Rockpool Bar & Grill reviews . (Pub) in Sydney (New South Wales).
Description
Here you'll see all the information of Rockpool Bar & Grill, Pub in Sydney (New South Wales)
Rockpool Bar & Grill it's a Pub and next to this lines you'll see the hours of service, busiest hours, website, phone and real reviews done in Internet
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Situation
Service hours of Rockpool Bar & Grill
Sunday
Closed
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
12–2:30pm, 6–9pm
Wednesday
12–2:30pm, 6–9pm
Thursday
12–3pm, 6–10pm
Friday
12–3pm, 6–10pm
Saturday
5:30–10pm
Busiest hours
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Comments of Rockpool Bar & Grill
M. C.
We had kingfish, bone marrow and oysters for entre and they were all so delicious. Kingfish and oysters were so fresh, especially the oysters!!! I think these were the freshest we've had. Unfortunately my kingfish had a bone in it :( almost swallowed it cuz of course I didn't expect it!
I was a little let down for the mains though - we had John Dory and steak (Chuck Roll) and the fish in my opinion was a little too salty, but my partner enjoyed it very much. The steak was cooked to rare I think.. we asked for medium rare xD my jaws still hurt from chewing you know? My square face gonna get more square! Potato puree was good! The best part was that the staff come around to offer a selection of sauces for the steak and as a sauce-lover I couldn't ask for a better service!
Nat was the lovely lady who served us tonight and she made me forget about the slight disappointment I felt - she was so friendly and genuine but she wasn't like full in your face cracking bad jokes kinda thing you know? It's so hard to explain but hands down the best service I've had ever. I can say that she is the reason why this review is a 5 star :) Our water glasses were never empty and we were given a delicious cupcake to congratulate our anniversary celebration. Yeah, it was delicious.
M. C.
Really lovely service from booking the reservation to the final farewell at the door. I felt well-looked after given my food intolerances and celebrating my husband's birthday, and appreciated that staff took the time to read the reservation notes carefully. Highly recommend! Staff should be proud this was the perfect experience for us.
J. S.
The effort of the service staff and attention to detail was superb. The good quality ingredients and skill of the kitchen artisans showed in the preparation and presentation of the food, and hence the meals tasted as good as they looked. Our Group had an excellent evening - well done new era Rockpool!
A. L.
The Redgate Duck with Grilled Mango was absolutely exquisite. Melted in my mouth, would come back for a second round. The servers were extremely lovely and made sure we were well looked after. Definitely worth the visit :)
K. R. (.
My birthday was during this lockdown and my daughter ordered the Rockpool@Home. The instructions are easy to follow and we had a fantastic dinner at home
T. I.
Exceptional food and exceptional dining service. Thank you to Adam especially for making our experience at Rockpool so welcoming and for giving us a laugh, thank you for making our anniversary that extra bit special! The atmosphere was beautiful and every dish was delectable!
A.
One of the best steak houses in town located in a very nice venue. The dishes are beautifully arranged and full of flavour, with generous portions served in a professional manner. They focus on customer service and I’m glad to finally see a place having professional waiting staff.
Went there for and anniversary dinner and we agreed that we couldn’t choose a better place.
I would say that a subtle background music wouldn’t harm, especially to cover the noise from the kitchen.
R. U.
We had a wonderful anniversary celebration here! Special thanks to Benny for delightfully serving us and his recommendations are spot on. Their mains portions are generous and their steak is easily one of the best steaks I’ve ever tasted 😋
F. W.
Service was great. We ordered a few entres to share and they kindly split each dish for us.
The food is exceptional. Apart from those we ordered from the menu, we were pleasantly surprised by the complimentary birthday cake! It wasn't a normal cupcake!!
We will definitely be back.
M. C.
Steak was tough! Seafood was great. Excellent social distancing... felt very comfortable. Ordered an aged sirloin steak on the bone which was surprisingly and disappointingly tough at medium. Kingfish sashimi and tuna steak main to die for. Scallops over cooked and a bit tough too. Service professional
T. L.
Exceptional service. Delicious food and drink. Alluring interior. Rockpool gifted my mother for her birthday, a cupcake with a candle, and for us, a delicious Pavlova. We appreciate your kind gesture. Rockpool treats it's guests exceptionally, and which is why they'll be seeing more of me in years to come. Thank you.
C. P. V.
This is not a bad restaurant and the food was great but it's overpriced, and that is not an issue if the services were great if a restaurant Is expensive is because is good quality food and excellent service, the food was really good but the lady that gave us the service was really rude, she had a bad face all the time and sometimes we feel pressure to finish the food quickly for her behavior, but the worst part was when she charged 125 dollars more for a bottle of wine that we never ordered (the restaurant took care of that so everything is fine).
I'm not going to come back there are better places.
B. C.
20/5:21
Popped in for desert in the bar area. Again sublime service and quality
Must try the pudding
6/5/21
The best service experience I have had in Australia.
Breathing taking heariage building, especially at night
Good quality food and value for money dining experience
The cream caramel desert was sublime
View the “ wine safe” on the first level
A must visit when in sydney
M. B.
One of Sydney's finest restaurants in my opinion. Pretty pricey of course, but I had one of the most tasty steaks I've ever eaten and excellent service. The wine list is intimidatingly massive! Had the Petits Fours for dessert which were bigger/more numerous than I was expecting, but took them home in a doggy bag because they were so tasty - even the cupcake was out of this world!
M. G.
Was invited for a work do, expecting finger food...wow! 1. The venue is spectacular. 2. The portion sizes are perfect and filling. 3. I had the pork chop & pavlova. Delicious and so refreshing to have conventional/traditional dishes, not something unpronouncable or exotic to the point of not being enjoyable. Service was on point without being intrusive. Loved the wine, too!
A. L.
Celebrated my boyfriends birthday here and it did not disappoint.
I ordered a meat and pasta dish. Everything was amazing. Service and presentation was on point. Our drinks were great. Would definitely visit again.
Loved the atmosphere.
J. L.
good environment, good service and tasty food. Lovely dinner!
c. p.
Great experience and perfect for a lovely date night.
The atmosphere is magic and our arrival was very welcoming from the staff.
The food was lovely and the service was amazing, at the end they gave us a complimentary cupcake to celebrate our anniversary!
Thank you
T. V.
We had an impromptu dinner at the bar which is much smaller and quieter than the main dining room, but still has the full menu. Our cocktails were great and the Sommelier provided us really good wine suggestions to match our meal. Even had us taste a couple of wines to make sure we liked them. The food was excellent with the flavours complementing each other nicely. Definitely worth a visit.
A. P.
The bartenders here were super friendly and helpful, guiding myself through their terrific wine list and what would pair nicely with each course. The food was also great, particularly the prawn tortellini pictured.
z.
We purchased rockpool at home via Providoor for my birthday. Click and collect was available on Wednesday. Also purchased a bottle of Pinot noir upon collection. Everything was great. I loved the creamed corn, steak was amazing, chocolate cake was nice too. Everything was packed very nicely. The instructions were easy. I did find that I needed to cook for a little longer in the oven than the suggested time.
Thank you for providing this service, it means that we can still enjoy fine food at home during Covid lockdown.
C. T.
Always exceptional food and service. Love the amazing range of food choices to suit any palette. Wine list is also delightfully diverse.
J.
One of Sydney’s best restaurants. The produce is great and the cooking is superb. The service is very friendly. The wine list is the best in Sydney, Criticising this restaurant would be nit-picking.
L. H.
I would give 7.5 out of 10.
Service is great, however, food is good. We ordered 5 different meat main dishes to try and sadly only 2 of them were great. The other dishes were good but nothing special and definitely considering the price I expected a bit more from them.
But have to be honest, the steak tartare as well as the Roquefort and lettuce salad were both very tasty.
If the food met the quality of the service this restaurant would be amazing!
g. s.
Celebrated my boyfriend's birthday here. I kindly ask for nice seating and they sat us in the balcony area. Everything was so yummy, we had the charcoal grilled prawns which came with house bread & butter, I had grilled fish and bf got some nice steak, finished up with caramel flan and a free cupcake. We would be back! 😊 Price is very reasonable.
C. W.
Delicious, I would recommend the Sydney rock oysters. I had the Scotch "minute style" with cafe de Paris butter and that was great. Steak melted in my mouth. Service was a bit slow and busy on Friday and Saturday nights
K.
Good atmosphere, good service, great food. But Its obviously expensive. For 2 people was $260. It was a good experience. It only lost one star for the value.
Our waiter was very professional, friendly and accomodating.
We ordered tuna tarte and grilled king prawns. Both were very fresh and simple and we loved it.
For mains we ordered dry aged rib eye on the bone. With 2 sides (mac and cheese and broccolini). The charring was good and was tender.
Beware- they cook their steak more on the raw side, which the waiter did warn us.
For dessert we had a caramel ice cream with banana, which was delicious.
A. B.
I came across this restaurant walking to breakfast one morning and noticed this beautiful Art Deco building. Only then did I notice Rockpool Bar & Grill. I had heard of it through my connections and I made a lunch booking for the next day.
I was greeted by a very polite host and was promptly seated at a comfortable table.
The interior of building is stunning: Large greens columns leading up to the tall ceiling, a large wine glass display, and a view of the kitchen where all the magic happens.
There were too many items on this menu that seemed very appealing that it was hard to narrow it down. I settled with a steak with a side of Mac n Cheese and I wasn’t disappointed.
The wait staff was also very attentive and courteous.
I highly recommend this restaurant and I look forward to coming back.
K. V.
We had a wonderful dining experience in the bar section without a booking. The full menu is served in the bar area and you can mix and match with the bar menu, which is great. The bar is also more intimate and quieter than the dining room. Highly recommend.
E. L.
Where to start? Obviously this place is expensive AF. However you are more so paying for the experience. The signature dish, the sirloin, was amazing. Went with a party of 6 and pretty much shared 6 mains and 5 entrees with about 5 sides. This was too much food. Service and atmosphere was great, excellent menu, just bear in mind that it is a bar and grill.
A.
The environment, energy and workers make each experience memorable. My partner and I have made it a tradition to go Rockpool for all celebrations as it is our favourite fine dining restaurant. Thank you to our waitress who packed us some of their delicious popcorn to take back home- even after we asked her to get us in contact with Neil Perry to share his recipe with us, haha.
10/10 tortellinis. Its a must try!
M. S. (.
One of my favourite fine dining venues. The food, service and dining room are always fabulous. Fine dining at its best.
Most recently I attended for a closing lunch. The eye fillet on the bone was an absolute knockout - it was delicious, substantial and melt-in-the-mouth!
P. P.
Fantastic food, good service and friendly knowledgeable staff. The steaks are expensive but of excellent quality, the richness of flavour was astounding. The steak tartare was also one of the best I've had, as was the wine. We started on a couple of cocktails that did not impress, a Manhattan should be in a martini glass with a cherry, why you would serve it like an old fashioned I don't know. For two chef hats, the price was reasonable, but I did expect just a little more from the place. 4/5
E. K.
I’ve enjoyed many delicious meals at Rockpool Bar & Grill and last night’s dinner was no exception. I still believe it’s the most consistent restaurant in terms of high quality food (I have no idea how they churn out a menu that big for a restaurant of that size). Apart from Firedoor, Rockpool offers some of the best steak in Sydney – the David Blackmore Wagyu is a must-order.
Service however is a bit patchy and dare I say, robotic. I overheard our waitress greet our surrounding tables with the same rehearsed speech before disappearing in a cloud of smoke and mirrors (and who we never saw again until we asked for the bill).
At the end of the day, you come to Rockpool Bar & Grill for exceptional food and glorious wine. Unless your name ends in Murdoch or Packer, I wouldn’t expect the service to be memorable. But don’t worry, the steak is all you’ll need.
I. M.
Amazing burger. Beautiful venue if not a rabbit warren to navigate. The staff/service weren't the best. It was friday lunch and I was dining alone but I could also tell other customers were being painful. Delicious burger to eat. Need to learn eye rasher bacon doesn't belong on burgers but the beef was bloody primo
G. R.
Fantastic food and service. From the bar staff, to the restaurant. It all ran like clockwork. I had high expectations and Rockpool delivered. Food was well executed, and the staff did a good job explaining the dishes when asked. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending this place. I had a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
R. L.
First time here ….overall great food and the place here is nice with a good atmosphere. Our waitress Natalie provided excellent service.
S. N. K.
Visited for late lunch and enjoyed foods and drinks
I got impressed by their Interior and staff service
K. T.
Thank you for making Dad’s 70th birthday a special experience. The food was really delicious, and every team member was attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly. Petit fours were spectacular. Thank you again, we had a great evening.
T. M.
A 5 star experience. First, the tuna tartare was amazing. The best ever. The oysters were good, no need to add anything. I would say the bread is not that great. On to the meats, the Blade steak is so tender and a great flavor. They recommend it at medium rare. The mixed veggies are good. The roasted potatoes are good, I had to add butter, salt and pepper. Still give them 5 stars for the top of the line service.
K. O.
Cannot find a reason not to give this place 5 stars. Delicious steaks and very polite staff attending to us. Took a while for our mains to show up but when they did, absolutely fabulous. Perfectly cooked as requested (and recommended) and well seasoned without any need for sauce (although they do provide a variety). I had the wagyu, blade cut. Each chew brought out the flavour and juice while being tender.
F. S.
My steak melted in my mouth. The service was amazing. And I loved the array of Lyres non-alcoholic cocktails.
S. Z.
Venue is stunning. Best place for dry aged steak. Service is very professional.
Beside steaks, the onion rings are crispy and huge, completely different from those in fastfood outlet. Orange juice from the bar is somehow so delicious, perfect for those who cannot take alcohol.
C. G.
Charred, medium rare dry aged beef, is there anything better? Prices are high but you get what you pay for. Wagyu steaks had great flavour but are too oily to eat by yourself (better for sharing). Steak tartare was delicious. Rosemary potatoes were great.
For those with kids. Rockpool doesn't have baby chairs but they let us bring ours in. They seated us in the balcony area which was outside of the main dining room and hence we didn't have to worry about being a bother to other patrons.
Service was great. Staff were friendly and helpful.
R. T.
Incredible food. Huge credit to all of the chefs. Fantastic front of house service. 5/5.
Definitely going back again soon.
Perfect for special occasions.
G. K.
We had a Christmas celebration dinner at Rockpool tonight and it was a great experience! We ordered quite a few dishes and left more than satisfied.
We ordered:
1. Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, Moroccan Eggplant, Cumin Mayonnaise and Harissa
This was fantastic, perfect balance of acidity and richness from the tuna. The flavour was perfectly calculated. Highly recommend.
2. Woodfire Grilled Bone Marrow with Milanese Crust and Herb Salad
A popular choices ordered by many tables. The marrow was on point and it was a pleasure to eat with accompanying crusty bread.
3. Veal Shin Ragu with Hand Cut Pappardelle and Pecorino
The pasta was incredibly fresh and just the right texture and thickness. However the tomato based ragu sauce was a bit bland.
4. Free Range Chicken with Heirloom Carrots and Tarragon
This dish was a bit of a let down. The chicken meat was tasteless and the base sauce that came with the chicken failed to lift the flavour. The chicken skin however was wonderfully thin & crispy, full of flavour.
5. RANGER VALLEY DRY AGED 300 DAY GRAIN FED Rib Eye on the Bone 550g 39 days
Super super tender, and it was portioned when it arrived at the table which was a lovely touch. We ordered medium rare, however the meat was slightly on the blue side. But perhaps that’s how you can better appreciate the meat. It would’ve been better if the fat was more rendered as mouth of fat was not pleasant on what otherwise a great piece of steak.
6. Potato Purée
Hands down best potato mash in the history of mash.
7. Mixed Sautéed Mushroom
This was such a surprised treasure. I have read comments that it’s on the saltier side, I found it perfectly seasoned.
Cocktails:
1. Bellini - pleasant
2. On the Cairns - not a fan
3. Tiki Punch - very nice
The service was very attentive and polite. We were seated at the private function area, it was nice and quiet, less chaotic than the main dining hall. A great atmosphere for conversation and catch-up. Lucky us!
The staff was very professional and we were very well looked after!
L. D.
Huge restaurant with extensive selection of freshest seafood, grills and superb wine list. The sides were refreshingly innovative too.
Had to take a star off coz we were so excited for our beef but my medium came medium well and my companions' medium rare came medium.
Sommelier and our wait staff were amazing though. I wish I had asked their names to mention here. The wait staff made our dinner livelier with his genuine banter. (He had some facial hair and is Italian...)
Caramel popcorn served at the very very end of our meal by compliments were so good!!
m. j.
This is my go to restaurant in Sydney 12years old and still as good as ever.
The whole experience is classy and polished service is really good, one of best wine lists in Sydney.
The food well what can I say ingredients speak for themselves, oysters shucked to order..stunning;!!, Coral trout with Davidson plum fantastic, my partner had prawns with goat cheese tortellini (she always does) a signature dish of Neil Perrry.
David Blackmore's wagyu rib eye on the bone is perfection personified it's hefty at $284 but I think it's worth it, not like your here every day.
Desserts always simple, classic and so well executed, in a city where restaurants come and go Rockpool continues to shine and long may it do so 17/20
E. K.
Fantastic and flawless dining experience. David Blackmore MBS 9+ aged wagyu steak was truly devine, as was the lobster thermidore. Attentive service by the wait staff and sommelier.
R.
Been here a few times and wow its a nice place to have a romantic dinner with your other half, the steaks are amazing one of the best I've ever had everything dish I've had here was really amazing i loves the sides like the mac and cheese, sweet potato and pumkin with yogurt dressing definitely worth a try very classy!
f. t.
Great experience at rockpool bar and grill. The calamari was soft and tender, the saffron stew was rich in flavour and the seafood was cooked perfectly. The lamb cutlets was still tender and juicy and they came out with a selection of condiments to choose from. The onion rings were nice and crunchy as were the chips. The only downside was the steak which came out quite burnt, though my friend did order it medium well but it was more burnt.
G.
Amazing dinner here, as always. My only issue was I asked for the aioli to be served on the side, due to raw eggs and being pregnant, but it still came served with my spicy mussels :(
The ice cream for dessert, while delicious...was a little pricey...at $19. My only regret...should have tried a different dessert.
U. B.
Came to Rockpool for my partner's birthday on a Saturday night. Selection of food is only trumped by the selection of wine and other alcohol beverages. Wait staff were fantastic and we wanted for nothing during our time here, some of the best I've experienced recently. Sommelier was spot on to our requests and recommended something not unreasonably priced. The tuna cerviche was wonderful, the oysters fresh and more importantly as we were sharing food the staff took the time to serve up our dishes on 2 seperate plates which was a wonderful surprise. The rib eye steak was cooked exactly per our request to the point that I usually order medium rare expecting it to be closer to medium due to a lack of skill but as you would expect from such a restaurant, it was exactly medium rare so if ordering steak be confident it will arrive as requested. Sides were simple but on point, a highlight was the creamed corn, unexpectedly delightful!! I had the staff make a birthday cake for my partner and it too did not dissapointed. Overall, great attentive staff, food at the level you would expect for the price point. Definitely worth trying before you miss your chance!!
A. H.
It is definitely one of the best restaurants in Sydney area. Everything was spot on. The only "flaw" I could possibly pick on is the presentation of the dessert. The rhubarb pudding tastes absolutely wonderful, but the look needs a bit more thought. Otherwise, all perfection.
G. E. K.
We have been dining at Rockpool for 10 years and never once been disappointed. The food is always amazing and the service always impeccable.
L. S.
Just exactly what I expected. Have wanted to visit for years and lucky enough to be taken for my birthday. Service was perfect, food was beyond good. Worth every cent for a special occasion. Beautiful venue, great place for a conversation. Didn't get my entry for the Lexus though 😞
P. E.
Ordered Rockpool@Home. Overall experience was fun, although having enjoyed similar from Restaurant Hubert several weeks earlier, the Rockpool inclusions paled by comparison. Delivery system was mostly very good, but we were dismayed when the courier turned up carrying the box on its side and on his shoulder. It's supposed to be kept upright at all times. We had a similar issue with the Restaurant Hubert delivery: the dessert had been destroyed, but we contacted the restaurant and they sent out a replacement. Very impressed. The damage with the Rockpool delivery wasn't worth whingeing about, but the delivery was unimpressive. That said, the tracking system waiting for the delivery from Providoor was excellent. Re food, we had the two-steak banquet. The fillet was excellent; the Scotch fillet seemed to be overcooked. We know that because the preparation instructions for both cuts were the same, but the filet came out M/R, while the Scotch fillet was definitely medium and a bit dry. Scotch fillet also was rather gristley and a bit fatty. Disappointing. Prawns were terrific. Smoked ham was nice but not that special. Dessert was ordinary. All this at one of the highest costs on Providoor. So while the experience was fun, it won't bring us back to Rockpool. But we will be back to Restaurant Hubert, who even included a candle for a romantic dinner and a Spotify playlist to eat by. What fun was Hubert; but a bit of a disappointment was Rockpool.
M. M.
Been here several times, each time has been amazing in its own unique way. Service is outstanding, great staff to match the quality of the food. Cant wait to come back.
M. J.
Excellent all round dining experience.
Dry aged Rib Fillet was fantastic, and perfectly cooked. Wagyu Shin Ragu was to die for. Pasta was perfectly cooked. And the Marrow. Wow.
Service from waitstaff was also on point. Thanks again, the experience was worth every cent.
H. W.
Exceptional service, very attentive staff. 60 month dry aged beef was nice, although a little chewy in the thicker parts of the cut. The mac and cheese was a delightful surprise with a deep rich flavour with went well with our potatos. The creme caramel was a little bitter and not overally exciting.
Overally love the atmosphere for its art deco design, look forward to my next visit here.
M. H.
Can only recommend to go here. High quality food.
The starter, water melon with fetta, mint and pine nuts was probably one of the best starters I’ve had. Fantastic flavor combination.
The rib-eye on bone was great. Met my expectations but not more.
C. M.
Absolutely amazing! The staff were very professional and friendly and the food was excellent!! The building itself was also quite beautiful. A few standouts were the Yellow fin Tuna tartare, the scallops with pepper and orange oil, wagyu ragu and finally the lemonade sorbet with gin granita. My whole family is very keen to come back again!
W. L.
I actually liked my food and enjoyed the service but I couldn't get past the fact that it was so dark inside! And when the receptionist offered me the bar to sit in (as they were all booked out), I was surprised to find it was even darker!! I gave it a go anyway to challenge my comfort levels, sitting at the brightest table there was (needed my phone to brighten up my menu so I could read it!). So 4 Stars if I could only see better! Loved the popcorn with my coffee!
W. S.
Brought here for a birthday dinner and everything was amazing.
Food was delicious & high quality menu selection.
Service was spot on and servers were courteous and knowledgeable about their menu.
Was also given a complimentary dessert.
5/5 would return.
G. M.
2nd time here and was just as good as the first time, excellent service with one of biggest wine selections ive ever seen. For entree we had the bone marrow and a squid / pork stir fry, and for mains of course the steak chargrilled over wood fire with a mix of sides to match, this 5 star restaurant keeps living upto its name.
B. G.
Wow absolutely incredible
Service was impeccable. We sat upstairs with a French waitress and she was great with timing and with her advice
Starters
The four Raws all were very tasty and the tuna was definitely the standout and was incredible
Octopus with hummus was very good too. Honestly the octopus was my least favorite part of the dish although it was good, however the hummus and the remainder of this dish was a standout
Mains
Filet-perfectly cooked and delicious enough said
Abalone pasta- perfect balance of acid and garlic. It was very light yet full of flavor and was a very impressive dish
Sides
Wagyu fat potatoes were just outstanding
The sweet potato and pumpkin side was very good just too much of the yogurt sauce but after you wiped some off (but not all) it was very good
Dessert
It was fine but definitely not the star I would stick to everything before dessert
R. S.
"A huge fan of the Rockpool group, waited to make sure this was the first fine dining establishment I dined in after the covid lockdown. Have been dining at the rockpool for many many years, it never disappoints. The wine list is second to none, a wonderful variety menu wise, the dessert is phenomonal. A personal favourite fine dining in Sydney, worth the wait & definitely worth every dollar. A must do fine dining experience for everyone.
N. H.
Wow!!! Where to start!? The food is incomparable. The drinks amazing and all fittingly housed in an amazingly beautiful venue. Can't recommend this highly enough. We shall return!!
X. G.
The food was delicious, of course and so were the two bottles of wine that the sommelier recommended (one sauvignon blanc and one red), and the service was also top notch. We were a party of seven and ordered a variety of food from across the menu, and we were all impressed. However, I have to give it four stars because for the price you pay and the kind of place it was, you'd expect not to have a problem with mosquitoes, but my legs got bitten several times and it was uncomfortable trying to hide my discomfort as I was in a formal dinner with family friends and was wearing a cocktail dress. =/
S. G.
So great to come back to one of my fave restaurants. Staff were especially welcoming and accomodating, beef tartare and ribeye on the bone both amazing as always.
G. M.
Yes, it is pricy... yes it has one of the worlds best wine list with wines from 125 to 4500 A$ but I must say, the fotos here on google do not show the great ambience and lighting in the evening and the perfect service standard. Just great for an upmarket romantic dinner out in the city.
And not to forget: one of the best pieces of meat I have had in my travel rich life so far. Go for the 36month filet or filet „minute with Cafe d‘ Paris“ you will melt.
B. S.
Loved the Art Deco decor, wonderful service and quality ingredients here. DH said the steak was the best he ever had. Wonderful, cozy bar. The service was a bit psychic, the waitstaff overheard us talking about someones birthday, and they sent a lovely cupcake over to celebrate. Nice touch.
A. N.
Great dinner experience set in an Art Deco interior. We were seated on the balcony floor that overlooks the main dining room. Many items on the menu to choose from, including steak, seafood, and pasta. Food was nicely prepared and delicious, and the service was thoughtful.
D. H.
Fantastic fine dining and outstanding service, we felt spoiled but still able to have a joke. The Wagyu was superb and the 9 marble score gives it the texture and flavour to remember. The restaurant has a cavernous ceiling with amazing marble pillars which is an experience in itself. I meal to remember 😎.
A. C.
My wife & I had an amazing birthday dinner at Rockpool yesterday evening. The entree size was very generous (Kingfish) and the steak was amazing (make sure you order sides though). The highlight of the evening was a beautiful wine (2012 Chambolle Musigny Premier Cru - ie Red Burgundy) which was recommended from Rockpool’s knowledgeable Sommelier . The wine list is incredibly extensive and will satisfy most pallets and they have some real gems.
Highly recommended
D. W.
Came here for my birthday last year. The food and service was great. Really like the selection of oysters for entree and wagyu pappardelle.
We also ordered a Maremma Duck with Burnt Mango, which was a good pairing but definitely did not compare to some of the other mains available at the restaurant (steaks for example).
The atmosphere was great, although the design of the fitout wasn’t perfect. Acoustics wasn’t great given all the hard surfaces within the restaurant so I would say it was hard to hear the conversation of my partner once the restaurant was full. Won’t stop me from coming back here though.
A. S.
Good steaks. Mushroom side was delicious. Pity we couldn't stick around for dessert due to 2 hr table turnover.
E. G.
Amazing meal at Rockpool last week. The rubarb & strawberry pudding was a particular standout!! 🔥
T. D.
Gorgeous decor and excellent food. The menu is very elemental but that works in its favour. The wine list is massive and the servings are substantial.
E. E. E.
We went as a table 6 this evening. The restaurant is classy in looks and the staff at front desk were extremely friendly and inviting . The restaurant had a nice feel to it. However, unfortunately, the wait staff were very slow and at times rude . We all sat for approx 15 minutes without being asked what we’d like to drink ( not even served water). We had to kindly call over wait staff several times for basics such as forks , steak knives , first drinks etc Our food finally arrived, however 5 out of 6 dishes were rated very average . The steaks were tough ( supposed to be cooked medium) and generally the food was below average. This place is extremely overrated. The bill was reasonable , however did not match the food quality or service . 5 out of 6 guests would not return ! If you are looking for an impressive night , to match the décor and location , this restaurant is not it unfortunately.
J. S.
The food is no doubt always above and beyond amazing.
This has to be my partner and I favourite restaurant in Sydney.
We often attend this restaurant and I can say I have never been able to fault anything from food to service.
I have recommended Rockpool to many of my friends and family members and they would all agree with me.
Thanks Rockpool for your outstanding delicious food 😊
R. M.
Service was a bit slow but the food made up for all that. Great extensive wine list. Surprisingly the onion rings were our mutual favourite while the Oysters came in second best.
A. L.
Nice steak, good service, comfortable environment.
I have order a Wagyu rump steak. Very tender and not oily. Will be back for sure.
M. H.
Unbelievable quality and service as always. Pricey but worth every cent. A favourite for special pccasions
J. Y.
Had the octopus salad that was well cooked. The mishima wagyu was awesome. The rib eye however is fairly average.
Bit disappointed with the service though, waited for half an hour past our booking time to be seated, and either the waitress is too busy or not very attentive. Waited long time for food and to get our bill which was incorrectly billed, waited even longer to be noticed and to correct the bill.
M. A.
We were party of 10
and booked their private room and they had attentive service and the steak i had was beautiful cooked to my choice and the side i had was tasty. I also had their bone marrow with herb salad and it truly was delicious.
decor of the restaurant is typical to north american cans steakhouses.
A. A.
A great restaurant for a celebratory meal. The food and wine was fantastic, with the steak cooked perfectly and the vast array of sides hard to choose from. Our service was exceptional, with a huge number of staff all working together for a cohesive experience. The interior architecture of the building is very grand, which complimented the vibe of the restaurant.
M. Y.
One of the best steak house I've been to in Australia. The food was sensational, beautifully arranged and full of flavour, with generous portions served in a professional manner!
A special mention goes out to the floor staff, what a bunch of legends. Next level service.
Apart from those we ordered from the menu, we were pleasantly surprised by the complimentary birthday cake!
Thanks Rockpool for a memorable and enjoyable evening! Will be back for sure! 👍
r.
Small group of 4 for Christmas lunch. Recommend making reservations before hand at this time of year. Set in what once was a bank, the ambience is awe inspiring. Architectural details inside and outside show attention to detail from a grand scale to the minutiae. Go to the toilet even if you don't need to, just to experience the architectural details.
The open kitchen adds to the ambience with sounds and smells wafting. I can only imagine the place lit up at night.
On arrival, it was a quick check-in and we were shown to our table. We passed the wide selection of wines on display where you can choose them from your table menu or pick them from the wine fridges.
We ordered our meals and were served warm bread rolls baked on the premises with homemade butter. GF option was raw carrot and celery sticks and quartered radish in lemon dressing.
Mains all arrived together and the sides too. I had the open flame lamb chops and potato and cabbage gratin. Yum!! I didn't try the other 5 sides because the meals are quite big and I didn't want to get too full and not eat everything I ordered. Everyone loved their meals and the overall winner was the gratin. So pleased I ordered it.
Table service was very good. Beers and wines fill 2 menus but we had to go back to work so didn't have drinks other than cola and water. Even though meals are pricey, it is worth it even if just for special occasions. Total cost of 4 mains, 6 sides and 2 colas $290. Not bad. We will return to work our way around the menu!
e. d.
Commitment to provenance and Australia’s finest produce , this defines Rockpool.
Sublime surroundings, considerate staff and sensational steaks and seafood from the wood-fire grill, we’ve had Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney on repeat for years, and it has never let us down.
E.
Nice atmosphere and food was good. Quite expensive for what it is though
L. C.
I went today for a casual dinner.
First off, I do visit Michelin and Hatted establishments quite often, so my expectations may be slightly high.
The staff was very friendly and very attentive and made the stay enjoyable.
The food quality however was not up to standards.
The Tuna tartare was nice and refreshing and the freshness was outstanding, however had a black nut/seed which was hard and the oil used in the dish had a slight bitter aftertaste and overpowered the flavors of the fish at the bottom of the plate.
The steak was cooked well with a very nice sear with very generous portion sizes, however it was recommended to be cooked to a medium rare but still had white fat in the meat. The steak simply was nowhere up to par for a premium steakhouse.
Finally, the mocktail I ordered was far too sour to be enjoyed.
Overall, it may just be an off-day for the kitchen, however based on the observations today I would not recommend Rockpool.
R. P.
Quality of service is outstanding! The restaurant is beautiful inside. It has dim lighting inside which makes it more romantic feel and sets a good mood. Recommend their wood fire grilled quail.
C. N.
Great great great. I celebrated my bro's 23rd birthday here and the friendly staffs did actually surprise him with a piece of cake after our meal, that was really sweet and surprising! Food was amazing with graceful atmosphere. Fantastic place for dining x
A. X.
This place is known for steak, which was definitely pretty good, but what sealed it for me was the strawberry pudding and pumpkin side. The top of the pudding is blow torched similar to creme brulee and was just amazing.
Plates could be a little cleaner but given they change it after every dish it's understandable.
M.
Amazing food. We loved the rib eye steak and mac and cheese. Service was excellent
R. R.
The effort of the service staff and attention to detail was superb.
J. t.
Good food but just like every other fancy restaurant, nothing super exciting and different about them. But a beautiful venue and still the food is delicious.
J. B.
Mussels, chips, wagyu ragu ... and that was just for starters! Definitely try the Shortcrust Beef and Guinness pie matched with an amazing porter if you have room; not much on the menu at Rockpool that isn't worth trying. Impeccable, friendly service and always a good atmosphere. #love
I. C.
Very nice restaurant with a great vibe and food to go with it. If possible try and get a table on the second floor. It's a great view overseeing the whole restaurant. A great place in the city for casual dining or a special occasion. The steak menu and variations are amazing and so are the baby ribs! So much to try, definitely someone for everyone.
P. K.
Great service the entire evening (3 hrs !) Had the special rib-eye on bone and the menu rib-eye on and bone and both were great. The difference was the age of beef. The chargrilled creamed corn is a great side ! The Lemonade sorbet cleans the pallet well and I'm sure you'll find a good wine .. they have a tomb to look through . Great dining 👍.
A. E. B.
Great food in a beautiful building and even better service. You will pay for the privilege but you will not go home disappointed
Make sure to check out the glasses in the bar
C.
Just, wow! I'm still thinking about this meal two weeks later. It's one of those rare restaurants where they just hit the nail on the head with every aspect of the experience. We had a wide range of foods on the menu and I couldn't even begin to pick a favorite, it was all just fantastic. It's not exactly a cheap eat, but it's absolutely value for money here. And no tiny portions, we left absolutely stuffed!
C. D.
Thank you to JC, Charlie and the rest of the team at Rockpool for an incredible service, and the kitchen team for some of the best food I've had in my life.
J. C.
The service was excellent and the food was very nice I would certainly come back. The art deco setting is really beautiful and I would say worth going by itself , feels like something out of Ayn Rand novel. The food was a little bit slow coming out and prompted us to ask one of the waiters if they could check but as soon as that was done everything else was fantastic. I would probably get the steak next time which is what they are known for but everything we had was delicious we got the short rib on their recommendation and the Wagyu shin pasta and all dishes were very consistent.
A. H.
If there was anywhere that I was this excited to try out it was Rock pool. I love the food at the Qantas first class lounge so had very high expectations for the food here. Boy was I disappointed. I ordered the wagyu rump medium rare and it was as rare as a steak could be. The sides were ok but a tiny bowl of lettuce with dressing hardly counts as a salad especially when you are paying over $30 for it. Sorry to say there are way better options for dinner in the heart of Sydney.
i. g.
Outstanding service and food! Would highly recommend the tortellini
S. Y.
Really nice place and nice wagyu burger but wagyu salad is not good. You’d better order chips. It is really dark at the table so need light of mobile phone to find some menu
C. C.
Hands down, the best steak I have ever had. Be sure to grab the mac and cheese. Yeah, I know - but just grab it. You’ll thank me later.
G. B.
An excellent place to get your Meat fix. Beautiful surroundings and impressive menu. Service can be sometimes slow.
T. P.
Superb service and incredible steaks. Would definitely go back! Rather expensive but worth the price.
J. R.
Their Mac and cheese is to die for. The steaks are great, though overpriced, people can enjoy wasting money on a nice night out once in a while. Their other sides are good. I'm not interested enough in their other foods to splurge that much money on them though. The service is impeccable and the atmosphere is amazing for a nice night out. But still, their Mac and cheese steals the show every single time, in every single way.
A. N.
I loved their oysters! Other starters we ordered were fried calamari, leeks with stracciatella, something with eggplant, everyone loved the eggplant! For mains I ordered the abalone pasta, I felt the abalone was chewy. Overall a great experience
M. P.
Definitely one of the best steaks in Sydney. I had the Wagyu chuck eye and tried my friends rib eye on bone. Taste really good without sauce. It is expensive compared with other places. Staff are friendly, observant and professional. I am very happy with the service. Would I come back? this place is suitable for special occasions. I won't come back regularly due to the cost.
S. T. B.
Very good fine dining in Sydney. Highly recommend. Better book in advance.
Q. N.
Classic art deco metropolitan style steakhouse decor, open kitchen with a great Australian style charcoal wood grill. Beef is a combination of grain feed Wagyu and grass feed sourced from Australia and Tasmania and dry aging done on site. Service was wonderful and staff well informed about the menu, aging and cooking techniques.
I dry age my own beef. Typically USDA Prime, grain feed which has higher marbling than grass feed. This is my Australia trip to see how they locally dry-age grass feed beef. So far, I still prefer a New York style dry-aged Prime steak and the funkiness you get which is just profound.
But I very much enjoyed my steak at Rockpool and the overall balance of what they are trying to do with the different types of cow breads, dry-aging, cooking technique and seasoning. I had the Cape Grim 60 month grass feed which was dry-aged for 75 days. This older, worked, grass feed cow is a bit chewier, with not a lot of marbling but still very tender with lots of flavorful fat around the edges. Other than a deep beef flavor the funkiness wasn't what I would expect from a 75 day dry aged steak. Subtle nutty and little cheesy notes more prominent around the edges of the cut and on the bone which makes me wonder if they really aged it 75 days.
However, what I appreciate about Australian grilling is they cook it over their wood charcoal grills which gives the meat a very flavorful smoky taste with great caramelization. This technique, the meat along with proper seasoning give the steak wonderful balance and a flavor a broader public can enjoy. Had the meat been funkier it may have lost from the overall balance.
Enough of steaks. Make sure to try the cream of corn cooked on the grill. Its to die for!
C. E.
One of the best steaks ive had at a restaurant ever.
A must go if you love great food
K. M.
Exceptional! The service was friendly and professional from the moment we walked in. The food is delicious, fresh and exactly as it should be. Every time we dine here, we have a fantastic experience. As a patron you will know that high level of service and great food are on top of their list! The restaurant it self has a very classy vibe and and great ambiance. Highly recommend, the tastiest steak in Sydney. 5 stars!
E. T.
My favourite Sydney restaurant. Excellent ambience, flawless service, and superbly consistent good food. As a steakhouse, it is first class. I will keep it short. It is great and while quite expensive, it is worth the price.
M. Z.
Great burgers here, you have to try the wagyu Cheeseburger which is very delicious. We went during midday and it was already pretty busy at the bar area.
B. P.
Great selection of menu items each created with top quality ingredients and care and attention to detail. We had a table of 10 and staff were attentive and helpful as we navigated through the options, catering for allergies and preferences alike.
Wine sommelier on hand to pair to a short but well considered wine list (I suspect there is another list for those that don’t turn up in jeans and t-shirts that has a few more options).
Each entree, main and desert was enjoyed by our party.
The only let down and hence the 4 star review is the poor beer options - with such a wide range of local independent breweries the options were quite limited (4 pines and lord Nelson was the only real option on offer). The chorizo would have paired wonderfully with a crisp IPA and there were other opportunities missed.
M.
We enjoyed a wonderful dinner in February 2021.
Our dishes, including seafood and steak were all perfectly cooked and tasted excellent.
We both enjoyed the steak tartare, calamari, Roasted seafood with broth and the dry aged fillet. We didn't enjoy the Mac and cheese which was quite rich, but the roast brocolini was lovely.
Prices for the entrees and mains were quite reasonable for a high end restaurant. Naturally, the steak was more expensive but there are plenty of more affordable cuts and other meals which are a more reasonable price.
The staff were very attentive and professional and we only had one small hiccup that they fixed quickly.
I would definitely recommend this restaurant if you are looking for excellent service and a good meal for a special occasion.
K. B.
A star restaurant in Sydney, amazing food especially the steaks and seafood, first rate service and located in an old bank building which has great architecture
J. P.
Very nice interior, very friendly staff, delicious food, fresh oysters and 9+ steaks are very good.
C. L.
Most exquisite place to dine in for a special occasion.
Followed correct Covid-19 guidelines.
Partner and I celebrating his birthday, we arrived early so we were offered to wait in the bar for some refreshments.
Not long until we were escorted to our seats, with our refreshments.
Staff were very attentive and professional.
We ordered our food and it exceeded our expectations.
Taste, quality of produce and presentation
A little pricey but worth your money
M. B.
All I can say is wow, the food was sensational, dish after dish! A special mention goes out to the floor staff, what a bunch of legends. Next level service. A very enjoyable evening and walked out having thought money well spent!! Thanks Rockpool for a memorable evening! Will be back for sure! 🤙🤙
N. L.
Had dinner with my wife here for her 40th, overall a pleasant experience from service through food all the way to the overall restaurant vibe. I like this place a lot (dined here a few times), and it does (however pricey) serve the best steak in Sydney.
Now comes the “but”...this place comes with a heavy price tag, and as such you you expect consistency and a 5 star experience every time! That was not what we got this time.
We head the steak tartare for starter and it was amazing, probably the best dish of the ones we had all night.
For main my wife had the 250g fillet which was good, but probably not $59 good. And I had the 36 month aged rib eye on the bone, asked for medium rare and got medium. While you could feel the meat quality, it definitely felt like a steak I could grill home, get better results and not pay $75 for!
For sides we had the creamy corn which was very interesting, and the grilled broccolini which felt and looked more like Chinese broccoli (the broccolini heads where cut off and the big leaves where left on) and was bit overwhelmed by the lemon sauce, a better name for this dish would be ‘lemony Chinese broccoli’
Overall good experience but only ‘good’ considering the price. I would have had lower expectations if it wasn’t for heavy price tag of $300 for a couple (1 cocktail each and no dessert).
M. M.
Amazing steaks, cooked to perfection.
Worth every cent.
Finest of fine dining 👌🏽
S. K.
Amazing food and impeccable service.
Took my parents in law who are super fussy eaters and both of them raved about the food.
The strawberry and rhubarb dessert was possibly the most delicious thing I've ever put in my mouth.
Even my 5 year old received first class service with a children's menu and special chocolate sauce for his ice cream made on request.
Only slight negative was it's quite expensive.
B. T.
Wagyu steak is one of the best I've ever had. And fantastic deserts.
K. M.
Does what it says on the box and harks back to classic restaurant “grills” back in the day. Pricey but big portions of classics done very well with the best produce. Wine list is extensive and imposing but lacks value options. Still, a great venue and product.
S. T.
Best steak I’ve ever eaten! We got rib eye steak medium well and it was absolutely delicious! The menu is very vast so recommend coming here with a group so you can try a few different things. We also prawns and scallops for entrees which were delicious and spaghetti, tortellini and chicken for mains which were great. Raspberry dessert was also a stand out. Food is top quality so price reflects that too, it was $330 for two people.
T. Y.
Great food, especially the steaks. Pricey but you get what you pay for. Good staff who happily explained the confusing menu.
H. H.
Outrageously expensive! Wait staff too intent on filling up wine glasses for you to order more wine. Food was good although when ordering fillet steak at $52 main course you would normally expect to get eye fillet not scotch fillet! And that was all that arrived on the plate, no garnish, no vege., just a steak.
G. M.
'Experience' dining with extensive high end wine list and a name chef style. Amazing deco (ex bank?) location, and highly professional staff. This is not cheap eats, we got three starters and a main with wine and water for $250 between us, but you won't be coming here for price conscious dining. This is a place to show off in, glam up, enjoy. The bar menu is slightly cheaper. Booking essential. If I'm honest I think the wine list should celebrate lower down the price point a bit, because there are fantastic Australian and NZ wines which don't cost $100 a bottle. And I can't get used to $60 and $70 mains (lobster Thermidor is $350+). Also, and the cookstaff will hate me for this but you're over salting. Everyone does. Back it down a notch. Pane & continori should be more copious and tap water is fine. I enjoyed myself. I won't rush back but if I had special occasion dining, this would be very high on my list. Propose here. Tell your parents in law it's twins here. Celebrate your PhD. Splash out. Especially if it's somebody else's wine tab.
M. T.
Creative delicious food and wonderful wine. Restaurant atmosphere was very regal. The acoustics was a little high, due to the beautiful polished finishes.
B. l.
Expensive but great atmosphere and really good food. Wagu burger is a must try. The relish and condiments make the burger as wagu is quite plain by itself but the patties are thick and perfectly cooked.
F. d. l. P.
Beautiful building, the meat from the grill absolutely fantastic, don't forget to check the desserts and the list of wines, I'm sure you will like it. The service we have received today was of very high standards. It is in my to five!!
P. S.
Absolutely amazing place to be. Finally got to visit this place and the food and service is beyond exceptional. I couldn't fault a thing (except give me more of that wagyu steak and scallops please) couldn't think of a better place to celebrate my birthday. Will be coming back for sure!!
A.
Loved that place for many years. Our last experience was nothing more but a commercial and disappointing trip to a diner. The waiter did not display exquisite and personable service. Felt like I was in a just another restaurant. That special and unique experience is no longer there.
M. R.
Have been fortunate enough to have dined here multiple times in the main dining areas as well as the semi and fully private rooms.
It is pricey however you do get some of the best Australian steak as well as an amazing wine selection.
The service is consistently excellent as you would expect and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this for a special occasion dinner or for a business dinner.
T. C.
A wonderful restaurant. Amazing first class service that was met with absolutely amazing food. A must if you want first class dining and first class food. Even the restaurant is a delight to enjoy.
A must if you visit Sydney.
S. W.
Incredible evening! Outstanding food and delicious wine. Perfect for our special occasion!
C. K.
Steak was very good (had the dry aged rump cap). Entrees of asparagus and spanner crab, and squid and pork belly were nice, but a bit plain for the prices. Overall a good experience, but for the final price tag, I've had better. Service was good and very attentive and the 3x different wines had were very good.
O.
Well deserved, meat was so nice and the drinks along with the dessert was amazing too . They had brought me out a pecan cupcake too being my birthday and that was on the house . I would recommend this restaurant if you want to go out somewhere for fine dining and be full walking out . Thank you for a amazing night/birthday
D. C.
My partner and I dined at Rockpool on NYE and was pleasantly surprised with the fine dining experience. The food was cooked to perfection; produce tasted fresh and high quality. The lighting and decor created a sophisticated atmosphere. We really appreciated the service provided by Maria throughout the night, who worked diligently and enthusiastically to ensure we had a great dinner.
We would definitely recommend this restaurant for a special occasion or tasteful celebration.
i. j.
Our first place to dine out with a few mates since the easing of covid-19 restrictions. Great service all night, we all ordered the dry aged rib-eye steak. Top notch quality, you just can't cook that quality steak at home. Will be back to try the other dry aged steak next time.
M. W.
This restaurant has a magnificent marbled art deco dining room and furnishings; very professional greet and table service, enormous wine selection and the worst Rib-Eye steak you're likely to encounter at a premium Sydney restaurant.
Avoid the Cape Grim Dry-Aged 36 month old grass fed Rib-Eye on the bone (at $75) and the Provenir Dry Aged 60 month grass fed Angus Rib-Eye on the bone (at $85). You'll get a juicier, tastier and thicker steak from your local pub (at $15-$20).
How the chefs can serve up a 15mm thick Rib-Eye of such poor quality is beyond me. Both steaks - eaten at lunch 4 weeks apart - were shoe-leather tough, dry and grisly, even though they were cooked to medium rare.
The chips and vegetables were - well, chips and vegetables and the fresh Hastings River Sydney Rock oysters were fine. 1 star of oysters, veg and chips, 1 star for service and 1 star for wines. Forget the Rib-Eye.
D. F.
Wonderful service, a culinary experience at all levels you’d expect from a Rockpool establishment. One very big down fall after finishing your meal and wanting a last night cap before heading home.....The Whiskey Sour ordered was below average, no cherry nor orange rind for flavor! Instead replaced with a large wedge of lemon! Hence the 3stars otherwise a 5 would have been given.
Y. S.
I was greeted by a very polite host and was promptly seated at a comfortable table. The interior of building is stunning: Large greens columns leading up to the tall ceiling, a large wine glass display, and a view of the kitchen where all the magic happens. The wait staff was also very attentive and courteous.
V. H.
One of the best restaurants in Sydney, very consistent
J. C.
Celebrated my birthday dinner here and our waiter was so sweet and seemed very sincere in what the occasion was, we also had other attendants that provided great customer service on the night. The food was amazing however the price and quality of the steak (can’t remember what cut) was still nice but a minor let down for us as it wasn’t as tender as we’d hoped it would be. Overall still a great experience and would definitely come back for the level of service they have and the chocolate cupcake for your birthday (best rating cupcake!)
N. G.
Nice food and excellent service, but it's nothing particularly special.
Don't get me wrong, everything was fine, and we had two nice steaks - you could do a lot worse if that's what you're after.
But there are much more interesting restaurants in Sydney that might just leave you inspired not just satisfied.
C. Y.
Best meal I've ever had - every course we had was absolutely incredible. Couldn't fault our meals. Left feeling full and satisfied. Seafood was fresh and steak cooked beautifully medium rareamd just melted in your mouth. Staff were attentive but not annoying us. Will definitely be back and recommend it. Thanks for a great night.
R. M.
Went there with friends. AMAZING service and food. EXTREMELY recommend.
A. R.
Great service, lovely ambience and very nice food. My pasta main was faultless, and the steak and sides were delicious. Our only small critique was that the steak was cooked medium rare as oppose to medium, but even this small critique won't deter me from giving 5 stars! My Tempranillo glass of red went perfectly with my pasta. We will definitely come back.
T. L.
Fantastic setting in a heritage building, super professional staff. Had waited a while to try their Friesian steak and boy did it deliver - 500g rib eye was one of the best steaks I've ever had. The fish on the other hand - groper - was okay but really nothing special. Should have stuck to the red meat. Some sides were good, others not so good for a place like Rockpool. Amazing wine list. The pudding for dessert was delish. All in all a very memorable experience.
E. H.
Let’s start with the positives... Staff were super friendly & such lovely servers, atmosphere was fantastic & the food was great! The lady who served us was an older lady with grey hair, she was absolutely fantastic (her name has slipped my mind)... She ran us through the menu & the styles, advised how everything arrives at the table and the portion sizes, 10/10. Aside from that, I was overcharged an additional $20+ dollars & the other lady who took the payment (not our server) said ‘oh that’s the surcharge’... Sorry, a $20 surcharge for MasterCard? Other than that, beware that if you get table water, it’s an additional $10.50 per person... Sly way to make even more money! I understand it is a top end restaurant (and for good reasons), but to charge someone $10.50 for tap water is a bit extreme... Upon noticing I was charged an additional $20, the lady agreed that she made a mistake & would provide me the refund for the excess, however that was not provided on the night & I have not heard back from them since...
K. L.
Me and my boyfriend celebrated our anniversary here and it was an amazing experience. As soon as we walked through the door we were greeted kindly and were escorted to our seats. The whole place was brimming with a warm-hearted ambience and it felt very classy - it kind of felt like I was dining in a vintage ship. The waiter who served us was very kind and accommodating and thoroughly explained the menu to us. The wait time for our food was quite lengthy, however the food made up for it, and the snapper was definitely the highlight of the night. It was a delightful experience and I always pester my boyfriend to coming here again just so I can eat the snapper again. Thank you Rockpool Bar & Grill for the wonderful night.
S. J.
Amazing service! My partner and I went there for a splurge on our anniversary. We both got steak medium rare as recommended. When they came out his was absolutely beautiful but mine was tough and chewy and flavourless. We let our waiter know and he went to speak to the chef within minutes he back and explained that it was most likely the animal/cut of meat that caused it to be so tough and offered me a choice of any other steak. I chose the minute steak because it was quick. Staff were very apologetic. And when my new steak came out WOW! It was absolutely delicious, best steak I’ve ever had to date! So tender and juicy like I was expecting! Not one fault! And then another surprise when we got the bill that they had actually removed my meal completely off the bill even though I’d have been more than happy to pay for the steak that I did eat because it was amazing! Would 100% recommend Rockpool, the service is second to none and the food is absolutely worth it! Thanks for an amazing experience!
V. L.
Great place to get a steak! Was perfectly cooked medium for me, melt in your mouth and seasoned really well for my taste (good pinch of salt). Sides were good as well and drinks menu was huge! Restaurant setting itself was very good with a lot of mood lighting. Service also was very good and attentive, although i was at an early sitting and place wasn't full. Also saw Neil Perry there so was good to see he visits.
H. A.
it's beautiful restaurant great atmosphere and a must go back to for another amazing experience. the food is incredible, the customer service is 5 starts. Looking foreword our next visit there.
The stake was done perfectly the wine collect was incredible.
R.
Great service, lovely ambience and very nice food. My pasta main was faultless, and the steak and sides were delicious. Our only small critique was that the steak was cooked medium rare as oppose to medium, but even this small critique won't deter me from giving 5 stars! My Tempranillo glass of red went perfectly with my pasta. We will definitely come back.
P. F.
Great selection of food and excellent quality. Definitely should be on your list of places to eat. Keep in mind, it is pricey, but worth it!
m.
Come here semi regularly. Food is always good, possibly the best steak I've ever eaten. Always enjoy the meat boards and the entrees. Very pricey but the food is delicious. Service is always on point. Would highly recommend this venue for special occasions and celebrations.
L.
My partner proposed here! The service was excellent and the food was incredible. I was feeling slightly queasy when we arrived and mentioned it to our server and she suggested some bread and lemonade, which cured it right away. I was blown away by how attentive and kind everyone was. After my partner proposed, they brought us a glass of champagne on the restaurant. We will be back at Rockpool for our anniversary every year.
P.S. Ask about the caramel popcorn. You won't be disappointed.
N. J.
We booked Rockpool as a special dinner for 7 of us as a finale to an amazing 3 week trip to New Zealand and Australia for a 50th birthday. We had very high expectations and the food and service were both excellent. Staff in the bar were very friendly and accommodating , the restaurant staff a little more austere but professional. The ambiance of the restaurant is lovely. The food was really delicious but we did have one complaint. We asked for tap water and one bottle of sparkling water. They brought refillable bottles of each. It was therefore difficult to assess when they were re-filling the sparkling water. We were really shocked to see that on analysing the not inconsiderable bill, that we had been charged $27 for the sparkling water and then $36 for still water when we had asked for tap. $63 for water seems really overpriced and a bit of a rip-off. We spent a lot of money on the dinner and this seemed a little off to have been charged so much for the water.
R. C.
Beautiful art deco building in Sydney city. I only had a couple of drinks, but I've heard the food is amazing
S.
Wow! Take in the ambience and service of a well oiled machine. Keep an eye on how much you order as you'll be surprised by the serving sizes 😵 great access via martin pl station for those wanting to have a few drinks with dinner
M. B.
The food was five stars and I would definitely recommend the restaurant, however at these prices, the service was not up to standard. Our waitress took our order, came back to let us know that one of the dishes had run out. She then didn’t come back for a while to take our new order (we were halfway through our starter when she did) and as she took so long, the new dish we wanted to choose had also run out. We were advised to order way more food than we needed and had a lot left over, which seemed a bit of a waste. I think we were just unlucky as it’s a great restaurant and the staff in the bar and serving wine were fantastic.
L. L.
A wonderful restaurant which I go back to time and time again. The Beef and Guinness and waygu burger were so good.
R. F.
5 stars for the food/wine, bar staff and general staff... but a 1 star for our host.
It was cold, rushed and we felt uncomfortable. We have felt more welcome at an Outback Steakhouse.
C. L.
Fantastic steaks, fell apart when cut. Beautiful pumpkin and sweet potato. Everything cooked to absolute perfection. Wine was beautiful, staff allowed me to taste test a wine to make sure it suited the steak. Professional and courteous staff. Overall a very enjoyable experience.
U. S.
Hands down best steak in town. Everything about this place is top notch! The original and still the best!
B. B.
We really had a very average, not-special experience here. We arrived on time, table wasn't ready. Directed to the bar where we were ignored for 15 minutes. Finally shown to our table, drinks from the bar never arrived, drinks ordered at the table arrived more than 30 minutes after stepping in the door.
The large and poorly-laid-out menu has every part of your meal split into separate parts, and therefore separate prices (all of which are astronomically high). After waving down some other waiters, we eventually managed to order. The starters were good, the mains absolutely nothing special, and mostly without taste. We were given a dessert on the house for our suboptimal experience.
But on the whole I would avoid this place. It markets itself as an "occasion" restaurant but it is way, way too big and too full, and the service is chaotic and inattentive. The food is glorified pub style at best. So many many better places in town than this factory.
L. L.
Foods are AMAZING as always
M. Y. P.
Great service and elegant environment, food is excellent.
S. R.
(has drinks and nibbles in bar area) Lovely bar area with fantastic service. There must be 8 servers at anytime milling about. Somewhat pricey cocktails but well made, great selection and really good small bites. The burgers smelled amazing but we didn't try one before our dinner. Next time!
A. L.
I have been a fan of Neil Perry’s food for nearly forty years. It’s strange how it moves with the times and maintains its allure. But the best ingredients will always produce the best outcome. As regards service I must take issue with others making reviews. Our table was ours for the whole night no rushing whatsoever. The help and attention I received with some personal difficulties was outstanding. I look forward to future visits shame it’s 28,000 mile round trip
J. S.
We hosted our Tier 1 clients for a dinner this year at Rockpool Bar and Grill. A fabulous 3 course menu paired with good wines made a for a great conversation. We had reserved space for 20 and were provided with a private room. Clients thoroughly enjoyed the meal and the company of their peers in the Real Estate industry.
D. P.
The Rockpool bar & Grill was a lovely place to eat. We had the Silk Handkerchief Pasta with Hand Pounded Pesto, Cherry Tomato and Ricotta as an appetizer which I highly recommend. It was very flavorful and delicious. For the main course, both my husband and I had steak. Both steaks were good, but not the best steak we found in Sydney (I'd give the steaks 4 stars). Our side item was potatoes, also good. For dessert we had rhubarb which I would also highly recommend! The perfect amount of sweetness and a great way to finish dinner.
The service was excellent! The atmosphere is quite nice, a good mix between comfortable and formal. I would recommend this place for the pasta and dessert we had.
I. T.
What you’d expect and then some more. From first step, you are greeted by polite staff. If you arrive early you are able to sit down at the bar (cocktails are excellent!) and relax, when the table is ready the staff take you over and bring everything across.
The whole experience was 10/10, food & service were all exceptional.
Thank you for a fantastic experience!
P. M.
Wait staff were intuitive, efficient and friendly. Thank you.
S. L.
Rockpool is a go-to place for us for celebrating, as we did on this occasion. We were not disappointed by the service, wine or food.
In our case we booked, but then had to delay a week. Called the restaurant and the staff were very accommodating. When we arrived, they had remembered and fed back a snippet of conversation when booking - high quality service.
Rockpool is very expensive however, somewhat offset by a restaurant voucher we were given for Christmas.
A. C.
Love Rockpool. We had an unpleasant experience recently but they rectified it and some! We had a wonderful experience. Atmosphere is great with professional service. I've been going for over 4 years now and enjoy it. Rory is one of my favourite servers, he's professional and funny and great in every way!
v. m.
We had asparagus with crab, squid with pork belly, goat cheese tortellini with prawn and rib eye. The steak was good but a bit overpriced. All the rest was excellent. Good service. Recommend to book on the little space they have upstairs
H. S.
I’ve dined here more than 30 times over the past few years. I ate there in early Jan 2020. The food was good and the service was ok. My biggest issue is that when I ordered coffee I was told that they don’t stock soy milk. Surprising for a restaurant charging these prices... Also would be good to see some updates on the menu
A. W.
Recently the food was more on the salty side. During Covid the selection of food seems to be very limited. They don’t have as much variety on the menu as they did previously. Overall the food is good but I wouldn’t say the food is worth the price point.
D. L.
We only had bar food but it was fantastic, a little bit expensive for what you get but i guess you are paying for the ambiance and the venue as well.
The venue and service are great bar tender made a great old fashioned very impressed.
Lighting however a little dark.
All in all a great experience.
R. X.
Experience was great and the service was prompt, though not overly warm. While the food was decent and you don't go to Rockpool for seafood, we found the $55 saffron stew quite underwhelming and actually regretted ordering it (not something that's common when ordering!). Still worth a try but stick to the meat in my humble opinion.
J.
Amazing service, delicious food, and magical environment.
M.
Burger and cocktail at the bar to end an afternoon or lavish fine diner. $++ either way but life is fickle so... The main dining room space is one of the most remarkable in Sydney.
R. H.
decent fishing spot, lots of different fish to catch. bring plenty of bait. boat ramp could do with a bit of work, but aside from that good parking, great spot under the trees to spend your sunday
W. T.
The venue still amazes me, great architecture and great surroundings. Staff are amazing, well versed in their fare and very attentive. The food is exquisite, well prepared and we'll presented. The wine list is extensive and quite reasonable considering the stock they keep. Will definitely be back!
S. S.
Had dinner with the kids last night to celebrate 2 x uni graduations and cannot speak more highly of this restaurant. The service, food, atmos and staff were just amazing, we had a great night and could not have been more looked after and it's not my first time at this restaurant and always the same.
M. Y.
A must!
First thing first, the building that this restaurant is in it's grand and so stunning. The lighting it's perfect as it creates a very lovely ambiance - perfect for date nights. The food and service was good, even though it's not the cheapest place but you definitely pay for the whole package.
C. W.
Absolutely incredible dining experience. I dined at the bar and the service was still fantastic. The food is honestly some of the best i have had in Sydney. The Big Eye Tuna was seared perfectly and so fresh that it needed nothing else. The snow pea and strawberry salad was fantastic. And the chipotle margarita was one of the best i have ever had. Just an absolutely fantastic meal
R. P.
Hi, the reason why I gave 3 stars is because of the service. Doesn't matter how good your food is but if the service is bad the whole experience is ruined . Six of us had meal at Spice Temple , most of the dishes were ok except for the KUNG PAO Chicken it was disappointing, it had so much chili not enough chicken and it lacked spice, Prawn Dumplings was another one, it was so tiny not even a mouth full. Since we had to leave because you needed the table for other guest, we decided to have desert upstairs. Well the service upstairs compared to down stairs was shocking. We ordered 2 hot chocolate and 3 teas and deserts , after waiting for 20 min the teas arrived, the waitress had no idea what they were serving. The teas were wrong, only one hot chocolate came out which tasted like hot milk with a hardly any chocolate. We asked for a replacement that was same as well , the second hot chocolate did not come at all, on top of all that, the wait staff weren't friendly at all. It seemed like it was a chore for them to do anything . We pay for a service therefore you should get good service, just saying. Not a good experience, btw we come the often.
Regards,
e. d.
Hello, visited this restaurant two years ago had this beauty of a wine & I cannot remember the name of it. Is was half a bottle. Sweet & dry? Under $100 sorry I know this a long shot.
Ps gorgeous restaurant.
A. H.
My first experience. Definately not my last. This experience was definitely worth it. The staff we're so welcoming and the food was exceptional.
H. M.
Went here for lunch and it was excellent. A short wait of perhaps 10 minutes, but then seated at the bar for some truly excellent burgers. The service was impeccable and it turned out to not even be that expensive for a city lunch.
A. G.
This place is great for dinner if you can get a booking on a Thursday-Saturday night. I assumed that it would be booked out a year in advance, but we got very lucky and managed to get a 22:00 booking on a Saturday night by calling up that evening.
The food is delicious and I think the steak is mouthwatering. For started, the seafood ones were ideal to kick off a great meal.
Wines weren't too bad, but I'm not the best person to take as a connoisseur. The staff are really friendly and you must try some of the cocktails as they pack a good punch.
F. L.
The moment you step into this restaurant you would be stunned by its beautiful decor and atmosphere. It really created a good impression before you even try the food.
Service was impeccable too but the disappointment lies with the food. We've ordered pork sausages, duck with a side of mushrooms. All were too salty. Nonetheless the servings were very generous.
Despite the disappointment with the food, this is a great place for either romantic dinners, or formal business luncheon/dinner.
g. m. c.
Second time here.
Good food and good service.
Reckon for your next event👍
Actually just for dinner still okay😊
Very happy with everything here.
K. W.
The crude of snapper was like velvet and the fillet melted in our mouth. Blood orange sorbet for dessert was divine. Great service from Benny.
E. J.
Service is on point, food is definitely worth the price tag. First time we came here I ordered the Jerusalem chicken and it did not disappoint at all. We also had the onion rings and potatoes as sides and the servings were massive. Always a great experience when we dine here.
S. R.
Excellent dining option. If I can find one fault it would be that the waiter scrambled for what's vegan and what's not on the menu when the request was made in our group, surprising because of the price tag and this being a fairly common request? Nonetheless the food was fantastic and the service extremely attentive but unobtrusive. Great place to dine.
R. J.
After a few days of dining and fine dining in Sydney, the first place I would return with unbridled enthusiasm would be Rockpool Bar and Grill.
The restaurant decor strikes a beautiful balance of classic steakhouse with modern ambiance.
The steaks are cooked perfectly. Medium rare and rare steaks we ordered came out perfectly.
In addition to an excellent steak, the Mac and cheese is out of this world. (I started to avoid it because I didn't want some bland old mac n cheese, glad I didn't). It is a smoky BBQ flavoured plate of deliciousness.
The service is simply stellar. You can tell they take a lot of pride in their work. The sommelier-Justin was very helpful with the lengthy wine list.
Even if you are full, order the Lemington's for dessert. They are four bite-sized squares of soul satisfying sweetness.
G. M.
Steaks are excellent and of the highest quality. Sides are delicious and huge portions. Strawberry pie type of dessert was a surprise but so good! Little bit pricey but the food is so much more enjoyable here than some of the more pretentious/experimental restaurants in Sydney. Will definitely be back.
J.
Always a great night, just be sure to book ahead of time and be on time ran slightly late and was pushed back 40 minutes. Food as always is divine, try the steak tartare you won't regret it, and don't be afraid of the wine list all the staff will be able to give you a great recommendation for pairing with your meals. There's a few hidden gems in the menu for the cost conscious but go all out and make a night of it you won't be disappointed
S. S. H.
Me & my wife had our special wedding anniversary dinner tonight and it was a memorable one in terms of taste, ambience and the service received.
My wife ordered Snapper, along with potato puree and I've ordered 36 short rib steak as suggested by ceejay, the awesome waitress who was fantastic with the service. Steak was perfectly cooked and it was one of the best steaks I had in my entire life.
Once again, really appreciate the service received and the staff ceejay for being such a wonderful host.
Will definitely recommend to friends & family and looking forward to our next visit really soon.
Thanks :)
C. C.
This place is magical! The decor is regal and memorable. Staff were super attentive and nothing seemed to inconvenience them when it came to menu alterations. A great place for a memorable dinner or lunch in the city!!
G. M.
Was looking for a 3 1/2 star but there's none.
4 because of the wonderful service we had throughout the night from Caleb. Such a good waitress. Hope he's happy with my tip :)
Food was a bit pricy.... however I don't mind it if it is worth the price. Unfortunately it just fall a bit short for me.
Plating was average. Food was average. What saved this restaurant of getting a 2 or 3 star from me is the atmosphere and the service. Caleb... you served during dinner on 26th Nov... Thank you!! It was my wife's 50th Bday and you have made our family's night a very enjoyable one. Thank you.
C.
Food is fantastic! Steak melt in your mouth..So delicious..5 stars for food. Service is a different matter, Saturday night booking 8pm and the staff is already stretched, have to wait a while to be looked after. I had the set menu with wine and had to remind the sommelier to bring the wine to me according to the dish ??? Really..I should not have to..toilets are also a let down, come on at this price I expect clean toilets and no full flowing bin in the ladies ...please get your act together !
S. M.
Gorgeous art deco, grand interior. Tables are large, even for 2, so if you're after an intimate date location where you can hold hands with your lover over the table, don't come here - unless you have exceptionally long arms!
The menu is large and a little hard to read, but everything they serve is exceptional. I appreciate the amount of grass fed beef available.
I also enjoy the condiment service they provide so I'm not forced to choose only one mustard! (I must have at least 3!)
K. S.
Had an awesome dinner with friends here. Tried the tuna steak and it was among the best I've ever had. The prawn tortellini were very tasty as well. The banana cheesecake is a must, trust me!
T. D.
WOW. What a place to dine? The food here is second to none. The menu here is so extensive that it's makes choosing difficult. But what makes things much easier is knowing that whatever you end up ordering will be fantastic. I have always said that I would rather pay more for a great meal than pay peanuts and get monkey food. Nothing is more frustrating than a food let down and I know that I'll be back here for a guaranteed good feed, good wine, good ambiance and good service. Highly recommended. 5 stars
N. L.
Excellent restaurant with good solid choices. The refined plates are interesting otherwise it has multiple choices of steak and seafood as well as 4-6 mains that are more stews or cooked dishes. Excellent selection of wines. Prices are accordingly more on the quite expensive side as well. Cocktail bar abutts the restaurant good drinks.
V. Q.
Rockpool is a great place to go if you are looking for a high quality steak. You can get a variety of specialty cuts from specialty meat producers and offer dry aged cuts as well. The wine list here is really extensive and you will need some help from the sommelier or waiter to navigate the wine menu.
Food: 4 stars
Service: 4 stars
Environment: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
Recommendations: Oysters, dry aged ribeye, Mac and cheese
This restaurant has consistently received two hats from the good food guide and you can see why. The steaks here are really good as well as the sides. When I’m in Sydney this is the place I go for steak.
P. H.
Best meat ever and perfect gourmet dishes from the hand of Neil Perry. Special mention for the magic wine pairing and the incredible art deco retro futurist low light ambient. Really a priceless experience.
A. M.
This is fine dining at its most exquisite! The experience starts at the entrance; Rockpool Bar and Grill is housed inside the City Mutual Building at 66 Hunter Street. The restaurant is on the ground floor with the most exquisite setting. The food I can only describe as ethereal delicacy! Not to mention the first class services from very friendly, efficient and excellent staff. The à la carte menu is not overwhelming and very well selected menu from caviar with toast and créme fraiche to seafood from the charcoal oven to scrumptious beef from the wood fired grill. As this is fine dining, it'd be vulgar to mention the price but absolutely worth it for the ambience, first class services and cuisine and the setting, you might as well be in London or Paris or New York! A must for very special occasions. Oh forgot to mention the wine and liquor list; heavenly. This is bamboozled elegance through and through.
S. C.
Edit, After my review below. We had another opportunity to go to Rockpool and they blew us away. Absolutely spectacular. Literally from when we walked in to leaving the staff and the food were perfect. Especially the waiter that was looking after us Rory, He was fantastic! Very helpful, knowledgeable and funny too. If we have Rory everytime we attend for dinner it would be the cherry on top. Now the food, wow! Bravo to the kitchen. What a job well done. Our food was perfect, not one fault. Thank you very much to Rockpool for a wonderful nignt. We will definitely be returning
I was My Wife and I have been going to Rockpool Bar & Grill for sometime now. The past times it has been wonderful. Friends of ours that a frequent visitors at Rockpool told us things are slipping a bit but I didn't believe them. But they were spot on with what they said. The lady that serviced our table 1st asked if we have been to Rockpool before. We answered yes, many time. She gave us a quick briefing, she asked if we were ready. I said yes, to which she said I'll give you more time and walked away out of sight.. There are a number of other things to mention but I want to get to the food. So we order steak and lamb. My steak (med-rare) came out rare to borderline blue. Looking back I should have sent it back but that is just not my personality to do so. The best part of the night was the gentleman that helped us with our wine. I cannot remember his name but he was a tall Frenchman. I would give him 5 stars. At the end of the day for the price we all pay when we visit it needs to be perfection or nearest too. I'm very sorry but this time just missed the bar. Sadly I will not be returning to this establishment.
S. Y.
The food is really good here and the staff are exceptional with knowledge and service. I was impressed with the attention to detail in service and surprised by a small cake at the end when they found out that we were celebrating our first wedding anniversary. Really lovely touch to end the night. Highly recommend this restaurant for food and the experience.
A. T.
Nicole I love you ❤️❤️❤️if you ever see this.
This is a farewell dinner arranged by my best girlfriend. Food and wine are pretty good. Service was a bit down with a bit drama but not gonna spread it. Anyways it’s a memorable dinner.
B. J.
To be fair, the food at Rockpool is unquestionably above average. Duck is one of my favorite foods and they offered a dish consisting of duck so I knew I had to give it a try. The duck was cooked well but ultimately lacked significant flavor and disappointed me based on the prices the restaurant charges for its food. I would recommend Rockpool but think better options exist for finer dining. Otherwise, the service and ambiance were a cut above and deserve recognition.
C. C.
Great staff always professional great food great atmosphere.
K. R.
This restaurant is a great place, whatever the occasion. Incredible art-deco style with very high ceiling, the service is perfect and food even better. I love the steaks (so tender!!) and the sides (especially the mushrooms). It's one of the quiet places I love to go in Sydney. A bit pricy but you get what you paid for.
M. L.
We came here for a quiet business lunch - I was highly impressed with the service and professionalism of the staff, and the value of the meal. Whether you're after the full white table, silver service, or a nice pub meal, I wouldn't hesitate to bring anyone here to share a meal.
Well done guys!
J. G.
Place worth to visit, good food, great wine list
R. H.
Great food…Impersonal Service:
When dining at a restaurant on this scale, the experience is part of what you pay for. While in Sydney I was looking to celebrate my 40th birthday with an amazing steak and a memorable experience. I was told Rock Pool was the place.
When I made my phone reservation, I mentioned that I was looking forward to coming there for my 40th birthday so hoped it to be special. In the US, this would be something that they would make a note of and go out of their way to help you celebrate. However, upon arriving, it was a very impersonable check in. Not even a hello, how is your day going. This was a trend that continued throughout the night.
I would expect that the main server taking my order would take a little bite of time, especially considering I was a single diner, to conversate some with me. Instead it was “can I take your order and thank you.” When the bartender brought my wine there was no, hello, here is the Shiraz you order; it was just set down at my table. While there were lots of people to perform duties such as bread, water, cleaning tables, etc. they all stuck to their duties. As an example, I finished my first glass of wine with me entrée and despite someone cleaning my table, a different person filling my water, and a different person bringing my food, it wasn’t till I was nearly half way through my main course that someone who wasn’t even staffing the area noticed I was out and asked me if I would like another glass. It was like everyone was trained to only do their job and no one focused on creating an experience.
The food was great; but, at this price point the experience and how you are made to feel is part of it. I will admit that I haven’t eaten at many restaurants in Australia; but, in the USA, this wouldn’t be tolerated. They missed an opportunity to make a memory for me that would last a lifetime and that I would share with everyone.
D. J. S.
Exquisite dining. Good food but not cheap.
M. T.
The burgers are fantastic, and not uber expensive. I do sometimes think that our palates are broken down here. Maccas has moved in and makes us think that soybean is beef. Ick. This is the real deal, aged waygu. It is a fancy restaurant, but sneak to the right upon entry and sit at the bar. It's dark and luxurious. The service is impeccable.
S.
Always fantastic. Love a Chenin blanc with oysters
A. K.
This restaurant came highly recommended to us, when we travelled from Melbourne last week. I'm very sad to say that our experience definitely did not live up to recommendations from 3 separate sources.
We booked online, which was a very nice experience, and when we arrived, were shown promptly to our table. We were advised upon booking that tables were only for 2 hours, which was fine with us, 6pm arrival, out by 8.
Firstly, the wine list is like a novel. I couldn't even bring myself to open it. It would have absolutely overwhelmed me. I decided on a cocktail, which, when it arrived tasted like lemon juice and vinegar, and i could barely get it down. The waitress told me i could just order any cocktail i like (off-menu) and the bar will do it up for me, which was nice of them.
The starter was very nice, squid and pork belly, split onto 2 plates for us, scallops and roast prawns. Not sure who came up with the idea of cutting prawns in half like that, but it makes them impossible to eat, and i had to use my fingers, and was spitting out pieces of shell. It was embarassing. Luckily nobody else could have possibly seen me, as it was so dark in the dining area.
We ordered mains, with great difficulty, as everything is separate. If you order a steak, that's all you get. A plate, with a steak on it and nothing else.
My partner ordered a rib eye, medium rare, as suggested by the waitress, who didn't really give him a choice "how would you like the steak, medium rare?" This was fine, as thats how he likes it. Ordered sides separately, but for some reason he ordered peppers, which was strange, and i got a bowl of potato puree (otherwise known as mash) for him also.
I ordered the paspaley pasta.
Meals arrived, the peppers, seriously, was a huge plate of tiny capsicums, much more than one, or 2 people could ever hope to finish. Not that they were edible though, being that there seemed to be more salt than vegetable in the bowl. The potato puree, was quite similar, so salty as to be uncomfortable.
My partner ate his steak, not fussed one way or the other by it. I tried to eat my pasta, but, along the linea of the veggies, it was extremely oversalted also, enough to ruin the taste that should have been going on, and being so salty, seemed to make the oyster meat quite tough also. I couldn't finish the meal.
We told the waiter, who told a lady, who came and gave us some free desserts, a creme caramel and a pavlova, both of which were quite bland (but better than being salty like the rest of the meal).
I will not be returning, and am quite disappointed that this establishment cam charge such high prices, for such average food.
G. H. D.
I still rate the Rockpool as my favourite restaurant in the world.
250g Fillet $55 and the Max n Cheese side dish possibly the finest concoction ever. The bearnaise sauce on the side was light, plentiful and perfect.
That meal may be a little rich for some, but worth all those calories. Service exemplary and a superb wine list, even by the glass.
Don't forget to make reservations!
O. E.
Service was great
Suitable place for couples dating
S. R.
Came here for a special occasion
Everything we ordered was from good to great
We tried the snapper,grilled octopus,pumpkin and sweet potato and they were all good
Steam strawberry clams and the mushy pees were my favourites. The clans really go well with the beans and the texture of the peas was mouth watering
The missus had the 30 month aged beef fillet and she enjoyed it
Service was attentive and friendly and had no issues asking them to take photos
We also ended up with a cup cake,how nice of them!
The lighting inside is dim,the place somehow remind me of "the shining" without the eerie-ness
Overall a great experience,I could eat the mushy peas and we satisfied
S. G.
As you would expect from a restaurant with a reputation like Rockpool, fantastic food and service. Wine list is incredible, it's the size of a phone book. Of course it's a little pricey, but I found it to be good value for money and would certainly go back.
A. L.
This place is famous for their 85 day aged steak (unlike the original branch which is famous for seafood). You can also get seafood at this branch. Our table of 9 were sat next to the kitchen. If your back is to the kitchen - it gets hot because we were close to the action (they were searing the steak). We ordered the steak, seafood and a number of vegetarian dishes. I absolutely do not recommend this place for vegetarians but the steak according to my nephews was "it's the best steak ever!" The seafood options were all paired with local foraged herbs which was polished off real quick. We really struggled with the vegetarian mains which were both heavy (pasta) and salty (goats curd) - in fact we didn't finish them although we all enjoyed the vegetarian starters! Dessert wise - it's all a hit & miss, not at all memorable in that department while the coffee was poor. All in all, a mixed bag but great for seafood and meat lovers.
R. I.
The kind of place your Mum warned you about. Rich, decadent, will lead you astray... Awesome food, great service, all in an aesthetically pleasing package. Anyone looking for a fantastic dining experience in Sydney should give Rockpool a try. The ambiance is matched by the dining experience. You should trust your intuitions and give this place a try.
S. C.
Best steak I have ever eaten. Period. Great service too, tasty entrees, amazing wine list but much of it way beyond my wallet or palate. Go there.
L. H.
I feel the menu is simple and easy to follow but it needs a facelift, .. service was great, atmosphere good.
Love the mood of the place,... overall ok, I.ll go back.
K. W.
Nicely designed with attentive staff. Expected a higher quality of food and wine considering the high price tag. The ragu parpadelle and pumpkin side was delicious, but the steaks were dry and uninspired.
K. C.
Great service and food was good, but I expected a lot less sinew for a AUD65 bone-in rib eye. Or a sharper steak knife would have helped, but a sinewy steak paired with a blunt knife equals a poor experience. And when they packed our left overs, we found when we got home they didn’t pack the rib-eye bone, which I was actually really looking forward to eating, so felt a bit ripped off.
K. D.
I normally don't write reviews, but I'm in Australia for a brief stay and I've been so impressed with my experiences, that I just had to post online my feelings. Rockpool. What a beautiful restaurant, from the decor, food, and the service point of views, it really deserves five stars. I took some clients for dinner, and saw the range of their menu and was extremely impressed. Please try Neil Perry's Taste of the Sea, followed by an amazing Australian steak.
A. D.
Once again outstanding dining experience.
The service was superb.
The food exceptional.
Wine was terrific.
Happy Wife. Birthday Dinner.
Grilled prawns as always done to perfection.
Aged Sirloin medium rare to perfection.
Seasonal greens delicious.
Mac and Cheese awesome.
Burnaise Sauce rocking.
Shiraz see picture was just terrific.
Pinot Noir for the lady also terrific.
Nice work team nailed it again.
M. C.
We had rockpool 10 years anniversary menu with pairing wine. Food was amazing and wine was good too. But only one thing is the timing between the courses was too short. They served next round of the wine when I was still having the previous round. I felt a bit rushed.
J. V.
I write this review to thanks all the people working in this place for such a good and professional work done.
Thanks to:
The hostess: for welcome us and make sure we get a table as soon we arrived.
The chefs: for cooking beautiful food, you can tell the effort put on it and the professionalism.
Our waitress: the best service I've ever had, she made sure we have a everything we need to have a perfect diner.
R.
Had a chance to eat at the bar area. Ordered wagyu burger. It was good. The patty was well grill n nicely caramelised crust outside n beefy wafts flavour in. Pickled onion n zucchini compliment with the party. Nice toasted brioche bun. Worth the price. Onion ring top quality.
K. G.
Nice spot in Sydney for a special occasion meal. It can be a costly night out, but great service and top quality food make it worth it. We have had visitors from overseas who have said it is the best steak they have ever had. Great wine selection and suggestions for wines to match with food. The sweet potato and pumpkin side is a must.
N. F.
Whilst the building/setting is stunning, everything else is distinctly average in relation to the price. I dined here with my partner a month or so ago and generally found the whole experience a bit meh from user experience perspective.
The menu isn’t particularly clear in parts - my partner ordered a pasta dish for her main, only to be told this is actually a starter, so half the price will be added to make it a main, making it $44 for a bolognese. Just make that clear on the menu to set expectation to your customers early on. I had the beef short ribs with chimmichurri sauce, and again, perfectly pleasant, but for $56, not worth it at all as the beef wasn’t as tender as it could be, the sauce was more of a chutney (with not enough to go with the beef) and a 1/3 of my plate was filled with the bone from the short rib after having the meat removed, so pretty pointless and just got in the way! Moved on to dessert and again, nothing to shout about (brownie and doughnuts) when you look at the price point. Finally, I’ve never seen so many people struggle to find the toilet! Simply put some signage up.
I have no doubt, from reading other reviews, this is not the norm in terms of food, it was still a generally disappointing experience. As a destination restaurant, the anticipation throughout the day of knowing your going is palpable, but it just didn’t translate on this occasion. I would however, recommend making your menu clearer and adding signage for the toilets - this might seem trivial to do, but once it’s done, it’s done, meaning staff aren’t constantly signposting to the toilet or having to explain the menu each time.
D. D.
Great bar and restaurant. Amazing food, wind and good decor. Thumb up for the service!
J. R.
The restaurant is most definitely over rated and over priced. The service is inconsistent and not always professional. The food isn't consistent either. Often the steak isn't cooked as ordered and is sometimes cold on arrival at the table. The bar is a good place for a quiet drink on most nights except Friday and the bar food is good.
A. P.
A bit of a let down for me. I ordered a rib eye steak medium rare and it was served blue. I don't mind blue steak but this cut needs to be done longer so was tough and unpleasant, we were going to a show so didn't have time to send it back.
The cauliflower cheese was excellent as were the chips. Amazing wine list.
I don't think we will go back.
R. G.
We've been here for the fine-dining restaurant dishes, and though they're good, they're somewhat expected for the prices they charged. The service is also as expected from this Rockpool flag-ship restaurant, i.e. efficient, business-like and orderly. The ambience is good but the room is a bit dark. Their bar menu is actually my preferred choices since they're more accessible in terms of pricing but the quality are not compromised. I love their wagyu burger and empanadas. The ambience and services are also less formal and the little bar room is not dark like the restaurant area.
B. E.
Amazing, top quality and delicious food. Very attentive staff. Beautiful interior. A place everyone should try. You won't be disappointed.
D. P.
Excellent cuisine in a formal but comfortable environment. A little bit of a secret from the street but once you get inside this place is huge. Their beef steaks are a speciality and you can choose from a wide variety of cuts and breeds as well as the time in ageing. Service is seamless and was nicely tailored to our desires - today it was a long lunch. My steak was cooked exactly as requested and perfectly matched with the wine recommended by our waitress.
S. S.
Amazing food 🤗
I am a Big fan of Neil Perry
Culinary Genius 🥩
Unfortunately the only downside to the experience
They are serving the Nordaq filtered water.
It’s just filtered tap water. And it’s not reverse osmosis so it hasn’t filtered out the fluoride.
Sorry not drinking that rubbish 🥺
r.
Nice food. But rushed, rude and unpleasant service; we were half an hour late to be seated. That’s fine, it was busy, we get it, we were happy to have a drink In the bar. But then the waitress that we had was very clearly trying to rush us out; after just over 2 hours (and $850) at the table, she literally asked us to ”leave now, guys” because they needed the table back to setup for dinner. I get that you need to turn over the table for service but there were maybe a dozen other empty tables that could have been cleared first (not to mention at least three tables full of clearly more valued customers) - if you’d given us another few minutes to finish the last mouthfuls of our coffees, that would have been much more gracious. It was pretty unpleasant.
I should’ve known it would end on a sour note when my friends went to the bathroom just after the mains and she said to me (alone at the table), “We’re calling last drinks in the restaurant, would you like to move to the bar for your dessert and you can have it at your leisure?” I said “No that’s ok, we’re not ordering any more drinks, we’ll have dessert here, thanks.” And she said, “I’ll just check with everyone else when they’re back at the table.” Or how about NO, and you just accept what I just said to you??
The overall experience just felt rushed, rude, ungracious and unpleasant. On a positive, the sommelier was lovely but even then, after saying they’d charge the same price for a substitute wine after the one I wanted was sold out, I only noticed afterwards they in fact charged $10 more for the bottle; $125 versus the original bottle’s price of $115. Not the biggest grievance on an $850 bill but it’s about the icing on the cake.
J. N.
Been there 3 times. This is a review based on averages.
This is an excellent restaurant well worth saving or splurging on.
Wheelchair access is through the bar which has a good mix of high stools and tables and lounges so generally doesn't feel like you are negotiating through a forrest of legs and bottoms.
Seating for the restaurant is snug but able to be negotiated with the wheelchair. The staff are generally accommodating and not embarrassed nor patronising. They took subtle cues to help out, like a hand across the table to indicate that they should look at my company so he could lip read the specials.
Food is good as you'd expect for the price. I'd suggest that if you get sides go for 3/4 a side per person in terms of quantity.
S. H.
Outstanding!!
Rockpool is proof of why everyone deserves a second chance.
After a disappointing experience last month, myself and two friends decided to try Rockpool again and it was sensational.
It was an amazing dining experience from start to finish that could not be faulted.
In addition to delicious food and wine the service was exceptional with such a high attention to detail from staff.
We were made feel extremely welcome right from the beginning.
On arrival we received an amuse bouche of sliders which was a very thoughtful touch.
For entree we had delicious oysters to share, as well as scallops in the shell which were cooked to perfection and char grilled prawns which were melt in the mouth and moreish.
For main course we all ordered steaks, a T-bone and two Filet steaks, which were perfectly seasoned and pink along with sides to share of creamed potato, chips, brussels sprouts, mixed mushrooms and a shaved zucchini salad.
The sides were all amazing and complimented the steaks so perfectly that no crumbs were left behind.
I have to give a special mention to the brussels sprouts with chestnuts and speck as they were truly something.
The staff also went over and above by bringing a birthday dessert for my friend for her 30th, which was another thoughtful touch that made the night really special.
All in all we had a truly amazing night, Rockpool in my eyes have gone over and above to redeem themselves and I would happily go back in future.
A. W.
The BEST place for steak!
The entrees were fabulous, tuna tartare was amazing, but steak tartare was just to die for!
Next time we are back in Sydney, definitely will go back!
10/10
R. B. B.
Outstanding venue, good quality product, however you pay for it. Been here several times I can say that the service can be a hit and a miss. Some really top notch waiters that love what they do, mixed with other ones who clearly do not want to be there. Overall always a positive experience.
S. C.
Went for a working lunch and service was excellent. The food was delicious and great selection of wine. We were in a reserved function area so really exclusive as in you could hear each other speak! Bathrooms were equally of good service and would recommend this place.
J. L.
This place is amazing, booked over the phone clear communication, got in and immediately looked after. We had drinks at the bar while we waited for our table (we were there early) we added directly to our booking. Staff were flawless and had excellent recommendations. Went for the marble 9+ steak and it was to die for. You definately pay a bit more here but this is definately a case of you get what you pay for. Will definately be back.
G. M.
Burger and wine deal for $25. One of the best burgers in Sydney.
D. S.
Wonderful upscale establishment that served us exceptional food and quality wines at the bar. Staff was polite and responsive to our requests. The ambience was warm and welcoming. Will definitely return!
J. E.
This is a very good restaurant , one would ALMOST say fine restaurant. The ambience of the art deco surrounds - superb. The wait staff and sommeliers - knowledge, subtle, efficient and courteous. The food - to die for and course sizes not requiring a microscope to view.
I would have given this venue 5 stars except that the noise level was far to high for a fine dining establishment and the lighting was so dim - 1 table in 3 were using their smart phones torches to view the menu.
Wine list is extensive but prices are highly inflated, then again this is pretty much the norm for this quality of restaurant.
K. B.
Fantastic food - it’s super expensive I won’t lie to you about that but it’s a true experience! Everything that was recommended to us was lovely and I was given a cupcake as a gift for my birthday! Lovely staff and lovely food.
P. T.
I'm a vegetarian so it was limited but what I had was very nice. And the restaurant itself has a great ambience.
M. K.
Great service, very nice place in Sydney cbd, worth going for a upscale date or hangout with colleagues
Bit disappointed after trying the supposedly best burger in Sydney according to a few burger reviews. The patty itself was top class. But it was lacking cheese and sauce that makes a burger a burger. I'd expected my hands to get messy from eating a burger, but it was left clean after the whole burger
S. M.
Food, service, and atmosphere is unmatched. An incredible and special experience made by the staff and food! Staff are relaxed and knowledgeable. Felt like I was in another world, I wish more establishments would adopt this service style. Bon managing the bar is a star!
J. M.
Went here last night for my Husband's birthday. We had a great time - food/service was great and couldn't really ask for any better. They also threw in a complimentary cupcake with a birthday calendar for the birthday which was great! Would definitely go again!
J. S.
I've been here only once for a business dinner but it was the most exquisite place I've been to in Sydney. The prices are too, but you get excellent service and the best food and beverages you can wish for. The portion sizes are appropriately and the atmosphere very nice and comfortable.
M. A.
My partner ordered a medium steak and some mash to go with it and said it was the best he's ever had, the waitress also suggested a wine to go with it and it was all perfect. I wasn't hungry at the time so I didn't eat but enjoyed a few drinks
N. L.
Always had impeccable service and food.
However a recent trip has lead me to leave 4/5 stars.
Ordered numerous dishes including the free range roast chicken only for it to arrive raw.
I raised it with staff only to be told it 'thats how the chef alway cooks it, slightly pink'.
FYI, I know the difference between 'pink' vs 'this is still so raw the flesh is bound to the bone'.
S. C.
Everything here is pretty impressive, from the beautiful Art Deco building, to the extensive wine list and the amazing burgers. The bar is very smart, old school and oozes money and power. Staff are efficient and knowledgeable. The bar gets pretty packed with the after work power-crowd but if you can't get a table you can eat at the bar. We went for the Wagyu Hamburger which at $24 is probably the most expensive but definitely the best burger we've ever had. The hand cut chips are crispy on the outside and little soft fluffy pillows of potato on the inside. The onion rings were also seriously good. Sides were $12 a pop but portions were generous. It's like that old adage, "you get what you pay for."
s. a.
Had a burger at the bar. Great service complimented an even better meal. Would highly recommend
G. C.
Two words: wagyu burger. I heard from others that it was the best burger in Sydney, and it certainly didn't disappoint. The price tag is reasonable considering the location, however you'll certainly make up for the cost if you get a wine to go with it—the wine list is on the expensive side. The bar & grill is a lot more low key than the restaurant and is easier to drop in for a meal after work. Highly recommended.
A. W.
Excellent chocolate and peanut tart.
Tough as boots 4 hour slow cooked sirloin (disappointed). Nice tuna tartare entree. Dessert brought the meal to a higher level! And I usually don't get excited about desserts!!!!
Nice buzz to the place... crazy during the party season ... not a place for a quiet intimate dinner but excellent place for Christmas drinks and parties.
D. M.
Amazing food and service! What a gorgeous location.
T. O.
I love the bar and the restaurant equally for different things. The bar is cosy and intimate and they make a stiff martini. The dining room is glorious and the food was unbelievable, as was the wine.
S. Y. C.
nice atmospher, good service but the staff had a mistake served whiting filets was cut. And the food is expensive. I was disappointed.
J. F.
Everything about this place is wonderful. The space is beautiful with the high ceilings, dimmed lights but not to dark. And had one of the best steaks I've had in my life, will definitely be back.
L. M.
Disappointing food but fantastic service. The reputation of the name got us in but we probably wouldn't return. For the price it should be amazing like Cafe Sydney. They steak and sides were very good but they should do everything well.
S. K.
First time trying out Rockpool Bar and Grill after they closed down the original fine-dining restaurant. Service was attentive, the sides and entrees came out super quick (probably within 8 mins of ordering) and were all delicious. Oysters were fresh, mac and cheese was delicious and bone marrow came in generous portions. The only thing I can critique on is that the bone marrow was fattier than other ones I've tried before...this can be tolerable if there were more pickles onions given to cut out the richness. I ordered the lamb chops with mint jelly which came out in generous portions once again and were super juicy and tender! Finished off with crème brulee which was nice, but just had too much syrup than needed. Other than that, food was really good overall and I'll be back for sure.
A. D.
A tasteful, old fashioned eatery which manages to capture the old school charm of a restaurant without retaining the snobby attitude which usually would go with it. Pricey, but not outrageous. Filled with the working elite during lunch hour - but the burgers are worth putting up with the suits! (Get the chips with wagyu gravy are a must)
J. N.
Great venue for fine dining. The staff there are very attentive and professional. The food I could not fault, everything was cooked to perfection. Must go back for the eye fillet.
S. M.
Wonderful place for special celebrations.
C. T.
Wonderful menu. Wide range and very good portions. Service is very good. Used to be a place that you would dress up to go to..... Unfortunately it seems to be come ad you are..... but the food is still exceptional
M. B.
I'd heard great things about this place before I went for dinner so my expectations were sky high. Unfortunately, I was left a bit unsatisfied. Yes, the food was good, but the atmosphere was sadly a bit stuffy, like having dinner in a dimly lit library. I've heard that the burgers on offer at the lunch service are awesome though, so i'm willing to give it another shot. Can't pass up the chance of an awesome burger!
B.
Fantastic burger, simple but excellent depth of flavour and a lot of thought into preparation of each ingredient. Great service too!
T. M.
Missus took me here for our 1st year together.
Meat literally melts in your mouth. The drink selection is deep. Very enjoyable - love steak restaurants and it had everything you would want in on.
M. “. M.
Food was sensational, rib-eye steak was very succulent and tender, service was exceptional. It is one of the best restaurants in Sydney.
Highly recommended, will not disappoint.
T. B. G.
Rockpool is a trendy restaurant located in the lobby of an old time office building. This setting caters itself to classy steaks, fine cocktails, and a romantic night on the town.
The Rockpool burger aims to embody that flair. The burger features Full Blood Wagyu, bacon, Gruyere cheese and Zuni pickle, pickled onion, and caramelized onion. The burger has a very beefy flavor with a hint a hint of sweetness. Coupled with the toasted bun it's an enjoyable experience, but the cheese and sauce used on the burger are not in attendance with the rest of the ingredients. The beef and bun were also a bit dryer than I would expect. Last of all, a sharper cheese or a greater kick of vinegar from the pickled ingredients would really make this burger a mouthwatering treat. For having a high price-tag and expectation the Rockpool burger is only mediocre in execution.
There are better burgers to be had in Sydney...but if you need to impress your date Rockpool is definitely the go to.
A. V.
I visited the restaurant with my partner for our Anniversary, Annalu was Fantastic so it was the Waitress, very attentive to details and also recommended a fantastic selection of plates to try. will be back again, thats for sure. one thing that let me down was at the Bar, a bit slow and it was not busy, but the 5* service from the restaurant made up for it. well done to Annalu and the waitress for their amazing service.
R. N.
The service here is impeccable, the menu appears to be changing every day based on the availability of fresh produce. The wine selection is huge and will make even the fussiest wine conosuiers happy. So it's no surprise at all that this restaurant has earned it's well deserved 2 CHEF STAR 🌟 status.
Must try the braised wagyu if it is still available on the menu..
J. W.
Over the Australia Day long weekend my wide and I were privileged to attend The Bentley, Aria and Rockpool Bar and Grill across three consecutive nights as a gift from one of our 7 children.
We can say without hesitation that Rockpool was easily our favourite evening. A number of key features lifted it above the other establishments.
1. The menu is extensive, with an appeal that is at once broad, eclectic and yet readily accessible to diners of all culinary interests.
2. The ambiance of the restaurant made one feel that if a Mr Gatsby walked in he would not be feted, but rather, treated with the same measure of politeness and civility as men and women of lesser social prestige would graciously have bestowed on them.
3. The staff are diplomatically attentive without being an uninvited guest at our table. Their presence is almost ethereal, so discretely do they perform their professional duties.
4. However, when engaged in discussion about foods, wines, managing a large kitchen, home life etc our female "waitress" was a witty and engaging woman who contributed significantly to Rockpool receiving our vote for the best prestigious fine dining restaurant.
M. W.
Great ambience. Price of the food is pretty much what you could expect for the dish you ordered. The waiters and waitresses know their menus. Good experience. (Washrooms are beautiful too with nice smelling soaps!)
A. R.
I have avoided Rockpool for so many years because of Neil Perry's ponytail. I have to say I am now a convert. Not only was the food worthy of the two hats it has been awarded but the service was some of the best I have experienced. Our waitress CJ was so good, she was professional without being pompous like so many waiters can be on prestigious establishments. My only complaint was that the bathroom bins were not emptied and were overflowing with paper, not that it was a major issue (or worth deducting stars) but I would expect them to be cleaned more regularly for a two hated restaurant.
P. D.
Lovely place, lovely food and lovely staff. It was the perfect place to have our anniversary dinner. Will definitely be back at some stage 😊
A. K.
If this is the best burger in Sydney then I don't want to try the worst burger in Sydney. Dry, overcooked and unimpressive. This was a truly disappointing experience and we were hoping for so much more, especially given Neil Perry's reputation and the bold prices. Overpriced and overrated is an understatement. I have no problem paying for a great meal, but this just wasn't one of them.
B. E.
Great food, amazing atmosphere, mediocre service. Wait...really? That can’t be right. Did we just win the anti-lottery at this place?? I have to believe that most of the time the service is amazing here, I just didn’t experience it. It’s also too expensive to try again and see if it is better next time. Too many other places that get it right. Still, I’m a little amazed...
J. G.
The bar and restaurant are two distinct spaces and each reasonably formal with great service, food and an excellent drinks menu including a Sydney leading wine list.
One exception to the 'formal' rule is the Blackmore's Burger. It is a Rockpool and Sydney 'institution' and you'll want to roll up your sleeves to enjoy the full experience. I actually believe that Sydney would lose a bit of it's luster if that Burger were not in the market.
You won't need a reservation to grab a table or seat at the bar and that's all it will take for you to order and change your life (for the better of course). Don't fret, all of you gluten free or health concerned fad followers, you can order this Burger and ask them to hold the bun.
S. M.
Staff were really warm and friendly through out the night. Atmosphere of the place is amazing and the food is to die for! It’s expensive but well worth it for the overall experience.
L. H.
Excellent food! Highly recommend the bone marrow. However, service was slightly clumsy (waitress spilled water on my friend's jacket), and the male toilets were borderline disgusting (like, please clean urine off the floor + towels were everywhere).
J. T.
Great experience, top quality food! Never had a better steak and it’s definitely worth the price! The Wagyu shin Ragu was to die for!
N.
Rockpool really is fine dining. The food is devine and we found the staff very knowledgable and accommodating. Gorgeously elegant decor. Worth every dollar. What’s not to like!?
N. N.
Never before have I felt inclined to review a restaurant, as where others tend to rave about particular establishments or must-try dishes, I'm, more often than not, underwhelmed. I like to think I'm not difficult to please -- just expect and appreciate quality...a good steak is hard to come by in Sydney.
Dining at Rockpool was a pleasurable experience from start to end. The welcoming and faultlessly friendly/polite staff made the grand place seem a warm home. To start with, I'd ordered the tuna tartare, and could/would eat that everyday if it wouldn't dull the memory of the first bite. For drinks, a 'tobacco old spice' cocktail, and a Tasmanian whisky. I don't smoke, so the smoke, smell, and mild taste of tobacco was a real treat. The cocktail itself was smooth and well balanced but stronger than I'd anticipated -- just as well, as the whisky was left unfinished, I didn't enjoy the bitterness. The complimentary bread and butter are worth a mention also, I could be mistaken but it seemed the bread is prepared and baked in house, and I wouldn't be surprised if the butter wasn't commercial also, very unique.
My main dish was a steak (Cape Grim dry-aged 60 month old fillet) with a side of roasted Sebago potatoes. And Holy Cow. By far and away the best steak I have ever eaten. I'd asked for it to be cooked rare (I like it quite rare, almost blue), and it was just perfect, seasoned well too. Additional condiments would only serve to mar the exquisite (yes, exquisite) flavour. I chose Rockpool to try the steak (highly rated by others), and found I was quite overwhelmed by its perfection, rather than the usual "not that great really, it's prepackaged/not cooked right/tough/fatty/tasteless"/any other number of distasteful characteristics. The roasted potato cubes were crispy and moreish (flavoured with garlic, rosemary, and Wagyu beef fat), and there were plenty of them; but not too many for me, I ate them all, in between glorious mouthfuls of the fillet.
I was so pleased with my meals I stayed for dessert (not usually the case), though rather than choosing something for myself, I'd requested the most popular dish. To my surprise, it was a rather enormous serving of rhubarb pudding (may be an inaccurate description, as I did not ask what it was) served with hot custard (I think). It really was delicious (the taste of creme caramel with the texture of a souffle, and a hot sweet-sour fruit filling), but I felt I was having breakfast, I could not finish it and wasn't inclined to. Next visit I will choose for myself, though I did appreciate that the waitperson did not hesitate to choose on my behalf.
Overall, the best restaurant experience I have had in Sydney. Unpretentious superbness in every regard.
L. B.
Seriously amazing food and wine. This place has amazing service. I loved the appetisers on offer and the whole experience was just wonderful. Try to get there early as it can get very loud and bustling later on, but all the same wonderful atmosphere.
S. G.
One of Sydney's great restaurants. Food is fantastic and service is cut above. While it's definitely pricey you are getting what you pay for in most cases and I've always been satisfied.
J. D.
The place was amazing but the food was reasonable but very overpriced and nothing to write home about. We have been there done that but never again. We arrived early and we were ushered to the bar to get called in when our table was ready, but 45 minutes later after addressing 2 waitresses to check our booking we finally got called to our table. The staff were professional but cold with no personality. Very clinical.
C. W.
Excellent place for a traditional bistro dinner. High quality steak, great sides. Service is as good as you would expect for the high price. More about a classy experience than an exciting one.
M. T.
The food was extremely good, the place is a bit too dark
M. K.
It's Rockpool, how can I not give it anything other than 5 stars. I'll review my most recwnt visit.
The service is always amazing, one of our party got up to go to the bathroom and the staff immediately put a cover over his food to keep it warm. Awesome.
I had the $100 steak special, a highly marbled grain-fed piece of beef that was remarkable. Taste was unreal and of course cooked to perfection.
The real star was the sides though! The macaroni and cheese was by far the best I've ever had and we all thought we'd come back just to eat that. The other notable mention was the chipotle creamed corn, you can't go to Rockpool wothout trying these!
No dessert but plenty of wine (the wine list is about as long as The Lord of The Rings).
Of course I'll be back again and again.
P. I.
Great food at the bar. Yet to try the restaurant.
t. t.
Some of the best steak I've had. Service was spectacular and the interior was beautiful. Changes to the cuts of meats do change daily so it's a good idea to check their menu.
D. C.
For the high Society. Building is impressive. The wineman is among the top I have seen. We did a very special request and he delivered 200%. Food is Good but not That value for money, still not many places in Australia where you can eat this Good. Giving the 4 Mark because nothing in life should be this expensive
A. T.
Excellent food - Amazing service and great atmosphere. Pretty good value for money, although the prices are pretty expensive, but thats what you get for one of the most highly acclaimed restaurants in Sydney. A must go, especially if your visiting and looking for a great night out.
J. S. A.
Delightful. Rockpool is the only one of the top-tier Sydney restaurants where it's relatively easy to just walk in and get a table. The prices are reasonable - I mean yes, it's expensive, but there's a hundred restaurants in Sydney which are more expensive but are worse. The staff are attentive and thoughtful. The wine list is amazing, though obviously you should be careful ordering as there's some very, very expensive wines available. And last but not least, the food is world class.
You can get similarly good food at a couple of other restaurants in Sydney, but better food nowhere. Those restaurants, though, the ones which are on par with Rockpool - they're a real pain in the ass to actually eat at. Either you have to book long in advance, or you have to put up with someone else's set menu, or you're made to feel like a fish in a glass bowl. Rockpool provides an all-round excellent experience, which is why it is my favourite fine dining option in Sydney.
P. S.
This place serves amazing & unique cocktails and the best steak sandwich I ever had. So delicious and full of fantastic flavours. The steak was juicy and tender. Impeccable waiting service.
L. L.
Romantic birthday dinner for my dear boyfriend. Server and sommelier was amazing. Didn't catch their names but they've made a simple experience pleasant, which is hard to get now days. Hope more guests and service industry upholds their standards like this. Thanks.
G. P.
Awesome place for a special occasion. Really classy and an extensive list of drinks which makes deciding very hard.
Staff are very welcoming
Food is amazing
A. G.
This place is great for dinner if you can get a booking on a Thursday-Saturday night. I assumed that it would be booked out a year in advance, but we got very lucky and managed to get a 22:00 booking on a Saturday night by calling up that …
C. W.
Absolutely incredible dining experience. I dined at the bar and the service was still fantastic. The food is honestly some of the best i have had in Sydney. The Big Eye Tuna was seared perfectly and so fresh that it needed nothing else. The …
Z. S.
Awesome steaks. Cooked beautifully on the inside, nice sear on the outside. Cooked medium-rare. Sides, mushrooms were absolutely delicious. Well done, keep it up.
s.
Disappointing from such a restaurant, 4 medium rare steaks coming out rare. Wasting 80$+
T. O.
I love the bar and the restaurant equally for different things. The bar is cosy and intimate and they make a stiff martini. The dining room is glorious and the food was unbelievable, as was the wine.
R. X.
Experience was great and the service was prompt, though not overly warm. While the food was decent and you don't go to Rockpool for seafood, we found the $55 saffron stew quite underwhelming and actually regretted ordering it (not something that's common when ordering!). Still worth a try but stick to the meat in my humble opinion.
B. B.
We really had a very average, not-special experience here. We arrived on time, table wasn't ready. Directed to the bar where we were ignored for 15 minutes. Finally shown to our table, drinks from the bar never arrived, drinks ordered at …
J. D.
Amazing food! Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. The building is an old bank I believe. Costly, but highly recommended.
S. Y.
The food is really good here and the staff are exceptional with knowledge and service. I was impressed with the attention to detail in service and surprised by a small cake at the end when they found out that we were celebrating our first …
J. Y.
top dining place, everything were great for us. food menu, wine recommendation all spotted on.
Had great time with client there.
S. M.
Food and decor are on a whole other level (as is the price). One star off for really disappointing service - I can live with inattentive, but we had a run in when we paid that was actively rude and way below what I expect from high end dining.
D. A. E.
When we got here the main room was full so we got a time when a table would be ready. We tok a drink in the bar and decided to eat in the bar area, right after we had ordered the staf came and asked if we still would eat in the main hall, which we declined, yet it was nice to see that they remembered. We ordered fish(~baracuda), and minute steak with the side dishes cut potato, onion rings and buttered salad. I have to say that the salad mixed nice with the beef and complimented the flavour. We all agreed the food was great. When done eating the staff swiftlt cleaned the table with both dishes and the spill. The stay was great, the food was great and the staf was great. I totally recomend this place from what we experienced!!
e. g.
Best food/menu in Sydney in my opinion. I’m not into “fine dining” that’s why I come here but this is simple food done ridiculously well. Customer service is second to none. Double check the menu as it varies daily due mostly to availability
A. K.
Amazing food and service!
P. G.
Situated in an art-deco building on Hunter Street, this restaurant has a vibe that must be experienced. The food is absolutely delicious largely due to the incredible artistry of the chefs led by Neil Perry. I would recommend this place for a very special occasion.
S. D.
As ever, great service, perfectly cooked steak and a fantastic wine list to match. This is fast becoming my go to venue for a blow out meal. Will definitely be going again.
D. N.
Plenty of people have talked about the food and wine, so it's worth mentioning the cocktails. This is, somewhat surprisingly, one of the top cocktail bars in Sydney. The bartenders really know their stuff, and it's well worth a visit just to sit at the bar and enjoy some fabulously made cocktails.
A. A.
its never dissapointed me. The steak perfect and the sides are delicious. Every side dish even the most simple was delicious! Perfect for a romantic date! love the atmosphere esp on a friday night
A. S.
Great menu with excellent flavours and well executed dishes. Venue feels a bit like a hotel lobby but the wine list is fantastic and the food was hard to fault!
S. H.
It was a fascinating dining experience. i had cape grim dry aged 36-month old fillet stake with matching wine. It was melting in the mouth efforlessly.
D. F.
Neil Perry's empire seems to have no limits of late. The Rockpool Bar & Grill is a winning formula that equally satisfies the lunchtime business crowd as much the discerning nightly foodies. You come here for the steaks, which are exceptional and you are not short of choice. Steak choice is personal but they'll have something you like. Just as good is the Alaskan sea crab or nip into the bar area for their now infamous Wagyu burger which at $20 or so is the best value thing you'll find on an otherwise somewhat pricey menu.
C. L.
I know everyone is eager to know what that $200 lobster taste like. However since this is the first time I'm eating here I decided to sus out with T bone steak. And I can only imagine how good the lobster would have tasted. Definitely coming back.
J. S.
Exceeded all expectations. I went in expecting very big things for an eagerly anticipated date. Everything served on a plate or in a glass was magnificent and the staff were attentive and informative while being subtle and not the least bit intrusive... A very difficult balance to maintain, but perfectly executed and much appreciated. Big tip of the hat to our lovely kiwi waitress and trendy bearded sommelier.
The lady suggested we turn the evening into a self styled tapas, and it was a really good strategy. Notes on our orders:
-Pacific oysters are to die for. Rock oysters were good, but the pacific are a level beyond
-The scallops are unmissable. Sweet, salty, smoky, nothing short of a foodgasm
-Ham, pork belly and chorizo are all beautifully balanced. Seafood is meticulously sourced and evidently fresh as can be. Even the salad's construction deserves a tip of the hat.
Drinks:
The unique house cocktails have been well thought out and thematically constructed by some very gifted minds (smoked cherry martini is a cracker). The staff and bartenders are also very attentive - my vodka martini was ordered to exact specification and delivered to perfection with zero fuss.
This place is an absolute gem. If you're a true foodie, you'll know how to appreciate it.
S. M.
Best steak restaurant in Sydney. Omg, when I first got the steak and I tried it, omg. It’s the best steak I’ve ever eaten. But the bill is costy $200 for me and my mum 2 steaks and chips.
S. R.
Great food drinks and service
M. F.
One of my favorite place in Sydney, the meat, the atmosphere and the architecture are just amazing!