Hidden Gem @ Marina — Restaurant in Port Macquarie

We went on Thursday, the food was great, service was great and ambiance was incredible. I raved about the place to other guests at the resort and came back with the kids tonight at 5pm when they opened looking forward to another great experience.

Unfortunately it was different staff tonight, the lady working tonight ignored us at the front door for several minutes and then when we did get her attention she made us feel very unwelcome because we didn’t have a reservation. It actually got down right uncomfortable. She didn’t have people coming to fill tables downstairs until 6 and we had managed to get in and out in 45 mins on Thursday. They weren’t even opening upstairs tonight where we sat on Thursday, so only 2/3rds of the restaurant was operating. But she was positively rude in how unwelcoming she was, we felt like trespassers, my children said “Dad, let’s just go, they don’t want us here”.

It’s such a shame. We used to vacation overseas once or twice a year and because of COVID we have vacationed in NSW instead. This was an opportunity to win us over to continue vacationing in NSW.

It’s no wonder troves of Aussies head overseas without exploring their own backyards, Aussies just don’t care about service like they do overseas.

This restaurant had great food and great ambiance, but we won’t ever come back nor will we recommend it because of the downright rudeness of the woman who served us tonight.

We also probably won’t bother coming back to Port Macquarie because of tonight’s experience. This lady’s attitude has soured the entire...

Service was deplorable from the moment we stepped into the establishment, we received no greeting and were only asked if we had made a booking, once we responded they person who asked walked away and continued to serve other customers not before rolling his eyes and groaning, the unsatisfactory service only continued as the night progressed, after we were finally seated we waited for over 30 minutes for someone to offer to serve us before giving up and calling a server over ourselves, after we ordered our food having to correct our server more than once we were made to wait over 45 minutes for our food (carbonara, and a pizza) in those 45 minutes we received the food of 3 other tables, when our food finally arrived the pasta was undercooked, and the pizza was over cooked, the pasta sauce tasted strange and was not worth the $24 we paid for it, when we decided to get the bill we paid for the food only to find an item we had not ordered with an extra added charge was on our recipe, I don’t know if they were trying to scam us or just plain stupid but from start to finish the service was disgraceful to the highest degree. We arrived looking forward to revisiting a “restaurant” that we had thoroughly enjoyed while on a date the previous year but instead left still hungry, disappointed, and reasonably angry.

I do not recommend this poor excuse for a food venue to anyone wanting to...

Out experience at Hidden Gem at Marina in Port Macquarie, NSW, was nothing short of exceptional. This restaurant genuinely lives up to its name, offering a remarkable dining experience in a beautiful marina setting.

The food was absolutely delicious, and it's clear that the chefs put a lot of passion and expertise into crafting each dish. From the appetizers to the main course and dessert, every bite was bursting with flavor and perfectly cooked. The menu offers a wide variety of options, catering to all tastes and dietary preferences.

The service we received was top-notch as well. The staff were warm, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. They went above and beyond to ensure that our dining experience was comfortable and enjoyable, providing excellent recommendations and accommodating special requests.

To top it all off, the prices at Hidden Gem were incredibly reasonable. I was pleasantly surprised by the affordability of the dishes, considering the high quality of the food and the picturesque marina location. It's not often that you find such great value for your money.

If you're in Port Macquarie, I highly recommend a visit to Hidden Gem at Marina. You won't be disappointed by the fantastic food, exceptional service, and lovely atmosphere. It's truly a must-visit dining destination...