Review Deer Duck Bistro - Brisbane

My very first degustation experience - not sure anything else will top this! We did the nine course with matching wines. It was so enjoyable hearing about each wine and how they would complement each course. Great service and staff. Was worried at first that we wouldn't be full due to the small servings... Boy were we wrong! The food was delicious and so thoughtfully prepared and plated. Truly an enjoyable experience. So much so that the hours seemed to pass so quickly during our time here. The place itself was charming, quaint - darkly lit which created a romantic atmosphere. Would love to come back here for a date in the future. Thank you for having us! ~ Libby

Loved it. Service and ambience are a perfect 10. Food was delicious and interesting. Not at all pretentious. I especially loved the wine pairing, and Kristina even sent me a list of the wines the very next day. It all combined into an extremely pleasant experience, probably the best degustation in Brisbane. Very special place.

Great atmosphere and great little place away from the main hotpsot areas of restaurants in Brisbane. The degustation was amazing and one of the highlights for this place. Loved the entire experience. Wish that the servers spoke a bit slower and clearer when explaining what it was we were eating, hard to hear especially with a mask.

Lovely night at DDB tonight celebrating my partner’s birthday. It was our first degustation experience because we are usually very cheap diners, but we wanted to try something new and it was excellent. Service staff were so friendly and the atmosphere was perfect, HIGHLY recommend the strawberry cocktail. The food was all wonderful and so thoughtfully created. We opted for the 5 course degustation. One note I will say is I could’ve been fuller, so next time I will save up and try the 7 course option. It would be great however if every diner no matter their budget could leave with a full tummy ☺️ Thanks team for a memorable night

I recently celebrated my birthday dinner here and I was satisfied. If you love an opulent themed restaurant, you will love the interiors of this place. The food is great but on the pricey side. I hope they have a beef option, since notall of my friends including me eats lamb.

Simply must go if you enjoy fine cuisine. The long course is worth it for sure and will take you on a long journey of amazing delights. Highly recommended.

Decoration and atmosphere of deer duck bistro is great. We loved their cocktails and most of the food on the long course. The duck and fio gras macaron is so good and you can't find anything similar in the town.

Great experience for our first anniversary. Had two amazing cocktails in the bar prior to dinner. Then opted for the 9 course degustation with paired wines. Excellent service and the wines were well paired. Ended the night with a complimentary course and rum and chocolates as the digestif. 7pm to 1045pm.

Its been awhile since we’ve been out to eat due to the crazy situation everyone is in of late. Deer duck was definitely our choice of first dine out meal since covid restrictions. Sure enough they lived up to their name. Food was delicious, service still great and we just love the romantic ambience of the place. Definitely one of my favourite restaurants in Brisbane. <br/>

Brilliant short course degustation. Excellent attention to detail and faultless service. Highly recommend for dates, and would be excited to return in the future.

You’ve got to be kidding!! Over priced for tiny portions. Nice food, but ridiculously expensive for the meal size. We had to order a pizza afterwards!

Loved this restaurant. We went there on Saturday night and had the short course degustation with matching wines. We could not fault the food - absolutely delicious. We were not huge fans of the wine choices (which was the only very minor issue). The staff were friendly and attentive and the little hidden rooms and mismatched older furniture made for a delightful quirky atmosphere. We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience - a hidden gem in the suburbs of Brisbane.

The food was great - got the 3 course degustation & portion sizes could have possibly been bigger for what we were paying, but meals were delicious & the atmosphere was incredible & unique.

Combining various textures and flavours in pure, refined, exhilarating culinary delights, Deer Duck Bistro invites you to a journey of innovative and deeply satisfying culinary adventure. Hidden away in a little suburb known as Auchenflower, Deer Duck Bistro brings a unique degustation experience, serving up degustation menus in a quirky and artistic environment, thoughtfully decorated with French Renaissance furniture, old silver cutlery, crystal whiskey decanters and antique paintings

Awesome quirky restaurant, if you are looking for something a bit different with amazing food, this is the place for you! It has a very European feel, reminded me of restaurants I had been to in London with the ornate decor, stuffed animals, old paintings and vintage China plates. On arrival in the entrance bar, we were taken to the restaurant at the back. Very cosy and atmospheric, with very low lighting, perfect for a date night or special occasion, I loved it! We had the 5-course degustation menu, the flavours were amazing and beautifully presented, I couldn't fault anything. Will be back!

We had a great time here, had the five course vegetarian menu and it was just the right size. Charcoal bread and dessert with candy floss were the highlights. Fantastic service. Low light means you might start to fall asleep if you are tired!

The food served at Deer Duck Bistro is outstanding! The flavours were very well balanced and we could not think of any faults. The only downside of the night was that the service mostly in terms of the wait time for food and the accessibility of staff. The disappointing aspect was that the table next to you, who arrived at least half an hour later, received the same food at a very similar time. Nonetheless, the food was worth the wait but I do hope that our next experience there is elevated.

I went to Deer duck in May. 7 course degustation meal was fantastic. Deer, duck, seafood, tart, porkbelly...I can still taste the flavor in my mouth. Only the dessert fairy moss or mash mallows is not my taste, look like hair. The rest are great.

Visited Deer Duck Bistro after wanting to go for 2 years! Interior is absolutely stunning with a warm low lit ambience and vintage decoration. Their housemade smoked butter was the best I've ever had. Their duck and lamb mains were both cooked beautifully and thoroughly enjoyed however the deconstructed orange cheesecake and whisky turkish delight were both lacking a bit of substance.

Such a great spot! Don't be swayed but the ratty exterior, as the interior is smartly decorated and quite dim. It's the perfect spot for a romantic date.<br/><br/>I am not a big degustation guy, but Deer Duck's is definitely worth eating. We did the five course with wine, which was a good amount of food (we left satisfied, but not stuffed). The menu is constantly changing, so I won't speak to the specific plates, but the food was on the sweeter side of the spectrum and not a single dish was salty. <br/><br/>The service was fantastic- the food and wine servers knew their product well and did an excellent job of speaking to each dish/glass.<br/><br/>I eagerly await my return visit!

Lovely food, amazing and attentive service, wine was fantastic. The degustation menu is highly recommended! Great spot for a date night. We will definitely come back!

I was mislead when I made my booking for valentines dinner, a whole month in advance. I was advised that I could order from the normal options menu and a special valentine's option would also be available. I have now, a week out from Valentines, been asked by Deer Duck to confirm my booking for valentines, as a deposit is now required and there are no choices - the normal $79 five course has been replaced with a $155 valentines five course.<br/>This is further compounded as no substitutes can be made, even for allergies (one of the courses is seafood, which one of our friends is allergic to).<br/><br/>As I have been mislead, and with such short notice to find an alternate venue, I give Deer Duck the lowest rating.

Had a 7-course degustation for dinner here with my partner. I had contacted them in advance to prepare a vegan menu for myself which they obliged. <br/>The restaurant was quite quirky with an interesting decor. Since it was a Thursday we got a free glass of champange to start which was nice. I must say the first couple of courses were quite amazing. Its always hard to find vegan options anywhere but the amouse bouche and starter were really creative and delicious. For the former I had a charred onion with an interesting filling that tasted different with each bite. The mushroom carpaccio was inspired. The different textures and preparations were tasty. My partner who had the venison carpaccio even suggested that my dish was more interesting. <br/>The meal sort of went downhill from there. Among the courses that follow was a tiny ‘textures of beetroot’ that was too small to identify the different tastes and textures and a dissappointing Waldorf salad. For the latter, I was basically served some shredded salad with some apple and walnuts with pretty bland dressing while my partner had a cheese tart. Given that I was paying the same price for both, I would have expected someting as satisfying. The pasta course was decent as the fresh pasta and mushroom sauce was delicious. The most dissappointing point was the main. While my partner got a sous vide duck (which she mentioned was quite tough for a slow cooked dish) with some root veggies, my main was a double serve of her root veg sides. In terms of serve size/calories, its barely comparable. Almost every course also seemed to have a crumb that made everything taste the same. The desserts didn’t so much better as my partner’s ice cream was icy to the point where she spat out a small chunk of ice. <br/>Our main server was quite calm and had good service but the gentleman who served us wine for the main was quite curt and mumbled his description. <br/>Its hard to find vegan options in general and I appreciate the fact that they tried to serve 7 courses that paired with my partner. But it was very dissappointing. Since I am paying the same price for this menu and had given more than the usual notice time, I expected not just to be delighted but to leave with the same satisfaction at least. Being served a simple salad and double serve of veggies is not good enough for the price. Woke up in the middle of the night starving!<br/>I must add that despite advertising an offer for Thursdays they overcharged me at first because the server did not know of the deal. They did return the overcharge eventually. <br/>I had high hopes but was quite let down but the overall meal.

This place is an absolute must! Best fine dining in QLD, up there with Vue De Monde! Dégustation was brilliantly matched, service was impeccable, and the the place is so cute and cosy with lots of pillows and candles. Very romantic!

Simply put, the best restaurant in Queensland, this is a must for all foodies. Fine dining at it’s finest. I would rate this alongside Attica and Vue De Monde, exceptional.

Worst Christmas experience my family have ever had to endure and has left us all with a very bad memory we will never forget.  After arriving on time for our 2pm booking we were told there was a 10 - 20 minute delay to be seated.   One hour and 45 minutes later we were taken to our table after standing shoulder to shoulder in a small and very hot reception area with up to 40 other Christmas dinners which included my obviously pregnant daughter and 2 year old granddaughter. <br/><br/>After another 45 minutes of waiting the first course finally arrived at 4.30pm, two and a half hours after arrival.  At 6pm the last course was served and Christmas lunch had become Christmas dinner.<br/><br/>The excuse for the original 10 - 20 minute delay was stated to be due to the late arrival of up to 20 minutes of some diners for the first seating, we accepted without complaint.  It became obvious that our one hour 45 minute standing/waiting time plus another 45 minute first course arrival was indeed the mismanagement of the kitchen and not the previous diners.<br/><br/>This restaurant was so fixed on the plate presentation of each course and completely indifferent to their patrons comfort that the restuarant was hussed and quiet as we all sat patiently enduring with no Christmas vibe in the dining rooms, just waiting for 'the experience' to finish.  These comments were heard as other tables finished and left.  All plans for the evening celebrations were cancelled as we were too tired and the Christmas Joy had long gone.<br/><br/>The response from management is a 30% discount on our next booking, NEXT BOOKING what planet are you living on.<br/><br/>Shame on you Deer Duck.

Deer Duck Bistro has been on my radar for about 6 months. I wanted to check it out for my soon to be husband's birthday, but didn't want to take a gamble with all the mixed reviews. We recently had an opportunity to check out a restaurant last minute, and had a craving for a decent degustation. After attempting to book several other restaurants and not having any luck I had to settle on DDB. Unfortunately I was left a little confused by the entire experience. Considering the word degustation means a "carefully" chosen selection of dishes, it certainly didn't feel as if anything was carefully chosen apart the experience. <br/><br/><br/>We carefully chose the long course with the wine pairing. We started of with some bread and butter. Nothing offensive or brilliant about the first dish, but an okay start. Considering we waited 45 minutes for its sight, it was certainly welcomed. It was followed by some veal carpaccio which could have tasted a little more meaty but was bearable.. The following dish was diamond clams, that just seemed like bitter sour under cooked rubber that I certainly could have done without. Our next dish was a blue tart, not too bad of a dish. Had some delicious pear on the top, crumbly tart base but could have used a bit more of a flavour inside.  We then were served sous vide duck. We are crazy about sous vide, and we had pretty high expectations, but were left pretty disappointed. The breast meat itself was okay, everything else on the plate was ordinary, the fat should have been seared, not sure why everything had balsamic as a main ingredient.  The tipping point was the wait staff asking us if we would like a coffee or dessert wine to accompany our next dish, the dessert.. <br/><br/> I was certainly a little shocked and left hungry and disappointed that we had already come to our desserts, assumed we just didn't keep track of the menu as well as we thought. So we decided to order our espresso and wait for our dessert to come out. To our surprise we were served our espresso, but no sight of our dessert, instead we received beef cheeks. Which happened to be the best part of our experience. A well chosen ingredient, but followed by an average tasting espresso, which was made with instant coffee just didn't flow. Wondering how we ended up with a coffee in between our Pinot Nior and Shiraz, couldn't understand how the mistake was made. Especially since everyone in the room seemed to be up to the same course. We continued on, ate the melt in your mouth beef cheeks, whilst waiting gracefully for the dessert.. Unfortunately both deserts were also boring, small, covered in honey and did I mention boring. The dishes seemed good in theory but I just feel as if each one had one good ingredient and a whole lot of pretty crappy mixed flavours. The wine pairing was confusing. Most of the time the selections were okay, but every now and then you would be given a wine that was perfect for some meaty delicious fatty dish, but they chose to pair with a sour bitter clam. <br/><br/><br/>Service was strange, from being given a drinks menu on the entry point, but not being asked for the order until 30 minute later. The manager type seemed like an amateur, gave mediocre service. Couldn't keep track of bookings or customers name. The wait staff were a bit better, but still seemed as if everyone was still in training. <br/><br/><br/>Moral of the story is stay home, save your money, not worth a cent. We should have stayed home and ate a bread roll with an egg instead. <br/><br/>

On Thursday night we visited Deer Duck Bistro for dinner. The mains we ordered included the duck, the Roman gnocchi, roast pumpkin tortellini and the oricheitti pasta. All the dishes tasted amazing and were full of flavour. For dessert we ordered the pear short crust and also the cheesecake, which both were enjoyed.<br/>The restaurant itself is very nice inside and definitely worth a visit for a special occasion.<br/>Overall a very nice place with high quality food.

Finally, after 18 months in Brisbane driving up and down Milton Road, I found myself with the time and an exceptional reason to try out Deer Duck Bistro and boy was I pheastantly surprised! (Like what I did there 😉) It is so deceiving on the outside, nestled on a street corner, but when we took ten steps into the venue (past the bar into the great beyond) we were taken back in time to the early 30’sish to a dimly lit, well furnished dining room. Definitely second date material (just in case you find you don’t click on that first date). Anyway, we ordered the “to share” entree and then duck for the main course (accompanied with parsnip purée and carrots). Must I say the whole experience was divine! Thank you for a lovely evening!

We used to love this place then 3 yrs ago we were forced to change tables after booking a specific table without being asked and couldn't converse with our party properly and the manager was rude to my wife.<br/>After seeing some recent reviews we decided to try it again.<br/>Unfortunately they didnt explain to my wife when she booked that byo didn't apply on Saturday nights. A recent change according to the waiter so they should have told us.<br/>We arrived with very expensive champagne and wine and then they tried to negotiate after 25 a head for corkage for one bottle any bottle after the first we would have to buy one from them.<br/>We left and will never return.<br/><br/>Good riddons.

Was really looking forward to a celebratory dinner here，but we left feeling underwhelmed. The food was decent but nothing wowed. Small annoyances like rock solid butter (impossible to spread) and lukewarm food marred the fine dining experience. <br/>We opted for the 5 course meal. The duck was the highlight，with the worst being the dessert. The pannacotta hadn't set and was just plain gooey. Service also could have been better. The single waiter on duty seemed very tired and stumbled through explaining all the courses. Overall not a memorable night.

I don't usually do the whole fine dining thing, but my friend had a voucher and invited me so why not! <br/><br/>The ambience was lovely, the staff were friendly and the food was delightful! <br/><br/>We got a 5 course meal, and each course just seemed to out do the last! <br/><br/>It is a really intimate setting so when i return next time it will be with my partner, as it is super romantic!

Lovely little find. Delicious meal and excellent service! We had the 7 course degustation and were delighted with the flavours and were full afterwards.

Fantastic food - we were happily surprised with Deer Duck. Only a few small blips in the night - 7:30 booking, 7:20 arrival and no sign of an amuse bouche till 8:10. However this was picked up quickly, and a sincere apology given which included a complimentary drink.<br/><br/>We indulged with the long course degustation. Venison, octopus, duck, pork and kangaroo were excellent. This chef shares my palate of salt, sweet and sour perfectly. The much anticipated amuse bouche also great. A let down was the puffed quinoa - sadly a tasteless beetroot for me and quinoa still stuck in my teeth as I write this. Deserts were tasty but overly sweet for me (my husband was VERY happy with them!).<br/><br/>Service was friendly and while they felt less inexperienced than some counterparts - it genuinely felt to me that their hearts were in the right place. All were friendly and appropriately chatty. Front of house less impressive but he gets significant points for picking up on the delay in the meal. <br/><br/>We will add it to our list of restaurants to return to. <br/>Thanks for a great night.

Such a nice little bistro! Loved the separate rooms, very private and dark with beautiful paintings and chairs. Service was great, we had the five course degustation. Duck pâté, octopus, duck breast, pork collar, pannacotta. Duck was the stand out but everything was delicious. Would recommend for a romantic night out! Will go back here again.

Established well in Auchenflower, Deer Duck Bistro shows itself as a fairly unique establishment within the entirety of Brisbane proper. One of its best cards possibly comes from the location, and in terms of the location it is definitely a far cry from everything else that is around the neighbourhood. Relatively low-key and quiet is Auchenflower as a foodie hub that there was no difficulty or problem getting such a high quality, well-received restaurant to be welcomed with open arms within the area. And ever since the introduction of this place, it has been getting all the awards, and all of the recognition. <br/><br/>This is more or less the place many wish they could go to, and will possibly look for the occasion in which they are able to. I may have thought of it a few time, or noticed how nice it is, but knew for a long while that it was way out of my price range (and come to think of it, the degustation menus are still relatively affordable in comparison to what they could be ...) . So it looked more or less like this would be a place I would have to pass by. Bring in the trump card ... <br/><br/>For my 28th birthday, my big sister booked in a Groupon for 2 at this place. She knew well that I hadn't been here, and it was also on a good deal at the time. All that had to be done was to book it in at some point, and show up at the allotted time. In knowing how fancy this place was going to be, it was time to get a good shave in, and suit up for the occasion. One thing that is definite about it is that it is out of the norm that I go for with food. And on an objective level, this is certainly worthy of the attention and accolades that it has received. So from a relatively unbiased perspective, here is the general idea - it was pretty good throughout the entire visit. <br/><br/>Everything about this place is made to be as professionally presented as possible. That goes for the service, it goes for how the dining area is presented, plus the ways that the courses are brought out. It is definitely to some sort of rhythm; there is a structure and timing to how it is all delivered, and an obvious lot of heavy training has take place to ensure that clients get a high-quality experience. <br/><br/>This goes about that in many ways, the first one being that it is wise to book here for a good seat. From when I was here with my dining buddy, on an early Friday afternoon, it was more or less empty when we got here and save for another table or two that was more or less it. It is about here where the service can be discussed. Walk in from the street, whether by booking or a walk-in appointment, and you go up and request a table or tell of a booking made under your name then you are told to wait until the waiter takes you to your table. Rumour has it that while you wait, you are able to order from the bar. <br/><br/>From then, he will lead you to one of the several rooms that are in the restaurant, and take you to a table in which everything is already set out for you. You know that you are in a fancy place when the tables are all set up and ready to be used. Furthermore, the restaurant operates on a small amount of time each day that it is open. Through this, they have managed to get the right timing between all the meals to bring them out at the right increments and give the clients ample time to enjoy each one. Because the printed menu for the food was not there, and it was a set menu as is, upon bringing each meal out the waiter will then describe each one of them in detail with the ingredients on the plate. Aside from that, he more or less works in the background, and showed professionalism and politeness which more or less added to the atmosphere of the location. Also perhaps a little coy as well, there is nothing really that he did wrong and showed signs of doing very well like he had a grasp on the concepts; in time, he will probably be really confident and lively. <br/><br/>The attention to detail with the decor is definitely to be commended. It possibly is different, and varies in tone and theme depending on the room you are in. For the sake of this experience, only this room will be talked about. Everything is in place from the beginning - there are several pairs of knives and forks lined up neatly, a bread place right in the middle complete with a small knife. But it does not stop there; the whole room is worth having a look around. A few different adjectives come to mind, not all of them implying the same idea. What is definitely apparent is it has a more timeless and old-fashioned look to it, but also it is quirk with the combination of ideas, and might look like your aunt's living room. <br/><br/>There are paintings all-around the place, done in the old Renaissance style of photo-realism. All of the furniture is antique, it has many lamps to illuminate the room during the dinner rush and all kinds of vases and statues adorn the place. It was at lunch time, and if this were the old-style kind of housing, from what I can know it would be referred to as the sun room. There was no need for any kind of lighting in here, as it was all from the afternoon sun. Even the entrance area has a nice look about it, and it is from looking here that you know what you are in for. <br/><br/>To sum it up briefly, the type of food here is a conglomerate of European influences - particularly from around the central and Baltic area. Meat does feature a fair bit as a main event, but it is not overwhelming as the option. During the working week there is a small a la carte menu that showcases a sample of what in offered on the degustation menus. It is kept short and sweet, with a few salad-like entrees to start, the usual selection - for lack of a more apt term - of the main meals to get something unique to each meat along with one or two vegetarian options, some desserts (plus cheeses) and the sides to spruce the meals up even more. <br/><br/>When it comes to the drinks, the major part of it is a massive wine list. And I mean massive, one section here might cover the range across all the choices (i.e. red, rose, white) from another restaurant. These are a range of imported and local, with some getting a bit more attention than others. If wine is not your thing, they also have beers, ciders, gin, vodka, bourbon, rum, whiskey and liqueur alongside juices, sodas, and coffee. <br/><br/>After discussing the a la carte menu, the real stars of the show are the degustation menus. There are around four of them, with the number of courses ranging from five to nine, including a vegetarian one which has the latter number. These are specially designed and will cater to dietary requirements if enough time is allocated upon booking; otherwise, it is you get what you are given. The voucher was for a truncated version of the "short course", which generally has the whole nine courses, with this special whittling it down to seven. Each one is optionally matched up with a matching wine if so chosen. Not here I am afraid. <br/><br/>The first post of business was to get the water, either mineral or sparkling. The choice that was made was sparkling. Well, not much to say here. It is cold, and it is fizzy. At one point there was a need to get a replacement, and I guess that you can say it is a palate cleanser between the different courses. <br/><br/>Starting off as well with the drinks, neither one of us here being much of drinkers any more, the choice of beverage was coffee as per usual. And as per usual, that coffee was a doppio. Whatever you say about the hatted restaurants, even if they are among your favourite places, one of the areas in which there is a definite downfall is when it comes to the coffee. This was the case here, and for me if a coffee factors into the meal at some point, it is quite pivotal and can be seen as the final touch to the whole presentation. It was far from being the worst coffee that I have drunk out, and it wasn't really bad or anything. I can't say what type of coffee it was, the blend, brand or anything because I don't think I saw a label anywhere. Regardless, not much to really say with the coffee - it was adequate, but not something that really needs to be ordered. <br/><br/>After that, it was time for the first course. They start you off with an amuse-bouche. This is unspecified on the menu, so it is likely that it will change from time to time with what is available. During this visit, the course here was eight crackers served with four different sorts of dip - one for each cracker for each person. There was a pureed cauliflower dip, a pile of caramlised onions, something which represented butter, and a soft ricotta cheese. Each of these were pretty good, the ricotta as per usual somewhat bland but having a nice texture, the butter being a solid and good quality one (assuming it was butter), the cauliflower was nice, and having caramalised onions as a dip is definitely something a bit different. The onions were sweet and ha a jam-like consistency. <br/><br/>To really critique this is not got that much point, since how much is there to talk about a plate of crackers? In defense of it, this is well thought out since you can think about it as going over to someone's house where the first thing that they have on offer (after the drinks of course) is some sort of nibbles. A good and common one is cheese and crackers, so they definitely have that idea right. Don't want to fill the guests up to soon, but start to satiate the appetites early enough before segueing into the main part of the meal. And here we go. <br/><br/>Right from there it was the first course of the day. We were served a venison carpaccio, with came with a side of pickled radish, and was drizzled with lemon oil and sprinkled with garlic. This was not too bad. The thin slices of venison were certainly from a good quality cut of the meat, and from the size of it the distinct and characteristic flavour was only so noticeable. The radish added a vinegar-like bite to the meal, and an addition of garlic is rarely not welcome. Therefore, it was not such a bad start to the meal. <br/><br/>Following on was a salad. It was made from quinoa, roasted pumpkin and beetroot, with sprinklings of pistachio and a goat's cheese custard on the side. To be fair to it, it did look good on the plate, all bright and colourful. The pumpkin and beetroot were both fresh and well cooked, the pistachio made a good nutty finish to it all, and the custard had a distinct flavour, and creamy texture which was pretty good. I have to admit this though, I am not the best one here to really critique the meal. Salad is not really my sort of thing.<br/><br/>It was around here that I knew it was definitely good, and prepared with all of the care. However, I was a little out of my element at the start. From there, it was fresh, and the different ingredients were certainly distinct and did not get mixed in with others. Following up next was a big step up, and the food got even better from there. <br/><br/>The first one was still a salad of sorts, but the key difference was that it had some meat with it. On top of some lentils and a white bean puree was several bits of baby octopus. While the base of it might have been good, all I really remember about it was how good the octopus was. It had just the right texture to be chewy and edible, and there were about half a dozen bite-sized pieces resting there. Now if this were the beginning course, then it would definitely have started with a bang. <br/><br/>With the next two, they were definitely the two best ones within the selection; whichever one was the better one, I am not sure since it would be by a fine margin at the widest, but what I definitely knew was that I sincerely enjoyed them the most. The major aspect about them was how much they appealed to the carnivore that I am. <br/><br/>The first one was a sous vide duck. It was served with a big bit of Roman gnocchi, some confit tomatoes and a side of plum jus. The duck was tender, delicious and really well good. It had the dark and distinct flavour that makes duck such an appealing option, along with a good amount of fat. That fat was rendered well, and was buttery so it went down a treat quite easily. On the side of that, the gnocchi - really a big potato cake here - was soft and moreish, surrounding by a good coating. Both the plum jus and tomatoes were sweet, and balanced the meal out while giving a good complimentary note to the poultry. If ordered a la carte, this is certainly an option worth considering. <br/><br/>The second one was some pork collar. It was served on top of some potato au gratin, sprinklings of speck, a big carrot, and a finish of charred green onion. The pork was just as good, and had a decent crackling on it. The meat was tender, juicy and succulent - cooked at a medium rare consistency. The potato au gratin was delicious, with soft potatoes and a nice cheese finish, the carrot was steamed just to the right texture and the green onion was a subtle finish to it all. If you were not told that there was speck in the meal, it would be hard to point it out by sight but the flavour was certainly there. It had the distinct crispiness and saltiness that well-cooked bacon possesses. Heck, I definitely cannot find many faults here - this is my sort of meal again. <br/><br/>Finishing off the meal was the dessert, and what a treat this one was. We were given a chocolate torte, which had a side of smoked guava semifreddo on the side, and plenty of raspberry popping candy. It doesn't matter what the caliber of the place is, from the greasiest spoon to having all the hats and spoons next to their name, when the dessert is gotten right, it is all the same down to the visceral level. That is the case with this dessert, and the chocolate in the torte was delicious and a dark consistency. The guava semifreddo was certainly smoky in taste, and the texture was as soft as a cloud. Below it was biscuit crumbs - always a way to make a more rounded dessert, the crunch meets the smoothness nicely - and the cherry on top was really raspberries, in the form of popping candy. I don't care how old you are, this will go down a treat right to the most prestigious businessman. <br/><br/>And so that was the Deer Duck Bistro, a degustation menu complete with each dish being unique right next to the last, and all done with care. Kudos needs to go to the talented chef to pump out seven different kinds of courses at such a short notice, all with due care and quality ingredients, all in a short period of time. For a special occasion, it is definitely worth booking this place out. While many places that have Michelin stars or chef's hats next to their name definitely (by presumption) have a certain atmosphere and aesthetic about them, what I will bet is that they definitely won't have the other worldly vibe which is present in the walls of Deer Duck Bistro. <br/><br/>It might not necessarily be my scene exactly, however I am one who will definitely give the due and deserved credit where it is needed. Great attention to detail is given here, and it acts differently to how most restaurants are run. All of that is deliberate, and when effort such as this is gone into crafting a high-quality meal that is a special treat then that certainly must also be acknowledged and considered. <br/><br/>Would I go back here again? Probably not, but not for any gripes with it or anything. I just know what my scene is, and occasionally it is good to jump outside of that comfort zone and try a different style of food. There is definitely a good reason that people will like this one so much and that after so many years it is getting consistent attention and a decent turnaround. Without any doubt, the delivery of service and the food is absolutely perfectionist and it transports you away from the suburban streets of Brisbane into a timeless area in the middle of the European Alps. For that, it deserves extra credit points. <br/><br/>TL;DR: If you can afford, even just once, then Deer Duck Bistro should be on the list of places to try in Brisbane. It is way more sophisticated than most of the other places, and it has a distinct character about it being far away from the city center where all the businessman are located. While there is an a la carte menu that is distinctly European in influence, to get the best experience of the entire restaurant, the way to go is through one of their carefully crafted degustation menus. Great care is taken with it all, and the service and how it is performed is further proof of it. <br/><br/>This is apparent right from the moment you step in the door. With the old and otherworldly vibe that it has going for it, it is difficult to find many faults with Deer Duck Bistro on an objective level.

Awesome food, quirky interior. I didn't know what to expect before we arrived, however the unassuming exterior belied the funky interior and excellent quality food we were about to consume. We went for the long course which sounds like a Ridiculous amount of food but was actually perfect (perhaps I'm a piggy!). My favourite was the kangaroo, my husband loved the pork collar and he doesn't usually like pork! Service was great too. Would recommend!

Duck and deer... you will not go wrong!!! 5 courses for the daughter and 7 courses for me and the wife. A bottle of French Rosé to share. Star of the night was the venison. Cooked incredibly well that you can taste the freshness and flavour with the meat being so tender it felt you did not need to chew it! The dictionary description of melt in the mouth goodness! The scallops, duck, and pork were also cooked perfectly!<br/><br/>Service was great but some of the staff were stuttering or pausing to remember when describing the different dishes. Smoked guava ice cream (served under a glass) was different but great! The chocolate with the dessert I think was an odd one on the plate.<br/><br/>Overall, a great dining experience that I recommend people should try!

Fantastic night. The ambience and decor perfect for an intimate dinner. Food delicious. Loved the duck, pork and lemon curd dessert - they were the highlights. Only recommendation is to update the bathroom.

Went there for degustation on Valentine's Day. It was a five course degustation. Lasted about 2.5 hours which is quite good for degustation. <br/><br/>First course: Amuse (oysters two ways). I'm not a fan of Kilpatrick. I prefer my oysters plain with a tiny bit of lemon but I did really enjoy these babies. Especially the coriander version. It's light and appetising. <br/><br/>Second course: Betel leave 3 ways. The fish and prawns was good, not a huge fan of the pork. It was a creative dish to get people talking though. <br/><br/>Third course: Squid ink tortellini with spanner crab. Love the tortellini, not a fan of the cucumber broth. It had a sour aftertaste that I didn't like. I would prefer it swimming in a sea of creamy seafood bisque. Tortellini itself had a great texture. Not overcooked. Light and tasty. The crab was well seasoned and just burst out when you bite into it. <br/><br/>Fourth course: Sous vide duck with roman gnocchi. LOVED IT. Duck had a crispy skin, tender meat. The gnocchi was still light ish. I think it was panfried or baked before serving. Giving the outer crust a nice texture while holding its shape. Tomatoes gave it a pop. Note that the duck was cooked perfectly but not raw in the middle like how MKR likes it these days. I prefer it this way. <br/><br/>Lastly, dessert. Wattlesead panna cotta. I loved everything about the dessert. The panna cotta was creamy and flavourful. Each spoonful was a delight. I did do the wobble check and it was more custardy than the wobbly versions but WHO CARES?! with flavours that great, I'd have another one. The riberry syrup gave a different layer to the dish so you don't get sick of the panna cotta. Even my partner finished his dessert. That says a lot. <br/><br/>Ambience and service wise. It was a very interesting restaurant. It was multiple sections/rooms. Each is slightly different due to the amount of lighting. It feels mysterious and posh. Very romantic that's for sure. Service was really nice as well. The duty manager or captain did come out several time to ask if everything was going well. I appreciate that. <br/><br/>Overall, it was a very interesting experience. I liked it. I would recommend people to try it out. It's definitely a good place for special occasions.

The food at Deer Duck is amazing!  I had dinner at Deer Duck with my partner and we ordered the Vegetarian Long Course.  Every dish was fantastic.  The service was good and atmosphere was nice.  I would certainly recommend Deer Duck and will definitely return.

I couldn't quite put my finger on it but this place had a very strange vibe to me and to me it was average overall. Maybe this place has potential if the atmosphere was a bit more relaxed? I understand it is "fine dining" but the vibe was just off to me... maybe it was a bit too pretentious? As for the food... We decided to go with a-la-Carte instead of the degustation menu. I thought it was a bit strange that they said they specialise in degustation, but also offer a-la-carte, but did not actually bother to give us an a-la-carte menu. We had to ask for it. Anyway, that aside, I didn't think the food was anything special considering the price tag. Nothing special to mention about any of the dishes we had. Meh.

Always a delight to eat here. Great food, great service and a nice ambience to top it off. Highly recommended for anyone in the vicinity or visiting the general area, do stop by for a meal.

Once you step in the Deer Duck Bistro you forget the busy road outside! The atmosphere is very homie and comfy - great for a dinner which will take a while...!<br/>I enjoyed the 7 course degustation here with my partner. The food was simply amazing. Every single course had so many flavors and you could see how much effort they put in their meals and service!<br/>We had an unforgettable dinner here and will definitely return!<br/>I would recommend this place to anyone!

Very impressive place, didn't expect something like this in Brisbane. Highly recommend. Whole experience is very delightful. Very good use of separate rooms and lighting great food and wine just add up.

My partner and I went here for our anniversary. We booked over a month in advance, however that didn't stop our booking being 'lost'. This was rectified and we got a table. We were asked if we had a voucher, which we did - for a 9 course degustation. <br/>We were given a piece of bread each, which was extremely dry/stale. <br/>The courses were decent sizes, the pork belly and duck were great, the seafood over cooked. The dessert pears were not a good finish. <br/>We were told we were finished with our degustation after 7 courses. When we asked where the other 2 dishes were, we were told they were sold out. <br/>The waitress quickly went to the kitchen and came back with 2 options- the beef and a different dessert, and the pears again! The beef was great and we were glad we asked for the 2 additional courses. We did have to ask for the champagne mentioned in our voucher. <br/>Wait staff were good, one however did act as if he wanted to be anywhere but there - or maybe it was because we had a voucher!<br/>All in all, we won't be rushing back.

Went here for a 7 course degustation dinner, and unfortunately left feeling a little disappointed (and still hungry). While there were some interesting ingredients used, overall the food was lacklustre. Each course was exceptionally small and while the veal liver dish was delicious, as was the kingfish, we were expecting a more substantial "main" course (duck) but it was only a small cube - quite fatty and tough to cut through and chew, served with an unseasoned triangle of pumpkin and sitting in a cold broth. The other courses were: 1 prawn with truffle, a light dessert and a small piece of cheese. We were surprised to discover the golf ball sized bread roll we received on arrival actually counted as 1 of our 7 dishes. <br/><br/>The manager(?) let us know as were leaving that usually the bread was complimentary but as we were dining using a promo voucher it was included as a course. <br/><br/>The place itself was really beautifully set up, and much bigger than you'd expect from the outside, and our waitress was lovely and seemed really knowledgeable about the menu.

Went to Deer Duck for our anniversary dinner using  a Groupon voucher. Turned out to not really be the 50% off that they suggested in the deal as the voucher cost $130 for a 5 course degustation for 2, the normal price mid-week is $70per person anyway. The extra $31 we paid to include the sparkling wine was a rip off, as we each got a glass of $10 sparkling anyway. Aside from those minor things the food was sensational! Really loved all of the dishes, with dessert being the only one which was just great, while the others were fantastic.<br/>They made some substitutions to the menu with us which I suspect was because we were using the voucher but everything was still unreal anyway. <br/>Unfortunately, we both left feeling a little hungry still so went and bought some chips elsewhere, not really what you want after paying $130 for dinner.<br/>If you have the money then yeah the food is unreal.

Great food, wine and outstanding customer experience! Would highly recommend! Great place for a date.  The owner took time to explain the food and wine, and how they went together and also answered all our questions even though it was very busy. He is very knowledgable and passionate about his restaurant and I will definitely be coming back.

Had a degustation, the food portions were incredibly small - left hungry. Service was 8/10, nice atmosphere however, didn't get the French champagne that was organised with the Groupon voucher also. Left hungry.

didn't expect a place like this in Brisbane, decor is so graceful complimented by amazing food and service. unique package. definitely coming back.

I recently had the pleasure of eating at this gem of a restaurant, from start to finish it was an incredible experience. The second I stepped off Milton road and into deer and duck it was like I was in another world! The lighting and decor is magical. The food you may ask? Forget about it! Try it yourself, you will see!

Went there for our first anniversary. Such a hidden gem the atmosphere and decor is very outback cosy and European , we had 9 course digustation with matching wines. Absolutely DIVINE will definitely come back and recommend.

Should a 9 course degustation be over, bill paid and you're back out on the street in less than 90 minutes? Hell no. Should one of those courses be a bread roll?? Hell no. Should the restaurant toilet be a weird little room with diners on the other side of the paper thin walls whose every word you can hear??? Oh hell no. Suggest diners take their hard earned $$ elsewhere. #didntgetthehype

Service was alright. Portions would have been adequate for high end fine dining but this was no were near that. Below average experience at best!

The atmosphere of this place is really cool; its old fashioned, quirky and comfortable. It is expensive though, and the only reason I ate here was because I had a Groupon voucher. I had the 24hr slow cooked lamb with a red wine jus... I have never tasted more tender meat in my life. It was absolutely divine. Unfortunately you had to pay extra for things like potatoes, greens, and carrots, and at $9 per side it's definitely pricy. 3 sides + the lamb fed 4 people but it was definitely a stretch. The wine list is extensive and has the most variety of any restaurant I've been to. If you have the funds, I would definitely try this place, otherwise I'd wait for another Groupon voucher.

A beautiful exquisite setting inside (that you seriously wouldn't be able to tell from the outside) they event have a room that reminds me of Alice in wonderland! The food here is delicious and service is impeccable. Special mention to Marco who not only knows his dishes, but really goes that extra mile with his friendliness and smile (who doesn't love great service?) we had their 7 course degustation + special recently for a birthday dinner. Sparkles and a song was included ;) - the meals were beautifully presented and bursted in flavour. My favourite was the pork belly and the special, (additional $15) duck! Highly recommend. Very jazzy and very cosy setting.

What a great local restaurant. This one has it all- beautifully decorated for a great night out or perfectly romantic for a date night. Food that is like creative art- so pretty to look at but so flavoursome & delicious. The service was friendly & attentive. While we were perfectly content upon leaving, the serving sizes are small & you really do need to have a side dish with the main.

Magnicicent food, great hosts. Every mouthful dances on your tongue!mimreally like everything about this kooky set up! You will see us back!

Walk into Deer Duck Bistro and you'll immediately understand why, when I first met the owner Nicholas Cooper, he was obsessed with finding antique fish knives. We were part of a group travelling through the north of New Zealand's south island researching salmon production and Nicholas was mainstreaming antique and bric-a-brac shops in every town. Luckily, he did find his fish knives and now I finally know why they were so important.

My Mum and I were guests of Deer Duck Bistro having won a 7-course tasting menu experience for two.<br/><br/>Deer Duck Bistro is easy to find on Milton Road, though you could miss this hidden gem nestled in an unbeknownst set of strip shops. Once inside, the noise and chaos of Milton Road on a weeknight disappeared as did the outside world. We’d stepped into a warm, cosy room, richly-decorated with paintings, plush fabrics, ornate mirrors and low lighting for ambience. It was almost as though you were led into an opulent dining-come-lounge room in someones home (or perhaps I should say castle).<br/><br/>The staff were fantastic from start to finish - very welcoming and happy to help with recommendations or any questions we had. They explained what each dish was in detail and were happy to chat as well. You can tell they are passionate about what they do and their little piece of culinary heaven.<br/><br/>Our first course was a simple yet delicious, warm, wholemeal, sourdough roll with butter that was freshly churned that day.<br/><br/>Second course; maple-glazed bacon with a dot of 63 degree egg yolk. It was literally just one bite, but let me tell you - it was absolutely to die for!<br/><br/>Third course; Carrot (pickled/fresh/pureed), dill and mussels. A pop of bright orange on the plate and a great dish.<br/><br/>Fourth course; Boneless chicken wing, corn done different ways, house-made tofu, tarragon & crispy millet. This was a great dish with loads of different textures, yet remaining true to the flavours. The chicken was cooked perfectly and was presented to perfection in a heavy stone bowl that I absolutely loved. In fact, all of the plates and bowls were interesting - some wood, some stone and some the classic restaurant white.<br/><br/>Fifth course; Glazed beef, pumpkin puree, crispy onions, braised leeks & charred leek dust. Another really delicious dish - plated to perfection. The puree was incredibly smooth and the beef just delicious. This was my Mum’s favourite.<br/><br/>Sixth course; Our ‘palette cleansing’ dessert - rockmelon sorbet, honey gel, pistachio crumb, elderflower and honeysuckle. The sorbet was bursting with rockmelon flavour! The refreshing sorbet mixed really well with the crunchy pistachio underneath and again, the plating and bowl it was served in was pretty as a picture.<br/><br/>Seventh course; An impressively plated, decadent dessert of (from memory) chocolate mousse, flourless chocolate cake, hazelnut sorbet, poached pear, spiced pear puree, pear gel, kahlua, chocolate glass and coffee meringue. I took about 6 photos of this one because it looked so amazing. The flavours were intense and rich and I loved how all the textures came together in every bite. My Mum couldn’t finish hers, so I had to help her out. I’d say this one is only for the true chocoholics amongst us ;)<br/><br/>During dinner I tried a couple of juices available as well; Apple, carrot & ginger and Apple, beetroot & carrot. Both were amazing!<br/><br/>Overall, it was a lovely dining experience with perfectly-cooked, delicious food, great staff and a really nice setting. I’ll be back again with fellow food-loving friends in the future.<br/><br/>Thank you Deer Duck Bistro for having us and Gourmand & Gourmet for the opportunity.

When I gear up for a degustation dinner, I usually anticipate a restaurant with white linen tablecloths, minimalist furnishings, bright lights and modern streamlined tableware. And bread. Waiters walking around with lots of bread. A degustation at Deer Duck Bistro however turns all of that on its head (apart from the bread).

Yum! Love this dark, dingy restaurant and bar. The food is impeccable with amazing staff and very passionate owner. Park on one of the side streets or best call a cab and try one of their cocktails.

Like this restaurant because of the service, ambient and food qulaity. Have been visited a few times and they give me very impressive dining experience every time. They have extend the dining area to the corner of the same building, which is a clever decision because I can see the demands for table booking are increasing. Food quality is promising. No wonder why the chef such as Minh Le (The Foraging Quail) had worked there before. It is a local gem and a romantic place for date dinner.

Seated by the bar even though we had a booking 5 weeks in advance!. My boyfriend and I went here last friday night with high expectations because the reviews were great. Unfortunately we didn't have a great experience from the start. We made a reservation 5 weeks in advanced and we were still seated upstairs by the bar so we had a great view of the street -__- I have no idea why the waiter put us there and not down in the dining area because there were people who came after us who didn't have a reservation and were promptly led to the dining area. It has an old time feel to the place with lots of candle stick holders and candles but there was also a lot of dried wax on the table. We were given menus however they were taken when we told the waiter we had the 5 course cocktail degustation groupon voucher ($99). Also I'm not sure if it's the water jugs or the waitstaff but one waiter spilled water on the table, which he apologized for and cleaned it up, while another waiter refilled my boyfriends glass of water spilling it on us as well as the table and he quickly walked away and didn't seem to realize. The food was Ok and I understand it's a degustation but it comes in one plate meant to be shared however the very small portion size makes it impossible for anyone to leave satisfied. Anyways I've read a review on here and the owner seems to dislike groupon users. I'm just glad my boyfriend was given this voucher as a gift because the price tag isn't worth it for the food you receive and lack of good service (before they know you have a groupon voucher).

A fantastic dining experience!. I recently went to deer duck bistro for dinner on Saturday night with a group of friends for the 7 course degustation. It was such a great dining experience, from the moment we walked in we were blown away! The decor is just fantastic, the service was absolutely outstanding and can not be faulted, the food was just divine!! We had the matching wines with the degustation and are so glad we did! It was a fantastic experience all around and we will defiantly be back.

Best meal in a long time!!. Dining out all the time, Deer Duck Bistro has definitely left an impression. We had the degustation with wine pairing. Can not fault the service, the wines matched each course perfectly and the FOOD!! WOW!! The house smoked bacon (I want to buy some), the squid (delicious) and the Chocolate Textures. I normally don't eat sweets, however, I just wanted more of it. I will be back again and again. Thank you for a great night!!

Rollercoaster adventure of flavour and foods. Absolutely amazing! My wife and I had the 7 course tasting menu and were really impressed by the roller coaster adventure of flavours and foods! There were so many ingredients I never would have chosen myself from a 'normal' menu (I find it hard to voluntarily veer away from scallops for starter and a nice steak!) but we were so pleasantly surprised by course after course of awesome food. The restaurant itself inside is something else too - very funky and unique! Looking forward to a return visit!

Hmm don't know what made us think the 'Deer Duck Bistro' would have duck?!?! Nope. Even after we were told 'the special for this evening is duck'. Can't honestly say what the other food was like as we finished our drinks and went 4 doors down to the Thai restaurant (yup, THEY had duck). Good work 'Deer and Thin Air Bistro'.

Best food experience. I am a person who never writes review for anything, but this time I had no choice but to leave one. Food and drinks were exquisite and the restaurant interior just made it even more perfect. We tried veal and chicken wing for entree and yes it looked pretty but we weren't expecting a lot from it in the beginning. As soon as we had a bite of each, we just couldn't stop complimenting about the food. It didn't stop there though. We had barramundi and lamb for mains and it just made us speechless. The staff were friendly and she tried her best in explaining each meal in detail. I would love to go back as I loved this restaurant so much, and I would definitely recommend this restaurant to friends, families and other couples for their special occasion.

Unique 5 stat dining experience. Breath of fresh air! Finally a restaurant with charming ambiance, welcoming staff and AMAZING food in Brisbane. Was quite hesitant to try at first after not so great first experience last year or so but im glad i went back! Decors and menus seemed new so must be under new management.<br/><br/>Quite enjoyed the decor of the restaurant,music and the lighting. Could sit for hours with a right drink. Menus like youve never seen before. Very creative. Particularly enjoyed the chicken wings as entree and lamb for main definitely recommended. Id love to go back to try 7 course degustation.<br/><br/>Wudve liked to have been shown different rooms of the restaurant to pick where we can sit as all rooms had different ambiance to it which wud go with different occasions. All things aside, an amazing dinner experience!

Dining Perfection. It's not often that I'm blown-away from a dining experience, but Deer Duck Bistro managed to do just that. I would certainly say this place is now etched into my heart as one of my favorite dining experiences - ever.<br/><br/>It's hard to know where to start because I loved everything about this place. From the intimate yet charmingly grand ambiance to the exceptional staffers, everything was perfect from the moment we walked in to the moment we walked out. <br/><br/>Deer Duck Bistro took us on a whimsical 7-course vegetarian journey of beautifully presented dishes with superb mocktail pairings. The hostess was aware that my date and I didn't drink and she thoughtfully suggested that the bartender concoct unusually delicious drinks to go with each dish. It was truly a treat (both the drinks and the fact that they take great care of you!). Who knew that a drink could leave each of your senses satisfied!<br/><br/>Each dish of our 7-course meal showcased the wizardry of the chef in the kitchen. Not only was everything beautifully plated and emphatically seasonal, the flavors were nothing short of delectable. I found myself eagerly awaiting each course with excitement and curiosity, not once being disappointed. Their attention to detail is obvious, from their homemade (and home churned) butter to their 63 degree eggs, everything was exceptional. <br/><br/>In short, if you're looking to be impressed, Deer Duck Bistro does not disappoint.

Nice food but service not great. Food was sensational but the waiter we had was pretty full of himself and made us feel very uncomfortable. If we were could be sure of having a different waiter we would be back.

The Waiter of 1000 Sighs. Our experience of degustation at Deer Duck was a mix of delight and disappointment. We had great expectations after reading favourable reviews, however much like the book the result was decaying interiors and miscommunications. Upon arrival we felt like unwelcome guests, especially when ordering drinks. We were told that (apparently) Deer Duck was a “wine only restaurant”. They reluctantly permitted us the “privilege” of ordering craft beer and cocktails (with much obvious disapproval). There was much sighing and “tut-tutting” from the waiter when we accidently used the wrong cutlery (sans-instructions). The drinks orders were forgotten or incorrect on multiple occasions, with contradictions from the waiter on our orders. The waiter sat at our table and attempted banter while a party member was using the bathroom, which was uncomfortable and strange since he was so antagonistic all night. The food was quite good, all things considered - shame it was overshadowed by the service. We were constantly directed to attend another bar, which we couldn’t locate (directions were poor). If it was the bar adjunct to the restaurant, it was as dead as Abel Magwitch. If only we had had a friendly and professional waiter, this might have been a different review!

Very rude waiter. Went to try this restaurant due to reviews and ratings arrived at 4pm knowing the kitchen didn't open till 5pm waiter was very rude stating what do you want. I said drinks and something to eat anf he said kitchen opens at 5pm so I said can we have drinks first. He said yep coffee only no menu given wasnt welcoming at all. Got a tea and coffee only as was not prepared to spend over 150 dollars at a restaurant with a rude waiter. After we paid he said bar is open and if we dont want to eat here to go four blocks down which is a two star reviewed restaurant. My advice to the waiter don't judge a book by its cover and don't be so rude to your customers nxt time and keep your restaurant suggestions to yourself as I am not that stupid

Wonderful food, service and atmosphere at a reasonable price. Thoroughly enjoyed the 7 course degustation with matching wines. Thought it was reasonably priced. Quirky dining room, great service and wonderful food made for a special evening. Slight changes to menu were accommodated with ease. Wasn't sure about the eggplant dish, and thought the blood orange in the dessert clashed with the red sparkling, but overall a good experience!

Amazing experience. Last night, we had the wonderful pleasure of dining at Deer Duck Bistro. Not being from Brisbane, and going on a friend's recommendation, our cab pulled up out front to find an odd looking little place with no patrons seated in the entry dining space. Hum, typically not a great sign! But once our booking was confirmed we were escorted into the main dining room. And what an amazing space!! So atmospheric & a perfect to match the incredible food we enjoyed for the rest of the night. Each dish was carefully considered & flavours were stand out. Presentation was equally as beautiful. The wait staff were the perfect mix of friendly & professional. Our dining experience was definitely one of the best we've had for a long time & cannot recommend the bistro enough. Thank you so much for a lovely evening!

While the service and wine are superb and without a fault the imposed 2 or 3 course menu is annoying. The food was quite good however, the duck fat had not been rendered properly and made for rubbery and chewy skin. When this is half the meal it makes a difference.<br/>This turns out to be an expensive night, which is fine when it's a special occasion, but not really the 'local' go to restaurant. An al a carte option may make this more accessible for the day to day.

Oh what a night !. Well this place is a little deceiving from the outset. From the exterior it looks a little like your local cafe, but theres a whole new world behind the wardrobe!<br/>The dining areas at the rear of the building are both sumptuous and eclectic. A mish mas of antiques and collectables adorn what would otherwise be a less than inviting space but with the right amount of shabby chic and more than a little subtle lighting this space turns into a wonderland of occasion dining.<br/>We were initially a little unsure of the menu or more to the point the abundance of seafood ( one of our party is allergic ) however this was handled with confidence and no fuss from the wonderful waiter, " I am yet to kill anyone with a peanut and have no intention on starting with our group " LOL but I will get back to the service later.<br/>Bread and the most sensational hickory smoked butter soon arrived along with the Amuse , a Mushroom cappucino. Course after course arrived at just the correct intervals - I hate being rushed through these events and as we were celebrating and had bought several bottles of wine with us we were in no hurry. On this note the venue is fully licienced however we were not made to feel bad by bringing our own wine, on the contrary the above mentioned waiter advised us on what would go well with each course with appropriate glass changes for all selections and even pointing out cork taint on one item bought by us. Corkage was , given the service and care taken a very reasonable $15 per bottle. Scallops confit chicken wings with char grilled cuttlefish, wild Barra the list goes on my afore mentioned friend did not miss out with substitutions easily accomodated for each course although the garnishes remained the same so cannot vouch for the balance of flavours on each of these dishes but she seemed impressed. Dessert was a triumph with palet cleansers and two courses the first being carrot ( you will never look at this humble orange staple in the same light again ) and what can best be described as a dark chocolate soil with a hint of manderin and blood orange. Cheese was suggested with a particular and very special wine ( on this note I felt the selection although not bad just a little pedestrian after the preceding fare ). The service was both professional and relaxed, the seamless job of making a group of patrons so confident that we were in good and capable hands and at the same time left to our own evening is a credit to the staff and establishment. So you can imagine to our surprise when we were told the gentleman taking care of us had never worked there before that evening. What a find and what luck for us. Just amazing get yourselves down to Deer and Duck because it can only get better.

We went to Deer Duck Bistro with family and a friend for my brother's birthday. We were a little worried as we drove past and couldn't really figure out where exactly it was. We parked in one of the streets on the side and walked towards it making back up plans to goto the Indian place around the corner if we couldn't find it. Atleast Dad (the Vegetarian) would be happy. <br/><br/>Finally we reached the place.<br/><br/>You know how they say, don't judge a book by its cover? Well, Definitely don' t judge this book by its over. On the outside, at night, it looks like a dodgy little kitchen with a window. I mean it. Seriously. If you every drive past this place you will know what I mean. But inside its a nice warm, vintage looking place. We were lucky to get a room with just us there. We walked in and went 'Wow' and 'Whaaat' at the same time.<br/><br/>What did we have here? We went for the 8 course Non Vegetarian menu & Mum and Dad had the Vegetarian option:<br/><br/>Bread<br/><br/>Amuse<br/><br/>Ocean Trout, Miso, Finger Lime,<br/><br/>Prawn, Carrot, Toffee, Passionfruit (It tried to kill us! Literally. We had to rush to the hospital after because both me and my wonderful husband are alergic to king prawns.)<br/><br/>Egg, Chickpea, Parmesan<br/><br/>Kangaroo, Pine Mushroom, Cocoa (I had Kangaroo for the first time. I tried not to think about them)<br/><br/>Duck, Prune, Jerusalem Artichoke 4 Ways<br/><br/>Cheese, Oatcake, Watercress<br/><br/>Pre Dessert<br/><br/>Custard Apple, Rosemary, Honey<br/><br/>Beetroot <br/><br/>With Matching wines (Both Dad and I had the Pinot Noir)<br/><br/>Don't let this menu fool you. It might sound simple, but it is definitely NOT simple. Even though each of the 8 portions look tiny, the flavours that are tied into each course is interesting, unique and delicious(I was tempted to say yummy, but you know, gourmet food and all that :P ). We were not full, but were satisfied. <br/><br/>We probably wont go there again because it is slightly on the expensive side. But it is definitely worth the experience.

Wonderful food experience. Fabulous catch up dinner with friends who also appreciate fine food. Love the set up of the restaurant...lots of little rooms and eclectic furniture. Each dish (we chose 8) was a wonderful balance of taste and texture and each complimented each other perfectly. I would not however call this place cheap...the Urbanspoon entry suggests "moderately priced". Our bill for 4 people including 2 bottles of wine came to around $650. Definitely value for money but just watch for this if you are going by price guide

Different experience. Went here with my husband - French food virgins<br/>The degustation menu was an experience. Quite tasty but we were unaccustomed to the amount of crockery and cutlery for each course.<br/>I also felt quite sorry for the member of staff having to walk from the ground floor, I presume the kitchen to the top floor with all the food.

Special place. I went to a Deer Duck with my boyfriend for dinner, and we are really satisfied! <br/>We had the 8 courses menu .... It's amazing!<br/>8 different plates, from "starters" to dessert carefully prepared: good looking, exquisites and detailed tastes.<br/>The service is really well done, they make you feel special! <br/>I really recommend this place ! <br/>Gilda

Good, rounded degustation. We went for a birthday dinner on a Saturday night and ordered the 8 course degustation. It was the most balanced degustation I have had in Brisbane, in that it was not overloaded with seafood (although I do really enjoy degustation menus loaded with seafood). It had ocean trout, egg, kangaroo, duck, and beetroot dishes. <br/>The kangaroo was a real highlight - the flavour was fantastic and the meat itself was tender. I also really enjoyed the egg, which was poached runny and served with quinoa and buckwheat and a parmesan froth - it was really delicious. <br/>There was a good mix for the matching wines - several were bubbly and there was a good mix of whites and reds. I didn't like all of them, but on the whole they were good. <br/>The restaurant itself is really cool - I loved the dark atmosphere, with the ornate wall decorations. <br/>The one downside was that our waiter wasn't very knowledgable about most of the dishes, nor did he know about the matching wines. I would have expected the staff to know all the food and drinks backward.<br/>Overall, I enjoyed Deer Duck Bistro and would recommend it to diners who wanted a rounded degustation experience, or diners who prefer other meats to seafood.

Little Gem. Cool, quirky little hidey hole, tucked away from Milton Road.<br/><br/>Went last night (Wednesday), wife and I both had the 5 course vegetarian degustation menu (with a couple of in between courses too) which was excellent, very high quality food carefully prepared. Great service.<br/><br/>We had special dietary requirements - no problem at all, very accommodating.<br/><br/>Highly recommended, very special.<br/><br/>Their Toro bar a couple of doors down looks great too - will try soon.

No place in Brisbane like it. Had the five course degustation. All the courses were prepared to a very high standard. Particularly liked the desert. They were happy to cater to gluten free requirements and unlike many other places did so at no extra cost. <br/><br/>The service was very good. The timing of the courses was perfect and the wait staff were very attentive. <br/><br/>A fantastic experience from the first course through to the fifth.

Went here on a Saturday night a couple of weekend ago and although the food was reasonble. The restaurant felt a little tired and dirty. Toilets are disgraful rigth in diner room. We had the 6 course degustation menu which was ok but a thin slice of bread and a shot of soup was counted as a course really? Chesse was so small and it seem like supermarket cheese not restaurant standand. I don't offen write on these site but for $75 per head we was expecting greatness not just ok. Sorry won't be back and we heard so many great things about this place what happen?

8 courses of yum.... My wife and I have a tasty and romantic Valentine's day dinner last Saturday. We had booked in for the Groupon 8 course digestion menu and had been looking forward to it for a little while. In the past we have found 'coupon dinning' to be a bit hit and miss, but I thought we would take a chance as it's not often you get to enjoy a fine dinning experience for such a reasonable price; I'm happy to say it was a big hit... All be it in lots of yummy little potions :) <br/><br/>We arrived a little early for our reservation and as the restaurant was very busy we took the opportunity to have a drink a couple of doors down at 'Toro'; the restaurant's cocktail bar. Similar to the restaurant in it's 'oldie worldie eclectic decor' this place looked very funky. It was also very popular, but as we weren't there to eat we easily found ourselves a nice comfy leather sofa to sink down in to and enjoy our drinks while waiting for dinner time to arrive. (I stuck to beer, but I have it on good authority from the boss that the cocktails she tried were pretty awesome).<br/><br/>When the time arrived we popped back around to the bistro and were promptly seated in one of the dining rooms upstairs and served our inclusive glass of French champers which I had forgotten about and was a nice surprise. During our meal the waiting staff were friendly, courteous and efficient and despite the bistro appearing to be fully booked our meal flowed smoothly from one deliciously intricate course to another? <br/><br/>All up we both had a very enjoyable experience and plan to visit again soon.

Wonderful staff and decadent food. I've been here a couple of times, and every time the staff have been very accommodating and friendly. Came in for the 8 course degustation and the food was delicious and well presented. There was minimal wait time between the courses and the ambiance and vibe of the bistro made for a wonderful evening. Thank you Deer Duck Bistro!

Amazeballs. Had dinner on Valentines eve with the Mr... love the atmosphere and ambieance! and in my backyard which is also awesome, had the amuse bouche to start amazing, perfect! i loved the samon tarte!! perfect size.. Chose one of each of the mains Lamb Belly and Atlantic salmon, i ended up eating most of the salmon because my husband loved the lamb! had an amazing night the staff were all great and really friendly

Had a beautiful evening here on Saturday. We chose the 6 course degustation menu and were pleasantly surprised with the little extras along the way, delicious aerated soup and a palette cleansing pre dessert in the for of a sweet, refreshing sorbet. This place was exactly what we were looking for in a dining experience, great service (our water glasses were never empty!) a beautiful ambience, and superb food that left us satisfied but not over stuffed. We were able to enjoy each meal and really absorb the abundance of flavour, especially in those glorious desserts. On finishing out meal we were escorted own to the sister cocktail bar, which was a real treat. Finding such amazing hospitality in the heart of Brisbane astounded us and we were delighted to be made feel so special on what must have been a very busy weekend.

Oh dear duck poo! In 2012 I.... Oh dear duck poo!<br/>In 2012 I enjoyed an amazing meal at this award winning new and funky restaurant that challenged the norm and offered quality produce and an experienced chef's finesse. Time has since passed and so has the offering- mediocre, lackluster & bland are 3 words that come to mind. I'm not sure where to start...maybe it was the stale bread or the pre-pre-prepared dishes that have clearly spent more time in fridge than Kym Kardasian in a solarium. Maybe Im unreasonable but Ive never had wine poured in my water glass with water already in it. you be the judge?

Good food, but not so good service. This is the 2nd time we have dined here, the first being off the menu (entree, main, dessert- before they were licensed, years ago) and while the food was great and very well presented we found the portion sizing too small. We decided for our return visit, for my birthday, we'd have the 6 course degustation and thought, from reading the menu, it would be enough. It wasn't. <br/><br/>It was a bit strange when the waiter asked whether we were paying for an 8 course meal with a coupon ( what the? Who pays fine dining with a scoupon!) we said, "no- we're here for the 6 course degustation" and when we booked over the phone said the same thing, no mention of coupons. I think he misunderstood and we ended up getting the "coupon" 6 course meal deal (which I'm not sure is the same as the 6 course menu we looked at on the website, which had the meal for $99 per head). The first course - basically a small slice of bread and butter (to share) then the appetiser (got one each for this one thankfully, given it was a small cup of asparagus foam- which was admittedly delicious), then the entree which was salmon ( where this should have been kingfish), main was a selection of salmon (again) or flattened lamb (as was explained by the waiter who had no idea what it was)- which on the menu was pork belly and scallops, then came the cheese "platter" -to share again (basically one small wedge of smoked Brie and a cracker and slice of bread), then a small cup of lemon sorbet and a dessert ( banana assortment- again to share). With portion sizes so small I don't think sharing 3 out of the 6 courses is acceptable, and it's not mentioned on the menu that it is shared dishes. With a degustation meal, given the nature of the small serving sizes, i expect 6 courses to myself, not share plates. It was basically an entree, main and shared dessert with a few small side dishes. <br/><br/>We left hungry and confused, as when we went to pay, the hostess said we had already paid with our coupon? We could have just walked out without paying but we're honest people and said " no we haven't paid, we had the 6 course degustation." Anyway we must have gotten the coupon price for the meal (which was around $120 for the 2 of us, as it wasn't the $99 p/h like the website said) which makes me think- had we actually gotten the real full price 6 course degustation menu meal would we have gotten the advertised menu ( not substituted) and not had to share half of our meal!? If anyone has had the meal outside of a coupon deal did you have to share most of the meal, or is this just for the lucky coupon users? If this was the full priced $99 p/h meal I wouldn't do degustation here again. <br/><br/>Anyway, something to work on with the service, we were quite clear about our order and never mentioned anything about coupons, we were given no menu (and a lot of what we got was substituted, compared to the online menu) and the waiter seemed to be very new not really knowing what was in any of the dishes or how they were served. I don't know if we'll be back after this experience- the food is great and doesn't disappoint but the service sucked and the portions were too small (add to the fact that we had to share half our meal). <br/><br/>Degustation at Aria ( whilst more expensive) was impeccable, no shared dishes and we left extremely satisfied with the portion size, we'll probably go back there instead next time, I don't think you can use scoupons there (well I hope not!) ...

Had a fabulous dining experience last night together with my wife. The food,service and the atmosphere for the Valentine's Day was just awesome. Will be back again.

Devine. Wow, what an evening! This little hidden gem was such a wonderful surprise for us all. From the moment we stepped into this establishment we felt like we were stepping into another world, the decadent room filled with antiques from yesteryear. The warm welcome from our host made us feel like we were in our own home and the food was a delicious as the room was unique. It was also great to see a wine list that had many labels that I yearned for since visiting cellar doors around Australia. We'll be back for certain! Thank you so much to all the team at Deer Duck Bistro.

Encouraging. Chef has great skill producing combinations with superb tastes, textures and presentation. Service was great and atmosphere was very pleasant in an eclectic setting. Deer Duck Bistro can make it to the Brisbane must try list, but for the very small portion sizes. Decrease your margins and get people satisfied by value for money, not just flavour fair.

I dined at deer duck last night with another 3 people and we had the 5 course degestation. The food was fantastic and the service great but the portion sizes where very small. We all left feeling hungry and ended up having a snack at the bar we went to next. As a women I found the portions small but for the men it was like they had eaten nothing. It's a real shame as wouldn't come again even though the food lovely

Very different, a great dining experience. Fairly expensive but was completely different to anything else Brisbane has to offer. Have never seen food presented the way they did, it was food art at its greatest with extraordinary taste. Definitely some talented chefs working there. A hidden secret gem of Brisbane.

Can we please have the carrot patch back please...<br/>Love the old A La Cart menu and can't wait to try the degustation menu!!!

We had dinner tonight at Deer Duck Bistro and had a fantastic time. The atmosphere as you walk in is one of a kind, the food is incredible and the service is impeccable. I truly commend the efforts of all staff. Make sure you try the new 8 course degustation menu coming soon, the waitress gave us some tasters and we can't wait to come back and try it! Thanks again, lovely service.

Went to Deer Duck Bistro with five friends. We used a scoopon voucher. Service was pretty quick. The food was pretty good, we all really enjoyed our mains and dessert.

Quirky, interesting but odd. This restaurant offers much, at face value the venue is quirky and interesting, the decor lovely and the menu looks interesting. However the food in some instances does not live up to expectations and the service is very slow. <br/><br/>The chef here seems to be a fan of slow cooking in a plastic pouch at 60oC or so. The set menu features ocean trout and prawns 'cooked' in this manner. Unfortunately on the night we attended, the trout and the prawns seem to have been left out too long as both looked greasy and had a texture that was unattractive.<br/><br/>It is difficult to get served with drinks at this restuarant. The service is slow and I have to wonder about hygeine. We went through five tumblers from behind the bar before finding one that was properly clean. Really, someone needs to check for lipstick and polish the calcium scum off glasswear. <br/><br/>It is also odd that the restaurant ran out of several menu items. Very odd given they have reservations and a set menu on the weekend. <br/><br/>The pork belly main was a case in point. As we arrived on time for our reservation at 8 pm we saw it being served up. A lovely meal I thought. When it came to receiving mine, some two hours later, they had cut the portion in half. A bit rude really. Although I did wonder if the small portion size was because the kitchen thought we were on some sort of discount offer as we were asked twice if we had a voucher? <br/><br/>All in all a very disappointing evening for a restaurant that appeared to offer so much.

We booked 4 weeks prior for 8 pm. Our party of 5 arrived we sat at the bar for a drink and waited 10 minutes before someone returned to take our drinks order. Finally we got a drink but the glasses had finger marks and grime on them and when she went to replace them she disappeared for 5 mins to find some clean ones. After being seated at the table at 8pm we waited another 15 mins before anyone returned to take our order or explain the menu. We were shocked to find out the only two sides for the mains had sold out, and the restaurant was not busy at all. The entree was chosen for us - a boring piece of trout with octopus and one oyster each. We had to share two small entrees between 5 people which is just ridiculous, but more than that what if someone had had a seafood allergy? Any good restaurant provides at least two to three entrees to choose from, and if you're going to serve a fixed entree of seafood you ought to inform the diner upon booking so the food can be eaten/enjoyed on the night. There were 5 mains from which to choose and all of us ordered differently. The servings were small - the pork belly was insultingly small - a mouthful; we saw the dish at the kitchen earlier and it was much bigger so obviously they had run out like the sides and were stretching the servings by reducing portion size. I had kingfish as did another person, and both were over cooked and dry. I approached several waiters about the sides before ordering and no one seemed to care. The staff were young, inexperienced and not welcoming at all. The dessert of carrots by the fence had lost the plot - it could have been so much better. This was our second time there , the first one year ago and we thought a little more of the place then, this time wanting it to be better and hoping it would deliver because of some good reviews, but nope, was still terrible. There was no joy in the staff, the ambience or the food, and a business that exists purely on these merits needs to lift its game.

Loved it. I loved the whole experience. The atmosphere was wonderful and the food delicious. Thank you Deer Duck for a memorable night.

Delightful ....ignore the whingers.... Please read with perspective the negative reviews posted here, against the very favourable restaurant critic reviews posted by Brisbane News, and Brisbane Times, and our thoroughly lovely dining experience. <br/><br/>My partner Russell and I dined at Deer Duck Bistro last night and it was so enjoyable. We could not fault either the flavours or presentation of our meal, our waitress was lovely and the atmosphere here is quirky and interesting and makes a very welcome change from the ‘oh so sophisticated’ style which you see everywhere lately.<br/><br/>Go and see for yourself. Make a booking for two or a small group and like us, you will be thrilled that you ventured out on a school night.

2.5 hours and still no dessert. Waited 1.5 hours for main on a not so busy Wednesday night. Service was friendly but didn't get asked for a drink until after I finished my main (2hrs in). Nice ambience, food was tasty, good quality but sides were cold.

My partner and I dined here last Friday (19/4) using the Groupon voucher and had a fantastic time! We decided to make an early booking at 6.30 to beat the Friday night rush. We waited a little longer for the desserts but the wonderful service & quality of the food definitely made up for it. The interior was beautiful! We are definitely returning to Deer Duck. <br/><br/>As for the negative blog that Sandra Ngay wrote... FYI, it clearly states in the Groupon voucher that the 'menu was subject to change'. Maybe next time phone up the restaurant to discuss the menu before arriving :)

Loved our dinner experience :) bought one of those $99 dollar deals and seriously kicking ourselves at not having purchased more- we will def be back! Slow cooked beef was devine

Pricey and the bathroom facilities need a reno but good food.

Tried it, never again. Used a groupon voucher and went in March. The interior was eccentric, quirky yet relaxing.<br/><br/>Tasting plate was a nice starter but it quickly went downhill. Was meant to get a glass of wine, lucky to get a few sips from it. Its like being promised a bowl of rice, yet I get a tablespoon of it. <br/>Despite the mains arriving in reasonable time, the meal was very disappointing. Nothing more than meat and three vege with only the protein being prepared in a different way, otherwise it could have easily been passed as a pub meal. Was meant to receive sides as part of the deal; however that never eventuated.<br/>Desserts and the ONE slice cheese platter were so so. Reading the menu was appetising than the taste of the meal itself. I wouldn't go back. Too many restaurants in Brisbane to spend my time and money on. If these guys ever advertises on the online site, don't buy it. I've bought heaps and by far, the worse purchase I've made. F-A-I-L!

We bought a Groupon coupon - $99 for four courses for two people. I didn't know what to expect but had high hopes after reading the Urbanspoon reviews. Deer Duck certainly delivered. There is generally no choice with the share platter (entree) but they were happy to provide a vegetarian option for us. It was delicious with breads, pickle, cornichons, dip, tomato and lots of yummy little bits. It was then quite a while before the main meal came out. We both ordered the snapper, which was perfectly cooked and came with truly delicious potato, spinach and mushrooms. The serving size looked small but was surprisingly adequate. Our son ordered a chicken pasta which came in a rich, buttery sauce and kept him busy. The cheese platter that followed included brie, cheddar a selection of breads, grapes, strawberries and peach slices. I could almost have stopped there and been satisfied. However I knew the tiramisu was on its way and when it came it tasted fantastic. A short macchiato finished my meal off perfectly. My partner had no problem with his chocolate tart either and he shared this with our son. The service was excellent - not overbearing but always there when we needed it. Our waiter was also very friendly. We certainly left happy and satisfied.

Would never return. We went to Deer Duck Bistro after reading some raving reviews, and so naturally you would have great expectations. The table we sat at was shoved in the corner under a decrepit dear head, hanging on the wall. I had the view of a wall and as I looked to the right I had a view of a toilet bowl, which is extremely unappealing. My partner’s champagne arrived with some lipstick imprinted to the rim, which speaks volumes about the attention to detail. Our waiter was quiet rude, after we’d asked to move to either of the empty tables beside us he replied with “no, we are fully booked and extremely busy tonight, which is great for us”. We waited 30 – 40 minutes between each course and had a total of 4 courses, which to be honest included olives and slices bread, a measly piece of cheese and some grapes and so unless they were growing the grapes or milking the cow, I failed to see how it could take so long, Although the waiter kept reminding us that they were “so busy”. He also spoke to us about his hygiene and spent the rest of the night speaking to another table about the holiday he will be going on and the new satchel he had purchased. I find all of these things so ridiculous when we waited so very long to be served yet he had so much time to chat to customers. I would never return to this place. And by the way, no one ever did show up to sit at the other tables.. Shocking service!

Wonderful......What a find!. This place is a real find. Stepping off busy Milton Rd. you enter into a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The night we went, we went with another restaurant owner, and they were as unpressed as we were. The service was attentive and each meal was explained to us with enthusiasm. Unlike another local restaurant in Auchenflower, this place was serene in a wonderful cosy way and the staff were enthusiastic and very polite. After we finished dinner, the waiter walked us to their new cocktail bar, a few doors up. It had the same welcoming atmosphere and live jazz, the night we were there. Full of of locals having a wonderfully chilled out time. The bar staff are great fun and will make anything cocktail you want, or let them suggest something for you. You would not believe you were in a strip of shops on Milton Rd.........what a find both Deer Duck Bistro and Toro both are

I love the eclectic mix of mismatching everything, it looks like The Lord of the manor fell on hard times but still whips out the family silver for visitors. <br/>The food is pretty tasty, albeit not enough for a growing girl. The service is ghastly and would be the one factor that would stop another visit. <br/>We had a voucher for a 4 course meal with wine however we had a shared platter as an entree and it was tiny for 1 person, never mind 2. I've eaten at the restaurant previously and tonight's meal wasn't a patch on my first in the restaurant. I wonder if the owner knows how his wait staff are killing his business? Maybe he's in the kitchen fiddling whilst Rome burns. <br/>I give it 6 months max.

After reading the more recent reviews, I was prepared for slow service - and that is what we got! Although the restaurant is quite small and it wasn't full, we had only 1 of our 4 courses after an hour of arriving - and that was just the share plate if meats and dips! The kindest way to describe the waitress was lack lustre. However, everything arrived in order. The food tasted beautiful. I was a bit disappointed not to see any of the beautiful presentations photographed of meals in their advertising and on also on this page. No one in the restaurant appeared to have anything special with presentation for their meals so I am not sure if things have changed recently. <br/>Because the food is so good, this restaurant could do really well. But it needs to work in service and the setting (barely a whisper of music, smoke detector beeping the whole night wanting a battery change, toilet right by diners). The bar nearby with the same owners was much better so I would more likely go back there for their tapas!

Mixed feelings. Husband & I dined with an online voucher with a 4 course offer. The shared platter, mains & dessert were amazing & great ambiance, however the only disappointing things were that the meals came out extremely slow & what was meant to be a "Cheese" platter" was just a piece of blue cheese with some fruits & crackers. Most likely would not go back again.

What happened??. We arrived early on a Friday night, because we are wimps and need to get home for an early night. <br/>All started well. The ambience is terrific and the set menu looked delicious. <br/>The food was quite lovely as was the wine. But we will not recommend this place to our friends because of the service.<br/>Other tables started to complain before us, orders were delayed, wine glasses were not filled, some people sat for quite a while before their first plate of food appeared. We had recieved our starter plate and our mains quite promptly and so had not complained.<br/>However, as the place became busier, the wait staff seemed uncoordinated and the maitre d' spent a lot of time explaining to people why there were delays.<br/>We waited to order our dessert. An hour later we stopped another waiter walking past and gave her our orders (set menu remember!)<br/>More confusion and fussing around. I'm falling asleep at the table and saying let's just go home. But my husband refused to leave, explaining that the desserts were simple things and should come out promptly. Indeed they did, everybody else's dessert except ours. <br/>We are not demanding diners, so to screw up the courage to complain is a big deal for us. Eventually though after 2 hours waiting, my husband stopped a waiter and demanded our desserts. He asked that they be brought to us immediately or we would leave paying a discounted amount.<br/>At this stage other diners were leaving and apologising to us for finishing before us! <br/>The desserts arrived 5 minutes later along with a harrassed matre d' and an open bottle of dessert wine and apologies. He explained to us that the system was not working. We said no thank you to the wine, we just wanted to finish and go home.<br/>We left immediately after dessert. On paying, the maitre d' asked my husband "Which table were you on?" In disbelief my husband explained where we had been sitting. The maitre d' then went back into the dining room to check where we had been, returned and said "I got confused, the people sitting at that table were booked under H....(my name, female) and you do not look like a H.."<br/>At this stage we felt like we were in an episode of Fawlty Towers. It was appalling and insulting. Eventually we will regain our good humour and tell this as a wonderful dinner story. But not dinner at this Bistro.

Excellent. Eclectic decor sets the mood. Roy Orbison music and a most unusual waiter. Food was great with several choices on a set menu. Although service was a little slow it added to the night rather than detracted! Great supper club/bar next door called Toro with live music (in Brisbane most unusual). All in all a wonderful night which will be repeated in the future.<br/><br/>Only criticism is its location on busy Milton Road but the ambiance inside more than makes up for it.

Make a duck, it's too deer. The interior design and theme of Deer Duck Bistro was very attractive in an industry full of clinical, structures, hard surfaces and souless dining arenas, so our interest is picqued. unfortunately maybe the set design crippled the kitchens ability to create anything memorable. Our arrival was met with a very luke-warm greeting to the sounds of Barbara Streisand, no harm done, but when Bing Crosby's, 'I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas' rings next, questions must be asked. Our waitress for the night seemed not fussed either way.<br/>We eventually received menus, 10mins for the wine menu, no specials.<br/>No service followed for 20 minutes until we asked; as he was new and did not know the menu, our questions remained unanswered, After a quick swat up of the menu with head girl, he returned with a little more knowledge, placed wine order, returned to say they had run out and were offering a similar wine, same price, but it was warm so we asked for it to be chilled for 10mins( still luke warm). eventually our orders were taken. entrees sizes were very small, luke warm for hot dish and room temp for cold dishes, very lack lustre. eventually our mains of $41 duck dish and chicken rissotto arrive, very average with the breast unevenly cooked, no real standout flavour and warm and poultry size. partners rissotto was piping hot with tasteless chicken lumps, after-thought mushrooms, and raw spinach. no infusion of flavours, soul or depth. This risotto was not caressed or cared for.<br/>we left immediatley and the waitress recognised that we were less than impressed and took the wines off the bill. at this point she apologised profusely for the eveing not being enjoyable....I hope by tomorrow, Valentines Day and for the joy of diners that the appropiate preparation is in place to ensure a successful evening; one that delivers great food and service.one last point the menu is repetitive with ingredients doubled between entrees and mains, with no sides being offered.

The food and the service of this place is great and the decor is Amazing!! =)

Reliably lovely. So pleased DDB now licensed. <br/><br/>Lovely food as per usual. It is rich food, the servings are more than adequate, nothing a briefer mid-week menu. <br/><br/>The only sub-stellar issue was that we were seating in the path of airconditioning that was set to "blast". The waiter became similiarly frosty when asked to turn this down.

1st time diner NOT the last!. I like to dine out, you have good places and then there are great ones! Deer Duck is no exception!<br/><br/>Toowong is an area that is attracting some fantastic chefs to open in the area, Sprout, Two Small Rooms, Mariosarti, Brents and now Deer Duck Bistro. <br/><br/>I was impressed with the decor, the food was just amazing and well presented. We had the duck with orange and lentils. smoked salmon, pork belly, duck breast with duck sausage finished with chocolate heaven.<br/><br/>I'll be back!

I live overseas and every time I come to Brisbane I always make sure I make a trip to Deer Duck Bistro, after my recent trip all I can say is NEVER AGAIN! The food was absolutely way to small for the price, the food was to bland or to many flavours also not to mention having to wait a long period of time for my meal to be brought to my table. I used to rave on about Deer Duck Bistro now I will be telling people to go else where... Such a let down

By far the worst place I have eaten from in Brisbane. I honestly would not be the one to say something bad but... There is nothing good to be sad. Over priced food sizes are nothing but TINY, I use to dine here a lot back in June July. Since then the food has become worse and worse. I would not recommend anyone paying $38 for 80grams of fish.. I have also read a lot of shocking reviews one would think the chefs would pick there game up. Save your money for Christmas because this is not a cheap place to go or get full.

Awful experience.... We had a table for seven last Friday night. Well firstly we were next to a raucous table of twenty who spent the whole night bellowing at each other from on end of the table to another. When we asked the staff to ask the table to be more courteous to fellow diners, nothing was done.<br/><br/>Food wise the tasting plate (we had to have for entrée) was something that would make a Sizzler salad bar look good! Mains ranged from absolutely diabolical (wild mushroom risotto) to average (beef cheeks) and the desserts we're terrible. We were given a fixed menu without choice.<br/><br/>We had to continually ask for wine top ups and the waiters had no idea where to place meals when they came to the table. After all the positive reviews we had read prior to going we were gutted...

Another beautiful evening at deer duck bistro, twice in under a week. Must be there biggest fan.<br/>The food never ceases to amaze me. From the presentation to the taste. Well done guys and girls, fantastic evening all round.<br/><br/><br/>-----08 Dec, 2012-----<br/><br/>I'm not normally one to go global about my thoughts however I needed to get this off my chest.<br/>Last night I went for dinner with a few friends and had been out down in the new restaurant they have, it was the same menu from deer duck.<br/>The decor is funky and outrageous just like deer duck and it was amazing.<br/>We loved everything from the platter, to the strawberries and cream dessert.<br/>My favourite was the fish, ocean themed white fish (snapper on the night) quinoa crumble, pea purée and karkalla (which I didn't know what it was).<br/>However it was amazing.<br/>For $65 I would have expected a lot less, it's a small price to pay for such amazing food.<br/>Overall was a beautiful night, we all enjoyed it a lot.

Possibly the worst value for money restaurant I have ever been to. For the price per head ($65) we were extremely disappointed with the terrible service and the time it took to get 14 meals out (we were there for 4 hours waiting for a basic entree small main and terrible dessert). Then they stung us with $3 a head corkage when we had to serve our own drinks. We definitely won't be going back in the next decade until they change owners. Surely when you book six months in advance you expect some form of service. Very disappointing. Especially the banana dessert. Some of our guests even left early. Waste of money.

New Room Great for a Group. Never been to DDB before so in leap of faith booked out the new DeerDuck venue ( two doors down the street in same shopping strip) on a Saturday night. All the guests very impressed on the night; decor is great; you really feel a world away from busy Milton Rd. Same menu as the bistro, food was a little slow (we weren't iin a hurry) and on the small side (not helped by the large plates), but this criticism is in retrospect. On the night there were no complaints only compliments and the manager and staff were excellent. Great place to book out for a special function and would do it again.

Very disappointed!!!. We recently ate at the Deer Duck Bistro in Milton. The decor is very nice and created a great atmosphere. The let down was unfortunately the size of the portions. 12 of us sat down to three courses which we all agreed were embarrassingly small (I am referring to 3 pieces of duck the size of my thumb nail on a plate as a main course!!). The deserts were terrible which we sent most of them back. Never before have we paid for three courses and then had to buy takeaway on the way home as we were all so hungry!! I would not recommend the place and certainly would not return for such poor value and inadequate servings.

Wow, on Wednesday night I took my wife and in laws to deer duck bistro.<br/>The decor is funky and fantastic.<br/>The food was something special, I have never eaten food with so much flavour that was so artistic.<br/>Can't wait to come back. 10/10 guys.

Unsatisfactory dining experience. Our personal experience at this place was nothing but ordinary. From the beginning where we turned up for our booking to only be seated late, to the set menu where believe it or not, the venison had run out. The restaurant should have only been called duck bistro that night. We waited over an hour to be served our mains after several complaints and even tried to order sides in the meantime to keep our appetites at bay. The comedy of errors continued as they forgot our sides. Once the mains came out, the beef (substitute for venison, however still at the same price) was actually cold which was the last straw on the camels back. We couldn't stick around any longer. The manager offered us a full refund which was very kind of him in exchange that we had to give them another go in the future.

Over priced, over slow.... Based on busy Milton Rd, it would appear all the action was outside, not inside. Very slow service (85 mins from order to mains), wait staff VERY inexperienced, and had no idea about dishes on the menu. So overpriced for the quantity and quality of food. There were more flowers on my plate than in my garden. Won't be going back. Too many other great restaurants in the area to waste my time and money here again.

Eclectic. Interesting, funky decor which can feel cluttered and awkward at times. We went for a big group dinner and while the food was slow coming out, it was reasonably tasty, obviously good quality ingredients and interestingly plated. To address previous reviews, the sides are $9 and I think are reasonable value for the price - certainly comparable to other Brisbane restaurants. Loved the butter lettuce salda with peas, blue cheese and truffle (oil). Another important note - the bottle shop on the corner has closed down so be sure to bring wine with you, or you'll be in for a very long hike! I hear they've also applied for a liquor licence.

Absolutely loved it!. A great restaurant - excellent service; quirky and comfortable decor with lots of atmosphere; imaginative and delicious food. Highly recommended!

Over-rated, under-fed, over-priced, try-hard Masterchef wannabes. We had a set menu for $65 and were not satisfied. Then they charged for a tiny bowl of sides for $9. For a restaurant that attempts to be fancy, no wines to match as it is BYO. The decor totally OTT, then add a buffalo head as a table decoration! Don't waste your $.

This is a little quirky restaurant with an antique feel that can be easily missed, as there is no noticeable signage. The food is absolutely wonderful and accentuates the flavors of each ingredients used, yet fuses together perfectly. The techniques displayed by the chef is simply amazing! Will definitely be back!

Excellent food, service and atmosphere. Up there with the best and also BYO. A must.

Best degustation menu in Brisbane!

Absolutely disgraceful. You know you've had a shocking meal when you have to go through the McDonald's drive through afterwards! Last night we had a large group booking for their Xmas in July. They had one waitress for 28 people. It was a set menu. OMG. The entree was a shared plate. It arrived missing the chorizo, when queried they said "oh sorry there's no more ". As everyone simply starving from the minute amount of food, we took to the bread. No oil , no butter, nothing to eat the non descrip bread with. We asked for butter but were told there was none of that either as the chef had used it all in another dish. Are you serious!!!! Go next door the night owl and buy some. I have never written a review before but am so angry about this meal as it was for a special occasion. The main meal was embarrassing for them. They boasted roast chicken,ham and lamb with traditional veges. We got a layered pile of shaved processed ham and chicken, topped with a laser thin piece of lamb. One baby potato, half a carrot and one piece of broccoli didn't do it any favours either. Don't get me started on the desert. Extremely disappointing

A fantastic dining experience. Atmosphere is cozy but still has a wonderfully opulent feel with dark and rich colour tones. Love the decor!<br/>Food is excellent! Great menu ideas with interesting flavour combinations. Portions are smaller than other similarly priced restaurants in Brisbane, but this suited us because we could walk out of there after a bottle of wine, three courses each, plus a side to share, without our stomachs feeling too regretful. Wait staff were friendly, but I think this depends on who you get. Would love to keep going back!

Fantastic!. We dined here a couple of weeks ago on a Tues night as a party of 4 and had a great night. The decor is wonderful and makes you feel like you're in a European manor house. The staff were extremely attentive, polite and knew the menu well. And the food was delicious. We all had an entree, main and dessert and they were all very tasty and exquisitely plated. Being BYO makes the slightly more expensive food well worth a special night out. There is a bottle shop next door in case you run out and overall it was a fantastic experience - will definitely be back.

Nice vibe. Went this weekend as part of a group. Restaurant has really lovely interior and even though seemed at full capacity didn't feel crowded or unduly loud - remained relaxed vibe. Staff were friendly, and remained attentive through most of the night. Don't know if I'm a fan of the mandatory set menu. I don't think it was great value for what we got: $70/pp plus $9 for sides (not included!) plus $10 per bottle BYO (restaurant is BYO only). Share platter was very meat heavy and I don't eat meat. Main was tasty but very small portion. The plating of each course was beautiful, but did kind of accentuate how small the serves are. Might try another night off the a la carte menu.

Not a nice experience. I visited this restaurant with high expectations<br/>bad service and food was pretty cold,not even warm, expensive <br/> i wont be back.

Bad experience... over price, small portions.. Over price!!!!!!, service very poor, i think by the time the food is delivered to our table,everything was cold, the duck dish was not tender and salty, won't be back.<br/><br/><br/>-----17 Jun, 2012-----<br/><br/>Excellent food!!!! great night. Venison, duck, all nice ....service good, the share plater was awesome<br/>what a great place should visit.

Nice place, good food. Went with a bunch of friends and we had a blast. Had a entree platter, followed by a main course of Duck, and a chocolate dessert. Everything was spot on and cooked to perfection. One of my mates had veal... medium raw.. OMG..... very very tasty!

Ok, so I had extremely high expectations after the reviews & it definitely lived up to most of them... Their 'set' menu provided quite a few options for mains and 3 fir dessert. Pork belly & king fish for main were outstanding, as was the desserts however I was not a big fan on the one entree option which was bread heavy with some meats, olives & duck pate I believe. It was interesting to try, but I would prefer a lighter option. The stand out for me - welcoming, friendly & polite, and they knew all there was to know about the food. Great decor & atmosphere too - overall a great night out!

Great atmosphere, excellent food.. I recently ate at Deer Duck Bistro, actually on 3 occasions, and I will definitely be going back again and again. I really enjoy good food and the Deer Duck Bistro met and even exceeded my expectations. My favourite would have to be the Pork Belly for main and I also rate the Venison and King Fish very highly (as I said I have been 3 times already!). For entree you can't go past the duck breast and the octopus is so tender it was amazing, literally tender like chicken. The intimate atmosphere of the back room and interesting decorations added to the dining experience. Oh and how could I forget... The roasted kipfler potatoes with garlic and rosemary were just to die for, so crunchy, so tasty, in fact I would go back just to eat bowls and bowls of them! Overall a very enjoyable experience and I look forward to going again (soon!).

Must visit!. What a experience! 10/10 for food and service and is BYO

No Intimate dining experience. We sat upstairs and felt like a" faulty towers" experience. The waiting staff stressed and layout poor. (Wine poured on table and later asked if we could hear our selves over the crowd) NOT enjoyable and will not be returning.

Fantastic! Eat here now!. Spent a lovely Saturday night here. I was keen to see what was inside (having frequented the previous establishment a lot - as a local) and we were very very very impressed! The decor is lovely. It looks and feels like an English gastro pub. It's cozy and the ambience is really relaxing and warm. They have done wonders with the space and it's incredibly inviting. Our waiter turned out to be the owner and although they were very busy, he was really friendly and even took us on a tour of the restaurant and gave us complimentary wine! The service was impeccable throughout our evening, not once did we have an empty water or wine glass. We also couldn't fault the food. 3 courses of absolute heaven! The starter was an amazing , the steak cooked to perfection and the chocolate dessert was literally mouth watering! I think perhaps my new favourite restaurant in Brisbane - I will definitely be back!

Great Experience. My husband and I had a wonderful Friday night dinner at Deer Duck last week. When I phone to make the reservation I was advised there was a set menu, that the restaurant was byo and there was a bottle shop very close by. The food was great, the wait staff friendly and the whole experience is one I will definately be going back to repeat. Thanks Deer Duck & Staff.

Perfection. Extremely friendly staff, beautiful & romantic decor and atmosphere. Hands down best steak i've ever had...the 7 grade wagyu was mouth-wateringly tender. All meals were spot-on. Definitely recommend, we had a delightful night!!

My husband and I dine here on valentines day. The food was amazing. Beautifully presented and lovely flavours. Unfortunately the service was terrible. There were constant mixups with meals to tables and long periods of time (two hours for one couple next to us) waiting for the next course. For a set menu on this night it was inexcusable. Might be a long time before we even think about going again. Such a shame.

I went to Deer Duck Bistro on Saturday night and when we arrived my friends and I were surprised to find out it was a set menu as the website said nothing of the sort and it wasn't mentioned to me when I enquired about our booking. The food we had was very nice and at $65 per head it was good value but when some of us had only budgeted for a $24 risotto the move left a poor taste in our mouths.

Lovely!. My partner and I had the valentines day set menu. The service, setting and food was excellent. I cannot fault anything about this restaurant. Looking forward to returning very soon! ....Hopefully they stay BYO too!

Lovely place. Quaint decor. Really friendly service. Loved how they changed your wine glass with different types of wine. The food was great. Had the pork belly and marron (which was so sweet). Dessert - tiramasu was nice. Served differently. Good pricing.

Great. 4 of us went to Deer Duck Bistro on the 4th February 2012.<br/>It is an older shop, and the decor is nothing fancy, but it has a nice feel.<br/><br/>The food was superb. The entree's were on the small side, but the flavours were all there. The main course was average size, and was just stunning. Pork belly was ordered by 2 of us, and it was devoured with relish. The steak was cooked as requested, and melted in your mouth. Booked out in advance, but worth the wait.

Lovely place with great service. The food was beautifully plated however taste was average. BYO is a plus point with bottle shop down the street.

Disappointed. After reading all the great reviews I was looking forward to a wonderful dining experience, with interesting food complimented by excellent service. I was very disappointed. <br/>We arrived ahead of the rest of our party & were left to lanquish with no water, no drink & no menu. This was the perfect opportunity to make an impression on potenetial new customers. Fail. <br/>I was looking forward to great service & was diappointed to find it took 15mins to deliver my drink when I was finally able to order. Our waiter also had the uncanny ability to look directly at our dirty dishes, feign interest (only slightly) and disappear for another 20mins leaving the dirty plates in situ. Fail.<br/>It was lovely to see such wonderful flavours blended together in the very imaginative menu. Unfortunately by the time the chefs had completed 'decorating' the very small portions, the food arrived cold. Fail.<br/>There are many restaurants, bistros & cafes in Brisbane which deliver interesting & mouth watering cuisine, with excellent service. After tonight 's tragic and expensive experience I would definitely not be including the Deer Duck among those establishements.

What a new little treasure on the main road of auchenflower! Can't believe how it has transformed from a pizza dive to this sexy little bistro in which you expect to find in the heart of trendy Melbourne or Sydney. Great food. Service with a smile and reasonable pricing. I love the new warm fitout. Great place for a date. Great job guys!

This beautiful bistro really needs to be enjoyed! Every mouthful or little nibble is packed with salivating flavours, leading to more tastes to be explored! Service is not intrusive but on hand without notice, a true pleasure and on a whole the best Dining Experience in my books!! Will be taking many close friends to this quaint bistro!

After working in hospitality for over 10 years it's hard for me to go out and enjoy a meal. I've eaten at some of Australia's best restaurants and never bothered to write a single review because they would probably be negative as most of you will know. The food at the was that perfect I felt compelled to write one. They really nailed it. It looked almost too good to eat. Can highly reccomend the pork belly, duck and the delicious caramalized banana with macadamia crumble for dessert. You simply must try this place before its fully booked every night. 5 stars

Welcome addition. My husband and I dined at the Deer Duck Bistro on Friday night. Very impressed. The food and service were excellent. My strawberry dessert was 5 stars. Great addition to our neighborhood. Looking forward to seeing this restaurant grow.

Dinner on Saturday night, absolutely fabulous!!! Had to have all 3 courses, recommend the venison for entree and the duck for main!!! Loved the decor, my type of venue! I'll be back again.

Wow!. WOW! with fantastic reviews like this, who needs Tony Harper and Margie Fraser? They might as well retire

Well Worth a Visit. A great night at Deer Duck. Really flavoursome food. Fantastic atmosphere in an old world style dining room feel & the service was the perfect balance of attentive but not intrusive. The pork belly was a real highlight & who could go past a chocolate fondant dessert with an oozing molten centre. Well worth a visit!

Love it. I dined at Deer Duck Bistro on Friday night, my friend and I stumbled across the new place while trying to find somewhere for dinner. <br/><br/>The service was fantastic, I have not had service like that in Brisbane for a long time. The ambience of the place is just lovely, they have antique furniture, with each table having its own personal touches. It is exactly the theme I am looking for, for my wedding next year so the night was definately a source of inspiration for me. We purchased some wine from the bottle shop in the same block of shops and we were very surprised to hear our waiters knowledge of the wines we bought, he even suggested meals that would work well with them and changed our wine glasses when we changed wines.<br/><br/>I could not have imagined the quality of food we had even existed in Brisbane - I certainly haven't seen it if it does....<br/><br/>I had the duck main, which was immaculately presented, served with sweet baby carrots and fois gras (one of my favourite little indulgences) - in a word - AMAZING. My friend had the wild rice and root vegetable salad which I just had to try - again this dish was beautifully presented, and tasted even better.<br/><br/>For dessert I had the violet curd. I chose this thinking I was having violet crumble for dessert and couldnt believe how wrong I was when an exquisitely presented dish came out to me, decorated in flowers! Nevertheless this was a perfect ending to our evening and we left feeling well fed, a little tipsy and very happy with our dining experience.<br/><br/>Hats off to the 2 gentleman working that evening, our waited told us it was their first night open and I could not fault them... Keep up the good work Deer Duck Bistro - I will certainly be back..

Great night out. We had dinner at Deer Duck Bistro on Friday night and it was delicious. Our waiter Simon was very attentive. We bought 3x bottles of wine with us and didn't have to top up our glass ourselves at all throughout the evening. It was an added bonus to have our glassware matched to our wine. <br/><br/>We shared sour dough and olive oil for entree. I had the pork belly which was crispy yet melt in your mouth tender. My sis in law had the duck which was a large serving, the foie gras completely making the dish. My friend is highly lactose intolerant and they were very accomodating to her needs.<br/><br/>The raspberry and violet dessert was to die for... and yes it is made on violets like the flowers. Tallegio cheese plate was great. <br/><br/>Coffee was fabulous... no complaints only praise and definitely foodgasms all round!!! The decor is fun and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. I loved the mismatched fine bone china side plates. Very ecclectic :)<br/><br/>I will definitely be back!!!

Bravo! Deer Duck. Being from Melbourne, we were in Brisbane and were lucky enough to stumble upon the lovely 'Deer Duck Bistro'. <br/><br/>We dined here on the weekend, the three of us, and we were very impressed by the professionalism of staff.<br/><br/>The food was AMAZING! Very impressed. We were lucky enough to order the delicious seared venison- which is served cold- but is quite delicious and creative.The sour cherries that were served with it were interesting and made the whole dish, overall quite a hit with my partner and I.<br/>My partner had the quail entree- and it was very tasty. The flavours were very succulent. My partner also had the duck which was cooked very well. <br/>Our companion also had the swordfish which tasted very fresh and went very well with the wine we had!<br/><br/>We left feeling very satisfied and very impressed and sad that this beautiful restaurant doesn't exist back home in Melbourne.<br/><br/>5 stars!

Groupon voucher ($99) for a 4-course mea for 2. Although service was friendly and polite, the dishes were not true to the menu we were given, the quality of food was sub-par, and the wait times were unacceptable.

The stark green of the asparagus contrasted wonderfully with the black of the bowl and the white of the buttermilk and egg puree. Thrown almost casually, but with care, on the plate were crunchy pieces of buckwheat, providing texture along with the freshness. Simple ingredients put together with care and delivering on flavour.

The mackerel, kipfler and paprika first course was a great example, sure, each of those ingredients were on the plate, but there was so much more. The white mackerel was ceviche and then layered on a black plate for contrast, then contrasting orange from paprika salted crisps and granita finished off with green leaf. The plate looked beautiful.

My entree was the Wallaby tartare with cornichon spheres (essentially gherkin spheres) and again it looked spectacular when presented. I am going on record as saying this is the best tartare I have ever eaten. I have tried Kangaroo meat before and not really liked it, but the Wallaby was sweet and gamey at the same time, while being extremely tender.

From the outside, the restaurant looked unassuming...We started off with the crackle and the miso soup, which was simply divine. The crackles were made from fish skin and it complemented nicely with the sweetness of the miso soup...

Discretely located on a suburban street in Auchenflower, Deer Duck Bistro took my breath away when I laid my eyes on it. I put my hands against the window and looked inside at the vintage furniture and the old paintings, I was immediately drawn to its old world charm.

Overall, it was a wonderful fine dining experience. There was a lot of thought and work that went into each dish, which translated well into what we had on the plate.