Herdsman Lake Tavern

I would return to this establishment 😄

The ambiance is reminiscent of a 2000s pub. The staff were courteous and efficient in clearing our table. They even brought out a birthday cake and sang, which was a pleasant surprise 🎂🎈

The chips and cheesy garlic bread were both quite good. However, the garlic sauce lacked garlic flavor and the steak was rather bland. The Barramundi, on the other hand, offered a delightful combination of flavors.

Tonight myself my daughter and granddaughter came for dinner. I usually love the Barra and mash. Tonight the serving was half the size of barramundi than usual ( would fit in less than the palm of my hand) mash was cold and included two hard full cloves of garlic. My daughter was able to eat part of her steak sandwich as it was thin with mostly chewy tough gristle. There was a large waiting line to order so we were happy able being able to order from our table. Oh fantastic that kids eat free tonight but the kids meals are not included on the QR menu. We didn't wait in line, we just shared our dinner with her. Our family eat here regularly but the meal sizes and standard have been hit and miss recently times. If I'm paying such prices I do expect the portion and standard to compare to previous times I've ordered the same. Definitely was not worth the money.

Fantastic venue. Great wholesome menu and food was delicious and such generous portions!! We had the steak sandwich and the herdy sandwich. Both wer amazing 😍

Nice atmosphere, lots of families so a very relaxed feel.

Easy parking with lots of spaces

Quite a large venue so getting a table is not an issue.

Can get busy ordering at the counter but there is an alternative which is to scan the QR Code at your table & just order without having to leave your table. Payment was also done in this process as well. Was very convenient.

Food was good value and for those who are of pension age there is a limited pension menu to select from that is good value too!

Service was very prompt and all additional requests were taken with a big warm smile.

Very nice spot & will be back again!!

We went to the herdies for the family friendly NYE and had an excellent time. An indoor playground, face painting and a disco for the kids for New Year's Eve made it super relaxing for us as parents as our kids were so entertained. Food was delicious- had the special meat platter which was incredible value. Service was outstanding with very friendly and helpful staff.

A great place to have food with family. There's an indoor playground for kids.
The staff were nice and friendly. The food arrived on time. The dish compare to the price was totally worth it.
All in all, I'd go to this place again.

Our recent visit to Herdsman Tavern presented a mix of experiences. The summer menu offered more reasonable prices, although the steaks seemed thinner, they were still acceptable. While my husbands meal was on the small side and he found the garlic sauce to be subtly flavored, the pepper sauce I had was quite enjoyable. The kids relished their meals - the kids portions were ample and satisfying. However, we did notice a delay in drink delivery when using the table app to order, so we just went to the bar to order. There was a noticeable decline in service since Tim's departure. On a positive note, this visit showcased a larger staff presence and more affordable prices compared to our previous visits. We've been regulars for many years, and while we've observed consistent menu changes, this was the first time we've seen such an improvement in both pricing and staff availability. Nice work on the improvements!

A great family venue but stopped going regularly for a while as menu wasn't satisfactory and chopped and changed regularly. Tried it again with family this week and what a change!! New Menu was fabulous and tasty - kids grazing plate a good idea. Staff and service wonderful. Overall terrific and we'll be going again regularly

We had a wonderful lunch today at Herdies - it was perfect for the rainy day! The meals were delicious particularly the Cottage Pie and the Seafood Linguine! Staff were fantastic, friendly, efficient and so obliging ( the kids ran out of sharpened coloured pencils at the colouring in table and they were swiftly replaced!) The inside kids' playground was a hit too! Prices and parking were spot on too! We are already planning our return visit with the rest of the family 😊

Subject: Disappointing Experience with Beef Rib

Dear Herdsman Lake Tavern,

I am writing to express my disappointment with the beef rib I ordered at your establishment on 1 July 2023. I recently dined at your restaurant with high expectations, particularly for the 36-hour slow-cooked beef rib that was priced at $32.

Unfortunately, the actual experience fell far short of my expectations. The beef rib I received was incredibly tough and challenging to cut with the provided cutlery. I attempted to use the cutlery, but it proved ineffective in separating the meat. Eventually, I resorted to using my hands to pull the meat apart, but even then, it was still difficult to consume.

Given the premium price of $32, I had anticipated a tender and succulent beef rib that would effortlessly melt in my mouth. Regrettably, this was not the case. The lack of tenderness and the resulting inconvenience greatly impacted my overall dining experience.

I am writing this review not to seek a refund, but rather to bring this matter to your attention so that you can address the issue and ensure that future customers enjoy a more satisfying dining experience. I believe it is crucial for businesses to be aware of customer feedback to improve their services and maintain customer satisfaction.

I hope that you will take my feedback into consideration and take the necessary steps to rectify this issue. I believe in the potential of The Herdsman Lake Tavern to deliver exceptional dining experiences, and I trust that my experience was an isolated incident. I encourage you to evaluate the cooking and preparation methods of the beef rib to ensure that it meets the standards that customers expect.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I hope that my feedback will contribute to the ongoing improvement of your establishment. I look forward to a more enjoyable experience should I choose to dine at The Herdsman Lake Tavern in the future.

Sincerely,

Emily

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Response from the owner3 hours ago
Dear H C,

Thankyou for your feedback on the ribs. I will pass this onto the Head chef and the kitchen staff to follow up with.

Please know that if you are ever unhappy with the quality of your meal, let us know straight away so we can get you another one, or exchange the meal for something else.

We strive to give every customer a great experience at the Herdsman, so I hope you can give us another chance soon.

Regards, Brad.

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Hello Brad,

Thank you for the reply.

In fact I did complain to the waiter when he was trying to collect the dishes, and he said sorry, walked away.

That's the end of the story.

Emily