Quay Restaurant, Sydney

after being there for 5 hours eating 8 meaningless dishes, we had to pay a bill(which we didn't ask for, the manager just threw it on my table) that was a week salary!!! After that we had to run out looking for a kebab to fill up our stomach! In a few words: JUST RIDICULOUS.

My husband and I are real foodies and eat out at top end restaurants only. We decided to try Quay for our anniversary. The only good thing about this experience was the free parking directly at the front entrance. Now that's a bonus in the city of Sydney. The restaurant is in desperate need of a revamp. The upholstery on the cushions were worn threadbare and the other furniture is scuffed and old. Its very 1970s and shows it! Service was very average and not at all attentive, too serious on such a beautiful sunny day in a gorgeous city with a fabulous view. Food was only OK, but highly overpriced and bland in opinion. Wine list is ridiculously overpriced! We won't be back and would never recommend this place to anyone.

The view of the sydney harbour bridge and the opera house is spectacular although I could have achieved the same amazing view by walking out of the restaurant and down the stairs to the viewing platform. (There also would have been a lot more cash in my wallet at the end!) Having eaten at 3 Hat restaurants before the experience at Quay left a bitter taste in my mouth. Service was shocking and at times quite rude. At first we were rudely asked to sit at our table now! We were waiting for a member of our group who was wheelchair bound to leave. I cannot eat pork was told that it would be hard to accomodate that particular entre without the jamon. I then asked for the Wagyu to be medium- well done (I know) and then had to negotiate for medium. When my wagyu was placed in front of me I asked the waiter if it was medium, he then proceeded to take that plate away then take an already placed wagyu from one of my fellow diners and swap the meals. The meals looked the same and then the meal was taken back to the kitchen. When the wagyu arrived a while later I asked the waiter if it was the same piece of meat and he said yes. The manager arrived at my side and asked if there were any problems, he was very polite and I appreciated that he removed the wagyu from the bill. But it should not have happened in the first place. The icing on the cake was when a short black arrived in front of me and then the waitress argued with me when I told her that I had not ordered any coffee at all! Some of the meals were lovely but overall I firmly believe that meals can be tainted by poor service.

We took local advice and went to Quay on the day after Australia Day. The food quality did not disappoint. The flavours and textures were wonderful, and the combinations were outstanding. Especially enjoyed the Duck, which was crispy and had subtle hints of ginger...wonderful. Beware: A BIG criticism of Quay (and Sydney restaurants in general): nowwhere in the world have we encountered less value for the money in a fine dining restaurant as we have here. The portion sizes (at least by North American standards) are shamefully small. At Quay, the line that was actually used with a straight face: "We carefully design our menu item sizes so that it will be possible for our guests to enjoy 3 or 4 of our wonderful items". [Yeah...and go broke doing so.] Are you kidding?...give us a break. At $40+ main course prices, $20+ for salads and the tiniest $22 chocolate cake in the universe, they could at least come up with a better line than that! Add to that, an average NZ Sauvigion Blanc (it costs $11 at a wine store in the US; $21 at a local Sydney Wine Shop and $78 at Quay) and you wonder why people often describe Sydney as the city with the least value for the dining out dollar anywhere...often topping London, which is hard to do. While the service was pleasant, it was not up to the level of prices charged at Quay...maybe if tipping were a more important means of compensating service staff (and mediocre waiters weren't paid $15/hr just to show up for work and go through the motions), diners would feel better about forking out $150 per person, and would not feel ripped-off DESPITE good quality food. Overall, Quay's food quality did not disappoint...nor did the view, which is excellent. Despite all of that, however, it's still disappointing to leave having felt like one's pockets were picked. I won't say I wouldn't recommend it for the food quality and view. As for the value? Very bottom of the list. A shame.

all i can say is extremely over priced!! boo! never again! lower prices are a must! if they were to lower the prices, then they would deffinetly attract more customers. the food was good, I'll give them that. but it cost you an arm and a leg to pay the bill.

this food was awful. To expensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go lower and i'll bring my people.me not like price. me not like price. me not like price. me not like price.

everything was perfect. the service was top-notch, the food was the best i've ever eaten. and the views are amazing. will definitely go back again