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 refinedserviceand 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 theservicewas 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,serviceresponsive rather than attentive but improves as the dining room thins out. there are bbqs in the park.

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

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 theservicewas 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 lunchserviceat midday.

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.servicewas very friendly and sufficiently attentive.

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.serviceis 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.

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

i would visit here again because of the location

amazing view with a very average brunch menu. the venue is so beautiful that they have a wedding venue preparation just beside the cafe. however, the food was just so so. i chose eggs benedict just to be safe. considering they have quite a wide range of options when it comes to their benedict. it turns out to taste all right, but not great. costumerservicewas all right, the food is average and the view is breath taking. so, if you're just looking for a good ambience this might be the place for you. i'm not gonna lie, the view is super awesome, very photogenic and you can even see the harbour bridge from afar.

a lovely spring day in sydney and an impromptu decision to lunch on the waterfront led us to the deckhouse woolwich. magic location.
we were grateful to the waitress who cleared a window table so this melbourne girl could enjoy a perfect view across the bay to the sydney harbour bridge.
the food was delicious! i had the special - swordfish with potato mash and a butter sauce with teeny tiny little sweet tomatoes.
a view to die for, great food and wine and impeccableservice(along with great company) made a wonderful lunch combo. i heartily recommend the deckhouse.

fantastic lunch. we had a family lunch here today, our first time. theservicewas wonderful, the food outstanding and the view was divine. we stayed for four hours! everything was perfect. can't wait to take other people. very impressed!

a pity one of the best views in sydney is spoiled by bad service, terrible food and a high price tag. went for brunchservicepoor, eggs stone cold, tea stewed, sourdough to build houses with certainly not for humans teeth. could not eat it impossible returned it as stone cold and the next effort was hot so ate it wasn't nice. asked for a second cappuccino that never arrived asked to cancel it as bored with waiting waitperson said no problems surely a problem for management though? as we left the manager argued with us about how wrong we were about the food we returned would not let go. what? frankly maccafe is haute cuisine by comparison and doesn't cost $70 for three.
on the way home had to stop the car to throw up and now have terrible gastric and no i am not joking. are these people sane?

theservicewas quite average, however the breakfast was nice enough. the only reason i would come back here is for the views. but overall, it was a more positive than negative experience.

the view is what it's about. i have been to the deckhouse a number of times for brunch and/or lunch. on a pleasant day the view is superb, the food andserviceno so much. like other posters i found that while the staff were mostly pleasant they obviously hadn't received much training. the food was nothing to write home about. i repeat, the view is what it's about.

stunning. when the weather's nice & the waitstaff planets are aligned, it's a great experience! the rest of the time it's ok

have several experiences under my belt. theservicecan be hit & miss, staff arrive at the table with plates but no idea of who's ordered what or maybe the order for the table next door!? this is disappointing considering the price point which does carry some expectation in itself. the chef is reliable & most dishes are a safe bet but seafood has been a sure thing for me (should be from dedes!) so far. accommodating for kids but they could do more in terms of menu choices as a daytime family venue

can't fault the view, access (road & water) or ambiance though...maybe complimentary sunscreen?

i love the deckhouse, i hate the deckhouse!. the view and the matradee, (and the view of the matradee) are the only bright spots in an otherwise deeply flawed experience, it should be so so good!

having visited the deckhouse half a dozen times i should know better, or at least i should expect less. the view is stunning, the decor, what little there is, is tasteful and understated and so it should be, the view is that good. the menu is great, especially for breakfast as brunch. but that's where the seams seem to tear,serviceis haphazard and disorganised at best, negligent at worst. beyond the matradee, the staff are hopeless, and the dna of underperformance extends to the kitchen.

8 orders, 6 errors, plates as much as 10 minutes apart, one correction a further 10 minutes away, and that one arrived burnt - ouch. the perennial upsell (drinks) were in the too hard bucket, and the bill was wrong.

did i mention the views? chances are i'll go back, but next time i promise i'll expect little, i may well be surprised