Swordfish Brewing — Restaurant in Sussex Inlet

Very disappointing experience this week.

There is no swordfish on the menu at Swordfish, the menus shown online are out of date. This includes the photos and the menu item list. We went looking forward to the Swordfish Ceviche, but is no longer served. At a restaurant called Swordfish Brewing. Go figure.

No table service, something the excellent pizza joint around the corner managed the night prior.

The mains were served with the starters. I explained that the starters had been clearly ordered as such, and the mains should have been held back, like normal places do. The lady told me that's how they do it. I explained that that is most unusual, that I should have been advised of that practice so I could order them separately and she kinda shrugged. I responded calmly and quietly that for designing a restaurant service like this the manager was a "tool". That should have triggered a visit from the manager cause I was clearly unhappy that our mains would go cold on the table while we had out starters. It didn't, nobody came to see me. I left the mains on the service table, but that created its own problems.

This practice was mentioned just once in the 200 odd other reviews here, and then it was that the mains came out before the starters. This tells me that this is NOT the way they do things at all, but rather, they made a mistake, but wouldn't own up to it.

Either the lady lied to me to cover up an error, or they ARE incompetent in both not knowing how restaurants operate, and in being unable to separate starters from mains.

So they put the mains under the heat lamp, and the rice ended up dry and inedible, as did the chips, and what little 'sticky' sauce that was on the ribs also seemed to have evaporated.

Normally I'd let the rest of the complaints slide, but on the back of item 3, I'll list them all. The corn ribs were tasty due to the sauce, but over-cooked, being dry and tough. 2.5 minutes in the microwave and one under the grill in case they care to learn. The sauerkraut with my ribs was actually coleslaw. A water cup we selected from the stack had lipstick. The girl at the bar it was reported to also shrugged.

This place has been running for 2 years now, so plenty of time to iron out the teething issues they referred to in their rare review responses. But these are not teething issues. These are major issues of competence and such a joint would not survive in competition with Sydney restaurants.

Their marketing needs updating including removal of the multiple photo repetitions, their menu needs to reinstate their 'signature' dish, they need to either learn to separate starters and main, else not lie when they stuff up, else tell people that's what they are going to do when the order is being placed, they need to not overcook stuff, and they need much better training in dealing with legitimate customer complaints.

As a minimum, the manager should have come and wiped our drinks bill to recognise the problem and take responsibility for it. But nothing.

We dine out a lot. This was the worst...

I really wish I could write a good review but it just fell down in a few areas.

Our greeting on entry was great. We found a table quickly and the staff came to wipe our table quickly.

We ordered our meals and drinks. Easy.

The service of the food however and the food itself let the rest down.

We ordered one starter to share - corn ribs (note not actually ribs but rounds). And then a pizza, burger, salad and pork ribs.

The pizza came fast. Maybe 15 mins. Almost too fast. The base was well cooked but the pizza not yet melted properly. Possibly too much topping.

30 mins or so later came the ribs and the burger. The ribs were undercooked and stuck heavily to the bone. While the cheese burger had so much cheese my daughter wasn’t keen to eat it.

The salad and corn ribs not yet ready.

The family finished their meals and still I waited. Over an hour after the pizza was served I approached to counter to find out where the rest of the meal was.

My sad salad was on the counter under the heat lights. They never called for it. All the rocket was now wilted. It’s a shame because the dressing was delicious.

The corn ribs hadn’t yet been called to be cooked and would be another 5 mins.

They realised they screwed up. But didn’t try to resolve the error in anyway.

The flavours on the food were great. But the cooking fell short. And the woman who runs the pass should be replaced. It was shocking to have all the meals delivered...

It's always good to see new business take off in our town, But all honesty, it seems like a venue where you go once for the experience and made more for the tourists rather then the locals, The food is good, but needs to be bigger portioned or reduced in price. It's going to be hard to compete when you have the rsl and pub a stone throw away with beers almost half of the price. I love the fact there is no gaming facilities there! Big bonus but definitely need a few screens/big screen for the ones that want to have a beer, dinner and watch the footy etc..

Also should have a small section on 1 side of the courtyard to accommodate smokers rather then having to leave the premises and stand out the back like an outcast. .

Also in my opinion, I don't think it's a good idea to have dogs around eating areas. Loose hair floating around, the smell and Also when your carrying food and drinks and need to hop, skip and jump around having them at your feet.

If smokers need to go off the premises, dogs can stay out there too..

Still gave 5 stars as This is not a sledge, More of an input from the outside to help strive in...