Surly's American Tavern

Okay so…. Unpopular opinion over here…. We did not enjoy the meat. Like at all. In fact we gave our leftovers to a homeless man on the way home. We found it to be flavourless, apart from a Smokey flavour. To the point we actually couldn’t even taste meat. After hyping ourselves up, not eating all day to fit in as much as we could, we were left quite unsatisfied. The coleslaw was worse than a prepackaged one from Woolies. On the other hand, the mash and gravy was awesome. The Mac and cheese was great (hopefully it’s homemade cause I can compare it to the Kraft packet one level of so bad for you it taste awesome). The cocktails = AMAZING. The highlight of this place was the atmosphere and staff. The staff are attentive and super kind. The other thing I didn’t enjoy was how quickly the food comes out, we were in and out within 40 minutes which to me isn’t really a dining experience but more of a fast food. Wouldn’t go back, but if we did, we would get something else off the menu. For $180 spent (even with 2 for 1 cocktails) I would say we’re left rather bitter.

The BBQ tastes comparable to places in St. Louis and Texas BBQ restaurants. Those burnt tips have full of flavor: smoke, and sweet. Who needs to travel to Missouri or Texas? Service is dialed-in, quick, and straightforward. Recommend groups and friends. LGBT respected. The atmosphere feels like a rodeo club. All that's missing are American redneck license plates on the wall. The John Wayne picture is an especially cheeky touch.

Really nice spot for drinks and yummy food. I had the fried chicken with buffalo sauce and it was some of the best fried chicken I have tasted. Crispy, well seasoned and juicy. I also liked the cocktails, they has a good variety to choose from and it was refreshing and tasty. I enjoyed the decor and the vibe, will definitely visit again to try some different things. The service was also very friendly and courteous.

We had an amazing work end of year dinner here, it's a fantastic venue to get out for a couple drinks and most importantly their BBQ. It was spectacular with all sides offered with their selections meats. By far I dislike the wings compared to all other American BBQs however the brisket and pull pork were the highlight of the platter. I would suggest ordering the $120 four person platter as this is an overwhelming amount of food. Would recommend to everyone!! The pickles with fries combined with corn was 🔥 Full of Smoke flavors

Surlys food is consistently awesome. I’ve come here many times over the years and I just love it. The vibes are on point and the staff and friendly. The last two times I came here, I was seated in the corner and so getting attention from staff is hard. But otherwise I can’t fault this venue and goes down on my fave restaurants in Sydney.

Overall: 4/7 -1 for cost… just too expensive for what it is… A pint of ginger beer for 17$… BBB Burger: 5/7 Very saucy but all the meats within were well cooked and didn’t feel super super heavy, just a bit heavy. Got gravy also, was good.

I could t wait to visit Surlys after months of salivating over Insta. I was dubious it might be a bad tinda experience, thankfully, it was nothing but true love. The whole family devoured the bbq platter for four. All the meats were 10/10 for taste, seasoning, juiciness and portion size including the chicken. Corn bread, creamy corn and sides were sensational. The only area for improvement was the Mac & cheese. Wasn’t to our liking. The BBB burger was next level for flavour and size. Couldn’t fault it. Yes I had a burger and the platter. What? Can’t wait to go back for more Surlys goodness. What an epic feed, something dreams are made of. Thanks for making my birthday dinner epic.

What a great experience and food. The staff are awesome, food was quick and super tasty. Share platter for 1 was great for 2 with an extra side. Hats off to the girls working they have customer service down pat. Highly recommended we will be back