Byron Bay Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant — Restaurant in Byron Bay

Chalk it up to high expectations or an off night, but my trip to Bonito Byron Bay was a bit underwhelming. I was excited to experience what was supposed to be a gastronomic adventure. From the onset, I was impressed by the panoramic views from the rooftop bar, and I thought I was in the beginning stages of a promising evening. Unfortunately, the night went from radiant sunset to rainy downpour metaphorically speaking. The busy bar ambiance didn't translate to an efficient setup. With one lonely bartender managing the swarm of customers, our patience was put to test and sadly, it wore thin rather quickly. We even moved from upstairs to a calmer environment to expedite our drinks order. The bar could certainly make use of my elite reviewer status as a lesson in hospitality management! On to the dinner. We waited for 30 painstakingly long minutes for our first dish. The 2-hour banquet seemed like a promising crawl. A spectacular presentation of arrays, yet lacking the flavor intensity to match its aesthetics. Some of the food nodded to a rich taste but most barely whispered seasonings. The only course that left an indelible mark on my taste buds was the burrata, a tease that the rest of the meal never lived up to. The dessert seemed phoned-in, a banana bread that tasted like it had roots in Starbucks more than a gourmet restaurant. Saving graces came in the form of the amicable waitresses who provided commendable service. Perhaps it was a bad night for the kitchen and the bar, but these delightful ladies managed to swim in a chaotic tide. Kudos to them! On a bitter note, the price-to-value ratio had me questioning my decisions. Let's just say, the previous night at Cafe Luna seemed like a Michelin star experience compared to this dinner. To sum it up, a gorgeous view and friendly staff couldn't make up for a flat dining experience. Here's to hoping the management tightens up their loopholes for a...

What a stunning dining experience! We stumbled across this gem and are so glad we gave it a try.

The star of the night had to be the oysters. Every flavour we tried was perfectly balanced, the oysters were plump with the perfect amount of brine and creaminess. The selection of raw and cold dishes were also excellent. The seafood was fresh and the dishes were brilliantly balanced. Another must have would be the prawns and the octopus!

The atmosphere was moody yet warm and the music brought great ambience whilst not being too loud. The waitstaff were friendly and helpful with their suggestions and recommendations.

There were very little downsides but I would be wary that this is a slow dining experience… sometimes too slow. The spacing between the oysters and entrée were perfect, however we wait for our main and the bill was a too long. The frites were also under salted and a touch under cooked. Saying that these complaints are quite nitpicky and would not dissuade me from recommending this restaurant at all.

If you love seafood and especially a large and delicious selection of oysters than this...

Incredible food & flawless service. This was my first time dining at the restaurant, while my partner has been several times before. We were welcomed, seated and promptly attended to for drinks & discussions on the menu ect. The staff are engaging and took time to make sure we had what we needed. The cocktails were fantastic (I tried multiple). I cannot rave enough about the dried red curry (vegetarian). It was one of the most beautiful dishes I have ever eaten. All of the other items were spot on.. so much flavour, presentation was beautiful & the ingredients were fresh and sourced locally where possible. The atmosphere was relaxed but definitely had a cool vibe - we loved it. Our little dog came long (we had an outside table) & the staff were very sweet and accommodating with him, which always makes our experience more enjoyable. We will be making Bonito our regular.. Highly...