Ester Restaurant in Chippendale

Had a lovely night with my girlfriend. It was my treat to her and definitely worth lashing out for. Service was excellent, even before we arrived they texted me and I was able to amend booking time. We liked that it wasnt too noisy, the background music was perfect and the decor is tasteful. It felt like a premium experience without being pretentious. Standout dishes were the prawns and the sorbet with sake for dessert. We didnt try the pork or sirloin but hope to return.

Paul was our host for the night and he was brilliant in every aspect. The other staff were really lovely aswell and based on service alone I would recommend ester to anyone and everyone. The food was phenomenal and the presentation was great aswell.

One of Sydneys best! Always evolving and always delicious

Highly recommended. Especially at quieter times of the week (post Sundays lunch 1-2pm). Food is excellent. Excellently presented. Great place to eat if you are a foodie and in Sydney for the first time. Parking: Paid street parking all around. If you find it difficult to find a parking spot, there is often free parking on the other side of Cleveland st. e.g. Hugo st.

Good, but not 5 stars Nice atmosphere, friendly and polite staff, nice meal, but lacking a little something. More detail below - Atmosphere - comfy and inviting, a nice place to be. Music a bit too quiet, nothing that makes you spend more time there than your meal takes. Also the 4 courses we ordered arrived without much of a gap between them, which although shows great organisation and service, means your time there feels a little rushed, and could have been longer. Staff - everyone was excellent. I think an explanation of the menu and a little bit more about the ideas behind the restaurant and food would have been a good start as we sat down. Good - we had the roasted oysters, roaster beetroot, king prawns, striploin steak, and Ester salad. Everything was good, but I think could have done with a little tweak to take it to the excellent level. For example, the beetroot instead of being in halves could be in slices or smaller pieces, that would then give the excellent horseradish sauce more of a chance to be felt in the dish. The beetroot was also lacking in any smokey or roasted flavour to indicate that it had been cooked on a wood fire. The prawns and steak had that smokey lovelyness that comes from wood fired cooking. The fat on the steak needed a bit more fire. Overall I would recommend it, but at $300 for 2 people, it gets a 7.5/10 from me.

Food was extraordinary and we loved all of it. Same can be said for their cocktails & wine. Service was excellent but for the most part clinical except for a nice touch of a candle and an extra desert as it was our delayed anniversary. Staff are kept very, very busy due to the number of tables squeezed in which also impacts how food is received. Ethos on website is about a relaxing, calm experience. And even though we were not rushed in & out it was a hectic experience due to the number of tables to service including the one plugged in near the entry door. A by product of offering such fantastic food. I feel like their ethos no longer matches how they operate.

We had an incredible lunch here! We let them know ahead of time that we were vegan and everything was absolutely incredible. So nice to have a restaurant accommodate in such a delicious and creative way!

Decent spot, but feel it wasn t the best night or perhaps my expectations were too high. Food was average (some highlights like the oyster and scallop ceviche at the very start) but the rest didnt blow my mind. Sommeliers pairing was mostly average international wines not necessarily complimenting the food. Pork main was dull and mustard sauce too spicy. Desserts, bland and for some reason there were two, again in no way complementing each other - crepe brule was too heavy and too much cream inside, coco sorbet, little to no flavor and wasnt refreshing enough to offset the crepe or add to it (nor did the dessert wines, also two). All in all decent and I can see the potential and looking at some of the photos I think I struck unlucky on set menu saturday . In my opinion not worth the $ 300 bucks. Ps. The prawn was really oily, not necessarily great, dry and while trying to eat it, oil splashed all over my shirt. Ruined

Set menu highlights were potato bread with kefir and salmon roe, maybe a bit of a play on bagel, cream cheese and smoked salmon(?) albeit different texture and taste; pork chop was well rendered and seasoned with mustard adding a bit of kick, along with roasted onion stuffed with blood sausage (hearty); coconut sorbet with uehara nigori sake was creamy, smooth and refreshing, full of coconut flavour and the sake worked surprisingly well with the sorbet. Others: - Smoked beetroot. Hearty and well balanced. - Kingprawn. Moreish with sourdough to dip the sauce. - Salad. Worked well to balance the pork chop. - Crepe brulee. Nice though lemon caramel was a bit too sweet and thick for my liking. Service: Attentive, friendly and welcoming from start to finish. Atmosphere: Relaxed and casual, with a mix of couples and families.

Good food with good service; very authentic . Love it! Highly recommended

Food was great and the bread even better!

Outstanding! Great food and service!

Came solo and the wait staff were so amazingly friendly and let me know what I could get as single portions, second time coming and will definitely be back

Simon was absolutely stunning, service and food 10/10. Thank you! Food

Wonderful experience. We ordered a la carte and enjoyed every dish. Would return to try the set menu.

My friend Amanda and I dined here today for lunch at the table by the window on lower level and Adam was our server. It was excellent from start to finish, we had the best time, the flavours of the food were just amazing and the wine was delicious!! Adam was attentive to the point of excellent yet not intrusive. It was a fabulous dining experience and we will be back!! Thank you Ester

We had the set menu with pork belly. Food was delicious and restaurant had a nice vibe.

Excellent food, great service and just a consistently special vibe.

Fantastic food, excellent service, great vibe. Chicken fat butter and fermented shrimp butter were highlights. Also loved the ham.

Great meal and atmosphere

Faultless. Set menu so well put together. Wine pairings so interesting. Serving staff an absolute delight. Surpassed expectations.

Outstanding food, outstanding service, our party of three had a great night! Definitely go if you have the opportunity!

It should be 7 star for the review..

Very nice place for dining which ever it is group or dating. the food here have some easter (Asia) element fusion with western style and local Australian food

One of the most enjoyable dining experiences I have this year. Every item on the set menu was delicious. The service was attentive and friendly. Loved it.

Absolutely amazing food and great service! Had the set menu, the cucumber was a hit and the desert was out of the world Food

Definitely one of the best meals Ive ever had And what ever it is - Paul has it Food : 5/5

Phenomenal. Celebrated an anniversary here and the service, food, ambiance were perfect. As a first time goer, really looking forward to going again, and highly recommend.

Im writing to express our disappointment with our last experience at this restaurant. We have lived in Chippendale for over 20 years, just a short walk from the restaurant, and have been many times since Ester opened. Back on July 10th, we visited to celebrate our Wedding Anniversary, a detail I think was noted when making our reservation. As always, the food excellent. However, an incident marred our evening, when a waiter asked what we were celebrating, and my wife happily responded, Our Wedding Anniversary. The waiter then corrected her, saying Oh, Relationship Anniversary. My wife reiterated, No, Wedding Anniversary, but was corrected again. We were surprised and dismayed by this exchange. As customers, we expect our special occasions to be acknowledged and respected as we define them. Weddings and anniversaries are significant milestones for many, and we should be able to celebrate them without having to accept someone elses interpretation. Would we go back .... maybe, though I did send the management an email about this back in July, but they didnt bother to reply.

Visited Sunday 6th Oct for Lunch - Wedding anniversary was the perfect excuse to finally visit Ester - wed been looking forward to it for ages and it definitely did not disappoint. Shellfish platter, tartare and the Grouper were absolute stand outs, but everything from service to a nicely balance wine list were excellent. Special mention to Bec and George who looked after us and gave the best food and drink recommendations - excellent service from both.

Work dinner - was amazing - great service and nothing too much trouble - GO.THERE!

Modern and contemporary type of food and service. Price a little extra - we had the Ester Classic Set Menu at $165pp. Service was unique in that it was genuine human interaction not fake bullshit fine-dining service, but walking in because you are going to pay $165 set menu, at the start you might think they are ignoring you and get taken a back but overall I think that was my entitlement coming out. They are actually pretty good / very busy and do the best they can without having to be too over the top. Didnt love the way blood sausage sanga was presented but it was tasty. Wagyu and potato bread was great.

We had one night for dinner in our quick work trip to Sydney and chose Ester and it was the best decision we made. No booking, we walked in and even though they were fully booked, they managed to make room for us without fuss. We weren t rushed along but made aware we might have to move to the table near the door should the booking arrive. It didn t and we could stay. We chose the tartare, pearl, cucumber, pork chop and finished with the crepe. It was all phenomenal food, not really a standout as they were all fabulous. One section of the pork was probably the best I ve eaten. Incredible. The pearl meat was so delicate and beautifully plated. We ordered two tartare as per the recommendation of the waiter but probably should have left it as one as they were very generous portions and we couldn t finish the pork. The tartare was delicious, I maybe would have liked a slightly thinner piece of bread but many would have thought perfect as it was. The cucumber yummmm and the crepe was beyond. The wine we had also very nice but to be honest the most memorable part was the service. We Could not fault it. We dine out in Melbourne a lot and I haven t experienced service this good in a long time. Dining room is the perfect lighting and very comfortable seating. Will be back for sure. Thanks for having us x

Particularly good with solo diners. Excellent food.

All the restaurants in Sydney have a great atmosphere. The atmosphere was good here too. I ordered the shrimp dish because it was delicious. The shrimp dish was a little over-seasoned, but it had a fiery flavor and was very delicious! I ordered bread separately to dip it in, but it came with bread ^^.. Ask before ordering! I didnt like the long fish dish... The scallops were very soft. I like chewy scallops My chef friend said it was overcooked ^^

Whomever thought leek could taste so amazing, nor salad! These guys do absolutely incredible things with flavour. Definitely recommend. Food

I wish I had taken photos - but was too absorbed in the adventure and company. From the moment we walked in to the moment we left, Ester was an experience filled with delight. Cocktails with a twist. Servings with a story. Be sure to add Ester to your culinary explorations.

Simply the best food. One of those rare experiences where all your senses are brought alive by the meal.Staff fantastic and knowledgeable. let them match the wine with your meal.

Every dish we had was really good & some interesting flavour combinations. Our waitperson was very attentive & helpful with our dining selections. We had been in Melbourne a few days earlier & dined at Flint. The owner recommended Ester & we said we d already booked!

Good Very nice you Food

We had a lovely dinner at Ester recently - sitting up at the bar. Lovely decor - clean, modern, and didnt feel cramped. Loved the little hooks under the bar table to hang bags/ jackets. Bar Staff / sommelier gave great suggesting to help pick a wine that suited my personal preference. All staff were friendly, helpful - dishes came out in great timing (never felt like we were waiting long, even when the restaurant was at full capacity) and were cleared efficiently, water topped up frequently. We ordered about 5-6 dishes to share among two and thought it was the perfect amount. We really enjoyed the oysters (natural / fingerlime/ hot sauce), the kingfish sashimi, the king prawns and the rice claypot. The only dish we may not order again next time is the flathead. Looking forward to coming back and trying out some other dishes and also the dessert! Thank you team. Dietary restrictions: Staff checked twice to make sure no dietary requirements or food allergies which is lovely Wheelchair accessibility: gentle ramp available for access into the main dining room ( next to the stairs)

My recent experience at Ester in Australia was disappointing. The set menu of eight dishes with a two-hour time limit made it impossible to fully enjoy the meal with wine and good company. We were rudely told we didnt have time for dessert and had to move tables, despite already paying for it. The high price we paid did not match the quality of the food. While the dishes were okay, they fell short of justifying the cost. Furthermore, two out of three dishes on the set menu featured a creamy white sauce, indicating an oversupply issue. Ester has potential for improvement, and I hope they take this feedback into consideration for future diners.

The food was incredible!

The food was unique and delicious. The service and staff were on point.

Had the restaurant cancel our booking last minute. Have flown in from interstate for a special birthday weekend, and to have them cancel last minute has really left us with not many options. I appreciate they tried to move us to a sister restaurant, however the time of 8.45pm is really inconvenient when we originally booked for 6pm.

The food here is really really good. Its best to go with one of the set menus plus pairing it with wines is a real bonus. The staff were knowledgeable and friendly and helpful. Recommended.

Hands down the best food in the area. Service is second to none. I always feel like Im looked after here and the staff dont even look like they are trying, its just the culture here.

Very lovely restaurant, great for birthdays and special occasions.

Very excited to visit Ester for a very special anniversary. A tad let down by a few small but important details. Upon arrival we stood just inside the door for ten minutes before the floor staff even acknowledged our existence. While we totally appreciate the delicate balance of exceptional customer service to all patrons I think this just took me a little by surprise given the high standards this establishment is known for. Even a simple nod or quick hello on the way past would have been so lovely and much appreciated. Instead, we just kind of awkwardly loitered across the front door feeling pretty out of place as one particularly efficient floor staff member brushed past us several times whilst staunchly avoiding eye contact or making any interaction with us whatsoever. Sigh. Still, our enthusiasm buoyed us up until we were seated and then looked after by a second staff member who was warm and lovely and quickly made us feel settled in and well informed. Happy days. All is good. Each dish was divine, excepting one. The famed blood sausage sanga. All of the individual elements were impeccably produced, the flavours unique and intriguing. BUT. (And its a big but!) That soft, delicate, fluffy slice of steamed bread - it was served hot and placed directly onto the plate. And it was a wet, sweaty, soggy mess that stuck to the plate and had to be coaxed up before breaking apart and dropping the contents onto the plate below. The wet squishy texture and experience was pretty awful to be honest. Particularly given the passion with which Chef Lindsay discusses this very issue as The stuff of nightmares in that gorgeous Ester tome. My partner and I kept trying to understand the issue and make excuses for it because we thought, perhaps we dont know any better? But given the fact that our meal for two with just one beer and one glass of wine came to $360.00 I would call this the stuff of nightmares indeed. Its not the price but what you receive for that price that is the issue. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to be over the moon with our experience considering this was a bucket list destination I was left somewhat underwhelmed and more than a bit disappointed. Walk the way you talk Ester. Every single time. No excuses. And NO soggy bread. EVER.

The a la carte menu on Ester s website had 3 out of 5 meat mains, one of which was duck. We couldn t resist and booked a table. The reality however was just one meat main: a pork chop for $120. The staff seemed to be doing us a favour serving us. A thoroughly disappointing experience. We wouldn t come back.

Wowsers! We had the best long lunch with Ester. The most incredible food, amazing cocktails & fabulous service. Highly recommend & we will be back for sure!

Best food Ive had in years. Amazing service. Cheers

Beyond expectation...great menu ..great taste

Oriental fine dining in Sydney It was a very good time

Bangin food and Brindles is also bangable!

Prawn dish was really delicious and it was best i have had in my life!! However duck dumpling was really salty for me and i think, if Pav was cold dessert, it would have been better. I really want to eat prawn dish again!!!! Food : 4/5

Best restaurant in Sydney that always meets my expectations and beyond every time.

We went for the à la carte option and really enjoyed our meal. Even though the scallops in chicken fat butter were only on the set menu, we were still able to order them which we appreciated as we wanted to compare them against the oysters in chicken fat butter. I loved the richness of the oyster but my partner loved the scallop more! I was curious about the pumpkin but there wasnt much Szechuan in it but then that could also have been a good thing? The blood sausage was a lot lighter in flavour than Id been anticipating (as I do appreciate a strong Scottish blood sausage). The milk bread was steaming on the plate so was a bit sweaty/delicate to hold. The prawns were prawny. The sticky date doughnut was AMAZING. Not as heavy as we thought it had looked on other peoples plates but so rich and delectable in the best way possible . We should have ordered one each but we also tried the whole mandarin sorbet (bitter) and the burnt pav (very sweet). If I were going again, Id reorder the woodfired oysters in chicken fat butter and the sticky date doughnuts again for sure! We enjoyed our experience on the bar only made better by the friendly and very helpful service from Ollie. Thank you to the team at Ester!

I love trying different restaurants and don t usually see the need to go back with so many options in Sydney, but Ester is definitely one that I will return, probably one of the best dining experiences I ve ever had. Ester is open on Mondays, which was great since I wanted a special place to celebrate my birthday. The menu was absolutely delicious and I loved how creative they were, getting inspired by dishes around the world, like an Aussie sausage sanga to a French crepe. I was pregnant and the staff were very attentive, ensuring that the cooked oysters were cooked all the way through for me. Although it was a Monday, they were super busy and unfortunately the last dish we ordered took too long, so we ended up cancelling it. In many restaurants this could lead to staff getting upset, but instead, our nice waiter apologised and gave us an extra desert - I thought I d need to take some home but they were so delicious that my husband and I managed to finish them all! Can t wait to go back!

Great food and fast service. No complain and probably one of our best meal in Sydney. The oysters are so yummy! Kid-friendliness: No baby chair available in the restaurant.

Great service and great food. Theres a reason why they have been around for so long. Highly recommended.

Lovely service. We loved the potato bread (though it was very small for the price), and the blood sausage sanga was very interesting. Unfortunately didnt love the duck, and the steak was just okay. The pork belly had a great crackling, but was a bit too sweet and rich for me.

Perfect experience at Ester today. Came from work, and as a single diner was made to feel exceptionally welcome, which was really nice.

Great food. One of the best in Sydney. Love the hint of smokiness from the food. Highly recommend the wagyu pie and duck dumplings.

First time back to Ester after a number of years. There s a reason that they have earned their 2 hats! The food is was seasonal, interesting and delicious. The service was warm and impeccable. We had a such great evening out and we will be back again soon!

We were visiting from Melb. Great night. All staff excellent. Interesting and very tasty food. Well done. We had an extremely memorable and enjoyable night

Really great food and loved the service on the night we went. Would come back again to try other things we missed out on!

Had lunch with my wife - had the kingfish and pork belly. Both were excellent dishes! Similar to some of the reviews, had an unpleasant experience with the staff. One of the male wait staff tending the bar was crass and impolite. Go for the food with no expectations for the service, nonetheless.

Got the $125 menu. Loved every dish.

Something ambiguous. It was neither good nor bad. I dont think I will visit again.

Delicious food, service and atmosphere. A must visit when in Sydney.

Food was absolutely great! I still think about the fermented bread. Had the set menu as we were a group of 7

Wonderful and interesting selection of food at ester. The winners had to be the pumpkin, the king prawn, and the sticky toffee dessert at the end. The service was slightly off to begin with but a nice touch with a celebratory birthday candle. Left feeling satisfied and definitely value for money.

Amazing food and service. Favorite restaurant in Sydney - thank you for a beautiful lunch.

This visit was our second go at the rodeo, and even better than the last. Great service and atmosphere, we really enjoyed every item on the $125 set menu. The food was well-balanced, and not too heavy.

Staff are very good, very attentive, very good service! The food is good, tasty and well presented. However, it is a bit overpriced, in my opinion.

Ester is one of my favourite restaurants. Food is amazing and desserts are the highlight.

virtuosity

Last minute Sydney trip from Byron Bay, secured a late booking & were sat on the bar. This was actually perfect, the space lends itself to elevated dining experience in a non pretentious atmosphere. The bar & wait staff were all courteous, attentive, full of knowledge & passionate. The food was exceptional, highlights last night were the crispy pork belly on charred leak, brussel sprouts three ways & the Yamba king prawns, all cocktails were perfectly balanced, & the unique wine that we took was also refreshingly bright & funky. Highly recommend, & dont be scared of the bar seating - a great way to be entertained through your meal!

I ate here a while ago now and forgot to review it. I can t wait to come back. We had such a nice evening here. Delicious menu.. we had the degustation style offering which was beautiful aesthetically and flavourful. Great drinks selection and fun bar vibe. See you soon!

It had been a while since I last came. Everything was impeccable, but what really made our experience was the level of service. Bec was an absolute legend! Incredible food, wines, ambiance, but more importantly, unique level of service that was fun and made us feel special. Thanks team xx

Vibrant place. Food is great: every dish has great flavors with a fantastic grill/smoked touch to it, except maybe their desserts which is a bit too sweet for my liking. Highly recommended Food : 5/5

Amazing taste, best service. 10/10!

The food is amazing! We had a fixed menu Sunday lunch and the seafood and roast lamb were great. Service is flawless. Just stay away from the wines - they pride themselves on only selling organic wines but they are terrible. We tried 5 different wines and gave up. Apart from that, great!

Great meal. Reminded us of Melbournes Clover. Wood-fire on everything. Many delicious dishes. A gem.

Just fab. Just book it.

We had a wonderful birthday dinner for my parents at Ester. The prawns were a real highlight - perfectly 70%-cooked and delicious. We also loved the potato bread with ikura and dashi jelly. What truly impressed us was the strong Japanese influence in the food. It felt very authentic and perfectly suited my Asian palate. Overall, a fantastic experience - highly recommend!

We had a team dinner at Ester a few weeks ago, and not only food was outstanding, as usual, but Ollie was excellent at selecting/talking to us about all wines. Super knowledgeable and naturally passionate. Thanks team!

Excellent cooking, delicious food, and considerate service make you linger.

We had a delightful lunch here for our last day in Sydney. Every dish was prepared beautifully - Pork belly & Duck Dumplings were the best!!

Nice Scallops

A beautiful experience, as always. Wonderful accommodation of dietaries.

I ate here in January 2024. The food was really fantastic and I remember it even today months later. However it s unfortunately soured in my memory due to the unfortunate hostess who was quite crass when we asked for a wine recommendation, and seemed like we had really upset her or caused a great inconvenience. It made us feel unwelcome and burdensome. I stopped taking it personally after the table next to us ended up returning a bottle of wine they had ordered after that same hostess had told them about it; they complained that she had misrepresented the wine to them. They got the bottle comp d and then left without eating a meal. Unfortunate that we caught the restaurant on a bad day.

Everything was delicious. Highlight of the meal was definitely the pipis. The sauce they were served in was incredibly more-ish. The blood sausage sanga was great too!

Quite disappointed with this fine dining restaurant. The waitress was just mumbling the whole time and felt like she didnt enjoy being there. We only understood what she said every once in a while, even after asking could you repeat that please? A few times. The food was disappointing as well for fine dining. It was tasty, but nothing stood out and easy to forget. So far my least favorite fine dining experience in Sydney.

Genuinely exceptional. 10/10. I ve heard others rave about Ester, and from tonight s food I can see why. We chose the set menu which I highly recommend. The charred prawns were next level, the scollops perhaps the best I ve ever tried. I could go on but I ll leave you to experience it yourself. The best part was perhaps saving the delectable bread to soak up the flavours of each dish. The service was also brilliant, attentive but not over the top, and supremely knowledgeable. Really well done. I ll be recommending anyone to head to Ester straight away!

Really enjoyed the food and ambience. Tried one of their Ester Classic set menu which had a combination of some of their popular items (we had just one item swapped out). The roasted oysters and bakers potato were very good and the desserts were also top notch. Their servers are very friendly and we had a pleasant experience there!

My evening at this restaurant was a delightful experience in every aspect. The service was friendly and attentive, with an excellent selection of wines and cocktails that perfectly complemented the meal. The industrial-style decor added a modern and elegant ambiance to the overall atmosphere. Every dish was a treat for the taste buds, but a few stood out to me in particular. The fermented potato bread with salmon roe and kefir cream was a unique and flavorful combination. The natural rock oysters with finger lime pearls added a delicate touch of freshness.The ceviche was fresh and bursting with flavors, while the lemon pancake provided a perfect sweet note to end the meal on a high. Overall, it was an exceptional culinary experience that I highly recommend to all food enthusiasts.

10/5 for Simon who gave us the most exciting and educational spiel of our lives.

Sunday lunch at Ester is special. The sun across the tables and the world class food makes it hard to beat. Winning dishes were the blood sausage sangas and the scallops amongst so many other epic meals

Amazing as always! Thank you so much Adam, Adrian and the team for looking after us so well. We felt at home again at Ester x Patrick & Georgette xxx Food

Amazing food and services. I wasn t a big fan of beef but my family would like to order Classic Ester Set (which the main is Wagyu Beef). The waiter and chef were very kind that they made me an extra portion of Murray Cod, which was amazing! The wine pairing was perfect as well, everyone enjoyed the lunch and was super full.

Just AMAZING. From the start to the end is just AMAZING!!!

Tasting menu was phenomenal. A very worthy dining experience in Sydney if you are looking to do something special.

Went the a la carte menu & red piquette last night. Both were incredible (I know that s surprising for a piquette) For two, unless you re feeling lazy I reckon you don t need the set menu but that looked great too! Especially the Waygu! Big shout out to the waiters, they worked tirelessly and still had time for chats

We opted to dine at Ester to celebrate my partners birthday after hearing many positive reviews about the restaurant. Being enthusiasts of fine dining and tasting menus, we opted for the $165 tasting menu along with the $65 wine pairing. Upon entering, we were impressed by the elegant ambiance, characterized by a rustic wall and subdued lighting. However, our dining experience fell short of expectations. While the wine pairing seemed like a good deal, the execution left much to be desired. The first glass of wine was served alongside five different small dishes, making it difficult to appreciate the pairing. Furthermore, subsequent glasses were presented without any explanation, detracting from the overall experience. I would have preferred the option to select my own wines for a more personalized experience. Regarding the food, it lacked the depth of flavor and character we were anticipating. Each dish failed to impress, leaving us underwhelmed. The wagyu MB9+, in particular, was very chewy despite its promising marbling. We chose this set menu primarily for the wagyu, so this was especially disappointing. Additionally, I was surprised to discover restaurant tables stored inside the restroom, which detracted from the overall ambiance. However, I must commend the waitress who provided excellent service throughout the evening. She was attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely pleasant, enhancing our dining experience. To add to our disappointment, causing us to feel rushed and also other customers were still eating, the kitchen staff began cleaning prematurely. The cleaning activities continued alongside the cooking This was particularly disruptive for an open kitchen as we had not yet reached the main courses. Furthermore, the presence of an undesirable bug on a nearby table was unsettling. Considering the renowned status of Ester and the hefty price tag of $480, we expected a much more memorable dining experience.

We had the loveliest 40th Wedding Anniversary lunch at Ester. The food was delicious, such interesting flavors, and our waiter/server was the nicest, most friendly guy who made our lunch a beautiful experience. I highly recommend Ester to anyone who appreciates great food, friendly service and terrific energy in a restaurant.

We had the classic set and the portion was good because some dishes came with breads. The wine pairing was also amazing!

Loved Ester! Strikes the right balance between being absolutely delicious and interesting food, classy and fun food. Not much to say here - everything tasted absolutely amazing. So hard to pick a favourite, but if I had to it would be the duck dumplings. So good. Service was also fast, friendly and efficient! Loved it, want to come back ASAP.

Great food and service. Saturday night is set menu, and this is clearly stated when booking. Acoustics - the place is a bit noisy. Cocktails are excellent. Highly recommend visiting this institution.

I know the last thing Ester needs is more great reviews but wow what a place. From the moment you walk in it s just special. The food, the service, the fun atmosphere all perfection. Our first time, mainly because you can never get a table (Now I know why) and from the moment we sat down we were treated so well by Brad. Brad, you re a legend and thank you for making everything seem so easy and special. Can t wait to go back. Honestly, 30 years of dining in Sydney and we ve never met a nicer and more helpful person. Don t think twice, just go.

The staff is friendly and I highly recommend Oyster! Be sure to try grilled trout

My recent visit to Ester was dissatisfied, especially when compared to previous visits...

I went there for my birthday dinner And we ordered set menu 125$/person. The food was so amazing and I d say set menu it s really worth it, we were so full The service was great all staff they are so nice to us. I dropped my scallop on the floor but they gave me a new one I really appreciate it and I got coconut ice creams with the candle for my birthday Good atmosphere and minimalist. Highly recommended this restaurant

Good service and nice food. But I was surprised of a how they reacted to a small fly I pointed out to them that went into my wine. They said ok I will scoop it out for you and they did just that. The weird thing was a while later, a second small fly went into my glass and when I told the waiter, they scooped out the fly once again. I don t know how a third fly fell into my glass soon after that?!! (I sat at the bar) They finally decided to give me a new glass of wine. I don t know how I felt about the number of flies that fell into my wine and how they reacted with just let me scoop it out. Honestly, I would have done the same to my own glass if I was at home or at picnic - but didn t expect that in ester?! The photo is my wine - no fly in there yet when I took the picture.

The food is just sensational, this was my second visit everything on the menu is amazing, it s my favourite restaurant and my guests yesterday now also have a new favourite restaurant. Dietary restrictions: The waiters menu knowledge is exceptional, they didn t have to run to the kitchen to check the dietary with the chef, they knew the menu.

Had dinner at Ester on Monday it was excellent. We opted for Seasonal set menu with grilled scallops, it was so delicious.

Here I am a week after visiting Ester for the first time and Im still thinking about those delicious braised duck dumplings in smokey broth.

Wow a great restaurant! They tell you that they leave you stuffed and its true. Great bang for your buck. Got the $165 ester classics. Every dish was creative and yummy, no misses. Dishes came out quick. Highlights were the crispy pumpkin, king prawns, wagyu of course. We were full but satisfied. Highly recommend this restaurant and it stands out as best bang for your buck among high end places

Great taste. If you are thinking about it, definitely go. It suits Korean taste very well. I applauded

This place was really the best!!! The service from the tall, very bright male staff member who wears glasses is the best!!! lol What can I say about the food, its truly delicious. I want to go again!! If you live in Sydney... haha

Ester is a wonder. Food and service is stunning.

Great dinner here - we love the food at Ester - always have and always will! The host was really accomodating to my husband who broke his wrist and allowed us to be seated earlier (when they were clearly busy and run off their feet!) than the booking - she went above and beyond, was super friendly and accomodating. They also accomodate for vegans so well - the vegan options are next level!

This is @ester_au & its phenomenal. Service, ambience & wine list are all faultless & food is the very best of Sydney (imho). Everything was perfect. Not one thing I would change. If I had to pick a favourite, the Roasted Abrolhos Scallops with Chicken Fat were mind blowing & (unexpectedly) that fermented potato bread really did exceed all the hype. If you re coming into Sydney for a quick visit & looking for a meal that represents Australia, book Ester. I can t imagine there has ever been anyone disappointed.

Great food and great service sat up at the bar. Thank you!

First off the food was amazing! The low star rating is due to the price and $$$. I would caution having 6 or more people on a booking because this means it s a $125 per person plus 10% service gratuity charge. There s enough warning that you will have to spend this much but when ordering I was assuming they would say we had to order a set menu due to the number of people and making it easier for the kitchen. Instead we were allowed to order al la carte (which I think defeats the purpose of having to do a minimum spend). At $125 per person we struggled to order enough food (although it was all delicious) and had to be asked to order more food to hit the minimum spend. We were so full at the end that we had to take 3 dishes home - the waiter even said we did well to finish the amount we did.

Such exquisite food, comparable with Tetsuyas in terms of quality and flavor. We had the $125 set menu and the highlights for us were the potato bread, the scallops and the pork neck, but the whole menu was Devine! The service was the perfect balance of attentive but not annoying. Stunning restaurant and the 4 cocktails we tried were all super delicious. Cant wait to go back!

Dietary restrictions: Gluten free friendly Food

Mud crab set menu was good

Destination restaurant for all discerning gourmands. Wonderful.

When someone says its all about the food, its easy to mistake this as a criticism but Ester really is all about a paired back menu of dishes that have been iconic since day one. If you want to enjoy a wonderful meal and good company but also touch tastebuds in new ways then this is for you.

Took my wife and a bunch of our friends their for her birthday, fantastic food and wine pairing. Recommend it and would definitely go there again

Its obvious why this restaurant has such high ratings. Its an upscale, expensive, high quality, fine dining restaurant selling highly refined meals. If you drink you could easily spend A$200 if youre not careful. I ordered from the set menu and enjoyed it well, although I dont think I could afford to do it again.

One of the best meals I ve had

Exceptional meal with great service and a welcoming atmosphere. A highlight of Sydneys fine food restaurants.

Hubby and I enjoyed a Classics Set Menu and loved every bit of it. Highlights were; Beautiful oysters, scallops we added in from a la carte, the king prawn served with edible shell and fermented butter (A+ for different experience) and the well matched dessert duo of house made blood orange sorbet and a decadent but light and fluffy donut. Least remarkable; Blood sausage sanga which was a little dull in comparison - still different though. We thought the service was fabulous, friendly, energetic and attentive. Beautiful ambience! Somehow the restaurant seats just the perfect number of people so that even while completely full - the experience is rather intimate. Well worth the value, we ll definitely be back again.

Everything is excellent.I will say it is the best restaurant in Sydney.

One of the best!! Incredible food. Great atmosphere

Oli & Sam are da greatest to ever do it.

5 stars all round. The potato bread is a must, along with every other dish. You can t go wrong. We hope to be back soon.

Expensive but well worth the experience. I would recommend coming in a group to order more from the menu as it is designed to be shared

This used to be one of my favourite restaurants, but the food just isnt there any more.

I dare say, this is the best restaurant that I have been in Australia. You just couldn t fault anything really from the food, service, vibe and down to the tiny details, it was executed smartly. I have been to so many restaurants all over the world but this place stood out to me and my partner.

Food and wine selection on the set menu was ample. Service was fast and every dish was so delicious. The pork literally melts in your mouth. Pork neck was a little hard and fatty. I will come back again.

Amazing dinner on Saturday night. Had the Classics menu with matched wines. Hit after hit of incredibly tasty dishes. Squid ink dumpling was a very pleasant surprise and the Wagyu was one of the best steaks Ive ever had. They happily swapped out the pickled cucumber for a delicious pear and witloof course. Dollar for dollar, this would be up there with one of the best meals Ive ever had. The whole Ester team should be very proud of the amazing work they do.

Love this place. Food and service are always exceptional!

My partner and I dined at Ester this evening, and it was honestly such a wonderful experience. The food was amazing especially the prawns!! This place has been on my partners Go-to list for ever and it did not disappoint. Sam our waiter gave us all the information we needed and supported us in choosing what we wanted in the best possible way. Thank you again to the Ester team!

It s a bar and casual style of restaurant with wines.Only seafoods and vegetables. All have a special sauce in a perfect match with white wines.

Over priced and underwhelming although service was very good

Great atmosphere and great staff. Food was was mostly great, a few dishes we tried excelled above others. The blood sausage and potato bread are a must try. 5/5. Serving sizes were generally okay. However, the Marron I felt was shockingly overpriced, $80 for a single Marron which was about the size of a king prawn.

Although the food was great, the service I would say is less than average. Our table was charged a 10% service fee even though we only had 3 people. Wasnt sure why this was the case but the servers were very adamant that it was supposed to be.

Impeccable service, professional, unintrusive but personable and attentive, stylish decor. Sadly food was just ok, very pricey for quality and quantity served. Head chef was playing on his phone all the time we were there, barely looked at a plate leaving the pass all night. Set menu for $125pp worth about $70 max. Minimal proteins, textures and contrasts lacking.

Just 5/5. Nothing to be said. Foods were absolutely great and customer service was top as well. Highly recommend

Favourite restaurant in Sydney. Best food, people and the space is so simple and cosy. Literally every dish on this menu is so good. The team also update the menu daily so you be the ingredients are fresh. Personal faves are the potato bread, scallops, prawns, chicken and their semi freddos

First time here based on recommendation. I would highly recommend, however it is pricey so just be aware of this before going. But expected because this is a done dining restaurant.

This place was incredible. Went for a birthday dinner, turned up early and they still accommodated us, amazing service, doesn t feel pretentious and the food was incredible. Food is different to anywhere else, not replicable at home and worthwhile. They even threw in some complimentary coconut ice cream for the birthday. Highly recommend.

Outstanding. Next level dining. Food

Visited for a birthday and Ester delivered. Pre-ordered the mud-crab which was delicious and a lot of fun to work through. The accompanying sambal was perfect, and the desserts were excellent. And the staff were really friendly and helpful. If I was to nitpick, Id say it needs air-conditioning, during summer it must get really hot.

Amazing food and service

Incredible food, incredible service. Classic menu worth a try, includes blood sausage sanga and upgraded mains to Wagyu. Potato bread - good quality bread, but perhaps over hyped Oyster - just right, coming from a non oyster eater Fried corn - incredible, moreish, could have loads more Pickled cucumber - refreshing, umani with Kombu Blood sausage sanga - didnt win me but glad I tried King prawns - perfectly cooked, bread to mop up the sauce Wagyu - was not given an option of doneness, tender and delicious nonetheless Dessert - a miss for me. Coconut sorbet was nice but the sake overpowered it. Unsure on the yoghurt crumble.

Was underwhelmed with the food. Great service though, really superb. Tables are a tight fit too. My chair getting bumped every time the waiter walked past. Dumplings was the standout for me. Didn t love the flavours, just wasn t for me. Food

Very delicious and served quickly! It s just a bit hot and there s no air conditioning

My most recent visit was with a large group comprising of children, babies and a few dietary requirements. All met with ease, warmth and professionalism. The food is always outstanding and the desserts are especially the unsung heroes.

The food was interesting, delicious and exceptional. However, let down but the staff here not that I expect this review to have any impact. Our waitress didnt have the best knowledge of the wine menu which was OK but made ordering a bit difficult as we werent familiar with a lot of the options. My friend had booked the early 6:30pm sitting for our table of three. When ordering the extended tasting menu we were not reminded of our 2hr restriction (apparently this was covered in the online booking multiple times which two at the table didnt make). I did think the food was coming out quite quickly but was oblivious that the clock was counting down as naturally we were chatting and enjoying our meal. Before dessert we were asked to move to a small isolated table down at the front window because another couple needed ours. I was a bit shocked and expressed that Id never been asked to move prior to finishing a meal in a nice restaurant before. Instantly we were all made to feel it was our fault. We were told by the maitre d that we some of our party were late (by 5mins) and that we should have known because of the online booking terms and conditions. To be honest it felt like being totally gaslit : (. Both my partner and I have worked in the hospitality services before and all it would have taken would have been some politeness and either an extra drink or some offering but instead we got rules are rules and everyone at your table should know the rules so there you go. Although the food was incredible we all left with a bitter taste in our mouths served up by the front of house that night. So if you want to enjoy Ester give the early booking a miss or maybe dont have the extended courses option....

Service was inconsistent, other tables had their cutleries/ plates replaced each course but that didn t apply to us. Didn t feel any special dining here even though it s a birthday dinner. One waitress collected our dish before it was finished. There was also a fly hovering constantly where we dined. Food was okay. The only highlight was the international pairing.

The food is very salty. And I feel for the price you pay its okay. The corn is a winner though. I wouldnt rush back though and international wine pairing a bit muh. Service was amazing though.

Everything was so incredible, the venue, the food the service!! Well definitely be back and I cant not recommend Ester to anyone who will hear me

Absolutely amazing food experience. Menu was innovative and delicious. I really appreciate the menu is seasonal so there are always surprises everytime I visit. Its a must try!

Everything was just amazing, the food was incredible, easily catered for gluten free and pregnancy. Service was spot on. Cant wait to go back. Dietary restrictions: GF and pregnant

Amazing food and wine. Really appreciate how well the staff treated us: without fawning, but full of knowledge and easy to talk with.