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Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, After-hours
CUISINES
Australian
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music
Reviews (4,255)
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Traveller rating
2,400
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385
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79
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Reviewed 1 week ago

This is the must go spot in Sydney with terrific food and a view of Harbour bridge. The restaurant is busy and popular so make a reservation to make sure you get a table with a view. Many restaurants set a tourist locations, and a...few this iconic, will let the food slide. This is not the case café in Sydney, or every dish was presented beautifully .Many restaurants set at tourist locations this iconic will let the food slide. This is not the case at Cafe Sydney where every dish was presented beautifully and tasted spectacular. Highly recommend the duck fat potatoes and the filet mignon. The pasta dish is also delicious. I don’t eat oysters, but some members in my group that said they were the best they have ever had.More

Date of visit: December 2023
Helpful?
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Reviewed 1 week ago via mobile

We were meeting up with one of my wife’s former work colleagues after a 15 year gap and she booked Cafe Sydney. The fact that we arrived for cocktails at 6.30pm and left at 10.30pm indicates that there was a fair bit of catching up...to do but also that the food, ambiance and service was very good. All three of us shared the excellent seafood platter (for Europeans you have to accept that ‘bugs’ are actually very tasty crustaceans). Then barramundi and swordfish to follow - both well cooked, presented and tasty. The sommelier provided some good advice - first of all on some Sauvignon (without bidding us up, which I appreciated) and then on (regrettably) two rounds on digestifs, including some Aussie malt that equalled the Speysides and was cheaper. The view is great and the general service very good.More

Date of visit: November 2023
Helpful?1  
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.
Reviewed 2 weeks ago via mobile

Incredible location/setting. A must visit when going to Sydney. Would HIGHLY recommend booking well in advance. Try and get a table along the balcony in order to get a front row view. Great spot to start with a few drinks to watch the sunset over...then harbour/bridge. I have been going here for a few years and the food is not as good as it used to be, but never the less it is still very good. Recommend the bugs, barramundi and the goose fat potatoes.More

Date of visit: November 2023
Helpful?1  
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.
Reviewed 3 weeks ago via mobile

We booked four months in advance for this fabulous restaurant and so had an outside table overlooking Circular Quay and the Harbour Bridge. As ever the place was full and there was a buzz of very happy chatter from very happy customers. The food was...absolutely sublime, fresh and cooked to perfection. The service was attentive, friendly yet professional. Café Sydney is very expensive, particularly the wines which are stratospheric, but if you want a very special dining experience for a special occasion then it cannot be beaten.More

Date of visit: November 2023
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Reviewed 11 October 2023

Amazing venue, views second to none, and the food is brilliant. I've been many times and most definitely plan on coming back again. Not only was the food amazing, and the service keeps getting better and better. Gosia was looking after us and was brilliant...on the night, she was very attentive, kept things fun, nothing was too hard, and great recommendations from the menu. TIP: DO NOT miss the caramel slide desert... it's THE BEST! Highly recommend and will most definitely be back again!More

Date of visit: September 2023
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Reviewed 5 October 2023 via mobile

As a visitor to Sydney from the UK and having just completed the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb, Cafe Sydney seemed the ideal place to celebrate the achievement. It is expensive but the service is attentive, the cocktails are amazing, the food is delicious and well...presented, the staff are friendly and helpful and the view from the terrace over the harbour is perfect. Make sure you specifically ask for a table on the terrace and book early. We did and had a front row central position that couldn’t be bettered. This was recommended by a friend who has lived in Sydney for 20+ years as a great place for a special occasion and it did not disappoint.More

Date of visit: October 2023
Helpful?2  
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.
Reviewed 3 October 2023 via mobile

Once a bastion of the Sydney lux experience, Cafe Sydney is now a cliched experience frequented by the mediocre elite. Service en masse and the removal of the fine quality touches that used to Make a visit to Cafe Sydney special have repositioned this establishment...firmly in the tourist trap category.More

Date of visit: October 2023
Helpful?3  
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.
Reviewed 3 September 2023 via mobile

We have been before two or three times and we still loved it. Firstly the view is fantastic and worth every minute. Thus place is pricey The food was exceptional,i had the kingfish tartare with beetroot and beef cheeks were delicious.The pork and ravioli were...also exceptional. Service also were friendly and knowledgeable. This is a darkly lit restaurant so bring the flashlight Extensive wine list too This place is great for lunchMore

Date of visit: September 2023
Helpful?
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Reviewed 29 August 2023 via mobile

Dinner on the rooftop of Customs House with the spectacular harbour view and the sydney harbour bridge. Love the beef cheek which is so tender! The fish is delicate and refreshing with the seaweed salsa verde. Love this romantic restaurant and a lovely place for...couplesMore

Date of visit: April 2023
Helpful?
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Reviewed 23 August 2023 via mobile

Ive been so many times at the Cafe Sydney that I lost count. But my last experience was terrible. Booked my table in April for 10 pax for an especial occasion and asked to sit outside. Few months later got a call asking if I...would like to sit inside as I had small children with me I said yes as long as I could sit close to the window, the reservation lady said ok. When I arrived at the restaurant I was placed in a dark corner very far from all the windows. I complained and was told that most of the reservations were done away before April ( we are in mid August as I write) so I was one if the last ones ( big fat lie, had a friend there sitting by the window who booked 3 weeks before). The manager came and gave a table outside where my had and my chair was constantly pushed as it was a passage and POS! What a Joke of a manager. Well after the ordeal I ordered the food and it was cheap pub meal. Horrible! The kids meal was the saving of the night. Used to do corporate events there. Not anymore. There are better restaurants and probably with better service and with the same view. The success went over their heads and following the manager it became cheap and poor. It is tourist place. Overpriced, with horrible service, average food and with a cliché view. Never againMore

Date of visit: August 2023
Helpful?1  
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.
Reviewed 9 July 2023 via mobile

Food was excellent, fantastic location and views, and very well priced for the service, quality and venue…would highly recommend

Date of visit: July 2023
Helpful?1  
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.
Reviewed 27 June 2023

From start, to finish, my visitor from Brisbane, and I, had yet another 10/10 dining experience at Cafe Sydney. The restaurant was very kind by allocating us a window table, so we had an uninterrupted view of Sydney Harbour. The service, food, drinks, and ambiance...were all first class, and could not be faulted. Thank you once again for a great evening Cafe Sydney. I would highly recommend this restaurantMore

Date of visit: June 2023
Helpful?
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.
Reviewed 20 June 2023

My recent experience at Cafe Sydney left me utterly disappointed and disheartened. The incident with the hostess not only tarnished the reputation of the establishment but also showcased a shocking lack of professionalism and respect. Upon arrival, my party and I were met with an...unwelcoming attitude that immediately set the tone for the evening. The hostess, with a condescending tone, seemed to imply that we were unworthy patrons who couldn't afford their supposedly prestigious establishment. It's important to note that we were fully aware of the cafe's nature and never expected a Michelin Star dining experience. While cafes are generally known for their relaxed and laid-back atmosphere, the hostess at Cafe Sydney seemed to believe that she was working at an elitist institution. Her behavior and assumption about our financial status were completely uncalled for and utterly disrespectful. As customers, we expect to be treated with dignity and kindness, regardless of our budget. Ironically, the only favor this hostess did for us was inadvertently saving us from wasting our money at a place that evidently values snobbery over customer satisfaction. It's disheartening to witness such an unwelcoming environment in what should be a place of warmth and hospitality. Cafe Sydney had the opportunity to turn a casual visit into a memorable experience, but instead, it left us with a sour taste in our mouths. It is essential for any establishment, be it a cafe or a high-end restaurant, to prioritize respect and treat customers equally. Sadly, Cafe Sydney failed miserably in this regard. I would strongly caution anyone considering a visit to Cafe Sydney to think twice before entering its doors. No one should have to endure such discourtesy and presumptuousness, regardless of the establishment's reputation or cuisine. There are numerous other cafes in the city that appreciate and value their customers, where a warm welcome and great food can be enjoyed without the unnecessary judgment. Cafe Sydney, it's time to reevaluate your priorities and remember the essence of hospitality.More

Date of visit: May 2023
Helpful?11  
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.
Reviewed 15 June 2023 via mobile

Amazing food here, great food and very attentive service. Waiter was a little pushy with the up-selling but it didn’t ruin our experience. Would return.

Date of visit: June 2023
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Reviewed 5 June 2023

View amazing, food delicious. Due to the many waiters and staff milling around it felt very hectic. One waiter in particular was very condescending.

Date of visit: May 2023
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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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Questions & Answers
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Nickkicole
10 May 2019|
AnswerShow all 7 answers
Response from Lorna F | Reviewed this property |
Yes absolutely
0
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aitchcoop
22 April 2019|
AnswerShow all 3 answers
Response from Jennifer R | Reviewed this property |
No but I suspect no thongs or singlet tops
1
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ruthie385
16 April 2019|
AnswerShow all 5 answers
Response from grame_13 | Reviewed this property |
I know the Opera House sells out for NYE @ $1,000 pp. I wouldn’t wait to book Cafe Sydney for NYE. The view is amazing. Good luck!
1
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CAFE SYDNEY - 5th Floor Customs House 31 Alfred St, Central Business District - Menu & Prices - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Cafe Sydney

Yes, Cafe Sydney is taking precautions against COVID-19. A full list is available within the "safety precautions" section of this page.

Cafe Sydney is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:
  • Food: 4.5
  • Service: 4.5
  • Value: 4
  • Atmosphere: 4.5