Lazy Su — Restaurant in District of Canberra Central

Update - November 2023 So we've been back and I think it only fair to add an update about the latest experience.

We walked in with no reservation, was given a table and the waitress asked us right away if we'd like water, however she never came back with any water!

A second waitress after about 10 mins came over and asked us if we'd like drinks and offered us water. We said yes to the water. We waited another 10mins and still no water, our waitress cleared and setup 2 tables whilst we waited for our water. Eventually the waitress came past and apologised and went and got our water. Then a little after that our drinks came.

I don't get why drinks are so hard to get? it's surely a simple thing that helps a guest relax, feel welcome and a chance for the restaurant to make money - win win. We have never in all the times we have been to Lazy Su's found the drinks quick to come. We both ordered drinks that they have on tap (mine is Yuzu Slushie) and I my partners was an Expresso Martini and they took about 15mins. Both drinks were very very nice, we enjoyed them, but wow the size of the Expresso Martini - shrinkage is real.

The food - Glad to say it was excellent. I ordered the wagyu cheesesteak spring rolls again and they were as good as I remembered - they reminded me why I love them so much! Disappointed that our absolute favourite (beef short-rib bibimbap) wasn't on the menu, the new sea food stir fry, it was excellent and would alone make me go back. We had the sashimi (which was nice, but very thinly cut than previously and therefore not as flavoursome) and the chilli tofu, which we've had before and love. We even had enough for a lunch the next day.

Overall this visit was closer to why we'd come to love Lazy Su and I'd rate them closer to 4 stars on this visit. If they could just workout the water actually being delivered to the table and drinks in generally not taking quite so long it would have been 5 stars. The staff were very friendly and the food was great.

Much improved over our previous visit.

May 2023 I'll start by saying we've been coming to Lazy Su since they opened, definitely not our first, second or third visit.

They couldn't find our reservation even though I'd confirmed. We were then asked to show proof that we'd actually booked, like we were making it up.

Once seated no one came back to give water or ask a about drinks or offer a menu for 10 mins. I ordered a beer that just never came, eventually the waitress came to ask us for our order (we weren't quite ready) she then remembered that I'd ordered a beer and apologised that she'd forgotten it. She then disappeared, my beer was another 10 mins.

Eventually I had to flag a waitress down to take our order after about 30mins of being there. When we ordered she asked us if we were sharing, we weren't. One of our starters came, was eaten by my partner (as we weren't sharing) then we waited another 10 mins and my starter to come (I got the wagyu cheesesteak spring rolls which I've always loved, but this time they seemed extra sweet and not as great as I remember). It was ages before the first of our mains came and of course only my partners came. It was another 10mins or so before mine came.

We sat down at 8:15 and my main was served at about 9:40pm. Then almost as soon as I started eating the waitress asked if we wanted to order anything else as the kitchen was about to close. Our food was mostly good, other than what I already mentioned about the spring rolls, which were still nice, just not as good as my memory of the previous few times I'd had them. My main, beef short-rib bibimbap was absolutely delicious, however it was luke warm when I eventually got it.

Just to add a little more to our amazing night, when we had eventually been given water we'd both drunk about half a glass and my partner asked if she could get some sparkling water, the waitress very quickly came back and topped up our plain water glasses with the

sparkling water and walked off. So we now had half plain half sparkling water, which just wasn't very...

Putting up a review here after having eaten here a dozen or so times over the last 3 years.

Unfortunately the service at Lazy Su has notably degraded over the last few years. My partner and I have been there when it’s both busy and quiet (it is rarely quiet, usually books out quite far in advance) and the service seems to be disappointing regardless.

My most notable example is recently when my partner and I booked there for our anniversary dinner. We Ubered in to town with the expectation that we would be indulging in a good few beverages at the restaurant, and were ready to spend some decent money since the dinner was our anniversary gift to each other. We turned up, got seated, and quickly got our order taken as we were pretty familiar with the menu. We ordered a selection of plates to share, a beer on tap each, as well as a cocktail each. The food started coming out within 10 minutes, but the beers took about 20 to arrive. The cocktails then arrived another 10 minutes later. It didn’t appear very busy behind the bar either, with multiple staff standing around and chatting, often nobody actually pouring/mixing anything.

As we were sharing multiple small plates, it was coming out staggered one dish at a time, so that meant the dining experience would take a bit longer than if everything came out at once - as such, we expected we’d have time for a few cocktails each over the course of the service. But after eventually receiving everything, no staff ever came back to our table. We tried a couple times to order more drinks with staff that dropped off our food as it came, but we were always brushed off with a “I’ll get someone else to come take that order” and yet nobody ever came. Nobody came to check how the food was, take further orders, or even remove plates.

As nobody came back to take our orders, after the mains were done we decided not to stick around and wait. We knew we weren’t going to be rushed out quickly as there was no sitting after us, and could’ve easily stayed at least another hour. We left disappointed that we didn’t get to explore the cocktail menu more and since we had planned on a fairly big night we took ourselves to Kingpin and ended our evening there, which was a great cap to the night.

What just feels like a missed opportunity to me is that we were prepared to rack up a decent bill at Lazy Su and we would’ve kept eating & drinking if staff actually came to our table, but because they didn’t our bill was significantly less than it could’ve been. And if that’s happening with other tables too, then that’s just leaving money on the table.

All that said, I will say that the food is consistently exceptional - I have never had a bad meal from Lazy Su. Last time I went we were disappointed that the bibimbap was no longer on the menu (it’s amazing) but I do also appreciate the rotating somewhat-seasonal menu. The Wagyu Cheesesteak spring rolls are the best staple item on the menu, we hype them up to anyone we know who’s going to the restaurant for the first time - they meet the hype every time.

So overall the food and restaurant itself are amazing, but they’re missing out on being so much more due to the poor service. As it’s not showing any signs of getting better I’m not too sure if we will be going back soon, as good as...

I liked it. Had the me so hungry banquet with my hubby, a meow Thai cocktail and sake. Here's what we thought of our meal for 2 ppl:

6 x SALMON SU_SHIMI (atlantic salmon, kohlrabi remoulade, coriander oil, yuzukosho) was fresh, nice clean taste. There was a tiny delicous pop of flavour, which there should've definitely been more of. Perhaps the cabbage could've been dressed with something.

2 x WAGYU CHEESESTEAK SPRINGROLL very flavourful and tasty. Came with a yummy sauce, which it didn't need, but I happily ate and saved to dip other things in.

6 x SPICY PRAWN & BACON WONTONS (w/ shallots) wontons were ok, but the sauce 👍 super spicy, but guud!

1 x CRISPY SMASHED CHICKEN (fresh sambal, shallot & ginger sauce) chicken was crunchy but dry inside, which this our least liked dish... BUT...the sauce was sooo guud! Mmmmmm tastiness!

2 x PORK BELLY BAO (soy braised pork belly, herb salad, pickled cucumber, hoi sin) very tasty (although my hubby doesn't like rocket lettuce), the best part was the buns. Sooo guud, soft and fluffy and perfectly slightly sweet. I'd come back just for those buns 😜

2 x NUTELLA GAYTIME BAO (nutella, torched marshmellows, honeycomb, ice cream) literally 1/2 a gaytime (which Is one of my fav icecreams) in a folded over fried bun a few mini marshmallows, drizzled with a sweet syrup that u thought was oil 😅 interesting to say the least, but not bad.

1 x MEOW TAI (roku gin, melon liqueur, rockmelon sherbet, peach tea, citrus) Came in a cool maneki-neko (beckoning cat) mug. Gin flavour was a little overpowering for me, but it is listed as the 1st ingredient and was still tasty.

1 x 200ml sake 1st time trying. Was ok, like drinking gin straight up but without the harsh after taste.

So overall the food was good, drinks ok and sauces v.yum. Atmosphere was good, nice decor and music with a good beat and friendly...