offroad

6.3 Average

Food  6      Ambience  9      Service  5      Value  5     

This is a beautiful restaurant for a special occasion and a nice dining experience, especially for 'commoners' like me who would not normally have this place on the radar and better still when it's a business 'shout'.

Definitely a place where people come to be seen rather than dine. Fortunately my back was to the Eastern Suburbs faux 'socialites' and the view out to the vegie garden was far more appealing.

The 'Collective Menu' made our 9 person group easy to cater for with all choices covered. Of the 12 small dishes the olives, lamb and rhubarb eclair were the stand outs. We did not go hungry and we were supplied with our left overs for take home and my Jack Russell agreed on the lamb as well!

The service was Ok but the over the top 'flamboyant' waiter was overkill for me and he was trained as a parrot to answer everything, but know nothing. The wine list was as boutique as you could expect with many local choices and of course prices to match.

Would I go again? Yes, if someone else was paying, but No if it was my money, there are better and more 'comfortable' establishments elsewhere.

May 31, 2012

6 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  5     

I was a little curious why my hosts chose BBQ King for our pre-dinner show night, then again we were on a historical 'trip' that night to see 'Queen'. I doubt the only thing that's changed at BBQ King in 30 years or so is the prices. If you have a penchant for 70's Chinese cuisine and decor then don't miss this place !

Our group skipped the banquet and ordered an assortment of dishes starting with Peking Duck Pancakes and they were pretty good, the rest was a little so-so but you won't go hungry with the portion sizes. The Choy Sum particularly good and they appear to do good vegetables all round. The salt and pepper squid turned out to be calamari rings straight out of the freezer bag and have to say I've had better at the RSL club ?

There did appear some mis-communication as a few dishes arrived unannounced and a couple of ours went astray, but that's probably part of the game, as remember this is 1970's 'Chinese'. I can't complain about the service though, they guys were fast and attentive or maybe Freddie Mercury's entourage had this table booked next and they wanted us out !

The decor is very dated but that is half the attraction here, luckily Sydney has moved on to far better Asian dining experiences, but BBQ King holds it's own - more so by it's location and by the steady stream of patrons through the door, it will probably be here in another 30 years long after I've left the planet !

Oct 30, 2011

4.8 Average

Food  5      Ambience  7      Service  5      Value  2     

We dropped into this pub a year ago and it was pricey and average then, we gave it another shot over the weekend and nothing has changed. Not a single meal on the menu was under $20 and the drinks were even higher than last time.

Yea, it's got a view and that's obviously what you're paying for but if you got guests from OS it's a nice treat. If it's windy beware as the place is exposed and not a lot of indoor seating.

Staff were young and pretty robotic and could do with a personality injection. Nice ambience but better value elsewhere, just ask the locals, none here by the looks...?

Dec 19, 2010

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  7     

This is a quirky Euro/Japanese restaurant with some really 'out there' dishes that would appeal to the diners who are not fond of raw fish and hard core Japanese food. We dined in the first week they were open so they were still 'feeling their feet' and our crowd of die-hard 'sushi-philes' thought it was pretty good. There are some real twists of ingredients and if you're keen to explore the not so big menu, then the food here will surprise.

The decor is a little 'quirky' too but it funnily matches the food and the Japanese born waiter was a surprise amongst the Korean/Chinese run Japanese restaurants.
Once word gets out this place might become a goer in the dreary Cronulla 'food scape', it certainly stands out on it's own and I would recommend a try.

Nov 11, 2009

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  2      Service  6      Value  2     

The management of this hotel group should be ashamed of this 'restaurant' to use the term loosely. Let's start with the tired drab old decor, with floors so scratched from chair movements, there are black 'holes' everywhere. Times are tough, but I have seen better furniture in St Vinnies and better decor in an airport waiting area!

Forget the view over Botany Bay, the windows are so filthy and salt encrusted, it looks like fog over San Francisco. They looked like they have not been cleaned in years and they knew it too. The food gets a canning next and the lunch menu looked straight out of an RSL club, a triple decker club sandwich masquerading as a toasted sandwich cost $22! The tandoori chicken dish came with half a litre of yoghurt on top and 4, yes, 4 pieces of tired dried lettuce leaves and I have seen better looking caesar salads at Red Rooster.

Expect to pay double or triple the price for any liquor purchase, $45 for a NZ Sav Blanc that costs $15 in the bottle shop downstairs is outrageous and criminal!
Fortunately, the young wait staff were attentive and courteous, but the senior staff needs some grooming skills and how to tie a tie and I thought this was a four star hotel?

Avoid this place like the plague it's dreadful and dine elsewhere in any of the cafes or restaurants in nearby Bay Street, where I am sure you will have a better experience. (Sadly I could not convey my experience first hand to the senior staff seeing as I was a guest of other people, so the hotel gets their bagging here).

Nov 04, 2009

6.3 Average

Food  6      Ambience  9      Service  5      Value  5     

This is a beautiful restaurant for a special occasion and a nice dining experience, especially for 'commoners' like me who would not normally have this place on the radar and better still when it's a business 'shout'.

Definitely a place where people come to be seen rather than dine. Fortunately my back was to the Eastern Suburbs faux 'socialites' and the view out to the vegie garden was far more appealing.

The 'Collective Menu' made our 9 person group easy to cater for with all choices covered. Of the 12 small dishes the olives, lamb and rhubarb eclair were the stand outs. We did not go hungry and we were supplied with our left overs for take home and my Jack Russell agreed on the lamb as well!

The service was Ok but the over the top 'flamboyant' waiter was overkill for me and he was trained as a parrot to answer everything, but know nothing. The wine list was as boutique as you could expect with many local choices and of course prices to match.

Would I go again? Yes, if someone else was paying, but No if it was my money, there are better and more 'comfortable' establishments elsewhere.

May 31, 2012

6 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  5     

I was a little curious why my hosts chose BBQ King for our pre-dinner show night, then again we were on a historical 'trip' that night to see 'Queen'. I doubt the only thing that's changed at BBQ King in 30 years or so is the prices. If you have a penchant for 70's Chinese cuisine and decor then don't miss this place !

Our group skipped the banquet and ordered an assortment of dishes starting with Peking Duck Pancakes and they were pretty good, the rest was a little so-so but you won't go hungry with the portion sizes. The Choy Sum particularly good and they appear to do good vegetables all round. The salt and pepper squid turned out to be calamari rings straight out of the freezer bag and have to say I've had better at the RSL club ?

There did appear some mis-communication as a few dishes arrived unannounced and a couple of ours went astray, but that's probably part of the game, as remember this is 1970's 'Chinese'. I can't complain about the service though, they guys were fast and attentive or maybe Freddie Mercury's entourage had this table booked next and they wanted us out !

The decor is very dated but that is half the attraction here, luckily Sydney has moved on to far better Asian dining experiences, but BBQ King holds it's own - more so by it's location and by the steady stream of patrons through the door, it will probably be here in another 30 years long after I've left the planet !

Oct 30, 2011

4.8 Average

Food  5      Ambience  7      Service  5      Value  2     

We dropped into this pub a year ago and it was pricey and average then, we gave it another shot over the weekend and nothing has changed. Not a single meal on the menu was under $20 and the drinks were even higher than last time.

Yea, it's got a view and that's obviously what you're paying for but if you got guests from OS it's a nice treat. If it's windy beware as the place is exposed and not a lot of indoor seating.

Staff were young and pretty robotic and could do with a personality injection. Nice ambience but better value elsewhere, just ask the locals, none here by the looks...?

Dec 19, 2010

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  7     

This is a quirky Euro/Japanese restaurant with some really 'out there' dishes that would appeal to the diners who are not fond of raw fish and hard core Japanese food. We dined in the first week they were open so they were still 'feeling their feet' and our crowd of die-hard 'sushi-philes' thought it was pretty good. There are some real twists of ingredients and if you're keen to explore the not so big menu, then the food here will surprise.

The decor is a little 'quirky' too but it funnily matches the food and the Japanese born waiter was a surprise amongst the Korean/Chinese run Japanese restaurants.
Once word gets out this place might become a goer in the dreary Cronulla 'food scape', it certainly stands out on it's own and I would recommend a try.

Nov 11, 2009

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  2      Service  6      Value  2     

The management of this hotel group should be ashamed of this 'restaurant' to use the term loosely. Let's start with the tired drab old decor, with floors so scratched from chair movements, there are black 'holes' everywhere. Times are tough, but I have seen better furniture in St Vinnies and better decor in an airport waiting area!

Forget the view over Botany Bay, the windows are so filthy and salt encrusted, it looks like fog over San Francisco. They looked like they have not been cleaned in years and they knew it too. The food gets a canning next and the lunch menu looked straight out of an RSL club, a triple decker club sandwich masquerading as a toasted sandwich cost $22! The tandoori chicken dish came with half a litre of yoghurt on top and 4, yes, 4 pieces of tired dried lettuce leaves and I have seen better looking caesar salads at Red Rooster.

Expect to pay double or triple the price for any liquor purchase, $45 for a NZ Sav Blanc that costs $15 in the bottle shop downstairs is outrageous and criminal!
Fortunately, the young wait staff were attentive and courteous, but the senior staff needs some grooming skills and how to tie a tie and I thought this was a four star hotel?

Avoid this place like the plague it's dreadful and dine elsewhere in any of the cafes or restaurants in nearby Bay Street, where I am sure you will have a better experience. (Sadly I could not convey my experience first hand to the senior staff seeing as I was a guest of other people, so the hotel gets their bagging here).

Nov 04, 2009

7.3 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  6      Value  8     

I dined here with 7 friends moreso for convenience after doing BridgeClimb than anything else. Ambience and value was atop my agenda seeing as I was paying and Ventuno fitted the bill well.

Menu was quite comprehensive but nothing stood out, we choose the large shared entree plater which filled us quite well and four mixed pizza's and all was good. The wine list was mostly Italian and difficult to choose if unfamiliar, but the waiters recommendation worked for us, a couple of Aussie beers on the drinks list wouldn't go amiss.

Service was slow to start but picked up noticeably after a 'nudge', the nearby theatre gives those patrons some preference and that's understandable, so built that into your plans. A better venue for lunch rather than dinner with such a good outlook without a premium price, worth trying as a casual dine.

Oct 25, 2009

5.3 Average

Food  7      Ambience  5      Service  5      Value  4     

I had to work backwards here, $85 for bruschetta, rocket salad and 2 pizza's is rich. You could eat for half that in any Italian town with gelato and coffee thrown in.

The pizza is fairly authentic with some good taste twists and the ingredients were up to scratch. Our young Italian waiter had too much arrogance for me and maybe could do with a dose of Australian hospitality skills. The floorplan is pretty tight so be prepared for a 'sardine' tin experience. When the place gets busy it's noisy and loud.

Go for the food not the 'dining' experience or get take-away and sit in the park with a bottle of wine. Better value and hospitality elswhere.

Aug 22, 2009

6 Average

Food  6      Ambience  5      Service  5      Value  8     

You go here for the quantity, not the quality, but it's an interesting place, always busy and the food is eatable and affordable. A plate of pasta will easily feed 4 people so be warned! The food is delivered hot and that's a big plus too.

Pizza was average and I agree with a previous reviewer, it was burnt and oily (?) but they were walking out the door as takeaways and home delivery. You won't find better value for money, so try it when you're starving hungry and bring the Footy team! BYO wine and cash only.

Jun 06, 2009

6.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  6     

When you can pack out your restaurant on a Monday night you must be doing something right but I'm not sure what that is here? Firstly take a flashlight to read the menu, it's pretty dark inside, but that might be to hide the tired decor.

You won't go away feeling hungry though, the servings are large, so bear that in mind if you want to try a few dishes. Skip the breads and stick with the pizza and pasta, but don't overlook the blackboard (if you can see it) where the surprises hide and most looked interesting... "where's that flashlight"?

I'll agree with an earlier reviewer about the pizza base, firm and crispy and baked just right. Gourmet selection had interesting combinations, but all ours lacked flavour, maybe a few more cracks will find the right ones.

Service, well the young floor staff would have preferred to be home in front of Facebook than working in the family business, competent but no personality, I didn't feel welcomed. Value - at $40/head for 2.5 courses and $6/bottle corkage you'll find better value elsewhere.

May 11, 2009

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  7     

Mid week is the time to go when the 'mayhem' dies down, the food gets better and the service excels and you don't have to shout at your guests. Pretty much text book Thai, nothing outstanding just all round good and food well presented.
Comfortable surroundings, just stay off the benches if you're an 'oldy' like me. Been back twice and will keep returning, pretty good value when you BYO.

Apr 29, 2009