Taphouse Sydney

Overall: high 4/7 personally It’s good vibes and a good location to catch up - less if a good place for food. Do note that some of their more “special” items are specials that are only available on certain days of the week. Upstairs is very cool! Just quite hot in the summer. Spice bag: 5/7 Pretty good! All well fried and decently seasoned. Curry sauce is good pairing. Signature fried rice: 4/7 Pretty typical, decently fried. Fairly sizeable portion, we got the regular. Chilli chicken: 4/7 Chicken is reasonably fried and not overly dry. Just feel it’s drowned in too much sauce. Otherwise good.

On my quest to try every Spice Bag in Sydney, Taphouse really sets the bar high. Ticked every box for the dish and especially the curry Sauce which I wanted to marry. Super friendly service both in greeting and stopping for a chat on the way out. Impressive selection of tap beers too.

Love this place! We walked in with our dog and asked if we could take her upstairs to the rooftop (yes). They checked if there was an avail table which there wasn’t, so we chose a seat in the GF. A few mins later they came and said they had found us a table upstairs - what great service!! Food - we had the spice bag which was mild in heat but packed with flavour. Also had the peanut noodle, again lots of flavour and high on the yum scale!! Great spot - perfect for a sunny day/evening. Staff super friendly. And surprisingly was easy to find a park on a Friday night.

Only 98$ for a portion of mud crab! It’s a huge crab with lots of meat, especially in the two big claws. It’s served over egg noodles soaked in flavorful broth! Highly recommended!

A mate frequents this place often of late. New great menu ! I haven’t been here for over 10 years. An easy ride on a lime bike for me to and from. We tried to order mud crab early to ensure it was available for our mini feast. They only had one and I was happy to make the trip to the fish markets. Alas the chef came through with the goods and 2 x were supplied. We had chilli garlic and ginger shallot mud crab (one crab each way) + numbing chicken , sweet sour pork with fried rice. All food was amazing. Doggie bags were taken and enjoyed the next day. Review the online menu to see current version. Plenty of food for 3 hungry men with plenty of options for tasty ales to enjoy. Zoom in on one of the pics and check out the extensive list on offer. . Atmosphere built while we were there. I highly recommend and will be back more often with this kind of menu.

what a good place! Really impressed by the vibe, food and the staff are very friendly. Getting some Chinese style food in a pub is very interesting haha. Thanks!

So glad we decided to try the Taphouse out, hadn’t been for a few years and the food is delicious. The spice bag - yum! The dumplings, especially the prawn ones, were delicious. And the kids loved the rice, spring rolls and bbq pork buns. The service was speedy and we were left wanting nothing. Book your visit there now!

Only giving the 3 star review in the context of a booking to watch live sports. I booked a table here to watch the British & Irish Lions rugby match one evening with a group. No complaints around the service / beers or anything, but they didn't have the commentary playing for the match, they just played pretty loud music throughout, and to be honest the music was pretty bang average too. When I was booking the table they had it as a specific live sports booking to watch the match, so I would have expected them to play the comms if they are advertising the booking as purely to watch the game.

Great hangout, cold beers. We showed up later, so we were able to find a seat and get quick access to the main bar. We ordered in person but each table has the ability to order directly to the table. The upstairs bar closes early, but the party remained downstairs The pints are served full and cold. The barkeeps are super nice. It is a place that is more mature than the surrounding clubs, so despite being loud and dimly lit, it will not have the rowdiness and strobing light of the youth filled locales. Great for chilling.

Oh, this one, yeah, I wasn't really all that impressed with this pub. Look, I'm not going to give it a bad rating or anything, but it was rather so so, so I can't give it a good rating either. Okay, they do have craft beers on tap so I'll give it that, but the problem is that after visiting a number of really cool pubs, when you come to this one, you sort of feel that maybe you are missing out on something. Still, it is a pub on my list, and I've now been here. Oh, that's right, it was also pretty crowded, but then again I suspect that is what the pub actually wants.

Dark bar with lots of beer. Not sure if it's an always thing, or just for the special beer list I was there for, but you can get a tasting paddle which comes with 5 palate cleansing crackers. Because you get 5 beers. I've never been given food before, maybe it's part of RSA, but if you want to throw in some free crackers with my beer I'll never complain. Quick service but a little short which confused my friend and I. As we both got paddles, I asked which beer was which and the server said 'its on the bottom' 'bottom?' 'the paper [that I wrote my order on]....' we'll, I've never been here before, so how was I to know.

I recently went back here for the rooftop cinemas and watched Die Hard with my friends on a Tuesday night. We booked online for 10 bucks each and came here around 7PM. The movie didn't start right away, so we grabbed some food. They have pretty good deals from Mon-Thurs. $15 for parm and pint on Tuesdays! And its huge and you also get fries and salad. I didn't feel like eating that so I got the mushroom and haloumi burger, which was really nice. It came with these ginormous wedges - both regular and sweet potato. Good but too thick for my taste. Had some of my friend's chips, which was yummy. After we ate, we proceeded to the roof top. It was a long way up, had to climb numerous stairs! The set up of the movie was really cool. They had the tables laid out and had our names on paper reserved on the table. Mine said Rachel Q and her crew, which I thought was really cool. We sat down and they started handing out headphones. Its pretty cool because they are loud enough and you feel like you're in the actual theatre. For the 10 bucks, you also get a glass of red or white wine or a beer, which is a really great deal. In addition, they passed out popcorn! Huge fan, will come back for more silent movie fun!

Went to this place for my birthday last week and it was amazing. With Covid restrictions they kept us separate from the other diners on the roof and the venue manager was really great. The Rooftop Session deal is great, the Chicken Parm was amazing and the sweet potato fries were bomb with bottomless drinks available with the package. It was perfect for our group since everything was prepaid and had enough options for us to choose from. I would definitely go back there!

Came here with a group of friends for birthday drinks. The tasting paddles were a popular option and the ideal thing to order for a quick sample of their 20 beers on tap. The pub is quite large with 3 levels including a rooftop area. Was a bit cold for winter but still a nice spot. The beer paddles were a waste on me with food what I enjoy best. I ordered the buttermilk chicken burger for $18. It was large and the chicken was crisp with a tingling amount of chilli. A bit like a KFC Zinger. The chips however were pitiful and I'm surprised the staff served them. They came out cold and looked and tasted like they were cooked in a cheap take away shop in old oil. The occasional super crispy chip is like winning the lottery but when they are all overcooked and cold especially it's just cheap and nasty. 3 stars for bad chips. 3 stars for if they think that's how chips should be cooked.

Buried in the fun and localized area of Sydney, The Local is a great multi-story pub, with beers on tap and an eclectic-reclaimed ambiance inside. We walked to this place from King's Cross, so not a terrible distance from the center of Sydney. During Happy Hour it wasn't super crowded (I think later in the night on a weekend it gets busy however. They have a great selection of brews on tap, including mainly Australian beers. Be careful, because some of the special ones they have can pack a punch! We sat upstairs where there was room for larger groups. My buddy and I were pre-gaming before heading out to get sushi, the casino, and then another club. This is a great place to start out the night. It was dusk, people were coming off work, and everyone was looking forward to a great evening. I'm definitely coming back!

When my friend and I walked in around 7:50 pm, the workers gave us blank stares. After standing around awkwardly, they suggested we go up to the rooftop for dining because that's what most people do. Upon getting to the rooftop, we're told the kitchen is closed. Apparently, the kitchen always closes at 8, even though this place is open until 9/9:30 pm. Soooo early!! But they made an exception for us. I got the sirloin, and it took a long time to come out (more than 30 minutes). My steak was actually very good and cooked perfectly! But my potato wasn't very good. It was very bland, despite the truffle Parmesan fondant. Also, did anyone see that huge cockroach that just flew in?

Wow, if you're bored with the selection of beers at regular pubs, give the taphouse a go! They have a rolling selection of strange beers on tap, some local small breweries and some from foreign lands. The way to go is the 5-beer tasting paddle, just choose any 5 of the on-tap selection and you can engage in beer snobbery with your mates! The menu has wine-style tasting notes for everything so sniff the bouquet, test the density of the head, and then gargle to your heart's content. As a beer newbie I did find the range quite impressive, it definitely makes a case for beer as a gourmet experience! Apart from the beer on tap there's a variety of bottled beers, the standard spirits and wine selection for those afeared of beer, and I was happy to see a few boutique ciders. The food selection looks simple but they actually make a great effort to spice it up, the wedges include some sweet potato and I hear the burgers are quality merchandise. Definitely recommend this one for the beer selection alone, I've not found a better one in Sydney. The usual downsides of a quality pub like this apply: On thursday, friday and saturday you can expect crowds so get there early or you could miss out on a seat (make sure to check all 3 levels!) It's also quite noisy when it fills up.

Living down the road from The Local can be either be a curse or a magical coincidence, as I love beer. This is one of the best places in Australia to have tastings of Australian and international boutique beers, it's an education in flavours, regions, and new trends of liquid behaviour. Although debatable and controversial the beers go by numbers on the chalk board menu's, and I remember around July/August, I loved number 14, now-a-days after relentless brain bashing, I can't seem to find my favourite long lost beer, as the numbers change when new beers are introduced. Point of advice, if you've had one of those great samplers, and love a particular beer, don't be lazy enough to just remember the number, remember the name, as it's sure to change in the coming months. The rooftop beer garden is a great location for a traditional sunday session with the mates, and it also serves a great menu of Australian and international culinary tastes. Although the menu can be quite pricey for Sydney Gastropub standards, the quality is very good, and the burgers are amazing.

Great place and casual vibe. Would have given 5 stars because seemed expensive. Beem here twice and like it.

My daughter in law booked catering here for her 40th for 40 people on the 7th December and it was a disaster. The food did not start to arrive until 7 when it should have started at 5.30. All the other drop in patrons were being served and the prices they paid were reasonable. The prices my daughter in law paid in advance for the catering were outrageous, the promised quantities of food did not arrive and in particular the cheese board they provided at a cost of $240 was nothing more than a blatant rip off. Had we just arrived and ordered food from the menu we would have received appropriate quantities in reasonable time at prices less than half of what she was charged. All of this overshadowed the fact that the food, what there was and when it finally arrived, was very nice, except the cheese board. The manager Nadina, whom we had to speak to on many times that night was uninterested and did little to help. All these factors accumulated to provide a very unpleasant celebration evening for my daughter in law and were totally unnecessary. Can not recommend for a function and despite the nice food, I'll never go back.

Came here to visit for a friends birthday for beers and lunch. The beer paddle experience is great and if you're a beer enthusiast then this would be a place to stop, with over 20 beers on tap there a vast array of very interesting brews (coffee, tea, chocolate, cherry, orange to name a few). The beer paddles are a good price for the chance to try 5 of the tap beers in smaller quantities. Be warned you will likely pick a beer that you won't finish and you aren't going to see any of the regulars you're used to. Still a fun experience for this alone I would say 4 stars but with the paddle we also ordered food and that's where things went downhill. I ordered the beef burger, for $18 it was a decent size and a large serving of chips. My chips however looked like they had been a little forgotten when cooking and a 1/3 of them I left on my plate as they were burnt to a crisp. It was a cold day and we were on the roof so potentially of no fault other than my own my burger was cold when I started eating it. It also was lacking any beef burger like sauce (BBQ, relish or something) instead had mayonnaise that was ok but the large amount of pickle, I found quite overpowering. Overall not a pleasant eating experience but by the end I found myself craving a normal beer and standard pub food.

Great selection of craft beers to choose from. They have downstairs as well as an outdoor rooftop bar area. If you want a table on the top floor you will need to book as they can get quite busy. Stopped by on a sunday and one of the most popular meals coming out of the kitchen was their Sunday roast. Had the biggest Yorkshire pudding i have ever seen! Order and pay at the counter and you will get a number, feel will then be brought out to your table. They accept card which is great if you are short on cash. Older style pub with lots of creaky stairs. Good place to catch up with mates.

As my fellow reviewers have indicated, the Local Taphouse rocks. But one thing worth mentioning- or reiterating with more fanfare and persuasiveness- is how brilliant the 5 beer tasting paddle is! HOLY HELL, it's awesome. For starters, it's $15. From here you can choose ANY beers off their extensive draft menu. The pours are pretty good, the colors look pretty when they arrange them from light to dark (a girly and possibly irrelevant point, I do realize), and if you have an A.D.D. taste palate like I do, you won't be getting tired with any one flavour before you're on to the next. I love, love love belgian tripels. The Local Taphouse always has at least a couple on tap and even more by the bottle. With fruity tones, malty color and often up to 9% alcohol, what's not to like about this style of beer? If you're really feeling indulgent (in terms of color, taste and texture), have a gander at the shared boards on their food menu. I recommend both their charcuterie board ($20) and their bread / chicken liver and pistachio pate / olive / marinaded veggie board ($8.5). Both delicious. Both able to feed a peckish group of 3 or 4. The pork floss ($4.5) is another interesting little menu item. Don't be wooed by the fantasy, though. It's just over-salted, hard to handle little strings of pork with plain mayo. Not as delicious as I had hoped. But it's okay, Local, I'm not a fare-weathered fan. Keep your menu a-shufflin' and I will keep a-comin'.

For most punters, this place is all about the beer. Great ales on tap, a rotating line-up of featured beers, yadi yada. Yes, their choices are awesome, and yes, you will most likely get drunk. But don't forget to cast your beer goggles over the food menu too, because it deserves some serious praise. There are plenty of snacks for sharing, but I really heart the burgers at this place. (And what goes better with a beer than a huge, overflowing burger?) Carb on carb = delicious. All the burgers are served with hand-cut potato wedges and an addictive garlic and parmesan aioli. The lamb burger with goat's cheese and tomato relish is amazing and will probably even distract you from your beer for a good 10 minutes... Okay, maybe five. Apparently the grilled chicken, bacon and salsa burger is a winner too, but I'm a believer in monogamy and can't stray from my trusty faithful. The Taphouse was recently announced as a finalist for the noble title of 'Sydney's best pub' in the Sydney Bar Awards. They've got my vote.

The interior is dimly lit with lots of dark wood. Atmosphere is that of young, upper-class, working folks coming in for beer and dinner after work. Pretty upscale for a taphouse I thought given patron's attire and the higher end menu with things like hangar steak. Pretty posh, and pricier. The craft beer tap list focuses almost only on Aussie craft beer, a good thing. I was very excited to find Feral Brewing stuff, which is the only Australian brewery I know of that makes drinkable sour/wild ales. I also got a sampler flight, which I'd recommend to try a bunch of different things. Food here was excellent. Very nice place to head out to get away from the tourists on The Rocks and the clubbers in Darling Harbour. Getting here a bit earlier for dinner is probably a good idea before it becomes a bar in full swing.

Maybe the best beer selection in Sydney---just bring your wallet. Good place to stop in before a game at Allianz.

Definitely quite the mixed impression here.... The BEER: It certainly appears that they have a good beer selection. Unfortunately, on my visit they were out of a substantial number of the beers. Thankfully, the bar stuff knew what they had and guided me towards a few good options. The FOOD: Relatively tasty, but I had a hard time figuring out what to order. I ended up getting a roast beef with yorkshire pudding that was decent, but not outstanding. The veggie options my friends ordered were definitely on the small side. We almost didn't get any food, as apparently the kitchen closes bizarrely early, like 8 PM. The VIBE: We sat on the roof deck, but kind of hated the vibe. It was filled with rich kids playing hipsters. Lots of frat boy-esque hijinks and physical pranks. Pretty loud with rather drunk folks. It really did not comport with what I would expect from a place with such a nice beer list (OK, the hipsters yes, but rich frat kid vibe, no). The music was pretty painfully loud even for an outdoor space, and the wind that blew in was pretty chilly. Overall, might be interesting to come back to, certainly if they have their full beer list, but I think I'll avoid the roof.

I have been to The Local several times. Awesome place with huge selection of beers. Try them on Canadian or American Day which you will have massive collection of all kind of beers from that country. Great place!

Was pretty disappointed with our time here. We had a spot booked from 1:30-7:30 in an almost empty downstairs area on Friday (upstairs was packed though). The spot was for 13 people - but with just one table that seated 4 and a bunch of lounge chairs. It was also under blisteringly cold aircon which (although it was really hot outside) made some of us actually shiver. We did ask for it to be turned down and the guys were nice but nothing really changed. Even the beer blanket didnt help. Our food (just some starters) took about 50 min to show up and only after we reminded them that we'd ordered (coincidentally in the exact amount of time it takes to deepfry something). Most of the food was fine. The beef in the burger was bloody awful quality- that super salty gross textured rissole meat you get for $2.99 kilo at the butchers. Chicken burger was great though! At 4:30 we got told we needed to move because another party was coming (remember we're booked till 7:30) and that they'd move us to a table that had just been vacated (which we had to clear ourselves!). No big deal - the other table was not under the horrible aircon so we were happy. Then about 15min later they told us we had to move again because they had a booking at 5pm for that table (not "We've made a mistake sorry" - just "You need to move). So we were told our best option was the rooftop (it's 35 degrees outside roughly). The original table we had was still empty at this stage and at 4:50 when the new party showed up they told us we had to move immediately - they didnt even have the courtesy to ask the other group to wait 10min until their booking time. The staff were mostly unapologetic for the continual mistakes and when my friend tried to express (definitely no swearing or yelling- shes v polite) the bar guy got SUPER defensive and I'm pretty sure the words "I don't really care" were very close to coming out of his mouth when we repeatedly asked why our area wasn't booked till 7:30 like had been agreed. Despite the pretty decent bartab we racked up it was clear that we were an afterthought to the upstairs booking. The appeal of their taps is not enough to make up for their shitty service now that so many other pubs around are pouring their hearts into craft beer.

One of my favourites. Several floors of funkiness, from way-back sofas, to benches, to rooftop airiness. Often a band. But it's the beer to come for. It's hard to find a better mix of craft beers - both Australian and international - in Sydney. I've seen crazy $50 bottles of Danish brew here: I dare you to try one. Food is pretty tasty as well. It's just something about the laid-back vibe here, and the variety of beers available, that make me love it.

To be honest, the selection of beer at the Local can be a bit overwhelming, especially given the number of beers with strange names that could be anything. Feeling slightly overwhelmed about what the difference is between those 3 IPAs were and why they were different, I noticed they offered a beer taster - a selection of 5 beers to be drunk in a specific order. Best of all, the bartender happily chose them for me, after a bit of a chat about what I like/don't like. The Local is great if you like beer, and like to try different beers. The beer they have on tap changes frequently, so there is always something new to try, although by the same measure you can't necessarily assume they will still have the same great ale you tried the last time you were there. But all in all, a great range of great beer.

This is a great pub for beer. In fact it's one of the best pubs for beer in Sydney. It's selection of 20 tap beers changes regularly, which may mean your favourite choice one day is gone the next. No matter though, there's plenty of alternatives, and in a place like this, it'd be bad manners to stick to the one brand! They also recently opened up a roof terrace so you can enjoy your beer under the sun/stars. The only downside of all this, is the price of the beer, which will set you back around the $10 mark for a large (500ml give or take) serving - but the price varies depending on the beer. As well as the beer selection, the food isn't half bad either! So, despite it's name, it may not become your regular drinking hole but it's definitely worth making a point of going there every now and then.

Fun vibe with a great selection of brews. The menu is solid with some nice choices but not too many to indicate there is no way a small place could ensure broad quality.

The Local Taphouse in Darlinghurst is a great pub. It's as simple as that. There's an endless amount of boutique beers to choose from to which they've been kindly split up into ales and lagers on the 'menu' board. By the end of the night, I've sampled a few varieties all which got my seal of approval although to be honest I don't know anything about beers and just nod in agreeance when friends comment on the taste of certain types. The food menu is great too. There is a few of us enjoying the night so I get to see quite a bit of what's on offer. The beef burger, the lamb burger, the meat balls in a tomato sauce and the squid all get the big thumbs up. Split over three levels including a roof top beer garden, depending on what night you go, you could encounter anything from the daily food specials, to trivia to a beer tasting night to some live music. It's a great pub. Simple!

Yes, I like beer and I'm a girl. Ain't nothing wrong with that! The Local Taphouse has quite the delicious selection of beers and I dig it.

Just came for drinks, but I have to say I was quite surprised by their beer selection. Being from California, I was almost shocked to see Californian beers on tap, including some entries from Bear Republic that I'd never tried before. I'll definitely be coming back if I'm ever in Sydney again.

This was my favourite pub in Sydney but today I was treated so poorly here. We sat downstairs deliberately avoiding the reserved tables. There was apparently some light rain so they closed the upstairs bar and moved everyone downstairs. We had already been there for about an hour and had just bought a round of beers when the lady organising everything told us we had to move so they could seat a booking that was meant for upstairs. She was extremely rude and treated us like dirt just because we didn't have a booking, no apologies or niceties provided. Security were called to hurry us along. Very upsetting last experience in this fine establishment. Will never be back.

Thanks to superb guidance from the staff it was a pleasure to explore unknown beers. Food was good and reasonable priced as well. If there would be a terrace with (!) a nice view, it would be almost perfect.

If you like your craft beer then this is hands down this is one of the best venues in Sydney. The team haven't sold out their taps to any of the major (mass producing) breweries, which means they can put what ever beer they want on them. Which is what they do to a tee! Every month there will be a new range of beers on tap, plus they have been pairing nights, as well as many special beer related events. The venue is a multi-leveled Federation style building which has been mostly renovated (with a great roof top beer garden). My only criticism is the ground floor toilets look (and smell) like they haven't been updated since the1800's. The food is what you'd expect for pub grub, nothing fancy, but it does the job (and this is the only reason i'm marking it down 1 x star). All-in-all, if you want an unpretentious, lo-fi bar, that serves great beer then The Local Taphouse is for you.

Nice selection of beers on tap but small food menu. The place had a bit of a gastro pub feel. Very nice staff.

Read (and heard) many a rave review before testing this place out. It had all the markings of an amazing pub, classic 1940's building, good ambience and an incredible selection of beers. However, the first thing we noticed was the much hyped 'beer can chicken' was struck off the menu. Not removed from the menu so you don't know it's not available, but on the menu to tempt you but with a line through it to really hit the disappointment home. We asked a waiter about it and were told, "oh well we're really busy tonight", the venue was about a third full. So instead we ordered other items, three of our party of six had to change their orders because items weren't available. Meals came plenty fast but half had the 'hand cut artisan chips' and half had shoestring commercial fries. We asked a waiter again and he said "oh well we're really busy so they couldn't cut enough chips". Again there was only about a third of the tables full and not all were eating. I'm not some snob who refuses to eat from frozen products or anything but if I pay $8 for a small bowl of chips, I want it to be more than the equivalent of a medium McDonalds fries! Otherwise it was ok, would only go back for the beer if I was in the area.

Staff unfriendly and beer selection weak, what's the deal with bartenders acting like they're elite? Give me a break.

Went on a Monday, loved that we were able to play trivia! Come up with a clever team name and John (the host) will surely help you out. Great pub, great food, would surely return.

20 rotating taps of craft beer, what more can I say! The burgers here are awesome, great value served with chunky potato and sweet potato (not related) wedges. Silent cinema on roof top Tuesday nights, Ale Stars craft beer sessions each month and friendly staff.

Great beer selection. Was after a hand pump ale but it must have run out over the weekend. The downstairs unfortunately smelled strongly of urine (!) probably from the nearby toilets. We moved upstairs onto nice leather couches and a quieter atmosphere.

Nice bar with traditional decor. Loads of craft beers. Had some food which was all home made, even the chips. The age group is late 20s and up so no youngsters.

I wasn't a beer wanker until I came here. Oh well, there that goes. This place is GREAT! Beer is GREAT! Ergo, the perfect combination! Cosy, too. It does get busy so book a table if you want to fully relax.

Great spot, good beer and food, though one of the more expensive places in Sydney for craft beer.

I've been to The Local Taphouse a bunch of times now over the past few years, and I've never thought of writing a review - normally because I've been drinking... But now I've been half a dozen times I think it warrants a review. The Taphouse is a destination bar - it can't get much walk-up traffic - it's away from the well-worn drinking trails of Oxford Street and Crown Street on the corner of South Dowling Street and Flinders Street. In fact if you're driving, you're likely to be going too fast to really take in the name and location. The complex local one-way systems and parking restrictions make taking a car a waste of time (but who wants to drive to the pub anyhow?). Food and Drink Once you get inside you're in a haven of dark wood and peace. The fit-out is old school pub - the ground floor is all low eclectically sourced chairs and tables - filled with trendy Surry Hills types catching up after a hard day graphic-designing. The first thing I noticed was that there were no pokies or TVs (personal pet-hates), the second the beer menu over the bar - every time I stop and read it, because every time the landlord has introduced new local and international beers - European favourites like Paulaner and Budvar are listed alongside Aussie micro-brews like Mountain Goat Before the Dawn - all available in half pints (310ml) and pints (575ml) - when you realise that Little Creatures is the most recognisable beer on the menu you realise that this is no normal pub. Of the current menu, I've enjoyed the Little Creatures, the Trumer, the Paulaner and the Stone and Wood - all great-tasting beers, the only downside (and there's always a downside) is that it isn't cheap - you are looking at $6+ for a half pint and $11+ for a pint. The food selection is standard modern pub food - we tried the pulled pork ($17.50) and really enjoyed it, but there are also the famous burgers and sliders - it feels like the ideal place for a long boozy Sunday lunch on someone's birthday. Venue When you think you have the pub sewn-up and pigeon-holed, someone suggests that you go upstairs. There is a first floor seating and dining area (no surprise there) and then another set of stairs takes you to a roof terrace, which has been open 12 months. This was clearly set up for smokers but it isn't just another bolt-on smoking balcony, it's a great place to soak up the sun, in fact it's such a sun-trap that the landlord has installed a misting system so that this summer you will be gently cooled as if you were in the Blue Marlin in Ibiza! Tuesday nights on the roof terrace it's Silent Cinema they pull down a screen, hand out headphones and for $10 you get a classic movie (last week it was Alien), popcorn and your first beer/wine - if the weather turns cold they have heaters and if it rains they move the whole thing inside - this sounds much better than Moonlight Cinema in the park. Patrons This is a pub for normal inner city types - don't expect girls in short skirts or westies in town for a night out - this means that you won't get fights, and you will be able to enjoy your current selection of beer (I reckon you have to try 3 per visit) whilst talking to friends without trouble. It gets busy before and after games at the SFS and SCG though - so expect a wait if there is a match on. Star Rating: 5/5 Good for: Beer choice, meeting friends, rooftop/beer garden drinking, avoiding bogans, burgers (voted best in Sydney), cinema dates Bad for: Picking up, parking, watching sports, cheap beer, loud repetitive music

Great pub, awesome environment and good location in Surry Hills, only downer is it's crazy over priced.