Peacock Gardens — Restaurant in Sydney

Rude ! No understanding of customer service. Extremely unpleasant experience. Dined in on Saturday night. Did not have a reservation, however they were able to accommodate my wife, my daughter and I. Passing through the area and stopped for a quick bite before it got too late. All dishes on menu are overpriced, small and nothing special. Better prepared meals at your many suburban and country town Chinese restaurants at $10 less for the privilege. Served with drink glasses that weren't washed properly. Still had lipstick on them (Covid ?? - yuk). Sent them back but this irritated them. Returned with fresh glasses and a fresh bottle but they couldn't just leave the original half bottle of drink still on the table. That was taken away. They probably used that in someone else's mixed drink. That type of service is cheap and petty. There was no apology either. Just went through the motions. We ordered your typical large fried rice but noticed the serving size was half that of the neighbouring tables. We order some boiled rice for one person but were charged for all three of us. When this was pointed out when the bill arrived they became argumentative and claimed we all ate the boiled rice. Instead of listening to the customer and offering an apology for the error they were more intent on arguing and being rude, suggesting that next time we should be clearer when ordering. The hide ! We were very clear when we ordered. They don't listen. Eventually they agreed to only charge for one portion of rice. The place is a disaster. It's not very clean. You can tell if a place is maintained by looking at the chair legs. They clearly haven't been cleaned in a long time. Such a simple task if you take pride in your business. Bathrooms were also poor. Avoid. There will never be a next time,...

Peacock Gardens is the place to go for a perfect crab omelette ($37.80). Laden with fresh crab meat, this silky mound of delicately cooked egg is best accentuated with a whisker of the on-table chilli sauce. You’ll find this stately Cantonese restaurant in Crows Nest, where it has been delighting locals since 1975. This longevity is easy to understand when you examine the wine list, which includes a premium list from key producers here and over the ditch including Lakes Folly, Felton Road and By Farr.

For this spontaneous midweek foray, I chose the 2021 Giant Steps M3 Chardonnay ($49/half bottle) from an exceptional 25-strong Chardonnay list. It suited mustard king prawns ($37.80)—a local specialisation—made using hot or mild English mustard. We opted for hot, and enjoyed its sharp, wasabi-like bite against the accompanying deep-fried kale. You’ll find the engaged and personable floor team will prevent white tablecloth spillage by serving up your special combination fried rice ($22.80) for you. Both the rice and the crisp mixed vegetables ($23.80) we used to round out our meal were technically well-handled. While Peacock Gardens is more expensive than other local Cantonese restaurants I’ve tried, it is the...

It’s a shame the great man had to retire as the new owner is cutting corners everywhere. We’ve been dining here for 30 years. The wait staff quality has dropped, new owner does not come around to the tables to chat like Mathew the old owner did every Saturday night. Upon sitting down you use to get prawn crackers if dining with kids, the mustard prawns the signature dish of this restaurant tastes different like they are using a low grade mustard now bare in mind that’s a $35 dish, the kids use to get bendy straws and an umbrella in their drink that’s gone and no smarties we’re given to the kids last time for dessert which they always use to do. The hot towels come out cold or Luke warm. It’s lost the whole vibe now under new management the tables are half empty something you never saw before under Mathew’s service. It’s such a shame. This restaurant will likely be closed in a few...