Merewether Surfhouse

This was a very disappointing experience for such a fancy restaurant. The setting was beautiful and we were seated at the window overlooking the ocean which was gorgeous. But the surface of the counter where we were seated was sticky and I had to cover it with my napkin so that I didn’t have to feel the stickiness on my hands and arms. On top of that the service was terrible, and it felt both rushed and slow at the same time. We had to ask for cutlery after our food was delivered. And they forgot my husband‘s drink drinks. And I had to ask For my drink twice before they brought it. The food was decent enough but nothing exceptional. And the base of the pizza was so soggy. For the price, I was expecting a much better experience with the service, and the food to be a lot better. This is our third time visiting and it has gone down every time. And this was a special request by my husband for his birthday lunch, which made it even more disappointing. We will not be going there again.

Beautiful Setting, But Food Falls Short for the Price We recently visited Merewether Surfhouse to celebrate my father’s birthday, and while the experience had some highlights, overall, it left us feeling underwhelmed particularly given the premium prices. There’s no denying that the location and view are absolutely stunning. With floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the ocean, the atmosphere is hard to beat. The staff were friendly and attentive, making sure we were comfortable throughout the evening. Unfortunately, it was the food and portion sizes that really let the experience down. Starters We ordered several starters to share now even though we did share not everyone ate from everything but some of them so little that is being served that the price doesn’t justify it. * Prawn Cocktail ($26.50) – Only four prawns were served, which felt very limited for the price. it didn’t feel like good value for money. * Salt & Pepper Calamari ($24) – Nicely presented but the portion was small, and the calamari itself was quite chewy, making it less enjoyable. * Steamed South Australian Mussels – Although generous in number, many shells were empty, and the sour cream–based sauce didn’t complement the dish. A classic lemon butter or white wine sauce would have paired better, especially with the bread. * Woodfired Octopus & Chorizo Skewer ($28) – The flavours were average, but for the price, one skewer felt a little disappointing. Two or three skewers would make this dish feel more complete. Mains For the mains, we shared: * Lamb for Two ($80) – The lamb itself was beautifully cooked and tender, but the portion was quite small for two people, and the sides (mostly carrots and potatoes) felt a little basic considering the cost. * Saffron Linguine with Mixed Seafood – The pasta was nice, but the seafood portion was minimal 2 prawn tails, 4 mussels 2 of which were empty), and barely any swordfish. For a seafood-focused restaurant, this was disappointing. * Tempura Pumpkin Flowers – Unfortunately, this was the least successful dish of the night. The stuffing didn’t taste of pumpkin and had a strong curry-like flavour instead, while the pearl couscous was undercooked and grainy. The waitress had spoken to the chef he insisted that how it is prepared but honestly it’s not ,the pearl cous cous didn’t even absorb any of the sauce that was placed underneath it. It needed more cooking and then a decent toasting. Desserts Dessert was where the meal redeemed itself slightly. * The Sticky Date Pudding was outstanding — light, rich, and full of flavour. * The Vietnamese Coffee Crème Caramel also received great feedback from our table. Merewether Surfhouse is undeniably a beautiful venue with friendly staff and an amazing view, but when you’re paying premium prices, the food needs to match the setting. Portion sizes and value for money were our biggest concerns, as was the inconsistency in flavour and quality across dishes. If you’re after a spot for drinks or dessert with a view, this is a lovely place to go. But for a special occasion dinner, we left wishing the food experience lived up to the location.

We visited Merewether Surfhouse recently and had a brilliant experience. As soon as we walked in, the staff greeted us with such friendly and helpful energy. We originally only went in for a coffee and a hot chocolate, but once we saw the wood-fired pizzas, we couldn't resist—and I’m so glad we didn't! The food was delicious and the view is hard to beat. ​A huge shout-out to Abby for her incredible hospitality; she was so down-to-earth and made us feel right at home. Great food, great vibes, and great staff. We will definitely be back!

Had a relaxed family birthday dinner tonight at the downstairs restaurant, but unfortunately the experience reflected the declining customer service in the hospitality industry. We walked in at 6:20pm and started with drinks. We were advised that the kitchen would be closing at 7pm, which was no problem as we were about to order anyway. In fairness, the food was actually very decent for the portion sizes and price, so I can’t fault that. However, when we went up to get another round of drinks at 7:05pm, the entire restaurant had already closed and the staff member had taken the till out. There was no last drinks call, and food was still coming out of the kitchen. It felt quite odd given that people were still eating at tables, and a few couples were trying to walk in but were being turned away. It’s a prime waterfront location with plenty of foot traffic, yet the venue shut before the sun had even gone down. We ended up sitting at our table for another half hour chatting, with empty plates still in front of us. The staff member prioritised packing up other tables and working their way over to us, rather than checking in about the food, drinks, or overall experience. I’m usually not one to leave a review, but I’m hoping this feedback helps bring back the great hospitality culture that Newcastle has been known for in the past.

Absolutely terrible food! I had a white hair in my burger, it was sent back the 2nd burger come out with a big black hair in it. The chips were so over cooked, I cut the burger in half and it was partly raw. My husband had a hair in his salad! Absolute worst food! I would have been better off at mc Donald's.

Quite expensive in terms of comparing their breakfast prices to other cafes. You are paying for the scenery though. One of the glasses at their self serve water area unfortunately had what seems to be lipstick marks. The free still and sparkling water is nice. They should look at incorporating QR ordering at the tables. Coffee was really nice.

Great food and an even better view. Been to Surfhouse on multiple occasions and am never dissapointed.

What an incredible spot! My recent visit to Merewether Surfhouse was unforgettable. The moment you walk in, you’re greeted by stunning beach views and the calming sound of the ocean. We ordered both the fish and the steak, and they were perfectly cooked—flavorful, tender, and absolutely delicious. The service was top-notch as well; everyone was friendly, attentive, and genuinely made us feel welcome. Being right next to the Merewether Ocean Baths added an extra touch of coastal charm. Overall, it was a fantastic experience that left me with wonderful memories. Highly recommended!

Love the location and building of this restaurant.. Finally doing something with the old surf house was long over due. Yes the views are beautiful an the food good. Just a bit over priced. I can do better on the Sydney Harbour at Aria for pricing. It's a great addition though to Newcastle and I think worth the visit.

Cocktails are delicious but staff are very rude. It's a busy Saturday afternoon and they act like we are doing them a great disservice by being here. We ordered a French martini and were given an espresso martini - waitress advised that she normally works downstairs and therefore couldn't help us (?). No other option given. Overall quite condescending attitude from all of the bar staff. Disappointing as previous experiences have been good.

Had an amazing time for my work Christmas party. It was busy but understandably so with the weather and location. The staff were friendly and minus a few mistakes, kept up with our drinks and food orders. The cocktails are $15 each. Not sure if that is standard as I don't drink often but they were yum and well presented. The turtle, caprioska and pimm's cup are worth a try. The cheeseburger sliders, pork ribs and mushroom pizza were also delicious. Plenty of mushroom so I was happy. A really lovely spot with an exceptional view.!

The setting right on the beachfront, and view is stunning and this is taken full advantage of by the architecture. However this is all it really has going for it - the views and a pretty schmick website - I was sucked in by the photos showing different times of the day. Anyway. I have been there for a work lunch while in Newcastle, and while it was OK, the menu seemed a little less adventurous than I would have liked - a setting like this demands a bold and confident menu. Also the service was a shambles, they could really do from some training and a bit of sprucing up in this department. If they fixed the staff training and deportment, and have a crack at a more innovative menu then they would get 5 stars. My best advice, skip the food and spend your time and money soaking up the glorious views and sun drinking on the deck.

Staff were friendly, but the overpriced food was below average. This restaurant used to be top-notch and paired with the stunning views it was a 5-star venue. But last weekend it was more like RSL food at a premium price. The greatest disappointment was the lack of any decent vegetarian options for a main. And no - seafood is NOT vegetarian! I had lamb cutlets which came out fatty, crumbed and overcooked. My vegetarian guest could not stomach her meal. So the chefs need to reinvigorate the menu, include modern vegetarian options, better serving sizes for the price, and then it may be a place I would recommend. But based on my recent dining experience I think I will not go back again.

Putting a fancy name on very ordinary food does not make it good food or justify the rich prices charged. I was looking for a special day out with my wife but did not find it here.

Ok so now we've been back again. Can't believe this place has fallen so far from what it used to be. Such a shame. Ordered fish and chips, beef burger and oysters. The chips were horrendous - a far cry from those amazing beer battered ones we used to love here. We asked what happened to the chips to which the answer was 'that's what everyone asks but I'm not sure why they were changed'. Disappointed! Burger was ordinary for $20 and fish was a tiny portion for $26. Only thing this place has going for it at the moment is the pizza downstairs and the views. What. A. Shame. I will no longer be bringing out of town visitors here as it is embarrassing.

Great views of the beach and Merewether baths. The food though is not as good as it should be. The salmon was well over cooked. Only slightly better than pub food.

The staff in the cafe below were incredibly friendly, but unfortunately some of the food was not cooked. Two people at my table ordered the corn cakes and sadly they were severely undercooked, almost to the point of it being raw. My food was nice, Smoked Salmon and cream cheese bagel. The flavour was nice, but there was a mountain of greens on top that were not dressed at all. Presentation was nice. Didn't live up to the food last time. The drinks were really nice. Overall I will be back but hopefully all the food is actually cooked.

I went to the cafe for breakfast late last year, when the construction was still finishing. The view and location was lovely, and I really want to try the restaurant. Middle of the week, the cafe was busy. I ordered a chocolate milkshake and the pancakes. The milkshake cost $6 then (it has since been reduced to $5.50), and was extremely small and did not have much chocolate flavour to it, and it wasn't cold - plus it came in a take away cup. Goldbergs does the best milkshake in Newcastle and it is almost two dollars cheaper. The pancakes were okay, nothing special, and there weren't enough berries for the portion. My sister's eggs and bacon weren't anything mindblowing either, and the tomato was just awful - cooked but stone cold. It's expensive compared to the quality you're receiving. I see the menu has since changed and the prices have dropped very slightly (less than a dollar on average) but I'd skip breakfast entirely and try the cafe's lunch menu, or the new pizza bar, next time.

First time I went, about 3 years ago thought this place was pretty good, albeit overpriced (understandable considering the location). Went recently with a couple of close friends. Overpriced, slow service and not overly friendly at that. Meals were just slightly below average, so all in all, I will not be back. View = A1 Meals and service = D grade.

We waited almost an hour (ok it's holiday time we were prepared to wait) for the worst food I have had near the beach. We purchased 5 calamari packs for $15.50 each. Each one had a different number of calamari (from 0-15 rings) and a small serve of chips. The calamari was the frozen variety- disappointing from a beach side cafe. The staff were not friendly and we had to take food back 3 times before the order was semi right. This was a very expensive and disappointing experience... families beware!

We had breakfast in the cafe this week and it was woeful. The location is great and the building is pretty schmick, just like Scratchleys. The other thing it has in common with Scratchleys is very ordinary fare. When I pay $85 for breakfast for 2 adults and 2 kids, I expect something slightly better than what my 11 yo daughter cooked me for Father's Day. Lift your game, Newcastle.

I've been upstairs a few times to the main bar, including once for an engagement and another time for a birthday. It was relaxed, friendly and comfortable. There was a mix of different people about most times. The bar food is actually very good - the mini cheese burgers are a must. They also have cider on tap and that was a plus for me. Downstairs at the cafe was nice, I've eaten there twice and both times I ordered a bacon and egg breakfast after a big night. The coffee is ok. The pizza bar is the standout for me. It's simple but the pizzas are very nice. The pepperoni one is better without so much chilli, and they were happy to make it without. The cheese is great, and the margarita is probably the best. Being able to have a beer down there looking at the water and sharing pizza with friend yis a good feeling.

got about 4 steps through the door on our first visit late afternoon when we were turned away -correction: shouted across the room from the bar by an obviously inexperienced girl- for bringing our newborn baby in with us. No explanation or supervisor to gently translate this, basically a turn around and get out. Obviously not a family-friendly place. The manager downstairs to his credit took the time to hear our concerns after seeking him out, but pretty much just had the shrug and run attitude about it. Might be an ok place to one day return at lunchtime and take 10 mins outside on the bottom floor while the kids run about, but definitely at the moment they seem more concerned with the 20-year old beach pretties than welcoming families and new clientele. Extremely disappointing.

I have been there twice and both times very disappointing considering the high level of restaurant they are trying to be. View - wonderful. Food - average to below par. Service - average. They need to pick their game up to be amongst the top restaurants in Newcastle.