Hanoi on Manning — Restaurant in Kiama

We had a truly memorable dining experience at Hanoi on Manning in Kiama. From the moment we walked in, we were struck by the stylish yet welcoming décor — a tasteful blend of modern design with dark and beige tones, complemented by traditional Vietnamese photographs and ornaments that gave the space character and charm.

The service was just right — attentive without being overbearing, and the staff were genuinely pleasant throughout the evening. The menu offered a well-thought-out variety of dishes, with some creative and interesting options that stood out from the usual fare. Prices were very reasonable for the quality and portion sizes.

Now, the food — absolutely amazing. Every dish was fresh, light, and bursting with flavour. The grilled fish, in particular, was a standout, served over a small flame that added both heat and a sense of theatre. The curries were rich and aromatic, and the spring rolls were crisp, delicate, and packed with flavour. The drink menu was also impressive, with a wide selection that suited a variety of tastes.

A special mention to the staff for helping us celebrate our daughter’s birthday. They kindly brought out our cake with plates and a knife, lit the candles for us, and created a lovely moment as nearby diners even joined in to sing Happy Birthday. It added a warm, communal touch that made the night even more special.

All in all, Hanoi on Manning delivered a perfect combination of atmosphere, excellent food, and thoughtful service. We’ll absolutely be returning — and recommending it to others looking for a standout Vietnamese dining experience...

I wrote a review for this restaurant three years ago giving it five stars, but after a number of subsequent visits, I need to amend this to one star.

The food is lovely, however the service and overall experience are terrible, which is a real pity. Main courses arriving before we've even finished entrees, and then as main courses are arriving we're asked to order dessert... because "the kitchen is closing". At 8pm. Then having forced us to order dessert between mouthfuls, they forgot one of them.

At $50+ per head (without wine), this is a restaurant who is clearly only focussed on extracting as much money as it can from its' customers as it's certainly not cheap, and they have zero care about the service and experience. You constantly feel under pressure to eat faster so that the front of house staff can get you out the door so chef can shut up shop as quickly as possible and get home to Netflix. They're lucky there aren't many other options in Kiama.

Note to the owners: If you want open for dinner, don't close the kitchen at 8pm, and don't take our 7:30pm booking. If you want early nights, just open for lunch, or maybe it's time to choose another line of work if you don't...

Waitress was extremely rude and condensending when we arrived and asked for a table for four.

It was as tho she was doing us a favour by letting us use a table that was reserved for another 2 hours away.

She stated "as long as you are out in an hour and half" to which we replied "we will order and if food comes out we will eat and go".to which we got eye rolls and attitude. If it wasn't a Monday night and they were only ones open we would have gone elsewhere. Sooooo rude!

Then as soon a we finished they( another two waitressing staff) sat down another walk in party of four on the same table and the original waitress cracked it in front of everyone and said to the other waitresses "but what about our reservation we had on that table." wow RUDE and unprofessional.

REALLY?!

The next party of four also got the attitude treatment and the whole "better be out ASAP" talk.

Paying customers pay your wages. Don't be so condensending or rude.we should feel welcomed and thanked for supporting the business.

Foood very sugary: waitressing staff rude and rushing people. Two Asian and one Caucasian all rude. One...