Lovely ambiance, friendly service, and delicious food. We ordered the pork sate skewers as appetizers. The pork was super tender and the spicy peanut sauce on the side was to die for. For the main, we shared the prawn and chicken laksa. Fantastic spices, among the best I've eaten. read more

The Malaya - Pork sate - Malaysian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

See all

8 of us turned up for dinner and were seated. Management insisted we can only order from their pricy set menu. Some of us were unhappy with the fixed menu and the price. Management refused to allow us to order from the regular menu. Some of us were "small eaters". In addition they were imposing a 8% surcharge on the bill. Why? I had a meal there before and it was avegare to good and wanted to try out again as we are regular diners at restaurants. As management refused our seperate selection from their menu, we departed and had dinner in a neighbouring Italian restaurant that was excellent. S Raj read more

The server was great, and the staff was making rounds to make sure you had everything you needed. With all the craziness going on outside in front of the water, most people might miss this place. But it's a great spot with a great view. It was a warm night, but the open balcony brought in a cool breeze to balance it all out. Bit on the pricy side compared to other places, but it's worth the money. San Cho Bow - Prawn: Delicious start to the dinner, pretty much an enhanced version of lettuce wraps, full of flavor. Suggest asking for additional lettuce. I would definitely suggest trying this dish as an opener. Laksa - Mix: Flavor was on point, and it had a slight kick, but it's the flavorful and not just all spice. I would suggest going with a specific chicken or prawn based on preference. The mix comes with hard tofu. If you are a fan, go for it. Kapitan - Chicken: it had a unique flavor that's hard to describe, but it's slightly sweet, and it's almost like a mellow milky coconut chicken. Coconut Beef Rendang: It's probably one of the best dishes I've had in Australia, I would go back and order this item. The beef was tender and full of flavor. Steam Jasmine Rice: I suggest ordering if you get the Coconut Beef Rendang to balance out the flavor profiles. It gave it a good balance to the whole meal. Coco Mojito - Awesome drink, downside it that it's just packed full of ice and felt more like a refreshing shot rather than a drink I could sip on and enjoy. Regardless, the flavor and balance of alcohol were on point. read more

See all

The Malaya Restaurant is a larger, nicely appointed restaurant open to the harbor. [Perhaps the restaurant received the interior refresh that a March 2023 reviewer thought it needed because we found it to be sleek, very modern, and classy, although a little dark after sunset.] The view is excellent and the atmosphere is quieter than the restaurants directly on the wharf. The waitstaff were appropriately attentive and efficient. The Salt & Pepper Cauliflower was a delicious vegetarian starter that consisted of tempura battered cauliflower that was fried and then tossed with seasonings. The Sayor Masak Lemak was a very good vegetarian curry. The Laksa was absolutely amazing and provided the options of choosing from shrimp, chicken, mixed (shrimp and chicken), or vegetables. I choose the mixed laksa and was presented with a huge bowl of soup of chicken broth and dairy milk (rather than the more common coconut milk) that was full of rice noodles, two extra large shrimp, chicken, bean sprouts, snow peas, fried tofu, cilantro, chili oil, sambal, and other seasonings. This was some of the very best laksa I have ever eaten. It was just a little spicier than I would have preferred, probably 4 on a 5 point scale, but I was very, very happy with the dish. Highly recommended. read more

See all

Really amazing flavors! Fried rice was delicious, as was the San Choy Bow. The curry and the coconut beef rendang were both flavored very well, and the spicy sauce that came with the roti was delicious. The soft, big, stew-like chunks in the two beef dishes weren't really to my taste - a bit chewy, and didn't hold the sauce especially well - but everything else was great. Very pretty views as well! read more

Had a very ok meal. The roti was fine - greasy, flat, and undercooked / doughy, not the flaky kind. The laksa was tasty but so spicy I couldn't even eat it or taste anything. It's a shame, because I think it's totally self inflicted and it could have been great if they toned down the chili. read more

Food was delicious - unique flavors and beautiful presentation. I would especially recommend the chicken skewers. The vibe is immaculate with giant glass windows right by the bayside and an open chef's bar. Overall very elegant with a wide selection of food and drinks. Would come back again. read more

See all

I came here to treat myself to a nice dinner, and that is definitely what I got! The Malaya was expensive, but so worth splurging for a delicious meal in a beautiful setting. While waiting for my table (I was 45 min early), I had a cocktail called the Lady Marmalade. It was so good! I normally steer clear of ginger because I find it overpowering, but this drink mixed the flavors flawlessly, for a refreshing rum cocktail that had the right amount of sweetness and bite. For food, I started with roti jala. It was honestly the best roti I've ever had -- the curry sauce was so good, and the filling (especially the minced lamb) was cooked to perfection. My only regret is that it didn't leave much room for my main dish, a fish curry with a side of rice. The curry itself would have been enough for me, it was incredible. Add in a delicious white fish, and a fresh bowl of rice, and I was in heaven. I couldn't make it through the entire meal, but it wasn't for a lack of trying. Service was fantastic the entire night, both when getting a drink while waiting for my table, and throughout dinner. Very attentive staff, with strong command of the menu and willingness to make recommendations based on your tastes. If you're thinking of a nice night out, I would definitely recommend Malaya! read more

The Malaya - Singapore curry with fish - Malaysian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

See all

Best Malaysian food in Sydney. Loved the otak otak and Singapore noodles and beautiful views of darling harbour. read more

I remember going to the Malaya many years ago and having my mind blown. My recent visit, for lunch is a reminder why the past is often best left in the past. The food was ordinary, the service was passable, and the restaurant itself looked like it was many years overdue for an major overhaul and refit. There are many other better options that will also likely be less expensive. read more

Top. Three. Meal. I've. Ever. Had. If you're at all considering going to the Malaya, stop thinking about it and go. Seriously, the lunch I had here was a top three meal I've ever had. While it definitely on the pricier side, it's more than worth it. I had the Kapitan chicken, and this was easily the best curry dish I'd ever had - I could've licked the plate clean for the sauce. In fact, they sell their sauces to go in jars, and I loved it so much that I brought home two jars. The chicken was cooked perfectly, and the sauce's seasoning was so on point. It was on the heavy side for a lunch dish, but I would eat that every day if I could; it was that good. The server, who was also originally from the United States, was helpful in selecting a cocktail that I enjoyed too, though I forget the name. It was a sweeter, gin-based drink. But man, that kapitan chicken... it's been in my dreams for the month since I've eaten that dish. Treat yo-self and go for a meal here! read more

The Malaya - Kapitan chicken with white rice - Malaysian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

See all

The restaurant is situated overlooking the waters of Darling Harbour. The place is usually always full so I do recommend that you book before dining. I chose The Malaya set Banquet for $71. I was able to swap a few dishes and also add one or two extras to the table. Cocktails list is fabulous as is the taste. Those drinks just disappear so easily! The evening was perfect from beginning to end. William (Maître d) welcomes you in arrival. The wait staff were ever so polite and helpful with the menu and drink selections. I have been coming to this restaurant for over 15 years and the ambience and standard of food service is always exceptional and of a consistent standard. We will be back again for sure! read more

See all

Top notch meal here! My friend recommended this place for Malaysian food, and though it was packed on a Friday night, we got in without a reservation. The dim dining room with tables along the windows by the water reminded me of a cruise ship dinner for some reason. Anyway, the kitchen is an open format, and every one of the 10-15 cooks is hustling and bustling! I ordered the special duck Perchik dish, which was crispy duck and got white rice on the side. It was well executed: flavorful with nice crispy textures. I only wish I had been hungrier, but I still polished the plate because I didn't want to have leftovers and because #yolo. My husband also yolo'd and devoured his entire plate of chicken and shrimp noodles. I passed on a cocktail because I thought the prices were a little steep, almost $20 AUD. read more

See all

If you walk out of a restaurant thinking "I'd pay twice as much for that meal and still be happy," you know it was great. The $50 US tasting menu could be the best deal in Sydney. Probably the best laksa I've ever had and I could've drank the spicy satay sauce on the chicken, it was so good. Also a lively atmosphere with great harbor views. read more

See all

The Malaya is worth every penny. I was there a few years ago and honestly I haven't been back. I love the seafood laksa Would recommend anyone wanting to consume some soul food read more

Beautiful waterfront view and delicious food!! The steamed shrimp are my favourite!

Spectacular. Just spectacular. Generous delicious servings and service was beyond all expectations.

Went here for lunch and we had the $68 per person banquet. Most of the dishes were good, but only the eggplant dish really stood out. For that price, I was expecting a little more "oomph." The service was fine, but as the lunch wore on and the restaurant filled up the noise inside was deafening. After nearly two hours we were all more than ready to depart. Overall, it was fine for what it was: a corporate lunch. I would not come here again and certainly not on my own dime (sorry, can't think of the equivalent Australian expression). read more

Fantastic food, great harbour views and fantastic service ! The Malaya stands out with their take on classic Malaysian cuisine in a contemporary setting in Darling Harbour. Good selection of wine. Tried the otak otak, tomato beef rendang and lemongrass seafood skewers. Delicious ! read more

See all

Malaya, situated in darling harbour with a Great location and large restaurant space. The restaurant and menu are inspired by the adventures of a merchant and a sailor opened 53 years ago. Quality food and dining experience. We sampled the Sydney festival banquet of their most popular dishes. Salt and pepper prawns, prawn curry, tasty beef rendang and their famous eggplant which was amazing - crisp on the outside, soft on the inside and a nicely caramelised sauce with sechuzan chilli. Hands down best eggplant dish i've eaten. Excellent service and I highly recommend it for this banquet. Great for a meal with friends or a corporate meeting. read more

See all

This food is really great and the service was good for sydney (great at some points and at others we had to get up to ask for assistance from another server). I highly recommend the eggplant! And i went with someone who spent years in Singapore who gave their thumbs up. Only four stars because it is super expensive. read more

A fantastic meal, the Szechwan eggplant and Otak Otak were standouts. We had the specialties selection fixed menu with wine. The wines very very nice but a bit overpowered by the spicy dishes, a beer or two might have been a better choice. Highly recommended for food and service. We would go back if we had another night in Sydney. read more

We went with a table of 5. We opted for the fixed price menu and were not disappointed. The Szechuan eggplant was wonderful, same for the black rice pudding. Some of the portion sizes on the fixed price menu could have been bigger however there were so many dishes-- it all worked out perfectly. No one left hungry. We enjoyed our visit and the party I went with entertains here regularly. read more

Positives: If the Malayan was offering to supply my desert island/death row meals then I would definitely select the Kapitan Chicken and Szechuan Eggplant. 4 star dishes and absolute bliss....although pricey bliss. If I was feeling like some seriously trashy food, then I would definitely order their spicy chicken wings in a tomatoey chilli sauce. At $24 a plate, this trashy food gravitates with inflation. Negatives: Unless, I was a bona-fide terrorist I would not deserve to eat their Kwai Du as my desert island dish. It is horrendous. This is a no star dish. The pervasive wok oil flavour, machine oil shredded meat with the flat noodles makes me want to drown myself in Sydney Harbor. Their Popiah is also disappointing - one star. You get a sticky sauce with the popiah, but what is needed is some coriander, spring onions and chilli. I'm harsher on The Malayan than the little known Butterfly Garden, because the Malayan are so expensive. I got 4 dishes at the Butterfly garden for $28 and their eggplant was good. Scary good, which makes up for the two dishes they needed to improve on. Overall, I have high standards for expensive food and the Kwai Du makes me think suicide is an option. I could not eat that "stuff" and had to order an emergency bowl of Szechuan Eggplant to rescue my tastebuds. Also, their female toilets were very messy..... read more

Food: Gorgeous! The 'Signature Menu' for two was perfectly sized and varied. Entree standout: the otak otak: succulent and flavoursome... Mains: both the rendang and prawn curry were gorgeous, but my favourite was the Szechwan eggplant. Amazing! Location: Lovely! The view over Darling Harbour is beautiful. We were lucky enough to be spoiled with fireworks on arrival and rain later. Quite lovely! Service: A bit lazy and haphazard really, a couple of mistakes including a pre-dinner mixed drink being served at the same time as the mains. Other: Tables are sticky. The place is not cheap, and I would prefer not having my drinks stuck to the table causing a sudden spill every time I moved one! read more

The Malaya kinds sorta gets a bum rap, on account of it's location on the King St Wharf strip puts it smack bang in "overpriced tourist trap that a serious foodie woul;d never frequent" territory. Is this tar-and-feather-by proxy justifiable? Yes and no. There's no doubt the place is on the very expensive end of the Thai bell curve, a position placed into stark contrast by the seething proliferation of dirt cheap Thai boltholes occupying every half-nook and almost-cranny in pretty much every 'burb in Sydney. But then, I've found the quality of the food and imagination of the dishes over and above standard cheap 'n' cheerful fare. An example? Be delighted. The Otak Otak was sensational, clean, flaky fish with the perfect amount of chili and trace amounts of that smoky flavour from the BBQ with a touch of banana leaf sweetness. A symphony, if you will. Try some of the top end dishes - yes, you'll pay through your rhinoplasty for them - but they're damned good. read more

Great food, but pricy. I went to Malaya with a group and we ordered the signature banquet at $65 per person. The entrees and main courses were all delicious and ranged from lettuce roll to satay to seafood. Add a couple of drinks per person and our tab was pretty high. Not your 'go every week' type of place. read more

Having been blown away by back to back Asian inspired culinary meccas in Sydney (Mr. Wong and Spice Temple), I'll admit that my expectations were sky high for Malaya, which was also highly praised by many of my Sydney based co-workers. in short, while it was good, I wouldn't say it's in the same league as Mr. Wong or Spice Temple. Star 1: How were the service and atmosphere? The second you walk in, you can probably tell that a huge part of the appeal at Malaya is the location and atmosphere. The views are incredible, and the service has been trained to balance the excellent environment. My party of four opted for the tasting menu, and each course was balanced in it's distribution and impressive in presentation. Star Granted. Star 2: How were the portions relative to the cost? Tasting menus are difficult to gauge when it comes to price, but given the seven courses here at $68 there was some very reasonable value here spread across the items. It wasn't the "oh my God this is so much food" scenario that I'd been told it was, but all in all the prices were fair. Star Granted. Stars 3 and 4: How was the food? I enjoyed every single one of the dishes served across the tasting menu at Malaya, which is a rarity for me, but what I will say is that none of the dishes blew me away. The starter prawns? Good, but I've had better. The lamb curry? Very good, but I've had better curries. The spicy white fish cake wrapped in a banana leaf was spectacular, and my favorite dish of the evening, but even that was trumped by my two previous meals that week at Mr. Chong and Spice Temple. In short, while I was impressed with The Malaya's tasting menu, no individual part or sum of the dishes made it among the most memorable of my dishes in Sydney. Single Star Granted. Star 5: Would you eat here every day if you could? I think you know by now that I wouldn't, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't give Malaya a go. No Star Granted. read more

in the 90s, The Malaya was located on George St... edge of Chinatown, near the seedy side of Paddy's Market. The food was cheap, sensational and totally Malaysian authentic. Rumor had it the rendang sauce was made by one chef and that's his sole role... make that damn good sauce. When it moved to KSW... it was like WTF?! The price of the meals went 3x, portions down and flavour... oh man, the rendang lost its heat! It's like Austin Powers losing his mojo and that's sacrilege! Alas, most of this flavour issues has been addressed but its still no old Malaya. I don't want to be a downer but this is the case where I loved their old stuff better than their new stuff. For the price, you're paying for the view, top notch service and relatively convenient location. The food isn't half bad but... just doesn't add up. read more

Nice banquet options for a group ($50-$65 a head). Lamb skewers, fish parcels and prawn curry were the highlights. Underwhelming cocktails. Agree with other reviews that you are paying for the view - though it was very windy when we were there and the blinds were down anyway! If you go in winter, take a jacket! Service very hit and miss - they seemed quite understaffed. read more

I love this place went here last week with hubby for my bday dinner. We had the usual chilli chicken wings which are always great. Had the honey prawns so delish!! Fried rice was yum and also the peppered beef was all fantastic two mains and one entree to share with rice was plenty for us. Hope to go again pretty soon. Never had a issue and this is about our 8th visit read more

The Malaya - Dinner - Malaysian Near Me - Sydney, NSW

I came here on a Sunday night with my family to celebrate my brothers engagement. He had arranged for a large table and a set menu for around 16 guests. I've never had Malaysian food in the past and was told it can be pretty spicy. With that in mind, I did keep an open mind and was willing to try something new. I was impressed with some of the dishes that did come out. Whilst 80% of what my brother had picked on the menu was spicy, there were some dishes that suited my style. For the ones I did eat, I really enjoyed them. Because I did not order the food myself, I can't tell you what I was eating to be able to give any recommendations. But its worth a try if you have not been before. The only downside was the service charges on a Sunday and the high priced beer. read more

We had to try the Laksa that people have raved about ... Not specifically from The Malaya, but in Sydney in general. We found this place on Trip Advisor, which had many more favorable reviews. The food was very good, but not exceptional. We ordered Me Goreng for the kids, Roti with curry, Chicken Laksa and Salt and Pepper Prawns. The best was the Laksa, the others were good, but the Roti was a disappointment. The Roti was like a thick flour tortilla, not flaky and light (the way we like it). So if you like thick, almost pita like Roti, you might like that. Service was fantastic as our waiter was super friendly and attentive. What more can you ask for? This is not a budget, cheap eats place, but a place where the price fits the ambience. read more

The food is good but insanely expensive. $30+ for a simple curry or for a Laksa is not ok. Especially when there are places close by where you can get a similar dish of similar quality for under $10. Of course, that dish isn't going to come with the view, location or well-dressed waiters, so that choice is really up to you. I feel like a lot of people rave about Malaya but I just really didn't think it was worth it for the money. read more

I order a noodle dish with prawns. When it arrived, not a prawn in site. Told them they seemed like they couldn't care less! make sure you get what you paid for or go somewhere else read more

For all the great reviews and it being a top rated restaurant in unreliable TripAdvisor... this place is overrated. I was excited to order their #1 menu item the prawn laksa only to discover how dense, too heavy with cream and unenjoyable the dish was but given it was already 40 bucks I didn't want to order another dish to offset this however I sort of had too bc it was just bad so I ended up spending USD$70 at this place, the most expensive and unmemorable meal I had my whole month in Australia. And I make sure I eat well. For any tourists who are looking this place up and coming across this review... not worth it! With that said Garfish in Manly across the Harbour is one of the best restaurants and meals I've had in quite some time. read more

I really didn't want to go he again after my last experience but my friends were determined. The Malaya has a reasonable menu but the prices are exorbitant and the quality is only OK. The deeming feature for me this evening was the waitress was friendly and helpful, and the food arrived at lightening pace - Sang Choi Bau before even our wine was on the table! Which BTW was a nice if outrageously priced Central Otago Pinot noir. The prawn curry was searingly hot, too hot for me and I like it hot. Gave me the hic-squeaks immediately, as it was absolutely swimming in dried whole chillies. Bit of a shame really. Duck was two legs and thighs seemingly crusted and deep fried, tasty but a bit ordinary. All in all only Ok, maybe 2 stars is harsh but really, prime location, lot of experience, no excuse for mediocre food. read more

We have eaten in some very good restaurants but this was the most enjoyable dining experience ever! We had the tasting menu and each dish was better than the last. Our service was delightful and the harbor views at sunset made it perfect. We live in California but may be back for an encore of this food!! read more

Fantastic Malay food in a beautiful part of Sydney - Darling Harbour. Huge dining room has the buzz of a Malaysian street cafe, with fine dining style food. We sampled the extremely well priced banquet, that featured spectacular tempura style fried prawns, a beef curry you can't forget and sichuan eggplant that will change your life. Coupled with the attentive service and breath taking views and you have a perfect night. read more

Great food, generous portion size. We ordered Eggplant dish, lamb korma and beef rendang. They were all delicious. It is great that they top up rice. The service was very good and quick. Because of the location it is quiet pricy for Malaysian food. Nice but not the best Darling Harbour view. read more