Review Norman Hotel - Brisbane

Steak, chips, baked and mashed potato are always cooked to perfection. Even the bread, sauces, garden salad and coleslaw doesn’t disappoint. Consistency always exists here. Service is fast and up high in standards; staffs are always responsive and willing to fix your complaints promptly (over/undercooked steak, wrong sides etc).

The steaks are average and their service is far below average but the price is above average. They may know about steaks but might not know about service. I strongly recommend not to use them for someone's birthday or special occasions.

Fabulous steak! Had Sunday lunch there with my husband and the place was buzzing. Food ordered at the counter and drinks via a QR code. Drinks arrived very quickly and the food followed soon after. There were plenty of staff around to cater for the number of people there and the kitchen staff just worked non-stop like a well oiled machine. I had the NY cut striploin with mustard bernaise, chips and salad. Everything was fresh and delicious and the steak was cooked to perfection. My husband had the rib on the bone, coleslaw and baked potato with bacon. We shared a side order of onion rings which completed the meal. Can't wait to go back.

Great atmosphere, amazing selection of beef on display , had the wagyu rump . Very tasty , bit slow to serve was moderately busy , 1:30 pm on a Friday , nice selection of drinks , would happily recommend for non vegans ,

What keeps me returning with family and friends across three decades? Quality and consistency. And I always seem to order the large eye fillet. It just can’t be beaten. I spiced it up this time with a sausage and chilli sauce entree and finished it off perfectly with a few schooners of XXXX.

For price very average, steak was over cook and tested very dry. Stuff was friendly but meal quality need to be better.

Steaks are ok nothing to write home about, the bearnaise is ruined with mustard through it and tasted like chemicals.. good to see it busy after COVID but I found it Stange to be packed in a line to order a steak waiting 20 minutes but you can order drinks and starters on your phone... Pretty baffling

Pretty disappointed. For the menu prices, service was terrible. I'm not trying to sound lazy but for what you pay.. you should get table service. After we ordered (4 of us), only 2 breads and cutlery were delivered so when our meals came out 2 of us had no cutlery. No table water was offered. We had dirty plates around us an hour after we'd finished. Not once we're we asked if our meals were nice or if we needed anything else. This was on a Tuesday night too when it wasn't too busy. The food was okay but definitely not worth the amount you pay.

This is hands down my go to place for a good steak. I've never had a bad meal here! My steak was a little underdone and I told the waiter after I'd eaten it (I was too hungry to wait), then he surprised us by bringing dessert for two on the house!! Wonderful place and often catch up here for birthdays or general catch ups with friends.

Made my top 3 worse meals I've ever had, GB entree was soft soggy not a single crunchy bite. Main was the Parmy a hard meal to ruin but the chef accomplished that. Instead of salad like I asked I got half a tomato and what resembled coleslaw but tasted like dry cabbage, just didn't have any mayo mixed through it, chips tasted like the oil was a month old and the Parmy had a massive layer of tomato paste that was cold which really threw off the meal as I wanted it hot but there was so much paste on there it made the whole bite cold. Ridiculous to say the least. I wish zero stars was an option.

I was extremely disappointed in the lunch I had. Chicken Caesar Salad which consisted of a bowl of cos lettuce and 4 thin strips of chicken on top! No bacon, no egg, no Parmesan cheese, no dressing, nothing!!!! We waited for over an hour for this bowl of lettuce. I took it up to the girl at the counter and asked her to please let the chef know that it was the worst Caesar Salad I've ever had and she just replied with 'well, I didn't make it'. We have regular seats here in the football season but I think we'll be finding somewhere else to dine next footy season 😢

Good food poor lay out for dinning. Woman can't even go to the toilet with out walking through the queue for ordering food. Rude staff won't be going back

I've come here a few times, and every time I've been served by Jarred, one of the bartenders. He is no doubt the best bartender I've ever had. He remembers conversations we've had and is a really nice bloke. He has learnt my favorite drinks and does a good mix of drinks. I will use this bar as my casual because of Jarred alone. Cheers for the good times.

My husband and I have been eating at the Norman every Saturday night for the past 3 years � we absolutely love the steaks but most importantly we love the fantastic service from the awesome staff. Frank the head chef is absolutely fantastic and always stops for a chat � all the staff are amazing and make us feel really welcome every week � so nice to walk into a place and everyone knows your name!! Huge shout out to Denise and Lucy who always welcome with a hug �. Keep up the great work guys haven’t found a better steak in Brisbane yet �

Having dinner there now, it's pretty rubbish the staff won't make a kids milkshake?? Rude stuff, They sell milkshakes just not ones for a 4 year old,They serve kids meals tho? , steak was pretty over cooked at $50 a pop won't be back. Horrible place

Fair to average meal for what you have to pay. Many cheaper places with better food tbh. Sorry. I won't go back.

On Monday 2 October, due to the wet weather we had to find a new venue for my lunchtime 40th birthday party. We contacted a club of similar establishments and no one was interested in our group of 40 guests, even though they had availability. We contacted the Norman Hotel and they were very accommodating straight away, then I broke it to them, that there would be 40 people and they said "no problems at all, what time would you like". When we arrived three hours later, they had moved us into their function room (Waghorn Room), which was beautiful and perfect for our needs. The staff couldn't be more hospitable all day. We ended up being there for five plus hours and had the greatest afternoon. I would like to give a special shout out to Julia, Alex and Iroma I couldn't have asked for better hosts, customer service and all round friendly staff members.

I’ve never once had a bad steak at the Norman in 8 over years as a regular customer. 5 stars

Best steak ever in Brisbane and so close to city! Relax ambience, definitely a place to visit and enjoy a great meal when you are here!

We were celerbrating our 30th wedding anniversay and our family and friends had a great time..meal was fantastic, (lamb chops were delicious)..staff were awesome..thanks for a great night..

The food was great as always but they dont know how to make cocktails, my partner surprised me with a cocktail. It didn't come until everyone at the table was 1/2 way through their drinks and it didn't even taste like it should have, my partner was disappointed as it only tasted like soda water.

I have been to this famous steakhouse for many years, however last night was most disappointing...ordered a mini eye fillet which was apparently good, but I chose a rib fillet which was as tough as old boots. Very disappointed in paying $39 to have something that was as tender as skirt steak. I’m not sure who supplies your meat, but that is not good enough. It’ll be a long time before I return. You have many other competitors like, brekky creek, Morrison’s, Pineapple, Story Bridge, etc. Lift you game and provide quality cuts to match your pricing and level of service....line up to order, have to pick up at a counter. Lazy and dissapointing.

Dine here at night and you won't be disappointed. The ambience is welcoming and comforting in accompaniment with the food. The steaks are well selected, fresh and cooked to your taste. Everything here is well balance. A nice quality steak with nothing to fault.

They say they’re the worst vegetarian restaurant in town and that’s true. But they do surely serve the best Steak around. <br/>This place is our monthly must go one for its steak, baked potatoes and the beer garden vibe. Love it.

Came here last December, the place was packed with people celebrating Christmas, thus the rather slow service.<br/><br/>Ordered a bunch of different meat cuts, including the rump and eye fillet. All of them were cooked perfectly as ordered. Unfortunately, some of the meat cuts were tough to cut and hard to chew. The sides including the chips, the potato mash, baked potato, and the salads were tasty. The mushroom sauces and pepper were perfectly seasoned too.<br/><br/>It was an okay experience. Would definitely choose the meat cut properly when I come back here.

Ultimately didn't meet expectations in the service department. The rump steak was large and cooked medium rare to perfection. But for the size of the steak the sauce portion was not close to enough. Mash potatoes and coleslaw were good standard.<br/><br/>We had 2 starters to share and at no time during the meal did staff clear these plates and dishes or the service tray from the table (as meals are self collected).<br/><br/>Also I was shocked that my request for my soft drink to be served in a Schooner glass was refused by the barman. It seems like a pretty simple request and surely serving larger glasses supports those who do not wish to purchase an alcoholic beverage on that occasion.<br/><br/>Overall food good, Service poor. The experience not worth the $ overall. 3 stars.

WORST SERVICE FOR WHAT YOU PAY<br/><br/>We came here a couple of weeks ago with my partners family and were highly disappointed with the establishment! <br/><br/>On their website they boast accomodating for vegetarians and any dietary requirements. My partners mother is vegetarian and we went up to ordered a Caesar salad off the vegetarian menu and asked for no garlic or onions as well (she’s Buddhist). I also asked the server to reconfirm what we ordered. There must be some miscommunication with the kitchen as we went to collect it and there was bacon on the salad. Even worse, they remade the salad with onions in it. <br/><br/>As it was a busy Saturday night we asked for water and was told it was at the water stations. However with many intoxicated people at the bar the water station was empty and had glasses of half drank alcohol laying around. The first bartender said she will deliver new water to our table, we did not hear from her again. We asked a waitress walking by and she said again it’s at the water stations. When we pointed out that there was no water left she said she’ll bring water to our table which we didn’t hear from again as well. My partner had to line up to get water in the end. <br/><br/>The food was good, steak was cooked well and the sides aren’t too bad. However, given the lack of communication in the kitchen and poor service (keep in mind you have to get up and collect your meal), I’d rather go back to Morrison Hotel. With similar food standards, much more attentive staff, and table service it’s not a hard choice!

Amazing Steak, Bloody Mary oysters a must, table clearing was a bit slack & a couple of minor stuff ups with meals but they shouted us all a round of drinks to make up for up, so overall a really good night out. Highly recommend.

This is my favourite restaurant, the menu suits me oyster entree the meat always perfect and the bread rolls only add to how perfect the menu is, not once in the 12 plus years has there been a bad meal bad service, I have attended the cooking class thanks Guys for being the best restaurant for me.<br/>

Came for dinner because our aunty was wanting to eat steak. This place definitely does steak, with lots of different cuts to choose from. <br/><br/>After getting seated, you look through the menu and when you're ready to order you head up to the counter to order. The steaks come with salad/veges and chips/potato, as well as a sauce. After ordering you get a buzzer which will go off when you're order is ready. You have to pick it up yourself from the pick up counter.<br/><br/>Food was nice but I thought it lacked seasoning. It was cooked well though. Sides were also nice and the meals all came with a bread roll. Portions were fairly large. Nice place for a steak but it was a bit pricey.

I’ve always loved this place but the past few times the food has been ‘meh’. It’s a pity because they’ve always had such a good reputation. I don’t know what’s changed but can’t wait for them to get back to their glory days!

Came here for Valentines dinner with my family. Thank you for wonderful service and more importantly, great food. The wagu steak was worth the extra money. Loved the pot of mussels we shared too. Bread rolls are sooo soft and delish! Can’t wait to return :)

Oh boy...I expected better. I had the large rib fillet and my partner had a t bone. Both steaks were incredibly tough, and flavourless. Order took over 30 minutes. Staff seemed careless. A waste of money and time. A medium rare steak should not be tough.

The Norman is out go-to family catch up spot in Brissy. There’s something for everyone - the usual steak options as well as a few fun alternatives like pork ribs and pasta. There’s plenty of large tables and air-conditioned inside options as well. Quality is always great and while I would like to see a rustic style coleslaw rather than the bulk fast-food type they serve these days, the protein is the real hero here. Our fave dishes? The Rib Fillet and the Pork Ribs.

Food - 4.5<br/>Great steak, tasteless chips and mediocre salad & Idaho potato. Was a bit surprised by the bread in a plastic packet but it tasted good enough. <br/><br/>Took away 0.5 points because I think it's overpriced.<br/><br/>Subtracted a further 0.5 points because the chairs were ridiculously uncomfortable. There were around four different types of chairs, and we got the type with the metal windings on the back and slats on the seats (see photos). The metal dug into my back and the seat was hard and uncomfortable - for some reason, only a few of them had cushions...

Equal to best steak I’ve ever eaten. I’ve tried most Norman steaks, never been disappointed. And without doubt the best pork spare ribs Brisbane has to offer. Good range of beers on tap, and very good wine menu. Only complaint, outside seats not that comfy.

Coming up to the end of the year, it was time for me to reconsider all the foods I had eaten and try to tick off a couple more places before time was up. Only then did it strike me that I hadn't had a good steak in a very long time. So with that in mind, the Tomcat  family and I headed over to the worst vegetarian restaurant in Brisbane, the infamous Norman hotel to scratch our itch for steak.

Was waiting for a while to have our food ready, but end up kids were so happy with their New York Cut Strip loin and kid steak. My Calamari was good, but Lobster was so so~~~

Been wanting to come here for a very long time as I have heard good reviews. The venue is nice and spacious and the service is good. The steaks were ok but for the price I wouldn’t be back. I expected more. Plus after paying $45 per steak, I expected fresh bread and not bread in a packet.

Look - it's a long story but when a certain "brewer" did not renew their lease the owners set up here - echoing their successful 50 years at Breakfast Creek.  The steaks are great - could be more grass fed for my liking and the wines good too.  This is the go to place for me with out of town visitors or a lunch for thirty mates on a quiet week day for a birthday etc. Flogging the meat thing a bit but i guess that's the raison d etre.

Current review:We used to come here a lot and hadn't been for a while due to mixed reviews from people we know.  Was taken there for my birthday last night.   I love a good steak and you would expect a bloody good one for the prices you pay there.  I remember the steaks being amazing there.  Well last night 2 out of 3 of us were very unsatisfied.  My steak was red raw in patches when I asked for medium.  I had to send it back.  The rest of the steak was nice and tender but considering it was supposed to be flame grilled, I couldnt taste much flavour or charring for a piece of meat that was cooked at least several minutes each side?  You can choose coleslaw OR garden salad so I asked for garden salad but what I received was some spinach leaves and a big wedge of tasteless tomato covering a pile of coleslaw??  The baked potato was very nice and tasty but whilst it could have done with a small dollop of sour cream, we didn't come to pay $40 each for that.  My husband got the largest steak and had to also send it back because it was very chewy and tough in some parts and raw red in other.  He sent that piece back and got another piece that was now not raw but still tough in some parts and when I had a piece, it seemed watery and bland.  Over $100 later for 3 people, that's a disappointing birthday and a disappointing meal.  We won't be mistaking ourselves again and will be going back to the Muddy Farmer for our steak night special which we have been doing for over 15 years!!!  Should have read the recent negative reviews on the Norman Hotel before we went!<br/> <br/>Previous review:  Amazing steaks, best in Brisbane. Nice atmosphere, good for a group outing before hitting the city. Good range on the menu but warning don't come here if you are a vegetarian!!

Our rendezvous at the Norman was planned for Friday night but the early evening storms around Brisbane yesterday resulted in a rain check to dinner tonight. Walking in at 6.15pm there was already a long queue of diners waiting to order and pay for their meals. <br/><br/>After being allocated our table we decide without further ado to join the queue. Checking out the glass meat cabinet Phuong Tran decides on a rib fillet steak ($38.90) and I opt for a rump steak ($34.90). We are given a buzzer by the cashier. <br/><br/>Our table is in front of the char griller and it is entertaining watching the two chefs at work. The chefs considerately move aside for me to snap some photos of these wonderful steaks on the griller. Our buzzer goes off after 10 minutes! Time to eat and I rush off to collect our much anticipated meal.<br/><br/>Phuong Tran's medium rib fillet steak is perfect and she enjoys it with the mushroom sauce, she says the 2nd best in Brisbane after Fiasco's at The Morrisson. Her salad is fresh and chips just warm but acceptable. My rump steak is surprisingly large and grilled medium-rare. The pepper sauce is okay but I will ask for mushroom sauce next visit. I was disappointed by my tiny baked Idaho potato. It was one third the size of the baked Idaho potato from The Caxton Hotel. Luckily for me Phuong Tran gifts me half her chips!<br/><br/>We always leave The Norman Hotel happy and satisfied. Our meals were enjoyable and we look forward to returning before the New Year. Thank you and well done guys!

Great steak but really bad sides. The rib fillet was superb. Cooked to a perfect medium rare, with a beautiful crust. The baked potato and salad were a disappointment. Potato came with what seemed to be those store bought "bacon bits" and the salad came with a massive single mushy tomato. It's a real shame as this would be my go to steak place if they gave those sides a bit of love. The chilli sauce was very nice but the mustard bernaise wasn't that good. Chips were basic and the mayo aioli wasn't good, it tasted like old aioli that was just sitting there for months.

Steak was perfectly cooked to medium rare! Place was very busy and yet food arrived in timely manner. Enjoyed the Diane and mushroom sauce. Perfect condiment!

Pregnant wife was really craving a nice steak meal so I decided to try this place. Decided on their large ribeye which I got medium rare and wife got well done. Food came out hot and perfectly cooked. Steak is of high quality and quantities were perfect for a good feed. The difference between this place and a pub is the quality of steak. The ribeye cooked well done was still tender and delicious. Would definitely recommend this place.

Went on Saturday night and glad that I made a booking. It was packed!! And with good reason. My partner had the big rump steak and I had the midi eye fillet. Both were cooked perfectly. Exactly how we requested. Idaho potato was delicious and the salad was lovely and fresh with a nice dressing. My only ( minor) complaint was that I would have liked some more mushroom sauce on my steak. <br/>The staff were welcoming, friendly, and attentive. <br/>A great night out! Will definitely be back!

Whilst I await for the other half to partake in a BBQ class held at the Norman hotel I thought id treat myself to a feed, on entry you are welcomed with so many temptations and wide variety of meat and seafood. This place has steaks from 250g to 1kg, whilst I wanted the 1kg ($60) but I settled for the 600g steak (cooked rare) with chilli sauce and potato and salad as a side. These guys have the service down pat, I thought id be waiting at least close to 15 mins but prob waited 10 and this steak was mint!!!! I got rare alright and just the way I like it, salad was very well done with just the right amount of dressing and not drowning in it, the potato baked very well done with bits of crispy bacon in it. I will be back for the 1kg steak challenge.

Food at The Norman Hotel at previous nights, has proven to be more than a delightful touch of the tongue and warm of the belly. However this may test your willingness to wait and whether or not it was "worth the wait" . Good on an easy night, restricted on a busy night and consuming on a full house. "Pick your nights carefully"

Good steak, okay chips, not too pricey. Friendly staff and chilled out atmosphere. Very spacious dining area, and a great bar for a laid back weekend drink.

Great food. We eat here often, the price is a bit much though. <br/>You have to line up to order your food and pick it up yourself. It gets very busy on weekends.

On deciding we felt like a good steak we headed off to the Norman. <br/>The eye fillet steak and the pepper sauce were both good. However for a $40+ meal the sides were at the very least fast food standard. Coleslaw, similar or if not the same as KFC, jacket potato was baked well but the 'iconic bacon sauce' was lucky to be 5-10 tiny bacon pieces and certainly no sauce. With the addition of a bread roll and a plastic container of butter. <br/>Sorry Norman hotel your steak dinner is no different or better than any tavern or pub in Brisbane. I suggest you support your local instead!

Business trip with rural clients (who grow beef) to feed. A fair bit distracted from the very extensive and impressive (red) wine list but after a couple of excellent selections decided to get into it.<br/><br/>Rib fillets were recommended and accordingly were ordered. Absolutely magnificent cuts aged well and cooked to perfection.  Thumbs up from all. More good reds. <br/><br/>The steaks listed on the menu are definitely regarded some of the best brands on offer and we will look forward to next visit.

Had a rump steak and fish and chips meal.Ordered med...steak was real.....fish was over battered and disgusting like home brand.Manager never said much ...will never go back!!!!!!

Went to the Norman hotel today with my family for lunch, support to be the best steaks and was well cooked well done, the only issue was I wanted it medium. Coleslaw was tasteless and I reckon 3 days all. There was an issue with our meal so some came out and then had to wait an out 10min for the rest. Was really expecting something nice and was very disappointed.

Have been twice in the last month and many times over the years and being a creature of habit always go for a steak and oysters. I probably won’t go again, the mushroom sauce lacks flavour and the oysters this week were not up to the usual standard. I know its pub food but not a patch on the Story Bridge just five minutes up the road. Prompt service and good beer though and so busy the car park is often full.

Great steaks! Great portions! Great beers! Great location! Great setting! Great staff! First time coming here and was not disappointed, a little tricky to find the correct entrance though but all good :)

We both enjoyed the rib fillet on a busy Friday night. The service was attentive and quite fast, although the line to order was slow as there was only one register open. The meat was cooked a perfect medium rare, despite this, the serving of sauce was stingey and so it was hard to finish the steak as it began to get dry and tasteless toward the end of the meal. Overall decent steaks, though the Morrison does a similar style for equivalent prices with way more sauce!

Steak has really good taste. Just the service is not that feel warm. Potato smash is tasty. Wagyu beef is soft and juicy! Bread is nice. Nothing wrong with the food.

A great steak in a typical Queensland pub. The rib eye was perfectly cooked, but the price is steep considering you order at the counter and pick up yourself

I have been eating at the Norman for the last 20 years. The last few years I have been eating there at least once a week with friends and family. 95% of the time the steaks are cooked to perfection (medium-rare) and the meat is always top quality. Of all the times I have eaten here I have only sent a steak back once. Great selection of steaks and love trying the specials they run eg. "Steak of origin". The atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant. The beer garden is also great for a quiet beer with friends. As a steak fanatic, I've eaten at Moo Moos, Kingsleys, The Morrison, Cha Cha Chars, Bravo BBQ etc and the Norman is still my favourite spot for a relaxed meaty meal in Brisbane.

I have been to the Norman Hotel a few time with a group of friends and the meal each time has been nice. I do have to say even though the Norman boasts they have the best steaks in Brisbane, I do believe I have had nicer steaks elsewhere. I do think they can lack in flavour but it makes up from the great atmosphere and selection of meals.

I felt like a Steak and thats what we had. Lots of steak cuts. Some fish. Zero vego options. Meat Cooked perfectly to order. Prompt. Fresh salad and a baked potato. Good feed. Its a pub don't forget. Line up to order, beer-garden style, buzzers and bread roll in a packet. I liked it. It filled the spot. We were out in 1 hour. A satisfactory pub meal.

I've visited the Norman on numerous occasions. Obviously the Steakhouse is a real drawcard, and easily one of the Top 3 in all of South East Queensland. I don't think I've ever had a bad steak at the Norman.<br/><br/>Recently, I decided to give it a try purely as a destination for drinks before a game of cricket down the road. I'd never noticed during my evening visits, but it actually has a really great little beergarden. It was perfect just sitting there under the sun, sinking some beers and enjoying the company of my two sons. And to top it off, I had a nice win on the Ubet and the Aussies got home at the Gabba. What a day.

I was wrapped. I was at The Norman with more than a dozen or so fellas and the service was outstanding (they knew their stuff) the food was delicious and we just had to ask what the dressing was on the salad. (they were generous enough to give us a some hints of what was in it!). The group were seated in the Longhorn Room and I had Filet Mignon. (hadn't had it in years). It was memorable, cooked to perfection and I have told anyone who will listen about it. Great selection of wines and the bar staff were knowledgeable and thankfully had some personality. The whole table left full and totally satisfied. While every venue has room for improvement and innovation, I read the recent experience from 'Fimhoff' and didn't experience anything like it.Fantastic experience will be back soon.

Very disappointed today. Food took over an hour and although there is an event at the Gabba , it was presented like it was slapped on the plate. The potato looked awful with a dry bacon like topping. Kinda sad considering last time we are here it was a memorable meal.<br/><br/><br/><br/>Cake back nearly a year a half later.... food is definitely better. Didn't bother ordering the loaded potato with my steak... but the steak was to for for..

Very, very disappointing. I ordered barramundi (10 January 2016). What I got was so small I didn't even recognise it and had to ask the person at the counter where it was? His surprising response was that it was "about standard". The fish portion was overwhelmed on the plate by lettuce and one large potato. This is so disrespectful; I am not fooled by quantity of lettuce and think it"s a meal. My daughter had the child's steak, which was tough and dry. The chips were floury and cold (and of the frozen variety). No quality at all here and highly overpriced.

Overpriced underwhelming food. Had to wait 45mins for our food. When I received my food there was a little black hair in it. The food was average, nothing outstanding for the price and not worth the wait. Very disappointed, will not want to go back.

Good steak house, went for lunch with business partner. Steak was cooked to liking, sides good. Liked the bernaise. You have to order food and drinks on the bar though. Would go back. Ambient nice, we sat outside.

Had lunch on saturday, 30 people in whole hotel. This was my 3rd and last meal at the Norman. First steak meal, fantastic. Last 2 shocking. If our steaks were "directors cut" then the director of this hotel wouldn't know a quality steak from a chicken breast. Tough and grissley The last 4 steaks we have ordered have been overcooked! Medium rare is ordered and medium well is what is delivered. Chips were soggy and floury, frozen junk. You actually claim to give masterclasses in steak preparation, perhaps you need to put your own cooks through the class. I won't be back, too much of a gamble on the quality and cooking you will get.

Ah the good old Norman Hotel. Well I use to work here for a long time but I'm not going to be bias.<br/>This was for a long time Brisbane's top Steakhouse cooking on average 3000 steaks per week, that was up until about 4 years ago when the new owners decided to get rid of the supplier who for approx 53 years had special bred cattle just for the Norman. The steak here now isn't anywhere near as good as it used to be and if you do happen to visit, remember it is a steak house so don't order anything but steak and maybe beer battered chips with aioli and for heaven sakes don't order anything over medium rare. Tips: small or large rib fillet and if you can afford to splurge go the rib on the bone or the wagyu rib fillet, the rib fillet is definitely the tastiest cut and still worth it. The other cuts now have way to much gristle, you'd be chewing like a cow chewing grass all day.

Had been driving past the Norman Hotel for a few years and had been meaning to try the "Worst Vegetarian" restaurant. We arrived and were seated at our tables. Beverages are table service or order at the bar. There is a great range of steak on the menu and plenty of other options. It is definitely a vegans worst nightmare! You order at the counter and while you are in line, you can see the range of steaks in the counter. The worst part of being in the line is seeing the steaks and changing your mind whilst waiting. I think I only changed my choice about 4 times! <br/><br/>You are given a buzzer and you wait until your meals are ready. They provide the meals on a large tray which you take back to your table. They must of been training new staff on the night, as some of the staff were walking around for table service to tables but missed others including ours. It seemed an average night with half then dining area with customers and meals didn't take long. The wagyu rib fillet was good, and the pork ribs had plenty of flavour and tender. Will be going back to try the other cuts of meat. Would recommend giving the vegans nightmare a go!

Went there for dinner on a Friday. We rocked up with no booking and was seated immediately. Limited table service - they'll clear dishes and you can order drinks, but the staff were friendly. Otherwise you'll need to order and pick up your food at the counter.<br/><br/>We had the calamari for entree. Whilst the dish came out at lightening speed, the calamari was soft, whilst the rocket was limp. At least the sauce was good. We consoled ourselves, thinking, this place is famous for steaks, not seafood! <br/><br/>So then the steaks arrived. Whilst the meat was cooked to perfection, the actual piece of scotch fillet they used was very chewy. The mushroom sauce I had was spot on. The potato with its bacon 'sauce' (ie. Chunks of ham) was delicious, and the side salad was unnecessarily massive. Not too impressed by the plastic wrapped bread roll though!<br/>

We went to the Norman Hotel for Father's Day and had an great time. It was very very busy and waiting 55min for our meal (which we were not phased with as we were expecting such a wait with the amount of people there. <br/><br/>When we received our meals we were very pleased with the steaks - the boys were thoroughly impressed and smiled with every bite - they commented on how juicy they were and how well it was cooked. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said with the Caesar salad. There was barely anything on the plate and I went home hungry. It was probably one of the worst caesar salads I have eaten in quite a long time. <br/>One other hiccup of the night occurred when we were ordering our meals. At one point the older cashier started to yell at the other younger cashier for an error occurring at her register. This was followed by the cashier turning her back on the confused employee and announcing, 'stupid girl get away from me.' We were really taken aback at the comments made, especially in front of patrons and my heart felt terrible for the younger employee who was spoken to very rudely - she looked quite upset. <br/><br/>All in all, and after a couple of hiccups, we did have an enjoyable Father's Day dinner - and as this is my fathers favourite steak hotel, we will be returning. I have learnt my lesson to stick to steaks at the Norman hotel instead of a less than adequate caesar salad.

First time at the Norman, staff friendly. The main focus is naturally on the meat  so i sort of expected a smallish side. I ordered the rump with salad and baked potato with the bacon sauce, and a $5 side of coleslaw. Instead got a serve of coleslaw on my plate with the potato. No salad. So they gave me a salad as a side instead. All parts of the meal were nice. The venue is also quite pleasant to be in.

Been to Norman hotel multiple times and it has become a family favourite (used to be breakfast creek hotel). Find the hotel a lot more comfortable in terms of ambience, inside area spacious, service good, steaks are delicious with tasty idaho potato. Only negative is they dont give enough sauce/gravy on their steaks, but I just ask for more from the kitchen and they always give a separate side of sauce with no issues or cost. All in all, fantastic food and great venue

Best steak I've had in a while. Great service. The sauce on the buffalo wings is awesome. Well worth the money! Friendly atmosphere. The beer is cold and plenty to choose from. It's no wonder the place is busy.

Like a big country pub !<br/><br/>Good steaks , ok selection of beer.<br/><br/>No table service but that's fine with me.<br/><br/>Very family friendly which is nice <br/><br/>

Surprising that such an expensive restaurant doesn't have table service.. Steak was alright, reasonable price for the good portion, great atmosphere. I had such high expectations for the steak but it was just OK

They look good, I'd really want to try it some day, I guess whenever I visit there I'm hitting you guys :D I just hope it's all good when I come :p

We are regular customers and have eaten here over 25 times as a group . I believe there has been a change of ownership . Well we went last week and were shocked . One steak was inedible and so chewy , my fish was bland small and dry .We always used to order a bowl of the chilli sauce and it came in a bowl ...now we get a tiny plastic container 30 mm across .  We got a refund for the steak . If the new owners are reading this ...WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THIS ONCE GREAT STEAK PLACE ...Its on the slide . Although we were disappointed the Kilpatrick oysters , yes are fantastic . Get your act together and bring back the quality meat from 2013/ 14 . REGULAR DINERS group

T-Bone. The souce is pretty good!

Meal with a side of parking fine!. Hi Norman Hotel. Last night myself and two others had dinner at your Restaurant. We tried parking in your carpark but it was full so, like we have done previously, we parked in the street behind. We paid your 15% surcharge for a public holiday and received pork ribs that were quite dry but decent steak...we left your restaurant feeling okay.<br/><br/>However, when we got to our car we had a $85 parking fine!! Unfortunately we were unaware of the game at the gabba and missed the sign! Then it clicked! No wonder we couldn't get a park, everyone from the gabba had taken your restaurant parks because the restaurant certainly wasn't full!<br/><br/>I went back to your restaurant and spoke to Andrew with suggestions on how I think this situation could be avoided. Andrew was apologetic however he was defensive and I do not feel he listened to my advice! I also have a few more suggestions. As your restaurant is in the gabba area I think you have a responsibility to your customers to protect then from this fine so here are some simple suggestions:<br/><br/>1. You need to hire someone who's sole job is to make sure only Norman customers park in your carpark - makes sense doesn't it!? How else will you get customers?<br/><br/>2. You could have a sign at all entrances reminding is it's game day and to not park in the streets because of the 15minute rule! Pretty easy to do right? <br/><br/>3. Your cash register staff could politely add 'just a reminder, make sure you haven't parked in the streets because it's 15minute parking limit' would that be nice of them and FREE!<br/><br/>I think you should do all three of these suggestions every single game day. You can bet I will not be returning to your restaurant in fear of another $85 fine because I can't park in your car park! I'm sure I am not alone in saying this.

Not for vegetarians. Regardless of some negative Urban spoon reviews we though we would still give it a go as some local freinds had previous good experiences.<br/>Staff were very friendly and helpful.<br/>Drinks and food were ready on good time. <br/>I had the large eye fillet (medium rare ) which was cooked exactly as requested. I recommend anyone ordering steak check the chart on display when ordering to confirm their expectations match the levels of rare on the chart. <br/>One meal was incorrect so the chef apologised for the mistake and cooked the correct order straight away. This took less than 10 minutes which wasn't a problem for us.<br/>Will be happy to return to The Normam when next in QLD.

Norman Hotel Rib Fillet & Chilli Sauce. Had large rib fillet steak, medium rare with chilli sauce. I have had this steak and sauce on many previous occasions and was extremely happy. Today (7/1/15) I was extremely disappointed the steak cooked correctly but was very tuff. I left some on plate. The hotel must have changed chef or chilli sauce recipe because this sauce had no chilli taste or heat. If you order chilli sauce you want to taste chilli. The large rib fillet steak cost $35.00. I would not have the chilli sauce again until they changed the recipe back to previous recipe

Beers & Steak. Perfect.. Great selection of beers on tap and awesome selection of steaks too! You can watch your steak being cooked which is pretty cool. Rib on the bone all the way! The thing I love about the Norman over other steak places are the sauces. Literally the best mushroom sauce and the best chilli sauce in the world, I usually get extra on the side and just eat it with my bread roll! So good.. Oh and they have the probably the best kilpatrick oysters in Brisbane!! The garlic bread was pretty yummy too. The restaurant also has a big carpark out the back. The only bad thing about this place is that it's so busy on friday & saturday nights!! Which kind of reflects how good it is I guess.. Definitely prefer going on weekdays or Sunday nights

Meh. Ordered steak medium rare was verging on raw. Staff were attentive but as far as what you pay for steak it's not worth it. Sides were ordinary as well.

Over priced, rude and not cooked. Just visited the Normans hotel was very disappointed as we had to return two meals (eye fillet steakes) to be cooked medium and a second meal was not cooked adequately twice and eventually requested a refund from a very rude manager. will not return any time soon for the overpriced steak and poor level of service. it does not surprise me the amount of negative reviews on it was about this particular place. I am shocked and baffled how the remain in business

Something wrong with the beer.. When dad visits from out of town we usually head to the Norman for a steak at his request. Lucky for him he doesn't drink beer. I like a beer with my steak and the last three times I've gone there that tap beer has tasted... like the proverbial urine from a feline. I won't be four times a fool. I'll stick to water. <br/><br/>My dad always gets burnt to a crisp and that's the way he likes it. But they have trouble matching the pictures of medium and medium-rare.<br/><br/>It used to be good, but if it was up to me, I would try somewhere new.

Very let down. Attended on the night of 15/09/14 for daughters birthday 22nd. 5 adults and 2 grandchildren. Ordered 2 rib, 1 eye and 1 rump steaks. Also ordered chicken which was good.My rib was ordered as medium and came out as rare but I put up with it and ate it. Was a fair to good steak. Rump steak was rubbish and would have been better off buying market steak at Woolies. Eye was nice but salad was not good. My own salad was totally lettuce. Other rib was fatty and undercooked and part left on plate. My wife told a waiter re the bad rump but he did not see to care much about it. <br/><br/>Drinks were a rip off. About a third dearer than a recent night out the Alexander Heads Surf Lifesaving Club.<br/><br/>Not good expeirence at all and will not go back. Have scrubbed the Norman off the list. Will drive to Redcliffe or Caloundra in future for good meals.

I have been to the Norman a few times and the last time I went here the meal was average (overcooked steak- almost burnt!).<br/><br/>Tonight I thought I would try to make a booking and give it another go. I called and the lady who answered the phone said she has had staff call in sick, she doesn't have the booking sheet in front of her and she is busy so she wasn't going to take anymore bookings for tonight... How rude.... I don't know how that was my problem! All good- heading to the Brekky creek hotel where the lady on the phone was more than happy to take a booking from me! <br/><br/>I think the managing team at the Norman need to teach their staff a few phone manners!

Pretty overrated, the product quality is nothing special. <br/>Perhaps it was an off day, but the famous steak would be maybe a 5/10

Went here last Friday night. Table of 14 and everyone was impressed with the meals. Will be back.

Best steaks in town!. The menu here is very simple and wholesome, but absolutely delicious! I had the best steak I've ever had in my life here - an eye fillet cooked rare. We went to celebrate a family members Birthday and had a wonderful time - beer and cider on tap and perfectly done steaks - what more could you want! If you have any room left for desert, I recommend the rich, decadent brownie. Also, do not be afraid of the bread roll that comes in plastic wrapping - it is actually the softest, freshest most delicious bread, make sure to give it a go.

Not great. Got given a bread roll in a plastic bag with my over priced steak not impressed.....

Woeful. After arriving at the hotel we ventured to the ordering area to be greeted by a sign insisting we had a table number before ordering. Ok, we ventured over to an empty table only to read another notice which said we need to be seated by a host. We stood for a few minutes trying to locate said host without luck. An inquiry at the bar was met with a sharp " a host will seat you soon", Probably the most difficult place I have ever tried to acquire a meal. Needless to say, did not stick around to sample the very overpriced and judging by some of the reviews here, ordinary food.

Not bad but not the steak mecca it's made out to be.. Being a carnivore I was chomping at the bit to try this 'Steak palace'... Needless to say somewhat disappointing... Steaks ok... But not a patch on a couple I frequent here in Melb.

Not going back. I think Kiki summed it up nicely. I might just add tho that they occasionally forget to place your order through to the kitchen, and will only deliver your order to your table after an hour and a half of ignoring you! Oh yeah, with the wrong cut of meat, which is often under/over cooked. The sides are below average. The staff are generally quite inept (with the exception of one waitress), most are quite arrogant (no idea why?? what you do is not exactly commensurate to curing cancer) and some are borderline rude. I won't be going back.

It's a Pub!. The Norman Hotel is a pub with pub food, pub atmosphere and pub patrons, but with very high restaurant prices for it's over-rated food. More than $30 for a steak served with about 50 cents worth of salad. Anyone who had experience in catering knows the Norman would buying their steaks at wholesale prices but they are not passing that on to consumers. Yes, the steaks are yummy and cooked to specification, but that is nothing special. The packaged bread rolls are disgusting; there is no table service. You have to queue to order your meal, queue for your drinks, pick up your own meal, set your own place at the table and then work out who has what back at the table. And the floor could do with a good pressure clean.

Consistant Every Time - Real Aussie Restaurant. I don't think you can get a better example of what would be a Original Australian Meal - nothing too fancy, just really good cooked steak, or chicken, fish if you dont eat steak, served with a potato in its jacket, and the best coleslaw ever - love the size of the place and the options for seating - you feel like you are outside but you are sitting in a covered in area - take your overseas friends here for sure.

Professional. My steak arrived undercooked. I was disappointed, the Norman has been cooking steak for long enough to get it right, Steak returned, I was greeted by total professionalism, offering to return my steak to the grill or cook me another. Some times things happen but full marks to the professional efficient handling of the problem. When my steak did arrive it was delicious.

Best steak in Brisbane. Had a steak here on saturday, ordered the ekka championship winning eye fillet. Was amazing. Perfectly cooked, great roast potato with bacon and a nice salad. Cannot fault the Norman at all!

Visited the Norman. Went last night with the family and the service was pretty good and the food was pretty quick.<br/><br/>I had a large eye fillet and was dubious as whether it would be cooked medium as I'd ordered. A little disappointed as is was a bit undercooked for my liking. The sticky date pudding was great though.

Great steak. Visited the Norman with some colleagues from NZ - a great example of an Aussie pub...<br/>Friendly wait staff that, nice atmosphere and a great selection of perfectly cooked steaks (great oysters too!)

It had been a while since my last meal @ Norman Hotel, and it's going to be awhile again because the food was shocking bad last night. 1 out of 9 steaks on our table was cooked to an "ok" standard; quality of meat tbh wasn't the best either! If it wasn't for the groupon deal, I wouldn't had come here. I can say its well over priced for what it's worth. I've had much much better steaks else where, and yes I do know all my steaks extremely well world wide. The cut & quality was abit above average but the cooking control of the steak was poorly done losing the rest of it makin the steak not even worth $20 on the table. It wasn't a busy monday night, therefore there weren't anything to blame for (there shouldn't be anyway in any good restaurant no matter what time & day). Customers pay $40-$50+ per person for a meal and still get this quality? I've tasted much much better quality steak from a cafe' for only 60-70% of it's price and it was worth every bite and speck on the plate. The decoration is nice on the positive side and nice warm touch to the place, excellent for social gatherings. Negative note on the lighting as all of us couldn't see the color of our steak until we had to find some light! Sorry Norman Hotel, but it's been a great disappointment for me this time... It'll be a while for me to return again... and no, I will not recommend anyone here. Overall experience 3.5/10

Called up to make a booking for two and was told there would be a table for us. We arrived and was told to sit at the bar as there were no tables and they would come find us if one came available. Organisational running of the place was really bad and needs a defined entrance/waiting area rather than a having groups of people standing in the middle of a thoroughfare for the ladies with a clipboard. Wouldn't recommend going to anyone.

Best steak in Brisbane, without a doubt. Only complaint is the steak is *sometimes* overcooked and the service is pretty ordinary. On a good night, the steak is amazing.

Bloody Good Feed. Haven't been to the Norman for years so when I saw it pop up on Living Social I grabbed it and was not disappointed. Place was packed on a Tuesday night but the service was very quick and friendly. Only about 5 mins in line to place the orders, get the buzzer and hand in the receipt to the bar staff for the included bottle of wine, by the time we sat down the buzzer sounded for our garlic bread starters ready to pick up and they were yummy, usually not a fan of the pizza bread type, but these were good. About 10 minutes after we were licking our fingers after the bread, the buzzer sounded our mains - I bolted over for our 2 prime rib on the bone with all the trimmings and these were all hot and ready very very quickly with wonderfully friendly and courteous staff - succulent, juicy and you just wanted to pick up the bone it was that good - I even ate every bit of that mince filled potato which is still good after all these years. I see the traditional coleslaw has changed to a mixed green salad with a nice (and I think low fat) dressing and a fresh half tomato - being a true carnivore instead of the dreaded vegetarians, I did leave these - someone else will have to rate em. <br/><br/>Had a look at the dessert menu just to see, very uninspiring but that was to be expected as the star attractions are the grills and to be honest we were just seeing if anything tempted us - sigh, sometimes I just feel sorry for vegetarians.

What great hospitality, turned up to try their steak mid afternoon but kitchen closed - explained our frustration and voila! Six excellent steaks and a great red wine! Can't begin to tell how good that made us feel! Top restaurant, bar and service!

Quality Steak Experience. The Norman Hotel has evolved a little since it was owned by the Cavill family but it is still primarily a steak restaurant. The atmosphere is engaging and the meals are plain but delicious. I have never been disappointed with the food quality in more than 20 visits but the service remains average. It is worth persevering at this venue just to know a mouthwatering steak is your reward.

Brisbanes Worst Vegetarian Restaurant. I have always loved The Norman. Most amazing eye fillet I will ever taste! You have to get the mushroom sauce, its amazing.<br/><br/>I must say though I have never paid for myself (my parents have taken me here in the past) and I am not sure if I would be willing to fork out $30 for a steak. If you have the moolah though, then go for you life.

Best in Brisbane by far! Steak worth spending money for. Flavorsome, juicy, tasty and cooked perfectly. Great location for drinks before dinner or lunch. Have visited a few times.. Will return again! 👍

Steaks were very nice but seriously if paying between $35-$40 for a steak, the least they can do is bring it to the table for me. Not impressed that you have to line up at a counter to place your order and then collect your meal when your buzzer sounds. I've had better service at the local rsl!

Not impressed! It's just a cafeteria/pub that serves expensive steak. Line up to order, get a buzzer, have to get your own meal, then clear your own table. If I'm going to pay an average of $35 + for a main meal, the least they can do is a bit of table service. They just slap a piece of meat on a too small plate, chuck on a few lettuce leaves and an Idaho potato. Steaks are good, but the experience is bad. I really don't know why it's so popular????

Best steaks in Brisbane by far!! Eye fillet was grand! And loving the great range of James squires ales!!! Is still a pub / restaurant, as for some of the bad reviews below, so expect to line up and receive a buzzer to collect your meals, but it is well worth it for the quality of steak that you receive!!! Staff are always friendly and helpful!! Loved it

The steaks were cooked really well, let down was the garlic bread, not much sauce for the steak, service was fast.

Once is more than enough. Worst meal I've ever had at a restaurant. Ever. Such a disappointment and certainly doesn't live up to the hype. Kitchen staff no help at all when inquiring what the problem might be. Meal practically inedible. Manager friendly and helpful when I arrived, but no-where to been seen when there was a problem. Won't be going back there again.

Steak was delicious. Perfectly cooked! <br/><br/>BUT the prawns were well below par. They looked and tasted like they came out of a freezer bag. And at $15 for 6 pathetic prawns and an old, floury soggy side salad I feel this dish should be removed from the menu or lowered in price substantially. <br/>Not impressed!

Tuff luck! :(. Oh well it had been some years and I ventured back, woopsie! one steak was ok but my rib on the bone was hard to cut and chewy salad was uninspiring has always been the Breakfast Creeks poor cousin but i will say the waitresses are very switched on (shame about the rest) she got the manager who was like "oh well you ate it sorry better luck next time" wow that's service FAIL!!! :(

Disappointing...... A $40 steak should be gourmet quality, however this was a $20 pub steak at best.. The steak was chewy and hard to cut.. The dinner rolls come cold in a sealed plastic pouch.. Wouldn't recommend.... Very dissatisfied...

Paying 45 dollars for a MICROWAVED STEAK is robbery. next to the grill is a microwave that was getting plenty of use on the day we went before lions match. glad boss was paying. would never waste my money

Very Average. We attended the Norman Hotel for dinner last night 05/08/12 for dinner, we had a group of 8. The food was presented as id expect a meal from a daycare, at best! It was not busy at the time we arrived, as our entree's were ready and we started to eat our Mains arrived. No one had finnished their Entree's!! Trying to get staff to clear our table, was like pulling teeth.<br/>With so many Great Restaurants in Brisbane, This is not one of them!! Go somewhere else..

As always, best steak in Brisbane. Great atmosphere to match.

Mr Jones Your BBQ is Ready. Always reliable to go to the Norman for a steak. Atmosphere is good and a pleasant evening.<br/>The beer on tap is sometimes a bit flat, but otherwise it's a great night out.

Very good steak. We went to the Norman on Saturday night on the spur of the moment. Didn't have a booking but although busy, the hostess managed to find a table for us pretty quickly.<br/>I only queued for about 5 minutes, maybe less. The food was very good. Had the rib fillet on the bone cooked rare and it was delicious, just how I like it. My 5 dining partners all enjoyed their food. The waitress was quick to bring drinks.<br/>Overall, I think it's one of the best pub meals I've had in a long time. Will be going back again next time we're in Brisbane.

Worst.steak.ever!!! Service was shocking, steak was over cooked not once but TWICE! If it wasn't for the beautiful building I'm not sure it would still be alive...will never go back.

Easy business lunch. Visitied on a Thursday lunch, which would appear a good time to visit, with no lines at the bar/counter or wait for tables. Rib-eye was bang on the mark. Someone in the kitchen knew how to do a med-rare. <br/>If it wasnt for work, could probably have settled in for a few arvo brews.<br/>Will bring my carnivore wife on another occasion.

Best steak in Brisbane!. Best steak in Brisbane, love the sides and sauces too. good atmosphere. :)

Good steak. Love a good steak, this is the place. Whenever I got out with my family for steak, the Norman hotel is our choice. They do have an interesting ordering and service system, where its sort of "manage-ourselves" style, but the food is pretty great. Beer battered chips is always a favourite.

Food was great, but the waitress horrible. My husband and I went out to celebrate, and decided instead of going to our usual steakhouse (Morrison's), to try out the Norman Hotel. <br/>Pleasant atmosphere, and casual enough to wear jeans. The ordering was awkward - you wait in line only to learn at the register that no orders are taken unless you've already staked out a table. So I had to scramble around trying to find a table quickly while my husband waited at the register. Most of the tables for two were reserved, so this was very inconvenient. <br/>While at the counter, my husband enquired if there was table service for the drinks, or if we should order them at the bar. The waitress on duty was extremely rude, saying in a dismissive voice that there was table service but there were only two waitresses on duty. Her tone implied that we were really putting her out. She then haughtily walked away! <br/>My husband was very taken aback by this rudeness and after waiting 15 minutes for someone to take our drink orders I gave up and ordered the drinks at the bar. During the 15 minutes we observed the waitress flirting and talking with some of the waitstaff (table bussers?) When she wasn't flirting and giggling with the guys, she was doing things like standing around looking for somethign to do. She actively ignored us, and wouldn't make eye contact. walking past us several times when she could clearly see we were waitng. Rude!!!<br/>My husband wanted to leave, but I said let's just stay, as I was starving.<br/>I'm glad we did because our steaks were great, as good as Morrison's. Everything else was good too, the potatoes, the salads etc. One kind of strange thing was the rolls came wrapped in plastic. Why? Aren't they baked on the premises? <br/>The steaks were on average $5 more than the ones at Morrison's, but I can live with that.<br/>What I can't live with is that rude waitress who really put a damper on our celbratory mood. Good service can mean the difference between a rave review (which this would have been) and customers who never return.<br/>I am going to copy this review and send it to the manager, because I think they should know they have a real customer service dummy on their hands.

Ordinary to say the least!. Don't waste your money here for a steak or anything else on the menu for that matter this Pub has gone down hill fast!<br/><br/>Steak was terrible, barramundi was so overcooked it was like eating cardboard, salad looked like it had been sitting in the fridge unrapped for a month, potato was baked so was ok but how can you get a baked potato wrong! Oh and the WORST part... the airline STALE breadroll you get given! If you want a better pub meal go to the Pineapple or Deery's at the Story Bridge, both excellent.

What a joke, spend your money somewhere else, if your going to spend big money on a steak, eat somewhere like char's.. The food is terrible... And at $40 plus for a steak.. What the...will never go back, even the beers are are rip off... The Only people who would consider this place good are people with no taste buds and too much money...the management and chef need a serious wake up call

The steak here is consistently good so I keep coming back. Don't come here expecting fine dining as its not what they do.

Let down.... I had my work Christmas party here. When we booked the Christmas party, months in advance, the event coordinator seemed very organised and friendly and she let us pick where we wanted to sit in the restaurant. All of our meals were pre-ordered and pre-payed for. On the night of the Christmas party, we got seated in a completely different part of the restaurant to what we wanted. We had chosen a quiet corner at the back of the restaurant, but were seated instead near a noisy bar filled with drunken men. The manager insisted however that this was a better position for us. The no wait service was annoying, however we had to keep chasing up the staff to even give us our beepers! Half of the Christmas party was spent chasing up meals instead of sitting down, eating good food and enjoying each others company. On top of all of this being seated so close to the bar, we were constantly harassed by the group of severly intoxicated men hanging around the bar, who should definitely have been kicked out. The girls at our company were too scared to go up to the bar by themselves and we had to listen to their yelling, swearing and fights. All in all it was a disappointing experience considering we spent alot of money there and had organised well in advance.

We live near the Norman and know it's very popular- but we can't work out why? You line up like cattle for food, staff are generally rude and mon- attentive, cheap plastic tables, no table service. Dare we say that this place is frequented by many from the suburbs of Brisbane, many of whom are under the elusion that this is a great steak house - I'm guessing that most of them would vote Labour too :-)

Classless. No table service, had to constantly send someone up to buy drinks as we had 15 people at the table. Were given two tables from 3 onwards, one table was taken away as some of our guests were late, then we were told the book was from 3-5 only (at 5:15, after we ordered food). Kitchen was closed until 5 by the way. <br/><br/>Overall tacky and classless experience. Food wasnt bad, but its not hard to cook a steak. I wouldn't call it amazing. Considering the price i would not go back to this hotel or bistro or what ever it is. <br/><br/>2/5 stars

Disgusting service and food. Once again I have to be careful what I say as my last comment was removed for I guess telling the truth?<br/>Rude staff, terrible customer service, MICROWAVED STEAK!.<br/>and to top it off when we were leaving this place my Wife and her friend were just about hit by a glass that was thrown from a private function I told the bouncer who did nothing about it, when we told the Manager he decided to yell at us when we told him we wouldnt be coming back.<br/>I would not suggest this place to anyone

Rude service , but steak was good. The lady at the front directing us to the seat was extremely rude!!! but the steak was good, so i still voted YES.

Consistently the best steak in Brisbane... Been coming for here for years and always been great!!

Not bad food .. Great food can not fault it. The staff need to work on there people skills very rude especially The bar manager .

Grilled Chicken.....yummo. I love going here...........the service is great and the grilled chicken is amazing, so tender.<br/>Would definately recommend.

Great place for a hearty feed and a cold one... or three. One of my fave places in Brissie for a slab of cow, they're one of few to consistently nail a med rare. Not only that, the staff are friendly, plenty of beers on tap, desserts are great (if you have the room) and the atmosphere is always lively. I do wish they'd sort out the seating system but it's a small setback in what is always an enjoyable night out.

Doesn't live up to the hype. I went to this hotel on other people's recommendations. What a let down. I ordered the salmon steak. Easily the worst salmon I've ever had, and possibly the worst meal I've ever paid for.<br/><br/>The salmon was dry. The butter and dill dressing non-existent. When I asked where the dill was, I was told it was in the butter, I just couldn't see it????? Or taste it. I had to finish my friend's dregs of entre sauce so that I could digest the salmon.<br/><br/>The side salad was a pitiful handful of old lettuce mix with a couple of pieces of shredded bits of something else thrown in.<br/><br/>Just horrible. And overpriced!

Still serving the same dead spud I had 10 years ago, very poor service & astronomical prices. Beer battered flathead tasted like a deep fried used sock. For the prices they charge, the dead spud and dish cloth salad means your paying $30-40 for a piece of meat. Urbanspoon lists this place as mains $15-25, which will only get you a very ordinary starter. If you want a nice meal at the $30-40 mark, DON'T GO HERE.

Steaks - amazing, ribs good too!!. I always go to the Norman to have steak, however I decided to try the ribs last time I went - and they were divine! Just perfectly cooked, with a beautiful sauce. I will definitely have them again. Even though it is a pub, they have great service - changing the table you booked to a bigger one once they notice you have a pram. The wait staff are also very friendly, which makes a change from a lot of Brisbane restaurants

Not only the worst vegetarian restaurant. I don't get it.<br/>You have to do everything yourself except slit the cow's throat. <br/>Queue for a drink<br/>Queue to place your order<br/>Wait 40+ minutes for them to cook a medium rare steak that is cold and over cooked.<br/>You have to pay $6.00 extra for chips (you are not allowed to substitute for your potato) and then get attitude from the supervisor when THEY run out of potato and tell you that you have to have chips!<br/>All this for the privilege of paying $32.00 for just the steak. Which you are happy to do if you are getting good service and a good experience.

No service. I have been to the Norman twice an on both occasions the food was ok. (not great, just ok) what really annoys me is the fact that you have to line up, in my case for 20 minutes last time I was there to then have to get up again to collect you steaks. I totally have to agree with Brizsuz, for the price you are paying you really shouldn't have to get your own meal. The wait staff was there, (standing around, looking bored) they even served us drinks, yet, we had to get up an get our ow meals, doesn't really make sense to me.

Best steaks we've had. Great steaks - all out on display so you know what size you're getting if you're not sure of the cut. Cooked to perfection. Don't be afraid of the chilli sauce, its spicy, but not that hot!<br/>Staff are good, the outdoor setting is great, even in winter.<br/><br/>Beats the Breakfast Creek hands down!

Best Steak In Town. The whole experience of the Norman Hotel is great. Picking your piece of an array of different slices of cow to eat and the enjoyable surroundings make this place one of my favs....<br/><br/>Kudos on the renovations and it is interesting to know they now have Lasseters as new owners? not the ones from Neighbours right?? Perhaps this is the Lasseters who own the Casino in Alice Springs??<br/><br/>Anyways, whoever the owners, this place is one of Brissys hotspots if you ask me...any visitor must eat and drink and the Norman atleast once....<br/><br/>Another quiet delight are their oysters, although quite pricey, the Kilpatrick is great

Good feed. I throughly enjoy the meals here everytime I visit. Its more a help yourself type restaurant as the service can be slow and at times non existant but food makes up for it

Great for a drink and steak. I really liked the food; very tasty. I think they have some ex military chefs in there because they might have over 100 meals going at once on a busy day and its quite entertaining to see how they manage all the food :) you can also choose to cook your own food if you like for a very low price, i think a steak is $2 or close if you cook it yourself.

Great steak restaurant. Service was ok - not the best but great food and good non steak alternatives.

Great steak fast service and nice pub atmosphere

NOT a fan of the Norman. I been there a fair few times and the food feels very generic. You get to choose your steak but everyone gets the same sides regardless if you like it or not. The steaks are cooked on a massive BBQ by different people so they always come out diff everytime you go, they don't actually have a head chef. Also if you want chips that's extra ontop of the already over priced steak. To top it off don't expect a waiter you have to line up to order your meal and drinks.

By far the worst vegetarian restaurant in Brisbane but the best place to have a steak and beer that will completely satisfy the meat eater! Love it!

If this is your first experience at "The Norman", the first thing to do is to find a table (Don't forget to book if you have a group of people) and go the counter to order with your table number. On the way to the counter you will get to pass the honour board. You too could have your name on it if you are willing to eat a kilo of rump steak along with lots of salad, breads and sauces during certain times of the year.

With an eye-catching tagline as "Brisbane's worst vegetarian restaurant", it is obvious that the establishment is a meat lover's treat. A beautiful restaurant that has plenty of open spaces, Norman Hotel always packs a crowd and reservations are strongly recommended.

Meat: cooked well Bread: plain white bread Salad: good garden salad<br/>Sauce: good mushroom sauce Side: Awesome Idaho potato!!!<br/>

My fellow diners weren't as pleased with their dishes as I was. Two of my friends had a medium done rump steak, but both complained that it eas more like well done. I tried a piece for myself, and agreed with their opinion, as the colour of the centre of the meat was fully brown, and to the texture, was dry and coarse, making it rather difficult to swallow. My friend who had the filet was also let down, as she favored this place rather highly. We also ordered beer battered chips with aioli. These definitely aren't a disappointment; they're like soft clouds of potato encased in a crispy outer shell. YUM! I could just eat these and be full and satisfied.

their steaks are well worth the wait and this is easily forgotten once you’re mouth deep in a cow’s behind, the chilli sauce is amazing so I usually get it along with my standard mushroom. To top it all off they serve the serves with a huge Idaho potato jam packed with sour cream and bacon bits… prepare to be put in a food coma

There are so many different cuts available from this establishment and you will be assured to find one that suits your taste.

... have always been big eaters and nothing is more satisfying than a good steak!

Our steaks were perfectly done, the garden salad was superfresh and zingy compared to the sad side salads at the Breakfast Creek, and the potato with bacon was tasty. Accompanying sauces were fantastic, the pepper sauce was especially hot and peppery.

With a display of their freshest produce and cuts, you pick the cut, the size, the sauce and off you wait. A pity that the chips had to be a side order because their steak comes standard with a salad and a baked potato.

I feel neutral about Norman Hotel. The steaks were good but I'm not convinced about the price. Marc put up an argument where he insisted that all pub steaks cost $30-$40 nowadays whereas I feel that I should be at a fine dining restaurant for those prices. After all, we had to order the food ourselves and pick it up ourselves. The whole vibrating token system is great for big group events but there aren't as many benefits when it's just the two of us dining. Aside from the steak itself, I was unimpressed by the sides and starter.

Brisbane's Worst Vegetarian Restaurant - The Norman Hotel. Wooh! What a catchy name! So the menu consists of meat, meat and meat? Nah... apart from their famous steaks there are also Chicken Schnitzel, Qld Wild Barramundi, Lamb Cutlets etc.

The system here is typical pub style where you order from the counter and take a buzzer to the table which tells you when to collect your meal. Drinks are served by wait staff circulating the room. It works well and keeps the crowd moving, although they do warn of delays on busy nights. Our steaks arrived in good time on a Friday night.