Southern Cross Yacht Club — Restaurant in District of Canberra Central

I hadn't been to the Yacht Club Restaurant for a while, so booked for yesterday, for a birthday celebration (the booking was made well in advance). I asked for a window table, if possible. When we arrived we were shown to the window table with the worst view, right next to the emergency exit. There were vacant tables in much better positions. I asked for one of those tables, and, after checking, the waiter took us to one of those tables. The service throughout the meal was pretty ordinary eg I had to get a bottle of water for our table myself. That is a basic thing that should be brought to the table as a matter of course. The food was quite good, but the servings for the lamb and chicken were stingy. The meal I had just the day before at the Woden Club was much better, which is a shame, as you'd think the meal at the Yacht Club, for what they charge, should be better. I went to pay the bill, taking just my membership card and a credit card. The waitress said a total that was much higher than it should have been. I said that can't be right, and she scrolled through what we had. She said 3 courses, I said, no, 2 courses for 3 people. I took her through what I thought the food had cost, and said 'I don't think a beer costs $30'. She then said, in a quite unfriendly tone, 'I've been trying to say that is not the member's price'. No, she hadn't. She didn't ask me if I was a member at all. That should have been her first question, when I went up to pay the bill. I had my membership card and credit card in my hand, ready to hand to her. I don't know how she failed to see the membership card. The whole experience was very...

Dreadful. As a long time member of the Southern Cross this was far and away the worst experience.... ever. Sat night dinner for two. The Venue was fairly cold. Shown to our seats and then left alone for what seemed forever until I asked one of the staff if we could order. Mid way through the order the waiter disappeared to get drinks and then completed the order when he returned but only when prompted. Prawn cocktail was as advertised but when asking about fish of the day the waiter had no idea about the fish ordered - Jew Fish - and we had to google it to ascertain what it might be like. For a surcharge what we got was a piece of fish and a dollop of mash potatoes both of which were fairly cold. No sauce on the side and it was pretty tasteless and disappointing. Similarly the dessert plate was hot but the rhubarb and apple crumble on it was near cold. Upon requesting to pay the bill I was asked to go to the till to see if they had the right order (by then there were then only two tables left attended). Such a disappointing night - the staff mostly appeared willing but were pretty average in their skills and a couple found English challenging were they all trainees? The food portions were ok but no one appeared to be checking for quality - eg cold food warm plate before they were brought to the table. It was as though it was an all-trainees night for which we were paying top dollar. For a re-opened venue this was a really poor standard and we will not return....

Went here with my fiance & mum. Staff where helpful as they made several stuff ups with our order or bill. We ordered a different style of entree so hard to wait for that to be fixed but was billed for the more expensive wrong one. The entree was great. Add i have worked n historically nearly all my life i know how kitchens can work. I believe my main head been started but due to the stuff up with my entree they had to hold off on finishing it. Reason being is my main looked like it had been under the heat lamp too long as it was dry not that pleasant. Being our first time here & knowing it is a little more expensive I felt it the entree stuff up ruined the rest of the experience for me personally & we are not interested in coming back nor recommending this restaurant to other people when it's busy! I state this as the wait for anything to come out regardless of food or drinks took ages. POSITIVES. My fiance ordered a cocktail that wasn't on the menu which was no problem for them & she loved it. Lovely staff willing to assist even though they got the order wrong. Food was overall good. Wine selection good. Bar staff clearly know their job well to be able to do off...