The Belvedere — Restaurant in Greater Brisbane

We made a booking 4 weeks ago and confirmed multiple times the exact details of the reservation. However, when we arrived today, we were met with attitude and a dismissive “tough luck” response from the older gentleman serving patrons, stating how busy it is, I understand what busy means, I'm in insurance home claims, and we’ve just had a cyclone, but that does not give anyone the right to treat patrons with disrespect. It felt like the subsequent service failures were deliberate after dealing with such an attitude.

After not getting the booking we had confirmed, which we had pre planned as the easiest path for my disabled father to manage to get to safely without risk of falling over, only to be made to walk around the entire restaurant which exhausted him completely and ruined him for the day, it was not appropriate for a disabled person what so ever.

Our meals were scattered in such a way that some people were finishing their mains while others were still getting their entrees. One couple in our group, with a 3-year-old child, received all their meals after everyone else had finished. The quality of the food was questionable compared to previous visits to the Bell. For instance, when ordering a lobster and crab pasta salad, you'd expect more than 2 prawns and 4 tiny bites of lobster. That’s what I got. Even my drinks were inconsistent.

We then asked for the birthday cake to be brought out, hoping to wrap things up after already spending 2 hours waiting and feeling disappointed. Another 45 minutes passed before I had to ask a third person to bring the cake, and after another 15 minutes, we received the cake with candles we didn’t ask for. We had to remove them and put in our own candles, which nearly ruined the $80 cake we had specially made for my mother’s 65th birthday. To make matters worse, there were no plates for 15 people. Serviettes just made a mess, and they blew all over the place.

The most frustrating part was that the table next to ours, with the same number of people, was also celebrating a birthday. They had a lovely experience. They received everything on time, including their cake with plates, and left happy before we even finished. They had arrived after us.

“Disappointed” doesn’t even begin to describe my experience. My mother specifically chose the Belvedere because it’s where she and her husband got married. Now, she’s left with a sour taste in her mouth and tears on her birthday. We looked forward to this for weeks, only to leave feeling ignored, disrespected, and unsatisfied with the value for money. We will not be returning.

The worst part is that The Komo is owned and operated by the same company, which means I’ll now be advising my friends, family, and colleagues, people I’ve known for 35 years as a local, not to bother with...

The Belvedere Hotel, Woody Point - 12pm, Sunday, February 11th, 2024

Order: Steak Sandwich ($24.00), Smashed Burger ($22.00)

My visit to The Belvedere Hotel at Woody Point left much to be desired. Utilising the QR code ordering system meant there was no traditional service, but my wife did receive her drink promptly. Unfortunately, my experience with the service was less than satisfactory. My chocolate frappe arrived a full 5 minutes after my wife's drink, and to my dismay, it was covered in cinnamon for reasons unbeknownst to me. Served in an undersized mason jar, the frappe failed to deliver on its promise of chocolate, as the overwhelming taste of cinnamon masked any semblance of chocolate flavour. Additionally, the frappe was not adequately chilled, prompting us to order water to wash down the disappointment.

When our meals finally arrived, my initial excitement was quickly extinguished. The presentation of both the steak sandwich and the smashed burger left much to be desired. It was evident from the outset that my steak sandwich was cold, lacking the warmth and juiciness one would expect from a quality dish. The tomato slices were overly ripe, resulting in a soggy mess that detracted from the overall dining experience. The sandwich itself was a cacophony of unbalanced flavours, with stale toast on top and soggy, flattened bread on the bottom. The absence of fried onions, a crucial component of a steak sandwich, only added insult to injury.

As I observed the backlog of orders, it became apparent that the kitchen was struggling to keep up. Despite the seemingly adequate staffing levels, the quality of the food suffered as a result. It's disheartening to see a once highly regarded establishment falter under the weight of its own reputation. It's evident that management has allowed complacency to set in, neglecting the quality of their products in favour of quantity.

Moreover, the exorbitant price of the steak sandwich, priced at $24, was a stark contrast to the quality of the dish. Comparable taverns offer similar items for prices ranging from $14 to $18, making The Belvedere Hotel's offering significantly overpriced and unjustifiable.

In retrospect, I wish I had heeded the warnings of the numerous negative reviews that plague this establishment. It's clear that management has no intention of rectifying the issues plaguing The Belvedere Hotel. Perhaps when the crowds dissipate, they will realise the error of their ways and take the necessary steps to improve. Until then, I have no intention of returning to The Belvedere Hotel. Save your time, money and support a local Tavern and not a over...

We hadn’t been the the Bel since its makeover. Wow.what a gorgeous, well planned out transformation. Probably the best location on the Peninsula. The bar is still amazing with a great range at reasonable prices. Service was prompt and not overly friendly. My beer was ice cold, the air was warm and I was looking forward to a pleasant evening. Unfortunately we were seated underneath a sports screen the size of a toppled skyscraper. I was wedged between seizure inducing flashing lights with the brilliance of our nearest star and turning the other way a field of mesmerised faces gaping wide mouthed at a competitive sport of some description. They kindly moved us away from this garish dystopian scenario. The food came out. I was eagerly awaiting my “Bels own lobster pie”. Reasonable crust. Sliced it in half to inspect contents. Good size chunks. I was relishing the anticipation of my first mouthful. I was gifted with a lemon cheesecake tasting overcooked mushy lobster. Truly disgusting. I cleansed my palate and gave the pie filling a second opportunity. Ghastly and cold in the middle. I ate hal of the crust and sent the rest straight to the bin. Clearly not “Bell” made. Mass produced ultra processed crap. I was ill almost immediately together with deep sense of resentment together with pinch of pity. My son faired little better. Undercooked pizza, raw base, no crust bubbles or golden brown cheese. A beige pizza if you like. My wife received a monstrosity in a different vein. It came out in the finest of porcelain soup bowls but appeared to be pig swill with a beautifully grilled piece of Barra carefully placed on top. Main points of this Barra dish…nice Barra…everything else in this lazy “Asian”stir fry was bland, zero spice and was drowning in Uncle Ben’s cooking sauce.

We lived in Woody Point 10 years ago and frequented a few times. The food was just as disappointing back then.

For those wanting to go:

Save your money and go elsewhere It is an amazing location with a great bar. Perfect for beer and chips and a chat. Just don’t ‘risk the food.

Last message to management. You have the most iconic and huge venue on the peninsula. Your food is an embarrassment. Is is 2024 not the 1980’s. Ditch the ultra processed bought-ins. When you re-opened you had every opportunity to create the absolute best spot in Redcliffe: best location, best bar AND MOST IMPORTANTLY best food. In the 10 years since I was last there nothing except the...