Henson Park Hotel

I was around Marrickville today and feeling hungry, so I decided to check out a nearby pub with some great reviews. The atmosphere was nice, but overall the experience was just okay. The wait time was a bit longer than expected, and the pricing felt a little steep for the portions and quality. The food was decent, but not quite enough to draw me back again.

We visited Henson Bar and Restaurant for an outing and had high hopes based on their 4.5-star reviews, but unfortunately, the experience was very disappointing. The bar staff member who welcomed us was incredibly friendly, and her service was a clear 5/5. However, the rest of the staff seemed a bit disengaged, likely because they were busy with a photo shoot. The food was where things really fell short. The steak we initially wanted wasn’t available, so we ordered the schnitzel with Sri Lankan curry sauce, which sounded fascinating. While the presentation was great, the chicken schnitzel itself was partially raw, mostly just crispy skin with little substance. Serving undercooked chicken is unacceptable and very unsafe. The chips were fine, and the coleslaw was just okay, but the main meal was a major letdown and couldn’t even be eaten. We also noticed the table we sat at was sticky, which added to the disappointment. For a total of $56 (without drinks), we expected much more. While we appreciate the friendly bar lady’s service, the overall experience fell way below expectations. We won’t be returning. It’s disappointing to see a place with such high reviews not deliver on basic food safety and quality. Hopefully, they can take this feedback on board to improve.”

Lovely pub. Great food, no pokies and a few pinball machines and pool tables. Proper pub. Can feel a bit like a daycare on weekends as they have a kids area and family friendly bistro and beer garden. If you stay out of the beer garden, your interactions with disgusting, horrible children will be at a minimum.

We had an event hosted at the Henson on a Saturday. Our previously booked in venue cancelled on us last minute, and The Henson was very helpful in helping us out on short notice. The communication I had with Kate was open and easy, all my questions were answered and I felt totally confident in the venue. I was not let down! The managers on the night, Katie and Andrew, were super helpful and all the staff were friendly and attentive. Their side bar was a great venue space and everything went smoothly :) I would highly recommended this venue for anyone wanting a classic Inner-West pub feel for their party.

Great pub. Very family friendly. Staff were efficient and friendly. We met with friends after the footy...it's was packed and it didn't seem chaotic at all. Will go back when in Sydney next time.

I went with a few friends and we were pleasantly surprised. The place is quite busy, which is a good sign, and it has a really nice atmosphere. It's cozy and welcoming. The staff was very attentive, coming to the table to ask if everything was okay and making sure we were satisfied. I ordered the chicken schnitzel and I really liked it. One of the highlights was the Krabby's — very tasty! My friends had a burger and a vegetarian sandwich, and they both enjoyed their meals as well. Overall, it’s a place I would definitely recommend. It’s great for spending a nice time with good food and company. The prices are reasonable too. The only downside is that service can be a bit slow, probably because it's always busy. But in general, everything was great, and we’d be happy to come back

A very solid pub for catching up with friends. Very solid vibes, helped with the building's historic structures. The staff were so friendly and so keen to have a chat. A good selection of beers, and great food options available. The reason it wasn't five stars was that the steak and guineas pie I had was very lacklustre, with no hint of seasoning at all to compliment the meat and rich gravy. But I know that on good days, they provide some great food (I remember have a traditional pork ramen here a few years ago which was incredible)

This is such an amazing experience to enjoy tasty and excellent foods. And my favourite from last night's dinner is Mie goreng and calamari, super tasty and definitely will come back again! Everything was awesome and perfect place for hang out with friends and family. ❤️

This did feel like an out of the way pub, namely because it is hidden away in one of Sydney's back streets. The building did have some charm about it, and it really did have that inner city feel to it. Also, the beer selection was rather nice as well. Yet, a part of me felt that it wasn't one of the best pubs out there. However, as a place to go for a quiet beer, it certainly does have a lot of charm.

Awesome little pub. Great atmosphere, excellent pub food menu, range of craft beers. Big up ya for doing all this without pokies or a TAB (although I don't mind a punt...).

Since my first review, The Henno has won me back. The food, if you pick the right things, is actually pretty dang great. One thing you must try, if nothing else at all is that thang they call a "Knuckle sandwich" Slow cooked and then grilled Beef brisket on a toasted sanga with slaw. Some of the tenderest beef you'll have for lunch today. Get the Sweet tater chips with black sesame Tempeh dip. Get the Buttermilk wings. Not all at the same time though unless you are sharing. It's filling food. Craft beer. If you've been to just about any pub in the inner west, you're bound to have seen 'Young Henry's' brand on tap. There is one called The Newtowner. Give it a crack. They have board games. Jenga! They have trivia. i haven't been to that yet, but it looks cool. I go here a lot these days. Looks like the baby teeth have fallen out, and the Henno has taken a big grown up bite out of in the Inner west for pub life.

All the food here is out of the ballpark, slam dunk delicious! A+++ I had the shrimp taco again and the ceviche... amazing! So, so good!!!

Underwhelming lunch at the Henson on a Sunday. You will probably have to wait about an hr for food but at least they tell you when you order. The food was average, nothing extraordinary. My friend had tacos. She didn't like it. There is something for everyone at this place but if you don't want to wait for ages for food, then I suggest you go elsewhere.

Buttermilk chicken wings were delish. The girl from Buffalo approves. Just would skip the green sauce next time. Needs something sweet/sour/spicy

Long live The Henson! Memories of the dive bar of old flooded in before I walked through the door, a notion quickly dismissed as a found a seat. They've done a terrific job doing the joint up - the fit out, menu and service were all outstanding, no pretension here. The staff are really what makes this place sing, all too happy to help which is a marvel these days. Those with kids will also get a kick out of the games room to keep the wee ones thoroughly entertained. The Kumera fries and Dirty Bird are bonafide hits, though the Churro Chips were a bit of a miss - a little too crispy and the servings are incredibly generous, so look to share the dishes. Looking forward to returning for another chilled out Saturday night!

We had a great afternoon ..... Food & booze was spot on ..... cool vibe ..... relaxing and calming atmosphere .... Highly recommended for those who seek good quality everything !!!

So this is no frills bar, that from the outside looks like a bit of a dive bar - but this place has good beer and awesome food! If you are looking for a burger or some pub food with a slight twist then this is the place for you! So behind the pub section there is a large sitting area, with any outside area as well. And every time that I have come here it is always crowded. And the crowds come not just for the booze but for the food. Personally I come here for the pork belly burger with kimchi - yes, it is as good as it sounds. But also the Mexican style chicken is great, especially if you are hungry. And for all the beer lovers, they do craft beer on tap. Every time I have come here they switch between different beers, so you get to try different beers that you wouldn't normally see on tap.

I bloody love this place, the food is awesome. I always get the fried chicken and the taco.. And always leave with an ice cream sandwich. It is a family place, can't get quite loud outside with the kids. There is an inside bar If you wanna avoid all the noise.

The Henson. Apt because I often feel like a muppet. I coulda said that I often feel like a man with someone's hand up his backside, but I don't like to make you guys think too much, and most of the Yelpers I've met are a sordid bunch so they might not join the dots to arrive at the G-rated version without my obvious prompting... From the outside this looks like your typical Tooths Ale saloon; and back in the day it probably was. You could imagine brickies and sparkies downing tools and knockin' off early for a KB dinner ale and a couple of Veebs. But she's evolved... in a good way. I met a couple of buds here, for some brews and a feed on Saturday night. The front bar is a good mix of crowd. There was the odd hipster, but the well-worn variety, shabby chic if you please. No oiled beards here!, plenty of flanno going around too. The beers are a revelation. It's craftier here at the Henson, than an arts and crafts show hosted by Martha Stewart. I spied an old favourite, the Hangman's Pale Ale (Rocks Brewing Co.) and started with that. As my buds arrived I switched to the In Bloom IPA (Murrays Brewing Co.) which was hoppier than a one-legged Kangaroo playing hopscotch, before settling on an American Pale Ale (Batch Brewing co.) to finish me up. I also noticed Young Henrys and Stone and Wood amongst other options. After a skinful we decided it was time to eat - and headed to the dining area. The outside seating is quirky and fun, with umbrellas, box trees, barrel seating and an arrangement of wall hung flowers. It's also family friendly and there was certainly plenty of them here on Saturday night. They do have heaters as well, which explains why it was packed outside. So packed we had to head inside for a seat. We were lucky enough to grab a table as a couple were leaving and after plonking ourselves down we immediately ordered - we were here for the wings after all and they didn't disappoint. The 1/2 kilo buttermilk chicken wings with the verde picante dipping sauce were divine. Crispy and juicy at the same time, with plenty of meat, they lived up to the hype that had been sold to me prior to coming here. A serving of the Kumara fries with nigella and a tahini yoghurt were some of the best I've had. I'm not normally a fan of sweet potato fries, they are a fad to me, when i prefer the real deal, but they sung here. Another round of Batch brews and we were ready for mains. I opted for the Grass-fed beef burger, gruyere, lettuce, pickle, tomato/beet relish and old bay mayo and chips. The burger was a bit of a let down. I asked for medium rare, but one of my companions informed me that I would probably get it cooked through regardless, because they probably don't grind their own meat in-house (and if they do it could be a refrigerator job). I can't fault the Henson on that, however it means I cannot recommend the burger. The chips were pretty average. Thick cut batons that were fluffy on the inside but didn't sustain enough crunch or seasoning to really invite me into heaven. One of my buds had the Fish Pie with cheesy leek mash, and was pretty quiet about it, but he said it was good. The other bud, who goes Gluten Free, had the smoked pork baby-back ribs, chilli orange glaze, jacket potato, pepe saya creme friache + ginger slaw. I had one of the ribs and it was delightfully sticky and juicy. The taste was just gorgeous. I wish I'd gone this instead of the burger (Incidentally they do have a large range of Gluten Free options on the menu). There seems to be a bit of KFC inspiration in a couple of the menu items too. References to the "dirty bird" main and a certain haloumi burger with KFC undertones in the vegetarian section raised eyebrows but were never seriously considered. All in all the Henson provided a great night out that will stay with me as a memory for years to come.

It's a Sydney pub. For me they all look the same. Places to sit inside and places to sit outside. The pub food resembles what ever they have in the freezer that day, plus they make a bit of effort to let the kids play in a germ infested area.

I love a good pub. Cheap bears, reasonable menu, a good outside area, good music and the deafening screech of hundreds of children. Wait, scrap that last part. They have done such a fantastic job of understanding their market that they must have done surveys. If i was a youngish inner west parent and wanted to be able to have a beer and not have to leave the kids at home, I would LOVE the Henson. Alas, I am not. My ears are not ready for that level of punishment and I still have that low down blind spot that means I may one day accidentally knee a child while walking. The food I had was good, the location is great, but The Henson is just not for me. Maybe one day, when I have offspring of my own, I'll realise it's wonder.

After living in the area for over nine years, I finally got my backside into gear and checked this place out. I have a long, long history in hospitality and have been out of it for some many years now, with no real intention of going back ...... but, if I was going to go back into the Industry it would be into Pubs and The Henson is exactly what I would want. I loved the place. The fact it was set up for ALL the locals. It looked great, made an effort to cater for kids and the menu looked good. My gripe is, we went on a Friday night for dinner. The dining spaces are massive but they have this poor little kitchen to do all the cooking. When I had a quick glance at the kitchen the chefs were beyond flat chat (and looked stressed). The food came out in a reasonable time, but the some of the food was pre-cooked (and dry) and other foods under-cooked (chips). Obviously, with my history in restaurants, I to would have pre-cooked foods to maximise the busy time, but my chicken on my (Karaage Burger) was dry and tired. That said, I will definitely being going back to try the menu you again, only this time at lunch. And I can see us spending many a Sunday arvo for drinks this Summer.

Great pub! Apparently it's been newly re-furbed in the back; the front bar remains largely the same, i.e., old-man-esque, just the way I like my pubs. Food is of high quality- the chicken wings, although coated so not my fave, were still pretty good. My friend got corn chips with avo and black beans which looked fab, and my crispy squid was yum, albeit the dish of dipping aioli was a bit on the chintzy side. However, there are a bunch of interesting sauces to be had near the cutlery. Be warned that this place takes being kid-friendly to the extreme. We walked past the garden to get to the front of the pub and there were so many children out back we literally thought the pub was next to a daycare. If you're not a kid person the front bar is probably for you. Also, almost every table in the back was reserved on a Friday night, so book if you're wanting a meal there.

Henson Gastro Pub 91 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville NSW 2204 (02) 9569 5858 The Henson was a great find. It's fun, open and family friendly. There is a very welcoming atmosphere when you enter into this place. There were plenty of people of all ages here. Retirees, mothers groups with babies and young children who could play in the back section with a cubby-house and toys, and also young professionals on their lunch break. I really loved the shelves of sauces, spices and cutlery. There were five different salts you could spoon into little plastic containers to put on your food or particularly on fries I think. We ordered: Soft shell CRAB BURGER, old bay coleslaw, ice-berg, sriarcha & chips ($16) Smoked corn, celeriac, silverbeet & habernero chowder hot sourdough ($13) Rhubarb, quince & cider + oat crumble, buttermilk ice-cream ($10) The soft shell crab burger. Delicious, big thumbs up. The soft shell crab was perfectly cooked, crispy, tender and succulent. Henson believe in and use free range, organic, hormone and chemical free meat & poultry & sustainable seafood. The coleslaw was refreshing and well balanced. The fries were well cooked and moreish. I really want to try the Karaage CHICKEN BURGER, pickled greens, charred onion, miso mayo & chips; and the PORK BELLY BURGER, pickles ice-berg, kimchi kewpie, jalapeno, mustard & chips next time around. On to the 'chowder'. I thought it was a full-hearty and warming soup. I probably would have labelled it a soup more than a chowder. It had good smokey and acidic flavours coming through. I thought it wasn't that moreish a dish though. I still was left feeling I wish there was something extra that made me go back for another spoonful. The bread was fresh and warm and the butter was of high quality and quite delicious. Last but not least, the dessert. I really loved the buttermilk ice-cream. It is not thick and creamy, it is more like a sorbet consistency, but I still really loved it against the crunchy oats and tangy/sour taste of the rhubarb and quince. Well done. Food: 8/10 Value for money: 7.5/10 Ambience: 7.5/10 Service: 7.5/10 Overall Score: 30.5/40 $$

For a place in the middle of nowhere (Illawarra Rd), this place has undergone a transformation from old mans' pub to mostly family venue. I was lucky enough to try this on a weekday, so avoided the absolutely balls up claustrophobia that ensues from families occupying the place during the weekend. Friendly staff, remarkably fresh and tasty food (knuckle sandwich) and relatively local beers? Yes please. But avoid the kid rush times. Leave it to the parents and go across to Illi Hill or down the road to Two Chaps then come back on a weekday without the littlies.

Great food and beer. Awesome play area for the kids. It was super busy but we didn't mind since we had to little kids and they could play while we had drinks. Will definitely go again!

Such a great pub, delicious food and nice atmosphere. Great family-oriented place. Pricey but well worth it!

Spacious adventurous place, perfect for all audiences. The menu is an interesting fusion of Asian x pub grub however the taste isn't to die for and doesn't quantify the price of the dishes. We ordered The Dirty Bird which was deliciously flame grilled ($26), the Nasi Goreng which was average, and the Karaage Chicken Burger which was way too salty we eat much of it. Would come back for the ambience. Very chilled and perfect or a Sunday arvo. Children friendly.

Plethora of delicious local craft beers; exceptional menu (knuckle sandwich is deservedly legendary); friendly, knowledgeable staff; pinball arcade; sports friendly front bar; family friendly back bar/garden; fantastic bottle shop/deli... Did I mention the amazing range of beers? If there's a better pub in Sydney, I haven't found it.

Everything a pub should be. Great selection of beers, great serviice, good vibe and a pool table. Food here is always great. I go back again and again.

A happy, friendly and welcoming place. Great food and very good value - well worth becoming a regular!

Good environment and good food - great pub. Nice back area and an outdoor area as well

Great beer and atmosphere. Can get a bit crowded with families as there is a play area for the little ones which can get a bit rough for the smaller kids by the large age difference of the kids in the play area, while they run a muck unsupervised as their parents slam down a couple of frothies.

Live down the road and refuse to go here anymore. Every time we do we are disappointed and after half a dozen attempts I give up. Inconsistency in food and staff mean I won't be back. A short wait there equaled over an hour wait for cold food for one of our party, I work in hospitality, I appreciate busy periods but I also appreciate how much a little communication can go a long way. If it's an hour say it's an hour. Won't be back, would never recommend.

Sunday evening you'd need to book a table 1st, if you want to soak up the ambience of the restaurant area itself. Our food was tasty, service was good considering the time we arrived, I'm a long lost local who will be back to whip you all at trivia wednesdays & stuff myself at the same time.

Looking pretty good since the reboot. Beer prices fair - a titch cheaper than Newtown, but food prices slightly higher. The kid friendly set-up is a huge hit with the locals and long may it succeed. The message is: pubs have changed. Now, how about a little live music?