Aalia Restaurant Sydney

I rarely write negative reviews, but I genuinely do not understand how this restaurant has earned two hats. I have dined at many exceptional restaurants around the world, and unfortunately this was one of the most disappointing dining experiences I have had. To start on a positive note, our waitress was amazing. She was professional, attentive, and handled everything with genuine care. When I mentioned that my glass smelled strongly of egg, like dishes that have not been washed properly, she immediately apologised and replaced it. The team also replaced the sparkling water that had been poured into the glass with a complimentary new bottle, which was a thoughtful gesture and appreciated. The bread was actually the highlight of the night. It was fresh, well made, and nothing was wrong with it. However, everything that followed fell far short of expectations. The hummus with bone marrow was confusing and unpleasant. It tasted like a chickpea curry with cubes of gelatinous meat, and the flavours did not feel refined or balanced. The Moreton Bay bug tomato soup, especially at over $40, was extremely underwhelming. It tasted like a basic homemade tomato soup with only the smallest amount of bug meat and an unnecessary heaviness from the chicken fat. The prawns were particularly disappointing as they had not been properly cleaned. The intestinal vein was still present, which is unacceptable at any restaurant, let alone one of this supposed calibre. I could not eat them. The lamb was served on cold bread and consisted mostly of fat, with a very strong, overly gamey flavour. The salad barely contained any avocado, despite being advertised as such, and was mostly shaved feta. It felt careless and poorly constructed. Overall, this experience did not come close to justifying the price point or reputation. I expected thoughtful, refined, and well executed food, but instead found confusing combinations, poor preparation, and lack of care. While the service was excellent and the waitress handled things very well, the food itself was deeply disappointing. Very disappointing overall.

I had an absolutely amazing experience at Aliaa. From the moment we walked in, everything was perfect. The manager was incredibly welcoming and professional, the service was attentive and friendly, and the atmosphere was beautiful and relaxing. The food was outstanding. Everything tasted fresh and full of flavor. The oysters were WOW — some of the freshest and most delicious I’ve ever had. Every dish we ordered was prepared perfectly. Honestly, 5 stars isn’t enough for this place — they deserve 10 stars. If you’re looking for amazing food, great service, and a wonderful atmosphere, Aliaa is a must visit. I can’t wait to come back!

I had a wonderful dining experience at AALIA during my visit to Sydney. The restaurant offers beautifully executed Middle Eastern cuisine and you can really taste the authenticity and quality in every dish. The food was excellent — rich in flavour, well balanced, and thoughtfully prepared. Each dish felt authentic while still being presented in a refined and modern way. It was a great introduction to Middle Eastern flavours done at a very high level. The service was also superb. The staff were professional, attentive, and made the whole dining experience smooth and enjoyable from start to finish. You really feel well taken care of throughout the meal. Overall, AALIA delivers both exceptional food and hospitality. If you’re looking for authentic Middle Eastern cuisine in Sydney with outstanding service, this is definitely a restaurant worth visiting.

It was a wonderful dining experience at Aalia. We had the lamb nayyeh, which was an exquisite balance of flavours of a steak tartare with middle eastern flavours. We also had at quail skewers which were exceptional, and the duck fesenjan which was prepared so delicately with an incredible walnut flavour that pays tribute to the traditional dish. We were served by the lovely Francesco, who made sure I had a wonderful and memorable birthday dinner. We were able to bring along my small dog accommodated by the outdoor seating, and the ambience was just as delightful. Highly recommend. I look forward to coming again and sampling the rest of the menu.

We were greeted warmly on arrival and seated straight away. The only small frustration was being placed near the door, which opened and closed often, but the staff were incredibly considerate and made sure to keep it shut so we weren’t disturbed, a thoughtful touch that didn’t go unnoticed. We tried a range of dishes. The lamb nayyeh was prepared well, and although raw meat isn’t usually my go-to, I still appreciated the way it was done here. The fattoush crackers were a standout, fresh, bright, and genuinely delicious. I also really enjoyed the eggplant with spiced tomato, especially with their pita, which was excellent. The lamb neck shawarma was good, though the flavour profile wasn’t entirely for me. I ended up using the flank steak to make a shawarma-style wrap with the bread, and that combination worked beautifully. The steak itself was cooked well and had great richness. Dessert was a highlight, the turmeric sfouf with pumpkin molasses and buttermilk ice cream was soft, delicate, and very enjoyable. Drinks were also well made and balanced. Service throughout the night was excellent. Our server was attentive, welcoming, and offered thoughtful recommendations. Having been to their sister restaurant, Nour, I was pleased to find Aalia just as enjoyable in its own way. Overall, it was a fantastic dining experience, and a place I’d happily return to.

We visited Aalia to celebrate our anniversary and opted for the banquet for two. Unfortunately, the experience was deeply disappointing and fell well short of what one would expect from a two-hatted restaurant. The food lacked flavour, care, and the staff and kitchen seemed overly relaxed and this carried through to the food that was served. Dishes were poorly presented and surprisingly bland, with little depth or cohesion. For the price point, the portion sizes were extremely small and represented very poor value for money. Nothing about the meal felt considered or memorable, which was especially disappointing for an anniversary dinner. The service further detracted from the experience. The tables were sticky and the restaurant ambiance did not fit that of a two hatted restaurant. Adding to this, the restaurant does not have a toilet on the premises (and it was absolutely filthy), which is difficult to justify for a venue operating at this standard and price point. For a restaurant holding two hats, the overall experience lacked polish and execution. The food was underwhelming, portion sizes small, the pricing unjustifiable, and the service inattentive. I don’t understand how this restaurant was awarded two hats. This was not a dining experience we would return to or recommend.

I went here with my sister and my husband for mine and my sisters shared birthday. My sister is vegetarian (for better or for worse, haha). But we were all hoping to do a set menu. Unfortunately, they did not have adequate substitutions in the set menus for vegetarians. When we went - in October - they did indeed have some substitutions but it felt rushed and not well thought out. So she was left out from the experience. There were options for her in the a la carte menu, however. The staff were quite strange about all of this, and it took us talking to a few people to sort it out. The waitress serving us seemed a bit lost initially. Other than that, the food was quite good - especially the meat. The quality is obviously there, though you do pay a premium price for it. The ambience is lovely. Overall, I would come again, but I am not in a major rush.

My wife and I dined here on Saturday 24th Jan for our 20th anniversary dinner. We had the classic banquet which was amazing. And recieved a complementary glass of sparking which was a nice touch. The customer experience has been well thought out and led to a great experience overall. The highlights were the Tuna ceviche (first course) and the Lamb (main). The service was amazing although it did feel a little scripted. We also noticed staff spoke to her (not me) 90% of the time which was not a problem as she would relay the message to me at the end. Nevertheless it was curious.