We went here with friends and were a bit confused about the concept. But once the food came out,…read moreit totally made sense. The hot stone not only cooks, but also keeps your meal hot and fresh. We all had steaks, or chicken, and the cuts were excellent. The sauces were delicious, and the sides were well presented and very tasty. The meal was so filling we didn't have room for dessert, but from what we could see they looked delicious. The service was fairly good, but the servers didn't volunteer anything without being asked, and didn't talk at all about the drink specials. Also, the ambience was a bit cold and stiff. This place could be so much more.

Had our wedding reception there in 2016 best food and excellent service. Thanks for a great night .read more

We had the appetizer platter with fried chicken, potato skins, fried calamari, and prawns. We also…read moreordered the ceaser salad. The salad was good but I would not order the appetizer platter again. We were in Canberra for a short visit. I wished we would have gone somewhere else to eat.

I sent an email about birthday steaks and received a very nice and professional reply. Good steaks…read moretoo.

This was my second visit to the Charcoal Restaurant. The food was enjoyable the first time the…read moreservice wasn't great. I decided to give it another go tonight and booked for a group of 8 for dinner. Again, the food itself was very good and everyone enjoyed what they ordered. Unfortunately, I think the service has gotten worse. The lady going chatting to the tables around ours I can only presume was the owner, did not bother to come near our table to ask if we needed anything, if we were happy, if we want coffee and dessert etc. They did however make it very clear that they wanted our table for the next booking, to the point the next group we're hovering around our table waiting for us to leave. They got two of our mains wrong and my friends were still finishing off their meals. Considering I was expecting our bill to be $800-$1000, I expected the staff to be a bit more attentive rather than needing to chase them to order more drinks etc. Since we were basically pushed out, we ended up finishing the night at San Churro for coffee and dessert. Needles to say I'm very disappointed with tonight, I told the owner that the food was good but the service was very much lacking. She said they were short staffed, but showed no real interest in what I had to say. Thankfully Canberra has a lot of very good restaurants but this one will not be one I will ever return to.

From the small pokey and friendly restaurant comes one of the best steak dinners you can ask for…read more Very well respected establishment with a great reputation and impeccable service. The crumbed Camembert it a must to start with, the wine selection is vast and well presented to compliment your meal. A must for every lover of old world charm and dining.

Had a family gathering so we used their outdoor seating for the occasion and had one area to…read moreourselves. Love the "secret garden" ambiance! The ordering and paying via QR code was convenient and service was prompt. I enjoyed their calamari and was surprised it was cut like fillets rather than the usual calamari rings. The kids ordered steak (lol) which were huge and were thoroughly enjoyed by the young ones. Didnt get to try a lot but heard the drinks were good as well as their beef curry! Parking could be a challenge so it was good we had shared cars coming here. Dog-friendly! (they offer steak for the pups)

Best calamari I've ever had. Delicious food and great atmosphere! We sat outside and drank…read morecocktails/beer for a couple hours--great service the entire time.

Everything about eating here was bad, from the waitstaff being inattentive (at their best) to the…read moreburgers being dry, over cooked, and essentially flavourless. I can not recommend that you eat anywhere, but here more. Also they had the worst onion rings I've ever had in my life. No part of their food was good enough to be priced as ridiculously high as it was.

There are very few nice things to say about this place situated in the Belconnen mall…read more Ambience- the music was loud and the songs were covers of mainly classic rock by ne'er do well performers. The covers were of standard songs for those familiar with the classic rock genre and the mutilated version of a Crosby, Stills and Nash song was particularly grating. The decor was standard chain restaurant. And frankly if you live in Australia the charm of an Australian themed restaurant seems over contrived an pathetic and would work better for stupid Yankees and tourists who think that this is what Australia is about. Service- What an absolute joke!!! I told the waitress that two of us would be sharing the prime rib. Only one plate came out. No water. No drink refills. No one asked us how our overpriced steak was (overcooked). And we had to leave the table to pay the bill because the waitress couldn't be bothered to bring it to us. The waitress seemed young, inexperienced and poorly trained. I asked her manager about it when we left and I got a pretty pathetic "Yeah we know the service can improve. Sorry". If they are going to charge outrageous amounts for what is basically a chain steakhouse the service had better be a lot better than this. I've met friendlier staff at McDonalds! The manager was unapologetic for the overcooked steak and the poor service. I doubt they'll stay in business long with their attitude. Food- Let's be honest here... My half blind uncle missing his taste buds due to agent orange exposure in Vietnam could cook a better steak. Who on earth charges $30 for an overcooked steak / "prime rib". It wasn't prime rib. It was an overcooked steak and if you want prime rib I suggest hog's breath and not this place. The coleslaw was a meager portion but had some nice crunch. The house salad was a paltry small handful of mixed leaves overdressed with balsamic dressing (no choice on what the salad comes dressed with). The chips were pretty much standard for a frozen and par cooked product. They weren't fresh cut nor were they anything resembling crispy and they were hidden under the streak and became even soggier. $4 for a sasparilla and almost $4 for a coke and no refill. Even my local club can manage a couple of refills for that price. The BBQ sauce was average at best and the "caramelized" onions had barely seen a couple of minutes on the flat top. They still were rather firm and lacked any color to suggest actual caramelization. There is a nice play area for little ones to enjoy whilst parents eat and that is the only reason this place manages one star. Final verdict- Don't bother. There are less expensive places to sit down and enjoy in Belconnen Mall. If you want a nice prime rib done right go to that other place in Civic. And as far as the service goes my cranky 113 year old Nanna with one eye who is hard of hearing could give better service!

Heaven! Ordered the tasting menu. 8 of their favorite dishes. Great flavor! Refreshing! Perfect…read moreafter a 15 hr flight from USA to Australia. I never order eggplant. I would order Akiba eggplant again and again. Kingfish sashimi is addicting. Sat at the bar. Willow, Host, and Max, Bartender, deliver exceptional service. Highly recommend for a quality meal, great service, and vibe!

Akiba is such a fun spot with awesome vibes. The pork belly bao is hands down my favourite - so…read moresoft and full of flavour. The Japanese fried chicken and kingfish sashimi are also great. Staff are friendly, and the neon-lit, buzzy atmosphere makes it a perfect place for a night out.

Had a chicken burger for 9.90 special lunch today. It was supposed to be grilled chicken burger,…read morebut for reasons the waitor asked me to serve with crumb chicken which was tasted like it has been cooked for a while. The caesar chicken wrap was not too bad. The staff was very friendly though. The atmosphere was good as always. Overall, not too bad for special lunch at this restaurant.