Review Rick Stein At Bannisters - Mollymook

Wow what a surprise was our visit on new years eve! We booked a lunch to try it out again sonce we heard about a new French chef had take over the kitchen. And we were not disappointed at all. The food had such an uplift from the last time we visit it. Instead of heavy creamy dishes, the food was elegant, well-balanced and refined. As we love our food, we were so pleased to find such an improvement from our last visit. We highly praise the new chef and definitely will be back! The staff was lovely as well and very helpful. Highly recommend to try out the food. Especially the Smoked BBQ prawns with semolina!

We absolutely loved our lunch at Rick Stein at Bannisters. We started with a pre-lunch drink in the garden overlooking the ocean which set the mood for what was to come. The relaxed atmosphere, delicious food, impeccable service from our waiter John and every part of this experience was exactly what we needed after two years of ups and downs running our own business. It was everything we had looked forward to for so long. We can definitely recommend adding this to your South Coast itinerary.

Firstly, I'm a Rick Stein fan having watched all his TV cooking/travel shows and really wanted to visit his restaurant at Bannisters by the Sea in Mollymook. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. The entry lobby and fireplace is superb and we had pre-dinner drinks there to start our evening; unfortunately it went downhill from there. I expected a great seafood menu but not to be. There was only 2 fish dishes on offer Whole Snapper or fillets and a fish curry. Where was a prawn dish, Scampi, St.George Whiting or even Barramundi, not to be🤔 Rick prides himself on seafood but there was little in selection. The Snapper was $60 plus accompanying side dishes at $9 ea. So the main meal was approximately $80 per person, not great value. Service was good and mention must go to our delightful young waiter Huck, who was exceptional. I know Rick keeps saying that patrons must pay for the experience, and I don't mind, but please give me the experience of a full menu. Sorry Rick can't recommend you over The Rooftop Bar and Grill.

The food was absolutely amazing. The service was next to none. It was an incredible experience. Food is expensive for what you get, but the name and service make up for it. I went all out with the seafood, and I feel like that was definitely the right choice. Next time I am in the area, I will definitely go back.

Had a lovely dinner here, despite the rain the view on the covered alfresco area was nice. The staff were very professional and friendly. The sizing portions were nice and loved their snapper!

The service was very nice with constant water top ups and fresh bread, one server continued to make us laugh and explain each dish to us, super kind! The food is delicious and fresh. The drink options were wide. For 6 people we ordered Sydney rock oysters and all the entrees (sashimi, fish and shellfish soup, kingfish ceviche and chargrilled prawns with soft polenta). For mains we each ordered one, mainly the grilled snapper with prawn and mango salsa. We all left full!

We were welcomed an hour before our booking with a nice seat overlooking the sea for drinks. Dinner was excellent. Having watched Rick's shows, I could hear his voice describing how to have the dish! The staff were very attentive and we really enjoyed the experience. Chalky's picture was above the fire :)

There was nothing we could fault, the service and friendliness of the staff and their knowledge and help was second to none and the food was to die for ! Everything was beautifully presented and was sensational.We will definitely be back.

The South Coast seems to becoming somewhat of a gastronomic destination with a number of places making the foodie bucket list such as St Isidore and Cupitt’s kitchen. However, the famous and favoured seafood restaurant by Rick Stein is holding its own. It is located in the luxury getaway boutique hotel, Bannisters in Mollymook. You don’t have to be staying in the facility to eat in the restaurant. We often pay this place a visit on our journey down the south coast and have dined here on a number of occasions. If you’re planning on heading down, it’s a 3. 5 drive from Sydney and certainly is worth it.

On a trip to Wollongong, we drove the long way to make a few stops on the way. One of these stops was Mollymook as we got a last minute cancellation for a 2pm lunch reservation at Rick Stein at Bannisters. Located right on a cliff overlooking the ocean, the restaurant is known as a dining destination with beautiful views. We easily got a parking spot in the undercover parking area (noting it was about 1.45pm). We were early for our reservation but I figured we could just have a drink and soak in the views. However, our table was already ready and we were asked if we wanted to stay in the bar area or go straight to our table. We still had some distance to drive to get to Wollongong, so we headed straight for the table.

We have been watching Rick Stein’s cooking programmes on television for a number of years, from the Mediterranean Escape and Far Eastern Odyssey in earlier seasons to more recently Long Weekends. So when we took a trip to Mollymook, south coast of New South Wales, for the Easter long weekend, we decided to visit his restaurant at Bannisters.

Came here for a birthday dinner. Started with a margarita at the pool side bar. Was a bit sour and not a great balance but views great. Went inside and started with a few oysters which were ok. I then ordered the fish soup. OMG was incredible. Came with a paste you spread onto croutons sprinkled with parmesean cheese then put on top of the soup. I could of had another bowl it was so tasty. Even my 12 yr old changed her order to the soup. Next i had the coconut chilli prawns. They were plump, juicy and in a cococut curry broth. Also came with indian bread to dip into the sauce. It was delicious. Nice kick of spice without ruining the subtle taste of the prawns. My husband had the Hervey Bay scallops and seafood curry. Although both was very nice he admitted my choice was better esp. The prawns. Finished with spiced banana brulee which was perfect. My daughter had 3 scoop icecream which she devoured and husband chocolate fondant. Staff are very friendly and eager to please although they forgot an order which worked out well as i cancelled it as was so full. Rick Stein's was everything i hoped it would be and will definitely be back but maybe at the Port Stephens location as closer to home. Only slight downside was they didn't wish me a happy birthday although my husband told them when booking.

We heard great things about this place, tbh we came here (Mollymook) just to eat here. Maybe our expectations were too high. The menu was fusion with a bit of asian, Mexican – it was a little all over the place.<br/><br/>We ordered a wide range of dishes, the waitress was scared it was too much food. All the seafood is fresh as, but the flavours in the dishes just didn’t work for us.<br/><br/>The menu doesn’t state what each dish contains as it only states the seafoods. If the menu was more descriptive, perhaps we wouldn’t have ordered the dishes which we did not enjoy eating eg. the bouillabaisse with the strong fennel (liquorice) taste.<br/><br/>The best dish was the steamed whole snapper.<br/><br/>All the dishes were very average. And nothing was completely wow, we must come back here.

Beautifully designed restaurant which isn't too overcrowded. <br/><br/>I had the zucchini flower entree which was ok but a little too much to eat all three in the entree, would maybe help to put something fresh with it. However my family all had the oysters with side of sausage and loved it! <br/><br/>Main was the steamed snapper which was beautiful, the meat was so juicy and not over powered with seasoning/sauces, the meat fell off the bone and made it so easy to eat (without accidentally swallowing a bone).<br/><br/>Service was good, not too over the top but at the same time didn't leave us sitting there trying to catch ones attention.<br/><br/>Situated in a beautiful spot in Mollymook, I'd suggest to visit if your holidaying around town.

Such a wonderful restaurant with spectacular views of Mollymook. Every single dish we had was divine with amazing flavours. Standouts were the seafood pie and Snapper fillet. Be sure you save room for dessert. <br/>100% worth the 3.5 hr drive from Sydney.

We spent three nights in the Bannisters hotel, and ate in the restaurant on two evenings. What a difference two days can make.<br/><br/>We were really looking forward to this as we both really love seafood, and the menu sounded really delicious.<br/><br/>How wrong you can be.<br/><br/>The staff and the venue and the view were all outstanding. The service was very good and the staff were all very knowledgeable and helpful.<br/><br/>The starters were markedly different I had the cured salmon and my wife chose the scallops. I made a big mistake. The quality of the salmon was perfect, shame the same couldn’t be said for the curing. I really love cured and pickled fish and was expecting it to pack a flavour punch. There was barely any. The beetroot coloured the fish but gave it no flavour, and the apple pickle was so subtle the whole dish was bland and very disappointing. The scallops on the other hand were perfectly cooked and very tasty.<br/><br/>We both took the famous fish pie for our main. The fish and shellfish contents were plentiful and of great quality. The flavour was again one dimensional and very disappointing. It reminded me of boil in the bag meals from student days – you can live on it, but at Sydney level pricing we were entitled to expect more than seafood in buttery lemon with some crispy breadcrumbs. Woefully under seasoned as well.<br/><br/>I got the wrong desert as well. My wife had a delicious gooey runny chocolate fondant, and I had the tart of the day. Which had a chewy shortbread base and a tasteless dome of brown mousse on top. The ice cream was nice though.<br/><br/>Two nights later things were different. Not enormously but a bit better. I had the warm shellfish starter which was very good, - tasty well-cooked delicious selection of seafood. My wife had the muscles in raw garlic and dishwater. Muscles in white wine and cream is usually delicious. This was not. It didn’t look great but tasted just about ok, very disappointing.<br/><br/>The mains were different again. My wife went for the Bombay curry salmon, which was delicious, the curry did not overpower the fish and still retained a pleasing heat. It also came complete with flat bread and delicious sweet chutney which complemented the fish well. I had the snapper fillet on the spicy noodles. The fish was perfectly cooked, but completely lost in the fragrant and very spicy noodles. The noodles (supermarket packet) would have been all well and good in an Asian dish, but completely ruined the fish. Also, I do like hot spicy food but it was very hot and I’d be betting some people would not be able to eat that.<br/><br/>Dessert was good (a fondant again) and I had the White Chocolate and Yoghurt Dessert. It was really great, the raspberry sorbet was good too.<br/><br/>A shame that it was the desserts that stole the show at a fish restaurant, and given the prices being charged, there needs to be a bit of a rethink here, unless the management is happy to keep making money and delivering nothing out of the ordinary.

Weekend getaway with four friends dined here on our first night. Upon arriving we were greeted by friendly waiters. We opted with few oysters from different regions; it was prepared well and ultra fresh, a perfect start. Then each ordered entree dishes. I ordered mussels with almond and garlic on slight creamy broth which were everyone's favourite. I loved tuna sashimi marinated with passionfruit and corriendar. It was truly fabulous especially it had sweet flavour but it worked perfectly well with aromatic corriendar. this is my favourite dish of the evening hands down. For our main I ordered fish pie and others got a whole snapper and seafood curry. Every dish was great; the pie was not what I expected - i was expecting a crusty pie but it was more like seafood on creamy sauce topped with bread crumbs. It was unique and I enjoyed it. Snapper with Orange was zesty and well flavoured. From our main dishes i thought the curry was a surprisingly good. It was really well spiced had slight kick which was pleasantly delectable. All in all enjoyed our dinner; fantastic start of holiday :)

One of the highlights of a trip down to Mollymook should be to experience the dining pleasures of Rick Stein’s only restautrant outside the UK (I think). <br/><br/>It’s located at the end of Mitchell Parade on Bannisters (not Bannisters Pavillion). Bannisters is a swanky upmarket holiday joint (think white walls, white linen, men in white trousers and shirts and panama hats - OK I’ve taken some liberty to the description). Outside are parked Porsche Cayannes, Range Rover sports and a couple of Mazdas (you get the picture).<br/><br/>We are greeted by the sounds of the pool lounge singer downstairs doing her rendition of Noiseworks “Reach Out” [OK, this now probably classifies me as a 1980s Aussie Rock afficienado - yes its a bit sad] <br/><br/>All the wait staff were fab. Whilst some were probably on a working vacation, they all seemed like that they had a private school education. It was formal yet casual; courteous and friendly but not too matey.<br/><br/>We ordered the:<br/>- sashimi as a starter (hmm, its a Stein staple but to those who have had sashimi from Japan, this is average)<br/>- shellfish soup as a starter (Wow! just the way it should be It packs a lobster-shellfish bisque punch. Love it)<br/>- The indonesian curry served with basmati rice and a midly-spice salad condiment (Lovely, almost brings you back to Indonesia)<br/>- The special of the day; which was the whole baked/fried baby snapper in orange sauce (O’la’la, this was FAB! I have always despised the ideal of Duck’la orange and the like; but this since dish and experience has fundamentally shifted my preconceived notions of a ‘sweet sauce’ for a main fish dish.)<br/><br/>Lovely place, lovely decor, lovely service, lovely food. Next time I am up Mollymook, I will do another visit. Probably after I have saved up enough. You may want to go with a wealthy friend or partner. PS: going to try the hot-cold shellfish entree next time.<br/>

Hubby recently had his birthday and I find him impossible to buy for. Instead of getting him more stuff, most of which he probably would not like, I decided to get him something more precious, a couple days off. I did suggest we go to a resort around Bundanoon, but it turned out to be a yoga/health retreat. Strangely hubby was not keen on this. Next thing I know he is looking at flights to Belgium or Texas to see Formula One and of course, if we are going all that way we should stay a couple of weeks. I looked on in stunned silence. There was no in between people. We went from a weekend away to a couple weeks in Europe. Once hubby got over his initial excitement he decided that maybe this was a bit much, much to my relief. In the end the compromise was that we were going to drive down to the coast and stay in a lovely hotel called “Bannisters” sans children. Bannisters is located in Mollymook about half an hour north of Batemans Bay. One of its main selling points is that this is the hotel owned by the famous chef, Rick Stein.  It was such a sacrifice on my part to visit this place.

Bannisters at Mollymook is a must visit destination if you are ever in the area. Apart from the beautiful location, it is the Australian home of Rock Stein.  On this second visit, I took some friends with me which made for an already entertaining evening.  The staff were lovely but had a slight mishap with a gluten free roll that was frozen on the inside and nuclear hot on the outside (I'm thinking it might be a microwave issue)! The rest of the meal was delicious, timed well and cooked to perfection except for the fish pie which was a little too (temperature) hot. I give them 4.5 mainly because it is a lovely restaurant, the staff are very accommodating and the menu is excellent. Definitely recommend if you love seafood.

Was lucky enough to visit Rick Stein at Banniters couple weeks ago.<br/>I thought it was very nice and I really enjoyed my meal. Seafood dishes are the stand out and I loved the salmon tartare.<br/>Mains were also amazing - fish fillets with Asian flavours done so well. But I'm a dessert person and the mandarin trifle! Wow absolutely amazing.<br/>I didn't find it too expensive considering what we had.. Worth a trip down..

Rick Stein is the grandfather of seafood and one of the truly original celebrity chefs. Growing up, it was hard not to be captivated by his genuine passion for seafood that would challenge any seafood lover not to salivate.<br/><br/>Visiting Bannisters was a long time coming and despite some mixed reviews, I had to try it for myself. The warmly lit restaurant was smart and inviting reflecting a casual ambience amongst a nautical theme. The menu was a reflection of old time classics and dishes that have inspired Rick through his journey through Asia. The restaurant is not intended to be fine dining although it's hard not to draw comparisons with the high prices Vs small portions.<br/><br/>When you visit a restaurant, you really need to go beyond your comfort zone and try something that reflects the soul of the restaurant. Although it was highly tempting to try there various rock oysters and lobster thermidor, I really had to snap out of it and order dishes that are special to Rick and could not be sold anywhere else.<br/><br/>My experience was filled with mixed emotions. The Fish and Shellfish soup $20 reflected true seafood flavours not tainted by too much butter but did not have any fish or shellfish pieces. When inquired, the waitress said it was more like a bisque. Why not call it that to avoid misunderstanding?<br/><br/>However, there was no mistaking that the Crab Linguine $26 was an entree with a tiny portion served on a big white plate but was probably the dish of the night. Rich crab chunks and broken pieces alike were sweet, perfectly cooked and tossed in olive oil, parsley and chilli with a nice twist of lemon. The chef was confident to bring out the maximum flavour of the dish simply by seaoning it well and adding enough acidity to make a contrast and highlight the other componants.<br/><br/>The mains were very disappointing. The Snapper Vindaloo was more like a Madras reflecting more tomato and tamarind flavour causing confusion as it was too sweet rather than the distinct sour of vindaloo. However, these were minor semantics compared the depth of flavour missing. The one dimensional flavour profile made for a very shallow and boring dish. Added to this, the fish was overcooked and at $46 for two small pieces of poorly presented fish in a very bland curry, it was inexcusable. The chutney and bread was good however.<br/><br/>The Warm shellfish of clam, mussels, blue swimmer crab, prawns and oysters came tossed in a quality sauce not found in many seafood restaurants. The seafood stock combined with garlic, chilli, parsley, lemon was textbook french but was let down by prawns that were totally flavourless. The clams were slightly overcooked and the mussels were tiny. I questioned the waitress on the variety of prawns and she said they were tiger and crystal prawns but it was amazing that Australian prawns could be that lacking in any sweetness or prawn flavour. <br/><br/>Although the poor experience of the mains, it will not change my opinion of the master but would just wish he would pay his establishment a closer visit to ensure the team maintains the high standards reflected in some other dishes as I am obviously not the only one to experience less than satisfactory food.

Love this place. Zucchini flowers were crisp and light - a perfect starter! Then we had the special - the crab ravioli which was divine. For our main we shared the grilled lobster... 10/10. And finally, for dessert we shared the special - chocolate ganache which was a perfect ending to our meal. Everything was great from start to finish. Highly recommend trying out this place!

"There's plenty of people who want to be out here," our waitperson says, as we apologise for the trouble of relocating our table indoors when the late summer sun made lunchtime dining unpleasantly warm.Once ensconced in our new digs, we enquire after our wine, missing in action for at least twenty minutes.When it finally arrives, our super-heated wineglasses struggle to do justice to Gary Mills’ 2014 Jamsheed ‘Harem Le Blanc Plonk’ ($58). They usher this blend of Upper Goulburn and Grampians Riesling quickly past fresh ginger and kaffir lime, and straight towards funkiness and sweet.Around me, the open-plan restaurant oozes casual coastal luxury, with a slight Mediterranean twist. While staff seem relatively plentiful, we find ourselves topping up our own wine glasses, and, once emptied, our water glasses too.We wolf our bread with cleverly briny nori butter, and make short work of Oysters ($4/each). They’re not cheaper by the dozen, so

After several days of backbreaking work trying to get our new home into a habitable state before moving in, in early January we had a few days to relax and recover down at Mollymook.  It is a pleasant three hour or so drive from Sydney, and you can opt for a scenic coastal route or drive through some nice green towns with cosy looking coffee shops, bakeries and antiques.

The bread with seaweed butter and olives on the table were a nice touch. The menu looked divine but so much on there I could not eat at the time I visited. I went with the Indonesian curry which has a great flavour but the prawns were undercooked and the squid was rubbery and hard to eat. The coconut side salad not a standout. My dinner guest had the whole trout with crispy pancetta which was delicious - for the swine lover there was A LOT of pancetta. It needed something to balance it out so we ordered greens on the side and they were a bit undercooked.<br/>The hazelnut fondue was nice, slightly over but the salted caramel ice-cream they serve it with was smooth and delicious.<br/>Good wine list. The battered fish looked a popular choice and the Indian curry looked delicious.<br/>Shame they charge a surcharge on Sundays of $10pp when it is already an expensive menu. Seems very unnecessary.

Great location! Beautifully furnished! Amazing views! Staff here really friendly with fabulous recommendations. Food is fresh，wholesome and unpretentious! Will be back! Le boyfriend has done well.

Love it!<br/><br/>The perfect experience.<br/><br/>Start by checking in at the hotel with oysters collected from elsewhere on the coast and a bottle of bubbles on your balcony.<br/><br/>Follow this up with cocktails and snacks down at the pool bar as the sun sets<br/><br/>Then dinner in rick steins to round out a brilliant day. Couldn't ask for anything more

The views are stunning! Not much of a vegetarian menu. But this is completely understandable considering this restaurant specializes in seafood. Mushroom risotto was probably the best I've had!

Banisters. Took my parents here for their 40th wedding anniversary as we had previously had ours here- absolutely terrible service, children's meals including chips were absolutely covered in basil which they wouldn't eat and our meals were very average - completely disappointed and would probably not return

Extremely disappointed.. My brother decided i needed something special whilst dealing with breast cancer. Entrees and main meals were over rated and over priced. Eight chips with a very small piece fish. Fish pie was disgusting. Brothers lobster was ok but over priced. Only redeeming items were the deserts. Fish and chips at Sussex Inlet RSL were far tastier, hot, larger portions with delightful staff. Do youself a favour and eat elsewhere.

Perfect seafood and great meal. Dined here for lunch and dinner on two separate days. Both meals were delicious. We had ceviche, fish pie, lobster salad the first night for dinner. Then for lunch we tried the white fish, scallops and prawns all which were perfectly cooked. Wines and cocktails served were all delicious as well. Definitely will be back as everything lived up to expectations.

AMAZING. The oysters were super fresh, the sashimi melt worthy and the fish and chips were the best I've ever had. The staff knowledgable, friendly and attentive. Enjoyed every moment of dining at this restaurant.

A Great Choice on the South Coast of NSW. This was the final destination for our road trip from Melbourne via the coast and we were very happy with both the food and the service. Having visited Rick's various restaurants back in ''Padstein'' many years ago we were keen to visit his Aussie operation. Since we were staying 2 nights @ Bannisters we took the opportunity to have both evening dinners @ Ricks. One starter was disappointing (the scallops) but the fish pies were wonderful and we were both happy with all the other dishes we had. The seaweed butter, bread & olives didn't stay long on the table either! When we are paying $200+ for dinner we don't want to be rushed so the easy pace was just fine with us - it's by the sea after all. Our waitress made an excellent wine recommendation which was perfect too. Pleased we came and would be pleased to go back - shame its close to 1000km from home....

Disappointed. My wife and I dined at Bannisters a week ago- service was impeccable- sourdough bread and olives perfect start- looked set for a great night - unfortunately............<br/> That's sort of where it ended- food was over spiced(too hot- when it was not described as hot on the menu), fatty, poorly presented food that was barely palatable- This was supposed to be a highlight of our trip- it certainly wasn't that- Rick Stein is, and always has been my favourite celebrity chef- I cant believe that he is tasting this food and giving it his approval <br/>The cost of the meal was not a concern- The quality of the food is the only issue

The View from Rick Stein at Bannisters On our recent lovely weekend in Jervis Bay , the culinary highlight of our trip was dinner at Rick Stein's restaurant, at Bannisters Hotel in Mollymook. Rick Stein at Bannisters  191 Mitchell Parade Mollymook Beach, NSW 2539 Ph: (02) 4455-3044 Website We hadn't planned on doing any blow-out dinners on our weekend away - indeed, I hadn't done any research and didn't even realise that Bannisters was near Jervis Bay. Whoops. However, as we were driving to our accommodation from the airport, I saw a billboard for Rick Stein at Bannisters and was super excited to realise that we could visit it on our weekend! I was nervous suggesting the restaurant to Kimba and Sandra - neither are big seafood eaters, the restaurant was a good hour's drive away from our accommodation, it is quite expensive, and reviews had been mixed - but they were both up for it, so I rang the restaurant and booked a table for the final night of our trip. Luckily we all ended up really enjoying the meal and the restaurant. Hooray! So, Mollymook. It's a small seaside town about three hours' drive south of Sydney on the south coast of New South Wales. Driving there, it looked perfectly pleasant and suburban, reminding me of Donvale or Glen Waverley here in Melbourne.... until we drove up a hill and saw the gorgeous blue water. I can definitely see why Rick and Sarah Stein decided to open a business here! Mollymook The restaurant is part of Bannisters Hotel , and you have to walk through the guest lounge to get to the restaurant itself. When we arrived, there happened to be an elderly gentleman guest in a (slightly open) bathrobe walking through, which led to me very pointedly staring at the wall and saying a little too loudly: "Oh what lovely tiles!" Tee-hee-hee.

Pedestrian........ A friend and I took a detour while driving from Sydney to Melbourne to dine at Bannisters.<br/><br/> - the food was just ' ok ' for the price.<br/> - the service was extremely slow.<br/> - the order for our meals was wrong and had to be redone by the kicthen adding to the wait time.<br/><br/>All in all - this resturant is in a beautiful location and could be amazing if the food and service were to match. <br/>If you were in the area by all means drop in and check it out. <br/>However its not worth going out of your way to dine here and be aware that you will be paying a premium for your meal that doesnt match the quality of the service or the food.

Great Lunch at Bannisters. I took my wife there for a birthday lunch. After reading the reviews I thought this could be a disaster. I don' t know which restaurant the other reviewers went too but our experience was great. The service excellent the food great and as a good as the many top restaurants we have been to internationally.<br/><br/>The view is fabulous ( make sure you get a window or deck seat). Sure it will cost $100 a head with drinks and dessert can't say I have been to any big city restaurants which were good and it cost less.

What a rip off. My partner and i have watched rick stein on our tv for many years, we drove 2 1/2 hours to the restaurant with high expectations and was very disappointed with the outcome. The food was very under average, seafood wasnt fresh and salty, the portions of food were tiny and high priced for its value. <br/><br/>The result of that was caused by lack of personal touch, it's better if rick stein didn't use his name there, otherwise we would not break our heart, and he would still be a cooking hero to us.

Good food terrible service!!!!!!!. I dined at this establishment with a party of 10, the food was lovely however the service we experienced was unacceptable. I have summarised my negative experiences below:<br/>- service was extremely slow <br/>- called prior to dinner to arrange courtesy shuttle<br/>-once we had finished dinner we were told the shuttle would be 5 minutes and to wait outside<br/>- the shuttle arrived however took another party instead after we were told we would be next <br/>- we then asked for the manager and were greeted by a extremely arrogant and rude man. He did not offer any apology and was unconcerned with our situation. I explained if we were advised earlier we would have continued to drink and not wait in the wind and cold<br/>- no apologies were offered and we were told to just continue to wait <br/>- after half an hour of waiting we arranged a private car to pick us up

Brilliant. The booking was made with enthusiasm. Somewhat apprehensive when unable to find a price guide, and average reviews. We expected white linen table clothes, stuffy staff and patronage. But LOVE Rick Stein, so wanted the experience. WHAT A SURPRISE. The staff were amazing. Approachable, friendly and professional. The food was in the right proportions and really delicious. It was packed out on a Thursday night, families with young children and romantic couples. The acoustics were perfect. The night was perfect. This will not be a once in a lifetime experience. We will return. We loved it and think they got everything spot on.

Confused. Everything I read lead me to believe Banisters to be fantastic, amazing and given Rick Stein what could be wrong. Well, the lobster ravioli to start. Take an inside down jelly cup fill it with pasta load a thumb size piece of lobster in it and you have what I received. Followed by the raved about seafood/fish pie. Could a dish be thinner. Perhaps they got confused by a pancake dish? Pie? Where's some pastry? Three pieces of fish the size of a circled thumb and two prawns.... Looking around the table just observing and not questioning I think any seafood cafe in any city could do the same. Add to this the price and I will only say never again.

Lunch at Rick Steins at Bannisters. Saturday lunch is a nice time to go to Bannisters in Mollymook. It's quiet and laid back and when the sun is shining a very nice place to start your weekend. Marinated olives and homemade bread with nori butter are a lovely way to begin along with local Oysters at $4 each<br/>This is a special treat restaurant. Wine is reasonably priced but the food can be steep. The quality though is without question, and the variety of local and sustainably caught seafood is encouraging. The menu meanders around the world much like the chef himself. There are a number of Asian inspired fish dishes including several curries. <br/>Entrees start from $18- 38 and include Shellfish soup ( $19), Lobster and Foie Gras salad ($32), Prawn fritters with tomato chutney ($29) and a non fishy risotto with mushrooms ($18) . Main courses include the aformentioned curries Madras ($44) and an Indonesian style curry ( $47). Fish and chips front up with an intensley crispy batter and logs of hand cut chips for $35. A crispty skinned line caught barramundi with soy butter reduction and spring onion mash was satisfying ($44). and sides are $7. The desserts are a bit of a let down with a rolled pavlova and a chocolate fondant pudding leading the charge. Altogether a nice experience with good service and a relaxed feel. A great holiday treat

We had a terrific night. Delicious food and great service. We read some of the bad reviews thinking they couldn't be right. And they weren't. Beautiful flavours throughout all our seafood courses and wines. Dessert also great. Really liked the atmosphere and decor too. Friendly and attentive staff. We'd come again.

Terrible, Rick Stein you should be embarrassed. First and only time i will ever eat here. The fish pie was only average and at $44, terrible value for money. I ordered a side of fries that came out almost completely stone cold that i sent back. You would think a restaurant like this would at least serve handcut chips, not cheap store bought frozen ones. The side of broccoli was also cold. Dessert was a chocolate fondant that was ok but the ice cream was less than desirable, tasted like cheap carton stuff. And the most shoking part of all was a $10 sunday surcharge. I have never ever heard of this before, its a sunday, not a public holiday, hospitality nights are monday and tuesday people. Shouldnt you want to fill the tables?? All in all a very very average meal at $85 for one without any drinks. 1 main, 2 small sides and a dessert. Absolutely outrageous, you should be embarrassed Rick Stein to put you name towards such a terrible establishment. Definately not worth any sort of trip and I would recommend you save your money.

Do yourself a favour and dine at Bannisters. Service was attentive. We were even dropped off by the courtesy car to our hotel a couple Kms down the road.<br/>Food was amazing. We had entre, main, dessert and coffee - all were exceptional.

Solid food & wine experience: oysters naturale w chirizo & prawn frittes w Mitchell Watervale reisling, fish pie (yum) & Indonesian curry w Cape Barren Goose GSM (yum). Nothing funky here; simply pleasant efficient service, enjoyable food & wine in a pretty setting on the cliff. Cocktail pool & pizza recommended also. A truly beautiful area.

Never to Return. This was the most disappointing Restaurant I have ever been to. Commencing at the carpark unsealed driveway to the long wait for service. We were not attended to except when we asked for service.The seaweed on the plate was (of course not meant to be eaten) and filled up a large portion of the plate. The seafood pie, had no pastry but a crumble of bread on the top!!!! My wine glass was topped up with water on top of my wine and then thrown out , We didn't bother ordering desert or coffee. We told them of our disappointment in the food and service and were met with a shrug.

Gem on the South Coast. Had always wanted to try this place and booked at last minute so were pleasantly surprised to turn up for the 6.00 sitting and get the plumb positiion in the corner overlooking the sea. We plumped for all entrees as they sounded tasty.Started with a glass of Croser champagne and 3 oysters from different areas - a great way to start. We then had the sashimi - very fresh, marinated tuna (thought the passionfruit gave it a nice tang and not overwhelmingly so), then the scallops - very delicate, the mussels were delicious, finally the warm shellfish. Had a couple of sides to round it off. Everything enjoyable. We had a bottle of wine with that and were told we were welcome to take the remainder down to the pool area to relax. Felt very special and the service was excellent.

Great food, atmosphere dated. <br/><br/>Loved loved LOVED the fish pie (so gorgeously creamy with ?cauliflower mash and shaved truffle with generous chunks of seafood. The whole crispy snapper was also delicious with such a gorgeous tang to the sauce I could have had a side dish just for that. <br/>The entree tuna carpaccio was a bit wierd with the lime and passion fruit 'cooking' the fish and making it taste metallic with a dry texture - perhaps in need of more oil/fat. <br/><br/>Although staff were very friendly, and dining area new and nicely furnished, there was a 'WASPiness' about the place that made the atmosphere stiff and a bit too formal for my liking and not in harmony with the local area (personal view here). <br/><br/>While your here worthwhile grabbing a drink at the refreshingly casual pool bar overlooking the cliffs.

Had the Indonesian fish curry. It was divine. The taste of the fish was amazing. The food in this place could not be faulted. The service was really really slow, no idea why it was a Wednesday night, not booked out but so slow. If you're happy to wait around it's worth it. We went back for breakfast the next morning and again very very slow service. It was a warm evening but not hot and the doors were open, mosquitoes all over the place so much so that the waiter brought my friend some aeroguard, seriously they could have closed the doors.

Pricey Pub Grub. Longest dining experience of my life, run. Entrees - exceptional sashimi and lobster salad. Mains - bad cut of angus steak, and rare not medium, and salmon smothered in cheap sauce, burnt coffee, followed some 40 minutes later by a basic chocolate fondant, the bill very steep for basic pub grub and café decor, screaming kids all over the entry, so didn't tick the romance box either. I think we even paid for the wine we didn't order from the lovely but slow staff, as the icing on the cake. Compensation, nil, we will pass your feedback onto management, before they fitted the extremely overpriced bill.

Good but not great. Can't put a finger on it. Was it me reading less than glowing views of Bannisters before I came? Was it coz my lovely Rick Stein wasn't cooking that day (doubt he ever cooks these days just organises and does menus) or was it because the food was just missing something, couldn't put my finger on it.<br/><br/>Saying that service (from a lovely Hampshire lad) was faultless, if a little over eager but then I'd sort of rather have that, that no service. Restaurant itself was different to how I imagined as I thought it was open looking right over the water which it does but when inside its hard to see. Still beautiful.<br/><br/>Food: scallops in shell with a coriander and hazelnut butter. This was fantastic, wished there was more. Main I had the Indonesian fish curry that was served as curry in one large bowl, rice in another and vegies in another. I plomped them all in together, not sure if it was was the right thing to do but did so. It was also very good. Dessert was lovely but really less than average. A meringue roll with fruit and it was rather basic and seemed as if it had been made the day before because the cream was old appearing, not that fluffy creamy self from just being made. Disappointed with this!!<br/><br/>So left feeling a little let down and sad that Rick Stein puts his name to this restaurant and the prices are typical for a Melbourne restaurant like Donovans or Taxi so its not $, its $$$$ prices which are fine for great food, but I really feel much is missing here. It could be so much better. May be its trading on Rick's name and really not putting in the effort, then again I haven't eaten at any of Rick's restos in the UK so I'm not sure.<br/><br/>If it hadn't been his place I probably would have been happy but had high expectations.

Hugely disappointing. We were here on a busy night and the service was poor. They were trying hard but just not up to the standard that these prices should command. The service seemed very chaotic and amateur - things forgotten about etc etc. But much worse than the service was the food: just really ordinary. Not terrible - but again, for the prices ($25-$30 per entree; $40- $50 per main) not up to standard. I hate to say this, but on the night we were there the food was on a par with ok-good bistro food. Very poor value for money. On the plus side: the wine & drinks were good & the setting is beautiful.

Average Food, Bad Service. Dinned here twelve months and was impressed so decided to revisit this month (Oct 2013). What a mistake, seated at the table, water poured, placed our order and then waited and waited. Attracted the waitress who forgot we ordered Wine and forget the brand of Wine we ordered. Oysters very, very small for $4.00ea. Lobster overpriced and desert lacking sufficient sauce to cover the pudding. Sorry Rick won't be back..

Perfect Day. We had a perfect Sunday lunch at Rick's. The sun was shining, the ocean was sparkling - the waiter was great (thanks Phil) - the service was as good as any we have ever got in Sydney. <br/>We dined on the verandah for lunch, the view is one of the best I have ever experienced, overlooking a perfectly manicured green lawn, through gum trees onto a small bay where you can hear the waves gently crashing on the rocks. <br/>Maybe we were just lucky, but it was hard to fault.<br/>It isn't cheap, same prices as the best restaurants in the city. Especially if you have the lobster and lots of great wine.<br/>But then again its very rare to get this level of sophistication and service anywhere outside of Sydney. Which we appreciate. <br/>I recommend you save your money and enjoy the special experience. <br/>My recommendation is to go down to the pool bar afterwards, enjoy the live music (which seems very rare these days), and more of that gorgeous view, sip on a beer whilst overlooking the acqua infinity pool. This might help ease any pain you experienced from paying the bill . Then collapse upstairs in one of the well appointed comfortable rooms.

Bad service. We were joined by some friends for dinner at Rick Stein's restaurant for our wedding anniversary and were very disappointed. The food was good but the service was hopeless. We were not offered a pre dinner drink, our wine was on a nearby shelf and wasn't refilled when necessary, we had to ask twice for a second bottle of wine and by the time the waiter came back to take our dessert and coffee order we had lost interest. He was obviously more interested in chatting to the couple at the next table who had bought a very expensive bottle of wine. Other staff were behind the bar polishing glasses while we waited in vain to be served.

Great food, great atmosphere all for reasonable price. We stayed in the hotel over the weekend just before Australia Day.<br/><br/>It's no understatement in saying that the quality of food at this restaurant is the best seafood I have ever had !<br/><br/>For the entre I had Fish and Shellfish soup. The taste of this soup was scintillating with the perfect combination of flavours on the pallet and you could tell that the seafood was fresh.<br/><br/>For the main I had the seafood pie. Again, it is no understatement to say that the quality of this was au inspiring. The white wine they added to the ingredients was perfectly matched to the seafood with a sweet taste that went together perfectly.<br/><br/>In addition to the quality of the food, the service was impeccable and you could tell that the staff had been very well trained and knew exactly what your needs were.<br/><br/>Our room was the luxury suit just above the restaurant which was perfect - how many times can you eat at a high quality restaurant and be sleeping in the hotel room just above the restaurant !<br/><br/>It is no wonder this hotel is always fully booked out most of the time.<br/><br/>I will definitely be back again and would like to try out some of Rick's other restaurants in the UK......... P.S don't tell anyone else :)

Definitely go. I dont understand all the negative reviews. "Better meal at the Golf Club", what nonsense. If you think that you should eat at the golf club. The food is authentic and great. I'm not a wealthy fellow but thought it was good value. I almost didnt go because of the reviews here. Im glad I ignored them. <br/><br/>The atmosphere is quality but still relaxed, it is regional australia after all. <br/><br/>But this is food that you couldnt make at home yourself, which is what I feel like in a lot of restaurants, and im no great cook. Isnt that why we go to restaurants? <br/><br/>Especially if you live in the south coast, you must go this restaurant. You won't get anything as interesting in many many places, so have a look at least. <br/><br/>I can eat a lot, and i was full after 3 courses.

My husband is from England and all he talked about was rick stein we went down south for the week booked dinner and I have never been so disappointed had a better seafood meal at the mollymook golf club wine was good would I recommend to my friends no

I have just stopped in here for a quick visit to the restaraunt and have been presently suprised. This resraraunt is truely delightful. I must admit i am feeling a bit left out on my own. This is definately a location for couples. The food is very good, definately on par with any of Sydney's top hotels.

I was a bit apprehensive after reading some of these reviews but we had a beautiful meal and good service. Our 3 courses & medium priced bottle of wine worked out at $120 ph which is great value for fine dining. No hesitation in going back to or recommending this restaurant.

Not worth it. Had a big family do a couple of weeks ago and were all looking forward to the Rick Stein experience. The verdict - very disappointing. It's not that anything was hugely wrong - it was just ordinary and for the massive price tag, decidedly poor value. The lacklustre food was only surpassed by the poor service. A lot of serving staff but with no eye for detail - we were seated over 15 minutes before a drink was put in front of us!! Glasses left unfilled and when finally finished not cleared away - my local pub does better than that. Rick Stein was in the house that night - bit of a shame all round.

Rick Stein @ Bannisters. We came across this little treasure whilst looking at houses along the coast line.<br/><br/>We absolutely LOVED the food. Definately up there in my top 5 places to dine. Restuarant staff were pleasant, friendly and easy to engage with.<br/>Food was amazingly fresh and plated elegantly.<br/><br/>Would definately go back there with a pocket full of cash anyday!

Grilled Lobster. For main course I selected the Grilled lobster, priced at an eye watering $21 (£13.60) per 100 gms. My 878gm example set me back a whopping $184 (£119.14) and goes on record as the single most expensive main course I have ever consumed! <br/><br/> It was delicious but not worth the price. To be honest I would have been happy with half.

Great food, but a bit expensive. I enjoyed the warm shellfish entree and snapper fillet for main. The service is great and the place has a great relaxed atmosphere. I would recommend if you are in the Ulladulla area to give it a try...

Ricks hit on something here. His restaurant is the only top notch eatery in the Mollymook/Milton /Ulladulla area, with a brilliant outlook from it's position on Bannisters head. The food is fantastic and fresh with an English slant for some dishes. Only time I've seen kippers and mushy peas on an Aussie menu. Worth a drive at least once.

Meh. The food is good but not amazing and not worth the price. It's not hard to cook nice, fresh, fish dishes when everything is floating in melted butter.

... ordered the Madras Fish Curry of Blue Eye Trevalla, Tomato and Tamarind. It was quite spicy as a Madras curry should be, but I couldn’t help thinking that this was a tad spicy for the Australian palate.

I ordered the Scallops. They were cooked to perfection and the sauce had a lovely nutty taste with the toasted hazel nuts mixed with the coriander. I absolutely loved these. I was also lucky enough to do a swap for an oyster. Which was fresh, plump and delicious.

Been on my bucket list for a while now. Finally got the opportunity to dine here while staying at Lake Conjola for a family holiday. Such a fantastic dining ex

A magnificent prospect welcomes you on arrival to Rick Stein at Bannisters. Sapphire blue waters and white sands of Mollymook, a slice of heaven, to be sure. The region is pristine seaside Australia at its very best and it’s so easy to become completely enraptured with the place. All within a very easy 3 hour drive from Sydney. Rick Stein’s venture is a seaside-seafood delight, set up for success. What, with the view, the big name chef and emphasis on fresh, local seafood it’s hard to not be impressed. It really is the perfect place to lunch with idleness. The menu is broad and carefully considered, this is not for the fish or seafood faint hearted. In fact, there is only one red meat option on the whole menu, most definitely for those with an aversion to all things aqua. Deciding on an entree was hard work, with so many excellent options. However, I’d advise to give the traditional seafood plate a mis

Another day, another fine dining opportunity. We've taken the scenic drive from Bowral, through the southern highlands, and down the hill through the spectacular Kangaroo Valley to the south coast. Amazing journey on a fine day with the top down.

The price of mains is around the $50 mark, entrees and desserts were from $20-$30. Given the quality of food and service as well as the great location, I think this is reasonable.<br/><br/>If you are visiting the south coast, Rick Stein at Bannisters is a cut above and well worth a visit.

That said, the service was tremendous and struck just the right note: casual and informal while deeply knowledgeable and respectful at the same time. The wine list, while not huge, is very good value. And there really is no place like it in the area. We will be back, no doubt, but I think I may order more judiciously next time.

The forte of the man is fish and his passion is for fish and various cooking styles, whether in South-east Asia, India, Spain or in his native England.  Rick Stein is a television, culinary and book personality and was appointed the official  food Ambassador for the federation of Malaysia. He can be chatty, offer embracing smiles, make interesting observations and does not mind getting into the elements to emphasise the uniqueness of a food ingredient or the beauty of the elements.   I reckon I am fortunate that I live at the start of the New South Wales South Coast - and only two hours drive away from my home is where I can find one of Stein's culinary ventures in the South Seas, Bannisters Restaurant is located in Mollymook at the end of the aptly named Bannisters Hall Road, adjoining the Bannisters accommodation for guests who live a hideaway and over looking the rather captivating and sometimes calm Tasman Sea. Passing by the village of Milton, with fine  restaurants like the Bacch

The Clyde river oysters were as fresh as they can be with the red wine vinegar and shallots offering great acidic balance. The sausages were deliciously spicy and flavoursome, and after one bite, I preferred such fresh oysters and sausages each on its own.

CapitalFoodJournal May 20, 2014 Canberra , Food , NSW , Sydney , Travel , WIne For A’s birthday this year, I organised a weekend away to Mollymook, mainly to try Rick Stein’s restaurant. A’s mentioned a few times that she enjoys watching Rick Stein’s cooking shows and I thought that seeing as though we are now located on the Eastern side of Australia, we’d take advantage of visiting Mollymook after years of aspiring to visit Bannisters. When we were seated at our table, the sommelier asked if we’d like to start with two glasses of the Croser NV ($16)– a lovely Adelaide Hills sparkling wine. Both A and I accepted the suggestion and I am so glad we did – it was a lovely glass of sparkling that was perfect to start our evening with. While we looked over the menu, we nibbled on the house made bread served with seaweed butter – very moreish! For my entrée, I ordered the sashimi of salmon, marlin, kingfish and tuna ($29) however when it arrived I was told by the waiter that one element was s

Rick Stein's NSW restaurant is located in Mollymook some 3.5 hours South of Sydney. A weekend trip down the coast gave us the opportunity to book in for Sunday lunch. Now mid May is pretty much the start of winter, but we were blessed with a beautiful sunny day, and were delighted to be offered a seat on the terrace. I have to confess that I was surprised at how quiet the restaurant was on a Sunday afternoon. Food was typical Rick, the freshest seafood, cooked simply with big bold flavors.

Rick Stein at Bannisters is a beautiful seafood restaurant located inside Bannisters Lodge.  We loved everything about this place—the location, the ambiance, the service, and the food (unfortunately the pics aren’t going to do the food justice).

Water views, Nice decor and atmosphere, Friendly and accommodating service, Quality ingredients, Enticing seafood menu but be prepared for a much lighter wallet after the experience.

After a relaxing week escaping to the South Coast, we braved the 6.5 hour drive back home from Merimbula. However, stopping along the way we decided to have lun

The most divine piece of local snapper is delicately grilled and served with clams, mussels and spinach with a simple olive oil and lemon sauce.

The menu is quite extensive and very heavy on the seafood, in fact if you aren’t partial to seafood (and I’m not) there is not a whole lot of other options (if you're vegetarian they may whip up a nice vegetable tempura for you).

The hospitality of a small town are genuine and unbeatable, the wait staffs are professional and friendly, we soon find ourselves settling in comfortably over a glass of Tower Estate ‘Rick Stein’ Semillon Sauvignon Blanc with some mixed olives and fresh bread. The fruity white wine will go down well with our seafood menu this evening.