Bondi Cosmo

Very good food and very nice place !

Went there with my boyfriend with a groupon voucher and it was so good! The soup entree was very tasty and very good size for an entree. For the main i recommend the stuffed cabagge and then for desert we had pancake! Not disapointed at all. Very nice deal :)

FOOD TYPE

Hungarian/Eastern Euro

FOOD QUALITY

Four of us dined midweek in February. We had purchased a Groupon voucher for $115, which entitled each of us to a glass of house wine, an entree, a main course and a dessert. No need to share with this deal. For my entree, I chose the bruschetta, with tomato, bocconcini, basil and pesto. It was two generous slices of fresh sourdough bread, lightly toasted and overflowing with ripe tomato and cheese and spruced up with the pesto and basil. A great way to start. My friends all opted for the famous matzo dumpling soup, which they enjoyed. For my main I chose the veal goulash with nockerl (dumplings). The others went for the stuffed cabbage rolls, the fillet steak with fried onions and our vegetarian friend chose the crumbed mushrooms with rice and chips. My veal was tender and tasty, with a nice red wine flavour and perfectly complemented with the soft dumplings. My friend said his steak was too raw in the middle and too cooked on the outer, and I noticed that he didn’t touch his onion rings. Apart from that, no other complaints. The stuffed cabbage was served with a dollop of creamy white sauce. For dessert I choose the Gundel pancake as did our vegetarian friend. The others choose the “floating island”, (vanilla custard with meringues and roasted almonds) and a chestnut puree with cream. I enjoyed my pancake with its fluffy outer texture, stuffed full of crushed almonds and a kind of rum and raisin puree. The others seemed a bit lukewarm with what they had. I tried the chestnut puree but wasn’t impressed and would definitely stick to the tried and tested Gundel pancake for dessert. After all, it’s the most famous of all Hungarian desserts. Overall, I was happy with my food. The serving sizes were generous and I liked the presentation on classic white crockery.

ATMOSPHERE 
This place is a favourite with the ageing eastern European set, so consequently, the ambience is quiet and subdued. But it's just perfect for a relaxed and laid back evening with friends. When we arrived at 7pm, it was fairly empty but it did fill up and by the time we left, there was a respectable turnout. You can sit indoors or outdoors. We choose to sit indoors near a window. The interior decor has been brightened up since we were last year a few years ago and now sports a cheerful orange colour tone, although the basic layout, with the bar-counter at the back, hasn’t changed. The honey-coloured wooden furniture, red and white cushions and strong down lights add to the bright and homely atmosphere.

SERVICE

Service from our Hungarian waitress (how’s that for authenticity!) was polite and efficient. This lady is clearly experienced and well trained because everything ran smoothly the whole evening. Our booked table was ready and waiting for us in a good spot near the window. Orders were taken quickly and drinks and food came out promptly and in the correct order.

COMFORT

Although it was a hot night, the air con kept us cool. Chairs are firm, and the couches on the wall side (for the ladies of course) were soft and comfortable. Our well-organised waitress made sure that dishes were cleared after each course, so we had no problems in fitting all the current meals on the wooden table.

MENU 
Menu is easy to follow with its simple black and white format. The sheets are enclosed in plastic to keep them clean and hygienic and the whole structure is bound up in a sturdy black leather binder. The dessert menu is on a separate sheet, also enclosed in plastic laminate.

TOILETS 
Toilets are no trouble to find at the back, behind the bar counter. There are separate male and female ones and they’re reasonably clean and well stocked.

ACOUSTICS

As mentioned, the crowd here tends to be quite elderly or middle-aged, so consequently, it proved to be a quiet venue and we had no trouble conversing, despite the wooden floors without carpets and the lack of any sound absorbers.

COST

Our Groupon voucher for $115 for four people was outstanding value for money in these awful economic times, when even a takeaway coffee in Sydney can now put you back $4.

BOOKING 
This place does seem to have a reasonably loyal following amongst the locals, and despite it being a weeknight, it was still about three quarters full. I would therefore recommend booking, especially for weekend dining.

PARKING/ACCESS 
Surprisingly for Bondi Road, parking at this end (opp Kemeny’s) isn’t too much of a hassle and we easily found a spot just around the corner in Wellington Street, where restrictions end at 6.00pm. My friend told me about a car park nearby, as another option, perhaps some will know this.

SUMMARY

Of the four of us, I enjoyed the evening the most. I found the food to be fresh, filling and tasty. Service was flawless and I liked the calm, laid back and relaxed atmosphere. Parking is easy and at a tad under $30 a head for a glass of wine and a three course meal (where you can pretty much choose anything off the menu), is hard to beat.

RECOMMENDATION

The Hungarian veal goulash seemed the best of the main courses and for dessert it’s a no-contest, with the Gundel pancake winning hands down against the other choices.

On Holiday staying nearby. I think the place is great and the service fantastic. Highly recommend if you feel like a full hearty meal. Feels owner driven.
Been there twice for dinner and will go again.

Bondi Cosmo is a joint very popular with the Eastern European locals and for anyone with a penchant for wholesome Hungarian stodge like roast duck, schnitzel, goulash or anything heavy on the carbs

Absolutely Devine! Went on a Friday night, excellent service, attentive without being intrusive. The meal was amazing. Just the simple vegetable soup starter was a reason to go back. I don't know what they put in it, but do yourself a favor, try it. The mains were perfect, even the side salad was great. And the desserts. Oh. My. God. I could quite happily get very fat eating those desserts. 6 out of 5 stars. Seriously, try the soup.

I have been there so many times and I have always been satisfied with meals and the sevice as well!! If you want to eat something really good try winner snitzle! That was the best I have ever eaten!!!

MY HOME AWAY HOME KITCHEN. I love going there and eat. Since Suzie and Gabor open the restaurant I closed my kitchen at home. I don't cook no more.No need to.I eat there every day. Best food with very good price.Suzie carefully handpicked her chef's with over 30 years experiences of a Hungarian cuisine as well as Australian.A real taste of home made cooking which I have not find anywhere else but at Bondi Cosmo Restaurant. The portion are big and filling. If you want to eat a best Hungarian food and have a great time I highly recommend to try out Bondi Cosmo.

I must say this is the BEST hungrier food I have had. The ladies are super friendly. It's a best place for friends and family to celebrate or get-together. I regret that I didn't try the dessert because all of them are sooooooo yummy. I was up to my throat. Definitely will come back~~~ 10 stars recommended And don't forget to reserve your table

Our food at Bondi Cosmo was excellent. The tender beef in horseradish sauce served with bread dumplings is highly recommended. That sauce is absolutely delicious. The chestnut puree with fresh whipped cream was also very tasty and a perfect way to end the meal.

incredibly friendly service, wide range of authentic Hungarian/ European food, will definitely visit again!!

First time for us to try Hungarian food and we’re so glad it was here. Delicious food, accommodating staff, and relaxing atmosphere. We’ll definitely come back!