Large pub set off a busy main road. It would be easy to miss, as this section of Brookvale is something you'd normally be driving through as quickly as possible.
But it was renovated earlier this year, and the expansive pub inside doesn't look too bad. There's a sports bar and smoking area up front, and large bistro/drinking/beer garden areas out the back. Inside is a bit too dark for my tastes; a skylight would go a long way.
But the drinks selection is decent, and is the food menu. They've got one of those cook-your-own-steak grills if you don't mind doing that.
We stopped in for a Sunday lunch and found it relaxing. Good service, not too packed, nice clean toilets, shaded seats outside.
All of this would normally add up to a 3-star review for me, but my lunch easily tips it up to a 4-star. For I had here, at the Brookvale Hotel, the best burger of my five years in Australia. It was thick, coarsely-ground, blackened, well-seasoned meat, with crisp, fresh toppings, delicious spicy sauce, and a springy brioche bun. It was an amazing, sensational hamburger. read more