three blue ducks

three blue ducks is a cool venue. i went for breakfast and after checking out the menu and not really finding anything that stood out i decided to just get the buffet option. 

this way i could make my own food and try everything. unlimited coffees, juice and food is the best option if you are going to try this place out.

overall a solid feed but nothing special.

delicious food, great atmosphere and friendly waiters. exceeded all expectations. would recommend the swooping magpie cocktail and consid splitting the desserts between 2!

today l visited brisbane for the first time in twenty years. my hostess, determined to make my stay a memorable one made a booking by the window for lunch. service was, from the start, of the highest quality, discreet and without the obsequy that is unfortunately all too common in similar establishments these days. the menu was limited but interesting, and l chose the moreton bay bugs as, for me as an adelaidean, they are an infrequent delicacy. my hostess chose the tiger prawns.
our dishes arrived after only a few minutes. i was dismayed to see that both were accompanied by chopped kale a trendy green that until recently was fed to cattle and imho should remain thus, the coarseness of the stalk being much inferior to that of spinach or silver beet. to the detriment of my bugs they were awash with a good deal of unwarranted vegetable oil which was not evident with the prawns.
with both dishes there was a pervasive charred taste which spoiled the delicate flavours of the flesh.
we finished the meal by sharing an interesting cheese platter
on reflection, the wood oven is most suitable for a pizza restaurant, not the subtleties of seafood, and kale should remain in the cow shed.
the menu could do with a less trendy and more classical treatment

overhyped, food promises more than is delivered on the plate. food quality does not correspond to prices, well meaning though unpolished service ... more cafe than resto

couldn't fault a dish. great sharing menu, loved the raw fish with pawpaw, burrata salad. i was sceptical when it opened given i've had mixed experiences at their restaurants in sydney but on this particular occasion it was impossible to find fault in anything. the sea salt meringue is an interesting dessert which i loved and was confused about at the same time, in a good way. worth a try for an adventurous eater.

staying at the w hotel for our wedding anniversary we were excited to be dining at three blue ducks last night. unfortunately our excitement dissipated throughout the dining experience. the dining setting was excellent, with a well positioned table with a great view of the brisbane river and southbank. we were welcomed by our waiter and the night was off to a good start. we had oysters for entree, which were excellent, particularly liked the finger lime dressing. the mains were a different story though. the char grilled prawns were overcooked, very dry and there were only 3 of them, not a very generous main serving in our opinion. the t-bone steak was of average to poor quality and presented gristle throughout and looked well under 500 grams. the waiter had become inattentive and delivered my glass of red wine, ordered at the start of the sitting to be taken with the steak, as we were finishing our mains. even more frustrating, was that our waiter was 2 tables away chatting with a couple that had finished their meal and were preparing to depart whilst i waited and eventually abandoned the notion of wine with dinner. the whole experience was underwhelming, so much so, that we made the decision not to return for breakfast as we originally planned. three blue ducks was a low light in an otherwise amazing experience as guests at the w hotel. unlikely to return for a meal.

this was my fourth time dining at the restaurant since it opened in june. i really like the ambiance there!
i always have the raw fish and the bread to start with. the haloumi was satisfying.
for the mains, as usual, we order to share (the food potion was pretty big).
the steak was tender and juicy. the bugs was flavoursome, and has always been our favourite. however, this time i found that chargrilled king prawns was the biggest suprise! the smokey chargrilled flavour smelled and tasted fantastic with a splash of chilli.
for the dessert, i strongly recommend the creme brûlée (we ordered 2 serves). the custard beneath the crisp top was exquisitely rich and creamy while firm.
for the cocktails, i had the ducks rosé spritz, too fruity for me.

we had dinner with friends for my husband’s birthday and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. the thing that really made the evening was the staff - our waiter was great very professional but friendly and made appropriate witty remarks which was actually genuinely entertaining. the restaurant was at capacity but everything flowed smoothly. we were seated at a side table which was great because even though over all it was quite noisy we could all hear each other without shouting.

most the food was good although i’m hard pressed to remember the stand out features. the plates were large portions to share although it wasn’t really set up for sharing which was a bit awkward to kind of carve up the things so everyone could get a bite. i sensed a lot of butter - which was delicious but very rich. my favourite meat was the steak - which is a weird choice for me but it was just bursting with flavour (eg butter). of the other things i liked the accompanying vege bits best - there was some kind of magical kale (probably with butter) with the moreton bay bugs. it was insanely delicious i think i ate all of it no one else got a look in. and ditto something on the pork - so tasty don’t remember what it was. everyone else liked the cheesy tomato starter but i’m not a fan of big chunks of tomato so it wasn’t my fav. the potatoes were a bit average and there was a cauliflower side which was served cold.... it was a bit weird and i noticed no one ate it.

i’d like to go back again and probably enjoy the food a bit more (not in a group which can be distracting). overall i think the restaurant seems very sophisticated and polished but not stuffy. it was a lovely place for a special occasion.

we also stayed at the w hotel which was fun.

dined here for dinner last night with friends who were staying at the w hotel. the setting is casual but nice with a great view of south bank. i wasn't super hungry so skipped entrees and had the steamed mussels. the wait on food was verging on long but when it did arrive, the 5 at my table who ordered the 500g rib fillet on the bone were very excited. the steaks filled the whole plates and looked delicious! they then brought out my mussels but my friend with the moreton bay bugs was told "2 more minutes". no one was keeping count but maybe it was another 5 minutes. the server arrived with the meal and without a hint of a complaint from my friend, he said that he would be waiving the cost because the wait was unacceptable. the wait didn't feel excessive enough to warrant waiving the cost but the gesture was very much appreciated and all at the table were impressed. service was good - we were checked in on for drinks and our water glasses topped up frequently. my meal was nice enough but i think i prefer a broth-like sauce with my mussels rather than a creamy sauce. just a personal preference though. the accompanying flatbread was a nice addition. while i didn't have dessert, those i observed around the table were huge!! a 3.5 overall.

i have been here now a few times for lunch and once for buffet breakfast. it has been good every time.
the beef was incredible, and the chicken too. the variation of food in the menu is quite good. i have not tried the desert yet. the restaurant has a really nice view of the brisbane river. ther parking is super expensive and they don't give any discount for dining inn.

for those who keep up with social media, especially the foodie side of things, there is little doubt that you would have heard of the newest three blue ducks, which recently opened its doors in the beautiful w brisbane. having a girls night out, we decided to finally go and check it out. far away from their other store at the farm on byron, this restaurant exuded elegance, but still with a homey rustic charm.

beautiful ambience and service! however, the food was incredibly average for the prices being charged with multiple dishes came out late. on a positive note, the cocktails were incredible and saved a bad meal

this is not a positive review. the brisbane arm of three blue ducks fails to live up to the hype associated with its bronte and byron siblings. it failings are almost universal across the criteria common to restaurant reviews. the food at three blue ducks is, unfortunately, yet another example of the mediocrity that many brisbane restaurants of a similar ilk appear to be settling for. the drying meats and fish displayed in a cabinet on entry lead one to believe that this restaurant, like its southern forebearer, prides itself on high quality food. not in the white-table-cloth-and-classical-music tradition, but in the good-food-done-well tradition. it's neither. we shared all our dishes: the haloumi (an uninspired variation on an outdated concept overpowered by a garden of parsley) and tandoori quail (a very underwhelming marinade considering the depth and complexity characteristic of tandoor) to start, the 500g bone in ribeye with burnt onion and chimichurri (a reasonably well-executed dish, but not for the $60 price tag) and carrots (advertised as include honeycomb, but noticeably absent from our serve) for main, and chocolate parfait (perhaps the least inspiring item we ordered) and crème brûlée (boasting the inclusion of vanilla … as much a staple ingredient of crème brûlée as eggs and sugar). the decor is confused. laminated table tops; part faux wood part concrete flooring; downlights on rails alongside modern pendant lights; mismatched seating with a scandinavian feel ... what is going on here? service is poor, lifeless, and, sometimes, condescending. to draw on the recent experience shared by my wife and me, our server carried an air of arrogance complemented by yet another attempt at hipster wait staff attire (an outdated look). when our dessert order was incorrectly placed, our server offered an insincere apology. there are other small, but equally noticeable aspects that contribute to the overall listlessness of three blue ducks. if the rather large vacant space towards the back of the restaurant isn’t off putting, the battery-powered tea light candles in the bathrooms are. how could a couple be justified in paying over $100 per head (including 1 glass of bubbles and red each) for such oversights? interestingly, in this weekend’s wish, the magazine published as part of the weekend australian, jeff bennett, one of the co-owners of three blue ducks, described how he had an uneasy feeling about opening an arm of the restaurant in brisbane. perhaps these reservations were well-founded.

well w! it’s a little early to judge so you be the judge. fish - gold band snapper fresh but over cooked. oysters and prawns naturale perfect. lamb meatballs perfect. not sure if the byron experience has fully transitioned yet...staff nervous and feeling their way in the curvaceous surrounds. they lack confidence. a great view for brisbane. twice in two days and it’s consistent but just a three. very very clean and new. not grimy.

i am so excited to be writing about this restaurant today! jacky had been mentioning about this restaurant for quite some time now. they have multiple stores around australia with the first store opening in bronte, then followed by byron bay and rosebery. this restaurant is owned by a bunch of friends who enjoy cooking good food while maintaining the sustainability of the business. when we heard that they were going to open another restaurant in w hotel brisbane, we knew that we had to visit! we tried booking beforehand but unfortunately they have a capped bookings everyday. luckily we arrived early and there were still spaces for us!