Hand-hy-genie

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.5 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  4      Service  3      Value  6     

Understaffed and overworked waiters struggled to provide basic service. We helped ourselves to cutlery, water and wiping down the table. Rainy weather didn't help with the ambience as poorly placed tables and chairs quickly became wet and customers had to be relocated, adding to the chaos.

Unfortunately, the food didn't have the 'yum' factor, and could have been something I made at home myself, standard fare of bacon and eggs. Coffee was fine, but had to wait for waitress to spare a minute to make it for us herself!
If looking for a special place for breakfast, great food and right on the water in Pyrmont head somewhere else a few doors down.

Jan 21, 2012

3.5 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  4      Service  3      Value  4     

For those who have had real Mexican food and are seeking the holy grail (good Mexican food in Sydney) , keep looking... This place is bustling noisy, high margin drinks and food which tastes the same regardless of which dish you order - meat rice beans cheese and bland salsa sums it up.

Jan 20, 2012

5 Average

Food  4      Drinks  7      Ambience  5      Service  4      Value  5     

Large group function of about 20 people, so were we stuck on the table on the cold balcony.

For ease of ordering in a large group, we decided to share a selection from the tapas menu. We were surprised to find raw meat and seafood arrive on our tables, to be cooked ourselves on "hotrocks". The rest of the tapas we ordered was fairly average, fried food. The cocktail menu was good, and cocktail was good.

Dec 30, 2011

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Great little place in Darlinghurst. Unique approach to Middle Eastern food, reflecting the fact this is an authentic Syrian family run restaurant. Set menu is a lot of food, we needed to take desert home with us. Could get away with a la carte. Decent wines served, and great service and ambience. Can't wait to come back to try the breakfast!

Oct 16, 2011

6 Average

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  3     

Overrated. Only one dining option including pigeon, eggs and fois gras. Need to be an adventurous eater to dine here. Matching wines were disappointing considering price and 3 hat status. We have had better wine and value at two hatted places in Sydney. Best course was the first one, surprisingly with fois gras and matching wine. It was downhill from there.

Oct 16, 2011

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.5 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  4      Service  3      Value  6     

Understaffed and overworked waiters struggled to provide basic service. We helped ourselves to cutlery, water and wiping down the table. Rainy weather didn't help with the ambience as poorly placed tables and chairs quickly became wet and customers had to be relocated, adding to the chaos.

Unfortunately, the food didn't have the 'yum' factor, and could have been something I made at home myself, standard fare of bacon and eggs. Coffee was fine, but had to wait for waitress to spare a minute to make it for us herself!
If looking for a special place for breakfast, great food and right on the water in Pyrmont head somewhere else a few doors down.

Jan 21, 2012

3.5 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  4      Service  3      Value  4     

For those who have had real Mexican food and are seeking the holy grail (good Mexican food in Sydney) , keep looking... This place is bustling noisy, high margin drinks and food which tastes the same regardless of which dish you order - meat rice beans cheese and bland salsa sums it up.

Jan 20, 2012

5 Average

Food  4      Drinks  7      Ambience  5      Service  4      Value  5     

Large group function of about 20 people, so were we stuck on the table on the cold balcony.

For ease of ordering in a large group, we decided to share a selection from the tapas menu. We were surprised to find raw meat and seafood arrive on our tables, to be cooked ourselves on "hotrocks". The rest of the tapas we ordered was fairly average, fried food. The cocktail menu was good, and cocktail was good.

Dec 30, 2011

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Great little place in Darlinghurst. Unique approach to Middle Eastern food, reflecting the fact this is an authentic Syrian family run restaurant. Set menu is a lot of food, we needed to take desert home with us. Could get away with a la carte. Decent wines served, and great service and ambience. Can't wait to come back to try the breakfast!

Oct 16, 2011

6 Average

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  3     

Overrated. Only one dining option including pigeon, eggs and fois gras. Need to be an adventurous eater to dine here. Matching wines were disappointing considering price and 3 hat status. We have had better wine and value at two hatted places in Sydney. Best course was the first one, surprisingly with fois gras and matching wine. It was downhill from there.

Oct 16, 2011

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Exceeds expectations for a small casual looking corner bar. Well deserved reputation for great vegetarian options. The dessert tasting platter definitely has the "wow" factor.

Oct 16, 2011

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  8     

Hot spot amidst King Street, with great decor that stands out from the crowd. Still possible to get a table on a Saturday night if you stake it out at 6pm.
Great share food plates, including tasty vegetarian options. Avoid the overzealous efforts of waitstaff to upsell you on more food. Plates are well sized and hearty.

Oct 16, 2011

2 Not Recommended

Quality  2      Ambience  1      Service  2      Value  3     

Poor customer service: it all starts with bad booking service (play SMS pingpong trying to book an appointment).

No consultation or introductions, no enquiry about concerns or allergies prior to treatment. No explanation of treatment itself. Most of facial done with door open to waiting room with no regard for privacy. Omission of advertised eyebrow wax 'with every facial'.

Ambience: Staff talking loudly outside, preparing lunch with microwave beeping, could even smell the food that was prepared!

Quality, Health and safety: no handwashing between leaving room and recommencing disrupted treatment, no checking of allergies or health concerns before applying treatment.

Value: group buying coupon $39 deal for three facials, but with this service and health concerns, wouldn't bother returning for rest of the deal.

Worst facial experience ever!

Sep 04, 2011

1.8 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  2      Service  3      Value  1     

Don't fall for the glossy photos of specials- it's just a ploy to get you in the door; then the 'fine print' should be another clue - you have to order two mains plus the special, which is too much food for two. Oh the food - the chilli salt n pepper lobster special tasted like cardboard; the tiny offcuts of 'Peking duck' were saturated in oil, and wrapped in dry pancakes, the san choy bow was too salty. Need I say more?

Jan 29, 2011

5.8 Average

Food  8      Ambience  5      Service  3      Value  7     

Good value (if you don't compare to prices in India) although service is a bit inattentive, make sure to ask for cutlery for take away meals.

Apr 18, 2010