South Hurstville RSL Club — Restaurant in Sydney

Came in for lunch today for the first time with 8 members of my family for lunch. Ordered the scotch fillet with mash, pepper sauce and veg. When it came out I knew straight away as I was struggling to cut throught it with a steak knife that it was a terrible cut of meat. It was so chewy, I spat the first bite out into my napkin, truly one of the toughest steaks I have ever eaten. I tried cutting into and eating other parts of the steak and it was equally as bad. I havent sent food back at a restaurant in about 3 years, it takes something really inedible for me to send a plate back. I approached the lady at the bistro desk, explained the problem in a very apologetic way- saying I was really sorry to complain, that as a chef of 20 years I could see that the chefs cooked it to a perfect medium rare like I asked, but it was simply a bad cut of meat. She was very nice, apologised and offered to take it back and suggested I possibly get something else. When the bistro manager got involved came the problem, his attitude towards me was abhorrent. He said he tried the steak and it "melted in his mouth" and kept saying I was wrong. For a start, if that was the case, why on earth would I send it back? It would have been bad enough for him to argue that he didn't find the steak maybe as chewy as I had claimed but to say it melted in his mouth was a ridiculous claim. Whenever we eat out as a family it is largely in RSL clubs and paying $42 I'm not expecting the standard you get at Kingslys or meat and wine co but I expect an edible, decent meal and I certainly dont expect to be patronised, emabrrased and spoken to like a piece of crap for politely and reasonably asking for a refund. I complained to the manager of the venue and he said he would have a word with this bistro manager. While I was away from the table this rude manager spoke to my aunt and whilst giving a half assed apology, still banged on about how it was "melt in your mouth" and I was wrong. The venue manager kindly gave complimentary coffee and desserts to my family but the experience with this one arrogant excuse for a manager ruined the experience and none of us will be back. Had it not been for him, we would have been back (other than one burnt garlic bread, everyones elses food was good) and I would not be leaving this negative review. Horrible way to treat customers, he needs a job that does not involve working...

Lost in the shadows of its busy and renowned Hurstville counterpart, the Pinnacle at South Hurstville is reclusive as it sits a little bit away from King Georges Road. But the quiet spot is bustling with grey-haired locals upstairs where you'll find the bar and bistro in a large, grey room. We came on Thursday night for the dinner special with $16 chicken schnitzel or parmy plus a choice of drink. When we asked about the special advertised on their website, the man at the till, I presume the manager, was brash and dismissive of our questions. He had one mighty glare that one would want to escape from. Considering all the other patrons were white, racism may have come into play for us Asians and non-regulars. Although the waitress was friendly enough to clear our table, I wasn't particularly won over by the community here. Our dishes arrived on time with my back pressed against the back of the chair as I was astounded at the humongous chunk of chicken on my plate. It was so substantial, the schnitzel accounted for half of the plate with barely any space for the sides. My appetite was definitely satiated that night and tomorrow with leftovers. The schnitzel was the pub standard with a crumbed exterior that grinds and clatters at the slice of the knife. The meat is thick and tender, combined with the crunchy crumbs to form a titillating mouthfeel. With the crust softened by the tomato relish, the chicken becomes much easier to savour without it being grating. Besides the cheesy mozzarella, the chicken parmy isn't very flavourful, no tang from the thinned tomatoes and no ham! Underneath the schnitzel, there's a salad mix drenched in a typical vinaigrette which revives the wilting leaves. The chips are absolutely spot on though, fried to an optimum crispiness and seasoned to perfection. I wouldn't mind sitting down for a bowl of chips if I'm in the neighbourhood but until renovations are finished, I can't see myself rushing back for the food or atmosphere. The South Hurstville branch still has a long way to go till it can see eye to eye with Hurstville...

Zenith Bistro (SOUTH Hurstville RSL) 72 Connels Pt Rd, South Hurstville (aka- The Pinnacle)

Let’s be honest — you don’t usually expect a culinary awakening inside an RSL, but The Zenith isn’t here to play by the rules. This place punched well above its weight.

The food? Pretty good. Generous on flavour and portion size.

The Baratta Salad was sensational. The Pork Spareribs were good, they were tender, but a bit more BBQ hickory sauce would have ticked all the boxes. Fred Flintstone would have been thrilled with the serving size (massive).

Other diners were happy with Nasi Goreng, Burgers, Schnitzels and Fish with chips

The staff are warm, friendly, and operate with the kind of old-school hospitality that makes you feel like a regular even if it’s your first time.

The RSL itself is slick and modern, the dining, comfortable & spacious with the winter sunshine...