The Orient Bar — Restaurant in Hobart

We booked in for Sunday afternoon high tea at 2.00 pm .There was a litany of mistakes that spoilt the entire experience. The setting and room is very pleasant. The staff poured champagne but then immediately poured hot tea a moment later ..who wants to drink champagne with hot tea or drink cold tea after it’s sat there? We clarified with the wait staff that we didn’t eat pork or red meat products. We were asked if we were vegetarians to which we replied , no we are not and that we do eat chicken and fish . The savoury first course only had one item I could eat. One of us could not eat any of the three items and we clearly stated that. However when the tiered plates arrived there was no savoury first course. The sandwiches were Refrigerated cold and soggy. The sponge cake was dry. The poppy seed cake square was refrigerated cold too. The best course was the two different types of scones. One set plain and one set pineapple and coconut. The Cream vanilla flavoured and the butter was good. The strawberry jam unremarkable. When asked by the wait staff if we enjoyed it , we politely said no, that it was pretty ordinary and they should have substituted the first savoury course that never arrived anyway , with something else or more sandwiches. After we had eaten what we could, the wait staff then belatedly asked if we wanted more sandwiches as obviously our complaint had been conveyed to the kitchen. Too little too late. The staff do not appear to be professionally trained and the chef should have proactively offered substitutes. There is no excuse for not giving me the first savoury course that I said I would like. This was meant to be a special...

Honestly you have taken away you main point of difference the most amazing restaurant (white room) and SHOVED a make shift restaurant into an amazing BAR which is now not a bar and so now you can have a drink in an amazing bar and you don't have access to an amazing restaurant. Cost saving to get everything into one ??? Rubbish, you wait staff have to walk twice the distance ???/ You have the wrong formula and after so many years loving the experience in one of the most established "YE OLDE" experiences in Australia, why bother. The food was also below average, so let go somewhere else.

Change the formula, bring back a stand alone bar and the best restraint venue in tassy

PS FYI half the dishes you have below aren't even on the menu - bring back the butter chicken Szechuan musshies and...

Hadley's & The Orient Bar are a wonderful slice of Tasmanian history.

We had a late dinner in the restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed it. Sharing an entree of Pepper Mushrooms then followed by a perfectly cooked Cape Grim steak and a Beef Ravioli plus excellent Tasmanian Pinot, all made for a sumptuous late dinner.

I highly recommend the Cucumber Icecream.

Yet it was the service that was a highlight. Ryan and David were great waitstaff being friendly and helpful, especially with wine recommendations.

The hotel itself is beautifully decorated and has that old world charm as well as some significant history.

Looking forward...