The Early Word on Australian Restaurant Oz in Arlington

Michael and Ashley Darby opened the area's only Australian restaurant in Clarendon at the beginning of the month. Since then, Oz has been getting attention for its swanky interior and unique menu items like kangaroo and emu. They also serve other Down Under favorites like fish and chips and Australian meat pies along with Foster's beer, Australian wine and a full cocktail menu. .

The restaurant has been open for less than three weeks but already has over 29 Yelp reviews with an overall rating of three and a half stars. Read on for the early word on Oz:

The Great Expectations News: Several diners had high expectations for Oz but were a little disappointed. Yelper Amanda K., who says the server wasn’t attentive and couldn't explain the menu, says, "I had high expectations for Oz, although I wasn't quite sure what to expect." Yelper Michael T. writes, "Well that was underwhelming. The food was ok but expected something a little classier and fulfilling." [Yelp]

The Running Out of Items News: The restaurant has had problems keeping items in stock, according to the reviews. Yelper Carolee W. writes, "An Australian restaurant that runs out of Aussie beer...and half the wine list is unavailable -the jury is out!" Yelper John S. also notes, "Half the wines were out of stock the first week and some of the food wasn't available." Open Table poster joerush complains, "It took the waitress ten minutes to take my drink order... ten minutes later she comes back and says 'I'm sorry but we don't have Grey Goose.'" [Yelp, OT]

The Dangerous Painkiller Drink News: Oz diners are quite taken with the drink selections, especially their signature Painkiller cocktail made with rum, coconut puree, orange juice, pineapple juice, lime and nutmeg. Yelper Claudia E. says "the drink is definitely a must!" and Yelper Jason F. says it's "unique and beautifully prepared" while Yelper Jerry S. calls it "very boozy and fruity and dangerous." [Yelp]

The Kangaroo and Emu Skewers News: The kangaroo skewers are polarizing diners. Open Table poster Tiana calls them "incredible," but Open Table poster joerush calls them "underwhelming to say the least." The emu skewers are more successful all around. Instagrammer @nmdevo says they’re "a bit more tender" than the kangaroo and ARLNow commenter Andy G also calls them "tasty." [OT, Instagram, ARLNow]

The What Lamb Lovers Should Order News: Most diners enjoyed their rack of lamb, but the lamb burger gets complaints. Open Table poster BobDiane says it was "terrible"and Yelper Kevin N. says, "calling it a burger is akin to butchering the English language." But Yelper Vashaan J. says the rack of lamb is "something everyone should try at least once while eating here" and Yelper Mary Kate M. calls it "falling off the bone delicious." Many other diners seem agree. [OT, Yelp]

The Divisive Fish and Chips News: Yelper Carolee W. says the fish and chips are "delicious" but Yelper Christine G. thinks they were "just ok" and Open Table poster Tiana says they're "bland." Yelper Mary Kate M. also wasn’t a big fan of the dish, but her husband really liked it. [Yelp, OT]

The Happy Meal Sized Portions News: A few diners had some gripes with the portion sizes in relation to the prices. Yelper Diane M. says, "The beef bacon and mushroom pie was spectacular... But portion was very small." Yelper Mary Kate M. says, " Mind you these are appetizers and they are going to be more of tapas portions, so do not expect these to be meals but more as bits." Yelper Michael T. writes, "The portion was small... Almost like a happy meal." [Yelp]

The Price Debate News: On that note, Open Table poster Chelsea declares, "the portions and food quality did not match the price" and Open Table poster SmartBites thinks Oz should lower their prices and go more informal or keep the same prices and provide better service and ambiance. But Yelper Jerry S. writes, "Prices were very reasonable for the quality" and Yelper Diane M. also notes she got a great bottle of Pinot Noir for a good price. [OT, Yelp]