eightysix

thanks guys for a lovely meal!!! one if the best places to eat in canberra with great service.

continuation of a theme. well if you like the idea of going to a restaurant and being abused by the owners, 86 is the place. i made the mistake of asking for a more full bodied wine to go with the food!
lets just say they have a certain distasteful attitude to women dining by themselves.
i don't think any amount of paid advertising with the canberra times to "lift your profile" will change that!

thanks for a lovely night guys. a late flight into canberra and my partner took me over to eightysix. it was close to 10pm but the owner took us under his wing (he will not remember of course, but i was served by him on my birthday last year at ellacure, and while his style may not be to everyone's taste, i think he is fab and we had a good laugh, so i was happy to see he would be attending to us). we were tired and hungry, so we asked him if he could bring us some dishes that would cater for our tricky combo of vegetarian (partner) and celiac (me). he was great. no strings, no fuss. had some yummy wine up at the bar and enjoyed ourselves immensely. only issue is the acoustics - it is a busy restaurant and the noise level can get a bit out of control at times, but i don't mind. would go back.

a lot of hype as usual for a new trendy restaurant, but the overpriced food, of small sizes and average taste were a let down.
$36 for 2 chicken legs and coleslaw, really?
i walked away feeling hungry and out of pocket $100 for 2 mains and 2 deserts. the deserts are delicious, the mains i wasn't sold on. even some bread to snack on while we waited would have created a more positive feeling.

awful dining experience!!. by far the worst dining experience i have ever had! horrible food, slow service and pushy staff. my friends and i will definitely not be returning! the menu was extremely vague and when asked to describe some of the meals, the waiter seemed frustrated and suggested that he order for us. the food looked so revolting that we did not even want to eat it (the pork resembled tinned cat food and was horrible!) while the food may appeal to some, if you generally don't like overpriced and undercooked food, then i would not recommend it!

coeliac's nightmare. my friends and i all agreed that our experience last night at this restaurant was one of the worst dining experiences of our collective lives. both the food and the service were way below par, particularly for the relatively exorbitant prices. the waiter would not allow us any variation of what was on the menu, even to the point of telling my friend that they would only cook her steak medium rare, despite the fact that she prefers it well done. my meal arrived approximately half an hour after the meals of my 3 friends, despite the fact that it (salmon) looked completely raw when it arrived, to the point where i couldn't eat it.

i'm aware that my taste (and that of my friends) in cuisine may be different from others, and i'm sure many would (and obviously do, due to the restaurant's apparent popularity) enjoy the food. but one thing i will say is, if you are coeliac or highly gluten intolerant, stay clear of this restaurant. when we arrived the waiter asked if any of us had dietary requirements and i informed him that i required a gluten free meal. his response was "oh yeah, you'll be fine, it just means you can't eat the pasta". as any coeliac knows, its not as simple as that, as gluten can be found in many sauces etc. then, when we were ordering, our waiter recommended a dish which he said would be gluten free. after explaining the dish to me, he asked "how allergic" i was to gluten. i replied that i am coeliac (assuming someone working in the restaurant business would know that this means 100% intolerant). he then said "yeah, but are you extreme coeliac?" i knew that this obvious complete lack of understanding of coeliac disease from someone who was providing me with a meal did not bode well. he said that the reason he was asking was because the meal he had recommended to me did have one crumbed bread roll mixed in, but that it was such a tiny amount that it should be fine. i reiterated that i am completely intolerant and cannot consume even a crumb. he then gave me that look of "you are just being overcautious", which i'm sure all people with a food intolerance have seen and felt infuriated by. he then recommended the salmon and said that it was completely gluten free, although given the comments he had previously made i was not confident. i reluctantly agreed to the salmon, reiterating that i was completely intolerant to gluten. he replied "yeah, yeah" in a dismissive tone, which told me that he cared more about getting my order over and done with than ensuring my meal was gluten free.

by the end of the evening, my friends and i were feeling hungry (we barely ate any of our meals) and disgusted at the terrible service. we spoke to another waitress who was very helpful and friendly and, after she spoke to the manager, we were told that we would not have to pay given our experience.

needless to say, none of us will be returning to eightysix any time soon.

owner is awkward, arrogant, rude and annoying. how can someone who has chosen to spend their career in hospitality know so little about how to relate to people? can't fault the food but we won't be back until someone has sorted him out.

great food and vibe!. this place is a real gem for quality food in canberra, could seem slightly pretentious to some but the food speaks for itself. a shared menu selection might not be your cup of tea but if you want to try something different as an 'eating out experience' (and to avoid food envy) give it a go. service is quirky and unconventional but altogether professional, the enthusiasm for the food shines through. knockout!

walked in late last night with no booking - staff happy, welcoming and efficient. took advice on menu choices and had eye fillet with salsa verse and prawn ceviche ! perfect with a bottle of cote de rhone and then finished with popcorn sundae! a lovely evening!

great experience. i was apprehensive at booking this place for my daughters 18th, after reading the reviews about the service. i wanted a night we can enjoy and not be put off by posers etc. but my daughter convinced me to go well i am so glad we did, the food was good, the dessert was appreciated by all and the service was fine, not rude, over the top or dismissive. we had a great time, the ghetto beef being the highlight, the gnocchi wonderful and of course the chicken - was exceptional. popcorn sundae - the best although i would have preferred a cheese platter option myself. lark hill sangiovese went perfectly with our food - so thumbs up, very enjoyable. give it a go.

enjoyable lunch. just had the most amazing food for lunch at this restaurant. information provided on what to order plus suggestions about how we could mix up the menu provided a mix we may not have ordered so this was most helpful. we ended up with the most amazing fusion of food my friends and i have tasted in a long while. the service from all of the staff was wonderful and we will definitely be going back. well done staff!!!!

24 october. fantastic food & atmosphere, staff were a little over the top.

lunch was bad, not going back!. been here for dinner so thought we would try lunch. big mistake, apparently the cooks were too busy to make my lunch. sat and waited while my partner had her meal, didn't make a fuss because it is not really my thing, but seriously. and then when it came time to pay i did not have to tell them, the lady even said, "we did not charge you for the dish that did not arrive"...wow thanks, that is really big of you!

well if we have been sitting at a table, had two drinks, and one of us has eaten a meal, do you not think it is reasonable to expect someone to let you know your meal is not coming or delayed. and it was not even half full in the restaurant.

i don't mind crap service and the occasional bad meal/drink - but that was just way too much. as i drove away the lady who took my bill, and told me they were too busy to make my lunch, was sitting outside smoking a ciggy with another staff member with a meal and drink in front of her. a clear demonstration of priorities.

maybe i should have made a fuss, but do i have to become upset just to eat! made myself lunch when i came home...and it was delicious.

as part of canberra's first good food month, eightysix are putting on a special lunch each sunday of october for $55 per person. a glass of champagne per person is also provided as part of the lunch. our friendly waitress explained how it would work - they would basically keep bringing out dishes until we were full.

loved the food.prefer a menu as could not see blackboard from where we were sitting.music was ridiculous as so loud.the waitress had to yell so we could hear her read the blackboard menu.staff attentive but bit too touchy feelie to believe anything they said.bit over the top.would go again but suggest sitting outside if you really want to enjoy chatting to the people you are with.