Babylon Brisbane — Restaurant in Brisbane City

Some highs and lows for me. Let’s tick the highs first. Gorgeous view facing Storey Bridge, River. Each table seems private enough because of honeycomb like structure of rooms. On a rainy day in December it was packed to capacity.

Now the lows. Service and problematic menu. Each of Wait staff service well below average for the price and style of restaurant. Very dangerously vague on what they were serving, in our case we had two gluten free and two normal meals and they plonked them down in middle and then contradicted themselves as to what had gluten in and what didn’t, despite us checking before ordering and repeating that our friend was coeliac. Other things like needing to ask continuously for water, and they only filled one glass at a time.

The normal menu has no indication of gluten vegan lactose ingredients at all, unusual in this time. It’s very limited- is just one page long with just a handful of mains available of wierd sizes - eg if you wanted chicken you had to order a whole chicken! It seems designed to make you veer to their set menus - quite expensive at $79,$89,$99 per person. The menu stated have to be ordered by a minimum of two people. So in the menu plantation we checked with wait staff half our table could order one style half the other and that if a dish had a “gluten” item included, they would substitute for a non gluten. But when we went to order on this basis they said the entire table had to order the same thing, then kept making up new rules, very very frustrating. Staff confused themselves.

The food was also a “high and low” affair. Some dishes utterly divine, (fellafels in yoghurty spiced sauce - wow!) some, like heavily smoked mushy eggplant, not good at all. But there was plenty of food, way beyond what we could all eat. The whole chicken was quite pink inside, I ventured no further. Definitely a middle eastern adventure, and a wide range of different tastes. Desert was gorgeous, a strawberry and pomegranate mouse like desert.

The wine list had more variety than the food menu. I ordered a delicious sounding apricot and peach spritz but somehow it was terrible bitter, not pleasant to drink at all.

Wouldn’t let us split the bill for payment at the counter but we could nominate $ per persons card and they were pleasant about it so we made it work.

Although an overall pleasant experience would not be back because of dangerous slap dash approach to food allergies and unworkable menu. Also think it’s slightly overpriced for level of...

Absolutely disgusting management.

Mid meal, security was sent to our table to tell us we had to leave...as our table was reserved for another booking. Pretty rude approach and odd as, why send security?

We mentioned there was no sign on the table, thinking there wass a mistake

Security stated: "I'm just telling u what management has told me, you'll have to move"

I asked for the Manager. We explained the table did not have a reserved sign. We were then told by the Manager that a group had booked an outside table, which was reserved, but due to the rain, they now need our table. It was now "out of their control".

We explained that wasn't our problem and you can't kick out paying customers mid meal.

Both security and the Manager left. 15 minutes later security returned to forcefully tell us we had to leave.

I told the Manager, as he seemed like the only level headed one conpared to the unhinged security guard, that it is unbelievable to ask a paying customer, mid meal, to leave, to accommodate another customer.

He said again, it was beyond his control. I tried to reason with him and explain its just unbelievable to ask paying customers to leave, while eating - when we had arrived, our table was free, and we had ordered to it. Again, he tried to explain the rain but like I said, the booked tables were rained out, not ours, and the rain started after we arrived.

My wife asked why exactly were we being moved, as we were paying customers - The Manager than said to my wife, "they are 14, you are 3" (we were at 4 person table).

Absolutely disgusting behaviour. Honestly in shock.

A second security guard arrived and forced us out....while we still had dessert ordered and due to arrive.

If Management had just approached us, and explained, and offerred some form of compensation (hell, a free drink to move us during our meal), it'd be a non issue. But security, coming to ur table, mid meal, to tell you to leave is appalling. The small amount of power had definately gone to his little head.

Do better. I'll be emailing head management and requesting a full refund. Will update. Can't believe this is possible to happen. What Country is this even? Feels like we were scammed!

Edit: Just looking over your Booking Policy, only bookings of 25+ require a deposit for a booking. This group was 14 - so in fact hadn't "paid for their booking" as we were also told....

I dont write reviews usually even if sometime service is not at par .but i got the worst customer service ever in Babylon Brisbane .Booked through the first table, reached 10 minutes early .counter guy asked to wait till 5 pm as the first table booking is for 5 pm . restaurant was empty, but no issue was waited .then as time came he ask,s me if I wanted to sit inside or outside I thought I had a choice, so I requested outside table he takes me to my table ,asks me to order from my phone I told him I have booked deal from first table he says its ok again i tell him i have limited data can I just order to him he says no we have to order from phone QR code .ok, no issue . I ordered two drinks and 2 mains .order came in 20 minutes, and the food was worse, non edible left without eating .Asked for bill he says I have already paid the bill on phone ok so what about my first table discount .says no one can have (this is literally what he says in front of my date ) as i have paid on the phone, but I said you only told me to order on the phone .I ask for the manager Comes Alex (this guy is again guru of all saints) says no your first table booking is canceled .I showed him my email, and then he acknowledged after thinking , " Oh, you are sitting outside, so there are no first table deals on the outside table ."But your server asked me where I would like to sit. I didn't ask for it .I didn't agree .I ask for his business card, and he goes inside . After 10 minutes, he says I don't have a card, gives me an email id In his writing (photos attached ), it says if I want to complain .what I don't want to complain I just want you to honor the deal which I have bought in 10$ and booked for the same . He says he can't do any refunds as i have already paid .so I asked for a printed bill. Alex says he can't issue one as I have paid from the QR code on my phone .is this what degraded service has come to , I think allh are paid for Google reviews. I can't think they can serve anyone better . Beware of any deals with this establishment they have tons of excuses not to honor .

Edit ; I received a personal heartfelt apology from the team...