Serge V
04/05/2024
Visited North Lakes Sports Club for the first time to enjoy a group lunch.
My overall impression of the club was positive. It was bustling with people, had ample seating throughout, several dining options, a large and well-stocked bar, and plenty of pokies. If anything, parking may be limited during peak times.
We booked a table in the Banyan restaurant and, after being seated, had to wait quite some time to be served. The gent that approached us was very pleasant, although he didn't specify why he was there, so we ended up directing the conversation, ordering food and drinks at the same time.
The meals and drinks were promptly served, and our entire group enjoyed their selections. These ranged from my Seafood Risotto, an unusually cheesy yet really flavoursome option, through to a mega-sized pork belly, decent fish and chips, and an attractive home-styled lamb roast and veges. Our drinks were generic beer and softdrink choices, so not much to say there. They were cold and tasted good!
Once the meals were finished, we unfortunately sat and waited for an extended period of time, with no service offered at all. The table remained full of empty plates, no second round of drinks was able to be ordered, and dessert, which had been selected by those interested, also had to wait.
When the gent finally returned, I mistakenly presumed it was to do all of the above. Instead, he politely explained that they were closing in one minute, so could we possibly complete payment. I therefore told him we wanted dessert and had waited patiently to order these. Luckily, he was happy to oblige and, five minutes later, the Black Forest Panna Cotta and Tiramisu arrived. Both were enjoyed, although the Panna Cotta was much closer to being Chocolate Mousse. Still tasty but not what I'd expected.
Overall, the venue is spacious, clean-and-tidy, and offers plenty of drink, food, and entertainment choices. Meals and drinks met expectation but were definitely at the pricing high end. My mate's membership saved us $23, a nice touch.
Service was friendly throughout, but the lengthy periods of waiting, while watching 4-5 staff members roaming the area cleaning tables, setting tables, etc., was rather frustrating. This was the one big disappointment of our visit and the reason I didn't offer 5 stars. That being said, I'm willing to return another day to hopefully enjoy improvements on this front.