Review River Quay Fish - Brisbane

Brisbane's Best Waterfront Restaurant and Bar. It's a lovely place to sit and look out at the river, as well as people-watch. Great service getting a table for us that suited our group. We ordered heaps of share plates. Serving size was generous and all food was delicious. Cocktail menu is interesting too. A great place for drinks and dinner!

Best NYE Dinner ever. We experienced River Quay Fish for the first time on NYE. What a treat it was! The service was impeccable, the view was spectacular & the food was delicious although we were so full by the end of the courses that we barely could savour the final dishes but we did our best... right down to the drinks, everything was perfect & we really enjoyed ourselves. We Will be back - Thanks for a great, decadent way to ring in the new year.

The manager was rude. We paid $149 per person for the NYE dinner. We waited an hour for the starters to be served and then we waited another hour for the mains to come. All the meals were pre-ordered. How can they be so slow ?

Location is so pretty, fitout is tasteful, chairs are actually very comfortable. Heaters present and plenty of cover available. Staff were warm, accomodating and helpful to deal with and met the Chef and Manager/Owner, lovely people. Delightful total dinner experience. Service was fast. Prawn Chilie Linguine was superb, chock full of fresh prawns with a nice bite, the Coconut Panacotta was flawless and tasty garnished with a real flower on a slice of pineapple caramalised as a base, the side of sweet potato wedges were amongst best experienced, hot and crispy, cooked perfectly. Coffee was an impressive one, smooth & well rounded, great Crema, and hot. The coffee Crema art was a classy touch! Thanks team for a delightful dining experience, 10/10.

No booking olfir a Sunday lunch, rocked up and had no problems and they quickly found us a table for 5. Service was great from the two young ladies, food was fresh and tasty and when leaving the guy behind the counter was just as helpful and full of smiles and chat. Great effort and customer service from this team. We'll be back.

The antipasto plate with brie is a good serving for two. Delicious bread, cured meats and cheese. Paired with a wine of your choice and you have a perfect afternoon.

Celebrated a 30th birthday discreetly. can't speak highly enough about this place. From the food, music, venue, view, atmosphere, to the service. Everything was amazing. The seafood platter was perfectly sized and well balanced. the prawn linguine was light and bursting with flavour. The Salted caramel coffee martini was sweet and light. the buttercup cocktail was pleasantly Sourd and both were delicately decorated splendidly. We wanted dessert but were too satisfied and full. Definitely a wonderful place.

Best Waterfront Restaurant and Bar In Brisbane! A wonderful evening River Quay Fish, South Bank, Brisbane. The food was delicious and melted in our mouths. Great atmosphere with great views of the river and the city on the other side. Service was quick. Fine dining at mid-range prices.

was pleasantly surprised with this restaurant! Waitor was friendly and helpful, food was quick and amazing. recommend<br/><br/>

I adore the South Bank - I think it is a beautifully planned out space with fantastic facilities for the public along the Brisbane River close to the CBD. There are plenty of dining options in South Bank, and we strolled through the restaurants along the river before deciding on lunching at River Quay Fish. The service we received was great, and the restaurant was very accommodating to my step-MIL's dietary requirements. It is a fine choice for seafood and lovely views of the river, and we quite enjoyed the food we ordered.

Had the paella for two at River quay fish, not bad but def not the best paella I have ever had , the service was excellent and the restaurant is in an excellent location with great views of the river and city beyond <br/>The seafood in the paella was cooked beautifully with the prawns a standout BUT<br/>If you’re going to do a paella the biggest attraction is the socarrat , it was non existent here which was a big disappointment

After a bad experience a year ago, I decided to give river quay fish another go during lunch this week. This place has certainly turned itself around. The prawns were sweet and juicy, the calamari was high quality and fresh, and my partner could not stop singing the salmon’s praises. Whatever this place is doing - it better not stop. <br/><br/>I was impressed by the service and I was grateful not be hassled mid-mouthful to ask whether I was enjoying my meal. <br/><br/>Yes the prices are a little steep but not unusual for the seafood restaurant, especially given its location. I highly recommend and I’ll be back!

Nice spot on the river for a leisurely lunch while on holiday. I had the fresh prawns and the fried whitebait. Both were excellent with a tall glass of cider on a dazzlingly sunny winter's day.<br/><br/>From previous trips to Aussie I knew that what they often call whitebait is completely different to what we know as whitebait in NZ. In Australia it is usually a sprat, not a tiny, translucent baby fish that we know as whitebait in NZ (and what whitebait technically should be). I like both, and the River Quay Fish version was very good. The chilli caramel sauce that accompanied it was great, not too sweet.<br/><br/>The prawns were simply boiled, so a perfect counterpoint to the deep-fried fish. The ice in the bottom of the serving bucket kept them beautifully cold.<br/><br/>Service from the female server was perfunctory, but not unpleasant. I didn't like the fact that she didn't check on me at any point to see how my meal was or if I wanted another drink. The male server was much more friendly.

Great seafood! The calamari and fish tacos were absolutely delicious, and the barramundi with macadamia crumb and buttered leeks was fresh, succulent and perfectly seasoned. Will be back.

Friday after work, wanting to relax and unwind before a busy weekend. Caught up with Queen V for dinner. Wanting to try somewhere new, we wandered around Southbank until we found ourselves around the Sidon Street strip of restaurants which we ever so rarely go to. Weighing up the options, we decided to try out River Quay Fish, which has been open in that area for a considerable period.

After reading all of the reviews on here I decided to opt for a coffee. The flat white was ordered with a double shot & came out with a large amount of foam so was ultra strong. I requested a hot milk top up & my request was quickly fulfilled, but slopped in the saucer. The waitress was very sweet as was barista who provided ice for my water. Price was $5 for the coffee rather steep for Southbank

A terrible breakfast dining experience. Cold tasteless slice of  pumpkin fritatta with half dead rocket and the 'blistered'  (half) tomato seemed like it had been waved over a heat source ages ago and left to go cold. I could have done better at Woolies and certainly for less than $16.<br/><br/>Uninformed, unskilled table service eg passing plates in front of dining companions, meals not coming at the same time, clearing plates before all finished eating, no enquiry into my obvious dissatisfaction with meal. <br/><br/>Tepid tap water.<br/><br/>Not recommended

We booked online via Dimmi at 50% off food bill. Was extremely disappointed when our waitress told us the special only applied to select menu items (mainly entree, seafood main, and desserts; excluded share plates and the grill). Upon checking with another waiter, we were told that these menu items were specifically excluded under the promotion but wasn’t on the front page of Dimmi where people could read it - go figure. <br/><br/>Service was great with the waitress accomodating for my food allergies, as well as checking on our food to make sure it was perfect. <br/><br/>Food was fairly expensive but nothing to write home about. I assume the price was due to the location and if it was not for the promotion, we would never have come here. <br/><br/>The venue overlooked the Brisbane River which was nice but overall would not come back unless the grill items were half price as well

I should have known by the Urbanspoon rating of this place. Expensively disappointing. <br/>We went here for Father's Day, two generations of dads. Firstly the person who greeted us seemed annoyed we were there, despite having a booking. We didn't get a smile, it was closer to an eye roll. Our waitress on the other hand was very nice. <br/>When ordering we decided to get two share plates as we were advised each was suitable for 2-3 people. One was Moreton Bay bugs and the other was a whole barramundi. The three bugs were nicely cooked with a caramely glaze, it was served with one serve of very gluggy coconut rice and a garnish salad which was tasty with pickled goodness. <br/>The barramundi was delicious and crispy with a sweet chilli dressing, but serving 2-3 people was a joke, the amount of meat on that anorexic dwarf fish was enough for one person, barely. It was served with more of the glug and two broccolini pieces and two Bol choy stems. <br/>We also ordered the rhubarb salad which was good, no complaints, it was fresh and tasty with a generous amount of feta. <br/>Then we had dessert, the crumble was terrible, two thirds crumble which was mainly oats (reminiscent of muesli) with three slices of apple. The Etons mess was okay but did not have nearly enough meringue, it was also sickly sweet. <br/>The bill was $200 including three drinks. Not expensive for a lunch for four, but expensive for the actual amount of food served. <br/><br/>So seriously disappointed by this place. What got me was that the meal was badly thought out. There was not enough room for two share plates and a salad on the tiny table, and the restaurant was already very packed. The fish did not fall off the bone and there was nothing to cut/serve it with. And there was no bowl for the fish bones or bug shells, not that there would have been room on the table. <br/>

Went here for lunch. Nice location. Service was at best average. Pet hate... table was sticky. Really sticky :) Shared Moreton bay Bugs for entree. They were small but they were generous. Pity they weren't fresh. Mains, fish of the day and chips and barramundi with almond sauce were both pleasant enough. This place is definitely geared to the tourist market. Unfortunately I don't think it will give the best impression.

Had DIMMI 50% discounted food bill Promo mid-week dinner at this place. Well, I really do not think that it is really a promo deal because two out of the three shared dishes listed on the menu were not included in the Promo (do not acknowledge to DIMMI member about that during this promotion) and the only one 50% off shared plate was opened to anybody walked in for meals and was strongly advised by the staff. In addition, there was no recommendation on the Char-grill meat available neither was the price. The only thing made me happy was the plate of oysters with herb butter, which was the best of the same kind that I tasted but it really took a long preparation time. For the main, we chose the recommended shared whole fish, where the chef controlled the cooking time for the whole fish deserve thumb-up but the side dishes of coconut rice and Asian green did not match the protein. Particularly the coconut rice is suggested to go with some rich flavour sauce that was missed on that dish because there was only a tiny little dish of sweet chilli sauce followed with the dish. What a shame? Overall, list prices on the menu are average and you probably pay for the river view more than the food.

Ok, so the drinks were 15 mins late and the order was lost and then the order was incorrect...However, when the manager asked " How was everything" and I told him, he was very apologetic and gave us our drinks for free! <br/>I think that the good customer service on a disgruntled patron is worth a lot so 4.5 stars. We will be back. Thanks so much

Service was poor. Long wait on drinks and food. Staff made it seem like a chore to serve us. It was a big deal to add 2 extra chairs to my table even though when I booked they said it would be fine to add more as long as didn't go over 10. Food was not quality for amount charged. Menue was not clearly set for gluten free or vego.<br/>Would not eat here again.

A lovely location for an afternoon drink and nibble. We ordered the cheese platter to share between the two of us. The cheeses were all really nice but the serving for what you're paying wasn't very much. Wine was good though!

Maybe I should have checked the rating before *attempting* to have breakfast here.<br/>I sat down at 9.30 on Saturday morning in need of a coffee and some breakfast and I watched as every single waiter ignored me. <br/>It's not like it was busy... there was maybe 4 other tables that had diners? <br/>I got up to get my own menu, thinking that was big enough of a hint, but no - I sat there for 15 minutes with not one waiter approach me. I tried to get the attention of the waiters and waitresses but they were too busy talking amongst themselves.<br/>Disgraceful and would definitely not recommend based on that appalling experience alone.<br/>The menu looked average too.

Some colleagues and I descended on River Quay Fish, formerly known as Cove Bar + Dining, for lunch. I was advised that it is the same restaurant (same owner and staff), just a different name. Unfortunately, they've done away with the great lunch specials that made this place worth visiting during business hours.<br/><br/>The first thing that jumped out to us was that the prices are steep - typical for this part of South Bank, but higher than I recall. $17-28 for Entrees, $28-36 for Mains, $17 Salads, $8-10 for Sides and $10-26 for Desserts. As a result, we all steered clear of the Mains and ordered a combination of Entrees, Salads and Sides.<br/><br/>Between us, we ordered two orders of Whiting Tacos ($18 each), two Chicken Burgers with Fries ($24 each), a Poached Calamari ($18), the Twice Cooked Octopus ($18), a Rhubarb & Goats Cheese Salad ($17) and a side of Fries ($10).<br/><br/>The Whiting Tacos, served over red cabbage slaw and sliced jalapenos, was the highlight of the meal. The Whiting was a bit greasy and it wasn't a lot of food for $18, but this was certainly above average and rated 3.5.<br/><br/>The Chicken Burgers, which I also tried, were overcooked, dry and salty. The fries looked to have been fried twice (anyone who has worked a deep fryer will know what I mean) and were really crunchy. The best part of these dishes was the gribiche sauce - an egg and mustard sauce for dipping. At $24 the Chicken Burgers rated a 2 and were very disappointing.<br/><br/>The Poached Calamari was well cooked, but the serving was tiny. It was meant to be served with pickled ginger and an Asian herb salad, but this turned out to be mainly beansprouts and my colleague was quite disappointed. At $18 she rated this a 2.<br/><br/>The Twice Cooked Octopus was nicely presented and was enjoyed. Both this and the Rhubarb & Goats Cheese Salad rated 3-3.5.<br/><br/>Unlike the fries that were served with the chicken burgers, the side of fries was undercooked and soggy. No complaints about the serving size with this, but this rated 2.5-3.<br/><br/>Including beverages (seven beers and wines across six people), we averaged $35-40 a head without anyone ordering any mains or desert. This is about what you would expect to pay at The Jetty or Popolo, but based on past experience we would have left there feeling more satisfied.<br/><br/>Overall, I would have to rate River Quay Fish 2.5-3. The prices are typical of this part of South Bank, but the value and the quality just aren't there - especially where they've done away with their lunch specials.<br/><br/>I bumped my overall rating up to 3 in recognition that they provide a 10% discount to hospital staff.

Overpriced, underwhelming and completely trading off the location. Coffee was average and meals were small but not cheap. I ordered the equivalent of poached eggs with bacon which came as a sparsely presented meal with very little bacon n dry sourdough toast. My partner's brekky wasn't any better with an avocado paste instead of real Avo - and it cost $22! First and last time sadly...

Dropped in for lunch on Australia Day - waitress advised it would be a 45 minute wait, which we said would be OK. <br/><br/>Typically hot Brisbane summer day  - got served tap water which was at room temperature, so luke warm - no offer of ice. No fans in the place, so sweltered sipping our luke warm water.<br/><br/>Ordered our drinks and the bugs share plate. After my husband finished his drink eventually flagged down the waitress to get a beer, but when she brought that  she didn't clear the empty glasses - which were to remain on the table until for the rest of the meal.<br/><br/>The bugs eventually arrived  - probably after 35 minutes  - but we were informed they didn't have any "share plates". Yes, that's right, served a "share plate meal" - a board with the dipping sauce, bowl of cooked bugs and some salad - but couldn't supply plates to eat off.<br/><br/>Waited a few minutes (assuming it was simply the dishwasher running behind) and watched other people being served meals on plates but still no plates.<br/><br/>Not wanting it to go cold I pushed the board over so my husband could start, and after he had some, he pushed it over to me so I could finish it - all the time manoeuvring the board around the small table to avoid toppling the empty glasses and beer bottle.<br/><br/>As another reviewer commented the bugs were OK without being anything interesting.<br/><br/>Public Holiday Surcharge of 15% (can live with that), so a total of $110 for 2 limenchello spritz, 1 boags light, a bowl of chips and 1 bugs share plate with no plates (both OK but pretty average, nothing to get excited about), and a couple of small glasses of luke warm water, and amateurish service from a couple of teenagers (they were trying hard but management/supervision non-existent).<br/><br/>Hadn't read the other reviews so wasn't forewarned - but must say that it was a similar experience to that had at other Southbank restaurants - The Jetty, next door to this, StokeHouse further up (bar is excellent but restaurant similarly overpriced).<br/><br/>Lesson finally learned = for best dining experiences either eat cheap (we love our local Thai) or eat expensive ($125+ per head) as the places in the middle will most likely disappoint.

We visited this place on our way to Sydney and were very excited about the food, but it was very expensive and super low quality. <br/><br/>I ordered the grilled prawns and asked if they're shelled and the waitress said they were. The food arrived with a sea of mayonnaise with three little prawns sitting on top with the whole shell and eyes and all with a giant grilled cos lettuce. The lettuce was burnt at parts and wilted at the rest. I asked the waiter to remove the shells for me as I didn't want my prawns with shells and they happily did. However the prawns were very fishy and had a strong smell and had bits and pieces of their insides on them! This dish came at a hefty price of 17 dollars and the prawns were very small and unpleasant.<br/><br/>My friend asked for tomato sauce with his fish burger in the beginning and even though the waitress confirmed it they served the burger with mayo instead! His burger was also very average, similar to what you get at Mac Donald's.<br/><br/>We also ordered the bread with butter as a starter and as i was trying to separate a slice i saw a thick giant long hair stuck in the bread. <br/>When paying i told the manager about it and he apologized in a very reluctant way and said we don't have to pay for it, but when he asked me to pay pass he had already added the 13 dollar price to the amount so we ended up paying for the hairy starter! The manager pretended everything was all good and said goodbye and we were shocked how he ignored the whole thing.<br/><br/>I don't recommend this restaurant, never returning.

The good: Great location, friendly staff, good drink selection and according to our friend the Barramundi<br/>The ok: The chips -  once the hot version came out, the bland but well cooked Moreton Bay Bugs<br/>The bad: The cold chips, The price of $45 for 3 smallish Moreton Bay Bugs, plus a tiny and not-really-dressed Green Papaya Salad, The soggy 6 pieces of Bok Choy as the Asian green sides<br/><br/>Classic case of 'meh' - there are much better value options around South Bank!

We came here for Riverfire and spent $100 each on a 3 course fixed menu. We were very disappointed with the food and also the disorganisation from the staff. I had been told on the phone it started at 5pm. I arrived at 5.15 but was told it didn't start until 6pm. That was fine. We ordered drinks and were happy to sit and chat. At 6.15 we asked about the program for the night and neither of the staff we asked seem to know. <br/><br/>The entree was a modern twist on a prawn cocktail alternated with whiting tacos. Everyone on the table wanted the tacos which looked a lot more appealing. I ended up with the prawns. This was fine as I love prawns and I was quite happy with this dish but I was the only one who was. The prawns had a very strong flavour and were definitely only suited to the die hard prawn fans. The other prawn lover found them too strong and didn't like the grilled lettuce. Strangely enough it was also the junior entree and the child on the table didn't like them at all. <br/><br/>For the main course it was an alternate drop of steak and ocean trout. The ocean trout was lovely but the accompaniments were mere condiments. There were no vegetables to speak of and no opportunity to order sides due to the fixed menu. The steak eaters were very disappointed as they both came out well done. The steaks were visibly charred on the outside. I saw other steaks going to other tables that looked medium but the ones on our table were very overcooked and at no point was anyone asked how they preferred them. <br/><br/>The deserts were nice but I can't eat fresh cream and asked for a dessert without cream. This request was ignored and both the Eton's mess and chocolate tart both included cream. I ate around it as best I could but this definitely reduced my enjoyment of the otherwise lovely desserts. <br/><br/>

A cool and relaxed new place with of course a strong focus on seafood, attentive and friendly service and one of the best views along the river. Enjoyed every dish including dessert. Great choice of spirits including gin plus excellent wines by the glass. Will be back next time in Brisbane for sure.