Waterbar & Grill Steakhouse

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Review

2,732 reviews

#4 of 553 Restaurants in Cairns$$ - $$$, Steakhouse, Australian, Gluten free options

+61 7 4031 1199+ Add website

Hours

Sun

12:00 pm - 2:30 pm5:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Mon

5:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Tue

5:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Wed

5:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Thu

5:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Fri

12:00 pm - 2:30 pm5:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Sat

5:30 pm - 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

2,732 reviews

#4 of 553 Restaurants in Cairns

Travellers' Choice 2024

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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CUISINES

Steakhouse, Australian

Special Diets

Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

features

Location and contact

1 Pier Point Rd Shop G1A Pier Shopping Centre, Cairns, Queensland 4870 Australia

+61 7 4031 1199

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Details

Manage this business?

CUISINES

Steakhouse, Australian

Special Diets

Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

FEATURES

Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Waterfront

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4.5

2,732 reviews

Excellent

1,881

Very good

554

Average

184

Poor

Terrible

Manesh M

Brisbane2 contributions

Dined at Waterbar twice across

May 2021 • none

Dined at Waterbar twice across 3 nights in Cairns. My colleague enjoyed the reef and beef on both occasions, while I had the sirloin (perfect) and the t bone (great). Great job on the food on each visit. Steaks were cooked perfectly as ordered and sides were fantastic. The 4 star review is due to the service. It was a tad slow for my liking, waiting a fair while after being seated for water and drinks orders. The first night we had an item on our bill which we didn’t order/eat. When we raised this with a staff member when paying, we were asked to wait while this was verified. I’m not implying we’re big spenders, but to be questioned on a $10 salad felt a bit uncomfortable. I have no problem paying for any dish I order / eat. The second night our waiter was fantastic. He was very attentive and provided a great steak recommendation. Thank you.

Written 27 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.

WaterbarManager99

Appreciate your feedback Manesh, it's great to hear you enjoyed your meal. We will pass on the information to the team! - The Waterbar and Grill Steakhouse

Written 24 June 2021

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

John C

1 contribution

Back from the virus

June 2020 • none

For more than 3 months we waited to revive Friday lunch, a tradition of more than 20 years. Although we rotate restaurants how had I managed to do without Pork Ribs. They are still deliciously messy and the best Peri Peri sauce outside of Lourenco Marques. As always, the service and the staff were great.

Written 19 June 2020

Amelia

Cairns1 contribution

Best Steak EVER!!!......in Cairns that is ✌

Feb 2021 • couples

My partner and I went to the Water Bar and Grill on Friday evening (5 Feb) which was quite busy for the team, however "BRAVO" to the team that was working that night as they handled the floor extremely well, especially our waiter, (I didn't catch her name) but they all handled a very busy service extremely well. From the minute we arrived, we were welcomed with such professional courtesy and were seated at a really nice table facing the water outside. We had planned to only purchase dinner but after reading their menu, we decided to go for all 3 courses. We started off with the bruschetta for entree which was nice and then we both got the Rib Eye fillets as Mains but at different weights (I got the 200g and my partner got the 400g). BOTH steaks were cooked to perfection and was full of flavour!😋 To end the night we finished off with the Vanilla Creme Brulee which was just to die for 🥰 they were notoriously delicious, that I swear I could of ordered another LOL! I definitely recommend dinner here for a quick, professional and delicious service! The whole aura and vibe at the restaurant was so elegant, classy and romantic. So much so, we were even lucky to witness an engagement proposal! Get down to the Pier and try a steak at the Water Bar and Grill. As locals who have lived here since 'forever', this steakhouse is in our Top 5 👍💯

Written 5 February 2021

Costin E

Ludwigsburg81 contributions

God, skip the sauce...

Jan 2020 • couples

Ordered steak. Was told about a variety of sauces. Asked for two and for confirmation that sauces come on the side. Big error, the very decent steak arrived covered in the "signature sauce", a painfully sweet and boring concoction that fully covered the taste of the steak. Impossible to scrape away, far too sticky. Complained and was told by the robotic employee that only extras come on the side, the signature sauce is used to soak the steak by default, and I hope you really enjoy your evening with us. I felt bad for the poor animal that had to die to support that sticky sauce and for the person who has to spend their working hours speaking but not listening.

Written 3 January 2020

WaterbarManager99

Dear Mr Costin So sorry we did not meet your expectations - we always strive to have customers leave the restaurant happy. Bad start to the year for us on TripAdvisor - we got a single 1 star review in 2019 and a single one in 2018, so I hope that this is our only 1star review for 2020. Do I think 1 star is a bit harsh? Yes I do. I’ve given out a few 1 star reviews in my time, but they have been for completely inedible or burnt food, rude or completely incompetent staff or the like. It’s unfortunate that you did not like the way we cook our steaks - but surely this does not make us ‘terrible’ As stated on our menu, all steaks are basted in our signature sauce as they are cooking to retain moisture and enhance flavour - this is in keeping with our South African heritage and you will find all South African restaurants in Australia cook the same way. It is this signature flavour profile that has made Waterbar & Grill so popular over the last 14 years serving well over a million diners. We cook around 30,000 steaks per year and understand that a very tiny percentage will not like the way we prepare our steaks. I’m very disappointed that your server did not realise that after specifically asking for the sauces to be served on the side, that you may not like the basting and should have warned you as such. I’m also very disappointed that this was not brought to my attention last night as we would certainly have cooked you another steak or adjusted the bill accordingly I apologise that your issue was not dealt with on the evening as we always want our customers to walk away happy Wishing you the best for the rest of your holiday Peter Crotty

Written 3 January 2020

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

Matthew

Brisbane2 contributions

Significantly below my expectation

July 2020 • none

Since this restaurant has brilliant reviews on social media, so I went there with my high expectation as a steak lover. I ordered a New York strip sirloin and my partner ordered a beef burger. Beef burger: The patty tasted tough and dry. The worst thing was that it was burnt so it tasted bitter. My partner said even a Mcdonald's burger is better. New York strip sirloin: half of my steak was burnt, it tasted super bitter, which was almost uneatable. Besides, I expected my steak seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme and garlic, like most of steakhouses do. But in fact, it was seasoned with some kind of sweet sauce that I really dislike. I believe, as a professional steakhouse, it's crucial to ask your customer what would they like to season their steak. I ordered dessert at the very beginning, but the fact was the waiter forgot to make my order. I waited for a long long time for my dessert as result. What I ordered was Crème brûlée. The Crème brûlée was way too sweet. The caramel on top was so thick that it was totally stick to my teeth when I chewed it instead of melting in my month. However, there was still one good thing: the service was good. The manager didn't charge my desserts due to late serving, which I really appreciated.

Written 30 July 2020

Waterbarmanager

Hello Matthew We apologise that your experience did not meet your expectations and you have some legitimate concerns which I have passed on to the kitchen to take action. However in regards to to the steak seasoning this is clearly stated on the menu and is the signature flavour that has made us so popular and well known. We understand that a small percentage will not like the way we baste our steaks (as I know some people would not like their steak seasoned with garlic and thyme). What you failed to mention in your review is that we were happy to provide you with a second steak immediately with no basting - unfortunately as this steak was not basted it did pick up charcoal flavour from the char grill (which is why we baste them in the first place) Once again we apologise for the other issues and wish you all the best Waterbar & Grill team

Written 31 July 2020

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

Lance T

7 contributions

Visitors Dinner

Apr 2021 • couples

We came for dinner here as it popped up on our searchs for good restaurants. The food was absolutely amazing. We did not eat the steak even though it's a steak house, we decided to try the Peri Peri Chicken and the Mozambique Prawns. The food was cooked to perfection. Absolutely amazing. The cocktails were just as amazing as well. The only downfall was that once we received our mains, we timed how lond it would take a waiter to come up and check on us, 45min later we had someone come up and ask if we were done with our meal and if we would like anything else. Once they get the service right, this will be a 5 star place to visit

Written 21 April 2021

WaterbarManager99

Thank you for the feedback Lance. We are so glad to hear you enjoyed your meal and the cocktails too! - The Waterbar and Grill Steakhouse

Written 24 June 2021

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

Rob B

Kokubunji2 contributions

1.5 hours for food to show up from ordering.

Mar 2021 • none

Arrived at 5:30 pm for dinner, ordered 10 minutes later, food shows up one and a half hours later. The steak was tough and tasted like wine (mostly like wine), and the barramundi was extremely salty. The price range is on the expensive side (for Cairns). As a local, I will not be returning. There are many better-priced establishments and quality food choices in Cairns. If you like loud atmospheres, not great food, poor service and high prices, this is the place for you.

Written 22 March 2021

Navigator35952542159

Dear Rob, Thank you for your feedback. I am sorry to hear that you did not have a good experience on your recent visit to our restaurant. I actually on this occasion cannot explain why the steak was average or why our service was not up to the mark . However, I can assure you that our beef is still of the best quality; the staff are very friendly, super efficient and always happy to help our guests. I would also like to take this opportunity to point out that we get many very positive reviews and feedbacks regarding the food. The steak in particular receives high praise, hence the reason we have been very successful as an establishment over the years in Cairns and blessed with a very strong local clientele. So again, we are disappointed to read that you did not enjoy your meals on this occasion. If you ever consider giving us an another chance, please contact me at the restaurant and I will be happy to personally look after you and assure you the experience for which our restaurant is highly regarded in the region. Kind Regards, Mazhar Ahmed

Written 23 March 2021

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

missannemarie

Mudgee11 contributions

Excellent steak

June 2021 • friends

Absolutely excellent steak - highly recommend the T-bone! Service was very attentive without being intrusive and everyone in our party thoroughly enjoyed their meals. The reviews speaking to price for a family - honestly this isn’t a family orientated restaurant they don’t have a kids menu so why would you bring young children to a restaurant where you will be paying $40+ for a meal and then complain about the price. Not really an excuse for it when the menu is online and at the front of the restaurant displaying prices. Marina side high end restaurants probably aren’t the place to bring your children.

Written 10 July 2021

WaterbarManager99

Thank you for the fabulous review, Anne Maria. The T-bone is a personal favourite of ours too! - Waterbar and Grill Steakhouse

Written 14 July 2021

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

FlavourRaver

5 contributions

Amazing!!!

Jan 2021 • couples

Service was great, food was even better! Kudos to the team; I had the prime rib medium and it was a good quality piece of meat cooked perfectly. My bf had the rump and also very good! The star for me was the prawns entree. Served with a yummy African Maize Meal in a way is never seen before (I’m African!) - verdict - so good!! We spent about $220 for 3 courses and a bottle of red wine & dessert wine for two...worth every dime. 100% do recommend.

Written 25 January 2021

Chrissy S

21 contributions

AMAZING

Aug 2020 • none

A family dinner for my husband's 50th has left us with nothing but high praise for the service and food. My 250 gm tenderloin at medium rare was the best steak I have ever eaten and everyone else was very happy with their dish. An icecream cake had to be put in freezer and this was no problem. The staff even used their own sparklers to light it up. Will be returning!

Written 30 August 2020

Moonrock1962

Devonport1140 contributions

Great steak menu and location

Mar 2020 • none

Part of a large group dining here. Great location near the water ad pretty spacious. The evening we were there is was very busy. It seemed to take and age for orders to be taken and then another age for food to arrive but that was offset by the quality of the food. Impressive and not disappointing. Service was good though at times seemingly a bit confused but nevertheless pleasant. Fairly noisy environment but a good feel for a steakhouse.

Written 3 March 2020

Michelle E

1 contribution

The glazed steak

Sept 2021 • family

Went looking forward to an amazing steak after all the reviews best in Cairns, craving the best cooked steak. Ordered the 400g on the bone & 500g dry aged rump…… well here is what you don’t do to anything dry aged….. cover it in some disgusting sweet sauce similar to a rib sauce known as the chefs special blend…. The rib eye was also swimming in said sauce! My children were horrified you could sear & serve a beautiful succulent piece of meat in such sweetness?!!!! No point dry ageing or searing if you are going to do this. Service amazing …. Maybe let customers know it comes in a special glaze you can opt out of when ordering, thanks!

Written 21 September 2021

WaterbarManager99

We appreciate the feedback, Michelle! Please note our menu does mention that all steaks are basted during grilling, to maintain optimum moisture. We're disappointed that it wasn't for you and hope you'll join us again sometime to try something different on the menu. Tropical Regards, Waterbar

Written 22 September 2021

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

Michaela S

2 contributions

A steakhouse… I don’t think so!!

Nov 2021 • family

Was very excited to dine in at the waterbar & grill steakhouse. Was recommended by several others. Had a VERY average experience!! ribs were fantastic but as far as the steak goes… terrible Ordered their best steak on the menu asked for medium rare whilst others on the table asked for medium. My steak was served more cooked than the medium rare steaks.. spent $52 on a meal but the best thing on the plate was the garlic mash. Steak was as chewy as bubblegum For a place that says they are a steakhouse it’s pretty upsetting that the best thing I ate were ribs and garlic mash

Written 7 November 2021

USER CAMPBELL

Hi Mick, we are disappointed to hear that despite having a really great experience with regard to your Ribs, that you did not enjoy the steak. We have had a sit down with our Head Chef and he will be passing these comments on to the kitchen team to check each and every steak as it goes out We hope you'll consider giving us another shot, as we don't receive much negative feedback about our steaks at all. We spend money on premium, QLD grain fed and aged beef because we value quality steaks We do appreciate you taking the time to communicate your experience with us, this is how we continue to grow as a restaurant. Tropical Regards, The Waterbar team

Written 10 November 2021

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

Brian J

12 contributions

Top quality lunch at Cairns Waterbar & Grill Steakhouse

Oct 2020 • none

My wife and I enjoyed a top quality lunch here last Sunday. The food was outstanding and the service by the waitresses was very attentive and pleasant. The Bruschetta was the best we have ever had. All other dishes ordered were to our complete satisfaction.

Written 26 October 2020

Jenny V

Maroubra48 contributions

Good ribs and steak

May 2021 • couples

Overall, the food and drinks were very good. My husband and I shared a 250g rib eye steak and Full rack of pork ribs. The ribs were MASSIVE and probably the highlight (as well as the garlic mash) of the meal. The steak was really good but we ended up going to some other restaurants and had steak and those ones were better and cheaper. Overall, if you want your grilled meats, I would recommend coming here.