deckhouse

unrefined - nowhere near the finest in sydney. arrived just after 5:30 pm for a wedding and had been told in advance that the wharf would be open from this time for guest parking. i was also in charge of delivering the cake (3 tier, requires 2 people to carry). i was stopped at the wharf to say that the wharf was 'still working' today and it would not be open to guests at all. was told to drive back up and find parking somewhere else and figure things out for myself. not a great start. found out later that they had miraculously 'stopped working' the dock as cars were being let in to park no less than 15 minutes after i had driven back up to the council car park ($4.50 p/hour).

got inside and waiters seemed antsy when guests (most with small children) were using the side doors to access the restrooms. did not understand why doors could not stay open (this was open later on in the evening) as it is kind of hard to walk past many tables of guests with a fussy child and through the dance floor to access restrooms from the other end of the hall.

my partner asked for a drink only to be told by the waitress that she was only serving the two or three tables to our right and that we had a designated waiter who was probably in the kitchen. no one came for about 15 minutes. said waitress then came back and offered to fetch us a drink. do not understand this protocol??? also, my table of 10 ended up with 4 snapper mains (quite a dry dish) and 6 beefs (not so bad for bulk catering. it was tender and cooked medium-well done). think some waiters have issues with meaning of 'alternate'? we asked about this only to be ignored. we had two sides: broccolini (there were 5 pieces to share for table of 10) and a mixed leaf with pumpkin and beetroot - it looked like a side salad for 1-2 (again for 10 people).

cakeage was $5 per person (200 guests, that's an additional $600) to serve wedding cake - could have been cut more evenly and arranged on a platter more neatly and not slanted. looked rushed. not everyone on my table was offered 'tea or coffee'. some were not asked. some were only offered coffee. our water glasses were probably refilled once during the whole evening. did not have self-serve jugs on tables like other places.

if deckhouse want to charge the prices that they do (beware, lots of "additional" charges many other places consider inclusive in package), then they need to lift their game. also had a few sound/audio issues but that may be user error. there's not much of a view in darkness so couples may want to reconsider this if view is what they are after. you'd be better off in by the water somewhere closer to the city. it is somewhat lacking of the refined service and decor provided by other sydney establishments and i would recommend thorough research before deciding on this location for the price they charge.

edit 19/05/2015: dedesgroup questions if this post is genuine which is a huge insult. i can assure you that this is genuine (why would i bother wasting my time otherwise?) and the bride and groom will be in touch. in addition, i would like to add that i caught up with the bride and groom (yeah, we're pretty close - i think it's called being family) and discussed additional points that guests (who i guess aren't as important in terms of being a customer as their feedback isn't "genuine") did not pick up:

1. the table settings were incorrect. most importantly, the groom's family table was put in the wrong spot next to the bar instead of next to the bridal table. the bride's family table was placed on the other side next to the bridal table (i.e. positioned correctly). this gives the image on inequality and is a huge disrespect in my culture. other tables were numbered wrongly also.
2. working crew (e.g., band members, photographers, etc) meals were not served on time or at the time agreed upon which then threw the schedule of entertainment out.
3. wharf parking was supposed to be for the whole wharf area. when the wharf was opened, cars were only permitted to park on a fraction of the area agreed upon. see photo attached - we were allowed to park only in the space to the right of the star not the whole wharf area (about 15-20 cars double/triple parked).
4. bride asked for black coloured cushions on the tiffany chairs. we had white coloured cushions on the night. these were also an additional cost per chair, as are chair covers, sashes, etc. again, about $5 each.
5. wedding/event coordinator who bridal couple had liaised with to organise event was there at the beginning of the night. no sign of her after an hour or so. was not told where she went or who was in charge after that.

location, location, location. sitting outside on the small deck for sunday brunch is spectacular but the experience went downhill from there. arriving at 11:00am the dining room was packed with families and there was almost too much noise to make my name understood. we were showed to our reserved table, just inside the door and right at the back of the large modern space. prime tables near the glass front wall are by special request. fortunately we spotted people leaving one of the few tables outside, getting the view without the noise. brilliant!

settled in the autumn sun amidst the dirty crockery but with views to cockatoo island and the city, we waited and waited and waited and waited. after 15 minutes i went inside to things moving and after the slow start the service was fine. our choices from the breakfast menu, baked beans with chorizo and the standard breakfast were looked good but were nothing special, and the coffee is best drunk as a flat white rather than short and/or black.

bottom line, food, pretty but uninspiring, service responsive rather than attentive but improves as the dining room thins out. there are bbqs in the park.

love coming down to deckhouse with partner on a sunny morning for breakfast. we always order the big breakfast, the portion is just right for us. we always like to sit outside on the deck enjoying the gorgeous view and the staff are all so friendly. it is such a pleasant atmosphere and attentive service.

ticks so many boxes. great food (& seafood), stunning views of sydney harbour and the harbour bridge, impeccable service and very spacious. there's a park next door so you can enjoy the views and area at the cafe and afterwards. bravo!

great venue. staff are unprofessional, uncoordinated and rude. nightmare to deal with.
customers come as low priority for this venue.

waterfront restaurant with superb food and sweeping views of sydney harbour. the chermoula covered barramundi fillet with freekeh, roast cauliflower, mint and pomegranate salad was perfect and the service was warm and hospitable. bookings are highly recommended for weekend visits to avoid disappointment. we had actually intended to visit for breakfast but arriving at 11.30am on a saturday, the restaurant was preparing for lunch service. guests, however, are welcome to wait and coffee and sweets are served until the commencement of lunch service at midday.

a brunch spot to remember! the food is delicious, fresh and reliably yummy! love this place to catch up with friends over a great meal. highly recommend for anyone looking for a breakfast or lunch spot! 🍳🥐🥓🥘☕️

coffee with a view.
high ceilings and large floor to ceiling windows make this cafe feel so open and airy. despite it being a cool kind of day, it was really nice inside the cafe.
there are some outdoor seats which would be perfect for warmer weather.

we just had coffees here and they were good. service was very friendly and sufficiently attentive.

hi went for father’s day and paid $35 set menu. got toast that was so hard i’m sure had been made last week. if that wasn’t bad enough the $35 for the ‘big brekky’ which is $23 on the menu every day of the week - didn’t include a coffee! really? pull your socks up and stop the rip off. should have included a coffee with $35. very disappointed as prepaid for everyone then had to put in for coffees.

disappointing. they’re renovating but they didn’t tell us when we booked nor when they confirmed the booking. wrong. ended up in a bare function room next door with some ad hoc tables and distracted, disoriented staff. shambolic.

i first visited deckhouse to check out its potential as a function venue on the weekend. i was really drawn towards the lively atmosphere of the cafe. as a result, we decided to return for breakfast on a weekday to take advantage of the quieter environment and the lovely water view.

the menu on zomato is out of date and you'll find the most updated from their website.

i chose the breakfast bowl as i was after something fresh. the dish was tasty but was more rich and intense in flavour than the fresh and light impression it gave on the menu. the egg was cooked the way i like it, the onsen japanese style. the pickled cauliflower was also delicious. the 'crispy kale' is deep fried and quite oily and i would have liked a bit more quinoa. i'd definitely order this dish again but i'd ask for fresh instead of crispy kale.

the highlight of the big breakfast dish was the duck sausage, so tasty! other elements all pretty standard but well prepared. the tomato relish was quite strong in flavour and we found it overpowering.

deckhouse is in the entertainment book where you'll receive one free dish when another of equal or greater value is purchased.

******

14/4/18
revisited to try their lunch menu. service is excellent just like previous visit. tried three different mains - barramundi, trout and lamb.

there was a bit of drama with the barramundi dish as the thickest portion of fillet was all stuck together. i asked the waiter about it and was told it's undercooked and he took the dish away and explained another will be remade. later, another waitress came and explained it was supposed to be like this. i was really confused because i was being told different things. in the end they brought another of the same dish, and it was cooked very well and flesh did not stick together.

the trout with roe was yummy but salty. the lamb was very tender, i would recommend this dish if you are a fan of lamb. we also had a serving of their chips with aioli, not cheap but it was very crispy with nice batter and seasoning.

i visited deckhouse a few times and disappointingly the menu has not changed a bit. so why did i keep going back you might ask. it's all about location location location! the restaurant has a great view over look the harbour so it's perfect for selfies or postcard photos! make sure you get a window seat to enjoy the harbour bridge view. the food at deckhouse is ok. salmon and scallops are slightly overcooked and the sauce is bit plain but i do like their panna cotta and banana parfait. overall it's a pleasant place to enjoy a lazy long lunch with family and friends.

great location on the water, very friendly service. i ordered the lamb shoulder which was cooked perfectly! so tender and fell off the bone! good serving size also. will go back.

the food is horrible. we had the chicken breast which is way too salty and the salmon which is as plain as a piece of paper. great view cannot make up for the horrible meal. won't come again

visited here looking so a wedding reception decided to have breakfast which was nice, tasty but nothing special! service was good, staff were friendly & the view is beautiful!

i would visit here again because of the location