The Del Hotel & Pub — Restaurant in Newcastle-Maitland

This review is meant to be constructive. I work I hospo and have been here twice this week and I have to say, far out man this place is horrible atm. We. Went in for dinner and couldn’t find a single table or menu that wasn’t sticky. One of the tables outside even had 100s of ants crawling over the sticky menu left there and the staff seemed to not see it at all. Apart from this, half the tables were littered with empty glass and plates that were never cleared. Multiple staff standing around behind the bar chatting while tables are dirty? Come on… also, the food… I ordered a med rare steak which was basically blu. Fish which was well over cooked. In my restaurant this food would have never left the pass because it was visually below standard. The venue itself is in a huge state of disrepair with barriers set up everywhere blocking off walkways, evatoes, duct tape holding the bathrooms together.

The next day I went there and the same story. 15 patrons in the venue and it took 15 minutes for me to get my espresso martini… my mate and I went to play pool and the open door next to the pool tables had blown tree leaves all over the carpet which no staff member made any effort to clean up. Guys, take more pride in your venue….

Staff we’re really really nice but the venue just looks like absolute garbage. No one cleans tables, desperate repairs needed everywhere. No one cleans ANYTHING, food...

I really did love this place, used to spend at least $200 a week here but never again will they get a single cent from my pocket after what I experienced tonight. I will never return again! Went for a nice family dinner, was told I had to prove I wasn’t from outside Newcastle and told to wear my mask, it’s the rules, I want to be safe so complied. While I was at the bar a steady stream of scantily dressed women were pouring into the place not having to show Identification at the door, not being made to wear a mask. I asked the barman why the pretty girls didn’t have to comply with health orders yet everyone else has to? He replied “If they aren’t wearing a mask they won’t be served”. We finish our transaction and before we even walk away the barman walks over to the maskless ladies and serves them. No request to wear a mask or comply with public health orders. Dozens of young women doing the same, were ignored breaching Covid restrictions. I have cancer, what do you think would happen to me if one of those patrons who’s ID you didn’t bother to check did attend from Sydney and was wandering around without a mask while infected with COVID? I would die if I caught it, what’s my life worth to your staff? A cheap thrill with tacky women? Great to be made to feel like a second class customer so your staff could flirt. Thanks for putting my life at...

The renovations looked great, however the entire experience was less than middling. On the furthest tables on the side of the wall in the bistro area, there are no speakers on that side, so music cannot be heard effectively, which was the first thing I noticed about the restaurant area in general. Next, was my absolute disappointment in the chilli prawn linguine. I was not served linguine (flat, narrow, ribbon-like), but instead spaghetti (long, thin, cylindrical). I am not neurotic when it comes to aspects like this, yet however the price in comparison to the portion was disgustingly exorbitant; the meal was no bigger than two of my fists and the prawns were small and inadequate, and there was no semblance of chilli whatsoever. Afterwards, I decided to have a coffee to try and save whatever this meal could have been; luckily by this point I had no expectations left, so it was impossible for me to be disappointed. The cappuccino was acidic to the point of venomous standard; terrible quality and drenched in chocolate powder to make up for it (I assume). A friend of mine also asked for a takeaway box to salvage whatever it was she wanted to (I think pizza), and this Sisyphean task of Herculean magnitude took roughly 15-20 minutes to achieve in a not-so-busy environment. The only thing that saves this review currently, is...