Location Location Location. You have a beautiful view of the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge from here. The food and drink is a tad expensive for sure, but that doesn't stop people. Its all about that view. Warning: If you don't like birds, you might wanna stay away, those seagulls are really aggressive sometimes. read more

The $70 tasting plate is very expensive for what it is. They also put crisps on the plate. If I wanted to spend $70 on crisps I would go to the supermarket and buy the whole crisps isle. Regardless of the view. That price for a tasting plate should be $40 you only get two tic tac size oysters, 4 mini burgers that could feed 6 families in Africa. 4 tic tac size prawns (not even king prawns) you kidding me. This is Australia. And people should eat else where and spend money on decent food where this restaurant will be making money regardless!!! read more

I was very impressed with opera bar! The seafood platter was extremely fresh and the variety was amazing! I loved the drinks here also very fancy and so worth it! read more

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The worst, we got here and got seated indoors, waited for 20 minutes and when we asked for service we were told that we had to go to a corner to put in any orders that we would not receive any service from a waiter. Completely disappointed that we wasted our time and no one approached us when it's located in a very turístico spot read more

When polling colleagues about places to visit in Sydney, the Opera Bar was mentioned as a beautiful location to grab a drink. They were certainly right about that aspect: The bar itself takes up most of an outdoor plaza area on a lower level; adjacent to the harbor's edge, and below the entrance sidewalk to the Sydney Opera House. Thus the Opera House looms next to you, and the Harbour Bridge sits in front of you, just across the ferry terminal. Hard to do better, setting-wise. But that was really the only good part. On my afternoon visit, the Opera Bar was incredibly crowded, with an obnoxious, "meat market" vibe and a harried, annoyed staff. There were few places to sit, and it was difficult to take a photo of the bridge or Opera without getting other people taking photos or selfies in the background (who were in turn taking photos of others taking photos...and so on). Sort of an interesting concept though: A bar as a hall-of-mirrors caricature of itself. The beer selection was terrible (The best I found was Corona). In the spirit of "giving the place a chance", I ordered one (with the requisite lime to mask the flavor) and sat at a very small table that had just been vacated. At least the people-watching was interesting. Unfortunately the table service here was non-existent. Had I wanted some food or another beer I would have had to vacate my spot, head to the bar or counter, and stand in a long line; and then I'd have to look for a seat all over again. I'm a bit baffled by all the five-star reviews. I do appreciate the beauty of this location, but you need more than just good scenery to make for a great bar. read more

Can't speak for the food, as I've only been for drinks several times. Incredible scenery, providing the quintessential Sydney views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The staff are all very friendly and very speedy with service- essential as the bar is always busy! Prices are not as expensive as one would think being in such a prime location. Only issue I've seen is that birds attack those who are dining- which can't really be controlled by the bar itself. Great spot to have a bottle of wine or a couple beers with friends! read more

Yes yes, I know this is Sydney's beloved Opera Bar - the place of all places to shine your shoes, whiten your teeth, untangle the multitudes of straps on your strappy dress and bask in the fact that you are (at least as far as anyone else knows) a Sydneysider. And yes, I would be crazy not to admit that sitting outside, popping some overpriced bubbles (that are likely charged per sip, no less), listening to live music as the sun sets and soaking up the beautiful views of both people and landmarks is a pretty fantastic way to spend an evening. But is this any better than the food hall at the Empire State Building? Or the coffee shop at Big Ben? Or the Taj Mahal's mausoleum-mart? In theory, no... but in fairness, none of those other venues exist. So by all means, go and enjoy. Soak up the scene in all of its glory. But would I rate Opera Bar any higher than any other tourist café? Mmmm, probably not. read more

I'm a loud, dumb American. So I like doing loud, dumb American things... AND THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST BAR IN THE WORLD. I've gotten drunk every where, but I don't think I've ever had as much fun as getting hammered between the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The view is amazing and will have you giggling like a 3rd grader. Let me try to poorly describe this panoramic view as you turn your head counter clockwise. Opera House right above you to your right, city/homes on the opposite end of the harbor, Sydney Harbour Bridge (people climbing it), carnival/ferris wheel off in the distance, ferries pulling in and out of the harbour, amazing city skyline, beautiful people drinking/talking/partying. The fact that the Circular Quay stop is a few meters away, makes this bar so convenient to get to. I spent 7 days in Sydney and ended up here 3 times. Why? Because it was that relaxing. I came here during the summer and the weather was perfect. Start drinking around 11? No problem. A large stone bench that extends all along the water - you won't have trouble finding a seat any where. There are lounge chairs every where also. They have a few waitresses taking drink orders so you'll never have to get up. I may have been really drunk one of those days, but I swear I saw a few penguins flying around in the water. Some locals confirmed that penguins do indeed swim in the harbour. At that point, my friend and I were just cheezinnnnnnnnnn. I guess a lot of people like to pregame here before they see a show up in the Opera House. Jason Mraz was performing one of the days we happened to be there. All the locals around us seemed thrilled. It was sold out so they must love him over there. What do I do when the people next to us informed us he was playing that night? Naturally, I start singing his song (or what I thought was his song). 1 John Mayer song and 1 Katy Perry song later I finally got it (I guess he wrote The Remedy). Anyways, here's another tip. Get plastered on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday here. There's an open/farmer's market over at The Rocks on those days. Tons of great food to sober up on (that's another review) within walking distance, right on the other side of the harbor. If you go during the week, realize that everyone who works in the city gets off at 5, and this place gets PACKED. But if you want to see tons of vibrant, successful, good looking people socialize, this is the spot. Not like that back packer bar Scary Canary (yes, I stumbled into that one also) downtown. One more thing, MY GOD THE WOMEN ARE BEAUTIFUL HERE. I'll be back Opera Bar. I'll be back. read more

You just can't beat the view or location - EPIC. With great company, you're laughing. How can it be bad? It can only be amazing. What isn't amazing are the drinks - crappy cocktails, pricey, sllllloooooowwww service. Stick to wine here, 100%. This would be a pretty average bar without the spectacular view. This is another spot I almost always bring anyone who visits me from out of town! Because again, hello?!! Epic. read more

I've been hesitating to write this review hoping that my frustrations would dissipate and pass but even with having four days since having visited the Opera Bar I am still, if not more, appalled and disappointed at the way management handled themselves the night of our visit. A group of us (about 15) went to celebrate a birthday. The celebration called for 3pm but several of us got there much later - closer to 4:30pm. The bar was packed as usual and the bar staff took drink orders in an unorganized and deliberately selective fashion. We were a fairly calm group compared to the others surrounding us. Two of the women in our group were pregnant and one had a three month old baby with her. We were also stationed in front of security which had a first hand view of all of our actions, should we by any chance decide to throw our dignity to the wind. In any case it was about two and half hours into our celebration when Carly, the head manager on duty, decided to execute her power and mount her high horse. I am not sure where Carly got off treating members of our group in the regard that she did but I can tell you it was unprofessional and unnecessary. Carly charged one person in our group and got in his face declaring him intoxicated and incoherent, deliberately lying saying that she had been watching him since she started her shift loosing control of his head and not being able to sit upright. I'm sorry Carly, but that's impossible - even your security staff disagreed with your claims but were fearful of speaking up and stating the truth. Carly handed him a bottle of water and said that she saw that he couldn't even keep his head up and that he should probably head off soon. Well, Carly, maybe you should have looked up and around at all the 20yr somethings that were off to the left and the right of security breaking glasses, tripping over their feet and throwing cigarette butts into the harbour. I think that certainly deserved some much needed policing. About 45 minutes later Carly remounted her high horse and came charging us again. This time within inches of my friend who had drank the water (unnecessarily), eaten food and hadn't moved but held a conversation with members of the group. In the three and a half hours we had been there he (our designated driver - whom Carly declared completely inebriated) had had a total of three Peroni's. We asked if they could bring a breathalyzer to prove Carly's claims, and show that she was doing nothing but picking on a innocent patron, but Carly declined and threatened to call the police. She should have done so, just so we could have proven that she was off her rocker and in the wrong. With that said, I'd really like to know from upper management whether it was really necessary for Carly to get within inches of his face having saliva particles fly everywhere? No, it wasn't. In fact it was as appalling and disgusting. I am ashamed for you Opera Bar that you have a staff member so inadequate handling your management. I personally have worked in the hospitality industry for six years in an upper-management position and I myself wouldn't hire Carly or have her running the show. Her aggressive behaviour is a lawsuit waiting to happen. It's a good thing you have an excellent view and decent food because your poor management wouldn't get you anywhere. read more

Well, let's get the obvious out of the way first. Le View, she is spectacular! Nestled right on the Harbour foreshore with the Opera House to the right and the Harbour Bridge dead centre, this bar has one of the best views in the world. Aside from the view, the bar itself is a little forgettable. Decent selection of random beers, but alas an almost non-existant collection of scotch. Being that I'd much rather scotch to beer, I tend to frequent this place with company or before a show at the big Oh-Aitch. There is live music on most nights, very acoustic guitar heavy every time I've been. I'm a big fan of acoustic guitar and the players are generally quite good, so this makes me happy. All in all, I can easily recommend Opera Bar for the occasional cheeky drink by the waters edge, but there are much better places to seriously get your drink on in Sydney. read more

The Opera Bar is a tourist trap, a delightful tourist trap. Since we were already there to see the Sydney Opera House, Anthony took us to the Opera Bar to kill time before dinner. I thought the drinks were expensive, but I have no basis for comparison for how much drinks usually cost in Australia. I ordered the mixed berry mocktail (non alcoholic) and it was really, really good. It was a very refreshing drink with fresh pieces of berries and lychee, perfect for a hot summer day. The view is gorgeous and on a sunny day, you can sit outside and easily knock back a few of these awesome drinks. read more

Opera Bar - Beer Gardens Near Me - Sydney, NSW

The major appeal of Opera Bar is the view. With a spot right next to the Opera House and with some unbeatable views of the harbor and the Sydney Harbor Bridge it is a great place to have a few drinks after work or on the weekend. The bar tends to get very busy, espscially for Friday after work drinks. The price for drinks is pretty steep too, even by Sydney prices. It would be a great venue as a starting off point for a night out or for a way to show new visitors to Sydney some of it's beauty. However I wouldn't advise a whole night here read more

Good spot for a basic bite to eat, some amazing seafood, and good drinks. The prices will be higher here because of the area. We ordered the pepperoni pizza, sweet potato chips, and raw honey bugs. We are American, and I had no idea what honey bugs were, but they were great. Sweet and salty. This is a seat yourself and go up to order type of restaurant. Even though it was very busy, food came out relatively quickly. If you're close to the opera house, this is a great place to be. read more

Opera Bar - Beer Gardens Near Me - Sydney, NSW

5 stars for drinks and the view. No matter what time of day, it's a great place to sit down, recharge, have a drink or two, and take in thr spectacular views. Is it expensive, maybe a little bit I have seen other places that are more. The staff and bar tenders were all friendly. read more

Great view. Great wine list. Great weather. Great service. Great everything. Come here for a drink before going out for a meal. Sit along side the Opera House, overlooking the cruise ships, the ferries, the tall CBD buildings, the bay, Circular Quay, the Harbour Bridge, and all the visitors strolling by the Opera House. Only the pesty birds are a distraction - a good reason to drink here but not eat. We've been doing this for about 25 years, and it never loses its appeal. And the wine list keeps getting better. Try the Stonefish sparkling from South Australia - outstanding. read more

Opera Bar has been doing breakfast for a while now and I wanted to try out my new Iphone7 plus so I decided to take a toddle down from my hood in Surry Hills through the Botanic Gardens and have brunch with a view. Although the menu is small it's hard to go past the best view in Sydney! That being said a spoon would have been nice with my boiled egg and soldiers (off the kids menu), but one was delivered speedily when I asked. The juice was delicious but I assumed cold pressed and hand crafted meant on site and not out of the bottle. Oh well who cares? It tasted phenomenal! And did I mention the view.... read more

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Great location for a couple drinks. Allows you to buy a beer/cocktail at the bar and walk around the Opera House area. Fairly priced based upon the area and plenty of open seating. If you plan to order food, sit under cover (birds will steal your food). read more

I really don't like this place much. It's loud, crowded, feels like a meat market. You can't grab a table and also grab a meal unless you are there with friends. Their cocktails are forgettable and not cheap. Stick to wine. What it DOES have going for it, is a wonderful view, so, sure hit it during the day maybe in Summer with friends and forget the salivating masses eying off the trade! read more

The best thing about the Opera Bar are the cocktails and the location! Each time I have been the cocktail and food menu has been updated, so it's nice to try something new. The cocktails are delicious and I can be particularly fussy with a cocktail! The raspberry fling is the latest one I tried - it is a must have!! They are expensive at $19 - but on par with a cocktail price in Sydney around the harbour. The food is nice - on my first visit I was underwhelmed with the crab salad, but this time I had a delicious tomato salad and it was much nicer. While it is ever so tempting to sit in the sun and gaze at the view, both times I have been was a scorching hot Sydney summer day....... So I sat indoors by the window or indoors at the bar type seating with the top part open - watching people regret their decision to sit in the sun - so sit inside people - you can still see the harbour bridge from here and it has air conditioning! read more

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this place never disappoints. I love taking visitors here as we can always get a solid salad or pizza and enjoy a spectacular view of the harbor while we munch on our food. just beware of the seagulls--they can be vicious and I have seen them swoop down and grab food right off the plate! read more

Watched the sunset and got drunk with two young pilots (my mom and me, that is). A great view sets the picturesque background and picnic-style tables make way for close encounters with strangers you'd generally never get a chance to share a bottle of prosecco with. The only thing I despise is the self-serve ordering style.. although it did make for some friendly conversations with the bartenders and other patrons waiting to order their umpteenth bottle of whatdoyacallit. And the linguini with spinach, peas, and feta was outta this world. I was swoonin'. read more

Stopping off late after an evening show we had an amazing steak here! Two days later and my mouth is watering thinking about it. The generous serve of 250g, grain fed O'CONNOR ANGUS RUMP was cooked perfectly for myself (medium rare) and my husband (rare). Served with a mix of veggies which were beautifully seasoned and equaled the steak, definitely weren't an afterthought. Complements to the chef! Beautifully presented, wonderful quick service. Will be going back here to try something else on their menu. read more

I had very high expectations of this bar since it was named one of the must go to places in Sydney. The design is contemporary, you order your drinks at the bar, pay and you get a "collect ticket" then proceed to the right side of the bar to collect your cocktail when your number is yelled out( it gave me a sense I was in chipotle not a chic bar in the famous Sydney opera house) number 2 fail, I asked the bartender what his recommendation was for a sweet cocktail, he stared at me blankly and turned to another bartender to ask the same question, dude you should know your cocktails and be able to make a recommendation. I got my drink based on the recommendation of the 2nd bartender and it was tart not sweet. The 2 stars are for the ambiance and the people watching. read more

Opera Bar - Stars above - Beer Gardens Near Me - Sydney, NSW

One of the coolest and must do bars in Sydney. Plenty of locals frequent this bar simply to soak in the scene and harbour sights. Terrific for early afternoon before dusk. The scene changes when the sun goes down. Music, younger crowd all looking for fun. Most of the staff are cool but a few have deep attitudes that get quite annoying. Get over yourself guys, it's so yesterday. read more

Great spot right below the Opera House! We were so exhausted from walking and hot. We stopped to have a beer and grab a small bite to eat. The pizza was amazing! I was able to get a small bite with the Opera House right in the background! read more

Opera Bar - Beer Gardens Near Me - Sydney, NSW

The seafood platter was very nice, and a pizza after with a bottle of wine for three, and we were still hungry after paying over 230 AUD. The place is a pretty romantic setting right under the opera house looking at the bridge, so full points for location. We have had better food than here though. Must try once for the ambience. read more

Opera Bar - Beer Gardens Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Opera Bar is a nice place to head for an afternoon or night out. It has a fairly relaxed vibe, although it can get pretty packed when the weather is good. Drinks are a little bit on the pricey side, but you probably are paying an extra buck or 2 per drink for the view. Having lived in Sydney all my life (28 years), sitting back on a nice sunny day, with a beer in hand looking out over the harbour towards the Harbour bridge still doesn't get old. The bar food is a bit hit and miss but that's probably more in my taste than anything else. I would definitely recommend it as place to visit - especially to visitors to Sydney. read more

This is the first bar you arrive at on the lower concourse at the Opera House and is always busy. We had evening dinner here and it was ok. Expensive but the price did not match the quality of food served. But they are crazy busy at all times. Service at the bar is not great either. Wouldn't be in a hurry to return to this specific bar at the Opera house I would continue on further down the concourse where there is better value for money read more

I love coming here whenever I am in Sydney. It is in such a great location with picturesque views of all the Sydney icons. It can get extremely busy so you may need to get there early or be willing to wait for a table. read more

Nice place location is great! good décor and a decent range of drinks I personally love the cocktails. However be warned the drinks are pricey! So if your intention is to drink and spend most the night here be prepared to come back home with a much lighter purse! I have not been here enough to notice but I hear the menu is always changing so they keep you guessing and there is always a good variety and even if you are a regular I guess you can still be surprised every now and again which is a nice thought. I sat indoors whilst here but if its a decent warm day/night you could sit outside and enjoy the view and surrounding atmosphere but if it is a cold miserable day/night fear not because you still get a decent view from indoors! read more

With a location like this, your expectations of service and vibe are exemplified like no other. It's located across the Circular Quay bay from The Harbour Bridge, and beneath the shadows of the Opera House sails, undoubtably a fancy location to say the least. This place is incredibly popular with tourists, business people, at the end of the night, at the beginning of the night - no matter, who, or when, you'll find them here, or this place will be in the top three of their upmarket bar choices. The tourists love it for the beautiful views, and magical open-air vibe, and the high-flyers love it, because it encapsulates their whole notion of success - beautiful location, sexy women, and expensive cocktails. read more

Location, location, location. Good stuff: The view onto the Harbour and the Bridge. That's it's central, at Circular Quay, and thus a good meeting place. It's outside (when weather is good). It's large. It's popular, always busy. Bad stuff: It's a bit expensive. It's outside (when weather is bad). It gets packed, and somehow on any night there seems to be more broken glass here than anywhere I've ever been. Not a place to relax, unless you're here in the afternoon. read more

Standard spot to take any visiting guests, or for when you want a good dose of "holy hell, I really do live in the best place on Earth, don't I?" You really can't get any better than the Opera House behind you and the bridge out in front of you, even if the drinks are on the pricier side. Perfect when the weather is warm, especially when the live band is there! read more

Ahhh, the Opera Bar......The best location in Sydney! (If you like the harbour, bridge and Opera house that is!) It's all about the location! The bar/cafe can get away with being pretty average - food wise, and they can charge extortionate prices for their bevvies...because they have ammunition.....THE VIEWS!! This is a lovely place to chillax, enjoy a drink or 5 with your mates, other tourists, locals, anyone you can find really and soak up the atmosphere and THE VIEWS!!!! I have happy memories and feel all warm and fuzzy when I think of times spent here. It really is a great spot. Go, go, GO!! read more

This has to be your first stop if you come to Sydney, and it appeared that for some people it literally was. I saw backpackers with their bags that looked fresh off the plane. But I also saw classy after-work-drinks groups too. It kind of makes up the charm of the place in a way. It also inclines me to think that it would be a good place to meet new people as the vibe was quite relaxed and everyone seemed happy, bevvy in hand and looking onto the beauty of the harbour. Come one, come many. It's not about just going to a bar here, it's about soaking up that amazing view! read more

Great views of the bridge and the CBD. I was there during the Vivid Light Festival - so the views were awesome. Really good food for a very touristy place. Very pleasant service and everything came out quickly read more

Opera Bar - The Vivid Light Festival projected above Opera Bar - Beer Gardens Near Me - Sydney, NSW

$8 dollar beer night? Sure sounds good, as long as its at Opera Bar. What makes this place so great is the views. You have the iconic opera house on one side, and a perfect view of the harbour bridge. Live music, pretty good food, and a group of friends coming here will always be a good choice. It is the perfect place to either start or end a great night. read more

If you're looking for somewhere that is iconically Sydney then Opera Bar is perfect! You can't get better views of the harbour and it's a perfect place to bring guests who are new to the city or if you're a local and want to bask in the views of the beautiful city you live in. Food and drink are pricey but the quality is always pretty good and let's be honest, you're not coming here if you want a cheap night out and would you expect it to be any less? There's excellent variety of food from burgers to sushi and the cocktails are delicious, the bar staff are excellent at making a variety of recipes. It gets very crowded so getting a prime spot might be difficult, but patience is always a virtue and like the seagulls swoop when you see your chance to move to a better view. It's worth it! read more

You cannot beat the location- right next to the water, opera house, and with a great view of the bridge! A group of people and I stayed here for hours one night and watched the sun set. It gets very busy, but it's very well run so you never have to wait for anything. The food is beautiful presentation-wise, and not too pricey, but I think it maybe lacks in quality in some areas. My friend got pho that tasted like water with noodles. The Mexican sharing plate was delicious though! And my burger was mediocre. I would suggest going for drinks and sharing plates!!!!!!! Lovely view!!!!! read more

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