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    SoCal

    3.7 (31 reviews)
    ModerateBars, American, Mexican
    Closed 12:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)

    SoCal Photos

    SOCAL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - SoCal

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    Bernard O.

    If you like laid back Southern California cuisine with a Mex influence then this place should be right up your alley. I dined here on a Wednesday night before the after work crowd poured in. And they do pour in after 6pm. Between two of us we had three share plates - southern style chicken tacos, fish and prawn cakes and beef sliders. Really nice food - the soft tortilla tacos were a favourite. This place has a nice vibe - even in winter - although it can be on the noisy side. I really enjoyed the food and I'm already planning a return visit.

    Best seat in the house!!
    Maria N.

    It's gotta be said ... I love anything Californian .. NoCal or SoCal so after hearing about this place, it was a must try. its right next to Ray White and up a flight of stairs (note the gorilla type beast splashed across the wall doing what all local cali's do - smoking a big fat .... ). Despite its location, trust me, Neutral Bay will be the last place you'll think you're in as you walk through to the bar. Palm trees/plants whatever you wanna call them line the outside area, they have hanging pots, high tables, low tables and pretty beachy colours. Service was solid from the moment we stepped foot in. Can't recall the name of the main guy who served us but he was pretty good (short term mem a little off tho). There was also a super eager young kid that came through to talk to us bless him ... He was lovely. So after having a good ol yarn about the food, we settled on the Sriracha chicken quesadilla, the fish tacos and I'm sure we had the chips with guac and salsa (clearly main guy was rubbing off on me). The food was not offensive by any means, however it wasn't the standout memory of this place for me - it was the relaxed vibe I got sitting outside, it was the company I had and the wonderful cocktails consumed - The Garden Party - ohhh it was everything !!! Yeah I'd certainly go back if I'm ever in the area ... we were told the must try is the pulled pork quesadilla.

    Chicken waffle
    Eugenie C.

    Great rooftop location in Neutral Bay, yummy food, mixed feelings on decor, but expensive!!! A casual lunch for 2 set us back $90 - ouch! So Cal is hidden up some dark, narrow stairs and the decor emulates a rustic Mexican bar / casual restaurant. There is a dark inside area (not so nice) and also an outdoor rooftop area (no views to be seen). On a sunny 25 degree + day, soaking up the sun outside amongst the palm tree plants and bright splashes of blue and yellow furniture is amazing - but only if you get the limited sofa seating! Most of the restaurant has bar stools which are high, wirey and don't look very comfortable. Service was a bit slow. Food and drinks: - Corn chips $12 - average serving of chips but the guacamole and tomato dipping sauces were tiny!!! We were scraping out of the bottom of the tins. Also the guac is not made in front of you. A reasonable price would be $6. - Fish tacos $20 - 4 grilled fish tacos with mild sauce and they are pretty good. Don't like the idea of having to buy 4 at once. - Chicken waffle $20 - unusual. This was recommended to us and there wasa lot of chicken but the waffle was overly salty and soggy from the sauce seeping from the chicken to the waffle. The waffle was green and this was a novelty, but I'm not exactly sure what flavour it was. - Tiki tropicana $18 - amazing seemingly bottomless tropical mango - pineapple - coconut cocktail that is refreshing and sweet but not too sweet. Loved how it was served in a tiki mug with a pink umbrella! - Rumdog millionaire cocktail $17 - extremely refreshing orange flavoured cocktail, served short. Great for a hot day.

    Anna K.

    LOVED the ambience, and staff were extremely attentive from the moment we entered, giving a little intro about the place and explaining the menu. Throughout the meal it did get a bit too much but nonetheless friendly staff. They have both an indoors and "outdoors" area, and if there are seats available I recommend trying to sit out the back. Set up to give off great vibes with awesome music, it makes for an all round enjoyable meal. Corn chips to start are great, comes with guac and salsa, and all in decent servings. Then I highly recommend the California roll slider because it's amazing. Regret not ordering another one. Made up of prawn, crab, cucumber, wasabi avocado, seaweed mayo, although I didn't really notice the crab, the wasabi makes all the difference as it was refreshing and added a needed kick. Fish tacos were also enjoyed but it could have done with more of the salsa as it was barely noticeable. I preferred the slider. The tofu mushrooms salad turned out to be a great choice as it was light but still satisfying with juicy mushrooms and plenty of lentils. Have to add the tofu was too salty though. Brisket took a while to come out and finally came when we were pretty much done with everything else. It was dry and slightly overcooked but the slaw, pickles, and house-made BBQ sauce made up for it.

    Sam S.

    Friends of ours who live in the area introduced us to this place. This place has come up in the time after we moved to Europe from the area. It used to be a dark and dingy old karaoke bar. SoCal is a stark contrast to the previous place and its bright, open and tastefully decorated. They have a decent cocktail list and a food menu. I must admit I got a sticker shock at the prices of the food here. They also have a nice choice of micro brews and other drinks. The music here was a bit to too loud for me and I was told it gets louder as the night goes on. It's popular and does seem to pack out. I can't comment on the food as we did not eat here. The cocktails were pretty good and the daily cocktail special of burnt orange and vanilla frozen margarita was nice. I also tasted the Chilli Margarita which was hot hot hot !!! Whilst the service here was super friendly it was a bit over the top. I am not sure I have ever said that about a place but this place felt a bit like it. I don't mind gorgeous waitresses coming over to check up on us but, not every 2-3 minutes and making us feel a bit rushed ;-)) it was nice to see there was so many staff on hand but I was a bit tired of answering the same question every 2-3 mins :-)) I would happily come back here again for cocktails and also try the food next time. A great bar in Neutral Bay Area.

    Jalepeno margarita. Yes, please!
    Sara Ann S.

    Firstly. Tater Tots. As a Sydney-sider, you probably have experienced the 'tater tot' for the first time only recently, or perhaps you are still yet to encounter this nugget of potato goodness. But for us 'Merican expats, the tater tot represents one of the most critical advances in mashed potato history, since the addition of gravy. Now, I've read the internet (close to all of it) and I found at minimum 311 poems about this humble tot. So on that basis alone, I thank you kind people of SoCal for honouring this classic cube by featuring it so proudly on your menu. (They come served with Chipotle mayo). Next, I would like to discuss the 'Spicy Señorita.' Jalapeño infused tequila with agave, lime & habanero hellfire shrub (p.s. I have no idea what 'hellfire shrub' is, but I don't care. When it hits your lips.....) this magical woman lives up to her name, she will warm your soul (literally) and make you feel tipsy with lust. (yeah, I can't believe I just wrote that either.) I could speak to every item on the menu with love and prose, but my words cannot express the majestical feats the kids at SoCal have accomplished with their little mexicali fairy hands. So instead, I'll leave you with this. Haters going to hate, Potaters gonna potate. Which essentially means, get thee to SoCal, have the tater tots and pretty much everything else and thank me later.

    Amy S.

    Cool little Mexican joint off the main road in Neutral Bay. Go up some dark stairs and it opens up into the restaurant with an outdoor area that feels like summer. Pretty nifty cockails including a salted caramel espresso martini. There are a lot of options to choose from the food menu and it took us a while to decide. I ordered the Baja fish tacos and decided with a friend who ordered the Steak tacos that we would swap 2 so we could get a variety. $20 for 4 tacos. Taste wise it was ok. I preferred the steak more. Also got to try the brisket and it was tasty but a bit dry. I noticed a few other people got the ribs and they looked pretty good but messy! Huh! Dessert was ordered and we tried the churros with chocolate dipping sauce - Churros was nice and warm with lots of sugar but not at all sweet which is a good thing the sauce was there. Overall, ok first time visit.

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    12 years ago

    Southern Cali comes to Neutral Bay! Lovely Baja fish tacos and margaritas.

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    Review Highlights - SoCal

    We walked right up the dark stairs and were greeted by a lovely waitress who showed us to our table outside in the enclosed verandah area.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

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    Esteban - Grilled prawns taco.

    Esteban

    4.5(8 reviews)
    4.5 kmSydney

    Super cool place that qualifies as a hidden gem as it's tucked down a little alley way. Inside,…read morethey have an upstairs dining rrom and downstairs a sweet bar and speakeasy vibe. Loved it. They did seat us under a staircase and it was annoying hearing the heavy footsteps stomping up and down throughout dinner service. The food was very good to stellar! As others have mentioned, the Tacos are King here. Tartare Tacos are amazing, and we loved the Salmon Civiche and the carnitas tacos, as well. Flathead Civiche was delicious, Brussels Sprouts were super tasty, and we also enjoyed the twice cooked Pork Belly. Not so good was the Pato Ahumado. The mole was really tasty but not enough, and the breast was really tough and fatty, plus no proper cutlery provided. Really disappointing, as we couldn't eat or enjoy it and it was like we just threw $72 away. While I did appreciate their coursing, we did wait for long periods between. Cocktails were good, as was a glass of wine, but pours are very light. Recommended, for sure. Avoid the duck.

    The food at Esteban was incredible!! They had tons of options to choose from and the environment…read moresuper unique, moody, and cool. The service was great and everyone was super friendly. The tacos were amazing!! The chips and dip were also very good and had a nice balance of flavor. Was something unique that I had not tried before. Everything tasted high quality with a large depth of flavor. Would highly recommend!

    Photos
    Esteban - Seated at the bar counter.

    Seated at the bar counter.

    Esteban - Brussels Sprouts

    Brussels Sprouts

    Esteban

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    Montezuma's Mesa - #9 Mole Poblano $24.50

    Montezuma's Mesa

    2.4(16 reviews)
    1.8 km
    $$

    Let's be clear, Montezuma would not fly in my hometown Philly suburbs. However, it was a solid 3…read morestars for this Sydney neighborhood, and kinda hit the spot after a long day of moving. The service is nice. An employee greeted us within a minute and led us a table, and also brought us water quickly. They use empty (and clean) tequila bottles for the table water, which I thought was cute. No one really checks on you throughout the meal, but this is standard for the city. We never wanted for anything. The food was where I knocked off at least 1 star. Everything was made with care, and was presented well. But the authentic taste was nowhere to be found. The closest they have to salsa is a ranchero sauce. It's pretty close, but no actual salsa. Our entrees tasted good, and looked similar to Mexican plates, but was just missing some actual Mexican flavor. The portions were perfect. Plates were plenty big, but we didn't need takeaway containers. The restaurant was comfortable and not too small and not too big. The prices were okay, but I'm still sticker shocked here. I got a half portion of nachos for $14. He got a platter with a taco, enchilada, and rice for $20. The drinks didn't have prices, and we were exhausted so I can't comment on flavor or price. But they did have a cool option to pick a combo plate and a glass of sangria for $25! So I would def pick that, if I were you. I would go back if someone else wanted to go, for sure. But if it were just me, I would wait a while before going back.

    Maybe I'm just spoilt by Dos Senoritas, but Montezuma's ultimately wasn't up to scratch…read more While the funky interior and the splendour of reserved tables may indicate otherwise, the dishes we've had were quite lacklustre with strange portions. The nachos had a severe lack of chips with a mountain of shredded beef and beans. Quite salty. Sour cream and guacamole not included, additional charge. 4.90 for a teeny tub of guac and 3 bucks for cream. Hmm? My tomatoey cheese topped garlic prawns came with a bowl of kinda-stale hard rice and two small wraps. Again, small portions but three wraps would've been nice. Maybe it's just the things we ordered - from my table espionage I gathered intel that the burritos looked very nice & filling and the cocktails looked great! Another thing they did right was the burning hot plates keeping the food nice n warm. Will be back to try more things but in the meantime, a disappointing experience.

    Photos
    Montezuma's Mesa
    Montezuma's Mesa - Enchilada

    Enchilada

    Montezuma's Mesa - Montezuma's Crows Nest

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    Montezuma's Crows Nest

    The Hayberry - 99 bottles of scotch on the wall

    The Hayberry

    4.3(27 reviews)
    2.0 km
    $$

    The first time I've ever tried a veggie burger that reminded me of a fish taco happened while I…read moredined at The Hayberry in Crows Nest, Sydney, and boy, was I thrilled. The Vego ($15AUD) patty is made with mixed bean, corn and coriander, and topped with citrus rocket, tomato and jalapeño mayo, and this monster of a sandwich had me reminiscing being on the Rocky Point beach. The burger wasn't the only stellar reason why this bar and restaurant made me happy. Head through the dimly lit pub area to the back of the restaurant to discover a fresh air patio filled with lots of natural light and quirky decorations. It's relaxed and will make you feel right at home. Back to the food. I was so excited to try the waffle fries that usually come with the burgers and sandwiches, but unfortunately, the fryer was down -- or "f*cked," as a humorous sign pointed out. The restaurant compensated for the lack of fried potatoes by giving us complimentary chips and guacamole, normally $10. The portion was plentiful and would be a great appetizer option, and the guac was creamy and sprinkled with some heat. For those in Australia hankering for Mexican or American food, The Hayberry is a great choice because of its wide selection of tacos, fajitas, buffalo wings and burgers. Service was super-friendly, and the casual atmosphere makes it a top-notch place to stop for after-work drinks and bites, as I did, or to meet a big groups, since there are lots of spacious tables to spread out on. The cocktail menu is also fun, as it offers margaritas and fruity drinks with fresh juice. It quickly became one of my favorite places I've checked out since I've been in Sydney.

    Just like that Natalie Imbruglia song (remember her?), I'm Torn. Because this place rocks socks,…read moreit's like someone bundled up a little slice of Slurry and deposited it right in the middle of the Crows Nest Eat Street that has lots of delicious but has sorely, sorely been lacking the cool factor, and in fact still has nowhere near enough. The Hayberry has tons going for it. I rocked a bad-ass burger, The Classic ($15), and it was the nit's tits, juicy and cheezy and the bun melded with the patty and made sweet sweet love to it without becoming soggy or break-y and man it was just dope, the waffle fries were great too. The $10 pints of Angry Man Pale Ale hit the spot, and the vibe was dark and dingy and smoky without being, y'know, actually smoky because that's illegal, anyway my point is it's a damn fun place. BUT. And here comes the bad. The glassie working tonight was the pits. Since we're talking songs, y'know that Kendrick Lamar song "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe"? Well this guy did that, hard. I asked if there was a menu I could look at and he shrugged and said all testy-like "They're all out on the floor" and stalked away with his tank top and his rib rattoo. Super helpful, thanks friend! Soon after we found a seat at the side of the bar and this same guy saw me waiting to order and snapped "Ya won't get served there mate. It doesn't have a bar mat, you'll only get served where there's a bar mat." Oh good, thank you, you've been wonderful. Guy needs to find a new industry because he sucks at customer service, really put a downer on what was an otherwise great night. Should also mention the rest of the staff were awesome, so props to them.

    Photos
    The Hayberry - Great burgers, great sliders, great chicken fries.

    Great burgers, great sliders, great chicken fries.

    The Hayberry - Out on the patio

    Out on the patio

    The Hayberry - Out the back

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    Out the back

    Honey Rider - Porn Star Martini

    Honey Rider

    4.2(19 reviews)
    0.2 km
    $$

    This bar is awesome, though it probably has a lot to do with it brewing its own beer. Okay, some…read morehome brews are pretty bad, but in the case with this bar they were nothing short of awesome. While it wasn't all that busy when I was here, that probably had a lot to do with when I actually visited (the late afternoon), however, the atmosphere was great, and the beers were nothing short of fantastic.

    There is a sea of change in the once staid Neutral Bay where the only appropriate watering hole was…read morethe institution otherwise known as The Oaks. A local weekend night use to start at this institution followed by a local restaurant then return to the Oaks and when it closed the night owls would search for possum, the Pickled Possum that is. Grosvenor Street has opened with new bars White Hart, The Pony, Firefly and drinks can be enjoyed at Blue Plate, Eno Pizzeria and Garden Brassiere. Honey Rider gives a welcome alternative and on the evening we visit we are surprised to find that it is not jammed to the walls with people who only consider a quick drink then move on. The bar is beautifully fitted out with quirky bits and pieces to admire. This includs upside down hanging pots, a wine/cocktail list contained within an old Australian Ballet programmes and beautiful antique lights. Pizzas are available for a light snack We order a gin and tonic and sink back into our warm surroundings and find the music is so pleasant. It is nice finally to have somewhere for the local crowd to hang out that is gratefully absent of the pretentiously formal.

    Photos
    Honey Rider
    Honey Rider
    Honey Rider

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    SoCal - bars - Updated May 2026

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