The Walnut Restaurant & Lounge Bar

Someone from this business manages this listing.

#34 of 5,556 Restaurants in Brisbane$$$$, Australian, Vegetarian friendly

+61 7 3112 1650+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

6:00 am - 9:00 pm

Mon

6:00 am - 9:00 pm

Tue

6:00 am - 9:00 pm

Wed

6:00 am - 9:00 pm

Thu

6:00 am - 9:00 pm

Fri

6:00 am - 9:00 pm

Sat

6:00 am - 9:00 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.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

456 reviews

#34 of 5,556 Restaurants in Brisbane

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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PRICE RANGE

$19.00 – $56.00

CUISINES

Australian

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

meals, features

Location and contact

152 Alice St, Brisbane, Queensland 4000 Australia

+61 7 3112 1650

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Is this restaurant good for business meetings?

Yes

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About

As one of Brisbane’s longest standing restaurants, The Walnut Restaurant & Lounge Bar is renowned for its exceptional service and delightful dining experience. With a seasonal menu crafted around locally sourced produce, you’ll enjoy modern Australian fare accompanied by a well-cultivated beverage menu. The Walnut Restaurant & Lounge Bar offers a charming and relaxed atmosphere with only the best service. Relax amongst the elegance of shimmering Egyptian crystal chandeliers, polished walnut wood paneling with gold trimmings and comfortable leather seating, complemented by a roaring fire whilst you enjoy the spectacular views towards the City Botanic Gardens. Located inside the famed Royal on the Park Hotel, the Walnut Restaurant & Lounge Bar has delighted hotel guests and Brisbane locals for over 50 years. So what are you waiting for? Book now to see what all the fuss is about. Call now on 07 3112 1650.

PRICE RANGE

$19.00 – $56.00

CUISINES

Australian

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, After-hours, Drinks

FEATURES

Reservations, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Validated Parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Non-smoking restaurants, Gift Cards Available

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4.5

456 reviews

Excellent

292

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

Amanda C

Gold Coast1935 contributions

Great service... but where's the duck

Feb 2020 • none

Loooved our starters! The rabbit rillette and pork belly to kick off were great! We were super disappointed that duck wasn't on the menu but hear it may be making a comeback due to popular demand. My main of the barramundi special was great but my friend wasn't overly fussed on her turkey, thinking the garlic was a bit overwhelming. We had used the 50% off food voucher available when booking on line, so that was a great bonus. Service was really attentive and glasses regularly refilled. Happy campers and would likely return to try different items on another visit.

Written 5 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.

RoyalOTP

Thank you for your review. Looking forward to that return visit, where you w ill find some great dishes on the menu. I know that duck is making a welcome return too !!! Thank you

Written 16 February 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Michelle W

Darwin165 contributions

I have mixed feelings about

Jan 2020 • none

I have mixed feelings about this place. The food was a delight but the customer service left me wondering. The lady who served us “team leader” was unable to tell us the specials and when asked about food intolerances was grudging. She didn’t pour water or put out napkins and appeared to chide the helpful waiter who checked in if all was okay and seamlessly did those things. I hope she was having a bad night because it did leave us wondering. Every other staff member was friendly with a smile on their face. But , importantly the food was GREAT!

Written 16 January 2020

RoyalOTP

Thank you for the great review ! Certainly will check in with the Team Leader, and see what the issue was, but really glad the food, atmosphere and the Staff made up for the first issue. Hope to see you again, when I know the whole service will be to your liking. Thank you again

Written 19 January 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

NauticalDreamer3010

Buddina715 contributions

Anniversary dinner

June 2022 • none

We chose the Walnut Restaurant for our anniversary dinner as on previous stays at the hotel the restaurant looked interesting. The restaurant had the perfect feel for a cold winter night. My wife ordered the crab spaghettini which was delicious. I ordered the risotto which for the price was fairly disappointing with very little seafood and no real taste. Service was a little slow for a quiet night and some of the staff members were still learning their craft. Wine prices were quite reasonable.

Written 3 July 2022

TequilaPepita

Bangkok3102 contributions

Quite a letdown in most aspects.

Jan 2020 • couples

Since this was our first visit to Brisbane, we were looking forward to trying modern Australian food. We ended up at Walnut as it was one of the very few restaurants open during the year end. We only realized that it was located in a hotel as we were trying to find it. We ended up in a traditionnal oldish hotel lobby and the dining room was on the right. Overall atmosphere of the dining room is marred by poor design and lighting but of course this is very personnal. The waiter offered us still or sparkling water and we asked for plain water and the wine list. We ordered the pan seared scallops followed by the market fish, Barramundi, the Salmon and a bottle of Chardonnay from Mclarren Vale. Very shortly after, the Scallops were served but not the wine. I politely reminded the waiter who said "no worries"! After a while a female staff came to inform us that the wine we had ordered was not available! Why weren't we informed when we placed the order? I ended up ordering a Two Tails Sauvignon blanc which was very nice but served after we had finished our first course. The Scallops were fine. Both the Barramundi and the Salmon were overcooked whereas the vegetables were completely undercooked. We like them crunchy but there is a limit. In this case the beans were hardly cooked. To finish I ordered the Mango Tiramisu which was sort of "deconstructed" and tasted everything but a Tiramisu? Overall a very dissappointing experience certainly not to be repeated in a boring and stuffy environment.

Written 4 January 2020

RoyalOTP

Good Morning It is quite disappointing that you found as service as you did. Our service and food quality are the reasons we are so well liked, on this forum and many others. We are indeed a quaint Restaurant in a historic Hotel in Brisbane, and usually provide the best levels of service and food presentation, reflected in the reviews. Should you be passing back through Brisbane on your return travel, please do make a point of contacting me o Fbmanager@royalonthepark.com.au,

Written 9 January 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

danielt

Ormeau4 contributions

Worst SERVICE! and ZOMBIE STEAK

Jan 2020 • family

We just visited today for a family meal for 10 people, it started lovely, the male waiter was charming and accommodating. The entrees we ordered were cooked to perfection and full of flavour. The bliss didn't last long as our mains came out, one of our guests received a steak that was medium when it was meant to be well done. This later escalated as we asked to return the steak to be reheated. Low and behold it did return, but it returned from the dead as the crispiest, burnt to hell and back steak, as if it had just barely survived the recent bush fires. I looked over in awe as I witnessed my friend attempt to saw the steak into pieces, which was like watching and Eskimo trying to carve his frosty home with a toothpick. I immediately went to the waiter to complain. Shortly after a female manager came down to investigate my fellow guest and zombie steak, he innocently said it was cooked too much, she then had the cheek to reply: 'well, you asked for well done', we then said it was almost burnt, which she then replied that he had already eaten half of it so they can't give him another one. We knew she wasn't going to budge and she had such a fiesty and rude tone to her voice that we amicably decided to let it go and void the conflict. She then took the zombie away and we were all left with an ill taste in our mouth of the restaurant and although we were going to eat dessert, we decided the Walnut didn't deserve our patronage any further and left to Messina and indulged in great company and great icecream. In case you were wondering, we won't be coming back and you can keep your zombie steaks, they belong with the dead, not on a $45 plate.

Written 5 January 2020

RoyalOTP

Thank you for taking the time to leave this animated review. It is disappointing we did not meet your expectations. It is a shame you link your experience to that of those who have suffered in the recent bush fires. Your steak was attended to, and recooked as per your wishes, and on the second time of offering still not to your liking, which is unfortunate. As you can see from a majority of the reviews both here and elsewhere, our service and food are rated quite highly. I have asked all the relevant staff on duty who remember your table and your guests, as well the kitchen staff too. All express their disappointment that we could make your visit an enjoyable one and should you wish to "Double tap", please contact me directly to assist.

Written 9 January 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

GEM

Brisbane15 contributions

High Expectations Did Not Deliver

Jan 2020 • none

We were looking forward to dining here due to the reviews, unfortunately we left disappointed. My husband and I were seated in a nice location of the restaurant until another couple were seated right next to us, It totally lost that intimate dining experience my husband and I were looking for, so much so I felt our conversation was restricted due to being practically on top of the other couple. Considering the restaurant was not busy there were plenty of other available tables - why do restaurants do this? Our entries of scallops and rabbit was ok, the entree of only three small scallops was average and needed salt. Mains were the pork cutlet and salmon, pork was nice but flavours were not up there, my salmon was over cooked and the side of greens were still raw. Unfortunately we will not return.

Written 26 January 2020

RoyalOTP

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, they all help. Upon looking into your comments the restaurant was busy later on, with the floor plan managed to make use of the space and the staffing too. All things that Restaurants do to make an evening work well for all. Would love to entertain you on an evening where the whole restaurant is not so busy, and more than happy for you to make contact to make this work should you wish. fbmanager@royalonthepark.com.au

Written 2 February 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Tommo

Melbourne56946 contributions

Window table booking confirmed but not honoured

Feb 2021 • couples

We booked this restaurant through The Fork which had a 50% off offer. As it was my wife’s birthday I emailed ahead requesting a window table. This was confirmed by return email. When we arrived we were allocated a table away from the window by what appeared to be the female manage of European background. I questioned her about my request and at first she said no request was made but then she checked and said “sorry I’m a bit blind”and we were moved closer to the window but not where we requested right at a window table.What was annoying was that 2 window tables were vacant all the time we were dining. We started with sourdough bread and butter as well as lamb and potato croquettes. These were delicious. Next was the main course. I had the 300g Porterhouse and my wife had the lamb rack. Presentation was superb but that’s where it stopped. My wife’s lamb was virtually inedible as it was so fatty. My porterhouse wasn’t a premium steak and wasn’t as tender as it should be for the full price of over $40. I could only give the restaurant an average ranking and I believe that is generous. No window table despite it being requested and confirmed and the meals were a bit inconsistent despite them looking “pretty” We wouldn’t return or recommend this venue. We have dined at many hundreds of restaurants worldwide and are not usually complainers.

Written 24 March 2021

RoyalOTP

Thank you for the balanced and direct review. All feedback is of course useful and can be used to assist with delivery and also highlight to the Team regarding consistency. If you would like to reach out to us directly, we would appreciate the opportunity to delve further into your experience and have the opportunity to show you how we normally operate. Thank you again fbmanager@royalonthepark.com.au

Written 25 March 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Craig P

Brisbane Region15 contributions

Something has gone wrong

Mar 2022 • none

We have eaten here many times over the last couple of years as the food has always been excellent, the service of a high standard and the environment classy. It is our favourite restaurant. Yesterday at lunch however something went drastically wrong. After being seated we were given some water and then ignored for 30 minutes. We had to call the waiter to order our food. We then had to call again to order wine. All through the lunch we had to pour our own water, not a big deal but it has been always been done for us previously. We had no entrees and our mains took about an hour to arrive after ordering. My wife ordered the eye fillet done medium well, with the mushrooms deleted. When her meal arrived the mushrooms were prominently on top. No big deal, I quickly took them as I enjoy mushrooms. The steak however was not done as ordered, it was medium rare. As a result she was unable to eat most of her meal. At no time during our meal were we approached by a waiter or the manager to see if everything was OK. If this was done the problem with the steak could have been fixed. We noticed that other guests had lengthy waits for their meals, we overheard the people at the next table advising the waiter that they would have to cancel their main meal as they had an appointment to attend. Their meals then quickly arrived but they had to eat their meal quickly and rush off. We also noticed that empty plates were not removed from tables, one guest we could see had the empty main meal plate in front of him for more than an hour. It was not busy, there were only four tables of guests, a total of 7 people. The manager ("team leader"?) eventually was summoned (she took around 10 minutes to come to our table) and we politely explained that things were not as they should be. She was very apologetic and said that several staff were being trained. We also discovered later that the regular chef was not working that day. The manager arranged for the cost of my wife's main meal to be deducted. It is also worth noting that the prices have increased markedly, the eye fillet now being $52, about a 25% increase on the previous price if I remember correctly. Overall a very unsatisfactory experience and it seems we will be looking for somewhere else for our regular city lunches.

Written 9 March 2022

RoyalOTP

HI Mr Paterson, Thank you again for taking the time to provide your valuable feedback. As discussed with you personally, I am deeply sorry for the experience you received at the restaurant during your lunch. This was certainly not up to our usual high standards. We have completed a full review of the service and implemented the necessary changes to ensure this doesn't happen in the future. As discussed, I look forward to welcoming you back personally in the very near future and show you this was an isolated incident. In relation to the price of our Eye Fillet, as a result of Covid and other factors the cost of meat and other supplies has increased dramatically for us. This has unfortunately forced us to increase our prices as well. We certainly didn't want to have to increase our prices, but the cost increase (especially with eye fillet) was too much for us to absorb. Kind regards Steven Fuller Food and Beverage Manager

Written 14 March 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Anthony M

Brisbane10 contributions

Confusing

Aug 2020 • friends

A very pleasant venue and quite good food. Not feeling overly hunger I asked the waitress if I might have the calamari entree as a main course, suggesting a larger serve. I was told that it was not possible (a bit Manuel) I did not purse the point perhaps I should have. In retrospect i should simply have ordered two serves of the calamari. In any event I did not find the reason for the apparent policy. Perhaps if the restaurant reads these comments it m8iht be able to post the explanation.

Written 28 August 2020

Sue B

1 contribution

Special twosome dinner

Aug 2022 • none

The Walnut Room came to my mind when looking for a restaurant for a special twosome dinner as it is one of the few Brisbane restaurants that you can actually hold a conversation without shouting it being old style and quiet. My partner ordered the 180 day grain fed steak to be cooked medium . What a disappointment that was . It had gristle at one end , was tough and was almost blue a far cry from medium. Surely a qualified chef can cook a medium steak. The waiter came to see if the meal was to our satisfaction, I said no the steak was inedible. He was sorry and then the female duty manager came to check, she offered a complimentary wine which we declined and she said the steak was almost raw, hence 95% was left uneaten. I had the herbed lamb cutlet which was barely a mouthful but cooked well. We both had the Fried Granny Smith Apple pie which was delicious. The prices were very high for the quality of the meat. A very disappointing meal and I thought I was showing my interstate guest how good Brisbane Royal on the Park restaurant was. Maybe the chef could go the Black Hide and see how a steak is perfectly cooked and only $5 more that the Walnut Room. Sue

Written 11 August 2022

meg r

Brisbane4 contributions

Walnut restaurant

Jan 2020 • friends

We regularly visit this restaurant Because we find the service fantastic and the food is consistently excellent . The staff and the restaurant managers Are extremely attentive and genuinely Friendly. They always remember our needs and wants and the follow through is always there. We will continue to patronise this restaurant on a regular basis as we have done for the past 2 years.

Written 16 January 2020

RoyalOTP

Thank you for the review. We are really glad that the service etc constantly meets with your needs. This is where we aim, and the staff are constantly working towards it . Thank you for your repeat custom and the review as well.

Written 19 January 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mark S

6 contributions

Poor food

June 2021 • none

Just experienced the worst meal (Sunday 27 June) at the Walnut restaurant on the occasion of our 35 wedding anniversary. Poor food and inexperienced staff who failed to communicate our valid complaint with regard to over cooked-food and an inedible porterhouse steak. We mentioned the issue to the staff and I assumed we would have received some immediate feedback from the restaurant for poor quality food - but was only presented with the full bill of $44 that included an inedible steak that we had previously raised as unsatisfactory. Shame on you Walnut Restaurant. Dissatisfied customer

Written 28 June 2021

Food and Beverage Manager

Dear MarksZ7099CB, Thank you for taking the time to provide your valuable feedback. It is via valuable guest feedback we are able to address any issues and make continued improvements to better serve our guests. It is sad to read that on this occasion we did not meet your or our expectations. At the Walnut Restaurant, we take great pride in delivering high quality food and service. It is disappointing we fell short on this occasion. This occasion does not represent the high quality food and service we know we offer. I would like to invite you to give the Walnut Restaurant another go, I know you won't be disappointed again. If you would like to make another booking, please contact me directly and I will gladly look after your booking. Thank you again for your valuable feedback. Kind regards Steven Fuller Food & Beverage Manager

Written 3 August 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Dennis O

Coffs Harbour147 contributions

Amazing experience.

Dec 2020 • none

We had dinner here while staying at the Royal On The Park. The staff were friendly and attentive. The meals were beautiful. I had the "Chicken supreme", my wife had "Pistachio & cranberry turkey breast roulade" and we both had "Ginger and white chocolate Crème Brulee " for dessert . The meal sizes were good, the flavours were great, and the prices were good value for money. The restaurant is cosy and very comfortable, with great back ground music. This is one of the best dining experiences we have had in recent years. We would highly recommend the Walnut restaurant and will definitely go back when next in Brisbane.

Written 5 January 2021

RoyalOTP

What a fantastic review, thank you for the time taken to write it. All the Staff, both Front of House and behind the scenes thrive on reviews like this. Hope to be able to entertain you again soon

Written 17 January 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

sharon3001

Brisbane893 contributions

Great food and ambience

Apr 2021 • friends

Chose to eat here with a group of friends as a celebration. All of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals. One slight complaint was that the plates meals were served on didn’t feel warm and my lamb cutlets were only just warm being honest. Other than that food excellent, service good and enjoyable experience in a solid restaurant where service is clearly what staff pride them self on. Ordering a pre dinner drink and having it brought to you was quite the unexpected treat. Makes a change.

Written 25 May 2021

hutch1973

Brisbane12 contributions

Wife’s birthday dinner

June 2020 • family

This was our second dinner at the Walnut and again it was exceptional. The service and attention to detail created a wonderful experience for my wife and daughter. The food was creative, tasty and nothing left on the plate was a true resemblance to the quality of food. We will definitely be back and recommend.

Written 17 June 2020

RoyalOTP

Thank you for the wonderful review. We are continuing to do all we can to ensure you enjoy your evenings with us, especially in these changing times. The Procedures we have put in place are there to provide a clean, safe environment for your bookings, like this one. Thank you again

Written 28 July 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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