Chianti — Restaurant in Adelaide

Last night Sat 13 Sept 2025 a group of 6 attended Chianti in Hutt St Adelaide.

I made the booking by phone earlier in the week for 6pm and stated that it was a dinner business meeting.

On arrival we were greeted and shown to our table. Drinks arrived quickly by the friendly waitress. We ordered our meals which took quite a while to arrive. All food was delicious even though some portions were small.

Fortunately one member ordered salad and vegetables to share. Beautifully presented and cooked. We ordered dessert and the waitress attended to take coffee and pot of tea order.

We continued talking and after a couple of sips of coffee the waitress rushed over to say "you have 5 mins to finish we have people waiting".

We were shocked at the tone barely having sipped the tea and coffee.

The bill was slapped on the table and a very tall waiter came and stood over us and very rudely told us "you have to leave", People are waiting for the next seating. We stated we were unaware of another seating for our table.

He very rudely said "you booked online you would have ticked the box " .

I tried to tell him I did not book online and he continued to talk over me. I said excuse me please listen and again he would not let me talk.

I insisted he stop talking and listen. I said I rang twice 1 to make the booking and 2 to confirm again on Friday and the woman who took my call at no time informed me we had a time limit. He would not listen at all and just wanted to argue with me and that we had to leave.

One of the rudest and most intimidating waiters we have ever experienced.

One member attended and paid the entire bill of several hundred dollars to avoid an issue. We then sat outside to finish fresh coffee and tea.

Disgusting behaviour from 2 staff in such a well established, long standing Adelaide restaurant to which we have visited before.

We all belong to business networks and run businesses ...worst behaviour I have ever experienced.

Just made us feel we got your money now get lost. Not a good look for the...

I will start with the bad point, which was only one and not related to the food.

Booking: When booking, there was an option to select any special occasion. I selected “anniversary” and explained that it would be our 5th year marriage anniversary celebration at Chianti. However, when getting there, there was absolutely nothing extra (flowers, champagne, or a special cake). I would gladly pay for any extra service, but why put an option in the booking if you are not doing anything different for the guests regardless if there is a special occasion or not?

Staff: extremely friendly and always asking if the food was good or if we needed anything else. Enough to make us feel cared about, but at the same time not too much to annoy us. I was more than happy to tip him 10% for the exceptional service. My glass was always full, so that’s a plus.

Food: the quantity was just enough to satisfy me, but not enough to feel completely full. In my point of view, it is the perfect amount. Ingredients and quality are beyond words. Everything we ordered was perfectly cooked. There was nothing that we felt like “meh or could have been better”.

Service: 10 points just for having a sharpened knife. I’ve been to places where the knife could not even cut butter… also, the timing between plates was perfect. Not to soon so we could appreciate the food we just ate between plates, but not too long either to make us feel impatient.

Value: it is not cheap if you considered amount of food VS price. However the quality of the food and the friendly staff makes you feel that it was worth every single cent.

Overall, it is a great Italian cuisine choice. Would definitely recommend for a romantic dinner or...

I really can’t believe the reviews of this place! I must be in a terrible parallel universe! Bread $9. Sourdough. Woolies is better. Dipping oil … ru kidding me it truly was a thimble. 2 $9 of bread and asked for another thimble and the look of contempt from the waitress. The main: octopus pasta: oh my …. Mush. Absolute mush and the spaghetti so overcooked. But how can pasta taste like nothing. Well if u like ur food exceptionally bland…. I have found a new restaurant for you to try. Other reviews about the opening of second water bottles without asking and the first sat in the ice bucket: too many reviews with the same issue…. Must be a scam. The rush from the 2 hours allocated sitting, no time for desert as the beers we waited and waited and then the wrong one arrived. But the frantic rushing waiters everywhere someone in our group said it reminded them of an old rock and roll diner with the waitress on roller skates…. Rush rush rush. The most underwhelming experience for ages. The worst pasta I have ever eaten: mushy and tasteless and all for the bargain price of $42. I expected lovely chargrilled octopus, but instead a small finger size sliced up and cold marinated octopus from an antipasto jar! I’m happy to dump $100’s and $100’s on a great meal. Trust me there is many many many better places in Adelaide and most corner cafes can manage a spaghetti cooked correctly. The tables are also so crowded into each other you will likely be amused with others conversation as each table battles it out to talk over their neighbours. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. I won’t comment on the others in our group other to say the crab pasta was also underwhelming according to two...