Review Olivo Harbourside - Sydney

Bad seafood: oyster not fresh, scallops had a strange taste, prawns not fresh. The chairs not clean. Service no good. Surcharge 10% on Sunday not worth it. So what's the reason going back?

Perfect setting within the vibrant Darling Harbour for an anniversary celebration! Friendly staff who assisted with special request. The steak with creamy mushroom sauce was perfectly cooked to medium-rare! Food presentation 👌 making it more appealing with great menu & cocktails

Great service at New Year eve early dinner! Delicious risotto marinara. Incredible view!

Asked for medium steak. This is how it came out after it had been sent back because it was blue. Manager agreed that it was still way under done 2nd time out but said too bad as chef was new and still learning. Not willing to recook either. Worst meal in Darling Harbour.

The venue is nice, the food was good but the service was very poor! Only 3 stars due to terrible service! We had to call for service and had to wait so long to have our orders taken. It happened for the whole meal. Prices reasonable, the Sangria was lovely, food delicious. Staff need to improve their customer service........greatly.

A lovely family restaurant right in front of the Ferris wheel. $45 for a very decent 3 course meal with soft drinks or house wine. (Not sure do they have this price on weekend). Even the kids meal spag bol is very generous in size. Staff are very friendly as well.

Great location and atmosphere. Right in front of the ferris wheel on the beautiful Darling Harbour. What more can you ask for? The food and wine were superb. I got the Veal Saltimbocca. It was beautifully presented and tasted just as delicious! Would 100% recommend coming here as it was not too pricey either. I will for sure be coming back soon!

I write this email to express my dissatisfaction with the service my husband – and I received on 5th May 2022 while dining in your restaurant. Upon spending over $200 on below-average produce, my husband was met with an extremely disgruntled employee– I believe her name is Sue. As we had finished our meals, my husband stepped out for some air, to take a phone call and proceed to look for the waiter/ waitress to pay our bill. He then was met with a group of waitresses and Sue accused him of trying to leave without paying. This behavior is simply not on. As we are both upholding members of society, and actively partake in philanthropic events within our local community, a business owner, and I - an HR/ recruitment partner –both are extremely embarrassed and mortified at this accusation. Not only was this done in front of other patrons, but our meals were also simply awful, the wine was off and there were quite a number of items on the menu which the restaurant had ‘run out of’. In relation to the specifics of our meals, the bread on the charcuterie board was still frozen and cold, the chips looked as if they had been microwaved and my Greek salad was simply a plate of lettuce. Given the current climate and state of the world, I really do have empathy for all hospitality staff and treat every human with the same amount of respect as I wish to be given, however, been accused of trying to walk out of a restaurant without paying, having a staff member create a scene in front of other diners and paying a considerable amount of money for below-par meals is simply disappointing. I am hoping that you look into this matter and instruct your staff to behave more hospitably to paying customers and would appreciate it if you take the appropriate action.

Had a fantastic waitress! Nothing was too much for her. Food was amazing. Had the garlic prawns and the mussels and they were both great! Would go back again!

Rude staff <br/>Burgers was very chewy and tasted off <br/>Had yellow stuff on the inside

Small serving size - terrible coffee - service staff were really rude - refused to replace any food taken by aggressive seagulls and had to pay full price

Great view right on the water, a wide range of dishes and drinks, food was prepared well and was tasty , service as just ok though, we had people arrive after us, order after us and be served before us so a little disappointing.

Too long waiting time for food (more than 45 minutes)<br/>Steak was overcooked (asked for medium but turn out to be well done)<br/>Drink was fair<br/>Overall a bit pricy

I dined here on a Saturday night with my family. Upon arrival, I explained that I had a booking and the staff member seemed confused and went to check. A different person came over and asked us "how many people" and I explained that I already had a booking. We got a seated at a table that was already reserved so I assumed that they found my booking. For starters, we had the garlic and herb bread which was a generous serving and flavourful. The pieces were cut quite thick but a sharp knife was provided if you wanted to cut it smaller. For the main, I had the osso bucco ravioli which was handmade pasta in a creamy jus sauce. I found the pasta well cooked and with ample filling. The serving size was quite large with about five pieces of ravioli. We also had the zucchini flavours which were well received as well as the chicken milanese. I enjoyed the food here however the service was a bit off. We didn't receive any table water and it seemed that we had multiple staff looking after our table and that there was some miscommunications between the team members. This place is good for a pre show meal if you're looking for something cheap and cheerful.

Had lunch here the other day and ordered the pan fried gnocchi wild mushrooms. The gnocchi was soft and fluffy and the mushrooms were nice. I thought it needed a bit more seasoning and salt. Service was friendly but could have been a bit quicker to take my order.

Behind here on several ocassions.   First time for lunch on a weekday (which I rate a 4 out of 5) - food was excellent.  Second time - after work happy hour (which I rate a 3 out of 5).   Food & Drinks perfect, service flawless the first time, but i actually had to get up out of my chair the second time to get people's attention (3 on the floor, 2 on the bar).  Iconic views of Darling Harbour, Iconic italian flavours and superb service (we had Kate and a lovely asian woman whose name slipped my mind!!!)<br/><br/>If you can't decide from the extensive ENTREE SELECTION, I highly recommend the tempura zucchini flowers with beautiful bursts of cottage cheese and pine nut stuffing. The Saganaki Prawn rests in an interesting sauce of white wine, lemon, cherry tomatoes, oregano and chilli. The meatballs are juicy and tender taking this classic italian favorite to new levels with the use of Wagyu beef - its unlike anything out there! The Arancini is glamoured up with buffalo mozzarella, saffron and truffle. The hints of fushion are so subtle without diluting the rustic Italian many of us know and love.<br/><br/>Amy tells us that the pastas, crostini and ciabatta are made fresh on site! The best of Aussie ingredients, seafood and meats are sourced and used in their sauces, aioli and signature dishes. The SPAGHETTI MARINARA is a great example of this - featuring prawns, calamari, octopus, clams in a fresh home made Napoltana sauce. If you're looking for something a little lighter, The ZUPA DI PESCE is another variation of this but also has Flathead in a Napoltana stew. I've had both and they are top notch.<br/><br/>In terms of pastas and soup - There is something about the SPAGHETTI BOLOGNAISE in terms of the sauce and meat that is so much richer than usual, and dont quote me, but I'm sensing Wagyu beef, which is so delicate and so absorbed with the sauce's flavor. <br/><br/>The surprise for me here is the Italiano's answer to the ultimate Vegetarian option. I'm not a vegetarian myself but was taken aback by the FRIED GNOCCHI - potato pasta with a smokey flavour of wild mushrooms and potent peccorino cheese. Beautiful done and definitely a standout for me.<br/><br/>The Desserts here are wonderful. The TIRAMISU is served up in the shape of a boat with the right balance of coffee soaked sponge and mascapone, The CREME BRULEE custard is light, airy with the perfect punch of vanilla. But the standout for me - was the DARK CHOCOLATE & COINTREAU PANNA COTTA with Raspberry Coulis - it's a refreshing change to the plain jane cooked cream we are use to seeing and it's pairing with raspberry is reminiscent of a Black Forrest cake - again another subtle twist in their fushion.<br/><br/>Central location in darling harbour, lots of light, view of the water and perfect for large groups, events and celebrations - i highly recommend a visit here!!!

Saw the menu here and liked the choices plus the girl at the front was friendly. We were seated right away. After that it was a waiting game! Waited 20 mins to be offered a drink and to have our order taken - only after we called someone over. Food arrive and was very nice! Then had to wave and call to get a second drink, my plate was taken before my partner had finished eating! No offer of dessert or coffee, left sitting there till we decided to call for the bill - staff having a good chat inside while customers wait outside! Good food, lovely location but service was sadly lacking. Mentioned it to the manager - something for them to work on she said - an apology wouldn’t have gone amiss!

Very delicious panfried gnocchi, just wish they gave a larger serving for that price. Food is averagely good and i didn’t find anything too surprising.

We came here for dessert. This restaurant is incredibly well located right in front of the Ferris wheel with beautiful views of Darling Harbour. I also love the set-up with the outdoor seating and the great decor inside with the floor to ceiling windows. We ordered the creme brulee and the key lime pie. The creme brulee was too sweet unfortunately but the key lime pie was decent. The portions were fairly big as well. The staff is friendly too.

What I liked best about this place: My Friend and I wanted a nice dinner and decided to go walk abouts on at Darling Harbour. We didnt have a booking, they seated us straight away. But what lured us into this place was the special they currently have at the moment. For a total price of $37, we got 1x wine + Main + Dessert.

Food was delicious! Staff were friendly. <br/><br/>Thoroughly enjoyed the pastas: we got the gamberi and marinara. Arancini balls were amazing but wagyu meatballs a bit dry!

I was there for breakfast so ordered my Campos coffee & a serve of their ricotta blueberry pancakes. Coffee was slightly bitter and pancakes were a bit dense rather than fluffy, but it was an affordable meal and the cafe has a nice view overlooking the harbour.

This is what I order every time (do the same and you wont be disappointed): <br/>****stuffed zucchini flowers (to start)<br/>****zuppa di pesce (main )<br/>Big servings and big smiles from staff.

The turf and fries were good considering the price (also includes a drink which can be either wine or beer). I will definitely go back to eat here.

We ordered the kangaroo, chicken and snapper. The beetroot with the kangaroo made the taste a bit too strong and took away from the kangaroo. The chicken was a simple schnitzel with mash and the snapper was cooked nicely.

Italian flavors in Darling Harbour, this resto will surely tickle your palate. The dishes were averagely priced with huge servings, the staff were attentive. We've ordered fish & chips, eggplant lasagna (mozza cheese was so divine!) and a pasta. Huge servings we can't even finish them all. How I wish I could be back here.

Came here for supper with friends. Had the fish and chips. Fish was fresh and tasty, but the two small fish pieces and few chips wasn't worthy of a sizeable portion as we were still hungry! the chicken burger breast was dry... the kangaroo burger was tasty and moist... the seafood pasta was good. Attractive location but wouldnt rush back in a hurry.

Amazing fresh Italian food at reasonable prices. Very lovely and caring staff. Was very impressed with one mans manners whilst he was offering me a taste test of a wine. My food was delivered in great time!! Very attractive view of the harbour while you dine. Was definitely well looked after at Olivo! Would definitely recommend this restaurant!

Loved this place. My partner and I enjoyed a beautiful night out at Olivo. Great views, great service and delicious food with a jug of sangria at an affordable price. Will come again.

We started with an olivo's sloppy kiss cocktail which was really good, I had the mussels entree which was amazing! The sea food pasta to follow with lovely prawns again was really well prepared! The drinks selection was impressive! The only issue was the service a bit forgetful and the main were served before the entrees were cleared.

Went for the lunch special, had the pulled pork baguette which was tasty, sadly the jalapeños which were supposed to come on/in it sadly weren't there. Otherwise the service was good and it's a good value and worth going to.

Only the food and location was lovely.  I came here on a date and we had to wait for 20mins between the entree and meal, then it got chilly towards the evening and only a few heaters were lit in the outdoor area.  Overall service was friendly however not professional or attentive to details.  We even paid for $35 for a 3-course meal for 2 only to realise afterwards as we had left darling harbour.

- Vegetarian platter, which had beautifully stuffed Zucchini flowers (fav)<br/>- Beef Carpaccio - presented differently but pleasantly WITH aioli underneath the beef<br/>- Risotto Funghi with TRUFFLE!!! Full of mushrooms and not just rice <br/>- Zuppa Di Pesce which included an array of seafood (mussels, calamari, prawns) in a sweet but savoury red sauce.<br/><br/>Lastly we finished the food coma with a tiramisu and creme brûlée. These classics were done right. I just wish I wore elastic pants, but it was worth every inch of my waistline. I can write a bunch but the photos speak a lot louder. <br/><br/>By the way, the service was YASSSSS<br/><br/>

Fantastic Italian fusion restaurant located waterside darling harbour offering a menu rich in variety. Customer service is very attentive. The food comes out quickly. I highly recommend the spaghetti bolognese with peas and the fried gnocchi. Make sure you order the tiramisu and creme brûlée for dessert. I was RandomDinDins plus one.

I had Big Breakfast deal Friday morning. I do not recommend if you want real warm brunch. Too cold to eat, even toast!!! Campos coffee but worst campos coffee ever.

Had brunch here on a lovely warm Autumn morning. Hubby had the big brekky while I had the  brekky burger. They had run out of sausages so gave an extra hashbrown. Just the usual big brekky, execution was ok. My burger was ok as well, nothing exciting or outstanding, they were a bit stingey on the relish too.. Service was good enough

Hands down my favourite place to done in darling harbour. I came with a group on a very busy Saturday, we waited about 10 because we didn't have a reservation so book early! Service was lovely, they wait staff allowed us to order from the 35$ for two courses and share entrees and deserts. Props for the zucchini flower, absolutely incredible entree; highly recommend. The grilled salmon was also a favourite in the mains, the beans were perfectly cooked and crunchy underneath. 10/10 for everything!

We had mussels with white wine sauce (the mussels meats are extremely small/ like penny size); deep fried squid (so fresh/ soft inside/ crispy outside/ dont have baking soda taste); kangaroo steak (taste like beef to me); Australian fish with toast almond crust on top (waitress recommended it to me, I dont know the name of it); 2 glasses of wine. Lucky that..there's nuskin group had big function in front of restaurant. We were enjoying our dinner with nice fireworks in front of us. How nice? We felt like having dinner at first row seat of fireworks show.

Good was nice, order came quickly, and great lunch deals but customer service was terrible. Had to go find staff when we arrived, we're just handed menus and when my husband went to pay the bill she just printed the bill, pay waved and off we went. Is it really that hard to SPEAK to a customer?!!

Stopped here for a light dinner and to enjoy the view and sunshine. The beef carpaccio was fantastic, wafer thin and nicely seasoned and dressed, and a generous portion size. I didn't enjoy the stuffed corgette flowers as much as the filling was very bland, however that was the first time I had tried them so it's difficult to compare. The food was reasonably priced, especially given the location, and service friendly but not always attentive. I'd try them again.

My delicious, smoked chicken, funghi risotto was in front of me before I even wondered when it was coming. And guess what? They even put on a firework show just for me. Okay, it was for the NRL footy boys but whatever. Waterfront dining and the best company you could ask for!. Sydney NSW, Australia. Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Good atmosphere & nice view but the food was alright... Nothing special , lucky we got the deal voucher ..

Came here on a date night a while back. We didn't have a booking but only waited for 15 or so minutes. Had a great view of the vivid lights as well. As far as food went it was rather unmemorable. The pumpkin salad was good but honestly the raw ingredients and flavours do not measure up to the price. As for the steak the sauce tasted really thin and odd. Had a slight burnt/dirty flavour to it but the meat itself was cooked well. Unfortunately the experience isn't good enough to warrant a second visit.

Located right by the water in darling harbour with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating this restaurant looked very appealing. The service was average during our visit for an early dinner.<br/><br/>The vege platter we ordered was really good (and well portioned), we enjoyed each element of it. My partner ordered the fettuccine bosciaola pasta dish for his main but found it to be a bit bland for his liking. I ordered the Pork fillet which was very tender and I liked the creamy sauce. I struggled to finish it all though having the platter beforehand. <br/><br/>Overall it was a pleasant experience but a bit over priced for what it is. We were lucky enough to visit when they had a deal for an entree and 2 mains plus 2 glasses of wine which we thought was pretty reasonable! However we weren't happy with the house wine on offer and ended up swapping our drinks for coke

Been here once and not sure if I'll return again. The service was good and place was nice but the quality of food was only subpar with basic fundamental errors. Dishes were not prepared nor cooked properly and somehow a bit lousy on the kitchen-hand. There's many other better seafood places around the area which I'd prefer.

Staff were friendly and really helpful. Went there as a group of four. There was a special promotion that $30 for any 2 course plus a drink. I ordered the scotch fillet and mash potato as a main and the entree was the salmon and scallop ravioli .. Good taste good HOWEVER I found hair in my ravioli :( which is disappointing. And the hair was inside the ravioli .. It was a small hair .. But just made the dish not appealing .. Especially I found out half way through my dish .. Apart from the hair, everything was good. I enjoyed my scotch filet and the mash potato . My sister in law thinks her wagu brisket taste good.

Our surprise cafe is Olivo’s, it’s got great Italian Australian and more importantly today they make their own deserts.<br/><br/>I love cheesecake, specifically American New York style vanilla and blueberry and the creamier the better (I’m not keen on the baked Ricotta variety).<br/><br/>I’ve been told that Olivo’s on Blues Point Rd make their own desserts so it’s my pick.

I think I picked the better dish combination, though to be fair, mum only picked the lamb because she’d had the beef before and thought it’d be better if we both tried something different. Her ravioli was very nice though. With the special we saved over $20; my main alone was worth $34.95.

The lasagne was one of the better dishes presented to us. If you get the a) pastry:filling ratio, b) flavour intensity of the filling, c) texture of the pastry all correct, then you’ve got a pretty winning lasagne. The texture was much to my liking – quite cheesy but still chunky and soft on the pastry. The filling was well-proportioned with the pastry, and I was only left wanting a bit on the flavour side. Parents were right, I do like my food on the stronger side of flavour…

The pannacotta was too sweet, not the best ive taste. Craving Rachel's awesome poached pear from last year *drool*

Just avoid this place. S.... Just avoid this place. <br/><br/>So disappointed with the food. Dad ordered the risotto and it had to be sent back as the rice was uncooked. When it came back again, it became obvious that they hadn't even used arborio rice. I mean, seriously?? It wouldn't have been so bad had it been tasty - but it just lacked any positives.<br/><br/>The salads were lacklustre and the puddings were average.<br/><br/>Service was poor. For how many floor and wait staff they had milling around, it was surprising how long it took to catch anyone's eye to ask for water top ups etc. Food took a long time to come - we chased twice.<br/><br/>Overall: disappointing. The only positives? The fireworks.

Not sure if this place is serious.... It is quite a simple concept, customer complains about a product then you replace the product. Instead of kindly replacing 2 coffee's and a flat, tasteless coke, the barista decides to shake his head and refer to his "2 years" experience to validate his donkey coffee making skills. Breakfast was average, pancakes were nice, but my entire experience was damaged by the barista's ignorance and lack of customer service.

The coffee was dishwater keep away. When I complained to the waitress all I got was a blank look and a shrug of the shoulders. Should have checked urban soon first.

Just complete crap!

Fabulous!. Had the best meal here on our last night in Sydney. Pork Belly for Entree was delish! Fish and Chips melted in your mouth. Along with great service you cant go wrong.

Regular costumer = good service and good food. Wrong!. Went there no the 25th of january,. I must say that i am a regular costumer, or should i say was... Waited 45 minutes for the main dish, manager couldnt care less If we were upset about it. Didn't even bother to apologize for the bad service. The food was horrible I guess that being a regular just isnt what it used to be. Never going Back to this crappy place. Good news is darling harbour has plenty good resturants to choose from.

"People walk pass this place". We picked this place for a special night last Saturday night, BIG mistake, waited an hour an a half for a menu, asked several times , the manager ended up seeing if we were ok, offered water which was warm tap water at best, waitress kept saying how she didn't want to work there, finally got our meals and guess what it matched the service, my advice, "Walk pass this dump"

Very very ordinary!!. We have been wowed by all of our other Sydney restaurant experiences so far. Today we went to Olivo at Darling Harbour for lunch, what a disappointment. Worst food I have eaten for a long time. $29 entree sized salmon linguini, not as pricey as other places we have dined so far. There were 6 pieces (chunks) of salmon, some pieces did not even resemble salmon. Creme sauce was bland, grey and it tasted like a mixture of flour and water. A handful of capers were tossed in along with some sliced up red onion, disgusting! Likewise for the ham and mushroom fettuccini. Same grey coloured sauce but chunks of supermarket ham, no flavour, no spices or herbs, no cooking experiences necessary! They even messed up the hot chips that accompanied a fish dish, there were reheated to many times, if you can't even cook hot chips and serve them hot, you are stuffed! Considering it was 2 in the afternoon and a Tuesday we had many other options to choose from, please steer clear if Olivo at Darling Harbour.

Great restaurant!. My first time here and had the steak and chips. Mushroom sauce was amazing and the steak was cooked to perfection. Waiting staff was very friendly and accommodating even though they did not know the menu thoroughly.

Won't be back. We only spent $40 on a couple of salads because we weren't that hungry. I got a Caesar with barely any croutons, a couple of tiny pieces of chicken, and a microscope would be needed to see the bacon. Dressing was OK, but if I wanted a salad like that then I could get one at McDonald's for less than half the price. Maybe I'm too accustomed to hipster food standards, but still I didn't think Olivo was any good.

Never Again. There are many restaurants in front of Harbourside in Sydney, and we, unfortunately selected Oliva for breakfast on our first morning of our four day stay. At the time we arrived, there were only six people in the restaurant. We were attended to quickly and asked for our coffee first, and then asked they come back to take our order after submitting the coffee order. <br/><br/>We then ordered two eggs benedict, and asked that the eggs in one order not to be runny, and gave the waiter a picture to show how the egg should be (as we have found this helpful for the cooks and chefs as we travel the world). The waiter came back to say the cook can not promise to get it right, but would cook the egg "hard poached". We then waited 20 minutes for our coffee to arrive, and about another twelve people arrived at the restaurant at this time.<br/><br/>Shortly after our coffee arrived, after asking where it was, our breakfast arrived with both orders having the poached eggs just barely cooked. When cutting into the eggs, all the yolk poured out like a raw egg and the inside of the white was not properly cooked. <br/><br/>When I told the waiter it wasn't right, he just shrugged his shoulders and said he could be nothing, as he has no control over the kitchen. I asked for the manager, and he said there was none. I said to him, as he was our only channel to the cook, I wanted him to find out what they were going to do about not giving us what we ordered. He came back after talking to the cook to say the order would be re-done when the cook had time, and again, just shrugged his shoulders. We paid for the two coffees and left, walked two metres to Toros, they sat us with a smile and delivered a perfect breakfast in ten minutes.

Lunch August 24 2014. My daughter and I enjoyed two of the best pasta dishes we have ever had. I had the Linguine Gamberi and my daughter had the Frutti di Mare Spaghetti. Spectacular!!! Enjoyed the meal with a glass of wine each. The service could not be faulted, we were greeted with a smile and served very quickly. Very reasonably priced and look forward to returning very soon. Highly recommend!

We were looking for a late dinner on a Sunday nite where most were closed and found Olivo. We had a $35 2 course special including a beer or wine and had a beautiful meal. Pumpkin and feta arancini were lovely and our homemade pasta was amazing! I had spinach and cheese ravioli and it was the best ravioli I have ever had!! We finished off with sticky date pudding whuch was also delicious. Service was friendly, fast and efficient. I'll definitely be back!!

Really? This place thinks it is a restaurant?. My wife and I were in Darling Harbour and after checking out what was available decide to give this place our hard earned cash in exchange for some quality food! So in we go, shown to a table and ignored for 15 minutes before we get the opportunity to place our order. Within about 10 minutes we're tucking into some basic food, Mushroom risotto and a veal. After a bite our two, the good lady digs out a nice centimetre long piece of glass and is not impressed to say the least!! So after a mini-eternity waving her hands in the air like it's the flag day grand final, we get the attention of a member of staff who would really be somewhere else than taking a complaint from my wife(imagine that). So he disappears and next to the table arrives the "intelligent one" who proceeds to inform us that all meals are pre-prepared and stored in individual portions in containers and it has probably been from one of those containers where the "villainous culprit" came from(I felt like one of the mushrooms from the plate - kept in the dark and fed bull crap). So the "intelligent one" returns to inform the Floor Manager what has happened who in turn plays a game of " let's not look over at the complainers and stay well clear of them" and at least she was good at something! Bill please and don't try to charge us for the glass risotto, bugger I spoke to soon. So the "intelligent one" takes it back and returns with a more realistic bill, eventually! As we leave, I try to have a conversation with the waiter who originally served us only to realise he is standing there with a brilliantly vacant look studying the nice coloured lights on the buildings on the other side of Darling Harbour! We definitely won't be back there as there is a much better restaurant along the harbour to go to - McDonalds!!!!

STAY AWAY. Extremely disappointed with this restaurant. Was in city for the Vivid Festival on 2.6.14 and were enticed by menu at Olivo. What a mistake that turned out to be. We were invited and seated quickly and that's where it stopped. There were nine of us + two children. Had to wait for menus. Then when we were ready to order we had to chase down a waitress. Drinks were eventually served but they missed three of the drinks. One eventually came but the two drinks for the kids never came. When we finally received the entres I think we were expected to eat with our hands as no cutlery was provided and again we had to ask for these basic utensils as well as salt and pepper. Entres were ok but definitely nothing to rave about. Finally managed to get our mains, what a debarcle that was, the entre plates had not been cleared and we were having to hold up our arms and dirty plates in order to make room for our main meal plates. Steak was horrible but at least it came, the poor kids' meals only arrived after much complaining and they were wrong. We asked to speak to manager but were advised that they weren't in. When we complained a bit more miraculously the manager (who we then noted had been on site the whole time) came over and after much negotiations they agreed to reduce the bill. Of course the wait staff were blamed to which we responded that the kitchen staff should also take part of the blame for the horrible food. The restaurant was not full but they claimed it was difficult to serve large tables. Are they for real? Do yourself a favour, don't waste your money on this horrible place, what an embarrassment for our tourism. Bad service and very ordinary food. Definitely not worth what they are charging.

Mine is better I'm talking about a real parmigiana and real chips. Had a fantastic breakfast then later on coming back from Sidney harbour on the ferry talking to guys who we're making there way two the restaurant they were raving on how good the Parma was so we ended up the. We'll what'll a difference burnt frozen chips and a Palma I cook hundred times better I think a sauce out of a jar and a mix up with the salads.my sister paid the bill to the lady behind the counter who was lovely and took $5.00 off which wasn't the point the meal we received was not any different to what I serve but cost a lot more so the next evening we dined at the Plate. This was on the 17 march my daughter and husband are visiting Sidney this weekend so I've recommended the Plate i think you would like to know. Lovely waiting staff the French girl

Used a cudo voucher here on the weekend. Entrees were ok but very small (and for $18 on the menu it makes me think maybe they are giving smaller portions to customers using a coupon ? Surely a $18 entree can't be that small normally). I had the seafood for a main which was quite nice, but my partners pasta was very bland, and again something I would not be paying full price for. His main also came out 15 minutes after mine which was frustrating. For the shared dessert we ordered sticky date pudding which was very small and looked/tasted like one of those frozen desserts you heat up in the microwave. Won't be going back again.

I went there two weeks ago and it was one of the worst dining experiences I've had. The food took forever to arrive and the waiters were rude and unhelpful. The food was okay but definitely not worth the price. I recommend you avoid this restaurant .

Great meal. Had a great meal, went with my two brothers and their wives, entrees were delicious, calamari, prawns, capaccio, all came out together, mains were delicious, all came out together, lamb, steak, pork and fish excellent. Could not fault the staff they were very attentive, will be going back again a great place for lunch.

Disappointed. This was our first experience of darling harbour, the location was beautiful. This restaurant experience left a lot to be desired. My husband had already finished his main and then mine came along 10 minutes later. We then waited a further 45 mins for the dessert, the service was not friendly and when speaking to the manager about our disappointment not nearly enough was done to rectify the experience we had. The food was of a good standard.

We have had a fabulous dinner here the last two evenings. There are so many restaurants to choose from, but we keep going back to Olivo.... The menu is broad, from entrees, light meals, pasta risotto, grills, seafood, deserts- awesome! Good selection of wine. Excellent service, excellent position. I can't fault it. Recommend- the spaghetti marinara or the stuffed chicken breast with rocket salad... Delicious. Enjoy :)

Good food but not worth the wait. Taken to a table, left with no menus and had to ask for them 10 mins later. Food took a good 40 mins to come out and my pork tenderloin with kipfler potatoes was burnt in places (charcoal). <br/>We won't be back

I have been a few times. I guess I hope the service will one day improve. <br/><br/>The staff are unfriendly and rude. Completely disinterested in the customers.<br/><br/>The bruchetta is amazing. I think this is why I keep coming back. <br/><br/>Reasonable lunch menus. Night time is a bit over rated even though it looks nice from the outside.<br/><br/>One really quiet night, I ordered moscato, My partner ordered bottled water. The waiter disapeared for ages and eveuntually returned with a schooner of new for my partner, and no wine for me. I asked the where abouts of my drink and he went away and returned saying they have no moscato. So I asked what do they have? He didn't know... he disapeared again and returned with "Sav Blanc and Chardonnay". I chose sav blanc. Eventually my drink arrived.... it was not sav blanc. This waiter could hardly speak english and even though I was frustrated, he meant well. I tried to explain the situation but he didn't understand so I left it.<br/><br/>Determined to help, the waiter brought over another waitress to resolve the issue. She stormed over and said "Yes??" When I explained that this was not sav blanc, without checking the bottle it was poured from, snapped quite rudley and said it was and stormed off. <br/> <br/>The mains took sooo long I honestly though he had forgotten to put the order in.<br/><br/>My partners salmon was not cooked the way he asked. I quite enjoyed my risotto. <br/><br/>The only person who seemed inviting was the hopeless waiter. He kept looking over to ensure everything was okay and was constantly smiling.<br/><br/>I had been back once after that during a really hot day. Was pretty much empty. No air con. We melted to the seats. And when leaving was charged a weekend fee. <br/>I mean, I understand if it was constant or busy. But most of the time we were the only ones there. Even if there was some sort of air con, I wouldn't have minded... but not even that.<br/><br/>It's a shame, this place has so much potential. Even though we have a bad experience every time, we will probably go again but not as often. Wouldn't even recommend it.

Astonishingly inept service from clueless waitstaff, only for them to try and slip themselves a 25% odd surcharge for the privilege. Nice rude farewell from the manager too. Avoid unless you want your harbourside breakfast ruined

Very disappointing service and food, had to wait along time for main course, which I ordered the Beef Cheeks & Mushroom special, all I can say is I have had better beef pies from a pub, the service was none existent and when I explained I wasn't happy with the food to the waiting staff they didn't have a clue how to correct a situation! Would not go there again

DONT GO!!! Went on my birthday 30th dec we ordered our starter I had finished mine before my friends had came we asked over 3 times to find where her stater was the rude waitress how had her tummy hanging out said it's coming then my main meal came I said I'm not taking it as my friend still had not revived her started then the manager came over and was rude to me and then she brought over my friends starter and my mine I said I'm not having my mine I want us all to eat together so the manager snatched the main out of my hands and walked off, then when my friend finished her starter the waitress gave me my stake back that had just been left on the side where we could see it and it was like leather but still no main for my friend, 20 mins later her main finally came no one ask if the food was ok no one offerd us drinks as every one just stud around talking, never got offered a dessert menu we would never of orderd one any way, well the bill came with no delay with no discount due to the bad service we had revived then afterwards my friend went over to the manager to talk about how upset we where with the service the managers reply was "well what do you want a free drink" we said no it would of been nice to notice the problem before we had paid the bill and we walked off there is nothing good to say about this place stay clear!!!!!

WARNING!!!! BEWARE OF BAD FOOD<br/>To people from Melbourne or anyone that appreciates good quality food keep away from this restaurant. <br/>A bill of $80 with food value of $5<br/>Cheap food thrown on mash.<br/>My friend Ordered the osso buco, it came with about 20% meat and the rest was bones and fat. I had the stuffed chicken. It sounds Devine on the menu but I would have preferred a Chicken meal at NANDOS. Came here on a public holiday most restaurants have a large sign before you enter at Olivo you won't know until the bill comes. I refused to pay it and just walked out, So for the safety of your taste buds and your pocket KEEP WALKING down the harbour

What a waste of a waterfront restaurant. They hardly smiled, staff had no feeling for service or enjoyment in what they do. The ambiance was mundane and not worth a stop. The calamari was great but $6 for 3 pieces of chiabatta and then having to pay $10 extra for a public holiday (not the usual 10% but more) without any signage for this was the last straw. Many other better places to choose from!

This restaurant does not deserve a location so beautiful and easily accessible by the harbourside. The food and the service are both equally atrocious. For a start, our order didn't even come in the right order - with the entrée being served with one of our main meals. The roman "salad" was nothing but lettuce and literally ONE piece of prosciutto and no dressing. That alleged salad is quite possibly the only thing on the planet that is even more less dressed than Miley Cyrus at the VMAs. We also waited for ages for our mains to arrive, and when my lasagne arrived, it was cold in the middle and it was so awful that I wished we just raided Coles' shelves for Dolmio packet meals that actually taste better than whatever was in front of me. When we complained about our meal, it was met with rudeness and the staff we were dealing with just shrugged us off, passed us onto another staff member without so much as one word, and just walked off. The total bill was around $88 - which, honestly, is daylight robbery. The rude staff offered to take our drinks off the total bill (a total of $15 - effing yaaaay. Not.) and insisted that was all she could do. When we said that the lasagne was cold in the middle and we did not eat ANY of the food at all (except one entrée) because NONE of it was of acceptable quality, they had the audacity to practically imply that we were lying. Overall, I would avoid this dreadful and appalling place the same way I would avoid a $2 hooker.

A great spot and a pretty good feed for lunch, food came out pretty quick and it was filling.<br/><br/>Well worth a visit if your at Darling Harbour.

1 Star. OK it was a Public Holiday and it was only the Lunchtime Special but... the Salmon was overcooked and no taste, and the Chicken Parma was the smallest serve I've ever had and it was over cooked and hard. The One star was because it was open and the waitress who seated us was good at her job.

Excellent experience. We actually set out to go to Criniti's as my girlfriend had a good experience there before, but somewhat unsurprisingly it was rammed given it was Saturday night.<br/><br/>So, we decided to give Olivo a go, and I must say, we were very impressed! I guess it's the benefit of trying somewhere unexpected and setting your expectations accordingly, but Olivo's certainly blew away my expectations. Service was excellent (although giving people a little more time to examine the menu certainly wouldn't hurt), our starters were out within about 5 minutes, the mains followed within about 10 minutes after the starters so the meal was perfectly paced by my standards.<br/><br/>Taste wise, we really enjoyed everything we had. To start, we had Bruschetta and Salt and Pepper Calamari, which were devoured. The Bruschetta could have possibly used a little more balsamic dressing, but that's just a little nit pick and possibly my own preferences. The Calamari I couldn't fault, it was delicious. For mains we both chose the Scotch Fillet with mashed potatoes in a red wine jus. Again, these were full of flavour, the mashed potato was lovely and smooth and the steak, whilst I'm not sure it was cooked medium rare as I requested, I'm pretty easy-going about my steak and enjoyed it all the same.<br/><br/>We decided to finish off with dessert because, well, why not? We split a blueberry new york cheesecake and a chocolate hazelnut cake. Both were absolutely delicious, although I think the cheesecake edged it due to the beautiful vanilla.<br/><br/>So in summary, definitely a good experience here! Their starter + main for $35 per person deal certainly didn't hurt either!

Not overly busy but the wait was forever (45 mins for bottled juice), then another 10 for food.<br/>Food was average. <br/>Waitress cleaned the table when we were still very clearly eating which is so rude! <br/>Asked about our drinks & given a bit of attitude. <br/>Wouldn't come back...

Absolutely brilliant. We walked around darling harbour till we settled on Olivo, reasonably priced and fantastic service even on a busy night. The food was delicious, authentic Italian cuisine. The pannacotta was the best I've ever tasted. Well worth a visit

Food is okay but service non existent. Waited 10 min for a waitress to take our orders. Then ended up moving tables to get their attention. Didn't work.

Great experience!. From the first moment, I was impressed with the service, ambience and its stunning location didn't hurt ;). My boyfriend and I were fighting over our salmon & scallop ravioli entree and chocolate hazelnut pudding dessert so I can definitely vouch for and recommend those two!<br/><br/>The service was polite, prompt and didn't miss a beat. It was a Monday evening so there weren't that many people in the restaurant - which was a good thing, we wanted a place to sit and relax and eat at our own pace - so all in all very impressed overall! Honestly can't wait to go back - I can only hope that it will be as good as this was!

What a great night and fantastic service. We first turned up in the rain to a small amount of people for this place to fill up and the ambience was awesome. Well priced meals for the view and never had to ask for anything. Even for a busy Saturday night it was great service. The food was tasty and nice flavours yet not the best Italian meal in Sydney. I would recommend this for a visit.

Definitely enjoyed my experience at Olivo restaurant.<br/>Despite it being a busy Saturday night, the service was great! We received complementary garlic bread while waiting for our dinner.<br/>I ordered the kangaroo fillet which was cooked perfectly! And for a very reasonable price.<br/>Would return without hesitation!

Poor quality food. I could barely cut through scotch steak with steak knife, even though it was pink. Sauce with prawn starter was not thick and it was tasteless. Over priced for poor quality. Won't visit again.

Our entree arancini were uncooked in the centre and my scotch fillet was half fat and grissle. Not the best experience!

Service fail and average food. Dined at Olivo as we were just walking past and it looked popular. Location was great as with all the waterfront Harbourside restaurants, but that was definitely the only highlight.<br/><br/>We ordered simple dishes - spaghetti bolognese and a salmon fillet on spinach bed, and there were very average given the prices (spaghetti was $24 and salmon $26). Servings were generous though.<br/><br/>The service was the big letdown. Inattentive, disorganised and confused. Our waitress was barely to be seen when we wanted water, wanted to order, and particularly when we wanted the bill. The waitress attempted to serve us the wrong dish on two occasions. <br/><br/>After waiting over 5 minutes to try to get someone's attention to get the bill, we ended up having to go to the counter, where further confusion ensued - another 5 minutes waiting at the counter while the manager tried to find our order. He certainly made running a restaurant look incredibly difficult.

Poor service . Asked twice for water. Food was bland . Bill was wrong and was over charged 20%. Reasonably priced for a reason.

In town passing thru for a couple of days with the family. With Sydney having so many restaurants it was always difficult to choose, especially with 2 young children (7 & 6). <br/>Decided on Olivo Restaurant. ..<br/>1) Had children's meals at a great price. Good servings. Great tasting. .<br/>2) entree- platter for two. Superb, could not fault. <br/>3) risotto with smoked chicken and mushroom. Also Chicken stuffed with ricotta and pine nuts with jeus. Fantastic flavours. <br/>A place worth visiting and having a great meal. Complements to the chef..

Beautiful authentic Italian food at a reasonable price. Very impressed with our entrees and mains. The service was great. The staff were friendly and very attentive to our needs. Would definitely go again.

Amazing food! Entree and main meal deal was great. Highly recommend

Poor service, average breaky, ok coffee.

Not great. Service was quick. However we had to ask for water twice. Menu was not correct as to what I ordered as my meal came with different sides. Food overall was not great considering the price was a bit expencive for a simple meal. I would not go back there again :(

Terrible service. Such a shame because Olivo is in such a great location. I hope tourists don't leave thinking Australian service is normally this poor. I had to chase the waitstaff around to get any service.<br/>Moving on from the really bad service, the food was pretty basic. <br/>I had the omelette (average at best) my partner had the full breakfast (tasteless). The meals were cold which was surprising given the heatwave temperatures that day. <br/>Not a fan, won't be going back.

Horribly slow service. Our drinks came 30mins later, food 1hr later. we were sitting there, amongst other tables with no food and just waiting. <br/><br/>the zuppa di pesce was terribly salty (i can feel salt crystals in my mouth in almost every chew) and it didnt come with bread making it near impossibly to eat. will not come again

Food was nice for the price, service a little slow. Good for kids as it had colouring for them to do while waiting.

Service for breakfast was very slow and meals were sub standard. 2 from 4 were burnt and 1 was cold.

The most delicious & value for money resturant for waterfront dining we have found in Sydney, eye fillet was amazing and the winter special was a great deal