Opium Den

4 Below Average

Food  7      Ambience  3      Service  3      Value  3     

The food here is tasty, no denying that. But they have a bug problem! I fished a couple of little insects (I don't know what they were) out of my wine, and our group was swatting them away from the table all night. Tiny little flying insects.

The service is bad, and clumsy. They actually leaned across in front of the person sitting next to me, to grab my plate. No "excuse me". The service was fast though, I will give them that. The place looks far classier than it is, so it gets my 'wolf in sheep's clothing' award for Potts Point. I won't be back. Not even for take away.

Dec 22, 2011 

6 Average

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  1      Value  8     

I live near this place in Potts point and have been there on many occasions and everytime the wait staff are so rude! they try and rush you out the door everytime! as soon as they think I'm finished they rush over and when I have finished quickly fetch me the bill then keep a watchful eye on us to see when we are leaving, it's incredibly rude!

The food is ok for the price and it's close to where I live Which is why I still go but be warned rudeness and the feeling your part of a herd of dam cattle is to be expected!

Dec 04, 2011 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  10     

I went here for the first time on Friday night and the only thing that I can complain about, was the noise of all the people enjoying themselves. The food was absolutely amazing with explosive flavours in my mouth. I was expecting the usual good traditional thai dishes but they somehow manage to spruce them up with gorgeous flavours. I loved it so much, I'm arranging to go again this week and have arranged a pre-christmas dinner with some girls from work! Loved it!
Oh, and BYO is always a winner!

Nov 14, 2011 

5.8 Average

Food  6      Ambience  8      Service  2      Value  7     

I'd walked past this place and admired the fitout, time and again. Finally, we paid a visit, just a few evening ago. The fitout didn't disappoint. But the service did. Immensely. Sloppily-presented wait staff didn't even bother to feign interest. They were, in several cases, rude, clumsy, unprofessional, unhelpful and uncommunicative. The food is, arguably, a tad above average and the value good. Pity it all doesn't add up to the promise of the ambience though. Don't bother.

Oct 28, 2011 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  9     

Good food and really good value. Usually nice fresh ingredients especially the seafood and veg. Its pretty dark and also noisy so maybe not so good for your elderly grandparents but nice for a group or a couple. The service depends on the waitress on the day, good or bad, no in between. Wish they'd fix the tap in the mens with the mirror resting on it.

Aug 17, 2011 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  6      Value  8     

This is one of my Favourite Restaurants, the Food is great the ambience is fantastic, value is very good, it's the service that lets them down they are a little overzealous with there attention at the start, then kinda disappear later but that is probably because it is so busy.

Jul 30, 2011 

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  4      Service  1      Value  2     

I don't understand how this place is so popular. The service is down-right rude and the food is below average. We were literally hounded out of the restaurant as soon as we put out fork down. I won't be going back and would never recommend it to anyone.

May 08, 2011 

6.3 Average

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  4      Value  6     

Really good food, lovely ambience. The only problem was the service, the staff were quite rude in ordering us to move to another table to finish our wine as they tried to seat a big party, a polite ask without some weird attitude would have been fine.

Apr 01, 2011 

6.5 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  7     

If looks can be deceiving then this is one that could certainly throw you. Look through the big glass windows at the front, and big communal tables stare right back at you, with people seemingly everywhere. Step inside the "Den" however, and you'll be treated to a whole lot more.

Rooms snake all the way through to the back, and it is there in particular that you'll actually feel like you're in an opium den. Service can often be a bit hit or miss, but the food is quite impressive. I've been to this place a handful of times now, and on the whole, it is really good - without being amazing. Plenty to choose from in a rather expansive menu, and it is all pretty damn tasty.

Chicken and cashew nuts, sesame beef, five spices duck - we've had each of them a few times, and while they sometimes taste just that little bit better than other times, at about $15-17 for a main, they represent tremendous value. Throw in a few dollars for corkage, and each time, $30 sees you almost rolling out the front, having polished off a few entrees (to share) and a main each.

The rooms at the back are quirky, and would make for a great private function. And all up, despite some minor faults (service, and the oft-fluctuating taste), it represents great value, and a fun night out.

Feb 10, 2011 

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Value  1     

Very inconsistent for takeaway. We live locally, and having stopped ordering from Opium Den after a couple of bad meals in a row a year or so ago, had just started ordering from them again. A few nights ago, good curry puffs, a pretty passable pad thai, and good mixed seafood. Tonight, they must have a different chef on - both main courses were so terrible they had to go straight in the bin. Prawns in the papaya salad half-raw, and the meat in the massaman curry a very cheap cut swimming in what looked and tasted like peanut butter heavily diluted by oil (it didn't seem entirely cooked either: as if old lumps of cold cubed beef had been reheated in the curry sauce as an afterthought). This seemed to be the pattern a year or so ago: quite good food during the week, terrible food on weekends. If you're thinking of ordering on a Saturday night, run for the hills!

Feb 05, 2011