Bar Rochford

Well. You have to be determined to find this place. I missed it twice and if you use a device for mobility it's not for you. I sat at the bar as I had no reservations. Not incredibly comfortable, but the bartender was comforting. The spicy margarita was excellent. In fact I am going back for one before I leave Canberra for Jamaica. The toast topped with anchovies. Oh yes. A definite must.

We had the absolute best experience here. We had the potato galette, anchovy toast, stracciatella, tongue, cos lettuce salad, pork and creme brulee tart. Food was top notch - every single dish was absolutely delicious and we enjoyed every bite. On top of the food, I must give a shout out to the service. The service throughout the night was fantastic and attentive, but our dessert was wrongly delivered to a different table. This was picked up by our waiter Nick and quickly rectified, but to apologise, he took off the drinks and tart from our bill which we didn't expect at all but was so kind. We paid the bill (with the drinks and dessert removed) and left while he was busy with another customer, and as he thought the dessert hadn't been removed from our bill, he actually took the effort to find us on the street in an attempt to reimburse us! We have never experienced such amazing service and felt compelled to write this review immediately. We will definitely come back soon

Excellent atmosphere, service and creative drinks. The food is hit and miss, in summary - snacks/starters excellent (beef tongue best, kingfish excellent) as was dessert. The mains were average - in general too saucy and sweet but somehow also lacking salt. A bit unbalanced - particularly the xo mushrooms with stracciatella and the pork T-bone were average.

Great food. Great wine. Great atmosphere. Highly recommend

A fave for our Canberra trips. Great changing menu, professional staff and a lovely vibe. It gets better with age! The anchovy toast is much loved by the regulars - sad that we only discovered it on this visit.

Second time visiting this lovely restaurant. We came back for the anchovy toast but were super blown away by the lamb ribs. The sauce was amazing. Sticky date tart and roasted rice ice cream were also ✨✨✨

Without a doubt, one of the best restaurants in Canberra. The crazy thing is that Bar Rochford and the last place I reviewed (Corella) don't have enough recognition in Canberra. I'm literally sitting at the table writing this review and I must say, the food is nothing short of spectacular. I have no hesitation in recommending that everyone dine here. In fact, I insist that you do. I'll let the photos finish off the review. For the record, we ordered 2 servings of the galette and beef tongue skewers!!! Thanks Nick for the great service!!!

My partner and I had such a wonderful experience tonight at Bar Rochford. Not only because of the delicious food, but the staff’s service was absolutely wonderful. Unfortunately we did not get one of the staff members names. But a special mention to the lovely Ruby who was just gorgeous and recommended some memorable dishes. And another special mention to the lovely gentleman with the mullet and tattoos that we didn’t catch the name of. It was my first time dining at Bar Rochford and you both made our experience special, and we already cannot wait to be back! Thank you!

Great cocktails, nice food and a low light atmosphere that's quite classy but still very comfortable. You don't get the impression it's arrogant or exclusive or trying to be anything that it isn't. Go there, you won't regret it.

Probably my favourite of the bars I checked out on my visit to Canberra. The staff were friendly and helpful and the decor is classy but relaxed. Classic wine bar vibe but my margarita was on point. Will be back to explore the wine list.

A bit pricey but well worth it for friendly, knowledgeable staff and opportunities to taste wine before choosing a glass.

I've been in ACT for one week now and Bar Rochford is by far the best, most welcoming establishment I have been to in year. Coming from the US, Nico and his crew have their service down to an art. The prices are no different than any other ACT establishment that I've been to in ACT, but the attention to detail and service are a 'bar above' (pun intended) the rest. Bar Rochford reminds me of Little Branch in NYC. Thanks for making me feel at home, when home is over 9000 miles away!

The lamb tartare is pretty good for a shared plate. You may think the beef tongue is for the bold, but once it comes out, it just looks like any shaved deli meat. Very well presented. Cheese platter is very good, albeit pricey. We were 5, and we smashed through it. The fresh sourdough was delightful. The cocktail and wine list had some variety, we weren't disappointed with the selection. Like most new and hip bars, this place was dimly lit and quite noisy; with some very well-dressed and attractive patronage. The owners have done a great job with the decoration, and intimacy created through the furnishings and ambient music. Staff forgot about us a few times, probably due to being incredibly busy.

Came here the other night with some co-workers. I hear it got voted best bar in Australia by some gourmet magazine. I liked the place, but that seems a bit much. It's a small space with an even smaller kitchen, but I was pleasantly surprised at the dishes they were pumping out. Bar food, elevated at this place. They had a range of things on the menu and all were fairly priced. We had the broccolini with smoked tahini, had the burrata with honey and some other things.... Fantastic simple dishes, but flavor profiles were just elevated. Broccolini was cooked perfectly, which with such a small thing is very difficult to nail just right. You'll have to forgive me, we had some other dishes as well, but when you're out drinking..... well, you know. Out here there seem to be a ton of lagers, pale ales, ipa's etc. They have an oatmeal stout that's on the menu and a nice respite from all the basic beers I see back home all the time. They appeal to everyone :) Our bartender was very attentive and you could tell he took pride in his job and his craft as a barman. Also, they play vinyl records here and had some gangstarr playing when we walked in. CLASSIC hip hop. Props for that one, I'll definitely be back.

Love going to Canberra and eating and dining out at some of the best places ever. Places like this wine bar is a great find. The bartender from dinner recommended it so here we are. Great wine bar Canberra!! I knew you had it in you :)

I haven't been in Canberra terribly long, but to this point, Bar Rochford makes the best drinks I have found. The atmosphere is very hipster, very Portlandia and we loved it. Only draw backs are the prices and the noise. The prices are what you would expect in NYC, Boston, London, San Francisco, etc., not Canberra. Yes, the prices are high, but they back it up with quality of service and taste. As for the noise, I'm impressed how loud it is. It can be a bit obnoxious.