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Quay Restaurant

Quay Restaurant

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+61 2 9251 5600+ Add websiteWrite a Review
Hours
Sun
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm6:00 pm - 8:45 pm
Wed
6:00 pm - 8:45 pm
Thu
6:00 pm - 8:45 pm
Fri
6:00 pm - 8:45 pm
Sat
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm6:00 pm - 8:45 pm
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What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Can a gluten free person get a good meal at this restaurant?
PRICE RANGE
$211.00 – $277.00
CUISINES
International, Contemporary, Fusion, Australian
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, After-hours
FEATURES
Reservations, Private Dining, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles2,089 reviews
Excellent
1,269
Very good
377
Average
250
Poor
113
Terrible
80

Sonya & Harry
Aspendale61 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 none
Booked here 3 months in advance, excited to sit at Quay, overlooking beautiful Sydney Harbour while eating outstanding food & wine. We’ve had degustation a few times including the worlds number 1; Mirazur. We are aware they come with small portions which are pieces of art on a plate created by artisan, talented chefs making food look and taste amazing. Accompanied by outstanding wines chosen to harmonize with the foods flavour, both complimenting each other. Can I say here the food was wonderful, loved the way they could showcase seafood in a way I never felt possible. The duck course and dessert were also outstanding. The views of Sydney Harbour, Harbour Bridge, city & Opera House were the best id seen. We had been given a perfectly positioned table in the tower. I was surprised there were no table cloths, no vegetables to be seen. No artwork in the form of a side. No bread. No centrpieces, no coasters. Our waiter was at times hard to understand & often appeared rushed. Our sommelier seemed more engaged. We wondered why our wines were poured at least 10 minutes before our food course arrived, it was hard to sit & stare at it without tasting. I knew if I started drinking it it could easily be gone before the food came!! There was a disappointment in the evening. Our waiter advised we would recieve a complementary course: the sourdough crumpet, he explained that it wont come with wine pairing but they recommend a champagne to which we ordered. The glass with 3 mouthfuls came and was later charged at $35 each which didnt include the $14 surcharge. I was a little angry it was an obvious attempt at upselling. Embarrassing in a restaurant that charges such incredibly high prices. Our experience at other degustation restaurants like Mirazur, the Cube, Provenance came with added extras which were complimentary and proved to make us feel like we’d truly been given added value. Overall we did love the dining experience at Quay. My advice would be to gladly accept the ‘complimentary’ course but dont bother ordering the champagne pair, it wasnt worth anywhere near the $70.
Written 6 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Aimee L
Sydney12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2020 none
My friends and I visited Quay in late July and were so happy with the experience. We had made our booking approximately six months before we went and due to that, there was a discrepancy in numbers. We called them a few weeks before to add a person to the booking and they accommodated us excellently. They also upgraded us to a private room which made the experience even more magical as the private room has a stunning view of the Harbour. That night the service was top notch as was the food. We had a member of our party who is lactose intolerant and they gave her a special menu and her meals were just as delicious as everyone elses. We also had the wine pairing to go along with the courses and they went together perfectly. On the night they found out that one of our party had recently celebrated his birthday and with short notice, they provided an extra course and Champagne. The Champagne was added onto the bill of course but it was a very nice touch to be offered. All that being said, you do need to keep track of how many drinks you're having as it all adds up and the night can be a quite expensive one. The courses are also small, however, due to the amount of them, you will feel full at the end. I do recommend going to Quay, just be aware that it will be a pricey evening and depending on your occupation you may need to save up to afford it.
Written 28 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Warren B
Sydney264 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 none
This is our first visit back to Quay since Peter Gilmore opened at Bennelong and changed the menu at the original venue. The first thing to say is that the demise of the snow cone hasn't diminished the quality of the desserts. Both the white coral and the moo (a chocolate dairy based dessert, served to look like a cow's hide) were superb. The second thing to say is that the rest of the dishes are also still superb. The masterly combination of texture, flavour and appearance are still there and there was nothing that we left thinking, 'well, that was nice but not as good as the rest'. Well, perhaps the first course, where my wife isn't all that fussed on sashimi style seafood. It wasn't to her taste, though she still enjoyed it. I loved it and the presentation - in a bowl that looks like a rock pool so you get the appearance of a rock pool at the seaside - is brilliant. If you don't want to do the full on wine matching, ask the sommelier for recommendations. I was totally happy with the white and the red he recommended - especially the Heathcote Syrah, which not only went with the main course, but the hint of chocolate picked up the 'moo' beautifully as well. Have to mention the staff who were not only thoroughly professional and informative, but friendly. When I first dined at Quay many years ago I think some of the staff thought that it was our privilege to be there, but the current crew are the exact opposite and made us feel very welcome. They helped us enjoy the evening even more. Will be back again!
Written 3 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ANPTV
Warriewood12 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2020 couples
After years of procrastination and bad timing, we finally made the visit to Quay. We had the 6 course tasting menu (The only option and $240 pp) with premium matching wines ($190 pp). This came at a cost of $860 for the both of us. To begin, let me say that we have experienced some of the worlds greatest restaurants and some of Sydney’s best degustation menus. Momofuku Seiobo, Bridge Room, Tetsuyas, Aria and Altitude to name a few. Sadly, In my opinion, Quay is just not up to scratch. I have no idea whether they ever were or it’s simply a by-product of the return from Covid-19 restrictions. Peter Gilmore’s reputation precedes him so I am gutted to have to review so badly. Firstly, the price is simply nothing short of extremely poor value for what is presented in terms of food and wine quality. If I’d paid less than half of this, I’d still be reviewing the experience the same. We left the restaurant still hungry and felt completely underwhelmed. The food lacked inspiration and not one of the dishes had any form of wow factor. portions were tiny and some of them were borderline comical in terms of what was on offer. The premium wine was sub standard for that kind of price so I’d hate to imagine what was on offer on the lesser value list. On a positive note, the staff were very pleasant and attentive, although I felt a little silly receiving such a lengthy explanation of each dish given its tiny portion size and lack of depth. It’s a given that there is a premium added for the outstanding location and view but unfortunately, there is no justification for the $900 charge for what we were served. To add insult to injury, we were charged a fee for paying with a debit card. I gain no pleasure from reviewing such a prestigious restaurant so poorly but wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I’d left this all unsaid. One can only hope that the current Pandemic situation has limited the ability to hire decent chefs and things may change moving forward.
Written 19 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael
5 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2020 couples
My partner and I came here for our three year anniversary, we were disappointed with the experience. To begin with we arrived at 8:10 for a 8:15 booking, we were taken to the bar to wait for our table. We waited 30 minutes at the bar before being taken to our seats, then another 15 minutes to get a menu after asking for one. We chose the 8 course tasting menu, by 10:30 we were only 3 dishes in and starving. The food was mainly purée, the last 3 dishes were extremely rich and heavy and left us feeling a bit ill. Our dinner concluded at 11:30. I must say this is a great location but the timing was poor and could be drastically improved if there was more solid food across the tasting menu.
Written 11 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
adrianabfink
Good afternoon, We are very sorry to hear you were disappointed with your dining experience at Quay. We take all feedback seriously, and our Restaurant Manager would very much like to look into this further, and get in touch personally to offer some resolve. Could you kindly provide your name, contact details and date of booking to sharon@quay.com.au? Kind regards, Adriana
Written 14 July 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lara M
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2021 friends
Hello, I’ve been at this restaurant for my friend bday. I told to the waitress I don’t eat red meat, but instead of giving me sea food they just gave me vegetables, It was the worst experience in my whole life, everyone was telling me this is one of the best restaurants in Sydney and I’m really disappointed, all the meals I had were terrible , I just ate the bread in the beginning but they still charged me 180$ even though I spoke with the manager before I finished the plates. I hated everything and I didn’t want nothing more and she forced me to finish the meals and everything was terrible so I paid all this money for having the worst food in my life, I will post on my Instagram that this was the worst restaurant I’ve been to in Syd. everything was terrible, and the waitress was very rude with me as well , worst food and worst service, I’ve paid more then 200$ just for a view, congratulations
Written 14 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RichardWCT
Sydney491 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 none
Our family group of 6 adults celebrated a milestone birthday lunch at the Quay Restaurant on 22nd December 2019. Over 4 hours we grazed through the 10 course menu with matching wines, which became 13 dishes after the non menu listed amuse bouche & palate cleanser & petite fours. We never felt rushed with the table service attentive without being pompous. The sommelier lady was very professional & informative & certainly showed her passion & knowledge for wines of the World. Being in the wine trade myself this was a bonus. Quay under the direction of Peter Gilmore thoroughly deserves the top rating of 3 chef's hats (toques) ... akin to 3 Michelin stars, hence 'the best restaurant in Sydney'. The only possible downside is that the view across the water to the Opera House can be blocked out by cruise ships which daily dock at the passenger terminal. Whilst Quay is expensive the fare is exceptional & the service top draw ... so its perfect for a special occasion.
Written 13 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Fabinikki
Düsseldorf28 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 none
While the place of the Quay it is a fantastic venue, the quality of the food is a catastrophe. We are foodies, frequently visiting Michelin-star restaurants in Europe approximately twice a month. We have a very simple formula: in a 3* restaurant we expect three quarters of the courses to trigger a “wow”: “please bring me that course once more!” (in a 2* restaurant half of the courses and in a 1* restaurant one quarter). In that respect, we would award the Vue de Monde & the Tetsuya´s 2* and the Orana, the Mokufuko as well as the Penfolds 1*. I cannot remember the last time we had such a disappointment regarding quality of food, lack of imagination as well as taste in gourmet kitchen. The first (seafood) course was not able to distinguish the several elements regarding its taste, the second (a smoked eel cream) was worse than something similar from a can and the fourth (a crap custard) was tasteless and slushy. The main course, a roasted duck, were simply three slices of duck with some orange paste. I strongly recommend that the Chef visits Kevin Fehling (in the 3* The Table in Hamburg) to see how one can prepare a (Challans) duck. That is a world of difference in product quality, presentation and taste! Only two courses were at least mediocre, the lobster and the desert, but not more. Nor enough for a Bib Gourmand, let alone for a *. I am happy that we had much better experiences at other places in Australia.
Written 20 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

783y
Shrewsbury25 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 none
We came here for dinner and were lucky that the cruise ship was just departing on our arrival. The setting is delightful with fabulous views of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, both of which were stunningly floodlit under a clear sky and a dazzling full moon. The 6 course tasting menu was exciting and delicious, and the staff pleasantly attentive making sure we enjoyed the experience which we certainly did. Memorable and highly recommended.
Written 28 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PKR
Singapore61 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 solo
I visited Quay for 4 course lunch menu that is served on Friday- Sunday. Though the famed harbour view was blocked by mammoth cruise ship and bit of a dampener, the food and service more than made up for it. The mixed seafood starter was an explosion of taste in my mouth and woke me up to eagerly look forward to the other courses. Costa was the attentive waiter who painstakingly explained each course. Full marks to him. The dessert “Moo” was equally fantabulous. Overall, I rank this couple of notches higher than the other fine dining experiences in Circular Quay area (been to 3 of those) for the taste and service.
Written 13 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Julie1958594
Sydney377 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021 couples
I have lived in Sydney all of my 62 years and have only just got around to eating here. It was a special occasion ( birthday) and at these prices for most of us our visits will of necessity be restricted to special occasions. Having said that , I can’t think of any restaurant I have been to in Australia or overseas that beats this. The food is truly inventive and there was not a single course of the 6 course degustation which did not hit the mark. The matching sommelier wine pairings was perfect and the service was spot on , efficient and warm but not overbearing. The view takes your breath away , even if you are a long term Sydneysider. There is a reason this restaurant consistently gets 3 chefs hats in the Good Food Guide and regularly appears in lists of the worlds best restaurants.
Written 30 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jade618
Vienna60 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 none
Our family had the most unforgettable experience dining here for lunch Jan. 3. I was so blown away. The service was impeccable, the food and drinks were outstanding. We had the 6 course and we also got some additional bites in between and after. I especially loved the seafood dish with octopus, and the lobster as well as the "coral" white chocolate/apricot ice cream. 4 of us had the non-alcoholic beverages which were so beautifully prepared. Despite food allergies, the menu was adapted effortlessly. Our kids remarked they have never been treated with such care and attention without feeling like a burden. This was a dreamy top notch experience and we left no morsel uneaten and unloved. Go in without expectation, and just enjoy it.
Written 5 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gournemanz
Hope Island169 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 none
Brought visitors from London there for dinner, to show off a little bit how much better our restaurants are than "theirs". Worked out like planned. The start wasn't the best, as the receptionist tried to place us into a corner table without a view, because we made the reservation only 4 days ago. Tried to be surely with us, but got a lesson in hospitality. Turned out they had after all a table with a direct view to the Opera House. From then onwards everything was smooth sailing. Our French waiter was highly professional and supportive of special requests. Menu was excellent, especially the maremma duck. Highly recommended, but reserve at least one year in advance.
Written 4 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rose Y
Auckland106 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 none
We celebrated my son’s birthday at Quay. The 10 course degustation was our choice, and we thoroughly enjoyed each course. We were given a detailed description of what each course consisted of, which was very helpful. We were invited to visit the kitchen, as a special birthday treat, and that possibly the highlight of our evening. We live in Auckland and visited Sydney for the weekend, just so that we could go to Quay, and it was very worthwhile. The location, the menu, the staff and the whole experience will be remembered for a long time. We couldn’t fault a single thing.
Written 16 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ndon72
Sydney19 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 couples
My husband and I decided to try this restaurant on a sunny Saturday we did not have a booking . We were greeted by the hostess who said that it was a 6 or 8 course menu . We said oh ok she said if you want something more affordable you could try the restaurant downstairs . So rude .
Written 28 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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QUAY RESTAURANT, Sydney - The Rocks - Updated 2024 Restaurant Reviews, Menu, Prices, & Reservations - Tripadvisor

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