Grill'd Burgers - Top Ryde — Restaurant in Sydney

I’ve written a lot of reviews, but this is the first time I’ve ever written a negative one. That should say a lot.

My girlfriend and I came here craving burgers. They were out of regular buns (already a red flag), so I got a wagyu beef burger on a gluten free bun, and she got a veggie burger on a low carb bun.

When the food finally arrived after 20 minutes, she started eating hers... only to realise a few bites in that she was eating beef. The buns had been swapped, and because the low carb bun looks thinner, she assumed that was hers. Not the end of the world since she’s not vegetarian, but imagine if she was.

However that wasn't the biggest issue for me. Mistakes happen.

The real issue? This place is disgusting. There were pigeons everywhere - climbing on tables and plates, pecking at leftover food, and literally pooing where people eat. And the staff? I didn’t see a single table wiped down the entire time we were there. Ours still had crumbs on it when we sat down. A couple of tables away, a group left and within seconds 4 pigeons swooped in and started fighting over scraps. Not a single staff member seemed to care. They didn’t rush to clean it, they didn’t even blink. This was normal to them.

At one point, my girlfriend looked at me and said, “Hopefully they have a really good dishwasher”.

But when we asked for utensils (none were provided with the food), they came out dirty, with visible stains on them. So no - they clearly don’t have a good dishwasher. And in a place with this much bacteria and bird poo around, that’s a serious health concern.

Another couple sat near us, saw the pigeons fighting over leftovers, and left. We followed shortly after. I didn’t take a single bite of my burger. We got up and asked for a refund - something I’ve never done at a restaurant.

I’ve eaten here before, and the pigeons grossed me out even then - but now it’s worse. It feels like the staff have given up, but most of the blame falls on management. This is a top-down problem.

We normally like Grill’d restaurants, but this is the last time we’ll be going to this...

Visited Grill'd Top Ryde on the evening of April 2nd, 2024, with high expectations that were, unfortunately, left unmet. While the ambiance has its charm, it can only do so much to elevate the overall dining experience.

The primary letdown was the food itself. Our burgers came with what seemed like overcooked or stale bread – a basic yet crucial component that one would expect to be perfect at a burger spot. The fries were equally disappointing, lacking both flavour and the expected crispy texture.

Adding to the dismay was a mishap with our drink order; a Heaps Normal Quiet XPA that we were charged $9 for, a steep price considering its usual market rate and the negligible value addition from the establishment. When this was brought to their attention, the staff seemed perplexed about processing a refund to my card, resulting in a cash reimbursement which, while resolved, hinted at a lack of training or system inefficiency.

Our meal for two culminated in a bill of $42.10, a price that starkly contrasts with the quality and satisfaction delivered. It’s worth noting that just within the same complex, Guzman y Gomez and Rashays offer far more delectable choices at a better value. And for those willing to venture a tad further, Chubby Buns presents itself as a superior alternative that outshines Grill'd with ease.

With better, more affordable options readily available within close proximity, I'm unable to recommend this...

The recent reviews are all true — very dirty environment, none of the tables were wiped down after clearing, there was food and litter all over the floors, everything felt sticky and greasy, even the knives that were inside the cardboard sleeves that were supposedly clean had residue on them.

Plenty of Gen Z staff hanging around, not doing much of anything, and there was definitely no rush on getting anything done. Also conveniently did not advise that they'd run out of small sized buns, just unprofessionally handed our kids’ burgers using only half a regular sized bun — yes that’s right, half a burger was presented on the plate. Very puzzling experience — if you do not have the right sized bun, any sensible food provider would just upgrade to the next size up, but I suppose this is what happens when you have Gen Z kids running the show. When questioned, there was no apology, but after some time debating, reluctantly suggested they could make a full sized burger replacement.

Note this seems to be isolated to Top Ryde — at Macquarie Grill’d they clearly mark which buns they’ve run out on their sign out the front so customers can choose whether to dine there or not. Suggest Top Ryde management look at implementing something similar or at least train your staff to advise customers of changes rather than assuming that presenting half a burger in lieu of a kids burger would...