The House Eatery by George - NARELLAN

I stumbled upon this hidden gem while looking for a suitable place to eat before Chris Botti's performance at the Sydney Opera House. Tucked away from view, near the western foyer box office, it'd be easy to miss if you didn't know it was there. When I expressed concern about whether we would have time to order and eat our meals before the concert started, the staff reassured us that we had ample time and directed us to the last available table.I ordered the caramelised beetroot tatin with chevre and baby herb salad ($26) and my companion ordered the roast corn-fed chicken breast with mustard lentils, lemon and spinach ($30.50). Both meals arrived quite promptly and were delicious. And yes, we made it to the concert with time to spare.If the noisy crowd at Opera Bar isn't your scene but you still want to take in the beautiful views, The House Eatery by George will now be my recommended option to family and friends.

We had the bad fortune to visit the House Eatery a few days ago. They had not allocated a table to our booking, so we had to sit outside in the freezing wind of the last day of winter. They eventually gave us blankets, but not soon enough to stop a cold from developing two days later. Morale among the staff was terrible; they explained that that was the last day of the lease. So half the menu was off. Some of the staff made an effort, but others seemed there only to collect their pay at the end of the night. The food was a little unadventurous, but simple and well-prepared. I see the Gregan Group, which held the lease until Sunday night, operates mostly bars. I would suggest they stick to that.

As choices go when you are going to a show or opera-the restaurant choices in the area are limited. There are other restaurants,but this one is right in the Opera House. It is a touristy area so don't think the food is going to be cheap. On a fine evening sitting outside with a view of the Bridge and cruise ships it is wonderful. Fantastic spot. In Winter the inside seating is more comfortable,but in a rather stark environment.The Opera House is a stark building...but wonderful.The food is very nice and having been about 3 times now we view this as our restaurant of choice when going to an opera...waiting staff were ok,but could have been a little more aware of our need to be able to go to the opera. We were there early with plenty of time to have a relaxed meal before the performance...

Was very much looking forward to dining here last Friday night for a pre-show dinner, especially with all the great reviews... alas I left very underwhelmed and dissapointed.It was painful trying to make a booking, as the phone goes straight to voicemail requesting that you email your booking reservaition which I did, only to receive confirmation the following Monday.It felt like forever to even be noticed by staff to be seated. When asked the waiter if the outdoor gas heater could be turned on, he replied with "it's broken". Then asked if it could be swapped out with one that is working that was not being used by other customers, and his reply was simply "sorry, no, but I can get you a blanket if you like".The seafood tier for 2 people was shameful value for money, and was made even worse by our waiter knocking over my partners glass of Muscadet which went all over the table and our pants. His lack of urgency to get a cloth or even try to make amends was terribly poor.Such a perfect location and view, with hopes of what should have been a good start to a good night, which just went from bad to worse.

This really is the answer to where to eat before a show at the opera house. Great views of the harbour bridge, good food, a great selection of vegetarian options on the menu too, wonderful service, nice wine choices and no rushing to the show... You are there.