Seaview Warrnambool — Restaurant in Warrnambool

I had booked Simon's Restaurant over two months ago for my partner's 70th birthday for 35 guests. 3 weeks ago I checked to ensure our booking. We also checked in a week ago to discuss the best way to manage a smooth way for guests to pay, (considering our large booking) for drinks and meals which had all been written down by the restaurant staff member we spoke too. On the day, our first interaction with proprietor (who was working behind the bar) it was complete rudeness, aggressive and totally unprofessional behaviour which continued throughout our time there. He dismissed any attempt to discuss anything rationally and continued with behaviour throughout the whole time our party was there. His staff, under the circumstances, did a great job in trying to serve us. Even though orders of food a drink got mixed up, did their best. All I can say is that, as a owner of hospitality business, we all think you are in the wrong business...no hospitality came from you whatsoever. You were obviously short staffed, under the pump but if you had just professionally explained that from the outset we would have all been more than patient and understanding but instead you were rude and abrasive...and turned what should been a special 70th birthday celebration into a very unpleasant experience. And remember..we booked months before. Remember..every 1 dissatisfied customer will tell at least 10 people..each of those 10 people will tell another 10 people. You will always be known to all of our group as the modern day "Basil Fawlty" as well as many others that we tell the tale to. The worst customer service and bizarre behaviour ever experienced.

Edit. Thanks for the reply..and boy do you like to shoot yourself in the foot with your responses to feedback 🤣. At least one of your staff were on our side the whole time!! 30 peoples bad experience in one sitting says it all. BTW. We over paid as at least one meal came out after everyone already had their meals and was returned to the kitchen as staff over...

The staff was lovely! I would like to especially mention that the female server with red hair was very welcoming, very friendly, very attentive and tried her best to make sure we had the best service. The seafood chowder and the lamb that we ordered were both very delicious. The sauce for the lamb complements it very well.

We also ordered a steak which was where things were not so satisfactory. The steak that we ordered was supposed to be medium rare but instead was leaning more towards medium-well. It was also quite bland and as it was dry, that combination was not a very good one. We ordered the fig pudding with salted caramel and ice cream as a dessert. That, too, was not a very enjoyable experience. The salted caramel was very very salty and overpowering, so overpowering that we could not really taste anything else but the salted caramel. The pudding was quite dry in the inside and the way-too-small scoop (in proportions to the pudding) of ice cream did not help the dryness either.

The waiting time was also quite disappointing as we waited around 40 minutes for just our entree and mains to come at the same time. We then had to wait a longer while after we finished our mains for the dessert (which we have ordered with everything else at the start to avoid this extra waiting time). We understand that the restaurant was quite busy towards the end but the long waiting time at the start is not as justifiable.

We have mentioned comments about the food to the friendly staff at the end of our meal but did not request new dishes made for us as we did not think that was necessary. However we think that it is worth telling other consumers about...

Simon's Waterfront was a real gem of a find during my trip along the Great Ocean Road. I wasn't sure what to expect, but from the moment I walked in, I was blown away. The huge windows offered this incredible panoramic view of the ocean. It was like being right on the water, and the sea breeze coming through just added to the atmosphere.

The staff were fantastic. They were friendly and attentive, but not overbearing. They helped me navigate the menu, which had a great selection of fresh seafood and steaks, exactly what I was craving after a long day of exploring.

I ended up settling on the fish and chips, a classic for a reason! The fish was perfectly cooked, flaky and moist, and the chips were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The portion was huge, and I definitely struggled to finish it all (not a bad struggle, though!).

Overall, Simon's Waterfront was a fantastic experience. The food was delicious, the views were incredible, and the staff were top-notch. I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area. It's the perfect place to relax, enjoy a delicious meal, and soak up the beauty of the...