Bacchus — Restaurant in Brisbane City

I’ll be objective with the food review before going over our experience for me and partner’s night out. I’d like to think this is not the norm for the restaurant.

Food from the tasting menu was fine. The amuse bouche was a fun and lively start. The kingfish was refreshing and the dill a fitting, if not safe, inclusion that I will always enjoy. The champagne lobster addition was cooked well and was tasty. The sauce was, again, safe yet enjoyable. The risotto was my personal favourite. Great flavours with the herb pesto, and lime to cut through. Well cooked al dente.

I would have been happy if the dishes continued to stay safe and simplistic with solid execution.

The duck and the kale were over-seasoned. The flavour of the davidson plum puree was non-existent unless excessively piled onto a bite of the duck, by which the texture becomes unappetising as a result. The duck itself was well-cooked, but sous vide guarantees that.

Curiously enough, the lamb rump was lacking in flavour - quite opposite to the previous dish. The coffee jus did not really add to the flavours presented and overall, the dish’s plating was sloppy.

I’m not quite sure if my negative viewpoint is only exacerbated by the fact that the service was less than fine. Tasting menu came with delays that spanned nearly an hour between each course, served at its maximum degree of frustration for me and my partner’s experience. For a tasting menu of its size, it should not take 3 and a half hours (6:00pm to 9:30pm) to enjoy our dinner. Timestamps from photos taken show that the time it took between receiving the duck and the lamb rump was 51 minutes. It was going to approach another 37 minutes for the ‘pre-desert’ to appear at our table before we attempted to leave prematurely. I can only imagine if we hadn’t attempted to leave early, the dinner ‘service’ would have only been even more prolonged. Even at half price, incarceration is not worth $200.

By the end of the night, we appreciated the gestures of service for the unacceptable waiting time and the waitstaff were apologetic, if not shocked at what had occurred. From their reaction, I would like to imagine this is not something that happens frequently. If we had missed the last train home for the night (the train had just arrived the moment we stepped onto the platform), this would have been a truly regrettable experience for me...

My child has multiple food allergies, upon seeing other reviews stating Bacchus was very accommodating, I contacted the restaurant a month in advance to discuss allergies and ask whether my child can be accommodated. Krisha spoke to the chef and I was told chips, steak and vegetables could be made to accommodate so I went ahead and booked. My child was so excited to be catered for.

On the night, we arrived and asked the waiter whether the chips were an option (unfortunately my son had had a reaction to steak since I had booked so we did not want to order that for him). I was told they could get the chips from downstairs but they couldn't guarantee they would be free from my son’s allergens. It is sold as a fine dining restuarant so why potatoes and the promised vegetables couldn't be made is beyond me. Due to the uncertainty from waitstaff, I felt the risk outweighed the reward and as a result had a child sit watching the rest of the table eat.

Putting the above issues aside, now to the meal and experience itself, the service was absolutely shocking. It took nearly 3 hours for us to be served 2 mains and a childs dish. My steak came out and was the toughest and most disgusting steak I have ever had (I honestly have had better steak at the pub). I usually would not complain but I spoke to the waitstaff who whisked it, along with the sides that I had to order separately, away. It took a long time but eventually the steak was returned… no sides included. I then had to ask for potato as the original dish had my potato on it when it was taken away. They were honestly expecting me to eat a steak with nothing else? The dessert that was given to my other non-allergy son took about 30-45 minutes to arrive. It was a few scoops of icecream!!!!

It took so long to rectify issues with my meal and to get my sons dessert that my husband had to take my allergy child out even though we were meant to be eating a nice meal together to celebrate his 40th birthday. Due to the slow service our post dinner plans were also ruined.

Service terrible, food terrible, overpriced for the quality. No apologies, just a $200 bill for 2 mains, a childs dish and a drink. Bacchus ruined my husband’s 40th birthday.

Would never return and would not...

Very disappointing experience at Bacchus Restaurant, Rydges Hotel. I also want to warn everyone to please not visit this place. We had the New Year dinner package booked, the food was overrated and doesn’t match the price we have to pay for.

What was worse was that they gave us leftover cheese because the cheese server chatted a lot with the other guest prior to us. When it was our turn to be served, he seemed to very rushed and looked annoyed when asked about the profiles of the cheeses, as a result we only got served 2 chunks of hard cheese. Again, not sure why that happened, bad service or a tinge of discrimination…? But that’s not the worst.

We complained to the manager to basically ask why and if we could have the proper cheese dish, but there was one waiter or sommelier (I think his name was Seven or something like that, but it starts with an S) who refused to acknowledge the incident and tried to counter with: “ This is just one course that was messed up, there is nothing I can do if you feel that we give you that impression!”. I think if you messed up one course in one meal set, it means you ruined everything… That’s the essence of hospitality, no?

So here we have a restaurant that has low quality of food and service but doesn't accept complain and even bother to argue with upset customers. And then at the end he still bothered to tell us to be polite (even everything that we said was based on fact). We were complaining properly without yelling or shouting or any cursing word. Finally we ended up being late to the countdown, because everyone else were done with the dessert, so we had to leave without finishing off the rest of the meal set. There are many better restaurants for example an Italian restaurant by the river that would serve you better food and professional hospitality with awesome view rather than this Bacchus restaurant.

Have a good life “S” dude,

Guys, I hope you dont have to experience what we went...