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It’s quite an undertaking for a brewery to step into the world of demi-fine dining, but here’s Felons Seafood, the next step in Manly Wharf domination for the Artemus Group (the developers behind popular Brisbane dining precinct Howard Smith Wharves).

It started with Felons Brewery – a fun, large-scale brewpub with views across the water on the West Esplanade, and continues with this restaurant, which opened in June and is overseen by chefs Corey Costelloe (owner of Marrickville neighbourhood bistro 20 Chapel) and Luke Bourke (The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide’s current Young Chef of the Year). The pair, who spent a decade together working at Rockpool Bar & Grill in Sydney, have co-created a menu focused on responsibly caught fish, treated with respect and care.

The location, right on the water on Manly Wharf’s East Esplanade, is an open invitation for a long lunch. Inside, a dining room of neutrals and rattan, offset by touches of navy. Floor-to-ceiling wood-framed French windows wrap around the restaurant, waiting to be opened in warmer months to let in the sea breeze. Outside, tables hug the perimeter of the restaurant with big blue umbrellas up during the day, and gas heaters at night.

This is a deep dive into the seafood culture that once defined the Aussie coast, combined with strong Mediterranean sensibilities. Nothing is overly embellished, and the fish takes pride of plate.

Potato scallops are fried to deeply golden and crisp, fancified with a cool, herby blue-swimmer crab remoulade. A bouncy Mooloolaba king prawn cocktail is served on a bed of shredded lettuce dressed in a classic Marie Rose sauce, served with a side of buttered brown bread. Fun with a tropical fruit-forward Galaxy Haze pale ale.

There are a few menu items that make use of Felons’ beer range, but it’s more of a subtle taster than a schooner in your face. The traditional fish and chips feature a choice of four fish, including the classic dusky flathead and (my pick) spangled emperor. The goujon (or tail end) is fried in a crisp lager batter until strawberry-blonde and served on a bed of tallow-fried, skin-on chips with tartare sauce.

Order the mignonette salad on the side, all sharp corners and mustard-bitey, or the green Greek salad – three types of cucumber, two types of capsicum, green olives, toasted sunflower seeds, soft feta and a dusting of oregano. A beautiful echo of a proper fishing town chipper.

The food is good. Great, even, at times. Look at that delicate fillet of Queensland coral trout cooked in the Josper oven, the skin seared until crisp and the flesh just-set. It’s served simply with aioli, romesco sauce and a wedge of lemon.

Then there’s the Northern Territory mud crab bathing in a warm, South-East Asian-style black pepper sauce dotted with crisp-fried curry leaves, and a stack of flaky roti tucked in among the legs and claws.

The technical prowess on the plate is undeniable. It’s just a shame it’s let down by inexperienced waitstaff who give the strong impression they’d rather be anywhere else on the planet than serving tables.

There’s a lot of rushing about and plenty of staff, as far as I can see, but not a lot of friendliness or practical care when it comes to the basics. I’ll probably go to my grave, for instance, wondering why our waitress chooses to place that $90 crab, not on the table, but on the spare chair on top of my coat and bag. Or why, on the same visit, we’re seated outside at night in the middle of winter without asking where we might be comfortable. Sure, a few strong floor members are doing their best, but it’s a big ship to steer when the majority of your crewmates are inexperienced.

If you can see past the service, the food really is worth a look. Order a dozen pristine, fresh-shucked rock oysters with plenty of brine and a side of Baker Bleu bread and salty butter. Don’t bother ordering anything by the glass (the danger of not being able to order a follow-up glass is clear and present), but do consider a bottle of crisp white wine like the Kir-Yianni Assyrtiko – just the right amount of crispness and pear fruitiness.

Go hard on the whole fish and the snacks, and end by sharing the unapologetically tart buttermilk soft serve sweetened with a drizzle of bittersweet stout caramel. Consider walking, not running, and making some time for a long lunch during the warmer months.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.