Lowenbrau

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  9     

Thank you for a wonderful evening! Even though it was market nite and chaotic the staff maintained a thoroughly professional and friendly demeanor. Fantastic food! Loved it! Band would have been too loud if we had been seated inside.

Nov 19, 2008 

1.5 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

This used to be a favourite restaurant of mine. I was really looking forward to going there again for a friend's bucks party on Saturday. We booked well in advance with a set menu for a bucks party. We also paid a deposit. So the management knew it was for a bucks party and they were more than happy to accept our deposit for the "Bucks Party" set menu they offered us.

When we arrived on-time for our booking, our entire group were made to stand in a line-up against the wall of the building on the opposite side of the laneway. It was an embarrassing feeling as the security guards held us there for several minutes, at first advising us that our table was not ready, then advising us that we were not allowed to have dinner at the restaurant.

Our group organiser requested to speak with the manager, who also advised us of his decision to not allow us to proceed with our booking. The reason: "because you are a bucks party". Fortunately the manager agreed to change his decision, based on the fact that they had already accepted a reasonable deposit for our dinner, however, he directed the security guards and restaurant staff to allow only one drink per person, and once the dinner was served, to harass us to leave immediately.

One of our parties arrived just after our booking time, and was refused entry to the restaurant on the basis that he was with our party. After several requests to let him enter the premises for dinner, two security guards intimidated him as they escorted him to our table.

The three courses were served in a hastily fashion and dumped on the table. The atmosphere was not welcoming at all. The service was incredibly rude (I've never experienced service this terrible before), and before everyone in the party had finished their meals, the security staff began harassing us to leave the table, and the restaurant.’

We had no time to sit and enjoy the ordinary meal we've just been forced to stuff into ourselves, nor time to enjoy finishing our only drink. Security staff harassed us until we moved from our table, and then tried to force us from the restaurant, telling us that we were not allowed to finish our drinks. We were not allowed to move to another part of the restaurant, and we weren't even allowed to use the rest rooms without a security guard escort.

Very embarrassing, and even more disappointing that this used to be a happy venue for groups to go, be merry, have fun, and not feel harassed and intimidated by security staff, and treated like dirt by rude service staff. I won't be going back.

Nov 03, 2008 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Apprehensive I was at having two group events there in October, one of which I organised, there was nothing to fear. It's a Sydney institution. If you want quiet dinner conversation, soft music and delicate presentation of food and wine, this isn't the place for you tonight, but for us it was a hall of happy people having a great time with some talented musicians serving up set after set of humorous and toe-tapping hand-clapping music and a few interactive stunts.

Food was pretty good for what it was and service was attentive and friendly. Not into it? Order a litre mug of dunkel dark, $20 but it saves you two more trips to the bar.

Nov 02, 2008 

8 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  9     

They are very busy, so the food is a bit like out of an industrial canteen. But I still like to eat the stuff sometimes. Stay away from the large meat platter, because it contains far too much meat (sausages, steak, chicken schnitzel, pork all on the same plate). On the other hand, the pork knuckle is absolutely delicious (with sauerkraut). The spazle are very good too! The entertainment they offer is hilarious. Absolutely fantastic and a great place to go with friends.

Oct 09, 2008 

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  5      Service  3      Value  1     

Went to Lowenbrau for company evening on a Friday for Oktoberfest. Terrible. Felt totally harassed and insulted. Food was poor value. Getting a drink was impossible with lines of up to 40 minutes. Waitress complained we were making toasts. Bouncers everywhere. When we complain to manager, he turns up and ignores us. Then bar won't serve anyone in the group - waitress was crazy and had told bar to cut us off at 9pm.

Then bouncers surround us and start being aggressive. We ask for bill and say we are insulted and leaving. Pay bill, then waitress looses credit card, gives us someone else’s card. We complain again. Bouncers indicate waitress is a known problem and to take it up with management. We indicate we've tried that.

Eventually get card back but whole company staff now upset. We leave and go someone else. Avoid this place like plague. It’s a rip-off, a joke and is worse than Sydney customs officials.

Oct 05, 2008 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  8     

I went there for a birthday on a Saturday night. Great atmosphere and great food, service could do with a little more streamlining but extremely courteous staff nonetheless. Agree with the music: can get somewhat loud especially if you are seated close to the stage but if you come, you come here for the entertainment factor (good food and good beer help too). Great value with discounts and specials but somewhat heavy on the wallet otherwise. Would recommend the pork knuckle or giant schnitzel with a dunkel or mango beer!

Aug 23, 2008 

7 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  6     

We enjoyed the food at Lowenbrau very much, especially the cheese grill! We ordered the meat platter which gave us an assortment of various german meat. We also ordered some lovely Mango Beer which went down very well with the main dish. The ambience is nice, possibly a little too noisy at times but overall a happy atmosphere. The service wasn't too bad either, however, potential customers be wary this restaurant is a little pricey, as one would probably expect due to its location.

Aug 06, 2008 

5 Average

Food  5      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  2     

Why is it always packed? We went yesterday with a group of 20 booked upstairs where the oompah band plays. First we had to choose 1 week ahead from the set menu which is extreme expensive for what you get and had to pay half of it straight away. I don't like their policy.

To the food: The 'brezeln' are always good but the main dish was almost cold, and that while everybody gets the same dish. 2 vegetarian options available. I had the Dumpling with mushroom sauce. That was so poor that I took one bite and left the rest on the plate.

My husband had the pork knuckle, I tried a small piece of the meat and I was surprised how tender and delicious that was but the mashed potato and sauerkraut were cold. If you sit downstairs and are allowed to choose from the menu than you have a bigger choice and probably get hot food. The beer is always good, still quite pricey.

The band was not too bad, for my actually hating that kind, just too loud. Still with screaming you could not understand the person next to you. Two third of our group left before dessert because of the noise.The Ueberbar is nice though, great atmosphere. So if you really want to eat there....never book upstairs!

Aug 02, 2008 

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  7     

Wonderful atmosphere (as long as you know what to expect), reminiscent of a beer hall. Long wooden tables, and lots of schnapps and steins of beer. Food is hearty German fare, generally washed down by litres of the fine beer. Friendly service with a live band playing German folk music. Fun competitions, like nail hammering, and beer skulling, and a generally rowdy and jovial atmosphere.

Jul 17, 2008 

4.8 Average

Food  6      Ambience  4      Service  5      Value  4     

I haven't actually gone when I've had the chance to enjoy the promising beer menu, which could conceivably have pushed everything up a few points. Without the aid of alcohol, the food is unimpressive, especially at the price, and the ambience is pretty terrible. Oompah-pah band, horribly cramped benches...I was hoarse by the end of the evening trying to have a conversation with the person who was forcibly pressed up against me!

Jul 12, 2008