there for truly authentic flavours, but go because it's fun and tasty. Service isn't super fast but it isn't slow either.

Aug 27, 2011 

6.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  3      Service  5      Value  10     

My local favourite and the best value breakfast I’ve come across. Most of the menu is between $8.50 and $10 and the list seems to go on forever. My pick would be the Breakfast Tortilla (note: It’s not actually a Tortilla, it’s Turkish bread, but hey it still does the trick!). Coriander is one of those things you either love or hate with a passion – for me avocado, tomato salsa and coriander is a mix made in heaven; and top that with poached eggs and cheese you’ve pretty much got me covered every Saturday morning. The juices here are as fresh as you can get and it’s a nice venue to soak up the morning sun if you’re outside.

Read more on my blog

Aug 09, 2011 

5.3 Average

Food  8      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  7     

If you require reasonable service do Not go to this restaurant. The place is run by amateurs who have no idea and that includes the senior staff! Only the chef is worthy of any praise as the food is quite good. Happy hour before 7 pm is the best time to go. Great pastas and pizzas for just $8.50 (July 2011).

Been there a few times and here are just some of our unfortunate experiences:
ordering a roast meal with mash (as per menu) and getting chips instead without first asking if chips were acceptable (as early as 7 pm). Waiting over 1 hour to be served (but not often), telling us that we were wrong to eat the roast dish with the chips instead of mash when we had complained to staff already and the manager was out buying something (but not potatoes).

Pizzas running out before 7 pm (unbelievable), after telling us pizzas had run out, forgetting to come back to take the alternative order, charging us for the pizza that was not available, charging for various items that were not ordered,
charging corkage for more people that were on the table, coming around 3 separate times with meals that were not ours.

Serving food without bringing cutlery, forgetting to bring water to the table and subsequently failing to refill when it was empty. Ordering a plain pizza without garnishes and then getting them anyway. Having to ask for Parmesan cheese with pasta instead of being offered the Parmesan instead.

It is BYO and they charge $2.50 p/p corkage but they have never opened a bottle or poured any wine into a glass (why am I paying for BYO?). Despite the fact we have been there on many occasions the senior staff never greets or acknowledges us or has even bothered to find out our names, different waiters every time we go there.

Despite all of the above the food is good and cheap during happy hour but that is the Only reason we go back there. You have to accept that the service is as bad as you can get. You could say cheap but definitely not cheerful!

Jul 22, 2011 

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  3      Service  3      Value  1     

Was not impressed. Definitely not "italian" not even a hint of it. Ordered the paella and got boiled rice with seafood cooked in a rose sauce. I'm a chef and know what its supposed to be, what a rip off. If your going to put something on the menu perhaps research it and at least try to do it properly. Not a good idea taking people for fools. I'm new to the area and eat out most nights. This is one place I won't be coming back to.

Jun 13, 2011