Review Bennelong Restaurant Sydney - Sydney

An amazing experience! Sensational food, unbeatable ambiance and views, friendly, obliging and very attentive staff. A big shout out and thanks to the host John, who went out of his way to ensure that our group got the best photos in the best locations. Highly recommend this place for the ultimate dining experience. Thank you to John and all the staff and compliments to the chef. Definitely 5 stars.

My partner and I had our Valentine's dinner date here, and it was a marvelous experience. Outstanding customer service. That's for sure! The food was amazing! Perfect blend and balance of flavours and texture. Desserts are on point. Five textures of mango is the best! 🤤 And oh! Beautiful ambiance and view 😍 No doubt with that.

This restaurant is absolutely amazing. From the iconic Sydney Harbour as its backdrop. Seated in the restaurant you are directly below the 'sails' of the Sydney Opera House. With outstanding views of the city and the Harbour Bridge you are indulged with the finest food and flavours that Australia has to offer and with a menu fit for HRH herself. Truly 6 star service and the most exquisite food I have tasted. I give it 10 🌟

The interior of this venue was beautiful. The service was exceptional. Very attentive. The food was the aspect which had me disappointed! For the price I expected to be mind blown but simply wasn’t. For me some of the flavours in the dishes did not match and impact clashes, leaving an unpleasant flavour in the mouth.

Our second time of dining here, first time under Peter Gilmore. Similar experience. Unparalleled views and service, this is delivered in spades and you are made to feel a little bit special while visiting. The food itself was nice, but lacked the wow factor you would expect from this type of establishment and price tag. Great place to take out your date if you want to impress them.

Just one of the most exquisite restaurants you need to experience to understand how special it really is. The 3 course set menu items is well crafted & absolutely divine, however the unfortunate moment was that our dessert was forgotten and never came. Nonetheless, the staff were extremely prefessional and we were super happy to witness the Sunday Afternoon Jazz session, which elevated the whole fine-dining-in-the-opera-house experience! We will have to come back for dessert another time✨

I feel like giving this place a 5 is an injustice! It deserves more, much more...Lets settle for a 6! I had a birthday lunch here with my family, it was a marvellous experience. The food is a work of art that needs to really be appreciate before it's eaten. Although, it definitely tastes as good as it looks, so don't stall. The ambience is exceptional, dining at such an iconic spot was quite surreal for me. The service has the wow factor, you are made feeling very special the whole time. Our host John was just the kindest person, he took the best photos of us, knowing all the best spots... Stunning shots to remember an amazing day 🙏👌 Thank you and can't wait to dine again 💛

World class experience. A must try restaurant when in Sydney. Recommended for special occasions. Located inside the well-known Opera House. Staff are very pleasant and accommodating. A little bit pricey, but it’s all worth it. With this kind of service, place (the architectural design) plus the scenery outside while eating, food (3 course meal) and the classy ambiance, every penny is worth spending. Kudos to the chefs and staff. Will surely come back again.

Very impressive restaurant! This is a very high end restaurant reflected on it's menu, reputation, prices and location. Definitely a place to visit for a special occasion or a treat. We came as part of a visit to the Opera house. The setting is magnificent - eating at the Opera house. Fantastic views from our table next to windows. Very easy to book online, just emailed them and received confirmation next day. We opted for the set menu which is really excellent value considering the quality of the food - this makes it more accessible to those of us on a more limited budget. Excellent staff and very attentive, from the wine waiter who kept us topped up, to main waitress who was pleasant and polite, through to the serving staff. Had three course which were all very good, particularly the crab starter exquisite, the best I have ever tasted, and a good portion. Good veggie options.

Bennelong has the best location for fine dining. I have higher expectation about quality of food served because of Peter Gilmore attached to it. The food tasty but looked like prepared in a rush! I didn't see the meticulous presentation. My much anticipated Opera House Pavlova disappoint me! It was almost sagging!! My daughter's pork suckling in very miniature serving ; we joked that they've got the smallest piglet that's why the cut was very tiny!! Thank goodness the service was good, that why I gave 4 star. It would have been 3 star if not for that lovely waiter who served us on our special wedding anniversary celebration.

I wish i could give this place 10*. We came here for a date night and it more than surpassed our expectations. We ordered the steak tartarre and spanner crab polenta for entree, lamb and suckling pig for mains, cheese and creme brulee for dinner. All dishes showcased flavour explosions in every bite and it was a party in our mouths. Trying to discern all the various flavours in each dish and work out how the chef may have executed each dish was an experience in itself. Lastly we could not have been more blown away by the service by the staff. Thank you Bennelong for making our night such a memorable one.

One of the best and most memorable dinner experience we've had. The atmosphere, food and staff were amazing. The view was spectacular as well. Will definitely go back.

Couldn't get a better location but unfortunately the food didn't match the price, I love fine dining but bennelong don't quite have it right...the O bar has much better service and food in my opinion The waitress looked at me like I had 2 heads when I said we wouldn't be having our 3rd course! (We did have a giggle at her facial expressions) All in all was nice to try but won't be returning or recommending to anyone

Toss between this and Tetsuya's for my best dining experience! The food was magnificent, especially the quail and the cherry jam lamington, but the service was superlative! We were made to feel so welcomed. Not a hint of pretension. Then of course there is the view, nothing beats it!

From the start to finish was excellent! Great Service, Great Food, Great View Would recommend this to people who likes to eat tasty food & who likes to have a good time😌.

The perfect vantage point for light dinner at drinks at the bar..... watching The Vivid spectacular behind glass..... so beautiful!

From when we stepped into the restaurant the staff greeted us with a warm welcome and make us feel very comfortable. We had the 3 courses dinner menu and every dishes came out were cooked to perfection and taste delicious. The desserts is so yummy. I would definitely come back and recommends to everyone. Also, a best place to be if you wants to see the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge too. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

If you like to add assault to your meal, this place is for you. Security and management are aggressive. Many people have been assaulted verbally and physically while dining here, and at the very least extremely rude. I Highly recommend not to dine here

Amazing experience for a great celebration :-) staff were fantastic and the food was to die for!

Incredible food & service. Amazing wine list to match. Great pricing and portions. Server suggested our table of 5 try/share each dessert between table, all were impressive!

The food was nice but the service size was ridiculously small, we got a side of potatoes and there were only 3-4 piece per person and only enough salad for 3 people when there were 4 in our group. Really?!? Lettuce doesn't break the bank guys and the bill was high enough to cover it. Service was excellent but we felt like we were rushed out as it was Valentine's Day and they needed to get another seating in. All in all very disappointed.

Absolutely amazing. Highly recommend sitting at the Cured & Cultured counter for a slightly more relaxed interactive experience.

Wonderful location. Great service; the staff were attentive & friendly. Delicious gourmet food. Wheelchair access was amazing. Loved it.

Knowledge and professional staff, fantastic cocktails and delicious food. What is there not to like. Oh yeah the view is awesome too.

Fantastic food, fantastic service and the best view in the world.

Love this place, great atmosphere. Food was great and staff were lovely!

Wagyu Tatare : 😍 Amazing <br/>Blue Crab Congee : 😍 Amazing <br/>XO Scallops : 😍 Amazing <br/>Squid & Shiitake Noodle : 😍 Amazing <br/>Wagyu Rump Cap : 😍 Amazing <br/>Mushroom Ravioli : 😁 Great <br/>Barramundi : 😍 Amazing <br/>Pork Chop : 😊 Good <br/>Pavlova : 😊 Good <br/>Lamington : 😁 Great <br/>Peach Bellini : 😍 Amazing <br/>Creme Caramel vs Millefeuille: 😍 Amazing <br/><br/>Decided to give Bennelong a 5/5 because whilst a few dishes didn’t receive my ‘amazing’ rating, the restaurant was able to make up for in service and cocktails. The two cocktails I highly recommend would be the ‘Clouds of Passion’ and ‘Thyme is on your side’. Both are zesty, refreshing and are slightly sweet if that’s what you’re in to. In terms of food, I think my rating method above is self explanatory. We were treated with complimentary house made ‘Iced Vovos’ which were basically delicious, miniature versions of the real thing. Absolutely loved the atmosphere and the service!

We came here for dessert and we were not disappointed. The dessert was very pretty and I almost didn’t want to eat it and ruin it. They use a lot of fresh raspberries which was worth the price.

I think I may have managed to not dine, even once, during Guillaume Brahimi’s 12 years running the Bennelong restaurant at the Sydney Opera House, though I believe that I did dine there once, a few years before that, perhaps not long after my arrival in Sydney in 1999! I remember reading that it’s a difficult venue to run, something about the way the kitchen is located and the shape of the place, never originally intended as a restaurant (I think). In any case, I’d been reading about Bennelong under Peter Gilmore for the last few years, and how it’s been a huge success, and so what an amazing place to help a dear friend, Andrew, to celebrate his 50th birthday!

Cured and cultured menu is awesome! We added a couple of extra dishes ontop of the chefs selection to share and had plenty of food.

Wow wow wow what an amazing experience. First time dining and certainly won’t be the last. This is now my top choice to take visitors. We decided to eat bar side in order to share food. So beautifully prepared in front of your eyes. The stand out for me were the ocean trout ceviche and the lamington. The service is the best I’ve had in Sydney. The whole experience was Truely out of this world amazing.

My first time dining at the Sydney Opera House was a delightful experience. I ordered a passionfruit mocktail, the wagyu tartare, confit duck and chocolate dessert. The passionfruit mocktail was very sweet and I would probably not order it again next time. The tartare had so many different textures and was a very balanced dish. Although I enjoyed the duck and its' packets of flavour, I would recommend them to have more green vegetables. If I hadn't had a vegetable side dish to go with it, it would have been too heavy and salty. The last dish out of the 3 course meal was my favourite. Chocolate literally "across the water" from the other side of the harbour - the ganache melted the chocolate dish, the crumb gave it texture and the chocolate mousse was smooth. <br/><br/>The food was exquisite and deserved 5/5 stars. My only concern was that once the sun had set, the inside was very dim. I could not even see the beautifully presented dishes. More lighting would make the dining experience perfect!<br/><br/>Food: 9.5/10<br/>Ambience: 9/10<br/>Service: 9/10

We had a pre theatre booking was one of the first at the restaurant. To be sitting within one of the most iconic buildings in the world and able to wine and dine is something to be savoured. <br/><br/>Every dish that we ordered was presented by a different wait staff and components explained. The sourdough was crunchy. I had the noodle dish for entree which comprised of a pho like noodle (rice) and an egg noodle. Flavours came through the delicate sweet camerlised sauce. All the components of the dish worked to give it pop and taste. The presentation as you can see was superb.<br/><br/>The duck was next and the cooking techniques were executed perfectly. Presentation again was A1 and it didn’t want to stick the knife in the ruin the work of of perfection.<br/><br/>Hand made Iced Vo Vo S gave it a nice Aussie touch at the end. <br/><br/>Service was friendly and efficient.<br/><br/>Always special dining here in a special place!

It was beautiful. Staffs are friendly.

My boyfriend took us here for my birthday dinner. The waiter we had was really non attentive and she just didn't look like she cared to be there. I asked for what was popular and recommended and she just said 'anything'. When I asked for popular cocktails recommendations she had to read each one from the menu.. She didn't actually know the menu at all. You get a 2 hour seating however it took 1 and a half hours for our mains to come and the waitstaff kept saying that the kitchen was busy but other tables that came AFTER we ordered got their food before us. For such a fine establishment this is truly disappointing service. The only thing I enjoyed was the dessert. Very upsetting. Our meal cost us $400 for 2 people and the waiter brought us a bill for a quarter of that.. Had we not brought it up to them she wouldn't have even known.

My boyfriend took me there for my birthday and it was amazing! Although you only have 2 hours to stay but I think it was enough for 3 course. There was not much to choose on the menu but I recommend the pork chop and confit Duck for your main! By the way, they provide unlimited Sonoma breads so even the size for the food was not enough you can have the bread as much as you want. <br/>It’s definitely a great experience to dine in there. And you must book it earlier because they are quite busy.

Enjoyed the big night out menu, great menu and dishes and I added a cheese course, the service staff were great with looking after all the guests. Can't wait to try the other dinning options and menus here

Amazing service. I visited Bennelong to treat my mum for birthday and they were extremely attentive and by the end of the night it felt like all the staff had wished her a happy birthday. The entree and main was spectacular. However the entree was the standout. I ordered the sashimi of yellowfin tuna, and the standalone flavours all worked marvellously together. The only food I can fault is the dessert (pavlova). I personally have a sweet tooth but even my love of sweets could not finish more than half of it. They do add a passion fruit syrup to it however the sour from the passion fruit and sweetness from the meringue did not sit well on my palate.<br/>Overall, thank you for the wonderful dining experience.

Spectacular view and service. Food was absolutely no less than amazing. We weren’t for the casual cured and cultured tasting menu. Chef Gilmore has redeemed himself from the past. Highly recommend the visit, is there a better date night location than in the Sydney opera house? I think not! P.s the dessert is to die for!! It’s a must try

I went here for my birthday dinner and overall had an enjoyable time. Food was good, however, not mindblowingly amazing. Unfortunately, none of the dessert options really stood out to me but I received a complimentary birthday cupcake which was a nice touch (and I very much enjoyed) . They also provide refillable complimentary bread and butter which was very nice. <br/>Service was quite pleasant. <br/><br/>Food recommendations:<br/>- Morton bay bug<br/>- wagyu rump with buckwheat pudding <br/><br/>(Sidenote, for a fine dining venue, the tables were much closer to each other than expected. Also, be prepared to pay $12 for a bottle of still water). <br/>

I had read some not-so-glowing reviews online about the vegetarian offering at Bennelong, but my experience today was absolutely 5 star. Vibrantly flavoured eggplant dish for an entree, delicious koshihikari rice with mushroom and silken tofu main, and scrumptious salted caramel flavoured trifle with ice cream for desert. Unlike previous reviewers, I certainly did not leave the restaurant hungry. Service was fantastic and all-in-all it was a fantastic dining experience.

Stepped up School Canteen!<br/><br/>Slow rude very abusive front staff who are on some short term work permits to work in Australia, tiny food portions, the real chef Peter is not even on the premises, very touristy place and look feel utterly run down, best to stay away and try the lively much cheaper better served cafes only one deck below with the same water views of Sydney. Don't just rely on some overrated positive previews but do look at the real genuine negatives first and then decide if you really want to part with lots money for a gloried cafe meal.

Celebrated my mum's 50th birthday two years ago. Perfect night and place to celebrate something special inside the Sydney Opera House. Delicious meals, perfect atmosphere and excellent service. I can still remember that night. It was magical.

Potentially the most stunning and surreal location for a restaurant in the world . It’s worth it just to eat a meal amongst the endless views of the city and the harbour surrounding you . However , we did feel that whilst the food was refined and very delicate it did lack flavour occasionally and perhaps didn’t have as much of a lasting impression as the ambiance possessed .

Shockingly expensive! Our desert worked out at $80 per person (in effect $20 a mouthful). And as portions are small (you have to pay extra for vegetables/sides) expect to leave hungry if you have a hearty appetite. I guess you are paying for the unique location.

Came here for my partner’s birthday celebration and it was the best decision ever! Everything here from the service to the food exceeded our expectations and every dish from the appetiser to the main, even the dessert and the drinks are superb. There was nothing we didn’t like. defs giving this a 5/5, and will defs come back to try their other menus!! So worth splurging the money for a place like this, my now new fave place to dine!! <br/><br/>Highly recommend the Morton bay bug and the Apple granita !!!!! (Apple granita is a must) <br/><br/><br/>

What a beautiful restaurant in a lovely location. If you want a fine dining experience that doesn't break the bank this restaurant is it. Lovely attentive staff and delicious food. Would recommend!

While i was reading some information about the chef head restaurants from the AGFG site, I cam across this restaurant that i celebrated my birthday last year. Doubtless, it should be a good place for special event. Lay out is so grand and contemporary. Service was attentive and good despite it was very busy on that night. Ordered the three courses set dinners. I could not say which dish was the best because they were all over the average standard. Needless to say, the suckling pig and the pavlova are the a-must order dishes, which are very impressive. Personally, I think the suckling pig can be better since i had some better one elsewhere; however the whole roast tiger flathead tail is very amazing.... Overall, one must visit it once in the life. <br/>Rating 4.5/5

Beautiful restaurant and delicious food. The service was great. The cherry lamington was a perfect end to the dinner. Highly recommend and would return again.

My partner took me here to celebrate my birthday and I could not fault anything here! I loved every single part of my night, and they sent out a complimentary cupcake to celebrate my birthday - definitely the highlight of my night!

Our experience with fine dining is that it almost always starts high and ends low. Entrees are usually good and innovative, mains are typically standard and boring, and desserts are hit-and-miss. It is for this reason we have been to Bennelong bar several times but never the restaurant. We had to tick this one off our list, and we are glad we did as Bennelong proved the exception where we enjoyed all dishes.

It’s great that you can go to Bennelong Restaurant and have a few drinks in the bar area and enjoy their delicious snacks, especially if you are seeing a show in the Opera House. My only criticism is that the service was so slow (and on both occasions that we visited!) to the point we were almost late for our show. #bennelong

Bennelong’s Cured & Cultured Bar was the chosen venue for a belated birthday celebration, and it was a great choice! We were greeted warmly by the staff, who made us feel welcome! I loved sitting at the counter watching the chefs at work. Although, if you’re more interested in harbour views, ask for a seat at the bar. The tart of raw ocean trout was exceptional - pastry was perfect! We didn’t love the wagyu tartare, but really enjoyed the red claw yabbies with pikelets. My favourite dish was the sashimi of coral trout - refreshing and perfectly balanced. The cupcake with a birthday candle was a lovely surprise and was a joyful way to end a memorable meal.

I have to say, I am extremely picky when it comes to food. But this place, was worth the food, service, atmosphere and view. Its pricey but you are paying for everything. I had one of the best foodie experience here. Definitely worth trying guys!

Came here for a 30th birthday and it disappoint. Staff were engaged and attentive. We did the 3 course lunch menu. Food quality was amazing and I recommend the duck, which tasted as good as it looks. Also try the pavlova which is shaped like the Opera House. Will definelty be back to this venue.<br/><br/>Tip - there's lots of bar seating if you are alone or in a couple and want a quick meal

A delayed review but I went here to celebrate a special occasion in mid 2018. The location is truly breathtaking. Service was excellent and they were kind enough to help take photos. <br/><br/>The portions are on the smaller side, but each dish was executed well. The only thing I didn't like was one of the desserts; although the flavour has since changed. I highly recommend the 'Clouds of Passion' cocktail. Its very sweet and 'theatrical'. Overall, the experience was excellent here but I won't be choosing this place as my first choice if a special occasion does arise because of the small portion sizes and slightly high prices. Food: 7.5/10Ambience: 10/10<br/>Service: 9/10

@bennelong_sydney has it all. Inside the lavish Opera House sail, with views of the Harbour bridge. The best way to experience it is sitting at the Cured & Cultured golden counter, we had the best vantage point in the house, with a view of the chefs creating our meals in the centre and over looking the entire restaurant. Cured & Cultured is also a more economical way to dine on the restaurants hero dishes. Service was impeccable, with each dish being explained and our food arrived perfectly presented.<br/><br/>I would highly recommend the ‘Clouds of Passion’ cocktail to drink, I may have had 3 🙈 it’s that good.

Food was delicious and tasty couldn't fault it and overall a lovely dining experience but perhaps if we didn't have a pre theatre dinner the lighting and ambience would have been more enjoyable as it was quite sunny and warm inside the restaurant whilst it was daylight.

Good experience for my parents as starters for fine dining. As expected it is pricey. I have been to a lot of fine dining experiences and i consider this as standard. The menu looks great and food was flavoursome. The price is good for the set menu, you get what you paid for. Although the dessert didn't impress me as it taste and looks like the dessert you get on a good cafe's. The chocolate cake from across the water failed as it only made a very tiny hole on the cake, probably the chocolate wasn't hot enough. The view, ambience and the experience is what i loved about it, although the food didn't impress me i still highly recommend it for evem just the experience. The customer service is great!

Had a show midweek at opera house so took our chances and asked for a bar seat at Bennelong, and got one of the best seats in the house. We had small bites and cocktails, each cocktail had either a theatre presentation or was presented beautifully. Can’t wait to go back for dinner. See this in the app

It is a great venue, simple but beautiful decor. The service was good but nothing remarkable (well this is the best I think, not too much, not too less). The food was great but no wow factor.<br/><br/>For 3 course dinner, $145 is the price for over person. Is it value for money? We didn't think so. The venue and service will take a proportion of the cost, but as others said, it couldn't be justified for us.<br/><br/>We felt comfortably full after 3 course, but the dessert is the biggest portion than others.<br/><br/>Bennelong is high standard restaurant, but we prefer Cafe Sydney or Aqua for various reasons.

Bennelong offers modern Australia fine dining experience with great ambience and view. We had the Cured & Cultured menu, fresh oysters, tarte of raw ocean trout and red claw yabbies. A treat to your taste buds. They also have nice selection of wine and cocktails.

Now we’re talking!<br/>Fantastic ambience and welcoming, friendly staff. Great service, beautiful drinks and all served with no fuss and elegance. A delightful setting with food to match. The duck was one of the single best things ever. Truly superb job and the wagyu with horseradish was unbelievable. A worthy treat, fully deserving of the 5 star rating.

Ambiance- 4.5<br/>Service-5<br/>Food-3<br/>Value for money-3<br/><br/>The service was really good. Fantastic views. Food is a little bit on the salty side. Lamb was cooked to perfection. The fish main was a little bit over cooked and salty.<br/>

A unique experience that is well worth it. Yes it is expensive but stump up and spend your hard earned, you won’t be disappointed. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Went there on Sunday for 3 course lunch<br/>We got a nice table with view of bridge <br/>The quality of food was not justified in the price<br/>For entrees we had coral prawn and scallops. They were both too salty.<br/>The wagyu beef tasted funny. There was a green bug on my fish so I had the kitchen changed it for me. It is understandable for some street food to have bugs in it but really? In a fine dining restaurant? Also the fish was very plain. Just fish..<br/>I ordered pavola for dessert simply because of its shape which looks like opera house. It’s made from passion fruit. The creme caramel dessert was actually good, which was also the only dish that I liked here.<br/>3 course for $145 is a little bit expensive even for fine dining and I don’t think it’s worthwhile.

The pre-theatre menu is a great way to experience this venue with out a very expensive bill. The space is unique and perfect. I would recommend this to any one for a special occasion.

I have to say, first up, I have not had the privilege to eat here. However, I have been to their bar...on numerous occasions and let me tell you, AMAZING. <br/><br/>They have a wide range of alcoholic drinks but mainly, their cocktails...will blow you out of this world. <br/><br/>My main go to is the Botanical Garden Martini. It’s pretty much a version of the dirty martini but with rosemary infused vodka, my friend I usually go with has pretty much had the whole menu of cocktails and I have had a taste of all. <br/><br/>I must say, all have been amazing, not to much of a bite of the alcohol, very tasty, some fruity, some just plain nice like the Botanical Gardner Martini...and the presentation is amazing, each cocktail had its little trick up its sleeve...so one they come to your table, get your snapchat or instagram ready. <br/><br/>The views over the harbour give you a relaxed feeling while sipping your martini looking out onto the sydney harbour...I can firmly say, this is my number one place to sit, relax and have a cocktail. #amazing #cocktails #recommended

What's our no. 1 tip for the best experience at Bennelong? Before we get to this, wow. If you’re looking for a venue suitable for a romantic dinner, Bennelong is going to impress. The walk to the restaurant along Circular Quay at dusk, past the Opera Bar, with the Sydney Harbour in the background, is a fantastic way to set the mood.

For my first fine dining experience, I loved everything about this place! We were seated early, quality food arrived in a short period of time. My favourite dish would definitely be the yellow fin tuna for entree and the wagyu for mains! Both desserts were amazing. (Chocolate cake photo not listed below) Must try!! I’ll definitely be back.

Beautiful interior and decor as well as the quality of food and the service provided which was impeccable. Great variety of dishes which was bursting with different flavours. Had an extremely pleasant experience here.

This is the most perfect restaurant for me. I have been here a few times and it never disappoints. We came here with my American cousins and it's the best place to show off sydney. When having the tapas style menu it's always better to go with more than 3 people. The scallop pie is to die for!! And the sausage rolls!! And the desserts!! Actually everything is amazing.

Bennelong is absolute perfection! My partner took me here as a surprise before seeing a show at the theatre and we were both so impressed. The wait staff were attentive and friendly whilst super professional. <br/>The food was phenomenal, we had the pre-theatre menu and every single course was unbelievable. The cocktails were also to die for!<br/><br/>Will be coming back here for the next special occasion, well worth every penny!

My wife and I recently came here for our wedding anniversary. From its reputation, and the reviews, we expected the best, We were not disappointed.<br/><br/>From the moment we were warmly greeted by the maître de, as if we were regulars, we had the most fabulous time. The staff were friendly, courtesies, attentive and efficient. <br/><br/>The food, which is after all what you go to a restaurant for, was absolutely magnificent. Some of it may look like small portions, but it is so fresh and so well made that it easily sates your appetite. And it is all just so delicious.<br/><br/>And that view. We were here for lunch just so we could see it, and were glad we were. Where else anywhere can you get a view like that while eating the most fantastic of lunches. <br/><br/>Yes, it is pricey. But we knew that. This was a special occasion after all. Was it worth it? Every bit of it.<br/><br/>Very highly recommended, provided you do realise it will hurt your bank balance.

Food is great and the service upon entry is great however the service while seating wasn’t so great, they weren’t onto your drinks like you’d expect a fine dining restaurant to be. Definitely one of the more expensive fine dining restaurants we’ve been too. If you don’t order drinks (including still or sparkling because they charge you for that too, every bottle you drink..), the price is manageable for most.

Visited this restaurant for my girlfriends birthday. One of the most beautiful restaurant I’ve been too. The location is perfect. The minute we walked in, we were greeted by a very friendly staff. Once we sat down , we chose to have 3 courses each. <br/><br/>For starters we had Fraser Island spanner Crabb and eugowra quail. The quail is a must, super delicious. <br/><br/>For mains we had the barramundi and the lamb. Both dishes were great, however the lamb portion was tiny. <br/><br/>For desert we both went for the cherry jam lamington, another must try dish. <br/><br/>Lastly, the waitress brought out a cupcake with a candle on it to surprise my girlfriend. I requested this through their reservation team and they came through with it so thank you. <br/><br/>Overall the food tasted great and service was unbelievable. The only reason why I gave it 4 and not 5 is because of the portion sizes, yes I understand it’s fine dining but still. <br/><br/>Anyways I definitely recommend this for a special occasion. <br/>

A fine restaurant with a fine view. And by that I mean the view both outside the window of Circular Quay and in front of you on the table. <br/><br/>The food is spectacular and it is an experience worth at least once on occassion. The courses were well paced and each was a highlight. The quality of the food was of course of a great standard from the kitchen of Peter Gilmore. Each dish was not only well balanced with each element complimenting one another, but the presentation was aesthetically works of art. <br/><br/>The drinks are also a pretty sight. Alcoholic cocktails range from $20-30 and are pleasant works that will compliment your meal. You can be sure the liquors used here are quality. However I felt the real choice was in mocktails, which were deliciously fresh and preferable in value. <br/><br/>The service was also to be complimented; wait staff were unobtrusive but attentive. They seemed to know at what point you would need them and almost turned up at those moments without us looking for them. Timing was the key. <br/><br/>The atmosphere was also nice. Each table was lit by its own lamp, lending an intimate feel for each group of diners. The rest of the place, in the expansive space of the Sydney Opera House, was lit dimly which helped to not establish an intimidatingly large sense of space. <br/>

After being to different types of fine dining and Michelin star rated restaurants, Bennelong was just average to me. Worth a try but won’t be coming back! Parking around their is also ridiculously expensive!

Great environment, Good quality of food , excellent service, staffs are very nice and helped us take a lot photos . Definitely above my expectations .

So it was my birthday last month and I finally booked in for lunch at the Cured and Cultured Bar in Bennelong restaurant inside the Opera House cos you know, a girl’s gotta treat herself 😛 The Cured and Cultured bar is perfect for those not wanting to do the 3 course menu or have issues with super fine dining atmosphere *cough* Noods *cough* <br/><br/>We start with the Red claw yabby ($36) which I coo over for a good minute because I mean, LOOK AT THEM YABBIES! So perfect! This dish is a DIY affair, and I was grateful that each yabbie had been split and pre-shelled before being served in its shell. Grab a warm buckwheat pikelet (that’s cooked to order), whack on a yabbie and it’s up to you to control how much lemon jam and cultured cream you want. Personally I was quite happy not to slather too much of either as I enjoyed the slightly nutty flavour from the pikelet with the natural sweetness of the yabbie.

This place is amazing! We sat at the bar and had the chefs tasting menu. Extremely affordable for a restaurant of this caliber, and 100% worth it. Every single dish was just divine, but the stand out was definitely the dessert; five textures of raspberry! The person who created that dessert needs an award of some sort. Incredible!

For food I would say 3 stars but by far you pay for having the best seat in the house of Sydney especially with Vivid going on. Don’t get me wrong the food was nice but it didn’t have the wow you would expect.

Gorgeous setting. Great view. Dined here during Vivid which made it even more spectacular. We had a great seat at the window which was due to booking way in advance for our anniversary. Entrees were delicious. Spanner crab with soft polenta and pop corn was so tasty but it could have been anything there really, felt the crab got a little lost. The scallop entree on the other hand was sensational. <br/>Mains were nice. Lamb rested to perfection and suckling pig simple but nice.<br/>Desserts were a stand out. Signature Pavlova didn't disappoint and the creme caramel vs millfiori was perfection. A great place to come out for a special occasion. $145 for 3 courses. Worth it.

What a beautiful restaurant - inside and outside. In the heart of the opera house! Cannot fault this restaurant, service and food were both amazing.. You have a choose of 3 meal course - 1 entree, main and dessert for $150. <br/>I gave this restaurant a rating of 4 , due to the pork being slightly dry, and that you don’t have an option of a la carte menu.

The interior of this place is immaculate! The architecture makes it have such a nice subtle ambiance. Definitely an 11/10 for interior design. The service was also very good! The waiters were kind, friendly and patient. The food was pretty good, but not the best. The confit tomatoes, suckling pork and the chocolate cake was probably the best! The confit tomato salad was sweet, with a refreshing taste. The tomatoes didn’t overpower it. The suckling pork was juicy and tender. The chocolate cake was super rich! The pavlova was actually very sweet. Princess charlotte was refreshing, but very different - tasted like a Japanese side dish. The quail was average, I didn’t feel like it complemented the pumpkin rice. For the price you pay, the mains are quite small. Otherwise, the service and the ambiance here is amazing! Might come back to try other things. ;)

This place is amazing! A prefect location for the vivid and other events. Love the customer services and the wine & food. Every dish has a story to tell! Will come back more often!

Definitely a restaurant for an occasion. Tonight we celebrated a birthday overlooking the Vivid lights.<br/><br/>As usual, the night started with some alcohol and fresh warm sourdough bread. <br/><br/>My entre was the Fraser Island spanner crab. Visually it's not the most pleasing but it was enjoyable to eat. Would have been nice to have a little more crab in this dish as it gets lost under the soft polenta. <br/><br/>The scallops with eggplant and XO bacon needed to be eaten altogether otherwise the bacon was quite salty by itself.<br/><br/>We thought with the suckling pig main, that there was only one piece of pork but little did we know that under the pile of carrot was another piece. My barramundi was soft and tasty, loved the crunch of the parnip chips, definitely gave the dish a different dimension. <br/><br/>The stand out for the night was the lamington. Wish we ordered two instead of the the pavlova, which I found was a bit too sweet. <br/>The lamington looks too nice to eat and when you ate it, just wanted to eat more. If I was to go again, it would definitely be for the lamington!<br/><br/>Overall everything tasted nice and portions are fair for fine dining. It's nice that they also give you a side of salad and potatoes with your mains. Definitely worth going for a special occasion

I had a wonderful evening celebrating my birthday with my girlfriend. She had mentioned we wanted a good spot to view vivid when booking and we weren't disappointed. They made a point of it to provide the table in the best position. The food and service were incredible and the atmosphere perfect. We could see the buzz outside from vivid but it was nice quiet and warm inside. I even had a surprise birthday cupcake complete with a candle. It was a perfect romantic evening in a historic location. The food was perfect, different tastes and textures, beautiful presented. The courses also came out in good intervals. Dessert was definitely the best course, was glad we left room for it. We went for the lamington and creme caramel. Would highly recommend this place for a special occasion.

Absolutely spectacular ambience, excellent views and overall great interior atmosphere makes this restaurant a standout. Food was as expected, service was impecable, for the excellent ambience alone  I will definitely return very soon. Even though dined very late, did not feel rushed, and felt most welcomed. Thank You

Every single course was fantastic. Started off with some beef tartare, had some lamb that was so soft for main and raspberries for dessert! Fantastic service and an amazing view. What's not to like?

We came on a Wednesday evening at 7pm.<br/><br/>I am NEW to the fine dining scene, but I've always wanted to try Bennelong because I've heard the experience there is always one to remember. It also helps that for people like myself who cannot afford to spend LOTS of money can try the cheaper tasting menu when sitting at the "bar". That night we had the Cured and Cultured.<br/><br/>Bennelong is a beautiful restaurant inside the Sydney Opera House. Very spacious and open, nicely dim lit that sets the mood, some decor pieces that really captures your attention.<br/><br/>With a beautiful wine menu that was hard to choose from, luckily our waitor was able to steer us in the direction of something we could enjoy throughout the night. There are also options to sample wines with each course, so you can try something with everything.<br/><br/>The tasting menu was primary seafood and a couple land dishes. Each dish was fantastic, our favourite taster was probably the salad. However, the 5 Textures of Raspberry dessert was an absolute winner...<br/><br/>Would absolutely recommend coming here for any taster menu. I would love to experience being at a table next time!

Amazing location, amazing food, amazing wine, amazing service. My partner took me here for my birthday and we chose different dishes which allowed us to try each other’s and taste 6 dishes in total. My favourites were the Princess Charlotte Bay bug dumpling, Arkady grass fed lamb and the pavlova dessert which had a delicious passion fruit Centre. As it was my birthday they also provided a surprise small vanilla cupcake with candle which was cute and a lovely touch. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable and wine was also delicious with options showcasing a selection of the best from across Australia. Highly recommend for a special occasion!

Bennelong... you were such a treat. Decided to come here for dinner to try this place out and I was left impressed. Located inside the Sydney Opera house, the ambience was spectacular and set the perfect scene for a lovely evening. We had a 3-course meal and each one was an absolute delight. We also ordered a few cocktails and they were delightful as well. I generally don’t eat meat but will try them at fine dining restaurants. Everything was really amazing. We ordered:<br/>Entrees<br/>- sea scallop and crispy eggplant: punching up huge Asian flavours, the xo sauce was filled with flavour and complemented the natural sweetness of the scallops and crunchy batter of the eggplant tempura.<br/>- spanner crab: this was also great! Super creamy with chunky spanner crab pieces and a nice crunch. <br/>Mains:<br/>- barramundi: this was really good too. Great crunch from the hazelnuts with a lovely creamy purée. Depending on how much barramundi you had with the purée, it could be a little too salty. However overall it was a great dish.<br/>- grass fed lamb: the lamb was made with such finesse. Very tender and succulent. The lamb had a really strong lamb taste though so if you’re not a big fan of lamb it may not be your thing. All the other ingredients added such great texture to the dish.<br/>Dessert:<br/>- chocolate cake: at first bite, there was a really strong bitterness from the cake. However, after the first bite the flavours worked so well together. It was a great cake with crunch, sweetness and melted in your mouth.<br/>- 5 textures of raspberry: just wow! This was my favourite thing on the menu. Just amazing. I was blown away. So many textures going on with a big punch of raspberry all around. This was an impeccable dish which tickled my taste buds in such unexplainable ways. I highly recommend this one.<br/>Overall, I had a great experience here at Bennelong. The service wasn’t as great as what I have experienced at other fine dining restaurants but I’ll let it slip since the food was spectacular and the ambience of the restaurant was also lovely. Sure, the entrees and mains weren’t super innovative and out there, but they used ingredients that would work well together and delivered on execution. And compared to other fine dining places, at $120 per head for a 3 course, I can’t complain. Good food for a reasonable price. I was satisfyingly content with my meal (was not stuffed but didn’t feel like eating snacks afterwards). I’d highly recommend coming here just for the experience. I’ll definitely be back.

So, the famous Bennelong Restaurant located exactly at the iconic Sydney Opera House! 😍 My husb and I just moved here in Sydney and it so happened that our 2nd year wedding anniversary is also on the same week. Thus I researched for somewhere romantic and remarkable.. then bwalah!! Google suggested me Bennelong. The place did't fail any of my expectations. The choices in the menu are all great especially the desserts! Oh my! I couldn't just choose one for myself. 💁🏽<br/><br/>Overall experience is 4/5 coz the husb was expecting for a bigger portion for serving but dining beside the Harbour Bridge and inside the Opera House is truly more than satisfying. ❤️

Bennelong had been on my list forever, and it's now one of my favourite restaurant in Sydney. Striking setting under the sails of the Opera House, with floor to ceiling window all around the dining space so you can soak in the amazing view surrounding the place. <br/><br/>We opted for the 3 course a la carte option. The menu offered a good range of 6 entrees, mains & desserts each to choose from. It was difficult to choose as they all sounds so tempting! I settled on the crispy eggplant & scallops with xo bacon for entree, the lamb for main, and the famous opera house shaped pavlova for dessert. I have definitely made the best menu choices out of my table, because my meal was amazing and almost faultless. I loved all of my dishes, the lamb was probably the best lamb dish I've had, so juicy and melt in the mouth, there's none of the lamb's gamey taste, and well seasoned throughout the pieces of meat. The dessert was not only visually striking, but the passionfruit base in the pavlova also off set the sweetness of the meringue, a refreshing way to close off a meal. The only reason I didn't rate this 5/5 is that some of the other dishes my friends had were not as strong, or they didn't enjoy it as much. But this is most definitely a restaurant to be put onto your list.

Excellent first time dining experience at the popular Bennelong! Booked a week in advance for Cured & Cultured, we were seated at the 2nd level bench. We had a lovely dinner with excellent service from our French waitress. Despite it being Sydneys most exclusive restaurant, the bill was certainly not as bad as we expected! Definitely looking forward to returning!

First time coming to this fine dining restaurant and it was amazing. The service was really amazing, we had Jose as our waiter and he was very friendly, easy going and had very good knowledge on dishes. I asked him what he would recommend and I seem to have had bad experiences when I ask that question but not with Jose. All his recommendations was perfect! So not only the service from the beginning was great, but the food was spectacular. To top it all off we went to eat for my girlfriend’s birthday they had even brought out a cupcake with a candle to end the night. It was a very good night spent at Bennelong. Would definitely return for the food and to be served by Jose. Thank you Bennelong for such a great service + experience.

Had dinner here on Easter Sunday. Nope. Not going back. Staff were excellent but the food was not good. I had high expectations. Sigh. So disappointed 😔

Have exceptional dining experience in the iconic Sydney Opera house. Service was great. Waiter explain each dish for us if we do not know.want we want. Food are delicious but I think it is a little bit salty. I love pork dish for the main course. Good memorable time, and pricy.

Went to Bennelong on a Monday night. This place is amazing inside the opera house and the view on the Harbour bridge is beautiful. The service was just lovely, extremely attentive and friendly. The food was also really good. I was a bit disappointed by my dessert, the famous pavlova, in the shape of the opera, I found it a bit cloying. Apart from that, we had a really good time.

Hands down, the 3 course meal I had at Bennelong recently was the best meal I’ve had in a long time. I don’t remember feeling quite that over the moon about a meal since perhaps Mr Wongs about two years ago?<br/><br/>Everything on the menu sounded divine and our group of four struggled to make our choices but I have zero food regrets with my choices...<br/><br/>... <br/><br/>Has a chocolate cake ever raised so many questions upon perusal of the menu? Across which water? Are they referring to New Zealand? Is the chocolate or some other ingredient from a nearby country? Or a sister restaurant across the harbour?<br/><br/>I still don’t know the answers to these questions but I can tell you that the chocolate cake was the PERFECT way to finish off the meal. It sounded so bloody simple, but it was anything but. For starters, when it was delivered to the table, I was warned by the kind waiter that there was a video moment coming up and to be prepared with my camera. He then proceeded to pour the hot chocolate sauce on the cake which gave way creating a sink hole in the middle of the cake.<br/><br/>Apparently the cake featured on Masterchef and has eight layers from the base through to the hot chocolate sauce. For a chocolate cake, it definitely was not too rich. I could taste various layers (e.g. the mousse, and the ganache) though could not name for you the 8 layers but I can say with great conviction that the chocolate cake was mindblowing.<br/><br/>Dish rating: 10 / 10<br/><br/>Service / other things<br/><br/>The service was great – not too in your face, but really attentive. You also get complimentary bread which is always a great way to get into my good books. Surprisingly, you also get complimentary sides of potatoes and salad for the main which was nice.<br/><br/>Cost: $135 for the 3 course meal. To be honest, this felt like a bargain for great food at such an iconic location in the Opera House. I’m patiently waiting for my birthday to come around to convince someone (anyone!) to take me back to Bennelong…<br/><br/>Full details: imhangry.net/2018/03/12/amazing-lunch-at-bennelong-sydney/

Atmosphere: Modern and sleek<br/>Lighting: Natural lighting is excellent and the artificial lighting is not harsh<br/>Parking: Opera house car park <br/>Transport: Circular Quay Station<br/>Bathroom: Access to the main bathrooms inside the Sydney Opera House<br/>Service: Friendly<br/><br/><br/>YES<br/>✔️ Tasmanian inspired scallop pie<br/>✔️ Mooloolaba Yellowfin tuna<br/>✔️ Ginger cocktail<br/><br/>MAYBE<br/>➖ Red claw yabbies. (The yabbies themselves are bland but the buckwheat pikelets with the lemon jam and cultured cream would make an excellent breakfast)<br/><br/>NO<br/>✖️ Salad of smoked eggplant (this is actually a tasty dish, however it’s not suited to my personal tastebuds)

Had an amazing experience! Definitely a must visit if you are in Sydney. Booked a table for my hubby’s b’day. The place is special - just coz it is in the iconic building, Sydney Opera House. Beautifully designed building architecture with mind blowing restaurant interiors. Being vegetarians, the options on the menu was limited but we enjoyed the three course menu meal we had especially the desserts. Having the chocolate cake is a must. For veggies. I would say, one visit is enough! The staff was really helpful and offered a cake for my husband too. So kind! Also it is on the expensive side so just go there for special occasions.<br/>Service - 4.5/5<br/>Ambience - 5/5<br/>Food - 4.5/5<br/>Value for Money - 4/5

Without a doubt the chefs are doing everything to make food perfect. Hardly to complain anything.you will feel special from the first moment going into the restaurant. From the bar area walking down to the dining area the panorama view from inside the opera house structure is striking - words cannot describe the master architecture design of the space. Staff are well dressed and polite creating very welcoming atmosphere. Every food is beautifully decorated and taste sophisticated with textures. You wouldnt want to rush every bite until the last taste is fading. Food size is small but the complimentary bread and side dish will fill you up I was full before dessert. Cannot make it five due to its about $150 per head without drinking much which is expensive to me for a meal but surely It has been a nice experience.

Right inside the Sydney opera house, this restaurant is a perfect place to enjoy delicacy. The dishes should be highly praised as well. Whatever the meals are, scallops, wagyu or the lamb, they are carefully treated. All of them are savory due to the delicate balance of seasonings. I came here twice and I was quite into the atmosphere and service here. I tried wagyu and lamb for the first time and they were awesome. The lamington cake was good, if you love cherry and chocolate, you should have a try. The second time I had my scallops, pork belly and pavlova and my friend had her crab, lamb and chocolate cake. The scallops were very tender, along with deep-fried eggplants, made the whole dish amazing! The pork belly was good as well, I can tell the pork meat was pickled a bit to make it tastes better. The pavlova was my favorite dessert! Looking like the Sydney opera house, the pavlova was not only fantastic in tastes but creative in shapes. My friend said her crab was good too. Although it may seem that having a dinner here is pricey but it is definitely worth trying!

Wonderful setting for a special occasion. Staff wished my sister happy birthday throughout the night and were genuine in their assistance. Even their photos of us were great! They were able to cater to a wheat eggs and dairy allergy and adjust the main I wanted accordingly. <br/>3 courses for $145 gave the usual sized portions but with plenty of carbs (potato and bread) on the side as a filler! Recommend the wagyu tartare, crispy eggplant with xo sauce and the lamb for the main.

Absolutely delicious! Could not fault a thing that was brought out.<br/>Superb location. Waitstaff are attentive and on the ball. Great wine selections and recommendations.<br/><br/><br/>

Big disappointment ...<br/>Went to Bennelong for celebration of my good friend’s birthday because of all the positive comments on food and everything. Frankly the food is just above average, but considering the view and being located at the tourism spot, it’s ok to pay 3 courses for $145. And with good companion, everything looks fine. <br/><br/>However it brought us big disappointment - we have told the restaurant that we wish to write something on the dessert plate of the birthday boy, and it turned out to be an additional simple cupcake with one candle (no names, nothing on it). We did order dessert but it came with nothing neither. I understand that many people choose bennelong for celebratory event but if they can’t arrange what we wish, please let us know and we may find other alternative. There are lots of other fine dining places in Sydney. <br/><br/>Would never go bennelong for celebration. But, will anyone pay $145 for a causal above average meal?

Enjoyed a 3 course meal, it was top quality! We had the following entrees:<br/>- seared tartare Rangers Valley Wagyu<br/>- shaved Southern squid - Fraser Island spanned crab<br/>- Local Royal red prawns<br/>Mains:<br/>3 course meal @bennelong_sydney the mains:<br/>- Arkady grass fed lamb - roasted John Dory served on the bone<br/>- Macleay Valley suckling pig<br/>Desserts:<br/>- Cherry jam lamington<br/>- Five texture of Queensland mango <br/>- Creme caramel vs Mille-feuille<br/>Can't say which is my fav as there are all so good. Desserts are right up there! Highly recommended!

Thank you Bennelong for accomodating my last minute booking and also giving us the best seats.<br/>It was my Husbands birthday and you truly made our days. And thank you for the birthday cake, this was very kind. The food portion was perfect and taste was amazing. the service was impeccable. Will highly recommend this place for special events. Do not miss the dessert!!!!

Excellent dining experience ! Came here for dinner for the first time. As we got there, the sun was still up so we got to see the beautiful dining room but as the night grew that’s when the magic starts. The whole place looked beautiful at night, some would say romantic, as lights on each table lit up the room slightly. <br/><br/>Incredible service and use of theatre in their dishes and cocktails added that something fun and unique. They had a menu $145 pp where you each order an entree, main and dessert. Nice and simple. <br/><br/>Entree: octopus and tartare. Main: Pink snapper and John Dory. Dessert: mango ice cream and jam lamington. <br/><br/>Food was incredible. Fresh produce. Perfect. The flavours were there. Beautifully presented. Fish was amazing and very satisfying. I would love to come back to try the rest of the menu. <br/><br/>Keep up the good work Bennelong !<br/><br/>p.s try to be on time or else you might finish your dessert at the bar <br/>