Review China Doll - Sydney

This place is my favorite place to stop by when I am in Sydney! Even though busy days, holidays, quiet days they always provide me the best food :) I am very satisfied with their service and also dish. If you can’t choose the dish pick course menu. It will just give you the taste of China doll and you’ll be full after finishing all the dish. Also their drinking menu is amazing as well! Nice view nice place I will definitely go back again.

Fantastic restaurant to visit with family and friends. In my view the more the better, as you can get the banquet menu which serves all the menu highlights, just make sure you save room for it all! The caramelised pork belly and Peking Duck pancakes were absolutely delicious but please pace yourself as there is plenty to come The staff are friendly and efficient and despite monsoonal rain the setting was beautiful I’ll definitely be back

Delicious food and outstanding service. My favourite is wok fried Alaskan king crab with black pepper and lime sauce. It is a 10/10 dish. The dessert was on point, black sticky rice is a must try

I enjoyed the experience. We had the full set 3 course dinner menu and the food was good/great. It was cold and we were sitting outside, but the heater made it comfortable (to my surprise). The ambience/atmosphere was great. The lady who attended our table was very sweet and friendly; the only problem was we finished the appetizer and had to wait for quite a long time until the mains were brought to our table.

We went there with my friends and family. The food was very yummy and on point. Moreover the friendly staff made the dine in experience awesome. Their hospitality was in different level. I recommend every one to visit at least once.

China Doll food and service is 5 star. Staff are friendly and attentive. The menu is varied and delicious and the wine list is extensive. Highly recommend a long lunch at China Doll. Thanks to Gialliam for a memorable afternoon.

I have lost count how many times I’ve been to this venue. You can’t go wrong - I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad experience. What a stunning way to start the weekend!

An amazing restaurant, took Mum for Mother’s Day. She loved it. I knew I made the right choice booking here since it was busier than other places. Nice view nearby the wharf. Friendly staff, fast service. The menu had a good variety of dishes. Everything was delicious, their seafood was fresh and main meat dishes were full of flavour. I highly recommend ordering the penang curry.

Food failed to arrive quality was not up to price chicken had raw segments low staff numbers food did not know what it was more fission than Asian in style

Food was amazing - recommend getting the crispy truffled beef rice paper rolls and pork belly. Service was a little slow and they forgot to bring out a dish we ordered, but it was a blessing in disguise because we were full anyway.

We had a wonderful lunch at China Doll, they kindly fitted us in and the food and cocktails were delicious! The service was amazing and we knew straight away we were going to have a good time and we did! Everything was perfect and we can’t wait to return next time we come to Sydney!

I’ve seen waitresses, manager and staff in the kitchen working hard and so well here, except for our waitress, she was lame.<br/>Even if the food seemed well made, I did’t really like the combination of tastes and besides that my dish was too sweet, another one too spicy and another one too full of wine.<br/>But the ambience is nice.

One of the busy places in the strip. Beautiful location if you want to go on a date :) What is promised on the menu is what you get on the plate. Mount watering chilli wontons, ginger tofu. Good collection of dishes to choose from. Their pork was the best for me. Nice staff as well!

<br/>Our night at China Doll stated out great.<br/><br/>Food was lovely and service from our waiter was also amazing.<br/><br/>The night would have been perfect if it wasnt for one of the rude female managers on duty. <br/><br/>We originally asked this staff member (unknown to be the manager at the time) to help take a group picture for us as it was a birthday dinner which we wanted to commemorate - she declined, citing she was too busy and that she would come back to help us in a few minutes. More than 20 minutes later, we get a chance to ask again and this time we get rebuffed, citing she "is very busy, and doesn't take photos". <br/><br/>I think a little bit of customer service would have gone a long way.<br/><br/>

Two for lunch after travelling for 30 hours. Pleasant & efficient staff, backed up by a good menu & wine list. A delightful couple of hours in a great restaurant.

Amazingly delicious and modern Chinese restaurant along the stunning wharf of Woolloomooloo. Celebrated my mums birthday and decided on the $72pp banquet. Included:<br/><br/>• Steamed Scallops with Ginger and Shallots<br/>• Chilli Salt Squid<br/>• Corn and Zucchini cakes<br/>• Salad of Sesame Chicken<br/>• Pork Belly with Chilli Caramel<br/>• Cone Bay Barramundi<br/>• Tea Smoked Duck<br/>• Dessert Platter: Black Sticky Rice, Sago Pudding, Sorbet<br/><br/>The tea smoked duck was a special request and swapped instead for the crispy corn fed chicken.<br/><br/>Service was helpful and friendly and drinks and wine list are a must try. Great location for lunch or dinner for a large group or even just for date night. Can’t wait to come back here again!

Out standing restaurant with service and food the best in the business. We had the banquet menu and were taken on a dining experience like no other in Sydney. Thank you to all the team at China Doll from front of house to kitchen, all are exceptional.

This one chef hat restaurant is situated at the scenic Woolloomooloo harbour side which rice it that wow factor as you dine and watch the yachts and boats cruising on the water. <br/><br/>Some of these dishes I tried as part of the banquet menu included:<br/>Pork Belly with Chilli Caramel & Nam Pla Phrik.<br/>Steamed Half Shell Scallops with Ginger & Shallot.<br/>Dessert Platter. <br/><br/>China Doll serves fusion Asian cuisine, the dishes were pleasing, I would dine here more for the harbour views.

China Doll is elegant, sophisticated and because of it’s location on the Finger Wharf, it’s the perfect location for a long lunch. The food is Asian fusion and it works. The service is attentive and helpful. The highlight dish is the crispy pork belly with chilli caramel and nam pla phrik (pictured). It’s to die for delicious! #chinadoll

Went for the food and stayed for the cocktails. Great place to sit back and relax on a sunny afternoon. The food is packed with flavor and the portions are huge so order accordingly if you're not in a big group. The cocktails go down so well that you're downing them like they're going out of fashion. Do I regret it? Not for a single moment! Would go back in a heartbeat!

China Doll was everything I thought it would be & more — beautiful food, incredible service & the ambiance of the restaurant was fabulous. The ⭐️’s of the evening for me were the deliciousssss Lychee & Rose Spritz cocktail 🍹(the best cocktail I’ve had in a long time) & the sumptuous Cripsy Pork Belly with Chilli Caramel & Nan Pla Phrik. I can’t wait to go back… 💛<br/>— Shout out to our server Brendan who was a legend! Such great service, gave us a laugh or three & made us very comfortable.

You need to go here with a group - bigger the better I think. I don’t recommend for 2 people as the food is large serves and very flavourful so you get stuck eating the same thing in larger qty. also they brought dishes individually which didn’t help either.

Being our first visit, we loved the idea of ordering the banquet which was several small plates. It was a great way to sample lots of things on the menu and allowed us to actually get to dessert for once (which was really delicious)! I personally wasn’t a huge fan of the corn and zucchini fritters, but everything else was top notch. And what a lovely server we had! Great people watching spot and we couldn’t have gotten luckier with perfect weather, allowing us to sit right outside. Next time I’m intent on more seafood - the marron and S &P prawns will be on the list to try for sure!

I had dinner here a few times .I had a wonderful moment every time.The food was absolutely fresh and wonderful. All staff were nice and helpful . Especially I would like to say “thank you “ to William. He is a good waiter . His service was excellent and professional .<br/>I will be back !!!!<br/>

This fairly high end restaurant offers a Chinese themed menu with a westernised twist to it. It has a great location along the wharf and is appropriate for family dinners or larger groups as you can try all the dishes and share everything. The ambience is great and the plates/dishes matched the theme of the restaurant. The scallops were fresh and most of the food was delicious and aesthetically presented. However there was a little lack of service (not the waiters fault) due to them being busy and maybe short of staff. Also the dishes are a bit too westernised as the numbing chicken lacked spice and numbing chilli and it was more salty than numbing or spicy. Overall great experience and restaurant however a little bit too westernised/inauthentic for my liking.

I’m not someone who ever writes reviews but as I was really looking forward to lunch here as it has such a good reputation and then for the experience to be so disappointing, I feel it’s needed!<br/>I came with a bigger group so we had to have the set menu which was fair enough. The Barramundi and scallops were nice with rest was average. <br/>What ruined my day is I had entire tray of drinks spilt on me!! And did not even receive an apology!! <br/>I was told it my my fault as a lent back in my chair! To be clear I did not move my chair at all! I was leaning forward in a conversation and then sat back in my chair. <br/>I understand this was an accident but if you spill a tray of drinks on a customer you do not say this if your fault for moving and don’t even apologise! <br/>I have been working in restaurants for a long time and that is not how you handle a situation like that. No manger or anyone came to check on me or apologise my chair was wiped for me and that was it. <br/>I had to spend the rest of the day and my night out covered in sticky cocktails. <br/>As someone who works in the hospitality industry I know this is not acceptable standard of service in a restaurant like this. <br/><br/>

Made a reservation two weeks ago for an important event, and they LOST my booking record. Did not offer me alternatives or remedy because they are FULLY BOOKED until the end of Christmas. Leave me with no alternative and completely ruin my day with embarrassment. Will never be a customer again.

I’m biased but this is my favourite restaurant in Australia and Solange is simply the best front of house in the entire World!<br/>Ambience 5⭐️ (and I don’t give out 5’s!!), Food generally 4⭐️ and service is 4⭐️<br/>Favourite dishes - the pork belly, the salt&pepper prawns - but you can generally bet on it all being good with “in your face” flavours. And if you’re a ‘people watcher’, it’s one of the best places in town.

Went there to celebrate by best friend’s birthday .cuisines were fine and exquisite,but as chinese we still prefer boiledpork instead of fried ones. And the fish was a little too salty. After we finished we were not allowed to take the almost uneaten fish away. Not sure about this rule,is this for secret recipe protection? After all the environment was nice as it is on the waterfront. Great view!

High reputation is deserved. Fine dining modern Chinese with good service and great environment. Our first time and a banquet chosen that is actually a degustation. The food could not be any fresher than this.<br/>You really get what you pay for.

China doll - what a wonderful experience. We went on a nice spring day had a lovely seat outside. Service was wonderful they gave us lots of tips on what to order. <br/>Fried rice is a must !

Fabulous is the best way to describe my experience at China Doll.<br/><br/>My bride of 1 hour and I and 7 members of our family went to lunch here on 18/9/18 and the food and service was very very good.<br/><br/>Our party consisted of 2 vegetarians and a vegan and 2 old age pensioners who generally eat meat and two veg, and a couple of people with bland taste and me, who loves to experiment with food. China Doll you met everyone’s needs, and palettes, and truly exceeded my expectations in all aspects.<br/><br/>Our waitress was polite, cheerful, and helpful and attentive yet not encroaching on our frivolity, she almost laughed with members of our party as they pulled the micky out of each other and other patrons, well done young lady, and thank you.<br/><br/>The total bill was a nice surprise, and all in all a very memorable day, thanks for making our special day something to remember.

Friendly staff and impeccable service! Food is exceptional and never a bad dish. Occasionally, they throw in dessert which is a bonus! Never an average meal, and the ambiance and view is 👌

We were very looking forward to dining at China Doll after having read so many amazing reviews here. Unfortunately it failed to amaze us. We had the banquet which we thought was a good introduction to their menu. The starters were really boring. The mains were pork belly and Penang beef curry. The pork belly was inedible because of the amount of fat hanging on them and we basically didn’t touch it. The Penang curry was the highlight of the banquet, although it is on the saltier side. Service was good however when we complained about how fat the pork was to one of the waitresses, she agreed and left with the dish and that was it. Don’t think we will come back sadly.

I stayed at Ovolo and was looking forward to China Doll due to the excellent reviews. I had an enjoyable dinner in a pleasant setting but it didn’t match the hype. The chicken salad and beef cheek curry were the best dishes. I didn’t enjoy the pork belly as it was incredibly fatty. The service was a little rushed. Overall nice but slightly underwhelming.

We went to China doll on a Sunday night for a pre-working week date night. This restaurant was buzzing yet we found a decent seat for two. Service was very good. <br/> <br/>As seasoned no-carb advocates we focussed on going rice free this night. The first entre was scallops which was quite unique and felt gingery. My partner loved the dish. The second entre we ordered was Hot Numbing Salt and Pepper Chicken ribs. As the name suggested the dish did not fail to deliver the numbing sensation. Weren’t overly hot in a spicy sense but quite numbing and very fresh and succulent. Yet again my partner was quite satisfied but I wouldn’t opt for this dish again. However, I signed up for the numbing and the dish delivered to promise. So I would not blame the restaurant for this experience.<br/> <br/>Lamb Shanks braised w Fermented red bean curd was delicious. The best dish I had that night. We had the Mains we opted for the Slow poached Chicken w Spicy Soy & bang bang. An okay dish – slightly short on salt.<br/> <br/>We had lemongrass panna cotta for the dessert which was quite lovely too.<br/>

We had a large celebration here with 17 people and could not have been happier. The service was exceptional led by Hazel who was friendly and attentive. Most importantly the food was made with great care and the presentation awesome.<br/><br/>We had the $105 banquet which overall was excellent and worth every cent - the highlights were the Shu Mai and steamed dumplings, along with the pork belly which was sweet and delicious.<br/><br/>The crab was messy but worth the effort, while the desserts were a huge surprise - flavours were incredible.<br/><br/>Definitely a great experience and we will be back.

I’ve heard so many good things about China Doll. I don’t know if it’s lived up to the hype. I came here for lunch. First impression was that the restaurant seemed very chill. I’m not sure if I would call it fine dining. My fave dish that I ordered was the pork belly. It had the perfect amount of fat and the sauce was to die for! The fried chicken was really salty. The shiu mai wasn’t your standard shiu mai. It had different taste to it. The salmon dish was delicious, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the sauce used for the beef tataki, it was very pungent.

The food was delicious. Good service, attentive and knowledgeable wait staff he suggested to us instead of getting another whole mains to get half so we can try other dish.

Never a disappointment. The restaurant runs like smooth clockwork. The experience from when we were ushered to table to paying the bill was seamless and wonderful. We frequently go to this restaurant and our favourite is the tea smoked duck pancakes and the numbing pork. Cocktails are delish and one time we didn't like a wine poured for us and we mentioned feedback, they happily replaced with something we preferred. No issues except a big smile on their face. They are customer centric which would contribute greatly to the success of this restaurant. Always the busiest establishment along the Woolloomooloo wharf.

I had my work team dinner here a few weeks back. Had heard great things about China Doll so was very excited to go. Unfortunately I did not enjoy it one bit. I felt like the staff had a very uncaring attitude and just wanted to turn over our group as soon as possible. They carelessly kept topping up our wines, were not attentive to us at all and it was quite unpleasant. I loveeee pork belly but the pork belly here was so rich I felt so ill afterwards. Sadly I would probably not go back due to this experience.

First visit to China Doll after a long time of wanting to try this place out. Initially, I tried to get a booking for two last year in April, but was advised it was a two week waiting list... so I thought for Valentines day I’d call up super early and get a table for three. Initially I was advised that there would be no outside seating available but as we arrived outside seating was an option which was a plus! It took about 5 minutes for our waiter to order our drinks & another 5 minutes for them to arrive, which by then our oysters came as well. For my first experience with oysters they were a pleasant surprise & I really enjoyed them. The raw wagyu was very nice with the Japanese radish. The prawns & calamari were ok, there was no accompanying dip or sauce which made the prawns slightly bland. The salmon was nice if it hadn’t been overly salted, which killed the experience. Minutes apart (fail) the overly crispy pork belly arrived (why would I enjoy/ want fish & pork belly together?) it was ok, just too crispy. The most disappointing dish on the reduced menu was the dessert- three mini churros, three cherries, three figs, a handful of chopped strawberries and probably the worst chocolate fondue dip I’ve ever tasted. At $135pp ($505 with drinks) it was an ok course. Probably not the best I’ve had with a $500 bill, but it is “China Doll” after all.

The Spot: lovely wharf, lovely atmosphere. It did get a bit dim and rrromantic (roll the 'r') as the sun set; almost TOO dark for a group of friends trying to make eye contact and chat, but I wouldn't call it a con if you wanted some flattering lighting on a date night. But wow finding the bathroom was like finding your way out of an escape room. I literally felt my way along the walls like a dunce and only when I noticed the tell-tale graze marks on the floor did I find the source of the swinging door. Btw, it's a push on the wall that has the M/F sign on it. <br/><br/>The Service: I loved our waitress, a great personality with fantastic recommendations. I'm allergic to some preservatives in alcohol and she and the chefs went above and beyond to try to accommodate, even so far as to offer to remove preservatives from the food (which I am not allergic to, God forbid). At times it was hard to get her attention, but that was due to the business of the restaurant and no fault of hers. The food also arrived in perfect time - enough to get excited for them, but not long enough to want to glance over our shoulder at neighbouring tables with envy.<br/><br/>The Food: a caveat - I loved everything. We had the NZ King Salmon Sashimi; the sashimi was juicy and melty, the ginger was light and fragrant, and the apples added a nice crunch. Then we had the Prawn and Green Bean Steamed Dumplings; the dumplings were pockets of flavour (and not the cheap explosion of sweet/sour/chilli/salt kind), and bursting at the seams with plump filling. The Vegetable San Chow Bau was perhaps the least exciting; it was nice but nothing outstanding. The Eggplant and Tofu had an amazing sauce, and the tofu was sticky and chewy, something I had never tried before and was an unexpected treat to my texture-mongering self. The Tea Smoked Duck blew me away and was possibly my favourite out of the mains; the smokiness was not shy but it was balanced perfectly by floral notes and succulent, crunchy skin. The Penang Curry was mouth-wateringly good; meat that falls apart at the touch is nothing new nowadays, but THIS ONE. There didn't look to be much liquid in the bowl, but it was soaked into the beef like a sponge. P.s. the mains came with generous servings of jasmine rice. For dessert we had the Black Sticky Rice, Sago Pudding and White Chocolate and Green Tea Lamington - we ate them in this order from least to most sweet. The Black Sticky Rice was my personal favourite; not too sweet, fantastic crunchy elements and a slightly zesty undertone. The other two were also stunning desserts, the lamington being the most unique out of the three.<br/><br/>The Drinks: really really interesting selection of cocktails - I didn't have any because of the preservatives issue, but my friends loved theirs.<br/><br/>I would come back in a heartbeat if I was celebrating a special occasion and felt like some fancy asian. I'd like to emphasise that their flavours were outstanding but not in that fraudulent way that I see a lot of other hip asian-fusion restaurants do where they pack each dish with as much sweet+spice+salt+zest as they can to overwhelm your senses into thinking you're eating something amazing. This place is confident in what they're doing and don't try to hide behind decadent flavours or presentation.

Wow! Don’t even know where to start. The food was absolutely amazing, service was fantastic, and the location of the restaurant is beautiful. We had the “hot numbing chicken ribs” and the pork and peanut san choy bao to start with - couldn’t get enough of them! Then we had the green curry with flathead which was just delicious - so light and tasty. Our host was wonderful - the complimentary desserts and drink at the end of the meal were a lovely touch. The homemade sorbets and ice creams, and the sago was beautiful. We walked away very full but very satisfied and sooo happy with the experience we had. Not a cheap night out but worth every cent!

Good service, pretty damn good dishes, good scenery. Highly recommend it for a special event. The price is not too expensive. The location is easy to get to.

Great location and service, I can see why this place is always full.<br/><br/>Firstly food is great, perhaps 4.5++ for Western Taste pallet.<br/><br/>The dishes are light and nicely presented. Great for large groups and extensive selection of wine.<br/><br/>From asian POV the dishes lacked asian zap/ flavor, & Seafood is a bit tad overcooked. Particularly calamari and fish. Although it taste amazing, to break in 4.5+ space you need to hit the spot.<br/><br/>Pork belly was really good. Crispy and we'll braised.<br/><br/>Desert Sago pudding and sorbet was refreshing. Highly recommended.<br/><br/>

We definitely ordered way too much – and despite my expectations, the servings were ginormous and so the prices (mains are about $35-40 each though are really large share plates rather than individual mains) are completely reasonable. The great thing is that they offer some of the dishes in half serves so you can try more dishes if you are going as an individual or only a small group.<br/><br/>I can only start by talking about the famous tea smoked duck. I love Chinese roast duck so I was curious to see how the China Doll duck would fare in comparison. I’m not even sure it is comparable though! You are hit with the aroma of the smoke as soon as your nose comes within 10 cm of the duck. As soon as you bite into the duck, there is smoke smoke smoke everywhere in flavour. The duck has almost NO fat, which makes it very different to a Chinese roast duck from a bbq shop. It is moist, it is tender, it is soft and just tasty all the way through to the bone. I can’t rave about this dish enough. By the way, they don’t sell the duck as a half serve, so you do have to get the full serve but it’s totally worth it! I would go back just to have jasmine rice with the duck and some green vegies on the side.

Contrary to what the name of the restaurant suggests, the food at China Doll is not just a reflection of the traditional flavours and cooking techniques of China, but also those of east and south east Asia. There are notable influences from the cuisines of Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia. China Doll is one of those restaurants that delivers everything with high quality and little fault. Whether it be more simple, traditional Chinese favourites, or contemporary takes on South-east Asian flavours and dishes, the food is executed well with good-sized servings.

Really enjoyed my experience here! Got the tea smoked duck, cured hiramasa kingfish for entre, and cocktails of course! 🍸🍸<br/><br/>Tea smoked duck was the reason I came and it didn't disappoint. 💕 Skin was crispy and the duck was so tender. 👌👌 The plum sauce is to die for. I can eat it with rice all day! 😋😋<br/><br/>Cured kingfish was done beautifully. Very appetizing and I enjoyed the flavours.<br/><br/>Service was good, not great. Felt a little rushed by the waiter, but overall, I had a good dining experience.

Came here with my boyfriend for my birthday and I haven't stopped talking about it with all my friends yet! You can't fault anything here. James was our waitress for the night. Professional and not interrupting (I got some waitstaff that told me about their lifetime story). What a shame that I didn't got any photos of the dishes coz I'm a snapchat kind of girl. But we ordered shu mai, scallops and tuna for entrees. We got the pork belly, king prawns and chinese vegies for mains. We thought it wouldn't get us full but we were wrong. Couldn't finish them all although we ordered half size of everything! Yes plus points: there is option to get half size(it doesn't say on the menu but ask your waitress!). The pork belly was amazing!!!!! I'm still craving for it. The cocktails here are also on point. My boyfriend never drinks cocktails but he ended up ordering one after tasting mine. They gave us a complementary platter of dessert (sago, sticky rice and sorbet) and sparkles for my bday. Sago and sorbet were my 2 favs. Defs revisit!!!

This place is king. If anyone comes to Sydney, you should bring them to Chinadoll. The sashimi, fried rice, wontons and the crab (off the menu) are all brilliant! You pay money, but man it is worth it!

I did enjoy dinner at China Doll. Food is really yummy. I would highly recommend the scallop & prawn dumpling. With the dessert, I don't think it good.<br/>Staff very friendly and very organised. <br/>I would come back to have dumpling, but not with the dessert.

The food doesn't disappoint. A couple of business lunches here and the place is always buzzing. Don't go past dumplings and fried chicken for entree and the fish green curry and caramelized pork belly a must. Your tastesbud will thank you for it. Bookings would be recommended to avoid disappointment.

What a beautiful location for lunch or dinner, we had order the $72 per person banquet which featured 8 dishes, steamed jasmine rice and a dessert platter. <br/>Our favourites from the banquet would be the Pork belly w Chilli Caramel & Nam pla Phrik, the perfectly steamed steamed cone bay barramundi w chilli garlic and mustard greens.<br/><br/>The banquet is a bit pricey, however you are not only paying for the quality food, but the service and the amazing view!

We ordered the duck pancakes, peanut and pork san choy bau and sashimi as starters, then the lamb, Penang curry and pork belly as our mains. All the dishes were wonderful, though the standout dishes were the duck pancakes, lamb (very soft and tender, and the wasabi mayo really complemented it) and pork belly (a really good mixture of savoury, sourness from the dipping sauce and sweetness from the caramelised exterior). Service was very attentive and professional, and they even gave us complimentary dessert when we told them that it was our mum's birthday :) it was a little expensive but very unique compared to other Asian restaurants which made it worth the price - i would definitely consider coming back to try the other dishes!

We came here for a friend's birthday with high expectations after hearing from a few people around us that the food was good. Not only was the food mediocre and overpriced but the service was just terrible. We had to call for a waiter more than 6 times for them to finally come and take our payment. The perfect way to describe is "overpriced Asian food". Gotta go to your local Asian suburbs for your dose of dirty Asian hit for under 20$ a head even with a milk tea. I've left with $90 less and disappointment.

Stunning View Stunning service And Stunning Food. The staff were fabulous. The scallops were perfect and the Chilli squid was the best I've had. Wine list excellent. The views Sensational. One of my favourite meals while in Sydney.

Went on a Monday evening for a pax of four and decided to go for the banquet menu for $85 - the food was an interesting fusion of asian and western flavours! We left feeling so full. The service was impeccable. Would highly recommend as a perfect place for good conversation and good food.

2 out of 3 servers need to learn what hospitality means. Foods were great, but unfortunately one of the dishes wasn't that great as the mint seems served after a week in the fridge. However one of the friendly waiter fixes everything up. Well done

We were excited to try a lot of the menu and even happier after finding out the kitchen were happy to serve half portions!! The service is attentive and there was enough time between dishes that allowed us to enjoy each flavour. Certainly try for starters the Tuna Sashimi (where the grapefruit really adds a nice citrus twist), chicken ribs and the San Choy Bau ! As mains don't miss the Pork belly, we also enjoyed the Cobia yellow curry and the Tofu an Eggplant!!

We had the Banquet Set lunch....very good value...the waitress was exceptional and was very attentive!<br/>Excellent food...great service...great surroundings...can't ask for more!

China doll has a long list of the amazing cocktails. Thd dumpling there was a bomb. Really loved the place. And yes... Loved crispy pork belly. Nice atmosphere and definitely will go back 🙂

Gem of a restaurant. Phenomenal Modern Asian with beautiful harbourside views. Amazing food as always. The Dumplings and Barbeque Pork were 5 star. The service no words and the decor is world class. Everything about it made my night.

<br/>Worst experience had to be reminded that we must be out by 8.15 waiters did it 3 times and when main came on the table it was late then waitress came and said we can back it take away for you guys because it's time for desserts as we order a banquet with the main we asked for another bottle of sake it never came I told the waitress he said oh no time that's why he cancelled it <br/>Don't recommend it to any one <br/>Over rated for the quality and the service

Beautiful China Doll. Amazing food as per usual. Our waitress was amazing. Great service. Deserts were fabulous. Warm atmosphere and a memorable night. China Doll is a must try

Went on a Thursday night to a busy dinner service. Always a little sceptical paying for overpriced Asian food, but it definitely exceeded expectations. We got the banquet course for 2 people & duck pancakes as separate. Fantastic service from our particular waiter, others were disengaged and would walk away without explaining the dish or walk away while they were explaining it. <br/>The huge embarrassment was they handed the birthday dessert that was meant for our table to the table next to us. <br/>They finished the meal before our waiter noticed. He was extremely apologetic and also gave us free cocktails to make up for it. He then stayed and had a good chat with us before we left. Overall, it was probably the service that made the night!

Meeting head chef of China Doll Frank Shek was a completely unplanned surprise.  To have him personally make canapés for us was even more surreal.  The Penang Curry of Slow Braised Wagyu Beef Shin was out of this world, rich, deep and intense in flavours. The Pork Prawn Scallop Shu Mai were in bite size and the seafood flavour was strong but didn't overpower the pork. The shiitake mushroom added aroma and extra texture. The Masterstock Pork Belly with Chilli Caramel, Nam Pla Phrik was the best of its kind I had - crispy outside and sweet and tender in the centre.<br/><br/>China Doll isn't just another Asian restaurant you find anywhere, it's a testament of exceptional culinary skills, creativity and outstanding execution.  I wish I could eat that every day.

Alex: I’m always a little dubious when it comes to phone apps taking over real life situations. Call me old-fashioned (or just not very tech savvy) but I’d typically prefer to do more of my personal stuff, like paying bills without the aid of apps. Groupee is an app totally designed to make group payments effortless. We’ve all been in that awkward situation when we are at a restaurant and someone has to run across to an atm to pull cash out or tell a friend that we’ll transfer them later. So the idea of efficiently splitting a bill without any fuss is an absolute Godsend.

The Dim Sums were dry and average; the house-style fried rice was average; the Korean fish fillet was above average. Disappointing!! But service staff was attentive and polite.

Last Friday night was spent at china doll celebrating my hubby's bday with 8<br/>Friends. The evening was exquisite as was the food ($70 banquet) and the service on the night "William" our waiter was exquisite! The restaurant catered to our pregnant and also a non seafood eating friend faultlessly. Can't fault them there but .... booking for 10 or more incurs a 10% surcharge ?!! During telecommunications prior to dining I was told they wouldn't split bills so "ask your guests to bring cash" & on the night the tab included as credit card surcharge?! My credit card was required to secure the booking and the warning of $50 per person charge if we were to cancel 48 hours prior plus what I mentioned earlier soured the evening slightly for me.

One of my absolutely most favourite restaurants in Sydney. Awesome menu, phenomenal location. Service is excellent; attentive yet unobtrusive. The banquet for two at $62pp (I think) is a well thought out option as it contains all of the star dishes from the menu. Add in a half decent bottle of wine, of which there are many to choose from, and you can get in and out for under $200 - pretty good for fine dining in a great location. <br/><br/><br/>Head over to The Frisco in Dowling Street for post-dinner drinks. Great little watering hole.

I'm always a bit sceptical of the eateries along the "poser's parade" of Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf, and in a city with such a diversity of great Chinese food, China Doll wouldn't be in my top three. But it's consistent, if a little dear

Went here 7 months ago and was impressed by how fast the service was, especially considering it was a Friday and they were very busy. We went for the banquet for 62 dollars (i believe, it's been awhile) and remember all the food being above average but not noteworthy bar the best penang curry I've ever eaten and one of the worst chicken salads I've ever had. Service was alright overall, the positive in its speed sullied somewhat by the holier-than-thou attitude we got from the floor staff we interacted with. Still wondering how they got a hat but a decent night out overall.

Worst service of all the great chef hat restaurants in Sydney. Also don't like their hype. Call and it's booked out call with a reference and suddenly a table is available. Patronising waiters will annoy you the moment you ask for explanation of a dish. The food makes up for these faults and a great view

Went here in a group of 4.  They were really busy for a Tuesday night, the setting is good and decided quickly on the $72pp Banquet – had to try the Pork Belly.  The scallops were great, felt like having more.  The Chilli Salt Squid was really good too, like the touch of the chilli powder and had the perfect amount of crispiness.  The Corn and Zucchini cakes were so good.  Not a fave was the Beef Salad and Pickled red cabbage mizuna, just plain and also salad – really.  Anyway, Steamed Cone Bay Barramundi was good, really soft and tasty.  The Pork Belly was as described – really amazing.  I was so full but just kept eating it.  The Poached chicken was pretty good too but was just too full at that point.  The Chinese greens had a really nice smokey flavour, that was also subtle yet nice.  Dessert Platter wasn’t that amazing, I guess I liked the sorbet the best although the others like the sago dessert.  I would say to go with A La Carte next time – especially if it’s just two, even with 4 people we were struggling to finish the food.  It’s good quantity that’s for sure.  But the best dishes were the Chilli Salt Squid, Corn and Zucchini cakes and Pork Belly, would go with those next time and try a few other dishes.  Overall, it’s been the best fusion Asian place so far.  Service was a bit slow, even with a dedicated waitress, I know it was busy but was hard getting their attention at times – even to pay the bill!

We think China Doll is solid, tasty and great value. Not a combination often used for Sydney restaurants, especially in such a privileged spot. <br/><br/>Banquet set menu at $62 a winner, and cocktails an unexpected winner. Pork belly to die for. <br/><br/>Recommended.

Great reliable restaurant. Fabulous setting , awesome staff and excellent food. <br/>Highly recommend China Doll particularly if your a tourist as sitting outside on the wharf is brilliant.

Me: “What cuisine do you think they do?”<br/><br/>Face palm. If you’re looking for an Indian curry you might be disappointed by China Doll, but if you’re looking for modern Asian served against a city skyline, this wharf-side restaurant in Woolloomooloo (the suburb with way too many o’s) is a winner. The barbecue pork and prawn fried rice deserves a gold star, while the corn and zucchini cakes are worthy of a scratch-and-smell sticker.

Ahhh beautiful China Doll! Every time I dine here it is delicious. Peking Duk Pancakes are always a must for me! The staff are great and one night noticed I was cold (middle of winter wearing a summer dress and left my jacket in the taxi - oops) and they sat us next to the heater and brought me over 2 blankets 😍 so kind and thoughtful!

I don't think I'll ever give 5/5 but this is about as close as you get! Everything was fantastic, the service, the setting, the wine, the food, the price! The pork belly was incredible and the waygyu Penang curry was to die for and the sago pudding to finish made me cry tears of joy. This venue is a must!

Sharing is caring and @chinadollsydney it's the only way to dine🍴 Order an assortment of excellent dishes with your friends, pick a cocktail and enjoy the view🍸☀️ @mybondisummer #mybondisummer

Amazing food! <br/>This was the third time I'd been to China Doll with my partner and the food was amazing as per usual! The special of the lobster spring rolls were especially delicious!

Let me start off first with our amazing waitress Elizabeth. Take no credit away from her, her service was amazing from start to end 10/10<br/>The food on the other hand.. minus zero!!<br/>Everything was total crap<br/>From the $65 lobster that came with 3 empty shells & over all, was a chicken nugget worth of meat on the plate.. which they then replaced it with dry prawns & no dipping sauce to add to the extra dryness.<br/>The "jasmin rice" was more like a sticky sloppy rice. <br/>The rest of our dishes were average, no where near chef hat quality food.<br/>Have been here before & everything was amazing but tonight was a complete let down.

I recently dined on the $72 group banquet menu and was sufficiently impressed. There was a lot of variety in the dishes, the portions were just enough and the flavour combinations were balanced. Service was good and the ambiance is always lovely down by the water.

Great place to go for large groups. Service is a bit slow though but not unbearable. Loved the bbq pork and prawn fried rice, if more than 4 ppl go for the larger size or you wont have enough. Other dishes were alright but nothing stood out aside from the fried rice, barramundi and beef was ok but nothing special.

Such an amazing night, included in our $175pp NYE package was a drink on arrival. Most amazing bellini i have ever had. Our waitress was amazing. Great service. We arrived well before our seating and they accommodated us, front row also. Perfect view of fireworks. It was a magical night with my love

I ordered the $72/pp banquet and really enjoyed the two chicken dishes. Probably the best prepared chicken I've had in my life. It's a bit strange to gush about chicken, because it's so basic and common, but it might as well have been duck it was so juicy and full of flavor.The service was really great and I just love sitting by a wharf and drinking delicious wine and eating superb cuisine. Highly recommend this place. Bonus: everyone is super attractive. This place seriously attracts a beautiful crowd.

Had lunch with friends here New Year's eve 2015. Outstanding restaurant. Attention from the hostess who oversaw our area belied the busyness of the place at the time, and this attitude was reflected in the general service. While I like all Chinese food, this was on that higher plane that you only get from the really good joints. Would make a point of visiting again when in the area.

Chose to come here for my birthday with my family, so boy did I give myself a good present :)<br/><br/>The food here is so amazing, it is unbelievable! My favourite dishes of the night were the "duck pancakes" and the "pork and peanut san choy bau" - both highly recommended. Yet everything on the menu would be amazing and faultless, i'm sure!<br/><br/>A little downfall was that the servings are not generous at all, so sharing between 5 people was kind of difficult. But at the same, this was slightly expected. However, I would recommend going with a group of 3 or less if possible, just for ease.<br/><br/>The staff were really friendly and went above and beyond by bringing out a complementary dessert platter for my birthday with candles :) The desserts did not taste like anything i've ever had before, so it was a new and great experience to try them! They were not amazing, I must say, and I preferred the food better.<br/><br/>Such a warm atmosphere and a memorable night, so I surely will not hesistate to return!

I can't justifiably fault anything about our experience at China Doll. We opted for the banquet for 2 because we wanted to try a few different items without wasting too much food as I can be a poor eater at times. The scallops were amazing! A really refreshing start to the meal. Next up, the zucchini and corn fritters were light and delicious. The coriander sambal went well with them. The pork & peanut san choy bao was one of our favourite dishes of the night. Messy to eat but who cares when it tastes that good! The chicken larb was different to ones I've tasted previously and while it was a tad salty for my taste we thoroughly enjoyed it. The pork belly was absolutely perfect. It melted in the mouth but still had a crispy skin that was full of flavour. Hands down my favourite pork belly dish ever. The wagyu beef shin in penang curry was also a huge hit, and I actually liked that the meat wasn't drowning in sauce since it had lots of flavour on its own. Dessert was sago pudding, an assorment of sorbets and a sticky rice pudding. My favourites were the sago pudding and kiwi sorbet. They also stuck a sparkler in the sorbet as a special touch since it was our anniversary. Our waitress was attentive while giving us enough breathing room. Drinks were constantly replenished and the pacing of the meal was perfect. The atmosphere was lovely, not too loud but not too quiet either. I'm glad we didn't have a table right at the path because of smokers hanging around in close proximity but if you don't take issue with that then it's fine. Unfortunately I don't remember our waitresses name but she really made our experience that much better from start to finish. China Doll is a must try!!!

If you are ever stuck for ideas about where to take a visitor/date/girls lunch/business lunch, then you cannot go past the original China Doll at Wooloomooloo. Sydney offers great weather & why not step out of the typical Circular Quay & Darling Harbour precints to relax by this waterside spot. Modern, funky, sexy is the restaurant & the food. The chef has reinvented classic Chinese (&Asian) cuisine & added his own touch & taken it to new heights. The cocktails are amazing, the food is enticing with the pork belly a must have dish. I have only loved China Doll that little bit more with each visit. Oh and I dont know anyone who didnt get a 2nd date after going here!

Such an amazing night, included in our $175pp NYE package was a drink on arrival. Most amazing bellini i have ever had. Our waitress was amazing. Great service. We arrived well before our seating and they accommodated us, front row also. Perfect view of fireworks. It was a magical night with my love

Best Chinese I've had anywhere. .. tasty and healthy-ish. Great thing is they offer half servings so you can try mulitple dishes. The prawn dumpling is amazing and anything on the menu will impress. Book in advance, its always busy. Ive had a few group functions here and the banquet makes it easy

Came here with my boyfriend for his birthday dinner. Really amazing food, cocktails were fantastic and service was great!!! The shu mai and penang curry and sago dessert were just amazing.  Had the set menu for 2 which included absolutely fantastic steamed scallops with subtle yet classy dressing. The venue location adds to the while experience. Might try other dishes next time !!

Simply stunning food. Service is really good and cocktails are amazing. Had Pambula Rock oysters, steamed scallops, prawn and bug meat dumplings, salt and pepper prawns, tea smoked duck and brocollini. Yum

Apparently booking here is a nightmare... Great location though. Had a table for 18, pretty attentive service. Good quality food. Scallops were great, larb was soooo good. Fresh as. The sago was the only dessert worthwhile though.

Had lunch here with my husband on a hot sunny day. The sun was a killer! I suggest making a reservation if you don't want to eat outside & sweat at the same time. Not a pretty look if you're on a date. The food was good but it took a little while to come out. The pork belly was definitely my favourite dish there. Service was good.

Every year when I visit Sydney, we always make a point to get dumplings at some point, as one of our local friends loves dumplings. He happens to be the one who first led us to Chinatown Noodle Restaurant, with its famous dumplings and noodles, and who we went to fancy dim sum at Luya and Yum Yum with on our last visit.  On this visit, we decided to do something a bit different, and go more upscale, to China Doll.

Had the set menu for 2 which included absolutely fantastic steamed scallops with subtle yet classy dressing. The next course was corn fritters which were OK followed by the pork and peanut san choy bow which was a disappointment as it just didn't work. What came next made up with the chicken larb - the best I have had as it was a great spin on a classic. Pork belly came next with such a balanced mandarin sweet source with sour pickled and chilli accompaniment. Lastly was the wagu massaman curry, slow cooked and rich without being too heavy which went great with the Chianti. The venue location adds to the while experience. Might try other dishes next time as the marron looked awesome. Not the san choy bow next time.

China Doll is the perfect spot to relax and enjoy a fancy date night. The décor is classy with beautiful ambient lighting and oriental artwork. There are two floors so there's quite a bit of space but bookings are recommended as it does get very busy. I highly recommend the scallops and the pork belly. Another highlight is the crispy chicken cooked in Shandong style. The black sticky rice dessert with coconut is another must try!

Incredible food. I loved their scallops, pork belly and passionfruit sago. Service was stupidly slow though. Would have given a higher score if that was better. Sydney food is so awesome!

Consistently amazing well priced food. Have been here many times and will keep coming back. Love the kingfish with apple and chilli. Excellent dumplings - the shu mi are my favourite. Great duck pancakes. For mains my pick are the pork belly - very rich, but absolutely delicious, and the beef masaman curry is excellent. I really enjoy the deserts here too. <br/>The food prices are actually cheap for the quality, but they make up for it with high priced drinks

I can't fault this restaurant.. Amazing food and service. We had the lunch degustation menu. I have trouble picking a favorite dish as they were all fantastic. Note to self, wear loose pants next time, as I needed to undo the button of my jeans to fit in dessert!

Amazing!! One of the best restaurants I've ever been, hands down. Beautiful view, wonderful service, lovely atmosphere and remarkable food. The blue eye cod is the absolute standout dish and the roasted pear was absolutely sensational. We also loved the sago pudding, vegetarian san choy bau and vegetarian spring rolls. I was a bit iffy on the steamed dumplings but everyone else loved them. Highly, highly recommend China Doll for an occasion or date or any excuse.

C H I N A ☆ D O L L<br/>Hands down the best Chinese food in town! Im not usually a fan of Chinese food but China Doll is something special. Every dish was absolutely delicious. Well done guys! ✌ @foodiesguidetosydney<br/>

You cannot go here and not order a cocktail - they are amazing and very renowned for it. I had the Beijing Bellini which was delicious and fruity. Mango and coconut mojito seemed the most popular. We had the $88pp banquet when we came here which was a good choice, makes the night a lot easier. Best dish was chili and salt squid - wow! All the seafood is amazing here, with really fresh flavours. Tea smoked duck is another favorite. The dishes are a very western take on Chinese food I think. However dessert is a classic - sago pudding, rice pudding and sorbet. Beautiful location, I would recommend for a special occasion. Not somewhere I would go regularly!

Perfect location and food is great (which should be expected looking at the price of the meal). The location is amazing and the staff are very helpful particularly as I was a first timer. It is a place that you must go to at least once to experience the atmosphere and the amazing pork!

Best damn pork belly I've tasted! There's a reason it's a staple on their menu. Great service, beautiful atmosphere and fantastic food. Must do in Sydney!😍

I've been here a couple of times now... the location is nice and the food is alright. But nothing really stood out to me in terms of flavour or the wow factor. <br/><br/>We had the penang curry with waguy beef shin - this was OK. The meat was soft and tender (slow cooked) but it was too sweet for my liking. It also wasn't saucy enough for me. <br/>We also had the fried tofu - can't really go wrong here.<br/>And we had the prawn dumplings - which were nice.<br/><br/>Service wise it was really good, informative and friendly. <br/><br/>I'm sure to be back in the future but not in a hurry. It's a decent place if you are looking for a fancy asian restaurant.

With stunning views China Doll is one hell of a restaurant. Book in advance and request a table outside. Quality food is an understatement, highly recommended.

I had the best birthday ever in China Doll with my fiancee! He booked a week before and asked if they could give us the best spot outside since it's our first time to Sydney and also a special day, they said they couldn't promise that but on the day we got the best seat ever!! Thanks for that. The waitress that served us that night was impeccable, a 30+yo man which very polite and humble. We also enjoyed every dishes we got in the banquet especially the desserts and the pork belly. I will always remember the feeling when I ate here, that's what every great restaurant should do, make their customer feel great not only because of their food but with every little details that matters.

I had my birthday dinner here, and no complaints at all. The food and service was amazing, buy the time dessert came around everyone was completely stuffed but we all still found room for more. Great atmosphere and great food

Great location, exceptional service, attentive staff, elaborate wine list and a very good value for money. I have brought a few clients and friends here, never had a bad experience. I'm a vegetarian and the chefs never had problems making a stir fry main dish to my specification. Absolutely love their corn fritters entree.

The food is great, traditional Chinese Asian, for a table of three we had the vegetarian San chow bow, the caramelised pork belly which was satisfyingly crunchy whilst still giving way to the luscious fat we all look for in pork belly. Tofu and eggplant was very good as was the barramundi. The only dish I wouldn't go back for would be the chilli salt squid, tender as it was the batter did nothing for the squid, much preferring mr wongs crunchier version. We paid $75 pp including a cocktail so not an inexpensive night but the view, service and fresh clean flavors of our meal made up for it.

Went with a group of friends for a farewell, we all had the banquet- food was beautiful plenty for everyone and lots of variety. Nice cocktails as well as a treat!

Let down. Prawn toast was the best thing we ate here and I think that says it all. Penang beef was extremely disappointing, a severe lack of sauce and flavour. We left feeling very underwhelmed.

The charm of dining on Finger Wharf in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo lies no less in the natural beauty than in its historic quaintness. And how many times have I had to rely on spell check for Woolloomooloo. Did you know Woolloomooloo once upon a time was the most desirable suburb in Sydney to live in, being home of judges, merchant leaders, politicians before? In the first part of the twentieth century, Woolloomooloo later became one of the most colourful and roughest suburbs. Now it is gentrified and is one of the most charming places in Sydney to dine any day of the week. Food eaten by the water always seems to taste better especially on a weekend when I can dine at my own pace. I lingered over drinks and lunch over the weekend, where Sydney siders leisurely stroll along the wharf. Just as stirring to the soul and appetite are the tranquil waters of Woolloomooloo Bay. At 12pm on a Saturday it's relatively quiet but by 1pm this place is full and just buzzes with guests.

Absolutely some of the shittest service I've had in a long time. Arrived at 11:40 with a 12pm booking holding luggage and bags as we had to go to the airport after. Asked if we were able just to sit at a table - no need to have service as the restaurant was all set up. The rude host ignored us until my boss asked again which we got a "yeah, no we open at 12". I work for a massive corporate, so with our clients in heels and standing in the sun with luggage for 20min - was very unimpressed. Food was over priced and about as good as my local Asian takeaway in Brisbane. Wouldn't ever come back.

I have always wanted to go to China Doll because I've heard many great things about them and the food was amazing! and we had a dinner voucher given to us for an engagement present, so it was the perfect time to use it. The view of the city skyline was beautiful, it was a chilly night and they originally had us outside but my feet were freezing, they were lovely and moved us into a table inside. I swear it was about 8 degrees!

Glaze your appetite as you sip on a glass of rhubarb bellini or a beer/wine with a gorgeous view. Caramelize with the juicy crispy and flavoursome pork belly which is one of my favourites on the menu. Spice with the tender cut or fresh kingfish and ocean trout sashimi on a bed of thinly sliced apple and its refreshing taste enhanced with ginger. Pare a plate of eggplant and tofu which is full of flavour and balanced out our other main dishes.

Glaze your appetite as you sip on a glass of rhubarb bellini or a beer/wine with a gorgeous view. Caramelize with the juicy crispy and flavoursome pork belly which is one of my favourites on the menu. Spice with the tender cut or fresh kingfish and ocean trout sashimi on a bed of thinly sliced apple and its refreshing taste enhanced with ginger. Pare a plate of eggplant and tofu which is full of flavour and balanced out our other main dishes. Infuse your taste buds with a generous serving of tea smoked duck where each piece has a substantial amount of meat on the bone. Cream with a bowl of coconut sago pudding to sweeten the palette to finish.

#kningjaeats her favourite Modern Asian cuisine. Been here twice and both times they have not disappointed. Its delicious and juicy flavours are perfect to be enjoyed with a glass of wine and a relaxing and gorgeous view. They give generous portions which left me in a serious fulfilling food coma. Highly recommended!

What happened?. This used to be one of my favourite restaurants...I was disappointed at my recent visit. Plus to add to it one female waiter was quite rude.

A very memorable night. Ambience: 8/10 - it was a little bit noisy, but that's to be expected in a popular restaurant. The furnishings are beautiful and it has an elegant air. We were seated inside and enjoyed the atmosphere; outside has the benefit of being able to see the water, but inside is nice too.<br/>Food: 9/10 - the food is pricey, perhaps a little more than necessary in some cases (looking at you, $18 cocktails) but otherwise I really can't fault it. Everything was delicious, the portions were quite generous (considering they were being spread over 9 people), and service was very quick. Special mention to the fried five-spice tofu (crispy and salty on the outside, smooth and hot on the inside!), the spicy lamb ribs, and the wontons.<br/>Service: 10/10, and the main reason I'm writing this review. Our waiter Mark was superb the whole night, from advising us on portions (always tough when ordering Chinese!), to recommending drinks, and making sure our entire 9-person party was taken care of the whole night. We were actually there to celebrate my 21st birthday, which we told him at the beginning of the night, and when it came time for dessert he asked us to leave it to him - and he brought us out a complimentary set of desserts from the menu, complete with sparkler. This gesture made my entire night and on the strength of that alone I would happily recommend China Doll. The fact that the food is also wonderful is just a bonus.

Enjoyable food, great location!. Highly enjoyable set menu.<br/>Good restaurant to bring visitors.

China Doll did live up to its hype and expectations. When you walk in, particularly on the cusp of winter, it is lovely to see all the many heaters near each table keeping all the diner’s warm and toasty, despite having the open air environment. The decor is a juxtaposition of old-school modern with a touch of simplicity and class to it. So tonight we ordered from the a la carte menu the: Crispy pork belly with chilli caramel and nam pla phrik (34) Tea smoked duck with tamarind and plum (38) Wok fried asian eggplant & tofu with sichuan chilli bean paste (26) Penang curry of slow braised wagyu beef shin (36) First of all wow, the pork belly was great, the pork was tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. The nam pla phrik was vinegary and tart and broke up the fattiness of the pork, so you could go for a second, third and forth piece of pork belly quite easily. The tea smoked

This dish is probably their most well known. I know absolutely why. The dressing was bloody delicious. I would have loved to have more pork than fat on most of the pieces though.

I had never been to China Doll before, and it had been on my Bucket List since the beginning, so I was particularly excited to try some of the cocktail & dishes that I had heard so much about.

China Doll experience wouldn't have been complete without trying their desserts.The Dessert platter had a selection of sorbets (lime, espresso and raspberry), black sticky rice pudding with mango and Sago Pudding with Vanilla Coconut Cream and Passionfruit Coulis. Not a big fan of asian desserts, I was a bit apprehensive in trying the sticky rice pudding, but to my surprise it was delicious. The winner for me was the espresso sorbet.

Perched along the Cowper Wharf, facing the twinkling skyline of Sydney is China Doll with its open embrace yet reserved façade. Inside, the music is muted, barely audible of 70s music, while the décor hints at its naming origins. Lights beam from above to highlight our blue and white Chinoiserie plates, ready to dazzle us with the banquet’s offering. It would have been romantic had it not been someone’s 30th birthday. While waiting for the remaining guests to arrive, the restaurant entertains us with their drinks selection. Eventually the birthday girl signalled the waitress to start serving the first dish, Sashimi of Hiramasa Kingfish & Ocean Trout with Blackened Chilli Dressing . Sliced to perfection and glazed in a playful blend of herbs and spices, balanced by smoky undertones of sesame seed oil and finished off by a tangy refreshing salad, it was a sign of good things to come. For those who are worried about heat in the dressing, the chilli is daintily mild. Right on cue, the Stea

China Doll’s modern take on Asian cuisine is really something special and something you must try.<br/> I thoroughly enjoyed myself with impeccable and spot on service, friendly faces, intelligent and flavoursome food (with little to no waiting time) and a spectacular view off Woolloomooloo wharf.

Another hatted Chinese restaurant? It can’t be…jokes, why not? China Doll isn’t exclusively Chinese though – elements of south-eastern Asian cuisine can be seen in its dishes. The result is a cacophony of flavours that stands out from your regular joint. That said, if you are just going for your usual spring roll fix, find another restaurant.

I was really happy with the suggestion of Chinadoll and the service was superb all night. The wait staff were friendly and really enjoyed explaining about the dishes as they came out. It was also great getting to know some new friends in Sydney, I think its fair to say that a great time was had by all.<br/>

China Doll started off slow and picked up its game as the meal continued. (Probably better than starting of great and fizzing at the end). It was a heavily subsidised meal thanks to competition winnings so that could have made us lenient but despite our dislike of expensive Asian food we thought China Doll was pretty good.

The pork belly is actually one of the best I’ve ever had in my life and I’m finding it hard to describe – just look at the photo! It’s cooked to perfection with a little bit of crunch and distinct sweet yet spicy taste, the chilli sauce dip is the perfect accompaniment. Tea Smoked Duck w/ Tamarind & Plum The menu is filled with delicious sounding dishes and I was forced to make a decision as we’d only be ab

One of the specials of the day was grilled pork belly which was also served with pancakes. But for the life of me I can’t remember the name of the dish. Though we all loved it so we sadly had to share it this time. Only fair seeing as how I had more of the duck. The pickled carrot and daikon added a nice tangy crunch against the sweetness of the caramelised pork.

Christmas always signals for an exciting period of the year...there's bubbly, good food, laughter and at the end of it, there's usually a holiday break for most people :) This year was quite special for me because it was the first official Christmas work lunch I attended and we were lucky enough to go to China Doll at the beautiful Woolloomooloo Wharf for the occasion!   What's a celebration without some good champagne? Unfortunately I wasn't the one who ordered this so I have no clue what the specific name of the bottle was but it was a sparkling delight that kept refilling and refilling, to our hearty content :)  Menu wise, you can go A La Carte or if you're with a big group (more than 4 people), you could consider trying out the banquet menu options, which we did. We went with the scrumptious $69 Banquet Per Person - upon glancing at the courses that was to come, I was beyond ecstatic. The Chilli Salt Squid was one of the best squids I've ever had - each piece was coated with a thin

Overall I had a great experience, I enjoyed every aspect of China Doll from the food, to service to the specular views! If you’re in town visiting or looking to impress a loved one why not hit up China Doll.

Definitely worth a visit if you’re after tasty Asian food in a great location close to the city.

We then tried China Doll's Rum Glazed BBQ Pork Rib with Palm Heart Pineapple Salsa. Palm heart pineapple salad? I didn't really know what that was but the pineapple salsa was a perfect partner to the rich juicy fatty pork.

... engaging in sustainable practices, organic, fairtrade, free range practices etc - which in turn shows through in the fine taste and flavours of its dishes

The food was impeccable

China Doll is an Asian restaurant along the Finger Wharf, but it is still relatively ignored despite chef Frank Shek's appearance in the inaugural season of MasterChef Australia, long before it was cool to do so. Its unheralded nature signifies our obsession with all culinary things French, European, and epicurean, leaving Asian cuisine lagging behind.

we are seated outside near the water with prime views of the city.

I was eager to try China Doll after recommendations from friends about the food and more importantly I heard the cocktails are amazing. The atmosphere was

...dinner at China Doll, one of the restaurants lining the west side of the wharf, with a prime view of the city. After dinner, which was excellent – modern

The tea-smoked duck is smoked in a wok with tea leaves, steamed, then cut in half and deep-fried to order. The duck is amazing, heavy with smoke, the tender flesh protected by a parchment of skin that shatters in the mouth. As a lover of sauce on rice, I find the tamarind and plum sauce beneath the duck overly thick and sweet, and probably too generous on the plate given its strength.

...the star of the night and with complements from the restaurant: ALASKAN CRAB!!! So freaking delicious that there are no sounds from the whole table as we dive in; the shell thoughtfully pre cracked for us for easy access to the sweet sweet flesh. Bliss. Definitely in the category of what I would eat as my last supper.

Efficient and professional service which was attentive, Water views, Quality ingredients, Banquet menu left most people comfortably full but Can end up being quite expensive especially with drinks

We love China Doll because it has amazing cocktails and never ceases to impress in terms of food. Cocktail selection here is always fun, the menu changes so there is always new to look at trying with each visit. On this occasion we settled

Curiosity drew me to this undeniably popular Finger Wharf entry, but I wasn't sure quite what to expect! Attracting mostly conservative and wealthy over-thirties, it was surprising to find Scottish-born Chinese chef Frank Shek dishing up playful, and at times challenging, food. Thick, fatty BBQ Lamb Ribs ($22) are juxtaposed with pickled bean sprouts and tangy chilli lime. Sashimi of Hiramasa Kingfish and Ocean Trout ($26) arrives speckled red with blackened chilli dressing. It reminds me (if I can be so crass) of Samboy Barbecue Chips ; but the combination unlocks the ocean trout so well that I fall more in love with each successive bite. (I'm generally not the biggest ocean trout fan, either.) Meaty, succulent Fremantle Octopus ($18) is another big win. While I'm here, I should mention that many of these dishes are half serves, which the restaurant does at exactly half of the marked price to boot. While the prawn and mushroom Steamed Dumplings ($20) may not have the thinnest skin in

I finally made it to China Doll after about 5 years of reading good reviews about this place. I'm not a huge fan of the 'loo, as I'll call it. It's not on the way to anywhere, there are some posh over-priced eateries there frequented by posh over-polished

If you're looking for an exhilarating afternoon by the harbour, with good food to boot, then China Doll is for you.

We place our palates into the hands of the very capable chefs and start with the cold sashimi dish first. The red colour of the dish worries me at first but I find that the spice factor is very mild and is careful not to overpower the delicate taste of the kingfish and ocean trout. Hiding underneath the slices of fish are batons of crunchy apple which provide a nice crunchy texture against the soft fish.

Great Asian-all-rounder. Ambience 7/10: Perfect spot to dine in good weather. Get a spot on the deck - relaxed yet charming. <br/>Food 7/10: Penang curry and pork belly highly recommended! Wagyu beef cheeks in Penang curry is melt-in-mouth perfection... dumplings were very tasty using thick glutinous rice wrapping as opposed to thin wheat/rice ones (e.g. Shanghainese dumplings).<br/>Service 8.5/10: Friendly and informative. Waiter suggested we get half portions of each main as they are quite large (and charged them at half-price as well). And although we had no room for dessert we were offered two complimentary desserts that tipped us right over the edge in the best way possible. Overall great night out.

Just loved China Doll. My husband and I dined at China Doll for a special birthday lunch. The location and outlook is fabulous. The food was sensational and our waiter helped to make our dining experience special, making recommendations for the food combinations and being attentive without being intrusive with a delightful sense of humour. We just loved the flavours, the ambience, the whole shebang........and will definitely be patronising this restaurant again.....all the senses were catered for.

Good food. Wine list could be improved.<br/>It's affordable. Borderline expensive considering the food it is.<br/>However service was very bad, the staff were rude.<br/><br/>The service is so bad it will turn you off and you not want to go back ever!<br/>But then the food almost makes up for it ..All in all try it out

Nearly Perfect Evening. Whilst our fabulous waitress Linda was a little overstretched, she knew her food, the wine and nothing was an effort despite covering a lot of the ground for other less experienced staff. Food was impeccable, particularly the Pork Belly. Squid, wouldn't order again, but everything else perfect.

Amazing food and great service!. Went for a long lunch with 12 friends. 2 poeple didnt show up - and this wasnt a problem. Great service the whole time for the large table - even with my allergies. <br/>Food was absolutely fantastic. We had the set menu - and there was stacks of food. Highlight was definitely the pork belly!<br/>Thankyou China Doll for having us.

Food was very average for the price... Service was pretty good until we didn't want desert than it took 20 minutes to get the bill, had to ask 3 times...

Amazing Food!. Came here exclusively for the food and was not disappointed, absolutely to die for.<br/>The slow cooked ribs were the most tender Ive ever tried!<br/>Great wine selection etc, all in all good value for money

Divine. We loved our time here, the service is brilliant, and the food is delicious, every dish was divine, the menu is great, such a lovely restaurant with magnificent views, it was an absolute treat, we look forward to coming back.

Lovely food, service a significant let down. The food itself delightful, but unfortunately the entire evening marred by shocking service. We had to approach waiters multiple times during the evening to get service. We ran out of water and alcohol multiple times. Our order was unfortunately messed up twice, and our mains staggered and delayed. As this was my first time to China doll, I had high expectations. I would hesitate to recommend this restaurant for future diners.

Wonderful Customer Service. I tried China Doll for the first time over the weekend, due to multiple rave reviews from friends. It was as great as everyone had said! The food was delicious, but even more impressive was the service. Our waitress was so knowledgeable and knew just how to guide us in our order - even customizing the serving sizes for the number of people at our table (3). She even brought us complimentary dessert and limoncello. I recommend this restaurant to others!!

Hopeless service, expect delays. No doubt the food in this place is good, the crowd suggests it should be. But to wait 90 minutes for food is ridiculous. I can't write a review on the food, I didn't bother waiting.

Beautiful Food, beautiful service. Had dinner at China Doll recently for a friends birthday and it was a beautiful evening all around. The wharf was looking lovley, our waiter was very helpful and attentive and the food was (of course!) perfect.

Service -very poor. Food - terrific.. I was very excited to visit my first HATTED restaurant this month with my daughter who had recommended it. The food was delicious, fresh, and different than average restaurants. The duck pancakes you must try. However, we were extremely disappointed with oyr waitress. Poor service throughout the night. We wanted to order another bottle of wine and food. ..We asked 3 times for a menu but in the end skipped the wine and went up to a waiter to order. This is not good enough for a quality restaurant. I ll try somewhere else.

Pork Belly. Yumminess

Birthday Celebration.. Came here for a surprise birthday lunch and was pleasantly surprised with how delicious the food was. Great service and incredible flavours! Can't wait to be back again!

Great location, views, service and food.

Delicious!!. Selected 5 main courses between 4 of us. Extremely satisfied; the calamari, prawns, pork belly, duck, and beef we're all excellent. The service was friendly and spot on. Can't wait to return. Thanks guys n gals.

Great food. Your pork belly is amazing, I have family from an asian background but not even my mother's cooking matches the delicious food that I have had at China Doll. Highly recommend, though prices are a little high, its definitely worth trying. I made sure to go on in the middle of the week so it wouldnt be too busy.

Over rated - NEVER AGAIN. I had lunch booked for my partners 30th, I booked weeks in advance and asked that she would be made to feel special, they assured me they would make sure she felt special. I checked again 2 days before so this was assured, we arrived, ate and left. No happy birthday NOTHING.<br/>I perhaps have been spoilt with this kind of food, I feel the location was nice but the service and food I have had way better. it was her 30th, I would have gone somewhere else had I known we were just another number in an almost empty restaurant<br/>Wouldn't ever spend that much money for Asian cuisine again without knowing the service goes with the price tag.<br/>Plenty of other restaurants which rate way higher than this. Price Vs Value for money.<br/><br/>China Doll you are way too big for your boots!!

Poor service but the food was to die for. Title pretty much sums it up.<br/>The restaurant was buzzing, outside was packed and the inside main area too. The staff accommodated us but in a very quiet area of the restaurant. That was OK as i was happy to have a good catch up with my Aunt.<br/>The downfall to this was the fact we had to wave down staff all the time for drinks and for them to take our order.<br/><br/>We had the banquet which was amazing, highly recommended. Once the food started coming, it wouldn't stop. We had so much that i couldn't finish dessert (and I have a sweet tooth). So although the service was terrible, i would love to give it another go some time soon

Disappointing. It was my first experience at China Doll and it will be my last. The food was average and the service was slow. When asked for the waiters recommendation I was not given an answer he also forgot our entrées which we told were on there way a few times and received these after the main which took 2 hours to arrive and ended up cancelling a few dishes due to the slowness of the service. <br/> We were offered complimentary dessert and cocktails but refused this offer as we had wasted enough time waiting. <br/> Overall the food we received was average and the service was disappointing, especially being there for a partners milestone birthday.

Never ceases to amaze- the food is always so delicious. The pork belly is out of this world- I have dreams about it!

Amazing!. We went there for my birthday and it was incredible!!!! I have eaten at many restaurants, and I know it's a big call, but their pork dish is hands down the best dish I have EVER eaten! Service is exceptional as well! Overall, a great experience and dying to go back!!

Fantastic service. The 2 person banquet was great value and the penang curry was amazing

We had the banquet last night. It was amazing and the San cho now was awesome.?great place would defiantly go back

Delicious. I went to China Doll on Tuesday night with my mother, and we ordered the $60 banquet menu. It was fantastic value, every dish was amazing. Pork belly and the beef shin the stand out. Service was also brilliant - our waiter bringing out extra dessert and a little cocktail for us too. Definitely would go back!

Stunning. A great experiance, absloutley loved it. I dont pretend to be a food critic, I just love good food served in a mannre that delights and entices, and this place was just amazing and far above the average Chinese restaurants.<br/>Will go there again, again and again...

Let me just say that the view is so lovely! it really sets a nice mood when eating, looking out onto the wharf, seeing all the nice architecture and wine glasses and shining cutlery!! the service is really good - very helpful and friendly, everything you want & expect. for entree we ordered prawn and pork dumplings which were very good, mushroom spring rolls (amazing, highly recommend so yummy, could eat them all day everyday!) and also duck pancakes which personally I didnt find that amazing. mains we got a fried rice which was really good and pork belly. i usually never eat or like pork but these are a must, they are juicy and delicious they were probably the best thing i ate. for dessert we tried the sago pudding which was so nice almost tasted like vanilla ice cream! and we also tried the lemongrass panacotta whos presentation was so amazing and was amazing to eat!!

Great food, great service. Had an excellent meal & the staff were friendly & very helpful. Complementary drink at the end was a nice touch. We will be back next time we are in Sydney.

Beautiful food ! Amazing atmosphere, would eat here again!

Refreshing take on Chinese food. Worth a visit!

Nice enough. Been to this restaurant for a birthday. We had a set menu. Although the food was nicely presented and did taste great. The service was lacking. Wonderful location and outlook. Too expensive for the size of the meals served.

I really don't get what the hype is about for this place. I was here with a large group with the banquet menu. They totally forgot that half the guests has seafood allergies & charged for too many wines bottles of wines which we clearly didn't use & didn't realise until the next day when the person paying the bill noticed the number of items on the receipt! The food didn't come out consistently & had to wait almost 45mins for any food to start coming out. The waitstaff were very selective on who they concentrated on serving/attending to on the tables & majority of people for our party didn't have the water glasses or wines replenished....so I do not understand how we got charged for so many wines?? Some of the food was hit & miss. Overall, with the amount of competition around I would definately go somewhere else.

Over rated Went last night.... Over rated <br/>Went last night for dinner. Very limited menu so we went with a 2 person banquet. First 3 courses in 10 minutes! Had 2 dishes arrive at same time, we had to ask to slow down. It was like they were in a hurry to turn tables over.<br/>Food was good but not great , I would give it a 6/10

I ate the banquet and it was definately the best choice as you get to sample the restaurants best dishes. Each dish was spectacular and I thoroughly enjoyed every single bite I had. I would definately come again!

GREAT IN EVERYTHING. SERVICE: Staff was very attentive, helpful and personable. 10 out of 10.<br/><br/>FOOD: Peking Duck pancakes, Tea smoked duck and Dessert platter were dishes worth spreading the gospel! Dumplings were something I didn't like personally, but seems to be a favourite with the other customers. So if you are a dumpling connoisseur, then pick some other delicious entrees.<br/><br/>AMBIENCE: Great location, waterviews, the who's who people watching.<br/><br/>I will be coming back again very soon!

Great food. The food was amazing.<br/>Had a set menu thing that seemed to be a election of their most popular dishes.<br/>$50 ish per person for so much food. Pork belly and Penang wagyu was the highlights. The setting was ok, nice to be down by the wharf but doesnt feel like your in an Asian restaurant.<br/>Definite must try!

It's more than the food. Six of us went to China Doll for lunch on 22 March. Fabulous location, we sat outside in beautiful weather. Great service, it was very busy but we always had our drinks poured for us, and never went without, great food and we loved the whole experience. Great people watching, such a fun day.

Great vibe!. The pork was tender and so flavoursome. Service was excellent! Seating is great as well. Love the dinnerware and the setting. Great suburb as well. Don't know if I'd go back - Kylie Kwong's Billy Kwong is a much better Chinese fine dining - smaller space, but better food.

Awesome food good service although wouldn't recommended the chilli salt squid. Defietley worth a visit.

Went for my dad's birthday lunch. Great food, in particular the signature crispy pork belly was everything that I had anticipate, beautiful tangy dressing to go with divine caramel-like pieces of pork. We also tried the barbecue pork and prawn fried rice (really yummy and generous serving), the grilled lamb tenderloin (served similar to a Thai beef salad, very well cooked, soft lamb), whole steamed snapper with black beans, chilli and lemon (nice but could have used more kick) and the corn and zucchini fritters. The service was good actually, the waiter assigned to our table was sweet and jovial. <br/>Although weather was not so great today, we still had a table where we could see out onto the water, so it was a lovely atmosphere. All in all pretty awesome day, would totally recommend!

Yummy food, OK service. So the food here is delicous. the duck in plum and cinammon sauce its soo yummy and incredibly tender. i would recommend this place for a asian fusion cuisine. <br/><br/>the service was ok..the waiter barely acknowledged us which was disappointing considering it is in such a beautiful location..that really almost killed the night but the food saved it for us.<br/><br/>Not exactly authentic cuisine here but still well cooked :)

Extremely rude waiter. We recently went to this restaurant for my wife's birthday. The waiter assigned to our table could not have been ruder if he tried. We had 9 at our table and we were all amazed at this fellow's manner. He almost ruined the whole experience for us. The food was OK, service horrendous.

Fantastic and friendly service. Nice view of the water. Excellent spin on classic Asian dishes - the food was fresh, flavoursome and came out very quickly. Will definitely be returning.

Great food .. but crowded. China Doll has the best gourmet style Chinese cuisine I have eaten in Sydney. It is on the expensive side and the wines range from $40.00 per bottle and up .. also the restaurant was uncomfortably over-booked and crowded on the day we were there but the staff were efficient and friendly. The food is beautifully presented and very tasty and I would return again. However, this is not a great place to go if you want a quiet meal with friends or a romantic dinner for two.

Great ambience, friendly and helpful waiters. Balanced flavours in the food. Well worth the money. Definitely returning.

Amazing food and service. While being ridiculously expensive it certainly lived up to its name, with mouth watering food and exceptional service! A great place for a special occasion.

Bad service! Good Food. I don't like when restaurants have 6.30 and 8.30 seatings, but if you are going to do that, then make sure your guests have enough time to finish the services you offer. That would make sense! We arrived at 6.30, sat down ordered a cocktail and the banquet/set degustation menu. Every meal was extremely rushed have the next meal on our table 5 mins after the previous, ensuring we did not have time to enjoy any meal and was completely rushed through the whole process. The plates were not cleared before the next one was thrown on the table, we were continually reminded by the staff to hurry up which was emphasised by the fact that the meals were seriously 5-10 mins apart! we stuffed our faces to try and keep up, no enjoyment was had by anyone and we felt sick trying to rush. They didn't even allow us to finish the banquet before they told us to leave! The last 2 meals were so rushed we couldn't eat them, they gave us 2 mins to eat them, and we were not allowed to have the included dessert, which we paid for! The last meal and the dessert were put in take away containers for us to eat outside the restaurant (with no cutlery) or the following day. How disgusting! Our bill was $900 and we didn't get to enjoy a single thing! <br/>This was by far the worst experience I have ever had at a restaurant. I eat out all the time and regularly visit fine dining restaurants and I have never experienced anything so bad and completely embarrassing! <br/>The waiter gave us attitude the entire time, and continually reminded us to hurry up at each course (we ate each course in under 5 mins!) <br/>Maybe make sure you offer things that your guests can actually finish and enjoy in the allocated time you give!

Gorgeous staff, delicious food, fabulous cocktails, great view!!!

Lovely night out. China Doll was recommended and it was a great choice. The staff were friendly and efficient. Remembered everything, didn't have to write it down. The banquet was great with awesome flavours and all the food came at just the right time. Will recommend you to anyone wanting a great night out

Stunning restaurant with fabulous city views. Amazing food, great service and a wonderful night. China Doll is a stunner.

Still a gem. Wonderful location on the woolloomooloo strip, fresh light Chinese food packed with flavour and complemented by great service. not the cheapest night out but worth every cent.

Stunning views and delicious food. One of our best restaurants in Sydney. The food is our of this world. We always have lunch and I loved the fact that they can serve half portions so you can taste more of their amazing food.<br/><br/>Service: impeccable

Great cocktails, atmosphere and service. Gorgeous entrees. Mains - sometimes less is more; very intense flavoured and overly salty pork belly and beef curry. Even the vege's had sauce that was too concentrated. <br/><br/>Overall great dining experience. Might order some more simple dishes nest time.

Absolutely amazing. Wednesday September 4 Dinner<br/><br/>Love the service<br/>Love the authentic & contemporary flavours<br/>Love the delicious cocktails<br/><br/><br/>Super attentive and helpful staff<br/>Great wine list<br/>tasty tasty food!!

Absolutely outstanding. Excellent, exclusive finest Asian cuisine. First-rate, five-star!

What a magic night! The service was very efficient and friendly without being too obtrusive. We had the banquet which was excellent value. Every dish was great with beatiful flavours and balance. The waygu beef Pemang curry was amazing. I would highly recommend China Doll for any occasion.

Modern Asian. You'll find a range of establishments that cater to couples and the yuppy types on this wharf. The flavours are great but arguably more intense than your authentic Asian restaurants (it's much more Chinese Schezhuan and Thai influenced). Personally, I prefer the subtler flavour profiles and more exotic ingredients of authentic Cantonese and Japanese style cuisine. It's quite an expensive place for dinner but the ambience and views are there to match the pricetag. Service is good as expected. I've taken a water taxi here before as parking spots are hard to come by during peak times.

Amazing Food. Probably one of my favorite restaurants in Sydney. Every dish is fresh and well flavored, the service is impeccable and the drinks are great. It's not a cheap place to eat but you feel like you are getting value for money.

Loved it! We're in Sydney from Melbourne & totally could have been in Melbourne for our dinner - it was amazing from the service to the dishes! The Peking duck was amazing not to mention the chilli squid & dumplings. Divine. Totally recommended. Sydney you may be a threat to Melbourne after all!

Great service and amazing food. Booked a table with my boyfriend on the weekend and loved every dish we ordered. The pork and prawn fried rice and beef Panang is highly recommended. Everything was pretty pricey but was definitely worth every cent :)

Lovely outdoor heated seating. Duck pancakes were fantastic & great service. Definitely worth checking out!

Love this place great location great food and most of the time great service

Not vegetarian friendly. I wanted to book this place for my son's 21st, with a group of 11 vegetarians. They replied, they were not willing to cater for our group - they basically had enough bookings, and it was too much trouble. Not impressed.

Amazing location, great food and great service. Good for big groups.

What do you say when Asian food blows your socks off ?? Wow this place is good !!! Very very good !! And let me tell you I love Asian good so it's rare to fine something new that's exceptional !! A must try :-)

I’d be more content to be grateful about the chance to give them some money however if the food was consistently good but it wasn’t. Stodgy, flavourless dumplings on one hand but an outstanding spiced beef dish on the other kept you guessing. An impressively prepared whole Snapper dish(s) for the group delivered some fresh and flavoursome examples at one end of the table with some distinctly ammonia tinged examples at the other. <br/><br/>A variation of Peking Duck saw us eating what tasted like reheated duck breast fillet that missed the mark in flavour and texture. Maybe they were having a bad day but the inconsistent quality and service coupled with the “attitude” turns me off from recommending China Doll.<br/><br/>I can get cheaper, better food with “attitude” at one of the better Chinese restaurants.

We liked the food but it was way over priced. Nice flavours but the duck was chewy for $45. The octopus was also over cooked and semi cold by the time it reached our table. Shu Mai dumplings were the favoirite and the papa don't peach mocktail was delicious! Probably won't go back!

Celebrated my 10th Anniversary here with my wife on a few recommendations. Where do I start and where do I finish ???, this place is just amazing, I think it's fairly priced considering the quality and location. A special mention must go out to the Alaskan Crab claws, wow wow wow, oh my god they were just sooooo good, a fool if you do t try them ;-))

Average at best. Far, far better options for Chinese food in the city. Give it a miss.

Gorgeous. Great location, lovely service. Beef curry was excellent!

Overpriced and overrated. Had the $85 a head banquet. Never again. One spoonful each not heaped otherwise one of us would miss out . Will not be back.. How it gets a 91 % rating is beyond me.

Not cheap but one of the best quality meals we have had , great service, great location. Would return.

Wonderful experience. A very good food, great & friendly service and conformable environment.

BEST RESTURANT IN SYDNEY. If i was giving a tourist a resturant reccomendation it would be China Doll. It is absolutely amazing. The cocktails are to die for, the wine list is heaven, the food is all just mouth watering. (Get the banquet - you will be in food heaven). The service is absolutely impecible. The hat they just got was very well deserved. I love you China Doll

A couple or prospective couple stepping out for a romantic meal at an establishment that specialises in shared dishes often face the quandary of indulging in gluttony or missing out on the majority of the menu.China Doll has assisted in overcoming this handicap through offering half sized serves e.g.two delicious crispy wontons instead of four.well played China Doll for enabling the romance to flourish through your lovely menu.

Just precious. From the minute you step off the wharf at Woolloomooloo into China Doll you can feel the magic. And the magic is head chef Frank Shek's uncanny ability to take an old favourite which conjures up memories of family celebrations and turn it into top notch five star dish without compromising the integrity of flavours. His fried rice is a classic example of this. One mouthful and thoughts of my childhood come flooding back where a quick economic meal was made from day-old rice and some quintessentially (and pungent) Asian ingredients; but Frank's addition of succulent prawns and juicy BBQ pork transform this dish into a classy delightful offering. One of the very few fried rice dishes I’ve encountered which doesn’t include peas and other fillers and for this I was truly grateful. With a flavour distinctly Umami, this is an exceptional and memorable dish which could be an extremely satisfying meal on its own, but try keeping it to yourself once the rest of the table have sampled a spoonful... <br/>The twice cooked belly pork was another dish that seemed to have gone to "Frank's finishing school" and undergone a transformation from innocent and homely to a sophisticated knockout status. Just a glance at this dish and you can be forgiven for thinking it’s going to be all crunch and possibly dry. However, bite into a cube of crisp pork and you will be rewarded with impossibly moist morsels of belly which although cooked twice, still manages to retain its three layers quite distinctly; the uber crisp crackly skin on top, the sweet tender meaty flesh and then the thin layers of fat in between which melts in your mouth. The belly sits in a mahogany puddle of heaven a.k.a chili caramel which is balanced to perfection, providing the elegant element to this dish. The accompanying Nam Pla Phrik cuts through any richness and provides a refreshing mouth feel, making each mouthful feel like your first. I would recommend steamed rice with this particular dish as you need that bland clean slate to allow the pork to paint that stunning masterpiece on your tastebuds. <br/>Other wowsers on the menu include the duck pancakes and the shu mai. The duck, although similar to your standard peking duck in the sense it comes with all the trimmings, isn’t your regular thin skinned red lacquered duck; its bubbly and almost like duck-skin crackling and with the addition of clever spices is far more flavoursome. The shu mai too is not your average yellow skinned orange dotted yumcha variety. These four parcels of glory came to the table crowned with slices of scallops and although delicately flavoured, they were lusciously bursting with pork, prawns and shiitake. Not a drop of soy sauce needed!<br/>Dishes are designed to share family style, so bring a group of your nearest and dearest and reminisce about old memories or create brand new ones together. This is definitely a place worth saving your pennies for but the staff are knowledgeable and friendly, views are great and the portions are pleasantly generous. Just like a china doll, this place too, is just precious.

One word- yum!

Great Service!. I took my partner here for dinner on Saturday night and the service was exceptional. We wanted to try nearly everything (great menu!) and were pleasantly surpised when we were informed you can order half serves of most dishes. The food was flavoursome and well priced, the servings generous. The standout dish for me was either the kingfish and salmon sashimi or the Barramundi. Delicious!

AMAZING!. I have now been to China Doll about 5 times this year and i absolutely LOVE IT. The vegetarian banquet is amazing, best tofu i have ever had. Also the duck pancakes, grilled fish & curried beef is to die for. The service is always great, cocktails are yummy and food is delicious. The only down point i can put on this is that sometimes it takes a while to get the food out, they tend to wait between courses for a while.

Simply amazing.<br/>I generally hate Chinese food but this restaurant is one of the best I have ever been to.<br/>Great service, amazing food.<br/>A bit pricy perhaps but its worth it...

Absolutely magnificent! My partner and I are from Melbourne and had lunch at marvellous china doll! The place was packed but we where able to find a well positioned table outside, overlooking woolloomooloo wharf. We ordered the Shui Mai steamed dumplings and were absolutely delicious! The best we ever had! Obviously made in house! They were packed with prawns and pork and topped with scallops! Steamed to<br/>Perfection. We also<br/>Had 2 steamed scallops with ginger and Chinese wine! Delicious too! Then we continued with Alaskan snow crab claws, which were coated with tapioca flower and flash fried then wok tossed! Unbelievable flavour! The redbraised pork belly was tasty and perfectly cooked! Pork and prawn<br/>Fried rice the best I ever had! <br/>We love Chinese food and we have eaten at hundreds of restaurant both modern and traditional and this guys were the best ever! The staff was friendly, attentive and treated us like royalty! We had two bottles of wine at 35 dollars each, for a very good reisling! <br/>I highly reccomend this place! The restaurant gives you choice of half portions too!! Simply simply amazing! Thanks for the great great experience!

China Soul. Good Asian food.....in fact "fine-dining" Asian food (if there is a thing). The surrounding decor was fresh and beautiful. Not daggy and old. The service was attentive and friendly. Atmosphere was "alive". Not loud, but full of patrons and robust in a good way. Will I return...definately!

So you have never eaten Chinese before?. Simply put China Doll is Asian food for people who don't know what good Asian food tastes like, and don't know that you can get food that's much better for a fraction of the price and in a fraction of the time in Chinatown or any other Chinese restaurant in town. The prices are over the top, the food overwrought and middling in taste and it lacks the ket attraction of good Chinese cooking - brilliant ingredients cooked with simple flavours. Classic Sydney dining, beautiful people eating in an (admittedly) beautiful setting but paying too much for ok service and average food. Do yourself a favor - go to Golden Century, enjoy yourself a lot more, feel like your eating good food and have a few drinks after with the money you save. It's not even the best restaurant on the wharf at woolloomoolloo - so less kidding of ourselves people. This place would not survive in Cinatown and it would not survive in Melbourne - and thats all you probably need to know

Outstanding! Fantastic food with a balance of flavor rarely found. Quality wine list, great setting and probably the best service we have ever encountered.

Had a really nice night at China Doll. The food, the setting and beautiful weather really made it good! The service was good, maybe a bit over the top, wasn't sure if the guy was being really attentive or annoying! But loved the experience will be back if I'm in Sydney again

Best on the wharf. Had such an enjoyable meal this week at China Doll. Sun was shining, food was sensational, drinks were cold, service was attentive. Couldn't have asked for more. We'll be back again soon.

I love china doll. it is my fav on the wharf. china doll is rockin roll

Try the pork belly. fantastic

Excellent Food. My first visit to China Doll was earlier this week, nice to see it so busy early on a Monday night - testament to how good it must be! The food didn't dissapoint. We had steamed dumplings, Peking Duck Rolls, Tofu and Eggplant with chilli and blackbean sauce and salt and pepper prawns. All dishes were absolutely divine. My favourite I think was the dumplings. So so so good. However I wasn't that impressed with the service. Considering what you are paying for, I expected better service. The waiters were pleasant and knowledgable but just didn't hit the mark for me. Having said that, I will definitely go back again simply for those dumplings.

Delicious!. China Doll serves modern Asian cuisine, that is there are elements of Japanese, Korean, Thai and Chinese cooking with a slant towards more Chinese than other styles. With that in mind, you cannot expect authentic cuisine but rather modernised interpretations of classics. For entree, we had the Hiramasa kingfish sashimi served with apple matchsticks and a blackened chilli and sesame oil dressing - fabulous! We also had the corn and zucchini fritters that lacked any crunch and had a soggy filling. For mains we had the salt and pepper squid that was very tender but again, lacked crispness and the deep fried tofu and braised eggplant in a black bean and chilli sauce which was spectacular and whose flavours built as you ate it. A fantastic place with some hits and misses but when when they hit, they really shine!

LOVE China Doll!. Addicted to China Doll! The banquets are amazing value but last time we hit up the a la carte menu and did some serious damage. Imagine it like the Chinese food that you remember from your childhood and crave, but done properly, not like your local takeaway does. So, salt and pepper prawns are big fat juicy prawns, super crispy with a great hit of chilli. The fried rice is the best I've ever had. Love the pork and peanut sang choi bau. Could go on and on, everything we've had is divine. Such a nice spot too, sitting on the water. Yum!

Ambience and service made it. Sitting in the sun on a Sunday at china doll has to be one of the best dining experiences in Sydney. I left the choosing of the food to our waiter who was both warm and charming with just the right balance between formality and informality. He chose well and we were rewarded with fresh,clean flavours. At the same time it did not compare with the excellent wine but combine all elements and we had a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

"Take up your China Doll, Take up your China Doll...." but unlike the Grateful Dead lyrics, it's not at all fractured. It's very together!! This is indeed one of Sydney's finer restaurants.<br/><br/>China Doll exudes class. Well trained waiter staff recommended choices from the slightly daunting menu. <br/>Opt for sharing plates. All courses are ample in size, allowing more than enough for a table of 6 to sample from each.<br/><br/>Of the many courses we ate, the highlights for us were the surprisingly soft and tantalising Five Spice Tofu for entree, the Wagyu Penang Beef curry - perfectly cooked - and Crispy Chicken. Others raved about the Grilled Jumbo Prawns and the Steamed Dumplings.<br/>The desserts were worth the calories. A Dessert Tasting plate for 4 was very generous for 5 of us - 3 bowls of 3 sorbets; sago and black rice pudding - all in the OMGosphere. My wife decided on the Condensed Milk Tart which she selflessly shared - but would have been forced to had she not. It too was outstanding. <br/><br/>See my photos attached.<br/><br/>The wine menus was extensive and expensive, as expected. <br/><br/>If you are in to celb spotting, or imaging you are Skipper of the multi-million dollar cruise boats then you would also like China Doll. Plenty of both.<br/><br/>The bill - $100 per person incl alcohol. Yet, we look forward to returning. Yum. GregFresser

A trendy Chinese restaurant with a contemporary twist & a spectacular setting. Food was delicious, portion sizes generous and staff friendly. What a lovely place to meet friends on a warm night by the water with a spectacular city backdrop. Our favourite traditional Chinese dishes were here but with a modern variation as well as some welcome additions such as the perfectly textured sashimi entree.

Best taste in australia. I visit sydney once a month and first port of call is China Doll. short walk from Blue Hotel and magic position overlooking the city.<br/>value for money fantastic and service first rate.<br/>menu changes slightly on a regular basis with interesting specials and unbeleivable flavours

Just superb, full of flavour food; friendly, professional service and a fabulous location. The first time I ate here was a hot summer's evening with the setting sun blasting down on us poor souls seated outside. But, my second meal was on a cool, clear night. The combination of chilly air and crisp, fresh, spicy flavours was intoxicating! We will definitely keep this Doll on our dancecard through the cooler months! Fabulous

Briiant food combined with killer location and excellent friendly service. China Doll sets a new standard in Sydney.

One of my favourites. This place never disappoints, I have been on a number of ocassions and the food is always good, atmosphere is great particularly given its location overlooking the city. Highly recommend.

Great food, location and an above average wine list. Good service, the swimmer crab omelette was devine!

Absolutely divine food - excellent service.

The most beautiful food in Sydney. My favourite restaurant. The duck pancakes, crispy pork belly, wagu curry are favourite. The staff always look after us. Make sure you try the cocktail list too!