Nineteen By The Bay

1.8 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  1      Service  2      Value  1     

My partner and I purchased a living social voucher to have dinner here. We went the other night and it was so bad it was almost like being in an episode of Faulty Towers!

When we arrived, we stood around awkwardly for 10 minutes until we finally even saw a waitress who could show us to our table! (unlike other reviewers, I am not a princess and expect to be carried everywhere, however, we did make a booking and reserve a table).

We were given the menu for the offer we were using and it did not match what the offer said was involved. We ordered our food but were offered no drinks for another 20 minutes. Drinks came out ok, but entree took around 45 minutes. Enough time for us to notice the poor job they had done at trying to make the area look 5 star, (being in the same room as the poker machines with tables dressed up like a cheap wedding.....)

After entree, we waited until 9pm for our mains (we had been there since 6:30) which arrived at 9:10 (5 minutes before we had decided we could patiently hold out before leaving). In the meantime, we were brought a plate of bread with oil and vinegar, which we assumed was a gesture to make up for the extremely slow service. Half way through eating the bread, waitress returned to our table to say they had accidentally delivered that to our table instead of someone else's. As we had already eaten half of it, she just sort of awkwardly said, umm, ummm..I guess you can just keep it and walked away.

Both waitresses were young and seemed to have no idea what was going on (when they were actually around). We decided not to stay for dessert, as we had already been enduring this for 2 and a half hours. It wasn't busy (only 5 other couples) so that can not be an excuse.

Also did not really enjoy the sound of the kitchen staff yelling at the waitresses from the kitchen very audibly and putting them down! Seriously woeful experience!

Feb 20, 2012 

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  3      Service  3      Value  1     

This was the worst dining experience I have ever had. The food was awful and extremely overpriced. The lobster was only half a lobster and the surf and turf should have been called surf and tuff it was dreadful. The kitchen staffs (if that is what they were) were all wearing jeans and tee shirts and working out of a bistro. It was supposed to be a special valentines night dinner.

I was so embarrassed so did not make a fuss, my partner was with me. I phoned yesterday and left a message for someone to call me back, however, am still waiting. My comment: don't go, book somewhere else but certainly not Nineteen by the Bay.

Feb 14, 2012 

7 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  8      Value  6     

My son and I went on a Sunday evening and regretted it. The garlic pizza starter was overcooked and dry. We waited 1-1/2 hours for our mains, which never arrived. At that point we got up and left.

Addendum: We re-visited Nineteen by the Bay two months later at the invitation of the chef, Domenic. He has apparently gotten over his teething difficulties. We started with a tasty pizza. I had the grilled barramundi, which was excellent and a very ample portion. This was followed by a high standard coffee and an unusually good gelato.

Service was cheerful and attentive, it seems that there has been a welcome turnover in wait staff. Overall, we were very satisfied with our experience and this makes amends for the earlier faux pas.

Jul 30, 2011 

4.3 Below Average

Food  7      Ambience  4      Service  1      Value  5     

My boyfriend and I went here on a Saturday night to use a voucher. Thank goodness it was a cheap meal - we certainly wouldn't want to have paid full price!! The experience didn't start off well, with the waiter not even knowing where our table was (in the tiny area)!

We then waited 45 minutes for our entree (a delicious bruschetta pizza), however two waitresses did come over and apologise for the wait.

It took another half an hour to get our mains, which were okay. My boyfriend chose a fettuccine pesto dish that tasted awful - way too much pesto. My gnocchi, however, was lovely. And we waited another half an hour for a small dessert platter to be brought out.

Throughout the meal we watched the waiter/waitresses in amusement, as no one seemed to know what was going on. Some tables were offered water, some weren't. We had to go up to the bar and get our own. All in all I certainly won't be going back!

Apr 04, 2011 

7.3 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  8     

Both entree and main dishes are above average and with huge serve size. The seafood was fresh well delivered. Did not find the same issue with being too close to pokie machines (perhaps, it was too quiet on a sat evening?). The dessert sampler was a low point of the evening. Great value for money.

Mar 29, 2011 

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  5      Service  9      Value  9     

The restaurant is set in a club so you do know the limitations that come with that. Bad music and poker machine area in the background.
The food though - pretty good combined with a nice view over the bay overcomes some of the "club" issue.

We both had seafood and the serves were very, very generous. My partner had a seafood linguine that had heaps of scampi, prawns & mussels - he was impressed. I had Red emperor fish with a butter sauce that was very good - much lighter than I had feared and served with a nice selection of vegetables that worked well with the fish.We were both more than happy with our meals and will try out some of the other dishes.

The wine list was reasonably extensive with a good selection of Australian & NZ wines at very, very reasonable prices. Overall - good local food with good service.

Feb 24, 2011 

3.7 Below Average

Food  5      Service  2      Value  4     

The evening started with a glass of off wine. This was replaced. They seated us at the back of the restaurant by the disco floor. They didn't inform us that there was a large function going on when we booked and this was obviously the reason we had been shoved to the back near the pokies. I had a dirty fork and asked for it to be replaced and the waiter ask me "if I had used it".

Our meal then got served to a different table, after a few miutes the waiter came out and explained to the people on that table that they had been given the wrong order and took the meals back to the kitchen then did a 180 and came our table to see if we would accept them. (after having other people breath over them for five minutes)hmmmm. We declined the meals, the waiter then blamed the chef for the mistake. We decided to leave.

Feb 13, 2011 

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  8     

My partner and I had a really enjoyable lunch here. There's three menus to choose from, the 'clubhouse' board listed For Members Only (which you can order from if your not though) a lunch menu and the a la carte menu. I had the veal with artichokes from the lunch menu, my partner choosing the garlic prawns from the a la carte menu. Whilst the garlic prawns were listed as an appetiser, they were more than ample for lunch, a really nice dish. Ten good sized prawns served in a tomato sauce, with several slices of fresh bread served on the side. Prior to cooking, the chef came out and enquired how much heat we would like in the dish, which was a great touch. The veal was tasty and tender, the lemon sauce combined with the artichokes giving the dish a lovely tang. Service was professional and attentive and the winelist was more than competent. The only thing that's a bit offputting is the fact the very professionally set-up dining area cannot be screened and soundproofed a bit better from the pokies area. Didn't bother us too much though, on the strength of our lunch we've booked a table for dinner next week.

Nov 08, 2010