This place has the best kc style bbq in Sydney, the brisket was amazing and I highly recommend it and this place read more

Surly's - Brisket box - American Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

A place that would fit right into any American city or town. Burgers, wings and various BBQ meats with sides. This is a funky space lined with various typical American bar decorations and a well stocked bar with heaps of beer choices. I have been here a few times since they opened and each visit has been great - from the friendliest servers in Sydney and some awesome hearty food. A recent visit with some fellow yelpers has put this place back on my radar as a good joint for nice filling winter meals. read more

Surly's - Carolina pulled pork sandwich - American Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

Shuffleboard. Yep. Not a typo. Shuffleboard, here, in Sydney. Take the stairs all the way to the top floor and there are two tables, resplendent, woody, covered with the finest of fine sand shipped in from the fine sand mountains of the Sahara. Probably. But enough about shuffleboard. You'll probably be coming here for the meat. Such meat. Much meat. Big meat. Dark meat. Slathered in two types of house BBQ sauce (bypass the ketchup, you won't need it because this BBQ sauce has a kick like a tazered mule, and there's two types of hot sauce if that kick ain't kicky enough for ya). I smashed the Surly's burger with double burg, this thing is a minor monster and the patties are juicy and charred just right, the cheese drips gloriously, the crunchy iceberg lettuce starts the party and the whole thing is pretty much a symphony of delicious that will be playing in your head for hours afterwards. Also, crinkle fries. Plus they split bills. Lots of bills, we had a table of 10. I love this. Hey all other places: do this. read more

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Nostalgia, party of one please. Walking into Surly's is like transporting into a bar in America...seriously the decor and architecture just screams Americana. From the placards and kitsch hanging on the wall, to the cheap plastic cups for non-alcoholic drinks. I'm very impressed with the fit-out, as I felt I could have been in San Francisco, Boston, or a college bar. Surly's is run by the same group that runs the Stuffed Beaver and Riley Street Garage...so you can expect delicious comfort food. Their menu is a huge range of Americana, with smoked BBQ served only during dinner, starting from 5pm to 6pm. I'm talking bacon cheese crinkle cut fries, chilli cheese fries, nachos, wings, burgers, fried chicken, and Philly Cheesesteaks and so on. We ordered the bacon cheese fries, Surly's Burger with bacon, and Beef Rib. The BBQ dishes come with 2 sides each plus cornbread, and I have to say it's the best value BBQ I've had so far. It's not per weight like at Jazz City, but you definitely get way more bang for your buck. I'll just get this out of the way, the cornbread here sucks, it's small and negligible. I also didn't care for the sides, we ordered mac n cheese and BBQ beans, and I tried the potato salad. The mac n cheese is like Kraft mac n cheese, so if that's your thing go all in. The others were just OK, but I didn't bother eating most of them. The Philly Cheesesteak also didn't look too accurate but I'll have to try it to give a verdict. Compared to Jazz City BBQ I'd say you get better value, variety of foods, and ambience here. But Jazz City has better sauces, cornbread, and obviously the option of a-la-carte BBQ. The tables come with two types of BBQ sauce, a chipotle one which is slightly spicy, and a sweet one. The beef rib was slightly on the salty side, but it was sooo tender and delicious. It fell apart and I would happily order this again. The bacon cheese fries were awesome as well...loved the "cheese" sauce, but they could have added more bacon. The burger...I wasn't expecting the burger to be very good after seeing the bun as it's a dryish bun, but it was surprisingly tasty and I could order it again. The cheese and secret sauce went together well, and the meat was tender. I may order a double next time around. The service is pretty good, people are super friendly and food comes out relatively fast...but be quick to come as the place packs out after 7. The clientele is a range of hipsters, yuppies, and suits which is part of the charm. They have several beers on tap and do decent cocktails as well. I will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu, and I will especially be back whenever I want to feel like going to America without actually going to America. How do you know if someone's American? They'll tell you...cause I'm American. read more

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I LOVE SURLYS! The food is great! The staff are great! The beers are great! It's all great! The handsome Mike burger is to die for, and I'm sure with the calorie count that will be sooner rather than later. They have a great selection of American beers on tap as well as plenty Australian craft beers in the bottle. Great for groups! Recently had a group of Americans come and they gave it the big thumbs up! Doesn't get more Authentic than that! read more

Surly's - American Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

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I'm breaking out in meat sweats as I recall my meal at Surly's...burp We came, we over-ordered and we rolled out of the place. The new hipster eatery is suitably decked out for an American BBQ joint, a good balance of cute/hip/blokey. The food was good and does the cuisine justice, only downer was the brisket which needed either a little less cooking or a lot more cooking or fat so that it's more tender, however what it lacked in texture it made up in taste. The pork ribs on the other hand was divine, so much so that it caused a physical reaction that was highly inappropriate in public to one of my dinner companion. Shivers. Booze was alright, the beer is on the pricey side but they're all boutique/imported beers so that's fair enough, the wine tho was quite steep as I was served what looked like 1/2 a glass for $10. Serves me right for ordering wine at a BBQ joint! read more

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Hands down some of the best brisket and fried chicken in Sydney! Ive had the brisket sandwich ($14) a few times now (with pickles, onions and a smokey southern barbecue sauce) which is dope but the brisket isn't consistent, some days it's better than others and sometimes not so good Next up is the fried chicken ($15 for three pieces) which is fucking great, it's that nice southern fried buttermilk chicken that you dream about with some herbs and spices (sometimes too herby but always good) $7.50 stone and woods are also available here which isn't too bad. *Also I've eaten this shit in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and not many places in Sydney are getting it right, but Surly's comes very very close read more

Surly's - Brisket sandwich $14 or $15 - American Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

I think this place has a lot of potential, but didn't quite meet the hype for me (and believe me, there was a lot of hype and excitement prior to dining here as I was raised in North Carolina where we live and breathe bbq). Aside from meat, one of the best things about bbq is the side dishes (ie. mac and cheese, cole slaw, baked beans, collard greens, corn bread, you name it). It doesn't need to be anything fancy- in fact sides are usually pretty simple but super comforting. The sides weren't that great at Surly's - the mac and cheese tasted/looked like Kraft mac and cheese (maybe that's what they used? cheese powder?) and was too salty. The corn bread was astonishingly tiny - a small flat round piece of bread maybe 1.5-2 inches in diameter at most?! Cole slaw was ok. They could nail the mac and cheese (creamer, use real cheese if they didn't, less salty) and serve up a big ol' slice of fresh cornbread (super cheap to make), to start off with. I think that would make a lot of people happy and are pretty easy requests to satisfy. The ribs and brisket were ok but also a bit salty and I've had better brisket (Papi Chulo) and ribs elsewhere in Sydney. My biggest complaint would be about the "Carolina" pulled pork sandwich. First, the buns were really dry. Also, Carolina pulled pork is noticeably different from your average pulled pork in that it is made with cider vinegar and hot pepper flakes giving it a distinctive taste. Please don't call it Carolina pulled pork when it has no resemblance to Carolina pulled pork because it is misleading! I take that personally. On the plus side... -I'd give the ambiance a 5/5 because the vibe and decor are great. I love the beer on tap and when you're inside you just feel like you're sitting at a place in America. Looked a lot like the Stuffed Beaver which isn't that surprising as they share the same owner. -Cost. You can get full for $20 or less - awesome. -Chicken wings. Nailed the buffalo wings and love the carrot + celery sticks w/ blue cheese dressing on the side. Again, I think this place has a LOT of potential if they tweak their recipes a bit. I'm looking forward to coming back in the near future. read more

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Feels like a dive bar in America. Good beer selection, didn't see wine, and there were a few classic cocktails like dark and stormy. Staff were quick. Bathroom is downstairs. I'm told there's more upstairs but did not have time to venture. read more

Surly's - Local cider - American Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

AMERICAN BBQ - OZZIE STYLE 'Ello chaps! Want to find out how Ozzies try to do American BBQ? Then check out Surly's. Their menu touts being an authentic American BBQ spot, inspired by Nashville. It's a nice try, but reality is far from reality. The meat was fatty, unseasoned, and not quite like the real thing. The green beans were extremely spicy. These are two pet peeves of mine. The menu simply stated green beans, with no mention of anything added. I hate it when restaurants add things to food, when they don't have to, and when they don't share with the customer they have added things. ESPECIALLY when you "spice up" a food. Secondly, when serving up meat that will no doubt be doused with sauce, it's not exactly the best idea to serve it up in a plastic basket with a paper liner. Doesn't take much for that paper liner to become shredded and mixed up in the food you're trying to eat. Beside that, this place has a cool dive bar vibe to it. Great live music, friendly service and lots of drinks on tap. Still a worthwhile spot to hit up, but a few tweaks could be added. read more

Finally made it here. Carb and cheese heavy, I don't think there's anything that doesn't include these two on the menu. Everything is pretty spicy too. Chilli cheese nacho was yummy, I love that they made their own chips. Mac and cheese was delicious though I don't think I can eat one serving on my own. Basketball fans will love this place as NBA games were streamed all throughout lunch. read more

Surly's - Buffalo wings - American Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

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If you like watching sport with other people that love watching sport, this is your place. Great screens, tasty pub food and good prices. Can't wait to visit again. read more

After drooling over the menu for a few minutes I handed it to The Boy, "I need you to order for me" I explained "because I will go up there and order one of everything". Trust me friends, this was no idle threat. It is something I've been known to do on occasion when trying a new place or perusing Chur Burger specials. The menu at Surly's is everything a homesick North American ex-pat could ask for: wings, brisket, burgers, pulled pork, and fried chicken as far as the eye can see. The buffalo hot wings ($12) are what you would expect in just about any pub back home. But that makes them incredible in Sydney. Good spice level, and your choice of bleu cheese or ranch dip, with some celery and carrots on the side. The Big Banh Mi sandwich ($14) was a nice American/Asian fusion with pulled pork in place of the usual meat. The menu said jalapeños, but I'm certain those were some of the hottest red birds eye slices I've had in awhile. Utterly delicious! The Chopped Brisket Sandwich ($15) was a small serve of some amazing brisket. The pickles were a great addition and also managed to cool down the fire in my mouth after the Banh Mi. I'd leave Surly's Spicy Fries ($10) off the order next time. No regrets on ordering them - they just had a bit too much seasoning and weren't as delicious as everything else. Keen to go back a few more times so I can eventually try one of everything. read more

Surly's - So excited to eat real wings I may have downed a couple before remembering to take this photo! - American Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

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A bead of sweat rolls gently down my brow. We've locked eyes and are maintaining that contact like two men about to negotiate the end of the cold war. This Rooster in front of me has not come here to play, he ain't backing down. B..b.....b.......Bacon and cheese fries and two beers ...p..pl..please? "Certainly mate, no problem, what burgers do you want?" ... "Oh, so it's going to be like that is it?" Drop everything, your phone, your pants, whatever and get down to this place. What do Dirty Harry and this place have in common? The don't f*ck around! You want bacon and cheese fries, oh that's want you're going to get homeboy! That's right. Selection of American beers? believe it son. Carolina BBQ pork sandwich? If Carolina was a lady I'd have put a ring on it. Philly Cheese steak I was reliably informed by my dinning buddy "was off the charts".... Bar Charts, Pie Charts, Stock Charts, Star Charts all of them. You will not find that Sandwich on any goddamn chart at all! Not one. Staff were friendly and attentive to the point of I wanted to ask them to join my mystery solving club. I don't have one but I was tempted to create one just for the sole reason. Top guys. Staff, owners, chefs have a beer and pat yourselves on the back, this place is great. read more

I happened to wander by this joint on it's opening day, and it was a great accident. This place is part of the growing trend of American diners and bbqs, which I am happy to try out. It has an eclectic range of decorations adorned on the walls. The philly cheesesteak was nice, but needed a bit more cheese and the ratio of filling to bun was a bit off. Though nothing major and hey it was their first day. The buffalo wings were delicious; very saucy with a nice level of spice that left a tingle on my lips. They provide a very generous amount of dipping sauce. The cheese and bacon fries had a nice amount of the fake orange squeezy cheese, which is what I want when I get cheese fries at an American joint. You don't go to an american diner for gourmet cheese, you go for all the artificial colours and flavours. Definitely will go back to try their barbecued meats. read more

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So a couple of Sydney friends thought they would take me to a fairly new American style restaurant in Surrey Hills they had been dying to try out and also as I'm an Aussie now living in Austin TX. We made our way to Surly's and walked in to find something I would definetly find back home. The bar and interior where a slice of America from the menus and Coors on tap to the wood paneled bar. The menu had ALL my favorites from chilli fries, buffalo wings to burgers and BBQ!! I ended up having the chilli fries and the Surly Burger and shared some wings with my mates!! The food was really really good, not too badly priced by Sydney's usual ridiculous standards lol, it was quick, fresh and hot!! Now what REALLY REALLY lets this place down is its staff.. :( They are bordering on rude and took some shine off the experience. American Hospo staff are AWESOME, they are engaging, friendly and attentive. I can't say the same here we got the typical Surrey Hills/Darlo hipster type attitude that is all to common these days. A smile and some GENUINE interest in your customers is NOT too much to ask!! pull your finger out and you have a WINNING restaurant. read more

Fatty, greasy and lacking flavour- as a Southerner abroad I had high hopes for this place. Sure, Jazz City is up the road but it lacks the bumping vibe you get when walking into Surly's, which is sort of biker bar meets hipster bar. They're trying to highlight whiskey on their drinks menu, which is GREAT. However, after tasting a couple of their cocktails I'm convinced they're trying to kill people with the overly sweet and syrupy concoctions. Better off sticking with the American beers they're imported. This is a highlight, as you can get a tall boy of PBR, Blue Moon and more. Skip the food though as any Southerner would tell you this is barely passable as BBQ, but stay for the drinks and the fun vibe.......and then go down the street to Jazz City for some real BBQ. read more

If you can't be bothered reading the full review just read this, FOOD COMA!! Discovered this place by accident after finding out a favourite had closed. They had recently upgraded to table service so we were taking straight to a table and informed that someone would be with us. Ordering was a breeze and starters came quickly after this the mains were also came out not long after we had finished our starters (LIKE MAGIC!!) Our waitress for the night was amazing only wish we remembered her name for a shout out but I'm sure all of them are just as awesome!! Definitely did not miss the other restaurant as this was a million times better! read more

Staff = awesome Food = incredible Design/decor/vibe = awesomely incredible I wish I could NOT recommend this place so I could keep it to myself, but from the amount of people here I'm too late. read more

Really disappointed. The burger was really good. Then, I see the US flag. You are marketing yourself as an American restaurant? And completely disrespect the flag, and thereby the country and citizens? Bad enough to use it as a curtain but to rip a hole in it for the hook? read more

Surly's - American Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

Loveeeee the hater reviews below, because they are so far from an experience I've had at Surly's, and I've been here a fair few times. As far as American BBQ joints, this is close to the top of my list, because it has both great meat and great sauces and sides. As a starter I love the hot wings (BBQ with ranch or blue cheese AND the the ranch tastes like America) and the spicy fries with cheese. I've also had the nachos which were quite good--the cheese is yummy and spicy and doesn't taste like melted tasty cheese, A problem I find with a lot of other restaurants trying the American thing right now. As far as mains, I wasn't that big a fan of the chicken burger, but mainly because I don't like darker meat. My fiancé LOVED it. Veggie burger was pretty yum as well. Full bar with lots of options including Blue Moon, which I don't often see. Beers average $8 and they have a number of specialty cocktails for $18. American BBQ is only available after 6, so don't come here at lunch looking for it! Also, if it isn't clear by the multiple prints on their website and menu, everything is only available until it runs out each night. So come early, eat good and enjoy yourself :) read more

I have found Surlys to be quite hit or miss when I've been there. Once, on a weeknight, two of us were seated downstairs and served quickly and often. The food was good although they had no brisket. I thought it would be a fun place to have my birthday dinner so I booked ahead for 6 people, and even called ahead to ask about the all day BBQ for Saturday. The server we had was friendly enough but she was not very attentive, serving other tables seated AFTER us, before serving us. She also seemed uninformed about the stock of the kitchen, selling us on the cornbread and then disappointing us by telling us after we'd received our food that they were out of cornbread! This was after we were told there was no buddin onion and no brisket (again)! We could have forgiven all this had we not been waiting 20 mins to be served and 20 mins to get our food, all while sat upstairs where it was hot, uncomfortable and our table was covered in ants. We questioned just how often that corner of the restaurant is left neglected! To top it off, though she did apologise and try to explain why they ran out of food so soon (apparently it was because they were closed the next day, which is a ridiculous excuse for not stocking up for Saturday night!), she didn't offer any compensation stating that they didn't have anything to match the value of the DELICIOUS CORNBREAD, since the cornbread was only 'thisbig' !! It was not how I had seen the night going, as it was my last birthday with my dear friends as I am moving overseas very soon. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Surlys isn't a terrible place but they need to find some way to offer CONSISTENT service and food! Perhaps when they have run out of so many food items, they should plan ahead with replacements or offer a table free basket of fries when their meal is incomplete. For an American themed joint, it certainly didn't feel like American service despite a couple of American servers. I guess that's the difference when one is working for tips. They should definitely have more servers upstairs on a busy night, and pump up the air conditioning! Even the bathroom felt like descending into hell. I won't be back, good luck to any future diners - I hope they get better service ! read more

I am salivating at the thought of this as its been a couple weeks since I was here. I might be a bit bias as I love American deep fried anything. Especially wings. The ambience was lovely, the food was so delicious and the service was great! I love the deep fried chicken pieces! Way better than kfc. It was crunchy, hot, and the chicken moist. I would definitely go back except I live in Melbourne now til next time I'm in Sydney! read more

Not only a great barbecue joint, this is a real American bar. The waitstaff are super attentive, the portions are big and the food is amazing. The pork ribs are highly recommended, as is the mac and cheese. A must do. read more

Surly's - Brisket, pork ribs, mac & cheese, cornbread and fries. - American Near Me - Surry Hills, NSW

Alas, as Americana fever continues to take over Sydney, it was hard to avoid hearing about this place (and naturally) even harder to get a table. Be warned folks, this place is no reservation, opens at 6, and you definitely shouldn't expect to be able to easily get a table at 6:15pm (exact thing happened to us). Place was capacity and we had to wait (only about 5 minutes) before we were allowed in. There was absolutely no tables and we had to cramp ourselves onto somebody else's table sitting our bar stools pretty much on top of each other, but all in all it wasn't that bad. 'Cramped and dark' rustic memos seem to be all the rage in Sydney's hot spots nowadays (getting old). Dim mood lighting, american kitsch cascaded over dark brick walls with high ceilings, and blaring rock music that forces you to shout to communicate with your mate sitting next to you (and consequently making you subconscious of your breath). The place is really packed, although the vibe is definitely cool, has sort of an American sports bar vibe with the TVs and general ambience. Expect bearded men and man cave vibes. Menu was making my mouth water, ordered a bunch of food (order at the bar place) and waited anxiously. Food came pretty quickly which was awesome. Post meal I had one word on the tip of my tongue: hype. Honestly folks, you can get better fried chicken at KFC for half the price (3 piece is 15 bucks, with a side but--- chiiiiiiiiilll) and I couldn't choose only legs and thighs (which for someone who takes their fried chicken seriously can be devastating news). Bacon cheese fries were pretty delish, the onion blossom or whatever it was was so disappointing, not cooked properly, and the spice combination was sort of confrontational and definitely not a win (no one ate it), the mac and cheese was yum (im a huge fan of mac and cheese) but tastes sort of like the soda factory one, and the burgers are pretty great but let's face it the standard of burger in sydney right now is getting higher and higher so if you're looking for a great burger you've got a lot better options before this place. All in all it wasn't a bad meal, but it wasn't a great one: it was hype. A lot of the spice combinations seemed almost too daring and an amateur stab at 'southern' flavours. All in all, if you're looking for a specific American sports bar man cave have a few drinks in suzzy hills vibe go for it, but don't expect this place to satisfy your insatiable desire for amazing Americana style food-- after having tried a few of these places I'm beginning to realise that honestly, if you want to try authentic and not bland Americana food, either hop on a plane and go to the south or try to make it yourself. These places are selling a vibe, they're not selling amazing food. If you're down with that this place is great. read more

The wings. THE WINGS! Also the chips. Came here for a work thing and pretty much just ordered wings, chips, and beer. They were all goooood. They don't take bookings apparently, but they made an exception for us and put a table on hold for us. The staff are lovely and friendly, the service is great, the food is also great. Really nothing to complain about. Just need to go back and try more of the menu really. read more

Id give this place four stars but the three times I've been(all at various times) they have never had the brisket. Aside from that, the food is great. Beef rib is very tender and you literally don't need a knife. Atmosphere is great and staff are friendly. I'd definitely go back but only if everything is on the menu. read more

I understand people saying it lacked flavour. However, the flavour they want was SAUCE!. Realistically, the food wasn't fatty, was very nice, very tender. Staff were great, food was quick. Prices are reasonable. The only issue was the portion sizes. Going to an American style smoke house, i was expecting bigger portions. Other then that i was very good. read more

Great ambiance and atmosphere but the food is average. We tried the beef ribs, beef brisket, chicken sandwich and chilli fries. With an exception of chilli fries, the rest were below average. Beef ribs were the biggest disappointment as the meat was hard chewy and flavourless. I had to practically wrestle with the ribs until the time i gave up and couldn't bother to eat anymore. Ambiance of the place is great though and thr staff was helpful. The chilli fries were also pretty good. read more

I've never travelled to America but this place meets what I imagine your typical BBQ Bar to be. The atmosphere was good, albeit rather dark inside. The website said Order at Bar so I was pleasantly surprised to get table service. The waitstaff were attentive and greeted everyone on arrival which I found very welcoming. We sat at the window as most other tables were either taken or too big to waste on only two people. That did take away from the atmosphere a little as we sat with our backs to the room. The food was good but perhaps a little overpriced. I shared the bacon cheese fries to start. There was plenty of bacon on top and the cheese sauce was delicious! I had the brisket sandwich with fries. Initially I thought I was going to die of onion overload but it complemented the brisket (with the pickles). There was no strong aftertaste that you would normally get from raw onion. The only downsides would be it's a bit pricey for what you get and the fries I thought were frozen. read more

I visited Surly's on the 12th of March 2016 for a dear friends birthday Dinner and I must say I am terribly disappointed with the service received here tonight. After being seated, we had to wait 20 mins before a server came to our table to take our order. During this time, the 3 gentlemen on the table adjacent to us, who had arrived after our party of 6, were served before us. Upon taking our order, we were advised that the two most popular items of the menu, being the Onion Bloom and Beef Briskett were not available. I found it hard to believe this, especially on the busiest night of the week. This just added to the already founded disappointment. We continued to order, and some of our meals included a side of corn bread. The server raved about how good their corn bread was, and we were all looking forward to it. Approximately 20mins later our food arrived, however not one of our plates had any sign of corn bread! More disappointment!!!!! We called the server to question it, and she then explained they had run out of corn bread. I asked the server what she would do to compensate us for this, and she said there was nothing she could do. At the end, the food was average...nothing outstanding, and I definitely won't be coming back to spend my good money here again! After working in the service industry for many years myself, I know how important customer service is, especially when there is so much competition. I believe that if you want a successful business, you should be doing anything possible to keep your customers happy..especially after so many stuff ups! A terrible end to what was supposed to be a joyous celebration for a dear friends birthday. It ended in nothing but disappointment after disappointment!! P.S. Why was our table covered in ants????? read more

I went here as it had come highly recommended for an American hoping for some traditional food from home. I got a basic burger with fries and a side of Mac and cheese. Their Mac and cheese gets rave reviews but I could tell it was out of a box with some seasoning on top. Too sweet and overcooked. The burger was ok and the fries were not seasoned at all. The waitress was just standing behind the bar and even though the restaurant was not busy (2 tables were seated) it took her 10 minutes to notice I was done and come over. Slow service, crappy food and expensive prices for low quality food and small portions make this place not worth your time or money. read more

Worse than stadium food. Went and tried some of the ribs and a vege burger. Stupid for a meat venue but whatever. Ribs were a disappointment and sauce was a disgrace. The chips were cold and soggy. The vege burger was like cardboard. Overpriced - insanely low value and bad quality. Not into it hey. Red baskets and a US bar feel with insanely high prices and shit food - cargo cult garbage. read more

Extremely nice team, tasty food and cool beer. Been there twice, Monday evening and Friday evening. The latter was busy, but they managed to find us a place, kept service running smoothly and my glass full. Tried surly burger, veggie burger and various sorts of fries. read more

American / neighbourhood style bar in Surry. Pro's: great beer list with Hop Hog, Mountain Goat and a few Americans, top, friendly staff and plenty of sport on the TVs. Con's: the 'BBQ' is a bit lacklustre and fries are a $5 extra to the burger - wholly incongruent with the American theme. read more

If wanting good American BBQ, Surly's falls short on flavour. As a redneck yank, I love how Southern American food is the current hot ticket down under. However, its frustrating that most American theme places typically miss the target by one key factor. That factor is flavour and understanding what makes the food special. For Aussies, it is probably not noticed and the experience is a novelty. I think there are more raves about the shuffleboard, so maybe I missed the point in selection. Same goes with most Mexican themed places here as well. Typically these themed restaurants have awesome fit-outs, service, atmosphere, sauces, exclusive beers, etc... Surly's does excel on all those points. Overall Surly's is a cool joint with great service. I personally loved the setup, service and atmosphere and could easily see myself belly up at the bar on a regular basis to drink. But if craving some smoked meats with southern sides, I'll just fire up the backyard egg. Thus the review is solely based upon the grub. For clarity, here is my experience: Beef Brisket, dry no smokey flavour, just ordinary beef, didn't fall apart in the mouth, just tough beef Pulled Pork, really moist but zero flavour, zero bark. It was like it was done in a crock pot with water Table BBQ sauces, these are required as the meats have little flavour, but personally preferred eating without. With sauce, I generally like to splash it on. White, vinegar, mustard, hot or sweet doesn't matter. The choices here appeared hot and sweet, but just not my style. Mac + Cheese, just plain packaged Kraft Mac + Cheese with cayenne powder shook ontop for flavour Cornbread, each meal came with one little cold rubbery cornbread bite. again ordinary. Fries, just processed crinkle not homemade Wings, actually good and spicy but we're only talking wings, blue cheese came with but just thin processed sauce not something with chunks. Expectation If the meat is destination quality, it should stand out on its own. After all, bbq is a method of making cheap meats edible. The pit-masters make it extraordinary. At Surley's the meats are sold in small tapas size portions for fair $, so I expect more than a BBQ lunch stop. Brisket should crumble and melt. Pulled pork should have bark. Sides should standout as well. Mac+cheese should be real cheese and baked. Beans with pork bits, brunswick stew, killer slaw, etc.. Fries, each to his own. However, if expecting more than Maccas, hand cut would be nice. Cornbread, serve warm with butter, use buttermilk to make, throw in some chedder if special mix in some jalopenos. Overall, southern food is ordinary cheap components made to please. There is a reason southerners are big. read more

Went there on a Saturday night with a big group of people. The food didn't come out all together so some people had to wait while others were eating and the barbeque that they're meant to known for took about an hour to come out. For the price they charge I was expecting some great American BBQ but what came out was under seasoned, cold and not worth the price. read more