Vineyard, The

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  7     

My boyfriend and I ate here on Friday night and it was amazing! The food was delicious. I had the goats cheese and pumpkin pasta and it was honestly one of the nicest meals I've ever eaten! My boyfriend had the chicken in pancetta and he loved his too! Saved loads of money cause of BYO. Service was excellent too! We are definitely going back!

May 14, 2012 

5.5 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  5      Value  5     

Food average-especially the vegetarian! Reasonably small portions, slow service. I had the mushroom risotto and the goats cheese tortellini and wasn't impressed with either!

May 13, 2012 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

We returned to this outstanding restaurant having eaten here 2 years ago on a previous trip to Sydney. There were 6 of us in our group and we all ordered a variety of entrees, main courses and desserts. The food was outstanding, the service excellent and the entire experience and ambience was appreciated by all of us. We will certainly visit this restaurant in the future.

Apr 30, 2012 

5.8 Average

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  5      Value  2     

I should start with the positives of this experience last Friday night – the two courses we had tasted magnificent. I had the Fishermans Risotto (mussels, prawns, and calamari) and my partner the Beef Cheeks and Red Wine Tagliatelle.

The flavours were strong and delicious, leaving a definite craving for more. The Beef Cheeks were to die for. The side salad also great, with a superb dressing.

However, the rather small size for a main also was the key reason we craved for more. One dollop smaller and you would describe it as a slightly generous entre. It’s a pity that for the sake of an extra 150-200 grams of food both dishes would have been deemed a main course. Remember that is a risotto and a past dish, so 2/3rds of both would be rice or pasta, not a high cost.

Then the real problem came, we decided to share a cheese plate for one, $19, as a way to have a top up and then maybe order a fortified wine to sit up the back in the lounge area.

The cheese platter that came was shockingly small even for one person. It comprised of only 3 pieces for cheese a tiny piece of quince 5 walnuts and an eighth of an apple sliced finely and presented in a fan shape. 2 triangle wedges of cheese were only 2-3 cms at the base and 3-4 cms long, the third was 1-2cm x 6cm. The quince was barely 2x2 cm, if that.

I reconstructed it at home afterwards, not much more than 40grams of cheese, at best. I thought we were in a comedy sketch sending up big plate, small food restaurants.

We considered our position deeply on this before doing anything, we tried to take a photo but the camera phone didn’t have a flash.

It wasn’t a funny situation to be in, as it smacked of gross rip-off and an insult to common sense. I know cheese is not a low cost ingredient but I have never seen such a disproportionate discrepancy between price and result. This was on top of the small main dishes.

We decided on sending it back as simply even inadequate for one. This was the first time we have ever sent anything back.

Within a couple of minutes the manager came back with the plate, put it on the table and remonstrated with us quite loudly that we were rude to send it back and that having ordered it we should eat it. That he would be putting in on our bill in any case.

We thought further and refused to touch it on principle, but paid the bill which included the cheese, rather than have a full bore argument in a restaurant that was only about a quarter full on a Friday night. No wonder. The bill was $122 including a bottle of wine.

This place is attempting to fill a niche in a market that doesn’t exist, rich people with no appreciation of value and anorexic appetites. It was an interesting one off experiment that shall always remain a one off, as obviously we won’t go back.

I am genuinely mystified by some of the other higher value ratings.

Apr 02, 2012 

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  8     

Went to the Vineyard tonight for the first time. Had a fantastic time. Great service, very friendly, unpretentious and attentive, but not obtrusive. Food was delicious. We ordered the zucchini flowers in tempura batter, beef carpaccio, snapper and lamb shank pie.

All fantastic and decent serving sizes too. We were most satisfied! Alex the owner had some good wine recommendations and it was a nice touch to give us a complimentary glass of grappa at the end of the meal. Tiramisu was also on the dessert menu (in reference to the negative review below). We were most happy with the experience overall and will definitely be back!

Feb 03, 2012 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Second time I have been and the food was great in presentation, taste and variety, wine list was good, service was friendly. All in all, a really nice local place for a bit of a special meal without the special price tag.

Jan 11, 2012 

6 Average

Food  5      Ambience  8      Service  4      Value  7     

I've been to The Vineyard numerous times and have always enjoyed the atmosphere and the food has been ok, but the attitude from the staff this last time was enough to prevent us from going back again.

We appreciate a modern Italian cuisine, but sometimes the old traditional favourites are simply the best. When we asked if they had the tiramisu off their previous menu, which was simply divine, the waiter said that they were now 'too snobby' to range that dessert and when we told the waitress we came specifically for their tiramisu she barked at us, accusing us for not keeping up with the times and made our request seem insignificant to them.

A few times we’ve tried to go for coffee and drinks after 9pm, but they’ve refused saying they don’t accept people for dessert. This upset us before, but we tried to understand. I don’t appreciate rude service and won’t return again even though I have an invite to a party at The Vineyard next week.

Dec 04, 2011 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  8     

The modern Italian menu was a nice surprise, we were very impressed with our meals and will definitely go back to give the menu a workout! If you are looking for something a little bit different, check out the casual drinks den at the back.

Oct 29, 2011 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Food was top draw and staff were very friendly. All the courses were lovely and would definitely go back again.

Oct 22, 2011 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  8     

Love The Vineyard at Crows Nest! We've been going there regularly for the past few years, and it's never disappointed. Love the warm, friendly service and the beautiful ambience. Food is glorious (modern Italian). Desserts are to die for! Check out the back lounge area - great for functions/parties. We've been holding our regular book club there on a Sat morning for the past 4 and a half years! The breakfast on offer is very good (and reasonably priced!).

Oct 18, 2011