Pelican Rocks Seafood Restaurant & Cafe

When I see a sign claiming to be the “best,” I’m always a bit skeptical—but Pelican Rocks Café absolutely delivered! I have to admit, this was hands-down the best fish and chips I’ve ever had in my life. Perfectly crispy batter, fresh, flaky fish, and just the right balance of crunch and flavor. Every bite was spot on! But the real showstopper? Their seafood tower—absolutely mind-blowing! Packed with an incredible selection of fresh, perfectly cooked seafood, it was a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds. Every single item was full of flavor, cooked to perfection, and you could truly taste the freshness. Beyond the food, the café itself has a great vibe—relaxed, welcoming, and perfect for enjoying a seafood feast. The service was friendly and efficient, making the whole experience even better. If you’re anywhere near the area, this is a must-visit spot. I walked in skeptical and walked out convinced—they really do have the best fish and chips! Can’t wait to come back and try more of their menu.

We ordered the Fish and chose the local fresh Black Fish. We shared it between 2 and that was a large enough portion. The fish was crispy and not oily at all. Everything on the plate was to perfection. Customer service is on point. I’d highly recommend this place, and would visit again when in the area.

Excellent food. Not just the fish and chips but also the salad. Loved the prawns especially. Will be back soon!

Disappointing Experience Despite Great Food I would have loved to write a completely positive review of our dining experience, but unfortunately, that wouldn’t be an accurate reflection of what occurred. On Saturday the 21st, I organized a lunch for two adults at midday. We had called in earlier that morning around 10:30 am to reserve a table for 12:00 sharp. We arrived at 11:45 am, slightly early, and were promptly seated at our reserved table. After placing our orders, we were reminded by the owner/manager that the restaurant offered full table service. Our meals arrived relatively promptly, and we began enjoying the food and the pleasant ambience. However, at around 12:20 pm — while we were still eating — a waitress approached our table to inform us that it would soon be needed for another party of two. This was surprising, as we were not informed of any strict time limits upon booking or seating. Shortly after, the owner/manager himself asked us to either relocate or vacate the table to accommodate other guests who had allegedly booked that same table two hours prior. While the food, as always, was delicious, the handling of this situation left a very sour impression. If the restaurant enforces strict seating times due to high demand or large bookings — such as the 120-person group also dining that afternoon — this should be made clear at the time of booking. Advance notice would have allowed us to either accept those terms or make alternative arrangements. Ambiguity around such policies can quickly turn an enjoyable experience into a frustrating one.

Dropped by for lunch, our first visit. What great food! I had a burger and my wife a seafood platter. Both were fantastic! The service was fast and very friendly, we were aloud to sit in the courtyard with our two dogs. We will be back!

Down the coast a bit today to Greenwell Point. Famous for Oysters and also Pelican Rocks Fish and Chips which has won Australia’s best fish and chips. Such a sleepy out of the way spot but awesome seafood and the owner is a top bloke who was so welcoming. We asked if the upstairs balcony was available and he said “It used to be but you missed that by nine years”. He also added “ if you came last week you would have missed it by nine years minus a week” 😂😂Thoroughly enjoyed our seafood platter and exceptionally friendly service.

Fantastic food , great prices and tremendous service make this a must visit. Thank you for a lovely lunch.

The service at this place is amazing!!! We were looked after by Chloe & you are an absolute angel 😇 We love the food but you went above and beyond for us and are an absolute superstar 🤩 Great food & amazing service and the best coffee we have had on our trip. This will be our breakfast spot for the rest of our holiday 😍

We went here based on recommendations from locals in Nowra. We arrived without a reservation so we're lucky to get a table. The weather outside was wet, which made for a winter day but we were still warm in the outside eating area. A seafood basket was $24 and great value considering how fresh everything was. Hubby had the chicken burger which he said was very nice. And the iced coffees were yum-mo!!!!

Popped in here with my mum last week - awesome service, awesome food. I had crumbed calamari with chips and salad, mum had salt and pepper squid with chips and salad. Perfect calamari, tender, lightly crumbed, super tasty. And the chips were delicious, kind of hand cut style but almost the size of a fry. Great friendly service and really fast. The place was packed which was pretty impressive for midweek, Greenwell Point is not exactly a bustling seaside town but from all accounts they have the best seafood around and I agree. Would have loved to try dinner but the restaurant is closed for a couple of months.