The view here was beautiful, looking out at the beach at Patonga. The decor was very nautical, as…read moremight be expected, navy and white with tables covered in sail-like white awnings. The menu was primarily seafood, also not a surprise. I decided to order a salad, not really in the mood for seafood. There was roast cauliflower, steak, chicken Parmesan, and various pizzas in addition to fishy dishes. The place was also packed, so I was glad we got an outside table. I thought my salad was delicious. It had fennel and Parmesan cheese shavings over the greens. I don't know what the greens were, but everything went well together and it was a generous portion. I had second thoughts about salad when I saw the amazingly presented entrees my dining companions had selected. After starting out with a beautiful Bloody Mary, my daughter-in-law had a crumbed dory burger with chips(fries in the States). It had two fish patties coated in herbed crumbs and she said she almost always ordered it, it was so good. It looked delicious but I stuck with my salad. My son had beer-battered flathead fish and chips. It was perfect with crunchy, lightly browned coating covering flakey white fish. I snagged a few of his fries which were also perfect. Prices in restaurants are always higher than in the U.S., but how likely are we to find fish like dory or flathead on the menu? Additionally, waitstaff in Australia are paid a living wage and don't rely on tips.

Had a fabulous meal! Stunning views and incredible food! The best mussels I've ever had!…read moreThe staff are really friendly - I felt totally at home! The views across Brisbane Water make this place unique! Well done to all - keep up the great work.

More than just a restaurant with great views. It'starts with crossing the scenic Hawksbury river on…read morethe regular punt. The generous seafood smorgasbord is filled with prawns, oysters, mussels and smoked salmon. Then the next plate is hot stuff battered fish, calamari and some none seafood dishes. And then .... you get it. I visited last Friday to discover there was free wine tasting, excellent. Only complaint ...... I was driving!

Beautiful views and decor. The seafood buffet for lunch was fresh and plentiful. Thoroughly enjoyed…read moreby our friends from Switzerland.

I've been here twice. This year I took mum there for our Mother's Day tradition of fish and chips…read more And 8 years ago, when we started that very tradition at Lifeboat Seafood. This place isn't nearby, it's a hike. You and the pickup private aren't going to be able to do it in 45 flat. Going to Brooklyn, you should probably plan for the day. It's a long drive, and once you are there, it is very serene and a place you may want to wander around in for an hour or two to soak up the atmosphere. This is an interesting contrast to the busy freeway that you turn off to get to this little jewel on the Hawkesbury. Lifeboat is located right near the wharf/marina. It is a very vibey spot and nearby are a number of fish 'n' chips venues, restaurants and cafes. There is also a park nearby for the kids. The Anglers Rest, which you'll pass on your way in, is an absolute hive of activity. A favourite with bikers from all walks, it has been packed to the absolute rafters the last two times I've been through. Both times I've been to Lifeboat it has been booked solid. Because there was only two of us, they managed to squeeze us in, but I recommend getting a reservation if you choose to go here. They do tend to turnover couples tables quite quickly but groups settle in, and have a few bottles and gorge on platters so they can take their time. Food-wise I've had a whole fish (the first visit) which was absolutely delicious from first to last bite. I've also done the standard battered fish and chips on my last visit. The batter is light, fluffy and flaky and the chips are thick-cut, tasty and crispy. It's DIY seasoning and condiments. Mum came back here a couple of months later for her bday with a large group of friends and they got the seafood platter, which is a multi-tiered orgiastic feast for the senses. If you are a seafood lover you may go into convulsions when this is plonked on the table. It looks absolutely superb. Service is great. The ladies in charge make sure that you are enjoying your meal. There are some downsides. Initially it can be difficult to find the place. We hadn't been here in a long time and the signage isn't exactly in your face. It also can be very difficult to get a car park, due to the almost too busy nature of the location itself, being a hub for a range of activities.

Great fresh cooked seafood, mussels are great. Has fresh catch of the day options.read more

Stopped into Brooklyn for lunch and came across this place which was better than it looked. Looking…read morea bit run down and of better days. Nice spot looking over the boats in the marina. Limited range of choice if you are gluten free. Placed our order and service was accommodating and our fisherman's basket came out in reasonable time. The calamari were really good - in the top three ever!! Chips and wedges were good. It is a tourist spot - the price does reflect its not for locals, but worth a visit.

The Prince of Tides dad is aptly named for he serves up a king-size tidal wave of tumultuous…read moreservice, seating and seafood. Reservations here are about as solid as a sandcastle on a beach as the king tide rolls in to crash against it. Having reserved 2 tables for a total of 16 people we were accosted by a procession of toolshops turning up and thinking the table was theirs. Literally 3 full groups wanted one of our reserved tables, despite our name being on the reservation card, in full view. Having to find people their tables wasn't on my menu for the day, but I did it anyways -- I won't hold daft customers against King Tide, that ain't their problem. We all ordered different things at different times, so things came out higgledy-piggledy -- Again, I can't fault King Tide here, we probably should have gone up all at once. (Big Tip: There is a bistro style table service in effect here. What this means is that you go to the counter, order and pay, and are then given a number on a stand. One of the staff then brings your order over when it is ready.) Where I *can* fault King Tide is on the seafood platter for 2 (The hot and cold for $120). First off it's a $120 spend at what is tantamount to a fish and chip shop by a marina, replete with seagulls, plastic chairs, and a view of water and rundown ships. The platter comes with fresh prawns, lobster tail, oysters, smoked salmon, and an array of fried seafood items (plus dipping sauces), and chips. It all sounds good till you try the food. My first item was the lobster tail. I've had really good lobster in Halifax, so I'm well versed in the fare. I took half and began to remove it from its shelled home. Unfortunately I could tell before I even tasted it that it was dry (overcooked) and somewhat rubbery (a symptom of frozen seafood). The flavour itself was fine (nothing exceptional) but it lacked wow factor. There was no buttery sweet goodness... It was dry. The fresh prawns were next, and these were the best thing on the platter. Still in their complete shell you will have to de-vein them as you peel and prepare them for your word hole. I'm not the biggest oyster fan, but I tried one and found it far too briney to bother going back for a second. Even with the addition of lemon juice the salt water taste was overpowering. It's not a flavour that screams "try me again!". The smoked salmon (not the kind you buy at a deli, though the taste is similar) was also very dry. The flavour was very good and I had a few pieces but the dryness killed it for me. The fried stuff was all pretty good. Clearly this is where King Tide can claim expertise. The calamari was al dente, the fish nicely fried, and the chips crunchy and fluffy. The crab leg was a nice surprise too. Overall I found the platter to be way too expensive for what you are actually getting, and the skill of cooking employed. It was average, nothing stood out as exceptional. I will note however that 3 of us shared the platter, and it was enough for the 3 (we did have cake afterwards so maybe everyone was saving themselves for that). Whilst the spot itself is quite nice and the staff friendly enough, the food doesn't deliver on expectations. I would come here again but would probably stick to the standard fish and chips next time, because I'd be knowing what I was getting and be happy to have it.

Good, food is good and the vibe is great, prices are INSANE but it's Sydney so what more could you…read morewish for. The service is always nice, some people are kind, some ain't.

It's been built up a lot since I came here last. I used to love coming here years ago when I lived…read morein the area. It's a Merivale establishment now and it's been totally redone. With multiple bars and food options the menu was a bit disappointing to be honest. Food being served in cardboard boxes was just a bit unappealing when you are seated outside with gorgeous views. It's also a real waste of packaging. My burger was ok and the food was pretty average for the price. I would have expected a bit more considering we were there long before the crows arrived. Staff are super nice and friendly and the ambience is good. The water spray outside is a nice touch to cool you down on a warm day. The band playing that day was pretty bad and unfortunately we were sitting very close to them which did not help. I am sure I will be back again and I hope they move to a more sustainable way of serving food in the future.

Stroll like a dandy down Dee Why promenade of a weekend morning and you'll see a few cafes with…read morezero people in them and one with all the people in them. Literally all of them, like some giant baby has been using them as toys and is jamming them all into one room of a huge Barbie play house for it's own infantile amusement. It doesn't make any sense, only, it totally does. The cafe is Seachange. and the reason it's so beloved by locals is three-fold: the servings are huge (no fleck of steak on a giant white plate here), they're happy to change absolutely anything on your order without any pissy whining or "No, the chef would kill me" type excuses, and the staff and management are unbelievably friendly. Wulf (sp?) made sure our group got a table inside to protect the little baby we had with us from the sun, and even though he was run off his feet stopped by the table a few times to drop jokes. I had the acai brekky bowl with banana and strawberry and bircher, at $15.90 it's the healthiest way to start the day while still feeling like you're eating ice cream. The Local with tons of bacon, eggs, and a potato rosti is also a winner, as is, oh, pretty much anything on the menu. When you're done, slop across the road and roll about on the beach like a walrus. Trust me, it's great.

One and a half years later, it still has maintained that same quality. Nice and efficient service,…read moregreat portions and good food. The coffee ($3.80) is enjoyable (excellent latte art by the way!) and the view is simply perfect. I love coming here when catching up with friends. Their toasted Turkish sandwiches are still my favourite ($15 and a large portion). Nothing better than consistency and they have it here. Highly recommended!!

After a long day sampling wines in the Hunter Valley - we were looking for a place that offers…read moresomething for everyone. This place has an upstairs - but used for special functions or overflow. I like that in 2 weeks they will be sampling 8 95 pts or higher Halliday rated wines from Evans and Tate in the Margaret River with a 5 course dinner for $100 Aus I had a grilled eggplant lasagne, while the other members is my party ordered Thai beef salad, saki scallops and sirloin steak, and grilled calamari salad. The wild mushroom arancini was excellent as was the Mediterranean starter of baba ganoush, hummus, and pita. If you're close by - drop in for lunch or dinner.

The Bored Monkey is a large restaurant located over two floors on Pittwater road in Narrabeen. The…read morerestaurant downstairs is spacious and suits either a dining pair, larger groups and even a party. If you're looking to have a function, there's also a function venue upstairs. What a great place for a function, particularly when there is no minimum spend. The Bored Monkey operates for breakfast on a Sunday, lunch from Friday-Sunday and dinner Tuesday-Sunday. They are soon to open a cocktail lounge upstairs with tapas to suit the early cocktail hour crowd. The decor is casual and the restaurant feels comfortable, with a varied crowd of differing ages. Staff are warm and friendly and service was extremely efficient. We would describe the menu as very approachable. All diners can find something that meets their taste. Whether it be a burger, steak, nachos, salad, pasta and meats, or something from their amazing range of seafood options, you will leave satisfied. There's some dishes that would suit those with dietary requirements and also a kids menu. Kids under 12 eat free! There's a lunch menu for $29.95 or $25 for seniors. This is very good value for two courses (main and dessert) with a glass of beer, house wine or soft drink. We really enjoyed the dinner menu, and feel that the food here is high quality. It would be categorised as modern Australian, featuring selections from the sea, grill and garden. On our visit, we had a few from each category. For entrees, we began with a few Sydney Rock oysters, sampling a few flavours, the natural Kilpatrick, lime, soy, ginger and eschallots. The oysters were so nice and creamy and it is hard to pick a favourite.   These were followed by the sake scallops, which were cooked perfectly - three Victoria Bay scallops sitting in their shell, cooked with garlic, negara sauce, soy sauce and shallots, the were full of flavour and we just wanted to keep going back in for that sauce.   We also shared the Skull island prawns, grilled and served in their butterflied half shell, they were flavoured with a mild kick of chilli oil, basil, flakes of salt and freshed herbs.   Other entrée / tapas style dishes for you to select from include arancini, tequila poppers, pork belly, zucchini flowers and haloumi, to name a few. For our mains, we decided to share the surf & turf which we chose Moreton bay bug as the seafood addition. A lovely piece of seafood beautifully cooked and flavoured, accompanying the A variety of wine from the right regions and good range of beer on offer including craft beer on tap, with one of our favorites stone and wood pacific ale. There are number of inviting cocktails with many classics listed and a couple of interesting twists including the lychee martini and the salted caramel espresso martini. We had a refreshing mojito to accompany our seafood selection.

A group of us went for our staff Christmas Lunch yesterday 20th Dec…read more The waitstaff were slow and not well trained, the restaurant was not busy!! At one point the waitstaff began removing plates before people had finished eating, twice! My friend chose the turkey lunch on the menu specifically for the Yorkshire pudding , well unless you like flat puff pastry don't bother! What a disappointment, it didn't arrive on the plate, chef had to be reminded and then .......... Hmmmmmm not to be repeated!!! Food was tasty but won't bother going back!

Food was really. Good. I orders up the oyster which were tasty. The Salmon was delicious with…read moreroasted potatoes and broccolini. I also had the garden salad which was fresh healthy and a good portion. The bar tender was able to make a classic martini unlike my previous review. Service was on point and at tentative and the ambience mellow classic. There should be more people eating here but it was a Tuesday night. Would I eat here again. Yes.