Review Machiavelli Ristorante Italiano - Sydney

If you’re looking for an authentic Italian dining experience, you’ve come to the right place. The lower ground level makes the atmosphere feel like intimate yet inviting. The red walls are lined with beautiful artwork and black and white photos of celebrities. Staff are friendly and professional. The food is cooked in a classic and traditional way. No obscure, modern twists to the original recipe, just real Italian food. Each dish is delicious and rich with flavour. Great for medium to large groups.

Oh my god. Fantastic 5 star Italian dining experience. I didn't get what I originally wanted elsewhere in the city and had to book this as a last resort, but wow! What a great atmosphere, exquisite food, and friendly + accommodating staff. The whole night we felt like royalty! A great way to spend our 3rd year anniversary.

This restaurant definitely one of the best Italian restaurants in Sydney. However, don’t really understand the decoration in the restaurant with all the politicians photos hanging there, I think that was a bit weird. We ordered the oysters were very fresh, the calamari was delicious. We also ordered risotto and the duck ragu, both very nice seasoned and fresh. Tiramisu and the chocolate mousse were worth to try. Definitely will be back for more mains.

Went here for a company dinner. It turned out to be a very happening spacious underground level place. We ordered some seafood appetisers share followed by fresh pasta dishes. Service was attentive.

The best Italian restaurant in town - We go back for a bowl of pasta every now and then. Food is simply so tasty and basement atmosphere is great.

A lot of the reviews here mention the steak tartare and the algorithm will recognise this review merely for the mention of the dish. But not for what I'm about to say. That it's mince, that it's top side, that it's a dish I'm happy to have eaten once yes, but, sadly, I can't see why I'd eat it again. The waiter seasoned it at the table and it was all very fancy but I just can't help but feel it's inclusion on the menu is a bit dated, something like the menu Dustin Hoffman's character in the movie Chef insists upon. I recognise quality flavour though and the tagliatelle Machiavelli my wife had was delicious. Service was attentive. The who's who of who's eaten at this restaurant (I assume) around the walls subtly reminds me to keep my feet firmly in the middle class section of Sydney life.

Exactly what dinner should be about. Great food and friendly team. Atmosphere is perfect for a nice catch up with friends. No one is tapping you on the shoulder to remind that the 2 hour meal period is over. Yes, you can relax and enjoy your meal, wine and company of friends.

We went back to Machiavelli last night after some time. The food was brilliant and the service was excellent. I would have loved to have given it five stars but there is one simple thing it should do. The lighting is far too bright for dinner. For such a sophisticated, historic restaurant, the bright lights destroy the ambiance and give it a food court, or even a McDonalds feel. It is the opposite to romantic. It is true that some restaurants are too dark, but surely there is a happy medium. I see others have made similar observations so I hope they can take this on board.

Generous servings in a bustling family style restaurant with a warm and welcoming ambience. It is quite difficult to find the restaurant as it is located downstairs, unless you’re specifically looking for it. If you’re looking for authentic and freshly made Italian, I highly recommend giving @machiavelliristorante a try. ⠀<br/>⠀<br/>🍽 DISHES SAMPLED⠀<br/>⭕️ GNOCCHI | I’ve tried so many gnocchi dishes at different Italian restaurants in Sydney and no texture or taste holds a candle to Machiavelli’s Gnocchi. It literally melts in your mouth with lasting flavour that perfectly blends both the sauce and potato together. Despite how many times I eat it, it tastes even better with each bite I take. ⠀<br/>⠀<br/>⭕️ PAPPARDELLE DUCK RAGU | The duck is very tender, soft and with plenty of flavour. The sauce and seasoning was a little too salty and overpowered the taste of duck. The serving was generous and with better balance with the sauce, the dish would in no doubt be far more delicious. ⠀<br/>⠀<br/>⭕️ TIRAMISU | It’s creamy, not too sweet and blends really well with the coffee. The chocolate adds a hint of extra flavour that tops everything off. ⠀<br/>⠀<br/>⭕️ CREME BRÛLÉE | The taste of custard was a little plain without the accent of fruits. The caramelised sugar was delicious and complimented the custard very well.

Ok, I'll say it without fear or exaggeration - this is the best pasta I've ever had.... Beautiful flavours, fresh and with high end service. You pay a little extra but it's worth it.<br/><br/>Favourite dishes: gnocchi gorgonzola for her. Ravioli for him<br/><br/>Things we didn't like: none - we could not fault them

Attended an event here and boy did the food just keep coming! The seafood platters were epic, meatballs just delicate and perfect, cured meats, sliders and omg the pasta!! I just died when trying the Machiavelli Linguine with mushrooms and prawns, it was just next level. The event space was just perfect with standing and sitting space and we did not go hungry! The wines were sensational along with the service, cannot fault the place. Looking forward to coming for dinner.

If you like your Italian restaurants old school, this is the place for you. Traditional dishes made simply and with high quality ingredients.<br/><br/>We had the duck ragu with handmade pappardelle, the beef cheek ragu with handmade fusilli, the Bolognese with handmade penne. We followed that up with a T-bone steak and finished with crepe Suzette!<br/><br/>We had an excellent 2016 Rosso Di Montalcino.<br/><br/>Service was attentive but slightly brisk.<br/><br/>Our only compliant was that the lighting was a bit bright.

It’s the stalwart of Sydney CBD fine dining where some of the biggest deals in town will be negotiated.  Enjoying the accolades of hosting a regular clientele of moguls in business, media and politis, there’s extra care apparent in the service style and Neopolitan menu and beverage lists

Had an absolutely fantastic evening. Thought I was actually in Italy eating the most amazing food with attentive and excellent service. A true dining experience.

This was my second visit to this place in 2 weeks, it's not surprising really, the quality and flavour in this place is amazing!<br/><br/> <br/><br/>On my first visit I came with an Italian friend that had it as a high recommendation from other Italians.<br/><br/>It is definitely a special place, so I decided to come back and bring mum who's visiting from overseas and she loved it too!<br/><br/> <br/><br/>As soon as you step foot in it you'll feel the Italian ambience around, waiters are quick and courteous and fresh bread is served.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>Entrees:<br/><br/> <br/><br/>Fiori di zucchini fritti - my absolute favourites !<br/><br/>Prosciutto di San Daniele , make sure to ask for the one that comes with bufala mozzarella and melon, you won't regret it !<br/><br/> <br/><br/>Home made pasta:<br/><br/> <br/><br/>Omg the Pappardelle duck ragu!! It's my go to when I have pasta and these guys know what they're doing !<br/><br/> <br/><br/>Pasta:<br/><br/> <br/><br/>Of course we had to try the house pasta, so we got the Spaghetti Machiavelli , it had king prawns, mushrooms and chilli so the spiciness made<br/><br/>me very very happy. It had everything I like in a pasta!<br/><br/> <br/><br/> <br/><br/>I also wanted to vary the pasta so I got the fish from the menu, I got the John Dory with veggies and herb lemon butter.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>Portions are vast so you can share it and have a proper famiglia meal !!<br/><br/> <br/><br/>If I'm honest I do love good Italian sweets, and they didn't disappoint.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>My first time here I had the vanilla bean creme brulee and the vanilla panna cotta. Mamma mia !! what a delight !<br/><br/>Europe flavours and memories came back to my mind.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>This time around I got the chocolate mousse slice, I have a sweet tooth so I was one happy lady ! consistency and richness in flavour were all there.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>If you want to treat your loved ones, don't hesitate to bring them here to try authentic Italian food. You'll absolutely love it !!

I’ve had the pleasure of dining here twice over the past two years, and it seems to get better and better if that’s even possible. The seafood here actually gets delivered twice a day, that’s how fresh it is. I can’t speak more highly of the delicately composed dishes. For entree we had the new menu item ‘gorgonzola figs wrapped in prosciutto’, cevice & steak tartare.

It was my first time visiting Machiavelli and I was beyond impressed.<br/>This venue took my breath away as soon as I stepped into the room. Loved the elegant and sophisticated ambience.<br/>From starters to mains to desserts, everything was absolutely top notch! <br/>My favourite dishes:<br/>Fresh blue mountain figs wrapped with San Daniele prosciutto served warm with gorgonzola and sage sauce. Distinctively delicious. A must try!<br/>King fish carpaccio w/ extra virgin oil, lime, chilli, lemon dressing and pomegranate. Fresh, tangy and delicious!<br/>Gnocchi Napoletana. Definitely the best gnocchi I’ve ever tasted. Soft and pillowy!<br/>Their scampi and zucchini flowers were also delightful.<br/>As for the desserts, everything I’ve tried was divine but I especially loved their cheesecake. To die for.

Before this I'd never had pasta that cost more than $50 before but now I can say I have. It's definitely very good but it was more of a one time experience for me. Found it was a bit too expensive. The staff are very nice though. And my Bellini was delicious.

From the moment you walk into MACHIAVELLI RISTORANTE ITALIANO you feel welcomed like a family member. This venue definitely ticks the boxes!<br/><br/>From the delicious entrees, to the beautiful mains to the decadent desserts, you will definitely enjoy every mouth watering bite.

Very impressive food and ambiance. A well known and loved Sydney institution. My 1st visit and really enjoyed it. Recommended anyone to vist 😘

Transported back to Italy! Super traditional trattoria, with hearty honey pastas and my favorite antipasti platter of all time because of the avocado and mix of cold and hot elements like quiche, arancini, grilled zucchini and beetroot!

Service was great! Food was amazing. Probably one of the best pastas I've had in Sydney. The portions were huge too! Although a bit pricey. The atmosphere was nice and homey so good for families too.

Really hard to find parking close to this restaurant. Situated downstairs, reminds me of Italian trattoria's in Italy. Extensive food and drink menu. Visited on a Friday night. Very homey feel restaurant which draws in families, couples and the business crowd. Restaurant has a nice vibe. Quite a bit of chitter chatter so conversation decibal was quite high. I liked the environment. There was a really loud table of four males behind us who were drunk and having a feed. Nice to see the restaurant has a very mixed crowd.<br/><br/>Menu is broken up into sections moving from antipasti, pasta, mains, fish and sides. Quite classic Italian food. Bread didn't come with butter however available upon request. Cheese and cured meat platter is plentiful. I enjoyed all the cuts. Was looking forward to zucchini stuffed flowers which was sold out for the night. Pasta is al dente. I love gnocchi and enjoyed it with gorgonzola. Pillows of potato which feels like a cloud in my mouth. It's so soft! Steak is cooked perfectly. Dessert menu is also extensive. Love the eggy/custardy creme brulee and the trio cannoli.<br/><br/>We enjoyed our night here. Plenty of staff on the ground who were all very friendly.<br/><br/>One thing I'd like to point out is this place was close to full capacity however I really enjoyed the timing of our meal. We didn't feel rushed at all and was actually able to have a breather in between courses and soak in the meal and atmosphere. Didn't feel pestered by staff like other restaurants.

I'm torn!😕 I had some serious trouble choosing a photo to post for @machiavelliristorante today. The fact is, everything on the menu was incredible!👌<br/><br/>From the Italian wine and freshly shaved prosciutto, to the kingfish, scallops and Antipasto platter. Every dish was made with premium quality ingredients and lots of the good stuff - ❤!<br/><br/>The basement-style restaurant is an Italian institution and it's easy to see why it has such an impressive reputation🍽<br/><br/>Machiavelli Ristorante is among the most elite eateries of the CBD and is well suited for big business lunches and those who simply want the best Italian experience money can buy!🍅<br/><br/>Book a table for lunch or dinner and discover one of Sydney's best kept secrets! Just keep on the DL, Ok?!😉<br/><br/>🚩For more awesome Sydney restaurants like this one and much more, visit mybondisummer.sydney

Machiavelli is located right in the heart of Sydney CBD just a short walk away from Wynard Station. Machiavelli is a fine dining traditional Italian restaurant with focus in finest produces, seafood and handpicked ingredients. All the dishes we had were singing on the plate with bold flavours, amazing techniques and perfect presentation. We were also on the look out for famous people but didn't have any success on a Tuesday night. Machiavelli is all about the customer so if you have any dietary requirements, special requests or wine pairing expertise, they will happily prepare this for you.

What a fantastic way to enjoy and authentic Italian meal. In the heart of the city lies this old gem of a restaurant offering excellent service and fresh food. The Pasta was sensational!!! Homemade and flavoursome. Highly recommend the ravioli, gnocchi and risotto, just too good. Save room for dessert as it’s well worth it. What a fabulous experience and would highly recommend this wonderful place.

(1.5/5.0) Alongside Buon, Lucio’s and Beppi’s, Machiavelli is one of the four family-run traditional Italian restaurant near Wynyard Station. Named after Niccolo Machiavelli, the Italian politician who was widely considered as the pioneer of political science, the restaurant features a functionalist yet classy interior with draped white table clothes and portraits of popular Italian politicians. The masculinity was further emphasised with an all-male crew - a fatal flaw for many restaurants today though.<br/><br/>I started my lunch with the simple fried zucchini flowers. The efficient crew served me the stuffed parmesan zucchini flowers even before I drank my first sip of the table water. Expectedly, my fritters were icy cold and uncooked inside while sporting a crunchy and crispy exterior. Unacceptable.<br/><br/>The spaghetti di Machiavelli ($42) which was served in a buttery basil sauce, did not resemble in any sense like fresh chewy pasta but those similar to Barillos. The spaghetti, however, formed a holy union with the wild mushrooms and creamy sauce. However, I would expect fresh prawns rather than powdery and slimy ones.

Named after Niccolo Machiavelli (1469 – 1527), an Italian statesman, political philosopher and author, Machiavelli is celebrating 30 years in business in Sydney in August 2018.  Former owner Giovanna Toppi opened the restaurant on August 29th, 1988 bringing traditional Neapolitan cuisine to Sydney. 30 years on, the central antipasto table with its spread of cured meats and fresh vegetables is still there.  When customers order the antipasto platter, your waiter will hand pick the ingredients from the table and prepare it within your sight.

Machiavelli is a an Italian restaurant located in the Sydney CBD, close to Wynyard station. The restaurant has been a stalwart in the Sydney dining scene since 1988 and has built a long lasting reputation as a business and corporate restaurant serving up a menu of authentic Italian cuisine. It’s the place to be seen and that has certainly been embraced by the restaurant, with the walls adorned by portraits of famous individuals including ex prime ministers and other well known political figures.

In Short: At Machiavelli, come for the atmosphere and people-watching, but stay for the impeccable service and equally impeccable, quality Italian food. .<br/><br/> I can still recall, with the sweet taste of pasta sauce on my lips, my first visit to a real Italian restaurant. It was in Rome, metres from the infamous Spanish Steps. I was in my early 20’s on my first European adventure; I’d waited for so long to get to Italy, the home country of my family and heritage, and finally I was here…making my way down a staircase and into the alcove of the restaurant. The place had a tangible, palpable atmosphere. The waiters in their sharp attire; black ties, white shirts, black vests and long black aprons, were practically gliding from table to kitchen with a quiet busyness. The familiar smells of tomato, garlic, wine, and bread filled the air, and in the corner a man with a fisarmonica played familiar old Italian tunes. I felt like I was in one of those old Italian movies I’d watched as a little girl with my dad, and I was loving every minute of it!

Went here for lunch last Friday, entering the room at 1pm to see a heaving crowd of people, the good and the great enjoying a business or leisure lunch, although I didn't spot anyone famous. My companion and I were seated in an excellent spot to observe and we enjoyed viewing the photos on the walls of premiers past and present (Gladys). Despite the sellout crowd our waiter was soon on hand to take our order and leave some nice crusty bread to munch on in the meantime.  We decided to share a number of dishes and started with the zuchhini flowers which were absolutely superb; perfectly cooked with a beautiful cheese filling and creamy sauce on the plate.  We also enjoyed the fusilli pasta with crab meat, creamy sauce and from the specials and a ravioli with seafood in napolitana sauce. <br/><br/> My friend, was paying for this one and ordered a light Italian red which complemented the food very nicely and we had two glasses each. We had both eaten our full so did not consider the dessert menu which appeared to be the usual Italian classics. All up, the bill came to around $200 (so I was told). Good service, enjoyable food and out the door in little more than an hour despite the busy crowd being attended to.  It's a little pricey but an enjoyable weekday treat now and then.<br/><br/>It's good to see a veteran of the dining scene maintaining its standards.

Went the restaurant with the expectation of high rating from Zomato and yelp. Two of us weren't served with the bread while others did. The restaurant has nice ambient (not many people and nice setting). The waiters were easy going and approachable at first but started to talk amongst themselves when most of the customers were served and enjoying their food. The food is okay, but mostly paying for the environment and nice service( which didn't happen in our visit).<br/>I don't want to be irrational and make it a racial thing but I do feel not treated equally from small details and would really wish to see some developments.

A true pleasure for a long lunch with friends. Attentive warm service; generous servings of mouthwatering Italian classics, and a wine list to compliment the food and atmosphere. An old favorite that continue to mature with age.

Started with the antipasto platter, it's amazing. Great mix of cured meat, cheese, olives, etc<br/>For my main had a beautiful duck ragu with fettuccine, was so tasty! Perfectly cooked pasta, delicious sauce. Went down well with a fine selected Italian red wine.<br/>Dessert went with the tiramisu - it was ridiculously good.<br/>Lovely Italian waiters and very attentive service.<br/>As always a business meeting establishment for lunch, but found out tonight that dinners are great here as well.<br/>

Always amazing. Have eaten here more than 5 times over the years as I'm in Sydney every week or so. It's an exquisite hidden gem that does real Italian so so well.

The ambiance in Machiavelli is gorgeous. High ceilings, dim lighting, artistic light projections, loud and happening. The bar in the middle of the restaurant really sets the mood. The cocktails were great. We ordered a smorgasbord of entrees, from the prosciutto, calamari, prawns, mozzarella and cured ocean trout. All were fantastic but have to fault the seafood as we found it a little 'fishy.' The mains - duck ragu, spatchcock, crab pasta and prawn pasta were all delicious. The pasta al Dante and the spatchcock tender. Unfortunately the service didn't add up to the food. Slow, inattentive and other people's orders served to our table on more than a couple of occasions. Overall, I would come back for another visit.

I've been here twice and both times I loved it. It's a real cosy Italian restaurant that prides itself on its consistency and of course their regular big hitting business folk and politicians. The food was great as was the Coonawarra Shiraz but I was entertained more by an older gentleman at the table next to us being entertained himself by a lady of the night. It was hilarious and apparently this kind of thing happens regularly here. Go for the food and stay for the entertainment.

A very cosy and classic restaurant, located away from the city vibe this place is ideal for a romantic dinner if you have the cash to spare. The prices of dishes are fairly high however match the reputation of the joint.<br/>I had the Snapper fish and really enjoyed the affogato as desert. The atmosphere as you'd expect is very classical Italian themed.

This restaurant is the scene of power dining. It is the place where we do lunches which stretch on for hours and wine continues to flow dulling the content of the conversation. The charm of the experience and hospitality of the lovely staff never ceases to amaze its loyal patrons. Lunch here is always eventful.

Machiavelli is a lovely italian restaurant. The food was so delicious, if a little pricey, but the service was very warm and welcoming. The atmosphere in Machiavelli's is very traditional, in keeping with the traditional italian menu. This was an excellent dining experience and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a special night out.

The food quality is pretty good with the price to match, its authentic italian and reliably good. It is a old mans venue to me though, very blokey and only open on weekdays which is why i think this is a good palce for men to have business lunches. I have been a few times now (for work) and i would not go here by choice to be honest, its more of a nice for business not for social. It is filled with business men too. An old feel but to review service, service is pretty average to be honest.

Machiavelli needs no introduction. It's reputation has been flourished by the high rollers and politicians of Sydney and with that, expect to pay the high prices. Tradition and familiarity are key aspects of Machiavelli's success. Old men, all groomed wel

Extremely Disappointed. I went to this restaurant for a work lunch, and i have vowed to never return.<br/>The service is absolutely terrible, so much so, we had to ask for serviettes on our table as they failed to set it properly. Then when we asked they made out like we were the biggest hassle.<br/>To order drinks, we waited 20 min before we were even asked then another 20 for them to come (so i suggest ordering more than one drink in the beginning if you plan to have a couple).<br/>The food was average, the minute steak looked like something a 5 year old would produce and once again the wait was just ridiculous (all meals were brought out at different times- not all together, and some components were missing)<br/>If you plan to come here in your hour lunch break, you can forget it, the whole afternoon will be written off as the service is just so slow.

Worst Restaurant EVER. We came as a group of 8 and waited over 20 minutes to be seated for our 2pm booking, only to find a whole back area full of empty tables. <br/>The waiters all dissapeared and only 20 minutes later when someone came to take a drink order we were able to try to place our food orders. Drinks took over 20 minutes to arrive, two entrees that were the same when ordered came out completely different, one came without bread for the cheese which was unedible unless you wanted to pick it up and eat it on its own.<br/>The staff who were hard enough to locate all seemed to constantly go in and out of a door marked staff only which stunk like cigarette smoke, all with a wine glass in hand. <br/>When we finally got our meals they were all average at best, for the around $45 per main prices I would have expected something of better quality. <br/>We were also told we could not have the lamb shanks as they had just sold out, but only noticed after we had left that we were charged for the lamb shanks as well as the second option meal. <br/>Staff were completely rude and obnoxious, we had to ask for basic things like cutlery and napkins and were so unhelpful and acted like we were the biggest hassle being there. This wasn't even at peak lunchtime hours. <br/><br/>We couldn't wait to leave, will never be back and will tell anyone who will listen to stay away from this place.

What a shame. Great service, great wine. Food totally unpresentable, entree I ordered calamari and my husband ordered stuffed zucchini flowers. Waiter came with 2 bare plates then returned to dollop some tartare sce on both plates followed by a piece of lemon. Then for the entree finally the waiter serves up placing calamari rings on both plates that resemble bands you would use to castrate while placing the zucchini along side them. For main again the food was terribly presented. The parmagana looked like it had been rehashed and slapped on a plate while my steak Dianne was looking like a crepe swimming in sce then waiter appears to place pureed spinach and carrot circles on top. Very disappointing considering a little love would make it fantastic. Definitely a joint for people to inflate there egos for appearance but nothing more. Such a shame I wishing could run the kitchen for a night or even a lunch.

Best Italian food in Sydney. This is without doubt THE best Italian food in Sydney... Hoorah! <br/>NOT open on weekends... Booooo!

10 out of 10 food and service

Worst experience ever. Owner is arrogant and obnoxious - rude beyond belief!! Food isn't anything you can't get at your local food court.<br/><br/>Won't be returning.

Skip this one. Food was good, arrogance of owner appalling which left a bitter after taste. <br/>They have no idea they are in the restaurant service industry. <br/>I'll never return to this restaurant !

Great Food. Great Italian food today for lunch and excellent service. <br/><br/>Decor is a little tired and could do with updating. Not keen on staring at the huge picture of Barry O'Farrell either!

A stupendous event. Our recent visit to machiavelli set the scene for a memorable event.... great food/ great wine and professional service leaves nothing to be desired. this tourism institution deserves all the awards that it receives which recognises a traditional hard working italian family. simply superb... bon appetit..........

My Favourite. This is my favourite restaurant. The food is top shelf. I have been numerous times and the consistency is amazing, I generally order the spaghetti Machiavelli and it is always the same... Perfect. The zucchini flowers are another favourite. Then comes desert the strawberry flambé is ridiculously good. I can't wait for my next visit!

One of the. Best meals I have ever had!

Great ambience, good food ( I had gnocci gorgonzola and partner had risotto gambieri) and excellent service. Pricey but worth the experience

This restaurant has an excellent ambience and traditional Italian feel from the moment you walk in. I had the gnochi gorgonzola and I am very glad I did. Overcoming slight food envy at my bosses choice of the fusili with crab I started on my gnochi and was very impressed! All the dishes we ordered came quickly and by all reports were delicious. O would highly recommend this place as long as you aren't paying for everyone!!