Cynthia C.

Best meal we had during our trip. Approachable and inviting space. Definitely make reservations ahead of time and if it's available - get the mud crab dinner. I didn't know it was a whole feast! It was the two of us and we could not bear to spare any of the beautiful food, so we packed some to bring back. Also if I ever decide to eat crab at home I definitely need to invest in some of their tools. Made eating crab so much easier. Highly recommend all the food there - maybe a TAD salty on some, but the detail, quality of preparation and ingredients whisked any critique away. If you need the staff to recommend wines - ask, they are very thoughtful in their response. Biggest regret: not ordering their famous fermented potato bread served with roe. What an interactive delicious meal. A place I would return to if I was ever in Sydney again to see what the kitchen is cooking up.

Nico G.

First off AMAZING. Everything was AMAZING. Ollie my server was AMAZING. The set menu was AMAZING. The wine on the local set menu was AMAZING. The restaurant itself was AMAZING very clean modern. Honestly best meal I have ever had (compared to my mom's cooking) but honestly dead a$$ that was FIRE. Get the set menu! I am a picky eater but you only live once and wow everting was cooked to perfection and taste. Ollie my severer was a g.

Mario B.

As one of the hottest restaurants in Sydney, Ester delivers on an exceptional meal paired with stellar service and laid back atmosphere. The unassuming and easy-to-miss entrance hides behind it a laid back, informal and rustic atmosphere that makes you feel cozy and welcomed. The staff was superb, the recommendations on point, and the service was speedy and efficient. Getting the simple things right enhances the overall dining experience. Ester brings things back to basics in the most wonderful way possible. The innovative and modern Australian cooking highlights the locally sourced ingredients and makes them shine in creative ways. The fermented potato bread with roe and cream, as well as, the king prawns are to die for. Their in-house made drinks are also worth trying, as well. Overall, this place has a little something for everyone that appreciates the modern, simplistic, and honest approach to dining.

AMAZING! If Michelin came to Australia this would definitely get a star. The food impeccable, the service amazing. They were everything you could ask for in a restaurant. They were very adaptable, for example they compensated for my gluten, nut, and seafood allergies. They were welcoming and had great hospitality. if you come to Sydney, I definitely recommend to go here.

Edmond T.

Ester is all about the local sourced farm to table ingredients and creativity in its best possible way. I particularly enjoy the cozy and informal atmosphere and the friendly service. There is a good selection of wood-fired small plates Signature dishes include the young chicken stuffed with a lobster sausage, which was full of flavor and the chicken is hands down the best (and memorable) I have ever had! King prawns doused in fermented shrimp butter was fantastic. The duck dumplings are so good I had every drop of the broth (and still wanting more of that broth!) We were told that the menu changes frequently so i won't waste my time reviewing course by course. Organic wines characterize the clever drinks list, which the Somm recommended an orange wine that paired well with the chicken. A lot of wine by the glass options to showcase specific flavors of each of the dishes. Do yourself a favor and make a rest in one of the hottest seats in Sydney.

Christina R.

Oh man! I made a reservation to a different place (rhymes with Liarpoor) but I couldn't get Ester out of my mind. With not a lot of nights in Sydney, I had to be strategic about where we wanted to eat dinners. About a month before our trip, I pulled the trigger and cancelled that other reservation and made one at Ester. While I've never dined at the other place (but I can watch their episode on Netflix again if I wanted), I just know I made the right decision. The service was impeccable. I loved how hospitable and happy everyone working here seemed to be. We arrived a bit early and were just standing outside. They saw us and were like, come on in, even though it looked as if they were still in a bit of pre shift mode. Every person came to the table to say something nice or talk to us about something. They also put up with my dad who loves to talk, too much. The restaurant itself is dark and moody with not a lot of decoration. I appreciated that actually. I loved the idea of wine storage being a design feature, with concrete and bare lighting. Now the food? Wow. We got the Ester Classics tasting menu with the wine pairing. We also started with some cocktails. The cocktail program here is really good, great balance of flavors and good creativity. The food was intensely amazing but be ready to roll out of the restaurant. They are very generous with their portions, which I am NOT mad about. Everything was amazing but I have to talk about the fermented potato bread with dashi gelee, kefir cream and trout roe. This is something I will never forget. Ever. It was probably the best bite of food I've had in my whole life (and I am a chef in Las Vegas so I've gotten to try some amazing things.) I would also be remiss to not mention the salted caramel semifreddo with black sesame. I told the server I could take a bath in it and I still feel this way. I'd fly 20 hours again just to eat here.

George S.

Best meal we've had in Sydney to date. Crispy egg plant was phenomenal. The bass was out of this world. Great drinks and lovely staff. This is as close as I have come to finding a reason to justify Australia's existence.

Jeff L.

Food was amazing! Best prawns I've ever had. One of the best breads I've had. Lounge-y vibe, not too stuffy. Great meal!!

Ron W.

This is an elevated grotto. Walk up the stairs and you're in a concrete bunker giving the small dining room that Pont du Hoc feel. A small open kitchen with a gun port pass through fires the plates out to the two rows of two/four tops and the hockey stick Bar. Caveat: The 18 hard wood backless bar stools are the size of a hummingbird nest but not quite as comfortable. The seats feel like you are milking an angry cow while constantly shifting your bum to find the sweet spot. Your allotted space to dine at the Bar will require a tight mise en place. There are two large windows with a view of parked cars that have been there for years as a space is Unicorn rare. There are 2 seats at the window counter which is barely wide enough to balance a butter dish. The Vibe: Bristling Sardines with credit cards. People who like being squeezed like pimples because every dish is a home run. The place is so packed you'll easily hear how dysfunctional everyone else there is. Of course they can also hear you.The Bar Tenders were as busy as Bees on Speed. You'll have to vie for attention. (Tough for only children). Its a booze fueled barely controlled Christmas Party and all good. The Bar Program: Full spirited. The Wine List is a final exam Blue Book of mostly Aussie and Euro eclectics plus some Ciders, Sakes and Draft Beers. My Montenegro Sour was Amaro, Luxardo Cherry Liqueur, Lemon and a trace of Egg White and that bad ass was nasty good. A total refreshing gulper. The Staff: At the Bar they all knew the menu but that was about it. So, Sex, Religion and Politics are off the table or should be confined to your dinner companions or the Sardines next to you. The Food: Ah, what food. Food for a foodie. The Expediter claps when dishes are ready for delivery and I guarantee, you're gonna be happy you got the clap. Be prepared as plates can come at you fast and furious or in full slo-mo. You maybe eating like a wolf or on the bar stool that time and servers forgot. The Blood Sausage on Milk Bread was a ghoulish little cocktail weenie the size of an index finger. (Yeah, but who's.) This dish is delicious and everything a B. S. should/could be. The Pickled Pipis. No, nothing to do with circumcision, they're clams on a Malt Crisp Cracker with Smoked Tomato. Beyond creative, it rivals the best of LA or NYC. Leave the whole tray, please. The Potato Bread (the size of a small Rugby Ball) was as soft as a down pillow. I wanted to take it on the plane for my neck. Probably the Kefir Cream and Trout Roe it comes with would make a mess of my hair. The Duck Croquet were an Ester riff on a Soup Dumpling. One bite and your place setting will resemble a kill site from a Stephen King novel. The Croquets winked and whispered "Bite Me". I did. With Sesame and Sriracha this dish sizzled. Time for a glass of 2017 Manon Pinot Gris to freshen the palate after all Orange is the new White and all right. Roasted Peas with Curd and Pea Tendrils were so fresh I could tell who the farmer last slapped or tickled. This plate was spectacular. Iceberg Lettuce with Green Goddess and Nori/Olive Tapenade cleansed for the next course. This was a classy spiff from the kitchen as they could hear me oohing and ahhing above the dining din and they felt bad for dragging their feet with my Moreton Bay Bug which finally arrived after a lengthy post roast rest. The Bug was divine. Nestled in a puddle of Salt and Pepper Bechamel with Chili to balance it. This was worth waiting for even if Rip Van WInkle's nap was shorter. Dessert: No room? Make room. The Left Over Sour Dough Creme Anglaised, Black Sesame, Burnt Crumbs, and Salt, was positively inspired. The Chocolate-Licoirce Dart Tart was slice of perfection. It was as good as the Licorice Bon Bon on offer at Bavel in LA which might be the only reason to visit the States. I now have a zest for Ester.

Vincent Q.

Ester is my favorite restaurant in Sydney. The food served here is seasonal modern Australian. The savory dishes are really what shines here. This is the type of food that I like. Nothing fancy but just really delicious rustic food. The environment is really lively and generally the staff is pretty friendly. They do get really busy which led to really short food description and checking in. Food: 5 stars Environment/service: 4 stars Value: 4.5 stars Recommendations: set menu, potato bread w/ fish roe, lamb intercostal, hanger steak I had the set menu and I highly recommend ordering it if you are hungry. The portions are roughly half sized and you get to try a good portion of the menu. Everything I had tasted good while some dishes were great. The potato bread with fish roe and dashi jelly was amazing and I really enjoyed this dish. The desserts I had were pretty good. I liked the sourdough ice cream and I liked the creative use of the old bread crumbs to provide some texture and crunch to the ice cream. The menu changes constantly depending on what is in season. Looking forward to coming back again to try some new dishes.

Cindy T.

If you are considering going to Ester go make a reservation now! This was my favorite place in Sydney. It was great service with a very low key chill vibe. The menu is seasonally depending on what is in season so all items are really fresh. They have a great wine and cocktail list as well. The must was the king prawns. They were sweet and not fishy at all. Be sure to order a side of bread to soak up the sauce after. The other item ordered was the hanger steak - grass fed. It was cooked perfectly and really juicy. The other item ordered and would skip was the jerusalem artichoke. It was a little too charcoaled for my taste. The cauliflower was a great vegetable side - the small was more than enough for two!

Tempest W.

Impressed even from the first phone call. They like to do a fairly strict two sittings, one starts at 6.30, where they want you out by 8.00 (I think) This did not suit us, as it was my Birthday, and I am not a big eater, so like to take my time. The cheerful call from a lovely woman was happy to oblige. We arrived at 7.00, and left when we were ready to. Where to start? We opted for the $75.00 tasting menu, and were not at all disappointed. Baked oysters in a wasabi cream were amazing, and I could have eaten half a dozen! SOO GOOOOD!! These were followed by an ugly looking, and intriguing squid dumpling. It looked like a black rock, and had such an odd texture, sort of chewy, gelatinous, strange, but I found myself unable to stop eating it. The dish I was least looking forward to, was the "Blood Sausage Sanga" I hate sausages, on the whole. This, however, was one of my favourite things of the night!?? (What the hell?) It was a small, sweet and spicy sausage presented on a cloud like brioche. Every bite was utter heaven! I posted a pic on facebook and came home to a barrage of comments including things like "Dick on bread" and "Dog Turd on a plate" (Yes, I have creative and helpful friends) Anyhow, they had a point, but I don't think I could have been more surprised! Do yourself a favour and make sure you try it! It's utterly, completely delicious. There is a kingfish sashimi that comes with burnt mandarin and pickled cucumber that I was not a fan of. My partner said it reminded him of a Big Mac. I wouldn't go that far, and I can't really say what it was that I didn't like about it, because the texture was fine, and it was beautifully prepared, it just didn't work for me. Then, who would imagine I would be raving about a salad? Yes, first a sausage, now a salad. I must be off my rocker!?! I don't even have a clue about what was in it, apart from the green shit and the roasted pumpkin seeds and some genius designed dressing from the gods, but MAAAN, it was bloody scrumptious! Again, I ate almost all of my portion. (By this time, it's getting dangerous, because, as I mentioned, I am a fairly pathetic eater) Roast shoulder of lamb followed, which left me a bit "Meh" but I was getting terribly full by that stage. The accompanying "Burnt Cauliflower" was incredible! Yes, it is burnt, on top, and that works amazingly, it's topped with nuts and other flavour packed Ping! Kapow! Pop! type things. Again, I have no clue what they did to it to make it so good, but they better just keep doing it! So, Desserts....I was somewhat shocked when I was presented with a small and amazingly delicious birthday cake with a candle in it, along with their famous "Three Milks" and Salted caramel with black sesame semi fredo. All of them so very good. I was taken from a food coma to a diabetic coma, and loved every minute of it! Tip? Don't go dressed like a wanker, as I did. The place is somewhat Hipster and downbeat. Rock up in your casuals. Hell, Ride your bike, they even have a bike rail on the way to the bathroom.

Emma L.

An amazing meal from beginning to end. Each plate bringing news flavours and experiences. We tossed up between the set menu (great value 8 options for $72 pp) but decided to order off the menu. We started off with the baked oyster which is topped with an amazing horseradish cream, the kingfish ceviche which comes with a burnt mandarin that you squeeze over the top to create a delicious sauce, the squid ink dumplings and their signature blood sausage sanga a cheeky take on a sausage in bread. I was already blown away by their amazing flavour combinations and just when I thought it couldn't get any better we move onto the bone marrow. Topped with a chilli sambal and served with the housebaked bread on which to smear the chilli marrow every morsel of this dish was consumed with sheer delight. after some careful deliberation through the mains we rounded our savoury collection out with the spatchcock. This is by far one of the best poultry dishes I have had in a long time. So tender and juicy served with a garlic bread sauce ... Yes the grey sauce really does live up to its name and you think you are eating garlic bread and confit garlic. One of the things that really impressed me was the king fish head special. The road the leftover portions of king fish from the sashimi and serve it up with lettuce and condiments to eat like a San Choy bow. Great use of the fish to minimise waste. Oh and the desert. I was impressed by the value for money for desert. Great quality and low prices and some simple options on the menu. The salted caramel semi Freddo was delicious and perfect end to my meal whilst the companion tucked into the chocolate licorice tart. It was rich creamy with a delicious texture with a lingering subtle licorice flavour. Would I be back ... Absolutely.