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    Shakespeare Hotel

    3.8 (33 reviews)
    InexpensiveHotels
    Closed 10:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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    Recommended Reviews - Shakespeare Hotel

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    Two of the Locals at Shakeys!
    Spammy M.

    Good old Shakeys! Great place to meet up with a few friends to start a Friday night with happy hour starting at 4PM. Expect to rub shoulders with friendly locals, lovable pensioners, occasional Aussie actors, and depending on your point of view some hot birds (see pic). Be sure to check out the scale model of the hotel sitting in the corner - amazing detail. Gone are the days when you could bring your fish and chips in from over the road, but their own pub grub is great value and is one of the few places that hasn't gone all out on the whole american style burger thang (please don't). A tried and true institution in Surry Hills!

    Rafika K.

    The first time I went to Shakespeare was about 5 years ago! It became one of those great places where I hanged out with friends. It's cheap but still some of the best food pub I've had! I went back yesterday after 3 years away from Sydney. I have to give it 5 stars as the food is great and the upstairs rooms cosy. Will definitely start going back again regularly.

    Rachel C.

    The Shakespeare Hotel in Surry Hills is teeming with attractive men. In fact, it's one of the few places I've been to lately where the male to female ratio resembles a cricket score. Not that I'm complaining. On this particular night, large groups of males (what is the collective noun for men?) are doing their best to sample the Shakey's awesome menu - and sample they do, each guy having ordered at least two different plates from their menu of "over 20 main meals, nothing over $12.50, no conditions". And this is no small feat, as the plates here are piled high with chips, salad and a hearty serving of [insert meal here]. The Shakey is a great place to be, regardless of the sex of its clientèle. Thriving with Surry Hill's population of 20-somethings, the pub could have the potential to be wanky but manages to avoid it completely, opting instead for cheery and laid-back. Upstairs is dark and sultry, fitted with leather couches, fringed lamp-shades and heavy wooden tables that one must loiter around on busy nights in hopes of a seat. Downstairs, the kitchen-adjoining dining room channels the mess hall from M*A*S*H, whilst the front bar disregards pretence for your old-school and simple "come here to get a beer" bar. The Shakey is one of those awesome Sydney pubs that you just can't beat. The food is fantastic pub fare. You get a great range to choose from and they're all dirt cheap (despite the fact that they've all gone up $2.50). You'll probably have to wait around for a table, but it's worth the wait if you know what's coming. What's more, you don't mind just milling about amongst the good cheer of the Shakey - especially if the ratio is in your favour.

    E K.

    Old tradition Aussie Pub. I walked 2km because of someone else's review of their fish & chips. I was not disappointed. A huge portion, fresh & hot with a lovely salad and a schooner $20. It was not busy when I arrived at 5pm on a Sunday but was filling up when I left at 6pm.

    Seaton K.

    The Shakespeare Hotel, named after my favourite Bard, John Shakespeare, William's less famous, equally bardy nephew, the Shakespeare Hotel has a number of things going for it. Number one is the beautiful Victorian era room upstairs which is used for dining and also for drinking, a room of old leather couches and oaken tables. A stencilled wooden moose head jutting out above the mantle piece while the patrons enjoy their beer and bread below. Number two is the bistro, with high quality food the likes of Rump Steak, Lamb Shanks, White Fish or Crispy Skinned Salmon, among many other options on offer also. The menu recently went from all of these meals priced at $10 to $12.50, and while they will lose some of their appeal, those that know how tasty that Crispy Skinned Salmon is won't stay away for long. That's me by the way. I'm the one who knows.

    Note the road and the pavement!
    Gerard B.

    The Shakespeare on Devonshire is my kind of pub. its not quite 'a dive' but its not far off. I mean that in a good way. Its got that slightly rough feel to it, but essentially its a pretty respectable place. Situated between Crown and Elizabeth Streets in Surry Hills, it is perfectly placed to attract a diverse clientele. It is also the ideal Friday drinks spot appealing to the many creative / boutique businesses that operate in the local vicinity. The best parts of the Shakespeare are the pavement and the road. Let me explain. The crowd tends to spill out onto the pavement when the pub gets busy and/or the weather is good. Sometimes this even extends to the street itself. Now, this is illegal of course, so part of the fun is trying to manage your drinking while avoiding the half hearted attempts of the pub security to get you off the street and onto the pavement. this all adds to the charm and gives the shakespeare a distinctive 'Unique Selling Point'. I'll say it again... my kinda pub. Oh yes, there is also a great little fish shop across the road which allows you to bring your beer or wine in while you have a good feed. Big thumbs up.

    Morgan C.

    It's not pretty, but it does the trick! People generally come here for the cheap food rather than for the well-worn, old-school character of the pub itself. $12.50 is pretty good for a meal, especially in Surry Hills, but they did instigate a 25% price hike a while back - the meals used to be $10, something that the Shakespeare was famous for! But I guess inflation affects everyone! The pub itself looks like it hasn't seen any renovations in a while, and the front bar looks perfectly suited to locals who wouldn't like change anyway. Upstairs, there is another bar and a couple of rooms with tables in which definitely give it a quirky look. It can get pretty busy with the throngs of people getting their cheap food, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, so you may want to get their early-ish so that you won't be attempting to eat a steak (the steak is great by the way) while standing up...it's tricky!

    Lauren B.

    I miss the days when very few people actually knew about the Shakey - and it certainly wasn't cool. Now the hipsters have moved in and if you're not there by 7pm on a Friday night, the chances of getting a table are slim to none. It's still a loveable old favourite though, and the old English pub feel and super cheap prices will still have us going back time and time again. The $10-12.50 pub menu is excellent and the steaks are huge. Service is fast, so get a spot before you grab your buzzer. I'd avoid the dining room downstairs and head up into one of the smaller rooms on level one if you can find a space. This is a no-nonsense, give me a $10 note and I'll give you a meal kind of place, and I love it.

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    13 years ago

    What's to say that hasn't already been said? Cheap, fresh food. Massive portions. Standard priced beer. Old mann-y feel. Good pub!

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    13 years ago

    Good old feel pub. Cheap huge meals. Get packed in the evening. More space upstairs. And remember to bring cash or use the ATM at the pub.

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    13 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Great meal with 3 young kids. Busy pub, but the eating space out the back terrific, Meal great.

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    10 years ago

    It has improved a little bit since my last review.... But still ain't the same... Shame...

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    Review Highlights - Shakespeare Hotel

    Beers are relatively cheap (for Surry Hills), and you can buy wine by the glass or bottle if you are so inclined.

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

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    The Woolstore 1888 by Ovolo - Checkin

    The Woolstore 1888 by Ovolo

    (10 reviews)

    $$

    Pyrmont

    My favorite boutique hotel near the CBD. The rooms are small, but perfect for business travelers…read more The bed was super comfortable and it was very quiet since we are on a side street. 15 minute walk to the CBD and lots of great restaurants nearby. We will definitely be back.

    This hotel is simply perfect…read more Location:: Perfect! The hotel is easy to get to from the airport using public transportation. Just buy an Opal card and take the train to Central Station. Ask someone to point you in the direction of the light rail. Take the light rail to the Convention Center stop. Once there walk into the adjacent parking garage. Take the elevator to the fourth floor as if you're going to Novotel. Walk through the parking garage until you hit Murray St. and the hotel will be across the street from you. After you've checked in you can go back through the fourth floor of the parking garage to the walking bridge that will take you to the harbour and shops. You can walk all over town from this central location... across the Pyrmont Bridge, over to Chinatown, a relatively short walk to Circular Quay... it's really a great location. Swag and free stuff: Amazing! When you book on their website you get free happy hour at their bar, everything in the mini bar is free, free breakfast, free loot bag of snacks, free tote bag to swing around town or load up a few extra gifts for home. Lots of goodies! Attention to detail: Never better! From the spare toilet paper that reads "who gives a crap" to the frame hanging in the lobby for people to take selfies with, this place is fun and interesting. I found myself wanting to explore the hotel as much as I wanted to explore Sydney. Food: Nice spread! They had a really nice continental breakfast spread in the morning... lots of fruits, breads and pastries, cereal, hard boiled eggs, a variety of juices, and a coffee machine. I think there would be something there for everyone but if that didn't suit your fancy you could also pay for other breakfast options from the kitchen or coffee bar. Literally the only downside I came across was that the walls were thin so I could hear a lot of noises from the hallway and laundry room. So pack some ear plugs!

    Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Central Park - A lived in room. Lol

    Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Central Park

    (15 reviews)

    $$

    Chippendale

    This is a big of a walk from most tourist areas you will want to visit. It is a quiet hotel with…read morelarge rooms. It's clean and up to date. Staff was good. We stayed here using points. I wouldn't pay to stay here because I would want to be closer to the action. We didn't dine at the restaurant because it was pricey. Breakfast is not included.

    I only really found one flaw of this hotel and it's the entrance. The big revolving door is way…read moretoo close to the check in counter and queuing up to check-in is a pain. This means that if you aren't trying to go to the counter, just trying to go back to your room, a lot of times you have to navigate through annoyed people. I think this would work for a smaller, less busy hotel but this hotel is neither of those things. However, if this is the only real flaw, then this hotel is a fantastic one to stay at. I'm not going to lie, the reason I chose this hotel was the price compared to other Marriotts around Darling Harbor. The train station is very close, but we actually didn't even end up using the train system, we walked or Uber-ed when tired. The walks to the harbor are not long and very interesting, with what seem to be a lot of great places to eat and drink on the way. The actual area around the hotel has a lot of good food and shopping options as well. We got in early, around 10am, and they did not have a room available for us yet. However, the person who pre-checked us in, Noah, called by around 1pm to let us know our room was ready. We were enjoying a movie at the mall next door at the time but it was nice to know they worked fast to get us in. I really appreciated that. The rooms were clean and modern with nice views. The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the door. It felt small and tight but the room itself was spacious with a large window. The drapes are great at keeping that beautiful sunshine out while you're sleeping. The bed was extra comfy and I appreciated the cream in the fridge for coffee. The bathroom was lovely, with plenty of counter space, a nice toilet and a good shower. The water pressure in the shower wasn't the best but we made due. Every employee, from the check-in counter to the house people were great. Always a friendly face and so hospitable. Absolutely will stay here again if in Sydney.

    57 Hotel - Other rooms have a window that looks into our bathroom

    57 Hotel

    (9 reviews)

    $$

    Surry Hills

    Convenient location in Surry hills nearby a lot of cafes and restaurants. Also right next to…read moremonorail and central station. In the morning , there is free pastries and fruits. There is free coffee via nespresso machine and free tea 24/7. It's a decent price for the quality. However, the bathroom is not well designed. There is no door separating the bedroom from the bathroom. It's just a curtain. Also, the shower has nothing to block the water from seeping out to the bathroom floor. As a result, everytime you take a shower the bathroom floor gets flooded making a mess and a potential slipping hazard. Not sure who designed this. Also, if you get a single twin bed room there is no outlets next to the bed. You need to borrow an extension cord from the hotel. Of note, they will let you borrow a travel adapter as well for free.

    The hotel is named after studio 57 and you'll see that immediately when you get into the disco…read morelift. There's a disco ball and disco music playing inside. Free grab and go breakfast, tea and coffee served from 6-10 am. Refrigerated water available at all times. Items are small pastries and pre packaged lamingtons. Everything was pretty delicious. The front desk people are all very friendly. I'm giving a 3 star rating because of the room itself. The bathroom in particular was horrendously designed. There's a window looking into the toilet area and anyone from the adjacent room could view us at anytime if they dared to open their curtains. The window doesn't make sense because there's not even a good view from the window, its just a dirty alley way? Then the shower has no delimiter so water spreads everywhere. Really just a bizarre design, but it can be improved drastically by adding a curtain for that window. Overall not a bad hotel, just ask not to be placed in any room ending in 07 or 08.

    Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney, Crown Street

    Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney, Crown Street

    (1 review)

    $$$$

    Surry Hills

    The Adina Apartment Hotel is in such a great location. It's Crown Street for starters, so you've…read moregot restaurants and cafes coming out of your ears, and it's a short walk to Central Station. bills Surry Hills restaurant is also right next door and you can charge your meals to your room. I was in a one bedroom apartment, it was clean, stylish and comfy. There was definitely plenty of room for me and my things. If I'd wanted to I could have cooked up some nice meals in my kitchen, but like I said it's on Crown Street so why eat in? Everyone working there was friendly and helpful, they happily stored my bags, helped me print of boarding passes (despite how often I managed to get the email address wrong) and looked after me well. In Summer there is a pool and a nice courtyard area, but in winter I was staying well away. Unfortunately WIFI isn't free, but 24 hours access is very affordable compared to the by the hour option. The WIFI extends to bills restaurant, so you can do any Internet browsing you need to do while enjoying food and a drink. It'd probably be a bit out of my price range usually, but I enjoyed the comfort and luxury for the night.

    From the owner: Adina Apartment Hotels offer you space, style and home comforts - more than just a hotel…read more Adina Apartment Hotel Crown Street, is in the heart of the bohemian cafe culture and chic boutiques of Surry Hills, yet is still just short walk to the heart of the Sydney CBD. The Adina difference is lifestyle - your own private space, a place to entertain or simply a great place to relax be it for a day, a week or even longer. Adina apartments and studios cater for leisure and business travellers equally by providing home comforts for astute travellers. Apartment space, Hotel Service, Adina style

    Shakespeare Hotel - hotels - Updated May 2026

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