Wollombi Tavern — Restaurant in Wollombi

Stopped by here today with my little dog and mother, we ordered a chicken burger and a steak sandwich. The steak sandwich steak was still moo-ing and the chicken burger had what I would describe as a teaspoons worth of mayo on it which left me wanting more mayo to help me swallow the dry crunchy bun, needs more sauce and found it stingy. In the smoking area there was no ashtray but luckily a friendly couple allowed us to share theirs once they were done. From the last time I went there I found that the food standards had gone down hill. I also witnessed a young male worker shaking his head because he had to pick up a plate from the ground and it was like it was an effort. Place was packed out and was hard to find seating. Children running around all over the place screaming and also witnessed a man being hit with a ball from some uncontrolled child. Also watch the taps in the male bathroom outside the tap water pressure is that of a fire hose and if you’re not careful you will look like you wet your pants ( how embarrassing ). In total both of our burgers cost a grand total of $56 which I found exorbitant and extremely expensive considering the fact that I have had chicken burgers and steak sandwiches for much less. The beetroot on the steak sandwich was inedible as I squeezed it as hard as I could with two fingers and ended up with sore fingers and not a single scratch of the beetroot, not broken, not split nothing happened to it and I’m 30 years old male who is not weak so that’s saying something. Steak sandwich was dripping with juices while my chicken burger was dryer than… well you finish that sentence…. The side dish of chips tasted like fish strangely so this means to me that they are cooking stuff in the same oil OR had not changed the oil. P.s beware of the salt shakers they pour salt out to the extent that it was too much and had to shake each chip before eating...

The food was good and of a substancial size and the surrounds enjoyable. The bar staff were wonderfully hospitable but the same can not be said for the surly, unhelpful, dismissive woman who served us at the bistro.

This woman messed up the order of the customer in front of me without offering so much as an apology when her mistake was caught by the customer and then, when I first approached the counter, was far too precious to even acknowledge me. When I asked for clarification of an item on the menu I was informed, condescendingly and with the attitude of someone who had somewhere better to be that 'it's written on the menu'. Excuse me, but this was as far from helpful and friendly as I could have expected, bar being told to shove the menu up my **! (I'm quite sure this gratuitous act of cavity invasion traversed her subconscious thoughts)

I became cognisant after my second check-in (Covid-19 requirement) and approaching the bar that the woman who served me at the bistro had the opportunity to ink me with a stamp so that I could be easily identified as having previously checked in. The customers preceeding and succeeding me at the bar had also discovered this. (Maybe this woman had inadvertedly sat on her stamp, causing her state of discourteous demeanour and minimal effort)

I'd HIGHLY recommend customers ask for a receipt (you won't be offered one) from the bistro and check it before leaving as a member of the group I was travelling with was double charged for a meal. My travel companion was compensated for the erroneous charge but not without being made to feel that they were having a favour bestowed upon them.

For what could have been a very enjoyable trip to the Wollombi Tavern it is instead a memory of the day I encountered the woman manners and customer...

BEWARE OF ORDERING ONLINE. Appalling experience. I placed an order on June 3rd — it wasn’t sent until two weeks later. That parcel was broken in transit, and I had to chase it up myself through Australia Post to find out what had happened as my parcel still haden't arrived after a month. I was originally in contact with Justin, the licensee, who acknowledged the issue and promised to send a replacement. That replacement never arrived. Since then, complete silence.

No returned calls. No replies to messages. Not even the decency of a basic update — and yes, I rang Justin directly on his mobile which is the listed contact number for the tavern. Ignored. I also made multiple calls to the tavern and left messages with staff which they all said they would pass the message on to Justin, all of which were completely disregarded.

Over two decades in hospitality and I’ve never experienced anything so unprofessional.

You took my money, failed to deliver the product, and didn’t even have the basic decency to acknowledge me. This is not poor customer service — this is contempt for your customers.

Avoid this business at all costs. Unprofessional, dishonest and...