Crusoe's on the Lake — Restaurant in Newcastle-Maitland

Absolutely amazing!!! - I came to New Castle for a few days for a family holiday. I knew i wanted to pop a very special question but didnt plan anything specific. I was just rolling with the punches.

I saw this beautiful restraunt online and gave them a quick call and explained my situation.

Cordelia the function manager gave me a plan. I got to the restraunt, we went for a walk on the marina which was quiet, peaceful and absolutely beautiful with the sunset. It couldnt have been more perfect.

Cordelia set up the upstairs function room specifically just for us... When we were done our walk. She had laid out a beautiful table with table clothe in the middle of the room on our own. She had candles set all around the room and beautiful flowers on the table wine glasses and cutler. we got to take the flowers home.

She made it so perfect and was texting me privately at my request just to keep it a surprise. The best part is she came up regularly to take our orders and set us all up and at NO EXTRA COST! thats right! She set up this entire function room just for us. Gave me a perfect plan. Gave us beautiful free flowers! 5 star service in a function room with a beautiful view out the window all at the cost of only our meals and drinks. I cant thank her enough for how perfect...

Apart from the location and the view, this is not worth the money in my opinion. Parking is very limited. Prepare to have a short walk. On entering, the venue is lightly, bright, and welcoming. Menu was promising, but the meals were disappointing. Some did not come with items listed on the menu (e.g., seafood tasting plate entree). The mains we had included the lobster, schnitzel, and salmon. The salmon was a bit overcooked, vegies a bit hard or undercooked, and the orange maple sauce could barely be tasted with no hint of orange. I will say their hot chips were fantastic - crispy, salty enough, and not overcooked. The drinks menu was good with a range of beers, wines, and cocktails in offer, but at almost $30 for a spritzer, lemon lime and bitters, and a can of Sunkist. Overpriced. The staff were friendly when you managed to see one, and were clearly flat out. So much so that share dishes arrived with no share plates, and in some cases, at the same time as mains. Two mains arrived way later than the rest. Would I go back? Only if it was somewhere that someone particularly wanted to go to. If my choice, no. Too many other venues with great views, friendly staff, and food that is great...

Our family had an absolutely wonderful dinner tonight at Crusoe’s at the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club. The setting was beautiful, and the food completely exceeded our expectations. The kids were thrilled with their delicious meals, and we really appreciated that kids eat free with adult meals during the week—such a fantastic bonus for families! My husband and I were blown away by the quality of our dishes. From the perfectly cooked steak to the fresh, flavourful seafood and tasty sides, everything was spot on. We were genuinely impressed—not just by the food, but also by the outstanding service. The staff were incredibly friendly, welcoming, and attentive, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The chef even came out of the kitchen and helped me select my meal as there were so many good things on the menu to choose from.

We highly recommend Crusoe’s to anyone visiting the area. It was hands down the best meal of our trip and a place we’ll definitely return to next time we’re in...