Mercantile Hotel

We didn't stay, we ate! Shamrock pie and Guinness is a match made in heaven. Highly recommend. Customer service is second to none. A live band in the beer garden made everything perfect. Can't wait to visit again when the renovations have been completed.

Came here just for the food, I got the shamrock pie and it was brilliant, highly recommend

Closed for renovations but just 4 doors down are looking after us. Same smiling faces to greet you. Lovely cold beers on tap and any other drink you might like as well. Can’t go past the famous shamrock pie especially on a drizzly day. Lovely outside area to relax and listen to great music. Definitely enjoyed our stay and will be back next month for another visit. So glad you found a way of still trading. Will look forward to actually staying a night as well.

Friendly local pub in The Rocks - just what we needed after a get-together on the Harbour! Staff were very accommodating considering how many of us arrived without a booking; I was very impressed at how quickly a table and seats were arranged for us, particularly on a Saturday afternoon. Live music was great - terrific atmosphere for a few pints with mates!

I visited this popular tourist destination for a yummy dinner with good-vibes and live music performances in mind. The Mercantile Hotel was not short or any of it. The very busy pub is situated in prime location with beautiful views of the bridge definitely did not disappoint. We had purchased the fan favourite - Shamrock Pie and the Irish Chicken Curry. The dinner did not give ‘pub’ but gave a properly cooked meal through the delicious tastes and presentation of the meals. All food was freshly cooked and was great with flavour. All this food, went down great with some nice Irish beers and ciders. To mention, the staff were all incredibly helpful and were willing to help us out with our orders despite being their peak dinner/drinks time. We were thoroughly impressed, especially given that dinners can get quite pricey in Sydney’s CBD. When we do return, we will definitely be visiting The Mercantile Hotel again. Note: We did not stay at the hotel. This review is for the food and drinks.

A warm Irish welcome in the bar, cold Guinness, clean toilets, and comfy seats, roadside on the top end of George. Nice 80s vibe with Toto, Journey, Dire Straits, etc - subtle, in the background, volume just right. Menu looks good. If I wasn't just in for pints, I'd definitely eat here.

Been coming here for years. It's my go to pub, along with the Hero of Waterloo up the road. Cold Beer and cider, very decent Guinness. Great atmosphere and live music. Friendly staff and awesome bouncers. What more could you ask for during a pub crawl in the Rocks.

We visited the pub on Saturday for lunch. They use a QR code for ordering and the calamari was marked as Gluten Free but showed chips which were beer battered and not gluten free. Before ordering I checked with a staff member who confirmed with the kitchen that the meal was gluten free. I ordered and it came out with beer battered chips. I questioned it again and the server spoke to the kitchen who said I didn't request gluten free and she tried to put the meal down again and said it was my fault. I showed her the app and showed her it was marked as gluten free and not an option to make gluten free. She stormed off to the kitchen again and came back with the calamari this time with the gluten free sweet potato chip option. She basically slammed the food on the table in front of me making all of us jump and then every time she walked past us or bought more drinks out she gave us incredibly dirty looks. We did nothing to deserve this terrible service and there is an error in the app menu. Wouldn't go back

We popped in here after touring the Rocks area in Sydney. We were ready for a cold drink and snack and this bar took good care of us! I had a cold white wine and hubs has a beer and we opted for rhe sweet potato fries- fantastic!! Friendly service too. It appears to be a very popular spot.

Decent burger and quick service. Staff is a bit aloof, but work quickly. Great people watching.

Irish bar in the most touristy part of Australia that still makes it feel authentic and every person feel at home. Such lovely music on the weekends and truly friendly staff.

Every so often when I'm in Sydney I decide to go on a good of Rocks Pub Crawl, though there are a few pubs here that I do my best to try and avoid - this is one of them. I shouldn't really be too harsh on the place since there are some that are a lot worse, however I found that the service here is actually pretty bad. In fact one time I was here I believe I was standing at the bar for five minutes waiting to be served, at which time I basically decided that I had better things to do with my time and went elsewhere (namely to a pub where I could get a beer without having to wait too long). The second time wasn't anywhere near as bad, but unfortunately that first impression really did it for me.

If it's clear and yella, you got juice there fella! If it's tangy and brown, you're in cider town! The Mercantile has both Bulmers and Magners on tap and probably a range of cider varietals in the fridge, such is their Irish perspicacity. However, the one drink that probably defines them more than any other, is the Irish Car Bomb. Why? Cos it looks like one went off in here, and lemme tell ya, that is half the charm :) The bar itself is the weirdest design I've ever seen. It's like a trapezoid trippin' on Jesse's Chilli P. Then there's the "no purpose" rooms. They have chairs and tables but I don't know why you'd go in them. Sticking a telly on the wall and an ATM in the corner just confounds the situation. There is fantastic live Irish music on Fri nights and weekends, though they do put the bands on the strangest of stages. However, these quirks are what draws you to the Mercantile. If you are visiting The Rocks markets on a weekend or just wandering around tourist-style you'd make a mistake of not stopping to have a couple at thirtsy Merc. I particulary enjoy the outside seating as it is a prime location for people watching whilst you sip on your bevvy. An Englishman, an Irishman and an Australian walk into a bar...

Came here for drinks to end a great evening before going home. Great pub and friendly staff. We sat outside and very close to the bridge, great location.

I'm convinced that this place is run by someone's half blind, pseudo Irish (I'm talking 5th generation) Grandpa. Someone please give this place a face lift and fire the "chef". The place looks like a rec room at a raisin ranch - tattered industrial carpeting that was probably laid down during the Cold War, and the most inefficient use of space ever. I think there was what some people might call a DJ booth - either that or a pen where they chuck lost kids. The staff couldn't have been more lacking in personality, too, and someone literally ran away from the kitchen at the sight of patrons in the window. The food itself was awful. Chicken schnitzel that was pre-cooked and then obliterated a second time in the fryer, burger cooked beyond recognition, and salad that was made inedible by the pool of oil it sat in. I would never get beer here for fear they've not cleaned the lines since the place opened.

Great Irish pub! Live music, the fish&chips are fresh and tasty, and the beers are cold and refreshing. Great spot too when the bazaar is going on, close to the Bay. They had live music going on during our second visit and it was as excellent as the food.

Decent Irish food at a nice location (The Rocks). Irish stew and fish and chips are both average. Pretty good portions though.

Aggressive security will target you for no reason. We were enjoying our night with our kids and were harassed by a security guard named Joe who seemed to think he was in charge of everything. You could not have a reasonable conversation with him as he was super amped up.

Into your Irish music? No? Oh. Well you should perhaps avoid the Mercantile then. The extremely narrow stage is often home to group of Irish musicians playing some of your favourite gaelic numbers. Not that I can name any, but they're pretty catchy! It's all good fun and adds a good atmosphere to accompany your one or two (or three or four...) pints of Guinness/Kilkenny. If you're looking for somewhere to celebrate St Patrick's Day, this place gets packed! Best get there early as I imagine you'd be struggling to get in after dark (or to be honest, after 11am - god bless the Irish!). And if you're just wandering The Rocks, this is a pretty good place to stop for some refreshments - I've not had the food, but apparently that's not bad either!

The best chicken schnitzel, that I have had in a very long time. Decent selection of beer at a fair price. The location is great, underneath the end of the bridge. Not very crowded during the day on a weekend. Order drinks at the bar and food over by the kitchen, get a number and sit where you want. Really great onion rings and sauce. One of the better meals, as far as bar food goes.

Sydney is beginning to teach me the error in my ways. Yet another dark venue to which I can now appreciate. (Although from previous experience an Irish pub will always be low lit). Polishing off a pint of Guinness isn't something I usually do but when in Rome... Oddly has a bitterness to it I can best associate with coffee (I hate coffee!) but amazingly drank this with ease. Now to the food. Ordering in the last 40 minutes of service isn't advised. We were given a size able list of dishes that had sold out. Not being fussy worked to our advantage and we made back up of back up choices. I will never fib about my love of food and hefty portions and this pub grub made me smile. Full plates all around and fast service to boot! The Jameson whiskey marinade didn't make its mark on the salmon but I liked it anyway. On leaving I also got to hear a favourite song of my Dad's sung live: Dirty Old Town by The Pogues.

ummmm can we say gross? Unless you're in the mood for a dingy pub please look elsewhere. The "pub" smell (you know, years of stale beer and smoke mixed with some sort of unidentifiable fried food) is overwhelming to the point where you have to sit outside. No wonder there are so many tables out in front... As for the food? I opted for the steak medium rare. What I got more closely resembled a chewy tire- super well done and super grisly as well. Points for outdoor seating and cheap food....but unless you are HANGRY not worth it.

Super fun Irish pub!!! Loved the live music playing and the atmosphere. They have outdoors seating but it can get quite busy. They even have Paddy's up in here definitely pop in for a drink and enjoy your surroundings

Live music playing oldies. What a nice place to relax while you bar hopping. Bathroom is clean and if you need condoms. Just check the toilets. The barman is friendly and calls you Sir. At least he learned manners. I'll come again :)

A proper pubby pub. A nice big bar, occasional Irish music, lots of outside seating to watch the Rocks Market shopping crowd on the weekend, and food that's just on the right side of middle of the road (and priced appropriately). This is a place to have a drink.

The Mercantile Hotel at The Rocks is an old favourite for those Irish folk that enjoy a pint or two of Guiness. In fact you don't even have to be Irish. There's plenty that aren't that still enjoy this Irish classic. Quite small and often filled with people, if you are cramped inside you may have to enjoy your pint on the foot path or area just out the front. Don't worry it's part of the pub so it's all legal and above board! There's even a room downstairs if you need to escape for a while. Depending on when you go, there's a good chance that there is some live music playing and it's a safe bet that someone (Irish or otherwise) will break into an Irish jig. It's a good fun pub and definitely worth a pint of Guiness. Or few.

This place is very old with a lot of history. It's within walking distance to the quay where you can catch the royal Caribbean cruise ships or walk among the shops or tour the Sydney opera house. The rooms are adequate, and like in the 1800's, the bathroom is down the hall. We were on the third floor and we had three to choose from with no waiting. Also the WiFi is excellent. Bathrooms are clean and the beds comfortable.

This is a great little place tucked away in the Rocks. My friend and I both ordered the Shamrock Pie with chips and the food was fantastic! All of the food that the other patrons around us ordered also looked very appetizing. We were there on a Tuesday evening and there was live music (not sure if they have music everyday). Overall, I really liked this place. It is good for a bite or even just to sit, watch people and have a pint. I will visit again and would recommend this place to my friends and family.

Just having lunch here. Beer is goo, but we ordered a fish pie which was freezing I the middle. So disappointing! Great for beer, lovely atmosphere but not so hot for food.

In my opinion, this place is underrated. Saw that it got a few low-star reviews, but for things like it was old, dark, run-down. But what's the matter with that? More like laid-back, relaxing & seasoned. Service was friendly and fast. Food was DELICIOUS!! I got the lamb stew & my husband got the beef & Guinness pie- both winners. Great beer, great wine. Even had a NRL game on the TV and live band going on in the background. Inside & outside seating available - what more could you want from the "oldest Irish pub in Australia"??

If you in the rocks there's plenty of places to eat but I thoroughly enjoyed a good pub meal. I shared the lamb burger and fries with my partner over 2 beers in the Sydney sun. I have to say the lamb burger was pretty good, but the battered fries were my favourite. So crispy. Good place for a quiet drink on the terrace during the day if you want to sit back and relax.

I stayed at the hotel for three nights. The accommodations are Spartan but clean. Same for the shared bathrooms. Nothing fancy here, but you can't beat the location at the price. You just walk across the street to see the Opera House and look up to se the bridge. Tons of restaurants and bars close by. Fantastic neighborhood. I'd never stayed in a place with shared bathrooms but it was fine. The building is old but what do you expect from Australia's first Irish pub? Rooms have TVs and A/C units. Great experience.

Warm beer. $20 min eftpos. 2 nopes makes me the pope of nope about this. Disappointed.

Had a meal there last night. One of the best steaks I've had. Scotch fillet well done. Was $18.50 (sirloins $17). Served with fries. Salad was an extra 3 bucks. Beers $4.20, had a Carlton Draught as they don't serve VB which is a bit of a negative considering VB is New South Wales, and possibly Australia's biggest selling beer. Hotel has atmosphere as other reviewers have said. Not a lot of people there but it was a Wednesday night. Mercantile has some history, was built in 1915. 100th anniversary coming up.