Archie Bear — Restaurant in Sydney

Great location, just a shame about the food and service. I was a part of a group of six and checked in, used their QR code to order off the electronic menu with no issues. 20 minutes later, no coffee, not even an offer for table water. I quietly left the table and told the manager who, without apologising said it wouldn't be much longer. 5 min later muesli arrived, more like a child's menu item. Some dry muesli spread across a soup bowl with one small dollop of yoghurt, one strawberry cut in two and a few blueberries. Not even close to $15 worth. The waitress offered to get some milk. Soon after my juice arrived. 30minutes since we ordered and I was the only one with food or drink. Then it was full Fawlty Towers with the wrong meals coming and going, the right drinks, then the wrong drinks, then the right tea taken away only to be brought back with no explanation. Then a muesli turned up that no one else had ordered. I told the manager holding it that it might be mine doubled up. He then went on to explain how the 'QR ticket system' sometimes doesn't work. I had to ask for at least an apology that finally came before...

I’m so disappointed with the food and service as the location is so beautiful. We were asked if we were ready to order food just as we sat down (obviously not?) but I did order a coffee which came out wrong. I later ordered ricotta hot cakes, and 15 minutes after we ordered we were told “we’re out of hotcakes” (implying they are pre-made?) So I changed my order to corn fritters with a well done egg. The fritters arrived cold (again, I think they’re pre-made, more like floury corn cakes than fritters) with a runny yolk egg (which I can’t eat due to pregnancy).

The waitstaff obviously don’t care but the system set up is also flawed - there are QR codes on the table but our older family members didn’t want to use them, so there is a weird combination of QR codes and table service which really doesn’t work. There was also a big line for those who wanted to pay without using the QR code, so the poor barista and barman had to take payments while trying to do their...

A glorified RSL...

We were expecting a romantic, fun, waterfront long lunch - we had an interesting, fun, waterfront 45min lunch.

It started with a 10min wait to be seated, while we made eye contact with the front of house staff on multiple occasions... none of the waitstaff acknowledged our presence... I was bumped by one, and there was not a sorry in sight...

We were seated by a window - lovely view! No table service, which is disappointing, and so I spent 5mins waiting and then ordering at the bar.

Overpriced small portions of food, although the taste was delicious. Props to the chef!

Waitstaff in general were a waste of space, and gave off bad vibes. We saw a large table behind us get their food in dribs and drabs, and even have food put down and taken away a minute later because it was not their food... not very Covid safe...

Not the experience we were expecting, and won’t rush...