Ben Ean — Attraction in Pokolbin

We recently visited Ben Ean for a wine tasting, and unfortunately, it fell far short of our expectations. Despite being charged $80 for a tasting of six wines for 4 people, the staff's attitude was unwelcoming and dismissive. There was little effort to make the experience enjoyable, with minimal explanations provided about the wines, no smiles, and a sense of urgency to rush us through the tasting. The entire atmosphere felt uninviting, leaving us with zero enjoyment and an impression of indifference, if not worse. Our experience with the restaurant the following day was equally troubling. We walked in without a reservation and waited for about five minutes at the entrance, despite many visibly empty tables. The staff eventually informed us that they were fully booked and understaffed, though it seemed unlikely given the lack of activity. We waited in their uncomfortable parking area for another 15-20 minutes, and during that time, no one entered the restaurant, reinforcing the feeling that we were simply not welcome. It seems the restaurant might be more focused on weddings and special events, but given the positive reviews on Google, we expected a much warmer reception and better overall service. Unfortunately, neither the wine tasting nor the dining experience lived up to those expectations, leaving us disappointed by the lack of...

Considering it was 1:00 PM on a Saturday and understandably busy, the service at this restaurant was unacceptable. The three of us ordered pasta, pizza, and a salad.

After the pizza was served, it took another 50 minutes for the pasta and salad to arrive. During that time, three different staff members approached us to ask if we had finished our meal and wanted dessert. Despite repeatedly explaining that we were still waiting for the rest of our order, they kept asking about dessert.

At the 40-minute mark, I asked about the delay with the pasta and salad. The staff seemed flustered, and it became clear that our order had been completely forgotten. Yet when the dishes were finally served, there wasn’t even an apology for the delay. The food was placed carelessly on the table in a rude and unprofessional manner.

To make matters worse, the pasta was cold and tasted terrible. After waiting so long and experiencing such poor service, we were deeply disappointed and couldn’t enjoy the meal at all. This was by far the worst dining experience I’ve ever had, and I will never return to...

Unfortunately, my experience at this restaurant and winery was extremely disappointing. Despite plenty of empty tables, we were told they couldn’t accommodate us due to being “short-staffed,” which felt more like an excuse than a valid reason.

The most unpleasant part, however, was the behavior of the older man with a beard, mustache, glasses, who handled our wine tasting. His attitude was dismissive and unprofessional. He poured the wine for us as though it was a chore, with no effort to make the experience enjoyable. When he learned we were from Iran, he drastically shortened his explanations, barely engaging with us. To make matters worse, he rudely interrupted me mid-sentence and walked away while I was still talking.

The overall atmosphere was far from welcoming, the service was poor, and the prices were unreasonably high compared to the quality of the experience. Parking was also inconvenient, adding to the frustration.

I would not recommend this place to anyone looking for a respectful or...