Quoi Dining Restaurant — Restaurant in Sydney

I write this review with a level of apprehension, after looking at other reviews that didn't leave 5 stars, it appears to generate a response from the management of defensiveness and excuse, instead of a simple apology.

I dined at Quoi with my partner in December, the restaurant has a great atmosphere and I really like how they have used the space imaginatively to create a welcoming environment. The menu is creative and ambitious, which is great to see, considering we are in the Hills and not the CBD.

The food was prepared well and had great flavours. I did find the pork belly was not as good as at other similar restaurants, a little dry and too crispy, but still enjoyable. The prices are fair for the style of food and depth to the menu. It was a pleasure to be offered such great food choices and ingredients.

The issues with our visit was the service, which was terrible. It would have been terrible if I had been at Macca's, let alone a fine dining restaurant. I can only assume that due to COVID (although this was at a time when daily cases were in the hundreds, not thousands and Omicron was still a whisper).

The greeting when we arrived was non-existent, with the member of staff looking scared to welcome us in. After being seated no one came to check on us for 10 minutes, we had to ask the wait staff to come to our table and take our order. Entree's came in an acceptable time but the mains took almost an hour. I don't have an issue with the service being below expectations or delays in food if I am made aware of a problems on the night.

We ordered a bottle of sparkling water, to which, after 2 glasses were poured, the bottle disappeared, never to reappear again, until I asked for a top-up part way through our meal. This is usually the opposite in a restaurant of this style, where your glass is regularly filled and it's not uncommon that I order a second bottle. We were not offered a dessert menu after our mains, so opted to leave instead as we had run out of energy to cope with the service on a nice evening out.

Additionally their was a member of staff who was working on the restaurant side checking the orders before they were taken to the tables. This member of staff was dressed like she was heading to the gym not working in a fine dining restaurant. I found this odd and inconsistent with the other members of staff (who all wore uniforms), but most of all it cheapened the place. This was not helped by the head chef who was frequently joking with this member of staff and clearly accepting the attire.

Based on all the 5 star reviews, I expect our experience was a one off, we will go again to hopefully get the real Quoi experience. The rating of my review and the experience we received could have been avoided, if we had been told on arrival that there is a staffing issue, or food will be a little slower tonight. Most people will be understanding and accepting if they are told. As it was our first visit, we were left to our own judgement on whether this is the standard Quoi experience.

If the owner feels the urge to respond to my review, please don't make excuses or be defensive, a simple apology will be sufficient. Respect that I have taken the time to write a review to share my experience and not to personally attack your business. It is in my interest to have a great restaurant that does fine dining well, just 10 minutes from my home, so I don't have to make the 1.5 hour round trip into the city to experience great food...

Very disappointed.

I had booked this restaurant for my husband's birthday at 6:30pm, hoping for a special experience. However, as soon as we walked in and sat down, we were appalled by how dirty the place was. The floor was littered with food scraps and used toothpicks, it clearly hadn't been vacuumed, and there was an unpleasant smell. For such a special occasion, this was deeply upsetting. We lost our appetite and left immediately.

2024/12/06 RESPONDING TO THE OWNER'S COMMENT, JOSH BELOW.

Thank you for responding to my review and for calling to apologise after we left. We appreciate that you acknowledged the state of the restaurant when we arrived and expressed your regret. We understand that families with children may occasionally leave behind some mess, and as family-oriented people ourselves, we don’t take issue with children dining out or making minor messes. However, as a restaurant charging a higher price point, there is a reasonable expectation of hygiene, cleanliness, and ambience—especially for a special occasion like my husband’s birthday.

Regardless of your nightly cleaning schedule or the support of your regular customers, the state of the restaurant upon our arrival was unacceptable. Food scraps on the floor, used toothpicks, and visible dust on surfaces did not instill confidence in the cleanliness of the space or the quality of the dining experience. It’s not about isolated messes; it’s about the overall impression of the establishment’s standards when welcoming guests.

Additionally, your response contains inaccuracies. At no point were we offered a move to the wine cellar area. The server politely mentioned she would speak with her manager about the issue, disappeared briefly, then returned to escort us out. No alternative seating arrangements were suggested, nor was the wine cellar mentioned. This contradicts your claim and makes us question the integrity of your response.

Our review is a fair assessment of our experience, which you have partially acknowledged by admitting the state of the restaurant was less than ideal. Labeling us as “keyboard warriors sharing nonsense” is dismissive and unprofessional. Reviews are a platform for genuine feedback, and our intention was not to damage your business but to highlight where improvements are needed.

We booked your restaurant in good faith, with high expectations for food, service, and environment. Your establishment fell short on this occasion, which is disappointing, as we were excited to support a local business. Your follow-up has unfortunately left us feeling even less confident in returning, despite your invitation.

Please understand that our concern was never about children making messes but about the hygiene and cleanliness of the space where we were expected to dine. For a restaurant of your caliber, this is a reasonable expectation.

We hope this feedback is taken constructively, as maintaining a clean and welcoming environment is crucial for a positive...

I have lived in the Hills for over 20 years and watched the development and growth of residential, business, restaurants. I dine out frequently around the Norwest area. Quite often I read reviews and get FB posts about QUOI. I was out for my birthday on Wednesday and my Mum and I walked past QUOI….which we have many times and always said ‘we must try it’…..instead of talking about it and putting it on a bucket list….Of course me being me….I walk in and immediately greeted by Nicole….instant connection with her personality and helpfulness. Booked instantly for today 13/7 lunch). The booking was from 12:30pm- 2:30pm….we are still there at 4:30pm…..no rush and very relaxed. A very quant little restaurant. We opted for degustation which did not dissapoint. We have had degustation experiences all over NSW so we were in the ‘know’. We arrive today again to be greeted by Nicole (the Hostess with the ‘mostest) and what a great start with her friendliness and professionalism. Instantly felt at home and like family. We started with some canapés (that was kind of different for us)…they were super delicious and the variety was incredible. Then on course we couldn’t help ourselves to a Champagne Cocktail and the Passionfruit Matini (like yum). So after this…..then the real experience starts…..I said to my mum….’Now we are talking and this is IT’ Absolutely sensational…out comes these dishes and accompanying wines which are next level (BTW the you can share the wine between 2….you don’t have to have wines individually which really worked for us) I was totally blown away by the way the wines really did compliment and work SO well with each dish….and Joel was so knowledgeable and explained how each dish and wine was palatable and worked. We got to our last part of an amazing experience and then Joshua Mason came and sat with us. What a remarkable young man and successful, positive, talented, intelligent, inspiring owner and leader. Excuse my ignorance but I had never heard of Joshua Mason so it was just like sitting with an owner of a restaurant….then we got chatting and talking….more to this Restaurant, Staff, Story than what I ever expected or knew. He is exceptional with his success in wines and his Berrossa Valley journey, his other Restaurants and new and upcoming ventures. Overall everything was such a unique, different and really memorable experience. We walked out with some wine (which you can buy from there) and infact booked again….to me that sums it up. See you soon everyone for the Sip and Chat! Can’t wait. P.S - Nicole hopefully this gives you tears of joy….the whole experience was incredible…hope Mum and I weren’t too...