Catseye Pool Club

Initially we were hesitant given the islands general overpriced underwhelming food but we had an amazing experience from start to finish. The staff were welcoming and knowledgeable about the menu explained the preparation and cooking process as well as how best to eat the dishes. The atmosphere of the beach view matched the vibe in the restaurant and while it was pricey there was a lot of skill and pride in the food, it was an experience that we thoroughly enjoyed.

Hands down the best place to eat on the island. The food sharing format was outstanding for our family of six generous portions, premium quality. We ordered the lamb leg, the whole chicken, the kids burger, desserts, and the polenta. Every dish was faultless. The lamb was cooked perfectly, the chicken was spot on, and even the polenta was a standout rich, smooth, and full of flavour. The kids meals matched the quality of the main menu, which is rare and appreciated. Absolutely no faults. Incredible food, great service, and a top tier experience from start to finish. Easily a 10/10 and a must-try on Hamilton. Island.

The local staff member who took our order was great — she clearly knew what she was doing! However, the rest of the backpacker staff could use a bit more training. It would be nice if they greeted customers first instead of waiting for us to start the conversation. A simple “How are you?” goes a long way — try to pick up the Aussie way of service, even if you’re from overseas! As for the food, the pizzas were good, but we needed about three pizzas (around $100) to feel full — just something to keep in mind if you’re coming with a group of adults.

This is probably one of the most overpriced restaurants I’ve ever been to, and I’ve lived in NYC/London for a decade. They market the $160 fish as a sharing plate, and while the taste was fine, the portion is for one person, they skimp on all the sides. The staff was very slow, had to wave them down to get our water refilled, they forgot our dessert, and the chocolate cake dry. Just a rip off, you’re better off eating fish and chips in the marina. To be fair, the lunch menu was more fairly priced!

They’ve only been open for like 6 months but this has become my favourite spot on the island! Everything made from the highest quality ingredients and the tastes are superb. Thank you Sara for looking after us so well, true hospitality from the heart.

This really hurts , but we stayed here because of Josh and Julie Niland new restaurant as we are huge fans of Saint Peter . What we got was worse than a bad day at a circular quay tourist trap . After a terrible dinner experience two nights earlier we gave it another go given we were staying at the hotel . After not being able to get into a single restaurant on the island (including the hotel restaurant that we are guests of ) , we convinced the restaurant to deliver to our room (room service has 3 items on the menu, that’s another story if you are looking at The Sundays hotel…) . We had the $80 fish bread rolls , which unfortunately was worse than a fillet o fish . Bland, Dry and over cooked , I couldn’t distinguish this from a bakers delight bap roll and some jarred pickles . The saving grace was the Although the food in the island is generally expensive and poor , this is very expensive and very poor . You’re better off with an IGA hot chicken and salad . This restaurant does not Reflect what we have loved so much at Saint Peter and Petermen in the past .

We happened to visit the Catseye Pool Club after having some disappointing drinks at the bar in the marina, and we are so pleased we visited. The server was super knowledgable about cocktails and the service was great. We had some absolutely delicious drinks, margarita and Long Island iced tea was amazing. The glassware was lovely too. We didn’t eat here but the food smelt amazing.

Good. Very good. But not great. We waited for 15 minutes in line to be seated for our 7:15pm reservation, but weren't too put off - we had no where else to be. The Assistant Manager seated us with many apologies for the delay (she was lovely). "A very busy night" was the excuse. Surprising, given there were plenty of empty tables?!? This seems to be a theme with HTI's higher end restaurants - plenty of staff but patchy or slow service. The menu was explained well, which is important given their menu approach and pricing. Seeing $80 for a taco entree can be a bit perplexing without context! We enjoyed an exceptional entree of shellfish baked on lemon leaves, with aioli, seaweed sauce verde, and garlic scroll (no bread for my GF spouse... Not even a frozen roll quickly warmed up). This dish was 9/10. Close to perfect. Exceptionally fresh seafood, cooked expertly - smelt delicious as it came out and tasted great. It still needed a little something fresh to liven it up though. We kept the seafood theme rolling with main, ordering the Bowen line-caught coral trout. Plating was spectacular, and the crispy skin tasty. We enjoyed the use of the full fish, which meant some tasty cheek. Unfortunately, in their pursuit of plating perfection, they lost the essence of this beautiful fish. Pressed into shape, it didn't retain that succulence and moisture the fish surely would have had but for their fussing. Zucchini side was a delight. The others were fine. 9/10 for appearance. 6/10 for taste. 7/10 overall. Dessert was a feast for the eyes! Presented well, served home-style, and yummy, but not worth a detour. All good. 7.5/10 Waitstaff were friendly and attentive. Service gets 8/10, the only minor disappointment being the short wait. Now, the elephant in the room... The price. All up, our bill was similar to Bommie at the Yacht Club and the Beach Club Restaurant. But the way it presents on the menu at CPC is confronting. $80-90 for most entrees. $140-160 for most mains. They each serve two, so you do have to divide these by 2... And I guess $40 for entrees and $80 for mains isn't outrageous given the location, quality of produce and other cost factors. But, at that price point, service, style, taste, plating, dietary accomodations... everything... should be perfect. Here, we felt it didn't quite reach those lofty heights. The other aspect is choice. If you are dining as a couple and have different tastes, perhaps this place isn't for you. Luckily, I'll eat almost anything. SO, for our money (at that price point), we'd choose elsewhere next time. It all looks beautiful, great for Instagram, but it didn't meet the moment in the mouth... And for us, that's where it matters. Definitely worth a visit, but (for us, at least) probably not a return visit.