SoCal Sydney

We had early dinner and drinks on Saturday evening. Place has nice atmosphere and good cocktails. Staff is friendly and orders were served together. Food was alright and no dish did stand out for us on this occasion.

A fantastic place to visit! Gorgeous rooftop dining and nice interiors. We went for Taco Tuesday and ordered every single one, all of which were delicious! Our favourite was the pork belly with pineapple, cabbage & Jalapeños. Even better paired with their Margaritas & Happy hour!

The fish taco is the best!!! The fired fish combined with jalapeno, it’s so tasty!!!! The Tommy margarita and guacamole is also very nice! Staff is friendly and atmosphere is super chill! Love it!

So Cal Neutral Bay offers an outstanding dining experience with its flavorful and well-crafted dishes. The ambiance is enhanced by a carefully curated music selection that complements the relaxed and inviting setting. A highlight is the airy rooftop bar, which provides a perfect spot to unwind and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. The service is attentive and friendly, ensuring a pleasant and memorable visit. Whether you're a local or just passing through, So Cal Neutral Bay is a must-visit for an exceptional meal and a great time in a welcoming environment. For more insights on top travel destinations, exceptional dining, and unique experiences, follow my account. I share detailed reviews and recommendations to help you discover your next perfect getaway and culinary adventure!

I had a dinner and drinks this evening. Their staff were very friendly and attentive. Fish taco waa great, corn fritter was great, fried chill was great. I wish their Churros were a bit less oily

Love this place so much! The vibe was very relaxing, all the interior design and decoration are adorable. The staffs were super friendly as well! We ordered fish, beef and chicken tacos. The fish one was our no.1! The beef one was a bit fatty. Also we added some pork on the nachos, we thought it would be pulled pork but it was pork belly! It was too fatty for us. But the nachos were still nice! Looked like a corn chip pizza, full of cheese! Really love this place, would definitely love to recommend to everyone! Excited to try more dishes next time :)

We went on a Monday night and the restaurant was busy with a great atmosphere. The staff were so friendly and attentive. We ordered the $65pp banquet and it was delicious. When they saw we needed a few extras to finish off the meal, they brought them FOC. They made my husband’s birthday really special and were incredibly helpful with a family member’s gluten free needs. Nothing was too difficult - best service, delicious food, fun atmosphere. We’ll be back.

Cool atmosphere, super yummy food. A bit expensive for the serving sizes but understandable for the location. Some drinks were really good, others just okay. Really good service in terms of checking dietary requirements and making sure they got that right, and there were good options for a range of dietary requirements.

Came here for lunch with a friend on a weekday. I had the Cauliflower Enchilada $18 (green peas, dried tomato, red pepper sauce, mozzarella) it was really nice. My friend had the Mexican Fried Chicken Burger and he said that it was very yummy. We sat in the outdoor area. It was plenty of room between the table and it felt covid safe. Friendly service. Will definitely come back to try more items on the menu.

Good place to eat and get some drinks. The taco with smoked pork and pineapple hot sauce and the Devils Daiquiri were really nice. The staff was also very friendly and welcoming. Overall, a good experience.

What can I say except I loved this place. The moment you walk up the stairs you are greeted by lovely staff. For anyone wanting catch ups with an old friend or a few drinks with snacks that place is perfect. The food: these are the best sweet potato fries I have ever had!!!! The enchiladas was tasting and large and I even got to take my leftovers home. The menu is only a page long but there is a lot of variety. Which adds to why this place is so great. It's modern Mexican American food for everyone. Great music, great vibe, great cocktails, great service.

LOVED the ambience, and staff were extremely attentive from the moment we entered, giving a little intro about the place and explaining the menu. Throughout the meal it did get a bit too much but nonetheless friendly staff. They have both an indoors and "outdoors" area, and if there are seats available I recommend trying to sit out the back. Set up to give off great vibes with awesome music, it makes for an all round enjoyable meal. Corn chips to start are great, comes with guac and salsa, and all in decent servings. Then I highly recommend the California roll slider because it's amazing. Regret not ordering another one. Made up of prawn, crab, cucumber, wasabi avocado, seaweed mayo, although I didn't really notice the crab, the wasabi makes all the difference as it was refreshing and added a needed kick. Fish tacos were also enjoyed but it could have done with more of the salsa as it was barely noticeable. I preferred the slider. The tofu mushrooms salad turned out to be a great choice as it was light but still satisfying with juicy mushrooms and plenty of lentils. Have to add the tofu was too salty though. Brisket took a while to come out and finally came when we were pretty much done with everything else. It was dry and slightly overcooked but the slaw, pickles, and house-made BBQ sauce made up for it.

Great rooftop location in Neutral Bay, yummy food, mixed feelings on decor, but expensive!!! A casual lunch for 2 set us back $90 - ouch! So Cal is hidden up some dark, narrow stairs and the decor emulates a rustic Mexican bar / casual restaurant. There is a dark inside area (not so nice) and also an outdoor rooftop area (no views to be seen). On a sunny 25 degree + day, soaking up the sun outside amongst the palm tree plants and bright splashes of blue and yellow furniture is amazing - but only if you get the limited sofa seating! Most of the restaurant has bar stools which are high, wirey and don't look very comfortable. Service was a bit slow. Food and drinks: - Corn chips $12 - average serving of chips but the guacamole and tomato dipping sauces were tiny!!! We were scraping out of the bottom of the tins. Also the guac is not made in front of you. A reasonable price would be $6. - Fish tacos $20 - 4 grilled fish tacos with mild sauce and they are pretty good. Don't like the idea of having to buy 4 at once. - Chicken waffle $20 - unusual. This was recommended to us and there wasa lot of chicken but the waffle was overly salty and soggy from the sauce seeping from the chicken to the waffle. The waffle was green and this was a novelty, but I'm not exactly sure what flavour it was. - Tiki tropicana $18 - amazing seemingly bottomless tropical mango - pineapple - coconut cocktail that is refreshing and sweet but not too sweet. Loved how it was served in a tiki mug with a pink umbrella! - Rumdog millionaire cocktail $17 - extremely refreshing orange flavoured cocktail, served short. Great for a hot day.

If you like laid back Southern California cuisine with a Mex influence then this place should be right up your alley. I dined here on a Wednesday night before the after work crowd poured in. And they do pour in after 6pm. Between two of us we had three share plates - southern style chicken tacos, fish and prawn cakes and beef sliders. Really nice food - the soft tortilla tacos were a favourite. This place has a nice vibe - even in winter - although it can be on the noisy side. I really enjoyed the food and I'm already planning a return visit.

So Cal... the land I know and love so well, the place of my birth. Imagine my excitement when a place called So Cal opened up within minutes of my house. We decided to try it out this week and I wasn't sure how I felt about it when I walked in to the restaurant. I knew I could be setting myself up for complete disappointment because clearly someone FROM So Cal will have high expectations of a restaurant with the same name. I pictured overpriced small portions (isn't that how all American/Mexican places are in Sydney?). I pictured flavours that were not authentic. I pictured the staff not knowing that no one from So Cal actually calls the beer Pabst Blue Ribbon, the correct name is PBR. But... much to my surprise and delight, none of this happened. Firstly, the portion sizes were on par with any share plates in Sydney- American, Mexican or otherwise. In fact, the quesadilla, which could have been a total rip off at $20, was massive by Aussie standards! We saw one come out to another table and I thought for sure they must have ordered two, but low and behold, it was one. Plenty to share! The flavours... ok so these weren't the most amazing taste sensations I've ever experienced, but the food was good. We tried A LOT of it. The pork quesadilla, beef tacos, chicken sliders, beef sliders, corn, tater tots, chips and dip, and beef tartare. Now, I can't say I ate it all myself since I only eat chicken, but what I did have, I enjoyed. The corn was delicious, probably one of my favourite things. The dips... well, I'm a big salsa and guac critic and while they weren't the best I've had, they were not half bad, but the chips were pretty crap. I wish people in this country would make their own tortilla chips for a change rather than buying crappy Old El Paso style bagged chips. Also, cumin doesn't belong in pico de gallo type salsa, but nonetheless it still tasted good. The chicken sliders were pretty tasty. I asked for mine with none of the salami/chorizo stuff on it and they were really flexible and gave me two with some chipotle aioli instead. They also were willing to charge me half price for just two of them which was great! Tater tots seemed like they came out of a freezer at woolies but the aioli dip was nice and they gave a lot of it, no skimping around with sauce quantities here. My group said the beef sliders were just ok as the buns were over toasted and a bit too hard. The beef taco tortillas were also over toasted and a little burnt and the pork quesadillas were lacking a bit of flavour. None of it was bad, but I wouldn't say it blew any of us away. And to top it off, the PBRs were pretty good value (again, for Sydney) and the servers actually knew to call them PBR. Props! The final winner for me? The music! Super beachy reggae style tunes totally made me feel at home, particularly when they played sublime, which I NEVER hear here. All in all, a winner. I think going in with low expectations actually made this a better experience. For food quality and taste I'd probably give this a 3 star but the vibe takes it up a notch for me. Loved the atmosphere and something like this was REALLY needed on the lower north shore. It's the first place around that feels like a proper fun and trendy bar.

It's gotta be said ... I love anything Californian .. NoCal or SoCal so after hearing about this place, it was a must try. its right next to Ray White and up a flight of stairs (note the gorilla type beast splashed across the wall doing what all local cali's do - smoking a big fat .... ). Despite its location, trust me, Neutral Bay will be the last place you'll think you're in as you walk through to the bar. Palm trees/plants whatever you wanna call them line the outside area, they have hanging pots, high tables, low tables and pretty beachy colours. Service was solid from the moment we stepped foot in. Can't recall the name of the main guy who served us but he was pretty good (short term mem a little off tho). There was also a super eager young kid that came through to talk to us bless him ... He was lovely. So after having a good ol yarn about the food, we settled on the Sriracha chicken quesadilla, the fish tacos and I'm sure we had the chips with guac and salsa (clearly main guy was rubbing off on me). The food was not offensive by any means, however it wasn't the standout memory of this place for me - it was the relaxed vibe I got sitting outside, it was the company I had and the wonderful cocktails consumed - The Garden Party - ohhh it was everything !!! Yeah I'd certainly go back if I'm ever in the area ... we were told the must try is the pulled pork quesadilla.

Friends of ours who live in the area introduced us to this place. This place has come up in the time after we moved to Europe from the area. It used to be a dark and dingy old karaoke bar. SoCal is a stark contrast to the previous place and its bright, open and tastefully decorated. They have a decent cocktail list and a food menu. I must admit I got a sticker shock at the prices of the food here. They also have a nice choice of micro brews and other drinks. The music here was a bit to too loud for me and I was told it gets louder as the night goes on. It's popular and does seem to pack out. I can't comment on the food as we did not eat here. The cocktails were pretty good and the daily cocktail special of burnt orange and vanilla frozen margarita was nice. I also tasted the Chilli Margarita which was hot hot hot !!! Whilst the service here was super friendly it was a bit over the top. I am not sure I have ever said that about a place but this place felt a bit like it. I don't mind gorgeous waitresses coming over to check up on us but, not every 2-3 minutes and making us feel a bit rushed ;-)) it was nice to see there was so many staff on hand but I was a bit tired of answering the same question every 2-3 mins :-)) I would happily come back here again for cocktails and also try the food next time. A great bar in Neutral Bay Area.

Cocktails= delicious Atmosphere = 10/10 Staff= laid back and cool The only Quesadillas I've had better than the ones at So Cal were in Mexico... which are pretty darn tough to beat Went here for my birthday with all my girlfriends and they really took care of us

Firstly. Tater Tots. As a Sydney-sider, you probably have experienced the 'tater tot' for the first time only recently, or perhaps you are still yet to encounter this nugget of potato goodness. But for us 'Merican expats, the tater tot represents one of the most critical advances in mashed potato history, since the addition of gravy. Now, I've read the internet (close to all of it) and I found at minimum 311 poems about this humble tot. So on that basis alone, I thank you kind people of SoCal for honouring this classic cube by featuring it so proudly on your menu. (They come served with Chipotle mayo). Next, I would like to discuss the 'Spicy Señorita.' Jalapeño infused tequila with agave, lime & habanero hellfire shrub (p.s. I have no idea what 'hellfire shrub' is, but I don't care. When it hits your lips.....) this magical woman lives up to her name, she will warm your soul (literally) and make you feel tipsy with lust. (yeah, I can't believe I just wrote that either.) I could speak to every item on the menu with love and prose, but my words cannot express the majestical feats the kids at SoCal have accomplished with their little mexicali fairy hands. So instead, I'll leave you with this. Haters going to hate, Potaters gonna potate. Which essentially means, get thee to SoCal, have the tater tots and pretty much everything else and thank me later.

Cool little Mexican joint off the main road in Neutral Bay. Go up some dark stairs and it opens up into the restaurant with an outdoor area that feels like summer. Pretty nifty cockails including a salted caramel espresso martini. There are a lot of options to choose from the food menu and it took us a while to decide. I ordered the Baja fish tacos and decided with a friend who ordered the Steak tacos that we would swap 2 so we could get a variety. $20 for 4 tacos. Taste wise it was ok. I preferred the steak more. Also got to try the brisket and it was tasty but a bit dry. I noticed a few other people got the ribs and they looked pretty good but messy! Huh! Dessert was ordered and we tried the churros with chocolate dipping sauce - Churros was nice and warm with lots of sugar but not at all sweet which is a good thing the sauce was there. Overall, ok first time visit.

I've been here 3 times and each time the menu has been different, but I've never been disappointed. This is the only place I know of that has truly American style food, most of it being a mix on Californian, Tex Mex and New Orleans style. Today's meal was stupidly delicious; we had Cocktails (no need to name them - Ive been working my way through the menu and they are all good!), the green waffles (and it wasn't even Paddys day) with chicken, hot wings and also the sauteed prawns. We totally over ordered for just the two of us but that was ok coz it meant we had dinner for later on! Honestly, I cannot wait to eat here again! I recommend coming here during the day as at night it is simply too noisy and busy to be able to relax and hear what the other people at your table are saying (although who knows, that could be a good thing?)

We booked in for NYE this year and, despite changing our party numbers multiple times, were very accommodating and we had a fantastic evening. As our party was large we wanted to have our drinks separate to our food bill which they were willing to do (so rare!). The staff were so friendly and attentive as always. The food was outstanding and allows you to continue to add food after the banquet that we had and this extra food come out quickly. A brilliant night and we will definitely be back with large groups again. Thanks!

A tad disappointed with this visit - I've heard good things about this place from the reviews and was looking forward to it all. Perhaps the place was rushed off its feet but at the end of the day - the staff have got to remember every customer deserves a great experience The highlight of the day's was the cocktails - if I was rating the place on cocktails alone they'd score a 5/5 especially the spicy little "Prince of Hell Yeah" - Jalepeno infused tequila! The banquet menu looked great but only one dish stood out, the remainder were bland and weak in flavour The staff - well the bar folk do their best but you've got to crack a smile boys! The waitress well if you can throw a plate on a table without cracking it, well ours was an expert and again some pleasant smiling wouldn't harm the place The DJ - nice work mate The cockroach that climbed the wall - an interesting side show at our table - the little fellow disappeared but reappeared on another part of the wall next to another table and sadly didn't not win the battle with a patrons shoe All in a poor standard tonight and I honestly don't believe that's normal for this place. I will come back to try again and see if it was an off night

Alex our server was awesome, we had a great time, the food was wonderful and the prices were reasonable, we will definitely return

The atmosphere outside was nice and cozy, the service was average. The food, however, was an absolute disappointment. The small bowl of $10 chips were stale, the guacamole was hardly palatable. We also ordered 2 fish tacos, 2 brisket tacos, and a chicken quesadilla. All 4 tacos were visibly burned on the outside and with hardly any flavor on the inside. The quesadilla was average at best. Worst part, portions were all small and I walked away with a $63 bill. Totally not worth my time, money, or tastebuds. I will not be back.

Finally managed to figure out where this place is - so glad!! This is indeed a bit of SoCal in Neutral Bay - you could easily be in any SoCal bar, because you sure don't feel like you are in Neutral Bay when you are in here. Fit-out is eclectic hipster chic, crossed with beachy stuff. I really liked it. We came at an unfortunately busy time, and had to wait, but it was not so bad - couple of margaritas and a beer later and who cares?? Seriously, the place is pretty good - yes the tacos and quesadillas are $20 bucks - well we aren't in Southern California, so get over it. They are both pretty big servings - the quesadilla is actually two flats, so enough to share or for a meal in itself, and the tacos come on a platter of four, and they are well filled. We had one of each between two and couldn't finish it (yes I know, very unlike garbage guts me). Vibe is cool, staff are fun, cocktails are great, food is good. What more do you want? Get thee hence forthwith.

A place to buy pint cans of Pabst. Also sells food that is remarkably unremarkable, so I won't remark on it. What I will remark on is the surprising visual consistency of the crowd. I'd use the phrase cut from the same cloth but that could possibly imply the same pattern printed at a factory on separate occasions. This is more like cut from the same yard of cloth, so as to be exactly the same.

Okay... great food and bar tending staff BUT the worst service I've ever had. Whoever the man is that seems to be some sort of host or manager is horrid. He was wearing a white shirt and hat when we were there... I hope you know who you are. This man was so rude and disrespectful. He does not know what it means to work in the hospitality industry. I never write reviews but I had to report how disrespectful he was. There were also cockroaches everywhere. The poor bar staff who has to work with that man, because they really were lovely. We went for the live band (we love LVT) and were treated miserably by that man the entire 3 hours. Despite the delicious food, charming bartenders, and amazing band, we would never come back solely because of the rude man who ruined our experience.

Food was reasonable but not amazing. We had a small meal of the corn chips with guacamole and salsa, and a pulled pork quesadilla. We would have ordered more but the bar service was too slow and we had to be somewhere else. The quesadilla was quite tasty but didn't stand out as better than other places I have been. The condiments that came with the corn chips were pretty bland. In fact the salsa was literally just diced tomato. The bar service was slow because many people were ordering cocktails and the staff seemed to not really care or move any faster. My biggest gripe here though was the clientele. Young self absorbed and apparently no manners. There was a couple ordering at the bar with a bartender that they seemed to know. Another couple arrived that they were friends with and when couple 1 finished their order they told their friends, couple 2 to take their place at the bar so they get served next. The bartender saw this and served them next anyway. It's a shame, I wanted to like the place but it was a bad experience overall.

A+ Ambiance A+ Service A+ on their classic Margaritas $20 tacos & quesadillas? NO BUENO HOMBRE! What could you possibly put into a taco to make it worth $20? I wasn't game to try one. The menu is super expensive, IMO.

I thought this place was great. Friendly and quick staff. I had a house margarita which was very good and I drink a lot of margaritas! I also had the fish tacos, they were cooked perfectly, tender fish, the tortillas were grilled to add crunch and the chili coleslaw added a great spice to the dish. It was easy to tell the chef was a pro. They have habanero hot sauce on the table which was excellent and added the kick I like for Mexican food. I came back on a Sunday and has the steak tacos. They're better than the fish which is saying they are fantastic. Wish I was in town longer I'd come here again and again.

Casual rooftop venue serving up some yummy cali-Mexican cuisine. I met The Boy here for some pre-theatre dining. We shared three types of tacos: the fish and beef off the standard menu were both pretty tasty, but the stand out was the southern fried chicken taco off the specials menu. We also tried the chicken wings, because I'm Canadian and those are a must order off any menu. SoCal's wings are seasoned and fried with a creamy hot sauce drizzled on top. We were warned they were the spiciest item on the menu, but we didn't have any issues eating our way through the basket. The Boy took the server's recommendation and ordered a Tommy's margarita (with agave). I had a glass of French Rosé. We both had a Negra Modella or two. I'm pretty sure we made it to the movie on time, but after 3 drinks, anything could have happened.

I've been to SoCal a few times and always enjoyed myself, I had family in town and thought it would be a great spot to take them. This time was different. Food was ok, Ceviche was delicious so were the Tacos, the Meat platter on the other hand was terrible, the Brisket was inedible! Dry and chewy. Table service was ok. I have never had such surly service from a bartender ever! The chap with the ponytail and ear spacers was incredibly rude, I was always polite, I seriously do not understand what the issue was!? He really ruined everyone's day. I understand everyone has bad days but this guy seemed to be enjoying being awful. Hopefully the attitude gets sorted out, as there are too many better places to eat to come back and deal with being treated they way myself and my family were.

Thank you to Yelp that we found this cute little hideaway on a lazy Sunday night. We walked right up the dark stairs and were greeted by a lovely waitress who showed us to our table outside in the enclosed verandah area. The decor is bright, colorful and inviting, the cocktails ( yes I always comment on cocktails!) were yum and the menu was diverse and interesting. I had chicken tacos that were on the specials board and my husband had the pulled chicken on green waffle. Both were delicious. But it was the whole package that we appreciated. Great staff, comfortable, cruisy environment and yummy food.. All on a lazy Sunday night. Gotta be happy with that.

Great little Mexican spot with an open air courtyard and tropical ambience. Went there for lunch on the weekend, and it was surprisingly quiet - we had the spot to ourselves at first! Shared a few plates between 2 people; was a bit pricey considering it wasn't that big a meal.

This place is really tex-mex not Southern California. But that doesn't take away from what a good place this is. I'm an American and this is the closest I've been to the US in a while! Food is pretty good, high end tacos, etc. Good range of beers including one of my favs, Sam Adams. Everyone was very friendly and attentive. Decor was an "interpretation" of Americana.

This place is awesome! My friend made a booking for dinner for 10 people from 6:30-8:30pm on a Saturday night. Our waitress was super cute and friendly, letting us know upfront when to order so that we could enjoy our meal without rushing and giving us another friendly reminder just before our table time was up. I shared a barramundi, salmon and prawns with two of my friends and each dish was fresh and delicious. They had run out of lager-itas (a margarita in a beer pong style plastic cup with an upside down mini corona) so my friend and I ordered regular margarita's with a corona on the side and did our own top-ups. Surprisingly tasty!

Great food, reasonably priced and great fun atmosphere! Loud venue so if anyone is a bit hard of hearing they can struggle to hear! Dancing in the aisles by the end of the night

Southern Cali comes to Neutral Bay! Lovely Baja fish tacos and margaritas.