Il Grappolo — Restaurant in Sydney

My review is not about the food - because we left before we could order any. If you would like to experience first hand the feral 'hand on hips' attitude of a twenty-something who thinks she's better than any of her customers - then come here. If you want to experience being ignored by the manager when you want to raise concerns - then come here. If you want to experience mind-numbing incompetence - then come here.

After waiting ten minutes to be offered a drink - we flagged down a waitress who asked "Are you ready to order?" Strange approach when one cursory glance at our table would show that we hadn't even been offered a pre-dinner drink. "Can we have two Menebrea please? (one of the most common Italian beers in Australia). "What?" I point out the listing on the menu and repeat "Two of these - Menebrea please". A nod. Five minutes later "Sorry - we sold out of Menebrea". I return to the menu. "The Moretti - here - how big is small, how big is large (no measurement noted on the menu. "Oh - you want large or small?" "How big is the small - and how big is the large?". I will need to check, Goes away. At this point a man (who we later learn is the manager) turns up and announces with a flourish "So - can I get you some beers". "The Moretti - here - how big is small, how big is large?" "200ml and 400ml". "Let's have two large then please". Five minutes later - the final waitress - the one clearly hired for her "stuff you - get overt it - attitude" to ensure customers know exactly how irrelevant they are to this tawdry little hole-in-the-wall restaurant. "We just ran out of Moretti. Sorry. But we have everything else on the list. "Do you have another Lager?" Peruses the list "Well - no." "Are you serious?" I ask. "An Italian restaurant running out of their only two lagers at 6pm on a Saturday evening? Who runs this place?" At this point the sassy semi-formed-adolescent huff kicks in and the hands go on the hips, I get the rolling of the eyes and "I don't know what to tell you - just let me know when you've made your mind up" and off she flounces. Filthy filthy filgthy behaviour that the parents of a 14 year old throwing a tantrum would call out. But here - you get to experience it for free and then LEAVE.

I wanted ten minutes to speak to the manager who ignored us while chatting with another table. And so we left. Walked 3 minutes across the road and were served in 5 minutes two icy cold Menebrea (so there is no supplier shortage as all these places now blame their incompetence on) - and two lovely pizzas by smiling staff who checked in on our happiness throughout our brief meal. SAVE YOURSELF THE PAIN AND MISERY OF THE VILE SERVICE AT IL GRAPPOLO AND EAT...

Outstanding food, outstanding service. First off all the service was more than extraordinary. Attended to as soon as we walked in. We did want a table inside but were given a table outside, but we just did walk in without a reservation. By the time we left it was full, so I suggest making a reservation. Our table was regularly attended to which is a great touch by any restaurant. What we ordered was outstanding. The stuffed zucchini flowers are perfect. Ravioli was made in house and cooked nicely and very tasty. Even the four cheese pizza was a perfect mix and not to much dough. I will definitely be back and will go as far as saying this place has moved in to my top five. Could not fault any dish we ordered. Very keen to go back and try more dishes. It cost us $230 for three of us which included several entre's mains, deserts, alcoholic drinks and coffees. Reasonable for everything we had. On...

This used to be my favourite Italian restaurant in Sydney. We celebrated birthdays and our anniversary here and would chat to the owner. But I emphasize 'used to'. I suspect there has been a change of management. Today we had a confirmed booking for four and arrived to find the young waiters responding like trainees at school. They discussed our booking among themselves before telling us there was no table available. I saw three spare tables and pointed to one of them, only to be told it was reserved. One waiter suggested that we take a table outside the front door and offered to switch on a heater. It was colder than 12 degrees and I noticed there was no cutlery on the table. In other words, they had not planned ahead. A real shame, as the food here is fantastic and I loved this place - past tense. We walked up the road to a nearby restaurant and pushed...