Review Monopole - Sydney

Had a la carte menu instead of the set menu. The entree portion size was small and wasn’t too exciting. The orecchiette paste was quite nice, so was the dessert. Was’t too impressed with the table services, felt being rushed all the time and not friendly at all.

Great food and atmosphere. Close to Australian square where you can get a drink afterwards. Awesome place for catch-ups and dates. The starters are delicious and the steak is amazing. Will def come back again.

Outstanding degustation course by chef Kyle and hospitality team, paired with the wine menu by the infamous, Zoe! Thank you so much for spoiling us. We had a fabulous dinner balanced with the most delectable wines. From the Tiger Prawn Sandwich to the beautiful Lamb Rump we were in absolute heaven! Not to mention, you have a way to make us feel at home with your warm welcome and fun stories throughout our dinner. We love the fine touches of Monopole and Zoe's incredible Somm wine expertise. Thank you once again for all of your hard work!

Great food and excellent service. Good wine selection. Probably wouldn’t get the dessert again.

Sad to give 3 stars as the evening had such potential. The food was delicious and very unique and the service started out exceptional, but unfortunately after we told the sommelier we were on a work dinner and we had a budget for how much we could spend on bottles of wine, she became incredibly rude and snobby. The evening started so lovely with some of the best service any of us had received in some time but the second half of the evening ruined the experience for all of us as dining out in a lovely restaurant like this was quite a treat for us all. I can’t be sure I’d recommend to any of my friends.

Delicious high quality plates, various kinds of wine and great service.

Definitely amazing food. The chefs know their game. Stake was absolutely perfect. All flavours are worth the price. Wine selection is top. The negroni I had was one of the best I had. I was a bit disappointed with the service. Could definitely improve in quality. This place is not cheap but if you don’t mind about that, it’s definitely worth a try.

A decent choice, and the fact that they leave half the restaurant for walk ins makes Monopole worth considering if ever out on a whim. The menu changes over time and unfortunately for me, the dessert selection was a little lacking. They have a set menu option for the whole table. Otherwise the a la carte menu is a single list that encourages you to order a variety of dishes to share. The pacing of the service was great during my sitting at 6pm on Saturday. The food was good quality but not overly exciting. I concur with some other reviews that it is a nice casual dining experience.

Dear Monopole. When we first tasted your degustation, we were blown away with spectacularly consistent amazing food. The first version of the raw kangaroo was exceptional. And then the menu changed, as all good restaurants do. And unfortunately you have been chasing just slightly ever since. Tonight, your menu was good. There were a couple of amazing dishes, but some... not so much. It must be so incredibly difficult to do what you do. It must be so hard to meet expectations all the time. I have a soft spot for Monopole due to memories of culinary delights, but hope that when the menu changes again, you will leave no option for us commit to fortnightly meals in your restaurant again simply because the food is undoubtedly worth the price. Your once very loyal customer that awaits in hope. x

Love this place, never fails. Wether it’s dinner or a casual catch up for drinks the service, food & drinks are always on point. Love the acoustics in the venue, super easy place to catch up and chat in a chill environment !

We just ducked in for a quick light pre theatre dinner. The cocktail was fabulous and the in house charcuterie plate was sensational. We had other delights including a cauliflower side and Moreton bay bugs - also very delicious. The dessert, which was a deconstructed creation, of pear, maple custard, pecans and star anise ice cream was perfection. A great place to come for dinner before the theatre as it wasn't too heavy and the cocktail list is really interesting. It's also worth going for a bit of a perve in the very handsome, perfectly groomed moustachioed, tall and dark, young Clark Gable-esq waiter.

Really bad service, rude wait staff! Whole experience was extremely rushed! My friends and I went there for a birthday celebration and opted for the tasting menu! We had 3 girls that either had intolerances or were pregnant and the kitchen/wait staff were terrible about making substitutions and where they were made they were no where near on par with the tasting menu...... mushrooms instead of cured meat for a pregnant lady!! Not cool!! Wine pairing was a waste of money! All really a shame as looked like the place had potential!

Visited tonight for the first time and will definitely be back. We had the monopole menu and every dish was sensational. Also decided to order the additional dessert - it was the most flavoursome dessert I have ever had (even better than the snow egg). Service was exceptional and when we needed assistance choosing wines, the help was spot on. At $65 a head for the monopole menu, this would have to be the best value night out ever. A very pleasant surprise indeed. If you are ordering off the alacarte menu, would recommend the cured meats, the tartare, the lamb and the cherry dessert. Thanks for a wonderful night.

We were delighted by the food, service was also great extensive bar menu & wine list. All in all fab. I think service staff should know where produce is from when asked the question but everything was terrific

My boyfriend booked Monopole for my bday dinner. The food was delicious - what we liked most was the surprise element. Each dish looked really simple but you could taste the complexity in your first bite! The service was great and they sent a candle over in our dessert which was a nice touch. Only let down for me was the atmosphere and fitout of the restaurant - it didnt quite match the standard of the food. The kitchen is open which I usually love, but because we arrived between service runs, the chefs were standing around talking for the first part of our night. It was also quite dark! All in all however, really enjoyed the food and the pre dinner cocktail - would perhaps be better as a lunch spot on a sunny day! �

I dined at Monopole on NYE and we were a party of 6. We had the $70 degustation menu which consisted of mainly cold cuts, a couple of fish options, kangaroo tartare, a lamb dish and one vegetarian dish. 4 out of 6 of us had really bad tummy upsets after our evening. My husband is still experiencing stomach cramps about 10 days later. I was up all night and this whole experience has not been fun. Gastro stop was our best friend and had to be used to somewhat alleviate the unpleasant symptoms of our dining experience. After a call from myself, a call and email from my daughter's boyfriend and a subsequent conversation with the manager, there has not been any follow up or recourse on this matter. Very disappointed in the lack of response or concern shown by the management of this establishment. Will never dine there again!

The tasting menu and matching wines were great. But what put it over the line was the great service we got. Our server knew the menu really well and even more about the wines. Don't often tip but in this case she deserved it.

We chose to sit at the bar as our booking time of 7pm didn't coincide with Monopole's table timings of 6:15 and 8:15. This was fine, but what we didn't know until seated was that the bar extended past the kitchen. I would not recommended sitting here as early in the night when not so busy the kitchen staff just stand there and look at you. Especially if you have an attractive date. Servings were tiny for the price and the wine I ordered was above room temperature and I had to ask them to chill it. Given the high end wines on the list and the price, this is unacceptable.

Came for wine, stayed for cheese and can’t wait to come back for more! Scottish Ian made it even better.

We had a lovely dinner last night to celebrate the end of my Masters course. We had the tasting menu, and a selection of glasses of wine. All of it was extremely high standard, with each dish providing some sort of taste surprise/delight. Definitely a good price/quality ratio as well. Would recommend this to anyone looking for a special night out.

Great food, great wines, great ambiance and great service. Quentin is a wonderful waiter!

Food was outstanding The raw kangaroo was my favourite Definitely recommend and will return shortly yummmmmo

Thank you for a wonderful night! I called up today to see if the folks at Monopole could accommodate me for my 30th birthday dinner and they were able to give us an awesome table looking onto Macleay Street. The service was so lovely (friendly waiters who had actually tried all of the food and drink options!) with lots of people wishing me a happy birthday, they even put a candle on my dessert! Stand out dishes were the house cured beef pastrami and the crisp skin chicken, thank you for making my night so special

Fantastic food and service. Dishes where very delicious and well presented. We also had a lovely French waiter who was so friendly and bubbly. I would definitely return

Customer service was excellent. Food delightful. Favourite - pastrami followed by the lamb shank. Wine also delightful. Well rounded evening. Met expectations.

Moreton Bay Bug w brown butter, Swordfish w confit fennel & green olive and roasted broccoli w shaved venison & wild rice! Fabulous food & great service. Perfect evening!!

Great meal and we left super satisfied! Atmosphere is sophisticated yet still oh so cosy. <br/><br/>We opted for a la carte as there were a few items we just had to try and certainly recommend the tartare and the pork belly. Perfectly glazed and sliced.

One of the best dining experience I've ever had.<br/>The customer service is really amazing, every staff are really understand what food they were serving.<br/>The food also great, especially the Duck Breast.<br/>Will come again for sure.

One of my favourite meals of 2019. The service was impeccable. Drinks were delightful and the menu was stunning. Spatchcock was the standout of the night. Would definitely recommend for casual fine dining experience or date night out.

We opted to have a seat at the bar and it was an awesome experience. It’s always nice to watch the chefs make your dishes and serve it directly to you. I really liked the kingfish - lightly seared with a citrus tang. I found the meats a bit too oily for my liking, but objectively they were delicious. Service was great and loved the interaction with the chefs.

Sat at the bar. Enjoyed majority of the dishes. Extensive menu. Intimate seating plan. Will I be back? Yes!

Monopole is such a wonderful place to eat, I would consider this a neighbourhood gem as well, cool dark place, friendly staff and food was outstanding. The highlight of the night would be beef tartare and the DUCK.. love that duck, melts in the mouth just superb.. for wine drinkers, this place has tonnes of options

Sardine Toast + Chervil, Sydney rock oysters (natural), Steamed Pippies + Cavalo Nero + Verjus, Duck Breast + Riberry + Cherry Wood Oil, trevally + peas. Everything cooked to perfection.<br/><br/>Huge wine list.<br/><br/>Great service

An impromptu gathering of friends & being a Monday night we were still able to get a table at Monopole last minute. We consider getting their tasting menu, but with 5 of us for the same spend we were able to order pretty much most items on the menu, so get to sample a huge range of food (14 items including the desserts). There were literally no duds amongst the 14 dishes, the food quality was high. There were some interesting flavours combinations, I preferred the lighter dishes, while my friends enjoyed the heavier flavours. They also have a very extended range of wine, but they don’t come cheap. So overall with food & drinks it came to about $120 per person. Nice but an expensive night out.

We took our son to celebrate his birthday at Monopole, a two-hatted restaurant located in one of Sydney's oldest but certainly one of the coolest suburbs, Potts Point. We loved Monopole's intimate setting and their delicious tasting menu, in particular the steak tartare and charcuterie dishes. The food came in sharing platters and a few were a bit heavy so it was a good idea to share. Dishes may look simple but were packed with rich and bold flavours and tasted quite impressive. Or so the saying goes, 'good food doesn't have to look complicated to be delicious'.

I am the biggest fan of Monopole in Potts Point, I have been here 3 times and everytime was just as good as the last. Love the wait staff and the chefs here. I love sitting at the chefs counter and watching the magic happen. <br/>Their seasonal European style menu is so good, they really know how to plate and celebrate the ingredients. <br/>Great wine selection and the cheese at the end is so good. <br/>Great venue for a date :)

My husband and I came here to celebrate our anniversary and we were happy with the service and food we ordered.<br/>Unfortunately as I was full from eating so much during the day, we couldn’t order as much as I initially ordered but what we did order, we enjoyed everything.<br/><br/>We started off with their smoked trout parfait which came with crispy thin bread which was a nice start. Then we both loved the duck breast which was so tender and was perfect with the cherry wood oil. We then had their beef with a side of potato, seaweed butter and charred lemon which was perfect together. The beef by itself was okay, nothing special but with a bit of the potato it was the perfect seasoning and flavour to the beef.<br/><br/>I had two glasses of unkel daydreamer Sangiovese which I really enjoyed but the three dessert options on the menu didn’t really tickle our fancy so we decided to go elsewhere. We definitely enjoyed our dinner and I wouldn’t mind coming back to sit on their bar and have a few drinks next time.

Monopole lives up to the hype and the awards. A Potts Point celebrity for a few years now, MP is a dark and sexy little wine bar, with a staggering supply of vino and excellent food to match. We went the $70 set menu, which was a list of winners perhaps let down only slightly by the kingfish course. The others - seared kangaroo, lamb shoulder with eggplant, snapper - were absolute delights, all explained carefully by the dedicated and friendly wait staff. What was especially nice was to have a few protein courses on the set menu - too many serve a number of vegetables courses with one or two mains, but at Monopole each course can stand on its own. Take a date, put your trust in the staff and enjoy.

MONOPOLE<br/>This is an old review from my experience from last year on Valentine's day.<br/>Unfortunately, the set degustation menu feel short of my high expectations on a chef hatted resturant.<br/>None of the dishes has a wow factor and to be honest, every dish was quite flavorless.

Dined here on a Monday night with a friend. Efficient service and the meals came out promptly. Lovely romantic dim lit atmosphere. The pastrami meat was incredible thinly sliced. All other courses included the duck breast and king fish were absolutely divine. Absolutely beautiful food and lovely experience.

Had dinner here with friends, and we did the $70 set menu. <br/>1. House Cured Meat Selection + Iggy's Sourdough <br/>2. Raw Kingfish + Mandarin + Malt // Tiger Pawn (if you don't eat raw)<br/>3. Beef Tartare + Spelt + Radish // (Beef Prosciutto + Chips)<br/>4. Spanish Mackerel + Confit Fennel + Green Olive<br/>5. Lamb Neck + Wakame + Radicchio<br/>6. Yellow Beans + Spiced Yoghurt + Pea Shoot<br/>7. Passion Fruit + Sour Cream + White Chocolate + Burnt Vanilla<br/><br/>Basically, it was a great place to go, vibe was nice, a bit of low light, and lounge-y music. Personally, with Asian blood, prefer not to coming back. But objectively, the food were quite great, with the vibe and the service itself were fine. In terms of portion, was just enough. My top favourite was the mackerel, a bit of crust from the grill, the olive and the fennel give a balance between sweet and salty. The yellow beans was unique with the yoghurt made it creamy, and went well with the lamb neck. The tartare was okay, more to salty dish, was expecting to be sweet (something more like japanese style). The dessert was so unique and nice, balance between the sorbet and the sour cream, and crunch from the vanilla and chocolate. <br/><br/>Overall, it's a good place to have a date or dinner! Might coming back some times later in the future.

Absolutely fantastic place with great food and friendly staff. But what surprised me more is the wine list! They have a huge variety of wine (they‘ve got good French wine, what is hard to find in Sydney).<br/><br/>You must try beef tartar ❤️

Monopole Potts Point is the creation of restaurateurs Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrand (Yellow, Cirrus, Bentley) and sees them turn the space formerly home to Sailors Thai into a sleek, dark, low lit bar/restaurant that’s about contemporary Australian share plates and fantastic drinks.

There were 5 of us dining on a Saturday night.<br/><br/>The experience was not bad overall, we had basically every item on the menu.<br/><br/>I would rate the service as 4 out of 5, but the food was not up to the standard I remember from a previous visit. At a cost of $150 per head with drinks I really think the food should shine, but it did not unfortunately.

We came here for a birthday lunch. The place is associated to Bentley’s and other award-winning restaurants, so choosing it to celebrate a special occasion was only fitting. <br/><br/>There is a choice to choose from a degustation menu ($70 pp) or a la carte. We chose from the a la carte menu, ranging from kangaroo loin, lamb neck and ocean trout tartare. The food was delicious and indulgent. The flavours were amazing and the lamb neck was especially delicious. We ordered glasses of wine too which went well with the food. <br/><br/>Service was great and humble. They were also attentive so if we had questions about menu items, we weren’t left in the dark. <br/><br/>I’d definitely come back to this place. Although a tad pricey, it’s very good to eat at for a special occasion.

Named after the French word meaning ‘a wine monopoly’, naturally, the menu is designed to compliment the wine. The modern Australian dishes are designed to share and resemble up-market snack food. The kind of food you’d expect to find at an up-market wine bar.

Food and service was amazing. Was a busy Saturday night so we had to sit at the bar but it was very comfortable. Would recommend the pastrami and the lamb ribs although everything we tried was A+

Food is great and we totally enjoyed it. Just few of the food pairing purée pairing is totally off. Service is great as there's one order that's isn't right was quickly fixed. Ambiance is lovely for catch-up not great for date as it could be too noisy but it could also be great place for a drinks

A luxurious dining experience in a casual environment, Monopole offers an assortment of seasonal small plates or tapas and a wide range of wines and sakes. The chic and contemporary restaurant features hanging bulbs, stool-lined counters, dark furnishing and an open kitchen which offers a sneak preview of their food. <br/><br/>The tasting menu ($70) was an aggregator of the classy dichotomy between their minimalistic culinary and meticulously prepared food. The finely shaven house-cured meats comprising kurobuta pork cheek, pork neck and david Blackmore brisket, was simple but aromatic. The starters, albacore with sesame and charcoal oil, and raw beef with pickled pine mushroom and brussel sprouts, were eclectic mixture of contrasting flavours and texture (though I have trouble finding the brussel sprouts). The swordfish with kombu butter was marginally overdone and dry whereas the pork belly was masterfully prepared and probably the only pork belly which did not stick uncomfortably to my teeth. The chewy rapa was a poor selection and stubbornly unchewable. The rye pudding with malted sorbet was a filling dessert which catered more to conservative tastebuds.<br/><br/>Monopole is an elegant and trendy restaurant but it could work harder on a couple of dishes so that it could make serious proposition to my memory bank and leave a lasting impression.

This was superb. Great casual ambience, excellent service (particularly from our knowledgeable, but laid back, sommelier) and food was top class. In the top five dining experiences I've had in Sydney. Raw beef and mulloway were particular highlights. 'Pulau hitam' inspired rye pudding desert was a great bit of innovation as well. And $130 for seven courses with excellent wine is not too shabby. Will be back.

Went last Monday to have dinner with some friends there and it exceeded my expectations. Did a bit of research before and read it was pretty decent but I was really happy with what we ordered. Not only the duck and pork neckmains were incredible, but also de waiters were really friendly and changed a bit one of the desserts in the menu to accomodate my husband's dairy free diet.

Unassuming bar that serves amazing food. We ordered the charcuterie, Moreton bay bugs, oysters, pork neck and brocollini. We were impressed with each dish especially since it seems they focus on the textures and subtle flavours. The crispy lentils and garlic shoots burst with flavour every bite of the tender and juicy pork. The linseed gave a subtle toasted hint to the sunflower seed purée that was paired with the brocollini. Again, the almond and red pepper on the Moreton bay bug gave it such nice texture. For dessert, we shared the peach, roast white chocolate and lemon sorbet. It was light and delicate and had us scraping every last piece on the bowl. All dishes were great, The flavours meshed so well. Only downside was that portions are small. <br/>

One sophisticated and moody hole in the wall small bar and restaurant. Dark and stormy in all the right places, a must for a nervous first-date or reunion with a long lost chum.

Cool restraunt in Potts point which makes lots of share plates. The food is quite expensive and plates are small making it difficult to share a plate between more than 2 people generally. The food itself is very good. All dishes we had were well presented with interesting flavours and well cooked. Would defiantly recommend a visit.

It has a pretty good vibe to the restaurant. Can see the extensive wine list in the menu and this is reflected by the wine places around the restaurant. The food itself sounded refined. We enjoyed the kangaroo tartare and the cheeses selection was good. The duck although juicy was a bit chewy. They came in small portions so we were left a bit hungry . The service was great and I enjoyed the dim lights.

Excellent in all respects <br/>Innovative Food <br/>Delicious tasty food<br/>Great presentation <br/>Excellent staff<br/>Impressive wine list <br/>Worthy Of Many more visits

The distance between tables is so small that you could be forgiven for looking up from your phone and accidentally rejoining the wrong table’s conversation. Combined with what I’d call an excessive level of darkness, Monopole is much more a wine bar, than it is a restaurant. No matter, I’m partial to wine, and Monopole certainly has a good list. The shine does wear off the 500-strong list pretty quickly though when your first two choices turn out – just like the oysters – to be unavailable.Making a good wine recommendation is as much about listening as it is about extensive wine knowledge. Landing a light-bodied Italian Vermentino when the diner expresses they like the voluptuousness of white Rhone varietals is unlikely to end well; ditto an unfiltered, natural style wine when they say they love an elegant Chablis or Chardonnay. We eventually agree upon the 2012 Domaine Charles Audoin Marsannay Burgundy ($98), which was rich but not buttery, and drank well throughout the meal.What Monopole does well is

Dinner at the lovely Monople Wine Bar in Potts Point is always such a treat as the food is creative and the wine list is very extensive. This provides for a wonderful opportunity to match a wide array of diverse wines with some very interesting dishes. Here are my matches and selections for the evening.

Came to Monopole as part of my bday eating safari :). This was the first stop. We had a group booking and they were very accommodating.<br/><br/>With the amount of people in the group, we had to go with the Monopole menu. This was comprised of 7 dishes with starters, entrees, mains, sides and dessert. We found this to be more than enough food for the table. The 3 cured meats we got as a starter was delicious and the beef tartare for me was a standout. They also had a great selection of wines, which we were happy about.<br/><br/>The restaurant was very quiet for a saturday lunch. Can't say too much for the ambience during the day, but I imagine it to be a lot better at night. <br/><br/>The staff was very friendly and attentive. The speed in which the food came out was at a good pace.<br/><br/>Glad I had the set menu, that way we got the most of the menu. :)

Potts Point is not an area that I venture over to very much, but I really should head over more often since a lot of the restaurants on my list to try are in that area. One of those restaurants was Monopole – but thanks to a surprise dinner from the boy, I was able to cross that one off the list!

Food: 4.5/5<br/>Service: 5/5<br/>Price: 3/5<br/><br/>I rarely go to places like Potts Point, so tonight was a rather special occasion as we were shouted dinner by a couple of friends as a thank you. I was a little wary of the menu - generally I like my food portions to be huge and filling, so I was worried that it wasn't going to be to my liking. However I was pleasantly surprised.<br/><br/>We got the degustation, and the dishes were all tasty. They had just the right portions I feel for a seven course meal, but I think I do prefer my more filling one course meals. The cured meats were great and I particularly enjoyed the Beef Tartare. The decor was nice and the atmosphere was really pleasant. The price is rather expensive though, with the four of us bringing the bill to a solid $280, which is far more than I am ever willing to pay for a meal I reckon. Probably won't come here unless it's for a important occasion, but a good place nonetheless.

Everything you want in a sophisticated local bar. Quite pricey but everything was consistently good quality. I only had dinner here once but enjoyed drinks at the bar a few dozen times. They mix a mean martini and are happy to fix you a snack if you're having drinks at the bar. A good option pre or post dinner at Cho Cho San and Billy Kwong.

The food was beyond expectation, excellent customer service, we sat on the bar right in front of the chefs so it was really cool seeing them in action cookin' up some good stuff, and they were really friendly too! Definitely recommended. Just keep in mind that the portion are fairly small, so you might wanna have a pre-meal just in case. Lol. But overall it was a really good dining experience.

I was truly impressed by the quality of the dishes at Monopole! The food was more on the expensive side, but the exquisite dishes were well worth the price. The spiced lamb rump was definitely the star of the show - I couldn't stop stealing it from my partner's plate and normally I don't even eat lamb!!

Traditionally fine dining is enjoyed over multiple course degustation but suddenly shared platter becomes a big trend.  I wasn't quite convinced by that concept when it first became popular and had a few mediocre sharing experience.  This was all changed when we dined in Monopole for a birthday celebration.  <br/><br/>Absolutely loved the ambience - on the dark side but very romantic good for first date.  Loved the large wine selection and the display wall too. The food itself changed my mind about sharing platter.  Every course was delicious and well presented.  A very good night was had in Monopole and recommend it for a romantic night out.

Really enjoyed my dining experience here. Monopole is a very dimly lit restaurant, good for date night. We ordered the $65pp set menu and can I say all dishes were on point and the service is great. Loved the freshness, creativity and taste. The beef tartar and the Trafalgar dish were my favourite. Each dish came out separately and the waiters allowed enough time between each to fully appreciate them. Definitely worth a try.

The perfect restaurant! Food you can't stop thinking about months later, knowledgeable and relaxed staff, wine that matches the food so well that you have to take sneaky photos so you don't forget about it. The beef tartare with the mushroom dust took me to a whole new world!! The restaurant/bar has alot of personality (just like the food) with it's dark timber trimming and small, elegant feel. I cant think of a better way to treat myself than to go back again!

I was there on a sunday night, the restaurant was full from 7 pm. Great atmosphere, Staffs are friendly and well trained. The food is amazing, good quality, good presentaion and the price is reasonable. Definitely go back.

Stopped in for a "quick" bite to eat before heading for dinner. The accommodating staff found us a place on a busy Saturday night. As we sat down and ordered drinks we couldn't help notice the food on neighbouring tables. A quick bite to eat turned into an ordering spree from the menu. Great food and delicious wine! The lamb was my favourite although I can't fault anything of the dishes. Genuine kind staff made the whole experience complete.

We showed up on a Saturday night without a reservation but the staff were lovely. We only waited 10min for a table and were promptly served. The food was delicious, the staff friendly and the environment was lovely

My perfect place to have dinner sits somewhere between casual diner and degustation fine dining. They all have their time and mood, yet that sweet spot in the middle gives you the best of both worlds by being casual enough to not worry about dress codes or pretension, but also knowing that you’re going to have an interesting, original and quality experience. Most of my favourite places sit comfortably in this groove, and one that’s recently joined that list is Monopole in Potts Point.

HAd the monopole menu,the standout for me was the octopus,we swapped it for the beef dish and it wasn't too chewy and I liked how they bbq it,some places my jaw gets tired from all the chewing but not this place,my partner agrees with me that everything was good but not great! If I had to pick the weakest dish was the dessert,I've tried pumpkin ice creAm in Disneyland Japan and I prefer the latter<br/>Ambience wise it's hip,funky and dark <br/>Nil issues with service,they explained each dish as it came and came out at a reasonable rate<br/>Prices is what I would be expecting to pay<br/>Overall I liked it but if you ask my partner she rather go somewhere else than come back,partly due to the price

A sensational experience. Eaten there with my wife twice. Both times excellent. Have to keep in mind that this is a food AND wine experience. Like looking at s great painting. Don't stand too close, stand back and take in the total picture

Great night out had by all. Food is amazing, drink list is diverse and service is solid. Surprisingly  hardly a wait for a table on a Saturday night ( yay- we hadn't booked) .  Descent atmosphere too.

Loved this place, great service and foods were absolutely amazing. There were a couple of shortfalls with over searing the salmon and slightly bland in one of their salads but overall excellent quality. Great ambience and vibe to the place with beautiful modern decor.

Everything was banging! The service, the food (oh, the freshness!), the ambiance, the bustle of the kitchen. Loved all of it. Don't skip the cured meats. The night was topped off by two drunk guys buying us shots of whiskey as we were leaving!

My perfect place to have dinner sits somewhere between casual diner and degustation fine dining. They all have their time and mood, yet that sweet spot in the middle gives you the best of both worlds by being casual enough to not worry about dress codes or pretension, but also knowing that you’re going to have an interesting, original and quality experience. Most of my favourite places sit comfortably in this groove, and one that’s recently joined that list is Monopole in Potts Point.

Loved it! Great ambience, wait staff were friendly but reserved, explained meals in detail but we're not pushy which we liked. We opted for the monopole set menu, so much food!!!! Cured meats (duck in particular) were great and there was a great range of food. Lamb was also cooked to perfection. Desert was melt in the mouth amazing !<br/>Opted for the early sitting and finished just on 830. Understand the need to move tables along and they were very clear about <br/>this when we made the booking so wasn't a big deal. A+<br/><br/>

Good ambience. Tried the cured duck which was quite nice with the pickled veges. The waiter suggested sharing at least 4 dishes between the 2 of us. We opted for the smoked octopus which was really tasty. The dishes came out one at a time except for our last 2 dishes which was an ok process. I would've liked to have had the roasted cauliflower the same time as the snapper main which arrived first. Not sure what the dark black looking sauce on the cauliflower was but that dish was awesome. The snapper and lamp rump were nice but nothing to rave about. We opted for the apple crumble ice cream after a recommendation from the waiter and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Service was a good time. wine was a good time. the charcuterie also a good time. the pork belly sans crackle - not a good time. crispy that bad boy up. please & thank you. 3 stars. #food

This restaurant turned a previously awful night into a night of bliss. Absolutely astounding food and service. From the perfect timing of the food, amazing wine pairing and the balance of flavouring, everything was executed to perfection. We had an amazing night and I would recommend to everyone to try this restaurant.

Worst service ever, walked in and stood there awkwardly before having to actually wave at someone for them to notice us. The chubby blonde guy who was serving us was a dud. Most of the time he was just chatting with other workers and not working. took forever to get our order. Asked him to recommend something and his reply was 'I don't know everything is good?' Yea, coz that's what I wanted to hear. Mate. You're the waiter, next time be more helpful. Oh and the bread that came with our pate was burnt. Couldn't even eat it. Won't come back here again ever

I was a bit neutral on the smoked cod from Monopole because of the overpowering taste of potato. The cod itself seems to have been mixed with potato to create a similar texture to mash but with a slight hint of seafood. Luckily, the pistachio and mint sauce on top was quite nice and refreshing.

or $65 Monopole‘s tasting menu is dangerously good value. Everything is to share. There wasn’t a single dish I didn’t like. And the presentation of each dish was spot on.<br/><br/>We start with finely sliced cured meats. Delicate bits of cured duck breast, Berkshire pork neck and Rangers Valley bresaola are assembled on a wooden board and served with sourdough, butter, and pickled veg.<br/><br/>I love the flavors of the beef tartare with 62° egg yolk, mushroom crumb, and potato skins. But the ceviche of scallops, charred avocado, sweet corn, and puffed wheat is probably my favorite of the night. The scallops are plump; there’s a crispy bite to the puffed wheat; and the creamy, charred avocado makes it a home run for me.

Ever since it opened I've always tried to find an occasion to really splurge at Monopole. Luckily for me a close friend was born 27 years to the day. So we decide to celebrate her birth, foodie style. Pacific Oysters $4 Nothing says a celebration for me like a plate of freshly shucked oyster. Always a great choice to start a meal. These were served fresh with a slice of lemon. House Cured Meats $26 A great little board comprised of Duck Breast, Rangers Valley Brisket, Rangers Valley Bresaola and Berkshire Pork Neck all cured to perfection. These tasty cold cuts come with some tangy pickled veggies. Chicken Liver Parfait & Grilled Sourdough  14 A gorgeous parfait that's rich and velvety with great flavour. Served warm with toasted bread. This was so good I scrapped that little pot clean! Beef Tartare A default order whenever it's on a menu and Monopole did a fantastic job with this. The meat was freshly hand cut, then injected throughout with creamy egg yolk and sprinkled with dehydrated olive and crispy fried spring onion. Superb. Grilled Lamb Rump $29 Lamb is one of my favourite meats, and dishes like this really make me realise why. The meat was cooked to pink perfection then given a good crisping on the grill, caramelising all that rich fat. Absolutely divine! Cheese Board $26 I'm more of a savoury guy, always preferring a nice cheese selection over a sweet dessert. So I was very please with myself for convincing my friend that a cheese board is just as special as cake on her birthday. Now I dont remember what types they all were but the stand out for me was the circular goats cheese. Rich and creamy, this was heaven spread on a cracker. Literally.

Soft slimy wood ear mushrooms, the light crunch of radish and the silky smooth oyster cream – makes it tick the textures box. The (distinct) oyster flavour which shows its shy face through the rich cream balances the beautiful juices from the beef flank! The beef flank is quite tender and is cooked rare, so the soft centre of the meat is retains the full flavour of the steak which there is light outer crust that’s beautiful. It’s an amazing dish – love it.

Their set menu delivers Monopole’s greatest hits, including their stunning charcuterie plate in a shared dish format. Yep, this place is perfect for pairs and if you sit at the kitchen bar, you get a cooking lesson too. I get even more emo watching them.

A dark and masculine narrow wine bar and eatery, decorated in grey metallics and rich dark tones. It’s intimate, welcoming and is spacious enough to not overhear other conversations. I had dinner here with my girlfriend

So I’m not gonna lie, Monopole is not a bargain but it is an absolutely, beautifully executed night out. We couldn’t be more chuffed at this amazing meal.

WOW! Almost perfect, although I can't tell you why it loses points. So, maybe it is PERFECT! Service, ambiance, food, wine, flatware, dunny: all, AMAZING. I've read reviews on urbanspoon that the serving sizes were too small and it lacked value. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! Unfortunately, I believed the reviews so we ordered at least one dish too many. And bread, which we rarely order. We would have been happy with far less. The wine list is just too long. Way too many choices. How I would have loved to have picked the Hill of Grace, or Grange, but I was on a budget this week. Stuck with a Heathcote Shiraz, yum! Great juice. The food, works of art, with flavour. I mean, look at this stuff! Just gastronomic poetry. Pork and Prawns Salted Cod Crispy Skin Chicken Sword Fish The service is perfect. Relaxed, attentive, knowledgeable, very professional. Thank you Anthony. Fit-out and flatware exceptional. Lighting and mood music, outstanding. Dunny: better than home. The scented candle

Monopole is the younger sassy sister of Bentley , opening in December 2012.  It is dark, but more of a sultry dark, rather than I-can’t-see-what-I’m eating-or-who-I’m eating-with dark.  Fine wines line the walls, and there is bar seating as well as table seating, if you’d prefer to see the kitchen team in action. The most expensive dish on the menu is $28, which for this pedigree is frankly very good. There is also a $65 seven course tasting menu, though I think if there are two of you, you are better off ordering 3 different courses each and sharing them, you’ll be well full and likely come out ahead (we ordered 7 dishes and it was one or two too many, we were stuffed). The tables are pretty close together, so we ha

The Monopole Menu is one of Sydney’s best “bang for your buck” meals. The flavours are clean and simple but there are enough unique elements (namely in the desserts) to appease jaded foodies. There’s the odd hiccup with dishes veering towards blandtown, but overall the food is tasty enough to warrant revisits.

We love that you can choose 30 wines not only by the glass but also by the carafe – a great balance between single glass but not a full bottle. This is one of those wine traditions that we should pick up more from Europe in particular France and Italy, we think it is slowly starting to happen. The Food: a bit more care placed on the food presentation, but its early days at Monopole.

The in-house charcuterie platter is a definite must. A selection of four was served on a nice round of wood, with a serve of pickled radish and cabbage in the centre. The cured & smoked duck breast was luscious and velvety with a soft hint of woodiness, perfect with the glass of pinot noir we had on the side. The cured Rangers Valley Tri Tip was a pleasant surprise – delicate, floss-like shavings simply disintegrated on the tongue, almost a playful catch-me-if-you-can moment for the diner. Despite its marbling, the tri tip felt lean, and was definitely not too rich.

Monopole is Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt’s newish restaurant and wine bar. The duo have taken the knowledge learnt from running the hugely successful Bentley Restaurant & Bar and carved out an impressive looking eatery in Potts Point. Somewhat of a recent change, the restaurant now takes limited reservations with half of the tables for bookings and half reserved for walk-ins. Seems like a nice idea to me. It also means that for an after work meal you don’t have to be disappointed in missing out on a seat.

Monopole has focus on seasonable produce and they cure all of their own meats in house. As their space is so small this means a constant process of curing, us eating, and more curing. A labour of l

Swoon baby swoon. The sign out front is not up yet, though the elegant wine bar and restaurant Monopole – the latest offering from Brent Savage and Nick Hilderbrandt of the Bentley Restaurant & Bar – has (just) opened. I’ve taken an early peek and I’m truly excited by its showcase of classic and modern wines by the glass (from $8), carafe and bottle. Wines cover the globe from Burgundy (France) to the Yarra Valley (Australia.) “Try something you haven’t tried before,” Anthony Moore advised, before pointing me in the direction of the natural wine Jamsheed For Bentley 2011 Syrah

On this enlightening tour, I discovered that the paradoxical nature of Potts Point strikes a perfect balance, making it an exciting and inspiring place to visit. A dizzying mix of privileged living and crippling poverty, urban congestion and green gardens, this suburb is a place of contradictions. What really sets Potts Point apart is that although it is one of the more upper class suburbs in Sydney, it also encompasses Kings Cross, the city’s infamous underbelly. This unique feature means that the well-off residents of Potts Point have a special understanding of their city’s poorest inhabitants, coming into contact with the homeless every day. For the newcomer, it is a most unsettling experience wandering the streets of Potts Point, where just a few metres away from a swanky restaurant or trendy café, you could easily stumble across a large group of homeless people, a methadone clinic or a strip club. This proximity to those in need has created an interesting culture in Potts Point, a

Great place to eat, food is amazing, service is attentive, friendly and efficient. Thoroughly enjoyed our evening here and will definitely be back.

Fantastic resturant! We had the $65 degustation and every dish was amazing. Highly recommended to everyone. Will definitely be back.

Great dinner at Monopole. I went to the Monopole for dinner with some girlfriends last Saturday night and was thoroughly impressed by this newish restaurant in Darlinghurst. I'd been to the sister restaurant (the Bentley Restaurant & Bar in Surry Hills), but think the Monopole is so much better - both in terms of ambience, food & service. They also serve great cocktails as well as an extensive and reasonably priced wine menu. My friends and I had the shared menu, 7 courses for $65, and we enjoyed every single dish on the menu. From the tasty cured meats, to the savoury dishes, every dish was beautiful presented and a perfect balance of fresh Australian ingredients. The highlight for me was the ceviche of scallops, charred avocado, sweetcorn and puffed wheat. We finished the meal with a light and refreshing dessert of anise soaked strawberries, fennel cream & almond. A thoroughly enjoyable experience, I'll definitely be going back to taste other things on the menu.

Macleay St Gem. My partner Jan and I dropped in here on a Wednesday night around 8.00 pm and were immediately impressed by the classy yet eclectic decore and minimalist lighting. We decided unanimously to have the degustation with matching wines care of the young sommelier at large.<br/><br/> We started with the charcuterie board, which was most impressive' with the standout being the cured Duck breast with a hint of hoi sin and ginger. The Ceviche was a treat with a nice acid balance and delightful texture. Salt Cod, Green Peas, Pistachio & Mint followed. Brilliant ! All the flavours worked so well together. Cutting to the chase, after another three tasty and innovative plates, the Hero for the night being the Grilled Lamb Rump, Spiced Carrots & Smoked Yoghurt. The Lamb was Sous-Vide and melt in your mouth, the perfect partner for the carrots and yoghurt.. Spectacular ! <br/><br/>The stunning food, the knowledgeable sommelier and the friendly, efficient floor staff made for an unforgettable evening.

Fabulous wine bar & excellent vegetables! Don't order meat.. As a Wine bar, Monopole was an awesome experience. The space is kitted out intimately; Classy without feeling oppressive. The wine list has some great by the glass selections and an interesting range of bottles. The crowded space was buzzy & still private and I got to wrap myself around a smashing Riesling. All in all, a great Wednesday night.<br/><br/>EXCEPT.<br/><br/>Someone appears to have trained the kitchen extremely well on how vegetables do. Tiny heads of Romanesco seasoned with (I think) yuzu to cut through a rich jus. Gorgeous crispy fried Broccoli with thick textured egg yolk. Vegetable purees *loaded* with butter. This is frenchy dirtborn heaven with glasses of angelic grape souls. Where it's let down were every single meat dishes.<br/><br/>Put plainly, they're boring.<br/><br/>Pork neck. The mustard seeds around the side added no bite, blending seamlessly into the pureed something. I've forgotten what because it didn't taste of anything. The entire dish was rich from different fats and oils but the meat, the star of the dish may have well have been synthetic. Maybe that was, itself, a demonstration of the chef's skill. Look amazed as I turn this ordinary delicious cut of meat into flavourless protein!<br/><br/>The encore trick was taking beef cheek and cooking it. Just... cooking it. From taste alone I'd guess it was braised in water and then browned before being plonked into another white puree (This one nominally cauliflower) and given a once over with a thin jus which looked and tasted beige. Delicious texture and sensual eating experience coupled with no flavour whatsoever. I don't think it had even really been salted but by this time I was so bored I just wanted to go.<br/><br/>You should come here and drink and get some vegetables to feel virtuous about. Skip the meat. Actually, maybe just fill up on bubbly, it's full of calories and that's basically a meal, right?

Fathers Day. Made a last minute booking and what a delight it turned out to be. Staff was friendly, creative degust menu..although the venue was on the small side. Hope to try their new menu soon!

Absolutely amazing. Stumbled upon this place and was pleasantly surprised. staff were amazing, food was delicious and atmosphere was perfect. will definitely be going back

Everything was great!! Especially our waiter!! Was a bit pricey but the service made up for it...... Untill we had just finished our desert and were told we had to leave as the table had been booked for another party!! Way to ruin my sisters 30th bday with our group spending over $1300 to get kicked out as soon as we had finished and to be told we couldn't even finish our wine was disgusting.

Best wine list, excellent food.

Wicked Wines!. Tried this for the first time this week and thoroughly enjoyed it. Love the intimate space- service was great and the tapas list was solid with just enough variety. The thing that stands out about this place is the sensational wine list and the amount of half bottles which they have available. It means you can really have some fun with matching the wines with your tapas throughout the night.

Fantastic! A great place to meet for a casual evening of good food and wine. Loved that it was packed out and buzzing! Didn't see an unhappy person in the place. The dishes were exciting and we loved sharing to get a taste of everything. We had the late sitting,and after a few hours of grazing we left full and looking forward to returning next time we're in Sydney!

We used to like this place but not anymore....anyway I took my best friend from London a few weeks ago. The waiter was confused with the food we ordered and we were squeezed into the table and very close with the other customers which uncomfortable!

Refined sharing plates. Great inviting fit out with moody lighting to make for a perfect dinner date or a catch up with friends. The service was good, we came in at 6.30pm for a 2 hour sitting which is more than enough time. The wine list itself is impressive and i would recommend it to any wine connoisseur. The food is designed to be shared and they recommend about 2-3 dishes p person which is a fair amount. Started off with the charcuterie board, and ordered bread to go with it. The house made butter is delicious, the pork and duck cured meats were my favourite whilst the bresola was slightly dryer than what i like. Chicken liver parfait was by far the smoothest that I've ever had, the baby cucumber salad was a beautiful medley of vegetable ribbons that was refreshing, whilst the salt cod and potato was almost like a cold mashed potato puree salad w chunks of salted cod, it was an interesting dish but I'm not sure id order it again. I loved the lamb, beautiful medium rare slices with fetta sauce, whilst the pork neck was my favourite, thick slices generously studded with fat which gave it a great bite, and not a cut of meat i see too often. Expect to pay $60+ pp (inclusive of one bottle of wine for 4 ppl). The menu is relatively short, so i probably wouldnt come back unless it was changed on a regular basis.

I'm surprised by some of the negative comments here. We went here for a birtday celebration and all were impressed by the venue. The atmosphere and service was fantastic and the food was incredible. I agree with some of the comments below that a few of the dishes were pricey, but welcome to Sydney. Also, other dishes were great value, like the impossibly tender pork dish. We paid about $50 each for a ver satisfied table of 4 including a bottle of wine but sans dessert.

Let down by service. Beautiful food and venue unfortunately let down by rude dismissive waiter who was the cliche of self important hipster. Upon arriving were advised our table of 8 should order the monopole banquet menu which after discussing we declined in favor of ordering multiple dishes. From then on our waiter decided to question out choices, dismiss dishes and generally be unhelpful. Multiple occasions this waiter corrected a friend pronunciation of menu items, ignore requests for assistance and ended with skanking the bill down before leaving us. <br/><br/>A real shame as while the food and service from the other staff was excellent all 8 of the table have come away with a negative experience we will pass on to others advising them to avoid Monopole

Style without Substance. A lot of work has gone into Monopole. I wanted to love it but I just didn't. I would have to agree with the comment below that they appear to be a victim of their own success. We had the 8:30PM sitting. We arrived at 8:15 and there was no chance of getting a seat at the bar. We were fine with this but it was close to 9 before we were seated. <br/><br/>Our waitstaff were absolutely lovely. The food was just ok. It wasn't terrible, I didn't leave upset, but I wasn't super impressed (particularly given the press this place has received recently). <br/><br/>The restaurant itself was packed giving it a bit of a sardines in a can feel and it was loud. Too much style, not enough substance is how I felt in the end.

Monopole is a victim of its own success; customers squeezed into tables whereby you're sat on top of each other, and waiters are constantly bumping into you while you navigate/dodge plates of food and pouring of wine. It's bloody uncomfortable. The food arrives lukewarm or cold, the staff are surly and the menu confused. The one redeeming feature is the extensive wine list. This restaurant personifies Sydney at the moment: overpriced, overbearing and confused.

There are 2 seatings you can book for: 6.30 & 8.30, we got the latter. We arrived early being told we could have a drink at the bar. We did not realise they jam pack the bar with walk-ins & there's no where to wait. The first group of diners were in no hurry to leave and as the 8.30 sitting arrived there were people standing in the aisles and out of the door. We were seated first since we arrived first, but we thought we were going to have to fight another woman for our table, which she had been eyeing up as hers. Wine list is impressive but lacked explanation. We, a couple, were sat on a table sandwiched between 2 tables of 6-8. One of those proceeded to be very loud and encroach on our space so much that we had to lean to the other side. We could hardly speak to eachother and basically couldn't wait to leave. Only when we asked for the bill before they cleared our plates, did they offer to move us. Too late! The food was actually good. We didnt like the sound of the set menu but it seemed like really good value. They had 2 desserts only, neither of which were appetising to us. The food was not excellent though and after paying the $200 bill we left feeling irritable, ripped off and wishing we had stayed at home. We couldn't even be bothered to complain! We were really looking forward to a special experience and so this was very disappointing.

Not a great first experience. Admittedly, we attended Monopole back in February when they hadn't been open long. I forgive a restaurant for teething problems. It was my birthday, we booked a table for 16, and they had lost the booking (which had been email confirmed). We were therefore left waiting for quite some time. As a large group, we opted for the banquet menu. However most of our group found everything rather bland. I had high expectations for this famous duo, and really wanted to like this place - its got a great ambience and is a stones throw from my front door. However we paid $100 a head (including wine) and at this price I forgave a food experience that was not offensive, but certainly nothing to write home about. If a smaller group and a la carte menu left me similarly underwhelmed I would be a lot more upset. I may still give this another shot.

Fantastic flavours, every dish was exciting! Excellent service.

Amazing wine and great food, good service, only negative is the prices.

Overpriced and minuscule portions - whilst the food is tasty, I can't get over the dishes at an average price of $25 being described as 'share plates', and the sugestion that 6 dishes would suffice for the 3 of us. Service lacks wamth - bill change was wrong and not even an apology was uttered

Poor service. We walked out.. Poor service. A friend and I met for a drink/early dinner. Unfortunately we walked out after 15 minutes of waiting for 2 glasses of water. I had asked for these, they weren't offered. No-one bothered to take our order despite the room being about 10% full. Plenty of staff, just none that wanted to serve us. I won't go back.

A mixed bag. I found Monopole to be a bit of a mixed bag, but mainly because I was uncertain as to what to expect going in. Having experienced Chef Brent Savage and Sommelier Nick Hildebrandt’s first restaurant ‘The Bentley’ (you must try the degustation there!), I was under the impression that this would also be a fine dining experience of much the same style. However, that it is not.<br/><br/>Aesthetically, interior designer Pascale Gomes McNabb has hit the nail on the head. It is raw and rustic, with exposed timber and mirrors used to highlight the darkness that encompasses the room. The interior is perfect for creating that casual yet intimate vibe, and whilst the seating has been squashed in a bit to accommodate for the crowds, one can look beyond this.<br/><br/>The food is really what confused me a bit. Everything was absolutely delicious (the shaved heirloom vegetables in a buttermilk whey dressing are a excellent side dish and a must try) and the flavors work perfectly, so kudos to Brent. However, the menu reflects a fine dining restaurant, contradicting the décor and their desire to create a more casual experience. In fact, had the charcuterie and cheeseboard been pushed to me by staff, with the option to order a few additional other sides, I probably would have loved Monopole. Rather, I ordered numerous items from the menu (the portions are small so you must order a few) in order to compensate for a larger main, and then a cheeseboard at the end. Like I said, everything was delicious, but this meant that we only got to have a few bites of each dish, and that is became rather pricey by the end.<br/><br/>The wine menu on the other hand cannot be faulted. It is as perfect as it is extensive, and sommelier Nick Hildebrandt deserves to walk around with a smug sense of self-satisfaction. There are over 30 wines that can be purchased by the glass or carafe, so perfect for sampling, or over 500 by the bottle should you wish to indulge in some light reading. Better yet, should you get confused or wish for something to match one of the dishes, staff are more than equipped to offer a suggestion.<br/><br/>Overall, I quite enjoyed Monopole, but feel they need a bit more time to find their ground. The balance isn’t quite right, but I have no doubt Brent and Nick will sort it out. My recommendation is to go with a group of friends, indulge in a nice wine and order a couple of cheese and meat boards. You can’t go wrong and will love the atmosphere.

Loved the meal. Disliked the service. Typical for eating out in Sydney service-wise, but the food is great.

A group of 4 of us had dinner in this place.We had 6 tapas meals. It was a bit dark inside but nice ambience and the music and the waiters were very friendly.Overall quality of the food was nice.Will be back again....

Even though the website says no bookings, we arrived to a half empty but booked out restaurant. Apparently as of this week you can book...... 90 minute wait for us.<br/>The waitress at front of house had too much attitude, and couldn't even force a smile. <br/>Wine list was great, we tried two lovely big reds and thoroughly enjoyed them.<br/>Food was below average, and wildly overpriced. $16 for 5 pieces of charred baby corn, $26 for 4 slices of dry pork neck. The charcuterie ($26) was nice, but nothing special.<br/>Not recommended, much better spends to be had in Potts point.